Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read one of my most anticipated books of the year early!

This is an intricate, fast-paced romantic queer-as-the-norm fantasy that I devoured in a few days. The world-building was almost seamless-- with only a few clunky passages that while important, took me out of the story--and the characters were realistically complex. While the plot wasn't completely unpredictable, it was still an enjoyable ride, and the final plot twist really did surprise me!

While the basic underlying story is one we've read before (a girl stumbles upon a hidden, thought-extinct magical world and realises she has power of her own) the magic system was so refreshingly unique (the drums, the divination, the creatures!). For me, it was the characters that made this book for me. Each character was complicated and while they didn't always make the right decisions, you still found yourself rooting for them. Yeeran is battle-hardened and jaded, but learning about love for the first time. Lettle is driven and dedicated, but has been burned too many times before. Rayan is an enigma you are almost convinced is destined to remain on the sidelines of the story as he is sidelined by our narrators. And Furi is a warrior who prioritises her community above all else, even at the expense of love.

I loved how the romances played out (despite at times feeling like they may have moved too fast) and especially the normalisation of queerness and gender fluidity within this world. It is always refreshing, and still too rare in fantasy, to see this normalisation.

Overall, a great fantasy and I can't wait for the sequel!

Wow. Just wow! This book really lived up to all the hype I've been seeing. Amazing world building and unique magic structure. Nice little twists and turns. I can't wait to see where the second book goes!

I went in with very high hopes and sadly this wasn’t for me.

I found the pacing a little two slow and I found myself getting bored at times. The world building was very interesting and had a lot of potential, but the dialogue felt clunky and I didn’t get an emotional connection to any of the characters.

Faebound was a breath of fantasy fresh air, even though the writing left me wanting. The world building, magic system, and lore were unique, interesting, and really well established. However, I found the prose to be clunky. When the scenes were filled with action and tension, I flew through the book. But the down times were full of awkward, robotic dialogue and characters that felt dry and flat.

I was also confused by the decision to make this an adult fantasy. Maybe the intent was for it to be a slow burn? But there wasn't much tension beyond innocent pining, giving me the impression this was YA. Then all of a sudden about 3/4 of the way through, there were a bunch of spicy scenes that just came out of left field! I was like wait a sec, what? We're doing this?? 🤣 I didn't think the story needed it, as it almost felt like an afterthought.

All that being said, I ultimately enjoyed the book and will continue with this series. I know there's going to be some huge battles and war scenes coming up that I'm really excited for!

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had trouble getting into this book. I’m not sure if it was the pacing or just the mood that I am currently in. There is a lot of lore for each of the three races that are in this book. I kind of feel like this book rushed the lore for each group. I don’t know if that’s intentional because maybe we are supposed to be as ignorant of their history as they are at this point. I’m not usually a huge fan of rambling descriptions of magic, and it’s usages, but in this book, I feel like it was thrown at you so fast, with no background knowledge that you had to fill in the blanks as you continued on in the story, and later learn how the magic systems work. I was not a big fan of one of the romances at the beginning, which in retrospect makes sense but I feel like it was supposed to make me think that that was the main romance and I just couldn’t buy it because I didn’t feel it between the characters. There was no chemistry. I’m sure there’s going to be a sequel to this because there are a lot of prophecies that are mentioned in this book that aren’t fulfilled by the end. Plus there are a lot of loose ends at the end of this book. I absolutely love the obeah plotline. I do feel like, especially towards the end we have too many “chosen one”’s and it just kind of feels like too many fantasy tropes thrown into one book. I guess all of that is to say, I feel like this should’ve been drawn out a little bit more over the course of two books or the beginning should’ve been much shorter and been a prologue, and we start with the Fae. I feel like we were shortchanged on the elf lore because we were rushing to get to the fae realm. I might read the sequel when it comes out just because I am curious about some of the prophecies. On a completely unrelated note, this book is spicy, which was unexpected but not unpleasant. I also appreciate the LGBTQ plus representation.

Faebound falls into the "fun but forgettable" stack for me. I most certainly dont regret reading it but I don't have a burning desire to pick up the second.

I found the characters and world building intriguing enough. The Lore that is provided in this first installment was imaginative and evocative. For me the problems stemmed from the plot. It felt driven by convenience opposed to logic. The pacing felt grueling at times and just as it starting moving at a decent clip it would slow back down making the book as a whole feel slightly choppy and disjointed.

I don't think I will continue with this series based solely off based on the plot and pacing.

I'm a big fan of the genre and was excited to read this.
I was interested to find out where the story ended up, but didn't feel the characters and conflict were fully fleshed out. I'll continue this series to see what happens to these characters.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read this

I really struggled with this hard and almost DNFed multiple times. Do not get me wrong: I LOVE romantasy. And fantasy in general. So this fit right into genres that I normally am completely drawn to. I just couldn't fall into this book like I really needed: the world building just wasn't there.
The plot felt a bit stagnant and...boring? I don't really get how fantasy can be boring, but I think the predictability of it all became very slow. I also don't love prophecies unless the stakes feel REAL, and for me, this never felt real.
I also really struggled with the romance and the romantic/love reveal: I had to keep checking that I read it right. Romance and war mixed together is a tough genre to nail, and I think this really showed WHY its so hard to get right. The romance felt tonally off from some of the other parts of the story.

This is just not the romantasy for my tastes.

Saara's book, featuring Sapphic Elves & Fae, colonialism & war, and a captivating magic system, has been on my mind for a month. The dual POV, with both equally enjoyable, creates a slowburn that will leave you screaming. The beautifully described fae realm, its creatures, nature, and architecture, reminiscent of The Hobbit, truly immerses readers in a lush world that is hard to put down. This sapphic fantasy novel, with diverse representation and both WLW and WLM relationships, is a personal favorite. Grateful to the publisher for the review copy.

Addictive and gripping from start to finish, FAEBOUND is the fantasy read you don’t want to miss. I loved every last bit of it,

3.5 stars- I liked the concept of this story! I thought the world and the magic system was very unique and the world building was written well. It’s giving me Avatar vibes but make it Fae which I loved. This is the first book in a trilogy and I am looking forward already to reading the next book when it comes out!

My favorite parts of this book was the Fairytale/Folklore/History snippets at the beginning of each new “part” of the book, the prophecies, and of course Pila. I want a Pila POV chapter please! The glossary was cute too-missing Rayans Obeah though.

Character development was where this book was most lacking. I liked Lettles POV more than Yeeran. She at least had emotion throughout and her intentions were always spoken. Yeeran was completely dull which made no sense to me because she should be thriving in this world with everything that changed and happened to her yet she is just there and emotionless. None of the relationships in the book were developed they just happened and the timing was completely random in terms of the way they all interacted with each other as time went on.

Welcome to the intoxicating world of "Faebound," where Saara El-Arifi, following her Sunday Times bestseller "THE FINAL STRIFE," weaves another mesmerizing tale of adventure, magic, and the unbreakable bonds of family. This isn't just another fantasy novel; it's an expedition into the heart of elven and fae realms, wrapped in layers of intrigue, desire, and warfare. So, buckle up, dear readers, because we’re about to embark on a journey that’s as enchanting as it is perilous.

As this was my first entry into Saara writing style I am now interested in reading The Final Strife series. I keep reading good things. This series is great for those getting back into fantasy or just need an interesting read without being too complicated.

Divided by Blood, Imprisoned by Fate, Bound by Desire

At the core of "Faebound" are two sisters, Yeeran and Lettle, entangled in a world brimming with conflict and prophesies. Yeeran, the warrior, and Lettle, the diviner, find themselves flung from the familiarity of elven lands into the enigmatic embrace of the fae. The fae court, a civilization thought to be lost to the annals of time, offers both wonder and danger in equal measure. Everything changes when our two main characters land here.

A Tale of Two Worlds

Imagine being torn from everything you know, only to be thrust into a society as intoxicating as it is lethal. This is the reality for Yeeran, who, after a fateful mistake, finds herself in the heart of the fae realm. The novel excels in painting a vivid picture of contrasting cultures—the disciplined, war-torn elven society versus the beguiling, enigmatic ways of the fae. El-Arifi’s storytelling prowess shines as she explores these dichotomies, inviting readers to ponder where true allegiance lies.

Why "Faebound" Should Be Your Next Read

"Faebound" is more than just a fantasy novel; it’s a journey. El-Arifi crafts a world where every page holds a new surprise, every chapter a challenge to our protagonists’ wits and wills. Whether you’re drawn to the allure of magic, the complexity of political intrigue, or the depth of human (and fae) relationships, there’s something in this tale for you.

Overall, this series has potential. I am curious about where our characters lead and understand this world more. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for the ARC.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of Faebound. Unfortunately, I dnf this book at about 12 percent. I typically try to get to at least 20% but I was unable to. The characters were likeable and the plot seemed ok. I just struggled getting into it. Maybe in the future I will try reading it again.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Faebound by Saara El-Arifi is a West African-inspired romantic epic fantasy where humans, fae, and elves used to live together in one world until the humans and fae were driven to extinction. Or, that’s what the Yeeran and Lettle, two elven sisters, think. When Yeeran is banished and Lettle chases after her with her childhood friend and secret crush, Rayan, the three find themselves among the fae and their perceptions of their world are challenged.

I’m always here for an enemies-to-lovers Sapphic romance and Yeeran and Furi are no exception. They challenge each other and their attraction is impossible to deny, leading to sparks flying in more way than one. I also really liked Lettle and Rayan’s romance, particularly the prophecy angle that keeps Lettle from pursuing a romantic relationship with him.

The drums were such an interesting part of the worldbuilding that was integrated in ways I wasn’t expecting when I started. It ties into the magic system, into the fae, and into elven culture as does the obeah whose skin are used to create those drums.

I would recommend this to fans of Sapphic romantic fantasy or Romantasy, readers looking for elves and fae interacting together in one work, and fans of West African-inspired fantasy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

🥁Fantasy
🧝🏻‍♀️Dual POV(between sisters)
🥁Enemies to Lovers
🧝🏻‍♀️Sapphic
🥁Queernormative
🧝🏻‍♀️Fae
🥁Magical Beasts
🧝🏻‍♀️Elves
🥁Cliffhanger

This was an ARC through NetGalley, however these are my true opinions.

I absolutely loved Faebound. It was so unique. Not like anything I have read. The magic system is beautiful. I already can tell there will be a follow book. It ended on a cliffhanger.

There is a war going on between two elf tribes. The FMC Yeeran is outcast after she makes a mistake fighting in the war. She decides that her way to be accepted back is to bring the biggest Obeah, who happens to be a magical rare beast. After she successfully kills one she is taken prisoner but fae.
Yeeran learns there is more out there then she knew.

I don’t want to say more because I don’t want to spoil it. I would highly recommend this book if you are a fantasy reader.

Faebound is a sapphic fantasy romance and was one of my most anticipated releases for the year, and overall I really enjoyed it! This story is from the POV of two elf sisters Yeeran and Lettle who discover the world of the fae, who were thought to be gone centuries ago.

I loved the characters, the world building, and the queernormative society. The writing style was also very accessible and easy to get into. I especially loved the creatures called the obeah and their relationships with the fae and discovering more about them and the magic. My only complaint is it seemed to be a bit rushed in the second half and would have been better if it was longer. I enjoyed seeing the romantic relationships develop, but Yeeran's seemed a bit rushed and could have benefitted from more in between being enemies to lovers.

I can't wait to continue this series and see where it takes these characters!

Y'all, there is a reason everyone is talking about this book! I think a lot of times reviewers are so caught up on "this book reminded me of xyz" and thus rate it lower/think it's less amazing. There's a REASON we all love fantasy and a reason why some of us read the same set of books 99% of the time and that's because the plot has the perfect formula!

There were definitely some holes in the world building that I hope we see addressed in future books alongside some further character development. The Ending Fire trilogy by El-Arifi was truly phenomenal and I think that Faebound can get there as well with the appropriate progress moving forward.

You know, trying to put my thoughts together on this book is kinda tough because there's so much about it that I genuinely loved. Like, the characters were great, the setup was cool, and the whole vibe of the story was just my jam. But then there's the plot, and man, it just didn't click for me like I thought it would. I found myself sort of zoning out while I was reading, hoping that things would pick up and get as awesome as everything else I enjoyed about it. But, yeah, that never really happened.

Great book. Loved how the typical tropes for fae, elves, and humans was twisted around. Very cool take. Experiencing the push and pull between Yeeran and Furi, and between Lettle and Rayan was agonizing and just kind of great. The build up was obvious, as it should be, and well done. Really the only negative I have about the book is that it is really heavy handed in regards to the foreshadowing. Like if you didn't know what the twists at the end of the book were going to be by like the halfway point you might have been asleep. Even Komi's reveal, which was the most subtly done foreshadowing seemed pretty obvious. I wish there had been just a little more surprise waiting for me at the end. Looking forward to the next installment.

Thanks to netgalley or providing me with this ARC!

I enjoyed this book, it was a quick read with many aspects to the fantasy world and sapphic romance. It was not heavy on the romance and gave more to building a world and making sure all the pieces clicked. I didn’t hate it but it wasn’t a huge favorite either.