The Otherwhere Post
by Emily J. Taylor
YA Fantasy
NetGalley eArc
Pub Date: Feb 25, 2025
Penguin
Ages: 14+

A world where the citizens could travel between three worlds through doorways until seven years ago. Those doorways were burned, leaving the people in one of the worlds for dead. Now, the other two can only communicate through letters delivered by the Otherwhere Post, people trained in the art of scriptomancy, the magic that allows them to enchant letters and travel between the two worlds.

But Maeve Abenthy is in hiding because her father committed a crime so bad that she would be punished for it, but then a letter was delivered to her telling her that he was innocent.

To uncover the truth she poses as an apprentice for the Otherwhere Post and to use what she learns to find the sender of the letter.


A semi-unique story, though I got Potter vibes with the setting being in a school with lectures, sneaking out into town, and a few other things, but the doorways and the 'mail' system were unique, and with a little more descriptions and history would have given it a lot more depth.

The first chapter started off slow, but with the revealing of her father's crime gave it a nice shock factor and got my attention. There were some really great descriptions, 'a hole in her father's shirt', that connected the reader with the scenes. I just wish there had been more history and a deeper dive into the magic with in the first few chapters.

This was a great and quick read, easy to follow. There was some violence and a bit of blood, but I still think this book is suitable for readers fourteen and older.

There is a lot of world and magic in this book so I can see it becoming a series, which I would be interested in continuing.

4 Stars

The Otherwhere Post
by Emily J. Taylor
Pub Date: Feb 25 2025

Seven years ago, Maeve Abenthy lost everything: her world, her father, even her name. Desperate to escape the stain of her father’s crimes, she lives under a fake name, never staying in one place long enough to put down roots.

Then she receives a mysterious letter with four impossible words: Your father was innocent.

To uncover the truth, she poses as an apprentice for the Otherwhere Post, where she’ll be trained in the art of scriptomancy—the dangerous magic that allows couriers to enchant letters and deliver them to other worlds. But looking into her father’s past draws more attention than she’d planned.

Her secretive, infuriatingly handsome mentor knows she’s lying about her identity, and time is running out to convince him to trust her. Worse, she begins to receive threatening letters, warning her to drop her investigation—or else. For Maeve to unravel the mystery of what happened seven years ago, she may have to forfeit her life.

This was lovely and intriguing. What a creative, interesting world! I am content with one book, but I wouldn't be upset if the author wrote something else in this setting.

Once again, this story was a surprise and blissful read for me. I loved her first book and own it. This author has the most beautiful writing & grips me every time. I highly recommend 10/10

The Otherwhere Post was a read that fell a little out of my comfort zone. I am so, so glad I read it anyway! This book was dark and magical and whimsical and twisted and mysterious. I wish I could read this for the first time again.

I really enjoyed this book! I knew the villain was not going to be who our girl thought it was, but I didn't guess until the end who it truly was. I enjoyed the romance aspects of the book and I love that it was a bit of a slow burn. This book has all the ingredients for an excellent read, a little adventure, a touch of romance and a mystery to solve. I truly enjoyed this book, and definitely recommend it!!

This was magical! The setting, the characters, the plot - I loved it all. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I won’t, but this was so gripping that I read it in a weekend, which is new for me. Thank you!

The Otherwhere Post is a Dark academia that also has a tragic whodunit and the twists and turns are well played. The magical system and the world building is unique enough to kept me engaged. I do hope to see more world building in another installment there is a lot you can unpack here (if the author decides to do that).
This book also has plenty of action and a mystery to solve so there’s definitely enjoyable layers to the plot. The characters are relatable but flawed. The book is a tad bit overwhelmed by secondary characters and it is difficult keeping them straight. However, overall it’s a great read and I enjoyed it immensely.

The Otherwhere Post's enigmatic premise and captivating atmosphere drew me right into its strange, dark universe. I was immediately captivated by Maeve Abenthy's mission to clear her father's name. The idea of a lady who has lost everything, including her identity, is really captivating, and I was eager to follow her path. From the very first page, the stakes felt extremely high, and I adored Taylor's methodical unraveling of the mystery surrounding Maeve's history.

Scriptomancy, the magic system used in this novel, is among the most unusual aspects of fantasy that I have encountered. In addition to being fanciful and risky, the notion of using enchanted letters to transport them between realms gave the narrative a whole new dimension. I found it fascinating how this magic related to the greater mystery Maeve was attempting to unravel while she was training to be a courier for the Otherwhere Post. I kept turning the pages because of the way it combined danger, adventure, and intrigue to make me curious about what would happen next.

The relationship between Maeve and her mentor was one of my favorite elements of The Otherwhere Post. They are in a state of tension, filled with mistrust and secrets, but they are also beginning to respect one another. I was rooting for them to resolve their differences and find some common ground since their relationship was one of those slow burns. I was also on edge, trying to piece everything together with Maeve as the mystery grew and she started receiving those terrifying, threatening letters.

All things considered, The Otherwhere Post is a dark fantasy that skillfully combines mystery, magic, and a very personal search for the truth. I was completely engrossed in Maeve's adventure from beginning to end, and Emily J. Taylor has created a world that feels both magical and deadly. This novel is a must-read for readers who enjoy mysteries that keep you guessing, intricate characters, and well-developed worlds. This is one of those tales that will stay with you long after you've passed on.

I really enjoyed this one! Dark academia, a heart-wrenching whodunit, unique magic- all the elements of my favorite type of book!

Loved the magical element and the world(s) in this book! A super unique concept and it kept me riveted to the pages, just soaking in how everything worked. I do wish there had been a bit more world building but this wasn't an 800 page epic fantasy, so honestly it's probably adequate. The dark academia element is done really well in this one and I liked that it wasn't the *entire* plot of the story- there's still plenty of action and a mystery to solve.

The characters were relatable and all flawed. I liked that the MMC wasn't a complete heartthrob and was a little nerdy/disheveled- much more unique vibe than a lot of books lately! I do feel like there were a lot of secondary characters in this that were relatively surface level (why I took off 1 star) and I had a somewhat difficult time keeping them straight. I absolutely don't understand why Nan was on the side of the FMC because FMC was absolutely awful to her 90% of the time. *sigh*

Thanks to Netgalley and the author/publisher for this book!

I was really excited when I got an eARC of The Otherwhere Post, but was left a little disappointed by the novel.

I loved the idea of a writing-based magic system and traveling through different realms. However, I felt like this wasn't explored as much as I could have liked. While the magic system seemed to be fully fleshed out, only certain elements of it got any page time, leaving my understanding of it a little lopsided. The traveling between worlds was also scarcely utilized--aside from its necessity to the backstory, the story could have taken place in one world.

The gothic-type setting fit the story well. The plot was pretty good, though I would have preferred more foreshadowing of the true antagonist and more reasoning behind their actions.

To be perfectly honest, The Otherwhere Post left me wanting more from it. It was good, and there were certainly parts where I was very much engaged, but I don't see it being one I'll reread.

Cautions: I forgot to keep exact track, but there were around ten instances of swearing and blasphemy each. The romance was moderate, with several kisses. There is a scene where two characters are affected by a magical letter and start touching each other, though there's nothing explicit and it stops before they go too far. Brief hint that two characters might be lesbian. One scene where a character wears indecent clothing, non-descriptive. Semi-frequent mentions of characters drinking alcohol, and some scenes where a character is drunk. Moderate violence. I may have forgotten a caution.

I received an uncorrected proof ARC of The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor thanks to the publisher G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley.

I enjoyed the description of the book that is what drew me to want to read it. When you begin the book, you are thrown into a world with little world building and lots of confusion. We are quickly introduced to three “identical” worlds but the doors are burned and one is lost. I felt like the author tried to thrust me into Harry Potter but instead of wizards we have Scriptomancers. This book is intended for ages 12 and up but if I am confused as an adult how is this going to go over with the target audience? The book is slated to be 400 pages but a lot of the book feels like unnecessary filler to make a page count. I quickly lost interest in the book and had to take breaks. It took me 6 days to get through this book and I did not think the book progressed to anything good until about 60% through. The ending was very rushed while the whole first 60% of the book was drawn out. Overall, the ideas were there but the execution of the book as a whole just fell flat.

No friends, no family, never staying in one place for long, constantly looking over her shoulder and living under assumed names, Maeve Abenthy has been living hand to mouth ever since she ran away from that awful orphanage. When a mysterious letter reaches her after seven long years on the run saying that her father was innocent and not the monster the whole world thinks he was; Maeve sets out to discover the truth.
This escapist read is a wonderful YA fantasy mystery. You’ll get swept away into another world where people travel between worlds via enchanted doors and written words and special inks have power. You’ll be pulling for Maeve to succeed on her mission. It’s a thriller with a touch of romance too. I loved Maeve, Tristan, Nan and Shea and I think you will too. A great book to get lost in!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I thought the system of magic was very clever. Scriptomancy is the art of writing in such a way as to evoke a memory, travel through a "door" that wasn't there, or perform other feats of magic, but can only be learned at the Otherwhere Post, after attending a comprehensive letter writing program. Maeve Abenthy has been on the run/living in secret due to the fact that her father is reviled as the person who allowed the disastrous Alder Vine to destroy the magical gateways between realms and kill many people. She receives a letter stating that things may not be as they seem, so Maeve sets out to infiltrate the Otherwhere Post, learn the secrets of scriptomancy, and clear her fathers' name.

This story is full of delightful worldbuilding with extremely likable characters and a lot of action. I would fully recommend to readers of fantasy-this story is not to be missed!

In a grey, foggy realm filled with gothic architecture and political unrest, the tale of The Otherwhere Post begins. An orphaned girl hides her identity amongst the faces of an unfamiliar world, in order to pursue the truth concerning her father’s alleged crimes.

Emily J. Taylor is truly a master of atmospheric writing, instantly transporting you to her worlds. This time, giving us an atmosphere reminiscent of where dark academia might meet the magic of Harry Potter.

Atmospheric writing, however, is not Taylor’s only strength. The character building in her worlds shine through as well. The Otherwhere Post takes off as our main character, Maeve, sneaks her way into a magical university. The school is tasked in training potential otherwhere couriers in the art of scriptomancy (learning the art of magical writing and the ability to create doors to other worlds). She forges her way in, to find answers regarding a mysterious letter from an anonymous sender, claiming her father’s innocence. I’ll keep it spoiler free here, but the character development here was impressive.

Watching Maeve grow and discover the truths of the aldervine, her father’s life, and the history of the written doors and known worlds, was an absolute pleasure and adventure. I am formally begging for a sequel. A dual pov of Tristan and Maeve exploring worlds unknown would be a dream. IYKYK. 5 stars. I wish I could scribe away my memory and read it again for the first time.

3.5/5

What an interesting story! I admit though that while I enjoyed it the dark academia aspect does not normally hit quite right for me and this one snuck up on me. From the summary I expected more travel and not the stationary school setting I received. The scriptomancy magic was well developed though and I enjoyed learning about this new magic. Besides the magic I also had a good time reading the slow-burn, snarky romance, because that is my favorite type. I certainly look forwards to the official publication of this so I can give it another shot with a re-read and can definitely see a large audience loving it.

Writing this with all the love and intention in the world hoping it has the same impact as some of the letters we read about in this book!

As the daughter of a murderer Maeve had to have thick skin growing up but when a letter falls in her lap offering her hope to clear her fathers name and uncover the truth behind the great tragedy that uprooted her life she dusts off her best lies and works to uncover the truth before it’s too late.

This book felt a bit like Uprooted to me in premise with a world cut off as it’s eaten away by a creation that’s only mission is to destroy all it touches. I’ll admit some of the world building went over my head but the more I got into the book the easier it was to settle in to the story and connect to the characters even if I felt like I was scratching my head through some of the lore.

Speaking of characters Maeve is fantastic, her humor and resilience was one of the standouts for me and the back and forth between she and the rest of the group was so well done and I really enjoyed that the most. The spark of chemistry both romantic and platonic with this group she build along the way was very sweet and supportive in a way you hope to find yourself.

I found the magic system quite interesting and to relate back to some of my questions on how it all worked I do wish we had more insight into the mechanics and layers to the letters and couriers especially seeing how strong emotions and memories could be embedded into the writing I thought those moments were some of the best.

I have nothing but positives for this book and one that does well on its own or perhaps holds the key to an interesting collection of works.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

What a refreshing and unique plot. There was a lot promised in the plot summary and my expectations were high. The author fully delivered and I can't wait for everyone else to be able to read it. The magic system was revealed in an easy digestible way the writing is really great. The characters are fully developed and there are some really interesting themes of identity, leading reader's to reflect on their own lives and experiences. I will definitely be checking out other books by this author!

Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for an e-galley in exchange for a honest review. We follow 19-year old Maeve whose life was altered seven years prior due to a tragic event that claimed the lives of innocent people. Maeve was orphaned, but eventually escaped due to being bullied. Now to make it worse, she is the daughter to a notorious criminal who was blamed for the deaths of the innocent people. Maeve beings to change her name and constantly move around. One day, she receives a letter claiming her father is innocent and the sender is a friend of his. Maeve must find the person who sent the letter and begin to prove her fathers innocence, but with dangers and others out to get her. How far will Maeve get?

I really loved Hotel Magnifique and was so excited to read this latest from Taylor, but I just could NOT get into this one... I'm in the vast minority here, but I could not find my way into this story. I really liked the opening and the setup and was certain I'd find myself quickly lost in the magic of Taylor's writing again. Unfortunately, I struggled fairly early on to feel any connection to the characters. The world-building was spot-on - she is a master at crafting original concepts and universes - but the characters just felt off to me, like I was viewing them behind glass. There was no connection and no empathy, which made it hard for me to stay with them as the story developed.

It also felt a lot more school-based-YA than I tend to prefer. I am way past the age of high school, yet found the experiences in the scriptomancy school to feel very much like I was reading a high school/prep school YA novel, and that melodrama just isn't my cup of tea.

I think I was just the wrong reader for this one... I do still highly admire her ability to conjure worlds out of thin air, and will try again with her next novel!