Shred Sisters lays bare difficult family dynamics and how mental health can unsettle these bonds. The characters felt real and raw. I enjoyed the development of the characters and their relationships over the course of the book. This is definitely a slow paced read that’s moving and deep. I would have loved to have gone into even more depth but I liked some of the unanswered questions, this made it more true to life and we could see from Amy’s point of view and her experience. Overall an interesting book that I think delivers on the important themes. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

I really, really enjoyed this. I thought this novel did such a good job of presenting the ripple effects of mental illness within a family without implying any sort of judgement on either the person experiencing illness or the family members that react and cope with it in a wide variety of ways.

I thought the style of this book shows particular strength for the author. The narration itself is pretty simple and to the point, there is very little embellishment or over the top descriptive language. Even so, I thought the development of every single character in this book was incredibly strong. I felt like I had a strong sense for the type of person every member of the immediate Shred family was, as well as the closely connected secondary characters. Also despite a story that didn't have much in the way of a driving story-driven plot, I still found this to be incredibly engaging and got through this at a pretty nice speed.

Looking forward to reading future works by this author.

I requested this from netgalley on a whim after hearing about it on a podcast and I was pleasantly surprised. Shred Sisters is the story of a dysfunctional family that centers around Ollie, the eldest sister who is often reckless and unpredictable. It is good from the POV of Amy, the other sister, and explores the significant impact that untreated mental illness has on all members of a family and their relationships. This story was character driven but so propulsive; I couldn’t put this down. Notably, the story highlights how things left unsaid can often be more harmful than words spoken and the unconditional (sometimes undeserved) love between family. Ultimately, I wished that the story had been a bit longer but overall I adored this and would recommend to anyone who:

🌵 Has ever had a loved one that struggled with mental illness
🌵Has ever felt overshadowed or neglected
🌵Enjoys reading about complicated family dynamics
🌵Comes from a family who lives in denial 🤣

I loved this book so much! It is full of empathy and love. It is a story how addiction and mental illness really affects the people who love you most. I think this debut is incredible and a must read!

I really enjoyed this book!! I thought it was a beautiful depiction of a complicated sisterhood, and really appreciated the commentary around mental health and family dynamics. It felt extremely meaningful in how we got to see how the family trauma that started in childhood as minor things, could escalate to impact someone’s life so greatly, especially in how they form relationships. It did take me a little bit to initially get invested in the story but it really did keep getting better. I will likely be picking up a physical copy when it releases!

Really beautiful story of sisterhood, female friendships, and how intrinsically linked families can be. I can't wait to get a hard copy of this when it releases!

I loved this book and it's one of my top 5 reads this year. I just couldn't put it down. There are so many layers here: family drama, sisterhood and parenthood, marriage, mental health, etc. I really liked how almost every new chapter was full of twists and turns. The only thing that confused me was how Amy made almost every situation about herself. Sometimes it was reasonable, but only sometimes, so I would say I expected more in her character development. But it didn't change the overall feel of the story.

Thank you so much Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for this ARC. Out October 1st, 2024.

Rule-following, high-achieving Amy Shred would be the golden child in many families, but in her own she spends her childhood playing second fiddle to her beautiful, rebellious, and charismatic older sister Ollie, who commands the attention and indulgence of their parents. But Ollie's high spirits turn to volatility as she approaches adulthood, and she only avoids justice system involvement for her sticky fingers because her parents help divert her to a psych hospital. A few years later, when Ollie has stopped flinging herself against the bars of her cage long enough to figure out how to get to go back home, she's there only briefly before stealing money and taking off, leaving her parents and sister reeling in her wake. Just a teenager, Amy is of course not mature enough to understand how to cope with the trauma she's experienced, but neither are her parents, and the seeds of their family unraveling are planted deeply enough to take root and grow. The story follows Amy as she becomes a person wary of human connection, afraid of risk-taking and leaving herself open to hurt. The sundering of her parents' marriage leaves its own wounds, as do Ollie's occasional resurfacings, never predictable except that they will end abruptly and probably with Ollie in possession of someone else's cash, or at something valuable she can pawn. Lerner creates a well-realized, realistic portrait of the trajectory someone like Amy might take: she is not quirky, not damaged in a cute way played for laughs. She struggles to form and sustain relationships both platonic and romantic. She resists therapy for a long time, dismissing it as useless after its failure to make a difference for her sister. Lerner skillfully avoids the cliched plotlines and character beats one might expect: the harm Ollie causes Amy is largely indirect, but no less damaging for being so. Amy is beautifully realized, sympathetic despite not always being likeable. I'd picked this up because I assumed it was going to be a book about Sisterhood Feelings (one of the few areas I'm susceptible to heart-string tugging) based on the description, but I enjoyed it despite it being something else entirely. Ollie and Amy spend very little time together, actually, after their childhood, though the impact of being Ollie's sister never stops resonating for her. It is decidedly not "big-hearted", and whether that's a positive (like it was for me) or a negative depends on what kind of book you're looking for. If you're looking for a clear-eyed character study, this is a very solid read.

Olivia and Amy’s stories cannot be told without one another. This is a really well done story of sisterhood, mental illness and family. I found the first of the three parts to be the most engaging. The third part went far enough into their futures to give me closure on both of their stories. The book does a great job showing how just different siblings can be and yet their stories will always intertwine and their impact will always linger.

No one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister. This is an early statement in Shred Sisters which very much encompasses the scope of this novel about two sisters- Olivia (Ollie) and Amy. Ollie, the eldest sister is beautiful, spoiled, and has no brakes. Amy, the younger sister, is small, introverted, and a people pleaser. Much of the book is written from Amy's perspective which of course skews the narrative. Amy notices the imbalanced preference her parents, particular her father gives to Ollie. They forgive her bad behavior over and over again, while provide little attention and positive reinforcement to Amy's low drama and impressive academic achievements. Ollie is finally hospitalized for an extended period, but it does not make a lasting different on her mental state (she's clearly bipolar), and she continues to upend the family's structure, causing a rift between the parents. The chaos in Amy's childhood and continued struggles with Ollie reverberate in Amy's relationships- both friendships and romantic relationships. She finds herself struggling to speak up for herself and opening herself up, continuing relationships that are unhealthy, and sabotaging others. I really enjoyed this story of how mental health challenges affect an entire family. As a mentioned before, as this is told from Amy's point of view, impressions of events are going to be subjective, and we do not get her parents or Ollie's perspectives. Much of the book is quite slow in plot movement, while the latter portions move the plot forward so quickly, it appeared rushed and underdeveloped. Overall, I enjoyed this one.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

wow. this is incredible. i can’t wait to pick up a physical copy when it comes out. the sister relationship is what drew me to it in the first place but i really found a kindred spirit in the narrator, amy. i would highly recommend this to anyone with a sister, anyone who loves someone with a mental illness, or anyone processing grief.

One of those family stories where there's nothing much going on. Two sisters, one scholarly and shy (and probably on the spectrum but no one ever goes there) and one an addictive mess (who is possibly diagnosed later in life) and their lives. Sadly, neither are terribly interesting because Amy is pretty much a monotone and we only see Olivia through Amy's eyes.

On the other hand, this really feels like an Oprah pick so what do I know?

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

Shred Sisters offers a candid exploration of the complexities of female friendships, particularly in the context of shared struggles and personal growth. I appreciated Lerner's ability to weave together personal anecdotes and broader themes, creating a relatable narrative that resonates with many women. The book's strength lies in its raw honesty and the way it captures the nuances of support and rivalry among friends.
However, I found some sections to be a bit repetitive, which detracted from the overall flow. Additionally, while the insights are valuable, I wished for a deeper exploration of certain characters, as some felt underdeveloped.
Overall, Shred Sisters is an engaging read that highlights the importance of connection and resilience, even if it occasionally stumbles in pacing and depth.

Shred Sisters tells the story of the dysfunctional Shred family. It is told from the point of view of Amy, the younger Shred sister who is quiet, studious, and always does what she is told. Olivia, by comparison, is a hurricane. She is beautiful, charismatic, and prone to disappearing for long stretches of time, then popping back up the moment she needs something from her family. The story follows them through their high school years and into adulthood, chronicling school, jobs, relationships, divorces, and children. All the members of the family were really well developed characters and it was so interesting to see how their relationships changed over time, especially when it came to their relationships with Olivia. It also touches on sensitive topics including mental illness and addiction, so readers should keep that in mind. This would be a great book for anyone who enjoys stories about family or character driven books. I found the writing style to be very readable and I didn't want to put the book down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the advanced reader copy.

A beautiful and heartbreaking novel about family can be the ones you love but not necessarily like and the enduring rollercoaster of mental illness. Amy is a compelling protagonist who earns your empathy and your frustration. A great read.

Amy and Ollie couldn't be more different, as many sisters are, but that's why you connect with them. I could see myself in both Amy and Ollie, and their struggles (including the struggles of their entire family) in mine as well. Almost every person has been affected by someone close to them who has mental illness. Sometimes that impact is negative. Sometimes it tears relationships apart. Sometimes you have to put in a ton of effort to reforge that relationship.

Anyway. This book tugged at my heartstrings, and it will tug at many more. I can see many, many different kinds of people and readers enjoying this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was very excited to read this book because of the themes of sisterhood and mental illness, but, unfortunately, it fell flat for me.
After a — in my opinion — very strong start, I quickly lost interest and found myself skimming the second half of the book. This was mostly due to how boring and, honestly, annoying and whiny I thought Amy, the sister whose perspective we’re reading from, was. I would have found this book much more interesting if we had spent more time with Ollie, the other and more complicated sister.
Instead, I was stuck reading about Amy’s day-to-day life and her struggles forming relationships with other people outside of her difficult family life and, while that might sound interesting, I thought it was ultimately all very shallow and nothing was explored in a way that was satisfactory to me.
I would have loved seeing more about both sisters in their therapy sessions and processing their trauma, but it all felt very superficial and like none of their deeper struggles were really addressed.

Overall, I just expected a lot more out of this book and was, ultimately, very bored by it.

Shred Sisters is full of family dynamic centered around the two sisters Amy and Ollie. The dramatic start to the book sets the tone between the sisters as the book dives deeper into the relationship between them.

Love reads with a strange and bizarre relationships
Intriguing read .
Meet the Shreds. Olivia is the sister in the spotlight until her stunning confidence becomes erratic and unpredictable, a hurricane leaving people wrecked in her wake. Younger sister Amy, cautious and studious to the core, believes in facts, proof, and the empirical world

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Grove Atlantic for a free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book started off very strong with setting up the family dynamics that largely stayed throughout the whole book, which moves slowly through the family’s lives and deaths. Ollie is a strong personality that kept my interest the whole book, even when she wasn’t always present. There are lots of conversations and ponderings on how your childhood home environment traumatizes you in less obvious ways that influence how you react to situations in adulthood. I will say that Amy was a very passive voice in this story that didn’t do much for me personally; she was Nick and Ollie was Gatsby in terms of Ollie feeling like the MAIN character who everything revolved around. Since the book is called Shred Sisters, I would have preferred for Ollie to have been more of a character than she was—it seemed like she was mostly defined by her mental illnesses and manic episodes, only really settling down when becoming a mother, which was…a strange way to resolve the book I think. I’m personally wary of books where motherhood is posed as a solution to a character’s life problems. There was also some casual fatphobia thrown in with the main character feeling glad and superior that her ex and his wife gained weight, and I can’t tell if that’s just an in-character thing for her to think??? The storytelling method also put me off quite a bit with the character occasionally speaking with insight from the present tense and commenting on moments of her life, which I wasn’t the biggest fan of. It began to feel like the jumps in time were essentially “and then this happened, and then this happened, and then I got a different lover, and then…” which I got tired of after a while. Again, I really enjoyed the beginning, and I wish that the book had stayed there longer (or for its entirety). A dual pov with Ollie also would have been interesting. Overall, I think the movement through time in this story wasn’t executed very well, and I lost interest towards the end.