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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Really liked it! Highly recommend.
Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen delivers a tough FMC, a war college for wolf riders, and mate bonds that will keep you glued to the page.
Summary:
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.
📖 What’s Inside:
- Disability rep ♿️
- Secret identities
- Magical Bonds
- Vampires
- On-page intimacy 🔴
- “Who did this to you?” moments
- 🩸 Blood and gore
- Explicit language
- 🌈 Inclusive
- Only one bed 🛏️
✨ Vibes:
Hunger Games meets Fourth Wing, hands down.
💭 My Thoughts:
What a ride! So, the influences of Hunger Games and Fourth Wing are obvious from the start—Katniss vibes, sisterly bonds, and the intense war college setting—but the story quickly asserts its own identity.
The world-building is immersive, the mate bonds and secret identities add constant tension, and the twists and foreshadowing kept me guessing left and right. Some moments of the FMC’s inner dialogue felt repetitive and drawn out, so I skimmed occasionally. Still, the plot is thrilling and nothing essential is lost. The action, romance, and surprises make this a gripping read, and I can’t wait to see where the next book takes us. This is a high-stakes, page-turning fantasy romance you won’t want to put down!
This book is so good, it was recently picked up by traditional publishers, which just goes to show you that Direbound is a story you won’t want to miss! I feel very ahead of the game spotting a gem before the trad publishers did.
Should you add Dire Bound to your TBR?
Absolutely, yes! If you love strong heroines, intense romance, and a fantasy world full of danger and intrigue, this one’s a must-read.
💌 Now, it’s your turn! Have you read this one yet? Drop your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to know if you got the same Hunger Games vibes that I did! Do you think it was worthy to be picked up by trad publishers? Let’s chat!
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