THESE HOLLOW VOWS by Lexi Ryan

“Brie would do anything before making a deal with the Fae; death is better than their vicious schemes. But when her sister is taken by the sadistic king of the Unseelie, Brie breaks her own rules and agrees to steal three magical relics from the rival Seelie court in exchange for her sister’s return. Brie’s only way inside is to pose as a potential bride for the Seelie Prince, Ronan – a prince who’s not quite as wicked as she once thought. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of misfits with their own secret agenda. But as Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she finds herself struggling to resist his seductive charm. Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty…and with her heart.”

What is the book about?

Brie has always hated the Fae and vowed to never make a deal with any of them as she knew just how vicious and cruel they are and how they can change and manipulate their words to get you to make a deal that you will never come out of. However, when her younger sister is sold to the king of the Unseelie, the supposedly crueller and more dangerous Fae court, she breaks her own rules and makes a deal with him to steal 3 magical relics from the Seelie court and return them to his court where they belong in exchange for her sister’s freedom. So, in order to get into the rival court, Brie poses as a potential bride for the Seelie Prince, Ronan, and joins a competition to win his heart. Brie believes she will have no problem manipulating the prince and sneaking around his court to find the items, however, it turns out the prince isn’t who she thought he was and he may not be as evil as she had always been led to believe. Determined to not let her feelings get in the way, Brie continues with her mission and allows a band of outcasts and misfits to help her with her newfound powers, powers that a human like her should never have possessed in the first place. But, as Brie spends more time with the Seelie prince and with the group’s leader, Finn, she begins to find herself caught between her feelings for 2 men and also finds herself caught between the 2 Fae courts and now she doesn’t know who to trust…or if she should trust anyone at all. 

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

I had no idea that this book existed until a few months ago when I asked one of my friends for a list of books she wanted for her birthday so that I could buy her one. When I spotted it on her list, I was immediately intrigued and wanted to find out more about it so I looked it up and read more about it. When I saw what the cover looked like and read the blurb I knew that I had to read it so I happily bought it for my friend and, once I gave it to her for her birthday, I asked to borrow it as soon as she had read it. So, when I went to her house a month or so ago, I was so glad to see her lend me the book, and another that I had also been wanting to read, and I wanted to read it right away. Finally, a couple days ago, I decided it was about time I started to read it because I knew I would eventually have to give it back. When I reread the blurb before starting the book, I was even more interested in reading the book and so excited to find out more about the book. Once I started to read, I initially found the book a little hard to get into, but, after a little while; I found the book quite enjoyable and was soon racing through it, loving the romance and adventure. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

Despite how hard I tried to like the characters and pick a favourite or at least one that I disliked a little less, I was completely unable to do this and I cannot reply honestly to this question. So, my answer to this would have to be that I don't have a favourite character. I honestly tried really hard to like Brie, the main character, but she was quite annoying and this whole story where she was constantly feeling guilty and confused about who she was in love with. It was like she had no real personality other than her love life and her sister. However, at the end of the book, I liked the change in her and how she was able to finally see past everything and realise that she could trust no one. She actually chose to use her power and fight against the people who betrayed her. So I hope that I will enjoy her a bit more once I read the second book in the duology. The love interests were also both rather annoying and I hated that they both acted so suspicious and I knew Brie should've never trusted either of them, but she did anyway because she was blinded by their beauty and powers. I hope in the next book I will actually like a few characters and find a favourite character. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part of the book would probably have to be the ending. The main reason was because of the way it left me excited to read the next book and also because of the way that Brie changed. Throughout the book, Brie was never reaching her true potential with her magic, never focusing on anything other than her sister, never thinking on anything other than the love interests and it was rather annoying. However, at the end of the book, Brie realised that the one person she thought would always be there for her and would never betray her had done exactly that and had only ever come into her life to get what every other Fae wanted from her. So, as a result, she changed both physically and emotionally and she was finally ready to reach her true potential and take back what had been taken from her. It looked like she was finally going to stop acting like a lovesick teenage girl and adapt into a strong, independent woman who was ready to use her power to hurt, protect and control. She was no longer afraid and no longer using her hatred for the Fae as an excuse. I can't wait to see what she does in the next book.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, These Hollow Vows was a rather enjoyable book; however there were several things that could have been better. One thing that this author did marvellously was the way the way that the book was so fast-paced and easy to read. The plot was very good and because so much was happening in such a short amount of time I felt like I rushed through the book, reading about so many different things and finishing the book in only a couple of days. There was even a certain part of the book where I just couldn’t put down the book and had to keep reading because I needed answers and was prepared to sacrifice sleep to read and finish the book. Despite how easy the book was to read and the good plot, there were also some things that I disliked about the book and one of those things was how predictable the plot was. I honestly felt like I was watching one of those cringey, romantic Christmas films that all have the most unoriginal and super predictable plot because I saw literally everything coming except for the final plot twist (but I still had some suspicions about it). I don’t mind a book being a little predictable, however this was extremely predictable and I literally saw everything coming and could’ve told you the whole plot before reading the third chapter. I didn’t hate this, but I would have liked more surprises and twists in the story. Another thing that I didn’t really like was the romance. Although the love triangle was alright and I could see both couples working out, there was something so weird about each of the boys and I could tell that something wasn’t quite right (so I saw their betrayal coming from a mile away). They both just acted so suspiciously and they never shared anything with Brie, which got on my nerves because I was so confused and needed answers. Now I know it wasn’t their fault that they didn’t tell Brie anything and kept secrets from her, however I still disliked them and would have preferred a better love interest. Not only that but I would have liked a better main character who was a little less annoying and focused on something other than her feelings. I felt like, even though Brie was trying hard to ignore her feelings, that was all I heard about and I would have liked her to be more of a strong, independent main character, which I hope she will be in the second book of the duology. 

Would you recommend this book?  

Despite not loving the book, I do think I would recommend it, but you need to have a lot of patience and be ready to cope with a lot of annoying characters and some predictable plot. It is a good book for readers over 16 who enjoy fantasy, romance and adventure.

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A rather predictable book full of fantasy, magic and romance. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

About Me: Merry Christmas!

Hi everyone! I know that this is rather odd, but I just felt like saying something this Christmas, mainly because I am always reminded of books and why I love to read around this time. When the weather starts to cool and it becomes too cold to go outside for walks without coming back freezing, it is the perfect weather to stay indoors and do nothing other than curl up under the covers with a book. Not only that but I also have to give people suggestions on what to get me for as a Christmas, which for me means taking out my trusty list of books that I don't yet own but would love to read and adding another couple dozen on there. 

To me, Christmas means books, especially because my family is Spanish and we also celebrate 'El Día de los Reyes Magos' and always get books on that day. This means that when I get back after the holidays I just talk a ridiculous amount about all the books I read and got as gifts. You would think that after getting 30 books for Christmas it would no longer seem so special to get gifted another, but to me getting books will always be special because they simply thinking about them and the adventures I have gone on and have yet to experience makes me feel so happy. I will always appreciate another story because every story is different and the best thing about books is that I get so much use out of them because I can read them multiple times over and also lend them to my friends. 

In reality, people who give me books are giving me so much more than just words on paper – they are giving me the best gift imaginable: an escape from reality. Which brings me to why it is that I read when so many people claim that it is boring and it would be much better to watch TV: I read because I get to experience the adventures the characters go on as if I was one of them and I get to visit worlds that will never make it to a screen because no matter how many movie adaptations they make there will always be a book that will never become a movie or TV show and those who don't read will never get to see what I have seen. Not only that but I get to escape reality when I read and I completely forget about all my worries. Reading is the best thing this world has ever given us and the only true magic on Earth. I am proud to call myself a reader and I hope those of you who read my reviews are too. 

So Merry Christmas and I hope you all get all the books you wished for!

OF SECRETS AND SLIPPERS by Chanda Hahn

“‘A haunting song. A deadly dance. An explosive finale.’ Allemar may be dead, but his cause festers in the dark. Strange beasts stalk the night as haunting music corrupts the fog. When morning comes, nothing but dust remains. Rumours are quick to spread, with many speculating that Allemar had a son…and the evil sorcerer’s heir wants blood. When an attack hits close to home, I become embroiled in a plan with the Magical Menagerie to infiltrate the palace of Sion and flush out the apprentice. Instead, I find twelve princesses, terrified and ensnared in a spell of music and death. Caught in a charade for my life, I don’t know whom to trust, for even my greatest love may be my greatest enemy. For I am Honor, one of the adoptive daughters of Lady Eville, and I’m an antimage – cursed with a gift that can kill. Forever forced to travel the ley lines to keep my friends safe, I must find the source of the rumors before the sinister song reaches its final note… And death takes his final bow.”

What is the book about?

After the events in Of Mist and Murder, Maeve succeeded where her sisters hadn’t – she killed Allemar. However, despite him being dead, his cause continued and there are rumours that Allemar had a son, who is now claiming blood and dark magic and following in the footsteps of his evil father. Not only that but strange creatures originating from the kingdom of Sion are appearing all over the 7 kingdoms, wreaking havoc and causing deaths. After Honor, one of the adoptive daughters of Lady Eville, gets involved in one of the attacks as it occurs close to the place she calls home, she seeks to find the source of this trouble and stop the young apprentice before all hell breaks loose. With help from the Magical Menagerie, Honor plans to infiltrate the palace of Sion and, even though there are many protections in place to keep the daughters of Eville from entering, the job seems easier than ever because Honor isn’t like her sisters. She is an antimage, cursed with a gift that doesn’t mean she can use magic but means she takes it and can kill without meaning to, which is why she was always kept away from her other sisters. So now Honor must find out if the rumours are correct and stop whatever or whoever is responsible for this destruction before everyone dies, but she won’t be able to do it alone…

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

My first thoughts on Of Secrets and Slippers were conflicted as I struggled with my excitement and fears. After finishing Of Gold and Greed and learning more about the mysterious 7th sister, Honor, who was always away from the tower and never with her sisters, I was intrigued and desperate to read this book, which is why I bought it. When I first got the book series Of Secrets and Slippers had not yet come out, so I waited to see if I would like the books and, as I did, I bought the final book. When I got my hands on it and I read the blurb I was even more excited about reading it and discovering more about Honor, who I had grown to like in the previous book. However, before I started reading, I also had some worrying thoughts that always plague me when I think of starting the final book in a series I have enjoyed. I was scared that the book wouldn’t be as good as I thought it was and that it would ruin the whole series by having a bad ending. These doubts were even more severe than usual since Of Gold and Greed hadn’t been the best of the books, however I tried to put them aside in order to start reading the book. Soon I forgot all my initial doubts as I started to read and began to really love the book, just like I had hoped. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character was definitely Honor, though I also greatly appreciated Rumple and his entertaining comments once again. In Of Gold and Greed I couldn’t be sure about what Honor was really like because I didn’t get her point of view, only her sister’s. However, I now know that everything I thought was correct. I loved Honor’s bravery, strength and determination. She was independent and, though her training with Lorn, she knew how to survive on her own in the wild. I also loved how she was so strong and powerful and, despite the fact that she wasn’t a sorceress like her sisters, she was never seen as the weak link, only the outcast, the one always on her own because of her power. This beings me onto my favourite thing about Honor: even though she knew she was destined for a life of loneliness and that she would also have to keep her distance, fearing killing those she loved, she never complained about it and never let those thoughts bring her down. She was so strong and I know she is definitely one of my favourite of the daughters of Eville. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part of the book was near the end when the help that Honor needed came. Since the beginning, Honor had always felt like the outcast of the family because of her power, which kept her far from her other sisters, travelling along the ley lines so she could take the magic from them and not from the people around her. However, despite feeling this way, her sisters still loved her like they loved all the others and at this part of the book Honor finally understood that. All her sisters came to her aid and every single one of them accepted her for what she really was (an antimage) and didn’t hate her like she had feared. Not only that but at the end of the book, when Honor needed help fixing what was broken they were all prepared to let Honor do the thing that she had always been told she couldn’t do, the thing she had always feared. This all happened because they loved and trusted her and knew that she would never hurt them on purpose and I loved that at this part Honor was finally able to see that because I knew it was important to her, even though she tried to push it down. I also loved this part of the book and the bit even further at the end because all of the sisters were back together, like they had been at the beginning of the whole series, and I loved that. 

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, I loved reading Of Secrets and Slippers and it was definitely one of my favourite of the books in the Daughters of Eville series. One thing that I really liked about the book was the fact that all 7 of the daughters of Lady Eville were present in the book. Not only that but so were all of their love interests and any family that they had started to create. I liked seeing all of them together and liked the way that all of their powers were needed in order to really solve the problem, even though it was Honor’s adventure. Every sister had had help from one of the others and then that other girl had gone on to have her adventure and receive help from another sister and so on. As a result, I had been concerned that Honor would be on her own, which I wouldn’t have been surprised about because she was the one always on the outside looking in at the relationship that her other sisters had with each other. However, instead Honor got help from every one of her sisters and she was the thing that brought them together. Another thing that I loved about the book was the amount of plot twists and secrets that seemed to be revealed at every turn, though the biggest were only ever hinted at until the end. I honestly can’t believe I didn’t see the reveal at the end of the book coming but I had been so distracted by my own theories about the son of Allemar that I didn’t see what was right in front of me. The initial book had not had as many twists so I was glad that this book did because it made it so much more interesting. One other thing I loved about the book (which you are probably tired of hearing about as I have mentioned in all of the previous book reviews) is how easy to read it was. I am not kidding when I say that I bought and finished the book in one day and literally finished in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down (yet another reason supporting the amazing plot) and found it so fast-paced that it honestly felt like the events of the book were flying by. The fast pace also helped me feel more involved in the book and made me forget I was reading for a bit and that these characters and events weren’t actually real. Even though I enjoyed the book immensely, there were a few things that weren’t exactly perfect. One of those was the ending. Although I think it fit very well with Honor’s situation and personality, I would have loved to see all of the daughters of Lady Eville take control of every single one of the 7 kingdoms and think it would have made the book even better. However, the ending was satisfactory and I liked that everyone got their happy ending, which is rare for such crazy, deadly adventures. Another thing I would have liked for this book, as well as every other one in the series, was some different points of view including. I would have loved to see into the minds of some of the side characters and love interests, and also would have preferred a third person perspective because I find that gives the book a deeper meaning and view. But, despite all these flaws, Of Beast and Beauty, Of Glass and Glamour, Of Sea and Song, Of Thorn and Thread, Of Mist and Murder, Of Gold and Greed and Of Secrets and Slippers were all amazing and I am sad to see the series end. 

Would you recommend this book?  

I 100% recommend reading this book and think it is the perfect read for those over 14 who love fantasy, romance, adventure and fairy tale novels. Obviously it is important to read the 6 books previous to this one and I definitely recommend doing so as it is worth it. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

The perfect conclusion to a romantic and adventurous series about 7 magical sisters and 7 magical (and corrupt) kingdoms. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

OF GOLD AND GREED by Chanda Hahn

“‘A hoard of gold. A cursed bladesman. A talking pain in the axe.’ High in goblin-infested mountains lies the ruins of Ter Dell, the lost stronghold of the dwarves. Evil lurks beneath layers of ice and broken stone, buried in a vault of gold, hungering for the day that man's greed would see it unearthed. That day has come. For I am Rheanon, one of the adoptive daughters of Lady Eville – and I'm trapped in a web of deceit with the King's deadly blades-enchanted beings that guard the king and hunt those with magic. Beset by enemies, I must use my gift of alchemy to forge a sentient blade with ancient knowledge and a sharp edge. I needed a powerful weapon. I got a giant pain in the axe.”

What is the book about?

Lady Eville has sensed trouble in her childhood home, the kingdom of Kiln, since now every time she tries to spy through her magic mirror, she sees nothing but fog. To help solve the problem, she sends one of her adoptive daughters, Rheanon, far into north. As Rhea grows closer to the mountains and the ruins of Ter Dell, the destroyed home of the dwarves, she also senses a darkness surrounding the kingdom, coming from deep within the mountains. However it seems that this is more than just dark magic and that it is a curse that will plague any greedy being. On her journey to find the source, Rhea finds herself in the palace, growing closer to the king’s blades, his deadly and unnatural guards. As she runs from her enemies and tries to help Kiln, Rhea uses her gift of alchemy to forge a magical, sentient blade with ancient knowledge, a sharp blade and the ability to never stop talking. So Rhea sets off with her giant pain in the axe to a place she isn’t sure we will come out from…

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

Initially, I was confident that I would enjoy this book and nothing shook my confidence, even as I read the blurb and then started reading the book. Once I finished the previous book, Of Mist and Murder, I was curious to learn more about Rhea, however there was no cliff-hanger ending that left me desperate to read Of Gold and Greed. So, after a day of not reading, I finally decided it was time to pick up the book and start to read it. When I started to read, I soon got back into the world of the 7 kingdoms and 7 daughters of Lady Eville, who somehow kept ending up married to the next king of one of the kingdoms. I was glad to see that this book was back to the ones where the adventure was one which their mother had ordered, and I soon grew to enjoy Rhea’s perspective. It didn’t take long for me to see that my initial thoughts were correct and my confidence was not misplaced. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character would probably have to be either Honor or Rumple. Even though Honor’s involvement was limited and she didn’t spend long on the page, I immediately loved her and I can’t wait to read her story next. She was so brave and strong and I admired the fact that even though she didn’t have magic like her sisters and wasn’t a sorceress and at time she probably felt like the outcast of the family, she kept strong and excelled at other things, such as fighting and risking her life to save her sisters. She was ridiculously smart, brave and was ready for anything. The other character I liked was Rumple because of how funny and entertaining he was. Despite him not having arms, legs or an actual body, he always had something to comment on and it was always something ridiculous. I loved the nickname he gave Kash and I always found it hilarious when he spoke because I had no idea how it was possible and it was so entertaining. The funny side character is always appreciated, especially through tough times, and I was definitely grateful for the laughs. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

I don’t really think that I have an actual favourite part; however one part that I did enjoy was near the end when Rhea defeats the source of the trouble in Kiln, however not in the way she expected. Compared to the other books, where the destruction of the main villain was a happy victory moment, in Of Gold and Greed this part of the book was actually quite sad because it turned out that the villain they were looking for was not as evil as they thought. Not only that, but the characters had believed they had all lost someone close to them and they were still grieving. However the most important bit is the fact that the villain was not fully evil, and turned good at the end, risking their life in order to save another. I loved this because of how representative it is of people: humans aren’t fully good or evil, it is just the situation we are in and how we feel that determines what we are like, so if you just help the person you thought was the villain you may find that they weren’t as bad as you thought. 

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, Of Gold and Greed was a great book and, although I didn’t enjoy it as much as the other books in the series, I still liked it. One thing that I liked about the book was how fast-paced the book was and how I found it easy to enjoy and read. Although the plot and the characters may not have been as well developed as with other books, I still enjoyed it and found it was just as fast-paced and still read it in very little time, finding myself in a similar situation as with the other books because I wanted answers so didn’t want to put the book down. Another thing that I liked about the book was the fact that I got to learn more about Rhea and also her sister Honor, the daughter of Eville I had yet to hear from. In fact I probably learnt more secrets about Honor than I did about Rhea, which is probably another reason that I didn’t like the book as much as previous ones. I was hoping for another huge reveal about the identity of Rhea’s parents and about what Rhea’s powers meant, however I got nothing, which meant there was one less secret and twist in the plot. However, learning about Honor and the truth about why she was kept away from her sisters did give me a little more to enjoy about the book. Of Gold and Greed was a good book and after the introduction of the final daughter of Eville I can’t wait to read the final book of the Daughter of Eville series, Of Secrets and Slippers, (though I am still sad to see the series end).

Would you recommend this book?  

Of Gold and Greed was a great read and I do recommend reading it, but after all of the previous books in the series. It is perfect for those over 14 who enjoy reading fantasy, romance, and adventure books and love fairy tale retellings. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

Another romantic fairy tale adventure filled with secrets and darkness that only a daughter of Eville can destroy.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego