“Slice of life” novels can be challenging to write. Because after all, haven’t we heard all the sob stories? But when they are done well, they can be unforgettable.
I found Shred Sisters to be told with such a unique voice, that while so straight to the point and overt, I never felt lost or bored. It read almost like a memoir, in a way that sucked me in to this vulnerable story of grief and trauma. The balance of honesty without being over the top was achieved well, in that it didn’t feel like trauma was used just for a good story. This story felt real, felt raw, and I feel like I will be thinking about the way she showed love between siblings at the same time as resentment, anger, even hate, was carefully woven into the narrative. This is nuance done well, in my opinion.

In summary: this book is melancholy.

Fans of “Ripe” or “Supper Club” I think will enjoy this, with the understanding that it was a lot darker.

What a beautiful novel about a family dealing with mental illness. Amy's oldest sister, Olivia suffers from mental illness. The whole family is affected in the process. We see how as Amy grows up; her adult relationships mirror her dysfunctional relationship with her sister. This story is from Amy's point-of-view. We hear and see through Amy's eyes how Olivia descent into mental illness started from an early age. Her parents don't know how to care for Olivia, she is sent to a psychiatric hospital. This story takes place in '70s and works its way to modern day. Amy feels a lot of resentment towards her sister because she's always stealing the spotlight due to her illness. "Shred Sisters" is a stunning and moving novel. Betsy Lerner's writing style is gorgeous and poignant. I felt bad for the whole family. They don't know how to tame Olivia's impulsivity, mood swings, and her reckless behavior. I think a lot of people who will be able to relate to the Shred family. This is probably the best novel I've read that talks frankly about mental illness. The topic is handled with sensitivity and respect. Also, I absolutely love novels about sisters, so this book was made for me. And would you look at that lovely cover art! It really warms my heart. Highly recommended!

Thank you, Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the digital ARC.

Now this was a book for me. Really pulled at the heartstrings and was so incredibly emotional for me to read through. I loved how the characters were able to capture the messy emotions one has to other members of a dysfunctional family. There's no clear-cut way to feel about other family members who continous to let you down while also showing you care in the best way they know how. I loved the POV and realted a lot to different phases and thoughts that the main character was having.
It's hard for me to articulate why this book is so great but I know it is one of THOSE books for me. One of those that I hold very dear and has had an impact on me in some way. I felt seen by this book and I could easily see myself going back to this book sometime in the future.

This was one of those schizophrenic reading experiences - enjoyed the writing, didn’t care for the plot. Lerner writes with ease and charm. There’s often a freshness to her descriptions and dialogue. But, oh dear, for me this was a scenario in search of a narrative. Yes, bad but irresistible sister versus diligent nerdy one. That’s a goodish set up, not wholly unfamiliar, but serviceable. But where to take it? Essentially, nowhere. Wild Ollie eventually calms down with the aid of a baby (no surprises there). Meanwhile her sister - does what? Has some failed relationships, fields a sudden slew of deaths, and tells her therapist she’s done. Nothing is resolved. Time simply passes. The book ends. Personally, I was expecting more.

Wow. This was an incredible, character driven story. Sisterhood in all its turmoil. The dynamic between Amy and Olivia was tumultuous, to say the least, and I was so invested in both of their lives. The complexities of their relationship were well thought out and this was a great look at how the actions of one person can really alter an entire family. The story is told from Amy’s perspective, and because I’m the eldest child, it was interesting to see the younger sister pov. While I wasn’t nearly as destructive as Ollie, I could relate to her on a certain level as a big sister with mental health issues, and this book had me really reflecting on how I impacted my siblings lives. This story explores familial relationships, mental health, love and loss in a beautiful, heart wrenching and captivating way. It will stick with me for a very long time

This book is one of those you didn't know you needed. I was not prepared for how real and raw it would be. The analysis of a broken and strained family dynamic and the relationship between sisters was done excellently. "No one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister." Literal chills!

Redacted a star because at some point I felt like the book was dragging. But other than that ... master piece!

Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read the ARC for this book!

Shred Sisters was not at all what I expected. As someone who has grown up with a sibling close in age, I found this relatable. Being independent goes hand in hand with being alone when help is needed, or simply having to handle everything because everyone else has their focus elsewhere.

Starting off, we follow Amy Shred who is a younger sister of Ollie. Being a shadow for her “perfect sister”. Growing up Ollie faced a lot of challenges, and they were always bigger than Amy. Once her older sister was taken to a mental facility, later being less involved, she was still in the Shred families forefront.

This book really focuses on relationships, for better or worse. Between sisters, parents, and oneself. We’re diving deep into flawed characters, where you are unsure who to root for, Overall, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this arc. I think this story will stick with me for a while.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Firstly, I thought it was really well-written. I would read more books from this author in the future - I really enjoyed the flow of the sentences, and the writing had this very visceral, yet readable quality, that really appealed to me.

The topics of mental health and therapy are front and center in this book, explored via the relationship between two sisters: Amy and Ollie. The book also looks at their family and friends within the context of that relationship. It took a bit of time to get invested in the characters (Ollie specifically), but once that happened, it was smooth sailing. The second half of the book was stronger than the first, in my opinion.

Overall, I liked the book, and I would recommend it.

I tend to enjoy stories about sibling relationsips because of how unique a bond they offer in life, and this story was no exception. I found that the tug and pull between the sisters is what propels this story forward, and the damages to their bond fuel their desire to repair it.

Immensely readable, thoughtful story of a contemporary family and two sisters at odds. We feel for Amy and understand her love for rebellious and unstable Olivia, and parents like theirs are in every neighborhood. Will recommend to the book clubs I lead. Lots to discuss here.

2.5⭐️

It felt like I was reading a memoir. It wasn’t what I had in mind before reading. It addresses quite several issues but I don’t make much of what the story really is. When I got to the last page, the question on my mind was, “And?”.

Sadly, this isn’t for me but thanks to Grove Atlantic via NetGalley for the ARC.

Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner is a story about a complicated sister relationship between Amy and Olivia Shred. It begins with Amy recalling her childhood and adolescence and the stark differences between her and her older sister as well as their parents treatment towards each daughter. The main driver of this is mental health. We also see how mental health impacts Amy’s career, friendship and relationships. I wasn't made to feel hopeful for the characters but was still driven to find out how their story ends. Quite often the characters would make bad decisions and often what led to this choice wasn’t explored. This can be good because it provokes the reader to think of the possibilities, but I think the story could have been better served with a bit more explanation. It's a raw and (potentially) confronting story that is written in a straightforward way with vivid characters, thus making it an easy and enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and GroveAtlantic for allowing me to read a DRC of this book. Shred Sisters will be published on the 1st of October 2024.

Shred Sisters is a harrowing story of two sisters on two very different paths and the unbreakable bond they have that binds them to each other amidst it all. Despite the lives Olivia and Amy led and how extreme all their choices seemed, there is no denying how real their experiences are. Lerner lays out the complexities of familial ties, the lengths people would go to protect the ones they love, and the exponential impact a single person could make on those around them. The whole book felt like a domino effect unfolding in the worst possible way to everyone involved.

While this book gave us the slice of life most of us turn away from, there were times I wished for more. I couldn’t bring myself to fully empathise with the characters, a part of me wishing there was more to them than the pain they carried. Despite that, I appreciate the message this book conveys and the raw emotions reflected in the Shred family.

I found this book almost painful to read--pain for both sisters. But who can resist a book about sisters, especially if you have 1 or 2 or 3 of them? But this is primarily about a dysfunctional family and it would be a fun read for a book club as there is much to digest, dissect, and chew on. It's also a sad commentary on mental illness in our society so an appropriate read for anyone interested in this topic.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I kept thinking 'what, next?' as the story progressed and was completely hooked!

There should be a genre of books for stories about sisters where one is responsible and one is completely out-of-whack—due to mental illness, addiction, or whatever. The voice of Shred Sisters is one of the best in this genre. Easy to read, goes down smoothly.

In a lot of this genre, everybody has enough money and housing, so the problems are first-world family dysfunction. Again, this is one of the best of these books.

I was never bored and enjoyed it . . . even though I get bored hanging out with this kind of dysfunction in real life. And that’s saying something. I never wanted to abandon this book, despite my bias. Very, very well done.

This book centered around two sisters: the wild and the quiet. At time it was painful to watch Amy become a bystander to her louder, controversial sister. Lerner did an amazing job writing a novel where the mental health of the main characters was not the plot but colored lens applied to all main characters. There were times where I wanted Ollie to become someone else, and also knew the reality (especially with the setting's time period) would probably not. Definite tears at the ending. Would recommend to those who love a realistic portrayal of complicated family dynamics, the impact of mental health on siblings, and have found themselves lost due to another's alleged shining light.

“Happiness is attainable - sadness is inevitable.”

Thank you to NetGalley, Betsy Lerner & the publisher, Grove Atlantic, for this ARC. Note that this in no way affected my review - all opinions stated are entirely my own.

Shred Sisters follows the story of a family through the eyes of the youngest daughter, Amy. Amy’s sister, Ollie, is different. For as long as she can remember, Ollie has always been different. She is a risk taker, a gambler - everything that methodical, calculated Amy is not. As Ollie grows up, she becomes more of a danger to herself and her family, until she is eventually admitted into a mental health facility for bipolar disorder following a particularly manic episode.

Years pass for the Shred family and life revolves around what Ollie is or isn't doing. Amy graduates from high school and college. She lands a fancy job in New York and gets married but somehow, she still isn’t content with herself.

We follow Amy through her life journey and through a cycle of denial - that despite their distance, Ollie does still affect Amy’s life and relationships. The family dynamics in this book are immensely complicated and embassy but undeniably real. Overall, a very realistic depiction of the cycles of mental illness and the imperfections of being human. Self-destruction, infidelity, parental issues, the collective denial shared by the Shred family - Lerner does a great job at capturing them and making the book read more like a memoir than fiction.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed ‘Cleopatra & Frankenstein’, ‘Conversations With Friends’, or ‘Alone With You In The Ether’.

Shred Sisters releases October 1!

*Thank you Netgalley for providing an ARC*

This book follows the ups and downs of the Shred's through the lense of Amy, the youngest daughter. Through her point of view we get a brutally honest and realistic portrayal of her sister Ollie and what it's like for a family to deal with someone with untreated mental issues.

This was a delightful read for someone that enjoys books that explore family dynamics, mental health issues and complex characters.

Shred Sisters follows the life of the Shred family through the lens of the youngest daughter, Amy Shred. She is an introvert, cautious and studious whereas her sister, Olivia, is an extravert, erratic and chaotic. The story follows how the family changes across the years as the daughters grow into adults. The story is slow-moving as it describes two decades of life in detail, honing in on the effects of mental health, love and loss. No character is without flaws and it was refreshing to read such a raw book for a change.

‘Shred sisters’ by Betsy Lerner is a novel that follows the life, and the ups and downs of it, of the family Shred, narrated from the point of view of Amy, the youngest daughter. The main focus is the families relationship with the older daughter, Olivia, and how her bipolar disorder did affect the entire family, with an even deeper focus on the two sisters. The story begins with the siblings being young girls and follows them through the life into the adulthood, taking the reader into a pool of emotions, love, loss, guilt, jealousy, insecurity and Amy’s journey to explore herself as a person with the everlasting, nagging uncertainty about her sisters whereabouts and well being.

This book felt incredibly personal to me from the start. As a sister of two younger siblings myself, the insight into the bond of sisterhood from the point of view of a younger sibling was refreshing, and very eye opening at times throughout the read. It made me realise the heavy impact an older sibling can have on their younger siblings, all the good and all the bad ones, just as Olivia did for Amy.

The words were interwoven effortlessly, turning the read into an absolute pleasant experience with no bumpy roads, equally as captivating as they were educating. It was the realest reading experience I had in a while, hitting very close to home, showing the many facades of families, sisterhood, the complicated journey finding your own place in the world amidst the chaos of growing up.

But my most favourite part of it was the raw handling of mental health issues, the brutality of it and how it does have an impact on everyone around, as well as the many different reactions towards it that were displayed in the book. It was powerful and absolutely majestic executed. The unfiltered honesty about feelings like loss and living with someone who suffers from bipolar disorder did sting very often, causing my heart to clench and to feel for Amy, Olivia and her family — as well as every Amy, Olivia and their parents outside of those pages.

I would without a doubt recommend everyone to read this book, it’s written with an easy flow and structure and yet captures the complexity of human feelings perfectly.


Thank you to NetGalley and Betsy Lerner and Grove Atlantic for providing me with the opportunity to read the advance copy of this beautiful book. The book is to be publishing on the first of October, 2024.