This is one of those where you go in to it knowing who the ‘bad guy’ is. Typically this style isn’t for me as I find these types of novels can get boring without the guessing game aspect. I will say I did enjoy this one more than most though. I think the innocence of Fern really drove this for me. It’s likely she is in the spectrum which makes he oblivion more believable.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This review is my voluntary and unbiased opinion.


A complex story about two sisters who essentially raised themselves since their mother was negligent and homeless relying on the kindness of others for food and shelter. The girl have a few rare pleasant memories when her mother had a boyfriend. They found Gary kind before her mother moved on to Daniel who had a young son, Billy.

The book begins describing a tragedy that occurred one day while Rose and Fern were swimming with Billy. The story alternates between perspectives of Rose, told through her diary, and Fern. They practically grew up in the library because it was a safe place to go as homeless. They felt the maternal instincts from Mrs Delahunty, the librarian, who sensed they were neglected.

As adults, it’s no surprise that Fern becomes a librarian. At 28 yers old she is one of the youngest librarians at the library. She has difficulty making and maintaining friendships due her being on the autism spectrum. She is efficient and capable but still feels dependent on Rose who has always been there for her.

Rose gets married to Owen and desperately wants to have a baby. She is overly obsessed with this desire so much so that her husband goes away on business. He hopes that time alone and therapy will help her cope with her fertility issues. She continues to be a strong influence on Fern who trusts her sister to always look out for her. Their relationship becomes strained when Fern develops a relationship with Rocco Ryan, a man she meets at the library, but calls “Wally”.

Both girls have different memories of what happened all those years ago at the lake when Billy drowned. Fern always carried the guilt of having accidentally killed him. They rarely discuss it but often reflect on their childhood especially given their mother is in a nursing home.

It’s a story of family, loyalty, betrayal, new beginnings.

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
I really enjoyed this book from page one. It kept me guessing, held my interest and kept me flicking the pages to see what exactly was going on with Rose and Fern. I enjoyed how it went from Ferns pov to Rose's diary entries, her pov and back...thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this book and letting me leave my opinion.

Interesting thriller about a woman and her relationship with her sister. I really enjoyed this amazing book and the turns that the characters take. The different personalities make the characters so interesting and personable make the book a page turner for sure.

This was such a great twisty read! It was 2 parts family drama with 1 part thriller and a dash of mystery. Although some of those twists were expected, it was still quite fun to see the details revealed.

Fern and Rose are twin sisters but are extremely different from one another but they have always been close. When they were very young, Fern did something very bad and so Rose has always protected her. We alternate between Fern's point of view and Rose's diary to learn more about their childhood and their troubled mother, but (of course) things may not be as they seemed and one of them may not be such a good sister, after all.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and St Martin's Press for an opportunity to read an e-galley.

Wow! This book had me captivated from the very first page to the last. I could not put it down!

This book is about fraternal twins Rose and Fern. It is told in two different points of view and in two different ways. The way this story is told could not be more perfect because even though they are twins they could not be more different. Fern tells her own story while we learn Rose's story through her diary.

The story is very well-conceived and written flawlessly. There are many twists and surprises throughout the book. Everything flowed so perfectly together I could not find a good place to stop reading so I read it in one sitting. I may have lost a bit of sleep reading this book but it was well worth it!

If you are looking for a book full of family drama, betrayal, mystery, love and amazing characters then I highly recommend this book. If you're not looking for a book like this then I still highly recommend it because you will undoubtedly enjoy it either way!

I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
Review of this novel will be posted soon.

Sally Hepworth writes about family drama in a way that’s often relatable. There were many endearing characters in this novel and the interactions between them had me laughing out loud at times.

The story alternates between Rose and Fern’s point of view and includes flashbacks to their childhood. Some things may seem obvious but I feel like the author intended it to be that way. So while I did figure out a few things early on, I was so engrossed and entertained that it didn’t bother me at all.

A clever story about family dynamics and dysfunction, manipulation, complicated relationships, and of course secrets!

This book hooked me from the start. Did not see the twists coming at all. Great story! Go read this book right now.

Fern and Rose are twin sisters who would do anything for one another. Rose has always protected Fern who has sensory processing issues. But all is not as it seems. When Fern meets Rocco at the library where she works, she finds herself letting a new person into her life. Rose is not pleased and is soon manipulating a pregnant Fern. Who's memories of the past are true? Was Rose really Fern's protector or was something more sinister happening? This psychological thriller is filled with twists and turns as family secret's are revealed. I read it in one sitting

Wow!

I did NOT see this one coming! While I don’t want stories to be predictable, I’ve always prided myself on my ability to figure it all out before the last page. The twist in The Good Sister? Amazing!

I started to believe I knew where the author was going with the story, but I soon found out I was wrong. Then I had an inkling: wrong again!!! Finally she led me to the ending and I was floored!

Fern and Rose are twin sisters, as different as twins can be. They’ve lived together or near each other all their lives and Fern has relied on Rose to steer her through life. Fern struggles socially, she’s never quite sure what the proper response is to something. Ever since childhood, Rose has helped Fern deal: with their mother, with Mom’s boyfriends, with a tragedy that occurred when they were young teens, with life.

But now Fern is a librarian and has access to all sorts of books that help her deal with her “disorder” and she finds out one day that she can help Rose in a big way! So Fern starts to make decisions on her own, growing and living on her own with the intention of helping Rose.

And just WAIT until you find out how! And what happens next!
.
Adding the rest of the author’s books to my TBR list immediately!

I enjoyed this book. It was different from most of the books I read. I needed a break from the dark, violent thrillers I typically read. This book was lighthearted, fun, humorous, and downright cute. I loved the innocent main character, Fern. She was humorous and sarcastic without knowing it. The love story between Fern and Wally was like no other love story I have read.

The description says thriller. I didn’t think of it as a thriller until the end. I was more focused on the cute love story.

If you liked Glass Castle you will like this book.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

I love a book with an unreliable narrator, so was excited to find two in this book. It opens with a bang, a shocking event where it's unclear if it's a malicious attack or an accident, but it paints a picture of who the "good sister" is. As the story continues it becomes clear both sisters are unreliable and my view shifted as I questioned who was good. I was cautious early on because Gone Girl made me forever suspicious of journal entries, so I was on to things earlier than I might have been otherwise. However, I found the story and characters completely compelling and I flew through the book. I loved seeing a protagonist on the spectrum, or with sensory sensitivities and limited social awareness, and to see her growth, support she receives, and that she ultimately "wins".

What a fantastic read! And how clever! All the while, the reader wonders just which of the Castle sisters is in fact ‘the good sister‘.

We must remember that each of the girls have different recollections of the same events. Whose is correct? Each sister displayed good and bad traits and their characters were complex and multi-layered. Is their sisterly relationship supportive and caring, or, is it manipulative and devious?

I’ll confess, I never really bonded with Rose despite the fact that she seemed caring and protective of Fern. Though being privy to her diaries made me sympathetic to her life and situation, I still had a feeling of unease about her.

I found myself loving Fern. Sure she was bizarre in many ways – but she was so genuine. Hyper-sensitive to sensory stimulus, socially inept, resistant to change, unable to maintain eye contact, and very literally minded, she nonetheless captured my heart. I also came to care for her boyfriend ‘Wally’ aka Rocco who understood and loved Fern for who she was.

This was an expertly written thriller that will doubtless make my list of Top Reads for 2021. A skilled character study masquerading as a thriller. Brilliant!

This was quite a book, a very slow build of a psychological land mine. Rose and Fern couldn't be more different twins which becomes even more apparent as Hepworth unravels their childhood through Rose's journal entries. They tell a harrowing tale of an unstable mother, child abuse on many levels and the lengths Rose goes to protect Fern (with her sensory processing issues). The first 65% of the story felt slow, there was a lot to work through, the past told through the journal entries and present day life, that laid the ground work for an emotional ride for the last 35%. Hepworth took you on a fast paced rollercoaster as the truth emerges and you see the depths of depravity one sister goes to in order to get what she wants.
.
I went back and forth on my rating of this book. In the end, while the ending was fast paced and had the twists I was looking for throughout the book, the rest of the book was a little to slow for the ending to carry it and push it to a 4 star.

I enjoyed The Good Sister and am looking forward to Sally Hepworth's next novel! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review it.

This one was so addictive. It was so well done to keep the suspense going throughout the entire book. Loved Fern and Wally/Rocco so much. And any book with a good amount of the setting in a library is always a positive thing for me!

I was so excited to receive an early copy of this book to read and review. However, I did not end up enjoying it the way I thought I would. It was very slow and there was nothing thrilling about it. If you go into this book knowing it's not a thriller and more of a family drama, then you will enjoy this one.

I love books about complicated sibling relationships. The story is told from the POVs of twin sisters, Rose and Fern. The narrator did a fantastic job with the twins' voices. They were almost the same but Rose's was a tiny bit softer and more relaxed. The Rose chapters are told in the format of a diary she is keeping to cope with her fertility issues and efforts to repair her marriage. Fern is neurodiverse and she struggles with sensory processing. Her chapters are mostly about getting to know her through her daily routine, including her job at the library, which is way more interesting than it sounds. She's a well-developed and loveable character who I wanted to root for. After surviving their traumatic childhood, Rose and Fern both want to look out for and take care of each other, but not everything is what it seems. The story had me hooked from the beginning, but those last 2 hours had me pacing the floor! There was no chance of sleep until I finished!

The Good Sister seemed like a bit of a change in direction from Sally's prior books, but I loved it all of the same. I really enjoy how she picks a deep topis whether early on-set alzheimers, family relationships or in this case learning disabilities and successfully weaves it in to the story. It is very clear that Sally does a ton of research to ensure she represents these issues accurately in her story telling.