Sometimes you need to read a book with a happy ending, a book that is one hundred percent wholesome. Every once in a while I need to read a fluffy romance book where everyone survives at the end, and I cannot thank Netgalley enough for letting me get an early peek at just that. I wasn't overly certain what I was getting into with In Deeper Waters, but the cover leads me to believe it wholesome and not try to rip my heart out of my chest.

This was absolutely adorable. The perfect escape from reality. F.T Lukens takes some tried and tested tropes, and creates a wonderful story about accepting yourself and finding true love. Normally I read pretty slowly, but I flew through In Deeper Waters. I found myself reading it at the bus stop, while the car was warming up, waiting in line, just about anytime I had time to spare.

I love a character driven book, and right out of the gate I fell in love with Tal. He's an imperfect character and I love that. He makes mistakes, he learns from them, and through everything, he learns about himself, his magic, and even just how strong he became because of everything. Tal is a character that is hard to hate because he tries, fails, and tries again. I also loved the family dynamic in this. These weren't siblings fighting over who gets to sit on the throne. Each of them had a place, a role, and they loved each other like a family. It's was great to have a fantasy series where siblings got to be siblings.

And Athlen, I love how he never fully conforms to be a land dweller. I love the way Athlen tries to see the world, and how all he wants to never be alone again.

Normally, love, at first sight, isn't my favorite trope, but for this, it works. Athlen doesn't see the world as a human, since he's a merman, and Tal is a bit of shelter due to being hidden away for so long. It's not perfect, they both make mistakes throughout the whole story, Athlen is even keeping a secret up until the last few pages. But, they are learning together and there is respect. THERE IS CONSENT EVEN IN THIS BOOK! Which, ugh, just made me so happy.

But, what I love about this book is the fact that there is no issue with Tal being bisexual, not from Tal's siblings, his people, or the Queen. It's just about of this world without issue, and I love a book with that kind of representation. Tal being able to love Athlen and that being enough for the people around him.

This one of those books that take everything I love about fantasy and created a beautiful coming of age story. F.T. Lukens has also created two characters that fell in love with. And, while In Deeper Waters is a stand-alone, and ties up nicely. I would never say no to another book with any of these characters, especially Athlen and Tal.

I just adored this book. Is there a bit of angst? Yup. Was there a moment where I thought I'd been betrayed? Yup, again. Did I nearly have heart failure when my e-reader right a crucial moment in the plot where I thought everything was going to become a dumpster fire? A third yup. In the end though is a book was the wholesome read I needed in my life. It was cute and held the happy ending I needed.

In Deeper Waters is one I definitely want to add to my bookshelves once it's officially out. Which is this Tuesday (April 20th!) It's a book I can see myself re-reading.

This book is a really fun read. It tells the story of Prince Tal as he embarks on his coming-of-age tour of the kingdom that his family has long ruled. The tour is nothing like Prince Tal expects, involving surprising connections with mysterious strangers, plots by rival kingdoms of reveal his darkest secret, and more death-defying adventure than Tal or his family would have every expected. The result is a great story that adeptly balances compelling characters, intriguing relationships, and high adventure. Highly recommended!

I went into Deeper Waters with the perception this would be geared more toward older YA readers. This probably accounts for the biggest reason why I settled on a 3 star rating for the novel. The writing is markedly youthful and while the main pairing between Prince Tal and Athlen is endearing, it is quite insta-lovey, which is a trope that will most likely appeal more toward a younger audience.

The world and fantasy elements are also somewhat lacking in development, which again is perfectly understandable for a novel appealing to those new to the genre. In a story with forbidden magic, merpeople, and deadly political intrigue I would have loved if this book was longer and took more time detailing and explaining these and the characters more throughly. The book is a short and easy read, but also feels like a whirlwind. Barely any pages are dedicated to introducing Tal before the reader is thrust into the action.

The kidnapping plot feels rushed and before I knew it, that part of the narrative was over. Because of this, the stakes never feel very high and I never doubted that everyone would easily escape danger and get a happy ending.

This book wasn’t quite for me, but I still think this will appeal to younger (or those who enjoy a more youthful narrative style) YA readers or even those simply new to fantasy. There is also queer rep in that the main pairing is M/M and Tal is bi/pan. It is also great how queer people are widely accepted in this world, even among royal marriages and partnerships.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me a digital ARC for review. In Deeper Waters is out April 20th!

In Deeper Waters was fantastic! Not only is the cover absolutely breathtaking, but the story itself was perfect and it had everything I could want in a story. I loved the two main characters, Kal and Athlen. I thought their connection was so cute. I also loved the mystery behind Athlen. I won't give anything away because it was such a pleasant surprise for me, but I was so happy when I found out. I also really enjoyed Kal's brothers. The scenes with them and Kal had me laughing so hard. Overall, this was a beautifully done story and I can't recommend it enough!

In Deeper Waters is the kind of book I was destined to enjoy. It’s fantasy, yes, but it’s very heavily focused on romance, and if you know anything about me, it surely is how much I love when that happens.

This isn’t to say that nothing else happens, apart from two boys being into each other. It’s quite the opposite actually, it’s action-packed. It’s just that even with everything that’s going on, with kidnappings and ransoms, and a threat of war, there’s always this undercurrent of love. The romance feels like the central part of the novel, even though it technically really isn’t.

I think it’s the love that ultimately makes this a very gentle book. Not even the romance, but love in general. Because yes, Tal has a family that he loves fiercely and who loves him back to death; there are friends becoming a found family; there are people just willing to help others. To balance out every dramatic thing that takes place, there’s at least one tender scene, overflowing with love.

In Deeper Waters might not be the kind of book to keep you at the edge of your seat with anticipation (the vibes are pretty clear from the start: there will be a happy ending), but it sure is one that will make you feel safe & welcomed. And, most importantly, loved. It’s a story you want to read on a rainy day, so its softness would warm you (and your heart).

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Margaret K. McElderry Books, for the chance to read and review this book!

TW: torture, kidnapping, death

Prince Tal has long awaited his coming-of-age tour. He was cloistered behind palace walls for most of his life, while learning to master his forbidden and potentially dangerous magic. Now he can finally see his family's kingdom, but his journey becomes right away peculiar and dangerous when their crew discovers a mysterious prisoner on a burning vessel and a chest filled with money. Tasked with watching over the prisoner, Tal feels a strong connection with the strange Athlen and he's heartbroken when Athlen leaps overboard and disappears, thinking him dead. When they find one other on dry land, Tal is determined to find more about Athlen, but before they could Tal is kidnapped by pirates, tortured and held ransom in order to force him to reveal his powers and instigate a war. Tal has to escape and save his family and Athlen is the only person he can rely on.

In deeper waters is one of my most anticipated reads in 2021 and I was over the moon when I got the chance to read the earc! This book is FANTASTIC! I loved everything! It's a swoony adventure, mixing love, magic, pirates, exciting moments, intense connections and wicked plots!
Tal is a wonderful main character and he's so relatable. He's young, brilliant and stubborn, he loves his family and kingdom and he would do anything to protect them. He's also a young mage and scared of his powers, since the last ancestor who had them was cruel and feared by everyone and he's afraid to be condemned to the same fate.
His relationships with his brothers and sisters, with Shay and, above all, with Athlen are skillfully written and I loved reading their interactions. It's clear how much Tal and his family love one other and it was so moving to read.
The author also deals with socioeconomic differences, forcing Tal, as a young prince and so separate from the common people, in his journey, to see and recognize them and try to be a better person. Also, knowning Athlen, Tal's knowledge of the world is broaden and I definitely loved it.

I was really impressed by how much the characters grew in this book, how much they learn to rely on themselves and their abilities and also in one other. Tal starts as an insecure and scared young man, becoming a strong and more confident version of himself. Both Tal and Athlen were alone and insecure at the beginning and it's moving and beautiful reading how they learn to know one other, rely on other people and how they fit together. Tal and Athlen are amazing together and their relationship is my favourite, so complex and intricate.


In deeper waters is a captivating story about love, magic and pirates, with wonderfully written characters, full of mysteries, plot twists, secrets and dangers. The book is simply amazing, I loved everything and Tal and Athlen are definitely in my heart forever.

The synopsis of 'In Deeper Waters' sounded very promising, and I'm happy to report that the story really held up! It was easy to understand, and the world building was done incredibly well. There was no info dumping, nor was it written vaguely. The adventure was such a fun time as well. I adored every minute of it!

The main characters where especially likeable. Tal was so nice and genuine. From the start I could tell I'd love him! Athlen was a very wholesome character too. At first, I wasn't particularly fond of him. However, as the story progressed, I found myself absolutely adoring his character!

Moreover, the side characters where one of the best parts of the book! I love how each and every one of Tal's siblings had their own distinct personalities. Kest was courageous and kind, much like Tal. On the other hand, Garret was spontaneous and outgoing. His sisters where also strong and resilient. Adding on to that, I really loved how 'In Deeper Waters' contains such

powerful women. From Tal's bodyguard, to a fiery sea captain, women can do it all!

In addition, the dialogue was very heartwarming. I enjoyed reading Tal's conversations with his siblings. They each had a special way of interacting, and it was just too cute! Athlen and Tal's conversations where at times mysterious, but where mostly fun and emotional. They where truly a joy to read about!

At first I couldn't resonate much with the writing style. Third person writing is not my thing, but 'In Deeper Waters' has changed my perspective on it. The writing was eccentric and fresh. It always had me at the edge of my seat! Furthermore, the talk about classism intrigued me quite a bit. It's not something I see discussed much in historical fiction, so I'm glad it was mentioned.

The overall enjoyment level of 'In Deeper Waters' is very high. It took a little while for me to be fully engrossed in the story, but once I got into it, the book was immensely enjoyable! All in all, this novel is an exceptionally refreshing read that's perfect for spring! It's the epic high fantasy you've been waiting for!

---Overall---

Age Rating: 15 and up
TW: Torture, violence, death
Final Rating: 9/10 or 4.5 stars

If you are a fan of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, then you are going to love this book. I went in thinking this would be more Pirates of the Caribbean-esque, but it definitely leans more towards the coming of age tour aspect and while there are pirates, they are not the main focus. The main focus is in fact, our magical prince on his coming of age tour trying to hide he has magic while also simultaneously trying not to die as he keeps getting pulled into more and more dangerous situations. Oh, and there’s a cute boy he keeps running into who he just can’t stop thinking about!

I loved the magical aspect of this book and appreciated that we got to see glimpses of all the different kinds of magic available in this world. Some books like to mention that there is other magic out there, but fail to show us what that looks like and what it means. Tal encounters all kinds of different people and different magic on his tour, which I thought was “fun”. And by fun, I mean terrifying for Tal, but interesting for me.

One thing I wished we got more of though was the tour aspect. Tal doesn’t seem to make it past his first stop before chaos reigns and I wished we could have seen a bit more of the kingdom and surrounding areas before things went downhill. But, I can appreciate how the story builds and moves even without the additional travel time.

Althen, our prince’s hero, is an interesting character, but I wasn’t necessarily a fan of him as a love interest for Tal. Maybe it was just the dynamic written between them, but it seemed like they went from strangers to kind of friends to lovers very quickly and it made it feel like the romance was disingenuous, especially from Althen’s side. Tal was in love with this boy from the second he laid eyes on him, he had no chance, but Althen definitely did not seem interested at all until suddenly he was. But as a person, I love Althen. I thought he was very sweet and kind hearted, even as he’s avoiding Tal as best he can.

Tal’s brothers were also very interesting. We see a lot of Garrett in the beginning but we don’t really get to know him that well. And then Tal mentions that he is closer with Kest, but again, we barely see Kest and even in their interactions that we do see, I don’t see that closeness that Tal mentions. I think in general, I just wanted more time with the other characters. This book is very fast paced and I think slowing it down in certain moments would have helped established the relationships between Tal and his brothers, or between Tal and Althen, a lot better.

Overall though, I really did enjoy this book. Every obstacle Tal faced pushed him into learning more about himself and allowed him to appreciate his magic instead of fearing it. I loved watching his character grow! Though, I’m curious if there will be a sequel for his younger sister Corrie, because that would be a really cool book! Definitely a favorite of mine and I hope we can get a sequel or a spin off!

IN DEEPER WATERS is an intriguing and fast-paced YA fantasy. Tal is the fourth of five royal children in a small kingdom afraid of magic. He holds a big secret in that he has the same powerful magic as his great-grandfather who had used it to wage untold wars. As such, Tal has been sheltered inside the castle to keep his magic a secret. Now, at 16, he is being taken on a tour to see the country their family rules for the first time.

Things begin to go awry pretty quickly, when they find a boy chained to a damaged boat with a huge chest of gold. This boy, Athlen, intrigues Tal pretty quickly, but when he sets him free, he runs into the sea. Tal is upset, but they must keep going into town. However, before long, Tal has had his life threatened and been kidnapped. As he tries to figure out who is behind it and how to escape, Tal must also consider how he wants to live his life when the dust settles.

What I loved: This was an action-packed and fast-paced read, and I appreciated the quick speed. Although there are a lot of intense and serious things going on, Tal manages to be hopeful and keep the tone of the book from getting too dark. I found the world-building really intriguing with some hints of THE LITTLE MERMAID plots, plus the politics of the area built by history. The romance was really great, and I loved the way it built and was tried by circumstance.

The characters were really intriguing here, and I appreciate the view on siblings through Tal's brothers and sisters with the emphasis on the love of family. Tal is somewhat naive, having been sheltered in the castle for most of his life, but he still manages to have deep insights and hope for the world around him. Athlen is awkward, endearing, and absolutely charming. Together, their chemistry was great.

There were some interesting themes about being true to yourself, embracing yourself wholly, loving deeply, the power of hope, politics, and forgiveness. This was a book and world that I would love to continue reading about, but I did appreciate that this book had a complete ending and could be a stand-alone. The writing and plot would be well-suited to a range of YA readers, including those on the younger side while also enjoyable for older YA readers.

Final verdict: A charming YA fantasy, IN DEEPER WATERS is an intriguing, fast-paced, and hopeful read that I would highly recommend for fans of Tamora Pierce and Amy Rose Capetta.

Please note that I received an ARC through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

***ARC Review***

My first takeaway from this book was that it has a great concept, but the execution is iffy.

The very first chapter goes something like this: TWO BOYS! ON A BOAT! NOW THEY’RE IN LOVE! …One of them jumped off the boat.

I mean talk about insta-love, in medias res, and just confusion. Oof. The plot is given no context and doesn’t start to make sense until about 50% through the book. The romance is the same way.

While this book has some serious pacing issues for the first half, once the story starts to slow down and the relationships and plot points begin to make logical sense (50-60%), it is actually quite an enjoyable read.

The whole book gives off major Disney’s The Little Mermaid vibes which I, personally, did not enjoy. Although everyone loves an atmospheric nautical setting,  the storyline is very basic for YA fantasy and the prince-in-distress plot line annoyed me. It is fast paced, the intrigue holds throughout, and I really enjoyed some of the subplots, though. (Namely, Poppy and the Sea Witch’s portions.) These added intricacies really enhance the plot. Also, many books that include references to fairytales are too on-the-nose and clichéd, but Lukens does an impressive job of keeping this subtle and cute, which was a little thing I really enjoyed.

I think this book’s strongest point is the characters. The main characters are complex and the side characters are unique and add a lot to the story, turning In Deeper Waters from yet another basic fantasy to a book that stands apart from the rest. In the end, I really loved the romance as well. Even though it was presented as a confusingly-paced, insta-love story for the first half, once the complexities and ups-and-downs of the relationship were brought to light, I absolutely shipped the two characters. Their moments of emotional intensity are extremely well written and were probably my favorite part of the book.

In my opinion, half of this book is great and the other half is terrible so I honestly can’t make up my mind as to whether I’d recommend it or not, (super helpful from a review, I know,) but it is definitely perfect for fans of The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, the original Disney movies, and anyone looking for something fun, cute, and hella gay.

Who doesn’t love a coming of age story between a magic prince and a mysterious and elusive yet charming boy? Set on the high seas? With shapeshifters?

Honestly, ordinarily that person wouldn’t be me. But what F.T. Lukens does in this story is weave together elements so well that I found myself captivated from start to finish.

In Deeper Waters tells the story of Tal, a sixteen-year old prince with magic that he must keep a secret from everyone in the kingdom. When he rescues a boy (Athlen) close to his age from a derelict, sinking ship and reveals his magic, the two are bonded. Cue the series of misfortunes and conflicts.

This story has a lot of heart and joy to it and is well and truly queer. There’s a lot of having to hide your magic, but nothing about having to hide your sexuality, which was nice to read. Though the ending feels a little rushed, and almost would have done well with some breathing room spread across two books, I enjoyed my time living in this world. Tal and Athlen filled me with the warm fuzzies that I needed from this book.

4 stars.

A thoroughly enjoyable adventure with a fluffy gay romance at its heart. It was a quick, light read for me, and think it will really appeal to fans of Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue!

In this queer coming-of-age fantasy, a magical prince must work with a merman to save his kingdom.

I was so excited by the idea of this book but ultimately it fell a little flat for me. There were certainly some really fun and entertaining as well as tender and heart stopping moments. I really liked Tal, Athlen and the array of characters they encountered on their many journeys.

However, so much happens in this book that it left little time for necessary world building and any character growth felt rushed. I often felt like the many bad situations were just being forced on the characters again and again in order to make them stronger in the end. It made every threat and bad guy they encountered feel like less of a big deal because they were given hardly any time in between to process what was happening to them. This also made the finale feel less intense and almost predictable.

So the book was okay but I think it could've been great if it had focused more on the character and world building. To sum it up, feels like it's trying too hard and not hard enough.

rep: bi/pan mc, queer (possibly mlm?) li, poc side characters, side character with depression
tws: blood, torture, murder

This was a cutesy fluffy read but it didn't leave an lasting impression. It was fine but stayed in shallow waters in terms of character development and plot....I think this could have been a good set up to a series but this was too underdeveloped and wrapped up way to quickly and nicely for my taste.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was wonderful to read. I’ve never read any of F.T. Likens other books, but after reading In Deeper Water I truly want to pick up more by them!
In In Deeper Waters we follow our main character Tal, the second youngest of his five siblings. Tal is on his coming-of-age tour when he meets a mysterious boy named Athlen. The two go on an adventure to try and save Tal’s kingdom and his family.
The relationships through this book were just amazing. And I’m not just talking about how good Tal and Athlen’s relationship was although it was very good and I loved the way it was fleshed out. Tal’s dynamic with his family was one of the best written family dynamics I’ve read in a long time. I feel like a lot of books always end up having the main character of a book’s family die, or if they’re a prince like in Tal’s case a parent who wants them to marry off to a princess/prince. That wasn’t the case for this book. Tal’s family loved and supported him. They lifted him and the sibling relationships were amazingly crafted. I found myself falling in love with so many of the characters in this story.
The plot had me hooked from the beginning to the end. I never felt like there was a dull moment along the way. The plot was amazing all the way from the first page to the last. The author knew how to keep it moving without packing it so full that it felt like you couldn’t keep track of what was going on.
The final thing I want to talk about is world building. In Deeper Waters is a high fantasy. While in the book they are in one kingdom throughout the story, the character interactions and the overall plot helps you to see how the world is. Although I felt slightly confused at the start with the world as the plot progressed and we got to hear more people talk and give different looks at their world it helped me to piece it together in my mind. The magic system I’m still kind of confused about because I feel like there’s a lot of blank spots, but with that I’m pretty sure that’s the way it’s supposed to be. I'd love to see another book set in this world where we can’t learn more about the magic and world itself.
Overall I have In Deeper Waters a 5 out of 5 stars. This book will cling to my heart for a long time and I can’t say how happy I am that this book exists and I got to read it. This one is probably my favorite read so far this year.

Wonderful book! I loved how the characters were written, with their differing personalities and goals, which made them complex and relatable. Reminds me, to some extent, of a more light-hearted Song of Achilles, in that there is a romance that is very important to the main character, but that romance isn't the sole focus of the book.

No one is more surprised and disappointed than I that I didn't vibe with this book. I had such high hopes for it, it sounded right up my alley, but it just fell so flat for me.

Initially, I found the book cute and endearing, especially the main character and the love interest. But at the same time, this book felt so juvenile for YA, and it never gave me the coming of age story it promised beyond the plotline itself. What I mean by that is that I want to see it emotionally, mentally. And I just never gained much insight in that.

I think the book was just really underdeveloped. There was next to no world building either, and I feel like the romance was so sudden and instalovey without giving it more depth later on. Like I said, I thought the characters were cute, but I don't feel like I really got to know them.

trigger warnings for: mentions of blood and a few mentions of murder (nothing gory in regards to either), vomiting.

In Deeper Waters tells the story of Tal, a prince who is sixteen and on his coming-of-age tour. But he has a secret no one can know about: his magic. But when Tal meets a boy named Athlen, everything on the trip goes awry, and Tal soon learns he's not the only one with secrets to keep. Soon Tal is forced to ask himself: can his magic do more good than harm?

I'm gonna start by saying that this book was so much fun! I've never read anything by F.T. Lukens before, though after reading this, I definitely want to. This book is something you can sit and binge read in a day or two. Everything about it is so sweet, from the romance to the family dynamics. I have to say that last part is especially important to me.

I have to say, it's so nice to read a novel filled with a family who loves each other, and will protect each other no matter what, and to not constantly be at each other's throats. It's also refreshing to read about a family who doesn't care if someone else in the family isn't straight, and don't make a big deal about it. As a queer reader, that's super important to me.

I think everyone who picks this up will love reading about Tal, and seeing how he actually comes of age by falling in love, learning to become himself, and learning to save those he cares about the most, and those he just met. And I wouldn't be against F.T. Lukens writing more about this royal family one day!

ARC thanks to Netgalley.

In Deep Waters

Five Stars

I was very pleased when the story took off immediately. Prince Tal is on his coming of age tour with his older brother, a family tradition. Circumstances lead to his meeting Athlen, a charming young man in need of Tal’s help and knowledgeable of suspicious, uncirculated crown gold.

When Athlen escapes, he leaves Tal with questions only he can answer of possible conspiracy against the crown and the secret Tal holds close, hidden.

I love Tal’s relationship with his brothers. They’re vulnerable with each other.
The family dynamic is truly so wholesome. Tal’s older brothers absolutely adore him and tease him about Athlen. Towards the end they fought to make sacrifices for Tal, that he may pursue his heart and not what the crown demanded and I cried. It was the sweetest. The Queen is an incredible mother. She loves and encourages her children so much and is so close with them. She cares deeply for their hearts and desires, and they care deeply for their kingdom. It’s so sweetly balanced.

Tal and Athlen’s dynamic is so fun! Tal is an absolute sweetheart and Athlen is a mischievous vagabond surrounded by mystery. I was glued to the pages as they interacted, so in love with their dialogue. There were some plot twists I didn’t see coming at all and was wildly delighted by them! The storyline was simple yet full of depth and was enjoyable. The experience was so good. The writing was well done. The ending stressed me out and I cried more. This book mad me smile like a fool and curl my toes in delight. I shed tears for the hearts of these characters and the way the author expressed them. I was genuinely saddened to learn the book is a standalone because I’d love for it to be a series. I’ll miss Tal and Athlen and the family so much.

While overall a very interesting premise and fun characters, In Deeper Waters ultimately falls a little flat of being an AMAZING fantasy story. However, that does not mean it was not a) enjoyable, b) loads of fun, and c) cute and cheesy. The characters were probably the best part of the story, as the plot was lacking a bit of depth. Quick, fun summer read!