You can never trust a thief you’ve welcomed into your home.
These hollow vows, lexi ryan
Author: Lexi Ryan
Publication Date: 20 July 2021
Publisher: Clarion Books
Page Count: 448
Reading Method: Digital ARC [Thank you to the publisher!]
Dates Read: July 19 – 21
Synopsis:
Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she’ll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.
Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie’s only choice is to pose as a potential bride for Prince Ronan, and she soon finds herself falling for him. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. As Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she struggles to resist his seductive charm.
Review:
Ohhh boy, here we go! Another fae fantasy to fall in love with. This book was addicting as hell. I found myself sneaking moments to read when I really shouldn’t have been – just because I had to know what was going to happen next!
Our protagonist, Brie (Abriella), is stuck working off the accumulated debt of her and her sister to their evil aunt when her aunt decides to sell her sister to the Unseelie King. In an attempt to get her sister back, Brie makes a (foolish) deal with King Mordeus, where she must infiltrate the Seelie court and earn the prince’s trust to recover Unseelie artifacts. While she’s there, she meets Finn and (you guessed it) a love triangle forms.
I am *not* a fan of the love triangle trope, but I was feeling this one a little bit. It wasn’t as obnoxious as, say, Bella-Edward-Jacob. Of course, both of these guys seem way too good to be true. It was too difficult to pick who I was rooting for and honestly, my loyalties changed based on the chapter. Ronan is all sunshine and comfort while Finn is moonlight and mystery. I think you can guess which one I ended up loving more…
Everything surrounding Brie and her powers/mission is shrouded in mystery and it’s impossible to know what to expect. These Hollow Vows has a bunch of twists – some more obvious than others – but no less exciting. I did find myself becoming a bit frustrated that it seemed like we weren’t getting any answers about Brie’s powers. Even after finishing the book, it seems there is still so much more to learn.
Ryan’s writing is absolutely enchanting. The descriptions of the courts and gowns and characters was spot on and transported me into the story. The pacing never slows and the characters are engaging as heck. The way Ryan slowly reveals the big surprise at the end was fantastic. There was enough there throughout the story that it didn’t feel completely out of the blue. What more can you ask for?
While there are things with this story that could be nit-picked, I just don’t want to. I really enjoyed it. It gave me feelings I haven’t had in a while. I’ve been on a reading spree lately and this one was an absolute standout that reminded me how FUN reading can be.
AND THAT ENDING – HOLY HECK. YES. Freaking epic. I am on pins and needles waiting for the next book.
