A difficult book to read with the sadness of the sisters and their broken family. Not the book for me but perhaps is better for someone invested in the story and the dynamics of this tragedy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The Frequency of Living Things is a sisterhood story and a tale of survival, full of twists that can disturb a reader looking only for a sweet story. I was drawn to the family dynamics and their struggles. Content warning: addiction, suicide

The Frequency of Living Things by Nick Fuller Googins is a recommended family drama, for the right reader, that follows three sisters and their absent mother.

The youngest Tayloe sister Josie, left her PhD program and now takes care of her older sisters. Twins Emma and Ara had a hit record years ago with their band named Jojo and the Twins where Emma was vocals and on the guitar while Ara wrote the songs and played drums. Now the two are broke, Ara is on drugs, and they depend upon Josie to take care of them. Their mother, Bertie, is off doing her own thing. Now Ara is in jail and detoxing, Emma wants to use this situation to create a new album, and Josie is trying to raise bail money.

At it's core, this is a novel about choices and consequences. Part of my issue with it was everyone was making bad choices without considering the consequences. This required setting aside a great deal of disbelief. While the quality of the writing was basically good, the pace felt glacially slow to me and it was a slog to finish. The one good choice was Ara using her incarceration to detox from drugs and her family.

None of the characters were likable and I struggled to connect with them. I hated that Josie sacrificed to care for her sisters who are adults. They were both capable to go find a job, pay their own rent, and care for themselves. It wasn't Josie's responsibility to do so but her sisters seemed to expect her to take care of them while they were never grateful.

Bertie is an annoying character with no redeeming qualities. All the political messaging in any chapter featuring her was irritating and off-putting. This along with the rampant bad choices made The Frequency of Living Things a struggle for me to read and stay invested in the story. Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

The family story in this book is very solid and enjoyable. It is the story of three sisters and their somewhat absent mother and then many layers of secrets that have been built between them. It delves into the cost of keeping those secrets, and what it means for them individually and as a family. Finally, it looks at whether or not the past can be a catalyst to healing the future. I really enjoyed exploring these themes with the characters, and I really liked all three of the sisters a lot. The two oldest are musicians in band and the youngest is a brilliant scientist. Their career choices play a large part in the story, as does their challenging upbringing, for better and for worse.
I did knock off a start due to the author attempting to include every possible political and social issue possible in this book. It became downright exhausting. That being said, there are a lot of trigger warnings for this book. If you have sensitivities, please research before reading.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable family story, that went in unique and interesting directions. If you can look past so much political content, you will really enjoy this interesting story. I learned some fascinating nature facts that were new to me, and I always enjoy when a story can teach me something. Also, he does have one of the youngest sister, Josie, present her ideas in the form of the scientific method and I found that to be intriguing, as well as the interesting conversations around music and sound.

In this story about three sisters, you see that addiction can run in a family, in different ways. Ara is addicted to substances, but her twin Emma is just as addicted to a lost dream. Their younger sister, Josie, is excessively co-dependent, enabling her sisters in the name of "helping" them. Their absent mom is frequently off helping anyone other than her own family, whom she thinks are privileged enough to help themselves.

When Ara lands in jail, she is the only family member with a cool head about the situation, at first. But soon her turmoil rises along with that of her sisters, and they all come to see just how unhealthy they are.

The story was told from the point of view of all the characters at various times. I enjoyed seeing the family dynamic from different perspectives; it helps forward the plot line. The ending has a twist that I absolutely did not see coming - several, actually - and I was really sucked in to find out how everything wrapped up.

This book falls into Family Life stories as it focuses on three sisters and their relationship with one another as well as their complex relationship with their mom. As someone who loves books that fall under this umbrella, I was not disappointed with this book.

The character development was incredible - such unique and interesting characters with flaws and dreams and hopes. This book illustrates, through the characters, how life is a challenging road to traverse.

The Frequency of Living Things is a slow burn but the ride is worth it.

This is a great sister and family dynamics. Some of the characterization seemed a little unbelievable but still a solid and quick read. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

Frequency of Living Things
By Nick Fuller Googins
Pub Date: August 12, 2025

The Frequency of Living Things is a crushing story of three sisters and their wayward mother, whose lives are so intertwined that the positive and negative vibrations of one sister’s challenging life, highly impacts them all.

Nick Fuller Googins taps into the personal life forces that drive us forward each day and those that pull us under. His sister characters are connected in a way that can only be compared to an ant colony. They work together to survive, grow, and reproduce. They all drive towards the same goal no matter the cost to each. They protect and bury their dead and carry on.

Josie, the bug biologist, studies how inserts are connected; and her sisters Emma and Aria—twin performers, bring the music to their world. All three bring their own good and bad vibrations to the group. Their mother, Bertie, has long escaped the colony to find her own place in the world-saving the under-privileged. Her loss is a constant struggle for the sisters. Bertie wants them to carry on without her, knowing they will succeed. They feel like their mother is their only teacher and they can’t do it without her.

The sisters and Bertie must all find a way to survive and untangle, but the weight of their ultimate story outcome is the only thing that can bring this needed change.

A sad story of an any-woman family who must learn to find each one’s own way and forgive the others in order to survive.

Three and Half Stars! Available August 12, 2025

Net Galley and Atria Books have provided me with an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books for the early copy. I loved The Great Transition and was very excited for this novel; unfortunately it did not work out for me.

The story is about 3 sisters, one is battling an addiction, one is a big helper and the other just exists. Overall, this idea is not new and have been done before but I was willing to give it a chance. I definitely loved the plot and the idea author had, it was fresh enough to stand out amid other family dramas.
As far as characters go I have conflicting feelings. I respected the mom and think author did such an amazing job crafting her complexity. She will be wildly misunderstood but she was the rock and I understood what drove her decisions. Josie however is a different story. We spent a decent amount of time in Josie POV and I felt like author wrote the book in a way where we supposed to like Josie, but I don't think I've ever hated the character more. She is selfish and makes everything about herself, she sacrifices herself for others but does it because she needs that recognition. She doesn't bother to even ask Ara about her feelings, makes decisions for Dean and refuses to even acknowledge her mom's suffering. She kind of had a redemption arc in the last chapter, but also not really. I love unlikable characters, but not when their terrible behavior is seen as the norm by others. Because of this the reading experience was hard for me and I kept going from "this is amazing story" to "I hate this book".

I have deep respect for how author went in a completely different direction after his debut and I will continue reading his future releases, but this just did not work for me personally.

I love stories about sisters, and Nick Fuller Googins delivers brilliantly in "The Frequency of Living Things," a novel that explores the complex web of mother-daughter relationships and sisterhood. I was immediately drawn into the lives of three sisters—older twins Ara and Emma, their younger sister Josie, and their mother Bertie.

The family dynamics fascinated me, particularly how Josie, despite being the youngest, became the responsible one who felt accountable for her older sisters. Emma and Ara, former members of a one-hit-wonder band, battle their own demons throughout the narrative. Meanwhile, the mother-daughter relationship is fraught with irony—Bertie dedicates herself to helping those in need yet fails her daughters when they seek her help.

This story broke my heart and moved me deeply. The ending strikes a delicate balance between tragedy and hope, leaving a lasting impression. If you enjoyed "Blue Sisters," this one will resonate with you just as powerfully.

Special thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advance copies. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

what does it mean to be a sister, a mother, a daughter? these and themes of addiction abuse, rape, neglect,justice and love of all kinds are brought up in this harsh novel. thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This novel offers a layered look at a dysfunctional but fiercely connected family of women. Each is dealing with their own mess while orbiting around the fallout of fame, addiction, and unresolved childhood dynamics. The concept—a washed-up rock band of sisters trying to make a comeback while one detoxes in jail—is original and intriguing.

Josie, the pragmatic caretaker, stands out as the emotional anchor, and the contrast between her and her more chaotic sisters brings a realistic tension to the story. Some moments are genuinely moving, especially as each character is forced to confront painful truths about themselves and their family.

The narrative can get bogged down in its shifting POVs and emotional backstory. At times, the pacing feels uneven, and the characters—while interesting—don’t always feel fully developed beyond their central “role” in the family system. Some of the resolutions also come a bit too neatly for a story steeped in addiction, estrangement, and past trauma.

Still, suppose you’re drawn to character-driven stories about sisterhood, second chances, and the complicated ways families hurt and heal each other. This book has enough to keep you invested—even if it doesn’t hit every note perfectly.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this sisterhood story, and it kept me engaged the whole time. I think Googins did a beautiful job of handling addiction and the other heavy topics. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy.

I enjoyed this book, but it was a challenging read for me, as I saw a lot of myself in Josie and a lot of my parents in her mother. If I’m honest, this family is probably what mine would have become if I hadn’t begun going minimal or non-contact (depending on the person) years ago.

This book was good, but it was not a fast read for me. There were parts I really liked, and parts I really different. There was great character development, and each character's personality was defined. There were times it go repetitive, and the use of very complicated scientific language at times made it hard to follow. But, all and all, a good story about family, heartbreak and growth.

2.5 rounded up.

There’s an enjoyable story here about familial relationships, especially among three sisters (two of whom are twins). Unfortunately, the characters are, by and large, unlikable, and there’s no real growth or change until the very end.

The youngest sister is a scientist, and some of her sections are laden with terminology that can make your eyes glaze over. And then there are the ridiculous descriptions. Twice, there is mention of her ribosomes vibrating or tingling. Really? I know she studies biology, but the reference is just absurd.

I actually found the backstory of Bertie, the mother, one of the more interesting parts of the book, although some of her present day actions seemed a bit unrealistic and forced.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This was a fantastic read and there were so many relatable themes throughout. I really related to the sister that always has to snap into action for everyone else. An empowering novel about family, being a woman, and the battles many face, I loved how everything tied together in this book. I think the most relatable part is how no family is perfect but we are given the hand we were dealt and make do with it as best we can.

It’s the All-American Family. The mother, Bertie, is single working late hours and too busy to raise her daughters. The twins, Ara and Emma, are able to cope with music. They eventually start a successful band. One gets hooked on drugs; the other one is an enabler. They fight and then get along.

The younger sister, Josie, has control issues. She takes care of the older twins with finances and seems very bossy. She also studies leaf cutter ants at a PhD level (fascinating addition to the story). She’s the only one with a relationship with her best friend, Dean. They all could use a good therapist or at least a caring mom. Sadly, their dad had died when they were all very young.

The plot was well crafted on several levels. Yet, for me, however, it was dark and I just wanted to step away at times which created a slow pace. It felt like I was crawling through the 336-page book with deeply depressing issues. The only character that seemed happy was Dean. It was all about love for him. The women all had multifaceted, complicated matters in their lives.

It made me think about how children develop emotional traits of depression, anger, anxiety, independence or curiosity with the love of art and science. Was alcoholism and addiction passed down from the genes? And how did all of this relate to the ants taking care of each other? Made me think of the fire ants that bite if you get in their way.

I kept wondering how this author had the imagination of these women. It would be an interesting interview. Did he know anyone like them? I could feel the presence of each person in the story with their clothes, behavior and personality. I’ll now put his books on my list.

My thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of August 12, 2025.

Because family and opioids really aren’t so different. Both can make you feel great until suddenly they don’t. from The Frequency of Living Things by Nick Fuller Googins

I wasn’t sure about this book until suddenly I couldn’t put it down. This story of sisters who have been self-reliant with absent parents most of their lives becomes deeper and more complex the more we learn the family backstory.

Twins Ara and Emma were a one-hit wonder. Their dad left them a legacy of music, Smiley Smile by the Beach Boys a favorite album. (Yes, sad timing for the book, so soon after the death of Brian Wilson.) Emma tries to manage Ara’s addiction, but Ara lands back in jail. Their younger sister Josie has put her life on hold–again–to help her sisters.

Their mother, a disbarred lawyer and Boomer bleeding heart, is better at dedicating herself to fighting injustice than her to her daughters; she believes they can take care of themselves. Because they always did take care of themselves, their photographer dad killed covering a story and their politically active mom Bertie letting them raise themselves. Even when Ara suffered a crisis. Bertie leaves the country instead of staying to help Ara.

Josie can’t believe anyone or anything in life is reliable. “Humans always let you down,” she knows. So she dedicates herself to biological studies, particularly the leaf cutter ant. Unlike humans, the ants always put the colony first.

Ara commits to sobriety and helping others in prison. Emma is committed to developing a new album to raise money for Ara’s bail. Josie puts her relationship to Dean second to helping her sisters.

And their mother Bertie comes to a reckoning when things go wrong.

Do we put the greater good first, or take care of our own?

I ended up loving this story of family and sisters and generational conflicts and music and growth. The deeper insight I gained into the characters, the more I cared about them.

Thanks to the publisher for a free egalley.

Having read and loved this author's previouso book and debut, I was very excited to read Googins' new novel..
This new one has some mutual elements to their first novel: a group of (human) characters that can be very relatable with realistic issues and struggles, and a lot of family drama.
The sci-fi element is, in my opinion. not as strong or intriguing as their previous book, but I'd say it can work with some readers.
Unfortunately, I didn't find this book to be as nearly as fascinating as their debut novel. Most likely due to the overly dramatic tropes the author uses here. So, I can safely say it's a *me* thing. Other readers might enjoy this book much more than I did.