I am soooo late with my review of the Buried and the Bound, but let me tell you that all of you need to go out and buy this book right now! If you enjoy fae stories with a mythical feeling to them, queer love stories, rich writing style, and found family, then this book is definitely for you. I’d also recommend the audiobook, which I picked up after being so late in reading my ARC for this. Daniel Henning, Nikki Massoud, and Dan Bittner really bring this story and the characters to life.

First off, I have to say that I have never misjudged a book as much as I misjudged the Buried and the Bound. When I read the first chapter, I began dragging my feet on going back to it. Why? I’m not really sure, because I was so, so wrong about whatever I’d decided wouldn’t be for me. When I finally fully committed to reading the story, I was completely blown away. Every chapter, every page, and every sentence grabbed my attention even more than the last. By the end, I was so fully immersed that I was reluctant to return to my regularly scheduled life.

The writing style in the Buried and the Bound was lyrical, but never too much so that it took away from the story. Instead, it perfectly encapsulated the dark atmosphere and thick tension that followed the MCs through their journeys. The world building was done well, too. Not much was explained through a common info dump; instead, it was woven throughout the narrative, which is how I prefer world building to be done. This book, while keeping with a few traditions of previous fae stories and lore, adds its own take, which expertly stands on its own. For those of you who enjoy fae stories but also are looking for something a little different, look no further than the Buried and the Bound.

Additionally, I was a big fan of the characterization. The story follows three MCs, Aziza, Tristan, and Leo, and each of them are completely distinct from each other with their own motivations. Their voices were also entirely distinguishable, while still staying consistent with the story’s writing style. Aziza was such a strong, no-nonsense kind of protagonist, and also extremely loyal to those she cares about. As for Leo, even though he’d lost several memories of his past that all included his true love, he was still headstrong and determined to find answers. He is also what I’d consider a cinnamon roll, and I just wanted to give him a huge hug. Further, Tristan is more of the broody, bad boy type of character, but not at all in the cliché way. My heart hurt so much for him, and I was rooting for him the whole time.

These three characters came together to create such a fun and interesting dynamic. While Aziza and Leo were fast friends (much to the chagrin of Aziza), Tristan and Aziza were much more reluctant allies, while Leo always felt a pull towards Tristan he couldn’t explain; meanwhile, Tristan, of course, would do anything to protect Leo. Now I love a good found family, and these three were such a wonderful one! I truly cannot wait to see what adventures they get up to in the next book.

Unfortunately, I was unaware this was going to be a series, so I wasn’t expecting to come away with unanswered questions, but fortunately for me, this means that my time with Aziza, Tristan, and Leo is not yet finished, because there’s still so much I want to see happen! The book wrapped up really well, though, while still leaving enough unresolved to keep you waiting for the next story. Even so, it’s a satisfying ending.

The Buried and the Bound took me completely by surprise and I am so glad it did. I know it’s only February, but this is easily my favorite book I’ve read so far this year. I cannot recommend this one enough!

I love a good fae book, and if you toss in curses and nekromancy?! Sold! This book is immersive, fast paced and intriguing. I enjoyed the 3 perspectives, I thought the author did a wonderful job giving each character a unique voice. The world building is good, I love the different fantasy elements, and overall I was pleased with this story!

Thank you to Mac Millas Children’s publishing for the opportunity to read this arc which has been available since Jan 24,2023

This was fun witchy romp of representation and heavily reminds me of Buffy but with a wide rep of the lgbtqiap+ community and POC communities. Aziza El-Amin is the only hedgewitch in her town that is uncommonly magical. But a darkness has come to Blackthorn, Massachusetts and it is too great for her handle alone. Enter Leo who had a dormant curse kick in and he’s come to Blackthorn for an inexplicable reason.

I am buying this for my teen. She will love it. It was nostalgic for me.

This is a great YA fantasy novel with immersive small-town, forest vibes and some truly stellar characterization. I loved the dynamic between the three characters, overall, and the balance of their stories was super well-executed as well.

The Buried and the Bound was absolutely fantastical! Hassan wrote a story that was so well written I found myself flying through the pages, unable to put the book down, pondering what would happen next. My favorite piece of this entire story was how believable the characters were.

The writing is clear and clean, and very immersive. The book hums along at a good clip, but the pacing makes sure we're given time to breathe between plot-intensifying moments. The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb. I felt absolutely transported and I'm so incredibly glad I was able to read an arc of this story.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Buried and The Bound

Author: Rochelle Hassan

Book Series: The Buried and The Bound Book 1

Rating: 4/5

Diversity: Lebanese MC, Gay MC, Bisexual MC, MM Romance

Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, LGBT, witches, paranormal, fae, magic

Publication Date: January 24, 2023

Genre: YA Fantasy

Age Relevance: 15+ (gore, violence, death, parental death, homelessness, animal attack, ejection from household on basis of sexual orientation, necromancy, kidnapping)

Explanation of Above: There is some slight blood gore, violence, and death in the book. There is parental death mentioned. There are mentions of being ejected from a household because of coming out as LGBT and homelessness that results. There is an animal attack scene with a dog. There is some necromancy in this book. There is a kidnapping scene.

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Pages: 384

Synopsis: As the only hedgewitch in Blackthorn, Massachusetts—an uncommonly magical place—Aziza El-Amin has bargained with wood nymphs, rescued palm-sized fairies from house cats, banished flesh-eating shadows from the local park. But when a dark entity awakens in the forest outside of town, eroding the invisible boundary between the human world and fairyland, run-of-the-mill fae mischief turns into outright aggression, and the danger—to herself and others—becomes too great for her to handle alone.

Leo Merritt is no stranger to magical catastrophes. On his sixteenth birthday, a dormant curse kicked in and ripped away all his memories of his true love. A miserable year has passed since then. He's road-tripped up and down the East Coast looking for a way to get his memories back and hit one dead end after another. He doesn't even know his true love's name, but he feels the absence in his life, and it's haunting.

Desperate for answers, he makes a pact with Aziza: he’ll provide much-needed backup on her nightly patrols, and in exchange, she’ll help him break the curse.

When the creature in the woods sets its sights on them, their survival depends on the aid of a mysterious young necromancer they’re not certain they can trust. But they’ll have to work together to eradicate the new threat and take back their hometown... even if it forces them to uncover deeply buried secrets and make devastating sacrifices.

Review: For the most part I liked this read! I wouldn’t go so far as to call it cottagecore fantasy, like some people describe it, but it read like a solid fantasy. The world building was great, the character development was well done, and the pacing felt on point. The book incorporates a multi-POV narrative to tell the story of three unrelated people who come together to break the curse on one of the members who is cursed to never remember their true love. The book has multiple action scenes, but is an easy enough fantasy for younger YA readers and beginning fantasy readers. The book also includes signing in it, which I thought was awesome.

The only issue I had with the book is that I feel like this is one of those books you need to read the blurb before you start reading the book. I was completely confused for the first 20-30 minutes of reading this book, but I also had an arc of it on e-book so that might have been my problem instead. Either way, just be weary of the beginning but hang in there, it gets so much better.

Verdict: It was good! Highly recommend!

Aziza, Leo, and Tristan are all very great characters and their dynamic is one of my favorites. The addition of multiple POVs make the story flow very well. They are all well developed along with the world. I love the magic and the action in this novel. I'm not usually one for fae stories but this works very well! There is also a great amount of diversity which is always a plus. I would recommend this for fantasy fans looking for a diverse found family with lots of action.

thank you so much to the publisher and Colored Pages Blog Tours for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review!!

i am SO HAPPY i got to read this amazing book, really. it was amazing to read about another perspective about the faeries and a magical world that included witches as well. and what made it much more special was the relationship between the characters. it was a relief not reading about the main characters not falling in love but creating a stronger bond because of the circumstances. the third POV added so much to the story even though sometimes i didn't want to read it because he suffered so much but boy, halfway into the book and i wanted his POV more than ever after all the reveals. the mystery was on point, the actions scenes were amazing i could picture them in my head, i loved the three of them so much and i can't wait for the sequel to see how everything will be solved because the last part had me gasping a few times.
a really amazing urban fantasy that you have to read, i'm not giving you a choice in the matter 💜💜

Wow, I actually had so much fun reading this book! It had me hooked from the start because yes, I'm weak to magical creatures, especially in a more modern setting like this. I'm always interested in how the interactions of magic and our world are explored. But I also just really loved all of our main characters: Aziza is just cool in general, Leo is "best boy" but chaotic, and Tristian is my son who I want to love and protect.

There were many moments where I screamed I KNEW IT and others where I was speechless, thinking OH SNAP.

Honestly, I feel like I can just keep gushing about this book for a while. That's how much I enjoyed it!

This book snuck up on me as one minute I was starting the book and the next I was halfway through and couldn't put it down. I definitely think this book is a little slow to start and might take a few chapters to get into but it is a great read. I loved the fact that it seemed to have a blend of different mythologies and from reading even the shortest of descriptions you could Hassan did the necessary research or was very knowledgeable on the mythologies she was using.

The friendship between Aziza and Leo was definitely one of the main selling points of this book in my opinion. It felt very real and even though there was a time skip between the initial pact and them actually being good friends, it still felt very believable.

I don't know what to say except wow. This whole novel had me hooked from start to finish. Rochelle Hassan has crafted a novel of magic, fantasy creatures, monsters and lore tied in with curses and coming of age elements.

Aziza (take no crap female lead) is a young hedgewitch coming into her own in Blackthorn. She has spent her time keeping the locals safe from the creatures of lore and fae. Leo (the loveable, good hearted one) and his family have been cursed and he's spent years trying to find a way to break it. Tristan (morally grey and misunderstood-kinda whiny) is a necromancer bound to a hag and forced to do unspeakable things in servitude. These three characters come together with all of their differences to take on the hungry wolflike creatures and the evil attacking the boundary between worlds.

Oh but there is SO much more. Told from each character's POV, the character depth is fleshed out through individual goals, family secrets, loyalty and personal flaws. The world building is set between Blackthorn and fairyland with well done descriptive detail. The CREATURES.. Omg .. I loved each different fairyland critter from woodland to water that is described in this book. And it's not the cute and cuddly kind either.

This whole novel flows from start to finish. There is what I hope to be a sequel in the future with the small things left undone and I can't wait to see how those end up. If I had any qualms, it would be the parental reactions/decisions and an unrealistic offer that occurs towards the end, but this is magical fiction and I'm here for it.

If you're looking for a magical novel that brings to life queer romance, folklore creatures, magic, unexpected plot twists and a wonderfully done sinister atmosphere that doesn't hold back the darkness.... Then you'll want to add this to your TBR ASAP!

Thank you Fierce reads for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. True rating 4.5/5.

Book Review of The Buried and the Bound (The Buried and the Bound #1) by Rochelle Hassan

Cover Story: Not a Graphic Novel
I know there are many (too many?) illustrated covers of YA prose novels out there, but for some reason this cover makes me think this is going to be a graphic novel, not a prose one. It’s really well done, and the characters are spot-on. The title gets a little lost, but that’s neither here nor there. Just know, going in, that the only images in the story are the ones your own imagination might provide.

The Deal:
Aziza El-Amin is one of two witches in the city of Blackthorn (the other being her grandfather). As Blackthorn’s hedgewitch, she’s in charge of ensuring the boundary between the real world and Elphame, the faerie realm, stays closed, or returning things to their proper sides when they stray. The boundary is usually pretty calm, but something—or someone—is making it a lot more troublesome, which is dangerous for humans and fae alike.

Tristan barely remembers what it was like to be an ordinary teenage boy. His bond with the hag is all-encompassing, horrifying, and painful. As her bondservant, he must do her bidding—or else. He has a good reason, though, to keep fighting.

Leo Merrit doesn’t remember things, either, but that’s thanks to a curse that hit the day he turned sixteen, erasing all memories of and involving his true love. He knows he’s cursed, though, and will do pretty much anything to get his memories back. Including putting his life on the line to help Aziza, even though she’d rather keep to her coven of one.

Through unusual circumstances, these three unlikely comrades will end up working together—and making discoveries they never expected to.

BFF Charm: Mixed Bag
Aziza, Tristan, and Leo all have qualities both good and bad, as all people tend to do. Were I their age, I would have very different feelings about each of them:

Aziza I would think was too cool for me, thanks to her aloof nature and tendency to be a loner. But I’d really want to be her friend, even with all the rumors of “strangeness” floating around school about her. The fact she’s a real witch with real magical gifts who could tell me about creatures and things that I thought were just fantasy would make our friendship that much cooler.

Tristan I’d be wary of—and honestly probably feel pity for—because of how haunted he seemed. I’d want to take him home and give him a good meal and some warm clothes, but I’d also be afraid that he’d disappear in the middle of the night, never to be seen again.

And Leo—oh, Leo—who’s described through Aziza’s POV as “tall, with curly hair, a baggy Star Wars hoodie under his coat, and an expression that said, very plainly, Oh shit,” and is a generous, caring, truly kind individual, would be my No. 1 crush. Regardless of the fact that I would clearly not be his true love, I would pine all day every day for him. Secretly, of course. While masquerading as his good buddy.

Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Leo and Tristan, both, are pining for someone they lost (🙃), but a lot of what’s documented is one-sided, memories, or vague feelings, which colors the swoon with a sepia-like filter. It’s all very melancholy and sad, but it’s obvious that the feelings were beautiful things, once upon a time.

Talky Talk: Real Talk (With Faeries)
Bear with me, for a moment, while I go on a bit of a tangent. I’m a big fan of the true-crime procedural Criminal Minds. I watched every season pretty much as it aired and as much as it horrified me that all of the stories were loosely based on real incidents I couldn’t look away. (That’s about the extent of my true crime interest, though, weirdly.) So when I found out that Paramount+ was bringing it back for new episodes, I was super excited. Sitting down to watch the first one, I was shocked to hear one of the main characters swear. (We’re talking the F word, so, you know, a real swear.) It shocked me for a moment—enough that I texted my mom, “Rossi just swore!”—but I quickly got over that and realized It makes more, realistic, sense that they would! (They deal with some really fucked-up stuff!)

The Buried and the Bound is like a streaming version of a YA novel. There are multiple instances in which the characters swear—but it never comes off as sensational. It makes sense in the context of the story, and for the characters themselves. (They’re teenagers. Teenagers use curse words.) Hassan nails the way these characters would really act and sound. (You know, if real teenagers had to deal with fantastical, life-threatening, magical situations.)

Bonus Factor: Scooby Gang
The Buried and the Bound has shades of found family—one of my all-time favorite tropes—to it, with the initially hesitant team-up of Aziza, Leo, and Tristan. On the surface, they shouldn’t have gotten along. And, truth be told, Aziza and Tristan don’t for much of the book, but Leo is ever a bringer-of-people-together. By the end of the novel, the three have figured each other out and make for an impressive (mostly) cohesive unit.

Factor: Open Ending
The Buried and the Bound doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but the story wraps up with quite a few plot strings that are left a little loosely tied. (Like, where is Meryl?) I could see there being more adventures in Coven Blackthorn’s future, but if we don’t get sequels to their story, I’ll be content knowing that they can obviously handle themselves, whatever comes.

(Goodreads and Amazon both say this is a #1, so fingers crossed we’ll get more!)

Relationship Status: I’ll Be In My Rocking Chair
While I like to pretend that I am still youthful, Book, you left me with the uncomfortable reminder that I am getting older and older, and I’m no longer really able to jump into adventure without a care for the consequences. As much as I enjoyed reading your story—which I really did, don’t get me wrong—it was clear that rather than being part of the action, I’d be more helpful waiting at home with the first-aid kit and cups of hot tea. I’m coming to terms with that.

This book is way too freaking slow. The first chapter was absolutely amazing, but everything that followed was so juvenile and glacially paced.

Real Rating: 4.5 Stars

If you're in the market for a lush, dark, fairy fantasy, this is the book for you.

I was absolutely surprised by how invested in the story and characters I became. I loved the found family vibes of the three leads and that we got to see everything from their different perspectives. Each POV was interesting, necessary, and drove the plot or characters forward and I loved it.

Aziza is a blunt and determined hedgewitch. She protects Blackthorn with her magic, sealing up openings to Elphame and sending fae back to their world of magic.

Leo is cursed. He very much has golden retriever energy and is extremely loyal. Joining up with Aziza to learn more about magic, he's determined to find a way to break his curse.

Tristan - oh, Tristan. He was the lost soul of the story. He also had the darkest storyline - his coming out led to homelessness, he skirts of the line of dark magic, and there was a lot of dead people around him... he really got the short end of the stick there.

All three together, working off each other, really created a fantastic adventure. The world-building was amazing (though there was sometimes a little too much of it) and I loved seeing all the different type of fairies they encountered through the story - shades, nymphs, wind sprites, and more.

With the character too, there were some descriptions of their circumstances that were repetitive, which both helped to build on previous comments, but sometimes also made me want to skim them. Also, heads up, if you're looking for a romance, this has romantic elements, but there isn't even a kiss, so do with that what you will. There is some romantic lamenting, but I strongly suspect much of the romance will be in the next installment.

I loved how this book ended, and I am already looking forward to the sequel - this book ends satisfyingly, but there is a bit of set up for their next adventure and I'm so excited to see where it takes them.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this fantastical story. The world, the characters, and the magic of The Buried and the Bound had me enthralled from start to finish and I look forward to seeing what's next!

TW: blood, dismemberment, death, murder, death by an animal (magic dogs), injury detail, torture (magic), gaslighting, self-mutilation, religious bigotry, fire/fire injury, mentions death of parents

Rep: Lebanese FMC, gay MMC, bi MMC

Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Roaring Brook Press and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group via Colored Pages Tours in exchange for an honest review.

I finished this book earlier this month and I still can't get over it. The magic, the world, the creatures, the vibes, the characters, the found family, the forest and the freakin imagery?? I am still astonished.

This book is about aziza who lives with her jiddo (grandfather) and they are both witches, Leo who was cursed to forget his true love at sixteen who is now trying his best to break said curse and Tristan who has made a deal that costed him everything.

I loved the relationship between aziza and her jiddo so much, it was so realistic and warm and complex. I loved Leo's character so much, he's a ball of sunshine and rainbows. And Tristan omygod this boy. I wanna give him the biggest hug ever.

All of the main characters were so interesting and well developed. I ate up any and every little information we got about them. I really enjoyed seeing their progress as characters throughout the book.

I don't wanna give spoilers but I will say that this was one of the best found family executions I've witnessed in A WHILE.

The Buried and the Bound is a solid YA contemporary fantasy novel filled with fae, dark magic, and pining.

Aziza is a hedgewitch responsible for maintaining magical balance in her small town.

Leo is suffering from a curse that stole memories of the love of his life on his sixteenth birthday. Now there are gaps in his memory and a gaping hole in his heart, but he's determined to recover the truth and wants Aziza to help him.

Tristan is a young necromancer who is bound to an evil hag and must do her bidding. She wants to steal Aziza's magic, but will Tristan defy her?

This was a fun, well-executed YA fantasy that definitely feels like it was written for teenagers. It has interesting characters and a good amount of magic and action, with unexpected twists. And we get a bit more diversity with the characters, including queer rep with bisexual and gay characters. It's definitely worth a look if this sounds like your thing! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

A new favorite! Reading this book is like taking a hike through a beautiful forest but then the fog comes in and you're lost and it's actually terrifying but then you get saved at the last moment by a magical stranger. So yes, I loved it! Aziza is such a cool character - she's resourceful, always learning, and is a fierce protector. Her roots are in Blackthorn, and although she knows the town well, she's hemmed in by secrets. It's a tossup over who broke my heart more, Tristan or Leo. If you like to suffer with the characters, these boys will put you through it. The majority of the plot focuses on the fight against the evil that is threatening the town and at times I was like "how are these kids managing school and life on top of all of this??" I would love to get more of their school life in the sequel but it makes sense that this first book had such a tight focus when the stakes are life and death, and every day brings new mayhem. Speaking of mayhem, I love all the magic and fae that were introduced! The overlap of the fae lands with the town was really well done and kept me on edge wondering what new creature would appear. I could keep going on because I loved every facet of this book and I'm so excited for the sequel! I would recommend to fans of Holly Black and The Raven Cycle.

I really wanted to like this book. It had all the groundwork and concepts of the kinds of YA fantasy that I enjoy. However, something about this story didn't ever pull me in. The characters were fine, not including the adults, and the story was interesting. Yet, I still couldn't seem to care about anyone. Perhaps it was the lack of care from everyone else or the way even the main characters seemed only semi-invested in their own stories. I wish I could say more on this matter, but unfortunately, this story just wasn't for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

The Buried and the Bound is a modern fantasy which follows Aziza, a hedgewitch; Leo, a boy who has been cursed to forget his true love; and Tristan, a mysterious young necromancer. Together, they work to break Leo's curse and to defeat the evil hag who lives in the depths of the forest.

With loveable characters, a twisty yet heartfelt story, and an immaculate spooky-magical atmosphere, The Buried and the Bound is a fantastic and fun read, especially for readers who enjoy stories that deal with the fae. This book has been advertised as perfect for fans of The Darkest Part of the Forest and The Hazel Wood, and though of the two I've only read the Hazel Wood, I honestly thing this blows both of them out of the water. It's spunky, it's fun, it's full of intrigue and magic, and both its sensational magical moments and quieter breaths of character development are immaculate. I cannot wait for the rest of the series!

I absolutely loved PRINCE OF NOWHERE, Rochelle Hassan’s debut novel, so THE BURIED AND THE BOUND was one of the books I most looked forward to reading this year.

Though it took me a few chapters to get into the book, I was delighted to find characters just as rich in a world just as magical as the author’s debut. I loved Aziza immediately. Leo took me a minute, but once I saw his big heart and how determined he truly is, I couldn’t help loving him. Tristan grew on me much more slowly, but in the end, I loved him, too.

The story world. Okay, so this is a real world setting right next to an entirely magical world with fairy bargains, magical creatures, curses, and alliances. The magical world felt so rich and alive. I loved the way different parts of it came together in different ways.

On the whole, I had a second of uncertainty at the beginning of this book, but once I got oriented to the story, I was completely hooked on it. I’m super glad I read it, and I’ll be eagerly waiting for Hassan’s next book, which hopefully will be a sequel to this one??

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Review will be live on my blog on 1/23/23