This book started out strong for me, but then as it continued and continued, it lost something. The momentum just sort of stopped, even though the plot was still progressing, it just felt a bit more filled-in to take space rather than to keep things going. Maybe that's because it's one of those books built for a sequel? I also found Lettle insufferable and was super annoyed every time we had to switch back to her perspective from Yeerhan. So, while I enjoyed parts of it and was intrigued by the story surrounding the separation of Elves, Fae, and Humans, the fact that it was hardly addressed before leaving it to the next book really rankled me.

5/5 stars.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I know it's early in 2024 but it will be hard to top this book. The characters were diverse and experienced immense growth. As a reader, you grow in your understanding with the characters. It was incredibly enjoyable. This is the first book in a series and I am eagerly awaiting the next book already. Faebound made me immediately desire fan art to see some of the creatures and characters brought to life. There are very few books that make me seek out fan art.

Also, mind talking bound creature banter is my new favorite trope.

My thoughts on Faebound by Saara El-Arifi. Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
We follow two sisters that go by the name of Yeeran and Lettle, who are both elves who is surrounded by the forever war. We learn that Faes, Elves, and humans used to all live together until war happened that made humans and faes extinct. Yeeran and Lettle find themselves being captured by the Faes who are supposed to be extinct. We follow their adventure of learning the truth of what happened to the faes, trying to escape to go back home, and love.
I completely ate up this book!
The cast of characters were one of the most realest set of characters I’ve ever read, to the point I got annoyed with some of them and they’re choices but that’s what made me so involved with them! I grew close to Yeeran and Lettle throughout the book and I can not forget Golan and Nerad! They completely broke my heart.
The animal bonding in this book was done so well!! Pila is so sassy but she cares so much about Yeeran, I couldn’t help but annotate everytime Yeeran and pila interacted. Pila MUST be PROTECTED at all cost.
The found family trope, the chosen one trope and enemies to lovers trope were all in this book and I loved it! There were twists I expected but other twists I did not see coming at all!
Along with that, there’s a lot of symbolism in here reflecting real world issues and i appreciated that.
My official rating for this book is 4.5 out of 5. Now why did i give it 4.5 instead of 5??
The writing in this is not the best writing I have ever read. To be picky and critique it a little more. The goodbyes that happen in this book were very… unfulfilling. For example: “what am I to you?”
“More.”
“More?”
“More.”
That’s all?? Just, more?
But even with that, that did not stop me from devouring and obsessing over this book. To the point I had to slow down my reading because I did not want the book to end. Everyone should definitely give this book a read!

An immersive new fantasy from Saara El-Arifi, author of THE FINAL STRIFE. With a dark, twisting romance and epic worldbuilding, FAEBOUND is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas who're looking for a sapphic story with elves.

I really liked the magic aspect. The drum magic is so cool. I feel like the story kind of died off after the first half when it started to focus on the romance. The romance to me just felt forced, especially for Yeeran and Furi. There was no banter or angst between them, just hatred and physical attraction, and then deeply in love. It just wasn’t enough. Same for Lettle and Rayan. They travel to find Yeeran together for a few days, and then discover they’re in love. I really thought the premise had soooo much potential, but it didn’t live up to the hype it started out with for me.

"An end to poverty. An end to the war. Food and peace are what we fight for."

Colenel Yeeran Teila of the Waning Army, a warrior elf in her own right. The Bleeding Field. Fraedia mines. Captain Rayan, spelling the demise of soldiers.

Bring an end to the Crescent tribe army, and you bring an end to poverty. Imna, a prophetess, speaks her lyrical fate.

"The one born of a storms mist shall be your beloved. But when the Waning moon turns, you will grant them their death."

Wolves. Obeah. An unforgivable disgrace and murder. Executions. Skin traders. Witch hazel. Fairy rings. Her sister, falling in love, "Bergamot and sage. That maddening smell."

Then saved by a mysterious voice, a shocking revelation: an elf faebound. The Tree of Souls. A two-faced God. Her obeah, Pila. Magesight.

"Love and hate are oil and water, separate but similar, and sometimes they swirl together, making it difficult to tell one from the other."

Devastating. Beautiful. Lyrical. Highly recommend. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!

Here’s the thing. I wanted to love this book. But, well, I didn’t quite. If you didn’t like the writing in Fourth Wing though, but you like the dragons talking part, I would say you should give this book a try. Especially since this is a fantasy book with a queernorm society. Also, I want to be clear, this book is a fantasy book. I went into this book with the expectation that it was a romantasy and… I’m so sorry, but I disagree. Although, in all fairness, I’m also not sure I fully understand the world enough to say that the fantasy stands on it’s own well enough to really work as just a fantasy either. Honestly, the more I think about this book the less I like it, which is really upsetting because I wanted to love it. Ultimately, I think I’m prepared to give it book two in the hopes that the sequel will even out some of my issues with this one and I’ll come to be extremely attached to these characters. Here’s hoping!

I had high hopes for this book after absolutely devouring Saara El-Arifi's The Final Strife. I was not disappointed. I loved the classic fantasy elements, including elves and fae, as well as the fun twists in the mythology. The main romantic relationships were the weakest part for me and their interactions didn't feel quite age appropriate. However, I absolutely adored the animal companions that share a psychic link with their chosen person and all their mental interactions. I do recommend this one, especially if you liked the Ending Fire trilogy and want a fun, twisty novel with lots of lore. I'm excited to continue with the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and DelRey for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this new book by one of my favorite authors. The world building, which is one of my favorite aspects in her other trilogy was done well here. I enjoyed the characters, story, and animal companion. I am definitely looking forward to more from this world. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy.

This was my first book by Saara El-Arifi, and she has me hooked. I can't wait to get into her backlog and read more.

What I loved:
-The characters were so well fleshed out and I enjoyed getting to know them and their motivations.
-The world was creative and the magic system was so interesting. I felt fully immersed in the world because the descriptions created such a vivid picture.

What I didn't love:
-Everything felt a little too tropey. The enemies to lovers didn't have enough angst for my taste. They really did o from enemies to lovers with not much else happening in between.

Overall, I found this to be very engaging and can't wait to read the next installment!

TW/CW: Sex, murder, death, violence

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and Del Rey books and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Faebound is the first in a series of fantasy novels by Saara El-Arifi, author of the Final Strife trilogy. It follows the two sisters Yeeran and Lettle, who because of a mistake on the battlefield find themselves in exile outside of any land they have ever known. It is then that they run across a people that they were unaware still existed, and who turn their lives and beliefs upside down.

This is an excellent book. Having read the first two books in The Final Strife, I wasn’t surprised by this at all, but I think that this book might even be better than those. I love El-Arifi’s world building, which really does create a whole new culture in your mind as you read. I love the casual way she treats LGBTQIA+ relationships, like they are healthy and normal (the way they SHOULD be portrayed). I love the fact that her characters are mainly black and brown, because there isn’t nearly enough of that in fantasy. Although the vast majority of this book takes place in a small physical space, that doesn’t make it any less interesting or exciting, which I think takes a lot of skill.

I am very much looking forward to reading El-Arifi’s future books – of which I hope there are many – and I highly recommend this book!

At the moment this is a DNF. I do not have a connection with the two sisters and the plot is very predictable with this first twenty percent. This was a very anticipated release so at the moment I am disappointment. But, I know I will come back to this in the future.

thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for

"Faebound" by Saara El-Arifi is a fantasy novel that takes readers on a journey through the mystical world of elves and fae. While the book holds promise with its intriguing premise, it unfortunately falls short in several aspects, leaving readers with mixed feelings.

From the start, the storyline captivates with the tale of Yeeran, an elf facing exile due to a grave error. Alongside her sister Lettle and friend Rayan, they embark on a journey that leads them to the legendary fae court. Despite the anticipation surrounding this encounter, the slow pacing of the narrative becomes evident, with significant lore and mythology introduced before the plot truly unfolds.

While some readers appreciate the intricate world-building and lush descriptions of the fae realm, others find themselves longing for more immediate tension and depth in the storytelling. The romance elements, in particular, receive mixed reviews, with some feeling that they are rushed and lacking in development. Additionally, the predictability of certain plot twists leaves little room for surprise, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the reading experience.

Despite these flaws, there are redeeming qualities to be found in "Faebound." The characters, particularly Yeeran and Lettle, are compelling and evoke empathy from readers. Their courage and determination drive the narrative forward, keeping readers invested in their journey despite its shortcomings.

In conclusion, "Faebound" presents a promising start to a fantasy series but ultimately struggles to fully realize its potential. While some readers may find enjoyment in its imaginative world and engaging characters, others may be left wanting more from its execution. Nonetheless, there remains curiosity and anticipation for what the future holds in store for Yeeran and her companions in subsequent installments.

Fantasy setting, sapphic enemies to lovers, disability representation, and a female BIPOC author! What more could we ask for? This book was a great start to a story and I can't wait for the rest of the trilogy!

This was very different. I was promised a political fantasy with spice and to be one of the better adult fantasies of the year. Unfortunately, this wasn't it for me. The elves read as whiny and I really struggled to get past that. Some of the plot felt thrown in there to make things easier, and the characters did not have compelling relationships with one another. This could have been really amazing, and it just fell short for me. I so desperately wanted to love this story and was so hyped for it, but at points I had to force myself to keep reading.

Absolutely incredible. It ticked all my boxes!

- a queer normative world
- sapphic romance
- fae, elves, and humans
- bonded magical animals
- adventure and secrets

What a great start to this trilogy! I already can’t wait for book two and I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author!

First of all, thank you so much for this arc. I really enjoyed the read, and I stuck through until the end. I really enjoyed the Sapphic characters, and the magic system was unique enough to set it apart. I gave this 4, because I did feel like the dialogue fell a bit flat in accordance with the beautiful world building. I did like the main twist a lot, I actually didn’t expect it which is rare for me. I will likely buy a copy of this when it’s available.

I found this book to be a little slow in the beginning, but picked up a lot as I got into it. The world building was great and the characters were very diverse. I really enjoyed reading this book and will be continuing with the series when released.

Two sisters, Yeeran and Lettle, are living in the harsh times of the Forever War where humans and Fae have long thought died off and the remaining elves are at war with each other. Yeeran is a colonel in the army and has only known war. Lettle is aspiring to be the next leader of the diviners and spends her days trying to read the future. Yeeran makes a fatal mistake and is exiled and two end up kidnapped and taken to the land of the previously thought dead Fae.

What to expect:
- LGBTQ+ rep: Sapphic! FF and FM plus a lot of gender fluidity. 🌈
- Disability rep
- Rivals to Lovers 🗡️❤️
- Twists and Turns: This book really surprised me. I saw some of the plot twists but then was totally taken by surprise by others.
- Magic, prophecies, fae, and elves! Drum magic which is a magic system I’ve never seen before. 🥁
- Spice: open door - a few brief and euphemistic scenes. 🌶️
- Note TWs: graphic animal death

I really enjoyed this book, and I’m excited for the sequel. I’ll also be checking out Saara’s other books.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Whew! After 26 days, I finally finished! My feelings about the book are mixed because while the world, magic system, and plot were intriguing and original, the writing didn't quite match up. There was SO much potential here but the prose lacked a natural flow which made it difficult to stay engaged and hindered my overall enjoyment. So long story short, loved the idea and diversity of the characters but wished it were executed differently. I’m undecided if I’ll continue the trilogy - I guess I’ll see what my mood says whenever the next one is published. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this electronic advanced review copy.