#f t lukens

[fiction-heals]

In Deeper Waters by F. T. Lukens

Ch. 15

[razreads]

Sometimes a family was a mischievous magical boss, her magical rival turned friend, a magical girl who used to be a babysitter and now was like an older sister, and the person you didn't understand in the beginning but liked so much now. And sometimes it was arguments and sometimes it was hugs and sometimes it was banding together to fight a morally corrupt government body and sometimes it was just existing in the same space together as friends. But whatever this family was right now, whatever it was going to be, and however it would turn out, it was mine.

F.T. Lukens, Spell Bound

[books-to-add-to-your-tbr]

Title: So This Is Ever After

Author: F.T. Lukens

Series or standalone: standalone

Publication year: 2022

Genres: fiction, fantasy, LGBT+, romance, retelling

Blurb: Arek hadn’t thought much about what would happen after he completed the prophecy that said he was destined to save the kingdom of Ere from its evil ruler...so now that he’s finally managed to (somewhat clumsily) behead the evil king (turns out magical swords yanked from bogs don’t come pre-sharpened), he and his ragtag group of quest companions are at a bit of a loss for what to do next. As a temporary safeguard, Arek’s best friend and mage, Matt, convinces him to assume the throne until the true heir can be rescued from her tower...except that she’s dead. Now Arek is stuck as king, a role that comes with a magical catch: choose a spouse by your eighteenth birthday, or wither away into nothing. With his eighteenth birthday only three months away and only Matt in on the secret, Arek embarks on a desperate bid to find a spouse and save his life...starting with his quest companions. But his attempts at wooing his friends go painfully and hilariously wrong...until he discovers that love might have been in front of him all along.

[wondereads]

Personal Review (04/03/23)

Spell Bound by F. T. Lukens

Summary

Ever since his grandmother's death, Edison has been completely cut off from the magical community. With no magic of his own and no ability to sense ley lines, his only way in is through the Spell Binder, a device he built to map the ley lines. He manages to secure an apprenticeship with Antonia Hex, notoriously rebellious curse breaker, who gifts him the name Rook, but Rook's involvement in the magical world alone breaks tons of laws, and it's only a matter of time until the Consortium catches on.

Plot 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

Something about the pacing in this book felt off to me, but I think it's because the summary of this book kind of gives away the whole plot. The pitch of this book places a late, major plot development as the sort of initiating event, which isn't even slightly the case. A good half of this book is build-up to that moment, and it works just fine on its own! The tension between Antonia and Fable (and subsequent issues for Rook and Sun) is perfectly good at developing the plot on its own.

I've read Lukens' books before, namely So This Is Ever After, and they basically write romcoms that happen to benefit from the fantasy world they're set in. However, in Spell Bound, there is involvement with a bigger, more world-impacting plot, and I don't really like it that much. The conclusion feels very rushed, and Lukens' short-form and standalone style doesn't really have the space to properly address what this book is trying to do. Personally, I think this book should've been maybe a duology, even trilogy, that looks into the Consortium, its corruption, and more carefully deals with how Rook and the people around him would reform it. The ending is basically just Rook and Sun saying, "and now things are changing" which ultimately feels unsatisfying.

Characters 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

I think the characters are the strong point of this book, especially when it comes to the romance. Rook and Sun, our two protagonists, don't have a ton of development, but they're fun characters from the beginning, and their growing relationship with each other is adorable to watch. Like I said, Lukens' books are rom-coms set in fantasy worlds, and Rook and Sun have it all. A meet-cute, a coffee shop date, only one bed, on the run together after breaking tons of magical laws—ok, maybe that last one isn't a trope, but it creates a lot of great situations for them to work through together.

The most interesting character, point-blank, is Antonia. Antonia Hex is the city's premier curse breaker, but she's known for more than that. Her magical power is so extreme that she could easily take down the Consortium and even rule the world. She's also banned from taking an apprentice, for reasons Rook is set on figuring out. She's just so interesting and has this crazy backstory; I'd be content with reading a book just about her!

The other major side characters, mostly Fable and Mavis, are a little underdeveloped. They seem to have a couple personality traits and really nothing else, but there is one other thing I liked about the characters. Queerness is treated as just utterly normal in this book; Rook and Sun's relationship is only an issue because Antonia and Fable hate each other, and Sun mentions they prefer they/them pronouns in their first meeting with Rook and their gender is never brought up again.

Writing Style 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

I appreciate that Lukens decided to place this story in a modern equivalent fantasy world. One issue I had with So This Is Ever After was the extremely anachronistic language, and the modern setting pretty much solved that. It still wasn't amazing writing, but it kept that lighthearted tone going through the whole book. Rook and Sun are both very casual in their speech, which feels realistic, and this book successfully avoided the overused, annoying pop culture references that often inundate contemporary novels.

Overall 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

Overall, I just found this book good. It was a quick, light, easy read, and it's definitely a welcome reprieve from the intense fantasy I normally read. The magic is pretty fun, and I really liked the romance. The plot was a little too much for so quick a book, and some of the side characters aren't as fleshed out as I'd like, but this is definitely a great book to just relax and blow off some steam while reading. It isn't a masterpiece, but I'd still recommend it, especially if you're just looking for a little fun.

The Author

F. T. Lukens: American, also wrote In Deeper Waters and So This Is Ever After, seems to have a fondness for the number three; they have three kids, three dogs, and three cats

The Reviewer

My name is Wonderose; I try to post a review every week, and I do themed recommendations every once in a while. I take suggestions! Check out my about me post for more!

[a-better-beginning]

So This Is Ever After

F. T. Lukens

Date Finish: May 16, 2022

4.5/5

[katy-l-wood]

I was going to save this illustration for when I finished the larger personal project it is part of. But I like it too much to wait for whenever that'll be, lol.

Anywho. Here's Athlen and Tal from "In Deeper Waters" by F. T. Lukens. Easily one of my favorite books. It just has so many things I love! Hurt/comfort. Siblings. Struggles with legacy and obligation. Magic.

This is the first actual painting I've done in awhile after working mostly in black and white and flat color styles for the last yearish, so about the first hour of painting was just me going, "wait, what the fuck is happening?? What are brushes? What is blending? Someone help me." Also, the colors changed so many times. So many. But I got back in the swing of it eventually! And I am DELIGHTED with how it came out, but I'm especially happy with the water. I think that's some of the best water I've ever painted.

So yeah! New fanart painting that's part of a larger project I'll hopefully get around to finishing eventually.

[saxophone-cat]

[tired-jacs]

Just read (well, listened to) In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens and with how criminally underrated and sparsely talked about as I’ve found it to be I feel it important to point out an extremely sweet moment I haven’t seen talked about. (Also just general thoughts.)

BIG spoilers under the cut!!

I adore the detail that Corrie IMMEDIATELY upon seeing Athlen emerge safe and alive put her little self between him and the MASSIVE crowd that had formed and glared at everyone who got too close like… as if she didn’t already approve enough and immediately accept Athlen as yet another big brother him saving her SOLIDIFIED it. She’s like “I will actually kill any of you if you take one step closer to my big fish brother” and she is so right for that. Hell yeah babygirl give them that death glare, let him have the breather he no doubt needed after LITERALLY BEING ON THE VERGE OF DEATH.

Also just??? Can we talk about the panic that had to have overtaken Athlen upon waking up?? Like he KNEW why he was still alive and he KNEW there’d be a cost, so imagine if he didn’t see Tal emerge right away. I swear if he didn’t see him immediately upon waking up that poor boy had to have been panicking SO HARD. Just ABSOLUTELY assuming the worst until he sees him get pulled out by his siblings. And even then he was terrified of what it had cost Tal to save him.

Athlen as a character is just so fundamentally good like all he has ever done is try to make friends and help people he could do no wrong ever in his life. Just a sweet, cheeky little fish dude who doesn’t like wearing shoes. I would say I would die for him but he would HATE that LMAO

Also also, adore the fact that even after, or rather ESPECIALLY after Tal breaks down and sets his captors’ ship ablaze, it’s emphasized so heavily that he is fundamentally a good person as well and that he at his core is driven by kindness. As much as I very much enjoy pacifist narratives I adore the fact that this book didn’t treat any of the characters as bad or wrong or evil for killing those who harmed them and would’ve continued to do so.

10/10 will hyperfixate on for a GOOD long while

[starplanes]

I had the chance to read Otherwordly by F. T. Lukens before its release! Here's my review:

Otherwordly was a delightful read. I found the dynamic between Knox and Ellery especially enjoyable (fans of black cat/golden retriever relationship tropes will too). Knox's charisma enthralled me from the start, and Ellery's grumpiness quickly became endearing. The pair's budding connection also balances well with the larger plot of fixing an endless winter. The story is neither low nor high stakes, managing to be that middle ground of cozy yet gripping. I liked the magic of the world and all the weird creatures within. I'm a sucker for a good found family story, and Otherwordly certainly delivered. Some beats of the romance were fairly quick moving, and I wanted the climax to run a little longer before its resolution, but neither broke the immersion of the story. Love happens fast sometimes! If you're looking for a read that isn't too complicated, this book is great. If you come expecting a lot of depth, you might be disappointed. Personally, I had a great time. Also, shout out for excellent use of they/them pronouns throughout the book. I adore the nonbinary rep!

[fiction-heals]

End of the year update c:

Just finished a buddy reading that was postponed for like half a year lol In Deeper Waters by F. T. Lukens, though the author is a babe, their book is sadly not. Such inconsistencies wow o.o anyways.

What I have started and maybe plan to finish next year is:

A Taste of Gold and Iron (35%) 5 jan

Cytonic

Oathbringer (still at 15%, hey 21%)

El día que dejó de nevar en Alaska (23%)

Sea of Tranquility (likely dnf)

What Moves the Dead (35%) 10 jan

Remarkably Bright Creatures 20 jan

Books I want to get back to soon:

Heaven Official’s Blessing (15%)

Knappt en Droppe Blod

Kings Rising

Dune Messiah 25 jan

Books I will get to in 2023 *snorts

Vita Nostra

O mapa de sal e estrelas (meh. 21% likely dnf)

The Atlas Paradox

Dark Rise (oh please. It’s time.)

What Big Teeth

A Thousand Splendid Suns

O Clube dos Jardineiros de Fumaça

As Canções da Terra Distante

Juniper and Thorn (21% and??)

O gato que amava livros

The traveling cat chronicles

The Sword of Kaigen

The Mirror Season

31-december-2022

4/24

[razreads]

The world isn't kind […] but that doesn’t mean I can’t be.

F. T. Lukens, In Deeper Waters

[books-to-add-to-your-tbr]

Title: In Deeper Waters

Author: F.T. Lukens

Series or standalone: standalone

Publication year: 2021

Genres: fiction, fantasy, LGBT+, romance, historical fiction

Blurb: Prince Tal has long awaited his coming-of-age tour. After spending most of his life cloistered behind palace walls as he learns to keep his forbidden magic secret, he can finally see his family’s kingdom for the first time. His first taste of adventure comes just two days into the journey, when their crew discovers a mysterious prisoner on a burning derelict vessel. Tasked with watching over the prisoner, Tal is surprised to feel an intense connection with the roguish Athlen...so when Athlen leaps overboard and disappears, Tal feels responsible and heartbroken, knowing Athlen could not have survived in the open ocean. That is, until Tal runs into Athlen days later on dry land, very much alive, and as charming - and secretive - as ever. But before they can pursue anything further, Tal is kidnapped by pirates and held ransom in a plot to reveal his rumoured powers and instigate a war. Tal must escape if he hopes to save his family and the kingdom...and Athlen might just be his only hope.

[toribookworm22]

Nine People You'd Like To Get To Know Better

Thank you @shellyscribbles for the tag!

No pressure tagging: @minutiaewriter @honeysoiair @midnight-and-his-melodiverse @curhartwrites @frankensteinshimbo @imbrisvastatio @raiphend @ace-of-rabbits & my open tag!

Last Song:

Last Show:

Currently Watching:

FRIENDS

Currently Reading:

So This Is Ever After by F. T. Lukens

Yes. Still.

Current Obsession:

Comfort. No, this is not meant to be funny or sad. I'm currently in between hyperfixations, meaning the old one has work off but I've yet to locate a new one. I've also been dealing with some nice mental and physical pain-- as well as a lack of good sleep-- so I've found myself reading comfort fics and sweet webtoons and rewatching old SpongeBob episodes all to make myself feel a little better.

[carica-ficus]

Review: So This Is Ever After

Author: F. T. Lukens

Date: 14/06/2023

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

_______________________________________________________

So, continuing with my book haul from SFeraKon, next up on the list was "So This Is Ever After". I accidentally spotted it in at one of the vendor's and was instantly drawn by the cover. I knew it was a queer ya book, something I had not read in a while and usually don't pick up, but I wanted to give it a chance.

The story is set after what is usually the main story - the chosen one defeating an evil enemy and rescuing the kingdom, and follows Arek, the prophesied savior, who magically binds himself to the throne and is forced to take on the duty of governing the kingdom. And of finding a spouse before his 18th birthday which is in 3 months.

My expectations from this book weren't too high because it's intended for younger audiences, but I was still a little disappointed in some aspects. Unfortunately, one of them was the pining between Arek and his love interest, Matt. It's obvious that they both have feelings for each other and that they're afraid to admit them, and while Lukens proposes a good reasoning behind their constraints, their chemistry still seems a little hard to believe because it's missing an important element - Matt's point of view (POV).

To make a romance work, there needs to be an insight to both sides of the relationship. It doesn't necessarily need to be a switch in the POV, but then the author must make it obvious through dialogue, gestures or through another literary device. Lukens doesn't give the reader enough information to convey this properly, so the romance feels very one sided and makes Arek's attempts in flirting seem pointless.

Moreover, Arek's feelings toward Matt also seem quite diluted. Throughout the first half of the book, his devotion is barely distinguishable, especially when Arek reflects on his affection towards other characters. This in turn makes his interest toward Matt seem insignificant and even meaningless. The problem arises because Lukens mostly relies on telling, not showing. So while Arek constantly talks about how he's committed to Matt, his actions don't exactly show it. A good example of this is how, at the very beginning, Matt spends his time at the library trying to find a way to release Arek from the spell that binds him to the throne, and Arek only realizes that he never visited him after a few days have already passed.

I think I would've liked this book a lot more if it was actually told from Matt's point of view. His yearning could have been displayed more easily, especially considering his continuous effort to help Arek with everything he needed, while knowing Arek might never reciprocate his affection. Arek has a lot of options on the table, especially as the king in peril. Matt only really has him. So the dynamic might have been clearer and more heart-aching.

Still, the book provides exactly what it claims to offer: a fun, low-stake story with witty humor and cute, queer characters. The characters are definitely the highlight of the story and are easy to love. The story isn't difficult to follow, it creates tension when it needs to, and it's overall a cool take on a well-known concept. It's a fun read for sure.

I think I'm a little past the age and reading level to consider "So This Is Ever After" a truly great book, but if you're into queer ya or are looking for something simple, fun and comforting, this book might be a good choice for you.

[a-better-beginning]

In Deeper Waters

by F. T. Lukens

Date Finished: Febuary 27, 2022

4/5

[katy-l-wood]

I just love the covers of F. T. Lukens's books so much. Sam Schechter's work is always so dynamic and colorful. And the new book sounds just as delightful as all the others.