Absolutely loved this read. 4.5 stars in total. The writing was amazing and I loved the main character. A super unique plot as well, which is hard to find nowadays in this genre.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I was sucked in immediately and could not stop until the book was over. The plot was interesting and kept a good pace which is something I really look for in a book. Also the characters were unique and there journey kept me enticed the entire time. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

Loved this book.
This author already is a must buy for me and this book clinked it.
Love the setting of this book. Is it a fairy tale world? Is it the 1920s? Is it a mix of the two? Yes!

I had a difficult time getting into this book. It wasn’t until about 35% in that I actually started caring about what was going on.

Multi-POV was done really well. I was rarely confused by the change from one person to the next. There were a couple of jumps that were rough, but it’s difficult with the voices of that many characters.

Nora - Loved this character from the first page! The presumed heiress with the IDGAF attitude. She was decadent and witty and the most fully realized character. Nora made the book in my opinion.

Lotte - I didn’t like that she has literally been cloistered and never had the autonomy to make a decision on her own her entire life, however in a matter of one paragraph she finds the determination to compete in the contest with the prize being controlling an entire family as the heiress. It doesn’t appear she even knows what the trials are, but “if I have to win to have a family, then I’ll win”. It was just such an unrealistic immediate change. I did begin to enjoy her character arc again as she learned to portray herself a certain way to win favor with people but still developed a kinship with Nora. Love that she won the “Honesty” ring!

Theo - He’s so staid and loyal to both Nora and Lotte. The dilemmas he faced felt genuine, as did his need to do the honorable thing.

August - After getting dragged into Nora’s plight the banter between them was clever, and I enjoyed their relationship progression.

The reveal with the briar pit actually being where the memories were kept and a portal to the Holtzfall house didn’t make sense to me. It was too convenient to be believable. Lotte never once scraped herself on a briar and drew blood to uncover a door the many times she was forced down there? Probably not. And, why would the Holtzfall’s even want a portal to the convent? To me the epilogue didn’t seem very well thought out. The city was freed…the end. Maybe I just didn’t like what the author chose to illustrate how the power balance shifted?

I enjoyed this book very much. I'm a sucker for magical trials or trials of any sort really. The world building was interesting and I liked the characters as well.

This book feels like the next boom in the YA fantasy genre. I rarely read a 5-star fantasy book, but this one has blown everything else out of the water! The character development, plot, political intrigue, family dynamics, and everything in between was absolutely stellar. The only issue I have with this book is that the rest of the series hasn’t come out yet. I’m truly on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, invested deeply into the Holtzfall family. I IMPLORE you, if you enjoy fantasy, to read this one immediately!!

** I received a free ARC copy of this book and I leave this review willingly.

“It was known as the enchanted hour. ”
Here are reasons to read the YA Fantasy book:

Mom’s death - Nora is reeling after she loses her mom, and is determined to find out how she died
Competition - but first she must compete with her cousins to be the new heiress, a role she thought she would receive from her own mother
Another daughter - then an illegitimate daughter named Lotte shows up to compete, but no one knows who her father is
Start of series - In this start of the series full of magic and lore, we see a city torn apart

This book does not come out until June of 2025, but I received it from Bookish First to read and share. There was a bit of hype about this book, and I am a huge fan of stories about games so I was definitely down to read this one. And I was not disappointed. The story was told mostly between 4 points of view, where we discover a lot about the history of this family and those around them. This is a fast paced story, even at almost 500 pages. The ending was intense and so cliffhangery! I cannot wait to read the next one!

This was one of my favorite books I’ve read recently. The author does an excellent job of developing the characters and keeping you guessing on where the story goes next. The Holtzfall family thinks they have have a monopoly on virtues and that they are the rightful rulers of Walstad. The characters go through journeys that challenge that thought and shows that everything is not as it seems. The book does end on a cliffhanger and I cannot wait to read the next one!

I jumped at the opportunity to read an early copy of Alwyn Hamilton’s The Notorious Virtues. I loved the Rebel of the Sands trilogy, so I hoped to see more of Hamilton’s complex characters and interesting world-building. Also, Romantasy has kind of been my genre of late, so I was all-in on this book.

Hamilton’s ability to take characters who aren't immediately likable and transform them into complex, relatable people is a mark of great storytelling. She deftly weaves character development into the fabric of the story so that every twist and turn feels natural. The slow build-up at the start was challenging for me, but when the tension finally hit, it was quite a rollercoaster!

Nora and Lotte are prime examples of flawed, multi-dimensional characters. It's not easy to make readers care for characters who start off somewhat unlikable, but Hamilton does it masterfully. And when the stakes get higher, it's hard not to be swept away by the story's intensity.

I also appreciate the immersive world the author created, with rules that feel both familiar and unique. It’s a balance of character and world-building that keeps you invested in both the people and the place they inhabit.

Once I connected with the story and the characters, I found myself alternating between reading feverishly and needing a break. If the rest of the series follows this trend, I think we’re in for a wild, rewarding ride!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC

I do not know why this was delayed like, five years, but hold *shit* was this worth the wait! I have read over 130 books this year so far and this is absolutely top 5, if not higher.

This book is a beast. It is an intricate, clever, entertaining, and clearly well-planned fantasy that kicks off a trilogy I will NOT be missing. It's set in a magical 1920's style (to me) world with the disgustingly rich Holtzfalls at the centre of the city's power, magic, and status. There are dangerous monsters, jaw-dropping political implications, a revolution brewing in the wings, and an ancient magic that drives the wants and whims of everyone.

Told from four POVS, but primarily from the viewpoint of Nora, the heiress presumptive until a week ago, and Lotte, a girl forced to grow up at a convent. There is something so compelling about each girl and their character arcs. Nora is the typical spoiled rich girl but she is smart and always three steps ahead. Lotte is a country lass with something to prove. For a story so focused on virtues, there was something so deliciously morally corrupt about them at times, and I just loved seeing what they would do next. I enjoyed Nora's and August's storylines the most.

I loved every second of this and I really hope the second book doesn't take as long to publish as this one because I am desperate to continue!

Alwyn Hamilton does it again in the fantasy thriller element that I was looking for. The overall story had that feel that I wanted and enjoyed the world in this story. The characters had that overall feel that I wanted and enjoyed the way everything worked. It had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed going through this. Alwyn Hamilton always does a fantastic job in writing this and left me wanting more.

I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the book.

Usually when start a book I can tell by the writer's tone if I'll enjoy the read they are taking me on. Honestly, at 15% in, I felt the tone of the book wasn't much, and it lacked character depth. Too much describing and no feel of the character - our lead female - as a person.

3.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this Advanced Reader Copy.

I was ecstatic when this book was a free read! I jumped on this book so fast and started it as quickly as I could. It took me a bit to get into the world that Alwyn was trying to paint with her words and I wasn't a 100% sold on the names of the characters either, so I wasn't able to get into it right away, but I am glad that I kept pushing myself to read it.

I think that my favorite character out of all the POV's that I read would be Lotte. I did also like August and Nora, but Lotte was my favorite. About 75% into the book stuff started to go down and I couldn't put it down. There was so much action and betrayal toward the end and cannot wait for a sequel! I need to know what happened to the cousins!

I recommend this book to all of my reading buddies. It was worth the long wait.

This book grabbed me right from the start and never let go. I absolutely loved the way Hamilton weaves complex characters into a world where magic isn't just power; it's a weapon, a tool, and a curse all rolled into one. The political intrigue and class struggles add a rich layer to the plot, making every twist feel both earned and devastating. It’s a perfect blend of glamour, danger, and personal growth, and I couldn’t put it down. If you love a good competition with impossible choices and a dark, twisted family dynamic, this is the book for you. It’s gripping, emotional, and absolutely unforgettable.

Book:
THE NOTORIOUS VIRTUES by Alwyn Hamilton
Thank you PenguinTeen and Netgalley for the EARC (April 1)

Review:
5⭐
Where to begin???
Nora was always going to be the next heiress. She was the only daughter of Verity Holtzfall. But when Verity is "mugged," Nora and her cousins must compete with one another to earn rings that can be used to enter the woods---the person returning with the ax would be the new heiress. As the trials are set to begin, Lotte shows up. She was abandoned at birth, brought back to compete. This seems like the biggest risk for them, but when the Grims start attacking, they must stay alive, fight, and survive.
What at glorious book. First, the cover is so gorgeous. Plus a magical competition with secrets, lie, and betrayal. What's not to love? Cover to cover this book was just "chef's kiss."
The cover may have been what first caught my eye, but the story that was painted in my mind as I read this kept me hooked as I devoured this book like I had never read a fantasy, sci-fi-esque novel before. It was honestly so refreshing.
From page one, I was grasping at string as I read. Within pagee, drama and secrets were exposed. It was like sitting at the table on Thanksgiving when the claws come out. As the story unfolded, and the competition began everything ramped up---especially as a new threat threatened the potential heiresses. It was edge-of-your seat drama as the story progressed and secrets came to light---ones I saw coming and ones that left me utterly shocked.
THE NOTORIOUS VIRTUES is set to become a trilogy, and with it's cliffhangar-esque ending, I cannot wait to dig in. 10/10 would recommend.

Outside of having a slightly (and i do mean slightly, but nothing in this wide world is black or white, is it?) mixed message from a moral perspective, this was genuinely compelling.

I've waited, what six years to finally read this? I've been waiting every single year for this to be set back into the wild and I am SO GLAD it did! Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this early!

This is set in the same world as Rebel of the Sands, we find Layla Al-Oman as one of Honora's industrious grandmothers on one side of the family, and Nora certainly inherited some of her traits for observance, and quick thinking. But her other side of the family is just as powerful and deadly.

Honora Holtzfall's mother is dead, and with her- Nora has lost her place as Heiress to the family's seat of power. Triggering the Veritaz Trials. Descended from a family of woodcutters, who were granted power by The Huldrekall (a powerful Dryad of a enchanted heart of the forest) for sparing it's life -granted them an enchanted ax and a ring promising them forever safety in the woods.
With the power of the enchanted ax, and the Huldrekall's blessing of protection, their family's land was safe from all the wild enchanted monsters of the woods.
With this safety people flocked to their land pledging goods and services, knights blood bound by their word to the Holtzfall family for generations, eventually the surrounding land grew to be a large powerful city and with it immense power. But with safety and generations the people have forgotten the monsters that lurk within the woods and the horrors it holds.

The Veritaz Trials are dangerous and the heirs of the next generation can enter to play against one another, one trial for every entrant. One ring for winning every trial based on a virtue, gaining entrance to the heart of the enchanted woods to compete in the final trial to make their way out with that ax to become the heir. Not every Heir makes it out alive.

The Holtzfall clan are wealthy and dysfunctional, they hate each other, but are dependent on one another. Mercy Holtzfall, Nora's grandmother is ruthless and cunning, ruling the enterprises, and family with an iron fist. The Rydder Knights watch and guard them, tied by an ancient blood oath tying back the original family, but they've roughly lost their original meaning, now ground down to bodyguards, servants and chauffeurs.

The city of Walstad is run by the Holtzfall's they own everything, and everyone is beholden to them.
And because of the separation between the 1st circle, and the 13th there's a gross imbalance of wealth and many struggle to just get by. Isengrim, and his Grim faction are rebelling against them and what they stand for.

There's all kinds of mythology crumbs woven into the lore, from different stories and they're blended incredibly well. All of the MC's are dynamic characters all carrying different facets, Nora, Lotte, August, Theo they all have their parts to play. And I really liked each of them.

This was absolutely worth the wait, I'm so glad Alwyn Hamilton is back! Bringing us into her incredible worlds, and I cannot wait to see what creeps out of those woods in the next book. We know whatever Nora comes out as is going to change the world, and Lotte has more to discover about herself as well.

ARC review of The Notorious Virtues. This review is based off the first stage of printer's proofs, which has not been corrected by the author, publisher, or printer. It's based on the uncorrected text.

This book game me the vibe mixture of The Inheritance Games, The Great Gatsby, and a fairy tale mix, combined with magic, and dare I say, monsters?
This book took me a bit to get into. I was intrigued by the Veritaz Trials, which stretched back centuries, and that is explained as well as the tale from which the Trials were derived from. It was a little confusing when switching pov's as it didn't feel some were smooth transitions. The characters grew on me, especially Lotte (she was my favorite, and Nora)
I do think once this has been through its stages of edits, etc, this story will be so good. I liked the magical elements, and the cool things they did (I can't give it away, folks!) and how those pieces were used throughout the story.
The characters were entertaining and interesting. Some annoying, and some kick-ass.
If you're looking for spice, this is not the book, y'all. This is pure entertainment, mystery, whodunit, nobility, and backstabbing sort of fun.
Will I read the final printed version, most likely. I'd like to see what magical spin they put on this. AND, that ending... C'mon, Alwyn! I about threw my kindle! (and I noticed that connection with Rebel of the Sands connection... nice!)

A big thanks to NetGalley, Viking/Penguin Random House

I loved the setting and premise. I also loved the characters. Huge fan of battling family members. Without spoilers, I thought some the mechanics of the world, magic, and rules for inheritance were convoluted. I also wasn't a fan of the ending, too ambiguous. However, strong writing and characters!

Amazing!!! Spectacular!!!! Give me 14 of them!!!!!

Thankyou netgalley for the arc. All opinions are my own.

#TheNotoriousVirtues #Netgalley