4.5 stars.

Seriously enjoyed this book and I’m a bit lost now that it’s over. No, lost isn’t the right word. Shocked, maybe? Ya know that gif of John Travolta with his arms out and he’s looking around like, “What’s going on? Where do we go from here?” THIS is how I feel.

I love Fae stories. Of course I start this one on a day I couldn’t just sit and read it, but I read every time I sat down. I was anxious and excited and my head was spinning with all possible directions this was headed. But NOTHING could prepare me for that ending. Nope. It wasn’t moving in the direction I had hoped, and then BAM, the world went spinning. I can’t even even deal.

THIS CANNOT BE A STANDALONE. The way this book ended, I’m all a mess. There is no way this is how it ends!! NO WAY.

*EDIT* it’s not a standalone!! That’s the trouble with ARCs, they show as standalones when you read them so early. You go in expecting one thing and then get pummeled. But I am not complaining! This will be an awesome series!

I read an ARC and I honestly loved it and I need more ASAP.

I enjoyed this one so much! I read somewhere that it was compared to The Cruel Prince and A Court of Thorns and Roses and they nailed it with those comp titles! It had the exact same vibes and I was intrigued from the start. There were a few things that were a bit predictable, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment at all. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

My Goodreads review for this is simply " Really? It's just going to end like that, huh? Guess now I wait for book 2..."

I'm a sucker for fae but I feel like it has to be done in a certain way for me to not be bored and call it a DNF. This was done in that way. I don't want to write specifics but I loved this one. I was iffy on it being a love triangle, I hate those, but this was not quite a full one to me. The ending though-- holy major cliffhanger, Batman! I cannot wait for the conclusion!

This book was such an exciting read! When it was compared to titles like A Cruel Prince AND ACOTAR, it definitely intrigued me and quickly rose to the to the top of my must read list. So thankful that I could get a copy through netgalley because I loved this story and the love triangle.
Brie is a thief and she is attempting everything to get her sister out of debt. She hates the far and everything they have done to her world and family but pushes that all aside to save the person she loves the most. I can't wait for more!!

Fans of The Cruel Prince will like this book. I was so excited to be able to read an advanced copy, and I did really enjoy it! I recommend this to other fantasy readers that are in the market for a YA fae book with a love triangle.

I read this book while I was sick and taking medicine so maybe my review is somewhat tainted, but I found the ending very predictable, the humans very boring, and the fey very human-like.

Okay so a large part of me hates myself for picking this up knowing there would be a love triangle. But then it sucked me in good and I was hooked! I really enjoyed the world building and the character development - although some of the twists and turns were a bit predictable. I enjoyed the dual side of Brie that we got to see as she built relationships with both Ronan and Finn. I would just like to put it out there now that I am team Finn, all the way. I would definitely say this book is a mix of ACOTAR meets The Selection meets Cruel Prince and honestly, I don’t hate it. There was a hot minute that I was torn between which prince I wanted to side with because at the beginning they can both get it. But let’s be real, I’m going to pick the morally grey hot love interest every single time. I will say I am very upset that I have to wait so long for book two to come out because that ending!!!! I knew something was coming but STILL!!! I can’t wait to see what our girl Brie brings for these foolish boys in book two. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a good read. I just forgot when requesting that Fae are not my fantasy/paranormal creature of choice. I want them to be, but I just can't. I wanted to try this because I liked the premise--MC character sister sold into Fae slavery. Cue: angsty love triangle between Fae prince and rightful heir. Sounds good right? Just replace with vamps or even historical humans and I would probably be happier!

Abriella Kincaid is a human girl who with her sister Jasalyn has a contract of servitude to pay off their debt. They lost their father in a fire and were abandoned by their mother when she went into the land of the fae.

Brie hates faeries. She sees humans being taken by the fae to be slaves and is appalled by how they treat humans as disposable. Her mother abandoning them for the mythical land adds to her hatred. But when Jasalyn's contract of service is sold to a faerie, Brie knows she must enter their realm to save Jas.

Brie has powers when she enters the land of the fae and makes several friends whose mission it is to help her gain control of her powers. Her heart is torn between two faerie princes -- one Seelie (Ronan), one Unseelie (Finn). Brie struggles with the decisions she must make to save Jas and all the secrets and deceptions she must uphold on her mission.

The story starts to veer off in a direction I knew was the wrong one, and I was fully prepared to hate the novel if it ended that way. Luckily I was right all along; Lexi Ryan deftly plants all the seeds for the ending. While many readers will see it coming, the ending is satisfying and will leave you anxiously awaiting the sequel.

Recommended for YA fantasy fans and readers of Sarah J. Maas.

꧁Mini-Review꧂

This book was touted as being similar to The Cruel Prince and ACOTAR. I'd say that's fairly accurate, closer to The Cruel Price for sure, also White Stag By Kara Barbieri. The writing is not as developed as ACOTAR, definitely for young readers and with minimal "smut" factor.

I really did enjoy this title quite a bit. It is decently paced and I liked the characters. Brie was a great MC with lots of spunk. She was strong and knew what she wanted, for the most part *wink*. I actually really enjoyed the love triangle tension and couldn't decide even for myself who I thought was better for her. I like both male interests for different reasons.

I read this in just two sittings and was not quite prepared for the end. Like most YA fae stories, it's not the most unique, but it did have a twist that I enjoyed and I'm intrigued to find out what happens in the next book. Because, THAT ENDING......

I was extremely excited for this book, but was left sorely disappointed. These Hollow Vows read like YA fantasy madlibs. It felt like the author just grabbed a stack of books off the tiktok table at Barnes & Noble, cut them up into tropes and caricatures, and pasted them together into this monstrosity. The main character was an awful pick-me-girl, both of her love interests were flat and unbelievable, and the world-building was lackluster and confusing.

As soon as I saw the description for this book, I moved it to the top of my TBR and it just did not disappoint! These Hollow Vows is like Cinderella meets ACOTAR, as it follows Brie in her quest to save her sister from the Fae realm and has to pose as a potential bride for the Seelie fae prince in order to save her. And with the help of some Unseelie renegades and its leader Finn, she is able to tap into a magic she never knew she had. I couldn’t put this book down, I stayed up way too late finishing it because I was just captivated by Brie’s journey! There’s definitely some heavy ACOTAR vibes throughout, but it’s also unique and charming. I was immediately pulled in by the rhythm of the writing and I just loved the sweeping fantasy world of the Seelie and Unseelie. Brie too is a great heroine. She is brave and flawed and just honest. In terms of the love triangle of Finn and Sebastian, I definitely wanted more. Finn is so mysterious but also has a sexy arrogance to him, and Sebastian is so sweet to Brie, always protecting her. Both definitely have their own motives, but their chemistry with Brie is wonderful and I really couldn’t decide who I wanted Brie to pick. I loved Brie’s indecisiveness with these men and the internal struggle she has with that, I think it really worked for this story and added a level to her vulnerability. But what loved is that she never strayed from saving her sister and that path. This is a story of family more than romance and it’s a story of betrayal and magic and just amazing fantasy. The magic too in this story is so interesting and captivating. And that final twist!! I genuinely cannot wait for the next one to come out!

This is a story about liars & thieves.. but, charming ones!

This book reminded me of a cross between Cinderella, The Selection & The Shadows Between Us. I enjoyed every page! I don’t want to elaborate too much, but I appreciated the protagonist’s journey & her loyalty to her sister (we need more friendship/sibling motivation in books!).

I was lucky enough to read an eArc thanks to netgalley & clarion books!

This book was GOOD! It was easy to read, engaging, and lots of fun. I LOVE stories about the Fae, especially Seelie and Unseelie. I am even more impressed knowing this author typically does not write YA Fantasy.

Brie was one of my favorite MCs I have read recently. Strong, smart, and resilient.

I'm very much looking forward to the sequel sometime next year.

What a fantastic start to a new YA fantasy series. There was a lot happening here so I wont spoil it. But If you enjoy YA fantasy, then I highly recommend this one. If you enjoy love triangles like me, then I recommend this one even more.

Brie, the main character, takes some getting use to. I had a hard time getting to like her but she does grow on you and you start to understand why she is the way she is. Other than that I loved everything about this book. I can't wait to see where this story goes!

Thank you netgalley for my copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

These Hollow Vows was a slow start for me. I had trouble, at first, connecting with the characters. The romance was also lackluster. As the novel progressed the story picked up, but for me the romance was still underwhelming and I would like to see more interaction with Finn in the second installment. I understand this one was about the relationship with Sebastian but I find Finn a much more interesting character. The ending was a surprise and I loved it. I will definitely be reading book #2 after that ending.

I loved this story! It’s such a wonderful world Lex created, there’s such magic in all the characters. I cannot wait for the the next book!!

3.5 stars. This was an interesting read.. the first 17% of the book was pretty slow.. it picks up once the MC Brie crosses over into faerie. She’s stuck between two faerie princes who both have very appealing qualities but are also hiding big important things from her. It turns out that Brie is more important than she can ever know. There are definite ACOTAR vibes here but it’s also different enough to stand on its own.

This book really put me through a ride. I enjoyed some aspects of the storytelling and the world but it fell a little short for me. The love triangle was very underwhelming to me, but I am excited to follow through with the series.

I received this and as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Clarion Books for giving me access.

Well, let me just star by saying I am not a fan of fae books....but I enjoyed this one. Maybe its because I didn't go into it with an expectation of 'everyone loves it and if I don't, I'll be shunned forever' or maybe it's because I forgot that it was fae and was already sucked in when I realized what I had gotten myself into.

Regardless, I didn't want to put it down. Ryan did an amazing job of weaving the story together -- even though the love triangle trope is cringe. I already need book 2 because I need more.