4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Viking Books for Young Readers, and Penguin Young Readers Group for this advanced copy.! You can pick up The Notorious Virtues now.

Alwyn Hamilton dazzles readers with a glittering, 1920s-inspired fantasy world steeped in folklore and legend. The combination of Roaring 20s and fairytale magic is absolutely breathtaking, as are the four main protagonists we follow in this story.

Nora, the wealthy presumed heiress born into the life of the Holtzfalls, is as cunning yet kind as they come. August, an intrepid reporter, works with Nora to uncover the truth of her mother's murder. Theo, a knight sworn to defend the Holtzfalls, finds himself caught between duty and family as traitorous rebels blackmail him. And finally, peasant-turned-princess Lotte is thrown into the glitz and glams of the Holtzfalls as the Veritasz trials begin.

I loved seeing the original story of the trials play out side by side with the present day. Though the Veritasz is all about finding the most "worthy" and "virtuous," we see how the trials can be played to put unworthy candidates on top. We see desperate acts, familial betrayal, lies and manipulation, and more from the Holtzfalls and their enemies, the Grims. For so many moving parts, it was easy to keep up with what was happening in the story and how everyone's POVs were interconnected.

I can't wait to see what else Alwyn Hamilton builds within this world and how it'll affect our main heroes. Though the cliffhanger was unbearable, I know it'll be worth it when we get book 2!

3.5 stars - When I saw that Alwyn Hamilton had a new book, I immediately jumped on it since her Rebel of the Sands trilogy is one of my all-time favourite trilogies!

The story has many great elements: a unique magic system and complex and flawed characters set against the backdrop of the Veritas Trials. However, it didn't work as well as I had hoped. The first two-thirds of the book felt like a slog to get through. The pacing was slow, and we sometimes were thrown too much new information. I struggled with connecting with the characters. While I immediately loved Nora, I didn't feel as connected with the other characters until the end. Part of it is due to how the multiple POV was handled. They started too soon. I wanted to spend more time with Nora and Lottie, but I didn't feel we needed Theo's POV.

Nora was the true highlight of the book for me; she's the smart, cunning and complex character I love. I kept reading because I was invested in her story, but by the end, I also found myself invested in Lottie and her journey. Despite its flaws, I recommend sticking with this book. The payoff in the ending is worth it, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel!

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group/Viking Books for Young Readers for the ARC.

Thanks to Alwyn Hamilton, Penguin Group, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Don't read this for the competition; I kept forgetting there even was a competition until the last quarter or so, when it ramps up and takes more focus. Read this book for the world building--the civil unrest, the political intrigue, the family lore, the history and culture of the people, the magic.

I loved this book, but I didn't love it until the end. It's a long book, so naturally the middle gets a bit tedious and started losing my attention, but again, the plot starts coming to a head in the last quarter. I really didn't want to stop reading then.

At first I thought Nora was just an okay character, not very relatable and her arrogance wasn't exactly endearing. But when she started to struggle and we got to know her better, alongside August, I really came to admire her. Speaking of, August seemed like a good guy and had some charisma but wasn't super memorable. His and Nora's romance was adorable, though.

Lotte and Theo held their own as far as demanding the readers' attention. Heck, Lotte was more a protagonist than Nora. She had Harry Potter vibes---underdog, everyone wants her dead, holds special power, was shut away and had no idea of the world she truly belonged to but thrived in it once she got there--and Theo was a protector torn between blood and duty. His conflict was the most heart-wrenching; the plight of the knights in general was heart-wrenching.

There were a couple things that I could use clarity on: who the Grims are and how they formed, and how Oscar was a knight without being a knight. The former was probably part of that tedious middle and I just wasn't paying close enough attention, but I was very tuned in for the latter and I still didn't quite understand. It was kind of anticlimactic, actually. Also, a big factor in the plot went completely unexplored, the magical being in the woods that came across to me as the secret puppeteer of it all. I can't remember the name of it. But I'm hoping its role and motivation will be fleshed out in book 2, which I'll be looking forward to!

Wait---I just remembered I wanted to mention, how old are these characters, exactly? I believe Lotte was 17, but I'm not sure about Nora; I feel like I remember 15 for her? Maybe? Yet she and her similarly-aged cousins were out partying and drinking alcohol like its water and having blase attitudes about lovers . . . and no one thought anything of it. Maybe that was normal for their culture, and undoubtedly it was normal for their family, but it really filled me with dismay every time alcohol was casually offered to these teenagers. The author's Canadian, where the drinking age is 18 or 19, so it's not like she's from a culture with a low drinking age like Europe. I wonder how old the boys were supposed to be, too---August lived with his mom but was earning a living and worried a lot about bills, like he was an adult. Should I find it creepy that he was developing a romantic relationship with a girl who, if I understood correctly, was 15? No one was still in school, which, now that I think about it, is strange. It's easy to get caught up in the drama and lore and forget how young these characters are supposed to be when they're acting like adults, but when you think about it . . . it's shady. If any of these matters were addressed in the story, I didn't catch it.

Nora Holzfall is daughter to the Heiress in Walstad. When her mother is found dead, a magical competition is set to find the next heiress. Nora will be competing against all of her cousins.
I love a good competition trope and the intrigue was heightened with the murder investigation. Nora is surprised when an unknown illegitimate cousin Lotte comes to compete and each cousin is wary of the others. Many die in the trials so the stakes are high.
The story is full of tests, betrayal, revelations and more. The trials were in the background, almost as a second thought while the investigation took front stage. Then they intertwined at the end making it finish spectacularly.
Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers/Penguin Books for Young Readers for the NetGalley copy!

The Notorious Virtues combines magic, intrigue, mystery, and trials in a story I couldn’t stop reading.

The Holtzfalls have ruled Walstad for centuries. They are wealthy, powerful, and control nearly everything in the city. But there can only be one heir. When the current heiress dies, the next generation is forced to compete in a series of trials, known as the Veritaz, to prove their worth. The trials test specific virtues, but as the competition unfolds, unrest begins to stir, threatening everything, and then there are the woods.

This novel features several characters, each with a role to play in the unraveling story. Nora and Lotte stand out as well-developed main characters, and no one is quite what they seem. While the trials are central to the plot, there are multiple subplots woven throughout, keeping the story layered and compelling. I really enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to see what happens next. The cliffhanger ending definitely raises the stakes!

My only critique is that the magic system could have been clearer. I’m hoping for more explanation in the next installment.

Thank you, Penguin Group, for the copy.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an ARC of this book!

I needed a bit more from this book, I think. There were certain aspects about it that I liked, but lacked in others. I liked the characters, but at times the pacing felt off and felt like I was being given too much without actually being given anything. Part of it could simply just be the fact that it's a series and that's totally fine. I get it. Readers need something to come back to. Magical competition stories also are very hit or miss for me, so I may have been a bit more picky than normal, and I acknowledge that.

I enjoyed this book, and the cliffhanger did intrigue me, but at this time, I'm not sure what I'll do when the next book comes out. If I do read it, I'll probably just get it from my library. With that being said, if you like family drama and magical competitions, you'll enjoy this book.

An heiress dies and her daughter, who was previously secured to be the next heiress now has to compete against her cousins--including a secret cousin she never knew about--to regain her spot in line.

I really enjoyed this book, and liked the two main characters, even if I really didn't like some of the others, but then I suppose you're not meant to. This book is a combination of rich kids, magic, a trial to see who is most virtuous and a murder mystery. There's a little bit of everything in it and I'm here for it.

The only problem? I REALLY need the next book. Fair warning, guys, this one WILL leave you with cliffhangers and questions.

Did I consume it? Yes. Did I like it? Unclear. Will I read the next one? Absolutely

I think what I struggled with was the pacing of the book. The chapters were short which was nice! But we had lime four different character POVs which can become a lot.

I liked the themes of entitlement and the wealthy holding all ownership of lands, of the oppressed. while feeling entirely entitled to it as the oppressors

The Notorious Virtues is probably the most promising new fantasy series starter novel I’ve read yet this year. It hooks you quickly with an engaging start, becomes a touch patchy for just a tiny bit, but then it takes off and I was having such a fun time reading this book I didn’t stop until far after I usually stop ARC reading for the day and picked it up again much sooner than I usually do this morning because I was eager to find out how it ended. Now I’ve got that familiar feeling: I need the next book right now.

Had I known before I opened this book that it took place in a 1930s-ish setting, I would’ve been even more eager to read it. Had I known about the “My Girl Friday”-esque banter between former heiress-to-be Nora Holtzfall and reporter August Wolffe, I would’ve been so excited. Had I known about the awful nuns I would’ve been so happy to get to this book. And had I known just how seriously author Alwyn Hamilton was going to take the bourgeois versus proletariat debate in this book I certainly wouldn’t have just picked this book up before the others because of the page count. All of that, combined with the worldbuilding, makes this book an irresistible treat. 4⭐️


I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Book Series/Fantasy/Fantasy Series/Political Fantasy/Thriller/Urban Fantasy/YA Book Series/YA Fantasy/YA Fiction

This is the first book I’ve read by Alwyn Hamilton, but it will definitely not be the last. I need her backlist now since I need to wait for the sequel.
Nora has it all - her family has money, magic and influence, but it all changes when her mom is found dead. Now her family fortune is up for grabs and she has to compete in order to keep it all. A magical competition where she’s pitted against her cousins to hopefully be the heir. Nora is surrounded by family that wants her dead but she wants to also uncover why her mother was killed. She also meets Lotte - a cousin that was abandoned but found just in time to compete (Loved Lotte!). I haven’t enjoyed a competition type of setting since the hunger games so I was excited how I couldn’t put this book down.

Alwyn Hamilton's THE NOTORIOUS VIRTUES was a wild ride through high stakes fantasy and magic, pitting family member versus family member to rule Walstad in a Hunger Games-like competition with surprises including the sudden introduction of Lotte, a relative no one knew existed. With the murder of her mother prompting Nora's participation in the trials, she is pitted against her cousin with changing alliances within the kingdom and with a reporter determined to figure out who killed Nora's mother. It's thick with detail, rife with description and political intrigue that was exhausting at times, but mainly fascinating to watch the twists and turns and see where Hamilton took the story. I understand there are more books planned for the series and look forward to seeing what's next. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Alwyn Hamilton's The Notorious Virtues is the first installment in the author's The Notorious Virtues series. According to reports, the sequel, titled The Glorious Vices, is scheduled to follow in the Fall of 2026. This is the first book the author has written in five years. This story follows four key characters: The focus of this story is not just Honora "Nora" Holtzfall, but Lotte Holtzfall, and Theo, a Knight sworn to protect the family, and August, a reporter who gets involved with Nora in trying to discover the truth behind who was responsible for killing her mother, and why.

This book, which is broken up into various Virtues, screams of a mash-up of the Roaring '20s meets fantasy with magic, and a city on the brink of chaos and rebellion. Set in the opulent yet treacherous world of Walstad, this novel introduces a magical competition that pits family against family, with stakes as high as the Holtzfall fortune—and the power it commands. At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the glamorous darling of Walstad, a city where her family reigns supreme, controlling its wealth and magic. Groomed to inherit her mother’s empire, Nora’s life unravels when her mother is found murdered in an alley, thrusting the succession into chaos.

Enter the Veritaz—a deadly, magical trial where Nora must compete against her cousins (Modesty, Constance, & Clemency) to claim the Holtzfall legacy. However, the game shifts with the arrival of Ottoline Holtzfall, also known as Lotte, an illegitimate cousin raised in a rural convent, who possesses a surprising ability that has been deemed evil by those who raised her. Now a surprise contender with everything to prove. Alongside them are August, a scrappy reporter chasing the story of a lifetime, and Theo, a Knight sworn by oath to protect the family, whose allegiance is tested as secrets unravel.

As the trials unfold, blending charm magic, death games, and family betrayal, a darker force stirs beneath Walstad’s dazzling surface. The narrative, told through multiple points of view, weaves a tapestry of intrigue, from glitzy ballrooms to shadowy forests, culminating in a cliffhanger ending. It’s a tale of power, privilege, and the stories we tell to survive, all wrapped in a 1920s-inspired fantasy aesthetic. Nora and Lotte anchor the story with compelling arcs. Nora’s journey from media darling to embattled heiress is marked by vulnerability, her confidence masking a deep-seated fear of losing everything.

Lotte, meanwhile, transforms from a downtrodden orphan into a fierce wildcard, her outsider perspective cutting through the Holtzfalls’ decadence. August and Theo add texture—August’s ambition drives the mystery, while Theo’s quiet loyalty hints at deeper layers to unfold in future books. The ensemble’s chemistry crackles, even if the romance (light, as promised) feels more like a tease than a payoff. If you loved Rebel of the Sands or crave YA fantasy with glitz, guts, and a twisty heart—like The Cruel Prince or The Night Circus—this is your next obsession.

A true unputdownable book with full on just one more chapter vibes. This book is both refreshingly original and new but at the same time gave me a nostalgic feeling of past YA that I first fell in love with. A fantastic premise of a book that becomes so much more with characters I rooted for and a world that I am eager to get back to.

A combination of magic, art deco surroundings, a murder mystery and Hunger Games feeling trials among the heirs of the most powerful family in the country felt exciting and provided an entertaining story that I flew through. A wide range of characters and motivations that touch on class wars but at it's heart a story about family and secrets and what people will do to hold onto power. All of the drama takes place in a city surrounded by a mysterious forest filled with intrigue, the last step in the battle for a magical axe. This story took some turns that I did not predict, along with a few I did but the ending blew me away and I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for access to the eARC.

I haven't got enough words for how much I loved this book.
The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton
Rich of amazing and deep supporting characters.
Hamilton's way of writing is once again magical.

Wealthy Celebrity lifestyle x deadly trials x magic x revolution as the murder of the head of a family sparks a set of trails that the winner gets everything. The Holtzfalls are a wealthy powerful family and when the head of the family is murdered the rest of the heirs must complete in the Veritaz trials to win fame, fortune, and superiority over the rest of the family. To help them in their trials are blood sworn knights, bound and forced to do everything the family says. The story follows four characters. Nora, Theo, August, and Lotte. Nora is the main heir to the Holtzfalls and is investigating the death of her mother with August, a junior tabloid reporter. Theo is a knight sworn to protect the Holtzfalls but finds himself assigned to Lotte while trying to discover what happened to his brother, a knight who was also assigned to the family but died... or so he thinks until he receives a mysterious letter. Lotte is an outsider who finds herself as the newest member of the family and thrown into the trials... and has the magical ability to read people's minds. This is the first book in a series and it ends on a cliffhanger. For me this book was extremely hard to get into, like it really doesn't get going until about 50% in and the amount of info dumps that you are thrown is too many. The trials themselves weren't all that interesting and the story just kind of felt super boring. I really wish I could like this more because it had an interesting premise.... but I found myself falling asleep and disassociating while reading this. This just wasn't my cup of tea but I do think other fantasy readers who love a big cast and a bit of a mystery will have a better time with this than I did.

Release Date: April 1, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I didn't manage to read this one before the book actually came out, but it's one of my most highly anticipated and I can't wait!

Nora Holtzfall was born into power. The city of Walstad exists and humans live safely in it because of the bargain her Holtzfall ancestors made with the dark, magical forces in the woods several generations back. As the only daughter of the Holtzfall heiress, Nora is set to control all of the money and magic in Walstad someday. But when her mom is murdered, Nora will be forced to compete with her cousins to remain heiress. Nora is determined to uncover the secrets behind her mom's death and win her trials, but there are other forces in play. One of them is Lotte, who never knew she was a Holtzfall until her long lost mother fetched her to join the trials. Raised in poverty and abused, Lotte will never be a Holtzfall in the eyes of some family members, but she still has a chance to become the most powerful person in Walstad, changing it forever. That is, if the local resistance movement called The Grims and the heiress trials don’t kill them all first.

The Notorious Virtues is the start of a trilogy, and you could feel that in the pacing. There is worldbuilding aplenty, but it felt like the plot took a while to kick in. Part of that is because the vibes of the individual Veritaz trials, which will determine the next heiress, are very different. Some are personality-based and feature quick, innocuous scenarios, while some are big, spectacular action sequences. Things felt a little drawn out at times, but I was really satisfied with where the plot was going by the end of book one.

There are four POV in the novel— Nora, Lotte, Theo, a knight sworn to protect the Holtzfalls who finds himself in a precarious situation while assigned to guard Lotte, and August, a junior tabloid reporter helping Nora investigate her mother's murder. Nora and Lotte are featured more than the others, but all of them had a distinguishable voice and motivations. I had a soft spot for August, who's the most earnest of the crew. He and Nora also had great chemistry. Nora should be a character you dislike very early on, because she represents the oligarchy, but it doesn't take long for her to question things and become pretty intriguing. Theo's dilemma and Lotte's journey are both compelling, but neither felt as fleshed out to me. There were a lot of interesting secondary characters, but most of what makes them interesting can't be discussed without some degree of spoilers. Except Modesty. All my homies hate Modesty.

The world also features a complex magic system, but I wish we'd seen more of it. Each Holtzfall has a really impressive power. There are also small charms ranging in potency, mostly available to the wealthy. The moments when they do use the magic feel big and impressive, but they're not used very often. I just wish it's possibilities were explored more.

The Notorious Virtues is good groundwork for a trilogy, but it just needed a little bit more— more character personality, more action, more stakes. The explosive conclusion to the book suggests that we will see those things moving forward, so I do plan to check back in for book two!

This was an interesting read, set in the late 60s, in an upscale community, While the upscale aspect of the 60s was beyond my reach, I do remember the mood and swinging aspect of it. It’s interesting to see that aspect captured from a distance.
The story focuses on three different women as they navigate challenges in their personal lives in this tumultuous time. Settings were well defined, and the three women were well formed. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel any real connection for any of them. None of them were particularly likable for me. In the one most intimate scene, I skimmed… I confess I usually go a little more for the detail.
There were still things to recommend - the description of the settings, the house, the paintings all appealed.
Round up to 4 from a 3.5

This book was so much fun! It was a mashup of the glitzy Roaring ‘20s and a high stakes YA fantasy. The story is centered on the succession of the Holtzfall family, and it has everything I could’ve wanted. There’s magic, fairytale elements, a deadly competition, a murder mystery, investigative journalism, family drama and secrets, rebellion, and a little romance. The book is told from four people’s perspectives: Nora, the Holtzfall heiress, August, a desperate journalist, Lotte, an abandoned orphan, and Theo, the stalwart guard. All of them are compelling and nuanced characters, and their storylines weave together to create a dynamic tale that is full of wealth, backstabbing, scheming, ambition, and dark secrets that threaten to undo everything. It was one of the most unique fantasies I’ve read in a while, and I highly recommend it!
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My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Read if you like:
▫️heiress x reporter
▫️magical competition
▫️political uprising
▫️murder, mystery, family secrets
▫️multi POV
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Thank you to PenguinTeen, Viking, Penguin Random House, Alwyn Hamilton, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc
I really really enjoyed reading this book. It was so fast paced and entertaining, so fast paced, in fact, that I'm writing this review at 1:30 am after binging the last half, trying to go to sleep, and failing, leading to this rambling review. I took off half a star, however, because the ending felt very quick and cut off. I was confused about not the events leading up to it, but what happened after and why. The epilogue was also pretty inconclusive. Is there going to be a next book? Was the story meant to just cut off there? What happened to the girls after they left? Other than this ending confusion, I had so much fun reading this.