Thank you Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC of Two Twisted Crowns!

A STUNNING conclusion to the One Dark Window duology full of action, romance, and immaculate world building. You follow Ravyn, Jespyr, Elm, and the rest of the gang as they fight to free Elspeth from the Shepard King's hold and continue their quest to unite the deck and free Blunder from the terrible mist. Along with way, you learn more about Blunder's dark past and the events that lead to the creation of the Providence Cards along with the Shepard King's (and his families) untimely death. It was amazing diving into the world and learning more about the history of this darkly magical place. A lot of questions about the Shepard King are answered and the true price he paid to forge the cards.

The plot of the book, while clearly laid out through the rhymes and riddles given to us by the Shepard King, was hugely unpredictable! I didn't see all of the twists coming and came to expect that if things were going too well.... that meant something BIG was about to happen. It kept me on the edge of my seat and rushing through the last 150 pages of the book so that I can finally have some peace of mind! Overall, this was such a fun read with one of the most unique magic systems I have read in a very long time! I cannot recommend this series enough!

Wow. I LOVED One Dark Window and some how this was even better?! Amazing. Please never stop writing, Rachel!

“Be wary, be clever, be good” as you read the continuation of The Shepherd King’s story. Be prepared to be thrust into the story of kings, maidens, family, friends, lovers, and nightmares. I did not want to leave the Kingdom of Blunder after finishing the first book and falling in love with our protagonists. Luckily, I received an ARC for TTC before I read ODW, so I did not have to wait long. I have been waiting for the sequel to come out before reading ODW. I finished both books in under four days. With each turn of the page, I was sucked further into the story. I was the nightmare, the girl, the princeling, and the beast unknown as the story unfolded. The book is a beautiful story of troubled, broken souls finding themselves and saving those they love. The only negative things I have to say are that the story was not longer and the series is only a duology. I have no doubt that the Kingdom of Blunder has many more stories to reveal that the mist has hidden. Hopefully once the mist clears there will be other citizens ready to share their stories with us.

*SPOILERS*
Oh. My. Gosh. I have hardly given any five stars to books I've read this year but both books in this duology have been 5 stars. I honestly would give more stars because I'm so blown away! The magic system in these books is so unique and fascinating!

I was not expecting the love story between Elm and Ione but WOW I absolutely loved their story! At first
I didn't think I would like the fact that the first book is just from Elspeth's POV but the second had multiple POV's, but I ended up loving it so much! Everything in these books had a purpose and there were no loose ends by the end. Rachel Gillig is so freaking genius I'm at a loss for words. I'm already feeling such a terrible book hangover and don't know how I will recover haha

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for this ARC so that I can give a review.

Two Twisted Crowns picked up right from where the first book ended and spiraled and twisted right until the ending. This was an exquisite sequel which explored more of this world and its history, making sense of many things. The conclusion was heart breaking and I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was first lent book one by a friend who had read it in a single setting. She shoved the book in my hands and pleaded with me to read it. I was entranced by the magic system and the idea of "the girl, the king, and the monster they became."

Unfortunately, the beginning of book two was immensely difficult to engage with. We shift between Elspeth, who is trapped in the deepest dregs of the Nightmare's mind, and Ravyn and Elm (both written in third person, a jarring and seemingly unnecessary change from Elpeth's first person viewpoints). I found that the characters of Ravyn and Elm were different than how I perceived them in book one. Admittedly, this is going to be the case when we get an inside look into any character, but for Elm especially it seemed too much. Both of them were anxious sad wrecks (rightly so), but none of their previous broodiness that made me fall in love with them came through.

And Elm's romance with Ione seemed completely out of the blue. Maybe I did not pick up on it in book one, or have forgotten about indicators since I finished reading, but so much time was spent on his feelings toward her I found myself dreading his chapters. They seemed very repetitive.

The second half of book two is where the story really shines. Ravyn, Jespyr and the Elspeth/the Nightmare leave for their quest for the last Providence Card. Elm is left alone at Stone with Ione and a dying Hauth, where he has to finally face the fact that he is now heir to the throne. Here is where we get a deep look into the characters and an evolving plot. Much of this half was written beautifully and I soared through it in several hours. Part one had taken me several days.

If I were to only rate the last few chapters in Elspeth and Taxus's perspective, it would be five stars no problem. Their finale was beautiful and perfect.

WOW! I absolutely loved this book! I am so sad that it was only two books because I am going to miss the characters. Elm's character specially because I just love his mind, he was so clever a true gentleman. The writing in this book is just so beautiful. I will FOREVER recommend this duology. I loved The Nightmare and how funny he can be, he definitely provided some comic relief. I love the new POVs, Ravyns interactions with the nightmare were funny but I felt for Ravyn.
Elspeth and Ravyns relationship is my favorite but it was nice to see a new romance. I continue to love the magic system in this duology. Its feels intricate but once you understand it, it's just so unique and beautiful.

I am forever a Rachel Gillig fan thanks to these books.

I am heartbroken that this is the conclusion to the duology. I finished this second book even faster than the first!

I was very curious how this book would pick up after the ending of the last. I was surprised and delighted. The first book was mainly in one POV and this book switches to multiple, which was artfully written. I fell in love with Elm much more in this book!

This story is heartbreaking, romantic, mysterious, and intriguing.

I really appreciated the increase in banter between characters (many of them!). It kept it funny or tense even during slower parts of the book.

A marvelous conclusion to the Shepard King series.

To say I was so excited to be picked to read this book early in exchange for an honest review is an understatement. Thank you Orbit Books and Rachel Gillig!

I finished this book just last night and I'm still reeling. It was full of excitement, adventure, romance, and that dark twisty fantasy element I love so much. The backstory we get and how it is all unraveled for us readers was beautifully written. I fell more in love with these characters than I thought I would and may even like this book more than the first. I also loved how we could still get some banter between Elspeth and The Nightmare, and The Nightmare and Ravyn. Out of the two, I think I enjoyed the latter more, which surprised me. There was this sense of a bond you got with their banter though and it made it enjoyable to read and at times made me laugh.

The last 150 pages had me on the edge of my seat, heart pumping, and full of adrenaline. It was a fitting end for this duology and while I'm sad it is over, the journey was one I will never forget. These books have stolen my heart.

I have been waiting for this sequel for a year. When I finished One Dark Window, I didn't want to wait for the next book. Rachel Gillig did it again. I cannot believe this duology is her debut.

The world of Blunder is so well thought out, and the magic system is clearly described. This book picks up right where book one left off. For the first time, we get Ravyn and Elm's POVs. They're walking a fine line to make sure Elspeth and Emory will survive their infections. All my questions left over from the first book were answered, and everything was wrapped up in a satisfying way.

Watching Ravyn and Elm grow is beautiful. Everything Ravyn does is in an attempt to save Elspeth. Everything Elm is doing is to stop his father. Both have to be careful in how they proceed. They can't show their hands too quickly to the king. Elspeth's father and uncle have been arrested for harboring someone who's been infected. Due to this, the king keeps Elm close to him and sends Ravyn into the woods to get the Twin Alders card. The king's goal is to be the Rowan King to unite the deck and save Blunder from the mist.

I finished reading a few hours ago and haven't fully processed everything I just read. Because I read this on my Kindle, I feel like I sped through the book and will re-read it as soon as I have a physical copy. I will continue to tell everyone I know to read this duology. I've already told everyone I know to read One Dark Window, and I'm glad this book meets the expectations from book one.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was a solid ending.

Now.. there were some things that I did have a few issues with. (Nothing too major) but let’s start with the good.

Things I liked:

I liked learning more about the Shepherd King. I liked seeing glimpses of his past and learning about the reasons why he became the monster and the Nightmare.

The secondary characters. I loved Jespr in this book. The love between siblings: her, Emory, and Ravyn. I loved the Yew family.

We also got a new POV, which I actually enjoyed with a new romance that I saw coming… there were subtle clues in One Dark Window that this ship would be happening.

Things I didn’t like:

While I did enjoy the new POV, it dragged a bit in the beginning. I can see why this POV was important; it made sense.

I can’t say too much without spoiling, but.. certain things didn’t get resolved until closer to the end.. and I just missed scenes between certain characters. Like I said, I could see why there weren’t many scenes.. but I wished we got more.

I also feel like this new romance kindof took over the book and I missed the magic of the first book. This reminded me too much of A Vow So Bold and Deadly that I was getting flashbacks.

I just with that we got more towards the end. I need more scenes with a certain couple that we all fell in love with in book 1, but we really didn’t…

I still enjoyed the book and highly recommend it! I devoured the last half because I needed to know how it would end.

Also.. I’m there’s a sort of twist towards the end that I did see coming. There are sooo many clues throughout this book and also foreshadowing from One Dark Window.. I found that to be so interesting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy for an exchange of an honest review.

Be wary. Be clever. Be good.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book and its character SO much, and yet I am going to have to give it four stars instead of five for how much it annoyed me. The pacing is similar to the first for me, slow starting but by the time you are halfway through you cannot put it down.

This book has three POVs, but for all intense and purposes, I am saying it is actually dual. There is almost no Elspeth in this book. I understand WHY, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy with it. Every chapter in the second half ended on a cliffhanger and switched POVs to the other character who was in a completely different but usually just as perilous predicament. The cliffhangers, short chapters, and abrupt POV changes felt overdone. My heart was already racing and so invested in the plot, I didn't need these additional ploys have me on the edge of my seat. Their excess instead had me debating skipping around chapters just to read one character's arc at a time.

The major focus in this second book is on Elm and Ione, with even Ravyn a POV character falling to the back burner for a lot of the book. I felt like Elm and Ione were a little too "love at first sight" but I can excuse this because of how much I ended up loving their story. I cannot, however, excuse the complete lack of Ravyn and Elspeth!!! Even the epilogue gave us nothing!!! I wish I had been more aware going into it that Ravyn and Elspeth's story/growth/strengthening of their relationship was the focus of the first book and would not be a theme in the second book. Compared to the first, there was very little thought given to the other side characters (Jespyr, Emory, Wik, Petyr, the Yew parents) as well which was another disappointment. Instead, the second book's focus was almost entirely on Elm and Ione. I think a lot of my disappointment and the subtraction of a star stems from this fact. There was such a great cast of characters, it was sad to not get a formal goodbye to any of them besides Elm and Ione.

Overall, I still love these books and would recommend this duology to everyone for a fun fall fantasy read. I cannot wait to pick up anything else Rachel Gillig writes!

One Dark Window was the book that got me started on bookstagram. Once I realized Two Twisted Crowns, the sequel, was up on NetGalley, I applied immediately. I waited what seemed like a lifetime in pending purgatory before I got accepted. Oh my word, was this story worth the effort and wait.

To say I’m blown away by Two Twisted Crowns is an understatement. I DEVOURED this novel in about 48 hours. I sneaked peeks while cleaning, making dinner, and even having conversations with other people 🤷‍♀️. I simply could not put it down.

Two Twisted Crowns picks up where One Dark Window left off. Elspeth finds herself trapped in her own body, but in the mind of the Shepherd King. Ravyn, Elm, and Jysper continue their mission to unite the deck and heal Emory and those who are infected and degenerating once and for all. However, that mission will not easily be completed. Elspeth has to fight against the mind of the Nightmare in order to be heard by Ravyn and those who dare to wield the nightmare card. Meanwhile, Elm and Ione must search Castle Stone in order to free her from the emotionless clutches of the missing Maiden Card. While all this is going on, the Shepherd King will lead Ravyn, Jespyr, and select Highway men and Destriers into the woods and mist in search of the long lost twin adler card. Will the group be able to outmaneuver the King of Blunder, navigate betrayal, barter with the Spirit of the Wood, and reunite the deck before Solstice? Or will they be lost to the mist, infection, and degeneration forevermore?

A few things pleasantly surprised me in Two Twisted Crowns. First, was the multiple points of view. I loved getting glimpses into Ravyn, Elm, and the Nightmare’s minds in addition to Elspeth’s. It gave me a much deeper understanding of each character’s motivations and why they made the choices they did. In short, this choice added so much more depth to the tale and I immensely appreciated this window into the characters’ minds.

The second pleasant surprise was how much I loved Elm and Ione’s storyline. Up until this point, I was a firm Ravyn and Elspeth supporter and was not interested in reading about any other couple. Within a few chapters, Rachel Gillig irrevocably changed my mind about that🤣. Guy, I was INVESTED in what happened to these two. I cheered them on and held my breath as they navigated the Providence Cards, Blunder’s politics, and each other. I can say with absolute honesty that I love them almost as much as Elspeth and Ravyn.

The last way I was pleasantly surprised was that I feel completely satisfied with how this duology ended. I won’t give away any spoilers, but the ending is so satisfying. I mean, if Rachel Gillig ever wants to revisit this story and add more, I’ll be first in line to read it. However, if she chooses to leave things as they are, I’m ok with that, which is rare for me as a reader.

I will absolutely be purchasing the Fairyloot special edition of Two Twisted Crowns once it goes on sale. I need a physical copy of this novel on my bookshelf so I can revisit these characters and this world again and again. Rachel Gillig has officially become an auto buy author for me❤️. I can’t wait to get my hands on her next novel!

In the pages, you will find:

🌲Magic
🌳Political maneuvering
🌲Romance
🌳A dangerous quest
🌲Betrayal
🌳Touch her and die
🌲Longing
🌳Complicated family dynamics
🌲I’d do anything to help you vibes
🌳An amazing conclusion to a fantastic duology.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Will you be picking up Two Twisted Crowns when it is released on October 19th? Let me know in the comments!

#Onedarkwindow #Twotwistedcrowns #rachelgillig #orbitbooks #bookstagrammer #readersofig #bookishlove #bookgram #bookpost #bookobsessed #booksofinsta #readingaddict #readingislife #allthebooks #readerslife #alwaysreading #instareader #bookloversunite #bookcommunity #bookhoarder #bookworm #bookreviews

I don’t even know where to even begin with this beautiful gothic fantasy romance. This dark fairytale-like adventure just had me enthralled and I was not able to put it down. I absolutely loved One Dark Window, and Two Twisted Crowns exceeded my expectations; it was my most anticipated book release of the year. The author paints a vivid picture of the characters emotions; guilt, envy, sadness, anger and love are all perfectly conveyed. Rachel did a wonderful job with creating a sinister gothic atmosphere, complimented by a unique magic system; it being set in a dark forest for most of the narrative, made it spooky enough to be perfect for Fall. Her blend of poetry combined with lyrical prose, wonderfully weaved together the story; while the clever conventions and incredible prose pull you in from the beginning in book one all the way through to book two, which starts where the readers left off. The character development through this is done beautifully; you can not help but get attached, feeling the emotions of all the characters. Elm and Ione were both a chefs kiss, and I did not see the plot line coming; Ione Hawthorns story blew me away. The twists and turns are gripping, the budding poetic romances are enchanting, and the use of nomenclature involving trees was brilliant. I did not want it to end, but Rachel wrapped it all up beautifully and I will forever think about this duology.

“Be wary. Be clever. Be good.”

Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC!

One Dark Window (book 1 of the series) was one of my favorite reads of 2023 and book 2 did NOT disappoint.

I love a good duology, mostly because I think they tend to have a tighter, less strung out storyline than a lot of series stretched to trilogies do. You can’t have “middle book syndrome” if there is no middle book. And the Shepherd King Duology is an expert example in that.

This series, and TTC in particular, is neat, witty, creative, and is not any longer or shorter than it needs to be.

TTC picks up right where ODW leaves us. It lets us see more character development from the broader cast and learn more about how the cards work. Which by the way - this Magic system is one of my favorites. It’s so unique and thoughtful.

All in all - TTC is an excellent read. Make sure you have it on your TBR for its release on 10/19/2023. You won’t regret it 🃏

#Netgalley #TWINALDERS

I am NOT OK. I do not know if I am going to find a book that was better than this one. It was FANTASTIC and a perfect end to this duology. I was so excited to read it after One Dark Window and I was not disappointed at all.

We pick back up immediately after the events of One Dark Window. Ravyn has made a deal with the Shepherd King to secure The Twin Alders at any cost and get Elsbeth back. Elm is trapped in the castle as the death of Hauth is imminent and the King demands that Elm be made his heir and pick a wife. Ione too is trapped in this web of courtly lies and politics and she and Elm must work together to find something she lost. The stakes are so much higher as the solstice draws near.

This book is action packed from start to finish. Interwoven into all of this is the tragic past of the Shepherd King and what led him to create all of the providence cards and the eventual ruin of his dynasty. We get so many answers and it’s done in such a way that you cannot put it down. I loved it so much. The last half of the book had me on the edge of my seat and I was so anxious for everyone. I laughed, I cried, I may never get over this book.

One Dark Window was one of my favorite books of 2022, and I’ve been dying in anticipation of Two Twisted Crowns. I can honestly say it surpassed every expectation, hope and wish that I had and was the perfect conclusion to this duology. I'd give this book a million stars if I could.

Ravyn and Elm’s points of view were devastating and clever. I adored Elm in ODW for all his reticence and quips and mistrust - he heard “be wary, be clever, be good” and took it to heart. I spent this whole book yelling to protect him at costs. His story line with Ione was heartbreaking and incredible and the banter was immaculate.

And Ravyn. Ravyn Yew. He’s lived rent free in my mind since I picked up ODW and seeing the world and this story from his perspective leads me to believe he will for the rest of eternity. I could write essays on the themes of pain and control and freedom, and the way Elm and Ravyn are opposite sides of that coin.

The backstory of the Nightmare and of Blunder was beautifully woven into the very urgent events of our friends racing to unite the providence cards and destroy them and the mist. The Nightmare remained infuriatingly sassy, and seeing the nature of his relationship with Elspeth change and the way she came to understand him was everything. So was her yelling at him when he got snippy in a way she didn’t appreciate.

Two Twisted Crowns hit the ground running, full of tension and urgency and desperation, and kept it up the whole way while still managing to have funny, tender and wholly romantic moments. This book made me laugh and cry and scream and lay on the floor just staring into the void. I can’t wait to reread it again and again and again.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for this e-arc!!

I have no words! This book took my breathe away. I found I enjoyed this book more than I did the first one.

I honestly did not know if I wanted to love or hate the Nightmare most of the time.

I also loved that while we still get POV's from Elspeth and Rayvn, we also get POVs from Elm. I fell so hard for Elm and his story! This book had moments of suspense and moments that just ripped my heart out. These characters all go through so much through both books and they just keep getting kicked back down. At one point I didn't see how they could make it through.

The only complaint I had about this book is I wish we had more Elspeth and Rayvn moments but since the Nightmare was in the drivers seat, that just wasn't possible. However, to make up for it the author gave us Elm and Ione moments that were do die for.

This duology is a must read and one I will be recommending to others!

I'm so, so thankful to have received this ARC.

It was incredible. I love good banter, it's hard to get it right, especially when the MC literally has something living in her own head, but of course it was top notch and as witty as ever. I laughed quite a bit in this book! Of course, the world building, and the clever use of those cards is just spectacular.

I was worried that with only one book left, it might be tough to wrap it up, but it all came full circle with the exception of one thing... I wish we got to see the Shepard Kings reaction to seeing his kids again, especially Tilly, who waited for him a long time. Oh, there were still tears plenty of tears shed with Elspeth and Taxus's parting, and I still loved it. However, if there were ever a random bonus chapter in the near future, Taxus reuniting with his wife, kids, and sister would be so sweet. Despite that though, I still felt it was wrapped up nicely! I loved this book so much, can't wait to get my hands on the physical copy! Well done, Rachel! Can't wait to read the next adventure you take us on.

P.S. This is my 1st ARC EVER so I'm not sure if I'm doing this right, but I did already post on goodreads...5 star!

I loved this book so incredibly much. I’m DEVASTATED its all over. I fell in love with One Dark Window. It was gothic, unique, creative, and utterly captivating. Two Twisted Crowns was the perfect companion. It held all the same traits I loved about ODW, but had more. More steaminess, more twists, more surprises. I cannot describe how utterly devastated I am to know I will not be returning to Blunder ever again.