I was excited to read this since I am interested in Celtic lore, but the writing style was the downside. This style may work for some people, but I found it too detailed in the sense where too may explanations were given instead of incorporating this information into the story bit by bit. The first few chapters had lots of information dumped to explain the world building and it pulled me away from the story in general. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this anyway.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review.

It was enough for me to read that this was a Celtic YA fantasy, it had to be mine.

Neve is the youngest daughter of the King and yearns for freedom: she often sneaks out of her home and frequents the streets of the nearby town. One evening, she encounters Ronan, someone she’s met once before. Ronan was once a Druid's apprentice, but now he's just a thief, who makes a living by selling stolen spells. Neve and Ronan are enemies but they become allies. Furthermore, they seem to be poles apart and yet that isn't entirely true, as they have in common more than they think.

The writing was pretty good. The book started strong and it was very interesting, and then, out of the blue, it became almost too slow-paced and boring. I was about to dnf it and i relly had to push myself to keep reading.
I really liked Neve and her sister Úna: they're both smart and sweet women, who have a big love for each other and their kingdom. About Ronan... well, i didn't like him very much, especially at the beginning and, generally speaking, as a love interest. However, i kinda liked Neve and Ronan's interactions quite a bit.

I had very high expectation on this book, so it was slightly disappointing when i wanted to dnf it or when i reached the end while almost forcing myself. It's a pretty good novel and I recommend it, especially to those who love Celtic mythology!

My rating: 3!

I adored this book. If you love your Celtic mythology and YA fiction that is ripe with magic and mystical themes, then you will love this. Neve is a powerhouse of a woman. As the youngest daughter of the King, she seeks to seize her rightful place on her family's throne. She teams up with a druid's apprentice, who sells stolen spells. Their chemistry and dialogue is exquisite, and Livingston creates a gorgeous scene. You can really see her landscapes, and feel the magic running free. Her use of Irish fairytales is smart and intriguing. I will definitely be looking out for more of her work.

⭐️3/5 stars.
This book was interesting. It felt a little like a fever dream. I was enjoying it, but when I woke up, I wondered if any of it made any sense?
I was originally intrigued by the Celtic mythology in this story. I am not as familiar with this mythology and was eager to use it as a jumping off point. However, it was the mythology aspect that had me confused and sometimes contemplating DNFing. As far as I can tell, the author is very well-versed in Celtic mythology. But she wrote the story almost as if we knew it as well. A lot of the names were similar and some of the tales could have probably been told in a better way to inform the reader, even if the characters already know. Because of this and a few other things, I think this story probably needed to go through a few more rounds of edits. However, I still enjoyed this story. Every time I contemplated DNFing, something about it kept me going.
I would probably recommend this book, but maybe be like me, and keep a post it note with all the Celtic names and what they are in the mythology.
Thank you to NetGalley & Zando for providing the audiobook ARC for my honest review.

I don't believe that Queen Among the Dead is really a book that appealed to me as much as I thought it might. While I do think there is plenty of promise with what was created here, there is a lot about the story that just didn't hit. Whether that be because of when I read it, or just overall this not being suited to me, I'm not sure I'm the target audience.

** spoiler alert ** Princess Neve of Eire and a common thief, Ronan, share one thing in common, magic. After forming an unlikely bond and with the help of a stable boy, embark on a journey to stop the Scathach Queen from reentering their realm and restore Eire with the one true Dadga and lost magic.

I absolutely loved the Celtic mythology of this story. Lesley Livingston did a really good job with the world building and really brought the characters to life. I would have given this book 4 stars, if it weren't for the last 20 minutes of the book. This whole time the book is about Neve realizes the power she has and making sure that the Scatach Queen, her cruel ancestor, does not return to their realm, but once she actually gets to the point of stopping her, its done and over in a minute. The ending was just too rushed, and not alot of was explained as to how Scatach was stopped or how Ronan survived. And when Ronan does not actually die and its just brushed over as not knowing where his heart was, I was thrown from a loop... I was expecting that part of the story to be a lot more powerful considering he was a huge part of this book and I had no time to mourn the loss of him.

All and all I loved the writing and mythology behind the story, but the ending was a missed opportunity for something great, in my opinion. I will still be reading more of Lesley Livingston's work and am grateful to the author, netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

2.5

I’m not too familiar with Celtic mythology, so I thought that this would be a really interesting book to pick up. However, I found it surprisingly difficult to get through. The world building and fantasy elements were so so rich yet so so hard to understand. I felt like the author didn’t explain things clearly and tended to info-dump, so the whole history and context of the book was never apparent to me. The characters were more or less likable, but the instant romance was featured quite strongly. At one point, Ronan thinks to himself how much he loves Neve, and I genuinely put down my book like “When did this happen??” The climax and resulting conflicts were also resolved rather quickly, so the pacing felt off.

Received a free copy from Netgalley..

The writing in this book is seamless. The world building whole slow at times (which is expected) is so great and easy to follow. The characters and plot are amazing! You can tell the author loves her Celtic mythology which makes the story even better because it makes the story stimulating and fun to read. Def. Will be recommending this to everyone I know

This was my first book by this author and it did not disappoint. This had a slower beginning but once things were laid out and sorted, the story had me hooked. The characters were enjoyable, and the story really moved along well. It was nice to have a stand alone and the mythology and world building was well done as well. This was a good book with a Celtic adventure that was an enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more from this author. Would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

The book is captivating from the very beginning thanks to Neve's defiant nature, something she shares with Ronan. Their meeting an instance of the wrong place at the right time.
I really like how the magic is depicted, legends brought forth in an engrossing manner, the author's creativeness shining through. The same can be said for the action too. An important theme of this book is woman power. So is the seductiveness of power, championing for what is right and true freedom.
It is truly unlike any book I've read.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and reviewed it voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

DNF at 64%

I was very excited to dive into this book since I've never read anything regarding Celtic mythology and this would be my first try in coming in contact with it. I felt that there was so much focus into the worldbuilding of this story that the plot and the characters were both forgotten.

Regarding the worldbuilding, I think the author did a great job in creating and giving life into a new (fantasy) world. It really made you believe that this particular world existed and, honestly, I could sense the author's love and appreciation for this story through their writing. But both the plot and the characters seem to be lacking. More than halfway through the story and nothing in particular is happenning. There are no "major" events that can be seen as plot nor do the characters have any goal. The two main characters have zero chemistry and, to be honest, their IQ levels reach the earth's core when they're in the same scene. I wish we could have got to know them as individuals with developed personalities before they got thrown into the same "adventure".

In a land touched by wondrous magic that has been forbidden by its king, for all except the Druids who hoard it. The youngest princess of Eire, Neve, and Ronan, an ex-druid apprentice turned thief discover their magic as their lives keep colliding. Due to circumstances, Neve needs to win the throne and a mythical golden mask comes into play...

The book is captivating from the very beginning thanks to Neve's defiant nature, something she shares with Ronan. Their meeting an instance of the wrong place at the right time.

A narrative that oozes epicness from its wordplay, interweaving vibrant, singing-their-lyricism descriptions, the spinning of legends, a witty sense of humor and the trimmings of great adventure. There is a lot of information to devour but I think that the author does her best to serve us the morsels in timely fashion, always piquing our interest. The buildup is slow but enticing.

The evolution of the protagonists and their relationship is something to behold. Even though hate should rule it is not able to. One POV flows into the other without barriers constituting a driven with purpose storyline, all-encompassing for the reader. There are parts where there is a lot going on, where you really must pay very close attention or get confused. I admit I reread some passages.

I really like how the magic is depicted, legends brought forth in an engrossing manner, the author's creativeness shining through. The same can be said for the action too. An important theme of this book is woman power. So is the seductiveness of power, championing for what is right and true freedom.

A Celtic-flavored fantasy full of danger, magic, devious plots and 'heroes' coming into their power.

I loved the Celtic mythology, the author did a great job of bringing that to life. I was really sucked into this book for the first few chapters when we are first introduced to Neve and Ronan. Then something happened and I'm not sure exactly what, but it just majorly slowed down for me. Then Neve and Ronan would meet again and clash and I would get excited that something was coming... Then it slowed down again... Toward the end, things picked up and stayed at a good pace, especially when secrets started getting revealed and the truth emerges. I liked Neve and Ronan together, every time they were on the page at the same time the story just became more vivid and interesting for me and I wanted to keep reading. Although I didn't really get the enemies to lovers part.
While Queens among the dead wasn't a complete win for me, I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author in the future.

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I did enjoy the story though at times I did not feel as connected to the characters. There was a lot of world building in this book. The pace of the book didn't feel too slow or too fast it was a nice pace really. I do not know anything really about Celtic mythology and I felt there wasn't a lot explained there for me to understand when it popped up. I liked having a bit of backstory of Neve and Ronan and how they met to how they are now grown up having to work together. I loved the side characters more Neve's sister Una, and Sakir. Overall it was was a good read but would I reread it? Probably not. If there is a second book I would probably read it and see where things go from there.

3.5 rounded up to 4.

I found this book pretty hard to read, partly because of the narration and partly because I am not very aware of Celtic mythology (and there seemed to be a lot of lore mixed in with this story). However, I enjoyed reading Neve's chapters, and I especially loved the reveals at the end!

Thank you for netgalley and the publisher for giving me an EARC if this book.
I normally don't like to read books that have political intrigue in them but the synopsis of this one instantly gripped me. The world building is great I loved how the author described everything precisely and connected all of it together. Also I was amazed that this is based on Irish history it's such an interesting thing! The book literally had everything from a great fantasy world to badass characters to a great romance and finally one of the best plots I've read in fantasy. I recommend this if you're in for a wild ride if fantasy with a little dash of politics and romance, yes all this combine perfectly.

Overall, the story was very entertaining, and I loved the Celtic theme (I am a fan of all things Celtic). As entertaining as it was, however, I likely won’t reread it.

Queen Among the Dead was described as, "a stunning Celtic YA fantasy adventure," and I'm not sure "stunning" is a good enough word to accurately portray its majesty – but it's a start.

The idea of reading a Celtic fantasy adventure honestly hooked me from the beginning, but what I ended up reading was so much more than what I expected. From the moment I started reading I was transported to Eire. Lesley Livingston's ability to make you feel the wind chill your skin, feel the urgency of threats find a home deep in your bones, and become electrified by the magic sizzling in the air is masterful. Neve's story is one I'll return to many times and I sincerely hope to experience more of it. Her character stood out to me and was both relatable and inspiring, a true legend in her own right. I also appreciated seeing the many facets of Neve, showing how a woman in power can be badass but still full of and expressive of emotions typically portrayed as detrimental to a woman in power. Not to mention the great, supportive men beside her. The way this book is written reads like a fable and I loved the way Livingston was able to tie in the in-novel legends that informed the story we were experiencing live.

This book is a hefty one. I'm not a speed reader by any means, but I'll take off reading a book without a second thought. This required more focus and intention to understand the gravity of the situations Neve found herself in. I read it more slowly than other books I've read but I enjoyed every second of it. Usually, when I read at this pace, I tend to abandon the story but Queen Among the Dead called out to me to return and finish the story. It's easy to take, fun to follow and slightly addictive.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for an adventure with magic, powerful and confident women, and a story that will stick with you.

Thank you to Net Galley and Lesley Livingston for providing me with my ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the Celtic Lore in this story. The world building was done well and i wish there was a map included because I would have been referring to that the entire time reading. The set up of the story was cool in terms that the women of the Dadga line are the true key holders to the kingdom. Never and Ronan's story was so great, they kept somehow running into each other whether it be intentional or accidental but I lived for those moments.

I cannot wait to see where this story continues

I have never read any Celtic Mythology and so I was excited to read this. I enjoyed the interactions between Neve and Ronan and Sakir. Although I wish there was more time to get to know them and explore their relationships. The pacing of the story was a bit of an issue as some parts were dragging and other parts were just too fast especially near the end. But overall, it was a good fantasy adventure book.