This book was full of magic and mystery and chaos. I did like the magic. It seemed like a fairy tale. The sweet love story was swoon worthy. The ending had me on edge. I can't wait for the next book. Beautifully done.

I really enjoyed the character work in this. Odile was highly likable, even when she was bumbling around making the worst decisions, and I did like how her relationship with Marie developed and had a call-back to their childhood friendship. I also appreciated how this was Swan Lake, but only in a very minimal way. The large departure from the source material left a more interesting story, complete with some new magic and motivations. However, I did find this highly predictable, even for a YA novel. I don't think that's the worst thing, but it did lower my engagement with the story. I was much less eager to continue to pick it up because I felt like I already knew where it was headed (and generally, I was right).

While I enjoyed a Treachery of Swans, I did not love it. I try not to compare an author's books as every story is different but this fell a bit flat for me. I am a stay in the moment reader and don't usually spend a lot of mental energy trying to figure out plot points but things were so obvious even I noticed which is saying something. I felt the end was rushed and I had started to question whether A.B. Poranek's style is to leave the possibility of a sequel but then the epilogue came and answered that question. All in all I finished the book but it's not one I will go back and reread.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC

This is a gothic, sapphic Swan Lake retelling. The writing was gorgeous. I was immediately entranced into this world. I loved the character growth as all the main cast push against the roles they are cast in. I do also appreciate that we start with a theater and the framing of Odile being a great actor. I think that works well to reflect on the roles each of the characters play from dutiful daughter, silly drunkard or perfect debutante.
The romance felt very cute.
My only frustration was with characters not coming to some very obvious conclusions based on the evidence in front of them.

Fun, sapphic retelling of Swan Lake as a Heist. The world is rich, creative, and immersive. The descriptive narrative really helped paint the moods and the theatrical locations, and the horror and beauty.

The cast of side characters were fun and interesting and I wished we got to see more of them–especially Odile's brother.

The plot is a little slow to get into, even with so much going on, but the last half I was completely invested couldn't put down! I was surprised when the ending came and plot elements were getting quickly wrapped up—the story could've gone for another 100 pages with all the lore and plot elements and twists and character developments!

Thank you to Simon Teen and NetGalley for this eARC!


Do I have words to describe how flawless this book is??? No, but I’ll try.

Every single page, every single sentence was infused with perfection. I genuinely cannot remember the last time I read a book that was so amazingly written in EVERY SINGLE REGARD. The characters, the setting, the magic system, the longing, THE ROMANCE!!!

This book was exactly what I needed. I devoured it whole and I want more set in this world. I want more of Odile and Marie. They are everything to me. This book was EVERYTHING to me!!!!

I was really looking forward to reading A Treachery of Swans. Being a sapphic, young adult fantasy it sounded exactly like my kind of book. However, there were a few things that ultimately made it not for me. What I did enjoy was the writing. It’s very beautiful, atmospheric, and made me feel immersed. The magic system was unique, but we get very little detail about it. I would have loved to get a more in-depth explanation on how it works. We also don’t get a lot of information on the characters. I personally enjoy getting to know characters through their backstories and experiences and while there was a little of that I still could have used more. Overall, the retelling was interesting, but I think this book could have used an extra 50 pages so that the characters, plot, and magic system were more fleshed out.

Thank you Margaret K. McElderry and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

What a wonderful read this is!

I loved how atmospheric and whimsical this story was for me while I was reading. It reminded me of the classic fairytales I grew up reading, but was still fresh at the same time. As someone who isn't that familiar with Swan Lake, this book makes me want to read/watch the original source material/inspiration!

I loved all the characters. a lot. Odile, our main character, was such a compelling character to follow. Watching her grow through the story, but still stay true to herself at her core, was so fun to watch. I was honestly rooting for her the whole time, even when some of her decisions were questionable. And then there was Marie--who was so sweet and forgiving, and I loved that about her. I loved to see their dynamic as it bloomed throughout the story. I also loved the Dauphin and Odile's brother, and watching their relationships both with each other and with the girls unfold. It was a great group to follow along with. (And the queer rep was fantastic!)

I loved all the twists and turns this book offered along the way. Many of them I didn't see coming at all, and yet they made complete sense! This author is clearly a very talented writer, and I cannot wait to read more of her work in the future!

I highly recommend everyone read A Treachery of Swans!

A big thank you to Simon and Schuster and to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy of this wonderful book!

i received this as an e-arc from netgalley. thank you to netgalley, margaret k. mcelderry books, and simon & schuster children's publishing, and a.b poranek for giving me a copy. a treachery swans will be out june 24th, 2025!

poranek has very strong prose, perfectly able to toe the line between lyrical but still accessible for her intended audience. i appreciate YA novels that do not talk down to their audiences, but still clearly written with them in mind, which i feel like a treachery of swans has done very well.

it is recognizably a YA novel, containing much of the hallmarks of modern YA fantasy that we've all come to know, a dramatic first person pov, teenage angst, and need to know based worldbuilding and magical systems. which is to say that while i think this book is rich with historical and mythological worldbuilding because of it's plot relevancy, it lacks in other areas such as societal structures (the protagonist is very unfazed about being gay, as is the love interest, but it's still seems to be a rather misogynistic society. we never see how those two points reconcile within the text.) and how exactly these kingdoms are set up, and how they function (outside of the magic). it's very heavy on atmosphere and tone, but lighter than it should be on details. it seem like the book assumes that the reader is familiar with the average european fantasy royal structure, but i think that's being a tad taken for granted.

i found the first 30% of the novel was what took me the longest to get through.
plot wise, i had no major problems with the novel, and i think here is where the book shows its best strength. it had a lot of twists and turns, as the rug just kept getting pulled out from under the protagonist just as soon as she gained her footing on it. poranek did an excellent job of keeping me on my toes and invested for what would happen next, especially in the last explosive 20% of the book. i wasn't sure what quite to make of the ending when i first read it, as i felt it introduced a bit too many plot threads for the end of a standalone novel, but after i read the accompanying epilogue, i thought it worked pretty well. the epilogue itself was one of my favorite parts of the book, where all of the fairytale, ancient myth, and magic weaved together perfectly.

if i had one complaint about the plot, is that it's a bit oddly paced, and i questioned the introduction of certain plot developments, that would later prove to be integral to the climax, being so late in the game. i feel like there is a gulf between odile in the final chapter and odile in the epilogue, enough for a book of its own.

i actually really liked all the dynamics between the characters, even if i feel the conversations surrounding odile and her father drifted into therapy speak. the main romance is charming and enjoyable, and their strange mix of old friends, complete strangers, and bitter enemies worked well for me. i only wish we got to have more scenes between the two of them in the present before we went straight into reluctant partners in crime. but there really is no heartbreak like the one you have with your female best friend when you were younger. still i would have liked a little more time to develop more interiority for marie, because odile's perspective of her as an unknowable enigma i think clouds the reader's perception a tad. this is a book that is about never getting over anything ever in your life, and it's subsequent consequences. their little teen romance is probably the most positive, but complex example of that. i thought their ending in the epilogue was perfect.

the other stand out relationship was shocking to me, because i never expected to care about it so much. odile and the prince were a lovely pair to read about, and poranek endears you to his character rather fast, despite his many troubles. his little hinted romance was cute too!

overall i was pleasantly surprised by this book! i'm really glad i picked it up, and i would recommend it too anyone looking for a character heavy, atmospheric, and melodramatic (in a theater way, but also in a teenager way, all with my deepest affections) time.

I quite liked this book. This is what I wanted from A Dark a Drowning Tide. An interesting mystery, sapphic yearning, atmospheric prose. I loved Odile's interactions with Aime, they were some of my favorite parts of the book. I just loved seeing the way they made each other better. I also liked her relationship with Marie, but we don't really get much of that until like halfway through the book. But I still loved the way that Odile came to trust Marie over time.
I was also fully invested in the mysteries of the novels. The ones surrounding the murder. But I was especially interested in Odile's past with Marie and Damien. I was just so invested in their betrayals. However, some of the betrayals just felt like nothing. Particularly Marie's. There is so much buildup about how she betrayed Odile and then we get the reveal and it's just nothing. The flashback ended and I just sat there like "That's it???" You have had a multi-year vendetta against Marie for that??? It was honestly just sad. Good to know that Marie is actually a good person at least. Even Marie's second betrayal was nothing. I think Odile was just throwing herself a pity party. That said though, Damien? Screw that guy. I get why Odile would hate him. He said some horrible things to her. I get why Odile feels like she was betrayed by her brother because she was. He sucks. His second betrayal was even worse. She might have forgiven him in the end but not me.
The ending was also odd. Felt pretty rushed. I only had a handful of pages left and something major still wasn't resolved, so I started wondering if this book was the first in a series or something. But no. It was resolved in the end. Just at the very very end. It was odd. I liked the ending, but it did leave me feeling a little unsatisfied because of how abrupt it was.
This book wasn't perfect, but I was still fully invested from the start. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for the author's future works.

A fun little story in a gothic backdrop. Our author did such a great job of making me fall in love with Odile. She has so much fire and snark!

I adored the relationships throughout this story, and I think Odile and her Father's really stole the show. I love me a complicated relationship and boy was this one! Aime was another favorite, his tragic story probably deserving a bit more time on the pages if you ask me.

I felt like it took about to the 50% mark for the main pairings chemistry to really get going for me! I wanted more interactions between our two leads. It did seem a little lacking on this front. Once it hit though, The yearning was palpable, the moments of intimacy done with a smooth and light touch. I quite enjoyed the bits we were given!

I felt like the epilogue was beautifuly done, but would have loved to have more of Odiles solo journey--it felt a little like whiplash from the start of that to the epilogue for me.

All in all, solid 4! (Also, that cover is so gorgeous I could cry. Well done!)

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the E-Arc!

I am....slightly disappointed we didn't end with a setup for a second book. Which *really* says something about how much I loved these characters and this whole world. The characters were endearing, the magic system could have been a little more fleshed out, but I guess since the focus was on bringing magic back...I'll let it slide. I would love to see more of this world in the future.

All our enemies started off friends. A Treachery of Swans begins with this idea that it would be easier in someone else's skin. We can think we know what they're going through, what their life is - because it isn't ours - but we couldn't be more wrong. A Treachery of Swans has a slower start, but once it takes off it glides on the currents of the foundation it built. With an unlikely alliance at its core, A Treachery of Swans is about forgiveness and the things we have to become to survive. It's about finding someone who sees the ways we've had to lessen ourselves, and gives us a chance to unfurl.

One thing I loved about Where the Dark Stands Still was the incredible setting and this is no different, the setting is so well described and breathtaking. The premise, if you are familiar with the ballet is similar but different enough to keep you engaged to spot the differences but if you aren’t familiar I don’t think you’ll miss anything as our author is quick to fill in the gaps.

Marie Odile is tasked by her father, Regnault, to obtain the crown so they might restore magic to their world. To accomplish this Odile must become Odette, under a spell by Regnault that turns Odette into a perfectly white swan while Odile takes her place at the palace to woo the Dauphin.

I really enjoyed the gothic setting as I mentioned and while this is a retelling it’s pretty loosely based so don’t worry if you don’t know anything about Swan Lake.
I fear I am just too old for YA anymore as I couldn’t fully get into this one. I will take the blame for it but I would still recommend especially if you liked her previous work!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of the arc for my honest review!

This author does it again. An easy 5 star read for me. I will read whatever they write. I loved this. It was atmospheric and a little gothic and I loved the story. I can’t wait to see what they write next.

Thank you to Netgalley and A.B. Poranek for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

This was a very fun sapphic gothic retelling of Swan Lake! Even with guessing a couple of the plot twists along the way, there was plenty more that I didn’t see coming! My only confusion was that the last couple chapters really seemed like they were setting up for a second book, only to have what seemed like major plot points resolved off page in time for the epilogue. Overall though I had a really good time with this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read an eARC of this title. Unfortunately for me it was a DNV at 20%. I read Poranek's debut novel, Where The Dark Stands Still, last year and I enjoyed that, I didn't find it to be anything super special but I felt a lot of potential from this author for her future works.. I found A Treachery of Swans to be written in juvenile language, while trying to cover more adult topics and the disconnect really turned me off. I wasn't especially taken with the story and was just not interested in reading any further than I already did. I may not be the target audience for this title to begin with and won't be surprised if this book does well commercially, especially after the success of Where The Dark Stands Still.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Spoilers ahead!

So as a whole, I enjoyed this book. I devoured it over the span of the weekend. It was fun YA fantasy.

What I didn’t like was the literal ending and the epilogue. I felt like Marie getting stabbed at the very end was a drama that wasn’t needed. Odile and Marie had already fought and worked so hard against Regnault, but then Odile is denied her love with Marie for a rushed epilogue for them to finally be together. I didn’t want these two women to have just a little more drama and still work so insanely hard to have one another and a happy ending after defeating the villain.

Gay ladies already have a hard enough time, I wanted them happy without that bonus drama. Could have just defeated the villain and BAM, they get their happily ever after. No stabbing needed.

And I can’t deny that I wish Marie and Odile had way more time together since it’s sapphic. I loved spending time with the other characters including Aime, but I wanted more with Marie, too.

Aside from that, I enjoyed the book and recommended it if you’re looking for a YA read.

Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: E-book (ALC)
Genre: Fantasy, romance

I have been feral for this book since I first saw the cover reveal, when it immediately became one of my most anticipated books of the year. It absolutely did not disappoint and I am SO excited to get my hands on a physical copy.

The magic system, the world building, the characters that feel familiar to lovers of Swan Lake, but also feel so original and unique are all phenomenal. Odile was such a sympathetic protagonist and I felt so much for her, even in moments when she was making choices I didn’t like. She perfectly walks the line of the morally gray trope that so many other books fail to execute. The main mystery of the book was compelling and came with a satisfying reveal. The cast of side characters were fleshed out and likable. I just loved almost everything about this book.

The only thing that keeps this from being a 5 star read for me is that the ending felt a bit rushed. I just wanted MORE. I wanted to live in this world longer. I wanted a bit more time for things to resolve and get some more character moments after a really action-packed climax.

If you want a lush sapphic fantasy with so much yearning, a solid mystery, and an atmospheric and enchanting world, this is for you.

An amazing take on Swan Lake full of romance and atmosphere. The worldbuilding was gorgeous and I loved every bit of it!