Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5/5
Synopsis:
In the luscious, dark sequel to One Dark Window, Elspeth must face the consequences of what she's wrought - perfect for readers of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf and Alexis Henderson's The Year of the Witching.
Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last, and most important one remains to be found: The Twin Alders.
If they are going to find it before the Solstice and cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it, they will need to journey beyond the dangerous mist-cloaked forest that surrounds their kingdom.
And the only one who can lead them there is the monster that shares Elspeth's head. The Nightmare. And he's not eager to share any longer.
Review no spoilers:
This book was my favorite out of the two; it was action-packed; it had a strong rollercoaster of emotions; my heart kept getting stomped on over and over again, and I couldn’t take it, but I couldn't stop reading!
The multiple POVs made it a bit confusing at times, but it only lasts while you get the hang of it, and then it's super fast and easy to read.
I loved that we saw so many new places in this book; there were so many new characters and plot twists; real fear was instilled in the main group of characters, and it was insane.
This book had me in tears, my heart racing over and over again!!!
The love story in this book is my favorite one; there is more development between the characters; I feel like they actually have more time to hang out and know each other than in the first book.
SPOILERS STARTING HERE
This book was so deliciously gothic; the world is so complex and dark.
I love how it was centered on the balance of things and how everything has a price, but even though the world is a dark, mysterious place with creatures that mean harm, there is always a way for love, and it will always win!
This story connected all the dots, tied it all together, and it was wholesome to see a world beyond it all, a place for all the outcasts!
The nightmare:
Oh wow, my heart accepted the nightmare in this book.
Getting to know him as King Shepperd and seeing all the memories of his life showed a different light on his soul. I was so sad for him. I wanted him to be free as much as he wanted to help and protect Elspeth. She was more to him than just a vessel; he saw her as his daughter, and he wanted to protect her the way he wasn’t able to protect his own.
I loved seeing the history behind it all—what made this man do a deal for the cards and how he was betrayed.
There are so many layers to this character I wouldn’t know where to begin.
He tried to make her body look different to avoid messing up the heads of the others; he cared that much to make a difference. He protected them all in every obstacle; he was the shepherd, keeping his sheep safe and on its way to freedom and victory.
Ravyn:
My poor Ravyn, this poor man went through hell this entire book; this was absolute torture to see, so much pain and agony in his eyes.
I just wanted him to be alright with Elspeth, but there were more and more challenges keeping each other far.
He is a warrior, a true king. Even if he renounced the crown, I believe he would have made the best, most caring king.
Im glad that at the end they got their happy ending. I want them to have babies, get married, and live a life of love and peace.
Jespyr:
She is everything a girl bestie should be. What an amazing sister to Ravyn; she is a warrior! and she was willing to sacrifice her life for her brother. She is the true savior by using her body as a way for the spirit of the forest to show the path.
They wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for Jespyr!
I want a love story about her! She deserves it all.
Ione:
I loved her and hated her all around this book, but when her truth came out, I was able to see how awful her situation was. Hauth is an awful man, by far the worst character I have read so far. I felt too sorry for Ione; her situation was so rough, and I don’t know how they were able to find a solution.
Her love for Elm is beautiful; how it passed the magic of the maiden card is outstanding, and I’m glad that even though everything was falling apart, they found peace within each other. I am glad that when they did find the maiden card she was able to get back her old self, but also how Elm was there for her in that moment.
She was saved by the dark prince; he loved her beyond all measures, and that’s her true power. the power of love.
I hate her dad, though. fuck him
Renelm:
My lovely Renelm, what a tormented but beautiful character. He is everything and more, and I am glad he got the spotlight in this story.
It was heartbreaking seeing him look for every possible way in which he could save Ione. He loved her since always, and now it will be till forever.
I am glad he is the new king and that he ended the Rowan dynasty and created the Elm one instead. He is rewriting history now and will make the kingdom into a strong, happy, and healthy one!
I loved seeing him protect his family; even when Hauth was breaking him apart, he stayed strong; his love for them is stronger than any torture. He is a hero, and I’m glad he got his happily ever after with Ione.
Who would’ve thought that Elspeth and Ione ended up married into royalty and were able to save the kingdom.
Favorite Quotes
“To anyone who’s ever felt lost in a wood. There is a
strange sort of finding in losing.”
“There once was a girl,” he said, his voice slick, “clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a King—a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two were the same: “The girl, the King, and the monster they became.”
“Here we are, my darling girl, he whispered to me. The end of all things. The last page of our story.”
“There were not enough pages in all the books Elm had read, in all the libraries he’d wandered, in all the notebooks he’d scrawled, that could measure—denote or describe—just how beautiful she was.”
“I’d be your King, but always your servant. Never your keeper.”
“Above rowan and yew, the elm tree stands tall. It waits along borders, a sentry at call.”
“For nothing is safe, and nothing is free. Debt follows all men, no matter their plea. When the Shepherd returns, a new day shall ring. Death to the Rowans.” His gray eyes focused, homing in on Elm. “Long live the King.”
“For even dead, I will not die. I am the shepherd of shadow. The phantom of the fright. The demon in the daydream. The nightmare in the night.”
