Faebound is the story of Yeeran, a fearless warrior who is exiled by her lover. Yeeran is determined to return to her people, but she accidentally commits an unforgivable offense to the fae. As Yeeran encounters the mystical fae and faces their justice, she forms a connection to a warrior named Furi. Yeeran’s sister Lettle followed her into the fae lands and is both blessed and cursed with divination gifts. As Yeeran attempts to win their freedom, they uncover secrets about both the elves and the fae. 

I loved Faebound! Faebound is a queer-norm fantasy with lovable characters and creative world-building. Saara El-Arifi crafts rich and inclusive world-building in the land of the fae and the elves. I’m curious to learn more about the lore behind the fae and the elves. El-Arifi always creates fantastic LGBTQ+ relationships and Faebound is no exception. The enemies-to-lovers connection that develops between Yeeran and Furi is excellent. There is no reason that there should be more between them and yet against all odds there is. All of the relationships between the characters are deep and compelling. 

Yeeran and Lettle in particular have a realistic and loving sibling bond. While they don’t always agree, they are always trying to protect each other. One of my favorite parts was the relationship between the obeah and their chosen partners. Yeeran’s obeah Pila is such a sweet and wise companion. I can’t wait to see where Saara El-Arifi takes the story next! Readers who enjoy Samantha Shannon, S.A. Chakraborty, and Jordan Ifueko will love this book. 

Thank you to Saara El-Arifi, Del Rey, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.