I have read "So this is Ever After" by F.T. Lukens so I was excited to read this one. I like this book but not as much as "So this is Ever After" a bit more. This book had multiple POVs, and I think that kinda threw me off a bit. It was hard to follow and distinguish the different characters sometimes. It was a little slow to get the main plot started, so the climax felt rushed. I did enjoy the characters, and their banter between each other.

I would still recommend this book as well as the author's other books.

i received an arc of this from netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I absolutely loved So This is Ever After and In Deeper Waters, so I was ecstatic when I was approved to read this, and it did not disappoint

it's got three of my favorite things - magic, found family, and breaking the rules, so naturally, I loved this. I absolutely adored main characters and the way they interact with each other. I had so much fun reading this!

Spellbound follows two characters, Rook and Sun. Rook, much to his displeasure, is a non-magical human, torn from the magical world after the death of his grandmother, the only other magical person he’d ever known. Rook creates a device that allows him to “see” magic, bringing him a tiny bit closer to the community he once knew. But it isn’t enough. He seeks out the most powerful sorcerer in the city in hopes of working for her to gain knowledge for his device. Rook comes to work for Antonia Hex, a talented and feared sorcerer, who at first deems Rook as just “office staff”. However, after seeing his conviction and dedication to magic, Antonia makes Rook her apprentice, and decides to teach him magic.

Sun, on the other hand, has magic, and is the apprentice to one Fable, rival sorcerer to Antonia. Fable is a dedicated rule-follower and realizes that Antonia has taken a non-magic apprentice and wants nothing to do with it, but Sun and Rook develop an unshakeable connection that drives Sun to help Rook in his quest to rediscover magic.

Nevertheless, the magical government, the Consortium, has had their eye on Antonia’s every move, and taking a non-magical apprentice is definitely against their rules. The rest of the story unravels into a beautifully written standalone adventure and a tasteful YA romance with enough magic to keep your imagination running wild.

I applaud the author’s wit, humor, and style of writing. The perspective shifted between Sun and Rook, which allows the reader to get a great sense of who the characters are. The novel was the appropriate length for the genre and audience, and the conversational style of writing will easily fit and flourish within the YA genre.

I enjoyed the author’s spin on magic; the idea of non-magic and magic communities living in pseudo-harmony was extremely entertaining and fun to imagine. The idea of an overbearing magical government just as stifling as a real one was a nice realistic touch that further immerses the reader into the story.

I am also entirely pleased with the nonbinary, LGBTQ, and diverse racial representation across the cast of characters. It never seemed awkward or forced, and identities were seamlessly represented and respected. As a nonbinary person, it was beautiful to see a nonbinary character represented with such care and compassion. Sun’s identity was never the topic of conversation, their pronouns were never questioned, and no harm ever came to them due to any of their identities. It was refreshing to see a nonbinary character able to live and exist without interference.

Finally, the romance between Sun and Rook was incredible cute and like a breath of fresh air. Each of them was so respectful to the other, and they were so darn adorable! I enjoyed watching their friendship and subsequent feelings develop over the course of the story. Very age appropriate young adult romance.

Overall, this was a fun and refreshing read. I will be purchasing the physical copy in April!

This is the third book by F.T. Lukens that I have had the privilege to read, and I enjoyed it just as much - if not more than I hoped I would. While the magic-world-melded-in-the-mundane-world building was a bit slow at first, it gave me more time to learn about the characters and their feelings for the society and their places within it. Not to mention developing the despotic and nearly dystopian governing body of the magic world.

The two protagonists, Room and Sun, start out as easily identifiable tropes, the poor and lonely smart kid who just wants to fit in and the emo goth kid that just wants to be left alone; but they evolve quickly out of their stereotypes and into truly engaging and relatable people. Clashes in ideology and life experiences give the enemies-to-lovers relationship a strong foundation to build from.

I love how respectful and giving Rook is. Once someone sets a boundary or comfort level, he is always careful not to cross the line. He values people over rules and status quo. He also rolls with the punches far better than I ever could. Maybe that's why he's the genius and I am not. Not only was Rook likable, he earns the respect of the other characters and the reader alike. Not that he isn't without flaws, but that's what makes him believable.

I also appreciated the fact that while Rook and Sun are both remarkable in their different ways, they are still teenagers. When everything (literally) blows up in their faces, they wish for adults with more experience to give them guidance. They bicker, they tease, they go off on tangents, and they don't always see beyond the immediate situation. Neither of them are the all-knowing or all powerful "chosen one".

The humor in the story is infectious. I laughed out loud at some of the hijinx that insued, and it wasn't always the teens that were the instigators. The adults are just as full of quirks and foibles as the teens. Despite its slow start, I found this book "unputdownable" and stayed up waaaay past my bedtime reading because I just HAD to know what happens next. And, let's face it, Sun as a cat is irresistible.

Recommended for fans of Lukens other books, Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter series, and Mercedes Lackey's Legacy series.

*I received a free eARC from the publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are entirely my own and offered without compensation.*

An easy, cozy read. I haven't read any other F.T. Lukens book, but if they're all like this one, I have to, now. This book is like a warm hug. It's got grump x sunshine, found family, enby rep, and a whole host of wholesome and interesting characters. I love Rook, Sun, and Fable, but my absolute favorite character is hands-down Antonia. The relationship between Rook and Sun is adorable and that one part when Sun is a *** is a blast. My only complaint is that there is so much buildup that the plot doesn't really get started until about halfway through. Still, it didn't really bother me. I loved it. <3

Thank you Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the ARC! :)

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review*

I have to say that I have loved every F.T. Lukens book that I have read so far, and every character is so engaging that I can't help but want to know more (and what comes after!). Spell Bound was no exception, I absolutely loved it. Rook and Sun are so adorable and funny in their own ways. I lean more towards loving Rook more, because he is more like me and I could relate to a lot of his anxieties of being an outsider in a world that you want to belong to. I also really enjoyed Antonia, and how she was so eager to buck the rules but also cared so much about Rook and their happiness. I wanted to know more about Fable, because I felt like we didn't get to see them as much, but given my preference for Antonia and Rook I wasn't too upset that we didn't spend much time with them. I cannot wait for more works by Lukens, as this book just cemented my love for their writing style and character descriptions.

F.T Lukens is back with another YA queer fantasy/romance novel that IMO is their best work since 2019's Monster of the Week. In a society where only people who can see ley lines have magical powers, the bureaucratic Consortium tightly controls the flow of information about magic and certifies the level of magic each sorcerer can cast. Rook is just an ordinary human, but after the death of his beloved magical grandmother, he yearns to to be magic-adjacent. He talks himself into a job as the assistant to Antonia Hex, a once-powerful sorcerer who has been reduced to low-level curse breaking after too many run-ins with the Consortium. Rook keeps crossing paths with her frenemy Fable Page, and their prickly apprentice Sun. Antonia enjoys flouting the Consortium rules as often as she can, while Fable is more cautious. But when both witches end up on the wrong side of the Consortium ire, it's up to Rook and Sun to rescue them. And perhaps change the rules so that magic is more readily available to everyone.

I liked this book soooo much more than Lukens' 2022 release So This Is Ever After, primarily because the romance is a sweet, slow-burn, grumpy/sunshine pairing (instead of the annoying "in love with my best friend but can't tell him until almost the last page" trope in Ever After). It's easy to identify with Rook, who is looking for a sense of belonging that is forbidden by the Consortium. His enthusiasm and intelligence help him out of tight situations where his lack of magic could be a liability. And magic-sensitive Sun is antisocial, taciturn, and touch-averse but of course, they secretly like Rook and have their own unique way of showing affection. Best of all, their relationship development is a squee-worthy blend of tenderness, snark, humor, and just a bit of kissing.

The world building is fine, not extraordinary, and the plot could be a lot tighter, but if you're in it for a swoony relationship you will not be disappointed. Extra stars for the special gray cat who makes an appearance at a critical point of the story.

ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review.

I think this one was my favorite of all the other of Lukens' books that i've read so far. The cover is also amazing, and is a fantastic urban fantasy setting with good worldbuilding. I really liked the characters, the main four being Rook, Sun, Antonia, and Fable, with Rook and Sun being the romantic interests and Fable and Antonia being the older mentors. I especially liked Anotina and Rook's relationship, their sort of found family type of vibe was very good. The pov is technically split between Rook and Sun, but Rook carries the bulk of the narration until the last third or so after the story shifts to the two working together more consistently. The romance itself was done well, and it fit well into the story. I wasn't sure what to expect from the plot given the summary was a bit vague, but the buildup to the Consortium taking action against the group was good and the resolution, while a little open ended, was realistic and satisfying. This was a fun book to read, I loved the characters and how they interacted, and the story was compelling and interesting.

Incomplete Trope List
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Found Family
• Queernorm World
• Magical Apprentices

If you’re anything like me, that all sounds amazing. Some of my favorite tropes, really. And for the most part, it was everything I wanted. It was cute, and sweet, and while I may not have laughed out loud it definitely made me grin at times. One of my favorite things about this book was just how queer-normative it was – no one assigned labels to anything, no one ever judged or even commented. We had multiple characters who used they/them pronouns, and it was never once a source of drama or comment. Even a flyer at one point used the correct pronouns. I loved it.

Beyond that, Rook was a delightful ray of sunshine and I related to Sun perhaps more than I like to admit with their prickly attitude and aversion to unprompted physical touch. I really appreciated their relationship, especially how easily Rook respected Sun’s boundaries and their anxiety. Everyone, take note.

Overall, it was super cute and I’d highly recommend it! I can’t exactly put my finger on what’s keeping it at four stars for me rather than five, just that something kept me from fully connecting as deeply as I’d like, but judging by my recent reads I fully believe that’s a me-problem and nothing to do with the story itself. So if this sounds interesting to you, I’d suggest picking it up!

Release Date: April 4, 2023
I was given an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:
Edison Rooker isn’t sure what to expect when he enters the office of Antonia Hex, the powerful sorceress who runs a call center for magical emergencies. He doesn’t have much experience with hexes or curses. Heck, he doesn’t even have magic. But he does have a plan—to regain the access to the magical world he lost when his grandmother passed.

Antonia is…intimidating, but she gives him a job and a new name—Rook—both of which he’s happy to accept. Now all Rook has to do is keep his Spell Binder, an illegal magical detection device, hidden from the Magical Consortium. And contend with Sun, the grumpy and annoyingly cute apprentice to Antonia’s rival colleague, Fable. But dealing with competition isn’t so bad; as Sun seems to pop up more and more, Rook minds less and less.

But when the Consortium gets wind of Rook’s Spell Binder, they come for Antonia. All alone, Rook runs to the only other magical person he knows: Sun. Except Fable has also been attacked, and now Rook and Sun have no choice but to work together to get their mentors back…or face losing their magic forever.

I loved this book so much. It was such a fun book. I loved Rook and Sun. I also loved the found family trope within this book. The magic system was so unique and I loved the urban feel to it. I was hooked from the start. I have loved all of F.T. Lukens books but this one has been my favorite so far!

Have you read anything by FT Lukens before? Then you’ll like this book.
Do you like found family, grumpy-sunshine romance, stories about magic, or mysterious over powered government organizations? Then you’ll like this story.

FT Lukens consistently delivers adorable diverse casts that you love to cheer on. I spent the majority of time reading this with a ridiculous grin. Loved every minute of it.

i was so excited to get this as my first ever arc. i have become a fan of f.t lukens having read in deeper waters and so this is ever after and could not wait to read spell bound.
spell bound is a lovely light heartened queer fantasy. the pace of the book was fast and had an easy flow to it. it definitely is more character driven than plot driven. like lukens others works, i often feel like there is just enough plot to guide the story along but never truly evolves more than that.
the relationship that unfolds between rook and sun was well done. the found family that the characters create is perfect. i absolutely love the non-binary representation in this book and adore the character of sun. there were some parts, especially towards the end, that did feel a bit rushed. i wish we knew more about mavis. her entering to the story felt a bit sudden so i did wish this aspect was expanded upon a bit more. but overall i enjoyed the story immensely and would recommend it to anyone who was looking for an easy but pleasant read.
there is always something so comforting about lukens works. the story/characters are always well done and enjoyable. i am a sucker for happy magical queer stories and lukens always delivers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!

This book was excellent! It’s my first time reading one of the author’s novels, but I’ve wanted to read one for a while.

Things I liked:
1. The characters!! It is told first person POV from two different people, Sun and Rook. Both voices are very distinct and I had no trouble telling them apart, which is something I normally struggle with while having multiple POVs.
2. The romance!! It is pretty obvious that they are going to get together, nobody ever comes between them. They are literally the sunshine x midnight rain couple, which was fun to read about.
3. Because Rook doesn’t know much about the world, his boss Antonia has to teach him all about curses and jinxes. These acted like info dumps but they didn’t feel like one because the main character had to learn everything the reader learns about their world.

Things I didn’t like (as much):
1. This felt more like a romance with a fantasy subplot rather than a fantasy with a romance subplot. It didn’t really bother me, but I wish there was a little more about the larger impacts of magic in this world and nonmagical people. We only really got to see a few characters with magic, and I would love to read more about this universe.
2. It was a little slow to get the main plot started, but I wasn’t annoyed by that because I enjoyed reading about the characters' interactions a lot.

Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens is an adorable mid-stakes fantasy with a MLNB relationship. This book was fast-paced, cozy, and gave me lots of laughs and lots of feels. This book involves magic, found family, and discovering how one belongs in the community.

All of the character in this book have very distinct personalities that play off one another and seem to jump off the page. Sun and Rook have a grumpy x sunshine dynamic that was a delight to read, and Fable and Antonia's rivalry was a joy to read. Lukens paints a beautiful picture with his words, and I was able to see every scene playing out before me as I read. The end had me very emotional, as Rook discovered where he belonged and finally found a community and was allowed to relax and just be a kid again.

I do wish this book had showed us a more clear resolution to the reform or dissolution of the consoritorium, the oppressive governing body that keeps magic regulated and away from those that cannot see ley lines. The climax felt slightly stunted and like we did not get true closure because of that. Overall though, I absolutely adored this book and would happily recommend it.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for this early Netgalley copy of Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens.

What happens when an ambitious young customer service agent with a secret agenda and a surly—yet adorable—sorceror with a mysterious power team up with a common goal?

Edison “Rook” Rooker has been alone for a year, and all he wants is to re-enter the magical world that he loves so deeply. Enter Antonia Hex, the most rebellious and powerful sorceror in Spire City; Fable Page, Antonia’s longtime rule-following rival; and Sun, Fable’s deadpanning apprentice. Along with this cast of vibrant characters, Rook will inadvertently change the magical world forever… and maybe fall in love in the process.

Let me start by vehemently expressing that I’ve never read a book this unapologetically cute.

Lukens has packed this novel full of classic, irresistible tropes: frenemies to lovers, sunshine vs. grumpy, found family. These tropes can be easily forced or obvious, but never in Spell Bound did they feel heavy-handed. At its heart, this is a story about community and belonging, and about what (often desperate) lengths we will go to, each in our own ways, to feel welcome somewhere we long to be.

It’s hard for me to say anything negative about this book because it was just so well-meaning and precious. Perhaps the dialogue was a tad unrealistic at times. Perhaps the plot went from occasionally meandering to suddenly rushing by. Overall, my admiration of the characters made these nitpicks seem trifling in comparison. If it all ends happily and I enjoy the lighthearted ride, how can I complain?

Spell Bound could perhaps be compared to Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, but I actually preferred this book. The story was more original and easier to follow, and the characters were absolutely undeniable. How do you not root for Rook and Sun? For Antonia and Fable? Lukens has done an excellent job of creating magical characters that are also charming, relatable, and accessible—and all likable, which to me is certainly a feat.

This young-adult fare is suitable for young teenagers and up. I recommend it for fans of Rainbow Rowell, readers of fanfiction, and trope-loving Tumblr users. Speaking of, did anyone else think of Buzzfeed Unsolved after looking at the cover art (beautifully done by Sam Schechter)?

CW: occasional profanity.

☆ ☆ ☆ - GOOD

I wanted to enjoy this one but I found the plot, story, and characterizations hard to follow and not really resonate the best for me at times.

Five Starss ⭐️
Really cute book
I have read books by this author before and i absolutely loved them , i was interested in this book from start to finish. Really thankful to have been given this arc :)

This book felt like a hug. It was comforting and supremely affirming.

The characters, dialogue, and dual POV were simply magical. The magic system was super interesting and the Consortium was a fantastically grounded in real-life evil.

The found family trope stole my heart and the romance was so fantastically sweet.

I wish the book had a little more world-building, I feel like it would have rounded out the world of Spire City a bit more. I also wish the courtroom showdown was a little longer, the bulk of the fight seemed over super quickly and a little too neatly for such a formidable bad.

Is a sequel planned? I would happily read a bunch of books in this magical universe!

Edison Rooker is lonely and looking for a place to belong when he walks into Hex-a-gone to ask the notorious and powerful Antonia Hex to give him a job.

After his magical grandmother died, leaving him without family, he was tested and found to be non magical and shunted to a piece of the city with not even a glimmer of magic.

He’s missed the connection to magic and wants to be a part of it, even if he can’t do spells himself.

Soon he finds himself gifted with a special name, meeting a special person, and getting tangled up in rule breaking that brings the Consortium (the magical government kinda) down on him.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publisher F.T. Lukens and NetGalley for the ARC of Spell Bound.

I loved this book. The characters are so relatable—Rook with his optimism. Sun is very cautious and shy at times, I don't usually read YA, but I saw the cover art, read the description, and decided to try it. The book starts off jumping right in. Everyone knows about magic, but only some people can use it. Rook is trying to find belonging in the world of magic. The world-building is fantastic. It felt like I was there. It is based on modern times.

This book delivers on the grumpy/sunshine trope. Sun wants to be left alone, while Rook is trying to find his place in the world. I love how Rook interacts with the customers. It is sweet. Sun is very introverted and wants to do the work without talking to anyone.

I recommend reading this book if you love fantasy and YA.