Book Review: The River She Became by Emily Varga

Title: The River She Became
Author: Emily Varga
Pages: 416
Publication Date: June 30, 2026
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy / Romantasy
Synopsis:

A high stakes, action-packed romantasy from bestselling author Emily Varga where a relic-hunter searches for an ancient fae object to restore the magic to her world, but must learn to trust her own powers—and her heart.

I’m going across the River. And I’m going to save us all.

Yaseema is a brilliant scholar and loyal servant of the Empire—or so they think. By day, she catalogs the fae relics of her conquered kingdom. But by night, she reclaims the artefacts in secret to restore magic to her dying land.

Until she finds the long lost key to cross the River into the fae world and save her people. But a ruthless realm awaits her there, ruled by monsters wearing beautiful skin—especially the cold-eyed captain who sees through her lies. But even he isn’t what he seems—under the guise of upholding a cruel regime, he works to overthrow it from the inside. To succeed, he needs the same lost relic Yaseema the crown of an ancient Fae Queen.

With magic that is a mystery even to her, Yaseema can help him find the crown and save his family from a fate worse than death. Unless she steals it first to help her own.

To survive, they must work together to outwit ancient curses, battle creatures born of nightmares, and find a power that could resurrect their worlds. But as secrets unravel and loyalties blur, they face the greatest danger of losing their heart to each other.

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The River She Became has an interesting premise and characters and a plot that wasn’t as predictable as I originally suspected. With a great found family and a few surprise twists along the way, this was an enjoyable read. I especially liked the relic-hunting elements and the way the story blended adventure, magic, and mystery. There’s a lot going on beneath the surface, from questions of loyalty and identity to the sacrifices people are willing to make for those they love. The world itself is intriguing, and I enjoyed discovering more about its history and magic alongside the characters.

The main characters, Yaseema and Kiyan, are layered and interesting with compelling backstories. The story is told from both of their perspectives, which I always enjoy because it gives readers a better understanding of their thoughts, feelings, and motivations. It also allows you to see how differently they view the same situations and how their perceptions of each other evolve throughout the story. Both have gone through tragic and traumatic events throughout their lives, and both hide behind some pretty tall walls, so seeing them slowly learn to lean on and trust each other is great. Their motivations are easy to understand, even when they aren’t always making the best decisions. They’re both carrying a tremendous amount of guilt, responsibility, and grief, which adds so many layers to their characters. I particularly enjoyed watching them challenge each other’s assumptions and slowly realize that there is more to each other than they initially believed.

Yaseema and Kiyan have several sweet moments that break up and contrast the heavier and darker elements of the story, as does the found family, which I loved. The romance develops slowly, and since the story is told from both Yaseema’s and Kiyan’s perspectives, the story explores the uncertainty, attraction, and growing trust from both of them. The found family was another aspect that I liked. The friendships and alliances that develop throughout the story add so much warmth and heart, helping to balance some of the darker moments and themes.

I also liked the quest, which took up much of the story. They face many obstacles, and it is definitely a perilous (and eye-opening) journey. As they travel, they uncover secrets, encounter dangerous creatures, and learn more about the world around them and the forces shaping it. The journey constantly pushes them outside of their comfort zones and forces them to confront difficult truths about themselves and the people they trust. I also enjoyed how the physical journey paralleled the emotional journey of the characters.

The story is a bit slower-paced for a lot of the book, but it picks up pace in the last third, and from there the intensity is unrelenting. I did wish that it was a little faster-paced at the start. Initially, I thought it was fairly predictable, but there were actually a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming, which was great. Overall, it’s an entertaining read, and I’m curious to see where the story goes. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.