4.5 stars

**Review of *Bound by Love* (Sequel to *Faebound*)**

*Bound by Love*, the sequel to the bestselling *Faebound*, continues the heart-wrenching journey of Yeeran and Lettle, two elven sisters caught in the web of love, war, and ancient curses. The story picks up with Yeeran, once a fierce warrior for her homeland, now struggling with the complexities of love after leaving her fae lover, the Queen of the fae. As she returns to her war-torn homeland, she discovers that her former lover’s actions now threaten to spark a devastating war between their two worlds.

Meanwhile, Lettle, Yeeran’s devoted sister, is left behind to unravel the mystery of a curse that binds the fae to their realm. When a mysterious stranger arrives, Lettle believes he may hold the key to breaking the curse, but the Fates that once guided her have gone silent, leaving her to navigate an increasingly perilous situation on her own.

The heart of *Bound by Love* is its exploration of love’s complexities, particularly the deep emotional turmoil experienced by both sisters. Yeeran’s struggle to reconcile her love for the Queen with her duty to her homeland is palpable, while Lettle’s determination to save both worlds from destruction showcases her unwavering loyalty and courage. The sisters’ bond remains a central pillar of the story, even as they are pulled in different directions by forces beyond their control.

The pacing of the narrative is swift, maintaining tension throughout as the characters face both internal and external battles. The world-building is rich and immersive, pulling readers deeper into the fae and elven realms, where magic and danger collide. The stakes feel high, and the romance—while bittersweet—is undeniably captivating.

The prose is elegant, weaving together themes of destiny, love, and sacrifice with moments of introspection and emotional depth. The world-building and magical elements are well-crafted, offering enough intrigue to keep the reader invested. The twists and turns in the plot are unpredictable, making for an exciting, page-turning experience.

*Bound by Love* is a sequel that builds upon its predecessor with an emotional, character-driven plot that is sure to leave readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter. It’s a tale of two sisters bound by love and fate, with a narrative that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series and was so excited for the opportunity to read the second installment. Sadly for me, this one didn't grab my attention nearly as much. Overall I think the story was good but there was something missing for me in this one. I do want to give props to the author for summarizing the first book in the beginning of this one so that at least I was refreshed as to what happened before and I was able to continue the story with ease. I feel like this book was a bit predictable, which in general is ok but I was left feeling a little underwhelmed by this one. I will continue this series as there is definitely potential here and I hope the third book is more on par with the first.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I ate this book right up and it didn’t disappoint! I had Faebound on my shelf, so I read it right before this one.

I love that Cursebound introduces us to a new character and his POV. I was still invested in all of the previous characters and how they would solve all their evolving political and romantic entanglements as well. I think the way they are all bound up in this was revealed smoothly and swiftly. Something I love about Saara El-Arifi’s writing in this trilogy is how they move the plot forward quickly without there being plot holes. I never have time to be bored. Very exciting book. Very sexy book too. I appreciate the balance between sex and adventure, none of the intimate scenes were abrupt or crass.

My favorite character is still Lettle and I’m just yearning so badly for there to be some loophole in this prophecy with Rayan! Happy that there is a book three to discover more.

Despite the numerous deaths in this second book, I was not gutted or angry with any of the choices. All of the losses made sense to move the plot. Also, the twists on who each person betraying them was…wow! I could never guess too far ahead of time. I do like to be surprised. Really enjoyed this read. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

First off I wanted to say thanks for the opportunity to review this book early. I was on the fence on whether I liked the series after reading Faebound. Yes I enjoyed the first book but wasn't sure if I was going to finish the series after Cursebound and the third book came out. But after reading Cursebound I have changed that thought. Cursebound kept me on the edge of my seat. I devoured this book in a couple days. Yes it has its flaws but it conveyed what it needed to do. It was a solid second book of a trilogy.

Cursebound, the second book in the Faebound trilogy, completely swept me away and deepened my love for this richly immersive world. Picking up where Faebound left off, this sequel delivers even more adventure, intrigue, and character development. I found myself completely captivated by the twists and turns in the plot, and while I did manage to predict one story twist, it was only a small part of a much bigger, unpredictable picture. The story is packed with unexpected surprises that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

What truly stood out for me were the side characters, particularly Galon and Anyah. Their unique personalities and the depth of their relationships with the main characters added so much heart to the story. I became just as invested in their journeys as I did in the primary plotline.

The world-building continues to impress, with vivid landscapes, intricate lore, and a sense of danger that lingers in every chapter. The book does a fantastic job of setting up the stakes for the final installment, leaving me on the edge of my seat in anticipation for Faebound’s conclusion.

A huge thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this fantastic book. I cannot wait to see how this trilogy wraps up, and I will be eagerly awaiting the next book!

Cursebound is the sequel to Faebound and while reading it, I felt like it was easy to jump back into the story. Saara El-Arifi does a wonderful job with allowing you to understand her characters easily since their emotions are at the surface of her writing. Readers will enjoy Cursebound. I cannot wait for book #3!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed the first book in the series and was excited to read the second. I think I might even have preferred this new one. The author does a great job at recapping the first book at the beginning of this one. Then there are new secrets, plots and magic to explore, as well as a new main character, Alder. I enjoyed finding out more about politics and inequalities within fae society as well as meeting a group of nomadic elves who have turned their backs on the Forever War. Overall it was a very engaging and enjoyable story and I am looking forward to the next book.

Having been utterly captivated by *Faebound* and collecting every special edition available, getting an ARC of *Cursebound* felt like a dream come true. Saara El-Arifi has delivered an absolutely breathtaking sequel that exceeds all expectations. The world-building is richer, the stakes higher, and the emotions deeper. Yeeran and Lettle’s journeys are as gripping as they are heart-wrenching, with twists that kept me hooked until the very last page. The dual perspectives are perfectly balanced, and I loved how their individual arcs intertwined in unexpected ways.

*Cursebound* is a masterful continuation of the trilogy, blending romance, war, and fate with unparalleled finesse. Yeeran's internal conflict between duty and love with the fae queen had me in my feelings, while Lettle's relentless determination to break the curse added a layer of urgency and mystery. This book cements El-Arifi as a powerhouse in fantasy, and I cannot wait to see how she wraps up this incredible series. Truly a must-read for fans of complex characters and devastatingly beautiful storytelling!

If you liked <i>Faebound</i>, you’ll like <i>Cursebound</i>. Probably. The second book in the series picks up right at the end of the first book, picking up the plot threads right as they were left off previously. The only big difference is that a lot less stuff happens in the second book.

Faebound continues the stories of Yeeran and Lettle, two elves who have found themselves living among the fae, as they engage with fae politics and deal with the rising threat of war from the elves. Yeeran spends much of the book making a stunning number of bad decisions (again, this book is quite similar to the first), Lettle has a small side quest, and we meet a new character, Alder, a Nomad who might offer the key to breaking the fae’s curse. Compared to the first book, this book really just felt like nothing happened. The first book might also have glossed over some ideas I would have liked to read more of, but at least a lot happened: the sisters left the elf lands, discovered the fae, Yeeran became faebound, they learned about fae society, both sisters started romantic plots, and they uncovered a violent scheme in fae government. In the second book, it felt like nothing happened. This book feels drawn out compared to the first book.

A huge positive thing about this book was that it began with a summary of the first book. It was written in-character from Lettle, but even without this framing it would have been an extremely welcome addition. All authors should do this throughout a book series; it helps so much to have a few paragraphs to jog my memory and remind me of important side character names.

An aspect of this series that I truly do not care for is how utterly obvious all of the prophecies and mysteries are, and how much the characters just do not see the obvious things in front of them. Numerous prophecies given across the book, and each Lettle in particular spends a lot of time not knowing what they mean even when the meaning is…pretty dang obvious to the reader. For example, one of the lines of a major prophecy from the first book has a line, “<i>But when the waning moon turns”</i>, which Lettle does not know what it means, but the elf tribe Lettle and Yeeran are from is called the Waning Tribe, and they have reason to turn on Lettle and Yeeran…sure, maybe the author will pull and bait-and-switch and this is actually referring to something else, but it seems like Lettle of all people should assume this means that when the Waning tribe shows up something bad is going to happen. This sort of lack of logic is pervasive throughout the book. The very end of the book is a super major breakthrough for Lettle (almost literally spelled out in a prophecy) and while I think the author was trying to plant breadcrumbs of hints that will make sense after this grand revelation, what actually happened is that I fully figured it out early in the book and had to sit there and watch the characters not understand for a while. It doesn’t make me feel clever or make me think the book is being clever with its information, but instead just feels like the characters are not seeing obvious things right in front of their faces.

Another note that might be more of a pet peeve: I am glad to see an author present a queernormative world; however, the authors use of the character’s pronouns is mixed. There are multiple main characters (Furi, Golan, all of the obeah) who use she/they or he/they pronouns. Of course, every individual who uses multiple pronouns will have their own preference for how they would like them used—do they want people to use them equally? Do they want some people to use one of the pronouns exclusively, and some people to use the other? These are all very personal decisions made on an individual basis, and thus I don’t have a specific ‘right’ way for authors to depict such characters in a book. However, if I didn’t read the character list at the end of the book, I would have no idea that any of these characters used anything other than she/her or he/him. Reading the book, I cannot ever recall Furi being referred to by they/them either by the author in the prose (which could be excused as being confusing to the reader to have her pronouns switched around throughout the book, but that I do think the author could accomplish if it was considered in the writing) or by other characters in dialogue (I could be wrong on this, but I did search through half of the ~650 times Furi was referred to in the book to see if there were any cases where they pronouns were used and found none, and I do think I would have noticed while reading). The same holds for Golan and all the obeah. The obeah are animals, yes, but they are completely sentient and able to talk to their bonded, so I feel like its reasonable for their pronouns to be used as well. I’m conflicted on this one as I understand that, unfortunately, characters who use multiple pronouns have only become more mainstream recently and thus there is less of an established method for including multiple pronouns clearly; and even then, given the many ways individuals might approach their own pronouns means that there is no ‘correct’ way to respect these pronouns. However, the fact that these pronouns seem to be referenced only in the character list and nowhere else makes it feel as though the pronouns are an afterthought, which is a bit of a shame. It is clear that the author cares a lot about portraying diverse characters, and for the most part it is accomplished in a respectful and normative way. I would love to see future writing from the author work to better incorporate gender identities which use multiple pronouns.

In conclusion, this book is fine. It wasn’t as good as the first book and, admittedly, I am not the biggest fan of the series; thus, I am giving this book a 2.5 out of 5 stars. I am rounding up to a 3 because, while I didn’t really enjoy the book, I also didn’t particularly dislike it. If you really loved the first book, there’s a good chance you’ll like this one too, though I do suspect you will agree that the first was better.

3.5 stars

“Cursebound,” sequel to “Faebound,” continues the stories of Yeeran, Lettle, Rayan, and Furi throughout ongoing interpersonal and international conflict. Yeeran has left to warn her former commander and lover about the impending danger from Crescent, leaving Furi feeling betrayed and angry; Lettle becomes the target of an assassination attempt as revolt brews in the world of the fae. We also meet a new character, Alder, with a fascinating affliction that hints at his place in the world. While this was still an entertaining read, it fell short of the promise of its predecessor. A lot of the political intrigue that defined the first book was missing or simplified. A lot of the interpersonal conflict felt like it was surface level and got resolved too quickly. I found the identity of the Authority to be very predictable, because with the relatively small cast of characters there were just only so many characters it could have been. There was one delightful plot twist I didn’t see coming, which set up a lot of possibilities for book 3 - I will continue to read this series, I’m just hoping the final installment is better than this one.

The worst part about receiving an ARC and loving it is waiting for news of the next book 😅 I love this series so far, and I am so extremely excited to see where it goes from here!

If you haven't picked up Faebound yet, now is the time. Cursebound will be released in February, and they are both so good!

I was so excited to receive an arc from Penguin Random House for Cursebound! I liked the first book (Faebound) in this trilogy but I enjoyed Cursebound even more. El-Arifi does a fantastic job of expanding this world, story, lore, and characters. This story is very complex so developing the story instead of adding many new things really paid off. Like main character sisters Yeeran and Lettle, we are also learning more and more.

The additional points of view really added to the story. We are getting new perspectives then just the sisters and seeing many new things. This helped with developing the story. After that ending I can’t wait for the third book!

Cursebound picks up right where Faebound ended, and it's full of revelations and a couple twists if you aren't paying too close attention. Once again, my issue with the book is the same as the first. The foreshadowing is put there on the page so clearly that we, the readers, can see it, yet the characters can't. So I spent some time frustrated, I mean, I don't know about everyone else, but I enjoy being as clueless as the characters and shocked with them when events happen.

However, Saara El-Arifi has a talent for building intricate worlds, magic systems, and characters that will always keep me wanting more. In Cursebound, she expands the world a little but gives us so much more in our beloved and not so beloved characters (looking at you Salawa).

We also get introduced to a new character, Alder, a man known as Wayfarer, who can not remember anything of his past prior to being found by the Nomads.

This was a solid book 2 in a trilogy. Sometimes, second books suffer because they're obviously building up to the big battle in book 3, but I didn't feel that in Cursebound. I couldn't put it down, and I'll be counting the days til I get book 3 in my hands!

Thank you Del Ray and NetGalley for the ARC!

i was so excited to pick this up and return to mosima and continue on this journey with lettle, yeeran, and the rest of the squad and i was definitely not disappointed!

i thoroughly enjoyed the deeper dive into the characters and their ethos, allowing even more connection to these already lovable characters.

perfectly paced, albeit slightly predictable, i couldn’t put this book down! the perfect 2nd book in the faebound trilogy!

as always, thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!!

I LOVED this book! It was a bit slow in the beginning but then boom I was hooked!! I finished it in one sitting! My first by this author but will not be my last!!

Where to start? If you loved faebound then you’ll have your mind blown by how great cursebound is. The perfect continuation to an amazing story that promises even greater things to expect from the third installation of this amazing series. Certainly one to be up there with the greatest romantasy series at the moment. The author writes so beautifully that it’s easy to picture everything that you are reading.

Faebound blew my mind and I was so stoked to be able to read this. This blew me away! I enjoyed it more than the first which is wild because that rarely happens with sequels. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT AND LAST ONE.

This was such a strong sequel in the Faebound trilogy and I'm so glad that I was able to read this as an arc. I was worried that it would take me a hot minute to get back into things and remember characters, but it was so quick to reel me right in and I ended up blasting my way through this.

I think that Lettle and Yeeran were even stronger characters in this and I really enjoyed all the new POVs we got as well. Plot twists had me GASPING and new lore and worldbuilding were fantastic. I'm so excited to read more about Alder and Golan in the third book as I'm pretty sure their plot is going to be the overarching one.

I also really love Lettle's notes at the end, as I just have such love for characters annotating things in their own voices.

I think if you liked Faebound, you'll love Cursebound, and I cannot WAIT to talk about this when it releases next year!

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

I love following the story of Lettle and how she now is with the king. Yereen and Furi navigating their growing relationship despite Yereen still having feelings for her former lover. They come closer to freeing the Fae but not close enough.

In the continuation of the tale of sisters Yeeran and Lettle from Faebound, Cursebound takes the story to new heights. It really ups the ante on the feud between fae and elves, and takes the characters and their relationships to a whole new level complexity. The plot twists were somewhat predictable, but the story and its delivery were still good. As the feud between fae and elves intensifies, I eagerly await the conclusion in the third book’s trilogy. Not my favorite book in the series but I'll still be back for book 3.