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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
It was a quick read but I wish the drama was more. I feel like nothing was that crazy for a thriller.
The twists and turns! So I thought I knew what was going on then I doubted myself. Towards the end the tension ramped up to a -have to read as fast as I can -10! Who knew in the beginning that I would enjoy this book as much as I did.
Give it a go
Give it a go
A fabulous psychological thriller with twists and turns I didn't see coming.
The cover caught my attention and the words inside kept it. I listened to the audiobook edition. The narrator was excellent. She was well suited to the book and brought the characters to life.
The story flicks back and forth from the past to the present, showing the close friendship between Charlie and Grace, and how Grace is (isn't) coping after Charlie's death. I can't say much more without risking spoilers, but I loved it.
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The cover caught my attention and the words inside kept it. I listened to the audiobook edition. The narrator was excellent. She was well suited to the book and brought the characters to life.
The story flicks back and forth from the past to the present, showing the close friendship between Charlie and Grace, and how Grace is (isn't) coping after Charlie's death. I can't say much more without risking spoilers, but I loved it.
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Sticking closely to my theme of reading psychological fiction as of late, I was absolutely thrilled to receive an ARC of The Sister by debut author Louise Jensen, published by Bookouture, in exchange for an honest review. The first thing that drew me to this book was the absolutely blooming incredible cover- I know they say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover and generally speaking, that’s all well and good but you can’t say that this one isn’t an absolute delight to look at!
Now, we all know that I’m an absolute fiend for a good psychological thriller and because I’m reading more and more of them, I’m getting more and more picky over whether I enjoy them or not. I’ll start by saying that I thought this one by Louise Jensen was incredibly good and I’m absolutely blown away by the fact that this is a debut novel. Let me tell you now: if my debut novel is anywhere near as good as this one, I’ll be over the moon.
The story is based around a girl, Grace, who lives with her boyfriend shortly after the sudden death of her best friend. We aren’t told, at first, how her best friend has died, nor are we sure whether or not her death is homicide. We are aware though, that before her death, Charlie admitted to doing something pretty horrendous and Grace is absolutely obsessed with the idea of finding out what it is. Eventually, we are introduced to Anna, Charlie’s half-sister, and from this point onwards everything seems to go horribly wrong.
I was hooked on the story from the word go and I was SO curious not only to find out the secret that Charlie had died keeping, but also to find out the secret that Grace herself was holding onto. These two mysteries are the ones that keep the story so interesting all the way through: it’s pretty obvious from the word go who the perpetrator of the modern day disasters that are being thrown Grace’s way, with the exception of a few twists and turns here and there. I enjoyed the characterisation and the switch between the present day and the past especially. I felt incredibly sorry for Grace and really connected with her character. I have to say that I actually felt quite anxious reading certain scenes, particularly since I was reading them at night. I took special care in making sure my doors and windows were tightly locked before going to bed, I’ll tell you that for nothing! I’d definitely recommend this one to anyone who likes crime/thrillers, but you’ll have to wait a little bit as it’s not released until July!
4/5.
Now, we all know that I’m an absolute fiend for a good psychological thriller and because I’m reading more and more of them, I’m getting more and more picky over whether I enjoy them or not. I’ll start by saying that I thought this one by Louise Jensen was incredibly good and I’m absolutely blown away by the fact that this is a debut novel. Let me tell you now: if my debut novel is anywhere near as good as this one, I’ll be over the moon.
The story is based around a girl, Grace, who lives with her boyfriend shortly after the sudden death of her best friend. We aren’t told, at first, how her best friend has died, nor are we sure whether or not her death is homicide. We are aware though, that before her death, Charlie admitted to doing something pretty horrendous and Grace is absolutely obsessed with the idea of finding out what it is. Eventually, we are introduced to Anna, Charlie’s half-sister, and from this point onwards everything seems to go horribly wrong.
I was hooked on the story from the word go and I was SO curious not only to find out the secret that Charlie had died keeping, but also to find out the secret that Grace herself was holding onto. These two mysteries are the ones that keep the story so interesting all the way through: it’s pretty obvious from the word go who the perpetrator of the modern day disasters that are being thrown Grace’s way, with the exception of a few twists and turns here and there. I enjoyed the characterisation and the switch between the present day and the past especially. I felt incredibly sorry for Grace and really connected with her character. I have to say that I actually felt quite anxious reading certain scenes, particularly since I was reading them at night. I took special care in making sure my doors and windows were tightly locked before going to bed, I’ll tell you that for nothing! I’d definitely recommend this one to anyone who likes crime/thrillers, but you’ll have to wait a little bit as it’s not released until July!
4/5.
The Sister is an enjoyable, interesting and (mostly) gripping read. I actually enjoyed the use of "Then" and "Now" chapters and I found it added a lot of tension and mystery to the story that definitely wouldn't have been there without it.
The characters were well written - albeit all slightly frustrating at times - and I loved Grace's development over the novel and I really was rooting for her.
*spoiler* The only thing that let me down was the lack of something really thrilling or exciting. Somehow I never really feared for anyone's life and my guess at the ending was pretty much spot on. The fact that Grace thought that Anna and Charlie looked alike as soon as she met gave it away instantly for me. *spoiler*
I said this the last time I read a psychological thriller and this book has confirmed my thoughts - I've read a few too many to be thrilled or surprised by anything lately. I know what to look for and it's dampening my enjoyment a little.
Aside from that, this book is a stellar example of a psychological thriller and a great introduction to the genre for any newbies out there.
The characters were well written - albeit all slightly frustrating at times - and I loved Grace's development over the novel and I really was rooting for her.
*spoiler* The only thing that let me down was the lack of something really thrilling or exciting. Somehow I never really feared for anyone's life and my guess at the ending was pretty much spot on. The fact that Grace thought that Anna and Charlie looked alike as soon as she met gave it away instantly for me. *spoiler*
I said this the last time I read a psychological thriller and this book has confirmed my thoughts - I've read a few too many to be thrilled or surprised by anything lately. I know what to look for and it's dampening my enjoyment a little.
Aside from that, this book is a stellar example of a psychological thriller and a great introduction to the genre for any newbies out there.
A good debut novel. I felt at times like I was watching a movie, the image in my head, of Charlie especially, was so clear and vivid. You're kept guessing for pretty much the whole book on certain aspects which really kept me turning the pages (read it on my iPad so, virtually turning the pages!) I was left with mixed feelings towards many of the characters at the end but I guess this was intended as in the authors note at the back of the book it asks if you felt sympathetic towards certain characters or if a certain character deserved a second chance. I would say no and no. Although their personal circumstances which were revealed did make me think long and hard about it! If I were her I'd be moving to a different continent!!
מה יהיה עם כל המותחנים הצפויים האלה? כבר אי אפשר להיות מופתעת בימינו?
All of my book reviews can be found on my blog:
https://youngatheart1blog.wordpress.com/2016/07/29/review-the-sister-by-louise-jensen/
This was a very exciting read! I don’t read a lot of psychological thrillers, although I really should because I always enjoy them. I loved Gone Girl and Girl on a Train and The Sister had a similar feel to it. The story starts with Grace grieving over the death of her friend, Charlie. The narrative is told through both present time and as a series of flashbacks. After Charlie’s death, Grace decides to search for Charlie’s father, who left before Charlie was born. She hopes that by finding him she will finally be able to cope with Charlie’s death and hopefully find answers. This is where things really start to pick up.
I really enjoyed the “then” and “now” flashbacks. They were absolutely relevant and helped us understand Grace, who was not a very honest or reliable narrator in her adult life. Both story lines were equally interesting and exciting. They often switched at a cliffhanger which was frustrating but only because I was so eager to know what happened! I felt as if the flashbacks and present time were all culminating into this big understanding of what was really happening and I eagerly read until the end.
There is also the overarching mystery of “what Charlie did.” Early on, we learn that Charlie dies and leaves behind a note saying she did something “terrible.”I was constantly thinking of this throughout the story. What did she do? Did she leave any clues? It was very exciting. Especially as we got to know Charlie through the flashbacks..my mind never stopped coming up with possible scenarios!
Grace is quite the unreliable narrator, which I actually like in this book. She is never fully honest in her adult narrative so we learn about her as a character through a series of flashbacks. These flashbacks help us answer questions about her past. Why was she raised by her Grandparents? How did she meet Dan? Why was she so close with Charlie?
She was also quite oblivious at times. She often frustrated me and sometimes I wanted to shake her and scream- “Just look around and pay attention!”I additionally wanted to point out that I noticed a lot of reviewers said the plot is predictable. Yes and no. Yes, there were some things that I felt I knew before Grace, but that did not stop me from greedily reading until the end! I quickly realized the more important part of the story was not necessarily who the antagonist is and what they are doing to Grace, but why they are doing it. There were also quite a few revelations at the end that still surprised me.
Overall this was a very entertaining read and I would definitely recommend if you enjoy psychological thrillers.
https://youngatheart1blog.wordpress.com/2016/07/29/review-the-sister-by-louise-jensen/
This was a very exciting read! I don’t read a lot of psychological thrillers, although I really should because I always enjoy them. I loved Gone Girl and Girl on a Train and The Sister had a similar feel to it. The story starts with Grace grieving over the death of her friend, Charlie. The narrative is told through both present time and as a series of flashbacks. After Charlie’s death, Grace decides to search for Charlie’s father, who left before Charlie was born. She hopes that by finding him she will finally be able to cope with Charlie’s death and hopefully find answers. This is where things really start to pick up.
I really enjoyed the “then” and “now” flashbacks. They were absolutely relevant and helped us understand Grace, who was not a very honest or reliable narrator in her adult life. Both story lines were equally interesting and exciting. They often switched at a cliffhanger which was frustrating but only because I was so eager to know what happened! I felt as if the flashbacks and present time were all culminating into this big understanding of what was really happening and I eagerly read until the end.
There is also the overarching mystery of “what Charlie did.” Early on, we learn that Charlie dies and leaves behind a note saying she did something “terrible.”I was constantly thinking of this throughout the story. What did she do? Did she leave any clues? It was very exciting. Especially as we got to know Charlie through the flashbacks..my mind never stopped coming up with possible scenarios!
Grace is quite the unreliable narrator, which I actually like in this book. She is never fully honest in her adult narrative so we learn about her as a character through a series of flashbacks. These flashbacks help us answer questions about her past. Why was she raised by her Grandparents? How did she meet Dan? Why was she so close with Charlie?
She was also quite oblivious at times. She often frustrated me and sometimes I wanted to shake her and scream- “Just look around and pay attention!”I additionally wanted to point out that I noticed a lot of reviewers said the plot is predictable. Yes and no. Yes, there were some things that I felt I knew before Grace, but that did not stop me from greedily reading until the end! I quickly realized the more important part of the story was not necessarily who the antagonist is and what they are doing to Grace, but why they are doing it. There were also quite a few revelations at the end that still surprised me.
Overall this was a very entertaining read and I would definitely recommend if you enjoy psychological thrillers.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Sister by Louise Jensen is another page turning you think you know what’s coming but your wrong psychological thriller! Really enjoyed the twist in this without giving away any spoilers Louise had me hook line and sinker thinking I knew what was coming and I was wrong. Definitely recommend this book to all who like a good plot twist!