F.T. Lukens remains consistent in their writing style, adding another whimsical fantasy romance to their repertoire. Otherworldly, in my opinion, may be their strongest story yet, with a soft yet complex magic system and a simple yet thrilling story. The characters were enjoyable, and their circumstances were fascinating. One thing that really stood out to me is that the character's actions had serious consequences that often made their journey even harder.

f. t. lukens’ books are usually a hit or miss for me and otherworldly was definitely a hit! i really enjoyed the characters and the setting.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc!

I’m so sad I didn’t enjoy this book more, since the author’s other releases are usually a hit for me. I think my biggest issue with this book is that I was unable to connect with any of the characters as they felt underdeveloped. Ellery felt like a lacklustre character; I felt for them, but I couldn’t sympathize or root for them with the way they keeping to themselves and just keep falling and needing saving from everyone 😭 Charley is the quirky cousin and Zada is her grounded girlfriend, but both of them didn’t add much except humor and some wise words to Ellery. None of them had common sense and just pure support vibes no matter how dangerous the thing Ellery involved themselves in. Knox had the biggest potential and arguably the most developed, but that too never really fleshed out. The other minor characters- Lorelei, Bram and Hale were there for plot conveniences. We never got explained how Knox know Lorelei and how Bram became nice and Hale became trustworthy, but they served they purpose I guess.

The setting was bleak and not fleshed out much except Winter, which I don’t know whether that’s the author’s intention. The lore is basically greek mythology, with the three siblings and the goddess realm but it was not developed further. I guess the whole book just felt rushed– it has the vibes but not enough substance developed that made it hard to enjoy. It took me around 40% to finally clicked with the story and that’s something not good considering how light this book is.

I really wanted to like this book. I couldn’t get past the characters use of pronouns. I had to go back and reread sections in order to understand who was being referenced.

FT Lukens wins every tjme!! This book was adorable and had a great story to it. The audiobook especially was incredibly fun and creepy. I loved getting to watch the MC get to be normal.

I don’t love fantasy, but I love F.T. Lukens doing YA fantasy and Otherworldly is no exception. It was so cute and charming and I was so invested.

Ellery is seventeen and firmly does not believe in anything magical, despite what everyone around them says. So what if their region has been having an endless winter? Surely science is the cause. But Ellery can’t keep on non-believing once they meet Knox who’s, well, a familiar who’s trying to run from some demons.

This book had what you expect from a Lukens book: charming characters, witty banter, and a deep emotional punch at the end that takes you by surprise. I completely bought into this relationship between Ellery and Knox. It felt so real and natural, despite how supernatural the circumstances were.

I would love a sequel to this. I don’t think one is planned and I can’t wait for Lukens’ next book but boy, did I enjoy these characters.

Fr lukens a cannot write a single thing that I would not read and love. The main and supporting characters are incredible. And the grumpy/sunshine dynamic was 😘😘😘

I am convinced that I will never not love a F.T. Lukens book, and Otherworldly was no exception. This may be the coziest yet of their books, which is saying something, given how each and every one of their books is abundantly comfortable. Overall, the characters, worlds, and plots that Lukens uses are similar, if reskinned to tell a new story each time, which, when the stories are as good as these, is not a problem at all.
I will say that I think that this might be one of the sweetest romances throughout (which is definitely saying something). Ellery is a relatable grump and cynic, while Knox's sunny disposition is their perfect complement. The somewhat Orphean elements to this book, while not necessarily cozy, were particularly compelling. I absolutely devoured this book, finishing it in one sitting because I just could not put it down.

I've been a fan of F.T. Lukens for quite a while now and really enjoyed the grumpy/sunshine trope interwoven within this supernatural world. Highlights included the fluffy, heartwarming romance and suspenseful plotlines. Drawbacks for me include underdeveloped supporting characters and a slow plot progression.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, & Margaret K. McElderry Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

a region stuck in a perpetual winter for 5 years, a supernatural-skeptic teenager forced to leave school to work in a diner, and a mysterious weird hot guy who ran from his obligation. this was a fun read, mostly. kinda cozy, even. my favorite character was Charley--she's such a mood i couln't help but to stan lmao. the romance was sweet, and a scene reminded me of the bit from Orpheus and Eurydice's tale. overall it was a nice read! i loved it.

FT Lukens just gets me & the more I read their books, the more I want to be their best friend. If you liked SpellBound, you’ll love this. I love that FT books are always kinda in that cozy fantasy realm…just with higher stakes!

What to expect…
- grumpy/sunshine
- great winter read !
- casual queer/non binary characters
- supernatural elements
- afterlife

Thank you to the author, the publisher, & to NetGalley for the Arc in exchange for a review!

Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens was is everything I was hoping for and more. The main character is a skeptic tossed into a powerful magical situation; The romance is sweet and fluffy, and the vibes are delightfully queer. I can't wait to nab a physical copy for my collection.

Imagine agreeing to a familiar hoping for a toiny little cat that’ll sit on your shoulder and instead getting a whole ass HUMAN PERSON. Though honestly that’s what you deserve when you bargain your soul for a mystery familiar instead of going to a fucking shelter like a normal person. Adopt, don’t make trades with shadow demons.

Anyways, okay, review time. This is like a fluffy, FLUFFY romance scooped out of a contemporary setting and plopped into a world with supernatural beings.

Charley and Zada could use a LOT more fleshing out. They had flat semblances of personalities (sunshine and grumpy, in that order) but they had zero purpose aside from being supporting characters when they could’ve added a lot. I’m happy with Ellery and Knox though, no complaints there

The plot was .. *fine.* I didn’t really care about what was happening, but that’s not the point of the book, so I won’t judge it for that even though I’m totally judging it for that

The point of the book is the fluff. Sometimes it succeeded in being cute, and some other times it was all tell and no show.

My main problem, and prepare for a rant, is the age gap. Knox acts like a teenager. Knox has about 5 years of memories of life on earth, which is about accurate for a teenager. So why wouldn’t you make him a teenager ?????? Why must he have lived several lifetimes as a familiar when there’s literally no reason that detail needs to be added. This could’ve been his first time as a familiar and it would’ve changed nothing. I am and will continue to be mad at the 200+ year old dating a teenager trope, even though it didn’t feel icky in this particular book.

Complaints aside, I did have fun with it I swear 😭 I really liked the hints to Greek myth, and I liked following Ellery, and I liked the occasional weird descriptions like “plopping bonelessly into a chair”

Something I did NOT like was the audiobook. I went into it expecting Natalie Naudus (love her), but no. Ellery and Knox both had their own narrators, and they both horribly butchered some characters’ voices (some as in mostly the women. and mainly Charley. I’m so sorry Charley you do NOT sound that watery and old in my head)

(thanks for the arc, Netgalley !)

Set in a region devastated by a five-year-long winter, Otherworldly is an extremely unique book, with a premise unlike any book I’ve read before. I was drawn in by this setting, but what I enjoyed most while reading was the relationship dynamic between Ellery and Knox! It was delightful to read about Ellery, a skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic or the supernatural, as they dealt with Knox, a supernatural familiar with magic powers. This character dynamic created immediate narrative tension, which drove the story forward. Their opposing worldviews made for a perfect pairing of protagonists!

My Recommendation-
If you love magical stories set in an urban environment, you need to grab a copy of Otherworldly right away! I would especially recommend this book to fans of the Percy Jackson series, as the magic, found family, and adventure in Otherworldly all remind me of those books!

I think it’s official: I love this author’s books. Otherworldly has the typical F.T. Lukens charm: found family, funny dialogue, a third act conflict that always makes me nervous, and a plethora of LGBTQ characters.

I loved the grumpy/sunshine aspect and the interactions between Ellery and Knox. Their transition from strangers to friends to dating was super adorable and cute. And once again, my favorite part was the found family trope. Ellery really found their people and that was so heartwarming to read about.

Otherworldly made me laugh, cry, and I was seriously smiling most of the time. Another winner for me and I can’t wait for more from this author.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the review copy.

4.5 stars

Yet another F.T. Lukens book I absolutely loved! There’s just something about their writing that always hooks me. I think this is the fastest I’ve finished a book all year!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

I need to preface this review by saying that Spell Bound (also by F.T. Lukens) was one of my favorite reads last year so I think my expectations for this one were just a little too high. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, it was very sweet and fun, but I didn’t love it start to finish like SB.

Things I loved: Knox’s golden retriever energy and Ellery’s grumpy cat energy, this is one of my favorite romance tropes and it didn’t disappoint here. I also loved the side characters, Charlie and Zada. Honestly, they kinda stole the show a bit with their very real loving and healthy relationship. I want to be friends with them! I did enjoy meeting the different minor gods and goddesses and getting to know the world a bit.

Things that kinda bored me: The beginning. I had to start this book 3 different times before I could get past like 25%, the beginning is just kind of slow and the world wasn’t very interesting (to me) and it took awhile to hold my attention . I want to say it was because this was set in a contemporary world in stead of a high fantasy one but SB was contemporary too and that book had me hooked from the start so I think it was just this world.

This book also has has a trope that I find super annoying, where one character is keeping a very big secret from the other even though it will totally devastate that person to find out because they have trust issues. I saw that drama coming a mile away!

Things did get more interesting and exciting in the last third of the book so I am still giving this a 4 but just wanted a bit more from it.

I find any interest in the story even after making it well over 100 pages in. Maybe another one of F.T Lukens would be a better introduction to their works than this one.

ARC (Belated) Review: Otherworldly By F.T. Lukens - @ ftlukens
Released: April 2 2024
Rating: 4/5
Format: e-book via @netgalley shortly before release
The Low-Down: Young Adult. Non-binary main character. Dual POV. F/F side characters. Adventure. Fantasy. Magic. Supernatural.

The story follows Ellery, the human who doesn't believe in magic, and Knox, the magical assistant on the run. A chance rescue in an alley has Ellery rethinking all they once knew and falling for someone they didn't believe existed. But that person is why the human world is experiencing a never-ending winter and why Ellery's family farm is on the brink of losing everything.

While I absolutely loved this book, as I have other F.T. Lukens' books, the plot is predictable. If you've read other F.T. Lukens books, you'll immediately recognize a pattern and how this will end. I know that can be a turn-off for a lot of people. However, the writing is still solid, and the characters are intriguing. The author has a wonderful knack for always writing strong Queer leads, as well as love stories that bend the realms (pun-intended.)

P.S. "The Shades" reminded me of Flotsam and Jetsam from The Little Mermaid 🤣.

The novel I think follows similar patterns to the authors other books, and I ate that up in this fun and spooky magical love story.