Rockstar Book Tours presents... OTHERWORLDLY by F.T. Lukens - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the OTHERWORLDLY by F.T. Lukens Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway before you check it the rest of the tour!

 

OTHERWORLDLY

by  F.T. Lukens

Pub. Date: April 2, 2024

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 352

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/OTHERWORLDLY

A skeptic and a supernatural being make a crossroads deal to achieve their own ends only to get more than they bargained for in this lively young adult romantic adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of Spell Bound and So This Is Ever After.

Seventeen-year-old Ellery is a non-believer in a region where people swear the supernatural is real. Sure, they’ve been stuck in a five-year winter, but there’s got to be a scientific explanation. If goddesses were real, they wouldn’t abandon their charges like this, leaving farmers like Ellery’s family to scrape by.

Knox is a familiar from the Other World, a magical assistant sent to help humans who have made crossroads bargains. But it’s been years since he heard from his queen, and Knox is getting nervous about what he might find once he returns home. When the crossroads demons come to collect Knox, he panics and runs. A chance encounter down an alley finds Ellery coming to Knox’s rescue, successfully fending off his would-be abductors.

Ellery can’t quite believe what they’ve seen. And they definitely don’t believe the nonsense this unnervingly attractive guy spews about his paranormal origins. But Knox needs to make a deal with a human who can tether him to this realm, and Ellery needs to figure out how to stop this winter to help their family. Once their bargain is struck, there’s no backing out, and the growing connection between the two might just change everything.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

★ “Hints of both Shakespeare’s The Tempest and the CW television show Supernatural flavor this tale in Lukens’ hallmark fashion. Notably, in a genre that has recently favored older readers, this story is accessible to teens of all ages. Its broad appeal, engaging pacing, and quest-like plot structure (which features cameos from deities inspired by Greek mythology) create a transition point for younger teens comfortable with Rick Riordan Presents … This beautifully struck balance couples with a unique perspective on genre canon to create a light but nuanced story that will be a joy for teens.”– Booklist, starred review

 

“Lukens impresses with this romantic adventure starring a skeptic and an excitable liminal being … Lukens’s signature blend of complex yet accessible mythology, queer-normative worldbuilding, and high emotional stakes makes for a compulsively readable tale.”– Publishers Weekly

“An irresistible elixir of romance and suspense.”– Kirkus Reviews

 

“A nice touch of Midwestern spookiness underlines a tale of classic crossroads bargains, first (and maybe lasting) love, thinly veiled climate anxiety, and chosen family. The mythic and the realistic are well balanced, and the relationships between characters will win over even the most grudging of romantics. Prickly Ellery and fun-loving Knox are an adorable grumpy-sunshine pair, and Ellery’s chaotic cousin and her girlfriend, plus some supernatural figures, round out the background to their world-bridging romance. Largely angst-free, wryly funny, and emotionally satisfying, this novel is tailor-made for a Netflix adaptation.”– BCCB

 

 

I love the connections in this one, and even the broken paths some of them seem to follow. Ellery has a family, but lives apart from those immediately theirs for difference of opinions, or rather lost faith. They still keep in touch (sometimes), send money back to support the farm during this ten year winter (which is not always used as intended), and hold to a shred of hope, no matter how small, that one day things will return to normal. Knox is an unexpected, yet happy distraction, for both the rekindling of beliefs left behind as well as the eye candy. Hey, the world doesn't go round on persistence alone! 😉 Anyway, they come to need one another more than either ever imagined possible, and as they work towards an end that'll meet both their needs, the question remains... what about them? A ten year winter is detrimental to the environment and the livelihood of their town, but what about the heart?

If you're a Young Adult Fantasy fan, this book needs to be on your must read list...as well as the author's other works! For the story, for the characters, for the inclusiveness that is a common theme, the books welcome readers of all backgrounds, and identities, to enjoy a grand adventure through the pages. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

About the author...

F.T. Lukens (they/them) is a New York Times bestselling author of YA speculative fiction including the novels Spell Bound, So This Is Ever After and In Deeper Waters (2022 ALA Rainbow Booklist; Junior Library Guild Selection) as well as other science fiction and fantasy works. Their contemporary fantasy novel The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic was a 2017 Cybils Award finalist in YA Speculative Fiction and the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Gold Winner for YA fiction and won the Bisexual Book Award for Speculative Fiction. F.T. resides in North Carolina with their spouse, three kids, three dogs, and three cats.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

F.T. Lukens will be celebrating the launch of OTHERWORLDLY at Malaprop’s (Asheville, NC) on April 2 at 6:00pm ET. They will be joined in conversation by author Beth Revis. RSVP to attend (for free!) in-person or virtually here.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of OTHERWORLDLY, US Only.

Ends April 9th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to Rockstar Book Tours for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the publisher for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on this horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more..

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

3/25/2024	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
3/25/2024	Never Hollowed by The Stare	Excerpt
3/26/2024	Comic Book Yeti	Excerpt/IG Post
3/26/2024	@darkfantasyreviews	Excerpt
3/27/2024	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
3/27/2024	jlreadstoperpetuity	IG Post
3/28/2024	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
3/28/2024	Karma Zee Readz	Review/IG Post
3/29/2024	Nonbinary Knight Reads	Review/IG Post
3/29/2024	The Book Critic	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

4/1/2024	Ilovebooksandstuffblog	Review/IG Post
4/1/2024	onemused	IG Post
4/2/2024	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
4/2/2024	@lexijava	IG Review
4/3/2024	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
4/3/2024	A Bookish Dream	Review/IG Post
4/4/2024	A Backwards Story	Review/IG Post
4/4/2024	nerdophiles	Review/IG Post
4/5/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
4/5/2024	G’s Reading Spree	IG Review

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

We're all in this together... LONG GOES TO DRAGON SCHOOL by Helen H. Wu - REVIEW!

I know what you're thinking...

...why on earth are you featuring a book about SCHOOL when it's about to let out for the summer?

Well, for a couple of reasons actually...

...first, I just found out about it and HAD TO SHARE!

...second, the end of the school year is just as good as the beginning!

...third, it's not just about school...it's something much BIGGER!

So, class...do I have your attention now?  😉

Good because this review is now in session, and I'd like to direct your eyes front and center on today's ebook of choice...

Long Goes to Dragon School

by

Helen H. Wu

Illustrated by

Mae Besom

9781953458506

Yeehoo Press

Pub Date: March 21st, 2023

About the book...

Wrapped in Eastern and Western dragon lore, this fantasy tale celebrates perseverance, cultural inclusion, and self-discovery.

It’s the first day of Dragon School, where all the young dragons must learn how to harness their fire-breathing skills. Today’s lesson? Using it to cook food! All the dragons are excited to test their powers . . . except Long. Long is from the East and can only breathe out water. No matter how hard he huffs and puffs, he isn’t sure he can match his fire-breathing classmates. But will his talents be discovered? Or will Long find his own unique path to cooking-and to fitting in?

Amazon |Bookshop | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Target

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

🐉

This book was ADORABLE...in a totally cool, fire-breathing, and not-so-fire-breathing way!

From the illustrations to the story, the heritage shared and the lessons learned, there's a little something for every reader, from the tall to the small.

Long is just starting his school years, but from the first lesson, he already knows he's different.  It's hard enough growing up, and even harder starting out in school with a group of dragons you don't know, but finding something that sets you apart can really shake whatever confidence you had left!  Long doesn't give up though.  He's determined to show his classmates he can do everything they can do...sort of.  When his tricks and cover ups run out though, he does what he should have from the start, and the outcome...is so much better than he could have imagined!  I was so happy that the teacher dragon approached Long's talent the way that he did.  He made it so much easier for the other dragon kids to be open minded, accepting, and just plain impressed, when it could have gone a totally different way.  It built Long's confidence to because he saw that being different isn't bad.  It's just one of the many things that goes into making him the interesting, wonderful little dragon he is!

A great read for story time with the family, or even in the classroom, as kiddos of all ages can relate to Long's feelings, and ultimately his success.  It might even help them brave new situations with more confidence, and share their true selves with the world more easily.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the author....

Helen H. Wu is a children’s book author and illustrator, as well as a translator and publisher. She is the author of TOFU TAKES TIME. Fascinated by the differences and similarities between cultures, Helen loves to share stories that can empower children to understand the world and our connections. Helen resides in San Diego, California, with her family and two kids. Find her at helenhwu.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the illustrator...

Mae Besom is an award-winning artist whose books include New York Times bestsellers WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN IDEA? and WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A CHANCE?. Mae uses traditional media, pencil and watercolor to create texture and light within her enchanting illustrations. Mae lives in Chongqing, China.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to Helen Wu, author and publisher at Yeehoo Press, for the ecopy for review. (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or the illustrator, feel free to click through the links above.  This title celebrated its BOOK BIRTHDAY March 21st, 2023, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!