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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
π§ππ πππ£π¦
The book opens as Mia is rushed to the hospital, ready to give birth to the daughter sheβs been longing for. On the television as she labors? Her younger sister Cricket, playing goal for the U.S. Womenβs soccer team.
But all this joy quickly turns to despair when a medical emergency occurs.
And then the narrative goes back in time - decades, in fact, to their mother.
Liz Lowe was a soccer star in the making when a pregnancy during high school squashed her dreams.
Determined to embrace the unexpected, she packed her meager belongings along with baby Mia, and drove to the coast of Maine for a fresh start.
It was there, by the ocean, that Liz taught her daughter everything she knew about the sport she loved. And when Cricket joined the family a few years later, the three were inseparable, soccer phenoms all of them.
But life is not easy for the trio who endured traumatic events that greatly altered their dreams and realities.
ππππππ‘ππ¦
I loved this book.
It was a lot of trauma, but the structure of the narrative is immediately engaging, playing out almost as a thriller, as you wait for a decision to be made.
And wait you will.
But while you wonder and worry, youβre transported back in time, to learn the stories of these three women and the people they loved - the highs and lows, the joys and sorrows.
The character development is incredibly strong, as is the depiction of the relationships between mother and daughters, as well as between sisters. Codependent or enviable - this the question you will be asking.
Soccer as the backdrop is a character unto itself, and I promise that even if you arenβt a fan, youβll fall in love with the sport.
Iβm always fascinated by the question: What would you be willing to give up for someone you loved? Thatβs the examination here.
π©πππ πππππ
The Blue Sisters with a tiny sprinkle of Sophieβs Choice and a whole lotta National Women's Soccer League
π₯πππ’π π ππ‘π
Absolutely. Itβs a Reese pick this month, and I think youβll see it on a lot of year end lists.
πͺππ¬ ππ¨πππ’
Emily Rankin is engaging and emotive, doing a great job distinguishing between the sisters throughout the story. I found her to only increase my engagement with the story.
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Infertility, Medical content
Minor: Pregnancy
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really loved this book. It was an was an easy read and inspiring. You don't need to be a soccer fan to enjoy it. Great sister dynamic.
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
What a gift, indeed.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Oh my heart, this book is a must-read.
Thank you, The Dial Press & PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of Spectacular Things {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Format: π§π
Pub Date: 7.1.2025
Pages: 368
Star Rating: βββββ
Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein took me by surprise in the best way. While I donβt usually gravitate toward sports fiction, the mix of soccer, strong female characters, and layered family dynamics pulled me in immediately. Itβs a story about mothers and daughters, sisters, and the complicated, beautiful mess of love and loyalty.
The characters are so well-developed that they feel real, flaws and all. Iβll admitβat first, I didnβt think Iβd connect with Cricket. She felt distant, maybe even hard to like. But as the story unfolded, her growth was so authentic that I found myself rooting for her with everything I had.
Audiobook Review: βββββ
Spectacular Things is narrated by Emily Rankin, who has also narrated Before We Were Yours, Same as it Ever Was, and several other books. Rankin did an incredible job with this narration and brought the whole book to life - highlighting all the very real emotions of this story. If audiobooks are your thing, I highly recommend the audio.
Read if you enjoy:
π Sports fiction with emotional depth
π©βπ©βπ§ Family drama
β½ Soccer
πͺ Strong women
This one is emotional, heartfelt, and proof that sometimes the people who frustrate us most are the ones who teach us the most. I recommend adding Spectacular Things to your 2025 reading list.
______
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challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes