A Trace of Something Stranger is a thrilling young adult fantasy that combines supernatural intrigue with a deeply emotional narrative, making it a must-read for fans of Josephine Angelini and Cassandra Clare. The story introduces us to Tempest, a young woman who finds herself plunged into a hidden world of shapeshifters and ancient conflicts after the sudden death of her parents. What she thought was the worst moment of her life turns out to be just the beginning of a terrifying journey when Jet Delancey, a dedicated officer from the League of Protectors, reveals that her parents were not who she thought they were—and that she herself is now a target.

The novel expertly weaves together elements of mystery, action, and romance. Tempest’s character is relatable in her shock and disbelief as she is thrust into a world she never knew existed, only to discover that she is at the center of a deadly conspiracy. Her struggle to reconcile the love she had for her parents with the dark truth Jet reveals adds emotional complexity to the plot, making her journey not just one of survival, but of self-discovery.

Jet, on the other hand, is a character driven by duty and a desire to prove himself within the secretive League of Protectors. His initial intentions are clear-cut: protect Tempest and uphold the values of the League. However, as he delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding Tempest’s family and the world he’s sworn to protect, Jet begins to question everything he has been taught. The growing connection between Tempest and Jet is charged with tension, as they both grapple with their own loyalties and the dawning realization that the greatest threats might come from those closest to them.

The author does a fantastic job of building a world that is both mysterious and captivating, filled with supernatural beings, ancient secrets, and a brewing conflict that could change everything. The pacing is tight, with each chapter revealing new layers to the complex relationships and hidden agendas at play. The balance between action and introspection ensures that readers are not only entertained but also deeply invested in the characters’ fates.

In summary, A Trace of Something Stranger is a compelling read that will keep young adult fantasy fans hooked from beginning to end. With its richly developed characters, intricate plot, and the looming question of whom to trust, this book offers a satisfying blend of suspense, romance, and supernatural adventure. Whether you're drawn to stories about hidden worlds or tales of personal growth in the face of unimaginable challenges, this novel delivers on all fronts.

I gave this book 4.25 stars!!
I loved this book and all the vibes it gave. Kind of dark academia and magical academy vibes. I loved the way it's written and the magic system is done fantastically. I hope everyone goes to read this the second it comes out!!
I like the summer camp start to it as well. It was very easy to read and a super fun experience :)

Ok first off, this cover is actually so stunning! This book sounded super interesting and it definitely hit the mark for me. I love the campy vibes, the shifting, and all the characters. It made me want to go tell ghost stories around a campfire! So fun and full of adventure.

"A Trace of Something Stranger" by Allison Giordano is a captivating and immersive read that will leave you spellbound from start to finish. Giordano's masterful storytelling weaves an intricate tapestry of mystery, suspense, and the supernatural that grips the reader's imagination.

TRIGGER WARNING: Death of parents, death of a young person, violence

The protagonist, Tempest, is a complex and relatable character whose journey of self-discovery is both heartbreaking and empowering. As she unravels the mysteries surrounding her family's past and the loss of her parents, the narrative takes unexpected twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat and glued to the pages of this book. Giordano's vivid descriptions transport you into the atmospheric small-town setting, making you feel as if you're right there alongside Tempest.

What truly sets this book apart is the way it seamlessly blends elements of the paranormal with the emotional depth of the characters. The exploration of themes like grief, identity, and the power of family ties and deep friendships during life's most difficult times is both poignant and thought-provoking. "I'm certainly not a stranger to how quickly life can change, but it's almost alarming how fast all of this is starting to feel normal. A strange normal, but normal nonetheless. For a moment there it just felt like I was on my way to grab food with a friend before class, as if everything I have ever known is not being rewritten."

The overall reading experience is immensely satisfying - it is not a book you can easily put down! The plot twist is intense and at times had me in tears, especially as one character proclaims, "All I've ever wanted is to be a hero, Tempest. Thank you for letting me be yours."

"A Trace of Something Stranger" is a must-read for fans of young adult fantasy fiction with a supernatural twist. Giordano has crafted a truly spellbinding tale that will linger in your mind long after the final page. Looking forward to book two!

Thank you to #NetGalley, #AllisonGiordano, and #SungrazerPublishing for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and flew through it pretty quickly! The two main characters are relatable and interesting and it seems to be heading toward at least one more book or maybe more. I’m definitely intrigued and wanting to see where the author takes Tempest and Jet’s stories!

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

Do you miss those 2010s YA books? Are you nostalgic for things like the Mortal Instruments, Twilight, The Uglies, Percy Jackson? This YA fantasy might hit that spot for you.

I think personally, I’ve grown out of this now. The romance was too sudden and intense for me to truly enjoy it, but I think that’s because I’m a slow burn lover at heart. While I enjoyed the characters, I struggled with the prose at times. (It went on and on at times, and honestly probably needs slightly tighter editing.)

Overall, a fun and very fast read!

This was really good YA fantasy, the unique magical creatures and names for said magical creatures was new and interesting.

Our FMC deals with a lot in this book from losing her parents to discovering a new world with mythical creatures, magic and secrets. Her journey will help her discover the truth about herself and why her parents were killed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC.

This was a fun refreshing read that felt more like YA magical realism than romantasy. While the concepts were not brand new, the author put a unique twist on the types of magical creatures and how they interacted with the human world.
Magical concepts were masterfully "showed" rather than "told", which was nice in a world of authors spoon-feeding the reader everything.
There were some interesting mentions of ethical/existential concepts such as fate vs choice in a magical setting.
I appreciated that the ending really went against a lot of tropes and made me want to read the sequel. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a YA magical realism story with a romance sub-plot.

Ok. Can we talk about this cover for a sec? Because it’s stunning 🤩 Sometimes YAs can read a bit young, and the MCs can get a little whiny & annoying. While this still reads young, it’s definitely an older YA, and I really enjoyed the MCs. I love that this is a fantasy that has a real world element where the MC is thrown into a supernatural world that she didn’t know existed. This one is in the same vein as Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and it reminded me a lot of the TV show Legacies (a spin off of The Originals/Vampire Diaries). I will recommend this to those who like a fantasy that is low on the spice with a dark academia element to it. Overall great debut!

I’m working on my Instagram review right now. It’ll be scheduled for Tuesday 8/6 on @booktrovertnextdoor. I posted a star review on my Goodreads.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

I really struggled to get into this book and connect with the characters but about halfway through the plot and pacing picked up and I found myself really interested in what would happen next.

The characters thought process and romance feels age appropriate which is actually a little refreshing, but it does make the book read more on the Teen side of the Teen/YA spectrum. Just something to be aware of if that’s not your scene.

While I would say that this book in particular was kind of just okay for me, it cultivated enough interest for my by the end that I would be interested in reading a sequel which is why I rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Very unique story and charaters.I was very intrigued.
Highly recommend for everyone.
Couldn't put I down.

ARC Review

A beautifully written story which hooked me from the first chapter!

The story follows a dual POV of both Tempest and Jet.
Following the death of her parents Tempest has been struggling with her grief and no longer feels like she fits in. A chance encounter at a residential camp reveals a whole new preternatural world to her and exposes that not all her feelings of disassociation were down to her grief.
As a trainee protection officer, tasked with keeping the preternatural world secret from humans, Jet's world is turned upside down from the same encounter.

I loved this book from the get go and the dual POV is really well done. Such wonderful character development and story line which took me through the whole range of emotions. I really appreciated the exploration of the characters mental health and emotions throughout the story. Can't wait to find out how the story ends in the sequel.

I think this book would suit anyone who likes YA fantasy & specifically paranormal fiction exploring shifters, other worldly beings etc.

I do feel the book could be improved with some further development. Especially following the big event in chapter 33, as I feel the story tapered off after this and did a disservice to Andre.

Triggers: death/death of parents
Romance tropes: Slow burn
0/5 🌶️ rating

Favourite Quotes:
The obvious answer to my illness is the same as it always is: anxiety.

Isaac lumbers away from me and back towards his friends with his tail between his legs - figuratively, thank the Universe.

I wish, for the millionth time since starting high school, that I possessed the ability to act normally in social situations. But no, show me a hot guy by a quiet lake and my instinct is to act like an absolute freak.

"Just because someone isn't looking for something doesn't mean you should leave it to be found. Knowledge is power, Tempest. It's our job to protect the balance of power."

"She's cute for an abomination."

My bad nights are plagued by racing thoughts. My worst nights are plagued by silence.

Tempest wrinkles her nose but there's amusement in her eyes. "So, he was nerd-famous. I bet he loved that."

It seems so novel for a dad to be reading the newspaper at breakfast, but I suppose that social media and cable television is out of the question for sharing news about the preternatural.

"You're at Versi now, chica. You need to get used to the unexpected."

"I'm not of the belief that there are coincidences in this world. The Universe has a plan for all of us. All we can do is rise to the occasion."

"I'm supposed to believe that you would find after-school study sessions fun?" Andre stammers back with a gasp, dramatically clutching at his heart. "You doubt my scholastic prowess!" he accuses, his tone dripping with melodrama.

"Great Universe," I say, shaking my head. I'm watching Tempest with fresh eyes. "I can't believe I didn't see it before." "See what?" she demands. That fire that I've grown accustomed to is kindling again. "You're a nerd."

"The whole preternatural thing is complicated enough without bringing science fiction into it. Please tell me we can't time travel because then I'm really done."

"All I've ever wanted is to be a hero, Tempest. Thank you for letting me be yours."

Grief is always devastating, but there's something particularly horrifying about it happening when it's not meant to. Death is something that should only come for the old and the sickly, and pain should only ever be felt by those who have inflicted it.

This book was a wild ride and I loved the dual POV which pushed the story along very well. The plot feels familiar but the writing style kept it fresh. I loved Tempest's character and hope to see her in future books.

“A Trace of Something Stranger” by Allison Giordano is a pretty cool YA fantasy read. It’s about Tempest, who gets thrown into a wild supernatural world. She teams up with Jet, to navigate all the craziness and avoid a dangerous group that’s after her. The dual POVs between Tempest and Jet keep things interesting and really help you get to know both characters.

The worldbuilding is great and really pulls you in, but I wish there was more about Tempest and how she’s adapting to this secret world. The romance is well done, and if you like a mix of action and love, you’ll enjoy it. Overall, it’s a solid start to a series with a lot of potential, especially if you’re into shapeshifters and high-stakes drama.

Thank you NetGalley and Sungrazer Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Review links:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6684981830
https://www.instagram.com/p/C90veLHS6x5/

Review text:

A TRACE OF SOMETHING STRANGER - ALLISON GIORDANO

As someone completely new to NetGalley, I was delighted to be granted access to A Trace of Something Stranger, which immediately caught my attention due to its beautiful cover and description. And I'm very happy to say that my expectations were NOT disappointed. Here's a quick synopsis:

Tempest thought losing her parents would be the worst thing to ever happen to her - until Jet, a young officer with an enforcement agency in charge of protecting a supernatural world Tempest had no idea existed, reveals to her that her parents were actual murderers, and that a fanatical splinter group of this secret world Jet has sworn to protect won’t rest until Tempest is dead.

Yes, the plot is pretty high stakes and there are some real moments of tension when I was truly anxious for the characters. I'm not always the biggest fan of dual POVs, but I felt like alternating between Tempest and Jet helped to move the story forward effectively, as well as helped to explore their personal journeys.

Giordano's writing is descriptive and clear, where her worldbuilding is not only memorable but also rich enough to keep the reader interested throughout. It definitely feels like A Trace of Something Stranger is the start of a much bigger storyline, which I'm looking forward to following in the future.

There was one area of the plot that I felt was lacking, where I would have loved to hear more about Tempest's actual classes and learnings once the story felt like it was heading into a dark academia route. Instead, the storyline very much focuses on the League of Protectors. I think adding a little more about Tempest's experiences of being thrown into this new world and schooling would've created a little more balance to the plot.

Would I recommend it? Yes! It's an excellent start to what feels like a promising young adult series, and the shapeshifting alone makes this a fascinating read.

Review score: 4/5

Release date: September 2024

TW: parent death, injury, death, grief, mental health

• YA fantasy with some romance, shapeshifters, dual POV, succubi, secrets, mystery, found family, dark academia.•

It has been awhile since l've read a YA fantasy novel that actually felt YA. I absolutely adored this book! The novel follow Tempest's who after her parents were murdered she lives with her "overprotective" aunt. Tempest takes a risk to go on her senior camp trip for the weekend by lying to her aunt about the camp. A quick turn of events happens at the senior camp weekend trip and Tempest is brought into the world of preternatural.... Make sure to pick this book up by @allison_giordano when it's released this September to find out about the preternatural and why Tempest's aunt is s00000 protective of her....0000

**Side note: I love when an author ends a chapter with a little" cliff hanger" and this book did that.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for proving me and ARC for this book

Phew so, I’m really disappointed I had to rate this book low, because realistically it was good.

The writing was good, the plot was good, and it was a true YA book which I really appreciated. The MMC was respectful, the relationship wasn’t overly toxic, and it dealt with issues of grief that I appreciated.

However the issue arose with a specific piece of culture that was used that is of the Diné (Navajo). Im not Native American myself, hell I’m not even American, but when it came up I felt a little off about it, and so I checked up on it. I researched myself, and also reached out to members of the Diné community and was met with a resounding answer that my gut feeling was correct. There are some parts of cultures, especially those that have been oppressed and attempted to be wiped out entirely, that aren’t there for everyone to use and write into stories.

This creature in particular that was used is one of those things, and it took me 5 minutes of research to discover that, and another 5 minutes of reaching out to members of the community to ask directly.

Now granted, I don’t know if the author is Diné, and if she is I will gladly revise my rating, but from everything I could find online, I don’t think that is the case. I also don’t know the range of opinions within the community about this matter, but it was a little off putting to me and to those I spoke to, and it’s not something I can just ignore.

It is a shame, because i enjoyed it up until that point, but using closed parts of a culture isn’t cool or fun and we gotta listen to own voices here

3.5 stars

This book has potential.
Now I read an ARC of this book, so there's room for a lot of the grammatical and typographical errors to be cleaned up before publication, so I am not going to focus on that (there were more than your average ARC though.)

I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately, with not much catching my attention, so when I picked this one up and was drawn in right away, I got excited.

Unfortunately, this feels like a draft with a lot of potential (maybe a second or third draft). But not a finished product.

The first third of the book is great. Interesting characters, action, etc. But once that first arc is complete and we move to the next, everything falls apart a bit. There's a lot of telling instead of showing, big info dumps and not much movement plotwise.

It picks up again a bit for the last 7-8 chapters, but by then, I had lost my enthusiasm for the story.

I think the author shows a lot of promise, and I will definitely try her work again. This one just needs some more polishing.

I think I’m going to have to give this one 3.5 stars, rounded up. It’s got potential, but ultimately, my interest waned the further I read. This is kind of like a Harry Potter meets Percy Jackson story. Tempest finds out she has a very unusual background and that there are others willing to kill her for it. She then moves to a private compound where there are many similar people, and she learns more about where she came from. Add some pining and romance, and you’ve got “A Trace of Something Stranger.”

Now, I’m not a sweeping romance kind of person, but I don’t mind some sprinkled into a story. This one was over the top, for me. I’m paraphrasing, but stuff like “He couldn’t control his protective urges and didn’t know why” just makes me annoyed. You just met!!

I received a copy from NetGalley and Sungrazer Publishing (thank you!), and I am publishing this review voluntarily.

A Trace of Something Stranger: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Having to wait for the next book: 😢

The novel begins with Tempest, an orphan, going on a senior class trip to a campground. She has a conversation with a recently-graduated chaperone for another school, Jet Delancey, which kicks off a chain of events that drag her into a hidden preternatural community of shifters, magi, and other mythical beings.

It's a super easy story to get sucked into. Tempest, Jet, and the supporting characters are all well-written. The slow-burn romance is a sweet touch, and feels totally natural. What really stands out to me is the author's world-building. I like that she draws from very diverse supernatural myths--Indigenous American, Japanese, and Greek, to name three--and deftly weaves them together to form this modern preternatural world.

Any fan of YA fantasy will love this book. One of my favorite reads of the year thus far.


Posted on Goodreads on 7/20, will be posted to Instagram in September, and will be posted to Amazon upon release.