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Find My Way Down to You
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.
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.
Audible Audio
First published August 4, 2026
About the author
Julian Winters
23 books1,337 followersJulian Winters is the bestselling and award-winning author of acclaimed novels, including Running With Lions, a IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award winner; Right Where I Left You, a Georgia Peach Award nominee; as well as adult romances, I Think They Love You and Last First Kiss, a USA Today Bestseller. A self-proclaimed comic book geek, Julian currently lives outside of Atlanta where he can be found swooning over rom-coms or watching the only two sports he can follow—volleyball and soccer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
August 23, 2026
♫₊˚.✩｡ After the death of his boyfriend, eighteen-year-old August doesn’t know how to live without his grief and guilt. Waking up is a chore, and doing the bare minimum of staying alive is hard enough. Nothing excites him anymore because nothing matters without his boyfriend. But when August meets Cary, a mysterious boy who talks like he’s from a different time period and follows him one night to find out exactly who or what he is, he ends up in the Underworld. Realizing that this is his chance to talk to his first love, August tries to befriend the broody but gorgeous ferrier of souls as he shows him around. But as they spend more time together, August’s intentions aren’t as clear as they used to be. Is he really spending more time in the Underworld to find his boyfriend and escape the world above, or is it to be near Cary and learn to move on?
──── ୨୧ ────
〖 ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: Orbiter by Noah Kahan 〗
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺ 1:26 ───ㅇ───── 4:47
♫₊˚.✩｡ Can we take a moment and appreciate how pretty the cover is? I mean, I can’t stop staring at it! It’s one of the things that drew me to the book. 🤭😍
Okay, onto the review.
I don’t know what it is about stories with souls or ghosts or anything otherworldly that visits our world, but they just hit different for me. And this one was no exception. I absolutely loved the parts where August and Cary were in the Underworld or were just together, honestly. Cary was probably my favorite. I love it when characters that aren’t from this world or aren’t human learn how to be human and fall in love with humanity. Do I think we’re as great as they think we are? Eh, not really. But I can see the appeal when we’re on our best behavior. 😉
I just wish the entire book was as good as the parts where Cary and August were together. I don’t know why I found the parts where August was back on Earth kinda boring. Him navigating his grief and trying to move on was interesting, and I really felt for him and wanted to hug him because it hurts so, so much when you lose a loved one, but those parts just dragged for me. And I didn't connect with August. I think that’s the main problem I had with the story. I couldn’t connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. I cared for them, sure, but it all felt surface-level for me, even with the grief and loss aspect of the story.
But the end? Yeah, that made me tear up. That was perfection. 10/10. Chef’s kiss. No notes.
I also really liked the writing. It was very lyrical and beautiful, but is it possible that you can have too much beautiful writing? 🤔 Because I feel like this had too much purple prose. But it’s fine. I can overlook that.
And the romance between Cary and August was cute. As I said, I thought they were great together, and I was just waiting for them to accept the feelings they had for each other and say something already. 😂
Overall, this was a sweet book, and I ended up enjoying my first m/m romance. 💜
♬ Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. ♬
《 Content Warnings 》
Loss of a loved one, grief, trauma, and blood.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Fade-to-black/Closed-door (🌶🌶/5)
──── ୨୧ ────
〖 ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: Orbiter by Noah Kahan 〗
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺ 1:26 ───ㅇ───── 4:47
♫₊˚.✩｡ Can we take a moment and appreciate how pretty the cover is? I mean, I can’t stop staring at it! It’s one of the things that drew me to the book. 🤭😍
Okay, onto the review.
I don’t know what it is about stories with souls or ghosts or anything otherworldly that visits our world, but they just hit different for me. And this one was no exception. I absolutely loved the parts where August and Cary were in the Underworld or were just together, honestly. Cary was probably my favorite. I love it when characters that aren’t from this world or aren’t human learn how to be human and fall in love with humanity. Do I think we’re as great as they think we are? Eh, not really. But I can see the appeal when we’re on our best behavior. 😉
I just wish the entire book was as good as the parts where Cary and August were together. I don’t know why I found the parts where August was back on Earth kinda boring. Him navigating his grief and trying to move on was interesting, and I really felt for him and wanted to hug him because it hurts so, so much when you lose a loved one, but those parts just dragged for me. And I didn't connect with August. I think that’s the main problem I had with the story. I couldn’t connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. I cared for them, sure, but it all felt surface-level for me, even with the grief and loss aspect of the story.
But the end? Yeah, that made me tear up. That was perfection. 10/10. Chef’s kiss. No notes.
I also really liked the writing. It was very lyrical and beautiful, but is it possible that you can have too much beautiful writing? 🤔 Because I feel like this had too much purple prose. But it’s fine. I can overlook that.
And the romance between Cary and August was cute. As I said, I thought they were great together, and I was just waiting for them to accept the feelings they had for each other and say something already. 😂
Overall, this was a sweet book, and I ended up enjoying my first m/m romance. 💜
♬ Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. ♬
《 Content Warnings 》
Loss of a loved one, grief, trauma, and blood.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Fade-to-black/Closed-door (🌶🌶/5)
February 14, 2026
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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”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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September 2, 2026
—꒰ ✉️ ꒱ 3.5 stars
i had so much fun reading this! just felt it was teeny tiny bit lackluster. 💖
i had so much fun reading this! just felt it was teeny tiny bit lackluster. 💖
2026
March 12, 2026Black History Month TBR
Pride TBR
Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers
Pride TBR
Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers
August 23, 2026
What can I even say about this book? I received an ARC, and now that the book is already out, I’m honestly kicking myself for not reading it sooner. But at the same time, I genuinely feel like I read it exactly when I needed it most. 🤍
I absolutely LOVED this story.
As you know, I don’t like giving spoilers in my reviews, so I’m going to keep this as vague as possible. This book explores grief, second chances, forgiveness, love, loss, and learning how to move forward, among so many other things. One of my favorite aspects was the way the story plays with the connection between the world of the living and the world of the dead—and that’s literally all I’m going to say about that. 👀
The romance was beautiful, emotional, and incredibly heartfelt. There’s no spice, and honestly? It didn’t need it AT ALL. The emotional connection between the characters carried this story completely.
This book made me FEEL. 🥹 I smiled, I hurt, I hoped, I reflected… I went through so many different emotions while reading it. There was something incredibly comforting about this story, even while it dealt with heavier topics. By the end, I just felt… full. It genuinely filled my heart.
I also loved the writing. From beginning to end, I was completely invested. There wasn’t a single moment where I felt bored or wanted the story to move faster. Everything felt intentional, beautifully written, and emotionally satisfying.
And now I desperately need a physical copy because there are SO MANY quotes I want to go back and highlight, annotate, and probably stare at dramatically. 😂
This was such a beautiful reading experience, and I already know I need to read more from this author.
Rating: 5 ⭐️
I absolutely LOVED this story.
As you know, I don’t like giving spoilers in my reviews, so I’m going to keep this as vague as possible. This book explores grief, second chances, forgiveness, love, loss, and learning how to move forward, among so many other things. One of my favorite aspects was the way the story plays with the connection between the world of the living and the world of the dead—and that’s literally all I’m going to say about that. 👀
The romance was beautiful, emotional, and incredibly heartfelt. There’s no spice, and honestly? It didn’t need it AT ALL. The emotional connection between the characters carried this story completely.
This book made me FEEL. 🥹 I smiled, I hurt, I hoped, I reflected… I went through so many different emotions while reading it. There was something incredibly comforting about this story, even while it dealt with heavier topics. By the end, I just felt… full. It genuinely filled my heart.
I also loved the writing. From beginning to end, I was completely invested. There wasn’t a single moment where I felt bored or wanted the story to move faster. Everything felt intentional, beautifully written, and emotionally satisfying.
And now I desperately need a physical copy because there are SO MANY quotes I want to go back and highlight, annotate, and probably stare at dramatically. 😂
This was such a beautiful reading experience, and I already know I need to read more from this author.
Rating: 5 ⭐️
August 8, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m starting to think I might just not be the target audience for this book. It felt a little too young for me, and I struggled to connect with the characters and their relationships.
I never really felt the closeness between August and his boyfriend, and I couldn’t quite buy his relationship with Cary either. I wanted to feel more of an emotional connection there, but unfortunately, it never clicked for me.
The idea of immortals and the afterlife is definitely intriguing, but I felt like the concept wasn’t developed as well as it could have been. There’s a lot of focus on trauma, grief, loss, and the process of mourning, but the way August experiences and deals with all of it felt a bit too YA for me.
The book was an easy read in some places, but at other times it felt quite slow and repetitive. Some things were explained and revisited over and over again, which made the story drag for me.
I think this is simply a case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” 😂 This might be a great book for the right reader, but unfortunately, I don’t think I was that reader. 🤷🏻♀️
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
🖤 Grief & Loss
🌌 Supernatural Elements
💔 Love After Loss
🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ Romance
❤️🩹 Emotional Healing
🔮 Life After Death
🫂 Finding Closure
I’m starting to think I might just not be the target audience for this book. It felt a little too young for me, and I struggled to connect with the characters and their relationships.
I never really felt the closeness between August and his boyfriend, and I couldn’t quite buy his relationship with Cary either. I wanted to feel more of an emotional connection there, but unfortunately, it never clicked for me.
The idea of immortals and the afterlife is definitely intriguing, but I felt like the concept wasn’t developed as well as it could have been. There’s a lot of focus on trauma, grief, loss, and the process of mourning, but the way August experiences and deals with all of it felt a bit too YA for me.
The book was an easy read in some places, but at other times it felt quite slow and repetitive. Some things were explained and revisited over and over again, which made the story drag for me.
I think this is simply a case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” 😂 This might be a great book for the right reader, but unfortunately, I don’t think I was that reader. 🤷🏻♀️
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
🖤 Grief & Loss
🌌 Supernatural Elements
💔 Love After Loss
🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ Romance
❤️🩹 Emotional Healing
🔮 Life After Death
🫂 Finding Closure
July 17, 2026
Thank you @penguinteen for the advanced copy to review - and to @wintersjulian for writing my new favorite book of his. Hands down, this is Julian’s best work yet. I read it in two sittings, and I had to stop myself simply because I was crying too much to see clearly.
The way that Julian describes grief in this book has me on my knees, the way that those who have suffered unimaginable loss can understand so deeply. It’s an ache that never goes away. Feeling like a phantom limb. The smallest thing can make you feel like you’re drowning. And through August, we see all of this after the loss of his boyfriend. The blame. How he wishes it could have been him. Even after all that time. My heart ached for him.
This book was not all sad, not at all. In fact, I absolutely *loved* our broody boy to the underworld Cary and his friend Henri. They were so much fun together and I would read a book about Henri (JUST SAYING JULIAN).
I loved how the relationship between Cary and August grew throughout the book. They had to learn to really trust each other, and I wondered about Cary (and being proven right by the end) had me sobbing yet again. I was a *mess* throughout the epilogue. So many happy happy tears.
The way that Julian describes grief in this book has me on my knees, the way that those who have suffered unimaginable loss can understand so deeply. It’s an ache that never goes away. Feeling like a phantom limb. The smallest thing can make you feel like you’re drowning. And through August, we see all of this after the loss of his boyfriend. The blame. How he wishes it could have been him. Even after all that time. My heart ached for him.
This book was not all sad, not at all. In fact, I absolutely *loved* our broody boy to the underworld Cary and his friend Henri. They were so much fun together and I would read a book about Henri (JUST SAYING JULIAN).
I loved how the relationship between Cary and August grew throughout the book. They had to learn to really trust each other, and I wondered about Cary (and being proven right by the end) had me sobbing yet again. I was a *mess* throughout the epilogue. So many happy happy tears.
March 17, 2026
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.
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.
May 15, 2026
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.
Did Not Finish
May 25, 2026ARC 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.
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.
August 5, 2026
It's been two years since August's boyfriend died in a tragic car accident. In the meantime, he's still struggling with overwhelming grief, lethargy, and guilt.
August meets a mysterious boy named Cary, following him to a doorway to the underworld. There, he seizes the opportunity to search for his lost love. He embarks on a journey that teaches him a new perspective and helps him heal.
☁️Upper Young Adult Fiction
✨M/M Fantasy Romance
☁️Underworld Journey
✨Grief & Lost Love
☁️Inspired by Greek Mythology
✨Moving Forward
'Find My Way Down to You' is a heavy exploration of grief's physical and psychological tolls. With that in mind, this might be difficult to read if you aren't in the right headspace.
This story is told from August's perspective in the present with flashbacks to the past. His personality is hard to define because he's shrouded by grief, pain, and anger.
Here, the underworld is a strange, dreamlike place. It wasn't the dark wasteland that I was expecting (given that Hadestown was listed as a comparable). While there, August is being asked to choose between living in his grief forever (aka staying in the underworld) or choosing to have a future.
This book is mostly about August grappling with his feelings. It could’ve used a little extra conflict or something else to raise the stakes. August and Cary also don't have much of a connection (romance wasn’t really the point anyway). But throughout, it has some beautiful messaging about the privilege of being loved.
August meets a mysterious boy named Cary, following him to a doorway to the underworld. There, he seizes the opportunity to search for his lost love. He embarks on a journey that teaches him a new perspective and helps him heal.
☁️Upper Young Adult Fiction
✨M/M Fantasy Romance
☁️Underworld Journey
✨Grief & Lost Love
☁️Inspired by Greek Mythology
✨Moving Forward
'Find My Way Down to You' is a heavy exploration of grief's physical and psychological tolls. With that in mind, this might be difficult to read if you aren't in the right headspace.
This story is told from August's perspective in the present with flashbacks to the past. His personality is hard to define because he's shrouded by grief, pain, and anger.
Here, the underworld is a strange, dreamlike place. It wasn't the dark wasteland that I was expecting (given that Hadestown was listed as a comparable). While there, August is being asked to choose between living in his grief forever (aka staying in the underworld) or choosing to have a future.
This book is mostly about August grappling with his feelings. It could’ve used a little extra conflict or something else to raise the stakes. August and Cary also don't have much of a connection (romance wasn’t really the point anyway). But throughout, it has some beautiful messaging about the privilege of being loved.
Read
August 23, 2026I finally had a chance to sit down and read the last half of this book in one sitting and omg it was so good why did I wait so long to read this novel? Find my way down to you by Julian Winters is a ya contemporary with fantasy elements and kind of reminded me of Percy Jackson series! I'm criuous too see if there is a sequel coming to this because I really enjoyed all the characters we met, and the ending was a really good one and had me almost sobbing! So many beautiful quotes and I seriously can't wait to talk to Julian on Tuesday for my author interview over on my isntagram page!!
Five out of five stars thank you to penguin teen for giving me an arc of this one when I was at yallwest this year!!!
Five out of five stars thank you to penguin teen for giving me an arc of this one when I was at yallwest this year!!!
August 28, 2026
4.5/5 Find my Way Down To You by Julian Winters is a queer YA romance across the mortal world and the underworld. It's also about a boy going through grief and learning to live again.
Beautifully written, the book makes you care deeply about its characters and takes you through every emotion imaginable. It’s tender, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful. I think I'll be thinking about this story for a while...
Beautifully written, the book makes you care deeply about its characters and takes you through every emotion imaginable. It’s tender, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful. I think I'll be thinking about this story for a while...
August 6, 2026
Emotional story of grief and love!
"He loves Cary. And Cary loves him. Together, they are myths made to be recited in song and stars."
I'm always in awe of young adult authors and the way they take the most painful emotions and write such beautiful stories with them. Julian Winters makes August's journey through grief and healing so relatable that every moment of his pain was mine, and his sadness and heartbreak made me cry. But at the same time his healing, his love, his joy became my own too. My heart mended itself alongside his, his laughter brought a smile to my face and I felt his love as deeply as he did.
Find My Way Down to You is a beautiful exploration of loss and grief, and eventually, healing. August is deep in his grief when we meet him. He's barley living and just goes through the motions every day. But when he's suddenly drawn into the underworld, it gives him hope. Hope that he gets to see his love again, and hope that he gets to apologize for a loss that he thinks is his fault.
This book captures the feeling of a sudden loss, a loss that gives you no time to say goodbye, in such a real way. The way August's guilt combined with his grief made everything feel so heavy. The way eventually dealing with his grief and moving on brings its own sense of loss. I loved how this story built upon itself and took us through every part of that process and made it feel so relatable. I was right there with Auggie for every step of the way and I cried buckets of tears as he went on his journey.
I also loved how the fantasy aspects were subtly woven into the story. Everyone in the underworld played an important role, but no one more than Cary. He goes through his own journey in this book, but he also plays the biggest part in Auggie's. These are two lost boys who find a love bigger than they expected in the moment they needed it most. Seeing them find happiness with each other brought a different kind of tears to my eyes and left me feeling so hopeful.
This book is magical and emotional, and really cathartic in ways. The characters were endearing and so relatable. Julian Winters has written an amazing story that breaks you down but also lifts you back up. Every tear I shed was so worth getting to go on this journey alongside Auggie and Cary. I just loved every second of it!
“Grief needs to be felt,” he says. “It is not a burden. It is a reminder. You were given the choice to love. To be loved. And you took it. You let it grow and become bigger than even you imagined.”
"He loves Cary. And Cary loves him. Together, they are myths made to be recited in song and stars."
I'm always in awe of young adult authors and the way they take the most painful emotions and write such beautiful stories with them. Julian Winters makes August's journey through grief and healing so relatable that every moment of his pain was mine, and his sadness and heartbreak made me cry. But at the same time his healing, his love, his joy became my own too. My heart mended itself alongside his, his laughter brought a smile to my face and I felt his love as deeply as he did.
Find My Way Down to You is a beautiful exploration of loss and grief, and eventually, healing. August is deep in his grief when we meet him. He's barley living and just goes through the motions every day. But when he's suddenly drawn into the underworld, it gives him hope. Hope that he gets to see his love again, and hope that he gets to apologize for a loss that he thinks is his fault.
This book captures the feeling of a sudden loss, a loss that gives you no time to say goodbye, in such a real way. The way August's guilt combined with his grief made everything feel so heavy. The way eventually dealing with his grief and moving on brings its own sense of loss. I loved how this story built upon itself and took us through every part of that process and made it feel so relatable. I was right there with Auggie for every step of the way and I cried buckets of tears as he went on his journey.
I also loved how the fantasy aspects were subtly woven into the story. Everyone in the underworld played an important role, but no one more than Cary. He goes through his own journey in this book, but he also plays the biggest part in Auggie's. These are two lost boys who find a love bigger than they expected in the moment they needed it most. Seeing them find happiness with each other brought a different kind of tears to my eyes and left me feeling so hopeful.
This book is magical and emotional, and really cathartic in ways. The characters were endearing and so relatable. Julian Winters has written an amazing story that breaks you down but also lifts you back up. Every tear I shed was so worth getting to go on this journey alongside Auggie and Cary. I just loved every second of it!
“Grief needs to be felt,” he says. “It is not a burden. It is a reminder. You were given the choice to love. To be loved. And you took it. You let it grow and become bigger than even you imagined.”
October 16, 2026
Thank you Penguin for the ARC of this book. I'm sorry it took me so long to read it. I waited to pair it with the audio and I was NOT disappointed.
I was so charmed by this book. At it's heart, it's about grief. And loss. And how you move forward. It's a YA book but the themes are not treated with flippancy. Grief and love are both handled with care and passion.
“𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬. “𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞. 𝐓𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐭. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝.”
𝐌𝐲 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤.
𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲, 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬, “𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭, 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭.”
After a car accident takes August's boyfriend London and spares him, he starts seeing the ferryman of souls - Cary.
When August accidentally follows Cary into the underworld, he decides to try and find London, to tell him the things he never got to in life. But of course, it's not that simple. And the characters we meet along the way are conflicting, enchanting, and entertaining.
“𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭.”
Cary is quiet and thoughtful and because of August he starts looking at the souls he ferry's in a different way.
August is full of grief but also full of life. He way he moves when he's making sense of things, to his love of music. Cary tempts him to love again. Cary makes him see death in a new way.
Their relationship grows slowly and I loved how tender Cary was with August. August not knowing if he can love someone after loss and Cary not knowing if he CAN love someone as he's not mortal.
“𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬. “𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰.” 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞. “𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩.”
It's a beautiful story and as I am coming to terms with my own grief, I was struck by some of the most poignant passages that made me feel seen, understood, and not rushed in it. I think other readers will be struck by the honesty and vulnerability in the authors words, and give themselves permission to grieve as they need to.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟. 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞. 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐧. 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐥. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.
Highly recommend. I loved it.
I was so charmed by this book. At it's heart, it's about grief. And loss. And how you move forward. It's a YA book but the themes are not treated with flippancy. Grief and love are both handled with care and passion.
“𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬. “𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞. 𝐓𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐭. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝.”
𝐌𝐲 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤.
𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲, 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬, “𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭, 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭.”
After a car accident takes August's boyfriend London and spares him, he starts seeing the ferryman of souls - Cary.
When August accidentally follows Cary into the underworld, he decides to try and find London, to tell him the things he never got to in life. But of course, it's not that simple. And the characters we meet along the way are conflicting, enchanting, and entertaining.
“𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭.”
Cary is quiet and thoughtful and because of August he starts looking at the souls he ferry's in a different way.
August is full of grief but also full of life. He way he moves when he's making sense of things, to his love of music. Cary tempts him to love again. Cary makes him see death in a new way.
Their relationship grows slowly and I loved how tender Cary was with August. August not knowing if he can love someone after loss and Cary not knowing if he CAN love someone as he's not mortal.
“𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬. “𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰.” 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞. “𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩.”
It's a beautiful story and as I am coming to terms with my own grief, I was struck by some of the most poignant passages that made me feel seen, understood, and not rushed in it. I think other readers will be struck by the honesty and vulnerability in the authors words, and give themselves permission to grieve as they need to.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟. 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞. 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐧. 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐥. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.
Highly recommend. I loved it.
September 5, 2026
'Find My Way Down To You' by Julian Winters
(Kindle)
September 2026
"Ye gods & little fishes!" This book blew me right out of the water, it was SO good! What an absolutely amazing journey to follow as these young people navigate the complex worlds of Life & Death & Grief & Everything Else.
Wow! My mind is officially boggled!
I also appreciated the author's follow-up about his personal journey with grief and how it took him a number of years to be able to write this tale. Blessings for having the courage to share your feelings ❣️🌺
I so much love this book; it's definitely a keeper!
I won't bore any of you with a play-by-play, just saying "Read this book!" (grin)
Loved the ending, loved the entwining of various mythologies and spiritual viewpoints throughout the storyline!
I believe that life is a lot more complex than we humans can even begin to understand, and no one has all the answers.
(and don't let anyone "gaslight" you about this)
Walk your own journey, hopefully with the support of families, friends, lovers & other strangers...maybe sometimes we walk part of our paths alone, and maybe we need to... just to get a clearer perspective of where to go and what to do next after a traumatic experience.
Open up those big beautiful brains and hearts and experience the flow of life around & through you, because even when you least feel it or see it, it's still there.
Just like Cary showed August, who was struggling with his grief...sometimes what you need is a friend to talk with, to let you know it's ok to feel sad, or angry, or useless, or clueless, or lonely, etc. You're not bound to someone else's timeline of how long is "appropriate" to grieve...screw that BS! You are on your own timeline. And if anyone tries to convince you otherwise, tell them to "Take a long walk off a short pier!" (grin).
(yeah, yeah...preachin' to the choir ... yada, yada, yada, but it's a truth)
Blessings to the author for having the courage to write his feelings into this amazing book!
(I'd give it 100 stars...if I could figure out how to!)
Two thumbs up! 👍👍🌺💗
(Kindle)
September 2026
"Ye gods & little fishes!" This book blew me right out of the water, it was SO good! What an absolutely amazing journey to follow as these young people navigate the complex worlds of Life & Death & Grief & Everything Else.
Wow! My mind is officially boggled!
I also appreciated the author's follow-up about his personal journey with grief and how it took him a number of years to be able to write this tale. Blessings for having the courage to share your feelings ❣️🌺
I so much love this book; it's definitely a keeper!
I won't bore any of you with a play-by-play, just saying "Read this book!" (grin)
Loved the ending, loved the entwining of various mythologies and spiritual viewpoints throughout the storyline!
I believe that life is a lot more complex than we humans can even begin to understand, and no one has all the answers.
(and don't let anyone "gaslight" you about this)
Walk your own journey, hopefully with the support of families, friends, lovers & other strangers...maybe sometimes we walk part of our paths alone, and maybe we need to... just to get a clearer perspective of where to go and what to do next after a traumatic experience.
Open up those big beautiful brains and hearts and experience the flow of life around & through you, because even when you least feel it or see it, it's still there.
Just like Cary showed August, who was struggling with his grief...sometimes what you need is a friend to talk with, to let you know it's ok to feel sad, or angry, or useless, or clueless, or lonely, etc. You're not bound to someone else's timeline of how long is "appropriate" to grieve...screw that BS! You are on your own timeline. And if anyone tries to convince you otherwise, tell them to "Take a long walk off a short pier!" (grin).
(yeah, yeah...preachin' to the choir ... yada, yada, yada, but it's a truth)
Blessings to the author for having the courage to write his feelings into this amazing book!
(I'd give it 100 stars...if I could figure out how to!)
Two thumbs up! 👍👍🌺💗
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2026
What a stunning book. I knew at 15% this book would make me cry and I was not wrong. Poetic, ethereal, sad, unique, beautiful. Winters is not only really funny in his adult contemporary romcoms, but he is a great writer when evoking atmosphere and worlds. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it caught me by surprise and I absolutely loved it.
August is stuck in grief having caused the car accident that killed his boyfriend London 2 years ago. He is feeling lost and having a hard time moving on. He accidentally falls into another world and meets the cold, immortal ferrier of souls Cary, along with the other Deathless immortal characters. August becomes desperate to find London’s soul, talk to him and maybe get some closure, but keeps all of these feelings bottled up inside. This sets up a fascinating premise, a magical underworld, and an enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract scenario. So many fantastical and wonderful things happen which I won’t mention here, but I was continuously surprised by the twists and turns and beauty of this story.
The way Julian writes about grief is so spot on, you can really feel what August is going through. The waves of grief that hit you when you least expect it. How you want to hold on to the sad feelings because it's a way of holding on to the person who died. How angry and lost you feel. Ugh. For me the only other authors who have written about loss in such a true way are Alexis Hall in the Spires series, and Tracy Deonn in Legendborn. And if you’ve read those, you may know what vibes to expect. But Find My Way Down to You is its own unique story, and a moving tribute to love, loss and hope. This one will stay with me for a while.
*Thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Teen for the ARC*
August is stuck in grief having caused the car accident that killed his boyfriend London 2 years ago. He is feeling lost and having a hard time moving on. He accidentally falls into another world and meets the cold, immortal ferrier of souls Cary, along with the other Deathless immortal characters. August becomes desperate to find London’s soul, talk to him and maybe get some closure, but keeps all of these feelings bottled up inside. This sets up a fascinating premise, a magical underworld, and an enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract scenario. So many fantastical and wonderful things happen which I won’t mention here, but I was continuously surprised by the twists and turns and beauty of this story.
The way Julian writes about grief is so spot on, you can really feel what August is going through. The waves of grief that hit you when you least expect it. How you want to hold on to the sad feelings because it's a way of holding on to the person who died. How angry and lost you feel. Ugh. For me the only other authors who have written about loss in such a true way are Alexis Hall in the Spires series, and Tracy Deonn in Legendborn. And if you’ve read those, you may know what vibes to expect. But Find My Way Down to You is its own unique story, and a moving tribute to love, loss and hope. This one will stay with me for a while.
*Thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Teen for the ARC*
October 3, 2026
Sometimes the hardest journey isn’t finding your way to someone you lost, it's finding your way back to yourself. 🖤✨
Find My Way Down to You by Julian Winters pulled me into a beautifully emotional story about grief, guilt, first love, and the terrifying possibility of moving forward when part of you desperately wants to stay behind.
Eighteen-year-old August is still trying to exist in the aftermath of his boyfriend’s sudden death. Devastated and carrying a crushing sense of guilt, he feels suspended in a gray version of his life. Then, almost impossibly, August stumbles into the Underworld and suddenly, the impossible feels within reach. If his lost love is somewhere beyond this world, maybe August can find him.
But the Underworld isn’t what he expected. It’s extravagant, mysterious, intoxicating, and filled with charismatic gods including Cary, the brooding ferrier of souls who becomes increasingly difficult for August to ignore.
What stayed with me most was the way this story explores the complicated reality of grief. August’s longing felt raw and deeply human, especially the way love, guilt, hope, and desperation can become tangled together when you’re not ready to let someone go. I found myself thinking about how sometimes we cling to what we’ve lost because moving forward can feel almost like leaving that person behind.
The mythology and lavish Underworld setting added a captivating layer to the story, but for me, the heart of the book was always August’s emotional journey. His struggle to understand what he truly wants and whether healing means forgetting gave the story an evocative, bittersweet quality that lingered after I finished reading.
Thank you to StoryGram Tours, Penguin Teen, and Julian Winters for sharing Find My Way Down to You with me. 💜
Find My Way Down to You by Julian Winters pulled me into a beautifully emotional story about grief, guilt, first love, and the terrifying possibility of moving forward when part of you desperately wants to stay behind.
Eighteen-year-old August is still trying to exist in the aftermath of his boyfriend’s sudden death. Devastated and carrying a crushing sense of guilt, he feels suspended in a gray version of his life. Then, almost impossibly, August stumbles into the Underworld and suddenly, the impossible feels within reach. If his lost love is somewhere beyond this world, maybe August can find him.
But the Underworld isn’t what he expected. It’s extravagant, mysterious, intoxicating, and filled with charismatic gods including Cary, the brooding ferrier of souls who becomes increasingly difficult for August to ignore.
What stayed with me most was the way this story explores the complicated reality of grief. August’s longing felt raw and deeply human, especially the way love, guilt, hope, and desperation can become tangled together when you’re not ready to let someone go. I found myself thinking about how sometimes we cling to what we’ve lost because moving forward can feel almost like leaving that person behind.
The mythology and lavish Underworld setting added a captivating layer to the story, but for me, the heart of the book was always August’s emotional journey. His struggle to understand what he truly wants and whether healing means forgetting gave the story an evocative, bittersweet quality that lingered after I finished reading.
Thank you to StoryGram Tours, Penguin Teen, and Julian Winters for sharing Find My Way Down to You with me. 💜
July 27, 2026
A boy learns how to deal with grief, and what better way to do it than to fall in love with the ferrier of souls?
August struggles so profoundly throughout the book; he's stuck in a pit with no real way to get out of it, not even through his support system that tries to reach out for him. It's poetic that the way he learns to move past is through Cary, someone who knows it so intimately and seeing every person's last moments.
I loved how it wrapped up and the closure August got felt so satisfying. Cary becomes so tender for August that I wished the two got to interact more in the book, because the way they contrasted each other & worked was so cute to watch.
I did occasionally feel a bit irked by August since he isolates and lashes out until the end, where he finally gets to make substantial progress in his grief. I wanted more room for his character development to breathe and to see a slow change over time because of Cary's influence.
The fantasy element with August at the end also felt irrelevant since it didn't have as much impact as I thought it'd have. August's story felt more touching before the reveal, since it grounded his character to be more relatable. Aside from introducing a late conflict, this detail about August felt sudden only to make up stakes on the spot.
This is a cute read though, and I think it'll connect well with anyone who's dealt with grief. It ends on a hopeful note and it filled my heart to read August's well earned conclusion.
August struggles so profoundly throughout the book; he's stuck in a pit with no real way to get out of it, not even through his support system that tries to reach out for him. It's poetic that the way he learns to move past is through Cary, someone who knows it so intimately and seeing every person's last moments.
I loved how it wrapped up and the closure August got felt so satisfying. Cary becomes so tender for August that I wished the two got to interact more in the book, because the way they contrasted each other & worked was so cute to watch.
I did occasionally feel a bit irked by August since he isolates and lashes out until the end, where he finally gets to make substantial progress in his grief. I wanted more room for his character development to breathe and to see a slow change over time because of Cary's influence.
The fantasy element with August at the end also felt irrelevant since it didn't have as much impact as I thought it'd have. August's story felt more touching before the reveal, since it grounded his character to be more relatable. Aside from introducing a late conflict, this detail about August felt sudden only to make up stakes on the spot.
This is a cute read though, and I think it'll connect well with anyone who's dealt with grief. It ends on a hopeful note and it filled my heart to read August's well earned conclusion.
July 26, 2026
Find My Way Down to You by Julian Winters is a beautiful, heartbreaking story that captures grief in its rawest form. Two years after losing his boyfriend, London, August is doing everything he can to keep moving forward but he's still struggling. When he encounters the mysterious Cary, a Ferrier of souls, and finds himself in another world, August is given the chance to confront his grief in ways he never expected.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the relationship between Cary and August. They start off as reluctant friends/allies while dealing with the other Deathless and their connection develops so naturally over time. There’s no rushed romance here. Just trust, communication, and genuine care. Cary's kindness and patience with August made their relationship incredibly rewarding to read.
The side characters were just as compelling. The other Deathless were fascinating, and I’m hoping the ending is setting up another book centered on one of them. There are also several twists throughout the story that kept me invested and eager to see what happened next.
This book was both beautiful and heartbreaking. Julian Winters writes grief so well and if you have followed him you know that this book holds a special place for him. Watching August come to terms with the loss of London and while not fully moving on, moving to a place where he can sit with his grief was a highlight of this book.
I can't recommend Find My Way Down to You enough, and honestly, I can't recommend Julian Winters' books enough. Every one I've read has been incredible, and this may be one of my favorites yet.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the relationship between Cary and August. They start off as reluctant friends/allies while dealing with the other Deathless and their connection develops so naturally over time. There’s no rushed romance here. Just trust, communication, and genuine care. Cary's kindness and patience with August made their relationship incredibly rewarding to read.
The side characters were just as compelling. The other Deathless were fascinating, and I’m hoping the ending is setting up another book centered on one of them. There are also several twists throughout the story that kept me invested and eager to see what happened next.
This book was both beautiful and heartbreaking. Julian Winters writes grief so well and if you have followed him you know that this book holds a special place for him. Watching August come to terms with the loss of London and while not fully moving on, moving to a place where he can sit with his grief was a highlight of this book.
I can't recommend Find My Way Down to You enough, and honestly, I can't recommend Julian Winters' books enough. Every one I've read has been incredible, and this may be one of my favorites yet.
August 5, 2026
5⭐️
i am drowning in my tears (some of them are happy!) 😭 this was stunningly beautiful. the way that Julian navigates grief is relatable in all of the messy and sad and angry ways. And navigating grief through the lens of an 18 year old boy.. there is so much to love here
I spent most of the book wishing I could crawl into the pages and give August a big warm hug. His guilt around London's death, his budding relationship with Cary, and all the messy tangled emotions that came with it. Some of my favorite moments of this book were the moments where Cary's soft side would come out to shine. There is a chapter where, for the first time, August witnesses the gentle and kind way that Cary approaches his job. When I tell you, I was full out sobbing through the entire chapter...
The rest of our merry band of characters also add so much body and life to this story. From August's parents and their gentle yet firm expectations, to August's friends who both want the best for him but also worry for him, to the chaotic band of Deathless in the Underworld.
Julian Winters is an absolute treat and I am so grateful for this book. It healed me in ways I didn't know I needed. If you are a fan of Hadestown or certain Greek myths (HadesXPersephone, Orpheus/Eurydice, Achilles/Patroclus), this is a must read.
i am drowning in my tears (some of them are happy!) 😭 this was stunningly beautiful. the way that Julian navigates grief is relatable in all of the messy and sad and angry ways. And navigating grief through the lens of an 18 year old boy.. there is so much to love here
I spent most of the book wishing I could crawl into the pages and give August a big warm hug. His guilt around London's death, his budding relationship with Cary, and all the messy tangled emotions that came with it. Some of my favorite moments of this book were the moments where Cary's soft side would come out to shine. There is a chapter where, for the first time, August witnesses the gentle and kind way that Cary approaches his job. When I tell you, I was full out sobbing through the entire chapter...
The rest of our merry band of characters also add so much body and life to this story. From August's parents and their gentle yet firm expectations, to August's friends who both want the best for him but also worry for him, to the chaotic band of Deathless in the Underworld.
Julian Winters is an absolute treat and I am so grateful for this book. It healed me in ways I didn't know I needed. If you are a fan of Hadestown or certain Greek myths (HadesXPersephone, Orpheus/Eurydice, Achilles/Patroclus), this is a must read.
August 5, 2026
A breathtaking, deeply emotional, and endlessly captivating journey through grief, loss, and love.
This was one of the most magnificent novels I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. A stark, palpable grief woven together with a richly crafted and alluring world of gods.
That combination of bewitching and super saturated fantasy underworld with the raw, unfiltered and often gut-wrenching reality of grief was inimitable. I was holding my breath and completely engrossed from the first to the last page. I felt like I was experiencing everything right alongside the characters. Characters that were layered, dynamic, and effortlessly lovable.
And in the end, on top of enthralling magic, mayhem, and the fickle hand of fate, you get unfathomable love, healing, the power of our own choices, and one exquisite romance. Seriously. A masterpiece.
What you’ll get:
•Achillean Romance
•The Underworld
•Ferrier of Souls
•Gods + Mythos
•Forbidden Love
•Second Chance
•Grief + Loss
•Fate •Healing
•Anxiety + Panic Attacks Rep
•Depression Rep
This was one of the most magnificent novels I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. A stark, palpable grief woven together with a richly crafted and alluring world of gods.
That combination of bewitching and super saturated fantasy underworld with the raw, unfiltered and often gut-wrenching reality of grief was inimitable. I was holding my breath and completely engrossed from the first to the last page. I felt like I was experiencing everything right alongside the characters. Characters that were layered, dynamic, and effortlessly lovable.
And in the end, on top of enthralling magic, mayhem, and the fickle hand of fate, you get unfathomable love, healing, the power of our own choices, and one exquisite romance. Seriously. A masterpiece.
What you’ll get:
•Achillean Romance
•The Underworld
•Ferrier of Souls
•Gods + Mythos
•Forbidden Love
•Second Chance
•Grief + Loss
•Fate •Healing
•Anxiety + Panic Attacks Rep
•Depression Rep
August 18, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. Find My Way Down to You follows August, an eighteen-year-old who is stuck in heavy grief and guilt after losing his boyfriend. His whole trajectory changes when he accidentally stumbles into the Underworld, a surprisingly vibrant realm filled with charismatic gods. August figures this might be his chance to find his ex and bring him back, so he teams up with Cary, the moody ferryman guiding souls. However, as they journey together, August starts catching strong feelings for Cary, leaving him torn between holding onto his past and stepping into a new romance.
I gave this a solid 4 stars because of how beautifully this young adult book dealt with grief. August's emotional journey feels grounded and real, capturing the weight of loss while still offering a hopeful path toward healing. The Underworld backdrop makes for a unique backdrop, but the heart of the story rests on how it handles heartbreak, letting go, and learning to love again.
I gave this a solid 4 stars because of how beautifully this young adult book dealt with grief. August's emotional journey feels grounded and real, capturing the weight of loss while still offering a hopeful path toward healing. The Underworld backdrop makes for a unique backdrop, but the heart of the story rests on how it handles heartbreak, letting go, and learning to love again.
July 19, 2026
ARC Review - NetGalley
Grief was heavily covered in this book in fact it appears to be the main theme. August suffered a great loss which caused him to lose himself along the way. Not only is he grieving but he carries blame as well. Until, a being from another world crossed paths with curious August. Which lead him to the underworld and had him discovering things about death. Thanks to Cary - the ferry. Cary is the one who carries the dead into the underworld. We get a glimpse into both Cary and August family and friend dynamics as well. I would recommend this book to anyone who has lost someone they loved. I gave this book 3 stars because I wanted to see more about August and Cary throughout the story navigating this complicated relationship.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Grief was heavily covered in this book in fact it appears to be the main theme. August suffered a great loss which caused him to lose himself along the way. Not only is he grieving but he carries blame as well. Until, a being from another world crossed paths with curious August. Which lead him to the underworld and had him discovering things about death. Thanks to Cary - the ferry. Cary is the one who carries the dead into the underworld. We get a glimpse into both Cary and August family and friend dynamics as well. I would recommend this book to anyone who has lost someone they loved. I gave this book 3 stars because I wanted to see more about August and Cary throughout the story navigating this complicated relationship.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 14, 2026
Thank you so much to the publisher and Julian Winters for an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Heartbreaking and yet beautifully hopeful! This book touched me in so many ways. I think this book did a wonderful job at exploring grief, and how it looks different for everyone. It was painful to see how much August was hurting. How much he had given up on his own life after losing London. But it was equally beautiful to watch him find happiness and love again.
All of the characters felt very real, despite the speculative/fantastical story setting. Julian created a perfect balance between the two!
I loved this book so much. From the second that I picked up this book to the very last page, I was fully absorbed within the story. It really had everything I could have hoped for and more.
Heartbreaking and yet beautifully hopeful! This book touched me in so many ways. I think this book did a wonderful job at exploring grief, and how it looks different for everyone. It was painful to see how much August was hurting. How much he had given up on his own life after losing London. But it was equally beautiful to watch him find happiness and love again.
All of the characters felt very real, despite the speculative/fantastical story setting. Julian created a perfect balance between the two!
I loved this book so much. From the second that I picked up this book to the very last page, I was fully absorbed within the story. It really had everything I could have hoped for and more.
September 7, 2026
I received a copy from NetGalley for my honest review.
This book. This is single point of view, most of the story is told in the present, but there are flashbacks to the past.
The story follows Auggie as he deals with a great loss. We come into the story almost two years after his loss. What follows is a truly enticing story of Gods and what it means to love and deciding on what it means to live.
I was not expecting the many twists and turns this book took me on. Cary, oh my god Cary. Even though we never get a look at his mind he is definitely my favorite character. I love the ones who seem to feel nothing but in reality feel all of the things.
This is the first YA novel i've read in quite some time. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Julian's books.
This book. This is single point of view, most of the story is told in the present, but there are flashbacks to the past.
The story follows Auggie as he deals with a great loss. We come into the story almost two years after his loss. What follows is a truly enticing story of Gods and what it means to love and deciding on what it means to live.
I was not expecting the many twists and turns this book took me on. Cary, oh my god Cary. Even though we never get a look at his mind he is definitely my favorite character. I love the ones who seem to feel nothing but in reality feel all of the things.
This is the first YA novel i've read in quite some time. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Julian's books.
July 9, 2026
Find My Way Down to You is a journey through love and grief and the love (both romantic and platonic) that can guide you through your grief. The fact that it contains a fantasy element really adds to the story and made the topic of death feel more approachable. I want to clarify that this is a YA book (but we don’t stop reading YA just because we reach adulthood!), and it does contain some heavier themes. What a gorgeous book! I’ll be checking out Julian Winters’ backlog now, for sure! 4.75⭐️
Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the ARC!
October 4, 2026
Um, wow, excuse me, was not expecting to be destroyed by this book, but alas.
I love Julian Winters so much. I haven’t read any of his adult novels but I’ve read all his YA and they all hold a special place in my heart. And this novel, with its hint of Hadestown that I could hear the music in my head as I read, with its love, and loss, and grief. It broke me to pieces and then put me back together again, and that ending 😭.
I loved everything about this. You should read it so you can love it and cry too. Because I said so.
Thank you @vikingbooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I love Julian Winters so much. I haven’t read any of his adult novels but I’ve read all his YA and they all hold a special place in my heart. And this novel, with its hint of Hadestown that I could hear the music in my head as I read, with its love, and loss, and grief. It broke me to pieces and then put me back together again, and that ending 😭.
I loved everything about this. You should read it so you can love it and cry too. Because I said so.
Thank you @vikingbooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
August 5, 2026
Thank you to @netally and Penguin Young Readers Group for this ARC.
💗 YA
💗 Fantastical
💗 LQBTQ+ Rep
💗 Grief
A little commotion for the cover, its so pretty!
This book was emotional, breathtaking and tragic all at once and I loved it. It touched on grief realistically, it showed that there is no timeframe to "get over" someone that you once loved and still do. It showed that sometimes therapy is needed to push through grief to get to the healing on the other side.
4.5 stars!
💗 YA
💗 Fantastical
💗 LQBTQ+ Rep
💗 Grief
A little commotion for the cover, its so pretty!
This book was emotional, breathtaking and tragic all at once and I loved it. It touched on grief realistically, it showed that there is no timeframe to "get over" someone that you once loved and still do. It showed that sometimes therapy is needed to push through grief to get to the healing on the other side.
4.5 stars!
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