I was not aware that this was actually a spinoff of another series that I had not already read, so I was pretty confused during this book. I do think there's a strong premise and interesting tropes, but I think it needs to be made clear that it can't be read on its own.

This book starts off slow but had a premise that was interesting. By the time things got really good the story was ending which was disappointing. The story was well written I just think the pacing was off and made most of the action take place during the last 10% of the story. Overall it was a cool idea but pacing issues made it hard to push through but the ending was exciting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

✨Summary✨
3 years after Queen Abriella claims her throne, her sister, Jasalyn, is still struggling to find her place in the faerie world. She has recently acquired a magic ring which secretly turns her into a murdering seductress so she may exact revenge upon all of the fae who have wronged her when she was captured by King Mordeus before his death. When she takes the ring off, she is transformed back into her terrified self. Her sister, Brie, wants to send Jas to the Wildlands to stay with King Misha. However, Jas is afraid that will interfere with her carefully laid plans for vengeance. That is, until she gets captured.

Felicity is also a stranger in the land of Faerie, seeming to be adrift. She has just been fired from her job when her brother, Hale, shows up. He has captured the shadow princess and has a plan which involves Felicity and her special type of magic. She is given a mission by her brother to get close to King Misha for mysterious reasons.

Jas and Felicity are both out on missions for reasons. However, their fates seem to be tangled and woven together. Will they each find the closure they both crave? Or will they find more than they ever bargained for?

👩🏻My Recommendation👩🏻
It’s rare for me to find a story involving two characters whose perspectives I equally enjoy reading. This book accomplished that. I enjoyed diving back into this world that I loved so much from the previous two books in the series, and it felt almost nostalgic. I enjoyed this book so much and would recommend it to absolutely everyone. It left off on a cliffhanger so I cannot wait to read the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC and the opportunity to review this book.

How dare you! Get me all invested in Jasalyn & Felicity, their backgrounds, their romantic interests & their destinies, switching back and forth for the whole book just to throw a bomb into each of their storylines, end with a cliffhanger then boom acknowledgments. I don’t need acknowledgments I need answers! Anyways if you’re looking for a read that will leave you wanting more you found it! YA, no spice.

4.5⭐️s. Really enjoyed Jasalyn’s story and the addition of Felicity. This has a Prince and the Pauper vibe which worked well. I saw a lot of recommendations to read These Hollowed Vows and These Twisted Bonds first. I do agree with that. It helped considering those have more world building.

While Jas is struggling greatly with the ptsd after Mordeus’s torture, she is on a mission to kill anyone who had any dealings with him. But what will happen when rumors stir that Mordeus is alive. Felicity too has a goal, but this one is to save her brother and remain hidden. When her brother kidnaps Jas, Felicity agrees to take her place since she has the ability to take on someone else’s appearance. Jas is surprisingly okay with this. Well, not super surprising because she feels utterly smothered and unable to let her sister and others in that just want to help. Will Felicity be able to hide the truth from Misha? Can Jas trust Kirkwood and still hide her goal for revenge?

Nigel has my heart!!!❤️😭 So much betrayal, healing, magic, romance, and wonderful adventure.

I binge the audiobook because I’m a little crazy. Amazing narration by @singlewithfries @katharinechinactor and @jamesfouhey (hopefully more narration from Misha in book 2)

Thank you so much to @netgalley @harpercollins and @writerlexiryan for the advanced reader copy.
#netgalley #beneaththesecursedstars #advancedreaderscopy #audiobook #bookstagram #lexiryan #thesehollowedvows #thesetwistedbonds

Lexi Ryan has easily become one of my favorites and this new fantasy is no exception. I loved being back in this world and learning more about Jasalyn. The new characters were great and I enjoyed the idea of a body double plot concept. The magic was cool and the tension and building of this part of the world was so well done. I also liked the alternating POVs and how each relationship developed. Also, the cliffhanger left me REELING!! I need there to be a book two like yesterday. I can't wait to see what's going to happen next. I truly loved this one so much! Thank you to Harper Teen and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC to read and review.

With secret identities and (two) slow burn romances, this book was such a fun read! Minimal world building made this a great read if you’re dipping your toe into fantasy.

I tried reading this book because the synopsis sounded like something I would enjoy reading but unfortunately I was not able to get into this book and eventually put the book down and was unable to finish it. I felt that the book was not heading in an exciting direction and was simply unable to continue reading it.

2.5 ⭐️

I dnf’d this book. It unfortunately just wasn’t as good as the first duology. I was really excited for a spinoff of those books, but I just wasn’t super into this one.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for a review.

Big thank you to HarperCollins Children Books and Netgalley for the e-arc!

Okay, so, I will admit, I had very high hopes for this book.

When someone tells me there will be a spin-off to a duology/series that I loved dearly, I typically get excited. How could Jas' story possibly be any less exciting than Brie's was? Well, I guess I should have never even asked that question.

This was a little disappointing. Coming from These Hollow Vows and These Twisted Bonds, I feel like a different author was writing this book. There was barely any character development or emotions. No one connected on a level that felt real, and it was almost painful trying to figure out why anyone liked/disliked anyone else. The world building was also pretty sparse. We would have benefited from so much more being in this book, and it's a shame because the previous duology was fun to read.

While this is a standalone, do keep in mind that there are spoilers for the prior duology in it.

After reading These Hollow Vows, I was so excited for this spin-off. recommend reading the duopoly first, as there will be a ton of plot holes without doing so and you will not understand the magic system. This is a face-paced read, and definitely doesn’t give as many world building details as the previous books. Overall, its a quick easy read, and if you loved These Hollow Vows, you should definitely give it a chance.



Read If You Love
Slow Burn
Dual POV with Two Parallel Story Lines
Forced Proximity
Hidden Identity
Betrayal / Revenge Plot
Forbidden Love
Who Did This To You
Cliffhangers

I absolutely adored the These Hollowed Vows duology and was ecstatic to realize that a spinoff series featuring Jasalyn, Brie's sister, was coming. This book occurs 3 years after the events from These Twisted Bonds and follows Jasalyn as she tries to heal from past events and Felicity, as she tries to evade her past and better the future of the Eloran realm.

This new installment to the series did not disappoint! It's full of secrets, lies, and betrayals as well as dangerous missions, found family, and burgeoning romance. Jasalyn is a shell of her former self and seeks her revenge despite the cost to her. I really felt for her as she struggled with her past and future and was rooting for her throughout the book. We also meet Kendrick again and his group of rebels. The journey that they all went on with Jasalyn kept me on the edge of my seat! Felicity is an interesting type of fae and I quite enjoyed her POVs and her branch of the story. The tension between her and Misha, the Wild Fae king, was delicious and exciting!

This book ends on an intense cliffy and I can't wait for more!

Thank you so much to HarperTeen and NetGalley for the advanced copy in return for my honest review! 🖤

Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan is a romantic fantasy about a princess with a deadly kiss, along with a group of new friends, who are on a mission to unalive an evil king.

I really enjoyed this one mostly due to the characters. I loved the growth, the banter, and the relationships. It's told in dual and parallel points of views so it's like reading two short stories that come together at the end. Definitely kept it interesting! You also get double the slow burn, forbidden romance, and forced proximity sprinkled in.

Although it is a standalone from These Hollow Vows/These Twisted Bonds, I would 100% read those first. I feel like I'd be lost with this one regarding the world and magic system. Beneath These Cursed Stars does not dive deep into the world building, so that's the only issue I had with this book. Otherwise, I had a lot of fun reading it!

I was not familiar with Lexi Ryan's previous books, so came into BENEATH THESE CURSED STARS, the story of Jasalyn and Felicity, allied to right the wrongs in their past and secure the future of their worlds despite the perils and price they must pay. No one is exactly who they seem to be, making it all the more challenging to trust in one another, the ones they come to love and rely upon as they come closer to realizing their ambitions and wonder if it was all worth it. There are shapeshifters and powerful objects, the ability to wreak havoc and encourage the world to work differently. Was the book overwrought in places? At times. And at other times, the pace dragged, but all in all, it was an entertaining escape. The magical aspects were fascinating and I enjoyed living in this shapeshifting reality written so well by Ryan. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased thoughts.

This book had so much potential. I really enjoyed the original duology and the Princess and the Pauper like plot was very intriguing.

Not much happens in the book until after 75% of the way through, which felt like a much slower pace compared to the original duology.

The dialogue doesn’t seem organic, a lot of world building is explained forcefully in conversation, and long back and forth where I forget who’s speaking.

There was a lot of world building that should have been reiterated after the first books. Not just thrown in conversation. I was under the impression that with this being a new series that it would have world building.

There’s a spoiler that I won’t mention- but it’s a plot device that I really don’t like in sequels of completed works, and it’s heavily in this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2 Stars

This YA Fantasy occurs after the events of These Hollow Vows & These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan.

Beneath These Cursed Stars focuses on Jasalyn, the younger sister of Brie the Shadow Queen over the Unseelie Court of Fae, and Felicity, a young female Fae Shifter, both of whom are scarred and hiding from their tormented pasts.

Lexi Ryan's writing style is gripping and intoxicating, making it nearly impossible to put this book down! Her world building is lush and richly detailed, but it's the relationships that are electrified with heartfelt emotions buried under the crushing realities of forbidden love, destined to never belong to the ones their hearts long for. I've never read a dual pov book with two female protagonists, each with their own star crossed love..I really admired these two strong heroines, bravely forging their own paths, trying to make the world a better place. Though from totally different worlds, Jasalyn & Felicity have more in common than they realize, their steadfastness and courage against insurmountable odds being one of them, working together to end their collective nightmares.

From the relationships to the world building and politically intriguing plot, this was an amazing book and had so many things about it that deserve praise! Lexi Ryan is a talented author, and this book is one of the best ya fantasy romance that I've ever read!

I absolutely loved this book! I would highly recommend this book to anyone that loves ya epic fantasy and rate it:
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you Lexi Ryan and NetGalley for the chance to read this book! Though this book was provided as an arc, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored this book! It was such a great read and I couldn't put it down. I was completely engrossed in the story and the characters. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating and entertaining book to read.
Even though I hadn't read the first two books in the series, I didn't feel lost at all. The author did a great job of making it accessible to new readers while still keeping it engaging for those who have been following the series. I can't wait for the next book to come out, I'm definitely looking forward to it!
multiple pov
Forbidden Love
Secrets & Betrayal
Slow Burn
• Fae
Spice - 1/2
Thank you NetGalley for the arc. I truly enjoyed reading this book

It was so good to be back in this world! I loved the dual POV the best! It made the story line extra intriguing and all I wanted to do was read the next chapter. The ending has me extremely eager for the next book and it only just came out today 😅

Highly recommend Lexi Ryan! She’s a super talented author who deserves all the attention!

(4.5 stars, rounded up)

Content warnings: murder, torture, PTSD, blood magic, betrayal

Although not currently listed on Amazon or Goodreads as a part of the These Hollow Vows series, this novel is a direct sequel to These Hollow Vows and These Twisted Bonds. The book follows Jasalyn, Queen Abriella's younger sister.

Jasalyn resides in her sister's palace at the Shadow Court, but she's not really living. Struggling with PTSD from her imprisonment and torture at the hands of the evil Mordeus, she spends her days alone in her room. Jasalyn's double life begins at night when she leaves the palace to exact revenge on her enemies -- the guards of Mordeus' dungeon who helped him hurt her.

When Jasalyn is kidnapped and told she's destined to kill the king of her former human world, she agrees to help the people of Elora save their realm. Since Jas knows her sister will tear down several kingdoms to find her, she allows a shifter to go back to the palace in her place. Felicity agrees to play the role of Jasalyn but finds the assignment straining her wits and heart. But both women have colossal secrets that could forever alter more than one realm.

Recommended for all fans of YA fantasy, especially those who loved the These Hollow Vows series.

3.5/5 stars

I took a chance with Beneath These Cursed Stars despite not being a huge fan of the previous These Hollow Vows/These Twisted Bonds duology, and was surprised to realize how much more interesting Jas’s POV is than Brie’s. That being said, the minimal worldbuilding, romances that felt a little too forced, and the fact that the twists were completely predictable (especially the “faceless plague”) made me lower my overall rating.

If Brie was the knockoff version of Feyre, then Jas is Elain…except better. So many romantasy books lately have FMC’s who “aren’t like other girls” except they’re exactly like other girls, but this book does a great job avoiding this. Jas is a small, timid human girl doomed to turn into what she most fears (Fae), and who suffers from major PTSD by day. But she has a pretty dark secret. Rather than being the victim, she bartered for a ring that by night, makes her fearless and gives her death’s kiss, which she uses to go John Wick on the Fae who tortured her in the previous duology. Because of how intrigued I was with that twist, I was almost willing to overlook how forced/rushed her relationship with Kendrick was. Almost.

Felicity, the other POV, was a bit of a disappointment. Her and Misha’s story easily could have eclipsed Jas, but instead felt like an afterthought thrown in because Lexi Ryan wanted a dual-POV book and didn’t want the other one to be Kendrick. Misha was the only character I liked from the first duology, so I was so excited to see him get to play a leading man. Instead, he was just…slightly creepy. I’m hoping their storyline is more fleshed out in the next book because it felt like such a wasted opportunity with how intriguing Felicity’s backstory is.

Jas and Felicity trade places to work to bring down a group ruling Elora, the human world, that felt a lot like the Asteri from CC. Again, this felt like a missed opportunity for Twelfth Night-style mistaken identity hijinks with Felicity, and Jas going on a quest, but not really doing anything other than fawning over Kendrick and developing a fairly disturbing habit of sleepwalking.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children’s for the advance copy!