In "Two Twisted Crowns," Gillig weaves her magic yet again, seamlessly blending the intricate magic system with the rich backstory of our beloved characters. And oh, the interactions we craved from book one! They're here, and they're electric. The tension, the banter—prepare to kick your feet in delight!

This book picks up right where its predecessor left off, and the stakes are higher than ever. We're treated to multiple perspectives, which work like a charm. Two Twisted Crowns masterfully captures the essence of fairytales, whisking us away to the tales we held dear in our childhood, albeit with a more sophisticated and shadowy undertone.

The POVs we are graced with are Elspeth, Ravyn and Elm. Elm, with his sass and tragic past, stole my heart. The plot hurtles forward at a breakneck pace, thanks in large part to him.

And the romance? It's positively swoon-worthy. Elm and Ione's relationship is the perfect blend of flirty, pining, and tension that will set your heart aflutter. Elspeth and Ravyn's love story, while more tragic, is equally beautiful and selfless. I think the only downside to this sequel is that I was hoping for a bit more of Elspeth & Ravyn, especially after certain plots/events concluded. I feel slightly cheated on a certain event that I won’t spoil. This is why it was dropped to 4.5🌟 for me.

Within these pages, you'll also find opulent royal gatherings, enchanted woodlands, and magic that exacts a high cost—all the enchantment you crave.

Do I love that this was a duology! Yes and No. I’m sad that I did not have more time with these characters & world but at the same time, ecstatic that Gillig wraps it up in just two books. Bless her for not dragging it out unnecessarily. The ending ties up loose ends, delivering just the right amount of satisfaction.

Two Twisted Crowns was a satisfying conclusion to the gothic world we first entered in One Dark Window. The characters continue to develop, and the misty, grey vibes of the kingdom carry on through this entry.

Gillig's writing has a very lyrical feel, and the journey this book takes the reader through is unique and enjoyable.

Captivating and unputdownable - the perfect conclusion to The Shepherd King duology!

All I can say is WOW. This book is FLAWLESS! While One Dark Window is told entirely in main character, Elspeth's, point of view, Two Twisted Crowns brings us multiple characters' points of view, reveals so many secrets, and features a new relationship I did NOT see coming. The book concludes beautifully - I still have chills thinking about it! This duology will forever be a favorite of mine.

When I tell you I screamed when I received this ARC, I am not kidding. Two Twisted Crowns is the sequel and final book following One Dark Window. This story picks up right where it left off and does not stop for over 350 pages.

While Two Twisted Crowns is deliciously dark, the romance is still present in this book. The Victorian gothic vibe, mixed with the magic of the Providence Cards is also a perfect combination.

Rachel Gillig’s writing is phenomenal, and I am happy to be immersed in her prose again. She has a way of capturing emotions and making you root for her characters. When they were in pain, I was in pain; when they loved, I fell in love too. I connected with these characters on another level.

Although the story took a different turn than I expected, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. The Nightmare’s jaded quips and the POV’s of Ravyn and Elm are fantastic. These details add a unique layer to the narrative. The loyalty these characters have to one another is something I adore when reading fantasy and romance novels alike.

The crew continues their search for a cure from dark magic, but will their journey to find answers be successful? Or will the kingdom fall to infection. Secrets are revealed and the stakes are much higher. The story is fast-paced and one I could not put down.

This fantasy romance duology needs to be added to your TBR immediately. Rachel Gilling’s novels have become an auto-buy for me moving forward.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Two Twisted Crowns picks up almost immediately after the events of One Dark Window. If you are a fantasy lover and haven’t read One Dark Window I highly suggest picking up a copy and reading it ASAP. It was one of my favorite reads of 2022 and Two Twisted Crowns is already one of my favorite reads of 2023.
Elspeth has been locked inside her own mind by Nightmare. The evil prince Hauth has been rendered comatose and disabled by the attack by Nightmare. Ravyn and Elm are still desperate to unite the magical card deck to save the kingdom, but the only way to do that is to work with Nightmare to find the Twin Alders card. A new love story blooms while a race against the clock begins.
I was very kindly provided a copy of this book by NetGalley and Orbit in exchange for my honest review. This is a 5 star book for me. I am in love with Rachel Gilligs lush and beautiful writing style. I love the characters in this book, the magic system and the origin story of the Nightmare. I will absolutely be raving about this book on my social media and have already preordered a copy of this book for my library!

Amazing. This was absolutely the closure I needed after the cliffhanger that was One Dark Window. The magic, the love, the friendships. Those are what kept me turning the page. I want more but am so happy with the ending of this book!! Thank you Orbit books for allowing me to read this ARC and thank you Rachel Gillig for the wonderful story. Will definitely be recommending to everyone I know.

“There once was a girl, clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a king, a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic & wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two were the same. The girl, the King, and the Monster they became.”
What a beautiful ending to this otherworldly duology. The story flowed seamlessly from one emotion to the next. Bloodshed abounds when the monsters get their due. The unexpected love story will leave you wistful for someone who sees you clearly, even through all the barriers.
I really enjoyed delving into the history of Blunder & her inhabitants.
The author did a phenomenal job rounding out the story. I think this was even better than the first book, which is saying a lot.
I received this ARC through NetGalley, the publisher, & author in exchange for my unbiased opinion. Thank you for the opportunity.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for sharing the ARC of Two Twisted Crown! I was delighted and ecstatic when I learned I was granted an ARC. I absolutely loved the first book, 'One Dark Window,' had already pre-ordered the sequel.
 
  Some of my favorite aspect of this book is the world building, character development, and unique magical system unlike anything I have ever read. There are multiple captivating storylines, political intrigue, family dynamics, and just enough spice to keep the readers on their toes.  Two Twisted Crowns' seamlessly picks up where 'One Dark Window' left off. It offers multiple POVs and masterful storytelling keeping the reader moving with wonderful pacing.
 
Two Twisted Crowns is a well crafted finale to The Shepherd King duology. In conclusion, Rachel Gillig has crafted a masterful fantasy romance series which is a must-read for any fantasy lover.

Book title: Two Twisted Crowns
Author: Rachel Gillig
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Publication date: October 19th, 2023
**I just want to preface, if you've read One Dark Window and liked it even a little, just preorder or buy this book immediately and read it...just do it.😂**
The ending sequel to One Dark Window did not disappoint. The story starts right where ODW left off. We get multiple POVs with this book with the inclusion of Ravyn and Elm. I really enjoyed seeing different characters come to the front with Elspeth taking more of a supporting role with this book. Not to say I don't absolutely love Elspeth, Rachel Gillig is just a master at making you fall in love with all of our heroes in this story.
I just love the dark dreary atmosphere of this book. The world and magic system is top tier and just like nothing else I have ever read.
I don't want to give too much away in fear of spoilers. The stakes are a lot higher in this book with the MCs split up, Ravyn, Nightmare(Elspeth) and Jespyr searching for the Twin Alders card and Elm and Ione at Stone dealing with the King and Hauth. Will they be able to unite the deck and save the world from the infection and mist?

There is a bit of spice in this book which I'm not mad about and the romance is fantastic.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and duology, it will stay with me for a long time!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

After the conclusion of One Dark Window, I was very eager to jump back into the world of Blunder and what would await these characters that I have come to enjoy. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC and slake my anticipation and curiosity earlier than expected. The story picks up right where we left off and you jump right back into the action. The quest for the last card, The Twin Alders, has begun and we continue the mission to save Emory and hopefully Elspeth.

I felt like I couldn’t focus on anything until I finished this book, and when I put it down found myself picking it right back up. I really enjoyed the magic system of this world: it’s unique, not overly complicated to understand, and I want to keep peeling back the layers to learn more. The back stories and lore we receive regarding the Shepherd King and the origins of the Providence cards were something I really loved reading in this book. I would have enjoyed a whole separate book/novella/anything that explored further into the early days of the cards.

I immensely enjoyed getting to delve further into the relationship between Elspeth and Nightmare. Their banter was one of my favorite things about the first book, and I was so pleased to get more of this in Two Twisted Crowns. The Nightmare is officially my favorite his interactions with everyone never disappoints. If there was a moment in this book where I chuckled to myself, it was guaranteed that the Nightmare was involved.

It was a bit of an adjustment for the multiple POV jumping and I will admit I was not as engaged with the Elm chapters as I was with the other POVs. This is a testament to the storytelling but jumping from Elspeth and Ravyn chapters felt like being left on a cliffhanger and I just wanted to stay with them. I did enjoy learning more about the supporting characters and having a better understanding of their perspective and I was happily rooting for them, but I wasn’t nearly as connected or invested in their relationship.

Overall, the story did wrap up very nicely and I was sad to say goodbye to these characters. The last few chapters of the book did seem to blur by and felt like I was missing more of the main characters and how their story wrapped up and I just might be greedy as it seemed like we only got small nuggets and little peeks for the latter half of their story. I am pleased with the complete story over the course of the two books. I am excited to read what Rachel Gillig has in store for the future.

This put me firmly in the Bad Decision Book Club - I started reading before bed and stayed up until 2 am to finish it. I loved this even more than One Dark Window and was basically holding my breath the whole time. I was of course invested in Elspeth getting her life/mind/body back and reuniting with Raven, but Elm and Ione unexpectedly stole the show for me.

Star rating: 3.75-4

Book provided as ARC through NetGalley

So my outlook on the book is that it was very well written and thought through with how each character played out. In the beginning, I found the book starting off to a slow start and in all honesty, I kind of had to push through to even get to Part 2. After that point, it did pick up but not in the way that I was hoping. Towards the end, I felt a little unfinished with how the story went.

With looking back at the book, I whole heartedly wish we got more of the Shepard King and his sarcastic humor toward the other characters. I felt more connected with the journey that Ravyn did during his POV and like (a little) of Elspeth’s POV; however I didn’t enjoy Elm’s POV as much as I think I should have. For me, those chapters were the ones that felt like it seemed to drag on.

In the end, I would recommend this book but only to be read nearly immediately after reading One Dark Window so the reader can get a better sense for what is happening.

It's always scary going into book #2 when you liked the first one, but Two Twisted Crowns captivated me in the same way that On Dark Window did. The story picks up where it left off in Blunder, still covered in mist under the tyrannical Rowan rule, a search for the Twin Alders card underway to clear the mist and heal the infected. I didn't want to put this one down, it was such a satisfying read. The pacing was great, I enjoyed how each chapter was from a different POV. If you like unique magic systems, action and adventure and romance with an enthralling plot, give this duology a try!

Be wary. Be clever. Be good.

I can't begin to describe my feelings after finishing this masterpiece. I was completely mesmerized by One Dark Window, so it's safe to say that I had very high hopes for Two Twisted Crowns. I won't lie, my expectations were completely blow out of the water. I was sucked in from the very first page and haven't been able to put it down since.

I think my favorite part of this book was that the readers were able to more intimately explore the lives and backstories of multiple characters through multiple POVs (never thought I would become this attached to the Shephard King). Not many authors can pull this off, but Rachel Gillig did it masterfully. The plot was executed to perfection and the ending wrapped both books up so nicely. I definitely shed a few tears at the end.

The only negative I have is that I will now be stuck in a terrible reading slump trying to find my next book that will meet my high expectations after Two Twisted Crowns. I don't give many books five stars, but this one definitely earned it!

Anything that Rachel Gillig writes from now on out is an auto-buy. I've converted, and this book is my new religion. This book smacked me across the face, and I said thank you.

A perfect second book. Picks up exactly where we left off, exploring many of the side characters and continuing the history of the land itself. The writing was stunning, perfectly balancing blatant foreshadowing and plot twists. A beautiful story of strength, family, balance, and the cost of knowledge.

Phenomenal.

This was not a book about Elspeth. This was the Nightmare's book. 360 pages to explore his motives, his story, his actions. He was my favorite character in One Dark Window so this was perfection. This was Elm's book and Ione's book and Ravyn's book, and it was so cleverly done that I did not miss Elspeth one bit.

Two Twisted Crowns was complex and artful, mysterious and heartbreaking. Read this book.

This series has got to be one of the best fantasy duologies out there. The magic system is so unique, the characters all have so much depth and the story keep’s you so invested, there honestly aren’t enough words.

We take off right at the end of One Dark Window, delving further into the story of The Shepard King… who he was/is, what happened to him, and why he is, and doing the things he is doing.

We get several new POV’s in Two Twisted Crowns, instead of seeing everything from only Elspeth’s view, we are now entered into Ravyn, Elm and Ione view of the world, magic and all the strange and terrifying aspects of their stories.

What I really liked about this conclusion is that everything was brought to a finality that was utterly perfect for this series. Everything just fit right.

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit books for providing me the chance to review this amazing ending to such an amazing story. Thank you Rachel Gillig for writing this masterpiece.

This was the perfect sequel to an amazing duology. I am so honored I had the chance to read this ARC. It was EVERYTHING I dreamed. Right from the beginning this book has me hooked. What a wonderful prologue and a captivating first chapter. Rachel Gillig does an amazing job of dispersing just enough crumbs of information in her book to keep the story flowing and the reader hooked without giving everything away. My FAVORITE part was learning about the Shepard King's life and how it led him here. And while I did kind of suspect Ravyn was related to him it was still really well done in how he was related. Overall I have no complaints, the only thing I can say is that at times it felt a little weird to switch back and forth between the Shepard Kings life and current events. Also Elm will have my WHOLE heart FOREVER. All that he did for Ione and all that he went through to make him the man that he is, and I am so glad he is rid of Hauth.

attached is a link to my chapter by chapter review (that is until I got so lost in the book I forgot about it)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19ZKCaLCzWP-1YtlOZfHORRQao66BPJj-n6HM7H4kqOU/edit?usp=sharing

I gasped when I was approved for this ARC and I continued to gasp until the very last page. I’m always skeptical of sequels, but Two Twisted Crowns was everything I wanted for Blunder. I loved the characters— the wit, growth, love, hatred, humor, determination, and everything in between. I enjoyed the balance between the fantasy, romance, action, and adventure. I thought that the relationships added to the plot lines, but weren’t the primary focus, which I greatly appreciated! I’m sad to say goodbye to Elspeth and the Shepard King, I hope that there’s future books in this world and magic (fingers crossed)!

I highly recommend this duology to those who enjoy darker fantasy, romance, and adventure! Thank you to Net Galley and Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions!

Starting off immediately where we left off our main characters in One Dark Window, Two Twisted Crowns bring the audience right back into Rachel Gillig's immersive world of rich, dark fantasy. With Elsbeth now trapped in the Nightmare's mind, we launch into an adventure to collect the final missing Providence card, the Twin Alders, and save the Kingdom from Mist once and for all.

This book is a brilliant follow up to Once Dark Window. Gililg has done something truly special in crafting this sequel. While the fist book read very much as a YA book in a fantasy setting, the second book truly transforms into full Fantasy book in with Young Adult characters. This shift is subtle, but potent. We trade gowns and ballrooms for offerings and mist. The humor has shifted, the weight of choice has shifted, the lore of the fantasy world has grown deeper. But in these shifts, nothing becomes overwrought or overcomplicated. The story remains tangible and engrossing to even the newest readers of fantasy, while fresh and unique to veterans of the genre. Much of this is in credit to the swap of a main character's mind, from a young woman to a 500 year old soul of a king. It was a brilliant choice of the author to add the darker tones with the arrival of the new driver at the helm. The interactions between Elsbeth and the Nightmare do decrease from book 1 to book 2, even more so with the new characters POVs we receive in this book, but they are still sharp, funny, and ultimately endearing. I deeply enjoyed my time in the cursed fairy-book world of Blunder.

Here I thought One Dark Window was the best book I’ve read in 2023, but now I can say Two Twisted Crowns is the icing on the cake. This duology is perfection, chefs kiss.

As the sequel to One Dark Window, Two Twisted Crowns continues on the journey to gather the twelve Providence Cards and lift the mist before Solstice.

This book is magical. It’ll have you gripping the edge of your seat, wanting revenge and balance. This book will pull at your heartstrings and leaving you wanting more.