The narrator of this novel was excellent - I enjoyed the tone of his voice and the slight accents that indicating who was talking without being silly, I am someone who can be put off audiobooks by the narrator and would definitely be happy to hear this narrator again.

The novel was not what I expected. It created an interesting world which has potential but there seemed large sections were nothing was really happening. I think it’s a trilogy so perhaps it’s a slow burn and I am happy with that- sometimes building a world gradually and smoothly is more important than lots of action and co located explanations of a fictional universe but the jury is still out on that one.

Unfortunately I had a hard time following the different POVs. It wasn't clear enough and the third person made it even harder.
This book is probably better if you read instead of listen.

3.5 – I round up.
This made my heart feel good. I was slightly confused initially; a bit lost on the characters and who was related to who (hence the 3.5), but did end up catching on. Fantasy isn’t normally a favorite of mine, but it’s slowly growing on me.
A cozy fantasy read. I think it hit on grief, and heartache. However, I loved that this beautiful innocent baby really softened the cranky grump of our story. The narrator was listed as Tom Fairfoot. I very much enjoyed this narrator. He had a smooth and easy voice. Great for this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the read!

Tucked away is a debut novel by Mel Parish and the first in the lives Entwined in Kind series.

It start with the reclusive Master Abrax’s who has been tucked away from the world having to renter it, when his Orpheus baby niece Sancia is left in his care.

This is the catalyst that enables the reader to enter in to this fantastical world where characters, stories, history’s and curses interweave.

There is a very strong feeling of family and what that means running through the book which I liked very much.

Being of mix race I also identified with the character who had mixed magical heritage and how they coalesced these two parts of themselves becoming strong characters comfortable in their own skin and identity.

I loved my time with this ALC ( Advanced Listeners Copy) provided by NetGalley and gave it 4 ⭐️. I thought Tom Fairfoot’s narration was great and really, enhanced the story. I did partway through start to listen in tandem with the ebook from Kindleunlimited because there were a lot of similar names and just listening to the audio I did get a little mixed up at times. Also being dyslexic this tandem method of reading and listening is my preferred way to read whenever I am able to do so.

I would recommend this young adult novel to anyone who just wants to tuck themselves away into a fairytale world for a little time. I will definitely be continuing the series as I am eager to see what paths and adventures the characters we were introduce to in Tucked away will take as their journeys continue.

A beautifully lyrical, emotionally rich fantasy journey. Tucked Away is an absolutely enchanting read. From the first chapter, the prose pulls you into a quiet but deeply immersive world full of mystery, memory, and emotion. The story is more character-driven than plot-heavy, but that’s what made it stand out for me. It’s reflective, warm, and full of gentle depth. I fell in love with Master Abrax as a main character—flawed, haunted, and real. His transformation felt organic and earned. The themes of grief, identity, and found family are written with care and sincerity, making the story feel both magical and human at the same time. What I appreciated most is how Mel Parrish builds the world and its magic through subtle details rather than long explanations. The writing feels almost like poetry at times—soothing, rich, and rewarding for a patient reader. It’s the kind of fantasy that takes its time, but every moment is worth it. If you’re looking for a cozy yet mysterious fantasy that explores emotional healing, this book is a gem. It left me with a full heart and lots of questions I can’t wait to see answered in the next book.
-Audiobook note: The narration was a perfect match—calm, expressive, and easy to follow. It added a whole extra layer of comfort to the story.
-For readers who like: T. Kingfisher, slow-burn fantasy, lyrical prose, and emotional journeys with a touch of magical realism.
-Heads up: The pacing is gentle, so if you love fast action, this might feel slower—but it’s 100% worth the journey.

Tucked Away is a quiet, lyrical story that moves with the hush of old secrets and the soft bloom of second chances. Mel Parrish crafts a tender, introspective fantasy that feels like being gently led out of the dark.

Tom Fairfoot’s narration is warm and steady, perfectly matching the tone of the story. While I personally prefer multiple narrators for character-heavy books, that’s just my own taste and Fairfoot brings heart and clarity to every voice.

A beautifully cozy start to a world I’d gladly return to

"But to create beauty you must first have beauty within you."

Master Abrax was for all intent and purpose a grumpy irritable hermit of a man. Most think of him as unkind and mysterious, there for most were rather scared of him. He lived in a grand mansion tucked away far from others, only few knew him and even those that did know him, still saw him as an enigma. He decided to live away from his family, away from people, away from the world as he knew it, and it appears he may know it quite a bit better than most. One day an old woman, one who was far older than he was, showed up at his door, holding a baby far to young to be away from home, changes the life of Mr. Abrax forever. This man who has Tucked him self away, is about to be thrust back into the world.

This book is so much more than the cover leads you to believe. The magic and fantasy are so unique and yet feel so at home all at the same time. The audio book is absolutely wonderful., The narrator made it feel like he was sitting there telling you a life story solely for you to hear and learn from. This had the same feeling as reading Artemis Fowl and the Golden Compass for the first time in all the best ways.

The magical characters weren't just important just because of a long life, skills or magic. They were important because they were uniquely them and they were more than what they were born into. That's such an important message through the story, not just bluntly thrown in your face but a message strung though out from the story that resonates even when your done.

The species of magical beings you meet are vast, however there is a bit left up to the imagination if you don't often read fantasy books or take in context clues easily , and it being a book that is for a younger audience that may be new to the fantasy realms they may have a harder time figuring out who is who. However, with that being said this is the first book, and id be interested in seeing if we get more details in the books to come. As with the Mer, when they told their story at the beginning we got a lot of details.

The book as a bit on the "cozy" side of fantasy, not to much in the way of big conflict. There was tension and there is set up for conflict as well as over all plot movement. The cliffhanger at the end will keep you wanting more.

The story as a whole is whimsical and magical. This is a new brand of story telling that I cant wait to get more of and share with others!

Thank you NetGalley and Initium Books for the ALC.

#LivesEntwinedinKind #NetGalley #TuckedAway

I really loved the fairy tale feel this book gave me. The whole story is very calming but in no way boring. There are themes of grief and relationships (romantic and platonic) that are well-written and comforting. I don't think the character names are confusing as other reviews state, I could easily tell everyone apart. The writing is just beautiful, it flowed so well and it was flowery without being hard to follow and understand.
I'm not sure if this is classified as such but I would call this the perfect cozy fantasy. Yes, there was some plot but it was much more about the characters and throughout the whole book I had a feeling it would all end well.
The audiobook itself was also exquisite. The soothing voice of the narrator combined with the fantastical yet relaxing story was like a hug for my soul. It was also helpful that the narrator differentiated between the characters slightly. I would say the audiobook format is perfect for this story and the narrator fit so well.
I'm looking forward to the next book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Mel Parrish for providing me with this audio ARC.

It's an odd feeling to finish a story and not be able to say what it's about. However, the writing was beautiful, the magical world is intriguing, and I'm interested in knowing more about everyone. This feels more like an introduction, though, and it feels as though the author has more to tell. I'll definitely pick up the next one. The narrator was perfect for this, creating a mood that was both serious and nostalgic. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

I went in blind into this audiobook. The narration was good, easy to understand and the switching between characters was great. It’s a nice short audiobook which is always a bonus.

This book is a YA fantasy genre. I found the world building enjoyable and the writing style wasn’t hard to follow. Some chapters did feel like a drag though.

The characters were interesting and at one point I was quite invested to knowing each of them more. I did note that I started to get confused with the names and who’s who because there were a few characters with a name starting with ‘A’ but I eventually caught up.

Overall, the listening experience was enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley and the author, Mel Parrish, for a copy of this audiobook.

I give this book a 3.5 but I rounded up.
I was drawn in with the characters and how they were developing. I enjoyed the world building and the writing style.
There were a couple problems I had with the book.
-There were several characters with an 'A' name and it took extra effort to figure out who they were.
-There were several creatures/species that were unfamiliar to me and I would have loved more of an explanation on them.
-The biggest issue I noticed was there was no major plot problem. It felt like this book was the setup for the next book. There were several problems presented by the secondary characters. However, I couldn't identify the main one.

With that being said, I tore through this fast. I really enjoyed the world and want to know more. The writing was beautiful and I am invested in the characters. I will absolutely be reading the 2nd book.

I would give this a 3.5 or 3.75 out of 5. The audio narrator did a great job. The pacing is well done. The plot is where I waver on the rating. I feel intrigued to wonder what is going on with the characters, but I think I would have liked a deeper dive into the stakes. Maybe that will be in book 2, which I would want to read.

Thank you to Netgalley & the author for advanced access to the Tucked Away audiobook.

Master Abrax rules over the famed Asulon Mansion and is known to everyone as a cruel, immensely powerful & reclusive tyrant who has cut himself off from the outside world. That was until an unexpected, uninvited guest arrived, bringing with her something that would upend everything he thought he knew. Abrax is now compelled to abandon his self-imposed isolation and confront long‑suppressed, anguished questions buried deep in his past.

I enjoyed the theme of found family in the story as well as the commentary on grief, I think the latter would be particularly comforting to a child/young adult trying to process their own grief.

Overall, I wanted to like this a lot more but as an Irish person, the scattering of mispronounced, pilfered Irish words were frustrating. Some words were so badly pronounced that it took me a while to recognize them which is very unfortunate.

It strikes me as a little ironic to borrow from the Irish language for a “clean” fantasy book given that our national past time is cursing. On the topic of clean fantasy, I think this was the first I’ve read and although I can see how the label is really handy for parents trying to vet books to make sure they’re appropriate, I’m not sure I understand the need for the distinction beyond that.

Each to their own though, I don’t think the book was bad by any stretch of the imagination but maybe just not for me

Like I said before, it was not sth I enjoyed. The narrator´s rhythm was very slow and I disliked the audio version too.

This book was an absolute blast to read! The fantasy elements were so much fun, and the story grabbed my attention from the very start. The fast-paced plot kept me engaged throughout, and the author's world-building was incredibly detailed without being overwhelming. And the banter between some of the characters was a laugh! I'd highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling fantasy read!

A lyrical fantasy with lush poetic prose and a whimsical symphony of emotions, feelings, and dreamy world. The cover of this book doesn’t even grace the surface of the beauty of this story. This is one of the moments for you to not judge the book by its cover and pick this one up.

]The writing is warm, like a hug. It flows so well. You can’t help but continue on in the story. And given that it is pretty short, it isn’t something that can’t be devoured in one sitting. This one is less a conflict-based story but more one that focuses on emotional themes: forgiveness, identity, family (those you find and mending bridges with those you were born to), and the true meaning of what love is. An amazing fantasy debut.

The narrator has a comforting rounded voice, which makes this story feel even more cozy. He even does well with capturing teenage sass.

I really enjoyed this book—it was unlike any story I’ve read before. The plot grabbed my attention right away and kept me turning the pages. I especially appreciated the mystery and intrigue surrounding some of the species; it felt intentional and added a layer of depth that makes me eager to read the next book. The world-building was fresh and compelling, and I’m looking forward to learning more as the series continues.

I wasn't a really big fan of this book,,, Don't get me wrong the writing was very lyrical which I love, but all the jump cuts made me really confused

Mel Parrish did a great job of keeping the story moving at a good pace while simultaneously completing the world building. I loved all of the different types of characters and their intertwined stories. I am looking forward to reading Emerge next to see where this story takes us.

Tom Fairfoot did a great job narrating this story and I am glad that he is narrating Emerge as well.

Unfortunately with this book, I felt like the story was all over the place and didn’t get to the point. They were trying to tell a story, but kept going to the past so often that the building couldn’t happen for the future. The characters seemed underdeveloped and some of the traits of them seemed troubling, especially where children are involved.