A thrilling and compelling debut novel that explores a mysterious disappearance of a black teenage girl that shows some similarities to two other missing black teen girls in the area. Pair that with the fact that the girl, Sutton, was at odds with her sister, Casey, and arguing over a priceless and historic family heirloom, things get complicated when Sutton reappears with no memory except for her ties to the piece of heirloom jewelry. This story is so unique and chock full of generational trauma and the complicated but unshakeable bond of sisterhood. Not to mention the fact that the cover is one of the most beautiful that I have seen this year.

Lily Meade's debut novel, "The Shadow Sister," is a contemporary mystery that addresses both timely and timeless issues; privilege, missing black women, generational issues stemming from slavery, and sibling rivalry What I enjoyed in addition to giving me themes to ponder deeply on, was that this book, as the primary story, was a who dun it mystery and thriller that had me totally engaged in the plot while there is a reminder of issues that women, specifically women of color, deal with every day while just living their lives.

The story centers around sisters, Casey and Sutton, one of whom goes missing. There is also a tad bit of magical realism which keeps this story fresh. The author's ability to create a rich tapestry of emotions and intricately woven relationships drew me in, and it's this emotional depth that sets "The Shadow Sister" apart from other debut novels.

The characters in "The Shadow Sister" are beautifully nuanced and relatable, each carrying their own burdens and pasts that shape their present decisions and actions. The protagonist, in particular, is a compelling and multi-faceted individual, making it easy for readers to become invested in her journey of self-discovery.

Lily Meade's writing style is captivating, showcasing a rare talent for storytelling that evokes a wide range of emotions. Her descriptive prose beautifully paints scenes and landscapes, immersing readers in the story's setting and creating an almost cinematic experience. The imagery is so vivid that one can almost feel the breeze, smell the flowers, and sense the characters' emotional turmoil as they grapple with their pasts and futures.

"The Shadow Sister" is an extraordinary debut novel that showcases Lily Meade's incredible talent as a writer. With its beautiful prose, well-developed characters, and a captivating plot, it deserves every bit of its five-star rating. If you're a fan of heartfelt and emotionally resonant stories, "The Shadow Sister" is an absolute must-read.

The premise of this debut YA novel had me so intrigued, and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. Casey’s sister Sutton goes missing, only to turn up a short time later with no memory of what happened to her or her life before. The sisters did not historically get along before Sutton’s disappearance, but it seems that after her return, Casey is the only family member Sutton wants to be around.

This story of trauma and healing had me hooked from the start. The pacing was fairly even, and I was invested in finding out what happened to Sutton. Interspersed in the story were also several tidbits about the family’s history and legacy, which I found to be really interesting. I did find the perpetrator to be a bit predictable, but it didn’t diminish my experience with this book at all. This was a solid debut, and I can’t wait to see what the author releases next.

It would be remiss of me to not also point out how much I enjoyed the Taylor Swift references, and I loved reading about the author’s connection to Taylor in the acknowledgments and on her socials.

Thank you to Lily Meade, Sourcebooks Fire, and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is out now!

I enjoyed the unique concept of this story - it was part YA mystery, a little gothic horror, and a small fantastical element. However I didn’t connect with the story. I was on board until things got really confusing about 75% of the way through. I liked when the missing sister came back and was acting strangely and only communicating with the MC- but the twists didn’t work for me and felt a little too random. There are some great themes in this book- racism, religion, class systems- but I wanted them to be woven into the plot a little more.

An interesting story of family and sisters. When one sister goes missing the other is merely checking the boxes of how to find her missing sister while secretly thinking maybe it's best if she is gone. When the sister is found, but things are weird, the sister is now determined to find the truth of where she went and what happened to her. The story strongly outlines sister relationships, failed communication, and how to repair relationships. A great read.

I had seen this book promoted a while back and put it on my "short list" tbr. Lily Meade has created something extraordinary - ancestral history, familial relations, religious questioning - all woven together into a gripping mystery. This author is one to watch- terrific debut!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read The Shadow Sister in exchange for an honest review. I am not a fan of thrillers but was immediately attracted to the cover. From the first word on the first page I was hooked. This a great book for those who like missing girl thrillers. Further, I really appreciated the Hoodoo component of the story even if it wasn't a prevalent theme throughout the book.

Thanks, Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley, for the arc!

With the cover and the tagline, I expected something completely different. I got something much more based in reality than the magical story I expected. The way Lily Meade told Casey and Sutton’s story is entirely new, and I enjoyed my time with THE SHADOW SISTER as it was unexpected in a good way.

This YA mystery/thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat because, being in Casey’s head, you can’t help but believe her rationale and get frustrated with her when no one else believes her. As time passes and she uncovers more of Sutton and her current and past lives, you only wish you could read faster to find the truth and lies more quickly. But Meade has it set up to keep you guessing to the very end.

That’s my one complaint is the end. It happens so quickly after such a good pace throughout the whole book. It was clever, and I liked how it was done, but it went from a great slow burn to a quick-fire ending.

Very impressive for a debut novel. I can’t wait to see what Meade does next!

Content Warnings: racism, kidnapping, murder, child death, emotional abuse, animal death

I was so excited for this book. Maybe it’s the cover, maybe it was the synopsis…. But whatever it was, I needed this as soon as I seen it. Unfortunately it wasn’t as great as I was expecting. There were some weird things that popped up in this book and it made me question all the things……

Ok so the things that made me side eye this book………. I gotta say, I just didn’t understand why there was a need to add the slave stuff in it? It didn’t really make sense to me. Like I got that her dad was into that stuff, but everything that came up with her using it to help figure out what was going on and her grandma’s bracelet and stuff was just weird and out of place. I don’t even know what it was about. It was actually really weird to me. Like normally I’m ok with books that have some sort of social justice aspect to it vs so many people that say they don’t like it. But I only like it when it makes sense. In this one, it just doesn’t tho. I didn’t understand it and I even going back to re-read it I was like Huh? And what made it worse was the fact that that wasn’t the only questionable part. Idk it was like she was trying so hard to make this a social justice book when it didn’t need to be. It could have just been a mystery or paranormal book.

Also I didn’t like how nothing was explained. There was NO WORLD BUILDING. Yes I know it was a paranormal book set in the real world, but at the same time there was nothing about the paranormal stuff that was explained. Hell there wasn’t anything about the real world that was explained either. Like why tf would you make her so mean and then not say why besides the fact that her grandma wanted her to have a bracelet? It just made it so boring.

As a character driven reader I was so into this book because of the main character. I saw that she didn’t know her sister as well as she thought, and although the why wasn’t really explained, I liked being in her head to recognize that she didn’t know her sister as well as she thought. It really made me question other things that began popping up.

Lastly, I liked the way the mystery came up and how it was solved. I also liked the way her sister was portrayed while she was going through what she was going through. But WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY did she end it so abruptly? I HATED that ending. It was like things finally start happening, and then it was over. It really didn’t make sense. It like ended in the middle of a climax? I just didn’t get it.

Although this could have hit all the right places for me, it ultimately didn’t. I still had questions and was left wondering why in the world the author made this happen the way it did. Nothing really made sense and I have since learned to not to force it anymore.

This book has a beautiful cover and was one of the first things to draw me to it. Casey’s sister Sutton has disappeared then mysteriously reappears after the family frantically searched for her. However, she returns and no longer seems like the Sutton Casey knows. This book follows Casey as she tries to uncover what’s happened to her sister. I thought the inclusion of generational trauma was a really interesting aspect. I just felt the pacing was off and that the ending was very abrupt. I would have liked for there to have been more explanation and closure. Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the arc.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade in exchange for an honest review. This was a fabulous murder mystery that really focused on family and the ties that bind us. Sisters can have such an interesting relationship and is an excellent center for the story. I really enjoyed this book and read it in one day.

This. Book. Is. So. Good.

I can’t deal. Not only did the FMC have the most out of pocket inner dialogue that had me wheeze laughing but I also absolutely sobbed my little eyes out at the end. I cannot recommend this Taylor Swift reference filled book enough. I am obsessed. It was creepy, it handled very real, very emotionally charged topics extremely well, and the whole time you’re on the edge of your seat wondering what could possibly happen next. Read it!!!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Shadow Sister begins with Casey dealing with the aftermath of her sister’s disappearance and struggling with guilt over their difficult relationship. Sutton returns, but she’s lost her memory and is behaving strangely. Casey takes it upon herself to figure out what happened to her and ends up at risk herself.

This had me at the edge of my seat the whole book and I did not see the twists and turns coming at all. I loved the flashbacks from Sutton’s POV and I was looking for breadcrumbs everywhere to figure out what happened. It’s so hard to keep this review spoiler free, because I just want to write how much I couldn’t believe what happened and how wild it was. Lily Meade is definitely one to watch and I cannot wait to read more from this author!!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a good book following Casey trying to figure out the disappearance/reappearance of her sister Sutton. Not gonna lie I had my mind set on changelings lol. Sometimes these disappearances of girls (especially when they are BIPOC) can be unsettling - but I feel like it's something that needs to be at the forefront of some conversations. If you're a fan of Tiffany Jackson you'll be a fan of this.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Sister goes missing and just isn't the same when she returns and the twist was hard for me to buy, but I liked the teen sister dynamics.

Date is for the review, not the reading.

Wasn't sure what I was expecting on this one. There were a lot of elements, young adult, mystery, fantasy with supernatural tie to her ancestors who were slaves. Casey and her sister Sutton apparently hate each other. Sutton goes missing and Casey believes it an attention getter by her older sister, but when she isn't found right away, Casey wonders and prays for her sister safe return. When Sutton is found alive, she has no memory of her life but only recognizes Casey. Sutton's biggest ally their mom she appears to hate and is indifferent with their dad. Sutton's dog who loved her barks and growls at her and her boyfriend Andrew who adored her both realize that something is wrong with Sutton and that it isn't really Sutton. Well a lot ensues with Casey trying to figure it out with her bestfriend Ruth when Ruth goes missing. At the end, the supernatural and fantasy is brought into play without further explanation or the details of the individual responsible.

Anybody remember the ABC Family show, The Lying Game (hello, Sutton with the same vibes.)? That's basically The Shadow Sister but a little tamer and less romance. Which, usually, I'm not a big fan of. I love romance plots in my stories. I like what I like. But Lily made me care about these two sisters and their secrets to the point I didn't miss the romance too much.

Sutton goes missing and the it's the worst thing that's ever happened to Casey and their family. Everyone thinks Sutton is perfect compared to Casey. But to Casey, Sutton is manipulative. And Casey doesn't want to tell anyone about the argument she and Sutton had before she disappeared. Who would believe her over Sutton anyway. But then Sutton reappears with no memory of anything except Casey. There's something unsettling and different about her. What happened to her? Does it have anything to do with the other Black girls that went missing? Casey is done with her family's secrets.

I really enjoyed reading The Shadow Sister via audiobook. Tamika Katon-Donegal is a fun extremely talented narrator. Lily does a phenomenal job writing her debut. As someone who knows a little of Lily from Twitter, her real life and personality shine throughout the book. I love how she weaves magic through ancestral heritage. My only real critique is that I wish some plots, especially the ending, had been expanded on a little bit more. And now I'm going to sob every time I see a blue butterfly.

***Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a review copy.***

Where do I even begin with this book? I was obviously drawn in by the pretty cover and the premise seemed promising but this book fell flat for me. Now I’m all for stories that have various themes and subplots throughout if it’s executed perfectly. But I really didn’t get that from this book I honestly felt she did too much and it took away from what the novel could’ve been.

It mainly follows Casey after her sister Sutton has gone missing and she’s scrambling to put the pieces together in her disappearance. While Casey knows how manipulative Sutton can be, when she randomly reappears something seems off with her presence.

Now the summary sounded good right? Unfortunately it didn’t take full advantage of the premise and I found myself confused a lot and questioning what was happening. I wondered the entire time why Sutton lost her memory and never got a direct answer from the book. So, I came to the conclusion it had to be because she was dead it’s the only logical thing that made sense.

This was a very quick read, the beginning was definitely engaging then the book didn’t go anywhere. I know I’m not the only one disappointed with the turn it took toward the end. I’ve only read a few books with magical realism incorporated and can still say she did not execute the supernatural elements well. I had to go back a few pages like wtf did I miss here. I needed more from that ending because I still have questions. When you find out who was behind the town’s disappearances you’re left wondering what the motive was.

Overall, the book was okay wasn’t the best YA mystery/thriller I’ve read but it had potential. Most of the characters were insignificant aside from Casey. The author also touched on a lot of different themes but nothing was fleshed out enough to make you care. Had those last few chapters went in depth a little more my rating would be higher. Special thanks to the author, @sourcebooksfire, & @netgalley for my gifted copy!!!

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this novel.

The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade is a strong debut into the YA world. It dives into the complex and ever changing world of sibling rivalry. Casey and Sutton are sisters who don't always get along. Sutton disappears, but instead of being concerned like the rest of her family, Casey is suspicious that she ran off for attention. When Sutton returns, she is acting strange, but Casey is wary of trusting Sutton's story.

This book has a lot in it, mystery, suspense, sibling tension, race and family history. I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't go into the plot. But I thought it was pretty entertaining and suspenseful.

I love a really great Y/A book. The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade did not disappoint. It was fantastic read. I thoroughly enjoyed this intriguing, suspenseful mystery. The storyline captured my attention from the very beginning, and did not let me go until the end. A big thank you to Source Books, the author and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Told from point of view the two main characters. The captivating storyline examines the dynamics of sibling rivalry.

Two sisters Casey and Sutton, who do not get along. Their sisterly relationship is nonexistent. Everyone has always viewed Sutton favorably, as the perfect popular cheerleader with lots of friends, an adoring boyfriend and a seriously bright future. But Casey knows her sister differently. She knows Sutton is manipulative and a thief, she stole Casey’s beautiful heirloom bracelet.

However, when Sutton disappears it is the absolute worst thing to happen to their family. Trying to find her sister is of the utmost importance now. But Casey is angry because she and Sutton had a bad argument right before she disappeared, but she cannot tell anyone that. When Sutton is finally found she doesn’t remember anything, not even the terrible way she always treated her sister. Now that Sutton is back she wants to be sisterly and spend time with Casey, but there is something not quite right, unsettling even.

Casey should be pleased that her sister is back, but she knows that something is seriously off with her sister. What happened to her sister when she disappeared? Can she uncover her sister’s secrets? And what about all the other missing girls in the area that no one is mentioning? Will the truth be revealed before another girl goes missing?