Faebound is a fantasy that pulls you in from the start and kept me on the edge of my seat. Our main characters, Yeeran and Lettle, are sisters and both experience different things which makes falling into this world really easy. The author slowly lets us learn about the world and magic system without making it feel like we get an info dump.

Yeeran has a hard life and only knows the threat of war. So when she makes a mistake and is banned from the Elven Lands, she doesn't know what will happen. All she knows is that she has to make it right and get back to her people. Lettle, of course, is scared for her sister's life and goes after her. Lettle saw a prophecy involving her sister, but it definitely didn't go as she had thought it would. That's when they discover there's more to the world than they know and fae exist and have a whole different set of ways, magic, and beliefs.

The pacing in this book was done well and I could understand this new world. I loved the balance between world building, action, character development, and romance. Some twists I kind of saw coming, but others not at all. Especially that ending! Do they go back to the Elven Lands or are they where they belong?

I'm so glad this book had dual POV and I wish we got a few chapters through two other characters' eyes, but all in all I was satisfied. It's hard to say a lot about this book without giving little spoilers, so all I can really say is go read this book! I'll definitely be reading more by Saara! I'm grateful there are some books I still need to read.

My review will be posted on https://thebookdutchesses.com on March 30th!

I LOVED THIS! I was hooked immediately and need the next book asap. The characters felt so real and the plot was extraordinary. This is going to be a top read of the year for me

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Del Rey Publishing for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. My feedback is completely honest.

Faebound is one of the books that I was most excited to read in 2024! I was completely immersed in the story and felt a deep connection with the characters as they embarked on their journey. We get to know two strong female protagonists, the founding family, and enimes to lovers, to possible enemies? The world-building was amazing, and we get to learn more about Mosima and their history as Elves and Fae.

This book exceeded my expectations, and I was left wishing for another book already!

3 stars

I loved so many things about this book from the setting, to the messages and themes and characters. The writing was so good but the plot just didn't grab me. It made me a little bit sad because I was bored through my read of this.

The set up was good, it was a story about 2 sisters who are elvish. One is blessed with battle and one with prophecy and through their journey of discovering that fae actually exist. You get to see so much of the fae world but the plot line was just lacking.

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

Feabound is a powerful and captivating fantasy novel that intricately weaves magic, adventure, and self-discovery elements. Set in a richly imagined world where humans and faeries coexist, the story follows a young protagonist's journey, navigating the complexities of her newfound abilities and the secrets of her heritage. At its core, "Faebound" is a tale of self-discovery and empowerment. As the protagonist learns to harness her magical abilities and confronts the challenges that lie ahead, she undergoes a transformative journey of growth and self-realization. I enjoyed the narration and the powerful message of resilience. Saara El-Arifi has crafted a captivating story that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages until the very end.

So when I Initially read this book I left it behind with a pretty solid choice not to continue the series when new books come out. Then as the weeks went by, it kind of grew on me. I can't really pinpoint why I wanted to finish this story when I feel like I didn't like most of the characters or the worldbuilding, but there must be something and to me that makes a good book. I want to learn what happens next after the main characters world view has completely changed. By the end - most of the characters grew on me but I definitely saw the twist.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Two elven communities at war over the sustenance of life, one general who makes the wrong move, a seer who loses a sister to banishment, and a new world opening before their eyes. Faebound is a story of two sisters who find themselves in a world they did not know existed, and on a quest to save each other from death.
The beginning of this book had me hooked. The drum-warfare was very interesting, and the premise of this book was unique to things I have read before. I did find that the last 30% of the book was packed full of events that left me feeling a little whiplashed. The romantic relationships and steamy scenes left me feeling odd and cringey for their content and timing (however, I usually find that smut does not add to most books, so take that with a grain of salt if you enjoy steamy romance). I read this with a friend and we both agree that the notebook at the end showed more relationship building between sisters than the entire book. It was definitely an entertaining read and El-Arifi has magic in what she writes, I think it may have just not been what I was looking for in a book.

Content Warning: war, death, murder, stalking, betrayal, poisoning, sexual content

Would I Recommend: I would recommend to fantasy readers who like reading about fae and elves, those who like warfare, and those who like a lot of things happening at once.

3 Stars

(Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review)

This fantasy novel is unlike anything I've ever read before, in a great way. I really loved the very unique fantasy world that the author built and the historical lore that unfolds as the current day dramas do. The author does a beautiful job of weaving in her cultural background into the world she's built, and it made for a super interesting read. I also really respect the amount of representation in identity that characters are given and thought it was well done.

My only downside when it comes to this book, isn't really a downside; it takes a while for the story to unfold and the plot to ramp up to full speed. On one hand, this made for a really exciting ending with a lot to unpack and think on..... but on the other hand made me a bit sad because I have to wait for all of the new questions I have to be answered until the sequel comes out! I loved the adventure though, and I'll be looking forward to it's sequel.

Ummmm okay. That was unique for sure. But the plot wasn’t really engaging.

I love the 3 gods backstory, it gave a solid background to the setting & worldbuilding. Still can’t wrap my head around the drum magic. I couldn’t “feel” the characters, thus the romances also felt bland. Not sure if I’ll read the sequel but let’s see

Yeeran has spent her life in service of the elven army but after a battle gone awry, she is exiled from the elven lands. Her sister Lettle is a diviner and follows her and they both find themselves in the fae court, somewhere they thought no longer existed. As they become enmeshed with the fae court and their politics, they realize the stories they had been told growing up weren't entirely accurate. Overall, a solid start to a new fantasy series that will hopefully see more of the world building in the subsequent books. Fans of Eragon may enjoy this one.

I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually did. I thought the premise was promising, but found that the plot dragged (especially in the second half). Maybe my expectations were too high, but I found it a little too predictable?

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED it! I have always been an epic fantasy fan, and I have been meaning to get back into them. This was the perfect book for me at the perfect time. There was war and intrigue, family and history, friendship and love. This has been one of only a few 5 star books for me this year so far, and now comes the sad long wait until the sequel.

I was so excited to be able to read a copy of Faebound by Samara El-Arifi.

The book itself is so beautiful, the cover is amazing. But once I got into the book the plot just didn’t do it for me at all. The characters are amazing and their journey was great but nothing came into place for me.

you to @prhaudio for the free audiobook.

I read #faebound by Saara El-Arifi and I enjoyed myself! It was a slow burn sapphic romance that was dripping with political intrigue and tons of secrets.

Yeeran was forced into exile after a fatal mistake on the battlefield. With her sister at her side, Yeeran must decide what factions deserve her loyalty and who she can and can't trust.

While I found this book absolutely pleasurable to read, it did fall a little flat with me in the pacing, and the slow burn was a little too slow for me. I found the political intrigued also to be a little too predictable in some areas that being said, I did enjoy the romance once it kicked off, and I did enjoy the world building and the animal companion aspect of the novel. I thought that the bonding situation was extremely fun and fresh. The magic system was also very interesting although I wish it had been better explained. Overall a solid romantic fantasy and I would definitely continue to the second book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

Overall a serviceable romantasy with telegraphed plot “twists” and a not fully fleshed out feeling. I picked this book as its been touted as The Fantasy Book of 2024 and going in with such high expectations made this a let down. To be clear, this is a romantasy amongst the likes of Fourth Wing and ACOTAR - romance driven and plot light in a fantasy setting.

The central romances had the unfortunate romantasy classic of insta-love, and I never found myself invested in the couples. The characters felt hard to root for at times and read as much younger than their 30 something years. If you had told me they were in their teens just starting out rather than seasoned military experts, maybe their choices would’ve made more sense and been overall more believable.

Adding in prophecies and divination will always be difficult as you’re giving away key plot points, but here there was no mystery or sense of puzzlement to them. All of them seemed straightforward and obvious, and it was so frustrating as a reader to see the plot points coming a mile away while the characters remained oblivious.

I made three different attempts to dive into this one. On the first two attempts, I read a handful of chapters before moving on to something else. At the time, I thought perhaps I just wasn’t in the mood. On my last attempt, I made it to about 28% and then started skimming through the rest of the book.

Here’s what I loved:
🌙 vibrant world building and rich atmosphere
🌙 representation and diversity among characters

Unfortunately, I never emotionally connected with this story. And because I never felt invested in the book, it felt like a chore to read. While I felt it had so much potential, much of the book felt hollow and lacking in substance to me.

I am really bummed that I didn’t enjoy this one more.
My rating: 2.5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

Incredible! I absolutely loved this one. Such a great book to curl up with. It was hard to pull myself away to do things, but I always looked forward to diving back in. Highly recommend!

I devoured this book in two sittings, although it took me a while to pick it up again because I didn't want it to finish. This book has unique magic in it and a rich history for such a quick read. It was interesting to unravel the prophecies along with the main characters. Although some things were easy to guess, it was still fun to see how everything unravelled. It was also a happy surprise to realize that the main character was in a wlw relationship. The ending felt a bit abrupt, although I understand why it ended there. I just want to know more! I'm excited for the next book and what awaits. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good fantasy read that flows easily, has some romance, unique magic, war, and found family.

Thank you for this ARC! I loved these characters so much. They were all so likeable and relatable. There were times where the book was a little slow and I had a hard time being excited to read it but I'm so glad I did because the twists towards the ending were so unexpected!! I originally thought I wouldn't finish this trilogy when the next books come out, but now I'm so excited to find out what happens!

I had high expectations for Faebound, as many reader praise this authors previous work. One aspect that initially captivated me is the world building. The author introduces a realm filled with fantastical elements and mystical creatures, offering glimpses of a richly imagined universe. From the allure of fae realms to the intricacies of magical systems, there's no denying the author's creativity in constructing this setting. The story is told in multiple POV's, we follow two sisters Yeeran and Lettle.

However, despite the promising foundation, this book failed to deliver on its potential. The narrative lacked the necessary depth and momentum to keep me engaged. Instead of being swept away by the story I found myself struggling to connect with the characters. The romance wasn't that believable to me and also lacked a genuine connection. The author was telling more of the story rather than showing and I started to feel like maybe this author's writing style just wasn't for me. Despite attempts to persevere, I found myself setting the book aside, only to find little desire to return to it.

In conclusion, "Faebound" fell short of its potential, leaving me feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied. While the world building shows promise, the lackluster execution and absence of engaging storytelling make it difficult to recommend. I am still undecided if I will continue in this series, as part of me is wondering if maybe it will get better in book #2.