This book packed a lot and I enjoyed the topics discussed here as well as the relationship the sisters have with one another. I can't say that I care about them individually as much and I found that the dialogues of the book just didn't work for me.

In Blue Sisters, we meet sisters Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky one year after losing their sister Nicky. Told between New York City, Paris, LA, and London, Blue Sisters centers on one family's struggle with addiction.

There's a ton packed into this novel. In long chapters that focus alternatively on Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky, we learn more about their family dynamics, partners, careers, relationship to their parents and the concept of motherhood, etc.

Coco Mellors' writing is beautiful. Her settings are vivid and the dialogue feels real. Bonnie, a pro boxer in love with her trainer, was my absolute favorite character. She's quiet but straightforward when she does speak. She isn't as emotionally fiery as Lucky and Avery because she centers her life around boxing as her outlet. I loved her arc.

I struggled with a few elements of the novel. The middle of the novel dragged a bit for me, and some of the characters' choices were hard to understand. SPOILERS: I was surprised Lucky didn't cover for Avery with the Plan B. Avery's relationship with Charlie was a bit confusing to me. And I would've liked more exploration of the way that much of the parental blame landed on their mother rather than their father, when he was perpetuating so much violence. I understand why this might happen, but I was hoping to see it explored more on the page.

Once again, Coco Mellors hits it out of the park with her debut novel. Although a totally different story, Blue Sisters has all the things I loved about Cleopatra & Frankenstein: really well-written dialogue, messy characters, and just enough tension to keep things interesting. Mellors writing is both unique and accessible. I wasn’t surprised to read in the acknowledgements that she has a sister because she writes about the sisters’ relationships so beautifully. Forever a Coco fan!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sending me a copy of this ARC!!

"It is good to have each other, the artist had said, regarding them seriously as she worked. You never have to explain yourself to sisters"
Just as the title suggests, this is a story about the unique bond between sisters. Mellors talks about the heavy topics of grief and addiction but still found moments to make me laugh out loud. I found myself relating to Avery, the eldest daughter, the most. Her want and need to fix everything and everyone...it aches to read about how much the older daughter is expected to hold.

TBH this would be a perfect tv show/movie. I loved every second of reading about these sisters and how they love each other but constantly fight too (sibliings lol ). The Blue Sisters will stay in my heart and mind for a very long time.

Blue Sisters is out on September 3rd, the perfect sad girl autumn read in my opinion 🩵

thank you netgalley for the arc!!

This was one of my most anticipated releases for this year, which makes it so special to say that this is one of my most favorite books that i have read this year. I loved all the characters; getting to see into their lives and how they are so different yet the same all at once. i loved how it showed that everyone can handle grief differently and it might not be healthy for glamorous. it shows that people can make mistakes and still be be loved and forgiven for them.

Overall, this book broke my heart and fixed it all at the same time. I loved this book so dearly and cannot wait till i can get my hands on a physical copy.

Coco Mellor's "Blue Sisters" is a poignant and heartfelt tale of sisterhood, grief, and the journey to rediscover oneself in the face of loss. Through the lives of the three exceptional Blue sisters—Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky—Mellor explores the complexities of family dynamics and the enduring bonds that hold them together, even in the midst of their differences.At the heart of the story are the struggles and triumphs of each sister as they navigate their individual paths. From Avery's journey of recovery from addiction to Bonnie's pursuit of redemption after a devastating defeat in the boxing ring, and Lucky's quest to find her place in the world while outrunning her past, each character is beautifully crafted with depth and nuance.The backdrop of New York City serves as a powerful setting, echoing the vibrancy and resilience of the Blue sisters as they confront their shared history and the secrets that have kept them apart. Mellor's evocative prose brings the city to life, immersing readers in its energy and allure.As the sisters come together to stop the sale of their childhood home, they are forced to confront their deepest fears and regrets, ultimately finding solace and strength in each other's company. Through moments of laughter, tears, and unexpected revelations, they discover that true healing comes from facing the truth and embracing the love that binds them together.Mellor's storytelling is infused with her signature blend of humor and heart, making "Blue Sisters" a captivating read from start to finish. While the novel tackles weighty themes such as addiction, grief, and the search for identity, it is ultimately a story of resilience, hope, and the enduring power of sisterhood.Overall, "Blue Sisters" is a compelling and emotionally resonant novel that will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page. With its richly drawn characters and poignant narrative, it's a must-read for anyone who has experienced loss, love, and the transformative journey of self-discovery.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review. I loved this book. I loved ever sister for so many different reasons. Them being together felt like just a warm hug at the end.

The way the ending of this book made me SOB! What a beautifully well-written story about 3 sisters navigating through grief, addiction, and discovering the new versions of themselves after the loss of their fourth sister. Coco did it again by writing such an incredible novel. This isn’t out until the fall but RUN to your local bookstore to buy it when you can!


Thank you NetGalley and random house publishing group for the ARC!

This novel has great character portrayal and character development.

Meet the Blue sisters. You have the oldest, Avery, the mother hen of the group. Avery is a successful London lawyer after recovering from drug addiction in her early 20s. She is now thirty-three, married to her partner, and has been clean for ten years. Next is Bonnie. Bonnie was an amateur boxer turned professional boxer now turned bouncer. After losing her last fight, she fled from NY City to LA to more or less hide out. She is in love with her trainer but feels it's an unrequited love. Nicky is the third daughter, perhaps the most normal. Nicky is a teacher and wants children of her own in the worst way. The baby of the family is Lucky. Lucky became a professional fashion model at 15 and has lived in Paris for the last several years. Lucky is an addict currently.

We encounter the Blue sisters on the anniversary of the death of the third sister, Nicky. Nicky had dealt with excruciatingly painful endometriosis, got painkillers on the street that were laced with fentanyl, and died of an overdose a year ago. Nicky was the "normal" sister. The sisters were always meant to be a quartet. There was always supposed to be the four of them together, the four against the world. This is the story of how people deal with grief, spiral out of control, wish for do-overs and then deal with grief some more.

Enter the Blue sisters' parents - Mom tells Avery after the one year anniversary of Nicky's death that she never really knew if she ever wanted children and that she knew she wasn't good at "mothering." Dad is finally in a rehab facility for his drinking problem, but the liver damage is already there.

This novel is about the bond of family, but more importantly, the bond of sisterhood. It's a story about leaning on each other, helping each other, and wishing you would have done it right the first time. It's a story about realizing mistakes, making more mistakes, and finally learning from those mistakes.

The story's setting alternates between London, Paris, LA, NY City, and upstate NY. POVs are utilized from each of the four sisters. I really enjoyed Coco Mellors' style of presentation. She conveys grief and angst so convincingly with her characters' actions.

Thank you, NetGalley and Ballentine Books, for this powerful portrayal of sisterhood.

BLUE SISTERS, the second novel from Coco Mellors, proves that Mellors is just getting started as a powerhouse novelist. I really liked CLEOPATRA AND FRANKENSTEIN, but BLUE SISTERS is great on a whole different level.

The story is about the four Blue sisters, one of whom died a year ago. The other 3 have scattered to the wind, leaving behind their New York City roots. Lucky is a model in Paris, Avery is a lawyer in London, and Bonnie is a boxer and club bouncer in LA. When they have to go back to New York to clean out their childhood apartment, where their sister Nicky died, family secrets, resentments, and bad blood is drudged up upon reunion.

I really enjoyed getting lost in Mellor's beautiful writing, and digging into these characters. They are developed so well, and I had a hard time putting the book down to be away from them. The content is heavy at times, but that doesn't make the story fun, especially since these sisters are feisty and ultimately loveable. This is obviously a must-read for those with sisters, but I know it's also just going to be a big hit hands down when it's released this fall.

A moving depiction of the horrific isolation of deep and abiding grief, and how even those with the same claim to the deceased--sister--experience the loss in such different ways that it causes separation rather than unity.

What a true portrayal of grief after losing a close family member. Each sister is so different yet the thing they have in common is that family is everything, even though they had terrible parents. I love this line - “That was family, she thought sadly, the root of all comfort and chaos “. Examines some of the mistakes we make as humans. A really lovely story. I enjoyed reading about each of them. A new author for me to watch for!

This is my first Coco Mellors book (unlike everyone else, I have not had the chance to read ‘Cleopatra and Frankenstein’) so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but this was a poignant read that I surprisingly blew through considering the slower pace and heavy subject matter. I connected with all of the sisters, frustrating as they were at times. I also think having siblings - especially sisters - will made reading this resonate even more. Would recommend this book and I’m looking forward to reading more from the author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!

I loved this book so much. As we follow the POVs of Bonnie, Lucky, and Avery, and learn about Nicky from their stories, I felt like I could see a bit of myself in every character. I love Coco Mellors’s writing style and the way she navigates a story. I have 1 younger sister, and found myself wanting to call her and both tell her I love her and fight with her as I made my way through this book. There is nothing like a sister relationship, and this novel does a wonderful job painting the intricacies of its highs and lows. This is definitely a tender book, touching on themes of grief, family, addiction, cycles, and love.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

Loved this dysfunctional family’s stories and journey as they approach the anniversary of the death of a beloved sister. The three remaining sisters must navigate their own dysfunctional behaviors and reflect on their relationships with each other and their parents. Not a page turner, but I could not put it down.

“It was true. Being one of four sisters always felt like being part of something magic.”

“She was home, the only one she knew, not because she always lived in it, but because it always lived in her.”

“Some primal and atavistic part of herself was never at peace until she was with one of her sisters.”

Coco Mellors blew me away with this tale of the four Blue sisters. The novel takes place a year after one of four sisters has suddenly passed away. We see how each sister, lost with out their 4th counterpart, tries to dig themselves and each other out of their grief. It is a beautifully written book that illustrates all the wonderment of being a sibling and all the disaster that accompanies such raw and gut-wrenching grief. I loved Frankenstein and Cleopatra, but I LIVE for Blue Sisters. Amazing book; highly recommend.

This book did have very good portrayals of grief, addiction, infidelity, and mental health struggles. I think Coco Mellors did a very good job at portaying these extremely complex and emotionally heavy topics very well. However, I felt as though the book was very rushed towards the end, even though it felt like a very long book. She wrote it very well and this was a slow read, but not in a bad way. It is just a book where it deserves your time and attention because of how much detail Coco puts into this book. I still felt as though the ending was very rushed and a lot was not included, when I wish it would be. The chapters were also very long which made me feel like I had to finish chapters and get tired of reading halfway through, but I am the type of person who can't just stop in the middle of the chapter.

Overall, the topics discussed were all accurately portrayed in my opinion. However, the chapters could have been shorter and I wish I saw more of what was happening with the other two sisters during the last chapter of the book.

Blue Sisters is a beautiful and deeply sad novel about the special bond of sisterhood, as told through the lives of Avery, Bonnie and Lucky Blue.

Each sister has been reeling since the loss of their fourth sister, Nicky, exactly a year ago. Avery is a posh attorney, living with her wife in a bourgeois section of London. As the oldest, Avery has acted as the mother, a perfectionist, and someone who can’t let the cracks in her facade show. Bonnie is a professional boxer. But she hasn’t boxed since Nicky died, instead bartending in a hip locals bar in Venice Beach, California. And Lucky is a model, not exactly living anywhere, traipsing from one party to another. Each sister has been trying to hold it together, but failing and terrified to admit it to the others. In Blue Sisters, we see them come together and move apart, over and over, as they move through their grief. Alcoholism and addiction are a strong thread, as is family strife.

I absolutely loved this book. Coco Mellors’s writing is beautiful. The descriptive metaphors are smart and spot-on. The characters were so easy to love, feel empathy for, and root for. Once I started reading this book, I didn’t want to stop. I immediately added Mellors’s first novel to my library holds!

Highly recommended, going on my favorites shelf. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite quotes:
Kids who grew up with loving fathers had the same starry-eyed softness as kids raised in places like Malibu, those homes of eternal sunshine. They never had to toughen up. Lucky had this theory that having a bad dad was like growing up in a place with a long, rough winter. It hardens you. It also prepares you for reality, which is that summer is a season, not a lifestyle, and most men will hurt you if they get the chance. Or maybe it was only the people who grew up with bad dads who believed that.

“Living in L.A. is like dating a really beautiful person who has nothing to say,” said Avery. “It’s fine for a while because, you know, look at them, but eventually you’re going to realize you need to be around people who read books and have their real noses.”

Avery had previously thought love was built on large, visible gestures, but a marriage turned out to be the accrual of ordinary, almost inconsequential, acts of daily devotion—washing the mugs left in the sink before bed, taking the time to run up or downstairs to kiss each other quickly before one left the house, cutting up an extra piece of fruit to share—acts easy to miss, but if ever gone, deeply missed.

Trying to make a single glass of wine last for an entire meal, eking out tiny little sips and pretending to enjoy the taste rather than chase the effect, was worse than not drinking at all.

Her mother’s idea of being helpful was unsolicited criticism delivered swiftly, seemingly from nowhere, like getting hit by a dart in dark. By the time you realized you were punctured, the next one had usually been thrown.

In England there was a saying used by football fans: It’s the hope that kills you. A loss is always more bitter if you let yourself dream of victory first. Low expectations, that’s how the Brits liked to live. Protectiveness dressed up as pragmatism. It was how their mother always operated. But Avery was American. She believed in hope, had eaten it for breakfast along with Frosted Flakes and local news segments about everyday people who jumped onto subway tracks to save perfect strangers. And nothing was more hopeful than sobriety.

This book, "Blue Sisters", revolves around the story of three sisters who are trying to navigate their complex relationships and personal lives after the death of their sister. The book explores the unique bond that sisters share, highlighting the idea that sisters may not always share clothes but would be willing to make significant sacrifices for each other.

Despite the heavy subject matter, the novel offers a somewhat enjoyable reading experience by the way it took me through different cities like Paris, London, New York, and L.A. Each sister's journey in these locations reflects their desperate search for a sense of home after their sister's death. Absolutely beautifully executed and I thoroughly loved that!

The author, Mellors, fearlessly delves into the difficult aspects of life, particularly grief and its varied manifestations in different individuals. The novel also focuses on addiction and the determination to break the cycle of addiction within a family.

"Blue Sisters" is a heartfelt and emotionally tender book that will resonate with anyone who has sisters. And it deeply touched my heart! I felt so seen in so many ways. It explores themes of letting go, moving on, and learning how to live again.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Wow! I loved this book so much. Definitely going to order for my branch and hope to use it as a book club pick once hype dies down. Lovely story about three sisters dealing with the aftermath of their sister's death. Told in alternating viewpoints over multiple periods of time.