She entered the Trials to save her sister. Surviving them might cost her soul.
Synopsis
Only the worthy survive the Bonding Trials. She’ll risk her life—and her heart—to be one of them…
Meryn Cooper has never dreamed of being one of the Bonded, the King’s elite warriors who form mental links with massive, vicious direwolves. She’s made peace with her life scraping by in poverty in the shadows of the castle. But then her younger sister Saela is kidnapped, stolen across the border by the immortal monsters her country has spent centuries fighting.
And Meryn’s world falls apart.
Desperate to cross the front and save her sister, Meryn enlists in the army—only to discover that there are Bonding Trials this year, where all soldiers are forced to risk their lives in an attempt to connect with a direwolf. It’s too late to turn back; Meryn is thrown into the deadly competition against her will.
Now, she’ll need to survive the next four months of training at the castle if she wants a chance of finding Saela. Everything here is a test, from the brutal classes where one mistake means death, to the glittering court parties where every smile hides a knife.
To make things worse, Meryn is bound to a feral direwolf who refuses to communicate. The other trainees would love to spill her common blood. And her gorgeous instructor, Stark Therion, is as malicious as the wolves himself.
Everyone is out to get her—everyone but the dangerously handsome crown prince, Killian Valtiere. But if she loses her heart to him, she may also lose her life.
And the castle is hiding dark secrets…
Fourth Wing meets The Hunger Games in dark action-packed fantasy series, perfect for romantasy fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses , The Serpent & the Wings of Night , When the Moon Hatched and Quicksilver!
See why readers love
“A God Tier Fantasy book!!! I just finished and still trying to mentally and emotionally recover to what just happened to me. You need to read it IMMEDIATELY.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“If you’re into dark romantasy with high stakes, fierce characters, and just the right amount of emotional wreckage, Direbound is your next obsession.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“OMG THIS BOOK YOU GUYS!!! I’m OBSESSED and I need to know what happens next like ASAP.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“What an incredible read!! … I am blown away. … The romance, the anguish, the BANTER! I love a book with good banter and this was FULL OF IT!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I. Am. OBSESSED. … Left me spiraling in the best way possible. The morally grey anti-hero? Perfection. The slow-burn tension? Electric. … I was completely immersed.
Review
5 stars
One of the best surprises this year!
I became a little bit weary of romantasy written by indie authors and don’t read as many as I used to but when I saw Lindsey at @lindseyreads adding it to her TBR because so many liked it, my interest was piqued.
I was sold as soon as I saw that there was:
-an underdog (an alleycat, streetfighter and commoner who would attend a war academy);
–big bad wolves (the direwolves are terrifying beasts used to fight vampires);
-a quest (the heroine’s sister has been kidnapped and she is dead set on saving her);
-a competition of sort (attending the “academy” to become bonded with a wolf is brutal and there are lost of death and culling);
-a prince who seems charming but also a wicked and dark instructor!
And… I read the 610 pages in one day!
That’s how good that book was!
Even if I had guessed at some plot “twists” if you could say that or at least I had some thoughts about them, even if many elements have been used in other fantasy and romantasy stories, I HAD A BLAST!
And I was so disappointed when I realized this was meant to be a trilogy and the sequels were not out yet!
But why was I so enamored with that book?
Because:
1)Meryn is great!
She is the underdog as I explained, being a commoner among all the Rawbonds legacy but she had so much fight in her! That girl doesn’t know the word quitting! And that’s so motivating! She can be beaten, she can fall again and again from her wolf, she can have her wolf set on ignoring her or whatever, she doesn’t quit!
She also wants to protect the weakest, even if it’s not tradition for the Direbonds and she is her sister’s protector.
2)I loved the concept of Rawbonds and the universe
Or being bonded to these big wolves to go to war. Even if Assana didn’t make Meryn’s life easy.
The world is built around vampires (Syphons) menacing the kingdom, magic wolves to defend it but you will have also more magic than that (not saying a word).
3) I love when you have a powerful, sexy and dark instructor!
Stark is delish! Very intimidating but delish nonetheless.
And of course we have Meryn’s mental illness mystery, the quest to find her sister etc etc.
I can’t explain properly but if you love romantasy with action, supernatural beings, kind of assholish instructors and an underdog, go for it you won’t regret it!
And I need the sequel now!
Sophie
If you read 610 pages of fantasy in one day, this must have been an amazingly engrossing story.
It truly was Sam!
Oh wow Sophie, this sounds fantastic! I will add it to my summer wishlist.
Yesss!!!
Ah Sophie I’m so glad to hear you loved this one and while I’m completely done reading it yet (I’m at about 92% now) I can tell this is a new favorite for me too, for all the reasons you listed!
Thank you for featuring it!
This sounds amazing! I’m also reading a fantastic romantasy right now so I’m in that mood. I might add this to my TBR
I can’t wait for you to read it!
Ughhh this sounds so great! As if I needed more romantasy books for on my wishlist. Haha
It’s excellent Stephanie!