I loved Jane Corry's first book - My Husbands Wife - and was so looking forward to this one. It had me totally confused and after struggling with it, I eventually gave up. Sorry !

Having read and enjoyed My Husbands Wife by Jane Corry I was really looking forward to Blood Sisters and I have to start by saying that I think this is the better novel of the two. Her latest book is packed full of twists, turns and red herrings galore and I became a dizzy mess whilst reading it, trusting everyone and no one! Jane Corry seems to have a talent for creating unreliable narrators who aren’t always very likeable and she puts that expertise to good use here in Blood Sisters.

It did take me a while to get into the rhythm of the narrative to begin with as it is pretty much a slow burner for the first half while we get to meet Alison and Kitty in their respective lives. Alison is an artist and teacher who goes to work in an open prison supervising art classes for the inmates, an unusual decision for someone who is obviously so traumatised by a past event that she doesn’t like to think, let alone talk, about it. Because of her introverted personality I found her very hard to relate to in the first half of the book. Once we found out more about her past and what happened leading up to “that day” I felt I understood her better although I still struggled slightly as she always seemed to be holding something of herself back. Kitty, on the other hand is an open book to us from the minute we meet her as we can hear every explosive thought in her head. Unfortunately though, no one else is able to hear her musings as she has lost the power to communicate verbally since the incident that caused her disability. The scenes in the care home were, at times, harrowing to read about but also incredibly heartbreaking as we could feel those powerful frustrations stemming from Kitty as she tries to grab hold of her flyaway memories and express herself to all those around her. I loved her internal voice and found myself wanting her to remain completely unaware of past events as those memories were obviously going to be very distressing for her if her reactions to certain people and situations were anything to go by!

There was a gasp out loud moment for me part the way through when I finally figured out where the plot was heading after much theorising. And after the slowly built up storyline at the start, the second half was much more of an unputdownable quest for answers until all the threads started to come together. I love it when a book surprises me and this one, with its tightly woven plot and unreliable narrators, maintained a high level of interest throughout as I waited for the next shocking plot twist. Towards the end some of those twists felt a little contrived and rather convenient but on the whole I found the ending totally gripping as it wasn’t entirely what I had been expecting!

This one is going to be on everyone’s holiday reading list and it thoroughly deserves its spot on all those sunloungers this summer. Enjoy!

Great read, loved how the story all came together. Does the bond sisters have override all else? Read it and see

I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. I had to know what had happened and whether the truth would come out.
The characters were great and the story engaging and fast moving.
Will read more from the author.

Bloods Sisters is a gripping pyschological thriller that I read in two sittings, it's really well written and with a superb engrossing storyline. I enjoyed the format of chapters flipping between past and present, its so well plotted with engaging and believable characters I couldn't put it down.

This book deserves to do well, Jane Corry is a talented writer and after now reading two amazing books by her I will always be on the look out for her future books.

Thank you!

Thank you to the publishers and net galley for the arc in return for an honest review.

This is one rollercoaster ride. Just when you think you have worked out what is going on there's another twist to jolt you out of your comfort zone.

The book focuses on Kitty and Alison, who both have secrets in their past that are affecting their lives. Kitty is terrified of the man that comes to visit her in the care home, and Alison clearly has reasons for living a secluded and austere life. Gradually the link between the pair becomes clear, and past events are revealed as the book adds in chapters focussing on events in 2001.

The twists were shocking and clever to start with. The time that Alison spends in the prison is well written and adds to the claustrophobic atmosphere. Kitty is a terrific character, and the horror that I felt for her, trapped inside her mind and unable to communicate with those around her was palpable. The book cracks along at a terrific paced I couldn't help but get caught up in the story and found myself desperate to read just one more page.

Now that I have finished the book I can say that I enjoyed it, but my rating would have been higher if the last third of the book hadn't required such a complete suspension of disbelief at the coincidences that occurred. It did get to the post when it felt as though there was a twist for the sake of a twist, and this was a shame, because the final (final!) reveal is a good one.

4.5* This is my second novel by Jane Corry who writes fantastic psychological thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat and are just brilliant. Ms Corry really has a wonderful writing style and the book just flows. Twists and turns abound. Highly recommended. You will not be disappointed when you read it. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

Blood Sisters completely drew me in to its world, right until the last page. It focuses on two main narratives – one in the present day, showing the two very different lives of sisters Alison and Kitty, and another which takes the reader right back to the years leading up to the accident which changes Kitty’s life (and her family’s too). I really enjoy narratives that switch like this, and especially with multiple key characters so you see different sides to the story.

The characters themselves are interesting and well-rounded, despite at times despising Alison and the way she thinks and acts, from the way she treats the ‘secret’ that people seem to be keeping right through to smaller things like the snooty, judgmental way she treats the prisoners – though I admit some of the prisoners are truly awful!

The story itself is a little slow to get started, but once it gets going it it’s really gripping. The story presents not only the accident itself and the secrets accompanying it but the way that the sisters and parents interact with each other. There’s plenty of unease and mystery, and though I saw some of the twists coming there was plenty which took me completely by surprise! At no point did I feel even remotely bored with Blood Sisters, as it kept me gripped throughout.

This is a great novel from Jane Corry, whose other novel – My Husband’s Wife – I also hugely enjoyed too.

I really enjoyed reading Blood Sister by Jane Corry, a story of sibling rivalry and half truths. This book kept me hooked and I did not want to put it down. A psychological thriller that kept me guessing until the end.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I Read Blood Sisters By Jane Corry in a few short hours.
No sleep at all for me as I couldn't put the bloody thing down.
so After an awful accident years ago left Vanessa dead, Kitty with severe brain damage living in a home and Alison Introverted and shouldering a heap load of guilt.
The whole trauma is about to be unearthed again for Kitty, Ali and their mother
Many years after the tragic circumstances that left Alison's sister brain damaged and her best friend dead, Alison is trying to move on with her life she has shelved her university plans and is now an artist working at a local college.
Upon spotting an add for a resident artist at a nearby open prison, Alison needing the money applies and surprisingly gets the position.
But then someone starts sending Alison threatening notes saying she will pay.
What is she keeping hidden from that terrible day?
Now what I really loved about this story was the way it jumped from sister to sister while also giving us flashes into the past of the lead-up to what occurred the morning of the accident.
We are first with Alison, Then kitty then back again and even as Kitty resides in the day home with brain damage we see how surprisingly lucid some of her thoughts are, How frustrated she is with the people around her, though she can't remember the past properly and has only flashbacks she struggles to remember more and get her thoughts across.
It gives a whole new perspective into how we interact with disabled individuals, making us think what it would be like to be treated like a child. how frustrating this must be.
Now I don't want to give too much away with Blood Sisters, so all I'm going to say is when you think you know something do not be surprised when its turned on its head. This story takes that many turns with the truth of what happened my head was spinning but in a really good way.
Blood Sisters is an excellent easy read that will keep you guessing until the end, I highly recommend it.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance reader copy of this novel. This is my own unbiased opinion of Blood Sisters by Jane Corry.

I really enjoyed this book, a well written thriller with lots of secrets, sibling rivalry, twists and turns which keep you wanting to read more. Second book I've read by Jane Corey - look forward to reading more.

The book opens with Alison applying for artist in residence at an open prison for men. It is apparent right away that Alison is a tortured and torments person who self harms by cutting herself with glass from her art classes. Increasingly she feels the need to cut herself more and inflict more pain but it is never enough to block out what happened.

Chapter two sees us in a residential home for mentally and physically disabled people and the story is taken up by Kitty who has severe brain damage and cannot speak only make sounds. She can think though and these thoughts come spelling out onto the pages of this gripping . I felt for Alison, Kitty and their poor mother and this book opened my eyes to what cares do uncomplainingly for these people in homes that are utterly dependant on others. A fantastic read with so many twists I was gripped and read this book in two sittings, I found it unputdownable and highly recommend.

Blood Sisters by Jane Corry

All Alison ever wanted was for her younger half-sister to love and care about her the way sisters are meant to, but Kitty always seemed to be so horrid to her.

That was before the terrible road accident, which left Kitty severely brain damaged and Kitty's best friend dead.

Fifteen years later Alison runs part time art classes at the local art college. Still plagued with the trauma of that accident, she self-harms in order to block out painful thoughts and images. She sees a poster advertising for an artist in residence at a men's open prison. Needing the extra money and turning a blind eye to its potential dangers, she applies and is successful. However, it is not long before she starts receiving sinister notes from a prisoner, who seems to know her. Badly spooked by this she wants to leave, but she has a penance to pay ...

The story alternates between Alison and Kitty's lives told through their eyes. Kitty is now in a care home requiring 24 hour care. She can't speak, can only babble, but understands what others are saying. She has lost much of her memory, but gets incomplete flashbacks that frighten her. Through Kitty's story we get a horrifying glimpse of what life might be like inside the mind of someone so badly injured - the frustration of not being able to express herself and her lashing out.

But Alison and Kitty are bound together by a secret and if Kitty ever gets her memory back, all hell will be let loose. There is something Alison knows, something she is guilty of, but someone is after her and she needs to get one step ahead. As the odds stack up against her, is it finally time for the truth to be told?

This was a well written and engaging read. The author's research and description of prison and prison life is well drawn and feels authentic, but this was not edge-of-seat suspense for me - more like a family drama than a thriller. Even when we think we know what the secret will be, there are more revelations to come, but with a few too many improbable coincidences in the plot. Taking into account poetic license, I think the author made a pretty good stab at getting inside Kitty's mind, but I found it too big an ask to go along with the thought interpretation machine. However, overall it was a decent read and I would say that this might work if you can take it with a very big pinch of salt.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Penguin Books UK and to Jane Corry for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I totally, utterly loved this book!! Gripped from the first page and read it in a day. From reading the blurb you think you know what you're going to read and who is going to be doing the talking, but the novel is far more complex than that and the stories Kitty and Alison tell are often at odds with what you'd expect them to tell.
Much more than another domestic noir thriller though, this book does a huge amount to combat stigma and prejudice connected to those with learning disabilities and acquired brain injuries. Watching the bond between Kitty and some of her carers, between her and Margaret her room mate, I know I challenged myself on how in the past I'd made assumptions on someone's intellect based on what their body was physically showing. Kitty's relationship with Johnny and the subsequent acceptance of the relationship by their parents is truly special and incredibly emotive.
I don't like to add spoilers to my reviews but there are some things I have to say as cryptically as possible. "OMG the meeting between them when they speak!!!!"
And "I was convinced that had happened but didn't realise it was him and not him!"
There. Hopefully those will make you want to read it.
Alison's story is the thriller half of the story as she is physically fit and out in the real world. At times I found Ali incredibly annoying and questioned her behaviour more than once. Often this was because she was a well drawn and complex character but some times, especially in relation to her initial feelings about 'lead man' I think it is because the author didn't quite get it right in demonstrating how one emotion was rising above others in her mind. I was annoyed that she would get involved with someone she didn't trust when it was later shown that she never had any suspicions of him at all, and it was herself that she didn't trust/want to be in a relationship. Another example of this is Kitty's reaction to 'flabby man'. But I am being incredibly picky because the book is very well written.
The atmosphere at the open prison was excellent and the shock staffing news was a very clever vehicle for explaining some things and setting up others. Having visited such a site myself I think it was very well researched and true to life. I particularly loved seeing Alison relax and enjoy eating a cooked meal at lunch with the other staff.
This book has twist after twist after twist and even at the end there is still a feeling of disquiet, as if another shock is lurking in the wings, waiting to pop out. By the end of the novel I was feeling far more unsettled than Alison had been during the story!

Interesting and very twisty. A tale of sibling rivalry, jealousy and teenage errors. I found Kitty's computer usage a bit far fetched BUT I don't know a lot about this sort of brain injury and the limitations or expectations but it didn't sit comfortably with me. A good read though and I flew through it!

There is a lot going on in this book and a few good twists along the way. What I think will stay with me from his book is the various relationships, particularly that of the half sisters compared to the relationship of best friends. Possibly influenced by having two sisters of my own. The further I read the quicker I was turning the pages as I desperately wanted to know what would happen to Alison. There is plenty in this book that would be great for discussions and I could imagine it being a book club favourite.

Excellent book. Great main characters and plot. I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Net Galley & Penguin Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Thoroughly enjoyed this read. Are the blood sisters actually sisters?
Alison & her half sister Kitty have been living apart for years, Alison in a flat on her own, trying to help her mother pay for her sister Kitty's care home. Both sisters are living with buried secrets, Alison keeping her secrets to protect her sister and block it the fact that she had been raped just days before the fatal accident, Kitty unable to talk since the accident which resulted in severe brain damage.
Alison takes a second job in a prison as the art teacher and the story unfolds from there and so many secrets and half truths are revealed,

I would like to thank Penguin UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Blood Sisters’ by Jane Corry in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Alison is an artist who teaches adults part-time in a college and is also employed three days a week as Artist In Residence at HMP Archville Prison. Her sister, Kitty, has brain damage and lives in a care home after being hit by a car of their way to school, her best friend Vanessa being killed outright. Both sisters have a secret but whereas Kitty is unable to speak, Alison doesn’t want to tell.
I thought ‘Blood Sisters’ was well-written and at times chilling to read. I was engrossed from page one and unable to put it down till I got to the end and discovered the truth.

This was a satisfying read and there were some unexpected twists. I particularly liked the character of Kitty. However, a pet hate of mine is when characters do not tell important things to the right people at the right time. Alison, the main character, does this several times. She also makes many bad choices (as does her mother) and has bad judgement throughout. There are a couple of unlikely coincidences and the main male characters were not nice. So, although I found all of this slightly irritating, I still enjoyed the book!