Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors is a true must-read! This novel is about three sisters and the dynamics of their relationship after the death of their fourth sister. I highly recommend this book for your next Book Club selection as there is so much to discuss. The book is told through humor and brutal honesty, which made me feel invested in the sisters' journey. Each sister's perspective is shared, giving us a full view of their struggles, hopes, and fears. The characters are relatable and realistic, and the intricate sister relationship is portrayed beautifully. Overall, I think Blue Sisters is a solid 5-star novel and one of my favorites of 2024.

Oh my!!! This Author turns out 5 star reads, this being no exception. Run....don't walk....to get this amazing book!!!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing this digital copy in exchange for a review.

Blue Sisters follows Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky a year after the loss of their fourth sister. It’s a beautifully written story dealing with the complexities of sisterhood, addiction, grief and healing. It’s raw and relatable and left me wanting more, all while being completely satisfied with how Coco Mellors chose to close the novel. I can’t wait to recommend Blue Sisters to all my friends once it’s released!

Blue Sisters is a story about siblings who were once four but are now three. The story bends back and forth through time and shifts perspectives from chapter to chapter so that we get to experience the lives of each of the women as they navigate the unexpected and heartbreaking loss of one of their own. It's about death and loss and sisterhood, but then it's also about love and growth and seasons of life as we pass through them.

I didn't grow up with a sister, but this book makes me wish I had.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. Thank you to Coco Mellors for writing a really good book.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into this one!

If you've ever witnessed or admired the bonds of truly close-knit sisters–the inside jokes, the shorthand jargon, the steadfast loyalty, the depraved cruelty, the sometimes fierce, sometimes subtle acts of love that they willingly display for the full view of the world, then you'll appreciate the complicated siblings at the heart of Blue Sisters.

Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky are a year out from the unexpected death of their sister, Nicky. Scattered across the globe, they are further from one another than ever before. To say that they aren't coping well is an understatement. They've been hiding from the world and one another, growing secrets large and small. Implosions and explosions have been set in motion. Then, in an effort to outrun their problems and maybe reconnect, they find themselves back at their childhood home in New York City. 

Blue Sisters is such a lovely, moving character study that explores grief, addiction, and generational trauma. With such heavy themes, it could have 6 a melodramatic slog. Instead, Mellors sentimental prose, keen pacing, and all those hyper-realistic fights, disagreements, and conversations form a page-turner where plot takes a backseat to motivation and psychology. You can't help but be invested in these women, their relationships, and their futures.

It ended exactly as I thought it would. I closed the book completely satisfied with how and where they end up. I just love a book that leans into sentimentality and nostalgia without becoming overly saccharine. It’s triumphantly sweet, but it's not a fairy tale. I can’t praise Mellors’ prose enough. The language is elegant and elevated while also managing to be simple and accessible. 

The only complaint I can manage is that, occasionally, the chapters seemed long (do not read that as boring, though). I think that I would just start missing the other sisters, sometimes. 

The highest compliment I can say is that even with the gratifying closure that we're given, I'm so attached to these women that I wouldn't mind more…but, not a sequel, exactly. It would just be fun to revisit and catch up with one or all three of them in their post-epilogue lives.

Coco Mellors, you have broken down the complexities of sisterhood in a mere 400 pages. I commend you!

The sisters are written as people with stories that contribute to a family structure so we can see who these women are for themselves as well as through the eyes of their sisters (the most honest way to see someone). None of these characters are perfect. I noticed how the way you feel for Lucky throughout (rooting
for her, thinking Avery is too overbearing, etc) is how it feels having a younger sister. You stay gentle with them, even when it’s hard and they’re doing poorly. And you feel like a villian for caring about their wellbeing. You are constantly rooting for them, but never blaming them for their wrong doings. Excellent writing of this!

This story was a glimpse into the ways that grief manifests itself into our lives, whether direct feelers of grief, distant feelers, or even the lover of someone experiencing grief. This was so well done. Some might say it’s overstretched, but truly grief is so life altering in a way that you can only understand after experiencing it, but also wildly personal.

Other things done well in this novel are the glimpses of how our parents shape us in ways we don’t realize, parents using your successes as a way of deflecting their treatment of you (even if they were only trying their best), the uncomfortable realization that there is not always someone to blame and some things just are, the depiction of raw sisterhood (saying the meanest thing you could ever say to someone and then getting food together), the ways that motherhood feel so suffocating in society and how you should want kids even if you maybe don’t want kids, older daughter pain and sacrifice of giving it all up to be able to be there for your siblings and doing a million little things to keep everyone else a float while treading water yourself, and so much more.

I also want to commend Mellors for the dialogue between Avery and her mom. It is so raw and real. “I knew you would have one another. And the younger ones would have you.” This made me feel something I hadn’t felt before, truly such a heartbreaking and real reality of the ways that our mothers have had to think and the reality of what being an older sibling is. The older sister reflection of ‘what am I if not the one to take care of everything for my younger siblings? Who am I if not a resource and beacon to them?’

This is the best book I have read this year, and potentially my favorite of all time. This made me go re rate books i’ve read perviously bc no piece of writing has ever made me feel the way this has.

I am always going to be drawn to a sister story. I’m the third of four sisters so I knew going into this that this was going to be an emotional read… and Coco delivered that for sure. This story felt unbelievably real and raw and beautiful.

BRB gonna go text my sisters to make sure they know how much I love them.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

Blue Sisters is a remarkably well-crafted piece of literature. I found myself completely engrossed in the lives of Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky, as they grappled with the challenges following the tragic loss of their sister, Nicky. The narrative unfolds through the perspectives of these three characters, offering a multi-dimensional exploration of grief, familial struggles with addiction, and the pursuit of breaking detrimental cycles. The novel is infused with an abundance of authentic emotions, making it a must-read for enthusiasts of compelling family dramas.

Thank you Net Galley and Ballantine Books for the ARC to read and review.

Blue Sisters is one of those books where you read the last few words, put the book down and immediately want to scour the internet for the Author's other works so you can devour anything else they've put out into the world. I loved each of the sisters so much, each in their own way. Coco's ability to write about sisterhood is absolutely unmatched, I've never read anything so accurate when it comes to depicting relationships between sisters (speaking as a sister myself). Reading the book, I felt joy, grief, anger, remorse. So many familial layers were woven throughout this book, and I loved every second I spent reading it. I could keep on keeping on waxing poetic about this book, but I won't; just know this book is worth it.

Exceptionally average. That being said, I do look forward to some streaming service making this into a movie that I can watch on a lazy Sunday while cleaning house.

<i>Thanks NetGalley for sending the arc in exchange for honest review</i> 🫶🏻

a sister is not a friend. who can explain the urge to take a relationship as primal and complex as a sibling and reduce it to something as replaceable, as banal as a friend?

on the death anniversary of their youngest sister, the three blue sisters are reunited; but they struggle to connect in the absence of the centripetal baby of the family.

from the surface, it appears that each sister has managed to stay alive without living. tensions arise as they come together, the worst and best of one another being reflected, projected, and absorbed. while they all collectively struggle to find their way out of their own grief and shame, they're blinded by the harsh truths and destruction they've been hiding not only from one another, as well as themselves.

this book really surprised me. given the premise i was prepared for grief, love, and resentment, but caught off guard by the exploration of shame, addiction, and guilt. the relationships in the book are incredibly complex and layered and i found myself fluctuating between states of judgement and sympathy. i think all of the characters had strong development arcs and were lovable at their best and understandable at their worsts, but unfortunately suffered from some inconsistencies throughout. there were also moment that i feel deserved more time and interesting pacing, but overall the book flows well and nothing felt too rushed, partially thanks to the shifting perspectives of each chapter that worked very well in this book.

an affecting look at sisterhood, motherhood, and womanhood overall. thank you to netgalley and random house publishing for providing me with the digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions!

Four sisters, each possessing their own unique qualities, each descended from a fraught family environment compounded by addiction issues. As the book opens, it's been a year since their number was whittled down to three.

The Blue sisters, who were raised by eldest sister Avery since their mother was too wrapped up in their father's alcoholism to parent them, descend on New York City to go through their late sister's belongings before their former family home is sold. The sisters deeply love each other and fight dirty in a way only siblings can. This book beautifully illustrates how both addiction and grief manifest itself in different forms.

Rating: 4.5 stars!

Blue Sisters was raw and extremely detailed in telling the reader how the sisters came to be who they are. It follows three sisters dealing with their own secrets and insecurities all the while coming to terms with the death of their fourth sister Nicky.

It is told through the three sisters’ POVs and I was intrigued to find how through their stories, they brought Nicky to life. There are most definitely heavier topics discussed in this book such as depression, addiction, grief, and estranged loved ones. But I truly enjoyed reading about the Blue Sisters’ journeys of discovery and sisterhood.

The sisters were so wonderfully detailed in their individual characters. I would recommend this to friends

I’m really torn on Blue Sisters. It started really nicely for me and had some truly beautiful parts, but other chunks were agonizingly slow and hard to get through. So, the pacing (for me) wasn’t it.

I loved the story of the Blue sisters and how they’re all facing the aftermath of their sister, Nicky, dying. Their relationships with one another, their partners, and their parents were all fascinating and well-written. As an eldest sister, I could see myself—almost uncomfortably so—in Avery. All of their actions and reactions to events felt human and real. Excellent characterization in this book!

Overall, I give Blue Sisters a 3.5 (rounded to 4) out of 5. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars!

I loved Cleopatra and Frankenstein, so I couldn’t be more thankful to the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy of the authors newest.

Blue Sisters is a literacy fiction novel following three sisters—each one navigating grief and life to the best of their abilities. Told from the sisters POVs, I felt like I got to know these sisters like my own family. I knew their hopes and dreams, pain and fears. I hurt for them as they hurt. Chapters are long (30+ minutes) but this allowed enough time for readers to truly understand the sisters on a deeper level.

As an emo reader, I appreciated the exploration of heavier themes such as loss, addiction; and complicated families. A slow moving but tender story I wasn’t ready to leave. It didn’t quite have the emotional impact as Cleo and Frank but pretty dang close!

I love Coco Mellors and this book is no exception! Blue Sisters presents a gripping tale of sisterhood, grief, and redemption. The dynamic trio of Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky captivates readers with their distinct personalities and struggles, each navigating their demons while grappling with the loss of their fourth sister, Nicky. As they confront their past and the secrets they've buried, the narrative unfolds with emotional depth and authenticity. Hands down 4 stars - must read!

I just reviewed Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors. #BlueSisters #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Thank you random house and Ballantine books for the advanced digital copy of this book. I really enjoyed the exploration of complex family dynamics as 3 sisters come to terms with a recent death in their unique ways. The character development, and the bonds of the sisterhood were touching and heartfelt. A beautiful story of love and loss and the family bonds that keep us connected told from the perspective of each sister.

I sometimes find life so eerie.

I’ve been looking forward to @cocomellors’ newest title since last year, narrowly dodging book reviews and refusing to read the blurb because I wanted to start it with a blank head. As I write this, a certain strain of agony pits me, the kind of pain Coco writes about as she describes Nicky’s struggle with endometriosis. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow—an injection I receive every three months to manage the same kind of devastation Nicky could not escape unscathed. To say this book felt fated would be a wild understatement. It came to me at exactly the right time and place.

Once again, Coco dazzles—with the same kind of understanding and profundity of the human psyche and emotion. She weaves a tale of sisterhood and love; the kind you don’t choose, but has carved its permanence onto your skin. She talks about addiction and substance abuse with immense empathy, bringing light to an extremely important issue whilst maintaining that air of humanity.

She gives us a tale of four sisters—but she also gives us a love story; the kind that runs deep in your blood and pushes you up when life pulls you down; until you’re left, gasping for breath—the surface a tension you penetrate with immense relief. There’s grief and love and compassion and imperfection—the complexity of life as a woman, a sister, a friend, a lover, a human being.

It goes without saying that this is a 5, infinity book for me. The best I’ve read this year.

A thoughtful exploration of grief. Beautifully written; simultaneously intense and tender. Told through sisters figuring out how to navigate life individually and together after the sudden death of one sister, this story addresses complex relationships, love, childhood trauma, addiction and pain in such an emotional and realistic way.

Coco Mellors' writing style and prose reflect and truly capture the core and tragic beauty of emotions, thought and character experiences in a way that borders poetic. Like her previous book Cleopatra and Frankenstein, the New York City setting was written with such clear reverence and care that aided in understanding the characters’ roots and depth. Each sister is so flawed and human. It’s easy for readers to love and hate them at once.

Struggles and trauma are successfully displayed without glamorization or focusing on shock value. What these characters went through was complex and if not easy to relate to, was at the very least easy to empathize with. The way female pain (specifically endometriosis) was recognized and described in this book is a point to appreciate when such a topic is often misunderstood and underrepresented in media. Mellors found a way to translate the physical and mental pain and the heartbreaking desperation for relief that comes with it.

The sisters’ stories concluded in ways that made sense and felt real; highlighting the ongoing battles of life that can bring both pain and joy. I would definitely recommend Blue Sisters for the moving and meaningful journey it brings the reader on. I loved this story and I cannot wait to read more of Coco Mellors’ work in the future.

Side note: The cover of this book is beyond gorgeous. A true work of art.

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, NetGalley and of course Coco Mellors for this ARC! Blue Sisters releases Sep, 3, 2024!