The Swan Harp is an engaging adult/teen fantasy story full of magic and detailed world building.

The story is written from the perspective of Kiar, the protagonist who struggles with her identity as part swanfolk and chosen heir to the human throne, destined to save Velania, the medieval world where humans and swanfolk live in harmony.

It was an engaging and enjoyable read. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the eARC of this book.

“I was Father's heir now, and one day I'd be queen. But when I looked at Mother, Adana, and Orla and imagined flying, somehow the thought of being queen didn't comfort me.” - Kiar

The Swan Harp was a lovely book for the teenage demographic of the YA spectrum. Especially those who may be familiar with the story of the Swan Princess animated films from the early to mid-nineties just with a tad higher stakes and family drama. Goodreads has a mention of the story being “perfect” for fans of Sarah J. Maas among others and I’m sorry to disagree. The story was atmospheric and charming in places with a touch of adventure towards the end. I did enjoy the story over all but it did take a while for it to truly pull me in. Disclaimer, I’m in my thirties and went in expecting something a bit more in the realm of Throne of Glass - due to the recommendation blurb - and this story was more along the lines of The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden to me.

The world building and history behind the family/lands was really soothing to read, the dynamic between the sisters very believable and the found family aspect in Kiar’s swanfolk friends was great! That being said, it was a bit slow paced getting into the book with the bulk of the action taking a while to get to. This book is also noted to be the first in a series so there is room for expanding yet I would be remiss to say that, at least for me, I feel like the way it ended was well wrapped up and in no apparent need for more to come. I would recommend this story for teenagers first getting into fantasy as it was a gentle step into the vast genre but might not be the most enjoyable book for those of us that are well versed in a ton of varying styles of fantasy novels.

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Thank you NetGalley and Type Eighteen Books for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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The Swan Harp by Elizabeth Creith had an interesting fantasy premise that delivered. With that said it was slow to start, but once I hit the half way point I couldn't put it down. The novel follows Kiar, the middle daughter of the King of Valenia and his wife who is a swan shifter. As she discovers who she is and what it takes to rule a kingdom, she has to watch as her sisters gain their swan wings while she still waits. Paired with an unexpected plot twist that reveals who the real villian of the story is Kiar proves herself to be a strong female heroine character. Add in a touch of slow burn romance and you have a beautifully written story.

Young Adult
Themes of jealousy, self discovery, and overcoming obstacles.
Romance with no spice

I went into this book with my hopes up a little too high I think. I read the intriguing description, saw the small blurb about it being geared toward fans of Holly Black, and saw the beautiful cover.

But, the overall reading experience for this book falls entirely flat. It wasn’t until I was 60 to 70% through the story that interesting things began to unfold. But the villain’s entrance to the story felt cartoonish and almost like something out of a Disney movie (and not in a good way).

The book is not advertised as being middle grade writing, but the simplistic nature of it makes it such.

There was not one single character in this book that I felt attached to or cared about. That was the part that made this the most difficult for me to finish. I almost DNF’d this several times, but decided to push on regardless.

I really can’t wrap my mind around the fact this book is going to be a trilogy when the first book made it so difficult for anyone to be invested in the storyline or the extremely flat characters. Not to mention the lacking romance (there’s only one kiss and zero chemistry).

Overall, I really don’t think this book was for me.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book. And while I'll still be posting an honest review publicly, I wanted to be more thorough here.

1. Marketing it as something for SJM and Holly Black fans is doing the story a disservice. I think that places lofty expectations on the series and a lot of readers will come away disappointed by the comparison.
2. It felt a little on the young side of YA. It definitely told a coming-of-age story for the young Kiar but for older readers, it came across a little juvenile.
3. The first 75% gave cozy fairytale vibes and the last 25% was more dark fantasy (which was more in line with the cover art).

What worked:
- Kiar's day-to-day life: Her journey felt real and authentic. Her reactions were true to her age and she matured over the course of the story in a way that would make her a believable queen.
- Orla's darkness: From the first mention of her being a black swan, I was excited for a Swan Lake, Black Swan, Swan Princess kind of retelling. So I was happy when she ended up being the villain of this story.
- The swanfolk: This was such a cool and unique magical element to the story. I wanted to know more about the magic and the politics of the Swanfolk's kingdom.

What didn't work:
- The pacing: If this had just been a cozy fairytale retelling, following Kiar's day-to-day, season after season would've worked. But we went along with this pacing for about 75% of the book to the last 25%, which only spanned a few days. I feel like the balance of setting up the characters and the world was disproportionate to the story's conflict, which didn't reveal itself until the last quarter.
- The conflict: It was revealed so late and resolved so quickly. While I loved the misdirection of the Noermark threat, the stakes weren't high enough to really get invested in either conflict. The Orla reveal was a nice twist, but I think there should've been more tension built up between the sisters for a more emotional betrayal.
- Orla's motivation: Yes, as a young girl with a crush I can see how she would've meddled with Gil. But I'm not really sure what she had against Kiar. Orla seemed to have her mother's favor, and her black swan magic made her just as, if not more, special as her sisters. I didn't really see where the extreme jealousy manifested so her dark side felt a little too far-fetched.

I'm intrigued by the idea of this being a trilogy because this story felt like everything wrapped up nicely. There isn't really a lingering conflict that would encourage readers to anticipate the next books.

Overall, Elizabeth Creith is a great storyteller and knows her FMC well. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for access to this digital ARC. The following review is based on my own enjoyment and understanding of the title. Interesting mid-level read! I think this title is perfect for younger persons and teens looking for an introduction to the world of fantasy. Prior to this title there weren’t many stories or lore surrounding swan people that I could recall outside of the brief mention of harpies in the video game BG3. This book was refreshing in its relaxed mode of delivering content albeit a bit of a slow journey with simplistic tone. I am glad that I held on until the ending, with the last 100 pages helping the story come full circle for book one, though I’m not sure what book two will hold for us. I think that the newer generation of readers will like this one! Major themes: shapeshifting, ya fantasy, medieval, coming of age.

While I enjoyed experiencing Kiars everyday life and following her around, which felt very cozy, this book was very slow paced (and I'm not talking about the slow burn romance). Nothing really happened and I found myself spacing out and getting bored here and there.

Unfortunately the premise of the book promised a lot more, than actually happened.

Thank you to Net Galley for this Arc. I found this book a bit on the confusing side. It was marketed as a romance fantasy, but very slowly unfolded, and I found it more of a day-to-day journal. I wasn’t able to fully engage with this book and the way that I was hoping to.

"The Swan Harp" offers a unique twist on the young adult/teen fantasy genre. The story is written in the POV of Kiar, a protagonist who grapples with her identity as part swan-folk and heir to the human throne, destined to save Velania. The book weaves together elements of family dynamics, politics, magic, and betrayal, creating an intriguing premise.

While the initial portion of the book focuses on Kiar's daily struggles and her journey towards self-acceptance, it's the latter part where the plot truly gains momentum, injecting much-needed action and excitement into the narrative.

However, my enjoyment of the book was somewhat hindered by the characterisation, which felt somewhat two-dimensional. Additionally, the inconsistency in character portrayal between the earlier and later portions of the book, especially regarding the antagonist, left me feeling disoriented.

Overall, "The Swan Harp" is an enjoyable read that may appeal to younger audiences, as I found the writing style to be a bit too juvenile for my tastes.

DNF at 57%

It seems like "The Swan Harp" delves into themes of identity, friendship, and the responsibility that comes with power. Kiar's struggle with her inability to transform into a swan, along with external threats to her kingdom and family, sets the stage for a compelling narrative about resilience and courage. The dynamics between Kiar and her sisters, as well as her growing connection with the swanfolk, add depth to the story. Overall, it appears to be a captivating blend of fantasy and adventure.

NetGalley, thank you for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ultimately, I decided to DNF around 33% of the way through. The book had an exciting premise with a world of shifters I’ve never read about before, but the execution left a lot to be desired.

This book was marketed as suspenseful, but within the 100 pages I read, almost nothing happened. How can a book be suspenseful if the only somewhat suspenseful part is when the sisters shifted for the first time?

Maybe I’m just not the market audience for this author’s writing style, but I was bored and unattached to every character through the majority of the book.

The Swap Harp is a wonderful slow burn romance about swanfolk and humans, with a fairy tale feeling to the story. We are placed in a story where the world is well built and the reader can really feel connected to the story and the characters. It was such a unique twist on shifters. I felt like I could really connect to Kiar and the different emotions she felt connected with the differing relations she has with her family.

A lovely story and I really enjoyed this read. Thank you NetGalley and the author for this ARC!

This books concept was unique and i dont think its the right book for me. i got through about 4-5ish chapters and felt confused but i believe people will enjoy it but sadly it wasnt for me.

Nothing happens in this book until about 60-70% and whilst I enjoyed reading about the daily life of the main character (it felt almost like a cosy-ish medieval fantasy but with a very slow pace) I have to emphasise again that literally nothing happens until the last few chapters. Lots of times books do this to build up strong connections to the main / side characters … ummm not this novel.

Kiar was the FMC and I liked her but she was incredibly 2D. The rest of the side characters, all her sisters and even her love interest fell super flat too. There is no distinguishing characteristics about any of them, even the descriptions of their appearances only go as far as ‘he was pale skinned and dark haired / she was fair haired’. Character development is a feature of a novel that when done well you don’t notice, but when done poorly you just end up not believing any of the characters’ actions.

Because of this when the action ramps up at the 60% mark and the villain emerges you’re like ‘what?’ as their villainous-ness is not believable at all. Secondly, up until this point in the novel, I was thinking how happy and healthy Kiar’s family is as there is little conflict and when there is they resolve it well. And then BAM! in the last third of the book almost every member of her family go batsh*t crazy and start acting out of character. It was really odd, and made for an unsatisfying ending.

My final criticism is that this is definitely middle grade in genre due to the simple writing style (I read it in one afternoon) and had I know this, I probably wouldn’t have requested it.

Overall, I enjoyed the read as it gave me cosy fantasy / medieval slice of life vibes. I enjoyed it enough not to DNF but in hindsight the entire plot pacing and characterisation of every single character needs to be improved upon.

PS - how is there a sequel to this? there is no cliffhanger and it read like a standalone. But even if there is I won’t read it, sorry

This YA fantasy, featuring shapeshifting magic, medieval settings, and a captivating cover, blends the elegance of "The Swan Harp" with the coming-of-age essence of "East" by Edith Pattou. Set in the kingdom of Valenia, the tale follows Princess Kiar, part human and part swanfolk, as she navigates the complexities of her lineage and destiny.

Initially, the narrative unfolds at a gentle pace, allowing for the gradual development of Kiar and her companions. While the characters lack uniqueness, a deeper exploration of their emotions and actions could enhance their depth. Despite some repetitive language and grammatical errors, the story captivates with its enchanting world and magical elements.

As the plot unfolds, political intrigue and romantic entanglements propel the story forward, leading to a crescendo of action in the latter half. Although Kiar's decisions may frustrate at times, her journey resonates with authenticity and relatability.

Overall, while the premise holds promise, the execution falls short due to pacing issues. With adjustments, this well-crafted novel has the potential to shine, earning it a solid recommendation for fans of YA fantasy.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending this arc.

Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. I didn't think the plot went anywhere much at all. But I found the idea of swan people interesting which is why I requested it.

Thank you to the publisher and author for an ebook ARC of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This book has a pretty cover and an interesting summary on the back, but that's about where it ends. The writing is good and there's only a few errors that don't really affect the reading experience. One issue I did have was that sometimes the characters will repeat the exact same thing on the same page, sometimes even in the same paragraph. The plot and characters are lacking.

Nothing interesting happens in this book until the ending. I was legit 70% of the way through it when the first interesting thing happened. Before that, I feel like you could skip half of those chapters and you are not missing a single thing.

The things that are mentioned in the summary for the book happen within the first 10 or so chapters. I knew she was going to get her wings and the summary made it seem like it was going to be something that happened at the crux of the book, but I think she gets them in the 9th chapter or something. It was an issue where you blink and it's over. All the issues were like that. There's a part where her parents basically take her wings away and she is devastated, but this doesn't last more than a few chapters before she's able to fly again. None of the issues felt like they made any impact except for the last one with Orla and the harp.

It was hard for me to care about any of the characters besides Kiar. All of them are one dimensional and they just don't do anything. The villain especially came out of nowhere and they didn't have that much characterization before they did what they did. And their actions were so cartoonish, I found myself laughing when serious stuff was taking place. Their motivations come out of nowhere and it was just really weird to see it play out the way it did.

This book does shine in the last act though. Once I got over the fact that the villain just wasn't for me, I really liked the way the final showdown went. It was cool and I liked seeing Kiar really coming to her own and gain some agency. I just wished the entire book had me hooked like those final few chapters did.

I give this book 4 stars because I really loved the plot but there were things that I didn't quite understood. But it's an amazing book.

I did enjoy this book. the world that was built as well as the magic surounding the main family. I did have a few issues with the pacing and felt like it went left and right and time jumped alot. I didn't get a chance to really spend time with the characters in the main part of the story I felt. I really enjoyed the connection of the sisters but it felt like the story jumped around to much for me. That being said I would recomend his book as a fantastic world and if it's a serise then I do plan to continue and hope that it slows down a bit in the pacing so we can really enjoy the moments.

Thank you NetGalley and Elizabeth Creith for this arc!

Semi-Quick Summary:

Kiar is one of three daughters born from a human king and a swan shifter princess. As the sisters start to grow and mature, they start showing signs of their mother’s heritage. To spur this on and increase relations between the humans and the swans, their mother decides to foster three other swan children to grow up with her own.

But as years pass, there’s worry that Kiar will never be able to shift like the other women in her family, so she is named her father’s heir and told to embrace her human heritage more wholeheartedly. In doing so, she learns how to fight, takes diplomatic lessons from her father, and is courted by sons from a neighboring enemy land.

As events in her everyday life unfold, dark magic slowly starts corrupting her friends and family. When an accident takes her sister’s life, Kiar is forced to step up and defeat the evil presence that’s ripping apart her family.

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2.5 ⭐️

Light spoiler review:

Honestly that was a really hard summary to write because while reading it was REALLY hard to figure out what the plot of this book really was. Like what were the stakes? What was the goal? Where was this story leading?

I thought the Noermarkers were supposed to be the main foe, but as the book went on nothing seemed to develop there. And then there was family drama and illnesses, and I didn’t really feel that any of that was big enough to impact the plot in a big way - but I guess I was wrong lol.

But the book as a whole felt really low stakes the whole time. There just wasn’t much happening throughout the whole book, besides every day life and festivals popping up every other chapter. The world building also felt a bit light too, like it was explained that black swans have magic but not what that magic was/what it could do.

The friends to lovers romance was light as well and I’m not sure you can include SJM in a blurb if it’s THIS light 🤷‍♀️

Two last picky things haha: 1. Willow REALLY got on my nerves, idk what it was about her character but she caused several problems through the book and it irked me. 2. That sheep skin game/story about tenderizing meat was so random and a bit disturbing lol not a fan 😬

All that to be said, I didn’t hate it - I did read it in a day to be fair so it was entertaining enough for me to keep going but I was also itching for it to be over and almost DNF’d a few times🤷‍♀️