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While My Sister Sleeps (Abridged) Audiobook
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Following the success of The Secret Between Us, a book the Boston Globe hailed as “one of her best,” Barbara Delinsky returns with another moving and deeply satisfying novel, this one about the unique and emotionally complex world of siblings. Molly and Robin Snow are sisters, and like all sisters they share a deep bond that sustains them through good times and bad. Their careers are flourishing—Molly is a horticulturist and Robin is a world-class runner—and they are in the prime of their lives. So when Molly receives the news that Robin has suffered a massive heart attack, she couldn’t be more shocked. At the hospital, the Snow family receives a grim prognosis: Robin may never regain consciousness. As Robin’s parents and siblings struggle to cope, the complex nature of their relationship is put to the ultimate test. Molly has always lived in Robin’s shadow and her feelings for her have run the gamut, from love to resentment and back. The last time they spoke, they argued. But now there is so much more at stake. Molly’s parents fold under the devastating circumstances, and her brother retreats into the cool reserve that is shattering his own family. It’s up to Molly to make the tough decisions, and she soon makes discoveries that destroy some of her most cherished beliefs about the sister she thought she knew. Once again New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky brings us a masterful family portrait, filled with thought-provoking ideas about the nature of life itself, how emotions affect the decisions we make, and how letting go can be the hardest thing to do and the greatest expression of love all at the same time.
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"This book was really good! Its about some family dynamics that must come to terms, while a family member lays in the hospital after a heart attack on life support. Decisions also must be made in the sense as what she would want since there was no living will nor had she ever expressed what her wishes were should something happen. Nicely written! Sure makes you really think about what you would want if something happens."
— Marnie (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Fast-paced entertainment… In her new family drama, Delinsky examines the roles people unconsciously play in families and how a mother’s single-minded passion to have one child fulfill a dream can create resentment in the other siblings.
— USA Today From LIBRARY JOURNAL Molly Snow isn't worried when she gets a phone call notifying her that her sister is in the ER. A world-class runner, 32-year-old Robin Snow has had many injuries, and Molly arrives at the hospital expecting nothing worse than an ankle sprain. But Robin has had a massive heart attack while running, and the prognosis is not good. As the devastated Snow family holds a bedside vigil, they learn things about Robin that alternately surprise and distress them. Graced by characters readers will come to care about, this is that rare book that deserves to have the phrase "impossible to put down" attached to it. Delinsky (The Secret Between Us) does a wonderful and realistic job portraying family dynamics; the relationship between Molly and Robin, in particular, is spot-on. This touching and heartbreaking novel is highly recommended for public libraries where women's fiction is popular. Readers of Kristin Hannah and Patricia Gaffney will enjoy it.From BOOKLIST -
The Snow family faces a devastating crisis when oldest daughter Robin, a runner training for the Olympics, suffers a catastrophic heart attack. Molly, Robin’s younger sister, gets the call from the hospital and is immediately guilt-stricken: she was supposed to accompany Robin on her run. When Molly, her older brother, Chris, and her parents, Kathryn and Charlie, gather at the hospital, they learn that Robin is in a coma and might be brain dead. While Kathryn refuses to believe the worst, Molly reaches out to David, the handsome teacher who found Robin after the heart attack, and tries to determine whether Nick, a charming reporter who once dated Robin briefly, is truly concerned about the family or just pursuing a big story. The Snows try to come to grips with the reality that Robin might never wake up, and Molly, attempting to discern what Robin would want, stumbles across Robin’s diaries and learns some startling family secrets... Delinsky’s popularity should ensure demand for this engaging exploration of every family’s worst nightmare.
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Engrossing reading.
— People -
Family Tree is warm, rich, textured and impossible to put down.
— Nora Roberts -
Absorbing, unpredictable storytelling—a winning combination.
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
While My Sister Sleeps Listener Reviews
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" This is a sweet story--that as a writer, it has challenged me to stick to a short time frame. Stories don't have to be epic sweeping tales, they can be deep intensive looks at the spirit of people during a major life event. Her characters have their quiet place for reflection and she takes you deep into that spot with her. Nice. Reflective. "
— Dacia, 2/11/2014 -
" I needed something easy and quick to give me a break from another book I've been trudging through all summer. This fit the bill. It's a one-day read dealing with family tragedy, love/hate relationship between sisters, the secrets we keep, dementia, life support, and end-of-life concerns. "
— Sonja, 2/11/2014 -
" GOOD discussion of family issues and end of life issues. Realistic family dynamics - ending was a little "cutsie" but the last chapter did have me in tears. "
— Kay, 2/10/2014 -
" Tear jerker but very good. Look foreward to reading more of this author "
— Jean, 1/24/2014 -
" Okay, so I listened to the audiobook. The narration would have been hard to follow without the dialogue clearly stated. I don't think I could have enduring reading the entire book. Basically, you know how it is going to end; so finish the story already! "
— Charlotte, 1/10/2014 -
" Oxmoor Page Turners pick for May 2010 "
— Homewood, 1/7/2014 -
" Blah... it was ok, but no more. They compare this author to Jodi Picoult, but I certainly didn't see any of that in this book. "
— Sofia, 1/5/2014 -
" good? "
— Pqwave, 12/24/2013 -
" The book got off to a slow start, but ultimately, it was a tear-jerker! "
— Angelique, 12/20/2013 -
" I loved this book. I often wonder, if it was up to me, how would I deal with a situation like this? It has been a family discussion at times, and hopefully, not something that we will ever have to contemplate. "
— Lori, 11/27/2013 -
" This was a good story and certainly easy to read. I don't really feel like there was much sense of "I wonder what will happen" so it got a little boring at times. "
— Fafani, 11/27/2013 -
" I love Barbara Delinksky, but this just wasn't one of my favorite books from her. I didn't feel connections to the characters, depth, or any soul to the book. The plot was good, but it needed developing. "
— Tiffany, 9/28/2013 -
" For me this book was a real tearjerker. It is about a family, especially a sister and a Mom, facing truly horrific decisions. Kept putting myself in their shoes and could not put the book down. "
— Madeline, 8/9/2013 -
" This book was barely ok - I think Delinsky is mimicking Picoult and not doing a very good job of it. The best part of this book for me was finishing it and returning it to the library. "
— Barb, 4/18/2013 -
" I liked this book. Her writing reminds me of Jodi Picoult, but not as clean. "
— Tori, 3/17/2013 -
" I found this book predictable and annoying. "
— Betsy, 1/1/2013 -
" Could not wait for this book to end. This would be a good movie for lifetime network, totally not my style! "
— Krista, 10/26/2012 -
" an nice read about family relationships and roles siblings play. "
— Melissa, 10/24/2012 -
" I just didn't enjoy this book at all.... "
— Danielle, 9/12/2012 -
" A sad one. I liked it a lot "
— Beverly, 5/5/2012 -
" This is a story about loss and coming to terms and self discovery. It is also quite depressing...hence the three stars. "
— Paula, 3/23/2012 -
" She is very good at family dynamics, but I'm feeling as though I prefer fantasy or mystery these days. "
— Melanie, 2/19/2012 -
" I gave this book 4 stars because even though I had a hard time connecting to the characters at first, by the time I finished I decided that I liked the book after all. Read with tissues handy! "
— Cindie, 2/18/2012 -
" Serious book. And caused me to reflect a lot and think about my own family. Usually I read to escape so I am surprised I wanted to finish the book. "
— Kimberlee, 12/17/2011 -
" I enjoyed this story. It investigated the roles family members play and the way a crisis changes family relationships. "
— Theresa, 6/22/2011 -
" I liked to be hooked right away, but took me 3 chapters or so for that to happen, but glad I stuck with it, was good in the end. "
— Brenda, 6/15/2011 -
" Interesting story, a little depressing at times but a good book about a family learning about each other! "
— Sara, 5/9/2011 -
" Fast read and since I am a runner and I have 2 sisters...I could realate to both of the fiction sisters "
— Sherry, 4/30/2011 -
" good book, shed a few tears, laughed a little...worth the read "
— Petra, 4/23/2011 -
" this book is like i don't know how to discribe this about family truth and what really matters you just have to read it to know what i am talking about "
— Esme, 3/31/2011 -
" The mom, Katherine drove me crazy... Her obsessive personality and tunnel vision were narrow and selfish in my opinion; of course, in the end, she reconnects with her mom and chance to see her life from other's perspective. The book was OK. "
— stella, 3/31/2011 -
" this is a sad story about a girls sister having a heart attack and going in a coma. It talks about the hardship of coming to grasp when letting someone you love go. great read! "
— Krystle, 3/24/2011 -
" This book is story about two Sisters who live in the same place but who don't really know each other and it takes an accident for one to really take a hard look at her sister whom she loved but didn't really know. "
— Kat, 3/19/2011 -
" Written very well showing the challenges and emotions in life. I was almost finished with this book when my grandmother passed away. It made it a little difficult to finish because it pulled on heart strings. "
— Sharon, 3/17/2011
About Barbara Delinsky
Barbara Delinsky, author of Escape, Not My Daughter, While My Sister Sleeps, The Secret Between Us, and Family Tree, has written more than twenty bestselling novels with over thirty million copies in print. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, she also wrote a nonfiction book, Uplift: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors, which is currently in its fifth printing. All of the proceeds from the book go to charity, which funds an ongoing research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. A lifelong New Englander, Delinsky earned a BA in psychology from Tufts University and an MA in sociology from Boston College.