Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Unseelie

Author: Ivelisse Housman

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4.5/5

Diversity: Autistic Coded MC with speech impediment and is a twin

Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, high fantasy, fae, autistic characters, twin characters, speech impediment characters

Publication Date: January 3, 2023

Genre: YA Fantasy

Age Relevance: 12+ (violence, death, child killing, gore, romance, cursing, abelsim)

Explanation of Above: There is some knife violence, some physical violence, and death and child killings are mentioned. Abelism is mentioned vaguely in a few places of the text. There is some slight blood gore. There is some slight romance but nothing more than light kisses. There is very slight cursing, I believe only a handful of instances in the book.

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Pages: 432

Synopsis: Iselia “Seelie” Graygrove looks just like her twin, Isolde… but as an autistic changeling trying to navigate her unpredictable magic, Seelie finds it more difficult to fit in with the humans around her. When Seelie and Isolde are caught up in a heist gone wrong and make some unexpected allies, they find themselves unraveling a larger mystery that has its roots in the history of humans and fae alike.

Both sisters soon discover that the secrets of the faeries may be more valuable than any pile of gold and jewels. But can Seelie harness her magic in time to protect her sister, and herself?

Review: I thought this book was pretty well done. The book involves fae and a lot of fun high fantasy elements, but with amazing magic that is very well developed and described. I liked the world building as well and I thought the character development was great. The book had great commentary on abelism with autistic people, especially in how a lot of people imply they would want a dead child with autism than one with. There are some passages about loving children as they come despite what they bring with them or what occurs to them, which I think is something a lot of would-be parents and even current parents need to think upon. The book is also very “chosen one”-like and would be perfect for those seeking that trope, especially ones that ring true to early 00s chosen one stories.

The only issues I had with the book is that in the beginning it had a very Book 2 type of feel to it and it was a little difficult to get into.

Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend.

What a way to start my reading year! Newly released, Unseelie offered so much more than I ever expected. Not only is this book a breath of fresh air by digging into the characters' big emotions, but it also gives a voice to many whose struggles to communicate go unheard. I absolutely loved that this author shared a part of herself in this book to help herself and others like her to be seen, especially because it's in such a strong role. Autistic kids aren't well represented in literature, much less fantasy, and even less in strong leading roles. Ivylisse Housman has woven a beautiful story of family, adventure, and identity that showcases the strengths and weaknesses of the main character, Seelie, in a way that helps readers identify with both.

When "twin" sisters Isolde and Seelie are forced to flee their home after an incident that reveals a dangerous part of Seelie's nature - the magic of a changeling. On their quest to find money to build a new home for their family and restore their parents' memories, the sisters encounter many unexpected obstacles.

Breaking into the Wildline manor to steal a magical item isn't only the sisters' goal, however. They meet Raze and Olani, who have also snuck into the estate and are now competing for the item.....or perhaps, they could work together?

Given no choice, the four are thrown into a dangerous journey of magic, secrets, and discovery as they search for the Wildline Legacy. But what is it they're searching for, and where do they look? As they follow the path to discover an unknown treasure, Isolde, Seelie, Olani and Raze discover secrets not only about their companions but about themselves. Friendships will be forged, but will they outlast the secrets and tentative trust between them?

Skills and loyalty are tested in dire situations as they travel to and from faerie realms, accidentally and on purpose. Powers are stretched to their limit, and their tenuous new friendships are questioned at every turn. What will happen when they reach the treasure? Will they go their separate ways and return to their lives? Is that what any of them want?

Join the newly formed quartet of adventurers as they discover the treasure they seek, and what it will mean for their futures in Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman.

"Both sisters soon discover that the secrets of the faeries may be more valuable than any pile of gold and jewels. But can Seelie harness her magic in time to protect her sister and herself?"

You had me at Unseelie, but the story is a terrific read on top of all the magical faerie goodies. Relatable characters, real world problems in a fantasy setting, and a unique faerie puzzle to solve in time to save a loved one. Looking forward to the sequel!

I was fully immersed in the world of Unseelie from page one. Seelie and her twin Isolde have been on the run for years, after an accident with Seelie's changeling powers. Seelie is part fae, though she tries really hard to push her gift down. She's also autistic, dealing with things in different ways than many others. Their end goal is to secure (steal) enough money so that they can return to their parents and start a new life together somewhere safe. However, this is greatly complicated when they manage to steal a magical artifact and become hunted by one of the most powerful women in the land. Along the way they join forces with Raze and Olani, who have their own reasons for wanting to find the treasure that this artifact leads to. Can they work together and survive this journey?
This is the kind of fantasy novel that I really enjoy. The world pulls you in. It's full of perils, but also beauty. Seelie was easy to connect to as a protagonist, and I really enjoyed seeing her relationship with her sister and the newly forming friendship/romance with Raze. The magic in this novel is also intriguing. Great worldbuilding and great characters. I truly can't wait to see where this story goes next.

Loved this! To see an autistic hero in a young adult fantasy was so refreshing. The plot was exciting and interesting. Kept me guessing until the end.

I wanted to enjoy this book but I had issues, Changelings are autistic children ? The characters themselves I found not well constructed and quite shallow,I appreciate the much needed neuro diverse rep, but overall for me it just wasn’t enjoyable and a lot of the leads choices just seemed to be too convenient to the plot. The romance I liked and had potential, but even this seemed to be running hot and cold. Not for me sadly and I really wanted it to be too.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
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Seelie is a young woman with autism who finds it difficult to fit in with the people that she finds herself surrounded by, and it doesn't help that she is a changeling as well; people are not accepting of changelings, nor those who choose to love her. Thankfully Seelie has a twin of sorts, Isolde, who loves and accepts her for who she is. In order to survive the twins take to stealing, but when they get involved in what they believe will be a simple heist they find themselves with much bigger problems, and a couple of unwanted allies. Traveling between the faerie and human realms, Seelie must show incredible strength, both magically and internally, if she has any hope of escaping and surviving. 

In general I enjoyed the novel. I liked the strength that is possessed by many of the characters, the magical elements that are woven throughout the narrative, as well as many of the instances of duality in Unseelie. Seelie is an intriguing character; she has a determination rooted in love, making her a very sympathetic character. I also appreciated the fact that this protagonist has a few obstacles to overcome, obstacles that most don’t face, and she does so with strength and grace. Through the words and descriptions used a magical land which I enjoyed exploring with Seelie and Isolde was created. There were some times that things seemed to drag a little and I found myself losing interest however.

If I knew this was a series I would not have requested this. I won't be continuing it, I was pretty bored and didn't realize this was about faeries which I don't care for. Not a bad book but not for me!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

4.5/5 ⭐️

Before I start my review I want to acknowledge that while Inkyardpress and other imprints under Harlequin are not apart of the Harpercollins Union every other imprint is and it’s important to hold your reviews!

I’m having a hard time articulating how important this book is to me. So I’ll start with what the book is about.

Unseelie is about and autistic changeling named Seelie. When her and her sister, Isolde, are caught up in a heist gone wrong, they end up traveling with two unexpected Allie’s to unravel a larger mystery than they expected.

Ivelisse Housman takes such classic tropes, heists, Fae realms, adventure stories, and turns them on their head to create something new and exciting. And it’s new and exciting because the main character Seelie, is autistic. She is so unapologetically autistic. It’s woven into everything she does, every scene, every sentence, every way she interacts with the characters. It never needs to be unnecessarily pointed weirdly by other couples like neurotypical do when they write autistic characters. And it’s done in a way only and Ownvoices author can achieve it.

The magical world is incredibly well done as well. I really enjoyed the way our world and the Fae realms were portrayed, especially the Fae realms I am begging for book two to have more Fae realms content I am so curious. I also really like how Housman sprinkled in talks of ableism and eugenics in a way that was age-appropriate and easy to understand. While I guessed certain aspects of the story I was also so drawn in, I had such a hard time putting this book down.

And this slowburn is a sloooowburn and I’m simply obsessed. The dynamics all the characters had were so interesting and fleshed out. Also side couple sapphic relationship? 👀

I also want to take a moment to talk about the writing which was done so well. I really, really like that the story was in first person as it helped delve into Seelie’s character and see how she viewed the world. Not the other characters views, hers. This could get a little repetitive bjt after seeing a story Housman mad on instagram I fully understood why it was written this way. A lot of times autistic people can have a harder time wrapping our heads around things. We also like patterns and things to be almost exactly the same, and that sometimes includes our thoughts. So yes Seelie was very repetitive it was also very accurate to many autistic people. The story was a little rushed at the end and it could get a little too repetitive at times.

The last thing I want to delve into (very sorry for the long review,) is how important this book is to me. Time and time again autistic are told we “don’t belong,” because we “wouldn’t make sense.” Well this book is a big fuck you to them. Because we do belong. We belong in your stories, we belong to be the center of your stories. Very few characters feel like I can truly relate too. Sure I relate to some aspects of character but Seelie? I fully and wholy understood. This book felt like they had plucked things from my mind and placed them in a story of magic that I never thought I would find myself in.

So, yeah that’s my review. It’s long but it’s from my heart, and I teared up writing it. If you can’t tell GO READ IT!!

Very appreciative for the opportunity to read and review Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman. I've been looking for more fae and magic-based books and had high hopes for this title.

Ivelisse's world-building was strong and believable. The folklore, character backstories, and settings held strong throughout and gave lots of great visual elements and moments of immersion in this world.

However, there was something about Seelie I just couldn't warm to. Maybe I'm the wrong age to read this kind of story, or since this is not my genre of choice, I'm missing some known information on tropes. However, Seelie's relationship with Isolde and Raze in particular felt difficult and overly brash. The dialogue wasn't strong enough for me to understand some deeper parts of the relationships or each character's motivations beyond sharing the bounty of the promised treasure, and I'm a little confused about what the whole compass even meant. These things didn't have to be known to Seelie, but a little clarity for the reader would have made the story more satisfying to me. Without this knowledge, the plot felt slow for what was covered, and the ending was pretty abrupt.

I have a feeling I'm going to be looking to pick up a lot more fae books in the future, as I thoroughly enjoyed this one. First and foremost I felt that the worldbuilding especially was done really well. I felt fully immersed in the world as well as the characters' stories. The characters themselves were well written and full of dimension, their struggles and relationships in a lot of ways were relatable and understandable.

The sisters, as well as their supporting characters were really compelling. I really liked not only the fantasy of the story, but also the ideas regarding real world issues (autism) and what they might have meant in the past. I would love to explore this story and world more to see what more is to come!

This was my most anticipated read for 2023, so I was THRILLED when I had the chance to read an ARC from Netgalley. From the first pages, I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. It's one of the best feelings when a book you're excited for follows through—and not only does it follow through, but it immediately soars to a new all-time favorite.

Unseelie has all the trappings of a classic, fun YA fantasy adventure, but with an autistic protagonist. And when I say that makes me ridiculously happy—

While the book was full of adventure, fun, and magic, it also brought out deeper emotions, too. I'm not one to cry or tear up in books all that often, but this one certainly hit me in the feels.

If you're looking for a fun, fae-filled romp through a fantasy world that's full of so much heart, I HIGHLY recommend picking up Unseelie.

*I received an e-ARC from Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Honestly, it took me some time to get invested in the characters, and I didn't find myself particularly compelled to keep reading it like those novels that really hook you from line two. However, I didn't look at this book as a chore to read either. It was really a chill read despite the many life-threatening situations! Housman very obviously did their research on fairy lore and the many folk creatures that fall under their umbrella. I loved that the story wasn't overly antagonistic. I thought Seelie was pretty relatable, but I felt the rest of the characters could have done with a little more fleshing out. Overall, I thought this was a cozy, comfortable read, and I would definitely feel comfortable recommending it to teens and advanced readers in middle school.

This book follows Seelie who is a changeling as she goes on an adventure to the faerie world. I really enjoyed seeing the autistic representation in this book. The authors note had me crying before even starting the book. I enjoyed the adventure and the quest. I wish there was more that had been resolved but I didn’t realize this was a duology. I’m interested to see where this story goes in book 2.

What a fantastic story with great rep! The main character is diagnosed with autism and in my opinion (as someone who does not have autism) this was represented in such a well done way. You'll also want to read the author's note at the end about this! I loved Seelie and seeing her journey and I thought the plot was really interesting as well. There are even a few twists and turns to keep readers on their feet. Overall, this book was such an unexpected joy!

I really enjoyed this. I would definately recommend this to a YA audience. The autism rep was great because we need it more in fiction. I liked Iselia's character and her growth throughout the book. The few issues I had was I wish the other characters were more memorable and that the story itself is a safe story, nothing too outside of the box. Also, I agree with other reviewers when they say I wish it wasn't the changeling who had autism because it may be misinterrupted as autisic people aren't human or they could think they aren't human. I know what the author was trying to say by showcasing it that way, but it's just my opinion. Overall, this is a solid fantasy book and would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked the atmosphere and setting that Unseelie created, and the characters and storyline were really interesting. I thought the Seelie’s journey was really lovely and that all the characters in this novel were extremely interesting and complex. This is such a good interpretation of Fae legend and creates a well-thought out world that is held together with prose that is addictively readable. This was a really enjoyable story that seems realistic even in its fantastic nature.

DNF @24%
This book is so boring, I couldn't keep my eyes open. I didn't care about anything happening, I didn't like the writing, and the characters had no personality.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and a final copy via BookishFirst, all opinions are my own. This book was released on January 3, 2023 and is available now.

This follows twin sisters Iselia aka Seelie and Isolde as they try to survive in a world of magic, shapeshifters, and fae. Seelie is a changeling, not human but not fae either. As the author mentions in her author's note, it is believed that changelings were used to describe autistic children in early mythology as a way to explain the unexplainable. While we've come a long way in the world of autism diagnosis and treatment, we still have a long way to go. You can really tell that alot of love and care went into creating Seelie's character and I'm sure alot of the author's own experiences can be seen in her.

Being a changeling with uncontrollable magic, Seelie is both feared and misunderstood. She finds it difficult to interact with humans and sometimes finds it hard to control her emotions. In order to survive, she and Isolde have turned to a life of theft and pickpocketing, so when they target a large mansion on a festival night they run into another team of theives they didn't plan for as well as a treasure that has a mind of it's own that latches onto Seelie. The twins end up on a quest they didn't intend to go on, and Seelie must learn to harness the magic she fears and despises to save herself and her beloved sister.

I really enjoyed going on this quest with Seelie. The world building was well done as was the character development. Not only does Seelie have to learn to harness her magic but she is also on a self-discovery quest as well. By accepting her magic she is accepting that she is not like other people and that is OK. The story had good pacing and kept me engaged the whole time. The story wrapped up nicely but did leave things open to allow for more adventures with Seelie, Isolde, and her new allies. I would happily read more from this author and more about Seelie and her adventures should there be more.

I was really excited to see that one of the main characters is a changeling fae girl who is autistic. Part of me wishes it hadn’t been the changeling who fit this diagnosis since in this world they’re seen as less than human and that seemed a little on the nose for me, but I do like that she is strong with so many magical talents. And everyone should be able to look at a magical hero and see themselves sometime. Seelie (an unfortunate nickname that is at least recognized) is a changeling, but her human parents adopted her and raised her and her human twin sister, Isolde. Forced to leave their home and their parents they are getting by with Isolde’s thievery skills. They are presented with an opportunity they literally cannot refuse which sets them off on an adventure to find an magical treasure that will have the power to set them free and allow them to return home. All four characters had great potential but only Seelie felt truly developed well enough. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4889681754
https://www.amazon.com/review/RS94GBP4DRYM0/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unseelie-ivelisse-housman/1141358824?ean=9781335428592&bvnotificationId=a5bb382d-8bcd-11ed-9f6c-12b251f50a25&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=yahoo.com#review/237170045