Debut novel straddles the line between ambition and awakening and finds a home in libraries, yoga studios and professional leadership circles alike

BOSTON, Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The November 15 issue of Kirkus Reviews magazine spotlights Soul Toll, the debut novel by Anusia Gillespie, recognizing it as "an imaginative, genre-blurring novel" that "mixes motivational ideas with fantasy elements." Only a select number of indie titles earn this featured placement, and Soul Toll also received a "Get It" verdict from the publication.

Soul Toll is a natural fit for contemporary and literary fiction collections, as well as themed displays exploring self-discovery, mindfulness and women's journeys. Its genre-bending nature makes it equally at home beside The Midnight Library and Lessons in Chemistry, fiction that invites reflection as much as escape. With growing interest from book clubs and professional leadership circles alike, Soul Toll offers readers a story that bridges ambition and awakening.

Still, what sets Soul Toll apart is its real-world impact.

The book's fiction-with-purpose concept is already influencing how leaders communicate complex ideas. Greg Lambert, Chief Innovation Officer at Jackson Walker LLP and co-host of The Geek in Review podcast, recently drew inspiration from Soul Toll's narrative approach.

"After spending months analyzing how advancements in Retrieval-Augmented Generation and vector databases are transforming AI for legal research, I found myself sitting on sixty pages of dense technical notes," Lambert said. "And then I read Soul Toll and it clicked: narrative helps people absorb complexity in a way data alone rarely can."

Lambert is now experimenting with a fiction narrative as a bridge to make a highly technical subject intuitive, memorable and engaging for lawyers and leaders.

"Soul Toll reminded me that sometimes the best way to teach isn't to tell—it's to invite people into a world where the ideas come alive."

Lambert's experience reflects a broader trend: since its launch just last month, Soul Toll has evolved into a grassroots movement, appearing in spaces that nourish both body and mind, from yoga studios and healthy cafes to independent bookshops, libraries and leadership circles nationwide

"To see Soul Toll resonating so deeply and being recognized by Kirkus Reviews is incredibly meaningful," said Gillespie. "Watching readers and leaders use the story as a tool for reflection and change has been the most rewarding part of this journey."

Read Kirkus Review's Soul Toll review in the November 15 issue or online at: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/anusia-gillespie/soul-toll/

Gillespie recently shared the full review with her followers, reading it aloud on Instagram in a video that celebrated the honor and connects the story's message to her growing community of readers.

About Anusia Gillespie
Anusia Gillespie is a writer, executive, and speaker exploring the intersection of ambition and authenticity. A former innovation leader at Harvard Law School and senior executive in legal technology, she now helps high-performing professionals realign success with well-being. Soul Toll is her debut novel.

Learn more at www.anusiagillespie.com.

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SOURCE Anusia Gillespie