I actually really enjoyed this story!!
This book had a super diverse cast of characters both with race and sexuality which I really appreciated. I thought the world building was strong and I felt immersed right away. I was also hooked from the strong beginning!
I found the characters perfectly complex and likeable and I truly can’t wait to see where this story takes them next.
The ending was also fantastic and I am such a fan of a well written ending

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the e-arc!
This book is one of my most anticipated reads of the year! Saara El-Arifi is such an amazing author and this book is everything I want from a fantasy series. Lesbian fae warriors are exactly what I want, especially in a queer normative world. I enjoyed the story overall, especially the different fae and elf tribes and their history. Fae stories in the world-building are one of my favorite things to see in Books, and I really enjoyed the different elements added to the story. The natural elements used in magic were cool, and I loved seeing the cute bonding with animals.
Overall I really enjoyed the different fantasy elements and I absolutely loved the queer romance in this book!

"Faebound" by Saara El-Arifi follows the story of Yeeran, a seasoned warrior in the elven army who is exiled from her homeland after a grave mistake. Her sister, Lettle, a diviner, also ventures into the wilderness to find her and they both stumble upon the long-forgotten realm of the fae. As they navigate this new and dangerous world, they are thrust into a conflict that tests their loyalty to each other and their elven roots. Along the way, Yeeran's inadvertent killing of a fae prince complicates their journey, especially as she develops complex feelings for the fae princess.

By the end of this novel, I had mixed feelings. The world-building was enchanting and interesting, but the story was a little underwhelming overall. Its strength lies in its richly imagined setting and the intriguing premise of a world where fae and elves coexist amidst ancient prophecies and wars. The aesthetic of the fae realm, complete with mystical creatures and magical elements, provides a captivating backdrop that draws readers in.

However, the character development and plot progression leave much to be desired. The characters often feel two-dimensional, and their emotional arcs—particularly the romantic elements—come across as forced and rushed. The instant love confessions and rapid relationship developments stretch believability and detract from the otherwise decent narrative.

The pacing is another area of concern. The story takes a considerable amount of time to build up to its central conflict, and while the lore and mythology are well-crafted, they often overshadow the plot, making key developments predictable. The final quarter of the book, however, picks up pace significantly, delivering twists that range from foreseeable to genuinely surprising.

Despite these flaws, "Faebound" managed to be an entertaining read. The world-building, especially the depiction of the fae society and their intertwined fates with the elves, is vivid and immersive. Readers who enjoy fantasy settings rich with magic and mythical creatures will find much to appreciate here.

"Faebound" by Saara El-Arifi was an overall decent novel, but it didn't quite meet my expectations based on the online hype. It stumbles through with rushed character development and a predictable plot, but it still kept me engaged with its enchanting setting and exciting climax, making it a worthwhile read. Fans of fantasy with fae and elves may be drawn into this magical world, so it still may be worth an add to your TBR.

This one was ALOT! I was entranced from the beginning but it was a lot to take in. I loved the authors writing style and felt like I was transported to the setting every time. I def recommend!

Really enjoyed this. Looking forward to the rest of the trilogy. I will read everything Saraa El-Arifi writes.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this. After some thought I’m somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, leaning closer to 4 stars.

The beginning was very rushed. We didn’t have time to get to know Salawa, the backstory behind the war, etc. I didn’t think much of it at first until I realized I have zero thoughts or feelings about Salawa because we barely got to know her.

Yeeran and Lettle are written to seem way younger than their actual ages. Especially Lettle. She felt like an angry twenty year old. She was constantly screaming in fear or running away out of anger, which felt very juvenile and was a bit annoying.

HOWEVER, overall I did end up really enjoying the story. I fell in love with the characters that we actually had a chance to get to know. The obeah are a beautiful concept, and they feel very reminiscent of the ossalen in The Drowning Empire series. I’m really excited to see where this series goes, but I may be biased because I have a major soft spot for El-Arifi. The Final Strife is one of my favorite fantasy series.

At first, there were three gods and three people: the fae, the humans, and the elves. Now only the elves remain. Faebound is the story of a world where humans, faes and elves all roamed together with their own special magic given by the gods. That is, until they turned against one another. These actions resulted in faes being banished underground for over a century and believed dead by everyone above ground. A forever war then started over natural resources to keep the four clans of elves alive. Our main character, Yeeran is a colonel of one of the elven clans until she disobeys orders, leading to her being banished from her lands. What she finds on her banishment however, will change the world as she knows it.

I enjoyed the build building through the book and the character development. The first half had me giggling and kicking my feet. Towards the end it went from a perfect pace to a very fast everything is happening now pace. I would have preferred it to stay a slower pace at the end. An enjoyable, easy read with a unique depiction of Fae and Elves.

This was a really good. This is a sapphic fantasy book. It talks about gods of the sun moon and the earth and how they created fae's and elves. Theres sisterhood as well. The story unfolds really well. It was really well written. This was a breath of fresh air. There are trigger warnings that I would recommend checking out.

This has to be a fantasy book of the year. And if it’s not, it’s because I didn’t do my diligence as a bookseller in handselling this. Twists, curses, magic, and romance oh my!

This book for sure was one of my most excited books to read when I saw how stunning the cover was. Reading it was a challenge cause a lot of information was dumped on you from the get go and it really never connected with me personally. I ended up dnfing the book about 60% through cause I wasn’t really connecting with the characters or the world. It had promise of being a great book but didn’t really live up to its potential.
Maybe I’ll give it another try in the future but if it had to rate it based on what I read it would be about a 2.5⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for getting me the opportunity to read this book.

Idk why I put off reading this for so long? I really enjoyed this book. There was a lot of world building as expected from a first book in a series but one I got past the halfway point it really started picking up! I am dying to know when the next one comes out…?????

The world building and plot line in Faebound were simultaneously unique and deeply intriguing. The magic system with drumfire and bonded casting was incredibly fascinating and the characters were well thought out and engaging. Through the first 60% of the story, I was convinced that it would be a 5⭐️ read, no question. The camaraderie and loyalty shown between Yeeran, Lettle, and Rayan was admirable and I was on the edge of my toes for almost the entire time I was reading. I never knew what to expect, and even now I’m waiting with bated breath for news of the continuation of the series. What could possibly have made me change my mind about the rating if I was enjoying myself so much? The relationships. Yep, i can’t believe I’m saying this, but this story would have been so much better without the romance. I love Yeeran and Furi, even together, and think that they will be a force to be reckoned with, but their relationship felt much too “insta love” and unrealistic for their circumstances for me. I had similar feelings about Lettle and Rayan, almost as if the author forced them together without taking the time to develop their feelings. A little slow burn would have done wonders in either case to make everything flow a bit better. Then the revelation with Rayan? It felt altogether too coincidental. Toward the end, I felt like puzzle pieces were being jammed into holes to tie up the loose ends, rather than taking the time to place them into a cohesive image. Despite the bumps, however, I’m incredibly invested in the plight of Mosima and can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
This story was such a great read. There were plot twists that I didn’t see coming! I loved reading the different character POVs. The magic system was so interesting to learn about, especially the drums. I’m excited to read the next book!

As always thank you to publishers and Netgalley for a free arc in exchange for an honest review!


A diverse, magical world with intriguing politics, complicated interpersonal relationships and serious talks about abuse of power and the complexities of war, sign me up!! Oh my god this absolutely deserves more hype!! Yeeran is one of my favorite characters i've read this year, her grief and guilt she lives with and the way it shows on page is absolutely gorgeous. Also the dynamic and love between her and Furi was absolutely adorable. Even through the complexities of the world they live in, the undeniable soft spot they have for each other is magnificent.
Sidenote this gives MAJO spop energy, iykyk. Also I really want an Obeah now.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC but unfortunately this book did not translate well for me. It took me almost 80% through the book to realize the characters were supposed to be in their late twenties to early thirties because they acted like they were teenagers throughout the entire book, to the point I also had to double check this was supposed to be an 'adult' fantasy and not YA. The writing itself felt very immature also, with the majority of the plot being spoiled within itself because of the prophecies riddled throughout the story. The world and characters felt like they needed to be significantly more fleshed out in order to match up to the big fantasy that I expected it to be. The romances were pretty rudimentary and borderline unbelievable between the couples, with most of their relationships and feelings being explicitly told for the reader rather than showing us throughout their actions and words.

Lots of things to love here. I love the world building, the pacing, the inclusiveness, and the character outlines. I love the bond between Yeeran and Lettle, and how different they were to each other. The romances were secondary to the main storyline, and the love scenes while not closed door, they also were not explicit.

The only thing I felt off putting was when the author occasionally told the same scene from different perspectives. These feels repetitive, and unnecessary. Overall great book, looking forward to book 2.

I tried to read / listen on audio but I just could not get into the story. Might give it another go one day. I have heard great things from other reviewers so I will keep on my TBR for now!

Faebound was highly anticipated read for me and I read it in less than two days. I wished I had loved it as dearly as I anticipated considering its blurb and sapphic storyline.

Faebound struggled to wow me from its prose to its execution. While I still enjoyed the plot and worldbuilding, I found both to be very two-dimensional. On one hand, I appreciated being thrown into the story and learning as the characters journeyed through their respective stories. On the other, I found myself wanting more out of it all. More details, more exposition, more dimension, and overall tension within the story and between characters.

The plot, and unfortunately the characters too, were so shallow that I almost didn't care for the sapphic subplot. Not only was it very sidelined, it did not have the intense build and tension I usually look for. One moment Yeeran and Furi didn't speak, the next they were sharing stolen glances in each other's directions. When it came to the intimate scenes (sapphic and otherwise), they were very rushed and emotionless. It added to the overall feeling that the romance was merely there to be checked off.

Similarly, all conflict happened and was resolved within a page to two pages maximum. It lacked tension to the point where I simply ceased to care about the overarching conflict.

I wanted so bad to have loved this but it really didn't even impress me. Nevertheless, thank you Saara El-Arifi, Del Rey, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

This book was not as good as I thought it would be. Props to El-Arifi for finishing a book and having an interesting premise, but it just did not pan out how it could have. And the thing is, it had SO MUCH potential with the POC main characters and the ages of the characters and the magic system and prophecies etc. The plot was so boring and the characters - I didn't really care about it. I felt like I was skimming pages just trying to get to the interesting parts and then they never came. And the potential for a great Sapphic love story? Just bungled honestly, I wish I could have been the editor for this book so that I could have given so many pointers to draw readers in and keep them interested. The prophecy thing fell flat - it ruined any kind of surprise or tension, the romance was bland and the writing was honestly mediocre. I might try other books by this author but this being the first one i've tried, I'm not super motivated to keep going. This book's marketing and special editions were better than the book itself.

The relationships in this book were absolutely chefs kiss. The familial relationships AND the romantic relationships had me tearing up, throwing the book across the room, and turning the page faster so I could find out what happens next. These characters are so relatable, even in such a unique world.

The world building and magic system is unlike anything I've read, and I'm excited to dive in deeper. I was book one in this series was a little longer and a little less world build-y. I wanted more action right off the bat.