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.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

This was honestly such a nice listen. I didn't know what to expect for a YA audiobook. After getting a hold of all the characters, the story and the plot where good. This has a very whimsical feel, very much a coming of age book.

Single Narration
Magical Creatures
Fun characters

A fun and captivating quick listen. The narrator did a great job. I really enjoyed his voice. Accents done very well. The story was good. I enjoyed listening to it.

Welcome back to Kodie’s Book Blog. Today, I will be reviewing "Lives Entwined in Kind: Tucked Away" by Mel Parrish, which is the first book in a two-part series. As usual, there will not be any intended spoilers from the book included in my overview or review!

Overview:
The main character, Abraxos, is known to kind of be a recluse and hides in his house, shutting out the world around him. This is until an older woman shows up at his doorstep with a surprise that is going to change the rest of his life. Because of this new part of his life that he welcomes in, we get to see how his personality changes and how he starts opening himself up to the world, and this new thing in his life. Through this change, Abraxos is faced with the past and has to confront his feelings that he has for it, why he did the things he did, and some of his regrets and ways to amend them.

Review:
Overall, I really enjoyed listening to this book, and I think it was a fun and quick audiobook to listen to. It took me a total of 3 days. I don't think I would have picked this book up off the shelf if I were out at the bookstore because it is not in my most preferred genre. I am glad that I picked this audiobook to listen to and review. One thing that I really enjoyed was the character development throughout the book. Like I mentioned before, we get to see Abraxos and his change in character because of the new things that are brought into his life. The author did a great job of showing his mental state, what he was thinking, and how he was actively changing within the moment. I think it is impressive that the author was able to have a verbal conversation going on as well as the main character's thoughts, without the audio or the book being confusing with what was happening in that scene. I do wish that the author had given us a little bit more backstory on Abraxos because he is supposed to be this feared character, and you can see how the other characters in the story fear him. I just wish that I understood what the characters were feeling and what they knew about him that made them fear him.

If you are interested in a book that has you asking yourself questions and has you wondering what is going to happen next concerning the events that are happening now, I would recommend reading or listening to the audio of this book. I think that the narrator did a great job.

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Audiobook- This one was really short, which I prefer anyway! I enjoyed being able to listen to the whole thing in one day. The narration as great, his voice was soothing & he did a great job at switching tones etc for different characters!
As for the book itself:

The setting *name withheld, sounded hilarious to me right from the rip so I had a very hard time taking it seriously.
This book is DEF YA & has zero spice so keep that in mind.

However the character twists etc were awesome & I really enjoyed them. It was definitely not what I was expecting (in a good way)
Looking forward to number two.

*I would say this was similar to The cruel prince but not as good. Hope that helps!

Lives intwined in Kind is the perfect name for the story in this audiobook book, that is what you get here. In book one we are introduced to the story which is played out through many characters. Both fabled fantasy and human, their past and suggestions of their future interactions. But only a glimpse, and that’s my issue having finished listening. I’m just not sure about this book yet, which is why only three stars; I think only future parts of the whole will make me decide if this is audiobook is actually worth more. Thank you to Initium Books and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.