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She Taught Me Everything
A compelling novel about how sisters can conceal the most astonishing secrets from one another.
For as long as she can remember, it’s been Nicola and her sister Viv against the world. After all, their parents abandoned them when Viv was seventeen––and against the odds, the girls turned out pretty well. Viv put herself through medical school and into a successful surgery practice in Nashville. Nicola's career as an artist is a bit more precarious, but she loves her itinerant traveling as the painting gigs take her, creating beautiful murals and watercolors.
Right up until the phone rang in the middle of the night, Nicola would have said she knew her charismatic older sister better than anyone else in the world. But then Nicola is racing to her sister's bedside, where she discovers her sister has been hiding one astonishing secret after another.
There's been a car wreck, leaving Viv widowed and unconscious, and it falls to Nicola to pick up the pieces.
Even as she tries to figure out what Viv has been up to, Nicola must uncover the truth about their family’s past while navigating their future.
She Taught Me Everything is a compelling story about sisters and secrets, and about the choices that can redefine the entire shape of a family.
For as long as she can remember, it’s been Nicola and her sister Viv against the world. After all, their parents abandoned them when Viv was seventeen––and against the odds, the girls turned out pretty well. Viv put herself through medical school and into a successful surgery practice in Nashville. Nicola's career as an artist is a bit more precarious, but she loves her itinerant traveling as the painting gigs take her, creating beautiful murals and watercolors.
Right up until the phone rang in the middle of the night, Nicola would have said she knew her charismatic older sister better than anyone else in the world. But then Nicola is racing to her sister's bedside, where she discovers her sister has been hiding one astonishing secret after another.
There's been a car wreck, leaving Viv widowed and unconscious, and it falls to Nicola to pick up the pieces.
Even as she tries to figure out what Viv has been up to, Nicola must uncover the truth about their family’s past while navigating their future.
She Taught Me Everything is a compelling story about sisters and secrets, and about the choices that can redefine the entire shape of a family.
416 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2023
About the author
Amy Smith Linton
3 books21 followersAmy Smith Linton got a degree in English at Cornell University, scrambling through on scholarships and creative survival skills.
She worked in Manhattan in the storied halls of Farrar, Straus & Giroux, where one of her first authors was the amazing Polly Horvath, who was just finishing The Occasional Cow.
Her fiction has appeared in various magazines, including The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, Rosebud, Halfway Down the Stairs, Stonecoast Review, and more.
She reviewed books for Publisher's Weekly magazine and The Tampa Tribune, reported on sailing for The St Petersburg Times and Sail magazine, and did a stint in corporate product development.
When not writing, she can be found racing small sailboats with her husband, Jeff Linton.
She is currently at work on her next novel.
She worked in Manhattan in the storied halls of Farrar, Straus & Giroux, where one of her first authors was the amazing Polly Horvath, who was just finishing The Occasional Cow.
Her fiction has appeared in various magazines, including The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, Rosebud, Halfway Down the Stairs, Stonecoast Review, and more.
She reviewed books for Publisher's Weekly magazine and The Tampa Tribune, reported on sailing for The St Petersburg Times and Sail magazine, and did a stint in corporate product development.
When not writing, she can be found racing small sailboats with her husband, Jeff Linton.
She is currently at work on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 5, 2023
even though this was not a perfect book and in fact i found the dialogue annoying and in fact some characters were very half-baked and seemed to be mostly made up of one trait, like blinking or saying "ah," and in fact i didn't enjoy the way the plot moved...
i liked this.
maybe because it's a perfect title / cover combo.
maybe because i love sisters.
but i liked it!
bottom line: this is a recommendation. no follow-up questions.
i liked this.
maybe because it's a perfect title / cover combo.
maybe because i love sisters.
but i liked it!
bottom line: this is a recommendation. no follow-up questions.
August 18, 2023
She Taught Me Everything explores the relationship of two sisters, Viv and Nicola, who raised themselves after their parents took off and left them on their own. They survived, finished school, got into college, and found their way in life. Their bond is unbreakable, but when Nicola rushes to her sister’s bedside after a car accident, the person she’d trusted her life with turned out to have kept some astonishing secrets from her.
I really liked how this story explored the relationship between two sisters. Viv and Nicola’s bond was implacably strong and there was so much love between them, that whenever Nicola revisited memories of her sister, I really learned to understand who Viv was to Nicola and what she meant to her. It was all incredibly subtle and beautifully woven into small details for the reader to pick up, and really done well. It was clear that the author put much thought and care into creating this sisters bond.
She Taught Me Everything had a nice flow and the story was compelling. I thought the execution was great, and the construction inventive. While the secrets revealed were quite astounding, Nicola was mostly doing very daily-life-ish activities like loading the dishwasher, calling a friend and talk, or cuddling three dogs (don’t be a dummy like me and do look up English mastiffs to visual the correct breed while reading, ha ha). Nicola being surrounded by all the domesticity, having realistic conversations, and so much normalcy, was the perfect setting for this story to unfold.
An exceptionally well executed novel with great eye for details, some suspense, and thoughtful exploration of how choices can change and redefine a family.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for providing an ARC.
I really liked how this story explored the relationship between two sisters. Viv and Nicola’s bond was implacably strong and there was so much love between them, that whenever Nicola revisited memories of her sister, I really learned to understand who Viv was to Nicola and what she meant to her. It was all incredibly subtle and beautifully woven into small details for the reader to pick up, and really done well. It was clear that the author put much thought and care into creating this sisters bond.
She Taught Me Everything had a nice flow and the story was compelling. I thought the execution was great, and the construction inventive. While the secrets revealed were quite astounding, Nicola was mostly doing very daily-life-ish activities like loading the dishwasher, calling a friend and talk, or cuddling three dogs (don’t be a dummy like me and do look up English mastiffs to visual the correct breed while reading, ha ha). Nicola being surrounded by all the domesticity, having realistic conversations, and so much normalcy, was the perfect setting for this story to unfold.
An exceptionally well executed novel with great eye for details, some suspense, and thoughtful exploration of how choices can change and redefine a family.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for providing an ARC.
Want to Read
November 1, 2023What a cover.
November 11, 2023
This story is one of those ones that I will be thinking about for a very long time. As a younger sister myself, I felt like Smith Linton perfectly illustrates a dynamic between sisters that I'm quite familiar with. She also has such a deft handle on language and how to describe the physical manifestations of emotions in novel ways, like when the narrator pushes her fingers into the seam of her pocket, feeling the crumbs there, to keep her hands from shaking (not a direct quote, but you get the idea). I love this masterful writing, in which the author trusts the reader, she doesn't hit us over the head with dramatic emotions to make sure we get it, or repeat things ad nauseum. The pacing is perfect...I could go on, but I will only say, go read/buy this book. I'm going now to buy several copies, for both my sister and others!
November 3, 2023
This book was so beautifully written. I could see it like a movie in front of me. It was heartbreaking but wonderful at the same time. I couldn't put it down because I had to find out what happened. All families have secrets and boy did this one deliver! Pick this one up you will not be dissapointed. Thank you Netgalley and Lifted Board Press for the opportunity to read this.
August 6, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, to the degree that I was a bit resentful of the everyday events that kept me from reading it cover to cover in one sitting.
April 13, 2025
Enjoyed the story. Nicola was a very likable character, and I thought the relationship with her sister was enviable! I do wish that it explained why Vivian didn't tell her about the pregnancy though, and I was disappointed that she didn't wake up in the end! The whole story seemed like a build-up to her coming out of the coma and the two of them raising the baby together!
October 23, 2023
Nicola and her sister Viv have a strong bond, having faced life's challenges together since their parents abandoned them. When a late-night phone call reveals that Viv has become injured in a car wreck, Nicola is thrust into a journey of discovery where she slowly uncovers her sister's secrets. As Nicola cares for her sister and unravels the mysteries of their family's past, the novel explores the intricate dynamics of sisterhood and the choices that reshape their family's future.
I love books that explore complicated family dynamics, especially sisterhood. The novel was highly engaging and beautifully written. You can really get a feel of how different yet similar the sisters are and how complex relationships between sisters can become. I did find that the pacing of the book was a bit slow at times, which made me lose interest in the middle, however it picked back up by the latter half!
"She Taught Me Everything" is poignant family saga with unexpected twists and turns that evoke a sense of mystery, all the while keeping a central emphasis on the characters themselves. Thank you to NetGalley and Lifted Board Press for providing me with a digital arc in return for an honest review. "She Taught Me Everything" is out now!
I love books that explore complicated family dynamics, especially sisterhood. The novel was highly engaging and beautifully written. You can really get a feel of how different yet similar the sisters are and how complex relationships between sisters can become. I did find that the pacing of the book was a bit slow at times, which made me lose interest in the middle, however it picked back up by the latter half!
"She Taught Me Everything" is poignant family saga with unexpected twists and turns that evoke a sense of mystery, all the while keeping a central emphasis on the characters themselves. Thank you to NetGalley and Lifted Board Press for providing me with a digital arc in return for an honest review. "She Taught Me Everything" is out now!
October 17, 2023
-Fearlessness is passed between sisters
The author, Amy Smith Linton grabs your interest quickly and holds it with a rich narrative of two sisters forced to be fearless at different times in support of each other. She Taught Me Everything is destined to be a movie.
The author, Amy Smith Linton grabs your interest quickly and holds it with a rich narrative of two sisters forced to be fearless at different times in support of each other. She Taught Me Everything is destined to be a movie.
October 12, 2023
Two sisters had a neglected upbringing but survived. Now Nicola comes to Nashville after her sister Viv has been in a terrible accident. While she waits for Viv to regain consciousness Nicola realizes just how many secrets her sister has kept from her. Turns out, a lot.
I liked finding out about all the background information Because I always ask what is their story?
I really liked how other people stepped in to form a new kind of family for Nicola.
It’s sad but also touching.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lifted Board Press for the early copy.
I liked finding out about all the background information Because I always ask what is their story?
I really liked how other people stepped in to form a new kind of family for Nicola.
It’s sad but also touching.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lifted Board Press for the early copy.
September 7, 2023
Speechless in the best way. What an incredibly moving and poignant story. As a big sister myself, I understood Viv and her actions and wanted nothing more than to reach through the pages of the story and tell her that she was doing the best for her younger sister that she could. I adored the way this was told, through flashbacks and journal entries and present day. I think the book ended perfectly, and it left me in a puddle of tears. There was so much going on in this book, but none of it felt overwhelming. It’s a story about self discovery, but more than that it’s about family, in whatever shape that takes. I’m so grateful to have read this, and will be thinking about it for a long time. Simply beautiful.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #SheTaughtMeEverything #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #SheTaughtMeEverything #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
September 23, 2023
This was a really enjoyable novel. Nicola's sister Viv has just had a car accident, in which her husband died, and lies unconscious in hospital. When Nicola goes to see her, she finds out her sister was pregnant and had hired a private detective to look into something for her.
The whole novel is Nicola trying to understand her sister's life and remembering how her sister protected her and looked after her when they were growing up with a depressed mother and a violent father who abandoned them when Nicola was just thirteen. Viv's character is fascinating, gritty, strong, determined and also mysterious and judgemental. The novel was very tense and hard to put down. I found at the end I still had questions unanswered but it had a good plot twist and kept me interested.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
The whole novel is Nicola trying to understand her sister's life and remembering how her sister protected her and looked after her when they were growing up with a depressed mother and a violent father who abandoned them when Nicola was just thirteen. Viv's character is fascinating, gritty, strong, determined and also mysterious and judgemental. The novel was very tense and hard to put down. I found at the end I still had questions unanswered but it had a good plot twist and kept me interested.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
October 14, 2023
I couldn’t stop reading this beautifully layered and neatly written book -finished in tears at 1:45 am.
August 15, 2023
Loved this book!
October 19, 2023
What a great story! Could not put it down. If you loved “This Tender Land” you will love this book. I’m telling you, put down the book you are reading now, and order this book now!
July 11, 2024
I won't recap the plot here, as many others have done it in their reviews.
If we could give partial stars, I'd rate this book higher. I had to ding it because the first half editing is not taut, which is unfortunate, as it may dissuade readers from pushing through to the later chapters, where the editing and writing are excellent and the story compelling.
This is a book where all the questions are not answered. It was fascinating to me to be inside the head of a character who is blindsided not only by a tragic accident that upends her life, but also the discovery that she has misconceptions about fundamental elements of her history. She finds herself lost in confusion about her own identity, especially as it relates to her older sister/parental figure. The last 20 chapters beautifully portray her journey of processing information that is explosive to her sense of self, and forging a path that is meaningful, even without having all the answers she longs to have.
I'd happily read more of Amy Smith Linton's writing and look forward to what she comes up with next.
If we could give partial stars, I'd rate this book higher. I had to ding it because the first half editing is not taut, which is unfortunate, as it may dissuade readers from pushing through to the later chapters, where the editing and writing are excellent and the story compelling.
This is a book where all the questions are not answered. It was fascinating to me to be inside the head of a character who is blindsided not only by a tragic accident that upends her life, but also the discovery that she has misconceptions about fundamental elements of her history. She finds herself lost in confusion about her own identity, especially as it relates to her older sister/parental figure. The last 20 chapters beautifully portray her journey of processing information that is explosive to her sense of self, and forging a path that is meaningful, even without having all the answers she longs to have.
I'd happily read more of Amy Smith Linton's writing and look forward to what she comes up with next.
January 8, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Nicola, an artist living in Sarasota, gets a late night call telling her that her older sister, Viv, an excellent surgeon living in Nashville, has been in a car accident.
As Nicola rushes to her sister’s side she remembers incidents from her childhood.
She finds her sister in a coma. Viv is 6 months pregnant. The Nicola, always close with Viv is surprised. As she starts to uncover secrets of their early life, Nicola wonders again why their parents abandoned them as children. The answers she finds are complex and puzzling.
I loved reading this book about sisters because it resonates with my nursing experience. It also reminds me of my “bossy” big sister role.
It is a really good read.
Nicola, an artist living in Sarasota, gets a late night call telling her that her older sister, Viv, an excellent surgeon living in Nashville, has been in a car accident.
As Nicola rushes to her sister’s side she remembers incidents from her childhood.
She finds her sister in a coma. Viv is 6 months pregnant. The Nicola, always close with Viv is surprised. As she starts to uncover secrets of their early life, Nicola wonders again why their parents abandoned them as children. The answers she finds are complex and puzzling.
I loved reading this book about sisters because it resonates with my nursing experience. It also reminds me of my “bossy” big sister role.
It is a really good read.
April 1, 2024
this book was so annoying in the sense that i found the characters so boring and the dialogue and general writing was so strange (and for me this took a bit of work). HOWEVERRRR i still thoroughly enjoyed
February 6, 2024
Can't formulate words to review this atm, I'm too fresh off the read and full of thoughts and feelings. Read it!
May 31, 2024
I loved the way the book leads the reader through the younger sister's experience.
One step at a time you are taken to the next thing she learns while leaving you wondering what is going to be the next thing?!
One step at a time you are taken to the next thing she learns while leaving you wondering what is going to be the next thing?!
May 4, 2025
I was enticed with the cover and book title. Overall it’s a bit slow but I do like it. As an older sister, I can relate to Viv’s actions and how different the two sisters are.
July 3, 2024
Lots of surprises throughout the book. Kept my interest throughout.
February 25, 2024
Well written, and a good story. Was a little disappointed with how it ended.
October 8, 2025
4.5 rounded to 5. A lot more of a mystery than I anticipated. At 75% through, I knew how it would end, but it helped me feel what the outsiders felt for Nicky. Sadness and dread.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2023
Between 3 and 4 starts; closer to 4 if we ignore the first 100 pages.
Nicola has always relied on her older sister, Viv, to take care of them. When Nicola suddenly assumes control after Vivs suffers an accident, she learns more than she could have imagined about Viv's family life as well as their own childhood. This is an emotional family drama, full of twists and turns that feel like a mystery while still maintaining focus on the characters themselves.
The introduction is a bit longwinded, enough that I did not actually pick up interest at all until about a third of the way through the book. However, from that point on it was a page turner. Despite Nicola's character not being as fleshed out as I would like, we learn all sorts of things about Viv that make her a compelling, complicated character. Working through family tragedy was both fascinating and tragic. I would recommend this for those who like stories of sisterhood and resilience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lifted Board Press for the advance review copy.
Nicola has always relied on her older sister, Viv, to take care of them. When Nicola suddenly assumes control after Vivs suffers an accident, she learns more than she could have imagined about Viv's family life as well as their own childhood. This is an emotional family drama, full of twists and turns that feel like a mystery while still maintaining focus on the characters themselves.
The introduction is a bit longwinded, enough that I did not actually pick up interest at all until about a third of the way through the book. However, from that point on it was a page turner. Despite Nicola's character not being as fleshed out as I would like, we learn all sorts of things about Viv that make her a compelling, complicated character. Working through family tragedy was both fascinating and tragic. I would recommend this for those who like stories of sisterhood and resilience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lifted Board Press for the advance review copy.
January 21, 2024
In general I enjoyed this book. I like reading about family dynamics and relationships that are not romantic. Having an older sister as well and reading about Viv and Nicola's relationship made me think a lot about my own relationship to my sister. The writing is beautiful and easy to read, but for me personally the pacing felt off. I put it down a lot in favor of other books and it couldn't hold my attention very well. That's why I give this one 3 stars.
I can recommend this to anyone who doesn't mind flashbacks and slowly revealing secrets as well as family sagas. Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I can recommend this to anyone who doesn't mind flashbacks and slowly revealing secrets as well as family sagas. Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 29, 2023
Great read!
I loved this book! Not only was it an excellent read with my wanting to turn the pages quickly for more of the story, it was so real in the relationships between sisters who shared all, and nothing, as they lived their lives connected by blood and responsibility.
This is one I will suggest to my book club as I am certain it will generate lots of thought and discussion.
Well done, Ms. Linton!! I will look forward to your next one!
I loved this book! Not only was it an excellent read with my wanting to turn the pages quickly for more of the story, it was so real in the relationships between sisters who shared all, and nothing, as they lived their lives connected by blood and responsibility.
This is one I will suggest to my book club as I am certain it will generate lots of thought and discussion.
Well done, Ms. Linton!! I will look forward to your next one!
January 18, 2024
Well developed and captivating. So well written with an intriguing story. The bond of two sisters and their unique family history kept me wondering what was next in the back story and the coinciding current story. Would highly recommend!
January 18, 2024
A page-turner that I thoroughly enjoyed. Part sister story, family secrets, suspense…Beautifully written—the characters came alive. My only disappointment was that it built to a crescendo but then ended too quickly for me. Would love for there to be a sequel.
April 24, 2024
Slow at parts but a deep dive into complex relationships and emotions. I enjoyed this book even though it wasn’t cheerful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews