Wow what a masterful description of having siblings. I grew up in a family of 4 children (although i was the only girl) and Mellors’ portrayal of it definitely struck a chord. Also having lost a family member to a painkiller addiction mixed with alcohol abuse it’s safe to say this book had me reeling. All three sisters we see are complex and relatable. It’s clever, witty, poetic, funny, and touching in all the best ways. I really enjoyed Cleopatra and Frankenstein but this has dethroned it as my favorite Coco Mellors book. She has swiftly become an autobuy author for me. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this before it releases in the U.S. but it’s safe to say I’ll be purchasing the paperback when it’s available. In addition to having wonderful stories inside, Coco Mellors books always have gorgeous covers. Looking forward to adding more of her works to my shelf in the future!

I will read anything coco writes, truly. And yet again she delivered a beautiful novel.

From the impecable covers to the story Coco’s books aways catch my eye and keep me with the writing. The paintings done on the covers are amazing. The version of Blue Sisters with all four sisters on the cover is stunning!!!! I will be buying that version of the book.

As the eldest of three sisters this book called to me. All three of us are so different just like the Blue sisters. The way Coco can fully form a character is amazing. Each sister is their own perosn, a full fledged person! Coco did a great job of flushing out each character paying attention to every detail that makes them a real human. Each one likable, relatable and flawed all at the same time. She has a great way of finding someone everyone can connect to.

I had so many feelings reading this story. There were many times where I identified with one sister over the other and then they would do something morally gray and I liked the other one more. Each character was so realistic, flaws and all! I think that is why I loved the story so much. I saw these real people who are dealing with growing up, grief, and closure. All the sisters are so differnt and took their upbringing, which wasnt amazing with frustrating parents, and chose a different path in life and handeled it differently.

This story was very relatable! Unfortunaly everyone deals with grief at some point in life and Coco was able to show various perspectives on it.

As a writer I love Coco’s voice, her writing is so beautiful and maticulous! I would read anything she writes! In fact I just started Cleopatra and Frankinstein.

Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Blue Sisters should have been a slam dunk read for me. Coco Mellors has a fresh narrative voice that throws readers into the thick of the Blue sisters' grieving process one year after the death of their sibling, Nicky. This process looks a bit different for each of them. Readers follow oldest sibling, Avery - a former addict turned lawyer with a penchant for always taking care of others more than herself - as she navigates a turbulent time in her marriage. Bonnie, the middle sister, has spent the year away from the boxing ring and feels very disconnected from the life she used to have. Lucky, the youngest, is a model caught in the throes of a drug and alcohol-fueled dependency. No one is thriving; each of them grapples with addiction issues in their own way. These issues correlate with their father's alcoholism, demonstrating the ways in which addiction go hand-in-hand with generational trauma.

As mentioned, there are a lot of good things happening here. However, the issue I found with this one is very similar to how I felt after reading Coco Mellors' debut, Cleopatra and Frankenstein: my interest in the writing was inconsistent. She's developed very complex characters (as was the case in her previous novel). I enjoyed her exploration of the complicated family dynamics at work, especially in light of this monumental change they have to collectively face. However, there were so many moments when I felt like her writing needed to be dialed in. That could just be my personal take; others may really enjoy the slower, roundabout pacing.

When I started reading this, I had a gut instinct it would be a four or five star read. Yet, in my opinion, the story got sort of lost along the way. I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for any follow-ups she writes, as I do think there is something very unique about her approach. I also loved reading the acknowledgements, as it's clear she put a lot of her own heart and soul into these characters and their situation. So, while I respect it and understand others giving this a higher rating, it just didn't totally work for me.

“As long as you are alive, it is never too late to be found”
Blue Sisters is the story of three sisters grieving, reconnecting, and learning to live life again after the death of their fourth sister.

I knew before I started this book that I would love it. It has two of my favorite themes in literature: addiction and grief. Add to that, it’s a Coco Mellors story and explores the complex relationships between four sisters and it was just bound to be a winner. It is complex, messy, and beautiful.

Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

BLUE SISTERS
Coco Mellors

What do our parents owe to us as their children that we do not at first owe to ourselves?

Does moving on mean letting go?

If we break free from the arms that hold us down, who will we turn to when we need to be held? Will we ever know the difference?

Avery is “sensible”, Bonnie is “stoic”, Lucky is “sharp and shy,” and Nicole is dead. It’s as devastating as that.

Bastille Day is approaching, it’s the fourth of July, it’s been exactly a year since Nicky died and no one feels free. They say the key to making someone feel like they have more freedom is to build a wider fence for them to roam within.

What fences are you surrounded by? Who built them?

If you’ve read Mellors before you might think she only writes about the complexities of a romantic relationship, but with BLUE SISTERS she shows her range and explores all aspects of love.

Reading BLUE SISTERS was like watching something appear out of thin air. Her character construction is perfection. Like a skilled painter, she at first uses big broad strokes, then goes in with finer details and what you get at the end is more beautiful because of that attention to detail. Because she went in and highlighted certain features and created shadows and depth and variation.

BLUE SISTERS is layered and complex and Mellor's talent for writing feels God-given. It was such a pleasure to read!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the advanced copy!

BLUE SISTERS…⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Blue Sisters’ has been at the top of my “Most Anticipated of 2024” list, so I was thrilled to receive an ARC. Let me tell you, this did not disappoint!

I only have one brother, so the dynamic between sisters has always fascinated me. Being a little on the competitive side, I would imagine that any sister and I probably would’ve butted heads our fair share of times. I can’t imagine that this hypothetical sister and I would’ve had quite the levels of drama that Avery, Bonnie, Nicky, and Lucky experienced though!

After the death of the third sister, Nicky, we are given a glimpse into the lives of those she left behind. The three surviving sisters are all deeply unique, yet they share many of the same struggles. Identity issues, addiction, self-sabotage, overwhelming grief…to name a handful. Whenever there are so many POVs, I worry they’ll start to blend together, or I’ll struggle to remember who is who. This was not an issue at all in ‘Blue Sisters’. I did definitely prefer one POV (Bonnie’s) to the other two, but Lucky and Avery had me feeling so many emotions! Often not completely happy emotions, but emotions nonetheless.

Coco Mellors is a new-to-me author, and her writing style captivated me from the very beginning. It’s gorgeous! I would not hesitate to read anything by her again, and I’m eager to see what she comes up with next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Wow. Words cannot express the feelings from this book. Coco Mellors truly takes you on an adventure of heartbreak, grief, love, and everything in between. I don’t have sisters personally, but I feel as if this book makes me feel as if I was one of the blue sisters and showed me just how pure the love between these 4 is. This is by far my favorite read of the year so far. My heart is shattered and mended all at the same time.

Tom Lake meets the Nest- Full of family drama, relationship struggles, and what happens when your sisters are your best friends. I loved this book and I loved how perfectly coco writes about females and their relationship with each other. Bonnie is the real hero.
This book has a little bit of everything, and I think it will speak to a lot of hearts- mothers, and sisters included. Cannot wait to gift a copy to my sister!

Blue sisters was a gripping story about these gals and their lives , some relatable in ways
Enjoyed this story the characters couldn’t put it down

Coco Mellors character depth is astounding in the very best way. This book follows three sisters as they grieve the loss of their sister. Switching between three points of view allows us as the reader to feel each character grieve and mourn in their own way while also delving into each sister's personal life. These characters are certainly not the most likable but they draw you in all the same and by the end you will be rooting for them. 5 stars.

I enjoyed Coco Mellor's debut a couple of years ago and remember thinking I couldn't wait to see how her sophomore book would shine. And this gem definitely shines. Mellor's has polished her writing style and honed her plotting, and given us a deep, emotional, gritty and beautiful story. I loved this book. As someone with 4 sisters, the sibling dynamics here spoke to me so sharply and so accurately, and I found myself tearing up towards the end. This one is going to be a big hit!

This tells the story of three sisters following the death of their middle sister the year prior. All three sisters have been dealing the grief in their own ways that can only be described as unhealthy. As we are taken through the different ways the women deal with their grief, we are also privy to their lives before. Blue sisters handle addiction and parental drama in such a beautifully tragic manner. You feel connected to these sisters and the dysfunctional bond they have created for themselves since childhood. Such an incredible look at sisterhood, overcoming addictions, and dealing with grief.

The story of four sisters, this book zeros in on what it means to be family. It details the unconditional love and indestructible bond between siblings, as well as the complexities of traditional birth order roles and emotionally absent parents.
It’s also the story of addiction— to substances, both purposefully and accidentally, and to pain; to teetering on the edge and the falling over into its depths.
In reading this novel, you yourself become one of the sisters, equally annoyed by and endeared to the Blues.

This is a quiet little book about four sisters and the impacts of their grief after their sister dies from an overdose. It explores grief on all levels—relational, familial, and relational—and how it fundamentally changes you and those around you.

The sisters make questionable throughout the book which many readers will not like or resonate with, but we get an honest view into their flawed sisterhood. Since this is written in multiple POVs, I connected with some characters more than others, but there's no doubt Coco Mellors can write. A wonderfully written sophomore novel that makes me more excited to pick up her debut which is currently sitting on my shelf.

Thank you NetGalley for an early advanced copy!

This was such an incredible book wowowowoww. Can not stop crying. The author is so good at taking you into the characters' world and showing their feelings and thoughts and story like WOWWWW. I seriously feel connected to all of these characters in some way, little aspects about them were huge aspects about me. The writing is also brilliant and the prose is so perfect to me. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time

I loved the writing in this Mellors’ debut, but the storyline wasn’t for me. I was excited to read her sophomore novel once I saw it was a completely different type of story. I was beyond impressed. Sibling relationships are complex, especially when trauma is introduced, and I believe the author truly encapsulates this in Blue Sisters. The “baby harmonica” scene is just one of the many examples of that. I ended the story genuinely caring about all 4 of the Blue sisters, through their ups and downs. The character development was incredible. Although the chapters were long, the pacing was great.

A beautiful story of sisterhood, womanhood and humanhood. Often times heavy, heartbreaking and frustrating but so beautiful at every turn. The content is tough at times but the resilience and strength of the characters is a bright spot through it all. There is truly nothing like the bond of sisters and seeing it play out in such unique circumstances was a special experience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

First, a huge thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Ballantine Books for the ARC of "Blue Sisters" by Coco Mellors in exchange for an honest review. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year after I unexpectedly fell in love with Coco's debut "Cleopatra and Frankenstein" and immediately knew that I'd add her books to the list of authors I'll always check out. "Blue Sisters" focuses on three sisters; Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky who are all navigating life after the loss of their sister Nicole. Each of the sisters is trying (and failing) in different ways to move on. Avery lives in London and experienced extreme lows with drug addiction before overcoming and becoming a lawyer. Avery lives with her wife and she's the oldest of the sisters who seems to have it together. Bonnie is a bodybuilder and the second oldest of the sisters who embraces her childhood trauma and guilt by welcoming physical pain to her body. Finally, Lucky lives in Paris and is a model. Lucky has many self-destructive tendencies and as the baby of the family, she was raised by Nicole. Besides Nicole, their mother is a force in their lives even though she doesn't appear in the book.

This book feels strangely intimate and tender. While it's not as juicy as her first book, it is a portrait of sisterhood and family scars. I am close with my sister and I wholeheartedly agree with the opening of the book that mentions that sisters are part of each other before we even realize it. She's more than a friend to me and I spend a lot of my time thinking about her. I love reading about intimate relationships between women and a group of sisters hit close to home. To some, this might seem like another book about a complex family but it's startlingly mature and written with a lot of heart.

I was hesitant to try this after Mellors’ debut novel, which I liked the writing of but found the many many POVs off putting and confusing. This worked so much better for me! I loved returning to the same characters over and these characters are so well fleshed out. I loved this one!

"Blue Sisters" is well written, and follows three sisters as they navigate the loss of a fourth sister. I've liked Coco Mellors' work since "Cleoptra and Frankenstein" and enjoyed this as well. Readers looking for a compelling book about sisters, grief, and resiliency will enjoy this. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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