OHHHH MY GOODNESS. Oh my goodness gracious me, where to begin with this series?! I cannot believe I’ve finished all four books. Two whole years passed as I waited for each book to come out. I read the first book about Abby growing up in the 1930’s in 2013. Then I read the second book, Abby’s daughter, Dana growing up in the 1950’s. And then Dana’s daughter Francie in the 1970’s in the third book. And finally, Francie’s daughter, Georgia, in 2001.
The family tree books follow four generations of girls, and the secrets they keep, and the things that shape who they become. The books reminded me a lot of my own family. Or at least, the stories I’ve heard of my great-grandparents and grandparents and parents. And now me. I LOVED, loved, LOVED the way the series was written.
I got to watch each of the girls grow up, and become moms and wives and grandmas and great-grandmas. I read about their daughters, and the daughters’ perspective, as a little girl. Even when one daughter was angry with her mother, I understood why their mother was the was she was because I knew her past. I knew her stories, her secrets. The things kept hidden from each other and the things that eventually came out.
It was so neat, too, because reading the first book back in 2013, I thought, “Wow, my great-grandmas – my Granny Louise, my Nana, Grandma Nancy, Grandma Billy – they lived through all of this!” and then the second book, my grandparents’ generation. And the third book, my mom and dad’s. And then my generation!
In the fourth and final book (as of right now… years from now, maybe my kids’ generation, perhaps Ann M. Martin will write a fifth book…), Georgia is six years old when the book begins in 2001. (That’s six years older than me, so just a little before my time), and at each chapter, I’d figure out how old I was during that time, and I’d think “Wow! I’m growing up so fast!” My favorite chapter was the second one. September 11th, 2001. That was a big day for me and my family… my birthday!
I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend this series. It was AMAZING. Stunning! A jewel of a series if I ever saw one!! It’s the kind of series I’ll pass onto my daughters and granddaughters. The kind of books I hope my kids will read and say “Mom, you really lived without ‘insert whatever crazy new technology we’ll have by then’?” or “You were born on 9/11?” and “Did the President know that would happen?”
Now that I’ve read the last book and everything is pieced together and I know everything, I’ll have to read the series straight through to look for other things I missed the first go-round! These books also make me want to learn more about my own ancestors and family history… I really hope you read these books! I NEED SOMEONE TO GUSH & GAB ABOUT THEM WITH! Have any of you ever read them? 😉
5 stars!
Until Saturday,
P.S. Check out my other book review by Ann M. Martin, A Corner of the Universe, also 5 stars!!
Huh. These sound interesting. I think my little sister read one of them. Do you think the age group these were written for might be a bit young for me? I read( actually I listened to it but that doesn’t mater) a great book this week its called The Penderwicks: a Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy ( that is a very very long title). Its a series but I have only read the first one but it was very good. I plan on either ordering the next ones or buying them at my book store. It was so good and very cute. And it has some soccer in it, my favorite sport. My favorite character has to be tied with Batty and Skye. Are you stil going to do a post tomorrow?
No, I don’t think they’re too young at all. In fact, they’re the perfect age for me. The content of the books are like Interrupted, if that gives you any idea of what they’re like. In fact, there’s some very deep things in the books I wouldn’t have caught had I been a little younger, I think. Based on the books you like, I think you’d love this series!! (Since you like a lot of the same books as me.) 🙂
That is a long title! I’ve never heard of it before, but the title alone makes me want to read it. You really like soccer, don’t you? My friend plays, and she does it 5 days a week, and is super talented! I think she’ll be at the Olympics at one day!
Since I posted Tuesday and today, Thursday, instead of Monday and Wednesday, I’ll do a post on Saturday. Then hopefully I’ll be back to posting Monday/Wednesday/Friday next week. 🙂 I’ll probably do a Stacking the Shelves, since you requested it not too long ago. 😉
Oh. Okay. It kind of gives me an idea what they are about but not much. Could you be just a bit more specific( if you don’t want to give anything away). Deep stuff very specific ;p ( I’m joking). Do you have to read the series in order? Our library has the second one but I don’t want to read it if you think i should read it in order. What is the series about? I will definitly look into the series :).
The long title made me want to read it to! And the description was fabulous! It drew me in. You should definitley look into this series. I think you will like it! I haven’t read the rest of the series but the first one was great! It was so cute and awesome. And full of ups and downs.
I do like soccer. It is my favorite sport. Lately I have been struggleing with my knees when I run. Wow she sounds like a fabulous player. I would love to be on a team like that. Sigh……. I can’t wait for soccer season to start. I want to get better( my last choach told my mom i have a natural instinct for the sport!!).It should soon. I want to do soccer with a private school this spring. I think it would be more of a challenge. Plus some of my friends are going to play on that team( they go to that school). I hope she goes to the olympics some day. Or at least goes pro.
Okay. I can’t wait to tell Sunday!
Well, the mother has depression in the first book… I’m trying so hard to think of a way to explain without giving anything away. Most of the books in the series are really kind of sad. You DEFINITELY need to read them in order. Basically, each book starts when the little girl is 5 or 6 years old, and each chapter is a year ahead, so by the end they’re graduated from high school, maybe college, and you’ve read about them as they grow up and the decisions that they make and the things that happen to them. (I’m really sorry if I’m being vague!) And then the next book is about their daughter.
My library has it on this app I like using for digital and audio books, right now I have library fees, and I have to go in to pay them! Ugh. Lol!
I hope your knees are okay. Sometimes that happens to me, too. When I run. The most exercise I get is going upstairs to my mom and dad’s room and dancing around in my room, haha!! That sounds really cool. I bet you’re great! It sounds like you really enjoy it! Let me know more about it. 🙂
Okay. Your not beingb to vague. I understand. Oh that’s cool that each chapter is a year later. I’ve never really seen that in a book.
Oh wow. Since I live on base our library doesnt charge fees but we can’t check anything out if we have a book over due. I love audio books! Though my library is running out of audio books I haven’t listened to yet. That website sounds cool.
I think I might have shins splint or something like that. I hope it goes away soon. Lol. I guess your not very sporty ;). What do yo want to know more about?
I’ve never seen it in a book other than the series. It’s pretty cool.
Lucky duck! Library fees are the worst. Especially because my mom has to drive me to the library, haha.
I’ve never really been a fan of audio books, but lately I’ve been listening to them more often, while I do chores or I plug it into the speakers when I take a shower, lol!
Oh, okay. I hope it goes away soon, too. 😉 Nope! Not at all. I did ballet, and gymnastics, and cheerleading all at one point, but they never stuck. My sister’s into karate and horse back riding and she wanted to do soccer one time. She’s into more athletic things than me, lol.
Just let me know about your knees and what’s going on in soccer and stuff, is what I meant. 🙂
Brooke, this series is AMAZING, you HAVE to read it.
Okay okay. You are all doing a great job of convincing me to read them. I will definitely look into them. I’ll look for them at my book store.
Emily, I will keep you updated when I start playing. So probably some time next month. And I use audio book for when I’m doing stuff I can’t do while reading. So cleaning, doing homework,and while driving( I can’t read in cars).
Oh, these look so great! I loooove Ann M Martin. 🙂
By the way, I can’t wait to do the book lover’s questionnaire once I get the time! Thanks for tagging me! 😉
ME TOO!!!! I really love her.
Great! I can’t wait to your post! I saw your question on the last post, and tagging is really simple – once someone tags you, you can choose whether or not to do the tag, you don’t have to. But if you do, you just answer the questions in the tag and then tag the bloggers you like! 😉
Okay, thanks! I’m working on the draft right now, so it shouldn’t be long until I can post it. 🙂
I love Ann M Martin! I read the whole series, except for the this one. Now I have to read this!
I DO TOO. You definitely do. I’ve been wanting to read this last one since it came out. (Since January. Lol) You’ll love it! Did you like the series so far? 🙂
I didn’t like the series, I LOVED IT! 🙂
YES!!! 😀
I’ve never read The Family Tree series, but it sounds so unique in that it ties in elements of historical fiction with contemporary fiction, and follows four generations. I must read these books now. Wow, you were born on 9/11?
It truly is! My mom has a series written the same way, by Francine Rivers, but she says it will probably be a few years before she let me read it. 😉 Other than those books, I haven’t found any other books written the same way.
Just a few hours before the first plane crashed. I’ve never met anyone who lost a loved one that day, or knew anyone in the towers or anything like that, but it’s still special to me when there are chapters in books I read or memorials or even in the world timeline my sister is learning for school. Plus, my mom says probably one day people will take off work/school for my birthday! 😀