I was so excited to get this as an ARC (thank you Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group!) but this is such a hard book for me rate because I while think Saara El-Arifi does a good jump in continuing to expand the lore of book one, the actual writing gets to me at times. The lore of this book is truly what interests me most and just trying to unravel the history between the human, elves, and humans. We get the addition of a new character (Adler), and his POV, which I thought added to the story for sure. There is also a new romance here that I thought was cute - even though most this book occurs in a timespan of like...a week. I also liked the plot twist at the end.

With that being said, I think some of my complaints from book 1 still hold true. Lettle's chapters in particular are hard for me to get through because they are all telling and not showing. I am also trying to understand the point of prophecies if the author is just going to tell us what they mean within a few pages, or they are so crystal clear to the readers but not to Lettle. Additionally, this book heavily relied on characters just...not talking to one another to add problems and discourse in the story. While I did not see the last plot twist coming...all the others in the story I saw coming from a mile away.

The reason that the reason I still gave this 3 stars is because I do LOVE the representation in this book. We have POC, we have queer relationships, we have disabled characters, and even nonbinary characters. For what this author is trying to accomplish, I have to give them credit for this.

3.75/5 Stars | A victim of the second book in a trilogy curse, but still worth the read

What I liked: I liked the introduction of new characters, along with the development of the overall world. I also really like how this book connected disparate groups or characters and set up well for the final book.

What I didn't like: This book felt like a filler book. And I really REALLY hate to say that. There wasn't any character or relationship development for our two main couples, and I don't think we needed about 85% of what was in here. Every resolution was so immediate and nothing felt earned as far as resolutions. Even the plot twist wasn't as twisty as I hoped it to be.

I will still finish this series, but I am sad to say that I didn't love this as much as I loved book 1. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Del Ray for the advance copy of this book!

I adore Faebound so I was beyond excited to read this and the sequel did not disappoint. The story, the betrayal and deception, the future. All of it. I loved where the story went and I can't wait to see how it continues. Even though a lot of this book was set-up for what comes next, it didn't feel like a throw away. It did a good job of building anticipation.


I also feel like the writing improved between the two books as well, it felt a little more mature when it came to character's emotional responses. Don't get me wrong, the characters are still super dramatic at times, but it felt more natural.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I feel like the personalities of the characters do not match any of the character development we saw in book 1. Personally, El-Arifi’s writing style is not for me but I understand why so many people love her work.

Cursebound by Saara El-Arifi was fantastic!! Saara El-Arifi is one of my favorite authors, really amazing story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This falls somewhere between 3 and 4 stars for me. I struggled to get back into this series and I felt like some of the conflicts were resolved too easily. That being said, I couldn't put the last half of this book down and really felt like the plot was accelerating at a speed I enjoy. The ending of this book pushes it closer to 4 stars and I really can't wait to see where this series goes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Del Ray for giving me an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review! I can’t BELIEVE I now have to wait another YEAR for the conclusion of this series!! This honestly might have been better than the first book, which almost never happens with the second book in a trilogy. I started my year with “Faebound” and I’m now ending it with “Cursebound,” truly the perfect bookends. BUT THE ENDING?? And I have to WAIT a WHOLE YEAR?! Go read this series now, suffer in the eager anticipation along side me. I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed this book.

Yeeran and Lettle are two elf sisters who have ended up as consorts to the King and Queen of the Fae living in Mosima (which sounds gorgeous, full of glowing stargliders and thousand fruit orchards). Lettle has the daunting task of trying to solve racism amongst the fae, figuring out why The Powers That Be aren’t answering the prophecy phone anymore, and dodging attempts on her life. Yeeran has the daunting task of having to speak to her ex while wearing her clothes inside out. I would die. I loved the worldbuilding and the complex relationships, and while some characters do make dumb decisions, they’re usually understandable dumb decisions. Golan is a sweetheart and deserves everything, and I’m so glad he has a bigger role in this book than the first one. The ending had me gasping. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Saara El-Arifi for the ARC copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House - Del Ray for the eARC of Cursebound in exchange for an honest review.

Cursebound is the second in a trilogy by Saara El-Arifi. It follows two elven sisters - Yeeran and Lettle on their continued journey living in the fae lands. Yeeran at the start of the novel, left her new love, the Queen of the fae, to return to the elven lands to warn them of new magic implemented in the Forever War that was given as a gift courtesy of a betraying fae ally. However, she soon learns her life in the fae lands has changed her in more ways than one, and who she thought she trusted back home may be more power hungry than she initially realized.

Meanwhile, Lettle is chafing at the bonds of her new titles of consort to the King and Seer. She'd rather spend her days trying to break the curse binding the fae to Mosima, and she feels like she might just be able to do so when a mysteriously traveler winds up in her path. However, how can you break a curse and fulfill prophecies when the fates no longer speak to you?

This was such an amazing sequel to Faebound. I loved how the political landscape was discussed; how social issues were navigated; how relationships were explored - the ups and downs that come with everyday difficulties and treason; and the complicated sisterly bond. El-Arifi does an incredible job weaving characters stories together in such a compelling way that makes you never want to leave Mosima. I'm so excited for this to be released and for the third book, so I know what happens next!

I just finished Cursebound by Saara El-Arifi, and it’s safe to say I’m completely wrapped up in this sequel. The stakes are higher, the emotions run deeper, and the world feels even more vivid and expansive. Picking up where Faebound left off, this book delves into themes of love, betrayal, and the devastating consequences of war—both internal and external.

Yeeran’s journey is heartbreaking and powerful. Her return to her homeland, only to face the specter of her past lover’s betrayal, had me glued to every page. The tension between duty and desire is palpable, and her struggles made her arc feel deeply human, despite the epic fantasy setting. Meanwhile, Lettle’s determination to uncover the truth behind the curse kept me intrigued. Her interactions with the mysterious stranger brought a fresh layer of intrigue to the story, and her persistence made her a character I couldn’t help but root for.

What I love most about El-Arifi’s writing is how she seamlessly blends rich world-building with complex, flawed characters. The fae court, the elven lands, and the growing rift between these two worlds all felt alive with danger and wonder. And while the romance is swoon-worthy, it’s never overbearing—it always serves the story and the characters’ growth.

The pacing occasionally felt uneven, and I found myself wishing for more resolution in certain plotlines, but the emotional depth and stunning prose more than made up for it. The ending left me with a mix of hope and heartbreak, and now I’m anxiously awaiting the final book in the trilogy.

✧˖°. ⤷ I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

I was looking forward to deeper character development and more detailed descriptions of the world. I would have liked some answers to why the fraedia crystal was so necessary to the elven lands and maybe some further clarification on the magical systems. All of that was missing from book one so clarification would have been nice. Unfortunately that didn't happen.

We are told over and over again how beautiful Mossima is however, there aren’t any on page descriptions for us to build a picture of it in my head.

The characters remained flat, and relationships and feelings seemed forced and immature. Both sisters are infuriating in different ways. Leetle is inconsiderate, boring and can’t communicate anything all while repeatedly sharing the exact same prophecy over and over again and then pointing out the obvious.

And Yeeran went where to do what with who… She never really seemed to know what she was doing exactly and there never was an explanation. She always seemed disgruntled about everything. The pacing may have been fast but the lack of character depth and development caused this story, like book one, to fall flat.

Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. I really loved the first book, this one felt a little short for me. There were parts of the book I really enjoyed and other parts that didn’t grip me. Thank you to the author.

@netgalley ARC review 🎁

I love this series so much. I really do. I was so pumped to get book 2 in advance 💕

✨ *Cursebound* (Faebound #2) by Saara El-Arifi is a dark, enchanting journey that pulls you deeper into a world of magic, curses, and heartache. 🌑💫

Picking up where *Faebound* left off, this sequel takes us further into Yeeran’s struggle with a curse that binds her fate and Mosima’s fate (and her ANNOYING heart). UGH Yeeran be KILLING me. LOL 🤣 The world-building is rich and immersive, with complex magic systems and a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere. What I loved most? The emotional depth. Yeeran and Lettle’s growth as characters and their inner battles,are so gripping and raw. 😔✨ I don’t have a sister so I adore them. I’m here for them!! I will admit despite being beautiful writing there are various POVs and sometimes it felt like a filler reading them all.

El-Arifi’s writing is lyrical, and while the pacing slows at times, it’s well worth it for the stunning payoff. If you loved *Faebound*, you won’t want to miss this one! 🔮📚✨AND THAT ENDING!!! Wow.

Book is due to release in February 2025!

#Cursebound #Faebound #SaaraElArifi #FantasyReads #DarkFantasy #BookReview #Bookstagram #ReadingCommunity #FantasyBookLover #BookRecommendations #netgalley #delreybooks

Fantastic follow up to Faebound. I love these characters and this world so much. I've enjoyed all of this author's books but this might be my favourite.

After 4 books by El-Arifi my ultimate conclusion is this, while I think Saara El-Arifi is an excellent and talented writer, she chronically suffers from introducing plotlines in her second books that she didn’t even hint at in book 1, constantly leaving me feeling as if I’m going crazy. She did this in The Battle Drum, she’s done this again in Cursebound. And while in The Battle Drum she carries it off a bit better because the setting of the first book was contained, in Cursebound the same cannot, and should not, be said. While I want to like her books more, I think she needs to really plan her trilogies better because thus far she’s written excellent first books, and then deeply mediocre and detached second books.
True Rating: 3.25 stars

"Hope can be a torture or a balm, depending on how you accept it."

This is probably my most anticipated read of the year, and it did not disappoint!! Gay Lord of the Rings continues to be a good time, and I am never in a million years going to be mad about it. Saara El-Arifi could write a grocery list and I would buy it in a heartbeat, no questions asked.

The writing style is consistant with Faebound--flowy and prosey without being overly so, and slightly on the formal side but in a way that works due to the characters being elves/fae. I loved it, and always will love it. I also loved that the first chapter was a recap of Faebound--I did do a reread before I picked this up, but it's soo nice to know I didn't have to!

Yeeran and Lettle go through it in this book, and my heart aches for both of them. This book is definitely character driven, and the conflicts between Yeeran/Lettle, Yeeran/Furi were so well done! This was a perfect example of everyone doing what they thought was best with the information they had, and learning how to come to terms with the fact that other people see things differently. Which is a lesson more people need to learn, if I'm being honest.

If I'm being honest, Pila stole the show. Again. She's so sassy and funny that I got excited whenever she appeared on page waiting for her next bit of sass. I just want to snuggle up with her and feed her berries for the rest of her days. We love a good side kick!!

If you're looking for something that gives you the high fantasy vibes of Lord of the Rings (particularly Shire vibes with a bit of politics), love Frodo and Sam's relationship (Yeeran and Lettle are so Frodo and Sam coded!!), and is super queer--I can't recommend this book (and series!) enough.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Del Rey for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication!

4.75⭐️ Firstly I’d like to thank you to Del Rey books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Oh WOW this is how you do a sequel! It’s so great to be back in the world of Faebound, especially as it was my favourite book of 2024! I genuinely read this in about 3 sittings which is unheard of for me but this pulled me straight back in and I flew through it!

We pick up right where we left off and are immediately launched into incredible worldbuilding, character development, and an even more epic plot. This book definitley focuses more on the politics rather than the romance which is fantastic and I really enjoyed, but the relationships developed in this were beautiful and I adored each of the characters even more than in the first book!

Yeeran and Furi are stunningly complex and I absolutely loved their relationship and dynamic. Lettle and Rayan’s development was arguably my favourite and the ending?! My jaw is on the floor!

It was interesting seeing two more character perspectives and really helped the world expand and connect with the characters more. I loved seeing Furi’s point of view especially as she is so complicated, fierce yet soft!

My absolute favourite part of this world is the Obeah. It was so great to see them back and even better than ever! Pila is so protective and loving, I adore her!

One thing I wish we saw a little more was more development and deepening of the magic system. It didn’t expand much more from the previous book which is where it did fall slightly flat. The story at a handful of points definitley reads like a middle book which is where the book wasn’t quite 5 stars. But the ending and the preparation for the conclusion make up for it!

I am incredibly excited to see the conclusion to this series and for everyone else to devour this book!

Part two in the Faebound trilogy adds even more to an already incredibly built world, with the continuation of Yeeran, Lettle, Furi, and Rayan’s search to break the curse set upon the Fae by the last human.

Second books in trilogies are tough- they tend to be slower-paced and have less happen than the bookends of the series. With that being said- this was a solid entry into The Faebound Trilogy.

This moved the story along without dragging on- the pacing was pleasant throughout and the plot was engaging and exciting.

I know this hasn't technically released yet but I can't wait for book 3!

i do not know why i read this as i did not love the first one. the exposition is crazily and unnecessarily overdone, the characters are inconsistent and petulant, the politics and wars between the various tribes and kingdoms seem childish and are not taken seriously by yeeran and lettle. this whole book felt rushed in terms of plot and prose, and probably was considering that the author had two books released this year, with this one due for publication in february 2025. sometimes it's worth it to slow down and write something better! i used to love el-arifi's writing but the quality (of the plot, characters, pacing, worldbuilding, dialogue, prose, etc.) has significantly decreased. it was also SO predictable! i knew who alder was by the second time we met him. i'm not really sure what the important elements of this book were, as there were multiple subplots that didn't really go anywhere or add anything of value. and there were SO many lines in this book that just went on and on without commas or semicolons that were desperately needed -- it felt like fanfiction. i wanted to enjoy this, i really did, but everything just fell completely flat.

gorgeous cover, though.

[thank you to netgalley for the copy of this book! all opinions are my own.]