Soul Umbra

by Juliet Rose

From her first breath, Esme has been fighting against monsters. The problem is, she doesn't know if they are real or her own creation.At every turn, a new companion arrives, some come to help, some come to harm.Or so she thinks.

As Esme goes throughout her life, tragedy follows her, and she finds herself lost and isolated in the world, however, not completely. Friends and family try to reach out to her, but Esme doesn't know who to trust and teeters on the edge of psychosis. Time and again, she finds herself screaming into the abyss, attempting to escape her chaotic reality.

There is no escaping from self.

273 pages, Paperback

Published November 2, 2025

About the author

Multi award-winning, cross-genre author, journalist, and librarian!

Juliet Rose is driven to bring to life characters from many walks of life and the struggles faced in modern society. Her writing style is open and fluid, giving the characters the ability to shine as the truth of their own story. Her works are honest and sometimes brutally painful but in the end, her characters are given the voice which needs to be heard.

Juliet is a New York native living in the mountains of Georgia. She has lived all over the United States and Mexico and doesn’t plan to stop seeing the world beyond her front doorstep. She spends her time rescuing animals, painting, and writing.

Reviews

[Breanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This one genuinely left me speechless, and that doesn’t happen often. I felt so deeply for Esme and all the misfortunes that kept piling onto her. The creatures that torment her are both disturbing and terrifying in the best, chills-down-your-spine kind of way. It’s atmospheric, unsettling, and absolutely gripping. Definitely a top read for me.

[Amber Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every story Juliet writes is dripping with heart and multifaceted characters. Soul Umbra is no exception. Esme’s life is filled with nothing but darkness and despair. She remembers the tragedies and grief that began the day she was born. She has lost everyone she has ever loved by no fault of her own, or is it?

Esme is such a deep and relatable character. She wants nothing more than to have a quiet peaceful life with the people she cares about the most, but something or someone is hellbent on destroying her. Is it a supernatural entity? Or is it all in her head?

This story is so incredibly engaging. I could not put it down!

[LADY BUGG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Juliet did FANTASTIC on this story. I was enthralled with Esmes life. Every single second of her story literally had me captivated. Definitely one of those books that could have gone on for ever without boring me.
I dont want to give away spoilers, but if you like Juliets work (even if you have never read her books) this will be a TOP favorite.

[Juliet Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

Soul Umbra by Juliet Rose follows Esme, who deeply believes that being close to her brings harm to others. From early childhood, people around her are injured, die, or disappear, and she becomes convinced that unseen figures attached to her life are responsible. When a school incident leaves another child dead, and Esme is blamed, she is removed from ordinary society and learns to survive under supervision and control. Adulthood offers her a brief chance at a different life through work, marriage, and motherhood, but closeness again coincides with danger. Faced with the possibility that her presence endangers those she loves, Esme must make a defining choice that shapes the rest of her life. But first, she must grasp a definitive explanation of who, or what, the figures are that have always haunted her.

Soul Umbra by Juliet Rose is a spectacular example of the balancing act between paranormal influence and mental health. Rose deftly manages the ambiguity of both, leaving readers with a running question of what is real. I love how dissociation, psychosis, and long-term psychiatric confinement shape how Esme is perceived and treated. The figures that Rose introduces are incredible. In childhood, Gogo appears as a boy of Esme’s age who physically guides her through woods and fields, with an eerie connection. In adolescence, the Tall Man arrives as an unnaturally large, gangly night figure, motionless, silent, and looming, changing how fear enters Esme’s body. Lamia is my favorite: a forceful woman who speaks aloud, touches, and intervenes in domestic acts. Overall, this is a brilliant psychological thriller. Very highly recommended.***

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great horror story. It is about a woman who sees imaginary friends. These friends always end up being linked to causing some type of harm. Only Esme truly realizes what is taking place. As Esme grows older, she encounters different “friends” along the way. Esme spends time in a hospital to receive help for her mental health. When she becomes an adult, she needs to be relocated to a halfway house until she can gain her independence. She struggles at first to make the transition, but soon she meets a man who helps ease her concerns. Pete has been through his fair share of difficult situations. He is a stable and caring presence in Esme’s life. Their relationship becomes stronger amid Esme experiencing certain situations. Once Pete enters Esme’s life, he does everything he can to support and love her. Esme keeps her imaginary friends from her past to herself. When Esme is expecting a child, one of the imaginary friends reappears. Eventually, things escalate to the point when Esme is scared that the imaginary friend will cause physical harm to Pete or her daughter. She opens up to him about the past and checks into a mental hospital. While receiving treatment, Esme is forced to make a life altering decision for the benefit of her family. At the conclusion of the story, we catch a glimpse into the future. The author does a nice job of bringing everything together at the end.

[D.Z. Hollow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far my favorite book of hers. From the beginning, Rose jumps in and paints a vivid picture that hooks you from the get-go. It’s immediately filled with tragedy, darkness, and drama. Every chapter is drenched in monumental life events and imagery, scenarios, or what have you. It's incredibly hard to put down. It's weird, bizarre, and a thinker. Juliet does an amazing job telling the story of Esme and her life struggle with mental illness and immense tragedy. It's gut-wrenching, creepy, and an absolute page turner.
Esme is one of the best characters of the year and my favorite character of Rose’s. Not only is Soul Umbra tied as my #1 read of the year, it's also a leap into unexpected territory for Juliet as it blends cosmic horror and real-life drama with the twists and turns of a psychological thriller.
If you're looking for something to hold your interest from start to finish, and be at the top of your list of best reads of 2025, then Soul Umbra’s got ya covered.
For fans of Pan's Labryinth and A Beautiful Mind. 5 stars!

[Desiree Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can see why this one is being touted as one of her best. While I've only read a few of her works, this one immediately struck me as something special. Aside from the personal connection I have with the main character and her tumultuous childhood, the author has crafted this story in a way that makes it seem easy to be amongst a cast of deeply human characters. These are people you know and love, or at least they feel like they should be. Enthralling, dark and full of heart this novel feels like a secret. You want to keep it to yourself and share it all at once.

[Leighah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a lot of feelings while reading this book. Happiness, sadness, anger and everything in between. I love how the main character starts of as very vulnerable and grows in strength as the story goes on. This tale will probably live in my head rent free for quite some time. I also liked how the ending was left open to the readers own interpretation. Definitely worth the read.

[Stephanie Rumbarger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was SO good but broke my heart. I really felt for Esme.

[Bezzie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stop what you are doing and read this book! I have read all of Rose's books and am a fan but this one is somethin' else. Creeped me out but also made me feel for Esme.

[Robbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a strange and spooky book. I wasn't sure what to think going in but it scared the hell out of me!

[Emily Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soul

Esme's life hears voices and sees things others do not. Can she find peace? Haunting tale with love and hope throughout.