<i><b>“We’re all a little broken.”</b></i>

<u>Trope</u>
• Forbidden Romance
• Forced Proximity
• Slow burn Romance
• Dual POV
• Kiss of 💀
• Who did this to you?
• Betrayal & Secrets

Beneath These Cursed Stars is the first instalment in a spinoff duology of These Hollow vows series staring Brie’s sister Jasalyn and a new character named Felicity.

Felicity is a shapeshifter who pretends to be Jas while Jas teams up with a charming guy from her past, Kendrick, she soon uncovers secrets she was never suppose to find out..

What happens when Jas learns that Mordeus might be alive can she work together with Kendrick and his team to defeat Mordeus once and for all. Find out July 9th, 2024!


<i><b>”I relish the sight of the scar, cling to the reminder that I was the victim, not the one inflicting the torture. But you enjoy killing his followers. You relish the moment life leaves their eyes.”</b></i>



⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As soon as I saw the cover I knew I had to preorder and read Beneath These Cursed Stars. I knew going into this story I didn’t need to read These Hollow Vows or These Twisted Bonds but I definitely recommend reading that duology before you read this spinoff. It’ll definitely give you some background information about a few characters like Brie and how she became the Unseelie Queen.

From the very beginning I was hooked with the story about Jas and Felicity and how life was before and leading up to their story being told. I was in so many emotions from feeling happy seeing the two girls falling in love to being sad when witnessing Felicity being haunted by the memories of Jas’ time in Mordeus dungeons.

I can’t wait for my preorder of Beneath These Cursed Stars and can’t wait to read the second novel in the duology. I need to know what happens next!!

<b>Thank you so much NetGalley, Lexi Ryan, and Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read and review this e-arc in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions remain my own.</b>

Being a massive fan of These Hollow Vows, I was thrilled to receive this arc

We have so many new characters and an old one which was amazing (silently fangirling here)
There is still room for growth in the characters and plot but I have no doubt Lexi Ryan will knock it out of the park

Thankyou for the ARC

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for allowing me to review this early.

As a massive fan of These Hollow Vows, I was SO excited when Lexi Ryan announced her next duology! I also had a feeling that more books would be coming after finishing These Twisted Bonds!

Beneath These Cursed Stars is a dual POV following Brie’s sister Jasalyn (a human with fae ancestry) and a new character Felicity (a shifter). Both with a different end goal! Misha is back, I repeat, Misha is back! I loved his banter in TTB, so I was glad to hear he would be featured in this book! I’m not 100% sold on the new male lead, but we shall see! Also! I didn’t expect the twist with you know who! That was a bit wild.

This definitely felt like a setup for the next book and although I didn’t love it as much as These Hollow Vows, I can’t wait to read the next one! Also!! I really think people should read the THV before jumping into this! It will definitely help to understand the world and connect with the characters!

First, let me get this out of my chest before I post my review: I CAN'T BELIEVE I RECEIVED THIS ARC! There, I feel better already.

I loved These Hollow Vows Duology, and when I heard they were doing a spinoff, I couldn't believe it. I watched patiently as everything started to unfold until we had a release date and a blurb. When I read Misha was involved, I knew I needed to read this story because I think we didn't get enough of him in the previous books.

One of the things I loved most about the spinoff was the opportunity to delve deeper into Jas's character. She was a secondary character in the previous books, but her journey and transformation into the shadow princess and soon Fae were captivating. I couldn't help but feel a personal connection to her story, and I'm sure other fans will too.

This book felt a little more YA than These Twisted Bonds, but that's how it started with These Hollow Vows, and I hope to see more maturity in the characters as the story progresses.

I just can't get over the fact that Jas is 17 with everything happening, and that's all I am going to say...

Now... When can I get the next book?

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

this was one of my most anticipated reads this year and it did not disappoint. . I enjoyed the characters and the world building. I am a big fan of the first duology and I am happy to say I loved this one just as much! 5 stars!

Beneath These Cursed Stars
By Lexi Ryan

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️/5

🙋🏼‍♀️ 1st Person POV
👯 Dual POV
🐴 One horse trope
🖤 Forbidden romance
🗻 Cliffhanger
👤 YA

Beneath These Cursed Stars is the first book in Lexi Ryan’s new duology. This series follows on from the These Hollow Vows duology. I highly recommend reading the THVs duology first, but the world building in this story is so good that it isn’t essential.

I absolutely loved These Hollow Vows and These Twisted Bonds and didn’t think any else Lexi Ryan could follow on with would live up them…. I have been most pleasantly surprised!

BTCS begins 3 years after the end of TWB. We were briefly introduced to Jasalyn in the previous duology, but there was so much left unanswered. Jas’ character development was incredible and I thoroughly enjoyed watching her grow throughout this book. There were several twists in her story that I didn’t see coming and came as a complete surprise.

I feel bad for saying so, but I didn’t vibe with Hale at all. His character seemed a little bit too likeable - perhaps even a little too heroic?! Suspicions regarding his character were roused within the first few chapters and let’s just say the ending didn’t shock me at all.

We are introduced to Felicity for the first time in this book. For me, she was a standout character and I really can’t wait to read more about her in the next book. Lexi has managed to create such a likeable, easy to relate to character that had me feeling all the emotions. Felicity is a character that I wish all the best for and is the main reason that I’m sat on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book.

MISHA 😍😍 That’s all. We all loved Misha in the last series and he really delivered in this one. I genuinely can’t wait to read more of his and Felicity’s story.

Overall, this was a great start to this spin-off duology. It’s always a good sign when I’m still sat wondering what the characters are up to 2 days after finishing a book. Roll on book 2…

This book was so difficult, for many reasons.

For starters, it would have been nice to know before starting that it is a spin-off, the cover and the title font are just not enough hints. I was actually looking for any clues before applying for the ARC and found none, so I thought I was safe to go. Apparently, I was wrong.

I didn't read the original duology for reasons, which include love triangles not being my thing and trying to avoid the Rhysand syndrome like the plague. Perfectly reasonable, except this spin-off heavily builds on that (so expect spoilers if you're bothered by them). I could understand the story, because let's face it, it's not complex, but I still have some blind spots, which I guess is not the best if you already go out of your way to trap new readers.

Now to the story itself. In short, it was a hot mess. I'm not sure if it's just me, but the relationships and character development felt shallow and superficial rather than being a natural evolution based on the events in the book. Jas was one bane of my experience with this story, but the dynamic between Felicity and Misha had left a lot to desire, and the thing that bothered me more than anything.

Don't get me wrong, I am all here for immortal age gaps, they can be fun if done right, but what we have here simply rubbed me the wrong way. I know Felicity is not Jas and Misha has his own motivations, but as far as the story goes, the incredibly old fae dude is pining after a 17-year-old who is struggling with severe PTSD, depression, and survival guilt. All the things that make it all wrong. Sure, there are layers to this situation that try to absolve the issues with it, but when it comes down to the reality, from Misha's perspective this is exactly what happens.

And then his romance happens and it doesn't feel believable because we only get to see like 3 or 4 interactions between them and they both spiral into talks of this great love for one another (*cough* mates *cough*). This felt incredibly shallow somehow. There was barely anything to back those feelings or the eventual romance. On day 3 they were already falling in love while spent together maybe an hour or so up until then.

Again, this might very much be a me issue, but I need more depth and girth from my romances.

And then we have Jas, or as I like to call her, the princess of never asking any questions. The way this girl is bottling up <i>everything</i> is not even cute. She goes from a rageball who hates any sort of human contact to a desperate girl, throwing herself at Hale left and right. And whenever a slight inconvenience comes up, her inner monologues are reduced to "I should ask about it, but rather not and just jump to conclusions or ignore the issue altogether"... It quickly got old.

There aren't many books these days that can make me feel this way. It's either a good story or not, but this just proved I'm too old for the superficial conflicts of YA lits.

I'm still grateful for the opportunity to read this ARC, and hope the fans of the original duology will love this one as well.

Beneath These Cursed Stars is a spinoff series of These Hollow Vows and takes place following the events of the main story. I am really glad that we are getting more from this world as I felt like a duology just wasn’t enough.

In this case however, the story follows two main characters - Jasalyn, who is Abriella’s younger sister; and Felicity who is a shape shifter. Both girls did not have an easy life and this book focuses on their healing journey as they attempt to navigate life following the individual traumas they had faced.

I usually find that in books with multiple POVs I tend to favour one character over the other, however in this case I loved reading them all. The author has done a great job at making the reader engaged with both stories and I honestly could not choose a favourite.

However, I do think that this story is more about emotional healing and the politics of the world, which means that this is not an action packed book. This is not a con, however, and I think it sets up the next book quite nicely. I do think though that reading the main duology is important as it provides a lot of context for this series and will make more sense to the overall plot.

On a side note, each time Misha is mentioned I imagine Helion from ACOTAR. He gives me the same vibes - love him!

Overall I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the sequel. (That ending though!)

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy.

When the stars promise ruin, will love be worth the risk?

Princess Jasalyn seeks revenge.
Armed with an enchanted ring bestowing death's kiss, she's been sneaking away at night to assassinate her enemies.

Felicity needs a miracle.
Fated to kill her father, she's been using her ability to shape-shift to evade a fatal prophecy.

But when rumours begin circling that the evil king Mordeus is still alive, Jasalyn teams up with the handsome Kendrick - a rebel once imprisoned alongside her. While Felicity must take Princess Jasalyn's form, and her place at court - drawing irresistibly closer to the Wild Fae King, Misha.

Soon, their mission is at risk right alongside their hearts.

The future of the human and fae realms hangs in the balance. Between perilous tasks, grim secrets, and forbidden romances, Jasalyn and Felicity find that perhaps their stars are the most cursed of all.

From the bestselling author Lexi Ryan comes a romantic fantasy in which a human princess armed with death's kiss and a fae shifter on the run become unlikely allies when a mission to assassinate an evil king collides with a fatal prophecy.

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read this arc and it was so good

I enjoy this book, the world building and the politics between the realms. It was unexpectedly dark with the threat of Mordeus looming and the seven who rule the realms ruthlessly.

There’s so many secrets throughout this book and betrayals waiting to come to light. I look forward to the next book!

After finishing These Twisted Bonds, I was absolutely desperate for Lexi Ryan to write more fantasy. I was absolutely delighted when this spin off was announced and after how much I adored the These Hollow Vows duology, I had very high expectations.

Beneath These Cursed Stars certainly did not disappoint. Once again, Lexi Ryan had woven an exciting and romantic fantasy that I just couldn't put down! It was so lovely to be back in this world and I really took a shine to Jas as a main character. Felicity was a beautifully written character and I absolutely loved her chapters.

Overall, I absolutely adored this spin off, maybe even more than the original duology! I can't wait for the sequel to come out!

The Tropes:
Forbidden Romance
Forced/Close Proximity
Hidden Identity
Slowburn
Found Family
Dual, First Person POV

The Plot:
Beneath These Cursed Stars is the first of a duet, in which Princess Jasalyn is one of our Mc’s who has a secret. She has an enchanted ring which gives her deaths kiss and has been sneaking away at night to assassinate her enemies. Our 2nd MC, Felicity is a shapeshifter, who has been fated to kill her magical father, but has been using her unique magic to evade this lethal curse. When there are rumors that the evil king Mordeus may resurrect, Jasalyn wants to end him, and Felicity agrees to shapeshift into Jas what Jas can go off and hunt Mordeus. But the girls aren’t alone, Jas has help from Kendrick, whereas Feicity must get close to a far King called Misha.
nd handsome Kendrick, Felicity sets out to get closer to the Wild Fae king, Misha.

My Thoughts:
As a huge fan of These Hollow Vows, I was beyond excited to read about Brie’s sister Jasalyn, and this is a brilliant start to another mind blowing duology from Lexi Ryan. The characters were so loveable, I related to both Felicity and Jas, and was rooting for both of them to find their happy endings despite the circumstances they were in. Has was a morally complex heroine who was kidnapped and tortured by Mordeus, so this mission is very personal to her and it hurt me to see what he went through and how she feels so trapped now. Her journey was one filled with action and adventure, watching her form bonds with other people and become more free made me root for her so hard.

Felicity was someone at first I didn’t think I could care much about but I ended up loving her just as more as Jas. seeing her pretending to be Jas was equal parts hilarious and tough as I really felt for her, and wanted her to succeed and not get her cover blown. She’s the softness to Jas’s harshness but on the inside Jas is as soft as Felicity is tough. Both girls are fantastic MC’s and I cannot wait to get deeper into their lore and story in the next instalment.

The romance was super angsty, forbidden and gave us a taste of what to expect in the next book. I felt for felicity the most, falling for someone who doesn’t even know the real them 😭 there was so much longing and pining it made my stomach hurt, but it’s exactly what I love and expect from forbidden romances. For Jas, Kendrick was just a perfect and charming addition, someone who is her opposite in many ways yet still shows her fierce loyalty and true companionship. When they had their “who did this to you moment” you could probably hear me screaming in China 😭 that’s how loud I was!

All in all this was a fantastic start to a romantasy duology, Lexi Ryan never fails to impress! The cliffhanger however is not okay and I’m gonna need the 2nd book stat!

Thank you to so much to Netgally, the publishers and Lexi Ryan for my arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape for providing access to the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating: 4.5 (My heart screams 5, but my brain understands that it has a couple of issues).

I. AM. IN. PAIN.

I initially jumped into this book knowing that Lexi Ryan wrote the These Hollow Vows duology, a series I had on my shelves for years. I thought it would be a fun standalone that might take place within the same world, or simply had the same author branding. I didn't expect it to spoil the ending of that series entirely within its first 19 pages, so I took a step back, despite really loving Jasalyn's bitterness and vengeful soul already, and chose to prioritize the first two books.

And I am so glad I did. I ADORED the initial series. Devoured it in just a couple of days, during which everyone that looked in my direction had to then listen to my massive rants on how much I appreciated the pacing and overall plot. Didn't care much for the romance, but I did enjoy the characters, especially Brie and Misha. Jas was a sweetheart all the way through. I didn't even mind the spoilers that much.

For two weeks I had to jump into other releases but my heart stayed within the edges of this universe during this time. (The 'guy looking back' meme perfectly reflected how I felt).

When I jumped back, it felt like coming home. And, while being away, something must've awakened in my brain because my attachment to Misha seems to have grown overnight to an almost unhealthy level. I was SO excited for a Misha-centric story, and every single time I saw a chapter from Felicity's perspective I wanted nothing more than to disconnect from everything else and just scream Misha's name into the void. I wouldn't change a single thing from those chapters, I loved every scene.

Jasalyn's side of the story, however, confused me initially. As someone who initially started with this version of her, loved it, then read about her terrible time in Elora, her imprisonment, and then her release - then went back to read this book - a couple of things did not add up. She never mentioned, nor have we seen, anyone else being captured or punished by Mordeus with her. There were no Kendrick(s) or Crissa(s) in sight. Jas also got captured twice, and she stayed as open and as positive at the end of the series as she did at the beginning. There was a slight reluctance to return to the fae world, but nothing even remotely close to the racism she felt here. She still loved to create clothes for Brie, and still wanted her close at all times.

BTCS Jas is another character entirely. Maybe it's because she remembers the horrific parts from her imprisonment in flashes, still learning about some of the things she endured instead of being allowed to process things and start her healing process, but the fact that her 14-year-old fresh-out-of-prison persona still had so much love and hope in her and this version was the complete opposite hits you hard. Is this version more realistic? Yes. But it felt like the author chose to dive into the trauma Jas SHOULD be feeling (finding it a great opportunity to continue her successful fantasy journey) and completely erased the Jas we had in the Epilogue. Or she wrote this book without re-reading her previous work.

You simply can't picture Epilogue Jas being capable of revenge. That desperate to isolate herself from everyone, including her sister, to the point of feeling like her sister didn't even know her anymore when they had such a beautiful and loving bond at the end of TRV. And hating the fae so desperately that she'd rather die than become one. A scene of transition, maybe right after she got her initial scars and started to get some of her memories back, that would subtly address her shift from post-trauma bubbly to the post-trauma reluctance of interacting with any fae or her sister as a starting point would've been great. Lexi Ryan already used Felicity's abilities to fill in some gaps, but I don't think there were enough to justify the switch.

As it stands, I'm still unsure what the best way to enjoy the book is. If you read it on its own, without experiencing the THV duology, you fully spoil that series, cheapening many of its secrets and developments from the get-go, so you can't enjoy it as much after (if you'd rather consider that series a prequel). However, you'd also be missing a lot of information, like the depth of Sebastian's connection and friendship with the girls, Misha's marriage, Finn's relationship with his uncle, Lark's impact, and Mab's legacy.

But if you read them as I did, binging them in chronological order, you can't help being a bit confused about the changes made to add more substance and tragedy to BTCS's overall story. Like an angsty-er fanfic of the original ending intended, that Lexi Ryan had to create to find new plot points within this universe while still using a big chunk of that original cast.

Ideally, I think, you'd need to read that initial series and then take a long break before jumping in this one for the changes to be less visible. But that is not ideal.

My other bit of criticism is the marketing for this book so far. There's no mention on NetGalley or Goodreads that this is a sequel to the THV series (which again, meant that I got the ending to that series spoiled by reading the first chapter). Nor does it mention on either of those sources that it's only the first volume (not a standalone as I assumed it would be based on the information provided) in another duology. I had to find out about that when I finished the first half of the book and it became clear that there was no way the plot could be wrapped up within the remaining 200 pages. Where did I find that information? In one of Lexi Ryan's own reels, because I got so incredibly invested in this universe that I was desperate to find out if she'd be coming to the UK for the release of this book (she hasn't announced anything yet), or if there was any UK-based special edition with the same gorgeous cover illustration I should be on the lookout for (there isn't).

I should be happy that an extra book is on the horizon since that would mean more Misha content (and I truly can't express how desperate I am for it). But I NEED it. NOW. There's no title, no release date (after all, this hasn't been released to the wider public yet either), and there's not even a listing on Goodreads to showcase its existence.

There isn't even any official (or fanart for some reason???) of Misha to keep me sane while waiting.

At least I managed to convince a friend of mine to jump into this universe with me, so we could suffer together.

This is the first book in a new duology focusing on the sister from These Hollow Vows and These Twisted Bonds by the same author. Because it is set in the same world it is definitely worth reading the other duology first so you can be introduced to the magic system, world, characters and dynamics!
This book was incredibly sweet, had me near tears, is filled with lots of amazing characters and a very freaking cute romantasy plot!

This book is dual pov between Felicity and Jassalyn. Felicity is helping to hide what the princess (Jassalyn) is up to while she goes off on an adventure across the faerie realm. Both characters are really unique and compelling, very complex and have very different ways of problem solving, whether they're right or wrong. Sometimes i disliked what they were doing but other times i was overjoyed with the outcomes!
It was really exciting to see both of their development throughout the book and seeing how certain events shaped them and altered their behavior.

The plot was so exciting and had me on my toes the whole time! There was never a dull moment with something always happening. The writing style and pacing of the plot was so easy to follow too. It sucks you in and keeps you hooked till you realise it's 3am and you're still reading!

Overall a really great and fun read! I can't wait to read the next one, especially after that freaking cliffhanger!!
A massive thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book!

Thank you NetGalley and HodderBooks for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review ♡

♡ The ending....how could you! ♡

This book is the first in a new duology from Lexi Ryan that takes place roughly 3 years after the first duology. I do recommend that you read the first duology before starting this one as there some characters appear in this book and it would help with your background knowledge and it wouldn't spoil it! So if you can, read the first duology (These Hollowed Vows) first as it would only enhance your reading experience of this book.

This book follows Felicity and Jasalyn in a duel POV story. Felicity is a shapeshifter (not an ordinary one...) who takes the place of Princess Jasalyn, whilst Jasalyn is off on an adventure herself.

Both FMCs are compelling and there wasn't a moment when I preferred one of the other. The only thing that I could criticise is when Felicity is seeing Jasalyn's memories, it would maybe be good to have this in italics so that the reader can distinguish this for memory/dream rather than it actually happening at the time. A couple of times it confused me and then I realised that it must be a memory....

The plot is easy to follow and it is easy to get sucked into it and lose track of time. This was such a fun read and I still can't get over that cliffhanger.... WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT SO LONG! AHHHH!

3.75/5 stars.

If you loved These Hollow Vows then you are definitely going to like this. It was so much fun being back in this world again and the author definitely did not disappoint when it came to keeping the twists and turns that I loved so much in her other books.

I really enjoyed the dual pov in this however as usual when it comes to this type of storytelling, I did prefer one pov over the other. Thats not to say I wasn’t still interested in both characters because I absolutely was. Felicity was a stand out character to me, I really enjoyed her inner turmoil over her situation and I feel like she truly is just trying to do what’s best however oblivious she is to certain things that are going on. I also really loved getting to see more of Misha! I loved him in the other books so you can imagine my happiness at him being a more prominent character in this book.

Jasalyn is a character that took me a while to warm up to. I did really struggle with her pov at first because she felt very naive at times and some decisions that she makes had me frustrated. I did like her character development though. It’s strange because I liked Kendrick’s friends but I didn’t like Kendrick himself. I think the reason I rated it a bit lower is because I just couldn’t connect with these two characters in particular.

I think this author’s strong point is the characters and exploring their inner fears, struggles and strengths. However unfortunately just a few characters missed the mark for me.

As for the plot, I loved it. The world is easy enough to follow along with, although I do think it is a book that you have to have read the previous duology to understand what’s happening. The twists and turns and betrayals keep you on your toes even if some of them I had predicted.

Overall, it was a really fun read and I can’t wait to read the next one.

The book was not personally for me. It was my own fault as I haven’t read These Hollow Vows so I didn’t feel connected to this book itself. However I completely recommend this book to those who loved the first I’m sure the characters and world would make a lot more sense and have more familiarity to you than it did to me.

Unfortunately I’m also not also a fan of two different character plot lines in one book, I also felt the same reading Twin Crowns and this is just personal preference!

But thank you to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Lexi Ryan for providing me with an eARC!

The first thing you need to know about Beneath These Cursed Stars is that it is a direct spin off of These Hollow Vows. So I would highly recommend reading that duology before diving in.
That being said, I loved going back to this universe and seeing more of familiar characters, while also discovering new ones.
The biggest change in this book was the multiple point of views. It added a lot to the story and made the plot easier to follow in my opinion.
I thought I would have a preference between Jas and Felicity but I found both point of views super interesting.
I can’t wait to know what will happen next !

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and would instantly like to read the next one.

If you loved These Hollow Vows, this is definitely a book for you. You can read it without having read the duology and it would still make sense, but there are characters across both series and you'll have a greater understanding/more backstory, especially for characters that appear across both series. We also got to see a character I wished we'd seen more of in the first series, so I was extremely happy!

I was slightly confused at the start of the book, it took me a second to get into the book and understand what was happening, but from then on I was hooked! This is potentially because I read the first series only last year so I was trying to find connections between them.

This book is set three years after the first series, and you follow Jas and Felicity. Jas you meet in the original series, but Felicity is a completely new character.

It's dual POV, you follow both Jas and Felicity on their individual quests, and I didn't find myself getting bored of a POV and wishing it was the other character.

There's tension, there's pining, there's flirting - there's everything you'd want in a YA romantasy book, but it's even better as you get it in both Jas and Felicity's POVs.

I had no idea that this book is a part of the These Hollow Vows series - but I’m glad that it was! I absolutely loved that series, and I really liked reading about those characters again and being back in that world. Although I didn’t love this book as much as These Hollow Vows or These Twisted Bonds, I did really enjoy it and I think it’s a great addition to the series. I really liked the storyline, and I liked that we got to read more about the side characters and also meet some new ones. I’m very intrigued to know what happens next, so I can’t wait to read the next book when it’s out! I love Lexi Ryan’s writing, and always find myself getting lost in the books and the worlds that Lexi Ryan creates!