So, this is about a girl who travels through space to another planet where she is supposed to be ready to do something, but I don’t know what. She also is not told any of this, but has to figure it out? And the planet is the land of fairytales?…I guess?

I don’t know what I just read. This book confused me so so much.

So, first, I really loved the idea and concept. Of being in a world where fairytales come to life and you know the ending to all and can solve the issues in those different places or situations.

There is banter in here that I somewhat enjoyed despite not particularly liking any of the characters.

But, to be honest, I just didn’t like this book. The start of the book, you have a prologue that explains NOTHING. Then were thrown into Kaley’s life like I’m supposed to understand what’s going on. Then she’s taken to another planet(?) to help her with her dissertation, but she’s taken there because she’s supposed to do something, but we don’t know what that is. She’s not smart. So many things happen that she doesn’t question or inquire further about, she just accepts it. I appreciate she wasn’t daunted by everything going on, more curious than anything, but I don’t know why she didn’t ask more questions, especially when odd things happened. She also acted like she was 16, not…26 I think she was supposed to be?

There’s also a romance, but wow was it weird. This guy Tanek has or is in love with more than one woman, but wants Kaley? There was more to his relationships, and they were just weird for me.

I think I was supposed to have fun and be wowed by the fairytales everywhere on this planet, but I don’t get why any of this was the way it was. I don’t like being told things and not also shown. Less telling, more showing. I needed more detail and explanation about what was going on and about this random planet and the people on it.

This book was too weird for me and made no sense. The cover is beautiful, but that cover is deceiving. 2.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm going to start off by saying that I don't think was so much of a romance. which as a romance reader I'll be hyper focused on this when a book as categorized as such. Did I enjoy the story? Absolutely and am looking forward to the next one to see how everything unfolds with Kaley, Tanek and the whole crew.

It was a little unbelievable that Kaley just transitioned into all these out of the world things with ease, but I went along with it because why not! But being the Earth person, brought an interesting and fun element to the fantasy world she's in. I wasn't sure how I felt about the mix of fantasy and science-fiction. It felt slightly off at times, but overall, it made for a unique read.

As for the romance, it was very low and the tension was almost getting there. It wasn't until the end where we really start to feeling anything emotionally between the MCs. And with the way it ended, I'm stressed!

Overall, I enjoyed this one and will be picking up the audio for book 2. I was expecting more romance, but we didn't get it, so hopefully we'll see more in the next book.

3.75/5

Order of Swans is a sci-fi/fantasy adventure. It is part one of The Blue Swan duology. In the book, Kaley is an expert in folktales and fairy tales. She needs more stories for her college dissertation. She decides to go along with her friend, Jobi, to his home but ends up on an adventure she never imagined. Her companions in her adventure are Tanek and Sojee. There are so many secrets in this book. The world is fascinating and exciting, I cannot fully go into it without spoilers but it is so cool. It is such a fun weird blend of contemporary, fantasy, sci-fi., and a touch of romance. I did end the book with some questions other than those that are awaiting the sequel. There are a lot of weird contradictions. In some ways they are technologically advanced and in others primitive. The plot and characters are so enthralling that you really get sucked into the world. I am obsessed with the little mini elephants! I want some!

I think this book is being miscategorized as a romantasy/fantasy romance when I think it sways closer to adventure fantasy with romance. I know this is semantics sometimes but I think it's best to set the expectations here. There is romance, I don't believe it's the driving part of the story at all. If you're seeking a swoony, ACOTAR replacement, this ain't it.

I did, however, love this book. Sure, the FMC is conveniently very easy going about a lot of bizarre things a human should be concerned with ...like IRL dragons and witches...but we can look past these things, right?

It does start off with a heavy sci-fi vibe and that theme weaves through the book occasionally but it makes for a unique and fresh fantasy. I loved the found family and the folklore/fairytale vibes. I'm very much looking forward to the final book. I do wish there had been more tension and build up for the romance but I think how it approaches the slow burn resolves itself and makes sense later.

Thank you so much to the author, Harlequin and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this title. I attest that I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

The Order of the Swans had an interesting premise, reimagining the Wild Swans fairy tale, and Deveraux’s writing was as engaging as ever. However, the pacing felt slow at times, especially in the first half, where not much seemed to happen. By the time the plot picked up, I was already losing interest.

The characters were decent, though the heroine sometimes felt too perfect, making it hard to fully connect with her. The hero was more interesting, but their chemistry was a bit lacking.

It’s a solid read for fans of Deveraux’s style, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

Very fun take on fairy tale retellings!
Going in, I was expecting fantasy- so it was a bit jarring when immediate discussions of multiple planets incase this was heavily scifi, but I was pleasantly surprised.
We follow our main character Kaley who goes to visit her family friends’ home island, except she does not know that it’s a completely new planet three years away from Earth.
The plot is pretty quickly paced which I appreciated, because you learn more about the characters a through how they handle situations rather than monologues about their lives. The main trio/quad are all charming in their own ways, and you easily get into the dynamic between them.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story, but I was a bit shocked it was a very open ended story. As wonderful as it was, it read as a one-off as opposed to a series. Would absolutely read the next, but it was charming more so than gripping.

I was really excited to pick this book up based on the blurb — the ability to alter fairytales sounded right up my alley. I did really enjoy that element of the story. It placed interesting twists on the classics we already knew. I also appreciated the academia elements to the story. I enjoyed the FMC as a whole and could easily relate to her love of fairytales and folklore. The main issue I had was struggling to connect with the author’s writing style and overall execution of the plot. I read this via audiobook and thought the narration was good. Hunter was able to keep my focus on the story. I thought there was an appropriate amount of emotion added to the performance.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of the Order of Swans! The premise/idea of the book sounded interesting - our main character, Kaley, is a student studying folklores/fairytales, and gets transported to a new planet (courtesy of her neighbor) where the stories from fairytales/folktales come to life. Throughout the book, there were references to Hansel and Gretel and Cinderella, to name a couple.

While I really wanted to like the book, I was confused for a good chunk of the book - not sure if it was because of the pacing or the writing itself. I wish there was a bit more world building too, since there were a lot of opportunities throughout. I thought the use of technology (with the chip implants) and lack thereof (some medieval style technology I assume) was interesting. Out of all the characters, I think Tanek might be my favorite? His background sounded intriguing, but even got more interesting as the story unfolded. I loved the banter between Kaley, Tanek, and Sojee - Kaley’s earthly ways and sass make for some funny “mistranslations” for Tanek and Sojee. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and even though I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I had hoped, I am intrigued to find out what happens next.

DNF at 16% (~56 pages)

i know the ARCs i receive aren’t always the final copy that ends up published, but this read like a first draft. the writing was juvenile and the MC came across to me as someone in her early teens, not a PhD candidate in her mid twenties.

there is a scene early on where she’s reporting to speak to a king and is already almost late and covered in dirt. a man she met like five minutes earlier walks into the room and she throws something of his at him then runs up and leaps into his arms while he spins her around. like?? you already know you’re pushing it with how you’re dressed, so why would you do this?

the pacing was sooo confusing. i had to reread pieces of the first chapter repeatedly to figure out the timing of some parts and still walked away confused by it.

an aside, but the emphasis on weight also rubbed me the wrong way. i’m sure there will be a reason why she needs to be physically fit, but talking about how her stomach is too “soft” and then later being thankful that she was working out because she looked good in front of a hot guy was just like… idk, i didn’t love it

i DNFed because if i finished this, it would probably end up being 1 star. part of me wanted to finish it just to see if it improves, but i had to remind myself that i am trying not to waste my time on stuff i don’t like this year.

I really enjoyed the concept of the story & I enjoyed the mix of fairy tales in the story but I had a hard time connecting to the writing and the book. Some aspects of the story felt a bit confusing and the chemistry between the characters just felt a bit flat for me. The pace of the book felt off and I felt because of the, there were some gaps in the story that made it a bit confusing. I really wanted to love this but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

I think that this novel was a fun bit of fluff. Entertaining and laugh out loud moments as Kaylen wakes up to find herself in a strange place after a "short" trip of three years that she had no idea about. It is an interesting mix of kinda science fiction heavily dosed with fairy tales and good looking guys (ahem Tanek!) that all find Kaylen fun, gorgeous and just the right woman to fix the issues that are happening on the planet, namely fairy tales going real, complete with the chopping of heels and toes to fit a glass slipper! Good thing Kaylen was working on a PhD in fairy tales! Also, I really enjoyed the parts with Kaylen and Sojee (he is awesome), and also Arit (love the sass!). And I really want a tabhor!

So, yeah I would not call this heavy reading, definitely more escapist which is what I was in the mood for so I had fun reading this and I hope to get the chance to read the second book after that cliffhanger!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

This was a FANTASTIC start to a new romantasy duology that sees PhD. student, Kayley being taken to an alien planet where she is tasks with helping to figure out a number of fairy tales that are being played out with deadly consequences. Fresh, original and great on audio, this is perfect for fans of of authors like Katee Robert or Karen Robards and romance fantasy books with a fun twist. I can't wait to see how this story concludes! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Order of Swans drew me in by the beautiful cover but sadly this one was not for me. This is a fantasy novel about a women who ends up in a world where she discovers the power to alter fairy tales but also a chance to change a kingdom's destiny. The plot sounded so good to me, but I just could not get into this book. I also had a hard time following the plot of the book. Also, the characters in this one I did not like. Overall, this one was not for me but if you enjoy fantasy novels then give this book a chance. Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA and The Hive for this read in exchange of my honest review of Order of Swans by Jude Deveraux.

Unfortunately I did not finish this book, the writing style was difficult for me to follow and I was very confused at times. I may try and go back to it once it is published as I like the premise but do not feel this draft is fully edited.

This book is fantastic and well written. I can't wait for the next book. It does end on a cliffhanger though!

My thanks for the ARC goes to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA. I'm voluntarily leaving a review, and all opinions are my own.

Genre: Fantasy, Fairytale Retellings, Sci-Fi, Adult Romantasy
Spice Level: Nothing is really on the page, but there are some adult comments/innuendo
Language: Some profanity

ORDER OF THE SWANS is the first book I've read by Jude Deveraux. I love the concept of this earthling who wants to find new folklore for her studies.

When the rug of her life is pulled out from under her, I truly felt her pain and sorrow.

You're going to find familiar fairy tales in this book, and Kaley solves the problems in her own way, and the men do not understand her feminism or colloquial expressions that will tickle some funny-bones. The museum was fun too. This is very much a "we're going on an adventure" style of plot, traveling from one vignette to another.

This book broke one of my cardinal rules: Don't end on a complete cliffhanger.

It's a cliffhanger, and it felt totally random like I was missing the rest of a chapter—was this because it was an advanced reader copy? It's possible.

I think fans of fairy tales who want a little more heat in their stories will enjoy this book.

Happy reading!

This is a very different style to what is usually written by Jude Devereaux. Set in a different universe, the main conflict is something that even the main charachters don't seem to understand. The premise is a good one, but left the reader confused all the way through the ending. I assume that a second one is planned as there wasn't a final resulution and it leaves the reader wondering just exactlly what happened and why.

I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis sounded amazing, and I was so excited when I was chosen to read it. When I finally got around to reading it, though, I was really let down.

The writing was fairly poor. This might be rude, but it reminded me of a Wattpad book I would read in middle school. I think with more revisions, the writing could've improved from the cringiness it was, but that was the main reason why I had to stop reading this book.

The beginning was also far too fast-paced. You could tell that Deveraux wanted to get to the juiciness of the story, resulting in little description in the first few chapters. The characters were obviously rushed since it was a last-minute decision to go with Jobi to his country, but I think that the writing could've been better where I didn't feel like I was reading everything and nothing at the same time.

Truly, this could be a good book and maybe it gets better the further you get into it. But I didn't care to find out.

Despite my less-than-raving review, thank you NetGalley and Jude Deveraux for the read!

I’ve been reading Jude Deveraux for years, and thought I knew exactly what to expect from her novels. I figured this might have a slight twist since it is advertised as fantasy compared to the majority of her previous novels being straight romance, but I honestly thought I would be reading something more like ‘Legend’ or even ‘Knight in Shining Armor’, maybe throw in a wizard or something. However, this felt like it was bordering on science fiction.

That being said, the book is fairly well-written, particularly as a genre that the author is new to. The storyline had me intrigued from the prologue, but as this is Book 1 in a duology, reading gave me more questions than answers. The romance is as predictable as expected, but there is so much more to be explained than in a typical Deveraux book. I actually found it much more compelling than her mystery novels.

I like all the characters that have been introduced, although I’m low-key hoping there’s more of a stand-out villain in the next book. I think the MC, Kaley, could use a little bit of personal growth. She’s intended to be well-liked, but I found it somewhat difficult to connect with her. I’m particularly curious, though, about the character Jobi.

Overall, this book showed a very promising start. It’s a little bit difficult for me to rate this story without knowing where it’s leading, but I was looking for a release date for the second book within minutes of finishing this one, so I’ll consider that a good sign. (For the book, not me, since I wasn’t able to find a date.)

Thank you so very much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

ORDER OF SWANS

⭐️ DNF

I’m really bummed about this one because I loved the cover and I loved the book description. Unfortunately I couldn’t get into it. I even tried starting over when I got to 25% to see if I could understand more of what was going on. The writing felt really discombobulated.

It also has a sci-fi element that isn’t mentioned anywhere. And part of the plot is that the FMC gets taken to this other planet unbeknownst to her. It felt really unbelievable that a person pursuing their doctorate degree wouldn’t ask any questions about this blue zapping device that put her to sleep for 3 years. Especially when it’s used for the second time.