Name: Sisters of Shadow
ISBN: 9780008467708

Katherine Livesey

Sisters of Shadow

Jess LeBlanc

This read more of a children’s book than a YA book but I still enjoyed it & will be reading the other two books in the series to see how it ends

Saskia P

I mean - queer witches, dark academia vibes, the cutest characters and a playlist to listen to in the end - I need the sequel now!

Anne of Green Gables meets Diana Wynne Jones in this whimsical fantasy adventure perfect for teen readers.

Sisters of Shadow (Sisters of Shadow, Book 1)

Kimi 

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for providing the ebook in exchange for the review.  

I'm sorry to say that I really did not enjoy this book.  The writing was good but the overall pacing of the story was very very slow.  Therefore the intrigue and plot was non-existent.  The story finally picked up for me around 70% into the book and even then I tried my best to plow through toward the end of the story, it fell flat.  

Everything from the character’s journey, getting into the lair, meeting the head witch and escaping was too convenient and easy.  There wasn't much development in the characters, layering of the plot and the witch ‘fight' (if you want to call it that) was non-existent.   The magic wasn't explained and it doesn't explain how Lily has them all of sudden either.  The head witch mentioned mentioned Lily's uncle and just happens to know that Lily is related without a doubt seems odd and highly unlikely but isn't explained either.  There seems to be too many open sub-plots and the main plot isn't define well.  

Overall, the story had potential but wasn't executed well.  I struggled to get through this book due to overall pacing, lack of plot and character development.  In the end the story was lackluster to say the least.

Blayke 

𝑨 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆.

𝐸𝑁/𝐹𝑅

| WARNING: This digital A.R.C was kindly sent to me by the publisher via NetGalley after I requested it in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own |

This review is probably going to be one of my shortest ones since I started writing them for a simple and good reason, the things I reproach to this book is entirely my fault. 
It’s a critic, without being a real one, that seems to be said a lot about Sisters of Shadow by Katherine Livesey: The targeted audience isn’t identifiable. 
To read this book was a true trial for my willpower, as I was appealed by the synopsis about two young women, best friends, fighting to be reunited despite destiny’s plan. 

While Alice ends up being kidnapped by a sect, Lily goes to her pursuit, braving fate and dangers to rescue her. By putting forward a nice cover and the promise of witchcraft, I was charmed, and I asked to receive the A.R.C, which the publisher kindly granted me.
Except that where It sticks is that I constantly imagined the two young girls as being really young, just teenage girls in my mind and due to the writing style I think. 
Which, considering certain events, and some implied, made me wince more than once.
So from the height of my 23 years, lover of dark and violent readings, I found the story a little soft. 
Certainly, Lily’s quest is full of good intentions, and Alice’s journey is in itself trying (TW: Torture) but in the end, I found myself reading the lines diagonally.
And it’s completely my fault. 
If you are younger than me, I’ll say around the age of 14, and you are looking for a captivating but simple English reading, Sister of Shadow fully justifies that you may be interested in it.  But since I’m not, here we are.  
Correct but not exceptional worldbuilding, with however a good lesbian representation that I applause especially in a coming-of-age story.

| WARNING : Cet A.R.C digital m’a été envoyé par l'éditeur via NetGalley suite à ma demande sur le site en échange d’une honnête revue. Toutes les opinions exprimées sont miennes. |
Cette revue va probablement être une de mes revues les plus courtes depuis que j’ai commencé à en faire pour une simple et bonne raison, les choses que je reproche à ce livre sont entièrement de ma faute. 
C’est une critique, sans en être une, qui semble beaucoup revenir lorsqu’il est question de Sisters of Shadow par Katherine Livesey, l’audience ciblée n’est pas clairement identifiable.

Lire ce livre a été une vraie épreuve d’endurance pour ma part, je m’étais laissée séduire par le résumé un peu sombre de deux jeunes filles, meilleures amies, luttant pour se retrouver malgré les coups du destin. Alors qu’Alice se retrouve kidnappée par une secte, Lily se lance à sa poursuite, bravant le destin et les dangers pour la secourir. 
En mettant en avant une jolie couverture et la promesse de sorcellerie, ni une ni deux j’ai demandé à en lire l’A.R.C, ce que l’éditeur m’a gentiment accordé. 

Sauf que là où ça coince est que j’ai constamment imaginé les deux jeunes filles comme étant réellement jeunes, tout juste des adolescentes d’après moi et suivant le sens que leurs donne l’autrice à travers sa plume. Ce qui au vu de certains évènements, et certains sous-entendus, m’a fait grimacer plus d’une fois.
Alors vous pensez bien que du haut de mes 23 ans, amatrice de lectures sombres et violentes, j’ai trouvé l’histoire un peu molle. 
Certes la quête de Lily est pleine de bonnes intentions, et le parcours d’Alice est lui-même éprouvant (TW : Torture) mais au final je me suis retrouvée à parcourir les lignes en diagonale. 
Et ceci est entièrement ma faute. 
Si vous êtes plus jeunes que moi, je dirai vers 14 ans, et que vous cherchez une lecture VO envoutante mais simple au niveau de l’écriture, Sister of Shadow justifie entièrement que vous vous y intéressiez. 
Mais comme ce n’est pas mon cas, nous en sommes là. 
Un worldbuilding correct mais pas exceptionnel, avec cependant une bonne représentation lesbienne que je salue surtout dans un récit de coming of age. 


Sisters of Shadow

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