I was completely captivated by this story right from the opening page! Every character, plot twist, and especially the major revelation at the end, kept me utterly engaged from start to finish.

One of the standout themes in this story is the exploration of sibling conflicts, portrayed vividly as relationships and friendships evolve amidst rumours and speculations. The dynamics between the characters are deeply nuanced, showcasing how misunderstandings and secrets can profoundly impact those closest to us.

Additionally, the narrative skillfully delves into the theme of grief and its transformative effect on one's perception of reality. As the characters grapple with the loss of loved ones, they navigate through layers of emotional turmoil, challenging their beliefs and reshaping their understanding of the world around them.

Overall, this novel is a masterful blend of suspense, complex relationships, and profound reflections on grief. It's a testament to the author's ability to craft a gripping story that resonates on multiple levels, leaving readers enthralled and contemplating its themes long after the final page.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

This YA thriller is one that I think will appeal to a YA audience with the twist. Grace and Maddy are sisters on a Senior Sabbatical - a week away from school. Two very different personalities, Grace is outgoing and popular while Maddy is very insecure in herself. She finds it difficult to make small talk, never knows what to say and always stands on the outside looking in. In a way she is envious of her sister, of the way that everyone warms to her. At the sabbatical, Grace is found bloodied and bruised outside of the lodge while Maddy is no where to be found and she has no memory of the previous week, no memory of what has happened to Maddy. Rumours and suspicions fly and with Maddy's blood being found on her, Grace finds herself suspected by the police. But maybe her class mates on the sabbatical know more, maybe they have information that will reveal the truth. This is a story told in two voices - Maddy's from the start of the sabbatical and Grace's from when she is found. For me, I found that the pranks, the relationships between the group were believable. However, maybe because I am so much older than the intended audience, I did find this a little slow placed and I did guess the twist early on. However, it will definitely work for a YA reader. Rounded up to 4*

A big thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of Silent Sister!

I was absolutely enthralled with this story from the very first page! Every single character, plot point and the very big plot twist at the end, kept me hooked from beginning to end!

The exploration of sibling conflicts as well as how relationships and friendships change due to rumors and speculations were very prominent themes throughout this story, as well as how grief can change your concept of reality as you come to terms with losing loved ones.

I would rate this 6 stars if I could! Absolutely amazing!

Silent Sister is a book full of twists and turns as well as unreliable narrators and side characters. It'll have you questioning everything and everyone! I deducted a star for the lacklustre end it just kinda limped to the end after the big reveal

Rather than a thriller, this is more of a family drama about a relationship between siblings, coming of age and grief. Featuring chapters from the viewpoints of both sisters before, during and after a fateful school camping trip where both sisters go missing, this is a well-written YA title. With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

This was a thrilling, fast-paced read with a delightful emotional centre! Silent Sister deals with so many different things, a mystery unfolding, a consideration of grief and loss, the blurred lines of identity and sisterhood, and the terrible things that children do and the after-effect of trauma. Despite how many concepts it deals with, at no point did it feel like they were not being treated with care and satisfaction, and the author draws together a phenomenal story that somehow feels like you could feel spontaneous, intense emotion at the time but linger on the aftertaste for many days later. The dual POV in particular made me feel like I wasn't missing out on any facet of these girls' lives, coupled with the mixed media, which act as the emotional hook and keep you reading right to the end!

Grace is caught in a nightmare: her sister Maddy vanishes, and she's the prime suspect with Maddy's blood on her clothes. As Grace struggles to recall the events leading up to Maddy's disappearance, she uncovers a tale of sibling rivalry, dashed dreams, and a mysterious senior trip. With only cryptic notes and classmates' accounts to guide her, Grace races to unravel the truth and clear her name before it's too late.
I'm blown away by this book! I'm left in a daze, reflecting on the profound journey of its protagonists, Grace and Maddy.
This book unequivocally earns a perfect score plus extra - it's truly exceptional, deserving of all the praise, applause, and recommendations. It's both intelligent and deeply moving.
The plot revolves around two sisters vanishing during a school trip, leaving one injured and the other missing. The story dives into the events leading to that night by the lakeside. What drove them from their rooms?
Grace, battling amnesia, faces the chilling possibility of her involvement in Maddy's disappearance. The contrast between Grace's popularity and Maddy's invisibility adds layers to their dynamic. Both hold secrets, conforming to societal roles. Grace becomes a prime suspect, forced to unravel truths from her sister's life to clear her name. But what if she's guilty?
The handling of emotions like grief, love, and pain was superb, and the ending, while somewhat predictable, was deeply satisfying, neatly tying up all loose ends. I highly recommend this gripping YA thriller,
This book isn't just good; it's excellent and utterly captivating! Megan Davidhizar deserves endless applause.
Adding her to my must-read list was a no-brainer. You absolutely shouldn't overlook this gem; it deserves a prime spot on your reading list.

When I started reading Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar, I immediately figured out the ‘who’ and ‘what’ right at the very start. It’s probably because of all those thriller movies I have been watching, lol! However, it is the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ that kept me going. This fast-paced YA mystery thriller deals with identity, grief, trauma, friendships, and sibling relationships.

Davidhizar’s writing style is beautifully simple and engrossing. The language is clean and free of profanity.
The characters are well-developed and relatable. None of them are perfect and have real teenage issues and anxieties.

I particularly enjoyed the alternating POV. It helped me get inside the minds of the characters. I found the ending a bit disappointing, as I was expecting a more dramatic conclusion.

As an adult reader, I found the book to be somewhat bland and predictable. However, younger audiences will probably enjoy it more.


I received an ARC from NetGalley and Harper Collins. This review reflects my honest and voluntary opinion.

Wordsopedia Rating 3.75/5

I’ve just finished this book & I feel sick. Wow. What an amazing, heart wrenching, painful read.

There were a lot of characters which I got a little muddled with at times but the story, the emotion, the ending - brilliant.

(I will say, Maddy’s poetry was pretty mid, but it got the point across)

Grace can't remember how her sister Maddy disappeared, and even the police think she’s lying. But it’s hard to look innocent with a missing girl’s blood on your clothes…
The beginning drew me straight in….This author’s books have the ability to simultaneously make you unable to stop reading while wishing you could bury the book somewhere deep underground where it can't be found. Compelling and didn’t want it to end!

A fast paced YA thriller with relatable characters wrapped around trauma and grief, friendships and secrets. A twisting plot and an unexpected ending - everything you could want in a one-sitting-read!

🌸3.5 stars ✩
⤿ a spoiler free review!


a mysterious sister's disappearance, her biggest betrayal and a deadly truth screaming to come out.


i.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
💌 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽:
⤿ dual pov of each sister (the past is maddy and the future is grace)
⤿ plot twists
⤿ fast paced


ii.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
‎ ‎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.


iii.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
‎ ‎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 twit and i found the idea to be very unique and original. i figured out the plot twists very early on and this did detract from it's enjoyability. the ending was my main gripe with this book - i wanted a different conclusion. i can't say much without spoilers but it was incredibly underwhelming because there was this huge build up and a very boring ending that left me feeling deflated.


iv.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
‎ ‎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!

This book did not go the way I expected it to. It is told in a really unique way and has a completely unexpected ending. If you enjoy mysteries, I would highly recommend this book to you. It is very sad, and some readers might find it tough going, so before recommending it to your students, I would definitely suggest reading it yourself. Just to flag, it is geared towards older students rather than primary age.

Grace and Maddy are so close in age, that they are in the same year group even though they aren't twins. Each year, their school offers seniors a trip designed to help them discover who they are and prepare them for adulthood. Grace was looking forward to the trip, but over the weekend, something occurs and while she returns home, Maddy doesn't. Now it's up to her to try and remember what happened and try to work out where her sister is and if she can save her.

The story is told through a mix of real time happenings and flash backs. It's also told though the lens of both sisters' viewpoints, but it's really well written and the story flows. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys crime fiction.

twin girls go missing …. one returns with no recollection of what happened to her.

this book hooks you in from the first chapter. you want to find out what has happened to these two sisters. the dual pov, from both twin sisters, really enlightens you on each of their personalities. in between every few chapters, there’s text extracts with no context, adding even more to the mystery of what happened to these siblings.

the author perfectly describes sibling rivalry and how it truly has an effect on teenagers. i love how she depicted maddy’s grief, over her sister, by including her diary extracts. it really pulled on your heartstrings.

the plot twists show how trusting one wrong person can have grave consequences. it was unexpected and the perfect reveal. i definitely felt emotional reading, as it was very powerful

this book is perfect for teens / young adults. the writing is simple, yet it works perfectly. for a debut author this was a stellar piece of work and i look forward to more books from megan davidhizar.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley for the E-ARC.
This was a great YA thriller, with lots of good clues as to the plot twist but the reveal was very well done. I wasn’t ever quite sure how it would work out the way it did even though I felt certain it was a potential! This novel explored grief, the difficulties of being a teenager(!) and feelings of deep-rooted insecurity. I will definitely recommend this to my students.

This book is a rollercoaster, no doubt. Maddy's emotions hit painfully close to home for me at times as the descriptive writing makes you feel her pain and struggles in your core. It's got all the thrills of a page-turner, keeping you guessing till the very end. But man, that ending… It felt kinda anticlimactic after all the buildup. However, in general it was engaging enough for me to finish it in a day and that says a lot. It's a great YA read, but the last 30 pages left me a little disappointed.

Really enjoyed this. I knew there was a twist coming so it made me want to read on. I guessed what the twist was, but it didn’t spoil it at all for me. Enjoyed the dual perspectives and the dual timelines.

I love a good YA mystery thriller and this is one of my favourite. The writing was absorbing,
Intense, and it built such a perfect atmosphere for the story. I never saw the ending coming!!

In Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar, readers are plunged into a gripping mystery surrounding the disappearance of Maddy, and the unsettling circumstances that follow. The story revolves around Grace, who finds herself at the center of suspicion after her sister Maddy goes missing.
The narrative unfolds in a dual timeline, weaving between the present where Grace grapples with the aftermath of Maddy's disappearance, and the events leading up to it. We learn that Maddy, feeling rejected and overshadowed by Grace, eagerly joins an exclusive senior trip at their prestigious private school. But what was meant to be a transformative experience turns into a nightmare when Maddy vanishes from the mountain lodge where the trip takes place.
As Grace tries to uncover the truth behind Maddy's disappearance, she is faced with the challenge of piecing together fragmented memories, cryptic notebook entries, and revelations from her sister's classmates. The tension mounts as Grace delves deeper into the secrets hidden within the trip, realizing that her sister's vanishing act may have been more sinister than it initially seemed.
Megan Davidhizar crafts a suspenseful and compelling narrative, keeping readers on the edge of their seats with each twist and turn. The characters are intricately developed, each with their own motivations and secrets that add layers to the mystery. The dual timeline adds depth to the story, allowing us to gradually unravel the events leading up to Maddy's disappearance alongside Grace.
Silent Sister is a riveting tale of deception, betrayal, and the lengths one will go to uncover the truth. It explores themes of sibling rivalry, identity, and the dark underbelly of privilege. Fans of psychological thrillers and gripping mysteries will find themselves engrossed in this atmospheric and haunting novel, eager to uncover the chilling truth behind Maddy's vanishing act.

This is a spoiler free review! ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

☆ 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.


°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°