A review by theavidreaderandbibliophile
The Memory House by Rachel Hauck

4.0

The Memory House is another beautiful story by Rachel Hauck. The Memory House is told from the perspective of Beck, Bruno, Everleigh and Don. We get to see how each of them came to be at the Memory House. The Memory House is well-written with thoughtful pacing. The characters suit the story and I like that we get to see them grow as individuals and in their faith. In The Memory House Don and Bruno help Everleigh and Beck deal with their grief. Grief takes a terrible toll on an individual and we each handle it differently. Beck was a teenager when her father died, and her mother was busy. She handled her grief by forgetting. Everleigh lost her husband, father, in-laws and her home all on one day. She clung to her grief and memories. Beck is now suspended from the force and dealing with a personal issue that will forever change her life. She was unprepared to meet Bruno with his continual references to their summers spent together when they were kids. Both women must deal with the past or they will be stuck living a half-life. God has a plan for these ladies’ lives. Joshua Christian was a mysterious character who provided little nudges when needed. I was little surprised to find intimate relations with a married man included in this Christian story along with violence to a suspect (even though he deserved it). Beetle Boo’s story will have you in tears. I wanted to take the sweet little dog into my arms and comfort him. Christian elements are light but impactful. It is true that God does work in mysterious ways. I enjoyed Beck’s Gilmore Girls marathon and the references to the characters (one of my favorite shows). My favorite sentence from The Memory House is “You could be Lana Turner or Marilyn Monroe on the outside, but if you ain’t got Jesus on the inside? Well, just leave your lipstick and mascara at home.” I liked how the characters stories connected and the book ended. The Memory House is one of those books that stay with you and puts a person in a reflective mood.