I'm a bit torn on the rating for this one. While it was atmospheric and descriptive, I liked the story as a whole about two beautiful twin sisters, one good and one essentially evil, but the plot at times felt a bit melodramatic especially when a romance blossoms between two of the main characters. I also wished that while one of the twins perspective was voiced throughout the storyline that it would have been insightful to hear the other twin's reasoning as to what made her tick and perhaps shed light on her deeds. Still enjoyable and worthwhile.

Thank you to author January Gilchrist and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

I asked to read this book because I loved the cover, and I'm interested in historical fiction books with sisters! This one didn't disappoint!
This book starts out with adult twin sisters still living with their father. They each want different things in life, but their dreams seem within their grasp despite their father isn't very caring towards them. But never would I have expected the outcome of the second half of the book!
I felt like the writing wasn't completely consistent throughout. At times you had beautifully descriptive imagery, Victorian style writing, but then it would slip into a more modern writing. Sometimes I couldn't figure out if we had jumped time in the story or who exactly it was talking about. But there definitely was personalities put into the characters to make you love and hate them!
** If you're looking for a gothic tale with various levels of love and hate, this book will have you turning pages to find out how it ends. Nothing overly graphic, but would recommend for high school or older due to certain content.
*** Cautionary content: uncaring father, deceased mother, art with nudity, adultery, attempted suicide/murder, gambling, mental health, descriptions of the harshness of asylums at that time, implications of sex, trying to get pregnant and periods,

This was a dark gothic suspense novel. I read a little of it and decided it wasn’t for me. You might want to try it if you like those type of stories.

I uploaded my review to Goodreads. I will upload it to Amazon on release day.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and January Gilchrist for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for My Sister's Shadow coming out March 18, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I believe this is a debut novel. I really love gothic stories and the early 1900s time period was intriguing to me. Twin stories are really interesting and I love the evil twin trope. However, there were aspects of the story that were a little slow and didn’t hold my attention as much. The characters weren’t very likable. I thought the ending wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for. I would check out other books by this author.

This book starts out pretty mellow. It is 1904 and Victoria and Adelaide lead a highly privileged life in Gloucester, UK. Despite being twins, the women are total opposites, Victoria bold and daring, Adelaide calm and reserved. Life takes them to New York and from there to Newport's high society. Up to this point the story is plain sailing, general fiction. But that's about to change.
An unexpected twist turns their world upside down. Darkness descends and goth takes over. Who can be trusted? The second half of this book had me on the edge of my seat, not able to put it down. Well crafted and fast paced to arrive at a grand finale. What a story!

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

My Sister's Shadow, is gothic tale of English twin sisters thrown into society in Gilded Age New York, one against her will, one in her element. Their story touches on the insular world of New York and Newport Society and how relationships are not always what they seem. An intriguing thriller with a final satisfying twist, this book is sure to please readers of historical fiction of Gilded Age New York.

My Sister's Shadow: A Novel by January Gilchrist

Victoria and Adelaide, twins, are the subject of January Gilchrist's captivating book. The period of 1904 in England is significantly different. Women were often regarded as mere pawns in the games of the aristocracy, relegated to a position of subservience to the influential men who dominated their lives. Their father's decision to invite a wealthy businessman, Lord Stanley, to their home, Harewood Hall, in an attempt to ascend the societal hierarchy has a life-changing impact on the family. Adelaide, a gentle and accommodating woman, and Victoria, a dynamic and assertive presence, are poised to captivate Lord Stanley with their entertaining charm. Lord Stanley's unconventional decision astounds both women, and we watch as a tale of deceit and lies is revealed. In an attempt to network with high society socialites and raise funds for his ideal horse track, Stanley relocates them to New York. After arriving in America, the genuine aspirations of all parties start to emerge, and the cracks in their facade begin to form. The reader is prompted to enquire, "Who is loyal to who?"

Amazing! I was just captivated. Examining the differences in attitudes towards women in British and American societies reveals complexities like the challenging dynamics often seen between siblings, particularly twins. The novel's pace was spot-on. If you like a bit of romance, it has that. If you prefer a mystery, we have you covered. Perhaps a bit of a psychological thriller is what you are after; again, January Gilchrist has you covered.

I went into this read with an open mind. Historical fiction isn't my favorite genre, perhaps not even in my top three. However, after I read this novel, I may need to recalibrate my thinking. Did I mention the ending? True perfection, and I smiled from ear to ear.
I am giving this 5 out of 5 stars. Strongly Recommended!

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for the ARC through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

Two sisters, Adelaide, quiet, unassuming, and Victoria always wanting more. Except that Adelaide gets all that Victoria wants, a husband, a 5th Ave mansion, and the "suppossd" life of high society. Victoria does not like that and is determined to ruin Adelaides life. Except that Adelaide is not such a doormat, especially now that she's found the love of her life Jack, so she fights back with all her will and ingenuity.

This book was very "Rebecca" like. Lost of twists and turns, malevolence and some creepy villians.

#netgalley #MySistersShadow

A slow burn for sure, but a twisted read it was. It was difficult for me to get into at first, because I'm not usually a fan of gothic style. But it picked up in part 2 and was very engaging from that point on.

Thank you to NetGalley & Crooked Lane books for this arc ebook for my review.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★ ★
𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: March 18, 2025
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

I enjoyed this! I waited until October to read this so I had to chilly spooky setting for this gothic read. I was sucked into this book from the very beginning. We follow the lives of a set of twin sisters who are so much alike but wish to be so different and their own selves. We are surrounded by darkness, mystery, secrets, betrayal, lies and a thriller style tension throughout that keeps you on the edge. I loved that the setting of this book was in the early 1900s in England and New York because these are two of my favorite places! I thought it was extremely well written. I would recommend this to my bookish friends.

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: Gothic, Mysterious, Family Secrets, Lies, Betrayal, Thriller, Love Hate Sister Relationships, Suspense

Large thank you to our Author, NetGalley as well as Crooked Lane Books

This was absolutely amazing! I was totally enthralled with this story from beginning to end, I could barely put it down, and when I finally read the last page, the house was dark, I was hungry, thirsty, needed to pee and my neck was stiff. But damn, it was worth it!

Interesting thriller with Gothic vibes. Adelaide and Victoria both are interesting characters, though, identical twins but poles apart from each other in personality and nature. I loved Adelaide from the start and suspicious of Victoria throughout. Story of shocking betrayal and cheating with disturbing and frightening suspense. Love the climax. Overall a good thriller. Thank you @Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC.

"...The sister two words harmless yet bearing a weight that brought my hand and the card to my side.."

My sister's shadow is a historical mystery/thriller fiction sets in England 1904 and Newyork .
Two sister's who are identical in appearance but different how they want there life to be . ADELAIDE wants to spend her entire life where she was born and with the people she grow .But her elder sister VICTORIA wants her life outside the harewood house a life full of adventure, high profile parties in Newyork .
In a way they are different from there desire and view towards there life or Future.
There Father wants to control over her daughters wants to get them away from Harewood as he think they have similarities like HER.. so when lord Stanley sends the proposal for her daughter Adelaide ,without any hesitation he accepts it .Eventhough Adelaide never wants it. the world of two sisters crumble with a prososal . As Victoria wants a thrilling and adventurous life of new York she accompanies Adelaide to NewYork.

" It's an age old story.Marriage ,swiftly followed by catastrophe. Or was it the other way around? In this case ,it was marriage itself that was catastrophe "

Adelaide finds herself confined in the four walls of Fifth Avenue in Newyork with her twin sister . ADELAIDE never align herself with the upper class rules and showoff of wealth there she finds a friend 'wiffy' ,a icon for FREEDOM for Adelaide. But the fire explodes between their sisterly bond when Adelaide goes out without her sister .and Invitations starts to come with the name of Adelaide and one more. This agitates the Rage inside Victoria and she takes the step that no one can imagine and destroys Everything that comes in her path to reach the high class society.

I love this book till the end when i read this book i ask this question several time like 'how the beautiful bond between the sisters can be affected in a way we never imagine !' I like how the Author dealt with various themes and sensitive topic in a thoughtful manner.
" I knew there was no sharing. The one standing in the sun must cast a shadow.and it was my lot in life to stand in the shadow "

Must Read

This is the story of two sisters who live in England and want different things out of life. Initially, the novel is a slow burn, taking me a while to get into it. I liked one sister, but the other one annoyed me endlessly. I struggled with this story because I never felt attached to any character. The captivating parts kept me reading—full of feminine anger, jealousy, lies, and betrayals. A study in contrast, indeed!

The author does an excellent job of using tension to develop family secrets and lies. Although the author’s style eventually intrigued me, the book just left me wanting.

The E-book had some structural and grammatical errors, but none detracted from my reading.

If you like a dark, gothic-style novel with rivalries and sisters in a love-hate relationship, this historical fiction novel will resonate. On first impression, it was a 3.5-star read, but I liked the book as I got to the finish line. I would recommend it.

Thank you to Net Galley for this advanced copy read. My review is voluntary and is mine alone.

January Gilchrist’s "My Sister's Shadow" is a gripping Gothic novel that ensnares readers from the very first page. The story revolves around identical twins Adelaide and Victoria, whose starkly contrasting personalities—Adelaide’s brooding introspection versus Victoria’s vivacious charm—create a fascinating dynamic that drives the narrative.

Gilchrist masterfully intertwines the Gothic elements with the twins' intense relationship, creating an atmosphere brimming with dark secrets and eerie tension. The novel’s chilling settings and mysterious undertones are reminiscent of "The Thirteenth Tale," another tale of complex family bonds and hidden truths. However, "My Sister's Shadow" stands on its own with its rich character development and evocative prose.

The book’s ability to sustain suspense and intrigue throughout is commendable, and while it occasionally leans on familiar Gothic tropes, it does so with enough originality to keep it fresh and compelling. Overall, "My Sister's Shadow" is a must-read for fans of atmospheric thrillers and family dramas, deserving of a solid four stars for its engaging plot and atmospheric depth.

A special thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC copy of this enthralling read.

All is want us to be free. Adelaide & Victoria are identical twins but their personalities can’t be any different. Adelaide doesn’t want to marry but her father gives her no choice. So both sisters are off to America and she will need to learn to be a wife. Her husband is an abusive brute but she is lucky that she doesn’t see him that often. Her sister Victoria isn’t managing the move well as everything is about her and Adelaide knows that she will pay for her happiness. When she meets Jack everything changes as he is the one that she has been seeking. But will they be able to leave everything behind to start again? Victoria isn’t about to let her sister go & she will cause so much harm to Adelaide. But Adelaide is stronger than anyone thinks & with the help of a dear friend is back to get her revenge. Will Victoria pay for what she has done will Adelaide be free at long last?
What a deeply disturbing story. Two sisters that are so different and the length that one will go to destroy them. A good read. Good characters and a rich background to the story. Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the copy. This is my voluntary review.

My sister's Shadow is a Gothic suspense set in 1904 England. Adelaide and Victoria are beautiful mirrored twins, but their personalies are polar opposite. As Adelaide makes friends and becomes more independent and sure of herself, Victoria grows more and more hateful and resentful and things turn very dark. This is not a cozy but it was an overall good book. I especially loved the ending.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

This was such a good book. I really enjoyed it. More than I thought I would. I loved the writing style. This book had me hooked from page one. This is a first for me by this author but will not be my last!!

I really enjoyed this book! It gave me Great Gatsby vibes, but in a gothic, twisted sort of way. I loved the main character, Adelaide, and felt so frustrated and angry as things continued to happen to her out of her control. I would've liked it a bit more if the narrator was a bit more unreliable, or we got more into her sister and husband's motivations and perspective, though. This historical fiction was such a captivating blend of jealousy, lies, betrayal, love, sisterhood, and feminine rage. It did not completely go where I thought it was going to go, either, and I liked the ending. There were some small formatting/structure errors in my E-book but it didnt detract from how great the storytelling was. Would recommend!

I will post on my Instagram and Storygraph a little closer to the publication date!! But I have rated on goodreads and Amazon.

This book was quite anticlimactic and boring. I feel like the mental institution came out of nowhere, and the ending was abrupt.