I struggled to get into this. I wanted to be shown more of the action rather than told what was going on, and for that reason it read as very preteen YA to me. The bad boy shy girl trope wasn’t done in a new and appealing way, and really didn’t captivate me and didn’t seem to really drive the rest of the story, which also was middling.
The concepts were okay, but the execution left me wanting.

3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martins Press, and Wednesday Books for this advanced copy. You can pick up Soul of Shadow on July 29, 2025.

All I knew about this book going into it is that it is Norse mythology-inspired and similar vibes to The Vampire Diaries. I'd say both of those takes are accurate. This book was a fine, middle-of-the-road YA fantasy (definitely geared toward a younger YA audience). The writing did a lot more telling than showing, and the romance is so Elena and Damon coded it's not even funny (or, really, that original). I didn't mind Elias and Charlie's relationship (ending drama aside), but it also wasn't anything we haven't seen before where girl who needs to get out of her shell meets bad boy.

But Charlie isn't just stuck in her shell, she's grieving the loss of her twin sister (similar to Elena mourning her lost parents??). Elias does help her get out more and embrace this new mythological world around her, but the plot wasn't as compelling as I would've liked it to be.

While I liked the premise and overall attempts with this book, I found it geared toward a much more introductory fantasy audience and was not for me.

This book transported me to an extraordinary realm that exceeded my wildest dreams. I adored all the characters. The writing and pacing were expertly crafted, and the vivid descriptions were truly breathtaking! I initially approached this book expecting a lighthearted read, but I emerged as a devoted enthusiast of the genre. If you appreciate a captivating, immersive narrative filled with unexpected turns, peril, and enchanting romance, this is the book for you!

This took my right back to the '90's and running to the bookstore to buy The Secret Circle and Vampired Diaries and everything else LJ Smith wrote (and all copies still reside on my bookshelves today). This was a fun read and I'm looking forward to the next. The Norse mythology was really interesting and the character development was fun to read. The slow burn romance left me wanting more! Great new YA fantasy series!

This book brings me back to the days when I loved books like Twilight and watching shows on the CW. This book is not bad, but it definitely gives that YA feeling (which I believe is intentional). No hate to this book and it's definitely my fault for choosing to read YA. A lot of this book was predictable yet entertaining and I likely would have loved this book years ago, but I think I may have outgrown this genre. I would say that if you love YA, you will likely love this book and I think it will be great for a wide audience.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Soul of Shadows intertwines folklore and fantasy into a harrowing tale with twists and turns in an insistent, fast-paced, and easy-to-follow way. Author Emma Noyes writes in a way that keeps the reader invested in the story and her characters long after the end.

My knowledge of Nordic folklore has mostly been gleaned from televised entertainment, so I appreciated the opportunities throughout this harrowing murder mystery of sorts that the author shared her expertise through the voices of various characters. I loved the imagery expressed through the world-building details. Each location the story plotted was easy to visualize, and I especially loved the mention of a location smelling of old books. It is an invocating way of setting the mood and pulling readers into the story.

This is book one, and I want to begin book two immediately...I hope it isn't too long a wait, as Soul of Shadows does not come out until July. Thank you to NetGalley, author Emma Noyes, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this eBook ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

“Soul of Shadows" is a captivating young adult novel that weaves together elements of mystery, romance, and supernatural intrigue, making it a perfect blend for fans of “The Vampire Diaries” and “Pretty Little Liars”. The story follows a group of friends who uncover dark secrets within their seemingly idyllic town, where nothing is as it appears.

Overall, this mature YA novel is a must-read for those seeking a dark, romantic, and suspenseful journey filled with unexpected revelations.

I really enjoyed this one!! It is very YA so just know that going in, but the plot intrigued me from the start. I think if you’re a fan of Norse mythology and contemporary/urban YA fantasy, this book is calling your name. I’ve never read a Norse mythology book and I’ve only watched Thor once but I still had a great time. A lot of terms were not known to me but the author did a great job explaining everything related to Norse mythology to make sure the reader knew exactly what was happening.

Favorite character was the vätte hands down. What a cutie! There was a little love plot in there as well but very enemies to lovers to enemies.

Overall, it was well written and a fun time. I’m usually not a YA fantasy person and this book didn’t really change that even though I read it in 2 days, I don’t think I would read book 2 personally but I think a lot of young adult readers will eat this up!!

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP/Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but I did not think it would be the addicting tale it ended up being. I could find nothing wrong while reading this book, the characters were amazing (I would die for Henry), the plot even more so. This book is so unique, it's a modern world that overlaps with all things norse (aka vikings). And I mean all things - mythology/gods, creatures, symbology, lore, and even a couple actual vikings trying to find their way back into valhalla. I devoured this book in a day, and because of THAT ENDING TWIST, I want the next one ASAP!!! Highly recommend everyone give this a try.

Soul of Shadow is a compelling YA contemporary fantasy novel centered around Charlie, a teenager whose identical twin sister died unexpectedly from bacterial meningitis about a year before. The death of her sister has sent her into depression. At a party one night Charlie wanders away from her friends and finds Norse runes carved into trees. Soon after she meets Elias, who is a mare, a creature who feeds on the terror he can inflict on others and has the ability to appear to be a teenaged boy. In the meantime, other teenagers have begun to go missing from her high school. Charlie and Elias begin to search for the missing teenagers and the person or creature who is carving the runes. The novel is engaging with plenty of plots twists and good world building and has a backstory that delves deep into Norse mythology. This is the start to a series, so if you enjoy Norse themed, clean fantasy, this book won’t disappoint.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook arc. The story follows a girl navigating high school but starts being followed by a demon who she ends up teaming up with and she get pulled into help the demon after he threatens her. If you love Norse mythology then this is for you. While it’s wonderfully written this book it just wasn’t for me.

This book completely blew me away. If you're into shows like The Vampire Diaries—where high school drama meets a dark, supernatural twist—you’re going to be hooked. Emma's writing is both sharp and gorgeous. She nails the voice of teenagers navigating grief while still being messy, funny, and real in that very teenage way. I can’t wait for more people to read this—it deserves all the love!

This book felt like a CW show from 2009, not in a bad way but I think I would've enjoyed it more if I was still at that age in that time. Overall, I enjoyed Elias, somewhat liked Charlie, and skimmed through the second half. Not bad, just not for me.

I really enjoyed this book. Finished it in 2 days. I loved Elias, even though he was so bad and I loved Charlie! I can't wait to read more of their story!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

This is a Norse mythology-inspired book.
It had a very suspenseful beginning and I was pulled in by the mystery of it. However, I wished the story had delved more into it.
Short chapters, which is always a good thing.
Definitely gave me Twilight/Goosebumps/Stranger Things vibes. The story was kept at a plateau pace imo, I didn't feel like it got exciting and or boring. The reveal at 60% mark kinda didn't make sense to me and it kind of made me do some side eying for a bit. Like, really? 🤨 The twist at the end was pretty shocking though. That part I didn't see coming.
Very YA for those who wants to know.

Charlie is a high school junior who is trying to cope after the death of her twin. Enter mysterious newcomer, Elias. Does Elias have anything to do with the disappearances of teenagers in her town?

This book is labeled YA and very much fits that bill.

The only part I enjoyed of this book was the vatte.

I throughly enjoyed TVD in college and was very interested in a Norse story. I have no idea why TVD keeps being mentioned in reference to this book because there are NO similarities.
Unfortunately, this may be one of the worst stories I’ve ever read. I audibly laughed out loud at several points because the storyline jumps the shark. Repeatedly.

Thank you for opportunity, Netgalley.

The world building was easy to follow and was very interesting! I really enjoyed the Norse mythology and the Vampire Diaries vibes! Our FMC Charlie is going through some stuff but she is brave and is learning how to navigate her new look on life. I did really like our MMC Elias, he was definitely giving Damon vibes which I LOVED. Their relationship is defiantly flawed but I love it when an MMC makes us love him and think we are starting to understand him, then he makes us hate him (but not really.)

I can't wait for book 2 especially with that ending!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for inviting me to review Soul of Shadow!
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This story follows Charlie, a high school junior who is grieving the loss of her twin sister. In our opening scene, we find out that another student has recently gone missing, with his shoes found in the woods by a tree marked in nordic runes. Soul of Shadow made me think of Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand meets Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzgerald (early 2010s ya, in the best way) but with nordic mythology woven in. I loved the ‘there’s-something-in-the-woods’ vibe. Elias reminded me a lot of Patch (from Hush, Hush). Morally grey, tied to a different realm. I felt like the story really kicks off at about 30% when Charlie gains access to the different realm. The way it was described made me think of a Lisa Frank world, haha. The nordic mythology bits were very intriguing.
I will say that this book was alllllmost too ya for me. I always try to age up high school aged characters in my head, but it was tricky with how many scenes took place in school or at school events.
There were also some aspects of the book that didn’t feel like they meshed well, in my opinion. Charlie and her siblings were part of a circus when they were younger, and she is still fascinated with magic tricks. This did have it’s place at the end of the book, but the two previous scenes that mentioned it felt very out of place to me.

3.75 stars

Teenage me would have DEVOURED this book. It brought out all of the nostalgic feelings and gave me major Vampire Diaries vibes. For being a YA book, the characters were really well written and didn't have the typical annoying teenager dialog.

The characters are compelling and well-developed. FMC undergoes significant growth, facing internal struggles and moral dilemmas that add depth to their journey. Supporting characters, such as [notable side character’s name] and [antagonist’s name], bring additional layers of complexity, with motivations and arcs that keep the reader invested.