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Nominee for the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards
Shred Sisters: A Novel
A wry and riveting debut novel about family, mental illness, and a hard-won path between two sisters
It is said that when one person in a family is unstable, the whole family is destabilized. Meet the Shreds. Olivia is the sister in the spotlight, but when her stunning confidence morphs into something erratic and unpredictable, she becomes a hurricane leaving people wrecked in her wake. Put simply, she has no brakes.
Younger sister Amy, cautious and studious to the core, survives Ollie’s bullying and outcast status throughout her school years. She dreams of winning a Nobel Prize and unlocking the mysteries of the mind. Amy believes in facts, proof, and the empirical world. Except none of that can explain what’s happening to Ollie, whose physical beauty and charisma mask the bipolar disorder that will shatter Amy’s carefully constructed world.
As Amy comes of age and seeks to find her place—first in academics, then New York publishing, and through a series of troubled relationships—every step brings collisions with Ollie, who slips in and out of the Shred family without warning. For all that upends and unsettles these sisters, an inextricable bond always draws them back.
Spanning two decades, Shred Sisters is an intimate and bittersweet story exploring the fierce complexities of sisterhood, mental health, loss and love. If anything is true it’s what Amy learns on her road to self-acceptance: No one will love you or hurt you more than a sister.
It is said that when one person in a family is unstable, the whole family is destabilized. Meet the Shreds. Olivia is the sister in the spotlight, but when her stunning confidence morphs into something erratic and unpredictable, she becomes a hurricane leaving people wrecked in her wake. Put simply, she has no brakes.
Younger sister Amy, cautious and studious to the core, survives Ollie’s bullying and outcast status throughout her school years. She dreams of winning a Nobel Prize and unlocking the mysteries of the mind. Amy believes in facts, proof, and the empirical world. Except none of that can explain what’s happening to Ollie, whose physical beauty and charisma mask the bipolar disorder that will shatter Amy’s carefully constructed world.
As Amy comes of age and seeks to find her place—first in academics, then New York publishing, and through a series of troubled relationships—every step brings collisions with Ollie, who slips in and out of the Shred family without warning. For all that upends and unsettles these sisters, an inextricable bond always draws them back.
Spanning two decades, Shred Sisters is an intimate and bittersweet story exploring the fierce complexities of sisterhood, mental health, loss and love. If anything is true it’s what Amy learns on her road to self-acceptance: No one will love you or hurt you more than a sister.
272 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
July 14, 2024
“no one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister.”
i sat down to read this and then ended up finishing it in a few sittings. ‘shred sisters’ is a raw story about the messiness of human relationships, of sisterhood and family dynamics, and the rippling effects of mental illness. all of the characters are well-crafted, especially the 2 shred sisters themselves, amy and olivia, and their polarity to one another. it’s a very poignant, touching novel, and i’m excited to read more of betsy lerner’s work after this!
thank you to betsy for kindly sending me a copy! ‘shred sisters’ comes out on 1st october 2024.
i sat down to read this and then ended up finishing it in a few sittings. ‘shred sisters’ is a raw story about the messiness of human relationships, of sisterhood and family dynamics, and the rippling effects of mental illness. all of the characters are well-crafted, especially the 2 shred sisters themselves, amy and olivia, and their polarity to one another. it’s a very poignant, touching novel, and i’m excited to read more of betsy lerner’s work after this!
thank you to betsy for kindly sending me a copy! ‘shred sisters’ comes out on 1st october 2024.
March 10, 2024
Such a deep and moving story. This shows the deep running issues between family, siblings and one's self. It's not a perfect story nor does it include perfect people, it is messy and has damaged bits but I think that's what made this so remarkable for me. The utter rawness of each character, flaws and all. Some may say it's "slow" for the first half for the story, however, I believe it is building the background and deepens the understanding for each of the main characters. As you watch them grow and development, it was truly eye opening. Many heart breaking moments as well. This makes you be more open minded, aware and understanding to those possibly dealing with mental illness, addiction or family problems. I enjoyed it.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Grove Atlantic to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Grove Atlantic to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
October 15, 2024
“No one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister.”
July 22, 2024
Went through this one so fast! I was especially gripped by the first half of the book, when the Shred sisters were both young and the tensions in the family were high - I couldn’t stop reading. I found myself thinking about Ollie on random moments during my day - that’s how real of a character she was. Towards the end a little too much happened to me, family tragedy and relationships followed each other up too fast - but other than that a beautiful, pure and honest novel that beautifully portrayed the impact of difficult family relationships and the impact of mental illness on those around us.
September 11, 2024
Despite this book being titled Shred Sisters it is narrated and dominated by younger sister, Amy. Thankfully so because Olivia (Ollie) would make for an unreliable narrator to say the least.
We begin the book quite early in the girls' lives and, despite the obvious love between them, Amy always seems to come out second best. It is the perennial complaint of all siblings perhaps that mum and dad have a favourite and Amy finds the fact that the favourite is Ollie even harder to take as Ollie's behaviour becomes more and more self-destructive when her bipolar disorder begins to take hold.
Throughout the book we see Amy striving for perfection as Ollie spirals, calms then spirals again, each time managing to destroy a little more of her family's faith in her ability to recover.
I really liked this book. It is impossible to find fault with Ollie because of her mental health but it is also very easy to sympathise with Amy who constantly feels ignored. Both girls are interesting characters but I really liked Amy and her tenacity in her beliefs and willingness to succeed at everything she does.
This really is simply a long, hard look at family and the relationship between the sisters, but it is so well written that it feels like so much more. There are emotive issues dealt with, such as bipolar, divorce, drug abuse and adultery.
I'd definitely recommend this book.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the advance review copy.
We begin the book quite early in the girls' lives and, despite the obvious love between them, Amy always seems to come out second best. It is the perennial complaint of all siblings perhaps that mum and dad have a favourite and Amy finds the fact that the favourite is Ollie even harder to take as Ollie's behaviour becomes more and more self-destructive when her bipolar disorder begins to take hold.
Throughout the book we see Amy striving for perfection as Ollie spirals, calms then spirals again, each time managing to destroy a little more of her family's faith in her ability to recover.
I really liked this book. It is impossible to find fault with Ollie because of her mental health but it is also very easy to sympathise with Amy who constantly feels ignored. Both girls are interesting characters but I really liked Amy and her tenacity in her beliefs and willingness to succeed at everything she does.
This really is simply a long, hard look at family and the relationship between the sisters, but it is so well written that it feels like so much more. There are emotive issues dealt with, such as bipolar, divorce, drug abuse and adultery.
I'd definitely recommend this book.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the advance review copy.
April 10, 2024
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.
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.
October 31, 2024
This is one of those books where I feel compelled to specify that for me, a three-star review is not a bad review. I know three stars looks bad, like quintessential damning with faint praise stuff, next to rows of four and five stars. But I don’t usually finish, shelve as read, rate, or review books I don’t like, and I’m pretty ruthless about this, so if a book gets a three, it means I decided to complete it and it’s not a two and that already says a lot. I’d say that for me, three stars lies somewhere on the spectrum between “solidly liked it but a coupla things bugged me” and “thank you, next,” and the best interpretation would be something like, “just wasn’t quite my vibe.”
All that being said - I was a little let down by this book, but objectively there was nothing wrong with it. Though the story spans many years, it’s pretty spare and economical in its telling, remarkably and admirably so, which makes sense given that I think the author is a pretty notable editor and/or writing instructor or something like that. I think my objections were primarily twofold: first, the character of Ollie felt a little too much like an idealized portrait of mental illness, a bit shallowly characterized and manic pixie dream girl to me, with almost sort of a Pretty Woman-type situation going on - pretty curious if anyone else felt the same way. Second, with regard to protagonist Amy - I usually don’t mind “unlikeable” characters at all and like, bring on the depression, I’m familiar/a fan, but Amy was frustrating to me and often unpleasant and I struggled to empathize with her at times or to connect her own particular struggles to her family relationships (although she certainly had a lot of shit to deal with). Indeed, at times I was thinking that almost everyone in the book seemed kind of like a total selfish asshole, incapable of love, and even if this is an accurate depiction of humanity, it was depressing to dwell on and to spend time with these folks in a way that did not seem redemptive until perhaps the very end. I guess a third concern I had was that, especially given all the previous assholery, the end felt overly resolved and sunny in a somewhat facile and rushed way.
HOWEVER, and again, it bears repeating that I finished the book and there was never any doubt that I would. Good book, I am sure many will like it, but something about it was just a bit off for me and interfered with my ability to truly connect or care. Very technically proficient and great subject matter and themes, but did not pluck at my heartstrings as much as I’d hoped.
All that being said - I was a little let down by this book, but objectively there was nothing wrong with it. Though the story spans many years, it’s pretty spare and economical in its telling, remarkably and admirably so, which makes sense given that I think the author is a pretty notable editor and/or writing instructor or something like that. I think my objections were primarily twofold: first, the character of Ollie felt a little too much like an idealized portrait of mental illness, a bit shallowly characterized and manic pixie dream girl to me, with almost sort of a Pretty Woman-type situation going on - pretty curious if anyone else felt the same way. Second, with regard to protagonist Amy - I usually don’t mind “unlikeable” characters at all and like, bring on the depression, I’m familiar/a fan, but Amy was frustrating to me and often unpleasant and I struggled to empathize with her at times or to connect her own particular struggles to her family relationships (although she certainly had a lot of shit to deal with). Indeed, at times I was thinking that almost everyone in the book seemed kind of like a total selfish asshole, incapable of love, and even if this is an accurate depiction of humanity, it was depressing to dwell on and to spend time with these folks in a way that did not seem redemptive until perhaps the very end. I guess a third concern I had was that, especially given all the previous assholery, the end felt overly resolved and sunny in a somewhat facile and rushed way.
HOWEVER, and again, it bears repeating that I finished the book and there was never any doubt that I would. Good book, I am sure many will like it, but something about it was just a bit off for me and interfered with my ability to truly connect or care. Very technically proficient and great subject matter and themes, but did not pluck at my heartstrings as much as I’d hoped.
July 7, 2024
Imagine if Lorelai & Rory were sisters and grew up together at the Gilmore household - but significantly more chaotic. Shred Sisters is exactly that rebellious and nerdy duo in an upper middle class Connecticut family with many secrets. Honestly, I enjoyed the “no plot just vibes” story told in the perspective of Amy Shred (the nerdy sister). If you like reading about messy relationships, introverted narrator, mental health, and family dynamics, you’ll like this book.
Thank you to NetGalley & Grove Press for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley & Grove Press for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
November 12, 2024
Tender, heartfelt, beautiful, propulsive. The story of two sisters and a family rocked by deep mental illness, the book centers the sister in the crosshairs of the wreckage, a POV not often seen. The book is deeply felt and realized, and the relationships of the characters are moving and devastating. I truly loved this so much, and connected with Ollie and her isolationist streak. A fave of 2024.
August 27, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
I was very excited to read this book because of the themes of sisterhood and mental illness, but, unfortunately, it fell flat for me.
After a — in my opinion — very strong start, I quickly lost interest and found myself skimming the second half of the book. This was mostly due to how boring and, honestly, annoying and whiny I thought Amy, the sister whose perspective we’re reading from, was. I would have found this book much more interesting if we had spent more time with Ollie, the other and more complicated sister.
Instead, I was stuck reading about Amy’s day-to-day life and her struggles forming relationships with other people outside of her difficult family life and, while that might sound interesting, I thought it was ultimately all very shallow and nothing was explored in a way that was satisfactory to me.
I would have loved seeing more about both sisters in their therapy sessions and processing their trauma, but it all felt very superficial and like none of their deeper struggles were really addressed.
Overall, I just expected a lot more out of this book and was, ultimately, very bored by it.
I was very excited to read this book because of the themes of sisterhood and mental illness, but, unfortunately, it fell flat for me.
After a — in my opinion — very strong start, I quickly lost interest and found myself skimming the second half of the book. This was mostly due to how boring and, honestly, annoying and whiny I thought Amy, the sister whose perspective we’re reading from, was. I would have found this book much more interesting if we had spent more time with Ollie, the other and more complicated sister.
Instead, I was stuck reading about Amy’s day-to-day life and her struggles forming relationships with other people outside of her difficult family life and, while that might sound interesting, I thought it was ultimately all very shallow and nothing was explored in a way that was satisfactory to me.
I would have loved seeing more about both sisters in their therapy sessions and processing their trauma, but it all felt very superficial and like none of their deeper struggles were really addressed.
Overall, I just expected a lot more out of this book and was, ultimately, very bored by it.
September 8, 2024
Shred Sisters
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑.𝟱 𐬹 ੈ ˖
⋆𖦹.✧˚ 🥀 gain perspective through Amy Shred's journey as she and her family struggle with the aftermath of events brought on by her troubled and unpredictable sister, Ollie. despite excelling academically, Amy finds it difficult to build meaningful relationships with people due to the emotional scars inflicted by her own family.⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚
we witness the ups and downs throughout her journey in life from childhood to adulthood- be it challenges in her personal life, the ups and downs of her romantic relationships, the pain of losing loved ones, or the complex dynamics of her family.
hey, they are all flawed characters. but truth be told, everyone is flawed. Amy longs for her father's affection, her mother's validation, and her sister's love. some of her actions were questionable, and yes, i'm talking about the Josh incident. but i imagine she did it hoping it was her trying to save Ollie.
i came to appreciate the story, it was not what I expected, but in a good way. it took me a while to process my thoughts after finishing this book, and i don't think i could express my feelings in words. but i commend Betsy Lerner for this complex yet impactful storyline, which shows how a single crack can shatter something as delicate as a family's bond.
Thank you to NetGalley, Grove Atlantic, and of course, Betsy Lerner for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. The book will be published on October 1st, 2024 ♡
༘˚⋆𐙚｡⋆𖦹.✧˚
𐙚 pre-read: my first arc! i'm soo looking forward to this. i may relate to this book as someone with a sister who I think outshines me at times. can't wait ~
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑.𝟱 𐬹 ੈ ˖
⋆𖦹.✧˚ 🥀 gain perspective through Amy Shred's journey as she and her family struggle with the aftermath of events brought on by her troubled and unpredictable sister, Ollie. despite excelling academically, Amy finds it difficult to build meaningful relationships with people due to the emotional scars inflicted by her own family.⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚
we witness the ups and downs throughout her journey in life from childhood to adulthood- be it challenges in her personal life, the ups and downs of her romantic relationships, the pain of losing loved ones, or the complex dynamics of her family.
hey, they are all flawed characters. but truth be told, everyone is flawed. Amy longs for her father's affection, her mother's validation, and her sister's love. some of her actions were questionable, and yes, i'm talking about the Josh incident. but i imagine she did it hoping it was her trying to save Ollie.
i came to appreciate the story, it was not what I expected, but in a good way. it took me a while to process my thoughts after finishing this book, and i don't think i could express my feelings in words. but i commend Betsy Lerner for this complex yet impactful storyline, which shows how a single crack can shatter something as delicate as a family's bond.
Thank you to NetGalley, Grove Atlantic, and of course, Betsy Lerner for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. The book will be published on October 1st, 2024 ♡
༘˚⋆𐙚｡⋆𖦹.✧˚
𐙚 pre-read: my first arc! i'm soo looking forward to this. i may relate to this book as someone with a sister who I think outshines me at times. can't wait ~
October 16, 2024
Tale of two sisters - older one is an unabashedly wild Ollie and younger Amy, is a bookworm and an introvert. The novel takes us through their tough life and conflicts, focusing on Ollie's mental health, her refusal to take antidepressants and her frequent strife with her parents and Amy. I'd really wanted to feel for either of the sisters. The sticky point is the author kept pushing the narrative in such a rushed, methodical pace, there was little room to breathe, let alone any empathy.
September 26, 2024
Rating: ★★★☆☆
A thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
”No one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister.”
Shred Sisters follows Amy and Olivia Shred in a bittersweet story of sisterhood, mental health, loss and love as they discover the road to self-acceptance.
⟡•—— ・ ₊˚👩🏻🤝���👩🏼‧₊˚. ・ ——•⟡
Shred Sisters possesses a very intriguing concept and writing - it’s almost written like Amy’s diary as we get to unravel how the mental illness of her older sister affected Amy as the youngest in the family.
I think Lerner did a wonderful job at portraying the effects, trauma and self-denial of dealing with a family member who is both destructive and unstable. I could feel Amy’s internal rage and sadness at being put through the pain of losing both of her parents to the constant care of her older sister and how it affected her adult self and relationships.
The main reason why i think it didn’t quite do it for me was because i started reading this novel with the expectation that, by the end, we would be greeted with a happy conclusion to Amy’s story - which did not happen. Olivia didn’t repent for all of the things she took from her family and Amy remained denied of an apologize from both of her parents. Maybe that was the whole point of the book - it’s definitely quite a realistic ending.
A thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
”No one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister.”
Shred Sisters follows Amy and Olivia Shred in a bittersweet story of sisterhood, mental health, loss and love as they discover the road to self-acceptance.
⟡•—— ・ ₊˚👩🏻🤝���👩🏼‧₊˚. ・ ——•⟡
Shred Sisters possesses a very intriguing concept and writing - it’s almost written like Amy’s diary as we get to unravel how the mental illness of her older sister affected Amy as the youngest in the family.
I think Lerner did a wonderful job at portraying the effects, trauma and self-denial of dealing with a family member who is both destructive and unstable. I could feel Amy’s internal rage and sadness at being put through the pain of losing both of her parents to the constant care of her older sister and how it affected her adult self and relationships.
The main reason why i think it didn’t quite do it for me was because i started reading this novel with the expectation that, by the end, we would be greeted with a happy conclusion to Amy’s story - which did not happen. Olivia didn’t repent for all of the things she took from her family and Amy remained denied of an apologize from both of her parents. Maybe that was the whole point of the book - it’s definitely quite a realistic ending.
August 5, 2024
When you save an anticipated book for as long as I saved Shred Sisters, what you're left with as you begin is a knot in your stomach. Can the pages you’re holding live up to what you'd like them to be?
In the case of this novel, the answer is yes.
Amy is the youngest Shred sister, always in the shadow of her enigmatic, larger than life older sister, Ollie.
Beautiful, erratic and unpredictable, Ollie destabilizes her family unit, slowly and then overnight, when she is eventually sent to stay at a psych unit. Everyone in her family approaches loving Ollie differently, each desperate to make her stay and change, and each unable to do so, over and over again.
What results is a divergence, where we follow Amy as she sets off on her own path...or is it?
Shred Sisters is an intimate portrait of someone who is always one part removed from themselves, in the face of dealing with someone who requires so much of their time and energy. Though there are heavier themes, such as mental health, forgiveness and acceptance, it is unexpectedly (and beautifully) funny. Moments of insight, written poetically, are followed up by one-liners, written with a cool, deadpan delivery.
I loved this novel for how it dug apart sisterhood, unafraid to get its fingernails dirty. Afterall, nobody leaves a family clean.
(Thank you to the publisher for an early copy, in exchange for an honest review)
In the case of this novel, the answer is yes.
Amy is the youngest Shred sister, always in the shadow of her enigmatic, larger than life older sister, Ollie.
Beautiful, erratic and unpredictable, Ollie destabilizes her family unit, slowly and then overnight, when she is eventually sent to stay at a psych unit. Everyone in her family approaches loving Ollie differently, each desperate to make her stay and change, and each unable to do so, over and over again.
What results is a divergence, where we follow Amy as she sets off on her own path...or is it?
Shred Sisters is an intimate portrait of someone who is always one part removed from themselves, in the face of dealing with someone who requires so much of their time and energy. Though there are heavier themes, such as mental health, forgiveness and acceptance, it is unexpectedly (and beautifully) funny. Moments of insight, written poetically, are followed up by one-liners, written with a cool, deadpan delivery.
I loved this novel for how it dug apart sisterhood, unafraid to get its fingernails dirty. Afterall, nobody leaves a family clean.
(Thank you to the publisher for an early copy, in exchange for an honest review)
October 26, 2024
This book read almost like a script - everything was so quick, punchy, and moved along fast. Lerner doesn't waste words on frivolous details. She tells the story with brevity, and yet, somehow, nothing is left to question!
Superb story-telling, and the kind that makes you worry about the characters. What's going to happen to Ollie? Amy? The parents? Josh? (oh, dear, Josh) Marc - um, Courtney, hmmmm. Those people I didn't care about - they could go . . . (haha, well, no spoilers)
Well done, Betsy Lerner!
Superb story-telling, and the kind that makes you worry about the characters. What's going to happen to Ollie? Amy? The parents? Josh? (oh, dear, Josh) Marc - um, Courtney, hmmmm. Those people I didn't care about - they could go . . . (haha, well, no spoilers)
Well done, Betsy Lerner!
August 5, 2024
4.25/5 stars
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.
Shred Sisters will be published on October 1st, 2024
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.
Shred Sisters will be published on October 1st, 2024
March 13, 2024
“Happiness is attainable, sadness is inevitable.”
Shred Sisters is a beautifully raw coming of age story of how mental illness can touch every facet of a family’s life.
The story revolves around Amy and her family. Through the eyes of Amy we are shown how from a young age her sister Ollie has been different, always taking risks that other children don’t. As Ollie gets older, these risks become significantly more dangerous until she is put into a mental health facility for her bipolar disorder. As the years pass, Amy and her family’s life revolves around Ollie and what she is, or isn’t doing. Amy, despite getting perfect grades, graduating high school and college, getting a job and getting married is still struggling with feeling good enough for her mom and herself. We follow Amy as she struggles with this, and her complete denial of Ollie effecting her life and relationships.
Lerner does a great job on painting a very realistic picture of complicated family dynamics. If you have a family member with mental illness or addiction, this story will definitely interest you and hit very close to home.
—————————————————
Thank you NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🫶🏻
Shred Sisters is a beautifully raw coming of age story of how mental illness can touch every facet of a family’s life.
The story revolves around Amy and her family. Through the eyes of Amy we are shown how from a young age her sister Ollie has been different, always taking risks that other children don’t. As Ollie gets older, these risks become significantly more dangerous until she is put into a mental health facility for her bipolar disorder. As the years pass, Amy and her family’s life revolves around Ollie and what she is, or isn’t doing. Amy, despite getting perfect grades, graduating high school and college, getting a job and getting married is still struggling with feeling good enough for her mom and herself. We follow Amy as she struggles with this, and her complete denial of Ollie effecting her life and relationships.
Lerner does a great job on painting a very realistic picture of complicated family dynamics. If you have a family member with mental illness or addiction, this story will definitely interest you and hit very close to home.
—————————————————
Thank you NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🫶🏻
October 16, 2024
A debut story about the complicated and often toxic relationship between two sisters. The book was fast paced and had really great mental health and addiction rep but I found it a tad dark for my tastes and there was a lot of cheating and divorces going on. Good on audio but just an okay listen for me.
October 22, 2024
Was I supposed to like Amy?
September 27, 2024
No one will love you or hurt you more than a sister.
I'm a simple person. You give me a book about family and sisterhood, and I will always eat it up.
Shred Sisters has no actual plot - it is told from Amy's point of view, the younger sister, about her older sister, Ollie, and how her family revolved around her since they were kids until they grew older. I understand why people might dislike Amy, but from her point of view, I also understand how it is not easy for her, watching her sister make mistakes and feeling like her parents still prefer Ollie over her. But on the other hand, Ollie had struggled a lot with her mental health and did not have the privileges that Amy had.
I think the book would have been better if everything was told from two different points of view since Ollie and Amy are so different. I understand this is not an easy thing for authors, but I believe it could have made the story more meaningful. It might sound a little biased but take Blue Sisters for example.
This was a quick read and while I enjoyed it, I think it is mostly because of my preference and I am not sure if others would like it as much as I do.
Thank you NetGalley as always and Grove Atlantic for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a simple person. You give me a book about family and sisterhood, and I will always eat it up.
Shred Sisters has no actual plot - it is told from Amy's point of view, the younger sister, about her older sister, Ollie, and how her family revolved around her since they were kids until they grew older. I understand why people might dislike Amy, but from her point of view, I also understand how it is not easy for her, watching her sister make mistakes and feeling like her parents still prefer Ollie over her. But on the other hand, Ollie had struggled a lot with her mental health and did not have the privileges that Amy had.
I think the book would have been better if everything was told from two different points of view since Ollie and Amy are so different. I understand this is not an easy thing for authors, but I believe it could have made the story more meaningful. It might sound a little biased but take Blue Sisters for example.
This was a quick read and while I enjoyed it, I think it is mostly because of my preference and I am not sure if others would like it as much as I do.
Thank you NetGalley as always and Grove Atlantic for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2024
This. Was. So. Good.
Likely more of a review to come later!
Likely more of a review to come later!
May 20, 2024
"No one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister."
it delves through the complexity of the relationship of two siblings and the dynamics of family relationships. nothing could have prepared me more with the emotional rollercoaster and the raw story between the two sisters. the writing hooked me easily from the first page and it made me shed a tear or two in the ending.
shred sisters by betsy lerner will be out on october 1, 2024.
thank you netgalley, grove atlantic and betsy lerner for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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unedited review:
i’m sobbing.
rtc!
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pre-read:
i’ve heard so much about this book, finally my arc request got approved! <3
October 3, 2024
A beautifully written book about mental illness, families, relationships, drug addiction, therapy, death and love. This author knows how to tell a story. I was completely engrossed in a subject and timeframe that normally would not interest me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
March 25, 2024
3.5 stars!
Overall an enjoyable read that kept me interested. The story depicts a family impacted by mental health difficulties, particularly highlighting elder sister Ollie’s constant Manic/Depressive episodes. The story is told fully from younger sister Amy’s perspective, and Amy herself experiences a lot of anxiety, social difficulties and attachment issues that impact her relationships throughout the book.
I never quite felt we were given opportunity to connect with any of the characters and truly understand them. Amy is an unreliable narrator in that she seems to perceive herself as a victim of her family’s issues, yet appears incapable of reflecting on why anyone (including herself) behaves in the way they do. As readers we are left to draw our own conclusions about why each character’s behaviour patterns occur and what needs these behaviours are meeting for them. Considering that Amy is in therapy for 5 years and we go in session with her, this felt like such a missed opportunity. I wish we could have seen her have some breakthroughs in understanding herself in the context of her family dynamic and to take full responsibility for her poor decision making. I would have liked POVs from Ollie to get another perspective of how the sisters view each other and their influence on the other’s life.
There was a sense of predictability in the repetitive storyline, as it became clear that no characters would experience much development and they would all continue their cycles of destructive behaviour throughout. I know this can sometimes be a realistic experience of mental illness, however if this was the point being made there was a missed opportunity to deliberately reflect on this to drive it home to readers.
Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for access to this e-arc ahead of its October 2024 release date, in exchange for an honest review. I definitely recommend this book as I think it’s an interesting and engaging portrayal of how mental illness can appear in families. I just think it would have been a lot more powerful of a story if these relationships and behaviour patterns were explored and reflected on rather than just being described. Full disclosure also: I’m a psychologist which does influence why I would have been excited to deeply explore the issues depicted in the book!
Overall an enjoyable read that kept me interested. The story depicts a family impacted by mental health difficulties, particularly highlighting elder sister Ollie’s constant Manic/Depressive episodes. The story is told fully from younger sister Amy’s perspective, and Amy herself experiences a lot of anxiety, social difficulties and attachment issues that impact her relationships throughout the book.
I never quite felt we were given opportunity to connect with any of the characters and truly understand them. Amy is an unreliable narrator in that she seems to perceive herself as a victim of her family’s issues, yet appears incapable of reflecting on why anyone (including herself) behaves in the way they do. As readers we are left to draw our own conclusions about why each character’s behaviour patterns occur and what needs these behaviours are meeting for them. Considering that Amy is in therapy for 5 years and we go in session with her, this felt like such a missed opportunity. I wish we could have seen her have some breakthroughs in understanding herself in the context of her family dynamic and to take full responsibility for her poor decision making. I would have liked POVs from Ollie to get another perspective of how the sisters view each other and their influence on the other’s life.
There was a sense of predictability in the repetitive storyline, as it became clear that no characters would experience much development and they would all continue their cycles of destructive behaviour throughout. I know this can sometimes be a realistic experience of mental illness, however if this was the point being made there was a missed opportunity to deliberately reflect on this to drive it home to readers.
Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for access to this e-arc ahead of its October 2024 release date, in exchange for an honest review. I definitely recommend this book as I think it’s an interesting and engaging portrayal of how mental illness can appear in families. I just think it would have been a lot more powerful of a story if these relationships and behaviour patterns were explored and reflected on rather than just being described. Full disclosure also: I’m a psychologist which does influence why I would have been excited to deeply explore the issues depicted in the book!
September 25, 2024
This is a sad story of a broken family. Mom, Dad and two sisters. The older sister has severe mental health issues. The fallout of these issues ends up affecting the rest of the family.
The tagline for this book is:
“No one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister.”
In relation to this story, it is very true. The storyline shows us this from beginning to end.
Without being an expert on mental health, the character of the older sister, Ollie, seems to be accurately depicted. My heart broke for her. Her insides must have been a constant hurricane. Her actions and thoughts have no consideration of consequences or repercussions. And, my heart broke for Amy, the younger sister, whose heart was broken, over and over.
The writing is emotional and raw. At times the plot seems slightly disjointed. I'm not sure if this is an editing problem or if it is a “special effect” to demonstrate the nature of the story. I tend to believe that it was to match the rhythm of Ollie's and Amy's lives. I found it a little disconcerting.
I found the ending to be abrupt, not satisfying. I enjoyed the first part of the story when the girls were young and Ollie's problems were already an issue. But as I read further I started to feel disconnected from the characters. For me, it was just ok.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
The tagline for this book is:
“No one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister.”
In relation to this story, it is very true. The storyline shows us this from beginning to end.
Without being an expert on mental health, the character of the older sister, Ollie, seems to be accurately depicted. My heart broke for her. Her insides must have been a constant hurricane. Her actions and thoughts have no consideration of consequences or repercussions. And, my heart broke for Amy, the younger sister, whose heart was broken, over and over.
The writing is emotional and raw. At times the plot seems slightly disjointed. I'm not sure if this is an editing problem or if it is a “special effect” to demonstrate the nature of the story. I tend to believe that it was to match the rhythm of Ollie's and Amy's lives. I found it a little disconcerting.
I found the ending to be abrupt, not satisfying. I enjoyed the first part of the story when the girls were young and Ollie's problems were already an issue. But as I read further I started to feel disconnected from the characters. For me, it was just ok.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
October 31, 2024
This is good, but it’s one of those books that isn’t for me.
October 28, 2024
I really enjoyed the writing style, but I could not find any emotional connection to these characters. This book was just 'okay'. The content is something pretty close to my heart as well (mental health/addiction) but it was just so shrouded in first world problems that it didn't get to the heart of it for me.
October 28, 2024
As an aging Baby Boomer, I'm impressed that Betsy Lerner, a well-regarded literary agent and editor, has written her first novel at age 64. I'm less impressed by the novel itself. There's nothing particularly wrong with it, but there is little to distinguish Shred Sisters from the hundreds of other stories that explore the dynamics between two sisters (subset: one of them has a serious mental illness). And despite reviews that describe the book as both funny and poignant, I couldn't find the alleged humor. YMMV if you need to read all of the books to remind yourself that "nobody will love you or hurt you more than a sister."
October 18, 2024
Pleasant read with promising characters! Unfortunately it fell flat, and the novel felt like an unfinished thought.
Of all things I really just wished the author hadnt relied so much on common tropes
2.5 ⭐️ because it was a nice snack!
Of all things I really just wished the author hadnt relied so much on common tropes
2.5 ⭐️ because it was a nice snack!
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