I received this book via the publisher Listening Library, G. P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor Narrator: Barrie Kreinik
Published by Listening Library, G. P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers on 2025-02-25
Age Range: 12+
Length: 402 pages
Length: 11 hours and 22 minutes
Listening Speed: 2x
Reviewing Advanced Listening Copy, eARC from the publisher Listening Library, G. P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Rating:
Reading Challenges: #NGEW2025, 2025 Audiobook Challenge, 2025 New Release Challenge
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A Good Morning America YA Book Club Pick!
The New York Times bestselling author of Hotel Magnifique returns with this stunning dark academic fantasy full of deadly magic and dangerous secrets, perfect for fans of Divine Rivals and A Study in Drowning.
Seven years ago, Maeve Abenthy lost everything: her world, her father, even her name. Desperate to escape the stain of her father’s crimes, she lives under a fake name, never staying in one place long enough to put down roots.
Then she receives a mysterious letter with four impossible words: Your father was innocent.
To uncover the truth, she poses as an apprentice for the Otherwhere Post, where she’ll be trained in the art of scriptomancy—the dangerous magic that allows couriers to enchant letters and deliver them to other worlds. But looking into her father’s past draws more attention than she’d planned.
Her secretive, infuriatingly handsome mentor knows she’s lying about her identity, and time is running out to convince him to trust her. Worse, she begins to receive threatening letters, warning her to drop her investigation—or else. For Maeve to unravel the mystery of what happened seven years ago, she may have to forfeit her life.
The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor is a fantasy and mystery rolled into one featuring a young woman on the hunt for the truth about her father. Maeve Abenthy has spent the last seven years angry at her father, living under a fake name, and always on the move. Then one day she receives a mysterious letter from an “old friend” saying her father is innocent. This sends Maeve on a dangerous quest to the find the truth. She poses as an apprentice at the Otherwhere Post, a job she had wanted once upon a time. Here she discovers that not all is as it seems, and sometimes you have to trust someone to get the answers you seek.
Maeve is an interesting character to follow. She keeps herself guarded, never truly opening up to anyone. Her father’s crimes would be a death sentence to her, so she has spent her life as someone else. Her anger at her father is relatable, but the letter brings new light on him reopening memories of the times before. Her father is a murderer, killed millions of people, and yet she can’t help but love the man she thought he was. Now being told he was innocent, she’s determined to clear his name and hers.
At the Otherwhere Post, she’s partnered with Tristan Byrne, the son of the Postmaster and thorn in her side. He doesn’t want her as an apprentice anymore than she wants him poking around. He knows she isn’t who she says she is, but he is trusting her and helping her when she is willing to ask for it. I liked their dynamic. Maeve is serious all the time and focused, while Tristan is not. The events of the year prior left him a little broken, but Maeve’s presence is bringing him back.
While the book is billed as a romantasy, the romance takes a back seat to the mystery. This book is all about finding the truth, learning the skills of a scriptomancer, and finding one’s place in the world. I loved the world the author creates here. It dark and brooding, but also filled with magic. I was enthralled with Maeve’s hunt for the truth and shocked at the conclusion. Very well done!
Overall, I really enjoyed The Otherwhere Post. While this is a standalone, I’d happily read more books set in this world. Maeve’s journey is filled with danger, but through it all she learns to love herself again. If you are a fan of fantasy or mystery, I highly recommend it.
Audiobook Note: I listened to an ALC of this book from the publisher. The narrator is fantastic! Her tone of voice kept me engaged throughout the story. Highly recommend this format if you enjoy audiobooks.
About Emily J. Taylor
Emily was born and raised in California and has since refused to stay put. She's lived in four states and two continents, all of which have conveniently given her an endless amount of story fodder. She currently works as a creative director in Minneapolis, where she spends the long winters dreaming up glittering worlds to spin into dark tales.
Ooh nice! I preordered this one on a whim as it sounded interesting! I still need to read Taylor’s first book as well which I thought sounded intriguing. Glad to hear this was an enjoyable read! Nice review!
While I enjoyed the Taylor’s first one, I loved this one. It is the perfect blend of mystery, fantasy, and romance. Hope you enjoy it!
Beautiful cover on this one, which of course has had me interested as I’ve seen it going around. Great review! I’ll have to make sure to order it for my school library next year.
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