Alwyn Hamilton (https://www.alwynhamilton.com) is the author of four novels. The Notorious Virtues was published early last April. It is the 30th book I completed reading in 2025.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.

Honora ‘Nora’ Holtzfall is 16 years old and the daughter of Verity Holtzfall, the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Though the family controls all of the magic and finances in the country, Nora feels like an outsider. Her life is turned upside down when her mother’s body is found, the victim of a stabbing by a thief. Now, Nora, along with her cousins, must face one another in the Veritaz. A dangerous, often fatal, magical competition to determine who will sit next on the throne.

The Huldrekall are called upon to organize the Veritaz. They are magical creatures that inhabit the forest surrounding Walstad. The humans mostly stay out of the forest, and the Huldrekall leave Walstad alone.

The competition is expected to be between Nora and her three cousins, Constance, Clemency, and Modesty. The rivalry between them far outweighed their familial bond. Unexpectedly, Ottoline ‘Lotte’ Holtzfall, a fifth candidate for the Veritaz, appears.

Lotte is also 16 years old and was unknown to the family. She is the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt, Grace Holtzfall. Lotte has been hidden away in the convent of the Sisters of the Blessed Briar her entire life. Her mother is only bringing her out now because of the Veritaz. Lotte has only known a difficult life at the convent, and knows nothing about her mother or family. She thought she was there because she was cursed, able to hear the thoughts of others around her.

August Wolffe is a 17-year-old fledgling photographer and reporter for the Bullhorn newspaper. He has been following the flamboyant Nora for a story. They have a chance meeting and become an unusual couple, though Nora tries her best not to admit to it.

The cousins are subjected to different trials. The competition begins, though the contests are subtle and unexpected. Only four trials were expected, and by the time those were over, Nora had only won one. No clear winner is named, and an unexpected fifth trial pits the cousins against one another a final time.

As the contest proceeds, the Egalitarian People’s Party is stirring up trouble. They advocate reform and change, calling for more magic and money for all. They take on a new name, the Grims, with a wolf as their emblem, and their actions become more violent.

As the story nears its conclusion, the Grims are threatening more action against the wealthy and powerful of Walstad. The surviving cousins of the Veritaz are still vying for the throne. Nora has discovered that her mother was murdered. What will happen to Nora and Lotte? Will the wealthy of Walstad survive?

I enjoyed the 11.5 hours I spent reading this 509-page young adult fantasy novel. I enjoyed it, but I think it comes across as unpolished. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 3.9 (rounded to 4) out of 5.

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I was super excited about this book! I had read Alwyn Hamilton's Rebel of the Sands YEARS ago and I loved every second of it so I had pretty high expectations for this. I made sure to set my expectations correctly because I'm not the same reader I was 6 years ago, and I'm not as big into YA fantasy as I was back then. And I was not disappointed! I will admit I was a bit confused sometimes because there were so many characters/POVs and I felt like there wasn't much distinction between the character voices but the plot of this book really helped out with my personal enjoyment of it! I also was a bit confused at first about the technology in this world but it was quickly dissipated from just continuing on. Even though the romance in this book wasn't my favorite, I could see it working for other people or even me with future installments in this series. I just love a deadly game and this book did such a great job with it!

I agreed with both the good and bad ratings, lol. It’s not perfect by any means and struggles with trying to do too much in one novel, but the story is engaging & I liked the 4 different perspectives and had no trouble following this fantasy. Solving the murder and seeing who would come out on top of this Inheritance Games style mystery was fun and entertaining. It did feel like everything unraveled in a chaotic manner at times.

Thank you, NetGalley, and publishers Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group/Viking Books, for this advanced reading copy.

"Don't go into the woods," a warning to the people of Walstad that mystical creatures are lurking in the woods. The reader is thrown into a world set in an older time, where heirs and heiresses rule, and magic and folklore are also present. The murder of Verity Holtzfall, heiress of Walstad, has taken place, and her bodyguard, Alaric, is nowhere to be found. With the death of the heiress, a new heir must take the throne, allowing the Veritaz trials to return to pick the next heir of the kingdom and ensuring the throne remains in the Holtzfall bloodline. Honora has been training to be heiress since she was born and knows the throne is hers, but will stop at nothing to find out what truly happened to her mother. But many twists will throw her off course, along with a hidden child of a Holtzfall, who will return to compete in the trials for their right to the throne, and the uprising of the Grimms, a group trying to erase the disparity of wealth between the rich and the poor.

I LOVED THIS BOOK AND WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO ANY NEWS OF THE SEQUEL.

A lot was going on in the book, but with everything happening, it never threw anything out of focus. I enjoyed the history behind the folklore, which referred to the tale of the woodcutter and the axe. I loved the twist it presented, speaking on how the Holtzfalls acquired their wealth and the symbolic meaning behind the trials to find their "true heir".

The story interweaves from the past (the history of the woodcutter and the mystical creature in the forest) along with the present and viewpoints of Honora, Lotte, August, and Theodric. Also, for this to be the first book (hoping there's a second one on the way), this book went deep! The reader follows August as he learns not to repeat his father's mistakes and instead carves out his path.

Alaric and Theodrick Rydder, with their family history of obeying their oath to protect the Holtzfalls, but also the mystery of what happened to Alaric after the murder of Verity.

Last but not least, Lotte or Ottoline, the long-lost cousin, plucked from the church where she was placed after birth, coming to join the trials to stake her claim to the throne and adjust to having a family to call her own.

I loved all of the characters and their character developments throughout the book, but I will say that my favorite was Honora. She was fierce and a force! She was different from her family, with dark skin and dark hair, contrasting with her mother's fair skin and blue eyes, and her cousins'. So, not only did the book provide us with magical creatures and folklore, but it also addressed classism, perception, and prejudice. If you've been considering this one and wondering if it's worth reading, I highly recommend it.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book in exchange of an honest review.

Honora "Nora" Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all the Walstad, at only sixteen years old. Her family controlls all the money and magic in the country, but she only ever felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead, everything is turned upside down and everything is suddenly up for grabs. Nora is pitted against her own cousins in the Veritaz, the magical competition for finding the family heir. Surprisingly there's a new contestant, Lotte, the illegitimate daugher of Nora's aunt. Brought from her rural convent she was abandoned in, Lotte finds herself surrounded by a family who wants her dead for getting power. Nora discovers, also, that her mother was murdered and the only person who can help her is a young reporter who hates her family. While the Veritaz threatens each of the girls, the new cousins, Lotte and Nora, have to fight to stay alive, but in this competition there can be only one winner.

Political intrigue, privilege, class difference, magic and power are ingredient for this new fantasy about a media darling, a surprising new heir to the throne and a dangerous and brilliant competition.
Between tests and impossible choice, the Veritaz is an intriguing competion and very fascinating, mixing power, magic and family. Alwyn Hamilton wrote another brilliant, fascinating and glittering story about powerful women, a lifetime competition and a world made of magic and power.
Intriguing and very well written, The notorious virtues is definitely one of my favourite book and I loved so much Nora and Lotte!

The world building was well done in this book. I enjoyed the magic and mythology of the story. I hope the second one isn’t too far off since it left on a cliffhanger.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn’t influence my review. I urge the author to add in the synopsis that there will be multiple POV’s. I had to DNF.

I waited for so many years to hear this story and it was worth every second. The way Hamilton can spin a story in fully engross you in the world is a skill that not many authors have. Her writing is phenomenal and she truly makes you feel for the characters.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Notorious Virtues had an interesting premise, but it didn’t totally land for me. There were a lot of plot threads: murder mystery, magical trials, family secrets, politics, class war; and because of that, none of them really stood out. I usually love rich worldbuilding in fantasy, but this one felt a bit surface-level. The characters were hit or miss, and the trials especially felt rushed and underwhelming.

Thanks to Penguin Group and Viking Books for the ARC 🤍

I really liked the overall concept of the book. Granted the long lost heir of a royal family plot has been done a time or two I liked the lore and magic behind this one.

I will say there was way too much going on. Four POVs for chapters; this easily could’ve been two. So so so many characters - all with similar names - it was hard to keep everyone straight and to be able to follow along. I admit I was lost a few times and had to just keep chugging through and hope it made sense.

The way the lore was dropped was often times confusing and it was sometimes hard to tell if we were talking about the past or if we were reading someone else’s thoughts in the Lotte chapters.

The ending was very abrupt and left way more questions than answers. I feel like only one thing was truly explained. The little epilogue felt pointless and didn’t really add much to anything.

Overall I did enjoy it and I’ll probably continue the series when those become available

I had mixed feelings about this one. The world-building is great, very lush and memorable, with fairy-tale magic, family secrets, and deadly trials that kept me interested. Nora is a fantastic FMC, she felt complex, passionate, and worthy of the spotlight.

However, sometimes I couldnt keep up with what was going on in the story as it often felt scattered. The mythology about the woodcutter and the creatures of the forest was beautifully done but felt disconnected from the main events. Some of the other perspectives, like Lotte and Theo, slowed the story down and did not add much for me. Even the trials lost suspense because the characters never seemed to know when they were happening or what they involved.

Fantasy with teeth. This story blended intrigue, power struggles, and magic in a world that felt vividly real. The political scheming occasionally overshadowed character depth, but the action and stakes held strong. A bold start to a promising series.

The Notorious Virtues is a YA fantasy murder mystery novel. I understand this was under development for a very long time. The mythology behind the story of the woodcutter and the creatures of the forest was beautifully done, yet so disconnected from the current events of the book that it feels like it belongs to a different book. These parts were my favorite, and I wanted to read THAT book. What exists instead is too ambitious, not satisfied with being a fantasy story or a romance or a murder mystery. It took me far too long to get through this book, and I did try often. I've thought about reading this book more often than I've spent actually reading, trying to understand what was going so wrong. I liked Nora. I did not need August, Lotte, or Theo's chapters at all. In fact, I wish Lotte's character was not in this novel at all. I understand she's Nora's foil, but I found her chapters dull even when the action SHOULD have been riveting. Theo's duty and pining was equally uninteresting and felt like he was purely there to complicate the plot even though his character on paper should have been great. Even the trials are robbed of their glory by the fact that characters never know when they are going to happen, if they are in fact happening right now, or what exactly they may entail. The mystery results in a significant loss of suspense and tension, making them underwhelming when they actually do show up in the plot, mixed between Nora's hunt for her mother's killer, who could not have been more obvious if it was announced on the title page.
I cannot adequately explain what is missing from this novel, but the absence of it is screaming. I wanted so much, and it made the result even more disappointing.
Oh, and this ends on a significant cliffhanger. A frustrating, disappointing cliffhanger. I was teetering between 2 and 3 stars, and I decided on 2.5, rounding to 3 because of Nora. Nora is magic, complex and passionate and worthy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers- Viking for this ARC.

I waited for this book for 5 years! That ending took a turn I did not expect!!! Now I need more!! I loved the world that was built here. I’m very invested in Nora and her reporter. I really want the next book like now!

This was a great start to an exciting new fantasy series! The Notorious Virtues is a glittering mix of fairy-tale magic, family secrets, and deadly trials! There is also a lot of family drama as well! I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel!

The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton is a dazzling, high-stakes fantasy that perfectly blends magic, politics, and ruthless family dynamics. From the very first page, Hamilton sweeps readers into a world where wealth and power are tightly bound to magic, and the fight to claim both is deadly.

Nora Holtzfall is a complex, flawed, and fascinating heroine. She’s privileged but deeply aware of her outsider status, which makes her journey through the treacherous Veritaz competition feel intensely personal. The addition of Lotte, the secret, illegitimate cousin thrown into the political storm, brings a sharp and refreshing dual perspective. Their intertwined stories create a tense, layered narrative filled with ambition, betrayal, and impossible choices.

The world-building is exceptional—lush, dangerous, and brimming with intrigue. Hamilton captures the glamor and rot of the upper class while weaving in sharp commentary on privilege, class divides, and systemic injustice. The magic system tied to the family's power is unique, but never overshadows the emotional stakes and brutal competition at the heart of the story.

The plot is fast-paced, with twists that genuinely surprise, and the dynamic between Nora and the cynical young reporter adds the perfect touch of tension and reluctant partnership. While the ending leaves room for more story, the book stands strong on its own with satisfying arcs for both girls.

If you love cutthroat magical competitions, morally gray characters, and political thrillers wrapped in a fantasy setting, The Notorious Virtues will absolutely keep you hooked.

Every year, our district gives away stellar new books to encourage summer reading, and as one of the librarians helping select those titles, I’m always looking for stories that will truly capture students’ imaginations. The Notorious Virtues is absolutely one of those books.

Alwyn Hamilton delivers a fast-paced fantasy brimming with magic, mystery, and intrigue. The story centers around a magical competition, an heiress to a powerful legacy, a suspicious death, and a potential illegitimate heir threatening to upend everything. It’s an intricate world with a unique magic system and a rich, if at times overwhelming, cast of characters.

Told through multiple points of view—four “main” characters, each with their own motivations—the novel asks readers to pay attention and piece together the bigger picture. The narrative drops you right into the world with minimal exposition, which might challenge some younger or more reluctant readers, but for those who stick with it, the payoff is big.

There’s suspense, drama, power struggles, and a cliffhanger ending that practically demands the next book immediately. With its blend of court politics and magical trials, this one feels like a perfect candidate for next year's summer reading program.

Recommended for readers who love complex worlds, morally grey characters, and high-stakes fantasy.

Based on the synopsis of this book I knew that I was going to like it, but WOW did it exceed my expectations! When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out!

The world building was phenomenal! The characters were complex and relatable! And the twists were SO interesting and fun!

If you’re a fan of Stephanie Garber, Marissa Meyer or you love YA Fantasy this book is for you!

I received a a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and statements are my own.

I am a TOTAL sucker for the “trials” trope, especially when magic is involved and throw in a good nursery mystery?! I am SOLD! The story is told from multiple point of views and I really enjoyed them all, no one really stood out more then the other for me. My only really problem with the book was it started to lose my interest about 50% of the way in and because of that when the big reveal happened, I didn’t care as much! But overall, pretty fun and unique! It’s not often we see a murder mystery with trials and magic and for that, I loved it a lot and will definitely be picking up the next one!