Spell Bound
Ratings37
Average rating4
Super fun! I'm so glad I gave this author another try.
Consent is sexy! Especially when that consent is asked for before even touching/holding hands with someone. I loved how the characters were so aware of their and each other's boundaries and never crossed it.
My favourite was the cat
This book was an absolute joy to read and the relationship between our two Rook & Sun. Sun is non-binary & Rook is the biggest sunshine. The adventure, the plot, the drama and suspense of this book was truly top tier!
This was cute! I liked Rook and Sun and I love trans/nonbinary wizards. The characters are fun but the fantasy worldbuilding didn't totally hit for me, but, like, whatever, I had a good time.
Honestly what a fun read! I love a magic system and this one? Beautiful. The concepts? Beautiful. I enjoyed this so much.
My only problem with it was that I felt the pacing was a little off. I got to the last 20% or so and it picked up pace so quickly I was dizzy. That could just be a me thing though.
Overall, go pick this up! It is good!
Thank you @netgalley @ftlukens and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for letting me get an eARC for my honest review!
Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens releases April 4, 2023!
I absolutely loved this warm hug of a book. It was super fun, cute, easy to read and hard to put down. It's not exactly cozy fantasy but definitely has many elements of it. I loved the romance, the world, the magic, the characters, the found family!! Just everything, but read on if you want more deets!
F.T Lukens is back with another YA queer fantasy/romance novel that IMO is their best work since 2019's [b:Monster of the Week 51034376 Monster of the Week (The Rules, #2) F.T. Lukens https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1562393906l/51034376.SX50_SY75.jpg 67985740]. In a society where only people who can see ley lines have magical powers, the bureaucratic Consortium tightly controls the flow of information about magic and certifies the level of magic each sorcerer can cast. Rook is just an ordinary human, but after the death of his beloved magical grandmother, he yearns to to be magic-adjacent. He talks himself into a job as the assistant to Antonia Hex, a once-powerful sorcerer who has been reduced to low-level curse breaking after too many run-ins with the Consortium. Rook keeps crossing paths with her frenemy Fable Page, and their prickly apprentice Sun. Antonia enjoys flouting the Consortium rules as often as she can, while Fable is more cautious. But when both witches end up on the wrong side of the Consortium ire, it's up to Rook and Sun to rescue them. And perhaps change the rules so that magic is more readily available to everyone. I liked this book soooo much more than Lukens' 2022 release [b:So This Is Ever After 55545191 So This Is Ever After F.T. Lukens https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624819095l/55545191.SX50.jpg 86618059], primarily because the romance is a sweet, slow-burn, grumpy/sunshine pairing (instead of the annoying “in love with my best friend but can't tell him until almost the last page” trope in Ever After). It's easy to identify with Rook, who is looking for a sense of belonging that is forbidden by the Consortium. His enthusiasm and intelligence help him out of tight situations where his lack of magic could be a liability. And magic-sensitive Sun is antisocial, taciturn, and touch-averse but of course, they secretly like Rook and have their own unique way of showing affection. Best of all, their relationship development is a squee-worthy blend of tenderness, snark, humor, and just a bit of kissing.The world building is fine, not extraordinary, and the plot could be a lot tighter, but if you're in it for a swoony relationship you will not be disappointed. Extra stars for the special gray cat who makes an appearance at a critical point of the story. ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review.
Got an advanced unedited copy from my work and it was such luck! Absolutely loved the story. A cute, fluffy piece between a grumpy nonbinary person and a sunshine boy in a world of magic? All I've ever needed honestly. I love F.T Lukens' writing more and more ! A huge recommend.