Cover Image: Twin Crowns

Twin Crowns

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Member Reviews

Wren and Rose are twins and the heirs to the throne. Rose doesn’t know Wren exists. Their country was taken over a long time ago in a war that annihilated the country’s witches. Wren was protected and raised by her grandmother Banba and the witches that survived. The plan is to kidnap Rose, switch her with Wren and have Wren take back the country and make it safe for the witches. Things don’t turn out exactly according to plan. Wren isn’t very good at impersonating Rose and Rose, in finding out the truth about her parents’ death, her guardian’s betrayal and the true history of her country, no longer wants to remain on the sidelines. The ending of the book is kind of messy and there will be a second book. I’m just not interested in reading it.

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Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! This was a highly enjoyable read and I really liked this book a lot. The concept was cool, and the alternating points of view was really well done. The writing was well done and the characters were well fleshed out, as was the plot. A great book overall!

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***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

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Twin Crowns is a YA fantasy that involves twin princesses, Rose and Wren, separated at birth. One raised as the princess, one raised to steal the crown.
I loved this book, the characters were well developed, my favourite was Celeste. I loved how she was able to notice the difference between Wren and Rose, only something a true friend would be able to do.
I will definitely recommend this book, and can’t wait for where the series goes next.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this eARC

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Princess Rose Valhart has been raised for one thing: to become queen. Under her rule, she will continue to protect Eana from the machinations of the witches who lurk in its shadows. Or, at least, that was the plan. Wren Greenrock was also raised for one thing: to take her twin sister’s place, ascend the throne of Eana, and enact justice for the witches to whom the kingdom once belonged.

The switch is made mere weeks before Rose’s coronation. On Eana’s far-off coastlines, Rose comes face-to-face with her heritage, the lies she’s been fed all her life, and her unexpected feelings for the handsome battle witch Shen. In the palace, Wren discovers her sister’s impending wedding to the prince of a neighboring kingdom, while she herself falls for his stoic (and observant) bodyguard Tor. But there’s more afoot than any of them bargained for. Rose’s guardian, the scheming Kingsbreath, has plans in place for her; and there are some dark corners of history even the witches don’t discuss.

Twin Crowns succeeds where so many books like it trip themselves up. Both Rose and Wren are simultaneously noble and flawed, perfectly imperfect in their own ways. Neither is the “correct” one, no matter what they themselves may think. Their respective friendships, struggles, growing pains, and (especially) romances are equally exciting and evenly explored. For the young adult in your life who loves fairy tales, classic romance, and magic, it’s a perfect pick.

Grade: A

(Reviewed in the Fall 2022 issue of Sci Fi Magazine)

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This was such a surprise. I loved it! It is such a joy ride. Perfect for YA fantasy fans. The cover is really cute.

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Listen. I'm giving this book 5 stars for sheer enjoyment value. In terms of content, it was probably more of a 4 star, but I was so freaking into it that I'm going with 5. I do what I want.

I swear, this book checked every box for me - girl taking back her throne, 5 different types of magic, romance with a guard, loyal wolf companion, strong female heroines... all of the things. I genuinely looked forward to each time I was able to reopen the book and I'm so excited that this is a series and not a one shot.

As for what was lacking, the pacing seemed quick for me - everything seemed to happen immediately without much build up. On what hand, I do enjoy a quick fantasy because I am just done with the epic fantasy journeys that take forever to get to the meat of the story, but on the other hand, making things happen too quickly doesn't let you fully enjoy the conflict. That being said, I still loved it even with the quick pacing.

Definitely looking forward to the rest of this series.

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I love a story about twins and the dynamic and rivalries between them. Twin Crowns is a good demonstration that the environment you're raised in has a lot of consequences for what your life is like. There's a ton of god worldbuilding here to explain the kingdom and magic system, and it doesn't come at the sacrifice of plot. Fast-paced and keeps you guessing.

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**Thanks to Netgalley for the e-galley in exchange for a honest review**

Twin Crowns follows the tale of two sisters Rose and Wren in a post war fantasy world where witches have been forced into exile and are feared. The story is the classic twin swap with a twist and overall is a great story to follow along with. I really enjoyed it! The first half tonally is more rom-com and light hearted but the back half really fleshes out and makes the world more real. There are a few character moments that hold it back for me that hold it back from getting a full 5 stars. The novel ends in a way that gives room for a 2nd novel and I would look forward to it if it happened.

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This was an e-arc provided to me at no cost through NetGalley.

Overall I really enjoyed the book, the first half was a little slow and the information was a bit to take in quickly. I really enjoyed the girls’ development as they were in their swapped places. This story is more of sister bonds and good over evil vs a true romance. It seems to be set up for a sequel which I would read.

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Thank you to the author and publisher for this advanced copy for an honest review.
…….
I have been tracking this book since I saw the cover. The book did not disappoint either the fantastic cover and story are begging for a sequel that I can’t wait to read!!!!

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My review can be read here: https://twincitiesgeek.com/2022/06/twin-crowns-delivers-in-its-plot-and-protagonists/

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I can definitely see the Princess Bride inspo with this one! I loved the enemies to lovers aspect of this book as its my fave trope. This book was insanely fun and I can’t wait for the next one. I can see why this is getting so much hype!

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I read this book in about a day because it was so hard to put down. I love all the tropes present in this book, and I I love how it never really gets slow in the plot line, but it does speed up quite a bit towards the end! I’m already eager for book 2!

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Two sisters Rose and Wren, princesses, born to be sheltered loved and cherished, then tragedy strikes

Separated before they even knew each other Rose remains a princess, Wren is stolen away and lives in a world where magic isnt forbidden and is encouraged.

That is until Wren finds herself sneaking into the castle and watches her sister be kidnapped, taken to the only home Wren has known leaving her to take Rose's place in the Palace.

In this masterful tale of nature versus nurture we see how different the lives of these two sisters have been.

Each sister learning to live the life of the other, one by choice one by force.

Finding they can (in some cases) understand and even empathize with the choices the other has made, while also adding their own choices into the otherwise lives.

Will our sisters ever be united in location and belief?

Will they come to terms with all of the choices the other had made even when they don't or can't understand.

Beautifully written, this tale shows both sides of the world and makes you wonder which sister had it better and which will have their happily ever after.

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A fantastic fantasy! Twins separated at birth?? Loved the premise from the moment I read it! This absolutely did not disappoint. Will highly recommend!

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Twin Crowns had me hooked just by the synopsis alone. Twin sisters separated by birth, pitted against each other? Magic, intrigue, royalty? All the good things wrapped into one!

While I enjoyed both Wren and Rose separately, I fell in love with the story once they finally met and became true sisters. The romance in the story was squeal-worthy but the relationship between these two sisters really solidified my decision about this book.

I'm excited to get my hands on the next book because I need more from Wren and Rose! Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

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A common complaint I have about ebooks (and even ordering physical books online) instead of going to a physical bookstore and being able to flip through a book before you buy it is you are strictly relying on the blurb/synopsis when you go to buy it. In essence, you’re trusting whoever the publisher hires to write the blurb/synopsis to be honest with you about what you’re getting when you buy a book without being able to flip through it and get a feel for it on your own.

This book deeply disappointed me. What reeled me into wanting to read it was the term “rom-com”. This book is no more rom-com than any other YA fantasy romance out there. As a matter of fact, it’s less funny than every Sarah J. Maas book I’ve ever read. That I’m absolutely sure of. It’s just a plain and simple fact: this is just another YA fantasy romance duology that’s too long at even one book, so I can only imagine it’s going to be far too long for two books.

I don’t know how others will feel, but the best character in this whole book is Shen, and even he is just the Dread Pirate Westley but a witch. Even some of the dialogue feels familiar, if not outright almost word-for-word. You can call it a homage. I just called it entertaining and left it at that because there was so much filler in this book it suffered from incredibly uneven pacing.

I won’t be reading the second half of this series, but I wish the authors luck. A lot of people seem to have liked this book, but I wasn’t one of them.

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and Balzer & Bray for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. As per personal policy, this review will not appear on social media or bookseller websites due to a 3 star or lower rating.

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Rose Valhart is the crowned princess to the throne of Eana. Wren Greenrock is an enchanted witch. Though they are twin sisters, Rose and Wren were separated at birth and have never met until now. Wren has trained for the day when she would switch places with her royal sister and steal her crown to avenge their parents’ deaths. Living like her royal sister seems like a dream, but Wren quickly learns that palace life is harder than she ever expected, especially with her reckless magic and a distractingly handsome guard. And Rose, though she was raised to fear the world outside of her palace’s walls, begins to question everything as she tastes freedom and befriends witches she was told to fear. Both girls must navigate their unfamiliar worlds, but there is a bigger danger than just unfamiliarity lurking as coronation day looms near.

I could not stop reading this book! From page one, I was hooked. One of my favorite aspects about this book is that we switch between Rose and Wren’s POV every chapter. This not only kept the momentum of the story going (and left you with cliffhangers that you just needed answers to), but it really highlighted their differences and similarities. Rose was raised prim and proper and has never had to rough it, but her determination and strength from having to be the perfect princess, helps her survive in Wren’s wild world. Wren wasn’t raised with such grace, but her wits prove useful in the games of palace life and her powers keep her safe when danger threatens her life. I really enjoyed that both girls seemed to have the same strength and sharpness at the core of their characters. It highlighted the bond between them. And though they developed these characteristics in different ways, they are still able to bend into each other’s roles (especially, when it comes to the love interests!). For fans of fantasy, rom-coms, Sarah J. Maas, and amazing female leads, get your hands on Twin Crowns for an epic read!

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Twin Crowns was such a delightful fantasy that I absolutely devoured. It's fun (and funny), but also a really great fantasy story. And look, perhaps it isn't particularly groundbreaking, but I enjoyed it, I was thoroughly entertained, and frankly, that is all that matters. Especially to me.

I loved the characters, and found them to be really well-developed, even the more minor characters. Wren and Rose were separated at birth, Rose not even knowing that she had a sister until after she's been kidnapped. Wren, however, has always known that her role is to take Rose's place as queen. Both girls are absolutely delightful, in their own, very different ways. And I also loved their romantic interests, too. I won't say too much about that, because it's more fun to figure out who is in love with who on your own, yeah?

There's magic, a wonderful coven of witches waiting for their chance to return to the world, and a lot of antics that will really endear you to both Wren and Rose. And really, the story is just plain entertaining. I flew through it, definitely invested in Wren and Rose's stories, as well as their relationships. Sure, some things were predictable, but it didn't particularly bother me while reading.

I absolutely look forward to reading the next installment of this series, which was both great fun and super easy to read!

Bottom Line: It's fun, it's swoony, and it's just plain delightful!

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