Let's just get this out of the way first: I love this book just as much as I love the first one, which is a lot. This duology is fantastic. Hannah Whitten has written some of my favorite characters in fantasy and woven a fascinating world around them. The way she built the magic, the way she talks about monsters and gods, it all really works for me on a deep level.

For the Wolf was about the Wilderwood. For the Throne is about the Shadowlands. Both are about sisterhood and the lengths that Neve and Red will go to save each other and how those actions affect the people who love them. If you loved For the Wolf, no worries, this book holds up to it.

Summary:
Neve is pulled into the Shadowlands and her only help is Solmir, the once-king who tricked and betrayed her. The plan: to pull the kings out of the Shadowlands before they collapse, and kill them before they can reign havoc in the world again. But things are bigger than they seem and it's harder to hate Solmir than Neve would like. This is not just about Neve though, her and Red's stories are mirrors to each other, so while Neve hunts down gods, Red seeks answers where she can find them.

I highlighted a lot in this book, lines about monsters and divinity, emotional confessions, there were so many things that tugged at my chest. Including of course, every sweet moment between Red and Eammon, who fought so hard for their love in book one. The romantic relationships in this book are so well done and even if I didn't know that Hannah Whitten read romance, you can tell from her writing. The relationships feel real, she doesn't shy away from the intimacy piece of romance, and they're overall satisfying.

If you're reading this review and you haven't picked up the first book yet, you should. If you like magic forests, ancient gods, myths made real, and stories of deep love in all forms, these books deliver. I cannot wait to see and read more from Hannah, she's truly a fantastic writer and her storytelling has really resonated with me. I will come back to both of these books again and again.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
For the Throne is the perfect second installment of the Wilderwood duology. Where For the Wolf both sets up the conflict and world and primarily follows Red and Eammon, while foreshadowing Neve’s role, this book shifts the dynamic, with Neve in a more central role, and Red as a supporting role. It’s the perfect compromise of keeping the previous leads relevant, while also giving the star of the book her time to shine.
Neve was an…interesting…character for me in book one, and I didn’t entirely know how to feel about following her more closely. However, she ultimately makes for a compelling protagonist in her own right and she endeared herself to me over the course of this one.
I also really enjoyed her dynamic with Solmir. Given her side of things is more political than Red’s, I love that her romance builds from a place of being reluctant allies, and starting off as enemies. I also appreciated how his characterization further explored the definition of what it means to be considered monstrous, much like Eammon’s in the first book.
Whitten’s world building retains its dark fairytale flair, and I really enjoyed getting a more expansive view of it, especially as we visited new locations like the creepy Shadowlands. The lore of the Gods and Old Kings also is quite intriguing.
Despite its length, edging close to tome status, the book makes for a fast-paced read. I could barely put it down, and found myself absorbed in every twist and turn, until I found I had completed the book in more or less one sitting. And while it’s recommended you read in order, this isn’t one of those second installments that drops you into it without any context, regardless of how long it’s been since you read the first book. It’s subtle, but it helped me get up to speed as I got my bearings.
This is a wonderful conclusion to Hannah Whitten’s first duology, and I’m excited for what’s to come. If you enjoy romance-heavy or fairy-tale inspired fantasy, I recommend giving this a try.

Finishing For the Throne made me immediately want to start over again with the duology and had me grabbing my copy of For the Wolf.

Hannah Whitten's writing is stunning and drags you into the magnificent world she has created. I was again enthralled with Whitten's descriptions, world-building, and magic. For the Throne focuses on Neve's journey, physically and mentally. I loved getting to watch Neve grow while learning to trust and love herself.
The love between Neve and Red is such a beautiful story in itself. Their bond and devotion to each other are such stunning reflections of sisterhood.

I am heartbroken to say goodbye to these beautiful characters, but I couldn't have ever imagined a better ending to these incredible stories.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Red and Wolf have finally contained the threat posed by the Old Kings, but now Red’s twin, Neve, is stuck in the Shadowlands, where the Old Kings have been regaining their powers, with the rogue King Solmir.

This book is set in third person and features multiple points of view. It was a little hard to get the hang of the multiple points of view at first but quickly became easier!

I think this is a really neat duology as it offers viewpoints from both sisters—whereas book one focused more on Red, this one focused more on Neve (though Red got her own chapters as well). We also got to see more development on Solmir’s part, and his character is pretty complex so I thought it was cool to see.

I loved the sisterly bond in this book—though Neve and Red are in two different worlds, they think about one another frequently and a lot of their motives have to do with the other.

If you enjoyed book one I’d definitely recommend picking this one up!

The tone is darker with the majority of the book set in the Shadowlands. There are gods, grotesque creatures, and the land is desolate with danger lurking everywhere. The book is rich with descriptions, and it was easy to visualize the bleak landscape. I enjoyed the darker tone of the novel but missed the lushness of the Wilderwood. The writing is beautiful. Unfortunately, the book is slow-moving and repetitive, making for a somewhat sluggish experience. There were several times I nearly jumped a few pages ahead.

Neve was my favorite character in For the Wolf, and I was happy to have her be the focus with only a few chapters from Red. Acknowledging her prior behavior, she takes responsibility for her role in the events leading to her entrapment in the Shadowlands. Her love for her sister continues to drive her actions.

Solmir successfully exploited my soft spot for villains. He is determined and singularly focused on destroying the Old Kings, willing to sacrifice those who might stand in his way. He doesn't tiptoe around Neve as Eammon did with Red, which was one more reason why I liked him.

The romance was a bit disappointing. I wanted a full-blown romance between the two characters, but the feelings were more subdued, and their chemistry was a little off. Ultimately, the romance was not as satisfying as I hoped, and I hoped so so so much.

For the Throne, like the first novel, is an atmospheric read with beautiful writing. If you liked its predecessor, you'll want to read this one to see how it all ends. I was happy that Neve was the central character, but the romance was less developed than I hoped. Although the book gets repetitive, it is still a worthy read. (3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars)

Amazing. 10/10. All the stars.


This book was absolutely amazing. I think it improved on its predecessor, For The Wolf. However, I did need to re-read Wolf before jumping into this one. Without the re-read, it this sequel would have been difficult for me to follow

For the Throne starts off where For the Wolf ended but now in Neve’s point of view. Neve is stuck in the shadow world and it is up to her how her journey will end.

I particularly like the sequel better because it’s not as invasive and vague as For the Wolf. The world building is better and I enjoyed learning more about the shadow world, the Kings, and how all the promises and magic started.

“ Having become a villain myself, I assume there’s more to that particular story.” This particular line stood out to me because it shows Neve acknowledges that her misguided actions in For the Wolf were wrong but the emotions behind it was for the love of her sister.

I love the contrast of the Forest and the Shadow world - opposites but nevertheless important. Symbolically emphasizes the acceptance of good and evil, that one can not be without the other. Ultimately the twins end the cycle together - the Golden-Vein and the Shadow Queen.

I went into this Duology under the misguided impression that it would be about a Red Riding Hood retelling and finished in a surprising, slow burning, magical fantasy of soulmates, found family, and sisterhood. An amazing book and an ending worth waiting to read!

I’m surprised at how much I loved For the Throne. I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I enjoyed For the Wolf, but I was pleasantly surprised. I loved returning to this world and characters. I enjoyed reading more about Red and Neve’s relationship and how far they’d go for each other. The relationships in this book are top tier and I will officially read anything this author writes.

I loved Red’s story in For the Wolf, so I was excited to read Neve’s story in For the Throne. Perfect ending to the duology.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

I loved returning to the world of the Wilderwood. Red and Eammon are still my favorites. But I really enjoyed the journey and trials Neve and Solmir went through in the Shadowlands. The most touching thing in the whole book is the matching love the sisters have for each other. They would tear down the world for each other, and that ultimately saves the world. The storyline with Raffe and Kayu was the one I was least invested in.
I definitely enjoyed this book and the epilogue was very satisfying.

FOR THE THRONE was everything I could have asked for and more as my most anticipated read this year. I love love love Neve's story. She's a character who grapples with her own inner darkness but has such a beautiful intent to be good for those she loves, and I thought her character development as she must come to terms with the things she's done to save her sister and what she must do to return home was so gratifying. The slow-burn dynamic and banter between Neve and Solmir just gave me life. After book 1, I never thought I'd say this, but Solmir is everything! I love how both characters are thrust together again to save the worlds from the Kings. They are morally grey, antiheroes in the best way and I loved reading their scenes together. I was also so happy to see more of Red and Eammon, as well as many other of my favorite characters from the Wilderwood. The relationship and love between sisters Red and Neve is a palpable heartbeat in this story, a character all its own that you can't help but be invested in. The world, story and magic system that Whitten has created is so intricately crafted and dark with a true fairytale quality that I could not get enough of. And the writing itself? Absolutely perfect and just a treat to read. Whitten has solidified her place as one of my favorite adult fantasy author for all of these reasons, and you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll continue to read her work. FOR THE THRONE is a darkly enchanting conclusion to Red and Neve's story that is both beautifully haunting and bittersweet, and I could not put it down at all. Definitely a favorite of this month, probably the year!

I want to say first of all that I enjoyed this book as a stand-alone. But as a sequel to the first I was a bit disappointed.
I loved getting to know Neve better and to experience the complexity of her inner struggles, which I actually really related to. Whitten clearly writes characters really well, and the whole ensemble was an enjoyable mess of monsters and friends and morally grey in betweeners.

The plot was ultimately a satisfying conclusion to the duology. Part of the unsettled feelings you land with at the end make perfect sense with the theme of the book.

But I think what I struggled with was seeing it a sequel to the first. If you think of For the Wolf as an immersive, all encompassing and enchanting tale with the perfect creepy fairy tale forest vibes, For the Throne doesn’t contain any of that. And if *vibes* made you fall in love with FTW, you might not like this one. However, if the characters were what you fell for, you’ll be fine.

FTT felt less like an immersive experience and more like a video game, where you’re moving inexorably toward the final boss but forced to accomplish a bunch of side quests where characters speak cryptically about important plot points, but so cryptically it tells you absolutely nothing and is a bit infuriating because there’s no real believable progression and the characters and the reader go suddenly from having no idea what’s happening to suddenly they know exactly what to do and who knows why?

But that’s my greatest complaint with the book: a bit of a slogging plot with none of the creepy woodsy vibes of the first. But the character development is strong, and shows a real skill in describing human nature when faced with impossible choices.

This was such an amazing sequel, thank you netgalley for the chance to read this! I loved the first book, and I’m pretty sad that the duology is complete and I had to leave this world at the end. Hannah Whitten is permanently on my “must read” list, and I’m putting her on everyone elses too.

For the Throne picks up right where the first book ended and keeps on going. In the sequel to For the Wolf, we get to see things more from Neve's perspective though Red and Eamonn still have their parts to play. The build up to the climax of the story is slow and agonizing in all the best ways. You know something is coming and maybe you might see it coming but I did not. For the Throne kept a hold of me and didn't let go until the very last pages. It's a wonderful conclusion to the duology though I still think I liked the first book more. The scenes with Red and Neve were definitely my favorite and there's one with Neve and Solomir that still makes me smile when I think of it.

I am so grateful to Orbit and NetGalley for an early e-book of the story. For the Throne comes out on July 7th and if you enjoyed the first one, please pre-order this one, you won't be sorry.

I loved this sequel! It had the same atmospheric chills as the first book, but I felt a stronger connection to the characters and sped through the whole thing so I could find out their fates!

Absolutely incredible ending to this duology! Personally, I loved it way more than For the Wolf. Darker, grittier, sassier. We love to see it. It reminds me of Leigh Bardugo’s Rule of Wolves and how she approaches monsters. So, so good. Highly recommend for anyone that likes the ya/na fantasy romance genre that’s super popular on bookstagram right now.

I liked For the Wolf. Hannah Whitten sold me on the aesthetics, and I liked a lot of the story concerning Red's sacrifice and her world-moving relationship with her sister, Neve. That said, I ultimately found that story a bit repetitive and frustrating when it concerned Red, much preferring the politics and intrigue of Neve's interludes. I was eager to see how this would continue in For the Throne, and I am here to say I was sadly disappointed.

For the Throne is essentially a complete continuation of For the Wolf. It doesn't stop to catch you up on the world or the magic, which admittedly I had forgotten a lot of in the gap between books. It also doesn't start with a firm hook--it just starts like the story never stopped, which made me feel a little turned around off the bat. Consequently everything felt unmoored and unexplained. The worldbuilding didn't feel rich and interesting anymore, it just felt nebulous and convoluted. The magic wasn't well explained, which made me think it wasn't that well explained in For the Wolf either. So much felt half-baked or too big with not enough groundwork to make it make sense.

Then: right when I'd get settled into Neve and Solmir's story, the book would rip me away and make me read about Red again (ugh) or, strangely, Raffe. I couldn't settle in to the narrative, and I didn't remember why anything was happening (gods? kings? I don't know!). Ultimately started skimming, since the book could never convince me that anything made sense. Solmir has beautiful hair, though. I learned that much.

The end felt a little juvenile, I have to admit. And a little underwhelming. For a story that is ultimately about two sisters hell bent on staying together, the book succeeds in that goal. But everything else felt wishy-washy and overlong despite most conversations feeling like they're mostly filler.

I don't know what I'll pick up anther Hannah Whitten book. Maybe this is my lesson to not get sold on aesthetics alone.

Hannah Whitten has completely transformed the story of Beauty and the Beast and Little Red Riding Hood and made it into such an utterly captivating world. In the sequel to For the Wolf, Neve is trapped in the Shadowlands with a former king and has to learn to claim the powers there for her own like her sister Red did for the Wilderwood. The characters here are just so good I want to keep them and have them made into a huge long series even though this book sums everything up so nicely and gives everyone a happily ever after. The book does get a little slow at times when switching between characters but all the multiple POVs are what give the book such a well rounded feel and makes you love all the characters so much.

Two sisters, entwined by love and separated by magic. Both determined to be together again - no matter the cost.

For the Throne is an excellent ending to the duology that begin in For the Wolf. Magic, romance, friendship, and love all intertwine into a story that is a true fairy tale. This time, we focus on Neve - the queen. She who tempted the darkness in order to find and keep her sister. She who entered the darkness - the Shadowlands - and will need to find a way out again. Her only assistance? The one person she'd rather never see again.

Hannah Whitten has created an amazing world, and I'm truly sorry to leave it. The characters are well-rounded and none are good/evil alone. The actual world itself is as much a character as the humans and gods, and has its own part to play in the tale. And they all wrap up into a story that is truly so much more than the sum of its parts. Such a fantastic duology, and one I will recommend regularly!

I loved Red’s story in For the Wolf, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read Neve’s in For the Throne. Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the privilege of an advanced copy!

For the Throne is an immersive, fresh, exciting take on Snow White with some Sleeping Beauty aspects that picks up right where For the Wolf left off. However, this is Neve’s story and she is no damsel that needs saving. She’s sharp, resourceful, the epitome of queenliness, and she will let nothing stand in her way, no matter the cost. Add in the villain Solmir and, ooooh boy, this duo was a treat to read! To set the tone of the book, think magical kisses, thorns, shadows, gray characters, sharp banter, and fierce sisterly love.

Hannah Whitten’s writing is superb. It’s lyrical and descriptive without being repetitive or cliché. The way she writes emotions is extremely relatable. I can feel everything the characters are feeling, especially when it hits close to home. I would read absolutely anything this woman puts to paper.

Neve’s character arc about goodness and monsters and love was beautiful and thoughtful. As an older sister myself, I certainly know about control and knowing what’s best for everyone else (without their input).

This was a perfect conclusion to the Wilderwood story. I wouldn’t change a single thing. For the Wolf was my best read of 2021 and I wouldn’t hesitate to call For the Throne my best of 2022. 5/5 stars, highly recommend!