The Last Best Quest Ever coming May 26th, 2026 from Margaret K. McElderry Books; 320 pages
Content Warning: Violence, murder, grief, animal death, foul language
About the Author: “F.T. Lukens is a New York Times bestselling author of YA speculative fiction including the novels Love at Second Sight, Otherworldly, Spell Bound (2024 ALA Rainbow Booklist), So This Is Ever After (2023 ALA Rainbow Booklist; 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards nominee), In Deeper Waters (2022 ALA Rainbow Booklist; Junior Library Guild Selection), and the forthcoming The Last Best Quest Ever as well as other science-fiction and fantasy works. F.T. resides in North Carolina with their spouse, three kids, three dogs, and three cats” (Bio from author’s website).
Find F.T. Lukens on the following platforms:
Seventeen-year-old Ellinore “The Brave” is known as the best record-winning quester in her kingdom, hunting dangerous mythical creatures to protect the land. However, she holds a dirty secret no one can ever know: she is a fraud. Not only is her sword fighting average, but she never slaughtered the creatures the kingdom has praised her for. With plans to finally retire and take her secret to her grave, she is surprised when her twin brother, Zig, decides to bet his own life that his sister has the potential to defeat and retrieve the horn of the mythical Elder Beast. To save Zig, she agrees to go on one last quest. She’s accompanied by Zig, her rival Princet Aven, a bar maiden-turned-adventurer, and a magic-wielding bard. On this journey, Ellinore must tackle her feelings for Aven, saving her brother, and her identity as a fraud-turned-hero.
I was super excited to get my hands on this book since I have read F.T. Lukens before, for my first review at Pine Reads Review. I loved Love At Second Sight, and The Last Best Quest Ever is no different. I am a huge fan of fantastical medieval-esque quest stories and this one is definitely an adventure. I loved the focus on identity and Ellinore’s journey as a fraud-turned-brave and empathetic hero. I absolutely adored the friend group and its casual queerness featuring POC and characters with different identities, including the love interest, Aven, who is non-binary. The found family in this story provided a comedic and warm atmosphere that complimented the cozy vibes of the world. I especially liked Zig; I admired his chaotic nature and he reminded me of my own brother. The rivals-to-lovers romance did not take up the majority of the story, which I enjoyed since I got to focus more on Ellinore, but her and Aven’s competitive natures provided the perfect build-up for tension, banter, and an electric romance. I liked the adventure aspect of this story, though I did feel at times that the stakes weren’t quite high enough, and I didn’t feel much adrenaline while reading. Overall, I enjoyed it, and as I said last time, I look forward to reading more of F.T. Lukens. If you like road trip stories, heartwarming friendships, queerness all around, and D&D-style adventures, you will fall in love with this book!
The Last Best Quest Ever releases on May 26th, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Anasofia Alejandro, Pine Reads Review Writer
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