The good:
- I really appreciated the diverse cast of characters (race, gender, sexuality, disabilities) and how normalized much of this is in society.
- Loved the concept of the world and magic, though the worldbuilding could have been better. I hope that future books will dive into the elven culture more and we get a more rational explanation of the war.

The not so great:
- Not an actual criticism, but, wow I hate the elves' magic system and their obsession with killing obeah (and with war). This was a bold way to open the book.
- I'm not one for military fantasy, luckily this becomes less of a focus later in the book.
- The author really hits you over the head with repetitive foreshadowing and prophecies. As a result, the plot is predictable, yet none of the characters seem able to put 2 and 2 together. The last "reveal" is especially egregious. A lot of the lore is explained straight off the bat when it might have served the story better to have a little more mystery.
- All of the characters are super hot and we're reminded of this every few pages because everyone is so thirsty despite being in a brutal war, <spoiler> or held captive and supposedly terrified for their lives </spoiler>
- Romantasy readers might enjoy this more. I am not a fan of extraneous romance or spice in my fantasy. All the romance felt rushed, underdeveloped, and honestly a bit weird in some of the contexts.
- None of the characters really hit for me. They felt pretty surface level, and all seemed to act much younger than their age. Yeeran is especially unlikeable and unsympathetic. She's bloodthirsty, prejudiced, and very naive/ignorant when it comes to the elven war. She gets only mildly more tolerable throughout the story. Maybe she will have a bit more growth in the next installment when <spoiler> she returns to the elven lands with a fresh perspective </spoiler>.
- The writing just wasn't good. Clunky and awkward, and could have used some more thorough editing.

Giving this a 2.75 rounded up, there were some big flaws that could not be ignored and took me out of the story. I'm not sure if I'll continue the series or not. I imagine Booktok romantasy readers will enjoy this one.

Thank you to the publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The world building, the character relationships, the magic system, the lore, it all hooked me. I was so excited to get my hands on this one early, and the reality is the more I got into it, the more I thought “This is not the right book for me right now.” I think in a few months when I go back for a reread I will have a clearer mind to really get into it, but for right now, it left me wanting. I think perhaps I also had it hyped up quite a bit thanks to social that I was expecting more? Different? I’m still out to lunch on my full feels here.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and Saara El-Arifi for letting me review this ARC! Of note, I also got the Fairyloot Exclusive Edition which has a gorgeous cover and sprayed edges from my monthly subscription.

I think the setting, magic system, and characters had the opportunity to be fantastic but I personally struggled with the predictability. I feel like there was minimal growth in character relationships, and that it was simply stated that they were enemies and now they're lovers. There wasn't tension or development in either of the main characters relationships.

Yeeran is a warrior in the elven army and has only known violence her whole life. When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran's exile from the Elven lands, she and her younger sister, Lettle, encounter the fae—a community that hasn't been seen for a millennium and only exists in the legends. The sisters are thrust into a hostile world that wants the elves dead and must tread carefully to survive.

I loved FAEBOUND so much I finished it in two sittings. What's better than a queer fantasy with magic, sisterhood, and tons of twists & turns? I love that the world-building isn't too info-dumpy, and El-Arifi slowly eases the readers into various terms while not sacrificing the tension in the story. I was immediately sucked into the world of FAEBOUND and was on the edge of my seat the entire time!

My favorite part about FAEBOUND is the sisterhood dynamic. As the first-born, I felt Yeeran's anxiety of "carrying the family" so keenly, and sometimes grew tired of Lettle's daydreaming 🤣 Raise your hand if your younger sibling got away with way more sh*t growing up than you did 🙈 El-Arifi does a phenomenal job capturing Yeeran & Lettle's voices, making the alternating POV an absolute joy to read.

Even though FAEBOUND is almost 400 pages, El-Arifi's compelling writing and perfect pacing made it seem like a 200-page read, and I totally wouldn't mind reading another 200 pages! Actually, I didn't want the story to end at all, and I can't believe I have to wait to read the sequel(s). What am I supposed to do now 🥲

✨”You are my starlight, always.”✨

“Faebound” is honestly a REALLY good book for fantasy novices or people who want to start dipping their toes in the genre. The characters are so colorful and the characters world building was remarkable! It takes a lot—in my opinion —to take something like fae and elves and give it a different and unique spin!

The plot twists were really fun to figure out and I was able to like, pick up clues as I read it. The animals the whole “daemon” bond was giving “Golden Compass” which I love! How basically all characters are gender fluid and stuff like that, was also a breath of fresh air.

The only setback would be dialogue. While characters are colorful and amazing to behold, the way they spoke was a bit robotic. Also, the pacing was a bit all over the place. Not really fast paced, but not really slow and sometimes too slow?

Regardless, I devoured this over a weekend and would HAPPILY read the sequel!

Thank you for the ARC, Del Rey!

okay so. this is a 3.5 through and through.

as an anticipated release of mine, this does not quite hit the mark i wished it would. it's engaging, i am invested in the characters, and i love the world and find it compelling, but the sinew connecting everything together was weak.

the pacing is slow and there isn't a very immediate sense of tension because the conflict constantly fluctuates. this is the sort of book where you just sit there and collect a lot of information before the revelations in the third act, and i wish the narrative would lean into that slow pace rather than attempt to make things more pressing than they are. by the third act, you do have a bit of a multi revelation showdown vine boom sound effect after vine boom sound effect. personally, i would have liked to be given more information as the narrative continued so we could feel tensions rise throughout the novel. (for girlies who have read it, basically, we needed a rayan pov). instead, they seem artificially constructed, both the tension preceding the revelations and the revelations themselves (to the audience). dramatic irony could have slayed mayhaps.

i also am not a huge fan of the romance. it feels a little sudden for both of the main characters, personally speaking. i'm very picky with my romance though. i also wish we see a larger scope of the world (not really in breadth, but in depth)

while the actual events of the plot seem stagnant, the steady drip of information about the world and magic system is compelling and kept me turning the page. i cannot stress enough how much i wish we got more of it. some of the conflicts resolved at the end of the book are a bit of a letdown and some had me gagged, but truly this is giving "first in a series" so it is more about the setup of future events than the events in this book themselves. which is fine by me.

i do enjoy following the characters. yeeran and lettle are my girls. you can't help but wish for them to succeed, and their courage and ambition are the driving force of the novel by far. i can't say too much without spoiling the book, but them and their immediate relationships are great. they do seem young for their age, but i'm guessing that since elves live to be like 150, then they're actually younger developmentally than a human would be? if that makes sense. i hope it does.

i'm interested in the sequel and i don't want to make a promise that i can't keep, but i am leaning toward reading it when it comes out.

I really thought that I was going to love this book, but it unfortunately fell short for me. The magic system and world are ratger unique and interesting, however I didn’t feel like either was fully explored to its full potential.

Along the same lines, I found that all of the characters were quite flat and one-dimensional which was probably the most disappointing part of the book for me. The dialogue also seemed very unnatural and robotic, and it was quite difficult to get past while reading. I unfortunately found myself not really caring about any of the characters, so it became quite difficult to become invested in the story.

I did really enjoy the author’s detailed descriptions of the world and setting. She really painted a vivid and beautiful world through her storytelling. I just wish that the story had not been so predictable and that the characters were more dynamic.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I didn’t know if this would live up to the bar set in The Ending Fire trilogy but wow this was so so good!! I don’t know how El-Arifi creates such rich, unique worlds, but hot damn.

I loved so many aspects of this book: the magic system, queer-normativity, the African and Arab influence, the sapphic romances, the obeah, and the different races of elf, human, and fae.

The story immediately pulled me in and I finished in one sitting. I already want the next book. And though the ending felt very similar to The Final Strife, I enjoyed the rest so much that I didn’t even mind bc it clearly works!!

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the arc!

Fantasy. creative worldbuilding, lore, many mysteries, and a few romances. Faebound is checking all the boxes and was a refreshing read! El-Arifi created this new world with interesting people and lore, but also wasn't afraid to take chances with throwing some spins in the story. I loved how El-Afrifi did not get stuck in world creation- Especially with a new series that needs the foundation elements but always slows down a story; this didn't happen here. Normally I do not love too much romance in my fantasy, but I wanted more. I'm excited to see where this story leads with the prophecy elements, that felt the most refreshing to me.

My review will be posted on instagram (amarvelingbrew) on 1/22/24. Thank you for the arc!

Told from the perspective of two elf sisters who become trapped in the land of the fae, Faebound, follows these sisters on a journey that will test their loyalty to both each other and their homeland. Leetle and Yeeran will have their core beliefs tested as they are each forced to decide what it means to love and be loved.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. There’s court politics, strong FMC’s, unique magic, great world building, found family, magical creatures, and enemies to lovers. I particularly loved the portrayal of Leetle and Yeeran’s sibling relationship, it felt very honest and relatable. There were a few points throughout the book where the plot was predictable but I don’t feel like it took away from my enjoyment of the story. Even when I knew what was going to happen, I still found myself wanting to keep reading because El-Arifi delivers this story in such an engrossing way. I think this is a must read for fantasy lovers!

Faebound has my heart! The covers are some of the most gorgeous I've ever seen! From the very beginning the story drew me in. We follow the story of two sister and a captain. Yeren the eldest sister has just become the youngest colonel in the Waning army before she was exiled at the hands of her lover. Her youngest sister Lettle hears of the news and flees after the last of her family. Along with Lettle follows Rayan, a captain under Yeren, follows behind Lettle as they both feel guilt of what's happened to Yeren. When reunited they face a group they once thought extinct. In their capture we get to experience the lore and culture of the Elves, Fae, and Humans.

Love and loyalties were tested though there was an understanding within them that truly made it hard to dislike anyone in the story. They are all just fighting for the freedom and wellbeing of their people, even if they go about it the wrong way.

The magic system was extremely unique. With Yeren who fights by drumfire that requires intention to wield. Her sister Lettle who is a diviner, that can voice prophecies. We also learn of how magic works amongst the different races.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I especially loved that it was a black sapphic romantasy and extremely queernormative. I'm so excited to see how their stories will continue in the next book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for gifting me an ARC of Faebound!

What a wonderful book! Faebound is one of the best fantasies I have read in a while. In my opinion, this is what romantasy should be. El-Arifi wove a beautiful and intricate world together with such dynamic characters, and I became invested in them immediately. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series brings.

Thank you to netgalley for giving me an early copy!

First and foremost, I liked that the characters were in their 30s. The plot was unique and i loved how african culture and folklore/mythology was woven into the story. The folklore was added in a way that was easy to follow and understand, especially as someone who isn't necessarily familiar with the stories. "We are all tyrants" was such a good line, I really loved the inclusion of it because it showed that many times even if the characters believe they are in the right and doing things for the right reasons, they are still in a position of power and willing to do whatever it takes so that the odds go in their favors. For me as a reader I didn't necessarily feel like the romance between Yeeran and Furi feel as intense as it was being portrayed, I know they're supposed to be enemies to lovers but even when they became "lovers" and whispered love to each other it didn't feel like they actually meant it. Overall it was a really enjoyable book and I can't wait to see more from this author!

This book should 100% be on the list of “must read” fantasy books for this year. I actually felt like this book was a breath of fresh air in the fantasy world. The cultural influence that the author infused into the story really made a difference in not getting lost in the heaps of fae stories that have been coming out lately.

The world building was sprinkled throughout the entire book as the story and characters progressed, making it a lot easier to swallow. The detail the author put in to describing each setting was amazing. Mosima was described so in depth and sounds so beautiful, it’s on my list of “fictional places I wish I could visit.” 😩

I absolutely loved that the characters were in their mid 20’s and 30’s. They were all greatly fleshed out characters that you quickly attached to for one reason or another. Not to mention, there was a great amount of lgbtqia+ representation that was presented beautifully.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

This was one of my most anticipated releases this year and it did not disappoint. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I was constantly on edge because El-Arifi is so good at plot twists. The world building is great and I can't wait to see how that continues to develop, especially as we learn more about the relationship between elves and faeries, as the series progresses. This is a great addition to the romantasy genre, between the main relationships in the book. I also really enjoyed the relationship between the sisters, Yeeran and Lettle.

As this is the first in a trilogy, I'm really looking forward to seeing where the story leads.

I love this author, but I was honestly just not into this book. Part of that is the book is from two sisters points of view, and I couldn’t stand the younger sister. There was just something so annoying and grating about her personality. I think I would have liked this book without her being the focus of half the book, but it is what it is.

4 stars!

This is my first book by Saara El-Arifi and it most definitely will not be my last. I thought the world that she created was lush, interesting, and engaging. I loved how diverse the world was racially, sexually, and also through gender, and I appreciated how it was just a built-in part of the world. I've never read a fantasy book that mixed fae and elves so that was unique, and I think this was a great entry into a new series.

Where I think this wasn't extremely perfect for me was in two aspects: the predictability and the romance. I felt like this was marketed to me as a fantasy romance and I felt like all of the romance was super insta lovey and with specifically Lettle's relationship I'm not sure I ever understood what caused her and her relationship interest to start liking each other. Additionally, with the plot almost all of the twists I saw coming and there was nothing super surprising that shocked me.

That being said, I will definitely be reading the next book and I'm excited to see where else we go in this world!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you netgalley for gifting this arc for reviewing purpose's. This was such an awesome fantasy filled with amazing magic systems and easy to understand. There’s amazing world building that I was able to picture perfectly!! There is also some spice!!! I can’t wait for book 2 to come out to see where the story goes!!!

Thank you Random House and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was great, but I’ll admit it took me a little to get into.

I love war stories, especially in fantasy, but the frustrating thing about following a main character who is a soldier is their unwavering loyalty, drive and purpose. They have such huge blinders on that it makes me wanna scream sometimes.

In saying that, Yeeran was a fantastic main character. She felt things so deeply, so keenly, and that passion was intoxicating to read. Even moreso when some of it transferred to Furi. I LOVED the progression of hers and Furi’s relationship and the way they could both understand and acknowledge the way they felt for each other while also understanding and acknowledging the way they felt didn’t change their duty or their purpose.

I also freaking adored Yeeran’s bond with Pila, too. Pila may actually be my favourite character. The little sassy remarks, the animal instinct combined with human thoughts and feelings, the deep bond they shared. It just made me so happy.

Lettle and Rayan were great characters, too. Their romance was a lot quicker and, on the surface, less complicated, but I’m so interested to see what happens with them next, especially with Lettle’s prophecy looming.

A lot of the foreshadowing in this felt a little too heavy handed, meaning nothing in the plot really took me by surprise when it felt like it was supposed to, but I still enjoyed the overall plot nonetheless, and I’m very keen to see what happens in the next book.

4.5/5 stars

Faebound is an enchanting story about a Warrior exiled from her home and her diviner sister who follows her sister into an unknown world. When the sisters discover the fairytales they hear of Fae and humans are true when they find themselves captured by fae and everything they knew about the world changes.

Can I just say I want an obeah? If you love the connection between dragons and riders or animals and fae, humans, elves then you will love the book.

Faebound had great pacing keeping readers on their toes. I loved the lgbtq+ representation and the gender fluidity of characters in the book. I did wish the book spent more time developing the characters. Sometimes the lack of depth of different characters from early on in the book made it hard to empathize and connect with characters. In addition, the book was sometimes very predictable for me even though the characters didn’t catch on until much later. That being said I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

I can’t wait until the next book to see where fate takes the characters. There is still so much adventure, political intrigue, romance and, I fear, heartbreak to be had in the world of Faebound.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review.