The must-read suspense novel of the summer about a mysterious sister's disappearance, her biggest betrayal and a deadly truth screaming to come out.
Two sisters went missing on their class trip—Grace, the outgoing athlete who is friends with just about everyone, and Maddy, the wallflower wilting in her sister’s shadow who'd rather absorb herself in her journal than talk to her classmates.
But when Grace is found—injured, with no memory of what happened—everybody thinks she’s lying. It’s hard not to look guilty with Maddy’s blood on her clothes.
Desperate to save her sister—and prove her own innocence—Grace must piece together what happened on that school trip with the help of her sister’s notebook and classmates who may not be telling the police everything that about that tragic night.
She will discover her sister’s secrets can’t stay quiet…but what if her own are the most terrifying of all?
Wow! I feel like I have been struck by lightning! After turning the last page, tears streaming down my face, I found myself sitting on the couch, staring at the wall, immersed in thoughts about this extraordinary book and its captivating protagonists, Grace and Maddy. Their story not only touched my heart but left an indelible emotional scar that lingers.
Some books go beyond the conventional five-star rating; they deserve a grading system that denotes their exceptional nature. This book unequivocally falls into the category of plus 5 stars—truly remarkable and deserving of extra praises, applause, adoration, and high recommendations. The two words that come to mind to describe it are intelligent and poignant. As I delved into the last third of the book, I was both shocked, as if the rug had been pulled out from under me, and moved to tears, with my emotions flowing like a torrent that threatened to blur the words on the page. It felt like driving in a car on a rainy day when the windshield wipers suddenly cease to work.
The plot centers around a significant mystery: during a class trip, two sisters go missing. While Grace is found injured, her sister Maddy remains lost. The narrative explores the events of that fateful night when the sisters ventured down to the lakeside far from their accommodation. What transpired that night, driving them to leave their rooms?
Grace, grappling with amnesia concerning the incident, confronts the possibility that she might be responsible for her sister's plight. She, the popular girl and star volleyball player, holds a scholarship in a prestigious college, while Maddy, the silent sister and poet, lives in the shadow of her more extroverted sibling. Maddy struggles with feelings of being unseen, unloved, and overlooked, like a second-hand, invisible sister.
Both sisters harbor secrets, conforming to societal expectations dictated by their high school roles. As Grace becomes a person of interest, she must unravel the truth, digging into her sister's life to understand her own role and prove she's not the one who harmed Maddy. But what if she did? What if the harm inflicted is irreparable?
This book transcends the realm of merely being good—it is excellent and utterly fascinating! I applaud Megan Davidhizar until my palms ache. She has secured a spot on my auto-approved author list. Don't miss the chance to read this fantastic book; it deserves a prominent place on your TBR list and an immediate read.
Many thanks to Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for generously sharing this fantastic book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
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a mysterious sister's disappearance, her biggest betrayal and a deadly truth screaming to come out.
💌 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽: ⤿ dual pov of each sister (the past is maddy and the future is grace) ⤿ plot twists ⤿ fast paced
౨ৎ • 𝓹𝓵𝓸𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓶𝓮𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼: grace, the outgoing, popular athlete and maddy, her wallflower sister go missing on a class trip. when grace is found injured with maddy's blood on her clothes and no memory of what occurred, everyone thinks that she's lying. desperate to save her sister and to prove her own innocence, grace grapples to piece together the events leading up to their disappearance.
౨ৎ • 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓹𝓵𝓸𝓽 𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰: the writing was very easy to read and i loved the alternating chapters of each sister and the poems too. they added a fun twist and i found the idea to be very unique and original. this book will not leave you guessing, mainly because you'll know the plot twists very early on and this does detract from it's enjoyability. the ending was my main gripe with this book - i wanted a different conclusion. it was incredibly underwhelming because there was this huge build up and a very boring ending that left me feeling deflated.
౨ৎ • 𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼: the perfect book for a reading slump - a very quick and easy read, but not very memorable.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!
_
☾.°✧౨ৎ tbr-review:
aaa i got approved!! i haven't had a good thriller in ages so if the ending sucks i will SOB
but anyway thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc!
"But the ones we love the hardest sometimes hurt us the most."
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:・・:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°
☆ Synopsis During a class trip, two girls go missing. Popular, volleyball player Grace is found injured but her wallflower sister Maddy's whereabouts remain unknown. Grace has no memory of the entire trip and everyone thinks she's lying. Desperate to find her sister and prove her innocence, Grace begins to piece together what happened that fateful night and discovers that everyone around her is harbouring many secrets, including Maddy.
☆ My thoughts
Wow, where do I even start? This book was easy to read and beautifully written. It handles topics of grief, jealousy, guilt, and the many other emotions that come with being a teenager. I flew through it quickly once I got into it and grew to love the characters, especially Grace, Maddy and Adrien. The characters all felt like real people, they were complex and messy, just as real people are. I especially loved how grief, love and pain were handled throughout the book and the ending was extremely satisfying as it tied everything up touchingly without feeling rushed. I did predict the big twist at the end but I'm not mad about that as I think it was handled excellently and I couldn't have asked for a more fulfilling ending. This is an excellent read for those interested in YA/suspenseful thrillers. I highly recommend if you enjoy the works of other writers in the genre such as Holly Jackson. Loved this book and I can't wait to read future novels from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.25 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 Very underrated. Must become more popular. This book has one of the most different and unique endings in YA thrillers.
Characters were well fleshed out and even though it was a fast paced thriller, it did feel dragged out at times. Dual POV with past and present timelines helped in making this book so good.
2/19, 5:23 PM- Before I start, I just want to say that if this is some “it was her all along” twin bullshit I will quit thrillers forever.
2/19, 9:03 PM- well, fuck.
It was a unique way to go about it, but if I can guess what the twist is just from the synopsis…you did something wrong. And yes, I revised my theory when I found out they weren’t twins to “this better not be her pretending to be her sister or forgetting that she’s her”.
Also, Maddy was annoying AF and so whiny and making it an accident was a cop out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I thought I figured out the twist pretty early on, but then the author put enough doubts into my head to make me retract my theory—only to find out that I was right the first time! Megan Davidhizar is *good* is building suspense and giving just enough clues and information to make you think you’ve figured out the mystery. Her characters are believable, and you really feel like you’re on “Senior Sabbatical” with the rest of the 12th graders. The pranks, the rumors, the pettiness, & name-calling, along with the lifelong memories being made.
There’s always some kind of trip or event senior year that makes you reevaluate life and realize that high school is not everything. You won’t even see most of these people again once you graduate. It’s both a heady and a sobering thought. The author put me right there again, as an awkward 18-year-old. I identified with Maddy more than I care to truly admit. Small talk has never been my forté, and I was often the one ignored or talked over in social settings, growing up. So I certainly can understand her feelings. Grace seems to have it all, effortlessly. It’s hard to live up to that. But even though Grace seems to be perfect, what’s hiding underneath that flawless facade? Could it be that both sisters have secrets?
As we go back and forth in time, between each sister’s perspective, more and more tidbits are given, and more and more possible suspects emerge. It gets REALLY good in the last three quarters…I flipped those pages like a madwoman!
Get this on your To-Read list if you like thrillers! I can’t wait to see what Davidhizar comes up with next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Ngl I was expecting a murder mystery plot but just got a bunch of teen angst.... I'm not mad about it per say but... just a little disappointed by it. But nevertheless, it was a pretty good story. ------------------------------------------
This story took my by surprise tbh.... Like I was expecting a murder mystery and somewhat got that but I think the author did a good job of adding the elements of angst that all teenagers go through. I felt for Maddy and Grace and could connect with both of them in different ways.
I connected with Grace as the eldest sister, always feeling the need to be perfect and be an over-achiever. Girly very much has imposter syndrome and I stand with her. Her and Maddy's relationship dynamic was also very telling as you can tell she's trying so hard to not be a disappointment but she's failing to see the pain of others around her like Maddy's and Jade's (? I think that's her name?).
As for Maddy, she's the exact opposite of Grace. She's into literature, poetry, is an introvert, and just seems invisible. I see myself in Maddy as she's inherently introverted and it's hard for shy people to get friends... but Maddy's insecurities are a big flaw she has and she's almost so buried in self-pity that she can't see what's right in front of her.
Like both sisters, I felt distant from my own once but after being away from each other and talking more we got to a better place and are really close now. The big thing for this book was that there seems to be a lot of miscommunication and misdirected hatred towards one another despite loving each other at the same time...
Lowkey.... I also blame the parents for putting them in the same grade and not seeing how Grace made Maddy feel and vice-versa... Maddy would've done well a grade level below as she wouldn't have to be compared to her sister so much.... Also... Grace really needs to get her head out the clouds and actually look at the hurt she's causing...
But nevetheless, I enjoyed the resolution to this book and will try another book by this author... but I don't see myself ever really reading this again so I might just donate my physical arc.
Grace e Maddy sono due sorelle, nate a 9 mesi di distanza, che potrebbero essere gemelle per quanto si somigliano esteticamente. Il loro carattere invece è completamente diverso, Grace è solare e risoluta, Maddy invece è silenziosa e riservata. Durante una gita di fine anno scolastico, prima del diploma, spariscono nel nulla. Grace viene ritrovata poi, una mattina, ferita e confusa, sul ciglio di una strada. Maddy invece non si trova. Grace non ricorda nulla di quello che sia successo, ne di quello che è successo nei giorni precedenti.
Il romanzo è tutto basato sul giocare sull'incertezza della protagonista, nella sua mente confusa, generando nel lettore la curiosità di continuare a leggere per trovare ogni pezzo, che come un puzzle andrà a posto nel finale che è sorprendente. Il ritmo è serrato e ipnotico con una scrittura limpida e molto intensa che genera un thriller psicologico che intrappola il lettore nelle sue pagine.
Io ve lo super consiglio, agli amanti del genere in ogni caso!
This book makes you feel it all - grief, love, and acceptance.
Maddy and Grace, are sisters who go on their senior class trip together. Both go missing, only one comes back. With no memory of what happened, this book follows Grace who desperately is trying to piece together the events of the trip. Through the book, we learn more about Grace and Maddy’s relationship. But in uncovering the secrets surrounding her sister’s disappearance, she’s forced to face her own secrets if she wishes to uncover what happened.
I really enjoyed this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and kept my interest. Highly recommend! 😊
Grace and Maddy are sisters in their senior year of school. They attend their senior sabbatical and jealousies arise and they both go missing. Grace is found covered in blood with no memory of that night. This is an exciting story that I couldn’t hardly put down. Thanks NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this eARC that will be released August 6, 2024!
As a young adult psychological thriller, this is a good choice for tweens or teens who want a gentler —no gore, no spice — entry into thrillers. While I think it's solid for that age group, most readers older than that will likely find the plot a little too flimsy. The twist was not satisfactory — both the culprit/motive and the shock twist — and didn’t feel very believable.
It was an ok read; the author did a good job in engaging the reader into the main plot since the start; however, as the story continued, I started to lose interest in the story and characters. The plot twists were underwhelming; I was expecting a more intense and exciting conclusion to the story.
Maddie and Grace are Irish twins, born just ten months apart. Some students in their private school senior class think they are twins. The girls couldn’t be more different. Outgoing, popular jock Grace shines in the spotlight, introverted poet Maddie think she’s the inferior sister.
After an overnight school trip, Grace is found on the side of the road and Maddie is missing. Grace has no memory of what happened when the police question her in the hospital.
SILENT SISTER is a story of sisters, sibling rivalry, love and finding your place in a world that sees you as an outcast.
I didn’t just like SILENT SISTER, I loved it. I enjoyed the story so much, I listened to the audiobook immediately after finishing. SILENT SISTER has all the feels and angst of a young woman on the precipice of adulthood wanting desperately to be deserving of love.
how does one come up with this.. the storyline was so creative and the plot twist at the end made the book flow nicely and smoothy. from the start until the end i was hooked and even before getting to 50%, i already knew that this book would have a high rating. the only reason why i didn't rate this book a 5 is because i lwk got a bit confused with the different characters especially the investigators/detectives
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND PUBLISHER FOR THIS ADVANCE REVIEW COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Grace and Maddy are sisters who look alike but couldn't be more different. Their school offers a sabbatical trip in the final trip which is considered a life-changing event but in a good way. Although, it unexpectedly changed Stoll's sister's life. One was found injured near the road and the other was missing. Grace is struggling with her memory and can't remember what happened in the last week. She is desperate to find her sister but her memory is not helping neither her friends.
The start of the book was interesting but with time story kept going in circles and I lost interest. There was so much happening but felt unnecessary and dragged. I like a few aspects of the book how communication is important and other stuff but the writing let it down. It took me a week to finish this book as I wasn't curious to get to know what was happening in the story. The twist surprised me a bit so that's a positive thing. Although, I found the ending underwhelming.
I think it's important to go into this blind but basically: crazy crazyyyy plot twist & a cutie romance cameo with a splash of thriller and also randomly pretty cool poetry. I ate this up!
I read a fair number of mysteries, though not usually the YA variety, so I picked this up without specific expectations. It was a quick read, one that kept me not wanting to put it down because I really wanted the truth to be revealed.
The author does a good job of portraying teenagers - their relationships, struggles, and weaknesses. If Maddy sometimes came across as a bit whiny, well that made her real as the overlooked sibling of an outgoing, popular sister. All of the ingredients of senior year are mixed in - prom, scholarships, jealousy, pettiness . . . you get the idea. There's a good blend of characters, with a mix of maturity, goals, & attitudes that one would expect from a group of 17-18 year olds. As a YA novel, this is really well done.
As a mystery, I may have compared this too severely to adult fiction. I think younger readers will like the twists, but I had my suspicions of how this was going to end way too early on. Some good bits are included to throw the reader off track, and I occasionally wondered if my theory was wrong. I wished it was, because I think the ending could have had more impact. I won't give any more than that away.
I would definitely recommend this to teenage readers. I think they would learn a bit from the characters & their relatable issues while enjoying the drama of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for my copy of Silent Sister. Opinions expressed are my own.
this book. wow. this. book. it tore me apart and put me back together again. and tore me apart again. i was at the edge of my seat the entire time. i don't think there was a single moment i was able to breathe until the end. near the start i guessed the plot twist (based on a very small hunch & i did have a few other theories swirling in my head !!), but man was it satisfying to read and find out i was right. this book was so so well written, so well put together. i'm in absolute pieces, sobbing after finishing the ending (i swear there's like 9218472 tissues all around me right now). i loved the changing of povs, it tied everything together so perfectly. this has become one of my favorite books of the year and man am i glad i brought it home with me from the bookstore. i'm also really glad that the twist was different from anything i'd ever read before. it was genuinely so refreshing and so interesting and ugh i just love it so so much.
I’m so sick of YA mysteries that look like thrillers but are actually just woe-is-me teen angst.
The characters in this were so annoying and the writing was mediocre. I literally guessed the plot twist before I even started reading, and it wasn’t even done very well.
ALSO no wonder Maddy didn’t get the scholarship her poetry is terrible.
ALSO ALSO the parents shouldn’t have put the girls in the same year just because they wanted to ‘save money on kindergarten fees’, Maddy clearly would’ve benefitted from being independent from her golden sister (the 300 pages of angsty drivel I just sat through confirm this)
It’s YA so I might not be the best one to review this one. It took a while for me to get through this one simply because it wasn’t really holding my attention. At times the pace picked up but then slow down again. I would have loved for each chapter to leave me wanting more but most of the time it didn’t. The twist I could see coming. I may hand this over to my teenager and edit this review with her thoughts.
How did I not see that ending? How?! Dang, this book got me good. This was a really interesting story. Siblings are such complex individuals, and it's easy to feel like you aren't as good as each other. It breaks my heart that Maddie and Grace will never get a chance to be close because of unfortunate circumstances.
What would you do if your siblings was found dead and people thought you did it but you couldn't remember anything? Would you trust yourself knowing that you'd never hurt them?
I love books with siblings. This was a decent read that got me out of my mind during a stressful time. I think that's about all I can say without giving spoilers.
When I really love a book, it's always hard for me to put into words why I loved it so much. I've recently started doing reviews in the form of reasons why I love a book and I'm going to do that today with Silent Sister. I will say that Silent Sister is amazing and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves mysteries and thrillers. So here are four reasons why I loved Silent Sister! I can't say too much, because I always feel you need to know as little as possible when reading mysteries.
1. Dual Timeline Silent Sister is told in then and now. Grace and Maddy go missing during a school trip and Grace is found injured, but Maddy is still missing. I enjoyed seeing the story play out by getting the days that lead up to them going missing and Grace dealing with the aftermath of everything. It slowly gives us the story and definitely had me trying to figure out what was going on.
2. The Reveal I have to say I had a theory at the beginning of the book, and I was almost right. While I normally don't like being right when it comes to books like Silent Sister, it really worked. I felt it was different than a lot of other books I've read. The reveal hit me in all the feels and I have to say I teared up a few times while reading. During the story there are also a few other twists and reveals that definitely get you thinking, but everything comes together so well at the end.
3. The Writing Megan's writing had me hooked from the start and kept me hooked. This story left me guessing, but also had me so invested in these characters. I'm always impressed when an author can make me feel things. I really hope we get more stories from this author, because I need more after Silent Sister.
4. It's Not Just a Mystery Silent Sister is more than just a mystery. This story deals with grief, guilt, finding yourself, friendships, family, and so much more. Lives can be messy and so can relationships with family and friends, but also even with yourself. Your teenage years have you discovering a lot and finding your place in this world. I feel that this story added to that in a really great way.
I wasn't ready for the mindfuck I recieved reading this! There were plenty of moments where the author gives hints as to what's going on but they didn't connect for me until it smacked me in the face. (To be fair though, I probably would've picked up on it earlier if I wasn't multitasking while listening to the audiobook)
Also shout out to Adrian for being an absolute fucking sweetheart I'm obsessed with him. 💗
Fast paced! Not too YA for my students, and I was able to figure out a part of it half way through, which helped me really want to finish it. (Glad I did, so I didn’t have to re-read it to see how the author did that!)