bookish_selkie's Reviews (2.14k)

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. 

This Day Changes Everything is a lighthearted and sweet romance. Abby is a firm believer in fate, signs, and there being an absolute right moment for everything. When her high school marching band is picked to perform in the Macy’s Day parade, she is certain now is the time to confess her feelings to her best friend. Yet when she gets to New York, instead of having a romantic trip with her best friend- she meets Leo. Leo is about to be outed to his extended family by appearing in the Macy’s Day parade with his own marching band. As Abby and Leo adventure throughout the city, they start to develop a connection.  

I loved This Day Changes Everything! Leo and Abby are the perfect grump/sunshine pairing. Abby is relentlessly looking for the best in every experience and wants to have romantic love like in the scenes from her favorite book. Meanwhile, Leo is struggling with his unaccepting family and being a Logistical Headache. They both have a lot to learn from each other. I enjoyed watching their begrudging friendship turn into something more. I also loved how they explored their identities together and discussed labels (how they can be helpful but certainly aren’t required). 

This Day Changes Everything has lots of strong friendships, lovable characters, and adventures around NYC. Leo and Abby had such good dialogue! It was so fun to see the city through their eyes as they went to classic NYC locations like Central Park, Grand Central Station, Chinatown etc. I also appreciated the ensemble cast of supportive friends. Readers who enjoyed Dash & Lily but wished it had more queer romance will love this book! If you enjoy fast-paced, lighthearted queer romance, and adventures in NYC then you will love This Day Changes Everything. I can’t wait to read what Edward Underhill writes next! 

Thank you to Edward Underhill, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.