Day’s YA: THE RIVER SHE BECAME

THE RIVER SHE BECAME by Emily Varga
9781250878694
6/30/2026
Wednesday Books
Ages 13-18

E-galley available on Edelweiss and NetGalley

THE RIVER SHE BECAME, the start to a new romantasy duology, is filled to the brim with heart stopping twists, high stakes, a brave heroine stealing back her future, ancient magic, and dangerous forbidden romance. Yasmeena is a brilliant scholar who hunts relics as a loyal servant to the Citadel. During the day she catalogs the fae relics of her conquered kingdom home, but at night she secretly steals these relics to bring back magic to her dying land. But when Yasmeen finds a legendary artifact—a long lost key that would allow her to cross the river and enter the fae realm—she makes the bold decision to do so, ending up in a ruthless place ruled by monsters, and filled with conflict and strange magic. It is here where she encounters Kiyan, the cold-eyed captain who sees through her lies but also has a secret of his own—he’s pretending to uphold the cruel regime, while also trying to overthrow it from the inside, so he can save his family. The problem? Both Yasmeena and Kiyan need the same relic: the crown of an ancient Fae Queen. Yaseema could help him save his family, or she could steal the crown for her own people; after all, only one of them can use it. To survive creatures and curses, they must work together—but as secrets unravel and trust is questioned, the greatest danger of all is losing their hearts to each other.

Emily Varga has created a beautiful Pakistani-inspired romantasy world in THE RIVER SHE BECAME, weaving in Pakistani mythology and themes of colonialism and culture. The worldbuilding is incredibly detailed and immersive, complete with politics, royal courts, rebellions, high action situations, and an incredibly unique magic system. However, my favorite part of this story is undeniably the characters. From Yasmeena, so intelligent, strong, and relatable; to Kiyan, brave and struggling with the actions he has had to take as a captain. But at the end of it all, they are both living in worlds that seem to mirror one another, and they are both quietly rebelling against control in service of those that they love. As they gradually start to work together, slowly building trust and an emotional connection, it leads to a beautiful slow burn romance. The dual POV was a perfect fit for this story, as you can see the parallels in their lives before they meet, and being in each of their minds gives you a better understanding of who they are and how their backstories shaped them.

This is a story that is action packed yet lyrical, and is perfectly paced with twists and turns to keep you on your toes. It’s also a haunting, deep exploration of dealing with loss, trying to remain resilient in the face of grief, healing through it all, and coming of age. If you loved WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS, THE CRUEL PRINCE, or The Mummy, this will be right up your alley!

Happy reading!
<3 Margo

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