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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
I liked it, but I didn't love it. I think I didn't love it because it was a bit chick heavy, leaving the only male character a bit weak. On the plus side, there was a lot of tension, and while I mostly worked out the secret, it was a kicker. Well done on a good first novel!
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
This was a struggle to read. Interspersed with some good parts but ultimately just ridiculously confusing and depressing. Wouldn't recommend.
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Sister is one of those books that you read with your mouth open, shaking your head as you can’t believe the stupidity of the characters. Or maybe that was just my response!
Grace moved to live with her grandparents as a youngster. She tells everyone her parents are dead, but that’s not quite true. Within days of starting school she’s been befriended by Charlie - their status as fatherless kids bonding them, apparently - and drawn into the little group. Over time Charlie, Grace, Dan, Esmee and Siobhan grow up and fall in and out of friendship. We learn about their past through flashbacks, which crop up every time some part of the story in the present is moving forward.
In the present, Grace is now married to Dan. They’re having a tough time as Grace adjusts to the death of her best friend Charlie. Grace thinks someone is stalking her, and she’s getting strange notes delivered to her home.
Before we know it, Grace and Dan have unearthed Anna, Charlie’s half-sister, and she’s moving in with them. Things start to go wrong - with missing jewellery, a near crash, a beloved cat escaping, illness just before a big event - but Grace doesn’t even begin to imagine these things could be linked to the new presence!
I read this in a kind of stupor, wondering whether people really are so stupid. Whether it’s Grace for her naïveté or Dan for his lack of common sense in dealing with issues, everything we’re told about them made me want to scream at them! The adult characters didn’t get off much more lightly either.
Naturally, things quickly escalate and we’re soon in the kind of scenario that doesn’t even make sense in a low-budget horror. Still, everything comes out in the proverbial wash and is left resolved (in some way).
Grace moved to live with her grandparents as a youngster. She tells everyone her parents are dead, but that’s not quite true. Within days of starting school she’s been befriended by Charlie - their status as fatherless kids bonding them, apparently - and drawn into the little group. Over time Charlie, Grace, Dan, Esmee and Siobhan grow up and fall in and out of friendship. We learn about their past through flashbacks, which crop up every time some part of the story in the present is moving forward.
In the present, Grace is now married to Dan. They’re having a tough time as Grace adjusts to the death of her best friend Charlie. Grace thinks someone is stalking her, and she’s getting strange notes delivered to her home.
Before we know it, Grace and Dan have unearthed Anna, Charlie’s half-sister, and she’s moving in with them. Things start to go wrong - with missing jewellery, a near crash, a beloved cat escaping, illness just before a big event - but Grace doesn’t even begin to imagine these things could be linked to the new presence!
I read this in a kind of stupor, wondering whether people really are so stupid. Whether it’s Grace for her naïveté or Dan for his lack of common sense in dealing with issues, everything we’re told about them made me want to scream at them! The adult characters didn’t get off much more lightly either.
Naturally, things quickly escalate and we’re soon in the kind of scenario that doesn’t even make sense in a low-budget horror. Still, everything comes out in the proverbial wash and is left resolved (in some way).
3.5*
I often find I either love or hate thrillers, but this one was sort of middle of the road. It has some good points, twists I didn't expect, and parts that surprised me, but there were also some very cliché elements that I could've done without. I also didn't particularly like the main character or Charlie. I wouldn't say I disliked either of them, I just thought they were both a bit... meh.
I did have stronger feelings towards many of the side characters though, and found the back stories interesting.
I think it was slow to start, but as it evolved it got into its stride more and made it more enjoyable. The book was fast paced and I flew through it, I just wouldn't say it wowed me.
Either way, an enjoyable thriller that was interesting if a bit generic.
I often find I either love or hate thrillers, but this one was sort of middle of the road. It has some good points, twists I didn't expect, and parts that surprised me, but there were also some very cliché elements that I could've done without. I also didn't particularly like the main character or Charlie. I wouldn't say I disliked either of them, I just thought they were both a bit... meh.
I did have stronger feelings towards many of the side characters though, and found the back stories interesting.
I think it was slow to start, but as it evolved it got into its stride more and made it more enjoyable. The book was fast paced and I flew through it, I just wouldn't say it wowed me.
Either way, an enjoyable thriller that was interesting if a bit generic.
I enjoyed this book. It was interesting, and kept me engrossed until the very end. I loved the "then" and "now" breakdown, and the way they bled into one another, as life often does. One always affects the other. I found Grace to be broken, and complicated, but strong, which i liked. Lexie as well proved to be an interesting character. I did feel like the character of Dan left a little to be desired. He was never fully realized to me. I wanted him to be more present or not be there at all. I enjoyed the slow build of tension through the book, and the ultimate conclusion as well. Definitely a page turner!
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A fairly average thriller overall but did have some good moments and interesting twists. The pacing was good, if at times a little bit confused, but about halfway through the book the flashback chapters started to make more sense.
The characters were pretty meh tbh. Grace was never particularly interesting and I didn’t really like Charlie either. Anna was your generic cuckoo/evil lodger stereotype and the attempt to humanise her near the end of the book didn’t really work for me. I did love Mittens though. Not happy at all about her ending.
I also found the ending overall a little lacklustre and the action towards the end a little rushed.
Overall, definitely a good thriller but could have been better.
This review first appeared on www.littlenovelist.com
Once again, I bought this book on the recommendation and review of Rebecca Pugh. Her book reviews are always so in depth, and after seeing the cover (which is beautiful by the way don't you think?) and reading that incredibly gripping blurb, her review was the cherry on the cake!
I love the simplistic design of the cover, and the note on the envelope gave me so many questions, I knew I had to read the book to find answers to them.
The story starts off very mysteriously and we follow Grace as she travels through the woods to try and find a box she and her friend Charlie has buried. This was something she never thought she would be doing alone, and is left with many questions after reading a cryptic note from Charlie about an unknown wrong.
As we go through this novel we are given flashbacks to when Charlie was alive and how their friendship began and grew into what it was before Charlie sadly passed. Grace gets prompted to see Charlie's alcoholic mother, Lexie, and after a conversation decided to seek out Charlie's father. She enlists the help of her long-time boyfriend Dan, and start digging into the past.
Anna then comes onto the scene and mysterious things keep happening. They make us question who has it out for Grace, and why they would be doing something like this. It seems a lot of people in Grace's present life have secrets and they're all about to be unearthed.
I don't want to give any spoilers, so you'll have to read the book to find out more. Overall, this book was better than I expected and I devoured it within half a day by the pool. It's definitely a book where you can't stop turning the pages until you have the answers you're seeking.
Once again, I bought this book on the recommendation and review of Rebecca Pugh. Her book reviews are always so in depth, and after seeing the cover (which is beautiful by the way don't you think?) and reading that incredibly gripping blurb, her review was the cherry on the cake!
I love the simplistic design of the cover, and the note on the envelope gave me so many questions, I knew I had to read the book to find answers to them.
The story starts off very mysteriously and we follow Grace as she travels through the woods to try and find a box she and her friend Charlie has buried. This was something she never thought she would be doing alone, and is left with many questions after reading a cryptic note from Charlie about an unknown wrong.
As we go through this novel we are given flashbacks to when Charlie was alive and how their friendship began and grew into what it was before Charlie sadly passed. Grace gets prompted to see Charlie's alcoholic mother, Lexie, and after a conversation decided to seek out Charlie's father. She enlists the help of her long-time boyfriend Dan, and start digging into the past.
Anna then comes onto the scene and mysterious things keep happening. They make us question who has it out for Grace, and why they would be doing something like this. It seems a lot of people in Grace's present life have secrets and they're all about to be unearthed.
I don't want to give any spoilers, so you'll have to read the book to find out more. Overall, this book was better than I expected and I devoured it within half a day by the pool. It's definitely a book where you can't stop turning the pages until you have the answers you're seeking.