Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen Review

Dire Bound is a debut, first in a series, spicy, thrilling Romantasy perfect for anyone looking for something to sink their teeth into (pun intended). Twists, betrayal and secrets all come to light in this exciting and action packed novel, following Meryn - our common born FMC who will risk anything to protect her family and do right by the kingdom.

I would consider it a medium fantasy. I personally like my Romantasy to read like a modern romance, but with a fantasy setting, some fighting, some courtship, a few talking animals and a medieval castle setting and I’m in. Since reading the The Empyrean series (specifically the first book Fourth Wing), I have yet to find another Fantasy book to reel me in, keep me there and spit me out feeling like I’ve just been in battle with our characters. Dire Bound delivered all that and more. I absolutely loved it, I haven’t turned pages that quickly in a while, (plus - there are wolves, and that should be enough reason to read it).

For a debut novel, the writing was fantastic. A true love letter to the best and the brightest in the industry, Sorensen (pen name for two fantasy loving best friends who authored the book) captures the best elements of a fantasy realm, while keeping readers on the edge of their seats. It almost didn’t matter if I felt like some of the twists were predictable, I was always keen to read on and see how our characters developed from it.

It felt nostalgic in a way many modern fantasy’s fail to do, bringing me back to my teen years enjoying The Hunger Games and the Divergent series; odes and sprinkles of nods to the best of YA in an adult setting made for a page turning reading experience.

Lucky for us - the second book Fury Bound was released in May, 2026 - and I was absolutely one of the first to read it.