A strange letter through the otherwhere post turns Maeve’s world upside down for the second time in her short life, blowing apart all her beliefs and starting a chain reaction that threatens not just her life but everyone she loves.
I liked Maeve and Tristan a lot. I enjoyed their interactions and the slow-burn romance between them. I found myself intrigued and fascinated by scriptomancy and the otherwhere post.
This was my first book by Emily J. Taylor and I liked the author’s writing a lot. The story had a well-paced plot, engaging characters and an intriguing world-building.

This story is definitely one that is going to stick with me for awhile! I’ve just finished it and I already wish there was a second (although I’m not sure there will be or if it’s a standalone). The world was beautifully crafted with intricate magic and details. The mystery was suspenseful and kept me guessing up until the very end. The romance was swoon worthy and had me smiling to myself and giggling at the banter! The chemistry between the FMC and MMC was tangible and oh so satisfying! Absolutely 1000% recommend this to anyone!

First things first- I LOVE any book that is a portal fantasy, and this one certainly didn't disappoint! I found the plot to be really engaging, the realms/different worlds intriguing and characterizations really well developed.

I really fell in love with these characters. Maeve was really fun to read about, and Tristen? Sign me up!!

I thought that the whole plot was really well thought out and the system of magic keep me really glued and wanting to know more. It was definitely a book I couldn't put down! The sarcasm that in the book was one of my favorite aspects too.

One of my favorite quotes was "But let's see it." "My Letter?" "No, your knickers. Of COURSE your letter"

I really love books/stories that have a witty banter. It makes you think that if the characters were real people, they'd have that same chemistry. It's really easy to imagine and see this story playing out in your imagination as you read and the writing truly made this one of my favorite reads of 2025!!

Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor is a typical YA fantasy about a girl named Maeve who poses as apprentice in order to be trained in scriptomancy, a magic concerning letters. She must take a fake name, because her father is notorious as a traitor who destroyed the world. When she receives a letter saying that her father was innocent, she knows that she must discover the truth. Along the way, she meets a handsome boy who will become her mentor. Will the pair be able to team up and discover the truth?

Overall, The Otherwhere Post is a YA fantasy that will appeal to fans of Divine Rivals and Harry Potter. One highlight of this book is the premise. When I read the synopsis, I was so intrigued by the concept of scriptomancy. I am a huge fan of dark academia, and I knew that I definitely wanted to read this book. Unfortunately, after I started reading this book, I became disappointed. I took off 1 star because the characters felt middle-schoolish and there wasn't enough romance for a YA book, in my opinion. I took off another star because of the boring storyline and the unsatisfying reveal to the mystery at the end. If you're intrigued by the synopsis above, or if you're a fan of YA fantasy in general, you can check out this book, which is available now.

This is a book that definitely lived up to the hype for me. It's a pretty writing style, with a good blend of flowy storytelling and exciting action scenes. I think it's a blend of A Darker Shade of Magic and Divine Rivals and I loved the scriptomancy and doorways to parallel worlds.

While I liked Maeve okay, Tristan and Naan made more of an impact and I loved the group they all formed together. They were there for Maeve through everything and immediately showed her that she can rely on other people sometimes.

Great read and I look forward to more from Taylor!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the copy.

The Otherworld Post by Emily J. Taylor is a charming and whimsical fantasy that completely captured my imagination. I loved the quirky, magical world and the clever way the story blended humor with heart. The characters felt vibrant and relatable, and the plot kept me engaged from start to finish. It’s a delightful, feel-good read that left me smiling long after the last page.

I loved Hotel Magnifique so I couldn't wait to read this one by the same author. It definitely didn't disappoint! The mystery plot was well done, the world building was easy to understand and the romance was sweet without being the main focus. Highly recommend this one.

Did not finish book. Fantasy where writing is magic and the heroine wants to clear her fathers name. ARC from NetGalley.

The Otherwhere Post is the perfect YA romantasy for fans of Divine Rivals and other writing based magic systems.

Set in an alternative Scottish based world filled with magic that is used through inkscribing (magic inks and transcriptions), The Otherwhere Post focuses on the word's mail system which is able to send magical letters to anyone. The world itself is sliced into three layers, accessible in the past through a set of magic doors. After a tragic attack, one of the worlds has been effectively cut off with all of the inhabitants presumed dead. Maeve's father is the accused in the attack and she has spent the vast majority of her life dealing with the fallout of being the child of a mass murderer. In an effort to solve the mystery of the attack and clear her father's name, she poses as a student at the Post and there she meets the enigmatic Tristan who has secrets of his own.

Although I would not categorize this as a "cozy" fantasy - as there is a body count, the romance in this one is very sweet. The worldbuilding is a bit complex and due to its YA nature, I felt the author glossed over a lot of more detail that I would have preferred to have. There are a lot of assumptions that the reader knows what she means with the three different worlds, but it is never fully explained and I would honestly love another book to help flesh out those details. The first part of the book moves quickly, but is bogged down a bit in the middle before ramping back up again, so I would recommend readers stick through it. The storyline does come to a satisfying conclusion.

Overall, I would categorize this as more a YA Fantasy Mystery with a touch of romance as a side story. A nice standalone read that is for more advanced YA fantasy readers. 3.75 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and Emily J. Taylor for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a great book this was! A very interesting and unique storyline that was vivid and entertaining! I would recommend this book to everyone!

Overall a good young adult read. The world building and characters are well developed and intriguing making you want to read more. The story starts off slow but then picks up pace with many things near the end 'falling into place'. Maeve is typical teenager character making rash decisions but trying to do her best but not knowing who she can trust. Her name makes many question and not trust to begin with because of the blame of the major event that is the premise of the book being blamed on her father. So after receiving a mysterious letter saying her father is innocent she rushes to the academy to try and solve what really happened. Tristan is a constant in the story trying to help Maeve who questions his motives and I love that he stays true to the character development and his word when he promises something.

This was such a fun read! As a huge fan of dark academia, this premise stood out to me. I’m not usually a big fantasy reader, but this seemed low stakes enough for me to give it a try. The worldbuilding was easily digestible and the characters are easy to root for. I appreciated that the romance wasn’t the main part of the story because the overall mystery plot was so much more interesting to me! Hoping for a sequel!

I really enjoyed this book. I don’t read as much YA as I used to, but The Otherwhere Post is one of those books that can be enjoyed by teens and adults alike. Taylor’s writing is lovely and atmospheric, and Maeve is a sympathetic main character, despite being a bit grumpy (although perhaps we need more grumpy FMCs in books). Nan and Tristan are excellent side characters as well. The overall mystery is intriguing, the world-building is fascinating, and the magic system is very unique. My one complaint is that I thought the ending was a bit rushed and info-dumpy, but I appreciate that this is a standalone.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. What a fun magical cozy story. I loved following Maeve who had been in hiding for years due to her father's messy past. One day she receives a questionable letter claiming her father is innocent, and the journey she goes on to find the truth is anything but easy.

I loved Hotel Magnifique and The Otherwhere Post was a highly anticipated read- and it did not disappoint! While there are some similarities- a teenage girl as protagonist, a magical world that feels immersive and magical- this adventure goes much harder on the mystery plot, which I loved!

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes, etc: Magic, Mystery, Dark Academia, Slow Burn
POV: Single, 3rd Person

Brief Summary: Maeve has been on the run from the aftermath of her father’s crime for years when she receives an anonymous letter claiming he was innocent. To find the author of the letter, Maeve must lie her way into a prestigious scriptomancy program, but things get complicated when her assigned mentor realizes she’s an imposter.

Vibe Check: Dark and mysterious

While Reading I: Desperately wanted to learn scriptomancy.

What Kept Me Hooked: The overall mystery, the world-building, the romance between Maeve and Tristan.

Room For Improvement: More romance! But that’s really just a me thing 😂

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this! I love the idea of scriptomancy, it’s just so unique and interesting. The romance kept me glued to the page, and the dark academia vibes were excellent.

Author Emily J. Taylor delivers another enchanting journey in The Otherwhere Post - definitely no sophomore slumps here. With her signature lush prose and whimsical world-building, Taylor expands her magical universe through the lens of a mysterious postal system that transcends time and space. The story is full of charm, peril, and heart, blending adventure with a growing sense of identity and courage. A magical read for anyone who loves immersive fantasy with a touch of the surreal.

In this fascinating new dark academia fantasy novel, readers follow Maeve Abenthy as she tries to rebuild her life seven years after she lost everything -- using fake names and changing locations constantly until she receives a letter claiming that her father was innocent of his crimes. Desperate to uncover the truth, she goes undercover as an apprentice for the Otherwhere Post, where she will be trained in scriptomancy, the magic that allows couriers to enchant and deliver letters to other worlds, by a mentor who soon uncovers her secrets and is desperate for her trust as her investigation draws unwanted attention. Unique, fascinating, and incredibly interesting, the world-building is the star of the novel and brings in some fascinating pre-novel plot points and events that add to Maeve’s story. The characters are complex and interesting, and the magic and secrets that they all deal with really add to the world-building and complexity of the book’s plot. Entertaining, immersive, and complex, the book is a great mix of magic and spy elements in a detailed fantasy setting, and the different elements, characters, and emotional beats all work well together to create this fascinatingly complex dark academia setting and unique new magical system.

The Otherwhere Post is Emily J. Taylor's sophomore novel, following Hotel Magnifique which I loved. I felt no differently about her newest novel, Taylor keeps up with her magical worldbuilding and enchanting prose. I highly recommend for lovers of light fantasy and magical realism!

Emily J. Taylor's THE OTHERWHERE POST brings a masterfully layered story that deserves far more hype—and it's not too late to shout about it.

🌌 Worldbuilding & Magic

Taylor conjures a universe brimming with intrigue: courier doors to other worlds, scribing magic that pulses with ash and intent, and letters that carry as much danger as they do hope.

The magic system isn’t entirely new—but it’s brilliantly twisted. Between poisoned Aldervine vines and ink-infused portals, Taylor redefines arcane craft with delicious creativity.

💔 Maeve: A Hero Who Never Pretended

Maeve’s journey is far from idealized. She’s carved from hardship, not heroism. She's not the chosen one wrapped in prophecy; she’s the one who fights despite trembling fingers and an empty pocket. A girl with nothing but scraps, secrets, and that relentless spark that refuses to go out.

She lies. She schemes. She nearly dies—more than once. But what makes her unforgettable is her fierce heart. Her loyalty to the few who earn it is absolute.

Her vulnerability isn’t a weakness—it’s defiance. She feels deeply and still charges forward.

❤️ Romance & Relationships

Enter Tristan—the dream boyfriend with ink-stained fingers and a soul full of warmth. Smart, tender, just the right amount of steamy. Their slow burn simmers beneath danger and decoding, until it explodes with emotional and magical resonance.

The side characters sparkle with depth and wit, giving Maeve reasons to fight beyond herself—and proving that chosen family may be the most powerful spell of all.

Scribbled in ink, sealed with love—THE OTHERWHERE POST delivers danger, desire, and devotion on every page.