Beneath These Cursed Stars (2024)

Big sigh. Deep breath. Cracks knuckles.

Okay, this book took me forever to finish which is typically unheard of for me. I really enjoyed These Hollow Vows and These Twisted Bonds last year so I thought I would really enjoy this one. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.

There's so many tropes in this book that I adore, but Ryan failed to utilize them properly and the story was a big flop.

╰┈➤ First, and speaking as a reader who not that long ago read the duology that this is spinning off from - there wasn't much information given about the human realm, the rulers, who these humans are and why they have magic.

I felt a little thrown into the thick of it, I can't even imagine how someone who hasn't read the first two would feel. Totally lost I would imagine.

The story has the bones to be something great but I feel the author squandered opportunities away on boring and insignificant conversations - so many pages just snail-paced along and for what?

There was a lottttt of repetition. Over and over again we're told certain things - I got the memo - moving along please?

I literally started skimming around the 40% mark, then skipped from 60% to 80% then sped read to the end. I felt like a prisoner in this story and I just wanted to escape it.

╰┈➤ These so called big revelations at the end? I honestly thought it was common knowledge not an actual plot twist? So add predictable to boring, slow and repetitive.

Jas is one of the most bland FMC's I've read in a good long while. Whiny and meek. Non stop complaining.

Felicity was not much better, however I did appreciate her more- but having the story split between her and Jasalyn did nothing for either character.

Felicity's storyline is more intriguing but got cut off and was underdeveloped due to half of the book belonging to slog-fest rock personality that is Jas.

Unfortunately, I don't believe I'll continue this series.

✨ Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins/HarperTeen and Lexi Ryan for the complementary digital copy in exchange for my honest review. 💐

✩ 3 stars ✩

“If you think these are ugly, you should see what he left in my head.” -Jas

What to Expect:
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Forbidden Love
➼ Secrets & Betrayal
➼ Revenge
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Healing From Trauma
➼ Fate
➼ Fae Royalty
➼ Fae Shifter
➼ Spin Off
➼ Two Separate Parallel Storylines
➼ Dual POV

Initially I really struggled to get into this. Princess Jasalyn’s introduction as a revenge obsessed vigilante felt a little off brand from the previous series and I had forgotten enough to feel a little lost being dropped back into this world. The story is written in Dual POV and switches between Princess Jasalyn and a Fae Shifter named Felicity who are on two separate parallel journeys. They are united under the same purpose but their location only overlaps once making the overall story progression unavoidably slow.

This book was very character driven and while Princess Jasalyn’s role is more integral to the plot, I much preferred reading from Felicity’s POV. What Jasalyn went through was inarguably terrible, but I have to wonder how someone who spent so much time being tortured in a dungeon could be so naive. The only explanation I can come up with for her being so dense and trusting was that she was simply blinded by her hatred of the Fae and her need for revenge. This level of prejudice really doesn’t make for a very lovable heroine and my sympathy for her only extends so far.

The story ended on a cliffhanger for both girls, but I am personally much more concerned about Felicity. 😅 I would have liked to have read more of her and Misha’s story and I will stick it out for their happily ever after. Jas and Hale can get whatever’s coming to them honestly. Those two lying liars deserve each other but I’m sure they’ll get their happy ending too. 😆

Thank you to Lexi Ryan, NetGalley and HarperCollins publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🤍

“I never meant to hurt you.” His eyes flash, going hard in an instant. “I never meant to let you.” -Felicity & Misha

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: I loved These Hollow Vows! Excited to be back in this world and read more of this authors work. Fingers crossed that I will love this one just as much. 🤞🏻

➳ 1.5 stars ✩
⤿ a spoiler free arc review

💌 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽:
⤿ dual pov
⤿ cliffhanger
⤿ forbidden romance
⤿ forced proximity
⤿ who did this to you
⤿ a kiss of death
⤿ hidden identity
⤿ insta-love

"beneath these cursed stars" by lexi ryan can be read as a standalone, although it contains major spoilers from the author's previous series. however, before requesting this arc, i had no idea that this was the first instalment in a spin-off series, which may be the reason i have so many problems with this book.

for starters, the world building is minimal, i don't understand the magic system - how do mortals possess magic? nothing was every explained nor expanded on, it was just thrown at me, which again may stem from the fact that i had no prior knowledge of this world.

secondly, the characters and their relationships were painful to read about. everyone was infuriating and had little to no depth and character development to them. the romance between jas and kendrick felt forced and superficial, and the one between felicity and misha just made me uncomfortable.

the betrayals and secrets were not surprising in the slightest. the only thing i was shocked about was how the characters hadn't realised any of this sooner.

and the writing style? absolutely abysmal. i don't need to be reminded about a character's figure every other page please and thank yew.

౨ৎ • 𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼: i have not read the hollow vows duology yet, but if you have, you may enjoy this more than i did

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!
_

wtfff, was this written by a man??

1.5 stars rtc
_

idk how this will live up to the man (sorta), the myth (he's very greek), the legend (quite literally

Hello gorgeous... 😏

MISHA! We will finally have more of him. 😍😍😍

Now I know what I'll be doing on July 9th next year. 😅

“what if you find yourself living beneath nothing but cursed stars?…Then you go find yourself a world with a whole new night sky.”

Secret identities layered on top of secret
identities!

Beneath our cursed stars jumps between the POVs of Jasalyn the shadow princess & Felicity who has taken on Jasalyns identity. Both characters have their own tortured pasts & missions to save the realms.

“We both know death is hardly the worst thing our enemies can do to us”

With two POVs this also means you get two slow burn romances unfolding at the same time 🔥

“You say your kiss is deadly, but every hour that passes, I feel more and more like I might die without it.”

If you love
>YA fantasy
>Multiple POV
>Secret identities
>Magic & prophecies
>Found family
>Who did this to you?
>Slow burn 🔥0.5 🌶️
>Forced proximity
>Bonded companions (a little goblin you can call on for portal travel & wisdom)

The betrayal & twist at the end had me reading until 2am , I couldn’t put this down and I’m dying for book 2!

“the ring was to free me from my fear, and now there’s nothing I fear more than what I’ve done because of it.”

**This is a spin off of the “These hollow vows” duology (I have not read). I believe they are all set in the same world with a cross over in characters. This would explain why the world building is minimal in Beneath these cursed stars.**

Thank you NetGalley Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

thanks to netgallley for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

🚨Disclaimer: I did NOT read the other duology before this one, so I may have missed out on some important information and/ or world building 🚨

This book was pretty quick and easy, and overall I enjoyed myself.

However, I do have a few problems with it.

⤿ The world building in this was not great. I'm not exactly sure what was going on, and things could have been a lot more expanded on.

⤿ The relationships & characters were lack lustre and emotionless. I kind of felt like an outside perspective while reading this, like everything felt sort of disconnected. There was supposedly 2 love stories going on, and to me they lacked any kind of love and emotion. It was all soooo bland!

⤿The repeated use of "females" and "males". This is very nitpicky, I KNOW but omg, nothing in this world annoys me more, than when a man refers to a woman as a "female". she is NOT a science experiment. Stop referring to her as such.

⤿Everyone seems to say that the betrayals were super easy to predict. I didn't really see them coming, but that might come from the disconnect I had with the story.

Anyways, you might like this book more, if you liked the other duology. Overall, this was fine.

This was sooo unique and I genuinely haven’t read any books similar to this one! Dual POV with two (slow burn) romances happening at the same time and I really loved it!

I really really enjoyed this but man the ending 🤯 I need to know what is going to happen!!

If you like
Ya romantasy
Hidden identity
Dual pov (felicity + jasalyn)
Slow burn
Who did this to you
.. you will love this!

(Very little spice. .5-1 🌶️)

— 4.5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

"Fear isn't a measure of cowardice, and pain isn't a measure of weakness. You are brave and strong and anything but broken.”

📖 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 432 pages
👤 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Lexi Ryan
🏢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: Hodderscape
📅 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 30 July 2024

I will start this review by stating that whilst you don't necessarily need to read the These Hollow Vows duology to understand the story in its entirety, I would recommend it as I was unaware of the connection between both series and found myself confused during the first 15% of the story. The story begins recounting the main events that occur within the

Jasalyn is a morally complex heroine who we endured a horrific kidnapping and torture at the hands of Mordeus, the false king. Jas's vulnerabilities and fears broke my heart as we witness her feel trapped into a life that she does not want. Her need for vengeance added an edge to her softness that I loved, and I found myself really intrigued by the lore of the magical ring that grants Jasalyn the 'kiss of death.' At the root of her actions is Jas's need to no longer feel afraid in her own skin and her surroundings, and it was a joy to watch her story unfold throughout her point-of-view. I love the bonds that she makes along the way and the sense of assurance that grows within herself. I'm very eager to see where Jasalyn's story will lead in the second and final instalment in this duology. Felicity was an unexpected delight that I absolutely adored. I still find much of her character to be a mystery as she spend the majority of her point-in-view as she pretends to be Jasalyn, however I very much enjoyed the snippets of her personality that shine through and I cannot wait to see where her story will lead. Felicity is fierce and determined in her role throughout the story, however she also possesses a softness and gentleness that acted as the perfect balance in her personality. It broke my heart as we ultimately watch Felicity fall for a man that doesn't know the true her, and that ending... wow. The longing and pining was written to perfection, and I need book two ASAP to know what happens next.

That ending took me by complete surprise and I know I'm going to go insane waiting for book two after that cliffhanger.

Thank you to Hodderscape and NetGalley for the DRC to read and review prior to release day.

Rating- 4.5 stars
(E-ARC)
Many thanks to the publisher Hodder and Stoughton, NetGalley and the author for letting me have an ARC of this month.
(Will include Minor Spoilers from These Hollow Vows)

Happy publication day!

When I received this ARC, I was so excited to dive into the book. Having read the previous duology, I was excited to see Aribella's sister Jaslyn take centre stage in her own spin off series. As it had been a while since I had been in this word, I did initially struggled with getting into the world and what was going on. Ideally, I would have loved a recap of the previous duology on what had happened before this book. At the start, It was really confusing and often felt like I was missing a lot of things. In addition, personally I felt like this could not be read as a standalone or before These Hollow Vows Duology as the duology beforehand really set up the worldbuilding and characters. When I hit the 20% mark, things became a lot clearer where things began to make sense and answered quite a lot of questions I had.

Three years after These Hollow Vows duology takes place, this book focuses on Jaslyn and the effects of her being a prisoner in Mordeus dungeons. The trauma and the torture has left Jasalyn unable to hug others and open up to those close around her and talk about what she has gone through. But Jasalyn is also keeping a secret. Jasalyn has a enchanted ring that gives her death's kiss that she has been using to assassinate the guards and supporters of Mordeus. Meanwhile, a fae shifter called Felicity need a miracle. Fated to kill her magical father, Felicity has been using her unique ability to avoid the prophecy.

When Jaslyn hears of Mordeus ressecution, Jasalyn wants to end him once and for all. Felicity offers to go in the form of the shadow princess allowing Jasalyn to hunt Mordeus while Felicity uses this oppournity as Jasalyn to get closer to Misha (the Wild Fae King). Jaslyn is reunited with Kendrick, a boy who helped her in the dungeons. Despite the roles being reversed, both girls are able to feel something- Misha helps Felicity to wish for a world where she can be her true self while Kendrick helps Jas to feel something other than anger for the first time in three years.

I honestly really enjoyed this book. It was such a super addicting and fun read. This made me lose track of time due to how good this book was and was really impossible to put down. I honestly loved the Found Family with Kendrick, Skylar, Remme and Natan. I can not wait to see more of them especially Remme who kept interrupting every single time Kendrick and Jas had a moment. However, the frustration I felt for Misha throughout this book. He did not deserve to be fooled like that and deserves to find love just like everyone else too. Honestly justice for Misha. I really hope he finds love in the next book. Furthermore, I really liked Jaslyn a lot more as a main character. I felt like it was nice to see her development from the start and felt like she was not making bad decisions all the time.

This was a super enjoyable book and the ending blew me away. I was not expecting the plot twist and left me reeling for a few hours after finishing this book. I seriously need Book 2 like now because wow. Many thanks again to Hodder and Stoughton for letting me have an E-ARC of this book. I had such a great time.

being back in this magical world that Lexi Ryan created through the These Hollow Vows series was incredible! I’m so glad I got the chance to read this book early and connect with two flawed, complex MCs.

while reading books with two parallel POVs, I find that usually one is more captivating than the other. here, however, I was excited to continue both Felicity’s and Jas’s individual stories, because both were sufficiently developed and vital to the overall plot. (here’s hoping their paths cross more in the sequel!)

I would say that the book’s strength lies in its characters and their inner struggles and turmoils. it’s true that the plot is dynamic and filled with twists and turns (and the occasional betrayals that I did not see coming), but witnessing the evolution of both Felicity and Jas was the best part, in my opinion.

can’t wait to read the sequel, and that ending will be on my mind for a while!

thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC.

tl;dr
Dual leads and plots with plenty of romance. Not necessary to read the previous series to enjoy this one.

Thoughts
I spent so much of this book thinking "The sister has so much MC energy." Turns out the sister was the MC of the previous series, so, nice. The good news is I had no trouble understanding this book, even with no knowledge of the prior one. (There are, however, significant spoilers for the previous series.)

There are two main POVs and two plot lines running parallel. Jasalyn gets the lion's share of plot and development, with more action and adventure. I found myself caught up in the main mystery, and the reveal with equal parts surprising and scary. Jasalyn herself could probably have an easier time of it if she didn't hate all fae so much, something that other characters point out to her pretty quickly. I understand she'll likely grow out of it, but it was a frustrating roadblock. Felicity is easier to read because she has no such prejudices, although she falls prey to one of my lesser liked plot conceits - instalove. Even with the instalove, her storyline was my favorite, and I want only good things for her. I think fans of two broken hearts finding each other will probably really enjoy her plot.

I have no idea how this stacks up to the previous series, but readers who think this one sounds interesting should be totally comfortable jumping in here.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperTeen for an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.

While this is separate from 'These Hollow Vows,' I feel like you need to read that prior. The world building in 'Beneath These Cursed Stars' is lacking by itself. I was never really able to get fully into this book because I felt like I was missing crucial info. It was like I came into a series on book 3, with no prior info regarding the first 2 books. THV is on my TBR, I just haven't gotten to it yet. Nowhere does it indicate you need to read THV first, just that it's a standalone. It may say interconnected, but I feel like as it is, it is *not* a standalone. Or it's best if it isn't read as a standalone.

That being said, I enjoyed the writing style. The characters are good, but I think at least one of them is a carryover from THV and would've loved more depth to her.

The plot is good, as best I understand it. This book has 2 parallel storylines, and I was more invested in Felicity's (fae) than Jasalyn's (carryover). I found Jas a bit naive and while I know she was traumatized, she annoyed me at times.

Pacing is probably OK, but to me felt painfully slow. I think that's at least a good bit due to me not being able to connect or fully get into it.

Overall, it was meh for me. Not great, not bad. I'm completely ambivalent about this one, which is disappointing.

If you've read and enjoyed the 'These Hollow Vows' duology, I think you would enjoy this one. If you haven't, I strongly recommend reading it before this one.

Thank you to Netgalley, Lexi Ryan, and Harper Collins for the eARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I know that this is an ARC, but I need the sequel in a bad way! Hopefully within the next year?? Please for the love of all that’s holy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC!

I started this book off with extremely low expectations. This was my first by Lexi Ryan, and for a book that is not a sequel, there was little to no world building. The entire premise of the world is dependent on knowing it from the previous series, and in my confusion I thought there was no way I would enjoy this book after that first chapter or two.

BUT.

My jaw is literally on the floor. Perhaps I am just slow or sleep deprived, but the twists in this book had me gasping every single one of the last 30 pages. Never before in my life have I been so confused and genuinely furious (in a good way) to see the word "acknowledgments."

On the rest of the book, I found the romances absolutely adorable. Misha might be one of my top book boyfriends now, and that is saying something. The relationships (romantic and platonic) did move fast, but I think I just poured through the book so quickly that I didn't give it a chance to sink in. The plot was not super action heavy, but for a girl who loves some fluff and some trauma, I was satisfied and flew through this book. It's currently 2:00 AM, and for me, this is staying up way too late. I should have gone to bed half a book ago, but here we are!!

On a separate note, this was my first e-ARC! In all honesty, this was a horrible book to read as a first e-ARC, because now not only do I have to wait from release date to release date, I have to wait EVEN LONGER? Guys, I am telling you, I was emotionally invested in this book, and the cliffhanger is NOT for the weak.

3.75 🌟! This was genuinely so much fun. I couldn’t put the book down. First of all I am just bamboozled at that ending. I NEED the next book ASAP like pls I cant be left with this cliffhanger. I feel so bad for Jas and everything she has endured. I genuinely was loving Kendrick but now I don’t know how to feel at all. I feel how Jas feels and that’s… betrayed. Anyways Felicity is so cool I wish I had her powers. BUT MISHA. OH MY GOD. Let me just say I need this man. Like sorry?????? I loved the dual plot lines/POVS it just kept it so interesting. So much of this was giving the vibes of ACOTAR and TOG and even Harry Potter at one point which was PHENOMENAL. I actually neeeeeeeeed the next book 😭😭😭 (and Misha pls and thank you). One of my fav quotes from this book was, “What if you find yourself living beneath nothing but cursed stars? … Then you go find yourself a world with a whole new night sky.” And I will leave it at that. Thank you so much to Netgalley, Hachette Australia and New Zealand, and Lexi Ryan for this ARC.

Well… she did it again! Lexi Ryan never fails to impress.
I absolutely lost myself in this book, you know the kind of book you can’t stop thinking about, desperate to get through your working day so you can just curl up and jump straight back into it? Yeah this book does exactly that.

Being back in this world was so satisfying and although I wouldn’t suggest you desperately need to read These Hollow Vows and These Twisted Bonds before picking this up, it would help the context of some of the characters and their motives and to an extent the world settings and politics.

Coming back to some of the characters from the previous duology was amazing, developing a deeper understanding of them and following them on their own journey. This book focuses on Abriellas sister Jas and her life after her time in the dungeon. It deals with her struggles and trails following her trauma and her journey to accepting (or not accepting) her fate.
However, Felicity’s story is the one that has me begging for the next instalment of this duology the most. A fabulous storyline with a great romance concept, I was just waiting for a moment you know has to eventually happen and then when it hits, you are still utterly devastated, hopeful and emotionally wrecked in the best ways.
One of the best things about this book is you have two romances to follow, equally well put together and tension filled.

The book took twists and turns off of an expected path and I just found it so gripping and fun to read, il be recommending this one for some time.
If you enjoyed These Hollow Vows this is a must, if you haven’t read that yet, you really should but as a guide this book has tropes such as travelling, only one horse, friends to lovers, forbidden love, betrayal and a found family feel in some places.

Honestly my favourite book of the year so far!
Continuously grateful to the publisher for allowing me to read their books prior to release and eternally grateful to Lexi Ryan for such great reading experiences.

beneath these cursed stars is a spin off series from the these hollow vows duology. i was unaware of this before i requested it so for the past MONTH i forced myself to read that prior to this and i would just like my TIME and MONEY back. that duology was mid to begin with and this was honestly so extremely boring. if this wasn’t an arc i would’ve dnf’d it 15% in. i did not like jasalyn then and i do not like her now.

i do not recommend this unless you loved these hollow vows and im so confused as to why this is marketed as its own series when its clearly obvious you need to read the duology first and its apart of the same universe. the math isn’t mathing. anyways what a waste of time and do not recommend.

thank you the netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Harper Teen for the eARC.

LOVE ME A CLIFFHANGER.

BLOG || INSTAGRAM

There’s something about a well executed cliffhanger that makes me all the more excited for book two. I think this delivered in that aspect. I saw one twist coming from the beginning (you will too), but the other one was this slow reveal that had me GOING. I can’t wait for the fallout.

I really enjoyed this spin off that follows Jas (and a new character). The romances had a bit of an insta vibe to them (or were lacking in general build up), yet they grew on me. I think it can be fostered even more in book two.

What I did notice was the lack of world building. This is really leaning heavy on the assumed fact you read the previous duology (These Hollow Vows). Which, since I have, was MOSTLY fine, I did stumble a bit trying to remember some of the court and politic dynamics that were created prior.

It’s still an engaging story and I enjoyed coming back to this book each time. I loved that the characters were someone I could root for that had weaknesses and strengths. There was a lot of beautifully tough moments seeing Jasalyn work through her past and facing some of those moments head on.

Overall audience notes:
- NA Fantasy Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: one vague open door
- Violence: moderate
- Content Warnings: past torture and associated trauma, murder

2.5 stars

What a big disappointment this book has been. I have loved These Hollow Vows, and when I got the book request accepted, I was so excited.
It took very little time to change my mind, though. It's like we are in a different world, with different magic, information thrown at us as we're supposed to know it. You're just dumped into the story and you have to fend for yourself to make sense out of it.

The plot is non-existant, a lot of words and no substance. The characters have no development, they repeat the same things over and over again, you could see a mile away what was going to happen and the book proceeds at the slowest pace I've ever seen.

I was not interested in Jasalyn's story in the least. Felicity's was a bit more entertaining, but I got fed up right away as they were basically duping Misha and I did not like that one bit. I know where the author is going to go with this, it's obvious, but I don't like it at all.

I'm going to read the following book because now I've started this duology and I need to complete it, but I'm no hurry.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the eARC, these opinions are my own.

Thanks HarperTeen and Netgalley for an earc in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely love Lexi Ryan’s writing. I had so much fun with her first duology and was so excited to return to that world and explore these characters. Jas and Felicity are so fun to read. I really enjoyed alternating their points of view for this story. I think I definitely felt more of a pull towards Felicity’s point of view. Both characters took a minute for me to warm up to, but by the end I just really loved both of them dearly.
I loved revisiting the Wild Fae Lands with Misha. He was one of my favorite characters in the first book so I loved returning to his court and reading about him again.
The ending of the book left me immedietly yearning for the next one even though this one isn’t even out yet. I can’t wait!

ARC provided

I’m having NO luck with fantasy lately it seems 🥲. Beneath These Cursed Stars really let me down. Let me start by saying I LOVED These Hollow Vows and was extremely excited for this spinoff. However, when I picked it up.. I felt very confused! I know it’s a spinoff but I felt like there should have been some more details from the previous duology and SOME world building but there essentially was none!! You were dumped into the story trying to figure out about fae, humans, queens and what the heck was going on.

Besides that, literally nothing happens through MOST of the book. It was actually quite boring and I found myself dragging through the story. The most entertaining aspect was Felicity pretending to be Jas and Misha falling for Felicity/Jas. That kept me going but it was literally the only thing.

Overall, I’m probably in the minority here but this book did not work for me sadly 😭.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars!

Overall, this is an okay fantasy. It's a little confusing for those who hadn't read the other books in this world like me. It doesn't offer enough context to the new readers so they can have a better understanding of the characters and the world. I see it as a continuation of the series but told of different perspectives, and not a spin-off series. I thought it was a spin-off and that I didn't need to read the other books beforehand, so that's why I requested this arc.

It's told by 2 perspectives, so our 2 main characters are Jas and Felicity. The main reason why I'm a little torn about this book is that I didn't care about Jas at all, and I didn't feel anything about her romance with Hale/Kendrick. The author spent a great deal on depicting her pain and trauma as well as her desire for revenge, but to me, it fell a little flat. Because of her trauma, she hates all fae (its shown and told multiple times), but at some point, when someone asks her if she hates all fae, she says that she doesn't hate all fae, for example she doesn't hate her sister. That sort of ruined all the built-up hate, anger, and fear. Also, there are many types of fae, so I didn't understand why she hates allof them, and not just the fae of the court of her abusers. Why show hostility to her sister's best friend and lover? Again, this lack of understanding might be because I haven't read the previous books. The romance between her and Kendrick/Hale (I use both names because I honestly don't know which one to use because the characters used both names interchangeably 🙃) felt a little forced as in the romance would have happened for any set of characters in their shoes. And something that I've wondered throughout the entire book is why kidnap your friend when you could have just asked? He was very courteous when he did ask for help, so why kidnap her first and ask later?

BUT Felicity and Misha?! That's an entirely different story. They were two characters I empathized with, two characters that made me feel invested in their happiness and success. Their romance felt like a natural result of them being close to each other. Felicity is a character that can be misunderstood like she was in the story. She chose to protect her brother by staying away from him because she knew she was a target. By doing so, she didn't partake in all those missions and that could be misconstrued as cowardness. I found her refreshing and authentic and genuine. Not everyone forges ahead with their sword, confident because they're the chosen one lmao. Some take other paths, other measures to protect their family. Misha is a kind king, lonely but funny and loyal to his people and his best friend aka Jas's sister. I really liked him. He was the light of this story!

The world-building was okay, nothing too extravagant and elaborate, but it was enough to keep my interest. Some names and titles felt unoriginal, though. And while the characters talked a lot about other realms, I didn't forge a connection to any of them, except Misha's court.

I think that you'll enjoy this book if you've read the previous books in this universe. For me, a lot was confusing, which made it harder for me to get invested in the characters and world. I'll probably read the next book only for Felicity and Misha.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

1) please read "These Hollow Vows" first. If you don't know to do this, like me, you will end up accidentally spoiling yourself on major plot points of THV, especially how that love triangle resolves.

2) This author is now on my read-their-other-books list! I really enjoyed her writing style and narrative voice, and look forward to reading her other works.

3) While I am *very* grateful this book didn't have a love triangle like her previous series, there is definitely an inferior pairing in this book of two romances (and it is by far the Jasalyn/Kendrick one). Felicity/Misha is a very fun/interesting pairing (even though it's built on the miscommunication/Shakespeare disguise trope), and I was really rooting for them & am eager to see where their story goes next book! Jasalyn/Kendrick? Their relationship doesn't feel *earned*. I would've loved some *flashbacks,* even, if the author was going to make the foundation of their friendship in the past. Also, Jasalyn comes across as whiny/hard-headed, which is *really* not my jam for FMCs (I know she's dealing with trauma but her personality was just very off-putting).

4) This is definitely YA but still very enjoyable to read, both in terms of romance and plot action.

Recommend!

MISHA IS BACK 💖

“The sun will rise again tomorrow.”
Wtf was that? I need book 2 now and this one isn’t even out yet. What am I supposed to do? Wait?
Anyways. As you can see I really liked this one. I wasn’t a huge fan of These Hollow Vows but i still read the second book of the duology and really liked it (yes I love Finn). Beneath These Cursed Stars is a new series in this same world, even though technically you don’t have to read the Hollow Vows duology because the author does a really good job at recapping whatever happened in it without going into too much details, I would still recommend you read it before jumping into this one.
I’m not a huge fan of 1st pers POV and I usually find that my enjoyment of the writing is lessened because of that, therefore, I don’t really feel comfortable saying that I liked or didn’t like it, it was and that’s pretty much it, it didn’t stop me from reading so I guess it was good enough.
Now, the story. Was I a bit lost in the beginning? Sure. Because (spoiler for the precedent duology) what do you mean Jas is going to turn fae on her 18th birthday? I thought her abilities were suppressed but whatever its part of the plot so we’re moving on. are some things predictable? Sure, it’s YA, I can’t expect me (an adult in theory) to react the same way the intended audience is supposed to. Did I expect the plot twists at the end? Heck no. Like I don’t even know what to do with myself, I’m never caught off guard. I love that.
The romance(s) are a tiny bit too fast for me (I love a good slow burn) i would have preferred a bit more character development for one of the couple first and then the romance but it’s okay I still want them together. Now the main romance (Jas’s) you have to remember that they already know each other so they’re not building a romance out of thin air but sometimes it kind of feels too fast nonetheless.
Overall I don’t really have anything to criticise, I was glued to my phone, and I just can’t wait for the sequel, like really give it to me. And now that I think about it it might be a five stars🤭

3,5*

Thank you Hooder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

First of all, I didn’t know this was a spin off; I thought it would be a standalone. And since I haven’t read book two of the other series, it took me a while to get into this story and characters.

I liked the writing style a lot, Lexi Ryan has a pleasant writing style that makes you keep reading. It is easy to pick up this book and keep reading because of it. The characters are well developed and likeable. The world building has already been set in the other series so I suggest that you read those books first to avoid spoilers, but also to know the world building and characters first.

I liked the storyline for the most part, the ending took a turn which I didn’t like but I can see why the author chose it because it gives a setting for the second book. I believe this will be a duology like her other series instead of the standalone I thought it would be at the beginning of this book.

Overall, a pleasant and enjoyable read with vibes as Twin Crowns with well developed characters, romance, action and fantasy elements.

Thank you, Netgalley, and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

This book is a spin of from the these hollow vows series, and you follow Bree's sister Jasalyn. You also follow a new character, Felicity, who is pretending to be Jas. You should probably read the first duology first because it does continue 3 years later, and most of what's happening is related to that. This book also deals with a lot of trauma.

I loved this book, and i was a bit surprised it was over already. I want and need more. I loved being back in this world, seeing some of the old characters, but also meeting new ones. Plus, I need to know what's happening next.

If you're not sold on this book, we have a "who did this to you," one horse, secret identities, betrayal, secrets, and a lot more.

I need the second book and I need it today. Full review to come, but Lexi Ryan did it again

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating: 4.5
Spoiler: if I got the second book today, it would still be too late. I need it now (yes, I am aware that even this one is not out yet).

I will start off by saying that you do not have to read the initial duology, These Hollow Vows, in order to read this book. But I highly suggest that you do. Beneath These Cursed Stars is a spin-off sequel, so most of the world building happens in the first series. If you do decide to not read the first duology, please be aware that you will get all of the spoilers you could possibly get. So, my advice would be to read These Hollow Vows first, then move on to this one. I promise it is worth it.

Now, moving onto this masterpiece of a book (yes, I know it has flaws, I will get there). It is told, alternatively, from the perspective of the Shadow Princess, Jasalyn, sister of Queen Brie, and Felicity, a shapeshifter who wants to save her home.

The first thing I should mention is Misha. He had a lot of potential in the initial duology and I was sad we did not get to see more of him. Well, Lexi Ryan and the gods decided to grant my wish and gave me more Misha content.
Witty, smart, a true gentleman, cheeky, playful, arrogant, what's not to love about him??? He was such a joy to read about, and he brought so much humour to stressful situations. I didn't even have a choice, I fell for him face flat on the ground.
His commitment and dedication to his people, and the King of the Wild Fae was admirable. I loved how we got to see him interact with people from his court, it was very obvious how much they cared for him, admired and respected him.

His relationship with Felicity got me screaming crying giggling and kicking my feet. From the first time it was mentioned that Misha had been dreaming of an unknown woman, I was sure it was my girl Felicity.
She was also a very complex character, who was ready to do anything to save the people she loved, including go into the Wild Fae Lands undercover, pretending to be Princess Jasalyn. She was so observant, kind and loving. She really started to care about Misha and his people, she was listening to them and always helping. She will potentially make a wonderful Wild Fae Queen. But the angst in their relationship, it was just *chef's kiss*. And the ending???? Misha being angry at her and accusing her of getting into his head and stealing the face of the unknown woman in his dreams??? Yeah, I am desperate for the next book.

Still, I was so frustrated on Misha's behalf. He was such a kind and trusting soul, he did not deserved to be played with like that. He deserved love more than anyone in this book and I'm hoping he will find it in the next part of the story.

However, Jasalyn's change confused me a little bit. It may be because until this point, I only saw her through Brie's eyes, so I did not know what she actually went through. From the initial duology, it seemed that, while reluctant to return to the fae world, Jas still wanted to be close to the people she cared about. This booked showed how much she actually hated the fae, and how deep her trauma went.
While I appreciated her need for revenge and she felt way more realistic, it was a drastic change from her epilogue self. In the epilogue of the initial duology, Jas, fresh out of the prison, still had love and hope in her heart. In BTCS, she was way more hateful, mature and I could really feel the effects of her imprisonment.
It got to the point where even her own sister did not know her anymore, where she would have chosen death over becoming fae and where she didn't want anyone around her. It was a drastic change, and while some of it is explained through Felicity's ability, I didn't think it fully justified it. Still, it was interesting to learn what Jas went through and the impact it had on her. I think it all came from her need to no longer be afraid in her own skin.

I also didn't love her relationship with Kendrik. For some reason I did not connect to them like I did to Misha and Felicity. It felt like they were both keeping too many secrets from each other. This was reasonable after what they've both been through, they wanted to trust each other but could not do it fully. Still, he was selfless and loyal. He really saw Jas for who she was from the start. He was so supportive of Jas, always there for her as she was dealing with her traumatic past.
I enjoyed the found family Kendrik's group had, and it was so nice to see Jas learning to trust people and care for them again after isolating herself for so long.

Either way, I absolutely loved this book, and I feel like I will go insane waiting for the next one. The cliffhanger at the end was beautifully done. The whole book was so thrilling and I cannot wait to see where the story will go in the second part of the duology.

4.5 stars

Princess Jasalyn has been sneaking away from the palace at night with an enchanted ring that allows her to assassinate her enemies with the kiss of death.

Shape-shifter Felicity is fated to kill her father, but she has been doing her best to avoid the prophecy.

As rumors of the evil King Mordeus’s resurrection spread through the shadow court, Jasalyn declares she will defeat him once and for all. Felicity agrees to assume the form of the princess, allowing Jas to hunt Mordeus covertly. Jas teams up with charming and handsome Kendrick and his friends on their mission to discover Mordeus’s hiding place. Felicity finds herself growing closer to the Wild Fae King. As the girl’s missions progress, so do their feelings and soon their hearts and fates are at risk.

Read if you like:
- dual POV
- slow burns
- found family

I have yet to read These Hollow Vows, but that didn’t stop me from picking this up. This can definitely be read aside from the original series, as the author does a great job with storytelling for both the knowledgeable reader, and the newbies like myself.

I loved the dual POV and how the plot lines ran right into the next. I found I liked Felicity’s POV more, especially since we learn so much more about Jasalyn through her dreams. Jasalyn is a multifaceted character, but she is also very emotionally blocked which makes it difficult to connect with her. Felicity on the other hand, is super interesting and we get glimpses of the real her as she pretends to be someone else. I am rooting for her and Misha.

After that cliffhanger of an ending I have one question: when do we get the sequel???

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins / HarperTeen for a free digital copy of this book. This is my honest review. Publication date: July 30, 2024.

Beneath These Cursed Stars is YA romantasy gold standard. The dual POV creates this timeline for two romances and plot developments, I literally was sucked in and had to read this in one sitting. Overall it’s a fun story, there’s hidden identities and action scenes that create some tension and keep the pace flowing well. There isn’t much world-building, this is a spin off after all. I didn’t feel I needed much world-building and I haven’t read the other duology. This was because I was more focused on the characters and plot points. Some of the writing is beautiful and lyrical, there’s tender moments. There are also a few twists, they may not be shocking but it’s entertaining and provides that cliffhanger effect. Definitely will be picking up the next book and other works by this author now. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.