“My sister is a bitch, but that doesn’t mean I want her dead.”

That’s how the author welcomes you to her story. The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade is an emotionally heavy book. The emotion is raw and real. Zero punches are pulled; no holds barred.

In this book, we meet two emotionally charged and headstrong sisters named Casey and Sutton. Cassandra (Casey) is the main character, and Sutton is her older and, from Casey’s view, vindictive sister. They hate-love each other. The sister relationship is the main focus of this book, and it is bolded throughout. Each sister has seemingly good teenage reasons to hate their sibling. Growing up with an older brother myself, I can relate. I look back on that now, however, and realize it was all petty. The issues that Casey and Sutton have are also petty. But, those emotions of anger and hate they show to each other are coated in the fires of hell. That hate was visceral! It was so deep-rooted, it left me wondering how the story of their relationship would progress from there. But, I guess a sister going missing and returning “different” would throw a wrench into any supposedly solid inner workings.

Speaking of inner workings, this family was one the most outwardly put-together and inwardly fractured families to grace my TBR in a while. On the outside, the family appears as a successful interracial family. Mom is white and a successful anchor for local news while dad is black and an extremely “well-educated” author and professor. (As black person in America, “well-educated” is in quotation marks for a reason. Ask me about it if you dare. *smiles*) Sutton was the athletic cheerleader and highly popular while Casey is the brooding teenager. On the inside though, mom is controlling and more focused on outward appearances. Dad is dealing with familial and racial trauma while trying to maintain his cool and educate about his culture. Sutton is shallow (as teenagers are), and Casey always feels like the odd one out and left-over, looked-over child. The problems! Everyone has family drama and trauma to handle while also dealing with Sutton’s disappearance and return.

The pace of the book was quick but appropriate. The small details about family, legacy, traditions, and genealogy were interesting and well placed to move the plot along. I enjoyed the journey Casey had to endure in order to figure out what was going on with her sister, the journey that led to healing for both Casey and Sutton’s relationship as well as the family as a whole.

There are only two things that I wish were a little different about this book. The first is the climax of the plot. It was a little too short. It could have used a little more fleshing out. I didn’t get the proper close out like I felt I needed after being bombarded with so many emotions during the previous pages of the book. I have read some reviews that wish the villain was more fleshed out. I don’t agree with this. He was not who the story was about. He does not deserve more time than he got in the book.

The second issue I have with this book is the magic in the book. Let me start by saying that I loved it. I just wished there was a little bit more explanation of it. Not enough where it took away the focus from Casey and Sutton, but enough so that it helped connect the plot and climax a little more.

Overall though, this book was an amazingly emotional rollercoaster. The raw emotion alone makes me recommend this book.

4.75/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review will post on my Instagram SpellsBooksandKrystals on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.

An enthralling thriller that dives into the murky depths of sibling rivalry with a beautifully spooky twist.

When Sutton disappears, Casey thinks it might be a manipulative trick. Their last fight, Sutton told her she wished Casey had never been born. Casey's trying to squash her guilt and hold it together. Her parents aren't helping, with her white TV reporter mom who's attempting to control the narrative to help bring Sutton home and her Black historian father, who struggles with how people treat the disappearance.

When Sutton's found a week later, Casey's relieved, even after they discover that most of Sutton's memories are gone. Casey studies her for glimpses of her old sister. But the Sutton who comes back is different, clinging to Casey as her only lifeline. Casey's determined to find out what's behind the changes in Sutton, as the two sisters grow close, despite Casey's unease.

This book dives into the racial dynamics around disappearances, with Sutton's treated differently because of her white mother. Through Casey's father and his family history project, the reader gets a glimpse of the struggles that generations of Casey and Sutton's family have gone through.

The secret behind what happened to Casey and why she's different was brilliant and shocking. This was a fast-paced, impossible to put down read.

This book had me hooked from the beginning and was so hard to put down! It was fast paced, easy to get into to, and kept me on my toes with the mystery of what happened to Sutton. Each chapter gave you just enough to think you knew what happened but never enough to really know until the end. This was a great mystery/thriller. Beyond the genre I also really liked the characters and this complicated family dynamic of the Cureton’s, mainly between Casey and Sutton. I liked the contrast between their relationship in the past and present and how’s it changed once Sutton returns. It’s definitely not perfect and is complicated but they still love each other as sibling do.

Overall this was a great ya mystery and I highly recommend you read it when it’s released!

Read if you like…
•Ya mystery/thriller
•complicated sister relationship
•dual pov and multiple timelines

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebook Fire for providing an eARC for review.

I really enjoyed this story. It is very much character driven, and I was never quite sure what I was supposed to think and feel about each character (in the best way). I loved the way the story is told through a combination of timelines and POVs. There were many questions, most of which were answered, but I would love to have a story about past family members. The family history was rich, and the characters were flawed and changed throughout the story.

I really enjoyed this story. I thought that Casey and Sutton were so well fleshed out and I enjoyed the nature of their relationship--the negative aspects were done so well. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of the perspective shifting in books, but this was an instance where I can see the utility of it and it was done really well. The POV shifting served as the perfect vehicle to get more family history and family development. I wish that the "villain" of the story had been fleshed out a bit more/we got more detail about that (I'm being purposefully vague so as not to give away too many spoilers). This was such a mysterious and atmospheric novel, with a great cast of well-done characters and a compelling plot--I highly recommend giving this one a shot!

The Shadow Sister is the first book by Lily Meade. It is a combination mystery/supernatural/young adult book with one of the most beautiful covers that I have ever seen and also one of the best opening lines: “My sister is a bitch, but that doesn’t mean I want her dead.” Meade immediately sucked me into the story of Casey and her missing sister, Sutton. The book’s strength lies in Meade’s ability to flesh out fully both Sutton and Casey and their antagonistic relationship. I enjoyed the perspective shift between the sisters and getting to know their family and a little bit of their family history. I do wish there was more development of the book’s “bad guy” (I am trying to not give away too much here).
I definitely feel that if that part of the story was more fully drawn out, this book would have been a home run. Nevertheless, I enjoyed The Shadow Sister and would recommend giving it a read.

3.5 🌟🌟🌟💫/5 stars

This book had me completely sucked in. There were so many details that were puzzling and mysterious. I was really enjoying the story until the final chapters - like what on earth was that? I have so many questions - how did any of that even work? What happens to Ruth and her siblings now? No one is going to question any of them? And isn't the most basic principle of magic that no one can bring back the dead? I ended up being so confused that I lost all enjoyment of the book.

Sutton has gone missing and the whole town is fearing the worst while searching for her - except her sister Casey. Casey and Sutton have had a fraught relationship, made worse by the fact that Sutton stole a bracelet from Casey that had belonged to their grandmother and been in their family for generations. When Sutton reappears seemingly out of nowhere Casey feels relieved to know her sister is safe - but Sutton isn’t Sutton at all. She can’t remember anything from before she was found except her sister. As Casey tries to unravel what happened to her sister she discovers a darker secret in their small town as well as her family’s past.

This was so so good. Did not put it down once. Gives off similar vibes to Sawkill Girls and Legendborn with the small town creepy vibe and the discussion on black history and spirituality. I think we could’ve had a bit more description on the magic by way of Isaiah and his info on family history or from flashbacks via Ma Remy. Additionally I think it could’ve helped if we’d seen a bit more of Ruth and her conflict with her father. Overall though very good read and didn’t see the ending coming.

First of all….the cover is beautiful! Now the book! The story was was to get to get into. Smooth writing style and good flow. I liked the opposing or different point of views. While I did enjoy the book, I felt at times things were left hanging/unexplained and needed more detail or background! I also felt that the book started feeling rushed or cut short! I needed at least 3 to 4 more chapters for a smoother ending! Overall I liked this book!

Casey and her sister Sutton have been at each other’s throats for years when Sutton disappears. Then she comes back and is not the same. Their relationship changes as they figure out what had happened.

Wow! What a gorgeous and stunning cover as I saw it and was instantly drawn to this book.

Casey isn't close with her sister and now she is missing she wishes she was back. I was just pulled into this instantly and wanted to know what happened to her. I couldn't flip the pages fast enough as I wanted to know what happened. Then there are other missing black girls in the area?

Then Sutton is found alive and naked and brought home. Her dog growls when she comes home and even tries to bit her so now I am even more intrigued as it gives off a supernatural vibe. You learn that this family has a long history and how far they will go for those they love.

Now the sisters are close and there will be no leaving each other. Funny, that it took one of them dying to make them get close and understand each other. Brilliant and fun read.

I had to put the book down a few times. I really thought about DNF’ing this book. What kept me going was the African American family history. That was very intriguing and felt like it would help bring the story together. I love that we’re following biracial sisters and seeing the disconnect they have as well as with their parents. It’s sisters trying to navigate this thing called life and family and being sisters but ultimately being biracial. The inter generational trauma was very prominent in this to show the difference of how a black family supports or have a bond of protecting their own as opposed to a white family showing no support.

It was an easy read but something kept taking me out of the book and I can’t put my finger on it but I really kept pushing forward to finish. Glad I did.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me the ARC

“I don’t know what to do without a sister.”

This is a standout YA debut! 👏🏻

The Shadow Sister is a story about two sisters, their family, and the core of what shapes our family unit. I really loved how the author dove into the generational family history and made that an important part of the story!

Sutton and Casey are your typical sisters. Sutton is older and too cool for her younger sister. She’s on the cheer team at school, has a boyfriend, and a jeep to get around in! Casey is a little bit of a loaner. She has one close friend she does a lot with, and an online community of friends who all follow a famous singer (who I assumed was inspired by Taylor Swift—which was confirmed in the acknowledgments). Their grandmother had recently passed, and the girls both wanted her treasured bracelet. Then a few days later, Sutton goes missing. Casey realized that she may never see her sister again, but then she returns but it’s quite herself.

This story was eerie and beautiful. I know I’ve already mentioned this, but I can’t say how much I loved how the author brought the girl’s family history into the story. It was done so well, and added a lot of depth to the story! I loved the twists and turns as well. It was a wild ending and I was so pleased with how the story concluded! Second chances, healing deep wounds, and bonding with family.

This story touched even deeper for me as I do have a younger sister and could understand the dynamic between Sutton and Casey. It was nice to see their relationship come full circle. We saw them through highs and lows, and that’s what it means to have a sister.

Thank you to the author, Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC copy! I loved it!

A well-written story for its intended audience. The beautiful cover drew me to this story, the artist did a wonderful job of tying the art to Meade’s story. As I read it, I kept wondering who’s the real shadow sister? Cassy, for being the youngest and living in Sutton’s shadow, or Sutton for not returning “normally.” Meade weaves family history and trauma from different perspectives, generational, racial, and familial, in concise ways, but there could have been more. I wanted more. I wanted more from that father/mother-daughter relationship, and family history, especially with how it relates to Sutton's experiences. From what I read in the author’s Afterward there could have been more, and I kind of hope that Meade will consider a sequel and let readers know what happens to the sisters, 5-10 years down the road. Sibling relationships can be complicated, the way we see our parents when we’re teenagers can be complicated, and interracial relationships and mixed-race children and the way people view these can be complicated. There’s a little bit of each of these subject matters in her story. And then there’s Ruth, Casey’s best friend and her own set of traumas as a built-in babysitter for her gazillion siblings (growing up too fast, yet another subject matter). There’s more there, Ms. Meade, there could be more to write about these young ladies.

Thank you, NetGalley and publishers for the advanced readers copy.

This debut novel is amazing on so many levels. The storytelling is fantastic and the history is not something that every reader knows. Adding the touch of old magic in the mix is appealing to readers of fantasy and lovers of the paranormal, in addition to American history scholars. The love between sisters is played out so well, starting with the first line..."My sister is a bitch, but that doesn't mean I want her dead."

2.5 This book was a little out of my comfort zone. I thought it was an interesting read. But not something that I will read again.

Let me start off my saying that this book definitely exceeded my expectations! I have several friends that I know would really like it, and I will be recommending it to them when it comes out (so you know it was good). While this was a work of fiction, I still feel like I learned a little bit while reading without it becoming boring or taking away from the story. I also sometimes struggle with mystery because I can find it boring, but I didn't feel that way about this book.
The story revolves around two sisters, Sutton and Casey, who have a damaged relationship. Sutton goes missing, and does not remember anything surrounding her disappearance when she is ultimately found. Casey is left to discover on her own what happened to her sister, uncovering several other black girls from their town who suffered similar fates. It seems Sutton's situation may be a part of something bigger.
For the first part of the story, I felt like the plot was very fast paced and logically building. It was super easy to follow, which is important for mystery, and never boring. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what secrets Casey would uncover next regarding Sutton's dissappearance.
The ending of the story did seem a little rushed, though. There was a lot of buildup the first 90% of the book just for what I felt was a large info dump at the end. Because of this there were a lot of loose ends that could have been tied up a little better and some things that definitely could be explained a little more. For instance, when we finally discover the identity of the villain there is little to no explanation as to the actual reasoning behind their actions. The pacing may have been off just a little bit.
That said, The Shadow Sister was still super entertaining. Lily Meade did a good job creating a complex storyline that hasn't been overdone in YA mystery. This book reminded me a lot of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, so it is perfect for fans of similar books!

The cover immediately captured my attention because is unique and beautiful.
The story is written dual POVs from Sutton and Casey and takes place in the present and past. Both characters are very well written and you get to know them and the teasing behind their feud. The story builds up nicely with the mystery surrounding Suttons disappearance and reappearance.
Overall, this was a good unique story that touched on ancestry, healing, mystery and family. There were a few things that felt flat for me like the side characters, the villain in the story, and the ending. I felt the side characters needed more dimension and the ending felt rushed.

Main Characters:
-- Casey – 16 years old, bi-racial, lives on the wealthy side of Willow Bend, Washington, has a contentious relationship with her older sister and feels overshadowed by her
-- Sutton – Casey’s older sister, a senior in high school, cheerleader, in a bi-racial relationship her parents don’t really approve of, considered by Casey to be their parents’ perfect child
-- Andrew – Casey’s boyfriend, lives on the poor side of Willow Bend in Bend’s End, works at the Willow Bend golf club to help support his family
-- Ruth – Casey’s best friend, oldest of seven children, her mom died during childbirth, she is often left in charge of her younger siblings
-- Isaiah – Casey and Sutton’s father, author, university professor, historian, writes and teaches about black history and writes about his family’s history in the South where his ancestors were slaves
-- Madison – Casey and Sutton’s mother, a local television reporter, extremely sensitive about keeping up appearances and the family’s reputation
-- Pastor David – Ruth’s father and pastor of Heights Above Church, his pet project is building and launching a camp in Bend’s End for lower-income youth

What an awesome debut young adult novel! I was drawn to the amazing cover art on this and got completely sucked into the story.

Typical teenage sisters, Casey and Sutton have drifted in recent years. Where once they doted on one another, their relationship has become more acrimonious than affectionate.

The book begins with Casey and Ruth participating in the search for Sutton, who went missing several days prior. Casey narrates the vast majority of the story in the present day moving forward. Sutton’s perspective in interspersed in a handful of chapters beginning three months prior to her disappearance and moving back all the way to five years prior before coming back to the day before.

Meade does a great job of giving the reader a slow build. We are able to see how the relationship changed between Sutton and Casey prior to Sutton’s disappearance, even though they don’t understand individually what caused the shift. When Sutton returns and remembers Casey and claims to love her, Casey second-guesses a lot. Is Sutton faking? Is she telling the truth about not remembering? If she remembers Casey, why does she remember loving Casey instead of how much they fought?

And then there’s Andrew, who Casey knows to be a really nice guy…but…but…but…a few things come up that make her question. Is he the nice guy he has always appeared to be? She feels sorry for him because he seems lost without Sutton, but he is squarely in Madison’s crosshairs even though he’s not really considered a suspect…yet.

Woven through the entire story is Casey and Sutton’s family history as their father works on his next book—their black ancestors’ trials as slaves, the mystical beliefs and practices of Hoodoo slave magic in past generations, spirituality. Casey helps her dad with his research, so he relays the stories of who their ancestors were and the experiences they went through. And that history comes into play as the story evolves.

I don’t want to give away the ending, so I don’t want to tell too much. I really enjoyed these characters and their development (especially Casey’s). Other reviewers mentioned that the ending seemed a bit rushed, and I agree. The book didn’t feel long to me, so I wish the author had spent more time working through the villain’s motive for taking the black girls who disappeared. You have to suspend disbelief a bit to embrace the “magical,” but the book really works.

I hope this author has more books in her because I’ll be looking for her again.

Speechless!

Honestly, had me in tears and the plot twist was like a brick to the face. One day read and was not what expected and brought a handful of emotions. The reality in this book is like an ice shower makes want to hold what's dear to you even if you're angry. The change in time or the Point of view was precise and well done,