In Deeper Waters

I absolutely loved the way Lukens writes the relationship between Tal and Athlen. From the moment they meet, their circumstances are shrouded in both secrets and a constant thrum of urgency. However, they support each other in ways that are really sweet. They were willing to rely on each other for the important things and each felt so protective over the other. There was also an inherent respect for each other and their wishes that is evident in a lot of their decisions being made. The adventures happening simultaneously was also intriguing, and added a level of fast-pacing that made it hard to put the book down.

Ok listen. LISTEN.

first of all: hell yeah.

it's a wide known fact among my friends and family that if you toss a thing with pirates in the air near me, it will not touch the floor because i will have caught it. that's just how it is I dont make the rules, yes, blame pirates of the caribbean, whatever. but you add some gays? you give it a cover THIS STUNNING?? im automatically sold.

so. i may not be the most impartial, let's get this out of the way. im in a FRENZY consuming all passable queer content i find because The StraightsTM tire me, but i'm still capable of discerning when something is mediocre.

here's the thing: this is not. and yeah, the secret athlen hides is not that hard to figure out but you know what? thats okay. its poetic show more and we'll let it slide, because i dont think it was meant to be so mysterous- after all, it DOES get confirmed before the plot even begins to thicken. (and the other half of his secret is also kind of predictable but in a charmind kind of way. like, in a "tal you idiot how can you not see what's going on this is why we say all gays are dumb" kinda way.)

tal himself is NICE. hes a NICE DUDE. you know what im saying? he could very easily not be, but hes genuinely a good guy, yet hes not so perfect that it makes you gag from how bland he is. you know those guys? yeah, tal's got substance to him. like a good stew. and he has some bite to him as well, like yeah he'll free the pretty prisoner but he also WILL put on his royal voice and order people around if required.

and athlen is kind of clueless in a really cute way. like. also not clueless? but definitely clueless. they genuinely have a nice dynamic. they MAKE SENSE in a way thats not forced, it just. clicks.

and the fantasy aspects- i wish there was more of it. not because there's too little or its underdeveloped, but because its FUN and well done and not GROUNDBREAKING but also not the magic youve seen a million times over.

also, more nice things: no homophobia AND WE LOVE TO SEE IT. sweet sweet escapism. we're TIRED of the tragedy gays and the authors seem to finally have caught on. the downside: no gay panic. personally, i love the gay panic -quintessential to the queer experience, in my experience, no matter how accepted you are. but i'll take this utopy of no homophobia traded for the couple days of gay panic.

another nice thing: did you know the prince, tal, is the dark(ish) skinned, dark haired one and not the pale ginger? no, really. this is really cool because its not usually like that, unfortunately. the prince is always the pale one and im TIRED OF IT. and since i just mentioned them both in the same sentence, i'll say: MY GOD the sheer tenderness. too good for this world, too pure.

i have so many feelings about the whole thing. not many of them are coherent, i'll admit. but i gave it five stars, so, to close, my final words- tal and athlen: you're my honeybunch sugarplum, pumpy umpy umpkin, you're my sweetiepie. you're my cuppycake gumdrop, snoogums-boogums, you're the apple of my eye.

that is all. thank you. show less

This book feels like a Saturday afternoon movie. It's basically a little mermaid retelling from the prince's pov, and everything about the vibe says "lighthearted and juvenile" until there's some torture scenes and quite a bit of sexual innuendo more fitting to a YA story. The tone shift was weird but didn't take me out of the story.

It has a very simple premise and the ending overall is quite underwhelming (in a sense that it plays out pretty much the exact way you know it will) but I had my fun with it and really enjoyed how the characters interacted with each other. I only wish the potential with a lot of the worldbuilding didn't fell so flat, because there were some very interesting details.

It's a cute little romance, nothing show more incredible but sweet enough to entertain. show less

3 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ

"In Deeper Waters" by F.T. Lukens

This story delivers a delightful blend of adventure, romance, and magic.

Lukens created a rich and immersive fantasy world filled with mythical creatures, mysterious islands, and a complex magical system.

I found myself invested in Tal and Athlen, and their journey together. Tal, a prince with a forbidden magical gift, is a relatable and likable protagonist who undergoes significant character growth throughout the story. Athlen, a mysterious sailor with secrets of his own, is a charming and complex character who provides a perfect foil for Tal. Their slow-burn romance is beautifully developed and adds an extra layer of emotion to the story.

The pacing of the plot was well-balanced, with a show more good mix of action, intrigue, and romance. The writing style was engaging and flowed smoothly, making it a pleasure to read.

I read this one because it was the April pick for the "LGBTQ/GSM Fantasy & Science Fiction" Goodreads group. show less

This was a quick read as well as a really good read. I think this is probably one of my favorite books of the year joining Cemetary Boys and Network Effect. I loved the story and I'm a sucker for drama and danger and near-death experiences. I love the story of Tal and Athlen and what they go through to save each other and the kingdom. I feel like if it was a little longer we could have gotten some really cute scenes, some more suspense and drama, and more backstory for certain things. The story picks up quickly and basically stays that way the whole time with sea shenanigans, political turmoil, and gay magical boys.

I hate when plot summaries list other works to compare it to because it's almost always nothing like that - just because it has some pirates and ships in it doesn't mean it's anything like Pirates of the Caribbean (it's not even close) and this also didn't have the humour or snark that I found in [b:The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue|29283884|The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings, #1)|Mackenzi Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492601464l/29283884._SY75_.jpg|49527118]. This also read as a little more juvenile than I was expecting from the summary.
It has pirates, mermaids and shapeshifters, royals, magic and magicians, and high seas adventures but it also spends a lot show more of time on land for no reason. The pirates are also barely key players so the cover is misleading - the main character is a royal prince out on his coming-of-age tour that just happens to start on a ship. The pacing ebbs a bit here and there and I got bored in those parts. I also thought it was a about 100 pages longer than it needed to be. This could definitely be edited down and would be the same story. It's also very much PG so if you're a reader put off by sex scenes beyond some kissing, this will be fine.
Overall, it was just fine but I just was a little perturbed at the misleading done by both the cover and the summary. show less

Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Great
Level: High School
Recommend: Yes

First of all, THAT COVER! *chef's kiss* I mainly wanted to read this book because that's one of my favorite covers I'd ever seen and I wanted to see if the story of those characters lived up to it. The answer is.... almost. The book is about a prince with secret, misunderstood magic and a boy he rescues that is secretly a merman who made a mysterious bargain with the sea witch for legs. This book is nearly nonstop adventure and a lot is crammed into this stand alone novel. I think the story fell short for me because it tried to do so much which at times left some of it feeling shallow and underwhelming. It was a fun book to read but while entertaining it lack show more some deeper compelling moments. Read this book is you enjoy ocean adventures, ransom kidnappings, royal rescues, found love, sibling dynamics, and magic. show less