This is the best book I have read so far this year, I loved the characterization! Like most people, the people in this book weren't one dimensional. As the story developed different sides of each of them came to the surface. Moreover, I have come to like books with multiple points of view, and this one offers that. I think being able to see things through a character's eyes really adds to the story. The main characters, Nora and Lottie quickly became my favorites.

I also really appreciated the carefully crafted plot, and the addition of the woodcutter added a touch that almost seems like a fairy tale; although, it was part of the family's history. The story had me hoping that Nora and Lottie would win one of the challenges. I read this rather quickly because the story was so intriguing I had a hard time putting the book down.

5 Stars!

Hamilton's story is captivating. There is so much fantasy and intrigue that I could not put the book down and was sad to see it end. The characters are all well written and have their own paths to take to the "Heiress" trials. You will be caught up with the struggles between the characters and find yourself entranced by the vivid settings, plots, and subplots. I'm hoping a sequel appears soon.

This is going to be a summer must read!

Después de la muerte de la heredera de la familia, los Holtzfall deben nombrar a su sucesor, y para ello, la generación mas joven tendrá que demostrar que lo merecen a través de una serie de pruebas para competir por obtener el hacha y ser la cabeza de la familia.
Es una mezcla de magia, aventura, crítica al capitalismo, relaciones familiares complicadas y un toque de romance.
¡Necesito leer el siguiente libro!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is SO good!!! Of course, I trusted Alwyn’s talent, but I was still surprised by how much I loved it! I loved all the POVs and characters, and I found the book’s structure super creative, it reminded me of some of my favorites, and I absolutely loved that. I can’t wait for the sequel!! 😩🤎

The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton had all the right ingredients—competition, magic, rebellion—but something about the execution just didn’t fully click for me. The worldbuilding is intriguing, blending fairytales with industrialism, and I loved the underlying themes of power and privilege. But the pacing dragged in places, and I struggled to connect with the characters, especially given some of the forced relationships and uneven development.

That said, the magic system was unique, and there were definitely moments of brilliance woven throughout. If you love morally gray characters, political intrigue, and a competition-based storyline, this could still be worth a shot. I just wanted a little more depth to keep me fully invested.

If a book has a competition element, there is a very good chance I’ll love it. I really enjoyed both POv’s we got, and found myself wanting to pick this one back up.

There were a few pacing issues, but overall I really enjoyed this one.

I had enjoyed the author's Rebel in the Sands series, so when I received this book from Netgalley, I had high hopes for it. But, after a couple pages in, I found that I just wasn't interested in this particular story. I'm not sure if it's because it's been a few years since I last read one of her books, or something about this particular book just didn't grab my attention. So, unfortunately, at this time I'm going to set this book aside unfinished and perhaps I'll come back to it at a later time. But I would still recommend giving this book a try if you're looking for something new to read.

Sadly this book just didn’t grab as much as I hoped it would. I put it down and picked it up multiple times but I just couldn’t connect with it. Super bummed.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I normally hate reading fantasy worlds where cars exist, but I am so glad I did not let that stop me from reading this. Alwyn Hamilton reminds me of what YA fantasy is at its best, and though one of the POVs is a little underdeveloped (August), it doesn't make a difference against everything that makes this book incredible. The Notorious Virtues is a sharp, angry book, balancing fairy tales and industrialism perfectly. Both protagonists are wonderfully imperfect, and change meaningfully throughout the book. I wish it was longer. I am distraught that I have to wait for the next one.

DNF at 20%

unfortunately this book was not for me. I hated the main character and I found the story lacking of pathos and personality

The storyline presents an intriguing dynamic between the rich and the poor, a good vs evil, fairy tale type vibe. But, with a twist - magic and charms adds a new layer to the social divide. The backstory of the woodcutter really helped and enriched the story, providing important context that helped the reader better understand the events unfolding in the present.

Unfortunately, I found it hard to be invested in the relationships or the characters that developed throughout the story. Some relationships and events that happened just didn’t sit right and seemed off from the start, while others seemed too forced or generic. All of this combined with a plot that seemed vaguely familiar, made it hard for me to stay engaged with the book and it really impacted my enjoyment of the book.

I dove into this with high expectations and was not disappointed! I was immediately sucked in by the world and the unique magic system. The pacing was absolutely perfect and the characters seemed to jump off the page. I loved all the character development too! There’s mystery, rebellion, fairytales… what more could you want? The only thing that I struggled with was the beginning; it took me a while to get into the first 25%. However, things pick up after that. If you enjoy rich folklore and mysteries, I can’t recommend this enough!

I’ve been dying for this book since Alwyn Hamilton announced it. Now I’m not sure why this book was pushed back so much, but it was worth the wait.

This book follows four different POVs as the a Trial of the Veritaz is beginning. An heiress, an orphan, a knight, and a journalist. The events are generational and political in nature, monster lurking in the woods just out of reach. It’s unique and after the first few chapters the plot really starts to get going.

I grew to love all the POVs but I was really drawn to Nora and Lotte. Nora or Honora Holtzfall is the presumed heiress to a family that has a fable origin of protecting the city of Walstad. After her mother is murdered, she must compete against her own family in order to be the selected heir. Nora is clever, confident but beginning to realize she may not know as much as she thought, and her family had more secrets than even she realized.

The trials were interesting, and refreshing take on the typical YA trials. The interwoven threads of each mystery come together nicely by the end, mostly. EXCEPT FOR THE MAJOR CLIFFHANGER.


In summary, this books is glitzy and glamorous as the 1920s with the fairytale magic and class struggle and corruption sprinkled in.


Dear Alwyn please don’t take so long to write the next one because I’m ready for it now.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC in exchange for a honest review!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved both Nora and Lotte as as the side characters. I’m a sucker for the trial/games trope and feel like Hamilton did a really great job keeping the plot original while still carrying that theme. z

The only thing I did not like about the book was the worldbuilding. It just felt like it couldn’t decide if it was a fantasy or real world. not even really mixing them well

i really liked this one! the world-building was super interesting, and the competition aspect kept things exciting. the main character was easy to root for, and the mix of drama, intrigue, and romance made it a fun read.

I’m sorry I did not like this book. It was hard to get into with multiple POVs and I had to DNF the book. In respect to the author since I did not finish the book, I will not post a negative review online.

This well written dark fantasy thriller has a wonderful premise and intriguing points of view. Lots of readers will enjoy the games, the twists, and the murder mystery. But readers should beware - this is a very dark tale. It is one thing to be told "a narrating character's mother just died and it might have been murder." It is another thing entirely to read it on nearly every page for the first chapter. Those who grieve their own parents would benefit greatly from knowing just how often this hits readers over the head, again and again, before picking it up to read.

The Notorious Virtues had the perfect blend of fantasy and mystery with a unique magic system. As somewhat implied by the cover, it reminded me of a fantasy version of the inheritance games due to the trials and the loveable cast of characters but it was a wholly unique book. I was on the edge of my seat from the first line to the last and the romance added the perfect amount of tension. I loved the background provided by the fairytale-like interludes that explained how the magic came to be. I am so excited for the next book to answer my remaining questions!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Canada for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, it took a bit to get going but once it did it was very intriguing. I liked the characters and the multiple POVs. It felt like an early 1900s inheritance games but with magic and murder mystery. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

🥂📰

Wow, this was so good, intense and emotional!

There are four great pows immersing us in the book. I loved Nora from the first page. It took some time to develop feelings for Lotte, but my love for her grew with her character developmemt. The amazing boys added depth to the story.

I loved to follow the main characters through their enterwined connections, journeys, trials, and all those other events, smartly placed in the plot so that you have no chance to get confused. Characters, four pows, trials, politics, investigations, family dramas and yet everything is clear, but you just find yourself buried in the story not being able to stop reading.

The world is absolutely unique, filled with new versions of familiar technologies and charming magic. Politics played their impostant role adding another depth to the plot and making the book unforgettable.

I swallowed the second half in one sitting! Heating up emotions and raising the stakes, it was full of exiting events and twists. I'm delighted, shocked, amazed, and overwhelmed with so many other strong emotions. Can't wait to read all the next books in this series!

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Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me with this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!