These Twisted Bonds: the spellbinding conclusion to the stunning fantasy romance These Hollow Vows Paperback – 18 July 2023

This Twisted Bonds, the captivating sequel to These Hollow Vows, throws us back into the heart of Faerie with a whirlwind of emotional turmoil and political intrigue. Picking up right where the first book left off, we find Brie, our headstrong heroine, grappling with newfound power and the devastating betrayal of a trusted ally.Fast-Paced Plot with Room for ImprovementThe narrative races forward, propelled by a desperate quest for a solution to a looming war. We explore more of the fantastical Faerie landscape, encountering both breathtaking beauty and lurking danger. While the pacing is excellent, keeping the reader engaged throughout, the final confrontation felt somewhat rushed. A slower build-up and more detailed resolution could have elevated the ending from satisfactory to spectacular. Perhaps expanding this duology into a trilogy could have allowed for a more nuanced exploration of the complex themes.Character Growth and Internal ConflictBrie undergoes a significant transformation in this book. Her initial self-loathing and insecurity evolve into a fierce determination to protect those she loves. However, her unwavering loyalty to the manipulative Sebastian can be frustrating at times. The author masterfully portrays the emotional toll of this love triangle, leaving the reader yearning for a clear resolution.Finn Shines BrightFinn, the kind and selfless Unseelie prince, continues to steal hearts. His devotion to his people and unwavering support for Brie make him a clear favorite. His willingness to sacrifice his own desires for the greater good is truly admirable.A World Richer and More DangerousThe world-building expands significantly in this sequel. We venture beyond the courts, encountering the intriguing Wild Lands and a hidden realm brimming with magic and peril. The political stakes escalate, with Queen Arya's looming threat creating a sense of urgency.Misha: A Scene-StealerA standout character is Misha, the enigmatic King of the Wild Faes. His playful personality and unexpected bond with Brie provide a welcome dose of humor amidst the tension. His presence begs for further exploration, perhaps in a future spin-off novel.A Satisfying Yet Yearning ConclusionDespite a few minor shortcomings, This Twisted Bonds is an enthralling conclusion to the duology. The emotional journey is captivating, and the romance leaves the reader yearning for a specific outcome. Overall, this series is a must-read for those who enjoy fantasy laced with angst, political intrigue, and a touch of forbidden love.

Loved the world and the characters but it felt a bit rushed compared to the first one. The ending was definitely rushed which took away some of the impact.

The book was great, good pacing, continued & interesting plot. Felt a bit bad for Sebastian at the end though lol. I like Finn & Bries relationship. They’re cute

Okay, I really enjoyed the first one, but this one was a bit of a let down.Disclaimer: I am not the most articulate, English is not my first language AND it’s been roughly 15y since I’ve had to do a book dissertation, so I feel a bit ashamed to criticize an author who I’m sure worked very hard for this book but bear with me.It started out well. The angst, the betrayal, the running away. I always believed Sebastian would mess up somewhere down the line, there was too much foreshadowing, he was too keen to forgive her her lies, and he was basically too much of a Tamlin. Well I wasn’t wrong and here it went.The first 20% were very enjoyable, I liked that she was spending time on her own, trying to figure things out. Misha made it entertaining, with a bit of banter, although not as much as I like, but that my problem!However, as soon as Finn & co came back into the picture, it started dragging out, and I could see the end of the book looming over us with no real conclusion at the ready.The plot lingered too long between the Court of the Moon and their weird little pilgrimage to see the High Priestess. It almost felt like the author was stalling, looking for an excuse to develop the attraction between Brie and Finn. It wasn’t very well executed in my mind.And then all happened within the last 20% of the book, and I’ll make the same comment as with the first: the action scenes are a bit underwhelming because they are over so fast! Brie spends 10 days in the tomb, but it barely lasts a few paragraph! There’s so much anguish, fight and trauma that could have happened but it’s over in the blink of an eye!Same for the scene when Sebastian makes his grand sacrifice. We all knew that Brie was going to end up with Finn, right? So we knew something had to happen to Sebastian, and within seconds, he makes his grand reveal, becomes human, everyone forgives everyone and our lovebirds can ride into the sunset?! How disappointing. There was so much potential for a firework worthy finale and Sebastian barely redeems himself from being a total pain in the neck for the entire book.I wanted confrontation, screams, tears and fight, but it really fell flat.I don’t really know what happened, since it was a very promising start, but this second installment wasn’t for me I’m afraid.

This was such a satisfying conclusion to Brie's story!It picks straight up from the first book and is full of twists and turns, surprises good and nasty! I adored the love story that developed in this novel and felt it was completely right and fitting. The storyline was amazing and so cleverly plotted out, where all the problems were resolved neatly, if not without complications!Just such a wonderful read, and now I'm all ready for the new book in this world.

This sequel was a good ending to the story. I was worried reading this as I’ve read so much fantasy recently where the first book is amazing and then the second/third are total let downs. I don’t agree with other readers who say it was rushed but at the same time this book could have been expanded into 2 books and I wouldn’t have complained. Overall I loved this duo of books!

I just finished These Twisted Bonds, the second book in the These Hollow Vows series, and I’m completely obsessed! This duology is packed with action, incredible banter, and heart-wrenching twists.Abriella is a strong, relatable heroine, torn between Bash and Finn, and the tension in this love triangle kept me hooked from start to finish. The story has it all: betrayal, suspense, and a sprinkle of spice that adds just the right touch. It pulled at my heartstrings, shattered me, and then somehow pieced me back together by the end.If you love fantasy with strong characters, unexpected twists, and a dash of romance, this series is a must-read!

It is not a perfect book, and there is definitely room for improvement, but despite that, I really enjoyed it and I flew through it... Objectively, I think this book should be 4 stars because of some flaws, but I just loved it SO much despite those flaws...These Twisted Bonds picks up right where the first book ended. Brie is fleeing the palace after waking up as a fae and learning about Sebastian's manipulation and lies. Alone in a dangerous land, Brie cannot trust anyone, and she doesn’t know where to go or what to do to escape Sebastian. Brie finds an unexpected new ally in the Wild Lands, and together they try to find a way to get Finn and Sebastian to work together to save the Unseelie court and face the threat of queen Arya’s court before it’s too late.The pace was great, and it was a very quick read due to the good flow of the story and the many important moments for the development of the relationships, and the good amount of action. The only thing that I liked less about the pace is that the “big confrontation” at the end is resolved quite quickly and easily? The book is a big build-up towards finally finding a solution to bring a semblance of peace to Faerie, and when they finally get some answers after days (or weeks) of traveling and searching, the last part of the story also feels a little rushed. I wouldn’t have minded an extra 50 pages to elaborate the last 10% a little more. Honestly, this could have been a trilogy and I believe it would have been great, maybe even better because there would have been more time to elaborate on the politics and resolve certain issues.

Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️*SPOILER ALERT*I bought this digital version right after I finished the first one. I couldn't wait to get this translated to my mother language. It is that good...I actually read it in a day.How it goes from the last book:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I liked how Brie needed to take some time to herself to deal with things. Of course I was craving to see her flying to Finn's arms, but it doesn't happen like that (and it wouldn't be that good like that as well...)About Brie: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️She's more mature and clever than the previous book. She has the opportunity to help more people and put that in practice. She's definitely more smarter 🤣About Finn: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I like how things happen between Brie and Finn. How it is explained the reasons Finn acted the way he did and it shows he wasn't selfish as Brie used to believe.About Sebastian⭐️⭐️⭐️Once it's stablished he's selfish and the "villain", he gets to be a pain in the ass. He is here only to cause problems and bother everyone. Nothing more, nothin less. He gets his redemption in the end and it's... okay...About Finn's friends ⭐️⭐️⭐️Well, after two books, I could hope that they'd be more explored. I can't even name all of them by head. Some of them are just... there...Pretha and Brie become friends but it also could have been more explored.The ending: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I loved how things turned out. The only thing I disliked was how short the epilogue turned out. I know they bonded but it ended before the ceremony. And I'd love to read about both of them after their bonding. How it was different to Brie to be bonded to her tethered instead of Bash.About Brie's mother:⭐️⭐️It's not exactly explained what happened to her. She made a deal to protect Brie for seven years, but how did she die? Brie went to the underworld and I hoped I'd hear about her mother there, but nothing...About the spicey parts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Not bad, but it could have been better, and I wish it had more of those scenes...I know I pointed out some things I disliked but it is a good book. Those things didnt make me love it any less. It has some Sarah Maas vibes and I don't regret reading it at all and I probably will read it again in the future.

J'ai dévoré ces deux livres. J'ai été littéralement transportée dans cette histoire .Si vous cherchez un livre qui vous tiens en haleine jusqu'à la dernière ligne allez y . Aventure,romance et amitié sont décrits fabuleusement bien dans ce récit et les personnages sont si attachants qu'on voudrait suivre leur aventure dans un prochain livre .Bref n'hésitez pas.

I loved both books so much, but this ending was just perfection. A must read!