I LOVE Saara El-Arifi ! I am a seasoned fantasy lover and this take on elves and fae was INCREDIBLE. So unique-- truly nothing I have ever read like it. Culturally rich and fantastically imaginative (not to mention SAPPHIC), this is my new favorite El-Arifi.

This my first Saara El-Arifi book and though my curiosity has been piqued enough to read Faebound’s sequel, I’m not sure I’ve been spurred to read El-Arifi’s backlog.

Faebound starts with a highly compelling beginning, hooking its readers with an interesting main character and her fiery sister, woven together into an intriguing world of elves and fae. However, as the story progresses, the lackluster characterization and viciously uneven pacing destroy even the skeleton of a great story.

The LGBTQ elements felt markedly forced, I liked the disjointed dynamic between Yeeran and her commander, their power imbalance coupled with Yeeran’s need to stay loyal was written quite well. But any semblance of LGBTQ elements completely fall off the story after the first 20%. Later on in the story, Yeeran’s romantic interest is piqued once more but the relationship feels entirely forced and lacking in any chemistry between the two characters. Honestly, it genuinely feels like the straight romance between Lettle and Rayan was far better developed and much more focused on than any of the sapphic elements. Which truly is such a massive disappointment considering how this book was constantly marketed as LGBTQ romantasy.

And on top of this, the pacing was so touch and go through out the whole book. The beginning throws readers into the midst of the elven war, giving readers space to grasp new terms and characters. But the middle completely dwindles to a standstill. The world building within the far world consists of mindless info dumping where the plot moves like molasses as readers learn every tiny little detail about fae. And while that can be entertaining and engaging when Lettle and Yeeran are first thrust into that world, an entire 30% dedicated to a standstill plot is not compelling in the slightest. And to have the last 15% hinge entirely on miscommunication is TIRED. I’m begging authors to be an ounce more original.

That all being said, even with the plot and LGBTQ elements being disappointing, I still had fun with the story. It was entertaining to read a mediocre lighthearted, low-ish stakes story featuring an entire BIPOC cast, I’ll likely be picking up the second book whenever it comes out , but it’s definitely not going to be a high priority read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was very interested in Faebound by Saara El-Arifi and while the concepts were cool and the overall story has promise, the execution was lacking. Many things, including the characters, felt underdeveloped. The smutty scenes didn't have a lot of buildup, so they felt like the details were only there for the sake of smut, not to be sensual or titillating. Much of prophecy and character relationships and revelations were predictable, which by itself is not a knock against the book, I wanted more from the telling of the story. I did enjoy the magic system, especially the obeah and battle drums. I also liked the diversity representation, especially including characters using they/them pronouns. Overall, this book was just fine; I probably won't continue the series, but I hope it improves in subsequent books.

This review also posted to Goodreads.

This was said to be the “It” book of 2024. I had high hopes that statement was true! Unfortunately, I do not agree with the rumors. I do think the plot is compelling; the magic system is very unique; and I wanted to learn more about the characters and the world around them. I was quite invested in finding the answers to the many questions raised within the pages of this book. However, I found the writing to be clunky and awkward. The words did not flow. The conversations between characters didn’t feel natural. Even the names of the characters didn’t flow. (Google hasn’t been helpful in finding out where they originated, either).

I also had many questions about several other plot points, which weren’t fully explained. Like why do the elves need the Fraedia crystal to grow crops when they have sun? (The crystal provides light; and it’s very valuable to grow food … but wouldnt the sun work?) Many elves live in poverty because there’s a lack of crystal to grow food. Why was the FMC punished (exiled!) for making one bad call on her first day as colonel? Seems kind of harsh! Those are only two of several questions I kept wondering.

I think the disability representation, the race diversity, and LGBTQIA inclusion were great and refreshing to see! I’m unsure if I will read the second book, although I am curious to see where the cliffhanger leads.

"And where there is value, there is power, and where there is power, violence will always brew."

Yeeran has always been a loyal soldier of her people, her sole purpose to fight in the Forever War and secure enough food for her people. Lettle, her sister and practitioner of divination, wants nothing more than for her sister to leave the army and find a new purpose. When Yeeran is exiled, tossed aside by her elven people, she must find a new path. Determined to earn back her honor, she tracks and kills an obeah--a magical beast that is used to make drumskin for weapons of the army. Unfortunately, Yeeran kills more than an obeah and ends up as a prisoner alongside her sister and former captain. The bigger problem? Their capturs shouldn't exist.

I LOVED this one so much. There's a unique magic/combat system, well-defined characters, and prose that is reminiscent of Tolkien. We have politics, we have world building, we have sassy secondary magical creatures. We have a romantic subplot that is relevant to the story, but it is not THE story--fantasy romance more so than romantasy. I actually didn't see some of the twists coming, but they weren't totally out of left field. And the addition of the journal at the end with the notes made by the characters was a wonderful touch.

I cannot WAIT for the next book in this series!

This is for you if you like:
~Worldbuilding
~Political Fantasy stories
~Sapphic Romance /LGBT representation (non-binary and transgender representation, as well as MF and MM relationships)
~Stories about elves, fae, magic, and magical creatures (Pila is everything, ya'll)

I tried several times to get into this book and unfortunately I couldn't. It was very slow paced and I did not feel at all connected to any characters and did not care enough about them to continue.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Having Loved The Final Strife, I was highly anticipating this book. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed.

I loved the concept of Fae bonding with Obeah; these animals share a pyschic link with the Fae who mentally bond with them, becoming part of their soul. I wish that part of the book had been the center of the story and that the Obeah, like Pila, were given a bigger part of the story.

Instead, the plot felt a bit too convoluted to me. I just could not get into this book; I found myself wishing for it to end so that I could get to my next book, which is not a good sign. I wasn't convinced by either romance and didn't care for either of the sisters, though I preferred Yeeran over Lettle.

Unfortunately I won't be continuing with this series.

I didn't love this as much as I thought I would. I struggled to like the characters and even by the end, I didn't really like any of them. Usually, I am a sucker for creatures like the Obeah, but I felt like they weren't explored as much as they could have been. I will probably read the next one just to see what happens but I was overall, a little disappointed. Loved the LGBT rep and how it was normal to be LGBT in their societies!!

Okay, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I’d been hearing a lot of negative feedback about it so I went in with pretty low expectations. But I really enjoyed this book. I found myself engaged with the story and so eager to know what was going to happen and where this was going. I even cared about the perspective of both sisters equally. Like I didn’t prefer one storyline over the other, which I find to be very rare when going between different perspectives. And I can’t wait to see how this story continues.

My only qualm and it’s small: There was some basic actions that characters did that seemed a bit juvenile in their response/description. Simply screaming when met with something horrifying and not having any emotional build up to the moment. Everyone has tears running down their faces but nothing about the characters own personalities matched tears streaming that quickly. They felt like very YA responses in a book that is not YA.

This book was absolutely amazing, it’s not quite a Romantasy but could damn near pass for it. I loved Furi and Yeerans back and forth, as well as the sister love in this. I absolutely fell in love with the characters and can’t wait till the second comes out. This story had great world building and kind of brought you into this magic world we’re everyone hates each other. There’s been this war going on for a hundred years between elves and lo and behold they run into Fae. Who has the coolest magic, best fashion, strong obeah, and some real gossip to pass around. After hearing both sides of the story between elves and fae, it became hard to pick a side. In the end, this was a great story.

This book introduces us to a beautiful and refreshingly unique fantasy world, where elves, fae, and humans once co-existed and are fated to co-exist again. There is a wonderful balance of internal character development and plot-based action, which keeps the pace pretty quick and enjoyable.

The worldbuilding is inspired by luscious elements of North African cultures, from the magic system to the makeup and attire. For instance, magic can be channeled through drumfire, which I found to be a super interesting spin on the traditional battle drum. We get details like the braiding of their hair and the putting on of ceremonial face makeup, which painted an immersive and beautiful picture of what it would be like to live in this world.

The relationships in this story are beautiful. Yeeran and Lettle, while complete opposites, share a deep and unshakeable sisterly bond where they would do anything for each other. The love interests are exciting — some preciously tender and others wildly passionate — and show a wide range of representation.

Overall, the story is very allegorical and contains many metaphors and references to the real world. For instance, while the elves kill each other over scarce natural resources, the fae equally share the same resources and live fairly harmoniously. I appreciated that commentary! There is a lot of significance given to freedom of expression with gender and self-presentation, which I absolutely loved. My very favorite detail is the linguistic evolution that occurs when one becomes faebound (they can instantly speak the fae language). This was such a creative and insightful detail that I had never really seen before in other fantasy books.

I loved this book - the beautiful writing, compelling characters, and SWANA visual elements- and am so excited to see what happens next! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

4.25 STARS

3.7/5 rounded up

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review

I’m a very big fan of the Burning Fire trilogy and when I heard about Faebound I was ecstatic to receive an ARC. The premise and setting are intriguing; we follow Yeeran as she gets exiled from her land, where she crosses paths with the fae who are assumed to be extinct. Despite the cool setting, the first third of the book was a drag, with not much happening in a plot, character development, or world-building perspective. Things become more interesting once we learn about the fae and their world, but I was very disappointed that we didn’t spend as much time learning the lore behind the elves and fae. I didn’t really enjoy reading from Yeeran’s POV; I felt like she lacked depth and went from blind loyalty to her general to sudden infatuation with Furi without any other development. I enjoyed reading from Lettle, and I’m surprised that I was more into the straight romance over the sapphic one, probably because Lettle was a more developed character and her romance had better chemistry. I think this book fell a little flat of my (admittedly high expectations) because the plot lacked substance. The big reveals were fairly obvious, which was disappointing because, in her other trilogy, the author is constantly blowing my mind! One half of the POVs in this book lacked depth, the romance element was too present when there were so many other interesting things in this world the author could have spent time on. It was a difficult book to review because I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t what I hoped to be. I’m not sure if that’s entirely fair on my part because my expectations wouldn’t be nearly so high if it weren’t an author I am a big fan of. This book is the first part of the trilogy, and I am curious to see if the story will become more interesting and gain more depth as it continues. Either way, I will definitely be reading the rest of the series and excited to see if the story picks up in later installations. Also, I’m beyond excited for the final installation of the Burning Fire trilogy later this year!

Loved this world, loved these characters, loved the magic system (intricate but not too fiddly), loved the worldbuilding. Can't wait for the sequel.

Faebound follows the complex bond between two sisters: a devoted war general and a haunted seer. When one is exiled from their tribe trying to fulfill a prophecy, both find themselves trapped in the realm of fae that the world lost to fable. Within, they find themselves questioning the truths of the homeland they have been fighting for.

The diversity of the characters is well-written and normalized. Most characters are black, as the setting is West-African inspired. Several of the main and major characters are queer, one of the major characters is trans, and many characters throughout the novel have disabilities.

This novel has the elements of a sapphic “romantasy,” and spends a lot more time with the romance than most other sapphic books in this sphere. If you’re looking for a Sarah J. Maas level split of fantasy and romance, but much more diverse and sapphic, this is the closest you will get from major publishing houses right now.

While this book suffered from some minor pacing issues— the middle third dragged a bit and a lot happened in the last quarter that I wish had been given more pages to be explored— those problems are easy to overlook for all of the beauty that the rest of the novel had to offer. A unique magic system, true diversity of characters, and an adult sapphic romance make Faebound a fun new read this winter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this e-book copy!

Faebound is the story of two elven sisters who discover the hidden fae world and their secrets. I think this story's concept was great and it's what got me through this book. However, I felt the execution was off and made me not want to continue the series. The older sister's romance was very toxic and I felt if left out or developed better, it would have made her choice in the story meaningful. The younger sister I enjoyed her romance and her arc throughout. The plot was alright but I felt it dragged halfway through. I think if the focus were more on the plot and less on the romance I would have enjoyed this more. If you like fantasy with a focus more on romance then you will enjoy this. Keeping in mind that this is a series, there is room for improvement but for me, there would need to be major changes to the romance and plot.

Saara El-Arifi is an auto-buy author in my library; her intricately crafted fantasy worlds are simply irresistible. She excels in creating multi-layered universes populated by deeply dimensional characters brimming with depth and relatability. With meticulous attention to detail, she brings each character vividly to life, forging a personal connection that makes their journey feel intimately real.

Yeeran's descent into exile, triggered by a quest for glory and the discovery of sinister truths, sets the stage for a gripping tale of resilience and redemption. Joined by her sister Lettle, whose pursuit of divination adds layers of complexity to their bond, the sisters' journey becomes a poignant exploration of familial ties amidst adversity. El-Arifi creates a beautiful and lush world that makes you want to explore the fae lands.

In her latest work, El-Arifi once again delves into themes of love, betrayal, and grief, weaving a narrative tapestry where flawed characters navigate their strengths and weaknesses with profound consequences. Her storytelling prowess shines as she deftly maneuvers through the complexities of her plot and explores the intense dynamics between characters. What sets El-Arifi apart is her ability to create not just worlds, but entire mythologies steeped in rich lore that seamlessly integrates with the narrative. "Faebound" is no exception, offering readers a captivating glimpse into a realm where magic and mystery intertwine, leaving them spellbound till the very end.

Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5
Faebound is a fantasy romance with beautiful lore and worldbuilding. The beginning reads as a military fantasy which got me hooked right away. Yeeran is a colonel in the elven Waning tribe, but when her title is swiftly taken from her she is exiled from the land. Out in the wilderness she must rely on her own skills for survival. Younger sister Lettle would do anything for Yeeran, even follow her into exile. Together with Rayan, a warrior who fought alongside Yeeran in the army, they search for a way to return home.

While I found the beginning to be fast paced and intriguing, the middle of the book lulled for me. It felt like there was no real urgency to get out of Mossima and return home. The pace slowed down a lot, and unfortunately I lost interest here. The ending picked up again and I really enjoyed how the author tied up the story. Yeeran was hands down my favorite character. I found Lettle to be a bit irritating at times and I just wasn’t drawn to her character. I admire her love and loyalty to her sister, but her dialogue came off as too childish. Rayan was another favorite, I enjoyed his calm and collected persona as well as his deep loyalty to his friends. I absolutely loved his character arc. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advance reader copy!

This was really disjointed. The characters felt extremely immature for their age and the responsibilities they supposedly had.

Faebound by Sara El-Arifi

Sapphic spice, sapphic banter, sapphic slow burn, sapphic enemies to lovers, sapphic fantasy.
I am ENTHRALLED.
Are there two POVs? Yes. Are there two romance plots between those POVs? Yes. Do I have a favorite? I’m BIASED, OKAY? They are both equally good in their own right, but LET ME LIVE.

Bear in mind: this review is being strewn together in my notes app as the morning sun glares through my blinds because I couldn’t put this book down when I read the prologue last night with plans to START IT TOMORROW...well, today, I guess? I’ll edit it before I post it and add any additional thoughts as they come because I anticipate this book will sit with me for a long while. I have loved the books I’ve been reading the last couple of months and their beautiful and fierce examples of familial love. We follow two equally strong (in their own right) sisters, Yeeran (physically) and Lettle (mentally), and Yeeran’s soldier Rayan (we deserved his POV), though the story feels primarily focused on Yeeran after being exiled from the elven lands and their group gets caught up in a m u r d e r. She and her sister find themselves in the fae lands with...well...As with most fae fantasy--everyone is hot, and I WON’T BE CRUCIFIED OR APOLOGIZING FOR LOVING IT.

The lore and world in this book felt real and lived in despite being the first in the series. It feels like a world where you could easily open the wrong book or look at your reflection at the wrong angle and fall into it. Despite its unique, dark brutality, there was something very familiar and fairytale about it. The magic system is intricate and, frankly, cool as hell. I can’t stop thinking about divination, drumfire, the obeah, and fae magic, and I am desperate to visit Mosima even if it unalives me.

My only two complaints aren’t real complaints for me, but I could see how they would bother others. Though arguably, one could be solved in later books, and the other could be due to just how much fantasy I consume. The former is that there is not much exploration into the four separate tribes of Elves. I’d love to know about their lifestyles and deeper beliefs. We are given much information about the differences between the elves and the fae. I’d love to know if/how they differ from group to group and even from the humans? What we’ve gotten in this book is interesting, which is why I would love to learn so much more! The second critique is that the prophecies are almost too easy, and the twists are almost too easy to predict. BUT (IMO) neither of these detracted from the book altogether. They’re just things I’ve thought about since finishing the book. Faebound is a tapestry of diversity, rich in BIPOC, queer, and disability representation, with surprises that I'm itching to discuss (no spoilers here). That being said, I AM READY TO YELL ABOUT THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY, SO I NEED EVERYONE TO READ IT. I’m excited for the next book and hope we get to explore other POVs.

Whew. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and for me, it delivered. Nearly every moment of this book was action but we still got the tenderness of romance from the couples we are introduced to throughout. Unlike the rest of romantasy I’ve read so far, this was fantasy first and romance second, which I really appreciated. I want to understand more about the world and lore and hope that since this the start of a trilogy, that will be a focus throughout the remaining books. Thank you to Del Rey for the physical ARC and NetGalley/the publisher for the digital arc.