I had high expectations for this one but it just wasn't for me.

I liked the setup at the onset. A mother's child was stolen by fairies and replaced with one of their own, a classic changeling scenario. But she loved both girls so much, she stormed into the fairy realm to retrieve her own daughter, and took the changeling home, too. Now as teenagers, the daughters have fled home to escape persecution and protect the parents who so cherished them. The main character, the changeling girl, steals her parents' memories of them and keeps them in a necklace until they can one day be reunited. And the girls set off on a treasure-hunting quest to earn enough money that their family can move far away and start anew together. I mean, wow. That's just beautiful!

Unfortunately, I felt like a lot of the story was bogged down by unnecessary or confusing details and scenarios. In the beginning of the book, the girls are accosted by thieves hunting the same treasure they are, and they are essentially threatened into working together with the other criminals. They are prisoners. Except they seem to immediately forget that and treat the other thieves like they are all just best friends, willing to die for one another. The transition from enemies to friends was practically instant with no lingering feelings of mistrust for the rest of the book. I didn't understand that.

The characters themselves, I mostly liked. I loved the sibling dynamic and it felt realistic. The other two thieves were a lot of fun. But I will say Birch the cat-not-cat confused me because he seemed to have no purpose in the story. He's tagging along with the main characters for most of the book, but he only has one scene and then is barely mentioned again. It kind of felt like the author forgot about him. Why was he there?

The magic system didn't really make any sense to me. The book references "enchanters" several times but I don't understand who they are or how they are different from any other magic-caster in the book. And there are times when the heroine is unable to cast spells again after casting a powerful one, so does that mean magic-users have a mana gauge, and if so, how is it refilled? Those things were never explained well enough that I could ever fully grasp the concept.

The romance was pretty light and I guess, if I can believe that the sisters can become instant best friends with their captors, then I can believe romance between them is possible, as well. It developed at a nice, even pace and felt more realistic than the instant-friendship, to be honest.

For 60 percent of the book, the party meanders. They get chased once in that time, but I never felt like they were actually in any danger. They even find a spooky, abandoned city, and nothing happens! Spooky abandoned cities are awesome but the author did nothing with that!

Then suddenly, after the 60 percent mark, a lot of things begin to happen in quick succession, and other dangers emerge besides the one party that's been chasing the main characters the whole time to take the key to the treasure they're all after. The pacing threw me off. It felt like I was reading another book.

I was so confused by what the plot was supposed to be, because the four thieves are running from a woman named Leira but we don't know why. They stole the key to the treasure for her, sure. But instead of just trying to be the first to win the spoils, the teens are acting like it would put the entire world in mortal danger if Leira is the one to find the treasure. Even when you find out what the treasure is, it doesn't explain why it would be bad for Leira to have it. I'm not even sure who Leira is. Is she the realm's ruler? Is she a bad one? We know she is abusive towards her nephew but we don't find out a single other bad thing about her throughout the course of the book, so I never understood why the teens are fighting so hard against her. From what the reader knows, she was the one wronged! Are the heroes actually the villains? (No, but that would make things more interesting than a cookie-cutter villain who has done no harm to the realm, and has no plans to harm the realm, as far as we know.)

I would say there are two main plot twists in the book. I thought it was obvious the compass was inside Seelie and talking to her and swaying her emotions, and I thought that was supposed to be known throughout the entire story, so I was really confused when it was revealed that the main character had been unaware of it the entire time. The other was the "truth" revealed about Seelie and her sister. I did not understand that at all and still have no idea what the author was trying to convey.

Half this book is very simple, and had a very middle-grade, cozy fantasy feel to it. The second half is jam-packed with action, true danger, and curveballs, but the plot threads don't really come together in any sensible way that helped me follow the story. I felt lost and confused and then it just ended. I think I would read the second book to see how the story wraps up and explains itself, but I just honestly did not like this book.

A debut YA fantasy with an autistic main character! I was so excited to pick this up. I loved the representation of a neurodivergent character where it was just who she was, and greatly connected to her magic, but not something to “overcome.” I thought the pacing was a little bit off, in a way that made it less propulsive and I was able to put it down for a few months. But whenever I was reading it, I enjoyed my time in the book. I’m excited to see what the author has in her future.
3.5⭐️
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an Advance Readers Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Things I Loved About It:
Changelings
Town Festivals
I love a good story and detailed Imagery
The "Twins"
The Human and Non-Human characters
The Names
Autism Representation
POC Author ❤️
The amazing Imagery

Thanks to Netgalley, Inkyard Press, and Ivelisse Housman for the opportunity to read and review this book. Unseelie has great world building, nicely written characters with believable qualities and characteristics, diverse representation, and a fun and well paced plot. Looking forward to reading book two!

I never cease to tire of fairy lore it seems and this one proves no different. The author takes fantasy tropes and fairy lore and still manages to make it feel fresh, I love the added uniqueness of the main character being a changeling and it essentially being similar to being autistic providing a neurodivergent representation. Her twin, Isolde, and their sisterhood being a strong bond but a stark comparison to their very different personalities as well.
"Even though we're identical, I can't remember a time that we could be mistaken for each other."
Isolde was swapped for Iselia as a baby. Her mother immediately knew, and traveled through to the fairy realm to retrieve Isolde. But she and her husband still chose to keep the changeling baby, love her and raise her as their own.
If that was the happily ever after, this story wouldn't exist. But it a world of fairies and mischief and changelings with powerful magic and shapeshifters with mysterious family legacies, this story unfolds on the night of a thwarted heist. The sisters encounter Raze and Olani after a similar treasure and unexpectedly their goals align. Forced to work together, they set off on a journey none of them planned on or are prepared for.
I enjoyed the banter, the fun chases and camaraderie between the group, revealing of their stories. The character development was excellent. The magic intriguing. Raze and Iselia can't stand each other, no one is sure they can trust each other, and they are being hunted by powerful enemies. But they development a bond like no other through difficult situations and helping each other through emotionally charged dilemmas,
The story flowed well, and as more information about the world and character backstory it got even more involved and I am fully invested in seeing this duology through as well as future works by the author.

I really enjoyed this book. I hope the author continues to write more books in the future. I can't wait to see what this author releases in the future.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* I feel like i have been waiting to read this book for forever!! At least for like 6 months i think? I honestly thought this book came out like last fall so i was super pumped when i double checked and noticed the publish date was the REAL publish date not just the date for a new edition or the audiobook lol I didn't know how much i was going to like the book granted the autism thing since i have read several books butcher it, but i'm glad to say i really loved this book!

This was such a great magical read! super pumped to find out this was going to have a sequel! I really connected with the characters especially "seelie"! I will reread this for sure when the next book comes out for sure! I'd also recommend to anyone who likes fantasy/YA books. Will certainly buy!! Really love the cover artwork as well!

Overall it was a decent and fun read. The beginning definitely dragged for me though and the story didn’t pick up until the last 25%. Not sure if I was invested enough in the characters to continue on, but it’s only a duology so I might still pick it up.

I had a hard time connecting with this story and the characters, which is a shame because this was an anticipated release. It felt a little formulaic - they'd get themselves into a situation, bad guys turn up, Seelie would get them out of it, ending up in a new situation and repeat.

I related to Seelie, who is written as an autistic character but I did still find her a little annoying at times, wanting her sister to be just like her and want the same things she did. I also didn't really buy into the kind of romance between Seelie and Raze, I'm not into the "he's so annoying let me think about how hot he is" brand of romance that appears in Young Adult books so often.

I think for the next book I would be interested in a POV switch to Isolde, who I felt was the stronger character, having to erase their parents memories and support her sister when a disaster forces her out of town. Her ambitions to leave home and make something of herself made a much more interesting character, for me.

I truly thought I was going to love this book but I was so wrong.

It's slow, the characters are flat, and it is overall just written very amateurly. Our character is mean and makes weirdly ridiculous decisions all for the sake of plot and its so transparent that it makes reading this book hard. We go from situation to situation because we are told so, we don't get to see it, to experience it. Everyone is written so one-dimensionally that I was left not caring about absolutely nothing in this book. I imagine that the author attempted to write Seelie (our protagonist) in a way that she felt was autistic representation but it is not well done. I say this with an understanding that people have different experiences with the world through the lens of autism but Housman truly misses the mark.

A very disappointing start to a series that I will not be continuing.

CW: fantasy eugenics & ableism, violence, blood & gore, death, fire, drowning, mind control, parental loss, injury detail, dead bodies, death

Seelie and her twin, Isolde, have been on the road for years now. Seelie has struggled to fit in which only was made more difficult when her magic started to appear. As a changeling, this only leaves people afraid of her and her family, so now her and her sister are trying to find a way that they can all be reunited. Though, when they end up on the run and forced to work with two strangers, their plans get more difficult.

I truly adored this book. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so sucked into a book and didn’t want to stop reading. I needed to know what was going to happen to Seelie and Isolde. I needed to see more about how Seelie saw the world around her. This was such an easy read that I’m already looking forward to revisiting one day.

The relationships here were so strong. Seelie and Isolde were close with one another. They have this bond where they trust one another and know that they can count on each other, but there are times when they have fights that are also real and relatable. I loved watching them interact with one another and get past some of the bumps in the road that they had.

Unseelie starts off strong and doesn’t really ever change. There is a bit in the middle when I felt that it slowed that, but I was still so engrossed in this story that I didn’t ever want to put it down. The plot is captivating just as the characters are.

I would have liked to see a little more worldbuilding. There was a bit, but I’m just greedy and would have loved to see a little more. I hope that’s something that happens in a possible sequel.

Overall, this was an excellent read. While a fantasy, this is so much more than a fantasy. It’s a fun adventure with wonderful characters and a beautiful autistic MC. I truly hope for future installments in this series.

It took me months to finish Unseelie. I never got hooked on the story, I didn't care for the characters and I had to force myself to read it. It's not a bad book but it wasn't for me.

The most beautiful thing in the book is the autistic representation, the author gives a very important place to this representation with its protagonist Seelie.

If you like fantasy books with adventures, magical creatures, faerie realms, lots of plot twists and the found family trope give it a try! I think it is ideal for the younger audience of Young Adult

I’d been hearing a lot of hype about a new fantasy book with an autistic main character, and I knew I had to check out what everyone was talking about. Ivelisse Housman’s debut young adult fantasy novel Unseelie is filled with adventure, a strong sense of family, and great worldbuilding.

Iselia Graygrove, or ‘Seelie’ is a young changeling who has been traveling with her human ‘twin’ sister Isolde for years. Seelie’s family loves her, but her ‘differentness’ has always made her an outcast in every village they traveled to. Once Seelie’s magic starts to become wild and out of control after a heist gone wrong, the sisters are thrust into the middle of a mystery with the potential to affect both fae and humans alike.

It was interesting to read the author’s note explaining that the stories of changelings were thought to be an early explanation for autistic children. That really helped me relate specifically to Seelie’s character as a reader. Readers got to experience how Seelie reacted to the world differently than the other characters in the story. She has tried so hard to fit into what society considers normal, and her challenges are only compounded by her faerie heritage and her autistic mannerisms (I don’t believe the word autistim was explicitly used in the story). The others do their best, but there are multiple instances where they struggle to understand her neurodivergent experiences from their neurotypical perspectives. As a result, she’s never really fit into either world, and that weighs heavily on her over the course of the book.

Having a sister of my own, I really connected to Isolde and Seelie’s relationship. They are incredibly close, and Isolde is fiercely protective of her sister against those who would ostracize her for being a changeling. Despite their closeness, there are the inevitable moments where they clash and get into arguments. Said moments only made me relate to them even more (what sibling relationship doesn’t have a few fights now and then?)

The world-building is well developed. The author takes some of the most famous pieces of faerie lore, and builds that into the story to create the different realms. There’s an obvious nod to the classic fairy tales, but the world is built such that it feels fresh for both die-hard fantasy readers and those new to the genre. I appreciated the vivid and immersive imagery, and how the world was brought to life as the characters went on their travels. The pace was such that the characters kept moving fairly frequently, and that helped introduce the readers to new places and people.

The only drawback of the book, and why I was unable to give it a full five stars, was how disjointed the plot seemed to be. I could tell you so much about the world, the characters and individual moments but things were so hectic and confusing I can’t actually tell you how those moments connect. The author completely lost me with the transitional moments of the book. The progression of the story is confusing at best, and as a reader it can be overwhelming to have so many moments where you’re not really sure whats going on. The best way I could describe it is a tangled knot of string - you never really know where pulling on one end is going to lead you.

Overall, this was a very entertaining and insightful novel. There were some minor issues, but not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of thhe book. Elena Rey does an excellent job bringing the story to life with her performance in the audiobook narration. From what I can tell, the book is set to be part of a duology and I’m excited to (hopefully) get to see more in this world. Readers who enjoy magical fantasy tales full of fun, stellar neurodivergent rep, and unique characters should definitely give the book a chance.

Thank you to the author, the publisher Inkyard Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Unseelie immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way.

This was an interesting twist on other fae, fairy inspired tales. I enjoyed this more than I expected. I think this has a place in a middle school library for avid fantasy readers.

I do not personally have autism but I have worked with many students who do have autism and I felt that this was a good representation of the some autistic traits. the world building felt like our own but with a magical twist and reminded me a bit of Stardust by Neil Gaiman. I highly recommend this book for teen libraries.

Great worldbuilding, nicely written characters with believable qualities and characteristics, diverse representation, and a fun and well paced plot. Excited for book two!

I have never related to a character as much as I do Seelie and I wish there had been characters like her in my childhood. I love how this author chooses to reclaim the connection between autism and changlings to explore the struggle of adventures, family, and friends when on the spectrum.

Thank you to Inkyard Press, the author, and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was released on January 3, 2023.

Iselia “Seelie” Graygrove is a changeling on the run with her human twin Isolde. While Isolde is on the hunt for adventure and riches, Seelie is trying to repress her magic and keep them out of trouble. When they run into two others attempting to break into a magical family’s manor in order to steal the key to the Wild legacy, the twins are thrust into a quest that is, for Seelie, more about coming to terms with her identity and the changes she can’t stop than seeking treasure.

Easily my favorite thing about Unseelie is its premise—that the folkloric concept of changelings, or fae children left behind in cradles while the human child was spirited away—may have been an attempt at an early description of autistic children. The author does such a wonderful job of tying aspects of Seelie’s autism into her magical responses to her environment; for instance, when she’s experiencing sensory overload, it’s more difficult for her to keep her magic from sparking and quickly spiraling out of her control. I appreciated the way this portrayal was done, and on my second reading I noticed it much more because those mannerisms and behaviors were somehow more recognizable and natural to me than the first time through.

There were also many little world building details I loved, but two really stuck with me. The first was the inclusion of traditional aspects of faerie lore, such as a mask of rowan that gave Seelie a mild allergic reaction, as faeries are vulnerable to the tree; the second was the fact that faeries and changelings are identifiable by their luminescent, reflective eyes. This is just a cool little touch that I’m obsessed with (personally, I’ve always thought that vampires should have eyes like this). And of course, I’m always down for a heist and a quest!

The fierce connection between Seelie and Isolde is really what pushed me through this book, although I did come to like Raze and Olani quite a bit (even though I was so determined to not like Raze at all after a certain point). Watching Seelie and her sister fight was honestly brutal, and almost filled me with as much tension as some of the more harrowing fights. In general, it’s a pretty cool fantasy that’s just as much about sisterhood and personal power as it is an adventure, and I’m intrigued to see where the characters go from here.

This is an incredibly solid YA Fantasy debut. Ivelisse Housman has created a story and world with many recognisable elements from traditional faerie fantasy, that also feels as if she's made them her own. Like many others, I was initially incredibly interested by the concept of the retelling/reclamation of the changeling myth and autistic people. And in that, this book definitely doesn't disappoint. While UNSEELIE is fantasy, the characters and their relationships felt as if they could be real in a contemporary setting. All in all, well worth the read.

As far as the overall story goes, Housman does a good job of crafting a plot that has an arc that was easy to follow and also shocked me at the twists and turns. It leaves space for the characters to grow and develop without seeming like an afterthought.

While I wasn't personally a huge fan of the romance (just out of personal preference), it was well-written to avoid the cliche of insta-love, and to not completely take over the plot. Sometimes it didn't even feel like a romance, in a good way. Overall, I feel like the characters and their relationships have a sense of timelessness, while also being firmly rooted in the world of UNSEELIE. It felt like the kind of world where everyone does exist, and like that was a natural facet, even with some of the bigotry that Seelie faces.

As a whole, I enjoyed UNSEELIE and the way it told the changeling myth along with other common fantasy tropes. While there is room for improvement, it honestly just makes me more excited for the second book/conclusion to this duology.

I was so excited for this one!!! And it let me down so much. There was so many descriptions in this that it just over powered the story. It made it so slow and I was just overwhelmed with it all. The characters were flat and it seemed that Seelie was the only one that had any kind of personality. I didn't make it far in this because of all the descriptions. It was just so over powering for the rest of the story.