I had high hopes for this book, after being a long-time fan of the Cursebreaker series, and it somehow was better than I thought it could be.
I couldn'I had high hopes for this book, after being a long-time fan of the Cursebreaker series, and it somehow was better than I thought it could be.
I couldn't put it down. I read all 500+ pages in 2 sittings. I never wanted it to end. I love all of the characters, old and new, I loved the direction the plot went in, and the romance?!?! I'm obsessed.
We follow three POVs: Tycho, the King's Courier (who you might be familiar with if you've read ACSDAL), Jax, a blacksmith, and Callyn, a baker. Jax and Callyn are best friends, living in a small village, who possibly get caught up in some minor treason. Meanwhile, Tycho is struggling to maintain the trust of the court and the king. I don't want to say too much about the plot, because I think it's best going in not knowing much, but I can tell you, it is absolutely addictive. I couldn't predict what would happen next and found myself glued to my book.
If you're looking for a fun fantasy read (with queer and disability rep!!) go pick this book up!
Content Warning: Animal death, ableism, child abuse, death, rape, violence, kidnapping, death of a parent Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC to read and review!...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review - QUICK STATS - Overall: 3.5/5 Stars Characters: 3/5 SettThank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review - QUICK STATS - Overall: 3.5/5 Stars Characters: 3/5 Setting: 3/5 Writing: 4/5 Plot and Themes: 3.5/5 Awesomeness Factor: 4/5 Review in a Nutshell: I was really excited for These Hollow Vows, and while it didn't live up to all of my hopes, I still left it eager for the sequel.
- ABOUT THE BOOK - // Content Warning: Violence, Death, Mature Content (while this book technically is YA, it feels more Upper-YA/NA), (view spoiler)[Protagonist (hide spoiler)] Drugged (faerie wine), War Themes, Homophobia (Mention), Kidnapping/Abduction (Mention) //
These Hollow Vows was pitched as The Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses, but instead, I felt the plot was more like a combination of The Cruel Prince and The Selection.
We follow Abriella, who is determined to save her sister after the Unseelie King buys her. How can she do it? She must infiltrate the Seelie court, pretending to be a potential bride for the prince, and steal three items from them, for the Unseelie King. Meanwhile, the Unseelie prince has plans of his own, and could use Abriella on his side as well.
- REVIEW - The love triangle is a major aspect of this book, which can either go very well or very poorly for me. In this case, it's somewhere in between.
First, we have Sebastian. I honestly couldn't get behind him as a love interest. And I tried! But his chemistry with Abriella felt lacking and I felt like I was forcing myself to like them together. Then, there's Finn. He was definitely easier to see as a love interest, but he didn't get enough time with Abriella to make him compare to Sebastian. If the book wasn't so heavily focused on this triangle, I wouldn't mind so much, but it was a big part of the plot and character motivations.
My opinion of this book ranges wildly depending on which part of the book we're talking about.
The first half of this book felt a little weak. The worldbuilding was vague, the plot meandering, and the characters were fairly simple and the relationships were straightforward and not very compelling. I did find the world interesting, but we lacked so much information in the beginning of the novel that it was hard to fully enjoy that aspect. If this first half was the entire book, I would probably have given it 2.5 stars.
But then there's the second half.
The worldbuilding was built upon in good enough ways where not all of my questions were answered, but I felt a lot more grounded in the reality of this book. I do hope it gets even more fleshed out in the sequel.
The characters are explored more, and while the love triangle side of things didn't hook me, I was interested in some of the side characters, and love the depth added to the characters towards the end. I just wish it was a little earlier.
Admittedly, I did predict a lot of the twists and turns in the plot, but I like being right, so that was just fun for me. And the plot itself definitely felt more purposeful and tense in this second half. I was eager to keep reading, almost glued to my book, and was enjoying the manipulation, betrayal, and overall lack of trust that built to a fun conclusion.
And that conclusion? That's what gave me so much hope for the sequel. The direction this series seems to be going in looks amazing, and I can't wait to read more.
If this book was only its second half, it would be 4 stars, easily. Maybe even 4.5.
- CONCLUSION - Pros- great ending, interesting premise, again I can't say enough how much I enjoyed that ending Cons- not my favorite love triangle, the beginning didn't grab me Overall- 3.5/5 stars. In the end, I settled with a 3.5/5 star rating for the book overall. These Hollow Vows had a lot of potential and only delivered on some of it. However, I'm an optimist, and that third act has me so excited for the sequel.
Allison Saft is quickly becoming one of my all-favorite authors.
This books is beautiful. From the writing to the characters, it's stunning. I was capAllison Saft is quickly becoming one of my all-favorite authors.
This books is beautiful. From the writing to the characters, it's stunning. I was captivated from the start, immediately falling in love with our two protagonists and their journey. I also especially loved the world-building. A Far Wilder Magic place in a fantasy world similar to the 1920's, but with alchemy and magical creatures like the hala. What I loved most was the political and religious themes in this book. Margaret is a Jewish-coded character, and Wes is Irish Catholic-coded, and both of them live in a primarily (fantasy version of) Christian society that frowns on both of their religions and the Banvish (this book's version of Irish people).
I can't speak to the Jewish rep, but as someone from an Irish Catholic family that immigrated to the US in the 20's, I can say it was spot on from the stories I would hear from my grandparents. YA fantasy has played with Irish folklore and culture before, but I can't put into words how excited I was when reading Allison Saft's interpretation.
This book is more than its world and magic, it's inherently a story about characters and their relationships, and damn does it excel at that. First, the romance. It's so cute and precious and I can't talk about it without squealing. But what I really want to talk about is the family dynamics. You have one character with a loud, chaotic, but over-all supportive family, but due to the recent loss of his father, he feels he needs to be strong for them. Then you have our other main character, who is neglected by her frequently-gone mother. She also suffers from trauma that occured because of her mothers obsession with alchemy. I really loved how this aspect of the story was handled. I personally have PTSD and loved how it was presented in this book.
I genuinely can't recommend A Far Wilder Magic enough. It an incredible novel that now holds a special place in my heart.
TWs: animal death, abuse, violence, hate crimes, antisemitism, death Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC to review...more
Lakesedge is creepy, ominous, and atmospheric. From horror to romance, this book has it all. I found myself glued to theThis is the perfect fall read.
Lakesedge is creepy, ominous, and atmospheric. From horror to romance, this book has it all. I found myself glued to the pages, loving these characters and this world, eager to find out what happens next.
The relationships between all of the characters are at the heart of this story and truly make it shine. I loved the dynamic between our main character and her younger brother that she would do anything to protect. And the romance was absolutely adorable. If you like broody and possibly monstrous love interests, this book is for you. Their banter was so entertaining and I never wanted it to end.
I swear, Lakesedge was made for me. This book has similar vibes to The Haunting of Bly Manor and Down Comes the Night. And did I mention that 90% of the characters are queer? Our protagonist is demisexual, and we also have gay, sapphic, and bi/pan characters. Yeah, I'm officially obsessed.
Kerri Maniscalco was not joking when she said this was gonna be more NA than Kingdom of the Wicked. This book does not wait to show you that.
Kingdom oKerri Maniscalco was not joking when she said this was gonna be more NA than Kingdom of the Wicked. This book does not wait to show you that.
Kingdom of the Cursed was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. I won't lie, I'm not built for mystery books. I get too impatient, and I'm not smart enough to understand what's going on, but Kerri Maniscalco still makes them so fun for me. And I might be a little proud that I predicted one of the twists in this book. (by "a little", I mean I refused to shut up about it to everyone around me)
The romance in this book is what truly had me hooked. I am in love with Wrath. Every time he and Emilia interacted, I was glued to the page. And the steam. This book isn't super spicy, but the tension is impeccable.
Also, can I just mention that ending? That was cruel. I need book 3 now
