I loved this book from the beginning. It felt like the story had somehow always been a part of me. Maybe it's the Rapunzel vibes with the whole lighthouse/tower thing and living in isolation (this book is perfect for lovers of Tangled). Whatever it is, I had a very hard time putting this novel down--and when I did, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

I just love the premise of the story; the feeling of adventure and--well--"Otherworldliness," for lack of a better term. This novel prompts some deep reflection (both for the characters and the readers) about love--about what it is, and what it isn't. Each character has their own thoughts on this topic, and it is when their opinions clash that one can truly see, there is no easy "right" or "wrong" answer. The novel tells a beautiful story with a (somewhat) naive main character with an unquenchable curiosity about the world, and two distinctly different brothers. I usually don't like love triangles, and though I can't say I was happy to watch as one girl divided two very close brothers, I do think the author handed the conflict well. I found each of the brothers to be complex, real characters with plenty of cognitive dissonance, and although I really like the romantic aspect of this book, I also enjoyed watching how the bond between Adam and Jack grew and changed over the course of the novel.

This book wasn't perfect, but it was pretty darn close. I can't wait to have a physical copy on my shelf--it's definitely a novel that I'll come back to again and again.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Abbie Emmons for giving me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Abbie Emmons for providing me with a free ebook copy of The Otherworld in exchange for an honest review. (I already added my review on Goodreads.)

I was able to read The Otherworld from a digital copy which I am grateful for. Overall I rate it 5 stars. Just the structure of the book was so good. The description details were spot on, it was like I was able to visualize how these moments looked in my mind.

Now, the main character Orca reminds me of one of my favorite Mexican novella character named Marimar which means Mary Sea. They were both sheltered from the real world expect both have different plots for how they ended up in the real world. It was interesting to see how Orca's character developed during the novel. I was just so amazed I finished it within 3-4 days by just how good it was reading it!

Although, I heavily dislike Jack in the novel. He was kinda rude and his introduction to Orca was a bit rude especially how she was trying to figure out who he was when she answers Adam's phone. As well I did not like how he kept trying to compete for Orca when she had no interest in him. I felt like he was being pushy with trying to make Orca fall in love with him knowing she only liked Adam. I understand that Jack wanted to help her escape but it only felt like it was by force.

The father also I was not fond of, I understand he wanted to protect her but he can't shelter Orca for the rest of her life. At some point, she is going to have to go to the Otherworld. It was messed up how he never told the truth about Orca's mother's actual story to her and only said that she was dead. He never really gave Orca a real answer to why she was not allowed in the otherworld.

The romance was a bit quick but I really liked the pairing of Adam and Orca. They truly seemed to understand each other despite the age gap. He truly did everything he could to be there for her and their ending was so sweet. Overall the Orca's journey was so exciting to follow. I am for sure buying the book once it comes out because I really want to read it again.

I can honestly see this book being adapted into a movie in the future!

The Otherworld is an intense story of true love, family and forgiveness. It's intense because of the depth of the conflict and the emotions portrayed. I read this book in two days: the basic plot follows eighteen year old Orca Monroe as she strives to prove herself to her Papa, while at the same time wanting to be with the man she loves. There were many things I appreciated, but also some things that I personally feel could've been avoided.

Some things I liked were:

1. Adam's maturity and respect. He was my favorite character and I loved how
humble and caring he was. The way he dealt with his reckless brother Jack was so good.

2. The parent/teen relationships. Too many books pit parents against teens without redemption and I felt like the author handled this beautifully.

A few things I was disappointed in:

1. Language. Especially when Jack used Jesus' name as an exclamation of disgust several times. It made me cringe and I cannot support such disrespect for my Savoir.

2. Yes, this was a romance, but there were some things that I thought were unnecessary, namely a chapter in which Jack buys Orca a bikini and they hang out together. That didn't have to be in there and I don't think Orca would have done something like that. It didn't fit with her character.

Over all, the writing style, the plot, the characters and the setting were amazing. The author is a very talented writer.

The Otherworld is a beautiful story of love, discovery and family. Orca Monroe has known nothing but her little island, lighthouse, and the simple life her and her father live. All of that changes the day she finds a bag on the beach containing a cell phone, a mystery and a line to the Otherworld. Orca’s journey to prove herself to her father and see more of the world leads to many complications and heartbreak, but also hope for a future.

Thank you to Net Galley and Abbie Emmons for sending me an ebook ARC for The Other World!! I truly had the best time reading this story and getting to know the characters. Overall, I really enjoyed the writing and think this book is perfect for anyone who wants a romance that has to do with a lighthouse and lots of honesty. Abbie did an incredible job making me fall in love with Adam, one of the main characters, and even the brotherly bond between Adam and Jack. I love this book so much and will 100% be buying a physical copy when it comes out in September!!!

Beautiful.

The title caught my attention first. Followed closely by the cover and blurb, I found myself intrigued.

This is the story of Orca Monroe. She’s spent her entire life living in a lighthouse on a tiny island. With only her father and dog for company. She longs for the Otherworld. The one she sees in the distance.

As she turns eighteen she thinks she’s ready. But her father is determined to keep her on the island. Things change when she finds a bag containing a cell phone.

I really enjoyed this and I loved Orca.

I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

I haven't read such a gripping story in a while. It made me go back to 2013 in the most wonderful and nostalgic way possible. The descriptions weren't overwhelming, which i something i highly value, since English isn't my native language.
The island where Orca grows up seems like a place straight out of a fairytale and Abbie manages to write it so flawlessly you would want to go there yourself and admire the beauty of nature.
Moving on to characters, we have 3 different points of view, which was intriguing for me. But what surprised me even more was how well the characters were written. You could easily tell who's point of view you are reading, just by the thought process of the characters themselves. Each of the main and side characters had a purpose in the story, which is something i rarely see in books nowadays.
Orca easily wins a top spot in my book for a well-written strong female character. And along the book she faces many obstacles, which i think we're handled incredibly well by the author.
The Stevenson brothers were so different from each other in the best possible way and were balancing out each other throughout the book, Although i loved Jack Stevenson and the way he was portrayed, Adam holds a special place in my heart.
Overall, the characters were complex and i loved the fact that we got to see the way they each view the world around them. The romance in the book was incredibly wholesome and will leave you wanting more. The plot twists are so unexpected that when i read the first one i was "wow, i did not see that coming at all". There are so many lessons you can learn from this book and i highly recommend that people read it, because it genuinely gave me back my desire to read.

10/10 recommend, thank you NetGalley and Abbie for letting me into the world people are yet to see this September and trusting me to be among the few who got to read your book prior to publication.

Orca Monroe was raise by her dad on a small island, living in a lighthouse, and has never had any contact with anyone besides her father. Shortly after her eighteenth birthday, her dad disappears for a few days on a business trip to the mainland.

Orca finds a washed up backpack on the beach while her dad is gone, then she finds an injured stranger on her island. This is the story of Orca, Adam (the injured pilot), and his brother Jack in an epic love triangle about innocence lost.

4.5⭐ Fascinating story, complex and relatable characters, and delightfully lyrical writing. So many great quotes I highlighted in this amazing book! I loved every minute of this story.

[Thanks to Netgalley and Ms Emmons for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!]

I honestly was excited, then skeptical, then excited again about this book. I was excited to read another book by Abbie Emmons and the premise sounded really interesting. I became skeptical when I actually started to read it because of the age gap romance, but after finishing the book, I get it. This was wonderfully pure and romantic and sometimes uncomfortable, but that's life. This journey was a fun and exciting one, and I definitely recommend!

Thank you to Abbie Emmons and NetGalley for providing me with a free ebook copy of The Otherworld in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited with I saw that my request for an ARC had been approved. I jumped straight in and read it anytime I had the chance. It was GREAT.
The Otherworld is an amazing 3 POV character-driven novel that follows Orca, an 18-year-old girl that has only ever known life on her small island. She longs to discover the mainland but soon enough the mainland comes to her. I would highly recommend jumping blindly into this novel to experience Orca's discoveries with her and fall in love with her home, and with the people she meets along the way.
I thoroughly enjoyed the setting. The way Orca describes her lighthouse and the island was captivating. It felt like I was right there with her. I could see the landscape unfurling in my mind thanks to the detailed descriptions.
In terms of the characters, I appreciated the fact that no one was perfect. The conversations they had, and the emphasis on seeing all sides of the story, all felt real in a way I have rarely read. Everyone had flaws and made mistakes, but the genuine love between all of them always brought them back together in a very touching way.
This novel captivated me from start to finish, the five dozen highlighted quotes I keep going back to attest to Abbie Emmons's impressive way with words.

If you want an emotional Tangled meets The Summer I Turned Pretty, but set in the 90s and with seaplanes (and more importantly their pilots), The Otherworld is the novel to pick up!

Another beautiful book written by this author. I really enjoyed the story of Orca and the two men who introduced her to the Otherworld. Raised by her father on an isolated island in the Pacific Northwest, Orca is looking to discover the world. When a plane crash brings one brother into her life via a phone and one to her doorstep, she learns more about herself, the world and family. Some of my students will devour the romance of this story and I can't wait to share it with them. It was a sweet and beautiful book where a lot was learned by all of the characters. I hope Emmons will consider writing a sequel (or novella) so we can get another story about a fighter pilot someday... Thank you netgalley and Abbie Emmons for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

(I received an advanced reader's copy for my honest review. Thanks Abbie!)

(Also, there are no spoilers in this review but vague details are given for one aspect of the book, for those who want to go in completely blind.)

So, I could not put this book down. I stayed up til 3am to finish this book. It was that good.

The book begins with main character Orca living on her little island with her father. She longs for the mainland, or the "Otherworld". She wants to experience the wonders there and the people she could meet. However, her father is very protective and will not let her leave.

Enter Adam and Jack. These boys are two brothers who love eachother very much. But there's one problem: they both fall in love with the same girl. Their dynamic was probably my favorite to read about. Abbie Emmons writes really good stories where the family dynamics really tug at the heartstrings.

This book was really, really good. I really enjoyed reading about the difficulty betweeen two brothers who are in love with the same girl. To love someone who wants to be with the person you want to be with is an interesting thing to read about, and I feel like Abbie handled it really well.

I also really enjoyed Orca and her relationship with her father. Her dad, while very misguided, really did love his little girl and wanted the best for her. I don't think he wanted to keep her from anything that would make her happy, rather to keep her safe from the things, or people, who would hurt her.

In fact, my favorite part of this book was that in every single issue, there wasn't even one person who was entirely in the right. Everyone had good points, and also had bad ones. Every single character made a mistake. Not one was completely innocent. But also not one was completely the villian either. Which is how I actually think it goes down in real life. I think that real life issues are never black and white, and it really shows Abbie's talent as an author to be able to write that realistically.

Now, there was one thing that I did not like about the book. I felt like there was only one brother that Orca ever considered in a romantic light. The other brother was constantly pushed aside and looked down on by almost all the characters for one reason or another. I felt like he was taken advantage of and lied to. I didn't feel like it was fair for him to be the one everyone looked down on, because he didn't REALLY do anything that was worthy of that kind of treatment. Honestly, I just felt bad for the brother that never really stood a chance.

And now I am going to ask something of Abbie (if she ever reads this review). Could you pretty please write a story for that particular brother? So I can see that he is happy with a girl he loves, and who truly loves him back? It would be greatly appreciated.

Keep up the good work Abbie! I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

And as for you other readers out there, I would definitely recommend this book. You won't be wasting your time.

Where to even begin? I’ll start by saying I read this book in less than twelve hours. I was so completely sucked into the story and the characters, I absolutely could not stop reading. It was so sweet and sincere, and the character work is breathtaking. Orca, Jack, and Adam all feel so unique—I didn’t have to look at the name at the top of the chapter to know whose point of view we were in.

I’ll start my actual thoughts by stating the obvious: this is the plot of Tangled, just without the evil Mother Gothil and a bit more misunderstanding and brotherly banter. I absolutely adored the relationships, and oh my goodness the writing. Emmons does such an amazing job of painting a breathtakingly gorgeous picture without dipping into purple prose. Every word is carefully placed exactly where it needs to go, and it’s beautiful.

No story is perfect, and I there were a few things I didn’t LOVE (the romance felt a tad too fast for me, and I honestly wasn’t a huge fan of one of the brothers), but if I enjoy a book to the point where I don’t want to take a break to eat, that’s five stars for me.

If you like a whirlwind romance with fantastically developed characters, and/or you adored the movie Tangled, this book is for you. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to read an advance copy, and I can’t wait to see what Emmons does next.

Woah! I'm still reeling from what I read. I won't forget this book anytime soon.

The story opens with Orca Monroe, an eighteen-year-old girl who lives in a remote lighthouse along the West Coast. Her world consists of sustainable agriculture, lessons from her father, and walks to explore the tide's treasures with her dog. The island is safe, beautiful, and lonely—until Adam crashes off its shores. After caring for Adam's injuries and connecting with his brother, Jack, Orca faces a difficult decision; to stay with her father and ignore her dreams, or leave the island to fight for the boy she loves.

I could write a review focusing solely on Orca, Adam, and Jack. That's how compelling their character dynamics are. The story alternates between their perspectives, and it's easy to tell them apart because of their unique voices and quirks. Additionally, Orca, Adam, and Jack have distinct desires, fears, and misbeliefs that drive their internal conflict. Orca is probably my favorite character, but I like Adam and Jack, too!

I'm in love with the West Coast setting. The foggy shore, island greenhouse, ocean sunsets, and starry skies sound gorgeous. Are there any vacant lighthouses I can move to? Preferably with a stranded pilot and his handsome brother in tow? I want my own happily ever after on a West Coast island with the man of my dreams.

And speaking of dreams, I'll be obsessing over this story's figurative language for days. The descriptions make the setting easy to visualize, and some of the metaphors are downright beautiful. My personal favorite is the passage, "The sky is overflowing with millions of stars shimmering like diamonds scattered across an ocean of black silk. The Milky Way spreads her blue and purple wings above us, layers upon layers of stars crowded so close together it’s hard to find dark space in between." I just... wow! Abbie Emmons is so talented!

I wanted to give this book five shiny stars. It seemed like a given, especially with how much I like Abbie Emmon's previous duology and writing channel. It pains me to give this story 4/5 stars, but there were a couple of things I personally didn't connect with.

My first issue is with the romance. Orca and the brother she ends up with (no, I'm not going to spoil it by saying which!) develop intense feelings for each other after two days. By the third day, they profess their love and start kissing. It felt like insta-love at its finest. That's my opinion, though, and other readers may like that the story jumps right into the action.

Some of the sentences also seemed repetitive. I know it's a writing style, but it took me out of the story every time I came across a section of it. An example is a scene from Jack's perspective, where he says, "I jolt awake, sweating and gasping for air, my bedroom spinning around me— My bedroom. I’m dreaming. I was dreaming. It was just a dream. I’m still gasping, hyperventilating, shaking— Breathe, Jack. It was just a dream." I see what the author was trying to accomplish with this passage, but I feel that Jack's recovery could have been portrayed in a different manner that's smoother and more effective.

My final comment relates to Orca's misbelief. I like Orca; she has realistic flaws, compelling motives, and juicy internal conflict. My only complaint is that it's too obvious. Towards the beginning of the book, Orca says, "'I need to prove myself to [my father]...I suppose part of me wonders if I'm doing something wrong... if I have some weakness, some failing that I don't see.'" I emphasize with Orca's self-doubt, but it seems weird for her to acknowledge this. Aren't characters supposed to be unaware of their misbeliefs? And furthermore, why did the author feel compelled to spell this out to the reader? Orca's internal conflict is abundantly clear through her actions and decisions; there is no reason to waste page space by outright telling it.

Aside from those nit-picky comments, I love the story. Seriously, you all need to stop what you're doing and pre-order this book immediately. Orca's journey from her charming lighthouse to the craziness of the mainland is heartwarming, and her relationship with a certain Stevenson brother is positively swoon-worthy. I'm rating it 4/5 stars and recommending it to upper YA readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Abbie Emmons for an advanced reader’s copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book exceeded all my expectations. I honestly don’t even know where to begin. After reading 100 Days of Sunlight, I have seen SUCH an amazing improvement in Abbie’s writing—even on top of the immaculate pieces she was creating before.

I completed this book in one sitting, and there wasn’t a single part that made me not want to continue. I NEEDED to know what happened at every single part. The book was so intricately plotted out to sustain reader’s attention—and boy did it work.

I cannot get over the romances in the book. It was a love triangle, so nicely written that I was CONFLICTED up until 60% of the book. I genuinely could not tell who was better and I think THAT’S what makes love triangles work. And then when I did, it was so beautiful I cried. Several times. I cried happy tears, anxious tears, angry tears. I feel like I know the main character, Orca, from the inside out. And I am so so SO happy with how everything turned out.

If I had a physical copy, there would be over a hundred lines I would be highlighting and circling and making doodles around because they were just that good. I just had to pause for a second after reading each one and think—oh my gosh, Abbie is an absolute mastermind for thinking this. And to be able to hone in on a character and wrap such intricate beliefs and theories into their personality? That is such raw talent I can only aspire to have one day.

I am so grateful to have been given the chance to read this book, and I know it will not be my last. I will keep coming back to this book, before release, after, because it left a life-changing impression on me. I see things differently, I see things more CLEARLY. And I am so happy that this was the book that has allowed me to feel this way.