4.5 stars

This is definitely my favorite book by Lukens. It feels different from the others, maybe because it's set in a world much closer to ours than the other books I've read? Whatever the reason, I adored this and basically binged it because I couldn't get enough.

The main characters are well developed and interesting, with Rook being funny and optimistic and Sun being introverted and sarcastic. Their relationship was so cute and I loved how Rook kept pursuing a friendship and didn't let Sun push him away. It was a fantastic grumpy/sunshine pairing.

The story was well paced, with plenty of magic, drama, and excitement. Antonia is a great side character, she's so anti-establishment and enjoys little rebellions. Can we be best friends?

I had a fun time reading this and highly recommend checking it out!

<i>I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children's and NetGalley for the copy.</i>

Spell Bound follows 16 year-old Rook, who, after the death of his grandmother, was ousted from the magical community because he seemingly doesn’t possess any magic of his own. Refusing to lose his connection though, Rook created a ley line detector and marches straight into the office of the most powerful magic wielder of his time to ask for a job.

Antonia, while scary, can’t help but warm up to Rook pretty quickly. When Rook meets Sun, the apprentice of another local sorceress, the both of them can’t seem to stay away from each other, despite their frenemies situation. After all, Sun is a stickler for the rules, just as their sorceress teacher is. Whereas Antonia…has a long, difficult history with magic, apprentices and the community of her own and what starts as a fun way to defy the powers that be might just end up with all of them paying the ultimate price.

F.T. Lukens just knows how to pack a punch. Spell Bound has so many great components. There’s adventure and escapes, mutinous curtains and an unexpectedly cuddly cat.

One of the best parts of Spell Bound (and really, any F.T. Lukens book) is the worldbuilding. The magic system is pretty complex but Lukens manages to make it all easily digestible while showing the strengths and advantages of everyone and their individual magic.

I also loved the dynamic of the characters and how it mirrored society at large. Rook is being kept out of the community simply because he is believed to have no magic but Antonia sees something in him that reminds her of herself at a younger age, the underdog fighting to belong. Antonia, meanwhile, is struggling with the thumb she’s been kept under ever since something happened with her previous apprentice. It’s clear that Antonia is an incredible powerful sorceress and her breaking the rules is as daunting and ultimately thrilling as you’d expect.
There were also subtle hints at gatekeeping and especially with the magical overlords who hold strong to their traditions (read: backward ways that need to be eradicated already) and don’t want to see how things are changing, you can’t help but think of today’s society. I absolutely loved how nuanced this discussion was and how we had queer, neurodivergent characters who challenged the system and turned the world upside down – really, you can’t root enough for these characters.

And of course, we have the fun grumpy/sunshine dynamic between Sun and Rook that made this book even better. I absolutely adored Rook’s sunny disposition and his passion for magic. And I loved Sun who has so much going on in their head and takes a while to warm up to Rook but once they do, you can just tell they’d go to the ends of the earth for him.

On top of that you have people reluctantly teaming up to save the people they care about, the concept of finding a home when yours has been taken from you and the dangers of being different than the norm, which made for an intoxicating, action-packed and fast-paced story. All I can say is, if you need a break from reality, then this book is for you.

Following two rival apprentices that just can’t stay away from each other, Spell Bound is a magical tale filled with fun transformations, grumpy/sunshine vibes, intriguing conversations around what it means to be lost and lonely but inevitably found and a sweet hint of romance that will tug at your heartstrings.

Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens delivers a heartwarming charming story about a boys quest to get back the feeling of the magic his dearly departed grandmother used. This is a true testament to the heights that can be achieved in YA Fantasy. Rook, Sun, Fable and Antonia, are all really well realized fully fleshed out characters. The story interesting cover to cover. The magic system is clear and concise. This is a book that I would recommend to anyone of any age or reading taste, and I am confident they would enjoy it. It will definitely ending up being one of, if not my favorite read of the year.

This story is fun and full of heart. Rook is a really quirky character who wears his heart on his sleeve, and that is something I always enjoy. The way he interacts with every character is just really interesting to read. The story takes its time building up, and that is fine because the banter between the characters is more than entertaining. The found family aspect of the story is surprisingly well done, and it’s only su[rosing because it was mostly unexpected. I didn’t really have a huge grasp on where the story was gonna turn or where it was going, and I mean that in a good way. F.T. Lukens does a really good job of pacing out the story in an almost slice of life way. The main conflict is always there but it blends so well into the reality that the characters live in that you don’t really feel it coming until it’s right in your face. For a large part of the book it kinda gives a romance vibe which I overtly enjoyed. This really makes me excited to see what else Lukens has done, and I feel like she gave me new hope for the YA Fantasy genre after not reading it for a long time.

I really need there to be some sort of sequel to this. I’m not convinced there will be, mostly because Lukens has not done one, and the story raps up pretty nicely. I just really enjoyed the world building and would love to see what Lukens could do next here.

The story did have a couple of close calls. Mavis does show up out of nowhere and so it’s a little hard to mess her into this small cast of characters that is so well fleshed out. That is a very minor issue for me though because it didn’t feel like she was included as a last resort in the story. I feel like she sped up what could have been aimless meandering in a longer book. For a book that clocks in under 350, a lot happens and I don’t think any time is wasted.

Overall I think this book stands out in the same way it’s cover does. A much needed pop of color on a sometimes over produced landscape. 10/10 loved and would recommend to anyone who will listen.

This book was provided via NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review!

In Spell Bound we follow Rook who is looking for a way that he can connect to magic again after the death of his grandmother. He’s hired by Antonia Hex, a powerful sorceress and quite frankly a whole mood, who runs a curse breaking business aptly named Hex-a-Gone. Rook can’t see the magic lay lines magic users use to access magic in this world but he’s made a device that might be able to detect them and his new job should give him the chance to test it out. Along the way he meets Sun who is apprenticed to Fable, and who sometimes work together with Antonia to break larger curses. When the Magical Consortium gets wind of Rooks device they come for Antonia and Fable and Rook and Sun have to work together to get their mentors back.

Rook working at Hex-a-Gone was a really fun and great introduction to the magic system how things work in this world. As the story progresses the relationships between the characters and their personalities bring so many fun interactions and emotional moments. This book is like a warm cozy sweater, it’s an absolute delight. It has magic, rivals, lovable characters, and adventure. F.T. Lukens is always a must read for me and this is no exception.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Spell Bound was so cute and fun and I absolutely LOVED IT!! It's definitely a perfect cozy urban fantasy and I loved how, even though it was a magical romp, it felt realistic and true to life. I really enjoyed all of the character, but Rook and Sun were absolutely adorable. They truly brought out the best in each other and made such a great pair worth rooting for. Antonia and Fable were also great and both made me laugh a lot throughout the novel. All in all it was a light, magical read with a dash of romance, some humor and some great writing by F.T. Lukens!

(3.75 Stars)

It’s time to dive into another enchanting world created by everyone’s favorite Fantasy YA Author!

Edison Rooker may not have magic, but he does have technology and his new invention, the Spell Binder. After losing his grandmother and his last connection to the magical world, he convinces one of the most powerful sorceresses to hire him as a secret apprentice.

Antonia Hex has some other secrets of her own, including why she’s been forced by the Magical Consortium to only answer house calls for jinxes, hexes, and curses. Not to mention they have to make sure to stay out of the way of her rival, Fable, and their apprentice, Sun.

But when the Consortium discovers they’re trying to combine technology and magic, Rook and Sun only have each other to defend themselves from the organization. They have a lot of work to do, as it’s either that, or risk losing their magic forever.

When reading a new fantasy book, it can be daunting to learn new rules, creatures, and settings. Lukens achieves what they do best beautifully in Spell Bound by developing a whole new universe for their reader without holding their hand the entire way. They know when to begin backing off on further explaining the mysterious Consortium’s rules and regulations without leaving anyone in the dark.

The only reason it’s difficult to give this novel a four star rating is because of how long it took to pick up. By the time the main conflict was revealed, the novel was almost over! However, as slow paced as it was in the beginning, the complex characters of Rook, Sun, and their counterparts make Spell Bound impossible to put down. The character growth throughout is compelling, especially towards the modern argument of tradition versus technology, and the reason why three stars was not enough. Perhaps Rook’s next invention should be a new number!

If you enjoy being fully immersed in all things mystical, but still enjoy a side of modern technology, be sure to pick up Spell Bound starting today! Many thanks to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens is a YA fantasy romance novel. Edison Rooker isn't magical and with the death of his grandmother he's lost his only connection to magic. So with wits and determination he strides right up to power witch, Antonia Hex's business and asks for a job. Surprisingly, the Hex-A-Gone owner gives him a new name, Rook, and hires him. Rook does have a itty bitty secret, however, in the form of an illegal device that can detect magic.

Keeping the contraband technology away from the magical government - the Magical Consortium - isn't easy especially when Rook's path keeps crossing with Antonia's magical rival Fable and her grumpy apprentice, Sun. Despite Rook's best efforts, the Consortium catches on to him and Rook has no one to turn to but Sun if either of them hopes to save their mentors or magic for them all.

I was really impressed by this novel!! I'll admit I was a bit hesitant to read this one given that I was disappointed by another novel by F.T. Lukens, but the premise - and the cover!! - of this one really grabbed my attention and I'm so glad I gave it a chance.

Rook and Sun - sunshine and grump - were so cute to read about and I couldn't stop grinning half the time! I loved how their relationship progressed throughout the novel.

Set in the real world, this novel also was easy to connect to and not get lost in the world of magic. The magic system made sense and was interesting, especially in a few hilarious ways (the coatrack and the carpet!).

I'd definitely recommend Spell Bound to lovers of fantasy romance, witty interactions and LGBTQ+ stories.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Children's publishing for an eARC of this novel. All thoughts and opinions contained within this review are my own.

Firstly, can we get a big standing ovation for whoever does the art on all of F.T. Lukens' covers? Every single one is so beautiful and this one is just :chef kiss:. I had so much fun reading this book. I loved the magic system and world building. All the characters felt like real people and I LOVED Rook. So good!

I loved this book! I’ve never read this author befriended and figured I’d give this story a shot and I’m so glad I did. The story was well paced with fleshed out characters that I couldn’t help but root for and love. It was a fun ride and I loved the magical elements of it as well as the grumpy x sunshine romance going on. It was cute and I didn’t want the story to end. I definitely recommend this book and am gonna look for more titles by this author.


Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

This was pretty fun! The romance especially was very believable, our two main characters were sweet, interesting, and well-matched, and I enjoyed the humor. I thought a bit more could have gone into the world building, the effects of magic on this world, and the development of all the other characters—all to say I'd be willing to read more!

Spell Bound is a cute urban fantasy book set in a world where magic is both helpful in everyday life and also heavily controlled by Big Magic (aka the Consortium). However! Not everyone can use magic, and here we meet Rook, a boy turned out on his own after the death of his magic-using grandmother who desperately wants to be part of the world he was so unfairly thrust out of. Using his "literal genius" wiles (but actually, he's a big dork-- very cute in it!) he's able to land a job with the powerful sorceress Antonia Hex as both a fix-it guy and receptionist and also, in this, get to toe his way closer into the world of magic he misses so much.

We (and Rook) also meet Sun as the second in this dual POV novel, an apprentice to Antonia's rival Fable, and the two are intertwined in both their junior status, at-work meet-cutes, and a sunshine/grumpy coming to an understanding between the both.

One of the more charming things in Spell Bound was Rook and Sun slowly getting to know each other, Sun warming to Rook like a cat tentatively accepting a human around in her life, and Rook's goofy crush, but something *special* about Spell Bound is the nonbinary-normalcy with both Sun AND Fable using they/them and it never even ONCE being a thing. It's SO REFRESHING and warms my little heart. And even the things Rook focuses on in his cute little crush aren't things that are defined by any stereotype of any gender binary.

All in all, Spell Bound was a sort of wholesome story with a lot of cute moments, and while everything came together more or less predictably.. it's what I wanted! It was nice to fall into this little world of learning Magic-Business-Office-Work and also the trials of the second act. A very cute and easy read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, FT Lukens, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, and Margaret K. McElderry Books for allowing me to access this ARC and write my thoughts hereafter freely.

4.5 / 5 ⭐️‘s

"Spell Bound" by F.T. Lukens

This was a fun YA story filled with magic, adventure, and a touch of romance. The story follows two apprentice sorcerers, Rook and Sun, who are forced to put aside their rivalry and work together to save their mentors and protect their own magic.

Rook's journey from a non-magical outsider to a skilled sorcerer is compelling, and Sun's tough exterior masks a vulnerability that makes for an endearing character.

The romantic subplot between Rook and Sun adds an extra layer of tension to the story, and I loved watching their relationship evolve over the course of the story.

Out 4/4/2023!

This ARC was provided by @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Why are we keeping people out of the community who want to be there? He's one of us."

Spell Bound is a dual POV that follows Rook and Sun - two sorcerer apprentices that find themselves going from frienemies to friends to fugitives on the run after the Magical Consortium takes their mentors into custody. But let me not get ahead of myself.

Rook grew up with his magical grandma but after she passed, he was cut off from the magical community since he's been deemed "non magical". That doesn't stop him from asking the most powerful woman - Antonia to be his mentor. She's got a bit of a rebellious streak - and chooses to take him on after he fixes all her electronics. Rook uses this as an entry to testing his "Spell finder" , a tablet that shows him ley lines and stores spells - two things that the Magical Consortium is wildly against.

Time goes on - Rook and Antonia run into another pair, Fable and Sun. They give off frenemies vibes from the beginning, and it's clear that the two mentors have history and disagree on rules. But Sun and Rook start slowly warming up to each other after they keep meeting up on jobs and Sun even helps Rook practice his magic - a feat that was thought impossible.

This is where the story gets full on Matrix - agent Smith style. The Magical Consortium is unhappy with Rook creating the tablet and decides to take them all in and thankfully Rook and Sun are able to escape and they get to go on their own adventure to break them out of magic jail AND harness Rook's magic more!

I loved the dynamic between these two, it's sunshine x grumpy and a slowburn (and a one bed trope)! In the beginning, Sun finds Rook extremely annoying but they warm up to each other more as they have more interactions. I loved how Rook was extremely aware and respectful of Sun's boundaries in terms of physical touch and mental health. I also LOVED how both Rook and Sun cried multiple times - it was so heartwarming and real.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves slowburns, sticking it to the man and patchwork found family.

rep// non binary rep

cw// evil capitalism, death (off page)

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Spell Bound is a queer fantasy YA romance by F.T. Lukens.

I really enjoyed the magic system, and Rook and Sun were so good together- very different but they complimented each other so well.

Antonia was badass and I love her! The story started a bit slow for me, but it gained momentum soon and I really enjoyed this fantastical ride.

I enjoyed reading Spell Bound; it came at magic from a direction I don't think I've ever quite seen. Edison Rooker was raised by his grandmother, who was a sorceress, but when she died and he showed no sign of magic, he was evicted not just from the home they shared in a magical enclave, but from the magical part of his world entirely. Trying desperately to find a way back in, he invents a device that detects ley lines, the source of magic - something that the Consortium that controls magic believes is impossible, but outlaws all the same. Needing a place to test his device, he talks his way into a job as office staff for Antonia Hex, and well-know magician, who nicknames him Rood - and so it begins.

This novel is told by two main characters, Rook, and Sun, who is the apprentice to another magician who occasionally works with Antonia. Rook is an orphan, a genius who does his best work with electronics and appliances. Sun is a quiet, introverted teen who follows the rules, and who uses the pronouns they/them like their mentor, Fable, Together, Rook and Sun develop an unlikely friendship, and upset the rules of the Consortium along the way. I can only hope there will be a sequel.

I received an advance review copy in return for my honest review, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

Spell Bound by FT Lukens drops April 4th and trust me…if you love wholesome young adult fantasy, then you’re going to want to pick this one up! This was so stinking cute and wholesome. I loved the magic system in that it focused on the ability to harness magic from ley lines (it’s giving Raven Boys). I really liked how the magic system and world builidng was simply done but effective. I was able to get a very vivid image of how the magic works and all of the politics surrounding magic vs non magic users, but it never once felt info dumpy or clunky (which is normally a huge complaint I have with YA and adult fantasy books).

All of the characters were delightfully endearing in their own way…but especially sweet babies Rook and Sun. They had major grump x sunshine vibes but it was always clear how perfectly these two fit together (both as friends and something more). Their interaction and relationship building was so relatively and cute. It was such a good sugary sweet depiction of first love, especially in the ways they would flirt and dance around each other but also get in their own heads about what to do with their feelings. I mean, this quote really speaks for itself: “I like you. All of you. Even the rough pieces.”

Also, FT Lukens does a fantastic job of writing queer normative stories. It’s established early on that both Sun and Fable use they/them pronouns. It’s mentioned one singular time and then it just…is. No fanfare or conflict. It’s so refreshing and so needed. With all of the absolutely ridiculous discourse going around today about what kids should and shouldn’t be allowed to read, I’m grateful that we live in a world where teens have the chance to find belonging and representation in books like this.

The only reason why I didn’t rate this book a full 5 stars was because I found the ending to be a bit rushed for my liking. It didn’t do anything wrong at all, I just wanted a little bit more from the conflict resolution.

All of this to say…if you like wholesome queer normative young adult fantasy, they definitely pick this up April 4th. Also, can we talk about how FT Lukens has some of the most aesthetic covers in the game right now?! This cover is so stunning. Look at Sun’s cute little face, they’re so cute.

Story: 4/5

Honestly what a fun read! I love a magic system and this one? Beautiful. The concepts? Beautiful. I enjoyed this so much.

My only problem with it was that I felt the pacing was a little off. I got to the last 20% or so and it picked up pace so quickly I was dizzy. That could just be a me thing though.

Overall, go pick this up! It is good!

Thank you @netgalley @ftlukens and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for letting me get an eARC for my honest review!

Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens releases April 4, 2023!

Spell Bound was so cute and fun and I just loved it so much!! I would consider it to be a perfect cozy fantasy, because the stakes never felt extremely dangerous and I had a smile on my face the whole time.

I really enjoyed all of the characters. Rook and Sun had a rivals to romance path that was endearing and adorable. They truly brought out the best in each other and made such a great pair. Antonia and Fable both made me laugh with their old-lady antics and their love/hate, but really love friendship.

I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a light and heartwarming magical story with a splash of romance. It was a wonderful choice for a rainy Sunday read.

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster, Margaret K. McElderry Books, and NetGallet for this arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Edison Rooker needs magic in his life. And access to magic is exactly what he hasn’t had since his grandmother passed. But a visit to the office of Antonio Hex, infamous sorcerer with a shady history and a business that deals with magical emergencies, changes everything. Soon enough, Antonia christens him “Rook” and makes him her new apprentice. Never mind the fact that she’s not really allowed to have an apprentice and her rival sorcerer, Fable, and their apprentice, Sun, are getting a bit too close to the truth for comfort. Not that Rook minds all that much when it means spending more time with Sun. With a Magical Consortium on their tail, broken rules galore, and curses lurking around every corner, Rook doesn’t have it easy. Luckily, he doesn’t have to deal with it alone.

Just like F.T. Lukens’ previous book, So This Is Ever After, what a warm hug of a novel, my freaking goodness. Urban fantasy with a hefty helping of warm queer love, this hilarious magical romp will have you giggling, swooning, and sad sighing on an endless loop. Rook’s endless optimism in the face of hardship paired with Sun’s persistent grumpiness despite Rook’s unending attempts to cheer them up, are a match made in rom-com heaven.

Each magical subplot comes with its own unique set of comical events, supporting characters in the form of Antonia and Fable offer parental-like guidance and grounding, and the antagonist in the form of a magical government selfishly seeking money and power (nicely mirroring world governments that care more for themselves than their people and the earth we live on *cough cough*) round out a fantastical story grounded in reality that ends just a bit too soon. But Rook gets his happily ever after and we the readers are left grinning knowing only good things are to come for these charming characters.

A 10/10 warm hug of a book. Slightly on the younger side of YA, but that just means its audience is expanded and it’s a clean read even for middle grade readers. And we all know we need queer joy stories like these in as many hands as possible.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, and F.T. Lukens for providing me with an ARC for review of Spell Bound. I was looking forward to this book sooooo much. I loved In Deeper Waters and have So This is Ever After on the book shelf to be read too.

This is very good book and I loved this book up until the last 20%. I really enjoyed Rook and Sun. I lived for the Sunshine/Grumpy that these two hammed up a lot. I also simply found both our narrators to be funny! And who doesn't appreciate funny narrators.

I really enjoyed the slow burn of these two, both the realising that the there was something 'burning' for the other and then the even longer slow burn of them telling each other. Sun and Rook are just beautiful and I would happily read a sequel with these two.

The other characters? Antonia was great. For me, Fable was a little underdeveloped, sort of just served the caring mentor role. And then the very late introduction of a crucial plot character was a little strange for me but it worked well enough despite my unwavering mistrust.

The issue I had with this book is that we didn't really get a climax. I love tight stories and I understand trying to keep this between 300 - 350 pages but I would have happily taken 30 - 50 more pages. I loved Sun and Rook and would have easily gotten through the longer book length for some more intensity and climax to be built in.

Regardless, a good read and a solid book with such cute main characters.