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Adventures in Levena #1
Phantom and Rook
Arlo Rook has decided it’s time to move out of Garren Castle, home for orphans of all races, magical or not, at 100 years old.
It’s not the first time he’s left home, but a setback landed the Hedge Witch in the hospital a year ago, and subsequently back to square one. Now he's ready to strike out on his own, despite his friend’s worries he's not ready.
Thatch Phantom is an immortal, the last of his kind and perpetually bored. When he’s not closing interdimensional rifts and corralling trouble in the universe, he’s visiting his favorite city of all, Levena. No one remembers him, but he's made an everlasting impact on the city nonetheless.
Long ago, he set up an anonymous scavenger hunt for the starving village, providing them with a year’s worth of supplies. He upped the ante each year, providing less practical things, as the village had become a city and was wealthy beyond belief. Festivals are thrown in his honor to this day, or a version of him, that is.
Thatch has decided to throw a wild card into this year’s Game. Whoever discovers his true identity will win one wish of their choice, no restrictions. Aside from the obvious, such as no falling in love, murder or resurrection.
Arlo crashes into the mess of copper curls and bright eyes, who throws apothecary goods and his life into a chaotic mess. It certainly wasn’t the first they met, but Arlo doesn’t remember him. Thatch, however, never forgot the Witch with a familiar soulmark on his face.
What follows is a hilarious and wholesome series of events that teases the immortal with the one thing he wants most.
Someone to call home.
It’s not the first time he’s left home, but a setback landed the Hedge Witch in the hospital a year ago, and subsequently back to square one. Now he's ready to strike out on his own, despite his friend’s worries he's not ready.
Thatch Phantom is an immortal, the last of his kind and perpetually bored. When he’s not closing interdimensional rifts and corralling trouble in the universe, he’s visiting his favorite city of all, Levena. No one remembers him, but he's made an everlasting impact on the city nonetheless.
Long ago, he set up an anonymous scavenger hunt for the starving village, providing them with a year’s worth of supplies. He upped the ante each year, providing less practical things, as the village had become a city and was wealthy beyond belief. Festivals are thrown in his honor to this day, or a version of him, that is.
Thatch has decided to throw a wild card into this year’s Game. Whoever discovers his true identity will win one wish of their choice, no restrictions. Aside from the obvious, such as no falling in love, murder or resurrection.
Arlo crashes into the mess of copper curls and bright eyes, who throws apothecary goods and his life into a chaotic mess. It certainly wasn’t the first they met, but Arlo doesn’t remember him. Thatch, however, never forgot the Witch with a familiar soulmark on his face.
What follows is a hilarious and wholesome series of events that teases the immortal with the one thing he wants most.
Someone to call home.
Audible Audio
Published March 8, 2023
48 people are currently reading
1740 people want to read
About the author
Aelina Isaacs
11 books90 followersAelina (he/they) is a fantasy punk author with young witch vibes, endless coffee stains, and a craving for adventure. Aelina’s work is heavily influenced by their love of the outdoors and a need for more inclusive fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
October 6, 2022
3.75/5 (rounded up to 4)
My tiktok FYP is a weird mix of my interests and every once in a while I get some good bookish fun, which is how I discovered this book. The author had made a video describing the basics of the story, the characters, and immediately I was interested. Everything about it was my jam: "Cozy fantasy with guy witches," "misfits," "mysterious game and secret identities," "entirely queer cast," "soulmate marks," "forgotten past," "the family you choose," "second chances," "finding yourself as an adult," and finally "solar punk and modern magic." This book delivered on all of those promises, but I also feel like it was trying to do too much. That said, I deeply enjoyed it.
The book follows Arlo, a Hedge Witch with a traumatic past, who is moving away from home at 100 years old, and Thatch, an immortal being who can stay in town for a short period of time before he's forced to move on. It features a great cast of supporting characters; all of them have born witness to Arlo's past and care deeply about uplifting and supporting him. The plot is a bit of a mish-mash, it features the romance between Thatch and Arlo, the secret games that Thatch runs every year, Arlo's attempts to move on with his life, and then there's Arlo's ex who is still metaphorically haunting him.
My biggest complaint with this book is that it's clear the author had a lot of ideas, but it felt like a lot of them weren't able to be explored fully. It felt like whole plot elements would be introduced and then kind of pushed to the wayside to explore other aspects. I could see how things were meant to relate to each other and how they were meant to be woven together, but it didn't fully accomplish that. All in all, it felt like the author had SO MANY interesting ideas and tried to fit them all in, leaving readers with a some-what unsatisfactory story.
Examples found in this section.
That said, I loved the characters, all of them, so much. I thought they were each relatively fleshed out and distinctive, which can be hard with such a large cast. At times, it felt like the book focused on minor characters more than was necessary, but I was never upset by it. This wonderfully magical world that the author created, and all of the individuals who inhabit it, were captivating. I did find myself yearning to know about their pasts and their relationships to each other, to the point where sometimes I felt uninterested in their current situation or their role in the plot. There's so much that's hinted but I found myself wishing I could get to read about it all in detail instead of so many facts of these character's relationships just being skated over. I'd have loved less things going on with the plot so that we could really get into the meat of these characters relationships. Some of my favorite moments were the more "fluffy" bits of them going to clubs, or getting together at the house and just enjoying each other's company. The author did such a great job capturing those small, magical moments of life.
I also loved the examination of mental health and healing. I loved the acknowledgement that while Arlo was on his own journey of healing, his actions had a HUGE impact on his loved ones as well, and this story was as much about them healing from it as it was him. That's something that can be so hard to accomplish well, and I think the author did a phenomenal job at keeping that balance. I do wish, however, that it delved more into Thatch's mental health and experiences. So much of his chapters felt unnecessarily vague--I understand trying to keep the reader in the dark, but it's that' character's point of view, it feels almost like a cop-out. The more we learn about his past, about his role in the world, the more I yearned to see it all broken down, to see the mental impact this truly had on him. We got glimpses, of course! But it felt like it could've been explored more.
The pacing was also a bit wonky. At times it felt quite slow and meandering, other times it was at such a break-neck speed I felt like we missed key details. That said, the author deserves a credit for how rushed the last bit was; it read, to me, as if the author was truly trying to capture that "running out of time" element of the story, and I thought it was quite well done. I don't often think of a rushed ending as a positive thing, but when part of the plot is having the pacing reflect that emotional urgency was perfect.
I feel like this review reads as pretty negative, which I'm sorry for, but I stand by my 4 star review. Overall, I definitely enjoyed reading it, and I'll likely read more of the author's other works! There were so many aspects of this book that had me invested, that filled me with that ferocious need to keep reading! And yet, there were also a lot of ways that it felt a little overburdened by all the author was trying to do.
My tiktok FYP is a weird mix of my interests and every once in a while I get some good bookish fun, which is how I discovered this book. The author had made a video describing the basics of the story, the characters, and immediately I was interested. Everything about it was my jam: "Cozy fantasy with guy witches," "misfits," "mysterious game and secret identities," "entirely queer cast," "soulmate marks," "forgotten past," "the family you choose," "second chances," "finding yourself as an adult," and finally "solar punk and modern magic." This book delivered on all of those promises, but I also feel like it was trying to do too much. That said, I deeply enjoyed it.
The book follows Arlo, a Hedge Witch with a traumatic past, who is moving away from home at 100 years old, and Thatch, an immortal being who can stay in town for a short period of time before he's forced to move on. It features a great cast of supporting characters; all of them have born witness to Arlo's past and care deeply about uplifting and supporting him. The plot is a bit of a mish-mash, it features the romance between Thatch and Arlo, the secret games that Thatch runs every year, Arlo's attempts to move on with his life, and then there's Arlo's ex who is still metaphorically haunting him.
My biggest complaint with this book is that it's clear the author had a lot of ideas, but it felt like a lot of them weren't able to be explored fully. It felt like whole plot elements would be introduced and then kind of pushed to the wayside to explore other aspects. I could see how things were meant to relate to each other and how they were meant to be woven together, but it didn't fully accomplish that. All in all, it felt like the author had SO MANY interesting ideas and tried to fit them all in, leaving readers with a some-what unsatisfactory story.
Examples found in this section.
That said, I loved the characters, all of them, so much. I thought they were each relatively fleshed out and distinctive, which can be hard with such a large cast. At times, it felt like the book focused on minor characters more than was necessary, but I was never upset by it. This wonderfully magical world that the author created, and all of the individuals who inhabit it, were captivating. I did find myself yearning to know about their pasts and their relationships to each other, to the point where sometimes I felt uninterested in their current situation or their role in the plot. There's so much that's hinted but I found myself wishing I could get to read about it all in detail instead of so many facts of these character's relationships just being skated over. I'd have loved less things going on with the plot so that we could really get into the meat of these characters relationships. Some of my favorite moments were the more "fluffy" bits of them going to clubs, or getting together at the house and just enjoying each other's company. The author did such a great job capturing those small, magical moments of life.
I also loved the examination of mental health and healing. I loved the acknowledgement that while Arlo was on his own journey of healing, his actions had a HUGE impact on his loved ones as well, and this story was as much about them healing from it as it was him. That's something that can be so hard to accomplish well, and I think the author did a phenomenal job at keeping that balance. I do wish, however, that it delved more into Thatch's mental health and experiences. So much of his chapters felt unnecessarily vague--I understand trying to keep the reader in the dark, but it's that' character's point of view, it feels almost like a cop-out. The more we learn about his past, about his role in the world, the more I yearned to see it all broken down, to see the mental impact this truly had on him. We got glimpses, of course! But it felt like it could've been explored more.
The pacing was also a bit wonky. At times it felt quite slow and meandering, other times it was at such a break-neck speed I felt like we missed key details. That said, the author deserves a credit for how rushed the last bit was; it read, to me, as if the author was truly trying to capture that "running out of time" element of the story, and I thought it was quite well done. I don't often think of a rushed ending as a positive thing, but when part of the plot is having the pacing reflect that emotional urgency was perfect.
I feel like this review reads as pretty negative, which I'm sorry for, but I stand by my 4 star review. Overall, I definitely enjoyed reading it, and I'll likely read more of the author's other works! There were so many aspects of this book that had me invested, that filled me with that ferocious need to keep reading! And yet, there were also a lot of ways that it felt a little overburdened by all the author was trying to do.
April 21, 2023
Vivid, vibrant and utterly delightful!
I picked this book up on a complete whim and it turned out to be exactly what I needed. This cosy romantic fantasy is set in the wonderfully magical city of Levena, where our fantastically diverse group of characters are gearing up to participate in the yearly scavenger hunt to win the grand prize: The Wish.
And while that is definitely an intriguing plot set-up, there's something even more exciting driving this narrative forward. Because... what happens when an immortal who no-one remembers falls in love with a grumpy hedge witch?
This book features some of the most endearing characters I have read in a long time and the found family vibes are seriously off the charts!! These characters are so vibrant and realistic and their relationships were incredibly deep, complex and heartfelt. It honestly felt like I was spending time with life-long friends and I loved it. Also, I really appreciated that this world was so delightfully diverse. The cast of characters we follow all have their own struggles and quirks, yet they are accepted exactly as they are. And the way mental illness is portrayed in this story was also incredibly powerful and authentic, I felt so much for these characters!!
Now, I have to admit I was a bit hesitant when I found out that this had the fated mates trope, but wow... it was executed to perfection here. Instead of a cheesy insta-love situation, we get a deliciously slow-burn romance with lots of pining and I was so here for it! I really appreciated that we got to see such a beautiful blossoming of their relationship, it filled my heart with joy. Also, kudos to the author for not having the romantic relationship solve all their personal inner struggles. These characters are quite broken and traumatized when we first meet them, but then we get to see them heal and grow together. And it's a beautifully human and messy process, just as it should be!
So all in all, I highly recommend this queer and slow-burn fantasy romance if you are in the mood for something that will tug on your heartstrings and fill you with joy.
I loved it!
I picked this book up on a complete whim and it turned out to be exactly what I needed. This cosy romantic fantasy is set in the wonderfully magical city of Levena, where our fantastically diverse group of characters are gearing up to participate in the yearly scavenger hunt to win the grand prize: The Wish.
And while that is definitely an intriguing plot set-up, there's something even more exciting driving this narrative forward. Because... what happens when an immortal who no-one remembers falls in love with a grumpy hedge witch?
This book features some of the most endearing characters I have read in a long time and the found family vibes are seriously off the charts!! These characters are so vibrant and realistic and their relationships were incredibly deep, complex and heartfelt. It honestly felt like I was spending time with life-long friends and I loved it. Also, I really appreciated that this world was so delightfully diverse. The cast of characters we follow all have their own struggles and quirks, yet they are accepted exactly as they are. And the way mental illness is portrayed in this story was also incredibly powerful and authentic, I felt so much for these characters!!
Now, I have to admit I was a bit hesitant when I found out that this had the fated mates trope, but wow... it was executed to perfection here. Instead of a cheesy insta-love situation, we get a deliciously slow-burn romance with lots of pining and I was so here for it! I really appreciated that we got to see such a beautiful blossoming of their relationship, it filled my heart with joy. Also, kudos to the author for not having the romantic relationship solve all their personal inner struggles. These characters are quite broken and traumatized when we first meet them, but then we get to see them heal and grow together. And it's a beautifully human and messy process, just as it should be!
So all in all, I highly recommend this queer and slow-burn fantasy romance if you are in the mood for something that will tug on your heartstrings and fill you with joy.
I loved it!
September 18, 2023
DNF @ 5%.
I had a hard time resisting this cover paired with a witchy boy MC. I’ve had it sitting on my TBR since it’s release almost a year ago. Sadly, this isn’t working for me.
It started off on a bad foot.
We have “Before Reading” as a content warning of sorts, versus a foreword. Certainly, “Before Reading” doesn’t scream “CWs” to me, you could just as well be thinking your cat Mr. Muffin’s for his encouragement and companionship.
That’s followed by “Watch Your Language” which isn’t letting you know there is swearing (that was in the “Before Reading”), but to let you know some words are based on Hebrew “and some meanings have been adjusted to fit the story”. I mean… you could just make up your own word versus giving a different meaning to an already existing one.
Then, “Who Goes There?”. I bet you are thinking this is a character glossary? It’s not. It’s a description of “homebrew magical races in this world”. It’s three pages long. I didn’t read much past letting me know that “Golem: an undead race […]”. Hmm, not what I thought a golem was, but whatever.
“Where Are We?” is not just one, but two maps. I hate maps in books. Either they are irrelevant, in which case why did you include them? Or they are relevant and that means geography. Listen, I’d rather have no sense of where anything is in relation to anything else than have to flip back to a map, or maps, for reference.
Prologue, followed by a page with the header “ Friday”, followed by a page with a header of “My Heart”, with subheadings “Arlo”, “Levena”, “Present Day”. Am I slightly annoyed by the 4729473 headings choice of formatting? A tad.
But, none of those are actually the reason why I chose to DNF this book just 30 pages in.
The reason? Hair.
Chapter 1 starts at page 17. Between pages 17 and 30, a character’s hair is described 5x. Two of those times, it’s Arlo’s hair. Because between page 18 and 30, I must have forgotten and need reminding of his hair colour.
• Waves of near black hair partially curtain my face, flowing from under my beanie
• Kitt muses, shaking out violet and electric blue tresses
• He nods a few times, mop of hazel hair bouncing as he does.
• Her silver hair is cut in pixie fashion, highlighting the array of jewelry hanging from her ears and the cut of her wide jaw.
• I bow my head for a moment, removing my beanie to run a hand through my wild waves of almost black, when the light hits it a soft, barely there brown is visible.
Listen, I was already getting overwhelmed by the number of characters being mentioned in the first few pages, but I don’t need to know, and don’t care to know, what everyone’s hair looks like.
Is hair colour a crucial plot point? I mean, I really hope not, but also, “hair” or variation of shows up 130x in this book, “tress” or variation 5x, “locks” 6x.
I have a very limited patience when it comes to describing the appearance of things, and telling me the MCs hair colour 2x in 12 pages exceeds that limit. Can’t do it, won’t do it. Little wonder this is 487 pages long if we need to describe all the hair ever.
I had a hard time resisting this cover paired with a witchy boy MC. I’ve had it sitting on my TBR since it’s release almost a year ago. Sadly, this isn’t working for me.
It started off on a bad foot.
We have “Before Reading” as a content warning of sorts, versus a foreword. Certainly, “Before Reading” doesn’t scream “CWs” to me, you could just as well be thinking your cat Mr. Muffin’s for his encouragement and companionship.
That’s followed by “Watch Your Language” which isn’t letting you know there is swearing (that was in the “Before Reading”), but to let you know some words are based on Hebrew “and some meanings have been adjusted to fit the story”. I mean… you could just make up your own word versus giving a different meaning to an already existing one.
Then, “Who Goes There?”. I bet you are thinking this is a character glossary? It’s not. It’s a description of “homebrew magical races in this world”. It’s three pages long. I didn’t read much past letting me know that “Golem: an undead race […]”. Hmm, not what I thought a golem was, but whatever.
“Where Are We?” is not just one, but two maps. I hate maps in books. Either they are irrelevant, in which case why did you include them? Or they are relevant and that means geography. Listen, I’d rather have no sense of where anything is in relation to anything else than have to flip back to a map, or maps, for reference.
Prologue, followed by a page with the header “ Friday”, followed by a page with a header of “My Heart”, with subheadings “Arlo”, “Levena”, “Present Day”. Am I slightly annoyed by the 4729473 headings choice of formatting? A tad.
But, none of those are actually the reason why I chose to DNF this book just 30 pages in.
The reason? Hair.
Chapter 1 starts at page 17. Between pages 17 and 30, a character’s hair is described 5x. Two of those times, it’s Arlo’s hair. Because between page 18 and 30, I must have forgotten and need reminding of his hair colour.
• Waves of near black hair partially curtain my face, flowing from under my beanie
• Kitt muses, shaking out violet and electric blue tresses
• He nods a few times, mop of hazel hair bouncing as he does.
• Her silver hair is cut in pixie fashion, highlighting the array of jewelry hanging from her ears and the cut of her wide jaw.
• I bow my head for a moment, removing my beanie to run a hand through my wild waves of almost black, when the light hits it a soft, barely there brown is visible.
Listen, I was already getting overwhelmed by the number of characters being mentioned in the first few pages, but I don’t need to know, and don’t care to know, what everyone’s hair looks like.
Is hair colour a crucial plot point? I mean, I really hope not, but also, “hair” or variation of shows up 130x in this book, “tress” or variation 5x, “locks” 6x.
I have a very limited patience when it comes to describing the appearance of things, and telling me the MCs hair colour 2x in 12 pages exceeds that limit. Can’t do it, won’t do it. Little wonder this is 487 pages long if we need to describe all the hair ever.
January 15, 2024
2.5/5
The cover of this book is very pretty so I was very excited to read this book, but what a disappointment. While it’s certainly true that this book fits the vibe of a cute cozy mystery, the book was mostly chaotic, vague, and all over the place. Many interesting things were mentioned, like the battle with Arlo’s ex, the past games, Arlo’s mental health, Thatch’s past, and the character's backstories (all characters seem amazing, but we know nothing about them!!). The pacing also felt off, at some points the story was quite slow, but most of the time it was so fast that the readers seemed to miss important details. The idea was good, but the execution was not.
The cover of this book is very pretty so I was very excited to read this book, but what a disappointment. While it’s certainly true that this book fits the vibe of a cute cozy mystery, the book was mostly chaotic, vague, and all over the place. Many interesting things were mentioned, like the battle with Arlo’s ex, the past games, Arlo’s mental health, Thatch’s past, and the character's backstories (all characters seem amazing, but we know nothing about them!!). The pacing also felt off, at some points the story was quite slow, but most of the time it was so fast that the readers seemed to miss important details. The idea was good, but the execution was not.
Read
June 2, 2023A cozy achillean romance that's bright and thoughtful and emotional, following an immortal x mortal romance with some fluff, a fair amount of angst, and a beautifully happy ending. I definitely recommend this for anyone who wants to curl up in a lovely cozy world with a vibrant queer family for a while.
June 11, 2023
First off, there aren't enough stars to give this book.
Secondly, there aren't enough words in any language to explain how beautiful this book is.
Thirdly, I could fill a lake with how many tears I cried.
While this book is cosy, for sure, it is also filled with enough angst and heartbreak to crack open your heart. Set in a quaint town of Levena, filled with magical beings and a family nestled deep in the heart of Thistwhistles, a beloved coffee shop, a witch and an immortal begin their second life together of being soulmates. The only problem is that while Thatch, an immortal, mysterious being, remembers everything about his soulmate, Arlo, Arlo remembers nothing. All he knows is that when he bumps into Thatch on a busy market street, he doesn't feel like a stranger but there's no recollection of him.
As the two descend into a week of madness surrounding the ever-elusive and fun 'Game', where an unknown being called the Scarlet Illusionist is hiding paintings all over the city, Arlo and Thatch start to unravel the secrets of their past, revealing truths about themselves, facing past demons, and trying to figure out the future. All the while, the Game is the last one to be held. As Thatch prepares to say goodbye to Arlo and Levena, Arlo is trying to figure out why his magick and blood sings for the new stranger that has taken over the town.
Phantom and Rook is filled with soulmates, otherworldly beings, cosy magic, witches, and a bunch of friends who get together to give each other tattoos and get high. With a backdrop of an orphanage that positively hurts the heart, there is no loss of characters to fall in love with. From a hedge witch with a saviour complex but never wants to be helped himself, to a demon that falls for an angel over time, bonding over monster porn. (Loved Quentin and Loch, actually)
There truly aren't enough words to describe how stunning this book is. The worldbuilding is flawless, exquisite, vast, and so full of imagery that's impossible to not feel like you're walking the actual streets alongside the characters. Every character was beautifully created, knowable from Silas's chaos, to the smell of Kitt's tattoo parlour.
Everything in this book is drenched in colour. Revolving around an artist helps, yes, but everything is so utterly soaked is vivid imagery it hurts. It's so beautiful to see the world through both Arlo's and Thatch's eyes, having your heart broken from both sides of the story. The hyperbole hits when it needs to, and leaves us gasping when we don't quite see what's around the corner.
Filled with emotion and 'I will find you in every universe' vibes, Phantom and Rook IS the book of my summer. Words truly aren't to explain how much I'm feeling right now. Please just read it. Read it for the cool, tattooed witch who falls in love all over again with the immortal man who has loved him all along. Read it for the angst of ex-lovers who are still friends and watch each other have lives with others and come to terms with that. Read it for the girlfriends who are absolutely the cutest ever. Read it for Quentin and Loch because Y E S. Read it for the young witch who's coming into himself and finds a mentor in Arlo. Read it for the Game, the paintings, the artwork, the expansive world, the coffee shop, the cottage, the overwhelming sense of home. If a warm hot drink on a cold winter's day had a feel in a book, it would be this. This book is truly the blanket of warmth, covered in sunflowers and the feeling of an endless summer day even when the sun is setting but the air is still warm and you believe you still have time. Read it for Arlo, still fighting his darkness. Read it for the mental health rep. Read it for the clumsy immortal sunshine. Read it for every single character, so utterly lovable. Please--just read it, I implore you.
And if that wasn't enough, some out-of-context quotes to remain spoiler-free:
"But you don't listen to someone cry in the dark for years and not have a guess as to what their ghosts are."
"Arlo... is sitting backwards in a gleaming steel and leather tattoo chair, chin resting on his crossed arms as Kitt stabs into his back. Half-burnt joints hang out of both their mouths."
"'Yeah, I'm okay', I say, although I haven't been truly okay in a very long time."
"I love him for it. All of these people, I'm falling in love with who they are and how big their hearts are, all in different ways."
"The very universe that abandons me time and time again has promised someone so breathtaking, so wonderfully loyal and kind, only to hold them out of reach. Arlo and I weren't lovers before, only friends, and that was torturous enough to leave behind the first time."
"The Game is harvesting emotions and feelings relentlessly this year, tearing out my friend's hearts and laying them bare for all those who care to witness the dissection of their lives."
"I won't forget you again."
Secondly, there aren't enough words in any language to explain how beautiful this book is.
Thirdly, I could fill a lake with how many tears I cried.
While this book is cosy, for sure, it is also filled with enough angst and heartbreak to crack open your heart. Set in a quaint town of Levena, filled with magical beings and a family nestled deep in the heart of Thistwhistles, a beloved coffee shop, a witch and an immortal begin their second life together of being soulmates. The only problem is that while Thatch, an immortal, mysterious being, remembers everything about his soulmate, Arlo, Arlo remembers nothing. All he knows is that when he bumps into Thatch on a busy market street, he doesn't feel like a stranger but there's no recollection of him.
As the two descend into a week of madness surrounding the ever-elusive and fun 'Game', where an unknown being called the Scarlet Illusionist is hiding paintings all over the city, Arlo and Thatch start to unravel the secrets of their past, revealing truths about themselves, facing past demons, and trying to figure out the future. All the while, the Game is the last one to be held. As Thatch prepares to say goodbye to Arlo and Levena, Arlo is trying to figure out why his magick and blood sings for the new stranger that has taken over the town.
Phantom and Rook is filled with soulmates, otherworldly beings, cosy magic, witches, and a bunch of friends who get together to give each other tattoos and get high. With a backdrop of an orphanage that positively hurts the heart, there is no loss of characters to fall in love with. From a hedge witch with a saviour complex but never wants to be helped himself, to a demon that falls for an angel over time, bonding over monster porn. (Loved Quentin and Loch, actually)
There truly aren't enough words to describe how stunning this book is. The worldbuilding is flawless, exquisite, vast, and so full of imagery that's impossible to not feel like you're walking the actual streets alongside the characters. Every character was beautifully created, knowable from Silas's chaos, to the smell of Kitt's tattoo parlour.
Everything in this book is drenched in colour. Revolving around an artist helps, yes, but everything is so utterly soaked is vivid imagery it hurts. It's so beautiful to see the world through both Arlo's and Thatch's eyes, having your heart broken from both sides of the story. The hyperbole hits when it needs to, and leaves us gasping when we don't quite see what's around the corner.
Filled with emotion and 'I will find you in every universe' vibes, Phantom and Rook IS the book of my summer. Words truly aren't to explain how much I'm feeling right now. Please just read it. Read it for the cool, tattooed witch who falls in love all over again with the immortal man who has loved him all along. Read it for the angst of ex-lovers who are still friends and watch each other have lives with others and come to terms with that. Read it for the girlfriends who are absolutely the cutest ever. Read it for Quentin and Loch because Y E S. Read it for the young witch who's coming into himself and finds a mentor in Arlo. Read it for the Game, the paintings, the artwork, the expansive world, the coffee shop, the cottage, the overwhelming sense of home. If a warm hot drink on a cold winter's day had a feel in a book, it would be this. This book is truly the blanket of warmth, covered in sunflowers and the feeling of an endless summer day even when the sun is setting but the air is still warm and you believe you still have time. Read it for Arlo, still fighting his darkness. Read it for the mental health rep. Read it for the clumsy immortal sunshine. Read it for every single character, so utterly lovable. Please--just read it, I implore you.
And if that wasn't enough, some out-of-context quotes to remain spoiler-free:
"But you don't listen to someone cry in the dark for years and not have a guess as to what their ghosts are."
"Arlo... is sitting backwards in a gleaming steel and leather tattoo chair, chin resting on his crossed arms as Kitt stabs into his back. Half-burnt joints hang out of both their mouths."
"'Yeah, I'm okay', I say, although I haven't been truly okay in a very long time."
"I love him for it. All of these people, I'm falling in love with who they are and how big their hearts are, all in different ways."
"The very universe that abandons me time and time again has promised someone so breathtaking, so wonderfully loyal and kind, only to hold them out of reach. Arlo and I weren't lovers before, only friends, and that was torturous enough to leave behind the first time."
"The Game is harvesting emotions and feelings relentlessly this year, tearing out my friend's hearts and laying them bare for all those who care to witness the dissection of their lives."
"I won't forget you again."
July 9, 2023
This is an excellent book for people who enjoy reading about romance, found family, deep friendship, and healing. If you're sensitive to any mental health topics, definitely check the trigger warnings because while this skews to the cozy side of reading, it doesn't shy away from the past traumas that the characters have endured.
While the story revolves around the romance of our two MCs, I actually loved this book for the friendships. There's a mundane scene where the group are just sitting around in a tattoo shop, swapping tattoos, smoking, and talking. And that honestly will live in my bones for a long while to come. I also really valued the lack of traditional plot structure, because the primary focus of the story is the relationship between the two characters, not some epic battle they're living through. Even though these are magic characters in a fantasy world, it felt almost realistic that they're just grappling with small crisis moments like we would, except instead of a busted tire, it's a ghost.
I always struggle a little bit with softer books. I'm challenging myself to read one every once in a while to chip away at my calloused heart. Some of the pieces of the book pushed against me and what I'm used to, and while that was uncomfy for me in this season of mental rehabilitation I'm putting myself through, I know as well that this will appeal to so many other people. It's available on Hoopla in ebook and has an audiobook out as well, which was how I read the book.
While the story revolves around the romance of our two MCs, I actually loved this book for the friendships. There's a mundane scene where the group are just sitting around in a tattoo shop, swapping tattoos, smoking, and talking. And that honestly will live in my bones for a long while to come. I also really valued the lack of traditional plot structure, because the primary focus of the story is the relationship between the two characters, not some epic battle they're living through. Even though these are magic characters in a fantasy world, it felt almost realistic that they're just grappling with small crisis moments like we would, except instead of a busted tire, it's a ghost.
I always struggle a little bit with softer books. I'm challenging myself to read one every once in a while to chip away at my calloused heart. Some of the pieces of the book pushed against me and what I'm used to, and while that was uncomfy for me in this season of mental rehabilitation I'm putting myself through, I know as well that this will appeal to so many other people. It's available on Hoopla in ebook and has an audiobook out as well, which was how I read the book.
July 1, 2023
3.5 rounded up
This cozy, character focused M/M fantasy romance was all of those things, and while not a book or sub genre I generally gravitate towards was very easy to follow.
RTC
This cozy, character focused M/M fantasy romance was all of those things, and while not a book or sub genre I generally gravitate towards was very easy to follow.
RTC
October 20, 2025
I enjoyed ever but if this book.
…. wondering what the above is meant to mean 😂
probably that i enjoyed the book a lot and it was very romantic.
…. wondering what the above is meant to mean 😂
probably that i enjoyed the book a lot and it was very romantic.
September 15, 2024
If you’re looking for a cozy autumn fantasy with strong found family and friendship, this might be one of the candidates. I loved the worldbuilding and the diverse cast of characters and I want to hang out with them in the bookshop/café immediately, please and thank you.
March 24, 2023
5⭐️ 2🌶️
“Is that what we are? Strangers?”
On its surface Phantom and Rook is a cosy fantasy with a delicious slow burn romance. Set during a yearly festival, a group of friends participates in sort of a scavenger hunt. Thatch Phantom becomes part of this group after bumping into Arlo Rook and then continuing to show up in his life. Thatch knows that Arlo is his soulmate but for reasons you’ll have to read about he doesn’t share this information.
I felt so deeply reading this. Some books just touch you in a way that’s hard to put into words. A lot of it was funny and light but then a character would confess a vulnerability or open up about their past. Most of the core group know each other because they grew up at the same orphanage so the found family vibes are incredibly strong and I applaud the way these relationships were depicted - characters might be mad or disappointed with each other but you always felt the love (even from the one guy I thought was an asshole for most of the book 😅).
The writing is just exquisite. There’s such a visual quality that I felt like I could see the scenes so clearly. I loved the heavy emphasis on colours and memories, it gave the book a dreamlike feeling. This one’s going to stick with me for a long time 🤍
Thatch’s grin lights up his entire face. “You’ll find we have a lot in common, Arlo.”
“Is that what we are? Strangers?”
On its surface Phantom and Rook is a cosy fantasy with a delicious slow burn romance. Set during a yearly festival, a group of friends participates in sort of a scavenger hunt. Thatch Phantom becomes part of this group after bumping into Arlo Rook and then continuing to show up in his life. Thatch knows that Arlo is his soulmate but for reasons you’ll have to read about he doesn’t share this information.
I felt so deeply reading this. Some books just touch you in a way that’s hard to put into words. A lot of it was funny and light but then a character would confess a vulnerability or open up about their past. Most of the core group know each other because they grew up at the same orphanage so the found family vibes are incredibly strong and I applaud the way these relationships were depicted - characters might be mad or disappointed with each other but you always felt the love (even from the one guy I thought was an asshole for most of the book 😅).
The writing is just exquisite. There’s such a visual quality that I felt like I could see the scenes so clearly. I loved the heavy emphasis on colours and memories, it gave the book a dreamlike feeling. This one’s going to stick with me for a long time 🤍
Thatch’s grin lights up his entire face. “You’ll find we have a lot in common, Arlo.”
October 8, 2024
This is one of my favorite reads of the year.
Managing to pull off such a great love story set in only around a week is incredible and I have to admit, I was very skeptical it could be really pulled off for around half of the book. But it worked out brilliantly and I am still an emotional wreck one week after finishing the book.
The friendship group in this book is everything and I can’t wait to read more of them in Matsdotter and Adrastus. Found family is the best trope.
All of the characters were three-dimensional and made me very emotional. This book hit hard (which is why this review is such a mess, sorry). I spent half of my time reading smiling and the other half sobbing.
There was a lot more plot to this than I am used to from cozy romances and it is making me slightly scared for the sequels. Good thing I won’t have to wait for too long.
Honestly, all I can say is, if you like queer folks, Fantasy and emotions, this book is for you and you should read it immediately.
Managing to pull off such a great love story set in only around a week is incredible and I have to admit, I was very skeptical it could be really pulled off for around half of the book. But it worked out brilliantly and I am still an emotional wreck one week after finishing the book.
The friendship group in this book is everything and I can’t wait to read more of them in Matsdotter and Adrastus. Found family is the best trope.
All of the characters were three-dimensional and made me very emotional. This book hit hard (which is why this review is such a mess, sorry). I spent half of my time reading smiling and the other half sobbing.
There was a lot more plot to this than I am used to from cozy romances and it is making me slightly scared for the sequels. Good thing I won’t have to wait for too long.
Honestly, all I can say is, if you like queer folks, Fantasy and emotions, this book is for you and you should read it immediately.
October 13, 2024
2.5 rounded up
Okay, I was actually pretty excited about this book initially but the writing and story set up just wasn't connecting with me. I kept feeling like I was supposed to care about stuff, but I just didn't. It also felt a bit convoluted with a lot of things going on which was annoying cause I didn't care as much as i was supposed it. I like some of the ideas but it just didn't hit with me. I can see other people liking it tho.
Okay, I was actually pretty excited about this book initially but the writing and story set up just wasn't connecting with me. I kept feeling like I was supposed to care about stuff, but I just didn't. It also felt a bit convoluted with a lot of things going on which was annoying cause I didn't care as much as i was supposed it. I like some of the ideas but it just didn't hit with me. I can see other people liking it tho.
December 10, 2022
I loved the story and the characters. The world building was overall well-done and I enjoyed having a list of species/character types and a short glossary of words at the beginning of the book to refer to throughout the story. (Though more reminders in the story itself would have been nice in places because having to stop and look it up did occasionally mess with the flow.) Despite the bits of danger here and there, it was overall a cozy story. I'm assuming the main villain is covered/defeated more in future books, because I felt like that was a bit of a loose end. The writing was a bit rough in places and I didn't really care for the way the POV would sometimes change in the middle of chapters, but overall, the story worked well and I enjoyed it!
March 26, 2023
If I had to describe this book in one word, I'd say 'vivid'. I picked this up because of its beautiful cover and I'm pleased to say the content matches. Levena is a feast for the senses. From Thitwhistle's cafe/bookstore to Arlo's room to the Kitchen at Garren castle, it was all so vivid and made me want to live there 100%. I loved seeing all the races and genders living together in harmony. I'm not big on romance and felt like there was just the right amount of it, the majority of the book being high-fantasy-centric. My favourite character would have to be Arlo, but Thatch was pretty interesting as well.
October 12, 2023
I'm still recovering, so my thoughts are scattered.
I fucking adored this. I bought it on a whim, went in blind, and whew. I'm a mess.
It's the found family of all found families. I loved all of these characters so much.
I only wish we had more info at the end.
Edit: I forgot to add that I listened on audio. Kirt Graves does the narration. I have kind of mixed feelings on his narrations; some I love, some I don't love as much. I'm extremely picky but he's still on my list of trusted narrators that I'll buy without sampling. That said, I didn't love the voices he did this time--it's the accents, I think? but overall it was still pretty good. He always conveys emotion well.
I fucking adored this. I bought it on a whim, went in blind, and whew. I'm a mess.
It's the found family of all found families. I loved all of these characters so much.
I only wish we had more info at the end.
Edit: I forgot to add that I listened on audio. Kirt Graves does the narration. I have kind of mixed feelings on his narrations; some I love, some I don't love as much. I'm extremely picky but he's still on my list of trusted narrators that I'll buy without sampling. That said, I didn't love the voices he did this time--it's the accents, I think? but overall it was still pretty good. He always conveys emotion well.
May 9, 2023
4.5 stars
What a beautiful, wonderful, cozy, amazing story 💜 my heart is happy 💜
What a beautiful, wonderful, cozy, amazing story 💜 my heart is happy 💜
November 25, 2023
I loved seeing Thatch Phantom (the immortal) and Arlo Rook (the witch) come together and fall in love, even as I wasn't sure how they would manage to make it work. Arlo's Misfits friend group was SO DELIGHTFUL and I want them to be my friends!!
I especially loved the inclusivity throughout the book like access for the aquatic folk to come to the bar/dance club. One of Arlo's best friends uses a wheelchair, and you get to see him living his life, being a parent, having fun, being a jerk... things that shouldn't be exceptional but I haven't read many characters use wheelchairs in fantasy books, so it stood out to me. And you get to see Arlo struggle with depression, talk about his meds, reach out for help, talk to his therapist.
I lost sleep staying up to read this book -- I was so absorbed in the characters that I wanted to see what would happen next! The setting was so vivid, I loved the characters, the diversity, the queerness, the magic... everything! It was funny, sad, exciting, mysterious, adventurous, tense... all the things. It grabbed me and wouldn't let go and I don't regret any of the sleep I lost while drawn into the world of Levena and these amazing characters!
CW for past suicide attempt
I especially loved the inclusivity throughout the book like access for the aquatic folk to come to the bar/dance club. One of Arlo's best friends uses a wheelchair, and you get to see him living his life, being a parent, having fun, being a jerk... things that shouldn't be exceptional but I haven't read many characters use wheelchairs in fantasy books, so it stood out to me. And you get to see Arlo struggle with depression, talk about his meds, reach out for help, talk to his therapist.
I lost sleep staying up to read this book -- I was so absorbed in the characters that I wanted to see what would happen next! The setting was so vivid, I loved the characters, the diversity, the queerness, the magic... everything! It was funny, sad, exciting, mysterious, adventurous, tense... all the things. It grabbed me and wouldn't let go and I don't regret any of the sleep I lost while drawn into the world of Levena and these amazing characters!
CW for past suicide attempt
December 7, 2023
Potential to be great but focused on all the wrong details for me to personally love it…
- Huge cast of characters of which the descriptions aren’t always consistent or feel flat.
- Subplots that either should have been filled out more or cut out altogether. Instead they’re stuck in half baked limbo.
- Completely missed opportunity to explore and describe intricacies of society for home brewed races. Irritated by the lack of depth to them, it seemed the author was more interested in “ooo this would be pretty” than giving actually interesting context. I’m am genuinely SO FRUSTRATED that the complexities hinted at regarding Loch and Tobias cultural backgrounds / expectations weren’t explored at all. In my personal opinion, don’t bother with hints if you aren’t brave enough to flesh out the world building in full.
- Related to above: using a blanket 1 sentence description of a fantasy race at the beginning of the book (before the actual story starts) as the only reference point for readers. I find it to be lazy writing. There should be more than just a basic physical description, and there should be a unique description when you encounter that race in the book so that the character is actually described in the main text.
- WHY WAS IT OVER 400 PAGES? Absolutely no reason for that considering how underwhelming the characters and subplots were.
- Huge cast of characters of which the descriptions aren’t always consistent or feel flat.
- Subplots that either should have been filled out more or cut out altogether. Instead they’re stuck in half baked limbo.
- Completely missed opportunity to explore and describe intricacies of society for home brewed races. Irritated by the lack of depth to them, it seemed the author was more interested in “ooo this would be pretty” than giving actually interesting context. I’m am genuinely SO FRUSTRATED that the complexities hinted at regarding Loch and Tobias cultural backgrounds / expectations weren’t explored at all. In my personal opinion, don’t bother with hints if you aren’t brave enough to flesh out the world building in full.
- Related to above: using a blanket 1 sentence description of a fantasy race at the beginning of the book (before the actual story starts) as the only reference point for readers. I find it to be lazy writing. There should be more than just a basic physical description, and there should be a unique description when you encounter that race in the book so that the character is actually described in the main text.
- WHY WAS IT OVER 400 PAGES? Absolutely no reason for that considering how underwhelming the characters and subplots were.
November 17, 2024
I’m pretty torn on this one. On one hand, the extended exposition, meandering plot with no real focus, and massive number of characters (many of whom weren’t important to the plot at all) didn’t work for me. Plus, the dual first person narration does this book zero favors. This would have benefitted GREATLY from being in Arlo’s POV only, adding to the mystery of who Thatch is without having to withhold major information from the reader. The writing style also didn’t work for me. There were too many overly flowery descriptions of settings and characters’ hair, for instance.
However, once the actual mystery is introduced (100+ pages in) and Rook and Phantom actually start interacting, the whole thing picked up for me. I’m gonna be honest, I finished this because I’m a complete sucker for pining slow burns. And I did enjoy the ending. But I think there were so many ways this book could have been amazing, and it really missed the mark for me.
However, once the actual mystery is introduced (100+ pages in) and Rook and Phantom actually start interacting, the whole thing picked up for me. I’m gonna be honest, I finished this because I’m a complete sucker for pining slow burns. And I did enjoy the ending. But I think there were so many ways this book could have been amazing, and it really missed the mark for me.
December 28, 2022
Started reading this at lunch at work, thought about it for the rest of the work day, got home and finished it before I went to bed.
The characters were so warm and good to each other, even though fights and disagreements naturally came up during the story. The romance got me INVESTED - I loved the dual perspectives letting us see into both their heads! You will care so so deeply about these guys, as well as their friends. I'm sometimes iffy about kid characters, but the kid characters in this book were both a) realistic and b) likeable as hell. Everybody was endearing as hell! I was rooting for all of them.
Despite some dark stuff happening (mostly in people's backstories), this book felt cozy and safe, like watching your friends hang out. Excited to read more in this series!
The characters were so warm and good to each other, even though fights and disagreements naturally came up during the story. The romance got me INVESTED - I loved the dual perspectives letting us see into both their heads! You will care so so deeply about these guys, as well as their friends. I'm sometimes iffy about kid characters, but the kid characters in this book were both a) realistic and b) likeable as hell. Everybody was endearing as hell! I was rooting for all of them.
Despite some dark stuff happening (mostly in people's backstories), this book felt cozy and safe, like watching your friends hang out. Excited to read more in this series!
November 13, 2022
Really hard to rate this book. I think the general idea was brilliant while the execution could have been a bit better. Tatcher is one of the most interesting, riveting and engrossing characters I’ve read in a while. His multiple identities, his constricted nature and godly origin. The Game plot-line was also an incredible addition. I do find the story lacked a bit of continuity. Certain events would happen on top of the other without much clarity. Some side stories felt a bit hallow and superfluous. In a way i think this would have worked better as a series rather than a stand alone. Maybe the author will continue the story and we will learn more about these mysterious “bosses”.
March 26, 2023
This story had a lot happening from the very beginning, with a variety of characters to learn and hints of plot points to hold onto for later. However, it never lost that cozy fantasy feeling that I'd been looking forward to since I added this book to my TBR. The found family & friendships really make this a wonderful and heartwarming read, especially toward the end! It gets the HEA stamp of approval from me.
September 13, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ I appreciated the creativity, cozy vibes, and found family theme of this book, but overall it just seemed like the author was trying to do too much and lost control of the story! I felt like the plot was all over the place and jumbled at times. I think there was also one aspect of the story line that was totally dropped and never resolved or explained? Great ideas and intentions behind the story, but not the best execution.
July 3, 2024
I kind of want to withhold a review because I genuinely think this is one that I'm going to love on the second read but the first read was very difficult for me. I'm not sure if that's necessarily the books fault or my own for not being in the right headspace or taking too long to listen etc, but I struggled to finish this. It took me over a week to get through this audiobook which is pretty much unheard of for me. It is a long book but even that is wild. I actually think part of my issue was with the narrator. Well I like Kirt Graves, something about his narration for these two characters didn't work for me.
I also am absolutely begging audiobook producers to include everything that is in the book in the audiobook. This includes introductions, prologues, character lists, maps or access to maps etc. This audiobook is not complete. I legitimately had to go and buy the e-book so I could double check and make sure that I wasn't missing things which it turned out I was, because I was so lost for the first half of this book.
I think another struggle I had with this book was just the sheer amount of characters. Because the audiobook is incomplete, all of these characters kept getting messed up in my head. Because not only do we have characters names to deal with but we have characters magical race to deal with as well. In the ebook, there is a glossary of magical race types with brief descriptions and that is missing from the audiobook. There is also a character guide in the e-book that the audiobook does not have. This makes the audiobook inaccessible.
I don't know how else to explain that your audiobook should have the same content as your ebook. It is ableist to not include all of the same content. People don't just listen to audiobooks because that's their preferred format, so many people listen to audiobooks because ebooks or physical books are inaccessible to them. So to then turn around and make audio books also inaccessible or incomplete is so annoying. And this is not the only book that this happens to. I just happen to be on a ranch right now so it's ending up in this review but for the love of everything, match your audiobooks to your physical content.
Anyway, the actual book content is very good. I think it's a really interesting story and town and concept but I feel like there's a lack of world building and build up that I personally needed to enjoy the story. Having finished it and knowing all of the background, I think that I would enjoy the story a lot more if I reread it.. I definitely understand why this book is on so many people's favorites list and look forward to reading the following books but I did struggle quite a bit with this one.
I also am absolutely begging audiobook producers to include everything that is in the book in the audiobook. This includes introductions, prologues, character lists, maps or access to maps etc. This audiobook is not complete. I legitimately had to go and buy the e-book so I could double check and make sure that I wasn't missing things which it turned out I was, because I was so lost for the first half of this book.
I think another struggle I had with this book was just the sheer amount of characters. Because the audiobook is incomplete, all of these characters kept getting messed up in my head. Because not only do we have characters names to deal with but we have characters magical race to deal with as well. In the ebook, there is a glossary of magical race types with brief descriptions and that is missing from the audiobook. There is also a character guide in the e-book that the audiobook does not have. This makes the audiobook inaccessible.
I don't know how else to explain that your audiobook should have the same content as your ebook. It is ableist to not include all of the same content. People don't just listen to audiobooks because that's their preferred format, so many people listen to audiobooks because ebooks or physical books are inaccessible to them. So to then turn around and make audio books also inaccessible or incomplete is so annoying. And this is not the only book that this happens to. I just happen to be on a ranch right now so it's ending up in this review but for the love of everything, match your audiobooks to your physical content.
Anyway, the actual book content is very good. I think it's a really interesting story and town and concept but I feel like there's a lack of world building and build up that I personally needed to enjoy the story. Having finished it and knowing all of the background, I think that I would enjoy the story a lot more if I reread it.. I definitely understand why this book is on so many people's favorites list and look forward to reading the following books but I did struggle quite a bit with this one.
October 10, 2022
4.25 stars
Thank you Aelina for providing a free arc to this book. I give my opinion freely and completely voluntarily.
I'll start by saying I loved this book. If a book manages to make me laugh, cry, feel angry, etc it will always be a good book in my eyes. I truly fell in love with the characters, the world, the magic system, the game, all of it. There are however a few things that I found myself wanting which I will get into further into this review.
I'll start with the really good! The characters in my opinion are what make this book amazing. Starting with out two main characters Arlo Rook and Thatch Phantom. Both are broken and beaten individuals who have been through so much but are both healing. Arlo this is very apparent with. He is a year out from a suicide attempt and trying to show his friends that he is doing ok and gaining new outlooks on life. Thatch is an immortal being who can only spend a limited amount of time in the place he considers home and therefore doesn't think he deserves happiness while he's there. Them together just makes my heart happy. Then there are the misfits. I want books on all of them!!! They are side characters but oh my God they are amazing!! The world building is also rather good. The entire book takes place in one city and Aelina did a wonderful job of putting you into the locations they described. I also really loved the magic system. Witches are limited in this book but each comes with a specialty and I just want to learn more about the many varieties there are!
Getting into the bad (read more confusing than bad). I found myself asking why certain aspects of the stories seemed to be dropped. The big bad is an example of this. It's mentioned once towards the beginning and then kinda just disappears. The bosses is something I also need more on. I did also feel that sometimes things were left open ended and that may have been intentional for future books but it just made me confused. Either way Aelina has found themselves a new fan and I can't wait to read more of their work!!
Thank you Aelina for providing a free arc to this book. I give my opinion freely and completely voluntarily.
I'll start by saying I loved this book. If a book manages to make me laugh, cry, feel angry, etc it will always be a good book in my eyes. I truly fell in love with the characters, the world, the magic system, the game, all of it. There are however a few things that I found myself wanting which I will get into further into this review.
I'll start with the really good! The characters in my opinion are what make this book amazing. Starting with out two main characters Arlo Rook and Thatch Phantom. Both are broken and beaten individuals who have been through so much but are both healing. Arlo this is very apparent with. He is a year out from a suicide attempt and trying to show his friends that he is doing ok and gaining new outlooks on life. Thatch is an immortal being who can only spend a limited amount of time in the place he considers home and therefore doesn't think he deserves happiness while he's there. Them together just makes my heart happy. Then there are the misfits. I want books on all of them!!! They are side characters but oh my God they are amazing!! The world building is also rather good. The entire book takes place in one city and Aelina did a wonderful job of putting you into the locations they described. I also really loved the magic system. Witches are limited in this book but each comes with a specialty and I just want to learn more about the many varieties there are!
Getting into the bad (read more confusing than bad). I found myself asking why certain aspects of the stories seemed to be dropped. The big bad is an example of this. It's mentioned once towards the beginning and then kinda just disappears. The bosses is something I also need more on. I did also feel that sometimes things were left open ended and that may have been intentional for future books but it just made me confused. Either way Aelina has found themselves a new fan and I can't wait to read more of their work!!
October 20, 2022
Thank you very much Aelina for giving me a arc for this book all my opinions are my own 💕
4.75 Stars! I personally absolutely loved this book! From the magic to the setting to the lovely characters it was absolutely fantastic in my opinion, I liked the writing and the explosion of ideas some less developed then others but I don’t think that takes away from the book at all. The pacing I found a little difficult as it was very up and down like riding up a mountain then quickly going down hill so in slower parts I struggled a little bit not due to the fact that the writing was bad but just due to the fact I struggle with slow pace.
All the emotions I felt during the book is what I look for in a book that you are really brought into the story and you get that connection enough so that you feel lots of emotions throughout the book and I think it’s what’s make a author such a good story teller! I am so happy I got the pleasure of reading this book and being able to experience this and meet these characters in depth! I found the author through tiktok and seeing that first video about this book made me fall in love with it even before I got my hands on it Arlo and Thatch are my first misfits and seeing their relationship blossom as well as the angst from the trauma + the ‘big bad’ which is Arlo’s ex still coming back to bite him on the ass with his hauntings metaphorically as well as this intrigue with Thatch’s games and how he can only stay in town for so long before moving on along with the fact that Arlo is trying desperately to move on with his life when he meets Thatch. Their romance I do love and I found it such a joy to read and honestly cute.
I come away from this book with questions and some answers with some plot holes left to be filled but still satiated at the same time. This is the first book from this author I have read and to be honest I was absolutely blown away and have fallen in love ! I will certainly be grabbing other books in the future!
4.75 Stars! I personally absolutely loved this book! From the magic to the setting to the lovely characters it was absolutely fantastic in my opinion, I liked the writing and the explosion of ideas some less developed then others but I don’t think that takes away from the book at all. The pacing I found a little difficult as it was very up and down like riding up a mountain then quickly going down hill so in slower parts I struggled a little bit not due to the fact that the writing was bad but just due to the fact I struggle with slow pace.
All the emotions I felt during the book is what I look for in a book that you are really brought into the story and you get that connection enough so that you feel lots of emotions throughout the book and I think it’s what’s make a author such a good story teller! I am so happy I got the pleasure of reading this book and being able to experience this and meet these characters in depth! I found the author through tiktok and seeing that first video about this book made me fall in love with it even before I got my hands on it Arlo and Thatch are my first misfits and seeing their relationship blossom as well as the angst from the trauma + the ‘big bad’ which is Arlo’s ex still coming back to bite him on the ass with his hauntings metaphorically as well as this intrigue with Thatch’s games and how he can only stay in town for so long before moving on along with the fact that Arlo is trying desperately to move on with his life when he meets Thatch. Their romance I do love and I found it such a joy to read and honestly cute.
I come away from this book with questions and some answers with some plot holes left to be filled but still satiated at the same time. This is the first book from this author I have read and to be honest I was absolutely blown away and have fallen in love ! I will certainly be grabbing other books in the future!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2022
This was an ARC, and this is my honest review.
The story follows Thatch, an immortal being cursed to be forgotten by everyone he meets, and Arlo Rook, a witch who lives and teaches at the orphanage while he tries to figure out where he belongs. Thatch arrives to put on the Game, a city wide scavenger hunt and to try to find Arlo, his destined soul mate. It has romance, action, monsters, mystery, and heartbreak.
First of all, I want to say how much I fell in love with the characters. They were so well written, and I genuinely felt like I knew them. The descriptions, characteristics, facial expressions, snark, camaraderie, everything about them was beautifully written.
One of the things I really had to focus on is how much is left unsaid. This book does not spell everything out for you, and you have to pay attention until it clicks into place. Another thing is keeping track of the side characters and their relevance to the story. This is a pretty big world, and it’s easy to get lost if you don’t have the time to read all the way through.
I greatly enjoyed watching Thatch and Arlo’s relationship blossom and grow. There were a few times when it felt rushed, but as we start to understand how they affect each other and really feel the urgency when Thatch’s time is almost up, the rushing is forgivable. Arlo’s friends play a big part in helping the reader understand him and his past, and I definitely appreciate the focus on his mental health needs while destigmatizing mental illness. It’s so rare to find that as a main focus in a book.
I know more books are coming that deal with some of the gaps at the end, but it still threw me off a little to have plot points presented that were not explored. Hopefully they’ll be addressed and wrapped up. Regardless, enough was captivating, beautiful, and enjoyable to keep me hooked. I look forward to reading more of Isaacs’ work.
The story follows Thatch, an immortal being cursed to be forgotten by everyone he meets, and Arlo Rook, a witch who lives and teaches at the orphanage while he tries to figure out where he belongs. Thatch arrives to put on the Game, a city wide scavenger hunt and to try to find Arlo, his destined soul mate. It has romance, action, monsters, mystery, and heartbreak.
First of all, I want to say how much I fell in love with the characters. They were so well written, and I genuinely felt like I knew them. The descriptions, characteristics, facial expressions, snark, camaraderie, everything about them was beautifully written.
One of the things I really had to focus on is how much is left unsaid. This book does not spell everything out for you, and you have to pay attention until it clicks into place. Another thing is keeping track of the side characters and their relevance to the story. This is a pretty big world, and it’s easy to get lost if you don’t have the time to read all the way through.
I greatly enjoyed watching Thatch and Arlo’s relationship blossom and grow. There were a few times when it felt rushed, but as we start to understand how they affect each other and really feel the urgency when Thatch’s time is almost up, the rushing is forgivable. Arlo’s friends play a big part in helping the reader understand him and his past, and I definitely appreciate the focus on his mental health needs while destigmatizing mental illness. It’s so rare to find that as a main focus in a book.
I know more books are coming that deal with some of the gaps at the end, but it still threw me off a little to have plot points presented that were not explored. Hopefully they’ll be addressed and wrapped up. Regardless, enough was captivating, beautiful, and enjoyable to keep me hooked. I look forward to reading more of Isaacs’ work.
December 28, 2022
Levena is a cozy, affluent little town thanks to its mysterious benefactor. It has coffee shops, bookstores, night clubs, an art museum, and a lovely sense of community. The town comes right off the page and sounds like a truly lovely place to live. The story has a lot of moving parts and people, which definitely made me curious for more stories to come in this world.
Each year the mysterious benefactor hosts The Game. But this year's Game is going to be the last, and the winner needs to discover the identity of the Scarlet Illusionist. The prize is a Wish. Arlo Rook is a witch who is usually very competitive about the game, but this year he's gotten somewhat distracted by a newcomer named Thatch. Also his magic is acting strangely, and the ghost of an old nemesis has cropped back up. The narrative does meander some, a few questions and threads in the plot don't get tied up, but I honestly think that may have contributed to some of the charm since our main character is a bit distracted himself. And who knows, perhaps some of those questions will get answered in future works.
If you're looking for a cozy, slice of life, fantasy romance, this is a great choice. Phantom and Rook is a litRPG type fantasy, so there are all sorts of non-human people in the diverse cast of characters. It's got found family and community, fated mates and a long, slow burn. As far as content, there are some spicy scenes towards the end. There is also a trigger warning for talk of attempted suicide to be aware of.
Each year the mysterious benefactor hosts The Game. But this year's Game is going to be the last, and the winner needs to discover the identity of the Scarlet Illusionist. The prize is a Wish. Arlo Rook is a witch who is usually very competitive about the game, but this year he's gotten somewhat distracted by a newcomer named Thatch. Also his magic is acting strangely, and the ghost of an old nemesis has cropped back up. The narrative does meander some, a few questions and threads in the plot don't get tied up, but I honestly think that may have contributed to some of the charm since our main character is a bit distracted himself. And who knows, perhaps some of those questions will get answered in future works.
If you're looking for a cozy, slice of life, fantasy romance, this is a great choice. Phantom and Rook is a litRPG type fantasy, so there are all sorts of non-human people in the diverse cast of characters. It's got found family and community, fated mates and a long, slow burn. As far as content, there are some spicy scenes towards the end. There is also a trigger warning for talk of attempted suicide to be aware of.
July 14, 2025
Adorable, cozy, an intro to a world I hope we get more of. Honestly, this could have been longer, something I almost never say, but Arlo and Thatch deserve more pages.
Also, I just want to say that I cannot fathom not reading a book just because an author describes their characters’ hair. Like, really? And for that you give it a one star rating? The varied hair colors and styles felt, to me, to be another way of denoting the diversity of the group and world they were building. It was, after all, the beginning of the book and series… where worlds are often built and characters are given life. If you have a problem with diversity in your books, maybe just reflect on that.
While you’re totally allowed to not like a book for whatever reason, I really hope you give different writing styles a chance before you decide they’re not for you over a single word count.
Honestly, the one thing I don’t like about booktok is people have gotten another outlet to be petty online and we reward it. Wild. Discouraging people from reading books by marginalized authors, about marginalized characters, written for marginalized audiences, has no place in this community if you’re going to be shallow about it. I hope I never write a review that keeps someone away from a book that can help them.
Also, I just want to say that I cannot fathom not reading a book just because an author describes their characters’ hair. Like, really? And for that you give it a one star rating? The varied hair colors and styles felt, to me, to be another way of denoting the diversity of the group and world they were building. It was, after all, the beginning of the book and series… where worlds are often built and characters are given life. If you have a problem with diversity in your books, maybe just reflect on that.
While you’re totally allowed to not like a book for whatever reason, I really hope you give different writing styles a chance before you decide they’re not for you over a single word count.
Honestly, the one thing I don’t like about booktok is people have gotten another outlet to be petty online and we reward it. Wild. Discouraging people from reading books by marginalized authors, about marginalized characters, written for marginalized audiences, has no place in this community if you’re going to be shallow about it. I hope I never write a review that keeps someone away from a book that can help them.
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