These Twisted Bonds

5⭐️

I found These Twisted Bonds to be just as addictive a read as These Hollow Vows! I liked that Brie came into herself and her powers more, the romance was swoony even though the spice was mild and the plot was interesting.

I found the beginning a little slow and I struggled to get back into the world after the initial action-packed chapters. I really enjoyed the addition of a few new characters (side note: I need a Misha spin-off 👀) and I felt that all the characters had the arc they deserved.

I did predict pretty much everything that happened so there weren’t really any twists for me, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment at all. I do wish that some of the final climax chapters with the enemy Queen were elongated as it did feel like it was wrapped up pretty neatly – even though I could tell that the plot was leading in that direction. I do feel like the plot maybe had more intricacies and mystery in the first book, but I still thought it was good.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this and I hope that this isn’t the last we see of some of these characters!

I received an eARC from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.

I must admit that I jumped and screamed when I saw that I had gotten approval to get the arc of “These twisted bonds”. And of cause I started to read the book right away. And ohh my, there are some predictable things in the book, just like in book one. But the way to get to the points I can not foresee. Lexy Ryan has spelled bound me to keep reading this book.

I really liked this book, but when I hit 80%, then I knew it would be rushed, and a bit cut off. And it was so, I was missing some more description of some things, but also Bries necklace somewhat didn’t exist through the book, was never in the way, and that made it weird. And the ending was a little too much sugar coated and too smooth. But I still loved the book, though not as much as book one.
But if you love “A court of thorns and roses” then you will love this series too. Cause it’s very inspired by “A court of thorns and roses”

But even though it had some misses, and could be better, then I still enjoyed the book very much and therefor my rating.

Received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review so here we go 💕

Rating: 4.5/5⭐️

This sequel picks up right after Brie wakes up to find out she is now her worst nightmare - a fae; and that the prince she thought she was in love with had betrayed her! But her mistrust of everyone cannot get in the way of saving the courts and restaure the balance to the fae realm. After all, prophecies don’t lie!

Although the beginning was a little bit of more of the same, the rhythm quickly changes to a fast paced, intriguing and captivating pace with one or two plot twist on the mix and a heartwarming ending!

One of the things that captivated my attention the most - if you don’t count all the interaction between the characters -, was the in dept history and legends of the fae realm that we haven’t had the opportunity to read about until now. I never pay much attention to the details on maps because I find it hard to actually visualise it while reading a book but Lexi was just magnificent on it! Every little detail about the legends and the creation of the what we know now to be the fae realm is so well written that you can clearly visualise the map in your head as this rich world is being created!

Team Bash or Team Finn? I don’t dislike neither, I think that at the end of the line they both wanted the same but had different ways of achieving it. I’m glad that because Brie has a bond with Bash you can actually see more of his true intentions and feelings and he’s actually a good guy. And Finn is too! They do truthfully want the best for the realm and the unseelie court. At some point I wanted Brie to end up with none of them, and some of my own theories were proved regarding Brie and Finn; but it’s Bash last sacrifice for Brie that makes me like him more. Don’t worry, they’re all safe in the end!

I really enjoyed this conclusion to These Hollow Vows, it was one of my most anticipated books of 2022 and I cannot wait to see what Lexi will bring us next! Hopefully with very charming Faes in it…!

Review to be posted on my bookstagram (@maria_bookshelf) early April 🥰

I was so happy to receive an arc of this book and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. It is well written with a compelling plot and well developed characters, all wrapped up in excellent world building. Full of vivid descriptions and rich imagery I felt like I could be on the pages with the characters and honestly I wish I had been. I found some elements of the plot to be predictable, but I didnt care I was invested and I was loving it.

After that jaw dropping cliffhanger in These Hollow Vows, These Twisted Bonds hits the ground running, picking up immediately in the aftermath of the revelations, chaos and utter betrayals. The axis of Brie’s life has completely shifted and she must quickly decide her next plan of attack. What transpires next is a story packed with more twists, Brie’s search for her place in the world and an adventure to hopefully save the entire Faerie kingdom.

A round of applause for Lexi Ryan!!! *applause, applause applause!*
This is *thee* duology of 2022! What. A. Conclusion. I squealed, I laughed, I cried. It was heartpoundingly entertaining, intricately crafted, extremely romantic… Honestly I could be here all day raving about it.

The magic system and its function in the plot was INCREDIBLE! These Twisted Bonds explores more of the history of faerie, more specifically the formation of the seelie and unseelie courts, how each received and used their power, why the courts are split instead of one big happy kingdom, all of which I absolutely loved. It felt very satisfying finally seeing all of the threads come together in a richly descriptive way. I found These Twisted Bonds more politically developed than its predecessor, whilst remaining very light in its feeling, through Ryan’s own clever style.

On the point of clever: the twists! The turns! The plot was truly electrifying. I didn’t predict some of the plot manoeuvres, and even the bits I did predict were still great, because Ryan’s development of it all was enjoyable and engaging, her characters were interesting and their dialogue was a whole lot of fun.

Ryan upped the ante with Abriella’s character. I adored everything she can be read to stand for. She is not just a survivor: she’s a warrior who is battling the evils of the world, not just for herself but for everyone around her. Naturally, this is an exhausting role and more often than not, thankless and isolating. At the same time, she deals with very dark emotions: self loathing and loneliness, to name some. Ryan illustrated these very potent emotions so loudly, I had tears in my eyes and even ended up sobbing at Brie’s lowest points. I didn’t expect it to be so raw and painfully relatable. Her vulnerability called to me so much so it haunted me at night. I really would have climbed into the book just to give Brie that moral support and a big old hug. I love when fantasy borders that line of being so tangibly real through a character’s emotions… it was extremely powerful. In short, her characterisation was impeccable.

And the romance?? Is it actually possible to be seduced by fictional men?? I think Ryan and everyone at Hodderscape met up and said “let’s find out”. Ryan definitely feeds us, that’s safe to say. Whether all book friends will be happy with how the love triangle ends… Well, all I can say is, I definitely was. These Twisted Bonds offers more pull-and-tug, steam and heartfelt moments that made my breath catch and heart soar.

The side characters are all either likeable or serve their purpose. Would I have liked to have seen more exploration and development of other characters? In truth, yes, I would have. I’d have liked to see beyond Brie’s feelings for who she ultimately ended up with/loved, to see more of him as a person in of himself, versus what he was for/toward Brie. Also, I loved every moment of newcomer, Misha, who quite frankly almost stole the show for me. I’d loved to have learned more about him beyond his support and incredible friendship with Brie. Nevertheless, I think it’s very clear: this is very much Brie’s story, with every other character - even her love interests - serving her arc, the world building and overall plot.

These Twisted Bonds is a sequel and conclusion that delivers everything you’d expect and a little bit more to a highly readable duology that’s easy to obsess over and get swept up in. It’s fast paced, full of action and curveballs, stomach swooping romance… All of which make the books truly palpitating and the definition of a page turner. I loved this book as much as the first, I’ll happily reread both in future and I’ll cheerlead for it wherever and whenever. I was truly gutted to finish it - never being able to read it for the first time again - which is the prime example of a well loved story. So yes, Ryan and Hodderscape, if you wish to explore more stories set in this world (*cough*, maybe the Wild Fae Lands, *cough*)… I wouldn’t be against that… not at all!

Thank you beyond words to Hodderscape for an e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.

First of all, thank you so, so much to Netgalley for an eArc of These Twisted Bonds, which was one of my most anticipated reads of this year!

After such high standards from These Hollow Vows, the sequel certainly didn’t disappoint. The book was very fast paced and full of adventure from the very beginning, leading right on from the painful ending of These Hollow Vows. Throughout, the action packed pace continued and I ended up reading the book in less than 48 hours because I was so engrossed and invested in the plot!

There were many twists and turns, and the betrayal from one of the characters was a total shock that I didn't at all see coming. I also did not expect the ending to end how it did! I’m so, so happy that Brie ended up with who she did- I was rooting for them from the very beginning and I think they just make the perfect couple.

If you enjoyed These Hollow Vows, you should definitely read These Twisted Bonds and if you haven’t, I highly recommend reading These Hollow Vows!

Firstly I want to thank Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the e-arc, you’ve made my year!! 😍❤️

Where do I even begin with the absolutely perfectly incredible book?! It’s everything
wanted, needed and so much more.

These Twisted Bonds starts exactly where These Hollow Vows finishes. Brie rushes out of the Golden Court after being betrayed by Sebastian and is unsure of where to go and that’s where her adventure begins. We learn that there’s something wrong with The Shadow Court and that Brie, Finn and the Unseelie must journey to save it. I want to keep this spoiler free so I won’t go on too much. I just loved every second of it.

Brie is brilliant in this book. I love her friendship with Misha, he’s my new favourite and they’re relationship is the best ❤️🥰

I know everyone that’s read These Hollow Vows has a preference to which prince they want Brie to be with so I’m not saying anything about either of them on here, sorry!! 😅😅

These Hollow Vows was my favourite read of 2021 so this book was my most anticipated read of 2022 and it did not disappoint!! I am obsessed with it!! 😍😍 I put it down and wanted to pick it straight back up again (I read the epilogue 3 times). If I could I’d give it 10 stars, I really really loved it ❤️❤️

This book is incredible. I think this may be one of my favourite duologies, if not my absolute favourite. It books up Brie's story from where we left off in these hollow vows, and the story just keeps GIVING. The tension throughout this book is elite and I can not wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book. I have been waiting a year since I read the first one (which i completed in 24 hours) and this one did not let me down. There were times where i was holding my breathe, where I was so angry and scared that the out come I wanted wouldn't happen. I really felt the emotions of the characters and routed so hard for them. I can not recommend this enough. I absolutely adore this book and will be a firm favourite going forward. I just LOVED it.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Lexi Ryan for an advanced copy of These Twisted Bonds in exchange for my honest review.

I was a huge fan of These Hollow Vows when I recieved an ARC last year, and was highly anticipating the sequel. As soon as it landed on my Netgalley shelf I knew I had to stop reading everything else to make room. I was not disappointed at all. I absolutely loved the way the story flowed from the previous book, and the character development throughout just kept me enthralled. Although there were less plot twists in this book than the previous, I didn't anticipate any of them this time around.

I loved watching Brie grow, but more so I think I enjoyed getting to know Finn even more. Bash was a surprise towards the end, I was not a fan of him based on These Hollow Vows and so I think it took me a longer time to appreciate his growth, but overall I was a big fan of watching the main characters, and side characters, develop as the story continued.

Some novels really ham it up with their epilogues, but I really liked the fact that Lexi Ryan did not have hers sets 10 years into the future. What we get is just a little glimpse, seeing how the events from the rest of the book have played out and I really enjoyed that.

This book made me cry in places, laugh in others and I know I will be thinking about Brie and Bash and Finn for a long time to come.

This has been one of my most anticipated releases this year, I've wanted to read this since I closed the first book after finishing it.
This was a great conclusion, the romance was great and I'm not a romance reader, the sexy scenes where actually sexy, It was like Lizzie and Darcy but sexy. The character development was amazing and the amount of politics, history and world building in this one was such a great conclusion to the duology.
I inhaled this book, every page gripped me and I would read every fantasy book by Lexi Ryan going forward if she continues to write in this genre.

5/5

When I read These Hollow Vows I was drawn in right from the start, and These Twisted Bonds was no different! This was such an addictive read.

The sequel starts right where These Hollow Vows finished, with Brie finding herself a situation she had dreaded and not knowing who to trust.

I really enjoyed learning more about the characters, seeing Brie come into her powers, and the new side characters we were introduced to.

The world building captivated me more in this book - learning about the history and legends. The plot was well developed, and we had some mild spice thrown in too!

This book beautifully rounded off the story, but I really wish there were more books in this series because I need more!

If you enjoy books with fae, mystery, slow burn, romance with mild spice, then I could not recommend this sequel more!

Couldn't fault this sequel at all. It feels like I've been waiting to find out what happened after that twist of an ending last time and Lexi Ryan has certainly delivered.
This is a spoiler free review so I won't say too much but the characters remain ones that we have already come to love (and hate) and the world building remains strong. I love the style of writing and the effort that goes into making something like this come to life for us readers.
Definitely worth reading if you've enjoyed the first book.
Full review to be uploaded on my blog soon.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I had high expectations for this sequel, given how much I loved These Hollow Vows last year (was in my top 5 reads). I wanted it to blow me away, but I wasn't quite prepared for just how much it would exceed all that I hoped for. This is a fantastic read, and I don't think I'm going to be able to come down from the high it's left me on for some time.

If the theme of the first book was betrayal, the second is about trust. I loved following Abriella's journey back from the deceit and pain of the betrayals she experienced/inflicted during THV, and watching her learn how to trust in this new world as a member of the Fae. This time, the layers of the bonds that Brie created in the first book are very much so at the forefront of this journey, and whilst at times they were exasperating, I was thoroughly invested in seeing how Brie, Finn and Bash would untangle everything between them.

And okay, with the love triangle that was established in book one, I had hoped for it not to be dragged out for long in book two as it's not a favourite trope of mine. However, the way it weaved into the story, how the bond forged between Bash and Brie caused continuing challenges, and the connection between Finn and Brie morphed into something more were both written in a way that is so rewarding to read. I found myself going through the ups and downs along with Brie, understanding her frustrations and the loneliness that came from having no clear answer on who to trust. I also really appreciated Lexi Ryan's endeavour to make Brie someone who could rely on herself. She's already had to for so long in her life, but it was refreshing to see Brie refute the easy routes with both men. Her inner strength has always been something I've admired about her and seeing her reap the rewards and come into her true being through this novel made my love for her as a formidable female character grow.

The additional storyline about the dying Unseelie court, ongoing tensions with the Golden Queen, the new characters brought into this world (I love Misha so much, and he is totally joining the top ranks of the "I wish he was my friend too" club), and the return of old favourites created such an immersive experience. I felt as if I were truly along for the journey and loved what each character brought to this story both good and bad. My feelings for Finnian and Sebastian remained the same from who I adored more in the first book, and I'm very happy with how the author concluded the placement of both men in Abriella's life. Yes, a lot of my exasperation still came from Bash's actions, but I expected that, and I'm glad he continued to be the character I'd come to enjoy him as in THV. Finn continued to cement his placement as a fictional book boyfriend, and I'm thrilled with his character revelations and growth in this story too.

The romance aspects of this were even better than the first book, and holy hell, when it got steamy, you got a good glimpse at what Lexi Ryan writes best - romance. I loved the spicy moments, the genuine emotions that built through the love in this story and the pain that came from it too. I am so glad I took the time to read some of Ryan's romance in between the wait for this second book as I came to appreciate the best of both worlds she's created in These Twisted Bonds.

If anything were to be something to critique, it'd be that this world has ended. Whilst I knew this would always be a duology, I truly do hope Lexi Ryan considers revisiting this world. I'd love for her to explore the changes that concluded this world, especially around Bash and Jas' new roles. I'd also love any and every update we could get on Brie and Finn too. I do hope Lexi Ryan returns to writing fantasy again. I've thoroughly enjoyed her attempt at this genre and will continue to look forward to anything she brings out in the future too.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book! What a truly fantastic conclusion to this dualogy, I was completely invested with the characters and their journeys through out! I loved how the book kicked off straight from the cliffhanger at the end of book one. The world building was even more epic in this book and not once was I left feeling that there could of been more, I was left content by the end. I look forward to more fantasy books from this author.

A huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of These Twisted Bonds!

Title: These Twisted Bonds (These Hollow Vows #2)
Author: Lexi Ryan
Genre: Fantasy, young adult, romance, magical realism.
Characters: 4.5/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Writing style: 4/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall ratings: 4.5/5

In this enrapture sequel and closure to These Hollow Vows, the struggle to devise a plan to save her captive sister is not the worst fate that befallen Brie. Trapped in the middle of the two princes, she was forced to choose between two futures whilst building back the balance of the collapsed fae realm.

Brief Synopsis: After making a huge decision for herself in These Hollow Vows, Brie considered herself making the wrong ones as things start to become unclear and tricky. Her emotions are all over the place and she had to do something to control herself or something bad would happen. When civil war rages in the Court of Darkness, Brie was stuck in the midst of dubious possibilities as she was unable to choose sides. With newly found power in her veins, she needs to make a stand and conjure up the best resolution for all to save the fae realm, even if she needs to sacrifice her own heart…

Thoughts on plot and pacing:
Not gonna lie, I picked this up immediately after binge-read These Hollow Vows because I want to see whether she ends up with Finn or Sebastian. However, that’s not the case here as this sequel offers a lot more than just a love story. Making a decision is never an easy job especially if you are dealing with the fate of the court. Whilst finding her own root and identity, Brie did her best to help those who were trapped under the fate of Queen Arya’s rules as she realized her impression of fae was unfair and she wants to change it. I really like the pacing as it wasn’t straightly fast or slow, but rather a combination of those two. There are scenes where the pacing needs to be fast or slow and the author did her job well in adapting the flow of the story to the event that needs to unravel. It was packed, thrilling, and sexy. These Twisted Bonds truly blow my mind with the history, the mysteries, and the angsty tension between Brie, Sebastian, and Finn.

Thoughts on characters and development:
I truly adore these characters with my whole heart. I will not pick which guy I want Brie to end up with, as it is not the reason why I proceed with this sequel. The portrayals of anger, devastation, love, and overwhelming emotions were depicted well and clearly. We got to see and feel how Brie managed her feelings with these two love interests, and I really like how it turned out in the end. Her feelings became clearer with unending twists and turns, and let me say that I adore both guys in my own way no matter which one she chose in the end. From being uncertain and a mere mortal, Brie finally braced herself, even the worst part of her as she learns that until she truly embraces the dark inside her, her true power will never be unearthed. We also got to see the friendship and trust formed between these unlikely people and I love to see the dynamic built despite the torment and betrayal. One thing for sure is that Lexi Ryan really knew how to write a great fantasy book.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hodder & Staughton for the e-ARC in return for my honest review.

"Was it all a lie? Every tough of his lips, every whispered promise."

YES, BRIE! IT WAS ALL A LIE!

This. Book. I loved These Hollow Vows and it ended up as one of my favourite books of 2021, and I had high expectations for the sequel. Those expectations were more than met by These Twisted Bonds.

The journey of self-discovery Brie goes through in this sequel after being turned fae at the end of book one is, in my opinion, the main theme of this book. Yes there is romance, yes there are running issues of politics and social upheaval in the fae realms. But the real star of the show is Brie's development, both in character and power, and the way she navigates her relationships with her newfound fae body.

"Part of me knew, even then, that he was no villain."

The end of book one did set up a bit of a love triangle situation, and usually the longer they go on in a book, the less I feel invested in the situation. This triangle, however, is made all the different by the existence of the bond between Brie and Bash, and the growing connection between Brie and Finn. It really made a difference to the dynamics between the characters and I liked seeing how the bond effected different situations.

"I don't think love is about what we deserve. It's an opening of our hearts, not a judgement we make."

The only issue I have with These Twisted Bonds was that it's the end! I've really enjoyed exploring this world, and I wish we could know more about some of the other characters, especially Misha who we are introduced to in this book and who swiftly became a favourite. This is a problem I often have with books written in the first person with just the singular POV - I want more! I want to know what Finn and Pertha and Jas and even Bash are thinking. I'd love it if Lexi would return to this world in the future -maybe to catch up a few years after the events of this book, or to tell the stories of some of the side characters we ended up loving so much.

This was a solid 5-star read for me, and I feel so incredibly lucky to have read it early too.

OMGGGGG THAT WAS SO GOOD IM GONNA NEED A MINUTE TO COMPOSE MY THOUGHTS HOLY SHIT

Actual review:

These Twisted Bonds starts off at the end of the last book, Brie running away from the Court of Sun. She navigates the fae world and comes into herself and her power throughout the book.
This book was a million times better than the first one and completely redemeed and surpassed any expectations I had, in fact I loved it so much I finished it in bare hours.
Brie starts off still very stupid and purposely ignorant to a lot of things but she grows as a character and in the end overcomes her demons and steps into the role she was born to be. Sebastian still annoyed me throughout the book but his behaviour really threw me off - he truly became the male that Brie believed him to be and I respect that. Finn is still a darling <3

I did not expect the ending, in fact I was sat so nervous until the very last chapter and when the ending happened, I literally screamed from surprise and excitement. This book is filled with magic, love, unexpected revelations and is just so good.

What a fantastic conclusion to the story and the world and I can truly say I'll miss it.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the book for a honest review.

In the conclusion to These Hollow Vows Brie finds herself running and stumbling headlong into trouble. As she is still caught between the two princes and her destiny how will it end when the lives and fates of so many are at stake

This was an epic conclusion to an amazing duology; I both eagerly awaited the ending and dreaded the series ending. However, I was not disappointed, the book starts with Brie running straight into the action and there are twists and turns up until the last moment. Another 5 start read!

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

I absolutely loved the first book, These Hollow Vows, but I did have a few issues with Brie being tormentingly stupid on occasion. Thankfully, These Twisted Bonds has completely redeemed her character flaws. After the betrayals of the first book, Brie launches herself into her new circumstances taking no more shit from anyone.

Although Brie has gone all independent woman, the love triangle is still a major part of the plot. It's practically what drives the plot with it being tied to major and influential historical events. So, if you hate a love triangle this may annoy you. I love an emotional love triangle so I was all over it and very happy with its outcome.

We also get a new character in this book who was briefly mentioned in the first book. Misha, Pretha's brother, is awesome and I really wish he had been present in the first book. He brought an energy These Hollow Vows lacked that These Twisted Bonds really benefited from. I would love a spin-off starring him and his kingdom.

The "twists" and reveals were somewhat predictable but it didn't make the story any less enjoyable. It was the characters that really made this duology such an engaging and enjoyable read.

These Twisted Bonds was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022. How could it not be, when These Hollow Vows ended like THAT?! The ending made me MAD. In a good and in a bad way. Like "you can't end it like this!" "Omg, I can't wait for her to get her revenge!" and "AHHH I KNEW IT, I HATE HIM SO MUCH!" There was a lot of emotions, and anyone who spoke to me about These Twisted Bonds got informed that yes, they should read it, but expect to be left steaming at the end, dying to get in to the sequel.

So obvs I had to request an arc. And then I waited in fear that, despite approving me for the first book, they'd go 'nah' and not give me this one. But I was approved, so thank you, I wish all the good things on you @ Hodder & Stoughton.

This novel picked up right where the last one left of, immediately throwing us back into the action and all of the emotion. It was fast paced as Brie ran for her life and tried to work out her feelings - betrayal, hurt, grief, pain. All emotions that she has to learn to work through and cope with throughout the course of the novel. It's not easy for her. She's got rage, she's got hurt, and part of this book is her trying to reconcile those parts of herself with who she wants to be. It was incredibly powerful to see Brie work through these feelings, she didn't wake up one day and felt fine, or forgiving. And even if sometimes her choices annoyed me (like you seriously didn't just stab Bash when you saw him again?!) I understood her confusion.

I really can't say much plot wise because of spoilers, but what I will say was that it was action packed, filled with tons of twist and turns. Some of them I had theories about so it was nice to see them be fulfilled.

There are some areas of the book that are a little weak - such as one part towards the end that felt like it had been resolved a little too easily after building up how difficult it would be for 2 novels. Also some plot difficulties felt a bit forced . . . like why did you not just do that *thing* before going off and doing that *thing*? But eh. It didn't impact my enjoyment of the book too much, it was just a shame when so much of the book felt strong.

Towards the end I did start to get nervous that it wasn't all going to be wrapped up in time, or feel rushed, but it didn't. It ended well, but I was preparing myself for "surprise! We've got a third book coming." Which, sure, I wouldn't have minded, but I think this worked well as a duology so I'm glad Ryan and the publisher decided to stick with that.

Also - this book also introduced Misha and I love Misha, so there is that.

Overall, These Twisted Bonds was an excellent conclusion to the duology.

A fantastic conclusion to a beautifully written duology!

This stunning sequel picks up right where we left off with Brie learning of Sebastian's betrayal and having to face the repercussions of bonding with him. Whilst betrayal is a heavy theme in book one, book two is centered a lot around learning to trust again.

Brie has grows a lot in this book and is a very strong female character. I loved how selfless she was, even when it resulted in getting herself into some sticky situations.

I found the plot twist to be rather predictable due to the heavy foreshadowing throughout, however this does not take away from the overall enjoyment of the book.

I found myself extremely invested in the romance, which is no surprise considering I loved it in book one. I'm not a fan of love triangles but somehow Lexi Ryan made it work and I actually found myself enjoying this book more because of it. I think I knew who Brie would end up with from the very beginning and I was not disappointed!

I'm so sad that this series is over because it was so good that two books wasn't enough. I feel like these books have so much more potential so I am hoping that Lexi Ryan writes a spin off series!


Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5⭐️ not even sure how to write a coherent review at the moment, but dangggg this book really did the damn thing! I was a bit on the fence for most of book 1, but the cliffhanger left me wanting to know what happened *immediately* and book 2 did not disappoint!

I don’t even like love triangles, it’s actually one of my most disliked tropes, but this book was so well done I honestly just wish it were longer. Or that there was going to be a third book so the plot beats that happen in the last 20% could have had a bit more room to breath. That’s legit my only critique 😂

Also Misha is everything and I’m gonna need their spin off ASAP.

If you even somewhat enjoyed book one, I definitely recommend reading book two when it is released!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC in exchange for an honest review*

**Thank you to NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC. Here are my honest thoughts**

To say I've been so excited for the conclusion to this duology since I finished the first book is an understatement, and to receive an arc on top of that??
I was so happy to have this book in my hot little hands, that I barely stopped reading it until I was finished.

I fell in love with this world through Lexi Ryan's words, and this continuation into the world was no different. It felt like coming home all over again.
Starting basically from where These Hollow Vows ended, Brie is dealing with all of her emotions of betrayal, hurt, and who to trust on top of being turned Fae.
This takes us on her journey of self-discovery and how to save a whole kingdom, and the two princes vying for her heart.

Brie is such a strong female leading character, and so self-less, that I sometimes wish she could think of herself first, but I know she wouldn't be true to who she is if she did.
My love for Finnian grew and grew with every interaction we got with him in this book, and I felt that there was never enough time to have as much of him as I wanted. Haha.

All the new characters that we met along the way captured my heart just like the ones we already knew.
What can I say? I am a sucker for found family, and in this story Brie finds it.
I was always very passionate about my dislike for the behavior and actions of one character from the first book, and I was pleasantly surprised that he redeemed himself. It was all due to Ryan's excellent writing.

I'm sad that this story and this world are now over because honestly, I could never get sick of it.

Hot fae summer is back 🔥🔥🔥

I’m so glad this is a duology and not a trilogy, the pacing of this series is spot on. Fast paced enough to stay engaging, whilst lingering in a few choice moments to really keep the vibes going.

This is a fun fae love triangle read with spice & violence - what more could you want?

I loved meeting more characters and uncovering more of the OG cast’s motivation. I loved Misha so much, and I loved seeing Brie stop focusing on her insecurities and build friendships & a life in the fae world. Brie’s character development in this is A++.

One I’ll be recommending for ACOTAR and Holly Black fans!

Wow, this book really is a successful conclusion to this wonderful dilogy! I’ve loved the first book so much and therefore I had high expectations for the sequel. And fortunately I wasn't disappointed, but my expectations were even exceeded.



The author's writing style is captivating and addictive. While reading you become part of the story yourself and thanks to the pictorial representations I could find my way around wonderfully in this new fantasy world. In general, I absolutely loved the world building! Both the atmosphere and the feeling while reading were something very special here and I am very happy that I have discovered this author for myself.



Brie, the female protagonist, goes through an enormous character development within the book. Already in the first book I admired her a lot for her courage, her strength and her way of thinking, but this time my admiration for her has grown even more. She was betrayed, had to put up with a lot of disappointments and her entire life was turned upside down. And yet she shows herself to be a true fighter. I loved how she found herself more and more and discovered who and what she really is. I also loved her immensely thanks to her big and pure heart.



I also loved the love story a lot too! I actually didn't like Sebastian in the first book and gave my heart to Finn within a very short time, which is why I was very excited, especially after the end of the first book, to see how the story will continue and who the final love interest will be. I don't want to spoil here, but I can say that the author has implemented the whole thing wonderfully and authentically and I absolutely sympathized and shared my excitement while reading.

The secondary characters also helped make the book so enjoyable to me. They are all wonderful additions to the story and I grew very fond of many of them.



A highlight for me were all the unexpected twists and revelations in this book. I loved the plot and didn't see it coming. I was surprised several times, it was very exciting the whole time and I couldn't put the book down.



"These Broken Bonds" is a more than just a successful conclusion to this dilogy and an absolutely perfect mixture of suspense, humor and emotion. If you love fae, fantasy, romance and a badass female protagonist, then you’ll love this dilogy!

These twisted bonds is book 2 in the duology of These hollow vows and after the way the first book ended I was dying to get my hands on this one.

It’s worth noting that a reread of the first book could be a good idea, although These hollow vows was my favourite read of last year there was a lot I needed to remind myself of and this book does pick up right where book 1 leaves off.

I love the plot of this book, there seemed to be so much to unpick and some really interesting history and back stories at play that contribute to the plot, the plot ties up beautifully in the final part of the book leaving all of your unanswered questions satisfyingly resolved.
I enjoyed that the writing leads you to believe you know how situations will be resolved but then completely removes the chance of the resolve happening in a plot twist.

Characters in this book are really great, you do get to be immersed in their feelings.
Brie has some stuff to deal with in this book in terms of trust and self worth and I felt the book tackled these well, showing it’s not as straightforward to deal with mistrust and being betrayed.
Finn is perfect book boyfriend material and Bash goes though such a journey, I’m not a usual fan of a love triangle as they always take too long to resolve but in this case, as a duology and due to the fact that the situations surrounding the 3 characters lend to a great story, I found it really enjoyable.

I want to highlight the traveling element of this book as it’s one of my favourite tropes, it helps gain a good understanding of the world, which is really rich and well thought out. Moving from place to place and building an understanding of the world and it’s magic system was really key to the plot. I particularly love the creatures of the world.

I absolutely adored this book, a fantastic duology, lovely writing and great plot!

Oh my God! Oh my God! This book… just wow!! Book one was already a highlight of the year for me, but Book two was even better. It was exciting, action-packed, emotional and humorous. Normally, I don’t like love triangles at all, but Lexi Ryan pulled it off absolutely perfectly, so I was rooting for it the whole time. I couldn’t put the book down and I finished it in a day. The plot was well thought out, all open questions were answered and the ending was just perfect. Everything came together the way it should be.

Despite being so betrayed by both of them, Brie didn’t give up. She has become stronger as a result, she has grown with her tasks and has made her own decisions. Nevertheless, she also listens to other opinions. She didn’t just forgive both Finn and Bash and the two had to fight for her favor. The whole plot was designed so exciting that you could rarely predict anything. But it wasn’t just the main characters that had room to grow, the secondary characters didn’t miss out either and developed very well.

This book is an absolutely worthy ending to this awesome YA Fanatsy dilogy. If you like fae, fantasy and romance, you shouldn’t miss this book. However, you definitely need to start with the first book „these hollow vows“, because the second book is an continuation of this one.

I loved this book. It gripped me from the very beginning and kept me invested until the very end. I found the world and the story fascinating, thought that the introduction of one of the new characters in particular was a breath of fresh air and added a new name to my list of favorite book boyfriends.

The story picks up right after the events of the first book and follows Abriella as she struggles and learns to deal with her new circumstances, discovers quite a few pieces of interesting and shocking information and faces some difficult and, at times, heartbreaking choices, and it was all I was hoping it would be and more.

First of all, I would like to say thank you for the review copy, which was provided to me by Hodder & Stoughton. This fact does not in any way affect my personal opinion of this book. This post contains advertising and the rights for the book belong to the publisher.

Of course, is this only my personal opinion on the book and just because I give this rating to the book doesn’t mean, that everyone will have that opinion.

I am so thankful that I got an ARC of this book because after the cliffhanger of book one I really needed to know how things will continue.
I read this book in one sitting and I can’t wait to have it on my shelf. It’s still a perfect mixture of ACoTaR and Cruel Prince and I liked the character dynamics a lot.
I would say that this book is a bit spicier than book one.
There were some parts that I wished would have gotten a bit more plot time but anyways I still love this series and will still recommend it to my friends.

Conclusion
A really good conclusion to an awesome series! Perfect for fans of ACoTaR and Cruel Prince!

These Twisted Bonds is the hugely entertaining follow up to These Hollow vows, the fantasy fae love triangle book you didn't realise you needed in your life.

Ryan picks up the narrative from the end of the last book. Brie is hurt, betrayed and just a bit angry that she's been trapped in a fae body by the man/fae she thought she loved. Finding herself alone in a realm where she can trust no one, Brie meets the new character of Misha (why do the best characters always pop up in the second book?) and finds a new purpose in trying to undo the harm caused by the Seelie Queen, Arya. She discovers her actions have caused huge unrest in the Unseelie court and she needs to find a way to balance the power between the two courts whilst learning how to harness her new powers.

This sequel has everything the first book had and more. The love triangle gets more tangled and confusing. I adore the two rival half brother Princes, both vying for Brie's love and trust. There's more betrayal, confessions and simmering desire. Brie, Finn (I'm a solid team Finn fan here!) and Sebastian all grow and develop in this book with wonderful character arcs.

If you loved the first book, you'll be very happy with this sequel. It gets 4.5 stars from me, it would have a been a solid 5, but I found this book was a bit slow to start. Fans of ACOTAR, The Cruel Prince and FBAA will would really enjoy this duology. Thank you so much to Hodder and Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this fantastic sequel in return for an honest review.

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl with blazing red hair who was destined to save a kingdom . .."

After Part 1, I was totally in love with this story. The love triangle, the adrenaline, everything. But part 2? This one is even better! At first, I couldn't decide who I love more - Sebastian or Finn. But after this book, I totally understand why Abriella choose Finn. But I wouldn't be surprises if Sebastian still find his perfect match, why I'm sad this story ends now. It was faszinating, inhaling, absolutely good. I loved it from the first sentence. And most of all the emotions, which gets to the reader so, so good. I could imagine every Szene very good and also the language of Lexi Ryan was totally comforting. For me this storyline is a highlight and I hope, that it will be translated into German! ♥️

This was such a perfect ending to a fantastic story. Lexi Ryan managed to fit in so much mythology that worked so seamlessly into the world and the addition of Misha in this book was just what was needed.
At times the beginning felt slightly info dumpy, but on reflection I think it was necessary with the amount of lore added with this sequel. Once I was about 20% through I couldn’t stop reading! I loved the character development for Brie throughout this book and the romance. It was super fast paced and the action never felt paused or stunted.

5/5 stars for this book and this duology in general. I really hope Lexi Ryan continues to write in this world.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for letting me read an early copy!

NA Fantasy/Romance

A beautifully written book. Really enjoyed reading this. Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read

I hate cliff hangers, so when These Hollow Vows ended I needed the second book asap. These Twisted Bonds has not disappointed at all However, anyone else feel sad it's a duology! I just want more!. Lexi Ryan has created a world so vast, characters so likeable, that I want more stories about them.
Brother against brother, friends you least expect and great sacrifices. This was a perfect read. Thank you.

"In a different world, in a different life, we'd be together. No kingdoms to rule, no people to save, just you and me..."
*
Picking up exactly where book one ended, we see Brie come to terms with the life altering betrayal she suffered at the hand of one of her princes. As she learns to adapt to her new body and powers, she doesn't allow herself to trust anyone. With the fate of the realm hanging in the balance she soon realises that she still has a role to play, one that could finally bring peace to the Courts. But is she willing to risk it all?
*
"Magic is the possibility of breaking rules. It paves the way for change..."
*
I've been waiting on this sequel for so long! I was lucky enough to get an early ARC of book one back in December 2020 so it's been a long time coming for this one. And it was everything I hoped it would be! I loved where the story went next - it's action packed with a healthy dash of romance to boot. I would say this one leans more towards the New Adult category which I was very much a fan of! I loved how it wove Celtic traditions within the story too, for example the festival of Lughnasadh and Queen Medb (Mab). Whether you're Team Finn or Team Sebastian you're going to have to preorder now for July in order to find out which, if any, Brie chooses! You'll get no hints from me! Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the ARC.
*
"This is a throne of the night, of the misfits and the lost. This is the throne for all those who had to endure the darkness to find the stars..."

I am just so in love with these books! - I fell in love with 'These Hollow Vows' last year and would not stop talking about it, I recommended it to all my friends and it was one of my favourite books of that year, so I was super happy to be able to read the sequel.
Although it didn't end the best way for the character I was rooting for I am still so happy with how this turned out, (although the love interests do get a little bit annoying at times) and I love to see Brie's strength come through, we love a strong female protagonist.
I'm so sad this is only a duology and that this is the end but I'm hoping to see some more faerie books from this author in the future!

After falling in love with These hollow vows last year I was eagerly awaiting the second book with bated breath.I know people always say the sequel is never as good as the first book, and to them I say you have obviously not read These Twisted Bonds. I am seriously in love with this book and how we are gifted with even more character development & backstories. As well as an introduction to some new characters in this world.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton publishers as well as Netgalley for allowing me to review this ARC.
And I would like to thank Lexi Ryan for bringing this work of art into my life.

I absolutely loved These Hollow Vows (team Finn all the way), and when I saw These Twisted Bonds on NetGalley, I requested a review copy immediately, and I squealed when it was approved.

These Twisted Bonds starts out where book one in the duology left off. Brie is caught between Sebastian and Finn, and the future of the fae realm hangs in the balance. The second part has a darker feel to it, which suited the story, and the ending is absolute perfection. It was great to see Brie find her place in the fae realm, and Lexie Ryan managed to neatly tie off the arcs of all the main characters.

I can't wait to hold a physical copy in hand, and the fact that I've pre-ordered two editions speaks volumes.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC!

My gosh this book! It was the best conclusion! Whilst I did want a little more fighting, I'm so pleased with the ending. I feel extremely satisfied that everyone got the ending they deserved and I genuinely can't believe it's over. I think this duology has made Lexi an immediate purchase author, and has firmly placed itself in my top 10 books. More please!

An amazing sequel ! Beautifully written cannot wait to read more from this author and so just look at that beautiful cover!!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

I liked this book even better than the first one.More adventure,more world building,tension,character development and of course more Finn. I throughly enjoyed it .
Thank you

This book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022.

I devoured the first book and became so enthralled on the world that was built upon each page. In that sense this book did not disappoint.

These Twisted Bonds starts where the first book left off and I found myself drawn straight back into the world. The magic system is shown in a more diverse light in this book, capturing how each character uses their powers.

Overall I loved the book, the romance, the action, the world building. All of it.

However I felt that this series could have been split into a triology rather than a Duology. So much happens in the last third of the book that I found myself getting slightly confused as to what was happening. Visiting the underworld, a shadow self, the very quick sudden death of the villain. I would have liked to see all this go into more detail and build the suspense for these pretty big events.

This doesn’t take away my love for the book and I’m looking forward to my hard copy arriving upon release.

THIS BOOK WAS JUST INCREDIBLE. Ever since the jaw dropping ending to These Hollow Vows, I couldn't wait to find out what happens with Brie, Finn and Bash. I was not let down.

Lexi Ryan has completed created a world that I was addicted to, characters who you just can't help fall in love with and struggle along with their dilemmas. AND THE DRAMA! This book brings new plot twists, new adventures and seeing more of our favourite characters. I really enjoyed reading more of the history of the Courts and understanding why things were the way they were.

and the romance!! Oh this got steamier than the previous books and I was all here for it.

I loved being back in the Faerie world and reading more of Brie's story. I'm sad it's done but I really like the way it all came together.

This book is everything I wanted from the first book and more!

I really enjoyed These Hollow Vows (despite the fact that I am not a big fan of love triangles) but I felt like I just wanted a little bit more from it. Maybe it was because Brie spent the whole book with the wrong guy or just the pacing of the story but it took me a hot minute to get through it. However, These Twisted Bonds blew me away from the first page.

Brie really came into herself as a character in this book and I could not bring myself to put it down until I finished it. The story, the pacing, the characters, hell even the stress of the love triangle was pure perfection and Lexi Ryan rounded this duology of nicely (Although, I wouldn't say no to another book set in this world - there are still things I want to know about!). And all of this on top of the dreamy perfection that is Finn!

Definitely worth a read and a must buy if you enjoyed the first book in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC - I loved everything second of this one.

Some wishes do come true! I literally wrote how I wished I could read the sequel and thanks to @netgalley I did.
These Twisted Bonds was exactly the conclusion I hoped it would be, especially because I love happy endings. LOVE LOVE EM !
Here's what else I loved, Brie's transition from damsel in distress to saving herself (GIRLPOWER!!!), her progressive confidence in herself and her abilities and how she finally made up her mind about who and what she wants in her life. I'm happy how Finn also stopped fighting the inevitable and Sebastian came through in the end. I mean ALL the makings of a perfect fairytale ending or beginning....
I was somewhat disappointed however with a few things, firstly Sebastian: in the first book he was built up somewhat as a villain, and I guess I hoped he'd be more two faced and less the super loving Prince. It was so much harder to hate him especially when he went and did the right thing in the end. Also, I felt that his character progression was not clearly described and so when he finally let Brie go, it felt really abrupt.
His mother, the so called ruthless queen and yet we barely got much glimpses into her. She was definitely built up as a villain but she didn't come on as strong as I'd though she would.
secondly, Finn went lover boy too quickly. In the beginning, he was all like "for my people, for my kingdom" and up until the very middle of this book he was spouting the same thing and then all of a sudden it's about giving his life up for Brie even though they kept saying he was the ruler the kingdom needed. It was super confusing to be honest and it just didn't feel right when I was reading. I may not be expressing it well, but I just got this unsettling feeling while reading the final chapters of this book, like something was wrong.
I think maybe I felt the ending was a bit rushed and that there was more story to be explored. Like enough story for a third book.
Overall, despite a few disappointing things, I truly enjoyed reading this book and I hope all those fairytale lovers like me out there get a chance to read and enjoy this story as much as I did .
Thanks again to @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for this book. Everything I've written is entirely my own.
#Netgalley#TheseTwistedBonds

This book was the perfect conclusion to a fantastic duology! It was fast paced and has me on the edge of my seat! I loved that Abriella really grows in this book and finds her true purpose! The ending had me in tears it was so perfect! Also, I love Finn so much.

I’m not crying, you’re crying! Abriella ended up with the right fae in this book (those who have read this already will see what I did there). I got through this one in 3 hours because a) I’m a speed reader, but b) i just needed to know what on earth was going to happen all the time while reading it. Especially after the tethering was revealed. I can’t say more for fear of spoiling this for anyone, but if you liked the first book you’re going to LOVE this book. It was the perfect ending, in my opinion. If I could give this 1000 starts I would.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an e-arc of this, I can’t wait to reread it when it’s released.

"𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳."

What an epic conclusion to this story. I absolutely loved this one and found it a satisfying end to the duology. Brie is now bonded with Sebastian and has become Fae. Her feelings are conflicted and she feels betrayed. She flees the castle and Sebastian trying to make sense of everything and ends up hiding in the Wild Fae lands. This book was definitely a story of self discovery and strength which I really enjoyed. The romance side of the plot I also enjoyed, I don't usually like love triangles but this was done particularly well. The world building and magic systems worked well for me and I enjoyed the writing style a lot. Overall I really enjoyed this one!

My head is spinning and I feel like I'm falling down a rabbit hole. How is it possible for a book to be this good?! I loved These Hollow Vows and was anticipating the release of These Twisted Bonds until Netgalley and the publisher came to the rescue and gifted me the eARC. Endless thank you!

I was gripped from the first page; returning to this world and facing challenges alongside Abriella was thrilling! This magical realm and its throne politics, danger to the courts and brooding romance was everything I wanted in the sequel. The only thing that is wrong with this book is that it's over. I'm not ready for it to end. While I wasn't reading this book, it was literally all I was thinking about. My thoughts kept wandering back to Finn and Bash and the Shadow throne.

So much happened near the ending that I was left speechless. All the secrets and sacrifices, bonds and broken hearts had me flipping through the pages. I loved it! I think I have to reread These Hollow Vows again because I'm not ready to leave this world yet. Highly recommend! You need this book on your TBR. Pre-order, add to cart, one click, but you have to read it.

I loved the first book and devoured it in the space of a day. Picking up a sequel to a book like that can put a lot of pressure, but I just loved this sequel, it really does the first book justice and might even surpass it on the stakes scale.

We pick up right after the first book ends and it's non stop from there. I loved seeing Bries characters development and the same of the characters around her, old and new.

Amazing story, great conclusion, this will not disappoint.

I can't tell you how excited I was at getting this ARC Book for These Twisted Bonds By Lexi Ryan. The big finale of this epic duology series.This had everything I wanted non-stop action, two sexy princes, romance, twists and turns, enemy's and of course the awesome fantasy world Lexi has created. I couldn't wait to dive into this phenomenal world and lose myself in one of my favourite series.

"𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙛𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚.

Omg where to start, I can't justify in words how brilliant and magical this book was, I lost myself in this world and didn't want it to come out of. The book starts from where we were left in These Hollows Vows, where Prince Ronan betrays Abriella and yes I was heartbroken and seriously so annoyed with him for doing that to her. So now poor Abriella and wow god my heart breaks for her, she now has two princes after her. With Ronan not breaking the bond between him and Brie, determined to win her back and the other being Prince Finnian who also has feelings for Brie. But Abriella's trust has been broken and she struggles to trust anyone anymore, and I do not blame one bit. Abriella seriously wow girl she grows so much into herself in this book, she is a totally fierce, badass and passionate young lady. Even though she has the court of the moon on her shoulders, she fights on and I love that strength she has, to do whatever she can to save it. With the two kingdoms going against each other, and Queen Ayra causing trouble and ordering her son Prince Ronan what she wants. Brie struggles with her feelings between the two princes and where her heart truly belongs. What side she is going to choose before war destroys the court of the moon, the longer she leaves the more fae are being destroyed.

"𝙄'𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨, 𝘼𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖."
"𝙒𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚," 𝙄 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧. "𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝.

I’m so upset to say goodbye to this extraordinary world, the twist and turns revealed was amazing and I loved having the Finnian gang back with Pretha, Kane, Jerek and the fun these guys bring. We even get to know more about characters that were mentioned in These Hollow Vows but didn't really know much about, but we do in this one and he's a really cool character. I deffo had my favourite prince but I won't say, Im sure your agree when you have ready this book. I did have my sobbing moments, there truly are so beautiful and touching scenes and makes your heart melt.Stunning perfect ending for this Ya fantasy series Lexi couldn't have asked for more, and I can't wait for future books.

Lexi Ryan me and you are going to have a falling out soon! the first book made me scream WTF so loud my neighbour asked about it the next day. this book OMG was almost thrown across my flat the tension in this book got to me as i just wanted to know the result of the love triangle and what the hell our female MC was going to do.

i love these book as for once the female MC even though is in love with two people doesn't make that her whole personality like some fae fantasy books do. This book is full of twist and turns and ruins you emotionally. i love the fact there was a married platonic couple in this book as that was refreshing to see as 99.9% of the time these books are all about find the MC mate and so i was happy to see that been introduced in this book.

the only issue i found with the book was the ending felt a little rushed but over all this series was great with interesting world building and a flowing storying line which keeps you reading until you are screaming at the last page

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! Cannot express how excited I was when I was approved for These Twisted Bonds, especially after These Hollow Vows was one of my fave reads of 2021. This is pure perfection and completely worth the wait!!

Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton & NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

Before jumping on this book, I re-read These Hollow Vows and I’m so glad I did because its sequel, These Twisted Bonds, picks up right where we left off our Brie, running after discovering that Sebastian forced her to drink the Potion of Life and turned her into an immortal fae.

I had so many feelings and thoughts while reading this story. After a while, I was absolutely mad and scared that the story wasn’t going where I wished it would go. I was ready to call it a disaster. We move away from the Seelie and Unseelie Court, while Brie finds herself new allies and a place to rest in the Wild Fae territories. I thought it was too dragging, and I was missing too much a particular Unseelie fae, Finn, who was my favourite since book 1.

After moments of anxiety and re-considering all my life choices, Finn finally re-appeared and the story became everything I wanted it to be and more. This is what a sequel should be like, it perfectly tied up all the loose ends from book one, managing to bring in new intriguing characters and expand this world.

Yes, it still has lots of ACOTAR vibes, and yes, Finn still very much resembles Rhysand, but I still loved how the writer went beyond the bond factor and introduced the new element of tethering, which managed to steer away from the Maas’s world mating bond and bring redemption for a certain character. I can’t say I fully loved Brie in this book as much as in the first one. She sometimes needs to snap out of it, too much self-commiseration and self-doubt, but I still loved how the writer explored Brie’s magic and power.

I am glad the story found a rounded ending and it proves that certain stories should remain a duology, and not be forced into a trilogy. However, I would not be surprised if we end up with a separate story in the same world, I mean, it’s amazing and the side characters are so intriguing (Misha, I’m looking at you) and I am thirsty for more.

The second in this duology did not disappoint. I loved the world building, relationship development and steamy romance. The biggest problem I have is that I now want more books in this world. I hope the author will continue to write about some of the other characters as I really want more. #thesetwistedbonds #NetGalley

AHHH I loved this book so much! This is the second book in a duology, and I just wish we had more!

It’s been a while since I was so invested in a fantasy - and this gave me all the drama/romance/adventure vibes I’d hoped for!

These twisted bonds picks up straight after book 1 finished (and not to add too many spoilers but that ending already had me GRIPPED)

We see Brie really embracing who she is in this book, as well as more realistic aspects for a fantasy book. Brie regularly talks about how she’s in this strange place and how lonely she feels, as well as having all of this pressure put onto her.

But don’t worry all you Finn fans - we are A LOT more of him in this book - and it is magical! I loved him in book 1, but he really stole my heart in this.

The plot of this had me hooked, and I honestly didn’t know which way it was going to go, even at 93% in.

If you enjoyed these hollow vows, you need to add this to your tbr!

Lexi Ryan you have done it again! You have taken me back into the world I feel in love with a year ago, played with my heart, and made me fall in love with it all over again. Not illness, work, or life itself could stop me from wanting to envelop myself for one more chapter into this absolutely brilliant and (in my opinion) award winning world.

As with These Hollow Vows, Lexi Ryan has created an details and in-depth world with vivid imagery and characters with more than a full personality, which when combine together with her effortlessly flowing and talented writing style creates a world you lose yourself in with ease from the very first sentence until you sudden realise you have just finished the last page and have to drag yourself back to reality. Every emotion, every moment, every step on the floor you feel through her words. There are only a handful of authors whose book I lose myself in this thoroughly, but this is definitely one of them.

What more can I say that five stars and this review does not express how much I love this book and These Hollow Vows. Lexi Ryan these books have a place in my broken and remade heart now and forever. I wish I could re read these books for the first time, so I can fall in love with them again and again and again.

Lexi Ryan - These Twisted Bonds (These Hollow Vows 2)

Cannot be put into words

Blurb:
After Abriella's sister was sold to the fae, she thought life couldn't get any worse. But when she suddenly finds herself caught in a web of lies of her own making ­- loving two princes and trusting neither - things are not quite as clear as she once thought.
As civil war wages in the Court of Darkness, Brie finds herself unable to choose a side. How can she know where she stands when she doesn't even know herself anymore? In this darkly romantic thrill ride, the more Faerie is torn apart from the inside, the clearer it becomes that prophecies don't lie and Brie has a role to play in the fate of this magical realm - whether she likes it or not.

How do I start a review when I'm just speechless to have read such a masterpiece?
How do I find words for a perfect book?
Thank you Lexi for this dilogy that went straight into Hall Of Fame of my books. What can I say?
Volume 1 was already epic and volume 2 made this series one of my favorites.
Absolute love for this book and this ending!
I also want to thank you for this ARC. Volume 1 had such a bad ending that I had to know what will happen next.
Thank you for this terrific second part that did not disappoint me at all.

I need more books like this from you dear Lexi! Can I have some more, please!

Absolute reading recommendation!

5+ ⭐️ / 5 ⭐️

The cover of These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan complements book 1 in all matters and I absolutely adore it.

These Twisted Bonds is an utter masterpiece of a conclusion to this duology. It is full of betrayal, love, friendship, emotions and a beautifully curated fantasy world. Once again Lexi Ryan's gorgeous writing style has been incredibly addictive, compelling and vivid in all its details. It has been impossible for me to put this book down and I have been sucked right back into the story from the very first page without any issues at all.

The plot itself is fast-paced and you won't find any dull or boring scenes whatsoever. There have been some seriously surprising twists and turns that left me speechless - and sometimes swearing... I'm also a total sucker for all the emotions you go through while you're reading this book. You're going from hot to cold, from loving to hating a character (and the other way around). You're feeling all the feelings the characters go through. All the love, fear, gratitude and loss.

The characters are pretty much the same ones from book one. However, they all undergo massive character developments and without giving out any spoilers, all I can say is: Don't write anybody off yet because you won't see their actions coming!!

This duology quickly became one of my absolute favourite stories of all time and I can't recommend it enough. Go read it, now!!

“When you came into my life, you were a bright star in an endlessly dark night.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After Abriella's sister was sold to the fae, she thought life couldn't get any worse. But when she suddenly finds herself caught in a web of lies of her own making ­- loving two princes and trusting neither - things are not quite as clear as she once thought. As civil war wages in the Court of Darkness, Brie finds herself unable to choose a side. How can she know where she stands when she doesn't even know herself anymore? The more Faerie is torn apart from the inside, the clearer it becomes that prophecies don't lie and Brie has a role to play in the fate of this magical realm - whether she likes it or not.

It’s interesting to see how Brie adapts to her new life as a faerie. And the fact her powers start behaving differently with her change. She did annoy me a little bit at times but I could forgive her for it since she found herself in an impossible situation. She’s been thrust into a world, into a body, that she’s hated for many years and feels - understandably - discombobulated by it. I liked seeing her determination and her sincerity at doing all she could to protect innocents. More so I liked the fact that she didn’t lose her sass and feistiness.
Sebastian annoyed me to no end. His entitlement and belief that he had done so little wrong made me very irate with him. It’s incredible how different he is in the two books - but I prefer this more honest version of him. Not as charismatic or charming, he shows just how desperate he is and can be - and how far he’s willing to go to keep what he wants.
This story definitely further endeared Finn to me massively. I found myself rooting for him as the book progressed and getting excited any time he popped up. Still deadly, still more to him than meets the eye. But he’s incredibly soft and considerate. He’s still a cinnamon roll in my eyes!

I can safely say that Brie ended up with the right one in the end. And what a rollercoaster it was to get there! I loved that we were introduced to new characters - some of who became a favourite for the levity they brought! - who became bigger presences as the story unfolded. The flow was great, something always happening. There were a few time jumps that were rather sudden but I didn’t mind too much, I don’t feel it detracts from the story. The romance was definitely a level up from the first book - as was the pining. I’m also a massive sucker for the single bed trope and I was maddeningly happy to see it included!

Overall, These Twisted Bonds is a fantastic conclusion to a fantastic duology.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on 18th July.

These Twisted bonds begins right where it left off in These Hollow Vows with Abriella on the run from Sebastian after finding out he had lied to her. While on the run she comes across a camp of imprisoned children and helps rescue them with Misha, who is a Fae King. He is a funny side character who teaches her about her power while being sarcastic, mischievous and chivalrous - I would like to read more about him.

The Unseelie Court is dying and Abriella, Misha and the Court of Darkness are trying to find a way to save it. That is all that can be said without giving anything away. There was a lot of tension and a little bit of spice within the love triangle which I particularly enjoyed!

There were quite a few eye roll moments and repetition as she fought with herself over who she could trust and who she could love. It was quite predictable, but I think it needed that. The ending seemed quite sudden, and I would have liked a bit more, but overall, it is a very engaging, quick-paced read which will definitely be loved by fans of These hollow Vows.

4.5/5

Thank you to netgalley and the published for providing me with an Arc for an honest opinion.

This was FANTASTIC! I actually preferred it to the 1st book which is never usually the case when I read a series. It answered all of my questions I was left feeling with from the 1st book and I loved seeing the character development throughout and relationships blossom. It didn't feel rushed or a slog it all just fell into place perfectly. One thing I will say is that Sebastian annoyed me in this book, especially at the beginning BUT that didn't take away from the joy of it at all and I would thoroughly recommend this book to people in the future. P. S, who doesn't love a good love triangle? Who will she go for, which Prince will make the right decision? Ahhh just love it all! Just need to get my hands on the physical version when it's released now. 5/5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley & Publisher for this e-arc,

The first book is one of my 5⭐️ read last year and the sequel shall receive the same because it is good and reach my expectations! I am totally in love with this book. If you haven't read the first book, it is about fae, romance, betrayals & plot twist! Well in this sequel THERE IS ALSO A TWIST THAT MADE ME GASP!?!?!? I TOTALLY SEE IT COMING THOUGH BUT I DIDNT EXPECT I'M CORRECT THOUGH?!

What I love about this book:
❤️ Lexi Ryan have such an amazing fae fantasy books because GURL YOU SHAKE MY WORLD. I couldn't stay still when I read this, I'm eager to read it and been blessed by the publisher & Netgalley for the e-arc, THANK YOU SO MUCH! The first book honestly end with a cliffhanger, BEEN WAITING AGES FOR THE SEQUEL.
❤️ Like usual I live the world building so much because I'm able to picture it so well in my mind. I feel like living there now.
❤️ This time y'all, I am #teamFinn all the way because he is such a precious human being. 😭😭 oh my heart. Ronan/Bash can go away shoooohh

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!

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.

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.

First of all a BIG thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced reader copy! I’ve been so excited to read this book.

These Twisted Bonds is the sequel of Lexi Ryans new fantasy series.
After Brie (Abriella) was betrayed by everyone she loved and trusted, she finds herself caught between not only two lovers but also a brewing civil war in her country Faerie.

Ryan captured me again. I absolutely loved her first book “These Hollow Vows”. The way she writes about the characters and makes the story so easy to get into, was something that made me fall in love with her books. Ryan continued her great job in this sequel. The character developments were absolutely amazing. Bries inner conflicts about love and politics were well portrayed, the struggles shes having with both Sebastian and Finn undid me. Im a sucker for love triangles and Ryan did SUCH AN AMAZING JOB. I love how she put the focus on the characters while adding more and more to the plot. This book was a top read and if you’ve liked These Hollow Vows, you’ll absolutely love These Twisted Bonds.

These Twisted Bonds will be available on 19th July 2022. Do yourself a favor and preorder it now. You wont regret it.

#Netgalley #TheseTwistedBonds

Thank you NetGalley, Lexi Ryan, and HodderBooks for the ARC.

𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 5 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔

These Hollow Vows ended on a plot twist that left Abriella reeling from the betrayal and heartache she felt after coming to a startling realisation.

These Twisted Bonds picks up right where we left off, as Abriella fights to find the truth amongst a web of lies, and find a place where she belongs in the brand new life and world she finds herself thrust into. Struggling to reconcile the betrayals of both Sebastian and Finn, and the loss of not only her mortal life, but also any hope of seeing Jas again, Abriella faces pain, heartache, and a sacrifice so great that it might just destroy her.

I must admit, I enjoyed this book so much more than I anticipated. I was already invested in Abriella, Finn, and Sebastians' story, and thought this was going to be a book that centred mainly around that aspect of the plot. I was thrilled to find, instead, that the plot was complex and multifaceted, with layered elements and complexities woven throughout it.

While the romance elements are present, These Twisted Bonds is full of so much more. The book revolves around the two warring courts, The Court of the Moon, and The Golden Court. The plot is full of political intrigue, alliances and betrayals, and a fight for justice and peace. I loved that the book gave us a chance to watch Brie grow and develop, and focus on finding out who she is, away from the influences of those who wished to sway her. It was a choice that worked to propel the story beyond a love triangle, and gave Brie and identity of her own. Her personality and character arc were both developed incredibly well, and gave us a deeper understanding of the pain, hurt, and hope that she felt in her soul. It made me fall even more in love with a character I had liked from the start - and gave us a deeper connection with the girl who loved so fiercely, she went into an unknown realm to save her sister.

I appreciated the way the events and unanswered questions of Book 1 were answered in These Twisted Bonds. The initial build-up to these answers was a bit slow, but in my personal opinion this was necessary to lay the groundwork for what was to come in the later parts of the plot. There was a lot to unravel, and if it had been rushed, it would not have worked as well as it did. The development of the romance and love triangle was handled very well too. You fully understood the decisions that Brie, Finn, and Sebastian were forced into making, and could empathise with them all.
There were some truly beautiful moments in this book, written to perfection.

"𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵."

The dynamics between the characters was written well, and the fluctuations of these relationships was very much in line with what we discovered at the end of Book 1.

My only complaint would be the swiftness of the ending. I feel a few more chapters would have helped resolve the changed dynamics a lot better. Right now, the ending felt a bit rushed and shoehorned in - and while it may have seemed like it was obvious from the get go how this was going to end, a few more chapters dedicated to resolving it would have made it feel a bit more well rounded and tied up the story better.

One thing to note: this book does have elements of spice in it. Far beyond what we saw in Book 1. It definitely toes the line between YA and NA, so some readers may want to take that into consideration before reading those scenes.

Overall, I think These Twisted Bonds lived up to it's predecessor, and far outdid it in all the best ways. The ending may have left a little to be desired, but it did not detract from my enjoyment of reading the book in any way. It was a fast paced, thrilling read full of politics, warring realms, and an angsty romance that left you groaning and wanting more.

These Twisted Bonds is the sequel that These Hollow Vows deserved, and I can safely recommend this to everyone and anyone looking for a read that will pull you in and keep you hooked from start to end.

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.

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.

Such a great conclusion!
These Twisted Bonds picks up right where These Hollow Vows left off, and Brie still has no idea who she can trust.
Much like the first book, we get glimpses of both good and questionable qualities in both the love interests, though I was firmly one team over the other this time!
Brie is just as self assured as she has always been, firm in her quest to save and protect those who need it. I love that about her.
I would love to see more in this world, but I felt the ending resolved very well, even if I was sad.

This is one of the best books I have read in a while. If you like Sarah J Maas, then you need to read this duology... Which I hope will be expanded... Hint hint
If I'm totally honest, I couldn't see how this could end well, but with all well written stories, you get the ending you want and it seems plausible
All I was to say is I want to hear more about Brie and Finn!

📖 These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

“I’m fae. But I am not powerless, and I will never be like them.”
------------------------------------------

This is the second and final instalment in the ‘These Hollow Vows’ duology. This story picks up where the previous book ended. Brie has been betrayed by those she thought she could trust. With these betrayals weighing heavy on her, and her sudden and unexpected resurrection/transformation, Brie finds herself in an impossible situation, torn between the two courts and their princes. As civil war wages in the Court of Darkness, Brie finds herself unable to choose a side. Despite this, Brie can’t deny that she has an important part to play in saving this magical world and those that are suffering the most, whether she likes it or not.

What you'll find:
🌎 World building
✨ More insight into the magic aspect of the story
🔮 Prophecy
👩🏻 Brie’s character development and seeing her really coming into her power
🤴🏻 More Finn!
🖤 Love triangle
👯 Some new, really fun and interesting characters
😮 Shocking reveals
💀 Quest into the underworld
🔥 The Brie/Finn tension and pining!!
😭 Sebastian being an emotional mess, tbh

I was so excited to jump into this ARC once I finished the first book! I loved These Hollow Vows and was desperate to learn how Brie’s story would end. One thing I really loved about this story and Brie’s character development was that she held Sebastian accountable for the shit he pulled at the end of book one. She does the same with Finn, although I think that his behaviour was less terrible than scaring her into a bond and not telling her she would die and come back as a fae.
I loved the side characters, especially Misha. Super flirty, powerful and has that awesome mind-reading power.
I think Brie really came into her own in this book and I love how she really fought for what she wanted, especially in the second half. The ending itself was satisfying. It ended the way I wanted it to, although I was shocked by Sebastian’s actions at the end! Also, while I love who she chose, I don’t know if I completely bought their love story. Something I’m still processing, I guess.

Overall, a really entertaining read and a great way to end a fantastic series!

Thank you to #netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to leave an honest review.

This book was everything I could’ve asked for and more. The story is so enthralling and capturing and I am so emotionally involved in both the characters and the plot. It truly encapsulates love, purpose, sacrifice and heartbreak all in one. Brie is so important to me, she’s trying to find a place in a world she thinks she doesn’t belong in and she consistently chooses other people and their well-being over her own. I really couldn’t say enough good things about this duology and the ending was so perfect it made me cry.
Thank you so much Netgalley for the arc!

“I know what it’s like to be an orphan, and I know what it’s like to have your choices stolen from you by those who have so much power they can’t see anything beyond their greed for more.”

I really loved this sequel to These Hollow Vows. I fell into the world with the characters and I couldn’t put the book down.
In this book, we got to explore more of the Fae lands - both the parts we heard about in the first book and ones even the characters don’t know about. It allowed the reader to learn more about the history and the legends of the world, and the consequence they’ve had on everything else. We also got to witness ceremonies and traditions, which helped build a larger picture of this world.
I enjoyed the characters in this, both returning and new. They helped Brie find her place in this new world, and let her understand everything that had happened. I think Misha was a really fun new character, you could quickly tell how important he was to Brie.
I felt like the relationships in this are as important as the plot. It felt vital to explore both sides of the love triangle as both characters have come to be important to Brie, it wouldn’t have been right if she’d not had the chance to explore and resolve everything that she was feeling - it was complicated! I was pleased with how it was resolved, but also could feel the heartache throughout before it was.
The plot was constant, but I’m not sure it was high-stakes. There was always a sense of urgency and I always wanted to keep reading, but I think it was only at the end that I got particularly stressed - I didn’t expect to still be fretting about the book so close to the end. There were a lot of driving events and a lot of travelling to resolve problems, and there was an overall issue that needed to be resolved.
This was a great conclusion to the series and I’m sad that it’s now finished.

Thank you so much to the publisher (Hodder, I love you dearly) and NetGalley for this eARC of "These Twisted Bonds" by Lexi Ryan. This is the final book in the duology.

Book 1 was a heavensend for me and I fell in love with it immediately. As a result, I had high hopes for book 2. I am happy to announce that it didn't disappoint. Ryan continued to feature Brie and her beautiful nature contrasted with the love triangle of Sebastian and Finn. Finn had been my favourite from the start so I'm glad that he continued to stay high in my heart.

To conclude, this was a fabulous end to the duology and I am quite sad its over - maybe a Spinoff can be made.

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!

Wow!! What a sequel! I did not know how the second in this series could possibly live up to the first but it did not disappoint!

The characters were given so many additional layers in this & the romance was perfect. I’m so thrilled I have a signed physical copy of this on the way because I just know it will live on my shelf forever!

An excellent end to this series. This book has me gripped from the beginning to the end. I loved how the relationship between the three main characters grew and shifted across the book, as well as how the world and the lore of the world were developed!

Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for granting me an ARC of These Twisted Bonds 😍

Overall rating 4.5 ⭐
The start was a bit slow, I found it quite difficult to get into the first 30-40%, as I tried to remember exactly the events and lore from the previous book, These Hollow Vows. At times I did get a bit confused about the lineage and ancestry of the kings and queens of both the courts.
But boy, after that, the storyline really picked up and I couldn't put it down.
I'm so glad we got to see Brie really tap into her powers, and fully understand her as a character. The romance was swoon-worthy and I'm SO glad we got tons more Finn action 👀
All the characters were well developed and got the ending they deserved, and whilst the ending of THV and beginning of TTB had me hating on Sebastian, he truly redeemed himself by the end.
Overall this sequel really does THV justice, and the conclusion left me feeling very satisfied.
I'd say that this series is like a YA version of Sarah J. Maas' a Court of Thorns and Roses.

Review also posted to GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4831205453
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf3SJiJPgzg

After loving These Hollow Vows, I couldn’t wait to read this one and was so excited when I got it from NetGalley! The easiest way to sum up how I feel about this book is: I absolutely loved everything about it! I was a bit nervous after loving book one so much, but I loved this one even more. I read all of it in just 5 hours! I didn’t want to put it down, and it was so easy to read. The characters are really loveable, and I really liked the new characters that you get to meet in this book. The storyline was fantastic and kept me intrigued from start to finish. I partly guessed what was going to happen, but I was still very surprised. I absolutely loved this book and I’m so glad that I got to read it early. I’m not sure if there’s going to be another book in this series, but I would love to read more about these characters and would love to know what they get up to next. I can’t recommend this series enough and can’t wait to read more from Lexi Ryan in the future.

Reading These Hollow Vows felt like so long ago, I had to go back and catch up on it before reading this. I’m glad I did because this throws you straight back into the deep end after that hell of a cliff hanger.

I love this story and think it is a fitting conclusion to the duology. Abriella is back and has to discover who she is now that she’s one of the Fae. She is still torn between the two princes and spends most of the book not being able to trust anyone. We are introduced to more characters, and more Fae mythology as we delve into the history behind the animosity between the 2 courts.

What I really liked about this, is the character development for Brie. She still throws herself head long into things and tries to save everybody, which is annoying, but she also gives in to her dark side and spends a lot of time figuring out what and who she really wants, even with the pressure from people and forces at play. I also liked that it is very fast paced - I read it all in one day. My favourite thing about this book though, , hands down is ... Finn. Nothing else to add that - just Finn.

I basically loved this book - not as much as Book 1 but pretty close. 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read these twisted bonds.

This starts exactly where we left off so I did need a quick refresher on what happened at the end of book 1.
But overall was a fast paced great conclusion for me, even if I am mainly here for Finn. Hope to see maybe a spin off?? Hint hint

Thank you so much for letting me read this book in advance. I very much enjoyed this second book in this series. It was so much fun to be back in the moon court and with this group of friends who try to save their people.

This book was a solid 4.5/5 for me and I really enjoyed it. A lot of times the world building can drone on and on in books, but not this one. I had fun with the world building, and there was more romance this time around which I’m all for. I definitely wish there was a bit more action and it all seemed to tie up just a bit too perfectly at the end but I still really enjoyed this. I would love to have had more of Misha, he was very funny in this book and wouldn’t mind more of his story. I also really enjoyed the way it started where we left off in the first and it already gripped you from the start. Thank you to NetGalley for this wonderful ARC :)

I have no words other than this book was so beautiful and perfect and I absolutely loved every second

When we finished these hollow vows Brie picked her side and became bonded to Sebastian but to save her life she became one of the fae, Sebastian may wear the crown but she still has the power of shadows. We see the courts once again plunged into turmoil as the unseelie court still doesn’t have a unified ruler on the throne.

I loved getting to see more of the lands in this book as the world expands on what we know, and we get to know some new characters that I loved. There were a few steamy scenes but with who? I have always been #TEAMFINN

Whilst I picked most of the plot points early, it didn’t impact my enjoyment. Everything comes together in the final 100 pages so prepare yourself as you won’t want to put it down.

Easiest 5 stars thanks so much to NetGalley for a review copy

Jumping right into the action, you have no idea just like our now considered a savior protagonist, where the story is going, and it's exhilarating. She is unwittingly caught in the middle and more important than she realizes. The only thing that is certain is that war is coming. Can it be stopped?

Lexi Ryan's writing is just as mesmerizing and addictive as ever. The author gives a master class in bringing a plot along, descriptions that come to life, and fine-tuning words that sing an enchanting tune.

Brie's desire to do what is right is to be admired. She is an incredible fae even if she didn't want to be. Her powers are even stronger, her will just as unstoppable as ever, except for that pesky bond. "Emotions aren't always as simple as what we should or shouldn't feel" like the book mentions. Her emotional turmoil is depicted well. She continues to be a grounded, thoughtful protagonist that you care and root for. The POV is so intimate at times I felt as if I was holding Brie's hand in her journey, helping her accept every part of herself.

There are new characters you will love like Mishamon and some familiar ones that have already stolen your heart (no spoilers). Ryan can evolve a character with Brie's thoughts, observations or even just a snippet of dialogue. It is a delight to experience when reading her narrative. As for the love traingle, it continues to be tasty and heartwrenching, even though I think most people will be Team Finn cause they will not forgive Sebastain's final betrayal in book 1. And Finn is more fun anyways *wink, wink*.

Hope is a very important component in this book. It promotes compassion, our ability to help others in need. Making a difference. Kindness is a strength. It also warns of the trappings of too much power.

Utterly gripping and wonderfully surprising, this book consumed me completely when I read it. I have to applaud Lexi Ryan for giving us such a tantalizing epic sequel.

5⭐️ 2 🌶

I loved this duology! First of all I really appreciate how much world building, character development, and plot the author fit into two books. I loved the characters and was sad when I finished but was also so grateful it wasn’t dragged out over 4+ books.

This series took me on a roller coaster of emotions. I couldn’t put it down. The sheer panic I felt when I thought the book was close to being wrapped up and the characters were hit with another curve ball. I had to triple check to make sure this wasn’t a trilogy. But all of my panic and angst was worth it. This ended perfectly, with true love and characters willing to make big sacrifices for the betterment of the realm.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 starts

This story grabbed from the start and didn’t disappoint my fantasy loving heart. Intriguing and surprising at times, I loved the world and dynamics between the main characters, plus some found family members that I won’t mention because reasons (reasons being spoilers).
Without giving too much away, the story starts right where the first book ended. I was full of theories (I was FULL of theories) and even under the weight of my own expectations, I could not have predicted the outcome. All I am going to say is: “there was only one horse” should definitely be a trope and congratulations to the author for making me obsess with this story and its characters.

Thanks to the author and Hodder & Stoughton for gifting the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions and crazy thoughts are my own

Thank you so much Hodderscape for this ARC - I absolutely loved it!

I was super excited to be approved for this book because I adored These Twisted Vows. This book picks straight up from the brutal cliffhanger of book one and Bash’s betrayal! We follow Brie on her new path of trying to right the dying court.

I love Lexi Ryan’s writing - she pulls me in so effortlessly and makes me need more and more. I love Brie!! Her character development was amazing! I really enjoyed that the love triangle was a lot more prominent in this book (favourite trope!), with both Finn and Bash bringing their different personalities to the forefront. As we get more background on both MMC’s, I found myself making an informed choice for who I wanted Brie with more. I almost felt a little sorry for Bash in this book.

Overall, a brilliant fantasy book with perfect world building, romance, magic and twists throughout! Highly recommend this duology.

PS. I want MORE from this world…. Please.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for this ARC.

These Twisted Bonds picks up directly after the end of These Hollow Vows with Sebastian’s betrayal.

We now find Brie coming to terms with her new reality and adapting to her dreaded situation.

Lexi Ryan continued to build a captivating world and the detail of legends and history were second to none!

Overall, I thought this was a beautiful end to the duology and left me wanting more from this world. I found it really refreshing that, compared to other books, the epilogue wasn’t set 5 or 10 years later and we got to a more realistic and satisfying ending, instead of having to guess what has happened in those years that have passed.

I binged both books back to back, I was grateful that I could since book one (These Hollow Vows) left us on quite the cliff hanger! My biggest concern going into this duology was knowing it had a love triangle in it and normally I'm not a fan of that trope. At. All. But I thought it was done pretty well here, the characters had enough redeeming qualities that I didnt find the long road to the resolution as painful as I normally would. What really won me over though was the plot. It was an interesting premise and I found it absorbing. Though some might find it a tad formulaic, (its your usual run of the mill fae fantasy fare) dont let that put you off, as I lapped it up regardless! I found there were enough quirkiness and plot twists to keep me wanting more. If I could have I would have read it in one sitting! In These Twisted Bonds, we get to see the world expand and new characters introduced (Misha was a scene stealing character, loved him)adding more complexity to the story which I appreciated alot. One last thing I want to point out is that personally I'd class it more as a New Adult rather than YA read based on some of the content. So overall I enjoyed book 2 just as much as book 1 and thought it was an extremely satisfying conclusion to the duology. I can see myself rereading this when I am in the mood for a bingeable, not too complex a fantasy that is guaranteed to be a good time. I gave it 20/20 for how throughly entertained I was.