by Emma Noyes
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pub Date: July 29, 2025
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Mythology
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads Amazon Bookshop
A thrilling Norse mythology inspired contemporary romantasy sure to
excite fans of The Vampire Diaries and Atlas Six.
Charlie Hudson just wants to get through junior year. Since the death of her
twin sister two years earlier, she’s drifted through life, going through the
motions at school and parties and even at home. The spark that once burned so
brightly within her has all but flickered out.
Until her classmate goes missing in the forest, leaving nothing behind but a
pair of shoes and strange symbols carved into a tree.
Drawn to the disappearances by forces she can’t explain, she finds herself
investigating the mysterious, alluring newcomer in town, Elias Everhart. With
piercing eyes and sharp wit, he dances around her questions, only intriguing
her further. Elias has a secret. More than one.
But what Charlie doesn’t know is that those secrets will lead her to a place
she never imagined: a world hiding in plain sight, made of magic, gods, and
monsters - and a first love fated to fall apart.
In Emma Noyes's Soul of Shadow, truths and temptations lurk in the
darkness, and for Charlie, the only thing more dangerous than facing her past,
is the boy with the power to change her future.
My Review: Erm... so this was something.
At the 5th chapter mark I was really struggling to continue with this book or call it quits. Quite frankly it's so far been very boring and I don't like Charlie at all. She lost her twin, broke down for one night and never really felt anything again. They went from a circus act of two to just her now and she practices magic to such a degree she'll have her hands bleed from it. But it's all coming off as just her trying to not feel any emotions, anything she can do to be distracted or just anything that isn't going to make her see like any other person struggling with a loss. I wasn't enjoying that and the pace has been so painfully slow.
A boy in from her school is also recently declared missing and the night she is out with friends at the bonfire that happens before the start of school every year, they find this missing boys shoes.
Then school starts and Charlie has a moment with her brother Mason who even comments its a surprise she stopped long enough to think of someone else.
I got to about chapter 10 before finally calling it quits and DNF this book. There was soo much going on, like it was trying to check every box to appeal to the YA crowd. The main character was so annoyingly difficult, the pace never picked up enough to even get me remotely interested in continuing. There is barely talk of any Norse Mythology at the start and was hoping to have a little more to draw you in but nope.
The book should have kept it directed to YA and stop trying to make every YA tread into adult territory. Maybe this book will find the readers meant for it, but overall this was such a headache that I regret reading as much as I even did. There are no plans to give this book a second chance never mind continue on with the series.
