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  • The House We Grew Up In

  • Written by: Lisa Jewell
  • Narrated by: Karina Fernandez
  • Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (396 ratings)

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The House We Grew Up In

Written by: Lisa Jewell
Narrated by: Karina Fernandez
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Publisher's Summary

Meet the picture-perfect Bird family: pragmatic Meg, dreamy Beth, and towheaded twins Rory and Rhys, one an adventurous troublemaker, the other his slighter, more sensitive counterpart. Their father is a sweet, gangly man, but it’s their beautiful, free-spirited mother Lorelei who spins at the center. In those early years, Lorelei tries to freeze time by filling their simple brick house with precious mementos. Easter egg foils are her favorite. Craft supplies, too. She hangs all of the children’s art, to her husband’s chagrin. 

Then one Easter weekend, a tragedy so devastating occurs that, almost imperceptibly, it begins to tear the family apart. Years pass and the children have become adults, while Lorelei has become the county’s worst hoarder. She has alienated her husband and children and has been living as a recluse. But then something happens that beckons the Bird family back to the house they grew up in - to finally understand the events of that long-ago Easter weekend and to unearth the many secrets hidden within the nooks and crannies of home.

©2013 Lisa Jewell (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC

What listeners say about The House We Grew Up In

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Multiple lenses made this book a winner

I've always been a fan of books that provide perspectives from different characters. This book did just that, and it truly helps to tell the whole story from a variety of perspectives - I love the depth it brings to the story line. Easy listen and a unique plot.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Uncertain until Nearly the End

I was uncertain about this book for several reasons — the hoarding of the mother being the one, but also some of the adult children’s poor choices and immaturity. The descriptions of the house full of stuff were so vivid and evoked such overwhelming images that I actually felt nauseous at one point! I found myself wondering if I should just stop listening, but I continued to the end of the story (hoping, and not being disappointed) that the author would be able to pull off a realistic and satisfying ending. Hence my mixed review, and my hesitation to recommend this book.

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Disturbing but really well written

Normally, I don’t read many books on dysfunction. But Lisa Jewell is one of my favourite writers, so I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I read it. The author has an uncanny sense of understanding nuances of human nature.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Kiss kiss kiss Kiss kiss kiss Kiss kiss kiss

Excellent topic and interesting to enter someone’s life that has spiraled downward so easily. The characters are quite complex while seeming quite normal to outsiders at the same time. How one incident can change many people’s lives was intriguing. One downfall? Check the title of my review.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A really good book!

I enjoyed listening to this story and it was interesting the whole way through. It only lost one star because I felt at times like certain storylines were a bit drawn out. I think it is a helpful book for anyone interested in how a hoarder begins and lives.

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3 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Skip this one… Very depressing story do not recommend

Do not buy, I do not recommend this book very depressing and such a waste of time!!!

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Unexpected success!

This was such an interesting storyline. I enjoyed the journey, the Characters & especially the ending.

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2 people found this helpful

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  • Kim
  • 2021-06-12

tough subject well done

in true Lisa Jewell fashion many current
stories told and entertwined together without feeling familiar or predictable. loved it!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Hard to finish

Narration was good overall however I struggled to finish the book. I normally like Lisa Jewell but this one has been my least favorite of the ones I've read. It was slow and I kept waiting for a shocking end that never came. I found it disappointing and I wouldn't suggest buying it. If it was a free book maybe but she has much better ones out there that you can buy.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

I want my credit back!

I expected a meaninful read, it wasn't meant to be. This is a terribly written, repetitive, poorly narrated soap opera. I wish i had a buck for every time the "sun shone" and every "kiss kiss". I cannot belive this is a bestseller. I am glad to kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss this book goodbye.

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  • Burke Downer
  • 2020-07-11

Constant Fat Shaming

Fat Shaming: A common theme in Lisa Jewell novels. Great story otherwise, but this’ll be the last book of her’s that I buy.

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129 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Kayla
  • 2020-09-14

Really good overall story, weird emphasis on...

I really liked the story and found the characters engaging, but what is this author's fixation with fat people? The fat shaming is almost comically over the top. She describes a female character being size 16 as if it's a horrible moral failing. She repeatedly refers to her arms as being "meaty." It was weird and distracted from the narrative. I don't think I'd buy another book by the same author.

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111 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Bitten and Seven Are The Best Kitties In Heaven
  • 2020-06-22

Well written but very dark

Lisa Jewell is insanely talented. Her characters are always well developed and there is always a true sense of place with her work. She is totally thorough and extremely descriptive. I love these things about her books. Titles such as The Family Upstairs, A Friend Of The Family, Watching You, these are almost textbook examples of how to weave mystery magic. This book, as much as I enjoyed the family at the center of the story and getting to know them all, it was just very sad. And it seemed that the sad things just keep coming, one after the other and I just wanted it to end. I felt like I needed to come up for air from this one. Usually her books are a very enjoyable escape for me, not the case here. Very heavy, and not balanced with enough lighter elements to make this heaviness worth wading through. I couldn’t finish it. I have about seven or eight titles of hers. This was the first that I just couldn’t complete. Loved the narration and loved the family but I don’t have the stomach for gnarly amounts of darkness. There’s plenty of darkness in real life. When I read I want to be carried away into an adventure or a mystery, not delve into someone else’s shadow. Here we are now entertain us ☠️☠️☠️

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77 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • moore4leah
  • 2019-11-01

Such a lovely novel...I felt as though I was part of this chaotic, funny, outrageous, damaged but beautiful family.

This story is filled with, hopes, dreams, tragedy, personality disorders, secrets & blunt truths. I loved every page of it & found myself listening to it straight through to the end! I hates to see it end... 5 stars!

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23 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • TC
  • 2019-12-01

Heavy- but well written

First off the narrator was outstanding!! It was very heavy though. It could have used at least one character
or storyline that brought some levity. It was very well written and in the end there was closure.

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22 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • Aaron Jacob
  • 2019-10-05

Not a mystery. Slow start.

I read 2 of the authors books before this one & wow this was so disappointing. Slowest start ever. It was n hour in before it got to the story. Not a mystery. Not plot twist at the end. Wouldn’t recommend.

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20 people found this helpful

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  • gisele
  • 2019-09-19

Phenomenal

Another great book by Lisa Jewell... she gets inside the mind of a hoarder perfectly... and presents us with vibrant intriguing characters we care about... a page turner, vivid, wise, kind, complex story.

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18 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • KJNuri
  • 2019-09-24

Dysfunctional Family of the Year

Interesting story but after a while it was neither informative nor entertaining. It would have been nice to learn more about hoarding and hoarders but the author tried to touch on many societal taboos and mental health issues without any substantive information. The story lost focus which made it hard to suspend disbelief or care about the characters.

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16 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2020-02-09

Could not stop listening!!!

The story was a bit slow at the start, but once it got going I could not put it down! So good! So many different personalities. Heartbreaking and heart warming. Loved every bit!

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14 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Florida Man
  • 2019-12-29

Fantastic book by Jewell!

I really, really enjoyed this one. I've been listening to a lot of Lisa Jewell's books recently and while I like them all I've found they're a little hit or miss when it comes to being great. I thought this one was great. It captured me quickly and I stayed enthralled the whole time.
One of the things I love about this author are how realistic her characters are. She does what an author should do and truly allows a window into the lives and minds of others. She's incredibly gifted at this. I thought this one made me finally understand what might be going on in the mind of a hoarder, and the progression that takes. It also gave a great window into how grief and mental illness can alter an entire family.
And the narrator, omg she's the BEST! Some stories aren't so great in audio format but I think I actually got a lot more out of the story by listening to it from this narrator. I'm not sure I would have fully understood Loreleigh and her charm if I hadn't heard it as a performance. I think I may have misunderstood without hearing her sing song, "everything is wonderful" way of speaking. So the narrator absolutely added to the story. She even gives Bethen a slight Australian accent after awhile. Those touches make her top notch.

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13 people found this helpful

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