4.5 stars

It's hard to say much about this book that wouldn't spoil One Dark Window but I absolutely loved this one and I was so excited to get the ARC for it.

There was so much character development and so many exciting story lines that had me on the edge of my seat. The dynamic between Elspeth and the nightmare continued to have me sucked in.

I also really enjoyed being inside more character's heads and how different plot lines played out.

This book was full of romance, complex characters, secrets and mysteries along with unique magic.

I'll definitely miss these characters but this was such a satisfying sequel. If you haven't read One Dark Window yet, please do. It's such a perfect gothic fantasy romance.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

👑Fantasy
🃏Multiple POVs
👑Two intertwined story’s
🃏quests
👑Romance

No Smut but a dash of spice

I received an ARC for Two Twisted Crowns however these are my absolute true opinions.

My emotions were all over while reading Two Twisted Crowns. The reason being that I knew there would not be another book to follow after.

I was not expecting as many POVs as there were in Two Twisted Crowns and it actually worked well with the story line.

We start the story almost immediately after One Dark Window left off. The nightmare (Shepherd King) has full taken over FMC Elspeth body.

During events in this book the group is separated in two intertwined story lines. I think that’s fitting because of the book title.

Ravyn, Shepherd King (Elspeth), and Jespyr are off to collect the final card they need to reunite the deck. This happens to be in the form of different quests they must overcome. I felt this group had the adventure and action storyline.

Prince Elm and Ione Hawthorne are left behind at the castle on their own task of finding Ione’s maiden card.

Two Twisted Crowns has a tiny bit more spice then One Dark Window. I would also say this book felt darker then the first.

Chapter 49 had me feeling so emotional for the end. The rhyme/riddle in Chapter 50 had me so close to tears.

I can’t believe it’s over. It was a journey and I definitely felt this was more then a duet. Two Twisted Crowns wrapped up the story in full and completely without leaving me feeling like it was rushed or incomplete. This is the perfect fantasy duet. Both One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns will live at the top of my reads for 2023. I don’t think I will ever stop recommending this duet.

Best fantasy duet I have ever read in my opinion.

This book…I’m honestly still in awe of it. I don’t think I can even review it coherently, but I’m going to give it a try. I loved One Dark Window last year and have been thinking about it nonstop since I finished. A completely unique and clever magic system and a world plagued and enhanced by magic and a girl plagued by a Nightmare. Also a super hot enemies to more fake dating romance with the Captain of the Guard…I mean what more can you want?

This conclusion was everything I wanted and more. We got to learn more about the magic system, what made Blunder the way it was, the origin of the mist and reveals about the Providence Cards that legitimately made me gasp. I was so pleased to get Elm and Ravyn’s POV and let’s just say we get another romance that made my heart grow ten sizes bigger.

I could not put this down as more of this world and story was revealed. The best second books build on the foundation of their predecessor and enhance our understanding of the world and these characters and this book does that and then some.

This is the best adult fantasy duology out there- a masterclass on tension and character and world building and…humor??? Ugh I could write essays on this book.

Please read it and scream about it with me forever.

Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Orbit books for the opportunity to read and E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this sequel an unbelievable amount. I loved the switch to changing POVs and the growth we saw in so many characters through them. I was so surprised to see an Elm POV right at the beginning and then he turned into my favorite character and I was BEGGING for his chapters 😂. The love stories in this one were perfect and can you believe there was a couple I shipped even harder than the original couple from book 1?? I also loved seeing all the different ways magic was used and portrayed in this book- showing ways that it can be used for good and bad. The magic system in these books is so unique and it really took on a life of its own in this book.

The nightmare character went OFF in this book and the dynamic between him and Elspeth was fantastic. Again, it was so unique and I cannot express how attached I am to both characters, really I’m attached to like every character in this book and it hurt to let them go 🥺. I can’t recommend this enough especially for fans of fantasy and YA.

Thank you so much to the author and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Oh my goodness this book was probably my most highly anticipated of the year and I am so happy that it delivered. If I could give it a million stars I would.

TTC picks up almost immediately after ODW ended and was the loveliest mayhem from start to finish. I had heard Rachel Gillig take about the narrative shifts and I was a bit apprehensive after enjoying being in Elspeth's POV for all of book one, to welcome in new characters but OMG I'm so happy with how it came out. Every single character in this series is so dynamic. Their relationships are flawed, believable, HUMAN. Even the nightmare has his moments. I wish I was better at writing reviews to do this book justice but it manages to be both its own independent story and a satisfying conclusion to ODW.

I really liked that the sibling relationships took a more central role in this book and it was a joy to see more of Elm who i loved since early in book one. The magic of this world is intricate and costly and I liked having other heads to dip into more to understand exactly how each card affected it's owner.

I loved the secondary romance in this book, it was so brutal and raw and so beautiful. I wanted an HEA for them so badly after they fought so hard to be vulnerable with each other,

I will literally read anything Rachel Gillig writes. Fan Girl for Life.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this advance reader copy.

This is the perfect read for a chilly/rainy fall day. As with One Dark Window, Rachel Gillig captures the creepy and haunting atmosphere of Blunder with the menacing mist that's surrounding the town and the threat of the Providence Cards' magic. Here, the stakes are even higher following the developments at the end of the last book, with the Nightmare finally taking over Elspeth's mind and new political power plays by the King and Prince Hauth. The structure is slightly different, with Elspeth taking a back seat for much of the story due to being trapped in the Nightmare's purgatory and Ravyn and Elm taking over as the alternating POVs. Although I missed Elspeth's narration as the lead focus, I am glad that Elm's character got a chance to shine here. His additional backstory and insights into his character added a new dimension to the story. Ravyn's journey to find the missing Twin Alders card in order to save Elspeth and his brother also forces him to confront his own beliefs and moral code as he comes to understand the role he is playing in the larger story between the Spirit of the Wood and the Shepherd King.

All in all, a satisfying (though very stressful!) conclusion to the duology. Can't wait to see what's next for this author!

Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

I was really nervous going into this book because I loved One Dark Window so much and I was terrified that this book wouldn't live up to the hype I had built in my head. I have never been happier to be wrong. I loved this book more than the first.

We start the book right where book 1 ended which I really appreciated. While there wasn't any summary of what happened in the first book I was quickly thrown back into this world and remembering details from book one (I probably should have reread book 1 but I almost never reread before starting a sequel, and I didn't have any issues here).

The pacing of this book was perfect. I was on the edge of my seat through the whole book and didn't want to put it down. The action was perfect, the world building was built up so well in book one that this book was way more plot forward.

I also loved that Elsbeth wasn't the focal point of this book. Like she is still the main character, but this book focuses more on the task of reuniting the cards as well as the budding romance between Ione and Elm.

I just loved everything about this book.

This book is definitely a romantic fantasy (Not to be confused with fantasy romance), meaning that the fantasy is first and the romance is more of a subplot.

Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
Romantasy • Gothic Fantasy • YA • Multi POV
Happy Publication Day!

“Magic sways, like salt water on a tide. I believe the Spirit is the moon, commanding the tide. She pulls us in, but also sets us free.”

If you like gothic romantasy you may as well add this duology to your list now. I’ll admit that if I had not read them back-to-back, I would have been more mad at the cliffhanger.

The elements of card magic, bartering, and magical degeneration remain intact here, however, the author really elevated her writing in the sequel. The shift from single POV to multi POV gave dimension to more characters. It also had more depth: glimpses into how humanity is twisted by trauma, pain and suffering. I couldn’t help but draw a comparison to current world events, where we see some of this playing out in the ‘eye for an eye’ mentality of retribution for barbaric acts, sins of prior generations — and its kids who suffer.

On a lighter note, this is steamier than book 1 - hello, slow burn romantasy 🔥

The cantankerous Nightmare with his snarky commentary was 👌🏽. He is also the only one I found truly morally grey. If I had any complaints, it would be that some of the plot twists were banged over our heads too long before the characters themselves realized. Overall I loved it. 🥰

Thank you to @netgalley and @orbitbooks_us for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is an amazing squeal to this world that Rachel has created! This book picks up right where book one leaves off. So as soon as you start this book you are straight off in the story again. Where book one was focused more on Ravyn and Elspeth this book was mostly about Elm and Lone which after that ending in book one wowza we knew there had to be something different in book two!

I LOVED learning all about the Nightmare and how he came to be and how the magic came in the human hands.
Elm was a moody broody in book one and getting his POV for a large chunk of this book made me love him just as much as I loved Ravyn in book one. I do wish we got more Ravyn and Elspeth in the book, but I get it lol got to make room for more than those two characters.

The character development was beautiful, the magic system is unique, magic has a cost in this world and humans are just too eager to pay it. The conclusion to this story was a completed one. It was a beautiful duology; I am a sucker for any type of gothic fantasy and this book was far from a disappointment. This is a GREAT series to get sucked into during the cold months (*hint* *hint*). I strongly recommend you pick up this book and enter this gorgeous dark gothic fantasy novel.

Thank You NetGalley and Orbit Books for this amazing ARC

A wonderful sequel to a beautiful duology. Rachel Gillig creates an intricate fairy tale-esque setting that I happily dove headfirst into. 10/10 have already recommended to all of my friends.

Be wary. Be clever. Be good.

This book is utterly brilliant! As a sequel, it didn’t disappoint. The vibes, the plot, and the tension kept me on my toes especially on the last 80% of the book. I just hoped that it was a tad bit longer because I wanted more of Ravyn & Elspeth. 🙈

Read this if you like:
- gothic, eerie vibes
- intricate magic system
- saving a kingdom
- flawed but relatable characters
- multiple pov
- completed duology
- romantasy

Ratings:
4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Highly Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher (Orbit Books), and the author for this ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

I feel so lucky to have received an arc for my most anticipated book this fall.

I loved every moment.

Two Twisted Crowns absolutely delivers. The pacing and character development kept me invested throughout. And it is a fantastic conclusion to the series.

Thank you netgalley for the arc!

4.5⭐️

This duology has absolutely stolen my heart. What a great conclusion to this series. Our beloved characters start in a ROUGH place at the beginning, but seeing them grow throughout the book and embracing who they are was *chefs kiss*

And as always the spooky gothic forest vibes were immaculate.

I need the author to announce her next book!! I am a forever fan.

If I only had three words to describe Two Twisted Crowns, they’d be atmospheric, gripping, and magical. The end of One Dark Window had me reeling and Two Twisted Crowns picks up about right where the story left off. I love Gillig’s writing style; it’s easy to understand but moody and makes her work pretty unputdownable. And easily my favorite aspects of this duology are the magic system—super unique and fascinating with the cards—and Elspeth, Raven, and their relationship. I was pleasantly surprised to see some new POVs in this too, and although I struggled to feel connected to the new POV characters at times, I did otherwise enjoy this and Gillig wraps up the story well. All in all, lovely. I will definitely be tuning in to Rachel Gillig’s future works! Many thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for the e-ARC.

Rachel Gillig is a mastermind. This book is everything! It’s so hard to write reviews for books that are just so amazing, that they seriously leave you speechless. This second book in the duology had everything. Adventure. Magic. Romance. Mystery. Gothic vibes. It’s literally the best book for a rainy cozy day!

I want to talk about many things that happened in the book but I’m keeping the review spoiler-free because if you haven’t read One Dark Window, what are you waiting for? But if you have, run and get Two Twisted Crowns ASAP!

Rachel Gillig’s writing is so magical, you actually get transported into this world of dark magic!

Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

(reviews on Instagram, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon, soon to come)

The sequel to One Dark Window, Two Twisted Crowns is equally as dark and romantic as the first. In this installation, we get new POVs and even a new relationship!

I absolutely loved One Dark Window so I was highly anticipating this book and overall, it did not disappoint! We are left on a very large cliffhanger and the resolution for that took way longer than I was expecting, which made me highly stressed out while I was reading. I absolutely LOVE ELM and getting to know him better was the highlight of this book for me. I was very immersed in this story from beginning to end and kind of completely forgot about Elspeth and Ravyn’s high stake situation when we’re in Elm’s POV. I do wish the ending wasn’t so rushed and we got to see more of Rayvn and Elspeth together and happy. Overall, I absolutely love the lush, gothic atmosphere of this series and I cannot recommend it enough.

Mind blown! The writing in this book is so brilliant! It hooks you from the very beginning all the way until the end. Every question you have from the first book is answered, the storyline is explained in such detail. It has you wishing there was more because you’re sad the duet is finished. You want to stay in that world forever! This author is going places, and I’m so happy to be along for the ride.

Beautiful and atmospheric, Two Twisted Crowns is a fantastic sequel to One Dark Window. This book and the characters exceeded expectations, and I would highly recommend to other readers!

5 stars, 5 stars, 5 stars!!

I thought One Dark Window was a hit and this book completely outdid it!

Two Twisted Crowns picks up right where One Dark Window left off. Instead of the book primarily being from Elspeth’s POV, it takes on the perspective of the other main characters - namely Ravyn and Elm. I grew a whole new appreciation and LOVE for these characters this way.
This book was perfectly balanced between dialogue and action while still maintaining enough mystery with the plot to not ruin the ending.

This is the perfect conclusion to an AMAZING duology. I would recommend The Shepherd King duology to all fantasy readers who love plot driven, highly emotional books. This book carries tons of romantic and political intrigue while not letting those things overwhelm the fantasy aspects of the book.

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit Books for the chance to read this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

One Dark Window is one of the best books I've read this year.

The sequel, Two Twisted Crowns, is even BETTER.

If you haven't read One Dark Window yet, stop reading this review and read it immediately. Now, for those of you looking for a review on the sequel, know that this is the book you've been waiting for. There are multiple POVs this time, allowing us to become more familiar with Elm, Ione, Ravyn, and the Nightmare. Eerie gothic atmospheric vibes abound, and the cards have even more surprises up their sleeves this time. There's more of a "quest" feel to this book, and more urgency than the first story - this worked in the book's favour when it came to pacing.

It's hard to say more than this without spoilers. Suffice it to say, it's worth adding this duology to your TBR immediately.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.