This sequel to One Dark Window does the first installment proud and ups the ante significantly! I have no criticisms, as the story delivers perfectly on the promises given in book one. With the world and magic system established, this installment is able to focus on action, relationships, and backstory, keeping the reader turning pages. The pacing is perfect. The mood from book one is fully intact.

Beyond book one, this story delivers on themes I did not see coming. The Maiden card is such an intriguing concept as beauty gets subtly redefined as health and vitality. This subtlety is a signature style of Gillig's, as she sprinkles truths about balance, integrity, self-mastery, integration, and reconciliation throughout the story. As the plot progressed and came to its payoff, I was deeply satisfied with all the threads woven with such purpose. The characters are each so morally ambiguous, and I wondered how that could culminate in a satisfying moral conclusion. There is nothing so satisfying, as reading the evidence that the author made every choice with intention—everything from names, to setting, to cards, to contracts, and family connections integrate purposefully to a right and satisfying end. This is artistry. It's remarkable for a story to be so engaging, so achingly romantic, and also so clean narratively and technically.

I was surprised and delighted with the expansion of character work in this. The inversion of Elspeth/Shepherd King/Nightmare is clever and clean. I couldn't believe how balanced and right it felt that the Shepherd be more the front character in this installment. While I adored Elspeth and Ravyn in One Dark Window, I was incredibly intrigued by Elm. and even wondered about a possible love triangle in Two Twisted Crowns. Regardless, Elm's character development and arc far exceeded my expectations and predictions, and he is now my favorite character in this duology.

This story will stick with me, and while I reviewed One Dark Window with four stars earlier this year, Two Twisted Crowns easily makes this complete story a five-star set, and I will be recommending it to any fantasy reader, with a love for moody, mystical, haunted, gothic, or romantic stories of fate and balance and family and love. This is a masterpiece.

How to start, beyond speechless.
Amazing ending , terrific follow up. I couldn’t put this book down, the ups and downs keep me so hook. If the first one was good this was beyond. Rachel outdid herself. The story was so beautifully delivered, each chapter left me begging for more, each cliffhanger was chocking and addicting. All the characters were amazing, the development of each of them, the back stories . What can I said this series is definitely now into one of my favorite series, I’m obsessed 🤩.
I’m here for every single book she will write. 100 a fan!!!!!

○Thank you to Orbit books, Rachel Gillig, and Netgalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own○

An enchanting adventure. The plot continues with plenty of surprises, all wrapped in magic. I was immediately drawn back into the kingdom of Blunder and all of the characters that made this story special. The writing is hypnotic, full of lyrical delights, bringing out all the emotions.

The characters are written so beautifully. Multiple POVs, offering a wide range of depth that matched well with the plot. Elspeth and the Nightmare are quite the enigmatic pair. The contrast between the two was powerful—choices of the past, to righting wrongs in the present. Well done. Rayven, I loved from the start. He's an incredibly commanding character. His connection with Elspeth, loyalty to his family, and wanting a better future for Blunder made my heart sing.

Elm stole the show for me in this one. His character development is by far the most beautiful. All he's endured, yet he never let it swallow him whole. He's strong in all the ways that matter. The slow build up between Ione and him was perfect.

This story has plenty of challenging adventure, a unique magic system, surprising twists, and the power of choice. Easily one of my top reads this year.

What a beautifully intricately woven story from start to finish.
This second book was even better than the first in my opinion. It had me clutched in its claws from the first page, and I could not put it down. You could feel each individual characters development throughout the book.
I wish we had more time in the world of Blunder, but I plan on rereading this story over and over again. I will wait to share my favorite parts until release day so I don't spoil anything. Everyone will absolutely enjoy the conclusion of our favorite girl, and the king, and the monster they thought that they became.
Thank you Orbit for allowing be the pleasure and pure joy of reading this ARC!

Started it but had to DNF at 25% - unfortunately this one was not for me but I know this is a highly anticipated book for many!

When I sat down to start my ARC of One Dark Window last year, I never could have imagined that the wait for Two Twisted Crowns would feel as long as it has, but after the ending of the first book, it’s been an agonizing twelve months. But now it’s with me, and I devoured it in just two days - and the Shepherd King duology has come to a close.

This book series is one that has captured the reading community’s hearts, and for good reason. Every character feels so real. The romance kills me - Elspeth and Ravyn make my heart ache, and there’s a new romance in this sequel that turned me inside out - and there is so much depth to each of their lives and the way they are intertwined with one another. I love the emphasis on familial love in this series, on Ravyn, Jesper, and Emory’s relationship as siblings, but also on Elm and Ravyn and Ione and Elspeth’s as cousins, respectively. A lovely reminder that brothers and sisters can be ones you choose, too.

One thing about this book that made it my favorite of the duology was that Gillig chose to split points of view and develop our relationships as readers with characters we weren’t able to be inside the minds of in the first. Both Ravyn and Elm (Prince of Blunder) were given a POV chapter in this book - the first was written in first person, from Elspeth’s point of view - and being able to know them better made me love them even more than I already had. Elm particularly - he seemed like a posh prince in the first one, and a thorn in Elspeth’s side, but in this second one, my heart opened up for him. We learn more about his relationship with his family (spoiler: it’s not good) and he becomes more of a fully-formed human being.

And the Shepherd King - don’t even get me started about the Shepherd King. It feels wrong to refer to him simply as The Nightmare anymore.

I also felt that the finale to the main plot arc that was introduced in One Dark Window was rounded out so well. Were there a few moments where I thought to myself, “She definitely made this up as a way to cover up a plot hole”? Yeah, for sure. But did it work so well that I couldn’t even be mad about it? Yep! I was in awe of the way things came together in the end for them to reunite the full deck of Providence Cards - although, was it really the full deck? - and how she made Ravyn’s role in it all make sense in the end.

There aren’t many books about which I can confidently say that I like the sequel more than the first book, and that I could live inside of them forever, but I could truly, truly live in the world Rachel Gillig has built until the end of my days. This reading experience has made me so emotional - it’s been a long time since I’ve felt so attached to a group of characters that I feel both like I’ll have a hard time letting them go, and that I know they’re in a good enough place that I won’t have to worry about them any more. They’re not real, as much as I wish that they were, and their story - and my window into it - is over. Not to be dramatic, but I will spend the rest of my life missing them.

I don’t have the words to explain how perfect this book is.

It is brilliant. There were things I predicted, but I still didn’t predict anything correctly. It takes you on the most perfect journey — makes you fall in love with characters you were so mad at in the first book — keeps you guessing and (in my case literally) gasping out loud.

My new favorite adult fantasy. I’ll be thinking about the Shepherd King for a very long time.

20 FREAKING STARS. THIS IS A PERFECT BOOK. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.

This was 100% one of the best books I've read all year, and definitely one of the cleverest and most heart-wrenching sequels I've ever read. I will read anything Rachel Gillig writes. She was absolutely made to do this.

Also, Elm is mine. I loved him in the first book but now I am feral.

This was a great sequel to One Dark Window, which has been one of my favorite books of the year so far. I loved Gillig’s writing and the story she created was so unique, yet easy to follow and understand at the same time. I definitely look forward to more books by this author.

The way I devoured this next chapter of The Shepherd King duology. I have been anticipating this release since the moment I finished One Dark Window and it didn’t disappoint!

I loved getting to see the inner workings of Nightmare and really learning the full story of what happen to the Shepherd King.

I knew we’d hear more about Ione, Elm and Ravyn, but it was all even better than I imagined!

This world that Rachel Gillig has created is the perfect place to get lost in and it gives the perfect fall, spooky season vibes.

Thank you so much to Orbit Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Two twisted crowns by Rachel Gillig. The premise of this book is so unique to me and amazing. I really adore how this magic system works. This is something completely new. I’ve never seen anything like it written into a fantasy book. It’s amazing and , not to mention the nightmare is one of my favorite characters I just really appreciate him and Elspeths relationship. I really love how quirky the nightmare was as well with the back-and-forth between him and Ravyn it was really funny and added some lightheartedness to an otherwise dark book. Often times the second book is a bit lackluster but I find this one equal to the first book which I also found absolutely amazing truly something I don’t think that I will come across again in the future, I am also so happy that we got to explore Elms character so much more in this book, and got to know him and Iones love story they are so cute. Rachel Gillig’s writing is so eloquent and beautifulI I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future I just know it’s going to be amazing.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This fantasy duology is brilliant or truly original. I loved everything about it—the mythology, the settings, the characters, and yes, the wonderful writing. Like the author mentions in her acknowledgements, I’m sad to say goodbye to this fantastic universe, but I’ll be sure to check whatever Rachel Gillig writes next.

This book was perfection. A more perfect duology does not exist. I am so sad it’s over, but can’t wait to start again. That ending. These characters. Chef’s kiss.

Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Ever since I finished One Dark Window, I have been waiting and hoping that I would be approved for an ARC of Two Twisted Crowns. I am so glad that I was approved because this book lived up to my hopes and dreams. I can honestly say that no other series really compares to the depth and complexity of this series. Additionally, every aspect of this sequel made the characters come to life and there was never a dull moment. The only way to end this review: "The girl, the King... and the monster they became"

Where do I even begin? This book blew away all my expectations I had. I love how the story picked up right where we left off in the last book and set the tone for the entire book. Adding multiple POVs and a new romance added an extra element to this amazing series. What I loved with the character development and how the author touched on what makes us human. This duology is definitely in my top 3 favorite books I’ve read all year.

“Be wary. Be clever. Be good.”

Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for the arc! Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 and it was a heart wrenching and beautiful conclusion to the Shepherd King duology!

In Two Twisted Crowns we pick up right where we left off in One Dark Window. This is a perfect book for Autumn, gothic and chilling. This installment is a bit darker than One Dark Window, grim and gripping in its scenes. The action and violence of battle and survival were vivid, so make sure you’re checking your content warnings!

This book was unputdownable. I started and finished it in one sitting. Not only did we get to continue this journey with Elspbeth and Ravyn, but we also got POVs from other characters. Let me tell you the balance between them all was PERFECT. Not once was I disappointed when the chapter switched to a different character. I was so invested in everyone’s story. Two Twisted Crowns took the unique magic card system a step further, letting us see the good and evil in it all and how deeply it all truly ran. There was so much pain being harbored, but also healing and growth that made me feel so many emotions.

The chemistry and banter between these characters also had me squealing! For anyone wondering, we do get a little spice. I personally really love that incredible electric tension, that build up that is just so delicious!

Everything that happens only strengthened the plot and I found myself gasping at some of the details because you could tell the author had been planning it from the beginning. I loved how those details came full circle!

Overall the Shepherd King duology has a special place in my heart. This is definitely in my top reads of 2023! It was beautifully written and bittersweet. Rachel Gillig is an autobuy author and I can’t wait to read her next duology The Knight And The Moth!

Two Twisted Crowns was beautiful, poetic, and everything I hoped for and more!

I loved getting to see more of Ione, Elm, and of course the Nightmare. There was just enough Elspeth and Ravyn to keep me satisfied, while expanding the story in all the right ways. This was everything atmospheric, lyrical, and romantic I want in a fantasy novel. The perfect conclusion!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Gillig’s writing is so beautiful, I can confidently say she is one of the few authors who genuinely inspire me with her words.
The magic system in this duology was so unique and interesting, I wish it would have been a trilogy. It’s hard to make a sequel just as interesting as the first book, but this one did not disappoint.
My only critique for this book was I was surprised to see that it was a multiple pov book that focused on Elm and Ione. I have a hard time staying engaged in stories with multiple povs that don’t focus on one couple, and I was a bit thrown that the majority of the story seemed to revolve around this new couple when I was expecting the story to focus on Elspeth and Ravyn.
While I understand the reasoning behind Ravyn and Elspeth’s story taking a back seat, I can’t help but feel a bit sad over the lack of their romantic interactions.
However, despite the surprise of having a new couple introduced, I will say I fell in love with Elm and the author’s portrayal of his character so that took away the sting.
Regardless, I still loved this story and would read Rachel’s grocery list if she posted it.

Two Twisted Crowns was such a satisfying conclusion to The Shepherd King duology.

We still got Elspeth + Ravyn, but this book made room for the exploration of other storylines and development of additional characters that ultimately added so much to the story as a whole. Elm + Ione. The Shepherd King. I ate up every bit of their POVs, storylines and development. This gave the same dark, gothic setting that I loved in One Dark Window, but also had me laughing out loud at points.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for putting me out of my misery and granting me this ARC. It was everything I hoped it would be. In fact, the only thing I didn’t like about it, is that it’s finished. I’m going to miss this world and these characters so much!

Rachel Gillig, you’ve gained a loyal follower. You write it, I’ll read it, whatever it is!

My only regret about this duology is that it’s over. What an absolutely wonderful series! This second book was as creepy and intoxicating as the first. I love the character development. I’m also satisfied with the ending. The author did an incredible job with this, especially creating Sig h a memorable villain. Even if you’re not a fantasy fan, I would give this book a try. It’s not my go-to genre, but these books were just amazing! Thank you for the opportunity to read the sequel in advance!