The Shadow Girl

Apr 21, 2013 Blythe rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: print-arc, 2013-reads, almost-fell-asleep, arc, brb-biting-my-nails, caught-in-a-bad-romance, clever-plot-twists, creeeeepy, exceeded-my-expectations, highly-anticipating-2013, i-totally-saw-that-coming, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, love-triangle, surprised-i-didn-t-hate-it, take-your-insta-love-and-leave, disappointments, read-reviewed

Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

It's not a rare occurrence, especially not in young adult, where a book's romance, and the large focus on it, often leads to the entire book's downfall. To even check myself on this, I asked on Twitter which books my followers thought would have been better if it hadn't been for the romance, and I received a wide variety of different answers, ranging from Daughter of Smoke and Bone to The Madman's Daughter.

The Shadow Girl is another book worth adding to that list of books...more Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

It's not a rare occurrence, especially not in young adult, where a book's romance, and the large focus on it, often leads to the entire book's downfall. To even check myself on this, I asked on Twitter which books my followers thought would have been better if it hadn't been for the romance, and I received a wide variety of different answers, ranging from Daughter of Smoke and Bone to The Madman's Daughter.

The Shadow Girl is another book worth adding to that list of books that would have been better had it not been for the romance. Or, in The Shadow Girl's case, romances, neither of which I was a fan. While I thought the mystery aspect to The Shadow Girl was incredibly fun and interesting--although perhaps a bit predictable--I didn't like how the majority of the plot was bogged down by the unnecessary and, to be blunt, just bad love triangle.

One of my biggest pet peeves in young adult is when the plot is thrown under the bus to make way for the romance, and that is only more frustrating when the plot is one that I actually like--so that's a check for The Shadow Girl in regards to frustration. Then there's another check in regards to frustration for The Shadow Girl, given the fact that both of those romances stem at a completely inappropriate moment--shortly after the main character's father's death.

That's two checks for frustration concerning The Shadow Girl's romance. But then we add a third, given the fact that both romances arise spontaneously (though not exactly insta-love, because there is a little bit of development for one party), and are both rather cliche--one love interest being the mysterious new boy who knows more things about the main character's past than ever she knows, and then the other love interest, the main character's best friend for years, whom she's only now realizing she has feelings for.

And then there's the fourth, and last check for frustration, that check being the fact that the resolution of the love triangle was painfully predictable, and was evident from the moment we met the first love interest. And while I did like one of the love interests (the mysterious new boy, surprisingly), I absolutely did not like the incredibly annoying, jealous, and whiny character that was the other love interest. And as for the main character herself, I didn't like her nor dislike her--she came off as rash and cold throughout a majority of the novel, and was rude to her mother in awful ways just after the death of her father, and while I could bring myself to understand why she was so angry, I couldn't bring myself to like her as a character because of the aforementioned points.

This review is not what I would exactly classify as conventional for me, and admittedly is a bit more focused on the romance than the plot, but then I guess you can say my review resembles The Shadow Girl itself in that sense. With an interesting and mostly well-written mystery, The Shadow Girl could have easily been a book to receive four stars from me, but due to the large focus on the romance and the lack of a connection I had with a majority of the characters, I am left unfortunately disappointed by this novel. (less)

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Apr 15, 2013 Mitch rated it 1 of 5 stars

The Shadow Girl may quite possibly be the most pointless thing I've ever read. In fact, my last three attempts at writing a coherent review were all derailed by just how much I dislike this book, so rather than start fresh with attempt number four, I think I’ll borrow Troy Steele’s psychologist and hopefully we’ll have something.

Doctor: Do you really hate The Shadow Girl that much?
Patient: Yeah...

Doctor: And why is that?
Patient: *gives Doc his best you’ve got to be kidding me look* Well, you see...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-2013, own-a-dtb, harper-teen, made-me-cry, annoying-love-triangle, just-another-book-crush, ya, never-saw-it-coming, reviewed-in-2013

3.5 stars
My grandmother makes the best bean stew. (I realize this is an unusual review opener, but bear with me just a little while.) Yes, my grandmother’s bean stew is quite the celebrity in my family. I don’t know how she does it, but it’s not like she’s keeping it a secret… quite the opposite, in fact. She shared her recipe and showed me how it’s done many, many times. But although I’m a pretty decent cook (if I do say so myself), I always end up with something else entirely. A pretty good be...more 3.5 stars
My grandmother makes the best bean stew. (I realize this is an unusual review opener, but bear with me just a little while.) Yes, my grandmother’s bean stew is quite the celebrity in my family. I don’t know how she does it, but it’s not like she’s keeping it a secret… quite the opposite, in fact. She shared her recipe and showed me how it’s done many, many times. But although I’m a pretty decent cook (if I do say so myself), I always end up with something else entirely. A pretty good bean stew, yes, but the magic is simply not there. In truth, if you give five cooks the exact same ingredients, they’ll each come up with a different meal, and no more than one, if that, will be truly unforgettable.

These days, books aren’t all that different, really. No matter how many times a certain recipe is used and reused, the end result is never the same. Ten authors can use all the same tropes, and they’ll each end up with a different story. Eight out of ten resulting books won’t be worth your time, one will be moderately enjoyable, and one will shine like a comet. There’s always an author capable of making even the most (ab)used tropes work.

Jennifer Archer is one of those authors. On the surface, The Shadow Girl is really and truly a cliché fest. A recently deceased parent. A best friend in love with the heroine. A mysterious new boy in town. An agonizing (read: annoying) love triangle. A secret waiting to be revealed. I see you all waving your heads in disgust, but I promise you, aside from the horrible and unnecessary love triangle, The Shadow Girl is a great and exciting read.

I pride myself on the fact that I can guess pretty much everything these days. (Sometimes I curse myself for it, too.) But with The Shadow Girl, I made all the wrong assumptions. Despite all the foreshadowing, my guess was nowhere near the truth. Honestly, I was lucky to go into this book knowing next to nothing about it. Everything is a spoiler with The Shadow Girl, even mentioning the genre it belongs to. I strongly recommend avoiding anything even remotely spoiler-ish.

This whole experience would have been much better without the love triangle. Even I, a well known hater of divided hearts, have to admit that there are love triangles that work. However, Jennifer Archer wrote hers almost as an afterthought, a painfully predictable and tragically unnecessary thing. Let’s not kid ourselves, Lily’s best friend Wyatt never really stood a chance. Their sudden forced attraction was explained with their fear of separation, of going to college and losing each other, but while that certainly makes sense, it should have stopped the second Ty Collier showed up. It was always clear who Lily would choose, which made her constant wavering all the more aggravating.

But that is one flaw in an otherwise excellent book. Lily’s relationship with her other, Iris, was a true delight to read. This concept is perhaps not the most original, but as I wrote earlier, Archer made the best of it. Lily also struggled with her mother’s strange behavior, especially after her father died, and as the story progressed, their relationship increased in complexity, and as frustrating as it was at times, it was an essential part of the book.

I’d hate to spoil even the smallest thing for you guys, so I’ll stop here. I’d recommend downloading a sample to see if it works for you like it did for me. The first 20% should make it clear enough.

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Mar 31, 2013 Ashleigh Paige rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, a-whole-new-level-of-boring, arc, back-in-the-oven-with-you-dear-book, could-have-been-so-much-better, i-screamed-at-it, arc-or-e-arc-via-author, stupid-love-triangles, such-a-disappointment, the-shameful-shelf-of-get-rid-of-it, uh-oh-someone-has-the-idiot-ball

1.5 stars.

Oh, The Shadow Girl. How I wanted to love you. At first, I did. You began with a great mystery centered on Iris, a separate consciousness within Lily that has been around for almost as long as Lily has, and a death that shakes up her life pretty well. Unfortunately, you had to veer off into lands you shouldn't have traveled.

The initial mystery is what drew me in. I thought I had the relationship between Iris and Lily figured out a few times, but it managed to surprise me in the end--wh...more 1.5 stars.

Oh, The Shadow Girl. How I wanted to love you. At first, I did. You began with a great mystery centered on Iris, a separate consciousness within Lily that has been around for almost as long as Lily has, and a death that shakes up her life pretty well. Unfortunately, you had to veer off into lands you shouldn't have traveled.

The initial mystery is what drew me in. I thought I had the relationship between Iris and Lily figured out a few times, but it managed to surprise me in the end--which is what I like books to do.Of course, the solution was in my top three guesses, but as long as my finger isn't exactly on it, it's good. The rough relationship Lily develops with her mother after her dad dies in an accident managed to tug on my heartstrings a few times too.

If it has stayed the course and spent more time developing the mystery, this novel would have been great. Unfortunately, it starts to drag after the first couple of chapters and detour into romantic entanglements. Before you know it, the tepid, predictable love triangle between Wyatt (Lily's childhood BFF), Lily, and Ty (mysterious college student from New York) takes over the novel and the mystery the book really should be about is put far on the backburner. Had some of this unnecessary fluff been cut out, this would have been a more concise, stronger novel for it.

Some elements are also built up for some time only to turn out to be nothing at all. The name Ian Beckett is brought up many times and it always has a strong negative connotation; though Iris knows nothing about herself, the man's name terrifies her. It seemed like he might come into the novel, but he never did. He's just a distant figure whose memory hangs around. I don't blame the book for not letting him come in and introduce danger. It's a character-focused novel, after all. Still, all that build up for nothing is a bit disappointing.

Until about the end, I was prepared to give The Shadow Girl two stars. Then seventeen-year-old Lily (at the age of consent but not the age of majority in Colorado, so she's still a minor) left her arthritis-and-lupus-stricken mother to go on a trip with a nineteen-year-old man she still barely knows. She tells no one where she's going either. Lily's behavior throughout the novel has been highly erratic and her father just died, too. A teen who is obviously not in her right state of mind does this and no one calls the police. No one. Not the friend that helped her escape, not the grandmother of another friend who does what's best for Lily even if she doesn't like it, and not even her own mother.

If Lily's own naive, selfish decision hadn't been enough for me, the way no one calls the police does.

I wanted to like The Shadow Girl so much more than I did, but that's how it rolls sometimes.(less)

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Mar 04, 2013 Nobonita marked it as to-read

Shelves: autographed-copy, hardback-review-copy, signed-by-author, arc-paperback, harper-collins, harper-teen, gave-away-in-swap

YOU CAN NOW WIN AN ARC of this book + the goodies shown in the image below at this link: http://perrytheplatypus1102-3daydream...

GIVEAWAY IS INTERNATIONAL

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Mar 29, 2013 Julianna Helms marked it as to-read-or-not-to-read

The writing in the first paragraph of the blurb is gorgeous. Excited! :D

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Apr 02, 2013 Paperpanda (Miguel Cruz) marked it as to-buy-maybe

Shelves: 2013-release

Sounds interesting. :)

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May 10, 2013 Wanda (Good Choice Reading) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, read-in-2013, reviewed, reviewed-2013

When Harper sent Shadow Girl to us to review, I was completely stoked. The blurb sounded so intriguing. I have always loved to get my hands on a good suspense book. And once I grabbed Shadow Girl, tragedy opened the book. It was the Lily's birthday and in a freak accident her father dies. That's where everything begins. Where the mystery starts. I started immediately thinking "Was that 'accident' really an accident"?

From the beginning of the book, you know there's a big secret and I couldn't w...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Leigh Herondale rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, books-i-own, won

RATING: 5/5 STARS

First of all, I would like to say thank you to A.G. Howard for sending me a signed ARC (This comes out on April, BTW.) of The Shadow Girl by Jennifer Archer. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect from this one when I found out that I won it from A.G. Howard's giveaway so I didn't really know what I was getting into. I did read the synopsis on Goodreads but for some reason it was still a bit vague for me so I was pretty much intrigued and excited at the same time. Anyway, the n...more RATING: 5/5 STARS

First of all, I would like to say thank you to A.G. Howard for sending me a signed ARC (This comes out on April, BTW.) of The Shadow Girl by Jennifer Archer. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect from this one when I found out that I won it from A.G. Howard's giveaway so I didn't really know what I was getting into. I did read the synopsis on Goodreads but for some reason it was still a bit vague for me so I was pretty much intrigued and excited at the same time. Anyway, the novel is told in Lily's POV.

To start with, Lily is a 17-year-old girl who has been hearing another voice, Iris, in her head since she was 4. She's pretty much normal except for the voice thing. Honestly, this voice thing kept me thinking the entire time I was reading the novel. I didn't know whether she's supposed to be insane, a clairvoyant, a ghost or whatever. I pretty much wanted to spoil myself by reading the ending the entire time. Haha. Anyway, I did like the fact that she didn't doubt her sanity in the story. Plus, the fact that she didn't exactly exhibit any signs of abnormality in the entire novel is just awesome. I really felt bad for her though. She lost her dad and her mom just kept on lying to her. I get that she was just scared of losing her girl and everything. I was just a bit disappointed in her. I think she should have believed in her daughter's love a bit more. Anyway, I loved Lily. She wasn't the typical whiny teenager with all these angst. And the fact that she wanted to find out everything even if it meant searching for the truth on her own makes her all the more awesome. She didn't really depend on anyone. She was pretty much independent even if she was sheltered her entire life. I think she is one of those well-written characters that I just can't hate. And I have to be honest, I'm biased when it comes to female characters. It's very rare for me to like heroines for some reason.

Moving on to Ty Collier. The boy who suddenly came into Lily's life. He's pretty much a mystery up until the last half of the novel. He is actually another one of the reasons that kept me hooked. I wanted to find out how he was connected to everything. Anyway, I liked the mystery surrounding this character. I know mysterious guys are pretty much cliche in novels but I think sometimes a good book just needs a good mystery guy. I don't want to delve too much into his character since I might end up spoiling the novel. Just read the novel when it comes out. Haha.

Lastly, there's Wyatt. Wyatt is Lily's best friend but he does not know anything about Iris. I liked Wyatt. I was rooting for him the entire time (not that I wasn't smitten by Ty) since he reminded me so much of my best friend. I have a guy best friend and he's very protective. I loved the fact that he was there for Lily whenever she needed her. I think he's very real as a character. Guy best friends are supposed to be like him in real life not just someone who happens to be the female character's best friend who ends up becoming her boyfriend just because he's a guy. Again, I don't want to say more because I might end up spoiling the novel. Ugh! I suck at reviewing books especially the ones I liked. I hope I give justice to this one though.

Anyhow, I'm so happy I got to read this before it came out. I think it was well-written. It's not exactly something you'd call fast paced but it wasn't slow either. I think the pacing of the novel was just right for this type. I was expecting a typical paranormal YA novel but it was more than that. It was more paranormal/sci-fi/mystery/drama. I was seriously hooked. I liked the fact that the mystery behind Lily and Iris' existence was not revealed until the very end. I was biting my nails the entire time I was reading. I ended up finishing this at 5am because I seriously needed to find out the Why's, What's and How's of everything. Anyway, if you're looking for a paranormal/sci-fi/drama/mystery novel then you should definitely read this. This is my first Jennifer Archer novel and I must say that I would definitely read her other works as well. It kept me hooked and intrigued the entire time I was reading. It was like I badly needed to put the pieces of the puzzle together. And something like that is definitely A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

Novelissima and
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May 07, 2013 Ann Carpenter rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

This book was okay. It kept me turning the pages, and I always wanted to know what was going to happen next, but I also found myself skimming occasionally so that I could find out what happened without having to fully read the text.

The plot is predictable (I called it very shortly in) and also doesn't make any scientific sense. A clone would not have her "original's" memories, unless Lily really is being haunted by Iris. Being able to play the violin also didn't make sense. It doesn't matter if...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Zachary Flye rated it 5 of 5 stars

Real rating 4.5 stars

For more reviews on MANY YA novels check out my review site Zach's YA Reviews (Zach's YA Reviews)

Protagonist: All her life Lily has had a special friend who whispers inside her, Iris is her name. Throughout this book Lily and Iris have to discover how it is that they're linked and who or what exactly Iris is. During the story they find clue after clue that begins to shake Lily to her core. She's confused and without her father's comfort, and with her mother being so distant...more Real rating 4.5 stars

For more reviews on MANY YA novels check out my review site Zach's YA Reviews (Zach's YA Reviews)

Protagonist: All her life Lily has had a special friend who whispers inside her, Iris is her name. Throughout this book Lily and Iris have to discover how it is that they're linked and who or what exactly Iris is. During the story they find clue after clue that begins to shake Lily to her core. She's confused and without her father's comfort, and with her mother being so distant and locking herself away Lily has a tough time getting the truth revealed. Though Lily grows as a character over the course of this book it's less a maturity or deeper understanding of the world, but a deeper understanding of herself and who she is as a person.

Romance: The romance in this book is very clearly a love triangle, and I have to say one of the most infuriating ones I've ever read, though not necessarily in a bad way. While I don't normally like to pick teams as I feel it's awkward rooting for a game that is essentially (in the author's mind) over. I do have to say that Wyatt, Lily's best friend, started of being a superb character, but after their relationship started to bloom he totally killed it for me by pushing way too hard and being overly jealous. There were many times when I stopped reading to tell Wyatt to shut up. Ty, on the other hand, while there were times when I should have been wary of him I never was, he was always calm and never disrespectful, or talked out of line.

World-Building: I have to say the world-building for this was amazing, not just in the way the author described the world but how the characters developed and how the backstories and secrets were revealed was perfect and came at just the right time to help move the story along. How everything turns out seems so logical and made me feel as though I should have seen it from the beginning but it's presented in a way that made me second-guess both the genre and why certain things were happening.

Predictability: When approaching the overall predictability of this book I have to say that for the most part I was shocked at the different twists and turns, while there were some givens, such as the best friend being a love interest, there were other things such as who or what Iris is, that totally threw me. I was approaching this book as if it were another genre which is probably what threw me off, which is great because I was so surprised when I found out the large secret that it made the book so much more enjoyable than if I knew from the first few chapters.

Ending: I have to say I wish the ending was longer, it felt like there were a few things that needed closure and a few more pages would have been great to tidy everything up. That being said the ending that was resented was very bittersweet, it's full of all the warm fuzzy feelings that a great ending has but it also gives off a sad one as it poses a realistic ending and in life there aren't always happy ending.

Rating:

This book is amazing, even though there were a few things that would have made this a bit better it's still a fantastic read. It comes out today so go pick up/order a copy from Amazon or Barnes and Noble, and sorry hardcover lovers but this book only comes in paperback, but trust me its worth it.(less)

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Apr 03, 2013 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mysterious and moving, I got sucked into this book REAL fast. I can’t pinpoint it, but this book had me really thinking…

The plot of the book is really gripping. Lily has never been along. Hidden away from the world, Lily lives in secluded place knowing very few trusted people. But why??? That is question. When her fathers dies, Lily is asking questions about his last statement to her. I have to admit that when her dad muttered those words, hook…line…sinker… I sat down, devour the book page and p...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Princess Pinky added it

Sometimes I forget for an hour or two that she's with me. Sometimes I convince myself that she was only a dream. Or that I'm crazy.

For as long as Lily Winston can remember, she has never been alone. Iris, a shadowy figure who mimics Lily's movements and whispers in her ear, is with her always—but invisible to the rest of the world. Iris is Lily's secret.

But when Lily's father is killed in a tragic accident, his cryptic final words suggest that he and Lily's mother have been keeping secrets of th...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, unsolicited

Though The Shadow Girl has a potentially hard-hitting premise, the end result doesn't really wow. I feel like I probably should have disliked this, but I didn't really; instead I feel largely ambivalent towards it. I've got a fair amount of criticisms to deliver, but, overall, this was a nice easy read, and wasn't a struggle to get through.

On the plus side, there's the concept of Lily having this other person in her brain, Iris. At the beginning the reader doesn't know why Iris is in her head or...more Though The Shadow Girl has a potentially hard-hitting premise, the end result doesn't really wow. I feel like I probably should have disliked this, but I didn't really; instead I feel largely ambivalent towards it. I've got a fair amount of criticisms to deliver, but, overall, this was a nice easy read, and wasn't a struggle to get through.

On the plus side, there's the concept of Lily having this other person in her brain, Iris. At the beginning the reader doesn't know why Iris is in her head or if Iris is a sign of Lily's insanity, but the idea is still a compelling one. Such concepts appear fairly frequently in YA, I think because there's something about the idea of hearing voices, whether real or imagined that calls to the human imagination. Do we all inherently both fear and desire such a voice? Also, given the popularity of the themes covered, I do think Archer considers them in a slightly different way, a less harried, action-packed way, that is refreshing. Though The Shadow Girl does briefly appear to be heading for a climactic showdown, there's really nothing of that sort here; it's a mental journey for Lily, and that's it.

Sadly, I figured out what was going on early on in the book, and I do not think I was especially clever to have done so. In fact, I think that the 'twist' is glaringly obvious. Lily does not really think there's anything weird about some of the facts she's uncovering when they should have been setting off immediate warning bells. Archer implies that this is because Lily doesn't want to believe what's going on, but that's a bit far-fetched for a girl as well-educated as Lily.

Perhaps my favorite part involves the Stradivarius violin that Lily locates in the garage in the wake of her father's death. Now, I can't delve into this because of spoilers, but I'll do my best. Archer weaves the power of music into her story, and I just love the idea she puts forth. I would have liked to see her do more with that, since it takes a backseat to the investigation plot line, which, again, was heading for a super obvious conclusion.

Otherwise, all that's really going on in this book is romance, which is pretty unfortunate. There is yet another love triangle, and there's instalove, or at least insta-serious-feelings. As ever, the two players for Lily's affections are her best friend Wyatt and the mysterious newcomer Ty. Lily is torn between the two, finding both physically attractive, nice, and eminently kissable. Now, on the one hand, I don't have a big issue with her being torn between the two guys; she's not made a commitment to either one, and she's welcome to make out with whoever she wants to. However, she's a total dick to her best friend in the process. While she's not unfair to Wyatt as a dating prospect, she's a horrid friend, and never fully apologizes for that.

Further, Lily's crush on Ty boggles my mind. She essentially discovers that he's been stalking her family for reasons that are basically insane. Lily, however, is totally okay with this and still deems him totally datable. Even better, having stalked her and lied to her makes him a great candidate for a road trip buddy. Apparently, attending Columbia makes you totally respectable no matter what the circumstances. In real life, this would have ended with her death, as would that whole thing with Jake. This girl has NO survival skills at all. Well, actually, she does have one that puts her above most YA heroines, the ability to realize when she's holding her breath.

Then there's Lily's relationship with her mother, or lack of relationship. Even though it's obvious all of the information is coming out, the mom freaking refuses to say a single thing to Lily about what exactly is going on. This pushes Lily to ask other people. Why was the mother so against explaining? Why did she cave so easily once Lily left? Was her daughter driving across country with a possible serial killer really the only catalyst to push her to admit she has a problem and get over herself?

I realize that based on this review, it sounds like The Shadow Girl should have a lower rating, but I honestly didn't dislike it. Nor did I exactly like it. Meh.(less)

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Apr 03, 2013 Jessi Larie rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5/5

I really enjoyed this one while I was reading it, but looking back I realize: It didn’t make a lasting impression. Which saddens me. The details are already foggy and I have to struggle to remember certain things. But it is an engrossing read, because of the mystery aspect of it.

I liked Lily, but I didn’t connect with her quite as much as I’d hoped to. Plus, there were times when her emotion response seemed off. For instance, something major happened, and I feel like the despair that shou...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Well, that was certainly something different. I’m not really sure how to categorize The Shadow Girl. It’s some kind of mix of paranormal, mystery, sci-fi, and thriller. It’s an interesting combination, but something about it didn’t fully work for me. I did enjoy the book, but I figured out the mystery pretty early on, so in a sense I spoiled it for myself. There were a few details that I hadn’t worked out, so those were still shocking, but over all, the big reveal was lacking.

The Shadow Girl is...more Well, that was certainly something different. I’m not really sure how to categorize The Shadow Girl. It’s some kind of mix of paranormal, mystery, sci-fi, and thriller. It’s an interesting combination, but something about it didn’t fully work for me. I did enjoy the book, but I figured out the mystery pretty early on, so in a sense I spoiled it for myself. There were a few details that I hadn’t worked out, so those were still shocking, but over all, the big reveal was lacking.

The Shadow Girl is about Lily who has always felt another girl’s presence in her life. Iris can’t be seen, even by Lily, but they can hear each other’s thoughts and feel each other. Lily’s parents act strangely when she mentions Iris, but any parent would be concerned about their child hearing voices, right? Well there’s more to it than that, which Lily discovers on her 17th birthday after her father dies in an accident. Her mother sometimes says strange things, and Lily has visions that feel that memories, and Iris feels like there’s something she can’t quite remember. It’s all very mysterious, but like I said, I formed my theory early and it was correct.

Of course there’s a romance. It’s a big part of the story, but not entirely the focus. There’s also some sort of love triangle at play, but it’s not the overly done, forced kind that seems to dominate YA today. Lily just gets caught up in a moment and ends up kissing her best friend, Wyatt. She doesn’t want to ruin their friendship with a failed relationship, but she begins to be confused about her feelings. Then there’s the mysterious new guy in town — Ty. He’s super hot, so of course Lily is attracted to him, and she’s a redhead so everyone is attracted to her. However, Ty ends up as a major driving force in the plot, so we get to know him as more than that hot mysterious guy.

The plot is quite interesting, even if it is predictable. I was very intrigued by Lily and Iris’ connection, and couldn’t quite figure them out until closer to the end. The Shadow Girl starts out feeling more paranormal, but as the stories moves on it starts to take on a more scientific feel. It was a strange transition at first, and I kind of felt like I would have preferred a paranormal or supernatural explanation rather than the scientific one we’re given. The ending also feels a little incomplete. I would have liked to know more and I was kind of expecting the bad guy that’s mentioned to show up, but he doesn’t. In the end, I did enjoy The Shadow Girl, but it’s not one of my favorites.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.(less)

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Apr 15, 2013 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: april-releases, challenge-paranormal-fantasy

Giveaway on the blog (US) http://somelikeitparanormall.blogspot...

Since Lily was little she remembers Iris. Another girl in her head that speaks to her and has become an important part of her. The night before her birthday, she hears her parents talking about a secret that they will finally reveal to Lily. Her dad dies in a tragic accident the next day and her mom closes herself and refuses to answer any of Lily's questions about what they were going to tell her. Iris is slowly remember things a...more Giveaway on the blog (US) http://somelikeitparanormall.blogspot...

Since Lily was little she remembers Iris. Another girl in her head that speaks to her and has become an important part of her. The night before her birthday, she hears her parents talking about a secret that they will finally reveal to Lily. Her dad dies in a tragic accident the next day and her mom closes herself and refuses to answer any of Lily's questions about what they were going to tell her. Iris is slowly remember things about what might be her former life and pushes Lily to investigate her dad's shed. Lily begins questioning how Iris came to be. Is she a ghost haunting her or is Lily just crazy? The new guy in town, Ty, came searching for help for his brother. He knows more about Lily's dad's past than he is letting on.

Although I had a good guess as to what was going on with Lily and Iris I really enjoyed Lily uncovering each clue. I was really annoyed and angry with her mom for not just telling Lily the truth. For making her go behind her back and search through her father's things. I didn't understand why she wouldn't just be honest. When it was all revealed I sort of understood but a secret like that could have never stayed hidden forever. I enjoyed the relationship between Lily and Iris. I would think having another person inside your head would drive someone crazy, but like in other books such as The Host and What's Left of Me, Lily and Iris have a special friendship. Lily often depends on Iris.

My favorite character was Lily's best friend Wyatt. Lily lives in a secluded area and is home schooled but Wyatt is a nearby neighbor and life long friend. He was very sweet and loyal. I was disappointed and most annoyed that Lily begins to have feelings for Ty while developing more than friendship feelings for Wyatt. I felt like she lead Wyatt on and hurt him. It became a love triangle with jumping back and forth between the boys. The ending was open so I still don't even know for sure where her heart truly laid but I preferred Wyatt. Ty's secrets didn't seem the best way to build a relationship. The ending was left a bit more open that I would have liked. The lead up to the big reveal fell a little short for me. There were some scary characters mentioned that I thought maybe would have showed up or had a bigger impact but they didn't. Lily handles everything really remarkably and it does end with all major questions answered.

---
Wyatt slides his hand to the back of my head and brings our faces so close that our noses touch. "I'd never lie to you. I'd never try to hurt or confuse you."
But he is confusing me. As our mouths meet, and I taste his lips and our breaths mingle, I can't understand what's happening to me. How can this be Wyatt who is turning my body to liquid heat? How can I be kissing him back as if I'm starving for him?
---

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*(less)

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Apr 24, 2013 Stories & Sweeties {Becky} rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the story of Lily and Iris. Lily lives a fairly normal life, except for one thing---she has always had a voice in her head, a consciousness inside her apart from her own. For the most part, she thinks nothing of it, it's all she's ever known. They support eachother, cheer eachother; it's a second opinion, another idea. It's Iris.

But what is Iris, really? And what is this big mysterious danger that her parents seem to think she needs protecting from? That's where the real story lies. I en...more This is the story of Lily and Iris. Lily lives a fairly normal life, except for one thing---she has always had a voice in her head, a consciousness inside her apart from her own. For the most part, she thinks nothing of it, it's all she's ever known. They support eachother, cheer eachother; it's a second opinion, another idea. It's Iris.

But what is Iris, really? And what is this big mysterious danger that her parents seem to think she needs protecting from? That's where the real story lies. I enjoyed watching this intriguing plot unfold so much. While I admit that once I hit a certain point, I got a pretty strong inkling of what was really going on, but the exact details always escaped me until I watched the secrets completely unravel into Lily's lap.

The only thing I didn't absolutely love about this one was the love story. Unfortunately, the triangle really plays a bigger part in the story than I think it needed to. While they both could have been two people in her life helping her through an incredible tough time and helping her find out what really happened, as love interests both Ty and Lily's best friend, Wyatt, became petty little boys. I couldn't get behind Ty---he is kind, but you know from the very beginning that he is just hiding way too many secrets. Even if his intentions were good, he just went about them in such a backward and shady way. And Wyatt---loved him as Lily's friend, but once they start toward something more, he just got whiney and overprotective and surprisingly insensative toward the fact that his best friend's dad just died. They both have their good moments, but they both definitely also have their bad ones.

BUT love story aside, the concept and mystery of Lily and Iris was strong enough on it's own to really keep me enthralled with this story. I love fact that until almost the end, you really don't know if you're reading a psychological thriller, a ghost story, a sci-fi, a paranormal---it really could have gone any direction. It really compells you to need to hear the truth. And when the ball finally dropped, I was completely satisfied with the direction the story took and how it ended: with Lily really making peace with the truth and using it in the best way she could. I really enjoyed this one and recommend it!
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Apr 22, 2013 Emily Duncan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-it, first-reads

So, I won the ARC of this book through Goodreads First Reads giveaways and I was looking forward to reading it, it seemed interesting enough. And it was interesting! Until… about halfway through….
It was frustrating, that was the only word I have for this book. Really frustrating. I guessed the plot twist a quarter of the way through: I looked to my roommate and said, “If she ends up being -----, I’m throwing my book out the window.” *reads 20 pages* “I’m throwing my book out the window.” So, the...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Katrina Tinnon rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the story line, but I felt like the pacing was a bit off.

Lily is an ok character. She's strong when she needs to be after dealing with her dad's death. Her mom seems to have completely gone off the deep end, and Lily has to be the grown up sometimes. I didn't like that she automatically trusted Ty. She didn't know him at all, and was constantly defending him. She's also getting mixed up feelings for her BFF Wyatt. All of this is right after her d...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Millie Dixon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: creepy, interesting

This review was originally posted over at Millie D's Words.

For some strange reason, I was kind of let down by this book. However, I didn't hear much about the book beforehand, so I don't know how my hopes were let down. The cover--gorgeous. The idea--awesome. There were so many different ways that this book could have gone, and it was so cool just to think about them all. While what I got from the book wasn't terrible or that disappointing, I was still hoping for more.

Lily wasn't that much of a...more This review was originally posted over at Millie D's Words.

For some strange reason, I was kind of let down by this book. However, I didn't hear much about the book beforehand, so I don't know how my hopes were let down. The cover--gorgeous. The idea--awesome. There were so many different ways that this book could have gone, and it was so cool just to think about them all. While what I got from the book wasn't terrible or that disappointing, I was still hoping for more.

Lily wasn't that much of a stand-out to me. She was determined, yes, and stubborn, but not in that kind of way that makes me fall in love with other heroines. There was a generic feel to her character. Been there, done that. Nothing I haven't seen before. I was missing that spark from here. I felt that she was a bit of a drama queen, with the way she wasn't getting what she wanted in this book. She was constantly crying--understandably so, because her father just died--but she just cried a looooottt over everything, and so did her mom--who was even worse than she was! It was just a bit infuriating to read about such . . . dramatically written characters.

And, oi, the characters got worse from there. But then they also formed the love triangle, so I was already wary of them. There's Ty and Wyatt. Ty was explained in this bad boy kind of manner, but I wasn't feeling it. I thought him to be a decent enough guy with long hair. He didn't break my heart. Then there was Wyatt, who I thought to be the cuter one. He was Lily's best friend since forever, and I was kind of rooting for them, but then Wyatt showed his true colors--which were ugly. His over-protectiveness was waaayyy over the top for me. It was just too annoying for me to handle.

The only thing that had me going was the idea. I wanted to find out what was up with Lily and this Iris chick. And lemme tell ya--it was worth reading this one all the way through. The mystery was pretty awesome and creepy and the plot was never predictable--besides the characters, that is. I enjoyed it! It wasn't what I expected, but that was okay!

The Shadow Girl was an alright read. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't all that amazing, either. I've been sitting on this review for a while because I didn't know what to write about it! My feelings for the book were just meh. Indifference. I'm sure others will enjoy it and others will hate, but I'm sure people who enjoy a good mystery will like this one.(less)

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Mar 15, 2013 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Frustratingly delightful, The Shadow Girl masterfully leaked out hints at life-changing secrets and sinister intentions, all while keeping the reader in the dark for most of its duration. With a headstrong and confident heroine, who spends much of The Shadow Girl confused yet determined, and an interesting twist to explain Iris’ existence, The Shadow Girl is a must read for all science fiction and paranormal fans!

Told from Lily’s PoV, The Shadow Girl succeeded in keeping me in constant suspense...more Frustratingly delightful, The Shadow Girl masterfully leaked out hints at life-changing secrets and sinister intentions, all while keeping the reader in the dark for most of its duration. With a headstrong and confident heroine, who spends much of The Shadow Girl confused yet determined, and an interesting twist to explain Iris’ existence, The Shadow Girl is a must read for all science fiction and paranormal fans!

Told from Lily’s PoV, The Shadow Girl succeeded in keeping me in constant suspense by keeping Lily from uncovering the truth to her parents’ past too quickly. With Lily’s mother being completely unwilling to answer any of her questions, Lily is forced to sneak around to discover the truth. Finding her mother’s sketches that hinted at a past Lily couldn’t remember, a trunk full of old clothes that Lily didn’t recognize but that looked to be designed just for her, and a music box that stirred up thoughts of a dark-haired, blue-eyed boy, Lily grew curiouser and curiouser; which, of course, meant I also grew curiouser and curiouser. As Iris grew more agitated, and foreign memories began to flood into Lily with growing intensity, Lily couldn’t help but question Iris’ existence – something she had always just taken for granted. Was Iris just a part of her, or had Iris somehow had a life prior to Lily? This constant state of confusion created such an intense level of suspense that I grew frustrated – in the best way – with the amount of clues that were piling up that didn’t result in answers! The Shadow Girl’s deliciously slow reveal of the truth made for great pacing as I was constantly trying to piece together the latest clue with everything else Lily had learned in an attempt to come up with the larger picture.

The only thing I really had an issue with in The Shadow Girl was its inclusion of a love triangle. Considering everything going on in Lily’s life – her father’s death, her mother’s failing health and emotional distance, her depressed dog, and her questions about Iris and her parents’ big secret – I really didn’t think that The Shadow Girl needed a romantic element. And considering her friend Sylvie pretty much nails her feelings for one of the guys on the head, I didn’t think it needed to be drawn out for as long as it was.

“Whenever Wyatt and I are together, I notice things about him I never did before, and I start wondering how it would be if we were more than friends [...] He’s so sweet, and nobody makes me laugh like he does. Plus, we know pretty much everything about each other, so I don’t have to worry about what he thinks.”

“He’s safe, you mean.” Sylvie casts me a disappointed look. “Safe is a cop-out reason for being with someone.”

That being said, I didn’t dislike the love triangle either. It wasn’t over the top, there wasn’t any instalove, and it didn’t overwhelm the plot; it was more of a background thing really, that popped up from time to time. And I actually really liked both boys, though neither of them truly blew me away or stole my heart. I just didn’t think it was necessary.

So I think a big reason why I enjoyed The Shadow Girl so much had to do with how much I liked Lily. She was courageous and spunky, but vulnerable and naive at the same time. The loss of her father was something that was felt throughout the entire book, during moments when her grief would just overwhelm her for a moment, but she was always able to get past it in order to move forward. Several times she lashed out in anger because of her grief, but always recognized that she was hurting others because she was hurting, so she’d apologize for her behaviour. I loved that Archer was able to weave such an emotionally heavy event into The Shadow Girl’s plot, without incapacitating Lily because of it or using it as the thing which defined her. The other big thing that I loved about Lily was that she never questioned her sanity. As much as she recognized that having Iris was abnormal, she never worried that it meant that something was wrong with her; it was merely something she knew she should keep to herself in order to keep everyone happy. While I personally would have appreciated a psychological twist to The Shadow Girl’s plot, it probably would have been a little too much considering everything else that was going on!

There’s definitely more I could say, like certain ethical questions that were raised, but I don’t want to get into spoilers. Thanks to a relatable and headstrong heroine, and enough mystery and suspense to keep me on edge for most of its pages, The Shadow Girl is a must read!(less)

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May 20, 2013 Haley rated it 4 of 5 stars

The one thing that made me give this book a try was the setting. Colorado. I’ve been to Denver and Colorado Springs, and I remember how beautiful the mountains were. The only other books set in Colorado that I can think of are Stung and A Beautiful Dark and A Fractured Light.
Picturing scenery while reading a book is like taking a virtual vacation. The author took full advantage of the setting and had scenes where the characters are going on hike or on off-road vehicles. There’s a lot of descrip...more The one thing that made me give this book a try was the setting. Colorado. I’ve been to Denver and Colorado Springs, and I remember how beautiful the mountains were. The only other books set in Colorado that I can think of are Stung and A Beautiful Dark and A Fractured Light.
Picturing scenery while reading a book is like taking a virtual vacation. The author took full advantage of the setting and had scenes where the characters are going on hike or on off-road vehicles. There’s a lot of description and showing instead of telling. I checked on Google Earth, and Silver Lake is not a real town.
This book also had pretty good characters. The main character is home schooled, so thankfully this book didn’t suffer from cliché high school drama. Lily has the spirit of another girl named Iris speaking in her head. She used to think her own shadow was Iris, but she only hears her voice and feels like she’s part of her. There’s the neighbor, Wyatt. He’s funny and cute and slightly reminds me of Tucker from Unearthly. Too bad Wyatt’s not a cowboy.
There’s Lily’s dad who dies at the beginning of the book, and Lily’s mom who’s depressed about it. Her parents are kind of old, like in their 60s. I kept suspecting them to be Lily’s grandparents, and thinking Iris was Lily’s mother. There’s also Ty, the new guy in town who starts repairing the roof for their cabin. He’s hot and mysterious and has his reasons for coming to Silver Lake.
The plot of the book was the mystery behind Lily’s past and who she is, and how she can help Ty. Much of the book was the romance/love-triangle between her, Ty and Wyatt. Sometimes the book felt slow, like there was no plot, but it picked up later on in the story. There’s a few twist towards the end. One of them I saw coming. Kind of changed the genera to sci-fi. Not trying to spoil it, but just saying. Wish there was more sci-fi stuff, because this is only a stand-alone. It was a good, enjoyable book anyway. Recommend it to anyone who likes a mystery or a virtual Colorado vacation.
Cover Art Review: Yet another reflective cover. There’s way too many covers with a similar seen. Like Pivot Point. Don’t care for this cover. But the back cover is pretty nice.

~Haley G

My blog:
http://breathlessbookreviews.blogspot...
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Apr 10, 2013 the golden witch. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, own-print-arc, phantasmagoria, urban-fantasy, vaginal-fantasy, teenage-shennanigans, for-review, for-swap, meh, reviewed, biopunk, contemporary

I absolutely love contemporary stories that have a magical reality or sci-fi spin to them. I love how they've exploded within YA, especially, as of late. And "The Shadow Girl" is a good title to add to that canon. But feels like it follows an almost set formula now for the magical reality/sci-fi contemporary genre - there's a mystery, some kind of love triangle with someone of dubious motives, and something that gets that mystery out into the open. Sadly, "The Shadow Girl", while a totally solid...more I absolutely love contemporary stories that have a magical reality or sci-fi spin to them. I love how they've exploded within YA, especially, as of late. And "The Shadow Girl" is a good title to add to that canon. But feels like it follows an almost set formula now for the magical reality/sci-fi contemporary genre - there's a mystery, some kind of love triangle with someone of dubious motives, and something that gets that mystery out into the open. Sadly, "The Shadow Girl", while a totally solid and well-written book, falls into this trap.

What lured me in was the mystery - and Archer does that really well. Is Lily crazy? Or is Iris some kind of creature from another world, or a ghost, whispering in her ear? She also teases us with the possibility that because Iris exists, Lily might be an unreliable narrator, and if you've been reading the blog for awhile, you'll know the almost fetishistic love I have for the idea/possibility/use of the unreliable narrator trope. And for awhile, all was well - the mystery continued and the way Archer used her sensory imagery to really build that mystery and unreliable narrator trope was pretty impressive. She did the same thing with the worldbuilding, building a both inner and outer world for Lily, which is really hard to do, and really hard to keep balanced. And Archer does a great job with this.

Until the romance shows up.

It's another love triangle, guys, and it doesn't really serve much of a purpose. Yes, I can see how Archer almost made this into a symbolic choice - should she go with Ty and unravel her own past and that of Iris too, or go with childhood bff, and not dig into her own past and identity? But that symbolic choice isn't fully fleshed out - and had it been? I would've been able to forgive the use of the love triangle, because of those symbolic life-changing choices. The fact that one of said dudes also has a dubious past and secrets also felt very scripted, and at times, stilted and awkward. Neither love interest really appealed to me, and it felt like the romance was there because it had to be there as a use of tension - when really? Lily/Iris' identity mystery was plenty constant tension enough without having to use the romance aspect.

The worst part of the romance aspect? It literally takes Lily up until the end of the book to decide who she wants to be with. Seriously.

I also felt like because of the romance bit, almost an entire third of the book really dragged. I did something I rarely do - I skimmed and skipped to where we actually start finding out about the mystery surrounding both Iris and Lily. I almost NEVER do this, you guys, and when I do, I usually feel really guilty. But here? I'm not even sorry. I just wanted to know what was really going on. From that point on, things got interesting and my attention was there again (especially with the delicious promise of the biopunk aspect), and I felt like the book I'd started reading in the first place was back.

Mostly, it felt like in that middle third, Archer kind of lost her way. Another draft might have helped this book a lot before it got to the ARC stage of things. But she does good work with constructing Lily and Iris as her MCs and a decent job with her main cast as a whole, as well as the worldbuilding , which was awesome. It was how the romance worked into the plot that needed the most work.

But that's just how I feel about it. "The Shadow Girl" is out now in North America from HarperTeen, so be sure to check it out when you get the chance!

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)

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Apr 09, 2013 Amy Fournier rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own

When I first heard about this book I knew it was a book I wanted to read. I am big on psychological reads and I was really interested to know what these secrets were that were being kept from her her entire life. I wanted to know if Iris was real. I was interested to know more about Ty because everyone knows that a new mysterious boy is always up to something. This book grabbed my attention and I read it rather quickly. I didn't want to put it down until I knew how it all ended. Oh, bonus points...more When I first heard about this book I knew it was a book I wanted to read. I am big on psychological reads and I was really interested to know what these secrets were that were being kept from her her entire life. I wanted to know if Iris was real. I was interested to know more about Ty because everyone knows that a new mysterious boy is always up to something. This book grabbed my attention and I read it rather quickly. I didn't want to put it down until I knew how it all ended. Oh, bonus points for being a stand alone novel too. That's not to say that I didn't have issues with it, but I did enjoy it.

Lily was not always a very likeable character, in fact about half of the time I wanted to smack her and tell her to stop being so freaking selfish and self absorbed. You already know from the synopsis that she hears a voice and that her dad dies. She knows that her parents were hiding something from her, but days after her dad dies she's on her moms case about it. She's pushy and mean and lies to her. She even at one point tells her she hates her, which I believe is like a week after her dad died. I mean, come on!! I get she wants to know what is going on, but that is just ridiculous!! Then, there's mysterious new boy!! She gets all flirty with him at her dads funeral!! Not cool at all. And then she pretty much leads on her best friend thinking he might have a shot at her, but she knows that she really likes Ty. I could go on and on about her stupid decisions. I do think that she was a very determined person though, and she isn't afraid to stand up for what she thinks is right, but I don't like that sometimes she did it at the expense of others. Hmmm that didn't sound like I liked her much at all, but I actually did.

So then there's Ty. He has some secrets of his own, surprise, surprise right?! I actually really liked him though. He is never mean to anyone, but he will do what he has to in order to get the answers he needs too. He actually has a really good heart, and anything that he does to hurt people isn't intended. He just has such a desperation for why he needs to uncover a secret that you can't help but want him to succeed and get whatever answer he seeks!

The other characters didn't do much for me either. I couldn't stand her best friend Wyatt at all!! He was so freaking possessive and got jealous almost instantly when Ty talked to Lily the first time. Then when Lily is trying to discuss important things with Ty, Wyatt keeps butting in and saying stupid stuff. Ugh!! I wanted to hit him. He was so annoying that I didn't want to read the parts with him in it at all because I would start to get all worked up about it. He was a very unlikeable character and I pretty much wanted him to fall off of a mountain.

Overall I thought the story was really good though. A bit predictable, but still enjoyable to read with the exception of me feeling a bit violent toward Wyatt. I liked how the secrets and the past all got uncovered, but I do think in the end things were wrapped up a bit too tidy. I never really was able to connect with the characters, so there was no real emotion for me while reading, but I liked it and I would recommend it to people who want a quick psychological read that's not too in depth.(less)

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Apr 21, 2013 Stephanie Ward rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: print-arc, for-review, owned, will-trade

4.5 Stars

'The Shadow Girl' is an enthralling and fully captivating young adult fantasy/mystery novel that follows Lily Winston after the tragic death of her father rips her family apart. After overhearing a strange conversation between her parents and her father's final - and cryptic - words to her, Lily begins to wonder what big secret her parents have been keeping from her. The shadowy figure inside Lily's consciousness and mind - Iris - begins to push Lily to find out what her parent's are hi...more 4.5 Stars

'The Shadow Girl' is an enthralling and fully captivating young adult fantasy/mystery novel that follows Lily Winston after the tragic death of her father rips her family apart. After overhearing a strange conversation between her parents and her father's final - and cryptic - words to her, Lily begins to wonder what big secret her parents have been keeping from her. The shadowy figure inside Lily's consciousness and mind - Iris - begins to push Lily to find out what her parent's are hiding. What they discover will completely rock Lily's family, Iris' existence, and Lily's own identity.

This book was a mix of a masterful mystery and a supernatural story. I loved the twists and turns that filled the story - each one pressing me forward alongside Lily on her quest to figure out the big secret her parents have kept from her. The way the mystery is written, with only small snippets of clues and some flashbacks, really engages the reader to unravel the enigma and finally release the secrets that have been locked tightly away. The characters were interesting and quirky, especially the Lily and Iris relationship. Iris was a big part of the mystery and I found her to be fascinating and unnerving at the same time, only because I couldn't fully guess at her role in the book. Lily was a great main character and I immediately liked her and found myself pursuing the truth along with her throughout the novel. There is a bit of a love triangle in the story between Lily, Wyatt - her best friend since forever, and Ty - the mysterious and gorgeous stranger in town. Ty's role is also a bit of a mystery in the novel, at least for a while. It's clear that he somehow plays a bigger role than a love interest and I loved trying to figure out how he fit into the mix. The writing was very well done and the story was fast paced and exciting. The plot was unique and certainly was a breath of fresh air into the YA genre. I don't want to have any spoilers, so suffice it to say that this was a fantastically written, highly addictive supernatural mystery that fans of YA fiction will definitely NOT want to miss. Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Sep 13, 2012 A.G. Howard rated it 5 of 5 stars

I got to read this in the early phases and it's so good. An emotional thrill ride of self-discovery through the eyes of a teenage girl whose own shadow holds the key to her purpose and place in the world. There's a great twist at the end that when I looked back made perfect sense -- yet I never saw it coming. One part haunting mystery, one part soft sci-fi, the only thing this book will leave you wanting for is more of Ms. Archer's beautiful prose and vivid imagination.

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Apr 13, 2013 Audrey Streetman rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book captured me from page one and didn't let go. The premise is original and suspense carries the reader to a surprise ending. This book may be considered YA, but this adult loved Lilly and Iris. Highly recommend.
Audrey Streetman, poet and author.

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Mar 16, 2013 Froska E rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well i received The Shadow Girl book from a GoodReads giveaway and i start reading is right away. It was so easy to read and so hart to leave it. You like to know more and more what is going on. I hope there will be part 2 cause there are so many anfinihed staff leaved at the the end. But great book i will recommended to everyone.

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Mar 03, 2013 Margarita Lopez rated it 5 of 5 stars

I truly enjoyed reading Shadow Girl. It is a medley of mystery/suspense, romance and adventure. I liked Lily's romance triangle: choice of mysterious newcomer vs. the familiar boy-next-door. Shadow Girl is worth reading.

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