SOULMATCH, by Rebecca Danzenbaker, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, July 29, 2025, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult)
Discover a world where past lives determine your future in Soulmatch, a young adult speculative romance by Rebecca Danzenbaker.
Two hundred years after World War III, the world is at peace, all thanks to the soul-identification system. Every eighteen-year-old must report to the government to learn about their past lives, a terrifying process known as kirling. Good souls leave the institute with their inheritance, a career path, and if they’re lucky, a soulmate. Bad souls leave in handcuffs.
It’s a nerve-wracking ordeal for Sivon, who, given her uncanny ability to win every chess match, already suspects her soul isn’t normal. Turns out, she was right to worry. Sivon’s results stun not only her, but the entire world, making her the object of public scrutiny and anonymous threats.
Saddled with an infuriating and off-limits bodyguard, Sivon is thrust into a high-stakes game where souls are pawns and rules don’t exist. As deaths mount, Sivon must decipher friend from foe while protecting her heart against impossible odds. One wrong move could destroy the future lives of everyone Sivon loves, and she can’t let that happen, even if they’ll never love her back. —Synopsis provided by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Soulmatch is a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.
At the center of the story is Sivon, a young woman who, like all young adults coming of age, is anxious to find out who they really are. Because who they really are is a soul that returns time and time again. And when the soul is matched with a young person, their life is decided.
It’s a compelling premise rife with the sort successes and problems you’d expect. Author Rebecca Danzenbaker’s world-building is excellent, taking readers to a world that’s familiar but not. And she does a great job capturing the hope, dreams, anxiety and fears leading up to being matched.
Soulmatch moves quickly and is contained to a standalone novel. Although there is room in the world for more adventures. It’s a book that gets you thinking. A perfect read for the end of the summer break.
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