The Unseelie Prince

The Hawthorn Throne Series, Book 1

By: Kaitlyn Abdou

Narrated by: Liam Taylor

The Unseelie Prince is the first novella in the Hawthorn Throne series.

The Folk have never shied away from taking what they want. Legends speak of faeries stealing people from their beds, swapping infants with changelings, and impregnating women they find beautiful. You should never trust them, though they cannot lie. Eat their food, and you may never see home again.

Noah Reid has spent his life seeking normalcy after a turbulent childhood with a superstitious mother who refused to answer questions about the father he never knew and instead attempted to impress upon him a real fear of faeries.

Despite his mother’s best efforts, Noah finds himself ripped from the life he knows and thrust into a palace of nightmares. Here, he must face the persistent attention of the regent and discover the shocking truth his mother took to her grave.

Fàilte air ais, a Naoise. Welcome home....

Content warning: Contains dark themes and subject matter that may be considered taboo.

©2018 Kaitlyn Abdou (P)2018 Kaitlyn Abdou

Dark&highly original story. Mesmerizing narration!

This is a very unusual, rather dark novella with a surprising twist. I absolutely loved it!
The author created an amazing, eerie fantasy world. There's an unsettling vibe that runs throughout the story, danger lurking in hidden places, which I thought very well done.
Our MC, Noah Reid, is kidnapped from his home by the Folk, also known as Faeries, though definitely not of the Tinkerbell variety. He's kept as a prisoner and only has one visitor, whom he depends on for food and information. Stockholm syndrome here we come... This prison guard/protector is an enigmatic, powerful figure who sets out to seduce Noah. But to what end?
This is not a romance, at all, but a very intriguing story nonetheless. I can't wait to discover what will happen next in this series.

Narration: This is the first audio book I've heard narrated by Liam Taylor, though I certainly hope it won't be the last. He does a truly outstanding job at creating a sense of mystery and enchantment and he makes the Regent sound almost dangerously mesmerizing.The accent he gives all the Folk, but especially the Regent, is delicious and a joy to listen to.

The Unseelie Prince

Noah has no idea why he is kidnapped and locked away in the middle of the night. His only contact is a man who shows him concern and affection. When Noah learns the truth about his father, he must make a choice to believe in the legends and take his rightful place or not. All is not as it should be but will evil win or will the truth somehow find its way to be seen?

This is a quick and engaging story. I was pulled right in from the start and am eagerly waiting for more. Noah has never known anything about his father and as he learns about who he is and the beings that he comes from he slowly begins to find purpose. The only one that Noah is able to interact with is the Regent but is he there to help or hinder. Noah must learn the answer to this question the hard way. I really enjoyed this world and its characters. Narrator Liam Taylor does a wonderful job bringing life to these characters and had me immersed into the story as soon as I hit play.

wow

this was good.. it was dark and interesting.. it was well narrated imo.. the narrator did a good job hitting the complexity of these characters.. their emotions.. and their personalities.. i felt like i was watching a movie.. it was well done.

A Dark Fairytale

This story was as deliciously dark and dangerous as the Sidhe who vie for control of the Hawthorne Throne. Noah is a regular young man going through college and dealing with the death of his mother. The last thing he expects is to be ripped away from bedroom in the middle of the night by beings he only thought existed in fairytales.

The story is full of manipulation and hot, sultry sex as Fearghas maneuvers his way onto the Hawthorne Throne. Poor Noah soon learns that nothing is as it seems, and trust should not be handed out so freely.

Kaitlyn Abdou has a wonderful writing style and it left me wanting more. The book also has beautiful illustrations done by Felix Avenier. The audiobook version of this book is well done. Liam Taylor was a wonderful choice for narrator. His voice was rich and full of depths that enhanced the sultry darkness of the story.

Overall, the book was four stars – it was extremely good, but the brevity of the book stifled the plot a little – it felt more like a prequel and I really hope Kaitlyn Abdou continues this series.

Fantastically Written and Narrated

Well, that was uncomfortable and amazing at the same time! How to describe without spoilers?Abdou's Prince is frustrating as all get out (come on, pay attention, Noah!), but understandably so. Her bad guy is the worst kind of man--all sweetness and consideration over a black and selfish heart. I can't wait for future books, in which I hope Noah gets his revenge on. Liam Tailor was perfect, moving from one voice to another and between accents flawlessly.

Deeply Hypnotic

Abdou's Unseelie Prince is a tale well spun. With content dark and not for the faint of heart, this story has been absolutely enthralling. With Liam Taylor's narration, which is perfection, enter another world. A delightful and surprisingly all consuming story.

Wonderful Story, Liam Taylor is Excellent

At first I thought The Unseelie Prince was just a lush and very creative retelling of dozens of other fairy tales I’ve read before… it didn’t take long for me to see how wrong I was! There are so many clever twists and turns, and I had no idea which way the story would go. I got completely wrapped up in this amazing story.

Kaitlyn Abdou describes everything in stunning detail. From the faeries to horn wearing demons, and everything Noah experiences, this is a magical world and we’ve just seen the smallest bit. I’m looking forward to many more episodes in “The Hawthorne Throne”, and I definitely hope they’re all narrated by Liam Taylor.

Mr. Taylor’s rich and sultry voice adds an additional layer of mystery and romance to the story. His portrayal of Fearghas is seductive and devilishly wonderful, and his performance elevates the whole experience. I highly recommend enjoying The Unseelie Prince as an audiobook.

an audiobook copy of The Unseelie Prince was provided for the purpose of my review

Twisty End

This is the first book in The Hawthorn Throne Series. This is not a romance and not a book for everyone. There is a twist to the story that fits into taboo territory. The plot was entertaining and it was steady throughout the book. I found the story and characters intriguing. There isn’t exactly a cliffhanger, but you are left with questions. The narration was good the narrators voice wasn’t to my liking (I’m picky) but it was great for this story. It wasn’t monotone but I would’ve liked stronger highs and lows. He was expressive and although it was told in a narration style verses a voice acting, I think it was done very well. I voluntarily read/listened to an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

Original and enthralling

In a matter of a little over two hours, Kaitlyn Abdou's fantastical story and Liam Taylor's narration was able to do what quite a few other audiobooks haven't been able to: give me an original and enthralling tale and leave me wanting much more in the best way possible. The Unseelie Prince is the first in Abdou's Hawthorn Prince series, and it's the ideal sort of series starter, enticing the listener with a mesmerizing and intriguing story, ensuring that they'd be invested in the characters, needing to find out what happens next. This is Abdou's debut release and it's the first time I've listened to Taylor's narrating, both leaving me wholly impressed with their respective contributions to this wonderfully fascinating story of a man named Noah Reid who is taken by mystical creatures and finds out that the life he once led wasn't as mundane or normal as he was made to believe. I don't want to give too much away, but this does end on a cliffhanger, and I was a wee bit frustrated because I desperately wanted to know what awaited certain characters in the story. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for book two! The Unseelie Prince gets five stars! ♥

a dark fae story

This was a well written darker tale. the summary explains it and it does have a slight taboo theme to it. overall very enjoyable.