Saara El-Arifi NEVER DISAPPOINTS!

If you loved The Final Strife, you'll definitely love this book! If you haven't read The Final Strife... read it after you read Faebound!

I cannot wait to see how the story picks up in the next book!! 😩😩

I enjoyed the overall concept/plot of this book and the aspects included but it definitely fell short. I do feel like it was far too predictable. I liked the characters as individuals, but when it came to their romantic relationships it felt like there was no chemistry due to “insta love”. I honestly feel like this should have been edited more carefully. There were so many dropped hints that gave the book away I was bored before the halfway mark. The chemistry between characters could have been built up through more dialogue and character action. The obeah were by far the best part of Faebound.
Aspects I liked:
Multiple POVs
POC characters (Afro/Arab inspired)
LGBTQ relationships and gender fluidity
Disability representation
Drum magic
Elves and Fae
Political intrigue

“Faebound" swept me into an enchanting world, earning a solid 4.5/5 stars in my book. This fast-paced, captivating read provided the perfect pick-me-up, with outstanding world-building that immersed me in the fae's seductive court. Yeeran and Lettle, the elven sisters, became characters I adored, especially appreciating Lettle's strength despite initial perceptions.

The representation of physical differences touched me personally, resonating with my own experiences. The love interests were well-crafted, complementing the female main characters seamlessly. The twists and turns, coupled with suspense, kept me eagerly turning pages, and the rich lore and mythical creatures added depth to the narrative.

I foresee "Faebound" becoming a bestseller upon its January 23rd release.
A big thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House-Ballantine publishing for a copy of this ARC – a delightful exchange for an honest review.

Don't miss out on this magical journey, mark your calendars!

I just finished this book and can not wait for the next one to come out! It was a slow start at the beginning but it definitely picks up and got interesting. An emeny to lovers and the plot was good with some twists you didn't see coming. I definitely recommend!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for generously providing an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I'd give this a solid 3.5 stars but will round up to give props for the normalization of queer characters, a main character with a disability, and having a wide range of diversity. I enjoyed the premise of this book and thought it was a good series opener. There's a lot of world building, and it's a bit slow at times. Many of the plot twists were predictable but a few of them I didn't see coming. I'll be interested to see how the story progresses as the series continues.

This book was absolutely AMAZING. It was heart wrenching, funny, bloody, and adventurous. I fell in love with each of the main characters and truly felt like I was there with them. There were so many twists and turns that the book never felt boring or stuck. Captivating, amazing. I can’t wait for book two!

I could have really enjoyed the story, but the author was far too focused on left wing narratives to allow it to feel as though it was flowing naturally. Of all of the characters in the book, there was only one couple, 2 total people, who were not portrayed as LGBTQ+. This book was obviously set up for a sequel, but sadly I would not read it.

The author does have talent, but if they want to reach a wide audience, will have to refocus.

I enjoyed this one. I know it has been very hyped out, and if I'm being honest, probably over-hyped, but I did like it. I think some of the twists were fairly predictable, but overall I enjoyed the characters. I just wanted MORE from them. It seemed to go from hmmm, maybe straight to BAM LOVE and not a lot of in between. I wanted more of those moments to build up to the relationships, see them actually get to know each other.

I liked the magic system and the world with the three gods a lot, and I will definitely be picking up book 2 when it releases.

This review will be posted on Goodreads on January 20th, 2024--the review has been linked! I will also be posting a TikTok recommending the book as it was ABSOLUTELY amazing!

Every time I sat down to read this book, I was immediately immersed in the story. The writing style of El-Arifi is absolutely gorgeous and captivating. Though there were many characters and different plot points, I never felt overwhelmed or confused by the writing. The way that she captures the different internal strifes of the characters is wonderfully executed and I am definitely going to check out more of her writing in the future.

This story is a journey of its characters as the navigate the situations they're put in even when it feels like the world is against them. This book perfectly captures the way the character's minds try to solve or rationalize the horrible things the world is constantly throw at them. The way this book executes relationships--both platonic and romantic--is superb. The somewhat strained familial yet supportive dynamic of Lettle and Yeeran is one that I feel many will relate to. They can sometimes tease each a. bit harshly other or maybe take things too far, but in the end, they both are always there to support and raise each other up. The romantic relationships between Yeeran and Furi, and Lettle and Rayan are wonderfully executed as well. They each have their own respective strifes that keep them apart, but by the end their relationships are beautiful to read if not bittersweet in the case of Yeeran and Furi.

This books representation of marginalized groups is also completely astounding. The cast overtly contains a myriad of people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community, and it is done exceptionally. El-Arifi wonderfully captured the essence of these characters without stereotyping them or simply mentioning these traits in passing as is unfortunately common. Each character's identity was integral to their being, and it was beyond enjoyable to see!

Overall, I would say that anyone looking for a diverse story with an absolutely wonderful fantasy world and plot should definitely pick up Faebound by Saara El-Arifi.

thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

faebound is the first in an upcoming trilogy about two sisters lettle and yeeran. yeeran is a warrior in the elven army who ends up exiled after a mistake, causing lettle to go on a journey to find her. because of this, they encounter the lost fae lands — known to be gone for years.

i really enjoyed this book! the sister relationship between the main characters was very raw and real. going through their discoveries into the fae court was really interesting. i like the concept of a world turned upside down fantasy novel, so this checked all my boxes. and the romance was top tier — enemies to lovers and friends to lovers. culminating with the grand reveal at the end, i think the next two books are going to be so addicting as well! it set the scene nicely.

the only difficulty i had was getting into the world building. i have this issue with every fantasy book, but just keeping track of new names and the world can be hard the first 20%. once i got into the world building more, i definitely really enjoyed it.

Saara El-Arifi's "Faebound" is an excellent introduction to adult fantasy, offering an enchanting blend of accessible storytelling and intricate worldbuilding. It's easy to grasp yet brimming with enchantment. El-Arifi crafted a story that's both familiar and fantastically unique.

The sibling dynamics and character distinctions are one of the hightlights of this book. Each character leaps off the page with individuality, adding layers to the narrative. However, due to the multiple POVs, a lot of the information learned by one is then repeated in the next POV to bring the rest of the characters up to speed.

"Faebound" deserves applause for its rich tapestry of characters that reflect a diverse and inclusive world. The author seamlessly weaves in characters with disabilities, representing the often underrepresented, and gives them meaningful roles within the narrative. The inclusion of various gender identities and queer characters adds depth and authenticity to the story, breaking away from traditional norms.

Now, about the romance – the romantic elements didn't quite hit the mark for me and felt too fast to fall for me. However, even without a connection to the romances, "Faebound" paves the way for a promising series. While the pacing was slow, the last 25% amped up the excitement, leaving me eager for more.

Though somewhat predictable, the prophecies added an intriguing layer to the story. The Fae world was a magical spectacle brought to life by El-Arifi's descriptive prowess. And let's not forget the animal companions – the unsung heroes injecting humor and personality into the tale, often stealing the spotlight.

In the end, "Faebound" is a journey worth taking. Despite the romantic tune not quite hitting the right notes for me, the symphony of worldbuilding, magic, and captivating characters makes it a fantastic introduction to a promising series. So, if you're dipping your toes into adult fantasy, consider this your enchanted invitation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3 stars

I think the plot of this story was so intriguing but the execution fell flat. The pacing of this book made me start to skip certain parts because most of the time not much is happening. I didn't feel any connection to the characters and felt as if they were one-dimensional.

Stories of the gods and elvish prophecies drive this book.

We follow the stories of Yeeran, an elvish colonel, and Lettle, her diviner sister, This begins as a very military fantasy, as we follow Yeeran through her first day as colonel of the Waning army during the Forever War. She's given a prophecy by her sister, and in following it, she gets herself exiled.

Not wanting to be apart from her, Lettle and Yeeran's captain Rayan follow her into exile. What they don't expect is to encounter fae, who are just a part of their fairytales as far as most elves are concerned. They're then drawn into the fae world and their lives are turned upside down.

I did enjoy this book. The unique world building, the different magic system, and the different worlds and cultures was very interesting. I just wish everything had been explored a little more.

I also really love the diverse cast of characters, the normalization of queer characters and different sexualities and viewpoints of relationships, and the representation of characters with disabilities that weren't limited by those things. The hetero and sapphic romances were a breath of fresh air, though often felt more lust driven than deeper.

The story was rather slow in some parts, and that took me out of the book quite a bit. I really feel like the author was setting up for the next book in the series, and I hope that all this setup really shines through in the next book. I'm not sure if there were supposed to be big twists in this story, but to me it was all rather obvious how the prophesies would play out and how other events came to be.

Overall, I'm very happy that I read this, and loved a lot of the elements. It just missed the mark for me in being a truly amazing book. I have full confidence though, that it will find it's perfect readers out there.

A sapphic fantasy, with an engaging magical system and likable characters. I love how it begins with a battle gone south, and the sister duo now thrown into the world of fae. A beautiful beginning to a series that presents potential to be a new favorite. I enjoyed that it was in a dual point of view, and how you could clearly tell the different voices of the characters rather than them blending together. I am a sucker for a new take on not just fantasy worlds, but also how such interesting world backgrounds and connections between the groups of people.
Thank you NetGalley and author Saara El-Arifi for allowing me to read an advanced copy for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book so much. I don't know if it's too early in the year, considering it's only January, but I'd have to say that this book might be my favorite of the year. This book has been living rent free in my head since I read it. Even though I was given the book as an ARC, I have already bought it physically. Definitely enjoying the world building, gave me Lord of the Rings vibes with it's own mythology and world. Giving it its own mythology kind of gives a unique view at the characters you don’t normally get to see. I really loved the diverse array of characters and their strengths, but also flaws. Beautiful story. Couldn’t put it down. Absolutely lovely.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

When it comes to fantasy books that involve Fae or Fairies it is a very big hit or miss and it takes the write kind of author to pull off a story that involves them. And for it has always been Holly Black that has big at the top, which is why she is known as the queen of fairies. Now that I have read Faebound Saara El-Arifi is giving Holly Black a run for her money because oh my god was this good!

I am so glad this is not a standalone and there will be more books because I need more of this world. Now is this anything out of the ordinary? Something original? the short answer is no. But sometimes a story is about how its told rather than what is told so I will say Faebound will not be for everyone.

The world building was average but since it is going to be a series there is still plenty of world building to do. The characters were the best part. The story follows Yeeran, an elf who is exiled and along with her is her sister, Lettle, and her friend Rayan. They find themselves being a captive amongst the Fae who are a species that was supposed to have died out long ago. And that is pretty the books plot and things start happening around 100 pages so you will have to be patient.

I am fully invested in the series and will be reading the following books.

I am amazed with this world and the angles of self reflection Yeeran, Lettle and Furi go through. I always get a book slump but faebound? Baby I was on a Rollercoaster. I never knew I needed dual love stories between two sisters POV's. The magic of the crowned Fae couple are part of the earth and animal life with magic was done so well. The plot and twists were not subtle but it was still very enjoyable.

Themes:
Sapphic
Endless war between elf tribes
Slow burn x2!
Animal companions
Prophesies and seers
Enemies to lovers
Disability rep
Trans rep

Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am now a huge fan of Saara El-Arifi! This book has everything you could want from a fantasy book - great world building, complex and unique character and a captivating storyline. I was able to finish it in just a few sittings. look forward to more from this author!

I was immersed in the story right from the start. The world building was vivid and imaginative and really gave you a greats sense of the environment and the individuals within it.

There was strong character growth that stunted at times, but in a way that showed such a realistic entwinement of characters, displaying their flaws and strengths.

I cannot wait for the character art of the Obeah to start coming in because they are the creatures of imagination. Just enough detail that you are intrinsically enthralled in their beauty but enough is left up to the imagination that not only will you sound crazy if you try and explain them in public, but the frame to paint the picture inside of is gorgeous to begin with.

5 out of 5 ⭐️
9 out of 10 ⭐️

*would be 10 if it had a translation guide because I want to experience the lyrics of the language as intended. Guess I need to get the audiobook then 💁🏻‍♀️)

𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 • 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 • 𝘋𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘖𝘝
𝘈𝘙𝘊 • 𝘗𝘶𝘣 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦 23 𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

War stories have become increasingly popular within the romantasy sub-genre. Faebound combines this and other familiar fantasy tropes with unique elements in a a fun, easily consumable package. There will be:
✨ 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 (𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴)
✨ 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴
✨ 𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 (𝘥𝘳𝘶𝘮 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤)
✨ 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴 (𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴)
✨ 𝘧𝘢𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵
✨ 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘰𝘧 & 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦
✨ 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳
✨ 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦
✨ 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴

I appreciated that the book was written in a queer and disability-normative, gender-fluid, and racially-ambiguous way. Instead of riding dragons or horses, here we ride obeahs and camels. And of course, there's going to be a journey across realms and a very fancy map in the endpapers worth ogling.

What did not work as well for me in this story was the writing. It felt simplistic relative to other high fantasy (or even romantasy) adult novels. I would say this leaned YA (dialogue, descriptions, mostly fade to black, predictable storyline, complexity of magic). I would like the characters and relationships to have been developed in greater depth also.

There were some great one liners, moments of reflection, and a few surprise twists! I definitely will sign up to read volume 2.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 @𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 @𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘙𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.