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Bound

(Bound Trilogy #1)

Kate Sparkes (Goodreads Author)

3.81 · Rating details · 3,383 ratings · 265 reviews

Welcome to Darmid, where magic is a sin, fairy tales are contraband, and the people live in fear of the Sorcerers on the other side of the mountains.

Rowan Greenwood has everything she's supposed to want from life—a good family, a bright future, and a proposal from a handsome and wealthy magic hunter. She knows she should be content with what she has. If only she could bani ...more

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Paperback, 398 pages

Published June 11th 2014 by Sparrowcat Press

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Average rating 3.81 ·

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· 3,383 ratings · 265 reviews

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Jul 18, 2014 Krista rated it it was ok

The second book I've read this summer where I desperately wanted the saccharine heroine and broody hero to get eaten by the bad guy...

Hours of my life were spent waiting for something to happen. This book read more like a travel journal looking for magical help, and never finding it, and then on to the next destination with mini adventures in magic and near romance on the way. Then yup! Nothing happens. ...more

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Jun 09, 2014 Jennifer rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Everyone. Ladies, Gents, teens, adults.

LOVED IT!
Enchanting from start to finish. "Bound" is a must read.

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
*NO SPOILER REVIEW*

Sparkes is an incredibly imaginative writer who has created a vivid and shimmering world with an intricately woven history that is both wholly believable and completely captivating. The protagonist, Rowan, is strong, insightful, generous, romantic, and funny. Sparkes' beautiful descriptive language, and informal sense of humour in the ...more

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Mar 20, 2017 Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-or-more-stars, cliffhanger, historical, fantasy

This one started out slow, but once I was in about 25%, I couldn't put it down!

Full of action and adventure with the right amount of romance!

Absolutely loved this series! ...more

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Mar 01, 2015 Virginie (chouettblog) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: readwomen, read4review, my-reads-2015

As far as YA fantasy novels go, this is probably one of the most underrated read I have come across this year. I kept reading this piece wondering why had I not seen it advertised anywhere, displayed on your usual bookseller shelves, and why I still don’t. “Bound” is definitely on par with the most popular YA reads sold right now and can hold its own. I really feel that Kate Sparkes is an author to watch.

The world of magic and fairy tales is one that many authors venture in with repeated tried a ...more

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Aug 28, 2014 Pauline Ross rated it really liked it

Shelves: genre-fantasy, self-pub, 4-star, price-cheap, year-2014

This is a cracking story. Fantasy romance is a tricky format. It can veer from straight fantasy with a little romance on the side, through to outright romance with a little arm-wavy magic or the occasional dragon thrown in for light relief. This book leans more to the relationship side of the equation, but there’s some solid world-building underpinning it.

Many elements of the story are quite conventional. Rowan is the teenage girl expected to do her duty and marry well, producing the babies in This is a cracking story. Fantasy romance is a tricky format. It can veer from straight fantasy with a little romance on the side, through to outright romance with a little arm-wavy magic or the occasional dragon thrown in for light relief. This book leans more to the relationship side of the equation, but there’s some solid world-building underpinning it.

Many elements of the story are quite conventional. Rowan is the teenage girl expected to do her duty and marry well, producing the babies in unexpectedly short supply in her country, Darmid. But she’s fascinated by magic, even though it’s illegal, and why does she have strange headaches? Aren is the royal from the neighbouring country, Tyrea, a powerful sorcerer whose even more powerful older brother now rules. When Aren is sent to capture a sorcerer from magic-less Darmid for experimentation, he meets Rowan and… Well, we can see where this is going, can’t we?

Despite the well-worn plotlines, the opening chapters draw the world and characters with deft brushwork, and if Rowan is a little too quick to help the injured Aren, and Aren is a little too easily drawn to Rowan, I can let that go for the depth of world-building below the surface. There are some nice details here: like the idea that eliminating magic in Darmid acts to weaken the magic in next door Tyrea, too. And women in Darmid are only fertile once a year. No wonder they have so much trouble producing babies. The author cleverly follows this through in logical ways: sex before marriage is positively encouraged, because it just might result in a successful pregnancy.

The middle part of the book sags somewhat, becoming a slightly dull travelogue, with various threats leaping out of the scenery to liven things up. In between dealing with these events, the two main characters angst about what they’re doing, and each other, and the future. The story is told from both Rowan’s and Aren’s point of view, in first person. Occasionally I found this confusing, but it did help to get under the skin of both characters. Both of them are smart and behaved sensibly, but Aren I found particularly fascinating. His background and history, his suppressed anger, his status as a loner and outsider despite his family connections - all made him far more interesting to me than Rowan, whose life was far more settled.

Aren’s history also made the romance difficulties work well. It’s a convention in a romance story that although the main characters are irresistibly drawn to each other, something prevents them from being together. And when one of them is a professional assassin and ruthless fixer-upper? Yes, I can see why Rowan might have second thoughts about a man like that.

The plot rolls along quite nicely, until… Look, I’m going to rant for a minute here, so you can skip ahead to the next paragraph if you want. So we have our plucky hero and heroine racing to escape a fate worse than death, chased by evil villains here, there and everywhere, things getting fraught, building nicely to a climax, and then what happens? There’s a ball, that’s what. Well, a party, anyway, with fancy frocks, and dancing, and general merriment. Guys, there are people out there wanting to kill you, probably painfully and very, very slowly - get a sense of urgency, for goodness sake. No, I get it, I really do, the two main characters have to have their Big Romantic Moment, but I do struggle with credibility here. As it happens, it was a particularly good BRM, so that’s fine, but please, authors, skip the frocks and dancing, OK?

The climax is a suitably dramatic confrontation with a fairly long-drawn-out post-dust-up scenario, which managed to bring some emotional resonance to bear without sacrificing common sense or betraying the characters of the principals involved. And needless to say, there are enough loose threads to continue the story into the next book. This is a particularly well written and well plotted fantasy romance, which finds a good balance between the two elements and has unusually strong characterisation. A good four stars.
...more

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Mar 23, 2015 cEe beE rated it did not like it

Shelves: dim-wit-heroines, boo-mary-sue, fail, tstl-female, doesnt-make-sense, book-series, humor-is-absent, fantasy-and-magic, angsty-angst

This a romance pretending to be a fantasy. Told in alternating POV between Aren, the male protagonist and a young killer sorcerer from Tyrea and his female counterpart, the naive but adventure seeking Rowan from magic-fearing Darmid. Their countries are sworn enemies and Aren is instructed by his evil older brother Severn to look for magic-user in her country. The first chapter started out promisingly and ominously. Then it slowly went downhill.

The world-building is threadbare with shallow desc ...more

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Aug 21, 2015 Lala_Loopsie [fire breathing B!tch Queen] rated it it was amazing

Shelves: i-recommend, favorites, romance

I'm sorry i'm not able to write a review. Until my vacations/holidays are over... nothing. Just know that i can't wait for the next book. ...more

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Feb 10, 2015 Rachelann rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: re-reads-simply-amazing, read4reviews, wish-list

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
5 PERFECT STARS

Can I start this review off with HOLY COW THAT COVER...
I admit, I knew I was going to buy a paperback of this novel before I read it. What kind of book with this gorgeous of a cover could be bad, right?
Well... Kate certainly did not disappoint. This is definitely my kind of story.

"I'm not afraid."
"No. You're not allowed to be, are you?"

The story follows Rowan, a young sorceress, and Aren, who is one of the "evil" king ...more

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Oct 21, 2015 Damaris (GoodChoiceReading) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

I think I would enjoyed this book more had I just read the book instead of playing the audiobook. I couldn't really connect with the female MC and I think that had to do with the narrator. She was whispering the whole book. And whenever she would do the male voice, I would picture him younger. But when the male took over, he made the male MC seem much older. It was all over the place. The story itself was pretty good, though. I think I'll just read the second in the series instead listening to i ...more

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Mar 23, 2017 Jillian rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2017, audible-or-whispersync-narration, books-i-reviewed, read-on-kindle, shifters, first-in-series, magic, fantasy-world-parallel-universe, fae, fantasy

Bound was pretty middle of the road for me. It was good but not great. I enjoyed it but I didn't get overly invested in the characters or storyline. I liked Bound enough to be interested in continuing to book 2 of the series.
AUDIBLE: I added the wispersync audible narration to this Kindle book. The two narrators who covered the two different POVs did a great job. They were easy to listen to and understand. ...more

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Feb 19, 2015 Claire rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone humanly possible

Shelves: favourites

**I was kindly giving a copy of bound by the author in exchange for an honest review**

WOW HOLY HECK THIS BOOK WHERE TO START OMG!!!!!!!

I seriously can't get over this book in fact I loved it sooooo much I'm still reeling from the fact that I have to wait a WHOLE MONTH FOR TORN THE SECOND BOOK!!!!!! THAT'S RIGHT A WHOLE MONTH!!!!!!!
I knew instantly that I was going to love this the cover is gorgeous the characters are perfection and the story was just amazing. I have to admit I haven't read much **I was kindly giving a copy of bound by the author in exchange for an honest review**

WOW HOLY HECK THIS BOOK WHERE TO START OMG!!!!!!!

I seriously can't get over this book in fact I loved it sooooo much I'm still reeling from the fact that I have to wait a WHOLE MONTH FOR TORN THE SECOND BOOK!!!!!! THAT'S RIGHT A WHOLE MONTH!!!!!!!
I knew instantly that I was going to love this the cover is gorgeous the characters are perfection and the story was just amazing. I have to admit I haven't read much fantasy but this is a fantasy book to be read and re-read over and over again.
While at the first chapter you're not meant to like Aren holy heck I couldn't help it right away you know there is something about him that will make you love him by the end of the book and boy did I he's charming at times, also infuriating, lovable, wicked just an amazing character.
And Rowan from her first chapter you can't not like her she's wonderful, stealing or borrowing magic fairy tale books she knows she shouldn't. Not wanting to marry a man she knows she should. Wishing for adventure that will do her no good and when she meets Aren for the first time boy does she get adventure by the bucket load.
The POV change throughout is a breath of fresh air to it totally allows you to really get inside the minds of Rowan and Aren who each have a wonderfully distinct voice.
Even the secondary characters, Kel and Cassia are fantastic. The world and the creatures the author has created are spellbinding pardon the pun. I can't possibly make anybody realise how good this book is just through this review but seriously read this book you won't be disappointed it's got character, magic, fantasy, romance, adventure and it's even got a soon to be wicked king on the hunt for out hero and heroine. You'll be itching for book two I know I'm desperate to get my copy on the 31st March. I'd recommend this to everyone and I will too once I finish this review. If I could give it more than five stars I would. I've just currently purchase this book because it's definitely one to own. ...more

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Oct 26, 2014 Sharon Gibbs rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy-intrigue

I loved this book. Bound kept me enthralled and took me on a magical journey. I wanted it to go on forever. Can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy. ...more

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Oct 13, 2014 James rated it it was amazing

Shelves: epic-fantasy

A truly fantastic fantasy début! I really enjoyed this story and I'm really glad I gave the author a try.
The story starts off by introducing us to Rowan, a girl lost in daydreams about magic and fairy tales in Darmid, a country and culture where it is forbidden and the consequences are severe. She doesn't fit in with those around her and constantly wonders why she just can't be happy with her life as it is. Escaping from her mother's pressuring concerning a marriage proposal to a prominent magi A truly fantastic fantasy début! I really enjoyed this story and I'm really glad I gave the author a try.
The story starts off by introducing us to Rowan, a girl lost in daydreams about magic and fairy tales in Darmid, a country and culture where it is forbidden and the consequences are severe. She doesn't fit in with those around her and constantly wonders why she just can't be happy with her life as it is. Escaping from her mother's pressuring concerning a marriage proposal to a prominent magic-hunter's son pushes Rowan to visit her uncle and aunt's farm in the country for a while. Along the way she stumbles upon an injured but magnificent eagle, which she decides to care for out of kindness and compassion even though she knows it probably isn't wise. The eagle as it turns out is none other than Aren, a cold-hearted magical assassin and the half-brother of Tyrea's ruthless monarch, Severn. He had been sent to Rowan's country to track down a magic-user in hiding for his brother to use in some devious experiment. Disguised in his eagle form, Aren spends several days recovering in Rowan's company. He soon learns that she has healing magic which is restrained and she is completely unaware of, except for regular headaches she suffers from. Aren decides to return to his brother empty handed rather than force Rowan to go with him; but before long his deceit is uncovered and Severn forces him to return and capture Rowan. Once Rowan is kidnapped, Aren finds himself conflicted in his choices and secretly plots to set Rowan free. Rowan has difficulty trusting him but for lack of other options agrees to flee with him. From there the two companions set out on a long journey to Tyrea together. They are hiding from Severn but also seeking an answer to the binding of Rowan's magic. Along the way the encounter many things both mundane and magical and make discoveries about themselves and their feelings for each other also.
I won't give more of the story away. I will instead say if what I've described so far sound interesting to you, you should definitely give this book a read. I loved getting to know both Rowan and Aren's characters. Rowan was a curious and sometimes naïve girl, but I always appreciated the way she saw beauty in the world around her. Aren was serious and mistrustful of pretty much everything except Rowan. He was calculating and quite manipulative, but ultimately he was trying to fix his past mistakes and do the right thing by Rowan. Both characters grew a lot over the course of the story and as they began to care for each other. My only frustration with the story was the way things started out so exciting and action-packed for the first half of the book and then dropped off after that. Save for the last few chapters of the book, once the first half of the story is over everything is just Rowan and Aren running off to different places and skirting around their feelings for each other. You meet some interesting characters and learn more about Aren's past, but nothing really significant happens until Severn catches up to them again right at the end of the story. Ignoring this lull in things, the ending was good - open ended and in need of a sequel - but not so much of a cliff-hanger that I feel like I'll die of frustration before the next book is released.
Overall this was a fantastic read that I really enjoyed. I'd recommend reading this if you're looking for some new young-adult fantasy material. It is creative, romantic, funny, exciting and very well-written for a début novel. ...more

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Feb 18, 2015 Mayric rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Bound is a very great YA-Fantasy book to read! At first I really don't know what it is all about but then when I read the prologue, I was hooked up. Definitely because it was just so fascinating and amazing that I couldn't help myself reading it and enjoying it.

So when I got the chance, I didn't think twice. I signed up already to review this book.

So the book is all about Rowan Greenwood. She's a very kind woman who is very considerate of other people's feelings. She is living in a country named ...more

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Nov 03, 2014 LeeAnna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, romance, fantasy, great-characters

4.5 stars!!!! Ever since reading the Farthest Away Mountain as a little girl, I have loved to read and write adventure stories. Rarely do I find books that measure up to my long checklist of everything that, to me, makes up the perfect adventure fantasy, and I seek out books that can make me get lost in another world.
I need the fantasy, the world, the romance and the adventure. I need the characters to be worth investing the travel time into, because a good adventure story takes time to get the 4.5 stars!!!! Ever since reading the Farthest Away Mountain as a little girl, I have loved to read and write adventure stories. Rarely do I find books that measure up to my long checklist of everything that, to me, makes up the perfect adventure fantasy, and I seek out books that can make me get lost in another world.
I need the fantasy, the world, the romance and the adventure. I need the characters to be worth investing the travel time into, because a good adventure story takes time to get the answers we need.
I found this, and much more in Bound. I loved it, I'm excited I found it.
The characters are wonderful! Aren is a flawed anti-hero, but he is a well written character that immediately keeps you on his side. I found him to be fascinating and enjoyed the chapters from his pov the best. Despite his background and reputation, he is easy to care about and I found myself anxious for his happiness!
Rowan's not a whiney character in the slightest, she comes off as genuine, intelligent and kind. I like this, reading a main female character with a softer feminine personality. Not that she isn't brave or resourceful, because she is. She's a nice person, not perfect, but very likable.
The world is fictional, well done, a magic system that is unique and easy to navigate. Normally dragons and mermaids are rarely in the plots of the books I choose to read, but they fit in this book, and I love dragons and adore mermaids, so it was an added bonus that gave the world a fairy tale quality.
Most of the plot is the two main characters setting out on a journey for answers, while being pursued by Aren's anxiety causing older brother (he's scary)
The romance is slow, steady and believable. Not a rushed mix of emotions and feelings that don't make sense, or an angsty love triangle to fill up the plot. I felt like I was getting to know both characters through the other and I'm fully invested and already praying for a happily ever after for these two!
I was surprised to find this was the only book out by this author! So well written! I'm really looking forward to reading more. Book 1 wrapped up on a good note, no nasty cliffhanger! Highly recommend and I see this really taking off in the future! ...more

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Feb 19, 2015 Yvette Calleiro rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-novels-2015

I received this book in exchange for an honest review, and I honestly really liked it. :-)

Rowan and Aren are both wonderfully created characters. The author switches between their two points of view, using first person voice for each of them. Sometimes this can get confusing with some authors, but their voices and personalities are so distinct that it is perfectly clear who is speaking, even without the name labeling as part of the chapter title.

I love both of these characters. Rowan is a belie ...more

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Jul 19, 2014 Kelli rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Here is a book you can definitely judge by it's cover which is gorgeous! I thought the description of the book was interesting but it did not sound unique or special. It sounded like your typical fantasy book but the cover was so pretty so I took a chance. I'm so glad I did. This book was just so good that it goes on my all time favorites shelf! It is one of the best books I've read in a long time and I've had a lot of luck lately with some of the books I've read which makes the new book I start ...more

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Jun 02, 2014 Martha Dunlop rated it really liked it

For my summer reading I was saving up books by authors I knew I loved, but I just couldn’t resist giving Kate Sparkes debut novel a go. I really enjoyed it. The characters felt so real and I was with Rowan every step of the way, willing her to make the right decisions and take me on an adventure.

In a world full of magic, Rowan lives in Darmid, the one country that has banned it. She’s fascinated and seeks out fairy tales and every hint of magic she can find, though she has to hide it for fear o ...more

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Mar 01, 2015 Lauren rated it it was ok

There was more travel and world-building than action or villains. While the elements the heroes encountered were interesting, there was a lot of exposition and telling the reader what was going on than any actual action. I was also rather peeved that the first half of the book had the heroine going back and forth as to whether she would actually stay with her traveling companion. I would have liked more decisive characters, but overall the book was a quiet young-adult romp in a magical world tha ...more

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Jul 28, 2014 Jeannine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Very enjoyable

Bound was a great beginning to a trilogy. I was sad to find out I have to wait over a year to find out what happens next. The story includes a glimps into the world of merfolk!

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Aug 01, 2014 Sara rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, nook, new-adult, got-in-2014

Enjoyable read. Some adventure and a little romance it'll be interesting to see what happens with Severn later on. I loved Rowan and Aren and their relationship I think I need more something. Not sure what. ...more

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Aug 11, 2014 Megan rated it it was amazing

I enjoyed this book a lot. It took some time to get into but after it picked up I really loved it. Rowan is a great character and seeing aren's struggling with what he knows and who is clearly really is was great. ...more

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Jul 25, 2014 Jen Wylie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Definetly recommend this book! It kept me up well past my bedtime :) Wonderful world and characters with an engaging story line. Loved Rowan and adored Aren :) Can't wait for the next one! ...more

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Feb 22, 2015 Katherine Buel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, romance, young-adult

This is a wonderful adventure that introduces us to a rich new world. Aren is a complex and intriguing hero and Rowan a likable and engaging heroine. Good blend of action and romance.

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Jan 02, 2016 ⋆☆☽ Kriss ☾☆⋆ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-kindle-books, part-of-a-series, eternal-favorites

January 2018 Re-Review:

If I went to her, I could be killed. If I didn't, I'd surely go mad. For the first time I truly understood why my father was so afraid of love.

Bound is one of my most beloved books. It has a permanent place on my Eternal Favorites shelf and definitely has become a book standard that I compare many fantasy novels to now. I whole-heartedly give it 5 stars and all of my love.

Told in alternating first-person points of view, Bound follows the tale of Rowan—a 19 ye ...more

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Aug 03, 2019 Susan rated it liked it

There was so much I loved about this book. I loved Rowan’s adventurous spirit, and her willingness to open her eyes to the cruel truth of her world. Protagonists that doth protest too much always get under my skin. However, Rowan never shied away from following Aren or her new journey, albeit with some wariness about using her magic. Aren felt complicated, a man conflicted over the evil actions he’s done in the past, but completely willing to give up everything in order to reform. I was glad tha There was so much I loved about this book. I loved Rowan’s adventurous spirit, and her willingness to open her eyes to the cruel truth of her world. Protagonists that doth protest too much always get under my skin. However, Rowan never shied away from following Aren or her new journey, albeit with some wariness about using her magic. Aren felt complicated, a man conflicted over the evil actions he’s done in the past, but completely willing to give up everything in order to reform. I was glad that they were surrounded by warm friends and family that supported them, though at times I thought they were a little too trusting to strangers.

However, this book had a lot of flaws. The most glaring one is that this novel suffers from a cardinal sin: it’s just plain boring.

While the start of the novel was promising, it quickly turned into a journey for Rowan and Aren. The entire plot plot with Rowan and Aren going from point A to point B, staying there briefly, and then moving on to point C. The novel keeps this up for literally 70 to 80% of the novel. A novel that can successfully pull off a “journey” typically has a guiding star that drives the plot forward, so that you feel the tension and the need for them to reach that end point.Bound didn’t give me that. I rarely felt like the characters were in true danger, and it was hard to focus on their aimless wandering.

While taking this approach did allow the relationship to develop between the two characters, the instalove made even that feel a bit cheap. Don’t forget that Rowan is engaged in the beginning of the book to another man, but she quickly falls for Aren, who should be her mortal enemy.

There’s a few other smaller points…the magic system is undeveloped, the villains are one dimensional, the countering narrations doesn’t do much for the book. I found it hard to believe that Rowan’s family and friends wouldn’t be charging in to rescue her, and it was hard to let them go after learning about them in the beginning of the book so much. Though we meet lots of other interesting characters, this same family never makes an appearance later in the book.

Bound could have been much better, but the result wasn’t terrible. Though this book had a whole lot of nothing, the characters still intrigued me enough to consider reading the sequels, so I know where Rowan and Aren’s story finishes.
...more

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May 21, 2017 Teigan rated it liked it

This was just what I needed -- a nice, familiar book I could relax in while being comforted by the certainty that I wouldn't be disappointed by the story, which seems to be the theme of 2017 for me.

So... the story. Rowan, a seeming human, saves a sorcerer, and as if she isn't already aware, consorting with the enemy of her people is a big no-no, not to mention that her engagement with a magic hunter places her in the most precarious situation. Unwilling to let him die and driven by her fascinat ...more

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Jun 05, 2017 Anna (Bobs Her Hair) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-romance, young-adult

This Kindke Freebie read like the kind of YA fantasy that aggravates with its eye-rolling moments. Aren, the hero had potential. His conflicts seemed juicy. I was hoping to pleasantly survived. Nope!

The heroine was naive but supposedly she's also clever. There was one especially irritating TSTL moment that was supposed to show how clever she was but it felt forced. This heroine hoped for adventure from her sheltered life. She's thrown into one one adventure after another. Eventually the stern he ...more

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Dec 30, 2019 Lauren the Book Slayer rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy-romance, magick-users

This is one of the best books that I’ve read in a while. Even though I picked it up mainly for the romance, the characters (main and side) and the interesting world (magical creatures and politics) will see that I continue on to book two.

I’ve already read the description for book two and it sounds like the two main characters in this book will be spending some time apart. Thankfully I like them enough on their own to be able to handle the separation for a time. That’s definitely a sign that thi ...more

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