Young Adult

Alchemy of Souls

by Adriana Mather

coming August 4, 2026

(4 / 5)

Alchemy of Souls takes us to a magical university within our modern world. I had a lot of fun reading this one, and I felt like I was flying through the pages. At first I didn’t really like the first person present point of view, but as I read farther I got used to it and didn’t mind it. I did really like that the book had both Eloise and Grayson’s points of view, which I felt helped me understand both characters better. The interactions between these two characters was probably my favorite part of the book with all their witty banter. I liked seeing them go from basically strangers with very different upbringings to working together to summon a magical key. And I especially enjoyed the romance that developed. I do wish that there was more world building in the story. We learn about the different types of magic, but I feel like a lot of explanations didn’t go into as much depth as I would have liked. I still enjoyed the story, and for a standalone it did a good job of not feeling too long. I’m definitely interested in reading more from the author in the future!

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

The False Vow

The Weaver Bride #2

by Lydia Gregovic

coming September 29, 2026

(4.5 / 5)

The False Vow is the 2nd book in the Weaver Bride series. I loved the first book, so I was really excited to receive an ARC of the next book. And wow, it was just as good as I was hoping it would be! Like the first book, it was very immersive with a strong sense of mystery, especially since Lovett is trying to solve a murder. Most of the characters were returning from the first book, so it was fun to see how relationships changed and grew. I liked how so many of the characters were morally gray, not completely good or bad. There were characters that I didn’t really like in the beginning that were favorites by the end, and it was something I never would have expected. Lovett could be especially frustrating at times, but for the most part I liked her as the FMC. I’ll admit, there were some times, mostly in the beginning, that the story felt a bit long, but for the most part the pacing was good. By the end I couldn’t put the book down! There’s so much more I could say about this book, but I’m afraid I’d end up giving too many spoilers. If you liked The Weaver Bride, I think you’ll really like this one too!

Thank you to Random House Children’s Books, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

July 13, 2026 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

The Heart Trials

by J. Elle

coming September 1, 2026

(4 / 5)

I’ve been a big fan of dystopian fiction for years, so when I read the description of The Heart Trials, I knew it was a book I wanted to read. I could feel how dire things were in this world after only reading a few sentences. The descriptions throughout the story were great, especially when it came to the emotions Axira, the FMC, was feeling. It was like I could feel it too. I liked Axira as a character and really liked Caelus too. There were a lot of characters to keep track of at times, but the author did a decent job of leaving clues so I could keep them all straight. There’s quite a bit of action along the way, and it really kept me engaged with the story. It could get quite dark, brutal, and sad at times, but it all felt very fitting. I will admit that there were a few things along the way that I wish were explained better since I was a bit confused by them, but some of that could also be me overthinking it. The story ends pretty abruptly, and I still have so many questions – I would definitely like to read the sequel when it comes out.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of The Heart Trials! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

June 29, 2026 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

The Museum of Modern Love

by Mariko Turk

coming October 13, 2026

(4 / 5)

The Museum of Modern Love takes place in a single night at the Met museum, and it was so much fun! I have to admit that all the art was my favorite part of the book. The author’s descriptions were great, but my imagination still wasn’t doing it justice, so I ended up looking up pictures of almost every piece that was mentioned in the book. It was like getting my own private tour of the Met! The main characters were very much teenagers, so they had a lot of moments of being stubborn or completely oblivious about things, but it was also part of their journey to reflect and break down walls. I was a little concerned that I might not like the romance aspect since it seemed unlikely how so much could change in a matter of hours. But in the end, it actually felt like a natural progression, and I was rooting for the couple to work out. I was also happy with how things were resolved with both of the love interests.

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

June 23, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

Soulmates

by David Wilson

coming August 4, 2026

(4 / 5)

Soulmates turned out to be an interesting read. It starts out when the characters are younger but quickly moves ahead to when they are high school seniors. Despite being a bit unsure about this one at first, I found that I really ended up getting drawn in. I ended up staying up past my bedtime because there was no way I could put it down without seeing how it would end! I thought the use of 2 different styles of artwork worked well and really set the mood for the darker parts. Kit and Emma were both characters that I liked and related to. I thought it was a nice touch that their internal thoughts were in different colors, so it was easy to tell who was thinking what.

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press, and NetGalley for the free review copy of this graphic novel. All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

June 1, 2026 by danimae1981 Comics/Graphic Novels eBook Fiction Romance Young Adult 0

MARS 30th Anniversary Edition 1

by Fuyumi Soryo

coming June 16, 2026

(4 / 5)

Thank you to Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

I had never read this manga before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. What I really wasn’t expecting was how intense it would be and how much it doesn’t shy away from some very serious topics. While it’s very much a high school drama, the characters had quite a bit of depth to them. Rei was an especially intriguing character. There were parts of him that were scary and reckless, but there was also something vulnerable about him beneath the surface. I feel like Kira and Rei are very different from each other, but they seem to bring out something good in each other. I also really liked the artwork! This edition includes the first two volumes of the manga, so at this point I feel pretty invested and want to know what will happen next.
CW: sexual harassment, suicide, previous death of a family member

May 19, 2026 by danimae1981 eBook Fiction Manga Romance Young Adult 0

Dreams of Ruin

Soul of Shadow #3

by Emma Noyes

coming November 17, 2026

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

Dreams of Ruin is the 3rd and final book in the Soul of Shadow series, and the books should definitely be read in order. I enjoyed the first two books, so I was really excited when I was able to get the advance copy of book 3. I’m happy to say that it didn’t disappoint, and I think it turned out to be my favorite book in the series! It just sucked me right in, and I couldn’t put it down. Scenes were beautifully described, and some almost felt like watching a movie. There were parts that even felt a bit like reading a fairy tale. Plenty of action along the way kept things exciting. I really liked seeing Charlie’s character develop in this book beyond what she already had in the first 2 books. I also loved getting some chapters from Elias’s point of view. The romance in this series has always had a magnetic pull to it, but in this one it felt downright electric. The book managed to surprise me multiple times while I was reading it, yet everything fit together really well. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

May 13, 2026 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

Shapes of Love

by L. V. Peñalba

Audiobook narrated by Mieko Gavia

coming May 19, 2026

(4 / 5)

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing free review copies of the eBook and audiobook of Shapes of Love! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

Shapes of Love follows Sasha, a young adult musician who is aroace. While this isn’t your typical love story, I thought it was quite beautiful, showing love in many different forms. It was very diverse with several characters that were LGBTQ+, plus characters from different races and cultures. I felt like Sasha was a relatable character who portrayed being aroace in a positive light while still showing realistic struggles a person might have. I’ll admit that I hated seeing her hiding her true identity from her fans, but I also understood why she felt the way she did. I also like that she represented a person who is (probably) autistic very well. I loved watching her character grow over the course of the story. I enjoyed a lot of the side characters and seeing their journeys and interactions as well. At times the book felt a bit slow, especially at the beginning, but I didn’t notice it as much as I kept reading. There’s a lot of internal monologue, and it overall seems like a very introspective book. I think the book handled some interesting topics very well, and even kept some lighthearted humor along the way.

I had the opportunity to read the audiobook version of the book, and I thought the narrator did a great job. She used different voices for different characters, and even did accents for the characters who had them. I thought her delivery of the text added to my enjoyment of the book.

May 7, 2026 by danimae1981 Audiobook Fiction Kindle LGBTQ Young Adult 0

Meet Me at Midnight

by Brianna Bourne

coming June 30, 2026

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to Random House Children’s Books, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

I wasn’t quite sure what to think when I went into this book. I could pick up on some sad vibes right away, and the dreams Aria had were a bit surreal. But wow, this story really pulled me in. It was packed with emotions that I could feel along with the characters. I enjoyed the sense of mystery it had while we got clues about what had happened in the past. I liked Aria and Strat as the main characters, and really loved the dynamic they had with each other. But I think the thing I liked most was the message it had about facing reality versus escaping into dreams. I thought it was very insightful, and I loved watching these characters grow over the course of the story. While there were some aspects of this story that reminded me a bit of other books I’ve read, it had some truly unique elements that all fit together very well.

May 5, 2026 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

Our Aimless Nights, Volume 1

by Koumori

coming June 2, 2026

(4 / 5)

Thank you to Random House Children’s Books, Ink Pop, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of this book! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

This manga was really cute! There has such a sweet innocence to it with a strong “high school crush” feeling. Waya was a very relatable character for me since I am also a quiet person who doesn’t like to draw attention. It was nice to see Chika and Waya go from basically strangers to friends. I liked seeing Waya open up and even start to interact with other classmates a bit. The story in Volume 1 covers about a year, which surprised me. The time jumps weren’t always super obvious, but the setting indicated the changing seasons. A couple chapters were from the points of view of other characters, which felt a little random, but then again it’s probably setting up storylines for a series. I liked the artwork and was able to read the whole volume in a single sitting. This is a manga that I was like to continue reading.

May 1, 2026 by danimae1981 Comics/Graphic Novels eBook Fiction Young Adult 0