📖 Book Review: Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein

Description:
This is the kind of sister story we all need in our lives. Mia and Cricket are daughters of Liz, and all three are destined for greatness, but not without sacrifice. Their story is full of heart, quiet moments of love, and some very big choices. It’s about what we give up for the people we love most.

My Thoughts:
This book made me feel so much. I honestly had to pause a few times just to take it all in. It reminded me of how human we all are-the way we bend, break, and still hold on for our families. This is exactly why I love books. They remind me of the good that still exists, even when life feels heavy. I absolutely adored this one and it was such a great summer read. I just wish the ending hit a little harder but other than that, it was close to perfect.
If you loved Blue Sisters or Tom Lake, this one is 100% for you.

Genre:
Contemporary Fiction / Literary Fiction

Age Range:
Adult

Favorite Quote:

“When you’re young—and I know I sound old starting out with that—but when you’re young, it’s impossible to understand the permanence of your decisions or their ripple effects. Because at the time, I truly thought I could do anything, and I thought your father was a good man, and I was very, very wrong.”

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)

Thank you @randomhouseca and @netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

I just loved this book. The story, the characters, the pacing. The way the book flowed from present to past and then back again was seamless. It sucked me in from the very beginning and I couldn’t put it down. If you are looking for a great summer beach read to get fully immersed in, this is it.

Mia and Cricket Lowe were raised by a young single mom who worked hard to make ends meet. Mia holds down the fort and makes sacrifices for her younger sister Cricket to achieve her dreams of becoming a soccer star.

I was hooked from the very first page. I didn’t expect the emotional punch this packed, but the sisterly bond, familial sacrifices, and loyalty were incredibly heartfelt. The writing is fantastic, too. I simultaneously didn’t want to put it down and didnt want it to end. I think this is my new favorite book of the year.

I described this to a friend as “Carrie Soto is Back meets Gilmore Girls.” If that sounds up your alley, I can’t recommend this book enough.

I honestly don’t know how I feel
About this one. It’s a story about sisters and what one will do to help those they love. I found it a bit slow and felt it focused a tad much on soccer.

The Dial Press eARC
This was a wonderful novel about sisters and their sacrifices for each other. Mia and Cricket were raised by a single mother, and this book is all about their lives. Cricket is a gifted soccer player, and I liked how it was incorporated into the novel without being too in the weeds with all of the details. Mia is a parentified oldest daughter, who would do almost anything for her sister. This book is all about these two in their childhoods, teenage years, and the beginnings of adulthood. It was about everyday life and wanting more. It captured the complex relationship of sisterhood. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. I highly recommend, and I was so excited for the author that this was the Reese pick for this month.

Traditional format 📕 and Audio format 🎧

I went fairly blind into the book and was expecting only a family drama but this book was so much more and it blew me away!! I am a huge fan of books with a sports theme but typically lean towards romances in this theme so this one surprised me how they tied a family drama, tragedy and a little romance all into one perfect little package.

While not a huge fan of soccer, the sport of choice for this book, it was still written in such a way to create the exciting vibes and competitive action they were aiming for but with not a lot of detail to bore someone not interested in the sport. Throw in a mother who pushes their kid to excel in a sport they failed in, some family tragedy and I just could not put this down.

I also listened to a little of the book in audio as it became available at the same time I was reading the book and the audio narration was also excellent

I just loved this book and it’s one of my top 10 of the year thus far. All the stars for this one 5/5!!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press for a e-copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Spectacular Things by Beck Dorsey-Stein is a beautiful, emotional story about mothers, daughters, and most of all—sisters. At its core is the bond between Mia and Cricket, two sisters navigating life after a heartbreaking loss. Their connection is so real and loving, and the story captures all the big feelings: grief, love, heartbreak, and deep gratitude. I loved the character development and how we follow many of them over the years. Having soccer as a huge focus was a bonus, as I have two daughters who played for years, it felt familiar and added a layer of depth. But, you don’t need a soccer background to enjoy this story. The first chapter gives you a glimpse of what’s coming later, which I actually loved—it helped me understand the characters’ actions as the story unfolded. Tender, honest, and unforgettable.

A truly thought provoking read. The bond between the two sisters was the heart of this story. I really enjoyed how this story started in present and then took us back in time to show how everything all starts for this family.
A standout for me was the romance storyline for Mia.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!!

CRYING I NEED THIS AS A MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES NOWWWWWWW!!!

please check trigger warnings! (death of a parent, pedophilia, alcoholism)

holy cow, what is it with 2025 and publishing heart-wrenching books about women in sports? I DON’T EVEN LIKE SPORTS and yet i’ve read one about women in basketball (a sharp endless need) and one about women in soccer!!

of course, what made those books so amazing is the fact that they were so frustratingly realistic and refused to sugarcoat anything.

spectacular things was genuinely SPECTACULAR! we follow liz, a young, single teen mom who drops her budding soccer career to have her baby girl mia (born of her ADULT soccer coach). years later, the father of her child returns (only to leave again) and liz gives birth to her second baby girl cricket. liz tragically dies when both girls are still young, forcing mia to sacrifice her own life and dreams to support cricket’s life and dreams to be the best women’s soccer player.

while cricket PISSED ME OFF!!! for majority of the book, i understand the situation she was in and the pressure she felt to carry out her mother’s dream to be a successful soccer player. i’m so relieved that she realized the important things in life and especially how much mia sacrificed for her, but also how much mia needed her little sister.

overall? INFINITE STARS!!!!

Spectacular Things is a heartfelt and beautifully written novel that captures the complex bond between sisters amid ambition, sacrifice & self-discovery. Beck Dorey‑Stein sets the emotional tone from the first page, delivering a story that's engaging, moving, and deeply human.
The Maine setting and the evolving relationship between Mia and Cricket give the narrative an authentic feel. While the emotional core is there, I would have welcomed a deeper dive into certain plot threads, especially around Cricket’s pursuit of soccer stardom. That said, this is an excellent 4‑star read—perfect for readers who appreciate intimate, character-driven family dramas exploring what it means to pursue dreams at the cost of something precious.

Thank you to The Dial Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

I'm grateful to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC. I tend to stay away from the Reese book club picks, but I received this before that was announced. The book begins when Mia goes into kidney failure after giving birth and is on dialysis until she can find a donor kidney, and Cricket, Mia's sister who is asked if she is willing to give up a kidney for her sister. Then we immediately jump to the past. Liz, an aspiring soccer player with a potentially bright future, finds herself pregnant. With her dreams of being a soccer star gone and the lack of support from her parents, she sets off for Maine to start a new life with her daughter, Mia. We follow this family's story until the sisters are both adults in the present day, when the book begins. If you like romances and happy endings, then you will certainly enjoy this. Despite being a decent story and easy to read, I found the book manipulative and predictable. So three stars, it was ok.

Immediately upon finishing, this felt like 4 stars but after sleeping on it, I think it might be more of a 3... so maybe 3.5?

Overall, this story engrossed me from start to finish--this family saga easy to get swept up in. I really appreciated the exploration of what we sacrifice for our loved ones, and the examination of what truly gives our lives meaning.

I'm a sucker for sibling dynamics and stories, which is why this caught my attention. But i was looking for something with a little more nuance to showcase the complexity of family relationships, how you can love and resent someone in equal measure. I don't think this delved deep enough into themes of anger and resentment, at least for my liking. Any tragedy is wrapped up a little simplistically. *SPOILERS: I wish, for example, that Mia had held a bit of a grudge for being forced into a parent role, or expressed real rage at her sister's resistance to donate a kidney.*

All in all, I think this was a little too *nice* for me.

That being said, if you're looking for a feel-good family with some levels of tragedy, I would definitely recommend this. Perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid.

From the first page, I was completely engrossed in Spectacular Things.

I love a book about family dynamics that spans decades and this one was done so well! I felt completely attached to Liz, Mia, and Cricket. I felt immersed in the book and this is one of those stories you don’t want to put down. I found myself reading it at work, at the gym, and anytime I had a spare moment. I love a short chapter and this book mostly had short chapters so I kept reading just a little more.

The ending was a bit predictable but that didn’t take away from the story for me. I just absolutely loved this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

4.25 stars
Spectacular Things follows sisters Mia and Cricket as they grow up in a small Maine town, trying to figure out who they are and what they owe to each other. Mia’s the responsible one, Cricket’s the soccer star, and both are carrying a lot—family pressure, big dreams, and a past that won’t stay buried.

Told in dual POV, this one dives deep into sisterhood, ambition, found family, and the fine line between loyalty and self-sacrifice. Emotional, thoughtful, and so well written—this book hit all the right notes for me.

Spectacular Things by Beck Dorsey-Stein
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Calling all soccer fans!⚽️ Well not just soccer fans.. I am not a big soccer fan, in fact I don’t know many rules of soccer but that did not stop me from enjoying this beautiful story. I think if you enjoy stories with strong family ties, family drama, sacrifice, friendships and love, you will love this book.
A tender story about 2 sisters, Mia and Cricket (Kristine) both named after soccer greats, Mia Hamm and Kristine Lally. Their mom, Liz is a single mom who gave up a very promising soccer career to raise Mia. It reminded me of the tv series Ginny and Georgia where the mom is raising a daughter all while she herself is still a child. Cricket and Mia both given the gift of soccer from their mom and both with totally different personalities. Mia is the smart and responsible one that has to grow up too fast. Cricket is full of talent and energy, is evident that she is bound for soccer stardom. I fell in love with both these sisters- admired Mia’s quiet yet strong level headed determination and inspired by Cricket’s ambition and discipline as an athlete. When tragedy strikes, decisions and sacrifices must be made. How do these two sisters handle the situation? How does it affect their relationship?
This was such a powerful read for me with incredible character development - touching on so many things- family relationships, friendships, being an elite athlete, hopes and dreams, sacrifices, struggles and love. It was a book I wanted to keep reading and couldn’t wait to get back to reading once I put it down. Needless to say, my daily responsibilities were put on hold so I could read it (hey, it’s summer!) and shed a few tears pulling at my heart strings. I was rooting for both sisters and willing them to make the right choices. So many great quotes that I highlighted! Thank you to @netgalley @beckdoreystein @randomhouse @thedialpress for the e-Arc of this touching story. Also a @reesesbookclub pick. Out now! Highly recommend. **had to include a photo when my son was 5 playing ⚽️ 🥅💙 #books #bookstagram #booklover #noseinabook #bibliophile #reading #read #bookreview #NetGalley
#SpectacularThings #reesesbookclub

First off, thank you to NetGalley, Beck Dorey-Stein, and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

This story was absolutely beautiful. Beck Dorey-Stein managed to capture the beauty, rawness, and complexity of not only family, but life in general. There were so many relatable moments involving grief, sisterhood, motherhood, and relationships. I very much look forward to reading this author's future books!!

Reese's July Book Club pick, Spectacular Things is a must-read book about sisterhood, love and sacrifice. Told through a dual timeline, the novel traces the struggles and triumphs of sisters Mia and Cricket and their mother Liz, a once-promising soccer star whose own dreams were sidelined by motherhood.

Dorey‑Stein excels at crafting vivid, lived-in characters. From the very start, headstrong Liz will steal your heart. I absolutely loved her character and her devotion to her daughters, though her choices were not always right and the journey was not always easy. I identified with Mia and her typical eldest child traits of hyper responsibility, people-pleasing and self-sacrifice. Athlete Cricket, the free-spirited younger sibling, has her mother's gift which gives her life direction and purpose. Though the trajectories of these sisters lives are very different, what binds them together is their unwavering love for each other. And soccer.

At the heart of the novel lies a powerful question: how far do we go for the people we love, and what do we lose along the way? The novel tackles the complexities of family duty with nuance and compassion, refusing easy answers and instead honouring the messy, often painful realities of sisterly love and regret.

This coming-of-age story is rich with emotion and had me tearing up at the final pages. This is a novel that will make you cheer, cry, and reflect. I binged this book in its entirety in one sitting- I couldn't put it down. No notes. Perfection from start to finish.

I absolutely loved this book. Spamming several decades, this book follows two sisters through many heartbreaks and triumphs.

I absolutely loved that the author doesn't shy away from the grit and sacrifice that it takes, especially for women when it comes to athletic excellence.

What the book is:
🔘 A third person multiple timeline narrative that intricately weaves together the stories and legacy of Liz Lowe and her two daughters Cricket and Mia Lowe together into a beautiful story of family, the fierce love of mothers for their daughters, and sisterhood that is centered around women's soccer.
🔘 A sports themed novel that begins with Cricket getting her big shot for the USWNT, as her sister Mia and her husband are stuck watching the match from a TV in a hospital. As the story unravels you come to realize that the opening, much like the Lowe family, is not what it appears and has a lot more to uncover.
🔘 While there is some content in this book that was challenging like the loss of a parent and the predatory relationship that derailed Liz's career, I feel that the author does a great job handling the content in a meaningful way that adds to the story.
🔘 I found parts of this book hard to read at the beginning because of the shifts in timeline and the perspective being kept 3rd person because there were some points where the conclusions being drawn by a 4-6 year old were misplaced in the timeline. That said, I couldn't put it down for the second half of the book and was absolutely riveted.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Random House Publishing and The Dial Press!

I enjoyed this novel and thought a lot of the themes in it where poignant and hit home but it did drag on a little bit for me. It was an extremely character driven story and sometimes I just didn't find myself rooting for the characters, especially Cricket, and it made it hard to keep wanting to read about her. Overall it was an enjoyable story of 2 sisters and what family means and how far you are willing to go for family.