after really loving the these hollow vows duet i was so excited to find out that there was a spin off for them. however i am disappointed to say that i do not care for the way this one is set up.

even having read the previous books, the lack of reviewing the world building and magic system and what happened in THV duet makes this feels extremely jarring and like ive been dumped in the middle of a story without any clue as to want happened in the previous 50%. as this takes place 3 years after THV i truly feel there needs to be more explanation of what the heck has been going on.

maybe we get that later in the book however it was a major disservice to this book to not do this from the get go. especially for the people who pick this one up first not realizing that without (and even with in my case?!?!) having read THV they will have even more of a hard time figuring out what exactly is the point of everything.

when the time comes of lexi creating a new series i will happily jump right in however i do not think i will be continuing my journey with this spin off.

So, I loved These Hollow Vows & These Twisted Bonds, and I was so excited to be back in this world, unfortunately, this book was a bit of a snooze. I understand what the author is trying to setup and that takes time, but this was too much of setting up something bigger, and not enough entertainment to keep the reader going. I ended up speed reading 80% of this book. I will say, I’m giving this 3 stars because, I enjoy the authors writing and the ending gave me hope for more in the next book . It was a great ending and I’m a sucker for a cliffhanger!!

Thank you NetGalley for the E-ARC!

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I think our dear author here has improved from her previous series!

I found the main character, Felicity, a true delight! I loved her from the beginning and Misha was my favorite character in the previous series so its no shock that I absolutely loved them. I loved their adventure and how they connected. It made my heart hurt in all the right places, with Felicity not being sure if Misha would ever love her for her, and not the beautiful Jas. It wasn't the main focus but the underlying tone that Felicity is self conscious of her true image just broke my heart. Also, Misha has been seeing the true Felicity in his dreams?? He thinks that girl is LITERALLY the girl of his dreams?? Soul mates??? 👀 Still mad at him tho for the way he treated her in the end.

Now listen, if you write a book with duel POV, there is just one point of view I won't love as much, and sadly that was the case for Jas. Half the time I just wanted to shake her and tell her to get over herself. I understand she has sever PTSD from her time in the dungeons, and is trying to protect her sister, but so far all it has done has cause more harm. As someone with a good understanding of trying to hide your true feelings from loved ones, I get where she's coming from but still. Hendrick and her also just never really *connected* for me. I mean I get he helped her, but he has also been lying and manipulating her since day one.

I did find the ring concept really interesting, I just wish it hadn't affected Finn, Jas's sisters' husband. It would've been cool if the ring didn't affect someone already truly and deeply in the love. Speaking of Finn, he wasn't the same Finn from the past books! He lost all his charm for a silent brooding asshole, and I miss him.

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You'll like this book if you like...
- Sweet vs kickass main girls
- Heist through the kingdom
- Cliffhanger ending
- Forbidden romance
- Plenty of twists

I enjoyed this! I loved the original duology that this is a spin-off from, and this was a great addition to it. I would have liked a little more world building, but I did like a lot of the tropes that the author included in this book. Overall a fun read. I hope to see more in this series in the future.

I was so excited to read this book! While you did not *technically* need to read the other duology that is set in this same world, I feel like it definitely helped forward the story as a lot of the 'meat' or world building would have been lost. I felt that Jas was a bit more relatable, and while could be a bit whiny and bland at times... who isnt, especially in the given circumstances of this book? I think that given the nature of this book, and while it IS an interconnected book, I would not really count it as a 'standalone' as you really should read the first duology before containing on to Jas' story.

I don't know what it is about this particular series of books…. I can't claim that they're particularly new or exciting and they're definitely not complex but I honestly think that those things are part of the draw for me. Sometimes | just want and easy fantasy that is heavy on the romance and these absolutely fit the bill. I've had the best time with each of them!

This series brings back a few characters that we know and love from the original duology and introduces a few new ones. This being a dual romance was particularly enjoyable and I really loved both story lines and the new characters. Ryan writes romantic tension and angst in a way that I can't get enough of. If you loved that aspect of the original duology I think you will love it here too.

I would suggest reading the original duology before this spin-off simply for an introduction to the characters and a basic layout of the world - not much is reintroduced or explained here.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Rating: Loved it (4.5 stars)
Genre: NA fantasy
Romantic content: one vague open door
Other content: memories of torture, kidnapping

Amazing , great history in the same world as the series before, loved the characters the plot , i was left wanting more. Love it do much , thanks for the opportunity to read it

I absolutely devoured These Hollow Vows and These Broken Bonds, so when it was announced that Lexi Ryan would be diving back into that world, I was ECSTATIC. I can’t get enough of fae courts and seductive kings, so this book hit in all of the right ways.

I really enjoyed the dual POV, with two slow burn romances happening at the same time. It kept tensions high and helped me stay engaged with both storylines. Felicity and Jasalyn faced so many obstacles and uncovered information that changed everything they ever thought about the world around them, and I could have never predicted the betrayal that’s revealed in the end. That cliffhanger? My mouth was left wide open.

I definitely recommend this one for YA fantasy lovers, but would recommend you read These Hollow Vows and These Broken Bonds before diving in!

I never do this, but I've decided not to finish Beneath These Cursed Stars. This was my first book by Lexi Ryan, and as it turns out, I don't think I'm the right reader for their books. I tend to prefer a more folkloric take on faeries and fae, and this author's characters seem to be more in the vein of Sarah J. Maas fae. Nothing wrong with that, it's just very much not for me. Fortunately for the author, I anticipate that there will be a lot of readers clamoring for their books for just this reason.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Beneath These Cursed Stars is a dual POV YA fantasy novel that is a great alternative to people who love ACOTAR, but don't necessarily love the length of the books. I loved Lexi's These Hollow Vows duology, and I was excited to be immersed back in the Brie's world, and I loved that we got to follow Jasalyn's journey.

Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan is a high fantasy ya novel set in the world of These Hollow Vows.
 
While I wasn’t fully in love with the These Hollow Vows duet, I was very curious and excited to read something different from this world. Because this is a spin-off, I highly recommend reading the duology first because it’s often expected to know certain information and that even gave me trouble when I couldn’t remember something.
 
And in this one we follow Princess Jasalyn and Felicity and I liked how we got two story lines. But oftentimes I felt like the plot just runs in circles and it could have been done better to intertwine these two-story lines. The pacing was also a bit off and sometimes for a few pages something interesting happened, but it would slow down again and the plot dragged. That made me want to skip along. The characters had so much potential but especially Jasalyn felt very flat to me and there had to be more development and that’s quite sad when the story is mainly character driven.
 
Overall, I’m not sure if this author is for me and I’ll probably not continue this series. 3 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.

These Hollow Vows is one of my favorites in fantasy from the last few years (I say this but haven't reread them) so I was excited for another one in the world featuring the sister while also continuing the plot -- albeit with a time skip of 3 years. I really liked how this was split between two FMC, each with their own plot that combined into the larger plot. It was a fast paced read, but I do wish I would have reread THV duo first because I did not remember basically any of the characters or how the world worked.

Also...it is not a standalone. Do not be fooled.

I adore Lexi’s writing style, and the world she created! The complexities were easy to follow, but so dang addictive to read!! And that cliffhanger THO!

“This is where the magic truly is. The moment these red lips touch his.”

“Abriella is a powerful queen, but with me she acts like a nervous child. And that’s all my fault. It’s all my fault because I’m broken.”

“The princess is a conundrum. She’s fragile and angry. She’s delicate and sharp. She was once soft and hopeful, and now she’s hardened and bitter.”

“I won’t leave you in the dark. I promise.”

“You’ve hardened, but that’s just a protective shield. Your heart remains the same. As does mine.”

“We can have mercy without being naive, and we can be judicious while seeing our enemies as whole people.”

“There’s nothing braver than doing the things that scare you.”

“You say your kiss is deadly, but every hour that passes, I feel more and more like I might die without it.”

“It feels good, I realize, having someone share my rage. I’ve carried it alone for so long.”

“Every second I’m not touching you is torture.”

“There’s nothing hideous about you. Inside and out? You are beautiful.”

“These lips might be worth dying for.” “You don’t mean that.” “It’s painful how close to the truth it is.”

I love Lexi Ryan's writing style and getting to see beloved characters again really made me happy.

I loved getting to see more of Jasalyn's journey and meeting new characters.

The middle seemed to slow the pacing way down and I got bored so it dropped to a 3☆, but the ending makes up for it and I can't wait for the next book!

I enjoyed this book. Slow burn but every enjoyable. The different pov and the twist at the end. Wow. Can't wait for more

I enjoyed this a lot! I read the duology it is a spin off from a while back and liked it alot so decided to give this a shot. I found the pace pretty fast moving and engaging although some of it was a bit predictable. Overall a good read and I’d recommend for people who enjoy YA fantasy.

I wanted to love this book but it just didn’t grip me. And honestly I can’t nail down what it was. I struggled with Jas’ opinions on turning far eventually since it felt so similar to Bries which is just read. Then first half felt really slow to me and just a lot to get through. I did find myself excited to read Felicity’s chapters and interested to uncover her back story as well as Mishas. Overall I am at this moment putting the book down at about 60%. I do plan to come back to it at some point and I think other readers might love it but right now it’s not pulling me in.

A big thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had such high hopes, and it was a flop.

Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan is a YA fantasy novel set in the same world as Ryan's previous duology, These Hollow Vows. Princess Jasalyn has a secret. Armed with an enchanted ring that gives her death’s kiss, Jas has been sneaking away from the palace at night to assassinate her enemies. Shape-shifter Felicity needs a miracle. Fated to kill her magical father, she’s been using her unique ability to evade a fatal prophecy. When rumors of evil king Mordeus’s resurrection spread through the shadow court, Jasalyn decides to end him once and for all. Felicity agrees to take the form of the princess, allowing Jas to covertly hunt Mordeus—and starting Felicity on the path that could finally take her home. While Jasalyn teams up with the charming and handsome Kendrick, Felicity sets out to get closer to the Wild Fae king, Misha. Kendrick helps Jasalyn feel something other than anger for the first time in three years, and Misha makes Felicity wish for a world where she’s free to be her true self. Soon, the girls’ missions are at risk right alongside their hearts. The future of the human and fae realms hangs in the balance as fates intertwine. Between perilous tasks, grim secrets, and forbidden romances, Jasalyn and Felicity find that perhaps their stars are the most cursed of all.

I loved Ryan's previous works, but this one was a bit of a letdown. I didn't quite like characters, as I found some of them whiny and annoying to the literal plot they were forced along. Not to mention, I kept getting confused on the whole dual point of view. Overall. if you read the original duology, I would MAYBE read this one. But skip it if you can.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

If you love YA fantasy with multiple POV’s, secret identities, magic, found family vibes, slow burn, forced proximity you need to pick up this first installment in this great duology. This is a spinoff duology from These Hollow Vows, and I loved those books so much and knew that this author would do great with these new/old characters stories that I had to pick it up. I love that you don’t have to read the first duology, but I highly recommend to everyone that you do because it's amazing.

In this book you will meet Jasalyn who likes to go by Jas, she is a little damaged from the time she spent being a prisoner of Mordeus. Even though it’s been a while since she was last in those torture cells she still can’t sleep without the nightmares, and she can’t handle being touched. She does have a secret though; she has traded something that she might come to wish that she didn’t for an enchanted ring that gives her the kill of death. She sneaked away from the palace at night to take out all the former king’s guards and anyone else that helped him. That all changes when she is kidnapped by a friend Kendrick and he has a plan to help her and his court as well, but in order for it to work she will have to let one of Kendricks’s friends fool the Wild Fae King Misha into thinking that it's Jas with him and not really Felicity. Can these two pull it off and find a happy ending for the both of them or will disaster hit, and everything will go up in flames?

I really liked this complex/yet simple plot. I liked that it was told by Jas and Felicity POV, and you really were able to connect with both of the characters and not just one of them. I found the plot to be fun and adventurous, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for a shoe to drop, and when it finally did…let me tell you I was not ready for that. I liked that this book had a lot more twists and turns in it and that the plot was always getting more and more in depth about the characters and what we might see in the next book. By the way, I want that right now lol. I love this author’s writing style, she knows how to write and make the words flow by, but she will leave you wanting more of the book and needing to know what will happen next. The characters in this book were great and well developed.

I liked that with Jas, if you have read the other books, you will see her mentioned, but in this book, you really get a feel for who and what she is all about. I found myself able to connect with her the right way and could understand her need for revenge. You will watch her grow more and more throughout the book, but it was by the end of the book that you will see most growth but at the same time I pray that she will not go back down into her hole due to what was told to her finally. I loved how strong she was, but at the same time you will see the front that she puts on to make it seem like all is well. With Felicity, omg that just breaks my heart, and I can’t believe the ending of this book to leave it on that kind of cliffhanger. I need to know what happened to her and if Misha will be able to forgive her and help her with her problems. I liked that in these books you will see two romances and it’s not a love triangle, instead it’s Misha and Felicity, and Kendricks and Jas. I can’t really say too much about them because I will definitely be giving out some spoilers… but let’s say OMG! There is some great chemistry between each of the couples and a lot of secrets that when they come out are explosive.

I really need book two and soon please Lexi Ryan

I want to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to review this book.

I loved this addition to the These Hollow Vows universe. Abriellas sister went through severe trauma after being tortured by the previous Unseelie King and now she is dealing with her anger and grief. Her depression was very relatable. There was also an added twist alla The Parent Trap that was super intriguing. I loved the love interests and all the deception and new magic. I cant wait for the next in this series.