3.5 stars for this engrossing, traumatic, different thriller~

TW: sexual assault, trauma, violence, domestic abuse

This was a pretty good thriller overall. It was a bit different from that which I usually read, which is refreshing. Parts of this were very complex and traumatic. It read almost like a past/present/future tense kind of thriller, where the reader reads through different periods of time during the saga of the Keane sisters. Some of it was very difficult to read, hence the TW above.*

I felt that this thriller started out very strong, tampered out during the middle, and then ramped up again at the end. The middle was quite traumatic and included much of the aforementioned TW categories above. Instead of feeling on the edge of my seat, I was very much thinking "I hope they get the bad guy/guys".

Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for getting to read this ARC!

Tense, Dark, Disturbing..
Secrets and lies, deceit and tragedy. An intriguing suspense with a deep familial drama at its’ core. Who exactly is lying, what do they need to protect and how far will they go? Exactly which sister has the most to hide and would they be prepared to kill to keep their secrets close? Well crafted characters and a slow burn narrative combine to create a tense, dark and often disturbing read.

OK, so I'm in the minority here in that I really couldn't get into this book. I wanted to...I liked the premise and I really wanted to find out what the mysterious secrets were surrounding the sisters...but not enough to keep reading a book I was quite simply bored with. THE BAD SISTER began with an intriguing premise and so therefore, it had promise. But that's where it ended...because the story took so long to build any kind of picture that I simply lost interest.

In a nutshell, I hate slow burns. They take too long to build the story and the tension that I could be on an adrenaline-fueled ride with another thriller that has captured my interest from the first page. I have, on occasion, enjoyed a slow burn but it has to be done in a way that keeps me engaged otherwise I'll go looking for something sparkling and shiny elsewhere. Because honestly, I found the entire tale dull. Admittedly, I only got as far as about 25% before I pulled the plug...and to be honest, that is well and truly enough time to have built any kind of tension and drawn the reader in and keep them there.

What I did glean from the story is that we have three sisters - Teresa, the oldest; Natalie, the middle sister; and Jessica, the youngest and most fragile of the three sisters. There is also a mother who perish the thought you would actually call "mum". Instead she had her daughters call her by her given name, Eva. And then there was Dom, the girls' stepfather. This dysfunctional family, because they really are, lived in a a beautiful luxurious riverside mansion called Raven House. Eva is a habitual drug user and I suspect Dom is too, either that or he simply facilitates Eva's drug use. The woman is the worst kind of mother blaming her daughters for the death of Teresa's twin, Hope, five years before on the now embargoed Raven Island. Never mind the fact that the sisters all feel the loss of their other sister. And so as soon as each girl reaches university age, they escape the prison that is their home with Teresa being the first to leave. When she comes home to visit she brings along her new boyfriend Luke, despite warning him about her very strange and eccentric family. Nobody gets along, it's a wonder they even bothered.

Then Natalie's best friend Juno is murdered and Jessica's convinced she knows who did it. But could she be wrong?

Fast forward to the present day and each of the sisters are married but none of them have much at all to do with each other. Teresa is estranged from both her sisters whilst Natalie would rather not speak to her eldest sister at all, if not for her own daughter Hope (named after their lost sister). Jessica still seems to be a walking and, at least now talking, mess. She married a man fifteen years her senior and I'm not sure why because they don't even seem to like each other. Ironically she is a psychiatrist and she has so many issues she is in need of a therapist...which she does in fact have but stops the session whenever it gets too uncomfortable. A bit hypocritical when that's the whole point of therapy. Teresa is a successful barrister and I don't know what Natalie is, besides a mother.

Honestly, I stuck it out for as long as I could before I gave up and tossed it aside. I wanted to know what happened and why they were all a dysfunctional mess but not enough to force myself to read it. For me, the book is slow and boring and uneventful.

I'm sorry to leave a negative review but I honestly couldn't get into this story at all. I liked none of the characters and didn't much care what happened to them. I'd rather someone tell me what happened rather than me having to drag myself through 360 pages. Why leave all the thrilling parts of the story for the last half or last quarter even? That is just too long and too slooooow to drag it out. And that is my biggest issue here...it is far too slooooow. If by 20% nothing is happening, I ditch it. Life is too short for books we don't enjoy.

I would like to thank #JACorrigan, #Netgalley, #Canelo for an ARC of #TheBadSister in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Wow this book. 🤯🤯
Intense, Dark, tragic and very eerie!
Check for triggers⚠️

The story opens with the tragic loss of a Keane sister Hope. The plot than takes on this creepy tone all throughout. Brilliant.

Raven House on the riverside owned by Eva
And 3 daughter: Jess(Jessica), Natalie and Teresa. They are all coping with the tragic loss of sister Hope who was found dead on their island. (By Jess) each of the sisters are holding secrets and nobody talks of that day. Years later at a family function at the house another young girls body is found on the same island by Jess. So many secrets, lies, drama. Such a dysfunctional family. The sisters go many years without talking and throughout this story you get all 3 of the sisters back stories, each unfolding the layers to their past. What happened to those young girls? Who was responsible?
So hard to put down! The very end is full of surprises. Plenty of twists. 👏👏👏

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this copy in exchange for my honest review

I enjoyed this thriller/family drama; Nat, Jess, and Teresa were well-created characters making them intriguing. This book gripped me from the beginning, resulting in me reading in one sitting. The tense atmosphere was true to J A Corrigan's style, and the plot twisted and turned at a fast pace. I don't want to add any spoilers to this review, but I highly recommend it. If you are a fan of this author or genre, this is a must-read!

This isn't a five-star review because there are more by this author that I preferred. However, this is still an incredibly worthwhile read!

Sisters Natalie, Teresa and Jess grew up in Raven House a salubrious riverside property that their mum, Eva inherited. The Bad Sister is a tale of sibling relationships, family, drama and forgiveness, lies, suspicion and secrets. So engrossing, I was flipping through the pages at a rapid rate of knots as I was desperate to find out what was going to occur next. Suspense levels were optimised by J. A. Corrigan and the characters varied between likeable and loathsome. This story was engaging right to the last and I enjoyed the surprising and rewarding ending.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Canelo via NetGalley, and this review is my own unbiased opinion

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Bad Sister by J A Corrigan. I enjoyed this dark story about the long term damage caused by keeping family secrets. The wealthy Keene family have everything they need until tragedy strikes and secrets push them apart. When, years later, they finally have something to celebrate, they open the house and grounds for a big party. During the celebration another nightmare occurs and the secrets keep pushing them further apart. Will the sisters ever share their secrets and heal their family.

I received a gifted advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via Lovebookstours as part of the book tour.

The Bad Sister is a slow burn thriller with mystery and family drama intermixed within the story.
This was a fabulous read that kept me reading through the night!
Raven House is where the three Keane sisters Natalie, Teresa and Jess grew up after being inherited by their mother. During a family celebration at the house, tragedy occurs and throws the family back into the throws of another shocking event that occurred five years earlier. As tension mounts and suspicions are cast their way, the family turn on each other in the worst possible way. The sisters are already holding on busy a threat to each other and this event blows secrets, lies and hurt out there with no going back.
I loved how well written each character was - I felt compassion and empathy towards each character at some point in the book as well as liking and unliking each character in turn over the course of the story. This book has so much depth to it and I enjoyed the gothic atmosphere and tension throughout the book!

Thanks to Julia-Ann and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Bad Sister before the publication date.

March 1991.
Eva is hosting a large bacchanalian party in Raven House to celebrate her eldest daughter Teresa’s graduation and engagement to Luke.
There is an underlying tension as Teresa’s 16 year old sister Natalie resents that Teresa had escaped from the family when she went to university, leaving Natalie and Jessica to deal with Eva and their stepfather, Dom.
When Natalie’s pal, Juno, goes missing and is found dead on Raven Island, Eva, Natalie and Jessica give statements that they saw Juno with Luke on a motorboat heading for the island.
Without an alibi, Luke is charged and convicted of causing Juno’s death by supplying her with drugs.
Unsurprisingly, relationships in the family deteriorate even further.

Now Natalie’s daughter Hope is about to graduate and has asked her mother to arrange a party for her and to include her aunts. Strangely none of the sisters wants this to happen. The question is why?

This is a story with plenty of twists, turns and family secrets.

DNF at 33 percent. I really wanted to like this book because The Nurse was so good, but unfortunately this one was not for me. I thought it was very slow and confusing. I normally like books with different POVs but this was so hard to follow and piece together.
Thank you NetGalley, the author and published for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an advance copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Great book - lots of suspense that will keep you wondering what is going to happen next. You will find yourself "thinking" you have it figured out only to turn the page and be wrong once again! You truly never know what goes on behind closed doors! Do yourself a favor and read this upon publication as you will be glad you did!

Teresa, Natalie and Jess, the Keane sisters, are desperate to hide their secrets. When a party is held at Raven House, a beautiful home near the water, tragedy strikes when a body is found on the island. This isn’t the first time, unfortunately, and the events only bring to the present events from the past, events and secrets that everyone involved is desperate to hide, and some are willing to do anything to keep these things buried. Many years later the sisters are all adults, leading their own, separate lives, but an upcoming celebration not only has the potential to bring the estranged sisters back together again, but it threatens to bring their secrets to light, secrets that some will do anything to keep hidden.

The Bad Sister is a novel that I could not put down; I simply needed to know what the secrets were and what would happen. The story is not only told through the eyes of the sisters, allowing the reader to immerse themselves in the lives of the sisters, it is also a nonlinear timeline, allowing Corrigan to draw the reader in right from the first page. That being said, at the beginning it was a little difficult to understand the timeline of events; it jumps around a bit but once I got into the story more it was easier to follow. The Bad Sister is like an onion, with one layer removed at a time until the truth is finally revealed. I liked the characters in the novel, not only because there are many strong females, but because they are honest characters. 

The Bad Sister is an intense, gripping novel that I highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for gifting to me an electronic copy of The Bad Sister by J.A. Corrigan, given in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.

An interweaving web of family secrets, lies and deceit! How long can the secrets stay buried? Set in an idyllic location by the river, with Raven Island only a short boat journey away, childhood should have been made of precious memories for the three Keane sisters. A family celebration soon turns sinister when a body is found, but who is to blame and who is lying? The writing is compelling and changes between the then and now, as well as between characters, meaning I was left trying to fit the jigsaw pieces together throughout and was compelled to continue reading. The characters were relatable and obviously had good intentions which actually resulted in catastrophic consequences! A psychological thriller with a difference.

I found it to be somewhat confusing and didn’t flow together as much as I would have liked. But overall it kept me entertained

Read this book if you like: Multiple POV mysterious pasts, slow burns, complicated families

This story follows the Keane sisters. We are following the POV of all three sisters. We go back and forth with the timeline, when the girls were younger and now. They grew up together at Raven House, a luxurious riverside home that their mother inherited. On the day of a party at the house, tension fills the air as the sisters, Jess, Natalie and Teresa all fear the exposure of things they’re desperate to hide. The beautiful evening is ruined by tragedy, and a celebration turns into a nightmare when a young life is lost... again. It is a haunting reminder of a shocking event five years earlier. As guests eye their companions with suspicion, it’s the family who have the most to hide. They turn on one another.

Years later, the sisters are barely hanging on to the scraps of their relationship. As another family celebration is coming up, long-held secrets come rushing to the surface. Someone is determined that the past will stay dead and buried, and will stop at nothing to prevent their mistakes from being uncovered. One sister has a secret she would kill to keep.

Wow. This book was emotional, gripping, and so insane. I was immediately pulled in and it didn't let me go. The characters were done perfectly. The family feels like a realistic hot mess. A lot has happened in their lives over the years. Their family is/was extremely dysfunctional. This book is full of twists, turns, backstabbing, secrets, lies, and so much more. I felt like I was in the dark most of the book but engaged then it all came together. Highly recommend picking up this one! It comes out April 21st. *Check the triggers*

Thank you to NetGalley, the author J.A. Corrigan, and the publisher Canelo for the ARC!

One rotten apple can spoil the bunch…
The Keane sisters grew up together at Raven House, a luxurious riverside home that their mother inherited. On the day of a party at the house, tension fills the air as Jess, Natalie and Teresa all fear the exposure of things they’re desperate to hide. The beautiful evening is marred by tragedy, and a celebration turns into a nightmare when a young life is lost. It is a haunting reminder of a shocking event five years earlier.As guests eye their companions with suspicion, it’s the family who have the most to hide. They turn on one another, with breathtaking malice and irrevocable consequences.

Which sister has the most to hide? A secret that they would kill to keep…

‘The Bad Sister’ by J A Corrigan is an emotive and gripping thriller. Dysfunctional families, in-fighting, back stabbing - what’s not to love? Full of twists and turns that keep you guessing, it will hold your attention and have you side eyeing your sisters in a different light. Definitely not a book you can pick up and put down, a chapter at a time. The characters are addictive (yes, truly) and the plot is like a snowball - a very large snowball, rolling downhill and gathering speed and density. You’ll want to read it all in one go and that’s the sign of a really good thriller. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers and if you like your fictional families dysfunctional. It’s my guilty pleasure.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

What a page turner! Wow! Absolutely enjoyed this book! Great writing. A good thriller! I couldn’t put this book down !

Wow! the bad sister is a very thrilling read and will keep you on your toes!

Loved the characters and the way they were written, a very good novel!

Thanks to @netgalley, I got my hands on this psychological thriller. When their sister died, all three of them lost a part of themselves. The pain of losing their sister would haven't made a permanent place in their hearts if their mother hadn't lost herself to drugs. Eventually, Teresa, Natalie, and Jessica found themselves drifting apart. Although I don't get shocked easily, the exciting twists in the plot of Bad Sister actually made me gasp. The story that felt like a family drama suddenly picked a lane that had suspense, thrill, and major twists. It was hard to call anybody the bad guy (or gal). The narration was so rich that as a reader, I changed my opinion several times. Natalie's admittance to Teresa about a certain matter, which I will not reveal, felt slightly anticlimactic. But, that's my only complaint. I had a hard time putting it down, and that means 5 stars in my book

Woah! This book had me from the beginning. Each new revelation kept pulling me further in. I really liked that the title of the book was explained more towards the end of the book. This book is my first 5 star book of 2022! Very well written and I loved all the characters and how well their personalities were described. And of course that little dig at the end. Just wow! If you love stories about families and their deep, dark secrets. This book is for you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️