These Twisted Bonds | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

‼️NO SPOILERS‼️

I had the opportunity to receive an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) for the first time, and I was super excited that it was for These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan, the 2nd and last book of These Hollow Vows duology.

I loved the first book, and this book takes off right where we left in the first book.

I enjoyed Sebastian’s and Brie’s character development in this second book ( I would have liked for Finn to have the same opportunity), and I wish that the plot’s conclusion was a little more detailed (it felt a bit rushed for me).

Overall this YA series is a well-written easy read, with a well-built but easily immersive world, and by making it a duology the author has delivered two really good and cohesive books.

If you enjoyed ACOTAR you should give this series a try!

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder&Stoughton for an advanced copy of the book in return for my honest opinion.

4.5/5

So I really enjoyed "These Hollow Vows" and while yes there are similarities to some other worlds it's a retelling so I do think it's par for the course, but at the end of the book I wanted more and was so excited when I got the opportunity to read "These Twisted Bonds"

The book picks up right where "These Hollow Vows" ends and bursts in to action where we very quickly get introduced to Misha (who I loved, please can we see more Misha in the future!) and then the story seems to leap from action to another bit of action without much time to build up the story. The interactions with Mab were wonderful and again I wanted more of that character.

I wanted more from Brie I really wanted more angst especially after Ronan/Sebastian/Bash's actions but she just seems to go along with stuff- I loved the storyline with Finn and I think you've guessed that I am 100% team Finn, Sebastian gives me the ick!

I got the ending I hoped for but it all happened way too quickly which took away some of the enjoyment for me- there's an awful lot of action in the last 20% and I still feel like not all the loose ends are tied up , I gave the book 4.5 stars because I wanted more depth there is so much potential in this world that Lexi Ryan has created but I personally think it would have been better suited as a trilogy not a duology so the build up to each new event or revelation was deeper.

It took me a good 25% of this book to get back into it again. THV was a 5 star for me, this is about a 4.5/4.75 and that’s purely for the beginning.

This does feel a little like ACOTAR lite. There are a lot of comparisons and similarities but I really enjoyed it and got swept up in it.

To say I was disappointed was an understatement. These twisted bonds has been on my TBR since I started the first book and I found that most of the book was just filling the reader in on the past and court background I honestly thought when I got 80% in and still nothing really significant had happened that this book was going to end on a cliffhanger and there would be a third book filled with all the action that this one was missing . I also found that the storyline was predictable and poorly executed and I wish Abriela would have stood up for herself and stopped letting Sebastian treat her like she was his property and dictate what she should feel and do. I had no issues with the writing and there were parts of the book I loved but I should warn anyone who wants to pick this book up and finish the duology to lower your standards going in as the 10 total pages of action were rather unclimactic.

2.25/ 5 stars

Picking up exactly where these hollow vows ended, the sequel thrusts you head first into the action from the very first page, and I loved how this pace continued throughout the book resulting in an absolutely action packed sequel!! Whilst this book definitely still had its moments that may have had me slightly cringing - and if you found Brie annoying in book 1 it’s highly likely that you will not find her any less irritating in this one - the plot of the book was SO addicting and I had trouble putting it down. Like seriously what did Lexi Ryan put in this??? I loved getting to know the new characters, and whilst I still didn’t care about Sebastian at all and usually ended up skimming the pages in which he had dialogue, Brie definitely had grown on me by the time I finished the book. Overall I would say this was a fun little duology and I definitely enjoyed this book a lot more than the first ! Will be checking out what Lexi Ryan chooses to write next for sure!!

BOOK REVIEW: These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan

2.5 Stars

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I loved the first in the duology but sadly this was a huge disappointment for me.

Sadly the storyline in this book was very simple and I got quite bored when reading. I also found that things resolved themselves so easily so it didn't feel realistic. The repetition was ridiculous and everything felt so over done and over explained that it became tiresome.
There were so many internal monologues which drove me MAD as they were so boring. Also the pacing was really off. It was all pretty slow until the final scene that should have been the climax but was done way too quickly.

Some of the characters drove me insane in this installment. Abriella just completely lost all of her interesting personality and seemed utterly clueless. Bash was possessive, treated Abriella like a thing rather than a person and was hugely problematic. Abriella just didn't see the things he said as a problem which was really odd. In my opinion the characters deserved so much better as I loved them in the first book. I still liked Finn and he was my favourite of the original characters. There were also some new characters that I did enjoy, especially Misha who was the best part of this book in my opinion!

The writing was fine and easy to read but it was the worldbuilding, characters and storyline that let it down. I will read books by this author in the future because I did love the first book and just hope this was a bit of a mistake. There was so much potential and I just wish this had been edited and thought through much more.

Overall, a disappointment as it could have been so much better but in the end, it wasn't for me.

Please note that I was #gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating: 4,5 stars, but rounded up because the ending had me crying and sobbing and I love it when books rip my heart out.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this, I almost cried when I got the approval notification.

I want to start this by saying that I am writing this review under the assumption that the book will receive a final round of edits, as there were some repetitive sentences, formatting errors, and some minor mistakes, which would affect my rating in a published book. I will re-read These Twisted Bonds once I get my physical copy and update my rating in case the errors are still there.

With that being said, I loved this book.
I picked up These Hollow Vows with no real expectations but ended up loving it. It took many elements that we have seen in different works of fantasy and romantasy and weaved them together to create a new story, so needless to say, I had high hopes (and expectations) for the conclusion to this duology.

It took me a bit to get back into the story and worldbuilding. I think the book would have profited from some quick reminders of who is who. The world is quite complex and I have forgotten most details, so I struggled for a good while. That is also the reason why I am not giving the book 5 stars.

But once I got back into understanding the world and the players, it was all good.
The pacing was great, I never felt bored or as if some parts were rushed.
Some aspects of the plot were a bit predictable, especially because it was reminiscent of A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, but I always like to say that in books, the "How does this happen" is usually more important than the "What happens", so I didn't mind too much. Plus there were enough unexpected plot twists to keep me on the edge of my seat.

The romance aspect was great, I will not say more because I do not want to spoil anything. This was one of the best love triangles that I have read in a long time, and I definitely have a newfound appreciation of the trope, as long as it is executed well.

My favorite part was the ending, for sure. I was STRESSED for the last 15 - 20 %, this was so intense and emotional and overall, just a perfect way to end this duology.

Overall, I really enjoyed this a lot and while it is not as good as the first book in my opinion, I will still forever recommend this duology.

After loving the first book in this duology, I was incredibly excited to get the chance to read this early and it definitely didn't disappoint.

It begins exactly where the first book leaves off, although I don't want to give away spoilers for either book here, but I was happy about that because I couldn't wait to see how Brie would react and am not always a fan of having to get through time jumps to get answers.

We also meet Misha and Amira in this book, who were briefly mentioned in the first book, and I was immediately a fan of Misha.

It's so hard to write a whole review without giving anything away because I just want to talk about all of it! But once again, I loved the plot and was glad to see some development of Brie's character and really loved how the story concluded.


Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

I only skimmed through it for Finn and the sexy times but it doesn't even deliver in that regard. Instead there's a cheesy romance, a boring plot and whiny characters.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book in return for my honest opinion. Thank you to Lexi Ryan and Hodder and Stoughton for giving me the opportunity to read These Twisted Bonds before its release.
After the ending of These Hollow Vows I could not wait to start These Twisted Bonds and I was not disappointed. Following directly on from the events of book one, Brie finds herself thrust in the middle of a longstanding feud between Unseelie and Seelie. With enemies at every corner and her trust betrayed by everyone she knew within the fae population, Brie has unsurmountable odds to face, all while growing accustomed to her new life as a fae.
Throughout the first book I found myself clearly picking a side within the love triangle and I was not disappointed with the romance within the sequel. I absolutely loved the introduction of Misha and I found his and Brie’s interactions to be brilliant.
I enjoyed the confrontation within leading of the Unseelie court, the political impact on the characters and the world as a whole was well executed. The progression of Brie’s powers were brilliant and I enjoyed seeing Brie’s character develop throughout all the challenges.
The development of Fin and Bash throughout this book was well written and I grew to grudgingly admire one by the end.
This was a thrilling conclusion that had me gripping the edge of my seat, I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next and I could not put this book down. Fans of These Hollow Vows are sure to love this book.

An amazing follow up to ‘These Hollow Vows’. I loved it ; twists and turns abound. I loved the characters and waited with anticipation to see how the love triangle might play out. Lots of action and some real surprises. Not having read any other series by Lexi Ryan, I did enjoy her style particularly as her previous romances did not interest me in the same this duology has.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

Okay. If you've seen my review of The Hollow Vows, you know that I was less than a fan of it. And I was really hoping this one would be better.

It was not.

This is basically if ACOTAR had the stupidest protagonist of all time and none of the characters had personalities.

My biggest problem is that I absolutely despise Abriella. She is a complete and utter guillible moron. She is taken in by anyone's worst lies and is so self-rightgeous and "special" for no reason. She constantly thinks everything is about her and her power, even though there is a literal war going on. She goes on and on about how she doesn't trust anyone, and yet, will take Sebastian's word for literally anything. You know. The guy who killed her???

And as for Sebastian, I was so desperate for him to be killed off I didn't have to hear about him ever again. He has no personality other than "want to be king and smooch Abriella", which is boring as hell. He has pretty much no redeeming or interesting qualities and is basically a very bad copy of Tamlin without all the complex aspects of Tamlin's character.

And Finn. Once again, Finn was there. And that's pretty much all you can say about him.

The romance was.... bad. <spoiler> So Abriella goes from spending all her time defending Sebastian and begging everyone to like him, and then like a week later is making out with Finn for essentially no reason. I don't know why she likes him, and I don't know why he likes her. There is no growth or transition between her relationships, Abriella is basically a serial monogamist. And then suddenly, she and Finn are declaring their love for each other, which is I guess because that's what happened in ACOTAR and this is a bad version of that? </spoiler>

The ending was fine? I guess. I feel like I totally forgot it seconds after I read it, probably because it was incredibly anticlimactic and boring.

One of my big issues as well was the barely veiled mimicing of ACOTAR. <spoiler> We had the dark love interest gift the protagonist a cabin, tethering which essentially is a mating bond, the dark love interest making the protagonist literally glow with happiness, and even the dark love interest having the protagonist pretend to be his girlfriend to impress his fae court. Obviously, these are general things but added together I just kept comparing it to ACOTAR, which is a better series. If you got through this, go read that. You'll be much happier. </spoiler>

So yeah. This did not do it for me. Two stars.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the arc of These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Following the explosive cliffhanger After that jaw dropping cliffhanger of These Hollow Vows, These Twisted Bonds had to deliver, and it definitely does start with a flying pace that just accelerates as you read…I couldn’t put it down! Ryan continues to deliver, picking up from the revelations and betrayals seamlessly with Brie having to work out what she does next, whilst she continues to hunt for her place in the Faerie world.

The world building and magic system continue to grow exponentially, with clarity and logic being applied so brilliantly that it’s pretty much flawless. The history of Faerie including how the Seelie and Unseelie courts came to being was delivered perfectly. There is no preaching, there is no teaching, the history, the magic, the world building, the threads of the story and the plot are all skillfully woven as they build upon the foundations laid in These Twisted Bonds.
The plot itself is totally on fire and completely satisfying, even if some of the twists and turns are whiplash strong and delivered at a flying pace. I can see that it might have been tempting to pad this series out to a trilogy, but I’m really happy that despite the pace and a few sudden turns, it wasn’t.

From a character perspective, Abriella’s (Brie’s) character continues to grow, not only in her magical skill, but in her self-recognition. She continues to fight for all that she believes in, but recognises and faces her own mistakes and errors of judgement, doing what she can to right wrongs and ultimately, deliver for the Unseelie. Saying this, it’s definitely no walk in the park for Brie and she really does have to face her demons, Ryan handles this so well, delivering a depth of feeling that at times is seriously emotional.

And yes, I hear you ask what about the love triangle? What about Bash (Sebastian) and Finn (Finnian,) how is this handled? I’m not usually the world’s biggest fan of love triangles, particularly when they are far too prescriptive and not handled well, but Ryan delivers! The triangle between the three is devastating, emotionally draining, tense, heartfelt, joyous and of course steamy!

And I really need to pay homage to Misha, he is an absolute dote. Entirely honest about his intentions and where he seeks to benefit, but also so supportive of Brie and there for her, as a true friend should be. Plus, his asides and comments are an absolute joy to read.

If you are looking for a truly thrilling, explosive, emotional conclusion to These Hollow Vows, then These Twisted Bonds delivers on all fronts! I read it in a single day, it’s fast paced, action packed, full to the gills with twists, turns, romance and more! And oh I wish I’d taken longer to read it, because finishing it was devastating…I didn’t want it to end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC of this book!

I read the first book in January and really enjoyed it. It gave me all the fun angsty fae fantasy romance vibes and I couldn't put it down. I was so excited when I got approved for this ARC!

It wasn't that this book was bad, it just wasn't good either. The resolution of the conflict was way too quick and way too easy and even though my favorite couple ended up together it wasn't that believable. It felt a little forced and weird, and many of the lines were so cheesy. Even though there were a lot of things that had me rolling my eyes this book was still fun and I read it so quickly. I really liked the side characters in this book, especially Misha! He was the best!
I felt like the book started out so strong and I loved experiencing Misha's lands and Abriella's inner conflict about her bond with Sebastian and her conflict with Finn. But then the romance started and it just turned a little meh.

Overall not a bad conclusion, but nothing special either which makes me a little sad since I really liked the first one. I will pick up whatever Lexi Ryan publishes in the fantasy genre again because the books were so readable and very addicting.

Another thing, and this may be a spoiler but, in what other book have we heard about a queen being locked in an iron coffin... Couldn't we have come up with something a little more original?

These Twisted Bonds is a good sequel and answers all the questions we're left with at the end of These Hollow Vows.

The book starts right where the last one left off which is nice, there are no time jumps or rushed explanations. The plot is quite slow at the start, there's an awful lot of faerie politics which I didn't love, I probably should've reread the first book to fully wrap my head around everything but I managed to get by with the general recaps given along the way. The plot picks up once Finn is back on the scene and there starts to be more action and getting things done, I definitely preferred the second half.

The angst is perfect, while Brie has two potential matches in Sebastian and Finn, the book doesn't solely focus on romance - which makes sense given the state of the world and everything going on. There are just enough moments to make you root for one character or the other but it doesn't overwhelm the plot, the scenes that were there were great and I really liked how the romance turned out!

Brie goes through a lot of personal growth as she comes to terms with her place in the world and her powers, I really liked how she didn't immediately accept her new life and needed time to grieve her human one. I also liked that she didn't let Sebastian get away with the way he acted in the first book, she holds him accountable for his actions and doesn't forgive him easily.

The side characters are just as good as in the first book! I also really liked a new character, Misha, he's really fun and I'd love a spin-off book with him. The duology is wrapped up nicely but I think the world is left in a good place for more books.

If you love ACOTAR and Cruel Prince, This DUOLOGY is for you!

I just finished and I cannot put into words - my dismay that there are only 2 books!
I NEED MORE!!!! Lexi Ryan has absolutely blown my mind. Her writing is compelling, imaginative and so spellbinding I literally want to start rereading immediately!

She has brought everything from two of my favorite storyworlds and amplified it beyond my imagination. The lore and myths and mystical creatures that Faerie entails are brought to life with compelling narrative, imaginative and relateable characters and magical plottwists.

I cannot stop recommending these books. Do yourself a favor and RUN, yes RUN to your nearest bookstore or library and fall in love with the talent that is Lexi Ryan's writing.

“In a different world, in a different life, we would be together,” I whisper. “No Kingdoms to rule, no people to save, just you and me and a simple life of loving each other.”

“But we’re in this world.” He presses a kiss to my forehead, and it feels like saying goodbye. “So I’ll have to save that for my dreams.”

Okay first of such a massive thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a ARC of one of my most anticipated reads of this year! I absolutely loved These Hollow Vows and the frieken cliffhanger had me literally jumping into book two where we start off with the revelation about what Sebastian had done to Brie, and she is now on the run from her the Seelie prince, a prince she once trusted and loved enough to be bonded too. With the Seelie court in absolute chaos, Brie has to deal with the chaos in her heart, of loving two princes but not trusting either of them. As prophecies are unfolding and Brie comes face to face with the fact that she might play a massive role in the fate of a court and magical realm she once hated.


Lexi Ryan sure knows how to write a love triangle my word. I am obviously team Finn, but even at a point my heart was kinda sore for Bash( I’m going soft.) Massive twist with another character introduced: Misha - who hides Brie in her adventure of figuring herself out. I absolutely adored his character. This side character really stole the show for me.

I have to say some of the plot twists were a bit predictable- but I enjoyed this book so much. There was enough going on plot wise and romantic wise that I stayed intrigued continually. The tension in book two was absolute fire(think bathroom scene and multiply by 50)! Yup, that good.

The ending left me super satisfied, but also left enough room that we can suspect another book😍

Fans of ACOTAR or Cruel Prince will eat this series up. 100% recommended.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the second time I requested this book and when I saw that I had been approved I made a noise my colleagues have never heard from me before. I was so excited I started the book that night.

This picks up where we left off in These Hollow Vows. Within the first few chapters we are introduced to a new character which I found very interesting and wouldn't mind being friends with even if he does spy on everyone.

I love that I could get back into this duology without skipping a beat and knowing exactly what happened as past events are brought to the forefront so you don't necessarily have to read book one again first but why wouldn't you because both books are excellent.

I am still madly in love with Finnian and I've told some of my book friends about him in order the pique their interest.

What an absolute cracking conclusion to this series. Would definitely read more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for the free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this book in just a day. Which is a big deal for me lately because I have basically 0 focus. I loved the first one and read it super quickly. I think I liked this one even more. It was so fun and easy to read.

The voice and writing style are just to easy to consume without having to focus too much. Brie feels so real with the way she thinks and talks. The cast in this book is even better than the last and I may have a new favourite. A certain newbie is such a fun, vibrant character that I couldn't help but adore them.

If you loved the last book, you'll love this one too. The development of old plots and the introduction of new ones is done incredibly well and I absolutely adored the ending (though it was a tad on the quick side!). The overall pacing was fantastic and I loved returning to this world. I would love, love, love to see a spinoff or just something more set in this world!

This ending to the duology was absolutely perfection. I was immediately hooked back in the story from page one. The character development went to the next level, I seriously want so many novellas from all the side characters. They way they all just meshed so well together and into the story was amazing. I loved the continuation of the plot, and all the political issues the seelie and unseelie faced. I sometimes get confused when authors over complicate things and even though there was a lot of information and political problems and information I was always able to understand what was happening. The read was so quick again but such beautiful writing. I adore Abriella and Sebastian and finn. The storylines and complexity between them all was stunning to watch. I felt like I was watching a movie. Honestly the only problem I had was its only a duology because I loved the plot and characters so much I just want to read more. Even if it was just boring day to day I would read about them. If you love anything with seelied, unseeiled, goblins and all those fantastical creatures with a really solid intriguing plot line I highly recommend these books.