All I can say is oh no, This book doesn’t officially come out for another SEVEN MONTHS? And I’m already clamoring for a sequel.

This book absolutely devoured my Sunday evening. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. A Fae Selection full of deceit, betrayal, and a love triangle? Boy oh boy give it all to me. Looking back on it, I felt like I really should have expected the ending, but I absolutely did not. It’s such a twist, almost obvious twist, that it was just so unexpected and mind blowing and honestly? I screamed.

This is my very first 5 star read of 2021 and honestly going to be the book I recommend over and over and over again to all of my friends both on the internet and in real life.

Brie is such a great character. I feel like she’s so strong but yet so human. She’s not a great fighter, she’s not an assassin, she’s not brute force strong. But she’s sneaky, she’s clever, and she’s loyal. Where every betrayal and trauma could send her off the deep end, she perseveres.

And tbh if one more person hurts my baby, I’m gonna riot.

I read that HMH bought the rights in a two-book deal, and I hope to all that is good that that is true because I need more and I need more like tomorrow.

This review will have a small spoiler.

This book was unexpected in many ways. Here is what I liked about the book - I liked the setting, the palace, and the premise. I like the don't know who to trust love triangle, even if we secretly do. I liked all of the side characters. And I really like her powers, what she can do, and that she already had them.

Here is what I didn't like - the secrets. Every character seems to know everything about Brie, her past, scar, and powers, yet nobody tells her anything. This goes on for so long that I struggled to finish the book. It isn't until 77% into the book that we learn anything at all, and it is that they physically cannot tell her. After that, she finally calls someone who isn't cursed, and then from there, we get like 10 versions of the truth before the very end comes.

After the first half, it really picks up and I couldn't put this book down. I needed to know what the heck was going on, which is probably why I was getting so annoyed. It was hard to get over my confusion, but something about it made me really want to keep reading. I look forward to reading the next in the series and hope it has fewer secrets and a little more action. I do think this book will be very loved in our library, so I look forward to seeing what our community thinks.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this!

Firstly, I think the comparison to ACOTAR in this book's pitch was bang on. On the nose! No really, it's literally the same story. I could list all the similarities between the two but.. I really liked this book and I don't think that's necessary. It was formulaic and unimaginative at times but it was so so much fun and gripping and sexy and I don't think I needed it to be anything else. Do I wish it was slightly more unique? Yes and I'm slightly miffed at the missed opportunity to expand upon an already narrow sub-genre. HOWEVER. I believe this book did everything it promised to do very well, and that is my main takeaway from reading this novel.

It twisted and turned throughout like a suspense thriller which I was not expecting and loved. The sub-plots and character motivations were woven together so beautifully that by the end there was just no way I was not going to exclaim in disbelief, no matter how many twists I called in the first half of the book.

The dialogue was sharp and delicious; I soaked up every once of it. The characters were... getting there. While I loved what they had to say, I just wanted more. More nuance, more distinction between them, their motivations and stakes. I'm positive that the characters will be explored more in the sequel (oh please let there be a sequel), and this book will serve as a great foundation.

I did have a slight qualm with the pacing. It actually took me three months to finish this book. Well, it took me three months to get to read the first half, and then about 4 hours to read the latter. The beginning was slow, tedious and even repetitive at times. Brie wasn't that engaging of a character on her own, so it took waiting until the whole gang was together for the pace and intrigue to pick up. But when it did, I was completely hooked. I just wish it had jumped straight in, and didn't waste time on characters and sub-plots that weren't going to be relevant in 200 pages time.

In conclusion, if you enjoyed ACOTAR, pick this up, you'll love it. As for the comparison to The Cruel Prince, I saw no similarities apart from the references to the Fae and their devious antics (don't drink the wine, just..don't).

Thank you ever so much to the publisher for this e-arc!

The writing was very good but something about the story and the characters just didn’t draw me in! But I think others will connect to it. Plus the Fae aspect is awesome!

2/5 Stars

I tried to get into this book multiple times, but in the end I DNFed (Did Not Finish) the book around 20% of the way through. I think the idea was cool, even though it did feel like something I've read before, I just could not connect with the writing or the main character.

Thanks for reading!
Caden

I couldn't stop reading this book! It was a bit confusing at first but then I just had to find out what happens. I'm not 100% on the ending as there are just so many twists and I hate cliffhangers in general but I really enjoyed the characters and world building that went into the book. Reminded me a bit of A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Throne of Glass, just not as refined as them.

I will be eagerly awaiting the next one.

"When you were reading, you were somewhere else. You were someone else..."
*
This is how I felt reading this book! I disappeared into Faerie with Brie and I was part of her adventures, alongside the gorgeous Sebastian and the ever seductive Finn. This truly did give me ACOTAR and Cruel Prince vibes whilst also remaining very unique in its own right, especially with its magic system, plot twists and romance. Brie, our fiery main character, is no damsel in distress and she isn't afraid to let her sassiness shine through - the perfect blend of Feyre and Jude. There's not one hot fae male but two 😳 good luck choosing...
*
“Pick a star, make a wish..."
*
These Hollow Vows is an action-packed fantasy about a girl who is caught between two treacherous faerie courts and their dangerously seductive princes. Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty...and with her heart.
*
"May you always have a star to wish on and a reason to believe..."
*
I was drawn to this book by the title and then I read the plot summary and I just couldn't stop thinking about it, even before the stunning cover reveal, I felt an urgent need to read this book! I'm so glad I got an ARC and the only complaint I have is that I now have to wait even longer for book 2 🙈 I've loved this book so much that I've even pre-ordered because I need that beauty on display on my shelf... Especially Finn 😍
*
Make sure to pre-order your copy now for release on 20th July - I just know this book is going to blow up!
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“You know too much and not enough...”
*
I want to thank Edelweiss, NetGalley and HMH for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It’s no secret I am a huge Sarah J. Maas fan and will read just about anything that is compared to her work. In this case, it was a very appropriate comparison. Similar characters, similar love triangle, similar setting, similar premise…but hey, I’m all for it. It was angsty, but not too much so. Even though it gives me anxiety, I like when characters have to navigate impossible choices in creative ways. Oh and also love steamy love triangles, even though those also give me anxiety….So needless to say, even though this book is not perfect, I am the perfect audience for it. I hope there is more to come.

This book is a good start for a series. Although there are some plot holes and undeveloped characters, I enjoyed it as a fluffy read.

<i>*This book was given to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review*</i>
I will read anything about the fae, let's start with that. I love the whole Seelie/Unseelie dynamic, the different types of fae, the imagined world, all of it. However, I have a love/hate relationship with love triangles, I get so upset when the protagonist chooses the wrong guy. So I was apprehensive about how the romance would turn out, I can't say too much about it, but I'm looking forward to finding out who she chooses, what happens, and more about her magic.

This novel exceeded my best expectations. The synopsis is right: "These Hollow Vows" gave me all the warm and fuzzy nostalgia of "A Court of Thorns and Roses" and "The Modern Faerie Tales: Tithe; Valiant; Ironside." While Holly Black has proven herself to be the mistress of all Fae writing, Lexi Ryan is a promising contender for the title. This Faerie world is illustrious, mysterious, and enchanting. I never wanted to leave! I'm dying to get my hands on a sequel.


I really can't say enough good things about this book! I immediately fell in love with our main heroine Brie, and the amount of character development she goes through is astounding! Truly great character work. Her relationship with the Unseelie Court is awesome; their banter is hilarious! I got to the point where I grew sick of Prince Ronan and all I wanted was more time with Finn and his friends. They give me such strong Night Court vibes; I love it!


I was mentally preparing myself for lots of twists and turns when I started reading this novel, but even just a few chapters in the plot blew me away! That plot twist with Sebastian...oh my gosh, it was so unpredictable and from there on out, this book had me in a chokehold. I fell in love with the new world Brie is discovering, and all the fantastically explained lore.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the amount of time I wished to dedicated to this book, which is unfortunate because the characters hooked me in and the storyline kept me focused.

These Hollow Vows has left me hollow for more. How am I meant to wait for the sequel?!

Brie has always hated the fae, and with a good reason for how they treat humans when her sister is sold to the fae, she knows she must do whatever it takes to get her back. Thus she begins a walk on dangerous line so interconnected (some connections I saw and others I didn't know until the reveal) with so many fates; Sebastian, Finn, Seelie & Unseelie court, her mother, her past & who she is. It was so good!
I was so involved in Brie's character and her discoveries; the romance took a backseat in my attention, although I did welcome it when it occurred. Brie is struggling with her beliefs about the fae and those she trust, she wants to save her sister, and as things continue she still wants to save her sister, but she always wants to help others all because of her character's growth.

I will say this story has A LOT of things happen. Sometimes I had to sit down and process them for a while, and yes, I know it is all to help the sequels and their plot, but it was still too much at times. The romance/attraction was a little flat because (besides certain reasons) it was a little random. Having said that I am torn between both love interests and VERY pissed at them - torn between loving them and hating them!

Highly recommend this book to lovers of faeries, medieval vibes, magic, politics, war, curses, self-discovery, and a good old fashioned love triangle. 5/5

This one started a tad rocky for me (the MC was hard for me to enjoy at first) but that didn’t last long. I was very eager to keep reading and from the middle to end I couldn't stop reading. One of the reveals shocked me! I really want the next book!

Vows, love, deception. But the only vow that matters is the one to protect her sister. I loved the twists and turns in this book, I was left feeling like I too didn’t have a clue who to trust. It definitely stood up to the expectations of Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses.

I actually really loved this one. A Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses is an accurate description for this novel.

Ryan does a great job building up an intriguing fantasy world. The story starts out very Cinderella esque-- two girls trying to make ends meet in a world that has been essentially taken over by Fae bargains (think Rumpelstiltskin). But when Brie's sister is sold off to the Fae-- she must enter a realm where things were not as they appear. Can Brie save her sister while attempting to decide between two fates?

This book was fantastic. Romance, intrigue, and excellent but guessable twists. I'll be waiting for the sequel!

*Some mature content, I recommend for a mature reader 8th grade and up.

#TheseHollowVows #NetGalley

** 4.5 stars **

Fans of S. Maas and H. Black are going to love this book.

While it may seem like the typical fae/human-love trope, it's anything but. It's so much more. This tests what it means to love someone within the bonds of family and friends too. It's a journey of one girl's growth as she makes her way to free her sister, dealing with her prejudices, preconceived notions about the world around her, and how her ignorances could be used against her. The world of Fae is not filled with golden sunshine like the stories, but shows that where there is light there is the possibility of shadows as she soon learns.

Brie must learn to become one with these shadows if she will ever hopes to save the sister that was taken from her and sold into slavery, into the 'evil' hands of the Unseelie court. She will do whatever it takes to save her. But first she must decide whether she will harden her heart for the lies, betrayal, and intrigue that she will have to endure in order to succeed or continue to believe in hope and the possibility of love.

Friends to enemies, enemies to lovers, Brie must navigate this new world of Fae and her new powers. Will she rely on the dark prince and his band of misfits to help her out or will the light of the golden prince be too tempting to resist? Either way this author will have you guessing and wavering as to how it will end up all the way until the very explosive end. I really hope there will be another book because I'm hooked

** Thank you NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to review this ARC. These are my opinions and are freely given **

This was an excellent book! With a riveting plot, and detailed - and realistic - character development, you will definitely enjoy reading this title!

This review technically doesn’t have spoilers but may be spoilery on accident so adding the warning now. I have been in a reading slump for a while now and this book grabbed me my the hand and took off. I’m not usually one for love triangles but this one was very well done and I felt conflicted for a while with the main lead. At least I say that but I totally would’ve dropped the whole world for Finn the second I met him just because I’m sucker for a good morally grey character with dark curly hair!

There are many books about the fae out and I genuinely find this book was unique in its story. I love that we were in the classic Seelie and Unseelie fae world as I am trash for stories that go more classic fae route. This book fed my Iron Fey loving heart. I know it is compared to Sarah J Maas and I believe fans of Sarah will adore this book but I think it’s definitely more in route with sarah when it comes to how love lives go and that it’s realistic in how first lives can be. I don’t want to get spoilery here I just like that love is taking a more realistic approach of now sailing away with the first person you meet. I also love that our leading lady has past experience with lovers as that is uncommon for women in YA but always has the love interest that was experienced.

That being said- this book was HOT HOT. Without spoiling, I reread a certain shower scene multiple times over. This book brought the HEAT. I suspected some of the twists but in a natural way and I believe we were intended to be suspicious and doubtful as the readers. I cannot wait for the second book to read more about Brie’s character growth as I see her finally getting over some of her issues to stand up for herself. We see a lot of moments where she wishes someone could take care of her and take her problems for her even when forced to do everything herself and I think she has had enough of people controlling her. I already know book 2 is going to be so badass and can’t wait to get my hands on it!

"Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she'll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court."

These Hollow Vows has everything you could ever need in a fantasy novel. Brie is one of the strongest characters I know. She will stop at nothing to protect and save her family. While I enjoyed the world building, and the strong set of supporting characters, I did not like the ending. I am not sure if I will pick up the sequel. Sometimes books that end with too much betrayal just don't sit well with me, I would still recommend this novel to anyone who would like to read about a strong female lead.