If you are someone who feels like they are “failing” when Goodreads continually reminds you throughout the year you are behind in your reading challenge, I highly encourage you to follow my lead and “challenge” yourself to only one book. And if you do so, maybe you kind of guaranty yourself the first thing you pick up in the new year is going to be a winner as well ; )

I really dug Shiner by Amy Jo Burns so when I saw someone I follow on The ‘Gram post about this release I immediately went to the library to put a copy on hold. But typical me, my holds were at max capacity. I took a gamble and headed to NetGalley thinking I had a snowball’s chance, but turns out this was still a Read Now so I snatched it up quick without needing to know anything about it first. I figured if I liked Burns once, there was a good chance I’d like her again.

Turns out I didn’t just like this one – I looooooooved it. At its heart Mercury is a story about the Joseph family (and y’all know how much I dig family stories – truly they are my #1 genre). To make things even better . . .

“They found a body up in the church attic.”

Family drama with a side of murder? Ummmmm, yes please. This came out yesterday and if you like the stuff I like and know how stingy I am with ratings, you should get you a copy. You don’t need to know much more than what I’ve already told you regarding the plot so I’ll let the book itself tell you the rest . . .

Two young women arrived in this town, twenty years apart. The first was named Elise, the second named Marley. They lived in the same house. They loved the same men. They raised their children.

Every Star.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

This book was captivating from the start. Being from an area similar to what was portrayed, it seemed very believable and captured the essence of small-town USA very well. I was fully invested in the family dynamics, although some were toxic. I'd love to see even more about this family in a sequel. Heartbreaking, moving, and well-written - I think Amy Jo Burns is a very talented writer.

What a great story! I enjoyed this book a lot! I’m a sucker for family sagas and this did not disappoint! I’m still thinking about this book. Highly recommend!

I went into this book with high hopes because I've seen many people tell me that the author gives off the same writing style as Tracey Lange. I was nervous because Lange is one of my favorite authors, but wow was I blown away. Mercury is a slow burn novel about a dysfunctional family living in Western Pennsylvania. The entirety of the book you slowly dive deeper and deeper into the Joseph family. I was emotionally invested in every single character and loved how the author gave each character their own point of view.

I loved that this book is centered around a mystery, a dead body to be exact, but it's so much more than just a mystery. It's also so much more than just your average book. It shows the hardships of growing up, being an adult, raising a family, the struggles of a small dying town. The author really hit home on how life is far from perfect. I grew up and still live in Pennsylvania and the author did a wonderful job at describing the town of Mercury. It almost felt like she was describing my town!

Every single character from Marley, Baylor, Elise, Mick, Shay, to Waylon were all so complex and they all have a special place in my heart. These aren't easy characters to love because they all made mistakes, but that's also what made it so easy to love them.

Between the family dynamics, to the murder mystery, and the romance this was nothing short of incredible.

I found myself crying the more I because involved in the Joseph's lives. Mercury is a book that will forever live in my head and heart.

I enjoyed this book more in the first half--getting to know the characters, the family dynamics, the secrets. Marley is one heck of a tough chick! The Joseph family/men are a tough bunch! But then, the problems kept rolling and rolling....my anxiety was peaking. It was heavy stuff, these problems, and they get worked out (for the most part), which I like in a book. I enjoy Amy Jo's writing and character development. She superbly conveys the family dynamics and relationships. Even though there were many problems resolved in the end, I guess I was a little disappointed in the last half of the book. I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride that went on for a while. I needed a break.....too much turmoil for my brain. Thank you to Netgalley, Celadon Books/Macmillan, and Amy Jo Burns for this ARC, in return for an honest review.

Woo hoo! So excited that this was my very first ARC. This book was emotional, poetic, and uniquely written. I found myself completely invested in the Joseph family and did, but also didn't, want to be a member sitting at their table where much of this story took place.

Marley is used to moving a lot, but once she lands in Mercury she almost instantly is swept away by the Joseph's and their roofing business where she lays down her roots. She has a very different connection with each Joseph brother; Baylor, Waylon and Shay, as well as, their parents, Mick and Elise. From 1990-1999 we get to see how her life completely revolves around these relationships and the ups and downs that come with it.

As the story progresses we learn that everyone has their own secrets. Did Marley make the right choice? Is Baylor too much like his father? Does Waylon have what it takes? Is Elise happy with her life? And why do the Joseph brothers always stick up for Mick?

I really enjoyed the hint of mystery and just when I thought I'd solved it so soon, I had to think again. Everyone has a different story to tell. I gave it 4 stars simply because I felt myself losing interest at certain points, but then I was always sucked right back in. Overall I highly recommend if you are someone who enjoys heavy character development and family dramas.

You can follow along on IG for more of my reviews! @shel.reads
Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for this arc!

“What do you want?” A simple question with not an easy answer for the Joseph family. Marley comes to town with her mother and immediately gets entangled with the Josephs. Ten years later and she’s been a mother, lover, and sister to different members of the family but not a daughter to the family’s matriarch, Elise. But she has kept Elise’s secrets. But after the roof of the church comes apart, those secrets come to light.
I started this book and quickly found myself almost half way through. You want to know the secrets of this family and Burns does a great job of making all of the Josephs their own entities with their own mysteries to unravel. I especially loved Marley’s friendship with Jade, which she needed as something separate from the Joseph men. I also loved how Marley took care of Shay.

An interesting g deep dive into a dysfunctional family. Not only are dynamics explored but a dead body is found that has ties to most of the main characters. It was a good read. The Pennsylvania setting was well described.

Mercury, by Amy Jo Burns, is a slow-paced novel of family-driven characters. that you'll come to love. We learn early on of a mystery and as each member shares their point of view on relationships and what they've seen, the answer to the mystery is revealed. Mercury is a novel of relationships, love, and understanding.
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

This was my first read of 2024 and I was so excited for it. Unfortunately, I just did not connect with the story and characters. I am all for a character driven story, but this story was a little too far-fetched for me

Mercury was one of the best books that I have ever read. The characters are beautifully written, the pacing is perfection, and the family drama is done very well.

As a Pittsburgh native, the odds to the city were subtle but well done. This book captured the reality of living an imperfect life in the city during the 1990s. The characters felt real and the writing style was so natural.

The cadence of this story was amazing. I can't say enough about it- but I am so happy that I picked it up and it made me feel every emotion.

I’ve seen this novel described as “heartfelt” and that is certainly the truth. It’s more dark than light, takes the meaning of dysfunctional family to a new level and has one surprise after another. But the characters are so compelling, so well-drawn with so much depth and hidden, unexpected aspects that they are unforgettable. You might not always like them, but you can’t turn away from them. I couldn’t quite get into the rhythm of the story for the first couple of chapters, but then it gelled and took off and I couldn’t put it down. I was feeling dread rather than hope most of the time, because things just didn’t go right, were always just a bit off, for the Joseph family. And it was heartbreaking to see Marley get sucked into it, although after a while it was clear she had earned and fought for a place in that family. Communication among and between the Joseph Brothers and their parents seemed non-existent, except it was all subtext, all beneath the surface, all secret. And all fascinating.

As always, Celadon Books delivers an excellent reading experience: intriguing, challenging, satisfying. I am pleased to be a Celadon Reader and to receive ARCs of their carefully curated booklist. Mercury was one of the best books I have read recently, a slow build that just rolled on, creating suspense and frustration with the characters and worry that nothing would work out in the end. A very satisfying read, well-written, solidly plotted, skillfully completed. I recommend it without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

Thank you Amy Jo Burns, Celadon Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC e-book. Well second book of the year down and this was my first 5 star book of the year. This was such an amazing book. As a mother, as a wife, someone who lives in a small town… I related to it so much. It was honest and true. It was not some feel good story to leave you warm and fuzzy it was something that left you raw and vulnerable but absolutely seen. So often do we read books that are so neatly wrapped up but this one will stick with me so long.

This was outside my usual reading genres but I loved it. A slow-moving, mostly character driven family drama in the 1990s Pennsylvania Rust Belt.

“Men do things, and women apologize for them.”

Marley moves to Mercury, Pennsylvania with her mother prior to her senior year in HS. Almost immediately, she’s part of the Joseph family - Mick, Elise, Waylon, Baylor, and Shay - but is she really?

“What did it mean, Marley wondered, to be married to one Joseph, but wife or mother to them all?”

Weaving in mystery, commentary on family roles, motherhood, and loyalty, Mercury is certainly a book that will stick with me for a long time.
I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

❄️ Book Review: Mercury: A Novel ❄️

⁉️: What are some of the most anticipated novels from 2024 that you are looking forward to?

@burnsamyjo’s second novel, Mercury: A Novel, which will release on Jan 2, 2024. This was the second time I was participating in Celadon’s Read Together Initiative and it was so much fun participating in a rolling discussion with @bookmarked.by.Becky,@carol_doscher_reader, @felicity.reads, and @plains_reading.

Set in the 1990s, the story is set in Pennsylvania and tells the story of the Joseph family. It is the story of three brothers: Baylor, Waylon and Shay, their father Mick and mother, Elise, and at the heartbeat of the family, Marley whom both brothers Baylor and Waylon are attracted to. In this immersive, complex family drama, we see how class and gender politics work as both Elise and Marley struggle to find their own position within the family dynamics. For me, Marley and Elise were both relatable in their own ways. I think while the focus was on the family business, it was the narratives of the women in the novel that stood out to me. I also loved Marley’s open and honest relationship with Shay, and his coming to terms with whom he was.

While there was a murder mystery that was the tense situation that the family faced, ultimately, the focus was on the narratives of the characters within the novel. While I initially disliked Mick’s character, the final chapter resolved some of the questions I had and humanized him in many ways. This is a 5✨ from me, and highly recommended if you enjoy novels that are based on small towns and showcase a complex and nuanced stories of families and their trials and tribulations. I also enjoyed the opportunity to talk to the author at the virtual book club meeting hosting by @celadon.

Thank you @celadonbooks and @burnsamyjo for the gifted arc.

#CeladonReadsTogether #MercuryBook #CeladonBooksReader #CeladonBooks #AmyJoBurns

A complex and enjoyable family drama! I enjoyed this character-driven novel. It's definitely a bit of a slow burn. I found the first half to be harder to get into, but the second half was great. I think readers of HELLO BEAUTIFUL would enjoy this one. 4/5 stars. Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was nervous as I had seen elsewhere that this was a slow burn but I was captivated the whole time! Easy five stars for Mercury, the read I didn’t know I needed.

Amy Jo Burns returns with another fantastic novel that is part coming of age, family drama and a little mystery!
The book focuses on the Joseph family who are roofers in the rust belt state of PA. I am usually not one that loves to read about family drama but I was drawn into this story right away as the first chapter starts off with a mystery! There is something so lovely about the writing, it is paced perfectly! I loved how the author delved into each character's POV and back story in a way that made sense and was cohesive. The sense of place is fantastic, I could picture the town and I loved that it was set in the 90s.

I loved Shiner but I think I might like Mercury even more! I ended up reading it in one sitting and was almost on the edge of my seat the whole way, just did not want the story to end.
Thank you to netgalley and Celadon book for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

I love a slow burn family drama, and MERCURY delivered. Marley was a completely relatable character even though I've never been through any of what she went through. Burns' character work is just fantastic. I was hooked by this family. I had thought it would be more of a mystery, considering the book opens with the discovery of a body in the church attic, but it took a back seat to the family drama. I had wanted more of that element, but I was also happy to simmer along with this dysfunctional family.

Mercury by Amy Jo Burns
Genre: literary fiction
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: eARC

This book follows the Joseph family, who runs a roofing business in the small town of Mercury.

- Slower paced
- Character driven
- Complicated family relationships
- Small town setting in the 90s
- 3rd person writing with multiple POVs

I’ve figured out that I really like family dramas. Family dynamics and relationships can be so complicated and messy at times. My heart ached for Marley, who didn’t realized quite what she was getting into when she joined the Joseph family for dinner one night. This book is multiple POV, but I’d say it mostly follows Marley. It’s about women holding a family together - the author wrote this in a way that you really see the parallels and differences between Elise and Marley. It’s also full of secrets, pain, and growth.

Shay, Jade, and Marley were my favorite characters. Marley and Jade’s friendship was beautiful - the trust they had in each other was so strong and they leaned on each other when they needed to. I wish we got to see Jade’s point of view! When we got Shay’s POV, I felt his pain so deeply. I’m also the youngest child, and I empathized with his feelings of being misunderstood. He also is trying to find himself and his place in his family. He is a lot more observant than everyone thinks, but he hides secrets of his own (as everyone does in the Joseph family).

Something about the writing really hooked me! I thought it was compelling and well written. My only complaint is that at times the pacing felt a little off and the book felt disjointed at times due to the POV switches. Overall, I really enjoyed this, though!

There are several content warnings, so be mindful of those!

Content warnings: infidelity, death, miscarriage, mild violence, dementia

I liked this book so much that I ended up buying a physical copy since it was a Book of the Month pick!

Thank you so much to Celadon for my eARC of this book! Mercury is out now!