Promesse vane

These Hollow Vows #1

by Lexi Ryan

POTREI GODERMI L'OSCURITÀ, MA NON SPRECHERÒ IL MIO TEMPO.

QUESTE ORE APPARTENGONO A SPIE E LADRI.

APPARTENGONO A ME.

Se c'è una certezza nella vita di Brie è che odia i Fae con tutta se stessa e che preferirebbe morire di fame per strada piuttosto che avere a che fare con loro. Quando però la sorella Jas viene venduta come schiava a Mordeus, il sadico re Fae di Unseelie, per ripagare un debito, non può che rivedere la sua posizione. Per riportarla a casa, infatti, è costretta a stringere un patto proprio con il sovrano delle ombre: dovrà introdursi nella corte nemica, la corte del Sole, e, una volta dentro, rubare tre oggetti magici che un tempo gli erano appartenuti.

Accedere al palazzo dorato è un'impresa tutt'altro che semplice, però, tanto che l'unica possibilità per riuscirci sembra essere spacciarsi per una delle pretendenti del principe Ronan, erede al trono. Determinata a portare a termine la sua missione senza farsi distrarre dal cuore, decide infine di accettare l'aiuto di una banda di disperati, di cui ignora però le vere intenzioni. A mano a mano che la conoscenza con il loro capo Finn si approfondisce, Brie si ritrova a combattere con se stessa per resistere al suo fascino seduttivo. In bilico tra due corti ugualmente pericolose, Brie sarà costretta a decidere di chi fidarsi e a chi offrire la propria lealtà. E quindi il proprio cuore.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Fae, Romantasy, Fantasy Romance, Young Adult Fantasy

427 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 20, 2021

About the author

Award-winning author Lexi Ryan is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of hot contemporary romance and sexy, action-packed YA fantasy. Her books have sold over a million copies. A former English professor, she considers herself lucky to have traded stacks of grading for emotionally charged storytelling. She is happiest when at home in Indiana with her husband and two children, where you can find her lifting weights, reading copiously, hanging out with her family, and thanking her lucky stars.

Reviews

[Lia Carstairs · Rating 2 out of 5]

My hatred for the main character and other love interest overpowers my enjoyment of the story😶

Literally from page 50, I've predicted the outcome of this love triangle and I swear to god if it actually ends like that- 🙂🔪🔪

Once upon a time, a golden faerie princess fell in love with the shadow king, but their kingdoms had battled for hundreds of years and her parents were sworn enemies of the king and his kingdom . . .

In this world, the Fae are viewed as many things. For some, they are loved and worshipped. For others, they are feared and subjected to their slavery. And then there are those humans who carry a deep hatred towards their kind--Abriella (or Brie) is one of these people.

After failing to pay back a long-overdue debt, Abriella's sister, Jas, is sold and taken to the King Mordeus aka the Unseelie King of the Fae Realm. Brie will do anything to get her sister back, making a bargain with the king himself to retrieve 3 ancient artifacts in exchange for her safe and alive.

All she has to do is take place in a sort of 'competition' between other girls altho is it even a competition?? in which the Prince chooses who he wants as his queen. Brie must hold the Prince's trust and capture his heart in order to gain access to these artifacts and give them the Unseelie King. Do that and she'll get her sister back.

But of course there are many complications and a rebel group lead by the Unseelie Prince and trying to guard her heart from the two ~seductive~ Princes, etc, etc.

The main character, Abriella, is nOt LiKe OtHeR gIrLs because she doesn't want to marry the Seelie Fae Prince for some ridiculous notion like love and she's ~speshul~ because she has powers that nobody else in the world has. Fae would straight up say to her "You're special" and continue repeating it ahahaha *cursed laugh*

Sebastian is a cinnamon roll (but i dont love him) and deserves better than Abriella. And just because he's a cinnamon roll, I can bet on my life that Abriella is going to end up with the dArK aNd BrOoDiNg prince i say this like i dont fall for them too half the time I usually like dark and brooding love interests but only if they're secretly soft/a cinnamon roll and respect the MC, but in this case... haha no. Finn is an arrogant, disgusting pig that treats the main character in a condescending way and is such a rude jerk, yet the main character says that she feels like she has a cOnNeCtIoN with him-

I hate Brie bc of how annoying she is, so maybe those two are perfect for each other. Sebastian deserves someone better🥺 but he's also really sus sooo... Finn can go die in a hole. Abriella can go with Finn if she loves him so much.

Sebastian isn't really all that great either but he's a thousand times better than Finn. It's always the cinnamon rolls that are never chosen in a love triangle but maybe the author will prove me wrong😔 doubtful This dude here at least is sweet, kind, considerate, soft, and must deal with the MC's stupid decisions and dramatics smh. idk how Sebastian does it. but he's also a deceiving piece of trash so maybe he does deserve to deal with all of this ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ // basically i hate all these characters.

I can see how this is compared to The Cruel Prince but really the only similarity is that just like how Jude was involved in some spying within the court, Abriella is too, but that's about it. Cardan Greenbriar cannot be compared to either of the love interests. He's leagues away from these fools who call themselves Fae.

Now for where it's like A Court of Thorns and Roses... I dont see it??? idk maybe my brain's just not working right now but I don't see anything ACOTAR related unless the main character going to the Fae world was supposed to be the similarity...? Or maybe how like Feyre had to go through 3 trials, the MC has to retrieve 3 artifacts??? hmmm idk. I did get some Tamlin vibes from Sebastian which is when I'd despise him, but I can't really think of anything else.

Seriously though, the Fae here are a joke. They don't even feel like Fae honestly like??? They speak and act just like humans and je n'aime pas. They're so lame and there was a certain battle scene at the end that has to be one of the most ridiculous outcomes of a battle I've ever read in my life.😭🤚 I guess I expected more from the supposed villain ahaha and this is Fae we're talking about-

They're more like humans trying so hard to act like Fae but failing miserably. Maybe if this is your first Fae book then you won't mind them, but I've read too many about them to believe that the ones here were actually written well.

Also I realized that always in Fae related books there has to be a some sort of scene where the MC drinks some faerie wine/fruit and becomes intoxicated/delirious and soon after that is there some sort of intimate scene😶 the one here was *chokes* awful.

Oh and the amount of scenes that made me cringe ahahaha💀 but the world isn't bad, it's pretty interesting at the very least. That ending though has to be one of the most abrupt ones I've ever read like wow. Also, I did not expect that plot twist at all. How can I both hate and enjoy a book? trashy fun.

Overall, this wasn't completely bad, I guess. The story itself kept me engaged and I was able to finish this really fast in about a day, but even that wasn't enough for me to like the book bc of its other faults mainly the characters. I think that if you don't mind the characters then you'll most likely enjoy the book. I probably would've given this a higher rating if Finn didn't exist.

But yes, I'm going to read the next book only to see who she ends up with.


(2.5⭐)


Thank you HMH Books for sending me an ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Pre-read Review:

"Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses . . ."

Say no more—

Me want.

ALSO, WHY IS THAT COVER SO BEAUTIFUL?!?!

[dia💋 · Rating 1 out of 5]

i’m in pain. words can’t even describe how much i hate this book. but numbers can: 482616/10

this… thing should be illegal. because this is, dear friends, plagiarism. you know, when they said it’s similar to acotar, they probably forgot to mention that it is actually a carbon copy of acotar. there is no single original thing. not. a. single. one.



welcome to diana’s guide how to recognize shitty books:


1. insufferable main heroine who is speshul and nOt LikE othEr giRLs

we have here a standard main heroine brie, who is speshul maximally by being duller and stupider than all the other girls altogether. she makes one illogical decision after another, she is annoying, hypocritical, but for some incomprehensible reason everyone loves her.

brie has hated fairies all her life, but as soon as she sees one, she immediately thinks:
“this is no simple faerie. he’s stunning.”

and be careful, put a lot of emphasis on the word “STUNNING”!


2. the most powerful dark haired love interest without personality with tantrums and a tragic past, which is his excuse for acting like an idiot all the time

he is tattooed, disgusting and charming like a napkin, but the main heroine falls in love with him anyway. (though it’s an insult to a napkin that has more characteristics)

by the way, he looks like rhysand, because… well, because it’s so described, he just has silver eyes instead of violet.


but if it were:

“the human girl fell in love with the stunning seductive fairy prince within 5 minutes and then they lived happily ever after”,

everyone would probably die of boredom. therefore, the author added a second love interest, which is also a stunning seductive fairy prince, but he has a different hair color, so that a love triangle can be formed.


3. nice and kind second love interest, who hasn’t the slightest chance and who is in the book only to be dumped by the main heroine

he is tattooed and boring too, but still better than the first love interest whose name i forgot, because he’s so annoying that he doesn’t deserve to be remembered.

funny fact is that this character has also white hair and green eyes, which reminds me of another fae prince – do you know rowan whitethorn?

brace yourself for something shocking. this character’s name is ronan. so we have roWan and roNan. the author seriously changed only one letter. *broken laugh*
even the names are non original. but she probably wanted to save this disaster by giving him one another name – sebastian. (a nice name is the best thing about him)

anyway, his image is the same as rowan’s, but his behaviour resembles more of cardan greenbriar in not-cardan day. except for the fact that cardan is better (and i’m saying this as a person who hated him for 2 books).

and because of this combination:
rowan whitethorn + cardan greenbriar,

we should call the second love interest #whitebriar or #greenthorn. you can choose.


4. copy a popular series that everyone knows and then argue that the book is original

let’s look at the similarities with acotar. or rather at the absolute same things with different titles:

7 courts – 7 courts
7 high lords – 7 magicians
3 tasks – 3 artifacts
mate bond – bond
rhysand – the main love interest whose name i forgot
tamlin – ronan / sebastian / whitebriar

there was even a scene with fairy wine and dancing. it has the same ending as acotar. the concept is same. the story is same. everything is same.

i could go on indefinitely, but the point is that if you have read acotar before, you already know everything what happened here.


5. add another popular series so that no one knows that the whole story is a mix of famous books

i don’t see similarities with the cruel prince (which is surprising), but instead of that there is the selection vibes. fairy seductive prince has to choose between several girls. they are all dull and interesting as a piece of bread, but we all know whom he chooses. the dullest and the least interesting one.

if i should compare these 2 series:

maxon – whitebriar (ronan)
aspen – the other one
the selection – the selection
a king of illea’s personality is same as personality of a king of the unseelie court

by the way, nor is the unseelie court created by this author. this place already existed in the series “forgotten realms”.


6. bad writing style with italics on every page and repeating each sentence because killing my brain cells seems like a good idea

i don’t want to go into detail as i usually do, so i’ll cut it short into this: endless internal dialogues about the same thing, the mc talking to herself, repeating the same sentence over and over again. i’m tired and sick of it.


this is not “it’s me, not the book” situation. because it is this BOOK’S fault. and i don’t get how it can have an average 4,07. for what, plagiarism?

so here is the conclusion. it’s terrible. absolutely, totally terrible and in addition, it caused me brain damage. rest in peace, my brain cells.

[jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

i hate that i picked this up knowing full well that there would be a love triangle. and i hate that i didnt hate it.

but the love triangle isnt why im rating this so high (even though both guys could get it). its the betrayals.

honestly, with what is given in this first installment, i would consider the three MCs to be good people and they dont really fit the villain role. but they are also totally out for themselves and i love that. yes, they care about each other, but they care about their cause, their kingdom, or their sister so much more. and when it got to the end, i was downright delighted to see such backstabbing, even if the characters had (seemingly) good intentions behind it all. the next book is going to have so much revenge and i cant wait.

this was a very unexpected surprise and a fantastic mood read. it definitely gave me ‘the selection,’ ‘the cruel prince,’ and ‘from blood and ash’ vibes at times. so fantasy and fae lovers should love this one!

↠ 4.5 stars

[SK · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars ✨

Despite being a love triangle, so many people adore this book and I just had to find out why and after finishing this book, I finally understand.

I love the characters and how it is so easy to immerse yourself in the story. Brie, Sebastian and Finn are such well thought out characters. Although they are not something you haven't read before? They still stand out. There's something about these three characters that just draws one in. The story is quite captivating as well and I absolutely loved the immersive feel of it.

The world building is weak imo or at least the execution of it is weak. There were places where things did not make much sense to me, or left me feeling confused and lost. It was like I was given 20% backstory with some world building in chapter 10, then 5% in chapter 23 and then in chapter 30, the backstory from chapter 10 gets picked up again. I found it to be quite confusing.

Another reason why it's not a perfect read is it reminded me a lot of ACOTAR. Sure, I can call it inspiration, which it probably is but it was A LOT. The characters, the fae world, the romances, training, Calanmai lol, etc etc. It made things seem predictable.

Despite the characters seeming similar to ACOTAR, I loved them a lot. Brie is fierce, caring, got trust issues, has a badass yet innocent vibe to her, and is a loyal person. Sebastian is complex. I liked him and how much of a layered character he is. He's an idiot tho. Finn is MINE. LOVE HIM 🤌 Man's morally grey and had his own agendas sure and I don't care how bad that man can get, I love him 😩😩

The romance was sweet, angsty and pretty much one sided for me. I knew which guy I would like from the moment he was introduced and I was there for it. Love triangles hardly bother me tbh 😅

The ending tho, I had so many emotions. I was like YESSS, then NOOO, then YESSS and now BROOOO 😩😭 I need revenge. Bad.

Thanks to beautiful Emily for reading this with me. I loved how much we adored Finn and had the best time with you 🤎


~•~•~
LET'S GOOOO

[Celia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start this review by saying that yes, I am a garbage human being and love triangle whore. I love them more than enemies to lovers, the "stuck in a room with only bed," bit and also forced marriages. I will hold up a sign stating as such on a white posterboard next to the guy with the poster saying, "STOP SAYING PIN NUMBER. IT'S REDUNDANT."

When I first heard about this book, I raced to my emails, gathered my stats, and promptly sent a message to the publisher. My grabby hands were shaking, trembling with anticpation. I could not wait for my NetGalley request to go through. I needed the book NOW otherwise I'd proably die. Lucky for me, I got a reply almost right away with the READ NOW widget and I nearly collapsed. It's a good thing my office has carpeting.

So, we have a both with comp titles such as CRUEL PRINCE and ACOTAR and be still my YA heart, those are comp titles you want to sell a book. I will buy anything when I read those two titles in a synopsis. That being said, after I recovered from getting my immediate READ NOW widget, I dropped (literally dropped) my current read (Crave, I will come back to you before the month ends!), gathered my hot cheetos and dove right in.

We open the story with Brie, who is a thief trying to keep her small family afloat. When her debts become too large, her little sis is sold to the fae. Pushing aside her hatred of the fae, Brie gets herself in the faerie court where she discovers: a secret about a long-time friend (and herself), that she suddenly has magic, and that the fae are manupulative creatures, as well as a little bit hot and charming.

Did I say hot and charming? *fans self*

Yea, so Brie finds herself torn between two princes, each with their own agendas. Who can she trust?

You know a story is good when it overrides your prescription sleeping medication. I was up far too late reading this book. But its one of my preferred ways of falling asleep; right in the arms of my fae lovers.

What we have here is a glowing newcomer into the YA world, rivaling Maas and Black themselves. I seriously cannot get over how fantastic this book was. I mean, I kinda knew, but I still wasn't prepared. I want more!

Ok enough ramblings.

THE WORLD-BUILDING: Amazing. I loved the courts and the human world. I got a clear sense of how drastically different they were. The world of the fae is wicked and scary, and Ryan's writing made them leap off the page. The complex, political intrigue and the magic surrounding almost everything was beautiful and deadly.

There's a 100% chance I'm going to buy every special edition of this book. JS

THE STORY:

There are plenty of twists and turns that keep you guessing.
There's also princes with pretty eyes and tattoos.

I love princes with pretty eyes and tattoos.

FAMILY TIES:
I loved the emphasis on family. Brie will do anything to get her sister back and I mean ANYTHING. And although her focus may wane at times, she always goes back to her and what she needs to do to get her family back together, safe and sound.

THE ROMANCE:
I feel lots of warm things for Finn.
I mean, come on. He's broody, and frowns a lot and I love that in a man. I care so much about him. I didn't want to because my book boyfriend cart is full. I may just have to throw out Kaz. He wasn't the real interest, if you catch my drift, but I have a feeling he's going to come in strong in book two. That one scene though where she was...and he was...and he had to....OMG

THE PROTAG:
Brie is determined, fearful but courageous. She's everything I love in a heroine. She may be a human in a fae court, but she holds her own.

Ok, let's talk about the ending. HOLY COW COW.
I've read this book way too early and now I'm going to have to wait for book two even longer. It's not fair. Life isn't fair.

Final thoughts:
READ THIS BOOK
If you like fae books and need a change from the usual, this is the one for you. If you like sexy princes, and dark magic and scheming heroines, this is also for you.

BOOKSTAGRAM

[Ayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok well i didn’t really have high expectations going into this book but damn i had a lot of fun reading it. is it anything fresh and new ? no but it had some of my favorite tropes in it which made it enjoyable to read.

it’s pitched as acotar meets the cruel prince and i did get the TCP vibes in the beginning with a mix of The Selection. ngl i hate The Selection with a burning passion but i was relived to see that this book didn’t fall into whatever tf that series was.

anyway, i got TCP vibes but i was like ok then where tf is my Jude Duarte? i was given a Feyre, which is when the acotar vibes came in, along with the love triangle. However this love triangle is written very well and the way shit ended? omfg you’re telling me i have to wait a year for book 2? and i’ll probably be denied an ARC for book 2 like i was with this? lmaoo ok jk, that was kinda bitter

anyway…the love interests. love how they were written and i’m excited to see where things turn out in book 2. when this book was pitched as acotar, i thought i’d get another Rhysand 🤮 but thankfully i didn’t. ❤️

this book was slow at times and took me a while to finish because i honestly wasn’t really that invested in the story and the characters but with the way shit ended? omfg give me book 2 now !! tf ?

[Lucie V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

✅ Gorgeous cover
✅ Scheming and betrayals
✅ Lies and manipulation
✅ Some angst in the last 10%
✅ Pace
✅ Plot
✅ World-building
✅ Loose Cinderella retelling in the first 20%
✅(🆗) Characters
✅(🆗) Some sexual tension and some smut
🆗 Romance
❗️❗️Mild cliffhanger
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: imprisonment, characters stuck in a fire, non-con drug use (mild)


Strong 4-star

______________________________
Second and third read/listen:
I enjoyed it more the second and third time around because there were things that annoyed me the first time I read it because they just felt so convenient, but knowing the endgame and the reason why things happened the way they did allowed me to enjoy this book more while reading it. The “blind trust” Ronan showed toward Brie also makes more sense now, so overall I did like this book more than I did the first time, so I am bumping this to 4 stars instead of 3.5 stars.

I still think Brie is not the most interesting main character but she grows on me a little more every time I reread this book. 😊
_______________________________

Pretend I want to marry the prince so I can infiltrate the castle, steal a few magical faerie artifacts, and free my sister. I can do this.

Brie's mother abandoned her and her sister 9 years ago, and since then, Brie and Jas have been living with their horrible aunt and cousins. They are stuck in a magical contract that forces them to be their aunt's servants, and it keeps getting worse as time passes and they can't get enough money to pay their debt to their evil aunt. When Jas is sold to the Unseelie court to erase their debt, Brie has no choice but to go to Faerie, even though she despises faes. Brie soon learns that some faes might not be as bad as she thought, but she will also learn that they can be as cruel and ruthless as she thought they were in their never-ending schemes to get more power.

The beginning of the book is not bad, but many things happened that just felt so convenient. I would say this though: push through and continue reading. It all seems very convenient, but there is an explanation for most of it, it just comes a little later in the book. The last part is also definitely better and promises a second book full of righteous anger and revenge.

Personally, I don’t hope. Not ever. Hope is addictive, and you start relying on it. In a world this cruel, I won’t be caught needing a crutch.

Brie is an okay main character, she did get on my nerves at times, mostly in the first half of the book, but she was not so bad in the end, except when she decided to be dumb and to trust the fae that professed his undying love for her without any question... I know they share a past, but still, I was expecting her to remain steadfast in her desire to never bond to a fae🙄. She is also quite clueless at times, she does not know a thing about faes and Faerie, which is normal, but she just believes everything that is said to her and has strong opinions about the rulers and their politics, even though she'd been there for a few days/weeks only, and had been fed pieces of information from only two sources, both of who were likely to lie to gain her trust or to protect her. Also, she just tells what little sensible or secret information she knows to other faes, making them wonder how she knows that since she is supposed to spend her days in the palace or with her tutor… Let’s just say that while Brie is a good thief, she is not the finest spy there is…

Mordeus stole the throne from his brother many years ago and waits for the day when his nephew—Prince Finnian, son of King Oberon and rightful heir to the Throne of Shadows—emerges from exile to claim his crown. His subjects wait too. Some have pledged loyalty to the king and will fight to keep him in power. Others believe that the Unseelie Court is dying because of Mordeus’s trickery and that it won’t recover until the rightful heir is on the throne with Oberon’s crown.”

The plot had a lot of potential, but I was expecting a little more from it overall. I really loved the whole scheming part when we couldn't be sure about Finn's or Ronan's true intentions, and we didn't know who to trust until the very end, but overall the story could have been better. The world-building is basic but still interesting. There are evil creatures such as banshees, sluaghs, barghests, and also some magic, so I can’t really complain about it. It is fast-paced, but at the same time, I felt that until the last fourth of the book, nothing really important happened.

You know as well as I do that there are no good faeries. Just degrees of evil and cruel.

I tried to like Ronan, and I did for a while, but somehow I always remained suspicious of him, I kept having this nagging feeling at the back of my mind, and I was overanalyzing everything that he said or did. Also, the whole emotional manipulation situation where Ronan’s best friend justified Ronan’s shitty behavior by saying that he did it because he was mad because of something Brie did?! Get the fuck away from me before I slap you in the face, I was so pissed, and I was hoping so bad that Brie wouldn’t fall for it! So, while I kept on guessing Ronan’s true intentions or feelings throughout the book, and I couldn’t say if he was one of the good guys or the bad guys, I still didn’t like him as a love interest, and I hope that Brie stays far from him and his pretty lies in the next book.

When Finn stands, his gaze locks on the hand I pulled away from him.
“Abriella, every star in that sky shines for you.”

Finn is my favorite character in this book, and I am team Finn all the way, even though it seems as if he’s a “bad guy” at the end of the book. I want to believe that he is not and that Brie will end up with him. I hope we will see more of him in the next book, and everybody knows that the brooding, mysterious, dark guy who is supposed to be the “evil guy” ends up being the good choice most of the time (#Rhysand).

One strength of this book though is how it kept me guessing at Finn's and Ronan's true motives. I couldn't decide who was trustworthy and who was being sneaky, although all my hopes were set on Finn since he's so much more interesting than boring Prince Ronan.

The romance on the other hand was only okay. I just didn’t feel the real heat, chemistry, or sexual tension between Brie and Ronan, even when things got more intense and Brie wanted their relationship to move to the next step, I didn’t feel anything real between them. But then again, part of the awkwardness ends up being justified later in the book so it does make sense, but it was still weird to read about. Thankfully, there was more sexual tension, banter, and chemistry between Brie and Finn, and I am praying for it to develop into something more.

There was also a kind of possible love triangle between Brie, Ronan, and Finn, but it was clear from the very beginning who Brie loved, and who she wanted to choose, so there was no real competition between love interests, even when it was hinted that Brie might be developing feelings for the second potential love interest (I am hoping for a change of love interest in the second book though). Besides that, her attraction to Ronan seemed a little shallow to me. I get that she'd known him for two years and that he’s been the steady friend she’s been relying on, and I understand how that creates a strong bond, but even if she mostly talks about how gorgeous he is, and how she gets butterflies in her stomach when she looks at him, I didn’t feel their deep emotional connection.

One thing that I loved about the romance though is how Brie remained mostly level-headed, and kept her goals and beliefs in mind (until she decided to be stupid and to give up everything for her true love 🙄). She didn’t decide to spend a happy ever after in Faerie with Ronan just because she loved him and he asked her to stay with him. She was struggling because she knew that she wouldn’t be happy with life in Faerie as a princess and because she never wanted to even go to Faerie or be in contact with faes, and I liked that about her. I would have been disappointed if she just decided to go with it and agreed to marry Ronan after spending a few days with him, forgetting all about what she wanted in life. She did end up being a little stupid in the end, but it could have been worse.

”I am not a pretty thing to be manipulated. I am darkness, and the power rushing through my veins is stronger than ever… with the darkness swirling about the room and my shadows becoming one with it, I feel more alive than I ever have.”

Overall, this book is good, but it is a little cliché and falls flat at times. Still, with that ending, I can't help but want to read the next book, especially since I expect more drama, angst, anger revenge, and scheming in the next book and those are my weaknesses. I am also hoping for more Finn in the next book and the conclusion of the book gives me hope that the next one is going to be much better.


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[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just knew I was going to love this book!! I should have known I jinxed it by thinking that or whatever!



Effing love triangle. Same ole ya crap. I’m tired of these kinds of books. I mean I enjoyed it at first and then it went downhill for me. There are only a couple of books with a love triangle that I’ve felt I could deal with but not in this book. And there wasn’t enough world building. I don’t know. And naturally this is a beautiful Fairyloot edition with sprayed edges, beautiful artwork under the dust jacket and an embossed cover, but alas, in the trade in box it goes. There are plenty of people that like this book (which is great) so it can go to a good home 😉

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[ELLIAS (elliasreads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The word HOLLOW in the title alone should have already been a clue. I'm not even going to say anything for this book.

2 STARS
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[Tricia Levenseller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible twisty-turny story. The romantic plot lines gave me life. This was exactly what I needed.

[chaity · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love triangles give me hives

[Maditales · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5- 3 stars

I just was bored and this story felt like smth I have read before. First of all, when I read the back I thought this was a the selection inspired story because come on: she is a red head that is one of the bride options for the prince AND SHE IS QUIRKY AND DIFFERENT AND NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS.

Obviously the overall plot is completely different from the series but that’s the first thing I thought of. I also knew right away who she was going to end up with in the love triangle since it’s pretty clear. I think I was mostly mad at the “plot reveal” because it was so clear from the beginning.

We had these “stories” and “legends” and “tattoos” thrown out way that made it clear what was going to happen to her.

But I think I am mostly annoyed at the fact that she was supposed to safe her sister that got kidnapped but instead she was struggling to find out which boy she loves more🧍‍♀️.

As a sister I would be pissed

[Paige ♠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited to read this book, and although it was very addicting and I couldn't put it down, there were still quite a few things I didn't love about it.

✅ THE QUICK PACE was amazing and I've always said I'm a plot person so it's no surprise that I couldn't put this down!

🆗 THE PREMISE WAS INTERESTING enough, although at times I felt like it tried to do too much. There was supposed to be this big competition to win the Prince's heart, but we never met any of the other girls and it didn't really feel like a competition because there was I never questioned if Brie was going to win or not

❌ NONE OF THE CHARACTERS were that great. Honestly, they all kind of sucked. Brie was a special snowflake who could never stay angry at anyone, Sebastian was hella sus the entire time, and Finn just didn't get enough page time for me to have an opinion. If I had to pick, I would probably ship Brie and Finn though because I have a feeling Finn is going to get a big redemption arc where he turns into a nice guy (I like this type of love interest arc, so I won't complain!)

🆗 THE ROMANCE WAS OKAY but it mostly revolved around Brie and Sebastian and as I said previously, I just could not get over how sus Sebastian was acting. So that really ruined me feeling much for their relationship. I would classify this as low heat for romance standards and medium-high heat for YA standards.

🆗 EVERYTHING WAS SO PREDICTABLE. I was not surprised by much in this story. But for some reason, I still could not put it down idk haha 🙈 The only thing I didn't see coming was what she chose to do with her bond at the end, and honestly, I was pretty disappointed with this decision 😒

Okay, so I know it seems like I might not have liked this book very much, but I promise I still really enjoyed it! I think the fact that I was able to predict all the twists and was still able to enjoy it really says a lot. It reminded me of Fortuna Sworn, so if you enjoyed this I definitely suggest you check that one out too

Steam Scale: 🔥🔥/5
Swoon Scale: ❤️/5

----------------------------

Ended up changing my rating from 4 stars to 3 stars 😣

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“In this world, the only power we have is our autonomy. Don’t let anyone back you into a corner. Don’t let your desperation make decisions for you.”

I really liked this book! This was an intriguing and spellbinding romantic fantasy about love, betrayal, power and learning how to control your power. Brie is a thief who knows not to make deals with faeries, but when her sister is taken by the king of the Unseelie Court she will do whatever it takes to save her sister. Brie makes a deal with the Unseelie King, if she finds three magical items from the Seelie Court then he will release her sister. To get access to the Seelie Court Brie poses as a bride for Prince Ronan. Finn, the Unseelie Prince and his friends help her control her new found powers. Brie must decide whether to trust Finn or Ronan and who will keep her heart.

This book is told from Brie's perspective. I was intrigued by the world from the beginning. The world building is interesting, although the concepts and creatures aren't new. The plot was interesting and the pacing was great. I really liked Brie, she is stubborn, brave, strong and will do anything to protect the people she loves, but she was naive and clueless at times. I liked Brie's character development, she grew as a person and I liked the journey she went on to find out who she is. I'm not a huge fan of Sebastian, I was suspicious of him throughout the book, but there were times when I could tell he cared for Brie. I love Finn, he is handsome, charming, mysterious and sweet to the people he cares about. The chemistry and sexual tension between Brie and Sebastian was lacking. I didn't really feel their connection. I did feel a connection between Brie and Finn and the tension between them was so good. I hope we see more of Finn in the next book. The ending was good, but it was a bit predictable. I can't wait to read the next book!

[évieane · Rating 2 out of 5]

ㅤ “I can't even tell someone to have a good day without sounding like I secretly wish they'd die.”

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ━ 2.7 - 2.8 ☆ ━
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⊱ ──── might contain spoilers ────⊰

ㅤㅤI feel like I've been slightly deceived by various people into believing this is a really amazing book, with beautifully crafted fantasy elements and with a plot that is bound to make you feel completely captivated and intrigued. What I found instead was a great deal of disappointments, because what was this even supposed to be?. I am genuinely wondering if there is actually something wrong with me, because this book received way too many praises from people whose opinions I highly respect.

ㅤㅤI am not sure what is there to say about "These Hollow Vows" as a book, apart from the fact that its title surely lives up to how the entire plot feels while reading this book: hollow. The book throws you right into the middle of the action where you meet the fiery-haired Abriella, a thief (who cannot fight) forced to steal from the cruel and debauched richlings just so she can ensure that she and her sister can live for a while longer in the house of her wicked aunt. Everything changes when Jasalyn, the little sister, is sold to one of the creatures Abriella despises more then anything -the faeries. From this moment forward Abriella is thrown into a world of secrets, dangerous bargains and deceptions where not only her wits are challenged, but also her heart which is made to choose between a kind, glorious boring-ass sun prince and the cunning, silver-eyed shadow prince who appears to be more dangerous and cunning than anyone else. The book ends with a rather intriguing cliff-hanger which, apart from perfectly setting the base for the second book in the duology, gives you the glitter of hope that Abriella has the chance to not be as naïve and foolish as she is throughout the entire first book.

ㅤㅤWith these very basic and general ideas being stated, let me delve into the more specific aspects of this book.


ㅤㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ world-building, writing and action ༺ ˎˊ-

ㅤㅤI am sad to say that the world-building in this book is rather disappointing and far too general to set it apart from basically any other fantasy book. Despite the small pieces of history that are slowly revealed as the plot progresses, there are still so many questions that you are left with at the end of the book. My biggest issue is probably the magical system which doesn't even exist at all. I am not sure if my attention betrayed me at one point and I missed some details, but upon finishing this book I realised I have no idea what actually is the magic of all these characters and how they are divided; or if there is any real difference between the faes from this story and any other magician who is capable of pulling a bunny out of their hat.

ㅤㅤHonestly, I had absolutely no issues in regards to the writing of this book. Perfectly suitable register, with maybe some small exceptions, and a really simplistic and easily understandable form of writing that doesn't really hinder the understanding of the plot or the story in any way. Would I have appreciated if the writing was somehow more elevated and whimsical? Absolutely, but I can definitely overlook this.

ㅤㅤThe action also doesn't really live up to much of the hype I encountered while looking for opinions about this book. Almost everything about the plot was highly predictable and the fore-shadowing was so insanely obvious that 'the great betrayal' from the end of the book entirely fails in acquiring the element of shock and surprise. So many of the situations were so unnatural and the way the characters reacts to them almost make you question your own sanity (I know I questioned mine more than once, wondering if there is actually something wrong with me). I should have enjoyed this book; instead I was left more frustrated than ever with how rushed everything felt and how insanely repetitive and awkwardly-developed some parts of the plot were. Pretty much felt like a really long introduction.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ characters ༺ ˎˊ-

ㅤㅤ I am not even sure I have anything relevant to say about these characters as they are all so insanely one-dimensional with barely any development to their personality and story that it makes it so hard to get attached to them or to sympathize with any of them.

ㅤㅤ✧ Abriella - she is the pure definition of "blinded by love" and unfortunately it only serves in making her such a frustrating and disappointing female main character. She seems to be completely ignorant and in her ignorance and blind love she misses every type of warning there is; and some of those warning are so insanely obvious that one is left to wonder just how smart this main character actually is since she completely fails to observe even the most obvious of signs. She is truly to be appreciated for her devotion and love towards her sister, but doesn't attract any type of appreciation and sympathy for any of her other qualities...which, honestly, aren't even to be noticed.

ㅤㅤ✧ Finnian 🖤 - a silver-eyed, dark-haired, highly brooding and mysterious man in a fantasy book? An immediate YES. However, it is such a shame to give all these very nice and intriguing features to a character that is created to be so secretive and such a mystery that at one point one is bound to lose all the interest in him. I feel like this is the type of character that has such a huge potential to become something so amazing; but unfortunately, the writer does him so little justice with the direction of the plot. I really do hope he is better exploited in the next book, but my hopes are so low.

ㅤㅤ✧ Ronan - why?...just why?....how does one fall for someone this boring and so obvious with all his "secret plans"?

ㅤ❧ Probably the worst part of this entire book was the supposed love triangle which is just so strangely presented and so unnatural in all its aspects that it makes it become even more torturous and uninteresting.

ㅤㅤ✧ Tynan, Pretha, Jasalyn, Kane and Jalek - despite making such brief appearances, I have to admit it was rather enchanting and entertaining to see their input in the story and plot and I declare that I am entirely looking forward to seeing some more of them in the second book. Hopefully.



ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ ending and conclusions ༺ ˎˊ-

ㅤㅤI honestly feel like the best part of the book was the ending, which, despite being quite expected and anticipated, it was still entirely pleasing if only through its somehow karmic significance. It is usually more than heart-breaking to see the FMC being forced to endure such a distressing situation in a very well-placed cliff-hanger that ends a book; however, in this case, I have to admit it rather gave me a great sense of satisfaction, especially as it only proves how right I was in all my assumptions. Hopefully, this will be put to great use and it will indeed be the cause of a development for the main character that urgently and badly needs it.

ㅤㅤI will not say this is generally a bad book, but at least for my expectations and wishes, it was indeed highly disappointing. Rushed plot-lines, quite unnatural and frustrating characters that lack a proper progress and a magical world that does not get the required details are some of the elements that drew my critique and did not make this story as very pleasant one. I will read the second book as well, since it has all the premises of bringing great improvements in all concerned aspects, but I might be more cautious with my expectations.






ㅤㅤ────────── 　༻✧༺　──────────

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ.˚౿ Pre-reading ࿐ ࿔*:･

ㅤㅤI am finally back to reading and I've had this for a really long time on my TBR so hoping for the best 🙌🏻(praying this will really be good)

[shei · Rating 2 out of 5]

—— 2.25 ✰ stars.

”Where do you think legends begin, if not from truth?”

uuuuuh, well this didn’t lived up to the expectations to be honest, and the worst is that I didn’t have many, but I’m still disappointed. Not only for the predictability of the plot, which I could have ignored if it was executed well, but it wasn’t. The pace was fast, but to a point it was TOO fast and it all seemed messy and chaotic.

Lexi Ryan made a meal with very good ingredients, but let them cook too little time so they are raw and served them on plastic plates.

I do recommend the book though because it is indeed an easy read, with a very easy to understand world building and prominent romance plot, so this is a perfect book for newly fantasy readers or a younger audience.

➷ plot:

Brie’s sister, Jas is taken by the sadistic king of the Unseelie court, so she has to infiltrate on the fae world she despise so much to find three relics for the king.

Meanwhile she mets two men who have different interest, and caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty, and most importantly, with her heart.

So as we can see, nothing extremely new to be honest, there is clear inspiration from the selection, acotar, and even shadow hunters in my opinion. But this would have been fun if, as I said earlier, it was executed better.

➷ romance:

I’m not gonna give the names of the TWO love interests because it can leads to deductions and it keeps it more interesting not gonna lie. Just going to say one is silver haired and the other is black haired broody and tattooed male. UMHM. That’s what I’m talking about.

At the beginning the love triangle was not good in my opinion because I felt one of the sides too fast, but after the ending of the book I’m definitely curious.

The book is romance heavy, and I didn’t mind it in this case.

➷ brie :

I liked her just fine; she didn’t blew me away but I enjoyed reading her point of view. It’s your typical female main character on a young adult romantasy novel.

I really liked how she would have gone far and beyond to save her sister. She was really brave.

➷ final thoughts:

I’m sad that I didn’t enjoy this more, but it is a good book to pick up in case you are slumped or want to go back or even start reading fantasy! I will definitely be reading the second one to see how it ends and continues.

“Abriella, every star in that sky shines for you.”

[♠ TABI⁷ ♠ · Rating 2 out of 5]

'My people used to believe the faeries were our guardians. Before they split the sky and opened the portals, the fae visited at twilight in their spirit forms—just a shadow or an outline in the trees that looked like something living.'



Accurate rating: 2.5 stars

I'm a proud, shameless faerie literature snob— and this was NOT a faerie book. Oh, sure, there were magical beings called faeries with the pointed ears . . . but they weren't real fae.

Faeries are . . .

- not liars in the literal sense but bend the truth like nothing else
- capricious and vicious and wild . . . with a few exceptions, obviously
- immortal, vain, snobby, easily offended . . .

I could go on and on because, yes, I'm passionate about the fae. And yet, most of the time, the few root elements of their mythology IS ALWAYS IGNORED/ERASED and idk why but that just always irks me. So, for this to say that it's for those who loved The Cruel Prince it is NOTHING like that beautiful ode to faerie lore. Nor is it even like A Court of Thorns and Roses . . . which at least stays truer to fae lore (but not really) than this.

I WANTED TO LOVE THIS BOOK, OKAY?? firstly, just LOOK at that cover eyy it's gorgeous. But that's about the only good thing about this.

'Nothing in Faerie is coincidence.'



This book flip-flops and lazes about worse than some of the most gratuitous fanfics which AT LEAST you know what you're getting into with those. It didn't really pick an arc to stick to, and the few that it tried to stay on top of . . . were pitiful. The characters were flat and half-realized, the "love triangle" was stupid and neither choice was honestly that great (but yes I have a preference duhhh), and the finale?? I . . . I can't.



But will I read the sequel?? Probably. Because, sure, this book is trashy and dumb but I'm invested because there's just not enough faerie books so I'm left grabbing at anything.

I received a digital ARC from HMH Books for Young Readers via Edelweiss & NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Quotes in the review and reading updates were taken from an uncorrected ARC copy.

[give me books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nie pamiętam, kiedy czytałam ją po raz pierwszy, więc oznaczę daty kiedy czytałam ją ponownie.

Jestem dumna i szczęśliwa, że mogę mieć na tej książce swój patronat.

[Julezreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

High Fantasy, eine Diebin, Fae-Prinzen, Intrigen und eine gefährliche Mission - "Court of sun" klingt ganz nach meinem Geschmack und das Lesen hat mir tatsächlich großen Spaß bereitet. Meine Erwartungen waren hoch, so unbedingt wollte ich es lieben, dennoch spürte ich keine Sog-Wirkung, nicht dieses Gefühl, dringend weiterlesen zu wollen und das obwohl ich oberflächlich betrachtet doch alles mochte🤯. Letztendlich konnte ich drei Faktoren identifizieren, die zur Euphorie gefehlt haben. Der 1) Schreibstil war schlicht und einfach gehalten, weder poetisch noch komplex - daran ist absolut nichts verkehrt, es hat mich jedoch auch nicht begeistert. Die Handlung verlässt sich stark darauf, dass die Dreiecksbeziehung für 2) Spannung sorgt. 3) Originalität: Dass das Buch auf Bewährtes zurückgreift, ist nicht verwerflich. Dennoch haben einige Klischees dafür gesorgt, dass ich die Ereignisse recht vorhersehbar fand. Die Charaktere waren in ihren Ansätzen alle sehr faszinierend, ich hoffe, dass sie in Band 2 noch lebendiger werden. Insbesondere für die Charakterentwicklung von Brie sehe ich diesbezüglich viel Potential🥰! Dementsprechend freue ich mich auf Band 2 und hoffe, dass dann der Funke überspringt!

Fazit: Eigentlich mochte ich alles und doch hat es sich angefühlt, als wäre das Buch nach einem bereits etablierten Schema konstruiert, weshalb mir zur Begeisterung die Lebendigkeit gefehlt hat.

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5 STARS

This is truly a case of "me, not the book" if there ever was one. The synopsis really won me over because it sounds like a cross between A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Cruel Prince, two series I'm fond of. This comparison isn't *wrong*, but maybe slightly misleading? These Hollow Vows has solid writing, but where I feel it differs is that this book is definitely geared toward the younger side of the YA spectrum, meaning readers of the two above mentioned books, like myself, might be expecting something a little more steamy and dark. Again, nothing wrong with that, and would definitely recommend to those looking for something a little lighter with a bomb dot com love triangle. 10/10 would give this author another try!

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.

[Isa Cantos (Crónicas de una Merodeadora) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“May you always have a star to wish on, Abriella, and a reason to believe”.


These Hollow Vows me sorprendió muchísimo, quizás no porque la trama sea supremamente original, pues tiene muuuchas cosas que vienen de los libros de Sarah J. Maas, (pero, oye, no me estoy quejando por eso), sino porque siento que era la historia que necesitaba para volver a enamorarme un poco del género de la fantasía con reinos, varios intereses amorosos, diferentes especies y mucha magia.

En este libro nos encontramos con la historia de Brie, que es una chica que siempre ha tenido muchos problemas de pobreza y se ha visto obligada a trabajar durísimo junto con su hermana. Además, Brie ha crecido sabiendo que los Fae son peligrosos y traicioneros, así que los detesta. Sin embargo, lo que sucede de repente es que, para pagar unas deudas, la persona para la que trabajan vende a la hermana de Brie al rey de la corte Unseelie. Obviamente Brie entra en pánico y, dejando de lado todas sus reservas contra el mundo de los Fae, decide que tiene que ir a rescatar a su hermana. Cuando cruza la frontera, va directa a la corte y se ve obligada a hacer un trato con el rey Unseelie, quien le dice que debe robarse tres reliquias mágicas de la corte enemiga, la corte Seelie.

Ahora, la cosa es que la única manera que tiene Brie de entrar a la corte de los Seelie es pretender ser una de las posibles novias del príncipe Ronan, que van a tener acceso al palacio durante un tiempo, pues la familia real le está buscando esposa. Al mismo tiempo, Brie se alía con una banda de rebeldes Unseelie, liderada por Finn, y trabajan juntos para recuperar esas reliquias. Poco a poco, Brie se va a ver envuelta en una especie de romance que no se esperó, tanto con Finn como con el príncipe Ronan, que además oculta un secreto que, cuando sale a la luz, cambia por completo la vida de Brie.

La verdad es que el libro me tuvo súper entretenida desde el principio porque, literalmente, el primer giro de trama no se tarda nada en llegar, así que las reglas del juego cambian todo el tiempo. Me encantó cómo va desarrollando Brie su personalidad con esto ser una espía, estar trabajando para un rey mientras está infiltrada en otra corte y todo al tiempo que también combate sus propios sentimientos de odio que ha albergado por los Fae durante tantísimo tiempo.

Además, algo que me gustó muchísimo de esta historia fue que siempre tuve una sensación que me decía como “algo extraño va a pasar”, “no confíes en lo que digan”, “no te encariñes con ningún personaje”… y a pesar de eso CONFIÉ EN LOS PERSONAJES, CONFIÉ EN LO QUE ME DIJERON y, obvio, al final quedé con la boca abierta por todo lo que estaba sucediendo. Brie se entera de ciertas cosas que le habían ocultado, descubre unas nuevas y logra ver las caras reales de muchas personas que la rodearon en su pasado y su presente. Yo amé todas estas revelaciones y eso, junto con la tensión, el romance y las vibes de Fae peligroso y Fae protector que me daban los personajes… pues excelente servicio.

Creo que este libro les puede gustar mucho si quieren leer algo similar a Una corte de rosas y espinas. Hay Faes (que, encima, si buscan los fanart, se dan cuenta de que son igualitos a Rhys y a Rowan), hay tratos que sellan con tatuajes, hay magia, mucho romance y hay mating bonds. Yo adoro todo eso, así que ya saben por qué lo amé. Ahora, sé que a algunas personas les van a molestar estas similitudes y van a decir “ay, pero qué poco original”, pero yo, personalmente, lo que quiero son más libros parecidos a los de Sarah, entonces no me quejo. Además, les juro que el final de este libro es una bomba, es espectacular. Y lo bueno es que esta no es una serie súper larga, sino que solamente es una bilogía, entonces la pueden leer bastante rápido.

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 3 out of 5]

the book started off extremely strong and i was really having fun but once we got into the plot i kind of got bored? i think it’s because i didn’t like the love triangle, i really enjoy love triangles and i think they can actually make books better, they’re one of my favorite tropes but in this book it didn’t work for me because i didn’t care for either of the love interests.

the “main” love interests was just boring to me, i don’t enjoy friends to lovers so i was just bored but i think of you like that trope you’ll have so much fun with this trope.

the other love interest was just boring to me, there wasn’t really a fun trope i enjoy and i just need interesting tropes for both love interests to enjoy the book.

i did enjoy the plot but considering the point was kinda the love triangle and i was let down by that.. i did enjoy the characters and it was nice to read a book with good sibling relationships. i like that this book had so many parallels to cinderella but like i said, this book just wasn’t for me.

[astarion's bhaal babe (wingspan matters) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Abriella, every star in that sky shines for you”

I didn't pick this book, this book picked me.

And I wish I could say it was so trashy I hated it, but the truth is that it was so trashy I ended up liking it🤡

ACTUAL RATINGS 3,5/5

[✩ Yaz ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

No matter how hopeless I feel, there's always a little more hope inside me. No matter how faithless I think I am, there is always something to believe in.

I'll have to say that everytime I pick up a Fae-themed book my first assumption is it's another replica of ACOTAR. While I am drawn to books that are marketed for ACOTAR fans but I've been disappointed far more than I was relieved.

These Hollow Vows is heavily inspired by ACOTAR. I mean you can tell by the cover and assume right away that there will be a Feyre-Tamlin-Rhysand dynamic going on.

It also draws some inspiration from Cinderella.

Now, I won't say I am disappointed, like come on I gave this book a 4-star rating. It was predictable but I enjoyed it. As the story unfolds I was confident that I had the plot all figured out until I hit the 80% mark. I was reeling after I finished the book because the book gripped me. The twists kept coming at me and my anxiety skyrocketed and I'm not saying it was a bad thing—call me a sadist but I love it when books do that to me.

There is treachery, secrets planted here and there, betrayals, secret missions, magic and court intrigue.

Am I saying you'll be blown away? Not really.

It doesn't introduce a new concept and reuses the popular YA tropes:

• A human 17-year-old heroine that discovers her own powers.
• Two love interests: one who is sweet and kind and the other is the dark and mischievous bad boy.
• Dead parents.
• Love triangle.
• Family secrets.
• Tragic backstory.

Despite that, the book is packed with action and its fast-paced which makes it an easy book to devour in one sitting.

Brie was a likable heroine and she had a neat development throughout the book. I was either rooting for her or wanting to throttle her.

And then we have Prince Ronan, the Golden prince of the Seelie Court—the home of faeries of light and joy.

Finn, the bad boy you all are probably ready to swoon over, is... you'll find out in the book.

It's safe to assume that if there is a Seelie Court then there is an Unseelie Court; the epitome of darkness and wickedness. The world-building was interesting but a little confusing with the naming of the courts as they are referred to sometimes as the Sun Court or the Moon Court.

As the story progresses, the characters begin to step into morally grey territory to my relief. One of my pet peeves are for characters to turn into a bunch of Mary Sues and Gary Stus.

You were curled in the corner of the bed, completely absorbed in that book, as if it didn't matter that you lived this brutal existence and had only a tiny room too call your own. It didn't matter that you had to work so hard for everything. When you were reading, you were somewhere else. You were someone else.

Now moving to the most important part of this book: the romance!

You're probably bummed that there is a love triangle here and trust me, I know that feeling, no one hates love triangles more than me. Surprisingly, this one did not exactly make me want to pull my hair out. Because of the tension and how invested I was in the story, it did make sense for the plot. I knew where the romance was going but the twists thrown at me flipped my world upside down.

So, what to expect from the romance?
• Sexual tension.
• Friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers.
• Heated moments "yes there is light smut".
• A generous amount of angst.

“Don't all mortal girls dream of marrying a handsome faerie prince?” You did not have to call me out like that Lexi Ryan.

Aside from the main characters, you get an entertaining cast of characters along with a classic power-thirsty villain.

Do I recommend this book? If you are in the mood for a story with heavy ACOTAR vibes and Fae-themed then I definitely do!

After that insane cliffhanger, I am very excited for the sequel and I'm craving for more of those twists.

[denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

~5⭐️~
An ACOTAR x The Cruel Prince x Cinderella x From Blood and Ash x The Selection spicy reimagining with betrayal, love, heartbreak and "three magic trials".

It does have a love triangle which I normally hate and it's one of my biggest pet peeves💩 but in THIS ONE y'all😫. Just trust me when I say that it didn't bother me at all🙊.

I actually quite loved both of the guys. That, of course, until I settled on one because obviously I'm gonna root for the dark haired broody male for no reason other than I love being shallow like that😭

Also, it was so fast paced? Like what? It didn't rush the story, it just made it a lot more entertaining and I couldn't put it down. Not a dull moment for me🫂

I loved every second of this book and if you like at least one of the things I mentioned I think you will love this one too🫶🏻🥹

[Talkincloud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okej, to… gdzie jest drugi tom?!

[giulsxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

➼ 4.25★

“Abriella, every star in that sky shines for you.”

okay, okay this was actually good? so good i’m gonna pick up the next one asap! i don’t want to call myself a genius or something, but i figured out most of the things that happened in this book. i usually trust my instinct, and i’m usually right. so, i really don’t know whether i was too clever for this book, it was too easy and predictable, or i’ve read too many fantasy and i know the drill. either way, i ate this up.
and ngl, this felt like acotar 2.0 but whatever, it was still good.

➼ the book is about brie who’s a human who lives on the mortal realm and hates the fae realm. one day tho, her sister jas is sold to a powerful fae and in order to free her, brie has to agree to a bargain. she must retrieve 3 object to guarantee her sister’s freedom. but ofc it’s easier said than done. and while searching, she has to deal with her own silly heart which is divided between two princes: ronan (🤮) and finn (🥰). yep, you got that right!
LOVE TRIANGLEEEE

even tho it’s crystal clear for whom i’m rooting, i must say the love triangle is well written imo. you can clearly see her struggling and for a moment i was questioning myself too!

➼ brie is a really good fmc. ngl sometimes i wanted to smash her head against the wall bc i could see from miles away she was making the wrong decision but she wouldn’t listen to me ugh. i hope the last chapter knocked some sense into her so at least there’s hope for the second book. she’s way stronger than me bc i would’ve thrown myself at finn almost immediately.

➼ finn has everything and more it needs to make the ✨book bfs list✨he’s a brunette with silver eyes. he’s charming and hot the shower scene *coughing* and… 🥁🥁🥁 he’s the one brie should stay away from bc he’s evil and bad and untrustworthy and bla bla bla. i was sold at curly hair and silver eyes thank you very much. i chose him as my fav and i hope to god he doesn’t disappoint me!!

➼ ronan feels like tampon 2.0. he’s the good guy, the one who puts it straight into your ass when you don’t see it coming; the kind of guy who tells you to share your location so he can protect you when his real goal is to control you. the kind of guy who tells you the right things at the right time, just to enter your pants. i don’t trust this little bitch and i never did.

overall, i’d recommend it bc the pace is fast and the writing is easy, so it keeps you entertained. i really like the story and the characters.
onto the next🙂‍↕️

The thing about desperation is that it steals the right choice from our list of options.

Personally, I don’t hope. Not ever. Hope is addictive, and you start relying on it. In a world this cruel, I won’t be caught needing a crutch.

“You’re only powerless if you believe you are.”

His smile is like sunlight on my icy heart.

Slowly—so slowly it’s nearly painful—he lowers his mouth to mine. His lips are soft, but I slide my hand into his hair and the kiss turns searching. Time stutters to a stop. The sun stalls on the horizon, the birds quiet, and the breeze stills in the flowers. Nothing in the world exists but his mouth and mine, and my heart aches as I try to memorize every perfect second. This could be our last kiss.

He’s used his magic to let me hear a special part of his world that my human ears would have never picked up.

“Shh,” Finn whispers, his breath hot against my ear and his free hand flat against my stomach. I close my eyes and swallow. I hate that I react to him this way. Hate even more that part of me wishes he’d move that hand, stroke the skin that burns beneath his touch.
“You’re enjoying this far too much,” I whisper. His chest shakes against my back in a silent chuckle, and his lips brush my ear.
“You have no idea.”

“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.”

“Finn,” I say, stumbling toward him. “You’re beautiful too. So beautiful it distracts me when I’m around you. Did I ever tell you that? […]
“She’s been drugged,” Pretha says.
“Clearly,” Finn says.

He takes my hand and squeezes my fingers. Power ripples through me from whatever his connection does to my magic, and the stars seems to glow brighter.
“Pick a star,” he says. “Make a wish.”

[Booktastically Amazing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took a nap of about an hour, and I'm still not okay with how that ended.
It doesn't count that I woke up with a big smile because a certain someone appeared in it.
Tee hee

Rating: 🗡🗡🗡🗡4.4

*tv announcer type voice. very dramatic stuff* Are YOU looking to be left with goosebumps after a certain chapter make you squeal at 1am when you were supposed to be sleeping? Are YOU sure you don't like love triangles? Because half of the time they're annoying but just this once, they actually worked, okay? Well, fear no more! This is definitely NOT the book for you. I wish I could say that, sadly, this is the exact book you were probably looking for.


For the majority of the book, I was sure, I would give it 2 or 3 stars. Because firstly, the whole 'I'm so special' and 'I'm not like other girls' really tried me and the positive life view I've been trying so incredibly hard to have. Why didn't I give it that rating? Simple, simple answer.

A dark-haired shadow prince (you don't even have to read the rest, this should probably convince you), who had questionable intentions, morally gray, didn't preach about protecting the main character for the whole book, SILVER FREAKING EYES, infuriating, basically all-around perfection- If he hadn't been present, I'm not sure how I would've rated this. Oh, yeah, this would be more of a rant than OHMYGOSH WHATHTEHECKHAPPENED GFTY78IJHBVCXDRTYUJ.


Can I sell a pinkie for an ARC of the second book? Not even an ARC at this point, I can read a quote. Like, come on... you want me to beg? The main character did it once- I'll shut up now. (seriously, though, *clears throat* FDERFTYUIKJHGFDSW3E4567UIKJHBGVCXSER5T6Y7U)4


Now, as I'm sure y'all have heard somewhere (or right now, pfft) I love books that give me a... je ne sais pas. Especially when that je ne sais pas comes as acid rain, when the least I have at the moment is a darn umbrella. Did that make sense? Let's pretend it does. And that je ne sais pas (getting my points with Duolingo and Memrise, y'all. One of these days they'll kill me, I'm telling you) came in the form of me almost never reading a fantasy novel and I don't know... having huge mega incredible expectations for them?? Regardless of the fact that I don't read them as much??? Again, me being me??? Okay, so, yeah. This was a very very very, pleasant surprise. (I cannot believe I typed surpside instead of surprise twice)


Starting with the plot, I was so happy the hype didn't crush my soul this time. It actually existed! There was a plot, le gasp. I know, right? Alright, reining in the sarcasm. Soooo, I kinda sorta maybe perhaps really enjoyed it. The fast pace aided my fangirling feelings and of course, having to finish research papers whilst being hooked on a book isn't exactly smart. But when have I ever made smart decisions? Literally, take this book for example. Sequel, where? Brain, who? My voice after having spent all night squealing under the covers like a book fiend? Non-existent.


In short, before I go off-topic for the fifteenth time since I started this review. The pace was marvelous, 400 pages flew by like my sudden and obsessive attraction for a faerie in this book. I considered this book quasi unique in the sense that there were some plot twists that I saw coming a mile away, the protagonist was speshul and didn't know it yet, but then there were the plot twists that actually took me with the nails and made me hang upside down on a cliff. And I loved those. A lot.


Moving along, since I need to keep daydreaming about uh- okay, I'll stop once again. The writing was really nice and flowed accordingly with the feel of the story. I do think I was surprised (I wrote surpsied again, I cannot with myself) when modern syntax was used and I was like, oh. That's actually a very good surprise, I can understand a fantasy novel! (can you tell I have the mind of a toddler) I adored how I could visualize everything and feel like I was within and immersed into the story alongside the characters. I've never drunk faerie wine but dang, it tasted good. Never danced with a faerie prince (hold my casket-) but I felt every step that we took at the same time.


Then we have the characters. Y'all know I always got to rant about something but this time I'll start with the good stuff (not, not him yet, I need to properly breathe a little before touching on that subject)


The MC was someone I could relate to in a lot of things (thank you for that). We both have people we would die/ kill for, we both read (I almost cried when she said that), we both fell for people we can never have. And apart from that, we both whine a lot when being very tired. Since I do feel as if she was a decent main character overall, I'll mention just a few things that annoyed me about her, which would be: the stupid stupid very very stupid decision she made towards the end to do something with an idiotic someone I can't even find one good thing to say about that someone, and how she (as always) said she was like so not like other women vying for the prince's attention and that they were fools. Excuse me, sweetheart, some of us have DREAMS okay? Stop stepping on my ish, like dang. What did I ever do to you? And when I thought I would give up on her, she had a character ARC y'alll. A beautiful, heartless, character development that made me write in my book notes 'YAS GIRL, YAS, YES, YOU GO BOO'.


Sebastian, I don't even know about that dude, to be honest. I have no clue if it was because he was so obviously fake and dumb, or because in front of the MAN he looked like a mere toddler playing grown up half of the time. Yes, I need to roast him. I really do. Of course, he had good things. Of course, he did. He was kind, and loving, and idiotic, and gorgeous and kind and idiotic and nice. There, I gave him some complements. Pfft. No, really, I need to ask what in the world did he do in the whole book? I know a lot of awesome people have read this, so I would love to chat with y'all! And I get he's sweet and all, but come on, y'all can't trust people like that in books.


But when there was even a smidgen of me liking Sebastian, my heart was stolen by Finn. Yes, he is indeed the dark-haired faerie I felt the need to fangirl about up there. The scene, there was a scene. Not a one bed trope, this time. Not fake dating. Not in-the-air suspicious actions, nope. A scene where he made me sing for him with the bits of my voice that were left. Compared to Sebastian (who felt the need to protect the MC 98% of the time and those were the times when the MC felt the amazing pull to feel 'I need to do this so he can protect me' *ugh*), Finn in turn wanted to train Brie to be the 👏🏽best queen 👏🏽in 👏🏽her 👏🏽 own 👏🏽right 👏🏽she 👏🏽 could 👏🏽 be. Exactly, you know imma be his team regardless of how gray of a character he turns out to be.


The rest of the background characters were very well thought through, they weren't paper mashed with glue getting stuck on the crevices, rather, real magical creatures with expectations and pain. Finn's gang? Loved them too much. Sebastian's gang? Creepy disgusting friend, no, thank you. I would adore for the friendships to continue blossoming in the second book, and I literally cannot wait for it.


Romannnceee. Love trianngglllleeee. Do those words make you cringe? Once upon a time, when I would think through my actions, they did make me cringe as well. Now? At this point in my existence? I just rolled with it. Cried out in frustration, clawed the air in annoyance, spoke in 'peeved'... all of those. But boiiiii, I enjoyed the heck out of that drama. *evil cackling* I actually enjoyed it a bit more than I should've.


Huh.


On a closing note, I am patiently waiting for an ARC to be delivered. I expect myself to be found in a faerie Pinterest loophole very, very soon, since I'm not even in the qualm of common sense at this point. I ache (pfft, if you know, you know) for a certain shadow magnificent being to visit me, would adore to slap the light out of Sebastian and even though I wouldn't have given the book a high rating if not for the plot twist at the end, I found myself looking forward to ever chapter.


Also, THE PLOT TWIST AT THE END. FGYUIOKJHGVFCDERT67YU8IJKMJNH CXDRTF67YU8JIKMJ

Want to read more and I don't know, maybe leave a comment demanding your brain cells back?

............................
Confession time! I was honestly going to give this book three stars up until mid point and THEN the bloody plot twist hit me over the head with barbed claws and now I'm left grasping the edge of sanity whilst berating my past self because SURELY I could've thought through this beautiful decision of mine.

And yes, I did indeed have to be extra dramatic for that.
I need a nap before I write the full review. This shooketh me to the core.

WHY DID I READ THIS BEFORE THE SEQUEL WAS OUT-
Imma go cry into my pillow now.
.....
Forget about low expectations. Mine are up there with Hercules.

[Grace (irisroman & evajacks' version) ✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

This was honestly so much fun?! 🤭🤭🫶🫶 It was definitely not the perfect book (it had its fair share of issues) but it was super entertaining and exactly the kind of fast-paced fantasy I was looking for 💜💜

“I am not a pretty thing to be manipulated. I am darkness.”

These Hollow Vows follows Brie, a human girl who hates the Fae and will have nothing to do with them. But when her sister is captured by the evil Unseelie King, Brie is forced to make a deal with him that involves her stealing three relics from the Seelie Court. In order to complete her tasks and save her sister, Brie must pose as a potential bride for the Seelie prince, Ronan. Things get complicated when she starts getting feelings for Ronan while at the same time getting tangled up with a group of outlaw Unseelie faeries- including their handsome and mysterious leader Finn. Soon Brie will be caught between two rival courts and must decide who to trust with her loyalty- and her heart.

“Abriella, every star in that sky shines for you”

I've honestly had my eye on this series for a while bc it sounded really interesting and also, those covers are just gorgeous, and I'm glad I finally gave it a try!! 🥰 It wasn't a new fav or anything but I did have a fun time reading it 🫶🫶

Starting with what I liked!! ✨️ I think the combination of the quick pacing, lots of romance and enjoyable writing was what made this book so fun to read. The pacing was done really well- it had a very quick pace and there was always something to keep me invested. It was around 450 pages, but it honestly went pretty quick bc i always wanted to know what would happen next. The author's writing was also really enjoyable- super easy to read and i liked the descriptiveness of it. I swear the author describing pretty dresses in fantasy books is my kryptonite and there was a lot of that in here!! 😍😍😍

I also did quite enjoy the romance!! 🥰 Be warned it is a love triangle so if you're not into that- maybe this isn't the series for you. There is a lot of backwards and forwards between the two love interests. But i actually thought the love triangle wasn't executed too badly in here! I felt the connection between Brie and both of the love interests and honestly I was just having a great time reading all the romance scenes. Also, TEAM FINN ALL THE WAY 🤭🤭 The broody, morally grey guy is ALWAYS superior ✋️

“I am a great thief. I can steal just about anything. But a faerie prince's heart? I wouldn't know where to start.”

However, there were some things that kept this from being a favourite. One of the biggest issues with this book is the main character. I've seen my fair share of annoying mcs, but Brie is on another level 😀😀 I swear she was born without common sense or something bc the AMOUNT of stupid decisions she made in this book-- 🔪🔪 I was basically rolling my eyes every second page. She's also the kind of protagonist where she's supposed to be all cool and fierce but actually ended up being whiny and always relying on the love interests to save her. Ronan and Finn deserve better, i swear 🫣🫣

Also, this book is veryyy unoriginal 🙈 I saw a lot of people recommending this saying it was similar to acotar and i could definitely see lots of similarities to both acotar and throne of glass. The way Lexi Ryan wrote this definitely gave me heavy Sarah J. Maas vibes. It also felt quite similar to the Cruel Prince (the way the fae were portrayed + the betrayal trope was used in a similar way to that series). I feel like Lexi Ryan gathered a bunch of popular romantasy tropes and things from popular fantasy series and dumped them all into this book 🙈🙈 I feel like you should know that before going in 😅 It's pretty typical ya fantasy.

“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.”

Overall, a flawed yet super entertaining fantasy! 🥰🥰 I would recommend if you want:

✔ Fae
✔ Love triangle
✔ Fast-paced & entertaining
✔ Fun ya fantasy!

I enjoyed it! 🫶🫶

《 2023 Challenge: Book 107 of 110 》

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was honestly a pretty fun read!! 🤩🤩 it definitely had its issues (I could not with the mc 🙈) and it wasnt super original, but it was really entertaining 🫶🫶

RTC!

[Gabs · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ★★★★☆

“May you always have a star to wish on, Abriella, and a reason to believe.”

I had to think a bit before rating this book because there were things that I really liked and others that not so much, but in general I enjoyed the story so here we go.

Although there aren’t many revelations in the first half of the book, the rhythm of the plot and the writing style make everything easy to read and it’s entertaining. The second half is when everything explodes, and a lot of things are finally clear (some predictable and others not so much) that made me want to keep reading.

As for the love triangle, personally I’m not a huge fan of this trope, but I found interesting that the love interests (Finn and Ronan) weren’t perfect and had gray moralities, which is a bit out of the stereotype that other books paint. Neither changed their plans (even if their intentions were different) because of their romantic interest in her.



The main character (Brie) was astonishing naïve. There were many signs right under her nose, yet she would suddenly forget all her beliefs and forgive things that should have alerted her in the first place. I also didn't really like her “I'm not like other girls” thought when the truth is that she didn't stand out at all up to a certain point of the plot.

“The thing about desperation is that it steals the right choice from our list of options.”

The worldbuilding and magic system weren’t very complex, but they caught my attention. I hope the second book develops them further and shows us both the Wild Fae Lands and the Unseelie Court.

The character that intrigues me the most is Finn (that's not a surprise 🤣). Yes, at first, he had a too immature attitude for my taste and that was annoying, but as the story advances and we get to know him better he becomes far more appealing. I want to see how far he goes, and I prefer him for Brie.



Is it true that the main characters resemble those of Sarah J. Maas? Physically, this book mixes Rowan (Ronan), Bryce (Abriella) and Rhysand (Finn), so I guess I could say yes 😂 Also Finn's personality reminded me of Rhys at times, but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t their own characteristics.

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SPOILERS BELOW:

1. I don't like Sebastian (never trust him) and there’s no explanation he gives that can convince me otherwise. If in the next book he ends up with Brie, it’ll go straight to my worst readings of the year 🤣

2. It’s hardly credible that Brie accepted the bond after spending years steadfast in her decision of not to be a slave or controlled by anyone. As much love as she felt, it all felt very convenient, and it wasn’t convincing.

3. I don't believe for two seconds that after everything she went through to get her sister back, Brie just left her on her own. Wtf?

4. I think the curse thing and the backstory were well plotted. My only regret is all the hair Brie lost 🤣

5. I love that Brie kept her powers and unleashed them in the end. I just hope she doesn't get entangled by Sebastian again.

6. Still can't believe Sebastian is Unseelie 👀 I knew he couldn't be trusted, but where did that come from? 😱

P.S. I'm IN LOVE with the Fairyloot edition of this book 😍