Spectacular Things: Reese's Book Club: A Novel
REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • Two sisters examine what they owe each other and what they are willing to sacrifice to make their dreams come true in this “epic story” (Reese Witherspoon) from New York Times bestselling author Beck Dorey-Stein.
What would you give up for the person you love most? What would you expect in return?
Mia and Cricket have always been close. The gifted daughters of a young single mother, the “Lowe girls” are well-known in the small Maine town they call home. Each sister has a role to fill: The responsible and academically minded Mia assumes the position of caregiver far too young, while Cricket, a bouncing ball of energy and talent, seems born for soccer stardom. But the cost of achieving athletic greatness comes at a steep price.
As Mia and Cricket grow up, they must grapple with the legacy of their mother’s secret past while navigating their own precarious future. Can Mia allow herself to fall in love at the risk of repeating a terrible history? Will Cricket’s relentless chase of a lifelong goal drive her sister away? When does loyalty become self-sabotage?
A sharply observed and tender portrait of sisters, love, and ambition, Spectacular Things is a sweeping story about the impossible choices we’re forced to make in pursuit of our dreams.
What would you give up for the person you love most? What would you expect in return?
Mia and Cricket have always been close. The gifted daughters of a young single mother, the “Lowe girls” are well-known in the small Maine town they call home. Each sister has a role to fill: The responsible and academically minded Mia assumes the position of caregiver far too young, while Cricket, a bouncing ball of energy and talent, seems born for soccer stardom. But the cost of achieving athletic greatness comes at a steep price.
As Mia and Cricket grow up, they must grapple with the legacy of their mother’s secret past while navigating their own precarious future. Can Mia allow herself to fall in love at the risk of repeating a terrible history? Will Cricket’s relentless chase of a lifelong goal drive her sister away? When does loyalty become self-sabotage?
A sharply observed and tender portrait of sisters, love, and ambition, Spectacular Things is a sweeping story about the impossible choices we’re forced to make in pursuit of our dreams.
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Community Reviews
Spectacular Things delivers a tough, moving family drama woven with loss, grief, and the fierce bond between sisters. Add in women’s soccer—training, determination, and nonstop grit—and it’s impossible not to be drawn in. I’m not a sports person, yet I found the subject fascinating and the story powerful, emotional, and touching.
Favorite quote:
She is coming to understand that love and loss live on the same coin. It's never heads or tails but joy and agony, grief and delight, spinning in the air, waiting on time, and luck to determine not when this chapter ends
but how the next one begins.
-- Beck Dorey-Stein
Favorite quote:
She is coming to understand that love and loss live on the same coin. It's never heads or tails but joy and agony, grief and delight, spinning in the air, waiting on time, and luck to determine not when this chapter ends
but how the next one begins.
-- Beck Dorey-Stein
Spectacular Things was an enjoyable read that balanced serious themes like death and illness with warmth and heart. While the tone occasionally felt a bit juvenile, the story was engaging and meaningful. I appreciated the emotional depth and the way it explored connection and resilience.
This book took me on an emotional journey I laughed, I cried, and I found pieces of myself in every chapter. The writing is sharp, honest, and filled with a warmth that lingers long after the last page. It’s a powerful reminder of the strength of female friendship and why sisters whether by blood or bond are always essential. Beck’s storytelling is intimate, hilarious, and deeply human. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended!
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