My Thoughts on The Bonds that Tie Series by J Bree

While I could post a review about every book in The Bonds that Tie series by J Bree, I didn’t want to put them down or pause reading to do so. I enjoyed the series that much (spoiler alert). So, I’m just going to combine them all together as I have done with other series that captivated my attention to this extent. I originally discovered this series through TikTok, but only ever heard that they were fantastic without any real details around the plot which I appreciate so I could go into the series without there being spoilers. I love discussing the details of a book as much as the next person especially when it’s a good book, but I don’t like knowing those details until I’ve gotten a chance to experience it for myself. Case and point Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard, I still haven’t finished that series due to the fact I know everything that’s going to happen and it makes me not want to pick up the next book. So, with that being said, I’m not going to be going into heavy details about the books, so there will be no spoilers here while I share my thoughts on this series.

Though some of the book synopsis can spoil things, if you want to avoid that, skip to the “Overall Thoughts” of this post.

Overall Thoughts

The series is told primarily from the first-person POV of Oli, though later in the series it starts switching more regularly between Nox, Gabe, Atlas, North, and Gryphon, as well as Oli. This is a paranormal reverse harem series, so there’s not one main love interest. Their entire society revolves around multiple pairings in a bond group with a central bond (individual) in the middle, usually with the pairs being male and female, though it’s not uncommon that there might be some bisexual pairings within the same bond group. But the majority of the bonds are in place for stronger lineage and to balance power dynamics within the groups. Something that we learn has been manipulative with several groups outside of the main one we’re following. Not just in this generation but the one prior. No spoilers on who though.

The series also dynamically changes as time goes on. It starts out with a college student learning how to navigate normal life after spending years on the run, though we don’t know exactly why she was on the run for quite some time. And how her entire bond group feels about her taking off on them when they were all set to take her in and love her after the death of her parents. So, we spend a lot of the books with Oli not wanting them to get close for a number of reasons: fear they will be targeted, fear her powers will grow (something she has been repressing for years), and fear that they will never accept her if they learn the truth of what happened to her all those years ago. It never feels like a different series, but the dynamic between everyone changes especially as they figure out how each other’s past, learn to forgive each other, and work together to deal with the Resistance that wants to wipe out all non-Magic/Bond individuals and control the population.

Everyone in the group has a slightly different power:

• Oleander (Oli): Soul-Render – Can take the souls out of any individuals (instantly killing them) or make them go insane to the point where they die due to the horrors placed in their minds.
• Nox: Death Dealer – Controls shadows and inflicts individuals with madness.
• North: Death Dealer – Controls shadows but they are rabid in comparison to Nox’s shadows and leave behind acid. Also can tell how an individual dies by touching them.
• Gabriel (Gabe): Shifter – Can literally turn into any predator he can think of.
• Atlas: Cleaver – Indestructible and super strong to the point he can tear things apart.
• Gryphon (Gryph): Neuro – Able to manipulate any facet of the mind of another individual.

These powers grow when the group goes from Bonds to Bonded with Oli. I won’t spoil how their dynamic or powers change, but it makes things interesting. Especially considering how against the Bonding that Oli was. All things she had valid reasons to be concerned about. And it’s not like she just gave into it all at once, each one of the relationships goes about it slightly differently in how they get to that final Bonded stage. I won’t spoil it, but my goodness some of them are something else. I feel bad for the characters in a way because of the way it happens (some are forced in a way due to circumstances that I’m not going to get into).

My thoughts on each of the characters:

• Oleander (Oli): I totally get where she’s coming from in being against the bonding. She’s been through a lot in her life. A lot of that including her powers causes her to have questionable morals, but she is very strong, brave, and loyal.
• Nox: Originally he was the most questionable out of the group. He went about the bond in not a great way originally (forcing himself on Oli in order to get his powers, but she denies him that), then he’s the most vocal and critical of her later. Which we later learn is due to a lot of trauma he went through as a kid. Not excusing it, but it makes sense why he acts the way he does. And the two learn how to find common ground with each other.
• North: He is controlling and possessive, at first he feels like the bigger villain than his younger brother Nox. He knows there is a clip in Oli’s head (granted he doesn’t know the full amount of what it does but we don’t know that) that can be used to track her and even threatens to chain her to his basement if she tries to leave. But once he learns the truth, North is still possessive and controlling but more devoted and ready to give Oli literally anything she wants.
• Gabriel (Gabe): The golden retriever of the group. Literally a social butterfly but protective and doting as all heck. He’s also the peacemaker of the group, though he’s more loyal to North, Nox, and Gryph originally than he is to Atlas. Though he later is shown to be much closer with Atlas than the others.
• Atlas: Oh, Atlas. He starts out as the best of the guys as he’s the first to accept Oli for who she is. He doesn’t fault her for disappearing for five years, but we learn why that is. Which makes his dynamic in the group interesting (won’t spoil it). But there’s one thing he always is and that’s protective of Oli. He’s the first to stand by her side and guard her against anything that tries to hurt her (physically, mentally, etc.).
• Gryphon (Gryph): The military leader in the group. He’s always focused on the mission, whatever that might currently be and making sure everyone is protected and accounted for. He might be tough around the edges at times and a bit overbearing, but he does everything to ensure the group is in a good place with each other and the community. Even if some of the community need serious whacks on the back of the head.

I seriously loved this series. I could not put these books down. And know I’ll be returning to them whenever I need a comfort book. There’s a lot of healing and personal growth in these books, though the road to them can be messy for the different characters. Some happen during the course of a book, while others are stretched out over multiple. It depends on what they were facing at the moment. Each book tackles a different aspect or stage of growth. It’s also written in a way where the main conflict of that book you see addressed in that book with the next one introduced at the end, while still maintaining the overall plot of the series without it feeling like a lot of things are left hanging or unanswered. Sure some things are but it just made me want to keep reading.

We also get to see other groups evolve over time outside the main group. Some of the developments happen quickly but based on the way their society works it makes sense they happen the way that they do. Plus, we get other dynamics from those other groups. Like Sawyer and Grey who turn out to be in the same bond group, so though they’ve been in a relationship for ages it’s not like they’re going to be pulled apart but there is a shift that happens that we get to see play out. We also get to see the negative side of the manipulation of bonds through Sage. Her entire group gets messed with in more ways than one, so we can see the negative side effects that are happening in the larger picture. So, while we aren’t following those characters we still have more world-building outside of the relationship of the main group.

Overall, I would give this series a 4.25 star out of 5 rating. There are some minor grammar or editing mistakes throughout the series but not enough where I’m taking major points off for those like I have in the past for some series.

If you’ve read this series, what did you think? Also, who is your favorite character?

Love ya,

Mae Polzine

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