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Bound by Blood and Sand
Jae is a slave in a dying desert world.
Once verdant with water from a magical Well, the land is drying up, and no one remembers the magic needed to keep the water flowing. If a new source isn’t found soon, the people will perish. Jae doesn’t mind, in a way. By law, she is bound by a curse to obey every order given her, no matter how vile. At least in death, she’ll be free.
Lord Elan’s family rules the fading realm. He comes to the estate where Jae works, searching for the hidden magic needed to replenish the Well, but it’s Jae who finds it, and she who must wield it. Desperate to save his realm, Elan begs her to use it to locate the Well.
But why would a slave—abused, beaten, and treated as less than human—want to save the system that shackles her? Jae would rather see the world burn.
Though revenge clouds her vision, she agrees to help if the kingdom’s slaves are freed. Then Elan’s father arrives. The ruler’s cruelty knows no limits. He is determined that the class system will not change—and that Jae will remain a slave forever.
Once verdant with water from a magical Well, the land is drying up, and no one remembers the magic needed to keep the water flowing. If a new source isn’t found soon, the people will perish. Jae doesn’t mind, in a way. By law, she is bound by a curse to obey every order given her, no matter how vile. At least in death, she’ll be free.
Lord Elan’s family rules the fading realm. He comes to the estate where Jae works, searching for the hidden magic needed to replenish the Well, but it’s Jae who finds it, and she who must wield it. Desperate to save his realm, Elan begs her to use it to locate the Well.
But why would a slave—abused, beaten, and treated as less than human—want to save the system that shackles her? Jae would rather see the world burn.
Though revenge clouds her vision, she agrees to help if the kingdom’s slaves are freed. Then Elan’s father arrives. The ruler’s cruelty knows no limits. He is determined that the class system will not change—and that Jae will remain a slave forever.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2016
53 people are currently reading
6,600 people want to read
About the author
Becky Allen
2Ìýbooks116ÌýfollowersBecky Allen grew up in a tiny town outside Ithaca, New York, and graduated from Brandeis University with a major in American studies and a minor in journalism. She is the website director of TheBody.com, an online HIV resource, and loves New York, brunch, and feminism. Becky lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
October 31, 2016
Beware spoilers ahead!
I received this Arc in participation of the blog tour and the Sunday street team. When I saw this book amongst the October SST I immediately signed up. I liked the synopsis and I thought that this book would be very interesting. I am happy to say that I enjoyed it!
I was not sure whether or not I would like this book. Considering that the main character is a slave I was afraid I wouldn't be able to take. I was actually quite surprised that this book wasn't graphic! Yes there were some scenes that were quite horrible but it didn't bother me.
The book is written in third person alternating between Jae and Elan's point of views. There are also some flashbacks that prove to be very important to the plot.
The book begins with Jae as she is tending to the garden. Unfortunately she cannot do that good of a job because Aredann (the estate where she lives) is lacking water. Her guardian Lady Shirrad allows Jae to use the water carefully as she is expecting a very important guest.
Once her work is over Jae makes her way to her quarters and talks with her twin brother Tal. Their conversation is interrupted by another slave who mentions he has information on the guest that arrived. Said guest is Lord Elan who is a prince. The reason for the visit is to determine whether Aredann is worth saving. The Highest (Elan's people) can only give so much water to the estates. According to said Closest (the slave) the Highest are planning on moving Lady Shirrad and her servants to another location so that they can pass the water along more easily. But the Closest will not be coming.
This is literally the most powerful book I have read to this day! It really makes you think about everything differently. Especially water and how there are so many people in this world that don't have access to it. And wow the writing style was so good!
The magic system in this book was very interesting! The author manages to make you feel like you are with the characters going through their journey and suffering. It honestly felt like I was in a desert even though I was in my bedroom.
I especially liked reading about the characters and their relationships with one another. All the characters are gray and very well done! I liked all of them (expect Elan's father) even Lady Shirrad, who in the end earned my respect.
I loved Tal and Jae's relationship. Tal brought the good side in Jae out. Tal was also quite sweet himself. Jae is a very different character than I am used to reading. She is very bitter and angry. But there is goodness in her. Elan was somewhat annoying in the beginning. Throughout the book he grew. His character development was my favourite to read about!
There is literally zero romance in this book! Which is something very rare in fantasy. Jae and Elan's relationship was definitely interesting to read about. Jae despised Elan at first as the book continued they have an almost friendship. They trust each other but they're not necessarily friends. I have feeling that they will become something more in the next book.
I enjoyed reading about Jae's powers and how they connected to the Well. And the Well's history was very interesting as well. I did not see that plot twist that came in the end! It was beautiful and depressing at the same time. Come to think of it I didn't see anything coming.
This book is quite slow but I found that it worked for the plot. As it is also focused on the characters. I found that the author did a good job of balancing the plot with the flashbacks. They were became overbearing. In fact I looked forward to reading the flashbacks.
I didn't have any problems with this book. It just felt like a 3 star read.
Overall I enjoyed this book! I will definitely be reading the sequel and possibly anything this author writes. I highly recommend this series to everybody! I personally feel that this is an important book that everyone should read.
September 28, 2016
*
Bound by Blood and Sand by Becky Allen
Book one of the Bound by Blood and Sand series
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: October 11, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ):
Jae is a slave in a dying desert world.
Once verdant with water from a magical Well, the land is drying up, and no one remembers the magic needed to keep the water flowing. If a new source isn’t found soon, the people will perish. Jae doesn’t mind, in a way. By law, she is bound by a curse to obey every order given her, no matter how vile. At least in death, she’ll be free.
Elan’s family rules the fading realm. He comes to the estate where Jae works, searching for the hidden magic needed to replenish the Well, but it’s Jae who finds it, and she who must wield it. Desperate to save his realm, Elan begs her to use it to locate the Well.
But why would a slave—abused, beaten, and treated as less than human—want to save the system that shackles her? Jae would rather see the world burn.
Though revenge clouds her vision, she agrees to help if the realm’s slaves are freed. Then Elan’s father arrives. The ruler’s cruelty knows no limits. He is determined that the class system will not change—and that Jae will remain a slave forever.
What I Liked:
I had a feeling that I would love this book, and the book did not disappoint me! Desert fantasy novels are some of my favorite fantasy books (Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst, Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little, Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton, etc.), and I can safely add this book to that list of awesome desert fantasy novels.
Jae and her twin brother Tal are Cursed slaves at Aredann, an outlying estate whose reservoir is rapidly drying. The lack of water might be because of the drought, or the increasing population in cities, but the Highest are supposed to be in control of the magic that keeps the water flowing. Elan, son of the Highest, has come to Aredann to try and find the Well to save Aredann, but his father has declared that Aredann be abandoned. But Jae is the one to find hidden magic that enables her to find the Well. Broken of the chains of the Curse, Jae will stop at nothing to free Aredann and the other slaves from the Curse and its cruel ruling family.
One of the things that I did not expect from this book was how heartbreaking it was. Jae and the other slaves (called "Closest") are Cursed because of their "traitorous bloodlines" (an ancestor betrayed the Highest, years ago). The Curse is such that the Closest must obey any order given by an Avowed or Highest. Meaning, any question asked, any order given, must be followed, and the truth must always be told. If orders are not followed, the Curse causes great pain - which is how orders are always followed, truths are always told.
A large part of this story lies in the heartbreaking part I'm going to talk about. The Closest are given orders... including lying with any of the Avowed living at the estate. Meaning, any Avowed can tell any of the Closest to "visit his/her chamber" and the Closest must obey. In plain terms, the Closest are often raped by the Avowed. Jae is not spared, neither is Tal, or any of the other young Closests. This was a hard pill to swallow. I almost stopped reading the book.
BUT, the author's treatment of rape is, in my opinion, good. Meaning, the author writes the tortured helplessness of the Closest well, without going into explicit detail about what happens with the Closest and the Avowed. And we find that the one Avowed that touches Jae ("touches") is properly dealt with at some point, which made me feel a little better. Still, the psychological and emotional damage... especially in Tal's case. My heart broke over and over for Tal. For Jae too, who now hates to be touched.
So, this book is rife with heartbreak and tough issues. I usually do not go for books with rape (I just can't - I'm sorry), and so this book took me by surprise. However, I was able to keep reading, and to understand how important that part of the story and the world-building really was. And our heroine is so strong and capable, and handles herself well.
So the world is a tough one, a heartbreaking one, but a very well-constructed one. As much as the rapes freaked me out and the general idea of slavery too, I was horrified and fascinated with the estate. I was rooting for Jae to find a way out, or a way to change things.
Jae is... she is such a strong heroine. This book is written in third person limited (alternating between her and Elan's third person POVs). I adored Jae so much, and I was cheering for her from start to finish. You can't not feel for her, and want her to get out of there. Her new magical abilities are pretty cool, and I like that she isn't some kind of prodigy (yet). I liked Tal too, though he is more passive than Jae. Tal has his strengths though, and he's very important to the story.
Elan is the prince (but not the heir), and he really wants to prove himself to his father. Unfortunately, things don't work out as planned, and Elan learns some truths that his father hid from him (and everyone). Elan starts as a somewhat passive prince, not wanting to cross his father, but he grows a spine by the end of the book. I look forward to seeing more character growth from him.
There is very very VERY little romance in this book, which I actually really appreciated. I could see Jae and Elan being a thing, but there is so little in terms of romance in this book. In fact, really, there are one or two lines that indicate potential budding of feelings or chemistry, but no touchy-feely physical or emotional scenes. Which really worked in this story! I hope to see more though, in the next book.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The ending is so sad, though very hopeful too. The story in general made me so sad, and I was taken aback by the content (it's just not what *I* expected). However, the fantasy world, the characters, the setting, and the story were so well-written. I was totally engrossed, and now I want more!
What I Did Not Like:
I can't think of anything that I didn't like, at the moment. There were things that surprised me and freaked me out a little (rape, slavery... those things SHOULD freak people out), but both had their place in this world.
Would I Recommend It:
If rape and slavery and lack of free will are difficult for you to read, perhaps avoid this book! It's a much heavier fantasy novel than most YA fantasy novels these days. But if that content doesn't bother you too much (I don't know how to phrase that without it sounding callous, sorry!) or you are interested in such a story, definitely give this book a chance. Good fantasy, good treatment of the issues, and really great characters.
Rating:
4 stars. I look forward to reading the next book in the series! I'm excited to see where things will go. Will Jae be forgiving and merciful? Will she and Elan be betrayed? I can't wait!
Bound by Blood and Sand by Becky Allen
Book one of the Bound by Blood and Sand series
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: October 11, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ):
Jae is a slave in a dying desert world.
Once verdant with water from a magical Well, the land is drying up, and no one remembers the magic needed to keep the water flowing. If a new source isn’t found soon, the people will perish. Jae doesn’t mind, in a way. By law, she is bound by a curse to obey every order given her, no matter how vile. At least in death, she’ll be free.
Elan’s family rules the fading realm. He comes to the estate where Jae works, searching for the hidden magic needed to replenish the Well, but it’s Jae who finds it, and she who must wield it. Desperate to save his realm, Elan begs her to use it to locate the Well.
But why would a slave—abused, beaten, and treated as less than human—want to save the system that shackles her? Jae would rather see the world burn.
Though revenge clouds her vision, she agrees to help if the realm’s slaves are freed. Then Elan’s father arrives. The ruler’s cruelty knows no limits. He is determined that the class system will not change—and that Jae will remain a slave forever.
What I Liked:
I had a feeling that I would love this book, and the book did not disappoint me! Desert fantasy novels are some of my favorite fantasy books (Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst, Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little, Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton, etc.), and I can safely add this book to that list of awesome desert fantasy novels.
Jae and her twin brother Tal are Cursed slaves at Aredann, an outlying estate whose reservoir is rapidly drying. The lack of water might be because of the drought, or the increasing population in cities, but the Highest are supposed to be in control of the magic that keeps the water flowing. Elan, son of the Highest, has come to Aredann to try and find the Well to save Aredann, but his father has declared that Aredann be abandoned. But Jae is the one to find hidden magic that enables her to find the Well. Broken of the chains of the Curse, Jae will stop at nothing to free Aredann and the other slaves from the Curse and its cruel ruling family.
One of the things that I did not expect from this book was how heartbreaking it was. Jae and the other slaves (called "Closest") are Cursed because of their "traitorous bloodlines" (an ancestor betrayed the Highest, years ago). The Curse is such that the Closest must obey any order given by an Avowed or Highest. Meaning, any question asked, any order given, must be followed, and the truth must always be told. If orders are not followed, the Curse causes great pain - which is how orders are always followed, truths are always told.
A large part of this story lies in the heartbreaking part I'm going to talk about. The Closest are given orders... including lying with any of the Avowed living at the estate. Meaning, any Avowed can tell any of the Closest to "visit his/her chamber" and the Closest must obey. In plain terms, the Closest are often raped by the Avowed. Jae is not spared, neither is Tal, or any of the other young Closests. This was a hard pill to swallow. I almost stopped reading the book.
BUT, the author's treatment of rape is, in my opinion, good. Meaning, the author writes the tortured helplessness of the Closest well, without going into explicit detail about what happens with the Closest and the Avowed. And we find that the one Avowed that touches Jae ("touches") is properly dealt with at some point, which made me feel a little better. Still, the psychological and emotional damage... especially in Tal's case. My heart broke over and over for Tal. For Jae too, who now hates to be touched.
So, this book is rife with heartbreak and tough issues. I usually do not go for books with rape (I just can't - I'm sorry), and so this book took me by surprise. However, I was able to keep reading, and to understand how important that part of the story and the world-building really was. And our heroine is so strong and capable, and handles herself well.
So the world is a tough one, a heartbreaking one, but a very well-constructed one. As much as the rapes freaked me out and the general idea of slavery too, I was horrified and fascinated with the estate. I was rooting for Jae to find a way out, or a way to change things.
Jae is... she is such a strong heroine. This book is written in third person limited (alternating between her and Elan's third person POVs). I adored Jae so much, and I was cheering for her from start to finish. You can't not feel for her, and want her to get out of there. Her new magical abilities are pretty cool, and I like that she isn't some kind of prodigy (yet). I liked Tal too, though he is more passive than Jae. Tal has his strengths though, and he's very important to the story.
Elan is the prince (but not the heir), and he really wants to prove himself to his father. Unfortunately, things don't work out as planned, and Elan learns some truths that his father hid from him (and everyone). Elan starts as a somewhat passive prince, not wanting to cross his father, but he grows a spine by the end of the book. I look forward to seeing more character growth from him.
There is very very VERY little romance in this book, which I actually really appreciated. I could see Jae and Elan being a thing, but there is so little in terms of romance in this book. In fact, really, there are one or two lines that indicate potential budding of feelings or chemistry, but no touchy-feely physical or emotional scenes. Which really worked in this story! I hope to see more though, in the next book.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The ending is so sad, though very hopeful too. The story in general made me so sad, and I was taken aback by the content (it's just not what *I* expected). However, the fantasy world, the characters, the setting, and the story were so well-written. I was totally engrossed, and now I want more!
What I Did Not Like:
I can't think of anything that I didn't like, at the moment. There were things that surprised me and freaked me out a little (rape, slavery... those things SHOULD freak people out), but both had their place in this world.
Would I Recommend It:
If rape and slavery and lack of free will are difficult for you to read, perhaps avoid this book! It's a much heavier fantasy novel than most YA fantasy novels these days. But if that content doesn't bother you too much (I don't know how to phrase that without it sounding callous, sorry!) or you are interested in such a story, definitely give this book a chance. Good fantasy, good treatment of the issues, and really great characters.
Rating:
4 stars. I look forward to reading the next book in the series! I'm excited to see where things will go. Will Jae be forgiving and merciful? Will she and Elan be betrayed? I can't wait!
November 16, 2016
"...in the vein of Tamora Pierce"
"...IN THE VEIN OF TAMORA PIERCE"
"...IN. THE. VEIN. OF. TAMORA. PIERCE"
"...IN THE VEIN OF TAMORA PIERCE"
"...IN. THE. VEIN. OF. TAMORA. PIERCE"
February 13, 2017
I really did want to like this one a bit more than I actually did. It's fine, and it is a debut novel, so I'm willing to cut a bit of slack here. There was nothing particularly wrong, it just fell a bit flat for me. I had a hard time getting invested in the characters, wanting a bit more depth from them. Although the stories are totally different, it's hard not to compare this book to another 2016 debut desert-themed YA fantasy, , which I thoroughly enjoyed.
That said, I'm not completely ruling out reading the next book, it just won't be one I'm rushing out to read.
That said, I'm not completely ruling out reading the next book, it just won't be one I'm rushing out to read.
Want to read
May 20, 2017"..in the vein of Tamora Pierce..."
"...vein of Tamora Pierce..."
"Tamora Pierce..."
"Tamora Pierce..."
"...vein of Tamora Pierce..."
"Tamora Pierce..."
"Tamora Pierce..."
March 6, 2017
“Everything Jae had ever known was a lie.�I've been waiting for something "in the vein of Tamora Pierce" for a pretty long time. What I truly love is that Bound by Blood and Sand does not claim to be Tamora Pierce, the next Tamora Pierce, or a combination of popular or similarly loved books. In fact, once the official synopsis hit "in the vein of Tamora Pierce" vanished. Though I do firmly believe that if you were—still are!—a fan of Tamora Pierce's work and the young adult fantasy genre that is more world building less “just another YA romance� this book is for you!!! Yes!
“Jae had so much power, and the very first thing she'd done with her freedom was kill.I won't lie, like some of Tamora Pierce works, Bound by blood and Sand does follow a formula. The old school formula of High Fantasy for young adult. Yet it has bold flavors of old and new, and Allen has created a compelling world and cast of characters. Best of all Becky Allen does not shirk away from going there. In her world there are people called Closest, their existence is worse then slavery. They are compelled by magic to obey the Highest. If they fail to obey their body is weighed down by pain. There is no option to not obey. They can not speak to anyone other than other Closests unless ordered otherwise. They must answer all questions asked and aren't even allowed to think traitorous thoughts about the Highest. In a society where you can order someone and they MUST obey you know there's gonna be some dark and scary things happening. What I said about Becky Allen not shirking away is that she addresses those dark things. The darker themes are not a footnote or a quick idea to fade away into a silly romance. Which I appreciate. (Defy I am judging and looking at you.)
But she'd grown flowers, too.
She could do anything.�
Bound by Blood and Sand isn't just a wonderful high fantasy young adult title, it transforms into a discussion of human rights. The weight and power of knowledge. How simply controlling history you could suppress an entire people. The power of not only knowledge, but the of the belief of people. The struggle for freedom is always a story that I become swept up in.
“Tal was right, the cost of freedom would be high. But that didn't mean it wasn't worth paying.�Now that I've laid the heavy stuff out there I have to say how much I loved Allen's writing. Normally desert settings don't do it for me. I'm a mountain and forest girl. While I might like the desert in pictures and a quick scenery change while traveling I am 100% certain I would hate to live there. So most of the time desert settings for fantasy bore me. Yet with every word Allen created a beuatiful and deadly world. Where the Wells are the only thing keeping the people alive. The desert could easily kill them without wells. So water and the Wells are where the power is.
The magic setup and the concept tickle me. Why would people chose to live in a desert where without magic wells you'd die? What's beyond the big well? More, more! Bound by Blood and Sand addresses the real history of the world so I except to find out more in the future books.
At first it may seem like the characters are standard issue for the genre, but many once developed had many layers. You began to question how the world was. For instant the Highest aren't all evil, but perhaps they have to be that way becaue of the laws of the current system?
In the end I don't want to spoil. So what I will say is that if you have been dying for a REAL high fantasy in the young adult genre this is a must. If you have missed Tamora Pierce's type of awesome then yes! Come forth and read this book. If you want to experience real High Fantasy this is for you! A fabulous setup for a series I am eagerly awaiting more books for! With world building like this fans will be happy!
Content Warning: Addresses sexual abuse, rape, slavery, and other dark topics. Deals with murders and the interpretation of justice. Mental control in which characters aren't even allowed to think certain thoughts. Abuse and so on. Yes, it deals with dark themes. However, I don't think it loses itself in it.
5/5 - Forget obsession this book consumed me.
Originally reviewed at .
June 28, 2016
You know I hear of a lot of people who don't like romances in their books, more so in fantasies. If that is you, THEN GRAB THIS BOOK!! There's literally like .4% romance with the non-main characters. For them, there's like pretty much NO CHEMISTRY!! SO PLATONIC! I usually like romances but was pleasantly surprised at how the author wrote this eventual shift from suspicion to trust. IT WAS SO DAMN REALISTIC. And leaves way more room for magic, secrets unveiled, and a world to be saved.
++++recommended for fantasy fans!!
++++recommended for fantasy fans!!
February 26, 2017
Magical slavery and survival in a fantasy desert world.
Jae is a slave, one of the Closest, magically cursed to obey the ruling class of their desert country. The country is in trouble with a series of droughts causing them to abandon their outlying settlements and the deaths of the Closest of those settlements. As descendants of traitors he Closest aren't worth evacuating. In a remote outpost with a long history Jae discovers magic; magic that might save her outpost and even free her people, but somehow she needs to keep it from her enslavers.
I enjoyed this fairly straightforward book. Jae and her brother Tal are great characters and the new arrival Lord Elan's struggle with his privilege and how to deal with a Closest with power is really interesting. I will continue the series.
Jae is a slave, one of the Closest, magically cursed to obey the ruling class of their desert country. The country is in trouble with a series of droughts causing them to abandon their outlying settlements and the deaths of the Closest of those settlements. As descendants of traitors he Closest aren't worth evacuating. In a remote outpost with a long history Jae discovers magic; magic that might save her outpost and even free her people, but somehow she needs to keep it from her enslavers.
I enjoyed this fairly straightforward book. Jae and her brother Tal are great characters and the new arrival Lord Elan's struggle with his privilege and how to deal with a Closest with power is really interesting. I will continue the series.
October 15, 2016
I highly recommend this book.
1. The way magic works in this world is described in ways I have never encountered before, and that is a RARE gift in fantasy novels.
2. The prose is tight, and clean, and easy to read.
3. The characters all have entirely comprehensible motivations and reasons, and no-one ever carries the idiot stick just because the plot says so.
4. This is the best and more nuanced description of ally-ship I can remember encountering in fiction.
There are characters who begin with more power and privilege than other characters. And, along the way, more information comes forth about that power. And some characters move into being allies, and others do not.
And the WAY that shift is portrayed is subtle, and thoughtful, and understanding. At no point does the ally become the savior. At no point is the pain of the allies given more weight or more importance that the pain of the oppressed. But the allies are human, and their lives and experiences have meaning, and they are given chances to grow and change.
When they do change, they do so imperfectly. They screw up. They mean well, do their best, and screw up. But they go on. They continue to try to be better. They don't give up.
This is all, you understand, NOT the main point of the plot. The plot is about Jae and her experiences. But so often we get stories in which power is there only to be destroyed or suborned, and here we get a fully human look at all sides of the power imbalance -- while never privileging the strong.
It's a real triumph of writing.
If you have ever felt like you wanted to help someone, but you didn't want to screw up and you didn't want to get yelled at for trying, read this book. Be a better ally. Learn how to fail gracefully.
I highly recommend Bound by Blood and Sand.
1. The way magic works in this world is described in ways I have never encountered before, and that is a RARE gift in fantasy novels.
2. The prose is tight, and clean, and easy to read.
3. The characters all have entirely comprehensible motivations and reasons, and no-one ever carries the idiot stick just because the plot says so.
4. This is the best and more nuanced description of ally-ship I can remember encountering in fiction.
There are characters who begin with more power and privilege than other characters. And, along the way, more information comes forth about that power. And some characters move into being allies, and others do not.
And the WAY that shift is portrayed is subtle, and thoughtful, and understanding. At no point does the ally become the savior. At no point is the pain of the allies given more weight or more importance that the pain of the oppressed. But the allies are human, and their lives and experiences have meaning, and they are given chances to grow and change.
When they do change, they do so imperfectly. They screw up. They mean well, do their best, and screw up. But they go on. They continue to try to be better. They don't give up.
This is all, you understand, NOT the main point of the plot. The plot is about Jae and her experiences. But so often we get stories in which power is there only to be destroyed or suborned, and here we get a fully human look at all sides of the power imbalance -- while never privileging the strong.
It's a real triumph of writing.
If you have ever felt like you wanted to help someone, but you didn't want to screw up and you didn't want to get yelled at for trying, read this book. Be a better ally. Learn how to fail gracefully.
I highly recommend Bound by Blood and Sand.
May 23, 2016
I really liked this one! Didn't love it though. It was pretty slow but the world buildings and the characters were fantastic. I do wish there had been some romance though. That's what was lacking in this story for me. I'm hoping for some in the next book which I can't wait to read.
February 6, 2017
1.5 stars
I’ve been so curious about Bound by Blood and Sand for along time. It’s one of those weird books that basically no one had a review copy of. No one I’m friends with on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ has read this book. It came out in October and has 60 reviews as of mid-January. This book’s basically unknown, and sad to say that’s maybe not a bad thing. UNTAGGED SPOILERS AHEAD YO.
Not to put to a fine a point on it, but Bound by Blood and Sand is not a good book. It’s a whole bunch of fantasy and dystopian cliches thrown into a barely built fantasy world. The plot’s weak and predictable. The characters are flat and bland. Though it can be hard to tell on audiobook, the writing didn’t seem like particularly great shakes either. Across the board, Bound by Blood and Sand was a fail.
As the blurb so briefly states, “Jae is a slave in a dying desert world.� She’s one of the Closest, aka the most enslaved of the slaves. The Closest are the descendants of traitors from many generations back, and their lines have been punished with the Curse, which makes it so that they MUST obey all orders from the Avowed (aka upper crust folks); they physically cannot disobey. Trigger warning: the Avowed rape the Closest, and there’s a scene where Jae remembers her first rape at age 13. (The most interesting part of the book incidentally is when she straight up murders her rapist, though it’s frustrating that after her brother and Elan shame her for, not so much that aspect as the fact that other people could have died too because she used an earthquake to do it.)
This world (I’m not sure of the name of their country, just regions) is running out of water. Where lush gardens used to be, arid desert remains. It’s amazing how this book manages to not reflect environmental issues whatsoever. It’s pure fantasy. Rain will be produced by magic like poof.
The Highest (aka magical ruler people) are beginning to shut down rural estates because the drought is so bad, and they’ve sent a representative to Jae’s home of Aredann. That representative, Elan, is, shockingly, a young male who didn’t know things were so bad *gasp* with a heart of gold underneath all the privilege. He and Jae are so clearly going to be a chemistry-less thing.
Elan has plans to find the Well, and on one of his papers Jae sees a symbol she recognizes from Aredann’s fountain. She bleeds on the fountain and boom! She has magic now! The only magic user in generations! Except for the Highest, but just kidding they were lying all along and don’t have magic. They can’t control the Well after all. They’re killing people to hide the fact that they have no power. *cue evil laughing*
Jae knows all of this about what the Highest did generations ago because, along with her magical powers, she gets memories of what went down when the Well was made. It’s super convenient and Jae never has to figure anything out, though it still takes her longer to understand what she needs to do than it took me to understand. Jae also just magically knows how to use her magic. Nor does she try to give her twin brother Tal magical powers by having him bleed in the damn fountain, even though theoretically it seems like any of the Closest could potentially be magical. But whatever Jae needs to be special.
The book ends predictably, with a vision showing her that the nigh endless supply of water that filled the Well requires another human sacrifice to bind the magic. Tal, Jae, and Elan argue over who gets to die for the cause and Tal, of course, bites it in the cheesiest death scene ever; I actually laughed through this conclusion. Literally, it was like “his last thought was I love you� and I lost it.
None of the characters have any motivations or interests outside of the plot. They’re all the blandest bland. Almost nothing actually happens and you can see all of it coming from miles away. Jae doesn’t have to work for her powers. The world’s hardly explained, and most of what you do learn comes from handy dandy memories Jae shouldn’t even have. This ain’t good fantasy.
I’ve been so curious about Bound by Blood and Sand for along time. It’s one of those weird books that basically no one had a review copy of. No one I’m friends with on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ has read this book. It came out in October and has 60 reviews as of mid-January. This book’s basically unknown, and sad to say that’s maybe not a bad thing. UNTAGGED SPOILERS AHEAD YO.
Not to put to a fine a point on it, but Bound by Blood and Sand is not a good book. It’s a whole bunch of fantasy and dystopian cliches thrown into a barely built fantasy world. The plot’s weak and predictable. The characters are flat and bland. Though it can be hard to tell on audiobook, the writing didn’t seem like particularly great shakes either. Across the board, Bound by Blood and Sand was a fail.
As the blurb so briefly states, “Jae is a slave in a dying desert world.� She’s one of the Closest, aka the most enslaved of the slaves. The Closest are the descendants of traitors from many generations back, and their lines have been punished with the Curse, which makes it so that they MUST obey all orders from the Avowed (aka upper crust folks); they physically cannot disobey. Trigger warning: the Avowed rape the Closest, and there’s a scene where Jae remembers her first rape at age 13. (The most interesting part of the book incidentally is when she straight up murders her rapist, though it’s frustrating that after her brother and Elan shame her for, not so much that aspect as the fact that other people could have died too because she used an earthquake to do it.)
This world (I’m not sure of the name of their country, just regions) is running out of water. Where lush gardens used to be, arid desert remains. It’s amazing how this book manages to not reflect environmental issues whatsoever. It’s pure fantasy. Rain will be produced by magic like poof.
The Highest (aka magical ruler people) are beginning to shut down rural estates because the drought is so bad, and they’ve sent a representative to Jae’s home of Aredann. That representative, Elan, is, shockingly, a young male who didn’t know things were so bad *gasp* with a heart of gold underneath all the privilege. He and Jae are so clearly going to be a chemistry-less thing.
Elan has plans to find the Well, and on one of his papers Jae sees a symbol she recognizes from Aredann’s fountain. She bleeds on the fountain and boom! She has magic now! The only magic user in generations! Except for the Highest, but just kidding they were lying all along and don’t have magic. They can’t control the Well after all. They’re killing people to hide the fact that they have no power. *cue evil laughing*
Jae knows all of this about what the Highest did generations ago because, along with her magical powers, she gets memories of what went down when the Well was made. It’s super convenient and Jae never has to figure anything out, though it still takes her longer to understand what she needs to do than it took me to understand. Jae also just magically knows how to use her magic. Nor does she try to give her twin brother Tal magical powers by having him bleed in the damn fountain, even though theoretically it seems like any of the Closest could potentially be magical. But whatever Jae needs to be special.
The book ends predictably, with a vision showing her that the nigh endless supply of water that filled the Well requires another human sacrifice to bind the magic. Tal, Jae, and Elan argue over who gets to die for the cause and Tal, of course, bites it in the cheesiest death scene ever; I actually laughed through this conclusion. Literally, it was like “his last thought was I love you� and I lost it.
None of the characters have any motivations or interests outside of the plot. They’re all the blandest bland. Almost nothing actually happens and you can see all of it coming from miles away. Jae doesn’t have to work for her powers. The world’s hardly explained, and most of what you do learn comes from handy dandy memories Jae shouldn’t even have. This ain’t good fantasy.
November 13, 2016
Just an eh book.
Not much of a fan of Elan. Jae could have been better if she had a better male companion. Tal was my favorite.
Plot was well thought, execution made it boring.
Not much of a fan of Elan. Jae could have been better if she had a better male companion. Tal was my favorite.
Plot was well thought, execution made it boring.
Read
November 28, 2016Since Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ has started recommending my own book to me, I figured I should probably mark it as read.
BBB&S is the story of what happens when the only girl who find magic that could save the world would rather watch everything burn. It's about anger and family and the power that comes from learning the truth. It's an adventure through the desert that will, I hope, leave you desperate for a glass of water.
I think it's pretty great! But hey, I wrote it, I'm biased. And yes, a sequel will be out next fall.
I hope you dig it! And if you have any questions, lemme know.
BBB&S is the story of what happens when the only girl who find magic that could save the world would rather watch everything burn. It's about anger and family and the power that comes from learning the truth. It's an adventure through the desert that will, I hope, leave you desperate for a glass of water.
I think it's pretty great! But hey, I wrote it, I'm biased. And yes, a sequel will be out next fall.
I hope you dig it! And if you have any questions, lemme know.
October 28, 2016
DNF @ 60%
This was not a terrible book, but it was absolutely unremarkable in every way.
I did not feel an attachment to any of the characters because everything just felt so generic. I actually got through 60% of the book in one sitting, but the moment I put this down, I found other novels that sounded far more interesting. And now I have no desire to continue this.
Obviously I've been reading too much YA.
This was not a terrible book, but it was absolutely unremarkable in every way.
I did not feel an attachment to any of the characters because everything just felt so generic. I actually got through 60% of the book in one sitting, but the moment I put this down, I found other novels that sounded far more interesting. And now I have no desire to continue this.
Obviously I've been reading too much YA.
June 27, 2017
“You said it was a sacrifice. Coming from me, it's a gift.�
I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. I picked this one up mainly for the cover - I love the bright colors and interesting title. The beginning of the story was a little jarring - I had to learn the lingo and understand about the Curse and water shortage - the drought. Also learning about Tal and Jae and how their lives were so very different from royalty and those not Cursed.
I did enjoy it - the twists and turns. I will definitely read book 2 - just to know what happens to the characters!
I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. I picked this one up mainly for the cover - I love the bright colors and interesting title. The beginning of the story was a little jarring - I had to learn the lingo and understand about the Curse and water shortage - the drought. Also learning about Tal and Jae and how their lives were so very different from royalty and those not Cursed.
I did enjoy it - the twists and turns. I will definitely read book 2 - just to know what happens to the characters!
July 10, 2020
2 stars
Bound by Blood and Sand is yet another slow and generic YA fantasy. I found the writing to be rather dry and the pacing to be painfully slow, with the story starting 60% in and then being very straightforward. I would have dnf'd this way before though, if it weren't for the simple fact that I was the one to recommend this book to my library. Oops.
The characters were bland and unlikable and I couldn't bring myself to feel any way towards them, with the main characters having no chemistry and them slowly falling for each other being very unbelievable and feeling very contrived. Jae was way too passive for me to root for her and Elan was just generally awful, but at least he got redeemed, by doing the bare minimum to not be a terrible human being. Were we supposed to like him, lol?
Also, I didn't get the weird insistence on Jae being ~merciful~ towards the Highest and the Avowed when she becomes inevitably the most powerful and speshiul person in the world. While I like my main characters to be a bit ruthless and cruel, I can accept*sigh* that even in fiction that there is a time and place for mercy. But it's not towards slavers, rapists, child-abusers and murderers. I'm not going to keep reading, but I hope that the Closest get the justice they deserve, and the oppressors don't get as easily forgiven as who is also a rapist and doesn't face any consequences or punishment for her behaviour towards the Closests, and Tal in particular, whatsoever!?!
The world-building was non-existant, the magic system could have been more fleshed out. The only thing I know about the magic is that it's elemental magic, because that hasn't been done to death. Because I've never come across elemental magic. Never. Not in ATLA or in Reign the Earth or Air Awakens or A Gathering of Shadows. And that's only the ones I can name of the tip of my tongue.
The plot wasn't anything special and pretty predictable/ obvious. Which isn't even necessarily a problem if characters, world-building or anything else is good. But I honestly fail to find even one aspect of this book that I liked. I mean, at least I didn't hate it. But that was because I was too bored to feel any other emotion than apathy towards it.
Tl;dr Would I recommend this book? Not really. Credits to the author for the diversity though. However, if you want to read a YA fantasy by an actual POC author with POC characters that are very likable and fleshed out, and a vibrant worldbut a similarly mediocre plot, sorry go check out Children of Blood and Bone instead!
CW: slavery, rape
Bound by Blood and Sand is yet another slow and generic YA fantasy. I found the writing to be rather dry and the pacing to be painfully slow, with the story starting 60% in and then being very straightforward. I would have dnf'd this way before though, if it weren't for the simple fact that I was the one to recommend this book to my library. Oops.
The characters were bland and unlikable and I couldn't bring myself to feel any way towards them, with the main characters having no chemistry and them slowly falling for each other being very unbelievable and feeling very contrived. Jae was way too passive for me to root for her and Elan was just generally awful, but at least he got redeemed, by doing the bare minimum to not be a terrible human being. Were we supposed to like him, lol?
Also, I didn't get the weird insistence on Jae being ~merciful~ towards the Highest and the Avowed when she becomes inevitably the most powerful and speshiul person in the world. While I like my main characters to be a bit ruthless and cruel, I can accept
The world-building was non-existant, the magic system could have been more fleshed out. The only thing I know about the magic is that it's elemental magic, because that hasn't been done to death. Because I've never come across elemental magic. Never. Not in ATLA or in Reign the Earth or Air Awakens or A Gathering of Shadows. And that's only the ones I can name of the tip of my tongue.
The plot wasn't anything special and pretty predictable/ obvious. Which isn't even necessarily a problem if characters, world-building or anything else is good. But I honestly fail to find even one aspect of this book that I liked. I mean, at least I didn't hate it. But that was because I was too bored to feel any other emotion than apathy towards it.
Tl;dr Would I recommend this book? Not really. Credits to the author for the diversity though. However, if you want to read a YA fantasy by an actual POC author with POC characters that are very likable and fleshed out, and a vibrant world
CW: slavery, rape
February 27, 2016
I was shocked how much I enjoyed this book. There were a few things that I found particularly irritating (everyone tends to "snap" at one another) but overall it was enjoyable and I hated putting it down.
The world is one that many have seen before (mages control elements, slaves, an evil king, a handsome prince) but Allen puts her own unique twist to her world (slaves are totally obedient and cannot lie) and shockingly, it works and doesn't sound recycled.
Where language was the weakest part of the book, Allen's characters and character development were the strongest. At first, I didn't really like Jae. But Jae isn't a mary-sue by any means, she's not gracious or kind. In a nutshell, she is not a Disney princess. She's rough, frustrating and wrathful. And as much as I found her choices irritating I appreciated the originality. Maybe I'm giving Allen too much credit, because maybe everyone else will automatically like Jae, but I think it was fantastically gall-sy to make a character so unlikeable but relatable.
Tal ended up being my favorite character. He was a great balance to Jae.
Most importantly was character growth. I think the YA genre really misses the target on this essential theme; but Allen doesn't. Not only do the main characters (Elan and Jae) grow tremendously but so do some of the secondary characters (I'm thinking Shirrad here). I really hope Allen continues this in the following novels.
Also, no insta-love! For those who hate the insta-love that happens in most YA novels you'll be happy to know this novel absolutely doesn't have that.
One of my biggest critiques (SPOILER ALERT) has to be how quickly Elan sided with Jae. It would have been nice to see more of a struggle on his part because he essentially turned his back on everything he knew.
Other than that I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait for the next book!
The world is one that many have seen before (mages control elements, slaves, an evil king, a handsome prince) but Allen puts her own unique twist to her world (slaves are totally obedient and cannot lie) and shockingly, it works and doesn't sound recycled.
Where language was the weakest part of the book, Allen's characters and character development were the strongest. At first, I didn't really like Jae. But Jae isn't a mary-sue by any means, she's not gracious or kind. In a nutshell, she is not a Disney princess. She's rough, frustrating and wrathful. And as much as I found her choices irritating I appreciated the originality. Maybe I'm giving Allen too much credit, because maybe everyone else will automatically like Jae, but I think it was fantastically gall-sy to make a character so unlikeable but relatable.
Tal ended up being my favorite character. He was a great balance to Jae.
Most importantly was character growth. I think the YA genre really misses the target on this essential theme; but Allen doesn't. Not only do the main characters (Elan and Jae) grow tremendously but so do some of the secondary characters (I'm thinking Shirrad here). I really hope Allen continues this in the following novels.
Also, no insta-love! For those who hate the insta-love that happens in most YA novels you'll be happy to know this novel absolutely doesn't have that.
One of my biggest critiques (SPOILER ALERT) has to be how quickly Elan sided with Jae. It would have been nice to see more of a struggle on his part because he essentially turned his back on everything he knew.
Other than that I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait for the next book!
July 8, 2016
Incredible. It's definitely going to be on my top 5 list (if not tied for 1st) for 2016 books. Review to come closer to release date!
Definitely add this one to your TBR!
Definitely add this one to your TBR!
November 27, 2017
This is one of those books that captivated me deeply with its beginning, but ultimately fell through somewhat in the final stretch. I enjoyed reading it, and had a difficult time putting it down for the first half of the novel, but the last fourth or so ended up a bit of a slog for a couple of different reasons. I think if the second half of the novel was as compelling to me as the first half, I would have easily given this book a 4 or even a 5.
Bound by Blood and Sand is a book about Jae, a 17 year old girl that is part of a desert world with a ruthless caste system that places her, as well as her friends and brother, under a cross-generational curse that forces them to tell the truth, answer all questions, and obey the word of the highest castes. It is very thorough and visceral in describing the horrors and implications of slavery and power imbalances, addressing topics ranging from child rape to the complex power imbalance inherent even to cross-caste relationships that may look happy on the surface, and (though this may be a petty pleasure on my part), is very casual and frank about its world lacking homophobic discrimination through small references to queer relationships.
I enjoyed these aspects of the book very, very much. The abhorrent actions of the characters in it were not excused, the vengeance taken upon those who took advantage of others was unapologetic, brutal, and deeply cathartic, and supposed ignorance was not accepted as an excuse for supporting the status quo.
Unfortunately, as I went through the book, I face two main issues that made it less fun to read for me: the first is that because the plot remained fairly simple throughout, there was less to captivate me for the final stretch of the novel. There was not much that was unpredictable or unexpected about the plot, which could have been fine - but there also was no tangible reward at the end of the novel that we got to see for the culmination of the plot. Sure, we know that the primary plot point was achieved - but we didn't get to experience its impact like we got to experience the horrors of the initial conflict, and we also knew that it was going to happen pretty much the whole time.
The second issue I had is the slow semi-redemption of Lord Elan, who is initially ignorant and antagonistic for much of the novel. One of the things I really appreciated about the beginning of the book was the accurate portrayal of the enmity that Jae and other characters might hold for him despite his personal views of himself, and how his realization about his own behaviors did not excuse his continued perpetuation of them. Unfortunately, once we get past a certain point in the book, it felt like the narrative forgave a significant amount of his actions, and like his own perspective changed a lot (going from stating that Jae never deserved any of his time in response to her expressing discontent, to changing his ways and constantly ruminating on his own guilt and complicity in her suffering), and the amount of focus that this redemption got in a novel about the horror of slavery and dehumanization, where unapologetic vengeance and justice are wrought, feels like the narrative went back on its previous lack of forgiveness in the face of the excuse of supposed ignorance and basically went, "Well, he's okay, he was kind of uncomfortable with this whole mess from the start, anyways. Even though he took advantage of people extensively, treated them as sub-human, and looked down on them. He's a cool dude."
In the end, it was, at least for the first half of the book, a highly enjoyable read, though I do think it struggled to an extent from the simplicity of the plot combined with the length of the book, and compromised some of the narrative's initial stances on redemption or lack thereof in a way that I found frustrating and uncomfortable. I am definitely going to be reading the next novel, and crossing my fingers that there's still going to be no romance between Jae and Lord Elan.
Bound by Blood and Sand is a book about Jae, a 17 year old girl that is part of a desert world with a ruthless caste system that places her, as well as her friends and brother, under a cross-generational curse that forces them to tell the truth, answer all questions, and obey the word of the highest castes. It is very thorough and visceral in describing the horrors and implications of slavery and power imbalances, addressing topics ranging from child rape to the complex power imbalance inherent even to cross-caste relationships that may look happy on the surface, and (though this may be a petty pleasure on my part), is very casual and frank about its world lacking homophobic discrimination through small references to queer relationships.
I enjoyed these aspects of the book very, very much. The abhorrent actions of the characters in it were not excused, the vengeance taken upon those who took advantage of others was unapologetic, brutal, and deeply cathartic, and supposed ignorance was not accepted as an excuse for supporting the status quo.
Unfortunately, as I went through the book, I face two main issues that made it less fun to read for me: the first is that because the plot remained fairly simple throughout, there was less to captivate me for the final stretch of the novel. There was not much that was unpredictable or unexpected about the plot, which could have been fine - but there also was no tangible reward at the end of the novel that we got to see for the culmination of the plot. Sure, we know that the primary plot point was achieved - but we didn't get to experience its impact like we got to experience the horrors of the initial conflict, and we also knew that it was going to happen pretty much the whole time.
The second issue I had is the slow semi-redemption of Lord Elan, who is initially ignorant and antagonistic for much of the novel. One of the things I really appreciated about the beginning of the book was the accurate portrayal of the enmity that Jae and other characters might hold for him despite his personal views of himself, and how his realization about his own behaviors did not excuse his continued perpetuation of them. Unfortunately, once we get past a certain point in the book, it felt like the narrative forgave a significant amount of his actions, and like his own perspective changed a lot (going from stating that Jae never deserved any of his time in response to her expressing discontent, to changing his ways and constantly ruminating on his own guilt and complicity in her suffering), and the amount of focus that this redemption got in a novel about the horror of slavery and dehumanization, where unapologetic vengeance and justice are wrought, feels like the narrative went back on its previous lack of forgiveness in the face of the excuse of supposed ignorance and basically went, "Well, he's okay, he was kind of uncomfortable with this whole mess from the start, anyways. Even though he took advantage of people extensively, treated them as sub-human, and looked down on them. He's a cool dude."
In the end, it was, at least for the first half of the book, a highly enjoyable read, though I do think it struggled to an extent from the simplicity of the plot combined with the length of the book, and compromised some of the narrative's initial stances on redemption or lack thereof in a way that I found frustrating and uncomfortable. I am definitely going to be reading the next novel, and crossing my fingers that there's still going to be no romance between Jae and Lord Elan.
November 21, 2017
This book exceeded my expectations. I'm honestly at a loss for proper words right now, I am that blown away. Please, add this to your TBR NOW.
Full review here:
This story caught me off guard. Based on the reviews alone I chose to give it a go and I was not disappointed. From the first few minutes of this audio, I was hooked. I wanted to do nothing but finish this book. Sadly, my bills had other plans and I was forced to stop once in a while but when I was not reading this, I was wondering what was going on. To me, that is the sign of a great story. I haven’t been captivated by a story like this in a long time.
Jae is a slave to a household in the middle of the desert. She, and her twin brother, are the cursed ones in this civilization. They are bound an ancient law that forces them to obey every command given to them no matter how repulsive. They are unable to resist this curse no matter how much they try to fight against it. Everything within Jae’s world changes when she hears of Lord Elan’s arrival. Lord Elan is visiting from the main city because he, like many other people, is searching for The Well. The Well is the hidden source of magic and water that could save everyone. But� it is hidden and nobody knows the whereabouts. In a series of fortunate events, Jae discovers The Well and she alone has the power to control it. Elan discovers this and soon fights to control Jae but he cannot. He begs her and tries to bargain with her to help him find The Well. But why would someone that has only known slavery, abuse, neglect, and worse want to help someone of power? Jae sets out to discover the well and hopefully free all of the slaves, that is unless Elan’s power hungry father gets to her first. Will she be able to discover the Well and save those she cares about the most?
The writing style of this story blew me away. It is such a simple story, but wonderfully complex at the same time. The concept of the story was amazing to me. People who are considered to be the reason for the downfall of the civilization were Cursed and forced to pay for the sins of their ancestors for all time. This curse forces the person to do whatever vile order is given to them, not matter how horrid it is. They also are forced to only spoke when asked a question and they can only speak the truth. Brilliant! The foundation of the story, the history of The Well, the ancient war, and the Chosen was just fantastic. This story was so rich with fantasy that I couldn’t get enough.
I really liked Jae’s character. She is no proper female, that’s for sure. She is a tough woman that has been forced to be a slave from the time she could walk. She has served the same household her entire life, along with her twin brother. She has known no other life so being a proper lady with class is nowhere on her To Do list. She does her best to stand up for herself when she can. Her development within the story was very well done. She started out wanting nothing more than to tend the garden, and grew into someone that was determined to find the Well and set her people free, no matter the cost. Jae alone discovered the truth behind the Well and chose to do something about it. I like how she grew to trust Elan. Elan was out to prove that he was not as heartless as his father but still wanted to help people. He, too, grew as the story went along. He discovered the truth behind his family’s blood line and wanted to correct a wrong history. I can’t blame a son for wanting to prove to his father that he is his own man and is on the planet for a reason.
After a lot of thought, I realized that I couldn’t find anything I didn’t like about this story other than the wait until the next in the series. How amazing is that? The best part of this story: NO. ROMANCE. That’s right! There is ZERO romance clouding this story! FINALLY! A bloody brilliant story that has no love angst clogging things up! That leaves the story up for more secrets to be revealed, more mysteries to be solved, more magic, and stronger characters. HOORAY! Thank you Allen for finally writing a story like this!
I cannot wait until the next book in the series comes out. I want to be first in line for that book! I wish more people were talking about this story/series because it deserves the attention. It is worth your time to read/listen. Please read and then we can gush about how amazing this book is.
Full review here:
This story caught me off guard. Based on the reviews alone I chose to give it a go and I was not disappointed. From the first few minutes of this audio, I was hooked. I wanted to do nothing but finish this book. Sadly, my bills had other plans and I was forced to stop once in a while but when I was not reading this, I was wondering what was going on. To me, that is the sign of a great story. I haven’t been captivated by a story like this in a long time.
Jae is a slave to a household in the middle of the desert. She, and her twin brother, are the cursed ones in this civilization. They are bound an ancient law that forces them to obey every command given to them no matter how repulsive. They are unable to resist this curse no matter how much they try to fight against it. Everything within Jae’s world changes when she hears of Lord Elan’s arrival. Lord Elan is visiting from the main city because he, like many other people, is searching for The Well. The Well is the hidden source of magic and water that could save everyone. But� it is hidden and nobody knows the whereabouts. In a series of fortunate events, Jae discovers The Well and she alone has the power to control it. Elan discovers this and soon fights to control Jae but he cannot. He begs her and tries to bargain with her to help him find The Well. But why would someone that has only known slavery, abuse, neglect, and worse want to help someone of power? Jae sets out to discover the well and hopefully free all of the slaves, that is unless Elan’s power hungry father gets to her first. Will she be able to discover the Well and save those she cares about the most?
The writing style of this story blew me away. It is such a simple story, but wonderfully complex at the same time. The concept of the story was amazing to me. People who are considered to be the reason for the downfall of the civilization were Cursed and forced to pay for the sins of their ancestors for all time. This curse forces the person to do whatever vile order is given to them, not matter how horrid it is. They also are forced to only spoke when asked a question and they can only speak the truth. Brilliant! The foundation of the story, the history of The Well, the ancient war, and the Chosen was just fantastic. This story was so rich with fantasy that I couldn’t get enough.
I really liked Jae’s character. She is no proper female, that’s for sure. She is a tough woman that has been forced to be a slave from the time she could walk. She has served the same household her entire life, along with her twin brother. She has known no other life so being a proper lady with class is nowhere on her To Do list. She does her best to stand up for herself when she can. Her development within the story was very well done. She started out wanting nothing more than to tend the garden, and grew into someone that was determined to find the Well and set her people free, no matter the cost. Jae alone discovered the truth behind the Well and chose to do something about it. I like how she grew to trust Elan. Elan was out to prove that he was not as heartless as his father but still wanted to help people. He, too, grew as the story went along. He discovered the truth behind his family’s blood line and wanted to correct a wrong history. I can’t blame a son for wanting to prove to his father that he is his own man and is on the planet for a reason.
After a lot of thought, I realized that I couldn’t find anything I didn’t like about this story other than the wait until the next in the series. How amazing is that? The best part of this story: NO. ROMANCE. That’s right! There is ZERO romance clouding this story! FINALLY! A bloody brilliant story that has no love angst clogging things up! That leaves the story up for more secrets to be revealed, more mysteries to be solved, more magic, and stronger characters. HOORAY! Thank you Allen for finally writing a story like this!
I cannot wait until the next book in the series comes out. I want to be first in line for that book! I wish more people were talking about this story/series because it deserves the attention. It is worth your time to read/listen. Please read and then we can gush about how amazing this book is.
April 17, 2017
This book... Ah, this book. It has slavery as a background. But it's magical slavery, meaning there's no chance at all for rebellion. The plot itself was a bit too convoluted at times, with lots and lots of names to keep track of. (I'm still not sure on who the bad guys are/were, to be honest). It still held my interest, however. I liked Jae as a character, though she could be annoying and whiny at times. Bonus: no insta-love! YAY!
March 21, 2019
Bound by Blood and Sand by Becky Allen is an ambitious undertaking for an author’s first book. The story is told through the eyes of Jae; a Closest slave under the Curse set upon the Closest by the Highest. Jae lives in a post-magical world built by mages that had created a magic Well that would sustain the world with water forever. However, the Well is running dry and the Highest are evacuating satellite estates and bringing other upper class citizens into the inner cities and leaving the Closest to die. Jae stumbles upon ancient magic within a fountain built by the mage that had built the Well and gains those powers. She now has to power to change the fate of the Closest and garners attention from the Highest. I give Bound by Blood and Sand 2 out of 5 stars for its lack of deep characterization, uninspired worldbuilding, and ease of reading.
The characters in Bound by Blood and Sand are almost entirely one dimensional and hardly encounter many changes save for a few minor and unimportant changes. There’s no clear direction of development with the characters. The reader is only told some of the most basic details of the characters and it leaves the reader guessing and filling in the spaces in most areas. There’s no meaningful interactions between characters either. There are hints and teasers of things to come and it’s obvious most of the details were intended to be saved for a sequel which leaves the first book feeling shallow. A specific example is when Jae introduces the reader to her father, or rather the existence of her father. The reader is only given a few sentences acknowledging that Jae has a father. The character development is shallow and makes it difficult for the reader to become engaged.
The worldbuilding in the story is also shallow and leaves more to be desired. Any details
of the lore seem made up on the spot. While most books and ideas are created continually on the spot, this book doesn’t feel natural. None of the ideas feel organic and they feel as if they have no purpose or position in the story. Most good books� stories feel as if they belong and actually have happened in that world. This book just falls flat in all areas and that may be able to be excused with the author’s lack of experience.
The only redeeming quality this book holds is how quickly and easily the reader can finish and comprehend the story. The lack of depth and purpose in the characters and story allow for the book to be read at an exhilarating pace. There isn’t a lack of action and it is dispersed well throughout the book. One such example is when Jae fights Lord Elthis, experiences a sandstorm, and then has a tumultuous sacrifice in the Well all spaced efficiently and effectively.
Bound by Blood and Sand is an exciting idea and a bold challenge for a first-time author. Unfortunately, the execution of the writing and story just falls short in almost every aspect. There’s seemingly no valid reason to read this book unless you can overlook the glaring shortfalls in pursuit of a fantasy fix. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
The characters in Bound by Blood and Sand are almost entirely one dimensional and hardly encounter many changes save for a few minor and unimportant changes. There’s no clear direction of development with the characters. The reader is only told some of the most basic details of the characters and it leaves the reader guessing and filling in the spaces in most areas. There’s no meaningful interactions between characters either. There are hints and teasers of things to come and it’s obvious most of the details were intended to be saved for a sequel which leaves the first book feeling shallow. A specific example is when Jae introduces the reader to her father, or rather the existence of her father. The reader is only given a few sentences acknowledging that Jae has a father. The character development is shallow and makes it difficult for the reader to become engaged.
The worldbuilding in the story is also shallow and leaves more to be desired. Any details
of the lore seem made up on the spot. While most books and ideas are created continually on the spot, this book doesn’t feel natural. None of the ideas feel organic and they feel as if they have no purpose or position in the story. Most good books� stories feel as if they belong and actually have happened in that world. This book just falls flat in all areas and that may be able to be excused with the author’s lack of experience.
The only redeeming quality this book holds is how quickly and easily the reader can finish and comprehend the story. The lack of depth and purpose in the characters and story allow for the book to be read at an exhilarating pace. There isn’t a lack of action and it is dispersed well throughout the book. One such example is when Jae fights Lord Elthis, experiences a sandstorm, and then has a tumultuous sacrifice in the Well all spaced efficiently and effectively.
Bound by Blood and Sand is an exciting idea and a bold challenge for a first-time author. Unfortunately, the execution of the writing and story just falls short in almost every aspect. There’s seemingly no valid reason to read this book unless you can overlook the glaring shortfalls in pursuit of a fantasy fix. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
October 9, 2016
I hate the heat. So so much. So I would absolutely hate living in a true desert. Especially a desert where there is so little water to be had.
But that is exactly the kind of world that Bound by Blood and Sand takes place in.
The world is a desert. The places where people inhabit are few and far between and vary in size. And thanks to the drought that the world is finding itself in - the smaller places might end up being deserted.
However, not everyone gets to go. There happens to be a group of people that are cursed. They have to do what the Avowed tell them to do and they cannot lie. And when I say that they have to do do what they are told, they HAVE to do it. No matter what it is. So with that being said...TRIGGER WARNING.
Our main female character, Jae, is one of the cursed. But through some interesting happenings...she actually becomes special and separate from others like her. And she plans to use this advantage to save the rest of the cursed.
And then there is our main male character Lord Elan. He is the son of the guy on top. Not many outrank him and what he says goes.
Needless to say, the two meet and do not like each other. But things happen and they have to deal with each other.
The story is told from a rotating first person view. It switches between Jae and Elan. So you get to see both sides. And you get to see them each come to their own special realizations and growth. It is really quite well done.
Personally, I didn't like Jae much during a lot of this book, but she is the way she is for a reason. You will learn about it and come to understand her though. So if you find yourself like me, give it time. Don't give up on her.
In regards to the world, I really liked it. It did take a little bit to get the world built up, but it was done quite beautifully. I had absolutely no problem imagining the world and the characters. If it was a place I could actually visit, aside from the heat, I would want to go!
You may have also heard from reading other reviews that there is no romance in this book, and that is true. However, there are building blocks for a romance! So hopefully in the next book we will see it actually start. The lack of romance makes a lot of sense for the story contained within Bound by Blood and Sand and I am glad that Becky Allen did not force one into the story. It wouldn't have felt right with were characters are in their own personal growth at the moment. Jae is just too tough and hard!
I cannot wait to continue on in this world and read more about Jae and Elan. There are quite a few hints about possible story lines that I cannot wait to see where the story goes!
This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Find more of my reviews here:
But that is exactly the kind of world that Bound by Blood and Sand takes place in.
The world is a desert. The places where people inhabit are few and far between and vary in size. And thanks to the drought that the world is finding itself in - the smaller places might end up being deserted.
However, not everyone gets to go. There happens to be a group of people that are cursed. They have to do what the Avowed tell them to do and they cannot lie. And when I say that they have to do do what they are told, they HAVE to do it. No matter what it is. So with that being said...TRIGGER WARNING.
Our main female character, Jae, is one of the cursed. But through some interesting happenings...she actually becomes special and separate from others like her. And she plans to use this advantage to save the rest of the cursed.
And then there is our main male character Lord Elan. He is the son of the guy on top. Not many outrank him and what he says goes.
Needless to say, the two meet and do not like each other. But things happen and they have to deal with each other.
The story is told from a rotating first person view. It switches between Jae and Elan. So you get to see both sides. And you get to see them each come to their own special realizations and growth. It is really quite well done.
Personally, I didn't like Jae much during a lot of this book, but she is the way she is for a reason. You will learn about it and come to understand her though. So if you find yourself like me, give it time. Don't give up on her.
In regards to the world, I really liked it. It did take a little bit to get the world built up, but it was done quite beautifully. I had absolutely no problem imagining the world and the characters. If it was a place I could actually visit, aside from the heat, I would want to go!
You may have also heard from reading other reviews that there is no romance in this book, and that is true. However, there are building blocks for a romance! So hopefully in the next book we will see it actually start. The lack of romance makes a lot of sense for the story contained within Bound by Blood and Sand and I am glad that Becky Allen did not force one into the story. It wouldn't have felt right with were characters are in their own personal growth at the moment. Jae is just too tough and hard!
I cannot wait to continue on in this world and read more about Jae and Elan. There are quite a few hints about possible story lines that I cannot wait to see where the story goes!
This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Find more of my reviews here:
October 4, 2016
Super unique story -- felt a bit like Ella Enchanted meets An Ember in the Ashes. Full review to come!
March 2, 2016
anything that is compared to TAMORA PIERCE.....
I MUST HAVE IT.
I MUST HAVE IT.
Read
May 19, 2016This book was very original. It was very descriptive in its writing. While reading this book, it gives somewhat of an emotional connection with Jae.
April 28, 2017
Okay, I am going to go and give this book 4 stars. How amazing was that?! But really this book has great elements that promises for a great series.
Let talk about world building, because that's Allen's biggest feat in this first novel of the series. In Jae's world there is a caste system, primarily of the Avowed (the bureaucratic and noble type) and the Closest (pretty much just slaves). The Avowed run the world and everyone in it, and the Closest are indentured slaves that are paying for the sins of their ancestors' crimes. At the center of this dynamic is the Well, which gives life and water to all the surrounding estates, protected by the Highest (I thought this was like God, but I feel it's more of a regal title.) Since Jae lives in Arddan, let's focus on that part of the world: it is dry, cracked and desolate; which is why the Highest's son is coming to see if this estate is worth keep, if it's worth sending water from the Well to this estate... wasting what little is left. This world is hot, dry and oppressive. You can taste the sand in your mouth and it helps one understand why Jae is so prickly (she's a Closest). As the story progresses another part of this world is revealed, and makes stark contrasts to life in Arddan.
The Closest:
Jae is the main character. Her twin brother, Tal, and she were born into servitude for some betrayal a great ancestor committed during the last war. Basically after this war, the Mages were taken away, but not before a binding was put on the Well, and the Closest. The Closest are interesting. They are all born with this Curse that makes them not allowed to lie, or even keep things to themselves. If an Avowed asks a Closest a question, the Closest must answer, with only truth. They are never given the ability to freely speak, or even just keep their opinions to themselves, when they wish not to speak. Not only do they answer on demand but they obey all orders on demand, due to the Curse.
The Avowed:
I don't know much of this group yet, as the first book was mostly in Jae's perspective. What I do know is that they are elite, and they rule over everyone... including each other. What I do know is that they have a superiority complex, they are the only ones that can be trusted to rule over everyone- not just the Closest. What I don't know is how they have remained in power for so long, or how long their reign will last- but the next book might answer that.
Characters:
Jae is not the main character you instantly like, her brother is... but I think that's the point. Her twin Tal makes Jae human; he's the reason for her sanity and for her mercy. I really enjoyed their relationship. Lord Elan is the Highest's son, who comes to shut down the estate, but when he meets Jae and finds out she has secret magic (yeah she's magical, but just found out) he sees an opportunity to finally make things better for everyone. There are other characters but I wanted to just think about these three. An Avowed and two Closest figure out how to work together for the greater good, and in their journey they figure out that history was built on lies.
I have the second book as an ARC, and am trying very hard not to just read it (I have others to read first.) I want to know what happens to Jae. I want to know if maybe one day she might see Elan as something else... romance was pretty much avoided in this first book, but there were signs of an impending relationship. I liked that the author didn't create an insta-love scenario, because by the end I found I really respected Jae (even if I didn't always agree with her) and I noticed the growth Elan made in the book.
4 stars
Let talk about world building, because that's Allen's biggest feat in this first novel of the series. In Jae's world there is a caste system, primarily of the Avowed (the bureaucratic and noble type) and the Closest (pretty much just slaves). The Avowed run the world and everyone in it, and the Closest are indentured slaves that are paying for the sins of their ancestors' crimes. At the center of this dynamic is the Well, which gives life and water to all the surrounding estates, protected by the Highest (I thought this was like God, but I feel it's more of a regal title.) Since Jae lives in Arddan, let's focus on that part of the world: it is dry, cracked and desolate; which is why the Highest's son is coming to see if this estate is worth keep, if it's worth sending water from the Well to this estate... wasting what little is left. This world is hot, dry and oppressive. You can taste the sand in your mouth and it helps one understand why Jae is so prickly (she's a Closest). As the story progresses another part of this world is revealed, and makes stark contrasts to life in Arddan.
The Closest:
Jae is the main character. Her twin brother, Tal, and she were born into servitude for some betrayal a great ancestor committed during the last war. Basically after this war, the Mages were taken away, but not before a binding was put on the Well, and the Closest. The Closest are interesting. They are all born with this Curse that makes them not allowed to lie, or even keep things to themselves. If an Avowed asks a Closest a question, the Closest must answer, with only truth. They are never given the ability to freely speak, or even just keep their opinions to themselves, when they wish not to speak. Not only do they answer on demand but they obey all orders on demand, due to the Curse.
The Avowed:
I don't know much of this group yet, as the first book was mostly in Jae's perspective. What I do know is that they are elite, and they rule over everyone... including each other. What I do know is that they have a superiority complex, they are the only ones that can be trusted to rule over everyone- not just the Closest. What I don't know is how they have remained in power for so long, or how long their reign will last- but the next book might answer that.
Characters:
Jae is not the main character you instantly like, her brother is... but I think that's the point. Her twin Tal makes Jae human; he's the reason for her sanity and for her mercy. I really enjoyed their relationship. Lord Elan is the Highest's son, who comes to shut down the estate, but when he meets Jae and finds out she has secret magic (yeah she's magical, but just found out) he sees an opportunity to finally make things better for everyone. There are other characters but I wanted to just think about these three. An Avowed and two Closest figure out how to work together for the greater good, and in their journey they figure out that history was built on lies.
I have the second book as an ARC, and am trying very hard not to just read it (I have others to read first.) I want to know what happens to Jae. I want to know if maybe one day she might see Elan as something else... romance was pretty much avoided in this first book, but there were signs of an impending relationship. I liked that the author didn't create an insta-love scenario, because by the end I found I really respected Jae (even if I didn't always agree with her) and I noticed the growth Elan made in the book.
4 stars
January 21, 2021
(I read this book a few years ago but didn't review it, and I picked it up again because I saw the audiobook was available from my library and January LeVoy is a great narrator).
This isn't a light read - it's serious about examining power and systems of oppression in a society where slavery is enforced by magic, and it doesn't shy away from the implications, including sexual assault and abusive violence. It's also not a story that pulls any punches or pretends to provide easy answers.
The book does particularly interesting things with the ways that mythology and history are used as weapons of oppression, and with a character who changes his mind and gives up his privilege when he learns the truth (giving him credit for that choice while making it clear that he's not the protagonist and the narrative isn't about HIS story).
I was glad to be revisiting this book now -- I happened to finish listening right as the US was going through its own political transition -- and the story leaves off in an interesting place, where the immediate threat has been defeated and it's time to take the next step and change the oppressive systems in a way that keeps the evils from repeating. That, well, seems relevant.
I haven't read the sequel, though I have it, so I don't know how these questions resolve and I am interested to find out.
This isn't a light read - it's serious about examining power and systems of oppression in a society where slavery is enforced by magic, and it doesn't shy away from the implications, including sexual assault and abusive violence. It's also not a story that pulls any punches or pretends to provide easy answers.
The book does particularly interesting things with the ways that mythology and history are used as weapons of oppression, and with a character who changes his mind and gives up his privilege when he learns the truth (giving him credit for that choice while making it clear that he's not the protagonist and the narrative isn't about HIS story).
I was glad to be revisiting this book now -- I happened to finish listening right as the US was going through its own political transition -- and the story leaves off in an interesting place, where the immediate threat has been defeated and it's time to take the next step and change the oppressive systems in a way that keeps the evils from repeating. That, well, seems relevant.
I haven't read the sequel, though I have it, so I don't know how these questions resolve and I am interested to find out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2017
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I absolutely love the concept behind this book—the idea that there are cursed people who can't speak, but that there is more to them than meets the eye. At first, I was really worried about what the idea would mean and how it would be carried out, but I am really pleased with what the author managed to do with the concept. Also, I am so happy that the book avoided both the installée and love triangle tropes that seem to plague YA books—something I was worried would happen based on the summary.
Anyway, I thought that the book was full of vivid details that really made the history and setting come to life. The history behind the world Allen created was explained in a way so that I understood everything, but wasn't overwhelmed by the details. It also built upon itself and unfolded in a manner that allowed the story to flow quite smoothly.
I don't want to say too much, but I thought that the history interacted well with the "power" that Jae discovered.
I also really enjoyed the relationships between the characters and how much they were explored.
While I really enjoyed the book, there were definitely some issues with it. Firstly, I thought that Elan—one of the highest (the people in power) was extremely naive. He made some pretty drastic changes throughout that I felt were rather forced and only included to fit and advance the story. This happened with another character, Lady Shirrad, who is also one of the people in power.
Overall, I really enjoyed Bound By Blood and Sand was a good book with a unique concept, but thought some the characters' actions were forced and that some of the plot points were quite predictable.
I absolutely love the concept behind this book—the idea that there are cursed people who can't speak, but that there is more to them than meets the eye. At first, I was really worried about what the idea would mean and how it would be carried out, but I am really pleased with what the author managed to do with the concept. Also, I am so happy that the book avoided both the installée and love triangle tropes that seem to plague YA books—something I was worried would happen based on the summary.
Anyway, I thought that the book was full of vivid details that really made the history and setting come to life. The history behind the world Allen created was explained in a way so that I understood everything, but wasn't overwhelmed by the details. It also built upon itself and unfolded in a manner that allowed the story to flow quite smoothly.
I don't want to say too much, but I thought that the history interacted well with the "power" that Jae discovered.
I also really enjoyed the relationships between the characters and how much they were explored.
While I really enjoyed the book, there were definitely some issues with it. Firstly, I thought that Elan—one of the highest (the people in power) was extremely naive. He made some pretty drastic changes throughout that I felt were rather forced and only included to fit and advance the story. This happened with another character, Lady Shirrad, who is also one of the people in power.
Overall, I really enjoyed Bound By Blood and Sand was a good book with a unique concept, but thought some the characters' actions were forced and that some of the plot points were quite predictable.
July 2, 2019
What an amazingly interesting world this book is set in! There are multiple casts that society is divided into- The Highest, The Avowed, The Twill, and The Closest. The Closests are slaves, bound by magic because of a rebellion that happened generations ago. They cannot speak to higher casts, cannot disobey an order from Avowed or higher, and must answer any question with the complete truth. We follow our main character as she stands up to those who have abused her and against the systematic oppression of her people and without revealing the plot too much, YES GIRL YES!
While reading this book I had a Saharan-vibe and it is obvious the main characters are all black/dark skinned which I loved!
While reading this book I had a Saharan-vibe and it is obvious the main characters are all black/dark skinned which I loved!
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