This was a strong sequel in the Faebound Trilogy series, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from the first book. It was great getting into this world and going on this journey with the characters. It was a strong story and worked with the genre. I was invested in what was happening with the sisters and was glad I got to go through this journey with them. Saara El-Arifi always does a great job in writing this and was glad I read this.

4.5 Thank you to DelRay and net galley for this advanced copy of Cursebound. Return to the Faebound world in this second installment in the trilogy.

I was super excited to get my hands on this as I was super surprised by how much I enjoyed the first book. It was unique and intriguing to me and quite different than any other fantasy book I had read. With Cursebound it took me a bit to get back into the story but once I did I was all in. It can be hit or miss when new POVs are added into stories but I loved all the new ones we got in this. El-Arifi does a wonderful job of weaving a bit of romance into the story but it certainly is not the main focus of the plot.

Overall I found the story was engaging and heartbreaking. There were a few things I did not see coming. The set up for the final book is wonderful and I can’t wait to read the conclusion.

Their world is a prison. Will they ever be free? Lettle is worried as she is no longer about to use her talisman the fates are silent. Rayan just wants to keep her safe but he fears that one day he will be too late. Furi is happy that Yeeran is back as she had missed her but she fears that they are lost to each other. Yeeran is angry but she loves Furi so she tries harder to make the relationship work. But everything that they have is about to be lost unless they find out what the grimoire means. Will they be able withstand what is coming?
A great read. It sucks you into their life in Mosima.
Great characters even the bad ones. Love the descriptions of the land on both sides.
Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the copy. This is my voluntary review.

Cursebound is a worthy sequel to Faebound, continuing the enchanting world-building and intricate plot. Saara El-Arifi's storytelling is as captivating as ever, drawing readers into a world of magic, love, and betrayal.

The story follows the two elven sisters, Yeeran and Lettle, as they navigate their complex relationships and face new challenges. Yeeran's struggle to balance her love for the fae queen and her duty to her people is both heartbreaking and inspiring. Lettle's determination to break the curse that binds the fae to their realm adds a layer of mystery and intrigue to the narrative.

The author's vivid descriptions and atmospheric world-building create a truly immersive reading experience. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and their interactions are both heartwarming and heartbreaking. The exploration of themes such as love, sacrifice, and the consequences of war adds depth and complexity to the story.

While the pacing may be a bit slow at times, the author's elegant prose and the promise of a thrilling conclusion keep readers engaged. Cursebound is a must-read for fans of fantasy and romance. It's a captivating sequel that expands upon the original story and leaves readers eager for the final installment of the Faebound Trilogy.

I absolutely adore the world building of "Cursebound" but the character growth fell a bit short.

Thankfully the author starts off with a very cute journal entry summary of "Faebound". I hadn't re-read the first book and would have been a bit lost without it.

We pick up in the second book where the first let off and it was whirlwind storytelling from start to finish. I like it when authors are clear with plot but we dipped a little bit into too much telling rather than showing to keep everything moving along quickly.

I enjoyed how there were a couple more POVs added rather than just Yeeran and Leetle's. Unfortunately, even with the added characters, we don't see much growth out of any of them. Same as the first book, I was able to see a lot of the plot twists coming (which is odd for me).

Overall, I think this falls into a lot of what many second books of trilogies do. I will be reading the third book, even if it is just to see how the world evolves.

Rated 3 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

Absolutely wonderful and captivating! Another fantasy book for your must-read list!

I love that the beginning updates you about the previous book. The book keeps you pulled in the entire time and I am definitely curious about the new characters. I didn't see a single twist coming, although I had my theories. And I love Lettle's notes at the end. I once again will be ordering my own copy. So excited that this is publishing on my literal birthday! I can't wait for book three!

Thank you so much to Saara El-Arifi, NetGalley, Del Rey and Penguin Random House for giving me another ARC! I practically begged for it and it delivered!

ARC provided by NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

I loved this!! What a wonderful sequel. I definitely don’t think it was /as/ good as Faebound, but I enjoyed this so much. The twists were a bit obvious to me, but the story and the way it was told lost nothing because of that. Saara remains one of the most lyrical writers I’ve read and I absolutely loved every minute of it. Book three will be an amazing conclusion to this trilogy, I’m sure of it

I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Cursebound, especially since Faebound was one of my top reads of 2024. As a second book in a trilogy, Cursebound could have easily fallen into the trap of feeling like filler, but Saara El-Arifi manages to make it feel like a compelling story in its own right.

Since it had been almost a year since I read Faebound, I was worried I’d be a bit lost, but the clever opening—a diary entry recapping key events from the first book—was a perfect refresher. I really appreciated how it eased me back into the world without feeling heavy-handed.

This sequel deepens the character development, and I loved diving further into the main characters’ arcs. I was especially intrigued by Alder’s introduction—his storyline promises to be a major force in book three. The layers of betrayal and deception in this book are wild, and I have a feeling there’s even more to come.

Another highlight was exploring new areas of Mosima, which added so much richness to the world-building. Despite my busy schedule, I found myself carving out every spare moment to read—Cursebound is truly hard to put down. Now, I’m eagerly counting down the days until the next installment!

A big thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Del Rey for the eARC!

I enjoyed being back in this world but found myself exceedingly frustrated by the characters, their decisions, and how they always felt 5 steps behind me. I had a similar issue where I felt plot twists were obvious in the first book but I still really liked the characters then; now I’m just intrigued by the world but that too is starting to wane. Yeeran’s decisions were very bothersome and not in a good way.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

I was so excited to be chosen to receive an arc of this second installment in the series. Not at all a sophomore slump or second book syndrome here! I thought this hit a good balance of deepening the characters and our understanding of the world without dumping too much new into things. Also didn’t feel like just a bridge to more of a finale in later books but a story that could stand on its own.

Cursebound by Saraa El-Arifi is an amazing second installment in the Faebound Trilogy. I was blessed to not only read the Advanced Reader Copy of the first book, Faebound, but also now Cursebound. Huge thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey Publishers!

I feel like there is always a fear of a sophomore slump when speaking of the 2nd installment in a series, more specifically a trilogy. However, this book contained just as much magic and action as the first. Every complication of the rising action was executed beautifully. They did not only just make an exciting and fast paced story (I flew through this book and couldn’t read it fast enough!) for the singular book but it unraveled secrets from the first book and hounded me with more questions to do with the overall arch of the trilogy’s story. The politics weren’t too heavy to understand, and the plot was so mysterious and riveting.

The characters are just as loveable as ever. It was wonderful to be back in Lettle and Yeeran’s world as Elves/Faebound/Seer living in the Fae’s world. Reading this book felt like a family reunion with these characters. They are fallible characters that make mistakes yet remain loveable as we see their character arcs blossom. We meet new characters, and they are so well integrated into the story.

El-Arifi did so well in matching the tone of the first book but raising the stakes. I am blown away and cannot wait for the third book to see how this journey is resolved!

Everyone needs to preorder this book!

I really enjoyed reading this book! I was sucked in immediately and could not stop until the book was over. The plot was interesting and kept a good pace which is something I really look for in a book. Also the characters were unique and there journey kept me enticed the entire time. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

Thank you to Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I squealed when I got the email that I had gotten an ARC for Cursebound. I said at the beginning of 2024 that Faebound was going to be the best of the year, it holds true. Cursebound was such a great middle book of a trilology.

When it comes to the second books in trilogies, they can be rough. Though, El-Arifi does a wonderful job expanding the relationships, the world, and lore without adding too much. Instead of introducing more to the world, I felt like she really developed it. Like Yeeran and Lettle, we are getting more of a grasp of the world.

I LOVED the various perspectives that we get in Cursebound. Whereas Faebound stuck with the girls, as a reader when get to see many perspectives.

I’m sad I gobbled this book up in about a day and now to wait for the final book… but I am so looking forward to it(ESPECIALLY WITH THAT ENDING).

Continuing the story from Faebound of sisters Yeeran and Lettle, Cursebound boosts the world-building, escalates conflicts between fae and elves, and intensifies character development and relationships. The story reaches a nice balance of propelling the fantasy plot forward with the romantic/relationship content of a romantasy. Characters are more fleshed out than the first book making interactions interesting. The conflict between fae and elves is definitely surging and I can't wait to see how the tale ends in the third book of the trilogy.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Absolutely loved this book! It was the perfect continuation to faebound

I felt this one gave the characters more depth and growth and the world building is fantastic

I need book 3 already

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the e-ARC of Cursebound!
3.5 / 5 ⭐

Cursebound was enjoyable but did not meet the bar that Faebound set. Faebound was my top read of January 2024, but Cursebound is only a 3.5 for me. Our characters from book 1 have returned but they’re all at least a little insufferable; there is unnecessary pettiness and secrets from all sides. I’m hoping that Cursebound just got hit by middle book syndrome and the third book of the trilogy will return us to the magic of Faebound.

I liked faebound but i LOVED this. There was so much more emotion and I finally felt like the characters had personality. The world building was fantastic, as it was for faebound.