The Shepherd King duology turned out better than I expected. If you want to know more about this gothic fantasy or a recap, you may skim through my review of the first book. This second book is even better, a bit fast-paced and the stakes are higher. I love fantasy novels where the stakes are high. That tension is what keeps me glued to the book and gives me a real reason to keep turning the pages.
In One Dark Window, the FMC, Elspeth joins Ravyn and his team to find the full Providence cards so they can free the kingdom of Blunder from the grip of the mysterious power that holds them bound. But the king doesn't want this. Also, because magic comes at a cost, Elspeth becomes lost to the monster living inside her.
In the sequel, Two Twisted Crowns, the story continues without a break. Ravyn cannot embark on this dangerous quest without Elspeth. The monster gives him no choice—they need him to find the final cards and cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. Ravyn is suspicious of this monster. Does he have another agenda beyond saving the people of Blunder? Will Ravyn get ever Elspeth back again?
Genres: Gothic, Magic, Fantasy, Romance
Publication: October 2023
Pages: 437
My Review And Rating
This sequel beautifully concludes the Shepherd King duology and I wasn't disappointed after reading. Some series start well but the sequels leave readers confused or disappointed but not this one. The unique worldbuilding and magic system starts out dark and atmospheric in One Dark Window, and gets darker and twisted, yes twisted, in this book hence the title, I guess.
The shocking end of the first book shapes a sort of different beginning for this one. Though the story continues from where it stops in book one, the stakes are higher as every character faces their fate and fights to accept or reject it. The kingdom is split in two: those who want the reign of terror to continue and those who go on a quest and make sacrifices to end the terror. Things are no longer the same for Ravyn, Elspeth, their friends and Blunder. They are backed against the wall and must use every weapon in their arsenal to survive. These keep me on my toes all through.
There are multiple POVs in this book. Also, I like how the author further develops the main characters in this book, making the females stronger. Elspeth, though is absent for a better part of this book, is still somehow present. I can't explain this better without giving away spoilers. Her relationship with the Nightmare deepens as she takes a backseat, getting to know this monster better. His pasts explains much about Blunder and I felt sorry for him at some point. She becomes more mature, honing her independence to fight for what she wants. Another character is Elspeth's friend, Ione, who becomes a puppet for the king and his son in book one but in this sequel, she takes back her power and all I can say is, hurrah!
The romance between Ravyn and Elspeth in book one was nice and fun to read but in this book, the author gives us another love couple that I wasn't expecting. I think it's her attempt to redeem the characters but I don't like them much in book one so it's a bit difficult for me to root for them in this sequel.
The buildup to the end is suspenseful and gripping. The author packs new details about a goddess and why she's after Blunder. I wish we had met her from the beginning and not just at the end. Still, the duology concludes well.
Rating this book, I'll give it 4.5 stars out of 5. It's dark, humorous and engaging. The tension, twists and turns kept me hooked.
All images above are from my E-library
Header images compiled Canva.
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