This is my first novel by Emma Noyes, and I really enjoyed it. I will be adding her other books to my TBR.

I instantly like Charlie, the FMC. She is in high school and trying to figure out who she is. She has 2 friends, who are her ride or die buddies. I loved that this trio of friends supported each other and called each other out on their bologna! Charlie's older brother, Mason, reminds me of a typical older sibling, quick to pester, and quick to defend when needed.

Elias is the MMC that causes a lot of problems. He is the perfect villain for this story! I really wanted to like him until I could.

This is labeled YA due to the MC being older teens, so I would keep this as high school and above due to its content matter.

Candidly, I'll just say I was not the audience for this novel. It read incredibly young. I'm sure the right audience will eat up this new series.

It's comparison to Vampire Diaries didn't resonate, considering it was one of my favorite CW shows. I got more Edward Cullen vibes, but in a meaner, brooding type of manner.

Overall, quick, light read.

Thank you St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books

4.25
A Soul of Shadow by Emma Noyes took me by surprise. I enjoyed this so much. I went into it blind so I was expecting it to me more fantasy than it was, but I think I enjoyed the contemporary fantasy aspect more. This story revolves around Norse mythology for which my understanding ends at Marvel (as the story jokes about too haha). I really enjoyed learning about some of the different aspects of this mythology. The vätte is one of my new favorite things.

As for the plot, I really found it so interesting. I found the pacing to be pretty quick which was so nice. I loved all the different creatures that were encountered. I also really enjoyed the human aspect to things. It was a nice mix to show just how entangled everything was. The ending for me was completely unexpected, but I thought it was so good. I am honestly so excited to see where the second book takes us.

Charlie was a really great character. She is trying to continue through life despite the fact that she has lost a huge part of herself. We really get to see her branch out this book and grow into herself. I also really liked Elias. He was such an interesting character and am super excited to see what happens with them in the next book. The side characters were really great. I do wish we saw more of Mason and Charlie since there is a lot of unsaid things between them.

Overall this book was super fun and I really enjoyed it. I really liked the plot and the characters. I really can’t wait until the next book. Thanks Netgalley and Wednesday books for an earc. All opinions are my own.

This was a very interesting book! Great story and was interesting with characters that are well done! I would highly recommend this book to everyone!

Okay, this one definitely delivers on the vibes! It really did feel like Teen Wolf (with some surprising twists/elements) and also like CW supernatural shows. I think if this finds the right audiences readers will eat this up!

Thank you so much to St Martin’s Press for my ARC❤️

3.75/5

This was one of those books where I can absolutely see the appeal, but it just wasn't for me. The mythology and the murder mystery should have worked, but for me it just fell flat. This was also an instance where I think...the author was attempting to make this a gritty, real look into real teen's lives (or something), since there's a lot of...strange choices. But, it just ended up feeling like it was for shock value instead of a glimpse into a real life. This definitely gave Twilight vibes, though---and for that I did appreciate the book, lots of nostalgia. Unfortunately, just like Twilight, there isn't much...deeper going on? So if you read a lot of YA, you'll probably be left a little underwhelmed by this one. I do think this author has potential, though, so I would love to check out what they write next!

Soul of Shadow was a buffet of rich imagery, Norse mythology, and compelling characters—including a strong female lead and a morally grey male lead. This book delivered nonstop action, forbidden love, a found family trope, and a friendship that literally spans worlds. I couldn’t put it down—anything mythology-related, I devour, and this book absolutely did not disappoint.

I loved Charlie from her very first line to her last. The romantic arc between her and Elias, which begins as a fake dating situation, was adorable and as awkward as any teenage romance should be. Elias is devastatingly handsome, and while all the girls are drawn to him, he harbors a secret that could end the world.

This book has it all: monsters, gods, a familiar, high-stakes action, betrayal, a jaw-dropping yet satisfying ending, and even a thoughtful exploration of grief. I appreciated how it portrayed the many ways grief can manifest and how our coping strategies can shape our perception of the world.

I’m excited to see how this story evolves in the next installment. I’m sure the world-building and character development will continue to be top-notch as we follow Charlie deeper into the incredible new world she’s discovered.

I’m voluntarily leaving my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, and Emma Noyes for the ARC of this amazing book!

3.5 stars

I’m struggling with how to review this. On one hand, I think it’d make a great teen show on The CW! If I were in that age group, I would’ve loved this. It just felt a little too young for me but that’s also not even fair to say because I knew it was YA going into it … it just felt overly YA to me and I never fully got into it. And while there were some moments where I liked the MMC, most of the time I struggled to.

I did enjoy the writing, I think there was great potential, and there were a couple cute romance moments. But the fantasy element just didn’t do it for me and it felt cheesy at times. Again, I think I would’ve loved this if I was younger! I’d definitely recommend this to teens! I just don’t think I was the right audience for it.

I’m slightly curious to see how some things unfold in book 2 of this trilogy, but I don’t think it’s enough for me to continue.

what to expect:
🖤 enemies to lovers
💜 fake dating
🖤 magical creatures
💜 contemporary YA romantasy
🖤 small town vibes
💜 paranormal
🖤 Norse mythology
💜 murder mystery
🖤 high school
💜 no spoilers, but you might like this if you’re an Avengers fan

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC!

I’m definitely not the target audience for this book. It is undoubtedly a YA book.

I was intrigued by the concept of the book but it fell a little flat for me. It reads like a tv shows and had a few too many pop culture references for my taste.

There were a few parts that were very funny and I loved the little gnome character. But overall, it was just okay.

Soul of Shadows is the story of Charlie, an ordinary girl who hasn't quite recovered from the death of her twin sister, Sophie. When cute new boy Elias comes to town at the same time that kids start disappearing, Charlie suspects that the supernatural is at play.

I think this book writes something really well that isn't always portrayed - the intense sexual longing that teenagers can feel when they meet someone who excites them for the first time. Even when Elias and Charlie's relationship goes to dark places, I absolutely believe that they are longing for each other. I also loved the relationship between Charlie and her brother Mason, which is both combative and supportive in the way real sibling relationships are. I will say that while I enjoyed the fresh take on Nordic mythology, there was a lot of exposition and world building to where I couldn't always remember who was on which side and who was working with whom. Hopefully things will be made clearer in the next book. I'd recommend this one for fans of Alyssa Villaire or Lynne Ewing's Daughters of the Moon series.

3.5 ⭐️ 🫑

An enjoyable first novel in the series that is perfect for those who want a norse mythology inspired tale set in the modern world.

The story follows Charlie a teenager who meets the mysterious Elias in the woods after teenagers start disappearing in her town. But there is more to him than it seems.

The story touches in norse mythology, however, I feel it could have been incorporated more. The characters are likable but other than Charlie could have benefited from more character development, which hopefully will be addressed in future books in the series. The cliffhanger at the end has, however, ensured I will continue to read the series.

🪄Norse Mythology
🪄Mythical Creatures
🪄Young Adult
🫑 No explicit content
❗️grief
❗️violence

I was fortunate enough to get too read this as an ARC and I absolutely loved it! Without giving anything away I can say that the characters are loveable, relatable and so dang good! I love a good mystery thrown into my fantasy reads and this was the perfect mixture of both worlds. And dont even get me started on Elias. Typically the high school aged main characters and setting are a bit of a turn off for me because its a bit, well, juvenile and YA for my taste. But this story is so we'll done!

4.5 stars Emma Noyes delivers a captivating start to her new romantasy series in Soul of Shadow. Grieving the loss of her twin sister, Charlie is pulled into a world of Norse mythology, hidden magic, and dangerous secrets where nothing is as it seems and every choice comes with a cost.

The atmosphere is haunting and immersive, blending real-world grief with mythological mystery. Charlie is a compelling heroine raw, guarded, and determined and her dynamic with Elias is filled with slow-burn tension and emotional complexity.

The pacing builds gradually, and while the middle dips slightly, the final act is packed with twists and intensity. Noyes’s prose is vivid and emotionally charged, making it easy to connect with the characters and the stakes.

Perfect for fans of The Vampire Diaries, Twilight, and mythology lovers, especially those who love morally gray love interests, high emotional stakes, and romantic tension that burns slow and deep.

I couldn’t put it down, and I can’t wait for book two!

I had high hopes going into Soul of Shadow. The book opens with a strong, intriguing scene: shoes found mysteriously in a tree, a child gone missing, and a sense that something darker is at play. It immediately pulled me in, and I thought I was in for a thrilling ride.

While the pacing and chapter endings did a great job of keeping the pages turning with plenty of cliffhangers to tempt you into reading “just one more”, the overall story left me feeling disconnected. I struggled to care about the characters or the plot as the book went on, and by the end, I knew I wouldn’t be continuing with the series.

One of the more frustrating elements was the lack of character connection. I never quite felt invested in the main cast or their relationships. That said, I did really enjoy Charlie’s vaate—a quirky, gnome-like creature who brought some much-needed charm and personality to the story.

There were also some twists thrown in, but rather than feeling shocked in a satisfying way, they came across as random and unearned. Without any real foreshadowing or setup, they pulled me out of the story rather than deeper into it.

As for the tone, while Soul of Shadow is positioned as young adult, it’s packed with innuendos that made me question its intended audience. It created an odd mismatch between style and content that didn’t quite work for a young adult book.

In the end, Soul of Shadow had a promising start and some intriguing world-building moments, but it ultimately lacked the emotional depth and narrative cohesion I look for in a series. If you’re a YA fantasy reader who loves fast pacing and don’t mind a few wild narrative swings, it might still be worth checking out. But personally, I won’t be continuing the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and Emma Noyes for the e-ARC in exchange for honest review.

As an elder millennial who grew up reading any and everything, I'm obsessed with YA books that bring that nostalgic feeling of reading as a teen back. And this book hit the nail on the head for me!

A Nordic YA romantasy, and this was so good!

Charlie is 16, a junior in high school with an older brother and a twin who passed away a few years ago. Right before school is to start back, a teenager from their small town goes missing, and his shoes are found in a tree in the woods. The tree is covered in Nordic symbols that have investigators baffled. Charlie knows better than to interfere in a police investigation but feels drawn to the woods. In the woods, she meets Elias, the cute new senior in town. Elias isn't what he seems, but Charlie can't quite place what's going on.

On the first day of school, Elias and her brother have become instant besties. As more teens go missing, Charlie searches more and discovers Elias' secret. He's secretly part of the Norse mythology and may or may not be what he seems. He gives Charlie a berry that allows her to see that the Norse world actually overlies Earth and there's way more to life than she previously thought.

There's lots of twists and turns, and I loved how the enemy became a love interest and then the enemy again. I can't wait to see where this series goes!

✨ The Vibes ✨
The Vampire Diaries x Thor crossover you never knew you needed

📖 Read if…
✨ Thor and Loki are your favorite Marvel characters
✨ You had a Vampire Diaries phase
✨ You liked the romantic tension of Heartless Hunter

I’m super picky when it comes to any sort of fantasy book, so when I read one in a single day you know it’s good!

Soul of Shadow follows Charlie, a teen girl mourning the loss of her sister while trying to navigate high school. When teens start disappearing and a mysterious boy shows up, she’s introduced to a magical world she didn’t know existed.

I was initially drawn to Soul of Shadow because of the mystery element, but quickly fell in love with the fantasy world Noyes created. I thought she did a great job of striking the balance between the real world and fantasy elements, while also paying homage to series like The Vampire Diaries (which added a lot of nostalgia. The pacing was great and I truly couldn’t put the book down - which might have been a mistake because now I have to wait until March for the sequel!

I started reading this via Kindle, but quickly switched to the audio once I got sucked into the story because I didn’t want to stop reading. The narration was great and Emily Pike Stewart really captured the energy of a moody teen fantasy drama which set the scene. Sometimes I can be hesitant to read fantasy via audio because of the complexity of world building, but I found the book to be very accessible in the audio format.

Soul of Shadow is out today! Thanks to Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've loved Emma Noyes' writing from her Sunken City days! I was so excited to read this story and it didn't disappoint!

Norse mythology meets an urban YA vampire romantasy... LOVE. Our FMC Charlie was so easy to connect with and I just enjoyed her so much!

I am not usually one for Norse mythology, and I haven't read many Norse stories, but the author did a great job explaining the Norse mythology elements! If you like urban YA fantasy and are looking for a unique read, this is definitely up your alley!

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday books for the early copy of this book! I am a fan of Emma Noyes for life!

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an ARC for my honest opinion

I loved Noyes writing style so much, and when I saw that she came out with a new Norse mythology fantasy book I knew that I needed to read it, and I am not disappointed at all. I really loved the world building in this book (Noyes writes beautiful scenes with her attention to details and never to the point where you would feel as though you’re getting an info dump), you will find plot twists, the characters are well developed and secrets that can kill.

Wow, that was such a fun read, and I have to say that I really need the next book of this series because I need to know what happens next. I really love Noyes's writing style, and I know that I said that earlier, but I love how she can write books that her readers can picture every detail in their mind. From the town to forest, to the Norse creatures and the vivid details of each one of them. I love that in this book you will get to enjoy the normal world, but at the same time realize that there is a hidden world that not all can see. I found the pace of the book to have been fast and enjoyable. However, it was the characters in the book that really shined for me.

I found our main female character to have been great. I would love to be friends with her if I was still in high school. Charlie is just living life the best way she knows how after the loss of her twin sister two years ago. She decides to go to a beach party with her friends, but during the party something in the woods draws her attention and she finds weird runes carved into the trees and something or someone else in the forest too. I found Charlie's character to have been well written, she is loyal to her friends and things that are important to her, she is curious about things she doesn’t know about, and that she follows her gut… well sometimes lol. I enjoyed getting to see her development throughout the book and seeing how her story changes to see what is more important. I liked the fact that she wasn’t scared to talk to Elias when he showed up, but she was worried about him and his story. With Elias he is an interesting character, and I mean that literally. He is complexed, has a lot of heart and at the same time he doesn’t because he is a “Mare, someone who can inflict terror on others”, but I felt as though his character had a lot more depth than we were seeing in the first book and I can’t wait see what the next book will give us about him. OMG, can I say my favorite character out of everyone though is Vatte!!! I found myself wishing that I could have my own Vatte, I would carry that little guy everywhere with me.

I can say that this book is one of my top favorite Norse mythology books of 2025. I loved the world, the characters, and the Norse creatures. I am excited about the next book.

I want to thank NetGalley and SMP for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book was a DNF for me at 25%. It is extremely rare that I don’t finish a book I was given for a review, but I just couldn’t push through this one. I felt no connection to any of the characters and the plot felt like it was moving too slowly.

Kids are disappearing in Silver Shores. The only clues left behind are strange symbols carved into the trees of the forest. The police are baffled. Parents are distraught. Charlie’s curiosity gets the better of her as she finds herself drawn to the forest and its mutilated trees.
A deeply immersive YA fantasy based on Norse mythology. You have a mystery as well as a budding romance between the two main characters. There is a definite spark between Charlie and Elias in this opposites attract romance. I loved all the characters from Norse mythology too. A stunning revelation at the end ratchets up the drama in the propulsive plot. I thought the ending perfectly sets up the next installment. Fingers crossed that we won’t have too long a wait. 4.5 stars