These Twisted Bonds (These Hollow Vows Book 2)

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

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 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.

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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’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. 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.

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. 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” 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. This book beautifully rounded off the story, but I really wish there were more books in this series because I need more!This book, while still very good, did not quite hit all the marks I’d wished for. Maybe I had high expectations, maybe I didn’t give myself enough time to process the first book, I don’t know. Still, I very much enjoyed the further unfolding of secrets, the romance, and learning more about this world. 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. 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.

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! 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.The book also ends with a couple of loose threads. So as to not give too much away, I will just note that it would have been nice to know what Finn’s father said and whether one of the characters ends up becoming immortal. 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. 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?? But we're in this world. In this life." He presses a kiss to the top of my head, and it feels like goodbye. "So I'll have to save that for my dreams.” 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.