Heart of Mischief

Soul of Shadow #2

by Emma Noyes

Praise for the Soul of Shadow series....
"CRACKLES WITH CHEMISTRY." - Booklist
"BURSTING WITH MAGIC AND DANGER." - Publishers Weekly
"ABSOLUTELY SIZZLING ROMANCE." - Betty Cayoutte

The thrilling sequel to Soul of Shadow, a contemporary romantasy for fans of Twilight, and Teen Wolf, where love, magic, gods, and monsters collide with devastating consequences - featuring beautiful color, designed endpapers and a foil case stamp for a stunning package.

I will make myself strong.
I will find Elias.
I will kill Elias.
I will never trust a boy with my heart again.

These are the vows Charlie Hudson made the day after Elias Everhart betrayed her, nearly killing everyone she loves most. One month later, revenge is still her priority, even as she navigates a harsh new reality: one where her brother and friends can now see Asgard, making them just as susceptible to its dazzling delights - and deadly dangers - as she is.

But when two bodies turn up in the forest outside town, and Elias waltzes back into her life with an offer to help find out what's happening, Charlie finds herself accepting his offer—but only because feigning an alliance is her best chance to figure out how to kill him. And if it feels like the more time she spends with him, the more her heart softens, it must be a trick of the unusually warm fall air. Because there’s no way she would make the grave mistake of falling for Elias Everhart twice… right?

Emma Noyes's Heart of Mischief will have readers falling in love - and falling apart - and loving every minute of it.

Book one in the series - Soul of Shadow - available now!

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Audiobook, Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Fantasy Romance

400 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 10, 2026

About the author

Emma Noyes is the author of HOW TO HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT, GUY'S GIRL, and the Sunken City trilogy. The first book in her next YA romantasy series, SOUL OF SHADOW, comes out July 2025. She lives in Chicago with her Swedish husband and their accident-prone Pomeranian.

Author also writes under Emma V.R. Noyes

Reviews

[kitkat (semi-hiatus ♡︎)]

im both super excited, and slightly scared to read this book, especially after the ending of book 1 🙈

[Tiffany]

Thank you, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, for sending me over this ARC. The first book to this series left me so unwell. Dying to see what happens but equal parts terrified. Still rooting for the bad guy despite it all. ❤️‍🩹🥹🥲🤞🏻

Pub Date Mar 10 2026

As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this continuation of the Soul of Shadow series. It was a little tough to believe at time, but it was still fun. I do struggle with the romance aspect a bet. I get the reformed bad boy trope, but this “bad boy” kidnapped her friends and literally tried to kill them all. THat’s not sexy and no matter how much attraction exists couldn’t make a compassionate person like Charlie forgive and forget so quickly. I’m a little frustrated as there will (hopefully) be a third book and I want to know what happens next. It’s a fun series and I do love the Norse mythology woven in.

[phoebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is perfect for fans of Percy Jackson! The second instalment takes place right where the first book ends. Similar to the first book we have a new antagonist who has been hunting down the twins, and the reapperence of Elias. I love Elias's character so much and I really hope we get to see more of his back story in the third book.

[Wendy Toney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey everyone! I recently rediscovered my love for reading, and I actually snagged an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this book – and wow, I was not disappointed!
Charlie Hudson is on fire with one mission: track down and eliminate Elias Everhart. He shattered her world by orchestrating her twin sister Sophia's death. Now, Elias is back on the scene. Can Charlie finally get her revenge, or are those pesky feelings for him softening her heart and messing with her focus all over again? The tension is real!
Meanwhile, pure evil is on the loose, hunting the Children of Loki. Locally, siblings are being systematically murdered. Are Charlie and her brother HIS children? Are they next on the chopping block? Who is the mastermind behind all this chaos, pulling strings from the shadows?
Emma (the author) is a pro at making you genuinely feel for these characters. The storytelling is addictive, the Norse Mythos is fascinating, and you're going to love Charlie's little gnome sidekick who just hangs out on her shoulder or in her pocket. Adorable!

I initially started reading this right away to write a quick review, but as I got into it, I realized there were massive backstory events linking everyone together. Plot twist! I figured out this was actually the second book in the series. I immediately dashed out to grab the first one, Soul of Shadow! I'm just reading it like a prequel now since I've already devoured book two!

These are must-reads if you're into Norse Gods and Goddesses, Asgard, and some intense romance (seriously, it's a complicated 'situationship' at best!). Get ready for an awesome ride – have fun!

[Cierra Diedrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished this book on my flight to NZ, so it really had my attention because I was sitting for so long. This is the sequel to Soul of Shadow, and I was really excited to get the arc sent over for this one as well!

Things I really enjoyed: Henry - best character, no notes. Please read this book and tell me you love him. More Norse mythology! The world is so vast and fascinating.

Things I would love to see changed: less expletives with Nordic Gods or phrases used - this started to get really stale after the first few. I never mind “oh Gods” but the myth specific ones were not my favorite. I’d love to continue to see more growth in our main characters and a few were mentioned and then not included in this story much. Hoping to see them more (cough cough Valkyrie) in the next book.

Excited to see where Noyes goes next because the end of this story was intense and a lot has changed for our characters.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Miranda English · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm officially HOOKED on this series. Norse mythology, forbidden love, enemies to lovers(?), and all the banter. There are so many likeable characters, and some that you love to hate. Morally Grey MMC? Yes, please! I need 72 more books immediately.

Thank you to Libro and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

[Natalie Forslind · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book two is even better than book one! I need to read book three now!
Thank you so much for the ARC Emma. You’re a brilliant author.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Came for Henry the Gnome, SOBBED for Henry the Gnome

This was such a fantastic follow up to Soul of Shadow, I’m blown away. I love Norse Mythology and these series breathes such fresh air into it. It’s not the same old retelling that we have seen time and time again but instead, the myths are flipped on their axis. That and the combination of silly teenagers doing silly teenager things while trying to save the world? Yeah, this book is a good time.

And of course, we can’t forget about sweet, feral Henry. People will say the friendships are the heart and soul of this book series. And I’m not saying you’re wrong BUT I think that designation goes to him. If he doesn’t get a happy ending by the end of this series, everyone will be hearing from me and my lawyer.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook. Once more, the production of this series is so good. Emily Pike Stewart, you are a star.

[Lara Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. This is my honest review.

"I will make myself strong, and I will destroy him. And once I do, I will never trust a boy with my heart again"

This book picks up right where book 1 left. So, if you haven't read that, this one will not make sense to you. Go back. Read that. Then come back!

This book brings back all the amazing characters from the first. Charlie is an enigmatic high school student just trying to survive in a *newly* magical world. Her and her friends have opened their eyes to Asgard and the magical creatures surrounding them. Honestly, sounds like a long-standing acid trip. Mason is back and angsty as ever. Sophie makes an appearance or two. And Elias. Elias is back with a vengeance. He is sent to protect the siblings who (at the end of book one) had a revelation as to their paternal figure.

The good:
As always, I love viking fantasy stories. This book is no exception. Elias is the Damon Salvatore of my dreams. The romance is rocky and forbidden and perfect.

The bad:
The ending/helheim portion felt rushed. I wanted that to be a story in and of itself. I could’ve had the protection story from the beginning last longer and the ending be a different book with so many more details.

Overall
I loved this book. I love the viking elements and the morally grey male lead. I’d recommend it to just about any fantasy lover who is fine with YA, angsty romances. I cannot wait for the next book. Which is tough cause this one hasn't even been published yet.

[Daria Hodgson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

5/5 ⭐
It was a fever dream! In the best way possible, of course 🫣

What do you mean all these major events happened in just a few days?? It's crazy and I'm loving it, I enjoy the twist on the classic Norse mythology, it's original, not cringe, and works out pretty well.

The pull between Elias and Charlie is undeniable, it was fun reading more of their banter and chemistry.

It was also interesting to read all the substitutions the author came up with so that there wouldn't be any "Jesus" or "holy shit" because apparently it offended some people who read the first book 🙄 but I'm glad Emma Noyes made it work in a witty way!

Can't wait for the next and last part because the cliffhanger is killing me ugh 😩

[NJOMZA · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might be a little bit obsessed with this book series but that’s okay.

‘Heart of Mischief’ is the second installment in the ‘Soul of Shadow’ series. This sequel dives deeper into Charlie’s world filled with magic and secrets. Elias continues to be one of the most fascinating characters and my personal favorite. It’s hard not to love him.

What I love most about this series is the world building. What started as a small mystery in a small town grows into this layered magical universe that you just can’t stop reading about.

If you loved the first book for its mystery, you’ll love this one for how it builds an entire world out of that darkness. The book comes out March 2026 💌

Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC copy of the book✨

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a riveting second part to this story. The changes from Fenrir and the events on homecoming have affected all of the group members in different ways. Charlie learns many things about herself in the aftermath.

There is a lot that happens, the return of Elias, new dangers, binding with Henry, magical discoveries, communication, confrontation, lies, truth, discoveries...it is all very intense and exciting.

I love the deeper delves into Norse mythology that happens, it is so interesting to see the melding of the two worlds. I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens next, I was not expecting the end, and now that I've read it, my brain is reeling.

[Jennifer Rose]

WHEN IS THIS AUDIO BOOK GOING TO BE AVAILABLE!!! I need it so badly!! I just finished up the Audio ARC of Soul of Shadow and that ENDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be scouring netgalley in hopes it is soon!

[Rubi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The world building intrigued me in book one, even if I wasnt a fan of the romance. I was hoping to get some more action and answers and......this just didnt measure up.
We do get a trip to see Loki and a Monster running around killing, but the MCs are so focused on their own romances and inner struggles and family drama that the literal murders seemed to be put on the back burner.
Im with Charlie's friends on this one. Dude literally tried to kill her but hes back and says hes assigned to protect her she gave in. Shes so far gone she ruins her life for him and imo, he didn't do all that much to make up for all the hurt he caused and threats he made to her family in book one.
There were heart to heart moments about family but he was still pretty cold and unwilling to admit feelings and she kept lying to herself about hers and putting him before her friends and brother. Who was another thorn throughout the book with his petty attitude.
When Charlie finally gets to get all Norse magic user, she seems to turn a bit evil and enjoying the feeling of being unfeeling. I dont like how she makes it makes it seem like drugs are a good thing when using them to compare. It gave me the ick and not sure if this series will get better for me at this point.
Mason needs to step it up, Charlie needs to stop caving to anything Elias wants, and Elias needs to pick a side and stick to it.
Also need more answers about their connection with Loki and Lokis story.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great addition to the Soul of Shadow series and moves the story forward in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve always enjoyed stories involving Norse mythology and this is no exception. The way Emma Noyes blends the two worlds is so fascinating. I loved all the new information we learned in this book and after that ending I need to know what happens next! The relationships between Charlie and her friends/family felt very natural and their banter had me laughing throughout. Can’t wait for book 3!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

[Esha MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am thankful to have received an early copy and I am so excited for the world to read this next book! Not all books have a great next installment but this picked up where it left off and kept you from putting it down and wanting more.

I already can’t wait for the next book and cannot wait to share my love for this story with all my friends!

[Michelle Villarreal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This left me feeling a couple different ways. I first felt mind blown because like what?! Based off of what I know about Norse mythology I didn’t see that coming with who was behind it all. Second I was like oh my gosh Charlie and Elias could be so cute together!! However what is she going to be like waking up?! What is going to happen with Sophie?! The only bad part about having the ARC copy means you have to wait longer to get your answers!! Such a good book my daughter is now excited to read it!

[SasBookWorm]

i read soul of shadow in one day and loved and the worst part is now i have to wait for the next book.

[Kay Daniels (Kay Daniels Romance) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elias Everhart and the entire Scooby-Doo gang is back;😆 Charlie, Mason, Lou, Abigail, little Henry, my favorite gnome-like creature the vatte, and so many other mythological creatures that kept popping up and made the story quite exciting!

If there was one thing I enjoyed from the first book, along with the mysterious Elias, it was all the mystical creatures and this time is no different. Heart of Mischief is full of shifters, gods, monsters, and magic. Of course, next on that list is definitely Elias, and this time around he’s playful, full of banter, and he isn’t hiding who he is, so of course every jab that Charlie makes at him rolls right off, which was quite delightful. These two spar right from the start and why wouldn't they...they didn't exactly leave one another on the best of notes when they were last in each other's presence. Truth be told Elias sold Charlie and her friends out, but he is a scary monster underneath the pretty face after all. 

So why did Elias return? Another monster is on the loose in Silver Springs and Charlie and her friends seem to have a knack for finding them or running into them. Plus, there is another factor involved since it appears that this monster is actually searching for the Hudson siblings, unfortunately murdering other children while it searches. It's the very reason why Elias has returned, this time to protect Charlie and Mason instead of leading them to their doom, but the biggest question of all...what's in it for him? Charlie knows not to trust him, so why does he deserve a second chance at getting close. She shouldn't, but will it cost her and her brother his life if she doesn't.

I loved the constant back and forth between Elias and Charlie this time. Their banter was fun, but it wouldn't have gotten to this level without the buildup and turmoil of the first book. The same goes for the entire secondary cast. Their camaraderie, their inside jokes, and even their struggles just flow smoother in this book. So this series is one that should be read in succession.

Unlike the last book that only kept me turning pages for the Norse creatures and Elias' mysterious character, this time it was Charlie's burning desire to seek revenge on everything that went down from before and the biggest culprit of that is Elias. Did she fall victim to his charms 💯 percent, but she has decided she wants answers and this time she wants to take Elias down and she wants to be the one to do it. It truly ups the ante and connection between them.

I think it also helps that the entire Asgard world has already been established, even though everything is still described beautifully, there wasn't a constant need to start at the beginning and explain everything over and over, so everything seemed to flow better between all the characters, with less discussion about the magic behind everything. Instead there was more discussion and action on how they were going to fix problems so that led to a quicker paced read.

I wasn't expecting another eye popping ending that left my jaw hanging on the floor, but it was fantastic. This time however...it wasn't just Elias leaving me with the burning need for more, well, I still want more Elias because he's quite grown on me, but he wasn't the showstopper this time, it was Charlie and her entire character growth. So, honestly I'm quite excited it was Elias that piqued my interest in this series and made me want to continue reading it, it's everyone else that has added to ever changing and growing plot that will keep my fire lit going into the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the advance review copy and all opinions are my own.

[Aura C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The emotional hangover from Soul of Shadow is real, and this sequel leans into that fallout in a way that feels messy, painful, and completely intentional. Charlie is no longer the same girl we left behind and watching her navigate betrayal, rage, grief, and power was one of the most compelling parts of this book for me.

The expansion of Norse mythology is where this story really shines. The lore feels richer, darker, and more layered, and I loved how the gods, realms, and mythological politics started to feel heavier and more dangerous. Asgard is no longer just a concept in the background. It feels alive and threatening, and the consequences of being seen by that world finally start to land. The stakes are higher, the body count rises, and the story feels more urgent from the start.

Charlie’s growth is front and center here. She is angry, conflicted, and constantly at war with herself, which made her feel painfully human. I appreciated that her strength is not clean or polished. She makes mistakes. She doubts herself. She wants revenge and connection at the same time, and that internal push and pull drives so much of the tension in this book. Her relationships, especially with her brother and her friends, felt strained in believable ways as secrets, fear, and trauma pile up.

Elias is complicated in the way that makes you want to scream at the page while still needing to know what he will do next. The chemistry is undeniable, but it is also frustrating, volatile, and emotionally loaded. I liked that this book did not rush forgiveness or resolution. Trust is broken here, and the story lets that damage linger. Their dynamic feels dangerous, not romanticized, and I appreciated that the narrative acknowledges how hard it is to come back from betrayal.

The side characters were a highlight for me. Henry completely stole my heart and every scene with him added warmth and balance to an otherwise heavy story. The friendships felt stronger and more important in this installment, and I loved seeing how the group dynamics shifted as the world around them grew darker. There were moments of humor and levity that felt earned and necessary, especially with the Norse themed banter and curse replacements, which I genuinely enjoyed.

That said, this is not a perfect book. At times the pacing felt uneven, especially when major events happened very quickly while emotional processing lagged behind. There were moments where I wanted certain confrontations or consequences to breathe a little more. Some transitions felt abrupt, and I occasionally wished for deeper exploration of specific plot threads that felt like they deserved more page time.

The ending absolutely did its job. It left me stunned, unsettled, and immediately needing the next book. Everything shifts, alliances feel unstable, and the story makes it very clear that nothing is safe moving forward. This series is no longer just about discovering magic. It is about survival, identity, and the cost of power.

Heart of Mischief is darker, more ambitious, and emotionally heavier than the first book. While it did not fully surpass Soul of Shadow for me, it deepened the world and characters in ways that make the series impossible to walk away from. A solid four stars and a lot of anticipation for what comes next.

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elias has returned from Helheim with a new directive; protect Loki’s children, one of whom Charlotte is. Charlotte doesn’t trust Elias after he tried to kill her friends at Homecoming, but she finds herself becoming closer to him as he seems increasingly apologetic about what he did to her.

This book was fast-paced with a compelling plot, but the plot seemed to fall apart and become highly illogical about 75% of the way in. Charlotte becomes a bit of a Mary Sue in this one, with powers that conveniently show up whenever she needs them and a seeming ability to solve any problem that happens no matter how high stakes the problems seem to be. This made the plot significantly less compelling around the 75% mark, as it felt like I knew exactly what was going to happen — no matter how improbable, Charlotte was going to be able to use her magic powers and/or confidence to fix it.

The relationship between Charlotte and Elias is less toxic in this sequel than it was in Soul of Shadow, but it’s still deeply questionable at best. He is very persistent in his pursuit of her, despite what happened in the first book being debatably sexual assault, and him definitely having tried to murder her and her friends. I’m especially concerned about the scene where Charlotte is so beyond drunk, and he tries to get her to go have sex with him in the woods. Elias is sober in this scene, even though he is lying to her that he is also drunk. She states that she wouldn’t have hooked up with him if she wasn’t drunk, and he was convincing her to drink more and more alcohol throughout the evening. It’s stated as if it’s somehow romantic that he stayed sober so that he could protect her from the supernatural threat, but the fact remains that she only hooked up with him while thinking he was drunk because he’d been pressuring her to drink more and more during the party. In the real world, this would be considered a crime, but it’s depicted as romantic in the novel. It’s slightly helpful that her friend is so shocked and disturbed by them hooking up, but given all the talk about soulmates and how she does a complete 180 from wanting to kill him to wanting to save her life, it seems like the narrative overall is pushing that this is a healthy relationship and what Elias has done to her is okay and forgivable.

I think I would have liked this book more if it was a tragedy and if the blurb on the cover actually accurately represented the arc of Charlotte’s relationship with Elias. As it is, it’s vaguely interesting until the plot becomes incredibly convenient and contrived. If you enjoyed the first book of the series, you may also like this one, but I did not.

Heart of Mischief releases March 10 from Wednesday Books. Thank you to Emma Noyes, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Kristen C · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded up

Warning: This review is slightly spoilery for the first book in the series, Soul of Shadow. While I don’t go into specifics, this review assumes you’ve read the first book and makes references that could spoil the ending of that book if you haven’t.

As happens quite frequently with the middle book in a trilogy, this book is fell into the sophomore slump book in my opinion. I enjoyed it and I was engaged enough to need the third book right after finishing, but it didn’t quite hold a candle to the first book, Soul of Shadow. For me, it’s mostly down to how tiresome I found Charlie at the beginning of the book and some of the sappiness we get from Elias later, which felt inconsistent with his character. Maybe if we’d had more of his perspective throughout the book it wouldn’t have felt like such a 180 for his personality.

Still, like I said, the plot continues and while there isn’t as much world-building here, it’s obvious the plot is building to something big for Book 3, the final book in this series. While the plot definitely moved forward, this book had a greater focus on the romance than the previous book, in my opinion. I was a bit surprised that some of Charlie’s friends forgave Elias for what happened in Book 1 so quickly and easily. Charlie obviously comes around, able to see to the complexity of Elias and look beyond his faults, even when one of those faults was trying to kill them all in the first book. When I found out that the author is a big Damon Salvatore fan, it made more sense, and it’s pretty obvious that Elias was modeled after him.

All in all, I really liked the book and am still invested in the characters and story, but I’m hoping the third book is as good as the first.

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this title in exchange for my honest opinion.

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[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚Heart of Mischief
✍🏻Emma Noyes
Blurb:
The thrilling sequel to Soul of Shadow, a contemporary romantasy for fans of The Vampire Diaries and Heartless Hunter where love, magic, gods, and monsters collide with devastating consequences.

I will make myself strong.
I will find Elias.
I will kill Elias.
I will never trust a boy with my heart again.

These are the vows Charlie Hudson made the day after Elias Everhart betrayed her, nearly killing everyone she loves most. One month later, revenge is still her priority, even as she navigates a harsh new one where her brother and friends can now see Asgard, making them just as susceptible to its dazzling delights - and deadly dangers - as she is.

But when two bodies turn up in the forest outside town, and Elias waltzes back into her life with an offer to help find out what's happening, Charlie finds herself accepting his offer—but only because feigning an alliance is her best chance to figure out how to kill him. And if it feels like the more time she spends with him, the more her heart softens, it must be a trick of the unusually warm fall air. Because there’s no way she would make the grave mistake of falling for Elias Everhart twice… right?

Emma Noyes's Heart of Mischief will have readers falling in love - and falling apart - and loving every minute of it.
My Thoughts:
The cliffhanger of book 1 with the aftermath of homecoming and the plot twists has some interesting resolution in this book whilst spawning more plot twists and another gripping cliffhanger. Charlie didn’t annoy me as much in this book. She finally started using her brain and common sense, but she still lets her feelings drive her at times, especially her lust for a certain mare. I liked her representation of mental health in this book after the trauma she’s endured. She went through grief and depression in book 1, and now she explores anxiety attacks and PTSD. Anticipating the next book. I highly recommend this series, I didn't realize it was a serious until I started reading.
Thanks NetGalley, Wednesday Books and Author Emma Noyes for the advanced copy of "Heart of Mischief" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation
.#NetGalley
#WednesdayBooks
#EmmaNoyes
#HeartofMischief
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Sammantha (its_a_literary_life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

@wednesdaybooks so gratefully put this series on my radar last summer when I received the first book unexpectedly, so when I saw the opportunity to snag the sequel from @macmillan.audio and @netgalley, I jumped on it! Out 3/10

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 is book two in the 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, a YA romantasy that drags Norse mythology kicking and screaming into a modern, emotionally charged world. This one picks up right after the cliffhanger ending of 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄, with Charlie Hudson navigating betrayal, mythic politics, and that most treacherous of beasts, teenage feelings.

I loved that we got more background lore of the Norse mythological cosmology (Loki, Odin, Helheim, mythic beings, etc.). Noyes delivers YA high-stakes conflict and a murder mystery here.

To spare any spoilers from the first book, I'll say that I enjoyed the relationships in this one and the romantic tension with our morally gray antihero love interest, Elias, continued just the same as in book one but I think I like him even more now.

Henry, the vätte (the tiny gnome like beings), was also, quite possibly, even cuter in this one. Some things moved kind of quickly but we have Gods and all so I was all in.

🎧 The narration by Emily Pike Stewart was fantastic. She does great at keeping you immersed and the story rolling at a great pace. When things get intense and erratic (ie. panic attacks), you can absolutely hear it in her voice and speed.

I'm often deterred from sequels when I hear about the third book releasing before book two releases but I'm excited to see how Noyes wraps up this trilogy.

If you enjoy Norse mythology inspired stories and YA fantasy with intrigue and a romance that will have you smirking, this series is turning out to be a slam dunk! Cannot wait until Nov. for book three!


4.5 stars

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

HEART OF MISCHIEF by Emma Noyes (Mar 10, 2026)

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the earc

After being betrayed in SOUL OF SHADOW, Charlie vows to become strong, find and kill Elias, and to never trust a boy with her heart again. When two d*ad bodies show up, Elias comes back. He offers to help find out what's happening. Despite how she feels, Charlies accepts...if only to get close to him, if only to figure out how to k*ll him. But somehow, the more time she spends with him, her hear softens. Surely, she's not falling for Elias a second time...right?
HEART OF MISCHIEF is the second book in the SOUL OF SHADOW trilogy. This book is a YA novel that pulls from mythology with fantasy and mystery entwined. The cover is majestic, almost letting the reader know of the darkness lurking ahead, coupled with magic.
HEART OF MISCHIEF picks up nearly a month after the events of SOUL OF SHADOW. I love how Noyes sort of reflects on the events of book one. It was nice to have that bit of a summary before really jumping into this.
A lot happened in HEART OF MISCHIEF. When things came, it came fast: bodies, magic, revenge. This takes place over a week, so it's relatively fast-paced. (I actually read this in just a few days). It was BOOM, BOOM, BAM. Action-packed, somehow still romantic despite the rift between Charlie and Elias. After the cliffhanger in book one, I desperately needed things cleared up. After the last part of book two played out. I'm left with more questions, more need to know what's going to happen from here.
If you read SOUL OF SHADOW, HEART OF MISCHIEF is for you. If you haven't you should if you like dark and dangerous mixed with mystery mixed with Loki, Odin, mythology.

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been three weeks since homecoming and Elias’s betrayal. Charlie, her brother Mason, and friends have immersed themselves in all things Asgard so they are prepared if anything unusual or dangerous comes again to Silver Shores. And sure enough, when two more bodies turn up dead everyone is on high alert. To top things off, Elias comes waltzing back into Charlie’s life with instructions from Loki himself to protect her and Mason. As Charlie works to process this new information and her mixed feelings for Elias, more deaths are occurring. What can she do to protect her family, friends and community? Will she be able to stop this new threat?

First, once again the audiobook is a great way to enjoy this series. The narrators are spot on in conveying the depth and emotion of Charlie and Elias and really bring life to them. I easily listened at 1.5x.

This was also good second novel in the series. We pick up pretty much where the first left off and are pulled right into the raw feelings that Charlie is left with in the aftermath of homecoming. Going through Charlie process guilt, revenge, fear, love and friendship is the heart of this novel. There is a lot of character growth both emotionally and in a tangible magical way too. The reader is definitely drawn into the larger story of the motive of the gods and the purpose of their interactions in southwestern Michigan. Some of it is very staged and a little too fantastical but overall it’s a solid story. The supporting characters and their fun personalities are pretty awesome too. 4 stars.

This is an honest review based on an Advanced Audiobook provided by Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Courtney Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

~Thank you Wednesday Books for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review~

I greatly enjoyed this book more than the first. Also, that glossary of Norse mythology was so helpful! It made it easier to track characters and refresh myself when I forgot. I think it helped my understanding of this book more than the first when I struggled to remember who everyone was.

The cliffhanger of book 1 with the aftermath of homecoming and the plot twists has some interesting resolution in this book whilst spawning more plot twists and another gripping cliffhanger. I wish I already had book 3, and I wasn’t convinced I wanted to continue this series after the first book. It’s a wild ride in the last few chapters of this book, and it will leave you questioning everything.

Charlie didn’t annoy me as much in this book. She finally started using her brain and common sense, but she still lets her feelings drive her at times, especially her lust for a certain mare.

I liked her representation of mental health in this book after the trauma she’s endured. She went through grief and depression in book 1, and now she explores anxiety attacks and PTSD. I applaud Emma Noyes for including these in her book when most authors won’t.

I loved the continued development of Charlie’s relationship with Henry, and I really hope we see more of it in book 3.

Here’s hoping book 3 has more Sophie and Loki in it too.

I wasn’t a fan of how we kept rehashing events that had happened either in the first book or earlier in this book. It was a bit too repetitive for me, especially when it kept doing it towards the middle and end of the book. Other than that, I’ll be pleasantly awaiting book 3.

[Ashley Holle · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY WOW THIS BOOK!!! I loved Soul of Shadow was beyond excited to receive an early copy from Emma herself, but never did I imagine to love this book this much!

Emma seriously pulled out all the stops with this one! The way she crafts such a relatable character Charlie is amazing. You genuinely feel for her and the things she is going through. You can see her inner struggle with Elias when he returns. She desperately wants to hate him and vows to destroy him, but she just can’t. She’s so drawn to him, as much as he is to her. He plays that cocky, arrogant, nonchalant MMC so well, but he really wants nothing more than to protect her and keep her safe. There chemistry is so electric! Gah and the banter! I just loved it.

Every character in this book great! From Lou & Abigail to Mason & the Vikings, everyone is adding so much to the story. But my favorite is by far Henry!!! I love that their connection was strengthened and their bond solidified. He really is the perfect sidekick.

The book is so well paced. There were so many twists and turns in this story. Emma kept me guessing the whole time! I mean hello that ending!!! I love that this took us deeper into Norse mythology, and I will admit that everything I know about Loki and Asgard I learned from Marvel movies, so I am learning so much in these books!

It was just so a great read and I feel so honored to have been able to read an early copy. Thank you again Emma for sending me this ARC. I am already waiting impatiently for book 3!

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. all thoughts and opinions are my own.


Favorite quote(s):

“Odin's underpants!”


Review:

Holy shit! I didn't expect that at all! This book delved deeper into the Norse myths and storyline, which I loved. Charlie really grew in this book and I loved seeing it, especially with her connection and relationship with Henry. Mason kind of had me all over the place emotionally. I understood his feelings but at the same time just wanted to shake him. The friendships and banter were even better than book 1. I laughed so much at the use of Norse related cursing and I loved that not only Charlie but Lou, Abigail, and even Mason were researching Norse things. There were rough moments but friends till the end it seems. Vidar and Bjorn were amazing and I loved them training with Charlie and their encouragement when she started to train with Elias. I still don't know what to think about Charlie's twin and her being a Valkyrie, mostly I wonder what the story is there. It was nice to learn more about Elias, even though I was still skeptical of him. Everything with the murders, Loki, Rattatosk, Surtur, and the jotunrri was both interesting and messy. It was nice to see new realms though. I couldn't believe what was going on and especially the last few chapters. It was so intense and made me worried. I can't wait for what comes next and to see where the rest of the story goes. Overall I enjoyed this book and the journey.