An intensely woven plot that will grip with it's dark and mysterious magic. World-building of epic proportions that fill your mind with the possibilities of worlds upon worlds of intriguing mysticism that you can't wait to know more about as the characters interact. The characters are engrossing and heartfelt as they experience real world issues about sexuality and love; what's considered "normal" and where they fit our don't fit in that mold. It's such a unique story that hinges on so many different aspects of life - the importance of family, your sexual identity, your loyalties, your true self. This is a true coming of age story for one girl but it is so much more as she finds that within her lays so much more. . . a darkness that others would use to take over her world. It's a wonderful read. A little slow going to start of with, but once it got going I found I was flying through it till the end.

*** I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. ***

This is a DNF for me because I didn't enjoy how the book was written (it felt like it used flowery language to cover up basic craft issues), and I've now learned that it contains my least favorite romance trope (villain love interest).

3.5 stars There was so much to like about this book. Pieces of the plot were truly inventive. I loved the idea of soul walking. It became critical to the plot just at the moment I was disconnecting from it. I also loved the way that gender and sexuality were addressed throughout the story.

That said, there were some things that annoyed the heck out of me - so much so that I skimmed a lot of this book. Early on there was so much telling that if it weren’t for the frank treatment of sexuality I would’ve assumed this was a middle grade book. The main character was a total Mary Sue and I just couldn’t connect with her motivations because the author told me everything rather than showing me why. I expect that the author will improve as she goes and I look forward to her future books. Representation matters and this book brought it in a big way.

*ARC was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC.
I have to say this was a quick and enjoyable read. The world, the magic, its mythology and religion were all really well done. People who can walk into others’ souls when asleep, secret organizations dedicated to serving different gods, a bit of political/court intrigue, and yes, an asexual main character!
LGBT+ is very relevant in this in a way that is profoundly lacking in other books. Her asexuality isn’t just mentioned in an offhand comment in a single paragraph, it prevails throughout the novel as the protagonist comes to term with it. There are other characters that are gay or pan, a character that is trans and it is also not just an offhand thing mentioned once. It’s also made to fit into the religion and mythology of the world.
The plot was easy to follow and fast paced and entertaining and I zipped through this, which is always a good thing for me.

Kamai was warned never to open the black door, but she didn't listen ...

Everyone has a soul. Some are beautiful gardens, others are frightening dungeons. Soulwalkers―like Kamai and her mother―can journey into other people's souls while they sleep.

But no matter where Kamai visits, she sees the black door.


Loved the plot twists, the character dynamics, and the setting. Need more Kamai in my life!

This book was received as an ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

The suspense, the mystery and this thrilling tale of a soul walker that will see through every soul imaginable only to be followed by this black door and when it's mistakenly opened, chaos reigns forever! Such a strikingly sweet story that was a thrilling edge of your seat plot that was a real page turner. I felt like I was part of a movie and following Kamai and her mother on their soul traveling adventure. I know our young adult readers will fall in love with this book and Strickland did some brilliant work captivating the reader in every page, every chapter from beginning to end.

We will consider adding this title to our YFantasy collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.