Book Review: Burning Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber
Burning Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber
Published: April 25th 2024 by Electric Monkey
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Genres: Young Adult // Romantasy, Fantasy, Magic
Quick Thoughts: Entrancing, zestful and compulsively unputdownable. Wren and Rose’s story reigns over my heart. The cherry-on-top of an indomitable series that I adore wholeheartedly.
Reader Information:
Mild references of violence, war and injury. Recommended reading age 14+.
I was gifted this book via the Publisher. There was no obligation to post/give this book a certain rating. All views are my own. I remain entirely impartial.
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About This Book:
Twin queens Rose & Wren survived the Battle for Anadawn and brought back magic to their kingdom. But danger lurks in Eana’s shadows.
Wren is troubled. Ever since she performed the blood spell on Prince Ansel, her magic has become unruly. Worse, the spell created a link between Wren and the very man she’s trying to forget: Icy King Alarik of Gevra. A curse is eating away at both of them. To fix it they must journey to the northern mountains—under the watchful guard of Captain Tor Iversen—to consult with the Healer on High.
Rose is haunted. Waking one night to find her undead ancestor Oonagh Starcrest by her bed, she receives a warning: surrender the throne—or face a war that will destroy Eana. With nowhere to turn and desperate to find a weapon to defeat Oonagh, Rose seeks help from Shen-Lo in the Sunkissed Kingdom, but what she finds there may break her heart.
As Oonagh threatens all Rose and Wren hold dear, it will take everything they have to save Eana–including a sacrifice they may not be prepared to make.
First Thoughts
As my blog readers will know, I completely adore the Twin Crowns series. I have read/reviewed both that preceded the final book in the trilogy, Twin Crowns and Cursed Crowns, so when Burning Crowns arrived on my doorstep I was so thrilled—even more so when I saw a quote by ME inside the front cover?!?! Like, IN THE PRINTED BOOK. Consider my entire year/life made. I am so eternally grateful to Sarah at EM and Emily at HQ, because without them introducing/sending me the series and allowing me the opportunity to get involved, this never would’ve happened.
My Review
When we left Rose and Wren, they became rulers of Eana, reigning side by side over the kingdom. But in the eyes of Oonagh, the twins’ evil ancestor, the kingdom is hers—and she will do anything it takes to have it in her grasp. As the twins bask in their fresh start, a new beginning for them and their kingdom and friends, concluding their Royal Tour back home, it’s a peaceful change from the tough times they went through. But Oonagh’s influence batters through their celebrations like a hurricane, a sense of war in the air.
The all-consuming and overwhelming dawning plagues Wren. As she reveals her scar to Rose, and her tie to the elusive Alarik, the sisters brainstorm ways they can overcome the spells that bind. It leads them on their final journey, at times separately, of getting the happy-ever-after they wanted—though it does not come easy. Wren goes on an expedition to break the magic that curses her and Alarik, and Rose sets her sights on keeping the throne, defending all she loves, and defeating Oonagh, which furthers her blooming connection with Shen-Lo. Through it all, the twins combat old scars and enemies, an overpowering loss, and a battle-to-the-finish side by side to get the harmonious reconciliation they deserve.
Overall, Burning Crowns was entrancing, zestful and compulsively unputdownable. Wren and Rose’s story reigns over my heart, and though it broke and healed several times over this tale, I could not have read a more magical conclusion to their story. The characters I know and love encounter more than a test of their lives, highs and lows, and through it all the connection between the twins remains the fixture that I can always count on to pull at my heartstrings the most. Though the romantic in me knows that Burning Crowns met all my expectations of a ferocious love story, too, for Wren and Tor, and Rose and Shen—making it the cherry-on-top of an indomitable series that I adore wholeheartedly. Five stars and beyond. (And I’m so excited for the spin-off books!!)
RATING:
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Happy Reading!
