SISTER ACTS
by Sharon Adelman Reyes
Contemporary / Literary Fiction/ Mothers and Children
Publisher: Lake Grove Press
Pages: 448 pages
Release date: August 2025
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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.
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Interview with Author Sharon Adelman Reyes
"For me, writing is like indelible ink laid down on the fabric of our lives."
Why do you write?
For me, writing is like indelible ink laid down on the fabric of our lives. It’s a way of discovering what we truly think and of sharing our thoughts with others. Writing also gives me a feeling that I cannot be silenced. When I write well, I know there will always be a potential audience for my ideas.
Writing fiction in particular is the most powerful way I have found to express my thinking. As a reader, I have felt the grip of a good novel in more profound ways than any other form. This is because novels can touch our emotions and inspire empathy. They feature characters with whom we can identify, characters whose responses can be explored in multiple ways, and whose actions can aid in understanding our own. They can also help us to deepen our understanding of people from different eras, different cultures, and different places.
That said, I also write for the sheer joy of writing. It has been a favorite recreational activity of mine since childhood.
What themes did you want to highlight through your novel?
Sister Acts explores themes that are common to the human experience. Foremost is the impact of the early loss of a mother on four young girls. Motherless daughters appear frequently in adolescent novels and middle-school chapter books, yet rarely in fiction for adults. The subject is more commonly explored for mature readers in memoir or nonfiction. This is a missed opportunity, as stories create emotional investment and foster powerful ways of making meaning in our world. Because my novel traces the voices of four motherless daughters, it offers differing perspectives on the same excruciating loss.
Phyliss Chessler’s book, Women’s Inhumanity to Women – the title of which is a major concern of my novel – touched me profoundly. In Sister Acts my hope was to bring some of her themes to life and to do the same with those of Hope Edelman, author of the Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss.
In addition to these central themes of my novel, there are many others that emerged naturally as I wrote the book. They include the difficulties of being a working mother, of raising children in our complex world, of the problematic nature of many family relationships, and the importance of both grieving and finding humor in life despite its difficulties. You can probably find more themes if you read thoughtfully!
What type of books are you drawn to?
As you might imagine, I am drawn to realistic novels about everyday people in everyday situations. Character-driven novels like those of Ann Patchett and Lisa See hold my attention, as do books that have something important to say to the world. But I also pay attention to the quality of writing that features engaging narrative as well as authentic dialogue.
What are your plans for future books?
At the moment, I am working on a novel whose characters and setting are parallel to Sister Acts. I hope to write a prequel and a sequel as well. Unfortunately, I cannot reveal any specifics, which could be spoilers for my current novel.
What are the literary elements you chose to highlight?
Sister Acts is a character-driven novel; thus it includes much dialogue along with its narrative passages. Each of the major characters has a unique point of view and an idiosyncratic voice. Even though the four sisters share a common culture, they have vastly differing perspectives. Each one faces conflict in her own special way. And each one has a unique life journey.
The novel opens by delving into the consciousness of each sister as they gather to discuss what to do about their ailing father. After that introduction, each sister’s voice is presented by itself in separate scenes.
Much of the action takes place in Chicago, and I have tried to include that city as somewhat of a character in itself. Since I spent many years living there, I am innately familiar with its history and landmarks. When I was not sure of my own recollections, I did research to confirm or supplement my knowledge. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and, with my native’s advantage, this was a great way to try my hand at it.
How have you addressed issues of culture, diversity, and identity within your novel?
The characters that inhabit Sister Acts are from diverse cultural backgrounds, yet diversity was never a theme I sought to address directly. Rather, it emerged naturally, due to the locales in which the novel takes place. As a result, the characters are authentic, rather than two dimensional. Some are severely flawed, while others are admirable, cutting across ethnic lines. In the process, cultural diversity often takes the main stage, as does the issue of cultural identity. Ultimately, Sister Acts illuminates the resilience that can come from knowing one’s roots and the estrangement that can result from trying to escape them.
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About 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 on Goodreads.
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Giveaway! Giveaway! Giveaway!
signed copy of SISTER ACTS!
(USA and Canada only; ends 11/28/25)
(USA and Canada only; ends 11/28/25)
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Nov 17 – Novels Alive – book review / giveaway
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Nov 18 - @Mama_Coffee_Books_Cardigans - book review
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Nov 19 - @nissa_the.bookworm * - book review / giveaway
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Nov 21 - @my_fair_fiction * - book review / giveaway
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