I'm going to need book 2 STAT, I enjoy YA books so this was an enjoyable ride, I also love TVD and it very much gave the same vibes!

Soul of Shadow
By: Emma Noyes

Thank You Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for the #gifted audiobook. #SMPEarlyReaders All opinions are my own.

Summary
Since the death of her twin sister, Charlie has found little joy with school and other aspects of her life. But when a classmate goes missing and leaves nothing behind but a pair of sneakers and strange symbols carved in a tree Charlie is drawn to the disappearances in ways she doesn’t understand. She is also drawn to Elias Everhart, a newcomer to town who’s definitely hiding something. And the more Charlie becomes tangled in his web the harder it is for her to see her way back out.

I really wanted to love this one. It’s a YA fantasy inspired by Norse mythology and the beginning had me completely hooked but for some reason the story just didn’t flow for me. One of the things I usually love about reading YA is the sweet and endearing characters and unfortunately I found both leads to be immature and incredibly frustrating. I wasn’t rooting for them which was a bummer. I may ultimately just be too old for this one and that’s okay. I hope others have better luck with it!!

Read if you like:
✩ YA Fantasy
✩ Dark and brooding MMC
✩ Ties to Norse Mythology
✩ Teenage Drama
✩ Murder Mystery
✩ Lots of twists and turns

Audio Notes: The narrator did a good job and was very engaging. I enjoyed listening along to the story.

Sixteen-year-old Charlie is still struggling to cope with the loss of her twin sister when a classmate suddenly goes missing. All that’s left behind are strange Norse runes carved into a tree deep in the woods. As Charlie starts digging into the mystery, she crosses paths with Elias—a quiet, enigmatic new guy who may be more than he seems.

Full of eerie tension, layered mythology, and a hint of romance, Soul of Shadows blends emotional depth with supernatural suspense. The audiobook adds an extra layer of immersion as narrator Emily Pike Stewart delivers a standout performance, capturing Charlie’s angst and the complex web of emotions she navigates on her journey of magical discovery, unexpected twists, and heartbreak.

This mature YA fantasy is a great pick for fans of Julie Kagawa and Holly Black—especially if you love stories where ancient magic creeps into the modern world, and nothing is quite what it seems.

Special thanks to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, I'll be honest my interest was piqued because of shadow daddies, but then to find out it's in reference to a teenager gave me the ick lol

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of Soul of Shadow! This is my unbiased review!

This was a solid 4-4.5 star read for me, that is until the last 10% of the book!!! Now that I have finished, it’s 5 stars!!! And I want more!!!

I requested this book a few months ago and life got in the way and I just now picked it up. I thought I was listening to the typical Fae and Children go missing in the forest. I was so wrong!

This was a joy to read, full of Norse mythology and not the marvel/disney version!

Charlie is a great coming of age FMC who overcomes life hurdles.

I loved the Loki aspects of this book!!

Solid 5 star read and I am looking forward to so much more from author @emmanoyesmaybe

The narrator nailed it! Excellent listen.

This book is available 7/29/2025

#netgalley #arcreader #norsemythology #valkyre #loki #nightmare #soulofshadowseries

Soul of Shadow is a gripping YA romantasy with eerie small-town vibes, Norse mythology, and a slow-burn romance that had me hooked from the start. Right away, I was hit with Twilight energy—in the best way—with moments and scenes that felt nostalgic and cinematic: the mysterious new guy, woods, a dress shop moment, and yes… temperature references. Except this time, the love interest is burning hot 🔥

The story follows Charlie, a high school girl still dealing with grief and a lot of internal quiet, when Elias Everhart—strange, sharp, and somehow ancient-feeling—shows up in town. Turns out, he’s not entirely human. Elias is a Mare from Norse mythology, turned at 11 and now living in plain sight as a high schooler at 18. The way his secrets unravel alongside the central mystery (people disappearing, strange symbols in the woods) kept me turning pages, and the slow-growing tension between him and Charlie had me fully invested.

🖤 Favorite quote:

“For the way you say my name like it’s the first time it’s ever been spoken by anyone.”
I mean… I melted.

Henry was an unexpected delight—adorable, comforting, and somehow grounding in a story that dances between reality and the dark unknown. Also: I, too, love chocolate chip cookies.

Where the story shines:
• Nostalgic paranormal romance vibes
• A boy made of shadows and secrets
• A fresh take on Norse mythology (especially the Mare lore)
• A strong atmospheric mood—especially in the forest and tunnel scenes (one of which gave total Harry Potter vibes)

Minor hiccups for me:
The worldbuilding and terminology (especially around the Mare and Asgard) could use a little more clarity. Some elements felt introduced without much explanation or depth, and I occasionally found myself confused about how this magical world functioned. That said, I’m chalking that up partly to personal preference, and I still thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

And that cliffhanger? Completely wrecked me. I need book two immediately—and book one isn’t even out yet!

3.5 rounded down💫 maybe true 3? and not at all what I was expecting! Though that’s on me for (once again) not reading a synopsis beforehand😅 all I knew was Emma Noyes saying “romantasy inspired by Damon Salvatore and The Vampire Diaries”…so imagine my surprise when it was YA and there were no vampires💀 again, my bad!!!

HOWEVER! I did still like it!!

✨norse mythology
✨multiple reveals (including one I genuinely did not see coming👀)
✨an interesting magical world hidden where you least expect it IYKYK
✨bad boy who is new to town😏 a young shadow daddy if you will
✨fake dating
✨nostalgia for high school (and high school TV dramas), think homecoming, football games, who is talking to who is the lunchroom!
✨students keep going missing leaving behind strange signs…

I liked a lot of things - the magic, the friend group, the slight odes to TVD, Henry😂! But it had some pacing issues, the romance left me wanting ~more~, and I need YA to be GOOOOD to *feel* it lately and this just missed that. I will most likely read the next one still!

The audio had great narration! And kept my interest / helped with the pacing issues better than the print!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I really liked the narrator and I think she did a good job of capturing Charlie. I liked the magic development and world building, I thought the supernatural/magical elements of the story were done really well. The Vatte was probably my favorite character and I loved it's development.

I thought some of the relationship building was strained. At times I couldn't tell what the "focus" of the story was supposed to be: the girlfriend/boyfriend storyline, the sibling relationships, or their friends.

🫐🫐Audio Book Review🫐🫐
⭐️4 Stars|Audio book ARC🎧 received by Netgalley & Wednesday Books exchange for an honest review.

Soul of Shadows felt, in a way, like coming home. Soul of Shadows has a nostalgic feel because it has elements from books I 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 reading in high school and college.

I love contemporary fantasy, and I have a hard time finding books that fit in that genre that work for me these days.

I love the feeling that maybe there are things in this world that we don't know or can see, and Soul of Shadows delivered that feeling so well.

I will say, the romance wasn't full force in this book. We get Damon vibes from the love interest, and I think that type of romance will have to be built through multiple books. So don't go into this book thinking that it's filled with romance.

✨The Vibes✨
⭐️YA
🍥Norse Mythology
🔪Vampire Dairies (REALLY giving Damon vibes)
✨Contemporary Fantasy- set in our world
💙Magical creature companion
🤯Cliff hanger that made me need book 2 ASAP

***I will post my review to my websites closer to the release date ***

Soul of Shadow by Emma Noyes

Described as perfect for fans of the Vampire Diaries, this is a fun and spooky YA adventure.

I really liked the uniqueness of this one and was hooked really quickly. Teens have started disappearing in Charlie’s small town, right around the same time as a new mysterious guy moved to town.

This one has elements of Nordic mythology, it has mystery, romance and a couple excellent twists! It’s definitely YA, so a couple of things made me roll my eyes, but it was still very fun and I did find it very entertaining and well planned out.

Thanks to @wednesdaybooks for both the ebook and audiobook! This one is out July 29th and I believe it will be out with sprayed edges!

#readya #reading #bookish #bookreview #booknotes #mybooks #wednesdaybooks #canadianbookstagrammer #books #fantasyya

It's giving Rick Riordan vibes (think Percy Jackson & Magnus Chase), but replace the bulk of the adventure aspect with romance and make it for a high school audience. Love a good Norse mythology spin, and this one uses lure strategically. While I probably should have guessed the ending just based on how most Norse mythology books are written, I genuinely didn't predict the ending until we were already in the ending scenes (no spoilers here though!).

I also LOVED the pop culture references sprinkled throughout the book. Very much along the lines of interest for people who would enjoy reading this (a gnome who loves the Witcher? What could be more adorable <3)

Breezed through it on audio in 2 days, and will for sure be looking for the next in the series! Narration was well done and made it an easy listen at 1.75x speed. Book ended on a cliffhanger, and leaves lots of room for further character development (which I think will likely be necessary in the next book in order to continue the series well).

As a cautious educator recommending to students, I'd say no to middle-grade audiences, but high schoolers could handle it. There's mentions of partying and sexual innuendos in conversation, but no spice that would make me hesitant to suggest to the slightly-below-18y.o. crowd.

Thank you to Netgalley, Emma, & the publisher for the ARC! Hoping I can snag an ARC of the next in the series when it's ready too ;)

GOSH DARN IT.

This is *my bad* for not reading the summary and realizing this was an urban fantasy. i can sometimes get past that fact when they are in another realm for long periods of time or it’s woven in well, buuuut I didn’t find that here. Charlie and her friends were written in such a manner that it came off as “trying too hard to be cool,” with vaping, drinking, partying, etc.

And this was pitched to me as a *shadow daddy* book (I don’t love that term) and I also don’t love that term referring to teens??? It all felt iffy.

I didn’t hit a hate reading level on this, just a sort of disconnect. The Norse gods were an intriguing aspect and I wish we’d have seen more of them (though maybe that’s a book two thing?? but this book didn’t convince me to read book two??).

It’s not poorly written by any means, it’s just not a book for me. I thought the audiobook narration was good too, so if you try it out, I do recommend that format.

Overall audience notes:

YA Urban Fantasy Romance
Language: mild
Romance: heated kisses
Violence: moderate
Content warnings: murder, kidnapping, loss of life

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of Soul of Shadow by Emma Noyes! Shout out to Emily Pike Stewart who absolutely nailed the narration. She sounded like an angsty high schooler, with her tone vivid and emotional at all the right points.

As a 30-year old listening to a YA fantasy, I can say that this gave me flashbacks to The Vampire Diaries, Twilight, and even notes of P.C. Cast's books. Soul of Shadow is a slow-burn mythological supernatural romantasy (more like enemies to lovers to enemies). Charlotte "Charlie" Hudson is still grieving the loss of her twin sister, Sophie, when kids in her town start vanishing leaving only their shoes and norse tree carvings behind. Enter Elias Everhart: the broody new kid who seems to know more than he lets on. Their chemistry crackles, even when he’s threatening to kill her. And from there, everything spirals—into gods, goblins, otherworldly secrets, and a world hiding in plain sight.

This book is for you if you like Norse mythology, a little bit of darkness, a group of high schoolers trying to figure out college applications (and saving the world), and a morally gray MMC. I would say this is for 16+ year olds because there’s underage drinking, drug references, and darker emotional themes like grief, death, and trauma. Some plot points feel a bit underdeveloped or rushed (especially in the world-building late in the book), but the intrigue, voice, and mythology more than make up for it.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!
Henry is my FAVORITE character. He was adorable and cute and a great sidekick!! I can’t wait to see where this story goes. The Norse mythology is great and unexpected! The audiobook was also fantastic, I laughed and cried and just had a fantastic time!!

3.5⭐️ rounded down.

This book was definitely unique. It was not in the way it was a classic teen book with magic in the real world like Vampire Diaries or Twilight. But I appreciated the plot twists. There were a number of them I did not see coming.

My one beef is this: I am tired of teen books that promote teen drinking and partying when they are written by adults. I think we all know that teens get up to no good, but the amount of time they comment on the legality of it and act like it’s no big deal is frustrating. I feel like it’s one thing if it’s more of a comment on teen drinking, but to glorify it makes me mad.

Alas, I don’t know if I can recommend this book based on my second point alone. It’s good, but I don’t think it’s good enough to overshadow that issue for me.

A literal nightmare appears in Charlie’s life, just as she begins to process her sisters tragic passing. He opens her eyes to a whole other world. Found family, morally grey characters, mystery, Norse mythology, and magical realism with a sprinkle of romance combine to open the door about Charlie’s past and future.

This ends on a pretty big cliffhanger so be prepared. I am dying for the next one!

I was quite honestly blown away by this book. I was completely unfamiliar with the author and the story. I immediately fell in love with Charlie and the new boy in town, Elias. This is unlike any YA fantasy you’ve read before! It’s part Norse mythology, part fairytale and part secret garden. The supporting characters are so incredibly loveable and will have you hooked within a matter of chapters. I cannot wait for the next installment to come out!

I'm generally cautious about the YA I choose to read because I'm old. The premise of this one drew me in, but it turned out to be too young and angsty for me. I was bored with the high school drama. Despite there being LOTS of major issues (sibling death and grief, drinking and drug use, a teenager having disappeared, etc.), I wasn't feeling the intensity of emotions. It was like too much was getting tossed in at once, yet nothing was giving the weight it deserved.

I did like the narrator.

At any rate, this is a DNF for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy of Soul of Shadow in exchange for my honest opinion. Soul of Shadow will be released on July 29, 2025.

I admit, I almost DNF this book. I am not a mythic reader. But, I kept listening and I really really enjoyed this. It reminded me of “a good girls guide to murder” with Norse mythology woven in. There were twists I did not expect (a lot actually), and the main character’s growth is a high point of this book.

The teacher and mama in me thinks this more of a college age young adult book than middle or high school. Alcohol and drugs, and murder are all parts of this book. The adult in me really enjoyed this once the plot picked up!

Charlie is just trying to keep her head down and survive high school after the loss of her sister—until a classmate vanishes near the forest, leaving behind only shoes and cryptic symbols. As she digs deeper, Charlie is pulled into the orbit of the mysterious new boy, Elias Everhart, whose secrets could unlock an entire hidden world.

This story blends teen angst, supernatural intrigue, and slow-burn romance with a touch of danger and heartbreak. The writing balances suspense and emotion well, and the worldbuilding is rich without being overwhelming. Elias is the perfect brooding counterpart to Charlie’s grief-hardened determination, and their chemistry sparks from the moment they meet.

A strong pick for romantasy lovers who enjoy dark forests, ancient secrets, and star-crossed love. It’s especially fun on audio, with immersive narration that brings the magic—and mystery—to life. Perfect if you love Twilight!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC!