These Twisted Bonds (These Hollow Vows, # 2)
By: Lexi Ryan
Publication: July 19, 2022 by HarperTeen
481 pages
Genre: New Adult, Fantasy
Source: Personal Kindle Library - On sale this week!
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Goodreads description--Brie finds herself caught between two princes and two destinies while the future of the fae realm hangs in the balance.After Abriella's sister was sold to the fae, she thought life couldn't get any worse. But when she suddenly finds herself caught in a web of lies of her own making - loving two princes and trusting neither - things are not quite as clear as she once thought.
As civil war wages in the Court of Darkness, Brie finds herself unable to choose a side. How can she know where she stands when she doesn't even know herself anymore? In this darkly romantic thrill ride, the more Faerie is torn apart from the inside, the clearer it becomes that prophecies don't lie and Brie has a role to play in the fate of this magical realm - whether she likes it or not.
As I mentioned in my review of These Hollow Vows, I read the first book of the spinoff, Beneath These Cursed Stars. Reading out of order didn't seem to be such a big deal at first, but man it was frustrating to know how things end up but not know how they got from the ending of These Hollow Vows to the beginning of Beneath These Cursed Stars.
These Twisted Bonds starts almost immediately where These Hollow Vows ends. Abriella is escaping Sebastian and the Court of the Sun because he betrayed her by bonding with her while knowing that it would kill her and forcing her to drink the Potion of Life thereby turning fae. As she's escaping, she learns about a camp of children basically being used as slave labor by the Seelie Queen. She stops off to help them and makes a new friend in the process.
I don't know how Sebastian could hope that Abriella would forgive such an utter betrayal simply because he claims to love her. And I do think he does in his own way. But she asks him later why he wouldn't have told her and given her the choice to make. His answer is that she wouldn't have chosen to do what he needed her to do. And so he removed the choice from her. I don't see how that can be love. She accuses Finn of betraying her as well. Finn, also, didn't give Abriella all the information that he could have for her to make an informed decision about her future. But his motives were purer than Sebastian's.
The Court of Shadows is now in chaos. Sebastian has the Crown, but he can't sit on the Throne because the power of the Throne didn't pass to him when he gave Abriella the Potion of Life. Finn has worked behind the scenes for the good of the court for 20 years. He worked to help the everyday commoner while his uncle Mordeus ruled with cruelty and horror. He has always planned to take the throne, but one thing after another comes up to distract him from that. So it's one brother pitted against another. Both are vying for the Kingship of the Court of Shadows. And both are vying for the girl, Abriella.
Only the bond between Sebastian and Abriella kept Finn and Abriella from moving forward sooner than they did. I have to be honest and say that Abriella stayed bonded to Sebastian for much longer than I expected her to. And I wish more was available about Abriella and Finn being bonded together. That's an experience where the reader is really left wanting. Abriella and Finn do have a connection that draws the two together though.
I found the world-building to be better in These Twisted Bonds than perhaps the other two books from this world. The story about the forming of the courts and the history behind them all was interesting and made a lot of motives and information make sense. Although, there was a lot of buildup to a coming war that didn't quite pan out. The resolution felt a little anticlimactic to me in this area. And some problems were so conveniently resolved that it felt too pretty. For example, These Twisted Bonds gives an idyllic impression that Jas is all honkey-dorey and sewing dresses and outfits left and right. She seems so perfectly fine. And this is completely at odds with the beginning of Beneath These Cursed Stars. I imagine this is because Lexi Ryan wasn't sure if she would publish another book when concluding this one she wanted things to feel wrapped up just in case. Or maybe she never intended to write another book.
Favorite quotes:
-"None of us asks for the burdens we bear, but that doesn't make the way we handle them any less significant."
-But the vocal minority was behind him, and they had power and influence of their own. They supported Mordeus when he stole the throne from Oberon, because they knew Finn was dedicated to the commoners--his rule would've redistributed the power and privilege in their court.
Never underestimate the ones who don't want to give up their power, even if they're the minority, especially if they're the squeaky wheel.
-"I recognize a good soul when I meet one, and good souls are never alone for long."
-"I've had my fill of chasing emotionally unavailable females."
-"I don't think love is about what we deserve."
These Twisted Bonds was what I needed to fill in the gaps. I appreciated how Misha came into the story and his contribution. I was a little surprised that he reached "best friend" status over someone like Pretha who Abriella knew longer. There was no salvaging the wreckage that Sebastian wreaked on Abriella's life and their relationship. Finn and Abriella spend most of the book working towards salvaging the Court of Shadows and figuring out how they could be together. I thought some of the conflict resolution was too easy, but overall, I give These Twisted Bonds a solid 4 Stars. Have you read These Twisted Bonds? What did you think? Let me know!
This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.
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