Otherworldly

January 15, 2024
Lukens (Spell Bound) impresses with this romantic adventure starring a skeptic and an excitable liminal being. Despite their family’s continued beseeching of a goddess, nonbinary 17-year-old Ellery Evans no longer believes in anything supernatural, especially since having to move to Solis City following five years of unending winter that ravaged their family farm. Their certainty wavers, though, when they intervene in an assumed kidnapping to rescue Knox, a regular at their restaurant job. Knox explains that he’s a familiar who helps humans with their magical bargains and is being hunted by shades who want the elixir of life his previous patron brewed. To protect Knox, Ellery enters a magical bargain and promises to help Knox experience human life if Knox uncovers the cause behind the perpetual winter. Following a dangerous discovery, Knox is yanked back to the realm of the goddess and has his memories wiped of everything he experienced in Solis City, even Ellery, prompting them to concoct a bold plan. Lukens’s signature blend of complex yet accessible mythology, queer-normative worldbuilding, and high emotional stakes makes for a compulsively readable tale. Characters are intersectionally diverse. Ages 14–up.

March 1, 2024
In this Western mythology-inspired romance, a teen with a disdain for magic and an immortal familiar join forces to uncover the truth behind the relentless winter that devastates the region. Before endless winter destroyed their family's farm, 17-year-old Ellery Evans never questioned their parents' devotion to the supernatural, but after five years of unanswered prayers, Ellery lets go of their faith and moves in with Charley, their cousin who lives in the city, seeking a steady paycheck as a real solution to their family's problems. One night after work at the diner, they bump into Knox, the "hot weird guy" who never wears a coat when he picks up his takeout order. Danger follows in Knox's shadow. During his last five years in the human realm, his goddess has mysteriously ignored all his attempts to contact her. Now, he's hunted by her shades, who may be plotting against her. To stay in the human realm, Knox needs a contract with a human, or he'll be powerless to fight the shades. At first, Ellery teams up with Knox reluctantly, but a complicated attraction soon stirs between them. Amid looming, supernatural threats, Ellery confronts their insecurities over trusting others with the support of found family who challenge them to grow and affirm their self-worth. Both Ellery and Knox are cued white; Lukens' characters reflect racial diversity in the world around the leads. An irresistible elixir of romance and suspense. (Supernatural romance. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2024
Grades 7-11 *Starred Review* A deal with a trio of demon-adjacent beings at a crossroads results in one soul being collected and one sprite-like familiar, Knox, on the run with the secret of immortality in his pocket. Fortunately, Ellery, a nonbinary teen, stumbles upon Knox at the right moment. The pair signs a contract: Ellery agrees to tether Knox to their realm so he can do magic, while Knox will help Ellery discover the cause of the endless winter that keeps Ellery's family farm on the edge of failure. 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. Ellery's occasionally mercurial moods and complex feelings toward the family they are financially supporting and the romantically fascinating otherworldly being they rescued will resonate with older teens. 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.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 14, 2024

Gr 7 Up-This novel appropriately opens with a warning: BEWARE OF BARGAINS MADE HERE. Seventeen-year-old Ellery Evans does not believe in the supernatural, despite the fact that there is no logical explanation for the five-year winter. If goddesses were real, why would theirs abandon them, leaving their family and farm to suffer? Tired of living on blind faith, Ellery moves in with their cousin Charley, in the city, securing a job at a local diner. As their parents continue to pray to the goddesses, Ellery is looking for actual solutions. After a chance encounter with Knox, the "hot weird guy" who frequents the diner and never wears a coat, Ellery does not know what to believe anymore. Knox reveals himself to be a Familiar from the Other World, a magical being sent to assist humans who have made bargains. After his last deal ended poorly, he is on the run from dark forces. His only solution to staying on Earth is to make another deal with a human. It's a good thing Ellery is looking for something, too. Lukens builds a vivid world around memorable characters, evoking themes of love, bravery, and found family. A slow build leads to a slightly rushed climax, but the charming and eclectic characters carry the story from beginning to end. The two leads are presumed white, with a diverse cast of characters surrounding them. There is LGBTQIA+ representation with a nonbinary lead. VERDICT Fans of Greek mythology will appreciate the nods to some memorable characters and stories.-Amanda Harding

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