-
Your next favorite book
is waiting.
by Justine Larbalestier
What if the most terrifying person you know is your ten-year-old sister?
Seventeen-year-old Aussie Che Taylor loves his younger sister, Rosa. But he's also certain that she's a psychopath - clinically, threateningly, dangerously. Recently Rosa has been making trouble, hurting things. Che is the only one who knows; he's the only one his sister trusts. Rosa is smart, talented, pretty, and very good at hiding what she is and the manipulation she's capable of.
Their parents, whose business takes the family from place to place, brush off the warning signs as Rosa's "acting out." Now that they have moved again - from Bangkok to New York City - their new hometown provides far too many opportunities for Rosa to play her increasingly complex and disturbing games. Che's always been Rosa's rock, protecting her from the world. Now, the world might need protection from her.
"Starred Review. This dark thriller is the 1956 film The Bad Seed meets 2016; readers will be simultaneously terrified when Rosa's present and afraid to let her out of their sight." - Kirkus
"Starred Review. Larbalestier (Razorhurst) offers a chilling contemplation on human morality - Che's physical sparring in the ring has nothing on his go-arounds with Rosa, as they debate what it means to be truthful or "good" - while incorporating sharp commentary on privilege, faith, gender identity, and race. Ages 14–up." - Publishers Weekly
"Starred Review. A tense, thrilling rumination on the psychology of evil, this work manages to keep a suspenseful tone while also showcasing a burgeoning romantic relationship ... Rosa is a truly chilling figure, seemingly unpredictable in her violence yet methodical in her manipulations of those around her." - School Library Journal
"A captivating exploration of family, fate, and the fight to outrun them." - Booklist
"Larbalestier's novel is a slow boil, moody and tense, with just the right amount of creep factor and a casually diverse cast of characters ... Che's journey toward self-awareness is at times enlightening, at times devastating, and the threat of violence from Rosa is suspenseful and truly terrifying." - The Horn Book Magazine
"The sense of impending doom overshadowed all. It will take some time to truly absorb My Sister Rosa and more time to recover ... An excellent psychological thriller featuring diverse characters; it's a page-turner that happens to fall into the YA category." - DarkMatterZine.com
"My Sister Rosa is a gripping, terrifying, wonderful story that I could not put down." - Laurie Halse Anderson
"An utterly compelling and wonderfully creepy exploration of the many faces of psychopathy. Rosa will stay with you long after you turn the last page." - Jay Kristoff New York Times bestselling coauthor of Illuminae
"My Sister Rosa is terrifying, brilliant, and heart-wrenching. A must read." - Cindy Pon, author of Serpentine
"The evil in the room across the hall, the evil in the flowery party dress, the evil who just wants a bedtime story - Rosa is more frightening and more adorable than any villain you have yet met. Larbalestier is at her tricky, terrifying best in this novel." - E. Lockhart, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars
"Larbalestier masterfully crafts a unique tale about a boy and his kid sister who bring old problems to a new city. It's darkly funny, disconcerting, and absolutely brilliant!" - Jason Reynolds, author of The Boy in the Black Suit and coauthor of All American Boys
This information about My Sister Rosa was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Justine Larbalestier is the Australian-American author of many novels, including the award-winning Razorhurst and Liar, which both received four starred reviews. Justine lives in Sydney, Australia, and New York City, though not at the same time.
If you liked My Sister Rosa, try these:
by Maureen Sun
Published 2024
"You're my sister, but I'm not sure I love you. I'm not sure I love anyone. But if someone hurt you I'd want to kill him. I'd want him to die in pain. And he has hurt you…"
by Alexis Schaitkin
Published 2021
Hailed as a "marvel of a book" and "brilliant and unflinching," Alexis Schaitkin's stunning debut, Saint X, is a haunting portrait of grief, obsession, and the bond between two sisters never truly given the chance to know one another.
by Sarah Elaine Smith
Published 2020
Consumed by the longing for a different life, a teenager flees her family and carefully slips into another -- replacing a girl whose own sudden disappearance still haunts the town.
L.A. Women by Ella Berman
Two ambitious writers in 1960s LA face betrayal when one writes a novel based on the other's life.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
