Wow. I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did! The chapters were a bit long for my taste but there were a decent amount of page breaks for me to pause lol

I just loved everything about this book tbh. I loved that it was based more in the 90’s. I loved that the story was told around roofing. I thought that was a very unique topic that I’ve never read about before. But I also loved there was some mystery to it. And the heartbreak 😭

This whole book represents a family dynamic that I’m sure so many have had growing up, and along the way we get to see each persons life unfold throughout this family. We see the grief, the love, the anger, you name it, we see it all from each persons eyes. Where each character is just trying to fit into this family in a way they think everyone wants them to, and that can turn into something awful.

There’s so much to talk about with this one lol I could go on and on but I’d say read it for yourself and message me so I can experience it again 😂 It was a very powerful read and I highly recommend! Thank you so much @NetGalley and @Celadonbooks for this book in exchange for my honest review

There has been so much buzz surrounding the release of Mercury. After reading the synopsis, I knew that this was going to be one of my favorites of 2024. Please read this if you have the chance!

This was an ARC that I’m happy to have the opportunity to read. This character driven story had family drama and a couple small plot twists. My opinion may not be popular, but it was too slow for me, yet I didn’t dislike it enough to not finish it. I did complete it, but not without some skimming.

4.5 stars

"It was kaleidoscopic, the way shortcomings and fear and loneliness each masked themselves as secrets in the great house."

You know that saying 'hurt people hurt people'? This novel encompasses that saying perfectly.
This book delves into a family that hurts themselves and hurts others, whether intentionally or unintentionally. It's hard not to root for each member of the Joseph family at some point. Each of these characters worms their way into your heart as you read their innermost thoughts and Burns expounds on some very deep and profound human emotions. The writing in this book is phenomenal, I highlighted so many passages. This was a beautiful story that will make your heart ache, but also give you hope for healing in broken relationships.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon books for the ARC!

What an amazing incredible read! Mercury explores small town drama and secrets, generational cruses, and the women’s role in their family. Marley arrives to small town Mercury as a young teen of a single mom. She’s quickly taken in by the Joseph family. She quickly develops deep and complex relationships with all of them. She has to figure out her role in the family and what kind of person she wants to become.

I loved everything about this story and all the meaning behind it and these are characters. I will truly miss and think about for months to come.

This book was deep. I had never read this author before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I got was a complex study of a dysfunctional family dynamic, and a very character driven story. I was entranced in this story for some reason. I wanted to know what happened to each and every character. Why they acted the way they did, and how each person became that way. The author, Amy Jo Burns, delivered on all accounts.

This story starts off with a young teenage Marley moving into the town of Mercury, with her mother Ruth. Marley right away becomes involved with Baylor Joseph, which gets her a seat at the Joseph family table for dinner each night. The Joseph family consists of three brothers- Baylor, Waylon, and Shay. The Joseph parents are Mick and Elise. The Joseph men own their own roofing company, and Elise tries to uphold the family name.

As the story progresses, we learn of the many secrets the Joseph family is hiding. We see how Marley has made herself a part of the Joseph family as well, even though Elise may have never really liked her. Did Marley choose the wrong or right brother in the end? Was Marley more of a mother to Shay than Elise could ever be? And why do the Joseph men always stick up for each other?

This book was gritty and raw. The characters kept me captivated from the first page all the way through until the last page. If you enjoy highly developed, character-driven stories- then this is the book for you! I highly recommend this story, and I will be looking for other reads from this author going forward.

This tale delves into the intricate dynamics of a family, exploring how secrets and sacrifices strain familial bonds. Raised by their resilient mother, Elise, and their impulsive father, Mick, the Joseph boys find themselves constantly shielding Mick from the consequences of his actions. The arrival of Marley, a new addition to the family through marriage, eventually plays a crucial role in the success of the family business but also assumes the responsibility of protecting Elise. As the sons grapple with the roles imposed on them by their parents and navigate unspoken emotions, concealed secrets reach a climax, threatening to irreparably fracture the brothers' relationship.

I felt this book was beautifully written. I couldn’t put it down. This is a great character driven book that will have you “in your feelings” as you empathize with each character’s struggles

Mercury is the raw and unfiltered story of a roofing family in the early 1990s in a rust belt town. It’s quite an interesting character study and a deep look into the complexity of human relationships. I truly cared about these characters despite their flaws. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and thoroughly enjoyed it though parts of it were heartbreaking.

I have a confession. I judge books by their cover. I do NOT like the cover of this book however I took a chance on reading this book (mainly because I was given a copy of it) and I am glad I did.

Marly West is only 17 years old when she moves to Mercury, Pennsylvania. Being the new girl in a small town quickly draws the attention of others. She finds herself sitting at the Joseph's family dinner table after meeting Baylor Joseph but she soon finds herself in the arms of his brother Waylon.

Marly ends up pregnant and marrying Waylon. She interests herself into the Joseph family roofing business and into the family. Family secrets and family drama quickly becomes a main character in this story as does the body found in the church attic.

The character relationships are complex and deep and sometimes your left wondering if Marly is with the right Jospeh brother. This dysfunctional family and murder make for an interesting read that will keep you turning the pages in order to discover what becomes of this family.

Marley falls in love with the Joseph family almost from the moment she moves to their small steel town. And it seems that the boys fall in love with her just as easily. Becoming a part of their family is far from easy. Even though she struggles, she does everything she can to hold the family together and still maintain her individuality.

The family drama in this one is the key to this story. So much happens in this book that it’s hard to choose which is the worst or most significant event. It was emotional and at times challenging to read.

This is my first book by Amy Jo and I definitely want to read more by her.
Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for my ARC of this book.

Mercury is a family saga centering around the Josephs, a roofing family living in Western Pennsylvania in the 1990s. Amy Jo Burns does an incredible job hooking the reader in the opening chapter when the Joseph brothers find a dead body while repairing their church's roof. Before we find out the mystery of the unknown body, Burns takes us back to 1990 when Marley West and her mom arrive in Mercury, and Marley is immediately drawn into the Josephs' orbit. I enjoyed the backstory of the family and the secrets, though I did get frustrated with the characters' choices and their lack of communication. Recommended for readers of literary fiction who enjoy character-driven stories. Thank you to Netgalley, Celadon, and Amy Jo Burns for the librarian preview copy!

This was such an amazing novel for me. It is highly character driven, and the Joseph family included an eclectic bunch. It is hard not to empathize with each of them, as their lives unfold throughout the 1990s in the small rural town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. We also learn of their pasts through flashbacks, such as when the heads of the Joseph family, Mick and Elise first met, married, and finally lived together and began raising their family, when Mick came home from the Vietnam War. They had three sons, Baylor, Waylon, and Shay, and the men in the family worked together to build a commercial roofing company.
Baylor and Waylon meet Marley, a new girl in town, and she quickly becomes enthralled by them and being a part of their family. From there, Amy Jo Burns takes you through the next decade of their lives, and touches on so many subjects. These characters are so complex, and the phenomenal way in which this was written had me completely drawn in. Just when I thought I knew where things were headed, I would be completely surprised by the turn in events. There is so much to this novel and the characters, the town… I really think this has something for everyone. I will be thinking about the Joseph family for a long time! Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC!

Wonderful family drama about a family of roofers living in Mercury, Pennsylvania. The Joshua Family, a mother, father and their three sons, befriend Marley, a lonely teenage girl who has just moved to the small town of Mercury. Since Marley’s mother is a nurse and works constantly, Marley dreams of being part of the Joseph family who sits down together for dinner every evening and seems to have the perfect family life. As Marley is torn between the two oldest brothers and becomes a surrogate mother to the youngest brother, shocking secrets are revealed that may destroy the Joseph family..

This was an interesting story with many plot turns that were unexpected. When I thought I did not like a character, the author revealed a back story that made me see the character in a completely new light. This book reminded me that everyone has a past that has shaped them into the person they are; therefore, we should not judge others.

Phenomenal writing and character development by Amy Jo Burns. Thank you Net Galley and Celadon Books for the Advanced Reader Copy! I really enjoyed this novel and will be recommending Mercury to my friends who love to read. #NetGalley #Mercury

I loved Shiner by Amy Jo Burns so I was really excited to read this one, but after trying multiple times, I DNFed at 30%. It just wasn't cutting it for me, that pacing was too slow, and I wasn't getting a clear plot that grabbed me. I dig character-driven stories, but I usually need some bit of plot to see where the story is going too and and one just wasn't doing it for me.

Dysfunctional family story that you will feel true fondness for, despite the character flaws. The Joseph family is authentic and I loved the setting of Mercury, PA.

Marley’s voice is heard most frequently but I liked getting chapters with other family members perspectives as well.

All around great read for a character-driven family story.

Thank you Netgalley for the copy of the book. My first time reading a book by this author and won’t be the last!

A definitely more heavy story about family dynamics and how it shapes you. The book centers around the Joseph’ brothers, their mother, father and Marley who comes into their lives and changes them all. Definitely see how family dynamics molds you but doesn’t have to define you. Marley comes in to their lives during a time when it’s not easy to be a teenager in a new town. She finds herself wrapped up to the Jospeh brothers quickly.

There were a few twists that keeps you interest in wanting to read more. I was happy that the author added twists since it could get heavy at times. I was definitely rooting for them all to find their happiness with life and who they are meant to be

A book about deep family generational drama. It carries pockets of secrets that are captivating as they unfold. I recommend this book to anyone who loves family drama.
Thank you netgallery and the publisher for letting me read a copy of this book.

So. Many. Secrets. This book is heavy with the weight of the Joseph family dynamic. And while family patriarch Mick has minimal direct "scenes" in the plot, his presence is overbearing. Elise seems like a strong character but so much of her energy goes into keeping her family together, she can't seem to keep her own self from falling apart. Both parents passed down their toxic traits for the Joseph clan to work through in the pre-antidepressant and therapy age. Interesting and engaging to watch all the secrets eventually unravel throughout the book's many flashbacks, a technique that served the overall plot well.

So. Many. Decisions. The effect of Marley's many choices and loyalties ripples throughout the Joseph's grand house. For such a young character, she shows more complexity and strength than any of the others, rising above her station again and again. A character than had me rooting for her--and surprisingly, even her marriage.

And all this from a body discovered in the rafters. One small plot hole though: when Marley goes to clean it with Jade, she puts the ring in her back pocket, but later it's referred to as her not noticing it fell off her finger.

Otherwise and overall enjoyable enough to recommend with a shout out over the rooftops!

4.5. I really enjoyed this book. Great character development & I felt so invested in this dysfunctional family dynamic. This book is memorable, & I think it will definitely stick with me.

Well written family drama. Despite the abundance of character descriptions, I found the characters fairly muddy. The depictions were often at odds with one another and left me wondering who these people were supposed to be. The last half of the novel worked better for me as their actions finally defined them. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.