Two cursed souls. Bound in secret. With a love that could destroy empires.
Coll is an ordinary kitchen maid, or so she believes—until a buried secret shatters her world. When her stepfamily mysteriously dies, suspicion points to her, and a witch hunter is dispatched to drag her to the gallows.
Coll flees into a world of magic far darker than she ever imagined. Her only hope lies with Niccolo, a fearless mercenary with a lethal charm and secrets of his own. He swears to protect her.
But nowhere is she truly safe, as more than one hunter wants her dead.
Together, they must outrun their enemies, and as treachery tightens around them, Coll realizes a legacy of ruin pulses in her veins—one that could break the world or remake it with blood.
Soul Binder is an epic fantasy with a magical and heartfelt romance, and fast-paced action pierced with bloody intrigue and dangerous betrayals.
Kit Danforth is an award-winning playwright, poet, and novelist whose stories whisk readers into realms of magic, mystery, and myth.
With a passion for epic adventures, she writes sweeping adult fantasy and middle-grade quests filled with wonder and heart. She grew up staging backyard plays where neighborhood kids, stuffed animals, and dolls became the stars of her latest dramas. That early love of storytelling never left her.
These days, she’s still a devoted keeper of a theatrical puppet troupe more than fifty strong—including tomtens, chameleons, wolves, dragons, and a very charismatic velvet lobster. On special occasions, she stages family shows complete with sets and opening nights.
Her home is brimming with books, art, and imagination. Inspired by Shakespeare, Tolkien, and timeless legends, her tales are penned in ink instead of performed beneath willow trees—but the magic is just as real.
When she’s not writing, she’s wandering art museums, researching ancient texts, and always thinking about what kind of challenges her characters will face next.
Whether on the page or the puppet stage, storytelling is her passion—and she’s always dreaming up the next adventure.
It’s a super fast and fun read, 5/5. I found the characters captivating. They were all complex and well-drawn. The historical world slides seamlessly into the magical world.
Col is a terrific heroine; she is strong and courageous, and you root for her immediately. I loved every second of it.
For more info on the review-
The story begins when Col had been lied to and accused of killing her stepfamily, and her overlords sent out a witch hunter after her, which was common then, as young women were often suspected of delving into magic. But the danger grows when you discover there are worse people after her…
You think there's no way she can survive. And then, you meet Niccolo!! the Italian mercenary, and then you think there's hope for the couple.
The lovers’ have romantic tension, humor, tenderness, and it touches you deeply. You worry about them and realize they're up against a deadly situation. But as their relationship develops, you learn how dangerous it is for everybody to be around her… She and her friends commit to embarking on an exciting adventure. And as the greater world unfolds, there are a lot of twists and surprises, and you learn more about her capabilities and family history.
A much bigger plan is afoot!
If you love fantasy and complex worlds. I think you'll enjoy it. I can’t wait for the next part of the series.
This book just absolutely wasn’t for me. I found the characters to be extremely annoying and poorly written - Niccolo is an absolute caricature and Coll is insufferable. I felt like parts of this book were written separately and then just mashed together with no regard of what else was written before or after. There are hundreds of pages of just nothing happening, and then when there finally is some action it’s just flat and the characters find a way to make it boring. BookTok lied when it gave this recommendation. I’m so sorry, I hate to be a bad review when there are so few, but I just can’t let other people make the same mistake as me.
Soul Binder is a richly imagined tale of alchemy, betrayal, and fierce destiny. Kit Danforth writes with the deftness of Leigh Bardugo and the soulfulness of Robin Hobb—an intoxicating blend of poetic prose and razor-wire tension. Coll is the kind of heroine we ache for: lost, luminous, and utterly unforgettable. Her journey is harrowing and humane, crackling with dangerous magic and deeper truths. I heartily recommend this novel to anyone who still believes that fantasy can thrill the mind and stir the soul.
I love Coll and Niccolo! I plowed through this and could not put it down. The characters are swept up into lots of adventure. Great world-building. Each character is so unique. Especially Arthur, Spirit, and Tamsin! The settings are wonderful too, especially the 1400s English forest and a magical lost village in time. I love the mystery and how the layers of the magical world blend into one larger story. Enjoy!
I’m so sorry but I really didn’t like the book. The writing itself was decent, but the characters felt flat to me and I found it rather predictable. I really hate to be the first low review on a story like this, but I thought it had a lot of potential, it just unfortunately didn’t live up to my expectations. Maybe I’ll give it another read in a few months? Definitely curious to read more by this author.
No spoilers- Danforth does a great job blending fantastical elements with a strong romantic plot, focusing on character development and emotional depth. I'm a big fan of her version of medieval England and how well the romance integrates with the fantasy setting.
Action, adventure, romance, swords, magic, and interesting characters sign me up.
5/5!! It’s a super fast read. I found the characters captivating. They were all complex and well-drawn. The historical world slides seamlessly into the magical world.
Coll is a terrific heroine; she is strong and courageous, and you root for her immediately. I loved every second of it.
For more info on the review-
The story begins when Coll had been lied to and accused of killing her stepfamily, and her overlords sent out a witch hunter after her, which was common then, as young women were often suspected of delving into magic. But the danger grows when you discover there are worse people after her…
You think there's no way she can survive. And then, you meet Niccolo!! the Italian mercenary, and then you think there's hope for the couple.
The lovers’ have romantic tension, humor, tenderness, and it touches you deeply. You worry about them and realize they're up against a deadly situation. But as their relationship develops, you learn how dangerous it is for everybody to be around her… She and her friends commit to embarking on an exciting adventure. And as the greater world unfolds, there are a lot of twists and surprises, and you learn more about her capabilities and family history.
A much bigger plan is afoot!
If you love fantasy and complex worlds. I think you'll enjoy it.
I enjoyed this first book and am excited to see where this story goes. The FMC had to run away in order to save her life after the passing of the bards' sons and wife. He was convinced she bewitched them. On her journey, she discoveries who she truly was.