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My Half-Sister's Half-Sister
Pippa is fed up, frustrated and nearly forty. She lives upstairs at The Peacock, her mother’s pub that remains closed after lockdown. When her half-sister’s half-sister unexpectedly visits, Pippa must face up to the past.
Post lockdown has been anxiety provoking for Pippa because isolation has been the norm since the death of Aunt India.
Pippa has been waiting for an epiphany all her life, hoping a revelation will provide certainty in an unreliable reality. Instead, she returns to the office run by a tyrannical receptionist and it seems as though her boyfriend might leave her. Her mother, Jacquetta and sister Heather worry that Pippa may fall to pieces like last time she had a crisis.
Sadie is Pippa’s half-sister’s half-sister and they haven’t seen one another since school swim class. Despite Pippa’s paranoia, Sadie becomes the supporter she never had; she is nothing like Pippa’s enchantress mother and sister.
Sadie is the sister Pippa never had, but Sadie’s attention is not selfless.
She wants something in return from Pippa.
Post lockdown has been anxiety provoking for Pippa because isolation has been the norm since the death of Aunt India.
Pippa has been waiting for an epiphany all her life, hoping a revelation will provide certainty in an unreliable reality. Instead, she returns to the office run by a tyrannical receptionist and it seems as though her boyfriend might leave her. Her mother, Jacquetta and sister Heather worry that Pippa may fall to pieces like last time she had a crisis.
Sadie is Pippa’s half-sister’s half-sister and they haven’t seen one another since school swim class. Despite Pippa’s paranoia, Sadie becomes the supporter she never had; she is nothing like Pippa’s enchantress mother and sister.
Sadie is the sister Pippa never had, but Sadie’s attention is not selfless.
She wants something in return from Pippa.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2021
15 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Henthorn
12 books53 followers I live happily in Bury near Manchester UK I used to be a nurse, but now I'm a disabled middle-aged housewife who writes books. I have been writing full time since 2014, I write every day, I read every day, so we more than likely have loads in common.
I currently have ten books available on Amazon. All of my books are set in the North West of England, written with British English spelling and grammar. They are narrated in the same fashion folk say 'stuff' around here!
My genres are comedy-drama and historical fiction. I enjoyed writing them, you will enjoy reading them, promise! Here is my mailing list:
https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
I am partway through a Creative Writing and English Literature degree. After the publication of short stories and poetry in magazines, I decided to write as an independent author.
I currently have ten books available on Amazon. All of my books are set in the North West of England, written with British English spelling and grammar. They are narrated in the same fashion folk say 'stuff' around here!
My genres are comedy-drama and historical fiction. I enjoyed writing them, you will enjoy reading them, promise! Here is my mailing list:
https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
I am partway through a Creative Writing and English Literature degree. After the publication of short stories and poetry in magazines, I decided to write as an independent author.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 13, 2022
Epiphany likes to be referred to as Pippa only. She is nearly 40 years old and lives by herself above the pub ‘The Peacock’, which her mother owns. Her mother Jacquetta and her current husband John live right across the street. Heather is her step-sister married to Rhys. India was Jacquetta’s ex-husband’s lover and she is now dead. Sadie is India’s daughter, and so Heather’s step-sister (they have the same father). India’s death has deeply impacted Pippa.
This story is set during the Covid pandemic lockdown. Pippa is getting a little frustrated with life. She suspects her boyfriend Ben is having an affair with Cassandra, who was her friend. At work, there is her overbearing supervisor Karen and the manager of the facility Mr Bland. Mr Bland offers her 2 weeks of leave starting immediately as she has worked through most of the pandemic without days off. Pippa feels close to Sadie, rather than Heather. Sadie suggests that Heather and others are conspiring to take over her share of the pub, and she needs to act first. Pippa is not entirely comfortable in executing Sadie’s suggestion to handle this but feels there is no choice, and in a pensive mood takes off in a car. She has a road accident and finds herself in a hospital. She cannot recall all that had happened at the time of the accident and is taken aback by what she hears from the doctors. She is restless to get her life back on track.
The story is told from Pippa’s point of view and that made it interesting. This is a rather slow story though. At about 1/3rd of the book, I had an inkling of how the story would proceed and there was not too much to surprise me in the later parts of the book. This book does tackle aspects of mental wellness, made worse by the pandemic quite well.
My rating: 3.5 / 5.
This story is set during the Covid pandemic lockdown. Pippa is getting a little frustrated with life. She suspects her boyfriend Ben is having an affair with Cassandra, who was her friend. At work, there is her overbearing supervisor Karen and the manager of the facility Mr Bland. Mr Bland offers her 2 weeks of leave starting immediately as she has worked through most of the pandemic without days off. Pippa feels close to Sadie, rather than Heather. Sadie suggests that Heather and others are conspiring to take over her share of the pub, and she needs to act first. Pippa is not entirely comfortable in executing Sadie’s suggestion to handle this but feels there is no choice, and in a pensive mood takes off in a car. She has a road accident and finds herself in a hospital. She cannot recall all that had happened at the time of the accident and is taken aback by what she hears from the doctors. She is restless to get her life back on track.
The story is told from Pippa’s point of view and that made it interesting. This is a rather slow story though. At about 1/3rd of the book, I had an inkling of how the story would proceed and there was not too much to surprise me in the later parts of the book. This book does tackle aspects of mental wellness, made worse by the pandemic quite well.
My rating: 3.5 / 5.
November 22, 2021
Pippa (Epiphany) is a middle-aged woman living above her mother’s pub, The Peacock, in England. Like everyone in the world, she has struggled through the recent trials of lockdown due to covid, and where the rest of the pubs in town seem to be opening back up, The Peacock still hasn’t. This is very much a character-based narrative, focusing on Pippa’s immediate circle, including her mother, her half-sister Karen, Karen’s half-sister Sadie, and a few work colleagues. Her boyfriend Ben, a bartender at the pub, who had been living with her, moves out and Pippa is distraught. Did he really ever care about her or was it only ever a relationship of convenience?
Sadie, her half-sister’s half-sister, comes to visit and stay. Pippa is something of an unreliable narrator at times (though a very detailed one who describes her surroundings in a way where I was easily able to picture them and get a good feel for what she was experiencing, at least to the best of her perception!), and as the story slowly unfolds and we learn more, we are left to guess at what is real and what is not real.
I received a complimentary copy of My Half Sister’s Half Sister from the author. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Sadie, her half-sister’s half-sister, comes to visit and stay. Pippa is something of an unreliable narrator at times (though a very detailed one who describes her surroundings in a way where I was easily able to picture them and get a good feel for what she was experiencing, at least to the best of her perception!), and as the story slowly unfolds and we learn more, we are left to guess at what is real and what is not real.
I received a complimentary copy of My Half Sister’s Half Sister from the author. This is my honest and voluntary review.
February 1, 2022
“Yes, Epiphany is my name—Pippa for short, strictly Pippa for short. I don’t mind Pip but definitely not Epiphany…I’m frumpy, fair, nearly forty, and I live in the upstairs quarters of a pub that remains closed after lockdown ended.”
Such is our introduction to the protagonist of this strange, beguiling tale, a woman for whom those three sentences above are both autobiography and mantra. She is deeply unhappy and unfairly compares herself to her half-sister and to others who are prettier or more successful than she is. Pippa feels like the forgotten sibling in the family, the one to whom no one really listens—until she is visited by Sadie, her half-sister’s half-sister. For the first time in her life, she has an ally who is pretty, smart, and understands what it’s been like for Pippa to live in the shadow. It’s a match made in heaven…or somewhere else.
Author Henthorn has created a fascinating character who gives us a revealing look at mental illness from a patient’s perspective, rather than that of a neutral observer. The real and the unreal are woven together in a fabric suffused with rich humanity. A bewitching read.
Such is our introduction to the protagonist of this strange, beguiling tale, a woman for whom those three sentences above are both autobiography and mantra. She is deeply unhappy and unfairly compares herself to her half-sister and to others who are prettier or more successful than she is. Pippa feels like the forgotten sibling in the family, the one to whom no one really listens—until she is visited by Sadie, her half-sister’s half-sister. For the first time in her life, she has an ally who is pretty, smart, and understands what it’s been like for Pippa to live in the shadow. It’s a match made in heaven…or somewhere else.
Author Henthorn has created a fascinating character who gives us a revealing look at mental illness from a patient’s perspective, rather than that of a neutral observer. The real and the unreal are woven together in a fabric suffused with rich humanity. A bewitching read.
January 26, 2022
This is the way we mess with a reader's head on a cold and frosty morning
At the beginning of this realistic and for some reader's (including myself) relatable journey into the author's main character's mental health issues, Epithany (call me Pippa) has a very low opinion of herself. We are given a insight into one of the possible reasons why she had such low esteem when we are introduced to her overbearing mother Jacquetta and sister Heather. Pippa lived with her boyfriend Ben in a flat above the Feathers pub which was not exactly the ideal place to live if you were a alcoholic (something which Pippa vehemently denied) Something had happened in the past, a event that Jacquetta and Heather kept referring back to and insisting that Pippa was displaying symptoms which suggested it might happen again. Pippa constantly felt that everyone in her life was judging her negatively (I know how that feels) and that the only person she could truly trust was her half-sister's, half-sister Sadie. But as the story unfolds, it gradually becomes apparent that there is something not quite right about Sadie and that she might not be such a good influence on someone as vulnerable as Pippa. Why was Pippa the only person who could actually see Sadie? Why was Sadie trying to convince Pippa that Jacquetta and Heather were both witches? Was Sadie's plan the only way that Pippa could ensure that her life as she knew it was secure or had she fallen under the influence of her own inner demons and about to travel on a unpredictable and life altering journey to self discovery?
Technically,you could say that this is a story of two halves, before the event and after and to be honest,I found the first part of the story more captivating than I did the second part. Quite a number of Pippa's character traits mirror my own so I did feel a certain amount of empathy towards her character but there was one aspect of her character which seriously grated on my nerves and that was her insistence in referring to her mother as mummy. Pippa was forty years old for Pete's sake, I really don't understand why a adult would continue to refer to their parent as mummy, sorry, it's one of my pet peeves in life.
The secondary characters were a eclectic mix of realistic individuals about whom we only had Pippa's perspective and observations so it was difficult to judge how reliable and trustworthy the characters actually were.
As a reader, every so often, you encounter a book that you really enjoy reading but you can't honestly say why and for me this was one of those books. It's a extremely well written,cleverly and intelligently plotted blend of genre's that kept me guessing and wanting to know how the author intended to conclude her heroine's realistic and relatable journey. Mental health is a complex issue which is still a grey area for the experts in its many fields of study and the author has written about her subject matter with care,understanding and sensitivity. A fascinating, informative read by a author I have never heard of before I received a email about this book from Anne Cater and I would happy read more of her books in the future.
At the beginning of this realistic and for some reader's (including myself) relatable journey into the author's main character's mental health issues, Epithany (call me Pippa) has a very low opinion of herself. We are given a insight into one of the possible reasons why she had such low esteem when we are introduced to her overbearing mother Jacquetta and sister Heather. Pippa lived with her boyfriend Ben in a flat above the Feathers pub which was not exactly the ideal place to live if you were a alcoholic (something which Pippa vehemently denied) Something had happened in the past, a event that Jacquetta and Heather kept referring back to and insisting that Pippa was displaying symptoms which suggested it might happen again. Pippa constantly felt that everyone in her life was judging her negatively (I know how that feels) and that the only person she could truly trust was her half-sister's, half-sister Sadie. But as the story unfolds, it gradually becomes apparent that there is something not quite right about Sadie and that she might not be such a good influence on someone as vulnerable as Pippa. Why was Pippa the only person who could actually see Sadie? Why was Sadie trying to convince Pippa that Jacquetta and Heather were both witches? Was Sadie's plan the only way that Pippa could ensure that her life as she knew it was secure or had she fallen under the influence of her own inner demons and about to travel on a unpredictable and life altering journey to self discovery?
Technically,you could say that this is a story of two halves, before the event and after and to be honest,I found the first part of the story more captivating than I did the second part. Quite a number of Pippa's character traits mirror my own so I did feel a certain amount of empathy towards her character but there was one aspect of her character which seriously grated on my nerves and that was her insistence in referring to her mother as mummy. Pippa was forty years old for Pete's sake, I really don't understand why a adult would continue to refer to their parent as mummy, sorry, it's one of my pet peeves in life.
The secondary characters were a eclectic mix of realistic individuals about whom we only had Pippa's perspective and observations so it was difficult to judge how reliable and trustworthy the characters actually were.
As a reader, every so often, you encounter a book that you really enjoy reading but you can't honestly say why and for me this was one of those books. It's a extremely well written,cleverly and intelligently plotted blend of genre's that kept me guessing and wanting to know how the author intended to conclude her heroine's realistic and relatable journey. Mental health is a complex issue which is still a grey area for the experts in its many fields of study and the author has written about her subject matter with care,understanding and sensitivity. A fascinating, informative read by a author I have never heard of before I received a email about this book from Anne Cater and I would happy read more of her books in the future.
November 5, 2021
Reviewed By Natalie Soine for Readers’ Favorite
My Half-Sister’s Half-Sister by Samantha Henthorn tells the story of Pippa, her sister Heather, and Heather’s half-sister Sadie. Pippa lives in a flat above The Peacock pub in Pendle, Lancashire, which is owned by her mother, Jacquetta. Heather marries Rhys and together they have four children. Pippa receives a surprise visit from Sadie. Pippa’s boyfriend Ben is a bit too friendly with Pippa’s ex-friend Cassandra, whose husband works away from home. Pippa’s annoying colleague Karen and boss Mr. Bland notice that she has overdue leave, so Pippa stays at home for two weeks and Sadie helps her to get over the break-up with Ben. When Pippa receives a kitten, she names it India after Sadie’s late mother as Pippa has a secret about India’s passing. Pippa has the skill to observe and assess people’s true emotions and feelings and respond appropriately, maintaining her relationships and keeping the peace. Pippa is surprised to wake up in a hospital where nurses Diana and Jane assist her while Dr. Kershaw diagnoses Pippa with an ailment that can’t be possible. Pippa will be assessed by Dr. Carnegie, the consultant psychiatrist, and Dr. Schofield, the clinical psychologist. Nobody is more surprised than Pippa to discover her diagnosis.
This is one of the most unique and interesting stories out there. My Half-Sister’s Half-Sister is superbly written, smooth flowing, quick, and easy to read. The variety of fascinating characters - Pippa, Sadie, Heather, and Jacquetta - makes the story so captivating. Their individual personalities are well defined and Samantha Henthorn captures their intertwined relationships so perfectly that they come alive in the story. The scenes and locations are realistic and vividly described. The Peacock pub becomes a place where everybody knows your name. I especially loved the humor and parts which relate to songs and films. I learned that sharing our thoughts could land us in an asylum, or prison, and always remember that “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not whispering about you.” Overall, a fantastic novel highly recommended to adults and teenagers.
My Half-Sister’s Half-Sister by Samantha Henthorn tells the story of Pippa, her sister Heather, and Heather’s half-sister Sadie. Pippa lives in a flat above The Peacock pub in Pendle, Lancashire, which is owned by her mother, Jacquetta. Heather marries Rhys and together they have four children. Pippa receives a surprise visit from Sadie. Pippa’s boyfriend Ben is a bit too friendly with Pippa’s ex-friend Cassandra, whose husband works away from home. Pippa’s annoying colleague Karen and boss Mr. Bland notice that she has overdue leave, so Pippa stays at home for two weeks and Sadie helps her to get over the break-up with Ben. When Pippa receives a kitten, she names it India after Sadie’s late mother as Pippa has a secret about India’s passing. Pippa has the skill to observe and assess people’s true emotions and feelings and respond appropriately, maintaining her relationships and keeping the peace. Pippa is surprised to wake up in a hospital where nurses Diana and Jane assist her while Dr. Kershaw diagnoses Pippa with an ailment that can’t be possible. Pippa will be assessed by Dr. Carnegie, the consultant psychiatrist, and Dr. Schofield, the clinical psychologist. Nobody is more surprised than Pippa to discover her diagnosis.
This is one of the most unique and interesting stories out there. My Half-Sister’s Half-Sister is superbly written, smooth flowing, quick, and easy to read. The variety of fascinating characters - Pippa, Sadie, Heather, and Jacquetta - makes the story so captivating. Their individual personalities are well defined and Samantha Henthorn captures their intertwined relationships so perfectly that they come alive in the story. The scenes and locations are realistic and vividly described. The Peacock pub becomes a place where everybody knows your name. I especially loved the humor and parts which relate to songs and films. I learned that sharing our thoughts could land us in an asylum, or prison, and always remember that “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not whispering about you.” Overall, a fantastic novel highly recommended to adults and teenagers.
December 10, 2021
I really enjoyed this book although it turned out quite differently from what I expected when I first started reading it. Skillfully written with rich, descriptive language, the characters came alive from the very start and I could picture The Peacock and Pippa’s flat perfectly. As the story progressed I gradually became aware that Pippa was not the person that I at first thought she was. Pippa’s personality and state of mind felt very real to me and although she made me laugh a lot, at times I could have cried for her. Her mother, Jaquetta, is both comical and awful and all of the characters were vividly written and totally believable. The book is very humorous (and dark) in places with the descriptions of everyday life and situations. I don’t want to give any spoilers but I will say that the scenes in the hospital were totally believable and to me, one the most riveting parts of the story. This is a book that I’ll remember and one that I totally recommend.
January 16, 2022
This book was unlike any other that I've read recently. The characters came alive from the first page and the author managed to create a story that was very real. The surprise towards the end made me both shocked and sad. The book must have required lots of research to give readers such vivid imagery. Five full stars!
January 27, 2022
Wow, this was so good! It started off really slow for me & just when I didn't think we were going anywhere, everything went full speed & snowballed into something totally different to what I was expecting.
Very realistic & well researched, with some very flawed, but well executed characters. And so, so cleverly written.
Very realistic & well researched, with some very flawed, but well executed characters. And so, so cleverly written.
March 28, 2022
Synopsis
Pippa is fed up, frustrated and nearly forty. She lives upstairs at The Peacock, her mother’s pub that remains closed after lockdown. When her half-sister’s half-sister unexpectedly visits, Pippa must face up to the past.
Post lockdown has been anxiety provoking for Pippa because isolation has been the norm since the death of Aunt India.
Pippa has been waiting for an epiphany all her life, hoping a revelation will provide certainty in an unreliable reality. Instead, she returns to the office run by a tyrannical receptionist and it seems as though her boyfriend might leave her. Her mother, Jacquetta and sister Heather worry that Pippa may fall to pieces like last time she had a crisis.
Sadie is Pippa’s half-sister’s half-sister and they haven’t seen one another since school swim class. Despite Pippa’s paranoia, Sadie becomes the supporter she never had; she is nothing like Pippa’s enchantress mother and sister.
Sadie is the sister Pippa never had, but Sadie’s attention is not selfless.
She wants something in return from Pippa.
I write this review with complete unbiased opinion (disclaimer I LOVE EVERYTHING SAMANTHA HAS WRITTEN so far) but seriously, that’s always a worry when you begin a new book from someone you hold in high regard. I don’t quite know how to explain that feeling, but it’s a thing. Anyway I digress. This has to be the best of Samantha’s work so far. Set during Covid restrictions, our unreliable protagonist Pippa is reunited with her half sisters (Heather, perfect perfect Heather) half sister Sadie, and when her boyfriend Ben appears to stray away from home Sadie becomes her biggest or seemingly only ally, but Sadie wants something in return for her help. She has plans for Pippa, plans that Pippa tries to carry through even though she’s not comfortable with them. Just like last time………..
This is a brilliantly written book, the characters and endearing, they are sharply comedic, yet you feel their vulnerability. The narration as always is fantastic. And the ending, oh the ending, just when you thought it was already neatly wrapped in a bow, the little twist is perfection. Absolutely brilliant! #Jorecommends
Pippa is fed up, frustrated and nearly forty. She lives upstairs at The Peacock, her mother’s pub that remains closed after lockdown. When her half-sister’s half-sister unexpectedly visits, Pippa must face up to the past.
Post lockdown has been anxiety provoking for Pippa because isolation has been the norm since the death of Aunt India.
Pippa has been waiting for an epiphany all her life, hoping a revelation will provide certainty in an unreliable reality. Instead, she returns to the office run by a tyrannical receptionist and it seems as though her boyfriend might leave her. Her mother, Jacquetta and sister Heather worry that Pippa may fall to pieces like last time she had a crisis.
Sadie is Pippa’s half-sister’s half-sister and they haven’t seen one another since school swim class. Despite Pippa’s paranoia, Sadie becomes the supporter she never had; she is nothing like Pippa’s enchantress mother and sister.
Sadie is the sister Pippa never had, but Sadie’s attention is not selfless.
She wants something in return from Pippa.
I write this review with complete unbiased opinion (disclaimer I LOVE EVERYTHING SAMANTHA HAS WRITTEN so far) but seriously, that’s always a worry when you begin a new book from someone you hold in high regard. I don’t quite know how to explain that feeling, but it’s a thing. Anyway I digress. This has to be the best of Samantha’s work so far. Set during Covid restrictions, our unreliable protagonist Pippa is reunited with her half sisters (Heather, perfect perfect Heather) half sister Sadie, and when her boyfriend Ben appears to stray away from home Sadie becomes her biggest or seemingly only ally, but Sadie wants something in return for her help. She has plans for Pippa, plans that Pippa tries to carry through even though she’s not comfortable with them. Just like last time………..
This is a brilliantly written book, the characters and endearing, they are sharply comedic, yet you feel their vulnerability. The narration as always is fantastic. And the ending, oh the ending, just when you thought it was already neatly wrapped in a bow, the little twist is perfection. Absolutely brilliant! #Jorecommends
January 28, 2022
My Half-Sister’s Half-Sister, in my opinion, is Ms Henthorn's best work to date. I do like to think ahead of what I'm reading, and guess where the story is going. This one kept me on my toes the whole way through.
The story is narrated by Pippa, whose birth name is Epiphany. She always introduces herself as Pippa, such is her dislike of her given name. Pippa tells us that she is the one relied upon to help her mother, regardless of whether Pippa has anything else to do or not. Pippa lives over her mother's pub, The Peacock, a stone's throw from her mother's house, and her mother knows her every movement. Pippa's mother is called Jacquetta. She comes across as cold, selfish and a bit eccentric.
Pippa has an older half-sister, Heather, who is married to Rhys with four children, and is a bit 'New Age'. She is into holistic therapies, and takes Pippa to a retreat for a bit of de-stressing. While Pippa formerly calls her mother 'Mother', Heather calls her by her given name, Jacquetta. Pippa believes the pair of them to be witches.
Pippa's boyfriend, Ben, has been paying more attention to Cassandra while her husband has been working away. Cassandra bullied Pippa when they were at school, and it seems taking Ben from Pippa is Cassandra's idea of sport. My feeling was that Ben was not committed to Pippa, and was only with her because she was providing him with somewhere to live.
Pippa seems to be existing, until Sadie turns up unexpectedly. Sadie is Heather's half-sister. She's the confident, outgoing, fun-loving one, who encourages Pippa to live her best life, and then begins to drip poison in her ear.
What I thought was straightforward, became less so as the story progressed. I wasn't sure that Pippa's account could be relied upon. Perhaps she was too trusting of Sadie. They are chalk and cheese, and Sadie's motives for befriending Pippa were always unclear to me
After 'the incident', I realised I had been blind-sided from the start, and it all began to make sense.
My Half-Sister’s Half-Sister is a cleverly-written, engaging story, with a sympathetic main character in Pippa. I also found the story humorous, and slightly dark at times.
My kind of story, and I look forward to more in this vein.
The story is narrated by Pippa, whose birth name is Epiphany. She always introduces herself as Pippa, such is her dislike of her given name. Pippa tells us that she is the one relied upon to help her mother, regardless of whether Pippa has anything else to do or not. Pippa lives over her mother's pub, The Peacock, a stone's throw from her mother's house, and her mother knows her every movement. Pippa's mother is called Jacquetta. She comes across as cold, selfish and a bit eccentric.
Pippa has an older half-sister, Heather, who is married to Rhys with four children, and is a bit 'New Age'. She is into holistic therapies, and takes Pippa to a retreat for a bit of de-stressing. While Pippa formerly calls her mother 'Mother', Heather calls her by her given name, Jacquetta. Pippa believes the pair of them to be witches.
Pippa's boyfriend, Ben, has been paying more attention to Cassandra while her husband has been working away. Cassandra bullied Pippa when they were at school, and it seems taking Ben from Pippa is Cassandra's idea of sport. My feeling was that Ben was not committed to Pippa, and was only with her because she was providing him with somewhere to live.
Pippa seems to be existing, until Sadie turns up unexpectedly. Sadie is Heather's half-sister. She's the confident, outgoing, fun-loving one, who encourages Pippa to live her best life, and then begins to drip poison in her ear.
What I thought was straightforward, became less so as the story progressed. I wasn't sure that Pippa's account could be relied upon. Perhaps she was too trusting of Sadie. They are chalk and cheese, and Sadie's motives for befriending Pippa were always unclear to me
After 'the incident', I realised I had been blind-sided from the start, and it all began to make sense.
My Half-Sister’s Half-Sister is a cleverly-written, engaging story, with a sympathetic main character in Pippa. I also found the story humorous, and slightly dark at times.
My kind of story, and I look forward to more in this vein.
June 10, 2022
To begin, I wish to thank BookSirens and Samantha Henthorn for providing me a free digital copy of Samantha’s intriguing, psychological novel My Half-Sister’s Half-Sister, which Samantha self published November 30, 2021. I received my copy several months after it’s publication.
The main character in this affable, well-written tale, Pippa, is self-described as frumpy, fair, and nearly forty, a line she repeats throughout her tale. She’s lived her life in the shadow of her much older and seemingly and self-proclaiming more beautiful, slender, and better half-sister Heather as well as her “best friend” Cassandra, who never seems to have treated her too nicely. Pippa’s relationship with her alcoholic mother is subpar, as is her other interpersonal relationships, including her coworkers and boyfriend. That is until Heather’s half-sister Sadie re-enters her life following a many year’s long absence.
Then, the story really gets good! Sadie is the story’s titular character, Pippa’s half-sister’s half-sister. We, along with Pippa herself, learn many surprising, even some astonishing, truths about the various members of Pippa’s extended and embellished family tree as well as Pippa herself as the novel progresses, particularly in the latter parts of the book. I highly recommend you join Pippa in her discoveries. It’s an interesting ride.
The main character in this affable, well-written tale, Pippa, is self-described as frumpy, fair, and nearly forty, a line she repeats throughout her tale. She’s lived her life in the shadow of her much older and seemingly and self-proclaiming more beautiful, slender, and better half-sister Heather as well as her “best friend” Cassandra, who never seems to have treated her too nicely. Pippa’s relationship with her alcoholic mother is subpar, as is her other interpersonal relationships, including her coworkers and boyfriend. That is until Heather’s half-sister Sadie re-enters her life following a many year’s long absence.
Then, the story really gets good! Sadie is the story’s titular character, Pippa’s half-sister’s half-sister. We, along with Pippa herself, learn many surprising, even some astonishing, truths about the various members of Pippa’s extended and embellished family tree as well as Pippa herself as the novel progresses, particularly in the latter parts of the book. I highly recommend you join Pippa in her discoveries. It’s an interesting ride.
February 3, 2022
Another unreliable narrator for My Half-Sister’s Half-Sister, a detail that warrants a star first and foremost. Why? Because unreliable narrators are hard to write, and Henthorn does a good job with it.
[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]
[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]
May 23, 2023
A big thank you to @booktasters_ for reaching out to me to participate in this event for book reviews. I got to pick this one as my first review.
The concept of the story started off entertaining with Pippa and her mom and then Sadie shows up. I was intrigued.
While nothing was wrong with the story, it was difficult to stay focused, even after some parts of the story that took a different turn than where it was going.
What I Liked
- Characters like Sadie were interesting. She is Pippas half sister's half sister. Yeah I have to make sure I'm typing that right.
- I can appreciate the story showing the whole struggle with mental health.
- I felt a little bad that Pippa had to give up a kitten because it did belong to someone else.
What I Didn't Like
- I honestly could not stand Pippas boyfriend Ben. He was sketchy and almost downright rude in my opinion and I hated how Pippa just took him back when he left. Sorry that was more of a mini rant.
- I found the pacing to be very slow and sometimes I wanted to have Sadie just smack Pippa once lol.
The story wasn't bad, it wasn't the best for me, but that's my opinion. This book touches bases of mental health, talks of alcoholism, and possibly murder (yeah that one was interesting).
The concept of the story started off entertaining with Pippa and her mom and then Sadie shows up. I was intrigued.
While nothing was wrong with the story, it was difficult to stay focused, even after some parts of the story that took a different turn than where it was going.
What I Liked
- Characters like Sadie were interesting. She is Pippas half sister's half sister. Yeah I have to make sure I'm typing that right.
- I can appreciate the story showing the whole struggle with mental health.
- I felt a little bad that Pippa had to give up a kitten because it did belong to someone else.
What I Didn't Like
- I honestly could not stand Pippas boyfriend Ben. He was sketchy and almost downright rude in my opinion and I hated how Pippa just took him back when he left. Sorry that was more of a mini rant.
- I found the pacing to be very slow and sometimes I wanted to have Sadie just smack Pippa once lol.
The story wasn't bad, it wasn't the best for me, but that's my opinion. This book touches bases of mental health, talks of alcoholism, and possibly murder (yeah that one was interesting).
October 10, 2023
Book : My half sister's half sister
Author : Samantha Henthron
Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
format : E book
Pippa, surrounded by her mother and half sisters leads an eventful life at an accomadation above a pub run by her mother. She shares a love hate relationship with her half sister Heather and her half sister Sadie. This was a fun and cosy read.
Epiphany pet named Pippa is a girl who takes each day as it comes and is someone who likes to be communicative about the deficiencies in her life and also her weaknesses, thats the most adorable thing about her apart from the fact that she is someone who doesn't shy away from her imperfections but rather has a sense of acceptance for them. Epiphany's special bond with Sadie is chef's kiss and surely does deserve a mention here.
Its really interesting to read about these relationships the half sisters share and how they bring out the best in each other, its a very cozy read.
Author : Samantha Henthron
Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
format : E book
Pippa, surrounded by her mother and half sisters leads an eventful life at an accomadation above a pub run by her mother. She shares a love hate relationship with her half sister Heather and her half sister Sadie. This was a fun and cosy read.
Epiphany pet named Pippa is a girl who takes each day as it comes and is someone who likes to be communicative about the deficiencies in her life and also her weaknesses, thats the most adorable thing about her apart from the fact that she is someone who doesn't shy away from her imperfections but rather has a sense of acceptance for them. Epiphany's special bond with Sadie is chef's kiss and surely does deserve a mention here.
Its really interesting to read about these relationships the half sisters share and how they bring out the best in each other, its a very cozy read.
December 31, 2021
This one is sticking in my head a bit. I suspected the twist but was still caught off guard when it snowballed. I dont want to give anything away so I will just say I deal with this in real life with people I know. The story is well written. The characters are easy to empathize with and care what happens to them especially by the end of the book. Worth the read.
I received this ARC for free and I was happy to leave this reveiw.
I received this ARC for free and I was happy to leave this reveiw.
April 30, 2022
This is a quirky novel about a woman facing certain challenges in life. I could totally empathise with Pippa and the relationships she had with her family and friends. The novel takes on an interesting twist which made me want to carry on reading to find out what was going to happen. A great story full of interesting and believable characters which created empathy and tension. Really enjoyed it.
October 22, 2023
“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not whispering about you.”
I really liked this book, the storyline was mind-blowing!! Due to English is not my L1, sometimes it was a little difficult for me to follow it, however, it was good enough to keep me interested in knowing what que oils happen next… this story is full of unexpected twists and turns.
I really liked this book, the storyline was mind-blowing!! Due to English is not my L1, sometimes it was a little difficult for me to follow it, however, it was good enough to keep me interested in knowing what que oils happen next… this story is full of unexpected twists and turns.
February 5, 2022
This book is intoxicating, quite the page turner!
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