Book Details:
Book Title: SISTER ACTS by Sharon Adelman Reyes
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 448 pages
Genre: Women's Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Lake Grove Press
Release date: August 2025
Content Rating: PG: Very mild profanity, mild romantic scene with some kissing.
Book Title: SISTER ACTS by Sharon Adelman Reyes
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 448 pages
Genre: Women's Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Lake Grove Press
Release date: August 2025
Content Rating: PG: Very mild profanity, mild romantic scene with some kissing.
Book Description:
Four sisters. Four clashing personalities. Four different ways of living in the world.
Sister Acts explores the impact of loss on three generations of one family –- in particular, the degree to which, to paraphrase Phyllis Chesler, women are capable of inhumanity toward other women. At times heartbreaking and at times hilarious, the novel illuminates the resilience that can come from knowing one’s roots and the estrangement that can result from trying to escape them.
Sophie Malinsky’s sudden death leaves her Left-wing Jewish family in disarray. Rather than bringing her young daughters closer, the loss creates a tangle of jealousies and recriminations. Rose, the eldest, recognizing their father’s limitations, at first tries to become a surrogate mother for her three sisters. But they resent her efforts, each one channeling – or repressing – her grief in a different way. In the absence of Sophie’s love and guidance, two sisters lose their way. Naomi moves to Mexico and tries to shed her Jewish identity. Betti ends up in Nashville pursuing a dream, never realized, of stardom as a rockabilly musician. A fourth sister, Marla, strives for dominance from an early age. Her jealousy of Rose leads to a toxic rivalry that persists well into middle age, affecting their own daughters as well. Lurking behind the conflicts is a family secret that Sophie had planned, but failed, to reveal. Decades later, when Rose finally uncovers it, the Malinskys’ saga finally comes into sharp focus.
Four sisters. Four clashing personalities. Four different ways of living in the world.
Sister Acts explores the impact of loss on three generations of one family –- in particular, the degree to which, to paraphrase Phyllis Chesler, women are capable of inhumanity toward other women. At times heartbreaking and at times hilarious, the novel illuminates the resilience that can come from knowing one’s roots and the estrangement that can result from trying to escape them.
Sophie Malinsky’s sudden death leaves her Left-wing Jewish family in disarray. Rather than bringing her young daughters closer, the loss creates a tangle of jealousies and recriminations. Rose, the eldest, recognizing their father’s limitations, at first tries to become a surrogate mother for her three sisters. But they resent her efforts, each one channeling – or repressing – her grief in a different way. In the absence of Sophie’s love and guidance, two sisters lose their way. Naomi moves to Mexico and tries to shed her Jewish identity. Betti ends up in Nashville pursuing a dream, never realized, of stardom as a rockabilly musician. A fourth sister, Marla, strives for dominance from an early age. Her jealousy of Rose leads to a toxic rivalry that persists well into middle age, affecting their own daughters as well. Lurking behind the conflicts is a family secret that Sophie had planned, but failed, to reveal. Decades later, when Rose finally uncovers it, the Malinskys’ saga finally comes into sharp focus.
Meet the Author:
Sharon Adelman Reyes is a writer, editor, and equestrienne in Oregon, living on the slopes of an extinct volcano and looking out on an active one. During a lengthy professional career, she has published various works drawing on her experiences in multicultural teaching. Sister Acts is her first novel.
connect with the author: goodreads
Sharon Adelman Reyes is a writer, editor, and equestrienne in Oregon, living on the slopes of an extinct volcano and looking out on an active one. During a lengthy professional career, she has published various works drawing on her experiences in multicultural teaching. Sister Acts is her first novel.
connect with the author: goodreads
Enter the Giveaway:
My Review:
Sister Acts is my first introduction to the talents of author, Sharon Adelman Reyes. It tells the story of four sisters, Rose, Marla, Naomi, and Betti. After the death of their mother, the sisters find themselves in different directions in their life. The book exhibits how grief touches everyone differently and how it affects families. The sisters each go on their journey and along the way, conflicts arise, toxic relationships, and secrets are revealed. I liked that the story uses humor that helps break up the darkest moments. I found myself hoping that the sisters will find their way and have a better understanding of life. There was an element of suspense when a long held secret was discovered that had me intrigued. Overall, I thought this saga was a pretty good read. It showed grief, loss, love, resolution, and forgiveness that us humans are commonly faced with today. The tale could easily be relatable for many.
I am going to give Sister Acts five stars. I recommend it for readers who love to read sagas and Women's Contemporary Fiction. I would love to read more like this from Sharon Adelman Reyes in the near future to see where her imagination takes her characters and fans to next. This one is worth reading and not to be missed.
I received a paperback copy of Sharon Adelman Reyes' Sister Acts from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
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