This is not the first F.T. Lukens book I own, but it is the first one I decided to read since the story really stood out to me. LGBT+ characters and romance, plus magic?! I am down. Within the first chapter, you already start to feel the magical touch of the book - and it drives you to continue reading nonstop. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves romance and magic.

F.T. Lukens has perfected their craft of combining fantasy with non-stop contemporary humor, heartfelt found-family relationships, lovable protagonists, and the most downright adorable fluffy soft romances into some of my favorite standalone books. Spell Bound is no exception, and is just as magical and fun and fantastical as I had hoped. Something I love about this book is how simple the worldbuilding and central cast is. There aren't too many complexities to balance - it's really a slice of life magical snippet of two sorcerers' apprentices falling into shenanigans in exactly the way you'd want them to. Lukens' books can easily cater to younger teens and the older crowd who are looking for a quick and adorable fantasy.

Wonderful world building, lovely characters, and an interesting story. The plot was well paced and kept me invested. Relatable story without being overdone.

This was such a cute and cozy YA fantasy. I loved the lgbtqia representation. I’m looking forward to reading more of the authors work.

Thank you Simon and Schuster publishers and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I should preface this by saying, as I've gotten older I've become incredibly more picky about what Young Adult novels to pick up. Although I have plenty of YA ARCs via Netgalley backlogged to still read, I don't gravitate much towards YA anymore.

And this reads somewhat towards the younger side of YA. I'm only 23 (24 minus 2 months ;) ) but the MCs acted/spoke younger than expected in my opinion.

However I did enjoy the (slow) development of characters arcs for Sun and Rook. I think this might've worked for me a few years ago when I was really returning to being an avid reader, trying out all sorts of YA Mystery/Paranormal but presently I wasn't immersed or truly honed in on the storyline like I was hoping to be.

Side note: I love the cover!!!

I totally believe this would be favorites of many, but it just wasn't for me.

Was very forgettable and I ended up skimming the second half a lot. The characters had potential, as sunshine x grumpy is a very popular and easy to use trope in terms of relationships and characterization - however, this book did not delve very deep into that, Overall: a 2.5 star rating.

Spell Bound is a charming and heartwarming fantasy romance that has everything a good romance should have presented in a tastefully light manner. The story is fun, unexpected, and full of loveable characters. And, while it may sound different, the-- at times-- somewhat annoying manner of the characters wasn't *annoying* in that they were realistic quirks of young people.
Lukens writing is easy to follow and is relatively fast-paced. If you need a little pallet cleanser in between the heavy fantasy you may be reading, or need help getting out of a reading slump, I recommend any of their books.

Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC

The perfect YA romantasy! I won’t add to the summaries, but vibes alone: perfectly cozy and minimal stress. Love a book with LGBTQ representation, a solid magic system, and dual perspectives. This book is as delightful as Lukens’ previous novels, and I know my students will love this story!

So cute! I love the authors writing style and the characters are :chefs kiss: so fun to read about. It is for sure something you should read. Besides the cover is so well done I love the artist.

I really enjoyed this book as much as the author's other books. I think this is my new favorite from them. The plot was well thought out and kept me engaged in it. I liked the characters and their journeys.

Rook and Sun.

I went into this book thinking I was getting just a witchy read, but this book wasn’t just anything. I loved the representation in this book (non- binary and gay) and I adored the found family. This is a slow burn but omg is is so worth it. I loved the exploration of self, family, and friends the author took us on with these characters. And the plot… it was everything. I really can’t say I’ve come across a book quite like this before and oh I was here for every second of it. I could not get enough of this story. So in conclusion go buy this book or at least go read this book.

I absolutely adored this book and had just the best time from start to finish.

Rook and Sun are the apprentices of two competing magicians, and couldn’t be more of a grumpy/sunshine pairing. Rook has no magical powers of and Sun is practically bursting with them. The two form a reluctant friendship which leads into more as they find themselves in increasingly more dramatic predicaments.

This book reminded me a lot of Lukens’s previous book So This is Ever After in the sense that it was fun and whimsical, with so much heart beneath the seams. The dual POV in this book added so much contextually and I loved that so much of this book was just them vibing and getting to know each other, as opposed to fighting off the forces that be.

Highly recommended and, no pressure to F.T. Lukens, but the bar continues to be set by and for themself.

And I, for one, can’t wait.

4.5 stars rounded up

this was such a cute read. i really liked the characters and their dynamic. they are endearing and relatable, each with their own unique quirks and personalities. the worldbuilding was very well done and i loved the magic. the author skillfully create a universe brimming with mystical wonders and enchanting spells. with its well-crafted plot, lovable characters, and an enchanting magical world, "spell bound" is a must-read for fans of the fantasy genre.

This is my first story by this author and I really enjoyed it. It took me a little bit to get into the story because of the world building and trying to understand what was going on, but once we were in it, I really enjoyed myself. I love the friendship and romance between Rook and Sun. I enjoyed the fight against the controlling consortium. This was such a fun, feel good read.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me with an eARC of this fantastic book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After his magical grandmother dies and he is torn from the world of magic after being determined to not have enough magic himself, Edison Rooker is desperate to find his way back to the magical world. So he builds a machine to detect magic and interns for a grumpy and powerful sorceress who runs a call center for magical emergencies, Antonia Hex. Things explode in Rook’s face and it’s up to him and the apprentice of Antonia’s enemy to save both their bosses or they will all lose their magic forever.

I like the magic system and the way that Lukens writes about questioning gatekeeping of resources to those deemed lesser. Sun and Rook’s dynamic is fun to read about. I also like the budding mentorship Antonia has for Rook. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the pacing though.

4 out of 5 stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC.

This is the story of Rook and Sun, apprentice magicians in a rigidly regulated magical world, who start off as rivals, slowly become friends, and then more than friends.

Rook is trying to regain his place in the magical world and Sun is trying to learn all they can about magic. Things go downhill for them both when their mentors cross some lines with the magical hierarchy and the two end up on the run.

Overall I liked the premise of this book. It felt slow in some parts and rushed in others. Some of the dialogue was a bit lackluster. I wanted more from the characters and the mentors--it didn't feel like anyone was three-dimensional and the stakes didn't feel very compelling.

Potential but didn't hit the mark for me. I had read the author's other book Ever After and that held promise and didn't hit the mark for me either. It may be just the thing for other readers.

Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens was my first title from this author and I enjoyed it immensely. The two main characters are intriguing and have good chemistry, the tutors of both characters also have good chemistry and bicker much like their students, and the worldbuilding is quick but fun. I've seen criticism that this story didn't do enough to flesh out the characters and magic system, but I don't think that's the point of the story. It's a standalone romantasy novel, and I definitely smiled when Rook and Sun were arguing and blushing and totally not falling in love with each other. This is a single sitting, 5 star fantasy romance with low stakes and no loose threads.

F.T Lukens cemented his autobuy author status with this one! This YA fantasy follows Rook as he becomes an apprentice to a powerful sorcerer. I adored this magic system and found myself intrigued all throughout it. This is a very enjoyable novel with many elements everyone will love. Found family, an amazing romance, and a magnificent magic system, make up this gorgeous book! Couldn’t recommend more

I absolutely fell in love with this book and could not put it down at all. The characters were fantastic, Rook was just the absolute funniest and sweetest character that I have read in a while. I loved The way that he respected Sun’s desire not to be touched. I loved his sarcasm. And I love the way that when he cared about someone he was 100% all in.

The book, of course, had a villain, so to speak, the consortium. They were the governing body of the magical world, and made sure to profit off the backs of sorcerers and witches… And forced the most powerful witch in the world, Antonia, to not be allowed to do higher levels of magic. And of course, Brooke decides that she will be the perfect person to teach him magic…we’ll kind of. Antonio comes off as this weird and cold person, but her relationship with rock is pretty sweet when you really look at it. She could get in a lot of trouble for having a non magical person working for her, but she is a rebel and had no problems doing it.

The primary point of the story was rogue, trying to figure out magic at his place in it, but the story turned out to be so much more. It turned into a small bottle with the government, a story about creating your own family, and most importantly, finding the magic within yourself. This book was everything I hoped for and so much more.!

Absolutely delightful!! Casual queerness rep at its finest. The two main characters are so precious (together AND individually). The magical elements are very fun and the hijinks people get themselves into are hilarious. I was laughing out loud several times while reading.