ARC Review: These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows #1) by Lexi Ryan
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Series: These Hollow Vows #1
Author: Lexi Ryan
Published July 20th 2021 by Hodder & Stoughton/Clarion Books
Goodreads Synopsis
From New York Times best-selling author Lexi Ryan, Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this sexy, action-packed fantasy about a girl who is caught between two treacherous faerie courts and their dangerously seductive princes.
Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she'll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.
Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie's only choice is to pose as a potential bride for Prince Ronan, and she soon finds herself falling for him. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. As Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she struggles to resist his seductive charm.
Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty. And with her heart.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
Abriella, or Brie as she's more often known, has hated the Fae ever since her mother abandoned her and her younger sister, Jas, to her wicked aunt, and ran off to find the Fae she fell in love with years before. To survive her aunt, she's always used her gifts to steal and thrive, but when her debt becomes too much for her, Jas is sold to the cruel Unseelie King, and Brie would do anything, even travel to the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, to get her back. Making a deal with the Unseelie King, she needs to become a prospective bride for the prince of Seelie, Prince Rohan, who just so happens to be someone from her past, who she's always loved, but never knew was Fae. Pretending to want to marry him is easy, and she feels safe with Rohan, but the Unseelie Prince Finnian, who's in exile and trying to reclaim his throne, is just as alluring, and she's torn between them. Considering she spent most of her life hating Fae, Brie is soon falling for two, and when it seems that she might have more of a history with Fae magic than she ever expected, it's clear that she's in over her head, and the danger is just beginning.
I'm going to start by saying I don't normally love Fae stories, but as soon as I started These Hollow Vows, I was hooked, and needed to devoured the entire book as soon as possible. The idea of the book is very much Cinderella to start off with. Both Brie and Jas are hidden away in the basement, and have to work for her aunt and cousins (in lieu of a stepmother/stepsisters), and are basically indentured servants. They never will be able to repay their debts and gain their freedom, not with how vindictive Madame Vivias is. And when Vivias sold Jas off to the Unseelie King, to be made to be a servant, or worse, in his Court, Brie stops at nothing to save her. I loved how strong and feisty Brie was, but she also had a vulnerable side, that we see again and again, especially as she comes to term with her feelings about the Fae she meets, and realises it's not all black and white, good vs evil. The mission that Brie is sent on isn't tenuous, but it's extremely dangerous, and would spell certain death if it was discovered - and she's playing with magic she never realised she had control of.
The romance is perfect too, and though I normally hate love triangles, or the hint of one, it was fantastic in this book. I did definitely have a preference of one of the princes, but they were both brooding and mysterious in their own rights, and have pros and cons for Brie to consider. One had a lot more cons than the other, with red flags flying, and I was glad to see my opinion of him vindicated, but I can understand why Brie was attracted to him. The whole cast of characters, but especially the band of misfits who followed Finn and helped Brie with her efforts to stop the Unseelie King were wonderful. I was completely blown over by the final chapters, and am gutted I'm going to have to wait so long to see what comes of the revelations! A truly amazing debut!
Dates Read:
July 5-6, 2021
Rating
5 Stars
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