ARC/ALC Book Review: Shadow Reaper (Shadow Reaper #1) by Lynette Noni

May 30, 2026May 20, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 496 pages
Author: Lynette Noni
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: June 2nd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Never bargain with a reaper.

The city of Aravell is in peril, plagued by a deadly blackmist that kills all it touches and reapers who roam the streets, stealing magic from innocent children in their thirst for power. Seventeen-year-old Viridia Solace has trained for years to hunt these reapers, but their ranks keep growing, led by the man who murdered her parents: the notorious Reaper Priest.

When the Priest’s most loyal follower, Reeve Ashton, is captured, he offers Viri a chance to avenge her parents . . . for a price. She knows better than to bargain with a reaper, let alone this reaper, but his offer is too good to resist.

Soon she’s breaking him out of prison, colluding with his crew of magic thieves, and following him deep into the blackmist forest in search of an ancient legend, all so they can stop the Reaper Priest’s plot to doom the city. Viri is staking her life on Reeve’s plan, but how can she trust a silver-tongued criminal to keep his word? And how can she trust her own heart when a buried secret could shatter everything?

Full of relentless twists, enemies-to-lovers romance, found family, and high stakes action, Shadow Reaper is the start of a breathtaking new duology from international bestselling author Lynette Noni.

Thank you PRH Audio for the audiobook and Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

GOOD START.

I’ve continually enjoyed Lynette Noni’s books over the years and have been so excited to see what a new series would hold! And not surprising, this was a great start and I’m excited to see what the next book holds.

It definitely leans darker in regards to how the antagonist operates and the threat to children throughout. I liked Viri’s character and the change she is showed as she processed new information flying at her. She makes mistakes and figures it out and learns. And those are always solid FMC’s to read about.

The romance is full of banter with an enemies to lovers vibe that holds more tropes I wont divulge here but that I enjoyed seeing too. There’s an air of mystery to the world building that is unveiled well and keeps you going and wanting to know what would happen next. I loved the found family characters and the unlikely partnership created in order to help save their world.

🎧 I listened to a lot of this on audiobook and loved it! Fantastic narrators. Easy listen. Definitely recommend that format.

Overall audience notes:

YA Fantasy
Language: low
Romance: kisses
Violence: moderate+
Content warnings: kidnapping children, murder, near death experiences

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Book Review: Beast Becomes Her by Crystal Seitz

May 23, 2026May 4, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Paranormal + Romance
Length: 464 pages
Author: Crystal Seitz
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: March 3rd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Netflix’s Wednesday meets Norse mythology in this gorgeous dark contemporary fantasy following a teen berserkr sent to a secret magical academy where she must unmask the real killer behind the gruesome campus murders or risk becoming the next victim.

Edith has always been a good girl—she has to be, or her foster family might think she’s like her violent father. No matter how much anger simmers inside her, she keeps it buried, hidden…

Until the day she’s pushed a step too far, and that anger comes bursting out in the form of literal claws.

It’s then that Edith learns she’s a berserkr, a descendant of ancient Norse warriors with the ability to turn into animals. To avoid jail for attacking a student, Edith is shipped off to the mysterious Skallagrim Academy. The ancient school is supposedly a haven for people like her, a place where she can learn to control her powers and then push them down so deep that they’ll never come out again.

But someone—or something—is stalking the dark halls of Skallagrim.

On her second night, Edith stumbles upon a gruesome murder and is caught at the scene of the crime by Amund, who is tasked with hunting down wayward berserkir. Now, with Amund suspecting Edith as the killer, she’ll have to catch the real culprit to prove her innocence before she ends up in the hunter’s crosshairs—or becomes the killer’s next victim.

Thank you to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

IT WAS OKAY.

I enjoyed Crystal Seitz first book but this one left me wanting more. I do think the audiobook was good though!! Two narrators for dual POV and they were fantastic. If you try this book, go with that format!

What I will say is that I do think this is mid-teens+ friendly. There’s not an obsessive amount of language and the romance level was kisses only. While I did find it predictable in regards to the villains and plot line up I still think a younger audience would have a good time.

If you enjoy paranormal academic settings with a murder mystery and wondering what’s around every corner, this could be for you! The atmosphere is perfect for a moody fall day.

Overall audience notes:

YA Paranormal + Romance
Language: low
Romance: kisses
Violence: moderate
Content warnings: loss of life, creature attacks, near death experiences

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Book Review: The Last Wayfinder by Ellen McGinty

May 12, 2026April 17, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 334 pages
Author: Ellen McGinty
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 1st, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

There are no chains for criminals on Abashi Island, only endless ice.

Born into prison, Kira has only known the arctic wasteland where the worst criminals are sent to be forgotten—including her mother. When a brutal Imperial Inspector sentences her family to death, she unleashes a forbidden magic that comes with a devastating cost: her sister is cursed, transformed into a monster.

Desperate for a cure, she strikes a deal with Captain Ren, a notorious monster hunter whose icy exterior matches the unforgiving landscape. He’s everything Kira despises—rigid, lawful, dangerous—and unfortunately, necessary for survival.

As the two forge an uneasy alliance, Kira discovers the chilling truth about her imprisonment and that more is at stake than her sister’s soul. Now, Kira must risk treason and master her ancestors’ wayfinding magic before she loses her sister—and the beautiful world she’s only begun to discover.

LOVED.

Ellen McGinty did it again. I have sincerely loved both of her books and can’t recommend them enough. If you love young adult fantasy that’s kisses only (with the romance as more of a subplot), great character arcs and learning moments and strong sibling relationships, look no further. This is the type of story I would love to share with my littles when they’re older.

I loved the depth of Kira’s character. She’s resilient and a bit stubborn and that only adds to her growth as she moves through the world. Kira’s love for her sister knew no bounds and I appreciated having that kind of bond between siblings.

The romance was also sweet. It’s got a good push and pull and doesn’t over take the general themes of the novel. I liked Ren a lot and felt like we got a good story from him without having his POV. I just loved the journey for everyone.

Beautiful story.

Overall audience notes:

YA Fantasy + Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: moderate
Content warnings: living in a prison camp, loss of a parent

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Book Review: To Steal from Thieves (Thieves & Kings #1) by M.K. Lobb

May 4, 2026May 7, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Historical Fantasy
Length: 400 pages
Author: M.K. Lobb
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Release Date: March 25th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this high-stakes heist novel, an alchemologist and a con man team up to steal a rare necklace—but complicated feelings of attraction and deception threaten to destroy everything and everyone they love—for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Judy I. Lin.

Within the dazzling halls of London’s Crystal Palace, the event of the season has arrived: The Great Exhibition. An opportunity for the greatest minds of the century to come together under one roof in an unprecedented display of art and invention. And for two unlikely partners in crime, it’s about to become the score of a lifetime.

Charming conman Kane Durante works alone—or on occasion with his best friend, Fletcher. But when his boss, the infamous Kingpin of London’s magical dark market, gives him the impossible task of stealing a priceless artifact from the Great Exhibition, he knows it’s a job he can’t pull off alone. Enter Zaria Mendoza, daughter of one of London’s greatest alchemologists. Ever since her father’s death, Zaria’s been struggling to keep her underground business afloat, and impatient clients are becoming violent. When the infuriatingly handsome Kane offers her the promise of enough money to get out of debt and leave London entirely, she knows she can’t walk away from this dangerous partnership.

But robbing one of the most public, heavily-guarded buildings in London isn’t going to be easy, especially when love and betrayal threaten to ruin everything they’ve worked so hard for.

I LIKED IT.

I would read the next book. Which honestly could be the review in its entirety. Did I think this was anything ground breaking or like I have to shout at every person to go read it? No, but I had a good time and I have been craving all things fantasy and this hit that mark while ALSO having historical elements too! I had no idea (because I don’t often read summaries) that this was historical romance and I loved that world/magic elemental addition.

I enjoyed the characters and the back and forth of not knowing who was going to betray who as the heist loomed closer. I thought the slow burn romance was enjoyable and I hope to see more of that in the sequel too. It’s an easy read with a good premise.

Overall audience notes: