Soulmatch by Rebecca Danzenbaker
Two hundred years after World War III, the world is at peace, all thanks to the soul-identification system. Every eighteen-year-old must report to the government to learn about their past lives, a terrifying process known as kirling. Good souls leave the institute with their inheritance, a career path, and if they’re lucky, a soulmate. Bad souls leave in handcuffs.
It’s a nerve-wracking ordeal for Sivon, who, given her uncanny ability to win every chess match, already suspects her soul isn’t normal. Turns out, she was right to worry. Sivon’s results stun not only her, but the entire world, making her the object of public scrutiny and anonymous threats.
Saddled with an infuriating and off-limits bodyguard, Sivon is thrust into a high-stakes game where souls are pawns and rules don’t exist. As deaths mount, Sivon must decipher friend from foe while protecting her heart against impossible odds. One wrong move could destroy the future lives of everyone Sivon loves, and she can’t let that happen, even if they’ll never love her back.
Review:
Soulmatch has been compared to Matched and Scythe – both books I loved. So, even though the premise seemed a bit familiar, I had to check it out. And while the feel and pacing, was akin to those great novels, Soulmatch is very different and completely enthralling. This is a pulse-pounding, complex, thrilling story. It’s a world where souls are reborn/reincarnated when they die, but everyone has a soulmatch/soulmate. And bad souls have to face the punishment of their former lives. It’s an intriguing premise, but it’s even more exciting than it sounds. It’s a large novel, but fast -aced and a dramatic conclusion. With intriguing characters and a story that takes the reader on all of the emotions, this is a new YA Fantasy novel that shouldn’t be missed.