Characters were well developed. The plot was intriguing. Loved the descriptiveness of the book. I would like to read more from this author

This was a fast, easy read. There's a slight twist at the end and some things you're led to wonder about throughout the book. I enjoyed reading it, but wish it had gone deeper into the relationships or deeper into the suspense of the story. The ending also wasn't my favorite, because again the reader needed more insight to get to that place. I'd check out something else by the author for sure. Thank you to Crooked Lane and NetGalley for the ARC!

This novel, which has fire as a central theme, is a slow burn (pun very much intended). At times it seemed to be infused with drudgery and despair, not only due to the depressing topics of domestic abuse and betrayal, but also because of the main characters’ inability to really understand their feelings and emotions. That being said, the climax does not disappoint as it brings about truths and twists long taken for granted since the first few pages.

I enjoyed the story. I was shocked when I learned the truth. Still not sure which sister I felt more sorry for. Maybe neither maybe both. Still can't decide. The author sure makes you think long after finishing the book. Wish it let me post my review to Amazon but it says I can't do it yet.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book had me turning the pages from the beginning to find out how two dysfunctional sisters’ lives unfold in this twisty tale. 3.5 stars for storyline execution

Sister of Mine chilled me right down to the hairs on my head. Sisters Penny and Hattie have a very dark and twisted relationship that began in childhood and continued into their adult lives. Laurie Petrou managed to keep me in the edge of my seat and also completely terrified me. Being in Penny's head was quite uncomfortable and yet, there were moments that I felt more empathy than revulsion to her dilemmas.

A powerful and chilling story that leaves me eagerly awaiting what the author will write next.

Sister of Mine by Laurie Petrou is a thriller that follows sisters Penny and Hatty who are bound together by the secrets of their troubled pasts that they can’t escape or let anyone know about. I was unimpressed with this novel. The premise sounded interesting, but it did not read as a thriller or a mystery at all. By a quarter of the way through the novel, I wanted to put this book down, but I kept reading so I could give a fair review. The twists were very predictable. All the characters lacked depth and I couldn’t sympathize any of them. The writing style was easy to read, but for the whole time, I was just rushing so I could read my next novel. This book ended up being unmemorable. I would recommend skipping reading this book.

First off - Not a mystery! Can we please stop calling books mysteries and thrillers when they really are not? That would be great, thanks.

<u>Sister of Mine</u> is the story of a seriously dysfunctional relationship between sisters. These girls have some bad luck and they do not make it any better with their choices. They have bad luck starting in childhood and they compound that bad luck by being crappy to each other. They stick together, though I wouldn’t necessarily call them loyal, they do stick together.

Honestly, not a big fan of this book. I don’t know if I didn’t like it because it was branded as a thriller/mystery and I didn’t feel like there was any mystery or twist or suspense really at all, or if it was because I spectacularly disliked most of the characters and felt uninvested in the others.

I liked the writing. Some of the descriptions were really beautiful and vivid:
<i> “All the big things happened during the summertime, like the Fates were saving their strength in the cold, pooling their resources to let loose a spark of events after the thaw. The summer was our season: open windows and doors, breezes blowing right through the house, bringing all manner of mischief with them.”</i>

I just wish I could have liked the story or the characters.

Entertainment Value: 2
Characters: 1
Voice: 4
Plot: 2
Overall 2.25 stars

<Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!</i>
See all my reviews @ www.mamaneedsabook.blogspot.com

Sister of Mine by Laurie Petrou is a very different story, and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The book follows two sisters, Hattie and Penny. The book tells of the fire that starts at Penny's home, and leaves you guessing as to what really happened. Whatever it was, the sisters know and they are not telling a soul. The story progresses with the meeting of Jameson, a teacher at the school nextdoor to the daycare that Penny works at. Jameson then becomes the third spoke in the wheel of their life so to speak.
I won't say anymore because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, but I will say that I flew through this book and loved it. I would definitely recommend it. This ARC was provided to me by Netgalley for my honest review.

Many thanks to Laurie Petrona, Harper Collins Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this riveting book. The dynamics between sisters Hattie and Penny were that of a classic love/hate sibling variety, but when added to extended relationships with an abusive husband and a common love interest they exploded right off the page. The suspense kept me reading chapter after chapter. I found the back story of the mother’s death to be a catalyst for the sisters future relationships. This was a very engaging read.

See link to goodreads review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2455693126?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Penny and Hattie, two sisters whose love/hate for each other is reflected in every relationship, every aspect of their lives. Intricately woven and suspenseful tale. I loved it.

Hattie and Penny are sisters who live together in their childhood house. When they were 5 & 8 years old, respectively, when Hattie had taken her mother's emerald earrings and given them to Penny. They believe that the missing earrings caused their parents' break-up.

Now, they were "adult orphans". Penny was a widow - she lost her husband, Buddy, in a fire. He became abusive and she was quite glad he was dead. Recently, she met Jameson at work and liked him. She invited him to dinner and he and Hattie took a shining to each other. Penny hid her despair. It was always the three of them. Then Hattie HAD to get pregnant but was unable to. Penny had a New Years' Eve with Jameson and took care of that...

Penny moved out and eventually to France. She returned home at Hattie and Jameson's request and all but raised her/Hattie's son, Elliot. But children grow up and this one was interested in fire. Penny had returned to her old job and Jameson had moved out with equal time for Elliot, also his son.

Mac was a "bad guy"; Iain the "good cop" - this plays throughout the story. A number of times, Hattie left her son with Penny and eventually returned as a hardened woman.

The barn at Penny's house (that had burned down), began to now burn.

A startling conclusion follows...

This book is tagged as a thriller, but it never came across as such.

It’s a book about family. It’s about our actions and how they define us and the repercussions those actions have.

I really enjoyed this book and will be looking out for more from this author. The story is told from the sister Penny’s point of view - it would be fascinating to hear the same story told from Hattie’s perspective. These are close sisters who go through tragedies when they are younger and the book looks at how they both move on from those events independently and together.

Penny falls for the wrong guy. She suffers domestic abuse and doesn’t have the support of a mother or close friends, but her sister is there to help.

Both sisters feel like real people - they are flawed in some ways but kind in others. They make mistakes.

Rather than a thriller, this book was a really easy and enjoyable read that made me reflect on family and how we react at certain stages in our lives and the paths this leads us down.

At first I was like “what”? Then I was like “no she didn’t”! And half way thru I blinked and thought “what just happened”?? Ahhhh family dysfunction at its finest.

Penny and Hattie are sisters and will do anything for each other. They live in a small isolated town. Where everyone knows each other. From an early age they being very close, even after their father goes away and their mother dies. Penny then meets Buddy and marries him. But, after a while he becomes abusive. Dying to get away and make a fresh start Penny starts a fire deliberately which results of Buddy dying in the fire. With the guilt of what happened, both suffer dearly of that day. And their relationships in later years.
This story is about an obsessive relationship between 2 sisters. Each with guilt because of the secrets they share. They are always trying to compare and outdo each other and make each other jealous. But they are always there for each other. I thought that they really hated each other. I didn’t really like either of the sisters and I didn’t really understand why she done what she did at the end of the story. It was quite confusing. Three stars from me.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane books for a copy of this book.

Sister of Mine was like falling into a deep well, where everything is terrible, nothing improves and nothing changes. Escape never happens, for the reader or the characters. Completely depressing.

Wow! I was blown away by Laurie's writing, and the story of the orphaned sisters was an interesting one. I feel for Penny, since she must set fire to her marriage just to escape, and then after all of that, there is still underlying sibling rivalry. This is a thrilling story that also allows you to relate to the characters and I loved this so much!

I had high expectations for the book, especially after reading the blurb. And the book didn't disappoint. I don't often read suspense, but it was a great example of the genre and I am grateful to the publisher for the chance to read it.

Penny and Hattie are sisters. They have a lot of secrets and some of them were a bit confusing. It felt more like an outline of a story.

I wasn't sure when this was all taking place or what the deal was with the mother and after finishing the book I still have no idea! None of them were in the least likable, maybe because we just didn't have a lot of back story, or dependable backstory. But I didn't care for any of them and it just did not have the depth I would have liked to see.

A bit of a disappointment.



Netgalley/ Crooked Lane Books August 07, 2018