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The Wolves of Ruin #1
Dire Bound
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Romantasy (2025)
Fourth Wing
meets The Hunger Games in this spicy, page-turning romantasy where humans and direwolves forge unbreakable bonds and fight for survival at all costs.
Only the worthy survive the Bonding Trials. She’ll risk her life—and her heart—to be one of them.
Meryn Cooper has always hated the Bonded, elite warriors who form mental links with the massive, vicious direwolves they ride. While they live in luxury, Meryn struggles to keep her family out of poverty. When her little sister, Saela, is kidnapped—stolen across the border by the immortal monsters her country has spent centuries fighting—Meryn’s world falls apart.
Desperate to cross the front and save her sister, Meryn enlists in the army and is thrown into the deadly Bonding Trials, where any mistake will cost her life.
Now Meryn must survive four months of training at the castle. She is bound to a feral direwolf who refuses to communicate. The other trainees would love to spill her common blood. And her cold and beautiful instructor, Stark Therion, is eager to punish any weakness.
Everything is a competition, and everyone is out to get her—everyone except the dangerously handsome crown prince, whose attention adds another target to her back. In the castle, every smile hides a knife…and the halls hide dark secrets.
It’s bond or bleed. Duel or die. Failure is ruin.
Dire Bound contains mature content including depictions of graphic violence, and is therefore recommended for readers 17+. For a full list of tropes and TWs, please visit the author's website.
Readers are already falling in love with
“ONE OF THE BEST READS OF THE YEAR! This book was insanely good.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Stop it right now... I’m actually quite feral for the next book…” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The plot was THICK, the tension and banter? Flawless. And the world with the wolf bond, and trials??? NEED MORE NOW.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I just finished and still trying to mentally and emotionally recover to what just happened to me. You need to read it IMMEDIATELY.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“If you’re into dark romantasy with high stakes, fierce characters, and just the right amount of emotional wreckage, Direbound is your next obsession.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“What an incredible read!! … I am blown away. … The romance, the anguish, the BANTER! I love a book with good banter and this was FULL OF IT!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I. Am. OBSESSED. … Left me spiraling in the best way possible. The morally grey anti-hero? Perfection. The slow-burn tension? Electric.
Only the worthy survive the Bonding Trials. She’ll risk her life—and her heart—to be one of them.
Meryn Cooper has always hated the Bonded, elite warriors who form mental links with the massive, vicious direwolves they ride. While they live in luxury, Meryn struggles to keep her family out of poverty. When her little sister, Saela, is kidnapped—stolen across the border by the immortal monsters her country has spent centuries fighting—Meryn’s world falls apart.
Desperate to cross the front and save her sister, Meryn enlists in the army and is thrown into the deadly Bonding Trials, where any mistake will cost her life.
Now Meryn must survive four months of training at the castle. She is bound to a feral direwolf who refuses to communicate. The other trainees would love to spill her common blood. And her cold and beautiful instructor, Stark Therion, is eager to punish any weakness.
Everything is a competition, and everyone is out to get her—everyone except the dangerously handsome crown prince, whose attention adds another target to her back. In the castle, every smile hides a knife…and the halls hide dark secrets.
It’s bond or bleed. Duel or die. Failure is ruin.
Dire Bound contains mature content including depictions of graphic violence, and is therefore recommended for readers 17+. For a full list of tropes and TWs, please visit the author's website.
Readers are already falling in love with
“ONE OF THE BEST READS OF THE YEAR! This book was insanely good.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Stop it right now... I’m actually quite feral for the next book…” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The plot was THICK, the tension and banter? Flawless. And the world with the wolf bond, and trials??? NEED MORE NOW.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I just finished and still trying to mentally and emotionally recover to what just happened to me. You need to read it IMMEDIATELY.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“If you’re into dark romantasy with high stakes, fierce characters, and just the right amount of emotional wreckage, Direbound is your next obsession.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“What an incredible read!! … I am blown away. … The romance, the anguish, the BANTER! I love a book with good banter and this was FULL OF IT!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I. Am. OBSESSED. … Left me spiraling in the best way possible. The morally grey anti-hero? Perfection. The slow-burn tension? Electric.
605 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2025
18056 people are currently reading
167158 people want to read
About the author
Sable Sorensen
5 books2,100 followersSable Sorensen writes spicy dark romantasy and is thrilled to be launching her debut novel DIREBOUND into the world this coming February. Sable is the pen name of two good friends and fantasy fangirls who teamed up to write books that feature strong heroines, spicy romances, and the never-ending fight between those in power and those who would defend the weak and vulnerable.
Follow Sable for an exclusive peek into the Wolves of Ruin series:
Instagram: @sablesorensen
Tiktok: @sable.sorensen
Mailing list: sablesorensen dot substack dot com/subscribe
Or drop us a line at sablesorensenauthor at gmail -- we'd love to hear from you!
Follow Sable for an exclusive peek into the Wolves of Ruin series:
Instagram: @sablesorensen
Tiktok: @sable.sorensen
Mailing list: sablesorensen dot substack dot com/subscribe
Or drop us a line at sablesorensenauthor at gmail -- we'd love to hear from you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 14,695 reviews
May 6, 2025
The more I think about it the more I dislike it.. 2.5⭐️
Okay…. I’m gonna try my best to formulate thoughts but this book has my brain all over the place soooo I apologize in advance.
As a whole this book wasn’t anything special to me, average is the best word to describe it. It took me a while to get into and the pacing was really slow. But then there would be scenes that really sucked me in, then I would get bored again. This book was sitting at a solid 2 stars until the last 10%. Everything picked up so quickly and I needed to know what happened. Therefore I will be reading book 2, but I don’t have any emotional attachment the story as a whole.
MINOR SPOILERS!!!!
I also unfortunately found this to be extremely predictable. If I didn’t predict the major plot twist from the beginning I think I would have liked this a lot more. I’m also so sick of the whole “first love interest” trope when she’s so obviously not gonna end up with him. If you’re going to introduce a love interest in the beginning I’m begging you to make it believable! And maybe make him likable?! The whole time I was just waiting for them to break things off. I hated killian with a burning passion…. Plus he called her kitten.
Now my morally grey, quiet deadly man Stark…. Carried the whole book for me. I love him and am so obsessed with him just based on the crumbs we got. Sat. Seated. I NEED his POV in book two more than I need air. My god. Don’t even start with me.
SPOILERS END!!
Meryn our FMC annoyed the ever loving shit out of me. But I don’t hate her, she’s just there at the moment. She made so many dumb decisions that had me screaming at my kindle. That being said, our girl has TRAUMA and her actions weren’t without reason. I do feel like she was set up for a really good character arc in book 2.
The dire wolves were also my second favorite part of the book. Specifically Anassa, I love her I love her. I am a sucker for when our characters bond to animals. It gets me every time.
There were definitely some specific jarring similarities to a very popular book I will not name, that had me raising an eyebrow…. But as a whole I thought the book on its own, but I still felt like some bits were a clear copy and paste and it grinded my gears. Definitely very trope heavy so know that going in. Nothing revolutionary.
I also struggled to picture the world. The world building felt clunky and almost nonexistent. So it was hard for me to immerse myself in this book.
But in the end, it was okay and the ending made me want to pick up book 2, take with that what you will!
Okay…. I’m gonna try my best to formulate thoughts but this book has my brain all over the place soooo I apologize in advance.
As a whole this book wasn’t anything special to me, average is the best word to describe it. It took me a while to get into and the pacing was really slow. But then there would be scenes that really sucked me in, then I would get bored again. This book was sitting at a solid 2 stars until the last 10%. Everything picked up so quickly and I needed to know what happened. Therefore I will be reading book 2, but I don’t have any emotional attachment the story as a whole.
MINOR SPOILERS!!!!
I also unfortunately found this to be extremely predictable. If I didn’t predict the major plot twist from the beginning I think I would have liked this a lot more. I’m also so sick of the whole “first love interest” trope when she’s so obviously not gonna end up with him. If you’re going to introduce a love interest in the beginning I’m begging you to make it believable! And maybe make him likable?! The whole time I was just waiting for them to break things off. I hated killian with a burning passion…. Plus he called her kitten.
Now my morally grey, quiet deadly man Stark…. Carried the whole book for me. I love him and am so obsessed with him just based on the crumbs we got. Sat. Seated. I NEED his POV in book two more than I need air. My god. Don’t even start with me.
SPOILERS END!!
Meryn our FMC annoyed the ever loving shit out of me. But I don’t hate her, she’s just there at the moment. She made so many dumb decisions that had me screaming at my kindle. That being said, our girl has TRAUMA and her actions weren’t without reason. I do feel like she was set up for a really good character arc in book 2.
The dire wolves were also my second favorite part of the book. Specifically Anassa, I love her I love her. I am a sucker for when our characters bond to animals. It gets me every time.
There were definitely some specific jarring similarities to a very popular book I will not name, that had me raising an eyebrow…. But as a whole I thought the book on its own, but I still felt like some bits were a clear copy and paste and it grinded my gears. Definitely very trope heavy so know that going in. Nothing revolutionary.
I also struggled to picture the world. The world building felt clunky and almost nonexistent. So it was hard for me to immerse myself in this book.
But in the end, it was okay and the ending made me want to pick up book 2, take with that what you will!
April 27, 2025
If someone asks me what my favourite type of book to read is: the answer is this one.
Such a well written indie fantasy romance that is unlike anything else I’ve read. Completely in its own league. Absolutely OBSESSED with the plot line, characters and setting. The pacing is perfect, it was so hard to put this down.
Constantly building up to really fun plot reveals and twists. There is just so much about this book that I love and I never want to shut up about it!
The ending of the book had me on my knees (I was so unwell) it was absolutely everything. I am soooo excited for book 2!
Such a well written indie fantasy romance that is unlike anything else I’ve read. Completely in its own league. Absolutely OBSESSED with the plot line, characters and setting. The pacing is perfect, it was so hard to put this down.
Constantly building up to really fun plot reveals and twists. There is just so much about this book that I love and I never want to shut up about it!
The ending of the book had me on my knees (I was so unwell) it was absolutely everything. I am soooo excited for book 2!
August 9, 2025
OH MY GOSH THIS WAS SO MUCH FUNNNNN
I'm beyond surprised by how a predictable book and plot twists that I was guessing on point still managed to completely reel me in and at the end blew me away. And yes, it does read like it was inspired by A LOT of popular romantasy books. But imo at the end of the day, it manages to stand on it's own. Like, talk about a masterful execution. *insert impressed whistling*
It has action, it has romance, spice and angst, betrayals, trials and training scenes. But mostly, it has an actual plot that is too immersive for its own good. I was hooked from chapter one to the end. All I wanted was to devour it and never wanting it to end. The writing and world building is pretty simplistic to understand and it starts to expand as the book progresses, especially adding more layers and depths. The direwolves and the siphons are an interesting addition ngl.
🐺 Meryn is fierce and badass. She has her moments of loyalty that bites her back but it shows a rare side of vulnerability and realism. She is a mix between Paedyn and Violet imo. I just know she's going to get even more better especially opening up with Anassa. That's something I look forward to exploring.
⚔️ Stark is someone I loved at first glance and the way I just knew he's a secret jealous, alpha ass man who is going to have me swooning, falling, gasping and yearning in the next one. Baby, I'm already there tho 😭🥵 I call dibs!! My man 👀🤤 I would like to picture him as if Robb Stark (from Game of Thrones) but only darker and more fierce.
🖤 Lee? Fucking knew it, the moment he was introduced. I've read too much romantasy to see right through. But oh gosh the mouth on the man and the spice 🤤 The authors did a really good job at his character arc and the way he is written, I cannot deny that.
The romance is a far more complex than a simple enemies to lovers but the slow burn and the banter was all so good and had me grasping for crumbs. The spice is deliciously well written but it's those moments of tender and air cracking tension that was making it even better and intense. I can't wait to see the fated mates trope play out in more depth in the next book.
The last 150 pages was an experience tho. Oof, loved it. I sort of already have an idea on how the next book is going to play out with that splendid ending. It's easy to predict but I hope it's still immersive as this one. It's worth a read, especially if you're looking for something fast paced and an easier sort of fantasy to dive into.
~•~•~
Okay, I'm doing this. It sounds pretty much perfect already but really hope it delivers 🤞
I'm beyond surprised by how a predictable book and plot twists that I was guessing on point still managed to completely reel me in and at the end blew me away. And yes, it does read like it was inspired by A LOT of popular romantasy books. But imo at the end of the day, it manages to stand on it's own. Like, talk about a masterful execution. *insert impressed whistling*
It has action, it has romance, spice and angst, betrayals, trials and training scenes. But mostly, it has an actual plot that is too immersive for its own good. I was hooked from chapter one to the end. All I wanted was to devour it and never wanting it to end. The writing and world building is pretty simplistic to understand and it starts to expand as the book progresses, especially adding more layers and depths. The direwolves and the siphons are an interesting addition ngl.
🐺 Meryn is fierce and badass. She has her moments of loyalty that bites her back but it shows a rare side of vulnerability and realism. She is a mix between Paedyn and Violet imo. I just know she's going to get even more better especially opening up with Anassa. That's something I look forward to exploring.
⚔️ Stark is someone I loved at first glance and the way I just knew he's a secret jealous, alpha ass man who is going to have me swooning, falling, gasping and yearning in the next one. Baby, I'm already there tho 😭🥵 I call dibs!! My man 👀🤤 I would like to picture him as if Robb Stark (from Game of Thrones) but only darker and more fierce.
🖤 Lee? Fucking knew it, the moment he was introduced. I've read too much romantasy to see right through. But oh gosh the mouth on the man and the spice 🤤 The authors did a really good job at his character arc and the way he is written, I cannot deny that.
The romance is a far more complex than a simple enemies to lovers but the slow burn and the banter was all so good and had me grasping for crumbs. The spice is deliciously well written but it's those moments of tender and air cracking tension that was making it even better and intense. I can't wait to see the fated mates trope play out in more depth in the next book.
The last 150 pages was an experience tho. Oof, loved it. I sort of already have an idea on how the next book is going to play out with that splendid ending. It's easy to predict but I hope it's still immersive as this one. It's worth a read, especially if you're looking for something fast paced and an easier sort of fantasy to dive into.
~•~•~
Okay, I'm doing this. It sounds pretty much perfect already but really hope it delivers 🤞
March 29, 2025
5 STARS!!!!
"Make me your instrument of vengeance. Let my hands act out your every savage depraved thought. Use me. I'm yours."
Oh my god this was amazing then it got EVEN BETTER??? I need an exorcism my head is going to explode.
If you want a quick "what's this about" basically our FMC is a street fighter and when her sister gets taken by the opposing kingdom she realizes the only way to get her sister back is to join the army and go to the front lines so that she can find her. Problem is, whenever she joins, its time for "the Bonding". The bonding being a tradition that happens every so often where every new recruit has to participate in scaling up the side of an enormous mountain, some dying along the way, all to make it to the top and bond with one of the multiple direwolves that are waiting for them there. Meryn doesn't want to bond, and typically the human has a choice to bond or not. Not this time. She's chosen, then has to immediately start training to be a Bonded.
DIREWOLVES. DID YOU HEAR ME. DIREWOLVES. This was so much fun. I was sat from beginning to end, no slow parts for me AT ALL. And don't even get me started on the ending. The MULTIPLE TWISTS??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? I need book two NOW!!!!!!
Anassa, Meryn's direwolf, I'm obsessed with her. Stark? I love him. He's so growly. Her friends? I'm loving the beginnings of this found family we're getting. The pack dynamics? The magic system? The strategy, world, foreshadowing????? I LOVE THIS BOOK!!
I need people to read this ASAP because this deserves SO much hype. And the fact that it's a debut novel? I bow. Fabulous job. Anxiously waiting for book two!!
"Make me your instrument of vengeance. Let my hands act out your every savage depraved thought. Use me. I'm yours."
Oh my god this was amazing then it got EVEN BETTER??? I need an exorcism my head is going to explode.
If you want a quick "what's this about" basically our FMC is a street fighter and when her sister gets taken by the opposing kingdom she realizes the only way to get her sister back is to join the army and go to the front lines so that she can find her. Problem is, whenever she joins, its time for "the Bonding". The bonding being a tradition that happens every so often where every new recruit has to participate in scaling up the side of an enormous mountain, some dying along the way, all to make it to the top and bond with one of the multiple direwolves that are waiting for them there. Meryn doesn't want to bond, and typically the human has a choice to bond or not. Not this time. She's chosen, then has to immediately start training to be a Bonded.
DIREWOLVES. DID YOU HEAR ME. DIREWOLVES. This was so much fun. I was sat from beginning to end, no slow parts for me AT ALL. And don't even get me started on the ending. The MULTIPLE TWISTS??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? I need book two NOW!!!!!!
Anassa, Meryn's direwolf, I'm obsessed with her. Stark? I love him. He's so growly. Her friends? I'm loving the beginnings of this found family we're getting. The pack dynamics? The magic system? The strategy, world, foreshadowing????? I LOVE THIS BOOK!!
I need people to read this ASAP because this deserves SO much hype. And the fact that it's a debut novel? I bow. Fabulous job. Anxiously waiting for book two!!
September 9, 2025
4.25⭐️ i can defo see why some people feel this emulates a lot of other popular romantasy books BUT i did have the time of my life reading this teehee
August 11, 2025
okay so this was Fourth Wing but make it fun
(also i fucking hate dragons lmao)
(also i fucking hate dragons lmao)
May 25, 2025
FIVE STARS 🌟 wow i don’t even know where to start?! this is definitely going down as one of my absolute favourite reads of the year! so many points in this book gave me in full body goosebumps. DIRE WOLVES? BONDING TRIAL? MATE BONDS? FORCED PROXIMITY? DARK/GRUMPY/MEAN MMC?? no honestly what more could i want?
the world building was so good and i feel like you were given the perfect amount of information throughout to make it digestible and interesting. i am absolutely obsessed with Anassa, she is a big baddie wolf and i LOVE her. Meryn our FMC was so badass and although i wanted to give her a swift punch in the throat at one point (i just know Anassa would agree with me there) she has such huge potential for growth over the rest of the series and i cannot wait to see it!
the world building was so good and i feel like you were given the perfect amount of information throughout to make it digestible and interesting. i am absolutely obsessed with Anassa, she is a big baddie wolf and i LOVE her. Meryn our FMC was so badass and although i wanted to give her a swift punch in the throat at one point (i just know Anassa would agree with me there) she has such huge potential for growth over the rest of the series and i cannot wait to see it!
March 13, 2025
Oh my God. Fourth Wing, but Temu. I just can't. (Neither with all the 5 star ARC reviews.)
May 9, 2025
You know what?
hell yeah.
hell yeah.
October 8, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
So listen, everyone who loves this book, I’m so sorry (look away) - I’m so happy for you and genuinely so sad for me 😭
Where to start.
Firstly, the pacing was so off, in the sense that at the start there were times where I would feel really engaged and be having fun, but then suddenly it would be really rather dull and boring, then it never picked back up until right at the very end.
Overall I think this book is really underwhelming and overhyped. It is also very predictable and unoriginal, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I can see how people would vibe with this and have fun but at the same time, I wasn't hooked enough to not be bothered by it. If that makes sense? This is constantly sold as fourth wing with wolves and honestly, the idea of this was fun, but the execution just didn't work out for me. It is very trope heavy but with no real delivery on a lot of them - eventually the boring times just lost me so much that I checked out.
The FMC, Meryn, started out as such an interesting character to me. She is tough, a street fighter and has a lot of responsibilities to take care of her family... but as we went on I just found her so irritating. I understand her disdain towards her upbringing vs how the nobles live, like I get it but I just wanted to be like 'girl stop going on about it'. Eventually, she was just so annoying the whole time.
As for Stark, YES. I am so on board with this man! Mysterious, morally grey and broody. No notes, love him. I feel like we were given crumbs and I am begging for more!! Kudos to him because he carried this book, based on not a lot.
However, let's talk about the slow burn. Why did Stark get barely any air time? I do not care about the other love interest, like I DON'T CARE. I feel it was obvious they aren't end game so I struggled to connect to this part of the story and they spent so much time together. Also the nickname kitten makes me want to put my head through a wall, hahah sorry but ick.
I needed Meryn and Stark to have more time to really build up on that tension and slow burn. The odd times they interacted I was eating it up! But I feel like I waited over 70% to really get much from them that wasn’t told to us. I am hanging on by a thread that their development will ramp up in the next book because currently that is all I really care about.
In general, I do think this book could have been way shorter and have much less filler throughout. So much of the book felt a bit pointless, being told so many things that added nothing to the story. Honestly there were times I skimmed parts because I truly just wanted to be done with it.
I will say the ending was actually good and the only reason I pushed through - but also didn’t really hit that hard because I was so disconnected from it.
Potentially I’d want to read book 2, but honestly, if I read, it will mostly be for Stark!
I am interested to see how it will play out but realistically the majority of this book was so predictable and boring, I’m worried it could flop again. Although this didn’t work for me, I can see how this would be enjoyable for people so I hope if you’ve got this far and plan to read this book, that you fall into that category and have a fun time! Because it’s never fun not enjoying a book. Sigh.
Thank you so much to my beautiful friend Luiza for gifting me this book, I’m sorry I didn’t love it as much as you but I’m so grateful for you and so grateful for this gift - you are such a angel of a friend 🥹💖
_________________
Pre-read: Oh the romantasy era is so back baby!! Heard this is fourth wing vibes with warewolves & honestly that sound great to me 🤭
So listen, everyone who loves this book, I’m so sorry (look away) - I’m so happy for you and genuinely so sad for me 😭
Where to start.
Firstly, the pacing was so off, in the sense that at the start there were times where I would feel really engaged and be having fun, but then suddenly it would be really rather dull and boring, then it never picked back up until right at the very end.
Overall I think this book is really underwhelming and overhyped. It is also very predictable and unoriginal, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I can see how people would vibe with this and have fun but at the same time, I wasn't hooked enough to not be bothered by it. If that makes sense? This is constantly sold as fourth wing with wolves and honestly, the idea of this was fun, but the execution just didn't work out for me. It is very trope heavy but with no real delivery on a lot of them - eventually the boring times just lost me so much that I checked out.
The FMC, Meryn, started out as such an interesting character to me. She is tough, a street fighter and has a lot of responsibilities to take care of her family... but as we went on I just found her so irritating. I understand her disdain towards her upbringing vs how the nobles live, like I get it but I just wanted to be like 'girl stop going on about it'. Eventually, she was just so annoying the whole time.
As for Stark, YES. I am so on board with this man! Mysterious, morally grey and broody. No notes, love him. I feel like we were given crumbs and I am begging for more!! Kudos to him because he carried this book, based on not a lot.
However, let's talk about the slow burn. Why did Stark get barely any air time? I do not care about the other love interest, like I DON'T CARE. I feel it was obvious they aren't end game so I struggled to connect to this part of the story and they spent so much time together. Also the nickname kitten makes me want to put my head through a wall, hahah sorry but ick.
I needed Meryn and Stark to have more time to really build up on that tension and slow burn. The odd times they interacted I was eating it up! But I feel like I waited over 70% to really get much from them that wasn’t told to us. I am hanging on by a thread that their development will ramp up in the next book because currently that is all I really care about.
In general, I do think this book could have been way shorter and have much less filler throughout. So much of the book felt a bit pointless, being told so many things that added nothing to the story. Honestly there were times I skimmed parts because I truly just wanted to be done with it.
I will say the ending was actually good and the only reason I pushed through - but also didn’t really hit that hard because I was so disconnected from it.
Potentially I’d want to read book 2, but honestly, if I read, it will mostly be for Stark!
I am interested to see how it will play out but realistically the majority of this book was so predictable and boring, I’m worried it could flop again. Although this didn’t work for me, I can see how this would be enjoyable for people so I hope if you’ve got this far and plan to read this book, that you fall into that category and have a fun time! Because it’s never fun not enjoying a book. Sigh.
Thank you so much to my beautiful friend Luiza for gifting me this book, I’m sorry I didn’t love it as much as you but I’m so grateful for you and so grateful for this gift - you are such a angel of a friend 🥹💖
_________________
Pre-read: Oh the romantasy era is so back baby!! Heard this is fourth wing vibes with warewolves & honestly that sound great to me 🤭
September 21, 2025
✩ 5 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Strong FMC
➼ Deadly Trials
➼ Only One Bed
➼ Fated Mates
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Found Family
➼ Hidden Identities
➼ Secrets & Betrayal
➼ Plot Twists
➼ Narrated by Avery Caris & Gabriel Michael
➼ First Person POV
Hell yea! I loved this! This was like Silver Elite with dire wolves, a better plot, and a much more enticing romance! I want to compare the romance aspect to another book series, but I fear it would be a spoiler, so I’ll just say that it was a very happy correlation for me!
I might read too many Romantasies because I very accurately guessed the twists and general plot progression, but in no way was I disappointed! There were things that bugged me throughout the story, but by the end I felt like all of those annoyances were by design.
This was NOT a why choose romance despite my confusion, and just to be clear, I was VERY happy about that. 😅 To each their own, but I’m into epic love stories, not having a man for every day of the week. 😋 I’m honestly still a little bit confused about some of the information that was revealed about the FMC near the end. I probably should have reread a few parts, but they were significant enough details that I feel confident they’ll be discussed in more detail in the next book.
The cliffhanger ending set her on a path to right a very specific wrong. It honestly sounds like an impossible task to me, but I’m looking forward to seeing how she tackles it! Seriously such a fun action packed read! Can’t wait to continue this series!
Thank you to the author, Hachette Audio, & Libro.FM for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Hold up… is this not why choose? Did I just read the words “bonded wolves” and “multiple alphas” and jump to conclusions? 😅
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
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What to Expect:
➼ Strong FMC
➼ Deadly Trials
➼ Only One Bed
➼ Fated Mates
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Found Family
➼ Hidden Identities
➼ Secrets & Betrayal
➼ Plot Twists
➼ Narrated by Avery Caris & Gabriel Michael
➼ First Person POV
Hell yea! I loved this! This was like Silver Elite with dire wolves, a better plot, and a much more enticing romance! I want to compare the romance aspect to another book series, but I fear it would be a spoiler, so I’ll just say that it was a very happy correlation for me!
I might read too many Romantasies because I very accurately guessed the twists and general plot progression, but in no way was I disappointed! There were things that bugged me throughout the story, but by the end I felt like all of those annoyances were by design.
This was NOT a why choose romance despite my confusion, and just to be clear, I was VERY happy about that. 😅 To each their own, but I’m into epic love stories, not having a man for every day of the week. 😋 I’m honestly still a little bit confused about some of the information that was revealed about the FMC near the end. I probably should have reread a few parts, but they were significant enough details that I feel confident they’ll be discussed in more detail in the next book.
The cliffhanger ending set her on a path to right a very specific wrong. It honestly sounds like an impossible task to me, but I’m looking forward to seeing how she tackles it! Seriously such a fun action packed read! Can’t wait to continue this series!
Thank you to the author, Hachette Audio, & Libro.FM for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Hold up… is this not why choose? Did I just read the words “bonded wolves” and “multiple alphas” and jump to conclusions? 😅
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
October 23, 2025
4.5 stars ⭐
⤷ spoiler-free unless stated otherwise!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
I’M CRYING TEARS OF JOY RN BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONE—I FINALLY FOUND A ROMANTASY I LOVE THIS YEAR!!! 😭🤸🏻♀️💃🥳
this book gave major Fourth Wing vibes—except instead of dragons, we’ve got direwolves—and since i loved Fourth Wing, you already knowww i ate this tf up! sure, the plot twists were pretty predictable, but honestly? i didn’t really care because i was having such a great time.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ characters
♡.ᐟ meryn
now this is what i call a badass 🙂↕️🙂↕️🙂↕️ meryn reminded me a lot of violet (one of my favourite romantasy FMCs ever). she’s strong, independent, and determined, but she isn’t perfect (because nobody is)—she has moments of vulnerability that make her feel real and relatable. i also loved how she stayed focused on her purpose and didn’t constantly get sidetracked like so many other romantasy FMCs do 🫢
♡.ᐟ stark
yes, you probably guessed it—stark reminded me so much of xaden. dark, dangerous, and devastatingly hot, but secretly jealous and yearning. i knew i’d love him from the moment he showed up 🫦 i’ll admit, at one point i had to check the blurb just to make sure he was actually the MMC because he had so little screen time which is crazy 😭 but whenever he appeared… 😮💨🪭
“[…] you touch her again and I’ll cull you myself.”
“Who did this to you?”
🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️
🚨 MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD (skip to “romance”) 🚨
♡.ᐟ lee
i feel so betrayed 😭 i genuinely loved lee, and knowing he wasn’t the MMC broke my heart. i thought we were heading towards a love triangle (or maybe i was just in denial) so i didn’t suspect him at first. but after a while, he started feeling too good to be true and their relationship felt like it was dragging on for way too long so i knew something was definitely off 🫠
END OF SPOILERS
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ romance
i can’t say too much about the romance itself because it was complicated, but what i can say is that the tension and slow burn between meryn and stark was 😚🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
this book wasn’t groundbreaking or anything, but it was so good and it restored a bit of my hope in romantasy 🥲 if you loved Fourth Wing, i’m pretty sure you’ll love this too ~ my updates and review might not make total sense right now, but trust me—you’ll get it once you’ve read the book 🤭
────────── ⋆⋅end⋅⋆ ──────────
pre-read 🐺
it’s already mid-october but i still haven’t found a romantasy i love this year 😭 could this finally be the one? 🥲
⤷ spoiler-free unless stated otherwise!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
I’M CRYING TEARS OF JOY RN BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONE—I FINALLY FOUND A ROMANTASY I LOVE THIS YEAR!!! 😭🤸🏻♀️💃🥳
this book gave major Fourth Wing vibes—except instead of dragons, we’ve got direwolves—and since i loved Fourth Wing, you already knowww i ate this tf up! sure, the plot twists were pretty predictable, but honestly? i didn’t really care because i was having such a great time.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ characters
♡.ᐟ meryn
now this is what i call a badass 🙂↕️🙂↕️🙂↕️ meryn reminded me a lot of violet (one of my favourite romantasy FMCs ever). she’s strong, independent, and determined, but she isn’t perfect (because nobody is)—she has moments of vulnerability that make her feel real and relatable. i also loved how she stayed focused on her purpose and didn’t constantly get sidetracked like so many other romantasy FMCs do 🫢
♡.ᐟ stark
yes, you probably guessed it—stark reminded me so much of xaden. dark, dangerous, and devastatingly hot, but secretly jealous and yearning. i knew i’d love him from the moment he showed up 🫦 i’ll admit, at one point i had to check the blurb just to make sure he was actually the MMC because he had so little screen time which is crazy 😭 but whenever he appeared… 😮💨🪭
“[…] you touch her again and I’ll cull you myself.”
“Who did this to you?”
🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️
🚨 MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD (skip to “romance”) 🚨
♡.ᐟ lee
i feel so betrayed 😭 i genuinely loved lee, and knowing he wasn’t the MMC broke my heart. i thought we were heading towards a love triangle (or maybe i was just in denial) so i didn’t suspect him at first. but after a while, he started feeling too good to be true and their relationship felt like it was dragging on for way too long so i knew something was definitely off 🫠
END OF SPOILERS
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ romance
i can’t say too much about the romance itself because it was complicated, but what i can say is that the tension and slow burn between meryn and stark was 😚🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
this book wasn’t groundbreaking or anything, but it was so good and it restored a bit of my hope in romantasy 🥲 if you loved Fourth Wing, i’m pretty sure you’ll love this too ~ my updates and review might not make total sense right now, but trust me—you’ll get it once you’ve read the book 🤭
────────── ⋆⋅end⋅⋆ ──────────
pre-read 🐺
it’s already mid-october but i still haven’t found a romantasy i love this year 😭 could this finally be the one? 🥲
March 12, 2025
As a debut novel, these co-authors did a commendable job. While the overall story didn’t work for me, I think there are readers who will love it.
If you enjoyed Fourth Wing, The Hunger Games, ACOTAR, or Throne of Glass, this book might be for you. However, it leans heavily on familiar tropes, making it more predictable than fresh.
"Wolves die. Riders die. We move on."
Meryn (23) never wanted to be one of the Bonded, warriors linked to massive direwolves. But when her sister is kidnapped across enemy lines, she has no choice. Enlisting in the army, she’s forced into the deadly Bonding Trials. Now, survival means enduring brutal training, deadly politics, and an unpredictable direwolf that refuses to communicate.
Meryn and Lee have been dating for just over a year when the story begins. I have no idea why they like each other. Speaking of that… the sex scenes? They are hollow, lacking genuine depth and intimacy. They are two bodies just going through the motions.
And while we’re on the topic of things missing, world-building. Need more.
Meryn is unreliable, making mistakes due to her impulsivity and immaturity. It’s hard to trust her, and when combined with the predictable plot, the story falters.
There was SO much telling instead of showing.
This story could have benefited from fewer trials and more depth, more exploration of her past, her mother, and her wolf.
Then there’s the violence. Very graphic, on-page torture and honestly, unnecessary. When one guy cries out for his mother before being ripped apart, enough said.
All of that bloodshed. All of those lives.
That was my first thought after finishing the book. But I guess when a corrupt regime needs to be toppled, there’s always a trail of senseless death.
Tropes:
-Secrets on top of secrets
-Dark fantasy with dire wolves
-Forced proximity
-Extremely violent/gore-heavy
-Graphic, unromantic sex
-Morally grey characters
-Death trials
-Fated mates (sort of)
-Hidden powers
-Vampires vs wolves (but barely)
-Feels YA at times
-Not a love triangle, but has aspects of one
Final thought? This would make a great buddy read! Highly recommended to read with a friend for venting and second-guessing!
* Editing issues in the kindle edition, 42% and 65%, I started noticing multiple paragraphs repeating themselves, someone forgot to cut those out.
If you enjoyed Fourth Wing, The Hunger Games, ACOTAR, or Throne of Glass, this book might be for you. However, it leans heavily on familiar tropes, making it more predictable than fresh.
"Wolves die. Riders die. We move on."
Meryn (23) never wanted to be one of the Bonded, warriors linked to massive direwolves. But when her sister is kidnapped across enemy lines, she has no choice. Enlisting in the army, she’s forced into the deadly Bonding Trials. Now, survival means enduring brutal training, deadly politics, and an unpredictable direwolf that refuses to communicate.
Meryn and Lee have been dating for just over a year when the story begins. I have no idea why they like each other. Speaking of that… the sex scenes? They are hollow, lacking genuine depth and intimacy. They are two bodies just going through the motions.
And while we’re on the topic of things missing, world-building. Need more.
Meryn is unreliable, making mistakes due to her impulsivity and immaturity. It’s hard to trust her, and when combined with the predictable plot, the story falters.
There was SO much telling instead of showing.
This story could have benefited from fewer trials and more depth, more exploration of her past, her mother, and her wolf.
Then there’s the violence. Very graphic, on-page torture and honestly, unnecessary. When one guy cries out for his mother before being ripped apart, enough said.
All of that bloodshed. All of those lives.
That was my first thought after finishing the book. But I guess when a corrupt regime needs to be toppled, there’s always a trail of senseless death.
Tropes:
-Secrets on top of secrets
-Dark fantasy with dire wolves
-Forced proximity
-Extremely violent/gore-heavy
-Graphic, unromantic sex
-Morally grey characters
-Death trials
-Fated mates (sort of)
-Hidden powers
-Vampires vs wolves (but barely)
-Feels YA at times
-Not a love triangle, but has aspects of one
Final thought? This would make a great buddy read! Highly recommended to read with a friend for venting and second-guessing!
* Editing issues in the kindle edition, 42% and 65%, I started noticing multiple paragraphs repeating themselves, someone forgot to cut those out.
April 3, 2025
THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD. HOLY SHIT. 6 stars!!!!!
The plot was THICK, the tension and banter? Flawless. And the world with the wolf bond, and trials??? NEED MORE NOW.
This was an excellent balance of page turning plot, and crazy turns in the story. There were so many theories I had in my head reading this (I never do that), it was so fun!
This really had my blood boiling in some points, then giggling and kicking my feet in others. This story is 10/10 worth it in my opinion.
RELEASE ME FROM THESE CHAINS AND GIVE ME BOOK 2 THANKS
The plot was THICK, the tension and banter? Flawless. And the world with the wolf bond, and trials??? NEED MORE NOW.
This was an excellent balance of page turning plot, and crazy turns in the story. There were so many theories I had in my head reading this (I never do that), it was so fun!
This really had my blood boiling in some points, then giggling and kicking my feet in others. This story is 10/10 worth it in my opinion.
RELEASE ME FROM THESE CHAINS AND GIVE ME BOOK 2 THANKS
September 5, 2025
3.75
This was a solid romantasy read. Definitely HEAVILY inspired by Fourth Wing, but had enough creativity to stand on its own.
While predictable (and Meryn was constantly 20 steps behind), the story was fun to follow and there was some unexpected character depth.
A bit too much spice for me, and some obvious microtropes (“who did this to you” etc) that seemed to be thrown in there just to be included - but all in all, I really enjoyed this world & story. Can’t wait for the next!
This was a solid romantasy read. Definitely HEAVILY inspired by Fourth Wing, but had enough creativity to stand on its own.
While predictable (and Meryn was constantly 20 steps behind), the story was fun to follow and there was some unexpected character depth.
A bit too much spice for me, and some obvious microtropes (“who did this to you” etc) that seemed to be thrown in there just to be included - but all in all, I really enjoyed this world & story. Can’t wait for the next!
May 20, 2025
the authors really said “oh you want yearning??? HERE DAMN.” HOLY F&@KING SHIT YOU GUYS my toes were in a constant state of *curled* throughout the course of this book - whether it was from tension or disgust <3
the direwolves & trial aspect of this book were obviously incredibly dope - but that underlying plot laden with easter eggs and sneakyyyyy world building? >:)) you know I’m eating it the hell up every single time.
I NEED BOOK 2 MORE THAN I NEED AIR. THIS ENTIRE BOOK WAS THE EPITOME OF WAITING FOR AN IMPENDING TRAIN CRASH BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO LOOK AWAY. F**K.
the direwolves & trial aspect of this book were obviously incredibly dope - but that underlying plot laden with easter eggs and sneakyyyyy world building? >:)) you know I’m eating it the hell up every single time.
I NEED BOOK 2 MORE THAN I NEED AIR. THIS ENTIRE BOOK WAS THE EPITOME OF WAITING FOR AN IMPENDING TRAIN CRASH BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO LOOK AWAY. F**K.
August 7, 2025
4⭐️
This was quite good especially for a debut! It has similar vibes to Fourth Wing, but with a more likable FMC (in my opinion), direwolves, magic and Siphons, who are essentially vampires. These combined elements definitely kept things interesting.
The pacing is a bit slow to start, but never boring. I find that pretty typical for the first book in a fantasy series, since there's a lot of groundwork to lay with characters and world building. It doesn’t take long to gain momentum, and by the last 25% of the book, I couldn’t put it down.
The FMC, Meryn, is strong, scrappy and capable without coming across as arrogant. She’s mostly confident but also shows vulnerability at times, which made her feel relatable. She does make a few poor choices and acts immaturely here and there, but overall, I really liked her. Then there’s Stark Therion, my favorite character besides Meryn’s direwolf, Anassa. I mean, with a name like that, how could he not be a dark and broody alpha?
The direwolves were a highlight for me, especially their interactions with their bonded riders. The book is full of secrets and twists, some I saw coming but a few genuinely surprised me. I still don’t feel like I have a solid grasp of the world yet, but I’m hoping the next book will fill in the gaps. Book two can’t come fast enough because after that ending, I definitely have some questions that need answers. There’s a lot more I could say (Ari can vouch for that), but unfortunately much of it would be spoilers.
Buddy read with Ari . We had some really good discussions and quite a few laughs while reading this one. Be sure to check out her review.
Fun fact: Sable Sorenson is actually the pen name for two fantasy-loving friends who co-wrote this very solid debut novel.
This was quite good especially for a debut! It has similar vibes to Fourth Wing, but with a more likable FMC (in my opinion), direwolves, magic and Siphons, who are essentially vampires. These combined elements definitely kept things interesting.
The pacing is a bit slow to start, but never boring. I find that pretty typical for the first book in a fantasy series, since there's a lot of groundwork to lay with characters and world building. It doesn’t take long to gain momentum, and by the last 25% of the book, I couldn’t put it down.
The FMC, Meryn, is strong, scrappy and capable without coming across as arrogant. She’s mostly confident but also shows vulnerability at times, which made her feel relatable. She does make a few poor choices and acts immaturely here and there, but overall, I really liked her. Then there’s Stark Therion, my favorite character besides Meryn’s direwolf, Anassa. I mean, with a name like that, how could he not be a dark and broody alpha?
The direwolves were a highlight for me, especially their interactions with their bonded riders. The book is full of secrets and twists, some I saw coming but a few genuinely surprised me. I still don’t feel like I have a solid grasp of the world yet, but I’m hoping the next book will fill in the gaps. Book two can’t come fast enough because after that ending, I definitely have some questions that need answers. There’s a lot more I could say (Ari can vouch for that), but unfortunately much of it would be spoilers.
Buddy read with Ari . We had some really good discussions and quite a few laughs while reading this one. Be sure to check out her review.
Fun fact: Sable Sorenson is actually the pen name for two fantasy-loving friends who co-wrote this very solid debut novel.
September 24, 2025
4.5⭐️
No way did I just find yet another high rating this month. WHAT IS IN THE AIR??? This can go on the list of yet another one of my favorites this year.
This book literally felt like it had crack in it; I could not put it down for the life of me. The plot was so engaging and entertaining and there were twists and turns at every angle. The best way I can describe this book is like Fourth Wing but better story-telling, better writing, higher stakes, and just with wolves instead of dragons. That being said, however, the plot structure and events very similarly mimic Fourth Wing. If you enjoyed that, you'll probably end up loving this just as much!
The characters were so lovable yet so easy to hate at the same time. I mean this by you're able to love the FMC so much and it's easy to hate the villains. Meryn was a ball of pure spit-fire and feminine rage and I LOVED IT. The characters in here were either you loved them or hated them. It was a constant battle to figure out who to trust and solve the mystery and I loved every second of it.
I don't really have any bad things to say about this book, but if I was being nitpicky, I'd say that for a 570 page book, I wish the character were more fleshed out. Don't get me wrong I loved them, but their issues and background was pretty grazed over. I think that the complexity of their emotions and personalities made up for it though! Just wish they weren't so surface level.
Overall, you best believe I'll be recommending this book left and right to just about everyone. It was intense, gory, spicy, and just made you chilled to the bone. I could actually cry over the fact that the next book won't be out until next year cause the way it ended? GAGGED. Anyways, I'll be sitting here patiently rocking back and forth losing my sanity over waiting for it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: ❤️🗡️
Okay, it's time to see if this book lives up to the hype and we all know how I feel about 99% of hyped up books...😭
No way did I just find yet another high rating this month. WHAT IS IN THE AIR??? This can go on the list of yet another one of my favorites this year.
This book literally felt like it had crack in it; I could not put it down for the life of me. The plot was so engaging and entertaining and there were twists and turns at every angle. The best way I can describe this book is like Fourth Wing but better story-telling, better writing, higher stakes, and just with wolves instead of dragons. That being said, however, the plot structure and events very similarly mimic Fourth Wing. If you enjoyed that, you'll probably end up loving this just as much!
The characters were so lovable yet so easy to hate at the same time. I mean this by you're able to love the FMC so much and it's easy to hate the villains. Meryn was a ball of pure spit-fire and feminine rage and I LOVED IT. The characters in here were either you loved them or hated them. It was a constant battle to figure out who to trust and solve the mystery and I loved every second of it.
I don't really have any bad things to say about this book, but if I was being nitpicky, I'd say that for a 570 page book, I wish the character were more fleshed out. Don't get me wrong I loved them, but their issues and background was pretty grazed over. I think that the complexity of their emotions and personalities made up for it though! Just wish they weren't so surface level.
Overall, you best believe I'll be recommending this book left and right to just about everyone. It was intense, gory, spicy, and just made you chilled to the bone. I could actually cry over the fact that the next book won't be out until next year cause the way it ended? GAGGED. Anyways, I'll be sitting here patiently rocking back and forth losing my sanity over waiting for it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: ❤️🗡️
Okay, it's time to see if this book lives up to the hype and we all know how I feel about 99% of hyped up books...😭
April 15, 2025
A FKNG RIDE!!!!!!
Imagine a spicier Fourth Wing but with direwolves instead of dragons.
And now that I’ve hooked you with the elevator pitch, that’s where the similarities between Direbound and Fourth Wing end.
This is a long book, but it was so intentionally plotted that it flew by. Most fantasy books have a FMC on a quest to break a curse or find a magical object or pass a trial. And while this book had many of those elements, I love how Meryn’s most pressing goal was to find her missing sister. (As someone who deeply loves her siblings, I found this very gripping and relatable!)
My favourite part about this book is that, while it has a strong beginning, the last half (and particularly last 10%) was especially strong, setting us up for an inevitably fantastic conflict in book two.
The only reason I didn’t give this 5⭐️ is because I’m super sensitive to repeated words in books, and the frequent use of “gaze” occasionally took me out of the story. BUT that’s a “me thing” - please don’t let that dissuade you from reading!
Direbound is the only book that’s gotten me out of my Onyx Storm hangover, and this is one of my favourite fantasy romance books I’ve read in the past year or more.
LOVE LOVE LOVE 🐺⚔️🩸👑🏰✨
Imagine a spicier Fourth Wing but with direwolves instead of dragons.
And now that I’ve hooked you with the elevator pitch, that’s where the similarities between Direbound and Fourth Wing end.
This is a long book, but it was so intentionally plotted that it flew by. Most fantasy books have a FMC on a quest to break a curse or find a magical object or pass a trial. And while this book had many of those elements, I love how Meryn’s most pressing goal was to find her missing sister. (As someone who deeply loves her siblings, I found this very gripping and relatable!)
My favourite part about this book is that, while it has a strong beginning, the last half (and particularly last 10%) was especially strong, setting us up for an inevitably fantastic conflict in book two.
The only reason I didn’t give this 5⭐️ is because I’m super sensitive to repeated words in books, and the frequent use of “gaze” occasionally took me out of the story. BUT that’s a “me thing” - please don’t let that dissuade you from reading!
Direbound is the only book that’s gotten me out of my Onyx Storm hangover, and this is one of my favourite fantasy romance books I’ve read in the past year or more.
LOVE LOVE LOVE 🐺⚔️🩸👑🏰✨
October 29, 2025
Onyx Storm called, They want Xaden back
November 8, 2025
4 Stars . ⊹ ･ﾟ𖥔 ₊ ˑ
⤷ THE LAST 100 PAGES OMG HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR BOOK 2 rtc
⤷ THE LAST 100 PAGES OMG HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR BOOK 2 rtc
April 24, 2025
i have never written a review before but upon finishing this book i feel compelled to speak my truth. there are so many things i could say about this book but in the spirit of not giving away spoilers all i will say is reading this made me want to throw my kindle off a cliff. it is as if the author was like “hey what if i copy and pasted fourth wing, replaced dragons with dire wolves, and then made it WAY worse/borderline unreadable for literally 70% of the book??” and someone should have told her no imo. the only reason this even got 1 star from me was for the last few chapters and honestly thats being generous. the fact this is so highly rated on here makes me weep and question humanity.
December 16, 2025
This was surprisingly fun and fast-paced fantasy academy read that gave me a mix of Harry Potter world vibes and Fourth Wing intensity. It’s one of those books where you can sit down “just to read a chapter” and suddenly realize you’re halfway through. The characters have strong personalities, the direwolves add a really compelling layer to the story, and there’s
a certain character who completely stole the spotlight for me.
I’m definitely curious to see how the sequel expands the world, because you can feel hints of something much bigger simmering beneath the surface.
Read My Honest Book Review on My Blog:
Dire Bound
The story isn’t without flaws. There were some details felt underdeveloped, and a few things left me wanting more depth. But overall it was entertaining, easy to follow, and a fun escape into a new fantasy world. If you enjoy academy settings, magical trials, dangerous creatures, and a touch of romantasy tension, this one is worth picking up.
I kept this review spoiler-free, but trust me… I have thoughts about certain plot choices, character dynamics, and the worldbuilding. 👀
If you want my full breakdown—including a spoiler section where I dive into everything the book did (and didn’t) do—I posted a detailed review on my blog. 💚📚✨---->
HERE
Connect With Me:
BLOG ⟫ INSTAGRAM ⟫ NEWSLETTER ⟫
Read My Honest Book Review on My Blog:
Dire Bound
The story isn’t without flaws. There were some details felt underdeveloped, and a few things left me wanting more depth. But overall it was entertaining, easy to follow, and a fun escape into a new fantasy world. If you enjoy academy settings, magical trials, dangerous creatures, and a touch of romantasy tension, this one is worth picking up.
I kept this review spoiler-free, but trust me… I have thoughts about certain plot choices, character dynamics, and the worldbuilding. 👀
If you want my full breakdown—including a spoiler section where I dive into everything the book did (and didn’t) do—I posted a detailed review on my blog. 💚📚✨---->
HERE
Connect With Me:
BLOG ⟫ INSTAGRAM ⟫ NEWSLETTER ⟫
March 18, 2025
love triangle turned me off
The concept of this book was soooo cool! But I did not like Lee (IYKYK). We all know Stark is the true love interest but the first half of this book is almost 300 pages of me just hoping and praying for more Stark moments to only get loooots of Lee moments instead. Criiiiiiinge. And then it just keeps happening. Sure you get a little more Stark but we get so much Lee and Meryn that I was so incredibly done. I didn’t like Lee from the start and then all the spice is him and her? Nah fam. Plus we just know he’s not end game so it makes it so much worse. Someone said this reminded them of TOG and I could see that if we met Stark in the end of in the second book but we do meet him early on and we *knoooow* he is bae so I can’t get behind how this played out. Especially because of the ending? Yeah hard pass. Plus the FMC was kind of annoying…
The concept of this book was soooo cool! But I did not like Lee (IYKYK). We all know Stark is the true love interest but the first half of this book is almost 300 pages of me just hoping and praying for more Stark moments to only get loooots of Lee moments instead. Criiiiiiinge. And then it just keeps happening. Sure you get a little more Stark but we get so much Lee and Meryn that I was so incredibly done. I didn’t like Lee from the start and then all the spice is him and her? Nah fam. Plus we just know he’s not end game so it makes it so much worse. Someone said this reminded them of TOG and I could see that if we met Stark in the end of in the second book but we do meet him early on and we *knoooow* he is bae so I can’t get behind how this played out. Especially because of the ending? Yeah hard pass. Plus the FMC was kind of annoying…
August 4, 2025
dnf @ 54%
wow... that got boring fast 😭
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i’ve been hearing such good things about this one, so i figured it’s finally time to give it a try 😼
wow... that got boring fast 😭
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i’ve been hearing such good things about this one, so i figured it’s finally time to give it a try 😼
August 7, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Direbound
by Sable Sorenson
A blood-soaked, fang-sharp romantasy full of claws, court politics, and enough slow-burn tension to set your eyebrows on fire.
I was not prepared. I thought I was signing up for a “girl and her magical creature” bonding journey. What I got?
Death trials, knife flirting, a possibly sociopathic prince, and wolves that could chew through my spine like it’s a breadstick.
And yes, I loved it.
💀 Let’s talk survival.
Meryn doesn’t want to be a warrior. She’s just trying to find her kidnapped sister, not end up as dog food during a bonding trial with wolves that make Fourth Wing dragons look like emotional support animals. But life had other plans—and those plans involve a direwolf who won’t speak to her, fellow trainees who would love to spill her peasant blood for sport, and a training program where every misstep could be your last.
It's brutal. It’s relentless. And I couldn’t stop reading.
🐺 The direwolves?
Absolutely feral and fantastic. The whole bonding element added an emotional complexity that gave me echoes of Fourth Wing’s rider-dragon dynamic, but grittier. Less banter, more teeth. And the silence of Meryn’s wolf? Perfect slow-burn agony. It made me feral with anticipation.
❤️ Now, the men.
Enter:
Stark Therion: the brooding, morally gray instructor with the emotional warmth of a glacier and the sex appeal of a thunderstorm. Think “hate me, but I’ll train you anyway” vibes.
Lee: the charming first Love with a smirk made of secrets and a stare that says “you’ll regret this kiss, but you’ll do it anyway.” He’s giving big “I can’t be trusted, but you’ll love me for it” energy. Dangerous. Addictive.
You will pick a side. You will probably be wrong. And you’ll love the chaos of it all.
🏰 The worldbuilding?
Gorgeously grim. The castle feels like it’s alive and watching—gilded and hollow, with every room harboring a secret, and every smile concealing a dagger. The pacing is tight, the tension is high, and there’s a delicious undercurrent of “no one is safe” threading through every page.
💔 Why not 5 stars?
There’s a lot going on, and at times, it almost buckles under the weight of its tropes (Chosen One, Dead Sister Quest, Mean Girls with Swords).
A few court scenes were so tension-drenched I wanted just a little more payoff emotionally—give me the catharsis!!
And listen. I could’ve used a touch more vulnerability from the love interests before the last few chapters, but that might just be me projecting my need to fix emotionally damaged fictional men.
Also, too many similarities with a veeeery overrated hyped book 😬
It's a romantasy package dripping with bite.
It’s got:
✨ Deadly trials
🐺 Ferocious direwolves
💔 Heart-wrenching loyalty
💋 Enemies-to-lovers (or lovers-to-enemies? who even knows anymore)
🎭 Political mind games that will leave your trust issues in flames
It’s sharp, it's savage, it’s angsty AF—and I already need book two.
Because let’s be real: I’m here for the wolves, the pain, and the kind of romance that threatens to kill you before it kisses you.
Thank you Nancy for tackling this one with me?❤️ This made it even better! Hope we're up for part two later this year 💕
Direbound
by Sable Sorenson
A blood-soaked, fang-sharp romantasy full of claws, court politics, and enough slow-burn tension to set your eyebrows on fire.
I was not prepared. I thought I was signing up for a “girl and her magical creature” bonding journey. What I got?
Death trials, knife flirting, a possibly sociopathic prince, and wolves that could chew through my spine like it’s a breadstick.
And yes, I loved it.
💀 Let’s talk survival.
Meryn doesn’t want to be a warrior. She’s just trying to find her kidnapped sister, not end up as dog food during a bonding trial with wolves that make Fourth Wing dragons look like emotional support animals. But life had other plans—and those plans involve a direwolf who won’t speak to her, fellow trainees who would love to spill her peasant blood for sport, and a training program where every misstep could be your last.
It's brutal. It’s relentless. And I couldn’t stop reading.
🐺 The direwolves?
Absolutely feral and fantastic. The whole bonding element added an emotional complexity that gave me echoes of Fourth Wing’s rider-dragon dynamic, but grittier. Less banter, more teeth. And the silence of Meryn’s wolf? Perfect slow-burn agony. It made me feral with anticipation.
❤️ Now, the men.
Enter:
Stark Therion: the brooding, morally gray instructor with the emotional warmth of a glacier and the sex appeal of a thunderstorm. Think “hate me, but I’ll train you anyway” vibes.
Lee: the charming first Love with a smirk made of secrets and a stare that says “you’ll regret this kiss, but you’ll do it anyway.” He’s giving big “I can’t be trusted, but you’ll love me for it” energy. Dangerous. Addictive.
You will pick a side. You will probably be wrong. And you’ll love the chaos of it all.
🏰 The worldbuilding?
Gorgeously grim. The castle feels like it’s alive and watching—gilded and hollow, with every room harboring a secret, and every smile concealing a dagger. The pacing is tight, the tension is high, and there’s a delicious undercurrent of “no one is safe” threading through every page.
💔 Why not 5 stars?
There’s a lot going on, and at times, it almost buckles under the weight of its tropes (Chosen One, Dead Sister Quest, Mean Girls with Swords).
A few court scenes were so tension-drenched I wanted just a little more payoff emotionally—give me the catharsis!!
And listen. I could’ve used a touch more vulnerability from the love interests before the last few chapters, but that might just be me projecting my need to fix emotionally damaged fictional men.
Also, too many similarities with a veeeery overrated hyped book 😬
It's a romantasy package dripping with bite.
It’s got:
✨ Deadly trials
🐺 Ferocious direwolves
💔 Heart-wrenching loyalty
💋 Enemies-to-lovers (or lovers-to-enemies? who even knows anymore)
🎭 Political mind games that will leave your trust issues in flames
It’s sharp, it's savage, it’s angsty AF—and I already need book two.
Because let’s be real: I’m here for the wolves, the pain, and the kind of romance that threatens to kill you before it kisses you.
Thank you Nancy for tackling this one with me?❤️ This made it even better! Hope we're up for part two later this year 💕
September 23, 2025
⭐️⭐️.5
This book doesn’t have an original bone in its body 😭 From page one I felt like I was reading a mashup of Fourth Wing 🐉, The Hunger Games 🏹, ACOTAR 🦋, and very reminiscent of Gild ✨. And honestly? It took away all the wonder and awe for me because I could predict 99.9% of what was happening 🤯. I even had notes in my Kindle as proof lol.
Our FMC drove me crazy 😩 she lacked common sense, didn’t listen, and was just overall frustrating. The broody MMC did have his moments 😏 but his name being Stark? Big cringe 💀. The world and concept had potential 🌍 but instead of leaning into it, it felt like the book just relied on copy-and-paste from already popular romantasies thinking that’s what readers wanted.
Honestly, the only thing that kept me from DNF’ing was the fact that this was a wolf book 🐺 and I’m a wolf-girlie through and through 💕. But even then, the wolves weren’t used to their full potential 😬. If you’ve never read Fourth Wing you’ll probably devour this 📚 because the structure works, it’s fast-paced and bingeable ⚡. But for me, I needed something fresh and original 🌌.
That said, I’m still intrigued enough to check out book 2 👀. I’m hoping it’ll carve out its own identity instead of riding the coattails of other series 🐾. The bones are there, but I want a story that howls on its own 🌕🐺.
Now please, give me your best romantasy wolf recs because I need something new 🐺🔥
Pre read: 9/18
Soooo….all my current reads will have to go on hold for this, I’ve been itching to get my hands on this, and my Libby hold is finally up!!✨🥹🐺
This book doesn’t have an original bone in its body 😭 From page one I felt like I was reading a mashup of Fourth Wing 🐉, The Hunger Games 🏹, ACOTAR 🦋, and very reminiscent of Gild ✨. And honestly? It took away all the wonder and awe for me because I could predict 99.9% of what was happening 🤯. I even had notes in my Kindle as proof lol.
Our FMC drove me crazy 😩 she lacked common sense, didn’t listen, and was just overall frustrating. The broody MMC did have his moments 😏 but his name being Stark? Big cringe 💀. The world and concept had potential 🌍 but instead of leaning into it, it felt like the book just relied on copy-and-paste from already popular romantasies thinking that’s what readers wanted.
Honestly, the only thing that kept me from DNF’ing was the fact that this was a wolf book 🐺 and I’m a wolf-girlie through and through 💕. But even then, the wolves weren’t used to their full potential 😬. If you’ve never read Fourth Wing you’ll probably devour this 📚 because the structure works, it’s fast-paced and bingeable ⚡. But for me, I needed something fresh and original 🌌.
That said, I’m still intrigued enough to check out book 2 👀. I’m hoping it’ll carve out its own identity instead of riding the coattails of other series 🐾. The bones are there, but I want a story that howls on its own 🌕🐺.
Now please, give me your best romantasy wolf recs because I need something new 🐺🔥
Pre read: 9/18
Soooo….all my current reads will have to go on hold for this, I’ve been itching to get my hands on this, and my Libby hold is finally up!!✨🥹🐺
October 19, 2025
tiktok ass book
September 25, 2025
4.75⭐️
review to come!!!
review to come!!!
November 3, 2025
I need book 2 to come out asap so I can read more about how amazing Starks eyelashes are 😂
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