⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️/4

A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows has quite the interesting and uniques concept. It is well written and full of Irish folklore. However, it was a bit slow to start and I didn’t feel fully invested in the story until Eala went into the veil. That’s when the story really picked up. The dynamic between the FMC, Eala, and the MMC, Sion seemed a bit strange at first but as the story unraveled, their relationship dynamic grew. There were quite. a few plot twists in the later half of the book that I definitely did not see them coming.
All in all, It was a lovely story and look forward to seeing where it goes in the next book. Especially since the author left us on a bit of cliff.
I do have to say, that even though the author took great care and provided pronunciations in the text; I would have loved to see a pronunciation/meaning guide at the front of the book. Although, I am quite familiar with Irish words and their pronunciations, most readers are not.

Thank you to NetGalley and City Owl Press for the opportunity to read A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows.

2.5 stars.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. For most of it, I found it to be either confusing or boring. I did not care about the plot; I didn’t really connect with any of the characters and I felt like the world building was quite convoluted, and not properly explained. Eala and Sion’s relationship also felt very insta-love and they seemed to have no real connection outside all of the supernatural forces keeping them together. Maybe if you love Irish inspired stories you’ll end up liking this one.

A beautiful epic adventure told like an Irish fairytale. Eala and Sionnach won over my heart during their trials and travels through the Veil. The twists kept me guessing until the end. A lovely story for those who enjoy a sweet fantasy romance!

This really pulled me in from the get go, and I felt it was really interesting premise. It didnt take too long for the plot to get going and for our main protagonist to get sucked in to the action. It was interesting how the otherworldly elements bled in to the real world and overlapped. I loved the pockets of history brought out and the Irish folklore and tales that infused the story.

In terms of pace there were faster and slower bits of the book, and a few bits lagged for me but on the whole it kept me interested enough to keep going. As times some of the main characters reactions were frustrating, and my lord where they temperamental but this didn't detract from me rooting for them and wanting things to go well.

I feel this has been set up as the beginning of a series (though this book did have a decent conclusion) so I would be intriqued to see more of what happens and if we follow the same or new (or even secondary characters from this book) in new adventures.

Received this as an ARC, thank you to NetGalley, City Owl Press, and Leslie O’Sullivan.
Unfortunately, this is a DNF for me after making it 50% of the way. The book had a lot of opportunities to be good and even great but missed the mark. Somehow the introduction felt both rushed and not fleshed out enough, making it hard to feel any connection to Eala. The side characters are flat and only seem to talk to her about relationship issues. Eala’s main love interest, Sionnach, is so hot and cold that he comes across just as unlikeable. The magical part of this world only get introduced in an intentionally vague way about ⅓ through the story. There’s a lot that doesn’t make sense and I didn’t find myself caring about any of the characters.
I did enjoy the hunt for the missing piece that each soul needed. However, I thought Eala being apart of the team would make a difference and we would see her that way, but it just doesn’t happen. The author does a wonderful job painting descriptions of lush country side, but overall this book misses the mark for me.

I really really enjoyed this book! It was such a unique spin on a fantasy book and I LOVED the Irish lore in it. It was a little slow at first but that’s with all fantasy books- the scene has to be set for the later chapters. It only took a could chapters for me to really get into the story and become invested in the characters.

I really felt for Eala with the emotions she was going through with her grandmother, but through the book she was able to grow so much! I also really enjoyed Sion. And the way Eala and Sion interacted. You could really feel their emotions, instead of just reading them.

The lore was so unique to me and I haven’t read another book like this. It was new and still easy to follow, and it was an exciting approach and story. And the way the book ended, wow! cannot wait for the next book!

Overall: 5/5
Spice: 2/5, very limited amount but did get a little spicy where it appeared.

Thank you so much Leslie O’Sulivan, Owl City Press, and Net Galley for the eARC.

A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows by Leslie O'Sullivan was a wonderful read chalk full of Irish folklore and beautiful imagery. I will say, this book took me some time to get into, but the overall journey unfolds into a captivating adventure of Irish folklore, history, and unexpected romance with the brooding Irishman. While I enjoyed the mix of magic and discovery within a magical landscape, I feel like the plot was much to slow. Overall, this story was beautifully written and the characters were lovable, but the pace and technicality of the read brought it down for me.

This story seemed very promising to me at first. I mean, I LOVE all things Ireland. And with the Irish setting and folklore that this one promised, I was SO excited. Unfortunately, it just fell off the mark for me. The beginning was purposely vague and confusing. I know it was. But it went so far as to lose my interest because I found that I just didn't care enough about the characters to want to stick around and flesh out the whole story.
To be clear, the writing wasn't bad. But I think the story was just not for me. It didn't resonate with me. Hope to try this author again someday.

Overall the book was okay. I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if I had an understanding of Irish folklore but as I don't, a lot of time I wasn't confident that I knew what was happening.

Very obvious from the beginning that Jeremy was not as he seemed. Didn't like how Eala was just fawning over both Sion and Jeremy - imagining a future with either of them. It came across a bit desperate.

A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows Is packed full of Irish folklore, even though some parts are slow-paced I loved the fae aspects and the adventure. The multiple plot twists and the well-written characters kept me reading. The world building and book cover were also great and I hope to read the next book when it comes out.

🕮 ARC review 🕮


✰⋆☾ ⋆ A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows ⭑☽ ✧˖°. Leslie O'Sullivan ✰


I always feel bad to DNF a book but I seriously cannot get into this book.. Tried multiple times over multiple days but I guess this book just isn't for me. 😢

The beginning starts in modern times and was a little slow for me. There was so much Irish folklore that I was a little lost the first 30%. I finally started piecing everything together and was diving head first into the story! I love the world building and characters. There were so many amazing plot twists and revelations towards the end of the book that have me anxiously awaiting the next book!!

From the get-go I was iffy about all the male characters. I love how there wasn't ever too much revealed and it made me so mad, but I loved it. I loved getting to feel Sion and Ella's emotions throughout the book instead of just being third wheel to it.

Thank you so much Leslie + NetGalley for the eARC!

Eala's life is turned upside down with the unexpected passing of her grandmother, the only family she has ever know. When her grandmother's lawyer presents her with an eerie note instructing her to go to Ireland to "Find me," Eala embarks on a whirl-wind adventure of discovery, Faerie's, and a handsome yet surly Irishman named Sion. Secrets about her heritage unfold as she learns that not all fairy-tales are false.

I really enjoyed this story with it's mix of Irish folklore and history. The pacing of the story kept me interested and I enjoyed rooting for the characters to succeed in their mission. I will say though, that I did find Eala's character to be very frustrating at times with her whiplash of emotions. She was a little all over the place. One minute totally in love, the next, she's willing to walk away completely. When characters don't stop and have an adult conversation explaining themselves, it's a trope in stories I don't particularly care for. Other than that, I loved the concept of this story and the end had me tearing up. I really hope this is a continued series because the ending was left wide open for a sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley for granting me an advance reader copy for free! I am writing an honest review:

I thought this book was great. I went in blind. I truly lovevirish folklore. The build up was great. Got going in the middle and kept me reading. Over all I'm happy I was able to read this in advance.

The beginning of this was slow. The Irish folklore was done beautifully though. Towards the middle, it started to ramp up and I started to really enjoy reading. It was a very unique and interesting read. Highly recommend for anyone who loves folklore.

This is definitely different from all of the other fantasy booms I have read. That is mainly because of the Irish folklore. . There were so many plot twists later in the book that I did not see coming, especially towards the ending!

A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows is a refreshing novel that is heavy on Irish folklore and features a light urban fantasy setting. Ella O'Dwyer's life is turned upside down after her grandmother's passing. She's always known she was adopted, but now she's finding out her name's not actually Ella, and the magical stories she was told growing up may in fact be real. Heeding her grandmother's final request, Ella heads to Ireland on a school trip with her best friend and the cute new faculty member. Planning to follow the breadcrumbs left by her grandmother, Ella meets Sion, the cantankerous tour guide assigned to their group. She soon finds out that Sion desperately needs her help putting souls to rest.

This book is excellently written and very enjoyable. However, the plot was a little lacking for my liking and a bit slow.

That said, if you love folklore, light fantasy, and a rivals to ?? setting, this book is for you!

This was a fun and interesting read! It was an enchanting story full of Irish folklore, mystery, action, and surprises. While the first quarter of the book is a bit slower-paced, it really picks up after that and is action-packed. The plot twists toward the end were especially surprising! It also ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger; it’s a slight happily ever after with a twist that appears to lead into the next installment of the series. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book!

Thank you so much to City Owl Press for providing this ARC book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley for granting me an advance reader copy for free! I am writing an honest voluntary review:

⭐️2.0
"His stare burns like an accidental glance at the sun. I swear tiny bursts of light swarm behind him in the trees."

Ella O'Dwyer is a young college professor of Celtic studies that lives in NYC close to the adoptive Irish grandmother that raised her. Her world is upended when her grandmother passes and she is left with unanswered questions and clues leading her on a spring break trip to Ireland in hopes of discovering her true identity aka Eala Duir.

Accompanied by her BFF Colleen, a handsome professor named Jeremy Olk, and an attractive Irishman named Sion with bright eyes swimming with secrets, Eala discovers not is all as it seems. She finds herself partnered with Sion on a century old quest immersed in the faerie stories she grew up listening to. Eala must decide if she can trust the man she just met and if her faith can overcome what she cannot see.
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O'Sullivan does a great job throughout the book of writing beautiful poetic imagery/descriptions and although the narrative was so interesting, the execution fell flat. I found the book slow and choppy. I was 30% into the book until Eala starts to discover anything about the real reason she was sent to Ireland/faerie world. There is a bit of a love triangle and slow burn that had me rooting for neither party due to the back/forth between the characters being so off putting. Sion had extremely erratic behavior/dialogue that made him feel disingenuous and way too intense and Eala had zero grit.

There are other areas of the book I found problematic but will not share as it has not been published.

This book has a slow start with a lot of world building, it did end up being a story that I wanted to keep reading. This book is full of magic and adventure as Eala finds out more about who she is and what she can do. If you love the Fae and a tugging at your heart romance this is definitely worth a read. You will have a soft spot in your heart for the FMC. This book has a lot of Irish folklore which I really liked. The book overall is worth the read.