In the middle of a collection of cornfields, in the middle of the country, in the middle of nowhere, a weathered wooden post marked the intersection of two roads:
BEWARE OF BARGAINS MADE HERE.
Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens
LENGTH: 320 pages
GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT+, YA, Fiction
PUBLISHER: Margaret K. Elderberry Books
RELEASE DATE: 2 April 2024
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A skeptic and a supernatural being make a crossroads deal to achieve their own ends only to get more than they bargained for in this lively young adult romantic adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of Spell Bound and So This Is Ever After.
Seventeen-year-old Ellery is a non-believer in a region where people swear the supernatural is real. Sure, they’ve been stuck in a five-year winter, but there’s got to be a scientific explanation. If goddesses were real, they wouldn’t abandon their charges like this, leaving farmers like Ellery’s family to scrape by.
Knox is a familiar from the Other World, a magical assistant sent to help humans who have made crossroads bargains. But it’s been years since he heard from his queen, and Knox is getting nervous about what he might find once he returns home. When the crossroads demons come to collect Knox, he panics and runs. A chance encounter down an alley finds Ellery coming to Knox’s rescue, successfully fending off his would-be abductors.
Ellery can’t quite believe what they’ve seen. And they definitely don’t believe the nonsense this unnervingly attractive guy spews about his paranormal origins. But Knox needs to make a deal with a human who can tether him to this realm, and Ellery needs to figure out how to stop this winter to help their family. Once their bargain is struck, there’s no backing out, and the growing connection between the two might just change everything.
My Review
“Have you fallen asleep?” Knox whispered.
Ellery smothered an unhinged laugh. “No. I’m thinking.” “About?”
“You need a tether.”
“I do.”
“A bargain.”
“Yes.”
“To keep the shades from dragging you back.”
“That would be ideal, yes.”
“And I need information. I need this winter to end.” Knox sat up straight. “What are you suggesting?”Ellery licked their dry lips. “I suggest we make a deal.”
So far, this is the best F.T. Lukens novel I’ve read yet. It brings all the best parts of their previous three novels together – the snappy dialogue, the found family, the creative fantasy elements – yeah pretty much all the best parts!
Otherworldly is another duel POV book, similar to last year’s Spell Bound, but this time it’s in third person. It follows Ellery Evans, a snarky human teenager, and Knox, a supernatural being from the Other World. And I think their Lukens’ best written POVs yet – I was more invested in the resolution of these two’s story than any of the other three books.
I also really liked the side characters here, just like in So This is Ever After. Ellery’s cousin Charley was my favorite character in the novel – she was just so ridiculous and completely unhinged! And her girlfriend Zada was simultaneously an excellent foil for her, but also Charley’s biggest enabler and I loved it. And them as a couple. (Which is something I’m starting to notice with these F.T. Lukens novels – I’m waaayy more interested in the side romances the whatever reason.)
The magic and mythology and worldbuilding was also one of my favorite things about this novel. I love how incredibly intertwined the magic system and the world were with one another. And I called it all being Greek mythology inspired super early on (as the goddess that Knox serves is basically a combination of Hades and Demeter, and the other two “major gods” are of the sea and sky, so I think that speaks for itself). It was really satisfying to see that I was definitely right by the end of the book with a certain character’s “special journey.” (*cough*Orpheus&Eurydice*cough*)
I will say that there were a few things that I thought were a bit lacking. Ellery jumps into danger far too often here, and I never felt like we got a satisfying explanation as to why. Sure, characters are constantly harping on about how Ellery works too hard in trying to make their family and friends happy, but there is a difference between that and putting themself in deadly danger to save a complete stranger. And this is something the novel doesn’t seem to understand.
I also thought that Knox and Arabelle didn’t get enough moments together before Arabelle (who it was clear was going to get fridged from the get-go) kicked the bucket. Knox is extremely emotional about her passing, but I had trouble believing it because they have two scenes together. The first is when they meet at the very beginning of the book, and the second is when they finish making the McGuffin together and she gets offed. It would have been nice to have at least one scene where we are shown Knox and Arabelle’s relationship in between this, instead of reading Knox’s internal monologue after the fact.
But those are pretty much my only major gripes with Otherworldly. Like I said, it’s F.T. Lukens’ best novel yet.
I definitely recommend this to fans of Lukens’ previous works, as well as fans of YA fantasy in general. It’s a fun story, and a quick read, so I encourage anyone interested to at least give it a try.
As always, thank you to everyone so much for reading, and I hope that you all have a fantastic day/night!
See ya ~Mar
Some of My Favorite Quotes Out of Context
“Have you asked them yet?” Zada said, tapping her fingernails on the laminate.
Charley shook her head. “Not yet.”
“Whatever it is,” Ellery said, removing Charley’s grip from their wrist, “the answer is no.”
“The dishwasher.”
“Hot weird guy?”
“What?”
“What–“
“I love the way you think, my darling dearest. Your brain is as sexy as your body.”
“Babe,” Zada said, drawing out the vowel, “not in front of the kid.” Ellery frowned. “I’m seventeen.”
“You’re right. Their poor innocent ears cannot handle the depth of our love and longing for each other.”
“I’m literally only four years younger than Zada.”
“Four significant years, El.”
“I’m not human,” he said. “Well, I may be more human now than normal because of the missing magic.” He waved his hand lazily. “But in my limited experience, I think you can feel unhappy about your situation and still acknowledge the challenges others have. It’s not one or the other.”
“I hope this isn’t too frightening,” Knox said with a grin. “I don’t know if I can handle it.”
“We’ve seen worse. I think we’ll be fine.”
“Maybe,” he said, catching Ellery’s hand in his. “As long as you’re brain. here, I’m sure I’ll be okay.”
“Didn’t you have enough rowdy adventures at the ice hockey game? There was blood.”
Knox blinked. “Is there blood at frat parties?”
“Only the good ones,” Charley said, wistfully.
“You need help.” Ellery said, deadpan.
He wanted to remember.
But he was not created to do so.
“Not that I’m complaining,” Charley said, twirling A pencil through the red strands of the ponytail she’d gathered to keep it out of her flushed and freckled face. “Because it’s great that the spring or summer or whatever we’re in has returned. But it’s so hot in this kitchen, I could die.”
She fanned herself with her hand.
“You’re literally complaining.”
“This must be it,” Charley said, leaning over both Lorelei and Hale to look out of the window.
“Did the warning sign give it away?” Hale snapped. “Or was it the literal magic radiating from that spot?”
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