'Blood Sisters' is based on the fact that sibling rivalry can sometimes get completely out of hand. Sisters Kitty and Ali, find themselves, as adults, in situations that could never have been envisaged when they were young. The driving factor in the early part of the novel is Kitty's guilt and her inability to allow herself to be herself, to enjoy her life and to grow as a person. As the story develops we come to see the conflicts that constrain her and to understand her life, from her own point of view and from her sister's.

The tone of the novel is somewhat adolescent at times and this comes as no surprise as Ali's emotional development seems to have come to a halt at the key point in her life. There are a couple of 'oh come on!' moments, the introduction of Kitty's speaking machine being a good example, but if you are prepared to go with this device in the story, things really hot up as Kitty finds her voice.

There are some nice about face moments as well, as Ali moves from one side of the prison bars to the other and as Kitty moves from dependant adult to parent. For me these added significantly to the story, as does the emergence of Vanessa as a malevolent figure. The constant twists and turns as more and more information is allowed to be revealed makes for a really tense, turn pager of a book, which will keep you up reading 'just one more chapter'. Recommended.

A fantastic and engrossing read with rich writing.
Intriguing and mysterious. A wonderful story to get lost in.

Three little girls set off to school one sunny May morning. Within an hour, one of them is dead.
Fifteen years later, Alison and Kitty are living separate lives. Kitty lives in a care home. She can't speak, and she has no memory of the accident that put her here, or her life before it. Art teacher Alison looks fine on the surface. But the surface is a lie. When a job in a prison comes up she decides to take it - this is her chance to finally make things right.
But someone is watching Kitty and Alison. Someone who wants revenge for what happened that day. And only another life will do...

Two sisters and how their lives change. I love how this book starts in one direction then strays away in a completely different direction to what I’d expected. Absolutely no spoilers because that would give the plot away. I would recommend this book 5*

Original and unusual plot. Really enjoyed the twists and turns. Will keep you guessing.

This is the split-perspective story of two sisters. Since childhood they have shared nothing but the same intense dislike for each other. And as adults they share even less than that, when a tragic accident causes their paths to diverge in two very different and unforeseen directions. This accident is a secret better off buried, but the past has a way of unearthing itself, even after all these years...

I find stories of sibling rivalries always make for compelling reading, but this more so than any other, due to one of the sister's severe disability. Marginalised perspectives is something I am always eager to hear more from, and this allowed for a unique insight into an individual suffering from something I have little knowledge of. The author should be commended of her portrayal that was both sensitive and yet felt authentic. The research that must have been done and the knowledge imparted to the reader made for such interesting and important reading. Corry conveyed both the ways that brain damage affects a person's behaviour and also the ways that society treats people with disabilities.

The other sister's perspective was just as interesting, if more conformative. And both combined to make this an inciting and thrilling read.

Whilst I did find this an enjoyable read, I also found it a little confusing at the start. I found too many scenes were initially set up, in too short a space of time, and I was left wondering which of the sources of contention would become the main story line for the book. I also found that my interest lay more in the flashbacks of the past than in much of the present day settings. This did quickly come together, but perhaps not quickly enough for me to get over my initial hesitation and thoroughly immerse myself in the book.

A good story told from the viewpoint of sisters Alison and Kitty, spanning over 15 years of their lives since a terrible accident left devastating impacts. There were quite a few unexpected twists in the story which I did not see coming and thoroughly enjoyed the direction it took the book. Sadly, as someone very familiar with the criminal justice system (on the right side!), the lazy research about prisons, particularly women's prisons, really frustrated and distracted me, though I am sure other industry experts see the same flaws in any stories about their own industries too. I liked the main character of Alison a lot and felt she developed well over the course of the book. Some difficult subjects are dealt with sensitively by Corry and overall this is a decent read.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin random House for the arc copy of this fantastically addictive rollercoaster of a read.
I was drawn into this book from the first page.
This is the story of Alison and her half-sister Kitty, both were living a normal childhood, until one day there is a terrible accident. Ali (as she now calls herself) recovers and grows up to become an art teacher. Kitty on the other hand has been left severely disabled and lives in a care home.
So many secrets and lies start to unravel as the truth about what happened on that fateful day comes to a shocking head.
This is psychological thriller at its best.
It is evident that Jane has done some extensive research into how brain injuries can affect a person.
The chapters in this book are short (which for me is dangerous to my sleep, as I do most of my reading in bed, I found myself reading ‘just one more chapter’.

Wow a book. I was gripped from the start. Not only is this book well written, tense gripping thriller. With many cliff hangers. It was a different to other psychological thrillers I have read. I thought that the subject areas where thoroughly investigated and had well developed characters. I loved how this book kept me on my toes wondering what would happen next. and what happens between two sisters and that bond they have together. Although not the best of relationships it all come good in the end. I loved it.

Alison and Kitty are sisters but they both lead totally different lives. Kitty suffered a tragic accident when she was younger and consequently lives in a care home.
Alison has a job at a college teaching Art and then applies for a position at an open prison wanting to pass on her passion of Art.
Kitty can't remember what happened to her but then begins to get small flashbacks. Alison knows what happened. Will Kitty remember in order to help Alison?

This is more a family drama than a thriller, in my opinion, and a very engrossing one. It is a story about three 'sisters' and how the build up to and aftermath of a terrible event changes and destroys their lives and the lives of those around them. Lots of twists, though the final one didn't quite work for me. A great read nevertheless.

Enjoyable read that didn't go the way you expected it to.
I liked the way it highlighted how people with brain injuries/mentally disabled can think and how frustrating it must be for them to make themselves be understood.
Well worth a read.

One accident
Two women,Two versions of the truth.

This twist packed,gripping tale of sibling rivalry,lies,betrayals,abuse,love and hate is set in two alternating time frames and told from the alternating perspectives of step sisters Alison and Kitty.The story of the events before and after the accident are set in 1991 while the other chapters are set 16-17 years later.In the later day chapters Alison has changed her name to Ali,is a art teacher and is living in London while Kitty is severely disabled,has no memory of the accident and is living in a care home.It was obvious that the author has extensively researched the ways that brain damage affects a person's behaviour and also the way that society treats people with disabilities.It is a sad fact that people with disabilities are treated with disdain and a total lack of respect.It is like they are not people just because they are not "normal" or healthy.

Nothing in this book is ever what it seems,almost all of the realistic characters spend most of the story telling lie after lie just to protect themselves.You never know who is telling the truth because peoples stories are constantly changing.

The chapters where short and snappy and often ended on a cliff hanger causing the reader too have a very bad case of just one more chapter syndrome.Although some aspects of the story where a bit unrealistic and coincidental I really enjoyed this twisted psychological thriller and would happily read more books by this author in the future.

Very enjoyable read. Didn't actually go the way I thought it would so I was surprised I find it unpredictable. It was an easy read and I read it in a couple of days, I found I couldn't put it down and kept thinking about reading it when it wasn't

Excellent psychological thriller with a good twist. Alison and Kitty are sisters. Alison is an art teacher in a college, Kitty is in a care home. Alison takes a job as an art teacher in a prison as she needs the extra money but it is not long before she is in danger. The story flashes between Kitty and Alison and what happened to both of them 15 years earlier. I got really engrossed in this book and didn't see the twist coming. Loved it!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Blood Sisters from Penguin. This is the first book I've read by Jane Corry and what a book it is!

From the first page I was completely hooked then when you add in all the twists and turns you realise this book is fantastic.

The characterisation is wonderful and you can easily put yourself in either Alison or Kitty's position. The book is so well written and moved easily between present day and the past and between Alison and Kitty. Each chapter is clearly marked so there's no confusion.

I was really impressed with this book and can't wait to read more from the author.
Thanks to Penguin and Jane Corry for the chance to review.

I enjoyed Jane Corry's first novel 'My Husband's Wife' and love 'Blood Sisters' just as much, if not more. There are plenty of twists and turns again, but with darker characterisations and it is difficult to know what the truth is.

When Alison needs to improve her income she applies for and is offered a job at an open prison teaching stained glass creation. Kitty has been involved in a road accident which has left her with acute brain damage and lies in hospital requiring 24 hour care. When the relationship between these two women is revealed at first the reader has sympathy: with Kitty, in her almost vegetable state and inability to communicate, while Alison reverts to self harm as a result of childhood events. While the story begins with sibling hatred and rivalry the adult characters are shown to be far more complex through the lengths they go to when hiding secrets and seeking revenge.

'Blood Sisters' is great for readers who love the psychological thriller genre and I look forward to Jane Corry's next novel already. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the opportunity to read and review the book. I'm sure it will be a huge success.

Alison works as a lecturer teaching stained glass creation. To help her income Alison applies for a post at a local open prison where she hopes her skills can benefit those due for early release. Kitty, following a road accident, has suffered acute brain damage now requiring 24 hour hospital care. The connection between these young ladies soon becomes apparent and as the story unfolds we learn the secrets that bind them together both in the past and the present. On first introduction the reader has naturally great sympathy for Kitty, her almost vegetable state and inability to communicate, but Alison has also been affected by events from her childhood now manifesting in her need to self harm....."It doesn't hurt enough. Never does. For it's the cuts we hide inside that really do the damage."

This story for me is stepping out of my reading comfort zone and surprisingly enjoying a style of writing where the reader becomes a bystander as events unfold through the voices of Alison and Kitty. What is particularly poignant is the fact that Kitty cannot communicate by speech and her thoughts can only remain as thoughts not shared with the other players in the book but only with the (privileged) reader. This is a very powerful story telling tool as the more you read the more you can appreciate and understand how difficult life is for someone so incapacitated . The author effectively displays the structures and need that exists within the family unit and how, even in our darkest moments, that warm felling of love and tenderness can overcome the greatest adversity. Now please do not suffer under the illusion that this is a banal and trite story, I am a reader and reviewer more comfortable with crime and horror and yet I managed to read this 400 page thriller in a day.....it is good! Many thanks to the good people at netgalley for supplying me with a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review, and that is what I have written.

Really enjoyable book. An accident changes the course of the girls lives for good. Did anyone really want the accident to happen. The effects of that one day would be felt by the family for ever. Unique story line. Everyone has secrets

I just couldn't put this down. If you're a fan of Mandasue Heller and Kimberly Chambers you will really enjoy this series. I didn't realise that this was the second of a trilogy but it can be read as a standalone in my opinion.
This book takes us along Babs Millers life, from getting pregnant in 1972 to meeting the man of her dreams or so she thought Stanley Miller is the devil incarnate, no wonder he moved them onto the Devil's Estate. He made her life a misery from beatings to womanizing. His dirty dealing, secrets and lies nearly send her over the edge, can she save herself and protect her family??