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Sisters of Shadow #1
Sisters of Shadow
All she knew was vengeance…
Alice has lived in the forest on the fringes of Alder Vale ever since her parents abandoned her. Alone, exiled, feared by all. All except Lily.
But something is stirring beyond the mountains, whispers of spectres stalking the moors, women of unfathomable power luring children into a cult that has haunted local lore for a generation.
Then, in the dead of night, Alice receives a letter promising answers to the questions that have always tormented her. And so she meets Grace. The red-cloaked cultist pledged to protect her, a scarred warrior born of storm and sea, the girl who will steal her heart.
Anne of Green Gables meets His Dark Materials in this whimsical fantasy adventure following the unlikely alliance between an apothecary, a witch, a warrior, and a witch-hunter. Perfect for fans of Garth Nix, Natasha Ngan, and Diana Wynne Jones.
Alice has lived in the forest on the fringes of Alder Vale ever since her parents abandoned her. Alone, exiled, feared by all. All except Lily.
But something is stirring beyond the mountains, whispers of spectres stalking the moors, women of unfathomable power luring children into a cult that has haunted local lore for a generation.
Then, in the dead of night, Alice receives a letter promising answers to the questions that have always tormented her. And so she meets Grace. The red-cloaked cultist pledged to protect her, a scarred warrior born of storm and sea, the girl who will steal her heart.
Anne of Green Gables meets His Dark Materials in this whimsical fantasy adventure following the unlikely alliance between an apothecary, a witch, a warrior, and a witch-hunter. Perfect for fans of Garth Nix, Natasha Ngan, and Diana Wynne Jones.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2021
68 people are currently reading
2422 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Livesey
4 books230 followersKatherine Livesey is YA Fantasy author from the wilds of the Lancashire countryside.
Her debut novel, SISTERS OF SHADOW (Sisters of Shadow #1) was published by One More Chapter/Harper Collins on September 30th 2021.
When not writing, Katherine can be usually found knee-deep in mud walking her two dogs with her partner, or baking up a storm in her little kitchen.
IG: @katherine.livesey
Her debut novel, SISTERS OF SHADOW (Sisters of Shadow #1) was published by One More Chapter/Harper Collins on September 30th 2021.
When not writing, Katherine can be usually found knee-deep in mud walking her two dogs with her partner, or baking up a storm in her little kitchen.
IG: @katherine.livesey
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May 11, 2021“cottagecore meets sapphic witches in a whimsical fantasy adventure that follows a young witch abducted by a legendary cult, the scarred warrior she falls in love with, and the apothecary who sets out to save her”.
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September 6, 2021
On my blog.
Rep: lesbian mc & li
CWs: torture
Galley provided by publisher
When I finished reading Sisters of Shadow, I gave such a massive sigh of relief because finally, finally, it was over. I haven’t viscerally hated reading a book in a long time, which is why I couldn’t even bring myself to be nice about rating it. I couldn’t even say it was “okay” because it well and truly wasn’t.
I think, though, that this can mostly be attributed to me as a reader. Perhaps up to 90% of it can be. Thus, while I can’t say anything positive about this book (sorry, Katherine), I would stress that you realise it’s all me! It’s all personal! I really do hope this book finds its audience, so please don’t let yourself be put off it by this review.
That being said.
Quite frankly, this book is bland. There are two facets to this: the basic fantasy worldbuilding, and then the lack of specific worldbuilding.
Let’s take the basicness of it first. There’s nothing that feels at all creative about this world. It feels like every fantasy world did in the 2010s, so a good decade behind the best fantasy that’s out there at the moment. There’s nothing at all distinguishable about it—I can’t even remember half of it, because it was that bland. And because it was bland, it was also boring, thus setting the book itself up to be boring.
An inauspicious start, you might say.
And then, in the times it did attempt to get a bit more specific, all it left me with was more questions. Who are the witches? Why are they evil? How does it fit into whatever overarching worldbuilding that there is (or isn’t, as the case may be)? It all felt very superficial, as though it was thrown in at the last moment.
That superficiality carried over into everything else, I think. The characters didn’t have depth, so their relationships didn’t either. They met (and instantly trusted?) each other, they fell in love barely knowing the other person. It was almost as though the author thought this is what should happen, so it did, rather than thinking of how the characters might shape the story.
And don’t even get me started on the plot. It was as basic as the worldbuilding, and completely lacking in urgency. If you think your friend is in danger, why are you spending a month with a guy you don’t know, playing families? None of it made the slightest bit of sense.
To top it off, there was also the minor panic one of the main characters had over the prospect of wearing a pair of trousers? How to write gender roles into your bland fantasy I suppose…
All of which to say… I wish (or maybe I don’t) that I could write a more positive review. I just cannot. Like I said earlier, I haven’t a single good thing to say here. I can only hope I haven’t managed to fully put you all off it.
Rep: lesbian mc & li
CWs: torture
Galley provided by publisher
When I finished reading Sisters of Shadow, I gave such a massive sigh of relief because finally, finally, it was over. I haven’t viscerally hated reading a book in a long time, which is why I couldn’t even bring myself to be nice about rating it. I couldn’t even say it was “okay” because it well and truly wasn’t.
I think, though, that this can mostly be attributed to me as a reader. Perhaps up to 90% of it can be. Thus, while I can’t say anything positive about this book (sorry, Katherine), I would stress that you realise it’s all me! It’s all personal! I really do hope this book finds its audience, so please don’t let yourself be put off it by this review.
That being said.
Quite frankly, this book is bland. There are two facets to this: the basic fantasy worldbuilding, and then the lack of specific worldbuilding.
Let’s take the basicness of it first. There’s nothing that feels at all creative about this world. It feels like every fantasy world did in the 2010s, so a good decade behind the best fantasy that’s out there at the moment. There’s nothing at all distinguishable about it—I can’t even remember half of it, because it was that bland. And because it was bland, it was also boring, thus setting the book itself up to be boring.
An inauspicious start, you might say.
And then, in the times it did attempt to get a bit more specific, all it left me with was more questions. Who are the witches? Why are they evil? How does it fit into whatever overarching worldbuilding that there is (or isn’t, as the case may be)? It all felt very superficial, as though it was thrown in at the last moment.
That superficiality carried over into everything else, I think. The characters didn’t have depth, so their relationships didn’t either. They met (and instantly trusted?) each other, they fell in love barely knowing the other person. It was almost as though the author thought this is what should happen, so it did, rather than thinking of how the characters might shape the story.
And don’t even get me started on the plot. It was as basic as the worldbuilding, and completely lacking in urgency. If you think your friend is in danger, why are you spending a month with a guy you don’t know, playing families? None of it made the slightest bit of sense.
To top it off, there was also the minor panic one of the main characters had over the prospect of wearing a pair of trousers? How to write gender roles into your bland fantasy I suppose…
All of which to say… I wish (or maybe I don’t) that I could write a more positive review. I just cannot. Like I said earlier, I haven’t a single good thing to say here. I can only hope I haven’t managed to fully put you all off it.
August 2, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hot freaking damn guys. Sisters of Shadow was so good! Beyond addicting. I honestly couldn't put the book or my phone down until I reached the very last page. In it, you will meet Lily and Alice. They are best friends (sort of). I saw sort of because the whole town things Alice is a witch and Lily just sees a girl that is lonely and needs a friend.
So when Alice goes missing, Lily and her uncle decide it's high time for her to go on a mission: save Alice. Now her journey isn't easy because it's a whole lot of new things for Lily. The only thing she knew of his medicine and wanting to touch the grass with her bare feet. Which for some reason is frowned upon in their little town? Doesn't really make sense to me but I went with it all.
There's hints of romances, betrayals and so much more jam packed into this book. It definitely took me a while to ship certain people together and I honestly found that refreshing. Nothing seemed insta-y to me and while the crushes were developing so was I with them. Not sure if that makes sense but go with it people.
Other than that, I just completely devoured this book. The ending leaves me with so many questions and I have no idea what is going to come by way, or theirs, in the sequel. I am very eager to get my hands on that when ever it's available because I just need to know what is going to happen next. It's slightly killing me not knowing what's up the villain's sleeve right now but I have a feeling it's going to be very good. Or evil.
Either way - I'm down.
Hot freaking damn guys. Sisters of Shadow was so good! Beyond addicting. I honestly couldn't put the book or my phone down until I reached the very last page. In it, you will meet Lily and Alice. They are best friends (sort of). I saw sort of because the whole town things Alice is a witch and Lily just sees a girl that is lonely and needs a friend.
So when Alice goes missing, Lily and her uncle decide it's high time for her to go on a mission: save Alice. Now her journey isn't easy because it's a whole lot of new things for Lily. The only thing she knew of his medicine and wanting to touch the grass with her bare feet. Which for some reason is frowned upon in their little town? Doesn't really make sense to me but I went with it all.
There's hints of romances, betrayals and so much more jam packed into this book. It definitely took me a while to ship certain people together and I honestly found that refreshing. Nothing seemed insta-y to me and while the crushes were developing so was I with them. Not sure if that makes sense but go with it people.
Other than that, I just completely devoured this book. The ending leaves me with so many questions and I have no idea what is going to come by way, or theirs, in the sequel. I am very eager to get my hands on that when ever it's available because I just need to know what is going to happen next. It's slightly killing me not knowing what's up the villain's sleeve right now but I have a feeling it's going to be very good. Or evil.
Either way - I'm down.
September 8, 2022
I appreciate what KL’s trying to do/bring here, I reckon teen me would’ve liked this better but I’ve since read more delicately crafted fantasy and romance. Turns out that’s a crucial aspect to me truly enjoying and feeling immersed in a story it would seem.
But big big up the afterword - about writing queer romance without it being the plot line 🤌🏼 An extra star just for that my queen.
But big big up the afterword - about writing queer romance without it being the plot line 🤌🏼 An extra star just for that my queen.
September 22, 2024
I love a good book that has witches in it! Sisters of Shadows follows Alice and Lily and their involvement with a dangerous cult sweeping the local towns and kidnapping girls who show any sign of power. What made this YA novel so good was that Livesey develops the characterisation so well that it’s hard not to love both girls and stay right there with both of them every step of the way as they navigate their roles in an ancient feud between witches and man. Filled with tension, adventure and even a bit of romance this was a fun and enjoyable start to a trilogy that I will definitely finish!
July 19, 2021
I'm sorry to say that I didn't like it at all, despite the fact that there were all the things I usually like in a fantasy.
The main problem I really can't overlook is the pacing of the narrative. Very long descriptions combined with very fast developments. The ending in particular I found was a bit simplistic, full of lucky coincidences and with problems instantly solved. (ex. Lily FINALLY arrives at the castle and who is the first person she meets? Of course Grace ... how convenient)
The development of the characters has been quite non-existent, perhaps Lily is the only one who really starts a journey (metaphorical and physical) and it reflects on her personality, the other characters fell rather flat.
The love story between Alice and Grace was not very engaging and the idea of the "magical bond" appeared as another very convenient narrative device to justify why the two developed feelings for each other.
Overall it definitely would be more suited for a younger audience rather than YA
The main problem I really can't overlook is the pacing of the narrative. Very long descriptions combined with very fast developments. The ending in particular I found was a bit simplistic, full of lucky coincidences and with problems instantly solved. (ex. Lily FINALLY arrives at the castle and who is the first person she meets? Of course Grace ... how convenient)
The development of the characters has been quite non-existent, perhaps Lily is the only one who really starts a journey (metaphorical and physical) and it reflects on her personality, the other characters fell rather flat.
The love story between Alice and Grace was not very engaging and the idea of the "magical bond" appeared as another very convenient narrative device to justify why the two developed feelings for each other.
Overall it definitely would be more suited for a younger audience rather than YA
April 17, 2022
I don't know what it was about this book but it just did not engage me, it wasn't bad to be fair I just wasn't invested
August 5, 2021
This jumps right into the action and keeps the reader engaged as we follow two girls' journeys to discover themselves. Alice receives a mysterious letter and is kidnapped by a coven of witches and Lily sets out to rescue Alice shortly after. Each girl discovers secrets and hidden powers within themselves, as well as finding love. I really enjoyed this and I'm already excited for the sequel!
Alice has been alone most of her life, save her only friend Lily. She knows she comes from a long line of witches and believes she has magic deep within her. She jumps at the chance to train with other witches, but immediately discovers that the leader has sinister intentions. I liked seeing Alice make another friend and find love, she deserved to have someone by her side.
Lily has the more exciting storyline. She leaves home and travels across foreign lands, avoiding people who want to stop her and making some allies. She and Jem were a cute couple and seeing her with the children was pretty adorable. I can't wait for Lily to get some more answers about her family's past and see what else she's capable of!
This was a quick read and the pacing was well done. I still have some questions that I'm hoping we'll get answers to in the sequel. Great first book in a series!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the copy.
Alice has been alone most of her life, save her only friend Lily. She knows she comes from a long line of witches and believes she has magic deep within her. She jumps at the chance to train with other witches, but immediately discovers that the leader has sinister intentions. I liked seeing Alice make another friend and find love, she deserved to have someone by her side.
Lily has the more exciting storyline. She leaves home and travels across foreign lands, avoiding people who want to stop her and making some allies. She and Jem were a cute couple and seeing her with the children was pretty adorable. I can't wait for Lily to get some more answers about her family's past and see what else she's capable of!
This was a quick read and the pacing was well done. I still have some questions that I'm hoping we'll get answers to in the sequel. Great first book in a series!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the copy.
July 26, 2024
I did not finish this book at the 27% mark, because of what she did to the horse.
I was struggling with this book already, because I felt like there was a lot of telling me about things, but never showing me the emotions behind things, or because of things. The reaction of the MC to her friend clearly being kidnapped was lack lusters at best. This was her professed besty best best friend, and her reaction was: OH NOES I might be inconvenienced by this!
I don't think enough time was spent making us care that they were friends, or that they were important to each other. I was definitely TOLD this over and over, but the actions of the characters belied the telling.
And then she done did the horse wrong. Had I had the actual physical book I would have thrown it across the room.
I don't tend to write reviews of DNFs. But this one got my goat cuz I was really trying to like it, AND there were some lovely turns of phrase, AND I like Uncle Alf (this far), but I could not make myself finish this book. I wish other readers luck.
I was struggling with this book already, because I felt like there was a lot of telling me about things, but never showing me the emotions behind things, or because of things. The reaction of the MC to her friend clearly being kidnapped was lack lusters at best. This was her professed besty best best friend, and her reaction was: OH NOES I might be inconvenienced by this!
I don't think enough time was spent making us care that they were friends, or that they were important to each other. I was definitely TOLD this over and over, but the actions of the characters belied the telling.
And then she done did the horse wrong. Had I had the actual physical book I would have thrown it across the room.
I don't tend to write reviews of DNFs. But this one got my goat cuz I was really trying to like it, AND there were some lovely turns of phrase, AND I like Uncle Alf (this far), but I could not make myself finish this book. I wish other readers luck.
November 21, 2021
Really loved this Sapphic adventure fantasy story by author Katherine Livesey!
I enjoyed Alice and Lily, and liked that we got to see both girls journey as they discover more about themselves and their abilities. The secondary characters were memorable as well, and I am excited to know what happens after that ending!
I enjoyed Alice and Lily, and liked that we got to see both girls journey as they discover more about themselves and their abilities. The secondary characters were memorable as well, and I am excited to know what happens after that ending!
July 2, 2021
Sisters of shadow is a Coming of age fantasy that follows two girls, Alice and Lily. When Alice,who has lived alone as an outcast since her parents died receives a mysterious letter;imploring her the join a shadowy group who claim they can teach her magic, she sets out to find the letter’s sender....
Lily Knight, an apothecary apprentice, who embarks on a mission to find her best friend Alice, whose disappearance follows the whispers of a magical group called the shadow sect—a group rumoured to lure and abduct children for nefarious purposes.
Their paths may be divided but with a little help and the bonds of friendship they just may find a way back to each other...
I saw this being described as Anne of Green Gables meets His Dark Materials so I jumped at the chance to be able to review it.Unfortunately, I just didn’t really enjoy it. Although it’s a Coming of age fantasy and has witches (a combination I adore!) I just couldn’t connect with the characters.
The writing (though lovely) did at times feel geared towards a younger audience, though there were later scenes that made it apparent that it was YA.
I did enjoy the dual storylines between Alice and Lily, especially the similarities in their circumstances and the differences that led them on separate paths. I did also originally think this was a standalone and so I was a little disappointed it ended on a cliffhanger.
Overall, it was a solid story but I think personally it just didn’t resonate with me. I’d still definitely recommend to lovers of Coming of age fantasies and middle grade/ younger YA fiction.
Thank you to One More Chapter and Net Galley for the Digital ARC.
Lily Knight, an apothecary apprentice, who embarks on a mission to find her best friend Alice, whose disappearance follows the whispers of a magical group called the shadow sect—a group rumoured to lure and abduct children for nefarious purposes.
Their paths may be divided but with a little help and the bonds of friendship they just may find a way back to each other...
I saw this being described as Anne of Green Gables meets His Dark Materials so I jumped at the chance to be able to review it.Unfortunately, I just didn’t really enjoy it. Although it’s a Coming of age fantasy and has witches (a combination I adore!) I just couldn’t connect with the characters.
The writing (though lovely) did at times feel geared towards a younger audience, though there were later scenes that made it apparent that it was YA.
I did enjoy the dual storylines between Alice and Lily, especially the similarities in their circumstances and the differences that led them on separate paths. I did also originally think this was a standalone and so I was a little disappointed it ended on a cliffhanger.
Overall, it was a solid story but I think personally it just didn’t resonate with me. I’d still definitely recommend to lovers of Coming of age fantasies and middle grade/ younger YA fiction.
Thank you to One More Chapter and Net Galley for the Digital ARC.
July 9, 2021
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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewing this story is difficult for me, as it has all the elements of things I like. The usage and execution of those things, however, fell flat on its face. The pacing of this doesn’t seem to make much sense, and I tended to find it jarring. Things would happen quickly, in a blink and you miss it kind of way. Then, things would slow back down to a snail’s pace- or we would switch points of view.
I really wanted to like this story. It’s queer, it has witches, there is an evil society of power-hungry people. Yet, the writing really didn’t allow me to enjoy it to its fullest extent. There was nothing wrong per se with the book- but it felt like reading the second draft rather than an almost final edition. It could have done well with more fleshing out, and a little bit more aging up of the character interactions.
Blog review to be posted at a later date.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewing this story is difficult for me, as it has all the elements of things I like. The usage and execution of those things, however, fell flat on its face. The pacing of this doesn’t seem to make much sense, and I tended to find it jarring. Things would happen quickly, in a blink and you miss it kind of way. Then, things would slow back down to a snail’s pace- or we would switch points of view.
I really wanted to like this story. It’s queer, it has witches, there is an evil society of power-hungry people. Yet, the writing really didn’t allow me to enjoy it to its fullest extent. There was nothing wrong per se with the book- but it felt like reading the second draft rather than an almost final edition. It could have done well with more fleshing out, and a little bit more aging up of the character interactions.
Blog review to be posted at a later date.
June 25, 2021
The story was interesting but I didn't realize there's a sequel coming, so I was a bit disappointed that everything wasn't wrapped up in the end. I'm not much of a fantasy reader but overall I enjoyed this.
Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an EARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Before I start, I just want to say, this book had so much promise and I was so excited for it. I love witchy books, a nature filled cottagecore setting sounds right up my street and a sapphic relationship had me intrigued from the beginning.
It did start out good, there was some good atmosphere and a hooking mystery aspect. Unfortunately that fizzled out rather quickly. I found the rest of the story to have pretty bland writing style that I had to force myself through. And although I appreciated the character relationships we got, that just simply wasn't enough for me to overlook the over simplistic and often predictable nature of this book.
I also felt as this book didn't quite know what age range it fitted into as at some points it felt like a weird hybrid of a middle grade and young adult novel.
I'm really quite sad about this one.
Before I start, I just want to say, this book had so much promise and I was so excited for it. I love witchy books, a nature filled cottagecore setting sounds right up my street and a sapphic relationship had me intrigued from the beginning.
It did start out good, there was some good atmosphere and a hooking mystery aspect. Unfortunately that fizzled out rather quickly. I found the rest of the story to have pretty bland writing style that I had to force myself through. And although I appreciated the character relationships we got, that just simply wasn't enough for me to overlook the over simplistic and often predictable nature of this book.
I also felt as this book didn't quite know what age range it fitted into as at some points it felt like a weird hybrid of a middle grade and young adult novel.
I'm really quite sad about this one.
November 23, 2021
This is an excellent book for people who are setting or character driven. Actual action scenes can be scant for those who are action driven.
I really enjoyed the characters and their development in this book. Did I skip over a lot of the setting and descriptions? Yes, sometimes. But I believe this book has elements that will appeal to everyone and it was fun to read.
I really enjoyed the characters and their development in this book. Did I skip over a lot of the setting and descriptions? Yes, sometimes. But I believe this book has elements that will appeal to everyone and it was fun to read.
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January 25, 2022Sisters of Shadow is described as Anne of Green Gables meets His Dark Materials. I love both of those series, so I had high hopes for this book.
The beginning of the book reminded me the most of Anne of Green Gables, or even Lark Rise to Candleford. I honestly wish the entire book had taken place in Lily’s village and that the book was more of an Anne of Green Gables retelling but with magic. I really loved the opening chapters, the dynamic between Lily and her uncle (he was one of my favorite characters and I was sorry that he didn’t play a bigger part in the book), and the description of the apothecary and Grace’s cottage. It almost seemed like this book was trying to be two different things at once. The beginning made me feel like I was settling into a cozy Anne of Green Gables type of book and then it switched focus and became a fantasy adventure book.
I did enjoy the lighthouse setting, later in the book, after Lily sets off on her adventure. I liked the dynamic between Lily and Jem, who was a lovely character. It’s refreshing to read about a gentle male character who can experience emotions and is nurturing whilst still being strong and brave. The secondary characters, the lost children type characters, were just developed enough that I could picture them and keep them straight in my mind though I never really connected with any of them. Personally, I’m not a fan of Peter Pan and the lost boys so this trope didn’t really work for me. I can see how others might love it though.
I think what didn’t work for me was that each chapter was quite short and alternated between the two narrators (Lily and Alice) so that just when I was getting in the flow with one character’s story it would switch perspective. It felt choppy and prevented me from really connecting with either main character enough to really care.
I did like that there were some beautiful sentences and lovely descriptions. It was refreshing to read about a LGBTQ+ romance as well. The cozy scene where Lily makes pine needle tea made me feel like this is something that’s been missing from so many fantasy books.
The ending was good. It tied everything together, just leaving enough loose ends as necessary for a first book in a series.
A person’s taste in books is quite personal and while I liked this book and will read the next one in the series, I didn’t love it. There were lots of lovely elements and I will recommend it to anyone interested in a cozy fantasy book.
The beginning of the book reminded me the most of Anne of Green Gables, or even Lark Rise to Candleford. I honestly wish the entire book had taken place in Lily’s village and that the book was more of an Anne of Green Gables retelling but with magic. I really loved the opening chapters, the dynamic between Lily and her uncle (he was one of my favorite characters and I was sorry that he didn’t play a bigger part in the book), and the description of the apothecary and Grace’s cottage. It almost seemed like this book was trying to be two different things at once. The beginning made me feel like I was settling into a cozy Anne of Green Gables type of book and then it switched focus and became a fantasy adventure book.
I did enjoy the lighthouse setting, later in the book, after Lily sets off on her adventure. I liked the dynamic between Lily and Jem, who was a lovely character. It’s refreshing to read about a gentle male character who can experience emotions and is nurturing whilst still being strong and brave. The secondary characters, the lost children type characters, were just developed enough that I could picture them and keep them straight in my mind though I never really connected with any of them. Personally, I’m not a fan of Peter Pan and the lost boys so this trope didn’t really work for me. I can see how others might love it though.
I think what didn’t work for me was that each chapter was quite short and alternated between the two narrators (Lily and Alice) so that just when I was getting in the flow with one character’s story it would switch perspective. It felt choppy and prevented me from really connecting with either main character enough to really care.
I did like that there were some beautiful sentences and lovely descriptions. It was refreshing to read about a LGBTQ+ romance as well. The cozy scene where Lily makes pine needle tea made me feel like this is something that’s been missing from so many fantasy books.
The ending was good. It tied everything together, just leaving enough loose ends as necessary for a first book in a series.
A person’s taste in books is quite personal and while I liked this book and will read the next one in the series, I didn’t love it. There were lots of lovely elements and I will recommend it to anyone interested in a cozy fantasy book.
September 20, 2021
Sisters of Shadow is the debut book of a YA fantasy trilogy featuring a pair of young heroine's destined to find their magic, courage, strength and love in this entertaining story. The story takes place in the Shadow Lands, in the village of Alder Vale, where best friends Lily Knight and Alice Blackwell live. Lily assists her Uncle Alf in his apothecary shop, loves everything about nature and has a world of knowledge about plants and potions. Alice Blackwell is known as the 'witch-girl' and is shunned by the people of Alder Vale and so she lives alone in the woods with only Lily as company, as she desperately tries to bring the magic she knows she possesses to the surface. When a mysterious letter arrives, Alice decides to leave Alder Vale to seek the answers and power she wants so badly. However, when Lily arrives at the cabin in the woods, it looks like Alice didn't leave, but was kidnapped. Lily sets out by herself to find her friend and along the way she discovers stories of secretive sect of terrifying witches, a brotherhood of men, and an unforeseen ally in her search for Alice.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this story, I liked both Alice and Lily and especially as the book went on I liked the relationship between Alice and Grace. The descriptions of the apothecary shop and all the plants and different types of potions was very well done. And while the events moved fairly quickly which kept you engaged, the drawback was that the world building felt a little thin in places. If felt like there were opportunities to delve into the magic and how and where did all this power come from, it just felt like it was hinted at but not really explored fully. Maybe that will come in the next books, and maybe part of it is having read so many other fantasy books with really well defined magic systems. It left me wanting just,...more. Hopefully in the next book of the series, there will be more about the magic system and the world will be fleshed out a little more, I look forward to reading it and seeing where the story goes from here.
Thanks to One More Chapter books and NetGalley for the ARC.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this story, I liked both Alice and Lily and especially as the book went on I liked the relationship between Alice and Grace. The descriptions of the apothecary shop and all the plants and different types of potions was very well done. And while the events moved fairly quickly which kept you engaged, the drawback was that the world building felt a little thin in places. If felt like there were opportunities to delve into the magic and how and where did all this power come from, it just felt like it was hinted at but not really explored fully. Maybe that will come in the next books, and maybe part of it is having read so many other fantasy books with really well defined magic systems. It left me wanting just,...more. Hopefully in the next book of the series, there will be more about the magic system and the world will be fleshed out a little more, I look forward to reading it and seeing where the story goes from here.
Thanks to One More Chapter books and NetGalley for the ARC.
August 11, 2021
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to pick this one up. Cottagecore witchy vibes are right up my reading alley. Unfortunately, there were a few things that brought down my overall enjoyment of this book - the dialogue and the chapters/dual perspective.
I found the descriptions to be lovely and exactly the kind of flowery Anne of Green Gables stuff I enjoy. The dialogue however was distracting. The sentence structure and word choice didn’t feel like how real people talk and a lot of the time characters offered way too much information and insight into their inner monologues to be believable. It really took me out of the story and wrecked some otherwise great scenes.
The dual perspectives and length of chapters were an issue for me. Most of the chapters are very short and we end up bouncing between Lily and Alice’s POV’s so quickly I got whiplash. It was hard to really get into either character and where they were in their own arcs with how quickly the book switched between them. Longer chapters and maybe a few in a row from each to build the stories up would have helped.
As some other readers have noted there are some serious formatting issues with the kindle ARCs but I’m sure they will be fixed before publication. It did lead to some head scratching confusion on my part trying to parse garbled dialogue and description.
I know there is a sequel coming but I felt like there was too many hanging plot threads and not enough narrative exposition in this book. For the length of the novel I felt like I didn’t learn much about the world and the story. I would have liked more.
Overall this was a fun read , a little too light for me but I would continue to read the series.
I was excited to pick this one up. Cottagecore witchy vibes are right up my reading alley. Unfortunately, there were a few things that brought down my overall enjoyment of this book - the dialogue and the chapters/dual perspective.
I found the descriptions to be lovely and exactly the kind of flowery Anne of Green Gables stuff I enjoy. The dialogue however was distracting. The sentence structure and word choice didn’t feel like how real people talk and a lot of the time characters offered way too much information and insight into their inner monologues to be believable. It really took me out of the story and wrecked some otherwise great scenes.
The dual perspectives and length of chapters were an issue for me. Most of the chapters are very short and we end up bouncing between Lily and Alice’s POV’s so quickly I got whiplash. It was hard to really get into either character and where they were in their own arcs with how quickly the book switched between them. Longer chapters and maybe a few in a row from each to build the stories up would have helped.
As some other readers have noted there are some serious formatting issues with the kindle ARCs but I’m sure they will be fixed before publication. It did lead to some head scratching confusion on my part trying to parse garbled dialogue and description.
I know there is a sequel coming but I felt like there was too many hanging plot threads and not enough narrative exposition in this book. For the length of the novel I felt like I didn’t learn much about the world and the story. I would have liked more.
Overall this was a fun read , a little too light for me but I would continue to read the series.
May 28, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollinsUK/One More Chapter for the digital galley of this book.
Sisters of Shadow is the first in a series about a girl who sets off on an adventure to save her friend from the mysterious group of witches who has tricked her into “joining” them. It’s a solid story of magic, budding love, and the unbreakable bond of friendship (the best part!).
I was taken in by the cover (love a lighthouse), and I enjoyed the book. The girls are the perfect compliments to one another, and though each girl had a romance, it’s not the center of the story, and their strong bond is rooted in friendship, despite their differences. It wrapped up well but also left off with plenty of potential for future adventure in the sequel(s).
It’s out now wherever you get your books and as of April 14, you can also get the sequel, Sisters of Moonlight.
Sisters of Shadow is the first in a series about a girl who sets off on an adventure to save her friend from the mysterious group of witches who has tricked her into “joining” them. It’s a solid story of magic, budding love, and the unbreakable bond of friendship (the best part!).
I was taken in by the cover (love a lighthouse), and I enjoyed the book. The girls are the perfect compliments to one another, and though each girl had a romance, it’s not the center of the story, and their strong bond is rooted in friendship, despite their differences. It wrapped up well but also left off with plenty of potential for future adventure in the sequel(s).
It’s out now wherever you get your books and as of April 14, you can also get the sequel, Sisters of Moonlight.
July 9, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Sisters of Shadow in exchange for an honest review.
I was ecstatic for Sisters of Shadows because it's promise of sapphic witches and Anne of Green Gables comparison made me think it would be made for me, but it's not. That doesn't mean it's a bad book, it just probably shouldn't have been placed on YA shelves because were a few scenes toned down a tad, it'd be 100% middle grade. The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking that while I wasn't really enjoying it, I probably would have in middle school so when you get to the end and read Katherine Livesey's authors note where she talks about how this book is written for her 12 year old self, everything quickly makes a lot more sense.
I was ecstatic for Sisters of Shadows because it's promise of sapphic witches and Anne of Green Gables comparison made me think it would be made for me, but it's not. That doesn't mean it's a bad book, it just probably shouldn't have been placed on YA shelves because were a few scenes toned down a tad, it'd be 100% middle grade. The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking that while I wasn't really enjoying it, I probably would have in middle school so when you get to the end and read Katherine Livesey's authors note where she talks about how this book is written for her 12 year old self, everything quickly makes a lot more sense.
August 22, 2021
Thankyou you to NetGalley and One More Chapter/Harper Collins UK for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
To all my fellow witches, this is a wonderfully whimsical and magical read!
Alice and Lily have this amazing friendship (reminds me a bit of Agatha and Sophie (opposites attract) but a lot more wholesome and beautiful). It has smart and strong female characters at its core. This gives of strong ‘Anne of Green Gables’ vibes but more fantastical and mystical.
It is filled with a whole lot of heart, journey of self-discovery, classic good vs evil trope but witches style, and definitely what others have been describing it as cottagecore fantasy (calmly sips tea while trying to reign in the ecstatic feels). A very sweet story that represents LGBTQI+
A great debut of a novel, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am so excited that this series will be continuing. I am one keen bean!
To all my fellow witches, this is a wonderfully whimsical and magical read!
Alice and Lily have this amazing friendship (reminds me a bit of Agatha and Sophie (opposites attract) but a lot more wholesome and beautiful). It has smart and strong female characters at its core. This gives of strong ‘Anne of Green Gables’ vibes but more fantastical and mystical.
It is filled with a whole lot of heart, journey of self-discovery, classic good vs evil trope but witches style, and definitely what others have been describing it as cottagecore fantasy (calmly sips tea while trying to reign in the ecstatic feels). A very sweet story that represents LGBTQI+
A great debut of a novel, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am so excited that this series will be continuing. I am one keen bean!
September 18, 2021
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this e-arc. Sisters of Shadow follows best friends Alice and Lily after Alice is abducted by a mysterious group of supposed witches and Lily is desperate to find her. When I first heard about this book I was really excited and I knew I had to have an advanced copy of this. I was hoping for this to be amazing and super witchy but I was left just a tiny bit disappointed at some moments. The world felt underdeveloped and this meant the villains had no explained motive, as well as this the characters just felt very one dimensional at the beginning which made the book difficult to read. However the romance in this book is well written and quite sweet.
Another problem I had with this book was that the writing style was quite simplistic and the book felt more of a middle grade fantasy than YA but then there were scenes of torture obviously aimed at an older audience. This made the book feel like a jigsaw puzzle that didn’t quite fit together sometimes.
I gave this book 3 stars because it did have some stronger moments of writing and plot. There was also a very good cliffhanger making me interested in reading this series in the future.
Another problem I had with this book was that the writing style was quite simplistic and the book felt more of a middle grade fantasy than YA but then there were scenes of torture obviously aimed at an older audience. This made the book feel like a jigsaw puzzle that didn’t quite fit together sometimes.
I gave this book 3 stars because it did have some stronger moments of writing and plot. There was also a very good cliffhanger making me interested in reading this series in the future.
July 10, 2021
I loved how this book started. I was enjoying how lily thought and her love of walking around barefoot to feel the ground. Which is honestly me all over.
"Nature was Lily’s tonic."
I even liked how this was setting up. With Alice and Lily being best friends in a Ying and yang sort of way.
However, At some point I lost interest. I no longer cared what was happening or about the girls. I don't think this book was for me in the end.
I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
"Nature was Lily’s tonic."
I even liked how this was setting up. With Alice and Lily being best friends in a Ying and yang sort of way.
However, At some point I lost interest. I no longer cared what was happening or about the girls. I don't think this book was for me in the end.
I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
September 30, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
There's a lot of promise in this book - the plot is interesting and the characters are likeable. However, I felt that sometimes the narrative was a bit flat and some of the twists were pretty predictable. I'm hoping that there is some more backstory to Hecate than 'wronged woman turns into bad witch' as well, and that Alice's parents are explored more. I'd read the sequel but I wouldn't rush out to buy it. Any comparison to His Dark Materials probably hurts more than it helps.
There's a lot of promise in this book - the plot is interesting and the characters are likeable. However, I felt that sometimes the narrative was a bit flat and some of the twists were pretty predictable. I'm hoping that there is some more backstory to Hecate than 'wronged woman turns into bad witch' as well, and that Alice's parents are explored more. I'd read the sequel but I wouldn't rush out to buy it. Any comparison to His Dark Materials probably hurts more than it helps.
December 6, 2024
It was nice. Kinda boring after few chapters. The perfect way to describe this book is 'bland'. The ending was descent tho. I wanted more fun but the plot was actually quite predictable. I don't hate it but i don't like it either or maybe i had really high expectations lol
Reread? NO, not at all. I would give it 2.5 stars
Let's see what the next part has to offer!!
Reread? NO, not at all. I would give it 2.5 stars
Let's see what the next part has to offer!!
September 6, 2022
Just as beautiful as I knew it would be with an author as talented as Katy.
This novel was so incredible and call of so many things I adore - nature, witches, queer love and long passages of gorgeous description. I loved the slow build of Lily and Jem, the mastery of being so descriptive but the novel not feeling too slow paced and the absolutely fabulous cliffhanger. I cannot explain how much I enjoyed this and I cannot recommend it more. Now to begin Sisters of Moonlight!
This novel was so incredible and call of so many things I adore - nature, witches, queer love and long passages of gorgeous description. I loved the slow build of Lily and Jem, the mastery of being so descriptive but the novel not feeling too slow paced and the absolutely fabulous cliffhanger. I cannot explain how much I enjoyed this and I cannot recommend it more. Now to begin Sisters of Moonlight!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2021
Abandoned as a child, Alice grew up in a cabin in the woods, away from the sense of normalcy of the closest town. Feared as a witch by most of the village, Alice took comfort in her own company, seeking out the tendrils of magic that her parents left behind and hoping that maybe, if she were lucky, she might have some magic in her after all. Shortly after Alice’s parents mysteriously disappeared, a little girl called Lily from the village began visiting her. In no time, the girls were thick as thieves, enjoying each other’s company and imagination in the peaceful forest that they called home.
Lily’s world is turned upside down when she discovers her best friend missing with an ominous note left in her place. Shouldering the responsibility she feels for Alice’s safety, Lily embarks on a difficult journey to rescue her friend from certain danger. Having never left the village on her own before, Lily runs into challenges that she never expected to face, with losses and heartbreak along the way. Nevertheless, she cherishes her luck when she narrowly escapes death with the help of a mysterious stranger. Lily quickly becomes lost in the new stranger’s world, finding answers to some of her questions while a hundred more pop up in their place.
Meanwhile, Alice’s troubles are far bigger than she first realized. Not only has she been taken far from her home, but she also finds herself surrounded by a dangerous, cult-like group of witches who know more about her past than they let on. Forced to face her fears and stand up for herself, Alice does things previously unfathomable as she fights for her life. The only solace she has now is a girl. A beautiful, scarred warrior girl who, against all odds, has managed to win Alice’s heart.
Will Lily and her stranger find a way to save their loved ones? Will Alice find the power within to defeat the dangers she faces and save herself? The stakes are high in this whimsical fantasy adventure.
My Thoughts…
When I read ‘Anne of Green Gables meets His Dark Materials’ on the blurb of this book, I immediately had to request a copy. Anne of Green Gables holds a tender place in my heart and I adore the aesthetic, oftentimes rambling narrative that Anne provides. Combined with a fantasy series, this book had the potential to do amazing things and I couldn’t wait to find out where the adventure would take me.
I was delighted to find that I could see the comparison to Anne right from page one. Lily’s strain of thought was quite similar to Anne’s rambling style and she was right at home in nature, recounting her time spent in the forest with a fondness that made me smile. Having never read His Dark Materials, I’m not sure if this comparison is accurate. However, the book was very much a fantasy tale full of haunting folklore and dangerous witches possessing powerful magic. While I enjoyed the imagery at the beginning of the book, things quickly turned dark when the stakes for both main characters were raised. I felt the transition was a bit abrupt, and I was left with a few unanswered questions. For the sake of keeping things spoiler-free, I won’t delve into the details. However, there was one point where I felt there was unnecessary violence towards an innocent character and I didn’t feel like there was any explanation for it. There were also certain themes that I felt were mentioned a little too casually, like torture for no apparent reason, child slavery and abuse. I understand that these things served a purpose in showing how dangerous a particular group of individuals was, but I felt like the main characters seemed quite de-sensitized from it, despite being suddenly thrown into the world.
Additionally, there were points in the plot that I found a bit slow. The characters were talking about spending all this time planning for something, but they never actually inform the reader of what they’re specifically planning. There were also a few comments that I found a little irritating, particularly toward the end of the book. One character mentioned numerous times about how she felt an incredible connection to this group of people and knew their daily habits like the back of her hand. At first, I thought perhaps they had jumped forward in time a bit and I hadn’t noticed. But then they clarified it had been less than a week since they first met. Personally, I found the sudden strong connections with multiple individuals to be a bit far-fetched and it transported me out of the story.
Lastly, I think I would have enjoyed the ending more if it had happened about 10 pages sooner. Just as I thought the plot was wrapping up quite nicely, there were a few things thrown in out of the blue right at the end. It felt like more of an afterthought than a well-placed cliff-hanger and left me feeling frustrated with the lack of a satisfying ending. Nevertheless, I did enjoy this book. I thought it was a really interesting combination of themes and the atmosphere was really well done throughout the entire book. If you enjoy reading witchy books with strong female characters, this is a good one to pick up! I’m curious to see where the series goes next.
Lily’s world is turned upside down when she discovers her best friend missing with an ominous note left in her place. Shouldering the responsibility she feels for Alice’s safety, Lily embarks on a difficult journey to rescue her friend from certain danger. Having never left the village on her own before, Lily runs into challenges that she never expected to face, with losses and heartbreak along the way. Nevertheless, she cherishes her luck when she narrowly escapes death with the help of a mysterious stranger. Lily quickly becomes lost in the new stranger’s world, finding answers to some of her questions while a hundred more pop up in their place.
Meanwhile, Alice’s troubles are far bigger than she first realized. Not only has she been taken far from her home, but she also finds herself surrounded by a dangerous, cult-like group of witches who know more about her past than they let on. Forced to face her fears and stand up for herself, Alice does things previously unfathomable as she fights for her life. The only solace she has now is a girl. A beautiful, scarred warrior girl who, against all odds, has managed to win Alice’s heart.
Will Lily and her stranger find a way to save their loved ones? Will Alice find the power within to defeat the dangers she faces and save herself? The stakes are high in this whimsical fantasy adventure.
My Thoughts…
When I read ‘Anne of Green Gables meets His Dark Materials’ on the blurb of this book, I immediately had to request a copy. Anne of Green Gables holds a tender place in my heart and I adore the aesthetic, oftentimes rambling narrative that Anne provides. Combined with a fantasy series, this book had the potential to do amazing things and I couldn’t wait to find out where the adventure would take me.
I was delighted to find that I could see the comparison to Anne right from page one. Lily’s strain of thought was quite similar to Anne’s rambling style and she was right at home in nature, recounting her time spent in the forest with a fondness that made me smile. Having never read His Dark Materials, I’m not sure if this comparison is accurate. However, the book was very much a fantasy tale full of haunting folklore and dangerous witches possessing powerful magic. While I enjoyed the imagery at the beginning of the book, things quickly turned dark when the stakes for both main characters were raised. I felt the transition was a bit abrupt, and I was left with a few unanswered questions. For the sake of keeping things spoiler-free, I won’t delve into the details. However, there was one point where I felt there was unnecessary violence towards an innocent character and I didn’t feel like there was any explanation for it. There were also certain themes that I felt were mentioned a little too casually, like torture for no apparent reason, child slavery and abuse. I understand that these things served a purpose in showing how dangerous a particular group of individuals was, but I felt like the main characters seemed quite de-sensitized from it, despite being suddenly thrown into the world.
Additionally, there were points in the plot that I found a bit slow. The characters were talking about spending all this time planning for something, but they never actually inform the reader of what they’re specifically planning. There were also a few comments that I found a little irritating, particularly toward the end of the book. One character mentioned numerous times about how she felt an incredible connection to this group of people and knew their daily habits like the back of her hand. At first, I thought perhaps they had jumped forward in time a bit and I hadn’t noticed. But then they clarified it had been less than a week since they first met. Personally, I found the sudden strong connections with multiple individuals to be a bit far-fetched and it transported me out of the story.
Lastly, I think I would have enjoyed the ending more if it had happened about 10 pages sooner. Just as I thought the plot was wrapping up quite nicely, there were a few things thrown in out of the blue right at the end. It felt like more of an afterthought than a well-placed cliff-hanger and left me feeling frustrated with the lack of a satisfying ending. Nevertheless, I did enjoy this book. I thought it was a really interesting combination of themes and the atmosphere was really well done throughout the entire book. If you enjoy reading witchy books with strong female characters, this is a good one to pick up! I’m curious to see where the series goes next.
January 11, 2022
I mean - queer witches, dark academia vibes, the cutest characters and a playlist to listen to in the end - I need the sequel now!
May 7, 2022
Surprisingly dull for a book about witches and magic
May 8, 2022
3.5 stars
Easy YA read, about friendship, love and family (not necessarily your own!)
Ending wrapped up too quickly (handful of pages) but enjoyable and would continue reading the series.
Easy YA read, about friendship, love and family (not necessarily your own!)
Ending wrapped up too quickly (handful of pages) but enjoyable and would continue reading the series.
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