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adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
📱
I enjoyed this book. It kept me entertained. I liked the worldbuilding. I felt this book did more telling than showing.
I enjoyed this book. It kept me entertained. I liked the worldbuilding. I felt this book did more telling than showing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, War
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, Murder
Minor: Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A very interesting fantasy with an easy to follow mythology, a few twists and turns, romance, spice, and excellent queer and disabled representation. Can't wait to read the next instalment!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Murder, War
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Death of parent, War
Moderate: Xenophobia, Dementia, Grief, Murder
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love the world Saara El-Arifi has created in Faebound with the dynamic of fae, elves, and (once upon a time) humans. It is a queernormative fantasy, which I am absolutely adoring at the moment. There are F/F, F/M, and M/M relationships mentioned on page as well as nonbinary characters. Again, I just loved the world El-Arifi created and the mythology of creation with the three gods each representing a different race and bestowing a “power.”
Strangely, despite falling in love with the world, I can’t pinpoint if there is a single character that I love as much. I enjoyed the characters, but I didn’t quite fall in love with any of them. Also, while I love the queer rep, none of the romantic partnerships had me in a chokehold, not even the enemies-to-lovers one. I will take a moment to appreciate El-Arifi’s depiction of siblings though. Even though our sibling protagonists are older (early-30s and late-20s), they still bicker like children. It is a dynamic I’ve seen with my own siblings at times, where we can revert back to the same arguments we had at 8 and 12, even though we are now much older.
As well, at times the foreshadowing in Faebound felt quite heavy. For every twist and turn, the groundwork has been put in place already on the page, so there were no surprise twists for me, but that didn’t make me like the book any less. Overall, the premise and world-building sunk its teeth into me with Faebound and I am eagerly anticipating the next installment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement
Moderate: Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, War
Minor: Death of parent, Abandonment
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
No
I chose this book for the "Judge a Book by its Cover" r/fantasy 2024 bingo square, and I'm afraid the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" applies to Faebound.
I found the world and magic system interesting. I wish we could have spent more time exploring those.
The characters annoyed me. Every time Lettle and Rayan interacted, I cringed. I felt like the romance betweenFury and Yeeran was unrealistic, like, girl, she murdered your brother! I kept forgetting the characters were supposed to be in their thirties. Lettle especially felt like a teenager. It was also very predictable.
I found the world and magic system interesting. I wish we could have spent more time exploring those.
The characters annoyed me. Every time Lettle and Rayan interacted, I cringed. I felt like the romance between
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death
Moderate: Medical content, Death of parent, Murder
Minor: Child death, Abandonment
I was very disappointed with the lack of character depth. The two main (intended, I assume, since I didn’t finish the book) romances felt shallow and insta-lovey. Not to mention any antagonistic character had a cartoon-like villainy.
I loved the premise of this world, the magic and the animal companion aspect, but ultimately I just wasn’t enjoying it enough to continue.
I loved the premise of this world, the magic and the animal companion aspect, but ultimately I just wasn’t enjoying it enough to continue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, War
Moderate: Chronic illness, Gore, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Slavery, Torture, Death of parent
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I preferred this authors other series to this and don’t think it will stick in my mind long enough to continue when the next installment comes out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a great read. For a fantasy novel, the writing and storyline are really accesible while still being complicated. The magic system is expansive and fascinating. The characters are as lovable as they are diversely different. Love interests play out in an interesting way, with satisfying results. Plot twists are abundant, perhaps too fast and abundant at the very end, but despite myself I found myself gasping at them. This scratched my romantasy itch!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Murder, War
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I absolutely loved this book. The world building was breathtaking. The characters, weren't perfect, but definitely loveable and have plenty of room to grow.
The insta-love, just wasn't doing much for me, on either end. And at times, the writing felt a bit underwhelming, particularly when Yeeran was speaking with Pila.
But ultimately, I truly am excited for the sequel announcement and the following announcement from fairyloot.
The insta-love, just wasn't doing much for me, on either end. And at times, the writing felt a bit underwhelming, particularly when Yeeran was speaking with Pila.
But ultimately, I truly am excited for the sequel announcement and the following announcement from fairyloot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Death of parent, War