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The Good Sister
Two sisters. One secret... A lie that could destroy them both.
When her father dies, Josie is devastated to uncover he led a secret another house, another family and a half-sister called Valentina.
Both with red hair and icy blue eyes, Josie and Valentina could be mistaken for twins. But the similarities end there...
Josie – Sweet, reserved, jealous, thief.
Valentina – Care-free, confident, dangerous, liar.
They share secrets. They tell lies. And for one sister, dark memories begin to surface... Should the other be scared for her life?
When her father dies, Josie is devastated to uncover he led a secret another house, another family and a half-sister called Valentina.
Both with red hair and icy blue eyes, Josie and Valentina could be mistaken for twins. But the similarities end there...
Josie – Sweet, reserved, jealous, thief.
Valentina – Care-free, confident, dangerous, liar.
They share secrets. They tell lies. And for one sister, dark memories begin to surface... Should the other be scared for her life?
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2017
1460 people are currently reading
1579 people want to read
About the author
Jess Ryder
19 books361 followersJess Ryder is a pseudonym of novelist/screenwriter/television producer, Jan Page
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
August 9, 2017
This packs a lot of action and revelations into a mere 230 pages. I flew through it, but the 42 chapters ensure you have plenty of good stopping points. The chapters go back and forth from Josie to Valentina, but they aren't labeled as such. It led to a few moments of confusion for this reader, but actually added to the uneasiness felt while reading in a good way.
Have you ever been confused for someone else? Have you met someone who looks so similar to you, you have to do a double-take? Do you think you have a doppelganger? Josie does.
Of course, they weren't twins separated at birth... but the story is just as crazy. When Josie's larger than life father meets an untimely death, a huge secret is revealed. She and her mother were not her father's only family. He had another house, another woman... another daughter. Valentina is strikingly similar to Josie in appearance, but their personalities are vastly different. Josie is responsible and has her life together. She's been with her boyfriend for five years. Valentina lives in squalor and doesn't work. She's volatile, prone to outbursts. They may look very similar, and share a birth month and year, but inside they couldn't be more different.
They've both lost a father and gained a sister, and they cling to each other, shutting out others. They share stories, realizing dear old Dad told them the same Viking stories and played the same games. What do they really know of each other, though? Did the father kill himself, his secrets finally too much to bear, did someone sabotage him, or is it simply the accident the police think it is?
Four stars for a few reasons: it kept me reading, and I really enjoyed it. It had unpredictable moments and a few plot twists I saw coming. The texting annoyed me, because I think by 24 you're not composing texts like a teenager anymore, but maybe that's just me. I also could have done without a couple of things, but I'm determined to keep this review spoiler free. Recommended as a quick psychological thriller, perfect for a day off or the beach.
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
Have you ever been confused for someone else? Have you met someone who looks so similar to you, you have to do a double-take? Do you think you have a doppelganger? Josie does.
Of course, they weren't twins separated at birth... but the story is just as crazy. When Josie's larger than life father meets an untimely death, a huge secret is revealed. She and her mother were not her father's only family. He had another house, another woman... another daughter. Valentina is strikingly similar to Josie in appearance, but their personalities are vastly different. Josie is responsible and has her life together. She's been with her boyfriend for five years. Valentina lives in squalor and doesn't work. She's volatile, prone to outbursts. They may look very similar, and share a birth month and year, but inside they couldn't be more different.
They've both lost a father and gained a sister, and they cling to each other, shutting out others. They share stories, realizing dear old Dad told them the same Viking stories and played the same games. What do they really know of each other, though? Did the father kill himself, his secrets finally too much to bear, did someone sabotage him, or is it simply the accident the police think it is?
Four stars for a few reasons: it kept me reading, and I really enjoyed it. It had unpredictable moments and a few plot twists I saw coming. The texting annoyed me, because I think by 24 you're not composing texts like a teenager anymore, but maybe that's just me. I also could have done without a couple of things, but I'm determined to keep this review spoiler free. Recommended as a quick psychological thriller, perfect for a day off or the beach.
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
November 1, 2017
THE GOOD SISTER is a dark psychological thriller about a dysfunctional family, and the secrets that can destroy them, by author Jess Ryder, a follow-up to her debut novel Lie To Me.. This is an excellent well-written novel with engaging characters. I was totally engrossed in this novel from beginning to end…wanting to know how it would end. I loved this book, and I know it will be well-received by those readers that enjoy reading psychological thrillers. A talented author to keep on the radar!
Two sisters. One secret... A lie that could destroy them both.
When her father, Jerome Maculiffe, dies in a motorcycle accident, Josie is devastated to uncover he led a secret life: another house, another family, another wife and a half-sister called Valentina. Jerome worked in Manchester as a teacher/lecturer during the week and returned home to London during the weekends.
Their father was having an affair? He was living a “parallel life.”
Both with red hair and icy blue eyes, Josie and Valentina could be mistaken for twins. But the similarities end there…Josie is sweet and responsible has a good job and is living with her boyfriend Arun, while Valentina is unemployed, manipulative and dangerous. Both Josie and Valentina were born in the same hospital a few days apart!
Josie had been raised by her working mother, Helen and father, Jerome in London in a wealthy family, while Valentina and her mother Sophie lived in a cottage in the countryside struggling to make ends meet on a daily basis. Jerome was married to Helen while Sophie was his mistress.
So naturally, you can see that this street girl-Valentina wants Josie’s life!
This novel is full of twists and turns and revelations. The characters are so well developed it is so easy to identify each sister’s traits. I enjoyed the added passages of Viking history. You will not be able to put this book down.
Many thanks to Jess Ryder, Bookouture and Netgalley for theARC. Bookouture has all the best books to read!
Two sisters. One secret... A lie that could destroy them both.
When her father, Jerome Maculiffe, dies in a motorcycle accident, Josie is devastated to uncover he led a secret life: another house, another family, another wife and a half-sister called Valentina. Jerome worked in Manchester as a teacher/lecturer during the week and returned home to London during the weekends.
Their father was having an affair? He was living a “parallel life.”
Both with red hair and icy blue eyes, Josie and Valentina could be mistaken for twins. But the similarities end there…Josie is sweet and responsible has a good job and is living with her boyfriend Arun, while Valentina is unemployed, manipulative and dangerous. Both Josie and Valentina were born in the same hospital a few days apart!
Josie had been raised by her working mother, Helen and father, Jerome in London in a wealthy family, while Valentina and her mother Sophie lived in a cottage in the countryside struggling to make ends meet on a daily basis. Jerome was married to Helen while Sophie was his mistress.
So naturally, you can see that this street girl-Valentina wants Josie’s life!
This novel is full of twists and turns and revelations. The characters are so well developed it is so easy to identify each sister’s traits. I enjoyed the added passages of Viking history. You will not be able to put this book down.
Many thanks to Jess Ryder, Bookouture and Netgalley for theARC. Bookouture has all the best books to read!
March 30, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to read this electronic ARC.
When Josie’s beloved father dies, she is destroyed once more when she discovers that her father led a secret life, complete with another woman and a daughter that he had kept secret from her. When Josie’s sister, Valentina, reaches out to Josie, Josie immediately develops a relationship with her, ignoring the cautions from everyone in her life that Valentina is dangerous and manipulative. Valentina slowly begins to infiltrate Josie’s life, and the only one oblivious to the obvious deception is Josie herself. When Josie finally realizes this fact, she must take on her own sister in a fight to save her own life.
Having read Jess Ryder’s other novel, I was excited to get the chance to read this one and it did not disappoint. I actually anticipated “The Good Sister” to be predictable and similar to “Single White Female” however I was pleasantly surprised when it did not turn out that way! The twists and turns in this novel are top-notch, and Ryder definitely pulls a reader in right from the start, and keeps their interest until the end.
“The Good Sister” is told from the viewpoint of both Josie and Valentina. At the beginning of each chapter, it is not revealed which sister is doing the narrative which helps to solidify the plot without being confusing (as the chapter does eventually tell us which sister we are listening to). I ran the gamut of speculations throughout this story (”Which sister is actually the bad sister? Is it actually Josie and we have been fooled all this time?”) and was extremely satisfied at the ending, which not only provided a concrete solution to the plot but also was unexpected and surprising.
This novel surprised me in all of the best ways possible. Ryder is definitely an author to watch.
When Josie’s beloved father dies, she is destroyed once more when she discovers that her father led a secret life, complete with another woman and a daughter that he had kept secret from her. When Josie’s sister, Valentina, reaches out to Josie, Josie immediately develops a relationship with her, ignoring the cautions from everyone in her life that Valentina is dangerous and manipulative. Valentina slowly begins to infiltrate Josie’s life, and the only one oblivious to the obvious deception is Josie herself. When Josie finally realizes this fact, she must take on her own sister in a fight to save her own life.
Having read Jess Ryder’s other novel, I was excited to get the chance to read this one and it did not disappoint. I actually anticipated “The Good Sister” to be predictable and similar to “Single White Female” however I was pleasantly surprised when it did not turn out that way! The twists and turns in this novel are top-notch, and Ryder definitely pulls a reader in right from the start, and keeps their interest until the end.
“The Good Sister” is told from the viewpoint of both Josie and Valentina. At the beginning of each chapter, it is not revealed which sister is doing the narrative which helps to solidify the plot without being confusing (as the chapter does eventually tell us which sister we are listening to). I ran the gamut of speculations throughout this story (”Which sister is actually the bad sister? Is it actually Josie and we have been fooled all this time?”) and was extremely satisfied at the ending, which not only provided a concrete solution to the plot but also was unexpected and surprising.
This novel surprised me in all of the best ways possible. Ryder is definitely an author to watch.
August 16, 2017
I don’t read a lot of psychological thrillers these days. I think I read too many in the past and have become a bit immune to them. However, The Good Sister, which I was initially attracted to by the stunning cover, managed to keep me completely gripped throughout the whole story.
This is a fast paced, hard to put down kind of a book. At times this was a tense, heart racing, panic inducing thriller. I found myself getting so frustrated that one of the characters was so trusting of another. Then I felt unsure who to trust myself, and doubting my own judgement of the situation. There were so many twists and turns I began to feel like I was playing a game of dizzy daleks.
I don’t really want to say much more about the plot or characters themselves, as this is definitely a book that’s best read knowing very little about what is going to happen. However, I do want to discuss the incredibly interesting historical snippets about Viking life at the beginning of each chapter, mainly as I believe it has taught me something about my own ancestry.
The very beginning of the prologue begins with the following:
Today, about a million people in the UK are descended from the Vikings. A finger deformity known as Dupuytren’s disease is found in some people with Viking ancestry.
I gasped when I read this. I had never heard of Dupuytren’s disease until my dad developed it a few years ago. As soon as I started this book I had to message Dad about it, and he explained even more about the disease and its connection to the Vikings. Next time I see his bent fingers I won’t be able to help myself imagining him holding a Viking sword.
Until now, I’ve never really thought that deeply about my ancestry. I just knew I was half Irish and half Yorkshire. The ginger hair on my mum’s side of the family wasn’t really a surprise, with her being Irish, but I’ve often wondered about the ginger hair on my dad’s side, and I’m now wondering whether that came from the Vikings too.
I grew up in York and so was surrounded by things of Viking influence for the whole of my childhood. I loved Jorvik Viking Centre, although I always thought it smelt funny. Upon meeting my husband at eighteen, who loves eating BBQ sauce, I discovered the funny smell in Jorvik Viking Centre smells just like BBQ sauce. Now, every time my husband has the sauce, I can’t help but think of Jorvik. I also loved the Viking battle re-enactments that used to take place on the river with burning boats.
York has been calling me back over the last year. Cornwall is just too far away from my childhood home, so I intend to move back there in a few years. Hopefully the now suspected Viking in me will be content with my return to the north. Whether I’m Viking or not, I’m more than happy to spend the rest of my life believing I may very well be. Gosh, I read a fictional book, and now I’m looking at my existence in a whole new light. How great is that!
This is a fast paced, hard to put down kind of a book. At times this was a tense, heart racing, panic inducing thriller. I found myself getting so frustrated that one of the characters was so trusting of another. Then I felt unsure who to trust myself, and doubting my own judgement of the situation. There were so many twists and turns I began to feel like I was playing a game of dizzy daleks.
I don’t really want to say much more about the plot or characters themselves, as this is definitely a book that’s best read knowing very little about what is going to happen. However, I do want to discuss the incredibly interesting historical snippets about Viking life at the beginning of each chapter, mainly as I believe it has taught me something about my own ancestry.
The very beginning of the prologue begins with the following:
Today, about a million people in the UK are descended from the Vikings. A finger deformity known as Dupuytren’s disease is found in some people with Viking ancestry.
I gasped when I read this. I had never heard of Dupuytren’s disease until my dad developed it a few years ago. As soon as I started this book I had to message Dad about it, and he explained even more about the disease and its connection to the Vikings. Next time I see his bent fingers I won’t be able to help myself imagining him holding a Viking sword.
Until now, I’ve never really thought that deeply about my ancestry. I just knew I was half Irish and half Yorkshire. The ginger hair on my mum’s side of the family wasn’t really a surprise, with her being Irish, but I’ve often wondered about the ginger hair on my dad’s side, and I’m now wondering whether that came from the Vikings too.
I grew up in York and so was surrounded by things of Viking influence for the whole of my childhood. I loved Jorvik Viking Centre, although I always thought it smelt funny. Upon meeting my husband at eighteen, who loves eating BBQ sauce, I discovered the funny smell in Jorvik Viking Centre smells just like BBQ sauce. Now, every time my husband has the sauce, I can’t help but think of Jorvik. I also loved the Viking battle re-enactments that used to take place on the river with burning boats.
York has been calling me back over the last year. Cornwall is just too far away from my childhood home, so I intend to move back there in a few years. Hopefully the now suspected Viking in me will be content with my return to the north. Whether I’m Viking or not, I’m more than happy to spend the rest of my life believing I may very well be. Gosh, I read a fictional book, and now I’m looking at my existence in a whole new light. How great is that!
July 13, 2018
Disappointingly, I found The Good Sister to be quite predictable and the characters unlikable. The story started off intriguing enough, but quickly lost momentum, and at the halfway point I found myself contemplating whether I should put it aside. I was also confused a little by the constant mention of the Vikings, because it didn't tie very well to the story, in my opinion, apart from the fact that their father was obsessed. Overall, just a bit of a miss for me. I'm definitely not writing off this author, though, as I've enjoyed other books by her in the past.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
July 30, 2017
Oh a whopping 5 * from me.
I was really mesmerised with this story, enjoying unwrapping every layer of it. I turned the pages very quickly where my eyes were reading like an excited child. It really gripped me.
Josie lost her father to a motor cycle accident to all intense and purposes it looked exactly like that, straight forward until something was found later are the accident scene.
Did he commit suicide?
Did someone drive him to this?
Or were there other mitigating circumstances?
Josie's life wasn't too made, she had her mom, her dad and a good wealthy family background. But then her life was turned upside down
SECRETS
REVELATIONS
I'm revealing now secrets in saying that her father had another family and another child. A half sister, Valentina.
They could have been twins, only days apart when they were born from different mothers.
Josie didn't want for anything, but Valentina was brought up in a less favourable environment .
The difference between the sisters are quite immense, Josie is polite, reasonable, calm, responsible and has a great boyfriend who she hopes to marry someday soon.
Valentin is loud, curt, abrupt, she drinks, smokes, takes drugs, parties and has no money. No job.
Once these two meet up it take a huge leap for me. I could see how manipulative Valentina was, how horrid, but why was escaping me.
Is she after Josie for money?
Does she resent Josie?
Is it pure jealousy and did she know about her fathers secret before Josie learnt of it?
What was the depth of this story.
It was puzzling around my mind constant.
You really understand the emotions that Josie's mom was experiencing, she had lost her husband, what when she finds out about his 'other family'?
How will she react, what will she say, what will she do?
And.....what about Valentina's mother?
This had me up to early hours of the morning, so transfixed was I to this story that I heard the birds tweeting outside.
The ending had me gasping in awe. Truly a masterpiece.
I would like to thank Bookoutour via Net Galley for my copy.
July 20, 2017
Josie's father has died ..riding his motorcycle. Was it suicide? Or an accident? Under any other circumstances, she would never have even questioned that it was anything other than an accident.
But that was before she learned his secret .... he had another family. Another wife . Another daughter... Valentina. Valentina and she could have been twins. Both were born in the same year .. same month ... just a few days apart.
Josie was raised with her parents in a home of some wealth. Josie is quiet, responsible, and she has the perfect boyfriend ..someone she's thinking of marrying. In other words, Josie has led a wonderful life.
Valentina was raised in different circumstances. Same father ... but Valentina drinks, smokes, plays around with drugs, has no money and is now living in an abandoned building with others who are no better off.
Once they meet and start comparing their lives, Valentina only knows one thing ... she wants Josie's life and she's willing to do whatever it takes to get there.
This one hooked me from the very beginning. There are lots of twists and turns that kept me reading long after lights should have been turned off. The chapters bounce from one sister's voice to the other's. There were times I wasn't quite sure who I was hearing, which kept me that much more compelled to keep reading. THE GOOD SISTER is a psychological thriller that the reader won't forget easily.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
But that was before she learned his secret .... he had another family. Another wife . Another daughter... Valentina. Valentina and she could have been twins. Both were born in the same year .. same month ... just a few days apart.
Josie was raised with her parents in a home of some wealth. Josie is quiet, responsible, and she has the perfect boyfriend ..someone she's thinking of marrying. In other words, Josie has led a wonderful life.
Valentina was raised in different circumstances. Same father ... but Valentina drinks, smokes, plays around with drugs, has no money and is now living in an abandoned building with others who are no better off.
Once they meet and start comparing their lives, Valentina only knows one thing ... she wants Josie's life and she's willing to do whatever it takes to get there.
This one hooked me from the very beginning. There are lots of twists and turns that kept me reading long after lights should have been turned off. The chapters bounce from one sister's voice to the other's. There were times I wasn't quite sure who I was hearing, which kept me that much more compelled to keep reading. THE GOOD SISTER is a psychological thriller that the reader won't forget easily.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
August 28, 2017
Josie learns of her dad’s death in a motorbike accident where she finds a mysterious. Soon after she discovers that her dad led a double life and she has a half-sister Valentina , who could be passed off as her identical twin and was born just a few days apart. Where Josie is calm, collected and leads a stable life, Valentina leads a troubled life involving drugs , booze and no job . Valentina turns up at Josie’s workplace and insists on building a relationship with her sister. Is Valentina just trying to know her sister better or does she have an ulterior motive in following her sister?
The book is narrated in alternating chapters with both sisters POVs and a lot of reference to Viking gods and their lifestyles. There were a lot of twists and turns with a surprise ending that I did not expect. Even though I felt something’s were left unexplained in the book it still was a very interesting read and I will look forward to read more by this author.
Many thanks to Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
The book is narrated in alternating chapters with both sisters POVs and a lot of reference to Viking gods and their lifestyles. There were a lot of twists and turns with a surprise ending that I did not expect. Even though I felt something’s were left unexplained in the book it still was a very interesting read and I will look forward to read more by this author.
Many thanks to Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
July 20, 2017
Oh wow! What a story! Amazing! I just couldn't put it down, was up most of the night reading it! Can't stop thinking about the characters! What a spectacular story, riveting and addictive, with so many twists, all of which I absolutely did not see coming! I loved this brilliant author's debut, but this book, wow, it is perfectly executed, fabulously well written, a stunning, page-turning masterpiece. Loved this SO much. One of the best psychological thrillers I have read this year!
October 16, 2021
I loved all the twists and turns in "The Good Sister." As is evident from the title, this novel is built heavily on the intricacies of family relationships. Josie, one of the main narrators, gets a huge surprise after the death of her father... it seems he was not at all the man their family believed him to be.
These characters are richly drawn. I loved the dual perspectives between the two sisters, allowing a glimpse into their heads, their private motivations and fears, and the pasts they carry with them as we struggle along with them to understand WHY their father did what he did. The second half of the book is where things really pick up. Jess Ryder takes us a series of twists and turns that are not only satisfying, but make the book impossible to put down. I completely enjoyed this read.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author.
Trigger Warning:
Please excuse typos. Entered on screen reader.
These characters are richly drawn. I loved the dual perspectives between the two sisters, allowing a glimpse into their heads, their private motivations and fears, and the pasts they carry with them as we struggle along with them to understand WHY their father did what he did. The second half of the book is where things really pick up. Jess Ryder takes us a series of twists and turns that are not only satisfying, but make the book impossible to put down. I completely enjoyed this read.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author.
Trigger Warning:
Please excuse typos. Entered on screen reader.
August 9, 2017
The Good Sister is a well-done suspense novel told from the point of view of two sisters. When Josie’s father dies, she discovers she has a half-sister named Valentina who looks like her. They were born only a few days apart, and though her father is technically married to her mother, he has spent half his life living with Valentina and her mother. All those times he said he was at conferences or when he took an apartment in Manchester to be closer to his job, it was a ruse so he could have two families.
The twists in the novel were good. It wasn’t always clear which character was speaking or telling the story from her point of view, but you figure it out eventually. I liked the way Ryder opened each chapter with the Viking lore that the sisters’ father was so enthralled with.
Valentina is a troubled woman, but Josie, who has a loving boyfriend and a good job, wants to be connected to her sister, so she ignores the warnings of her boyfriend and aunt and uncle, causing her a tremendous amount of trouble.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to review this book.
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
The twists in the novel were good. It wasn’t always clear which character was speaking or telling the story from her point of view, but you figure it out eventually. I liked the way Ryder opened each chapter with the Viking lore that the sisters’ father was so enthralled with.
Valentina is a troubled woman, but Josie, who has a loving boyfriend and a good job, wants to be connected to her sister, so she ignores the warnings of her boyfriend and aunt and uncle, causing her a tremendous amount of trouble.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to review this book.
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
August 24, 2017
Another book of dysfunctional families! I'm on a roll--lol!! After Josie's father dies unexpectantly, some secrets come out. One of them being a sister that Josie knew nothing about. (This happens very early on so not really a spoiler) As the two of them realize that they're sisters, they get to know each other. Of course, Josie realizes that she might not have known much about her father after all. Only she wants to explore what really happened with him. Valentina makes her way more into Josie's life, whether she likes it or not. One is good, the other.....well, not so much. As always, one sister had a better life than the other. And one of them just isn't too happy about it. A lot happens between the sisters. I did like some things that happened but I felt that one girl cannot be that naive but I guess you never know. I also, enjoyed the Viking facts/lore at the beginning of each chapter--very interesting. This is my 2nd book by Jess Ryder and she's got a lot of potential, so definitely will look out for her next book.
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2017
Congratulations to the author on an enthralling read that had me enchanted to the very last page. My curiosity had taken me hostage to see how this one would come to its conclusion, with its many twists and deceptive lies, I'm still dizzy from the roller coaster ride!
I found it intriguing that each chapter begins with a morsel of interesting information about the Vikings, contributing to the theme and atmosphere throughout.
The narrative is told from each sister's POV, without revealing which sister the narrative belongs to. Throughout most of the book, the reader can quite easily distinguish whose narrative it was, however towards the end, just as the sisters couldn't always be told apart, the author cleverly had me questioning as to which sister was doing what, skillfully adding to the intrigue and suspense, goading me to keep turning the pages in order to satisfy my curiosity.
My only gripes I would like to mention:
- I feel like the truth wasn't revealed as to how the psychiatrist got involved and the extent of the involvement.
- Was Valentina's dream a memory or not.
Apart from that, I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend this to anyone looking for a good psychological thriller. I am looking forward to reading Lie to Me, also by Jess Ryder.
Thank you to Netgalley, my favourite publisher, Bookouture and Jess Ryder for an entertaining read in exchange for an unbiased review.
I found it intriguing that each chapter begins with a morsel of interesting information about the Vikings, contributing to the theme and atmosphere throughout.
The narrative is told from each sister's POV, without revealing which sister the narrative belongs to. Throughout most of the book, the reader can quite easily distinguish whose narrative it was, however towards the end, just as the sisters couldn't always be told apart, the author cleverly had me questioning as to which sister was doing what, skillfully adding to the intrigue and suspense, goading me to keep turning the pages in order to satisfy my curiosity.
My only gripes I would like to mention:
- I feel like the truth wasn't revealed as to how the psychiatrist got involved and the extent of the involvement.
- Was Valentina's dream a memory or not.
Apart from that, I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend this to anyone looking for a good psychological thriller. I am looking forward to reading Lie to Me, also by Jess Ryder.
Thank you to Netgalley, my favourite publisher, Bookouture and Jess Ryder for an entertaining read in exchange for an unbiased review.
August 3, 2017
3 Stars
Reviewed on: https://5171milesbookblog.wordpress.com/
I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the chance to read and review this novel for 5171 Miles Book Blog!
Jess Ryder is a new author to me and yet I was excited to head into The Good Sister, her latest psychological thriller that follows the lives of sisters Josie and Valentina.
After her father's sudden death, Josie finds out that he led a double life that included a secret house, a secret family and even a secret sister - a sister with the same red hair and the same icy blue eyes. But that is where is the similarities end. Whereas Josie is sweet, reserved and jealous, Valentina is care-free, confident and dangerous. But there can only be one sister and another dark secret might destroy them both.
Josie and Valentina's father always believed in his Viking heritage: he was tall, broad, pale and had that stiking red hair. Although his character was only short-lived in the story, the Viking theme was carried on through the entire book. I really enjoyed the historical facts that were given about the Vikings in the beginning of every chapter. Each one of those facts not only broadened my knowledge on Vikings, they also refered to the happenings in each chapter.
The beginning of the novel was slightly confusing which made it difficult for me to get into the story. One of the reasons was the alternating POV between Josie and Valentina. The chapters didn't mention which sister I was reading about and I only found out which through the course of the chapter. Although it was difficult in the beginning, there was a reason behind Ryder's not mentioning the names, which only made sense after finishing the book.
Josie was the character that the reader would root for from the beginning, the one who should 'win'. Because she was the good sister, right? Valentina was the bad and dangerous illegitimate sister, the character you would want to 'lose' as a reader. Valentina played her part well, she was batshit insane and the sister you shouldn't believe one word from. Josie, however, was different. I was rooting for her in the beginning, because she was the victim after all. But after about 1/3 into the book, I only had annoyance left for her. Her father's death, his lies, but especially Valentina's appearance made her act careless and make dumb decisions. She put herself in the most stupid situations, which made me only shake my head and role my eyes. It seemed like there was a second Valentina at one point.
The blurb for the this thriller promised a "nail-bitingly tense and unputdownable read that will keep you turning pages into the night". Unfortunately, I didn't experience any of it. The story really dragged and made me look at the "xx hours left in this book" on my kindle more than I can count. Don't get me wrong, it's not that nothing happened. There was some crazy stuff going on but that was not enough excitement or suspense for me. However, in the last 10 chapters or so things finally started to get interesting: lies were revealed and secrets were uncovered, things I never would've thought of. Those shocking twists made me give the book 3 star rating after all.
**********
Review to come!
Reviewed on: https://5171milesbookblog.wordpress.com/
I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the chance to read and review this novel for 5171 Miles Book Blog!
Jess Ryder is a new author to me and yet I was excited to head into The Good Sister, her latest psychological thriller that follows the lives of sisters Josie and Valentina.
After her father's sudden death, Josie finds out that he led a double life that included a secret house, a secret family and even a secret sister - a sister with the same red hair and the same icy blue eyes. But that is where is the similarities end. Whereas Josie is sweet, reserved and jealous, Valentina is care-free, confident and dangerous. But there can only be one sister and another dark secret might destroy them both.
Josie and Valentina's father always believed in his Viking heritage: he was tall, broad, pale and had that stiking red hair. Although his character was only short-lived in the story, the Viking theme was carried on through the entire book. I really enjoyed the historical facts that were given about the Vikings in the beginning of every chapter. Each one of those facts not only broadened my knowledge on Vikings, they also refered to the happenings in each chapter.
The beginning of the novel was slightly confusing which made it difficult for me to get into the story. One of the reasons was the alternating POV between Josie and Valentina. The chapters didn't mention which sister I was reading about and I only found out which through the course of the chapter. Although it was difficult in the beginning, there was a reason behind Ryder's not mentioning the names, which only made sense after finishing the book.
Josie was the character that the reader would root for from the beginning, the one who should 'win'. Because she was the good sister, right? Valentina was the bad and dangerous illegitimate sister, the character you would want to 'lose' as a reader. Valentina played her part well, she was batshit insane and the sister you shouldn't believe one word from. Josie, however, was different. I was rooting for her in the beginning, because she was the victim after all. But after about 1/3 into the book, I only had annoyance left for her. Her father's death, his lies, but especially Valentina's appearance made her act careless and make dumb decisions. She put herself in the most stupid situations, which made me only shake my head and role my eyes. It seemed like there was a second Valentina at one point.
The blurb for the this thriller promised a "nail-bitingly tense and unputdownable read that will keep you turning pages into the night". Unfortunately, I didn't experience any of it. The story really dragged and made me look at the "xx hours left in this book" on my kindle more than I can count. Don't get me wrong, it's not that nothing happened. There was some crazy stuff going on but that was not enough excitement or suspense for me. However, in the last 10 chapters or so things finally started to get interesting: lies were revealed and secrets were uncovered, things I never would've thought of. Those shocking twists made me give the book 3 star rating after all.
**********
Review to come!
April 26, 2018
3.5 stars
July 24, 2018
I’m a HUGE Jess Ryder fan...the “Ex Wife” is my top 3 of 2018. My sister and I still talk about it a month later after reading it.
sooooo....
The Good Sister did not disappoint. It wasn’t the “Ex Wife” because that book was effen amazing...but here we go...
First...the cover. 10 🌟
The book...10 🌟
Here’s the fun part...I live in Chicago..started this book on the train...on the Brown line train. My stop is Quincy. My office is on Adams. I started the book on the train and en route to Quincy stop...as the (book) building blew up and the story started..it was like Jess Ryder was messing with me! 🙈
From page one, I was addicted.
I’m not going to give anything away. But I rate on the following and this book had it all. 💯✅
*Twists
*Psychos (f@$kin psycho level was off the charts)
*Cant go to sleep until I read 50 more pages
*So good I sneak my kindle into the bathroom at work just so I can read a few more pages (ooops sorry. Bring honest)
*Ignore my family and my love bug puppers
*Tell everyone I know about the book I’m reading. Example...husband who nods but isn’t reallllllly listening while the Cubs game is on 🙈
Jess Ryder...awesome!!!! 🙌🏻🌟😘
Twist factor: 10 twisty twisted 🌟
*Bought this book on amazon. Wasn’t given an ARC. This is my honest review.
June 22, 2024
Read this book near enough in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down, liked the fact the story was split between the two sisters and I couldn’t have predicted that ending!!
Downloaded lie to me and can’t wait to start reading this book!!
Downloaded lie to me and can’t wait to start reading this book!!
January 26, 2018
The Good Sister is my first read by this author and it certainly won’t be my last as I loved this read.
Two sisters. One secret....A lie that could destroy them both.
When Josies father dies she’s devastated when she finds out he was leading a secret life. He had another family and she finds out she has a half sister Valentina.
I inhaled this story. I couldn’t put it down and ended up staying up until the wee hours to read this. A fantastic gripping read.
Two sisters. One secret....A lie that could destroy them both.
When Josies father dies she’s devastated when she finds out he was leading a secret life. He had another family and she finds out she has a half sister Valentina.
I inhaled this story. I couldn’t put it down and ended up staying up until the wee hours to read this. A fantastic gripping read.
August 16, 2017
Review to follow August 16th
February 20, 2023
This book earned Jess Ryder a spot on my favorite author's list! I read this one in a single day, because it was impossible to put it down. Great book!
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Bookouture via Netgalley.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Bookouture via Netgalley.
August 28, 2017
Brilliant! So much so I read it in one sitting. I tried to put it down three times during the night but inevitably picked it back up and didn't stop until it had finished! Needless to say I was exhausted the next day but it was worth it!
The story is told in the POVs of the two sisters however the chapters are not labelled and it was quite confusing trying to figure out which sister was narrating in some chapters. Normally this would annoy me but in this case it added some mystery which I enjoyed.
The depth & length of some of the Viking descriptions bored me slightly but I just skipped over some of it to get to the good parts!
For me this was a vast improvement on her debut novel Lie To Me for which I only gave 3 stars (sorry!) but I am looking forward to her next book
Thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told in the POVs of the two sisters however the chapters are not labelled and it was quite confusing trying to figure out which sister was narrating in some chapters. Normally this would annoy me but in this case it added some mystery which I enjoyed.
The depth & length of some of the Viking descriptions bored me slightly but I just skipped over some of it to get to the good parts!
For me this was a vast improvement on her debut novel Lie To Me for which I only gave 3 stars (sorry!) but I am looking forward to her next book
Thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2017
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Twisted and suspenseful are the very first words that come to mind when I think of how to describe The Good Sister. At times difficult to follow and even more difficult to comprehend, The Good Sister is Jess Ryder's latest novel about two sisters who have no idea the other exists. The loss of their father causes their chance meeting and begins the downward spiral of their very new relationship. It's a stunning novel, a thriller in every sense of the word that will leave you questioning everything. With unreliable narrators, The Good Sister is the kind of read that leaves you uneasy, you never know what to expect with each turn of the page.
"We are black and white, yin and yang, form and shadow. She is the girl I want to be, yet am afraid of becoming."
Valentina and Josie are sisters; they look alike, they share a father, but everything after that is different. They dress different, they have different personalities, and their sense of self are completely opposite. Valentina sees herself as a product of upbringing, a crass woman with few morals and little hope for life gratification outside of the bottle. Josie is a good girl, her father's easy child, with a study career, a long-term relationship, and a fairly normal family life. Building a relationship between them is impossible, especially with a father like theirs. A believer in all things Viking, he's managed to keep their lives a secret from one another with his cleverness. He's taught them everything they need to know about the warriors, about themselves, leaving them to figure out what to do with that information. I was astounded at the things their father did, but even more so with how the girls each dealt with the information. Their father's lies opened up holes inside each girl, their anger boiling over, their actions no longer thought through. I couldn't put the book down, each tiny reveal sucking me in.
"If I concentrate really hard, I can do it. I've got the props and costume; all I have to do now is be the character."
I loved that The Good Sister wasn't just based on the father's secret though, but more so on each sister and how they are as individuals. The changing POV's, but unidentified chapters, made reading interesting as I tried to sort out which girl's head I was in. As time goes on both begin to read as eerily similar, their lives intersecting too much. For every twist I saw coming, there was another I didn't expect. Jess Ryder feeds you tiny truths in every chapter, leaving the final explosion amidst a sea of tiny bombs. I speculated what the real truth could possibly be from the moment I sensed things were not right. Who really is the good sister? Is either really all that good? Who else knows something? Do they even know the truth? Everything I discovered left me surprised, but satisfied. The Good Sister is so good, because Jess Ryder gives you proof and answers for everything. There are no lose ends, the ending is firm in its conclusion, and the impact the book has on the reader is significant.
If you're look for a good psychological thriller, Jess Ryder has delivered with The Good Sister. Dramatic and unique, it's the kind of book you start and don't put down.
Twisted and suspenseful are the very first words that come to mind when I think of how to describe The Good Sister. At times difficult to follow and even more difficult to comprehend, The Good Sister is Jess Ryder's latest novel about two sisters who have no idea the other exists. The loss of their father causes their chance meeting and begins the downward spiral of their very new relationship. It's a stunning novel, a thriller in every sense of the word that will leave you questioning everything. With unreliable narrators, The Good Sister is the kind of read that leaves you uneasy, you never know what to expect with each turn of the page.
"We are black and white, yin and yang, form and shadow. She is the girl I want to be, yet am afraid of becoming."
Valentina and Josie are sisters; they look alike, they share a father, but everything after that is different. They dress different, they have different personalities, and their sense of self are completely opposite. Valentina sees herself as a product of upbringing, a crass woman with few morals and little hope for life gratification outside of the bottle. Josie is a good girl, her father's easy child, with a study career, a long-term relationship, and a fairly normal family life. Building a relationship between them is impossible, especially with a father like theirs. A believer in all things Viking, he's managed to keep their lives a secret from one another with his cleverness. He's taught them everything they need to know about the warriors, about themselves, leaving them to figure out what to do with that information. I was astounded at the things their father did, but even more so with how the girls each dealt with the information. Their father's lies opened up holes inside each girl, their anger boiling over, their actions no longer thought through. I couldn't put the book down, each tiny reveal sucking me in.
"If I concentrate really hard, I can do it. I've got the props and costume; all I have to do now is be the character."
I loved that The Good Sister wasn't just based on the father's secret though, but more so on each sister and how they are as individuals. The changing POV's, but unidentified chapters, made reading interesting as I tried to sort out which girl's head I was in. As time goes on both begin to read as eerily similar, their lives intersecting too much. For every twist I saw coming, there was another I didn't expect. Jess Ryder feeds you tiny truths in every chapter, leaving the final explosion amidst a sea of tiny bombs. I speculated what the real truth could possibly be from the moment I sensed things were not right. Who really is the good sister? Is either really all that good? Who else knows something? Do they even know the truth? Everything I discovered left me surprised, but satisfied. The Good Sister is so good, because Jess Ryder gives you proof and answers for everything. There are no lose ends, the ending is firm in its conclusion, and the impact the book has on the reader is significant.
If you're look for a good psychological thriller, Jess Ryder has delivered with The Good Sister. Dramatic and unique, it's the kind of book you start and don't put down.
August 17, 2017
Josie's father has died, but was it really an accident or was it something else..
Josie soon learns that her father had secrets.. two of them.. another wife and another daughter Valentina.
Just every so often a book comes along and totally shakes you to the core. The Good Sister is one such book.
This is a tale with so many twists my head spun. It is brilliantly written and with such an amazing plot line it is one to read and recommend.
If I tell you any more about Josie and Valentina, it would take away the suspense and thrills, suffice to say they are two very different personalities, and the Viking references had me intrigued and are very interesting. Fact meets fiction in such a way that the curious and inquisitive are easily satisfied.
This is a slick tale with a fabulous finish. The Good Sister is my first Jess Ryder novel but it definitely won't be my last.
Josie soon learns that her father had secrets.. two of them.. another wife and another daughter Valentina.
Just every so often a book comes along and totally shakes you to the core. The Good Sister is one such book.
This is a tale with so many twists my head spun. It is brilliantly written and with such an amazing plot line it is one to read and recommend.
If I tell you any more about Josie and Valentina, it would take away the suspense and thrills, suffice to say they are two very different personalities, and the Viking references had me intrigued and are very interesting. Fact meets fiction in such a way that the curious and inquisitive are easily satisfied.
This is a slick tale with a fabulous finish. The Good Sister is my first Jess Ryder novel but it definitely won't be my last.
August 30, 2017
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutre for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
Jess Ryder hit the ground running earlier this year with her debut novel Lie To Me. I am so glad I was given the chance to read her second book The Good Sister.
Jerome Maculiffe had been receiving malicious texts from someone threatening to reveal a secret. He decided to go out for a night time run on his motorbike but lost control and drove into a tree killing him instantly.
Jerome worked in Manchester as a teacher during the week and returned home to London during the weekends. When Jerome's daughter Josie went to clear his house in Manchester he discovered Jerome had another daughter called Valentina. Josie and Valentina look similar and Josie is only 5 days older then Valentina. But that is where the similarity ends Josie is responsible, has a good job and is living with her boyfriend Arun. Valentina on the other hand is unemployed, has dubious friends and takes drugs.
Josie is devastated that her father had two families one in London and one in Manchester. Josie's mother is grief stricken over Jerome and she decides not to tell her about Valentina. Then Valentina decides to move to London to be closer to Josie. Valentina is manipulative and Josie is warned by Arun to keep away from her.
However Josie is drawn to Valentina and refuses to listen. Slowly Valentina inveigles her way into Josie and Arun's life destroying Josie in the process.
The Good Sister is only 230 pages but a lot happens in those pages. This book was a true psychological thriller that messed with my mind. The second part of this book was fantastic. I was hit by so many revelations it gave me concussion. This book was told from the POV of Josie and Valentina. If I had one criticism the chapters were not headed so you were not initially sure whose voice you were reading but you could easily tell the characters apart.
Brilliant storytelling, Well done.
Jess Ryder hit the ground running earlier this year with her debut novel Lie To Me. I am so glad I was given the chance to read her second book The Good Sister.
Jerome Maculiffe had been receiving malicious texts from someone threatening to reveal a secret. He decided to go out for a night time run on his motorbike but lost control and drove into a tree killing him instantly.
Jerome worked in Manchester as a teacher during the week and returned home to London during the weekends. When Jerome's daughter Josie went to clear his house in Manchester he discovered Jerome had another daughter called Valentina. Josie and Valentina look similar and Josie is only 5 days older then Valentina. But that is where the similarity ends Josie is responsible, has a good job and is living with her boyfriend Arun. Valentina on the other hand is unemployed, has dubious friends and takes drugs.
Josie is devastated that her father had two families one in London and one in Manchester. Josie's mother is grief stricken over Jerome and she decides not to tell her about Valentina. Then Valentina decides to move to London to be closer to Josie. Valentina is manipulative and Josie is warned by Arun to keep away from her.
However Josie is drawn to Valentina and refuses to listen. Slowly Valentina inveigles her way into Josie and Arun's life destroying Josie in the process.
The Good Sister is only 230 pages but a lot happens in those pages. This book was a true psychological thriller that messed with my mind. The second part of this book was fantastic. I was hit by so many revelations it gave me concussion. This book was told from the POV of Josie and Valentina. If I had one criticism the chapters were not headed so you were not initially sure whose voice you were reading but you could easily tell the characters apart.
Brilliant storytelling, Well done.
August 17, 2017
I would like to start by saying thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and Jess Ryder for letting me read this book for an honest review.
When Josies father dies her whole world is rocked. Not only is she grieving but she also finds out that her father had a secret life that she knew nothing about. Everything she ever thought that she knew about her father comes crumbling down around her, when she discovers he had another house, another family and she has a sister called Valentina that's she knew nothing about.
Both sisters look completely alike. So alike that they could be mistaken for twins. Josie is sweet and reserved. But has a more sinister side to her that brings out her jealousy and make her become a theif. While Valentina is carefree and confident. But her sinister side brings out the dangerous part of her and makes her a chronic liar.
Everyone warns Josie that she needs to be careful and not get herself mixed up with Valentina but the warnings fall of deaf ears and Josie is oblivious to what everyone else can see. Valentina however is out for blood and it is a nail biting finale as Josie fights for her survival.
I picked up this book because I remember watching a film called single white female when I was younger and the plot reminded me of that film. However as always goes this book is far better then that film and had me on the edge of my seat. Hooked and racing through to the final pages.
This really is a good book full of twist and turns and a fantastic ending. That will leave all thriller fans eagerly awaiting Jess's next book.
When Josies father dies her whole world is rocked. Not only is she grieving but she also finds out that her father had a secret life that she knew nothing about. Everything she ever thought that she knew about her father comes crumbling down around her, when she discovers he had another house, another family and she has a sister called Valentina that's she knew nothing about.
Both sisters look completely alike. So alike that they could be mistaken for twins. Josie is sweet and reserved. But has a more sinister side to her that brings out her jealousy and make her become a theif. While Valentina is carefree and confident. But her sinister side brings out the dangerous part of her and makes her a chronic liar.
Everyone warns Josie that she needs to be careful and not get herself mixed up with Valentina but the warnings fall of deaf ears and Josie is oblivious to what everyone else can see. Valentina however is out for blood and it is a nail biting finale as Josie fights for her survival.
I picked up this book because I remember watching a film called single white female when I was younger and the plot reminded me of that film. However as always goes this book is far better then that film and had me on the edge of my seat. Hooked and racing through to the final pages.
This really is a good book full of twist and turns and a fantastic ending. That will leave all thriller fans eagerly awaiting Jess's next book.
August 16, 2017
The Good Sister hooked me from the beginning. I believed it was going to be a simple story of one family facing trauma or tragedy but it is far deeper involved than that.
Josie comes from loving parents, has a perfect boyfriend, works hard and life is good. But very early on we find her father is a bit of a troubled soul, he rides his beloved motorcycle to clear his mind and it ends in disaster.
As with any family facing grief the tensions mount, the sadness envelops them all but as the investigations continue into the accident Josie faces revelations beyond comprehension.
The writing keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, my curiosity needed to fathom out the events but I just got drawn in deeper and deeper.
Valentina is the image of Josie .. what is the connection between them and the families?
This is told in alternating chapters, it creates a mind-boggling drama which takes some concentration to keep up but it’s well worth the effort. Each chapter begins with a passage from a Viking history fact, at first I just skimmed them because they seemed irrelevant .. I should have known better, all is revealed eventually.
While my sympathies laid in one direction they then got pulled in another .. the plot thickens and the relationship between Josie and Valentina is gripping and suspenseful. The ending doesn’t disappoint!
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
Josie comes from loving parents, has a perfect boyfriend, works hard and life is good. But very early on we find her father is a bit of a troubled soul, he rides his beloved motorcycle to clear his mind and it ends in disaster.
As with any family facing grief the tensions mount, the sadness envelops them all but as the investigations continue into the accident Josie faces revelations beyond comprehension.
The writing keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, my curiosity needed to fathom out the events but I just got drawn in deeper and deeper.
Valentina is the image of Josie .. what is the connection between them and the families?
This is told in alternating chapters, it creates a mind-boggling drama which takes some concentration to keep up but it’s well worth the effort. Each chapter begins with a passage from a Viking history fact, at first I just skimmed them because they seemed irrelevant .. I should have known better, all is revealed eventually.
While my sympathies laid in one direction they then got pulled in another .. the plot thickens and the relationship between Josie and Valentina is gripping and suspenseful. The ending doesn’t disappoint!
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
July 26, 2017
When her beloved father dies, Josie is devastated to uncover a secret life he has led with another family: another house, another woman and a half-sister, Valentina. Born in the same week, in the same hospital, they look so physically alike they could be mistaken for twins. But the similarities end there.
I liked this book a lot. There are so many twists and turns you start to question every character. Who else is lying? What does everybody know? Are we sure Josie even has a sister? At first I was annoyed that we weren't being told who's perspective each chapter is from and it can get quite confusing at times as to who is speaking, but once you get farther into the book you'll understand why the author felt the need to do that. Most of the characters felt well established and defined.
The only con I had with this book is it is set in London so I wasn't familiar with some of the slang.
Would definitely recommend this book to friends!
Thank you to Netgalley/Bookouture for the advanced copy!
I liked this book a lot. There are so many twists and turns you start to question every character. Who else is lying? What does everybody know? Are we sure Josie even has a sister? At first I was annoyed that we weren't being told who's perspective each chapter is from and it can get quite confusing at times as to who is speaking, but once you get farther into the book you'll understand why the author felt the need to do that. Most of the characters felt well established and defined.
The only con I had with this book is it is set in London so I wasn't familiar with some of the slang.
Would definitely recommend this book to friends!
Thank you to Netgalley/Bookouture for the advanced copy!
September 5, 2017
Thank you Jess Ryder and Netgalley for a copy of this book.
I read Jess Ryder's first book Lie To Me and I have to admit to giving it 3 stars. It was good but just a little something missing.
Well The Good Sister gets 5 stars from me!!!!.
What a concept, what an interesting idea that turned into a devilishly twisting and turning tale of family. I started this book in the afternoon and could not put it down until the whole sordid tale was done.
The blurb for the book had me confused and I constantly went back to it and argued with myself that I was missing something big, then a few last twists happened and it all made sense.
Jess Ryder what a twisted mind you have. Please keep it up.
I highly recommend this book.
I read Jess Ryder's first book Lie To Me and I have to admit to giving it 3 stars. It was good but just a little something missing.
Well The Good Sister gets 5 stars from me!!!!.
What a concept, what an interesting idea that turned into a devilishly twisting and turning tale of family. I started this book in the afternoon and could not put it down until the whole sordid tale was done.
The blurb for the book had me confused and I constantly went back to it and argued with myself that I was missing something big, then a few last twists happened and it all made sense.
Jess Ryder what a twisted mind you have. Please keep it up.
I highly recommend this book.
June 18, 2018
Josie is devastated when she finds out her father has died in an accident and begins to investigate why her father was where he was when he had the accident. Josie discovers her father had been living a whole other life and that she has a sister. I really had a hard time liking this story. While the story was not implausible, the words/actions of both of the sisters were and this made it difficult for me to really get into the story. I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 3, 2017
This book was provided to me by NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
I have to be honest when I say that I did not enjoy this book. It reeled me in by the premise and I was really looking forward to figuring out this mystery. I was extremely disappointing at how the girls ended up having different mothers but the same father. I understand that the whole idea was that the father's genes took over and that is why they were so similar. Are we to believe that the girls themselves just thought they were more similar than they really were? I know they mentioned that Valentina has almond shaped eyes and different coloured hair but that still means that they are basically the same person. I was looking forward to hearing something about how they were separated at birth, NOT switched. I found Josie to be a ridiculous door mat, which I understand was supposed to be a contrast between her and Valenitna but it was to a point where she made stupid decisions just because it was convenient for the book and not because that is something a person would do.
The texting also bothered me. I get that they were younger women but I honestly haven't met anyone who is under the age of 17 who still texts using shortened version of words, like we did when we used to use messenger in elementary school (circa early 2000s).
We were supposed to believe that Helen never at first suspected that he had another family? I know that Josie was supposed to be the naive one but Helen didn't even question the trigger fingers, even though it is something a child is born with. Do the doctors not say anything when she was taken in for an operation? Or are they in cahoots with Jerry as well?
I found Josie's and Arun's relationship to be ridiculous as well. They are together for 5 years, if I remember correctly, and he can't possibly tell her that he doesn't want Valentina around without backing it up? That is not how a healthy couple functions,. which we were lead to believe they were.
Also the fact that they are British is very played up with the "hun" etc. in the beginning but then completely disregarded for any other part of the book.
Josie's arrest made the cops look like bumbling idiots. Sure they were waiting for the DNA tests to come back, but they really could have just left her in there until after they came back. What was the point of harassing her?
I fount Brett and Lisa to be useless side characters and didn't seem to add anything to the story except for the fact that maybe Brett was super creepy towards Josie. Did he think that because they weren't really family that it was appropriate?
I just felt like the book didn't answer any questions, and it's not in the sense that we are supposed to let our mind wander and figure it out for ourselves but it was just basic questions that needed to be answered to clear up the plot.
I have to be honest when I say that I did not enjoy this book. It reeled me in by the premise and I was really looking forward to figuring out this mystery. I was extremely disappointing at how the girls ended up having different mothers but the same father. I understand that the whole idea was that the father's genes took over and that is why they were so similar. Are we to believe that the girls themselves just thought they were more similar than they really were? I know they mentioned that Valentina has almond shaped eyes and different coloured hair but that still means that they are basically the same person. I was looking forward to hearing something about how they were separated at birth, NOT switched. I found Josie to be a ridiculous door mat, which I understand was supposed to be a contrast between her and Valenitna but it was to a point where she made stupid decisions just because it was convenient for the book and not because that is something a person would do.
The texting also bothered me. I get that they were younger women but I honestly haven't met anyone who is under the age of 17 who still texts using shortened version of words, like we did when we used to use messenger in elementary school (circa early 2000s).
We were supposed to believe that Helen never at first suspected that he had another family? I know that Josie was supposed to be the naive one but Helen didn't even question the trigger fingers, even though it is something a child is born with. Do the doctors not say anything when she was taken in for an operation? Or are they in cahoots with Jerry as well?
I found Josie's and Arun's relationship to be ridiculous as well. They are together for 5 years, if I remember correctly, and he can't possibly tell her that he doesn't want Valentina around without backing it up? That is not how a healthy couple functions,. which we were lead to believe they were.
Also the fact that they are British is very played up with the "hun" etc. in the beginning but then completely disregarded for any other part of the book.
Josie's arrest made the cops look like bumbling idiots. Sure they were waiting for the DNA tests to come back, but they really could have just left her in there until after they came back. What was the point of harassing her?
I fount Brett and Lisa to be useless side characters and didn't seem to add anything to the story except for the fact that maybe Brett was super creepy towards Josie. Did he think that because they weren't really family that it was appropriate?
I just felt like the book didn't answer any questions, and it's not in the sense that we are supposed to let our mind wander and figure it out for ourselves but it was just basic questions that needed to be answered to clear up the plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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