Book Review: My Sisters And Me by Lisa Dickenson

Lisa Dickenson's new book is a feel-good, kick-ass novel about sisterhood and second chances. I love her her hilarious remarks and her strong and relatable characters so I am very excited today to share my review for her latest release: 

Title: My Sisters And Me

Author: Lisa Dickenson

Published: August 23rd 2018 by Little Brown

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: They're fixing up their childhood home. It's going to get messy.

When Willow Lake asks her daughters for help renovating the family home, each has a reason to hesitate about returning to Maplewood...

For quiet and bookish Emmy going back to the town that ridiculed her fills her with dread.

The youngest Noelle is perfectly comfortable in herself now, but once wanted to fit in so badly that she walked away from her first love. A first love who still lives in Maplewood.

And outspoken Rae is painfully aware of how much the townspeople hurt her little sisters growing up. She didn't protect them then, but there's no way she'll let history repeat itself.

The sisters agree to go home and make the best of it. After all if they've changed over the years, it's possible the townspeople have too... isn't it?

Review: The story revolves around three sisters, Rae, Emmy and Noelle. They didn't have the easiest of childhoods in their small village of Mapplewood, as they were bullied for being different. So since moving out to start their adult lives, they haven't been back that often. But when their mother asks them to re-do the whole house while she is away, they all agree to go back for three months. As you can imagine, when they arrive, they are not ready yet to face their past demons, but they soon realize that it is about time to show Mapplewood they are kick-ass women who don't care any more about what others think. Or do they?

I really loved the whole message in the story, how we need to embrace our own selves and be proud of who we are. It's not an easy task, but every little step forward counts. The sisters were always supportive of each other and had a very special bond. Eldest sister Rae was also very protective of her two younger sisters and was always on fight-mode, ready to defend them. It was great to see her character develop and how her sisters made her understand fight or flight are not always the only options.

In general, I think there was a very clear evolution in the main three characters. We really got to know them and we were able to understand them: we knew about their fears and their doubts but also about their strengths and their dreams. Also, there wasn't only hostility waiting for them in Mapplewood, some old flames and old friendships were also back in the village, ready to turn the sisters' lives upside-down. So we got to know some new sides of them because of that. 

If you have read Lisa Dickenson's previous books, you will know about her hilarious sense of humour. Maybe this story is not as funny as her previous ones, but there were some great moments that added the perfect fun spark to the more serious tone of this book. They had me giggling repeatedly and I had such a great team down memory-lane with the sisters. There were many nineties references and as I am the same age as youngest sister Noelle, I loved reminiscing with them about the best of the decade.

My Sisters And Me has a very autumnal and cosy feeling, it even has a Halloween party. So I would definitely recommend picking it up and spend a few evenings reading it with a nice blanket and a hot drink. Best cure for the colder months!