*Shred Sisters* is a beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant story that explores the intricate dynamics of sisterhood against the backdrop of mental health struggles. The contrasting personalities of Olivia and Amy create a compelling narrative filled with tension and tenderness as they navigate their complicated bond over two decades. I truly enjoyed this book for its intimate portrayal of love, loss, and the fierce complexities of family relationships. The journey of self-acceptance that Amy undertakes, intertwined with her tumultuous relationship with her sister, makes for a deeply engaging and thought-provoking read.

A beautiful and tragic coming-of-age story that portrays dysfunctional family dynamics like no other.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one! The characters were perfectly rendered and at the end of the book, I felt like I knew these people in real life. They felt very, very real, especially Ollie.
Devoured it in a couple of sittings!

I am a very impatient reader but there was something about the theme of this book or the Shred family (because the writing is pretty straightforward) that kept reading this book. Until, after several chapters, I began to lose interest because it goes on and on without any substantial events. I like their childhood. Amy and Ollie and their parents and their struggle to deal with Ollie, but the story or storytelling didn't have much to offer. Or after a certain point, I lost the connection with the characters and the writing.

I think I requested this book because the blurb reminded me of another book about two sisters (with complicated relationship) on Netgalley, which I loved.

Sadly, I can't say I enjoyed reading Shred Sisters.

Thank you very much for the copy.

A solid debut that delves into the prickly and fickle nature of sisterhood, mental illness, and growing up as a glass child. I found this compulsively readable and I flew through it within 24 hours. Thematically it reminded me a lot of Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino which I also loved.

The book follows the Shred family who exists on tenuous grounds due to their eldest daughter Olivia. She's impulsive, prone to causing trouble, and impossible to control. The book is written from the perspective of her youngest sibling Amy who often gets forgotten amidst the turmoil - she is the quintessential definition of a glass child. While I found Amy somewhat bland and passive, her story arc is a late bloomer that becomes well-fleshed out in the latter half.

I would have appreciated a few chapters from Ollie's perspective - she was so intriguing, and her experiences in institutions during the 1970s/1980s would have been a valuable addition given how poorly mental health was understood and treated then. She remains a bit of an enigma as the book progresses and I think slightly more nuance could have been provided to her behaviors and the manifestation of her bipolar disorder.

Shred Sisters offers a simplistic premise and minimal cast of characters but executes them both quite well. The ending veers a tiny bit into the cheesy territory, but it is wholesome and warranted enough that I truly didn't mind. I always enjoy books that capture the messiness of family and how our formative years can define our relationships and patterns of behavior into adulthood. If the premise intrigues you, I think you'll find this to be a solid read! Thanks to the publisher for the e-ARC.

The second Shred Sisters came across my radar, I knew it was a book I needed to devour immediately. In this debut novel, Lerner places readers right at the center of a family rapidly deteriorating and shows us just how mental illness is an invisible string that effects everyone it touches. On the surface, Shred Sisters appears to be a story about mental illness but, more than that, it is a coming of age story about family, friendship, and the importance of not being a perfect human. I was wildly impressed with how many layers there were to this story and these characters. Lerner does a fantastic job at emphasizing the nuances of mental illness and the ways in which mental illness not only physically challenges families and relationships but also the ways mental illness impacts the subconscious, especially over long periods of time. I loved how human Amy Shred's character was and felt very connected to her all throughout. The fact that there were no definitive diagnoses assigned to any of these characters, but rather we gain understanding of their struggles purely through their behaviors and actions is something I rarely feel we get to see in fiction tackling mental health. My only disappointment while reading was that I did feel the pacing got a little rushed towards the end of the book. Lerner truly could have written 100 more pages and I would have fully been seated to continue reading. For anyone who has read and loved All-Night Pharmacy by Ruth Madievsky, I think you will really love Shred Sisters as well!

Endless thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for allowing me access to an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

it was very unfortunate that this was a dnf for me it wasn't because the book was bad, it just wasn't for me. thank you to the publisher/s for the free copy, i truly appreciate it.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an advanced review copy.

Shred sisters follows the Shred family, but focuses on the two sisters, Amy and Ollie. Amy is smart, but a bit of an outcast at times. Ollie is a wild child who ends up living a vagrant life as a sometimes drug addict. Amy is the narrator, and I found myself being able to relate to her and her relationship with Ollie, as I have been through some of the same things with my own sister. As we follow Amy from childhood to adulthood, she tells the story of her family, both the good and bad. This isn't one of those happy-go-lucky type of books, but there is some hope. Seeing Amy go from a wounded child to an adult who comes into herself, though not quite in an easy way was my favorite thing about this story. I also feel that it looks at how one person and their actions can change an entire family. I enjoyed this book quite a bit and I'm glad I got to know the Shred Sisters.

Look for this one October 1, 2024!

Ok, first things first, I devoured and inhaled this book in one sitting. I'm a sucker for complicated sibling relationships, as the youngest of three with both of my sibings being 10+ years older. My relationship with my sister looks nothing like Ollie and Amy's relationship, but there are always elements of tension and pettiness and outright meanness in any sibling relationship.

One thing I loved about Amy as a narrator is how she is both equal parts detached/dissociating from her predicament, but simultaneously lasers in on her experiences as a younger sibling/youngest daughter. She understands the injustice but is so resigned to it and that is portrayed so fluidly.

What I didn't love about this is while it was a fast/fluid plotline, the ending was a little predictable - I didn't love how trope-y therapy was portrayed (that ending was an eye roll I'm sorry), and I didn't love that Ollie's problems were suddenly fixed and she amended decades of a manic depressive disorder by the birth of a child. I'm not saying it's unrealistic, I'm saying that it made the ending feel rushed.

All in all, this was a solid 4 star read - I was engaged from beginning to (mostly the) end.

Pub Date: Oct 1, 2024

▫️Wow, I am in awe of this Literary Fiction Coming-of-Age novel. This took you on such an emotional journey with the character (Amy) from childhood, well into adulthood. I adored how the author tied in scenes from the beginning of the book into the end of the book for resolutions - it was so wonderful. The story felt so raw and realistic. So many mini scenes were so impactful just from the author’s care in describing it all for the reader.

▫️I felt for Amy in all her emotions, in all her life stages. I could relate to Amy in some ways, like the feelings of unfairness between siblings, the love for science etc. I wanted to be there for her, be her friend. I could totally relate in part to the family dynamic with Ollie - in the toss up between wanting an update vs the dread, the wanting to talk about it vs shutting it out. I have a cousin who caused conflicts, is transient, never knowing where her story lands her. It’s difficult to navigate, and I felt the author did an impeccable job with portraying family dynamics - especially with those scenes.

▫️I kept thinking, “okay nothing can top this” and then another moment rolled around for Amy landing me back to feeling emotional for her, again and again, right until the ending!

▫️The character development for both sisters was great. It was also unexpected. I didn’t know where each of their respective journeys would land. By the end of the book, I didn’t think it was going to play out the way it did!

▫️I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The ending was perfection. I binge read this in two days. The pacing was on point. Highly recommend this book.

▫️Some scene highlights: librarian and the book, the music mentions, bridge, the peeps scene, the spine comment, the science aspects, the scenes with books, inchworm

Thank you Grove Atlantic (Grove Press) & NetGalley for an eARC!

⭐⭐.75

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Press for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review

The Shred Sisters is a story that follows Amy Shred throughout her life as she tries to understand and cope with her older sister Olivia or Ollie. As the cautious and collected Shred sister, she is a stark difference from Ollie, who’s mystique could only mask her mental illness for so long until it came crashing down on Amy’s meticulously created world.

Lerner’s writing is fast paced, which kept me interested in the mostly plot driven story, however I wished that the reader would’ve had more time to understand Amy as a character. Sometimes it felt like the reader was looking over Amy’s shoulder as she scanned the Sunday newspaper. I thought that because the novel was categorized as a family drama, I would get to truly know Amy as if she was a real person, but, even at the end of the novel, I didn’t feel any connection to her or any of the other characters. Amy was always at an arm's length and I think for this reason, I didn’t really care about how Ollie’s actions affected Amy which overall influenced how I enjoyed the story.

Though this novel wasn’t entirely my cup of tea, I appreciated how Lerner did not shy away from creating unlikable characters. She didn’t sugar coat all of the mistakes that Ollie, and even Amy, made and how it affected those around them. I just wish we had gotten to know Amy and Ollie on a deeper level. I wanted to feel the emotions that Amy was feeling, and instead got the sparknotes of her therapy sessions.

Shred Sisters would be perfect for readers who want to know what’s happening with the peculiar neighbors above but don’t actually want to invite them over for tea.

Two very different sisters and their relationship with each other. Heartfelt and beautifully written.. thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.

Shred Sister is a book that focuses in the family dynamics, especially the sisters, hence the title, and how they are affected when one of the members of the family has a mental illness.

The story is told by Amy's point of view, Amy is the little sister that always follows the rules, the shy and quiet one, while Olivia is unpredictable and always stealing the spotlight.

Their dynamic felt extremely real, the book makes sure that they are portrayed as real people, they both make mistakes, and you as a reader are tempted to talk them into some sense at various points of the story. And I really like when a book makes me feel that, it's like I personally know these characters and only want the best for them.

If there's one thing that I didn't quite like it's the ending. For all the realism and nuance that there's with Olivia's mental health, I felt that the ending was a bit rushed and that things got solved too quick.

Overall I enjoyed this book, at first it was a little bit slow for my liking, but then the pacing picks up and from there on I couldn't stop reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Press for the ARC!

I was drawn into this family drama immediately. From the get go, we experience the Shred family dynamics through younger sister Amy’s eyes, and see Amy’s relationship with her idol/bully/unpredictable big sister Olivia shift and change as they grow up from youth through to adulthood. The first half of the story was slow but rich with context and characterization, really building out the family members and exploring their flaws. Later in Amy’s life the pacing jumped around a bit but I didn’t mind too much, I really liked how we got to see how Amy grew into herself and her perspective changed. Overall I quite enjoyed this one!

A touching story of someone you may know with mental health issues and/or addiction. I found the love between the sisters so beautiful. Reading through the years of their lives was really interesting to see the polar opposites and where they paths landed.
I didn’t love this authors writing style which was a little jumpy and hard to follow at times. Overall I’d recommend.

Tender, sharp and beautiful, containing the raw and honest truth of sisterhood.
This is a must read for anyone who loved Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors.

Shred Sisters is an engaging and relatable novel that offers an easy yet profound read. The story revolves around two sisters, capturing the complexities of their relationship, especially in the context of one sister grappling with mental illness. The narrative is raw, honest, and deeply real, presenting the challenges and triumphs of the characters in a way that feels genuine and heartfelt. As a reader, you can't help but care about the characters, rooting for them as they navigate their personal struggles and growth. This book is a poignant exploration of sisterhood, mental health, and resilience.

Very well-written family saga centering on two very different sisters- one rule-follower, one button pusher. Despite growing up with the same parental parameters, Amy and Ollie continue to grow apart due to Ollie’s erratic behavior. As the years go by, Amy has to learn to detach her happiness from Ollie’s mental health and well-being. I loved this sisterhood journey.

Hope and Heartbreak
I was gifted the #arc of Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner from Grove Press and Netgalley.
The book focuses around Olivia (Ollie) and Amy Shred, two sisters who couldn’t be more opposite. Where Olivia steals the spotlight, Amy is calm and cautious. Where Ollie is wild and unpredictable, Amy follows the rules and longs to find a place in life.
The story follows Amy over 20 years, as she comes of age, settles on a school, a career and wades through a series of troubled relationships. The bond she shares with her sister is tested, over and over again, as Ollie always finds a way of turning everything on its head.
The quote on the book “No one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister.” And this book really does a good job of helping the reader feel that. Relationships with family can be messy and nuanced and hard and easy and familiar and the bonds so strong that it’s hard to think clearly.
As a mom of two girls, I read this book with such trepidation. I don’t have a sister, but I learned the joy and frustration that layers a sisterly bond. The ways in which love and loss can create different forks in the relationship and how mental health impacts everyone in a family.
Told from Amy’s POV, the book does such a beautiful job of showing the intracies of these family relationships, the raw, the real and the remarkable.
While the beginning was slow to hook me, I think Lerner did her job in helping to lay the foundation of the family dynamic, before taking us on an emotional ride that Amy, her mother and father take, as they orbit around Ollie and her mental illness and addiction issues.
I give this book three and a half stars. It was touching and messy and did an honest job of showing the struggles families face in light of mental illness. Thank you @GrovePress and @netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. Shred Sisters is due to hit bookshelves October 1, 2024.

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“No one will love you or hurt you more than a sister.”

"Shred Sisters" delves into the impact of mental illness on family dynamics. Olivia's condition throws the Shreds into turmoil. We experience the story through the eyes of younger sister Amy, witnessing her navigate life throughout it all.

As someone with a sister, I was excited to read this book. It had an intriguing premise, and it had so much potential. While the premise hooked me, the story's execution faltered. I find the execution of the story lacking and flat. The narrative jumps around, hindering the smooth flow of the story. The characters, while I did love how flawed they are as it made them more human, were not developed well, especially Amy. There were too many missed opportunities to flesh out the characters. I would have loved to see more breakthroughs from the characters during the therapy sessions– it would have been good to see the behaviors and traumas being addressed. Moreover, adding Olivia's point of view could have enriched the portrayal of their complex bond. While I understand that this cycle that the storyline shows is realistic, it lacks the character reflection that would have resonated with readers.

While the book offers a glimpse into the complexities of mental illness within a family, a deeper exploration of the relationships and the characters' behaviors could have elevated the story. Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the ARC.

Reviews posted on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6670719838) and Instagram story.

Shred Sisters is a novel tender with raw emotions.
It feld like wind blowing on a freshly scraped knee during child, like opening your mouth to bitterly reply but then just giving up, families are hard to change, I deeply appreciated Lerner's ability in creating an engaging prose that made me turn the page far quicker and for a longer period of time that I usualy read for, I was hooked on the Shred Sisters' complicated and heartbreakingly human lives. I also appreciated and was captivated by how realistic every character in the novel was, it felt like reading a non-fiction memoir as the feelings described resonated with me, the author crystallized perfectly the disappointment of a neglected child and the repercussions that that can have on a life.
I came to care profoundly about the fate of Amy and was on edge every time that Ollie was mentioned.
At times the narration could feel too prolongued as in the middle section of the novel the rapid succesion of Amy's relationships felt too rushed and not flashed out enough.
Overall I think that it is admirable how attached to the characters Lerner was able to make me feel, the characterisation was perfectly done and the prose was both easy to read and engaging enough to make me not want to put the book down.