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A review by kingofthehillxl
Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens delivers a heartwarming charming story about a boys quest to get back the feeling of the magic his dearly departed grandmother used. This is a true testament to the heights that can be achieved in YA Fantasy. Rook, Sun, Fable and Antonia, are all really well realized fully fleshed out characters. The story interesting cover to cover. The magic system is clear and concise. This is a book that I would recommend to anyone of any age or reading taste, and I am confident they would enjoy it. It will definitely ending up being one of, if not my favorite read of the year.
This story is fun and full of heart. Rook is a really quirky character who wears his heart on his sleeve, and that is something I always enjoy. The way he interacts with every character is just really interesting to read. The story takes its time building up, and that is fine because the banter between the characters is more than entertaining. The found family aspect of the story is surprisingly well done, and it’s only su[rosing because it was mostly unexpected. I didn’t really have a huge grasp on where the story was gonna turn or where it was going, and I mean that in a good way. F.T. Lukens does a really good job of pacing out the story in an almost slice of life way. The main conflict is always there but it blends so well into the reality that the characters live in that you don’t really feel it coming until it’s right in your face. For a large part of the book it kinda gives a romance vibe which I overtly enjoyed. This really makes me excited to see what else Lukens has done, and I feel like she gave me new hope for the YA Fantasy genre after not reading it for a long time.
I really need there to be some sort of sequel to this. I’m not convinced there will be, mostly because Lukens has not done one, and the story raps up pretty nicely. I just really enjoyed the world building and would love to see what Lukens could do next here.
The story did have a couple of close calls. Mavis does show up out of nowhere and so it’s a little hard to mess her into this small cast of characters that is so well fleshed out. That is a very minor issue for me though because it didn’t feel like she was included as a last resort in the story. I feel like she sped up what could have been aimless meandering in a longer book. For a book that clocks in under 350, a lot happens and I don’t think any time is wasted.
Overall I think this book stands out in the same way it’s cover does. A much needed pop of color on a sometimes over produced landscape. 10/10 loved and would recommend to anyone who will listen.
This book was provided via NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review!
This story is fun and full of heart. Rook is a really quirky character who wears his heart on his sleeve, and that is something I always enjoy. The way he interacts with every character is just really interesting to read. The story takes its time building up, and that is fine because the banter between the characters is more than entertaining. The found family aspect of the story is surprisingly well done, and it’s only su[rosing because it was mostly unexpected. I didn’t really have a huge grasp on where the story was gonna turn or where it was going, and I mean that in a good way. F.T. Lukens does a really good job of pacing out the story in an almost slice of life way. The main conflict is always there but it blends so well into the reality that the characters live in that you don’t really feel it coming until it’s right in your face. For a large part of the book it kinda gives a romance vibe which I overtly enjoyed. This really makes me excited to see what else Lukens has done, and I feel like she gave me new hope for the YA Fantasy genre after not reading it for a long time.
I really need there to be some sort of sequel to this. I’m not convinced there will be, mostly because Lukens has not done one, and the story raps up pretty nicely. I just really enjoyed the world building and would love to see what Lukens could do next here.
The story did have a couple of close calls. Mavis does show up out of nowhere and so it’s a little hard to mess her into this small cast of characters that is so well fleshed out. That is a very minor issue for me though because it didn’t feel like she was included as a last resort in the story. I feel like she sped up what could have been aimless meandering in a longer book. For a book that clocks in under 350, a lot happens and I don’t think any time is wasted.
Overall I think this book stands out in the same way it’s cover does. A much needed pop of color on a sometimes over produced landscape. 10/10 loved and would recommend to anyone who will listen.
This book was provided via NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review!