Review: "She Drinks the Light" by Yasmin Angoe

She Drinks the Light by Yasmin Angoe
Published March 2026 via Feiwel & Friends
★★★

Addae's life is different—she's grown up off the coast of South Carolina, in something of an enclave. Her grandmother is the most powerful person on the Golden Isle, and Addae is poised to, eventually, take over. But if the Golden Isle is home, and is safe, the outside world is...something else.

Conceptually I love this: pulling from West African mythology; Black characters running the show; an emphasis on friendship and family rather than (as is so common in YA) romance. There's also a tie-in to slavery, and though that part of the book is hard to read it feels like an important part of history to include, not least given the context of the book. Addae is a satisfying character, too; she makes impetuous (teenaged) choices, but she's also really determined and focused when it's about things that count.

Other things I was more ambivalent about. First, I didn't love the surprise (minor spoiler in footnotes*) . This is part of the Ghanaian mythology used in the book, so I'll give it a pass, but I think I'm just past that part of my YA reading; maybe it's on me for not knowing much about African mythology (or I would have figured it out sooner), but I sort of wish that had been up front in the book description. Second, I'd have loved to know more about that mythology. Addae occasionally drops concepts that aren't fully introduced or explained, and I just wanted to know more. I was fully invested for the first half or so of the book and then lost some steam.

I'm not sure whether related books are planned, but this feels like it could be the start to a series—the main plot is wrapped up, but there are a number of plot points that aren't fully wrapped up, in a way that reads like leaving space open for the future if the author so desires.

3.5 stars; this is something of a departure from my usual reading habits, but intriguing.

*vampires

Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.