Virtue - A Fairy Tale, is one of Amanda Hocking’s self-published endeavors. As I found with all her books, this is a different and interesting story. It’s a battle between good and evil and Lily, unaware of the part she plays in this battle, is kidnapped by Valefor (the ruler of the evil side) who attempts to woo her over to his side (though the paths he tries to take are unconventional). Throw in a bit of magic and you’ve got an interesting tale.

It took me a very long time to read this book. It wasn’t that the story wasn’t pleasant, it was, and I found it to be very intriguing, but, there was something about the writing that made it drag. I’ve always experienced this while reading Amanda’s books, and I’ve finally figured out the reason. Virtue would be a good story to read out loud, it reads more like a campfire story than a novel. There are these awkward parts of the story as though someone is telling the tale and forgot to add a piece in, so they decide to stick it in after the fact - e.g. in a fight scene, Lux tells Lily and Wick to get away, then he follows them, but to let the reader know that he knew where Lilly and Wick were going, there is a piece added in that Lux saw them going the wrong way but didn’t have time to stop and tell them. This was suppose to allow the reader to believe that Lux knew where to find Lily and Wick, but Lux could have just shouted “wrong way” to save the ladies (and himself) the trouble.

It’s little things like this - and I know I’m nitpicking - but these things pull me out of the story and while I like the idea behind it, unfortunately, I couldn’t love the story.
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I was having one of those weekends where I was super busy and didn't want to get into a long book I wouldn't be able to sit and enjoy for a long period of time. So, I bought Virtue by Amanda Hocking to read. I had heard it was a quick little read that was very enjoyable and as I've said before, (and maybe even gotten a little preachy on the subject) I love Amanda Hocking's work.

This book follows the story of Lux and Lily. Lux must steal Lily from her castle home for his master, even though he has no idea why. He goes to a ball where she will be and lures her out of the ballroom and outside with him. After falling for Lily's innocence and loving nature, he lets her escape into the dreaded woods that surrounds their castles land. After this one defining moment, Lily and Lux must decide what is right and the difference between good and evil.

While this book may not have been Hocking’s best, I still finished it in a matter of an hour and a half and really enjoyed it. I felt it was directed towards a younger audience but the story of good versus evil and two people’s struggle with destiny hook you in. As in some of Hockings earlier self-published novels, there are some typos and little technical errors. Virtue may not have the most complex storyline, but if you’re looking for an easy read to escape life for a little while, this book could be a little treat on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

5 out of 10 ( )

3.5/5 stars

A fun, fast read about a girl with a destiny, a boy with a secret and a world whose fate hangs in the balance as the eternal battle between good and evil rages on. Virtue seems to be written for a slightly younger audience than any of Hocking’s previous books and departs somewhat from her contemporary paranormal usual, as this is a more of a fairytale/fantasy. And in it, she has crafted an interesting mythology regarding the balance of good and evil.


There was definitely some insta-romance going on in this book, but I guess this is somewhat on par with most fairytales. Also, I wish that parts of the story didn’t seem so rushed and that there had been a bit more character development. That being said, I did like Lily, the main character; she was sweet, a bit reserved and a little naive, but when the situation required it she was strong and fought for those she loved.


Overall, an entertaining and sweet little fairytale. ( )