Award-winning author Julie Ryan McGue releases her memoir Twice the Family as an audiobook performed by Katie Hagaman
Hello again, dear audiobook friends! Today’s spotlight article is dedicated to Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood by award-winning authorJulie Ryan McGue.
The audio production is narrated by Katie Hagaman and has a little over 14 hours in duration.
I’m always happy to explore the interesting lives of authors, and taking into consideration all the awards and praises for this biography, I’m sure I’ll be in for a captivating lesson. Now, let’s find out more about the book:
Award-winning author Julie Ryan McGue unravels the gripping tale of adopted twins facing the turbulent tides of love, loss, and identity in suburban Chicago. As their family expands and secrets emerge, will their sisterly bond withstand the test of time? Dive into a memoir that explores the heart’s complexities and the fierce quest for belonging in Twice the Family the much-anticipated prequel to McGue’s debut memoir Twice a Daughter.
In this coming-of-age memoir, set in Chicago’s western suburbs between the 1960s and ’80s, adopted twins, Julie and Jenny, provide their parents with an instant family. The twins’ sisterly bond holds tight as the two strive for independence, individuality, and belonging. But as Julie’s parents continue adding children to their family, several painful and tragic experiences test family values, parental relationships, and sibling bonds.
Faced with these hurdles, Julie questions everything: who she is, how she fits in and even her adoption circumstances. She understands her adoptive family is held together by love, faith, support and her parents’ commitment to each other and their children. And yet, the life her parents have constructed is not one Julie wants for herself. As she matures, she chooses her own unique path. In the process, she realizes how the experiences that formed her have provided a road map for the person and mother she wants to be.
This book seems to be extremely appreciated and here are some reviews to prove it:
- “Through the lens of her personal history, McGue explores human nature, family, and connection … Her writing is compelling and well-paced, building a narrative that keeps the reader close to every event she relates.” — Kirkus Reviews
- “Explores the resilient bond between twins, the realities of adoption, and the peaks and heartbreaking valleys of an American family.” — Andrew Tallackson, Editor, The Beacher Weekly Newspaper
- “The psychology of being a child given up for adoption is explored in ways both cathartic and devastating … These worries are balanced by moments that are joyful and light, upholding the book’s themes of perseverance” — Foreword Reviews
- “A testament to how life hands us opportunities to heal even in the presence of gut-wrenching Grief.” — Kim Fairley, author of “Swimming for My Life” and “Shooting Out the Lights”
- “An inspiring read for anyone seeking to understand the power of family, the search for self, and the resilience of the human spirit.” — Diane O’Canto, media professional, podcast host, empowerment champion
- “Gripping, raw, and profound.” — Jennifer Dyan Ghoston, author of “The Truth So Far”
- “A thoughtful, brave, and compassionate story…McGue rings resilience.” — Diane Wheaton, author of “Finding Loretta”
- “Intimate coming-of-age memoir about fragility and preciousness of life.” — Rikki West, author of “Rootlines” and “The Empty Bowl”
- “The pursuit of adopted identity and belonging continues. Five Stars!” — Mary Ellen Gambutti, author of “I Must Have Wandered”
- “A poignant view of a childhood mixed with love, laughter, sadness, life as an adoptee, and a peek into a life lived with an identical twin sister.” — Emma Stevens (aka Linda Pevac), author of “The Gathering Place” and “A Fire Is Coming”
Below you can read more about the author and the narrator:
The author, Julie Ryan McGue, is an American writer, a domestic adoptee, and an identical twin. Her first memoir, “Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging,” released in May 2021, winning multiple awards. Her work has appeared in the Story Circle Network Journal, Brevity Nonfiction Blog, Imprint News, Adoption.com, Lifetime Adoption Adoptive Families Blog, Adoption & Beyond, and Severance Magazine. Her personal essays have appeared in several anthologies, including “Real Women Write: Seeing Through Her Eyes” (Story Circle Network) and “Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis” (She Writes Press).
Her collection of essays, “Belonging Matters: Conversations on Adoption, Family, and Kinship” (Muse Literary), released in November 2023. She writes a biweekly blog and monthly column (The Beacher Newspapers), in which she explores the topics of finding out who you are, where you belong, and making sense of it.
Julie splits her time between Northwest Indiana and Sarasota, Florida. “Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood” is her third book. I recommend that you visit her website for more info.
Our narrator, Katie Hagaman, is a professional voice actor with over 5 years of surreal industry experience with a sound-treated home studio to provide that crisp quality sound we all love.
Weaving decades of creating, she’s merrily settled into the world of voice acting. Every story is an adventure and she’s always excited to undertake the unique challenges of each project.
I’ll be returning in March with a full review for Twice the Family, but until then, take care, stay safe and don’t forget, always listen with your heart!
Victor Dima
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