I hated this book. I couldn’t even finish the second chapter. I have no idea where this book is going but I’m not wasting another minute on it.

This was a DNF for me. There was just too much info dumping, no connection with any of the characters and a storyline that went nowhere.

This is a tongue-in-cheek look at stereotypes portrayed on reality TV written in the same bitter, compelling voice as LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE. Though we know what’s going to happen in the end right from the beginning, the journey is wild, at once deliciously bitter, hopeful, and heartbreaking.

Let’s be clear. This book is not a murder mystery, although there is a murder and a mystery. This book is about the makings of a reality show and just how sick and twisted that can get. I found the characters almost wholly unlike able and yet still wanted to read about them. It was a mediocre ending to a book I’d been enjoying. If the ending has been tightened up a bit in editing, it would have been better.

This book was not for me, and I should have realized it earlier but I was curious. It was far too much like The Real Housewives series which I dislike. But the story was well written and I am sure I would have liked it more if I enjoyed those sort of shows in real life.

Ugh. I don't know why I thought this book might be better than "Luckiest Girl Alive." This was just not my cup of tea. I found it confusing to keep up with, I found the characters totally unlikable, and then ending? As bad as the first book. I don't recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley, who provided an advance e-book copy of this novel, in exchange for an honest book review. The Favorite Sister, is a book about sibling rivalry, and the rivalry between a number of women who are on the reality tv show, Goal Diggers. The show is about young, successful women, and the women on the show will do anything to stay on the cast of the show. Every year, someone leaves and someone new begins their journey on the next season. Brett is the golden child on the show. She has been on the show from the beginning and wants to be on the show for as long as possible. When a slot opens, she offers her sister as a possible new member. Even though Brett knows she won’t be cast... or will she? What would happen if you put siblings together, stir the pot and watch it boil. This book will tell you that, and a whole lot more about 5 women on a reality tv show. There are many twists and turns... and I found my head spinning trying to keep track of them all. I found that it became harder and harder to have any empathy for the characters, as they were so rediculous with the things they did to each other and often to themselves, as well. While it was hard to get into the story, I did eventually get caught up in wanting to know what happens. I just didn’t care much, once I knew.

very well written book, thought the pacing was excellent and kept me interested. Would like to read more from this author going forward.

As a massive reality TV fan, this book was right up my alley. I fully expected to love it, and it did keep me engaged. It's well written, and while it took me a few chapters to get into it, once I did, I didn't want to stop reading. The problem, though, is that much about the way the story played out bothered me. Initially I was going to give 3.5 stars, rounded to four, but the more I thought about it, the more things simply didn't work for me.

I've detailed the issues in my Goodreads review, because it allows me to block out spoilers for people who don't want to see them. Didn't want to post them here.

With a great book, usually the more I think about it after the fact, the more I'm impressed with the way the author wove things together. Here, the threads just all keep unraveling.

Murder and betrayal behind the scenes of a reality TV show. It troubled me a bit that I picked up on all the references to REAL HOUSEWIVES, but I liked the snarky characters and their secrets and the contemporary feel of the story. It made me pick up Jessica Knoll's first book, and I'll read whatever she writes after THE FAVORITE SISTER.

In Jessica Knoll's 'The Favorite Sister', five hyper-successful women agree to appear on a reality series set in New York City called "Goal Diggers". Brett is the fan favorite and has caused jealousy and bitterness between her other castmates. Kelly, Brett's older sister and business partner, is a recent hire on the show and has been deemed as the "hanger-on" by the others. The golden child growing up, she defers to Brett now—a role which requires her to protect their shocking secret. Brett's former best friend on the show, Stephanie, is the author of erotic novels. Her story line used to be about her is he/isn't he cheating husband, but now the focus has turned to the fight between her and Brett, causing resentment and disdain in Steph.
This book was such an amazing ride. It was like getting access to behind the scenes of your favorite "Real Housewives..." or other popular reality series. I usually can figure out the "big secret" and/or "big reveal" at the end of novels like this, but Knoll, happily, surprised me. I was truly shocked by the ending of the book and found that this was one of those books that I thought about long after I read the last page. The women in the book are not likable, but they're real. Can you honestly say that fame and money and power wouldn't go to your head? I enjoyed the hell out of this book and will definitely read her first novel 'Luckiest Girl Alive'. I can't wait to see what Knoll writes next.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved this authors first book and I loved this one even more! The ending had me by complete surprise!

I wanted to love this book. It simply wasn't the book for me. I couldn't get past the slow start and the increasing difficulty to like the narrators. Reading this book was a bit of a chore for me. 2.5/5

I hated her first novel so I was apprehensive about this one and I think sort of determined not to like it? I ended up liking it. The subject matter - sort of a behind the scenes of a reality TV show - was not thrilling to me, but there was a large backdrop of women's issues and feminism and how women will fucking eat each other alive to be who the world wants them to be and, well, you can see what that brings as this comes to a conclusion.

Free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book comes out in May

2.5-3.0 Stars. I don't know if I'm just off with my upcoming move overseas or what, but it took me almost to the half way point in this book to just get all the characters straight. I wish the character development was a little stronger because I had a hard time following and figuring out who was who.
Once I got a grasp on the characters, the book did obviously become more enjoyable. The book has a "Real Housewives" vibe as successful women are being filmed for a reality TV show, which I really thought I'd enjoy but maybe watching the drama on TV is more entertaining than reading about petty girl drama. I was under the impression a murder was the main focus of the novel, however there was so much build up, the murder discussion didn't happen until about 80% into the book. So once I got interested and into it, it was over so quickly. I think the ending was strong and tied everything together, it was just slow to get going on this one.

**Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Simon & Schuster for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. **

This was an enjoyable book to read. Each chapter was told from a different character's point of view, which is a narration device I enjoy. There were enough varying plot points to keep the story going, but at the same time, it moved a little slow for me (which is why I give it 3 stars instead of 4). There were many twists and surprises, some more shocking than others. The author's portrayal of "behind the scenes" of reality tv seemed very on point and her exploration of the female dynamic and relationships was also very intriguing. If you are a fan of the Real Housewives franchise, this is a must read. Even if you are not, you will enjoy hearing each woman's backstory, and see how it all ends!

Some of the most unlikable characters ever in any book. The whole lot of them are terrible and not worth rooting for. There are also a lot of women to keep track of and I didn’t do a good job of remembering who was who throughout. The “inside look” at reality television was interesting, but not enough to actually recommend this one to anyone.

Thanks to netgalley for the advanced copy of the book.

I enjoyed this novel, although not as much as her first book, which was The Luckiest Girl in the World. What was best about this story of five successful women on a reality TV show was the ending, which provided lots of fun unexpected twists and turns.

Getting to that ending was a little challenging because the story is told from the points of view of the five different women on the show. I read this in ebook format, and woe is me if I had to put the book down in the middle of a chapter—it would always take a couple pages to remember whose POV I was reading from. I always write down notes about the different characters, and thank goodness I did, because in addition to the five main women, there is a daughter and all the various female folks running the show. Trying to keep all the names straight was a challenge, especially because I had to put the book down for a week because life got in the way.

The “favorite sister” is about two of the sisters on the program this season. Brett, a lesbian entrepreneur who was one of the leading characters on season one, is joined this season by her older sister Kelly, who had been the golden child growing up, but now works for Brett. The tension between them is just one of many rivalries on the show—some of the controversies are contrived for television, but not this one.
All of the characters are necessarily cut-throat and looking out for their own business and success, hiding lots of secrets that are revealed over the course of the story.

I’m not a “reality” TV fan, but the way the true secrets versus the made-for-TV rivalries made for some enjoyable reading.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to review this book, which RELEASES MAY 15, 2018.

I love the reality TV, esp the Realhouswives series so I thought this wouldn’t disappoint me. I tried to get into this one but had a hard time caring enough about the characters. I was in love more with the idea of the book than the actual plot. I had to force my way through this one. I had such high hopes. #netgalley #lesigh

The Favorite Sister is about five very successful and ambition women who are on a reality TV show called, Goal Diggers. We learn at the very beginning that by the end of the season, one of the cast members ends up dead. Through a series of changing P.O.V.’s we learn about the women and how one of them could possibly end up dead.

To start, I am not a fan of the Housewives of “Where ever” tv show. I have caught blips of a few episodes here and there, but I’ve never really got the point. The women always fight then make up, friends become enemies, and someone has a break down. Rinse and repeat. This book is all that. Don’t get me wrong, I love some catty gossipness and have seen my share of reality tv, but so much of this was just MEAN - when the premise of the show was supposed to be that the women are GOAL ORIENTED business women helping each other. The women in this book are caricatures, but honestly, I could not tell them apart for most of the book as they all had the same “voice.” They are despicable and unlikable; none of them having any redeeming qualities. I found it difficult to get through most of the book, because all they did was hate on each other. There were too many times where I couldn’t tell if the women were really friends or playing like they hated each other for tv. I couldn’t tell what side any of them of them were on. There were a lot of important issues put into this book, but the characters got so preachy about them that I tended to zone out on the message.

The book picks up in the last 100 pages or so, but by then I was worn out. There was one twist that I didn’t expect, but the ending turned out to be lackluster and anti-climatic.