Oh! What a sweet, angsty, magical, Queer teen slow burn. Loved this cozy romance set in a time and place where folks are tangling with their faith/belief in magic vs science. Which to me already seems like a losing battle as magic often seems simply to be science we don't understand yet. lol.

Ellery and Knox feel sparks between them but they agree the timing isn't ideal so they decide to prioritize all the other stuff they're dealing with but it's never that simple when there's realms, bargains and supernatural beings and laws involved.

Loved this and I think you will too!

Pride Month 2025 #8

🍦 🍓 The Ripped Bodice's 9th Annual Summer Romance Bingo 🕶️ 🏄🏼

/ Pizza

You had me at hot weird guy. And held me in every second thereafter.

Ellery is a non-binary person living with their cousin and cousin's girlfriend in the city. They used to live on a farm with their parents, but a five year winter has made things difficult financially. A distant goddess has not heeded their prayers.

Knox is a familiar from the Other World. He is assigned to help humans in this world. When his assignments are over, he crosses back over to the Other World and forgets everything he learned in the human world.

Ellery and Knox meet. Sparks fly. It's cute. There's magic. And I haven't fallen quite so hard for a book in some time. And for once, the pretty cover has pretty insides. I'm smitten. I will be reading more FT Lukens.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books

Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens swept me into a cozy fantasy I didn’t even know I needed. Ellery, a skeptic stuck in a never-ending winter, crossing paths with Knox—a charming immortal on the run—sparked a slow-burn that warmed me from the inside out . Their banter is sharp, their chemistry smoldering, and I loved how Quinn and Charley added real found-family vibes .

The world feels lived-in, and despite feeling a bit rushed at the end, the emotional payoff had me smiling . If you’re craving a queer, tender fantasy with mythology, found family, and heartfelt magic, Otherworldly hits all the right notes.

I'll readily admit that Lukens may not be the most poetic or philosophic of writers; their stories feel more like deliciously buttery popcorn rather than a gourmet meal. But sometimes you're just really craving some popcorn, you know? And there's nothing wrong with that! When you want something that's an easy read and moves quickly, Lukens absolutely fits that bill. And their premises and characters remain solidly entertaining, if a bit trope-heavy -- but, again, sometimes I just really enjoy a good trope-y read! Any time I have a teen or early-twenties customer looking for something that's fantastical AND queer-friendly, Lukens has become one of my ready recs, and this one is perfect for anyone who loves ghosts and the idea of a magical world just beneath the mundane one.

I absolutely love anything FT Lukens writes and their writing just gets better and better. I've convinced at least 16 people to buy this book and I'm sure the number will continue, I love the slow realistic burn, the way that there is so much plot and just the whole vibes of this book, the plotline (give me tension!), the mix of magic and romance and the whole opposites with a dash of forbidden love. Absolutely adore this book, highly recommend

this is not my first ft lukens book, but i think ultimately it was my favourite? this was kindly given to me by netgalley over a year ago, real life got in the way and now i’m finally able to read and review. so while i know this book has long been published !!! it’s worth a read.

tackling issues like belief, faith, religion - self image & self worth, and also the feel good teen romcom kinda vibe. knox is absolutely precious and i adore him, ellery is such a relatable character even to someone well into adulthood. they represented to me, very much the relationship i had with my late mother & seeing the love, but not the understanding was ?? poignant?

this book starts a little slow in my opinion, but it picks up and all in all, forms a lovely sweet & heart wrenching story about the family & love we choose.

i did not love this one as mich as i loved the other two books i read by them. however, it still evoked the same kind of magic only F.T. Lukens can conjure.

✨ ARC Review✨

Rate: ⭐️⭐️

I really wanted to love this book, but it just didn’t do it for me. The world-building was weak, and it felt like the author threw a bunch of ideas together without fleshing them out.

The pacing was all over the place. New conflicts popped up, only to be resolved in a few pages, so it never felt high-stakes. I couldn’t get invested, and the characters didn’t help. Knox felt way too human for someone from another realm, and there was zero chemistry between him and Ellery. The romance was fine, but I didn’t get why they liked each other other than, “You’re cute.”

The characters were pretty basic too – Ellery was just grumpy for no reason at times, and Knox was the “sunshine” guy with a few random mysterious traits. I was more interested in the side characters, like Charley, but they didn’t get enough time to make a real impact. And don’t get me started on the constant miscommunication between Ellery and Knox. Every time they tried to talk, something interrupted them.

Oh, and the ending. After a big climax, the story just dragged on forever. It felt like it was trying to build tension, but instead, it came to a dead stop. There are some fun ideas here, but it just did not appeal to me. Also was not a fan of the "they/them" used since the story is told in the third person, it kept confusing me thinking other characters were on the page when they weren't. I was close to DNFing a few times too and I feel bad for that.

Very cute read. I enjoyed the characters time together! It was a very cozy read and helped me get out of a slump. I loved the cover it is so nice to the eye. The sleepover scene was my favorite. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to review this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a great representation of found family and I loved the characters and setting. This was such a sweet and cozy read with a great sense of awe and wonder. These characters were so sweet and heartfelt. I loved the story and how atmospheric this book was.

Gods, Goddesses, creepy shades, and crossroads bargains, oh my! A cozy, fantasy read, this book gave me all the feels! I loved everything about it. The storyline drew me in immediately. A skeptic and a supernatural being get thrown together and form a connection that just might change both of their lives? You know it's going to be a fun ride! Ellery and Knox were so easy to love and root for. Knox has such a soft innocence about him, and Ellery has had so much weight put on their shoulders at a young age. The solace that they find, not only with each other but also the family that they formed with the other characters, was heartwarming. The heart of the story is about being able to lean on others for help, and at the center of it, a sweet romance blossomed. There are so many kicking your feet and squealing moments! The whole story was a breath of fresh air, with a happily ever after tying it up with a bow.

FT Lukens has yet to write a book that has let me down. All of these books continue to be more and more inntriguing and captivating, with fascinating and loveable characters and creative storylines and worldbuilding that hooks me in from start to finish!

F. T. Luke’s has a way of pulling readers in and not letting go, I read the first book and was interested. This book didn’t disappoint. The magic, characters and drama makes for a good read

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Otherworldly!!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | 5/5

Gods, magic, and gay people, my three favorite things. Top 5 favorite books of 2024.

I love FT Lukens, I don't think I'll ever hesitate to buy one of their books the day it comes out, they have yet to write a bad book. With that said, this one didn't resonate with me in the same way STIEA and Spell Bound did. The back half of the book was excellent, once all the pieces were in place, but it took a little too long to get there, and the lead up wasn't the strongest. I got through it with absolute love for all four of the main characters, they were everything to me, but the story didn't feel like it had a driving force for a little too long. Even so, of course it got there eventually, and once it did, I flew through this one and loved it.

And obviously I can't end this without mentioning that the cover once again is STUNNING, legitimately some of the best covers in the business.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC and Amazing book!
I agree and recommend this book to anyone seeking a thrilling blend of the supernatural and romance. Spell Bound and So This Is Ever After fans will be captivated by this lively young adult adventure. The dynamic between Ellery who at first does not believe in the supernatural and Knox being supernatural is engaging. Otherworldly was full of beautiful imagery, sweet, passionate characters, and an obstacle they all must work together to overcome. There is always so much character growth. Found Family is present in every story, with amazing supportive side characters contributing just as much to the result.

F.T. Lukens eats EVERY TIME

This book was so lovely and cute and adorable and I wish I read it sooner. The plot is so intriguing, it for real kept me on my toes the entire time and UGH THAT ENDING genuinely such great storytelling I’m obsessed.

The characters were all so lovely as well like, Ellery and Knox both stole my heart so fast, and Charley and Zada were absolutely amazing I love them so much. Didn’t expect to love BRAM as much as I did, very much a shock to me from when we first meet him (though I do have a penchant for taking a strong liking to side characters like him.)

Seriously wish I read this arc sooner but Life happened, though I’m so glad I had this heartwarming book waiting for me when I was ready for it 🫶 could not have read this at a more perfect time, especially with the message of allowing yourself to have faith and let go. 10/10 book, absolutely going on my all-time favorites list.

This was a cute found-family supernatural teen romance with heart. I really enjoyed all the characters: disbelieving and cautious Ellery, and warm and excitable Knox, and weird and loveable and bouncy Charlie and calm and collected Zeta, but also the minor characters. Lorelai and especially the sullen Bram. I really enjoyed how he started coming around by the end. And the more sinister side characters as well. They were very well done and very satisfying to dislike.

The plot was a little simpler than I usually prefer in a fantasy, though it worked well for a romance. The setting of a 5-year-long endless winter was unique and I felt like it was used well. The characters were always cold, the farms were struggling to survive and had to build greenhouses, the town was slowly dying. It was a bleak and empty and cold and eerie setting that worked really well as a backdrop for a supernatural romance.

The last quarter felt weaker than the rest, and a lot of the confrontations were a little lackluster. I just wanted a bit more from it.

The audiobook was really well done and helped draw me into the story and keep me there. The narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life. They were pleasant to listen to and gave all the characters easily recognizable voices.

*Thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books for providing an early copy for review.

First, let me say that Knox is a complete green flag with all the golden retriever vibes!! I fell in love with him almost immediately. Innocent, teasing, supportive, loyal, with a slight protective streak? Mark him down as one of the best book boyfriends. <3 But let me back up a bit.....

Otherwordly is set in a world that still believes in Gods and Goddesses. I almost felt as if we took Ancient Roman beliefs and plopped it in a modern setting. It was fun. My only real criticism is I felt the start was little slow, even though I know it was necessary to introduce the driving force of the plot. However, once it got going, I didn't want to put it down.

Additionally, the alternating viewpoints were beautifully done and I could easily tell Knox's voice from Ellery's. Speaking of Ellery, they were a tougher nut for me. I had a hard time coming to like them, and at first it bothered me, because Knox was so wonderful. But the more I thought about it, that was kind of genius on the author's part. Ellery is very much shut down and closed off from the world. They had no desire to mix with people or make friends. They simply wanted to exist. It's not until Knox literally barrels into them that they're more or less forced to come out of their shell. Like the sun melting the snow when winter finally ended, Knox's brilliant and bubbly personality made him the perfect person to thaw Ellery's heart.

Following these two and their growing attachment to each other, laid over the increasingly dangerous task of trying to save the city, and supported by a bunch of equally interesting and charming characters, was so perfect and precisely what I needed. This was my first FT Lukens book and I'm happy to report that it won't be my last! I'd gladly recommend this to friends, family, and patrons at work who are looking for themes of found family, believing in your own self worth, and just a good wholesome paranormal teen romance.