IN DEEPER WATERS BY F.T. LUKENS: A PLOT COMPARABLE TO THAT OF A FAIRY TALE – BLOG TOUR ft. BOOK REVIEW, FAVORITE QUOTE & GIVEAWAY!

there’s nothing like reading an advanced copy of one of your most anticipated releases! for that, i want to thank Turn the Page Tours for giving me the privilege! i mean, look at the cover of this book! it’s so well-made! and the content? check out my rating. anyway, this post is part of a blog tour, therefore follow the schedule by clicking here. welcome to my blog and let’s have some bookish fun!

*AN ADVANCED READERS COPY OF THIS BOOK WAS PROVIDED IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
*BY CLICKING AND PURCHASING THROUGH THE PURCHASE LINKS PROVIDED, THE BLOGGER MAY EARN COMMISSIONS

“YOU LOOK LIKE A PRINCE.”
“I’M NOT A PRINCE.”
“BUT YOU’RE THE FAVORITE OF A CERTAIN PRINCE.”

turning sixteen and as per tradition, prince tal of harth must go on a coming-of-age tour. together with his older brother and a crew, they travel across the deep blue. unfortunately for tal, he’s not used to the ocean, making him vomit as a usual result. maybe, it has something to do with the fire magic he inherited from his great-grandfather, which he and his family has to keep hidden if he wants to keep living. then, a fateful encounter occurs, and tal meets athlen. athlen, the sole occupant of a wrecked pirate ship, fettered, and shrouded with mystery.

i came across this book, i think, a month or two ago. meaning, many weeks passed since i read what it is all about and decided to go into it blind when the time came to read the eARC. but, leo, why did you sign up for the blog tour without reading the synopsis again? even though i have not read the synopsis for the second time, looking at the cover made me feel excited! my instinct was telling that i would love this, and guess what? i indeed love this book!

based on the cover, my initial thought was this book is about pirates and going on an adventure. the magic, when it was first mentioned, came to me as unexpected. didn’t read the synopsis, remember? for the record, pirates did appear, but the magic aspect really caught my full attention, i also love the story behind the magic in this world F.T. Lukens built, as it gives the plot a solid foundation. since the book has a strong connection to the sea, stories of the merfolk and an elusive sea witch are excellent plot devices, which the author executed with finesse. honestly, i don’t want to talk much about the merfolk because a plot point regarding them startled me, but in a very good way. therefore, let’s just leave it at that.

for characters, i really like tal a lot. his struggles of being a fire mage – being hidden in the castle, not allowed to venture out until his coming-of-age tour – is more helpful than not. he took it as an opportunity to learn more about his magic, to train himself, reaping the fruits of his labor when the time has finally come. as for athlen, his personality won me over and might win over many readers. he might be mysterious and too good for the people that matters to him the most, but he is also fierce and ready to take on anything for those he love. sometimes, too ready. tal’s family is family goals! each are unique, with personalities that compliment one another.

a story about growing up, meeting people that changes your perspective for the greater good, and accepting who you truly are. this book is one hell of an adventure, with a plot comparable to that of a fairy tale!

title: in deeper waters
author: f.t. lukens
publisher: margaret k. mcelderry books
release date: 20 april 2021
age category: young adult
genre/s: historical, fantasy, romance
purchase link/s: [ indiebound | bookshop ]

about:
A young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped during his coming-of-age tour in this swoony adventure that is The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Pirates of the Caribbean.

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 rumored 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… [ goodreads ]

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F.T. LUKENS is the author of four young adult novels published through Interlude Press, and her book Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic was a 2017 Cybils Award finalist in YA Speculative Fiction, won the ForeWord INDIES Book of the Year Gold Award for YA Fiction, and the Bisexual Book Award for Speculative Fiction, and it was also recently named to ALA’s 2019 Rainbow List. F.T. lives in North Carolina with her husband, three kids, three dogs, and three cats. [ goodreads | twitter ]

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[ ENTER THE GIVEAWAY ]

HAVE YOU READ ADVANCED COPIES OF YOUR MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASES THIS YEAR? SO FAR, WHICH ONE IS YOUR MOST FAVORITE?

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