Cover Image: The Favorite Child

The Favorite Child

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

A great thriller - I would recommend it!

Was this review helpful?

This book is filled with secrets and mystery. It starts off very slow burn and then the pace intensifies. It is well written and held my interest

Was this review helpful?

Well, that turned out darker than I was expecting!

The audiobook narrator was fantastic!

There were a few plot holes by the end, and a few things were a little repetitive ("You need to rest!" and the getting tea all the time) but overall an enjoyable book!

Was this review helpful?

It drives me mad that women are told not to worry, not to over react, that the missing person they are worried about is fine and will be back when she is good and ready. As much as it annoys me, it also makes for good reading as you wonder where the heck her sister has gone and why and if indeed, she will be coming back? A pregnant woman will do anything to protect her child and this book really pulls you into that narrative and has you rooting for her to find out what is really happened and make sure she and her child can get somewhere safe. Clever. Made me think about when I was pregnant and what I would do. I know I wouldn't give up looking for my missing sister - no matter hiow many people told me not to. A book that puts you in the persons shoes has achieved something very good IMO

Was this review helpful?

Strange book with incredibly dislikeable characters, but because I distrusted everyone it made it impossible to guess the whodunnit.

Some gaping plot holes bring this book down from what it could have been, but nonetheless an enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

Spent the majority of this novel confused as to the ways each of the characters were acting. Annie and Michael’s behaviour in particular was confusing throughout. Liked the ending

Was this review helpful?

Annie is happily married and they are expecting their first child. Whilst on holiday with her extended family, at their beautiful costal home, she finds out that her sister Sunday has gone missing. Annie is worried but her family assure her that this is what Sunday does. Annie starts digging for the truth even if it means putting herself in danger.

A great enjoyable read that kept me engaged from the start. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Delve into the depths of paranoia and uncertainty in this thriller, where the characters' quests for truth mirror your own sense of unease.

Was this review helpful?

This was a decent book. I loved the twists and it was fast paced and easy to read. Thank you netgalley for making this book available to read.

Was this review helpful?

Some families are just crazy and I couldn’t help but think this throughout the entire book. I had a hard time relating at all to these people and just felt the plot was a little slow for me.

Was this review helpful?

Slower paced but great ending. Dysfunctional families are always amazing to read and I get drawn in. So much betrayal and deception!

Was this review helpful?

This is one of the most infuriating books I have ever read. The only character who seemed to be likable died very shortly after being introduced. I spent the rest of the book hoping the rest of the people in the story would meet the same fate.

Even the main character was awful and frankly too stupid to live. She knew there was something wrong but at the slightest bit of pushback she would immediately back down. She literally allows her family to drug her and puts herself in multiple dangerous situations throughout the book.

Annie spends the whole book acting like she cares about Sunday, but refuses to actually do anything to try to help find her. And while her husband seems like the voice of reason at times trying to convince her to leave, which would have been way smarter than anything she actually did, he almost always follow it up by implying he still thinks she’s overreacting. That is unfortunately a common trope in this genre but at the beginning of this book I had hoped that Michael would be an outlier given how he seems to see through this family’s bullshit.

Speaking of that, if I ever see the phrase “family principles” again it will be far too soon.

At the very end there was one redeeming character and moment so I am giving it 2 stars, but I still don’t recommend it. That one element is not worth all the bad ones.

Overall I’m incredibly disappointed in this book. Honestly if it had been any longer I probably would have stopped reading after the first couple chapters but it’s really hard for me to DNF books unfortunately. I have read another one of this author’s books and enjoyed it so maybe this is a fluke. After the bad feelings from this one fade I may give them another shot, but that will probably be awhile.

Was this review helpful?

I loved my last read from Cathryn Grant so I was looking forward to another. This definitely did not disappoint. I thought the concept was a pretty unique trope for a domestic thriller and felt that it delivered on its promise. I was really attached to Annie and loved how determined she was to get to the truth when it felt like absolutely no one was on her side helping. I did not expect the twists that came and thought the ending was a bit abrupt but still fitting. I thought it was wrapped up nicely and justice was served. I liked the little clues sprinkled throughout and felt a bit naive for not expecting what was revealed after realizing how many clues there were. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

A great page-turning twisting psychological thriller that keeps you guessing till the end. Dark, mysterious and absorbing.

Was this review helpful?

A sometimes found the characters in this book hard to deal with an unrelatable but then the family dynamics and drama pulled me right back in.

Was this review helpful?

This was a book that I just wanted to tell at the main character to just leave. Her family was beyond dysfunctional and just reading about them would creep you out. The ending had a couple of twists. Overall a good book

Was this review helpful?

This was an okay read I was rather disappointed with this as I have read all this authors books and enjoyed them all. In my opinion nothing much happened to keep you in suspense. The characters were rather annoying, the plot could have been better but the style of writing was perfect.. that’s about the only thing that got me through the book. I’ll be keeping my eye out for the next one to come out as I know that will be way better.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely brilliant book really enjoyed reading this in truth I couldnt put it down I would 10000 percent reccomend this book !!!! Aithor fantastic thank u for a great read!!!!

Was this review helpful?

i was unable to read this book, as I lost my login information! but now I am back and ready to review books for authors!!

Was this review helpful?

A missing sister, a dysfunctional family and constant gaslighting are expertly combined in this fast paced, suspenseful and very entertaining thriller by Cathryn Grant. I have read and enjoyed many of her previous thrillers, and this one is no exception. The tension is high as secrets are revealed and lives are changed forever. Annie’s sister is missing without a trace. Did Annie’s sister flea her family, or did something more sinister cause of her sudden disappearance? Unanswered questions are accumulating as danger lurks around every corner. Should Annie trust her family? All is not as it seems in this twisted tale of deception and betrayal. Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for my copy.

Was this review helpful?