I read this in just a few days. It’s like Here There Are Monsters meets House of Hollow but incorporates issues surrounding religion, sibling rivalry, family bonds, biracial heritage, and missing girls. It was well-written, the characters were easy to identify with, there were certainly creepy parts, etc. It was mostly a slow burn, and I liked that, but at about the 82% mark it’s breakneck speed to the end and it didn’t really feel like the conclusion was well-fleshed out.

I really loved this book. It showed the true love/hate relationship you have growing up with siblings. The writing was extremely captivating. The only downfall was the abrupt ending. I don't feel like we got the closure we needed. Like what happened to Ruth since her father is now dead? How where the parents when they found out their kids left and almost died by the hands of someone they trusted unquestionably. I feel like one last chapter set in the a few months later would have been a great way to end.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the chance to read and review The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade.

"The Shadow Sister" tells the story of Sutton, a missing teen, and her younger sister, Casey, who struggles to keep her emotions under control as she tries to help find her sister. When Sutton mysteriously reappears she is not the same, and Casey starts to unravel the mystery surrounding her sister's disappearance.

The novel explores themes of race, generational trauma, and familial bonds through the perspectives of the two sisters.
The plot has twists and turns that keep the reader engaged, and the use of unreliable narrators adds to the mystery.

The only downside is that the ending feels rushed and leaves the reader wanting more. Overall, "The Shadow Sister" is a powerful and gripping thriller that tackles difficult topics with sensitivity and skill. I cannot wait to see what Lily Meade does next!

A few pacing issues, but an otherwise stunning speculative thriller. I was able to figure out most of the twists, but Meade created such an atmospheric book that I didn't care.

The relationship between Casey and Sutton and finding each other again was stunning. The commentary on how missing Black girls are treated was necessary and treated with the reverence it deserves.

I highly recommend reading the authors note and acknowledgements at the end. They will bring a whole new level to the book and make you cry.

I cannot wait to see what Lily Meade does next.

The Shadow Sister was an awesome and chilling story of what can happen when a family that has everything suddenly does not and how looking into our past is just as important as looking forward to the future.

Overall, a solid YA debut. I am excited to see what else the author writes! Big thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own. The Shadow Sister grabbed my interest from the first line.. The authors writing style kept the story interesting and not want to put it down. Its about a family who has two sisters that do not get along at all. When one goes missing, the family is town apart and the other sisters world comes crashing down. This book is written so that we can actually feel the pain the family is going through and how they cope with it and move on once the sister is found and returned to them even though the has no memory of her previous life.

The Shadow Sister put me in the unique position of not knowing where the book was going, but wanting to find out. The book starts with Sutton, Casey's older sister missing. Casey, however, is in the unique position of both wanting and not wanting her sister back - because the siblings REALLY don't get along. How do you present yourself when you don't like your sibling, and you're convinced that they're manipulating the circumstances for attention? Then the book shifts, because Sutton is found, but Sutton isn't the Sutton she was, and the only person she trusts is Casey. Is this part of a game Sutton is playing, or did something truly bad happen to her? While Casey tries to figure this out, several other plotlines reveal themselves - Sutton was trying to expose her cheer coach for his actions, and several other Black girls in the area have gone missing recently. What's connected, and what's coincidence? While I wish these elements had been introduced a little earlier in the story, I'm not sure quite how Meade could have pulled it off. Setting the dynamic between the two sisters is crucial, and seeing the relationship from both sides (part of the narrative is set from Sutton's perspective prior to her disappearance) shows the reader how rivalries and misunderstandings led to the state of their relationship. The history of their father's family also plays an important role in the story and it was interesting to see how Reade incorporated this to create a unique twist at the end of the book. Read this for the sibling relationship, and read it for the mystery. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Shadow Sister Summary

Casey's sister, Sutton, vanishes without a trace and only resurfaces after weeks of being MIA. But here's the kicker: Sutton has no recollection of her past or kinfolk, except for Casey, her sibling. Although Casey is thrilled to be reunited with her sister, she can't help but wonder about Sutton's newfound affection. Determined to uncover the truth behind Sutton's disappearance, Casey investigates on her own. 

The Shadow Sister Review

Storytelling

The author skillfully crafts a tantalizing introduction that beckons me to delve further into the tale. Lily Meade masterfully depicts the bond between the sisters, evoking a powerful emotional response within me. I can't help but feel unsettled as the friction between the siblings intensifies.

Characters & Plot

Casey, as the narrator in this novel, is absolutely captivating. Her experiences, thoughts, and emotions are vividly portrayed, and I can't help but get completely engrossed in her story. She's a perfect blend of rebellion and innocence, acting her age while also being a caring daughter and sister. Despite her initial reluctance to open up, she surprises me with her kindness towards Sutton.

Speaking of Sutton, her character is wonderfully complex. She has a hard exterior but a soft heart. Although Casey doesn't consider her a good sister, I can see that there's much more to her than meets the eye.

While the villain is predictable early on, I still struggle to understand their motivation. Similarly, Sutton's sudden return needs expounding. Something is still missing despite the grandma's journals, the dad's stories, and the girls' memories of their grandmother. As a reader, I am left to make assumptions, which can feel unsatisfactory.

Theme

From this book, I glean a beautiful theme exploring the sisters' intricate relationship. From the beginning, the author ingeniously establishes the sisters' differences and how they barely see eye to eye on almost everything. As a reader, I get to experience Casey's perspective on her sister and snippets of Sutton's opinion of Casey, which gradually changes due to Sutton's disappearance.

In addition, the author also touches on the topic of grief, which is quite evident among the Curers. The mother, for instance, grieves over losing her child only to feel her distance upon her return. The father also mourns the racial disparity in society, while the grandmother laments over losing items symbolic of her family's heritage. All in all, the book is a masterful piece of art that creatively explores the complexities of.

Overall Reading Enjoyment

As a lover of tales about sisters, with four sisters of my own, I found this book delightful. Even after I had figured out who the culprit was in Sutton's disappearance, I remained intrigued by the characters' motivations. Although I found the book's paranormal element fascinating, Sutton's return could have been explored more deeply. The ending left me wanting more, as it concluded rather abruptly. Despite these issues, I would still recommend this book. However, please remember that this is simply my opinion, and your experience may differ.


I received a complimentary copy of the book, and all views expressed in this review are my own. A big thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an e-ARC.

In absolute love with this! I haven’t read a good YA book in a hot minute, and this did not disappoint. Sutton and Casey reminded me so much of my sister and I growing up that it gave me flash backs 😂 the way that it took such a large event in life to get them to care for each other outwardly hit home. I knew the twist at about 35-40% but it was still a really well developed story. I enjoyed how the Meade showed how soft and kind Sutton was without Casey’s knowledge. Casey’s obsession with a musician also put me in my feels about my obsession with Swift 😂

My only complaint with this is that there was a ton of editing errors. Thankfully not too terrible that you couldn’t figure it out for yourself, but hopefully they all get fixed before the publication! Thank you for the ARC!

I liked this book overall. The writing style is very easy to read and engaging. It was a good mystery and I would recommend this to others.

I was going to give this 4 stars until the very end. I felt the ending was very unfinished. In my opinion, this book needed another 2-3 chapters to explain what the author describes in the author's note at the end. Or, Casey needed more conversations with her father throughout the book where he explained that. I missed that meaning and I think that's a very powerful message that would have been a really good addition to the book for anyone who might miss that. It would also have been good to see what happened after that final scene.

I was given an advanced reader copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to @Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC. I enjoyed this story very much until the end. I felt the ending was rushed and the mystery solved with no explanation. I enjoyed the ancestral history very much.

Lily Meade’s debut novel, “The Shadow Sister,” is a gripping thriller about a missing teen who is not the same when she returns.

When Sutton goes missing, it’s the worst thing that has ever happened to her younger sister Casey. As she tries to help her family find her sister, Casey struggles to keep her emotions—in particular her anger—under control. Sutton had a reputation for being perfect: the popular cheerleader with a devoted boyfriend and the sky as her future’s limit. But people only look for missing Black—and half-Black—girls when they believe they’re helping to save an angel. That’s why Casey can’t tell the truth about Sutton, that she always manipulated everyone around her and even stole a beloved family heirloom from Casey.

To everyone’s relief, Sutton reappears, but she isn’t the same. In Addition to remembering nothing about her old life, there’s one thing unsettling about how she acts now. What happened? As Casey unravels the mystery surrounding Sutton’s disappearance, she begins to learn more about her and starts to realize that she never really knew her sister at all.

“Shadow Sister” was a powerful story about familial bonds and generational trauma. The plot was interesting and had twists and turns that kept me on my toes the whole time. I particularly enjoyed how the chapters switched POVs between Casey and Sutton, showing experiences from their perspective. The addition of two unreliable narrators added to the mystery surrounding Sutton’s disappearance.

My only complaint about “Shadow Sister” is that the ending felt rushed. It felt like at least one chapter was missing, or at least several pages. It ends during a scene, which was disappointing since I wanted to see how it was resolved.

Despite the ending, “Shadow Sister” was a terrific debut novel that tackled some difficult topics regarding race, generational trauma experienced by the descendants of enslaved peoples, and familial bonds.

Sisters Casey and Sutton do not get along. Each thinks the other is manipulative and privileged. After one major fight they each claim to hate the other. Then Sutton disappears. And Casey is conflicted – is this just another one of Sutton’s manipulative tricks? Or did something bad happen to her? After weeks of searching Sutton is found alive. But she isn’t the same person. She can’t remember what happened and the only person she will let get close to her is Casey, the sister she supposedly hated. Told in dual viewpoints this is a fascinating look at sibling rivalry, family dynamics and the blurry line between love and hate. I particularly enjoyed the addition of ancestral history, folklore and mysticism which added an additional layer to the story and was woven seamlessly into the narrative. 4.5 stars rounded to 5. Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is evenly paced. When it started to feel slow, the author does a good job of giving up more of the mystery to keep interesting. My favorite part of this book was the historical background. It was so well done and I kind of wish there was more of it. Lily Meade does such a good job with this book because it's about the aftermath of being found and it is also intertwined with systemic racism. Lily also did a great job talking about how relationships with siblings develop and describing Sutton's and Casey's POVs differ during certain fights/events. It's so well done that I'm blown away and wish there was a sequel to follow Sutton and Casey and their path towards recovery. The one thing I wish there was more of, was more about the ending, I feel like it was a bit rushed. Overall, I'm quite happy with this read and I think it's a great YA mystery/suspense read that leaves you thinking and at the same time satisfied where it ends. Highly recommend it if you are looking for an easy mystery/suspense standalone that is mostly focused on the healing of the trauma after the event has happened.

3.5/5 stars due to the ending feeling a little cut short and the storyline getting a little slow here and there. I really am looking forward to more books from this author. Thank you Netgalley, Sourcebooks Inc, and Lily Meade for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The cover of this got me to requested is beyond gorgeous. The book is about two sisters and the mystery about the disappearance of one and reappearance . Very well develop and it had me on my toes all the time . The books is mainly about trauma and healing, great book

Thank you NetGalley for the book in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, the cover is beautiful, and this is what first drew me to the book.

Mostly, I think I anticipated a different story. The synopsis intrigued me, and I found the idea of two sisters who didn’t like each other refreshing. However, I was expecting some kind of investigation into Sutton’s disappearance. But ultimately it seemed to fall into the background and we were mostly following Casey as she debated over whether or not her sister was faking her amnesia. The themes covered in the book were interesting, particularly the discussions of intergenerational trauma with the sister’s father researching the history of their family. Unfortunately, the ending felt a bit rushed, and I was really disappointed by how the ‘bad guy’ was portrayed. In my opinion, he was too obvious and his character and motives were not well developed or made any sense.

*Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review*
The Shadow Sister was a wonderfully well-written story blended with history, a good plot, and great character development. This is a beautiful story about trauma and generational oppression that was engaging, captivating, and consistently descriptive with plenty of twists and turns. I appreciate the mix of history in an otherwise relevant story and love the fact that it was not predictable and was able to surprise me at the end. My only criticism was the somewhat abrupt ending. However, this story was so well-written, I could have read several more chapters. As premature as the end was, it was just enough. Looking forward to reading more of Meade's work.

I am always a sucker for a sister centered YA novel. Sutton and Casey are turbulent to say the least until Sutton disappears. The cat and mouse whodunit was very entertaining and kept me engaged throughout. I do believe that while the ending was decent, it was a bit hurried. Other than that, generally a good read and definitely a well done debut. 3.75/5 stars

This book is about two sisters, who have a tumultuous relationship, named Casey and Sutton. Sutton goes missing and Casey hates it even more that Sutton’s disappearance is affecting the family as a whole. Casey doesn’t think Sutton’s in any type of real danger though hence her lackadaisical approach to the interviews she has been doing. Casey’s thoughts shift when the police find evidence that might belong to Sutton. It is then Casey realizes regardless of their rocky relationship she needs her sister back! Upon Sutton’s reappearance something isn’t sitting right with Casey. As Casey starts to investigate what really happened she’s left with even more questions than she started with.

There's more going on in this book than just the mystery aspect of it. The main thing I loved about this book is how much the dad knew about his family history because it's not uncommon that most of us Black people in America don't know much about our family lineage. I'm glad he was able to pass what he did know and have down to his daughters. I envy that as I unfortunately don't know much about mine. I'm also an older sister so I loved that this touched on the importance of sisterhood. There was a lot of healing the Cureton family had to go through individually. All in all definitely a good read! The cover is absolutely stunning!! 3.5 stars (rounding up to 4 stars)

Full disclosure - I requested this based on the cover. I thought it was going to be a dark twisty fantasy and I was totally here for it. This is further confirmation that covers sell books.

I started reading it, and the writing is solid. I think it will go over well in the current market, especially on the heels of Karen McManus. I could see this doing well in our libraries, although it's solidly young adult.

All that said, I stopped at 2%. I am not in a contemporary mystery/thriller mood right now, I'm in a fantasy and romance mood. Oops!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.