And yet again, Coco Mellors has destroyed me, and simultaneously put me back together.

Blue Sisters follows the lives of 3 sisters, Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky, who are grappling with the aftermath of their sister, Nicky's, death. We see how their lives have changed since Nicky's passing, both as individuals and as sisters. We also explore their upbringings, their relationships with their parents, with each other, with themselves, and some wonderful side characters we meet along the way. Not only does Coco give us an insight to grief, but we also learn about how addiction affects families.

How is it that I feel that these characters have somehow been a part of my life? I feel as if I am in mourning, as I did not want their stories to come to a close. This story made me laugh, cry, and long for a sisterhood I never had.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC Blue Sisters is out in the US September 3, 2024

I love Coco Mellors and this book is a lovely reminder of exactly why. This emotional story of growing up as four sisters and coming together later as only three was a beautiful and bittersweet journey. Each chapter focuses on an individual sister and all together these chapters add up to an incredible story of the remaining three sisters coming together again.
I cannot stop thinking about the quote below from their mother and I hope it always stays in my thoughts.
"Once you get to my age, you will learn that you can take a lot of wrong turns and still end up in the right place."

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Lucky is flying to New York to see her sisters and visit her childhood home. When home she is remembering both the good and bad times their family has had. I liked this book.

In "Blue Sisters," Coco Mellors weaves a tapestry of emotions, intricately threading together grief, hope, and the tangled complexities of familial ties. This novel delves into the lives of the three Blue sisters—Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky—as they grapple with the aftermath of their beloved sister Nicky's untimely demise.

Mellors paints vivid portraits of each sister, highlighting their stark differences and shared struggles. Avery, the eldest, battles her demons as a recovering addict turned lawyer in London, while Bonnie, a former boxer, finds solace in a new career as a bouncer in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Lucky navigates the glamorous yet perilous world of modeling in Paris, all while trying to escape her turbulent past. Nicky's unexpected death serves as the catalyst for their reunion, forcing them to confront not only their individual grief but also the unresolved tensions and secrets that have simmered beneath the surface for years.

The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of their childhood home in New York, a place fraught with memories and ghosts of the past. Mellors masterfully captures the essence of family dynamics, portraying the sisters' bond as both a source of strength and contention. As they grapple with their shared loss and confront the demons of their past, they are forced to confront uncomfortable truths and reevaluate their perceptions of one another.

What sets "Blue Sisters" apart is Mellors's deft blend of humor and heart. Despite the weighty themes of addiction, grief, and fractured relationships, there are moments of levity and warmth that infuse the narrative with a sense of hope and resilience. Through the sisters' journey of self-discovery and reconciliation, Mellors reminds us of the transformative power of love and forgiveness.

Ultimately, "Blue Sisters" is a poignant exploration of what it means to navigate the complexities of grief, redemption, and the enduring bonds of family. Mellors's evocative prose and rich character development make this a captivating read that lingers in the heart long after the final page is turned. This unforgettable story is a testament to the indomitable human spirit and the healing power of connection.

Thank you NetGalley ! This was a really good read. It was my first from this author. I enjoyed getting to read about the sister and their sisterhood. I would definitely recommend this to a friend !

In Coco Mellors' sophomore novel, Blue Sisters, we follow sisters Avery, Bonnie and Lucky after the tragic and unexpected death of their sister Nicky. For a year, the sisters have been dealing with their grief separately, but are suddenly pulled back together in an attempt to prevent the sale of their childhood home in New York City.

The chapters alternate between each sister’s POV, which allows us to go deep into each sister’s thoughts and gain respect for them as individuals. We got the perfect amount of time alone with each sister, as well as different pairings, to understand their long-standing dynamics before they all reunited. They each had such strong and unique personalities and getting to see their struggles through their own eyes made all the difference when connecting to them as characters.

Nicky’s death is a bit of a mystery and alluded to in pieces throughout the first half of the book which was so compelling to read. The sisters' separate story lines kept me captivated, and I was dying to know how each of them were going to work through their issues. The side characters were well-developed, and I loved everything they added to the story as well.

The way Mellors describes the feeling of sisterhood in this novel is perfect and magical and everything I could have asked for. The writing felt so personal and as if Coco was describing my own thoughts. Her writing is so beautiful, I felt like I was highlighting something on every other page. The way she described things allowed me to see the book so clearly as a movie in my head and now I need that so badly.

The exploration of friendship versus sister relationships was done so well, and I loved every minute of it. The author tackled difficult topics such as grief, addiction, chronic pain, and more in a way that didn’t feel too heavy and instead created a powerful message with a hopeful undertone. These characters felt so real, and I think everyone could find a piece of themselves in this book and would highly recommend giving it a read!

Release Date: September 3, 2024

4.5 stars! Blue Sisters offers a slow-paced, slightly pretentious story that strangely resonates in all the wrong ways, yet still manages to be a comforting read. Compared to Cleopatra and Frankenstein, I found Blue Sisters to be significantly more enjoyable. Although both are great books, I simply did not have a good time reading Cleopatra and Frankenstein. Perhaps it was my increased patience with the characters now having previously Coco Mellors' work, or I may have just found the sisters' grief and imperfections more relatable. There were also some truly laughable moments which was a nice surprise.

I found myself rooting for each sister, and they all deserved better. Blue Sisters will resonate with anyone who has experienced loss, battled addiction, family resentment, sibling rivalry or just looking for some fiction that feels like real life. It’s not an escape-type book, but everything comes full circle in the best way. Can’t wait to see what Coco Mellors does next!

Also, her book covers are simply stunning. Definitely an author I found by judging the book by its cover and it’s been worth it. I only wish the chapters were a bit shorter. Pub day is September 3rd!

I am in awe of this book and am so excited for others to experience it. I fell in love with the story and the characters immediately. 'Blue Sisters' delves into a myriad of complex themes such as loss, grief, purpose, sisterhood, and addiction with profound compassion and raw emotion. I laughed, I cried, I reflected. I think anyone can find something they can relate to in their own lives and relationships while reading it. The pure unconditional love between the Blue sisters left me immediately wanting to call my brother and sister to tell them how grateful I am for them, while simultaneously yelling at them for some stupid shit they did 5 minutes ago. Thanks for the early read netgalley, and thank you Coco for writing a banger. I will be ordering a printed copy immediately after it releases for the collection.

I really enjoyed this book as each character developed throughout the story. At first I thought it jumped around a bit but once I got used to the presentation of each character through time it became easier to understand the reasoning for this approach. Each sister comes with her unique personality and life perspective. Coming from a family of girls I found this relatable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this advanced copy of Blue Sisters.

It's a simple yet enjoyable premise - Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky are a group of 3 estranged sisters who walk away from each other after Nicky's (their other sister) untimely death; all 3 believing they could have changed the outcome and all 3 finding themselves dealing (or not quite dealing) with Nicky Blue no longer being in their orbit . Who are they now without her, and can they find their way back to each other as 3 and not 4? With each sister practicing the art of self-sabotage in their personal and professional lives as a means to cope, they find themselves together over a year later when their mother decides to put their New York City apartment up for sale.

While at its core BLUE SISTERS is a story of grief, addiction, pain, and familial trauma, its equal parts motherhood, coming of age, finding your passion and purpose in life, and acceptance.

Mellors has developed characters you'll enjoy spending time with.

3 1/2 stars.

Ever since Coco Mellors announced Blue Sisters as her next novel, I’ve been anxiously awaiting its arrival. The story was a beautiful and bittersweet ode to sisterhood as well as a tender exploration of loss and grief. The subject matter can be triggering for some and as with Mellors' other book, Cleopatra and Frankenstein, it took me a while to ease into the story and characters. However, Blue Sisters proved to be another impactful book from Mellors and I’m excited to see what stories she shares with us next.

This book was not perfect, but I found it so extremely readable and it jolted me back into reading during a real dry spell over here caused by a whole bunch of non fiction. The highlight of this book for me were the descriptions of the sisters and their personalities and names and jobs and clothes and hair and apartments and I really love that stuff anyway and in this book it was so well done, I loved every detail and I would have read about these women absolutely forever, especially who I adored. The not highlights for me were that sometimes I don’t love reading about people screwing up their lives over and over again, I found the inter sister bickering kind of eye rolly, and I thought Nicky was by far the most weakly portrayed of all the sisters and I felt the lack of it up against the other strong portraits of the Blue Sisters.
Net Galley gave me a copy of this book thank you!

Blue Sisters is a good fit for readers seeking a heartfelt exploration of how sisters and close friendships can help individuals overcome personal struggles, including grief, addiction, and self-doubt.

This book took me a bit to get (very long chapters and characters who initially seemed just too much) into but once I did I quite enjoyed it!
The story of a troubled family with 4 daughters and dysfunctional parents. They become estranged after the death of one of the sisters Nicky who seemed the best adjusted of the group.
The book explores grief and loss, as well as addiction in a sensitive and effective way. I came to really feel strongly for each of the sisters and their personal struggles. It was quite a ride to the ending.
The writing was quite good. I definitely enjoy this author's style. I like that she tackles tough issues and presents characters who seem like real (flawed) human beings.
Definitely recommend this for those who enjoy family drama of which I count myself one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC to read and review.
Look forward to more from this author as well as going back to her debut novel.

A beautiful, compassionate story about grief and healing, and a love letter to sisterhood, Blue Sisters is a powerful novel that has stuck with me since finishing it and will stick with me long after.

Blue Sisters follows Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky as they all navigate the death of their fourth sister Nicky. It's told from the alternating perspectives of the three sisters as they cope and crumble, all dealing with their grief in different ways. It doesn't shy away from the truth of their pain, and what decisions - no matter how poor - they make in the wake of it, and it is done with such compassion and heartbreaking tenderness. Each sister feels terribly real and human.

The alternating narrators works really well here too, as I felt each sisters' story comes together to paint a full picture of grief and tell the full story of family, inherited patterns and addictions, and the ways that the same experiences can live differently in other people.

Though it covers heavy topics, it has a light dusting of humor and is filled to the brim with empathy. The sisters are so complex and the story so honest and true to life. My heart broke several times over before the story ends in glimmering hope.

Blue Sisters is a literary fiction that follows Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky, three sisters who are grieving the death of their fourth sister Nicky. Each sister has a unique and raw POV highlighting their mental health struggles while they navigate their way through life.

It’s tough choosing my favorite POV, but I think it’ll have to be Bonnie. One thing I love about Coco Mellors is that she delivers the gritty details of love and tragedy which makes her extremely relatable as an author.

Tw’s: suicide, death of a loved one, substance abuse

Thank you @netgalley & @randomhouse for the arc!

Release date: 09/03/2024

We meet the three blue sisters, Avery, Bonnie & Lucky, on the one year anniversary of the passing of their sister Nicky. They’ve spent the last year in a fog of grief, individually trying to understand their sister’s passing and blaming themselves for not helping Nicky when she needed them most. When the sister’s mother coldly emails them about the impending sale of their childhood home, they are forced to come together and face their grief together.

Like most I enjoyed Cleopatra & Frankenstein, not so much for the story line but for Coco Mellors writing. She has this ability to drag you into a characters thoughts and feelings so that you understand their complexity deeply. Once I read the premise of Blue Sisters I knew this would be the novel for me. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different sister, allowing you to step into their lives and see them as a whole, past and present. I felt deeply for the oldest sister Avery as a fellow Eldest Daughter and in some ways it was so emotional to be seen in such a way! The guilt you feel as a parentified Eldest Daughter is unlike any other and I felt Mellors did a beautiful job exploring that role we are forced into in life. I think Mellors did an excellent job exploring grief, substance abuse and sobriety that left me cheering for each of the Blue sisters.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Blue Sisters is a tender and poignant novel about family, grief, addiction, and girlhood. I think almost anyone could pick up this novel and see a portion of themselves reflected back at them in each sister. A wonderful read, would absolutely recommend.

This was great. I loved the story, and Mellors has such a talent for storytelling. I loved reading about these characters and exploring the story. I love Mellors' writing and I can't wait to see what she does in the future

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC e-copy of Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors.

One year after the death of Nicky Blue, her three remaining sisters reunite and grapple with their grief, the effects of their shared childhood, and the dissolution of their own relationships in the wake of this family tragedy. Coco Mellors’ sophomore novel is a love letter to Little Women, and also its modern incarnation.

I found many great things to say about Blue Sisters as a novel. The writing is lyrical and descriptive; every scene is easy to imagine, and while reading, it plays out before you like a film. The characters are realistic and flawed while also being likeable. There are four Blue sisters and countless other side players in their lives—essentially, everyone reading this book will relate to someone, whether they like it or not.

As the eldest of four sisters just as different as the Blue clan, this story was personal for me. It was hard to stomach at times and painful to imagine, but it was also refreshing to read something so believable in a world where things sometimes seem so sanitized or simply fantastical. The Blue sisters aren’t “good” or “bad” people—they’re just real, and I enjoyed reading about each of them.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ - GREAT