YOU PIERCE MY SOUL

Two girls confront the secrets of their futuristic world in this Sapphic love story.

In the supposedly utopian civilization of New Ionia, people are matched by the government’s Heartsong program with their perfect soulmates. Jane Austen fan Zada Chambers, an 18-year-old cellist, has been dreaming of her match for years, but when she’s finally paired with her perfectly nice schoolmate Buford Arnoth, she doesn’t feel the passionate love that she expected from love stories. Those electric feelings are reserved solely for Daphne Fallow, the best friend she cut off once she realized how dangerous it was to be near her. As Zada spirals over her lack of affection for Buford, she rekindles her friendship with Daphne, and the two hatch a plan to get Zada out of her marriage—without accepting the only other option, joining the Sisters of Perpetual Reflection. At first, they try to prove that the soulmate system is fallible, but as they unravel the truth of New Ionia, their trust in its very foundation crumbles—and a budding romance develops. The worldbuilding is engaging and filled with pointed commentary on the city’s corrupt “corporate-fascist oligarchy,” which censors the media and education. Zada and Daphne, who present white, are a dynamic pair, with Zada’s quiet intellect complementing Daphne’s fiery recklessness. Their developing relationship integrates well with the overarching themes of freedom and defying societal expectations.

An exciting, socially relevant tale that reminds readers that love can’t be controlled by society’s limitations.