*Thank you to Abbie Emmons and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Before I start, I would just like to preface that I just read the books and am not at all saying that I am qualified to professionally review books. Everything I am saying is my own opinion and should be taken with a grain of salt.

I may be a bit biased because I have been watching the author's YouTube videos for over three years now. I spend my school years watching her writing sprint livestreams and simultaneously doing my homework so that I don't procrastinate. I watch her videos where she gives writing advice, and I know that she has other works out, but this is the first one of hers that I have read all the way through.

Orca Monroe is an 18-year-old girl with one thing that makes her different from everyone else in the 90s – she has been living on an island secluded from civilization with only her father and her dog, Lucius, to keep her company. Almost like "Tangled." This all changes when her father goes to the mainland – the Otherworld, as he calls it – and Orca finds a bag on the shore with a cell phone inside and a worried young man named Jack on the other end. He tells her about how his brother, Adam, has been missing and presumed dead and that her being on the line means he must be somewhere on the island. Orca goes on a hunt to find Adam, keeping contact with Jack every chance she gets. When she finally finds Adam and gets the chance of a lifetime to visit the Otherworld for herself and learn more about where she comes from, she's more than willing to take it. But though this newfound sense of self-discovery, Orca must also choose between her island and the Otherworld, Adam or Jack, her father's wishes or her own.

I honestly was worried I wasn't going to like this book for no reason other than the insane reading slump I've been in, but I can safely say I was wrong! "The Otherworld" explored tropes I wasn't entirely sure I liked – such as age gap relationships and love triangles – and turned it into a book I would recommend to my friends. I loved the beachy small-town vibes that it gave me and even the existential crisis I got after thinking about all of the philosophic conversations the characters had. Overall, a great read!

This one missed the mark for me. I wanted to love it, but I just couldn’t get into it. It was written so so pretentiously, it made the characters entirely impossible to relate to. I can’t give quotes because it’s not yet published, but rest assured these teenagers and their parents all sound like their lines have been written for them by some Jane Austen wannabe rather than actual humans conversing. The figurative language was outta control, every other sentence was some overdone description or a simile/metaphor that was over the top. I started skimming through the writing to just see where the plot was going. Don’t get me wrong - I love literary fiction when the writing is beautiful! But this felt like it was trying too hard and overplaying its hand. The characters make choices that don’t make sense, their feelings are meant to seem deep and true but it just all felt fake to me. How much does Adam really know about mythology and scientific theories, anyway? It was just kind of all eye roll worthy. I wish I could’ve connected and swooned, but instead I was disappointed. Also, they’ve literally known each other a week and they want to get married? And she JUST TURNED 18???? And he’s 28?!?!! Sorry but no. Too much for me to get on board with.

2.5 stars for me, rounding up to 3 because I don’t think this is a bad book, I just think it was really (REALLY) not for me.

4⭐

This was the first book of Abbie's I've read and I was pleasantly surprised. I read this as an ARC on Netgalley, I didn't know what to expect but I really enjoyed this book. I found myself eager to come back to read it.

I'm not usually a fan of insta-love, but because of how isolated Orca has been, it felt completely realistic for her character. I loved how the book kept me guessing for about 60% of who Orca would end up with/what she really needed vs what she thought she needed.

Overall, a really enjoyable story and I'm looking forward to see what else Abbie will write.

3.5 stars

The only reason I wanted to read this book was to see if Abbie is as good at writing as she is at giving advice on writing. The story on its own didn’t interest me and I’m really not a fan of YA books anymore. So, how’d it go?

At first I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to stand it. The writing is fine (if a little heavy on painful similes), the characters are fine, but it struck me as basic, uninspiring and everything felt soft and unreal and not quite grounded. And then I kept reading. And reading. And wishing I didn’t have to do real life things because I wanted to keep reading. Points for that. It’s got just enough drama to keep the story going, but not so much that I hate how stupid and contrived it all is.

As for the story itself, I won’t go over all of it, but I thought it was pretty okay. The appeal I see of living alone in a lighthouse is off the charts and I would gladly trade places with Orca. Her life is literally what I’m trying to do now, just on the mainland, and I enjoyed seeing that kind of isolation being portrayed in a good light. I do think her father should’ve seen her dissatisfaction coming a lot sooner and nipped it in the bud, or once it did come to light, immediately taken action to make sure she got what she wanted and still chose to stay with him.

SPOILER I expected something more to come of visiting her mother, but also, what else could happen? Reuniting with Orca’s dad wasn’t a possibility and bringing Orca into her world wasn’t either. But it seemed unresolved, like an artery oozing around a patchy cauterization. (The similes in this book were as painful as that one. I’m sorry, I just really hate awkward similes.) Then her dad has a heart attack and it ends a couple chapters later and I’m left thinking “Is that it?” I understand why it ends that way, but I think the heart attack maybe should’ve come a little sooner, because its abrupt appearance and resolution held as much weight as her mother’s brief presence. END SPOILER

The middle part is my favorite; it clipped right along and provided a nice blend of fun and drama.

Orca, Adam and Jack are…fine. However, for a YA/new adult book, they’re better than most; at least there’s deeper emotions and conflicts at play and they aren’t burdened by unbearable troubles that make them straight-up unlikeable. I didn’t find anything about them to be particularly memorable, but that could be because I don’t like these types of characters: innocent, philosophical, and reckless. They serve the story well, but they will not be favorites. (Orca’s love of homegrown and natural things is noted and receives extra approval from me, especially her penchant for linen clothes.)

The other characters are there. Just there. It’s like they’re stuck at the baseline for humans and weren’t given enough opportunity to be more.

The romance…sorry, I don’t buy it. SPOILER Talking about the universe and soulmates and philosophical theories and how damaged yet beautiful life can be, is highly unromantic to me. Whether or not this is true, it seems like that’s all Adam and Orca talked about, and it’s what I will remember about them, and therefore I don’t see their love. I think I’m not in tune with my inner emotions enough to believe in finding a soulmate, and that’s what’s driving my inability to see them as a couple. But they are better than Orca and Jack, the latter being too immature to be in a serious relationship. END SPOILER On the one hand, it’s cute and fluffy. On the other, I am way too cynical to believe that love could arrive that fast and for both parties to be that sure of its realness. But on the third hand, I sympathize with being a romantic and it would’ve been possible for me to get semi-onboard with the romance if they’d had some other types of conversations and more interactions in the middle part.

The writing is good (I got misty eyed several times and the flashbacks were incorporated well), and it’s not so good, as in the case of these clichéd and silly similes:

The failure eats away at my conscience like a receding tide eroding the shoreline.
My words smash together like a train wreck…
[The dog] is sprawled in front of the hearth like an ancient sacrifice.

That last one’s kinda funny, but the prose edges awfully close to purple and I don’t like that. Similes and whimsical ideas can work, but, for me, they need to be unexpected, hilarious and ultimately true. It’s been a couple days since I finished it and aside from what I mentioned, nothing else about the writing is sticking out to me. I think I chuckled a few times and I had no trouble picturing things, so that’s always a plus. Although, Orca felt the need to describe what a hinge does, which is the craziest thing in this book:

…I discover a tiny hinge on one side—a mechanism to keep two parts clamped together.

Do they live in the Stone Age? Are all the doors portcullises? Like, what is going on? And this is unintentionally hilarious. Anyway…the writing’s perfectly serviceable, but I feel like a crab, my claws grasping at the empty water, waiting and hoping for something meaty to swim by.

It’s not bad, and it’s not amazing. I see its potential for greatness. But its emotional core needed to be more like a wildfire, not a rainstorm.


*Quotes taken from an uncorrected copy and may change*

*Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Reviewer Note: My 14-year-old daughter Lucy Farr has been a fan of Abbie Emmons for a couple years and is a writer herself. She read the book and wrote the following review.

Where do I start? The Otherworld was a wonderful read! But, of course, what else could you expect from Abbie? Her channel and debut novel are just as amazing!
The characters of the book were so well written, you could feel the thought that was put into them. The conflicts that each character faced were real, and you would find yourself rooting for the characters!
Orca, first of all, such a pretty name! But despite that, her internal struggles to see the Otherworld was truly moving, as she felt the need to prove herself worthy in her fathers eyes. When really, she was maybe the strangest and most worthy person you could meet.
Oh, Adam, how I loved his character. His views on the world were unique and moved the plot forward in such a wholesome way. He was respectful, kind and motivated throughout the entire book. Always caring for others before himself.
Jack, always letting his feelings come before his thoughts. In some ways this would help him and some ways it would not. I would say in some ways he was the most relatable character, I could not imagine the pain of thinking you lost a brother.
The Otherworld was an immersive, and lovely read, with the themes of love and exploration. I felt as if I was implanted there, basking in the warm glow of the lighthouse with Orca. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who would like to read!
- Lucy Farr

A lighthouse on a virtually deserted island. Two pilots who are also brothers. A father-daughter relationship that smacks of Tangled. Oh, yes, and romance.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is The Otherworld by Abbie Emmons.

Orca Monroe wants only one thing for her eighteenth birthday: to experience the Otherworld – the mysterious “mainland” across the sea that her father has forbidden her from visiting.

Growing up in a lighthouse on a remote island, Orca has lived isolated from the world . . . until one day when she finds a cell phone washed up on the beach. Orca has her first conversation with Jack Stevenson, whose older brother, Adam, has gone missing after crashing his seaplane off the coast.

One stormy night, Orca finds Adam Stevenson collapsed on her doorstep. As she nurses him back to health, she finds herself spellbound by his inquiring mind and rugged good looks. Simultaneously, Adam is captivated by her wild beauty and pure heart. But with a ten-year age gap between them – and her father’s determination to keep Orca protected from outsiders – Adam knows they can never be together.

Resigned to give Orca up, Adam returns to the mainland – but Jack refuses to leave her trapped at the lighthouse. Blind to the fact that his brother is in love with her, Jack offers to show Orca the world she’s always dreamed of. But when she leaves her island for the first time, Orca begins to realise that the mainland may hold more dark secrets than she ever imagined . . . and the two brothers she helped bring back together may be the very people she tears apart.

I’m not one for romance, but the lighthouse got me 😉 I also loved Abbie’s debut novel, 100 Days of Sunlight, and wanted to read anything else she wrote. I’m grateful to NetGalley and Abbie for an advance copy of this novel, so here is my honest review of The Otherworld.

The prose. Abbie’s writing was very descriptive, if a little wordy sometimes and slowed down (I thought) by adjectives and similes. She did a lovely job of describing Orca’s island home; it became a place you cared about, too. The worldbuilding fell away a bit as soon as we were in the Otherworld, and I found it harder to picture the boys’ hometown and its surrounds.

The people. This is where I feel torn. Because I enjoyed 100 Days of Sunlight and have a lot of admiration for Abbie, I really wanted to love this book. But it was so hard to sympathise with any of the characters.
I was irritated with Orca. I understand she has to be innocent, naïve and untamed, but her lack of filter was sometimes a bit much.

Adam and Jack Stevenson started out as stronger, more interesting characters; Jack was particularly sympathetic in the beginning. But Jack’s subsequent behaviour – especially concerning Orca – put him on the blacklist. I’ll single out the scene where he bought Orca a swimming costume, and made sure to pick a skimpy bikini. His and Adam’s ensuing reactions made me squirm and roll my eyes. I didn’t think the incident added anything to the story.

Adam, unfortunately, also didn’t have enough strength of character to hold my interest. I found him a little bland, uninspiring, and maybe just too good.

The plot. The plot hinges on Orca’s father’s decision to keep her secluded on the island, far from the mainland. Although The Otherworld explores his motives and backstory, I didn’t feel that sufficiently explained his actions, making the novel’s premise a bit flimsy. A few other incidents also seemed implausible and too easily resolved, like we were asked to suspend belief. That’s easy with fantasy, but harder when a novel is set in 1997 America.

Orca and Adam’s romance stands central to this novel, and . . . Well, I just couldn’t get into it. By turns it left me annoyed, unbelieving, flabbergasted, uncomfortable, impatient. I wished they would just get married so the book could end.

Many Goodreads reviewers flagged The Otherworld’s age-gap romance. I’m pretty open-minded about those, but I quickly saw what they were on about. The interaction between eighteen-year-old Orca and twenty-eight-year-old Adam made me cringe, and I couldn’t buy it. I can understand Orca falling for an older man (especially since he’s the first man she meets other than her father). But at almost twenty-five, I can’t believe Adam’s feelings for Orca. Declarations of undying love so early on? And how do they know they’re soulmates when half the time they’re kissing rather than talking? How will you get to know the other person’s mind, heart and worldview unless you talk to them? Yes, Adam, small talk is allowed sometimes. (This is probably a Me Problem: I want my romance to be believable.)

I hate to say it, but I didn’t enjoy The Otherworld, which is why I won’t give it a star rating. I thought the book could be significantly shorter, and my lack of sympathy for any of the main characters kept me from getting involved. Ten years ago I would have loved this book; now the lack of believability drove me crazy.

The Otherworld is a sweet and easy read, although someone like me will argue it’s too sugary and straightforward. But if love triangles are your thing – coupled with wild and lonely landscapes, relationship drama, love and longing, lush language and plane rides – then this book is for you.

A beautiful story depicting a girl who grew up isolated wanting adventure and new experiences.
I loved Orca. She reminded me of Rapunzel from Tangled in her isolation and longing for something new, and it was so easy to fall in love with her character.
Where orca is very much Rapunzel, her dad immediately brought the image of King Triton to my mind with his protectiveness.

So, if you love Tangled, The Little Mermaid, and a brilliantly-written love triangle where you may have a favourite but you don’t immediately know who she’ll pick, then this book is definitely for you.

The beachy island vibes were soooo comforting to read it just made me want to be stuck there with her.
I like a bit of an age-gap romance and my former twilight-obsessed self is still a sucker for a love triangle so you KNOW I went into this wanting to figure out which guy she ends up with.

Abbie Emmons’ writing pulled me in right from the beginning and had me in tears near the end.

I where I really enjoyed 100 Days of Sunlight, I LOVED The Otherworld and I’m itching for enough time to go by to justify a re-read!

This book was a very well-written, addictive read. I would read it for hours at a time, and although it took me just over 13 hours to finish, it didn't feel like a drag.

Worldbuilding

I loved the immersive description, especially on the island - I could easily imagine being there. The worldbuilding was easy to digest since details were only revealed when it became relevant to the story. I learned a lot about the island through Orca and Jack's conversations and Orca and Adam spending time together on the island. I particularly love the greenhouse with the flowers and butterflies!

Characters

Orca: First of all, I love the name 😍
Second, she reminds me of Rapunzel from Tangled. Young, adventurous, kind and capable, I enjoyed reading from her POV.

Adam: My favourite of the two brothers, he is philosophical, considerate and at times emotionally restrained.

Jack: An impulsive, rebellious, fun and hot-headed boy. He was sometimes a bit too hot-headed for my liking, making him a bit of a jerk at times. He also gave me Aladdin vibes, especially when he went to get Orca from her island to let her explore a whole new world.

Papa: At first, he gave off Mother Gothel vibes (controlling, protective), but it's clear that he is a kind man - plus, he becomes more lenient throughout the book.

Lucius: Cute dog! Also a great companion for Orca when she's left alone on the island.

Celine: Only briefly mentioned, but I loved her interaction with Jack and Orca.

It would have been interesting if Orca met more people from the Otherworld - like Jack's friends, for instance. I would have particularly liked to see how she got on with girls her own age from the mainland.

Romance

The romantic passages are very sweet, but the time span is too short for such strong feelings! Like, how can you decide you love someone after three days? Who thinks about marriage after knowing someone for just over a week? How does Orca know Adam is the one if she has only met two (suitably aged) men in her life?

Adam seems attracted by Orca's purity and innocence, which is understandable, but at the same time it's not like it's something she had a choice about, growing up so sheltered. It would be nice to have more emphasis on her other traits, like her kindness.

Nonetheless, it is refreshing to see a love interest who is not a daredevil troublemaker but a good, considerate man (maybe I've read too much Wattpad haha). It is more true to life.

Content

There is some bad language, though I feel that it serves to get an understanding of the characters and create realistic character voice (particularly for Jack) - it is used effectively.

The age gap in the romance felt quite big, but it didn't bug me too much.

Other notes

I liked the bucket list used to explore the Otherworld. It was great to see Orca experience video games and pizza for the first time!

Also, there is a bit where it says that Orca has been alive for 6,570 days. I did some maths, and 365*18 = 6,570. However, leap years exist, so she would be 6,574/5 days old!

Thank you to Abbie Emmons and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy for review.

Thanks to Abbie Emmons and NetGalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This is Abbie Emmons's second published novel.

I was drawn to the story because there was a promise of relationships between brothers and families, family tension and shared experiences. I love that in this story the world doesn’t have to be at stake for me to care, and I sank into The Otherworld happily.

The good:

1) Abbie’s prose sang. Her turn of phrase and descriptions of the world had me pausing just to appreciate her choice of words. I love the care she took, and the result was really easy emersion. The setting is the normal world, but it brimmed with the magic of a fantasy one.

"Briny, sweet sea mist billows inside, fluttering the papers pinned to my walls – ocean charts and illustrations from marine biology books."

"Sugar snap peas tangle playfully around everything in their reach"

2) Jack and Adam have an interesting and believable relationship. There was deep respect, love, animosity, tension, care, a deep-seated knowing of one-another that can only ever be frustrating. Jack’s voice in his own POV and his dialogue in general also stood out.
3) The setup and the turning points up until 20% kept me engaged.
The pacing for the first quarter of the book was strong. Abbie picked her introductions – particularly that of the male leads (even if we don’t have one of them onscreen for a while) – really well. The juxtaposition of the tone of Orca and Jack’s lives in those beginning moments was engaging and kept me turning the page.

Minor issues:

From the beginning, the dialogue stood out as somewhat clunky, definitely not as smooth as Abbie’s descriptions are. This became more of an issue when the dialogue needed to do the heavy lifting in the emotional scenes, and I would say it stands out as particularly jarring in the scenes where Papa and Orca are arguing.

While the main three characters are well-rounded, the side characters come off as two-dimensional. The parents’ personalities in particular can be summarised by a single emotion/ trait and they carry that throughout the story, predictably, and with very little variation.

The age gap here is made a little icky by the idea that Orca might be 18, but she’s as socially experienced as a child. Her POV also reads as a young teenager, younger than Jack’s and certainly younger than Adam’s. Pair that with a 28-year-old man who waxes lyrical about her ‘purity’ (i.e., her naivete and innocence brought on by isolation), and it starts to get a little uncomfortable.

Towards the end of the book we get several things happening at the same time. Besides coming out of nowhere to add what feels like false tension to the couple, the dramatic change of pace is quite jarring. This stagnant/ lack of external movement/change coupled with extreme emotions leaves the story feeling top-heavy or lopsided.

Lastly, the catalyst for Orca finally leaving the island, something that she dreamed of for 18 years, finally happens because she just ends up missing some dude. #Disappointed.

Major structural issues:

• Lack of tension and conflict
About a third of the way through, the narrative drive/ momentum of the story slows down dramatically and from that point onwards I didn’t feel as if there was anything pushing me to finish the story. Part of it can be read as the multiple POV's which, on the one hand, mean we get a more holistic story. On the other hand, we’re left with no real tension because we know exactly how everyone feels at all times and no one is really conflicted about their romantic feelings. It’s pretty obvious how the story will turn out, and while predictability in a romance story isn’t something I would usually complain about, this story left me with very little else to focus on.
The reason the main couple is kept apart is mostly self-inflicted with the male love interest sort of neutering all his agency within the relationship for no reason and with no real attempt made to change it until the absolute very end. Some of the tension I suppose could come from Orca and her Papa, however we don't understand Orca's father's motivation until the very end, so the whole way through I was left thinking it could all very well be a misunderstanding.
What Tangled had going for it was the understanding that Mother Gothel was actively a bad person and Rapunzel is always careful, in an almost fearful way, around her. So, you’re cheering Rapunzel on. With Orca and her father, we don’t know why he’s chosen this life. We know he’d clearly been traumatized, and I was honestly more interested in finding out what has sent him to an island than about Orca’s desire to visit the Otherworld.
This is mostly an internal story. Very little happens in the wider world of the story, most of the change and angst and ‘tension’ is situated within a character and comes from the characters’ internal dialogue. I’m a fan of this type of storytelling, especially in slice-of-life stories. The problem, I think, comes when this is paired with extreme, and in this case, melodramatic emotions.

• The love story
The part of the story I was most looking forward to, was the characters falling in love. But we don’t really get that – they meet and already are. There are no wary interactions, the main characters slowly realising their feelings, or even slight doubt. This could have been one great place to mine some tension, but there’s no evidence they 'fell'. It feels as I missed the first third to a half of the romance, and then picked up their story in The Otherworld.
The romance is also held back by her dialogue which struggles to build up to emotion. There tend to be two emotional levels in the story – neutral and extreme. These extreme emotions coupled with everything being a metaphor for something else, leaves the story feeling melodramatic.
There was just too much aching and ‘souls torn in two’-isms. My preference is definitely for ‘less is more’ and I find that sometimes it just feels more sincere when characters say what they feel, instead of saying what it feels like. For example, instead of “I’m standing on a precipice”, just saying “I couldn’t bear to say no”. The melodrama also manifested with tons of ‘fever touch’.

For those who are interested in trying The Otherworld out I would suggest picking it up if you’re looking for:
1. A story that meanders through a magical world but is grounded in relationships,
2. A love story that is complicated because of external issues and not personal or interpersonal ones
3. A family centric book with a small cast and small-scale story

Abbie proves she can take a reader on a journey in a well-crafted world and I’m keen to see where her writing goes from here!

The Other World—Review by Alex Abesadu Byanyiko
The Other World is a novel described by the author, Abbie Emmons, as ‘a romantic/literary fiction…’
The book is due for release on the 18th of August, 2023.
It’s a romantic, coming-of-age story set up in the Pacific Northwest of the early 90s. It follows the lives of Orca, and her reclusive father, who both live in a glasshouse on an island, avoiding the outside world, which her father describes as ‘full of danger and darkness.’
With a false history of her mother, and a glimpse into the existence of the other world through her father’s reflections, Orca is obsessed with curiosity and a sense of adventure to experience what is in the other world, despite her father’s fears and determination to protect her from it.
When Orca turns 18, against her father’s wishes, she decides she wants to experience the other world, willing to risk all that has been part of her simple, self-sufficient life on the Island.
Opportunity presents itself when Orca finds a “strange” device that brings two other-worlders, Jack and Adams, into her life and then…everybody is emotionally tested to their very core in various ways.
The Other World is a story of adventure, infatuation, love, family secrets, rivalry, and forgiveness. I can say the story is about losing oneself to find oneself in more important ways.
There are many things I like about the novel, and a few things that I think could have been better handled.
Let’s start off with what I like: the title. The Other World carries within itself the intended mystery and, or suspense, I believe the author intended for it to have. I am driven by a vicarious curiousity to find out what will become of Orca, when she gets to the other world.
I find the title poetic.
Orca’s obsession to explore the other world (her goal) and her father’s obsession to protect his one and only daughter (Orca’s opposition) are quite relatable – a beautiful conflict is what you have there. And there are so much more conflicts both internal and involving the other characters.
Even though I have never lived on an Island before or been in the Pacific Northwest, I like the nostalgic ambience the story brings to mind through the beautiful descriptions of the author. A reader need not to have lived in such a place before, to enjoy the author’s description of the beautiful glasshouse, lightning, thunder storms and the whole beautiful scenery and uniqueness of the Island.
From beginning of the novel, after the prologue, it looks like we are on to a spooky adventurous journey through the eyes of Orca and her dog, Luscious, but it is not too long into the story and Luscious has to give way to Jack and Adam.
I love the chemistry between Orca and Luscious, and the way he plays a sweet role of a good friend and family before Adam shows up. I feel jealous about the way Adam takes away Orca’s attention from Luscious, but I understand why it has to be that way.
The Other World also has some beautiful philosophical, literary quality to it. One striking example of such (and there are many in the book) is found about 45 percent into the book, where you see ‘We can’t choose the wrong person if the right person is already destined for us. And if we find them, this “other half” we think they’ll magically complete us – they’ll fill that void in us, and we won’t need to take responsibility or strive to fill the emptiness ourselves.’
Another philosophical line you will see in the book is ‘…if you deny yourself because you’re afraid you’ll be letting someone down…’
I love the story’s pacing and the rich language. The book is adorned with so many fresh and captivating personifications, metaphors and similes – it is rich with vivid descriptions and figurative expressions some of which include (I am not referencing the page numbers because it was a pre-release copy I read on the Netgalley app.):
‘…the sun tucks herself behind a blanket of clouds and leaves the rest of the day smudged in shades of gray.’
‘…nothing more than a black lump that the tide is beginning to release from her frothy fingertips.’
‘…a great mob of angry black clouds charging across…’
‘Gray sheets of rain roll…’
‘…hands of terror clench my heart…’
There are many of such juicy expressions in the book, but let me pause here to talk about the few things that do not cut it for me:
The first area comes from the characterization. From my understanding of the Stevensons, the family is closely knitted and the parents are descent with some level of discipline. While I can understand the wild and, or reckless behaviour of teenagers, I think Jack’s nasty, selfish and disrespectful behaviour is way too extreme. I also don’t think his character arch is convincing enough, especially towards the end of the story where he has a conversation with Orca, and also with his brother, Adam, after flying Orca’s father to the hospital in the mainland.
Yes, Orca writes him a letter that she likes him but only as a friend and that it is his brother, Adam, that she loves, and he also decides to move on with his life by joining the navy, but Jack’s change is way too swift from his initial hard stance and animosity. It makes the novel feel rushed towards the end.
It is not impossible to find a woman who is so into her career she doesn’t want distraction of raising children, but Orca’s mother is way too cold. Even after her daughter goes looking for her sixteen years after? That’s being as cold as death.
Because the story is told from the perspectives of the three major characters, I find some of the detail redundant. For instance, where Orca already describes the wounds on Adam’s face and he also comes to describe it from his own perspective. Each time such repetition happens, the narrative loses its initial power for me. And this happens in many places, convincing me that it is deliberate by the author. I am not sure that is an effective technique.
The end of the book could have been stronger for me, if the love between Orca and Adam is further developed rather than the promises we have through the dialogue of the characters.
Also, my curiousity about the actual cause of Orca’s father’s fears is left unanswered even up to the end of the novel. Because even his wife cited his recluse life as one of her reasons for abandoning him alongside their daughter, Orca.
Would I recommend The Other World to other readers? Yes, I totally recommend it, because I enjoyed the beautiful parts of the book but also learned from the weaknesses.

I got a copy of this book as an ARC via NetGalley. I thank the publisher for the opportunity.

The Otherworld is a light romance with a love triangle. Orca, who turned 18, falls in love with Adam, who's 28. His brother, Jack, who is 18, also falls in love with Orca. Adam and Jack are brothers who live on the mainland, while Orca lives on an isolated San Juan island off Washington with her father, who's a lightkeeper. The story takes place in the summer of 1997.

As a light, clean romance, The Otherworld has a quiet feel to it, and reading it was like observing lovely scenes from a place of tranquility.

The author has a lovely writing style, and the dialogues are well set up and often funny. It made for an enjoyable reading. I found the worldbuilding phenomenal and wondered if Washington should be my next vacation spot, just to enjoy a quiet getaway in any of the islands. The author's lovely writing style shows in the way she describes a rather small island (making it sound mysterious and wonderful and foreboding) and how the characters interact with each other.

Why the four-star rating?
Orca (I couldn't get used to this name) has lived her entire life on an island without ever having contact with the mainland (aka the otherworld). Not sure if Orca did schooling remotely, but my assumption is that there aren't many books in the lighthouse since her father keeps her isolated on purpose, but the reason is never fully explained outside of her mother dying when she was little (killed? murdered? We never know why this man would go to such extents to isolate himself and his daughter form the dark dangers of the otherworld). Her only socialization is with her father. Given the isolation, Orca is pure and innocent, untouched (as described by the male characters), and falls in love with Adam, who's 28. This is a trope I don't enjoy (a young, naive woman falling in love with an experienced older man, the first one she meets).

The pacing was slow at times, and I skimmed the internal dialogue/strife parts to get to the action parts. The story was formulaic (expected in romance), but I prefer my romance to be spicy and explosive, with a strong female lead who knows what she wants and will go to great lengths to get it. Hence, I was hoping for a love triangle to die for, with an unexpected twist—the female MC steals the boat from the delivery man (or jumps in and hides in it), goes to the mainland, and keeps both lovers against her father's wishes (i.e. defy the patriarchy).

I still enjoyed the read, and I am grateful for the opportunity to read an ARC and provide an honest review.

Orca Monroe lives on an isolated island with her father, living life simply. It's perfect for her father, but not for Orca. Orca wants to see the world outside of their little island, which she had named The Otherworld. She feels like she's never going to experience it, that is until a plane comes crashing onto her little island.

I loved this book and binged it the second I had the chance to. From Orca's life at the lighthouse, Jack and Adam's distinct differences and their characters as a whole. The plot was so invigorating and so easy to get lost in, and I literally felt like I was in the mind and shoes of whomever's mind we were in at the time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Abbie Emmons for. an eARC of this book.

I’ve read both of this author’s other books and loved them, so her newest book immediately became one of my most anticipated releases for this year.

It was so cute!

Definite vibes of Tangled, since the main character Orca lives isolated from the world on a small island with her father, who is the lighthouse keeper for the lighthouse found on the island. She refers to the mainland as The Otherworld and though she wants to see it, her father will not let her go. Everything changes after a storm which puts her in contact with people her own age for the first time.

I really liked Orca as a character. I basically pictured her to look like Rapunzel in Tangled, but with less hair. She was the perfect blend of resourceful and intelligent but also sweet and innocent.

The romance was not at all what I was expecting, but I thought they were cute together and had many cute scenes.

This is definitely a book where you don’t want to know much about it going in. Just pick up the book and let the story unfold! I’m so glad Abbie Emmons was kind enough to send me a review copy through NetGalley! It was a privilege to experience this lovely story early!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Otherworld is a magical story about friendship, family, and finding yourself. I loved the complexity of each character. Abbie had me rooting for a character one minute and utterly annoyed with them the next, which made for a really enjoyable reading experience. The relationships between all of the characters was written with so much nuance that I could really feel myself immersed in each perspective. Overall, this was a beautiful story that captured my imagination!

Summary
Orca has lived her whole life in a lighthouse on a secluded island with only her father and pet dog for company. One day she finds a backpack washed up on the beach, and upon further investigation a cellphone inside the bag. One phone call changes everything, as she learns about a missing pilot and sets out to rescue him in order to prove to her father and herself that she is strong enough to live outside of their little island (the otherworld, as she refers to it). What unfolds is a beautiful story about love and finding yourself.

I’ve been watching Abbie Emmons for years on YouTube for her writing advice videos, and found great value in her lessons, and heard about The Otherworld as she was drafting it, calling it “the lighthouse book” in her videos and sprints. Contemporary Fiction and designated Women’s Fiction isn’t my first go to, but I was willing to give it a chance. My main concern was that I have gotten burned by some other authortube books in the past, but Abbie backs up her work and brings a passionate story about strength, love, and bonds made between others.

The story revolves around Orca Monroe and the Stevenson brothers, Jack and Adam. Orca’s been living on a self sustained life on small island with a lighthouse with her father on top for as long as she can remember, and having turned eighteen, she has no idea what life is like off the island, what she deems “The Otherworld”. Despite her wishes, her father doesn’t want her to leave the island, afraid of the darkness of people in general. But when she stumbles on a cellular phone (which was a thing in 1997, when this takes place), she gets her first taste of life outside her island, and dives her straight into the lives of the Stevenson brothers, two pilots on the mainland, and turning their lives upside down.

Overall, the characters were fleshed out with clear desires and motivations, unique and standout voices, and development throughout. I enjoyed Orca the most, the naive, sheltered girl that has to learn a lot of harsh lessons about The Otherworld, and about herself. Her reactions to what Americans might see as mundane or everyday was interesting, like pizza, movies, and video games. I love that she doesn’t go full wild child as she could have and her integrity stayed in tact. I felt for her at times, especially after one particular encounter later in the book. Jack was more of the rebel without a cause, and he’s the most vulgar of the three as Orca’s gateway to the real world. Adam was the mature protector that spends tons of time in his head until he encounters a woman that gets his complex philosophical thoughts. All three of them really worked well together as protagonists.

I know usually I’m not too big of a fan with 10 year age gaps for romantic couples, with Orca being 18 and Adam being 28, it worked in a more wholesome romance way, more about the connection of Orca and Adam understanding each other, and Orca felt more mature than many 18 year olds in some aspects, and it doesn’t get much more intense than kissing and cuddling. And there’s a love triangle dynamic that comes into play. The love story, while not the only focus of the book, was an essential building block to develop these three, so I don’t mind it, and the fact that there were other things to do, like exploring what this Otherworld is all about and answering lingering questions about Orca’s past, and exploring the relationship between the Stevenson brothers.

The prose was easy to read, yet immersive at the same time. Descriptive imagery without too much fluff in just about EVERYTHING, and broke down complex philosophical concepts into understandable bites, which added so many layers to this already complex story. Abbie’s voice actually came in several times while I read the story. The pacing was perfect, I kept wanting to turn the pages, and those end of chapter cliffhangers just kept me going! While I wouldn’t say this is a fully sugary sweet story as it does dive into some hard facts of life, it’s got a lot of feel good moments, almost whimsical. Like a slow boat ride from the San Juan Islands to Seattle and the Cascadia setting and 1997 brims through. Some turbulence, but mostly easy going.

There’s occasional profanity and drinking (mainly from Jack), which was a little surprising considering how Abbie conducts her channel. While this is an Adult book, it’s more of a PG-13 feel, and would recommend it for any interested teens.

While the ending is totally satisfactory and heartwarming with no loose ends, I wouldn’t mind if Abbie wrote a short story or novella as a follow up at some point, perhaps set a few years later. Abbie has made me a fan all over again and make me want to read more of her work, in addition to watching more of her videos, as she takes her own advice and crafted an awesome read! If you’ve been nervous about author tube books, give this one a chance, you won’t be disappointed!

Just when you think Abbie Emmons cannot top herself, this third novel is a fantastic combination of suspense, surprise, inner turmoil, conflict, romance, family dynamics, and much more! You will fall in love with every detail and character with their ups and downs, twists and turns, backstories, and realistic awakenings and personal growth as they all navigate life. JUST READ IT, you'll be glad you did. TEN STARS, Abbie! I highly recommend this book for all ages and reading preference, excellent writing and storytelling!

rating: 3.2

*I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion*

I'm so torn

I was really excited by the first half of the book and leaning towards giving it five stars. But then my enthusiasm started trailing off, and by the 90% mark I was ready to be done.

The Good
- The aesthetics were great. I loved a lot of the descriptions (especially towards the beginning---quality seemed to trail off towards the end) They felt very vivid, and I was very impressed by how Abbie described the scenery and air pilot details with such specificity.
- The characters felt very distinct. Every POV had a clear voice and their personalities shone through. Jack's especially stood out to me.
- The chapters were compelling throughout almost all of the novel. It was a "fast-paced read" if you will.
- There were some good questions the book brought up that were interesting to think about. How ethical is it to keep your daughter on an island for her whole life? What responsibilities do we have to ourselves and others? Etc.
- I liked Adam's journal entries and found the philosophical ramblings rather interesting to read.
- I also liked the reveal with Orca's mom being alive, and learning the details of how her life turned out.

The Bad
- As mentioned earlier, the quality of writing/descriptions seemed to drop around the middle of the novel.
- Some parts of the novel didn't feel very realistic or ring true to me. I especially dislike the message of not being "whole" or "complete" without a romantic partner, or that having a romantic partner is going to be what gives you that "happily-ever-after", which is a message that is unfortunately already all-too-prevalent.
- I was not a fan of the twists and turns of the ending. It was a bit much for me when Orca's father had a heart attack, but I could understand the plot point's value. I started getting annoyed though when Orca "broke up" with Adam after all her talk for how much she loved him. I guess I'm just not a fan of naive, idealistic characters and unnecessary drama. Also, while it is entirely possible to meet someone for a few days and want to get married, it's important to note that this is not something to aspire to. I still find it a little uncomfortable that Adam's only known her for probably two weeks and is already planning to move to her small island where it will just be him, Orca, the dad, and the dog. How sustainable is that young love?
- Some of the lines were a bit cringy in my opinion. I will expound on specific ones below.

The Ugly
- I never want to lay eyes on Chapter 44 again. Please, someone tell me how this “Have you ever made love to a woman?” conversation contributes anything to the story? And then the talk of babies at the end made me want to vomit. This is probably more of a me issue than anything.
- There were "you're not like other girls" vibes throughout but then one of the brothers actually said it. "She's not like other girls" or something close enough to make me cringe. I hoped it was an ironic thing but I don't think it is unfortunately.
- Some of the dialogue felt very out-of-place (especially from Adam). Maybe it's because a large chunk of the book read more modern that a few lines thrown in there with more of an old-fashioned vibe pulled me out of the story. I would not be surprised if certain lines were directly inspired by Pride and Prejudice.

So there you have it. These are my honest thoughts on "The Otherworld". Though I believe my rating on "100 Days of Sunlight" was higher, I actually think this book is a step up and can see how Abbie has improved as a writer. It simply wasn't my cup of tea---maybe I'm a scrooge who hates happy endings, who knows.

If you're a fan of cozy romantic stories, maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did!

Thank you to Abbie Emmons and Netgalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was so, so excited to start this book. As someone who grew up on books like Island of the Blue Dolphins—and as someone who recently binged season 1 of The Summer I Turned Pretty with my mom—I was here for it. I was hyped. I was ready for a cozy, romantic read about Lighthouse Girl discovering the world, coming into her own, and falling into an emotionally complicated love triangle along the way.

Did I get that? Kinda!

Let’s start with what worked for me:

• The initial setting of this book lends itself to some really beautiful descriptive passages—I think descriptions are one of this author’s strengths, for sure.
• Emmons does a great job of immersing the reader. I felt like I was on the island; in the lighthouse; flying across the sea to the mainland.
• This is such a cozy read, in a way I didn’t realize I’d been needing until I began to read this. Lots of people have compared this to Tangled (which I love, obvi), which feels like a fair comparison, at least with regards to the initial premise. But fear not; this is not a Tangled copycat by any means. The actual substance of the plot is entirely different. Emmons did a great job of bringing those “girl grows up in a tower (lighthouse) and wants to see the world,” + sweet romance, + cozy vibes to this story while still keeping it wholly original.
• The emotional stakes landed for me pretty consistently throughout, to the point that I teared up and even fully cried on multiple occasions!
• As someone who is often lukewarm on alternative POVs, I thought they were done really well here. All 3 narrative voices felt distinct enough to justify their inclusion, and Emmons is consistently good at deciding which POV to switch to in order to further the plot.
• You always get extra points for a dog :) Lucius is a very good boy.

What didn’t work for me:

• the power dynamics at play
Orca’s primary traits—as described by the boys—are that she is 1. beautiful, 2. deeply innocent, and 3. deeply wise. All in all, it begins to feel after a while that what we are being presented with is the mind of a child in the body of a sexualized young woman.
That’s not to say I dislike Orca. She isn’t the one “Not Like Other Girls”-ing herself. But both of her romantic interests do ad nauseum, describing her repeatedly with words like "innocent," "pure," and even "unpolluted." I'm not against age gap romances, either, but the problem here is that it becomes a two-punch combo of the power imbalance caused by the age gap AND the power imbalance caused by Orca's extremely sheltered upbringing.

• some general clunkiness throughout
Without spoiling anything: there were a few characters throughout that felt a bit flat. Our three primary POV characters are pretty well fleshed out, at least, but that just makes the weaker characters stand out even more. Some scenes (mostly in the middle of the book) felt a bit rushed. Instances of "telling, not showing" throughout. And the dialogue across the board often felt oddly formal—Jack suffers from this the least, but even he has a few lines that don't quite feel like actual human speech. It's never egregious, but it happened often enough to distract from the story.

To sum up:
Did I enjoy reading this book? Yes. It was the perfect cozy escape I needed, and I can definitely see myself rereading parts of it in the future whenever I want to return to that sweet, romantic, cozy energy. However, the above points—combined with a drag in pace around the 50% mark (it picks back up later)—brought it down for me overall. I’d give it somewhere between 2.5 and 3 stars.
That said, I’ve seen reviews from people who love this author’s other works who also had mixed feelings about this one? So I’m curious to read more from Emmons. Maybe her other books will land more for me.
Overall, glad to have read it!

I love reading books and understanding a little bit about other people's worldviews. This book was no different. I know Abbie through her YouTube channel, which has always provided me with valuable writing tips. I was so honored when she was chosen me to read the ARC of The Otherworld, and I can say that it was a completely different experience from her debut novel.

The book tells the story of Orca, an innocent girl who knows nothing about the world as we know it. Orca lives on a small island with his father, the lighthouse keeper. On the journey to protect her daughter by preventing her from leaving the refuge they created, Orca feels she is missing something, and she dreams of knowing what the world has to offer. Her story changes when a part of this other world ends up invading the bubble she lives in.

This book has a touch of drama, romance, intrigue, and a few twists. The reading experience was lovely, even if it wasn't my favorite book. It is clear the growth in Abbie's writing. The story was well-written, and the plot was well-developed. Abbie has an incredible power to make us see images as we read. I could practically see a movie in my head. I loved the simplicity of Orca, although, for me, it wasn't something constant from the middle to the end. Jack was the most rational of all the characters and the most confident in times of crisis, even if a little immature. I identified myself more with Adam and his morally correct spirit.

Although it was a pleasant read, it was not fully satisfying. I was particularly bothered by some of Orca's decisions, the harmful behavior of the parent figures, the slowness of the most relevant events, and a journey of shallow self-knowledge. These points made it difficult for me to keep reading.

I recommend the book, as long as it's an unpretentious read. I recommend it for lovers of cute and heart-warming novels, without intending to read something deep and extremely moving. Abbie has a lot of skill with words, and I think she has a lot of space to be amazing. My favorite is still 100 Days of Sunlight, but The Otherworld needs a chance to be read and enjoyed.

I think that the prose in this book was excellent. Initially I loved the way the story was starting out. I liked the FMC, I liked the mystery of the brother missing. It was setting up for something great.
Where that came for a halt for me was just everything about the romance. I understand that Emmon's tried very hard to make it work, but it just wasn't doing it for me personally. Something felt off about an eighteen year old girl who has been sheltered her entire life ending up with a man ten years older than her who spends the entire book worrying about ruining her purity. Despite efforts, it still just felt predatory to me.
Obviously that wasn't an issue for a lot of other reviewers that loved this story, so I think this feeling will vary greatly between readers. It may even be the very reason someone loves The Otherworld if age gap romances interest them. (I don't mind age gap romances--I just prefer them to be between older characters).
I recommend this book for anyone who loves a great setting, good dialogue, and happily ever afters.