My bookish heart has rarely felt so full of love and emotional for a book like this! Other times has been with books like the ACOTAR series and The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. I was in the book, heart and soul, from page 1 until far past when I finished the last sentence. It takes a mix of several elements to create a piece of writing that is beyond five stars but my fae Goddess does this have it all! The writing style and wording lets it flow into your mind like it’s faerie wine; combining this with the vividly captivating plotline and characters you can’t help but get emotionally attached to at a heart level, and you have yourself a book that I will be recommending to every person I can.

Lexi Ryan has created an in-depth world that vividly comes to life through her writing and imagination put to paper. Every detail is thought out so well that you lose yourself in the realm and characters effortlessly, never being able to predict what will happen next. I have never read a book where time literally disappeared in a flash. Four to five hours felt like thirty minutes, if that, as I read through the night wanting and needing to follow the story and Abriella more. Even then just as I had a few chapters left and thought it was just going to wrap up for the ending I thought it would be, it again surprised me and dragged me even deeper into the story. It is so easy to relate to Abriella on a personal level and the writing let you feel every emotion she does.

The characters are nowhere close to 2D ones like in some young adult stories; these are full blooded come to live people and Fae who live in the world you read of. If there was a way to describe something that is deeper than your imagination and closer to reality, that would be how it feels reading each word as they flow off the page. I know I have a very vivid imagination, but every time I had to put this book down, I physically had to blink myself back into reality.

I only have one last thing to say. That last page I felt deep in my heart and damn time can not go quick enough for the sequel to be in my hands and I can continue this story that every reader will not only fall in love with, but emotional connect to on so many levels.

These Hollow Vows - Lexi Ryan
 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - 4 stars 

This book  has been dubbed a must read for A/W21 and I definitely agree that it's a strong read, I devoured this book in one sitting. I just had to keep reading the next page. The plot follows a girl Abriella (Brie) who hates the Fae but when something disastrous happens with her sister she makes a deal that changes her life forever. The plot does have a few similarities to other books that are really popular right now but if you disregard that, the book itself is really good. Then there's the romance aspect where, Abriella is torn between two characters in the typical broody dark haired character and the blonde friend for years, but hey the trope is really popular for a reason. I don't usually go for books with this trope but this one pulled my interest and I'm glad I gave it a shot it works and other people seem to also enjoy it. I'm definitely going to read the second book when it comes out cause I just can't wait to find out what happens next.

I recieved an ARC of this book through NetGalley but all thoughts and opinions are my own

(Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Saughton for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

[Actual rating 2.5/5 stars]

These Hallow Vows follows Abriella (or Brie for short) as she travels to the fae kingdom to save her sister who has been kidnapped by the evil King of the Moon Court. Brie learns that there is more to the fae then she realized and uncovers secrets about herself, her past and the two fae princes.

I have never read anything fae related before so I was really nervous to read These Hallow Vows and I had no idea what to expect. My main feeling towards this book is that it left me feeling very conflicted as there where parts I did like but a lot of parts I didn't.

Starting with the best parts, I loved the two fae courts (sun court and moon court) and the history/tension between them. I also really liked the backstory about the fae and learning the truth behind why the two courts where at war. I also quite enjoyed the main plot of the book even though there where parts of the story that I wasn't a huge fan of and found a little cringy. I also really liked how Brie would do anything to save her sister and the big focus this book had on the importance of family.

Speaking of Brie, one of the things that I didn't really like about These Hallow Vows was her personality as she was a little bland. I had high hopes for her in the beginning as the book starts straight away with her robbing a vault and being a cool thief in the night but as the story goes on, she doesn't really do much herself and in every bad or dangerous situation someone else ends up saving her.

I love a good love triangle and was really looking forward to reading about the one in These Hallow Vows but I only liked one of the love interests (Team Finn all the way) and found Sebastian kinda annoying. This book was also written a little bit like a fan-fiction which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just depends on whether or not that's something you like.

Overall I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either and I think, judging by some of the other reviews, if you love fae then you will more than likely love this, however it wasn't really my cup of tea

this was so magical and twisty and oh my god, i loved it!

if you love the fae, goblins, magic, betrayal and court intrigue then you will LOVE this book.

these hollow vows is a ya fantasy debut about brie, a girl shrouded in mystery and desperate to save her sister from the grasp of the unseelie king. the heroine, brie, was 100% one of my favourite things about this novel. she is unapologetically herself and willing to partake in deception and betrayal to save her family, a quality that she does not relinquish all the way through the book.

what i loved about this book was that whilst there was a love triangle, it was done so well that i went back and forth between the interests just as brie did. i felt connected to both of them and they each brought their own qualities to the table, with them both being equally fleshed out.

it's a testament to lexi ryan that in each scene that the love interests had with brie, i though 'they're my favourite' and then completely backtracked on the next scene with the other prince and thought, 'wait, they're my favourite now'.

i loved how fairytale-esque this book was. so many fantasy books seem to shy away from fairytale monsters and so i was so excited when goblins came into the picture. with magic mirrors, portals and magical relics, these hollow vows is 100% a world brimming with magic, legends and power and i loved it so much.

thank you so much to netgalley and hodder stoughton for this e-arc for me to review!

These hollow vows takes off when Abriella’s sister Jas is kidnapped by the unseelie king, and to get her back she has to find three objects within the seelie court - the only way in which she can stay in the seelie court being through competing for the seelie princes' hand in marriage (enter lover interest number one). Then of course, everything gets complicated, and Brie meets love interest number two when she finds caught between a certain rebel group.

At first I was worried I would end up disliking this book because of the whole competition to be the prince's bride, as it felt a little too selection type for me, so it was a relief when that wasn’t the main focus of the book and the plot really focused on Abriella’s main priority being to find her sister.

When we’re first introduced to Abriella, immediately I thought to myself YES! A THIEF! 10/10 would let her hold a dagger to my throat. However, as the story went on, I found her considerably more annoying and liked her character less and less - though I still found her likeable enough to enjoy the story. The ‘I’m not like the other girl vibes’ just felt a little bit too strong sometimes.

I think my main issue with this book was the love triangle, because it really felt as though there was an imbalance in the attention given to each love interest, and I just didn’t see the connection between Abriella and a certain prince (which is a shame because he was my favourite).

The worldbuilding was okay, I just wish there were more faerie elements to it as some parts (especially in the description of the courts) just felt lacking. Yet even though the writing felt as though it fell slightly apart at times, I could not stop reading this book and I really enjoyed it as a fast-paced fantasy read.

And that ending???????? Wtf???

I can definitely see this book getting a lot of hype in the future, and anyone who enjoys faerie fiction should definitely give this one a go. I cannot wait until the sequel comes out to find out who she will end up with and where Brie’s story will take her next!

Fae princes? Love triangle? SIGN ME UP!

When I first saw the cover of the book I wanted it! I could not wait to get reading without even reading the synopsis. When I did, I had to have it even more!

The story started strong and catapulted you straight into the story. Brie is headstrong and doesn't beat around the bush about her hatred of the fae, that is until she poses as a potential bride for a gorgeous fae prince.

I am a lover of love triangles and friends to lovers so I didn't mind that the storyline revolved around this, however for readers that don't like these tropes you may find it a little tedious at points.

Great read, would read again. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity.

Brie hates fairies and the Seelie world but when her sister is sold to the cruel king she has no choice but to travel through the portal in order to save her.

Very simply; I loved this book. Brie was a strong and captivating character to follow and the politics and intrigue of the faerie world was gripping. I finished the book in one sitting and now I'm counting down the days until the next one!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan



4*



‘Finn’s thumb circles ever so slightly against my stomach. “Stop that.” The protest is too quiet to sound sincere.

“As you wish.”

But the feel of his splayed fingers flattening against my stomach is almost worse, and I have to swallow back a contented groan. The darkness pulses around us.

“Easy, Princess, focus on the magic. When we’re out of here, you can go back to imagining all the ways you want my hands on you.”’



These Hollow Vows by author Lexi Ryan was a pretty thrilling fantasy escapade, for most of it anyway. It begins with tragedy, magic, fae lore and a host of exquisite and alluring characters, none more so than our female protagonist. I adored her, right from the get go. She was dauntless, valiant, kind and willing to go to any lengths to protect those that she loved.



I don’t want to give too much away with the plot and the dynamics of each character because they each play an integral part to the whole story. I will say that I did have a favourite in the male department. His dark, surly and combative attitude lured me in but it was the lingering touches and softening in his personality that really had me falling for him.



Overall the plot was gripping and kept me interested enough to find out what happens and if the ending was going to be as provoking as I figured it would. For me, the world building needed more detail to it, it needed to be more elaborate and fleshed out. Everything felt too condensed and glossed over for a truly epic fantasy romance. And it certainly had the potential to be just that but it fell slightly flat in the end.



Somewhere around the 75% mark it started to drift away from the remarkable and exciting tale it had been up until then. Somehow the plot stagnated, and the heroine who had been confident, intelligent and daring for the rest of the story began to resemble someone else entirely. The choices she made, the things she said and the actions she took didn’t sit well with me. I do have the sneaking suspicion that things are not as they seem and for that fact alone I’m invested in what happens in book two, once it releases.



I really enjoyed this book but some elements just didn’t pan out for me. I was kept engaged just enough that I’m surprisingly eager to see how the rest of the tale plays out. I hope I’m right in that things are not as clear cut as they first appear. I’ll definitely be reading the follow up story to find out.

Ok so when is the next one coming?!

I knew from the first few pages thats I would love this book, it’s so up my street and such an easy quick paced read.

The story is a bit of a love triangle.
Brie is a thief and a good one, so good that she’s attracted the attention of a Fae king to help him steal artefacts from his rival to bring him more power with the realm.
When Brie agrees to the deal, she finds herself having to gain the trust of the prince to get close to the artefacts and enlists the help of Finn and his band of misfits.
Brie needs to gain and hold their trust, whilst taking liberties and remain undetected in her mission.

I just loved it. Every page of it.
I will say elements of the plot were predictable but I don’t mind that at all. There is so there too unpack that it keeps you reading regardless.

Brie is kind of a cool character she’s pretty determined and fairly stubborn which I like.
It feels like she developed through the book in waves, from cocky thief, to insecure, to vulnerable, to scorned and fiery.
I particularly loved the way we left her character in this book with all she experienced becoming an exposed part of her. It was really amazing and the cliffhanger ending leaves me reeling for the next instalment.

Sebastian, sickly sweet and ‘too good’ for Brie, one of those Il die for you characters which sometimes comes off a as needy but I believe is exactly what is intended of his character and that comes off well.

Finn I loved. I really would like a lot more with him in the next book, smouldering, mysterious and broody, love love love.

The world building in this book isn’t huge but the law and politics is well explained and easy to follow, the various courts are well developed with solid back stories that make sense and present themselves well throughout.

The pacing of this book I felt was really great, I never had a lull or break in the story, it felt like it moved along at a great rate and I couldn’t put it down.

Prepare for smut, that right there is a little sexy time in this book and it’s smoking with sexual tension.

All in all it was a fabulous read for me and I’m off to investigate the release date for book two!

Thank you to the Publisher, Lexi Ryan and to Netgalley for allowing me an advanced ecopy of this fantastic book to read for my impartial review, it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!

I was immediately drawn into These Hollow Vows from the very beginning, because who doesn’t love reading about a red-haired thief? The writing style was also very easy to follow while being compelling so my attention was quickly gained. We also jump into the plot only a few chapters in!

I instantly felt The Cruel Prince/ACOTAR vibes and for someone who loved both series, I knew I’d find yet another novel about fae to add to my favourites. Also received Cinderella/The Selection vibes as well!

A white haired seelie male who wears his locks in a bun? What’s not to love about Sebastian?! But that’s not all... we also have a dark haired unseelie fae with silver eyes, often caught with a book in his hands. (Yikes Finn sounds delicious huh) These two males are on opposing sides and Abriella needs to capture the seelie’s heart while resisting Finn’s charms. Yes yes Lexi Ryan gave us all of this to devour, she did not hold back

We follow Abriella into the fae kingdom, when the doors open to their realm, inviting women to find the best match for their seelie prince. Of course Abriella sneaks in to rescue her sister who was sold and snatched away by none other than the Shadow King himself. The plot grows deeper when we learn about the two opposing sides: light vs dark. Sun vs Shadow. Seelie vs Unseelie

Lexi Ryan sets scenes perfectly. I could imagine the ball scene so vividly and the atmosphere was always described so well, I felt the anticipation in the air and the tension that was consistently built.

There is of course a love triangle and the love triangle required more spice. Definitely had so much potential and opportunities for a dark and twisted romance. If only Finn appeared more often and with longer scenes, I would been high from dark fae smut *sighs*

I’m not sure if it was the format but inner monologue wasn’t differentiated with the use of italics so that was confusing.

Overall, the plot never failed to have me second guessing every character and their motives and I loved how I needed to theorise every chapter or so because I couldn’t for the life of me figure anything out! I couldn’t pick a side until the very end.. and even when I reached the end, I was gasping because the final reveal really took me by surprise.

Some of the tropes/topics in this that I loved:

Opposing sides in faerie, Unseelie and Seelie, shadow powers, love triangle, magical artefacts, questionable motives, human girls selected for the fae prince to choose a princess, villains and more.

I did not finish this book. I couldn’t get into the story and found it hard to engage with. I didn’t connect with the writing style and didn’t find myself connected with the main character.

This book was really nice and entertaining but I could predict so many plot twist!!! The writing style was easy and griping. The end was quite empowering and I see so many possibilities for the sequel!!!

I saw this book described as Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses, and I KNEW that I HAD to read it. I loved the writing style, and the story. It was, however, slightly predictable, but this didn't take away from my enjoyment, and I still recommend

I don't know how to write this review; on the one hand I flew through this book and enjoyed a lot of it, but on the other hand this novel lacked in quite some parts. There was little to no worldbuidling, the plot is not exciting and therefore slowly paced. It also lacked in the romance part, those were not well developed. I was suprised to learn that the author actually publishes romance novels. I wasn't into any of the guys, because you just don't get to know anything of them. All the characters stayed very one dimensional.
It's a rather chill book, but still exactly what I wanted to pick up at that moment. A light ya novel, that's an easy read and doesn't take up much brain power.

First and foremost, I want to thank NetGalley for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

I love a Fae YA romance, I am a simple woman so this immediately ticked all the boxes.

Brie has grown up hating the Fae world but when her sister's life depends on her joining a world that she swore she hated, she has to give up her pride. Playing the Seelie and Unseelie Court against one another, especially when she begins to fall for both Fae princes.

I usually hate love triangles, but I appreciated this one a bit more than usual. Mostly because I saw it as a young woman battling with two sides of herself. Trying to stay with what she knows and the allure of the new and unknown. Think Shadow and Bone.

While this novel isn't reinventing the wheel I just hate it up and could not recommend it more highly. I cannot wait for book two!

Five stars!

3 stars. Okay, to be honest I can't quite make up my mind on the star rating. But I'm going to stick with 3.

The Good:
Finn. Sure he's grumpy and broody. But there are moments when the deeper parts of his personality come through and he actually seems like a decent guy. I mean, (view spoiler). He actually reminded me a lot of Levi from Attack on Titan as I was reading.

Brie. I sort of liked her and sort of didn't. I couldn't root for her 100% because there was just something about her that was irritating. But I'm putting her in the good section because she wasn't whiny. She rolled up her sleeves and did what she had to do to get her sister back, even when she didn't understand all the rules of the game (which, let's face it, was most of the time). Yes, she had to deceive the Seelie prince, but she did feel bad about it and she knew his opinion of her would likely change when he found out. Her sister was more important to her than a budding romance, as it should be. (view spoiler)

The writing is compelling. Even if you're not rooting for Brie 100% (*raises hand*) and don't care enough to really, well, care what happens to her in the end (*raises hand again*), the writing itself is in a fast-paced style that has you doing the 'just one more page' thing. So Kudos to Lexi Ryan for that.

Worldbuilding! This was well done imo. The world feels very fleshed-out. I wish we could have seen more of it though.

The Bad:
As other reviews have mentioned, these Fae aren't really that Fae. Which is pretty damn disappointing given that this is heavily marketed as a Fae book. Take away the pointy ears and you've got... well, just a normal fantasy romance book.

Ronan. (view spoiler)

The plot is a bit wishy washy, with great suspension of disbelief required in several places.

I don't see the likeness to Cruel Prince or ACoTaR. Sorry.

The Ugly:
WHY does almost every 'special' girl have to have red hair?! Why can't she be a brunette or a blonde? And I say this as a natural redhead. Like GOD, come ONNNN. Being a redhead doesn't magically make you amazing, trust me on that one xD

In Closing
If you take the Cruel Prince/ACoTaR likeness with a pinch of salt and go in expecting this to not be as Fae as a lot of books out there, you may well enjoy it. Especially if you're a love triangle fan. An easy read.

Would I recommend it? Possibly, with the above caveats mentioned.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't quite know how to put in to words how I feel about this book. From the start it gripped me. I wanted to know all about Brie and how she becomes trapped between two Fae princes. I really like Brie as a character. She seemed to think her choices through to try and make the right ones. I didn't trust either prince but I was still a little shocked by the ending. However I really want to know what is next for Brie so I hope there will be another story. All the main threads in this book were tied up but I still feel there is something untold.

This is described as the cruel prince meets a court of thorns and roses but in my opinion, beauty and the beast and shadow and bone need to be added in too. This was a brilliant mix of tropes and though many of the ideas aren’t that unique/original, the way they were spun together was highly enjoyable and made for an easy-to-read emotional ride! I loved the characters, I felt my allegiance swerving even when I thought I had decided on a side and I am desperate for the sequel right now! There were times when I felt the pacing was slightly off (however this could have been kindle format) and there were times when Abriella’s internal monologue repeated sentiments unnecessarily but overall I absolutely LOVED this book!

I was waiting to be approved for this book and was very excited to read it as it was all of bookstagram.

The book is a YA fantasy about magic, fairies, kingdoms and of course intrigue and suspense. I found it very easy and quick to read. I devoured it within two days! I loved the world building and actually served the plot progression without giving too much details. The writing for me is addictive and makes you want to read the book in one sitting. I found the plot really interesting and although had a lot of common fantasy characteristics/tropes, it had its own personality.

I also liked a lot the characters in this book! Each one of them is well developed, strong and have qualities that makes them memorable and relatable in a way. There will be another book as readers realise by the ending and I can’t wait to learn what happens next!

I am absolute trash for faeries, love triangles, betrayal and royalty. So honestly, this book is straight up my street.
I struggled with the first few chapters, but I honestly believe that’s cause my mind was elsewhere. I flew through the last couple hundred pages.
This story grips you, entwining you in this fae world.

Thank you to NetGalley for an earc for review!