The Notorious Virtues begins after the murder of Verity Holtzfall, the heiress of Walstad. Honora had been used to getting everything she wanted as the next heiress, but following her mother’s death, he future is no longer set in stone, and it’s her own cousins that now stand in her way. In complete contrast to Nora’s life, Lottie has spent her entire life in a convent, where she is treated terribly, but her entire world is about to change when she discovers her true identity; a Holtzfall heiress.

I found the plot of the story super enjoyable. Because of the trials, it gave me strong The Inheritance Games vibes but with a magical twist, and with the addition of the Grims it had so much more danger and chaos. Alongside this, there is also the investigation into the murder of Verity Holtzfall, which throws it’s own challenges into the mix. I was completely immersed into the world of the Holtzfall family, and I never wanted to leave.

The characters are all so different, and each brings something special to the story. I loved how the Holtzfalls’ all had very different personalities, but also had their own magical gift which they used in their own way. Nora was my personal favourite though. She was unapologetically herself at all times, and despite not fitting in with her cousins, she totally owned it. I also enjoyed the relationships between each Holtzfall and their protectors, particularly the growing relationship between Lottie and Theo.

I would say that the intense final few chapters had me on the edge of my seat, but the truth is, The Notorious Virtues had me this way from the very beginning. This story could have ending in so many different ways, and I really wasn’t sure which way it was going to go until it happened. Despite wrapping up the storyline nicely, the ending of the story sets you up perfectly for another book in the series.

With family feuds, danger, excitement, and an abundance of magic, this book has absolutely everything. Honestly, I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did, but it is easily one of my favourite books of the year so far, and I can’t wait for the story to continue.

I give The Notorious Virtues a 5 star rating!

Alwyn Hamilton's Rebel of the Sands trilogy was instrumental in getting my reading mojo back post-university, so when I saw she was having a new b0ok out I knew I had to get my mitts on it ASAP! Bright Young Things mixed with magic, mystery, fairy tales, and murder, The Notorious Virtues grabs you from the outset and doesn't let you out of its grip even as you turn the last page - I'll be chomping at the bit to read the sequel to see what becomes of the world of Gammanix and our morally grey cast of characters! Lots of parallels can be drawn to class/power struggles throughout history, and I know it'll be beloved by adults and teens alike!

An heiress and a long-lost daughter compete for the right to lead their family, and the city under its control.

Nora has grown up as the Heiress, knowing she is destined to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and lead their family - and the city they rule over. But when her mother is murdered, Nora is no longer the heir-apparent, and must compete against her cousins in the dangerous Veritas Trials in order to retain her birthright. The Trials, which have claimed the life of more than one Holtzfall, will test virtues such as honesty, unity and patience, and only those deemed worthy will be able to enter the magical forest surrounding their city to hunt for the axe that will allow them to lead.

Lotte has grown up in a convent - orphaned and cursed - until a lawyer and a guard appear on her doorstep with an impossible truth - she is a Holtzfall heiress, and has been summoned to compete in the Veritas Trials to earn her place in a family that has denied her existence for seventeen years.

Nora and Lotte meet as competitors, caught up in a world of political unrest, murder investigations, and dark family secrets. Helped by loyal guard, Theo, and young reporter, August, they must uncover the hidden truths about their family's past and confront the darker side of life in the city, where magic and money are scarce, and rebels are using the current unrest to make their own bid for power.

With a 1920s-inspired world and a brilliant cast of characters, The Notorious Virtues pulled me in from page one and didn't let go. I loved the way fairytales and folklore are woven through the narrative, adding glitz and glamour to a city simmering with tension and injustice. All four POV characters - Nora, Lotte, Theo and August - were equally intriguing and I enjoyed following each of them in turn. I cannot wait for book two - I'm desperate to return to this world and its characters and find out what they do next.

Hamilton drops you into the action from the get-go. This is both a blessing and a curse, depending on the reader. For some, like myself, it will hook you in right away, immediately making you crave more, wanting to know what happens next. Others may struggle with the subsequent infodump that comes with being thrown directly into the action. That said, Hamilton does a good job of pacing the initial bombardment of information and the continued revelations and story development throughout. This is one of those few books I would say might have benefited from being slightly longer.

The story follows several points of view, from Honora as mentioned above and Lotte to love interests in Theo and August, as well as an interesting supporting cast of secondary characters. Writing a book with this many points of view is a feat in itself, and Hamilton manages to do so quite well.

The Notorious Virtues shows off its fairytale roots. It gives a magical Gatsby told by Grimm. Hamilton ties the story together masterfully, leaving a genuinely edge-of-your-seat cliffhanger.

Spoiled heiresses competing for power while revolution boils in the underbelly of the city. Then you have secret daughters, murder cover-ups, magic-powered weapons and electricity, glitz and glamour sparking with class injustice and rebellion. And all set on the border of a mysterious magic forest no one can enter except during the heiress’ trials? I’m obsessed.

Reminiscent of The Legend of Korra, The Great Gatsby, the Brothers Grimm, and Anastasia. Hamilton takes some of the best YA tropes and creates a gem of a book.

The Notorious Virtues might just be one of the best young adult titles I’ve read in a long while. I already knew that I enjoyed Hamilton’s storytelling after Rebel of the Sands, but this book solidified her as one of my favourite YA authors.

I had such high hopes with this book going in, but the further I read, the more struggled and found that I didn’t care. So much so that, on several occasions, I was tempted to quit (but I didn’t because I was reading this for a blog tour and I kept hoping that something would happen that would change everything).

I didn’t care for the characters, the world or the magic system, because it never felt explained. And because these were never explained, I never found an “in”.

This wasn’t for me. Hopefully, it is for you.

So we’ve got sixteen-year-old Nora Holtzfall who is basically royalty in Walstad. Her family's got all the money and all the magic in the country, but despite being in the spotlight 24/7, she's always felt like she doesn't quite fit in. Then BAM! Her mom turns up dead in some alley, and suddenly the family fortune is up for grabs.

Enter the Veritaz – this crazy magical competition to decide who gets to be the next big boss of the Holtzfall empire. But this year there's a wild card: Lotte, the secret illegitimate daughter nobody knew about, who's been chilling in some convent until her mom randomly decides to pick her up. Poor girl goes from orphan to having a whole family... except most of them want her six feet under.

Meanwhile, Nora figures out her mom didn't just die – someone straight-up murdered her. With backstabbers everywhere, her only ally is this hot-shot reporter guy who absolutely hates everything her family stands for. And Lotte? She's desperately trying to figure out who her dad is while dealing with this insane competition and catching feelings for Theo, one of the family's bodyguards.

Okay so let me get straight to it: this book dumps A LOT on you at first. Not gonna lie, I almost gave up with all these characters and their messy backstories and this whole Roaring 20s-but-with-magic world that'll have you scratching your head going "wait, what?" But stick with it because the last part totally makes up for the slow burn!

The characters are actually pretty awesome – I got super invested in Nora and August's stories.
The competition itself? So cool! It's not just about being brave or smart; the contestants have to be honest and work together too. These challenges pop up randomly and everyone experiences them differently. THIS is where the book gets unputdownable! You get to see everyone's inner demons come out, and the drama is chef's kiss.

Fair warning though – it ends on a massive cliffhanger. The whole competition isn't even finished, just "paused" until book two. Super frustrating! But honestly? Still worth reading. You'll just have to join the rest of us impatiently waiting for the sequel!

A superb fantasy action adventure that will have you on the edge of the seat right from page one. A must read that is highly recommended.

It’s been a while since the Rebel of the Sands trilogy by Alwyn Hamilton came out, and now she’s back with a new novel set in the same world but a separate part of it some years later. Whereas Rebel of Sands looked at stories of the djinn, The Notorious Virtues looks at European fairy tales, among other things.

Thanks so much to The Write Reads for allowing me to participate in this tour and sending me a copy.

Honora Holtzfall is a 16-year-old heiress who has just lost her mother. But the death of the former heir has meant that a competition needs to be held again to decide who the rightful heir will be. Nora is certain she can win against her cousins. Then, the illegitimate daughter of her Aunt Grace, Lotte, appears after having been raised in a convent. No,w things could be harder. But as the challenges pop up, Nora begins to wonder if her mother was murdered the way she was, and as she looks into this, she sees the revolution building to bring her and her family down.

So this book is essentially fairytales and a revolution against capitalism. And all of this really works.

Nora was an interesting character. She’s the one PoC member of her immediate family, with her father and mother coming from Miraji. Yes, the country from ROtS. In fact, her grandmother, Leyla, was one of the characters in that series. So now I do want to go back and reread those books. I think Nora and her love interest, August were my favourite characters in this book. I really liked parts of this book with them looking into Nora’s mum’s murder. I think their relationship will definitely appeal to people who enjoyed Divine Rivals due to the whole…vibe of this world and the fact August works as a reporter.

Lotte and Theo were just a little less interesting, in my opinion. I still enjoyed their chapters. But I don’t know, the way Lotte was always so willing to change herself to fit in…I dunno. It just didn’t work for me. Though I did enjoy as Nora and Lotte did grow closer and became friends as well as cousins.

I did really like the fairytale aspect of this book. So, essentially, the Holtzfall family are a fairytale family. You read parts of their ancestors’ lives as though they were a typical fairytale. I really enjoyed reading them, and though they were kind of predictable, that was fine as you know what you’re in for with fairytales. You got some hints of some of the creatures that the people are protected from but at the end of the book…well, book 2 might contain more folklore creatures and I’m very excited to see what Hamilton has gone with as she’s mentioned fossegrims, which aren’t as well known, and trolls. So it’ll definitely be cool to see what’s around.

The anti-capitalist side is complicated. Yes, you kind of agree with what the Grims and the public want. But that goes against the life that Nora and Lotte live. You don’t want them destroyed, but people should have a fair vote, etc. So this definitely made for an interesting read.

I did have a great time with this book. I was so pleased to have gotten to this one, and I had a fun time.

I loved this book so much!

Imagine the roaring '20s but with magic. The super wealthy and glamorous Holtzfall family are in control of everything. Nora should've been heiress to everything, but when her mum is found dead, a new heir must be determined through the Veritaz Trials. Nora thinks she should have no problem winning the Trials and reclaiming her place as the rightful heir, but then an unknown cousin reappears just in time to compete.
Meanwhile, Nora joins forces with journalist, August, to uncover the truth about her mother's death amongst the sinister threat of revolution from the Grims.

I adored the underlying fairy tale elements of this book - the magical forest and an enchanted axe. I couldn't get enough of the drama and mystery!

Oh my god this was a book I didn’t know I needed. The mixture of a Grimm’s Fairy Tale’s-esque setting with a roaring 20s vibe creates the perfect backdrop to explore corruption, power, money & magic. I really enjoyed that this retelling took inspiration from some of the lesser known Grimm’s tales that might be overlooked as well.

While this is a lengthy read I have to say it didn’t feel like it since the writing drags you in and the work keeps you
you captivated and engaged throughout. I loved the world and the inhabitants, speaking of I loved how the characters were realistic and flawed as well. It helped give them realism and make you as a reader connect more. Nora was an absolute dream of a protagonist and I loved her interactions with the other characters as well.
This was my first book by Hamilton but I am already planning to read her other works because I adored her writing style so much. If you love a fully fleshed out fantasy with brilliantly built world and characters that are believable and interesting you will love this one!
As always thank you to The Write Reads for the copy to review. My review is always honest, truthful and freely given.

Thank you NetGalley and Faber & Faber for this eCopy to review

I recently finished reading The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton, and I found it to be an intriguing read. The story is set in the opulent world of Walstad, where magic and money flow through the veins of the elite. The plot centres around the Veritaz Trials, a deadly competition among the Holtzfall family members to determine the next heiress after Verity Holtzfall's mysterious death.

Nora Holtzfall, is a privileged yet perpetually outsider heiress who must navigate the treacherous waters of high society while uncovering dark secrets. Alongside her is Lotte, an illegitimate daughter raised in a convent, who brings a fresh perspective to the cutthroat world of the elite. The trials test various virtues like bravery, honesty, and temperance, adding layers of intrigue and suspense to the narrative.

Hamilton's world-building is impressive, creating a vivid and sensory-rich environment that pulls readers into the glamorous yet perilous world of Walstad. The characters are multifaceted and well-developed, with each cousin competing in the Veritaz having distinct personalities and motivations. Nora's journey from sheltered heiress to determined investigator feels authentic, and Lotte's resilience and naivety make her a compelling character.

I normally enjoy multiple points of view, however this time the number of narrators sometimes made the story feel disjointed, and I felt the magic system was not fully explained.

Overall, The Notorious Virtues is a captivating fantasy novel with strong characters, political scheming and intricate world-building.

First things first, have you seen this cover? It’s beautiful! It is also a perfect fit for the book! And another small thing before getting started with the “real” review. This book is a YA, and I am not usually the biggest fan of this genre, but I already read the previous series of the author, and it worked for me, so I wasn’t really worried (even if I read that series ages ago), and I have to say that this is a YA but it is somehow a tad more adult than your average YA (and I am not talking about spice, I am talking about the attitude and the way of behaving of the characters). It seemed right to point this out before getting started.

My timing in reading this wasn’t perfect because I started reading it while I was courting a reading slump, so I was in a really strange mood, reading-wise, and it didn’t help. This wasn’t really what I wanted to read at the moment (and the problem was that I didn’t know what I wanted to read, argh!!), so every time I put it down, I wasn’t so motivated to pick it up again. But I can say without doubts that it wasn’t the book faults, because every time I picked it up I was immediately engrossed in it and I didn’t want to put it down.
And I think that the fact that it managed to capture 100% of my attention even when in such a fleeting mood has to count for something.
And there are a ton of good things in this book.

To me, this world-building gave out some really strong “The Roaring Twenties” vibes, plus magic. And it was just so fascinating and glittering and also quite complex. Because if, on one hand, we see the magic of it all and the glamour, we also see the social problems, the poverty and the dissatisfaction that is brewing.
It is not a vaste world, but it is still a complex one, and the author did a great job with it. The city in which the story takes place seems so real! We have some magical element mixed into it, but it is so organically developed that everything seems almost normal, but that “almost” adds a sort of creepy factor to that too. Really, I appreciated this part a lot.

And then we have the characters. Nora and Lotte are amazing. They are two of the strongest female characters out there because they are so angry and hungry (not in a literal sense, even if with Lotte, maybe also the literal sense can work for a bit). They are amazing, and they slowly grow through the book, and following their growth till the end is really worth it.
In the beginning, I was confused, I have to admit. We are introduced to Nora and then Lotte, and they are in competition since they are fighting for the title of Heiress. Nora is great from the start; she is an amazing character, and she is unapologetically herself, and I loved her at once. But Lotte is the poor girl, the underdog, the one you should cheer on and side with. Nora is the favorite Heir, and Lotte is the one nobody knows about; she is the poor orphan (who discovers that she has a family). They are opposite cliches, and usually, you side with the second one and despise the first. But not here. And they are on the opposite sides of the competition, they are rivals so… So I didn’t know who to root for!
It was really confusing for a bit, but this confusion didn’t take away anything from my reading experience; in fact, it added something.
But trust me, Nora and Lotte are amazing!
Sure, we have other characters. And most of them are really despicable. There were a couple of them that I wanted gone soooo bad!

And the plot is captivating, because there is the right amount of things going on. We have intrigues, uncomfortable truths, action, and everything you can expect. I think it is a well-balanced book with a fascinating setting and a great pair of characters. And the ending was just perfect. It wasn’t what I was expecting because I got distracted, and it is not usually the kind of ending I enjoy, but here it works amazingly well!

A stunning book, both physically to hold and in terms of its mesmerising content. The paperback boasts a shimmering silver spine and shiny embossed cover with sparkles of silver with images of Grim wolves and axes that feature heavily within the story. This book is the first in a YA duology, and the world building is just sublime. There is a mix of fairytale and romantasy all mixed up with a decadence reminiscent of the golden age. The story focuses on the Holtzfall family, the most powerful and wealthy family in the kingdom, each protected by knights. After the current heir to the throne is murdered, the grandchildren must compete in the Veritaz trials to find the next worthy heir. This means taking part in trials to win the axe, a legendary and magical weapon that is told via interspersed tales about the woodcutter. The remaining narrative is related via four voices: Nora - previously rhe strongest contender to become the next heiress; Lotte, an illegitimate heiress, who had been hidden away in an orphanage; August, a reporter, entrusted by Nora to seek the truth about her mother's death, and Theo, Nora's protective knights, who finds himself drawn to protect Lotte. This is an addictive read that blends family rivalry, magic, vilanry, glamour and wealth, and fairytale with a dollop of media frenzy and gossip. The story was captivating and relayed with skill. I am excited for the sequel, which promises to transport me back into this wonderful world #thenotoriousvirtues #alwynhamilton #netgalley

Nora Holtzfall was always destined to be Heir to the throne, her family control the magic and money in the kingdom, but when her mother is murdered she finds herself having to compete with her cousins in the Veritaz trials to find the new heir.

Old rivalries and new are forged when the illegitimate daughter of her Aunt appears. Nora is determined to find her mother’s killer and become heir.

Full of family secrets, betrayal and heartbreak this book is a must read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this EARC- I absolutely loved this.

The book is set in a world of magic, power, money & corruption- the roaring 20s mixed with the Grimm's Fairy Tales was such a brilliant mix. The premise of the story is that a family murder has resulted in the next Veritaz Trails, a blood-thirsty and often deadly competition to decide the next heir, ironically by their virtues and good character.

During the trials, one of the MCs Nora is trying to find out who truly killed her Mother, the mysteries behind the hidden cousin Lotte, and something must much sinister within the Knights protecting the family.

Things I loved:

- The Multi Povs. There were so many different plots to follow in this, I really enjoyed the multi POVs to help with the development of this. It felt like a braid being pulled together, rather than separate. The POVs are:

-The references to older Grimm Fairy tales that I have really seen in other fairy tell re-telling. I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but the red shoes is a favourite ballet of mine and to see a reference of this in a 1920s high magic fantasy book was really cool .

-The banter between Nora and August and later on Nora's relationship with Lotte.
- top tier one liners and build up!

I just hope book 2 is soon!! Be ready for that cliff-hanger :D

I feel like I’ve been waiting years for this book and it didn’t disappoint. I really enjoyed the writing style a lot and the characters were really easy to like even when they weren’t the best of people.

I liked how flawed all the characters were. To me it showed how superficial the trails were because even while they showed one virtue, they showed many more flaws. It was also interesting to see a rebellion plot from the point of view of the oppressing class. I’m interested to see where it’s going to end up because while Nora and Lotte want to do better than their predecessors, it’s hard to see them making a difference with so much corruption.

I enjoyed the murder plot as well with Nora playing detective in between the trials. I feel like I could see the result coming from the start, but it took her to some interesting places along the journey and wasn’t the main plot.

Absolutely phenomenal. Alwyn’s writing is incredible. The level of detail and the complexity of the story, while remaining totally easy to read and follow, was perfect. The family drama was *chefs kiss* and the characters who were flawed but still likeable were so fun. I loved loved loved every bit of the story. (Also the plot twists!!)

If you are going to write a fantasy book about a fabulously wealthy family who rule a land with a rod of iron and hold magic over its inhabitants, this is how you do it.

This is a fully-realised world, peopled by 3-dimensional characters you can hiss and cheer for. There are valid questions to ask yourself about power and its responsibilities, inherited wealth and inherited debt as well as what constitutes family.

A really well-paced, interesting fantasy novel that made me want to immediately reach for the next in the series. A must-read for any fan of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley, Alwyn Hamilton and Faber and Faber limited for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I requested the ARC of this book based on the strength of Ms Hamilton's earlier works, but for reason's I can't quite put my finger on I had trouble getting into this one. I'll try it again in a few weeks and see if it goes better.

I received an ARC from Netgalley.