The Shadow Girl
Author: Jennifer Archer
Genre: YA Fantasy/Mystery
Release Date: April 9, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Description:
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 their own. Suddenly, Iris begins pushing Lily more than ever, possessing her thoughts and urging her to put together the pieces of a strange puzzle her father left behind. As she searches for answers, Lily finds herself drawn to Ty Collier, a mysterious new boy in town. Together, Lily and Ty must untangle a web of deception to discover the truth about her family, Iris . . . 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!
At
the age of ten, Jennifer Archer made up her mind to become a writer.
Then she grew up, became “sensible,” and earned a business degree with a
minor in accounting instead. After years of trying to find her way
through a confusing maze of debits and credits she realized that, for
her, accounting was no more sensible than becoming a World Federation
wrestler. So in 1993, she enrolled in a creative writing class, and five
years later, sold her first novel. Since then, Jennifer has published
several novels for adults, as well as numerous non-fiction works.
Official site: http://www.jenniferarcher.com/
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