Shadow Reaper

by Lynette Noni

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 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.

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

Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 16, 2026

About the author

Australian author Lynette Noni studied journalism, academic writing, and human behaviour at university before venturing into the world of fiction. She is the #1 bestselling and award-winning author of THE PRISON HEALER series, THE MEDORAN CHRONICLES, and the WHISPER duology. To date, her books have sold more than one million copies in over 20 countries across the globe.

Reviews

[kitkat (semi-hiatus ♡︎) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
4.5 stars rounded up
→ read 1.19.26

- overview -
lynette. noni. never. misses. EVER. i'm only a few weeks into the new year, but i can already tell this one's going to be a top read of 2026. but seriously?!? this woman is giving us hit after hit and i am eating up every second.

this book is filled to the brim with the most mouth watering yearning. there are scenes in shadow reaper that will simultaneously smash your heart open and give you a warm hug. plus those plot twists?? what am i supposed to do with myself now?!? i'd like to think that i'm fairly good at predicting book plot twists, but this one got me realllll good. *throws kindle across the room*

the characters... oh my lord, these are my babies. viri and reeve's relationship is so genuine. this book perfectly weaves dark themes while still being an easy book to loose yourself in. like, even after everything these characters have been through, it never becomes a toxic relationship, which is the biggest red flag in most romantasies.

did i mention there's also a tiny fluffy bunny named walnut? 😭😭😭

⋆˙⟡ now playing - men on the moon by chelsea cutler ♫
"we put men on the moon, but i still don't know how to you."

♡ huge thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc - all thoughts are my own ♡

[Darcey]

🚨 NEW LYNETTE NONI FANTASY SERIES ALERT 🚨

i am beyond hyped, folks! give it to me now!

[Charlie]

Lynette Noni can probably hear me screaming my excitement for this book all the way in Australia (I live on the other side of the planet)🫶

[jenny reads a lot]

Ahhhh! Need this now!

“dark YA pitched as SHADOW AND BONE meets The Vampire Diaries (sans vampires), about a young reaper hunter who must conspire with her childhood friend-turned-mortal enemy and his crew of illegal magic thieves to stop a deadly foe from a plot to steal untold power-and doom their world”

[mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

thank you so much netgalley for this arc!!

this book was one of, if not my #1, most anticipated read of 2026 and let me tell you, IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

prison healer is one of my favorite trilogies ever so i have been SOOOO excited for new book by her!!!!

there were so many genuinely good plot twists, and the banter between viri and reeve was chef's kiss 🤌🏻

this book had my jaw on the floor one minute and then had me tearing up the next

i CAN'T WAIT for book 2

[Olivia💜🗡️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH. MY. GOSH.

You would think that after reading 12, TWELVE, books by Lynette Noni then I couldn’t be surprised by her plot twists. Well you are wrong, BECAUSE I WAS SURPRISED. IN FACT IM IN DISBELIEF. BECAUSE WHAT?! I honestly feel so stupid and now I absolutely NEED to reread this book and see the foreshadowing moments because I KNOW THEY ARE THERE. Okay now time for the actual review, but first we have to back this up.

When Shadow Reaper was announced it quickly became my most anticipated read of 2026. Not only because Lynette Noni is my favorite author but also because it sounded SO INTERESTING. So I am not kidding when I say that I CRIED getting an email saying I got approved for the arc and I am also not kidding when I say that I dropped absolutely everything for this book and I am so glad I did BECAUSE OH MY GOSH.

This book not only met my very high expectations but it EXCEEDED THEM. I was so immersed into the world of Elverdine Isle to the point where time actually had no meaning. When I say that I was obsessed, I WAS OBSESSED. Every waking moment for the past three days has been spent reading this book. In addition to the world, Lynette Noni also delivered on the characters that you just can’t help but loving. Like tell me why I knew Reeve for one page but I already loved him as if I had known him for 100 pages. I EVEN LOVED A FREAKING BUNNY(dare I say the best part of the book). Lastly, as I said previously, this book did not HOLD BACK WITH THE PLOT TWISTS. The ending shook me to my core and I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. I might even dare to say that this plot twist was crazier than the one in the prison healer(and trust me, that is saying something). I should probably stop yapping now but just remember
“Never Bargain with a Reaper.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO NETGALLEY AND THE PUBLISHERS FOR GIFTING ME THIS ARC! It truly meant the world to me😭

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lynette Noni does it again! 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 is an explosive young adult duology opener full of twists and turns, magical adventure, and charming romance.

Viridia hunts reapers in her quest for revenge, desperate to locate the Reaper Priest responsible for her parents' deaths. When his comrade, Reeve, is captured, she risks a dangerous bargain to gain access to the murderer. As conflicting feelings develop for Reeve, her former childhood friend, and a world-ending conspiracy is discovered, she'll have to decide who to trust - and learn how to trust herself.

Noni is the queen of crafting charming young adult fantasy with characters so lovely and full of life that they jump out of the pages. I instantly adored the cast of characters, and the found family elements are beautifully penned.

Viri is a compelling character whose backstory is tragic and plays a large role in her empowering growth. Reeve's confidence is rather endearing, especially as his body language reveals care for Viri. He's alluring and fierce yet sweet and gentle, and his sense of humor had me laughing out loud. Viri and Reeve's dynamic was addictive, and their story should be the blueprint for the he falls first trope! The friendships are heartwarming, and there's even an adorable fluffy sidekick!

𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 is magical and filled to the brim with addictive wanderlust. It's a book you'll stay up all night devouring because you can't put it down, and once you finish, you'll be up all night pondering the gut-wrenching cliffhanger. Lynette Noni will be holding me captive until the sequel is in my hands - I am desperate to see what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advance reading copy!

[tanvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can never go wrong reading a young adult fantasy by Lynette Noni.

The Prison Healer is one of absolute favorite young adult fantasy series written. When I heard Lynette was writing another series, I knew I had to have my hands on it. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have read many fantasy books where the worldbuilding feels underdeveloped and the characters come across as flat or one dimensional. This book was phenomenal in comparison. The magic system is refreshingly unique, and each character carries such deep internal turmoil that they all feel layered, complex, and are genuinely fascinating. While the romance is not the central focus, the moments that are included are meaningful enough to carry you through the entire story.

What truly brought this book together for me was the found family element. Found family is one of my absolute top-tier tropes in fantasy. All the characters are somehow connected to one another and seeing them care for one another and protect each other was so beautiful.

I will say that a few of the plot twists were fairly predictable; however, that felt intentional. The obvious twists seemed designed to lower your guard just enough so the later revelations could hit harder, and they absolutely did. I am incredibly curious to see how the story continues to unfold in book two!!

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, I ate this up! Absolutely loved this one. The magic, the characters, the found family, the romance. I found it all addictive and finished it in no time.

The beginning took a little getting used to, especially the worldbuilding. But luckily that didn’t last long, and once I was in, I couldn’t put it down.

Reading Shadow Reaper felt like a rollercoaster. One moment I was reading in suspense, the next I was staring at the pages wide-eyed in shock and not long after, I had tears in my eyes.

The main characters, Viri and Reeve, go from friends to enemies to lovers, and it was such a joy to follow their journey. I loved these two so much. The banter, the tension, the inside jokes, the “who did this to you” moments. I ate it up! And Reeve’s nickname for Viri, 'Little Shadow', was just so cute!

Since it’s YA, there’s no spice. While it definitely could have fit the story, I didn’t necessarily miss it. The tension between Viri and Reeve is more than enough to make you giggle and kick your feet.

Some of the plot twists were fairly predictable, but thankfully there were also twists I absolutely did not see coming. I was literally on the edge of my seat.

All in all, I enjoyed this story so much and can’t wait for book two!

ℹ️ Shadow Reaper is the first book in a YA duology and will be released in June. Definitely add this one to your TBR!

Thanks to Penguin International Huddle for this amazing ARC!

[ᴄᴀᴛ]

A whole new ya fantasy series by Lynette Noni?? Oh I am SO ready

"The story follows a young reaper hunter who must conspire with her childhood friend turned mortal enemy and his crew of illegal magic thieves to stop a deadly foe from steaing untold power ─ and dooming their World!"

[Nerica Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, where to begin… this book was nothing short of amazing. In this book you follow Viri who is a hunter. She hunts reapers, and has a main target to fulfill her revenge plan the Reaper Priest. She’s going about her duties, bringing in reapers, catching them before they can siphon from the children of the island when none other than Reeve is captured. With their history and the fact she hasn’t seen him in 7 years, does she trust him enough to figure out where all the missing children are going?
I had so much fun reading this. The author does a wonderful job with her storytelling. Throughout the whole book you have an underlying tone of there being more going on than what is said, so it’s easy to breeze through to get the answers while also trying to guess for yourself what the answers will be. I found myself thrown around left right and center with the reveals but even through all of that I wasn’t even a little bit prepared for the review at the end. What do you mean?!
Do yourself a favor and mark your calendar for the release date because you NEED this book in your life.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this title.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never review things but I managed to snag a proof at YALC. So it deserves a review.

friends-> enemies -> lovers

It was really easy to read, the world building was really compelling but easy to understand and follow. kinda gave me RWBY vibes with the hunters and the artifacts.
There are so many lovable characters and I will be honest for the first half of the book I definitely prefer some of the side characters to the main protag, but she found her feet as the book went along.

Also would die for walnut just saying.

The story kept me engaged and the more I read the harder it was to put down. I did not expect the ending...well.. did one bit but not the reveal at the end. usually, I am pretty good at guessing, so it did catch me off guard.
now I need to wait like 2 years for the next one 😭😭

[A. Diella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadow Reaper by Lynette Noni
Release Date:June 2nd
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Age rating:15+
Spice:none

Thank you Netgalley and Lynette Noni for this arc! YALL. Oh. My. Gosh. This book was absolutely insane. The world and magic system is so unique, and kept me captivated the whole time. I read this book in three sittings, it just completely took over my mind, and I had to know what happened next. Viri is such a good fmc. I fully enjoyed my time in her pov. I wanted to learn everything about her, and just love her so much. And Reeve *giggles like a mad woman*, Reeve is such a good mmc. I fell in love instantly, and every time he was in the page I was falling more for him. The banter between the two of them was SO GOOD! And the tension was just magnificent. I also loved how they both have so many layers, they’re like onions in a way, and each layer we peeled back had me connecting to them even more. And the PLOT WAS SUCH A PLOT! And THE TURNS AND TWISTS AND JUST EVERYTHING! The ending truly had me staring at the acknowledgments, as if waiting for more to magically appear. I most definitely recommend this book, and look forward to the sequel.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m so excited to see Lynette Noni writing YA Fantasy again. For those of you who loved her Prisoner Healer trilogy, you’re going to want to pick this one up. I was immediately enthralled by this story just from the author’s letter in the beginning of the book. I wanted to know everything about who this enigmatic person behind bars was the author talks about having come to life in her mind. Lynette has this way of creating the most magical and mysterious characters that pull you into the story with their allure. Then she puts those characters inside worlds in which you must fight to survive, and you just can’t help becoming invested in their story.

Arvelle is a city plagued by a mist that kills you upon contact and reapers roaming the streets, feeding off children to steal their magic for themselves. Viridia has spent her life training to hunt down these reapers in an attempt to reach their leader, the Reaper Priest, who murdered her parents when she was a child. While she’s spent years trying to track her parent’s killer down with no luck all that seems about to change when the Reaper Priest’s most loyal follower is captured. He offers her a bargain that could help her get closer to their leader than she’s ever come before. All she must do in exchange for the information is help him escape. While Viridia knows to never bargain with a reaper, this deal seems too good to resist.

I really enjoyed this book. The whole crew of characters that come together was so much fun to follow. They each had such unique personalities, and they each brought something special to the story. Reeve was a very swoony mysterious man and I loved him! The yearning between Reeve and Viridia was palpable. While some of the twists were very predictable, I think you’ll still be surprised by some of them! There were a couple of times reading this where my jaw literally dropped. I can’t wait to pick up book two and continue this journey.

If you’re a fan of found family tropes, unique magic, a darker storyline, and a surprisingly magical fantasy, this is a book you’re going to want to pick up.

Thank you to Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My review is based solely on my own opinion, and I appreciate the chance to read Shadow Reaper by Lynette Noni.

[Lissy Southworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️

Thank you to Penguin Random House, Knopf, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book!

Lynette Noni is just so good at creating an immersive world. Her Prison Healer series is one of my favorites, so I was excited to pick up Shadow Reaper. Noni’s writing is captivating and I loveeeee the characters she writes. Reeve, the MMC, really carried this book for me. I enjoyed spending time with the side characters, too. I’m a sucker for a found family, and I feel one brewing!! I wish those relationships were developed a little further in this first installment, though.

This book is twisty. It kept me on my toes, but maybe leaned a little too hard into so many twists and reveals in the last third of the book? If they were spread out a bit more, I think it would have been more impactful. The pacing in the first half was great, and then slowed down in the middle, but overall I still found myself engaged. The magic system is interesting, but could use more explanation.

This was a fun read, for sure!

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to thank the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me a read.

Shadow Reaper might find its fans of those who don't tread often in fantasy, bu even still the magic and lack of chemistry between the male love interest and protagonist make it rough.

Other little things bothered me too. The world building seemed to be quasi modern mixed with feudal (elevators?). I was expecting a cell phone to be dragged out of a pocket.

The magic really doesn't click as to its reasons / way it is until you get to the tail end / reveal. Even still, it's pretty weak. Book two seems to be where it all comes to the front and is hand in hand with the story.

I gave it three stars because you have a group of characters that actually DO something - male love interest, female lead, the friends and the plot itself is interesting. It just has so much clunky withholding and poor romance to really make it seem worthy of it all.

I won't be sticking around for the conclusion, since I felt that two books may not have been enough to fully grasp or explain the world, but it's what it is.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magic, alchemy, love, lures, secrets. This book has it all! From all the twists and turns you’ll be hooked from the beginning. While I was able to guess some of what is coming, I’d say most won’t. The writing, character/world building is on point. Great set up for another book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Sword and Stories · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadow Reaper by Lynette Noni
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars

This was such a fun read! From the very first page, I was hooked. Viri is the kind of FMC who immediately pulls you in; her story is captivating and her spirit is impossible not to root for. The world Lynette Noni has built is both fun and intriguing, with fierce hunters, mysterious reapers, a while host of magical lore that left me desperate to know more.

🥹 Found Family:
The best part of this story, the bit that truly stole my heart, was the found family vibe. Viri’s unexpected gang of friends and reluctant allies is the kind of crew you’d give anything to be part of- loyal, chaotic, and endlessly endearing.

👏 Plot:
This book is a rollercoaster of twists and turns. Some I smugly thought I saw coming… others blindsided me completely. And that ending? Lynette, how could you?? The first book isn’t even officially out yet and I already need my hands on book two!

❤️ Romance:
Then there’s Viri and Reeve. The perfect duo. Their banter sparkles with attraction, wit, and charm. I fell hard for Reeve's cocky charisma (as did Viri, though she’ll never admit it). I’ve already saved so many of their quotes because they’re just that good.

Verdict: Shadow Reaper is everything I want in a YA fantasy- immersive worldbuilding, a heroine you can’t help but cheer for, a found family you can't help smile around, and a duo whose chemistry lights up every page. This is a series I’ll be obsessing over for a long time.

A big thank you to House of YA and Lynette Noni for providing me an ARC of this book!

[Sierraaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

first, i would like to thank NetGalley, Random House Children’s Books, and Lynette Noni for the opportunity to read and review this book early! all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Shadow Reaper follows Viridia Solace, a hunter in the mountain city of Aravell who goes after reapers as they harm others and siphon magic, typically from children since they have the greatest source of magic. her true motivation is revenge, because the Reaper Priest—the leader of all reapers— is the one who killed her parents. and her chance at revenge comes in the form of Reeve Ashton, the Reaper’s Priest’s right hand man. soon, Viri finds herself breaking Reeve out of prison and following his little band of criminals in order stop the Reaper Priest’s plan to doom the entire city of Aravell. Can Viri truly trust Reeve to help her get revenge, or will both her tragic past and her heart get in the way?

this book was really good! i loved the magic system—ellixen and all the ways it can and can’t be used, and the challenges that come along with that. i think the concept of reapers, hunters, and mages was an interesting and fairly unique one compared to what i’ve read, and the characters were great too!

i loved how headstrong Viri was, especially for someone who’s only 17. she actually thinks with her head, and for the most part makes logical decisions! and of course i loved Reeve as well. who doesn’t love a hunky criminal with an attitude and a silver tongue?

i think my only issue with this book is the pacing combined with the length. Shadow Reaper is longer than i was expecting, which wouldn’t be so bad, except that the climax hits hard and fast after a loooot of build up with not too much happening until then. we spend a lot of time following Viri around, but she doesn’t learn some important secrets until the last 15% of the book, and then the “final battle” takes place in like two chapters, followed by a pretty big cliffhanger that just left me unsatisfied. but overall this was a good read, and i’m thankful for the chance to have read and reviewed this early. i’ll definitely read the second book whenever it comes!

[tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a very strong, solid start but fizzled out as it progressed. Unfortunately, I found it to be very predictable - I guessed all of the major "twists" well in advance, and spent the rest of the time trying to puzzle out how the characters hadn't figured out what I realized several chapters prior. This may be an artifact of the fact that this is a YA story, but I also just didn't find the factors driving the plot forward to be very convincing. The magic system also needs work - it is unnecessarily convoluted, while also lacking explanation of certain aspects.

This is clearly book 1 of a series as it leaves off on a cliffhanger. I personally will not be picking it up, but I hope this book finds its audience!

[Jada Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Reader Book Review 🤍

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The first half wasn’t my fave. I felt like it just dragged so long and I wasn’t connecting w/ any of the characters as much…

But there was def a turn around in the second half. Was it a substantial turn around? So-So.
I do think the plot has potential though. I just wasn’t super immersed as I wanted to be.

Overall, if the first half isn’t for you (like me), def try to push through to the second half ‘cause I def felt like it picked up more and the ending!!
I love a good twist.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC of Shadow Reaper in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my goodness! This book had me at the edge of my seat! There were so many plot twists throughout the story and just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, the plot took a dramatic turn. I also loved the depth of the character development and the personality each character had. It took me a little bit of time to get used to the writing style, but overall I really liked the book's plot and the characters' personalities!

[Life Of A Seashell · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Who hurt you - on page 38… I’m sat

It’s so fun to have such a unique magic system within a fantasy and the world surrounding it.

I love the ‘found family’ trope, I can see where it’s leading and it makes my heart so happy. Also not just enemies to lovers, childhood friends to lovers? Absolute tear worthy.

And the ending??? Excuse me??? That many twists, Lynette my heart can only handle so much

Thankyou to the lovely team at penguin for this Advanced Reader Copy, I can’t wait for the rest of the series

[Hasnita Singh]

I’d sell my best friend(s) to read this book NOW

[the_crimson_healer ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡]

Has me on chokehold 🤪

[Julie]

A VERY exciting ARC!!!

[milene]

waiting impatiently for the release date.

[taya · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75
hell yeah i had a good time!!!!!

[bea]

just got the arc, this is the best day ever

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got an ARC of Shadow Reaper @lynettenoni from @netgalley and I am going to need book two before this one even drops. It’s a YA fantasy with forbidden romance hunter/reaper, second chance, and forced proximity. And if that doesn’t do it he called her “little shadow” 😮‍💨
This doesn’t read like a YA and Reeve was a whole vibe. He ain’t scared to tell her how he feels