Helpful Score: 26
I haven't read a book in a long time that got to me the way this one did. The moving story of identical twins Kerry & Eve. It's a story about abandonment, love, betrayal and so much more. I was immediately drawn into their world. It's hard to put down once you start this book and it will stay with you long after finishing it. A very beautiful debut novel. I loved it!
Helpful Score: 16
Great Book, Hard to put down and get ready for work.
Helpful Score: 14
Probably one of the best books I have ever read. The story is so heartfelt and heartbreaking at the same time.
Helpful Score: 13
This is probably one of the most depressing books I've read. The story revolves around the lives of twin girls, as they are growing up, and also as adults. Even though they are twins, they are so very different from each other. We see firsthand the effects of deceit, betrayal and heartbreak.
Helpful Score: 10
Excellent book, heartfelt. Great first novel, can't wait till her new one comes out in 2008
Helpful Score: 6
One of my favorites! It is one of those books that once you pick it up it is nearly impossible to put back down
Helpful Score: 6
Great read...didn't want it to end.....
Helpful Score: 5
An absolutely amazing book. I couldn't put it down. Kerry & Eve made me laugh and made me cry. A touching story about loss, betrayal and grief.
Helpful Score: 4
this is a very good book.it kept me reading when i should have been doing other things.it is addictive
Helpful Score: 4
I thought this was a good book as it was constantly moving in the storyline, yet some of the transitions into the past and future were somewhat tough to understand where the author was going. Definitely one to pay attention to.
Helpful Score: 2
Despite this being a book about twins, I didn't really like it. It was slow to move, the characters were not very believable and their motivations were stupid. The plot held trite lameness - particularly that bit about the Senator.
I wouldn't read another by her, as this felt like a slow, contrived novel - nor would I recommend this to anyone I know.
I wouldn't read another by her, as this felt like a slow, contrived novel - nor would I recommend this to anyone I know.
Helpful Score: 2
Wow! You cannot put this one down. The story of twin sister's and their lives growing up loving, hating, and learning. I think Elizabeth Joy Arnold is my favorite new author.
Helpful Score: 2
I loved this story about twin girls who were inseparable until their teens. Their mother had abandoned them young, their father dies, and then another event happens that changes their lives forever and cements a gaping hole between them. One of them is dying, the other is compelled to go to her and face all of the demons of the past. Touching, heartbreaking, lovely.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was an easy ride-The author loves adjectives!A story about sisters and how a misunderstanding and a man can nearly tear them apart and how a bout with cancer can bring them back to being a family.This book was a good read but I could put it down and come back to it.
Helpful Score: 1
This was a wonderful book that I found very hard to put down. It's a story of love and life and loss and how people deal with them so differently. Great story, highly recommend it.
Helpful Score: 1
Pieces of My Sister's Life was an interesting read that toggles between present time when twin sisters reunite after 13 years of separation and the past that lays out their childhood and the circumstances that torn them apart. It really kept my attention and I wondered what I would do if I were Kerry. Not sure that I liked how the storyline about the absent mother plays out. Found the Eve character mostly unlikeable and the Justin character weak. Not sure I would have come back to the island if I were Kerry, but I liked reading it to find out what happened next.
Helpful Score: 1
After reading the reviews, I was disappointed when I finished this book. I didn't enjoy the characters, I thought there was a lot of useless fluff/backstory, and the ending was quite predictable. I had to force myself to finish.
Helpful Score: 1
I was surprised how wonderfully bittersweet this first novel was by Ms Arnold. I am so looking forward to her second novel. Definately great read for summer at the beach!
Helpful Score: 1
I really liked this book. It kept me reading and I liked that it was about teenagers a lot of the time, but it didn't feel juvenile. Cool read...
Helpful Score: 1
I just finished reading this book and loved it. I had no idea how emotional it would be and would definitely encourage all to read it.
Helpful Score: 1
This is one of the most fantastic books I've read in a while. I read the last 10 pages through my own tears. It is a great book. I immediately ordered the author's 2nd book from another member and am looking forward to reading that one, as well.
Helpful Score: 1
From the first page I was sucked right into the story. It was a poignant and touching story, with a captivating storyline. I have to confess I had to peek at the last chapter before I got there. I immediately looked for another book by author Elizabeth Joy Arnold.
Helpful Score: 1
Easily one of my favorites. A story of the ultimate love triangle between two twin sisters and the boy next door. The characters in this book simply come alive, and I felt every emotion along with the narrator, Kerry - her insecurities, her dreams, her intense love and, later, her intense anger and the pain of betrayal. There's also suspense and mystery woven in as chapters bounce back and forth between past and present, the story of the girls at 16 and their reunion 12 years later. I could not put this book down, but hated for it to end.
Helpful Score: 1
I love reading books about twin relationship so of course, I grabbed this title. This is a really unique storyline and it keeps the reader guessing. If you are an avid reader, it's good feeling.
Helpful Score: 1
I really liked this book and couldn't put it down.
Helpful Score: 1
What a wonderful book! I highly recommend it.
Helpful Score: 1
this book kept me gripped the whole time, and was an extremely fast read. The characters were so real, and the relationship between the two sisters made me take a look at the way I react when I have disagreements with my own family. I really felt for the narrator as she dealt with both horrid events in her life as well as the unraveling of her once intimate relationship with her sister. The question of whether their lives could be repaired was just as suspenseful as any thriller that I've read. The ending doesn't tie things up all nice and make everything all better, yet it feels just right and stays truthful to how real this story feels.
Helpful Score: 1
A nice beachy type read and still I learned something about people and their insecurities and their weaknesses. I appreciated seeing perceptions that were not "pretty" or socially acceptable. I liked it...
Helpful Score: 1
Loved, Loved, Loved this book! I couldn't put it down.
Helpful Score: 1
Great book !!! I couldn't put it down. This is a lot like a Jodi Picoult book but more powerful,I think. A must read !!
Helpful Score: 1
Fabulous!!! Beautifully written. Great story. Enjoyed every bit of it.
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent book. I have identical twin daughters and so I can identify with much that is said and done in this story. Identical twins have such a special and unusual bond. They are like one person, divided in two. But as much as they can be alike, there are frequently certain strong and unique differences, and I've seen that with my own daughters. From the beginning, they seemed the same in so many ways, but one was very laid back and the other was much more high strung. They each had a strong individual personality that was just their own, not shared with one another. The girls in this book are much the same.
Even though you think you understand the relationship of twins, (and as a mother who has raised them, I think I know pretty much about it), you can never fully understand how it is to live with the knowledge that another person is almost YOU. It might be very comforting, but it may also be a bit scary and uncomfortable. One afternoon in high school, one of my twins was looking for her sister, and as she passed a mirrored exhibit in the hallway of the school, she stopped and said,"Oh, there you are!" Her friends saw her embarrassment when she realized her mistake. I think that may be what life with a twin is like.
Their bond is strong, yet they live life differently and in some ways, compete. The story is well-told, emotional and interesting. This is a book that is hard to put down. I stayed up until 3:00 A.M. this morning to finish it. I didn't want to go to bed not knowing how it ended. Read it and enjoy the story.
Even though you think you understand the relationship of twins, (and as a mother who has raised them, I think I know pretty much about it), you can never fully understand how it is to live with the knowledge that another person is almost YOU. It might be very comforting, but it may also be a bit scary and uncomfortable. One afternoon in high school, one of my twins was looking for her sister, and as she passed a mirrored exhibit in the hallway of the school, she stopped and said,"Oh, there you are!" Her friends saw her embarrassment when she realized her mistake. I think that may be what life with a twin is like.
Their bond is strong, yet they live life differently and in some ways, compete. The story is well-told, emotional and interesting. This is a book that is hard to put down. I stayed up until 3:00 A.M. this morning to finish it. I didn't want to go to bed not knowing how it ended. Read it and enjoy the story.
Wonderful book. A unique blend of suspense, romance and lessons on life.
Will definitely look for this author in the future!
Will definitely look for this author in the future!
Helpful Score: 1
Interesting story, characters and plot. I could not put it down. The story was a little depressing, not a feel-good book, but well worth reading. I would recommend it.
Suspenseful at times and heartbreaking at others. I read this book in 4 days; couldn't put it down.
A sad story about twin sisters who lose their parents at a young age and end up tearing each other apart. I decided to read this book because I spent much of my childhood summers on Block Island, Many names and places were familiar to me, so it made the book more enjoyable, but all in all, I liked this story. Love conquers all.
This book was very well written, I found myself truly disliking the sister in the story. Elizabeth Arnold has a poignant voice and a way of describing scenes that make them come alive for the reader. I enjoyed reading this book.
Took a while to get into but the surprise turn of events was worth it! Great read.
A bit disjointed, but a good story with some relatable circumstances.
I found this book ok but not the best book I have ever read.
The characters in this book ore interesting and pull you into a story that keeps you reading, until your eyes are bleary and you realize it's 3am and you should have been to sleep hours ago. The story weaves from past to present, back and forth to try to understand these identical twins that are not so identical. Their pain, love, and story is well told, although I was hoping for just one small addition at the end, but that was just what I would have done to make it come full circle.
I had never heard of the author but saw this book posted on this site. I took a chance on the book and it paid off. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Its a wonderful book that takes you on a journey that twists and turns and surprises in the end. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Kerry and Eve are twin sisters abandoned by their mother at a young age left to be raised by their father who dies suddenly during their teenage years. The girls are in the middle of a love triangle with their childhood friend Justin. The book takes you down a road of longing, deceit, rage, and eventually forgiveness. Excellent quick read for a weekend or trip.
Kerry and Eve are twin sisters abandoned by their mother at a young age left to be raised by their father who dies suddenly during their teenage years. The girls are in the middle of a love triangle with their childhood friend Justin. The book takes you down a road of longing, deceit, rage, and eventually forgiveness. Excellent quick read for a weekend or trip.
This story is about identical twin girls who had a difficult childhood and are torn apart by a series of events when they were 17 years old. Thirteen years later, they are brought back together by another big event and must face their past together. A good, quick summer read.
This was a great story, could hardly put it down. I would highly recommend this book.
I really liked it - predictable in a few parts, but a great book overall.
You need a lot of tissue for this book!
This is an outstanding work. I could not finish it, but only because I lost my sister to cancer a short time ago, and could not handle the emotions.
A sad story of twin sisters who make mistakes and cannot forgive. A tragic turn of events forces them back together and helps to heal.
Excellent book, Pieces of My Sister's Life by Elizabeth Joy Arnold. The first I've read by this author, but will definitely look for another. A touch of mystery added to make the reader wonder.
Great read, highly recommended! I cannot wait to get my hands on her next book...this one was a tearjerker.
I had high hopes when I started this book, it started to drag in the middle, and took some twists and turns that I didn't quite see coming. All in all not bad, just not as good as I'd hoped.
The author did a fine job of writing the story, BUT - I didn't like the story. The story is about identical twins narrated by twin Kerry. Mom leaves them when they are six years old - dad dies when they are sixteen. The other twin goes on to sleep with a lot of men, while Kerry falls in love with the guy (Justin) next door, who Eve secretly loves as well. Justin two-times Kerry and marries Eve because she is pregnant. Kerry leaves and gets all with her life (heartbroken, but is called back years later when Eve is dying of cancer at the age of thirty. Eve has the audacity to tell Kerry to stay with Justin and their daughter after she dies. The mom shows up for six hours and that's the last we see of her.
A very disburbing story with no real happiness.
A very disburbing story with no real happiness.
The book was one of the best I have read this year and I have read 85! The story really kept you guessing and was one of those where I could sympathize with each character.
Couldn't put the book down. But if you liked this book I would recommend This Much is True by Wally Lamb and My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.
EXCELLENT book. Would have liked a differnt ending, but EXCELLENT nonetheless :) Happy Reading.
A real page turner - kept me interested all the way to the end
Such a strange book, but then, twins are definitely a strange phenomenon. Lots of twists and turns to the story as the twin girls grow up and mature, go their separate ways and eventually find their way back to each other.
This book was wonderful, and beautifully written. Highly recommend
Awesome book! I highly recommend :)
I really enjoyed this book! I think Kerry made the right decision in the end!
This was a deep book. I felt the pain that Kerry felt for all those years. I was proud of her when she went to see her sister but didn't stay after Eve had passed away.
Once, Kerry and Eve Barnard did everything together; sailing Block Island Harbor with their father, listening to their neighbor Justin's magical fairy tales, and all the while longing for their absent mother. They were twin girls, arm in arm, secrets entwined between two hearts. Until the summer of their seventeenth birthday, when their extraordinhary bond was shattered. And thirteen years later, it will take all the courage they can summon to put the pieces back together...at a time when it matters most...[from the back of the book cover]
A very interesting book, one that must be read cover to cover, with as little interruption as possible.
A very interesting book, one that must be read cover to cover, with as little interruption as possible.
This was a pretty good book. I enjoyed it.
