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The Good Sisters
‘So frightening I had to stop reading it at night’ – Judy (Netgalley) 1933 , Mother Superior Agnes offers sanctuary to a desperate young woman fleeing for her life. Only to wake in the morning to discover a terrible fate has befallen one of the Sisters – in a room locked from the inside. Agnes can’t help but fear that she has allowed a great evil to enter the convent, but she has no idea how far reaching the consequences of that one fateful night will be… Over 80 years later , Kate Parker, divorced, alcoholic, and broke, moves into the dilapidated old convent she dreams of turning into a bed and breakfast, whilst changing her life. Although the locals refuse to go near the place at night, Kate is determined to stay while the renovations take place. But when she starts to hear strange noises at night, and the crucifixes she had removed reappear on the walls, Kate starts to suspect she is not entirely alone in her new home. A chilling and disturbing new novel from the bestselling author of The Annie Graham Series . ‘ a delightfully spooky read . Highly recommended’ – Cayocosta72 ‘Brilliant book’ – Audrey (Netgalley) ‘ a genuinely scary read ’ – Abby (Netgalley) ‘The story put a chill through me on a warm autumn night.’ – Cait (Netgalley)
332 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
November 6, 2016
It’s 1931 and a young woman takes sanctuary in a convent and the next morning one of the Sisters is found dead in a locked room and now the Mother Superior is afraid more harm will come to all of them. Now many, many, years later Kate Parker newly divorced and drinking way to much has just bought the old convent to convert it into a B & B that she and her recently deceased best friend had always dreamed of. Then when strange things start to happen she begins to think there is more to this old house than it just being an old building. Good read. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
November 7, 2022
I read this a few years ago, but I highly recommend it.
A female cop buys an old convent to renovate as a home. This is so creepy, with a good storyline, and keeps the tension cranked up throughout!!
A female cop buys an old convent to renovate as a home. This is so creepy, with a good storyline, and keeps the tension cranked up throughout!!
October 27, 2016
It's that time of the year when roaring fires (well, turning the central heating on for the first time since March), brimming mugs of hot chocolate and getting all snug on swiftly drawing-in evenings begin to appeal. And, as the shadows lengthen and Hallowe'en spookiness beckon, a spine-chilling tale is the perfect partner for that hot chocolate/roaring fire (or, er, radiator) combination. With this in mind, and a mug of Cadbury's finest in hand, I settled down with Helen Phifer's The Good Sisters, delighting in the prospect of the deliciously tense chillfest ahead.
Kate has had a tough time - the loss of a dear friend and a husband (the former to cancer, the latter to a bevy of twentysomething other women) has hit her hard, and her spiralling descent into alcoholism has left her damaged and broken. When she stumbles on a rambling wreck of a house at a price which seems to good to be true, she jumps at the chance to forge a new life for herself as a property developer and, ultimately, hotel proprietor. But the past has other ideas... Over eighty years before, Kate's tumbledown bargain was a convent, where peace and serenity reigned. Until one dark, stormy night, when evil was invited in. Decades on, that evil hasn't gone anywhere, as Kate will soon discover...
A simple enough premise, then, and one with all the classic ingredients for a haunted house tale present and correct; brooding evil, a crumbling shell of a country house lavishly hung with crucifixes, things that go bump in the night... Heck - there are even nuns. Nuns! Sounds promising, if a tad unoriginal, doesn't it?
Unfortunately, all hopes of the anticipated tension were shattered just a few pages in. Sinister slow-burn is, sadly, not for Phifer; the reader is catapulted immediately into the (not terribly terrifying) action, with shadowy figures watching as the modern-day protagonist surveys her new domain. This nugget is dropped unceremoniously into the narrative, with no flesh-creeping build up whatsoever; it's as if the ghostly watcher is just another fixture or fitting like the lumpen heavy furniture (draped with greying dust-sheets, of course) in Kate's inventory. This theme continues throughout, with clumsily signalled non-frights popping up to disappoint the reader regularly. Almost as soon as we are introduced to the 1930s strand, for example, we meet a character whose name, appearance and foibles immediately and unsubtly signpost what she is - all done in a style reminiscent of teen-penned fanfiction.
Poor writing, anomalies and poor research pepper the narrative. Our heroine, Kate, is thoroughly unlikeable - perhaps the author intended this to be the case, as I can't see any other reason for her to be written the way she is. Self-absorbed and self-destructive, she is a woman who has designs on her builder - an employee of her ex husband, with a terminally ill wife at home. Nice. Regularly drinking to excess, she decides not to call the police to attend to a suspected midnight burglar because she's ashamed of the empties in her recycling bin. Instead, she chooses to investigate the noises herself, armed with the baseball bat she just happens to have to hand despite not possessing cutlery or kitchen utensils. As you do. Elsewhere, Kate displays startling ignorance and unpleasant stereotypical ideas when it comes to 'grotty council' estates - the authors values shining through perhaps?
So much seems out of place and out of its time, often to a startling degree. We meet nuns who go to the cinema to see horror films, and, while I am in no way prudish about swearwords, even I was somewhat taken aback by a 1930s policeman dropping the F-bomb in a roomful of brides of Christ.
I stuck with The Good Sisters to the (predictable) bitter end, but only because I hate to see any book go unfinished. It took me several evenings to wade through, evidence of how un-grabbed I was. Clunky writing and poor characterisation along with a paper-thin, unimaginative plot left me colder than Lilith's lily-white skin, I'm afraid. Except I wasn't. Afraid.
The best I can say for The Good Sisters is that if Phifer edited out the swear words and (poorly depicted) alcoholism, this might make a passable YA read; youngsters who have not yet read as widely as, and are, perhaps, more easily scared than adults may then enjoy it. As it is, it's a pale (as pale as Lilith's... etc) imitation of others in its genre.
Next time I switch the heating on, I'll reach for MR James instead.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Kate has had a tough time - the loss of a dear friend and a husband (the former to cancer, the latter to a bevy of twentysomething other women) has hit her hard, and her spiralling descent into alcoholism has left her damaged and broken. When she stumbles on a rambling wreck of a house at a price which seems to good to be true, she jumps at the chance to forge a new life for herself as a property developer and, ultimately, hotel proprietor. But the past has other ideas... Over eighty years before, Kate's tumbledown bargain was a convent, where peace and serenity reigned. Until one dark, stormy night, when evil was invited in. Decades on, that evil hasn't gone anywhere, as Kate will soon discover...
A simple enough premise, then, and one with all the classic ingredients for a haunted house tale present and correct; brooding evil, a crumbling shell of a country house lavishly hung with crucifixes, things that go bump in the night... Heck - there are even nuns. Nuns! Sounds promising, if a tad unoriginal, doesn't it?
Unfortunately, all hopes of the anticipated tension were shattered just a few pages in. Sinister slow-burn is, sadly, not for Phifer; the reader is catapulted immediately into the (not terribly terrifying) action, with shadowy figures watching as the modern-day protagonist surveys her new domain. This nugget is dropped unceremoniously into the narrative, with no flesh-creeping build up whatsoever; it's as if the ghostly watcher is just another fixture or fitting like the lumpen heavy furniture (draped with greying dust-sheets, of course) in Kate's inventory. This theme continues throughout, with clumsily signalled non-frights popping up to disappoint the reader regularly. Almost as soon as we are introduced to the 1930s strand, for example, we meet a character whose name, appearance and foibles immediately and unsubtly signpost what she is - all done in a style reminiscent of teen-penned fanfiction.
Poor writing, anomalies and poor research pepper the narrative. Our heroine, Kate, is thoroughly unlikeable - perhaps the author intended this to be the case, as I can't see any other reason for her to be written the way she is. Self-absorbed and self-destructive, she is a woman who has designs on her builder - an employee of her ex husband, with a terminally ill wife at home. Nice. Regularly drinking to excess, she decides not to call the police to attend to a suspected midnight burglar because she's ashamed of the empties in her recycling bin. Instead, she chooses to investigate the noises herself, armed with the baseball bat she just happens to have to hand despite not possessing cutlery or kitchen utensils. As you do. Elsewhere, Kate displays startling ignorance and unpleasant stereotypical ideas when it comes to 'grotty council' estates - the authors values shining through perhaps?
So much seems out of place and out of its time, often to a startling degree. We meet nuns who go to the cinema to see horror films, and, while I am in no way prudish about swearwords, even I was somewhat taken aback by a 1930s policeman dropping the F-bomb in a roomful of brides of Christ.
I stuck with The Good Sisters to the (predictable) bitter end, but only because I hate to see any book go unfinished. It took me several evenings to wade through, evidence of how un-grabbed I was. Clunky writing and poor characterisation along with a paper-thin, unimaginative plot left me colder than Lilith's lily-white skin, I'm afraid. Except I wasn't. Afraid.
The best I can say for The Good Sisters is that if Phifer edited out the swear words and (poorly depicted) alcoholism, this might make a passable YA read; youngsters who have not yet read as widely as, and are, perhaps, more easily scared than adults may then enjoy it. As it is, it's a pale (as pale as Lilith's... etc) imitation of others in its genre.
Next time I switch the heating on, I'll reach for MR James instead.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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October 31, 2016NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
DNF @ 40%
I felt this was a little too YA for me. It had simplistic language and just dove straight into the “horror”. This also had a strong romantic theme running throughout it that felt really childish. In fact, the romantic theme seemed almost to take over the original “horror” theme at some points! The romance was unbearable and the “horror” was laughable. You knew what was going on from the start and that's not the kind of horror I'm into. I need things to be built up for me, for tension to be created.
All the characters felt stiff and unrealistic. They were all so “out there” and “kooky”, it was difficult taking any of them seriously. They were also very cheesy. Like who says this??? ”I can’t believe I’m telling you my deepest, darkest secrets when we’ve only just met, but there’s something about you, Kate.”
Some of the plot didn’t make sense, for example, weird stuff was happening in the house and Kate would say “something’s” in the house, not “someone”, but then she claimed she didn’t “believe in spooky stuff as a rule”, BUT THEN when thinking about the weird unexplainable voice and noises she’d heard, she said she “didn’t think it was Amy”, her dead friend. If you’re friend is dead then you know it wasn’t her, unless you do believe in ghosts, but you’ve already said that you don’t! Make up your mind!
I preferred the parts of the novel where we were in 1933, although I felt that the author hadn’t quite done enough research into how people would have behaved back then. For example a policeman muttering the word “fuck” in front of nuns, or nuns finishing off a bottle of whiskey… It just isn’t plausible.
Thanks to Netgalley and Carina UK for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review and I’m very sorry I didn’t like it!
DNF @ 40%
I felt this was a little too YA for me. It had simplistic language and just dove straight into the “horror”. This also had a strong romantic theme running throughout it that felt really childish. In fact, the romantic theme seemed almost to take over the original “horror” theme at some points! The romance was unbearable and the “horror” was laughable. You knew what was going on from the start and that's not the kind of horror I'm into. I need things to be built up for me, for tension to be created.
All the characters felt stiff and unrealistic. They were all so “out there” and “kooky”, it was difficult taking any of them seriously. They were also very cheesy. Like who says this??? ”I can’t believe I’m telling you my deepest, darkest secrets when we’ve only just met, but there’s something about you, Kate.”
Some of the plot didn’t make sense, for example, weird stuff was happening in the house and Kate would say “something’s” in the house, not “someone”, but then she claimed she didn’t “believe in spooky stuff as a rule”, BUT THEN when thinking about the weird unexplainable voice and noises she’d heard, she said she “didn’t think it was Amy”, her dead friend. If you’re friend is dead then you know it wasn’t her, unless you do believe in ghosts, but you’ve already said that you don’t! Make up your mind!
I preferred the parts of the novel where we were in 1933, although I felt that the author hadn’t quite done enough research into how people would have behaved back then. For example a policeman muttering the word “fuck” in front of nuns, or nuns finishing off a bottle of whiskey… It just isn’t plausible.
Thanks to Netgalley and Carina UK for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review and I’m very sorry I didn’t like it!
July 3, 2023
Don’t even know where to start, grim from the first page. Predictable, boring and with an array of bland/unlikeable characters it is a resounding no from me 🥹
Want to read
October 31, 2016DNF 27%
I had too many issues with this story for it to entertain me.
I had too many issues with this story for it to entertain me.
November 6, 2016
In the early 1930s, a woman knocks on a convent door seeking shelter from a storm. She tells the nuns there stories of an abusive husband after they invite her in. To Mother Superior Agnes, something is off. The woman makes her uncomfortable and nervous. She can't help thinking that she isn't what she seems. In the morning, one of the nuns suffers a bloody death in a locked room. Things only escalate from there.
Current day, a woman named Kate Parker purchases the convent, intending to turn it into a bed and breakfast. She's just separated from her husband and hopes to carve her own path and make a good living in order to care for her two daughters. Her penchant for drinking far too much is not the only problem with this... strange things quickly begin to happen ar the convent, threatening her life and the man she's hired to work on it who quickly becomes a love interest. Even the two young guys working under him begin to fear the house and what may be inside of it.
Now for the niggles. I feel like this might be better if it were toned down a bit and more of a young adult novel. The writing is too juvenile for me. The dialogue seems stilted and long winded. I just couldn't get that into it. The character of Kate was driving me nuts. Her husband is keeping her two girls from her and not allowing her to see them, and she wants to get her business off the ground in order to get a solicitor. ...But she's just paid cash for a large property and can apparently afford to pay three workers for labor and supplies to renovate this very old property. Granted she wishes to be in a better place before that but I don't think there's anyway a court wouldn't allow her to have at least visitation. She also eventually has her children there overnight even though she could have died the night before from something the insidious forces in the house caused. Can she not afford a proper hotel to keep them safe? We know she can, because she later buys them very expensive gifts that could have more than covered the cost. How she deals with her ex (even smacking him) with her girls nearby and nearly every other situation made her seem much younger than she's said to be.
I just wasn't into this one and I really wanted to be. It did have it's creepy moments and some great ideas. I'm sure a lot of YA readers would enjoy it.
Thank you to Net Galley and Carina for an ARC of this book.
Current day, a woman named Kate Parker purchases the convent, intending to turn it into a bed and breakfast. She's just separated from her husband and hopes to carve her own path and make a good living in order to care for her two daughters. Her penchant for drinking far too much is not the only problem with this... strange things quickly begin to happen ar the convent, threatening her life and the man she's hired to work on it who quickly becomes a love interest. Even the two young guys working under him begin to fear the house and what may be inside of it.
Now for the niggles. I feel like this might be better if it were toned down a bit and more of a young adult novel. The writing is too juvenile for me. The dialogue seems stilted and long winded. I just couldn't get that into it. The character of Kate was driving me nuts. Her husband is keeping her two girls from her and not allowing her to see them, and she wants to get her business off the ground in order to get a solicitor. ...But she's just paid cash for a large property and can apparently afford to pay three workers for labor and supplies to renovate this very old property. Granted she wishes to be in a better place before that but I don't think there's anyway a court wouldn't allow her to have at least visitation. She also eventually has her children there overnight even though she could have died the night before from something the insidious forces in the house caused. Can she not afford a proper hotel to keep them safe? We know she can, because she later buys them very expensive gifts that could have more than covered the cost. How she deals with her ex (even smacking him) with her girls nearby and nearly every other situation made her seem much younger than she's said to be.
I just wasn't into this one and I really wanted to be. It did have it's creepy moments and some great ideas. I'm sure a lot of YA readers would enjoy it.
Thank you to Net Galley and Carina for an ARC of this book.
November 4, 2016
The Good Sisters is described as a horror, but unfortunately it wasn’t scary enough to hold my interest. There were aspects of this story that could have been developed further, but with the introduction of vampires rather than a traditional ghost story put me off
November 2, 2016
The Good Sisters by Helen Phifer
This was a book that was not a good fit for me. I read it and am committed to review it since I requested it from Net Galley. I read this chilling horror book very reluctantly with an upset stomach and much dread. I forced myself several times to finish it. I did not have any idea that the entire book was about demonic possession. I do read thrillers, mysteries, psychological suspense and crime novels and have enjoyed them. However I am a person that never dabbles in black magic or demonic possession. This whole story is based on demonic possession, much to my horror as I was reading it, that is when I discovered this subject matter. I am religious and prefer to not have anything to do with demonic possession.
I believe that any dabbling with the occult or demonic possession is dangerous. I prefer to steer clear of anything to do with devil worship. The book opens with the time period of 1933 and Mother Superior receives a knock on the door of her convent. A petite woman with black hair and pale skin and blood red fingernails named Lilith claims that she is fleeing from an abusive husband. Mother Superior Agnes feels reluctant but invites Lilith into the convent. This invitation, by inviting Lilith in will result in many deaths over the next eighty years. Lilith is a demon and she kills all of the nuns at the convent.
Fast forward eighty years later. Kate Parker buys the convent not knowing any of the background history. Kate hires Oliver to renovate the property because she wants to make it her home and turn it into a bed and breakfast. Lilith the demon is still inhabiting the property. The usual sounds of scratching the walls, loud thuds, hearing somebody else walking around upstairs start to trouble Kate. Kate is an alcoholic and continues to drink more and more. At the same time Kate and Oliver begin a romantic relationship. Kate tries to commit suicide by slicing open her arms and it is random luck that Oliver finds her and brings her to the hospital saving her life. Kate has no recollection of slicing her arms the next day. The book goes on and on for too long with disturbing incidents.
Maybe their is an audience for this type of horror out there that would enjoy this. This reader is glad to move on and not look back.
Thank you to Net Galley, Helen Phifer and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book for an honest review.
This was a book that was not a good fit for me. I read it and am committed to review it since I requested it from Net Galley. I read this chilling horror book very reluctantly with an upset stomach and much dread. I forced myself several times to finish it. I did not have any idea that the entire book was about demonic possession. I do read thrillers, mysteries, psychological suspense and crime novels and have enjoyed them. However I am a person that never dabbles in black magic or demonic possession. This whole story is based on demonic possession, much to my horror as I was reading it, that is when I discovered this subject matter. I am religious and prefer to not have anything to do with demonic possession.
I believe that any dabbling with the occult or demonic possession is dangerous. I prefer to steer clear of anything to do with devil worship. The book opens with the time period of 1933 and Mother Superior receives a knock on the door of her convent. A petite woman with black hair and pale skin and blood red fingernails named Lilith claims that she is fleeing from an abusive husband. Mother Superior Agnes feels reluctant but invites Lilith into the convent. This invitation, by inviting Lilith in will result in many deaths over the next eighty years. Lilith is a demon and she kills all of the nuns at the convent.
Fast forward eighty years later. Kate Parker buys the convent not knowing any of the background history. Kate hires Oliver to renovate the property because she wants to make it her home and turn it into a bed and breakfast. Lilith the demon is still inhabiting the property. The usual sounds of scratching the walls, loud thuds, hearing somebody else walking around upstairs start to trouble Kate. Kate is an alcoholic and continues to drink more and more. At the same time Kate and Oliver begin a romantic relationship. Kate tries to commit suicide by slicing open her arms and it is random luck that Oliver finds her and brings her to the hospital saving her life. Kate has no recollection of slicing her arms the next day. The book goes on and on for too long with disturbing incidents.
Maybe their is an audience for this type of horror out there that would enjoy this. This reader is glad to move on and not look back.
Thank you to Net Galley, Helen Phifer and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2019
Kate believes she has found herself a bargain of a home and intends to renovate it into a guesthouse. Little does she know about the history of the house, or the depths of darkness inside it.
This is the first book by Phifer that I've read and I feel like I've been missing out. In this dark and (at times,) creepy story she has created a plausible and realistic battle of good vs evil.
I read the book fast as I found myself rooting for Kate, Ollie and the good sisters. I liked the glimpses into the past how it affects the present. The quality of the writing pulls you into the story so you feel as though you're in the house observing what is happening,and feeling as cold as it's occupants!
An excellent supernatural thriller/horror, and one of my favourite reads in these genres.
This is the first book by Phifer that I've read and I feel like I've been missing out. In this dark and (at times,) creepy story she has created a plausible and realistic battle of good vs evil.
I read the book fast as I found myself rooting for Kate, Ollie and the good sisters. I liked the glimpses into the past how it affects the present. The quality of the writing pulls you into the story so you feel as though you're in the house observing what is happening,and feeling as cold as it's occupants!
An excellent supernatural thriller/horror, and one of my favourite reads in these genres.
October 21, 2016
The good sisters by Helen phifer is a horror and mystery and thriller read.
The chilling new horror from bestselling author, Helen Phifer, is the perfect Halloween read
1931, Mother Superior Agnes offers sanctuary to a desperate young woman fleeing for her life. Only to wake in the morning to discover a terrible fate has befallen one of the Sisters – in a room locked from the inside. Agnes can’t help but fear that she has allowed a great evil to enter the convent, but she has no idea how far reaching the consequences of that one fateful night will be…
Over 80 years later, Kate Parker, divorced, alcoholic, and broke, moves into the dilapidated old convent she dreams of turning into a bed and breakfast, whilst changing her life. Although the locals refuse to go near the place at night, Kate is determined to stay while the renovations take place. But when she starts to hear strange noises at night, and the crucifixes she had removed reappear on the walls, Kate starts to suspect she is not entirely alone in her new home.
OMG what a read absolutely fantastic. Loved all characters apart from lilith that is. I felt tears and shock and fear and chills too. I was rooting for kate all through the book. Would love to see this as a movie. I can't highly recommend this enough. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.
The chilling new horror from bestselling author, Helen Phifer, is the perfect Halloween read
1931, Mother Superior Agnes offers sanctuary to a desperate young woman fleeing for her life. Only to wake in the morning to discover a terrible fate has befallen one of the Sisters – in a room locked from the inside. Agnes can’t help but fear that she has allowed a great evil to enter the convent, but she has no idea how far reaching the consequences of that one fateful night will be…
Over 80 years later, Kate Parker, divorced, alcoholic, and broke, moves into the dilapidated old convent she dreams of turning into a bed and breakfast, whilst changing her life. Although the locals refuse to go near the place at night, Kate is determined to stay while the renovations take place. But when she starts to hear strange noises at night, and the crucifixes she had removed reappear on the walls, Kate starts to suspect she is not entirely alone in her new home.
OMG what a read absolutely fantastic. Loved all characters apart from lilith that is. I felt tears and shock and fear and chills too. I was rooting for kate all through the book. Would love to see this as a movie. I can't highly recommend this enough. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.
November 6, 2022
There is no possible way to describe this book other than god-awful. The writing was clunky and amateurish with wooden dialogue and the characters were walking clichés. I hated this book so much that I can't even be bothered to go into detail about everything that annoyed me because there were so many issues with it. The author constantly contradicted statements she'd previously made relating to the characters or plot, and the whole thing was riddled with irritating mistakes. The only reason I stuck with the book so long (and the reason it doesn't get zero stars) is that the early haunting bits were genuinely creepy and unsettling. However, this might have been in large part due to the fact that I was reading it whilst staying at my parents' house which is potentially haunted and was formerly inhabited by nuns...
Somehow I managed to persevere until the end and my god what an ending it was. If Kate was in fact possessed it was apparently by Samuel L Jackson. No amount of brain bleaching will ever delete the line "Your invitation to enter has been well and truly revoked motherfucker". I'm tempted to have a ceremonial burning of the book in the garden in the hope that it will help me get over the fact I gave up a week of my life to this drivel. Do yourself a favour and don't read this. It's not worth it.
Somehow I managed to persevere until the end and my god what an ending it was. If Kate was in fact possessed it was apparently by Samuel L Jackson. No amount of brain bleaching will ever delete the line "Your invitation to enter has been well and truly revoked motherfucker". I'm tempted to have a ceremonial burning of the book in the garden in the hope that it will help me get over the fact I gave up a week of my life to this drivel. Do yourself a favour and don't read this. It's not worth it.
February 3, 2017
*I've got this book from NetGalley in exchange of a honest review*
I was expecting to be scared shitless, but I was hugely disappointed. There were some parts that were a little bit scarier, but nothing special at all. I wish, that there were more spooky incidents....
Overall the story dragged to much and could have been much shorter, however the ending was too rushed, at least for my taste.
The main character was unlikable, boring and made so many ludicrous decisions, that in the end I didn't care what will happen to her. The side characters were better developed, but also not that interesting.
The other thing that bothered me was a love story. There were no development, they fell in love in few days. In other words too instalove... Actually, it wasn't necessary at all in this book.
Not a fan.
I was expecting to be scared shitless, but I was hugely disappointed. There were some parts that were a little bit scarier, but nothing special at all. I wish, that there were more spooky incidents....
Overall the story dragged to much and could have been much shorter, however the ending was too rushed, at least for my taste.
The main character was unlikable, boring and made so many ludicrous decisions, that in the end I didn't care what will happen to her. The side characters were better developed, but also not that interesting.
The other thing that bothered me was a love story. There were no development, they fell in love in few days. In other words too instalove... Actually, it wasn't necessary at all in this book.
Not a fan.
June 16, 2018
DNF at 36% sick of the over indulged alcoholic main character who blames everyone else for her alcoholism and is treated with kid gloves by the other characters except for her ex-husband. Absolutely ruined the entire book for me.
November 1, 2022
Really really enjoyed this book.. it was more of a thriller/horror, but it gave me goosebumps! Will be reading more from this author.. so so good!
April 3, 2017
Scary stuff
I could not put this book down. Very scary from the off especially when you're reading alone at night. The story moves between present day and the 1930s detailing the history of a very spooky house. Loved it.
I could not put this book down. Very scary from the off especially when you're reading alone at night. The story moves between present day and the 1930s detailing the history of a very spooky house. Loved it.
July 21, 2018
So not a great piece of literature, yet scary as hell! Been awhile since I’ve read a horror/thriller.
April 18, 2020
I loved this book, was things that go bump in the night spooky! The author really managed to create a creepy atmosphere and liked the dual story of past and present day goings on. Please can we have a sequel ? ☺☺
January 1, 2021
I almost didn't finish, definitely skipped every other sentence at the end. I love her crime books but this was horrible. Cheese af with stupid dialogue, the main character is an annoying, stubborn, dumb and selfish person that I couldn't relate to. Big no.
October 30, 2016
In 1931, Mother Superior Agnes opens her doors to offer sanctuary to a young woman who claims that she is running from an abusive husband. There is something about this woman that makes Agnes uneasy, something which she cannot put her finger on but which her younger Sisters do not seem to see. When she wakes the following morning to find that something terrible has happened to one of the other women. But the young woman befell her fate in a room which was locked from the inside and from which no killer could possibly flee. Agnes cannot help but worry about just who or what she has allowed to enter their convent but not even she can’t begin to understand the true nature of evil which has entered those hallowed walls.
Kate Parker has a dream. To open up the Bed and Breakfast that she and her best friend Amy had always dreamed of. Large and secluded, the old convent seems to be the perfect starting point for
Kate to bring their dreams to life. Struggling to cope after Amy’s death and the breakdown of her marriage, Kate needs this, and puts in an offer on the house which is accepted right away, even though she hadn’t set a single foot inside. When she finally meets up with builder Oliver and enters the house for the first time, she knows that this is it. The answer to all her problems and the perfect home for her and her two girls. If only she can get rid of the creepy crucifixes which are scattered across the house.
But a dark and secluded home is a very scary place to be on your own and when she starts to hear strange noises at night, and the crucifixes she removed start to reappear on the walls, Kate begins to wonder if she is really alone after all. What she will learn is that old houses are full of history, and the secrets that those walls and boarded up windows have contained are darker than any she has known before.
‘The Good Sisters’ is a wonderful mix of mystery and horror, perfect to curl up with for a Halloween read. Ghosties, ghoulies, demons, both physical and psychological, and a little bit of romance to boot, what more could you ask for? This is a classic tale of good verses evil which starts with Sister Agnes battle with the evil that invades her home in 1931, continues as the convent is opened up to house children during the war, and finishing with Kate, who takes on the final battle to rid the house of evil once and for all.
The story itself switches back and forth between past and present, from Agnes story which shows how the evil took hold, through to Kate, who is battling alcohol, her sanity, a vile ex-husband, and now, some kind of ghostly presence which is determined to take Kate as it did the sisters all those years ago. The story of the past does not end with Agnes and we see the efforts of the police and the church to prevent anyone from entering the convent, not always successfully. As a reader, we know who is responsible for the evil, but not what, and we learn more as the story goes on, gradually understanding the impact of what is happening to Kate.
The character of Kate is an interesting one. She is certainly flawed, her experiences causing her to turn to alcohol, making it easy to write off what is happening to her as a side effect of her drinking. And yet I did feel compassion for her. She is a woman going through a tough time, and without any sort of support network, the drinking kind of makes sense, if still being a little clichéd. The relationship she built with Oliver was kind of sweet, neither on saying how they felt and crossed wires often getting in the way. Oliver was kind of sweet too and a real gentleman to boot, always looking out for Kate so she was never truly alone.
The horror elements of this book were not overly gruesome, the most horrific elements implied rather than described in any great detail. But it is the psychological elements that will unsettle the most, that and the noises and quiet whisperings which affect Kate so strongly. If I was being honest, there were perhaps one too many mediums conveniently on hand. To have one, might have been believable, but to find two people drawn to the same small town who have the ability to communicate with the dead kind of pushed it a little too far for me. The chapters were also quite long and it might have helped pacing if they had been separated a little more as the flow certainly allowed for it.
It was a great story, perhaps geared more towards a young adult audience, or people who like an edge to their mystery without being fully grossed out. I would definitely recommend it for a quite Halloween read although you many not want to read it if you’re on your own in an old house because you will be left wondering if the little clinking sound you can hear really is the radiator. And the scratching at the window? That’s just next doors hedge. Right?
A creepy, chilling, romantic, with a good old dash of evil 4 stars.
I reviewed an advance copy of ‘The Good Sisters’ by Helen Phifer supplied by NetGalley and publishers Carina UK.
Kate Parker has a dream. To open up the Bed and Breakfast that she and her best friend Amy had always dreamed of. Large and secluded, the old convent seems to be the perfect starting point for
Kate to bring their dreams to life. Struggling to cope after Amy’s death and the breakdown of her marriage, Kate needs this, and puts in an offer on the house which is accepted right away, even though she hadn’t set a single foot inside. When she finally meets up with builder Oliver and enters the house for the first time, she knows that this is it. The answer to all her problems and the perfect home for her and her two girls. If only she can get rid of the creepy crucifixes which are scattered across the house.
But a dark and secluded home is a very scary place to be on your own and when she starts to hear strange noises at night, and the crucifixes she removed start to reappear on the walls, Kate begins to wonder if she is really alone after all. What she will learn is that old houses are full of history, and the secrets that those walls and boarded up windows have contained are darker than any she has known before.
‘The Good Sisters’ is a wonderful mix of mystery and horror, perfect to curl up with for a Halloween read. Ghosties, ghoulies, demons, both physical and psychological, and a little bit of romance to boot, what more could you ask for? This is a classic tale of good verses evil which starts with Sister Agnes battle with the evil that invades her home in 1931, continues as the convent is opened up to house children during the war, and finishing with Kate, who takes on the final battle to rid the house of evil once and for all.
The story itself switches back and forth between past and present, from Agnes story which shows how the evil took hold, through to Kate, who is battling alcohol, her sanity, a vile ex-husband, and now, some kind of ghostly presence which is determined to take Kate as it did the sisters all those years ago. The story of the past does not end with Agnes and we see the efforts of the police and the church to prevent anyone from entering the convent, not always successfully. As a reader, we know who is responsible for the evil, but not what, and we learn more as the story goes on, gradually understanding the impact of what is happening to Kate.
The character of Kate is an interesting one. She is certainly flawed, her experiences causing her to turn to alcohol, making it easy to write off what is happening to her as a side effect of her drinking. And yet I did feel compassion for her. She is a woman going through a tough time, and without any sort of support network, the drinking kind of makes sense, if still being a little clichéd. The relationship she built with Oliver was kind of sweet, neither on saying how they felt and crossed wires often getting in the way. Oliver was kind of sweet too and a real gentleman to boot, always looking out for Kate so she was never truly alone.
The horror elements of this book were not overly gruesome, the most horrific elements implied rather than described in any great detail. But it is the psychological elements that will unsettle the most, that and the noises and quiet whisperings which affect Kate so strongly. If I was being honest, there were perhaps one too many mediums conveniently on hand. To have one, might have been believable, but to find two people drawn to the same small town who have the ability to communicate with the dead kind of pushed it a little too far for me. The chapters were also quite long and it might have helped pacing if they had been separated a little more as the flow certainly allowed for it.
It was a great story, perhaps geared more towards a young adult audience, or people who like an edge to their mystery without being fully grossed out. I would definitely recommend it for a quite Halloween read although you many not want to read it if you’re on your own in an old house because you will be left wondering if the little clinking sound you can hear really is the radiator. And the scratching at the window? That’s just next doors hedge. Right?
A creepy, chilling, romantic, with a good old dash of evil 4 stars.
I reviewed an advance copy of ‘The Good Sisters’ by Helen Phifer supplied by NetGalley and publishers Carina UK.
February 13, 2017
Finished reading: October 26th 2016
“It was once a house of God, but not after that terrible night. It changed; they let that woman in and it changed their lives for ever.”
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Carina UK in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
May 28, 2021
The Good Sisters goes back and forth from the past to the present.
For me, this novel was a pretty good ghost story. I was intrigued to find out what had happened in the past when the house was a convent and how it tied into the present.
All in all it was entertaining, however, the ending was a little unbelievable, but hey, it's a work of fiction....lol
For me, this novel was a pretty good ghost story. I was intrigued to find out what had happened in the past when the house was a convent and how it tied into the present.
All in all it was entertaining, however, the ending was a little unbelievable, but hey, it's a work of fiction....lol
October 27, 2016
Actual rating 3.5 stars
I am going to be totally honest here and say that I didn't enjoy this as much as the authors other books based around Annie Graham. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy reading the story, but I wasn't quite as drawn into the story this time.
The author introduces us to a convent in 1933 where, after allowing entry to a troubled young woman, tragedy falls upon one of the nuns. What happens to her should give the reader an indication as to where this story is going to go. But the depth of what happens following this initial meeting with the woman may still shock you.
The story alternates between the present(ish) day and the happenings following the initial incident. We learn a lot more about what followed for the nuns who remained in the convent, and the attempts of one to try and stop things escalating too far. We also see how life is finally moving on for Kate Parker. She is drawn to the house, which has been boarded up for many years, and decides to take the plunge and start a new chapter in her life. However things don't go as smoothly as she had hoped for.
As a teenager I read a lot of horror stories, and I feel this one will be thoroughly enjoyed by those younger than me. I did enjoy the story but I wasn't quite as drawn into it as I felt I wanted to be. Saying that, the ending doesn't totally finish things off so I will be interested to see where the author takes the characters next.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.
I am going to be totally honest here and say that I didn't enjoy this as much as the authors other books based around Annie Graham. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy reading the story, but I wasn't quite as drawn into the story this time.
The author introduces us to a convent in 1933 where, after allowing entry to a troubled young woman, tragedy falls upon one of the nuns. What happens to her should give the reader an indication as to where this story is going to go. But the depth of what happens following this initial meeting with the woman may still shock you.
The story alternates between the present(ish) day and the happenings following the initial incident. We learn a lot more about what followed for the nuns who remained in the convent, and the attempts of one to try and stop things escalating too far. We also see how life is finally moving on for Kate Parker. She is drawn to the house, which has been boarded up for many years, and decides to take the plunge and start a new chapter in her life. However things don't go as smoothly as she had hoped for.
As a teenager I read a lot of horror stories, and I feel this one will be thoroughly enjoyed by those younger than me. I did enjoy the story but I wasn't quite as drawn into it as I felt I wanted to be. Saying that, the ending doesn't totally finish things off so I will be interested to see where the author takes the characters next.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.
October 31, 2016
I found this book got more compelling the farther I got into it, but I did have a couple of issues with it. For one thing, the number of times that alcoholism is thrown in your face as a reader is just too many to count. Yes, I get that the main character has a drinking problem. Thank you, we may now move on. Secondly, too much, too soon in the beginning. You feel like you already know just about everything by the second or third chapter. I wanted some suspense to build first.
After all that, I still believe this is a good book worth a read. Okay, maybe there aren't a lot of surprises when it comes to the romance angle, but the characters are a good fit for one another and I liked that the author made Oliver sympathetic to the plight of the main character.
This book weaves the past and the present together seamlessly, allowing the reader to experience the full effect of what the characters are going through. The descriptions were worth noting, as I could easily visualise the house and grounds that are at the centre of the story.
Overall, this was a good book. Creepy in places, but not so horrific that you have nightmares. The horror aspects were abundant and the ending was a surprise, in part. Recommended for those who enjoy their horror with a bit of romance.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
After all that, I still believe this is a good book worth a read. Okay, maybe there aren't a lot of surprises when it comes to the romance angle, but the characters are a good fit for one another and I liked that the author made Oliver sympathetic to the plight of the main character.
This book weaves the past and the present together seamlessly, allowing the reader to experience the full effect of what the characters are going through. The descriptions were worth noting, as I could easily visualise the house and grounds that are at the centre of the story.
Overall, this was a good book. Creepy in places, but not so horrific that you have nightmares. The horror aspects were abundant and the ending was a surprise, in part. Recommended for those who enjoy their horror with a bit of romance.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
October 30, 2016
I received a copy of this novel from Netgalley for an honest review.
Kate Parker has moved into a disused convent, unaware of its dark history. In 1933 the resident nuns offered shelter to a woman claiming sanctuary from a abusive husband. Within hours one of the nuns has been brutally murdered.
So I found this book a bit frustrating. It lays it's cards out way too quickly so there's no sense of pending drama. There's a running story set around Kates and Ollies (her foreman for renovating the convent) romance and her alcoholism. The romance is a bit cringe, it plays out as if it's between 2 teenagers rather than a mother of 2 and a widower. And Kates alcoholism? Well I've known alcoholics and if fighting the demon drink was this easy the world would be a better place.
All that said it did sound like a promising idea. I couldn't help but think this should have been a YA novel with Kates daughters been the focus, it just might have made more sense for a 17 year old to have acted the way Kate did rather than a 40 something.
If you like your horror light and romance filled this is for you. If you like to be scared stay away!
Kate Parker has moved into a disused convent, unaware of its dark history. In 1933 the resident nuns offered shelter to a woman claiming sanctuary from a abusive husband. Within hours one of the nuns has been brutally murdered.
So I found this book a bit frustrating. It lays it's cards out way too quickly so there's no sense of pending drama. There's a running story set around Kates and Ollies (her foreman for renovating the convent) romance and her alcoholism. The romance is a bit cringe, it plays out as if it's between 2 teenagers rather than a mother of 2 and a widower. And Kates alcoholism? Well I've known alcoholics and if fighting the demon drink was this easy the world would be a better place.
All that said it did sound like a promising idea. I couldn't help but think this should have been a YA novel with Kates daughters been the focus, it just might have made more sense for a 17 year old to have acted the way Kate did rather than a 40 something.
If you like your horror light and romance filled this is for you. If you like to be scared stay away!
November 8, 2016
Even though my general preference goes towards horror stories the number of times I read a true gem is limited. This one however had me from the start. The main question is why this book managed to drag me into the story like it did?
For one the story in itself isn't anything remarkable. A single woman buys an old building during a problematic period of her life. She moves in and things start to get creepy really quick. There is a bad entity living in the house which tries to make her life horrible, or rathter just end it. Of course there is much more to the story than the picture I just painted out, but in general this is what it is about.
The story in itself isn't what made this book so enjoyable to read, the selling factor is the great density. Density of the atmosphere and frightening occurrences which stays throughout the entire book without weakening.
All in all it is a nerve-racking experience and a must read for anyone who enjoys horror stories of the paranormal kind.
For one the story in itself isn't anything remarkable. A single woman buys an old building during a problematic period of her life. She moves in and things start to get creepy really quick. There is a bad entity living in the house which tries to make her life horrible, or rathter just end it. Of course there is much more to the story than the picture I just painted out, but in general this is what it is about.
The story in itself isn't what made this book so enjoyable to read, the selling factor is the great density. Density of the atmosphere and frightening occurrences which stays throughout the entire book without weakening.
All in all it is a nerve-racking experience and a must read for anyone who enjoys horror stories of the paranormal kind.
October 29, 2016
After losing her best friend to Cancer and ultimately her husband and kids to the alcoholism, Kate Parker has very little left. She stumbles upon a derelict house that would be perfect for her to renovate and turn into a small guesthouse.
The story is told between the 1930s and the present day where we learn of the Evil residing in the house. Its a fast paced story that deals with alcoholism, heartache and romance all wrapped up in a classic horror story.
I enjoyed the book but the style and content of the writing would have been better suited to a younger audience. I also felt that the tension and horror was missing. There was no build up, no tension just straight into the action. You knew what was going on from the first chapter and the ending was obvious.
Not a bad book, but not a great one either.
The story is told between the 1930s and the present day where we learn of the Evil residing in the house. Its a fast paced story that deals with alcoholism, heartache and romance all wrapped up in a classic horror story.
I enjoyed the book but the style and content of the writing would have been better suited to a younger audience. I also felt that the tension and horror was missing. There was no build up, no tension just straight into the action. You knew what was going on from the first chapter and the ending was obvious.
Not a bad book, but not a great one either.
December 8, 2016
This book was scary. It was hard to put down but hard to read a night. I have read all of Helen's books and can't wait to read her next one. She is getting better! Her imagination is unique. Thanks for a good read.
June 23, 2019
I preferred the flashbacks to the present, romantic storyline. I didn’t find the present characters believable or even likable. The attempt at romance was also a miss. Overall, poor character development & relatability.
July 9, 2020
*A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.*
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS.
The Good Sister's by Helen Phifer is a horror novel that really stretches reality. It is terribly unrealistic not because it is about demons and ghosts but because the characters constantly do things that no one would ever do.
After her bitter divorce alcoholic Kate buys an old convent with money left to her by a friend. it should be a dream come true for her and a fresh start but things are not what they seem. Many years before the sisters opened their doors to a women in need and unwittingly unleashed evil upon themselves and the house.
The Good Sisters is a book split in two half's. Partially about Kate the current owner and partly about Sister Agnes. If only this book had stuff with the original story of the convent and the nuns fighting evil. The chapters set in the past were much better and far more creepier.
The problem is that Kate is so unlikeable. She is selfish, self destructive and wants to blame anyone but herself for her problems. When things start to go bump in the night she switches between thinking everything is fine to thinking there is great evil lurking around. She is bitter and mean and makes the worse choices. One night in a booze fuelled mood the demon convinces Kate to kill herself. She slits her wrist and ends up in hospital. She is seeing all sorts of spooky stuff as is her builder turned boyfriend Ollie. But when her ex shows up with her two kids she allows them to stay in the house over night and lets them sleep upstairs on their own whilst she cuddles up to the boyfriend downstairs.
Anouther issue for me was the spookiness. When I read a horror novel I want to be scared shitless. This had moments of creepiness but it wasn't enough for me. The narrative told us it was scary, it didn't show us. I don't want to know the someone is being watched is that someone doesn't feel something is up on their own. Fear has to come from the protagonist.
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS.
The Good Sister's by Helen Phifer is a horror novel that really stretches reality. It is terribly unrealistic not because it is about demons and ghosts but because the characters constantly do things that no one would ever do.
After her bitter divorce alcoholic Kate buys an old convent with money left to her by a friend. it should be a dream come true for her and a fresh start but things are not what they seem. Many years before the sisters opened their doors to a women in need and unwittingly unleashed evil upon themselves and the house.
The Good Sisters is a book split in two half's. Partially about Kate the current owner and partly about Sister Agnes. If only this book had stuff with the original story of the convent and the nuns fighting evil. The chapters set in the past were much better and far more creepier.
The problem is that Kate is so unlikeable. She is selfish, self destructive and wants to blame anyone but herself for her problems. When things start to go bump in the night she switches between thinking everything is fine to thinking there is great evil lurking around. She is bitter and mean and makes the worse choices. One night in a booze fuelled mood the demon convinces Kate to kill herself. She slits her wrist and ends up in hospital. She is seeing all sorts of spooky stuff as is her builder turned boyfriend Ollie. But when her ex shows up with her two kids she allows them to stay in the house over night and lets them sleep upstairs on their own whilst she cuddles up to the boyfriend downstairs.
Anouther issue for me was the spookiness. When I read a horror novel I want to be scared shitless. This had moments of creepiness but it wasn't enough for me. The narrative told us it was scary, it didn't show us. I don't want to know the someone is being watched is that someone doesn't feel something is up on their own. Fear has to come from the protagonist.
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