I’ve given this 🌟🌟 .5 /5. I felt like everything about this book should have been a huge yes from me, but the execution of it just wasn’t quite sitting right.

Starting with what I liked:

- I liked the idea for the plot. I’m theory it should be a great book and a great series. I love the bonding between the obeah and fae and the magic system. This is a great concept.
- I enjoyed getting other characters point of views you got to see some of Furi and Alder in this one which was a nice change up from just the sisters.
- This as the second book I thought was faster paced than the first, but I think that is probably because there is inherently less world building needed.
- Extra points for the representation in this book for genders, sexuality and disability which I did think was a fresh approach and appreciated.

What I thought could be improved:

- It might be a personal point but I personally didn’t like the chapters being a character point of view, but being written in third person. I am more of a fan of becoming the character rather than watching.
- I didn’t connect with the characters, and that made it hard to read as I just didn’t particularly like them. The romances and friendships all feel rushed and there is no emotional connection built to characters because of the lack of depth of development.
- There is almost too much but not enough. Too much description, too in depth. But at the same time not enough where it is needed such as with character development and their relationship with the audience for the book.
- I think that this could have been made a duology as this second book is much shorter than the first and whatever comes next feels like it could’ve formed part of this one.

Would I recommend this book? Probably not to everyone, it depends on what you like to get out of a book. Is it a good plot? Yes. Is the story good? Yes.
Will you feel like you can’t put it down? Probably not, because it’s lacking the character development and attachment that is needed for this.

Thank you for the opportunity Saara and NetGalley!

The curse of the sequel!

I read over 50% of Cursebound, but I couldn't bring myself to finish it.

At the time Faebound was a 4 star read for me, and I was really looking forward to finding out what happened next. I was excited to jump into Cursebound, but an aspect I had slightly ignored in the first book was really prominent for me in Cursebound: finding Lettle and Yeeran immature.
Some of the decisions they were making, and the way they were acting, felt immature. There was a real lack of character development. Yeeran especially seemed to act without thinking of the consequences in the first half of the book, which seemed an interesting choice for a character who used to be a general.

The romance also felt shallow and lacking depth. I know it's not the focus of the book, but it's still an important part and I just couldn't buy into the relationships - this is despite loving them in book 1. I'm a big fan of romance, I love love, so when it felt lack I was really disappointed.

In the end, this simply isn't a book for me. There are plenty out there who will absolutley love it, but when I'm struggling to pick up a book I know it's time to move on. I wouldn't call it a bad book at all, because I don't believe it is, it's just not the right book for me.

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

Loved this continuation of the Faebound story! Although the twists tend to be a bit predictable in these books, Saara El-Arifi is a good storyteller and I enjoy her world building. The first chapter is a bit of an awkward “previously on Faebound” recap, but I did appreciate being remained of what happened since I have read so many books in between. I loved the addition of the new character, Alder and his storyline. Looking forward the third and final book when it releases!

This was a better book than Faebound with slightly better world building and side characters, but ultimately it just wasn’t the book for me. The writing felt clunky, the romance felt subpar, and the main characters are just so unlikeable I can’t keep dealing with them. I don’t think I will finish the series with the third book.

Cursebound by Saraa El-Arifi is the second installment in the Faebound Trilogy. I Huge thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey Publishers for this ARC! The second book in trilogies have historically held the bar very low, but El-Arifi breaks tradition with this one!

Spoiler Free Review

The magic, plot twists, relationships, mistakes, revelations, and yes the cliff hanger were everything we needed. I will be twiddling my thumbs waiting for the final installment to see how it all wraps up.

The characters are so lovable, even when they're annoying, you can't help rooting for them. This book is riddled with miscommunication and lack of communication, and while that typically annoys me, it's plays so well into this story. We watch relationships of all types develop and evolve throughout the story in a beautiful way.

Book 2 really raised the stakes!

Everyone needs to preorder this book! Cursebound – out February 13th 2025!

Thankyou NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for trusting me with a an eARC copy of Cursebound in exchange for an honest review.

I actually liked this one even more than the first book, which is surprising since second books usually don’t live up to the hype. I’m still obsessed with the concept of Obeah, this world’s magical creatures are so unique. Move over dragons. And that plot twist at the end? Brilliant.

The mix of assassination plots, political tension, class struggles, and betrayals kept things interesting, plus there’s a good balance with the romance sub plots. They’re a little spicy to appeal to those who enjoy that- but it doesn’t take over the story, just enough to keep things fun. Here for the LGBTQ+ representation too.

I do wish the magic system was shown more, and some plot points were predictable, but they still worked well and didn’t ruin the flow. A lot of the story is told through dialogue, and I think more description could have added a bit more depth, but overall, I really enjoyed it. I love this world and think about it often, Can’t wait for the next one.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel, just as I did with the first book in the series. As always, Saara helps create and portray her worlds in a way that makes me feel like I'm right there with the characters. I loved all of the new worldbuilding that we got in this book, the nomads especially were a favorite, and I hope to see more of them in book 3. I also think Saara did a good job of showing the growth and change that the characters were going through, as well as showcasing the issues within all of the different political structures. The way we see the characters start to notice things within the world they didn't question before as their own world views expand was something I was particularly glad she showcased the way that she did.
I did still have a couple of issues with the relationships lacking depth, though I think that was more due to the contents of book 1 than anything within this book, as I did enjoy the introduction and build up of the new relationship in this book. My only other complaint was that the foreshadowing was kind of heavy in relation to some of the big reveals so I often guessed what it was going to be before it happened. I did however still cry multiple times because I just kept hoping I was wrong. Overall, none of my issues with the book were major enough to impact my enjoyment of the story, with the positives far outweighing the negatives, and I can't wait for the final book!

Thank you to netgalley for the arc!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Saara El-Arifi for providing me with an ARC of Cursebound in exchange for my honest review.

Cursebound is the sequel to Faebound and picks up where Faebound left off. I thoroughly enjoyed Faebound and was eagerly anticipating its sequel. One of the highlights of Cursebound was an unexpected romance and the introduction of a new pivotal character. The book continues with Faebound's beautiful and genuine depiction of PoC, queer, and disabled characters. It’s truly refreshing to see people such as myself represented within the narrative of a fantasy story of this calibre.

While Cursebound was an enjoyable read, I didn’t find it quite as captivating as Faebound. I remain puzzled by Yeeran’s decision to return to Waning, and the events in Cursebound only deepen that confusion. However, the ending of this book sets up the final installment of the trilogy to be something truly special. The twists and turns throughout the story kept me intrigued, even if some elements felt less impactful than in the first book.

Overall, Cursebound continues to build on the strengths of its predecessor while setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the trilogy. Fans of Faebound will appreciate the inclusive representation and complex storytelling that Saara El-Arifi delivers once again.

There was never a moment I was having a bad time. but it is true that this book suffers from second book syndrome, which made its shortcomings more obvious. While I tore through the first book because I was enjoying it so much learning about the fantastical queernormative world, this book already had that set up and was a bit more of a slog. Indeed, for the first third-half of the book I was waiting for something more interesting to happen. However, the characters maintained my good will from the first book and were just as interesting as I remember them being.

With the writing being accessible and fun, it had me engaged the whole time, but it also continued the problem of too-heavy foreshadowing and showing-not-telling that was present in the first book. For the latter, I was rolling my eyes by the fifth time we were told that Old Yeeran would have enjoyed this, but New Yeeran didn’t because she was Different now.

For the former, I was able to guess one of the late-game plot twists within the first fifty pages. This is especially apparent without the vast world-building that added details under the guise of sharing more about the land, with Cursebound it was fairly apparent that any extra information was foreshadowing. (Cards on the table: I talk a big game, but I wasn’t able to guess the second late-game plot twist without my girlfriend’s help, so do with that what you will)

I do think this author is at their best when they’re world-building, because the introduction of the Nomads was one of my favourite parts of the book. I loved the world of silkvine and wayfaring and would have loved to learn more about that.

Similar to the first book, the romantic relationships burn wide but not deep. There was talk of love and eternity and whatnot that I was just not buying. Again, I think this is a shortcoming of being a sequel in a trilogy, as the tension of the relationships building is gone, and we’re left now with relationships that feel shallow in retrospect.

Still, this book was fun! I have fun in this universe with these worlds and characters. I had fun trying to parse the meaning of the prophecies and learning about the different motivations for assassination that intersected in such an interesting way. I think if you liked Faebound you’re sure to like this too, because the author writes in such a captivating and engaging way that always made me want to keep on reading.

I was so excited for this second instalment! As always the world building and lore was amazing and intricate, I’ve really enjoyed that aspect of these books so far.

However, I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first, I felt the plot didn’t really move forward as much as I wanted it to and the characters didn’t really develop much. Perhaps it was the timespan that threw me off, the entire book takes place in just under two weeks? So there wasn’t really much opportunity for that I guess

That being said I still do really enjoyed this world and the sorry behind the magic system and curse. I also love the amount of queer representation and the romance in this book is really really wholesome and sweet.

Overall, despite its flaws I did still really enjoy this book, I like the fast paced writing that still manages to build a world and a plot without loosing focus

I read book one and when I saw book 2 for arc I thought why not, book one was okay but didn’t blow me away. However book 2 really had me hooked!!
I’m really happy I got to arc read this and enjoyed it!! Can’t wait for book 3 to finish it up!

Book 2s are notoriously hard to like and often don’t live up to the first books. However I think this book is the exception, and may actually be better than Book 1.
The characters felt more fully rounded and the story made more sense.

I wasn’t sure I would continue the trilogy after Book 1, but after reading this ARC I am now super excited for Book 3

Safe to say I think NO ONE would have seen this ending coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC

After reading Faebound, I was excited to be able to read Curseboud. Overall, the book picked up where Faebound ended. I feel that is was a smooth transition between the books and in following the story line. I do wish there was a it more suspense in when the characters are trying to solve problems, rather them be solved by the end of that characters chapter. It seemed almost like, here’s the problem and then it was immediately solved.

Regardless, I still enjoyed the book and am excited to see how the next book plays out.

Cursebound - Saara El Arifi
★★★★

“ You are the fire of my heart and the beat of my drum. I am yours under moonlight. Until the rhythm sings no more”

This is your sign to pick up Faebound and inhale it, ready for the launch of Cursebound. This was a perfect sequel to Faebound, with rich, intricate lore, a sapphic love story disabled representation and beautifully real characters.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for an arc copy of this. It still blows my mind to be accepted for such big upcoming stories.
From the bottom of my little heart, thank you. You made my Christmas wishes come true.

As much as I love all of the characters (even if Furi annoys me at times) the star of the show is always, and will forever be Pila, Yeeran’s bonded Obeah. I desperately want to bond to one of my own.

Cursebound carries on from where Faebound culminates and jumping straight back into the story was welcome. The use of Lettles diary to remind yourself of the events of Book 1 was so useful and written so perfectly. I can’t wait to see what book 3 brings us and how this story ends. The ending really twisted in a way I was not expecting. 

Faebound and Cursebound are for you if any of the following speaks to you;

- Bonded animal companions
- Sapphic love stories
- Gods and their lore
- Humans vs Fae vs Elves
- Prophecies and Fates
- Difficult decisions and twisty plots
- No one is good and no one is evil.

A personal note as to why I loved is that the LGBTQ+, disabled and non-binary characters feel fully fleshed out and are seamlessly written.

#fantasybooks #romantasybooks #sapphicfantasty #cursebound #faebound #saaraelarifi #fantasyreads #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookrecs

Wow, I very much enjoyed reading Cursebound. I hadn’t read a book that made me feel this way in quite a while, and I absolutely loved it. This was even better than the first book, which is rarely the case with second books in a series.

First off, it had been 11 months since I read Faebound, so I was a little hesitant going into this book without remembering all the details and twists. I even searched online for reviews with spoilers for Faebound to refresh my memory but couldn’t find any. I decided to dive in anyway, and let me tell you—Saara El-Arifi is a magician at weaving in all the details from the first book into the narrative. Everything was summarized beautifully, and I never once felt lost because of forgotten details from the first book.

Second, the addition of the "Notes on Mosima" (AKA a glossary) is amazing. Every fantasy book should have one, so thank you for including it. It’s such a thoughtful addition that really enhances the reading experience.

And third, the story itself—just incredible. I feel like this book is the perfect middle installment of a trilogy. While the first book was heavily driven by character development, this one focused on world-building and deepening the characters’ stories, setting the stage for what promises to be an epic conclusion in the final book. The writing is wonderful and easy to follow. The plot—or rather, plots, since there are multiple threads within this book—is engaging and never feels boring. The characters are all distinct and compelling, and the multiple POVs add so much depth and richness to the narrative. And the ending? Absolutely epic.

Honestly, this book was so good that I hope I never see a negative review of it—I’d hate for any critique to dim my enthusiasm. I loved Cursebound, and I can’t wait to see how the series concludes!

Even better than the first.

If you haven't started this trilogy, DO IT. It doesn't matter it isn't finished yet. GO START IT NOW. It has a diverse cast of characters, disability representation, a mild amount of spice, straight relationships, sapphic relationships, trans characters (honestly gender is a social construct and the elves and fae do NOT care), and wholesome sibling love/rivalry.

When I tell you I literally SQUEALED when I got an advanced copy of this book (thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group) I am not exageratting. Faebound was one of my favorite reads of 2024, but Cursebound might have topped it.

We once again follow sisters Yeeran and Lettle, two elves who end up ensnared by the world of Fae (each with their own romance, one sapphic and one straight). But we are also joined by a few other narrators including Alder, a nomadic elf who doesn't remember most of his life. The war between elven tribes is over, but the war between the races is just heating up.

If I squealed when I got an ARC, I SCREAMED when the twist happened. There are so few times where I am suprised in books. BUT OH MY LORD. Saara El-Arifi you are amazing and I have no idea how I did not see that coming.

IG and Tiktok reviews to come.

Firstly thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

I was really interested to see how the plot would develop from Faebound and to be honest I felt that it didn’t develop much. There was an additional character with an interesting backstory (Alder) and a couple of plot twists but aside from that not much happened.

That being said I will finish the trilogy to see where all the plot goes and how the characters develop. 3.5 ⭐️

It came at a great disappointment that I didn’t enjoy this sequel as much as Faebound. I was just hoping for more. The characters lacked growth, most of the revelations were predictable, conflict between characters was futile, and overall it felt rushed in almost every way. To be frank it felt like a filler.

That journal format recap in the beginning though? Clever and much appreciated. The new characters and POVs that were introduced were also a treat. Although, when it came to the OG characters they were naive, making rash decisions, and acting out of character. This made them feel more juvenile and as I stated prior, their character growth regressed.

Which brings me to the anticlimactic “battle”, if you can even call it that. It was utterly pointless. It was over in less than a few paragraphs and left me with multiple unanswered questions. Even though most of the revelations were predictable, the final twist admittedly had my jaw on the floor and has me interested enough to see how the story concludes.

Despite the issues, I will be continuing on in hopes that this series can be redeemed.

Thank you Netgalley & Del Rey for an eARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed the second installment in the Faebound trilogy. The world and magic system in this book/ series is so interesting. The amount of twists and revelations in this book specifically made it so entertaining - I stayed up until sunrise reading it

The only thing I didn’t care for was some of the romance - it’s just not doing it for me. I like the characters individually but as couples I could do without some of the super detailed romantic scenes. There is a new couple that forms in this book though that was refreshing

I would have loved to get more into the details of the Nomads and have some more drawn out action scenes but the book was still enjoyable.

I can’t wait for the final book in there series! I can’t wait to know more about the Obeah, Alder and Anyah

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. It's a little funny that this will be my last review of the year considering the first book of this trilogy was my first review of the year. I think this is a strong second book for a trilogy. I enjoyed the progression of the story. I absolutely loved that new characters were introduced and the world building was expanded on. This book sucked me in and I couldn't put it down until I had finished it. The downside, now I have no idea how long I'll have to wait for the last book. Good book, can't wait to see how everything gets wrapped up.