Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig

Title: Two Twisted Crowns

Series: The Shepherd King

Author: Rachel Gillig

Release Date: October 17, 2023

Publisher: Orbit Books

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Source: digital, Kindle

TW: violence, blood, death, moderate sexual content, torture, confinement, child death, alcoholism, cursing

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.

Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig. This luscious and dark sequel to "One Dark Window" delves deeper into the world of Elspeth and Ravyn as they search for the last Providence Card, The Twin Alders. The author does a fantastic job of humanizing the Shepherd King, allowing readers to see his past and understand him better. On the other hand, Hauth is portrayed as an incredibly evil villain, and I eagerly awaited his comeuppance.

The perspective shift to Elm's point of view was a highlight for me. Elm quickly became a beloved character, and I found myself rooting for him as his relationship with Ione developed. The book kept me on the edge of my seat with its tense moments, constantly worrying about the fate of the main cast of characters. I couldn't put it down and read through it quickly.

Rachel Gillig's world-building skills are exceptional. She has created a beautiful, dark, and wondrous world that captivated me from start to finish. This series has been an amazing read, and I highly recommend it.