The Notorious Virtues is YA mystery, set in a fascinating fantasy world where the rich and powerful control all the money, and importantly, all the magic.

The backdrop of the story is the daughters of the Holtzfall family taking part in the Veritaz Trials - magical trials of their virtues to determine who is worthy to be the next heiress. I had thought that the trials were going to be the main story, but really they are just in the background. The trials are small and quick, and some we don't even see in full, which was a bit disappointing. The main plot surrounds multiple mysteries - the death of the previous heiress, the mysterious illegitimate daughter, and the rebels fighting to take down the oligarchy. There's a lot going on, much of which is interesting, but I felt like it flitted between them so quickly that I struggled to get fully invested. I really liked the concept and the world, but the bits that intrigued me weren't developed as much as I would've liked. A lot of potential that just didn't click for me, but I could see it working for others. There was a very interesting cliffhanger at the end that does set up potential for a very different book two!

Recommended for fans of YA mysteries with a fantasy twist.

After waiting years to read another book by Alywn Hamilton, I can finally say: I loved this book and can't wait for the sequel!

The premise of this book sounds incredible, but I'm here to report it was even more fantastic than I hoped it would be. It's a definite case of exceeding my expectations with a wonderful cast of characters that I couldn't help but route for, a brilliant plot with the most exhilarating twists and turns that had me gasping for more from the edge of my seat.

I especially enjoyed the version of a fairy tale woven throughout the story. It blended all the elements of the book perfectly and added intrigue to where the revelations would lead us.

Alien Hamilton has delivered the first book in, what I can already tell, will be a phenomenal YA series!

Murder mystery x magical trials with 1920s glam and found family what’s not to love.

An heiress murdered and ancient magical trial has started. But all is not as it’s seems in this whirlwind fast paced story.

This had me gripped from the start I loved Nora she’s quick witted and hilarious and her development and growth with August was perfect. Lotte and Theo were up there as well, Lotte as she slowly developed and grows and understands who she is.

Cannot wait for the next instalment.

Thank you NetGalley and Faber and Fabre for the eARC opinions my own.

All that glitters isn't gold, and fairytales are harsher than they seem.

6 years after it was first announced, @alwynhamilton's THE NOTORIOUS VIRTUES finally arrives this month.

I was exceptionally blessed to get an ARC - the one and only time my ADHD hoarder tendencies has paid off - and an eARC on Netgalley before I was blessed with the physical copy. A massive thanks to the lovely folks at @faberbooks for this double blessing - it's excellent to be able to read a book even if you forgot it xD.

Blending magic, fairytales, and the Jazz age in glorious style we meet Nora and Lotte, two girls from very different backgrounds who are thrust into the trials to be the next leader of Walstad. Nora always knew she was the heir until her mother was brutally and suspiciously murdered necessitating the trials to take place to choose between the remaining Holtzfall cousins. Lotte was an orphan, abused in a convent only able to dream of the life of the Holtzfalls she sees plastered across the papers. Until out of the blue two men collect her from her isolated village revealing she is the hidden illegitimate daughter of a Holtzfall eligible to take part in the Veritaz trials to assess her virtue.

The action is relentless, Lotte and Nora navigating the schemes of their cousins, political upheaval, the press, all whilst trying to win trials they never see coming, and in Nora's case solve her mother's murder whilst Lotte is thrust into an alien world.

It's a fantastic ride and the ending leaves you desperate to know what happens next. Set in the same world but a very different country to her previous trilogy the Notorious Virtues was worth the wait.

The Notorious Virtues is a dazzling mix of magic, intrigue, and high society drama. Alwyn Hamilton delivers an engaging story set in a world where wealth and power are everything—and where a single competition can decide your fate.

Honora has spent her whole life preparing to inherit her family’s fortune, but when an unexpected rival steps in, everything she thought was certain begins to unravel. What follows is a gripping contest filled with secrets, betrayals, and dangerous magic, all set against the backdrop of a glittering yet treacherous society.

Hamilton’s worldbuilding is rich and immersive, and the magic system—based on Virtues—adds an interesting layer to the competition. Honora is a strong protagonist, flawed yet determined, and the side characters bring plenty of intrigue (even if some could have been fleshed out more). The pacing wavers at times, with certain plot points feeling rushed while others drag, but overall, the book keeps you hooked.

If you love competitive fantasy with a touch of opulence and danger, The Notorious Virtues is definitely worth the read!

I absolutely loved it! Couldn’t put it down (and I didn’t want too!) Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Oh this was delicious!

Living in a world full of glamour and magic, we are introduced to Nora, the heiress to two powerful companies, as her world is turned upside down. Not only has her mother been murdered but her title is under jeopardy from her entitled cousins and an unknown country girl, Lotte.

While romantic interests simmer in the background with August and Theo, the spotlight is on Nora and Lotte as they battle their way through the trials while juggling conspiracies, rebellion and bloodthirsty family members. It was a delight to watch them grow and flourish, pushing each other to become better versions of themselves. With a shocking cliffhanger, I’m left reeling for book two.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

This book was fantastic! I’ve become pretty selective with YA lately, but this one absolutely delivered. The pacing was spot on; always moving forward, yet the mysteries and trials never felt rushed.

I loved the fairytale-like magic woven into this modern city setting. The way the main family guards their magic, their intriguing origin story; it all builds beautifully to an explosive climax. I’m already excited for the sequel to see where the story goes next!

The book has four main points of view, which might sound like a lot, but they’re balanced exceptionally well. Each character feels distinct, and I have to admit, I’m a little in love with Theo. If he could find happiness ASAP, that would be great, thanks!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the trials and learning about Nora and lotte and I really hope there is a follow on book. 5 stars most enjoyable

Wow, that was a bit of a read!! Enjoyable, long, but not an awful lot happened in 500 pages or so. I found it a long read, as not an awful lot happens, but every page I turned, I was full of admiration for the author's imagination and literary style.

It's a very unique book, not sure I've read anything similar before.

If you love magic, mystery, and complex characters, The Notorious Virtues is an absolute must-read.

Okay, let me tell you, I devoured The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton. I mean, absolutely devoured it. From the moment I first entered the world, I was completely hooked.

Imagine this: a world dripping with wealth, magic, and cutthroat family dynamics. That's Walstad, and at the heart of it all are the Holtzfalls. Nora, the seemingly perfect heiress, is a character I immediately connected with. Despite her privileged life, she's always felt like an outsider, and when her mother's sudden death throws everything into chaos, you can't help but root for her.

Then there's Lotte. Oh, Lotte! What a brilliant contrast to Nora. Pulled from a quiet convent life and thrust into the viper's nest that is the Holtzfall family, she's a breath of fresh air. Her journey of discovering her roots, her magic, and her place in this dangerous world was utterly compelling.

The Veritaz, the magical competition at the core of the story, is just… chef's kiss. Hamilton has crafted a series of trials that are both imaginative and terrifying. You feel the tension with every test, the stakes rising with every page. And the way the author weaves in the mystery of Nora's mother's murder? Genius.
The supporting characters are equally well-developed. The interactions and the slow burn relationships were just perfect.
What really struck me was how Hamilton balanced the glamour and magic with the dark undercurrents of family secrets and betrayal.

The world-building is rich and immersive, and the pacing is relentless.

Honestly, I finished this book and immediately wanted to shout at everyone I know to read it. It's addictive, it's thrilling, and it's left me with a serious book hangover. I cannot wait for the next installment. Alwyn Hamilton has created something truly special, and I'm already counting down the days until I can return to Walstad.

The Notorious Virtues is an exciting and thrilling adventure of a book. The story centres around a highly dysfunctional family and a deadly competition. The story follows multiple view points that complement the narrative. We follow two stand out characters that are both fierce strong female characters. They have quite opposing perspectives and motives. It’s hard to decide which I preferred as I can see both of their positions.
I most loved the mystery element. The pacing is great with twists and turns. The whole concept of the virtues and how these were tested was really unique. Overall it was highly entertaining and addictive to read.
At times the story also dips into the origin of the family and we get this in snippets - if put together this would read like a classic fable, a very engaging addition.
This is a YA whirlwind fantasy adventure that I’m sure will be a massive hit.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

"The Notorious Virtues" is such a fun YA Fantasy that I think you'll really enjoy! It follows Nora, a determined young woman who's been raised to be the next heiress. Everything turns upside down when her mother is murdered, putting Nora's position in jeopardy. To claim her rightful place, she has to compete in the Veritas Competition against her cousins. Nora believes she can outsmart them, but then out of nowhere, Lotte—a long-lost cousin that no one knew about—shows up to join the competition!

At first, it took me a little while to really get into the story, but once I did, I just couldn't put it down! The writing style is engaging, and the storyline is full of surprises that kept me on my toes. There were plenty of twists, some I saw coming, but many that totally caught me off guard.

I really enjoyed the different perspectives throughout the book. It was great getting to know the characters and their backstories. Nora and Lotte quickly became my favorites; I loved following their paths and seeing how their lives intertwined.

The world-building is also wonderful—so imaginative! I found it super interesting and well-crafted, which made the story even more enjoyable.

The ending? Wow! I definitely didn’t see that coming, and while it’s a bit of a cliffhanger that left me wanting more, it only makes me more excited for the next book.

Overall, this is a fantastic start to The Notorious Virtues series, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves YA Fantasy. If you’re looking for captivating adventures and relatable characters, this book is for you!

4.25 ⭐️
There were many fun aspects of this book, multiple POVs, mysteries to solve, and plenty of little twists. A fantasy with a real mix of politics, complex family dynamics, mystery, and social divide.

In Notorious Virtues, the ruling Hotzfall family selects their heir each generation through the Veritaz Trials: a series of magical tests designed to measure each contender’s worthiness against the virtues that define their lineage. These virtues trace back to a powerful pact made with an ancient tree spirit that once protected them. However, the family has strayed far from the ideals they’re meant to uphold. Through this, the story delves into themes of social divide and wealth disparity.

I did feel that the world-building could have been more expansive, and some characters and trials would have benefitted from greater depth. Despite this, Notorious Virtues was still an enjoyable read and I’m interesting to see where the series goes.

Note: I received an ARC for an honest review.

Before I launch into my review, I would like to offer a huge thank you to Alwyn Hamilton, Faber & Faber Ltd, and Netgalley for the Advanced Digital Reader Copy of this title. For anyone with their eye on this title, here is my personal review of the book to help you decide whether you are interested or not. All opinions offered are my own.

I am not even going to beat around the bush. I absolutely LOVED this novel, and I am so glad that it carries the label ‘Book 1’ suggesting that there is more to come because I am not ready to say goodbye to these characters. I am well and truly invested in several of them, wanting to see them succeed. Equally, there are a whole batch of characters who I am willing will meet an awful fate, for which I want front row tickets.

This book had me loosely thinking about War of the Flowers by Tad Williams for all the family fractions and drama. In fact, I would go as far as to liken this novel to War of the Flowers meets harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Instead of being competing families named after categories of flowers, there is one huge family named after a series of virtues. Whether each member lives up to their name or not is an entirely different matter. The books also share a similar theme around corrupt, aristocratic/ruling families. That said, there was a novelty about this novel. There is a clear reason why a certain family rules, and they are wrapped up in history and oaths.

I enjoyed the story within a story that delivers the history in snippets. I was thoroughly involved in trying to solve the key mysteries that cropped up, and I was enthralled by the competition the book was centered around. The reader meets some well-written characters, whether they are lovable or not. The growth of Lotte and Nora was particularly great to witness.

Readers of fantasy who are happy to fill in the blanks could read this book and make assumptions about the future, so I wouldn’t say you had to be committed to the series, but it was so well written that it would be a shame not to read on as, and when, new books arrive. Late teens and above will have no problem with the language and concepts in this book. There were a few errors in the book, however, I was reading an unproofed copy where I hope those issues would be picked up before publication. The book is longer than your typical novel, which was necessary for the number of characters and history, although there could have been some more world building. I would like to understand more of the landscape in future. Overall, the positives outweighed the couple of niggles I have mentioned and earned 5 out of 5 stars from me.

Thank you to Faber & Faber for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir. But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she’d abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead. And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random–it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for. With everyone against her, Lotte’s last hope is hunting for the identity of her father. But the dangerous competition–and her feelings for Theo, one of the Holtzfalls’ sworn protectors–turns her world upside down.

Without a doubt, Nora is a whirlwind. She knows what she wants and she isn’t afraid of getting dirty to achieve it. She is such a brilliant character. Her intelligence is astounding and really assists in making her such a deviously delightful person. You can see she is the product of her grandmother’s wants and wishes - however, as the book progresses, we see Nora step more into her own shoes and realise just what is her way of thinking. I loved that she is so sassy and confident but has those moments where she is more vulnerable and allows herself to stop, reflect and feel her emotions. Being in her head was certainly a lot of fun - I just wished we had even more of her POV!
Lotte seems so docile and nervous in the beginning but she is certainly a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Hamilton really knocked it out the park with Lotte. I love the way she thinks and how she is so inquisitive. She maintains this facade that allows her to blend into her new surroundings and take stock of what is going on. And when she starts to click with Nora more, we really get to see her emerge from her shell and allow herself to be the person she has dreamed of being - someone who is wanted, someone who is respected, someone who isn’t shunned for merely being her. I really hope we get more in Lotte’s POV because my attention was permanently fixed on events from her eyes.

I’ve been following Hamilton’s work for years. Having enjoyed the Rebel of the Sands trilogy (I am definitely due a reread!), I knew I wanted to read her newest book and see where she would take me. Even better that it’s a big mystery with plenty of intrigue and magic thrown in! I can safely say that this book is brilliant. It has a plot filled with so many twists and turns that I scarcely wanted to stop reading so I could find out what happened next! The magic system and class divides bring something incredibly enthralling that holds your attention and breathes such life into the story. The whole book takes place over a couple of weeks but the flow is so wonderful that you don’t feel jolted by any little jumps in time. There is quite the cast of characters here which isn’t surprising. Considering the trials the family has to go through and those who despise the rich, we see a lot of difference faces, personalities and motives. I liked that we got multiple POVs as it helped add depth to the overall story - but also gave the reader a better understanding of everything taking place, and what motives the characters have. I loved that everyone was so individual as well! There wasn’t a lot of focus on romance here which I really appreciated. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good romance. But this story doesn’t need its inclusion to push it forward. It was just a nice bonus! Now, that ending… My jaw dropped. What a way to finish the book! I would like the sequel now, please and thank you!

Overall, The Notorious Virtues is another brilliant story from Hamilton that everyone needs to read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to Faber & Faber for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on release day.

I really enjoyed this one and was hooked from the start! The multiple POVs helped me understand each character better. I like the premise of the book and found the link/twist to fairytales really interesting. I’ve not heard of this author before but now I’ll definitely explore more of their books!

A fairytale X folklore story with a modern twist.
I was hooked on this book from the very beginning, it includes trials, romance, political intrigue, family drama and a unique magic system.
The story follows the Holtzfall family who are the ruling family - they all have their own unique powers. When the current Holtzfall heiress is found dead in an alleged robbery, the remaining potential heirs must participate in trials in order to determine the next heiress. The winner will become head of the family and will keep their powers, the losers will lose theirs, that is if they survive the trials.
There is multiple POVs - Nora , lotte, Theo and August
Nora - heir apparent - rich, spoiled heiress who is quick witted and smart.

Lotte - lost heir, grew up in a convent and was brought back to her family home in order to take part in the Veritas trials and reclaim her birthright.

Theo - knight sworn to protect the Holtzfall family.

August - Journalist at the bullhorn.

The world building is complex yet so easy to understand. The story is embedded with story’s of the past and how the Holtzfalls became what they are today, this is such a unique aspect to this book. It tells stories of how the town of Walstad became to be. There is a Unique magic system that revolves around magic charms.

I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read more by this author.

3.5 ⭐️

I kind of feel bad that I received an ARC of this book as everyone seems really hyped for it but I really struggled to get into it.

I did love Nora's character but I felt that the trials were barely highlighted and some of the characters (like August) blended into the background, even though they had their own chapters. There were some brilliant twists but then also a reveal that was pretty obvious as soon as you'd read the set up.

I found the first half of the book quite hard to get into and took me a few days to get through, but then the last 50% I read in a few hours as I was so invested. So it was a bit hit and miss for me.

I'd definitely read more if does end up being a series and I hope everyone that is really hyped for this book enjoys it more as I think it was a me problem rather than the book.

Mild spoilers! Sorry!

I was lucky enough to receive a digital ARC of Notorious Virtues, and wow—what a ride! This book had everything I love: multiple POVs, deeply layered characters, and an intricate, multi-generational story that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Right away, I was drawn into the rich worldbuilding and the unique Legend of Korra-esque feel of the story. The interludes were perfectly placed, adding depth and history without slowing the pace. And the relationships—especially between Honora and Ottoline—were beautifully developed. We so often see romance or sibling bonds take center stage in YA, but watching these two cousins grow from wary rivals to true allies was a refreshing change.

The character dynamics were another highlight for me. August completely won me over —his quick wit and dry humour were a perfect contrast to the more serious stakes of the story. Theo’s internal battle between honour and family felt familiar, but never predictable. I initially thought he and Honora would fall for eachother, but by the end, I was fully invested in him and Ottoline (book two needs to explore this more!).

And can we talk about the villain? I thought I had it all figured out, only to realise I had completely overlooked the real threat! In hindsight, the clues were all there, and yet I still got caught off guard—Alwyn Hamilton’s storytelling is just that good.

If I have one complaint, it’s that when I got to the last page, there were no more pages—I need book two immediately!

Also, I'm so investing in finding out how many Holtzfall and Rydder love children are out there?

Absolutely 5 stars from me—this does not read like your typical YA, and I loved every second of it. If you’re looking for courtly intrigue, family drama, and characters you can’t help but root for, Notorious Virtues is a must-read!