Member Reviews
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.
The book begins with descriptions of the two sisters, one of whom is dead.
The mystery is who killed her. Five of the women are on a reality show.
They tend to be catty and back biting. Most of the book is dialog from each woman’s point of view. I found it hard to get into this book. I never could relate or even learn to like any of the characters. The women and their various relationships never grabbed my interest. I think readers interested in reality TV shows might enjoy this book. This just was not the book for me.
I absolutely love Knoll's writing. This was an incredible book. So much drama and sooo insanely messy. It was a mystery to the end.
I thought the plot line for this novel sounded fantastic: behind the scenes of a cutthroat women's reality TV show? Sign me up! The drama between each character could rival any Bravo! series, and the secrets each is carrying is the stuff of tabloids. So why did I give this book only three stars? Well, for starters, the cultural commentary is incredibly distracting, especially in the first few chapters. It wasn't just a character having a throw-away line degrading our society or something from our culture. There were several lines, and sometimes full paragraphs, where the character would go on a tirade about some aspect of our society. It was like when Zac would break the "fourth wall" in <i>Saved By the Bell</i> -- just not as funny. There were <b>SIX</b> cultural commentary "breaks" in the first chapter alone! Knoll weaned off a bit after that, but Part One of the book had so many of these cultural commentaries that I started to disengage from the story. Things picked up during Part Three and sticking with the book was totally worth it, but it was a rough go for me for a while there. The ending was quite the plot twist, but there were still some plot holes left behind that bothered me when all was said and done. I would read another work by Knoll but the critical cultural commentary needs to be more subtly infused next time...
I've never been interested in watching reality TV, but I really enjoyed this fictional account of what goes on behind the scenes of a reality show that pits women against each other to boost ratings. Every character had a distinct personality and the plot moved quickly and (for the most part) believably. While a couple twists were a bit predictable, most of the reveals were timed perfectly, much like a well-produced reality show.
The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll has so many characters, so many storylines that you need a scorecard Ar first. Then, page by page, they all line up and you’re trapped in these mean girls’ lives. It’s a wild ride!
This sophomore novel from Jessica Knoll probably isn't something I would have picked up on my own but since I read Luckiest Girl Alive, the publisher reached out with a pre-production copy of The Favorite Sister. During my beach vacation, it seemed like the perfect kind of distraction to my brain and it definitely fit the bill.
Be aware going in there are a LOT of characters to keep track of as the set and cast of a fictional reality TV program convenes for a new season. I found myself flipping back to make sure I knew which character description was in which plot twist. Especially since a lot of them are similar in name (Jen and Jesse for example) it becomes a pretty tangled web pretty quickly. Throw in that there are both real and contrived storylines happening all at once and there is just a lot going on there.
Overall, though, the setting was well suited for the types of duplicitous actions the ladies went through and it exposes the unreality of reality programming. I wish there were more actual solidarity and less backstabbing and conniving between the ladies just to make it a little more palatable but, in the end, it served its purpose of helping me soak up the sun and turn off my overloaded brain for a little while.
This is the story about a bunch of narcissistic women from a reality show. They all have secrets to hide, many of which the readers learn about along the way. At the end of filming the new season, one ends up murdered. The book alternates between current day interviews and the events leading up to the last big weekend. Loads of drama!
I had a very hard time finishing this book. The story was hard to follow and harder to get into. None of the characters were likable. I had to read this in small doses because I just didn't like it. I will say that near the end the story got more interesting but it also moved quicker. I didn't like the actual ending either.
The web of lies and twists that are in this book are going to have you hooked. The story takes place as the characters are returning to their reality tv show "Goal Diggers". As you can probably guess you cannot have reality tv without drama. I was drawn to this book because I absolutely love Jessica's writing style and reality tv. However, even if you haven't read her debut "Luckiest Girl Alive" (which you should) or don't watch much reality tv, the complexity and darkness of each character will keep you turning the page. There's intrigue, gossip, scandal, twists, an original conversation starter on today's topics.
If you think relationships are hard. Female relationships are worse. They can be the best of the best or the worst of the worst. Even between good friends, fake friends, and sometimes friends lines can get blurred and we make mistakes. While reading this book you'll identify some part of yourself, the frank, blasé part you barely let through to others. Frankly, I think there's a Regina George in all of us and Jessica weaves a story that lets us into the lives of women who will do anything to get what they want.
This book involves a large cast of characters each with a very distinct voice so pay close attention. Its pace is just right, making the reading experience nearly cinematic, moving steadily as the action rises. Also, I recommend trying to get into the frame of mind of how a reality tv show is presented for tv. For example, you have the story play out then you get the character's perspective and then you get commentary responses from others. I really enjoyed this book, it's scandalous and out for revenge. It is a must read!!
I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this at the moment. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!
Real Housewives with an edgy twist---Jessica Knoll's The Favorite Sister was an engaging read that kept me intrigued. I was a big fan of the multiple perspectives, even though I found myself disliking all of the characters in this book quite a bit. However, despite their numerous flaws, many of the characters had interesting back stories, such as Stephanie, an African American woman adopted by affluent white parents or Kelly, a teen mom who was thrust into motherhood unexpectedly. Overall, Jessica Knoll continues to be a fun author, and I look forward to reading more of her work!
It took a while for me to get into this book, but I didn't quit because it has a great premise. There were just a lot of characters and small details to remember and piece together from chapter to chapter. It finally grabbed my undivided attention at around 60% in. I liked all the twists and the fact that I was left pondering some pondering the negative influences of social media and the misconceptions we often have about people in the public eye.
I really liked this book and found it pretty entertaining! It took me a while to get into the story line but once I did, I didn't want to stop scrolling through the pages on my kindle. I definitely recommend this book and will be reading more from this author!
This story about a reality show called Gold Diggers was full of high seekers, and back stabbers. Brett was one who rose to the top and was engaged to her girlfriend. Her older sister Kyle was recently included but was sworn to keep the secret of her sister.
Brett and Kelly Courtney are sisters who have always challenged one another. Now that Kelly is being included in the show that Brett has starred in for four seasons, tensions are sure to rise. Along with Stephanie, Jen, and Lauren, these women have some dark secrets that no one would ever expect. When Brett mysteriously dies, only a few people know the truth. I guarantee this story will take you on a wild ride.
I fell in love with this story. I wanted to love each of the characters, but there is a shocking amount of secrets between each of these women. This story breaks into the lives of what realty television is really like. It's extremely well-written, and kept my attention until the very end. I highly recommend this book!
Fantastic Read! Luckiest Girl Alive was one of those books I constantly recommended and reader would come back and thank me for the suggestion. I've been looking for the authors follow-up and this book did not disappoint! I will definitely be recommending this book to everybody!
Think housewives of NYC or Beverly Hills meets mainstream America, or so you think. This fiction book seamlessly marries the reality and fiction so you don’t know where one begins and the other ends you can envision filming scenes from the book... but are they real?
The characters interact in both expected and unexpected ways. And a mystery underlies it all,,,.
This is a great way to get teens and adult readers introduced to chick lit meets murder and mayhem! Loved reading through this and found the characters engaging and fun to tag along with.
I was excited to read Jessica Knoll's second book The Favorite Sister after reading and loving The Luckiest Girl Alive. The Favorite Sister was very reality showish, which makes since given the main characters are from a reality show. That normally wouldn't be my thing (I hate reality shows, sorry). However, the way Jessica Knoll writes it and the added suspense of who killed fan favorite Brett was enough to keep me reading. There were so many twists and lies I honestly didn't know what to expect next and I truly had no clue who did it. The Favorite Sister ended up being a shocking and catty murder mystery with just enough reality show to make it different from what I've read before. I ended up really enjoying it and can't wait for Jessica's next novel. She truly is a wonderful author.
Jessica Knoll’s THE FAVORITE SISTER feels like you’re reading a book about some super wild, well, back-stabbing, get me to the finish line whatever it takes women. And, you are. These women make up a reality TV series that is as cut-throat as it comes. We see the evil underbelly of the world of scripted TV that shows what goes on before the cameras start rolling. How the producers create friction and how the cast members are out for themselves and alliances mean nothing. Even if you are sisters.
Brett is the super star business owner and current leader of the pack of Goal Diggers, the show made up of uber successful women. Her sister and business partner is the newcomer.
Someone is dead, and you have no idea who did it. Whether or not you indulge in this type of entertainment, if you like a wicked tale, with characters so deeply flawed and vicious, you will want to try to understand what makes them unable to be satisfied with what they have without sacrificing their TV sisters.
Sinister yet amusing, and always, dreadful secrets that must be kept.