Find My Way Down to You

by Julian Winters

You've Reached Sam meets Hadestown in this enchanting, intoxicating romance across the mortal world and the underworld.

Eighteen-year-old August is trying to navigate life after the sudden death of his boyfriend left him devastated, aimless, and feeling guilty. Years after the tragic accident, August mistakenly stumbles into a world beyond his own—the Underworld. Unlike his own gray existence, the underworld is a lavish extravagant place, full of mystery and a flurry of charismatic gods, all curious about August's arrival in their world. Realizing right away the opportunity in front of him, August goes searching for his lost love, guided by Cary, the smoldering, broody ferrier of souls. But the more time August spends down below, the more his intentions begin to blur. Is he visiting this realm to reunite with his soulmate? Or is he desperately, inexplicably, intoxicatingly drawn to Cary? With his own world in pieces and a dangerously seductive realm promising him a new existence at a heavy cost, August must a life with grief or a love that might destroy him.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, LGBT, Romance, M M Romance, Queer, Romantasy

Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 4, 2026

About the author

Julian Winters is the author of the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award-winning Running With Lions; the Junior Library Guild Selections How to Be Remy Cameron and The Summer of Everything; and the forthcoming Right Where I Left You. A self-proclaimed comic book geek, Julian currently lives outside of Atlanta, where he can be found reading or watching the only two sports he can follow—volleyball and soccer..

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Reviews

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cover!!! So, so gorgeous! Julian Winters is one of my favorite authors, so after seeing this mesmerizing cover and reading the fantastic blurb, I wanted only one thing: to dive into this story. And then Viking Books granted me access to the ARC. I was over the moon.

”That’s what it’s like living with grief. Loneliness, even while you’re surrounded by people.”

I have a soft spot for sadder books, especially when the grief is written really well. Find My Way Down to You is such a story. The publisher compares it to You’ve Reached Sam, which is of course a great comparison, but to me it feels closest to Michelle Kulwicki’s At the End of the River Styx.

August—Auggie—lost his boyfriend two years ago in a car accident and hasn’t really lived since. Now eighteen, he waits tables at a restaurant and lives with his best friend, who, unlike Auggie, has started college. Everything shifts when he meets Cary, the ferrier of souls, and Auggie’s world is turned literally upside down.

The boys in this story are all nice guys, but also flawed. And I actually love that, because people can be kind and still imperfect. London was a planner with big dreams. Cary is brooding and quiet, but also a giver—a boy who looks after others before himself. And Auggie wants to make people happy, so he lets others have their way and rarely pushes back. Auggie and Cary mirror each other in surprising ways, and they lift each other up.

Even though this is a speculative YA story, it’s incredibly readable and leans more toward contemporary romance than fantasy. It’s a story of growth, and in the final part I kept feeling tears well up in my eyes. Not because it’s that sad, (it certainly has its moments) but because Auggie finally chooses to start living again.

It’s a story that stays with you long after you close the book, and I’m so happy I got the chance to read it early.

Actual rating 4.5 stars, rounded up to five.

Thank you, Viking Books for Young Readers and Edelweiss, for this beautiful ARC.

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[Mai H.]

Black History Month TBR

Pride TBR

Valentine's Day TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers

[cyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75
Thank you to netgalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was so sweet and good. It definitely reminded me of Hadestown as was intended and it was really cute. A great portrayal of healing and grief. It kind of reminded me of You’ve Reached Sam aswell. Definitely recommend this one when it comes out.

[Christiana Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t think I’m the target audience for this one. It’s a good book, but didn’t go the places I wanted it to go. I think in the problem here.

[Brittany]

ARC from NetGalley

DNF 35% in

Really loved an adult book by this author this year so I thought I try a young adult. This felt to young for me and I was bored so rather than finish and leave a bad rating I decided to DNF. With a beautiful cover I hope this book finds its target audience.

[Jefferz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of grief and loss mixed with contemporary romance and mythological fantasy flavor, Find My Way Down to You by Julian Winters is a wholesome and sweet YA novel covering somber topics. By exploring the long, individual road to healing while honoring loved ones lost, the book feels like a warm and supportive hug that maintains an uplifting and hopeful outlook even when the pain feels unending. Well‑intentioned and earnest, it sometimes plays things too safe and doesn’t push its strongest narrative elements far enough, but it remains an accessible read with strong YA appeal.

Highlights:
☕︎ Thoughtfully crafted and wholesome story set around grief, loss, personal sacrifices, and healing.
☕︎ Nice balance between character drama, fantasy elements, and romance. Underworld visuals are vibrantly portrayed.
☕︎ Appealing characters and an effective comparison between August’s chemistry with Cary vs London and other interests.

Considerations:
-Exploration of dark topics can feel surface level and the book purposely evades tough questions it asks but doesn’t ever answer. Romance and character development feels a bit off-balanced.
-Pacing is quite fast, overly casual, and many elements feel underdeveloped. Fantasy elements have conflicting details and oversights.
-Book reads quite young both in terms of the narrative content as well as the writing style. Level of detail can be quite lacking.

Marketed as a YA romance with crossover elements in fiction, social issues, and fantasy, the book blends a wide range of narrative components into a story focused on grief and loss. Its greatest strength is its relatability for YA readers. Purposely flawed and immature to a fault, the main character August and his internal logic match his age, highlighting teenage shortsightedness and tunnel vision. Winters captures teenage angst well, especially in the wake of August’s catastrophic loss of his boyfriend London, around whom he built his entire world. The portrayal of grief is particularly strong, from August pushing away those around him, including his well‑written dynamic with Max, to closing himself off from his parents and any hobbies tied to London. The book also thoughtfully reflects on how healing is deeply personal and different for everyone, requiring acceptance and self‑forgiveness.

Another area that is noteworthy is its handling of young first love, as well as queer joy and representation. As his first boyfriend, August would leap off a tower for London and as the story progresses, the book does a great job at showing potential areas of relationship conflict and mismatched wants that’re thrown to the wind during teenage love. As August encounters the aloof and grumpy Cary and the charismatic Milos, the comparison between them and their different dynamics is well done. The slow transition of August’s interest and conflicted feelings is smoothly handled and one of the stronger points of the book.

The fantasy elements add good narrative flavor and visual interest, and they’re generally well incorporated into the story. A mix of various forms of the afterlife crossed with mythological themes and characters, the book’s pops of fantasy increase the stakes and intrigue while providing opportunities for vibrant visuals that Winters does well. The descriptions of various locations and scenic areas of the Underworld nicely complement the book’s beautiful cover as August and Cary go back and forth between worlds. The Underworld also has a nice variety of different personalities and characters that are not only visually distinctive but also have great queer diversity as well.

While the book is well-crafted and nicely balances its character drama, romance, and fantasy aspects, it does so at the cost of depth and development in each individual area. The story has a fast pace feel to it on par with books targeted for YA readership, but it often feels like it loses a good deal of nuance in the process. While the vibe and tone were hopeful and encouraging, I was consistently underwhelmed by the story’s surface level exploration of its deep and serious topics. While the conversations between characters were good, the book would consistently pose a thoughtful and complex question, then completely evade answering it or cutting off the conversation with a distraction. The book’s fast pace and overly casual style of storytelling have a tendency to shortcut important character moments and skirt over other elements that don’t feel fully developed. The motif around August’s mother’s gardening and greenhouse felt like it wasn’t given enough attention considering its connection to the Underworld while August’s interest in music feels like a good idea that’s only lightly utilized in the story. The book has a lot of good narrative material but spreads itself a bit thin and doesn’t go very far with any of them.

The lack of development also affects the numerous side characters who don’t feel like they have enough time or development to be memorable. Worse, though August and Cary have great chemistry and play off each other well, the romance can feel one-sided or off balanced. Since the book only presents August’s POV, the reader knows what’s going on in his head and his interests in the other characters. The issue is that there really isn’t much time spent exploring Cary’s interest in the reverse direction or what he likes about August other than explaining his presence nearby; a point could be made that he’s the only one that has seen or cared about Cary, but it isn’t really elaborated. Even though this is a YA book that doesn’t require the most complex character writing and logic, it seems like an oversight. August also repeatedly comments about how Cary talks oddly like he’s from another time, but the dialogue doesn’t really portray that difference very well or consistently.

The same could also be applied to the various fantasy elements that are serviceable at a glance but have quite a few conflicting details that don’t really make sense or have enough time to develop them. Although the Underworld inhabitants are deathless and immortal, at what point after they were born as children did they randomly stop aging? If humans are not able to cross over into the Underworld or even see the Deathless, why is it that August’s friend Max can also see Cary in the pizza restaurant and acknowledge his order (why is Cary even ordering pizza to begin with? His presence there is explained but not his ordering of food). A lot of the Underworld mechanics simply exist and quite a few notable fantasy-related plot twists feel like they just kind of happen or circumstantially fit, lacking proper foreshadowing or setup to make the surprises work. Perhaps this may sound critical considering this book’s primary intent is a character story about grief and moving forward in life rather than a SFF one, but with so many of the book’s pages in a fairly short novel devoted to its fantasy elements, I would expect it to be a bit more polished. Or really, additional pages or slowing down the pacing a bit could’ve helped substantially. And though it’s not necessarily a fault of the book given its target YA readership, it’s worth noting that this book reads quite young despite including lightly discussed adult content. Between its characters that have appropriate but quite juvenile character logic, thematic discussions that get the job done but lack additional depth, and the overall limited level of detail, this is a YA book that likely won’t satisfy older readers.

Overall, as a heartfelt and hopeful journey of healing from the paralysis of grief, Find My Way Down to You is a success. Comforting, wholesome, and well‑pitched for YA readers, the book explores difficult topics in a soft, safe, and warm way with a nice flourish of fantasy elements to support it. Julian Winters is an author I’ve heard a lot of good things about and whose books I’ve been wanting to read for quite some time, but admittedly this one wasn’t my cup of tea despite its great premise. While sincere and having the best intentions, unfortunately this book can feel a bit lacking for mature readers due to its limited depth and serviceable, yet lackluster execution of its mythical fantasy ideas. However, for readers looking for a romantic story revolving around grief that is accessible and optimistic, this is a fine one to go with.

This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by Viking Books for Young Readers.

*For more reviews, book lists and reading updates, check out my blog TheBookGrind!

[Lucky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded down from 4.25

Reflective, magical, and sincere, Find My Way Down to You is a potent and masterful narrative about navigating loss.

The loss of a partner is messy and unnavigable at any point, let alone as a teenager. This story lets August be messy and depressed and still deeply caring in a way that my teenage self would have been moved and comforted by. His feelings of isolation in grief despite being loved by his family and friends feel palpably real.

I found myself frequently distracted by how obscure the motivations of the Aides characters and the mechanics of the underworld are. That said, the strength of August's story is far more impactful than the mythical elements are distracting to me.

If you are looking for a reflective YA romance about grief, growth, and all the tangled feelings wrapped between them, you are in the right place. I'm very glad I read it.

[Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own! Julian Winters this is beautifully heartbreaking and heartwarming and simply wonderful! August’s life has been about going through the motions ever since he lost his love two years ago. He’s stuck in his grief and can’t seem to move through it. That doesn’t even hit on his guilt over the fact that it wasn’t him who passed instead. He’s tired, tired of the sympathy, tired of the expectations, and tired of being pushed to move on. Then he meets Cary, who’s the first guy to catch his eye since his boyfriend passed, but Cary is rude and not very approachable. There’s also the fact when Auggie stumbles a cross a dead body Cary is there and disappears without a trace. No one believes him of course but he knows what he saw. And when he comes a cross Cary again at a party he’s determined to talk to him, only doing so has him ending up in another realm, the underworld to be exact. Turns out Cary is the ferrier of souls. Aides, the underworld, is nothing like our world. It’s beautiful and you can feel the power. But best of all there is no expectations and weight for Auggie there. And soon he realizes that he may just be able to find the one he’s lost and have the goodbye he never got before. But Aides is not all it seems, there’s plenty of secrets and misleading that happens there. And what starts off as dislike for Cary soon turns into something more. But could a god ever love a mortal? Will Auggie find what he seeks? Or will his attempts trap him in the underworld forever? A story about grief and moving through it, but also about how that process is different for everyone! A story about love and the lengths we will go for it! As always with Julian’s books I was completely in my feels, I was sucked in and unable to put it down! I loved that it was fantasy without being fantasy and romance but also something more! Full of queer joy but also queer grief, love and heartbreak, finding your way back to yourself! I absolutely loved the underworld elements and characters and could easily read more books about them! This one is stunning and unputdownable!

[Jo B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came for the romance but stayed for the moving and poignant portrayal of working through grief.

Things I loved - This main character, August, is so incredibly relatable and sympathetic. I think it’s interesting that August never once questions the mythological/supernatural things that he’s experiencing - he’s so plunged into grief that his only focus is how he can use this weird new realm in order to see the boy he loved.
I also thought this author did a really masterful job at showing how August is viewing his past relationship with rose coloured glasses - he looks back on a lot of things with fondness that to me, as the reader, were mild red flags (invisibly red to August since he’s got those glasses on).
Cary was a really beautifully written character; I’m such a goner for a quiet character that everyone assumes is cold and aloof but actually cares so so much.
I enjoyed that the ending was still a HEA, but that it wasn’t “oh love solves grief, obviously.” August still has to do the work of getting through his grief, he isn’t cured just because he’s loved.


Things I didn’t love as much -
The end felt a little bit rushed, and I would have loved an explanation for how Milos believed that August’s power would help him leave the realm. I also thought the repetition about August’s mom being such a green thumb was setting up for a much closer connection to the underworld/mythological world and the truth of it being that he’s descended from some distant powerful being felt like a let down. At times the explanations near the end felt a little bit hand wave-y. It wasn’t rushed enough to ruin my
enjoyment, but I would have read at least 30-40 more pages of that being fleshed out.

Overall, a really lovely MM retelling/retooling of one of my favourite Greek myths.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking for the eARC!

[RobbyReadsActually · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, Viking Books, and Julian Winters for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book rating: 3.75
Release Date: 8/4/2026

I thought this book was quite sweet. I enjoyed the exploration of grief and healing, and I think this will really resonate with a younger audience. I can't help but feel a little envious of younger readers today; I would have loved to have a story like this to help navigate life growing up. There were some interesting elements of Greek mythology that I enjoyed, and the underworld setting provides a unique, atmospheric backdrop. There's also something I love so much about a grumpy/sunshine trope and overall, I felt satisfied with the way it ended.

With that said, I couldn't help but feel it was disjointed in a few spots. There were some chapters that ended abruptly and occasional time jumps that felt a bit jarring. Another thing I want to bring up was the bizarre formatting. As this is an advanced reader copy, I realize that there may still be issues to iron out, but there were a lot of instances of two or three words fused together and it really messed up the flow and pacing for me because I had to slow way down to understand what was written. I also struggled quite a bit with Cary's dialogue. I recognize the "robotic" speech pattern was most likely a deliberate choice, but it also didn't help with flow.

Overall, this was a cute MM romance and would be a great pick for younger readers who like:
-A Grumpy/Sunshine dynamic
-Unique fantasy setting
-Sincere Queer representation
-Exploration of grief and loss

[Topo Chicas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always excited to read Julian Winters—and for a reason. His books make you feel so deeply and keep thinking about it days after the book is done. With his recent upcoming release, this continues to be true. This was such a poignant book about love, loss, and nostalgia that will have you craving more by the end.

The loss of a loved one is hard, but especially so when you are a teenager. After the tragic death of his boyfriend, August is stuck in a state of mourning and relentless aimlessness. He mistakenly stumbles upon the vibrant Underworld, where he sets out on a journey to search for his lost boyfriend. Guided by the ferrier of souls, Cary joins him on this quest. Along the way, August grapples with many questions and how to deal with the life at hand.

I loved the author’s foray into magical realism; it was such a lovely conduit for processing such heavy, intense emotions and themes. If you’re like me, you will feel the full gamut of human emotion while reading it, which is such a strong testament to the writing. I also adored the characters so much and wish I could’ve spent more time with August and Cary. I appreciated how deeply introspective this story was, especially for a YA audience. I would have definitely benefitted from reading this as a teenager (but the second best time is as an adult). Overall, this is a book you HAVE to read when it’s released this August; you’ll thank me later.

Thank you Penguin Young Readers and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Meagan McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this beautiful heartwrenching masterpiece of a book for an honest review. I know we are only three months into the year 2026, but this is by far my top favorite read.

I absolutely loved the way Julian Winters paints grief through August’s point of view. The writing is so vivid and poetic that it felt all too real.

“Sorbet skies stream rose and tangerine through the glass dome roof.” Moments like that made the world feel alive in such a soft, beautiful way. I could smell the sugary floral scent, see the sorbet skies and so on.

Beautiful written and very vivid that I could picture it all, see it as though I were watching a movie.

One sentence that broke me and stuck with me was "I was gonna do so many things." Holy moly, that caused the flood gates to open and I couldn't stop crying.

This was the kind of book I couldn’t put down. I cried more than once, and I found myself deeply relating to August. Having lost someone close to me, I understood that feeling of seeing love as pity, and the story captured that in such a raw poetic way.

Overall, this book was emotional, heartfelt, beautifully written, and honestly unforgettable. This book will stay with me for a while. And I plan on reading more from this author because Find My Way Down To You was just that good.

[Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Books for an advanced copy of Find My Way Down to You by Julian Winters! The comp titles for this book are actually spot on: You’ve Reached Sam meets Hadestown. Those vibes absolutely fit this story that heavily deals with grief.

One thing that Winters always excels at in his novels is the character development. At the beginning of this story, August is so lost. He is deep in his grief, unsure of what his future looks like without the boy he was making plans with. Then we get to meet the characters of the Underworld, and they help shape this new world for August and for the reader. This version of the Underworld felt grounded in reality, helping August on his journey of grief.

In addition to the characters and the world building, there are some stunning quotes in this book as well. One in particular stuck out to me: “Grief needs to be felt. It is not a burden. It is a reminder. You were given the choice to love. To be loved. And you took it.” It sums up the overall themes of this story so well, and even those that might not feel this kind of grief can find a connection in August’s story.

Also, the cover of this is gorgeous. Props to the designer of the cover for that. If you’re a fan of sad books with elements of hope sprinkled throughout, definitely pick this one up when it comes out in August.

[Krista H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a thoughtful YA romance that follows August as he navigates grief and guilt after losing his boyfriend in a traumatic accident. The writing is poetic, vivid, and rich in sensory detail, which brings the setting to life in an immersive way. As a YA novel, the characters can feel a bit one-dimensional at times, but I think this works decently well with the story’s focus on big emotional themes. I really appreciated that the queer representation in this story isn’t rooted in external conflict or coming to terms with one’s sexuality. August is surrounded by love and support, and even amid grief and heartbreak, queer joy can be found here.

The supernatural elements add an intriguing layer, and the worldbuilding is handled smoothly without overshadowing the emotional core. The pacing can feel uneven in spots, and some characters could have used more depth, but the story remains engaging and emotionally resonant. This is a moving exploration of grief, healing, and what it means to keep going, with a particularly strong and satisfying ending.

3.5 stars

Thank you to #NetGalley and Viking for the ARC

[Books by Ally 🐉💕 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grief is a peculiar thing. It affects people differently in so many ways, but also doesn’t at the same time. It can take over your whole life, twisting you into something you don’t recognize. For August, it did just that and I loved the ending he ended up getting with Cary. It showed that, while you can still grieve and miss what you had, but also look forward toward the future and know that it’ll be okay.

I knew going into this I was going to love it. I mean, come on, it’s Julian Winters! I’ve not only loved every single book I’ve read of his, but there’s something so special about his writing. It flows nice, it’s easy to follow, and his characters leave an impact on you.

(As a fellow Georgia resident, seeing Macon being brought up for a moment had me gasp)

I will never miss a Julian Winters release, and I’m so glad NetGalley and publishers let me read this precious release. You can preorder anywhere you can buy books anddddd it comes out Aug 4!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[autumn ༊*·˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

find my way down to you was such a beautiful story about grief, healing, & learning how to move forward without letting go of the people you've loved.
i went into this one expecting an emotional journey & it absolutely delivered 😭

the underworld setting was vivid without feeling overwhelming, & i loved how the story balanced heavier themes with moments of hope.

august's journey felt incredibly heartfelt, but what really kept me turning the pages was the romance. the connection between the characters developed in a way that felt natural & gave me plenty of reasons to root for them!

this is the kind of book that reminds you love doesn't always look the way you expect it to, & sometimes finding your way forward means opening your heart to something new.

if you're looking for a story filled with emotion, romance, & a touch of fantasy magic, definitely add this one to your tbr ✨

[Mesha E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woooooo!!!! The tears!!!!! My heart!!!!! These characters!!!! I love then so much. SOOOOOOOO MANY CHARACTERS TO LOVE. I appreciate being abke to extend who I care about beyond the main characters. The amount of characters in this book is just so many. Fmaily, friends, and co-workers are all easy to love.

Nothing makes me happier in a book than when you get everything you need from an ending of a book. This book was so incredibly written that the ending makes your heart so full!! I hate being left with having to make up my own happy ending, this book gave me allllllll I needed to be settled with the life of August Clarke.

This book was an incredible experience. Reading was all consuming. It was hard to stop once you truly start reading it. You are sucked into it and you feel everything. An awesomely, amazing, wonderful, read!!

[Candace Mahieu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grief is a deeply personal journey, and dealing with loss takes on many different shapes. August's loss of his boyfriend (London) consumed his whole life, burdened by survivor's guilt, the feeling that he caused the accident, and paralyzed by indecision for his life. There's no set timeline for when grief eases; it truly comes and goes in waves. I think Winters did an amazing job capturing this throughout the story. It felt genuine and relatable. The magical aspects of this story were, for lack of a better word, magical. The underworld stood in stark contrast to August's life and emotions, where he held so much back. Everything felt more vibrant and alive, especially with Cary, a ferrier of souls. I enjoyed seeing how he played a roll in August’s struggle to become true to himself. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Viking Books for Young Readers for the ARC!

[Ashley von B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow I loved this so much. I was drawn in by the cover and not disappointed.

I adore a book where characters have to face Death or make deals with beings greater than themselves. And August gave me everything I could want.

It’s a beautiful depiction of how August deals with grief and loneliness and longing. I loved how we got chapters from before and after. And I absolutely loved Cary.

There is spice. So certainly aimed at a higher level YA, but it’s not terribly graphic by any means. I thought it was actually really lovely and done in a very soft, romantic way.

The ending?? Oufff. As I was nearing the end I was like ‘wow good for me for not crying’ NOT. That epilogue got me. Got me good.

Thank you thank you thank you to Penguin Teen and Julian Winters for this ARC. This one’s gonna stick with me.

[Reading_seas0n · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this graphic novel. I am a part of the Penguin Teen Influencer program but I can happily say I will also give my honest opinion and I honestly enjoyed this!

Oh this definitely made me sit in my feelings!
We start with August still recovering (years later because grief & loss isn't linear) from the death of his boyfriend and barely living his life. Until he witnesses a death and gives him a glimpse into the underworld/afterworld and makes him realize he could see his boyfriend again. All he has to is deal with the cute but annoying ferryman.
August's grief and loss is truly a heartbreaking time and this story really moved me. His journey will recovery and relearning to love his own life and move on was so sweet.

[Jyanx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC through Net Galley. No promise of a positive review was given or expected.

I really enjoyed this book. It felt like a fresh take on the mythology of gods and the underworld. The characters felt compelling, and even though I found myself frusted by them at times, it felt honest to the trauma that they had experienced, and their respective ages. What really stuck out to me was the writing style. I loved the author's way with words, and how much life it brought to the story. The plot was well developed, and I was pleasantly surprised that my expectations for the ending were subverted in a much more interesting way than I expected. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Yulieth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find My Way Down to You was such an easy, wholesome read. I don’t usually love YA or fantasy, but this had me hooked from the start. August and Cary were so sweet and had me smiling. I got attached to them which doesn’t happen often. Even the side characters were fun to read about and I loved their personalities. The world and fantasy elements were so cool without being to much and the cover is absolutely stunning! The ending was not what i expected and I wasn’t sure how I felt at first but I ended up loving how it came together in the end. Overall it was such a good read and I enjoyed it so much!

Thank you NetGalley, Viking Books, Penguin and Julian Winters for this eARC.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! I was so excited to get approved for this one, I immediately fell in love with the cover!

I loved the exploration of grief in this book. August’s experience resonated for me as I’ve experienced other family members moving on from a death that was still dramatically affecting me. The discussion of every part of his town and parents’ house having memories of London was especially evocative. I love a grumpy/sunshine trope and I felt the chemistry between August and Cary. The cover is incredibly beautiful and I found all the descriptions of the underworld very interesting.

[Courtney Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Viking Books for the arc of this fun YA novel from one of my favorite authors!

Cry Rating: Level 1 (misty)

This was such a poignant story of grief and what it means to live beyond it. After tragically losing his boyfriend and teenage love London, August finds himself in the underworld with the Deathless. The Deathless beings don’t understand how a mortal soul is able to cross the bridge, but during his time between worlds August learns to live with the grief of losing London and how to have a fulfilling life despite it. Along the way, he also finds himself falling for the immortal ferrier, Cary forcing him to make a life altering choice.

[Renee DeMoranville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good book I read it in one day. There was a true depiction of grief. The whole time I could feel Auggie’s struggle dealing with the loss of London. It was a nice mix of fantasy and realism. I cried but it was a good cry. This book really made me actually feel better at the end. I would give it 5 stars but I wanted more and felt the ending was just slightly rushed. Maybe I just didn’t want the story to end.

Loved it and highly recommend.

[Caitlyn Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just a pleasure to read. It’s everything love about YA romance; sweet yearning while navigating the most difficult parts of life for the first time. The only reason it didn’t get 5 stars for me was for a couple of unresolved pieces that didn’t feel purposeful, just left out. I can’t wait to read more from this author, though!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy!

[Beth Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julian is such a great romance writer and this was my first book I read in his YA collection. I know this book will be highly successful when it’s published! Think Persephone, but with a queer young adult (August) struggling in life after losing his first love in an accident. August’s journey to find his way out of grief is ethereal and aided by Cary, who keeps reappearing in his life unexpectedly. Loved this so much!

[yarnandprose · Rating 4 out of 5]

August Clarke is frozen in time in Find My Way Down To You. He cannot move on from a fatal accident involving his first love. He meets a frustratingly attractive boy named Cary while mired in his grief. They discover hope and acceptance through each other as the story progresses.

The author’s writing is beautiful, sweet, and descriptive. I was rooting for August to find his way through his sadness. The weaving of myths with daily life is enchanting.

The characters are teenagers and the author expertly expresses their actions and motivations. There were times August’s self-pity was too whiny and Cary’s refusal to communicate was frustrating. This was written for a young adult audience and it conveys that message very well.

At its roots Find My Way Down To You is sweet boy-love romance. It is an easy and quick read for any fan of the genre.

*** My sincere thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. ***

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book so beautifully portrays how grief can affect someone’s whole being. The heavy weight that grief puts on people is weaved into a dazzling and magically underworld. I loved how the author was able to communicate how the people around someone grieving can also be affected. I was crying at the end but it was so so satisfying

[Amanda Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is such beauty in the grief of the main character. Years after the loss of his boyfriend in a tragic accident, he struggles to move on, but learns more about himself along the way. Tragically beautiful. Highly recommend.