What a awesome book about the dynamics of family life. No family is ever perfect. The book centers around Glory and Solly and their four children. One boy and three girls. One day at the beach will change the family forever. How each person is changed by that day. It's also about the secrets that parents hide from their kids hoping to shield them from pain. After Glory dies, join, Ginger, Mimi, and Callie as they search to find out what happened in the past and where they all belong in the present. You will laugh and cry as you join them on their journey. Nancy Star is a huge talent. A must read.

I’ll be honest, at first, the reason I wanted this book was because of the cover. But after I read the summary, well, I really want to read the book. I love books with family secrets, and estrange family members reconciling, or something.

Sisters One, Two, Three was told from Ginger’s point of view. The book was divided into two parts, where in part one, the chapters alternated between the present and the past. In part two, everything is in the present. I really like books like that, because we get to learn about the past while we read about all the drama in the present, and we get to learn about what shaped these characters, what made them what they are in the present time.

While reading this book, I told my sister, “This family is a train wreck”, and I kept on reiterating that throughout the book. When Ginger grew up, she was adamant to raise her child the way her mother did. She was a worrywart, and became kind of controlling because she worried too much, and because of that, she almost ruined her relationship with her daughter. It made me feel kind of sad for Ginger, to be honest.

Their mother, oh…I really don’t know what to think of her. I have mixed feelings when I thought about her. Despite how dysfunctional their family is, despite how much dissatisfied she seemed with her life sometimes, I could see that she really did love her family. She made mistakes, decisions that could probably (or probably not) make their lives turn out a little differently. I mean, come on! If things weren’t kept a secret, then people involved would be more understanding…they would know what they were dealing with, even if not immediately. I am very mad at Glory for all those secrets, but I think, if I put myself in her shoes, I could understand just a bit. But for all I'm mad at her, I also like her. I like her relationship with Callie, and I kind of like present time Glory's personality, like she's 'living in the moment'. She was kind of amusing.

Callie… she made me feel so sad. Just…so sad. This human being that had been through all those trauma. As the secrets of the accident unfold, I literally felt goosebumps. It’s not surprising that Callie turned out the way she did after the accident. I’m not going to say more about it because the best thing about this book is to piece up what really happened.

I think my least favourite character in the book has got to be Mimi. She kept on trying to sell the house, trying to force Callie to agree to move back with them. While I understand why she would want Callie to be closer, her intention of selling the house despite Callie saying “she lives there” makes me so annoyed at her. But just like Glory, I could see that she loves her sisters.

To sum it all up, I think this book is so beautifully written. The helplessness I felt knowing the train wreck of a life their living is their life—not a dream where they could just wake up from. I love the way the author managed to make the characters so real and flawed. Most importantly, the part I love the most is the reconciliation, and the forgiveness. I love that in the end, Ginger was able to let go. I think people who adored Monica McInerney’s House of Memories would also enjoy this book. Just like this book, I think House of Memories gave the same feeling of a “train wreck life”.

I give Sisters One, Two, Three a rating of 4/5 stars.

Ginger's 13th year was as unlucky as the number. Many years after that tragic summer, it seems no one has been able to fix anything broken back then. Furthermore, there's her deteriorating relationship with her daughter Julia, and her mother Glory is no less strange now, than she was back then. This book, written in parallel timelines, is a story about secrets, hiding things and what should to let go of vs. what to hold close.

As noted above, Star tells this story through parallel timelines, at least for the most part. One line follows Ginger today, with her daughter and husband and relationship with her sister Mimi and her brood. The other follows Ginger's 13th summer, the one that changed the Tangle family forever while vacationing in Martha's Vineyard. However, around two thirds of the way through the book, the flashback narrative ends, and the rest of the book focuses on only the present. Of course, part of the reason for this is to learn as much about that tragic summer as possible, together with some of the aftermath. The fact is, from quite early on in this book we realize that Star's early timeline is there to reveal the terrible event in this family's past. We also can easily guess what happened. On the one hand, this type of plot development builds up the suspense very nicely, and there are essential elements about Ginger's 13th summer that are vitally important to the story. More importantly, these sections also help us better understand Ginger's relationship with her parents and siblings. However, I think Star drew these sections out just a bit too long for my taste. To be honest, one point I started to feel a bit frustrated and somewhat impatient for Star to get on with the "action." I also felt that this slightly diminished the dramatic impact of the event. In other words, I think if Star had finished the dual narratives by about half way through the book, it might have felt a bit stronger.

Don't get me wrong; I really enjoyed this novel. To begin with, Star's style is very open and frank with a good smattering of humor, of the kind where you'll find yourself grinning. Star also doesn't mess around with overt descriptions of scenery, although you'll certainly get pictures in your head of places like the Vineyard and the beaches. With this, most of the focus of Star's story is on what the characters are feeling as they pass through those places, which further helps develop the atmosphere. Most impressive was how Star developed Ginger to perfection, who is the outstanding protagonist here, and this book really is her story. Star also does a marvelous job with developing Ginger's mother Glory. Star carefully shows the tensions between mother and daughter, particularly where there are secrets between them, paralleled in Ginger's own relationship with her daughter Julia. Together with the other minor characters, we get interplay of relationships, clouded by deceptions that enhance all of Star's situations.

As noted above, as soon as Star finished telling us about the fateful events of Ginger's 13th summer, and its immediate aftermath, this story really took flight. With only the present day events, the story unfolds with increasing tension, straight through to a marvelous twist in the story that you'll never guess is coming from anything that preceded it. From there, Star takes us to a quick conclusion that leaves us with just enough information to make us believe that the whole family has taken a turn towards improving their relationships with each other as well as in their own separate lives. I would even go so far as to say it was gripping, with enough of an emotional bang to make me cry (in a good way). For all of this, I can highly recommend this book and give it a strong four and a half stars out of five.

(Warning: Although I would never call this "chic-lit," I do have a gut feeling that this book will appeal more to women than it will to men. Not that there aren't plenty of men out there who will enjoy this novel, but my feeling is that this will be a bigger hit with female audiences. Is that sexists of me?)

I received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

From the book description... "After a tragic accident on Martha’s Vineyard, keeping secrets becomes a way of life for the Tangle family. With memories locked away, the sisters take divergent paths. Callie disappears, Mimi keeps so busy she has no time to think, and Ginger develops a lifelong aversion to risk that threatens the relationships she holds most dear." A tragedy so terrible it takes an already disfunctioning family into deeper disfunction. Years and years of being told not to talk about the accident, three sisters come to an understanding at their mom's funeral.

Good book, the chapters shifted back and forth between the 1970's and present day. The writing flowed well and the character's are believable.

3☆

J’ai apprécié le fait que les transformations ne se fassent pas immédiatement, que l’écoulement temporel reste plausible. On croit à ce qui se passe sous nos yeux.

De la même manière, le personnage de Ginger m’est devenu plus sympathique; je pouvais vraiment la comprendre comme si j’étais elle. Le travail d’empathie de Nancy Star a fait son oeuvre.

Enfin, j’ai vraiment aimé la façon dont l’histoire m’a surprise alors que je pensais que c’en était fini des secrets de famille. On en apprend jusqu’à la fin. Même le personnage de Glory se rédempte à mes yeux car elle a fait de son mieux. On le comprend finalement dans une scène très émouvante.

En conclusion, j’ai adoré suivre l’histoire de la famille Tangle. J’ai été très émue et certaines scènes m’ont littéralement happée. Les personnages m’ont tous convaincue. C’était un très bon moment de lecture.

This book personally was not for me. I kept trying to get into it but found myself loosing interest every time. I had a hard time keeping the characters straight and connecting with them. If i had more time to read it and not as busy with school id attempt to finish it but as for right now i don't have the time.

Sisters One, Two, Three

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but I wasn't disappointed, I thoroughly enjoyed it! A little different to my usual reads but no less entertaining, Sisters One, Two, Three follows the Tangle family who are holidaying in Martha's Vineyard when tragedy strikes.

This is an emotional story about secrets, lies and the 'tangled' mess of the Tangle family. 4*

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book after being granted a wish by Netgalley and the publisher, many thanks.

Ginger is the sort of person for whom the glass isn't half full or half empty, it's festooned with someone else's lipstick print and backwash.

The oldest of three sisters, Ginger was both the most perceptive of the three and the most likely to refuse to see what was right in front of her. It's an interesting dichotomy, one that Nancy Star works well in this novel.

Ginger and sisters Mimi and Callie grew up knowing that life in their Tangle household was entirely unpredictable. Mother Glory believed herself to be an actress, although the role she performed best to a crowd was mother. The Glory whom neighbors and friends saw was not the Glory whom her children and husband saw. Ginger seems to recognize this, and there are times when you hope that Ginger will speak up and say something - that she will hold her mother accountable.

Nancy Star tells the story of the Tangle sisters through Ginger's eyes, moving back and forth between a particular summer on Cape Cod and Ginger's life today. That summer, her family suffered a tragic loss, and today, Glory is ill, Mimi is married with three sons, Callie has apparently vanished, and Ginger writes daily health warnings on a white board in the kitchen she shares with her husband and recalcitrant teenage daughter. The white board serves as Ginger's way of communicating what concerns her, whether it be germs or the necessity of a family meeting. Much like the losses the Tangles suffered, the white board can be quickly erased or even written over, with people adding their interpretations of what Ginger has to say.

Now, though, Ginger is suffering. Her daughter is proving increasingly unruly, her marriage appears to be fraying, and she finds herself having to deal with yet another family trauma. It's almost too much for her, especially as she comes to realize deeply held family secrets that belie all of the truths she thought she knew.

Star keeps her story moving toward these unraveling secrets, occasionally making you gasp. The problem, however, is that you're ultimately left feeling unsatisfied. Yes, you know what happened to and with the Tangles that one summer, but what of them now? Star dispenses with some of her plot lines far too tidily, whereas others are left dangling. Mimi remains a head scratcher, as do Ginger's husband and daughter.
This is one of those books that started out gripping and enthralling and turned into a rather tepid read. I wanted more from it.

Unhappiness and secrets always find a way to follow the Tangle family. Even if they try, they can’t have one without the other. Glory Tangle has four children — Ginger, Mimi, Callie and Charlie and only one interest — to act. She might not have achieved the success she dreamed on stage, but instead her life has been nothing, but one big performance. The story focuses on the Tangles, their questionable life choices and unique ways to deal with what comes next. Captured through the eyes of the oldest sister Ginger, the narrative alternates between the past and the present.

Glory Tangle does not want to hear another word of worry coming from Ginger, nor a protest from Mimi. The most she manages to get along with are the youngest — Callie and Charlie, because they’re the less likely to make any demands. Glory doesn’t like arguments unless she’s the one who initiated them. A manipulator of its finest (though she’d call this ‘acting’), she always knows how to make a situation works for her. Nothing can spin her out of her carefully built control and break the concrete walls to her emotions. She shows no significant interest in her children if it has nothing to do with her. Running an errand always has an ulterior motive and ultimately result in her favor. Exercising control is what an emotionally detached Glory masters best.

I’ve tried hard to comprehend the relationship between Ginger and her mother. They are not the same person, yet they share the same trait of controlling the people in their lives. They do it in a different way and in different degrees (Ginger does it, because of her anxious nature for the well-being of others and Glory, because of her own). I feel like this has not been fully addressed in the book. Ginger has been the only one closest to Glory throughout her never ending life performances, yet she has never questioned their dysfunctional relationship with more than a single question. Not even a follow-up? When it comes to her mother, Ginger doesn’t break the pattern of behaving like the thirteen year old girl she once was.

The novel sparked more questions at the end rather than the beginning. It still makes me wonder what was the reasoning behind some of the characters’ actions. Well, I have my guesses and this is what makes the book great for discussions, but it would have made a difference if the big reveal was not left for the very end.

The pace is good throughout and the writing is engaging — it took me a Saturday to finish it in one go! The characters are the heart of the novel. For all the fans of complicated family dynamics, secrets and, of course, quality drama — it will take your weekly concerns away and gives you some good material to ponder on. Afterall, isn’t thinking about the problems of fictional people better than thinking about your own?

I have kindly received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange of a fair review.

Keeping secrets from your family.....Losing a child in that way...I can not imagine. This was a wide range of emotional turmoil page after page. Julia all I can say is what a spoiled brat that the story could have done without! The ending left me saying WHAT???

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed to story. It was a bit slow in the beginning but what a big twist at the end! I'd rate it a 3.4!

Sisters One, Two and Three by Nancy Star is a story told from Ginger's perspective. The plot moves between the 1970s and today. Ginger is the oldest of four siblings, and in the 1970s a tragic event redefined her family.

The three sisters, all very different, come together after the death of their mother. Ginger is the the eldest who is the overanxious hypochondriac. Mimi is the laissez-faire soccer Mom extraordinaire. Lastly, Callie is the youngest and the wanderer whom, as of late, has been on one of her famous disappearing acts. The three finally converge at their Martha’s Vineyard home and, finally, are forced to confront the tragedy from their childhood that has plagued them all for years.

The characters in this novel are well thought out and unique, as well as realistic and flawed. This novel has great style, flow and is very easy to read. I was overjoyed when the format on my E-reader copy was clear, and I could easily engage.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Lake Union Publishing for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

I've never read any of Star's books before but it is clear that she is a pro at putting pen to paper. Her almost lyrical narrative style and ability to create such vibrantly complex characters that could very well be your next door neighbour is why I loved this book so much. Nothing seems outlandish. Everything is realistic. All your emotions are taken on a ride.

If you love a twisted book about family and are looking to unravel a heart wrenching mystery, then I would give this a try.

Great writing, great soul, great journey.

An honest and emotion packed read about a family haunted by the past. Star seamlessly weaves the past and present together and as the back story is revealed, the reader has a more in depth understanding of each character. The story starts slow, but with each new revelation builds until the novels perfect ending.

This storyline is a little different but that is part of what makes it a good book. I come from a family of three sisters and some of the same characteristics ring true. But that is where the similarities end. The Mother is all about keeping up with the Clarkes that lived next door and had a house on Martha's Vineyard. This story gives back and forth between what happened when the sisters were young and what is going on in their lives now. At first this is a little confusing but once you realize that's what is going on, it is easier to follow. I don't want to get a lot into the story because it will be easy to spoil it. It is a unique story and for that reason worth a read. Thank you to NetGalley and LakeUnion for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

I found this a struggle to read in places, and therefore a little difficult to review - it felt like two novels that could have been stand alone pieces, for me they didn't gel together as one.
The early story of Glory and the children lives felt complicated and not a smooth read, but the work in the present with Ginger was very much alive and a very enjoyable read.

This is the story of a family .. mother, father and four offspring. Not a perfect family by any means, but a real family with all the ups, downs and idiosyncracies which we can all identify within our own four walls but which outsiders wouldn't recognise. What really makes this tale special is the family secrets, the depth of which are beyond imagination.
Ginger is the eldest and, as often happens, spends her time being responsible for the others - trying to gauge her mother's current mood and ensure the children behave in the least upsetting way. This novel covers from childhood to when they are adults, all grown up with their own families.
The Tangle family secrets are intermingled with tragedy. Details are revealed which are as surprising to the characters as to the reader in a wonderfully woven tale of honesty about life and families.
This is a well written and absorbing novel, thoroughly enjoyable both through tears of laughter and sadness and it is one read which will stay with me for some time to come. I have no hesitation in recommending to everyone who enjoys a good book.

I received an arc via Net Galley for my honest and unbiased review.

Secrets are the way of this family's life. Don't talk about it and no one needs to answer for it. Ginger has kept secrets from her family that were very hush, hush. You didn't talk about them or know the truth. But as the years went by, things came out in the open. The death of her brother Charlie to the sister Callie who was ostracized from her family.
A very heartwarming story about how one persons perception can affect an entire family. I really enjoyed reading this book and want to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read this. I will definitely look for more Nancy Star books!!!!!

This story was sad and emotional.It is about the consequences of keeping secrets from those who are close.The characters are diverse and while they were not always likable I felt that they were interesting.

A tale of family sorrows and secrets deftly woven together from the various threads of the central characters. Set both in the current day and on a summer vacation when the central characters were children, this is the story of the Tangle family, three sisters, one brother, their slightly delusional and daffy mother and the father who works hard to provide for them. One Summer they hire a cottage in Martha's Vineyard , and tragedy strikes. In the aftermath the family are driven apart, and its only many years later that they are drawn together to deal with the past and the shadow it has thrown over all their lives, including their relationships with their own children.
An entertaining and engaging read with surprising emotional depth.
I read an advance copy from NetGalley