These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan Review

Title: These Twisted Bonds

Author: Lexi Ryan

Genre: YA/NA Fantasy

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Pages: 496

Release Date: 19 July 2022

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Hello fellow booklovers, today I’m back with my review of Lexi Ryan’s highly anticipated follow up to the delicious fantasy romance, These Hollow Vows.

Synopsis

Brie finds herself caught between two princes and two destinies while the future of the fae realm hangs in the balance.

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.

As civil war wages in the Court of Darkness, Brie finds herself unable to choose a side. How can she know where she stands when she doesn't even know herself anymore? In this darkly romantic thrill ride, the more Faerie is torn apart from the inside, the clearer it becomes that prophecies don't lie and Brie has a role to play in the fate of this magical realm - whether she likes it or not.

Review

The thrilling conclusion to Lexi Ryan’s deliciously fae YA fantasy picks up right where These Hollow Vows left off, leading us straight into the heart of the action. I do recommend rereading book one (or at least the end of book 1 as a refresher before starting this as the action is pretty non-stop in the first few chapters and many characters make an appearance or are mentioned that could get confusing if you’ve not read it in a while.

Brie is still reeling from the betrayal of the two Fae she trusted most, but with a war brewing between the courts and her heart still torn between the princes, her life just got even more complicated. As, the more Faerie is torn apart from the inside, the clearer it becomes that prophecies don’t lie and Brie has a role to play in saving this magical realm—whether she likes it or not.

I did really enjoy this, and appreciated that it picks up immediately after the ending of These Hollow Vows but the pacing did feel a little off in the first half of the book (feeling a little too fast and then too slow), fortunately pacing did manage to pick up a consistent pace in the second half and I ended up throughly loving the action and character arcs we are treated to.

I loved the development we see in Brie who’s trying to come to terms with her new life and her new shadowy powers. She does mature a lot throughout and her courage (emotional journey) were really satisfying to witness.

The love triangle dynamic is still going strong in the first half but the romance does quickly shift as Brie closes in on her HEA. I was initially conflicted on which prince I loved more in These Hollow Vows as Sebastian and Finn were both incredibly swoon-worthy but I did end up loving one specific prince more in These Twisted Bond,thanks in part to the incredible depth Lexi Ryan’s imbues-the smouldering glances, the emotionally complex backstory (and his adorable, cinnamon roll adoration of Brie.)

Ryan also delves into the betrayal that Brie faced in the first book and I loved that we get treated to some pretty intense, thorough conversations about it and put those actions into to perspective. It was also nice to see a female protagonist hold her love interests accountable for their actions, and get them to understand why those actions were hurtful/wrong— I absolutely LOVED that!

I also absolutely loved some of the new and supporting characters introduced— particularly Misha (Pretha’s brother) who I’d love to see in a spinoff series in the future. I did sense a little flirtation at the end between a couple of the supporting characters and would love to see more of from them

Overall, it’s an enjoyably action-packed conclusion with a twist I honestly didn’t see coming. So, if you enjoyed These Hollow Vows I definitely recommend checking this out.

Also, a huge thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the e-arc.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

About The Author

Award-winning author Lexi Ryan is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of hot contemporary romance and sexy, action-packed YA fantasy. Her books have sold over a million copies.

A former English professor, she considers herself lucky to have traded stacks of grading for emotionally charged storytelling. She is happiest when at home in Indiana with her husband and two children, where you can find her lifting weights, reading copiously, hanging out with her family, and thanking her lucky stars.

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