Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. This was an absolutely beautiful debut from Ms. Housman. It did have a slower pace than I was expecting, but once I realized it wasn't meant to be a stand-alone, it made sense and it didn't bother me at all. Looking very forward to the next book in the series. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

This was an interesting fantasy debut from Housman, and the only one I've read from an author with Autism (and I've only read a few stories with a character that has Autism). The storyline was unique, and I enjoyed the sisterhood bonds. Seelie is wonderfully drawn, and the world building is well done. I really enjoyed the author's note, as well.

I received a free eARC so I could read this book. Thank you for the opportunity.

When I was in graduate school, I did a study on portrayals of disability in children’s media. The Hunchback of Notre Dame had just come out, and while the portrayal of Quasimodo was getting criticized as being negative, I was seeing a very different reaction on the Usenet newsgroups I frequented for people with cerebral palsy, dystonia, and dyspraxia-all diagnosis I held.

I read hundreds of children’s books as part of that study and surveyed and interviewed thousands of people. The conclusion was simple. Representation matters. And good representation can change a person’s life.

When I go through lists of MG and YA books to review, I specifically search for ones that involve disabilities and neurodiversity. Over time, It’s become a habit to NOT look at author notes until after I’ve read it-and in almost all cases, there is a level of authenticity that comes through, a reality, a trueness that comes when the author is themselves disabled or neurodiverse. Usually, I can tell.

When I picked up Unseelie. i didn’t get that opportunity. Not only had the author stated that she was autistic and wanted to write the kind of book that she needed as a child in her author note, but I had seen discussion on Twitter about the frustration ND authors feel when non ND reviewers claim their ND characters aren’t realistic, where one of the participating authors mentioned that this book was coming out soon. I sought it out for that reason.

See, I’m not autistic, but I have cerebral palsy and dyspraxia, plus a litany of other conditions. Like the author stated in her notes, fantasy novels, and books in general were and are an escape for me. Like the author, the number of ND and Neurodiverse characters in fantasy (barring a former knight missing a hand or a pirate with a missing eye) are few and far between. So, I decided to see if this was a book available to me as a potential reviewer.

I’m glad I did. The concept of “the normal child I should have had was taken, stolen away, and I’m now raising this inhuman, alien thing that I don’t understand” is a common feature on parenting groups when parents discuss kids with disabilities or neurodiversity. Particularly when that difference, like autism, apraxia, or dyspraxia has stolen the ability to communicate normally. Iselia has grown up knowing she’s a changeling. Knowing she is different, and knowing why. She had supportive parents and a loving, protective twin sister. But she isn’t accepted in her community, she doesn’t belong.

Through this book, the experience of being a changeling, of being autistic, is woven in skillfully. Seelie’s struggles with comprehension, with emotional control and response, and her lack of control over her magic, which is both her greatest gift and curse, will ring true to anyone who has grown up neurodiverse, or just plain different. Her gradual connection with others, and her sheer panic at the thought that things cannot return to the “before” is also real. And it fills a place in me even though, for me, the representation isn’t quite right. Because Seelie’s world is a world in which I might, too, have a place as a slightly different sort of changeling.

If you are autistic, or otherwise neurodiverse, read this book. You will find yourself in it. If you are not neurodiverse, recognize that anything that seems different in this book compared to other fantasy novels with similar themes, is that it was written from the viewpoint of an Autistic character, by an Autistic author.. I think you’ll find a lot of yourself in Seelie, too.

This is obviously not the complete story, and I can’t wait for more. Thank you.

Unseelie is the story of two twins on an unwilling adventure. One of them, Seelie, is an autistic changeling who struggles to accept her magic and understand other people. The other, Isolde, is an adventurer whose goals often conflict with Seelie's. The two accidentally team up with two other teens for an adventure quest to seek an unknown legacy.

I loved the faerie realm aspects, the hints of broader world building, and the enchanted wagon in this story. The complicated relationships between the siblings and their unwilling allies were also a highlight.

I didn't realize this was part of a series until the last third or so, when I started wondering why the plot showed no signs of wrapping up. I would have liked a bit more resolution to this book, since it felt to me like it started rambling to throw in some setup for book two. As it left off, there's plenty to explore about the twins, the magic, and the broader world as this series continues.

Unseelie is a fresh take on the myth of the changeling. I love the two main characters and how autism and neurodivergence was presented in this text. It is something that is incredibly helpful for this age range and I'd love to see more book like this.

I was very intrigued by the description of this book. Ultimately, I decided to DNF at 33% because the story was moving too slow for my taste.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the advanced eARC.

The cover was what drew me in and I'm glad I read this, it worked so well together and worked as a potential fantasy series. I enjoyed the way the characters were written and they felt like they belonged in the world that was created. I was glad I was able to read this and enjoyed the way Ivelisse Housman wrote this.

“Why have we stopped?” Olani demands, too distracted by the crowd and our pursuers to notice the Destiny. She’s still holding Raze up with their arms draped around each other’s shoulders, and he’s staring very hard at the cobblestones as if he can will himself to stop feeling sick."

I love a book about sisters and this one is magical. Seelie and her twin Isolde have been on the road since Seelie revealed she was a fairy changeling. A theft gone wrong causes them to meet Raze and Olani; and the start of an adventure.

I loved how loyal the sisters were to each other even when they are quarreling. The magic system was both fresh and familiar. Be sure to expect a sequel.

Similar sister books: SISTERS OF SHADOW AND LIGHT by Sara Larson, BONE CRIER’S MOON by Kathryn Purdie, and THE INVENTION OF SOPHIE CARTER by Samantha Hastings.

Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman is a wonderful fantasy adventure focused on two sisters caught up in wild adventure after an attempted theft gone wrong.

Things I loved about this book
-Changeling character
-positive Autism representation
-strong sibling bonds

Things that didn't work as well for me
-Pacing felt uneven
-the writer did such an amazing job fleshing out the main characters that the side characters feel neglected at times.

Who I would recommend this book for

Unseelie will be a delightful fantasy read for fans of YA fantasy looking for a Fae story filled with sisterly love.

Seelie is an autistic changeling who goes on the run with her twin sister, Isolde, after an accident in their hometown. Determined to return to their parents, the girls steal to make a living. Until they decide to steal from the wrong person, sending them on an adventure with tentative allies, full of twists and turns.

This book was very charming. We have a wagon with a larger-than-life personality, a brownie that acts like a cat, and banter that fills the book with interesting dialogue. It is written in a way that this book is enjoyable for a wide range of ages, from middle grade to high school.

The real star of the show is Seelie. The whole book is told from her point of view, which is what kept me reading. Neurodivergent characters are rarely seen in fantasy, and usually, they are the side characters. I really enjoyed understanding her point of view, as she struggles on this journey. She has a hard time connecting with the other characters and her magic.

Because Seelie was so compelling, the rest of the characters felt kind of flat for me. I had a hard time connecting to any of them, mainly because their depths were not really explored. We are seeing them through Seelie's eyes, and she has a hard time being around and reading people, which shows. This is not a standalone, so I hope that we can truly get to know the other characters in the sequel.

This was wildly entertaining.I was sold even further by the writing, plot and characters which were all so gripping. Overall a solid start to a high-stakes duology, Unseelie is a must read.

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

I am not sure I have the words to describe how much this book means to me but I am going to sure try.

Unseelie is by far the best female - autistic representation (at least in the way it presents in me) I have ever read and throughout the book I kept stopping at the way seelie was thinking and saying “haha I do that too” or "thats exactly what i would do!" It is a whole new level of surreal to not only see myself in a book, but hear my same thought-process in the narration. Seelie is complex and flawed and pushed to grow by her companions without being told to change who she is.

Putting the fantastic rep aside the story was a super fun road trip/treasure hunt/ adventure through the magical fantasy world Housman has created while both including and subverting all my favorite tropes.

If you are a fan of Emily Lloyd-jones or Leslie Vedder like I am this will certainly be another favorite read.

Now excuse me while I go force everyone I know to read this book!

Seelie is a changeling who, unlike her human twin Isolde, finds it difficult to fit in with the humans that surround her. This became especially difficult when her magic began to make an appearance, breaking through at unexpected times and causing people to fear her. Together, the sisters left home with the goal of becoming rich enough to move themselves and their parents to a place free of judgment. But when a heist goes wrong, they become entangled with two others who have similar goals. As they race against a powerful magician to find treasure and answers, Seelie struggles to come to terms with her origins and her magic.

I absolutely loved this book! While it did follow some standard fantasy tropes, the author made them feel new and fresh. The worldbuilding was excellent. Getting glimpses into the fairy realms left me wanting more! The author also excelled at including meaningful descriptions that made the setting and the story immersive.

The characters were quite strong. They were well written and felt like real people. I enjoyed the bond of the sisters but that they still had some intense fights (relatable!). The exploration of Seelie’s history and how it altered her interactions with people was a strong aspect of her character that I enjoyed. I also loved that the group was thrown together by circumstance and similar goals, which made for some interesting and tense interactions.

There was a good bit of information withheld during the first half of the book that was then slowly revealed as the story went on. The author paced this wonderfully, giving the reader enough information to keep them interested but still leaving plenty of questions and intrigue for the next book.

I have no complaints about this book and highly recommend it! My thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for allowing me to read and review this awesome work of fantasy that will be published on January 3rd, 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was looking forward to a book with a clearly autistic MC, but I didn't find it here. If I hadn't read it in the blurb, I would never have know that the main character had autism (at least for the first 40% of the book). At that point, the story didn't seem to be going anywhere, and the plot point of Seelie stealing her parents' memories didn't make any logical sense.

The cover is gorgeous, though.

Iselia Graygrove, more affectionately known as Seelie, is an autistic changeling who is learning how to harness her magic in the midst of an unexpected adventure with her twin sister Isolde. The two team up with Olani & Raze and became a fun posse to follow along with. There was plenty of snarky banter and sarcastic moments throughout the book. I especially loved the descriptive language around the food - I was getting so hungry every time I was reading!!

I was actually a huge fan of the side characters - Olani and Gossamer were definitely my favorite characters although I did appreciate the dynamic between Isolde and Seelie, as well as warming up to Seelie and Raze toward the end of the book. The last 10% was intense and definitely left me with more questions.

I would highly recommend this YA fantasy to lovers of fairies, magic, enemies to lovers, and just all around good story-telling. The pace is steady and intensifies toward the end for sure - there seem to be some moments where we’re kind of doing the same thing we’ve been doing but the dialogue keeps it moving right along.

Thank you so much to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun YA read about two sisters living on the run after an incident in their hometown when they were younger. Seelie is a changeling with magic and Isolde is a skilled fighter and thief, and they decide to use the night of a big festival to break into the infamous Wildfall Manor. They end up stealing a magical object and find themselves being hunted by others who want to use it.

I appreciated the relationship between Seelie and Isolde and how they cared for each other so much, but also had their fights and differences as siblings do. It took me a bit to warm up to the two side characters, but I ended up liking them in the end. Seelie’s repressed magic and all of the mystery surrounding the magical object kept me interested throughout the book and I enjoyed all of the twists and turns. There were some repetitive parts and I went into it thinking it was a standalone, but overall it was enjoyable and the ending left me wanting more - I especially want to know more about Gossamer as well as the girls’ mother, so I will probably read the conclusion.

Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book! I normally don't enjoy books that are really cerebral and take place mostly in the main character's head, but it was superbly done in this fantasy tale. Seelie, a changeling, has such a fierce view of the world and her feelings and those around her. Being that much in her thoughts really propelled the storytelling and the shifting of the characters. A fantastic book that explores the connections between the mortal and faerie realm, and it had a few twists that were really fun as well!

I can't claim to have read all the fae books out there, but this one seems to me like a new take on a familiar setting, which made Unseelie quite refreshing.
Having an autistic MC (which is interesting on its own, given the correlation changeling = autistic) and a chubby LI was something I didn't know I needed in a setting crowded with neurotypical and thin/muscular with a six pack/starved characters.
This was an YA book that felt YA in all its banter, drama and the confusion of falling in love for the first time.
The ending left me a little confused and I really hope there's a sequel.

My favorite thing to see in the book how Seelie and Isolde's relationship shines through the pages the most. This was my first YA fantasy book with an autistic main character. This book had great representation, characters and plot. The way it ended made me think there's a sequel.

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

The story is interesting. I love that it's a full on adventure story focusing on a sister and her love for her twin and family. The twins end up a situation they never wanted to be in and go in a quest. The story is slow to start and I am not a fan of the writing style. It comes off to me as someone writing a diary or verbally telling. The author does break the 4th wall and does use 'you' and address the audience. I am not a fan of this style of writing which made it a little off putting for me. If you love adventure, with a gang of misfits, this story is for you!