A slow to start, but strong finish for this young adult fantasy. Varga has an incredible way with words, she effortlessly pulls readers from one scene to the next, and is able to develop distinct and honest characters that jump off the page. This is an excellent second book from an author who made a mark with her first, we are able to witness, in real time, Varga deepening her writing craft. At times it made for a bit of an uneven pace - the beginning particularly felt a bit slow to start. Overall an excellent, and endearing novel that is a great addition to the young adult fantasy canon, in the same vein as What the River Knows.

“That we have to continue to resist, in whatever way we can. And if they punish us for it, then we punish them right back.”

Emily Varga, the mystical magical maven that you are, while delivering gut punch after gut punch! I adored this.

The River She Became is a rich YA political romantic fantasy featuring:
✊Political poignancy
🔥Citizen rage and rebellion
🗡️Dual POV of falling baaad while plotting to overturn evil regimes (hott)
👓What if SHE wears the slutty little glasses?

I was so lucky to be provided with both the earc and alc, allowing me to do a hybrid read between the two. The audio narrator, Safiyya Ingar, does a beautiful job bringing such rich characters to life, and helping keep the distinction between POVs. Highly highly recommend.

“I’m going across the River. And I’m going to save us all.”

📖: Yaseema is a scholar daylighting as a loyal servant to the corrupt Empire. But by night, she works in secret to restore magic to her dying land. After uncovering a lost relic that will allow her to cross the River into the fae world, she decides to make the journey to help save her people. Soon realizing she is in over her head in an equally evil regime, Yaseema will have to learn who she can trust as she searches for a way to save them all.

“I guess invading powers were the same, no matter what world I was in.”

Thank you Wednesday Books, St.Martin’s Press, Macmillan, and NetGalley for an advanced electronic, as well as listener copy, in exchange for an honest review. The River She Became comes out on June 30th.