Princess Jasalyn has a secret. Armed with an enchanted ring that gives her death’s kiss, Jas has been sneaking away from the palace at night to assassinate her enemies.Shape-shifter Felicity needs a miracle. Fated to kill her magical father, she’s been using her unique ability to evade a fatal prophecy.When rumors of evil king Mordeus’s resurrection spread through the shadow court, Jasalyn decides to end him once and for all. Felicity agrees to take the form of the princess, allowing Jas to covertly hunt Mordeus—and starting Felicity on the path that could finally take her home.While Jasalyn teams up with the charming and handsome Kendrick, Felicity sets out to get closer to the Wild Fae king, Misha. Kendrick helps Jasalyn feel something other than anger for the first time in three years, and Misha makes Felicity wish for a world where she’s free to be her true self. Soon, the girls’ missions are at risk right alongside their hearts.The future of the human and fae realms hangs in the balance as fates intertwine. Between perilous tasks, grim secrets, and forbidden romances, Jasalyn and Felicity find that perhaps their stars are the most cursed of all.
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
*
I was provided with an advance copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I started reading this book and quickly got lost, wasn’t keen, and ultimately wasn’t sure what was going on. I went back and picked up the original duology, These Hollow Vows and These Twisted Bonds, and then revisited this book. That made such a difference and I would urge any other readers to do the same - I’ve seen this is considered a series that can be read independently of This Hollow Vows, but I think I would strongly disagree.
But then we had a new issue. I loved These Hollow Vows and Brie so much that I think I spent a lot of time wishing to go back.
Beneath These Cursed Stars is very enjoyable if you’ve enjoyed the world Lexi Ryan has created. It has the same style, the same energy, and a lot of the same characters. To me, it just didn’t fall in love with it quite as much. Still good, but not as great as These Hollow Vows in my personal opinions.
Rating: ✫✫✫✫
My Thoughts
There were a couple of reasons why I didn’t love Beneath These Cursed Stars as much as These Hollow Vows. But let’s start with what I did like about it.
I liked that it picks up some of the loose ends of These Hollow Vows, and jumps straight into the action. I would be surprised if anyone could bypass the first duology and understand what was happening, as it is all very linked.
And there begins one small problem I had. The plot is heavily rooted in the initial duology, and feels a little repetitive. I understood that there is still a lot of mileage to pull from the events of the previous books, but I think I would have enjoyed something a bit different. It felt a little like I was reading the same series again in parts.
I think the biggest sticking point was the characters. I LOVED Brie, and loved Finn, and even thought Sebastian made for a really great character. Where the plot of These Hollow Vows and These Twisted Bonds dropped a little, the characters kept me very invested. I just couldn’t connect the same with Jas and Kendrick. Felicity invested me more, and it was great to see more of Misha, but they were only 50% of the story.
Ultimately, that’s where my uncertainty came from. I love the world and the magic of the fae - yes, it’s similar to other fae fantasy books but who cares? - but it’s the characters that really sell it, and they didn’t grab me this time.
It’s still a 4* for me, but I’m a little sad because it had so much potential for a 5* read. I hope the next instalment will find that missing star.
There were a couple of reasons why I didn’t love Beneath These Cursed Stars as much as These Hollow Vows. But let’s start with what I did like about it.
I liked that it picks up some of the loose ends of These Hollow Vows, and jumps straight into the action. I would be surprised if anyone could bypass the first duology and understand what was happening, as it is all very linked.
And there begins one small problem I had. The plot is heavily rooted in the initial duology, and feels a little repetitive. I understood that there is still a lot of mileage to pull from the events of the previous books, but I think I would have enjoyed something a bit different. It felt a little like I was reading the same series again in parts.
I think the biggest sticking point was the characters. I LOVED Brie, and loved Finn, and even thought Sebastian made for a really great character. Where the plot of These Hollow Vows and These Twisted Bonds dropped a little, the characters kept me very invested. I just couldn’t connect the same with Jas and Kendrick. Felicity invested me more, and it was great to see more of Misha, but they were only 50% of the story.
Ultimately, that’s where my uncertainty came from. I love the world and the magic of the fae - yes, it’s similar to other fae fantasy books but who cares? - but it’s the characters that really sell it, and they didn’t grab me this time.
It’s still a 4* for me, but I’m a little sad because it had so much potential for a 5* read. I hope the next instalment will find that missing star.
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