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Bound by Runes
Fifty years ago, the Mages sacrificed their magic to form a barrier against the Void - a chasm of darkness that releases creatures of the night that consumes everything in its wake. Under the protection of the barrier, those that live in Kingdom of Draydon grieved the lives that were lost, but eventually life resumed.
Lilith was sure that her future would be simple. She would follow her brother’s footsteps and attend the same magical academy as them. Unfortunately, she is at the centre of a prophecy that results in most of her powers being bound by an ancient rune curse.
Trying to hide from the lord that cursed her, Lilith is sent to Skilheim, an elite military academy, where she learns how to control what’s left of her magic and try to figure out how to undo her curse. While trying to survive, she meets the prince, who has taken an interest in her, and against her better judgement she can't help but be pulled in by his charm.
Just as she gets a handle on her new found life, things become more complicated as the barrier that once protected from the Void breaks.
Lilith was sure that her future would be simple. She would follow her brother’s footsteps and attend the same magical academy as them. Unfortunately, she is at the centre of a prophecy that results in most of her powers being bound by an ancient rune curse.
Trying to hide from the lord that cursed her, Lilith is sent to Skilheim, an elite military academy, where she learns how to control what’s left of her magic and try to figure out how to undo her curse. While trying to survive, she meets the prince, who has taken an interest in her, and against her better judgement she can't help but be pulled in by his charm.
Just as she gets a handle on her new found life, things become more complicated as the barrier that once protected from the Void breaks.
306 pages, Paperback
Published June 30, 2025
13 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
August 16, 2025
I had zero expectations about this book (I just needed a break from some emotionally challenging reads). I am pleasantly surprised.
May I interest you in:
🪄 a fantasy romance with a good dose of mystery and
🧌 magic, bound magic, magic academia, and magic beasts
🪄 third person POV
🧌 strong, although a bit too blinded female MC; strong female support characters (Felicia, be my ride or die)
🪄 cool magic powers
🧌 spice: open door; quite a bit
🪄 a 😳🤯 cliffhanger
May I interest you in:
🪄 a fantasy romance with a good dose of mystery and
🧌 magic, bound magic, magic academia, and magic beasts
🪄 third person POV
🧌 strong, although a bit too blinded female MC; strong female support characters (Felicia, be my ride or die)
🪄 cool magic powers
🧌 spice: open door; quite a bit
🪄 a 😳🤯 cliffhanger
July 6, 2025
Very Zodiac Academy x ACOTAR - magic, different types of fae and abilities, something taking over the realm, not necessarily a love triangle but a prophecy that makes it seem a such.
It was honestly such a ride! It’s very descriptive and detailed, so if you’re looking for a quick breeze, this isn’t it. This has depth and explanations and character and lots of plot!
I enjoyed the fmc, but actually disliked the mmc (I can’t tell you why) and I had good reason to anyway 🤣 he wasn’t a bad character from a written standpoint, I just didn’t like him.
The spice was NOT TOO SPICEY but it was perfect for the story, very upper YA (I’d say 16+) fantasy, with a very slow burn.
Overall I enjoyed this book a lot! The characters were memorable, the plot was plotting, and I feel like the rest of this series will be a hit!
Thank you so much to The Nerd Fam and the author for an arc of this book! I’m excited for the rest of the series!
It was honestly such a ride! It’s very descriptive and detailed, so if you’re looking for a quick breeze, this isn’t it. This has depth and explanations and character and lots of plot!
I enjoyed the fmc, but actually disliked the mmc (I can’t tell you why) and I had good reason to anyway 🤣 he wasn’t a bad character from a written standpoint, I just didn’t like him.
The spice was NOT TOO SPICEY but it was perfect for the story, very upper YA (I’d say 16+) fantasy, with a very slow burn.
Overall I enjoyed this book a lot! The characters were memorable, the plot was plotting, and I feel like the rest of this series will be a hit!
Thank you so much to The Nerd Fam and the author for an arc of this book! I’m excited for the rest of the series!
July 2, 2025
Thank you to Nerd Fam for the eARC of Bound by Runes!
I was so excited to dive into this magical world, and while this one didn’t fully work for me, the concept was really intriguing and had a lot of potential
🌒✨Book Overview:
Fifty years ago, the Mages gave up their magic to create a powerful barrier that held back the Void, a dark chasm-like force that unleashes nightmarish creatures capable of consuming entire worlds. Under the shelter of that barrier, life in the Kingdom of Draydon found a way to carry on.
Lilith expected a quiet, structured life. Just follow her brothers to the magical academy and keep things simple. But fate and prophecy had other plans. After being cursed with an ancient rune that binds most of her magic, Lilith is forced to hide away at Skilheim, a military academy where she must train, survive, and learn to master the scraps of mana she has left. Things get even more complicated when a certain prince takes a dangerous interest in her, and the Void’s barrier starts to fall apart.
💬My Review:
This was such a creative premise. The worldbuilding was rich, and the mana and rune based magic system was one of the most interesting parts. It had depth and uniqueness that set it apart from more traditional fantasy systems. I loved the tension between fate and free will, and the setting gave off a mix of classic fantasy and dark academia vibes that I really liked.
That said, this ended up being a 3 star read for me. I struggled with the writing style. It felt a bit disjointed at times and hard to fully get lost in. And Lilith... oh Lilith. She was a tough one. Her character felt inconsistent, and her decision making often frustrated me more than it intrigued me. I wanted to root for her, but I kept getting whiplash from her personality shifts.
Still, there's definitely something here. If you love magical curses, secret academies, morally gray royals, and high stakes magical systems that blend mana and runes, you may find this worth checking out.
I was so excited to dive into this magical world, and while this one didn’t fully work for me, the concept was really intriguing and had a lot of potential
🌒✨Book Overview:
Fifty years ago, the Mages gave up their magic to create a powerful barrier that held back the Void, a dark chasm-like force that unleashes nightmarish creatures capable of consuming entire worlds. Under the shelter of that barrier, life in the Kingdom of Draydon found a way to carry on.
Lilith expected a quiet, structured life. Just follow her brothers to the magical academy and keep things simple. But fate and prophecy had other plans. After being cursed with an ancient rune that binds most of her magic, Lilith is forced to hide away at Skilheim, a military academy where she must train, survive, and learn to master the scraps of mana she has left. Things get even more complicated when a certain prince takes a dangerous interest in her, and the Void’s barrier starts to fall apart.
💬My Review:
This was such a creative premise. The worldbuilding was rich, and the mana and rune based magic system was one of the most interesting parts. It had depth and uniqueness that set it apart from more traditional fantasy systems. I loved the tension between fate and free will, and the setting gave off a mix of classic fantasy and dark academia vibes that I really liked.
That said, this ended up being a 3 star read for me. I struggled with the writing style. It felt a bit disjointed at times and hard to fully get lost in. And Lilith... oh Lilith. She was a tough one. Her character felt inconsistent, and her decision making often frustrated me more than it intrigued me. I wanted to root for her, but I kept getting whiplash from her personality shifts.
Still, there's definitely something here. If you love magical curses, secret academies, morally gray royals, and high stakes magical systems that blend mana and runes, you may find this worth checking out.
July 1, 2025
I give this a 3.5 stars
The beginning pulled me right in. It got a little slow in the middle but the ending was wrapped up nicely! I look forward to the second book !!
The beginning pulled me right in. It got a little slow in the middle but the ending was wrapped up nicely! I look forward to the second book !!
June 17, 2025
3.5/5 round up.
This debut is a good attempt. The writing is a little weird to me with referencing people in odd ways. It's in 3rd person but follows Lilith's story and referencing others in ways that are really odd.
Lilith to me has many character development flaws. she's forced into having bound magic and kind of just accepts her life despite how abrupt the situation comes. the friends and her communication seems very forced and I had a hard time connecting to the friendships and any of her relationships at all.
the magic is pretty straightforward mana and how I think of "video game" magic. it's interesting and I love her school setting the plot has a bunch of potential. overall a pretty decent story.
This debut is a good attempt. The writing is a little weird to me with referencing people in odd ways. It's in 3rd person but follows Lilith's story and referencing others in ways that are really odd.
Lilith to me has many character development flaws. she's forced into having bound magic and kind of just accepts her life despite how abrupt the situation comes. the friends and her communication seems very forced and I had a hard time connecting to the friendships and any of her relationships at all.
the magic is pretty straightforward mana and how I think of "video game" magic. it's interesting and I love her school setting the plot has a bunch of potential. overall a pretty decent story.
June 30, 2025
Omg this book was amazing. I couldn’t put it down and when I had to I didn’t want to . I can’t wait for book 2 because it left off with a cliffhanger and boy. Was it a good one the plot twist was twisting. I can say I didn’t see it coming and when I read that last 25% of the book, I read it so quickly because it was so fast paced the adventure, the magic, the school, the void of darkness the faded mates. It had everything and I am so blessed that I got to read this book because oh my Lord it was great. I cannot wait for a book too. There better be a book too. With the way this left off. I’m going to be impatiently waiting amazing book. Amazing character growth the plot twist you don’t see coming it was an adventure in heavy chapter. They were short chapters which I enjoy because it makes me feel like I’m getting through the book and it gives me more of a stopping point when I have to it was written amazing. The characters go through so much and they are very strong characters Lilith is amazing even with the ruins that bound her from getting her full potential of magic mana. She still somehow becomes the most magical goddess you could ever see with two princes who vie for her attention, you don’t know who you can trust there’s political intrigue. There’s a little bit of everything for everyone. This was an all-time fantasy for me. I can’t say it enough. This was a top tier for me I think this may be my favorite of 2025.
July 4, 2025
100% Mark - Overall, the premise of this book is really interesting. Everything that happens to Lilith is objectively really cool, from her powerful mana (magic system), to her going to the academy, to the people she meets, the adventures she goes on, and the world setting. This has really good bones and if we can fix some things in Book 2, we have a good series.
I, along with my fellow Nerd Fam readers, struggled with the writing style. I speculated this has to do with English not being the author's first language. She indirectly alludes to this in her Acknowledgments. I may be reading into this wrong, but either way it was a tough read. Though if I am right, I truly commend the author for venturing to write a book in a second language. That's hardcore.
I also struggled with our FMC, Lilith. Her character was inconstant. I never really left like I fully understood what she wanted and what her goals were throughout. They were changing depending on who she was interacting with.
The cliffhanger made me sad honestly haha. I will read Book 2, but I fear I lost a character I really liked and I'm really bummed about that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
51% Mark - This is such a fantastic dark fantasy romance so far! I'm really enjoying arc reading Scheirer's debut novel. It a unique magic system, and it is set in a school location where the students are learning to develop their magic. It has hints of Shadow & Bone with concept like the Void and dark creature that maul people. There is also political intrigue mixed in with royals. There is also an inclining of a romance to come. So far the bread comes have been delicious. I need more NOW! Heading back to reading. Must finish ASAP.
Go support this book! It is available TODAY for purchase on paperback, Kindle, and KU!
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #boundbyrunes #thenerdfam
I, along with my fellow Nerd Fam readers, struggled with the writing style. I speculated this has to do with English not being the author's first language. She indirectly alludes to this in her Acknowledgments. I may be reading into this wrong, but either way it was a tough read. Though if I am right, I truly commend the author for venturing to write a book in a second language. That's hardcore.
I also struggled with our FMC, Lilith. Her character was inconstant. I never really left like I fully understood what she wanted and what her goals were throughout. They were changing depending on who she was interacting with.
The cliffhanger made me sad honestly haha. I will read Book 2, but I fear I lost a character I really liked and I'm really bummed about that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
51% Mark - This is such a fantastic dark fantasy romance so far! I'm really enjoying arc reading Scheirer's debut novel. It a unique magic system, and it is set in a school location where the students are learning to develop their magic. It has hints of Shadow & Bone with concept like the Void and dark creature that maul people. There is also political intrigue mixed in with royals. There is also an inclining of a romance to come. So far the bread comes have been delicious. I need more NOW! Heading back to reading. Must finish ASAP.
Go support this book! It is available TODAY for purchase on paperback, Kindle, and KU!
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #boundbyrunes #thenerdfam
July 4, 2025
That ending!!!!! Thank you to NerdFam for the eArc opportunity.
While this one had some flaws, overall I enjoyed it! I’m looking forward to the next book and hope some of the kinks get worked out. The development of the characters was a little disjointed however it didn’t ruin the experience in any way. Just could have been a little better. Some of the friendships seemed a little forced, and again not developed.
Towards the end things picked up and there was a really good twist!
Overall, 3.75
While this one had some flaws, overall I enjoyed it! I’m looking forward to the next book and hope some of the kinks get worked out. The development of the characters was a little disjointed however it didn’t ruin the experience in any way. Just could have been a little better. Some of the friendships seemed a little forced, and again not developed.
Towards the end things picked up and there was a really good twist!
Overall, 3.75
June 25, 2025
3.5⭐️ — I really liked the premise of this one! The world-building, the academy setting, the cursed heroine — all right up my alley. I also appreciated the bit of spice sprinkled in. That said, the pacing felt a little all over the place, and I struggled to fully connect with the characters. I think with a little more development, this could’ve been a solid 4-star for me. Still, I enjoyed the overall story and would check out more from this author!
June 30, 2025
First off, thank you to The NerdFam and Katherine Scheirer for sending this eARC over. Although I struggled a bit with the writing style, it was still a good book. I give it a 3.8 rating. I rounded up to 4 stars, It kept me entertained and engaged. I loved the characters and the magic system in this book. The way it ended makes me want to pick up the next book.
June 17, 2025
I genuinely loved this book!
The world building was great, I loved the plot and the characters were great.
The ending honestly shook me to my core and had me wanting more. I literally finished this book and stared out into the void, thinking wtf?!?
The world building was great, I loved the plot and the characters were great.
The ending honestly shook me to my core and had me wanting more. I literally finished this book and stared out into the void, thinking wtf?!?
June 28, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Thank you nerdfam for the opportunity to read this book. I wanted to love this! It had all the things I enjoy in a story, but I just felt like something was missing. I will definitely check out book 2 just to see what happens next!
June 15, 2025
ARC review
I absolutely loved this book. The plot is addictive, keeping you on your toes through every chapter. Almost every single character had a hand in the MFC character development, no one felt unnecessary. The twists had me twisting, and that last chapter had me audibly gasping. I will say that the last few chapters of the books did feel a tad rushed. I think this book is perfect for fans of The Magicians and Avatar The Last Airbender
Thank you to #thenerdfam for the eARC gift!
I absolutely loved this book. The plot is addictive, keeping you on your toes through every chapter. Almost every single character had a hand in the MFC character development, no one felt unnecessary. The twists had me twisting, and that last chapter had me audibly gasping. I will say that the last few chapters of the books did feel a tad rushed. I think this book is perfect for fans of The Magicians and Avatar The Last Airbender
Thank you to #thenerdfam for the eARC gift!
June 15, 2025
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. I enjoyed the premise of this book. A girl prophesied to have immense power sitting on a throne of the dead? Yes please! However, the pacing and world building of this book was off to me. I found that the author would tell what was occurring rather than showing the reader through the actions and thoughts of the FMC. There were also some character items that did not sit right with me. The FMC has been magic bound due to this prophecy. Is she upset? Yes of course! But she seems to get over it pretty quickly. If that was me, it would be my villain origin story. Overall, I enjoyed the premise and storyline, but I was not a fan of the writing style.
June 16, 2025
This was not for me.
I requested a copy of this book because it sounded so interesting to me, but it fell very flat. The world building was very all over the place. The fmc just sort of let important things go and kind of accepted that they happened, even when they could be considered life changing.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I requested a copy of this book because it sounded so interesting to me, but it fell very flat. The world building was very all over the place. The fmc just sort of let important things go and kind of accepted that they happened, even when they could be considered life changing.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2025
This was received as an ARC in exchange for an honest review — thank you Katherine Scheirer & The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
Book: Bound by Runes
Series: Yes (Idk what the series name is but look at Author’s website for book 2 info)
Genre: Upper YA, Fantasy Romance
Rating: 4.5⭐
4/5 Relationships
4/5 Characters
5/5 Plot
2🌶
*:✿˚⋆ SPOILER FREE REVIEW *:✿˚⋆
Kay so, I’m a sucker for academic settings. I just love everything about that kind of story, so I was really excited to start Bound by Runes. I knew it would be right up my alley but dang, it surprised me at how good it actually was. Something that is important to mention before I go through the book analysis: this is a short, fast-paced book of around 306 pages, and is part of a series, so keep that information in mind while reading the analysis below.
The characters were interesting and likable; the only thing I have to say about this aspect is that I wish we had a bit more depth to them. I feel like we got close to deep-diving into their personalities and histories a few times, but never actually got there. I also felt like there was so much potential to have a “found-family clan” but never got there either. Granted, we do get 2-3 secondary characters with deeper bondings, but still I wish we had gone a bit deeper. However, as mentioned above, since this is a quick and short first installment, there is still time for in-depth character backgrounds and personalities. That said, I still loved the main characters.
As for the relationships, I really, really liked the development of the FMC/MMC romance and could not get enough of it. The FMC also builds friendships with a few side characters and, even though it doesn’t go too deep (since there is not a lot of time to strengthen those bonds), it is still an important part of the book and I did enjoy them. I would love to see more about the FMCs relationship with her siblings, I think there is a lot of potential there too. Without spoiling anything, there might also be potential for a love triangle, which could be interesting as well.
On to the plot! This was so so so good. I loved the plot and I am so darn curious to know what is going to happen. I think it was one of my favourite plots yet. It’s kind of dark to be honest, but I just feel like that makes it ten times better. I really don’t want to give anything away but it gave me Anathema vibes while also being very different. The creepiness and oddness of it all just made me so intrigued, I ate that up so fast. It’s one of those plots that allows the story to not revolve around the romance, like you could take the romance out of the book completely and it would still be as interesting because the plot can carry itself, really just chef’s kiss.
Another thing I want to mention is the writing. I’m mentioning this because I know it might put off some people initially, and I want to make it clear that the book is worth reading anyways. I honestly hate talking about the writing of a book in reviews because it’s never something that will stop me from reading a book, but I know a lot of people do decide to DNF because of it, and I just think this is a book you should finish. So yes, the writing is a bit odd sometimes. I personally think it’s just because of the limited number of pages, but yes, the writing is cut a bit quick and dry and might feel a bit choppy at times, but it’s important to remember that (you guessed it) this is a fast-paced, 300-page book!! If you keep that in mind, I think it’s very easy to ignore the writing and enjoy the book.
Lastly, this book ends on a big cliffhanger. I am generally really good at mapping out the events and endings of books very early on, so when a book completely takes me by surprise and slaps me with an unexpected cliffhanger, it gains major points. I was honestly so shook at the ending, I did not expect it at all. It just made me enjoy the book so much more and I am so excited for the next one to come out (which might take some time, considering this one just came out last week *sad face*).
I’ll stop rambling now. Go get the book, it’s 100% worth it. I’ll probably still be talking about it in a few months and will definitely be re-reading it shortly.
Book: Bound by Runes
Series: Yes (Idk what the series name is but look at Author’s website for book 2 info)
Genre: Upper YA, Fantasy Romance
Rating: 4.5⭐
4/5 Relationships
4/5 Characters
5/5 Plot
2🌶
*:✿˚⋆ SPOILER FREE REVIEW *:✿˚⋆
Kay so, I’m a sucker for academic settings. I just love everything about that kind of story, so I was really excited to start Bound by Runes. I knew it would be right up my alley but dang, it surprised me at how good it actually was. Something that is important to mention before I go through the book analysis: this is a short, fast-paced book of around 306 pages, and is part of a series, so keep that information in mind while reading the analysis below.
The characters were interesting and likable; the only thing I have to say about this aspect is that I wish we had a bit more depth to them. I feel like we got close to deep-diving into their personalities and histories a few times, but never actually got there. I also felt like there was so much potential to have a “found-family clan” but never got there either. Granted, we do get 2-3 secondary characters with deeper bondings, but still I wish we had gone a bit deeper. However, as mentioned above, since this is a quick and short first installment, there is still time for in-depth character backgrounds and personalities. That said, I still loved the main characters.
As for the relationships, I really, really liked the development of the FMC/MMC romance and could not get enough of it. The FMC also builds friendships with a few side characters and, even though it doesn’t go too deep (since there is not a lot of time to strengthen those bonds), it is still an important part of the book and I did enjoy them. I would love to see more about the FMCs relationship with her siblings, I think there is a lot of potential there too. Without spoiling anything, there might also be potential for a love triangle, which could be interesting as well.
On to the plot! This was so so so good. I loved the plot and I am so darn curious to know what is going to happen. I think it was one of my favourite plots yet. It’s kind of dark to be honest, but I just feel like that makes it ten times better. I really don’t want to give anything away but it gave me Anathema vibes while also being very different. The creepiness and oddness of it all just made me so intrigued, I ate that up so fast. It’s one of those plots that allows the story to not revolve around the romance, like you could take the romance out of the book completely and it would still be as interesting because the plot can carry itself, really just chef’s kiss.
Another thing I want to mention is the writing. I’m mentioning this because I know it might put off some people initially, and I want to make it clear that the book is worth reading anyways. I honestly hate talking about the writing of a book in reviews because it’s never something that will stop me from reading a book, but I know a lot of people do decide to DNF because of it, and I just think this is a book you should finish. So yes, the writing is a bit odd sometimes. I personally think it’s just because of the limited number of pages, but yes, the writing is cut a bit quick and dry and might feel a bit choppy at times, but it’s important to remember that (you guessed it) this is a fast-paced, 300-page book!! If you keep that in mind, I think it’s very easy to ignore the writing and enjoy the book.
Lastly, this book ends on a big cliffhanger. I am generally really good at mapping out the events and endings of books very early on, so when a book completely takes me by surprise and slaps me with an unexpected cliffhanger, it gains major points. I was honestly so shook at the ending, I did not expect it at all. It just made me enjoy the book so much more and I am so excited for the next one to come out (which might take some time, considering this one just came out last week *sad face*).
I’ll stop rambling now. Go get the book, it’s 100% worth it. I’ll probably still be talking about it in a few months and will definitely be re-reading it shortly.
June 22, 2025
After learning about a prophecy stating her powers (along with those of another- her magic counterpart) are strong enough to devastate the world, Lilliths magic is forcefully bound by runes, and she is sent to a magical academy far away from her magical counterpart, in an effort to save lives. Lillith wants nothing more than to remove her runes, reclaim her magic, and get on with her life. But new friends, a handsome prince, a religious cult, and a void that threatens to swallow their land, throw a wrench in her plans. Will she follow her set plans? Follow the prince? Or a whole new path she has yet to discover?
This book was enjoyable. It had many of the tropes that I enjoy like: magic, “who did this to you” MMC, tough FMC, prophecy, and a magic academy. The main character Lillith, is tough, adept in magic and fighting, but still has a soft side (she cries a lot, okay? Some of us cry a lot). Her relationship with the MMC felt a little forced but still fun. The book was a good length, nothing was dragged on for too long, and there was a good amount of action/competitions/training to keep things going. And the ending was a big twist!
I wish there was a touch more background into the main character- like more about why she can fight so well beyond “she was trained by her brothers”, and why she’s so strong. Is it random? Is it a family line thing? Why her? And her dad is an advisor to the king, but there’s not much more family info beyond that.
The magic system was mildly confusing. They sort of have SOME magic before a “resurgence” that occurs in their early 20s, where some people get VERY strong, but others just have a touch more control of their powers. Some people control multiple elements. Others just one. Not sure why. Also some of the rune magic was confusing too- but that may have been a me thing
There is some inconsistency in the language of the book. Some of the sentences are very profound and written in very proper posh language, and then some sentences read very juvenile (even from the same character) there’s not really a balance if that makes sense.
Thank you to the NerdFam for this eARC! I am looking forward to more of Lillith’s story!
This book was enjoyable. It had many of the tropes that I enjoy like: magic, “who did this to you” MMC, tough FMC, prophecy, and a magic academy. The main character Lillith, is tough, adept in magic and fighting, but still has a soft side (she cries a lot, okay? Some of us cry a lot). Her relationship with the MMC felt a little forced but still fun. The book was a good length, nothing was dragged on for too long, and there was a good amount of action/competitions/training to keep things going. And the ending was a big twist!
I wish there was a touch more background into the main character- like more about why she can fight so well beyond “she was trained by her brothers”, and why she’s so strong. Is it random? Is it a family line thing? Why her? And her dad is an advisor to the king, but there’s not much more family info beyond that.
The magic system was mildly confusing. They sort of have SOME magic before a “resurgence” that occurs in their early 20s, where some people get VERY strong, but others just have a touch more control of their powers. Some people control multiple elements. Others just one. Not sure why. Also some of the rune magic was confusing too- but that may have been a me thing
There is some inconsistency in the language of the book. Some of the sentences are very profound and written in very proper posh language, and then some sentences read very juvenile (even from the same character) there’s not really a balance if that makes sense.
Thank you to the NerdFam for this eARC! I am looking forward to more of Lillith’s story!
June 25, 2025
Thank you to Nerd Fam and the author for the opportunity to read and review Bound by Runes as an ARC.
This book follows Lilith, our female main character, who is school bound and ready to begin the next phase of her life. Unfortunately for her, school bound isn’t the only kind of bound she is. Due to a prophecy, her powers were forcibly restricted. In the world Katherine Scheirer has crafted, people channel Mana, magic unique to each individual that allows them to control elements like wind, ice, or sometimes both. Lilith is exceptionally gifted with Mana, which makes her binding all the more controversial and impactful.
Despite her limitations, Lilith attends school to train her magic and refine her skills. With threats looming over their world, students face intense pressure to meet high expectations. But the prophecy isn’t just about Lilith’s powers. It also involves a mysterious man she’s supposedly destined to meet. Their union could be the key to fulfilling the prophecy. But what if she falls for someone else instead?
There were things I enjoyed about this book and others that didn’t work as well for me. Unless I’m mistaken, this is a debut novel, and if so, it shows a great deal of promise. The worldbuilding is creative, vivid, and immersive, with distinct characters and compelling dynamics. I’m genuinely looking forward to book two.
That said, I struggled to feel fully connected. The situations were detailed and the world well described, but the emotional and romantic chemistry didn’t fully land for me. At one point, a character mentioned how long they’d been at school, and I was shocked. It didn’t feel like that much time had passed. With so much plot packed into just 300 pages, I think some of the emotional build up, relationship development, and tension got lost. I could see the evolution of the characters and relationships on the page, but I didn’t feel it. The writing had a slight stiffness, a bit of awkwardness, that held it back from truly shining.
For me, this wasn’t quite a four star read, but I rounded up knowing it’s a debut and believing in the potential. I’ll be keeping an eye out for what’s next from this author.
This book follows Lilith, our female main character, who is school bound and ready to begin the next phase of her life. Unfortunately for her, school bound isn’t the only kind of bound she is. Due to a prophecy, her powers were forcibly restricted. In the world Katherine Scheirer has crafted, people channel Mana, magic unique to each individual that allows them to control elements like wind, ice, or sometimes both. Lilith is exceptionally gifted with Mana, which makes her binding all the more controversial and impactful.
Despite her limitations, Lilith attends school to train her magic and refine her skills. With threats looming over their world, students face intense pressure to meet high expectations. But the prophecy isn’t just about Lilith’s powers. It also involves a mysterious man she’s supposedly destined to meet. Their union could be the key to fulfilling the prophecy. But what if she falls for someone else instead?
There were things I enjoyed about this book and others that didn’t work as well for me. Unless I’m mistaken, this is a debut novel, and if so, it shows a great deal of promise. The worldbuilding is creative, vivid, and immersive, with distinct characters and compelling dynamics. I’m genuinely looking forward to book two.
That said, I struggled to feel fully connected. The situations were detailed and the world well described, but the emotional and romantic chemistry didn’t fully land for me. At one point, a character mentioned how long they’d been at school, and I was shocked. It didn’t feel like that much time had passed. With so much plot packed into just 300 pages, I think some of the emotional build up, relationship development, and tension got lost. I could see the evolution of the characters and relationships on the page, but I didn’t feel it. The writing had a slight stiffness, a bit of awkwardness, that held it back from truly shining.
For me, this wasn’t quite a four star read, but I rounded up knowing it’s a debut and believing in the potential. I’ll be keeping an eye out for what’s next from this author.
July 1, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️✨/⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you The Nerd Fam and Katherine Scheirer for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Bound by Runes follows the story of Lilith, a young girl who is part of a bigger than life prophecy when it comes to her powers and what she will be to the world. Our Lord from their kingdom, comes to find out the prophecy and is worried about when it may come true, especially with it involving his own son. In order to ensure that this does not come true, Runes are placed to suppress her magic. Instead of following and her brother footsteps, she gets sent to the military Academy far north of the kingdom to continue to not be a danger to society. It is there the secret start to come out, magic begins to evolve, and the worries of the attacks of rebels and where are this kingdom will go starts to topple. Will be able to figure out her magic and her place in the story before it is too late?
Honestly, I had a lot of high hopes from the description of this book and I am glad in the end that I read it . I thought the magic system was pretty unique along with where the story was going to, which is what I was excited for. additionally, it actually has a quick pace set for it as well my problem relies that I felt as though most of the book was very surface level. I think a lot of that came from the writing as well in the way that not only it was third person, but it almost read as a run-on sentence or first draft I know this was an advanced reader copy, but there’s also some typos in there that I just couldn’t get past as well. Overall was a little disappointed just because I did have some good expectations for this, and I think there is a lot of potential when it comes to the author. But it read too quick and toothpaste, and I got really confused at times about who has what magic, what they were trying to fight, and also the emotional connection to the main character and as well as the MMC. I just felt left wanting more and not satisfied for this to be a first novel I could see how people have really enjoyed the story, but I do not think I will be going on with this myself.
Thank you The Nerd Fam and Katherine Scheirer for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Bound by Runes follows the story of Lilith, a young girl who is part of a bigger than life prophecy when it comes to her powers and what she will be to the world. Our Lord from their kingdom, comes to find out the prophecy and is worried about when it may come true, especially with it involving his own son. In order to ensure that this does not come true, Runes are placed to suppress her magic. Instead of following and her brother footsteps, she gets sent to the military Academy far north of the kingdom to continue to not be a danger to society. It is there the secret start to come out, magic begins to evolve, and the worries of the attacks of rebels and where are this kingdom will go starts to topple. Will be able to figure out her magic and her place in the story before it is too late?
Honestly, I had a lot of high hopes from the description of this book and I am glad in the end that I read it . I thought the magic system was pretty unique along with where the story was going to, which is what I was excited for. additionally, it actually has a quick pace set for it as well my problem relies that I felt as though most of the book was very surface level. I think a lot of that came from the writing as well in the way that not only it was third person, but it almost read as a run-on sentence or first draft I know this was an advanced reader copy, but there’s also some typos in there that I just couldn’t get past as well. Overall was a little disappointed just because I did have some good expectations for this, and I think there is a lot of potential when it comes to the author. But it read too quick and toothpaste, and I got really confused at times about who has what magic, what they were trying to fight, and also the emotional connection to the main character and as well as the MMC. I just felt left wanting more and not satisfied for this to be a first novel I could see how people have really enjoyed the story, but I do not think I will be going on with this myself.
June 27, 2025
3.5⭐️
I enjoyed the book for the most part and felt that it had potential, but I felt that the plot really fell apart in the end and kind of ruined it for me. I really like the concept of the magic system and the academia setting the book partially takes place in. I wish the magic was explained a bit more as well as the type of people that inhabit this world such as sirens and fae as it was a bit shocking that a lot of the students at the academy weren't human and it did not really go into an explanation as to why or if it's normal. I felt that the whole premise of Lilith being bound was just a plot device to set her up on this journey without it truly having the consequences you would think having your magic bound would be. I just found it a bit unrealistic that even with her powers bound, she was still able to beat everyone else in her class and would only struggle a little.
I felt that this story had the potential for a more found family and friendships as Lilith got along with a lot of her classmates, but I found most of them to be not very fleshed out and unforgettable. Even the romance was not written the best; I certainly did not root for Lilith and the prince, I thought he was a bit of a creep. Something that also personally bothered me was when the prince disguised himself under another alias, they kept referring to him by that name in the narration. I found this annoying because I the reader knows who he is and so does the other characters, so this was very unnecessary.
The ending is what really took me out of the story because it just suddenly came out of left field and was very extreme. I honestly expected for that person to betray Lilith as it was not so subtly hinted by another character that something was not right, and so it was neither a surprise or executed well in my opinion. I do feel that the story itself has potential and I am curious about Lilith and Ameriel since they did not interact much in this book, so I may give the next one another try to see the direction it goes in.
Thank you the Nerd Fam for an eARC!
I enjoyed the book for the most part and felt that it had potential, but I felt that the plot really fell apart in the end and kind of ruined it for me. I really like the concept of the magic system and the academia setting the book partially takes place in. I wish the magic was explained a bit more as well as the type of people that inhabit this world such as sirens and fae as it was a bit shocking that a lot of the students at the academy weren't human and it did not really go into an explanation as to why or if it's normal. I felt that the whole premise of Lilith being bound was just a plot device to set her up on this journey without it truly having the consequences you would think having your magic bound would be. I just found it a bit unrealistic that even with her powers bound, she was still able to beat everyone else in her class and would only struggle a little.
I felt that this story had the potential for a more found family and friendships as Lilith got along with a lot of her classmates, but I found most of them to be not very fleshed out and unforgettable. Even the romance was not written the best; I certainly did not root for Lilith and the prince, I thought he was a bit of a creep. Something that also personally bothered me was when the prince disguised himself under another alias, they kept referring to him by that name in the narration. I found this annoying because I the reader knows who he is and so does the other characters, so this was very unnecessary.
The ending is what really took me out of the story because it just suddenly came out of left field and was very extreme. I honestly expected for that person to betray Lilith as it was not so subtly hinted by another character that something was not right, and so it was neither a surprise or executed well in my opinion. I do feel that the story itself has potential and I am curious about Lilith and Ameriel since they did not interact much in this book, so I may give the next one another try to see the direction it goes in.
Thank you the Nerd Fam for an eARC!
June 29, 2025
Title: Bound by Runes
Author: Katherine Scheirer
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 308
Rating: 4⭐️/5
“I’m tired of fighting myself.”
Long before the world was cursed and shadows rose from the chasm, a girl with the gift of prophecy was taken from her mother and raised in a temple. Her name was lost to time, but her visions shaped the fate of the Kingdom of Draydon. She spoke of two powerful souls—one born into light, the other into privilege—whose magic could either save the world or bring about its end. Now, nineteen-year-old Lilith Helm, the youngest of House Helm, has been marked by that prophecy. Her powers are bound by runes and she’s sent to Skilheim Academy, far from Armiriel, a gifted warrior and the other half of her foretold fate. As her brother Jasper serves at court and King Amadeus rallies his army near the fallen city of Birchridge, Lilith faces growing danger: a spreading Void, a fanatical cult, and the weight of a destiny she never asked for. But she’s determined to break her bindings and choose her own path—before the gods have the last word.
BOUND BY RUNES was an engaging and enjoyable read that delivered on several great tropes—magic academy, a powerful yet vulnerable heroine, prophecies, and a slow-building romance. Lilith is a well-rounded main character: strong, skilled, and emotionally open, which made her easy to connect with. The worldbuilding was creative, with a unique magic system and interesting elements like the resurgence of powers and rune bindings, though I would’ve liked a bit more clarity in some areas. The story moved at a good pace, with plenty of training, action, and mystery to keep things interesting. While the romance could have used a little more development, it added a nice layer to the plot. Overall, this was a promising and enjoyable debut, and the twist at the end has me looking forward to book two!
A big thanks to The Nerd Fam and Katherine Scheirer for providing me with a digital ARC of this book!
Releasing 06/30/25 on Amazon, KU and paperback.
E-book pre-orders are available NOW.
—
#AdvancedReaderCopy
Author: Katherine Scheirer
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 308
Rating: 4⭐️/5
“I’m tired of fighting myself.”
Long before the world was cursed and shadows rose from the chasm, a girl with the gift of prophecy was taken from her mother and raised in a temple. Her name was lost to time, but her visions shaped the fate of the Kingdom of Draydon. She spoke of two powerful souls—one born into light, the other into privilege—whose magic could either save the world or bring about its end. Now, nineteen-year-old Lilith Helm, the youngest of House Helm, has been marked by that prophecy. Her powers are bound by runes and she’s sent to Skilheim Academy, far from Armiriel, a gifted warrior and the other half of her foretold fate. As her brother Jasper serves at court and King Amadeus rallies his army near the fallen city of Birchridge, Lilith faces growing danger: a spreading Void, a fanatical cult, and the weight of a destiny she never asked for. But she’s determined to break her bindings and choose her own path—before the gods have the last word.
BOUND BY RUNES was an engaging and enjoyable read that delivered on several great tropes—magic academy, a powerful yet vulnerable heroine, prophecies, and a slow-building romance. Lilith is a well-rounded main character: strong, skilled, and emotionally open, which made her easy to connect with. The worldbuilding was creative, with a unique magic system and interesting elements like the resurgence of powers and rune bindings, though I would’ve liked a bit more clarity in some areas. The story moved at a good pace, with plenty of training, action, and mystery to keep things interesting. While the romance could have used a little more development, it added a nice layer to the plot. Overall, this was a promising and enjoyable debut, and the twist at the end has me looking forward to book two!
A big thanks to The Nerd Fam and Katherine Scheirer for providing me with a digital ARC of this book!
Releasing 06/30/25 on Amazon, KU and paperback.
E-book pre-orders are available NOW.
—
#AdvancedReaderCopy
June 25, 2025
I was excited to have the opportunity to read Bound by Runes early! The cover? Captivating. Magic academy setting? I love! Dark fantasy romance? Right up my alley! Unfortunately, this book didn’t really work for me as much as I expected and I think it had to do with a combination of the writing style, how the world building was done, and awkward character interactions (relationships with friends and love interest weren’t really believable in my opinion). The mana-based magic system is very cool but there were a lot of questions surrounding the world and characters I had that didn’t really get addressed. For example, why is the FMC so adept at fighting? There was only a generic mention that she trained with her brothers growing up but still... she seemed a bit too perfect in this regard and combined with her incredible, prophesied powers made her hard to relate to (for me). There was a lot of time spent with training and in a tournament with classmates, so if you love those aspects in academy-based books, you’ll enjoy these chapters! The writing style is in 3rd person POV which I enjoy but at times it looked like even within the same page, we were switching which character’s POV we were witnessing which I was not expecting or used to. I really enjoy a good found family trope when reading magical academy books and I feel that the lack of developing relationships between the FMC and her friends was a bit of a missed opportunity. The ending was a surprise I didn’t see coming so it definitely sets up an intriguing situation to be resumed in the next book! Overall, I think readers who love magical academies with lots of training and tournaments, feminine rage, and the chosen one trope will enjoy reading this book!
Thank you to @thenerdfam for the gifted eARC!
Thank you to @thenerdfam for the gifted eARC!
July 1, 2025
I have major qualms with the author of this book! I mean, what the ham sandwich was that ending?! I expected many things, but that’s ending was not one of them. Overall, I thought this was a good book. It drew me in early and then left me slack mouthed, wondering how in the world things can get better from the point at which they ended. At times the pace was a little wonky, but it wasn’t enough to put me off.
The story was full of trials and hardships the heroine, Lilith was forced to overcome and her journey was epic. I mean, within the first few chapters, her life was flipped completely upside down. My heart broke for her. I was angry for her. At times I celebrated the battles she faced and won. In the metaphorical sense, Lilith’s character reminded me of a Phoenix. Every time she was knocked down, she rose to the challenge and persevered, without losing too much of herself in the process.
Bound By Runes catered to so many of my favorite tropes: academic setting, enemies to lovers, slow burn, one bed, mysterious prophecy, hidden identity. I could go on and on. It also had lots of plot; complete with twists. At times it was a little hard to follow, but I managed without much difficulty. Again, I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to how the story develops more in the next book. As a vibe reader, the vibes were vibing for me, despite my qualms with the author about some of her writing choices, and I was here for it.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam and the author for the free ebook in exchange for my honest opinions and review.
The story was full of trials and hardships the heroine, Lilith was forced to overcome and her journey was epic. I mean, within the first few chapters, her life was flipped completely upside down. My heart broke for her. I was angry for her. At times I celebrated the battles she faced and won. In the metaphorical sense, Lilith’s character reminded me of a Phoenix. Every time she was knocked down, she rose to the challenge and persevered, without losing too much of herself in the process.
Bound By Runes catered to so many of my favorite tropes: academic setting, enemies to lovers, slow burn, one bed, mysterious prophecy, hidden identity. I could go on and on. It also had lots of plot; complete with twists. At times it was a little hard to follow, but I managed without much difficulty. Again, I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to how the story develops more in the next book. As a vibe reader, the vibes were vibing for me, despite my qualms with the author about some of her writing choices, and I was here for it.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam and the author for the free ebook in exchange for my honest opinions and review.
June 20, 2025
2.75⭐️ rounded to 3
Spice: 2/5
Thank you so much The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC!
Katherine Scheirer definitely is a creative author and her world building was very well done! For a debut novel, that in it of itself is impressive, and I do believe that Ms. Scheirer has great potential as an author. It was a quick read and very short - less than 300 pages - making it easy to fly through. I LOVE a good academia setting.
However, this didn’t exactly hit for me. The world building is vast, but for the length it felt a bit info-dumpy with some pages being entire paragraphs of just information. Occasionally, I forgot what the actual plot was supposed to be due to the amount of information being given. Character development kind of felt left on the back burner and fell a bit flat and I unfortunately didn’t feel super connected to anyone. There were a lot of characters introduced and no one had a unique “voice,” so I occasionally had trouble remembering who was who.
The writing style also felt a little funky. This book was written in third-person, but which character’s POV we were seeing changed occasionally paragraph to paragraph which felt a bit odd. The spicy scenes felt a bit lazily written and I didn’t feel like they added anything to the plot.
With some polishing and some added character development, maybe even perhaps a couple hundred more pages, this could be excellent!
Spice: 2/5
Thank you so much The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC!
Katherine Scheirer definitely is a creative author and her world building was very well done! For a debut novel, that in it of itself is impressive, and I do believe that Ms. Scheirer has great potential as an author. It was a quick read and very short - less than 300 pages - making it easy to fly through. I LOVE a good academia setting.
However, this didn’t exactly hit for me. The world building is vast, but for the length it felt a bit info-dumpy with some pages being entire paragraphs of just information. Occasionally, I forgot what the actual plot was supposed to be due to the amount of information being given. Character development kind of felt left on the back burner and fell a bit flat and I unfortunately didn’t feel super connected to anyone. There were a lot of characters introduced and no one had a unique “voice,” so I occasionally had trouble remembering who was who.
The writing style also felt a little funky. This book was written in third-person, but which character’s POV we were seeing changed occasionally paragraph to paragraph which felt a bit odd. The spicy scenes felt a bit lazily written and I didn’t feel like they added anything to the plot.
With some polishing and some added character development, maybe even perhaps a couple hundred more pages, this could be excellent!
June 22, 2025
What a great read! If quicksilver, Harry Potter and zodiac academy had a baby it would be this book!
If you enjoy these tropes below I would highly recommend checking this book out as it will be releasing on June 30th! ❤️
You have a Magic setting
Military academy schools
Characters can wield Magic like grabbing water from the earth!
Mages and shapeshifters
Creatures and monsters
Mental shields
Upper YA to adult
Restorative herbs
Enemies to lovers
The main FMC Lilith is supposedly the most powerful in this book along with Ameriel and when some of her powers get taken away from her for protection reasons because the oracle saw the future, now her body is covered in these runes temporarily.
She now gets sent to Skilheim academy which is more of a military academy and what I liked about the world building here is that it set the scene of what this place looked like and talked about what you will be doing per day and what each class does.
While you learn more about Lilith, the school and other important characters you learn that there is a threat to the Void and barrier have fallen so it’s a war scene getting ready to erupt.
This book was pretty heavy in the world building in my opinion but it was overall a great read and I was surprised how this is the authors first debut! So good! Thank you to the Nerd fam and Katherine for the eArc!
If you enjoy these tropes below I would highly recommend checking this book out as it will be releasing on June 30th! ❤️
You have a Magic setting
Military academy schools
Characters can wield Magic like grabbing water from the earth!
Mages and shapeshifters
Creatures and monsters
Mental shields
Upper YA to adult
Restorative herbs
Enemies to lovers
The main FMC Lilith is supposedly the most powerful in this book along with Ameriel and when some of her powers get taken away from her for protection reasons because the oracle saw the future, now her body is covered in these runes temporarily.
She now gets sent to Skilheim academy which is more of a military academy and what I liked about the world building here is that it set the scene of what this place looked like and talked about what you will be doing per day and what each class does.
While you learn more about Lilith, the school and other important characters you learn that there is a threat to the Void and barrier have fallen so it’s a war scene getting ready to erupt.
This book was pretty heavy in the world building in my opinion but it was overall a great read and I was surprised how this is the authors first debut! So good! Thank you to the Nerd fam and Katherine for the eArc!
June 28, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bound by Runes by Katherine Scheirer is a captivating fantasy that pulls you in with its rich world-building, layered storytelling, and tension-filled character dynamics.
The story follows Lilith, fifty years after the Mages sacrificed their magic to build a barrier against the Void—a darkness that unleashes deadly creatures. Though peace has returned to the Kingdom of Draydon, Lilith’s life is far from simple. At the center of a prophecy, she finds most of her powers bound by an ancient rune curse. To hide from the powerful lord who cursed her and to master what remains of her magic, Lilith is sent to Skilheim, an elite military academy. There, she trains, faces dangerous trials, and meets a prince who is far too charming for her own good. Just as she begins to find her place, the fragile barrier begins to fail—and darkness starts to rise again.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is how it unravels piece by piece—keeping you guessing and learning alongside the characters. The tension between certain characters is so well-written and charged, it keeps you on edge in the best way. If you're a fan of Harry Potter vibes mixed with the grit of a military academy, magical training, and high-stakes secrets, then this absolutely needs to be your next read!
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #boundbyrunes #thenerdfam
Bound by Runes by Katherine Scheirer is a captivating fantasy that pulls you in with its rich world-building, layered storytelling, and tension-filled character dynamics.
The story follows Lilith, fifty years after the Mages sacrificed their magic to build a barrier against the Void—a darkness that unleashes deadly creatures. Though peace has returned to the Kingdom of Draydon, Lilith’s life is far from simple. At the center of a prophecy, she finds most of her powers bound by an ancient rune curse. To hide from the powerful lord who cursed her and to master what remains of her magic, Lilith is sent to Skilheim, an elite military academy. There, she trains, faces dangerous trials, and meets a prince who is far too charming for her own good. Just as she begins to find her place, the fragile barrier begins to fail—and darkness starts to rise again.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is how it unravels piece by piece—keeping you guessing and learning alongside the characters. The tension between certain characters is so well-written and charged, it keeps you on edge in the best way. If you're a fan of Harry Potter vibes mixed with the grit of a military academy, magical training, and high-stakes secrets, then this absolutely needs to be your next read!
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #boundbyrunes #thenerdfam
July 8, 2025
Lilith lives a charmed life with her father and older brothers. She anticipates joining her brothers at their magical university soon, when their headmaster unexpectedly arrives at their home with news of a terrible prophecy that seems to indicate Lilith will bring nothing but destruction. The headmaster's fear leads him to bind Lilith's magic with runes against her will and that of her family. Devastated and desiring revenge, she refuses to attend the same school, and instead chooses to attend Skilheim, an elite military academy.
She settles in quite nicely and begins to excel, despite her bound magic. While there, Lilith meets Prince Demetrius, heir to the throne, who is currently finishing up his last year of training. They work together as trainer/trainee for one of their classes. This leads to the prince approaching Lilith and asking her to work for him as a spy. She agrees on the terms that he helps her figure out how to remove her runes and that he will do what he can to protect her family.
This was a very fun and enjoyable read. It has political intrigue as well as a threat from a great darkness that want to consume all in its path. I found the magic system to be unique and intriguing. The story ended in a twist I did not fully see coming. I look forward to reading book two!
Thank you to @thenerdfam and author Katherine Scheirer for the gifted eARC.
She settles in quite nicely and begins to excel, despite her bound magic. While there, Lilith meets Prince Demetrius, heir to the throne, who is currently finishing up his last year of training. They work together as trainer/trainee for one of their classes. This leads to the prince approaching Lilith and asking her to work for him as a spy. She agrees on the terms that he helps her figure out how to remove her runes and that he will do what he can to protect her family.
This was a very fun and enjoyable read. It has political intrigue as well as a threat from a great darkness that want to consume all in its path. I found the magic system to be unique and intriguing. The story ended in a twist I did not fully see coming. I look forward to reading book two!
Thank you to @thenerdfam and author Katherine Scheirer for the gifted eARC.
June 18, 2025
If you’re looking for a book with an ending that has a cliff to jump off of, this is for you! I just finished and am still reeling from the final reveal and literally need the next book stat! This book follows our FMC Lilith as she prepares to head to a magical academy but unfortunately for her an oracle predicted she’d be the destruction of the world so before she could truly learn to use it, her powers were bound and reduced to average levels. You follow Lilith as she travels to new school and faces trials and works to train her now diminished magic and works through problems she’s never faced before while building new found family along the way! Lilith must learn to harness her powers as the kingdom is facing a evil Void of magic that is spreading and killing people and work with the prince to figure out why those at the top seem to be doing very little to stop it. This book has a good balance of world building and plot progression and a budding romance between Lilith and the prince as they work together. I still cannot believe the ending and need to know what happens next asap! One of my best romantasy reads of this year!
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC! All opinions given are my own!
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC! All opinions given are my own!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2025
⭐️3.5
🌟Elemental Magic
🌟Prophecy
🌟Academic Setting
🌟Forced Proximity
🌟Slow Burn
🌟🌶️🌶️🌶️
Bound by Runes had a premise that immediately grabbed me—two lives connected by a prophecy? Yes, please. The academic setting was another win for me; there’s just something about magic and secrets unfolding in a school-type environment that hits the sweet spot.
I enjoyed the magic system, especially how it varied from person to person. That kind of personalization always makes a world feel more immersive. The story moves at a pretty quick pace—sometimes a little too quick. There were a few moments where I found myself wishing things would slow down a bit or get fleshed out more, because I wasn’t always totally sure what was going on.
As for Lilith and Demetrius, I didn’t feel super connected to them emotionally, but I did enjoy the tension and energy they brought to their scenes together. Their dynamic had potential, and I’m curious to see how it develops in future books.
The ending definitely surprised me—I didn’t see it coming—and it absolutely made me want to keep going with the series. And honestly? I’m really hoping we get to see more of Amiriel in the next one. The time with him was brief but left me intrigued.
Special thanks to The Nerd Fam for the gifted copy 🖤
🌟Elemental Magic
🌟Prophecy
🌟Academic Setting
🌟Forced Proximity
🌟Slow Burn
🌟🌶️🌶️🌶️
Bound by Runes had a premise that immediately grabbed me—two lives connected by a prophecy? Yes, please. The academic setting was another win for me; there’s just something about magic and secrets unfolding in a school-type environment that hits the sweet spot.
I enjoyed the magic system, especially how it varied from person to person. That kind of personalization always makes a world feel more immersive. The story moves at a pretty quick pace—sometimes a little too quick. There were a few moments where I found myself wishing things would slow down a bit or get fleshed out more, because I wasn’t always totally sure what was going on.
As for Lilith and Demetrius, I didn’t feel super connected to them emotionally, but I did enjoy the tension and energy they brought to their scenes together. Their dynamic had potential, and I’m curious to see how it develops in future books.
The ending definitely surprised me—I didn’t see it coming—and it absolutely made me want to keep going with the series. And honestly? I’m really hoping we get to see more of Amiriel in the next one. The time with him was brief but left me intrigued.
Special thanks to The Nerd Fam for the gifted copy 🖤
July 7, 2025
This was a fun book! It was fast paced and easy to follow along with. The FMC is smart, strong, skilled, tried to be wary but makes friends and is loyal. She is the chosen one, in a prophecy that could have her destroying the world basically, so a bad man binds her powers with runes so they’re dampened. She has to learn control and such to get her full potential back. She ends up in a school for magic users where they’re tested and she gets into situations while aligning with the prince to deal with all the realm happenings. In the background, there’s a “void” that’s taking over, and a religious cult taking over the crown and a rebellion. The adventures are interesting, the book doesn’t dwell too long on any area. I feel like this was a good first book, there are a lot of questions I’m dying to have answered. This is a great introduction to the series, and I am really looking forward to reading the next book (and maybe more after that?) to find out more about the mages, the void, what will happen with the prince, the other guy who could still be part of the oracle’s telling, and most importantly, the FMC needs to break the runes and rise up!
*Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #boundbyrunes #thenerdfam*
*Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #boundbyrunes #thenerdfam*
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