I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I wasn't planning to start a new book today, but it's too hot to sleep.

Not only did I start a new book, I also finished it. I really only have one complaint about the Shadow Sister and that is how she did she know the song? That part confused me.

The book is well written and full of real history and current realities mixed into a mystery that will keep you guessing.

Casey and Sutton are always fighting, and it just so happens that after one big fight, Sutton goes missing. Casey is furious and can’t tell anyone about the fight. She’s furious because everyone talks about how fantastic Sutton was, when Casey just thinks she was manipulative.

When Sutton reappears, something things off and no one can place it. Casey knows things are off when Sutton wants to spend time with Casey. What happened to her? As Casey begins to dive deep she questions so many things she knows. And why is no one else talking about the other girls missing in the area? Could they be connected?

This book was all about the characters with a little mystery. I loved the relationship that Sutton and Casey had. It really made me think about my own relationship with my sister growing up and how we would have these big arguments then make up, but now we’re close and can go to each other for anything. All the characters, main and side, were so well written and I related to them so much despite our differences. I loved the father’s job – black historian, and how the characters were biracial. Knowing this added a level of understanding to the issues they faced. I loved how the author wrote in her author’s note that this book was about trauma and healing. The ending was predictable, and I felt that it could have been better developed. This is the author’s debut book and I think it was a great start – can’t wait to read what is next.

If you are looking for a wonderful character driven novel with a strong female lead, then grab yourself a copy of this one June 27th.

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Fire, @sourcebooksfire, and Netgalley, @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. .

DNF at 24%. I just couldn’t really stand either of the main characters and the dialogue felt very cringy. I was intrigued to see how the stories about their ancestors tied in to the mystery, but ultimately wasn’t invested enough to keep going

I enjoyed this book. Casey and Sutton were both fascinating characters. I liked the concept of this book, but it may have been slightly too YA for me personally. It was a little slow at times. The story line of Sutton coming back with no memory of what happened was very fascinating and I liked the way it played out.

The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade is a twisted tale about two sisters where one goes missing. A mystery unfolds when the sister returns with no recollection of her life or the time she was missing. This book explores the relationship between the two sisters and the mystery of the sister's return.

I really liked this book! It was a bit different from books I normally read so I was excited to step into something new. I thought the premise of the book was really intriguing!

I liked how the book flipped between point of views and time frames to give a well-rounded view of the story to the reader. It also showed how each sister understood situations that happened to them and the bias and miscommunication that happens between. It makes the reader feel for each sister and makes them feel unsure who's really in the wrong, if either of them are.

I'd recommend The Shadow Sister to anyone who wants to read a dark, mysterious novel about sisterhood.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for a copy of this novel! All thoughts and opinions contained within this review are my own.

Wow, I loved this. This story is a YA mystery/thriller that follows Casey, a high schooler whose sister Sutton has gone missing. Casey and Sutton did not have a good relationship and fought with each other before Sutton went missing. Sutton is found, and can't remember anything except for Casey. She has a completely changed behavior and now leans on Casey for help and support. Casey is suspicious that her sister is manipulating everyone and playing mind games, so she goes around trying to find out what happened to her sister.

The plot and characters kept me invested in this story, I had no idea what direction the story was going and what to expect, but the mystery kept me very intrigued. I loved the different elements in the book, like generational/religious trauma and family relationships and dynamics. Casey and Sutton were fascinating characters, and I was eager to learn more about their behaviors and feelings. I also appreciated how the author wove about black girls going missing and the racial aspects of the story. The ending was crazy, and I'm still confused about it, but there were definitely some magical/ancestral/generation forces at play.

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Fire & NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book

The quick cut: A sister goes missing and the remaining one helps with the search. When she's found, it's clear she's not the same person and questions ensue.

A real review:
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for providing the arc for an honest review.

We don't always get along with our siblings. However, when they're suddenly not in our lives, we can begin to appreciate them in a way we didn't before. For Casey, this is very much true when her older sister Sutton disappears.

Casey feels very conflicted about her sister, Sutton. They haven't gotten along for years, but when she disappears without a trace she feels obligated to help find her. Happiness fades quickly though when Sutton is located because she's so different. Not only does she not remember what happened, but she also doesn't remember her life before. What happened to Sutton?

This book is so creepy in a way I don't know how to describe. It's clear that the Sutton that came back is completely different than the one that left, but it's not till the very end you know why. Even more so, the explanation only further sent a chill down my spine. It's definitely a feeling that will stick with me.

My favorite thing about Casey and Sutton is that neither one is perfect. While most of the book comes from the perspective of Casey, Sutton's perspective is also told a few times. They have a complicated relationship and each one has played a role in that. The way it affects the story feels real and genuine in a way many siblings can relate to.

A big theme throughout the story is intergenerational trauma. It's clever and smart and definitely something that isn't talked about enough. The way the author weaves it in was perfect.

I do wish more time was spent on the ending though. The ending is only the last 20 or so pages, which makes it feel rushed. I would have loved to have seen it more expanded.

My rating: 4.0 out of 5

In any other circumstance I’d probably give this book a 2.5 stars, but I have to acknowledge that this seems to be written for younger teens, and I’m not remotely a young teen, so I’m giving it 3 stars. I read this book in 2 days because it reads fast and easily and is pretty intriguing. I was very engaged and curious to see what had actually happened to the sister, Sutton, but was also fairly certain I already knew. Again, for younger teens just starting out in the world of mystery/thrillers I think this book would be perfect. Unfortunately, I just felt there were a lot of loose ends and holes in the story and that impacted my enjoyment the most. I don’t really understand why Casey (the MC) and Ruth are friends because they don’t feel like they actually get along all that well, I don’t understand why Casey and Sutton hate each other so much because it’s never really explained, and we never see how things ended up between certain characters after the ending. But what I did really love is the conversation around African American spirituality. Rarely does that get talked about in media and I loved that it was added here. Overall, I would recommend this to 12-15 year olds wanting to start darker thriller books, but probably not people in their mid 20s who’ve read quite a few.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions are my own.

MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES, SETTING: Willow's Bend, Washington
Casey (15) Sutton (16) biracial sisters hated each other but things change when Sutton goes missing.
Isaiah-their father, a black historian
Madison-their mother, a white tv anchor
Andrew-Sutton's bf-white, from poor part of town Bend's End
Grandma Remy-recently deceased grandmother who wore a bracelet with a pendant and white flower. Casey and Sutton were very close to her and wanted the bracelet.

FEATURES
∘ family saga
∘ magic/hoodoo
∘ aa interests/aa history
∘ religious zealots
∘racism, classism

REVIEW
This was a mystery/suspense with a little magic thrown in. I loved the stories Isaiah told about his ancestors and all they went through in slavery. His family used hoodoo and conjuring as a spiritual power to keep their family bonded.

I'm glad Meade mentioned how the police handled Sutton's case and other missing black girls. I thought of when Surviving R. Kelly came out. I learned how so many people- their family, the community, and the police-failed black girls.

I think both sisters loved and hated each other. Sutton didn't want to hang with Casey because she was a year older, and believed she wouldn't be popular if hung with Casey. Casey was obsessed with a singer/songwriter Ivy James and Sutton didn't show much interest, so she moved on to inviting Ruth-her new bff- to a concert. I sympathized with Ruth as a pastor's kid and always having to babysit younger siblings.

I loved the twists and turns, especially the big "who done it."


ENDING satisfying
POV Casey in the present, Sutton in flashbacks
RATING 5/ 5

Good read, but not great!
For me, the book was really slow, but the mystery is enthralling so I kept reading until the shocking finale, that was a good one, didn’t expect that so a good point to the author.
Overall, it was a good book.

This was a page turner. I was really drawn in by Casey's feelings about her sister in the beginning because she had me thinking that she would be happy if Sutton didn't return. I enjoy thriller/mysteries where I am figuring things out along with the characters. At one point you think something is true and you have it all figured out, and then Lily let's you know that you don't.

The main thing that I enjoyed about this book, is that Lily Meade incorporated family history, cultural traditions, and rootwork into the story. I also liked that the books highlights how Black girls disappearing aren't given the same attention as their white counterparts and how colorism can also play a role in that attention.

The ending, although good, felt a bit rushed to me. All in all, I enjoyed this book a lot and look forward to more books by Lily Meade.

I really enjoyed this book, even though YA mystery/thriller books are usually not my go-to genre.

The characters are all a bit hard to like, and you suspect most of them at some point (at least I did). But that’s part of the fun! You never know which way the story will go, and you keep asking yourself “what the heck is actually happening in this place?”

When Sutton returns home people keep saying that she’s not herself - she only wants to hang out with her sister (who she usually avoids and generally dislikes), she doesn’t remember anything or anyone, and she’s acting really weirdly (showing little to no emotion, submerging herself in ice baths and killing butterflies (wtf?)).

The book kept me guessing and it never felt dull, even when it wasn’t super action-filled.

4/5 stars, would recommend.

Casey's sister Sutton has gone missing. The sisters haven't been close for a long time, with anger and fights erupting between them, the latest over a bracelet their Ma Remy left to them when she died. Then Sutton is found, naked, in a remote part of town, and she's not acting like herself anymore, and doesn't seem to remember anything or anyone other than her sister. When Casey learns that other black girls in their town have gone missing much like Sutton did, she has to figure out what is going on, and if that can help Sutton regain her memories.

WOW, was this good! When I got this arc in my email, I was expecting it to be a soft fantasy (look at that gorgeous cover!), but instead I got a modern day YA thriller that I just couldn't put down. I had to find out exactly what was going on with Sutton, especially after multiple people in her life claim "that isn't Sutton." Including Sutton's boyfriend Andrew. This was a wild ride and it tackles a lot of heavy issues around race, as Sutton and her sister are mixed, and Casey's best friend Ruth is black but was adopted by white parents.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you like fast paced, unputdownable YA thrillers.

I am not typically a thriller or mystery person, but I found this book interesting from the beginning.

Casey & Sutton are two sisters that live in a community with their parents where there have been a string of young black girls that have disappeared recently. The girls are biracial having a white mother and black father, but are your typical teenage sisters thinking that the other one does not like them and that they are always trying to make each other miserable.

There are quite a few fishy scenarios at the beginning such as a fight between the sisters and Sutton's meet up with her boyfriend that seems a little sketchy and then all of the sudden, Sutton has disappeared.

We learn more about the family's background, Sutton's sudden reappearance and the community's feelings about why she was found when the other girls were not. The book has intrigue and speculation and keeps you wondering what might have really happened since Sutton just doesn't seem herself after her return. It seems as if she's not just been through a traumatic experience, but as if she is a different person altogether inside her body.

Once Sutton does return, she only wants to be with Casey which also throws everyone off since no one thought they got along. Casey has a best friend Ruth that helps the family try to find Sutton and is there to help them after she does return, but then she is gone as well. Sutton has an idea of where she might be so the girls set off to finally catch who the kidnapper is, but my review ends here so as not to give anything else away!

Lily Meade's debut novel is not one to miss. Following two sisters as one disappears and then suddenly returns Casey isn't sure what happened to Sutton, but she knows whatever it was changed her sister. This story follows as they uncover just what exactly happened with Sutton and it it impacts Casey as well.
I really enjoyed it but thought there were some things that could have done with more explanation. But all in all a solid story you shouldn't pass up.

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

The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade is a slow burn, speculative fiction about two sisters, one of which has gone missing. When the missing sister suddenly reappears, things (and the sister) are not the way they used to be. But what has changed?

I enjoyed the honest family dynamics in this story and the way the sisters' relationship was portrayed. The beginning of this book started strong and hooked me in. The middle started to kind of drag a little bit, but I was still invested and wanted answers. All the answers came flying at me in the last ten percent of the book. Although it wrapped the story up fairly nicely, the ending felt a bit rushed. Overall this was an enjoyable read with some fun paranormal elements tied in.

The Shadow Sister follows two sisters, Sutton, and Cassandra (Casey), who have a complex relationship. One day Sutton disappears and then reappears with no memory about what happened. The entire concept of the sisterly relationship was nice as the two have a love-hate dynamic, which is common for a lot of sibling relationships. While the hate portion is highlighted a lot, I wish there was a little more exploration into the root of the hatred as it seemed a lot for just a tense sisterly connection. Their ancestry was well fleshed out and the characteristics of each of them was well done. There is a lot of exploration into racism, trauma, and history, which were all well-integrated into the story. With the two sisters and the mystery of one of them disappearing, the novel goes into solving the reason behind the disappearance and the healing of everything.

The story begins with establishing the two sisters and their relationship where we see how they see each other. Once Sutton disappears and then returns, there is the two of them rebuilding their relationship in a way plus attempting to solve the mystery. During this section there are slower moments where the author inserts smaller pieces of the mystery to engage the reader and entice them to keep reading. There is a lot of build-ups for the 250+ pages that is slow and then the ending is quick. The ending was very rushed and think this is where some readers will not connect with the story. A lot of details are presented within a short period of time, so I wish the author added another 50 or pages to expand more on the ending. Overall, this was an enjoyable read with an amazing cover. The cover art is what initially drew me in to read the story and the writing made me curious to read more from this author in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Sourcebooks Fire, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

The Shadow Sister is a story of trauma, mystery, and family. When Casey's sister Sutton disappears, she immediately thinks it is deliberate. But as time passes, and then Sutton reappears, Casey starts to think there is more going on then appears on the surface.

There are some paranormal elements in this book, but even more than that, this is a story about family, especially sisterhood. As scenes from both Casey's point of view and then Sutton's memories show how they each saw their confrontations and their places in their family, the reader begins to get clarity about the family as a whole. As biracial but well-off teens, they have both class and race issues adding to the difficulties. Overall, I felt the issues were handled in a very interesting way, and one in which as a reader I felt invested in the girls getting things straightened out.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the review copy.

Meade’s debut novel is not one to miss. Her writing style is approachable and pulls you into the her world. A world that makes you want to know more but satisfies you all the same by the end. Brilliant.

This book drops you right in the middle and you learn what happens along with Casey. I really liked the family and magic part of this book, I am not sure how much the flashbacks gave the reader but overall I really liked the book.