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Fae Destiny #1
A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows
All her life, Eala Duir, a young college professor, has skirted the edges of a fantasy world.
Visions of folk stories coming alive in hearth flames and vivid daydreams where carousel horses ride off to battle, drove Eala to pursue an academic life specializing in tales of the Fae.
When a cryptic message in her grandmother’s will sends her to Ireland, Eala clashes with Sionnach Loho, an attractive, enigmatic local expert on folklore. After witnessing Eala’s encounter with a ghost girl at an allegedly haunted castle, Sionnach reveals his own ties to the Fae realm. He insists Eala’s ability to connect with the supernatural proves she’s been sent to partner with him and fulfill a centuries-old otherworldly quest ordained by the mighty Finnbheara, King of the Connacht Fae.
As folktales and faeries collide with Eala’s reality, she must decide whether to embrace the fantastic or flee back to the safe and predictable life she thought she always wanted.
Visions of folk stories coming alive in hearth flames and vivid daydreams where carousel horses ride off to battle, drove Eala to pursue an academic life specializing in tales of the Fae.
When a cryptic message in her grandmother’s will sends her to Ireland, Eala clashes with Sionnach Loho, an attractive, enigmatic local expert on folklore. After witnessing Eala’s encounter with a ghost girl at an allegedly haunted castle, Sionnach reveals his own ties to the Fae realm. He insists Eala’s ability to connect with the supernatural proves she’s been sent to partner with him and fulfill a centuries-old otherworldly quest ordained by the mighty Finnbheara, King of the Connacht Fae.
As folktales and faeries collide with Eala’s reality, she must decide whether to embrace the fantastic or flee back to the safe and predictable life she thought she always wanted.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2024
109 people are currently reading
12120 people want to read
About the author
Leslie O'Sullivan
13 books161 followersLeslie O’Sullivan is the award winning author of "Rockin' Fairy Tales," an adult fantasy romance series that shines a new spotlight on favorite fairy tales set against the backdrop of a fictional Hollywood music scene. Her "Fae Destiny" romantasy series explores the collision of the real world with the Faerie realm. The completed "Behind the Scenes" contemporary romcom series peeks into the off-camera sizzle of a wildly popular Irish television drama. She’s a UCLA Bruin with a BA and MFA from their Department of Theater where she also taught for years on the design faculty. Her tenure in the world of television was as the assistant art director on “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show.” Leslie loves to indulge her fangirl side each year at cons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
November 9, 2024
DNF@36%
Spoiler-free Review💫
💌04/05/24
After discussing with the board of directors- sama & aksh👩🏻💼👩🏻💼, I've decided to dnf this book after trying for 3 weeks to get immersed into the story😃✋🏻 Also yay this is my very first 'DNF' of this year🏆
Want to know why I didn't dnf'd this early? well, it really started out great, I even felt this book would be somewhere between 3 to 4 stars, but boy, I was so wrong. I should never have had high expectations.but who listens🙄 Even when the BODs were telling me to DNF this, I wasn't ready. Because I wanted to give the book a fair chance. Unfortunately, after maybe like 20% or so, I had a hard time getting into the story, I had no idea what I was reading after that mark.🤯 The writing style wasn't for me, it was too slow🐢. I couldn't connect with the MCs- the FMC was what to say indecisive maybe?! the MMC was too rude. Half the time I couldn't even intercept what he was saying😵 I was so excited when I got the ARC, but *sighs* it eventually did lead me to an utter disappointment hole🕳🚶🏻♀️
Thankyou to Netgalley, City Owl Press, and the Author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!💌
ˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝒫𝓇𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
💌03/15/24
Me being delulu😃 and reading the ARC after a month I got it, hehehe😇 Let's gooo🏃🏻♀️ It's releasing in 3 days so hopefully I can finish the book before it gets published (or not).
💌02/15/24
GOT ANOTHER ARC and THE COVER LOOKS PRETTY!!😍😍I'm a sucker for pretty covers, I should stop applying for arcs that has pretty covers but I really hope this ARC is not a disappointment like the previous one😭✋🏻
💌04/05/24
After discussing with the board of directors- sama & aksh👩🏻💼👩🏻💼, I've decided to dnf this book after trying for 3 weeks to get immersed into the story😃✋🏻 Also yay this is my very first 'DNF' of this year🏆
Want to know why I didn't dnf'd this early? well, it really started out great, I even felt this book would be somewhere between 3 to 4 stars, but boy, I was so wrong. I should never have had high expectations.
Thankyou to Netgalley, City Owl Press, and the Author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!💌
ˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝒫𝓇𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
💌03/15/24
Me being delulu😃 and reading the ARC after a month I got it, hehehe😇 Let's gooo🏃🏻♀️ It's releasing in 3 days so hopefully I can finish the book before it gets published (or not).
💌02/15/24
GOT ANOTHER ARC and THE COVER LOOKS PRETTY!!😍😍
ꕤ-dnf
April 3, 20243/31/24: dnf at 21%
January 24, 2025
Ghosts, fae, time travel, and Trials! There are twists along the way. This was a good time for me.
# A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows
# 7/27/2024 ~ 1/15/2025
# 5.0 / 5.0
# A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows
# 7/27/2024 ~ 1/15/2025
# 5.0 / 5.0
May 26, 2024
I really wanted to like this book, as I am going on vacation to Ireland soon. I have to say, I did not. The premise started out ok, but then as the book went on there were so many places that it was so choppy. The FMC going from I'm confused to I love you to I hate you to I love you in a matter of NIGHTS was ridiculous. The way she reacted and the follow up to that was so disjointed. The MMC not answering any questions the entire time...the big reveal was a weird choice. I didn't find their connection authentic due to all of these other choices the author made. The friend pushing the other guy on her was also giving me the ick. The ending was super predicable, but then to have everything resolved and end on a cliffhanger was also very frustrating as a reader. I enjoyed some of the folklore and Irish verbiage, but unfortunately that was all I enjoyed about this book. 3 stars is being generous.
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March 27, 2024DNF'd so I won't leave a star rating since I didn't finish ✨️
I've been trying to get immersed into the story for several days now, and I've realized this just isn't the writing style for me. I couldn't connect to either MC - the fmc was so indecisive, and the mmc was kind of just rude, and I had a harder time understanding what he was saying. I had to keep rereading what he was saying, and it pulled me out of the story. Overall, I was really excited to read this, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me 😭
I've been trying to get immersed into the story for several days now, and I've realized this just isn't the writing style for me. I couldn't connect to either MC - the fmc was so indecisive, and the mmc was kind of just rude, and I had a harder time understanding what he was saying. I had to keep rereading what he was saying, and it pulled me out of the story. Overall, I was really excited to read this, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me 😭
March 17, 2024
Interesting premise with the Irish folklore, the veil, hidden identities and the mysterious paranormal elements, but I struggled to get fully immersed in this story or to love the characters.
The first 30% is mostly focused on the school trip and Eala trying to figure out why her identity was hidden from her and what answers she might find in Ireland after cryptic messages from her grandmother, so it's a little slow and very descriptive.
Then we have the shift to fantasy with discovery of the veil and working alongside Sion (essentially an arrogant magical stranger) on a quest to help souls move on in this new realm.
Sadly i found it a bit hard to follow, Eala isn't really a strong character, she's easily swayed and she seems to go back and forth on liking Sion even after reveals, and Sion is selfish and lies continuously to use Eala and doesn't have much redemption.
The romance element happens pretty abruptly too with Sion, and there was a strange love triangle going on with the professor.
Seems like it has potential as a series, but I personally couldn't connect to the plot or characters.
The first 30% is mostly focused on the school trip and Eala trying to figure out why her identity was hidden from her and what answers she might find in Ireland after cryptic messages from her grandmother, so it's a little slow and very descriptive.
Then we have the shift to fantasy with discovery of the veil and working alongside Sion (essentially an arrogant magical stranger) on a quest to help souls move on in this new realm.
Sadly i found it a bit hard to follow, Eala isn't really a strong character, she's easily swayed and she seems to go back and forth on liking Sion even after reveals, and Sion is selfish and lies continuously to use Eala and doesn't have much redemption.
The romance element happens pretty abruptly too with Sion, and there was a strange love triangle going on with the professor.
Seems like it has potential as a series, but I personally couldn't connect to the plot or characters.
March 13, 2024
Very neat concept. I was ready to find out what secrets Eala’s grandmother was keeping from her. I loved the time travel and the Irish folklore. But I found that there was more telling than showing in this story. It read very slow, repetitive and the pacing was off. I didn’t feel a connection to it.
I felt zero chemistry between our two main characters Eala and Sion. We even kind of get a bit of a love triangle that didn’t really feel like a love triangle because all the characters are so wishy washy. The lack of communication between characters was too much.
The plot line for this book is unique and I enjoyed that aspect of it, but I think it could have been executed a little better and would have made for an amazing story instead of a just okay story.
I have no doubts that this book will find the right audience and many will love it. Unfortunately it was a miss for me.
Thank you The Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC.
I felt zero chemistry between our two main characters Eala and Sion. We even kind of get a bit of a love triangle that didn’t really feel like a love triangle because all the characters are so wishy washy. The lack of communication between characters was too much.
The plot line for this book is unique and I enjoyed that aspect of it, but I think it could have been executed a little better and would have made for an amazing story instead of a just okay story.
I have no doubts that this book will find the right audience and many will love it. Unfortunately it was a miss for me.
Thank you The Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC.
April 11, 2024
If you're a fan of Irish lore and legend, mythology, fantasy folklore, slow burn romance, and magical quests, then you might want to check this story out!
Eala is still grieving for the passing of her grandmother, when she decides to accept a work trip to travel to Ireland along with her best friend. This also will give her the chance to hopefully find answers about her past and her family.
I really enjoyed the folklore and the descriptive writing for the setting. It really made me feel like I was in Ireland, and also makes me want to go back! I loved the lush Fae descriptions and where and when they were traveling to. Where this book lost me a bit is due to the romance and the....odd characterizations for Eala, Sion, and a love triangle that felt super super forced, unnecessary, and quite honestly, a bit uncomfortable.
(Also like, her best friend literally gets together with a guy she meets on this trip and basically says he’s The One - but she gives Eala SO MUCH SHIT for when she is doing the same with Sion. Like what the heck??)
Eala - this girl is so so indecisive and contradictory. She yearned for a great fantasy escape, and then when offered the chance to travel through the Veil, she just turtles in and says she can’t. She can’t even climb stairs to help save a literal soul. There were several times I just wanted to shake her. And I don't know how this girl - who is so terrified of heights she can't climb some stairs - has made it living in NYC lol.
Also like? There is zero indication in the blurb and in the marketing that I saw that there would be a love triangle or two “love interests” in this book. It’s one of my least liked romance tropes, so I wish we were told that there were two love interests. And it honestly felt super unnecessary to the story. There was zero chemistry between her and Jeremy.
So while I love the storytelling and the rich lore and magical history, the romance itself is where it felt the weakest for me.
I received a copy for an instagram promo tour. My thoughts are my own and posted after the tour was over.
Eala is still grieving for the passing of her grandmother, when she decides to accept a work trip to travel to Ireland along with her best friend. This also will give her the chance to hopefully find answers about her past and her family.
I really enjoyed the folklore and the descriptive writing for the setting. It really made me feel like I was in Ireland, and also makes me want to go back! I loved the lush Fae descriptions and where and when they were traveling to. Where this book lost me a bit is due to the romance and the....odd characterizations for Eala, Sion, and a love triangle that felt super super forced, unnecessary, and quite honestly, a bit uncomfortable.
(Also like, her best friend literally gets together with a guy she meets on this trip and basically says he’s The One - but she gives Eala SO MUCH SHIT for when she is doing the same with Sion. Like what the heck??)
Eala - this girl is so so indecisive and contradictory. She yearned for a great fantasy escape, and then when offered the chance to travel through the Veil, she just turtles in and says she can’t. She can’t even climb stairs to help save a literal soul. There were several times I just wanted to shake her. And I don't know how this girl - who is so terrified of heights she can't climb some stairs - has made it living in NYC lol.
Also like? There is zero indication in the blurb and in the marketing that I saw that there would be a love triangle or two “love interests” in this book. It’s one of my least liked romance tropes, so I wish we were told that there were two love interests. And it honestly felt super unnecessary to the story. There was zero chemistry between her and Jeremy.
So while I love the storytelling and the rich lore and magical history, the romance itself is where it felt the weakest for me.
I received a copy for an instagram promo tour. My thoughts are my own and posted after the tour was over.
March 17, 2024
A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows by Leslie O'Sullivan
"Who spreads light on the gathering hills? Who can tell the ages of the moon? Who can tell the place where the sun rests?"
The carousel. Neverland. Entrances to Narnia. All magical, forbidden places. Faerie dust. Newfoundland. Contortionists. Wrens. "Ice is villain."
This writing drew me in, it is so charming and inviting and I cannot help but smile, the words painting a beautiful picture for me in my mind, a living painting full of lively mountains and streams and fairies.
"Flowers are the song of the seasons."
Eala Duir and Jeremy Olk, the cutest intellectual pair. King Oak, the herald of Doom. I completely devoured this Irish folklore book, centering around a beautiful green isle. The creatures and lore are mesmerizing.
And quoting Keats?! This novel was made for me.
I also have a huge weakness for found family, a coming home that sends me reeling. A timid anxious professor becomes a beautiful and confident character arc. I have so much admiration for the MC, and overcoming self doubt is something that I myself struggle with.
I would recommend this to any reader who loves Celtic tales and fantasy or romantasy; found-family tropes. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!
"Who spreads light on the gathering hills? Who can tell the ages of the moon? Who can tell the place where the sun rests?"
The carousel. Neverland. Entrances to Narnia. All magical, forbidden places. Faerie dust. Newfoundland. Contortionists. Wrens. "Ice is villain."
This writing drew me in, it is so charming and inviting and I cannot help but smile, the words painting a beautiful picture for me in my mind, a living painting full of lively mountains and streams and fairies.
"Flowers are the song of the seasons."
Eala Duir and Jeremy Olk, the cutest intellectual pair. King Oak, the herald of Doom. I completely devoured this Irish folklore book, centering around a beautiful green isle. The creatures and lore are mesmerizing.
And quoting Keats?! This novel was made for me.
I also have a huge weakness for found family, a coming home that sends me reeling. A timid anxious professor becomes a beautiful and confident character arc. I have so much admiration for the MC, and overcoming self doubt is something that I myself struggle with.
I would recommend this to any reader who loves Celtic tales and fantasy or romantasy; found-family tropes. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!
March 16, 2024
I was really intrigued when I read the synopsis on this book especially when compared to Emily Wilde and Discovery of Witches. Which I was happily pleased while reading I found that vibe. I'm really excited to see what comes next.
I'm a huge fan of lore on books and there is a lot of this in the story. I was fascinated and it kept me interested. I've always loved Ireland as a child and getting a little bit of history was great.
That being said I didn't see the romantic connection between the characters and the pacing seemed to be slow at times. That being said everything else in the book made up for it. I really enjoyed the time traveling and that the mysteries weren't super easy to solve.
Would recommend.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted Arc.
I'm a huge fan of lore on books and there is a lot of this in the story. I was fascinated and it kept me interested. I've always loved Ireland as a child and getting a little bit of history was great.
That being said I didn't see the romantic connection between the characters and the pacing seemed to be slow at times. That being said everything else in the book made up for it. I really enjoyed the time traveling and that the mysteries weren't super easy to solve.
Would recommend.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted Arc.
April 9, 2024
I received a copy from City Owl Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Eala Duir has spent much of her life trying to live on the safe side. If the path isn’t tried and true, she doesn’t want anything to do with it. Everything changed when her grandmother passed away. First, a vague letter from her grandma reveals that Eala’s real name is not Ellie like she’d been raised to believe it was. Then her grandma asks her to go to Ireland to find out the truth about herself, but all she has to get her started is the cryptic message that was left to her. Once in Ireland, it turns out that the fae world her grandmother always spoke of is real, and that she can travel between worlds. What is Eala’s fate, and why is it so deeply connected with the sassy Sionnach Loho?
I really liked the overall concept of this book, but I ended up DNFing it at 52%. We follow Eala as she’s going through a major life transition. Not only is she trying to adjust to life without her grandma, but she’s suddenly thrust into a world of fantasy and magic while trying to figure out where she came from and what her grandma’s cryptic message means. While Eala has her best friend, Colleen, at her side, she quickly discovers that the answer to all her questions comes in the form of a sassy Irish man: Sionnach.
Eala is a solid person, but she’s also a pretty boring character to follow. Even when she’s in the thick of things, she’s the least interesting person in the mix and it’s easy for her to blend into the background. All of the other characters are far more interesting, and I think I would’ve liked the book a little more if we had Eala and Sion as rotating narrators. Sion is a man of many words, but he also keeps his cards very close to his chest, so there’s a lot of missing information that only he can drop into the story. By the halfway point, I was far more frustrated by the lack of communication between the characters than Eala is, and this story is directly impacting her life.
As I said, I really like the overall concept of the book. Eala can travel between worlds, including everything in between, but there’s also rules to follow. Rules that Sion has been very tight lipped about, which throws them into some pretty tight spots. Reading this ended up being frustrating in the end because it seems like there’s something huge sitting right around the corner, only that corner keeps getting further and further away. I think that there are some readers who will love this book, the romantic interest that is a red herring, and the pacing of the story. Unfortunately, it’s not a book that’s a hit with me.
Eala Duir has spent much of her life trying to live on the safe side. If the path isn’t tried and true, she doesn’t want anything to do with it. Everything changed when her grandmother passed away. First, a vague letter from her grandma reveals that Eala’s real name is not Ellie like she’d been raised to believe it was. Then her grandma asks her to go to Ireland to find out the truth about herself, but all she has to get her started is the cryptic message that was left to her. Once in Ireland, it turns out that the fae world her grandmother always spoke of is real, and that she can travel between worlds. What is Eala’s fate, and why is it so deeply connected with the sassy Sionnach Loho?
I really liked the overall concept of this book, but I ended up DNFing it at 52%. We follow Eala as she’s going through a major life transition. Not only is she trying to adjust to life without her grandma, but she’s suddenly thrust into a world of fantasy and magic while trying to figure out where she came from and what her grandma’s cryptic message means. While Eala has her best friend, Colleen, at her side, she quickly discovers that the answer to all her questions comes in the form of a sassy Irish man: Sionnach.
Eala is a solid person, but she’s also a pretty boring character to follow. Even when she’s in the thick of things, she’s the least interesting person in the mix and it’s easy for her to blend into the background. All of the other characters are far more interesting, and I think I would’ve liked the book a little more if we had Eala and Sion as rotating narrators. Sion is a man of many words, but he also keeps his cards very close to his chest, so there’s a lot of missing information that only he can drop into the story. By the halfway point, I was far more frustrated by the lack of communication between the characters than Eala is, and this story is directly impacting her life.
As I said, I really like the overall concept of the book. Eala can travel between worlds, including everything in between, but there’s also rules to follow. Rules that Sion has been very tight lipped about, which throws them into some pretty tight spots. Reading this ended up being frustrating in the end because it seems like there’s something huge sitting right around the corner, only that corner keeps getting further and further away. I think that there are some readers who will love this book, the romantic interest that is a red herring, and the pacing of the story. Unfortunately, it’s not a book that’s a hit with me.
March 13, 2024
3/5⭐️
1/5🌶️
Quests, time travel, Irish lore, ghosts and a whirlwind romance?
This book is something very unique with it’s main storyline and world building. The descriptions of everything in the book are just absolutely stunning. Every scene is painted in a way that absolutely enchants and captures the reader. I really really loved the overall plot of this book with the quest that was set forth for our main character, the idea of time travel and the beautiful realms offered to us.
The love story was so sweet and wholesome. Who doesn’t love an Irishmen ?! Where I struggled with the romance was that I felt some of the main character indecision threw the timeline for the romance off and made the two of them feel a bit too strained.
I felt the idea of the ending of this book was beautiful and the concept of realms and afterlife’s being intertwined was very unique. I love time travel in story’s and this kind of time travel made me almost think of Outlander which I adore!
I did feel like the pacing was a bit off and I wished there had been more time during the story to develop the characters and the romantic subplot a bit more. The back and forth of exposed truth and our FMC’s own feelings gave a bit of a feeling of whiplash that turned a bit frustrating. To clarify, I don’t mind that there were lots of secrets and the main character and therefore readers were left to wonder what would happen. What I did mind was that it felt like a constant back and forth because the timeline was such a short stretch of time. This book does leave off on a cliffhanger so the story doesn’t seem to be over yet!
Overall it was a unique and beautiful read. If you love Irish lore then this might be one you’ll fall in love with and appreciate. I give this book extra points for its potential to be a very captivating story.
*Thank you The Nerd Fam and author Leslie O’Sullivan for the gifted ARC*
1/5🌶️
Quests, time travel, Irish lore, ghosts and a whirlwind romance?
This book is something very unique with it’s main storyline and world building. The descriptions of everything in the book are just absolutely stunning. Every scene is painted in a way that absolutely enchants and captures the reader. I really really loved the overall plot of this book with the quest that was set forth for our main character, the idea of time travel and the beautiful realms offered to us.
The love story was so sweet and wholesome. Who doesn’t love an Irishmen ?! Where I struggled with the romance was that I felt some of the main character indecision threw the timeline for the romance off and made the two of them feel a bit too strained.
I felt the idea of the ending of this book was beautiful and the concept of realms and afterlife’s being intertwined was very unique. I love time travel in story’s and this kind of time travel made me almost think of Outlander which I adore!
I did feel like the pacing was a bit off and I wished there had been more time during the story to develop the characters and the romantic subplot a bit more. The back and forth of exposed truth and our FMC’s own feelings gave a bit of a feeling of whiplash that turned a bit frustrating. To clarify, I don’t mind that there were lots of secrets and the main character and therefore readers were left to wonder what would happen. What I did mind was that it felt like a constant back and forth because the timeline was such a short stretch of time. This book does leave off on a cliffhanger so the story doesn’t seem to be over yet!
Overall it was a unique and beautiful read. If you love Irish lore then this might be one you’ll fall in love with and appreciate. I give this book extra points for its potential to be a very captivating story.
*Thank you The Nerd Fam and author Leslie O’Sullivan for the gifted ARC*
April 22, 2024
#Netgalley
LT: Idėja knygos - nebloga. Ir išpildymas nebuvo labai blogas, bet manęs neįtikino pagrindinių veikėjų - įsimylėjimas. Ir spicy vietos jeigu rašomos, tai arba jos tegul būna aprašomos pilnai, arba tegul lieka “už uždarų durų”🙈 nes ech, jos irgi manęs neįtikino. Ir “blogietį” atspėjau… o iš aprašymo knyga taip intrigavo ir tiek vilčių sukėlė…nors gal atmetus visas spicy vietas, knyga būtų puiki YA auditorijai. 👌
EN: The idea of the book is not bad. And the execution wasn't too bad, but I wasn't convinced by the main characters falling in love. And if spicy places are written, then either they should be described in full, or they should remain "behind closed doors" 🙈 because eh, they didn't convince me either. And I guessed the "bad guy"... and from the description, the book was so intriguing and gave me so much hope... although maybe if all the spicy parts were excluded, the book would be great for a YA audience. 👌
LT: Idėja knygos - nebloga. Ir išpildymas nebuvo labai blogas, bet manęs neįtikino pagrindinių veikėjų - įsimylėjimas. Ir spicy vietos jeigu rašomos, tai arba jos tegul būna aprašomos pilnai, arba tegul lieka “už uždarų durų”🙈 nes ech, jos irgi manęs neįtikino. Ir “blogietį” atspėjau… o iš aprašymo knyga taip intrigavo ir tiek vilčių sukėlė…nors gal atmetus visas spicy vietas, knyga būtų puiki YA auditorijai. 👌
EN: The idea of the book is not bad. And the execution wasn't too bad, but I wasn't convinced by the main characters falling in love. And if spicy places are written, then either they should be described in full, or they should remain "behind closed doors" 🙈 because eh, they didn't convince me either. And I guessed the "bad guy"... and from the description, the book was so intriguing and gave me so much hope... although maybe if all the spicy parts were excluded, the book would be great for a YA audience. 👌
February 7, 2024
I received this as an ARC read in return for an honest review! I have to say that this story started differently than most fantasy books I enjoy as it was set in modern times to start. BUT it was well written enough to keep my interest before getting to the good stuff! I became completely immersed in this magical tale and loved all of the Irish Lore. There were several twists and turns, (one of which I did NOT see coming). It took me a little bit to love the FMC but she really grew on me and I related to her in multiple ways. (Social anxiety and fear of heights) The MMC was so different than I’m used to! No shadow Daddy here but think more Jamie Fraser in outlander appeal. A nice change for sure! Overall a magical, fabulous story that was very well written.
February 17, 2024
I looked forward to reading this book. The cover is beautiful. The book started off slow, and the story just didn’t hold my attention. The author did an amazing job of describing the lush Irish country and Irish folklore. The characters just didn’t develop for me.
Synopsis:
All her life, Eala Duir, a young college professor, has skirted the edges of a fantasy world.
Visions of folk stories coming alive in hearth flames and vivid daydreams where carousel horses ride off to battle, drove Eala to pursue an academic life specializing in tales of the Fae.
When a cryptic message in her grandmother's will sends her to Ireland, Eala clashes with Sionnach Loho, an attractive, enigmatic local expert on folklore. After witnessing Eala's encounter with a ghost girl at an allegedly haunted castle, Sionnach reveals his own ties to the Fae realm. He insists Eala's ability to connect with the supernatural proves she's been sent to partner with him and fulfill a centuries-old otherworldly quest ordained by the mighty Finnbheara, King of the Connacht Fae.
As folktales and faeries collide with Eala's reality, she must decide whether to embrace the fantastic or flee back to the safe and predictable life she thought she always wanted.
Based on the reviews, many liked this book. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. I will leave it up to you to decide. The book will be released on March 19th.
Thank you to NetGalley, City Owl Press, and the author for the e-arc.
Synopsis:
All her life, Eala Duir, a young college professor, has skirted the edges of a fantasy world.
Visions of folk stories coming alive in hearth flames and vivid daydreams where carousel horses ride off to battle, drove Eala to pursue an academic life specializing in tales of the Fae.
When a cryptic message in her grandmother's will sends her to Ireland, Eala clashes with Sionnach Loho, an attractive, enigmatic local expert on folklore. After witnessing Eala's encounter with a ghost girl at an allegedly haunted castle, Sionnach reveals his own ties to the Fae realm. He insists Eala's ability to connect with the supernatural proves she's been sent to partner with him and fulfill a centuries-old otherworldly quest ordained by the mighty Finnbheara, King of the Connacht Fae.
As folktales and faeries collide with Eala's reality, she must decide whether to embrace the fantastic or flee back to the safe and predictable life she thought she always wanted.
Based on the reviews, many liked this book. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. I will leave it up to you to decide. The book will be released on March 19th.
Thank you to NetGalley, City Owl Press, and the author for the e-arc.
March 17, 2024
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!
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!
March 4, 2024
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.
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.
December 9, 2024
3.75 stars
March 1, 2024
I was really into this book in the beginning, so much so that I was raving about it to my friend - “I’m reading this really interesting book that has Irish folklore” - however, it took a turn that I ended up not really liking and it didn’t recover from. I may just not have been the intended audience because I tend to lean towards a more definitive/strong FMC.
This book is about a woman, Eala Duir, who is an adjunct professor in New York. She’s lived her life on the safe side because she is essentially afraid of everything and is very uncomfortable stepping out of her bubble. While she lives a normal life, she experiences something not so normal - dream flashes. They are basically distortions of reality that happen around her. Eala’s grandmother has recently passed away and an attorney visits her with a will, which tells her that the name she’s gone by her whole life is not correct and that she needs to go to Ireland to “find me”. So she does.. as a part of a school trip. There she meets Sionnach Loho, a local who will be a tour guide for their group as well. However, he’s not as he seems. He introduces her to The Veil, another world, and convinces her to help him save souls from the Soulfall by hearing their stories and finding their artifacts either in current or past time. So their quest begins..
First of all, Eala’s character was incredibly wishy washy. It started with her indecision to go to Ireland, which she was easily talked into. Then her friend, Colleen, was pushing one of their fellow professors, Jeremy Olk, on her and Eala’s just like “alright, he checks all my boxes.” Along comes Mr. Grumpy Pants, Sionnach, at their first stop in Ireland. She dislikes this man so passionately for no true reason to start. Then after he convinces her The Veil is real and he needs help saving the souls, she is somehow magically attracted to him? Meanwhile, Sion has done nothing but evade truths and piecemeal information to her.. but their souls call to each other. What?!
Now onto the subject of Sionnach. He was not a likable character or main love interest. As I said above, he essentially lied by omission the ENTIRE book. The one redeeming quality he had was that he wanted to save the souls.. but that wasn’t even for good intentions! By his own admission, he spent the majority of his allotted 200 years trying to save himself! And he only wanted to help the other souls so that he wouldn’t be stuck in the Glade of Chimes for eternity. Selfish and unlikeable.
After Eala saw Sion’s true nature and was finally like okay, I’m not cool with his aggression and his lies.. I was like YAY! She’s standing up for herself. Then she learns the truth from her grandmother and she’s even more pissed, so I was even more like YAY! Go girl! You know what you deserve.. but then, SHE WENT BACK TO HIM! 🫠🤯
I thought maybe there would be some sort of redemption in the end, but it was just a very confusing mix of flowery words to explain heaven or the Faerie world?
Needless to say, I am no longer raving about it 😬 but on a redeeming note, the cover is gorgeous!
✨ Thank you The Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC. ✨
This book is about a woman, Eala Duir, who is an adjunct professor in New York. She’s lived her life on the safe side because she is essentially afraid of everything and is very uncomfortable stepping out of her bubble. While she lives a normal life, she experiences something not so normal - dream flashes. They are basically distortions of reality that happen around her. Eala’s grandmother has recently passed away and an attorney visits her with a will, which tells her that the name she’s gone by her whole life is not correct and that she needs to go to Ireland to “find me”. So she does.. as a part of a school trip. There she meets Sionnach Loho, a local who will be a tour guide for their group as well. However, he’s not as he seems. He introduces her to The Veil, another world, and convinces her to help him save souls from the Soulfall by hearing their stories and finding their artifacts either in current or past time. So their quest begins..
First of all, Eala’s character was incredibly wishy washy. It started with her indecision to go to Ireland, which she was easily talked into. Then her friend, Colleen, was pushing one of their fellow professors, Jeremy Olk, on her and Eala’s just like “alright, he checks all my boxes.” Along comes Mr. Grumpy Pants, Sionnach, at their first stop in Ireland. She dislikes this man so passionately for no true reason to start. Then after he convinces her The Veil is real and he needs help saving the souls, she is somehow magically attracted to him? Meanwhile, Sion has done nothing but evade truths and piecemeal information to her.. but their souls call to each other. What?!
Now onto the subject of Sionnach. He was not a likable character or main love interest. As I said above, he essentially lied by omission the ENTIRE book. The one redeeming quality he had was that he wanted to save the souls.. but that wasn’t even for good intentions! By his own admission, he spent the majority of his allotted 200 years trying to save himself! And he only wanted to help the other souls so that he wouldn’t be stuck in the Glade of Chimes for eternity. Selfish and unlikeable.
After Eala saw Sion’s true nature and was finally like okay, I’m not cool with his aggression and his lies.. I was like YAY! She’s standing up for herself. Then she learns the truth from her grandmother and she’s even more pissed, so I was even more like YAY! Go girl! You know what you deserve.. but then, SHE WENT BACK TO HIM! 🫠🤯
I thought maybe there would be some sort of redemption in the end, but it was just a very confusing mix of flowery words to explain heaven or the Faerie world?
Needless to say, I am no longer raving about it 😬 but on a redeeming note, the cover is gorgeous!
✨ Thank you The Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC. ✨
April 15, 2024
I am excited to say I have not yet read a novel based on this particular set of lore before. At some point it feels like you are always reading a different variant of the same stories, so it made a very nice change indeed. This was the best part of the book for me.
While I enjoyed the new lore, I did have trouble connecting to the main character... or any of the characters in that matter. They all seemed to be pretty two dimensional without enough background or exposure to truly make you root for any of them. I found myself reading without any stakes in the game for any of them.
Seeing as the bulk of the story falls within the span of a week everything moves very quickly in terms of character relationships. I was not on the same page as Eala in terms of the love interest, we went from thinking poorly of them to completely smitten in the span of a few chapters and I struggled to fully wrap my head around it. Particularly when Eala didn't even seem set on it herself and Sion was quite rude and off-putting through the whole thing.
For such a short span of time to occur in the pages, this book was a slow read. The beginning has to set everything up, which I am forgiving for as I find world building important, but it never seems to pick up. The drawing interest just isn't there to keep the pages turning.
Since it ends on a very open note ( I was not invested enough for it to be a cliffhanger) and since the characters prove to be so predictable, you can simply guess where it may be heading from here. I doubt I'll be reaching for the next book, if there is one.
Thank you to Netgalley for access to this book in return for my honest review.
While I enjoyed the new lore, I did have trouble connecting to the main character... or any of the characters in that matter. They all seemed to be pretty two dimensional without enough background or exposure to truly make you root for any of them. I found myself reading without any stakes in the game for any of them.
Seeing as the bulk of the story falls within the span of a week everything moves very quickly in terms of character relationships. I was not on the same page as Eala in terms of the love interest, we went from thinking poorly of them to completely smitten in the span of a few chapters and I struggled to fully wrap my head around it. Particularly when Eala didn't even seem set on it herself and Sion was quite rude and off-putting through the whole thing.
For such a short span of time to occur in the pages, this book was a slow read. The beginning has to set everything up, which I am forgiving for as I find world building important, but it never seems to pick up. The drawing interest just isn't there to keep the pages turning.
Since it ends on a very open note ( I was not invested enough for it to be a cliffhanger) and since the characters prove to be so predictable, you can simply guess where it may be heading from here. I doubt I'll be reaching for the next book, if there is one.
Thank you to Netgalley for access to this book in return for my honest review.
March 19, 2024
Brace yourself, because you’re about to fall into a portal fantasy perfect for fans of A Discovery of Witches and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.
A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows takes you on a journey to the land of the fae. Author Leslie O'Sullivan takes you on a journey set against the backdrop of Ireland. The story is steeped in folklore, focusing on Irish history and legend like you’ve never seen before. At its core, O'Sullivan’s book is also a tale of discovery. Main character, Eala Duir, must visit the past to understand her future. And with the help of a trusty guide, Eala might just unravel a web of secrets, lies, and riddles (and fall in love in the process). Speaking of love, this is also a tale of soulmates. Though the romance unfolds in a slow, slow burn, there’s a strong connection (and a small dose of spice) in store.
The best way I can describe A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows is the words hearth and home. Though I often felt the pacing was off and I struggled with the use of the miscommunication trope, I kept coming back to the worldbuilding and mythology. O'Sullivan‘s writing evokes a sense of warmth and familiarity that only deepens with each page. There’s also plenty of mystery and magic to keep you guessing. Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted book!
A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows takes you on a journey to the land of the fae. Author Leslie O'Sullivan takes you on a journey set against the backdrop of Ireland. The story is steeped in folklore, focusing on Irish history and legend like you’ve never seen before. At its core, O'Sullivan’s book is also a tale of discovery. Main character, Eala Duir, must visit the past to understand her future. And with the help of a trusty guide, Eala might just unravel a web of secrets, lies, and riddles (and fall in love in the process). Speaking of love, this is also a tale of soulmates. Though the romance unfolds in a slow, slow burn, there’s a strong connection (and a small dose of spice) in store.
The best way I can describe A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows is the words hearth and home. Though I often felt the pacing was off and I struggled with the use of the miscommunication trope, I kept coming back to the worldbuilding and mythology. O'Sullivan‘s writing evokes a sense of warmth and familiarity that only deepens with each page. There’s also plenty of mystery and magic to keep you guessing. Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted book!
dnf
February 21, 2024I ended up DNFing around the 35% mark. The description and book comps sounded right up my alley but it ended up being meh. I didn’t hate the first part of it, though it was boring. I kept asking when is the journey really going to start. Then it started, and I realized, yeah not for me. For me, as far as I got, I kept thinking: do you really want to be here? to the main character. Like it felt like the plot was happening to her. The plot is a really cool idea, but it felt like to me the main character was forced into it. I also didn’t understand her animosity towards Sion. It felt kind of out of left field after a while, especially when she thought he was cute. I think I would’ve preferred if they crossed paths & developed their annoyance for one another maybe if she was telling her students something & he corrects her while guiding his own group, & they got into an academic squabble. Overall, I know this book will be loved for other people, it just wasn’t for me. And I just didn’t like it enough to keep reading.
March 9, 2024
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️/4
A Kingdom of Souks 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.
A Kingdom of Souks 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.
February 14, 2024
While I initially had a hard time getting into A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows with some of the Irish folklore and world building, it did end up being a story that I wanted to keep reading. There were so many plot twists later in the book that I did not see coming, especially towards the ending!
I loved being able to follow along for Eala's story while she discovered more about the world around her and herself on the university trip to Ireland. This book is full of magic and adventure as Eala finds out more about who she is and what she can do, discovering so much along her journey.
Thank you so much to Leslie O'Sullivan, Owl City Press, and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. This is the first book in the new Fae Destiny series and releases on March 19, 2024!
Rating 3.5/5 stars
I loved being able to follow along for Eala's story while she discovered more about the world around her and herself on the university trip to Ireland. This book is full of magic and adventure as Eala finds out more about who she is and what she can do, discovering so much along her journey.
Thank you so much to Leslie O'Sullivan, Owl City Press, and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. This is the first book in the new Fae Destiny series and releases on March 19, 2024!
Rating 3.5/5 stars
March 26, 2024
First, let me start by saying while I am not well-versed in Irish folklore and culture, I found myself immersed in this story. Fair warning: this story leans heavily into Irish folklore and history. I found it very interesting, so much so that I’m tempted to book a flight to Ireland lol.
Some things I loved about this story:
1. I appreciate how grief was woven into the story raw and authentically. It was rushed, so the payoff at the end felt even more beautiful. I adored the moments when Eala referred back to her grandmother and the lessons she learned from her throughout life. It often reminded me of my mom, and it just felt comforting.
2. Sion is an interesting MMC because he’s not always easy to like. Like Eala, I was annoyed, angry, and confused with him. But as the pieces started clicking for her, they started clicking for me. I found his arc to be so refreshing because a lot of stories lately make the MMC too perfect or too easy. Likewise, Eala was VERY hard to like at first. I was so annoyed by her, especially with her fear of heights, but I found it was more of my impatience creeping in versus her truly being an unlikely character. Hers was another arc that I appreciated by the end of it.
The imagery was beautiful, and the author takes pride in setting the stage.
I didn’t care for Colleen or Charlie and felt like they were only present as either comedic relief or a buffer. I could have done without them. The character of Jeremy is such an interesting one because the entire time, I felt so unsettled by him. Like when someone’s too perfect, and you don’t trust them, lol
I also felt like the pacing was off at times. Things weren’t always clear, so there were moments I had to fill in the gaps as a reader and felt confused, especially around big revelations. A few extra paragraphs in these sections would have done wonders.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read!
Some things I loved about this story:
1. I appreciate how grief was woven into the story raw and authentically. It was rushed, so the payoff at the end felt even more beautiful. I adored the moments when Eala referred back to her grandmother and the lessons she learned from her throughout life. It often reminded me of my mom, and it just felt comforting.
2. Sion is an interesting MMC because he’s not always easy to like. Like Eala, I was annoyed, angry, and confused with him. But as the pieces started clicking for her, they started clicking for me. I found his arc to be so refreshing because a lot of stories lately make the MMC too perfect or too easy. Likewise, Eala was VERY hard to like at first. I was so annoyed by her, especially with her fear of heights, but I found it was more of my impatience creeping in versus her truly being an unlikely character. Hers was another arc that I appreciated by the end of it.
The imagery was beautiful, and the author takes pride in setting the stage.
I didn’t care for Colleen or Charlie and felt like they were only present as either comedic relief or a buffer. I could have done without them. The character of Jeremy is such an interesting one because the entire time, I felt so unsettled by him. Like when someone’s too perfect, and you don’t trust them, lol
I also felt like the pacing was off at times. Things weren’t always clear, so there were moments I had to fill in the gaps as a reader and felt confused, especially around big revelations. A few extra paragraphs in these sections would have done wonders.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read!
February 3, 2024
Thank you to Leslie O'Sullivan for the eARC, this review is my own unbiased opinion.
Wow what a story, steeped in Irish folklore and a surprise visit to the land of Fae.
I honestly didn't expect this story to turn the way it did, I loved every minute of it.
A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows is written so well and I loved the world building, the Irish folklore interwoven beautifully throughout the story creating a unique adventure.
I really liked Eala and her character was so uniquely created, I felt the depth to her and her strength throughout was inspiring.
I loved the twists and turns this novel took, I didn't expect anything whilst I reading which made the whole reading experience fabulous.
Wow what a story, steeped in Irish folklore and a surprise visit to the land of Fae.
I honestly didn't expect this story to turn the way it did, I loved every minute of it.
A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows is written so well and I loved the world building, the Irish folklore interwoven beautifully throughout the story creating a unique adventure.
I really liked Eala and her character was so uniquely created, I felt the depth to her and her strength throughout was inspiring.
I loved the twists and turns this novel took, I didn't expect anything whilst I reading which made the whole reading experience fabulous.
February 28, 2024
This is an interesting and unique concept for a book. I really liked the Irish setting, lore and language. I think that someone who had more knowledge of the Irish culture would probably get a lot more out of it. I also appreciated how the author put the correct pronunciations into the dialogue so I wasn’t left to my own (and definitely wrong) pronunciations. This was a sweet love story that crosses between urban fantasy and not. Sion and Eala have some miscommunications and complication in their journey, but overall I really loved them as a couple. I love the quest type journey that Eala joins Sion on.
Personally, I couldn’t really get into this book though. I really wanted to like it because it felt so unique to me and there were some spots throughout that kept my attention, but for the most part I was left wanting a little more. Dislike to lovers but very short on the dislike. There was a lot of side plot and information that kept getting kind of thrown into the story. Sion going from grump to tender and back and fourth gave me some emotional whiplash.
Someone who is more engrossed in Irish lore would probably really like this book!
Personally, I couldn’t really get into this book though. I really wanted to like it because it felt so unique to me and there were some spots throughout that kept my attention, but for the most part I was left wanting a little more. Dislike to lovers but very short on the dislike. There was a lot of side plot and information that kept getting kind of thrown into the story. Sion going from grump to tender and back and fourth gave me some emotional whiplash.
Someone who is more engrossed in Irish lore would probably really like this book!
January 29, 2024
I definitely did not fully grasp all of the lore in Ireland. I feel proud that when I did visit a really long time ago I was at a few of the sites discussed in this novel. The beginning took me a bit with all of the Irish language words. It was worth it. Once I really dove in I had difficulty pausing the book for my personal reality. Excellent world building and character development. I am in love with the characters and a bit sad at needing to wait for book two to find any closure with that cliffhanger! Highly recommended!!
March 14, 2024
Overall this book was one I was very excited to start and after the initial few chapters I realized it was going to be a slow start. Ella is a professor trying to figure out the secrets behind her birth family. The book takes a dive into the Faerie realm and that is really what peaked my interest but I just wanted more development in the characters and story overall.
I did enjoy this book as a whole but I won’t be picking it up over and over again to read.
I did enjoy this book as a whole but I won’t be picking it up over and over again to read.
April 7, 2024
This book is a magical ride full of mystery and romance, with a deep dive into Irish folklore that I absolutely loved. Eala's journey is all about discovering herself, finding her loved ones, and unraveling her roots and heritage. The cultural backdrop is stunning and woven into the story in such a cool way. There's never a dull moment. The plot keeps moving at just the right pace to keep you hooked. And the love-hate-love rollercoaster between some characters is just chef's kiss! Plus, it's got some steamy scenes that spice things up even more. If you enjoy books rich in folklore and fantastical adventures, then I recommend grabbing this one!
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