This was one of the best books I've ever read. It's not easy to have four protagonists, but Mellors was able to paint a vibrant and complex inner world for every main character. I skipped work to finish it!

This book had been in my queue for way too long and I'm so glad I moved it to the top of the list. I love a good sister story--from the classic "Little Women" to the modern TV show "Bad Sisters." Each of the four sisters in this book had a distinct personality. I could see each of them clearly and understand their inner lives---tough for a writer to do! This book delves into addiction, family dynamics, the psychology of avoidance/denial, and the power of sisterhood. The relationship between siblings is always so interesting. They are often people we wouldn't choose as friends, but who end up enriching our lives in so many ways. Even fraught sibling relationships can show us who we are like no other relationship can. The writing in this book was beautiful and I can't wait for her next.

A truly miraculous, honest, and beautiful take on family, sisterhood, redemption, addiction, womanhood, grief, and more - and one of my favorite #bookcovers in a while, to boot.

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Four essentially estranged sisters, all of whom grew up on top of one another in a cramped New York City apartment, with their alcoholic father and unorthodox, detached mother, are as different as night and day. Avery - a former runaway and addict turned successful, workhorse corporate attorney. Bonnie, a former female boxing powerhouse whose life has turned into a hideaway of shame and loneliness as a Venice Beach dive bar bouncer. Nicky, the beloved, All-American sorority girl, pink lipgloss, sugar and spice sister, whose dreams of being a mother will never materialize. And Lucky - the youngest Blue who left home before 18 to pursue a modeling career, but whose partying and substances issues threaten to cripple her.

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When Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky are forced to come together again and face their choices and demons, in the aftermath of Nicky’s unexpected death, with all of their lives unraveling, they are reached forced to remember what love and sisterhood truly mean.

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Absolutely phenomenal read.

Coco Mellors has captured the unique experience of sisterhood in a way that is both brutally honest and achingly poignant. The dynamics between the sisters felt so messy and human in a way that really grounded the story. Coco Mellors has a way with words and can sum up complex human experiences with a brevity that packs a punch.

I rated it the way I did, not because of a lack of quality writing, but because I found it difficult to sit with the story for too long before needing a break. This is a well written book, just not the best book for me.

I was initially super excited to read this because I loved Cleopatra and Frankenstein but this just didn't resonate with me. The writing felt very stilted and I found myself struggling to finish this. Honestly, I just didn't really care enough about the characters and the sisters just started to blend together after awhile.

I am a sucker for a family drama, especially one with sisters. Mellors does an excellent job painting individual portraits of these four women, all of whom are complex in their desires and motivations.

Blue Sisters is an emotional rollercoaster in the best possible sense. Coco Mellors has a sharp, empathetic eye for family dynamics, and the bond between the sisters—messy, complicated, and deeply loving—felt incredibly real. The characters are flawed in ways that make them feel alive, and I found myself caring about each of them even when I didn’t agree with their choices.

The writing is vivid and raw, with just the right mix of humor and heartbreak. Mellors does a great job balancing the heavier themes (grief, addiction, identity) with moments of levity and tenderness that hit surprisingly hard. It’s a story about loss, yes, but also about resilience, reconnection, and the strange ways love shows up.

I knocked off one star only because the pacing felt uneven at times—some sections really pulled me in, while others meandered a bit or felt slightly overstuffed. Still, I couldn’t put it down for long.

If you enjoy character-driven stories about messy families and emotional growth, this one’s a strong pick. It’s chaotic, cathartic, and deeply human.

Cleopatra and Frankenstein was one of my favorite books of the year when it came out, but this one was just not meant for me unfortunately :( I really wanted to love another Little Women inspired sisters book, but I’m also getting kind of tired of it, especially after reading Hello Beautiful earlier this year (which I loved). I didn’t connect with the addiction part of this book, and I found the sisters really hard to like. It was just too sad of a book for me, and maybe I was just not in the right place mentally for this book, but I could see how someone else might really like and connect with it.

I am surprised not just by how much I enjoyed this book but also by how much it has stuck with me in the couple of weeks between finishing it and finally sitting down to write this review. The Blue Sisters got under my skin and haven't let me go. Avery, Nicky, and Lucky all have their own problems, to the point where it sometimes does not seem realistic. But yet it somehow all works. They feel like real people, not just characters in a book, with all their flaws and complicated dynamics. I loved reading as they all came together over grief and worked through their problems, both individually and as siblings. I would happily read a sequel about these sisters.

I had hoped there would be more distinctive voices between the sisters, but I had a hard time with that. At times the story felt repetitive to me, Otherwise I really loved the story itself and getting to be a part of the family dynamics.

Bring out your napkins! This book will bring out your ugly tears and is guaranteed to tear your heart open. Each connection with the characters may resonate with your own life story, vices, resentments, family problems, and redemptions. The powerful, genuine, and profound story of the Blue Sisters Saga is a must-read!

This was a good one. Each of the three sisters had such interesting stories that I was ok with jumping to different POV’s the whole time. I appreciated how realistic the ending was too. If you have sisters, or even siblings, this one will definitely hit a chord. Thank you to @netgalley for my copy!

I’ve been hearing about this one for a bit now, and I’m so glad I read it! This story about three sisters dealing (and not dealing) with the recent loss of their fourth sister was sad but ultimately hopeful.

this book nailed sisterhood. emotional, sharp, and with beautifully elaborate characters, it was a brilliant read.

Heartbreaking and transformative. This book takes the reader through an emotional slog of family and personal trauma. Each sister finding her own way in a family dynamic that has been ripped apart. I was equally fascinated by each of the Blue sisters. I found myself wanting them all to find their peace.

Thank you to NetGalley with Ballantine Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This writing style of this book was amazing. I did not want it to end. I did not love the long chapters, but it didn't impact my reading experience negatively. I felt so attached to all of the characters and could have stayed in this story for forever.

I loved a book about messed up people.

I appreciate books that explore grief. It’s unfortunately something that everyone will have to go through at some point, and every single person deals with it differently.

Also, I’ve said it 1000x, but I love a character study. These sisters couldn’t be more different from each other- but also so similar in a lot of ways!

It touched on a lot of big topics, but it did it well! And I liked how it ended. It needed some hope.

I don’t have any sisters, but I do have 3 brothers, and I know if any of us passed we would all be a lot different. Obviously something I don’t want to think about too much though!!

4.5 stars. This book was everything I could’ve wanted from a sibling story. The discussion of grief, cycles of abuse, and cycles of substance abuse were so fascinating and important. I feel like a person who understands the world better for having read this story.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

blue sisters is a book i would truly recommend everyone read. it explores the topics of addiction, grief, and sisterhood in a way that is both lyrical and personal. mellors' writing style is truly unique and oftentimes while reading i felt as if i was part of the story's world myself. as someone who grew up desperately wishing i had a sister of my own, this was such an enjoyable read and one i am so glad i had the opportunity to read.

thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.