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The Turtle House
Moving between late 1990s small-town Texas to pre-World War II Japan and occupied Tokyo, an emotionally engaging literary debut about a grandmother and granddaughter who connect over a beloved lost place and the secrets they both carry.
It’s spring 1999, and 25-year-old Lia Cope and her prickly 73-year-old grandmother, Mineko, are sharing a bedroom in Curtain, Texas, the ranching town where Lia grew up and Mineko began her life as a Japanese war bride. Both women are at a turning Mineko, long widowed, moved in with her son and daughter-in-law after a suspicious fire destroyed the Cope family ranch house, while Lia, an architect with a promising career in Austin, has unexpectedly returned under circumstances she refuses to explain.
Though Lia never felt especially close to her grandmother, the two grow close sharing late-night conversations. Mineko tells stories of her early life in Japan, of the war that changed everything, and of her two great a man named Akio Sato and an abandoned Japanese country estate they called the Turtle House, where their relationship took root. As Mineko reveals more of her early life—tales of innocent swimming lessons that blossom into something more, a friendship nurtured across oceans, totems saved and hidden, the heartbreak of love lost too soon—Lia comes to understand the depth of her grandmother’s pain and sacrifice and sees her Texas family in a new light. She also recognizes that it’s she who needs to come clean—about the budding career she abandoned and the mysterious man who keeps calling.
When Mineko’s adult children decide, against her wishes, to move her into an assisted living community, she and Lia devise a plan to bring a beloved lost place to life, one that they hope will offer the safety and sense of belonging they both need, no matter the cost.
A story of intergenerational friendship, family, coming of age, identity, and love, The Turtle House illuminates the hidden lives we lead, the secrets we hold close, and what it truly means to find home again when it feels lost forever.
It’s spring 1999, and 25-year-old Lia Cope and her prickly 73-year-old grandmother, Mineko, are sharing a bedroom in Curtain, Texas, the ranching town where Lia grew up and Mineko began her life as a Japanese war bride. Both women are at a turning Mineko, long widowed, moved in with her son and daughter-in-law after a suspicious fire destroyed the Cope family ranch house, while Lia, an architect with a promising career in Austin, has unexpectedly returned under circumstances she refuses to explain.
Though Lia never felt especially close to her grandmother, the two grow close sharing late-night conversations. Mineko tells stories of her early life in Japan, of the war that changed everything, and of her two great a man named Akio Sato and an abandoned Japanese country estate they called the Turtle House, where their relationship took root. As Mineko reveals more of her early life—tales of innocent swimming lessons that blossom into something more, a friendship nurtured across oceans, totems saved and hidden, the heartbreak of love lost too soon—Lia comes to understand the depth of her grandmother’s pain and sacrifice and sees her Texas family in a new light. She also recognizes that it’s she who needs to come clean—about the budding career she abandoned and the mysterious man who keeps calling.
When Mineko’s adult children decide, against her wishes, to move her into an assisted living community, she and Lia devise a plan to bring a beloved lost place to life, one that they hope will offer the safety and sense of belonging they both need, no matter the cost.
A story of intergenerational friendship, family, coming of age, identity, and love, The Turtle House illuminates the hidden lives we lead, the secrets we hold close, and what it truly means to find home again when it feels lost forever.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 20, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 708 reviews
June 18, 2024
The Turtle House was a very captivating debut novel by Amanda Churchill. I was initially drawn to the beautiful cover. Amanda Churchill’s inspiration for The Turtle House came from her paternal grandmother’s history, life and secrets that she had kept very close to her heart. I really enjoyed the closeness and the relationship that grew berween Lia and her grandmother, Mineko over the course of the book. The Turtle House was written in a duel time line that alternated between Mineko’s childhood in pre-war Japan in the 1930’s and the years that followed until Mineko became a Japanese war bride and found herself living on her husband James’s ranch in Curtain, Texas and Mineko’s granddaughter Lia’s life in the late 1990’s in Curtain, Texas and then as she worked for a prominent and successful architect company situated in Austin until something happened that brought Lia back to Curtain, to her childhood home where she shared her bedroom with her grandmother. I really enjoyed Mineko’s character the best. She was feisty, determined to share her story with her granddaughter and seemed to possess an ultimate goal from the start. As Mineko described and reminisced about her life in Japan with Lia it was easy to visualize the hurt she experienced as a young girl from her mother, how her and Akio’s love evolved, her all encompassing love for the “turtle house”, why she married James and her life in Curtain, Texas after the war. I did not enjoy Lia’s story. It felt contrived and an afterthought. I felt that The Turtle House would have been better if it had concentrated entirely on Mineko’s story and the relationship that was evolving between Mineko and Lia. Overall, I enjoyed reading The Turtle House by Amanda Churchill and recommend it. Since this was Amanda Churchill’s debut novel, I look forward to seeing what she writes next.
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishing for allowing me to read The Turtle House by Amanda Churchill through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2024
The granddaughter / grandmother relationship that this author's narrative wraps around the reader is what had me rapt and paying attention to every detail. The swim, the token on the house the love story. . .
Out of all of the battles this author chose to fight with her characters, perspectives and words she rises victorious in my opinion. There were so many fronts: life in Japan as a young woman just before WWII, dreams and desires of life where others arrange life choices for young people, then changes and terrors of WWII in occupied Japan - this is the grandmother before she is even a mother, Mineko who starts out in Osaka. Granddaughter Lia is an American, a Texan, a citizen of Curtain, a brand new architect, and her storyline is in the 90's. She's trying to figure out the events that led to her existence as it relates to Mineko. Their awkwardness convinced me - if you have been apart and are then thrown by life circumstances (like grandma's house burning to the ground) together and told "don't worry! you're going to love her! She's your grand X" can present its own kind of difficulties. These two had them . . . .
Pages will fly as you recognize much of the feelings these two discover when their very different stories sum up to the same kinds of love, hope and yearnings, and some of the very same kind of challenges, wearing different calendars. A great read!
*A sincere thank you to Amanda Churchill, Harper, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review.* #TheTurtleHouse #NetGalley
Out of all of the battles this author chose to fight with her characters, perspectives and words she rises victorious in my opinion. There were so many fronts: life in Japan as a young woman just before WWII, dreams and desires of life where others arrange life choices for young people, then changes and terrors of WWII in occupied Japan - this is the grandmother before she is even a mother, Mineko who starts out in Osaka. Granddaughter Lia is an American, a Texan, a citizen of Curtain, a brand new architect, and her storyline is in the 90's. She's trying to figure out the events that led to her existence as it relates to Mineko. Their awkwardness convinced me - if you have been apart and are then thrown by life circumstances (like grandma's house burning to the ground) together and told "don't worry! you're going to love her! She's your grand X" can present its own kind of difficulties. These two had them . . . .
Pages will fly as you recognize much of the feelings these two discover when their very different stories sum up to the same kinds of love, hope and yearnings, and some of the very same kind of challenges, wearing different calendars. A great read!
*A sincere thank you to Amanda Churchill, Harper, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review.* #TheTurtleHouse #NetGalley
October 5, 2023
A very lovely novel which is the love story between Mineko and her granddaughter Lia. The setting is very unexpected for the relationship between these 2 women. It is 1999 in a small Texas town where the 2 women are thrown together after Lia’s life and career implode while Mineko has burned her house down.
During this period Mineko shares the story and her early life in Japan with Lia. The story revolves around Mineko’s great loves Akio and the TURTLE HOUSE. I loved both the timeframes and the women. This is a beautifully written story with glorious descriptions of Japan and Japanese society before the war.
I found it enchanting. I really enjoyed the stories of these women of different generations and their incredible connection.
Thank you Netgalley for this heartwarming novel. I think most reading groups will enjoy it and find a great deal to discuss. I also think that there are valuable lessons in social history. Setting the novel in 1999 and pre-war Japan allows the reader to see the changes in women’s lives during this period of less than a century.
This is a winner!
During this period Mineko shares the story and her early life in Japan with Lia. The story revolves around Mineko’s great loves Akio and the TURTLE HOUSE. I loved both the timeframes and the women. This is a beautifully written story with glorious descriptions of Japan and Japanese society before the war.
I found it enchanting. I really enjoyed the stories of these women of different generations and their incredible connection.
Thank you Netgalley for this heartwarming novel. I think most reading groups will enjoy it and find a great deal to discuss. I also think that there are valuable lessons in social history. Setting the novel in 1999 and pre-war Japan allows the reader to see the changes in women’s lives during this period of less than a century.
This is a winner!
February 17, 2024
The Turtle House is a story of intergenerational friendship, family, identity, and love.
I'm sad to say I wasn't as enchanted by The Turtle House as other reviewers have been. The book constantly flipped back and forth in time and I found Mineko's story far more compelling than her granddaughter's. I lost a bit of interest every time I read a Lia chapter.
I liked The Turtle House but I didn't love it.
Many thanks to both #Harper and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Turtle House. The expected publication date is February 20, 2024.
I'm sad to say I wasn't as enchanted by The Turtle House as other reviewers have been. The book constantly flipped back and forth in time and I found Mineko's story far more compelling than her granddaughter's. I lost a bit of interest every time I read a Lia chapter.
I liked The Turtle House but I didn't love it.
Many thanks to both #Harper and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Turtle House. The expected publication date is February 20, 2024.
August 2, 2024
So much beauty in this one, and I recommend it without reservation, even though there were elements I wish had been better developed. I liked the structure with the timeline creativity, and Mineko's story was aces — vivid, emotional, jumped off the page.
Unfortunately, the arc for Mineko's granddaughter, Lia, wasn't as dimensional or engaging; possibly it was a little ambitious for the amount of attention devoted to it, when it rightly wasn't the main focus. I suspect many readers won't feel that way though, and regardless, the story is worth reading for Mineko alone.
3.5 stars.
Unfortunately, the arc for Mineko's granddaughter, Lia, wasn't as dimensional or engaging; possibly it was a little ambitious for the amount of attention devoted to it, when it rightly wasn't the main focus. I suspect many readers won't feel that way though, and regardless, the story is worth reading for Mineko alone.
3.5 stars.
January 25, 2024
The cover of the book first captured my interest. It is gorgeous and I kept looking back at it! I loved this beautiful debut historical fiction novel told through a dual timeline about war, love, family and their secrets. I enjoyed the intergenerational relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. The story was heartbreaking, however, full of determination and hope. The ending left me satisfied and the acknowledgment by the author was a special treat to read!
I received an advanced electronic (eARC) copy from @thoughtsfromapage Early Reads Program. Thank you to Cindy Burnett and publisher Harper books. I appreciated the opportunity to preview this book.
I received an advanced electronic (eARC) copy from @thoughtsfromapage Early Reads Program. Thank you to Cindy Burnett and publisher Harper books. I appreciated the opportunity to preview this book.
May 19, 2024
The Turtle House by Amanda Churchill is a captivating tale that effortlessly blends whimsy and wisdom. The narrative's charm lies in its vivid descriptions and heartwarming characters, making it a delightful read for all ages. Churchill's storytelling is both soothing and thought-provoking, leaving readers with a sense of wonder and a renewed appreciation for the simple joys of life.
July 30, 2025
Beautifully written debut novel by Amanda Churchill. The inspiration for this story was Churchill’s grandmother, and the bond between the grandmother and granddaughter in the book was so special. The story goes back and forth between the past and present. It was touching and I loved Mineko, the grandmother. The cover design is stunning. Even though the story seems a bit slow at times, I was attached to and interested in the storyline.
April 21, 2024
Met this author at an event at Book People in Austin. Enjoyed this debut novel based on her grandmother's story which reaches from WWII Japan to small town Texas.
May 29, 2024
I can't help but give this book five stars. It's not perfect, but it's an amazing debut novel, and it held my attention completely. For me to finish it in less than two days really speaks volumes. I'm so glad I received this book via a Goodreads giveaway because it's not the type of book I would have normally picked up on my own. I didn't even really know what it was about before I started reading it. There's a lot of heaviness, in both timelines, but it felt realistic. If you're looking for a good amount of romance, you'll probably be disappointed. I thought it was a great book to read for AAPI month. Highly recommend this one if you enjoy historical fiction or women's fiction.
February 11, 2024
I read an advance copy of this wonderful first novel that absolutely does not read like a first novel. I cried thrice, which is sort of my benchmark for a high rating. The characters were so beautifully written (my grandmother, while not Japanese, was absolutely a Grandminnie) and, whereas I’ve read some books lately that could have been edited down by 100 pages, I could have read another 100 pages of The Turtle House. I would love to see a film adaptation or a limited series; it would translate well from book to screen. As someone who went to UT and lived in Austin for 17 years afterwards, I also loved the familiarity of the locations in Lia’s story (I lived by the original Cain and Abel’s and wouldn’t trade the memories for a 4.0). If this is her debut as a novelist, I’ll be waiting with bated breath for the next one.
March 8, 2024
I just couldn’t love it as much as I wanted to, though the grandmother/granddaughter bond was very sweet. Weak ending & Lia’s story dragged on forever
March 11, 2025
I really enjoyed this story but I found Mineko’s timeline more compelling than her granddaughter’s.
January 24, 2024
Coming-of-age/historical fiction stories are some of my favorites. This is a dual-timeline book, first set in the 1930s, in Japan and then, in the late 1990s, Texas. Admittedly, I struggled to connect with the latter timeline for a lot of the book. I found Mineko’s story and her love of turtles to be interesting.
One of the things I loved most about this book is the theme of wanting a sense of place and identity. Mineko is such an interesting character, and it was difficult to see her struggles in her life, her losses, and feeling ‘different’. Longing for a feeling of home.
The last 20% of the book drew me in. There are parts I just loved that I won’t spoil here. You just have to read it. The relationship between ‘Grandminnie’ and her granddaughter, Lia, is so sweet! These are some of my favorite kind of relationships.
The Turtle House is a debut for the author and I especially love the family connection. Be sure to check out the author's note.
I received an advance electronic copy of this book through the early reads Patreon program, @thoughtsfromapage. A special thank you to Cindy Burnett, the publisher, HarperCollins, and NetGalley. I appreciate the opportunity to preview this book.
This book contains a few instances of strong profanity, not frequent.
3.75/5 stars
One of the things I loved most about this book is the theme of wanting a sense of place and identity. Mineko is such an interesting character, and it was difficult to see her struggles in her life, her losses, and feeling ‘different’. Longing for a feeling of home.
The last 20% of the book drew me in. There are parts I just loved that I won’t spoil here. You just have to read it. The relationship between ‘Grandminnie’ and her granddaughter, Lia, is so sweet! These are some of my favorite kind of relationships.
The Turtle House is a debut for the author and I especially love the family connection. Be sure to check out the author's note.
I received an advance electronic copy of this book through the early reads Patreon program, @thoughtsfromapage. A special thank you to Cindy Burnett, the publisher, HarperCollins, and NetGalley. I appreciate the opportunity to preview this book.
This book contains a few instances of strong profanity, not frequent.
3.75/5 stars
April 1, 2024
Wow. Looking for a read that leaves you with tears on your cheeks, a lump in your throat and hope in your heart? Then this one is for you. The ending of this book is just spectacular. Thank you to @thoughtsfromapage for putting this one on my radar and for sharing the arc through her Patreon membership.
This dual POV story takes us from Japan into the States following Mineko, a war bride. Hardened by an unloving and critical mother, a lost love and a marriage of convenience, she works tirelessly to provide a better life for her children. This story parallels that of her granddaughter, Lia, who is living back home after mysteriously leaving her prestigious architecture firm. Themis story follows each of their lives individually and also together as roommates in Mineko’s son and Lia’s father’s house.
“It was hard to hold the girl at arm’s length, but she did so quite well and would try to do so with this next child, too. Mineko felt as if she were a gaping hole in the ground and that if they were to get too close, they would tumble in.”
Be forewarned that this book has a slow start. Please, please keep reading. There is so much beauty and heartache and grit and loss and struggle and redemption in this one- it is so so worth the read. It brought to life the realization that we may never fully understand the difficulties and struggles our parents and grandparents lived through. That each generation holds on to memories and secrets, some too painful to share.
“I park and I pick at my scalp, and in the waning light of the afternoon, I wait for answers to questions I don’t even know how to ask.”
I loved the importance of turtles in this story. The way they reminded Mineko of happiness and hope.
Thank you to @netgalley, @harperbooks and Cindy at @thoughtsfromapage. This was another 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.
This dual POV story takes us from Japan into the States following Mineko, a war bride. Hardened by an unloving and critical mother, a lost love and a marriage of convenience, she works tirelessly to provide a better life for her children. This story parallels that of her granddaughter, Lia, who is living back home after mysteriously leaving her prestigious architecture firm. Themis story follows each of their lives individually and also together as roommates in Mineko’s son and Lia’s father’s house.
“It was hard to hold the girl at arm’s length, but she did so quite well and would try to do so with this next child, too. Mineko felt as if she were a gaping hole in the ground and that if they were to get too close, they would tumble in.”
Be forewarned that this book has a slow start. Please, please keep reading. There is so much beauty and heartache and grit and loss and struggle and redemption in this one- it is so so worth the read. It brought to life the realization that we may never fully understand the difficulties and struggles our parents and grandparents lived through. That each generation holds on to memories and secrets, some too painful to share.
“I park and I pick at my scalp, and in the waning light of the afternoon, I wait for answers to questions I don’t even know how to ask.”
I loved the importance of turtles in this story. The way they reminded Mineko of happiness and hope.
Thank you to @netgalley, @harperbooks and Cindy at @thoughtsfromapage. This was another 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.
January 31, 2024
3.5
Two POV's, a grandmother and a grand daughter who connect because they are sharing a bedroom.
As the reader we are brought into the grandmothers past as we learn of her life and time in Japan during and after WWII. This was my favorite part of the story. It was so interesting to read of her time during and after the war. I've been reading a lot of post war books lately and I'm seeing a similar theme among them that's giving me a new perspective and understanding. This, perhaps is one of my greatest joys in reading.
The grand daughter, Lia also has her story to tell. I found this POV dragged for me.
Towards the end of the book I became fully engaged and found myself very invested on the dual storylines.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the advance e-copy of this book.
Two POV's, a grandmother and a grand daughter who connect because they are sharing a bedroom.
As the reader we are brought into the grandmothers past as we learn of her life and time in Japan during and after WWII. This was my favorite part of the story. It was so interesting to read of her time during and after the war. I've been reading a lot of post war books lately and I'm seeing a similar theme among them that's giving me a new perspective and understanding. This, perhaps is one of my greatest joys in reading.
The grand daughter, Lia also has her story to tell. I found this POV dragged for me.
Towards the end of the book I became fully engaged and found myself very invested on the dual storylines.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the advance e-copy of this book.
January 9, 2024
I read an advance copy of this beautiful novel of humanity, heartache, tragedy, cultural longing, fortitude and familial love. I loved how the relationship between Mineko and her granddaughter Lia developed, and what they were able to share together over the course of the novel.
The places in the story are so vividly described - the Japanese countryside, the Turtle House, postwar Japan and life on an American base, the farmhouse in Texas. I found the historical fiction parts of the book so intriguing and compelling and did not want them to end.
I adored feisty Mineko, her family, her Akio, and her story of grit. I will be thinking of this novel for a long time.
The places in the story are so vividly described - the Japanese countryside, the Turtle House, postwar Japan and life on an American base, the farmhouse in Texas. I found the historical fiction parts of the book so intriguing and compelling and did not want them to end.
I adored feisty Mineko, her family, her Akio, and her story of grit. I will be thinking of this novel for a long time.
March 10, 2024
This beautiful story of generational stories, love, history, and how one never knows all the details of those around us. The touching relationship between Grandminnie and Lia - as paternal grandmother and granddaughter is moving and heartfelt. The bond between them is one born of loyalty and grown in true understanding and compassion for the other. They nurture the the internal strength in one another and create bonds that are both endearing and enduring.
The Turtle House is a work of historical fiction with the a dual timeline of both the past and the present. Beautifully written by debut author, Amanda Churchill who is as gracious and generous in person as her writing suggests.
The Turtle House is a work of historical fiction with the a dual timeline of both the past and the present. Beautifully written by debut author, Amanda Churchill who is as gracious and generous in person as her writing suggests.
February 24, 2024
2.5 stars.
why is it always the prettiest books that disappoint you the most?
why is it always the prettiest books that disappoint you the most?
January 15, 2024
4.5 stars
The Turtle House is a story of two generations: Lia, a recent graduate of architecture school and Mineko, her grandmother who was a Japanese war bride. Part historical fiction and part women’s lit, this novel is set both in post-war Japan and small-town Texas, in the 1950s and 1990s..
Like all good historical fiction, this book taught me something - about the American occupation of Japan after WW2. The descriptions of life in Japan are very well done. But the crux of the story is the relationship between the two women and their struggle to come into their own. I thoroughly enjoyed that story and couldn’t wait to read the outcome.
**I read an advance copy of The Turtle House, which publishes in February. Thank you to Amanda Churchill for sending this copy.
The Turtle House is a story of two generations: Lia, a recent graduate of architecture school and Mineko, her grandmother who was a Japanese war bride. Part historical fiction and part women’s lit, this novel is set both in post-war Japan and small-town Texas, in the 1950s and 1990s..
Like all good historical fiction, this book taught me something - about the American occupation of Japan after WW2. The descriptions of life in Japan are very well done. But the crux of the story is the relationship between the two women and their struggle to come into their own. I thoroughly enjoyed that story and couldn’t wait to read the outcome.
**I read an advance copy of The Turtle House, which publishes in February. Thank you to Amanda Churchill for sending this copy.
April 18, 2024
This novel shifts between two timelines, Japan during the Second World War and small-town Texas in the late 1990s, as granddaughter Lia and her Japanese war bride grandmother Mineko, now 73, connect over Mineko’s stories of her time as a young girl. I found the historical fiction aspects of a vanished Japan very engaging, but the modern parts and Lia’s troubles didn’t carry nearly the same emotional weight.
February 24, 2024
thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy
1999. Lia Cope gives up her fancy job at an architecture firm and moves back home without much explanation. Lia shares a bedroom with her 73-year-old grandma, Mineko, who accidentally burned down her house recently. The duo grows close via late-night conversations retracing Mineko’s life in Japan. Will Lia divulge her secrets? And how will the two react when Mineko is sent to a care facility against her wishes?
TURTLE HOUSE alternates between Mineko’s POV in the 1940s in Japan and Lia’s POV in 1999 in Texas. I find myself more drawn to Mineko’s narrative because of the historical setting in Japan and her character being a curious & “wild” young woman.
Contrary to other historical fiction set in Asia during WW2 that emphasizes women’s perilous situations, I appreciate seeing Mineko’s hopes, dreams, and joys. Of course, there is still heartbreak, but following Mineko’s adventures & growth from the countryside, the US base, to Texas left the most memorable imprint on me.
On the other hand, Lia’s POV starts with a somewhat cookie-cutter Asian American story, involvement with a (creepy) white man 😬 This might be a bit of a spoiler, but I’m glad I didn’t let my initial weariness stop me from reading TURTLE HOUSE because I was pleasantly surprised by how Lia’s POV turned out!
I loved most about the grandma-granddaughter & father-daughter relationships in TURTLE HOUSE. Mineko is a combination of an unhinged elder and a carefree woman. At times, her interactions with Lia seem more like sisters, and I find their relationship memorable & heartwarming.
I experienced an emotional rollercoaster reading TURTLE HOUSE. It took me a bit to get into the story, and I was cautious about where Lia’s storyline was going, but I ended up loving how this hopeful tale about home ends. TURTLE HOUSE tugs at my heartstrings and makes me want to learn my grandparents’ stories.
1999. Lia Cope gives up her fancy job at an architecture firm and moves back home without much explanation. Lia shares a bedroom with her 73-year-old grandma, Mineko, who accidentally burned down her house recently. The duo grows close via late-night conversations retracing Mineko’s life in Japan. Will Lia divulge her secrets? And how will the two react when Mineko is sent to a care facility against her wishes?
TURTLE HOUSE alternates between Mineko’s POV in the 1940s in Japan and Lia’s POV in 1999 in Texas. I find myself more drawn to Mineko’s narrative because of the historical setting in Japan and her character being a curious & “wild” young woman.
Contrary to other historical fiction set in Asia during WW2 that emphasizes women’s perilous situations, I appreciate seeing Mineko’s hopes, dreams, and joys. Of course, there is still heartbreak, but following Mineko’s adventures & growth from the countryside, the US base, to Texas left the most memorable imprint on me.
On the other hand, Lia’s POV starts with a somewhat cookie-cutter Asian American story, involvement with a (creepy) white man 😬 This might be a bit of a spoiler, but I’m glad I didn’t let my initial weariness stop me from reading TURTLE HOUSE because I was pleasantly surprised by how Lia’s POV turned out!
I loved most about the grandma-granddaughter & father-daughter relationships in TURTLE HOUSE. Mineko is a combination of an unhinged elder and a carefree woman. At times, her interactions with Lia seem more like sisters, and I find their relationship memorable & heartwarming.
I experienced an emotional rollercoaster reading TURTLE HOUSE. It took me a bit to get into the story, and I was cautious about where Lia’s storyline was going, but I ended up loving how this hopeful tale about home ends. TURTLE HOUSE tugs at my heartstrings and makes me want to learn my grandparents’ stories.
January 20, 2024
Amanda Churchill’s debut novel knocked it out of the park! The Turtle House is told in a dual timeline and is based in both Japan and a small town in Texas.
Mineko/Minnie Cope is a 73 year old grandmother who is currently sharing a bedroom with her 25 year old granddaughter, Lia, after losing her house to a fire. Lia is currently living at home after unexpectedly quitting her job as an architect in Austin. It is 1999, and both women find themselves sharing this space while sequestering the secrets and hurts that led them to this juncture. Flashback to Japan and pre-World War II when Mineko is a child. The story oscillates between Texas and Japan as Mineko grows from a child to a girl in love to a married woman with two children who will move to Texas with her soldier husband. Lia grows up in Texas, graduates from UT, and lands a job at a top architecture firm in Austin. Neither woman is living the life that they had hoped for until they both discover a way to help each other.
THE TURTLE HOUSE is a beautifully written novel about family, sacrifice, and hope. I simply loved it!
Thank you to Cindy Burnett at Thoughts from a Page, Harper, and NetGalley for the advanced ecopy of this book. Publish date - 2/20/24.
Mineko/Minnie Cope is a 73 year old grandmother who is currently sharing a bedroom with her 25 year old granddaughter, Lia, after losing her house to a fire. Lia is currently living at home after unexpectedly quitting her job as an architect in Austin. It is 1999, and both women find themselves sharing this space while sequestering the secrets and hurts that led them to this juncture. Flashback to Japan and pre-World War II when Mineko is a child. The story oscillates between Texas and Japan as Mineko grows from a child to a girl in love to a married woman with two children who will move to Texas with her soldier husband. Lia grows up in Texas, graduates from UT, and lands a job at a top architecture firm in Austin. Neither woman is living the life that they had hoped for until they both discover a way to help each other.
THE TURTLE HOUSE is a beautifully written novel about family, sacrifice, and hope. I simply loved it!
Thank you to Cindy Burnett at Thoughts from a Page, Harper, and NetGalley for the advanced ecopy of this book. Publish date - 2/20/24.
October 1, 2024
Such a sweet story about a grandmother and granddaughter. Jumps back and firth from Japan post WWII and present day Texas. The plot goes from the grandmother's past, the granddaughter's past, and their current relationship- as a reader, you won't ever be bored by the plot yet you also won't be overwhelmed. The writing style is excellent and I loved this book so much!
September 22, 2025
The Turtle House is the story of a relationship between a granddaughter and grandmother. As the story opens, 25-year-old Lia Cope and her 73-year-old grandmother Mineko are sharing a room in the small-town of Curtain, Texas in 1999. Mineko has moved in with her son and daughter-in-law after a fire in her own home, and Lia has resigned from a lucrative job in Austin.
Lia records her grandmother’s voice during their late-night conversations. Mineko tells Lia about her childhood in pre-World War II Japan. She discovered the titular Turtle House, where she met and fell in love with a young man whose photo she still carries. She relates her life story, including living in military housing at Tachikawa Air Base, becoming a “war bride,” and moving to a ranch in Texas. Lia has left her job due to an experience she is hesitant to discuss with anyone. Their bond deepens as they confide in each other.
The narrative alternates between Mineko’s life story and the contemporary situation. This is a novel about displacement, belonging, and the expectations placed on women. It was inspired by the experiences of the author's grandmother. I felt engaged and cared about the characters. It is wonderful story of a multi-generational friendship, and one I am sure I will remember.
Lia records her grandmother’s voice during their late-night conversations. Mineko tells Lia about her childhood in pre-World War II Japan. She discovered the titular Turtle House, where she met and fell in love with a young man whose photo she still carries. She relates her life story, including living in military housing at Tachikawa Air Base, becoming a “war bride,” and moving to a ranch in Texas. Lia has left her job due to an experience she is hesitant to discuss with anyone. Their bond deepens as they confide in each other.
The narrative alternates between Mineko’s life story and the contemporary situation. This is a novel about displacement, belonging, and the expectations placed on women. It was inspired by the experiences of the author's grandmother. I felt engaged and cared about the characters. It is wonderful story of a multi-generational friendship, and one I am sure I will remember.
March 22, 2024
4.25⭐️ I really liked this! Full review is on http://instagram.com/chelseahudsonreads
May 22, 2024
A beautiful novel of literary fiction that is wistful and full of longing. The relationship between grandmother Mineko and granddaughter Lia is the heart of the book. Can't recommend it enough!
January 14, 2024
Three stars is “I liked it.” It’s a high three, but not up to “I liked it a lot.”
The Turtle House alternates among three plots: the present story, in which 73-year-old Mineko Cope tells her life story to her granddaughter, Lia; Mineko’s story of growing up in pre-WWII Japan and eventually moving to tiny Curtain, Texas, as a war bride; and Lia’s story of attending architecture school and returning to Curtain under circumstances she refuses to explain to her family. Of the three plots, Mineko’s life history is by far the most interesting; the present story of the interactions between Lia and Mineko second; and Lia’s architecture training story by far the least. It’s also not really resolved, but I had trouble caring.
Mineko is also the most effectively drawn character, the only character whose character really comes across (the grandfather almost does, but he’s a bit of a caricature). I definitely found myself rooting for Mineko and engaged by her experiences. I was interested in the history, though I confess my belief in its accuracy was challenged slightly when we are told that Mineko, in 1953, removes her shoes and runs in her pantyhose. I highly doubt it, since I vividly recall the thrill of ditching garter belts for pantyhose in the 1960s. I loved pretty much everything related to the Turtle House of the title and all the depictions of turtles, especially Japanese minogame turtles, a kind of turtle that has algae growing like a tail or skirt and symbolizes longevity and wisdom. The book also does a decent job of conveying the challenges for Mineko and her children and grandchildren as an Asian American in (shudder!) rural Texas: Lia recounts, “I was the girl who was the Almost Asian in Austin, but who still was taunted with chants of ‘Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees, look at these’ when I was a kid in Curtain. I was watered-down Lia Cope. The girl who didn’t fit anywhere.”
Stylistically, despite a few nice descriptions of places, the novel lacks personality, a distinctive voice (I followed it up with an Anne Tyler book; the difference is startling). There are exceptions, like this: Lia’s grandmother “doesn’t willingly say much about her past at all—and when she does, she doesn’t cut it to pieces and hold it up to see how it was cooked.” Or “I see how memories and misunderstandings soak through lift, like our days are as thin as coffee filters.” Both are good lines, though neither has _voice_, where the word choice and sentence structure themselves evoke character and emotion.
This novel, scheduled for release on Feb. 20, is one I won in a Goodreads Giveaway. A first novel, it is uneven but definitely kept my interest. I hope that in the final published edition there is a glossary of Japanese terms. I ended up Googling a lot of words and didn’t take the trouble with others, but I suspect I would have glanced at a glossary, and knowing them would have enhanced my reading experience.
The cover, by the way, is gorgeous.
In the 52 Book challenge, I’m using this for “Chapter Headings Have Dates” (#45). It would also work for #10 (told in non-chronological order), #14 (a grieving character), #s 29 and 52 (published in 2024—year of the dragon), and #44 (includes a wedding).
In the Flourish & Blotts NEWTs challenge, I’m using it for Deathly Hallows--“symbol on the cover” (the nearly hidden turtle is an apt illustration of the book’s central symbol). The book would also work for Ehwaz (a great partnership), Dumbledore (a character more ancient than I), Neville (an underestimated character), Giant Wars (includes a war), Hogwarts: A History (includes a history), and Aguamenti (set near water).
The Turtle House alternates among three plots: the present story, in which 73-year-old Mineko Cope tells her life story to her granddaughter, Lia; Mineko’s story of growing up in pre-WWII Japan and eventually moving to tiny Curtain, Texas, as a war bride; and Lia’s story of attending architecture school and returning to Curtain under circumstances she refuses to explain to her family. Of the three plots, Mineko’s life history is by far the most interesting; the present story of the interactions between Lia and Mineko second; and Lia’s architecture training story by far the least. It’s also not really resolved, but I had trouble caring.
Mineko is also the most effectively drawn character, the only character whose character really comes across (the grandfather almost does, but he’s a bit of a caricature). I definitely found myself rooting for Mineko and engaged by her experiences. I was interested in the history, though I confess my belief in its accuracy was challenged slightly when we are told that Mineko, in 1953, removes her shoes and runs in her pantyhose. I highly doubt it, since I vividly recall the thrill of ditching garter belts for pantyhose in the 1960s. I loved pretty much everything related to the Turtle House of the title and all the depictions of turtles, especially Japanese minogame turtles, a kind of turtle that has algae growing like a tail or skirt and symbolizes longevity and wisdom. The book also does a decent job of conveying the challenges for Mineko and her children and grandchildren as an Asian American in (shudder!) rural Texas: Lia recounts, “I was the girl who was the Almost Asian in Austin, but who still was taunted with chants of ‘Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees, look at these’ when I was a kid in Curtain. I was watered-down Lia Cope. The girl who didn’t fit anywhere.”
Stylistically, despite a few nice descriptions of places, the novel lacks personality, a distinctive voice (I followed it up with an Anne Tyler book; the difference is startling). There are exceptions, like this: Lia’s grandmother “doesn’t willingly say much about her past at all—and when she does, she doesn’t cut it to pieces and hold it up to see how it was cooked.” Or “I see how memories and misunderstandings soak through lift, like our days are as thin as coffee filters.” Both are good lines, though neither has _voice_, where the word choice and sentence structure themselves evoke character and emotion.
This novel, scheduled for release on Feb. 20, is one I won in a Goodreads Giveaway. A first novel, it is uneven but definitely kept my interest. I hope that in the final published edition there is a glossary of Japanese terms. I ended up Googling a lot of words and didn’t take the trouble with others, but I suspect I would have glanced at a glossary, and knowing them would have enhanced my reading experience.
The cover, by the way, is gorgeous.
In the 52 Book challenge, I’m using this for “Chapter Headings Have Dates” (#45). It would also work for #10 (told in non-chronological order), #14 (a grieving character), #s 29 and 52 (published in 2024—year of the dragon), and #44 (includes a wedding).
In the Flourish & Blotts NEWTs challenge, I’m using it for Deathly Hallows--“symbol on the cover” (the nearly hidden turtle is an apt illustration of the book’s central symbol). The book would also work for Ehwaz (a great partnership), Dumbledore (a character more ancient than I), Neville (an underestimated character), Giant Wars (includes a war), Hogwarts: A History (includes a history), and Aguamenti (set near water).
March 12, 2024
The Turtle House is a beautiful debut novel that I was sad to finish. The stories of Lia and Mineko are artfully woven together. Not to wax poetic, but their stories move like currents in a stream. Sometimes they move at different paces, curl and eddy when the path changes unexpectedly, but always onward together.
I'm going to go nurse my book hangover now.
I'm going to go nurse my book hangover now.
March 11, 2024
A special thanks to the publisher for this Uncorrected proof.
There are only a few good chapters in this book, most of it is garbled, arbitrary and lacking poignancy. The story of Akio and Mineko would have made a lovey book if the historical context was sharpened. There is room in Mineko's early life recollections to broaden and expand upon capacity of the the human spirit to persevere, but instead this novel jumps into a sitcom style dalliance with modern day tribulations that lack the punch or persuasion to evoke deeper meaning or humor, it fell flat. The plot was lost on me as the curve failed to add depth of character and sentimentality to the ordinary circumstance of life, which the writing didn't rightly convey.
There are only a few good chapters in this book, most of it is garbled, arbitrary and lacking poignancy. The story of Akio and Mineko would have made a lovey book if the historical context was sharpened. There is room in Mineko's early life recollections to broaden and expand upon capacity of the the human spirit to persevere, but instead this novel jumps into a sitcom style dalliance with modern day tribulations that lack the punch or persuasion to evoke deeper meaning or humor, it fell flat. The plot was lost on me as the curve failed to add depth of character and sentimentality to the ordinary circumstance of life, which the writing didn't rightly convey.
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