I received an advanced listener copy of The Other March Sisters. I enjoyed this book. It was fun to hear a different take on a beloved classic. The LGBTQ representation was an interesting take on a classic story!

Thank you NetGalley and Recorded Books for this ARC Audio Copy!

When I saw this was a book with characters from the Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, I knew that I would have to read it.
A retelling with the lesser-known sisters, Amy, Meg, and Beth. It was really interesting how each sister was written by a different author; it really gave each of sisters a unique voice.

Thank you to the author, publisher, & Net Galley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked learning about the lives of Amy, Meg and Beth. I think the book moved a little slow. I would have liked to have seen a reunion with all the sisters. If you loved Little Women then you will like reading about the sisters.

I really enjoyed this audiobook that details the perspectives of the other March sisters from Little Women, Amy, Meg and Beth. They share their secret hopes and dreams and aspirations as well as fears through interactions with friends and family as well as through letters to each other. The narrators for the audiobook were engaging and gave unique voices to each of the characters. The characters' stories touch on many timely, relevant topics such as women's bodily autonomy, career/life choices, choosing who to love or share your life with. These are often thought of as "modern" ideas, but they have actually been experienced throughout time, but often with less openness or discussion or acceptance depending upon the cultural norms of the period or place. It seems relevant this period as when at the time, the sisters were discussing women's right to vote and their mother was involved in the movement. The only piece I felt was missing from this telling was a bit from Jo--how was she faring in New York? What did she think of her sisters' choices? How was her relationship with her mother? I wish there had been a glimpse through correspondence with the sisters and Jo. I do appreciate that the story ended with a glimpse of the other sisters' futures and life directions, ending on a satisfying note.

See Amy, Meg, and Beth March -- the sisters of Louisa May Alcott's fictional self, Jo March -- as never before with this speculative continuation/counterpart of the the Little Women story. Art student Amy seeks true happiness while studying abroad. Meg finds fulfillment outside of marriage and motherhood, in her garden. Beth strives to be more than the "house angel" despite the lingering effects of illness.

I was leery going into this audiobook. Little Women is one of my all-time favorite books and I feared I would either end up hating it or this alternate take on it, or both. Ultimately, I think The Other March Sisters is, at best, giving Jo's siblings the happy endings (or as close to HEA as they can get) that they deserve. Out of all the sisters, I always thought that Beth got the short end of the stick, not just because of her fate in Little Women but because she's portrayed as meek and mild and perfect. Her character was so underdeveloped in Alcott's descriptions. So to see her chasing her bliss in this book was really cool. Amy, too, deserved better. I didn't really like her at all in Little Women, and she gains so much depth through this story. I appreciated seeing too what Meg might have been up to after she married and had children. The characterization of Marmee shocked me, but not necessarily in a bad way. Just a more realistic one.

Some might think this is too progressive a work of fiction to flesh out the other March sisters, but Little Women itself was pretty ahead of its time. So, bravo to the trio of authors who attempted it. My only complaint might be that it started slow with Amy hob-knobbing with a bunch of society people.

All three narrators did excellent work voicing their characters.

Trigger warnings: a scene involving abortion and a brief mention of SA.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Like millions of other readers, I love Little Women. It was one of the first novels I read as a child and I know these characters inside and out. I have read other books and reimaginings of these characters and their quality has been gread to not so good. This one is definitely in the middle. I like the basic concept of what was happening to the three lesser known March sisters while Jo was away in the city. Meg's story in particular was interesting and I wish we had more time with that plotline. Amy's story was rather forgetable although I think we spend most time with her. She was in her head more than anything and it wasn't especially interesting there. Beth's story really felt like Beth's voice only amplified and I thought that was intriguing. I can believe that inside she was wanting to have more for her life than being the kind, sick sister. The problem may be in that this was written by three different authors. Marmee felt like a different character in each of the three stories. There is an LGBTQ+ theme woven throughout which is great and I love to see it, however when 3/5 of the main characters from the original book are a part of that community, it causes a horrible suspension of belief. Jo, yes, I think we all can agree that she was bi/gay or even ace. The other sister in particular felt out of left field and it just didn't feel honest to the original story at all. 3.5 stars.

This is a delightfully fun reimagining of one my favorite stories (Little Women), told in the perspectives of Amy, Meg, and Beth. Is it 100% accurate as to how Louisa May Alcott would have told the story or even how I imagine the stories of these three women playing out? Of course not! Readers will be sorely disappointed if they go into this read expecting it to be precisely as Louisa May Alcott would have written it. Instead, that is the charm and appeal of The Other March Sisters. It takes the characters, setting, and story that has captivated so many, and adds new (and sometimes modernized) aspects.

I especially loved the retelling in Amy’s perspective. As a huge Jo fan, I still always felt the Amy/Laurie side of Little Women was not properly explained or fully developed in Little Women, so it was very satisfying and fun to read this reimagined filling in of those gaps. The authors captured the characters very well, making for an enjoyable and cozy read.

Thank you to Linda Epstein, Ally Malinenko, Liz Parker, Kensington Publishing, RB Media, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

I absolutely love a retelling of a classic story or novel. And this one absolutely did not disappoint.

It gives the reader a lot to think about going through Beth and Beth and Meg's possible story lines. I love that the reader kept with historical and characters while instilling a modern Twist on the very real possibilities of these little women. The storytelling was excellent and made me love these classic characters even more.

The Other March Sisters by Linda Epstein, Ally Malinenko, and Liz Parker is a reimagining of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, focusing on Meg, Beth, and Amy March, who often remain in the shadow of Jo, the protagonist of the original novel. This historical fiction novel gives each sister her own voice and story, exploring themes of societal expectations, personal ambition, and identity.
The book delves into Meg's struggles with domesticity and her rediscovery of purpose through gardening, Beth's quiet longing for independence despite her illness, and Amy's journey in Europe as she balances her artistic aspirations with familial expectations. By leaving Jo off the page, the authors allow the other sisters to shine, revealing their complexities and inner lives through intimate moments and correspondence.
Praised for its imaginative storytelling and emotional depth, The Other March Sisters offers a fresh perspective on the beloved characters of Little Women. If you're a fan of historical fiction or enjoy exploring untold stories of familiar characters, this book might be a captivating read. Have you read Little Women or other retellings inspired by it?

Thank you Netgalley for the audio ARC of this novel. As a fan of "Little Women" I was immediately intrigued by this new story about the March sisters. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it as much as I'd hoped. I was expecting the authors to follow the story of the sisters, but with a few imaginings of their own, not a complete and total change of the characters and who they were in the original. I guess I should have done more research into the authors themselves and the agenda they had in mind. I would not recommend this for anyone who loved the original story by Louisa May Alcott.

I read Little Women as a teenager and it has always been my favorite classic, so I was really excited about this one. Sadly, I was disappointed. While I completely get that this is not the same story and it is told from a completely different point of view from the original (hence, the title), the tone and the mood was just way too different for me. I didn’t feel like it honored Louisa May Alcott’s work the way it should have. I wanted to love it, but it just fell short. Thank you to NetGalley and to RBmedia for the opportunity to listen to this free advance recording of The Other March Sisters.

I got this as an audio arc on Netgalley an it has since come out. Very good narration but even better story. Have you ever wondered what it would look like to queer up Little women and change perspectives. Cause that is this book and it is good. This book shows that who is telling the story matters.

A retelling of Little Women (my favorite classic), this story reimagines the same characters in a new light. It’s stated at the very beginning that a few additions were made based on discovered correspondences. Beyond that, it introduces new races and genders to the original characters—a positive step for inclusivity, though I’m unsure if it was entirely necessary. (I’ll admit, I’m biased toward the original story.)

Putting that aside, I absolutely loved how these characters stood up for themselves rather than simply submitting to their circumstances. They had opinions, strong viewpoints, and a determination to make themselves seen. I appreciated that the story gave equal importance to all three sisters, each with her own passion to pursue (besides Jo). Even Beth’s role had a spark of wildness to it.

I enjoyed the audiobook narration—the delivery was passionate and brought the characters to life with a wide cast. Finally, it ended on a sweet note that left me feeling content

Thank you to #netgalley for this advanced reader copy. I used to live two blocks from Orchard House on Hanscom Air Force Base. I have been interested in all of the history and writers from Lexington and Concord Massachusetts ever since. This novel changes the point of view from Jo in Little Women's to the other March sisters' point of view. It is a retelling of which you will be interested, and it had me thinking about it when I wasn't reading. It was thought-provoking and entertaining. I will say, though, that there were lulls and points in the book that lost my attention. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I couldn't give it 5 stars.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

I read Little Women many, many years ago and I’ve watched the movie adaptations so I was hesitant going into a retelling with the other three sisters points of view, but I really enjoyed this.

This book gives Meg, Beth and Amy the spotlight and talks about Jo from a new perspective. I think the authors did an excellent job weaving in the familiar plot points and characters of the original novel and maintaining the same tone while offering readers a repackaged, yet interesting story.

My opinion on this book may differ from a lot of other readers. I read Little Women for the first time in preparation to read The Other March Sisters. I do not have the lifelong love for Little Women like most, so I was not put off with changes made to the March Sisters stories like others were. I really enjoyed this queer reimagining.
Beth’s story was special since we didn’t get much at all from her perspective in the original text. I loved being in her head and getting to imagine a path I wouldn’t have considered for her.
I also really loved digging into Meg’s struggles in married life more. I loved the book In the Shadow Garden by Liz Parker, which was why I wanted to read this book she co-authored. It was clear Meg’s story was written by her. I loved Meg rediscovering her passions with gardening and helping other women.
Amy’s story was my least favorite, but still interesting. Overall this was such a unique take on a well loved classic. It won’t be for everyone, but I enjoyed it!

((Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for access to the audiobook))

I love the idea of an updated retelling of the March sisters but just wasn’t a fan of the direction the author took their stories. It strayed quite a bit from what I believe the original author intended.

The Other March Sisters shares insight to what was going on with Meg, Beth, and Amy while Jo was in New York, a part of the sisters lives that was heavily glossed over because Jo wasn't around to really write about it. It's written in sections, so you read about Amy's life, then Meg's life before moving to Beth, then finally back to Amy. The book does rely on you having some background level of familiarity with the overall story, but I would say watching the movies would work if you've not read the book. I have read the book, but it's been too long, honestly.

Essentially, we're reading about Amy in Europe being courted by... Frank? Fred? One of them, for sure. She's also engaging in her art and trying to learn as much as she possibly can. Then she hears from Laurie and he's upset about something that went down with Jo. Her story takes us around Europe with Amy trying to figure out if she's going to do what Marmie wants her to do and marry well or if she's going to choose herself and pursue her art. I liked Amy's section, though I didn't always love her narrator. I had to adjust to her narration style both times as we both start and end with Amy.

With Meg, her section was hands down my favorite. I could have read an entire book about Meg and what her plot line has her pursuing. Basically, we start out with her being really unfulfilled by her life as a mother to twins and a husband who basically just keeps going to a friend's house after work and who got super mad at her for spending money on a dress. She still has her best friend who gifts her a book about herbs and a nice dress and somehow this turns into Meg starting to garden and make things from the herbs that she's growing there. She also gets into an argument with Marmie that really changes how you wind up thinking about Marmie, alongside what Amy's storyline entails. I absolutely adored Meg's section.

Then, with Beth, we're following her while she's still at home, without her sisters. Her health is still very up and down, but there's a new woman in town and Beth is immediately fascinated by her. This winds up with the sweetest sapphic love story between them that I absolutely adored. Also, Beth is angry, but tries so hard to still be sweet and I really enjoyed seeing that side of her too.

Overall, I think that this book does a truly fantastic job at what it set out to do, but I found myself truly just wanting an entire book about Meg along these lines, which sort of interfered with my enjoyment of the entire book. But if you're a Little Women fan, you should definitely pick this one up! And then come back and share with me your thoughts. As for whether or not you should read it with your ears or your eyeballs, I think my solution of doing a mixed read was a great solution because some of the narrators worked better for me than others. But as always, I love the ease of reading with my ears so I did mostly listen and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have done so.

The other March sisters tell the story of Meg, Beth, and Amy from their own points of view, not from Joe's.
In this book we have the opportunity to see what they where actually doing while Joe is away in New York, the friendships they have developed with other people and how they see the world in which they live in.
This book is very well written and engaging. However, if you are a fan of the original story, you might feel like this story takes place somewhere in the multivers of the March sisters.
It definitely breaks traditions and is shown in a more of a twenty-first century lens, so keep that in mind when reading

This was a really cute take on what happened with the other March girls not seen through Jo's eyes. I was saddened by the view of Meg and John but was pleased with how things came out between them. Beth and her story will never not make me sad and getting more from her POV just made it that much sadder. And Amy, I love what the other interpretations of her are doing. She's not just the spoiled youngest child, I love seeing her with depth. Really enjoyed this story and definitely recommend for other Little Women fans.