I loved this book.

A brilliant sequal that will join the short list of sequels that are possibly better than the original.
The gothic vibes and very well thought out magic system are written beautifully with Giligs descriptive writing style with great action sequences and characters.

This duology should be over tiktok way more than it is and I hope that it and Gilig will get the recognition it deserves.

I absolutely loved and binged One Dark Window. So of course, I was extremely excited when I got a copy of this book.
It was everything I hoped it would be. I won't say too much because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but considering book 1's ending, I was scared about this one and didn't know how the author would go about the story. Well, she did a wonderful job. It was amazing to get some of the other's characters insights on this story.
The character development is on point, like in the first book. It was amazing following everyone's journey.
The worldbuilding and lore *chef's kiss*
Seriously, I'll recommend this duology to any fantasy lover! It's a very unique world, and the pacing can be slow at times, but when you're in the mood for it, it's a total banger!

Thank you NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group UK and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Two Twisted Crowns is the sequel to One Dark Window and it was everything I had hoped it would be and more! It's the perfect example of how a sequel should be written and I personally think it was even better than the first book.

This duology is filled with eerie, gothic vibes; features a unique magic system involving cards; and has intense, action-packed plots throughout. Not to mention Rachel Gillig's perfectly descriptive writing!

I absolutely FLEW through this book. No time was wasted when getting into the main plot which I really appreciated, the pacing was fast, and every chapter ended in either a cliffhanger or general suspenseful moment that meant I physically couldn't put it down. To say it was addictive would be an understatement... so I ended up reading the entire book in a day.

Everything I liked about the first book was in this but amplified.. Suspense? Definitely more of that. Romance? Yes and the chemistry was amazing. Tension? Even more! Different POVS? Two more. World building? Yes, you get to learn so much more about the world/magic system! I honestly couldn't get enough.

Certain elements may have lacked depth but not enough that it heavily affected my experience or rating, so I gave it 4.8 stars (rounded up)!

I adored One Dark Window and this conclusion to the duology did not disappoint. Gillig has produced a captivating and immersive gem, which further builds on both the lore and magic, as well as stunning character development. Instantly re-readable, I'd highly recommend to any fans of romantascy.

Ok so i am very conflicted of this.
I liked the first book and it was not even that long ago after I‘ve read it, that I got the ARC approved. I have to say though, that I did not remember anything of the first book. So it was hard for me to pick up the sequel and read it more than two pages a day. And at one point I had no desire to read it anymore.
I might pick it up again after rereading the first book (uncertain of this), but until that point I dnf this at 44%.
It was fun and I liked the more focus on the side characters, but overall I had no motivation to pick it up after putting it down everytime.
I really do want to know the ending though, because I can not predict if this will even have a happy ending.
Until then this will be on goodreads in my on hold folder.
At 44% this is currently a tree star read although I do think that the rating will change once I reread the first book and finish this book afterwards.

Rating: 4/5

I loved loved loved One Dark Window and was SO excited to receive an e-arc of this one!
It started off strong and the storyline progressed really well, kept me hooked all the way through.

I liked how there were two interconnected storylines going on at the same time, but it wasn’t confusing to read and I was hooked to both!!
Overall, I enjoyed it and thought it was a great end to the story!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was a satisfactory conclusion to the duology. The expansion of the narrative, while necessary given the situation with Elspeth, took a bit of getting used to, but getting more POVs is never a bad thing in my book. However, I think I would have liked to see Ione's direct perspective more than constantly having her seen through Elm. The narrative did take a bit of plowing through at times but wrapped everything up nicely at the end,

I knew after reading book 1 this was going to be an instant all time fave. Rachel Gillig deserves all the hype because she is incredible at writing that sucks you in and won’t let you go!! I loved this duology!! This elevated everything we thought we knew in book one and blew me away. I love Ravyn! His love for Elspeth is swoon worthy. I love how we still got Elspeth and her thoughts throughout the book even though her body wasn't really hers.

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

TW: body manipulation, mind control, death, violence, self-harm, gore/injury, grief

Picking up immediately from where the first book left off, “Two Twisted Crowns” takes the reader back to the world of Blunder, where magic is controlled by the use of particular cards. Having been taken over entirely by the Shepard King who has lurked in her mind as the Nightmare since childhood, it looks like Elspeth Spindle is gone entirely. On the verge of finding the one missing card left, the Twin Alders but heartbroken by the loss of Elspeth, Ravyn Yew has to work alongside the Nightmare in Elspeth’s body to fulfil the demands of his uncle, the King, to cure the dark magic poisoning their land. However, Elspeth is still fighting inside her head, and unwilling to let the Shepard King control her forever. At the same time, Elm, the unloved second son of the King, has to work alongside Elspeth’s cousin Ione Hawthorn to free them all from the demands of his father, even as they begin to care for each other. And in the centre of everything, the Shepard King has his agenda and history, all of which need to become clear to save Blunder before the solstice.

The first book, “One Dark Window”, was one of my favourite books last year so I was thrilled to be approved for the sequel. This story is darker, leading the reader further into the woods that dominated the first book and giving us new character perspectives. Here the Nightmare, who was a mystery throughout the earlier book, shines as a loveable villain and the scenes when he’s in control of Elspeth are truly terrifying and upsetting. I adored the addition of Elm’s POV because I felt like it really added to the story and widened the world, while also allowing us to understand one of the most interesting characters. This is an absolutely gorgeously written duology, one of the most tightly woven narratives I've read and one I won't forget. It's exactly what I needed to read.

I unwittingly read this, overlooking it was the 2nd book of a duology, but have to say this made no difference to my enjoyment.

It has a different magical edge to it, in the use of providence cards with given powers, set in a dark and atmospheric world. There is much built into the story from political intrigue, power, big trust issues, as well as complex family relationships, a bit of romance and lots of mystery and intrigue.

I thoroughly enjoyed the lore and story that is weaved in, with its layered meaning. It gave it a haunting fairy-tale effect. Depicting how things were as in "the two were together, so the two were the same. the girl, the king, and the monster they became” I found the relationship between the Nightmare and the girl to be fascinating- how they are intertwined in an etheral way, but influential in an auspicious way nonetheless.

There is cruelty and brutality all from a corrupt place of power and fear to control and inhibit others. There is much to keep up with. The characters have great traits, some you are behind and some you are not. It is a complex plot made clear by how things end as they did and what was needed to bring it to its denouement. Nothing I could have ever guessed. There is loads of tension, good pace and immersive depictions of all that is going on. I remained intrigued from beginning to end.

This was better than book 1 in my opinion! The action and plot really picked up, balanced well with the sweetest romance storyline in Elm’s POV
I think I liked the romance between Elm & Ione even more than Rayvn and Elspbeth! I could have read this as a standalone and been happy with the fast pace fantasy plot and tortured hero side plot romance!
While this book really worked for me and was enjoyable I am still not in love with the magic system, I can appreciate the card magic and how unique it is but its just not to my taste.

The dark, mysterious, sentient woods was definitely a vibe and overall I would recommend this duology

Two Twisted Crowns is a hunk of emo, goth romance goodness and I loved every page of it. The mist is still making people sick, Elspeth has been possessed by a magical entity that has been hunkered down in her mind since she was a child, Ravyn is losing his shit about it so Gilligs focus turns to Prince Elm, often overlooked always underrated. It’s tightly plotted the writing flow and all the ends are neatly tied for a satisfying conclusion. Loved it.

The second and conclusive book for this series was extremely tightly written. The plot is emotional and still manages to add something to the world we already think we know (or so we were led to believe in the previous one).
In the first book, the hidden nightmare has now been freed and is in charge of leading the rebels and/or the king to the last missing card that might result in the final victory between the mist and the rulers. I say and/or because there are double-crossers on each side (in some form or the other), and the one-upmanship will only be decided in someone's favour when they are the last person standing.
I loved the additional voices we have access to in this book. In the previous one, the second son of the king and Elsepeth's cousin are but side characters whom the central people rely on for emotional support while they are having their own mental turmoils. This time around, their own hopes and dreams, as well as their romance, take centre stage. It is the focal point as the other pair struggle to make their way back to each other.
The romance is strong but does not take away (in this and the first, which should be read in order) from the world-building and the struggle of the people within the world.
The book does not even feel long despite all the things that happen within its pages and its almost five hundred page count.
I would highly recommend the author and these two books to fans of the fantasy genre or even romance fans who do not mind delving into the fantasy genre.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing this eARC of Two Twisted Crowns.
I'm deeply amazed by this book. It was the conclusion you could wish for. I'm in love with the world's characters. The story is full of twists and turns. And I loved how it ended. A good conclusion for his duolology.

3.5

Two Twisted Crowns continues directly on from the dramatic finale of One Dark Window, as the sequel explores the repercussions of the choices made from the first book and the pursuit of the Twin Alders cards.

It had been sometime between reading One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns and I was initially confused with who was who (other than Elspeth, Rayven and The Nightmare) and having to remember certain parts of the plot from the first book, so I recommend reading these books close together. Because of this, it initially took some time to get into this book, although Gillig’s prose continued to captivate and the creepy and ominous atmosphere was a joy to read.

I appreciated the expansion of The Nightmare’s characterisation, who continued to be one of the more engaging and intriguing characters. I also enjoyed learning more about Elm and Ione individually and what was explored (from their backstories, to costs and weight of using the maiden card, and to the emotional arc that these characters brought to this book), but I wasn’t as invested in them together. As for the protagonist from One Dark Window, Elspeth featured less in this story than the first, although I understand why this was the case. As a result, Elspeth and Rayvn’s relationship felt less developed in this book.

Although there were exciting action scenes and moments, sometimes the shifting of POVs at those moments disrupted the urgency and flow, skewing the pacing for the stakes introduced in this book.

I still have questions regarding the cards and their use, and a few unresolved plot aspects, but I still found the magic system and worldbuilding engrossing. However, despite being a little disappointed in the end with the finding of the Twin Alders cards (because it ended up feeling a tad too easy), overall I enjoyed the ending, especially the father–daughter-type moment between Elspeth and The Nightmare, which was a touching goodbye and made for a good wrap up to the series.

I look forward to reading what Rachel Gillig writes next.

What a sequel!! I sometimes find it difficult to enjoy the sequel as much as the first books in duologies/Trilogies but I can safely say that this lived up to everything that I hoped it would! The pacing, the characters and their further developments and everything in between just makes this a stunning finale!

An amazing conclusion to an amazing duology! Though I did miss Ravyn and Elspeth interacting, we got lots of other content and character development instead. I still wish we'd seen more of their romance though! I loved Elm's story in this book and that he got a more prominent role here as well as his own POV. I adored the world building and getting a glimpse into how the Shepherd King came to be, the magic system was unique, which we knew and loved from the previous book but I still appreciated seeing more of it, and the last chapters had me laughing, crying and gasping. I couldn't put it down for the life of me! Definitely a perfect fall/ winter read and now one of my favourite duologies out there.

"And though it had taken slow, painful time, I knew who I was without him. I was more than the girl, the King, and the monster of Blunder's dark, twisted tale. I was its author."

There are certain books and series that you know, within the first chapter, will be a lifetime favourite for you - and this series is one of them for me. I finished this series a few days ago, and I'm still thinking about it and the characters.

This is how you do it - THIS is how you write a sequel.

The first thing to say is that Rachel Gillig can WRITE. Her use of language, storytelling and pacing could not be more spot on - and her characterisation is just brilliant. I loved this duology - more than I ever thought I would. It's gothic, its dark, but its full of light and life too - I loved every part of it.

The sequel to One Dark Window is everything it should be - immediately drawing the reader back into the unique gothic fantasy world of Blunder. I loved the different POV's - I thought they really added dimension to the story.

For certain, I will DEVOUR anything this author puts out in the future.

Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for the eARC

This book... This is how you write a sequel!
Fast paced with a brilliant magic system and well written and well developed characters with different story lines that keeps you wanting to keep reading

I absolutely loved this book! I was hooked and read the entire thing in one sitting. I loved the action and the relationship between the nightmare and Elsbeth!