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seadaz's review against another edition
challenging
slow-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
3.0
suzks26's review against another edition
4.0
This is a another winner from Sandie Jones! I really enjoyed her previous two books and was excited to read The Half Sister. I am happy to say it did not disappoint! It is the story of sisters, Kate and Lauren and their mysterious half sister Jess who shows up a year after their father's death, claiming she is his daughter. Kate is a journalist and has had her father on a pedestal her life and doesn't believe this could be true. She sets out to find out the truth about who Jess is. It was fast paced and I didn't want to put it down. I thought I had everything figured out but there were several surprising twists. It's a quick and fun read. Thanks to Bookish First and the publisher for the ARC.
libraryofbookish's review against another edition
3.0
This was the definition of a slow burn. But it was entirely too slow for my liking. I was actually quite bored and wanted to rush through it just to get it done. I was pretty excited for this one, it’s not my first sandie Jones book and I quite enjoyed her other but for the first 3/4 I was waiting for more to happen. The last 1/4 picked up and I wanted to know how it ended. But I was just disappointed. I feel like this book could have been cut in half and done better that way. The story was good, the writing is good. It’s just lacking in suspense that I’m unsure why it’s deemed a thriller. It’s just a drama story.
englandsfairy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
laurapeden's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely my least favorite from this author so far. Most of time I felt like I was in the middle of a Three’s Company episode...when misunderstandings & miscommunication drive the plot. It was a fun listen though.
kayleigh1309's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to on audio. There were times during the book where had I been reading it, I might have started to get a little bored as I wasn’t entirely gripped by the story initially but it all came good in the end and I enjoyed how the story developed and ended.
melissadelongcox's review against another edition
4.0
*Thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books + NetGalley for the ARC!*
HOLY COW. This book is WILD from start to finish.
Things I loved:
• Is Jess a psycho and a liar? When we’re led to believe that she’s on an overnight trip with Matt any sympathy I had for her totally diminished.
• The POV shifts between Lauren and Kate were so well done - I left each woman’s section feeling something about her sister (be it scorn, anger, envy) and then as soon as the POV flipped, I found my opinion changing. It was super well written and felt very much how life often feels.
• Simon sucks, but Lauren effectively cheating and rekindling her romance with Justin also sucks. I felt really sad though about finding out the truth surrounding Lauren and Justin’s breakup, so that helped with setting them up for a good ending.
• Rose - WHERE TO BEGIN! I loved so much about this character’s story. I also thought it was absolutely insane to find out she was the murderer and Harry knew and helped cover it up - how do you stay with a partner after they murder someone?! Insanity.
This book moves fast and doesn’t let go from the first page. Will definitely be recommending! Solid 4.5 stars!
HOLY COW. This book is WILD from start to finish.
Things I loved:
• Is Jess a psycho and a liar? When we’re led to believe that she’s on an overnight trip with Matt any sympathy I had for her totally diminished.
• The POV shifts between Lauren and Kate were so well done - I left each woman’s section feeling something about her sister (be it scorn, anger, envy) and then as soon as the POV flipped, I found my opinion changing. It was super well written and felt very much how life often feels.
• Simon sucks, but Lauren effectively cheating and rekindling her romance with Justin also sucks. I felt really sad though about finding out the truth surrounding Lauren and Justin’s breakup, so that helped with setting them up for a good ending.
• Rose - WHERE TO BEGIN! I loved so much about this character’s story. I also thought it was absolutely insane to find out she was the murderer and Harry knew and helped cover it up - how do you stay with a partner after they murder someone?! Insanity.
This book moves fast and doesn’t let go from the first page. Will definitely be recommending! Solid 4.5 stars!
a_novel_idea11's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5!
Sisters Kate and Lauren have a strained relationship. Kate, a journalist for a gossip magazine lives a fast-paced life chasing down stories and interviewing celebrities. Happily married and child free, Lauren is envious of Kate's seemingly glamorous life. Lauren is a nurse on maternity leave and is staying at home with three young children. Her husband is frequently out of work, often drinks away their extra cash, and they struggle to make ends meet. But on the surface, Lauren has everything Kate wants and can't seem to have - a household full of happy, healthy children.
After the death of their father, the sisters drift further apart. Kate was always more connected with their father while Lauren was more connected with their mother. With the lines drawn in the sand and their father now deceased, Kate feels even more isolated. Trying to keep her family connected, the girls' mother, Rose, has weekly family dinners. One night, an unexpected visitor arrives, claiming to be their father's daughter and the girls' half sister. Shock rips through the household and the tension and mistrust grows as the family tries to comprehend this upsetting news.
It soon becomes evident that Lauren previously made contact with their alleged half sister, Jess. Finding each other on a DNA Ancestry website, the women connected to discuss the unexpected relation. But Kate refuses to believe her father was a philanderer, let alone had a child he abandoned with another woman, and decides to put her journalism skills to use to dig into her own family history. Digging into her father's and family's past brings up secrets and suppressed memories, creating deeper rifts within the family and causing further mistrust. Who is telling the truth? What kind of man was their father truly? Will the truth bring more harm than good?
This was a fast paced read that I could not put down. There were a few red herrings thrown in to keep the mystery alive, but it wasn't overly unpredictable. I definitely recommend and I always enjoy work by this talented author!
Thank you BookishFirst and Minotaur Books for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Sisters Kate and Lauren have a strained relationship. Kate, a journalist for a gossip magazine lives a fast-paced life chasing down stories and interviewing celebrities. Happily married and child free, Lauren is envious of Kate's seemingly glamorous life. Lauren is a nurse on maternity leave and is staying at home with three young children. Her husband is frequently out of work, often drinks away their extra cash, and they struggle to make ends meet. But on the surface, Lauren has everything Kate wants and can't seem to have - a household full of happy, healthy children.
After the death of their father, the sisters drift further apart. Kate was always more connected with their father while Lauren was more connected with their mother. With the lines drawn in the sand and their father now deceased, Kate feels even more isolated. Trying to keep her family connected, the girls' mother, Rose, has weekly family dinners. One night, an unexpected visitor arrives, claiming to be their father's daughter and the girls' half sister. Shock rips through the household and the tension and mistrust grows as the family tries to comprehend this upsetting news.
It soon becomes evident that Lauren previously made contact with their alleged half sister, Jess. Finding each other on a DNA Ancestry website, the women connected to discuss the unexpected relation. But Kate refuses to believe her father was a philanderer, let alone had a child he abandoned with another woman, and decides to put her journalism skills to use to dig into her own family history. Digging into her father's and family's past brings up secrets and suppressed memories, creating deeper rifts within the family and causing further mistrust. Who is telling the truth? What kind of man was their father truly? Will the truth bring more harm than good?
This was a fast paced read that I could not put down. There were a few red herrings thrown in to keep the mystery alive, but it wasn't overly unpredictable. I definitely recommend and I always enjoy work by this talented author!
Thank you BookishFirst and Minotaur Books for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.