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The Things We Keep
What would you keep of your mother’s after she dies? What secrets would you keep from your family? Serena is dealing with these questions while balancing grief, a scientific career, motherhood, and not hating her spouse. You know, the typical easy life of a woman.
There is one thing Serena thought she knew. Her mother hated her. But now Serena must come face to face with the truth she learns after her mother’s death. Maybe her mother didn’t hate her, but loved her so much that she changed everything for her.
There is one thing Serena thought she knew. Her mother hated her. But now Serena must come face to face with the truth she learns after her mother’s death. Maybe her mother didn’t hate her, but loved her so much that she changed everything for her.
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First published July 21, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
October 19, 2023
The Things We Keep is emotional tale of life after loss. What an incredible debut.
Serena is juggling a career as a microbiologist, motherhood, a strained marriage and the death of her mother. Although she wasn't close to her mom, Serena takes her death very hard
People in her life seem puzzled since theirs wasn't a close relationship. I think sometimes that makes the death of a loved one even harder as you say good bye to any hope of having the relationship you have always yearned for. You say good bye to both the person and the possibility.
As she works through her grief, she uncovers a secret her mom kept from her.
This was an emotional poignant story. I could relate to so much of Serena's story, from her dysfunctional relationship with her mother to her poor communication with her husband Tom which caused unnecessary tension.
I felt this quote in my soul "Love doesn't have to be perfect to still be love."
Serena is juggling a career as a microbiologist, motherhood, a strained marriage and the death of her mother. Although she wasn't close to her mom, Serena takes her death very hard
People in her life seem puzzled since theirs wasn't a close relationship. I think sometimes that makes the death of a loved one even harder as you say good bye to any hope of having the relationship you have always yearned for. You say good bye to both the person and the possibility.
As she works through her grief, she uncovers a secret her mom kept from her.
This was an emotional poignant story. I could relate to so much of Serena's story, from her dysfunctional relationship with her mother to her poor communication with her husband Tom which caused unnecessary tension.
I felt this quote in my soul "Love doesn't have to be perfect to still be love."
August 12, 2021
Serena is a molecular biologist, wife and mother. She always believed her mother hated her. She didn't have the connection with her mother that her sister Abigail did. When Abigail finds something in her mothers closet it opens Serena up to the past. This was a complex story of family and disfunction, secrets and how grief can settle so deep within. This story really grabbed me. It was easy to relate to having lost my mother. I felt for Serena and I was lost in thoughts after reading it. There is so much to this story and you feel it so deeply.
Dawnny Ruby
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
Dawnny Ruby
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
September 6, 2021
The author who springs from the ethers fully formed is a mythical beast—a unicorn, or perhaps a Sphinx—and it is for this and other reasons that first novels require patience. One neither can, nor should, expect perfection or its facsimile, but rather give themselves over to those currents that would sweep them into the eddies of human experience apart from arithmetic or analysis.
Most readers and writers, have narrators slouched in the corners of their minds, replete with stylistic prejudices and preffered cadences and narrative expectations, and by and large they do not well tolerate any affront to these sensibilities, preferring on some level that life and literature hew as closely to their stipulations as possible. Balko's aesthetic commitments don't match my own, nor do the devices that militate her narrative, or the emotional register at which she spins her tale.
But her book is good—quite good—and deserves an audience. We live in a historical and cultural moment created by a devil's brew of the traumatic sociopolitical polarization that frequently seems to have rendered all men islands, turning neighbor against neighbor, and family against themselves, and this is to say nothing of the effects of a pandemic that isolated us and confined us to our homes for more than a year as it ripped millions from life. The best and truest statement one can make about The Things We Keep is that it is big-souled, that it confronts its readers with an authenticity and generosity of spirit that can be neither taught, nor faked. We are, so many of us, in pain, bearing up under burdens we barely understand, and seem powerless to ameliorate, and given that, there can be no doubt that Balko's novel, and its portrayal of grief and gratitude are both balm and gift.
Iris Murdoch defined love as the incredibly difficult realization that something other than oneself is real, a claim that, in its best moments, The Things We Keep bears out. The question: What does it look like to allow someone else to be real? is as important as any we might ask, and Balko does, and for this reason, any sins she commits in the course of telling her tale are incontrovertibly pardonable.
When she hits, she hits big, and when she misses, she does so because there is something she desperately wants us to see, to hear.
I put little stock in crystal balls, but I would not be at all surprised if The Things We Keep turned out to be the opening act of a successful literary career. Balko has ears to hear, and the temerity to give voice to the moments and emotions we so often bury in silence.
Read this book, keep an eye out for her next.
Most readers and writers, have narrators slouched in the corners of their minds, replete with stylistic prejudices and preffered cadences and narrative expectations, and by and large they do not well tolerate any affront to these sensibilities, preferring on some level that life and literature hew as closely to their stipulations as possible. Balko's aesthetic commitments don't match my own, nor do the devices that militate her narrative, or the emotional register at which she spins her tale.
But her book is good—quite good—and deserves an audience. We live in a historical and cultural moment created by a devil's brew of the traumatic sociopolitical polarization that frequently seems to have rendered all men islands, turning neighbor against neighbor, and family against themselves, and this is to say nothing of the effects of a pandemic that isolated us and confined us to our homes for more than a year as it ripped millions from life. The best and truest statement one can make about The Things We Keep is that it is big-souled, that it confronts its readers with an authenticity and generosity of spirit that can be neither taught, nor faked. We are, so many of us, in pain, bearing up under burdens we barely understand, and seem powerless to ameliorate, and given that, there can be no doubt that Balko's novel, and its portrayal of grief and gratitude are both balm and gift.
Iris Murdoch defined love as the incredibly difficult realization that something other than oneself is real, a claim that, in its best moments, The Things We Keep bears out. The question: What does it look like to allow someone else to be real? is as important as any we might ask, and Balko does, and for this reason, any sins she commits in the course of telling her tale are incontrovertibly pardonable.
When she hits, she hits big, and when she misses, she does so because there is something she desperately wants us to see, to hear.
I put little stock in crystal balls, but I would not be at all surprised if The Things We Keep turned out to be the opening act of a successful literary career. Balko has ears to hear, and the temerity to give voice to the moments and emotions we so often bury in silence.
Read this book, keep an eye out for her next.
October 28, 2021
When I had finished Julee Balko's remarkable debut, I struggled with how I would express my admiration for– and surprisingly emotional reaction to - this sensitive story about a seemingly loveless mother and other complex, and sometimes contradictory, family relationships. I noticed how the reviews about "The Things We Keep" were written for 99,5 percent by women who analyzed and praised the novel with a lot of empathy. How could I, a 68-year-old Belgian/Flemish author of cross-over novels between literature and the suspense genre, add something substantial to these reviews? Well, for one thing, that my mother, in my memory, never showed me love. I can't remember a single hug or a kiss. While reading this fine-tuned story about the toxic and cold relationship between molecular biologist Serena and her mother, it was at times as if a great fist squeezed my heart together, pained by a remorse that I've kept hidden almost all my life. When Serena's mother died, I was led slowly and with great care to realize that the lack of love between mother and daughter had influenced Serena not only as a daughter but also as a mother and wife. Only when I was well over fifty, I realized that my youth did the same with me as a son, a father, and a husband. After her mother's death, Serena discovers secrets that change her view of her mother but also of her sister and her husband. People in complex, multi-layered, and painful relationships develop and nurture secrets in their lives that can become so powerful that they blind you for yourself. I've been married four times with strong and empathic women, and still, I couldn't release the secret they sensed in me, making me somebody who couldn't be who he was meant to be. I felt the same tragedy in "The Things We Keep:" emotional grief that yearns to surface and to be understood and forgiven. It all comes down to that one sentence in the novel: "She was struck how, at that moment, she was remembering only good things about her mother."
If a writer's debut can shake the fundaments of this old grizzly reader as Julee Balko's novel did, we can safely predict that she's destined for an outstanding literary career.
If a writer's debut can shake the fundaments of this old grizzly reader as Julee Balko's novel did, we can safely predict that she's destined for an outstanding literary career.
January 19, 2022
Thank you so much to the author, GenZ Publishing, and Storygram Tours for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
———
“𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺. 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴.”
For a novel that sits at just a little less than 250 pages, this story delivered a heart-wrenching amount of emotional impact. Serena is a 30-something woman struggling to balance motherhood, marriage to an emotionally distant husband, and grief for her mother who recently passed from cancer. Serena had never felt warmth from her mother and never believed that she was loved. Their complicated relationship carried on this way into adulthood and even in the final months of her mother’s declining health.
Balko’s writing style immediately pulled me into the story as it weaved between present day with Serena mourning her mother and past through various cold interactions between the two. In some ways, I empathized with their situation because sometimes children never truly know the kinds of sacrifices that parents make in order to protect them from the harsh realities of the world.
The complex dynamics between the people in Serena’s life were another fascinating element that added depth to her story. I liked that Serena still felt close to her sister even though their mother showed more care and love to Abigail than she ever did to Serena. This novel also illustrated the influence that a parent can have on a child’s upbringing; here, Serena was determined to provide a happy and loving life for her daughter in order to avoid the cold and distant relationship she had with her own mother.
There were many emotional moments in this book that had me ruminating on a number of themes. This novel wasn’t just about dealing with life after death, but about the intricacies of relationships, the choices one makes when it comes to marriage, and the way secrets can have lasting impact on one’s history. This is an excellent debut novel and I recommend it to those who enjoy books with focus on familial relationships.
———
“𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺. 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴.”
For a novel that sits at just a little less than 250 pages, this story delivered a heart-wrenching amount of emotional impact. Serena is a 30-something woman struggling to balance motherhood, marriage to an emotionally distant husband, and grief for her mother who recently passed from cancer. Serena had never felt warmth from her mother and never believed that she was loved. Their complicated relationship carried on this way into adulthood and even in the final months of her mother’s declining health.
Balko’s writing style immediately pulled me into the story as it weaved between present day with Serena mourning her mother and past through various cold interactions between the two. In some ways, I empathized with their situation because sometimes children never truly know the kinds of sacrifices that parents make in order to protect them from the harsh realities of the world.
The complex dynamics between the people in Serena’s life were another fascinating element that added depth to her story. I liked that Serena still felt close to her sister even though their mother showed more care and love to Abigail than she ever did to Serena. This novel also illustrated the influence that a parent can have on a child’s upbringing; here, Serena was determined to provide a happy and loving life for her daughter in order to avoid the cold and distant relationship she had with her own mother.
There were many emotional moments in this book that had me ruminating on a number of themes. This novel wasn’t just about dealing with life after death, but about the intricacies of relationships, the choices one makes when it comes to marriage, and the way secrets can have lasting impact on one’s history. This is an excellent debut novel and I recommend it to those who enjoy books with focus on familial relationships.
January 22, 2022
You will want a box of tissues next to you, while reading this astounding debut novel. The tears are worth it, I promise! Julee Balko's writing draws you in and allows you to experience all the emotion and turmoil the characters are feeling. It is deep, it is poignant, it is meaningful, and it is eye opening. I loved this book so much, for many different reasons! The complexity of one relationship can play such an intricate roll on all your relationships.
Serena has always had a difficult relationship with her mother. All she wanted was acceptance and love. All she received in return was distance and a chill that kept them apart. Serena has always wondered why there is this chasm between her and her mother. All she can chalk it up to be is that she was never good enough. All these questions come tumbling down when her mother passes away from cancer. Leaving Serena in a fog of questions, that will never be answered. While the rest of her world crumbles around her. Serena is left trying to put the pieces together.
This book is about relationships. The relationship between a mother and daughter, husband and wife, sisters, and friends. How one secret can wreak havoc on these relationships for years, until it brought out into the light, and people can begin to heal. I was able to relate to this book on so many levels and it left me completely floored. Thank you to Julee Balko, GenZ Publishing, and Storygram Tours for sending me this emotionally, intoxicating read.
Serena has always had a difficult relationship with her mother. All she wanted was acceptance and love. All she received in return was distance and a chill that kept them apart. Serena has always wondered why there is this chasm between her and her mother. All she can chalk it up to be is that she was never good enough. All these questions come tumbling down when her mother passes away from cancer. Leaving Serena in a fog of questions, that will never be answered. While the rest of her world crumbles around her. Serena is left trying to put the pieces together.
This book is about relationships. The relationship between a mother and daughter, husband and wife, sisters, and friends. How one secret can wreak havoc on these relationships for years, until it brought out into the light, and people can begin to heal. I was able to relate to this book on so many levels and it left me completely floored. Thank you to Julee Balko, GenZ Publishing, and Storygram Tours for sending me this emotionally, intoxicating read.
June 8, 2021
This is a story of family dysfunction, grief, and the pressures of modern motherhood. So, it feels odd to say I enjoyed it, but I am glad I read it. Thank you to Gen Z Publishing for an electronic advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story goes back and forth between Serena’s past and present. In the past, we see Serena’s mother Barbara through Serena’s eyes - a mother who seems to be indifferent to her at best, and often uncaring and cruel. In the present, Serena’s mother is dying of cancer. The birth of Serena’s daughter Maggie improved the relationship somewhat, but the way Serena relates to her husband Tom and the wider world are impacted by the way she grew up. How Serena grapples with grief, serious problems in her marriage, society’s high expectations of mothers, and the aftermath of a family secret revealed makes for a realistic and compelling read. I found myself rooting for Serena and her family, hoping each person would make what I considered to be the “right moves” to bring them back together.
This would be a very discussable read for a book club.
The story goes back and forth between Serena’s past and present. In the past, we see Serena’s mother Barbara through Serena’s eyes - a mother who seems to be indifferent to her at best, and often uncaring and cruel. In the present, Serena’s mother is dying of cancer. The birth of Serena’s daughter Maggie improved the relationship somewhat, but the way Serena relates to her husband Tom and the wider world are impacted by the way she grew up. How Serena grapples with grief, serious problems in her marriage, society’s high expectations of mothers, and the aftermath of a family secret revealed makes for a realistic and compelling read. I found myself rooting for Serena and her family, hoping each person would make what I considered to be the “right moves” to bring them back together.
This would be a very discussable read for a book club.
September 6, 2021
The Things We Keep is a gut-wrenching read. Life launches blow after blow at Serena, the protagonist, and by the novel's end, the reader is almost scared to turn the page for fear that doing so will rip another chunk out of Serena's heart. While there is no shortage of tragedy in the novel, where Balko shines most brightly is in her narration of the quiet spaces in between. The cans of beets left behind after her mother's passing. The chips her husband left out in the kitchen. These are the times that we feel for Serena the most, where we see how deeply her hurt runs and just how vulnerable she is.
If I had to offer one critique, it would concern the pacing. The first 2/3 of the novel are a slow exploration of Serena's grief, and then in the final third, so much happens (I won't say more so as to not spoil the book!), that neither Serena nor the reader has a chance to catch her breath or fully process the events. I think perhaps interspersing the reflection and the revelations more evenly throughout the book might have done more justice to the story.
That said, this is definitely a novel worth reading, and anyone who has struggled with love and/or loss will certainly find much to relate to in its pages. I look forward to reading what Balko comes out with next!
If I had to offer one critique, it would concern the pacing. The first 2/3 of the novel are a slow exploration of Serena's grief, and then in the final third, so much happens (I won't say more so as to not spoil the book!), that neither Serena nor the reader has a chance to catch her breath or fully process the events. I think perhaps interspersing the reflection and the revelations more evenly throughout the book might have done more justice to the story.
That said, this is definitely a novel worth reading, and anyone who has struggled with love and/or loss will certainly find much to relate to in its pages. I look forward to reading what Balko comes out with next!
November 8, 2021
The Things We Keep by Julee Balko. Thanks to the author for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Serena has always thought her mom hated her. Her mother was cold and distant. When her mother passes, she begins to learn things about her past; maybe her mother loved her after all.
This was an authentic look at grief and how it affects our selves and our family interactions. It felt very true to life and real. It is sad, so you’ll want to read with tissues by your side. I loved how it looked at the mother-daughter relationship from several angles. Can we ever truly know our mother; or only how our mother presents to us? This read brought up a lot of questions for me in how our family history shapes our selves and how we then pass that along to our children.
“How did people create more kids without worrying about all the struggles these tiny people would face? In this moment of absolute happy skies, the odds seemed so much against them. The skies would not always be blue like today. The sun was not perfect. No beams of lights are guaranteed for long.”
Serena has always thought her mom hated her. Her mother was cold and distant. When her mother passes, she begins to learn things about her past; maybe her mother loved her after all.
This was an authentic look at grief and how it affects our selves and our family interactions. It felt very true to life and real. It is sad, so you’ll want to read with tissues by your side. I loved how it looked at the mother-daughter relationship from several angles. Can we ever truly know our mother; or only how our mother presents to us? This read brought up a lot of questions for me in how our family history shapes our selves and how we then pass that along to our children.
“How did people create more kids without worrying about all the struggles these tiny people would face? In this moment of absolute happy skies, the odds seemed so much against them. The skies would not always be blue like today. The sun was not perfect. No beams of lights are guaranteed for long.”
July 25, 2021
The author does an excellent job of telling a complicated story of family dynamics and the different ways people grieve the loss of a loved one. As a person who has lost both of my parents before I turned 50, I could relate and reflect on the different ways the characters in the story handled their grief. The writer's style and character development made the book come alive. I really felt like I got to know each character in depth. In fact, once I started the book I could not put it down until I had finished it. I had to know how each person ended up in the end. Although the book begins focusing on loss, as you continue to read you realize the book has even more to offer. The author intertwines mystery and romance into the story too. I am looking forward to reading more books from Julee Balko in the future.
July 23, 2021
An uncompromising, honest and touching depiction of a dysfunctional family
What I liked about this book was the well-developed characters and relationships. Everyone had flaws and everyone had good qualities, or understandable reasons for their imperfections. That made this a compelling read, because it wasn't obvious how it would turn out.
My only reservation, and it's not one that everyone will share, is that the secret revealed seemed out of proportion to the realistically grim and sweet ordinariness of the set up.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What I liked about this book was the well-developed characters and relationships. Everyone had flaws and everyone had good qualities, or understandable reasons for their imperfections. That made this a compelling read, because it wasn't obvious how it would turn out.
My only reservation, and it's not one that everyone will share, is that the secret revealed seemed out of proportion to the realistically grim and sweet ordinariness of the set up.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2022
As soon as I started this novel I couldn’t put it down. I was completely engrossed and connected to the main character, Serena. After losing my dad in 2020, the way the author describes the grief of losing a parent spoke to my soul. While I was very close with my dad and our relationship wasn’t tumultuous like Serena’s was with her mothers, and we had no family secrets, those feelings that Serena felt while processing that grief was exactly the feelings I felt while processing my own. This story was beautifully written and raw with emotions. Thank you for this beautiful story about loss, grief and healing.
August 9, 2022
This book masterfully weaves current and past stories of one family’s experience, creating a quilt of excellence. The themes of grief and secrets permeating into unrealized aspects of one’s life fascinated me. Not every author can write about those topics in this way, which resonates with the reader. It is this complexity that didn’t allow me to stop reading, finishing in only two sittings. I related to the variety of mother-daughter relationships and appreciated the generational differences of handling difficult circumstances as well. This was a great debut novel.
December 31, 2021
And life happens. That is what this book is about, life and all the beauty in it, the hard times we go through, and the very bad choices we need to make along the way.
A very fast read and unexpected events happen, couldn't put it down one second. I can not find a better book to finish my 2021 reads.
📑This ARC was granted to me through NetGalley and approved by GenZ Publishing, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
A very fast read and unexpected events happen, couldn't put it down one second. I can not find a better book to finish my 2021 reads.
📑This ARC was granted to me through NetGalley and approved by GenZ Publishing, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
July 29, 2021
* Debut author * with a fantastic book *
Julee Balko does an awesome job weaving a story with really complicated family dynamics after the loss of a mother. Initially my thoughts were that there might be too much grief involved and it wasn't quite what I was looking for in a book at the time. But I would highly encourage you to give it a chance, because this book is about more than just dealing with sadness/grief.
I was really drawn in by the cover. I read the description and didn't think this book was for me, but somehow I kept coming back to it and gave in. I'm so glad that I read it. And its been 6 weeks and I keep thinking about this book! I love how this book is organized. Chapter 1: Beets, Chapter 2: Stone, Chapter 3: Clothes ...
I don't want to give away the plot; its complicated and its revealed perfectly.
I was really taken by this book. At about 75% through this book, I looked at GoodReads to see if the author had written other books. Didn't look like it, so I messaged the author to ask her (I'm sorry, I could have just read About the Author at the end of the book). Julee Balko was kind to provide the nicest response. I was afraid that I would jinx myself and that by reaching out to the author, I might not enjoy the remainder of the book. But I thought that it was perfect through and through. So, I would encourage you to give this book a chance. Its really very good.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Julee Balko and the publisher GenZ Publishing for the opportunity to review The Things We Keep in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is 21 July 2021.
Julee Balko does an awesome job weaving a story with really complicated family dynamics after the loss of a mother. Initially my thoughts were that there might be too much grief involved and it wasn't quite what I was looking for in a book at the time. But I would highly encourage you to give it a chance, because this book is about more than just dealing with sadness/grief.
I was really drawn in by the cover. I read the description and didn't think this book was for me, but somehow I kept coming back to it and gave in. I'm so glad that I read it. And its been 6 weeks and I keep thinking about this book! I love how this book is organized. Chapter 1: Beets, Chapter 2: Stone, Chapter 3: Clothes ...
I don't want to give away the plot; its complicated and its revealed perfectly.
I was really taken by this book. At about 75% through this book, I looked at GoodReads to see if the author had written other books. Didn't look like it, so I messaged the author to ask her (I'm sorry, I could have just read About the Author at the end of the book). Julee Balko was kind to provide the nicest response. I was afraid that I would jinx myself and that by reaching out to the author, I might not enjoy the remainder of the book. But I thought that it was perfect through and through. So, I would encourage you to give this book a chance. Its really very good.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Julee Balko and the publisher GenZ Publishing for the opportunity to review The Things We Keep in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is 21 July 2021.
October 5, 2021
5-star review from Indies Today!
"While the novel opens with the heartbreak of losing the family matriarch, the plot gives way to jaw-dropping drama and heartfelt revelations. The Things We Keep is as sophisticated and refined as it is emotionally fervent and fiercely confident."
Read the full review here:
https://indiestoday.com/the-things-we...
"While the novel opens with the heartbreak of losing the family matriarch, the plot gives way to jaw-dropping drama and heartfelt revelations. The Things We Keep is as sophisticated and refined as it is emotionally fervent and fiercely confident."
Read the full review here:
https://indiestoday.com/the-things-we...
September 13, 2022
Serena’s mother is dead. Her husband, dad, sister, aunt, everyone expects her to react in a certain way to this transition, but her difficult relationship with her mother complicates Serena’s grief, making it difficult to express or share with her loved ones. When her father pulls away and her marriage begins to fall apart, too, Serena decides she doesn’t need to voice her grief to them. Instead, she turns all her devotion onto her small daughter. But emotions packed too tightly with no release have a way of coming out, whether you choose the method or not. When yet another tragedy strikes her family and a mystery from her childhood is uncovered, Serena has to choose between what to let go, and what to keep.
Many of the issues in this book are dark, sad, challenging. Even so, I didn’t find the book overall to be a depressing read. I found it fascinating. Each chapter delved a little deeper into Serena’s psyche and her past, as well as the others in her life. I kept waiting for the revelation that would clarify the rocks beneath Serena’s relationship with her mother, as well as why she felt she could not share her load with those who loved her. When the truth was revealed, all the pieces fell neatly (well, okay, messily) into place, and it became clear why each character did what they did. Once I knew that, I could easily see how that must have twisted all their interrelationships so.
Balko does a masterful job at embedding the festering seed of this family drama, all the while entwining all the characters’ internal turmoil in such a way that they affect one another in an alchemical way. The tension kept me reading, wanting to see whether or when Serena would self-destruct or, if not, what could possibly save her. I loved that I got to see the tangle of emotions through the perspectives of each involved character, which helped me see the overall Gordian knot of miscommunication, exclusion, and lost connections that underlay the whole mess.
Though there was a boatload of dysfunction in this family, there was a ray of light near the story’s end. When the mysterious seed of it all came to light, I found myself riding Serena’s crashing waves of emotion through all the stages – anger, denial, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. With that last stage, Serena makes deep choices about her life, and the reader is left with a hopeful ending.
This is an emotional rollercoaster of a book. I did find that I had to put it down a time or two in order to digest the turmoil and not overwhelm myself. But it was never hard to pick it up again. I wanted to know whether Serena made it through the challenge, and what price the characters would each pay for the role they played in this tale.
The Things We Keep is a strong women’s fiction tale that will take you along for an emotional ride through grief, family drama, secrets, and loneliness, and will leave a lasting impression that will linger long after you turn the last page.
Many of the issues in this book are dark, sad, challenging. Even so, I didn’t find the book overall to be a depressing read. I found it fascinating. Each chapter delved a little deeper into Serena’s psyche and her past, as well as the others in her life. I kept waiting for the revelation that would clarify the rocks beneath Serena’s relationship with her mother, as well as why she felt she could not share her load with those who loved her. When the truth was revealed, all the pieces fell neatly (well, okay, messily) into place, and it became clear why each character did what they did. Once I knew that, I could easily see how that must have twisted all their interrelationships so.
Balko does a masterful job at embedding the festering seed of this family drama, all the while entwining all the characters’ internal turmoil in such a way that they affect one another in an alchemical way. The tension kept me reading, wanting to see whether or when Serena would self-destruct or, if not, what could possibly save her. I loved that I got to see the tangle of emotions through the perspectives of each involved character, which helped me see the overall Gordian knot of miscommunication, exclusion, and lost connections that underlay the whole mess.
Though there was a boatload of dysfunction in this family, there was a ray of light near the story’s end. When the mysterious seed of it all came to light, I found myself riding Serena’s crashing waves of emotion through all the stages – anger, denial, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. With that last stage, Serena makes deep choices about her life, and the reader is left with a hopeful ending.
This is an emotional rollercoaster of a book. I did find that I had to put it down a time or two in order to digest the turmoil and not overwhelm myself. But it was never hard to pick it up again. I wanted to know whether Serena made it through the challenge, and what price the characters would each pay for the role they played in this tale.
The Things We Keep is a strong women’s fiction tale that will take you along for an emotional ride through grief, family drama, secrets, and loneliness, and will leave a lasting impression that will linger long after you turn the last page.
September 6, 2021
The Things We Keep, the premier novel of Ms. Julee Balko, is a story about grief, both that which we let go and that which we keep. The thread of grieving carries the story from far before we meet Serena to the final resolution of her own pain. As the reader progresses through the layers of understanding Ms. Balko reveals how grief can poison a family.
The Things We Keep begins with one of the little absurdities that follow a death in the family. Serena is swamped, as are all survivors, with the photos and tchotchkes that carried meaning for her mother. Those items now missing the memory that made them precious become part of the sea of ‘stuff’ that accompanies death.
While alive those maddening quirks of our families are concealed in pantries – they aren’t ours to deal with. After a person’s death – suddenly all those quirks become our property and our problem. When the story opened with Serena dealing with her mother’s cans of beets I immediately understood where she was.
And seriously, what do you do with 53 cans of beets? Or, in my case, 32 loaf pans?
Death, the great equalizer, is also the great reorganizer. In the wake of death within a family, there is an inevitable reshuffling of roles, of emotions, of perceptions, and of truths.
Compounding her grief, for Serena, was the question of why? Why had there been such coldness towards her from her mother? Why had a chasm formed between them?
The loss of her mother comes with both the loss of her opportunity for resolution and a new chance for answers. Although Serena could no longer ask her mother for the reasons, death finally broke the grip of her mother’s choice to hide the truth.
The revelations tumble out as layer upon layer of false memory is peeled away. With the final exposure of the original loss which started the chain of losses throughout the family comes freedom for everyone. The heavy warping burden of grief is finally lifted and the healing of an old wound can begin.
Ms. Balko captures grief with all its facets. She portrays all of the exhausting, frustrating, maddening minefield of emotions that comprise grief, both your own and everyone else’s, with heartbreaking honesty.
The prose is clear and painfully honest. Her words were perfectly pitched for this story of difficult relations and complex family dynamics. Lines of flowery prose would have stifled the impact by dressing it in too much perfume.
As always with grief and secrets, you need to explore down to the roots before you can let go and finally heal.
The Things We Keep is, in short, a complex story told with honest simplicity.
The Things We Keep begins with one of the little absurdities that follow a death in the family. Serena is swamped, as are all survivors, with the photos and tchotchkes that carried meaning for her mother. Those items now missing the memory that made them precious become part of the sea of ‘stuff’ that accompanies death.
While alive those maddening quirks of our families are concealed in pantries – they aren’t ours to deal with. After a person’s death – suddenly all those quirks become our property and our problem. When the story opened with Serena dealing with her mother’s cans of beets I immediately understood where she was.
And seriously, what do you do with 53 cans of beets? Or, in my case, 32 loaf pans?
Death, the great equalizer, is also the great reorganizer. In the wake of death within a family, there is an inevitable reshuffling of roles, of emotions, of perceptions, and of truths.
Compounding her grief, for Serena, was the question of why? Why had there been such coldness towards her from her mother? Why had a chasm formed between them?
The loss of her mother comes with both the loss of her opportunity for resolution and a new chance for answers. Although Serena could no longer ask her mother for the reasons, death finally broke the grip of her mother’s choice to hide the truth.
The revelations tumble out as layer upon layer of false memory is peeled away. With the final exposure of the original loss which started the chain of losses throughout the family comes freedom for everyone. The heavy warping burden of grief is finally lifted and the healing of an old wound can begin.
Ms. Balko captures grief with all its facets. She portrays all of the exhausting, frustrating, maddening minefield of emotions that comprise grief, both your own and everyone else’s, with heartbreaking honesty.
The prose is clear and painfully honest. Her words were perfectly pitched for this story of difficult relations and complex family dynamics. Lines of flowery prose would have stifled the impact by dressing it in too much perfume.
As always with grief and secrets, you need to explore down to the roots before you can let go and finally heal.
The Things We Keep is, in short, a complex story told with honest simplicity.
September 15, 2021
The Things We Keep
This was a beautiful story about Serena, and how she deals with the loss of her mother who just died of cancer. Their relationship, like many mother/daughter relationships, was very complicated. Not only does Balko explore mother /daughter relationships but other familial ties like spouses and siblings.
Synopsis:
Sarena’s mother passed away of breast cancer. The same cancer that Sarena has dedicated as her life’s work to find a cure for. She is surprised at how hard it was to say goodbye to her mother, a mother who never really showed her much love and flinched at her touch. Their relationship only began to improve after the birth of Sarena’s daughter, Maggie. Maggie was the bridge that finally brought them together. Sarena was there for her mother at the end during her cancer and only then did the walls start to slowly come down.
With the stress of her mother’s death she started thinking less of her husband, Tom. In fact, she starts to hate everything about him. She definitely does not agree with his parenting style.
Her older sister Abigail, who cared for Sarena when her mother neglected her, is taking their mother’s death hard too. Even though Abigail was their mother’s favorite, her childhood shaped the quiet weak individual she grew up to be. Now instead of sisterly love for Sarena she feels competitive at motherhood and life.
While her family deals with the loss of their mother and wife, and sister, secrets are revealed and tragedy strikes where it’s least expected.
This book affected me more than I thought it would. After I read it I reached out to Julee and let her know how much I connected with it and how it touched so many parts of my own life. It really made me reflect on my children and the things they will keep from their childhood into their now adult lives. It’s hard not to blame yourself for mistakes your children make and to wonder where you went wrong. It’s only when you see it through their eyes that you can truly understand. What this book did give me is that as a mother we love our children, even if that love is imperfect and even if we are imperfect. We do our best and hope that they turn out okay.
I also really liked the message that marriage is a choice. A choice we make everyday to stay with that person, be committed to that person, let that person see our vulnerabilities, and continue to do the hard work. I have been with my husband for twenty-six years and I am glad that each day we continue to make the choice to do the hard work. It has by no means been easy, but so very gratifying.
This was a beautiful story about Serena, and how she deals with the loss of her mother who just died of cancer. Their relationship, like many mother/daughter relationships, was very complicated. Not only does Balko explore mother /daughter relationships but other familial ties like spouses and siblings.
Synopsis:
Sarena’s mother passed away of breast cancer. The same cancer that Sarena has dedicated as her life’s work to find a cure for. She is surprised at how hard it was to say goodbye to her mother, a mother who never really showed her much love and flinched at her touch. Their relationship only began to improve after the birth of Sarena’s daughter, Maggie. Maggie was the bridge that finally brought them together. Sarena was there for her mother at the end during her cancer and only then did the walls start to slowly come down.
With the stress of her mother’s death she started thinking less of her husband, Tom. In fact, she starts to hate everything about him. She definitely does not agree with his parenting style.
Her older sister Abigail, who cared for Sarena when her mother neglected her, is taking their mother’s death hard too. Even though Abigail was their mother’s favorite, her childhood shaped the quiet weak individual she grew up to be. Now instead of sisterly love for Sarena she feels competitive at motherhood and life.
While her family deals with the loss of their mother and wife, and sister, secrets are revealed and tragedy strikes where it’s least expected.
This book affected me more than I thought it would. After I read it I reached out to Julee and let her know how much I connected with it and how it touched so many parts of my own life. It really made me reflect on my children and the things they will keep from their childhood into their now adult lives. It’s hard not to blame yourself for mistakes your children make and to wonder where you went wrong. It’s only when you see it through their eyes that you can truly understand. What this book did give me is that as a mother we love our children, even if that love is imperfect and even if we are imperfect. We do our best and hope that they turn out okay.
I also really liked the message that marriage is a choice. A choice we make everyday to stay with that person, be committed to that person, let that person see our vulnerabilities, and continue to do the hard work. I have been with my husband for twenty-six years and I am glad that each day we continue to make the choice to do the hard work. It has by no means been easy, but so very gratifying.
October 8, 2022
The Things We Keep
By Julee Balko
A Novel
Book Review by Sylvia Jacobs
The book begins with a girl named Serena saying that her mom named Barbara had passed away. She was now only left with her dad named Robert. Serena feels like she has gone through so much already by taking care of many things. Serena now came to help her dad go through her mom's things. We find out in the first chapter that Serena was a Molecular biologist. Her mom had Cancer before she passed away. Setena learns much about Cancer cells through studying them through a microscope. Serena wonders why her mom disliked her most of her life? We now hear that Serena has a daughter whose name is Maggie. Will Serena be a good mother even though she didn’t really have much of a relationship with her own mom? It makes one think? No one thought she would be one, well you will have to read the book to find out, I won’t tell. Could Serena fit motherhood into her tough work schedule? Would it be easy or tough? She worked long hours.
The positive of this book is that this is the author's first novel and boy did she hit it out of the park with it. The writing just flows and holds your interest throughout the book. You will drop everything and will not want to put it down. It is written well and a page turner. You will find out a secret close to the end of the book which I didn’t expect. You will feel like you are watching a great movie as you read this book. There is so much that goes on in this book that is quite exciting. If I was
giving out awards, this book would get one. My hope is that this book wins an award as it should.
The negative aspect is that there isn’t a part two of the book, more is definitely wanted on my end. Another negative is that a movie wasn’t made out of this book yet as it hopefully will have one.
A rating of 5 out of 5 stars is well deserved for this book. It is rated for all the words that flow one into the other. It is extremely well written, especially for the author's first book. It is rated for keeping one up late and wanting to know how it ends.
It is recommended for all that want an exceptional book in every way possible. It is recommended to a new author to see how it should be done. Don’t take my word for it, read it yourself and you will surely find out, no doubt.
By Julee Balko
A Novel
Book Review by Sylvia Jacobs
The book begins with a girl named Serena saying that her mom named Barbara had passed away. She was now only left with her dad named Robert. Serena feels like she has gone through so much already by taking care of many things. Serena now came to help her dad go through her mom's things. We find out in the first chapter that Serena was a Molecular biologist. Her mom had Cancer before she passed away. Setena learns much about Cancer cells through studying them through a microscope. Serena wonders why her mom disliked her most of her life? We now hear that Serena has a daughter whose name is Maggie. Will Serena be a good mother even though she didn’t really have much of a relationship with her own mom? It makes one think? No one thought she would be one, well you will have to read the book to find out, I won’t tell. Could Serena fit motherhood into her tough work schedule? Would it be easy or tough? She worked long hours.
The positive of this book is that this is the author's first novel and boy did she hit it out of the park with it. The writing just flows and holds your interest throughout the book. You will drop everything and will not want to put it down. It is written well and a page turner. You will find out a secret close to the end of the book which I didn’t expect. You will feel like you are watching a great movie as you read this book. There is so much that goes on in this book that is quite exciting. If I was
giving out awards, this book would get one. My hope is that this book wins an award as it should.
The negative aspect is that there isn’t a part two of the book, more is definitely wanted on my end. Another negative is that a movie wasn’t made out of this book yet as it hopefully will have one.
A rating of 5 out of 5 stars is well deserved for this book. It is rated for all the words that flow one into the other. It is extremely well written, especially for the author's first book. It is rated for keeping one up late and wanting to know how it ends.
It is recommended for all that want an exceptional book in every way possible. It is recommended to a new author to see how it should be done. Don’t take my word for it, read it yourself and you will surely find out, no doubt.
August 9, 2021
The Things We Keep
Author, Julie Balko
Publisher: GenZ
Pub date: July 21, 2021 Available now!
~ You can bury your mother, but not your childhood. ~
I read this beautifully written debut novel by Julee Balko this past weekend and I can't stop thinking about it. Serena is a busy wife, mother, sister, and a successful molecular biologist who is driven to discover what causes breast cancer recurrence. Ironically her mother, Barbara has just passed away from breast cancer. She and her sister Abigail are each dealing with their grief and their uniquely complex relationships with their mother.
Serena always believed that her mother hated her. She was cold, unaffectionate, and indifferent with Serena when compared to the easy, loving, and natural relationship that she had with Abigail. However, when Serena and Tom had Maggie, her relationship with her mother began to change and Serena began to learn a different side of her mother. When Abigail discovers a piece of paper in her mother's closet one day, she shares it with Serena and always one to solve the problem, Serena slowly unravels a part of their past that they weren't sure they were ready to discover.
This heartbreaking yet compassionate novel explores secrets, truths, grief, and motherhood. And if we do keep secrets from each other, maybe they're kept to protect rather than to deceive. The Things We Keep has complex and relatable characters with complicated family dynamics who are struggling to balance life and grief. And in the process, they may learn how better to live their lives- with a little more grace and a lot more understanding of each other.
Balko writes with such empathy that only someone who lost a parent can fully grasp and with such heartbreak that you can feel the pain of Serena’s strained relationship with her mother. I truly felt for Serena and wished her only peace. I highly recommend Balko's debut novel and am looking forward to anything that Balko writes next!
Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours, GenZ publishing, and author Julee Balko for this beautiful gifted book and the opportunity to be in this debut book tour! And to NetGalley for the e-ARC! I am so grateful.
Author, Julie Balko
Publisher: GenZ
Pub date: July 21, 2021 Available now!
~ You can bury your mother, but not your childhood. ~
I read this beautifully written debut novel by Julee Balko this past weekend and I can't stop thinking about it. Serena is a busy wife, mother, sister, and a successful molecular biologist who is driven to discover what causes breast cancer recurrence. Ironically her mother, Barbara has just passed away from breast cancer. She and her sister Abigail are each dealing with their grief and their uniquely complex relationships with their mother.
Serena always believed that her mother hated her. She was cold, unaffectionate, and indifferent with Serena when compared to the easy, loving, and natural relationship that she had with Abigail. However, when Serena and Tom had Maggie, her relationship with her mother began to change and Serena began to learn a different side of her mother. When Abigail discovers a piece of paper in her mother's closet one day, she shares it with Serena and always one to solve the problem, Serena slowly unravels a part of their past that they weren't sure they were ready to discover.
This heartbreaking yet compassionate novel explores secrets, truths, grief, and motherhood. And if we do keep secrets from each other, maybe they're kept to protect rather than to deceive. The Things We Keep has complex and relatable characters with complicated family dynamics who are struggling to balance life and grief. And in the process, they may learn how better to live their lives- with a little more grace and a lot more understanding of each other.
Balko writes with such empathy that only someone who lost a parent can fully grasp and with such heartbreak that you can feel the pain of Serena’s strained relationship with her mother. I truly felt for Serena and wished her only peace. I highly recommend Balko's debut novel and am looking forward to anything that Balko writes next!
Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours, GenZ publishing, and author Julee Balko for this beautiful gifted book and the opportunity to be in this debut book tour! And to NetGalley for the e-ARC! I am so grateful.
January 9, 2022
It's been really hard for me to capture the depth of this book. For me, this was a story about redemption, forgiveness, and understanding. It covers so many life lessons and the complexity found in the relationships we have throughout life (i.e. husband, sisters, mother, father, best friends, acquaintances). It was a beautiful reminder that behind each of us is a story.
Too often we assume we know the whole story or that our understanding of something or our perspective is reality, when the truth is, there are layers of complexity woven into each action and reaction a person makes. This book is the tale of how one mom's decision to withhold the truth affects the lives of everyone around her. Not only that, but it also takes a deep look into just how interconnected all of our lives truly are, in that, as you read, you will find yourself or people you know mirrored through the characters. It will cause you to reflect about why someone made the choices they did or how much more lay beneath the surface that you can't see.
There will be tears, but they are good tears. There will be reflection. And there will be healing. In my heart, this book is a must read. Balko weaves wisdom in marinating moments that will stay with your soul long after you've read her words. You will begin to reframe the way you see and perceive the relationships in your life and see the people around you as more than just people; you see them for the human they are-beautiful mistakes and all. Yet, you open yourself to a deeper understanding of them from the story she reveals so delicately and honestly.
Too often we assume we know the whole story or that our understanding of something or our perspective is reality, when the truth is, there are layers of complexity woven into each action and reaction a person makes. This book is the tale of how one mom's decision to withhold the truth affects the lives of everyone around her. Not only that, but it also takes a deep look into just how interconnected all of our lives truly are, in that, as you read, you will find yourself or people you know mirrored through the characters. It will cause you to reflect about why someone made the choices they did or how much more lay beneath the surface that you can't see.
There will be tears, but they are good tears. There will be reflection. And there will be healing. In my heart, this book is a must read. Balko weaves wisdom in marinating moments that will stay with your soul long after you've read her words. You will begin to reframe the way you see and perceive the relationships in your life and see the people around you as more than just people; you see them for the human they are-beautiful mistakes and all. Yet, you open yourself to a deeper understanding of them from the story she reveals so delicately and honestly.
February 14, 2022
I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry. Five times.
Rating: 5/5
WOW.
Normally, I'm not one to rate books 5 stars. I think a 4/5 rating is solid. It means I'd recommend the book to friends, I've probably bought the book, and I'll probably read it again. It's solid. It's dependable. But it doesn't always hit the mark.
The Things We Keep did NOT hit the mark for a 4/5 star rating. Balko solidly deserves 5 stars (my first 5-star rating of the year) for this emotionally wrecking piece. Now, I will disclose that I do personally know Balko. But even if I didn't, I know for sure I'd have responded just as strongly to The Things We Keep because good writing goes beyond familiarity, beyond comfort. And, folks, this book has some great writing.
As someone who has lost their own mother, and someone who - the closer her wedding date gets - obsesses over becoming a mother herself, I found The Things We Keep such a strong presentation of grief and love. From the beets (for my mom it was papers) to the way she said goodbye, I saw myself in every action, every moment, that Serena had. And I cried. A lot.
Losing a parent isn't easy; losing a parent to cancer actually really sucks. But losing a parent where your relationship is strained, or where you aren't quite sure where you stand with them, now that's something entirely different. Balko caught the nuances of that, the love and the hurt, the anger and the fear, so astutely that I'm a little speechless. And the grieving process? Spot on.
This was a stunning debut, by a wonderful author (and a person I'm glad to know). I'm excited to see what Balko brings in to the world next.
Rating: 5/5
WOW.
Normally, I'm not one to rate books 5 stars. I think a 4/5 rating is solid. It means I'd recommend the book to friends, I've probably bought the book, and I'll probably read it again. It's solid. It's dependable. But it doesn't always hit the mark.
The Things We Keep did NOT hit the mark for a 4/5 star rating. Balko solidly deserves 5 stars (my first 5-star rating of the year) for this emotionally wrecking piece. Now, I will disclose that I do personally know Balko. But even if I didn't, I know for sure I'd have responded just as strongly to The Things We Keep because good writing goes beyond familiarity, beyond comfort. And, folks, this book has some great writing.
As someone who has lost their own mother, and someone who - the closer her wedding date gets - obsesses over becoming a mother herself, I found The Things We Keep such a strong presentation of grief and love. From the beets (for my mom it was papers) to the way she said goodbye, I saw myself in every action, every moment, that Serena had. And I cried. A lot.
Losing a parent isn't easy; losing a parent to cancer actually really sucks. But losing a parent where your relationship is strained, or where you aren't quite sure where you stand with them, now that's something entirely different. Balko caught the nuances of that, the love and the hurt, the anger and the fear, so astutely that I'm a little speechless. And the grieving process? Spot on.
This was a stunning debut, by a wonderful author (and a person I'm glad to know). I'm excited to see what Balko brings in to the world next.
September 4, 2021
This is a gorgeous, heartbreaking story about motherhood, family secrets, and coming to terms with the past. When Serena’s mother dies, Serena is left with nothing but the fifty cans of beets her mother hoarded in the basement and a whole lot of questions about why her mother always hated her. When she uncovers a shocking secret her mother had kept from her, she wonders if she would have been better off not knowing.
This story is really about grief. Not just grief over losing a parent, but grief over over the mother-daughter relationship Serena never had…and now never will. As someone who had a complicated relationship with a parent who passed away, I found Serena’s conflicted feeling about her mother, and fears over how the patterns of her childhood would translate into her relationship with her own daughter to be very relatable.
This is a perfect book club read! There’s so much I’d love to unpack with a group of other women (preferably over glasses of wine!) and so many directions a discussion like this could go. Although this story is about loss, it’s also about moving on, repairing relationships, and overcoming a difficult past to find happiness in the future.
I truly enjoyed reading this beautiful, emotional book.
This story is really about grief. Not just grief over losing a parent, but grief over over the mother-daughter relationship Serena never had…and now never will. As someone who had a complicated relationship with a parent who passed away, I found Serena’s conflicted feeling about her mother, and fears over how the patterns of her childhood would translate into her relationship with her own daughter to be very relatable.
This is a perfect book club read! There’s so much I’d love to unpack with a group of other women (preferably over glasses of wine!) and so many directions a discussion like this could go. Although this story is about loss, it’s also about moving on, repairing relationships, and overcoming a difficult past to find happiness in the future.
I truly enjoyed reading this beautiful, emotional book.
October 6, 2021
The Things We Keep is a beautiful debut dealing with loss, life, and the intricacies of love. The story follows Serena in the aftermath of her mother, Barbara's, death, as she works to process the loss of a woman who she has always believed never loved her. Balko weaves together stories of the past and present and we grow to learn about Barbara through Serena's eyes, whilst surprising twists and secrets in the present day throw into question everything Serena has always believed.
This book perfectly captures all the ways in which life is complicated and messy, and how grief impacts upon every facet of life - motherhood, marriage, sisterhood, friendship. The depiction of Serena and Tom's relationship was such a relatable and honest portrayal. (My personal favorite line was when Tom was avoiding thinking about his relationship issues by wondering whether people in his neighborhood had a lawn service - my passionately lawn-loving partner had to laugh at that). Overall, I enjoyed everything about this book - the writing, the mystery, the depth to the characters. The Things We Keep made me laugh and it made me cry, but mostly it just made me want to tell my family I love them.
This book perfectly captures all the ways in which life is complicated and messy, and how grief impacts upon every facet of life - motherhood, marriage, sisterhood, friendship. The depiction of Serena and Tom's relationship was such a relatable and honest portrayal. (My personal favorite line was when Tom was avoiding thinking about his relationship issues by wondering whether people in his neighborhood had a lawn service - my passionately lawn-loving partner had to laugh at that). Overall, I enjoyed everything about this book - the writing, the mystery, the depth to the characters. The Things We Keep made me laugh and it made me cry, but mostly it just made me want to tell my family I love them.
March 19, 2022
I've read quite a few good reviews of this debut novel, so my feeling that this was just "ok" could likely be a "it's just me " issue. Unfortunately, I did not relate to the main character in the novel and found her self-centered and a bit cold (except with her daughter). I found her unreasonable in her relationship with her husband (who I thought bent over backwards for her) and her sister (who had done nothing wrong). I know the point here is that she was going through a lot with her mother's death and trauma from childhood, while struggling to balance the mother she wanted to be with her career, but I guess I don't believe you get a pass for bad behavior even when you are struggling...especially when others are extending so much grace to you. So, I struggled through the first half of the book....then a little mystery came in to play which grabbed my attention for the second half. To be fair, the main character did redeem herself a bit, and the book ended with me feeling more positive overall. As this is the author's first novel, I would be interested in reading more from her in the future. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.
July 12, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this novel.
Serena is set adrift after her mother dies from cancer. She doesn't know how she is supposed to feel and begins to look for answers as to why she and her mother had such a complicated relationship.
I think there were parts of this novel that were beautiful. it is very much a study of grief and its complexities. However, the timeline jumps around a lot, making it sometimes difficult to stay within the narrative. That was my biggest issue with the book. It was at times very unfocused. However, as grief can also be very unfocused and disorderly, in some ways that made sense. I just couldn't read whether the author was doing this intentionally. All I know is that it pulled me from the rhythm of reading more than once.
The book is also fairly vague on details. For the longest time, I thought Serena was older than her sister Abigail. That wasn't the case, but it took over half the book for me to figure that out. I don't know if I skipped over it earlier or if it was just that unclear.
Serena is set adrift after her mother dies from cancer. She doesn't know how she is supposed to feel and begins to look for answers as to why she and her mother had such a complicated relationship.
I think there were parts of this novel that were beautiful. it is very much a study of grief and its complexities. However, the timeline jumps around a lot, making it sometimes difficult to stay within the narrative. That was my biggest issue with the book. It was at times very unfocused. However, as grief can also be very unfocused and disorderly, in some ways that made sense. I just couldn't read whether the author was doing this intentionally. All I know is that it pulled me from the rhythm of reading more than once.
The book is also fairly vague on details. For the longest time, I thought Serena was older than her sister Abigail. That wasn't the case, but it took over half the book for me to figure that out. I don't know if I skipped over it earlier or if it was just that unclear.
August 16, 2021
This is a story of family - dysfunction, complicated relationships, grief, and loss.
After the death of her mother, Serena, is dealing with many unsolved questions and the harsh reality of losing a mother who she thought hated her her whole life. It is a story wrought with raw emotion.
I love the way this story was written. At times we as the reader relived the memories of Serena’s moments with her mom and then we moved back to the present tense and her current struggle after her passing. It helps tell a full picture. How our perspectives change after the loss of a loved one; how our own preconceptions and struggles influence our everyday relationships.
At times I really struggled with this book because of my own personal struggles with family and relationships.
This book was beautifully written, at times heartbreaking, but at times it also made me smile and chuckle when I read about the quirks of different characters. Julee does an incredible job of putting the human experience into words and into a story that we can all relate to.
After the death of her mother, Serena, is dealing with many unsolved questions and the harsh reality of losing a mother who she thought hated her her whole life. It is a story wrought with raw emotion.
I love the way this story was written. At times we as the reader relived the memories of Serena’s moments with her mom and then we moved back to the present tense and her current struggle after her passing. It helps tell a full picture. How our perspectives change after the loss of a loved one; how our own preconceptions and struggles influence our everyday relationships.
At times I really struggled with this book because of my own personal struggles with family and relationships.
This book was beautifully written, at times heartbreaking, but at times it also made me smile and chuckle when I read about the quirks of different characters. Julee does an incredible job of putting the human experience into words and into a story that we can all relate to.
December 29, 2021
4.5 Stars.
It took me a little while to get through this debut novel by talented writer, Julee Balko, because there were so many issues in the book I could relate to, thoughts I'd had about family of origin, marital, and parenting struggles, and the challenges of just being in this world, being one of, surviving, wanting to thrive.
The main character is grieving the loss of her mother and the poor relationship they had, not understanding the many challenges of her childhood. She is a scientist, partner, and mother, a sister, a daughter to her remaining parent, and friend. And her grief spills over onto all these relationships until, through a mystery brought to light, she begins to fully understand her late mother, and herself, the good and the bad. Ultimately, the story is redemptive, and I was left with a feeling of hope.
The writing is luminous, mand there are so many sentences I underlined to go back and read again. This is a writer to watch, and I will be eagerly awaiting her next novel. Really well done for a debut.
It took me a little while to get through this debut novel by talented writer, Julee Balko, because there were so many issues in the book I could relate to, thoughts I'd had about family of origin, marital, and parenting struggles, and the challenges of just being in this world, being one of, surviving, wanting to thrive.
The main character is grieving the loss of her mother and the poor relationship they had, not understanding the many challenges of her childhood. She is a scientist, partner, and mother, a sister, a daughter to her remaining parent, and friend. And her grief spills over onto all these relationships until, through a mystery brought to light, she begins to fully understand her late mother, and herself, the good and the bad. Ultimately, the story is redemptive, and I was left with a feeling of hope.
The writing is luminous, mand there are so many sentences I underlined to go back and read again. This is a writer to watch, and I will be eagerly awaiting her next novel. Really well done for a debut.
March 17, 2022
Wow! Just wow! I only picked this book up because the author is a local mom. But, a debut novel by a local, published through a tiny publishing house -- I had no expectations. And while there were a few little tiny things that got under my skin, I was so impressed! It was almost like two stories in one -- rarely, does a book surprise me so much that I just want to start reading it again by the time I hit the end, so I can reread it with a new perspective. All along, I kept thinking that we were simply going to learn why Serena's mom behaved the way she did. Which we did. But I was totally thrown by the twist that adds Serena's actions back in. Did not see that one coming. And, the shifting perspectives -- the sister Abigail, the dad, the husband, etc. -- did a great job of adding additional depth to the story. Truly, things are not what they seem. I loved the way we mostly had Serena's point of view, but she is most definitely an unreliable narrator. Really, really good. I will recommend this to many people, and I can't wait to see what Julee writes next!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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