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anyamc7's review against another edition
3.0
The way I kept watching the end approach but the big pivot I KNEW would happen wasn't pivoting. Was the ending obvious? Yes. Did it mar my ability to enjoy the story? Not at all. Well done conclusion to the duology, and while some reviews state it could have been a trilogy I truly appreciate that the story was kept to a duology. Anything longer and you run the risk of watering down the story in order to stretch it far enough into three, this has happened for a couple of series I've read and it impacted my enjoyment. This was lovely, brief, and yet expertly deep and nuanced.
brookeknappenberger's review
4.0
Some parts definitely felt a bit rushed and yeah, maybe the faerie rules/curses are a tad confusing, but man I love when a “dark” character comes out on top.
sydnienovareads's review
5.0
This book was remarkable! It was so imaginative and thrilling with completely unexpected twists and characters that STEAL YOUR HEART. The world building and magic system intensifies and we get a better understanding of the bond system as we watch Brie grow soooo much throughout this novel and become even more of a strong and determined person. I'm absolutely speechless, this duet was perfect and 10/10 would recommend!
*I received an ARC from NetGalley but am leaving this review voluntarily*
*I received an ARC from NetGalley but am leaving this review voluntarily*
the_et's review
4.0
3.5 stars overall
5 stars for misha, he made the whole book, i love him i want more misha he is my favorite. i vote for misha spin-off of events before during and after the books
5 stars for misha, he made the whole book, i love him i want more misha he is my favorite. i vote for misha spin-off of events before during and after the books
lahraahearn's review
4.0
I was SOOO excited about this one. Started off with a bang and kept my attention until about 85% the way in then fell flat. The ending was underwhelming and it felt unfinished :(
ecbwalker's review
4.0
3.5/5 really. It was a little all over the place compared to the first book and wrapped up things very quickly at the end in a too-neat bow, but overall I was invested in the characters and their powers, journeys, etc.
ashction's review
5.0
Damn, y'all. These books are so insanely good. I'm delighted that the pacing and romance really holds up in this sequel, but I'm even more pleased at the ways Lexi Ryan just keeps you guessing until the very last page!
Also let it be known I dropped every single book I am reading when I got this ARC. Am I going to be mad I can't talk about it until July 2022? Yes. BUT IT WAS WORTH IT.
The character growth for Brie is so real in this. I really love this journey for her. You can be a bad bitch for everyone except one (1) person! That's great!
The most stressful part was probably (REDACTED). Read the book and find out. Also, the love triangle really had me SO SCARED for SO MUCH of this book but I am very satisfied with the ending. It was PERFECT.
I can't wait to buy this and enjoy it someday again soon!
I received a digital review copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Clairon Books/HMH for providing acesss!
Also let it be known I dropped every single book I am reading when I got this ARC. Am I going to be mad I can't talk about it until July 2022? Yes. BUT IT WAS WORTH IT.
The character growth for Brie is so real in this. I really love this journey for her. You can be a bad bitch for everyone except one (1) person! That's great!
The most stressful part was probably (REDACTED). Read the book and find out. Also, the love triangle really had me SO SCARED for SO MUCH of this book but I am very satisfied with the ending. It was PERFECT.
I can't wait to buy this and enjoy it someday again soon!
I received a digital review copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Clairon Books/HMH for providing acesss!
dani_saavd's review
3.0
Mejor que el primer libro, seguro, pero 3 estrellas igual. Sí es cierto es que la trama se desarrolló mucho más y el mundo de los Fae me pareció mucho más rico e interesante que en el libro anterior. Y tal vez, la historia me hubiera podido llegar a gustar mucho si...LA AUTORA NO HUBIERA METIDO UN TRIÁNGULO AMOROSO!!!
Ah, por cierto... ODIO LOS TRIÁNGULOS AMOROSOS.
Y más un triángulo amoroso tan malo como este. Una protagonista que dice que odia a su primer amor porque se siente traicionada entonces se aleja de él, con el otro interés amoroso ya se había peleado, así que decide irse sola por ahí a hacer su vida. Y se la pasa diciéndose que los odia a ambos. Pero cuando tiene a uno de ellos delante cae en sus brazos sin perder tiempo. Luego se aleja porque lo odia y se va a pasar tiempo con el otro, hasta que se aleja de ese también.
Y una buena parte del libro se la pasa intercalando sus pensamientos entre uno y otro. Y pues yo odié todo eso, me arruinó bastante la lectura.
Si el libro anterior se parecía más a Cenicienta y el Príncipe Cruel, este es un Acotar puro. Los personajes eran idénticos a esa saga, así que por esa parte cero originalidad.
Ah, por cierto... ODIO LOS TRIÁNGULOS AMOROSOS.
Y más un triángulo amoroso tan malo como este. Una protagonista que dice que odia a su primer amor porque se siente traicionada entonces se aleja de él, con el otro interés amoroso ya se había peleado, así que decide irse sola por ahí a hacer su vida. Y se la pasa diciéndose que los odia a ambos. Pero cuando tiene a uno de ellos delante cae en sus brazos sin perder tiempo. Luego se aleja porque lo odia y se va a pasar tiempo con el otro, hasta que se aleja de ese también.
Y una buena parte del libro se la pasa intercalando sus pensamientos entre uno y otro. Y pues yo odié todo eso, me arruinó bastante la lectura.
Si el libro anterior se parecía más a Cenicienta y el Príncipe Cruel, este es un Acotar puro. Los personajes eran idénticos a esa saga, así que por esa parte cero originalidad.
burtini's review against another edition
2.0
This book picks up straight where these Hollow Vows ended, with Abriella reacting to finding out she’s now fae and Sebastian deceived her to get the underlie crown.
Abriella, who, if you recall, spent the entirety of These Hollow Vows scheming, lying and manipulating Sebastian while using his love and trust against him to protect her sister, is now incensed with the betrayal she has for Sebastian for, err, manipulating and lying to her to protect his mother. Thank GOD for Misha for pointing out she doesn’t have a right to act the victim because Brie reeks of hypocrisy. Did Sebastian do wrong? Of course. But let’s not forget Abriella literally made love to Sebastian and then snuck out to steal from him something he showed her in good faith, with the belief it would kill someone important to him. She slept with a man who said he had never experienced such intimacy with, while knowing she was going to break his heart, because she selfishly wanted to feel that moment before she broke it. She literally has no right for have any moral outrage or to act like she ever treated Sebastian with any love when it was all self gain. She bonded with Sebastian so that he could protect her (aka use him - again), she wooed him to take her away to the coastal castle so she could steal, she literally liaised, plotted and flirted with his enemy and then gaslighted him about it. And now she’s mad he lied to her and won’t even hear him out when he gave her countless chances when it was reversed. So help me she’s insufferable and self pitying, this is the hero of the book that everyone falls in love with and thinks is so special?!
Sebastian has the potential to be a complex character with a conflicting narrative of split loyalty, he’s a good ‘man’ with a lot of love, and yet he has stood back when bad things have happened. This never feels properly addressed, he’s a wasted, token character, a prop, the author made Sebastian the Prince Charming of book 1 and now just seems to have gone off him and isn’t invested. Rather than getting some gradual decline, some character deconstruction, we get whiplash when it comes to Sebastian and we’re just told ‘no, don’t like him anymore’ - then why try so hard in book 1??
Then there’s Finn, the cliche ‘dark prince’ against the golden prince - while Abriella’s love struggles to get over Sebastian being far, lying to her and, in part, having blood on his hands. When it comes to Finn, the fae bit never seemed to bother her, and don’t start me on the lies and, y’know, personally killing a bunch of innocent people. It just feels like the ending to this duology was written down before anything else with not enough energy spent on how to get there. Characters don’t develop, they are rewritten/reinvented. You don’t travel to the conclusion, you teleport, and you get the whiplash that comes with it.
The review feels so negative but if romance and a love triangle is the heart of your book, you just need the characters to feel alive - not wish versions of SJM (and a plot that follows a predictable SJM path). I want characters that exist beyond their infatuation for each other so they don’t feel shallow, I want a heroine who I want to be happy and who has character growth, I want world building and political conflict (I mean the framework is there) and some sort of emotional build up that doesn’t treat love( both in regard of the characters and us as readers) as simple and like it has an on and off switch. I just wanted more. And talking of things I wanted more of - Jas and Misha I’m looking at you!
Sadly this just wasn’t for me. If you haven’t read SJM, maybe you can look at these books differently, but alas this doesn’t bring anything new to the world of fae. Thank you NetGalley for the review though.
Abriella, who, if you recall, spent the entirety of These Hollow Vows scheming, lying and manipulating Sebastian while using his love and trust against him to protect her sister, is now incensed with the betrayal she has for Sebastian for, err, manipulating and lying to her to protect his mother. Thank GOD for Misha for pointing out she doesn’t have a right to act the victim because Brie reeks of hypocrisy. Did Sebastian do wrong? Of course. But let’s not forget Abriella literally made love to Sebastian and then snuck out to steal from him something he showed her in good faith, with the belief it would kill someone important to him. She slept with a man who said he had never experienced such intimacy with, while knowing she was going to break his heart, because she selfishly wanted to feel that moment before she broke it. She literally has no right for have any moral outrage or to act like she ever treated Sebastian with any love when it was all self gain. She bonded with Sebastian so that he could protect her (aka use him - again), she wooed him to take her away to the coastal castle so she could steal, she literally liaised, plotted and flirted with his enemy and then gaslighted him about it. And now she’s mad he lied to her and won’t even hear him out when he gave her countless chances when it was reversed. So help me she’s insufferable and self pitying, this is the hero of the book that everyone falls in love with and thinks is so special?!
Sebastian has the potential to be a complex character with a conflicting narrative of split loyalty, he’s a good ‘man’ with a lot of love, and yet he has stood back when bad things have happened. This never feels properly addressed, he’s a wasted, token character, a prop, the author made Sebastian the Prince Charming of book 1 and now just seems to have gone off him and isn’t invested. Rather than getting some gradual decline, some character deconstruction, we get whiplash when it comes to Sebastian and we’re just told ‘no, don’t like him anymore’ - then why try so hard in book 1??
Then there’s Finn, the cliche ‘dark prince’ against the golden prince - while Abriella’s love struggles to get over Sebastian being far, lying to her and, in part, having blood on his hands. When it comes to Finn, the fae bit never seemed to bother her, and don’t start me on the lies and, y’know, personally killing a bunch of innocent people. It just feels like the ending to this duology was written down before anything else with not enough energy spent on how to get there. Characters don’t develop, they are rewritten/reinvented. You don’t travel to the conclusion, you teleport, and you get the whiplash that comes with it.
The review feels so negative but if romance and a love triangle is the heart of your book, you just need the characters to feel alive - not wish versions of SJM (and a plot that follows a predictable SJM path). I want characters that exist beyond their infatuation for each other so they don’t feel shallow, I want a heroine who I want to be happy and who has character growth, I want world building and political conflict (I mean the framework is there) and some sort of emotional build up that doesn’t treat love( both in regard of the characters and us as readers) as simple and like it has an on and off switch. I just wanted more. And talking of things I wanted more of - Jas and Misha I’m looking at you!
Sadly this just wasn’t for me. If you haven’t read SJM, maybe you can look at these books differently, but alas this doesn’t bring anything new to the world of fae. Thank you NetGalley for the review though.