A queernormative world. A truly awesome magic system. Disability rep, where the disability affects the character all the time, not just when some trauma porn is needed. At no point is it used to convert weakness. It’s just there, and she uses aids and medication to be able to do what she does.

Animal companions !!! Cute insanely dangerous animal companions that I love

A swirling world of magic and war. The harsh realities and the small joys. Magic marching to the beat of a drum. Yeeran is a soldier, a commander to the soul. Lettle is a scholar, a seeker, a diviner in a world only for soldiers.

This war has raged for an age, each side matched with ruthless might. Yeeran wants to change that tide, but a mistake costs her her love, her land, and her standing. She’s exiled to the wild borders, expected to die. Lettle filled with fury for her sister, will not be left behind. But they find something unexpected, a myth, one which may prove deadly.

Taken prisoner into the land of the ancient Fae, criminals in the land of an ancient enemy they thought were extinct. Determined to survive despite all promises from the Fae, the sister start a deadly dance of politics, magic and survival.

If you can’t tell, this was one of my favourite books of the year, and probably the next, okay just all time let’s be real

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Faebound' by Saara El-Arifi.

'Faebound' is the first in a trilogy for Saara El-Arifi who made headlines on the book scene for the novel 'The Final Strife' and honestly? I loved that book but this book was an absolute beauty. El-Arifi's iconic writing style mixed in with this concept and plot just made for an enjoyable reading experience and I'm so excited to see what is going to happen in the remaining two books.

3/5

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book really missed the mark for me. I didn't enjoy it half as much as I've enjoyed El-Arifi's other works. I found the premise for the worldbuilding interesting, but throughout the book found that it wasn't explored in any significant way and even that lost my interest. I think what my fatal error was was thinking this was an epic fantasy like The Ending Fire trilogy, or a military fantasy like you might predict from the opening chapters. This book, to me, reads more as a romantasy and that's sadly not a subgenre that I enjoy as much.

I found a lot of the plot quite bland as not much seemed to happen for the vast majority of the story and I also found it all quite obvious. The problem with incorporating prophecies into your plot is that you need to make sure it's either a dreadful, looming thing that everyone understands and fears or, if you want it to be shocking, you must make sure the wording of it is subtle enough for a clever twist. Unfortunately, the prophecies in this book yielded their answers fairly easily. Therefore, when the twist revealed itself, I couldn't help but be annoyed that I knew this information hundreds of pages before.
This was a problem I encountered throughout most of the book. Everything was too obvious. It became predictable and stale under the light of such blatancy. Not only did the plot beats not hit because of this but the romances didn't either because I could see everything coming from a mile away.

This is quite a critical review and I do apologise for being so negative, I much prefer raving about books I love. I think what made this so disappointing was that I know Saara El-Arifi can write with much more nuance and intricacy. I'm not even as much of a fan of The Ending Fire trilogy as others are, however that series is a much better show of skill. It confuses me that these series are written by the same author.

Perhaps this all stems from my lack of interest in romantasy as a genre, perhaps not. I just vehemently dislike when everything is dropped for the sake of a romantic plotline, it rids the rest of the story of any substance. The world in this book felt more like a backdrop for these relationships than an actual world teeming with life. The plot, too, felt very simple and forgotten about for a lot of the story in order to focus on the character relationships. Don't get me wrong, I love character-driven stories, but this book didn't show meaningful choices or changes in the characters enough for me to connect with them. Everything felt like an afterthought to the romances, as if only there to facilitate that aspect of the story.

When I read The Final Strife, the first book in El-Arifi's other series, I didn't fully connect with it, however I could admire what was being done and what it was clearly setting up for in the next book (which I enjoyed a lot more). With this book, there weren't even those aspects for me to admire or sit in anticipation for. Honestly, a lot of this book felt unnecessary.

I'm being quite negative, but that's sadly been my experience reading this book. It's been such a disappointment for me, but I do hope others enjoy it more. Sorry everyone!

[ARC provided by NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, HarperVoyager. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Faebound.]

Rating: 4/5

I’ve been a little obsessed with this book ever since I saw the cover reveal and I’m so happy that this epic adult fantasy was as enjoyable as I hoped it would be. Faebound is packed with twists and turns, secrets and betrayal, and sizzling romances that will have your heart pounding to the beat of a drum. The intriguing magic system and complex characters paired with animal companions that are as insightful as they are sassy makes this a book that you will struggle to put down.

Faebound introduces us to a conflict-ridden setting through the eyes of two elves, Yeeran and Lettle, as they unravel prophecies and political secrets that will completely change how they view the world they live in. When a fatal mistake leads to Colonel Yeeran being exiled from the Elven lands, her sister Lettle follows her into the unknown wilderness and together they encounter something they thought to have perished a long time ago: the fae court. When Yeeran unknowingly kills a fae prince, the two sisters along with Captain Rayan are taken as prisoners to a new and seductive land where difficult truths are revealed and loyalties are tested at every turn.

There’s so much that I loved about this book from the interesting magic system to the various romances, but it was the realness of Yeeran and Lettle’s relationship as sisters that stuck out for me the most. A good example would be at the beginning of the book where they both recount an instance where they accompanied their father on a hunting expedition and the creature they hunted was scared away. They both place the blame on the other in true sister fashion, and it's moments like this that made their relationship so believable. Although there are many other relationships in this book that were fantastically portrayed, it was insights like these that helped me feel a lot closer to each of the characters.

Another element I appreciated was the inclusion of gender fluidity and sexual freedom, and then there’s the animal companions that I absolutely adored. I won’t say too much on this as it veers into big spoiler territory but if you love books featuring animals that can communicate then there’s a good chance you’ll love Faebound.

This read was very nearly a five star, especially because I found the plot so enjoyable and genuinely hard to pull myself away from, but as the prophecies were a little predictable and the romances sometimes felt a little rushed, I’ve deducted a star from my rating. Aside from that, I truly loved reading this story and cannot wait for the next instalment. Faebound has proven that this author is capable of beautiful prose and incredible world-building, and I’ll definitely be checking out her other books asap.

Okay— this book has it all. Fae, sapphic romance, thoughtful and unflinching conversations around war and colonialism, the TWISTS?? I flew through this book and couldn’t stop until I’d finished, truly astounded at El-Arifi’s skill and writing prowess.

In an Arab-African inspired world transformed by a seemingly endless war between elven tribes, El-Arifi rewrites the romantasy conventions with a fresh and intriguing adult fantasy. The pacing was perfection, spurred on by the two contrasting magic system and the prophesy binding our main characters together. I enjoyed both Yeeran and Lettle as main characters and think the romance aspects will really appeal to readers who like the tension and push-and-pull relationships of Fourth Wing or The Hurricane Wars.

The lore and elven history aspects were perhaps my favourite part, especially how it culminates towards the end of the story. Like in The Final Strife, Saara really shows their ability with crafting engaging, fully realised worlds that don’t flinch away from the darker aspects of worlds at war. Overall, I adored Faebound and, needless to say, I’m dying for the sequel!!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this arc.
I was very daunted when requesting this. See, I have an issue: I love the author. I love attending panels hosted by this author, I love watching the interviews and reading about their inspiration and craft. But I did not enjoy their first book, The Final Strife to the point where I didn’t continue with the series.
I desperately want to enjoy this author, so I thought this might be it.
I can say that Faebound was a more enjoyable experience in reading, for me, than The Final Strife however it still fell short to my expectations. I wasn’t foreseeing a romantasy but I guess this is where the author is probably better versed. T
he Final Strife was marketed as an epic fantasy story but had more saphic and romantasy basis than epicness to it – nothing wrong about this, it is just deceiving for the reader.
Faebound was enjoyable and an easy read, but it lacked complexity and depth, especially regarding the magic system and the different skills between tribes
The other point that it failed short for me is how immature and ignorant the main characters act for the age they are supposed to be. I was expecting other profile to these characters and was surprised how YA they read.
I thought it was rather predicting, in terms of plot and outcomes for the characters. They adapted too quickly and accepted a lot of things too comfortably. Even the main villain reveal was rather predicting from the start.
I guess it was just not the book for me, but I can see how well received it will be for fans of ACOTAR, The Cruel Prince, etc..

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am simply in awe of this book!! Sapphic epic fantasy at its finest!

Yeeran is the sister who was a colonel in the Elven Army of the Waning tribe. In the battlefield, she made a decision that resulted in many deaths, and her punishment was exile. For Yeeran, that was worse than death, but even in exile, she thrived. She didn't despair *much* and immediately started planning how to bargain her return. A competent, resourceful woman after my own heart! I absolutely loved Yeeran!!!!!!! I loved how strong she was, mentally and physically. She's had so many obstacles, so many struggles, and yet, she just forged ahead. Even when her optimism and strength wavered, she still managed to be confident in her not-so-confident state, if that makes any sense.

The other main character is Lettle, who has been studying and working with divination for years. If Yeeran is the sister who succeeds, then Lettle is the sister who struggles, but I feel that's how Lettle sees themselves, and it's not necessarily true. Yeeran does shine the brightest, but Lettle is also a wonderful character with a lovely character development arc. She's not weak or annoying, but she's definitely the youngest stubborn sibling 😂 I really liked her POV chapters, too. She was refreshing!

The world-building and dual romance were impressive!! Yes, you read that right, DUAL ROMANCE!! Our warrior sister, Yeeran, definitely has a type: a strong, beautiful woman with serious leadership skills, which made me love her even more. I really enjoyed that she wasn't the prudent, innocent, not-had-a-relationship-before woman because we've all seen that a lot of times. It's not a love triangle because I feel that her previous relationship has ended, and Yeeran makes that clear, too. Lettle's romance blossoms throughout the book, and her love interest is sooooo appealing that he'll make us bisexuals crazy with indecision 😂

The worldbuilding where we have fae and elves (and long-lost humans) stood out as one of the book's strongest points. The history and depth of background we were offered made me admire the author a lot. This is the epitome of lush worldbuilding, and yet, we were never overwhelmed. We got what we needed when we needed it, with glorious details and masterful prose. I especially loved the obeahs! How they're connected to a fae, and how they feel like a part of their soul they cannot live without. It's such a beautiful element, and it made my heart yearn for an obeah of my own.

Pila, I love you with all my heart, and I will protect you no matter what. You're the most beautiful creature of all creatures.

The plot was strong, and while I saw one of the twists coming, I do appreciate how Lettle didn't connect the dots. Having your life and your sister's life threatened every day would make anyone lose their strategic marbles.... However, I didn't see the bigger plot twist, and I was euphoric about it. I loved the twist, and I loved that I didn't see it coming.

While I didn't enjoy the author's debut, this book is a masterpiece. One of the very best epic fantasy books out there, and the fact that it's a sapphic epic fantasy just makes it transcend even more. If you're a fan of Tasha Suri, Shelley Parker-Chan or C.L. Clark aka the sapphic trifecta, you're going to love this book. Faebound wrecked me for all other epic fantasy books, and I couldn't be more thrilled about it.

If you only read one adult epic fantasy, let this be it. A GLORIOUS MASTERPIECE OF A NOVEL!!!

At first, there were three gods and three people: the fae, the humans, and the elves. Now only the elves remain.

Forever the war will rage, until united, the three shall die. Humans made low, then fae made lower, Then elves in ignorance, gone is their power, Cursed to endure, cursed to survive. All shall perish lest all three thrive.

Yeren was the youngest colonel in the army before being exiled from the elvish lands. Alongside her younger sister and Captain Rayan, Yeren accidentally kills a fae prince - a people they thought faerytale.

Like her other series, El-Arifi uses the fantasy element to explore fluidity of gender and incorporate free sexuality seamlessly within her story and world.
Furthermore, we have aged up protagonists - around 30 years old! Rejoice!
In this sense, it reminded me of N K Jemisin.

“We must let the wind of change ease our flight, not hinder it.”

The magic system explanations never fully satisfied me, but the gist is: Yeren fights with drumfire that required intention to draw on magic. Lettle is a diviner, speaking prophecies by detaching from one’s mind.

Sadly, my favourite parts are also huge spoilers, so I’m leaving this review purposefully vague. Just know it’s filled with rich world-building and if you like talking animal companions - you will love this.

There’s passionate romance bordering between love and hate, dates prophecies, poison, secrets, and royalty!

One thing - the prophecies were fairly easy to work out, so I grew frustrated that our cast couldn’t put the pieces together. Perhaps others will find these reveals shocking and big plot twists, but unfortunately, I could guess what was coming.

I would recommend this if you liked The Boneshard Daughter or An Ember in the Ashes.

Thank you to Harper Collins for providing an arc in exchange for a review!

Faebound is a cleverly written, fresh take on the Fae. The world building was good and the character relationships were brilliant.

Unfortunately, I had real trouble with the writing style. I just couldn't get properly into the book, and every time I put it down, it was a struggle to pick it back up. I'm sure there will be others who love it though!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Sorry, this was not for me. The main characters, who were supposed to be around thirty four and twenty eight, spoke and acted like immature, moody teenagers. They were ignorant, judgmental, mean and frankly quite stupid in putting two and two together. The writing style was very basic and also had some strange word choices ("Behind the membranes of her eyelids." JUST SAY EYELIDS) Lettle was really rude to Rayan the entire time, even telling him to shut up after ignoring him all day. Why??? Yeeran was just ignorant and annoying. She spent a good 15 percent of the book hunting an innocent animal and really didn't care that these animals were extinct. I understand like, we have to go on a journey with these people but it didn't endear me to them.

This has some good points. Queer normativity, afro-arab inspired world, a sapphic romance. It just didn't have the writing talent to do those ideas justice in my opinion.

A refreshing spin on a fae fantasy, this was everything I now want in these stories! A queer normative, diverse world with a beautifully wide variety of characters being represented. The romances in this were well written and I can’t wait to see them grow in the next installment along with the world expanding! Roll on the next book!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. I will start this review by saying that although my personal enjoyment of this book was a bit lacking, I do think this book will do very well. It gave me strong ACOTAR vibes, and if you liked those books, I think you will really enjoy these too. I think the pacing at the start of this was much too rapid, it didn't feel like we got a chance to really set the scene, however, the second half of the book was much better paced, and the revelations were great. I do think that the characters acted somewhat younger than their supposed ages, in terms of naivety and how they conducted themselves. But my biggest problem is a personal peeve of mine, which is where characters faced with life threatening/altering situations suddenly become horny/infatuated etc. I personally prefer the author's other series, but as mentioned I think those that enjoy more NA/Romantasy as opposed to more epic fantasy will really enjoy this.

I really enjoyed how different this was to other fae stories. The war setting definitely brought the political content to the fore early on and it was interesting to see the darkest parts of the war highlighted through Yeeran’s eyes, despite her being loyal and high ranking in the army. Saara Al-Arifi definitely has a talent for writing political fantasy and for taking unexpected turns along the way. Lettle is fiercely loyal to her sister, Yeehan, despite the shadows of their past and the secrets between them. They definitely had a bumpy road with danger, uncovering information about the mysterious fae and facing truths they weren’t expecting. Thrown into the mix is a little romance and a lot of longing, with obstacles throughout (both from the characters themselves and externally). I would have liked to see more chemistry in the romance but otherwise this was a fantastic read and I look forward to seeing what comes next!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

A marvellous high fantasy story with elements of fae, elves and obeah. El-Arifi has structured a thoroughly fascinating rich history and culture in all the lore and worldbuilding of the fae.

The Dual POV aspect of Yeeran and Lettles chapters were enjoyable. I loved the romances both for different reasons. Lettle and Rayan as two people on the outside of the fae as the elves. Whilst Yeeran and Furi were enemies to lovers. It wasn't too rushed but it did feel a little lacking tension around the 80% mark and the betrayal didn't have as much of an impact for me as there were many twists and turns in the last 20%.

I enjoyed the twist of Rayan becoming the King of the Fae alongside Furi and can't wait to see him navigate that. Also Lettle in her role of Seer will be interesting. Lettle as a character is my favourite as I love her exploration of divination and her plot. I can't wait to see her arc develop further. Especially adore her friendship and connection with Golan. The outcasts finding friendship in each other is really special. Just Lettle's relationships with others are really enjoyable to me. I feel she will find her own way to fit in with the fae.

I wish Yeeran and Lettle's relationship was developed a little bit better and see them bonding more. The moment Lettle was released after almost being arrested felt significant but Yeeran just ran after Furi at that moment which felt a bit disappointing, she could've confronted her after she stayed with Lettle for a while. Also, I feel that confrontation could've been more impactful if it had been prolonged a little bit. In general, more scenes could've had more impact if they had been prolonged as the plot was moving at a fast pace and it felt like events were happening too quickly. There was not much time to absorb one revelation before another situation took precedence.

I'm so curious as to when, if we will ever meet the humans or ancestors of Afa as it's kinda funny a human and caused the curse of the fae and is no longer around to see it all. Seeing a human civilisation within the world of the fae and the elves would be great to explore. All the dynamics this could lead to would be exciting. Especially as one of the fates seen by the seers was the three beings living together or perishing.

Overall, a very enjoyable fantasy brimmed with culture, lore and rich worldbuilding.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Review published: 11 November 2023

DNF @ 48%

If you like Fourth Wing you will like this book. Unfortunately, I did not like Fourth Wing, so it's a regretful pass from me.

It's a romantasy to the core, so if that's the kind of fantasy you're into this will almost certainly tick all your boxes; however, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone looking for a more typical adult fantasy reading experience. Just about every aspect of the book is quick, straightforward and basic--like skimming a stone across a lake instead of rowing. Whether that's a plus or minus will depend on individual reading tastes. (Though I will note that the prose and dialogue read very underedited on a line level. The punctuation of dialogue in particular is very messy and to me, distracting.)

Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the eARC; I really wanted to love this one but I don't think I'm quite the target audience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Faebound was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024 as I love the author's other books, so when I got the approval email for this ARC, I dropped everything to immediately start this.

Luckily, it was everything I wanted it to be and more.
Faebound perfectly hits the spot between the moral and political complexity of The Final Strife and the excitement of a good Fae romantasy.
This was certainly the most unique Fae/Elves book I've read so far. I loved the lore and history, but the setting and worldbuilding were what made it stand out to me so much. The author excels at writing brutal worlds that also have a certain beauty to them, and the Fae world in particular proved that once again. I don't want to give too much away, but I truly loved discovering this world in all its depth.

The characters were great, I loved the dynamics between them, be it romantic, platonic, or family.
The only tiny criticism I would have is that Lettle felt a lot like Anoor from The Final Strife, which does not impact my rating or enjoyment of the book, but at times they almost felt like the same character.

The plot had a bit of everything, a mystery, political intrigues, war, romance, and sweet quiet moments, and I think it found a good balance between all those aspects. I was hooked and I cannot wait to find out what happens in the sequel.

Overall, this was an amazing book and I cannot wait until it is out in the world so that I can make all my friends and followers read it.
Saara El-Arifi has certainly cemented herself as one of my favorite authors with this book, and I am absolutely going to read everything and anything she writes.

Faebound by Sara El- Arifi
Release date 18th January 2024
Rating 5 stars

When you pick up a book by an author that you have loved with the final strife and battle drum there is a nervousness of whether you will love this. This was me going into this book especially when it has fae and elves however, I should not have worried because Sara- who is now well and truly an auto buy author for me wove a world that had me on the edge of my seat and the beginning was heart racing not rich and had me on the edge of my seat. I adored this world and the characters and the twist had me gasping and rereading in case I missed something. I cannot wait to read more and find out what is going on. I loved how Fae and humans were seen as fairytales and how the lore at the beginning of each part of the story had me feeling deep into the world straight away. I am sure that so many will love this world, where prophecy does not just take root but if you ignore it, it will just come about differently.

Fae, elves war, love and everything in between proves why Sara El- Arifi is auto buy author and will be for a long time to come.

Thanks NetGalley and publishers for the arc of Faebound by Saars El-Arifi.

This was everything that I hoped it would be. 5 star read!

Lovely cover. Fascinating world building. Complex relationships. Intriguing plot. What more could you want from a fantasy novel?

While the book follows two sisters as they are taken prisoner by the Fae, I would say the book skews towards, Yeeran, the elder, an elven warrior banished from the elven lands. I didn't dislike Yeeran but I wanted more Lettle, the younger sister, who just seemed more interesting to me (although being the somewhat overshadowed younger sister, I may be biased...), I wanted to know more about her life and struggles before the events of the beginning of the novel. I wanted to know more about what makes her tick. And I wanted to explore the sibling relationship more especially as there is an undertone of anger and resentment throughout the novel between Lettle and Yeeran throughout the novel. Yeeran is a newly promoted colonel, a respected novel and the cheiftain of her clan's lover while Lettle is barely getting by, her craft looked down up by many including Yeeran. Yeeran often comes across as sceptical and dismissive of Lettle's divination and often Lettle herself which is a factor in their relationship dynamic.

While the sisters and their relationship is a big part of the novel, there is some romance sub-plots, the better one being Lettle and Yeeran's (former) second in command which is rather well fleshed out given he respects her, and listens to her despite her initial prickliness.The other is Yeeran's enemies to lovers relationship which was less well fleshed out. I'm not fully sure why they wanted to be together other than lust I suppose and Yeeran seems to be loyal to the Waning army before all else so not sure I can get onboard with it especially as Yeeran thinks of her former lover (and cheiftain) fairly often throughout the novel but doesn't really acknowledge that Lettle's assessment of her former lover has some merit and the fruitlessness of the war she's dedicated most of her life to.

The more general plot kept me engaged and I enjoyed the twists and turns in the last 20%. I'm a fairly inpatient person so I'm not looking forward to the wait for the second book, but alas, I must endure.

Solid fantasy novel. 4.5 stars.

This is my first book from the author and I enjoyed it a lot! I loved the diversity of characters as well as the ease with which gender fluidity/diversity is incorporated. The worldbuilding was a lot of fun, it wasn't too confusing to get into and I found it really vivid and immersive.

I did see some of the plot points coming before they were revealed and I did find some of the political seup to be a bit hard to believe (without getting into spoilers), but this didn't necessarily ruin things for me. I also don't tend to read much romance, so I wasn't super into the 'romantasy' elements, but again, this didn't take away from my experience of the book overall.

Overall though, I loved the journey this book took me on, it was a lot of fun and I'll definetly pick up the sequel when it comes out, I want to find out what happens next! That's a downside with having read an advanced copy bc I have even longer to wait 😩

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC.