I love this series and this book was amazing just like the other (is anyone surprised? Not me!) So grateful to have received an ARC, the world building and characters were fleshed out more and I just can't wait for everyone else to read this!.

Such a great 2nd book. Normally book 2 is always hard in a trilogy but this one left me wanting more. I felt it was more well rounded than book one, more fleshed out. So excited to read the next installment when it is time.

SIMPLY AMAZINGGGGGG!!!!!!! The first book was 5 stars for me and this was NO different!! Amazing amazing amazing!!!!!! I am so happy i received an arc of this as I love Saara El-Arifis work!

I just finished this book and I need the next one asap. I can not wait this long to know how it will continue..

The second book in a series can be quite slow and tough to get through but this book definitely wasn't. It was very fast paced and filled with action. We didn't really get new information but the author build on the information we already had. The world, the relationships and the characters all had great development. In this book we get some new perspectives that we didn't get in the first book and I feel like they are a perfect addition. We also get to meet a new and very important new character and I really like him.

The plottwists I didn't see coming at all and the ending has gotten me really excited for the last book in the series. I also really want to read the first book again to see if I missed any clues.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Firstly, thank you to Saara El-Arifi and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked Faebound a lot, so I was a little anxious to see if book two lived up the hype or succumbed to the curse of the middle book, well, let me tell you, this was even BETTER than book 1 and that ending? I need book 3 and I need it NOW please and thank you xx

The world feels more fleshed out, we delve into more politics and obviously get to catch up with Yeeran and Lettle, I just can't wait to see how this trilogy is getting wrapped up!!

BEST BOOK EVER. Faebound was amazing, but Cursebound! MASTERPIECE. El- Arifi, has become one od my favorite authors of this year. Cursebound was both filled with so much lore and emotional turmoil from all the characters. And the ENDING!!! Im already cant wait to grab my hands on the last book! I teuly believe that El-Arifi is a master storyteller who has the ability to pull you into a story and make it impossible for you to leave. It picks up right where we left off. If I could give this book 10 stars, I would without a doubt!

the scream I scrumpt when I got approved for this ARC!!!!

I tore through this one, the multiple POVs kept me engaged through my reading we experience
sometimes the second installment of a trilogy falls flat, however that couldn't be further from the truth when it comes to Cursebound. I thoroughly enjoyed diving back into this world and getting more character and world development...and that ending!!!!! *Gasp*

Can't wait for book 3, I will absolutely be recommending this series!!

I absolutely adore this world and the characters in it. I was incredibly lucky to be an ARC reader for Faebound and Cursebound. Usually the second book in a trilogy struggles to live up to the first, but I feel Cursebound stood beautifully on its own. We get more politics, characters, and suspense in book two while continuing to learn about the world Yeeran and Lettle inhabit. I truly cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of this for my shelf. If you enjoyed Faebound then you won't be disappointed with what Cursebound has to offer. Thank you to Saara El-Arifi and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I cannot wait for book three!

A really enjoyable sequel to Faebound. El-Arifi did a great job of moving the plot along, which I find many authors struggle with in the second installments of their trilogies.

Without being bogged down by having to do so much world building and lore drop, the characters were really allowed to breathe and as a reader, I felt able to really enjoy the setting of Mosima.

Cursebound had a great balance of growing and exploring the existing characters, introducing the new character (Alder), and throwing in a political assassination plot while still managing to tie it all together neatly.

I was pleased with the additional information we got on the lore of this world and am really looking forward to the final installment of the series.

I absolutely loved Faebound, and this second installment did not disappoint! The story picks up where it left off in Faebound, and they are facing war with multiple enemies, some who are unseen. Sisters Yeeran and Lettle fight to break the curse that holds the Fae prisoners in their own land. I loved that the two sisters are depicted as strong yet different. I also enjoy that El-Arafi lets the world come together as you are reading and doesn't inundate you with names, places, etc. This is a must read, especially if you loved Faebound!

An excellent followup to Faebound and a great setup for the finale of the trilogy. Loved the new characters and storylines and the continued focus on relationships both romantic and otherwise. This one will definitely please the readers who've spent the past year eagerly awaiting book two!

Thank you so much to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my review!



This was an excellent followup to Faebound! Cursebound continues where Faebound left off, and I was able to quickly reacclimatize to the magic of the world. The pacing is great. It does a great job balancing the fantasy and romance elements, while also maintaining the wonderful world-building.



I enjoyed Cursebound just as much as I enjoyed Faebound. El-Arifi did a wonderful job in this sequel, and I cannot wait for the third installment!

4.5 stars...first off thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC of this book. I enjoyed as much as the first one and can't wait for people to read it. I love all the character development and the plot hath thickened. More twists and turns, assassination attempts, warfare, betrayal, Fae, new characters, some spiciness mixed into the bunch. I would definitely recommend this especially if you've read Faebound. Can't wait for book 3 now!

This trilogy is a breath of fresh air in the middle of a straight, white wave of romantasy books. If you're looking for elves and fae and magic and queer normative romance, it is here. Unfortunately, like most current romantasy, it lacks the depth that I'm used to when it comes to the fantasy genre. If you're a big romantasy reader looking for POC and queer characters, this is a great choice. If you're more of a high fantasy reader, this probably won't get you there.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGallery for the eARC! 4.25 ⭐️

“Obeah were once humans.”

I absolutely ate this book up, just as I had with the first. I was so incredibly grateful for the summary at the beginning of this book as it’s been months since I started this series, and I was quickly thrown back into the world.

Picking up where we left off in the first novel, Yeeran is on her way to Salawa to warn her of the upcoming power in the Crescents. Let’s just say I was shocked when Salawa was killed off so early!! I was looking forward to having a messy dynamic between Yeeran, Salawa, and Furi, but the shock factor definitely got me. It seemed Salawa was suffering after banishing her love (which duh! she made a big mistake there). I do wish there was more to her character, but there was always an assumption that she was not too essential to the plot line.

Alder!!! I was waiting for humans to finally make an appearance and I am thrilled that Alder was the way in. Also, Obeah being humans?? I am excited to learn how exactly this happened and how Alder appears in “regular” human form. I was a bit thrown off by Alder and Golan’s romance plot. Don’t mistake my words, I did enjoy their romance, but it felt a bit random. Each POV we get includes a romance, which is a bit much. But I do love Golan and Alder so it works out fine in my mind.

Out of all of the plot lines occurring in this novel, the Lightless was by far my favorite. Because of the perspectives we the readers get, it almost has a sort of view point of The Capital viewing the rebellion in The Hunger Games. It was a subtle background shift that slowly seeped into the Fae’s government. The perspective intrigued me, as it took yet another outsiders view to recognize the discrimination these people have been facing forever. I hope to see justice come to the Lightless in the conclusion.

I am very ready for the conclusion to this series!! I don’t know how she’s going to do it yet, but I trust it will be good!

The much anticipated sequel to Faebound - Cursebound - doesn’t waste any time in getting into the action. With the twist that an elf is able to become faebound to an obeah and another elf becoming the king, tensions are rising within fae society - especially from those who are called “Lightless,” those unable to faebound. In addition to the dangers lurking at home are the dangers present within the elven war, and the revelation that the fae were helping to turn the tide. With the romance between Yeeran and Furi forcing the fae to move out of the elven war, stakes are raised when this risks the fae being exposed.

This book adds another point of view that adds intrigue to the story, and despite Yeeran being separated for a majority of the novel at no point does it feel like an event isn’t necessary. Many times, authors get bogged down with too many pov characters and sometimes we feel like certain perspectives aren’t needed, or sometimes we’ll leave a high-stakes chapter to read one that feels pointless in comparison. None of that happens in this book, at every point I was engaged and felt like everything that was happening was part of the bigger picture - from Lettle’s discoveries, to Yeeran’s capture, to the very present danger lurking around every corner from every character. I also loved how it was almost impossible to tell who, exactly, was behind the assassination attempts - and yet, it never felt like it wasn’t realistic. It all led to a tension-building reveal where it forces the main characters to acknowledge the buildup of problems as tensions rise and the death count rises.

Second books in trilogies are notoriously difficult to do, but I feel like with both of her trilogies Saara El-Arifi is able to improve her world building and raise the anticipation for how this series will end. I enjoyed Cursebound more than I did Faebound (not that I didn’t enjoy Faebound), and I am super excited for the third and final book in this trilogy. This book ends with a highly unexpected plot twist that I cannot wait to see how it will be explored in the finale. If you were looking for a political fantasy with romance, secret assassination plots, and actual conflict between the romantic leads, I’d strongly recommend this trilogy. I cannot wait to see how it ends!

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Random House for providing this e-ARC.

This 2nd book in the trilogy didn't disappoint!

A fantastic series for any senior school library. I really appreciated the diversity in characters and how the plot made me reflect on the world we live in. Is it enough to be born into power? How do you unite people that are divided over differences- war is often the answer sadly.

I appreciated the different character point of views to help understand the complexities of the relationships and circumstances the characters find themselves in. Paradise underground, but if you can't leave, even paradise is a prison...

An act of mercy by one causes others to unite and bring war.

Congratulations on a fabulous 2nd book and I eagerly await the 3rd. I really appreciate the opportunity to read an advanced copy for an honest review.

The second book in the Faebound trilogy continues to follow sisters, Yeeran and Lettle, Elf’s who have found their fates woven with the Fae’s. A race thought to be extinct by everyone but them.

This story has multiple POV’s which are easy to go between and flow nicely.
I love the new character. Their name begins with an A, I just adore him.
Social statues and segregation shows that maybe not every Fae is happy with how the hidden Faes live.
This book has love’s old and new.
Prophecies that change everything and a seer struggling to get the fates to speak to her.
Betrayals that cut deep and shock you.

I am so very grateful to netgallery for sending me this arc of cursebound. What a journey this was.

This book is such a fantastic sequel—I enjoyed it even more than Faebound! I loved reconnecting with Yeeran and Lettle, and this time, the sisters’ struggles felt even more real and relatable. Yeeran’s heartbreak as she tries to balance her love for the fae queen with her duty to her people was so raw and emotional. And Lettle’s determination to break the fae curse added a great sense of urgency and mystery to the story.

One thing I have to highlight is the journal-style recap at the beginning of the book—it was such a clever touch! It made it so much easier to jump back into the story, and I wish more authors did this.

The pacing was spot on, and the twists kept me hooked. While the worldbuilding didn’t feel quite as magical as it did in the first book, it was still beautiful, with some truly vivid scenes. This time, the focus felt more on the characters and their choices, which I didn’t mind because it made the story feel so personal.

I can’t wait to see how everything wraps up in the final book. The stakes are high, the emotions run deep, and I’m completely invested in these characters and their world!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Cursebound is a wonderful read. I honestly love this world and the obeah. The writing is great and so readable, I feel that this fantasy is really accessible to all. The prophecies, assassination attempts, political strain and general turmoil make for a fast paced adventure. The multiple point of views work well, there are times I want to get back to certain plot points but this just kept me reading.
Although I lost a bit of the magic of the world with this book, I felt this was a bit more of a backdrop. The world is still vivid with some beautiful scenes but with the first book I felt more immersed.
The romance also takes a bit of a backseat to the plot, I didn’t mind this at all though. The last book was full of yearning and angst so I liked that there was some development here.
Overall a solid fantasy that’s fun, full of animal companions and fatal for some characters.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.