Sister of Mine

This is definitely a 4-5 star thriller. Really delves into that sister bond, and what people will do to protect their sisters. It's a very twisty thriller, with many shocks and surprises, but one that makes sure the reader is engaged and continues.
Will highly recommend in Chapter Chatter Pub closer to release date!

An acclaimed professor at Ryerson University in Toronto, Dr. Laurie Petrou has written a book that won a literary prize before it was even published. “Sister of Mine” was awarded the Half the World Global Literati Award, a substantial literary prize that honors unpublished work featuring women as lead characters. After reading the novel, I applaud the decision of the celebrated panel that sorted through entries from 59 countries before making the award.

“Sister” is a riveting thriller that examines family loyalty, secrets between loving siblings, deception, and the ever-threatening threat of exposure of committing a deadly crime. Petrou, a neophyte writer, pulls it off with great dexterity while displaying a talent that is astounding.

The first pages of the book describe the death of Penny’s abusive husband in an intentionally set fire. The incident constitutes a secret shared by her and Hattie, her younger sister, a secret that churns throughout their life. As Petrou discusses in a blog, where is the limit of keeping a secret? In this book, that limit is stretched over and over, with a devotion that each sister has for the other keeping lips sealed … at first. But cracks appear in the wall caused by increasing tension, the suspicions in human nature, and increasing annoyances. The bond begins to crumble. The characters are motivated by an overwhelming sense of honor to each other but that slowly changes into destructive divisiveness. The suspense of the book is if the secret will be kept.

There’s a stunning grace to Petrou’s writing style. Her prose and characterizations are fluid and coordinated. Tremendous insight permeates every thought in the novel. I strongly suggest that you don’t miss the opportunity to read this riveting and somewhat disturbing book. This is a talent to celebrate.

Oh, this is a thrilling beach read!

Our two sisters are very unexpected. There's a lot of darkness in this book and it went in completely different directions than I anticipated.

I honestly didn't like either of the sisters, though for very different reasons. Even at the end of the book, when shocking secrets were revealed and I finally knew who these people really were, I hated them.

But, even as I hated them, I loved to read them. The book simply kept me riveted (and horrified) all the way through.

Sisters will have each others back through thick or thin, usually. How far would you go to help your Sister? Hattie and Penny are sisters that would protect each other, no matter what. That's not to say there isn't any sibling rivalry because there most assuredly is. Especially for their mothers attention. Father has run off, so the three women only have each other. In each of the girls mind is the desire to escape from their home town, and each other. When a freak accident happens to kill their mother, Penny returns back to the home to put the pieces back together. There is a bit of contention due to the fact that Hattie was home when their mother died. She had earphones in listening to music, when the wasp stung the mom. Who knew that she was deathly allergic and Hattie couldn't hear her cries. She slowly suffocated in the garden, Penny the oldest, comes home and takes the role of oldest adult.
The sisters have done things and said things that only they know. Who will be the first to crack? Who will turn on whom?
Great read, enjoyable, entertaining, everything you want in a good book. Great characters, smooth storyline.

Peggy and Hattie are very very close as sisters, they will do anything for each other. Yet as much as they owe each other for things that have been done for them it seems to never be enough. As we read on we see what causes the rift between the two sisters and how it seems neither can move far from the other because they both need each other.
As the story moves along at a good pace we see what each sister has done for the other and we see the changes start happening between them. Within the pages you can start to feel the jealousy and the anger among other feelings. The sisters were really well developed as characters and I loved how different they were from each other and were willing to protect all they had even though their relationship wasn't easy going or perfect. Overall a really good story with good characters and a steady plot. When everything comes together it is amazing how well the author made it all work out.

A story of the relationship between two sisters, Penny and Hattie who were orphaned at an early age and although there were only three years difference, Penny assumed the mother role. Then she married Buddy and went to live on his farm but as the years passed he grew abusive both physically and emotionally and paid particular ‘attention’ to Hattie. Determined to free herself Penny decides to set fire to the house with Buddy in it – and she needs Hattie’s help. So the two girls are living in their parents’ house together again. But now, one owes the other. Enter Jameson, a new man in the small town and the three become inseparable through the summer months and on into the winter. Penny is attracted to him, but so is Hattie – so Penny steps aside.

This is just such a clever book. On the one hand you have the mystery of the murder, and will it be revealed. On the other, you have the romantic triangle and underpinning this all is the relationship between the sisters. Of course they love each other; of course they depend on each other; but overriding this is the petty (or not so petty) jealousies and insecurities that arise in families, particularly siblings. The tension between the three characters enclosed together in their parents’ house, full of their old possessions is palpable and suffocating. A constant chorus running through my mind as I read ‘how could she do that; why did she stay away; why did she go back?’ Each and every character was necessary, fully formed and underpinned the story-line.

What a triumph. Would I recommend it, what do you think?

Thank you to the author, the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! The story line was original and kept me wanting more. Such a complex relationship between sisters and the depths they went to insure each others happiness. Lots of twists.

Sister of Mine by Laurie Petrou is a very different story, and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The book follows two sisters, Hattie and Penny. The book tells of the fire that starts at Penny's home, and leaves you guessing as to what really happened. Whatever it was, the sisters know and they are not telling a soul. The story progresses with the meeting of Jameson, a teacher at the school nextdoor to the daycare that Penny works at. Jameson then becomes the third spoke in the wheel of their life so to speak.
I won't say anymore because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, but I will say that I flew through this book and loved it. I would definitely recommend it. This ARC was provided to me by Netgalley for my honest review.

Characters were well developed. The plot was intriguing. Loved the descriptiveness of the book. I would like to read more from this author

I enjoyed the story. I was shocked when I learned the truth. Still not sure which sister I felt more sorry for. Maybe neither maybe both. Still can't decide. The author sure makes you think long after finishing the book. Wish it let me post my review to Amazon but it says I can't do it yet.