I think readers of Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros will enjoy the writing style and storytelling elements used by Lexi Ryan in Beneath These Cursed Stars. However, there was quite a bit of “telling” rather than “showing” due to the fact that this book is tied to another series, and readers might not have read the earlier books. There are also many anachronisms in the story that took me out of the story.

While I was aware that Beneath These Cursed Stars is set in the same world as Lexi Ryan’s These Hollow Vows, the description led me to believe Beneath These Cursed Stars could be read as a standalone. However, I think my enjoyment of the book would have greatly increased if I had read the previous series.

Overall this was good! I would recommend reading the “The Hollow Vows” series first, which this is a spinoff of. Some of the relationship building between characters felt a little rushed but the reveals at the end of the book and the potential for the next book will definitely have me continuing the series.

Rating: 3.75 rounded up to 4

This book is an interesting spin-off from the These Hollow Vows duology. If you haven’t read those, you might find yourself a bit lost. The book follows Princess Jasalyn, who’s dealing with past trauma and using an enchanted ring for revenge, and Felicity, a shape-shifter avoiding a deadly prophecy by impersonating Jasalyn.

The characters are well-developed, especially Jasalyn, whose struggles feel real and relatable. Felicity adds a fresh perspective, and her interactions with the Wild Fae king, Misha, keep things intriguing. The pacing is a bit slow in the middle, which made it hard to stay engaged at times.

The ending, though, is strong and full of twists—holy wow, those last few sentences! Despite some predictable plot points and a feeling that you need to have read the previous books, it’s still a decent read for fantasy fans who enjoy character-driven stories.

If you liked These Hollow Vows, you’ll probably enjoy this one. Just be ready for a bit of a slow burn and some reliance on the previous books for context.

Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC!

Ok...yes! That is all I will say for fear of spoilers being spilled. The end....WHAT!?!

The world, the characters, the conflict, the friends to lovers to enemy storylines. YES YES YES!

Thank you Netgalley and Lexi Ryan for this e-ARC. The opinions and thoughts of this book are all my own.

Beneath the Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan is a spellbinding fantasy romance. The story follows a young heroine on a quest to break a curse on her kingdom, blending thrilling action with heartfelt moments. Ryan's masterful world-building and complex characters create an immersive reading experience. The romantic subplot adds depth without overshadowing the main plot, making this book a must-read for fantasy and romance fans alike. Highly recommended!

🌟🌟🌟🌟.5 Stars

Need more now! Beneath These Cursed Stars was absolutely enchanting. Felicity and Jasalyn are beautiful, bad-ass characters with so much depth. The slow burn romance is enchanting. Next thing you know a day has passed and you are left gasping, needing more of their story.

Beneath These Cursed Stars was fantastic. I’ve been meaning to read These Hollow Vows for ages and didn’t realize this was connected further than being in the same world, but that didn’t detract from the story at all. Ryan did a fantastic job painting the story for readers both with and without prior knowledge of the characters.

The dual POV of Felicity and Jasalyn was so good for adding to the tension. Learning more about Jas through Felicity’s eyes was such a unique way to explore a character with such blocked emotions.

The tension was tensioning. It left me wanting more—but in a good way.

I need the sequel yesterday. I can’t wait to find out what else is going on and who is lying—because someone is lying through their teeth!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperTeen for the ARC!

"Beneath These Cursed Stars" by Lexi Ryan is a spellbinding fantasy novel that takes readers on a journey through a world filled with magic, betrayal, and star-crossed destiny. The story follows Elara, a young woman with a hidden magical heritage, and Rylan, a prince burdened with a dark curse. Their paths cross in unexpected ways, leading them to uncover secrets that could change the fate of their kingdom.

Ryan's writing is captivating, drawing readers into a richly imagined world where every detail enhances the immersive experience. Elara and Rylan are complex and well-developed characters whose personal struggles and growing connection drive the emotional core of the story. Their chemistry is palpable, adding a compelling layer of romance to the adventure.

The plot is expertly paced, with twists and turns that keep readers guessing and eager to see what happens next. Themes of love, sacrifice, and the battle between light and darkness are explored with depth and nuance, making the narrative both engaging and thought-provoking.

Overall, "Beneath These Cursed Stars" is a mesmerizing read that will appeal to fans of epic fantasy and romantic adventure. Lexi Ryan delivers a tale that is both thrilling and heartwarming, leaving readers enchanted and eagerly anticipating the next installment.

I’ve never read something so fast!!! I fell in love with this world from the beginning of book one! I was beyond excited when I was approved for this arc!

I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone but let’s just say that this is a really cool way to do what’s been done!! I liked Jas’s character before but I love that we get to see her grown up and on the verge of her 18th birthday. To see what she went through at Mordeus’ hands is heartbreaking. It definitely makes me understand why she went the way she did. And Felicity is a new favorite character. I can’t wait to see what becomes of her!! I will say that I hate Hendricks and I’m not sure how much I love Misha anymore.

All I do know is I need book 2 yesterday!!! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!!!

3.5 Stars ! I absolutely loved These Hollow Vows books 1 and 2 so I was so excited when I found out there would be a new series set in the same world. However, I really struggled getting into this book and the characters. It was so slow until the last quarter of the book. I had a hard time connecting with Jas. I preferred Felicity's chapters so much more. I did enjoy parts of it and will for sure be reading the next book in the series. I do recommend giving this a try if you read These Hollow Vows. I think if you have not read those books first then you will be confused about the world they are in, the magic aspect, and the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Teens for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

I'm having strong deja-vu--I could have sworn I already submitted feedback for this, lol. I didn't like this much. I felt that the plot had strong ideas but ultimately not a ton...happened. There was a lot of repetition from some sort of flat characters, and even though the plot was pretty see-through I was hoping for some interesting moments but the pacing made sure that the momentum of the story was lost. I wish that this had just been a bit more fleshed out all the way through--I wanted more from the characters and the plot. Even though this isn't necessarily the "first" book, I still would have liked a little world-building. As it stands this just really felt like an unnecessary story--there's no character development, or interesting motivations, nothing to justify this story being told.

I loved this book!! I loved all the characters and the relationship building. The storyline was fantastic and kept getting better with new things revealed. I'm only mad that I have to wait for book 2!

i love this
fantasy pretty much
romance pretty much
the book is so good, i can't put it down like seriously

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.

LOVE ME A CLIFFHANGER.

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

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. First of all, I was under the assumption that this is a standalone, but it's actually a spin off of a prior duology. That's on me. I had a hard time getting into the story and connecting to the characters. I would've liked some more world building, which is probably in the other books. Idk, this just kind of fell flat for me and the ending took a turn I didn't really enjoy either. It leaves off with a cliffhanger but I don't think I'm interested enough to read a 2nd book.

Beneath these Cursed Stars kept me in my toes the entire time. I was a little worried about the dual POV but I loved both Jasalyn and Felicity’s storylines. They flowed well together and I genuinely can’t wait to see what comes next. My only complaint is that this is a story within the same world as the original series but it doesn’t explain much from those. It’s been a while since I read them so it left me a bit confused in the beginning.

Set in the same world as "These Hollow Vows", "Beneath these Cursed Stars"follows Brie's younger sister, Jasalyn. Jasalyn is desperate to find some peace after her traumatic ordeal at the hands of the evil Mordeus. So too desperate are a team of fighters, anxious to free the human realm, Elora, from the Seven.
A dual POV, "Beneath These Cursed Stars" is another delightful adventure, weaving in elements of classic faerie tales, modern mental health issues, and plot points from the previous duology.

While I felt like this story took a while to get going, once it did, the plot held me tight and didn't let go for the duration. It has all the elements of a classic Lexi Ryan book; adventure, romance, betrayal and beautiful backstory to keep the reader entertained.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Beneath These Cursed Stars" and look forward to the sequel!

Oh this book was so much fun! I devoured this story, and I am starving for more! Before we get into it, I have to say, if you haven’t read the These Hollow Vows duology, I definitely recommend doing that before picking this up. It’s been a while since I read them and things came back to me quickly, but some things may be confusing if you haven’t read them. Beneath These Cursed Stars follows Jasalyn, Brie’s sister. She is struggling with crippling depression and anxiety after her time as a captive. This book is dual POV but I’m going to not touch too much on the second character because I liked being surprised by her and her story. We get to see glimpses of characters from These Hollow Vows, which I always love. Also one of my favorite tropes, one horse, was coming in very strong! I loved the MMCs in this book, and the twists and revealed secrets I did not see coming, I feel a little betrayed by one of them 😅. The ending shook me and I wanted more immediately, so when does book 2 come out Lexi? 😂 The authors note at the end really spoke to me, and I found myself relating to pieces of Jasalyn and her mental health journey. Beneath These Cursed Stars is a Young Adult fantasy, I personally think 14-16+ for some sexual situations although not explicit.

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 😭.