I really liked the world in this book and the idea of scribing and the post. It had a lot of good ideas and the characters were really easy to love and root for. The story itself fell a bit flat though, which was a shame.

The scribing magic was probably my favourite part of this. It reminded me a bit of coding, with a few lines of text that the reader can’t see, but way more magical. I would love a second book exploring this further because I think the author barely scratched the surface of what it could do.

The ending was good too, though it maybe fell into place a bit easily.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy of this for review. The premise of this and the cover really drew me in. However, I struggled with the world and the characters with this story and couldn’t connect easily.

4 stars - YA Fantasy

After receiving a late delivered letter claiming her fathers innocence, Maeve infiltrates the otherwhere post where scriptomancers learn to imbue letters with magic and travel across the two parallel realms her world inhibits to find out the truth. In earlier years, everyone could pass through the realms via doors, in which Maeve's father is accused of destroying along with another realm. Due to this, Maeve hides her identity to anyone she meets.

This was a great YA dark academia fantasy - the plot and world is very unique yet slightly confusing to follow at some points at the start. I found it to be quite a slow pace but this only added to the gothic atmosphere of the college type setting. I loved Maeve as a character - she is clever and determined and I felt for her as she struggled feeling lonely as she was too scared to let anyone get close. Nan was a lovely friend to her even though I did suspect her at some points!

I wasn't 100% sold on the romance between Maeve and Tristan - I loved them as friends their banter was sweet but didn't feel a romantic attraction between them. I'm currently reading the authors other book "Hotel Magnifique" and feel the same about the characters in that book also so maybe I just don't jell with the authors romantic writing.

A great ending with with twists and turns - the villain wasn't someone who I'd even considered. I loved the letters Maeve received and thought it was a good way to wrap up the story.

A warm hearted, joyous read that I was captivated by and completely fell in love with. Highly recommended.

4.5

I was hooked on this book from the start. I thought the concept was original and the magic system was well thought through. It was a beautifully contained concept for a fantasy stand alone.
I loved the main character Maeve. She was engaging, troubled and fearless. Her story arc was great. I loved how the main conflict came from the shadows and how layered the mystery was.
Tristan was bae, if a little quick to trust. Nan was great and made me wish I had more of her forthrightness!
Overall, a fantastic slow burn dark academia style fantasy story.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Otherwhere Post offers an interesting magical system and the journey to solve a mystery. Unfortunatly, I found the characters to be quite one-dimensional and had a hard time connecting with them.

The Otherwhere Post is an enchanting fantasy book from the author of Hotel Magnifique. In this novel, we follow a young girl, Maeve, as she infiltrates a magical place called the ‘otherwhere post’. This is a wonderful organisation that sends magical letters between different worlds. But it is also dangerous, and Maeve is especially at risk. She isn’t really there to study the art of scriptomancy, what she really wants is to prove her father’s innocence.

When the story begins, Maeve is ready to leave her old life behind. She has struggled with the fact that her father was a murderer since she was eleven years old. The pain it has caused her has made him hate him. And yet, when she receives a letter telling her that he may be innocent, she will do anything to find the truth. This initial premise gives us a good introduction to Maeve’s character and sets her up as a complicated and conflicted person. I like characters like this who have to grapple with the fact that their reality may not be what they thought it was and who have to rethink all of their decisions.

But whilst Maeve is a compelling character, what really stands out in this book is the writing. I can see that the lyrical style might not be right for everyone (for instance, there are a few anachronisms and phrases like ‘dearly wished’ or ‘mere babe’) but I think that it appeals to more whimsical readers. Indeed, the very set up of the book seems more whimsical than dangerous. I like that the magic in this world is focused on something seemingly harmless and soft like letter writing. I have read a lot of fantasy books where the magic is based on dark rituals, sacrifices and pain so it was really refreshing to see a more light-hearted and original magic system. We are introduced to it alongside Maeve, who is learning the ropes, which also makes the world more approachable. There is some exposition but really, we are exploring a fascinating new reality with the characters.

Overall, this book was fun and magical whilst also being emotional and well-plotted. I think it might appeal to fans of historical fantasy books like Divine Rivals and quirky magic systems like that in Once Upon a Broken Heart.

This story took me on a whimsical journey of truth and romance, and I enjoyed ever second of it. Maeve was a stubborn but fascinating character to follow and her dynamic with the magical world around her and the characters within it kept me thoroughly engaged.
I loved the romance elements and I liked that it never overshadowed the overarching plot and mystery. It was well paced - I love a slow-burn - and slotted well into the story. The mystery was also very well paced with clues popping up and just the right time.
I was really interested in the multidimensional world building, the magical letter sending system, and the practice of scriptomancy. All together it created a really well imagined and well delivered novel.

Excellent novel.

This took me a little bit to get into - I didn't like the main character immediately so it took a couple of chapters before I started rooting for Maeve.

It's when she gets to the school and meets Tristan (and has to singlehandedly solve a 7 year old mystery without revealing her own identity) that I suddenly found myself engaged more and more with every twist and turn.

The magic system of scriptomancy is unique and fascinating, and the lore behind the different spell types and doors between worlds is all very well considered.

And lastly the ending is great. Everything weaves together very well. Really enjoyable read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The worldbuilding was very rich. I loved the idea of scriptomancy and travel between worlds with the same places but are different.

The characters were great. I loved Maeve and Tristan. And Nan was so fantastic in her quest to make Maeve her friend.

The pacing was good, as well, and the book kept my interest throughout.

Overall, a really solid read.

4.5 stars

I was so excited to read this and it didn’t disappoint!

The worldbuilding!! The magic!!!! The world the author has created here is so absorbing and fascinating, I was always excited to pick the book back up every time and dive back in. Maeve, the main character, is also engaging and I found the plot drew me in.

I personally loved Tristan as a character and the love interest. The romance in my opinion is definitely secondary to the fantasy and mystery elements of the plot. I personally prefer my fantasy like this (more fantasy less romance) so I enjoyed seeing Maeve and Tristan’s relationship grow and develop over time.

Would absolutely recommend this to any readers who enjoy their fantasy whimsical with a plot that keeps you engaged and desperate to find out the answers to the mystery!

Thank you very much to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the ARC

5 Stars – Whimsical, Witty, and Wonderfully Original (ARC Review)

I received an ARC of The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor, and I absolutely adored it. This standalone YA fantasy is bursting with charm, cleverness, and a completely original take on magical postal work—yes, really! It’s the kind of story that feels like stepping into a dream, where every detail is just a little strange in the best possible way.

The story follows Maeve Abenthy, who finds herself swept into the strange, secretive world of the Otherwhere Post—a magical delivery service that operates between realms. The concept is so fun and fresh, with enchanted letters, unpredictable destinations, and rules that seem to shift with the wind. Taylor builds a rich, whimsical world that’s full of oddities, mystery, and just the right amount of danger.

Maeve is a fantastic protagonist—clever, determined, and a little bit chaotic. Her voice is sharp and engaging, and I loved how her journey was about more than magic—it was about identity, finding purpose, and making choices in a world that doesn’t always make sense.

The writing sparkles with wit and creativity, and while there’s a lot of fun and quirkiness, it’s also layered with heart. There are emotional moments, real stakes, and a thread of longing that grounds the story beneath all the fantasy.

The Otherwhere Post is perfect for fans of whimsical adventure, magical systems with rules (and consequences), and heroines who question everything. Easily 5 stars—it’s a book I’ll be recommending to anyone who loves fantasy that dares to be delightfully weird.

This YA fantasy blends dark academia vibes with portals, magic and a slow burn romance. We follow Maeve, who lost everything when her father unleashed a terrible world destroying magic, as she tries to escape the shadow of his crimes. She lives under a fake name, and is constantly on the move to evade the truth of her past being found. That is, until a mysterious letter arrives with the words “Your father was innocent”. To uncover the truth she joins the illustrious Otherwhere Post as an apprentice, once again under an assumed name, to train in the dangerous magical art of scriptomancy – a magic used to deliver letters between worlds, something her father used to excel in. As she searches for the truth Maeve is stalked by a dangerous stranger trying to convince her to stop her investigation into the past, which makes her search for answers become increasingly perilous. However she also finds unexpected friendships with her handsome mentor Triston and nosy roommate Nan, who try to support Maeve even when she’s being infuriatingly stubborn and silent about who she really is.

I was so impressed with this debut story. I have to admit that I did find the start slow, and the world building in terms of geography did have me a little confused but as the story developed I was able to picture the world much clearer. I also found Maeve more than a little frustrating at times, particularly when she chose not to speak up, even when doing so would have clearly helped her. However she is a teenager and her impulsive, emotional responses and actions did feel believable for her age and it didn’t detract from the plot as a whole.

Once the plot picked up I was all in, I think I read this in a day because it had me hooked. The central mystery surrounding her father was genuinely gripping and I liked the twists and turns – it set you up to believe one thing and then gradually nudged you in another direction. The clues to the truth were well placed, and although I had correctly guessed who was responsible from one particular clue, the reveal felt satisfying rather than predictable.

The dynamic between Maeve and Tristan was also really fun. Their slow burn relationship was full of tension but felt emotionally grounded, they both had secrets and pasts that needed to be revealed in order for them to be in a place where they could move forward together. This added depth to the story without overpowering the main plot.

I also have to say that one of my favourite things about this book is that it was a standalone! After reading so many fantasy/romantasy duologies and trilogies, it was really refreshing to read a full story with a clear beginning, middle and end. It was wrapped up well without feeling too tidy and it left me feeling completely satisfied with the story. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more from this author in the future!

3.5

A girl looking to clear her fathers name so she infiltrates a special school? Sign me up. The magic system in this book I found very unique and I loved it. Magical writing and books always intrigues and excites me. This book is definitely for fans of YA. While it has that dark academia vibe, there isn’t a lot of really spooky parts.

I thought it started a bit slow, it took me to around 20% which sometimes I would’ve given up at that point. But throughout the whole book I was always interested in knowing if her father was innocent or not and if so, then who it really was.

The romance came second for me here, I did think they kind of fell into it without much growth but after that I started to believe in their romance. The second half of the book they interacted a lot more and that grew on me.

This was a very interesting book. Near the end I was thinking about it at work and trying to figure out the twists that would come up. There was the usual moments of “what are you doing, you’re being an idiot”, but that’s pretty common in YA for me. I really enjoyed this one and if there was a sequel I would defiantly get it.

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor is a captivating blend of fantasy and reality.
Taylor’s writing is vivid and engaging, drawing readers into a world that feels both magical and relatable. The plot is filled with unexpected twists, and the characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own unique struggles.

At its core, the novel explores themes of identity and connection, prompting readers to reflect on their own experiences. Overall, The Otherwhere Post is a delightful read that will leave you thinking long after you've finished.A unique read!highly recommend!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*