Bound

by Tasha Hayes

For fans of The Hunger Games, Tomorrow When the War Began, Children of Blood and Bone, and The Poppy War, comes a debut novel about reclaiming identity, surviving against all odds, and discovering true power.

For centuries, the Satarian refugees have been trapped in the Al’Mazraea camp, shunned by the Amanese and forbidden to practise their ancient earth magic, creomancy. Mila has grown up inside its fences, secretly learning the dying art from her brother, Nasir, all the while knowing discovery could mean death.

When a disaster strikes that exposes Mila’s magic, any hope of a peaceful life is destroyed. The IronHand group, a rising political force, seizes control and unleashes a regime of brutality against her people. Wracked with guilt and with Satarian culture on the brink of extinction,
Mila faces an impossible keep her head down,
or risk everything to fight back.

Either way, no one is safe…

-

To the border walls,
To the prejudices and misconceptions,
To the laws that will destroy them,
To each other,
They are BOUND.

456 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2025

About the author

Tasha is an Australian author based in Sydney, where she lives a wonderfully chaotic life with her husband and four cats. A former primary school teacher, Tasha continues to channel her passion for literature’s ability to spark critical thought and inspire change. Her debut novel, Bound, was inspired by current world events and her deep commitment to themes of equity, inclusion, and confronting injustice.

Reviews

[Catreyna Cartorde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to read this book as a beta reader, and I have a lot to say. Going to try to do it without spoilers!

Bound is one of those rare books that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page. From the very first chapter, I was swept into the world of the Satarians—rich in history, magic, and heartbreak—and into the life of Mila, a heroine who's resilience is as compelling as her vulnerability.

Mila’s journey is full of impossible choices, moral complexity, and moments that had me holding my breath. Hayes doesn’t shy away from exploring the brutality of oppression, but amidst the darkness there’s a powerful undercurrent of hope, identity and the fight to preserve culture. The worldbuilding is intricate without ever feeling overwhelming, and the magic system is beautifully woven into the narrative, feeling organic and alive. The author made her own language! I hope there's more of it in the future books.

The prose is both lyrical and precise, evoking vivid imagery that makes you feel every crack in the earth, every blow, every loss. By the end, I was in awe of the way it makes you think about humanity, history and the way we treat each other and the earth. This is a series I will follow to the very end.

[Jazzy Mermaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considering this is a book completely out of any genre I have ever truly experienced, my mind is blown. Between the gripping testament of how one misguided perception can carry on for centuries and the insight of the inner walls of the feared.

Mila was always told to stay small, be unseen and don't draw attention to herself. She, alike all the others in her camp, are descendants of creomancy. A magic tethered to Gaia and to grow from the land. One natural occurrence and Mila leading with her kind heart lands her people in a disarray of hypocrisy, lives lost and survival on a much steeper level.

This book has trigger warnings that should be taken for full value. Be prepared to have an insight that you may even resonate within yourself.

✨️📚✨️

[Ashlea Skupien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read Bound before its release, and I genuinely couldn’t put it down. This debut novel is nothing short of epic.

Stepping into Mila’s world shifted something in my own! Tasha’s writing is so immersive and vivid, I felt like I was right there beside Mila, feeling her joys, her heartbreaks, and everything in between. The story had me on the edge of my seat, desperate to know what would happen next, yet also wishing it would never end.

Bound is something special and deserves a place on everyone’s bookshelf.

[Courtney Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bound efficiently blends fantasy with dystopian fiction and kickstarts an explosive new series into high gear. Mila is a complex well- layered protagonist; she's as vulnerable as she is resilient and as stubborn as she is compassionate. Being that I'm close to my older brother, Mila and Nasir's strong sibling bond resonated with me instantly. The conflicts and struggles the Satarians face are heartbreakingly visceral, and Hayes does not shy away from showing the heaviness or the brutality of their world. My heart ached and raged for them at every turn of the page.

Hayes's writing is impeccable, and her descriptions leap off the page. The fact that this is her debut is astounding. It's mind-boggling the way she has crafted not only a story but an entire world (with its own language!!!)

This is a work of fiction, but it reads true to historical/ political oppression and even (sadly) the modern day. At times, it was difficult for me to read because the many parallels to present day real world issues were startling. (For examples of this and to see aforementioned superb writing, see quotes on slides.)


✨ Tash was one of the first people I connected with a year ago when I joined Booksta, and I'm grateful for her friendship every day. Seeing her dreams of writing this book and watching it all come to life has been amazing. What an honor to have been included in reading an ARC for it! It can be nerve wrecking to read a friend's book, especially in such a public manner, but this book is legit, folks. I am in absolute awe of her talent and encourage and recommend everyone to pick it up!
Pub date: 9•18•2025 (today! 🎉)

[Kelly Ballingall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bound captivates you from the first page. The characters are written brilliantly, you feel for them, are heartbroken with them, and rage with them. The concept of creomancy is fascinating and thought provoking. I'm excited to see where the series takes us next.

[Cat.thebookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bound by Tasha Hayes is a genre that I don’t read a lot of, but her writing is incredible — considering this is her debut novel. It’s really descriptive and really immerses you into the story.

I felt like I was by Mila’s side throughout, and you feel everything that she feels too — her heartache, anger, and suffering for every injustice that has happened to her.

The story itself keeps you on the edge of your seat while reading, wanting to know what is going to happen next.

There isn’t any romance in the story, which really doesn’t bother me in the slightest — sometimes it’s nice to have a story without the romance. But the sibling relationship between Nasir and Mila is so well written, and I really enjoyed that aspect. Just need to read the next story to know what happened to Nasir!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a true step out of what I would usually read, and I’m glad I jumped into Bound.
We have trigger warnings at the start of the book, which I would read carefully.
This is a wonderfully written book, and Mila is portrayed so lovely.
We are left on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to continue reading Mila’s journey

[Kristie Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bound is a stellar debut novel from Tasha Hayes - one that begins with a bang and ends just as powerfully. The prose is beautifully written, often poetic, drawing the reader in even when the subject matter makes it hard to keep going. And make no mistake: this is not an easy read. It confronts the darkest parts of human nature - environmental destruction, brutality, bigotry - all with unflinching honesty.

At times, I had to pause just to process the emotional weight of it all. But that’s also what makes the novel so effective. It doesn’t shy away from the truth, and it doesn’t let the reader look away.

This is the kind of book that stays with you long after the last page. I can’t wait to see what Hayes writes next.

[La Vida Bella | Books & Tunes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished! 4.5/5 ⭐️

Wow what a good, empowering story full of growth and love. Also, very sad and hard to read knowing how real the plot is (despite the fact that this is fantasy/dystopian).

I really enjoyed reading about Mila and her strength. I love how confident she became in herself throughout the book. Her determination will make the next book great! Can’t wait to read how the story continues and learn more about the rest of the Satarian’s fates.

And Nasir 😭❤️ he has to be alive! Such a good big brother - I loved him and need more of him!!

Question: will we learn more about the bone necklace/other items that Nasir gave to Mila to save from their home? I want to know more about how these impact Mila’s powers.. Will we get a flashback in the next book maybe of her mom with the necklace?!

Thank you, Tasha, for expressing what everyone needs to hear right now. We are all people deserving of equal rights and love 🙌🏼

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Love a dystopian book and I thought the magic elements were unique and interesting. It hit very close to home with the current state of the world , the parallels were hard to read at times. I wanted a little more relationship development between the characters and though the FMC spent a bit too much time self reflecting but over all an amazing book 🖤

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bound is in the realm of dystopian-fantasy-history repeating itself-gritty combat. Tash has weaved in the happenings of the conditions of the world today and the segregation that is seen throughout the countries and basically looking into the future through a dystopian eye.

Bound is the First book in the ‘Desiccated Legacy’ series (book two in the works… 🤗) & it’s character driven with a strong female protagonist, Mila, and her fight for the freedoms that are deserved. Strong Socio-political themes, identity struggles & finding the power to start a rebellion!

I really enjoyed this one. It’s gritty, violent, powerful, immersive world building, fast paced. Strong themes in this book so not for the faint of heart!

Thank YOU Tasha for gifting me your debut to read! You are such a genuine kind soul!

If you love the idea of dystopian merge with the terror of today, strong female character development, this one is for you! I feel big things coming to Ms Hayes!

4.5🌟

[Readwritewatch.with.kerrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about BOUND?

First of all, this is not my typical genre, so please excuse my ignorance on all things magic.

And second of all, keeping in mind that this is not my typical genre, I BLOODY LOVED IT!

BOUND is a mix between Tomorrow When The War Began (an Australian classic and one of the few on the mandatory high school book list that I actually enjoyed. If you haven’t read it. Please do. If you don’t want to read it, then watch the movie) and The Hunger Games (I am yet to meet a person who hasn’t seen the movies or read the books. If you’re the minority give us a comment below I’d be very fascinated by the fact that you exist).

BOUND is a political, fantasy, dystopian fiction centring around Mila, who works with her brother to harness her magical powers and attempt to stay small to stay under the radar of the Ironhand. While the Satarian refugees are forced to live in poverty-stricken camps just outside the city the Amanese people are lead by an evil dictator, spewing his hateful message. The Amanese people act out of fear and ignorance when they force the Satarian refugees to transform their camps into working colonies, and despite their fear of magic, they attempt to use it to benefit themselves.

Haunted by an overwhelming guilt, Mila must decide whether she makes herself small to survive or stand up and fight back for her people and what is right.

Tasha Hayes is an extremely talented writer. The fact that she pulled me into a genre I don’t normally read and made me love it says everything. Her prose is beautifully descriptive, and she tackles heavy political themes with sensitivity and heartbreaking truth.

[Lia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BOUND is the first book in an all new dystopian fantasy series.

It’s perfect for you if you like books with:

🌿Earth Magic
🗡️Underground Rebellion
🌿Relatable FMC
🗡️No Spice or Romance
🌿Sibling Loyalty
🗡️Relevant Themes
🌿Dystopia with Magic

The world was built up beautifully from the start. It immediately highlights the unfair cruelty of the Amanese and the defeated innocence of the historically magic-wielding Satarian.

Something I found intriguing was the parallels between this world and many historical events that have happened in ours. It was sad to see, but it portrays a very important message.

It was really interesting to learn about the past of the Satarian people as the book went on. As depressing as the whole situation was, I enjoyed seeing the Satarians slowly come to their senses and decide that they could actually do something about their inhumane situation.

The rebellion grew slowly but the training sessions told me a lot about the various characters and the attributes of the Satarian magic. They were always a (somewhat) lighthearted break from the heavy events of the novel.

I enjoyed seeing how the main character, Mila, developed throughout the book. She is very relatable and I felt as though she had realistic responses to the many conflicts she faced. I also really liked her brother, Nasir, who is always trying to help or protect her in some way or another.

I do feel as though there are a few polishing issues with the plot and characters—which is the only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars—but it doesn’t really affect the reading experience and I’m sure this is something that will be even less noticeable in the second book.

Overall, my main takeaway from this book is the many themes incorporated in the novel as well as the many good points the author made. I think that it is important that people really think about them as they are reading, for it connected me with the book so much more than I thought it would.

*I was gifted a free electronic copy of this books in exchange for my honest review.

[Keely Kovacevic · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.5

Bound is a powerhouse of a book. I’m so incredibly excited to see where this series goes.

The debut novel for Tasha Hayes, Bound is a dystopian urban fantasy that follows our main character Mila as she suffers as a member of a refugee encampment where basic amenities are luxury and human rights are a wishful thought. Long repressed and downtrodden, the Satarian community hides their earth magic from the guards of Ard Aman, but when Mila tries to help a child beyond the compound, the life of the Satarian refugees gets harder than even the could have imagined.

Bound is a story of resilience, strength, hope and courage. Beautifully written but deeply confronting, Bound turns a mirror on our modern society and asks us to examine how we treat people we see as other.

Though there were some pacing issues towards the middle of the book, I was completely immersed in the world and devoured the story. A very powerful book to read as we watch the events currently occurring around the world.

As Hayes says through a character in Bound “we must stand up, or they will keep us down forever”.

[myTBRcorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a fan of The Hunger Games, this book has similar vibes, minus the love triangle. It ends in a HEA (sortof).

They say art imitates life. And this book has managed to successfully capture world events and transfer it into a beautiful work of fiction. The author instantly captured my attention the moment I started reading it. I was immediately immersed into the world of Mila, our reluctant FMC. Her life as a Satarian, a group of people capable of harnessing earth magic, is filled with hardships and injustice in a world where people fear them and treat them with cruelty.

The world-building is done beautifully that it doesn't feel too hard to imagine and the narrative flows smoothly you get hooked from one chapter to the next (finished it in 3 days). It's so easy to empathize with our FMC. I felt her heartache, suffering and anger for every injustice that's happened in her life. This book will make you reflect about morality and what drives people's actions.

Looking forward to reading what happens next to our FMC. Hopefully, less heartbreak on Book 2 🤞
.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe "Bound" is Tasha Haye's debut novel! It is powerful and hard hitting, yet so sensitively written. Her beautiful way with words and her vivid desciptions transported me to a world far from my own. Living life through Mila's eyes is horrifying but Tasha somehow manages to weave hope into the narrative too. This dystopian fiction novel will pose questions that will circle in your head for a long time after reading. My heart ached for the sibling characters and I was fully invested in their incredible journey. I'm so glad to hear this is part one of a trilogy!

[K. J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bound is a thrilling ride with dark elements which tragically mirrors our current world. The main character Mila is not perfect, but not in a bad way. She is human; a relatable young person and easy to root for! And the magic in Bound, "creomancy," feels ancient and sacred which evokes respect and fear. I love the concept. If you're looking for a dystopian read with magic elements, I recommend Bound.

[Louis Darmizin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tasha has built a world that feels both vivid and painfully real. The writing flows beautifully, the world building is rich and the themes of oppression, identity and courage stay with you long after the last page. Already looking forward to the next one.

[Jamie Lavender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much to my surprise Bound was a quietly powerful story that I found myself hanging onto long after after the finishing the book. This was a surprise to me only due to the fact that the genre is so far out of my comfort zone and usual stories - I was interested to see how a dystopian, somewhat fantasy would land with me.

I think that this is a testament to the power this story yields. A story that leaves the reader addicted to the emotional exploration of belonging, self-worth, and healing of our beautiful FMC; Mila, whilst simultaneously ending up entranced in world of the Satarian's and the underlying pulse of magic and a dystopian world - that really makes you wonder - is this world so far fetched if we remove the magic and where does vengeance start, where does it end?

Morally complex, thrilling, captivating, gut retching and thought provoking in all the ways that - I am sorry to say - has the strong potential to induce a book hangover (you have been warned). An absolute 5 star read and one of my top 3 in 2025.

All I have left to say is Tasha Hayes; WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

[Mitchell Mennell · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Bound” is an encapsulating and scarily prescient story of hope, despair, alienation and the duality of power.

The pacing is excellent! Measured enough to develop memorable and relatable characters, yet fast enough to keep you turning the page!

I am totally enthralled with the world Tasha has created and cannot wait for the follow-up!

5 STARS!