I’ve been in a bit of a fantasy slump lately, but when I saw this described as ACOTAR meets The Cruel Prince, I figured I could stand to take a break from my historical romances & thrillers. And I am SO GLAD I did, because this book is such an adventure.

When Brie’s sister is sold to the Unseelie court, she must put aside her hatred for the fae and make a deal with the king. Tasked with stealing back three artifacts from the Seelie court, Brie goes undercover as a potential bride for the Seelie Prince Ronan, aided in secret by a band of Unseelie misfits with their own agenda. But her growing feelings for both Prince Ronan and the Unseelie’s mysterious leader, Finn, quickly complicate Brie’s situation further, and she finds herself caught in a tangled web of lies, undiscovered powers, and court loyalties.

I love political intrigue, particularly when the fae are involved, and this really delivers on that front. Every character seems to be keeping countless secrets from one another, so it’s impossible for Brie (or you) to know who to trust. I think that’s why the notoriously tricky love triangle trope actually works; every new revelation casts Finn and Ronan in a different light, so I was constantly switching who I was rooting for.

The romance also wasn’t just a nice subplot either—the love interests are representative of their entire courts, so as we get to know Ronan and Finn, we also learn more about the division between the Seelie and Unseelie.

While I enjoyed the various twists and reveals, I will say several were pretty easy to figure out early on. I figured out the final twist several chapters early, and had been putting pieces together for much longer, which made reading it frustrating—but I also can’t exactly call that a criticism, because I do rather enjoy watching a character make all the wrong choices and end up exactly where I predicted even though I tried to warn them. (Is that just me? Oop.)

Also that ending…I’m so excited to see where the series is gonna go next!

Calling all fantasy fans: Lexi Ryan’s new book, These Hollow Vows, is the YA book you need to add to your TBR! Set to be released on July 20th, this book shows just how far one girl will go to get what she wants.

I only have six words: HOLY GOODNESS WAS THIS BOOK GOOD!

Ok so maybe I have more than just six words… 😂

I’ve read quite a few books with Faeries and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the world-building in this book was unique to any other book I’ve read. Obviously there can be similarities drawn to other novels because they are rooted in the same folklore, but I was still so enthralled with the fantasy elements of this story.
Love triangle tropes can sometimes be hit-or-miss for me, but I absolutely adored the romance in this book! The choices Brie must make and the contrast in her relationships with both Sebastian and Finn takes the drama in this book to another level! The morally gray characters in this story are so well written that readers won’t know what to believe or who to trust! If you like a bit of political intrigue in your fantasy books, then you’ll definitely find that here!

If you loved The Cruel Prince or A Court of Thorns and Roses then this book needs to be added to your TBR immediately! I know I am eagerly awaiting the release of the sequel to see what will happen next!

*I received an ARC from Clarion Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm a huge fan of The Cruel Prince, ACOTAR, Fae in general. Not the biggest fan of love triangles, but I was going to give this a shot.

I saw the similarities and enjoyed the world-building. As a Disney princess lover - I enjoyed the Cinderella-esk nature.

Not really a fan of love triangles, but it is a major aspect of this book. It normally falls in the "very well" and "very poorly" category, but for me, it was a little in between. I want to see how it all ends before really judging the love triangle fully. I plan on reading the sequel and maybe re-reviewing after that.

**Possible Triggers** Violence, Drugging, Sexual Content, Language

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

3.5/5 Stars

Okay, I really was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. If you are debating on if you should get this book or not DO IT!! It was incredible.

Abriella is a girl living in the mortal realm, trying to come up with enough money so she can care for her sister. However, after her sister is taken to the fae realm, Abriella knows she has to get her back, even if that means trying to steal a fae princes heart so she can stay in their realm.

Normally, love triangles are not my thing. I only care for a hand full of them. However, I did find myself falling for both the guys in this love triangle. They were so vastly different and I loved Abriella's connection with both of them for different reasons. I found myself constantly going back and forth on which one I preferred. Also, besides the love triangle and romance in this book, I also loved the story of Abriella and her sister, and the lengths she was willing to go to in order to save her sister. I found it to be a beautiful edition to the novel and I loved how that was also prioritized before all else.

Abriella was a great protagonist in my opinion. She was strong, powerful and never backed down from a challenge. There were times where I was expecting her to take the easy way out because that happens a lot with YA protagonists, but honestly Abriella's actions even surprised me a lot of the time and I was very impressed with her as a character.

I found the faerie world to be captivating and an overall fun setting for the book to take place in. The author did a great job for setting up the differences between the Seelie and Unseelie courts, emphasizing that neither one of them is "good" or "bad". Overall this made the story a lot of fun and also more realistic too.

Let me just say I will defiantly be buying the sequel for this book when it comes out next year. Especially after that ending I am dying to see where we pick up next in Abriella's journey!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to access an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Overall: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Characters:5/5
Writing: 4.5/5

Love triangles are not my thing so this book was a little hard to read to give it an honest review but here goes. This story follows Brie, a woman whose sister was sold to the fae king and in turn she’ll do whatever it takes to get her back. Ok with that said I have some issue first off with the characters. Brie starts off as a very strong lead with a clear goal in mind; however, this thing call a love triangle gets in the way of a lot of her character development. There are a lot of side characters that are well created and developed but felt like some of that could have been spent more on Bri. On to the story itself. Well, we have the common family member X is taken by evil beings, family member Y goes into a debt to get X out of side evil beings grasp but in doing so gets caught up in a love triangle and seems to forget what they were doing in the first place. Last is the writing. There is nothing noting about this author’s style of writing. This is a young adult book and the writing fits into that. Overall, if you wanting a female lead that had a drive but was driven a little off course at times this is your book.

These Hollow Vows is a fun combination of The Cruel Prince, ACOTAR, and The Selection. You have a human female thrown into the Fae courts, Seelie and Unseelie, to save her sister. Brie has to determine who she can trust, even knowing everyone is keeping information from her. But how can she choice between the male she's been in love with for 2 years and the new male who excites her in surprising ways?

It took a bit for me to get into this book, but once I did I really enjoyed it. It does feel similar to those three series I mentioned, but there are definite differences to the world, action, and conflicts that keeps it from being too similar. I kept going back and forth throughout the book about who to trust and I kept getting twisted around. There are several background elements that also really grabbed my attention and hope we learn more about in the next book.

I had a hard time connecting with Brie as a character, I just had a hard time rooting for her as she made some terrible decisions and wasn't a character that inspired a lot of confidence. I didn't really see much personality from her as a MC, and I found myself more interested in the supporting characters.

**Thank you to HMH and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

These Hollow Vows is absolutely perfect for readers of A Court of Rose and Thorns.

Brie had been protecting her younger sister for as long as she could remember. After Brie failed to make a payment, Jas was sold to the Unseelie king and Brie had to enter the fae realm and strike a bargain to free to sister. What Brie never expected was to be courted by the heir-apparent of the Seelie Court. Nor did she expect to have conflicting feelings about the exiled prince of the Unseelie court.

I had complicated feelings reading this one. A small part of me wanted to give These Hollow Vows 4.5 stars, but the similarities to ACOTAR kept nagging me. ACOTAR has been a popular comparison title for any book that incorporates fae, but These Hollow Vows had too many parallels. To begin, Brie was courted by the golden Seelie prince who was good and kind, but had instances of cruelty and gaslighting that Brie overlooked. The exiled Unseelie prince had a group of misfit fae who trained Brie to unlock her mysterious power controlling the shadows and darkness. It hit all the right notes that made ACOTAR popular, but that didn’t sit right with me.

However, These Hollow Vows was a downright captivating adventure. Lexi Ryan’s writing had me thinking about the book when I wasn’t reading it; I stayed up until 2 a.m. just to finish it and the ending left me even more desperate for the sequel. The pacing was perfect and the reveals were well-timed; however, the two love interests were lacking in personality and I wanted more from them. Lastly, These Hollow Vows suits an older audience as the characters read older and there were two scenes of a sexual nature.

This review isn’t like my normal reviews because I feel like I have to explain myself. Lexi Ryan grabbed my attention and I adored the story, but a few things kept me from loving it completely. Like I said, if you were a fan of the ACOTAR series, this one will be right up your alley.

So maybe it's because I tried reading this in the middle of so many other things, continually starting and stopping, that I couldn't get in the flow, and so in the end I was kinda...underwhelmed? Sarah J. Maas's "A Court of Thorns and Roses" is my favorite series and the gold standard for Fae action romances, so this felt like Feyre, Tamlin and Rhys thrown in all at once, whiplashing between Prince Ronan (the Tamlin here) and Finn (Rhys). Only they were used so many times as plot twists that they start kinda blending together and then you can't root for either of them. And the worldbuilding felt like if you took ACOTAR's Spring Court and shoved some Night Court action in there, it was once again too much all at once and so everything didn't have time to breathe and develop. Then the ending was really abrupt. Not sure how inspired I am for the second and final book.

These Hollow Vows as a completely different journey then what I expected to embark on. There are so many fae books out there today that they all seem to follow the same formula, but this book found a new angle that kept me intrigued from start to finish. While I am not the biggest fan of love triangles, I found myself enjoying the one crafted in this book.
There is a love interest for you whether you like a blonde haired loving and kind man or a dark haired brooding some-what morally gray but also just straight up not the best guy one.
As much as I loved the twists and suspense I was left in for most of the book, I was still left feeling like I was missing something. Now that may be since this the first book in the series, but I found myself wondering when the pace would change or when we would get a clearer picture of what was actually happening.
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Even though I had some issues with this book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. And if you are the type of reader looking for a fae love triangle with action, suspense, Seelie courts and fairytale vibes, you will love this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

These Hollow Vows was pitched as The Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses, but instead, I felt the plot was more like a combination of The Cruel Prince and The Selection.

We follow Abriella, who is determined to save her sister after the Unseelie King buys her. How can she do it? She must infiltrate the Seelie court, pretending to be a potential bride for the prince, and steal three items from them, for the Unseelie King. Meanwhile, the Unseelie prince has plans of his own, and could use Abriella on his side as well.

The love triangle is a major aspect of this book, something that can either go very well or very poorly for me. In this case, it's something in between.

First, we have Sebastian. I honestly couldn't get behind him as a love interest. And I tried! But his chemistry with Abriella felt lacking and I felt like I was forcing myself to like them together. Then, there's Finn. He was definitely easier to see as a love interest, but he didn't get enough time with Abriella to make him compare to Sebastian. If the book wasn't so heavily focused on this triangle, I wouldn't mind so much, but it was a big part of the plot and character motivations.

My opinion of this book ranges wildly depending on which part of the book we're talking about.

The first half of this book felt a little weak. The worldbuilding was vague, the plot meandering, and the characters were fairly simple and the relationships were straightforward and not very compelling. I did find the world interesting, but we lacked so much information in the beginning of the novel that it was hard to fully enjoy that aspect. If this first half was the entire book, I would probably have given it 2.5 stars.

But then there's the second half.

The worldbuilding was built upon in good enough ways where not all of my questions were answered, but I felt a lot more grounded in the reality of this book. I do hope it gets even more fleshed out in the sequel.

The characters are explored more, and while the love triangle side of things didn't hook me, I was interested in some of the side characters, and love the depth added to the characters towards the end. I just wish it was a little earlier.

Admittedly, I did predict a lot of the twists and turns in the plot, but I like being right, so that was just fun for me. And the plot itself definitely felt more purposeful and tense in this second half. I was eager to keep reading, almost glued to my book, and was enjoying the manipulation, betrayal, and overall lack of trust that built to a fun conclusion.

And that conclusion? That's what gave me so much hope for the sequel. The direction this series seems to be going in looks amazing, and I can't wait to read more.

If this book was only its second half, it would be 4 stars, easily. Maybe even 4.5.

In the end, I settled with a 3.5/5 star rating for the book overall. These Hollow Vows had a lot of potential, and only delivered on some of it. However, I'm an optimist, and that third act has me so excited for the sequel.

This is definitely geared towards younger audience than myself. It has the typical YA plot with a heavily implied love triangle, the writing wasn't bad, but overall the concept and the execution was familiar.

OMG OMG OMG OMG…. Thank you so much NetGalley and Lexi Ryan for the opportunity to get this read as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. THIS READ WAS SO GOOD Y’all and such a great fantasy read for ALL fantasy lovers. I loved it so much and was EXTREMELY addicted to the crazy twists and turns of this plot! OH BOY WAS IT A DOOZY!!!!

This fae world may be similar to a lot of other ones, but I just loved it! It was a mixture of the Selection where the royalty was concerned and A Court of Rose and Thorns where the fae were concerned. The combination of royals and fae is always a hit with me, but in this read I WAS OBSESSED. There were kingdoms that were fighting against one another and there was rebellion in between…. SO GOOD Y’ALL. UGH I wish I could read it for the first time again. It would just make me so happy. Oh and the magic system…. The MAGIC was just so cool. These fae may be similar to others, but they were so much cooler in this read. If I could have a millimeter of their power, I would be a happy gal for sure.

Not only was the concept of this book amazing, the plot was such a rollercoaster of emotions and I was just so exhausted at the end, but in the best way. I mean the storyline kept zigzagging in different directions and I kept thinking that I knew what was going to happen, but some event would happen that would COMPLETELY THROW ME! I loved how unpredictable the plot turned out to be and it made me more and more obsessed to finish so I could finally know what was going to happen to these loveable characters. Yes…. These characters were also a hit with this book!

So I was obsessed (I really need to find a new word to describe how I feel about this book, but there is no other word that fits.) with the magic, the concept, the plot, but the characters are just sooo GOOD!!! I loved loved LOVED the main characters and her outlook on life and the true struggles she went through. She is a very relateable MC and she was so much fun to read about. She had such a rough exterior and all quirks, but she had such a gooey center that makes you want to hug her. However, this did not stop me from wanting to punch her sometimes…. Well not punch her, but maybe shake her and tell her to wake up and sell the betrayal and scheming going on around her.

The main character was great, but the boys… OH THE BOYS. At first I was a definite Ronan fan, but oh FINN STOLE MY HEART AND RAN WITH IT….. He is so dreamy and gave me major Rhys vibes. However, I need more of both to make my final decisions or I just want more because I am a greedy girl.

Overall, the end of the book was such a wicked and mean cliffhanger that put me in a terrible book hangover for days, so I definitely need the next book as sooooooooon as possible. Please Ms. Ryan, write faster hahaha!

If you’re looking for a book that will leave you gutted and raw by the end, then look no further. This book is a swirling vortex of evocative romance and tensions running so high it’s a wonder how I was able to keep still long enough to finish it. This alluring fantasy is everything I was looking for and more. It’s treacherous and lovely, and the more you find out about the faerie world Brie has spirited herself into, the more you’ll wonder what the ultimate end will be for her. It’s not a story that I was expecting at all, and I honestly cannot wait to find out what will happen next. The ending was absolutely stunning and I highly encourage you to read it, if you’re looking for your next romantic fantasy read.

These Hollow Vows is centred around Brie, a young woman who hates the fae and would rather starve than accept their help. However, their help is exactly what she needs when her sister is sold off to the sadistic king of the unseelie court to pay a debt. She’ll do whatever it takes to get her back, making a deal with the king in order to steal three magical relics from the seelie court. In order to gain access to the seelie court, she presents herself as a potential bride for Prince Ronan. She soon finds herself falling for his charms, but she won’t let anything stop her from saving her sister. Brie will accept help from Finn and his group of unseelie misfits, at the risk of falling for his seductive charm. She’s trapped between two courts, loyalties, and hearts. She’ll have to decide which path will lead to her success or ultimately spell her demise.

Brie’s story begins with theft. She’s clever and fierce, and seems to know just enough magic to help her get out of some tricky situations. Unfortunately, she’s not able to get out of them all, like the debt she owes her aunt for taking her in along with her sister. Despite her limitations, she longs for the moment when she and her sister can be free from all of it. There’s no doubt about her strength, but she’s also a young woman who desperately needs something to go her way. As she quickly finds out, life can be so much crueller than it can be kind. She’s someone who doesn’t trust easily, but when she does it’s with a ferocity that makes her blind to faults…and you can’t help but feel like it will land her into trouble.

Her emotions also drive the story quite a bit. Her worry for her sister makes her impulsive, while her developing love makes her reckless. Brie’s anger and rage envelop her in a darkness that seems to be vengeance itself. My favourite Brie is definitely the one at the end of the book. The way she experiences her emotions at the end of the book and the actions afterward are so incredible. I have literally gone back to read it again and again because I can’t get the scene out of my mind.

The majority of this story takes place in the faerie world, between the seelie and unseelie courts. Ryan manages to create this gorgeous illusion of a place that’s full of enchantment and magic, but Brie will have some wicked and dangerous encounters with some of the more dangerous creatures of faerie. I loved how she incorporated the banshee as someone who heralds the death of a person, and creatures who will turn your memories into reality. This world is glittering with incredibly sharp edges, and it doesn’t take much to draw blood here. While it makes Brie powerless in some situations, she does have a secret trump card that raises more questions about her past and what it might mean for her future.

As you all know, my penchant for romance knows no bounds, and I think readers will have a hard time choosing between Ronan and Finn. There’s your traditional gentle prince with a fierce devotion to the woman he loves and then there’s the rogue-ish prince who wears an easy smile while battling the demons haunting him and his people. There is a moment where the line seems to become blurred and it seems like Brie might be coerced into consent, so if you’re sensitive to this it might be a little shocking. However, I do think the scene plays out well (but this is my opinion of course) despite this, but the ultimate question really is, has Brie put her trust in the right person?

You’ll be kept on your toes throughout the book and then have the rug pulled out from under you, leading to an ending that will both anger you and delight you. It’s an ending that also happens to be a turning point and in combination with some of the spoilery things that happen in the book, you have to wonder what path Brie will take next. You’ll want this on your list if you love fae romance, fantasy, and betrayal. You’ll definitely get all three in spades. I do wish that we’d had a little more interaction with Brie and her sister, since she’s part of the driving force for Brie’s actions, but I’m curious if she might pop up more in the next book.

These Hollow Vows invites readers to the Seelie Court this summer with a fantasy romance for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Cruel Prince.

This book follows Brie, who has always had a strong hatred for the fae. When her sister Jas is taken, she dives into the world of fae in a desperate plan to find her. I really enjoyed the beginning of this book, it starts on a dark night where Brie is stealing wealth to pay off her debt to her aunt, and I was instantly intrigued. I loved the idea of an impossible heist, and this book tests Brie’s skills as a thief.

Sadly, Brie was one of my least favourite characters. I found it very hard to connect to her. She tackles things head on, often missing details that could have helped her in the long run. What I did admire was her confidence and determination, even if, on occasion, it got her into more trouble.

These Hollow Vows blurs the lines between good and evil, highlighting the wrongdoings of both the Seelie and Unseelie courts, showing that neither are inherently good. The political aspect was really interesting, and I often found myself wishing for another POV so that these details could be explored further.

At the heart of this book are two themes – romance and family. The latter is highlighted in Brie’s love of her sister, and her desperation to find her. Romance takes the form of a love triangle – a charming prince and a mysterious Unseelie. The writing style feels YA, however there are some steamier scenes in this book that readers will enjoy. It was refreshing to see insta-attraction take the place of insta-romance, making it more real and alluring.

The writing was not bad, not in the slightest, but it lacked detail in certain areas, and while that made the pace feel fast, it sometimes felt too fast. Things happened too quickly and I wish we had seen more of a struggle in certain scenes so that I truly understood how difficult Brie’s tasks were.

This book has been pitched as ‘hot fae summer romance’ and I would recommend this to those wanting a quick fantasy romance to read this summer. With similarities to The Cruel Prince and A Court of Thorns and Roses, These Hollow Vows was an enjoyable read, albeit predictable, and I am interested to see what happens in the second half of this duology.

I could not put this book down, I loved it and am not so patiently waiting for the second to come out!!

The Cinderella-esque vibes in the beginning sucked me in immediately! I was rooting for Brie & Sebastian to see the love right in front of them but not everything is as it seems and we, as the reader are whisked off to a whole other issue. Brie's obvious love for her sister is tested. Just how far will she go for her when she finds shes been taken to pay off her cruel Aunt's debt to the Seelie court? Brie has no hesitation in the world to do whatever it takes to save her sister especially since she now has a group of interesting rebels helping her get the job done, even if they have their own agenda. It also doesn't hurt that one of them is easy on the eyes. However, what happens when the only way to save her sister is to betray one of the very men she's falling for?

These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan is a much needed addition to the pantheon of sexy faerie romance series. The book covers no new ground, but the writing, world building, and characters are rich and beautifully crafted. If you want characters who are cut and dry, these are not the ones for you. Complex, alluring, a little unlikable, and all too cleaver. I cannot wait another year for book two, and I will most definitely re-read These Hollow Vows and add it to my favorites shelf.

These Hollow Vows
By Lexi Ryan
4 out of 5 stars

Thanks to @NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

A girl who hates Fae. A sister sold for their family debt. A Fae prince who is not who he seems.
Brie will do anything to get her sister back, even if it means making a deal with the despicable Shadow King of the Unseelie Court. In order to free her sister, she must pose as a potential bride for the mysterious Prince Ronan of the Seelie Court, but all is not as it seems in the Faerie Realm, and Brie finds herself torn between two courts - and two halves of her heart.


Well, I literally couldn’t put this down - I read the whole book in almost one sitting (and sacrificed some precious mom sleep time to finish it in the wee hours of the morning). If that’s not a glowing recommendation, I don’t know what is. It’s hard to write about this book without referencing ACOTAR and The Cruel Prince (it even has it in the marketing blurbs), but for those of you that liked ACOTAR and struggled a bit with TCP like me, this is your book! I’ve never been a huge lover of the whole Faerie/Seelie/Unseelie Court dynamics (no real reason, just not my thing), but I loooved both Courts in this book because I think the Fae characters were a bit more relatable. They aren’t more human per se, but they act in ways that are a bit easier to connect with as a human reader ;) I think book two of this series will be even better, and that’s saying a lot IMO.

This was a phenomenal read, with amazing characters and romance that I couldn't put down. Lexi Ryan managed to write characters that can be infuriatingly intriguing but also dangerous. Brie has a spine made of steel, but she's so bullishly stubborn she blinds herself to what could harm her. Ultimately, readers will have a hard time choosing which love interest to support, because this story has more questions than it does answers. I think people will have a hard time putting this down with its fast paced plot and riveting storyline. I do wish that there had been a little more time spent on developing the relationship that Brie has with her sister, but as it stands, there's still the chance that it might come up in following books. I cannot wait to find out what will come next.

Unfortunately, I did not get on with this book, however I do believe the issue mostly lies with me. As it was advertised as similar to A Court Of Thorns And Roses, I expected this book to be on the older side of young adult, however I do think it was meant for slightly younger readers - my expectations took a toll on my reading experience.
This is not to say the book was not enjoyable, as I think the writing was good, and the characterisation, particularly of the protagonist (although slightly reminiscent of early 2010s young adult fantasy) was fun to read.
I would recommend this book to those who are fans of the Cruel Prince series, or Shadow and Bone.

This was such a fun read that had me hooked from the first page. I loved the characters and this was a love triangle that had me switching sides up until the last page. It was full of twists and turns and THAT ENDING!! I need the next book right now. Overall it was another great fae-centered story that is perfect for fans of ACOTAR, or the Cruel Prince trilogy.