Book Review: Cursed Crowns (#2) by Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber

(Please be warned there are moderate spoilers for Twin Crowns featured in this Review.) 

As we left off in Twin Crowns, starkly different twins Rose and Wren have claimed their rightful crowns. Things in the kingdom haven’t quite gone to plan, though. Not everyone is happy about witches being on the throne, let alone with all the change that has occurred. To make up for the chaos and to regain order, Rose descents on a Royal Tour. But on her travels there are more surprises than she anticipated. She finds herself drawn to different possibilities and opportunities, especially when some long-left secrets crop up that make her rethink her approach.

Meanwhile Wren, always the rebel, has drifted off to the North. But her plan to rescue the twins grandmother don’t go to plan. She reluctantly accepts a crafty magical bargain in exchange for her grandmother’s freedom, one that has devastating consequences for not only her, but stretches far further than she thought possible. The danger that was thought to be long gone is awakened, and the twins have to come back together to save not only the crown and their own lives, but the future of everyone in Eana. Only when the answers point to horrifying outcomes, it’s a high-stakes race to a cataclysmic conclusion.

Overall, Cursed Crowns swept me back into a world of astounding adventure, found family bonds and winner-takes-all twists that made me turn pages well into the night. As with Twin Crowns, I was completely absorbed by the fantasy elements, and the world-building in the second installment was nothing short of amazing. I was kept entertained the whole way through, and felt myself understanding Rose and Wren so much more this time around. I know fantasy readers will adore this book (many already do!) and I’d say it would even appeal to New Adult audiences as some of the themes overlap. A magnificent marvel of a book!