The Favorite Sister was deliciously wicked! As one who isn't that interested in reality TV I was pleasantly surprised to find myself immersed in this catty book about a group of Goal Digger women and their self-motivated rise to fame. The book immediately starts off with a cliff hanger making you want to continue reading to see what had transpired. There was a bit of witty humor and I did not predict the ending so it was a win in my book. Jessica Knoll is an author that I will continue to look out for.

Jessica Knoll takes on the ideals of feminism, women's friendships, and the effects of being on reality TV. She introduces us to Brett Courtney and her sister, Kelly, and then all of their lies and half truths. I really enjoyed how Knoll portrayed the business of reality TV. How the women played up their feuds for ratings and air time. I also enjoyed the love/hate relationship between Brett and Kelly. I felt their fighting and then standing up for each other is very true to life for sisters.

Sometimes following all the changes in chapter POVs and what was a lie and what was the truth made the book annoying. Yet in the setting of a cast of reality TV show stars it made sense. Everyone knows that reality TV is far from being reality. These women all wanted to be seen in a certain light and went to great lengths to keep up their image. It of course unravels and causes more chaos. I don't want to give away all the twists and turns. The Favorite Sister will definitely be a hit for Knoll!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. However, this had to be a Did Not Finish for me. I tried. Three times. I got to 35%. I just found the characters to all be wretched and shallow. The plot moved about no where in 35% I read-- at least And I guess I should have known... I hate reality tv. But I wanted to like it. I had heard such good things about Luckiest Girl Alive and could not finish that one either. So I figured it was just me. But nope. While I am sure the author is wonderful, I just have not clicked with her books.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Five successful women are cast in a Reality TV series called Goal Diggers, based in New York City. The series is full of scandals, lies, and quite entertaining, until one of the women is murdered. Brett is newly engaged to her girlfriend, she has started her own business in spin studios. Her older sister, Kelly, is the newest cast member, not well like by the other cast members, and has her daughter on board as well. Stephanie is a former BFF of Brett's, and a successful author of many bestsellers. Lauren "Fun" helped create an app, aka a lush who is rarely sober. And finally, Jen, the health conscious vegan who has made millions off the health food market, and also holds many secrets, some so dark they are frightening.

The characters are well developed, they each have their own secrets and lies, but are pretty entertaining when they are together. I would imagine this is really what goes on behind the scenes of reality tv shows, and off screen as well. Each women has a very different personality, but are all ruthless and jealous in their own way.

The story is well written, a little drawn out at times, but it is interesting. We know in the beginning that one of the main characters is dead, it is a little difficult to follow in the first few schapters, but stick with it. It is rather suspenseful at times, and the ending is worth the wait. I admit, I was not a fan of Jessica Knoll's first book "Luckiest Girl Alive", but I did enjoy this one much more. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a 'good' (but are they really?) reality tv show. I wouldn't really call this book a thriller, but it was a fun, gossipy, scandalous, book that I rather enjoyed.

Thanks again to Netgalley and Simon and Shuster.

I always think I’m going to like Jessica Knoll’s books more than I actually do. Halfway into this book and I had no idea what was going on. The characters all seemed to be the same (like reading an episode of The Bachelor — am I reading about the brunette drunk or the blonde addicted to Xanax — they present as the same person….) and then those “twists” kept happening. Nothing and nobody was reliable. I didn’t hate it enough to stop reading, but most of the time I was annoyed I was still reading. The ending wasn’t necessarily shocking, because everyone was an idiot and I wouldn’t have been surprised to hear that any of the characters killed her. (This is more a 2.5 star book, but rounded up.)

The show features strong women who manage their own businesses. Sparks fly between cast members, as they must on a reality show. But when sisters become cast mates, the gloves are off (at least behind the scenes).

I loved the idea of this book, but it wasn’t a good fit for me. At times I was confusing the characters. That being said, I think this will sell. Many people are fascinated with celebrity stories.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

There is no one to like in this book.  Don't go into it expecting to find a person you can like or relate to.  These women are freaking horrible humans.  But I still wanted to keep reading and find out more.



I liked Luckiest Girl Alive more, but The Favorite Sister was still a really good second book for Jessica Knoll.



The book starts out in present day with Kelly as the narrator.  We find out that her sister, Brett, was killed and we don't know why or how.  The story then goes back in time a bit.  At that point, the narration alternates between Brett and Stephanie.  



Brett, Stephanie, Lauren, and Jen are all a part of a reality tv show, Goal Diggers.  They each have their own role in the show and pretty much stick to it.  Brett is the heavier, tattooed lesbian.  Lauren is the fun girl who drinks too much.  Stephanie is the only girl of color that also wrote books, including her memoir about being in an abusive relationship.  She is the only one who is married.  Jen is the health nut, skinny vegan.



Brett's sister, Kelly, is being brought into the new season of the show.  It's mostly because of her twelve year old daughter who is model beautiful.  Kelly helps Brett with her charity which plays a large part in the book.



Each of these women are catty, lying, backstabbers.  There are little things that come out about each one throughout the story which kept it interesting.  I had to keep reading to find out the truth about each of them and what happened to Brett.  



I'm not a fan of reality tv in general, but I still really enjoyed all the aspects to it in this book.  I am keeping this review short so I don't have to put in any spoilers.  This is going to be one of those books that you either love or hate.  I ended up liking it a lot and gave it 4 stars.  



Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this one early.

I just could not finish this book, and that is a rarity for me. I could not keep the characters straight, the storyline was boring and tedious and the author’s style was just not for me. It seemed that the author was trying to solve all of the problems that women have with characters that have few redeeming qualities. There are five main characters and all are equally selfish and unlikeable. I just could not get into the book and finish it because there was absolutely no connection there. Readers need to be warned that this is heavy on gay rights, and unless that is your cup of tea, you will be offended by a lot of the book. I only read about 10%, after trying to force myself to read it, and I was offended by the language and the general lack of morality from page one. I expected a murder mystery and was reading a diatribe on women attracting other women and trying to be best of the worst. I wish the publisher and author success, but this book and author are not for me.

The synopsis of this story had me so intrigued, that I put this novel before several others on my to-be-read pile, only to be let down. To begin with there are so many different characters (and they are all introduced in rapid succession), that even at the end, I was still referring back to the synopsis on who was who. It became overwhelming, and to be honest, confusing. I found myself having to read the same passages more than once in some spots as I tried to figure out what was going. It quickly became tedious.

The story does pick up a little more than halfway through, but by then the damage was done. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, and to be honest I wasn't invested in any of them enough to really care about the outcome. There are a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews though, so I'm probably in the minority.

I will say there were some laugh out loud moments, and the author does have a solid writing style, I'm just not sure this story was for me. Overall, I am sure this story may still appeal to those who enjoy reality shows, and/or this type of novel. I would give this author a second chance.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

DNF @ 8%

This book was confusing - too many characters right away, and it drops you in the middle and digs a little at the sides and expects you to keep up. I have no patience for that. I like a clear, concise story with a linear approach. Start at the beginning and work through. I gave up with the line, "she's like John Nash with a great rack." No, thanks. I'm good. Next!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! This mystery thriller is so fascinating because it involves women who are cast in a reality television show called Goal Diggers, which makes it seem especially timely and also provides an excellent backdrop for dark comedy, social commentary, and murder.

This was told from alternating first person perspectives, which was the perfect way for this story to unfold. I could not tear myself away as twist after twist was revealed. I found myself so engrossed, and this was so well written and realistic, that I forgot that I was reading a work of fiction. The characters are believable and complex, and their voices seem authentic. This book is marinated in pop culture references. This is the perfect read for the beach, vacation, or escape. It is easy to read and entertaining, while at the same time very thought provoking.

Sadly, this book fell very flat for me. I am a fan of Jessica Knoll's and was looking forward to reading this book, because I loved her first book "Luckiest Girl Alive," but I was disappointed. There are so many characters and so many details that I was confused and constantly rereading to make sure I was following. Overall, I had a hard time keeping the characters straight and the plot didn't grab me and make me care. And, the details were exactly like an episode of The Real Housewives of NYC that at times it felt too close to the tv show and not original enough.

I read Jessica Knoll's last book The Luckiest Girl Alive and it was not my favorite. But, WOW this book was absolutely amazing. I loved the fresh take of the setting of the book being a reality TV show. I am obsessed with reality TV so this premise was perfect for me.

I loved connecting with all of the cast members. Each of the women featured on the show Goal Diggers was an interesting and complex character. They each had their own problems and feuds and story lines. I also really enjoyed that not much of the actual mystery was given away in the beginning and middle of the book. You are given just enough hints to know that something happens but have no idea what led to it. If I had the time I would have been able to sit down and read this book in one sitting! That should tell you how much I enjoyed it right there!

Thank you so much for letting me read and give my opinions on this book! If you can't tell I loved it!

What a guilty pleasure read! It was like watching a much more salacious Real Housewives show.

It follows 5 women who star in a reality TV show called “Goal Diggers”. It was easy to follow along with the different women as they are very well defined and different. Throughout the book each character is hiding so many secrets and you think you have it all figured out, but then are shocked when the story goes in a completely different direction.

The ending is a little abrupt and definitely leaves you wanting more, but all in all a fun read.

Head spinning twists! I really enjoyed this sophomore book, but not as much as her first. Glad I read it though. You won't be disappointed.

This book was an exhausting read to get through.
I know that doesn't sell it too well, but this isn't going to be a book that many can get behind anyway.

If you are a fan on The Real Housewives series on Bravo, then you will be able to relate and connect with the storyline and it's obnoxious and self absorbed characters. If you are not a fan, I can't see this being able to hold your interest for very long.

Personally-I think its premise is so relevant to today's pop culture, but the biggest reason for the higher rating is for the sheer brilliance of the writing. (And yes, I happen to be a huge Housewives fan)

Knoll held me captive with her first book, [book:Luckiest Girl Alive: A Novel|36373750], and her ability to create a character full of snarkiness, delusion, insecurities and craziness, yet still get me to feel empathy for her.
Here, she was able to do the same thing again, but times 5. 5 separate women who will do whatever it takes to stay relevant, outshine the other, and keep the spotlight on themselves-even if it comes to murder.

But this book isn't without its issues, as you will see from plenty of other reviews. As for me:
-I think the chapters where too long, and I learned to read to the end of the chapter before quitting for the day, as it took way too much time to figure out what was going on, who's POV I was reading, etc. when I started back up.
-The mystery of the death of the main character seemed to take a back seat to the backstabbing and cruelty these women threw at each other. Because of this, there was a lack of suspense that typically propels me forward, eagerly wanting to get tot the end where it's all revealed. Even the twist seemed to fall a bit flat to me.

So-do I recommend this read?
If you are a Bravo fan, I say Yes! Even though I knew a lot of the behind the scenes stuff, there was a lot I learned as well about how these shows are filmed.
If you've never watched, I'd give this a go, as you might be surprised how you take to these women.
But if you have watched and aren't a fan, then I can honestly say that this won't change your mind!

Looking forward to what comes next from this author, as she certainly writes outside the box!

ARC provided by NetGalley

This book just wasn’t a good fit for me. I hate reality tv and women who tear each other down to elevate themselves. Soooo, clearly i wasn’t the intended audience. I really liked the author’s last book and thought I would enjoy this one. But it’s not for me.

The book was a lot of fun but the way the author drops so many references, plus how many characters you have to keep in mind, can lead to re-reading many paragraphs to make sure you’re really getting what they’re trying to convey. I appreciated the author’s mostly conscious & loving critique of the feminist movement but I could have gone without someone “appropriating” the lgbtq community.

I give this book a solid 4 stars. Jessica Knoll really knows how to make you feel like you are actually watching a reality show/being behind the scenes of one. I really enjoyed the writing style of this book and had a hard time putting it down. I just had to figure out the answers to the murder of Brett. I did find this to be more of just a drama than a thriller, but that did not bother me.