One Dark Window is one of my favorite books that I’ve read in 2023. I was blown away by the unique magic system and the character development. It was just unlike anything I had yet to read.

If I thought I loved ODW…Two Twisted Crowns was everything and more than I hoped for from the sequel.

I never expected the multi-POV (4+) and it was done in such a way that it was not confusing at all, as I sometimes have problems with that.

The love story in TTC was also so unexpected but so, SO good. I didn’t realize you could have a duology where the main characters in book 1 are joined by multiple more main characters in book 2. Such a unique format, in the best way. Oh, and the yearning…THE YEARNING. 😩

I’m crap at actually being able to put into words how a story made me feel and the reasons you should read it. Just know: you should read this if you want magic, adventure, yearning, righting wrongs, and bloodshed. If you like good stories that stick with you, this book is for you.

I can’t wait to get Two Twisted Crowns up on my shelf next to One Dark Window. ✨

Huge thanks to @orbitbooks_us and @netgalley for allowing me to ARC read this. I screeched in my office when the email came through and this story is worth all of the screams.

A fantastic continuation of the series! I loved the book and was so happy to receive an ARC of the second. I can't figure out which book I love more! Excited for this to come out and be added to my shelf. I've had it pre-ordered for ages!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this. I read the first book recently and realized that it wasn’t for me so I ended up not picking up the second book.

This was such good conclusion to a beautiful duology. The pacing was great, the romance was definitely a highlight for me and the plot overall was amazing. The way that Gillig was able to bring this story to life and have such a haunting atmosphere is fantastic. The intro to new pov's was not forced but added to the story as a whole and gave it even more depth. My favorite part is definitely the relationships between characters specifically Elspeth and Ravyn as well as Elspeth and Nightmare. Nightmare will always be a fan favorite to me and the ending had me in tearing up.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc and this is my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I DNFd this after 3 chapters. I was so so about the first book and was hoping this book would be more intriguing. I was so unattached to the characters, so picking up here I was bored immediately. I really wanted to push through but couldn’t.

(4.5/5 rounded up for incredible prose) Sequels can be so challenging. If you go into this one expecting more from Elspeth, you’ll be disappointed but if instead you want to understand more about the Shepherd King, the past, the cards, this is the duology for you. It’s a well paced story with twists I never saw coming.

It takes a bit of time, as with ODW, to read Rachel Gilllig’s prose but she crafts such a great story that my mind was immersed in the wood with everyone else. The relationship between Elm and Ione came as a surprise to me, maybe I didn’t see the hints in the first installment. I wish we had more Ravyn and Elspeth but loving any romance with a bit of spice peppered in, I devoured the Elm and Ione love story. It did frustrate me that as Ravyn and Co were out finding cards, Elm was canoodling by the fire *eye roll*

The last 45 minutes of the book were incredible and had me at the edge of my chair, eyes glued to the page. It’s a sequel not to be missed and one I would happily read over again since I think I’ll pick up many more Easter eggs I missed the first read.

I can’t wait until Rachel Gillig gives us another series to devour! What a debut!

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit books for the ARC!

It is so rare that a sequel really delivers everything you could possibly want, and yet here we are. I had really high hopes going into this book and would’ve been happy if it was 75% as good as the first one, but it was better than I could possibly imagine. We get the full story of the Nightmare’s family and the detailed creation of the cards and their connection to the Spirit. We get more main character action through other siblings/ families and an incredible plot filled to the absolute brim with thrilling adventure, romance and magic.

This series is by far one my favorites of the year, with the most interesting/ unique take on a magic system. I was kept on my toes literally the entire read and it felt so perfectly paced, without being overwhelming.

10/10, 5 star read

This was SO good, it was exactly what I was wanting out of book two and the perfect ending for this duology. We get not one but TWO love stories in this book, which I wasn't expecting, but I was so in love with couple two and the tension between them. I thoroughly enjoyed the character progression and getting to know multiple characters more in depth. The magic system is so unique and I really liked seeing the creativity of it in this book. If you loved One Dark Window, you're going to eat this UP.

TWO TWISTED CROWNS, which comes out October 17, was a surprise to me, and in a good way. It completely subverted my expectations about how I thought the story would end and how the author got there. As a result, I ended up liking this book just as much as I did its predecessor, but in a different way than I expected.

This book picks up right where One Dark Window stopped. I thought that, as a reader, there would be the quest to find an end to the Providence cards. There was that, but it unraveled in a more unique way than I assumed it would. Instead of getting just Elspeth's POV, side characters become the main characters, secrets are revealed in a compelling way, and Elspeth, the main character in the first book, actually becomes more of a vehicle to reveal those secrets. I found it to be extremely clever and reminiscent of what Sarah J. Maas does in her Throne of Glass series. I enjoyed getting insight into other characters with their motivations. I enjoyed the pacing and how the plot unraveled. And I enjoyed how the tone of the story, while different, still had the elements that I devoured within the first book such as the romances, the creepy, magical realism vibes, and the magic system.

Overall, I think the author created a really well done duology that I liked. The elements are similar to the first book, but the way those elements unwind is different. Therefore, if you are overly invested in the stories of the first book, they are present, but do not take center stage here. And, if you are going to enjoy this book, you have to be ok with that. Instead, enjoy the world that the author creates and expands and the characters she focuses on, the growth that takes place, and the mythology that unfolds. If you can do that, this book will be right up your alley. If you cannot, I am unsure if you'll like this sequel. To me, this is worth the read,

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is a shockingly good follow-up to a book that already was excellent.

If you are looking for the same enchanting vibes as the first, they are even more concentrated.
If you want more plot complexity, it twists and turns the whole way through.
If you want more character development, you will come to love those that you previously disliked.
If you want a book that feels like you are walking through a misty evening through twisted brambles that have long lost their leaves, this is your book.

It is consistently paced at a slow meander, with a sprint at the end that will surely keep you up until the wee hours of the morning. I took the first 250 pages slow, over the course of a couple weeks, but the last 100 pages I tore through in an afternoon.

If you loved the first, you with ADORE the second.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Orbits Books for an advanced digital copy, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

“Be wary, be clever, be good.”

One Dark Window was excellent, but Two Twisted Crowns? *chef’s kiss* It picks up right from the cliffhanger at the end of ODW. Both books have the best mix of magic, family politics and mystery. I loved that we got Elspeth, Ravyn and Elm's POVs in this one- although I would have definitely liked a bit more Elspeth, but the reason for it makes sense. I thought the journey that the author took us on to find all the Prophet cards was a wild ride, but then to get to that final Twin Alders card? Perfection. We really got to learn more about the Nightmare and how all of these cards came to be, what he sacrificed in his life to have all 12 cards created for him. And he lost not only himself, but everything he ever loved- because he never had enough power. The pops of romance were a welcome surprise. Pairing Elm and Ione up was something I didn't know I needed in my life, but am absolutely here for. Every character in this book was so well-written, you will feel a connection to all of them. This was probably my favorite duo I read this year- cannot wait to see what else Rachel Gillig writes.

Wow. I feel like duologies are usually pretty hit or miss for me, but this was an absolute hit. Firstly, thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! Opening my email to the news I was approved for this ARC was so special, given how much I adored the first one.

"Be wary, Be clever, Be good"

This was such a wonderful sequel. It continued the story in the same haunting way that had me so entranced with the first book. We got more background information on the world of Blunder and multiple POV's which was such a welcome surprise. I also felt as though the book left me satisfied with the answers to different mysteries and threads from book one, leaving me with a real sense of peace as this story came to a close.

This type of romantic/dark fantasy is right up my alley, and I hope everyone enjoys the second book in the Shepherd King's duology as much a I did.

one of my fav duologies ever. i love the world building and the writing so much omg, i just couldn’t stop rr certain lines between the king and elspeth, my fav duo to read about besides ionelm. i was kinda hesitant about elms pov but every scene he had with ione was so worth it and made this book so much more enjoyable. elspeth is one of my favorite characters ever and i’m so sad to see this series go.

WOW! This book was SO freaking good! It was the perfect end to this duology!

Two Twisted Crowns picks up right where you left off with One Dark Window! I loved the multiple POVs and flashbacks through out this book! It added so much to the story line and really pulled everything together! The world, magic system, and mood is everything and was executed so well! This was so well written and nothing like I have ever read before! I cannot wait to read more by Rachel Gillig!

Both One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns are in my top favorite reads of 2023!

What to expect:
- Multiple POVs
- Magic
- Romatasy
- Gothic

Wow. Just wow. This book is one I really had to take my time reading, mainly because I didn't want to say goodbye to the amazing, haunting, and strangely beautiful world and creatures Rachel had created within this universe. When I read the first book however many months ago I finished knowing that I needed to get my hands on the next book, little did I know that it would end up being one of my favorite duologies and reads of the entire year. I cannot recommend this book or series highly enough. I will be yelling about this series and how much it needs to be read to anyone who will listen.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC!

Today's review is going to cannonball into the personal. This year has been particularly difficult and I've been battling with more depressive episodes. These leave me feeling aimless, restless, but also very aware of how sensitive my emotions are. There is a FINE hair-pin trigger between me and a breakdown.

After reading the ARC of "One Dark Window" I've been counting down the days until I could get my hands on "Two Twisted Crowns". The wait was a lesson in patience I did not need. However, despite my avid interest in the book, I struggled to bring myself to read it (this is NOT a commentary on the book, but rather my broken brain). I wanted to FEEL the book in the same way that I felt the first one. My heart broke for Ravyn, Elspeth left me numb and reeling, Elm was at the precipice of an adventure and I was crawling with this desire to tunnel through the Nightmare's mind.

Gillig did NOT disappoint.

The plot line has always followed a somewhat anticipated path through the forest. However, Gillig knows how to bring the atmosphere to her world. We shiver when the protagonists are swimming in the lake. We are held in awe watching roots rip from the ground and hold a man encaged in it's branches. Then when you add Gillig's ability to develop and embrace her characters...it's was the deep dive into a book that I needed.

5 stars. Cannot recommend enough. Read it for the pleasure of wallowing in moments that pass far too quickly. Luxuriate in the humanity of monsters and beautiful violence.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for this ARC! I was anticipating the release, and thrilled to be reading these pages as soon as I could get my hands on the book.

Two Twisted Crowns is the riveting, page-chasing conclusion to the Shepherd King duology. With a cast of familiar and new voices, including some deliciously surprising alternating POVs, Two Twisted Crowns continues the unfinished saga of Ravyn Yew and Elspeth Spindle. Full of twists that kept my attention spinning and the unveiling of a heart wrenching backstory that completely gutted and then stitched me back together--this finale was everything I needed and more. Gillig's depth and capacity of story, from the intricate interworking of the magic systems to the cunning subplots of lore and cultivating characters, is unparalleled. And this book DELIVERED--multiple bouts of tears were spilled over these pages and characters. TTC, just as ODW, is a book written to be lost in.

Things I loved about the book:
👑 complex, entirely unique magic system…utterly brilliant lore
👑 dark forest aesthetic--spooky royalty, dead kings, monsters and the like
👑 soft boy/pointy girl
👑 broody boy/pointy girl
👑 four alternating POV’s (a pleasant surprise)
👑 ELM
👑 captivating, wholly unexpected twists
👑 just as fast-pacing as the first one (as in my heart, beating just as fast as when I read the first one 😂)
👑 enemies to lovers, perhaps one of my favorite pairings in the fantasy realm
👑 approachable number of pages to read, yet packed with plot that will keep you racing to end

I only would ever wish for more from this story, but from beginning to end, this book was a beautiful whirlwind that I had no intention of putting down. Definitely an add for all fantasy and romance readers alike.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC of this highly anticipated book! I needed a book to get me in an autumnal mood and this did it. Rachel Gillig has crafted such a poetic and magical world that wrapped me in this dark, mysterious, romantic vibe. I love the banter between the characters and I love this world where magic has a cost.

WOW!! All the stars. I loved this (and these characters) so much!

The found family, the romance, the magic! Perfect. I can't recommend this duology enough 👏

"The two were together, the two were the same. The girl, the King, and the Monster they became."

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. And my honest review is: Brava! Well done! Dark as the first there is content of abuse, murder, and fatal blows.

I'm a sucker for rhymes and well written plot twists and this duology has them in spades. Especially, Two Twisted Crowns. I have grown fond of these characters I could only hold onto for two books, but thats the beauty of stories, they can be told forever just like the Old Book of the Twin Alders.

Elm has grown on me and Ione, too, as you see a lot of them in this book.

We see a new side to this world we don't see in One Dark Window, one I wish we had explored more, but it was nice to see more than just Yew, Stone, Spindle, and Hawthorne.

To me the ending was satisfying. I won't go into details as I do not want to spoil the ending, but it was a doozy.

My only problem was with the way Ione and Elm start, but the rest of the story was well written and kept me on the edge of my seat and worrying at my nails.

10/10 highly recommend. Bonus points for having me tear up at the end.