Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:
Synopsis for These Hollow Vows (from Goodreads):
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.
Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty. And with her heart.
Author: Lexi Ryan
Series: These Hollow Vows
# of Books: 4 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Chronological (#1+#2; #3+#4), Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Faeries, Romance
Heat Rating: Warm
Point of View: First Person, Single (#1-2); Alternating (#3-4)
Publication Dates: July 2021 – July 2025
Source & Format: Public Library–Audiobook
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
I’m a sucker for faerie stories and this one sounded great when I was looking for new audiobook series to start. I really liked the idea that this series was 2 duets sets in the same world so I wanted to give it a try!
The Concept / The World:
WOW! I loved this world! The blending of faeries, goblins, sprites and other creatures was such a fun, fresh take on faerie that I hadn’t really seen since I read The Iron Fey over a decade ago. I just loved the politics of the court, the weaving of the real world and faerie and magic. I really enjoyed getting lost in the setting.
The Plot:
One of the reasons I love fae books so much is that you can never trust faeries. They love to manipulate and deceive and I just find it fascinating to read because it keeps me on my toes. When you’ve read as many books as I have, you want books that will surprise you. And this series did that! I enjoyed the ride.
I definitely think the plot is stronger in the second duet (#3+4). Perhaps it helped that I was already familiar with the world and the characters so it was easier to dive in; but I found myself really captivated by the direction and drama.
The Characters:
Um, Brie (#1+#2) will not be winning my “favourite heroine” award anytime soon. I was really unimpressed with Bri for 90% of These Hollow Vows (#1). Lately, I’ve been reading about strong, savvy heroines in my fantasies novels so Brie’s naïve innocence grated on me a bit. I appreciated this approach to her character as a way to develop the plot, but it made it hard to read for me sometimes. I liked that she had some character growth in her second novel and I liked who she becomes.
In contrast, I didn’t have that reaction in books #3 & #4. I think it helps that we get to see two different POVs which breaks up the monotony of following one character the whole time. Our two leads here are more jaded and have a bit more to overcome in their personal journeys which appealed to me more as a reader.
The Romance:
I usually don’t like love triangles but I liked how it was tied to the plot – I just wish I was more invested in who would “win” the battle for Brie’s heart. I do appreciate that the romance wasn’t a linear path and that it kept me guessing.
The second duet has a much more linear path for the romance but I loved these pairs a lot more.
My Audiobook Experience:
I enjoyed the production for all the books!
Series Rating: 4/5
These Hollow Vows 3/5 | These Twisted Bonds 3/5 | Beneath These Cursed Stars 4/5 | Between These Broken Hearts 4/5
If you want a high fantasy read that focuses more on the world and characters with a dash of romance, this is a great series for you to explore. But if you want a faerie series with lots of sexy times, look elsewhere!
Read if You Like: high fantasy, faeries
Avoid if You: want more erotica romance
- Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely Series #1)
- The Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa (The Iron Fey Series #1)
- Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco (Kingdom of the Wicked Series #1)
