Marley, an only child of a single mom who has moved every year lands in Mercury PA for her senior year of high school. Marley is seeking stability and a family structure and seems to have found it at the Joseph's dinner table.  The Josephs are a family of three boys who sit down to dinner every night with their parents.  In yearning for this sense of family she didn't notice the cracks in the Joseph family or the major flaws in each member or the secrets they were keeping from each other.  While she originally dated Baylor, she quickly fell for Waylon and married him right after graduation.  
There's a little love triangle and a dead body so there's some drama to move the novel along. In the end, the Joseph family is so dysfunctional that Marley turns out to be the stability they were seeking rather than the other way around.
I really enjoyed this one, it is more of a character driven novel than a plot driven one and I am fine with that.  I loved all the relationships and besides the ending which I am not sure was really consistent with the rest of the story.  I always love a good family drama and I thought this one was rich with drama.

4.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon books for the ARC to review

Mercury by Amy Jo Burns🌟🌟🌟🌟
I had read Shiner by the same author a few years ago but this ARC for her latest blew me away. It reminds me of some of the family dramas (Sweet Magnolias, Ginny & Georgia, etc) but with less cringe and more complicated characters, focused on a roofing family in a rural town. Out on 1/2, thanks @netgalley for the early copy!

If you are a fan of character driven novels you should enjoy this one. The life of the Josephs is complicated. It starts with Elise and Mick who meet and marry fairly quickly. Mick is drafted into the Vietnam War and comes back changed. As their roofing business grows and they have children they become well-respected in town. But the outside picture doesn't match the problems and traumas within, those things kept from the public eye. The book moves slowly and seems lengthy but that is part of the charm of this type of book--in this case, really getting to know and care about the Joseph family. Thank you to Celadon and NetGalley for the digital ARC. This review is my own.

This is a character driven novel with very complex family dynamics, and complex characters. I really liked how the relationship between Marley and Elise developed throughout the book. They went from having not much in common to have their ultimate goal as the main thing that bonded them together, their love for the Joseph Family.

I really liked how the Joseph Family absorbs Marley into the fold and how in the end…they needed her just as much and she needed them.

The story was good, but a bit slow as is the case with many character driven novels. I prefer more plot driven, faster paced books. So while this book wasn’t something that I’d go for, it was still a decent read but I think people who enjoy character driven books with complicated relationships will really enjoy this one.

I was so intrigued with this small town character story. Having grown up like an only child, I related to the main female character, Marley, in her hope to find a family in the Joseph household, only to discover that a full house is not without its flaws, secrets, and dramas.

This is a story about women cleaning up the messes of men, broken dreams, and what happens when the men finally have to answer to their own faults.

I loved everything about this story. The high stakes romance that burns bright and big in youth and simmers just as quickly. The loyalty in childhood female friendships. The wonderful mother and the mother-in-law with demons and so many regrets.

10/10. One heck of a 2024 release - I hope they’re all this polished and authentic.

Phew! What a journey. I went into this book blind and had no idea what I was getting myself into. This was such a good story about family, relationships, forgiveness and every time I thought the story surely has to be coming to an end, there was a whole new thread that was perfectly woven into the overall story so seamlessly.

This is the story of Marley. She moves with her mom to a new town when she's in high school and meets the Joseph brothers. What unfolds is heartbreaking, emotional and beautiful. I didn't know I needed a family drama in my life but this was great. I love how flawed all the characters are but with the exception of one, are so endearing and you can't help but to root for them all. I couldn't put this one down and read it in two days. I wasn't sure where the book was heading the majority of the time I was reading but the journey was amazing.

4.5 Rounded up. Thank you to Celadon and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

I was instantly captured by this family drama. This was a character driven story where we were able to get to know each of the members of the Joseph family. This family is one that has historically not been good with words and have buried their feelings down. Marley, a newcomer to the town works her way into the hearts of Joseph family and as they grow and change they have to learn to make changes along the way to save their family roofing business and themselves.

I found this family to be relatable in their dysfunction. It was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a family saga. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

*I was gifted a copy of this book, in order to participate in a #CeladonReadsTogether buddy read. My opinion is my own.

Thank you so much to Celadon Books for the advance copy of this book!

"With being a Joseph. The risk, the labor, the dirt. Tearing something down and rebuilding it. It will always come first."

Marley Marley Marley.
She is the star of the book. She comes to town and immediately is smitten by the Joseph boys. I love that she had different relationships with each member of the family. She was craving that familial feeling since her home wasn't perfect. I was upset though by her mom just up and leaving after Marley became pregnant and had to deal with being a teenage mom without her own mom. I just wanted to scream at her and her relationship with Waylon. They both just were not good communicators and it made being a reader very frustrating because you see the potential and their thoughts but then nothing. Their journey was such a rollercoaster ride but through it all and my feelings I could still sense their love. I am so glad that Marley had Jade in her life. She was such a great influence on her and they really was such a wonderful friend. I love their scenes together.

The Joseph Men.
Each one brought something else to the table (no pun intended). They each had their own complicated relationship with their parents for various of reasons. And honestly it's amazing how the boys made it through because their parents were horrible. But for whatever reason their father could do no wrong & it was so hard for them to see the bad. My heart broke for Baylor & Shay for different reason. I need to know what happened in the future for both of these characters beyond the end of this book. I want both of them to find love and to have their happily ever after.

Mick & Elise.
I do not have much to say about these two. They are a couple who sound like they should never have been a couple. Mick especially just had so much going on in his brain and there was a moment later in the book that I wish I could say I was shocked about but did not shock me whatsoever and just made me angry. And poor Elise once she was with Mick, there was no turning back. I do like how she tried to get Marley to leave and not return. Elise had such a weird way of showing her love and appreciation towards Marley and Marley was just trying to win her over the whole book.

"Sins are like butterflies. They all began as something else."

Within all the drama between the characters, there was this mystery of the body found at the local church. I was somewhat surprised of the moments leading up to what happened that night and then the aftermath of it. I honestly thought the act of crime was going to be from another member of the Joseph family than who it really was. But it all make sense. And I love how things just end up connecting as we go through the book.

I was unsure where this book was going to go but I am so glad I read this because I really enjoyed it! Family dynamics are complex and this was such a beautiful story from start to end.

This was my first book that I did with Celadon's read along and it was really nice to have a group of other readers to talk about the book with afterwards. We all had similar feelings with the characters the story itself.

Check this book out if you love a family drama with a mystery tied in set in western PA in the early 90s!

4.5

Mercury is a character driven family drama, which almost always rate among my favorite books. It is the kind of book you can put down and come back to easily.

The novel is set in the 90’s for the most part. Marley and her single mother just arrived in the very rural town of Mercury, PA. Marley’s mom is a good mom, but she is busy with her nursing job and trying to make ends meet, so Marley is often left to explore alone. The ladies have moved often for her mother’s work, and it is now Marley’s senior year. She is exploring the town when she comes upon a baseball game and it is at this game that she will be introduced to the Joseph family. Marley will come to have a complicated relationship with all of the Joseph family members, and eventually choose one brother over another, marry, and find herself firmly planted in their web. In addition to Marley’s relationship with each Joseph, a mystery will unfold that will threaten to bring down the family already teetering on the edge of collapse.

Although, I very much enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more by Amy Jo Burns, I didn’t love the organization. The chapters were short and numbered, but there were titled “parts” that jumped timelines and points of view without warning. The ending also tied up a little too quickly for me. Overall the book was a solid four star novel for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Celadon Books for this incredible ARC.

I love this book so much, I already know I won't be able to do it justice in a review. If I listed out some of the things in this story you might be confused I even picked this up, let alone gave it 5 stars. All I can do is wave my hands around frantically and urge you, if you have any interest in stories of complicated family dynamics, to PLEASE read this. Are you a mom? Read this. Do you have a mom? Read this. Have her read this! Are you a sibling? Read this. Have your sibling read it. Do you know what a sibling IS? Read this! Live in a small town? Read it. Been to a small town? Been in a relationship? Been a person? Lived? Read!

"Mercury" is a multigenerational family saga that takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania in the 90s named--you guessed it--Mercury. The book follows multiple timelines, but starts in 1999 when a dead body is discovered in an unlikely place. The characters' reactions to the discovery make it clear there's a story there, before the book flashes back to 1990, to the beginning of said story. 

Marley, the only daughter of a single mom, arrives the summer before her senior year of high school as the rarest commodity in Mercury: an unknown. She quickly meets the Joseph family: the oldest, bold and brash Baylor, who draws everyone in by keeping them at arms-length; thoughtful, articulate middle child Waylon, who takes on everyone's problems as his own; and (my favorite) the youngest, clever and wry Shay, who wishes others saw him as clearly as he sees them. But who fascinates Marley the most is their mother, Elise, graceful and removed, glamorous and collected, a paragon of the type of womanhood Marley has never encountered in her own family of two. 

When Elise invites her to dinner, Marley feels like she's been accepted into some inner sanctum. She studies how the boys all move around one another, their power dynamics flexing and shifting, how Elise can soothe or motivate with a single word, and yet how despite that, the whole family is at the mercy of Mick Joseph's whims. Mick started Joseph & Sons Roofing, and while the business is their life, Mick's eccentricities are the real leader of the family, and they all strive to keep him complacent. It shocks Marley to witness Elise, someone she thought of as immovable, shape herself into someone unrecognizable for the benefit of the men in her life. 
As the boys and Marley are ushered into adulthood sooner than expected, she begins to both fear and relish the idea that Elise's destiny of caring for the Joseph boys, sometimes at her own expense, may also be her own. 

This is a fascinating exploration of how we treat mothers, how the expectations (or lack of) of a parent can shape someone, and how thin the line can be between love and hate. This story is emotional, nuanced, and driven by the kinds of characters that linger after you've finished reading. Their relationships with their senses of self and the shifting dynamics between all of them were complex and fascinating and left me achy. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time. Thank you to Celadon Books & the author for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Celadon Buddy Readalong

MERCURY
by Amy Jo Burns

 I really loved this novel. This main reasons are:

- [ ] Unforgettable characters
- [ ] Dysfunctional family
- [ ] Friendship
- [ ] Long-hidden secrets
- [ ] Loyalty
- [ ] Forgiveness

I love stories where things are not as they seem. I don’t like to do spoilers so I will just say that this is a book to curl up with, and learn about a family.

This book is available Jan 2, 2024.

I’m read this together with:
@booksonthegrid
@stephsbook talk
@shooks_books
@foxandbooks


#celadonreadstogether #bookmail #amyjoburns #mercurybook #bookmailisthebestmail #bookmail

From the very first page, it became evident that this was not a mere story but a profound journey that demanded immersion. The depth of the characters and the unique blend of desperation and warmth woven into the narrative created a captivating atmosphere that resonated with me on a visceral level.

Attempting to articulate the intricacies of this book feels like an exercise in futility. It is a work that elicits shivers, provokes contemplation, and, above all, refuses to be confined by conventional descriptors. The characters, so authentically portrayed, became companions in a journey that felt both personal and universal.

The prose, at times, took on a poetic quality, elevating the storytelling to a form of art. It is a delicate dance of words that not only conveys a narrative but also captures the essence of the human experience in a way that is both unique and unforgettable.

Amidst moments of desperation, there was an unexpected warmth that permeated the narrative, creating a nuanced emotional landscape. This paradoxical interplay of emotions added layers to the story, making it a compelling and unforgettable read.

This book is not just literature; it is an immersive experience that transcends the boundaries of traditional storytelling. To anyone seeking a journey that goes beyond the ordinary, I wholeheartedly recommend delving into the pages of this extraordinary work. It is an exploration of the human soul, an invitation to feel and live a story that is, in essence, impossible not to love.

Mercury is a family drama that spans the 10 years during the 1990s. It follows a family with a roofing business and the impact a newcomber, Marley, has on their life when she arrives as a teenager.

The family was dysfunctional, there were secrets and lies, plenty of things left unsaid.

I loved the way the story was told, it was completely engrossingand the characters were so well developed.

Thank you so much, Celadon, for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: Infinite Stars
Mercury is like a warm hug that you do not know you need. It leaves you feel super connected to these characters to the point that you feel like you are a part of their family.

I could not get enough of Mercury since I needed to know everything about these characters and their lives. Even when I was not reading it, I would constantly think of the characters, and at one point, I dreamed of the town and the characters. I have not had that experience in a while where I need to devour a book and then later find myself dreaming of the book.

All the characters are flawed in one way or another to the point they feel extremely real. Some of the characters focus on these flaws of the other characters to the point that it causes resentment or indifference to one another. But each character has these amazing attributes that they bring to the table that allows each other to lean on one another even when the family feels divided. When hardships and grief strike this family, they all find themselves looking at their life in a different way, which ultimately makes these characters grow in so many way. Honestly, from beginning to end, the character growth is immensely seen and very satisfying.

Mercury is beautifully written to where I was rooting for each other characters. I felt joy in the accomplishments, heartbreak for the hardships and the grief the family goes through, and great love for each of the characters. Then, I found a lot of heartwarming moments in this book and especially in the last few pages.

Once January 2024 rolls around, you all need to run out and grab this amazing book. I feel like I did not put my thoughts into the most coherent way and could not say all the ways I loved this book because for me sometimes I struggle with finding the right words to express how much I love something.

But, I can truly say that I didn't know how much I needed this book in my life. I am so beyond thankful that Celadon surprised me with this book to review. I can say with certainity that this book is one of my top 5 favorite books of 2023. Without a doubt in my mind, I just know this will become a favorite of many in 2024, so like I said go get this book because you will fall in love with the writing and the characters.

Marley moves to the small town of Mercury, PA when she is in high school. She meets the Joseph brothers, Baylor, Waylon, and Shay, their mother Elise and father Mick. Told in “before and after” timelines, this is a family drama full of sadness, chaos, hope, heart and courage.

I enjoyed this family drama. It reminded me of “The Connellys of County Down” in the strong character driven novel and the way the story unfolded, with both mystery and suspense. I enjoyed the characters who made up the Joseph family, and I rooted for Marley to be strong and steady for them all. I also enjoyed how this book was set in the 1990s, such a nostalgic time for me having grown up in this decade. I felt the book got a little slow at times, but then would pick up again fairly quickly. I definitely recommend for those who enjoy family sagas!

Gorgeous! A beautiful and beautifully written character-driven story by one of my favorite writers. It's been a long time since I've read characters who are so alive and well-formed and who I cared about so much. This will be my staff pick next month for sure.

I have mixed feelings about this one. I liked the small town feel and the tight-knit family. But I didn't like how the brothers were super immature and didn't know how to get on without the women in their lives.
While I was drawn in by the interwoven lives of the characters I didn't necessarily like all of them or the way they acted.

A book filled with family small town drama.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

I enjoyed this literary family drama about Marley, her mother-in-law Elise and the men of the Joseph family that they both love and care for in many ways. Each character was carefully constructed by the author and they felt very real in their personal struggles and relationships. The writing in beautiful and filled with lots of incites on motherhood, marriage and family.

At times the story can be a bit slow and the characters aggravating in their hesitancy to just make a decision and move on. But they are constantly drawn back to each other by the family’s dysfunctional loyalty. I felt that an accident that occurs toward the end of the book was anticlimactic (especially when interrupted by the point of view of another character who isn’t even part of the story anymore) and resolved a little too quickly, but overall I enjoyed the story and was fine with how the book wrapped up.

I made it to 50% on this title before calling it quits. I was a real fan of Shiner by Burns. But this title did not work for me. A lot of profanity and sexual content, and then the revealing of a secret that was just gross. I did not feel that I could continue on.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to preview this book.

Everyone else's reviews talk about how this was a gritty family saga and how they were really invested in what happened, but I just couldn't get into it. It was depressing and took forever to get through. Something about the writing style also made me feel very removed from the story. There also wasn't really a "mystery" in my opinion, it explains exactly what happened and why. The second half of the book felt like it was just rehashing of the first part of the book though different characters' viewpoints.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.