Call the Canaries Home is a really great character development driven book with questions and mystery surrounding past events. I thoroughly enjoyed the unique feel to this book that focused on the current and past events between a family of three sisters and their grandma with questions surrounding the disappearance of the fourth sister years ago. I am keeping this review short and sweet since this was a solid 4.5 star read!

I would definitely read a future book by this author. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, Laura Barrow, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced reader’s copy.

I really enjoyed this book. Families can be messy, and the one written about in Call the Canaries Home was certainly messy. But, also full of love and loyalty and heart. Lots of tragedy and difficult circumstances but through it all there was Meemaw holding the family together, loving and raising her three granddaughters in the best way she knew. I loved this family. Meemaw was a typical southern grandma, with a rough exterior and a tender heart. The three girls suffered and benefited, grew apart and grew together, and there was just so much to love about these characters. So beautifully written.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Call the Canaries Home is a very nuanced story about family and the secrets that stay hidden. I loved all the characters, especially meemaw! I thought they were all so real and I loved their growth throughout the book. I enjoyed the mystery itself, it kept me guessing until the very end! The multiple character format is one that I usually love but in this book it is a little confusing and slow.

I've always liked a good southern women's fiction book, and this was a good one. The storyline was intriguing, and it definitely held my attention.

Savannah, Sue Ellen, and Rayanne are sisters who were raised by their Meemaw in Muscadine, LA.  Savannah stayed in Muscadine to look after Meemaw, but Sue Ellen and Rayanne left as soon as they could and didn't look back.  28 years later, Savannah urges them to come back so they can dig up their time capsule.  Savannah always hoped her twin sister Georgia, who went missing when they were 4, would be there with them.  Unfortunately, Georgia still has not been found.  As they look through the items in the capsule, they find a picture from the day Georgia went missing.  There's a mysterious woman in the picture. Could she hold the key to finding out what happened to Georgia?
 
Full of family drama and secrets, this book was an entertaining read.  I really enjoyed reading the different points of view and the different timelines.  It made things quite interesting. I would recommend this book, especially if your preferred genre is women's fiction😊

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. Sadly, while the premise intrigued me, this book was not for me. I certainly see why others enjoyed it, but I found it to be slow and it dragged on at times, I wasn’t absorbed or connected to the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC!

Living in a small Canadian town I just love books set in the Southern States and this book was no exception! I loved the character development of the sisters and the story telling. I did find this book was more about family drama then mystery and suspense. However, the ending left me happy and I did enjoy the story.

4 Stars!

Upon reading the summary for this book, I expected the story to focus more on the disappearance of Georgia. This book touched on that storyline and kept it weaved throughout but the focus was more on the familial relationships and bonds between family.

I'm glad that I read this book, but the storyline was much different than I had anticipated.

I am glad I read this book. I thought it would be focused mainly on the disappearance of Georgia but it turned out to also be a heartwarming story of family. I enjoyed the different POVs and the dual timelines. I appreciated each woman’s qualities and strengths. I was rooting for the sisters to mend their relationships and I loved the tough loving Meemaw. This is a remarkable read.

I recommend this to readers who enjoy southern, domestic and women’s fiction.

CALL THE CANARIES HOME by Laura Barrow is right in my wheelhouse: Southern AND Women’s Fiction. Set in a small town in Louisiana, the novel focuses on three sisters and the grandmother who raised them after tragedy hit them not once, but twice. Meemaw/Marylynn faced those tragedies after trying to work through the earlier unexpected loss of her beloved husband who died way too young. All three dealt with the losses and pain in their own ways, sending them in different directions with little communication, until the youngest sister, Savannah, convinces her sisters to come home and fulfill a childhood promise. The weekend visit uncovers emotions, secrets, and, ultimately, finds them all confronting their pain and guilt and, hopefully, finding a way to repair their relationships going forward. Meemaw is a force to be reckoned with and I adored her. I also enjoyed how the story unfolded alternating between all four distinct points of view so we could feel how each character’s actions resulted from their experiences and perceptions.
Thanks to Kate Rock Book Tours and the author for the opportunity to read the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#CALLTHECANARIESHOME #LAURABARROWAUTHOR #LAKEUNIONPUBLISHING #KATEROCKBOOKTOURS #WOMENSFICTION

Three estranged sisters come together to open a "time-capsule" they buried together 25 years ago at the home where they grew up. For Savannah its a hope to bring back memories that may help discover what happened to her twin sister when she disappeared from the lake where they were all playing..... And to bring her sisters back to the town where they were raised by their MeeMaw. Her sisters, Sue Ellen and Rayanne, are returning reluctantly as they both have moved on with their lives and the memories they have of living with an eccentric MeeMaw after the death of their mother and being abandoned by their father are troubled. What the sisters find are memories that bind them and the love of family their MeeMaw has tried to instill in them. Their journey to reach that place unleashes anger, jealousy, frustration, and harsh words. But it helps them to understand their relationship and heal as a family, as well as learning how much their MeeMaw has protected and loved them through her own hardships. Difficult truths are found out about their father and their missing sister, Georgia. I found myself with both smiles and tears as the characters brought me along on their quest for the family they wanted to love and cherish. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #CalltheCanariesHome

Love a sweet, Southern story and really love the characters names Savannah and Georgia (my little malti-poo is also named Georgia). Lots of good foreshadowing that didn't spoil the ending. Great read!

Thank you to the publish and #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Full of small-town family drama and sisterly relationships, Call the Canaries Home is filled with love, grief, heartbreak and forgiveness.

Savannah was four years old when her twin sister, Georgia, went missing from their small town, fracturing their family. Now, 28 years later, Savannah convinces her estranged older sisters Sue Ellen and Rayanne to honor the pact they made as children and retrieve the time capsule they buried in their old backyard. When sisters reconnect in their Louisiana hometown, they are determined to face this unresolved past - as well as their demanding Meemaw.

I confess this story really didn't turn out to be what I was expecting and that may have affected my feelings and final rating. Instead of solving the mystery of Georgia's disappearance - although that is resolved - the main story arc was the family relationships. But the conflict is rife with years of disappointment and unresolved feelings toward each other and Meemaw as well as their wayward father and deceased mother. It's also told through four different POVs, with each sister's story following the present and Meemaw's told from the past. The number of narratives made it drag in parts, and the ending resolved a little too neatly given the sisters' relationships.

That said, there is a lot to be found here in terms of family dynamics and how much our past experiences affect our present attitudes. We come to see Meemaw as tough and unyielding but full of love for her daughter and granddaughters. And each young woman's own strengths and determination are slowly captured throughout the narrative.

This is a great story for lovers of fraught family dynamics and strong southern women.

What a tearjerker! I absolutely was amazed by this book!

After years of being estranged, sisters Rayanne, Sue Ellen and Savannah come together to honor a pact they made years earlier during childhood. They must gather at their childhood home, in a tiny Southern town. During their weekend together, they are confronted with dark secrets and confessions that may (or may not) bring them closer together; all while dealing with their too-much Meemaw (grandmother).

So I actually gave this book a 3.8 but rounded up. I definitely recommend it if you liked What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez. The two books are very similar in that it surrounds a family of women, a missing sister and holding onto hope.
My favorite character was Meemaw because I like her no nonsense attitude; and how she would do whatever to protect the ones she loved.

I laughed, I cried, I even had my jaw drop at some moments so it is a book I definitely recommend!

Laura Barrow’s Call The Canaries Home is a 2023 must read!!!

Estranged sisters, Rayanne, Sue Ellen, and Savannah, return to their childhood home, to dig up a time capsule. The sisters buried the capsule almost three decades prior, as a tribute to their youngest sister, Georgia, who mysteriously disappeared. But, the time capsule appears to hold more than just memories. A photo taken the exact day they lost Georgia, captured an unfamiliar woman in the background. Will this woman be the key to unlocking answers in Georgia’s case, or will it lead to another dead end?

This book employs dual timelines and alternating points of views to examine the complex relationships that exist between family members; specifically mothers/daughters and sisters. In addition it depicts how everyone handles grief differently, or sadly, not at all. It is a raw and gritty MUST read.

I was shocked to discover that this is Laura Barrow’s debut book. The level of writing demonstrated in this book is on par with well established authors. If this is what Barrow can do with her first book, I cannot wait to read what she publishes next!!!

Special thanks to Netgalley, Laura Barrow, and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

three sisters reconnect to face an unresolved past.
Savannah was only four when her sister and twin Georgia went missing from the small town they lived in and now 28 years later she convinces her two older sisters to honor the pact that they made and to retrieve the time capsule they buried. Coming back means facing the past and their stubborn grandmother

Meemaw has my whole heart! I loved this book so much! The different timelines are one of my favorites to read. The audio version was incredible too!

𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 𝕋𝕆𝕌ℝ & ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎- CALL THE CANARIES HOME by Laura Barrow

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to Laura Barrow, Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley, and Kate Rock Book Tours for the gifted copy.

Recipe for a *bestselling* Southern family drama:
3- Sisters (a bit estranged is the best kind)
1- MeeMaw; Feisty & Stubborn brand
1- 28 year old Time Capsule (don't skimp and get the 13 year)
1 ea. Family Secrets, Grief & Memories, Drama: add to taste (the more the better)
Combine all ingredients in a cast iron Dutch oven, bring to a slow boil, and simmer.

This was such a wonderful read. In Laura Barrow's debut novel was captivating. I was fully engaged waiting to see what would happen next, and it left me absolutely enthralled. Told through dual timelines: MeeMaw- set in her ways and overbearing, told in the past from 1969 to 1999 and in the present are MeeMaw and the three sisters, Sue Ellen- the oldest who lives in NYC, Rayanne- living a respectable family life just far enough away, and Savannah- living in their hometown in a life of grief and regret. Each of the four characters alternates chapters from their POV, providing more insight and depth of feeling as the story develops. 

Savannah was four when her twin sister, Georgia, disappeared during a day at the lake. Everyone assumed she was dead but Savannah feels deeply that her twin is still out there. As the sisters unpack the memories in the time capsule they come upon a picture that leaves them questioning everything. Can they find out what really happened to Georgia over this weekend together before things boil over with the old strains in their relationships combined with the stress and the reemergence of old memories? 

I love a Southern setting in a book. I'm sure you all feel the same way about your region but there's just something about the way of life in the South. Things move about as slow as the pepper jelly that MeeMaw canned last summer being poured over cream cheese for an afternoon snack with some crackers and sweet tea. (Yes, I have a MeeMaw.)

A story of siblings. Three sisters. Family and all that entails. The ups and downs. The good and bad. Family dynamics. Love, loss, finding your way again. Understanding. Forgiveness. This book touches on so many things that families go through.

Three sisters, Savannah, Sue Ellen and Rayanne. Each has their own problems. As they work on their lives they've lost sight of what it means to be sisters. When they were all much younger they lost a sister. Savannah's twin, Georgia. They lost so much that day. Savannah had a horrible time dealing and it seems like the other two sisters didn't quite understand what she was going through. At such a young age Savannah didn't know how to deal with this loss. She lost half of herself. Georgia was her identical twin.

Twenty eight years after they left their home to live with their grandmother they all get back together again. They made a pact when they were young to come back and retrieve a time capsule. These three will give you an inside look at their lives. All the ups and downs. The tears. The laughter. The forgiving. And the MeeMaw that they thought was so mean and tough. These girls were raised by their grandmother after the loss of their mother. You get to know Marylynn well. She's a force to be reckoned with.

This story is told from each girl's POV and their grandmother's Pov. MeeMaw, Marylynn's story goes back to when her daughter Beverly was young. What all she did and was willing to do for her daughter. This woman could be fierce if she needed to. Her love for her daughter and her granddaughters was so strong. You didn't mess with them and get away unscathed. At least not when she could help it. Some things she had no control over and that hurt.

This book is very heart touching. It has a strong look at life through each of these women and young girls. When they are grown and as children you get to see how they interact with each other. How they could be there for each other when the going got tough. How they dealt with their lives. The forgiving and moving on after tragedy. The sadness of the losses they endured. Two moved away and one stayed.

Very well written and very heartwarmingly beautiful. A story that is guaranteed to touch your heart. I loved how this author wrapped it all up in the end and didn't leave you guessing. Yes this book will make you cry. It will make you laugh out loud also. You will get a bit angry at some characters but the sisters know how to handle things. I enjoyed this book very much. It's one of the best. A debut for this author. I look forward to reading more of her work.

Thank you #NetGalley, #LauraBarrow, #LakeUnionPublishing for this arc. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars from me and a high recommendation. Grab a box of kleenex and a comfy chair. It's good.

This was a lovely story about three sisters who have become estranged, but return to their hometown for a pact. The setting of a small town in Louisiana was idyllic and charming. Laura Barrow wrote the story with multiple points of views and timelines that were clear to follow and helped build into the story, family mystery and each personal way of moving through grief. I loved watching each sister have their own personal growth throughout the pages, along with their growth as a family. Thank you to Laura Barrow and Kate Rock Book Tours for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Savannah, Rayanne and Sue Ellen are sisters with a strained relationship. When they were just kids, Savannah’s twin sister, Georgia went missing, never to be found. As children, the trio buried a time capsule, promising to come back one day to dig it up.

But as the years flew by, their disconnect only deepened, continuously haunted by the loss. Rayanne, now a mother of her own kids, reflects on the incident from a parent’s perspective, while the city slicker, Sue Ellen all but cut ties with her former life completely. Then there’s Savannah, the youngest and most broken sister who never left town, or gave up hope. Upon her insistence the three gather together to open the time capsule, and with it- some old wounds.

As they gather at their grandmother’s Louisiana home after so much time, they are surprised to find a new clue that might help explain what happened to Georgia. But with so many years behind them, is it really worth digging into the past?

Call the Canaries Home is a moving story about findings, forgiveness, and family.
Each sister has a strong voice, and even stronger opinions about their heartbreaking past. However, it is the family matriarch, Meemaw, who reminds each woman that in every loss, there is still something to be gained.