bookwife's review against another edition
4.0
Probably mild spoilers.
I love the storyline of this series. I also love the world building.
I won't lie.. I didn't like this book as much as first one. I felt like it was a little slow at first. BUT I like that the king wasn't the main love interest in this one. I was not a fan of him at all in the first book... like I straight up hate him. And I also loved all the traveling in this book and the closeness of the friends as they search for the 2 women.
Dean was amazing. Honestly he's way too good for Cyrene. Cyrene isn't all that great, lets be honest here. She's kissing the king, the prince and now another prince. And trouble follows her everywhere.
What I did not like about this book was the ending. I mean that was ridiculously mean and now I have to wait. There is a reason why I usually wait to start a series until most of the books are out.
I love the storyline of this series. I also love the world building.
I won't lie.. I didn't like this book as much as first one. I felt like it was a little slow at first. BUT I like that the king wasn't the main love interest in this one. I was not a fan of him at all in the first book... like I straight up hate him. And I also loved all the traveling in this book and the closeness of the friends as they search for the 2 women.
Dean was amazing. Honestly he's way too good for Cyrene. Cyrene isn't all that great, lets be honest here. She's kissing the king, the prince and now another prince. And trouble follows her everywhere.
What I did not like about this book was the ending. I mean that was ridiculously mean and now I have to wait. There is a reason why I usually wait to start a series until most of the books are out.
izziede's review against another edition
4.0
Good story.
Lots of characters.
Multiple POV.
Lots of mystery esp as to peoples motives.
Faster pace than book 1.
Book 2 of a 5 part series.
Closed door intimate scenes.
Cliffhanger ending.
Lots of characters.
Multiple POV.
Lots of mystery esp as to peoples motives.
Faster pace than book 1.
Book 2 of a 5 part series.
Closed door intimate scenes.
Cliffhanger ending.
sam_decker's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Not a bad follow-up to what I thought was a very strong start to a series, but I wasn’t as enthralled with this book as much as I was with The Affiliate. The plot eventually became a little random and most of the events felt like they happened without enough setup. I wasn’t nearly as emotionally invested in the characters this time around, and so when things happened in general, it fell a little flat for me. I did appreciate what sort of angle Cyrene was beginning to view the world from at the very end, but I’m not too sure if it’s reasonable for the series to wrap up so neatly after everything that’s happened in just two books. And maybe it does. Might come back to this series eventually, but for now, I’m stopping here.
reading_with_2_book_lovers's review against another edition
4.0
This is book 2 in this series.
I loved all the twists and turns in this story so much.
I heart cyrene she made me smile so much.
This is a fantasy book.
I cant wait to start the next book.
I loved all the twists and turns in this story so much.
I heart cyrene she made me smile so much.
This is a fantasy book.
I cant wait to start the next book.
abuffy90's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this series much more than I have. It has so much potential but all of the characters are just love sick children playing adult. The twists tie together loosely but it just feels like the author is trying too hard with every chapter and the ends feel like gimmicks to read the next book. A good cliffhanger is one thing if earned but each of these cliffhangers have been unearned and barely explained.
archivesofjina's review against another edition
5.0
IM HAVING A MELTDOWN OF MASSIVE PROPORTIONS. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to do. DEAN???? Are you for real? So much happened. Throughout this whole book, SO MUCH HAPPENED. Then the last 10% came through and was like hey let’s fck your whole life up.
mamabookwyrm's review against another edition
4.0
Another dose of fantasy for my poor deprived fantasy loving heart—The Bound takes up where The Affiliate left off. Cyrene is off on her mission and as she begins her adventure you are immediately drawn back into the world that K.A. Linde has created. It is full of adventure, suspense and magic. Linde does an incredible job building this world, filling it with intricate details and vivid descriptions that bring it to life. I was able to picture things easily in my mind. Then she filled it with a story of twists and turns that kept my mind occupied and extremely entertained. I had to pay attention or I’d miss the littlest of clues that might just mean something later. Or would it?
If you read my review of The Affiliate, you’ll know that I loved the characters in this world. They are complex, flawed and well written. And as Cyrene continues to make friends and enemies, this continues to be the case. Several new characters join the story, adding to it, increasing the depth and the mystery of it all. This is one giant puzzle and I just want to figure it out! Add in the feels that are pulled out of you. And you have one spectacular novel.
I definitely recommend this series for any fans of the fantasy genre and for those looking to make a foray into it. This book will hook you deep. I cannot wait for the next one.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
For more reviews, visit
If you read my review of The Affiliate, you’ll know that I loved the characters in this world. They are complex, flawed and well written. And as Cyrene continues to make friends and enemies, this continues to be the case. Several new characters join the story, adding to it, increasing the depth and the mystery of it all. This is one giant puzzle and I just want to figure it out! Add in the feels that are pulled out of you. And you have one spectacular novel.
I definitely recommend this series for any fans of the fantasy genre and for those looking to make a foray into it. This book will hook you deep. I cannot wait for the next one.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
For more reviews, visit
thewitchybibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
The rabbit hole gets deeper and deeper with this continuing tale! I have been waiting so long to find out more and it let me with more questions and more answers but still begging for more!
The complexity of this story has me spellbound and just gasping. The whole tale of the Doma is beyond interesting and the concept that Linde has weaved is nothing less than stellar.
We continue with Cyrene trying to find out more and why things are happening. In her travels she meets more people and things get more complicated. I am left with visions in my head of how this story plays out. Lots of twists and turns and unexpected surprises occur that leave you speechless!
Overall this book has me just on edge. I need more. I crave more. What Linde has done with this series is just wow. I am honestly at a loss for words with how much I LOVE this series. I am very much looking forward to more! If you want something unique, one of a kind and just laced with legends and spellbinding moments, please grab this series. You will not regret it. Even my 12 year old daughter adores it.
The complexity of this story has me spellbound and just gasping. The whole tale of the Doma is beyond interesting and the concept that Linde has weaved is nothing less than stellar.
We continue with Cyrene trying to find out more and why things are happening. In her travels she meets more people and things get more complicated. I am left with visions in my head of how this story plays out. Lots of twists and turns and unexpected surprises occur that leave you speechless!
Overall this book has me just on edge. I need more. I crave more. What Linde has done with this series is just wow. I am honestly at a loss for words with how much I LOVE this series. I am very much looking forward to more! If you want something unique, one of a kind and just laced with legends and spellbinding moments, please grab this series. You will not regret it. Even my 12 year old daughter adores it.
dietzan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
cocktailsandbooks1's review against another edition
4.0
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books
I really enjoyed the Affiliate when I read it last year. I loved the world that KA Linde had created and was invested in Cyrene, Kael and Edric. But when I jumped into the pages of THE BOUND I didn't find myself as engrossed by this portion of the series, instead feeling like it was dragging a bit.
In THE BOUND Cyrene is traveling to Eleysia where she hopes to understand more about her magic. But nothing with Cyrene ever goes as planned. She soon discovers that people she assumed were parts of fairy tales exist and everything she has been taught in Byern may not be true. Cyrene and her group of friends have to figure out who they can trust on their journey because not everyone is friendly to their cause.
We spent a lot of time with Cyrene in Eleysia, which meant having another "world" built for us. We had to get to know new characters and dynamics while Byern was left behind. I enjoyed watching Cyrene get to understand her powers and about the world outside of Byern, I missed Edric. I missed him with Cyrene. And as move of the story unfolded, I wondered how the information Cyrene learns will change how she feels about the King of her home country.
The pace of the book definitely picked up with the later half. A lot happens to Cyrene and we're left wondering what the heck just happened at the end. I'm anxious to see what KA Linde gives us next.
Staggering down the hallway, she didn’t even look up when she heard her name.
“Hmm?” she asked.
“Cyrene, there you are!”
Someone grabbed her shoulders, and she tipped her head to look up into the most beautiful face. She smiled and felt a renewed burst of energy flow through her.
“Hey,” she whispered.
“Hey,” he said, threading his fingers through hers. A shiver ran up her back. He glanced around the empty hallway and then tugged her away from the main corridors. She turned a corner, and he pressed her back into a darkened alcove. His mouth was only inches from hers.
Her exhaustion was wearing off from the excitement of being with him.
“I was really worried about you,” he breathed.
“You don’t have to worry about me,” she said, trapped in his gaze. She teetered on her tiptoes and nearly brushed their lips together. Her heart was racing ahead of her. This felt almost better than reaching for her magic. Definitely better than moving one drop of water at a time all day.
“You’re wrong.” Then, he softly dropped his mouth down on hers. His lips were tender and slow as they caressed hers. “I will always worry for your safety.”
Cyrene’s cheeks heated, and she sighed, leaning back against the hard stone of the alcove. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”
His hands pushed up through her hair and tilted her head back up to look at him. She closed her eyes and sighed. She was so tired, and just the feel of his fingers was lulling her to sleep.
“That feels good.”
His mouth found hers, and despite her exhaustion, she pushed back against his lips with more force. She refused to let the fact that she was tired get in the way of her time with him.
“Whoa,” he said, pulling back from her. He rested his forehead against hers, and she could tell he was breathing heavily. “As much as I want this, and I do, I want to make sure you’re okay. This didn’t scare you away?”
She shook her head. “This, most certainly, does not scare me.” Then, she kissed him again for good measure.
He laughed. “Good. Because I’ve been wanting to kiss you since I first met you.”
“You have not!” she insisted.
“Are you kidding? A gorgeous, feisty woman who wasn’t afraid to put me in my place the first time she met me? I mostly certainly have.”
The Affiliate: Book 1
"With rich romance and twisty political intrigue, THE AFFILIATE is a breakneck fantasy ride that's perfect for fans of THE SELECTION or THRONE OF GLASS." --Susan Dennard, NYT bestselling author of TRUTHWITCH
On the day of her Presenting, in front of the entire Byern Court, seventeen-year-old Cyrene Strohm's lifelong plans come to fruition when she's chosen for one of the most prestigious positions in her homeland--an Affiliate to the Queen.
Or so she thinks.
When Cyrene receives a mysterious letter and an unreadable book, she finds nothing is as it seems. Thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene's position only grows more treacherous when she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have...
King Edric himself.
Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde's new Ascension series. Great for fans of Game of Thrones, Tudors, and Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series.
✦ Amazon ✦ iBooks ✦ B&N ✦ Kobo
K.A. Linde grew up as a military brat and created fantastical stories based off of her love for Disney movies, fairy tales, and Star Wars. In her spare time, she is an avid traveler, loves reading young adult novels, and dancing. Additionally, K.A. has written more than a dozen adult novels and is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in Lubbock, TX with her husband and two super adorable puppies.
K.A. Linde loves to hear from her readers!
You can contact her at kalind[email protected] or visit her online at one of the following sites:
www.kalinde.com
www.facebook.com/authorkalinde
@authorkalinde
I really enjoyed the Affiliate when I read it last year. I loved the world that KA Linde had created and was invested in Cyrene, Kael and Edric. But when I jumped into the pages of THE BOUND I didn't find myself as engrossed by this portion of the series, instead feeling like it was dragging a bit.
In THE BOUND Cyrene is traveling to Eleysia where she hopes to understand more about her magic. But nothing with Cyrene ever goes as planned. She soon discovers that people she assumed were parts of fairy tales exist and everything she has been taught in Byern may not be true. Cyrene and her group of friends have to figure out who they can trust on their journey because not everyone is friendly to their cause.
We spent a lot of time with Cyrene in Eleysia, which meant having another "world" built for us. We had to get to know new characters and dynamics while Byern was left behind. I enjoyed watching Cyrene get to understand her powers and about the world outside of Byern, I missed Edric. I missed him with Cyrene. And as move of the story unfolded, I wondered how the information Cyrene learns will change how she feels about the King of her home country.
The pace of the book definitely picked up with the later half. A lot happens to Cyrene and we're left wondering what the heck just happened at the end. I'm anxious to see what KA Linde gives us next.
✦ Amazon ✦ iBooks ✦ Kobo ✦ Goodreads
Excerpt
Staggering down the hallway, she didn’t even look up when she heard her name.
“Hmm?” she asked.
“Cyrene, there you are!”
Someone grabbed her shoulders, and she tipped her head to look up into the most beautiful face. She smiled and felt a renewed burst of energy flow through her.
“Hey,” she whispered.
“Hey,” he said, threading his fingers through hers. A shiver ran up her back. He glanced around the empty hallway and then tugged her away from the main corridors. She turned a corner, and he pressed her back into a darkened alcove. His mouth was only inches from hers.
Her exhaustion was wearing off from the excitement of being with him.
“I was really worried about you,” he breathed.
“You don’t have to worry about me,” she said, trapped in his gaze. She teetered on her tiptoes and nearly brushed their lips together. Her heart was racing ahead of her. This felt almost better than reaching for her magic. Definitely better than moving one drop of water at a time all day.
“You’re wrong.” Then, he softly dropped his mouth down on hers. His lips were tender and slow as they caressed hers. “I will always worry for your safety.”
Cyrene’s cheeks heated, and she sighed, leaning back against the hard stone of the alcove. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”
His hands pushed up through her hair and tilted her head back up to look at him. She closed her eyes and sighed. She was so tired, and just the feel of his fingers was lulling her to sleep.
“That feels good.”
His mouth found hers, and despite her exhaustion, she pushed back against his lips with more force. She refused to let the fact that she was tired get in the way of her time with him.
“Whoa,” he said, pulling back from her. He rested his forehead against hers, and she could tell he was breathing heavily. “As much as I want this, and I do, I want to make sure you’re okay. This didn’t scare you away?”
She shook her head. “This, most certainly, does not scare me.” Then, she kissed him again for good measure.
He laughed. “Good. Because I’ve been wanting to kiss you since I first met you.”
“You have not!” she insisted.
“Are you kidding? A gorgeous, feisty woman who wasn’t afraid to put me in my place the first time she met me? I mostly certainly have.”
The Affiliate: Book 1 "With rich romance and twisty political intrigue, THE AFFILIATE is a breakneck fantasy ride that's perfect for fans of THE SELECTION or THRONE OF GLASS." --Susan Dennard, NYT bestselling author of TRUTHWITCH
On the day of her Presenting, in front of the entire Byern Court, seventeen-year-old Cyrene Strohm's lifelong plans come to fruition when she's chosen for one of the most prestigious positions in her homeland--an Affiliate to the Queen.
Or so she thinks.
When Cyrene receives a mysterious letter and an unreadable book, she finds nothing is as it seems. Thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene's position only grows more treacherous when she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have...
King Edric himself.
Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde's new Ascension series. Great for fans of Game of Thrones, Tudors, and Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series.
✦ Amazon ✦ iBooks ✦ B&N ✦ Kobo
About the Author
K.A. Linde grew up as a military brat and created fantastical stories based off of her love for Disney movies, fairy tales, and Star Wars. In her spare time, she is an avid traveler, loves reading young adult novels, and dancing. Additionally, K.A. has written more than a dozen adult novels and is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in Lubbock, TX with her husband and two super adorable puppies.K.A. Linde loves to hear from her readers!
You can contact her at kalind[email protected] or visit her online at one of the following sites:
www.kalinde.com
www.facebook.com/authorkalinde
@authorkalinde