"Blunder was a place of magic - barters and bargains. Nothing was free."
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This sequel picks up where 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒘 ends. Ravyn and Elspeth must find the remaining and most conceled providence card: The Twin Alders. They will have to travel the mist-coated forest before Solstice if they are to lift the dark magic that shrouds the kingdom of Blunder.

Being the only guide who can lead their journey, Ravyn must come face to face with the monster who lurks beneath Elspeth's skin - Nightmare. Now unrelenting to share her mind, will he be keen to spill his secrets?

"I know what I know. My secrets are deep. But long have I kept them. And long will they keep."
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THE AUDACITY .... not only do you FALL IN LOVE with these 'givers in the grim' like characters, but this gothic duology fits together like a puzzle. I am so grievously sad to see these character's stories end but ridiculously stunned at author Rachel Gillig's execution. It would take life times to purge my memory of such an eloquent writing style.

From eerie nuances to electrifying tension, this tale is riddled with a plunge-you-in plot, a well developed but wicked world, and ruthless relationships. I am forever haunted by the life lessons we see unfold.

Not only is this duology a ferocious fit for the month of Halloween, but it will unquestionably place in our top five reads of 2023.

Get your claws out and snatch book two of The Shepherd King duology for its release date.....THIS TUESDAY!!!

Thank you to @netgalley and @orbitbooks_us for giving us the chance to read this deliciously dark ARC.

#twinalders #twotwistedcrowns #review #fivestarreviews #fivestarread #gothic #halloweenreads #darkandmoody #bookrecommendations

5/5 stars!

One Dark Window was a surprise hit this year as it wasn't a hyped book at all...until it was. As many of us searched for our next fix after the success of Fourth Wing, The Shepherd King duology quietly snuck up on and captivated us.

In One Dark Window, Rachel Gillig introduced us to the Kingdom of Blunder, the main and supporting characters and the unique magic card system. We saw Elspeth and her precarious relationship with the Nightmare, and growing feelings for Raven as they try to unite all the Providence Cards to save a loved one. It had all the dark, gothic, atmospheric vibes, but Two Twisted Crowns took it to another level. ODW wasn't a 5 star read for me (though close), but TTC most definitely was.

TTC brings everything full circle perfectly. It brought balance and closure. It expanded on the world building that started in ODW and the gothic vibes were *chef's kiss* in this book. The Nightmare's character was more prominent (and less annoying), and we got a better understanding of his motives and history. I loved that the secondary characters in ODW took center stage in TTC and we got to learn more about Elm and Ione too. That was unexpected and added to the overall duology very nicely. The multiple POV helped flesh out the story and gave it so much more heart.

Loved it!

I LOVED this book, One Dark Window became one of my favorite books at the beginning of this year so I had really high hopes for this book. Rachel Gillig far exceeded my expectations!! I wanted to devour this book but I made myself read it slower and savor it. I’m so happy I was able to do an Arc read of this book. I will definitely recommend ODW and TTC to anyone who loves fantasy books. I don’t have anything negative to say. I can’t wait to read more from Rachel Gillig.

Two Twisted Crowns is a fitting closer to the Shepherd King duology. While initially being frustratingly slow-paced for half the book, it ramped up to a satisfying conclusion. I liked how Gillig tied everything with the first book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an arc.

I fell into lust with One Dark Window, and that grew into a deep and all-consuming love while reading Two Twisted Crowns.
I loved the prose. I loved the effortless banter, and exchanging of clever burns between our jaded characters. I loved the perfectly placed expletives and creative insults. I loved the romance born of torment and longing. I loved the magic, and the imagery, and the movie that played out in my mind as I read this book. I loved the world that it pulled me into, and the fact that I never wanted to leave. I loved the flawed, messy antiheroes, and the misunderstood villains. In short, there’s not much I didn’t love about this book… other than the fact that it eventually came to an end. This will forever be one of my favorite magical, dark, gothic series - taking up residence in my heart next to Belladonna and Once Upon A Broken Heart. Thinking of what this author will come up with next is giving me life, and something to truly look forward to. Authors like Rachel Gillig are why I prefer fictional worlds, and I hope she never stops writing.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint!

Since it's been a year since I'd read the first one, it took me a few chapters to remember the details but once I did, WOW. I've seen people say this book reads more YA than gothic and, while I agree, I definitely don't consider it a bad thing!

This sequel has everything! Romance, a little heat (I'd be remiss to call it SPICE but it skirts the line), a satisfying ending, and all kinds of history along the way!

Absolutely 5 stars and I hope we see more from this author!

I wasn’t ready for this duology to end, but Rachel Gillig delivered an epic conclusion to the Shepherd King’s tale.

Unlike the first book, which was exclusively in Elspeth’s POV, Two Twisted Crowns shifts from Elm’s, Ravyn’s, and Elspeth’s perspectives. At first, it was tortuous to switch from Ravyn’s journey for the Twin Alders to Elm’s struggle of taking over as the heir. However, I quickly became enamored with Elm and his budding relationship with Ione 😍. Their romance was a sweet surprise and alleviated some of the stress that Ravyn’s encounters put on me.

This book utterly gripped me. I was hungry for each page. The plot was beautifully thought out and all the riddles were pieced together. My only complaint is that I wanted <i>more</i>. Rachel, please consider releasing a longer epilogue!

Thank you Orbit Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Instagram only allows so many words so here is my short review of 🌳Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig🌳 I want to start off by addressing anyone who fears this sequel and can't help but to compare this book to One Dark Window. Let me tell you that NOT being disappointed by a highly anticipated release is a strange feeling, one that I am currently getting to know right now. One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns are both bright lights in the dark, shining brightly and uniquely on their own. They are not comparable but both simply amazing. ✨🌳. Once again we are met with a rollercoaster of a read, the plot is consistently delightfully twisted. There is a shift in character focus and we are introduced to SO much more than before. I couldn't even tell you who the main character is because at this point, they are all just so important. We finally learn the origins of the Shepherd King, the cards, and The spirit of the wood. I have gotten to know all about everyone, and I personally fell in love with characters I thought I disliked. The cards and their magic are uncovered and there's a huge amount of information that we hadn't seen in ODW, and it is mind blowing. Ravyn is great but ELM, oh trees you're going to really meet Elm in this book and he is lovely. 🖤 In this story there is also a highlight on mental health and emotional wellbeing. I still have never read anything quite like this and Rachel's ornate prose is so captivating and enchanting, she really knows how to keep readers on their toes. This book is so beautifully crafted, it's practically poetry. I'm not sure if anything can top this series as we near the end of 2023. Rachel Gillig is the queen of visuals and world building she has quickly became a favorite author of mine and many others. Two twisted crowns will be published October 17th, definitely add this to your TBR. I received this copy in advance and in return are my honest opinions.

I was so excited to read this after just finishing One Dark Window. I was a little bit worried as to where the story will lead us after the events of the first book but there wasn't anything to worry about plot wise. It was great and has put me on edge a couple of times.

The only reason I wasn't able to give it a solid 5 was because the chemistry between the FMC and MMC did not come through for me. I do love Elspeth and Ravyn but I unfortunately can't see them as couple. On one hand, Ione and Elm carried the book. Their story was more charming and their chemistry was present! Another relationship I definitely enjoyed was Elspeth and the Shepherd King. Their bond was great and not at the same time. The king was too secretive for reasons I don't understand. In the 1st book I understood his reasons for being reluctant in sharing information to Elspeth. In this book I thought he was being unreasonable because Elspeth won't be able to say or do anything to ruin his plans. But, that doesn't change the fact that both of them had beautiful dynamic and I was happy how things ended for both of them.

Omg this was the perfect ending to an incredible duology! This whole book was dark and bloody and beautiful and spectacular. ❤️

If you loved One Dark Window prepare to fall in love all over again in this conclusion! Everything was better! The characters, the pacing, the relationships, the tension, the magic….ITS ALL TAKEN UP A NOTCH! Without saying much more, because I don’t wanna give anything away, I thought I knew how I felt about certain things in this world but I was shocked at how I felt in the end. This was a dark and dreary ride turned emotional and captivating and I never wanna go back.

Rachel Gillig writes with such an interesting prose and she constructed a whimsical, dangerous and magical world I will revisit time and time again.

Two Twisted Crowns is the second and final book in Rachel Gillig’s The Shepard King duology. The story continues with our same cast of characters as One Dark Window but now the stakes are even higher. Without giving too much away, we follow Elspeth, our FMC, as she continues to help the unsung heroes collect the deck of providence cards.

THIS BOOK MADE ME CRY!!! Gillig knows how to put on a SHOW!! Reading this book has made me reconsider my rating of the first book because this is now going to be my ENTIRE personality. I loved this book. The story was solid and tied up so many loose ends from the first book. My favorite thing about this book is that the romance didn’t over run the story. Is there romance? Yes. But that’s not the point of the story and I love that. As a reader who does not read romance much at all, I appreciated the slow burn and the minimal spice but all of the pining!! There’s not much else I can say about this book. It was the perfect length and the perfect amount of story. The first book did a great job of setting this one up for success without dragging the story along. I’ve never given a book 5 stars so fast!! PLEASE READ THIS DUOLOGY!!

WOWWWWW! This book solidifies Rachel Gillig as my new favorite author. I absolutely love how this book was written. Such a great sequel to end off the series. Love Elspeth and the gothic atmosphere! Definitely would recommend.

4,5/5 stars! This is the second book in the Shepherd King series by author Rachel Gillig. This is gothic romance at its finest. Elspeth is a pleasure to read and watching the play out of dark forces against her was heart-wrenching and exhilarating at the same time.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have been waiting for this book since I closed the cover of One Dark Window and wow – it was absolutely worth the wait.

“The girl, the king, and the monster they became” – We are immediately back in the kingdom of Blunder. We are faced with the reality that The Nightmare has taken control from Elspeth and is ready to exact his revenge on the Rowan King.

I loved this whole entire book. I could not put it down. I do not want to spoil the story at all but the connections of characters was so beautifully handled, people I did not care for in book 1 were suddenly such a hero and I was so engrossed in their storyline.

Such an incredible ending to this world. I am sad to say good bye everyone and can’t wait to see what else Rachel Gillig writes in the future.

Two Twisted Crowns is published by Orbit on October 17 2023 and I was provided an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the opportunity.

Twisted Crowns

I don’t have the words. I loved this book so much! All the stars! Getting Elm’s POV was like a dream come true. He was my favorite character (besides monster of course).

I highlighted so many passages. The writing is beautiful. The story held me captive and it was so hard to put down when I had to do “real life” things.

This sequel exceeded my expectations and wrapped everything up so well. I can see these being an annual read for me.

A few nitpick-y things, both romances felt like instant love, there wasn’t much build up. But they developed so well over time that it’s easy to let slide. The foreshadowing was a little heavy handed for my taste but the story was so intriguing it was once again easy to overlook.

Content: multiple descriptive open door scenes, explicit language, death, gore, violence

Without a doubt, I have loved this book more than the first one. Everything was impeccable; the banter, the angst, the slow burn, the eerie atmosphere, the beginning and the end. I have no complaints. I cannot wait to read more from Rachel Gillig. Easily a 5/5 read.

5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for sending me an ARC of Two Twisted Crowns!

One Dark Window is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read and so I was highly anticipating the sequel and it did not disappoint.

The magic, the story, the characters, the romance, it was all so wonderfully done. And the way everything comes full circle is *chef’s kiss*

I had a soft spot for Elm in the first book so getting his POV was amazing and I think his arc in this book was the most satisfying. Love him.

Elspeth, Ravyn and the Nightmare navigating each other’s relationships while being so tangled up and learning to trust and understand each other was so complex and built up naturally, and led to a very satisfying conclusion to their story. (I really do love the Nightmare too, sass and secrets and all).

I think Ravyn and Elspeth’s character arcs were much more subtle, but no less satisfying.

And Ione, glad to see her come into her own as well.

*minor spoilers below*

It was kind of hilarious how Elm and Ione were in a romantic, personal growth journey and then we’d get a smash cut to Elspeth, Ravyn, Jespyr and the Nightmare screaming and running for their lives in a place that is known for how dangerous it is. This book really has it all and I loved it!

One of my favorite duologies for sure.

I was lucky enough to receive this beautiful ARC from @rmgillig and @netgalley I didn’t think I would love this book as much as the first book and boy I was wrong!

Two Twisted Crowns takes you on an amazing journey with multiple POVs and of course some of our favorite tropes! Found family, gothic fantasy, light romance, card magic, and stunning imagery!

The magician card element was just as good as in the first book, possibly even better as we dive into how it all started and ended.

This magical world captures your imagination and draws you into the story and keeps you on your toes with surprising twists and turn. I am so sad that this duology is over, but it had an ending that leaves you immensely satisfied.

One Dark Window was my favorite read of 2022, but Two Twisted Crowns was the cherry on top of the cake. The last 30% of the novel had me on the edge of my seat, I couldn’t breathe. I love puzzles and the foreshadowing in these books did not disappoint (I love it when some of my theories are right). The new POV in this book was perfection. I thoroughly enjoyed their character arc and being able to glimpse inside their head. The ending was everything, it was exactly the way it was supposed to be. “Be wary, be clever, be good.” Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for a review.

Rachel Gillig's Two Twisted Crowns serves as a superb conclusion to this dark fantasy duology that kept me hooked from beginning to end. The shift in perspective from Elspeth to Ravyn and Elm breathes new life into the story, offering fresh insights into their characters and expanding the narrative's scope. The second book skillfully raises the stakes, delving deeper into the world's lore and continuing the characters' quest from the previous installment, ensuring that the plot remains gripping and fast-paced.

One of the highlights of Two Twisted Crowns is the witty banter and complex dynamic between Ravyn and the Nightmare, my favorite character from the first book, now that he has taken control of Elspeth's body and mind. Many readers may find this interaction even more enjoyable, adding a layer of entertainment and complexity to the characters' relationships. The banter helps create a strong sense of camaraderie and, at times, tension that enhances the emotional connections between the characters.

We also get to spend more time with Elm, who is separated from the main group throughout most of the book as he goes on his own quest of self-discovery working with Ione to help find her lost Maiden Card, all while maneuvering through court politics and his growing attraction to his brother's betrothed.

Gillig's ability to maintain a sense of momentum and intrigue throughout the duology helped keep me engaged and invested in her story. While concluding the series, Two Twisted Crowns ensures that The Shepherd King duology finishes on a high note. For those who have enjoyed the journey from the first book, this second installment will not disappoint, offering a thrilling and satisfying conclusion that will leave you readers satisfied.