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Bound at the Root
Hope Is Dwindling...
Born as an Ordinary in a world where magic rules, Emelyne faces the struggles that come with possessing no power.
The royals and their people live indulgent, lavish lives while those beneath them are left to suffer.
No one has dared challenge this way of life, as the royals of Ilhan, being ruthless in their rule, have spread their influence across all kingdoms.
However, when the Gold Capes raid her village, Emelyne finds herself standing between the hands ready to strike her people down. But her act of retaliation won't go unpunished.
Taken as prisoner, she's made to be an example by the royals but gets more than she bargained for when they deem her
"Princess of Ordinaries."
As she's forced to endure a brutal torment, she gains a knowledge that could bring down the royals' tyrannical reign, but she can't do it alone.
Finding friendships that remind her what it means to be strong, she brings hope back to the people, discovering she had power all along.
Complete with Illustrations throughout the book, and a couple recipes from The Dusty Barrel to give you a taste of Almiera, "Bound at the Root" takes you on an enthralling journey of found family, perseverance, and finding hope when all seems lost.
Born as an Ordinary in a world where magic rules, Emelyne faces the struggles that come with possessing no power.
The royals and their people live indulgent, lavish lives while those beneath them are left to suffer.
No one has dared challenge this way of life, as the royals of Ilhan, being ruthless in their rule, have spread their influence across all kingdoms.
However, when the Gold Capes raid her village, Emelyne finds herself standing between the hands ready to strike her people down. But her act of retaliation won't go unpunished.
Taken as prisoner, she's made to be an example by the royals but gets more than she bargained for when they deem her
"Princess of Ordinaries."
As she's forced to endure a brutal torment, she gains a knowledge that could bring down the royals' tyrannical reign, but she can't do it alone.
Finding friendships that remind her what it means to be strong, she brings hope back to the people, discovering she had power all along.
Complete with Illustrations throughout the book, and a couple recipes from The Dusty Barrel to give you a taste of Almiera, "Bound at the Root" takes you on an enthralling journey of found family, perseverance, and finding hope when all seems lost.
507 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2025
3 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 30, 2025
A very fun book with exciting magic and characters. As promised some found family in the second half which was so cozy. I need to make myself some Maplecrisp pie!!
November 7, 2025
This book is everything the fantasy genre has been missing for the last several years: slow burn romance, found family that makes you cry happy tears, and epic stakes against a girl who just wants to see her people treated better.
Bound at the Root is a fantasy that encapsulates the heart and grit of a FMC that fights even when the fight seems hopeless; and who loves those around her even when her world tells her it's wrong. In a world full of magic, Emelyne, and Ordinary--is suddenly picked to be the "Princess of Ordinaries" and thrust into a world of corrupted political power and heartache she dared not fathom prior.
She goes on a journey of finding her strength--without any magical ability--and discovers that trauma healing can come in new friends who quickly turn to loved ones, and finding hope when others would seem to destroy all hope.
This book is a breath of fresh air! The friendships are my favorite part of this story, the way Emelyne is so infectious in her ability to give of herself to others, and how she finds a way to uplift everyone she encounters.
Also--if you love cozy tavern vibes--you're going to love this! The decadent treats and community around food in the book is something that makes your mouth water, and gives you all the cozy feels that's hard to find in fantasy these days.
And if you're into slow burns...with intense yearning, stolen glances, and hidden smiles that make you want to scream at the characters---THEN THIS IS SLOWWWWW! But oh so worth it!😍
Cliffhanger that leaves you speechless--I think this will be the next best fantasy with incredible world building and characters than the typical same stories you've seen recently on the market!
Bound at the Root is a fantasy that encapsulates the heart and grit of a FMC that fights even when the fight seems hopeless; and who loves those around her even when her world tells her it's wrong. In a world full of magic, Emelyne, and Ordinary--is suddenly picked to be the "Princess of Ordinaries" and thrust into a world of corrupted political power and heartache she dared not fathom prior.
She goes on a journey of finding her strength--without any magical ability--and discovers that trauma healing can come in new friends who quickly turn to loved ones, and finding hope when others would seem to destroy all hope.
This book is a breath of fresh air! The friendships are my favorite part of this story, the way Emelyne is so infectious in her ability to give of herself to others, and how she finds a way to uplift everyone she encounters.
Also--if you love cozy tavern vibes--you're going to love this! The decadent treats and community around food in the book is something that makes your mouth water, and gives you all the cozy feels that's hard to find in fantasy these days.
And if you're into slow burns...with intense yearning, stolen glances, and hidden smiles that make you want to scream at the characters---THEN THIS IS SLOWWWWW! But oh so worth it!😍
Cliffhanger that leaves you speechless--I think this will be the next best fantasy with incredible world building and characters than the typical same stories you've seen recently on the market!
August 16, 2025
I am truly honored to have been selected to read this book as an ARC. I am writing this reveiw with my own free will and was not paid to do so.
This story starts with a wonder beginning, filled with such raw,real, emotions that actually connected with me from the very first chapter. The realism of the many different dilemmas in the world is spoken with such vivid imagery.
The author is just so in tune with life's difficulties, she writes with a sense of knowing. The emotion behind every word is weighed so heavily with feelings, not just happiness or sadness but anguish, sorrow, grief, and the good and the joyous.
The story takes place in the Kingdom of IIhan where its ruthless leaders, lead with cruelty, damming there citizens into poverty and starvation in the villages of the Ordinaries and the Deplorables.
I am inspired by the FMC, A ordinary small villager, who loves fiercely, has such a kind soft-heart, who is bold with wittiness and resilient and fights for others. I love that she is older, being older myself it's really cool to see characters who are of the same age or older.
The MMC is an outcast to both the Deplorables and Ordinaries. When he came into the story line, it was with true grace and valor leading his aide. As he began his travels with the FMC, they both began to become closer than ever. The MMC, is filled with wisdom from his past and leans his ear to anyone who needs a listening spirit, he is kind, thoughtful, and has a deep capacity for compassion. He is a fighter, which shows in places unseen both in mind and body.
This book has no spice but the yearning and the longing are there in full swing, you will definitely we swooning! ☺️
I am so grateful for the author trusting in me and letting me be apart of her journey. I am so excited for what's head!
This story starts with a wonder beginning, filled with such raw,real, emotions that actually connected with me from the very first chapter. The realism of the many different dilemmas in the world is spoken with such vivid imagery.
The author is just so in tune with life's difficulties, she writes with a sense of knowing. The emotion behind every word is weighed so heavily with feelings, not just happiness or sadness but anguish, sorrow, grief, and the good and the joyous.
The story takes place in the Kingdom of IIhan where its ruthless leaders, lead with cruelty, damming there citizens into poverty and starvation in the villages of the Ordinaries and the Deplorables.
I am inspired by the FMC, A ordinary small villager, who loves fiercely, has such a kind soft-heart, who is bold with wittiness and resilient and fights for others. I love that she is older, being older myself it's really cool to see characters who are of the same age or older.
The MMC is an outcast to both the Deplorables and Ordinaries. When he came into the story line, it was with true grace and valor leading his aide. As he began his travels with the FMC, they both began to become closer than ever. The MMC, is filled with wisdom from his past and leans his ear to anyone who needs a listening spirit, he is kind, thoughtful, and has a deep capacity for compassion. He is a fighter, which shows in places unseen both in mind and body.
This book has no spice but the yearning and the longing are there in full swing, you will definitely we swooning! ☺️
I am so grateful for the author trusting in me and letting me be apart of her journey. I am so excited for what's head!
September 7, 2025
Review will be updated later!
November 15, 2025
Description
For generations the Royals have ruled through fear, oppression, and a strict caste system, but now there are whispers of rebellion and of a secret village that lives in peace.
Emelyne grew up in a village of Ordinaries – magicless people avoided by society. With her father gone since birth and her mother having passed, she helps where she can to support the destitute village that helped support her and her mother for so long.
When soldiers storm in, doling out punishment for the village not supplying the palace with its quota of crops, Emelyne stands between them and her people. This one act of defiance irrevocably alters her life and, quite possibly, the whole world.
Disclosure
I received this ARC for free from the author, my reviewing it was encouraged but not required. This does not affect my opinion of the book, or the content of my review; the following review is unbiased, and all opinions are my own.
Review – Spoiler Free
With short chapters that clip along, Alysha Everwood’s Bound at the Root is a quick read. Everwood has done a great job of packing a lot of story in, addressing tough topics like torture and its resulting PTSD while also highlighting perseverance and the support of found family. As the first in The Sevenfold Series, it does a good job of setting the reader up for the next book with developing the main character’s push into adventure, a complex world, and open story lines.
Having both grimdark fantasy aspects as well as cozy fantasy aspects, Bound at the Root can be hard to fit into one story category and has a strong duality that could deter some readers. Those looking for a cozy fantasy may be bothered by its dark, descriptive scenes, while those looking for an epic fantasy tale may be put off by the slow, cozy scenes. For readers concerned about the intense parts – think of this as Emelyne’s origin story, she goes through some darkness to become who she is later. For readers concerned about this being only fluff – this reads as the beginning of a larger, complicated story.
Everwood’s writing style in Bound at the Root lends itself well to a New Adult or mature Young Adult reader. While this is a sprawling fantasy world, the story isn’t bogged down by heavy worldbuilding or hard to follow politics, and the character driven scenes move quickly. The characters themselves may come across as childish or impulsive, but this lends itself well to the age range, the witty banter throughout the book, the found family fun of cozy scenes, and the intense extremes of the darker scenes.
Everwood has added so many little extras to Bound at the Root, some very thoughtful, some obviously practical, and some fun ones revealing her own love and enjoyment of the world she has created. These extras include: a content warning, pronunciation guides, in-story illustrations, and some story specific recipes at the back.
Overall, I liked Alysha Everwood’s Bound at the Root. It is a story about fighting for change and holding onto hope. I would recommend it to NA readers who enjoy slower cozy fantasy but don’t shy away from darker fantasy, but I would caution readers who are looking for only cozy vibes and encourage them to check out the content warning in the beginning pages for an exhaustive list of what to expect. Everwood’s Bound at the Root has a lot going for it and, as the beginning to a series, I’m interested to see where it goes.
For generations the Royals have ruled through fear, oppression, and a strict caste system, but now there are whispers of rebellion and of a secret village that lives in peace.
Emelyne grew up in a village of Ordinaries – magicless people avoided by society. With her father gone since birth and her mother having passed, she helps where she can to support the destitute village that helped support her and her mother for so long.
When soldiers storm in, doling out punishment for the village not supplying the palace with its quota of crops, Emelyne stands between them and her people. This one act of defiance irrevocably alters her life and, quite possibly, the whole world.
Disclosure
I received this ARC for free from the author, my reviewing it was encouraged but not required. This does not affect my opinion of the book, or the content of my review; the following review is unbiased, and all opinions are my own.
Review – Spoiler Free
With short chapters that clip along, Alysha Everwood’s Bound at the Root is a quick read. Everwood has done a great job of packing a lot of story in, addressing tough topics like torture and its resulting PTSD while also highlighting perseverance and the support of found family. As the first in The Sevenfold Series, it does a good job of setting the reader up for the next book with developing the main character’s push into adventure, a complex world, and open story lines.
Having both grimdark fantasy aspects as well as cozy fantasy aspects, Bound at the Root can be hard to fit into one story category and has a strong duality that could deter some readers. Those looking for a cozy fantasy may be bothered by its dark, descriptive scenes, while those looking for an epic fantasy tale may be put off by the slow, cozy scenes. For readers concerned about the intense parts – think of this as Emelyne’s origin story, she goes through some darkness to become who she is later. For readers concerned about this being only fluff – this reads as the beginning of a larger, complicated story.
Everwood’s writing style in Bound at the Root lends itself well to a New Adult or mature Young Adult reader. While this is a sprawling fantasy world, the story isn’t bogged down by heavy worldbuilding or hard to follow politics, and the character driven scenes move quickly. The characters themselves may come across as childish or impulsive, but this lends itself well to the age range, the witty banter throughout the book, the found family fun of cozy scenes, and the intense extremes of the darker scenes.
Everwood has added so many little extras to Bound at the Root, some very thoughtful, some obviously practical, and some fun ones revealing her own love and enjoyment of the world she has created. These extras include: a content warning, pronunciation guides, in-story illustrations, and some story specific recipes at the back.
Overall, I liked Alysha Everwood’s Bound at the Root. It is a story about fighting for change and holding onto hope. I would recommend it to NA readers who enjoy slower cozy fantasy but don’t shy away from darker fantasy, but I would caution readers who are looking for only cozy vibes and encourage them to check out the content warning in the beginning pages for an exhaustive list of what to expect. Everwood’s Bound at the Root has a lot going for it and, as the beginning to a series, I’m interested to see where it goes.
November 7, 2025
Thank you so much, Alysha for this ARC! I'm so honored I was able to read this beautiful book. I've been following along Alysha's writing progress for years and to read her debut novel was a blessing!
THIS IS A FEEL GOOD BOOK.
Though there were some darker themes of torture and abuse that the FMC endured, there was still so much gentleness to the story. The interactions between characters and relationships built felt wholesome and heartwarming. Emylene, the FMC, became trusting with new lovely friends and the building of that famous found family trope, was like a big hug. I'm so happy Emylene found that, especially all that she went through, physically and emotionally.
She has the sweetest best friend that anyone would be so lucky to have and so many other great supporters around her as the story progressed. There was just kindness weaved throughout that made me feel good everytime I picked up the book.
Bound at The Root is a wonderfully cozy fantasy that will leave you hungry (for the next book, but also because of all the mentions of amazing food!) There's no doubt the author is a foodie with impeccable taste because I was reaching for snacks every other chapter to satisfy my cravings. The food descriptions were drool worthy! Oh and the book comes with RECIPES in the back!! Whaaat?!
There are so many cozy tavern scenes that will bring you the most comfort while reading. I can give you all the details of how it felt but you must read for yourself to find out 😉🍞🍻
Okay, so let's talk about the slooooow burn subplot. That's right, I mean SLOOOOOOW. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to find slow burns done right. The romance was sweet and makes you giddy! One of the MMC gives major Flynn Rider vibes from Tangled! He was so witty and flirtatious. The second MMC was written so well too, very mysterious, shy in a way where he doesn't let just anyone see his past and he has a huge heart. There's a moment of jealousy that he feels toward Emylene and her dance partner, and idk why but i loved it. I'm so excited to see the romance take off in the second book.
The ending is such a cliff hanger and I'm just dying to know what comes next!
Definitely read this book! The writing is so fluid! For a debut novel, I'm impressed! Sometimes with debut authors, their writing can make you feel like you're knocked all around but not with Bound at The Root! Amazing book. Amazing author. Support indie authors, forget your tbr and make this your next read, please
What to expect:
♡ Found family
♡ Clean romance
♡ Political intrigue
♡ Cozy fantasy
♡ Very minimal cursing
♡ Magical elements
♡ Corrupt royals
♡ Yummy food descriptions
♡ Learning how to use a dagger
♡ Tending to wounds
♡ Slow burn romance
THIS IS A FEEL GOOD BOOK.
Though there were some darker themes of torture and abuse that the FMC endured, there was still so much gentleness to the story. The interactions between characters and relationships built felt wholesome and heartwarming. Emylene, the FMC, became trusting with new lovely friends and the building of that famous found family trope, was like a big hug. I'm so happy Emylene found that, especially all that she went through, physically and emotionally.
She has the sweetest best friend that anyone would be so lucky to have and so many other great supporters around her as the story progressed. There was just kindness weaved throughout that made me feel good everytime I picked up the book.
Bound at The Root is a wonderfully cozy fantasy that will leave you hungry (for the next book, but also because of all the mentions of amazing food!) There's no doubt the author is a foodie with impeccable taste because I was reaching for snacks every other chapter to satisfy my cravings. The food descriptions were drool worthy! Oh and the book comes with RECIPES in the back!! Whaaat?!
There are so many cozy tavern scenes that will bring you the most comfort while reading. I can give you all the details of how it felt but you must read for yourself to find out 😉🍞🍻
Okay, so let's talk about the slooooow burn subplot. That's right, I mean SLOOOOOOW. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to find slow burns done right. The romance was sweet and makes you giddy! One of the MMC gives major Flynn Rider vibes from Tangled! He was so witty and flirtatious. The second MMC was written so well too, very mysterious, shy in a way where he doesn't let just anyone see his past and he has a huge heart. There's a moment of jealousy that he feels toward Emylene and her dance partner, and idk why but i loved it. I'm so excited to see the romance take off in the second book.
The ending is such a cliff hanger and I'm just dying to know what comes next!
Definitely read this book! The writing is so fluid! For a debut novel, I'm impressed! Sometimes with debut authors, their writing can make you feel like you're knocked all around but not with Bound at The Root! Amazing book. Amazing author. Support indie authors, forget your tbr and make this your next read, please
What to expect:
♡ Found family
♡ Clean romance
♡ Political intrigue
♡ Cozy fantasy
♡ Very minimal cursing
♡ Magical elements
♡ Corrupt royals
♡ Yummy food descriptions
♡ Learning how to use a dagger
♡ Tending to wounds
♡ Slow burn romance
Read
November 14, 2025If you’re looking to feel like you’ve been tucked into bed by the author, even after difficult situations, this is it.
Soft wholesome moments and dialog blanket the trauma, engulfing you with found family and baked goods. 🤎
Soft wholesome moments and dialog blanket the trauma, engulfing you with found family and baked goods. 🤎
November 13, 2025
Absolutely honored to be an ARC reader for this because OH. MY. GOSH. I absolutely loved it, and I am so excited for everyone else to get to read it when it drops!!!!
October 10, 2025
OH MY WORD THIS BOOK!!!😭😭❤️❤️ I had the pleasure of reading an early copy of this book and it stole my heart. A gripping examination of the abuse of power, finding one's place in a corrupt system designed to keep you down, and power of community and solidarity to rise against the injustices of tyrannical regime. All set against the beautiful backdrop of a rich fantasy world, this story is evocative and haunting in its exploration of the human spirit. Abuse and trauma follow our beloved FMC Emelyne, and healing is not a linear journey, but the strength of her will and unwavering kindness is a balm for the soul especially as a reader in our current world state. We meet our rag tag group who band together to fight back, and the found family vibes are immaculate. Everwood's descriptions of the coziest tavern, The Dusty Barrel, serve as a reminder of the things we hold dear, and how it's worth fighting for. Grab a slice of maple apple crisp pie, a steaming cup of tea, and get ready for this grand adventure of self discovery!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews