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Return of the Elves #1
Soulbound
An alternative cover edition can be found here
A deathbed promise
Arlyn’s quest is simple: Find her father and let him know her mother is dead. After all, Arlyn had promised her mother she’d go. The problem? Her father's people are myths and legends, and he doesn't even live on Earth. But despite a long journey through the mysterious mists of the Veil, finding him turns out to be the easy part.
A dream long-buried
After five hundred years, Kai has given up on finding his soulbonded. So when he stumbles across Arlyn after returning from his latest mission and recognizes her as his mate, Kai starts their bond in haste. But he never could have imagined that his bonded is his best friend’s newfound daughter. Whoops.
A hidden conspiracy sparked to life
Though the sight of Kai makes Arlyn’s heart pound, she isn’t sure she can forgive him for starting their bond without her permission. But her love life is the least of her problems. Her father is an elf lord, and his sudden acknowledgment of a half-human heir reignites the same conspiracy that took him away from her mother in the first place. Now Arlyn and her family must face iron wielding assassins, bigotry, and her newly awakened magical abilities if they hope to come through in one piece.
Arlyn thought she would return to Earth after meeting her father. Now she must fight to save the family she never knew she wanted.
A deathbed promise
Arlyn’s quest is simple: Find her father and let him know her mother is dead. After all, Arlyn had promised her mother she’d go. The problem? Her father's people are myths and legends, and he doesn't even live on Earth. But despite a long journey through the mysterious mists of the Veil, finding him turns out to be the easy part.
A dream long-buried
After five hundred years, Kai has given up on finding his soulbonded. So when he stumbles across Arlyn after returning from his latest mission and recognizes her as his mate, Kai starts their bond in haste. But he never could have imagined that his bonded is his best friend’s newfound daughter. Whoops.
A hidden conspiracy sparked to life
Though the sight of Kai makes Arlyn’s heart pound, she isn’t sure she can forgive him for starting their bond without her permission. But her love life is the least of her problems. Her father is an elf lord, and his sudden acknowledgment of a half-human heir reignites the same conspiracy that took him away from her mother in the first place. Now Arlyn and her family must face iron wielding assassins, bigotry, and her newly awakened magical abilities if they hope to come through in one piece.
Arlyn thought she would return to Earth after meeting her father. Now she must fight to save the family she never knew she wanted.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2016
4890 people are currently reading
8886 people want to read
About the author
Bethany Adams
25 books719 followersEver since finding a copy of The Hero and the Crown in her elementary school library, Bethany has loved fantasy. After subjecting her friends to stories scrawled in notebooks during study breaks all through high school, she decided to pursue an English degree at Middle Tennessee State University. When not writing or wrangling her two small children, Bethany enjoys reading, photography, and video games.
CURRENTLY WRITING: Solace, book 8 of The Return of the Elves. Status: In editing
CURRENTLY WRITING: Solace, book 8 of The Return of the Elves. Status: In editing
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 789 reviews
June 11, 2020
Soulbound by Bethany Adams and narrated by Gabrielle Dr Cuir and Stefan Rudnicki is a terrific fantasy novel that grabbed me right away. I didn't know what the book was about when I started it and was pleasantly surprised. I adore the main characters and found the plot intriguing. I am not much for romance but there is just enough in here to make it interesting and entertaining. I definitely want to continue this series!
The narration switches back and forth between the two main characters and both do a great job.
The narration switches back and forth between the two main characters and both do a great job.
July 25, 2016
3 stars
Maybe i went into this expecting too much as the blurb sounded interesting. It wasn't bad, but not so great either. This was listed as a romantic fantasy- not much romance involved, nearly none in fact. There is A LOT of fantasy though and this author has built some creative characters in a different world. Some did not make sense. I was left very confused most times and skimmed through pages.
**Will not be reading rest of the series**
Maybe i went into this expecting too much as the blurb sounded interesting. It wasn't bad, but not so great either. This was listed as a romantic fantasy- not much romance involved, nearly none in fact. There is A LOT of fantasy though and this author has built some creative characters in a different world. Some did not make sense. I was left very confused most times and skimmed through pages.
**Will not be reading rest of the series**
January 11, 2025
Goodness... I'm finally done with this book.
I didn't expect much from it but it was disappointing anyway.
First of all, there were lots of unnecessary things to it, hours, titles, etc... And the main character, Arlyn, kept complaining about them. A lot. If it was so annoying (and it was) why not simply take them out of the book?
Secondly, the names. I don't mind strange names, I kinda like them. But not when everyone has a strange name and they all sound the same: Lyr, Lial, Lynia and so on.
Then there's the insta-love... God. I'm not even going down there.
And Arlyn was rather immature for being 26 years old! So damn insecure.
"What if she proved inept in archery, her greatest skill? He might not be so pleased to be bonded with her then."
Seriously? Just for not knowing how to shoot an arrow? Then let me tell you that ain't love! Seriously, she was so dramatic.
I didn't enjoy it much but well, that was my honest opinion and it's your right to try this out. Maybe you'll like it. Not for me, though.
I didn't expect much from it but it was disappointing anyway.
First of all, there were lots of unnecessary things to it, hours, titles, etc... And the main character, Arlyn, kept complaining about them. A lot. If it was so annoying (and it was) why not simply take them out of the book?
Secondly, the names. I don't mind strange names, I kinda like them. But not when everyone has a strange name and they all sound the same: Lyr, Lial, Lynia and so on.
Then there's the insta-love... God. I'm not even going down there.
And Arlyn was rather immature for being 26 years old! So damn insecure.
"What if she proved inept in archery, her greatest skill? He might not be so pleased to be bonded with her then."
Seriously? Just for not knowing how to shoot an arrow? Then let me tell you that ain't love! Seriously, she was so dramatic.
I didn't enjoy it much but well, that was my honest opinion and it's your right to try this out. Maybe you'll like it. Not for me, though.
March 6, 2018
Soulbound by Bethany Adams
1 out of 5
Originally posted on my blog: https://hobbleit.wordpress.com/2018/0...
You know those adverts for over 50s life insurance? Like the one where June goes round to her neighbours with some wrongly delivered mail and is treated to a sales pitch for Sunlife, or the one where the father and daughter talk about her mother’s funeral and they talk in such a way that makes you believe that, even though they are supposed to be related, they have never actually met before. This is how the characters in Soulbound by Bethany Adams speak to each other. Even characters who have supposedly known each other for centuries!
Welcome back to another edition of the free books on iBooks and as you can probably tell from the first paragraph, this is not going to be a promising review. In fact, most of the elements of this books completely failed for me in every single way. The story follows Arlyn, a young woman and part elf, who goes in search of her birth father, an elf called Lyr and ends up soulbonded to another elf called Kai. And someone is trying to kill them.
Let’s start with the one positive thing I could find in this book: Kai, as the love interest, is not a complete twat. Yes, there was one moment when I wanted to punch him for being jealous but, on the whole, he is a nice and decent character whereas the love interests in these sort of books are insufferable cunts who mentally abuse the main female and that’s seen as all right because love reasons.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s look at all the negatives (and this is a long list). Firstly, the narrative is awful. Most paragraphs, especially in the first hundred and fifty pages, feel like one huge info dump but nothing ever seems to happen. This wouldn’t be much of a problem if the book was longer and all this information was spread out but the book is only just over 250 pages long, so to have nothing happen for more than half of the book is a massive problem. The main plot thread, i.e. the assassination attempts only take centre stage in the last forty or so pages so it feels very rushed. Adams’ weighting of importance in the novel is completely screwed. She spends too much time describing but telling the reader very little about the Elven society beyond the various family branches. There is a distinct lack of worldbuilding and as a result it all feels very flat.
Another thing that feels very flat is the characterisation of the characters. There is very little. Arlyn is just another female fantasy character with a boringly tragic backstory and no personality. She is the main character and besides the fact she is part elf with red hair and (I think) green eyes the only other thing I can tell you about her is that she worked the Ren fayre circuit and learned to fire a bow (because of course she did). There is nothing special about her because Adams doesn’t bother to make her special but we have to accept that she is special because of reasons.
The elves are dull as fuck. Adams spends the entire novel doing the “my elves are different to Tolkien’s elves”, and yet she forgets to give them any semblance of a personality. She tells us that Lyr is different from other elves, that he is not so formal and can enjoy himself, yet he spends the novel acting like a humourless bore: otherwise known as a stereotypical elf. Kai is probably the most interesting of the bunch but not even he can save this blandness.
The main villain, Allfon, who is Kai’s father, is so transparent he might as well have been called Claude Rains because he wears his villainy on his face so obviously I’m surprised he didn’t have a moustache to twirl while he plotted to kill his own son. There’s no subtlety to his character, he is simply there to be an arse. Being a cunt is his only character trait and, yet, this is more characterisation than any other character receives during the course of this book. And then we have Ralan and his insufferable and precocious brat of a daughter. Tell me, what was the actual point of either of them? They could have been completely excised from the book and Adams could have used their pages to develop any other character more effectively.
Now, let’s talk about the soulbond. I always have a problem with those sort of plot points in novels because it always reeks of the “you’re mine and no-one else’s” trope that seems really popular but is actually very problematic. The soulbond between Arlyn and Kai is introduced with Kai accidentally bonding with Arlyn when he’s half delirious which wouldn’t be a problem in itself but we are constantly told by Adams that if the bond is broken then it would bring shame on Kai and his family. This is problematic because it effectively stops Arlyn from not accepting it by forcing a humiliation on her. She might not want Kai but she would be forced to feel like she couldn’t end the bond because he would be humiliated. That’s not a very good way to introduce a love story. Not that it really matters, though, because he’s gorgeous and there’s a healthy dose of insta-love to ensure that they are perfect for each other (would she have been so eager to continue the bond if he happened to be an absolute minger? I think not.).
I have always found the Fae world to be a difficult thing to write well. Maybe it is because I have a different view of it to every YA writer in that I have always thought the Fae world as a little bit sinister whilst everyone else makes it very romantic. The only modern novel I have read that makes the Fae world seem interesting is Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill and, even though the concept is very interesting, it still has some problems. Soulbound is definitely a very weak book with very little to please or satisfy its audience. I would not recommend and I will not be continuing with the series.
1 out of 5
Originally posted on my blog: https://hobbleit.wordpress.com/2018/0...
You know those adverts for over 50s life insurance? Like the one where June goes round to her neighbours with some wrongly delivered mail and is treated to a sales pitch for Sunlife, or the one where the father and daughter talk about her mother’s funeral and they talk in such a way that makes you believe that, even though they are supposed to be related, they have never actually met before. This is how the characters in Soulbound by Bethany Adams speak to each other. Even characters who have supposedly known each other for centuries!
Welcome back to another edition of the free books on iBooks and as you can probably tell from the first paragraph, this is not going to be a promising review. In fact, most of the elements of this books completely failed for me in every single way. The story follows Arlyn, a young woman and part elf, who goes in search of her birth father, an elf called Lyr and ends up soulbonded to another elf called Kai. And someone is trying to kill them.
Let’s start with the one positive thing I could find in this book: Kai, as the love interest, is not a complete twat. Yes, there was one moment when I wanted to punch him for being jealous but, on the whole, he is a nice and decent character whereas the love interests in these sort of books are insufferable cunts who mentally abuse the main female and that’s seen as all right because love reasons.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s look at all the negatives (and this is a long list). Firstly, the narrative is awful. Most paragraphs, especially in the first hundred and fifty pages, feel like one huge info dump but nothing ever seems to happen. This wouldn’t be much of a problem if the book was longer and all this information was spread out but the book is only just over 250 pages long, so to have nothing happen for more than half of the book is a massive problem. The main plot thread, i.e. the assassination attempts only take centre stage in the last forty or so pages so it feels very rushed. Adams’ weighting of importance in the novel is completely screwed. She spends too much time describing but telling the reader very little about the Elven society beyond the various family branches. There is a distinct lack of worldbuilding and as a result it all feels very flat.
Another thing that feels very flat is the characterisation of the characters. There is very little. Arlyn is just another female fantasy character with a boringly tragic backstory and no personality. She is the main character and besides the fact she is part elf with red hair and (I think) green eyes the only other thing I can tell you about her is that she worked the Ren fayre circuit and learned to fire a bow (because of course she did). There is nothing special about her because Adams doesn’t bother to make her special but we have to accept that she is special because of reasons.
The elves are dull as fuck. Adams spends the entire novel doing the “my elves are different to Tolkien’s elves”, and yet she forgets to give them any semblance of a personality. She tells us that Lyr is different from other elves, that he is not so formal and can enjoy himself, yet he spends the novel acting like a humourless bore: otherwise known as a stereotypical elf. Kai is probably the most interesting of the bunch but not even he can save this blandness.
The main villain, Allfon, who is Kai’s father, is so transparent he might as well have been called Claude Rains because he wears his villainy on his face so obviously I’m surprised he didn’t have a moustache to twirl while he plotted to kill his own son. There’s no subtlety to his character, he is simply there to be an arse. Being a cunt is his only character trait and, yet, this is more characterisation than any other character receives during the course of this book. And then we have Ralan and his insufferable and precocious brat of a daughter. Tell me, what was the actual point of either of them? They could have been completely excised from the book and Adams could have used their pages to develop any other character more effectively.
Now, let’s talk about the soulbond. I always have a problem with those sort of plot points in novels because it always reeks of the “you’re mine and no-one else’s” trope that seems really popular but is actually very problematic. The soulbond between Arlyn and Kai is introduced with Kai accidentally bonding with Arlyn when he’s half delirious which wouldn’t be a problem in itself but we are constantly told by Adams that if the bond is broken then it would bring shame on Kai and his family. This is problematic because it effectively stops Arlyn from not accepting it by forcing a humiliation on her. She might not want Kai but she would be forced to feel like she couldn’t end the bond because he would be humiliated. That’s not a very good way to introduce a love story. Not that it really matters, though, because he’s gorgeous and there’s a healthy dose of insta-love to ensure that they are perfect for each other (would she have been so eager to continue the bond if he happened to be an absolute minger? I think not.).
I have always found the Fae world to be a difficult thing to write well. Maybe it is because I have a different view of it to every YA writer in that I have always thought the Fae world as a little bit sinister whilst everyone else makes it very romantic. The only modern novel I have read that makes the Fae world seem interesting is Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill and, even though the concept is very interesting, it still has some problems. Soulbound is definitely a very weak book with very little to please or satisfy its audience. I would not recommend and I will not be continuing with the series.
March 4, 2018
Pretty good for a freebie.
Arlyn is half human half elf. Her mother dies, and she promises her mother she will try to find her father and let him know of her existence. She travels through the mists to the land of the elves.
Lyr, her father, had no idea of her existence. So it comes as a shock that the woman her loved on earth died and left him a child. He didn’t know that she existed.
Kai, Lyr’s best friend, meets Arlyn after a week of travel and no sleep. He doesn’t know who she is, only that she is his soulmate, and begins the bonding process with her. Things get awkward when he finds out she didn’t know what he was doing because, and when his best friend finds out he wants to mate with his daughter.
Awkward.
Pretty good world building. Arlyn is a strong character. I wish there had been more time strengthening Kai and Arlyn’s relationship. Mating bonds in fantasy and PNR tend to replace actual character development.
But it was an entertaining read. And it’s free on kindle.
Arlyn is half human half elf. Her mother dies, and she promises her mother she will try to find her father and let him know of her existence. She travels through the mists to the land of the elves.
Lyr, her father, had no idea of her existence. So it comes as a shock that the woman her loved on earth died and left him a child. He didn’t know that she existed.
Kai, Lyr’s best friend, meets Arlyn after a week of travel and no sleep. He doesn’t know who she is, only that she is his soulmate, and begins the bonding process with her. Things get awkward when he finds out she didn’t know what he was doing because, and when his best friend finds out he wants to mate with his daughter.
Awkward.
Pretty good world building. Arlyn is a strong character. I wish there had been more time strengthening Kai and Arlyn’s relationship. Mating bonds in fantasy and PNR tend to replace actual character development.
But it was an entertaining read. And it’s free on kindle.
Read
April 27, 2022I was bored. Really bored.
The blurb really drew me in, but the writing, although I can't really pinpoint why, didn't work for me.
The blurb really drew me in, but the writing, although I can't really pinpoint why, didn't work for me.
March 9, 2018
I would have given it four stars but part way through the f-bomb is thrown out...by an elf, mind you. Really? Elves swear in English while they have their own thousand years old language that surely has it's own swear words? I can overlook the author using it once but it appears several times and really seems out of place in the story and totally unnecessary. Those of us who don't use profanity are sensitive to it and don't appreciate gratuitous instances used for shock value. That being said, it was an engaging fantasy and while not epic writing, I wouldn't mind reading the 2nd book to see what happens but probably won't since there are plenty of other fantasy books without swear words.
October 23, 2020
We all know I read this solely because it included elves.
May 24, 2021
Nice concept, but I didn't really connect with any of the characters. And Sometimes I found names and titles difficult to follow.
June 20, 2024
I didn't expect much when I picked it up and was pleasantly surprised ♥
October 15, 2021
3.5
So in this story we have Arlyn, our half-fae h, whose mother has just died- and on her death bed given her daughter the last request of finding her long lost father beyond the Veil.
With an arduous journey ahead of her, Arlyn has to deal with finding out about her new family who are so different from her- while also learning to deal with her new powers and a possible mate.
x-----------------------------------------------x
So--I liked the concept of the story, but the characters and world building wasn't everything I was hoping for. Also, FYI we have a mate/soul-bonded/insta love trope going on with a H who is a lot older, her fathers friend, and bonds her without her knowing what was going on...so mmm.
Also, I wish we actually got a bit more backstory on Arlyn's mother and followed her journey through the Veil to maybe make the effort to find her father a bit more challenging thus more rewarding?
When I read the blurb I though we would have more of a 'journey of discovery' for the h, and we would learn about her fae roots & the dangers involved- but that wasn't exactly the case.
It may just be me but I felt like-BAM she's already in the fae realm and her father is just there to greet her at the gate-it just felt like an abrupt start for the story. (but hey, action upfront I guess) Also, the romance was a bit heavy handed to me.
I did really like the magic aspect of the story, and how Arlyn is learning to control her newly awakened powers. Additionally, I am interested in what is going on with the fae under the hill, and what exactly is going on with the magic between both worlds.
May read on.
So in this story we have Arlyn, our half-fae h, whose mother has just died- and on her death bed given her daughter the last request of finding her long lost father beyond the Veil.
With an arduous journey ahead of her, Arlyn has to deal with finding out about her new family who are so different from her- while also learning to deal with her new powers and a possible mate.
x-----------------------------------------------x
So--I liked the concept of the story, but the characters and world building wasn't everything I was hoping for. Also, FYI we have a mate/soul-bonded/insta love trope going on with a H who is a lot older, her fathers friend, and bonds her without her knowing what was going on...so mmm.
Also, I wish we actually got a bit more backstory on Arlyn's mother and followed her journey through the Veil to maybe make the effort to find her father a bit more challenging thus more rewarding?
When I read the blurb I though we would have more of a 'journey of discovery' for the h, and we would learn about her fae roots & the dangers involved- but that wasn't exactly the case.
It may just be me but I felt like-BAM she's already in the fae realm and her father is just there to greet her at the gate-it just felt like an abrupt start for the story. (but hey, action upfront I guess) Also, the romance was a bit heavy handed to me.
I did really like the magic aspect of the story, and how Arlyn is learning to control her newly awakened powers. Additionally, I am interested in what is going on with the fae under the hill, and what exactly is going on with the magic between both worlds.
May read on.
July 6, 2017
There's so much going on in his book. At times the names were hard to follow. And harder to keep track of who's who. But the basics are Lyr is an elf who fathered a child Arlyn with a human. Lyr didn't know about her until she showed up in his world. Then all the crazy starts. Once you get past the names it's not a bad book. The flow of the story has a tendency to be somewhat slow.
July 24, 2019
This would have been a much better read without the insta-love, and ridiculous, impossible- to-pronounce, and far too many, too similar names/tiles, and too much detail about them and the ridiculous,tediously boring salutations,plus the "F" bombs! Does not make it to my 4-5-star Favorites shelf.
June 20, 2022
I've always had a connection to the Fae, especially in literature, although I kind of stopped for a while after ACOTAR . There's something about humans totally discovering that their place is the new world of the Fae, and that world behaves similarly to ours, that really speaks to me. This is especially true since stories of the Fae have existed for hundreds and thousands of years across multiple cultures (although most western Fae knowledge is Celtic / Irish influenced). It takes a good book like Soulbound to remind me of how immersed I get in this world.
The Fae genre is always one that I'm hesitant to read, and I'm never quite sure why when I do get around to reading it. Maybe I'm worried in some way that it will disappoint me more than other genres. So when I find a strong one like Soulbound, I really appreciate it.
I loved the characters in this one. I was dubious about the premise, and especially the idea that her father's best friend is her mate, but the age difference was made pretty clear in Fae terms, and I know it's often the case that Fae years and human years aren't equal and that these relationships make sense. I was also worried from the premise that this would abandon plot and character development for romance, but I'm really glad to see this isn't the case. It's not thinly veiled erotica(once again, referring to ACOTAR) and is one of the rare cases where the romance, and specifically the idea of fated mates, actually furthers the plot. The movement between the POV of various characters is done very smoothly and in a way that makes the story make a lot of sense. I enjoyed the time flow and the way that plot elements and characters were revealed, where there was a little bit of mystery to who everyone was and why they were important at first. This isn't often done well, so Bethany Adams does have a strong talent when it comes to making everything flow together.
As with many fantasy series, I definitely want to continue this at some point, and I imagine I will revisit the series with a reread of the first book and pursue the series from there in a year or two. I am glad, though, that I've found another series that I do really like, and that reminds me of my appreciation of the Fae world.
The Fae genre is always one that I'm hesitant to read, and I'm never quite sure why when I do get around to reading it. Maybe I'm worried in some way that it will disappoint me more than other genres. So when I find a strong one like Soulbound, I really appreciate it.
I loved the characters in this one. I was dubious about the premise, and especially the idea that her father's best friend is her mate, but the age difference was made pretty clear in Fae terms, and I know it's often the case that Fae years and human years aren't equal and that these relationships make sense. I was also worried from the premise that this would abandon plot and character development for romance, but I'm really glad to see this isn't the case. It's not thinly veiled erotica
As with many fantasy series, I definitely want to continue this at some point, and I imagine I will revisit the series with a reread of the first book and pursue the series from there in a year or two. I am glad, though, that I've found another series that I do really like, and that reminds me of my appreciation of the Fae world.
March 4, 2020
3.5
I was in the mood for a romantic fantasy, and found this book while browsing through the Romance category on Amazon. That being said, I really enjoyed this book, but I might have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been expecting more romance.
After her mother's death, half-elf Arlyn ventures beyond the veil to the elvin realm of Moranaia. Her goal? To deliver a message to her father Lyrnis, a man she has never met. Soon after her arrival, she unknowingly becomes soulbound to her father's best friend Kai, and tensions arise between various characters. Despite plans to return to earth, Arlyn finds herself drawn to Moranaia and the people around her. However, politics and intrigue soon threaten everything she's just found and holds dear.
I really enjoyed the world building and characters in Soulbound. Adams does a good job of explaining the shifts between earth and Moranaia, and I loved that the fae were all so different from each other. Arlyn is a feisty character who speaks her mind, but does lack some self-confidence from having been bullied in the past. Actually, it was really great to see the difference between how she was treated on earth and in Moranaia. I could easily see why Arlyn wanted to stay.
Lyr and Kai were also wonderful characters. I admit, it was really strange at first to think that these 500+ year old elves looked close in age to Arlyn, and that one was her father and the other his best friend. But I really liked them both. Admittedly, Lyr did come across as fairly mature, and Kai felt like he'd be much younger. But then, it seemed he'd never been in a romantic relationship before so it could be that he just doesn't know how to handle himself with Arlyn. Lyr's and Kai's roles in the overall plot were exciting, and I felt for them when certain truths came to light.
Overall, it was a good read. I just wished that the romance between Arlyn and Kai was a bit more developed. Although they did get to know each other somewhat, a lot of the emphasis seemed to be on the "feelings" from the soulbound. Even though I know the bond is a big deal, it felt like it was doing most of the work in their relationship. Then again, taken as a fantasy novel with some romance (as opposed to a romance with fantasy), it really is pretty good.
I was in the mood for a romantic fantasy, and found this book while browsing through the Romance category on Amazon. That being said, I really enjoyed this book, but I might have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been expecting more romance.
After her mother's death, half-elf Arlyn ventures beyond the veil to the elvin realm of Moranaia. Her goal? To deliver a message to her father Lyrnis, a man she has never met. Soon after her arrival, she unknowingly becomes soulbound to her father's best friend Kai, and tensions arise between various characters. Despite plans to return to earth, Arlyn finds herself drawn to Moranaia and the people around her. However, politics and intrigue soon threaten everything she's just found and holds dear.
I really enjoyed the world building and characters in Soulbound. Adams does a good job of explaining the shifts between earth and Moranaia, and I loved that the fae were all so different from each other. Arlyn is a feisty character who speaks her mind, but does lack some self-confidence from having been bullied in the past. Actually, it was really great to see the difference between how she was treated on earth and in Moranaia. I could easily see why Arlyn wanted to stay.
Lyr and Kai were also wonderful characters. I admit, it was really strange at first to think that these 500+ year old elves looked close in age to Arlyn, and that one was her father and the other his best friend. But I really liked them both. Admittedly, Lyr did come across as fairly mature, and Kai felt like he'd be much younger. But then, it seemed he'd never been in a romantic relationship before so it could be that he just doesn't know how to handle himself with Arlyn. Lyr's and Kai's roles in the overall plot were exciting, and I felt for them when certain truths came to light.
Overall, it was a good read. I just wished that the romance between Arlyn and Kai was a bit more developed. Although they did get to know each other somewhat, a lot of the emphasis seemed to be on the "feelings" from the soulbound. Even though I know the bond is a big deal, it felt like it was doing most of the work in their relationship. Then again, taken as a fantasy novel with some romance (as opposed to a romance with fantasy), it really is pretty good.
January 28, 2022
Soulbound was ok. Good enough to continue the series since it's included in Audible Plus and I'm bored, but not worth spending credits.
It's a decent read if you're suffering from a book hangover and need a buffer series to get back in the game.
Likes: political intrigue and a solid found family subplot (I love found family)
Dislikes: total lack of world building and yet another horribly annoying heroine. I mean, this gurl DUMB. And obnoxious. And unnecessarily snarky. Basically everything we've all been complaining about for years.
Additional note: the book itself is a 3 star (ok on my personal scale), so my following gripe didn't subtract points. The narration is soooooo bad. The female narrator makes the heroine even more whiny and bitchy than she was actually written. The male narrator has a great voice, but all of his characters sound exactly the same.
So - do I recommend Soulbound? Depends on what you're looking for. If you want an ok filler read, get it while it's free. If you're hoping for epic romance and deeply developed plot, skip it.
It's a decent read if you're suffering from a book hangover and need a buffer series to get back in the game.
Likes: political intrigue and a solid found family subplot (I love found family)
Dislikes: total lack of world building and yet another horribly annoying heroine. I mean, this gurl DUMB. And obnoxious. And unnecessarily snarky. Basically everything we've all been complaining about for years.
Additional note: the book itself is a 3 star (ok on my personal scale), so my following gripe didn't subtract points. The narration is soooooo bad. The female narrator makes the heroine even more whiny and bitchy than she was actually written. The male narrator has a great voice, but all of his characters sound exactly the same.
So - do I recommend Soulbound? Depends on what you're looking for. If you want an ok filler read, get it while it's free. If you're hoping for epic romance and deeply developed plot, skip it.
December 5, 2016
A very slow read
I think the author has a great idea here. I like the world she has created and the characters but the story is so unbelievably slow! I only read 50% and had to give up because nothing had happened yet!
The story kind of started out well (exactly what is written in the synopsis) and I was enjoying the first few chapters but then it just stops.
There's a lot of time spent on descriptions of the house, the language, character building, explanations of magic (don't explain magic- it just is).
I think there is a lot that could be taken out to make it a more engaging read.
I think the author has a great idea here. I like the world she has created and the characters but the story is so unbelievably slow! I only read 50% and had to give up because nothing had happened yet!
The story kind of started out well (exactly what is written in the synopsis) and I was enjoying the first few chapters but then it just stops.
There's a lot of time spent on descriptions of the house, the language, character building, explanations of magic (don't explain magic- it just is).
I think there is a lot that could be taken out to make it a more engaging read.
July 9, 2016
I was given a copy in return for an honest review
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and finished it rather quickly. The world Bethany Adams has woven together is amazingly put together and captivating. I did not want to put this book down. I enjoyed reading about Arlyn & her introduction into the elven world. I can't wait until book #2!
5 Stars
#AbFabJenee
Ab Fab Book Blog
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and finished it rather quickly. The world Bethany Adams has woven together is amazingly put together and captivating. I did not want to put this book down. I enjoyed reading about Arlyn & her introduction into the elven world. I can't wait until book #2!
5 Stars
#AbFabJenee
Ab Fab Book Blog
August 7, 2021
There is a reason why this book was free on Amazon - do not waste your time!
September 8, 2020
I marked the paragraphs that contain SPOILER so you can just skip then if you want.
This book just didn't do it for me, I would not recomend it and here is why:
1. The Characters felt very 1 dimensional the underdeveloped. I never got the feeling of actually knowing anyone.
2. The relationships between the Main Character and well anyone really felt really rushed.
The hole plot takes place within one month (if I remember corectly).
Father and daughter have never met before, he didn't even know he had a daughter and almost right after introduction they have this close relationship but claim not to have it.
!THE FOLOWING PARAGRAPH CONTAINS SPOILER!
He is like: " I don't know her and I don't trust her" but invites her into his houses, gives her clothes, a map of his estate and never even thinks to withhold information from her. Also they know each other for one day but he goes all protective father on her the second Kai (the love interest) tells him what he did... which is an issue of it's own.
!END OF SPOILER PARAGRAPH!
3. The "Romance" is the most Insta love I have ever encountered. I didn't even know it was possible to take it to this kind of level.
! THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH CONTAINS SPOILER!
They pass each other on the road while he is severely sleep deprived and he just gives her this necklace that starts the whole soulbonding thing. They didn't even know each other's names!
They complete the whole binding process within less that a week of knowing each other (while both are conscious). At the end of the month they are at the I love You and treat each other like they have been married for centuries.
!END IF SPOILER PARAGRAPH!
4. The conversations always super dramatic without any actuall emotions behind them or consequences.
It's like they just forget that they are mad at each other.
5. Consequences are another issue. There were so many seemingly useless revelations that where of absolutely no importance in the rest of the book.
6. Characters were introduced and just seemed to vanish after a few scenes. They just stopped beeing important and there purpose was forgotten.
7. The magic had no rules, or at least they weren't explained. I never knew what magic could and what it couldn't do. The one rule that did exist was that Iron was bad for magic but even that got tossed out of the window at some point.
I believe I have now listed the major problems I had with this book. This review got a lot longer that I expected.
Anyway I hope you have an awesome day and are reading something you enjoy.
This book just didn't do it for me, I would not recomend it and here is why:
1. The Characters felt very 1 dimensional the underdeveloped. I never got the feeling of actually knowing anyone.
2. The relationships between the Main Character and well anyone really felt really rushed.
The hole plot takes place within one month (if I remember corectly).
Father and daughter have never met before, he didn't even know he had a daughter and almost right after introduction they have this close relationship but claim not to have it.
!THE FOLOWING PARAGRAPH CONTAINS SPOILER!
He is like: " I don't know her and I don't trust her" but invites her into his houses, gives her clothes, a map of his estate and never even thinks to withhold information from her. Also they know each other for one day but he goes all protective father on her the second Kai (the love interest) tells him what he did... which is an issue of it's own.
!END OF SPOILER PARAGRAPH!
3. The "Romance" is the most Insta love I have ever encountered. I didn't even know it was possible to take it to this kind of level.
! THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH CONTAINS SPOILER!
They pass each other on the road while he is severely sleep deprived and he just gives her this necklace that starts the whole soulbonding thing. They didn't even know each other's names!
They complete the whole binding process within less that a week of knowing each other (while both are conscious). At the end of the month they are at the I love You and treat each other like they have been married for centuries.
!END IF SPOILER PARAGRAPH!
4. The conversations always super dramatic without any actuall emotions behind them or consequences.
It's like they just forget that they are mad at each other.
5. Consequences are another issue. There were so many seemingly useless revelations that where of absolutely no importance in the rest of the book.
6. Characters were introduced and just seemed to vanish after a few scenes. They just stopped beeing important and there purpose was forgotten.
7. The magic had no rules, or at least they weren't explained. I never knew what magic could and what it couldn't do. The one rule that did exist was that Iron was bad for magic but even that got tossed out of the window at some point.
I believe I have now listed the major problems I had with this book. This review got a lot longer that I expected.
Anyway I hope you have an awesome day and are reading something you enjoy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2021
I think I've developed some kind of fetish for elf-related plots...somehow, after another series. So when I started on Soulbound, the plot was somewhat familiar, albeit with milder intrigue. It's still a nice read but not exactly wow-worthy.
When I started on the first page, I actually wondered about the rational behind the abrupt introduction of characters (Arlyn and Lyr), and the somewhat hanging kind of conclusion (to signal the continuation in the next book I suppose...) - it's not something I'd find interesting. Or intriguing. I don't feel much guesswork at all, and it's all quite straightforward, if I may describe it that way.
If you're looking for an easy read filled with elves, some magic, some romance and you're fine with the huge age gaps between characters, then this story is for you haha. *winks*
When I started on the first page, I actually wondered about the rational behind the abrupt introduction of characters (Arlyn and Lyr), and the somewhat hanging kind of conclusion (to signal the continuation in the next book I suppose...) - it's not something I'd find interesting. Or intriguing. I don't feel much guesswork at all, and it's all quite straightforward, if I may describe it that way.
If you're looking for an easy read filled with elves, some magic, some romance and you're fine with the huge age gaps between characters, then this story is for you haha. *winks*
February 20, 2022
Disappointing. Aimless plot, filler characters, very hard to stay interested.
I listened to the audio book and the chosen female voice narration was very hard to listen to. Her over enthusiastic expressions were uncharacteristic and annoying and her voice didn’t fit the character in my opinion. It sounded like I was talking to my grandma on the phone.
I really didn’t like how once the book starts the story starts. : I’m in the forest. My father is in front of me. I’m now at his house. Here is my soul bonded. He’s been stabbed. I have no clean clothes from my rich 500 year old father who can’t think of basic needs and sends an energy deprived elf out into the forest to “start the plot”. So ill prepared and unimpressive.
I listened to the audio book and the chosen female voice narration was very hard to listen to. Her over enthusiastic expressions were uncharacteristic and annoying and her voice didn’t fit the character in my opinion. It sounded like I was talking to my grandma on the phone.
I really didn’t like how once the book starts the story starts. : I’m in the forest. My father is in front of me. I’m now at his house. Here is my soul bonded. He’s been stabbed. I have no clean clothes from my rich 500 year old father who can’t think of basic needs and sends an energy deprived elf out into the forest to “start the plot”. So ill prepared and unimpressive.
September 17, 2016
Spellbinding!
What a fantastic start to a new series. I have read this book twice in less than 6 months. Wonderful narrative and description of details . This would make a great movie.
What a fantastic start to a new series. I have read this book twice in less than 6 months. Wonderful narrative and description of details . This would make a great movie.
dnf
July 25, 2025Terrible. Couldn't even finish it. It was so cheesey.
February 20, 2019
Poorly written and reads like bad fan fiction. Characters are one note and world building and plot lack development. All in all everything in book has been done before and done better.
December 20, 2021
This book wasn’t great with the writing quite abrupt and immature but I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to seeing the writing grow and story develop more!
July 6, 2023
DNF. This book reads way too YA for me, and the writing nor story is captivating enough for me to continue. The FMC is also excruciatingly annoying. I cannot.
July 10, 2023
Some of this just did not make sense at all, it moved incredibly quickly and incredibly slowly at the same time
December 6, 2022
I liked the political and in depth aspects of this book, just wished it had the romance it seemed like it would’ve from the description
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