Review: Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King #2) by Rachel Gillig

 *I received a copy of this book from Hachette Book Group Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Two Twisted Crowns

(The Shepherd King #2)

by Rachel Gillig

October 19, 2023

Goodreads Summary:

In the dark, spellbinding sequel to One Dark Window, Elspeth must confront the weight of her actions as she and Ravyn embark on a perilous quest to save the kingdom—perfect for readers of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf and Alexis Henderson's The Year of the Witching.

Gripped by a tyrant king and in the thrall of dark magic, the kingdom is in peril. Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last—and most important—one remains to be the Twin Alders. If they’re going to find the card before Solstice and set free the kingdom, they will need to journey through the dangerous mist-cloaked forest. The only one who can lead them through is the monster that shares Elspeth’s head: the Nightmare.

And he’s not eager to share any longer.

Review

The heart-wrenching story that started in One Dark Window is beautifully wrapped up in Two Twisted Crowns. Bold and smart, this tale once again gave me all the feels. Simply phenomenal.

Continuing the eerily spellbinding world with unbeatable Card magic and sorrowful yet resilient characters, Two Twisted Crowns was an excellent sequel. The natural pacing combined with the multiple POVs gave the book a great balance of story and action. It was exciting to solve the riddles/past and let the politics and the strategies play out. I especially loved the author's usage of the tree words- meanings were cleverly twisted and added.

A new but not surprising romance burst onto the scene in Two Twisted Crowns. After the hints in One Dark Window, I needed some more Ione and Elm! Carrying past hurts, both were cautious- not revealing too much of their true selves. The undeniable pull between them produced some hot and heavy scenes. While Elspeth and Ravyn's romance was not as present (for obvious reasons), we still got to see them interact. Both relationships were painfully sweet and deliciously hopeful.

Everyone in Two Twisted Crowns got what they deserved. In particular, I felt immense satisfaction watching Hauth meet his end. Elm, Ione, Ravyn and Elspeth more than earned their happiness. I was relieved to see Elspeth return even though it was bittersweet to watch the Nightmare go. His bond with her was so special. It was good that he set things right and was finally reunited with his family. Everyone was at peace.

Two Twisted Crowns has one of the best endings I've ever read. The last chapter made me teary and my heart was full reading the epilogue. If you love a story that comes full circle, I highly recommend this duology!!

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the copy I received.