"Two Tales" revolves around the third and youngest child in the Sullivant family, Muriel. Muriel often felt unloved and overlooked by her mother and father due to their affections being focused on Muriel's older sister Pia and brother Logan. Muriel's mother and father Lidia and Owen seem at times to not even want Muriel around and she spends her life trying to get her parents and older sister to love her.

The author Mary Hogan, flashes back to the past focusing on Lidia and Owen's initial relationship to the present day focusing on Muriel's relationship with her sister Pia. We also get to some flashbacks to Muriel as a younger child with her sister and mother.

We do get to spend a little time from Pia's point of view which was nice and I thought haunting at times (I don't want to spoil potential readers) and it was good to see where her new found honesty came from and why she wanted so badly to reach out to Muriel.

The only quibbles I had with this book were that I wish that we had seen the story told from Lidia and Logan's points of view as well. I did end up liking "Two Sisters" but thought at times the story took too long to get to the ultimate conclusion in the end that I really didn't think worked based on what had came before it with all of the characters.
Please note I received this novel via the Amazon Vine Program. ( )

Not good but some interesting parts. Very predictable. Really. ( )

TWO SISTERS, By Mary Hogan, is a beautiful, and heartfelt debut adult novel, which readers will love, especially if you are a sister, have a sister, or always wished for a sister.

This was my first book by Hogan, and enjoyed learning about the author’s inspiration behind this powerful novel, which made it even more special. My heart goes out to Mary, as appeared she began writing TWO SISTERS, only two weeks after her only sister, Diane died of breast cancer.

A coming of age journey for Muriel, as she feels she is the outcast, a huge disappointment, and misfit of the family, where her mother (Lidia), adored her older, beautiful sister, Pia. Then there is the brother, so the dad is happy, and then came Muriel, as more of an outsider. The mother is very self-centered, an indifferent father—not the makings for a warm lovable family.

With the mother/daughter and son/father relationship, everyone is teamed up, except for Muriel. A page-turner, which is filled with tension, raw feelings, humor, and emotion—a story of sibling rivalry and a family which has strayed from the important things— When Pia, the oldest daughter is diagnosed with breast cancer, the family secrets and lies begin to unravel piece by piece.

TWO SISTERS is a poignant story about forgiveness and redemption. The characters were very realistic and well-developed. The take away is inspiring, offering readers the acceptance of family dynamics being imperfect and flawed-- is not always a bad thing.

I could definitely relate as have one sister, three years younger and we live about eighteen hours away from one another, and do not get to spend too much time together. As our mother was recently diagnosed with colon and secondary liver cancer, and have come home to visit. Even though we are very different with different interests, TWO SISTERS, makes me reflect and value our time. It also makes me feel better knowing our family is not the only dysfunctional one!

“Sisters” seem to be a popular theme with new releases and upcoming releases, as have recently read or currently reading: The Hurricane Sisters, The Silent Sister, The Never Never Sisters, The Moon Sisters, The Summer Wind, The Mill River Redemption, The Glass Kitchen, The Oleander Sisters, The Secrets Sisters Keep, Nantucket Sisters and TWO SISTERS --Each unique in their own special way--the good and bad relationships of sisters.

Looking forward to reading more from this talented author!?

http://judithdcollins.booklikes.com/post/899876/two-sisters

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Two Sisters: A Novel is a sad and emotional tale of all the things that go wrong in a family when the two parents feel trapped and disappointed with the lives they're living. ( )

The book was well written and an easy read... well kind of! The easy to read part that is. This tale of two sisters was quite hard on my heart at times, the cruelty of older siblings to the younger and the added cruelty of a mother who only wanted her first born "perfect" daughter in the first place was quite a tear jerker for me. Older sister Pia makes an unexpected visit to younger Muriel and old wounds and long hidden secrets come forth like Pandora's box. I found 80% of the book quite enjoyable and read it quickly. The parts I didn't like? The somewhat of a happy ending- in the relationships that the author discloses in this book there would not be any healing between mother and daughter. I have lived it. Sure Muriel can come to grips with her past and become free of it, but orange trees will never grow strawberries. The touches of religion were at times quite ludicrous and very one sided. One can simply not equate the the one true God of the Bible with religion of any sort and if the author would have been more open minded she would have seen that. ( )