Such a charming adventure and so well worth the read. I don't often read middle grade/YA picks but this really drew me in. If you like unique and whimsical fantasy world building, coming-of-age stories and soft romance, this is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I wish this book were split into two! The world is enchanting and the magic is intriguing. The mystery was resolved creatively, but the pacing felt rushed. I wish I could learn more about the magic and different worlds.

Okay, so, this was different. In a good way. I don't read a lotttttt of dark/mystery-type romantasy books, but this was good. I also don't read a whole lot of young adult books either, but again, this was good. It actually made me reconsider my hold-ups with the genres. Emily Taylor clearly thought very long and hard on how to execute the Otherwhere Post, and it truly pays off. I am a sucker for an academic setting so this was already off to a good start, but what really intrigued me was how engaging it was. I was never bored. I was kept on my toes, and it didn't end. The slow burn was slow, but it was worth it. Simple.

Emily Taylor, keep writing, thank you and please :)

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the ARC!

I loved this book! Sometimes you just need a cozy dark academia stand alone to get you out of a slump. Rivals to lovers, a deep conspiracy, unique magic system, ALL SO GOOD! I loved the redemption arc Maeve went through for her family, and how she just wanted her name to be cleared. Tristian and her are such a cute couple too! Ah, this is such a great stand alone.

While The Otherwhere Post started out a little slow to world build and give background knowledge, it soon moved ahead at full steam with adventure at each turn. Maeve was brave, determined to clear her father's name from a crime he did not commit. As she worked through his secrets, she made wonderful friends and met her love along the way. This book was filled with mystery, adventure, and hope.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would! I haven’t read a ton of fantasy but this YA fantasy was very entertaining and I found myself getting really caught up in the story.

I liked that there wasn’t a ton of in depth world building because sometimes that makes me read the books slower. I was really invested in the characters and what was happening in the story and I couldn’t wait to find out the conclusion.

I will definitely be reading more from this author.

The Otherwhere Post was fully of mysteries, secrets, and magic. I loved the world building and the magic system—both of which were intriguing enough to have me turning pages to learn more. However, not every element of the story was a success for me. The female main character felt very flat to me. She wanted something and lied to get it and then when things didn’t work out perfectly, she ran without regard for anyone else—and did not change throughout the book. It’s like an older teen making younger teen choices while being put in new adult situations. Plus, the ending of the story wrapped up way too quickly and neatly following the absolute disaster of uncovering all of the secrets and conspiracies. There was potential for something extraordinary in The Otherwhere Post, but for me it missed the mark overall. The universe and magic system is what kept me going and had me reading until the end. Put simply, I enjoyed parts of the story but overall feel that The Otherwhere Post was not for me.

I’m here for the magic system, world, mystery, and friends. I will point out that our FMC steals someone’s academic work and impersonates them without any significant negative effects.

# The Otherwhere Post
# 3/22/2025 ~ 3/22/2025
# 4.0 / 5.0

Thank you G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the digital arc via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Otherwhere Post is a fun YA, dark academia, fantasy, mystery with a bit of romance! The magic system is unique and the worldbuilding pulled me right into the story. The characters are all keeping some secrets, making it hard to know who to trust, not just for Maeve but for the reader too. With a secret identity, mysterious pasts, and magical threats, there are plenty of mysteries to unravel. Tristan is by far my favorite character because he's just GOOD. He's always there to help and support Maeve, even knowing she's keeping her true identity secret, and despite the jokes he makes about that, he keeps her secrets to himself. I also love the friendships and found family elements to this book, especially as Maeve has no family of her own left. Overall, it's an interesting story with great characters, plenty of twists, and lots of dark academia/magic vibes that will keep you engaged throughout.

This is a great choice for teens interested in fantasy books and a good example of YA books that would interest adult readers as well!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Knowing how much I loved Hotel Magnifique, I was super excited for this book. The premise, the magic, the story and characters all sounded amazing when I first read the synopsis. And I liked it. But I didn’t love it. There were a few things that I felt could’ve been done better or differently, and a few things I did enjoy.

What didn’t work?
For starters, it took me three months to finish it. I have never in my life taken so long to finish a book. I *almost* DNFed this one because it just took so long to become interesting.

Second, I didn’t really like Maeve’s character. She felt rude at times, paranoid at others, and then just plain unwilling to see what was right in front of her face. She didn’t feel real to me. I did like Tristan. I also liked Nan, but I feel like she could’ve been more fleshed out so she didn’t feel like such a cliche when put beside Maeve.

Again with Maeve, I don’t really understand what her father’s supposed crimes have to do with her. I don’t mean to be unfeeling, I know we’re told early on that she was bullied as a child for it, but plenty of people have parents in prison and they don’t start living under fake identities. It just felt extreme. It’s someone else’s crime, so why would she be punished for it?

I loved the magic system, but I feel like we’re told very little about it and it’s not well explained. I guess I was hoping we would learn more about scriptomancy *with* Maeve (kind of like an alternate Hogwarts), but she always ends up going off and doing her own thing and trying to avoid people. It got downright annoying at times.

Next, while I liked Tristan’s character, I don’t feel like his relationship with Maeve made sense. Once they agreed they liked each other, they skipped right over any friendship and straight into making out, which I think we can all agree is not the best foundation for any relationship.

So, end of the day, 2.5 stars rounded up for this one. Just wasn’t my cup of tea.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Now, Maeve Abenthy, come and have a seat by my worktable and roll up your sleeve."


The Otherwhere Post was such a good book. In this, you will meet Maeve. She is about 19 years old and is not living her best life. Not only because she can't tell anyone who she truly is, but because everyone in the world thinks her dad is a murderer and a traitor. So, when she finds out that someone thinks he was framed, she drops everything to find a way to this mysterious person.

Maeve was definitely put through the wringer. Being an orphan most of your life definitely makes you skeptical about people. It's hard to know who you can or can't trust. This alone throws her into situations where she just needs to be vague to be safe. There are just a few people she didn't prepare for: Tristan, Nan, and Shea.

Tristan immediately knows that she's lying about who she is. He frequently calls her an imposter but never gives her up. Along the way, they build a slow romance and he eventually learns the truth about her. As for Nan, she is her roommate. She constantly pushes her away but she eventually becomes pretty good friends with her. Then there's Shea, who is not a fan of Tristan but eventually warms up to him.

Together, they work out a plan to try and help figure out who was behind destroying a town seven years ago. With so many suspects, it was hard to see who did it and what the actual motivation was. Sure, we had some clues along the way and it was very interesting how they solved everything.

The magic within this world was very entertaining. I had lots of questions and received answers along the way. I also enjoyed the romance blooming between Tristan and Maeve. If I could, I would wish for another book just to see how everyone is doing. Like a little novella to maybe state they are all thriving and living their best lives. And maybe, just maybe, the villain is not thriving still.

This was such an engaging book. I was invested from the very first chapter. The world and the magical system was so unique and unlike anything I have ever read about bef0re.
I really enjoyed the dark academia aspect of this book, although the academic side of things was somewhat pushed to the side, it was still important to the plot.
Of course the romance was also perfect, I was invested in Maeve and Triston's relationship from the get go and really enjoyed watching the two characters grow and develop throughout the story.
I would have loved even more information and backstory about the world as I found it somewhat lacking at times, but overall I really enjoyed my time in this world.

The Otherwhere Post is the new book from Emily J. Taylor

"Years ago, Maeve lost everything - her world, her father , her name. Now she moves from place to place living under a fake name. She gets a letter telling that her father was innocent. She poses as an apprentice for the Otherwhere Post to be trained in scriptomancy - the magic that allows her to enchant letters. It feels like her secret will be found out soon and she may have to sacrifice everything to unravel the mystery."

The world building is gradual and unique. Maeve is a morally gray character that's easy to pull for. There's good pace in the writing and plenty of twists.

Good for fans of dark academia.

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J Taylor
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Maeve has been living her life constantly on the move. Seven years ago her life was upended when her father commited a horrible crime. When she receives a letter from someone claiming her father was innocent, it sets her on a quest to learn more about that night and what her father was working on.
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What I liked:
-I was invested from the first chapter! Especially once Maeve got that letter, I was ready to prove papa innocent!
-I loved the world in this standalone fantasy! This is my second book by this author and she is superb at building such neat and intriguing fantasy worlds that just fascinate me.
-The mystery of who set up papa was really great, and I loved following all the clues laid out.
-The found family was lovely. I was so glad when Maeve finally let her friends in and decided to trust them. 🥹
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Such a fun read! If you like fantasy but don’t want to commit to a longer series, then The Otherwhere Post is a great book to add to your TBR.

If you're a fan of dark academia with actual homework, mysterious magical jobs, and protagonists who make just enough poor decisions to keep things spicy, The Otherwhere Post might be your next favorite read.

Let’s start with the magic system: scriptomancy—magic through the written word—is such a clever twist that felt instantly intuitive. No dense lectures or pages of exposition required. Just pens, parchment, and a healthy respect for the dangers of enchanted mail. It’s fresh, fun, and perfect for readers who love magic that blends seamlessly with story.

Maeve Abenthy is a determined, complex heroine trying to reclaim her past while staying undercover. She’s not perfect (honestly, she’s a bit of a hot mess at times), but that’s part of her charm. You want her to succeed, even as she digs herself deeper into deception.

And then there’s Tristan—grumpy, broody, maddeningly perceptive. He’s the perfect foil to Maeve’s impulsiveness, and their tense mentor-apprentice dynamic brings a delicious slow burn to the story. Trust issues? Check. Secret identities? Double check. That kind of chemistry that simmers in stolen glances and pointed silences? Oh yes.

Add in:
🕯️ A brooding academic setting where the shadows have secrets
📦 Portal fantasy vibes (who doesn’t love a door to the unknown?)
✉️ Threatening letters that escalate the stakes

The pacing was solid, the world-building intriguing, and the central mystery kept me guessing just enough. If I had one tiny gripe, it’s that some of the side characters could’ve used more page time—but honestly, I was so wrapped up in Maeve’s journey I barely noticed.

Final verdict: The Otherwhere Post is smart, suspenseful, and spellbinding—perfect for readers who love a mashup of magic, mystery, and morally gray choices. Emily J. Taylor delivered an imaginative ride, and I’m already looking forward to what’s next in this world.

Rating: 2.5

The world building was nonexistent in this book. If the author would have done a better job of describing the world and making the plot make any kind of sense, this could have been a lot better. The romance was ok, but it was lacking in that department too.

The worldbuilding in here is fantastic! It’s so well thought out, truly. I was engaged the entire time.

This was SUCH a fun read. The perfect mix of witchy magic, mystery and enchantment, riveting twists, and rich character development and world-building, this is definitely not just for YA audiences but for any reader who’s a fan of this kind of mysterious, slightly dangerous, captivating + fantastical adventure.

Divine Rivals x Sorcery of Thorns. This is a perfect example of soft dark academia, which is a phrase I've only heard a few times but I really like. The slow burn was satisfying, the story is uplifting, and the world is easy to imagine. Plus Tristan is the ideal love interest.

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor is a fast-paced fantasy about Maeve, a girl on a mission to prove her father’s innocence after he’s blamed for a magical disaster. She goes undercover at the mysterious Otherwhere Post, where letters can travel between worlds using a special kind of magic. As Maeve uncovers secrets and faces growing danger, she learns more about herself and the truth behind her father’s past. With its mix of mystery, magic, and heart, this book is an exciting and imaginative read.