The premise of Soul of Shadow was amazing and while I struggled in the beginning, the plot ultimately worked.
I enjoyed the way the author used the magical realism and made it work and the final twist was a good one.

While the FMC wasn't my necessarily my favorite, Elias is an intriguing MMC with shadows and secrets and I sure am curious to see how his story plays out in book 2! There is a lot that needs to happen for sure and I like how he was built up.

The world building itself also works and I do like a dive into norse mythology. Sadly, the latter was constantly trivialised for me with recurring references to pop culture and detailed google research. It pulled me out of the story. Honestly, the strong focus on norse mythology in this book comes with a lot of darkness and heaviness and the constant Marvel comparisons (as much as I love the movies) disrupted that for me in a way I didn't love.
Still, the creatures were fun and I liked the imagery the author created. And tbf that little guy stole my heart with his obsession with Henry Cavill.

Unfortunately, I feel like this might have been a case of misdirected marketing. While this is YA and the underage drinking wasn't unrealistic, the book felt more immature in certain aspects which caused a bit of a clash for me.
On top of that, I stumbled over inconsistencies, some thoughts just felt unpolished and I personally didn't love the pacing.

Overall, it was a quick, light, well narrated audiobook that, while aptly incorporating a mythological realm isn't too heavy on the world building. I think fans of TVD/Twilight looking for a light YA read with a dark and dangerous MMC might enjoy.

This was a fun one reminiscent of The Vampire Diaries and Twilight! If you’re older and want nostalgia, check it out! If you’re a high schooler and love dramatic teen fantasy books, this one is for you! I really love this author and I do hope this series does well as it has the making of being something big to the younger generation. I’m out of that genre by a mile, but I did enjoy it. Emma Noyes has grown so much as an author and I truly appreciate her talent. This includes Norse Mythology and it was really fun to have the characters compare what they are experiencing to Marvel movies.

Overall, not for me as it’s not my age group, BUT does have the strong workings of a great series for teens and nostalgia seekers.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

unfortunately, dnf’d @50% — as i get older (sob) i find a lot of YA does not appeal to me in the same way it did when i was a young adult myself, but now with so many different books under my belt, i find myself less and less impressed with YA books unless they are truly one of a kind - and there are many out there that are universal reads for everyone!

i feel that my disappointment is mainly due to many YA books attempting to tackle more adult themes rather than creating/addressing issues for the targeted audience.

also, i was just generally uninterested in this book as whole - murder mystery meshed with norse mythology sounded so interesting in theory, but it just fell so flat.

as for the narrator, she did a fine job!

i’m sure this book will find its audience but it’s not me.

💥💥 Book Review 💥💥

Soul of Shadow
By Emma Noyes
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

This was a promising novel at the beginning and had an intriguing premise but it just fell flat. As the story u folded the pacing was inconsistent and the plot was disjointed and confusing. This book has a lot of potential but just left me disappointed and wanting more.

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

***I received a audio book from the publisher through Netgalley and chose to leave a voluntary review. Thank you!***




2★








I will have to say the narration of this book for the audio is great. It brought you right into their world. I really enjoyed that part of the book.





I wish I could say the same for the actual book and writing but sadly that was a miss.





It says for fans of the vampire diaries, which I count myself in, I watch the entire show more times than Ilike to admit 🙈. That being said, I didn't care for it, so much that I DNF'd the book at like 40 some percent. The is basically the first episode of the vampire diaries, except with different people and things. Also, the writing was style felt off.





The story telling was all over the place, like all over, we go from telling what happened last night to the shoes one wears, back to telling the story and then noticing the color of the curtains , back to the story as we see someone coming in and then back to finishing the story we telling about what happened last night.





So, it's really hard to stay focused on the actual story, So at like little less than halfway I quit.





I give it 2 and only because I had the audio and the narrator was really good.





2★

This was a good YA romantasy. The audiobook narration was good and was easy to listen to. I did like the Norse mythology and the twist at the end.

oh god.

thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an e-arc along with an audiobook. nothing against the narrator! it was good. the story itself tho? not for me.

the reason I decided to read it was because it was advertised as something for fans of TVD and who wasn’t/isn’t obsessed with that show? I think that set my expectations very high.

it unfortunately gave me nothing. the only comparison to tvd I could make is that there’s 3 girl best friends that are in high school and one day there’s this new mysterious guy that shows up in their town and starts going to their school. everything after that… god.

I don’t know what exactly put me off, maybe the annoying fmc, maybe the very modern, „cool” language, the very weird creatures or was it the gnome named Henry after Henry Cavill from the Witcher? help. it almost felt like a parody.

it just made me cringe a lot and when I thought it can’t get more cringy, it did. also I didn’t like any of the characters? maybe I should really stop reading about teenagers because they usually annoy me.

or maybe I should not do audio for fantasy books because I don’t get into the story as much. but I think I would’ve dnf if I was reading instead of listening so who knows what the right move really was.

Review:

This book was so fun and interesting. There were many parts that were very nostalgic like early 2000-2010 YA books which made it easy to get sucked into and make you yearn for those books again. The characters were great and I had so many moments I either laughed or was kicking my feet. This book does deal with the topic of death and grief and how hard it is to grow through especially for teens. It also touches on teens drinking and doing drugs, though I don't agree with teens doing those things, teens tend to experiment anyway and this book notes on that. The magic and Norse elements in this book were amazing and I loved it so much. It in fact was what drew me to this book. Charlie was incredible and she could really bring the snark at times.

Elias was the mysterious newcomer to town who had me intrigued at first but oh boy did I not see what was coming with him. The stuff with Charlie's dead twin sister was shocking and I couldn't believe it. The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat and now I need more, so many things need answers. Overall I enjoyed this book a lot and can't wait for what is next.

✨️ Norse Mythology
🔍 Mysterious Deaths
🩶 Fake Dating
🏡 Small Town
😈 Mysterious Bad Boy MMC

This is a YA, high school setting. The norse mythology is very interesting & I love the way it is all described. Especially the FMC's little friend (iykyk) 🥹💜

A husky named Banana?! My Siberian Husky is obsessed with bananas so that's her nickname & middle name. 🤣 I love this little tidbit. How funny.

*I received an advance review copy for free in the form of an audiobook (advanced listening copy) from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is my honest feedback about the book as an avid reader.*

This was a fun read. I love the cover of the book & the special edition coming out with the purple sprayed edges is GORGEOUS! 😍 The narrator did a great job.

Very interesting twist at the end. 👀

Huge thank you to the author, MacMillan Audio & NetGalley. 💜

I received this as an ARC (widget) and ALC! Disclaimer: I have not watched The Vampire Diaries. Maybe I would appreciate the MMC more if I had??

My thoughts while reading the first half: "Is this Twilight?... This is Twilight." The FMC is named Charlie! Then we got the second half and my thoughts changed: "Is this Marvel?? Now we have Loki."

The ending of this book was really good! So much action and reveals. I was intrigued enough by the ending to want to read more if there was to be a second book (which was set up well).

A special thank you for the ARC Audio Book!

As children in Charlie’s town are going missing, a new kid has now shown up at school…and in the forest in which the children were last seen. After Charlie is thrown head first into the world with this strange boy, Charlie finds out that the world she knows is not the whole truth anymore.

This Nordic telling of the time of Ragnarok, we are thrown into a story centering around the Nordic gods, teenage drama, and a mystery to find these young souls before they are dead.

Thos audio was good :) gives me vampire diaries vibes, as I was a huge fan I f them! Well written and angtsful. My forst hu this author l, but will kot be my last. Thank you for the ARC!

ALL HAIL HENRY! Oh this book was so much fun. This hits all the correct beats of a good YA fantasy from the love interest to the secret magical parents to the fun cast of characters. This book has a great mix of magic and high school drama. I can see why it has been compared to The Vampire Diaries. It harkens back to that specific era of CW teen shows that were captivating, full of magic, and just a little silly. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

When the children in the town start to go missing, Charlie's world as well as the world of the town she lives in gets turned upside down. What's even worse is that the discovery that monsters are real is the last thing anyone expected. What's real and what's not real? That is a question Charlie keeps asking herself. I felt that this was a very good younge adult novel. I kind of feel like it would be perfect for someone between the ages of 13 and 17. however as an older adult I actually enjoyed it. It combines the teenage world perfectly with the world of mystery.. As a YA novel, it will definitely keep the youth on their toes wondering what's going to happen next.

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.

I had the pleasure of receiving Soul of Shadow as an ARC, and I absolutely loved every second of it. From the very first page, I was drawn into a richly crafted world filled with magic, mystery, and high-stakes adventure. One of the things I appreciated most was there were several twists I genuinely didn’t see coming, which is always a huge plus for me as a reader.

The story delivers everything I crave in a fantasy novel: deep lore, thrilling action, and complex relationships. The dynamic between the characters is especially compelling, with a deliciously messy enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies arc. Add in some fake dating (one of my favorite tropes), and it felt like this book was tailor-made for me.

If you enjoy fantasy with emotional depth, layered world-building, and a touch of romance and intrigue, Soul of Shadow is an absolute must-read. I can’t wait to see what the author does next & can the sequel come out tomorrow?

I have been looking for a different fantasy story. Nice twist with the Norse mythology. The story has just enough suspense and doesn't drag. There is just enough romance to keep the book moving, but not over the top bordring adult. I appreciate the characters act like they are teens in high school. I really enjoyed the narrator. It is well done and kept me wanting to listen to more.

While I enjoy a lot of YA, because they are typically written well and transcend age, this one did not. It was tough to read, the story was so far fetched and it was clear I wasn’t the audience.

I requested this book purely based on vibes—saw the cover, knew it was fantasy, and that was all I needed. I didn’t even read the full blurb (which, honestly, is how some of my favorite reads start). So imagine my surprise when I realized this wasn’t just a fantasy, but a full-blown Norse mythology-inspired romantasy. Had I known that from the beginning, I would’ve picked it up even faster—because I love all things Norway and Norse myth. And funnily enough, the same day I was approved for this audiobook, I happened to find my old phone filled with photos from my 2018 trip to Norway with my grandmother. I spent the evening uploading those while listening to the story. Total fate.

The story itself is fast-paced, engaging, and filled with exactly the kind of morally gray characters I love. Elias had me constantly wondering—is this guy Loki in disguise? I was fully obsessed. The Norse mythology is woven in beautifully, and the inclusion of the vættr made my little part-Norwegian heart so happy. We actually have a bunch of them around our house, and they just so happen to be my dog’s favorite toys (sorry, Henry).

This is my first book by Emma Noyes, but definitely not my last. The audiobook, produced by Macmillan Audio, was excellent—Emily Pike Stewart absolutely nailed the narration. My only complaint? With that ending, are we sure this isn’t the start of a series? Because I am not ready to let go of this world yet.

If you're into Norse mythology, loved Netflix’s Ragnarok, are a fan of The Vampire Diaries or The Atlas Six, or just want a twisty, modern take on ancient magic, Soul of Shadow is 100% for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the early audiobook copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Jeg elsker det!

High school junior Charlie is trying hard to make it through the school year without her twin sister, who died a few years ago. Charlie’s best friends decide to make a pact that they will all find dates (and go) to homecoming. Enter the new boy, Elias. Elias is the epitome of mysterious boy nextdoor. Charlie is somehow drawn to him, and by doing so, enters into the fantastical world he is from.
I loved that this was half realistic, half fantasy, and I think it would appeal to readers who appreciate either genre. It was a quick read/listen–I got through it in a day! It felt very YA to me, but, one of my only criticisms, the narrator at times came across as younger than the main character was supposed to be.
Possible triggers: there are a few flashbacks to life with her sister, and the reader learns how she died, as well as some partying, drinking, and drugs.
Recommended for high school and up.