I hope I never stop living in a world where dark academia gets written. Between the characters and the authors top notch writing this one had me hooked almost immediately. I really enjoyed the light shades or romance and hope they’re more evolved at some point. All in all a lot of fun.

I enjoyed Taylor’s latest novel. I was intrigued from the start with the mystery of a letter. Yes, this book showcases letters and magic in an interesting way. The fantasy element isn’t overbearing and seamless in their society.

There is a part at the end I didn’t understand which I can’t explain without spoiling the book. I felt like the author didn’t really explain what happened to a character. I was left with questions. It ruined the pace.

Overall I still enjoyed this one and I think I’ll pick up her first novel later this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

In a Nutshell: A YA fantasy with dark academia vibes and portal fantasy elements. Intriguing magic, gripping plot and interesting characters. Some shades of romance and mystery as well. A bit repetitive and a tad too convenient in between, but overall, a satisfying read. (Coming from me the YA-phobe, this is a huge compliment.) I’d definitely recommend this book to older YAs.

Plot Preview:
Ever since Maeve’s father was accused of a serious crime seven years ago, Maeve has been living under a false name and constantly shifting places and jobs so that no one can connect her to the past. Now eighteen, Maeve receives a mysterious letter claiming that her father was innocent. To learn the truth, Maeve must take up an apprenticeship at the Otherwhere Post, which trains aspirants in the magical art of scriptomancy, thereby allowing couriers to enchant letters and deliver them across worlds. But Maeve’s challenges only increase with this decision. Her father’s murky past proves tougher to hide than she had expected, her mentor at the institute – a rude courier named Tristan – knows that she’s an imposter, and threatening letters pop up warning Maeve to drop her investigation. Can she find out the truth without endangering herself and her companions?
The story comes to us in Maeve’s third-person perspective.

I am not an avid YA reader. However, I had read this author’s debut work – an interesting YA Dark Fantasy named Hotel Magnifique – a couple of years ago and was quite impressed by her world-building, though the pacing and repetition hadn’t worked too well for me. I was keen to give her sophomore work a go and see if it clicked better and if she has grown as a writer.
It did, and she has!

Bookish Yays:
💌 Maeve: A typical teen representative of her age. Impatient, impulsive, gutsy. Acts first, thinks next. Thus, an apt lead for a YA novel, though some of her actions made me want to shake her. Her character is written well, with no extended rambling or whining that is so common in YA protagonists. I loved the balance between her bravery and her vulnerability.
💌 Tristan: If I were younger, there’s a good chance I would have declared Tristan my new book boyfriend, and no, this isn’t at all because of his looks. He’s not portrayed as a typical hot guy unaware of his charm. Rather, the author gives Tristan a strong and layered personality that has both a grumpy side and a fun side.
💌 An extra Yay not just for making Tristan bespectacled but also for remembering this throughout the book. I appreciate how his spectacles were written as a consistent part of his character instead of being forgotten after the first mention.
💌 Maeve’s roommate Nan is fabulous. (Possibly, my favourite character of this book!) Her personality adds the right amount of lightheartedness to this novel.
💌 The connection between Maeve and Tristan feels a bit too instant, but it doesn’t lead to insta-romance. Rather, the bond grows steadily from reluctant colleagues to friends to potential lovers. A good progression for a cute relationship filled with loads of banter (from Tristan’s side.) Plus points for not letting the romance dominate the core plot.
💌 The darker parts of the fantasy are creepy, with some scenes being quite gruesome.
💌 Maeve’s apprenticeship at the Otherwhere Post adds plenty of dark academia vibes to this story. Her role as a student is properly utilised, with many scenes actually in the classroom and library, unlike some other academia novels where the characters are doing everything but studying.
💌 The pacing is slowburn but never slow. I didn’t lose my interest at any point.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🔑 The worldbuilding has tremendous potential. The concept of known and unknown worlds accessible through magical doors and the art of scriptomancy allowing the use of words to create magic both are excellent fantastical ideas. The former reminded me of other similar portal fantasy books such as The Ten Thousand Doors of January; regardless, the concept is used well. I also loved the idea of a magical postal system. However, the scriptomancy content is somewhat vague. There is a lot about the whats but not enough of the hows. I am not sure if this is being planned as a series because a lot of foundational content on scriptomancy wasn’t utilised much in this book and there certainly is potential for more exploration.
🔑 For a change, there are a couple of good-hearted adults in this YA work. This adult thanks the author for this courtesy. (I am fed up of seeing idiotic adults in the YA genre.) However, most of the adults’ personalities aren’t sketched strongly. The rationale behind some of their actions stays vague till the end.
🔑The mystery about Maeve’s father and the identity of the writer of the threatening letters is handled decently, with a few nice red herrings and twists along the way. However, I’d have preferred the suspicion to be on multiple characters at once instead of going through them turn by turn.
🔑Given how closeted and grumpy Maeve is at the start, it is a bit difficult to understand why Tristan and Nan go out of their way to assist her. Perhaps they are just good people? Definitely a bit too good to be true!

Bookish Nays:
🚪 The second half has some overly convenient coincidences and timely character appearances at strategic plot points. I can ignore this issue if it happens only rarely, but it popped up a little too frequently when Maeve’s investigation was reaching its culmination.
🚪 Infodump ending. Never a fan of this!

All in all, this was quite a good read for me, which is even more surprising if you remember how I keep cribbing about the YA genre. I liked Maeve with all her flaws as she made for a realistic teen protagonist. Tristan and Nan were the perfect accompaniments. There are a few components that could have added more value to this book, but even as is, it is quite entertaining.
Definitely recommended. As an adult, I would have found this a good one-time read, but I've a strong feeling it will be fabulous for older YAs. (15+, because there are some intimacies mentioned.) As always, better if read without over-analysing.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group for providing the DRC of “The Otherwhere Post” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor is a third person-POV YA fantasy mystery with scriptomancy. Since she was twelve, Maeve has hidden her identity to protect herself after her father became an infamous murderer, unleashing an ancient magic that left her an orphan and killed so many. When Maeve receives a letter saying that her father is innocent, she heads to the Otherwise Post to perhaps finally clear her father’s name.

The magic system is very cool. I loved the little details about mixing ink together, the various ways that ink and scribing are used, and the post system being magical. It takes something mundane, writing a letter, and makes it fantastical while keeping the darker tone with names like ‘Raven’s Tears’ and ‘Oxblood’ for the names of ink colors. The coolest thing was that scribing is a skill that so many have to hone over extended periods of time, including Maeve, who grew up knowing so much about how the system works. I feel like, often, the main character just has innate talent whereas Maeve has knowledge, but isn’t wildly talented in the way that her love interest, Tristan, is.

Tristan and Maeve’s relationship goes through a lot of struggles because of Maeve’s constant deception. To protect herself and her mission, she can’t tell him her real name or why she’s studying scriptomancy and he trusts her anyways (as much as he can). Maeve does feel worse and worse about this over time, particularly as her romantic feelings for him grow stronger, but also as she realizes how much he has helped her. This is more of a subplot, so I wouldn’t call the book a romantic fantasy or fantasy romance, but it is a fun romance with great dialogue and enjoyable dynamic.

The overarching mystery is who sent Maeve the letter and whether or not she really can clear her father’s name, and, if he is indeed innocent, who is responsible? To me, because these are the central themes of the plot and everything is pushed forward by Maeve’s investigations and what she finds out, I would mark this as a fantasy mystery. I’m trying to get more into the mystery genre, but I’m not as familiar with it as I am the romance and fantasy genres, so if there are specific beats that a more knowledgeable reader needs to classify something a fantasy mystery, I am not aware of them. But I found the mystery to be intriguing and I did want to see the solution.

I would recommend this to fans of darker YA fantasies, YA readers looking for a fantasy mystery, and those looking for fantasies exploring complex relationships between orphans and their deceased parents and their legacies

This was so fucking magical! Eccentric dark academia vibes, twisty mysteries and a slow burn romance! This was such a wonderful experience all around.

A blank page and a single word.
~
I have been waiting YEARS for another Emily J. Taylor book, and this was exactly what I needed right now. I could not have been more excited to pick up a book about writing being magical and a girl hunting for the truth about why her father murdered so many people, gaining found family and truths along the way. Maeve was a super fun character to follow, even if I wanted to shake her sometimes for some of the decisions she made. Tristan was such a great character development as he went on the journey with Maeve, trying to find out who exactly she was and then everything that came after. Nan, and even Shea, we’re the best side characters and I adored them. And the twists! I could not keep straight who I thought the big bad was in this one and I was truly shocked when I found out at the very end. Not only did this wrap up wonderfully but it did so in such a way that has me thinking about the book and what could happen in the future, and I love that about this world! Do yourself a favor and grab this book so you can explore Leyland and Barrow, too!

this was fun! the magic system was kind of confusing at first but once i understood the story got a lot more interesting. i loved the relationships between each of the characters, particularly with maeve's relationship with nan. overall a decent fantasy read with a unique magic system and a mystery that kept me guessing.

I loved this one! I'm a huge dark academia in fantasy fan - and this is the perfect YA dark academia fantasy book. The magic system is so unique and interesting, I loved the world. The darker elements were intriguing, the romance was sweet and swoony, and it's a book you can just escape into and not want to leave!

The writing in The Otherwhere Post is excellent, and knowing the author's style from Hotel Magnifique, it’s clear, fluid, and easy to follow. The storyline is incredibly intriguing, blending mystery and dark elements as the protagonist changes her identity—not just to survive but to escape the shadow of her father’s crime. Her decision to take on a job under a fake identity to help solve the crime adds an exciting layer to the plot, giving the story a unique feel, almost like a fantasy version of a post office infused with dark magic. The romance was well-balanced—not too overpowering but just enough to complement the overarching mystery, though I did wish for a little more of it. The ending felt somewhat abrupt, but not in a jarring way; it was natural and realistic. The characters were well-developed, making them feel fleshed out and compelling. The magic system added a great twist to the postal element of the story, making it both magical and quirky, and reading the letters throughout was a cool touch. I would highly recommend The Otherwhere Post, and I’m especially glad it’s a standalone

Exhaustingly long-winded for such a predictable story. For fans of A Study in Drowning.
Dark Academia
Slow Burn Romance
Magical Letters
Mystery
Secrets

All hail author Emily J. Taylor, whose magical pen enchants and inspires with every word. 6 out of 5 stars for The Otherwhere Post which had me alternately giggling, kicking my feet, and tearing up at different parts.

Maeve Abenthy is running from her parents’ past and even her own name; but when receives a long-lost letter, she goes on an adventure to become an Otherwhere Post apprentice to deliver enchanted letters. But when the letters turn dangerous, Maeve will have to decide who she can trust, if anyone.

Taylor expertly crafts a story with sweet love and hope like an old-fashioned fairytale. I couldn’t put it down and am desperate for more, now that it’s over.

The dialogue? The BANTER? The magic? The characters? The tension in this book is incredible and it kept me at the edge of my seat for the entire read (I devoured the entire book over the course of a long flight).

It’s releasing February 25th, and I need all of you to read it ASAP. In the meantime, this is going straight to the favorites shelf and I will be ordering a hard cover copy.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the eARC of The Otherwhere Post in exchange for a review!.

This was such an unexpected treat to me. The cover was very nondescript that I don't really remember it, the synopsis was something that for the life of me I could not recall when I picked this up to read, and overall I just randomly grabbed this since I needed a book but had no expectations. Well, I loved this story, hands down my favorite read in months. It was full of magic, other worlds, twisted mystery and a very sweet romance- and the best part, somehow the author packed it all into one book with no need for a sequel to make me wait for more. There was never a dull moment where I wished I could just skip ahead, there was always something new (and most likely dangerous) that Maeve and I could get into. The relationship dynamics were slow-burn all over, from the sweet romance to the unwanted best friend, I just loved it all and watching prickly Maeve get swept into it against her will. Keep in mind this is pretty dense, not a light and fluffy read, but something you want to sink into and give yourself plenty of time to sit with. I read an ebook copy but would love a physical copy to keep on my shelf to come back to when I need a reread of this magical world.

Posted on Goodreads: 2/2/2025

If you love fantasy worlds with unique magic, you are in for a treat. This book follows Maeve Abenthy, who receives a letter from seven years ago that changes her life forever. The book includes parallel worlds, cloak-wearing couriers, a main character who can't trust anyone, and secrets upon secrets. I was given the opportunity to review this book through NetGalley, and I hope that it finds other readers who will love it as much as I did!

4.5

This was quite an interesting standalone fantasy novel. It featured a magic system I haven't read about before, had a mostly unique world (more on that below), and a pretty solid set of characters.

The book features scriptomancy, a magic form using words and inks to bring the magic to life. I enjoyed reading about it, though I wish the book had gone a little more in-depth about it. The main setting is in Leyland, one of three worlds that are regularly discussed throughout the book, the other two being Inverly and Barrow. The worlds are parallel in a way, with each world featuring Gloam, the main city in the book. This part reminded me of the Shades of Magic series, where as there are different worlds that all feature a different London. There is a bit of traveling between Leyland and Barrow, as Inverly is lost, but the majority takes place in Leyland. Gloam feels just like its name; a gloomy, depressing city that people wish to escape. However, they can't, as the doors between the worlds have been burned. The only way to cross over is by being a courier and knowing the magic.

While all the characters are pretty well-written, I enjoyed the interactions between Maeve and Tristan the most. There's plenty of sass and banter which made their relationship so good. Maeve is a strong female character, and Tristan has a lot of depth to him that is released throughout the book. Other characters are introduced, and they each have their part and add to the story. It did keep me guessing throughout as to who wrote the letter and who was possibly the villain, which I enjoyed as well. It's nice when a book makes you think and wonder.

The only problem I had really was that there seemed to be a lot of unnecessary filler. I would have liked a little more explanation on the worlds before or on the magic instead of some of the other filler we got. However, this was not enough to really detract from the story. Perfect for fantasy fans who enjoy standalones, unique magic systems, and good characters and plot.

Maeve’s father did something unforgivable that destroyed a world and affected many. Her name is poison so she has been living a boring life under an alias. When she’s finally about to leave she receives a letter telling her that her dad was innocent. To find out the truth, she has to go back to the titular Otherwhere Post, where she’ll be trained in the art of scriptomancy and where her father lived before everything happened. Along the way, she will meet a brooding romantic interest, and an inexplicably cheerful roommate, as well as a cast of mysterious adults who may or may not be involved in her father’s demise. The world-building is fantastic. The cities, the Post, the legends and history, the art of scriptomancy, the classes, everything is described in detail, making it easy to picture Maeve surrounded by it all. The final part felt a little rushed, and the identity of the baddie was not all surprising for an adult reader, but it will probably work for a younger audience. After spending a few horrified minutes reading completely inappropriate content in one of my 12-year old niece’s books, I must say that this one is charming and perfectly acceptable for younger teens. I will be buying her the hardcover as soon as it’s published, which is the biggest compliment that I can give.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/PENGUIN GROUP.

This book grabbed me by the throat from the very beginning! I was pulled deeper and deeper with every twist the story took. I loved that the magic system had to do with writing. I am a big fan of letter writing in a story, and this one was full of it.

I loved Maeve and Tristan. Maeve’s journey of opening her life to include other’s was heartwarming to read. The two of them together were my favorite parts in the story. They had wonderful banter from their first meeting. I liked their slow circling of each other. You felt trust being earned between the two of them.

Maeve and Tristan’s relationship was not the only thing to love about this book. The overall plot with Maeve’s father and the known worlds unraveled in a masterful way. You won’t see any of it coming! I recommend this book to fantasy lovers who are ready to dive into a mystery that keeps them guessing.

I really liked the writing in this one. I enjoyed Hotel Magnifique and was excited to see this one. The magical world building was unique and so interesting. I really liked this world and I would love to see sequels to this even though it also could work as a standalone. Maeve has grown up not letting anyone know her true name since her father caused the death of an entire world. Until she gets a letter that was sent years before letting her know that her father was innocent and she deserved to hear the truth. She then sets out to figure out who sent that anonymous letter and it brings her to the school for apprentice couriers to learn the magic of scriptology, the center of all of the people who hate her father the most. The characters were compelling and interesting and I liked the side romance story. I greatly enjoyed this one and can’t wai to see what Emily Taylor does next.

The Otherwhere Post is set in an alternate universe where people traveled between three worlds until a catastrophe destroys Inverny and leaves Barrow and Leyland cut off from each other. The only way people can communicate with their loved ones is through the couriers of the Otherwhere Post. Trained in the art of scriptomancy, the couriers can travel between worlds and track the recipients of letters.
Maeve Abenthy has been hiding since her beloved father died, condemned as a traitor for unleashing the deadly Vine that changed everything. Although she was only a child at the time, Maeve is blamed and tormented by her peers until she runs away from a dreadful orphanage, changes her name, and keeps moving on to prevent anyone from discovering her real name and her family history.
One day, Maeve receives a letter claiming that her father was innocent. To find evidence that might clear his name, she cons her way into an Apprenticeship at the Otherwhere Post where she will train as a courier until she acquires the skills and the credentials that will enable her to learn the truth,
This is a marvelous academic fantasy that introduces scriptomancy, a system based on writing that uses the adept's natural gifts to transform ink, quills, and paper (or sometimes, the practitioner's own skin!) to magical tools. It is also a tale of love, loyalty, courage, and friendship.
Maeve is a nineteen-year-old heroine who reminds me of Anne McCaffrey's Lessa. The Otherwhere Post is like a darker and harsher Hogwarts.
This is definitely a young adult novel for older teens because there is a bit more sexual activity than would be suitable for a younger audience.
Although I enjoyed the characters and the world-building, I removed a star because there seemed a bit too much running and hiding and a few too many betrayals that seemed obvious to me. Still, I loved the idea of scriptomancy and I would definitely read another story set in this world.
I would like to thank NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the opportunity to read a free advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have not been THIS into a book in a while so hold on tight!

Thank you PenguinTeen for the ARC of this book—I couldn’t put it down!

The Otherwhere Post is near flawless in my book. The writing was beautiful. I felt spellbound by some of the lines in this story. They really captured my heart and served to further lure me into this story.

Maeve, our MC, reminds me of some of my favorite morally gray characters. It wasn’t until I finished the book that I realized she reminds me of Lila Bard from A Darker Shade of Magic mixed with a little of the arcane magic from this new world.

This story is a must read, my new rec, a top 10 favorite book of I’ve read this year, and I can’t wait until its release day to continue to shout its praises! February 25, 2025! Mark your calendar!!

This was an absolute joy to read. I love a new magic system, and a sparky main character. Tristan was just lovely as well!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.