Lexi Ryan's follow-up to 2021's These Hollow Vows is the sequel we all needed. At the end of These Hollow Vows we were left with Abriella's discovery of the betrayal of both the men she cared for. These Twisted Bonds opens with Brie swearing her vengeance, along with a discovery of powers she never expected. This book plays out in every way I had hoped. I sincerely hope Ryan continues her journey into YA and gifts us more fantasy and Fae.

I enjoyed this sequel to Ryan's fae duology. I do think the middle could have been condensed as the last of the book had a lot of action that could have been fleshed out longer. But this YA fantasy was thoroughly enjoyable!

If you loved ACOTAR and FBAA, I would definitely recommend this. It’s a nice mix of the two.
This gave everything it needed to give and was the perfect half to this duology. It was the perfect mix of magic, prophesies, tension, angst, swooning, and nail-bitting suspense. I couldn’t have asked for a better sequel. I can’t recommend this series enough!

Thoroughly enjoyed this! I love the journey Lexi takes us on in this sequel. The romance and intrigue were excellent all around! Really enjoyed watching the characters as they progressed!

This book was a solid 4.5 stars for me! The action and deceit throughout kept me on the edge of my seat. I love a well written love triangle and this one fit the bill for sure. My only complaint was I wish it was a trilogy.

So I wasn’t crazy about the first book but I was curious to see how things would play out.

I was really hoping for something unexpected and different…and that did not really happen.

It was still very reminiscent of other things I’ve read. Now that’s not always a bad thing but if I’m reading something, let’s say, inspired from another book I expect some big differences or at least for it be written as well as the inspiration. It fell a bit flat for me.

With YA I expected stronger emotional connections than there were. I didn’t quite warm up to any of the characters except maybe Sebastian at the end, but I just felt like he was a tool to be used in this series instead of one of the main characters.

The ending was sweet but the majority of the book I felt like I was waiting for something to pull me in. These books just weren’t for me, I suppose.

*Thanks so much to Lexi Ryan and Clarion Books for giving me a copy of the book for an honest review*

This book is just like the first one in which it is so close to being amazing but it just feels like a recycled book. The characters feel too closely related to ACOTAR and I genuinely cannot get myself to like any of the love interests. I am so thankful I got to read this early and it wasn't bad, but it was not a book that I will be able to recommend. I really, REALLY wanted to love this series and while I liked it, I don't think this was a good follow-up from the last book. I do love strong, female main characters but again, it really wasn't original.

(3.5 stars, rounded up)

Content warnings: imprisoned children, war, murder, imprisonment in confined spaces

Abriella, AKA Brie, is bonded to one fae prince and in love with another. As if life couldn't get any harder, she also holds the power of the Unseelie throne, which the Seelie queen will do anything to possess. Her life is fraught with danger and quests to save the realm.

I really enjoyed the first novel in the series, but this one struggled to hold my attention. I blame this more on the abundance of faerie stories in YA fantasy in recent years, not on the book itself. Towards the end of the novel, the political machinations became less important and the real action began.

When the action ramps up, there are twists and turns that will leave readers shocked and wanting another book in the series.

Recommended for fans of These Hollow Vows and YA fantasy lovers.

This series ended exactly how it started out - fun, tropey and delightful! Sebastian and Finn are truly excellent characters and Bri is riiiiight on the line of being a pick me girl in the best way.

The plot really escalated in this book, my main criticism is the info dumping of fae history and lore - Bri obviously didn't know anything, so neither did we until she was told, but I felt it could have been done a little better.

I will definitely read anything that Lexi Ryan comes out with in this sphere!

I loved the first book of this series so was super excited when I was given the chance to read book two early! This one picks up right after the end of book one so you don't really miss a beat from one to the next. I do admit, I had to go back and re-read the last few chapters to reorient myself to what happened at the end of book one.

When this book starts, Brie is trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to do having been betrayed by both princes. It was great to see her character grow into herself throughout this book. She could have easily just said forget it and given up but she was determined to do what she felt was the right thing to do.

There is still a pretty heavy love triangle in this book (to an extent) and I don't want to give anything away on that front but I think things turned out the way they should have.

When I compare this book to the first one, I enjoyed the first book slightly more but I think this is due to the pacing. This one had areas that I felt dragged a bit but ultimately, I still enjoyed the story and it's conclusion.

If you're looking for a great YA Fantasy, considering picking up this book / series. I thought Ryan did a great job with the characters and the storyline. I was invested in finding out how everything was going to turn out and I wasn't disappointed.

What a ride this was! While I enjoyed it, there were a few aspects that had me eye rolling. A few over the top moments were unnecessary. BUT for the most part I couldn’t stop reading.

The romance was definitely more mature than I remember in book one, but you won’t hear me complaining! I am glad it went in the direction it did. I was a worried how things would work out but I’m happy with this outcome.

I’m thrilled this is a duology and not a trilogy. With my ridiculous memory having to reread both books would kill me. That being said, I’m totally game for a few spin of books about a few of the side characters. I wouldn’t mind seeing their HEAs.

This was a fantastic follow up to These Hollow Vows! It has a few tropes that i couldn’t fully support, but overall a solid fantasy!

I cannot believe that this duology is legitimately over. When I first picked up These Hollow Vows, I knew I was in for a wild ride. I spent an entire year waiting for the second book and absolutely nothing could have prepared me for it. Throughout these pages, I have felt every emotion and longed for a world that is not mine. I am so happy with how the Abriella’s story ended and although I wish I could read more of it, I know that it had to end. In this book, Abriella, Finn, and Sebastian’s stories are ended in what I think was the best way they could have been. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lexi Ryan for sending me an eArc copy of this book, I feel so privileged to have been given the opportunity to read this. I cannot wait to have this book on my bookshelf!

Much like the first book, I found this to be a copy and paste of many fae and fantasy YA books out there. Definitely a waste of time

Normally, I don't like love triangles at all because they just get on my nerves. I have just never liked them, but I like them if Lexi Ryan is writing them! I am a sucker for a world with Fae characters and this book is no exception. I loved how she wrote the heroine in this story, and I want to be just like Brie! I am honestly sad that this is the last book in the series because I would sell my soul for another book just so I can stay in this world with these characters!

I requested These Twisted Bonds while I was in the middle of reading the first book, These Hollow Vows but by the time I had gotten to the end of that book I wasn't enjoying it anymore. I read this book but only to see what was going to happen. The story is ok. I don't think there is anything original about this duology though.

These Twisted Bonds is a quick and easy read. I loved the development of the characters and their relationships (and romance in this book is NEXT LEVEL, it was so adorable!!) I really enjoyed the direction all of our 3 main characters went in, as well as the introduction of some new side characters who I'm now obsessed with.

This book even further expands the setting, and while some aspects lacked the grounded feeling the setting had in the first book, others were well executed and interesting to read about. Similarly, there were parts of the plot that were very engaging, with twists that heightened the fun, but some of these twists appeared to come out of nowhere. That said, I still really enjoyed myself during the read and look forward to seeing what this author writes next.

Perfect wrap up to a highly anticipated end to a series. This isn't the most intricate, complicated story but it was enjoyable and easy to follow. I love fae and magic and this duology gave me everything I was needing in a story. Happy with the ending!

Thank you #Netgalley for an early read of #TheseTwistedBonds

These Twisted Bonds was exactly what I needed to wrap up this story for Abriella. I DEVOURED These Hollow Vows in 2 days and I could not wait to read the second one! I didn't fly through this one as quickly but I'll get to that.

Things I loved about this book:
- Finn. All things Finn.
- The magic and it's complexities.
- Misha - I ADORE him. Funny, a great friend, and down to earth.

Things I disliked:
- Sebastian. His inability to understand that Brie doesn't want him, doesn't trust his lying ass, and then to continue to refuse to break their bond was ridiculous. Even when he does his sacrifice at the end I could not get over what a spoiled brat he was.
- I wish there had been a little bit a recap in the beginning of this book. It jumped right back into where the last book left off and I needed to try to quickly recap for myself what happened since it's been quite some time since I read that.

Overall, I loved this book. What a great fantasy duology- I'm going to need more from this author!~

Great story! Felt a little rushed at the end. I enjoyed the characters more this time around. This is definitely NA not YA so booksellers need to make sure they shelve it appropriately. I do worry about the effect of some of the subject matter on teenagers. Overall, great story and the ending was satisfying! Could have definitely been a trilogy!