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manda_ruthie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
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? Yes
3.0
jasminegalsreadinglog's review
4.0
The Lost Sister is a dual and parallel storyline of three sisters in 1911 and of Harriet and her family in 2019. The cover of this novel is so beautiful and it just pulled me to request it through NetGalley. And the novel absolutely does not disappoint. I love historical details in my books and this novel is full of details regarding White Star Line ships Olympic, Titanic and Brittanic called three sisters. These three ships and their voyages play a major role in the novel. I loved how the author interspersed the story of Emma, Ruby and Lily with the historical details of these ships.
This wonderful novel is full of strong and courageous women. Its a novel of love, family ties and challenges. A very gripping story that once you start has to be finished. I highly recommend this book!
This wonderful novel is full of strong and courageous women. Its a novel of love, family ties and challenges. A very gripping story that once you start has to be finished. I highly recommend this book!
metastic's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
natalier3's review
5.0
"I'll never forget you."
Oh my days, McGurl knows how to write some harrowing stuff.
I've loved dual timelines for a while, and McGurl does it with ease. I read The Forgotten Gift last year and loved it, still think about it now. Well, this one will definitely stay with me. I received a widget for this title, and I admit (owing to how much I enjoy McGurl's work) I downloaded it without reading the blurb.
Wow, did I need preparing for this one. The scenes on the Titanic were shown with terror and heartache, and this was probably not wise to read when I am struggling in my personal life since a bereavement. Harriet's story was an excellent addition alongside, and showed how past mistakes can keep the fractures in a family alive.
This book captured the emotions beautifully and I will not forget this one in a hurry.
Breathtaking.
Oh my days, McGurl knows how to write some harrowing stuff.
I've loved dual timelines for a while, and McGurl does it with ease. I read The Forgotten Gift last year and loved it, still think about it now. Well, this one will definitely stay with me. I received a widget for this title, and I admit (owing to how much I enjoy McGurl's work) I downloaded it without reading the blurb.
Wow, did I need preparing for this one. The scenes on the Titanic were shown with terror and heartache, and this was probably not wise to read when I am struggling in my personal life since a bereavement. Harriet's story was an excellent addition alongside, and showed how past mistakes can keep the fractures in a family alive.
This book captured the emotions beautifully and I will not forget this one in a hurry.
Breathtaking.
agameofbooks's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
4.0
I always love a dual timeline historical fiction novel where the storylines all connect in the end, and this was no exception. Especially with the setting around the Titanic, Olympic and Brittanic.
jessbookishlife's review against another edition
4.0
Historical is a genre I quite enjoy. I love that it allows me to under society back then and it's a journey through time that we can never make except via a book. Then I started reading dual timeline novels and it was the best of both worlds for me. I get to experience the historical genre with the added bonus of following contemporary characters as well.
In this book we follow a family during present times with Harriet and back in 1911 with three sisters, Emma, Lily and Ruby. The story of the three sister ships: Olympic, Titanic and Britannic; and the mystery of what happened to Harriet's grandmother's sisters.
Although most of us know the history of the three sister ships, I loved the connection that the author made between the family and that event. As we uncover the truth about the secrets of the family, and that made me very curious with each page I read.
It was a moving story, emotional and quite a journey. The characters were believable, and could connect with both Harriet and Emma easily. They were amazingly well written and as I followed the two timelines, the details and the realism, I loved it and it was perfect for the entire feel the story had.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and how the fiction connected well with the true history. I also loved the family and the ties between them all, past and present.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, Kathleen McGurl and HQ for the eCopy of this book, via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
In this book we follow a family during present times with Harriet and back in 1911 with three sisters, Emma, Lily and Ruby. The story of the three sister ships: Olympic, Titanic and Britannic; and the mystery of what happened to Harriet's grandmother's sisters.
Although most of us know the history of the three sister ships, I loved the connection that the author made between the family and that event. As we uncover the truth about the secrets of the family, and that made me very curious with each page I read.
It was a moving story, emotional and quite a journey. The characters were believable, and could connect with both Harriet and Emma easily. They were amazingly well written and as I followed the two timelines, the details and the realism, I loved it and it was perfect for the entire feel the story had.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and how the fiction connected well with the true history. I also loved the family and the ties between them all, past and present.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, Kathleen McGurl and HQ for the eCopy of this book, via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
lisa_bergin's review against another edition
5.0
I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ and Kathleen McGurl for this e arc copy for review
This is a dual timeline story starting in 1911 for the past storyline and 2019 for the modern day. In 1911 three sisters Emma, Ruby and Lily are living in Southampton with their mother when Emma the eldest of these girls gets a job aboard The Olympic for its maiden voyage. Ruby wants independence and feels trapped in her life, and Lily the youngest is a sickly child having had TB and recurring bouts of illness.
In the modern day we find Harriet who is the granddaughter to the past storyline who with her daughter Sally are downsizing her house with a view to move to something smaller as her husband died recently when they find a photograph of three sisters one clearly her Grandmother. As far as Harriet was aware there were only two not three. This gets Harriet thinking did her grandmother have a third sister. With the help of her friend Sheila they check the census for 1911 and establish there were three sisters.
This is the start of a really great read. I really enjoyed the structure of the book telling the story in alternate chapters between the two timelines. As the book progresses we learn that Harriet's family is fractured as her second daughter Davina has not been in contact for quite some time and Harriet has never seen Davina's children. We also learn that Sally’s son Jerome is poorly with leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant.
In the past element we learn about how they lived and their time spent on all three of the White Star Line sister ships Olympic, Titanic and Britannic. I don’t want to go into any more detail as I do not want to spoil the story for anyone.
This story had me engrossed from start to end. There were parts of the book that were heartbreaking and I really wanted to know what had happened to the sisters from the past and hoped that the modern day storyline would also have a positive outcome. I really enjoyed the parallels between Ruby from the past and Davina in the present, how their outlook was quite similar. The ending was all to do with reconnection, reconciliation, hope and forgiveness. I did guess one of the plot outcomes but this did not alter my overall opinion of it. I base my ratings on my enjoyment factor and that is why I gave it 5 *****. I highly recommend this book.
This is a dual timeline story starting in 1911 for the past storyline and 2019 for the modern day. In 1911 three sisters Emma, Ruby and Lily are living in Southampton with their mother when Emma the eldest of these girls gets a job aboard The Olympic for its maiden voyage. Ruby wants independence and feels trapped in her life, and Lily the youngest is a sickly child having had TB and recurring bouts of illness.
In the modern day we find Harriet who is the granddaughter to the past storyline who with her daughter Sally are downsizing her house with a view to move to something smaller as her husband died recently when they find a photograph of three sisters one clearly her Grandmother. As far as Harriet was aware there were only two not three. This gets Harriet thinking did her grandmother have a third sister. With the help of her friend Sheila they check the census for 1911 and establish there were three sisters.
This is the start of a really great read. I really enjoyed the structure of the book telling the story in alternate chapters between the two timelines. As the book progresses we learn that Harriet's family is fractured as her second daughter Davina has not been in contact for quite some time and Harriet has never seen Davina's children. We also learn that Sally’s son Jerome is poorly with leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant.
In the past element we learn about how they lived and their time spent on all three of the White Star Line sister ships Olympic, Titanic and Britannic. I don’t want to go into any more detail as I do not want to spoil the story for anyone.
This story had me engrossed from start to end. There were parts of the book that were heartbreaking and I really wanted to know what had happened to the sisters from the past and hoped that the modern day storyline would also have a positive outcome. I really enjoyed the parallels between Ruby from the past and Davina in the present, how their outlook was quite similar. The ending was all to do with reconnection, reconciliation, hope and forgiveness. I did guess one of the plot outcomes but this did not alter my overall opinion of it. I base my ratings on my enjoyment factor and that is why I gave it 5 *****. I highly recommend this book.
bringmybooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Thank you to NetGalley, HQ Digital, and HQ for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.
OH HEY WHERE MY 90S BABIES THAT WERE OBSESSED WITH SHIPWRECKS AT because hey-oh, this book is for you! Olympic? Titanic? Britannic?? The White Star Line??? Honestly I don't need any other bit of synopsis, this is enough. But if you need more, here's a full review:
Yet another Kathleen McGurl that I completely devoured! In my opinion, there aren't many authors that can consistently write a dual timeline historical fiction with equally compelling timelines, but Kathleen McGurl is definitely one of them. (I know I will for sure continue reading her books and suggesting her to other lovers of the hist fic dual timeline trope.)
Regarding the historical timeline, I love, love, LOVED reading about life as stewardesses on the ship(s), and I loved all of the historical bits that were mentioned in the book. (I do think my slightly above average knowledge of the history of these particular ocean liners hampered some of my potential enjoyment of the book, because there were quite a few things that were supposed to be a surprise that I already knew were coming.)
I had a couple of squabbles with the modern day timeline, namely that I super didn't like the characters and kinda wanted to smack the eldest daughter upside the head (bad decisions were made), and to a lesser extent wanted to smack the youngest daughter upside the head (you're being a prat). All of that being said, I think there was a satisfactory ending to the novel and I liked how the two timelines connected.
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