I can see this appealing to a lot of readers. It's adventurous and creative with a mystery that starts small but grows in satisfying ways. I saw a lot of it coming, and at times I grew frustrated with how anxiety was being held as more important and affecting than physical circumstances like poverty or immigration. (In general, I feel like having a protagonist be an immigrant in general was underbuilt. It felt mainly like an excuse to move them between countries.) Similarly, some of the betrayals felt incredibly lopsided. I think it is absolutely a case where I cared more than most people will, and I know there's an audience that really will appreciate the arc of this story, but those were slightly off notes that took me out of an otherwise appealing story.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC. 

This book had such a cool and unique world building and magic system. I really loved all the magical elements of the story. 

The main character's anxiety didn't make for an enjoyable reading experience because it made me feel anxious. I know some people will love it though, so this is more of a personal issue. 

Overall this was a beautifully written and magical story that I would absolutely recommend unless anxious main characters spike your anxiety. In that case you might want to skip this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book.
An Embroidery of Souls uses the idea of The Fates except instead of using a spool of yarn and scissors to determine the length of a life, a Thread Speaker can remove or restore the traits that make up a soul. However, there must be an equal trade. If something is taken, it must be given elsewhere. The reverse is also true. Something added to a soul's tapestry, must be taken from somewhere else.
The main character, Jade, suffers from crippling anxiety and agoraphobia and she has never learned to actively deal with the overwhelming emotions. Her mother, Thread Speaker to the Queen, has disappeared and Jade is next in line to take her place.
Meanwhile, something is on the loose, killing people, removing their eyes and stealing their souls. Only a skilled Thread Speaker could remove this threat, but first the creator must be found.
Jade is determined to find her mother and hopefully locate the person responsible before the queen claims her services and forces her to remain by the queen's side.
This is a solid story with a bit of romance tainted by the mental health issues of the main character of Jade.

A gorgeous cover with an equally gorgeous story?
A romance that will melt your heart?
Political tension?
Lovable characters?
Check, all of the above.

“I can kill a man with nothing more than a needle, thread, and a lock of his hair. My skills allow me to stitch love, embroider away death, and unspool memories.” So opens An Embroidery of Souls by Ruby Martinez, an enchanting YA Fantasy and Romance.

Jade Aguilar is a thread speaker whose mother has gone missing. Without the acting thread speaker available to the Queen, Jade is called to serve. But crippling anxiety, abandonment issues, and PTSD (though not stated as such), makes her very unwilling. Extended a short reprieve of 60 days, Jade sets out to find her mother only to have an episode in a crowd and collapse.

Lukas Keller is a boy with the most beautiful soul Jade has ever seen. He is duty-bound to take care of his family, which is struggling in abject poverty. Lukas finds Jade, and not knowing who she is, helps her recover and bring her home. His next stop is to the local underground gang, the leader who tells him he can join if he can find the killer preying upon Mérecal. To accomplish this task, he needs the help of the thread speaker who let his sister die.

Lukas is surprised to find that Jade is the daughter of that thread speaker. After some discussion, the two decide to join forces to find this killer, mainly because Jade believes they may have something to do with her mother’s death. As the two travel to the ocean and other lands in search of the killer’s beast and clues, they fight off the love they feel for each other. Lukas, because he feels it would betray his family, and Jade, because she has an even darker secret she is keeping from him.

This story is beautifully woven. It is a real coming-of-age for both characters. Tropes include one bed (or hay loft), forbidden love, moral dilemmas, wet clothes, and mental health (spice is appropriately YA closed-door). There was a bit too much navel-gazing around selfishness, but this may be due to the YA nature of the book. While it was slightly distracting, it did not impact overall on my belief that this book will be a massive success in its genre.

The magic system is beautiful (seeing souls and sewing them into patterns with different colors indicating different characteristics), and the ability to take or add components to a person (increase stealth, bravery, love, more) through tattoos or clipping threads. The love story is beautiful, with an achingly sweet ceremony between our two characters. The action is well developed, and there are enough plot twists to keep the reader engaged and guessing. Make sure to add this to your TBR for 9/09/2025!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a wonderful surprise! I wasn't sure I would like it in the foist few chapters, but by the 6th chapter I was hooked! A very creative take on magic, a great set of characters that are flawed and well though out. Great job!!

Wow, this was fantastic! What an incredible fantasy book based on Mexican and German folklore/mythology.
Jade Aguilar, like her mother, is a thread speaker in the queendom of Mérecal, This means she has the unique ability to stitch love, beauty, intelligence and to unravel even death. When her mother goes missing, the queen orders Jade to find her or be conscripted into a life of servitude.

Lukas Keller is desperate to feed his family and makes a deal with a vicious gang leader. Though he swore never to seek the help of a thread speaker, he's in over his head and it might be his only option.
Jade and Lukas form a mistrustful alliance, as they try to solve the mystery of the serial killer on the loose in Merecal.
So let’s talk world building and magic systems. Soul weaving as a tapestry is such a beautiful concept. Different threads are used for the soul’s different characteristics. And the world building is top notch. The Queen and the Underworld Queen are NOT what they seem to be.
Jade’s development was my favorite part of the book. She battles trauma, PTSD, and a stranger who is after her in order to save the boy she has come to love. Nice development on their romance in my opinion – I didn’t feel that it became rushed or happened too quickly.
An Embroidery of Souls is a must read for everyone who loves fantasy.

An Embroidery of souls

5 ⭐️/ 5

“True bravery isn’t the absence of fear but standing up despite the weight of it pushing you down.”

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book altered my brain chemistry in the best way possible. If you’re looking for an enticing, jaw dropping, tension filled, and adrenaline pumping book. This book is 100% for you.

Beginning with the protagonists. I loved both Jade and Lukas. Their backstory’s were so genuine and raw, and I truly felt like I understood them and was able to relate to them. I loved how they both had such beautiful souls (no pun intended) and how they both cared so deeply for one another and those around them. Lukas is definitely a new book bf for me.

The relationship between them was amazing, super wholesome, and sweet. They truly had such a love for each other that surpassed all issues and made them able to overcome hardships. I loved how they always were there for each other, I loved it. Literally can’t stop thinking of them.

The magic system in this book also was very intriguing and it was amazing to see how it all tied together (once again no pun intended.) the plot was very well paced and done perfectly, it didn’t feel so at any point and I could not stop reading.

I also loved the mental health rep and how they healed and learned to accept their pasts and grow from it. There were some issues mentally with some of the characters but the way they overcame it was so amazing it brought me to tears. Literally bawled my eyes out for 15 minutes.

Truly I recommend this book in every way shape and form. Please go read this. Thank you once again NetGalley for providing me with this arc!

-moodreader@heart

This book is Six of Crows if the characters actually acted like teenagers.

Front and center of An Embroidery of Souls is its fascinating magic system, Thread Speaking, which is a cross between sewing and tattooing that allows the practitioner to "steal" attributes from one person and impart them to another. Like the Grisha of Leigh Bardugo's universe, Thread Speakers live precarious lives in Martinez's world, at once coveted and feared for their power. Our main character, Jade, is one such Speaker, thrust into the undesirable role of Royal Speaker for the Queen of Merecal by her mother's untimely disappearance. Jade's only chance to escape this fate is to track her mother down, a mission that has her teaming up with working-class immigrant teen, Lukas. Murders ensue, as do feels as these two teens from opposite sides of the tracks begin to fall for each other.

As mentioned above, Jade and Lukas truly feel like teenagers, with all the self-doubt, awkwardness, and vulnerability that comes with young love. Jade grapples with anxiety stemming from her traumatic childhood, and Lukas' gentle, nonjudgmental way of comforting her is incredibly endearing. The pairs' internal journeys are equally sweet as they both come to understand and define their own self-worth apart from their families. At times the youthfulness of the narrative voice does drag the story down a bit, especially the dialogue, which (despite quite a few expletives) I can only describe as overly polite (so many pleases, thank yous, and sorrys, even from slum lords!). For those looking for a heart-warming first-love story, however, this one hits all the marks.

One last note: the world building is intriguing (what we see of it, at least) but does take a back seat to the romance, and I was left wanting far more details about this world and Merecal in particular. This may be a symptom of this being a debut, which has less room for table-setting. I'd be interested to read more stories set in this world, which Martinez will hopefully get more opportunities to expand!

This book has such unique magic, it's like nothing I've seen before and I loved it! This is seriously my top read of 2025, Ruby has a reader for life!

A Soul-Stirring Fantasy Full of Magic, Mystery, and Heart
Ruby Martinez’s debut absolutely blew me away. Jade Is a Thread Speaker is a breathtaking mix of emotional depth, lush worldbuilding, and one of the coolest magic systems I’ve ever read. It’s a story about power, sacrifice, and healing, but at its core, it’s about two broken people learning they are worthy of love, even with the cracks.
Jade is a thread speaker, someone who can manipulate the very fabric of a person’s soul, tugging at the threads that make them who they are. Strength, beauty, health… all of it can be rewoven, but every change has a cost. And whether someone gives it willingly or not is another story entirely. Lukas, on the other hand, is a boy born into hardship, working himself to the bone just to keep his family afloat. When a series of brutal murders begins stealing not just lives, but souls, Jade and Lukas are thrown together on a journey that spans cities, secrets, and simmering feelings neither of them saw coming.
Let’s talk magic first, it’s incredible. The soul-as-tapestry concept is beautifully executed, with each thread color symbolizing a different aspect of the self. It’s as poetic as it is powerful, and it adds layers of emotional weight to every use of magic. And the way the magic is tied into themes of classism and control? So smart and so timely.
What really hit home for me, though, were the characters. Jade’s character arc is a standout. She battles deep-rooted fear, anxiety, and the trauma of being used for what she can do instead of loved for who she is. Watching her come into her own was inspiring and beautifully written. Lukas is grieving and weighed down by responsibility, but his quiet strength and deep empathy make him the perfect complement to Jade. They’re both navigating self-worth struggles, and their emotional growth is raw, real, and far from rushed. I loved that healing wasn’t instant—it’s messy, and it takes time.
The romance? Chef’s kiss. It’s tender, slightly fast-paced but never superficial. There’s tension, vulnerability, banter, and so much heart. They feel meant for each other, like two puzzle pieces slowly learning how to fit together, flaws and all. Their journey isn’t perfect, but it’s full of genuine love and earned intimacy (and yes, the romance is closed-door, but still beautifully emotional).
I’d recommend checking content warnings if you’re sensitive to certain themes like grief, trauma, or panic attacks. But overall, this is a deeply human story wrapped in gorgeous fantasy.
If you love magic that means something, character-driven fantasy, slow-burn healing, and love stories that stay with you long after the final page, this book is for you. I laughed, I cried (happy tears!), and I’m already itching to read more from Ruby Martinez. Pick this one up, you won’t regret it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Best read of 2025!

Wow! An incredible YA fantasy with action, adventure, romance, and lore rooted in Mexican and German culture.

Jade is a once orphaned young woman who has magic to see the souls of others, and speak life into thread. She can use her magic to embroider soul gifting them traits, like stealth, health, and courage, or taking these traits away. Although special, Jade’s childhood trauma had left her a shadow of herself, living with so much fear that she rarely leaves her home.

Her mother, also a thread speaker, is an advisor to the queen. A role Jade will one day be expected to fulfill. Additionally the town is currently plagued by a serial killer, legend to be monster. Who is killing people and killing gouging out their eyes.

When her mother goes missing, the day for Jade to step into her mother’s role comes sooner than she expects, and she is summoned by the queen. Upon meeting with the queen Jade is given two month to handle affairs before she is expected to start her new role, and help the queen find the murder. Terrified that her mother maybe dead, and that she is not capable of filing her role, she has a panic attack on her way home, and is saved by a young man with a beautiful soul, named Lukas.

Lukas, also a survivor of trauma, loss, and oppression is immediately drawn to Jade. However he has a secret past that makes him not trust thread speakers, and specifically her mother.

Upon meeting Lukas and Jade have an instead bond, and together they embark on a adventure to figure out what happens to Jade’s mother, identify the murder, and get Jade back before she is expected to start her role with the queen.

I LOVED everything about this book. It was packed with action and adventure, romantic tension, strength in morals, and culture! As a Chicana in the US whose language, identity, and family is under attack right now, I feel like this book found me in a perfect moment. Reminding me to be strong in the face of fear, to not let my trauma steal my present joy, and to stay good in the face of evil.

If I could give this book 10 stars I would, and I hope that this becomes a recommends read for students in my state.

I got this book as an ARC through Net Gallery in exchange for my honey review. Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to be an advanced reader.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

AN EMROIDERY OF SOULS by Ruby Martinez (Sept 9)

Thank you Netgalley, RHC, and GetUnderlined for the earc

Jade can manipulate souls with thread---literally end a life. When a string of m*rders happens, she teams up with Lukas to solve them.
AN EMBROIDERY OF SOULS is a YA romantasy-esque book that is told across two points of view. The first thing that stood out to me---before I even dived in---was the cover. It's so colorful and so pretty. Going into this, I didn't know what to expect.
This book weaves equal amounts of romance, mystery, and drama to seemingly create a masterpiece. The imagery created was phenomenal, painting a picture in my mind like I was there.
I found these characters to be likeable, though it took a moment for me to warm up to Luka---he started out okay, but his grudge against [REDACTED] was a little annoying.
I'm not generally a fan of pov shifts in chapters, but I do think that, in this case, it added to the story because it allowed the author to go into more depth with these two characters.
AN EMBROIDERY OF SOULS is easily devourable, and I flew through it---though, by part four, I was ready for it to be over with. Not why you might think...it was because of the events that happened in the last few chapters of part three. So much is revealed, and so much was hanging on by a thread. I just needed to know everything. It's emotional as Jade and Lukas embark on their journey and what they learn along the way. It's full of shock and betrayal on top of the romance and fantasy element in just the right amount of quantities. AN EMBROIDERY OF SOULS is quite fast-paced despite it being a fantasy (we all know some times fantasy novels are drawn out.)
It's definitely a must-read for those looking to dive into a new world where it's not the cliche prince/princess/thief falling for one another while saving the world.

Every time I say I dislike fantasy I find another one that I enjoy. Although this was a slow start for me, I got sucked into the world of Mérecal and Kabrück easily and was entranced by the unique magic systems and the somehow seamless blend of Mexican and German mythology and culture. Jade and Lukas's alternating perspectives made it fun to follow their romance back and forth, but it never overpowered the more dramatic plot lines involving the Unseen Death killer and Jade's ability as a thread weaver. There were so many twists, but none too outlandish, and the ending was wonderful. At times I found the writing style a bit cheesy, but overall it was wonderful.

This book hooked me from chapter one. I did not expect such good plot and writing from a debut novel but was very surprised! Things were going great, I was loving the action and the "embroidery of souls," I could easily imagine scenes but then towards the middle of the book, things changed. Curse words popped up and the main characters got a little too cheesy and cliche, and I just wasn't as into the book as I was at the beginning. :/

Content: six f-words, d-word, b-word, s-word, p-word, sexual tension, implied sex, death, blood, fighting, and underage drinking.

The content is more than a little iffy and what made me take off three stars (the fourth was for the mediocre writing towards the end of the book). 🥴

I was gifted an advanced reader copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest thoughts.

" True bravery isn't the absence of fear but standing up despite the weight of it pushing you down."

This book blew me away. It follows the story of Jade, a thread speaker, and Lukas, the poor boy from the wrong side of town, as they work together to solve a mystery and save countless lives. Jade is a refreshing representation of true social anxiety. A perfectly imperfect main character. Her struggles with her internal battle for control over her emotions and fear lead to an incredible story of personal growth in which she learns to push past her fears, rather than having them just magically disappear. Lukas is kind and genuine, a truly courageous character who helps Jade on her path to self improvement while realizing his own personal needs as well. Their innocent romance is highlighted in a sweet way. The rich world building is underscored by the cultural representation apparent in the descriptions of characters, clothing, names and surroundings. A complex and unique magic system makes the story stand out in the best of ways. Several twists and turns kept me guessing throughout, culminating in the perfect happy ending.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this e-arc.

This book grabs your attention right at the start and holds it throughout. The author's creativity in developing the setting and magical concepts was well thought out and unique, and was a refreshing change from many other YA books. An enjoyable read!

For the writing, I gave that a 7 out of 10. I think it was excellent, and I really liked the writing style. I thought it flowed very well. I normally am not a huge fan of first person point-of-view, but I feel this was well executed and the story benefited from it. It had a way of drawing you in and immersing you in the world.

For the plot, I gave that a 7 out of 10. I really enjoyed the murder-mystery aspect of the story in a fantasy setting. This book is YA, so for me, the plot was a bit predictable but not in a bad way. The person who ended up being the murderer made sense to me when it was revealed, and I wasn’t shocked but the story was still interesting.

For the characters, I gave that an 8 out of 10. I connected with both characters in different ways. As an eldest child, especially an eldest daughter, I felt Luckas’s guilt for choosing anything for himself. As an adult, it’s easy to say that it’s not selfish to choose to do things for yourself, but when you’re a teenager and have lived your life for other people, it’s very hard to move away from that guilty feeling. I have lived away from home for over 10 years, and I still feel that way. For Jade, I really felt her fear and anxiety of the world coupled with the traumatic event she experienced. It’s difficult to will yourself to not feel a certain way in situations like that. You logically know you are fine, but your body goes into fight - or - flight and it’s difficult to bring yourself out of it. I admired her ability to push through it anyway and not let it stop her from living her life. Also, their relationship is adorable. I generally have a hard time with YA books and feeling the connection between the love interests, but I thought the two were great for each other.

For the world-building, I gave that a 9 out of 10. That was my favorite part of the book. I loved the Mexican influences in the world, and I thought the magic system was incredibly interesting. I liked that people’s souls were more complicated in this book. In many books, people will talk about an “aura” and it’s just one color. However, this book showed multiple colors and shapes that made up a person’s soul because people are multi-faceted. We are not just one trait. I really appreciated that. I liked the idea that these thread speakers had the ability to not only see the souls but could recreate them and manipulate them, and I loved that the author showed that it could be used for good and evil.

Overall, I gave this 3.87 stars. I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was incredibly interesting and unique.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! 4 1/2 stars!

Jade is a thread speaker. She has the power change the very core aspects of a person, the parts of someone woven into the tapestry of their soul. To receive heath, beauty or agility someone has to give it up, willingly or unwillingly. Lukas is a poor boy working day in and day out to support his family often at the expense of his own wants and needs. The two come together to solve the mystery of a serial killer on the loose, ruthlessly killing people and stealing their souls. Jade and Lukas travel far to uncover the mystery, and feelings begin to arise, but will secrets from the past and their own insecurities keep them apart?

I really enjoyed the magic system. The cost of magic teaches important lessons and is also a tool of classism through the story.

Both of our main characters, Jade and Lukas has self worth struggles. On top of that Jade has panic attacks and Lukas is grieving. I love the journey they both go on towards healing. I also appreciate they weren't insta better.

The love story is lovely. Not quite insta love, but quick. However, the love journey isn't all smooth sailing.

The physical intimacy is closed door. There's a little bit of cursing (f-bombs, not many). As always check content warnings for your comfort level.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more from Ruby Martinez!

**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC**

A part of me thinks I'm the problem. I really liked the magical system, but Jade and Lukas seem very...tweenish. They're both supposed to be 18, but they don't act that way. Jade is a sheltered girl with major anxiety problems, so I get why she is emotionally stunted. Lukas, though... Meh. When an action scene is supposed to be a high-stress, the characters take their time thinking and plotting instead of reacting. That was the final straw for me.

I do like the mythology, and I'm willing to try this again another time. The author is super creative, and for that, I give this 2 stars. However, I am DNFing this for now.