This was a recent Valley Book Club pick by Lisa Jewell, who is fast becoming a favorite of a lot of people. The House We Grew Up In is a family tale with interesting characters, some family secrets, some weird Easter mania, and a super-hoarder. What could be better?
This is the story of the Bird family. Lorelei and Colin had four children: Meg, Beth, and twins Rory and Rhys. As the book opens, they seem like a happy family full of personality and a few little quirks. They are active, Lorelei is especially free-spirited, and they love their traditional Easter celebration of a hunt of foiled eggs outside and the dinner where there are always too many carrots. But as the children grow up, it is apparent that they are all affected by what happened one terrible Easter weekend when Rhys commits suicide. This event changes all their lives in ways that they don't even understand and starts Lorelei on a life-long problem of hoarding. She hoards everything from baby diapers to craft supplies, filling up their little brick house until it is unlivable. Who will take care of the mess and discover all the secrets? Will it be sensible Meg, impractical Beth, or Rhys who loves to stir up trouble and take off to places unknown? And what of Colin? Will he survive the hoarding, the rambunctious children, and the yearly egg hunt?
I cannot reveal all these wonderful answers to you now, but I guarantee a story that moves along quickly, is both funny and poignant, and that you will not soon forget. Give it a try!
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