3.5⭐
<i>The Berry Pickers </i> is a quiet type of story. It's a story about love, family, heartbreak, and loss.

It's July 1962 when a First Nation Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia goes to Maine for the annual blueberry harvest. Their lives are forever changed when 4-year-old Ruthie goes missing.

I enjoy the 2 POVs format; the missing girl and her brother Joe. We follow their lives through almost 50 years and witness how the disappearance affects the families. The title caught my interest and I really wish there were more historical parts because they were beautifully written.

There are no surprises or shocks but <i>The Berry Pickers </i> held my interest. It's a steady-paced read with an emotional ending that may catch me off guard and may have me shed a tear or two.

I like that there are two narrators for each POV and a title for each chapter so no guessing whose story it is. A lovely character-driven debut!

Thank you Recorded Books and Netgalley for my ALC.

Wow this book has all the feels. A four year old Mi’’kmaq girl goes missing while her family is working as seasonal Berry pickers in Maine in 1952. This girl is raised by another couple and doesn’t find out that she is not with her birth family until she’s in her 50s. Heart-wrenching beautifully written debut. I listened to the audiobook.

Set in the 1960s, the story begins with a Mi'Kmaq family that travels from Nova Scotia as migrant workers to help in the picking of berries during the harvest in Maine. One summer, Joe and Ruthie, the two youngest siblings in the family are working in the fields together, when Ruthie vanishes, not to be seen again. Joe never recovers from the guilt, and his life becomes one misstep after another as he wrestles with his guilt from losing Ruthie.

Simultaneously, we are introduces to Norma who lives in a well to-do suburban neighborhood not too far from the farms in Maine. Her parents love her but her childhood is a series of stressful situations where her questions of the past cause her mother to become uncomfortable, and suffer from "headaches". Norma cannot understand what she has done to cause her mother this stress, and slowly grows up learning how to avoid the topics that cause her mother pain.

This was a very moving a saddening story that sticks with you long after you finish reading. The novel explores the hardships and emotions of two very different, but also similar families, tied together by a rash choice that has implications to everyone involved far more dramatic than could be understood.

I listened to this audiobook, and although I enjoyed the story, I found the narrator for "Joe" to be difficult to listen to/hear in the production. Additionally, this could be one of those books that read better than listened to as I feel like I may have missed some of the details in listening to the audiobook.

Having spent a lot of time in Maine I was drawn to the premise of this debut novel. Ruthie, a 4 year old Mi’kmaq girl from Nova Scotia goes missing with her family while they are there as seasonal workers, picking blueberries in Maine. The family grieves and tries to figure out where Ruthie has gone. The story is told from the points of view of Norma, a young girl who has questions about her origin in her family, and Joe, a brother Ruthie left behind.

It can be hard to find novels (especially mainstream) with Native American representation, and I think this did a great job of showing the injustices of earlier decades against Native Americans -- when a crime was committed and in general. Who has the power to investigate and who has the power to make misdeeds go away? What is it like living in a Mi'kmaq family in the modern day? The book raises questions about race, family, grief, and shows the aftereffects of a terrible crime generations later.

As much as I loved the book I did feel like it dragged a bit in the middle. The first part of the book was quite dynamic with Ruthie's disappearance, and then it slowed down (for me). It became much more about the lingering grief and how it impacted all parties, before it picked up at the end with Norma growing older and questioning her background.

I do recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a strong story about family, chosen and otherwise, a reflection on identity, and just for a book which will make you think about injustice against Native populations throughout time.

“I hate that this is the way you’re going to remember me. I hate that you and my Leah will only ever know the sick Joe, the dying Joe.” He took a deep breath. “I wasn’t an angel. Don’t let them tell you that after I’m gone. I ruined myself all by myself. But I just wish we could have known each other when I wasn’t like this before I got mad at the world.”

A million stars. What a brutally heartbreaking, wonderful tale of life, from beginning to end. I can’t put into words how incredible this was to listen to. The storytelling was enthralling, the characters felt as if they were in the room with me. The pain of life so evident. I will recommend this be the book that anyone listens to at least once. This novel made me sob, made me feel deeply; made me thankful and angry and want justice for poor Ruthie but also, thankful she got to see Joe before he died. I grieved for Charlie and was thankful for Mae and her spunk. Truly, truly stunning.

When 4-year-old Ruthie, part of a Mi’kmaq family who works in the berry fields, goes missing leaving no trace, her family always wonders what happened to her. The story follows Joe, Ruthie’s older brother, who was the last to see her as he grows up and his obsession with finding Ruthie and he is determined that she is still alive. The other POV is Norma, a girl in Maine who grows up with her overprotected parents but always feels a bit different, darker skin than her parents and attached earlobes while her parents are unattached. This was a fantastic debut. I knew what was going to happen, but I still really enjoyed taking that journey with the characters. This story was beautifully written and pulled at the heartstrings at the right times. This was a story about how trauma impacts people, heartbreak, family, and hope. I can’t wait to see what Peters comes up with next!

July 1962

A Mi’kmaq family in need of money traveled from Nova Scotia to Maine to work in the berry fields. One day, four-year-old Ruthie went missing. Her six-year-old brother, Joe, was the last person to see her, and he will be haunted for the rest of his life about her disappearance and the last minutes they spent before she went missing.

Norma grew up in Maine with a distant father and hoovering mother. She has recurring dreams that feel like memories. She has always had questions and will spend decades trying to uncover what secrets her parents are keeping from her.

This is a slow, sad tale about a family whose daughter went missing without a clue and about a woman who wants to uncover a family secret. Family is a major theme in this book about loss, secrets, anger, family, identity, and heartbreak. I appreciated how the author showed the aftermath of losing a child, of not having any answers, how it impacts the family as a whole and the individual family members. The author also showed how feeling different, having questions, and secrets impacted another individual.

I enjoyed this book, but it was lacking that little bit of something that would have made the book more enjoyable. I listened to the audiobook and struggled initially with the male narration. I am not sure if this impacted my thoughts on the book, but it was a struggle in the beginning. I found that I had a hard time connecting to the characters even with them experiencing great loss and the impact it had on their lives. Although this book does deal with some heavy subjects, it does end on a hopeful note.

Many are enjoying this book more than I did, please read their reviews as well.

This book will have triggers for some as it deals with loss, addiction, miscarriage, illness, and kidnapping to name a few.

The Berry Pickers tells the story of two families following the disappearance of a young girl in the berry fields of Maine. One family is the family of the young girl, told from the perspective of their youngest son, Joe. It follows them as they go through the heart break and trauma that comes with losing a loved one. The other family is an overbearing mother and an emotionally distant father, told from the perspective of their only daughter, Norma. It follows Norma as she struggles with the guilt her mother places on her shoulders while also realizing she does not quite fit into her family. I liked what it had to say about how families being separated destroys the family from inside and out, but wished that there was more discussion about how Norma's culture being taken from her affected her and her sense of self. This beautifully written novel follows Joe and Norma’s perspectives. This is a moving and powerful story with sprinkles of Indigenous humor. This is a story that will stay with me. It is a story that made me think and feel. It drew me into a world and brought it to life.

Thanks to Netgalley and RB media

I was so excited for this debut novel, and it unfortunately wasn’t for me. I really liked the dual narrators here. Having a different voice for Norma and Joe was something that I think will work for audiobook audiences. I thought the writing had beautiful descriptions. But I thought the story was too slow without as much depth as I would’ve liked. I will be recommending it to readers I know like character driven, own voices stories.

4.5
This book got into my heart good!

July 1962, Ruthie is the youngest in her family. Her Mi’kmaq family goes to the berry farms each year to pick for the season. One day she disappears. They search and search. Her loss affects Joe, her brother just a couple years younger. We follow Joe throughout the book.

In Maine, Norma is an only child and raised by parents who love her but have their own struggles.

Told in alternating chapters these two characters grow as we watch their stories unfold. This book is told in such a captivating and beautiful way. I loved the ambiance that was set and I felt connected to the characters who ultimately are searching for love.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for this advance audiobook.

What a lovely debut novel! This heartwarming novel tells the story of family tribulations, heartbreak, love, and loss. It handles all of those topics beautifully. I originally anticipated a sort of mystery book, but readers learn early on what happened to Ruthie. I like thrillers/mysteries so I was looking forward to that aspect of the book, but I'm actually really glad that's not what this book was. It was deep, it made me think, and I absolutely fell in love with the characters. They felt very real to me. I am not very educated on Indigenous culture, either, so I enjoyed reading a little bit about that as well.

I received this book in audio format as an ARC from RB Media via NetGalley. I am very picky about my audiobooks (I much prefer traditional books and only finish about 10% of the audiobooks that I check out of the library). This reading was very delightful. Both narrators were enjoyable to listen to and not distracting with their cadence and tone. My only criticism of the audio was that the male reader could be quiet at times which made it difficult to hear in the car at certain points. I really liked this book. I'm looking forward to seeing what else this author produces!

Engrossing and interesting, but it held few surprises. The writing is lovely, and I enjoyed these characters and their growth over the decades. Peters prompts us to consider a number of important themes, but she doesn't explore them very deeply. I would have loved to have spent more time with the Mi’kmaq family instead of following Joe around with his troubled wanderings.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, and RB Media, Recorded Books in exchange for an honest review.

TW: loss of a child, miscarriage, abuse

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters is one of those books that you just NEED to talk about, and honestly would probably make an excellent book club pick. The story is accessible, engaging and honestly a bit addicting. I flew through this story and felt like I just needed to know how it all unfolds in the end. While the ending was a bit predictable, it was well written and important.

The Berry Pickers was a sad read, but it felt real. Amanda Peters seems to have captured real life emotion between these pages, and it didn't at all feel like the author was just trying to write the saddest book ever (I sometimes feel that way about A Little Life, for example). Even with all it's weight, the story remained hopeful and the ending felt like a hug.

Overall, the Berry Pickers was emotional and engaging! Though, it may be best to review trigger warnings before reading.

Audio version review. Narration from Joe character and Norma character. Female was easily understood, matched character well. Make was hard to understand at times, on 1.75 which is what i listen to all audiobooks on, so that was frustrating.

Overall I didn’t relate or care much for Joe and his character on the whole. Numerous references to him being ill, it’s like 75% before you know what he is I’ll with. His character runs, leaving his family. Did not relate well to this.

Norma, written with more depth and development, could relate to her, still did have some confusion with things from her character too.

So it moved very slow, confusing often, not really relatable for me often, just didn’t feel like I could tell you about a day in their lives or that I really got what the author was trying to portray about their lifestyle.

Thanks to Netgalley and RB media for my electronic audio version in exchange for my honest review. All my opinions are my own.

Gripping and emotional. I loved the plot and location of this story. The characters were charming and likable. The ending wrapped up a bit too abruptly and I would have loved more from Norma with her new family. Overall a solid debut novel that will take readers on an emotional ride.

This was phenomenal. When I couldn't listen, I found myself constantly thinking about this book. Ruthie and Joe and all of their people felt very real to me. I loved hearing a story told from an indigenous person's perspective. This book will stay with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC.

Peters’s book has been on my radar for a while, so I was very excited to be honored with a copy. The hype is worth it. This is a slow burn of identity and self told through a child stolen (literally kidnapped) during the Scoop from her indignant migrant worker family while waiting for them to finish at the edge of the field. Told in braided viewpoints between the girl stolen and the brother that blames himself this is a powerful and often sad story. Racism and trauma (generational, personal and familial) battle to uproot the options of a family that continues to love as the world tries to tear them apart, and a lost daughter constantly questioning the story she has been told.

Peters lives in each person, creating unique voices that give enough history without losing the story to history. Rich themes of identity, loss, the fear in finding what you’ve been looking for, generational trauma, and forgiveness (external and of one’s self) all play in a direct conversational language. The audio edition's use of two voice actors adds to the experience.

The Berry Pickers begins in July 1962 when a Mi'kmaq family from Nova Scotia comes to Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. When the four year old girl, Ruthie, goes missing it is the second time tragedy has come for the family. Her older brother Joe, six at the time, feels the ripples of her loss throughout his life and we learn all about the family's grief as this novel spans 50 years of time.

Meanwhile in Maine, a little girl named Norma grows up an only child with a distant father and an overbearing, overprotective mother. Norma is bothered by recurring dreams and visions that her family dismisses as her imagination. As she grows, Norma notices hard to explain differences between herself and her parents. She quietly pursues her family's secrets for years.

This is a beautiful, emotional story of an Indigenous family torn apart by circumstances and system racism. And it's the story of a family that hid secrets and their motivations. Even with all of that, it is a story that feels quiet, important, and unassuming. I look forward to more books from Amanda Peters, her Indigenous perspective and experience straddling two identities has created a wonderful book in this debut.

I love this story of a Mi'kmaw family that travels from Nova Scotia to Maine to pick blueberries. One of the children, Ruthie, disappears, leaving a scar on the family that never heals. Meanwhile, Norma is raised in a distant wealthy family. She never really fits in and wonders about her birth story. Her mother refuses to answer her questions. Meanwhile, Ruthie's brother Joe never gives up searching for her. This is a beautifully written story that is full of heart. The narrator was great as well.

One of the best books I have read in 2023. Norma knows something is 'off' about her childhood. She grew up in a household where she was kept under very close supervision. Meanwhile, a family misses the daughter that went missing years ago while they were berry pickers in New England. Told in parallel points of view, we see the siblings slowly finding their way back to each other. I listened to this on audio and highly recommend this medium for reading this book.

I received an Advance Reader Copy via audio on NetGalley.
Review has been posted to Goodreads.