I see why this is one of the most anticipated books of the year! It has a lot of elements of an enjoyable fantasy-romance read. The story follows two sisters who are brought into a new realm and have to learn to survive (and maybe escape?). It has a lot of tropes that people tend to enjoy ("who did this to you," one bed, enemies to lovers, betrayal, prophecy, secret identity). I enjoyed the book and it was heavily focused on the characters and the relationships between them (less on an adventure, plot-based story). I am really looking forward to book 2, because I could see how this book is setting up a lot of potential conflicts for the future. I am hoping we get more POVs in the future (this one gave us the two sisters POVs).

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for providing an eARC of this book.

Faebound was one of my most anticipated novels of this year. Announced as the fantasy romance of the year, I was excited to delve into El-Arifi's take on fantasy romance, as well as, my introduction to her novel. I believe the novel started off strong with the prologue introducing us to the creation myths of this world. However, it was right after this that I found the plot started to meander and go off track, giving itself to convenience and unbelievability.

While the language of this series is a lot more accessible compared to the author's other series, the Final Strife, I actually believe it works to the detriment of the novel. A little more sophistication to the plot, the characters, and the language would have elevated the novel and allowed the richness of the world and the uniqueness of the characters to shine through—making the conflict far more tense and action-packed. Moreover, the novel tries to use the sisterhood between Yeeran and Lettie as a selling point and I was really looking forward to the unique dynamic and dual POV. However, at some point, both POVs started to really blend into each other and make it difficult to follow who was speaking and whose head we were in. As this is an adult novel, I was hoping that the characters would be a lot more mature in their characterizations and conflict. Yeeran, a military commander, makes awful choices for someone who apparently has been fighting in a war for years and it is difficult to root for her and Lettle when they make such contradicting choices.

The romance was another heavily marketed point of the novel and I was disappointed by how fast-paced and instant love-driven it was for both POVs. Ultimately, I was disappointed by the execution as this novel idea seemed fresh, set against a lush background, but ended up being a product that required more thought, complexity, and editing. I do believe El-Arifi has the potential to write amazing novels and will be looking forward to what they create next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book. This is my first Saara El-Arifi book and I will definitely be reading more from her. I loved the world building, the sisters' relationship and the queer rep. I really liked the direction the story took and I look forward to reading the sequel. My major issue with this book was the pacing. It went between either chapters of almost nothing happening or non-stop action and there was no in-between. It took me a while to get motivated to finish this book and it took a while to get into it. That being said, I'm looking forward to seeing Saara develop the rest of this world, the creatures, the characters, and the relationships she created -all of which I LOVED in this book.

Ethnic romantasy is becoming my new favorite genre. Faebound introduced us to the war filled world between the elves and fae and the sisters at the center of it all Yeeran and Yettle.

Life is a hard road for Yeeran, who holds an authoritative position within the elven army, but she can't quite stomach the agenda of her commander and lover. Yettle is the little sister who has a mind of her own but has issues with being left behind. An unearthed secret is slowly eating at her sanity.

A mistake brands Yeeran an outcast amongst her people and ultimately exiled....that doesn't stop her band of friends led by her sister from following her put into the unknown.

Ultimately, a killing blow lands them in more hot water when they are captured by the fae who want nothing more but to kill them.

A suprising bond spares their lives and immerses them into a new world full of magic, fear, hate, politics, murder, and love.

Our band of characters are desperate for escape but end up learning more about themselves within the fae community than they could have even imagined. As you get to the heart of the story, you will get more and more surprising revelations.
You will ultimately be left with a cliffhanger as the veil between worlds opens and closes...I cannot wait for book 2 because this is just the beginning and a war is brewing.

This was such a fun and exciting fantasy book! I was concerned at first that it would be completely war and battle based which is not usually my taste. I was so happy with the romance and found family aspects in this book. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the eARC!

I’m usually picky with fantasy and it has to grip me immediately, this absolutely did that! I loved Lettle and Yeeran, particularly Lettle, and thought they were interesting characters. I saw the romantic pairings coming a mile away, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing - I will say that the transitions to lover for both pairs felt very fast to me. As the book progressed I loved the world built (very rich and intriguing) and the lore - I wanted more of that, more detail, more information, etc. Peela and Yeeran’s relationship was lovely, and Peela as a character was delightful in general. I’m excited for the next book and hoping for deeper world building and romance. This was great, but had the potential to be excellent. I loved it, but I wanted more.

Fantasy setting with older cast (aka not following a bunch of teens or early 20-somethings around) with a solid WLW relationship with one of the main heroines? Yes, please!

It took a little bit to get fully immersed into the world and understand all of the terms with the new magic system, but it's well worth it - this was such a refreshing take on the fantasy genre. The world of Mosima, its society and traditions, was fascinating and kept the pages turning. I loved the idea of drum magic and how the elves, fae, and humans were tied to different forms of magic, not to mention how intrinsically the magic and its people are tied to the world around them. That alone was such a pleasure to read about. And who wouldn't want an Obeah of their own?

Some of the plot twists were not surprising at all, especially since divination is very much a part of this world, but it didn't detract from the story for mel. If anything, it made me feel more for the characters and their struggles. And more than once, I found myself parsing through the prophecies trying and hoping to see if there was another way it could play out, if there was some kind of "loop hole" in the wording I just wasn't seeing yet. And there's still a few that haven't come to pass by the end of this book. Waiting for the next one will be painful, but I'm very excited to see how the story will continue!

This book had an odd effect on me- I was instantly captivated by it but as it went on I became less and less invested.

I think this could’ve done so much more and gone so much deeper as a fantasy novel. I was hoping for more in the romance department as it is marketed as a queer romantasy but the romance was lackluster and the fantasy elements werent explored as deeply as they could have been. I didn’t hate it but I just don’t have strong feelings towards it one way or another. I think I will still read the next in the series because I have heard great things about this author

I haven’t fully finished this yet! But I’m about half way through and I’m obsessed!!! This is amazing and I can’t wait to finish and post my finished thoughts on Goodreads!

Faebound is a fantasy that pulls you in from the start and kept me on the edge of my seat. Our main characters, Yeeran and Lettle, are sisters and both experience different things which makes falling into this world really easy. The author slowly lets us learn about the world and magic system without making it feel like we get an info dump.

Yeeran has a hard life and only knows the threat of war. So when she makes a mistake and is banned from the Elven Lands, she doesn't know what will happen. All she knows is that she has to make it right and get back to her people. Lettle, of course, is scared for her sister's life and goes after her. Lettle saw a prophecy involving her sister, but it definitely didn't go as she had thought it would. That's when they discover there's more to the world than they know and fae exist and have a whole different set of ways, magic, and beliefs.

The pacing in this book was done well and I could understand this new world. I loved the balance between world building, action, character development, and romance. Some twists I kind of saw coming, but others not at all. Especially that ending! Do they go back to the Elven Lands or are they where they belong?

I'm so glad this book had dual POV and I wish we got a few chapters through two other characters' eyes, but all in all I was satisfied. It's hard to say a lot about this book without giving little spoilers, so all I can really say is go read this book! I'll definitely be reading more by Saara! I'm grateful there are some books I still need to read.

My review will be posted on https://thebookdutchesses.com on March 30th!

I LOVED THIS! I was hooked immediately and need the next book asap. The characters felt so real and the plot was extraordinary. This is going to be a top read of the year for me

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Del Rey Publishing for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. My feedback is completely honest.

Faebound is one of the books that I was most excited to read in 2024! I was completely immersed in the story and felt a deep connection with the characters as they embarked on their journey. We get to know two strong female protagonists, the founding family, and enimes to lovers, to possible enemies? The world-building was amazing, and we get to learn more about Mosima and their history as Elves and Fae.

This book exceeded my expectations, and I was left wishing for another book already!

3 stars

I loved so many things about this book from the setting, to the messages and themes and characters. The writing was so good but the plot just didn't grab me. It made me a little bit sad because I was bored through my read of this.

The set up was good, it was a story about 2 sisters who are elvish. One is blessed with battle and one with prophecy and through their journey of discovering that fae actually exist. You get to see so much of the fae world but the plot line was just lacking.

Thank you Del Rey and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Feabound is a powerful and captivating fantasy novel that intricately weaves magic, adventure, and self-discovery elements. Set in a richly imagined world where humans and faeries coexist, the story follows a young protagonist's journey, navigating the complexities of her newfound abilities and the secrets of her heritage. At its core, "Faebound" is a tale of self-discovery and empowerment. As the protagonist learns to harness her magical abilities and confronts the challenges that lie ahead, she undergoes a transformative journey of growth and self-realization. I enjoyed the narration and the powerful message of resilience. Saara El-Arifi has crafted a captivating story that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages until the very end.

So when I Initially read this book I left it behind with a pretty solid choice not to continue the series when new books come out. Then as the weeks went by, it kind of grew on me. I can't really pinpoint why I wanted to finish this story when I feel like I didn't like most of the characters or the worldbuilding, but there must be something and to me that makes a good book. I want to learn what happens next after the main characters world view has completely changed. By the end - most of the characters grew on me but I definitely saw the twist.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Two elven communities at war over the sustenance of life, one general who makes the wrong move, a seer who loses a sister to banishment, and a new world opening before their eyes. Faebound is a story of two sisters who find themselves in a world they did not know existed, and on a quest to save each other from death.
The beginning of this book had me hooked. The drum-warfare was very interesting, and the premise of this book was unique to things I have read before. I did find that the last 30% of the book was packed full of events that left me feeling a little whiplashed. The romantic relationships and steamy scenes left me feeling odd and cringey for their content and timing (however, I usually find that smut does not add to most books, so take that with a grain of salt if you enjoy steamy romance). I read this with a friend and we both agree that the notebook at the end showed more relationship building between sisters than the entire book. It was definitely an entertaining read and El-Arifi has magic in what she writes, I think it may have just not been what I was looking for in a book.

Content Warning: war, death, murder, stalking, betrayal, poisoning, sexual content

Would I Recommend: I would recommend to fantasy readers who like reading about fae and elves, those who like warfare, and those who like a lot of things happening at once.

3 Stars

(Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review)

This fantasy novel is unlike anything I've ever read before, in a great way. I really loved the very unique fantasy world that the author built and the historical lore that unfolds as the current day dramas do. The author does a beautiful job of weaving in her cultural background into the world she's built, and it made for a super interesting read. I also really respect the amount of representation in identity that characters are given and thought it was well done.

My only downside when it comes to this book, isn't really a downside; it takes a while for the story to unfold and the plot to ramp up to full speed. On one hand, this made for a really exciting ending with a lot to unpack and think on..... but on the other hand made me a bit sad because I have to wait for all of the new questions I have to be answered until the sequel comes out! I loved the adventure though, and I'll be looking forward to it's sequel.

Ummmm okay. That was unique for sure. But the plot wasn’t really engaging.

I love the 3 gods backstory, it gave a solid background to the setting & worldbuilding. Still can’t wrap my head around the drum magic. I couldn’t “feel” the characters, thus the romances also felt bland. Not sure if I’ll read the sequel but let’s see

Yeeran has spent her life in service of the elven army but after a battle gone awry, she is exiled from the elven lands. Her sister Lettle is a diviner and follows her and they both find themselves in the fae court, somewhere they thought no longer existed. As they become enmeshed with the fae court and their politics, they realize the stories they had been told growing up weren't entirely accurate. Overall, a solid start to a new fantasy series that will hopefully see more of the world building in the subsequent books. Fans of Eragon may enjoy this one.

I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually did. I thought the premise was promising, but found that the plot dragged (especially in the second half). Maybe my expectations were too high, but I found it a little too predictable?