Red and Eammon stopped the Five Kings from escaping the Shadowlands, but at the expense of Neverah. Red’s older twin and Valleyda’s Queen, Neverah, was pulled into the Shadowlands, the home of the Old Ones, with Solmir, the renegade King. She learns that the Shadowlands become more unstable as the Old Ones die, and if the Five Kings can absorb the Old Ones’ magic when they do, they can return to the world again. Solmir and Neve must stop them and absorb the magic first. But can Neve trust Solmir? He is one of the Five Kings, even if he has rebelled against them, and took the appearance of Neve’s betrothed to manipulate her. Everything Neve knows about him tells her he will betray her, but he is the only help she’s got if she wants to stop the Five Kings and return to Red and Valleyda.
For the Throne is the final book in Hannah Whitten’s duology and picks up where For the Wolf left off with Neve waking in a glass coffin with Solmir standing over her. Definitely not the prince she was hoping for. While the story does return to the other characters in Valleyda and Wilderwood, we focus on Neve’s development, and she is a fantastic character. She is tough, uncompromising and driven. I love her hard edges and prickly nature, and as the story progresses, Neve embraces those parts of her making her a formidable woman.
As with For the Wolf, Whitten has taken familiar fairy tales and turned them on their heads, giving the female characters more agency. For the Throne puts sisterly love centre stage as Red and Neve are both focused on reuniting at all costs. While there is plenty of romance, Red and Neve’s relationship is the most important to the characters and ultimate victory. This balance is essential as it did feel like all the characters were coupling up, which not everyone will appreciate, but I didn’t mind it. Sometimes, when there are many couplings in a novel, it can feel forced to create a happy ending. However, Whitten is skilful at crafting beautiful relationships, carefully pacing them, so the end result is natural and satisfying.
The pacing is solid throughout. The main focus is on Neve, but Red is still important, and the chapters weave between the sisters demonstrating how Neve’s actions in the Shadowlands impact Wilderwood and vice versa. This ups the pace at the end, making it impossible to put down.
For the Throne is an action-packed finale to this duology with emotional twists and turns that will leave you breathless. I broke my rule of ‘no review books’ on holiday to read this, and I couldn’t put it down. I can’t give it much higher praise than that. Highly recommended.

A dark forest, cursed Kings, shadow worlds, thorns, and Queens, what's not to like?

Well, actually, I'll start with the negative aspects for me, this is all subjective, and none of these stopped me enjoying the reading experience, but...

The first is a bit of a pet peeve of mine as well as a spoiler so
<spoiler>I like enemies to lovers and morally grey tropes, but I do have to suspend my disbelief a bit when morally grey in fantasy means murder, manipulation, and downright reprehensible things that get ignored because - they meant well? And it's not as if Solmir meant well for others' sake, his motives were still for himself alone, not the good of the world. And he would have killed Red if she had stood in his way, so the sisterly bond that eclipses everything, doesn't matter in that regard, because Solmir is hot? I dunno, while I like the feeling of romance building in the book, that it should be him after what he did, just because he shows some sensitivity occasionally, and bare chest didn't sit right for me personally.</spoiler>

I found Raffe's POV frustrating, as Neve's was in For the Wolf, his relationship arc was also frustrating, <spoiler> he had every reason not to trust the person, whose name I don't actually remember, but did anyway, and fell for her because she's little and beautiful apparently. </spoiler>

The most intriguing relationship, for me, is between Fife and Lyra, their story is one of the most interesting, and we only get a fragment of it as they are very much side characters with nothing to really add to the plot, I would have preferred it if we'd had Fife's POV instead of Raffe's, because Fife bridged the world between Red and Raffe, and could tell us what we needed to know about Raffe's difficulties, while also exploring his bargain and the relationship with Lyra.

Some of the plot points, such as reasons behind things were either convenient or glossed over, e.g. Neve making the choice to stay and 'finish it' without the 'it' really being explained, she doesn't know the stakes, or what would happen if left as it is, but <spoiler>chooses to give up her home and sister anyway? </spoiler>

The third child riddle, and the red apple, was interesting, until the end, when the answer seemed very convenient and anti-climactic, possibly because I had barely remembered the character it represented. I'm guessing this was to be a twist so it didn't turn out to be either of the other 'third child' options, but I can't help thinking it would have been better if it had, the blood queen part didn't really play out.

I didn't remember much beyond the Red and Eamonn story from the first book, so that might be why I found some of the elements, such as The Kings and Solmir's relationship with them, confusing, I still don't really get why he was one of the five, or whether he inherited from a brother, uncle, or mother, that might become clear with a re-read, but I think a bit of re-cap or focus might have helped with that. His mother was the third child of a king, I think, and he mentions two brothers, and also mentions an uncle, anyway it was hard to picture exactly how he came to be one of the five.

The ending was super convenient, and the fact that it could happen that way at all was not established prior to that, in fact, to me, it contradicted the rest of the book. Neve ends up losing something she and Solmir had both fought to keep throughout the whole of their story, with no consequence at all, because happy ending reasons? And as to what Red and Neve bring back with them (trying to be spoiler-free), that was super strange for a duology, because what they brought back had not been a central part of the story, had pretty much forgotten about because it wasn't interesting, and was not interesting in the end either, having no role in the story anymore.
<spoiler>Also...amnesia, really? The most convenient of conveniences.</spoiler>

So why 4 stars?

I love love love the way Hannah Whitten creates atmosphere, I love the Wilderwood and the Shadowlands, the suspense, and the darkness! I really liked the various mysteries, the prophecy plot point, who to trust and who not to, and I thought the pacing was great. I hadn't realised it was a duology until it ended, but it felt right that it was, a third book now will have to tell a different story, and I'd be up for that.

I also really liked how I wasn't bothered about Neve and her storyline at all in the first book, but in this book, she became really relatable to me, and, while I actually don't tend to love the 'sisterly bond' trope, which has been overdone so much recently, in this book, Neve and the relationship between the two sisters and how that influences their actions was done so well, it was my favourite aspect of the book. I loved how the past and how it related to where they had got to in this story was connected and explained, it made their characters and relationship feel like it had a lot of depth and history.

Speaking of history, the sense of the past in the world Hannah Whitten created was well done as well, the feeling of ancient religions and forces at play, as well as the origins of the Wilderwood and the people on it's borders is really well woven into the story. It makes me want to read more of this world and the people in it. I'd love a nice map too though!

For me the positives outweighed the elements that didn't sit right, so yep, four stars from me, I'd definitely still recommend it, especially for a gothic-y autumn read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

For the Throne picks up right where For the Wolf left off.
Having read them back to back to give this review, I could follow along with the second in the duology. However, with very little recap on what happened in the first in the series, it can become a little harder for people who might not recall every event and detail from it.

I'd been so excited to continue the story but throughout the book, I began having more mixed feelings than I'd expected.

For the Throne continues with the same beautiful, alluring dark atmosphere that drew me into this series, beginning with the gorgeous cover. It's a tale of two sisters and while there are a lot of things beyond their control, the choices they make are entwined with their bond. Their journeys mirror one another and I loved the parallels between the two.

The worldbuilding was something that caused said mixed feelings. The Shadowlands seemed like such an interesting, eerie, place and I wished we got to know more about it, not just bits to further the plot.

While Book One focused on Neve and the Wilderwood, For the Throne splits its POVs in three. A little change I wasn't too bothered by. This way we get the viewpoints from both the sisters, as in just Red. The development of these characters and their relationships, a good pinch of enemies-to-lovers, and my new favorite, the exploration of Solimir's character. A complex morally grey character.
Overall, a lot of things in this book could have been stronger to make it fantastic, but it wasn't a disappointing read. If you enjoyed book one I’d recommend picking this one up, just reread the first in the series before continuing!

I have been waiting for For the Throne since waiting for For the Wolf. I loved being back in the Wilderwood world and what an amazing end to the duology. Really enjoyed reading from Neve's POV but liked the other POVs as well. Can't wait to see what is next for Whitten.

This sequel provided an excellent ending to the duology. Existing characters were developed further and new ones felt like they had always been there. The atmosphere was somehow darker than in the first book and that just made the story more powerful. It did take me over half of the book to become as invested as I was in For The Wolf but I did grow to care for people I originally rather disliked.

Thank you to the publisher Orbit and to NetGalley for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

For The Throne is an incredible ending for the Wilderwood duology and an amazing story all on its own from Hannah Whitten. This book is Neve's story, compared to the first book which was focused on her sister Red, and I adored every minute of it. In the first book I didn't love the interludes to Neve, finding them a little jarring, but here Neve quickly became my favourite of the sisters- she is the darker of the two and so well written, especially when you consider how the events of the first book affected her. Her enemies to lovers relationship with Solmir was excellent as neither of them sought redemption for the things they'd done but came to terms with it. I loved their ending, it fit perfectly for their characters, even as it was bittersweet.

I'm so glad I picked up these books, both for the world building and magic systems, but also for the theme of unbreakable sisterhood that ran throughout. Red and Neve, and the other characters, will stay with me for a long time.

For the Throne is the sequel to the dark fantasy For the Wolf and without giving spoilers of both books (get ready for some spoiler gymnastics) the second book picks up exactly where book one ends.

If book one was Redarys’ story then book two is definitely Neve’s. We follow her journey through *redacted* and watch her fulfil her destiny to become *redacted*.

For me book two is WAY more romance than book one and despite the two simultaneous quests that kind of turned me off it. A lot of coupling up and not a lot of story for them otherwise.

The story moves pretty slowly throughout the first 50% of the book, people are either travelling or shrugging and saying ‘I don’t know what to do now’. But the final 50% manages to get some good fights in, despite the ending feeling a little contrived.

Overall I liked it, and maybe with a reread I would like it more but I just found myself trying to get through it in places rather than wanting to get through it.

If you like strong sister relationships, angst and pining, some badass scenes, pina coladas and getting caught in the rain, then this book is for you!

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for my advanced readers copy.

‘For the throne’, is the sequel to the dark tale ‘For the wolf’. In the second book, the author wanted to give the story of the first daughter, and narrate it from her perspective, in contrast with the first book that we read the tale of the second daughter.

This one is darker and more twisted and really based on the psychological anguish that the MC goes through to save the world and herself. We do see the characters from the first book and it’s so good to learn how Red and Eammon continue their story!

I really liked the storyline and also the magic and religious system of the book. They all add a dramatic effect to the events and submerges the reader in the tale.

The ending was predictable to be honest, but I enjoyed it regardless.
If you’re up for a modern tale, look no further!

For The Throne is the second book in Hannah Witten's Wilderwood duology , and I strongly advise people to read the first book, For The Wolf, before picking up this one, as it does not work as a read alone, you definitely need the world building and character development from the first book to get the most from this one.
While we do spend some time with Red and Eammon ( the central characters of For The Wolf) the central focus of this book is on Neve, Red's twin sister, and Solmir , one of the fabled Five Kings that lie at the heart of the magical conflict that drives the book. The bulk of the book is set in the dark and mysterious Shadowlands, and I enjoyed the creepiness evoked by the author's descriptions, and the darker tone and more complex storytelling when compared to the first book appealed to me. However I struggled at first with connecting to either of the main characters, so there were times when picking up the book was a bit of a struggle.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and it did not disappoint. It starts straight after the events from For the Wolf so you definitely need to read book one first (and Id even suggest rereading it if its been awhile) In For The Throne we primarily follow Neve the older twin of Red(from bk1) and through her we get to experiance the Shadowlands. The world the author has created is at once intriguing and creepy. There are sentient woods, fallen gods and monstreous beings. But when monsters can be kind and gods are cruel its not always clear who Neve can trust. I loved the magic in this world and how the use of it came with a price, and both sisters find themselves paying in ways they dont expect. We explore alot of grey morality in this book as both Neve and Solmir have done terrible things in their past, and watch both struggling to come to terms with it. Both their journey to accepting this and learning to grow from it made them two of my favourite characters. Which is a testament to Whitten's amazing writing as after the events of book 1 I wasnt a fan of either! But by being able to delve into their motivations behind what they did, it made it easier to understand them and see their willingness to change as genuine. Also the uneasy truce Neve forms with Solmir creates a tension that fans of slow burn enemies to lovers will appreciate!
There were three main story arcs in this book that introduced new characters and helped expand the world. Making the plot in this book more complex and I loved how it all came together in the end. This begins as a story of the bonds between sisters, and the extent they would go to to save each other. But it grows into more, its an exploration into grey morality, how sometimes bad decisions are made not out of wickedness but from a desire to do the right thing as we preceive it. This was a complex atmospheric read, with a nod to the darker side of fairy/folktales and I lapped it up. Its a must for fans of The Wolf and the Woodsman/ Uprooted / Gallant and any who like their fairytales with a bite.

3.5–4 stars

A satisfying conclusion to the Wilderwood series

For the Throne starts directly where For the Wolf ended and follows Neve as she navigates the Shadowlands and tries to return home.

From what we were introduced to in For the Wolf, Neve was a much more complex and compelling character, and this made her characterisation appealing and engaging in For the Throne. The worldbuilding was fantastic and I adored the atmospheric and vivid world, the darker and more eerie Shadowlands that was crafted, as well as the way the symbolism was portrayed with the world and how the settings are as intertwined as the sisters. The scope of the Shadowlands made this setting intriguing and the quests creepy but enjoyable. I was also able to gain a better sense of the worldbuilding because there was more explained and explored, especially with regards to the intricate magic system. Neve and Solmir’s relationship was a highlight; their banter as well as their deeper discussions on power, villainy, good vs evil and souls were gratifying.

There were moments when I found myself not as consumed by Red’s and Raffe’s chapters because, at times, they were repetitive and felt as if it was filler rather than moving the story forward. There were also some conveniences made at the end.

However, at the heart of the book is Neve and Red’s love and devotion to each other, which continued to be a strength in this concluding part of this duology.

Overall, The Wilderwood series is an entertaining and engaging debut series and I look forward to reading Hannah Whitten’s next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orion for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh how I wish I loved this as much as For the Wolf! It's not bad or anything, it just didn't live up to the first book.

It starts right where the former ended, so you might want to reread it before diving into this one, just in case. I didn't reread and it took me a few scenes to remember who was who outside of the main cast.

The writing is just as good as before and I have no complaints there. And I also got my wish for more Neve interludes, but not in the way I thought since the whole book is from her PoV and I liked her a lot less than Red.

I'd like to say that she grew on me a bit while reading For the Throne, but not until the last 20% or so. Up until then I was just going along with the vibes, and waiting to get back to Red.

But I did like the romance, and Solmir is even better than Eammon in some ways (who would've thought?). I'm not huge on their particular ending, I would've wanted something similar to Red and Eammon for them, but as long as they're together it's okay.

And this book had a lot more going for it, adventure wise. I enjoyed those parts, but they did feel dragged out on occasion.

All in all, yeah it could've been better, but I'm happy I read it and finished this series. I'll definitely be checking out whatever Hannah Whitten puts out next.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I adored For The Wolf, so, even though it was only a year, it seemed like a long wait for the sequel, For The Throne, but it was worth it. To be honest, I wasn’t a big fan of Neve in the first book, but I liked how she developed in the sequel and I loved how the story ended for both her and for Red.

In the first book, Neve would do anything to save her sister from the Wolf and the Wilderwoods. In the sequel, it’s Red’s turn to save her sister, but does Neve need to be saved?

Even though the story focuses mostly on Neve’s journey, it is told from three different points of views. Neve is in the Shadowlands, an inverted kingdom, and she needs to stop the gods and the kings from regaining power and return to the real world. Her only help is Solmir, one of the Old Kings, and the man who betrayed her and entrapped in the Shadowlands. She wishes she could stay away from him, but they have the same goal, and is he really the cruel king she thinks him to be?

“It’s an upside-down world filled with monsters that are terrible and gods that are worse”

The other point of view is Red. She and her husband Eammon, the Wolf, have now become the Wilderwoods and Red is ready to do anything to save her sister from the Shadowlands.

“The Wilderwood had lived in him so much longer than it’s lived in her. Her own relationship to the forest they anchored was a mostly amiable one, wrong forgiven. Eammon’s was more complicated, and she still didn’t quite know how to ask him about it. If he’d even the words to answer if she did.”

And then there is Raffe. In love with Neve, even though he’s always known that they couldn’t be together, he teams up with Red to save her from the Shadowlands.

I loved For The Throne. The world-building is intricate and interesting, the magic is intriguing, the characters are brilliant and well-developed. Red and Eammon are adorable, while Neve and Solmir have an enemies-to-lovers relationship full of chemistry that kept me glued to the pages. The relationship between the two sisters is complex and central to the story. Their love for each other is stronger than everything else and they would do anything to protect each other.

For The Throne is the perfect and satisfying ending to this duology. Dark, gripping, and addictive, I enjoyed every page of it!

My students really enjoyed the first book in this duology and I know they will love Book 2 just as much. A really enjoyable read but do be aware of trigger warnings for potentially upsetting content throughout.

The First Daughter is For The Throne. The Second Daughter Has Become The Wolf’s.

Synopsis: Neve and Red have made sacrifices. Now they must make choices, choices that could end in blood and darkness…

CW/TW: Death/Self-mutilation/self-harm, for magic purposes mentioned/Blood/Violence/Talk of forced marriage/Others may be present.

Rep: Bisexual, Aro and Ace rep all alluded too (though terms are not explicitly used).

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
4.5 Stars

For The Throne is a sequel, and conclusion, to For The Wolf (See my review for Wilderwood book 1 here -> Book Review: For The Wolf (Wilderwood #1), by Hannah Whitten)

Thus, this review may contain spoilers for Book 1 In the series.

For The Throne, by Hannah Whitten is just a beautiful and vivid as For The Wolf. Whitten truly has gorgeous and captivating prose that is rich and descriptive, capturing the full extent and beauty or horror of using magic, of the Wilderwood and of the Shadowlands. Again, Whitten manages to strike the perfect balance between beauty and horror and this is maintained throughout the entire book. Overall, Whitten’s prose is truly a pleasure to read, it captures the attention and conjures up detailed settings and scenes.

Where book 1 is focused primarily around Red, book 2 draws more focus on Neve. The story is told from the perspectives of Red and Neve, though this time we get a lot more of Neve’s POV. We also get Raffe’s POV dotted throughout, adding to our understanding of the story. The multiple POV worked really well with this book, particularly as Neve is trapped in the Shadowlands and Red is still on the surface as the Wilderwood. I really loved all three POV’s and was so happy to get more of Neve as well!! I wanted more Neve in book 1, and book 2 delivers on this wish!

The book picks up right where book 1 left off, Neve is in the Shadowlands with Solmir, Red and Eamonn have become the Wilderwood, a new bargain has been struck and trouble still looms. I really enjoyed the plot of this book, the idea of fate but one still dependent on choices made, the ides of duality that play across the novel, and the ideas of love that permeate the story. We follow Neve as she tries to escape the Shadowlands (and Solmir’s company) while deciding how to destroy the Kings, and we follow Red as she tries to save Neve from the dark. Both journeys are intriguing and full of twists and turns that keep you captivated. I loved both characters journey in this book and how it built on and developed their personalities we had grown to know and love throughout book 1.

Aside from Red and Neve, we also get to see much more of Solmir, Eammon, and Raffe. Each of them have their own motives and goals too, Raffe to save Neve and keep things calm, Eammon to protect Red, and Solmir who keeps his motives close to his chest. I loved seeing all three of these characters play their parts in the story and through them we also get to see more of Fife and Lyra, Kiri, and a new character called Kayu! Everyone has a part to play in Red and Neve’s respective journey’s and it was fascinating watching they all came together.

Another beautiful and captivating element of this book is the magic. Much like in book one, Whitten crafts a fine line between beauty and horror in her magic, and develops a delightful duality that we began to see unfold in book one. The WIlderwood magic is different now, but no less beautiful and determined. But, we get to see a lot more of the shadow magic in this book too! I loved being in the Shadowlands with Neve, learning about the shadow magic, how it works and the monstrous nature it seems to have. The magic is truly a gorgeous element of this series and it is so compelling.

The other major aspect this book tackles is love, and not just the romantic kind. We do get romantic love between Eammon and Red, but we also get sisterly love between Red and Neve (which was beautifully explored), we also touch slightly again on the kind of love between Fife and Lyra. Love comes into play between more characters as well, and helps shape the puzzle that is shifting into place as the story progresses.

There are so many threads that run through this book, different plot elements of destroying the Kings, the prophecy of the Daughters, the Wilderwood and the Shadowlands, the love and relationships between the characters, the choices they all make, and the bargains struck. Everything perfectly weaves together to create a beautiful and compelling story.

Overall, For The Throne, by Hannah Whitten is a beautiful sequel and conclusion to For The Wolf. The magic, the world, the story, the characters, and the love and choices, made all tie perfectly together to create an excellent story.

*I received an eARC via Netgalley from Orbitbooks in exchange for an honest review – thank you!*

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I wanted to like this much more than I actually did. Two sisters on opposing sides, magic, a mysterious villain-turned-crush... it's all up my street. But for some reason I just couldn't get into it. Maybe it needed a bit of editing (at nearly 500 pages, it's a bit of a slog) but it also felt a lot like Whitten was rehashing elements of the first novel without really developing much more, in terms of plot or character. The ending was also very convenient! I'd perhaps like to see Whitten write something a bit lighter.

If you saw my review of For The Wolf last year you'll know I was a big fan, so I went into this sequel For The Throne with high expectations.
Unfortunately I also had many gaps in my memory- good old sieve brain- so it took me a little while to recall the side characters, I often wish fantasy novels would include short recaps of previous titles for airheads like myself. I struggled at times to keep track of the Kings, Gods and Royals and they're varying motives.

However, it didn't take long to remember how wonderful Whitten's world building is. Both Valleydan and the Wilderwood were immediately familiar and for the sequel we now have a whole new plane to explore in the underworld.
I thought show vs tell was perfectly balanced, Whitten sets each scene with enough detail to conjure precise imagery with no unnecessary purple prose to slow the action.

From third person perspective we continue the journey with the two sisters trying to reach eachother; Neverah now trapped in the Shadowlands and Redarys in her Wilderwood. Opposite places, opposing magics and two very different companions keep the plot pacing swift as Whitten effortlessly switches between both.
To remind us of the Kingdom at stake we now also have chapters focused on Raffe whilst he tries to hide the truth of the throne's vulnerability from visiting cousin, Princess Kayu.

I challenge anyone to not be entirely taken in by the bond between these two sisters. Whitten writes powerful emotion in all of her characters, as adverse to romance as I usually am, the relationships in For The Throne are well nurtured and impossible not to love.

As in the previous novel For The Throne the sisters battle against their destinies to save one another from ancient prophecy and destroy the evil Kings one and for all.

A fantastic duology comes to a perfect close, I look forward to Whitten's next story.

A great follow up to For the Wolf. While reading the first book, I really enjoyed the interludes that featured Neve, so I was excited that the second book was going to focus on her. Well, every expectation was reached. If I were to critique anything, it would be that some parts felt slow compared to others, making the pacing feel a little wonky. Other than that, I thought it was a great book and a nice ending to the series. Certainly looking forward to more of the author's work.

After reading For the Wolf last year, I was excited to pick up the second in this duology. Sadly, although I did thoroughly enjoy it, I didn't love it as much as the first book but that is down to me and my preferences.

Without giving too much away, this follows on from where the first book ended and much of the action takes place in the shadowlands, as opposed to the Wilderwood where the first book was mainly set. Again we have Red and Neve and their POVs and we follow all the different emotions they go through, the difficult decisions they have to make. This, for me was a slow burn and it was only towards the end that the action came alive. Again we have a love-hate relationship and it was this that stopped it being a five star. The love hate, the tension that was in the first book I thought was lacking here. I wasn't as invested in this relatioship as I was for the couple in first book.

However, again we have magic, monsters, love, hate, - and sex. And everything ties up nicely at the end. An excellent sequel.

This is a beautiful book. I didn't expect I'd love this as much as I did, 'cause I don't usually read Fantasy.
This was such a fun ride.
I can't wait for the author's upcoming ones.