soul match ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ -

ok besties, this book was wild in the best way!
i’m a huge dystopian fan, but i’d never read one with reincarnation as the main premise so i was a little nervous going in. thought it might be too out there for me. but honestly? it worked so well. it felt super fresh and different from anything i’ve read in the genre before 👀✨

set 200 years after world war III, this world runs on a soul identification system where every 18 year old learns who they were in their past lives. good souls get a future, bad souls get arrested. sivon thinks something’s off about her soul and she’s right. her results shake the entire system and throw her into a dangerous game where she has to figure out who to trust while protecting her heart and maybe the entire future

towards the end i did get a little confused with the names and past lives. there was a lot going on. but overall i still really enjoyed it. the romance felt a bit rushed in places and some moments didn’t flow quite right in my head but the concept alone makes this a dystopian worth reading

if you love stories that make you think and break the usual mold, add this one to your tbr asap

🗓️ this book drops july 29th so preorder it now
huge thanks to @simonteen and the author for the arc 💌

#dystopianbooks #bookreview #arcreads #simonteenpartner #reincarnationread #bookstagram

↠ 3.75 stars, rounded up ⭐️

I always love a good dystopian story, and Soulmatch didn’t disappoint! It had such a unique and thought-provoking premise. I appreciated its take on reincarnation and how a person's current life could be impacted by their past life—everything from their job, inheritance, or having to pay the price for their soul’s wrongdoings. It’s such an interesting look at morality and the consequences of actions. I also loved how it included the concept of soulmates—and how they might not always be romantic.

The characters were all likable (or intended to not be) and well-developed, and I think they were appropriately written for a YA novel. There were some found family vibes, which I loved. And I enjoyed the tension and romance between Sivon and her man (no spoilers here). The twins were definitely my favorite characters though!

It was fun learning about the futuristic, post-WWIII world that the author created. It was a nice touch to have each chapter start with a definition to help the reader understand the world. However, I do wish there had been a little bit more world-building or explanation of certain things, and there were some words that were used early on that weren’t defined until later chapters.

The writing flowed well and easily held my attention. There was a touch of mystery and kind of a “whodunnit” feel that I enjoyed—I was never certain who to trust, and it added to the tension of the story.

The pacing was fast and engaging throughout. However, I think the ending could have been a little less fast-paced, because there was a lot happening and the revealing of which person was actually a specific soulname got really confusing for me.

Overall, this was an original and thought-provoking YA dystopian novel, and such a good debut novel! I’m excited to see what comes next from this author.

Many thanks to Simon Teen, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was such an unexpected gem! The concept instantly grabbed me — getting matched to your future based on a past life? That’s such a cool and eerie idea, and the way it plays out in this story felt fresh and gripping.

I really liked Sivon as a main character. She’s clever, a bit cynical, and definitely not here for being told what to do with her life — especially not by some mysterious process like “kirling.” Watching her push back against the system and try to hold onto her sense of self was one of the best parts.

Also, I can’t lie — I totally loved the slow-burn tension with the off-limits bodyguard. It wasn’t over the top, just enough to make me root for them while everything else was falling apart around her.

The story had a nice pace, plenty of tension, and raised some big questions about fate, identity, and freedom — all without being too heavy. I’m honestly really looking forward to seeing where this story goes next!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read — I had a great time with this one!

TW: book has mentions of suicide and murder

The premise of Soulmatch is incredibly unique and thought-provoking—set in a world where people eventually undergo their "kirling," a process that reveals who their souls used to be in past lives. I found this concept fascinating, especially as it played out for the main character, who discovers she’s a new soul. With no past lives to draw from, she’s essentially a blank slate—an anomaly in this society—and suddenly becomes the center of attention, both socially and politically.

I was really engaged through the first half, intrigued by how identity, legacy, and societal expectations were explored. But as the story progressed, things became a bit overwhelming. There were a lot of sudden twists, characters turning out to be someone else entirely, and new people appearing without enough backstory to feel grounded. The romance with two different characters at the same time added to the chaos rather than grounding the narrative, and I found myself struggling to keep track of what was going on.

Still, the originality of the world and the philosophical questions it raises about who we are without our pasts kept me intrigued. I just wish the pacing had slowed down a bit to let the plot developments breathe.

If you enjoy soul-bond stories, ethical sci-fi concepts, and don't mind a whirlwind of twists, this might be worth a read!

Thank you to Simon Teen and NetGalley for the early copy!

Fans of YA dystopian are going to be thrilled about this release! It drew me in with its unique synopsis, but I personally struggled to really get into it. The writing style was not holding my attention, and I decided to DNF. It's been *some* years since I was in my teens, and my distance from the target audience was the likely culprit for my struggles.

Okay this book had me. It took awhile to finish because physical copies have been hard but I really was hooked in and intrigued. It really makes you think about your own beliefs of redemption and change and everything. I’ve told so many people the premise of the story and really everyone is so intrigued by it. There were some lulls and by the last 15% I was worried it wouldn’t wrap up and would be a sequel but this seems to be a stand alone. Like they could add to it or focus on other characters but it’s nice there was resolution!
Thank you so NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for the advance e-reader copy.

A BIG Thank You to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me this free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was everything I wanted it to be! I love a good dystopian sci-fi, and this book delivered on everything I could have hoped for in a novel. Any gripes I had were small and obviously weren't big enough to affect my rating.

I really enjoyed almost all of these characters. I think the only issue I had, if you could call it that, was the transparency of the "twists" and possibly the pacing of them as well. When the plot starts to reveal itself, it's like a ball of yarn tied to a bowling ball. It's all fast, all at once, and never stops. Hits you like a train. I think in a good way lol, but I'm still reeling.

I do wish we could have waded a little slower into the revelations, or spent a little more time with our FMC before moving on to the next plot point. I felt like we got to know her but not as well as we could have. What I meant by transparency was just that the plot is predictable as well. You can clearly tell who the bad ones are going to be, and spend the entire novel just waiting for that twist to finalize. Things fall into place exactly how you want them to or expect them to, and we conclude as such. Not that it is a bad thing, because obviously I liked it and it played out exactly how I wanted it to, but it does take the thrill away a little bit when you can see it coming in the first 20%.

Overall though, I absolutely loved this novel and this concept. I am really hoping it gets a sequel so we can delve back into this intricate world of souls!

Wow. Truly one of the best books I have read this year. This is a very unique dystopian book with twists and turns that you can never predict. Imagine turning 18 and leaving for a government facility where you will learn about your soulid (souls identity). You learn about all of your past lives, and either leave in handcuffs to serve time for crimes committed in your previous life or gain your inheritance. If you are one of the lucky ones, you may even find out you have a soulmate.

As one of the last of her friends to turn 18 years old. All Sivon wants is to go to her kurling, get some answers, leave with her inheritance, and possibly find her soulmate; however, her kurling does not go as expected and things get messy.

I highly recommend this book to everyone looking for a fast-paced, action-packed book. This is a YA book; however, I think adults of all ages will enjoy this read as well.

What is you knew exactly who you were on your 18th birthday? This romantic dystopian follows a wild reincarnation journey of who you’ve been and who you are going to be. Following Sivon on a journey, as she must report to be Kirled (a system that examines your soul to tell you who you have been in past lives), full of worry she’ll be the tragic soul that reincarnates only to commit suicide for their failures, or a criminal. In this world criminals must continue their former prison sentences if they didn’t complete them, even if they weren’t the ones to commit the crime. Suicide comes with a hefty penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine. But in addition to finding out your soul, you also get to receive your inheritance, and see if you have a soulmate (not always romantic). Sivon is kirled among grief that happens during her stay at the institute, only to discover she’s a new soul, with no inheritance and no soulmate. But then why does she feel like she’s having Deja vu? The circle with an x haunts her. She’s now in danger for having the first new soul in 200+ years, and she must learn to trust herself in order to stay alive. This is a highly suspenseful story, with romance where one must learn to follow their heart. There is some language for those who want to know, and the romance doesn’t really extend beyond kissing, but the very end eludes to more, but was incredibly done for those that desire closed doors romances. It’s a standalone, which is great for those who do not want to invest in a long series or wait for more to come out. I was deeply enthralled and I know others will be too.

I’m SO glad dystopian is on the rise again! SOULMATCH flipped the genre on its head in the best way possible with a unique and interesting premise. World building is one of my favorite aspects about a book, and Rebecca did such a wonderful job creating an immersive world that felt real and tangible. The romance was SO wonderfully done as well! I can’t wait to read more from this author!

My face the entire time I was reading this book looked a lot like this 😱😱😱

Thank you @rebeccadanzenbaker and @simonteen for the #gifted book for a group of us nerds to read together [Pub Day: July 29, 2025]

I was hooked reading "Soulmatch" as soon as I cracked open the book. Dystopian fiction will always have a special place in my heart because I had an addition to them growing up. Pre-teen Dani would have eaten this book up.

I loved the futuristic world that Rebecca built. It was so fun seeing how a distant future would look, and the way the author wrote this was so addictive.

Between the idea of finding out what your past souls were and learning about your destined match, I was locked in.

My favorite thing about this book has to be Carrefor and Donovan. I have some super spoiler stuff I want to word vomit here, but it will have to wait until July. (Ugh) Just know that any scene with these two in it is *chefs kiss*

This story being action-packed and addictive was just what I needed. It was an interesting world to get lost in. It was w i l d to experience Carrefors inner monolog anticipating knowing who she was to becoming something completely unexpected.

If you are like me & thrive the nostalgia of the first time reading Hunger Games, Divergent, Matched, or Delirium, you're going to want to add this to your tbr!! Addictive. Twisty. W O R T H I T!!!!!

🦋 Dystopian
🦊 College Setting
🦋 Futuristic
🦊 Enemies to Lovers
🦋 Action Packed
🦊 Puzzles
🦋 Love Triangle
🦊 Body Guard
🦋 Slow Burn
🦊 Forced Proximity

❔️#QOTD What's a book from your pre-teen/teen days you wish you could read for the first time again?

Shout out to the tagged group of bookish friends for being a part of this traveling sisterhood moment. I appreciate you all so much. Tons of virtual hugs coming your way!

Wow! This is one to read. The dystopian was out of this world, and what a world Rebecca built. I love everything about this story. I highly recommend picking this up when you see it. You will not be disappointed.

A YA Dystopian book that takes place two hundred years after WWIII based on one’s past lives/your soul determining the type of life you’ll live after you turn 18 and experience kirling in your current life.

The synopsis sounded so intriguing and especially with the build up of how the FMC was a master Chessfield player however I had expected more strategy from Sivon during the current life rather than her being whiny about not getting any direction because she was a “new soul”.

A lot of questions as a reader build up until about 80% and then everything seemed rushed in the last 20%. Tbh I feel like this would have been more fun as a duology so that the last 20% of the book could really have its time to shine.

Overview:
It’s been 200 years since World War III reshaped the world, and now... everyone gets judged not by what they’ve done in this life, but who they were in a past one. At 18, you get “kirled”, a mystical/political soul reveal where your fate is determined by the karma you’re carrying. Reincarnated from a good person? Congrats, here’s a dream job, a soulmate match, and a lovely life. Reborn from someone criminal? You're arrested, punished... sometimes even before you’ve done a thing.

When Sivon undergoes her own kirling, everything starts unraveling. What should’ve been a rite of passage turns into a fight for her freedom, her future, and the truth buried in her past lives. What she discovers? It’s bigger, darker, and more dangerous than anyone wants to admit.

* What Worked (Like Whoa):

The Concept: The soul judgment system is brilliant, equal parts chilling and captivating. It hooked me from the jump.

Sivon Herself: She's flawed, fiery, and easy to root for. You can feel the weight of the world on her shoulders... and the rebellion bubbling beneath.

That Slow Burn Tension: While this is more YA in heat level, the romantic undercurrent sizzles. It’s angsty in the best way.

Themes That Linger: Redemption, injustice, free will... this story dives deep into moral gray areas, and it’s not afraid to make you uncomfortable. I respect the hell out of that.

* What Could’ve Hit Harder:

World Building Gaps: The kirling process and society structure are fascinating, but sometimes felt more told than shown. I wanted to see the world breathe... feel its grit under my nails.

Mid Book Lull: The pace drags in places, especially in the second act. It’s not boring, just meandering, like it forgot where it was sprinting to for a minute.

Info Dump Finale: Those last chapters try to wrap up a lot. While the twists are juicy, it borders on overwhelming. A little more breathing room could’ve let the reveals truly hit.

* Final Thoughts:

Soulmatch is a bold, thoughtful addition to the YA dystopian landscape. If you're a fan of stories that ask “what if the system is the real villain?”... this one’s for you. With echoes of Matched, Legend, and even The Giver, it blends high stakes drama with soul searching questions that linger long after the last page.

Massive thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, and Rebecca Danzenbaker for the ARC. I loved diving into this mind-bending world, and I’m already curious where the story might go next.

🫶🏻 -Ali

✨✨✨BEST YA DYSTOPIAN IN AGESSSSSS!! ✨✨✨

AHHHHHH Soulmatch was so crazy good!!! Don’t skip this one!!! 👏 👏 👏

I’m still screaming it was so darn good!!! Eeeeeeeee!

A YA dystopian romance centered around the concept of reincarnation and being able to learn about your past lives… FASCINATING. Oh, I definitely had to request an ARC for this one and I was stoked that I was approved!!!

The concept for Soulmatch is not only fascinating, unique, and fun, but it’s very thought provoking. It really does bring up a lot of intriguing questions and things to think about! Such a breath of fresh air mixed with some well loved tropes!

This book took gave me ALL the feels!! I absolutely loved Sivon and the swoon worthy romance!!! The world building and character building was done incredibly well and the story was fast-paced.

I have nothing bad to say about this book! This is the dystopian romance book I’ve been waiting for and it’s definitely a new favorite for me!! 😻


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released July 29, 2025.

This book was so fun! Honestly, it had a dystopia vibe that I really loved. The world building was fun, and the characters were all really fun. I loved our main girl, she had insecurities and didn’t feel overpowered. Very well rounded and easy to root for. The love triangle was fun, though my knowledge of tropes made the outcome obvious. I loved her end game, it certainly wasn’t a meet cute, but the development had me squealing. The plot was fun, it was a bit slower, but it picked up in the back half and the twists and turns kept coming. A very solid standalone to me. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the e-arc.

What a story! THE EVOLUTIONS AT THE END!!! Ahhhh, they were so good and juicy! We love a story that wraps up nicely. For these characters being rather young, they really did seem quite mature. I enjoyed the storyline and the connections between these characters.

They have their soul matched and then they’re just expected to live that soul out for their lives. It’s great how even if you don’t know much about that soul, it still has a way of growing on you and making you that person.

My guy Donovan… Absolute stunner of a guy. We love him forever!

5/5 stars for souls, betrayal, and protection!

I really enjoyed the concept of reincarnation in this story and how the system was utilized to understand and keep track of reincarnations. I also loved the slow burn romance that was involved and the twists at the end. However, I felt like I needed to make a physical map of the reincarnations and who was who to keep up with the events towards the end. The book feels a little slow at the beginning, but picks up heavily towards the end and things happen fast! I loved the concept of soulmates and how that worked in the world as well. It’s definitely an interesting concept and the execution was fun. I thought the MFC really prospered towards the end of the book, meaning she stopped feeling like a damsel in distress. The MMC was awesome all the way through. Shepherd, her bodyguard, was my favorite character by far. He had a lot of personality and he was very blunt and said what he needed to say. I really enjoyed how he showed on page.

YA dystopia romance set 250+ years in the future. Think Gen Z quadrupled. Slang & acronyms flow well!

Imagine, when you turn 18, you learn about your past lives, achievements, inheritance, crimes and you'll find out if you have a soulmate! Sivan just knows that her past will clue her into her future, only to discover she's not like everyone else!

The story is charming and the friends/family really come through for each other. The ultimate found family...through multiple lifetimes. I would love to read a sequel!

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review!

I went into this book blind , knowing that it is a YA book and I must say , it is exactly that. The concept that Rebecca is going for did keep me intrigued and interested throughout the story. However the plot reminded me of a lot of early 2000s syfy teen books , such as Matched, The Host, Divergent, and Uglies, (i swear if you put them all together . . . Thats the book ) with a love triangle twist and spy adventure added in right at the end. I did love the development of the love triangle/thought process that Sivon goes through ( typical teen syfy fashion). And the introduction of Donovan and Janus were perfect. But towards the height of the plot I kept screaming in my head "TELL ME WHY WE ARE DOING ALL OF THIS ! WHHHHYYYY !? WHATS POINT!?!" we got there eventually, it just took a long time to get to point and the story wrapped up quickly after that. All in all , a perfect book for a teen audience looking for a new syfy fantasy.