As an English major, I know it can take a while to fall in love with a book. Sometimes the author’s writing doesn’t resonate or maybe the genre isn’t for you. Whatever the case is, readers sometimes need to take a break from high-tension stakes and hit pause on the “will they, won’t they” romance trope. Cozy fantasy does just that. This popular subgenre involves low-stakes plot lines intermingled with magical elements, and can be great binge-reads.
It wasn’t until I was introduced to the “New York Times” bestselling author F.T. Lukens that I learned what cozy fantasy was. Known for writing YA queer fiction books like “Spell Bound,” “This is Ever After” and “In Deeper Waters,” Lukens has a talent for creating characters that test the boundaries between the impossible and possible.
Their latest YA book, “Otherworldly” (on sale 4/2/24) follows seventeen-year-old Ellery who 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.
One of the defining characteristics of Lukens’ writing is how they write authentic characters true to themselves rather than craft perfect ones. Instead of focusing on an intricate plot and a complex world, Lukens puts their time into each character’s comforting personality by allowing the reader to feel like they are walking alongside Lukens’ fictional cast. When I read “Spell Bound” for my Author Spotlight interview series, I enjoyed seeing the opposites attract dynamic between the two characters, and the same applies here for Ellery and Knox, especially with a cast of comedic side characters who make the sometimes stressful storyline have a light, humored undertone.
Despite the marketing of this book relying heavily on whimsy, it was more focused on finding out what it means to be human in a world where supernatural forces exist. If this doesn’t suit you, I would recommend Lukens’ other work, “Spellbound,” which felt more magical and slow paced compared to “Otherworldly.” As I was reading, it was disorientating to be thrown into this new magical world especially since I would have liked to see more of it.
“Otherworldly” was more character-driven than plot-focused, which was a breath of fresh air for me to read between other books that needed my attention to get through. While set against the cold of winter, this cozy fantasy features comforting storylines showcasing slice-of-life moments, like the intimacy of watching scary movies with someone new and learning what it means to be human in a party setting. I was turning the page solely to cheer on the characters.
F.T. Lukens’ “Otherworldly” has the etherealness of a supernatural world with the humor, wit and warmth of our own that every reader will want to cuddle up with.