I knew I was going to love this because I adored Hotel Magnifique, but it still surprised me with how captivating it was. The world, the mysteries, and the romance were all just perfection. I’m giving it a full 5 ⭐️ and it was one of my favorites of the year so far.

I highly recommend giving this one a go if you loved Divine Rivals, it gives so much of those vibes but in a dark academia setting, and it filled that void for me so well.

Thank you so much to Penguin Young Readers and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

There was a lot I enjoyed about this one. The world building was fascinating. It was definitely an enjoyable read. Liked it much more than he debut.

Title: The Otherwhere Post
Author: Emily J. Taylor
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Review:
Emily J. Taylor delivers another spellbinding tale with The Otherwhere Post—a story that is equal parts mystery, magic, and emotional depth. From the start, I was captivated by the concept of scriptomancy, a beautifully imaginative magic system where power is embedded in writing and letters become enchanted vessels that can travel between worlds.

Maeve is a relatable and determined protagonist, navigating a dangerous path to uncover the truth about her father while hiding secrets of her own. The story’s pacing is tight, the writing vivid, and the tension between Maeve and her enigmatic mentor adds just the right amount of character-driven drama. I was completely hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down.

With its richly imagined world and emotionally resonant core, The Otherwhere Post is a must-read for fans of atmospheric YA fantasy and unique magic systems.

Would I recommend it?
Absolutely—especially for readers who enjoyed Hotel Magnifique or are drawn to stories where words carry literal power and secrets unfold with every turn of the page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

The Otherwhere Post was a really solid read. I enjoyed it, but some things kept me from completely loving it.

The magic was very cool and felt fresh. I haven't read a magic system like this before and enjoyed learning about it. Honestly, I wish we had gotten even more information because I found it fascinating, but what we did get satisfied me. It felt well thought out and was introduced in a way that wasn't too jarring or confusing. Learning about it in an academic setting really helped with understanding what was going on, as did the fact that our main character was learning alongside the other students. She knew some things from her father, but much of the information was also new to her, which helped with my comprehension.

The world-building was interesting, but I was looking for more. I was confused about how the worlds work since they're essentially piled on top of one another and the fact that there are more worlds that we hear about only briefly. Are those also stacked? How exactly does that work? Does everything have to be the exact same at all times, like buildings and such? I don't want to spoil anything, but the ending gave me even more questions about these worlds. Actually, the ending gave me more questions about everything. I was horribly confused. I think I may have just had a hard time picturing what was happening, and unfortunately, the descriptions weren't helping.

To stick to my theme of unfortunate-ness, I was more interested in the side characters than our main character, Maeve, and would have liked to see more of them. It's not that she was uninteresting, per se; it just felt like everything went her way all the time. It was too easy. Even the things that went wrong, she could correct quite quickly. Of course, I never want characters to suffer, but it would have been nice to see a bit of a struggle. The ease with which she moved about the plot made the stakes fall dramatically. I knew she could overcome whatever was happening within a chapter. By the end of the story, my investment was reaching an all-time low. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the plot, but it made everything feel less gripping than it should have.

If you're looking for an interesting story with a fascinating magic system, you should definitely give The Otherwhere Post a try.

I received an advanced copy of The Otherwhere Post from Netgalley and the publisher and am leaving this review voluntarily.

#TheOtherwherePost takes you into a magical realm of writing, where if you are able to scribe you can travel to the other worlds to deliver the mail.
Years ago there were three magical doors that you could enter anytime of the day and go visit one of the other worlds for leisure or work. Tragedy struck one day in the form of the Aldervine a plant that takes over and easily destroys worlds. Now only 2 worlds are able to be visited but the doors are no longer able to be used and only those adept at scribing are allowed to cross into the other worlds.

Maeve Abenthy has spent her life running and hiding after that day when the Aldervine ruined so many lives and according to so many others the day that her father Jonathon Abenthy released the Aldervine and helped create mass havoc. Finally post from when the doors fell is making it out to the recipients years later and she receives a letter stating that her father may be innocent after all.

Deteremined to get into The Otherwhere Post Maeve manipulates her way in to the school only to find that there are still more obstacles in the way to her finding what she needs. Along the way she meets Tristan who seems to always be in the wrong place at the right time, saving her consistantly. He right away catches on that she is not who she says she is but doesn't push for her to tell him. Deciding instead because he is curious that he will help her. Quickly though the answers that she is seeking become very dangerous and lives are put at risk once again by yet another Abenthy.

I want to thank #Netgalley for the chance to read an eArc of #TheOtherwherePost by #EmilyJ.Taylor in return for a fair and honest review.

Everything in Maeve Abenthy’s life changed seven years ago. On that fateful day her father died, her world was destroyed, and she was forced to flee; she even has to hide her true identity because everyone thinks it was her father who released the Aldervine that destroyed their world and put its citizens into a perpetual sleep. Then one day she receives a letter that changes everything: Your father was innocent. Determined to clear her father’s name, Maeve poses as an apprentice for the Otherwhere Post where she will learn scriptomancy, a powerful magic that enchants letters and allows the couriers to travel between worlds. As Maeve begins her training, and her investigation, she starts to receive threatening letters telling her to stop the investigation into her father…or else…

Full of magical realism, incredible world-building, mystery and romance, The Otherwhere Post is an enjoyable YA novel that I was excited to read after having read Hotel Magnifique. There were times when it was a little slow going, and I personally could have done without the abundance of romance, but when things really got going I was hooked and on the edge of my seat. The characters are interesting and relatable; I really admired Maeve’s desire to clear her father’s name and her willingness to do what she has to in order to accomplish that, as well as her overall desire to do what is right. I also liked Maeve’s mentor, Tristan. He has a sassy, rebel element to him that I found refreshing and I liked the dynamic between him and Maeve.

I absolutely loved this booked! Maeve’s story had me hooked from the beginning. She takes on scriptomancy amazingly and the whole story left me wanting more! I love Tristan so much also. He really steps up in his role. I definitely would read more from this world and these characters!

Set in a world whose magic system, scriptomancy, uses inked words to rein in and drive magic, this YA dark fantasy combines elements of mystery, dark academia, and romance. The romance is slow-burn and chaste, the mystery's revelations are well-paced, and the dark academia generates its share of trauma. Main character Maeve sets out to learn who really committed the crime that her deceased father was unjustly blamed for. She'll have to pose as an apprentice for the Otherwhere Post, the magical postal system for which couriers must be highly trained and skilled. Not so much trained as gifted with wit and gumption, Maeve is both unconventional and unrelenting in her quest to prove her father's innocence and restore his reputation. It's a fun book even as it deals with underlying loss and trauma. I imagine there will be further chronicles set along the Otherwhere Post's magical mail routes.
3.5 stars
[Thanks to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for an opportunity to read and share my opinion of this book.]

A magical post office that delivers letters between worlds! I loved the atmosphere of this novel. Dark academia vibes while uncovering a mystery.

Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I really enjoyed thr characters and thier sesrch for answers and justice. The combination of historical style fiction mixed with magical realism with a touch of romance was perfectly done. Looking forward to see where Maeve and Tristan go from here.

The Otherwhere Post - Emily J. Taylor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 📬 Dark academia with magical mail vibes

Okay, so I just finished this book in both audio and eARC format, and can we talk about how Emily J. Taylor just DELIVERS? (Mail pun totally intended!) This was my first time reading anything by her, and I'm officially a fan.

The plot moves at a nice clip - Maeve's on the run from her father's alleged crimes, then BAM - mysterious letter claiming he's innocent. Cue her infiltrating a magical postal service to uncover the truth! And don't even get me started on Tristan - he's giving grumpy-mentor-with-secret-softy-vibes who sees through Maeve's lies from day one but still ends up helping her? The tension between these two is *chef's kiss* - watching him go from "you're-clearly-lying-and-I-don't-trust-you" to protective ally had me LIVING. The romance builds naturally (no insta-love here, folks), and I loved watching their relationship evolve from reluctant colleagues to something more.

Let's break down what made this such a fun read:
🔮 The magic system is *chef's kiss* accessible - scriptomancy (magic through writing!) feels fresh and doesn't require a PhD to understand
📚 Dark academia aesthetic that actually involves STUDYING (shocking, I know)
🚪 Portal fantasy elements that give major "what lies beyond?" energy
👩‍💼 Maeve is giving determined-but-flawed protagonist who makes questionable choices but you still root for her
🧐 Tristan is the grumpy mentor we all secretly want (bespectacled and snarky? YES PLEASE)

If you're into Divine Rivals, this hits similar notes but with its own unique vibe. There are a few too-convenient plot moments in the second half, but honestly? I was having too much fun to mind.

Perfect for readers who:
- Love magic systems with rules that make sense
- Enjoy YA that doesn't talk down to its audience
- Crave that "sneaking around forbidden areas" thrill
- Want characters that feel like real people

This is definitely YA-friendly (14+ due to some darker/intimate moments). Sometimes you just need a magical postal service adventure in your life, you know?

For seven years, Maeve Abenthy has been hiding. She’s been hiding her true identity, moving from place to place to evade anyone connecting her to the horrific crimes of her father. But now she’s just received a letter that could change everything: the anonymous sender simply tells her, Your father was innocent.

Everyone knows Jonathan Abenthy was responsible for the loss of many people’s lives and access to a whole world. But what if he wasn’t the guilty party? Maeve could come out of hiding. So she steals an identity and poses as an Otherwhere Post apprentice. She’ll learn scriptomancy, the same art her father trained in, and be able to access the other world that is still open to couriers. It’s only accessible to couriers who know how to enchant letters and other writing and deliver them to the recipients of those letters. She doesn’t want to really become a courier, but the magic training and access to old records will just get her enough skills and information to find out the truth.

Unfortunately, of course, even as she tries to lay low at the training program, her friendly roommate will just not leave her be. Worse, a skilled mentor with high-up connections in the scriptomancy world won’t ignore her either. She simply cannot make friends and endanger either those friends or her quest. Because not long into her investigations, she begins to receive threatening letters. Finding the truth could cost Maeve her life.

I so enjoyed this world where some people can use writing to harness different types of magic. The story is a good mystery, and the relationships slowly blossom over the course of the book. Maeve is prickly but understandably so, and it’s rather nice to see her let other people in as she slowly learns to trust.

If you’re looking for a clean and fairly low-intensity magical story, The Otherwhere Post suits very well.

Wow, I was honestly surprised to find how awesome this book was! The premise not only sounded interesting but unique. I loved how well written this story was as well as how great the world building was. The mystery was intriguing and the fantasy was well crafted and not difficult to follow. What a great mix of mystery, fantasy, and romance. Yes, the romance here HITS! You would think with so many genres this book would be convoluted and suffer an identity crisis, but no, they all worked seamlessly well together. A compelling and captivating tale that I highly recommend!

The magic system was interesting, using ink to create spells. To be able to travel between different worlds using these spells. The spread of a strange plant that destroyed one of the worlds. The mystery of what happened to Maeve’s father and why he was blamed for this mass destruction.

The romance wasn’t particularly enjoyable and I could have done without it. The pacing was slow at times, then too fast. The tension built and dissolved and never really became what it could have been. I didn’t really care for the characters at all. Parts of the narrative were interesting, like the magic system, Maeve attempting to join the academy through theft and lies. The middle and end bits just didn’t feel as cohesive or enjoyable.

I wouldn't classify this book as dark academia, which was what first drew me to the book. It didn’t have enough academics to be classified as such, glossing over the classes and giving Maeve innate skills so she hardly needed the classes anyway. The setup was glorious and intriguing but I lost interest after classes really started.

I wasn't able to get into this book. I read about 50% in and just couldn't finish. I think if I read it more in the fall then I would of devoured this book. I was so excited for it :(

Absolutely loved this book. It had great pacing, wonderful writing, relatable and funny characters, an adorable mmc, and the perfect balance of mystery and suspense. It felt so whimsical and eerie at the same time and it held my attention the whole time. I'm recommending to everyone.

I really enjoyed this book. It has a lot of mystery and an interesting storyline. Maeve receives a letter stating that her father is innocent. He had been framed for murder. As she gets deeper into the mystery things get dangerous for her as she becomes wanted for posing as an apprentice. She's learning the art of scriptomancy which will allow her to deliver letters to other worlds and dive into the mystery of her father. I couldn't put it down.

I unfortunately had to DNF this book. The writing style felt a bit too immature for my taste. I found myself struggling to stay engaged.

3.5 stars
What a fun blend of dark academia vibes, magic, and slow-burn romance! The scriptomancy magic system is really unique and what kept me sucked into the book. I did enjoy the mystery aspect too, but the pacing was a little too slow at times for my taste. I often found myself wishing that I could learn more about the worlds/schooling/etc. as well. Overall, this was a really fun read with lots of opportunity for other books to dive deeper into the other worlds (I hope!).

4.5 stars
I had previously read Hotel Magnifique by the same author and really enjoyed her creativity in the worldbuilding element of her books. The concepts are unique but not foreign which is the perfect middle ground for an avid reader that knows what she likes. The writing style and content fits right into the YA genre.
I sat down and finished The Otherwhere Post in 24 hours and could not stop thinking about it the next day at work. I love what the characters' friendships evolve into but I think for a protagonist as distrustful and deceitful as Maeve there should have probably been more bond building between her and Nan for example. There is a mystery built into this story of a girl trying desperately to make her way through the world while running full speed away from her past. As the mystery unravelled I think it began to fall apart too quickly, the ideas of who to point fingers at and the different “ah-hah” moments were great but I think the pacing needed to slow down.
I love Tristan, I love the concept of scriptomancy, I love the academia aspect of it. So many things I love shoved into one stand alone book. Honestly most of my gripes with this book could be solved by having it be longer or split into a series, so that these great concepts and characters could get all the way fleshed out. At the end of the day a standalone fantasy will always be refreshing in a world full of 8 book series but that won't stop me from wanting more!
Highly recommend both this book and Hotel Magnifique and look forward to reading more by this author in the future!