BLUE SISTERS, the second novel from Coco Mellors, proves that Mellors is just getting started as a powerhouse novelist. I really liked CLEOPATRA AND FRANKENSTEIN, but BLUE SISTERS is great on a whole different level.

The story is about the four Blue sisters, one of whom died a year ago. The other 3 have scattered to the wind, leaving behind their New York City roots. Lucky is a model in Paris, Avery is a lawyer in London, and Bonnie is a boxer and club bouncer in LA. When they have to go back to New York to clean out their childhood apartment, where their sister Nicky died, family secrets, resentments, and bad blood is drudged up upon reunion.

I really enjoyed getting lost in Mellor's beautiful writing, and digging into these characters. They are developed so well, and I had a hard time putting the book down to be away from them. The content is heavy at times, but that doesn't make the story fun, especially since these sisters are feisty and ultimately loveable. This is obviously a must-read for those with sisters, but I know it's also just going to be a big hit hands down when it's released this fall.

A moving depiction of the horrific isolation of deep and abiding grief, and how even those with the same claim to the deceased--sister--experience the loss in such different ways that it causes separation rather than unity.

What a true portrayal of grief after losing a close family member. Each sister is so different yet the thing they have in common is that family is everything, even though they had terrible parents. I love this line - “That was family, she thought sadly, the root of all comfort and chaos “. Examines some of the mistakes we make as humans. A really lovely story. I enjoyed reading about each of them. A new author for me to watch for!

This is my first Coco Mellors book (unlike everyone else, I have not had the chance to read ‘Cleopatra and Frankenstein’) so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but this was a poignant read that I surprisingly blew through considering the slower pace and heavy subject matter. I connected with all of the sisters, frustrating as they were at times. I also think having siblings - especially sisters - will made reading this resonate even more. Would recommend this book and I’m looking forward to reading more from the author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!

I loved this book so much. As we follow the POVs of Bonnie, Lucky, and Avery, and learn about Nicky from their stories, I felt like I could see a bit of myself in every character. I love Coco Mellors’s writing style and the way she navigates a story. I have 1 younger sister, and found myself wanting to call her and both tell her I love her and fight with her as I made my way through this book. There is nothing like a sister relationship, and this novel does a wonderful job painting the intricacies of its highs and lows. This is definitely a tender book, touching on themes of grief, family, addiction, cycles, and love.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

Loved this dysfunctional family’s stories and journey as they approach the anniversary of the death of a beloved sister. The three remaining sisters must navigate their own dysfunctional behaviors and reflect on their relationships with each other and their parents. Not a page turner, but I could not put it down.

“It was true. Being one of four sisters always felt like being part of something magic.”

“She was home, the only one she knew, not because she always lived in it, but because it always lived in her.”

“Some primal and atavistic part of herself was never at peace until she was with one of her sisters.”

Coco Mellors blew me away with this tale of the four Blue sisters. The novel takes place a year after one of four sisters has suddenly passed away. We see how each sister, lost with out their 4th counterpart, tries to dig themselves and each other out of their grief. It is a beautifully written book that illustrates all the wonderment of being a sibling and all the disaster that accompanies such raw and gut-wrenching grief. I loved Frankenstein and Cleopatra, but I LIVE for Blue Sisters. Amazing book; highly recommend.

This book did have very good portrayals of grief, addiction, infidelity, and mental health struggles. I think Coco Mellors did a very good job at portaying these extremely complex and emotionally heavy topics very well. However, I felt as though the book was very rushed towards the end, even though it felt like a very long book. She wrote it very well and this was a slow read, but not in a bad way. It is just a book where it deserves your time and attention because of how much detail Coco puts into this book. I still felt as though the ending was very rushed and a lot was not included, when I wish it would be. The chapters were also very long which made me feel like I had to finish chapters and get tired of reading halfway through, but I am the type of person who can't just stop in the middle of the chapter.

Overall, the topics discussed were all accurately portrayed in my opinion. However, the chapters could have been shorter and I wish I saw more of what was happening with the other two sisters during the last chapter of the book.

Blue Sisters is a beautiful and deeply sad novel about the special bond of sisterhood, as told through the lives of Avery, Bonnie and Lucky Blue.

Each sister has been reeling since the loss of their fourth sister, Nicky, exactly a year ago. Avery is a posh attorney, living with her wife in a bourgeois section of London. As the oldest, Avery has acted as the mother, a perfectionist, and someone who can’t let the cracks in her facade show. Bonnie is a professional boxer. But she hasn’t boxed since Nicky died, instead bartending in a hip locals bar in Venice Beach, California. And Lucky is a model, not exactly living anywhere, traipsing from one party to another. Each sister has been trying to hold it together, but failing and terrified to admit it to the others. In Blue Sisters, we see them come together and move apart, over and over, as they move through their grief. Alcoholism and addiction are a strong thread, as is family strife.

I absolutely loved this book. Coco Mellors’s writing is beautiful. The descriptive metaphors are smart and spot-on. The characters were so easy to love, feel empathy for, and root for. Once I started reading this book, I didn’t want to stop. I immediately added Mellors’s first novel to my library holds!

Highly recommended, going on my favorites shelf. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite quotes:
Kids who grew up with loving fathers had the same starry-eyed softness as kids raised in places like Malibu, those homes of eternal sunshine. They never had to toughen up. Lucky had this theory that having a bad dad was like growing up in a place with a long, rough winter. It hardens you. It also prepares you for reality, which is that summer is a season, not a lifestyle, and most men will hurt you if they get the chance. Or maybe it was only the people who grew up with bad dads who believed that.

“Living in L.A. is like dating a really beautiful person who has nothing to say,” said Avery. “It’s fine for a while because, you know, look at them, but eventually you’re going to realize you need to be around people who read books and have their real noses.”

Avery had previously thought love was built on large, visible gestures, but a marriage turned out to be the accrual of ordinary, almost inconsequential, acts of daily devotion—washing the mugs left in the sink before bed, taking the time to run up or downstairs to kiss each other quickly before one left the house, cutting up an extra piece of fruit to share—acts easy to miss, but if ever gone, deeply missed.

Trying to make a single glass of wine last for an entire meal, eking out tiny little sips and pretending to enjoy the taste rather than chase the effect, was worse than not drinking at all.

Her mother’s idea of being helpful was unsolicited criticism delivered swiftly, seemingly from nowhere, like getting hit by a dart in dark. By the time you realized you were punctured, the next one had usually been thrown.

In England there was a saying used by football fans: It’s the hope that kills you. A loss is always more bitter if you let yourself dream of victory first. Low expectations, that’s how the Brits liked to live. Protectiveness dressed up as pragmatism. It was how their mother always operated. But Avery was American. She believed in hope, had eaten it for breakfast along with Frosted Flakes and local news segments about everyday people who jumped onto subway tracks to save perfect strangers. And nothing was more hopeful than sobriety.

This book, "Blue Sisters", revolves around the story of three sisters who are trying to navigate their complex relationships and personal lives after the death of their sister. The book explores the unique bond that sisters share, highlighting the idea that sisters may not always share clothes but would be willing to make significant sacrifices for each other.

Despite the heavy subject matter, the novel offers a somewhat enjoyable reading experience by the way it took me through different cities like Paris, London, New York, and L.A. Each sister's journey in these locations reflects their desperate search for a sense of home after their sister's death. Absolutely beautifully executed and I thoroughly loved that!

The author, Mellors, fearlessly delves into the difficult aspects of life, particularly grief and its varied manifestations in different individuals. The novel also focuses on addiction and the determination to break the cycle of addiction within a family.

"Blue Sisters" is a heartfelt and emotionally tender book that will resonate with anyone who has sisters. And it deeply touched my heart! I felt so seen in so many ways. It explores themes of letting go, moving on, and learning how to live again.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Wow! I loved this book so much. Definitely going to order for my branch and hope to use it as a book club pick once hype dies down. Lovely story about three sisters dealing with the aftermath of their sister's death. Told in alternating viewpoints over multiple periods of time.

4.5 stars! thank you to net galley for an e-arc ❣️

this was my first introduction to coco mellor and this was a treat. warning, the chapters were pretty long, but they usually ended with the plot accelerating so you'd immediately want to jump into the next one.

i did not have the privilege of being born to sisters, so i am sure this book would hit even harder had i grown up with them but i think this book does have something for everyone.

i typically don't enjoy epilogues in books either but this one was very sweet and wrapped everything up nicely.

i definitely recommend this!

They were meant to be four…

I thought this book was fantastic. Mellors' writing is gripping, raw, and emotional, making it hard to put down.

The book follows three estranged sisters as they navigate life after the first anniversary of their sister's untimely death. When their parents decide to sell the family home in New York—a place filled with significant memories—the three sisters reunite and confront their strained relationships. The story unfolds across Paris, London, New York, and LA, revealing how their lives have been affected since their sister's death.

Mellors' writing makes it impossible not to love these characters. Each sister is unique yet flawed, with their grief portrayed so vividly—it consumes and pulls people apart, yet it can also bring them together. I admired how Mellors explored the complexities of sibling relationships and appreciated the portrayal of the realities of addiction, family cycles of addiction, and the role grief plays in addiction.

Mellors' writing is amazing, filled with so much emotion and depth. This is my first book by Coco Mellors, and I'm happy to say it won't be my last.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

T his is the best book I will have read all year. I want to thank NetGally and Random House publishing for the ability to read this ARC!

WOW where do I even begin? I related so closely to this novel as the oldest daughter of 3 siblings and who also has addiction in their family. The Blue Sisters comprise of Avery, Bonnie, Nicky and Lucky. All of the sisters were written so poignantly - Avery is the classic older sister/ mother figure to her sisters due to an absentee mother who demands that everyone believes she is perfect externally, but inside she is struggling to find who she is outside of her family; Bonnie is a quiet, peacekeeping middle child who is trying to keep everyone together; and Lucky the flighty, wild child youngest daughter who relies on her instincts and street smarts. We meet these three sisters a year after Nicky, the perfectly ballet slippers pink girls girl quietly acting as the glue keeping them all together, dies from an overdose. The three sisters are navigating their new place in the world after 1/4th of them is gone, what they truly want out of their lives now that the dynamic has shifted, and how they must deal with their own addiction issues. From LA, Paris and NYC, I loved how the narratives wove together to find each other seamlessly throughout the story and fell in love with every single character I came across (even insufferable Troll Doll). Listening to the sisters describe Nicky through memories and how Nicky made an impact on each of their lives moved me to tears. Grief, substance abuse and hopefulness was touched on flawlessly. I laughed, I cried and I was left with so much hope for the future of these characters and my own relationships. I will absolutely be purchasing a hard copy of this book in September!

What a gift, to be able to see life through the lens of the four who became three Blue Sisters. Bearing witness to the most vulnerable, raw, and honest moments of their sisterhood truly took my breath away at times. I found myself picking this up, reading a chapter, and taking a moment to sit with those feelings. After falling hard for Mellors' Frankenstein & Cleopatra, I was on edge, wondering if this book could live up - Let me tell you, it didn't just meet expectations; it shattered them. Mellors has this magic touch that pulls you right into the story, making you feel every high and low alongside her characters. It's been a long time since a book has grabbed me like this. This is easily my favorite read of the year so far, and I'm so excited to see what comes next!

I can't wait to re-read this with friends, look out for this release September 3rd!

Thank you so much to Ballantine Books/Coco Mellors/NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of my most anticipated books for the year. Going into it, I had extremely high hopes, and it did not disappoint. I can't remember the last time I have read a book like this. It's realistic, complicated and simply beautiful. These characters were so well written and complex. I thought I would prefer one over the others. However, I loved every single one. They were so real, messy, and brilliant. The topics of childhood trauma, addiction, and grief were handled in such a delicate and phenomenal way. I loved everything about this. One of my favorite books for this year. Coco Mellors is an incredible writer and I highlighted so many beautiful sentences. This story will stick with me for a very long time.

(Got this as an ARC on #NetGalley.) Coco Mellors does it again with creating complicated and flawed characters that you can’t help but love and root for. This explores the complicated feelings of grief, familial love and romantic love, childhood trauma, addiction, and more. I found myself hurting for the sisters and hoping for their journeys to lead to a happy ending even through it all. I enjoyed getting the different internal looks at the sisters and the similarities of each other despite their differences. Beautifully written.

This was a story about the complicated relationship between the four Blue sisters. Although they were completely different personalities, they had one thing in common - they were each addicted to something - drugs, boxing, alcohol, shoplifting. When one of the sisters dies and their parents eventually decide to sell the NYC apartment they grew up in, the sisters need to come together to continue grieving both their sister and their apartment. They had drifted apart over the years, so this was more difficult than it sounded. I did tire of reading so much about the girls' addictions and that's the main reason I didn't give the book a higher rating. Many thanks to Ms. Mellors, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the ARC of this title.

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the e-ARC! This will be releasing in Sept 2024 in the US.

This was phenomenal. I would give this 6-stars if I could. This is one of those books you hope to see become a movie a some day. It's that good. Following Coco Mellors' also amazing debut novel, Cleopatra & Frankenstein, this too didn't fall short.

The story starts with the introduction of three estranged sisters, Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky having recently lost their fourth sister, Nicky. The sister who despite all their differences brought them all together. Each sister facing their grief from this tragedy while living their tumultuous lives eventually meet to sort out Nicky's belongings in their childhood apartment in NYC.

There really is nothing like a sibling bond and Coco Mellors captured this bond so beautifully. While it brings topics of addiction and recovery, they lean on each other for support in their own journey. This story is told in three POVs, each having their own and I thought I would prefer one over the other but I loved reading them all. To see how each of them had a relationship with Nicky that was unique to them...I mean Bravo. It was like reading a ticking time bomb go off and when it finally does, you're so invested , you feel for all of them.

Coco's writing is truly like no author I've ever read. The amount of highlights is almost laughable but her words have a way of really resonating. This was the case for Cleopatra & Frankenstein as well. She is now an auto-buy author for me. :)

While I initially found this book enjoyable, my interest disappeared by about the halfway point. The lack of paragraph breaks and excessively long chapters made it a chore to read. Additionally, I struggled to connect with the characters, and found myself simply wanting the book to end.

The mention of an israeli character felt unnecessary and even insensitive, especially given the current situation of the genocide happening in Palestine.