I read the first book of this series, 'For the Wolf' and was not quite into it. But I truly wanted to give it another chance. So, I picked this one up. Unfortunately, I had to speed read this one too. I am just not into it.

The plot is a mash up of a lot of the well read fairytales. There are strong ties to the Beauty & the Beast, Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White. It is a decent reinvention and I cannot for the love of me get into it.

It may be the writing style, the depiction of the characters or just the flow. Who knows. I don't. I am curious to see if anyone else had my experience.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for giving me the opportunity to read this.

I gave this book a second chance (after DNF'ing the first time when I realized that Nevera would be forming a sort-of romance with Solmir instead of Raffe and THIS ISN'T REALLY A SPOILER solely because I quite literally got that impression from the first 3% of the book) and while it was better than I thought it would be.... I still would have been fine had I never read it to begin with. I wish we would have gotten more moments with just the sisters, as I don't care about any of the men in this book besides Raffe (who was also so blah in this book at times that I ended up not caring about him either). Eammon and Red's relationship makes me want to barf sometimes because they are far too much for me, but then Neve and Solmir were just as bad with how awkward they were.

Overall... I would have liked a story about the side characters more. This series just wasn't for me (which is a shame because I had very high hopes).

oh, I really adored this duology. and it really just has to do with the characters; they are *so* well-written, and I was as hooked on Neve & Solmir's relationship as I was on Red and Eammon's. so I was very annoyed every time we went to Raffe's POV, LOL. I didn't care for it, all I wanted was to be with the Wolves or the Shadow royals. everything went down how I expected it to, and I'm very satisfied!

For the Throne is the follow up novel to For the Wolf which came out last year.

For the Throne mainly follow's Red's sister Neve as she sets off through the Shadowlands to find her way home, and the twins discover another prophecy told about them.

I enjoyed this sequel. I think it filled in a lot of the questions that were brought up in the first book, as well as giving Neve a redemption arc. In fact that is who we spend most of the book with. I guess that would be my main criticism of the book was that Neve is the only one who did any growing character wise. Don't get me wrong it was great character growth, but I felt like if we were getting so many Red POV chapters she also needed to go on not just a physical journey but a emotional one as well.

I loved the world building of the Shadowlands. The mythology that was built was fascinating and I enjoyed our time exploring there.

Overall would recommend if you enjoyed For the Wolf.

For the Throne is the conclusion in this duology series. For the Wolf set the stage for a dark red riding hood retelling and For the Throne wrapped everything up especially in the epilogue. Thank you NetGalley and Orbit publishing for an ARC of this book.

4.5 Stars (I received an e-arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

I loved this author’s debut novel for the wolf and was so excited to get approved for an arc of the sequel. We pick up right from where For the Wolf ended with Neve separated from Red once again, with more of a focus on on Neve’s POV. Of course we still have some time with Red on the other side, in a way now in the same position that Neve was in the first book, trying to rescue her sister. We have in the introduction of Rafe as one of the main POV’s and a few new characters that become essential to the story line. It’s hard to say which book I prefer because I feel both stories are so strong, For the Throne goes deeper into the lore of the woods and we get to see more of world. There is also more an explanation into the the history of the Four Kings and how intertwined the two sisters are in their story. An amazing duology and I am highly anticipating Hannah Whitten’s next novel.

This second book in the duology is so much more than even I expected and I was a huge fan of For the Wolf , this is a stunning sequel and I am trying to decide which I loved more because both books are so fantastic. The writing is so beautiful and so lyrical, mythology Whitten weaves is so creative, world building so so good that you are just enthralled. I loved the themes believing in yourself, courage and the power of redemption. This duology is just stunning full of excitement, mystery and intrigue, a must read

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in return for an honest review

I loved this book so much! I loved the alternating chapters with the sister and the adventure she was on. I did miss having just the wolf in a lot of the chapters but it was fun to read about Red's sister.

If the author writes anymore fantasy books, i will be first in line!

In some ways, For the Throne is the promised matched twin of its predecessor, For the Wolf. As the finale, it juggles a bit more as it pulls together all the characters and strands of story for its last chapter. Not only is this Neve's story but also the conclusion for all the characters we came to love in the first book. I'll admit that while there was a lot to like here, it didn't land the same way as For the Wolf in my case. I think it comes down to plot, characters, and the pressure of a final installment.

For one, the story felt slow, not because it was lacking in action but because I wasn't fully engaged. And that's weird given how invested I was in the first book. My love for those characters didn't carry over to the sequel to the degree I would expect. Neve intrigued me in For the Wolf, but I thought her characterization was a bit overdone or repetitive now that she's the protagonist (like, I get it--she struggles to cede control and always wants to be right and feels guilty about all of it). Her love interest is also largely defined by guilt. Like the first book, romance is a big part of the plot. I'm not as much a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope when it's edged in cruelty, and these characters definitely strike at each other's vulnerabilities when it suits them. It usually has something to do with their own fragile feelings, and I don't have a lot of patience for it (my bad). In terms of other side characters, it felt like all the diversions from Neve's quest to their POVs slowed things down without adding a lot. Even if they tangentially influenced Neve or had their own growth, it was minimal compared to how it detracted from the main story. This is especially true with a rushed romantic side plot for minor characters which felt more about tying a neat bow of closure for Neve than about the side characters getting their due.

The trajectory and timber of the quest shift around halfway through the book, and I was relieved to feel a greater sense of purpose and urgency in this phase of the story. I think the emotional journey is more developed, and the characters' decisions are easier to follow, especially since Neve and her love interest become more upfront with one another and attempt to take charge of their destinies. But it wasn't enough to save my impression, especially considering the ending. I thought it was a satisfying conclusion with an appropriate degree of open-endedness on the broader, fantasy level of the world and its future. For the characters and their romances, I thought the ending was rushed and didn't leave me satisfied. An epilogue jumps ahead to give us vignettes of how the characters fare after the drama has died down from all the questing and prophecy-fulfilling, etc. However, I didn't feel like I could picture how their lives would look or feel, something that I imagine as the main purpose behind a romance epilogue. There's also a hanging consequence left unexplored that felt weird and anticlimactic to me.

As a fun, positive sidebar, this book continues an aroace plot that started in the first book. Two characters love each other and are partners first and foremost, but one doesn't have romantic feelings and rarely seeks out physical affection. So the two have what works for them, and I love that. It's explicitly discussed, and other characters respect and even envy what they have instead of viewing it as lesser or strange compared to a romantic connection. Praise be. Also, fun fact: Neve is bi, so that's another bit of queer goodness for all of us.

There were parts of this book that shone through, and I'm happy to see the series through to its conclusion. I don't think it meets the high bar set by For the Wolf, but it does bring us to a fitting end for the series and gives us a whole new romance to appreciate. Thanks to Orbit for my copy to read and review!

I really enjoyed this book. I hope the author continues to write more books in the future. I can't wait to see what the author releases in the future.

This one took me a minute.

In "For the Wolf" I liked Red a lot more than Neve, and the beginning of the sequel was a little bit cringe. Neve and Solmir wandering the underworld with a very crudely-done, over-the-top "I HATE you but you're SOOOO hot and I'm angry about it" vibe.

It was a little before the halfway mark that I was able to fully invest. That's a long time in my opinion, but I did end up really enjoying the story after that. The worldbuilding gets more intricate, and Solmir's slowly-revealed backstory was good.

Overall, I still wish there had been more invested in Solmir and Neve as people rather than the extremely strong "enemies-to-lovers" aesthetic they had in spades. If as much time had been spent fleshing out their individual characters as was spent on sexual tension and Am I a bad person? Are you a bad person? angst, the book would have been much stronger.

For the Throne is the sequel to For the Wolf, a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Overall, I preferred the first book. I liked the sequel, but it is considerably more complicated in the politics of the local governments in the book. It is also much farther away from the fairy tale than the first, and we don't get as much time with the characters we loved from the first book. They're there, but the focus shifts to other characters and I wasn't as invested.

*I received a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review
This was well worth over 5 stars. Such a great ending to a fantastic duology!

I could not stop thinking about the world Hannah created in For the Wolf and For the Throne was just as good: so imaginative and just beautiful prose: loved it!

I really tried to get into this. Especially since it was gifted from Netgalley. I really wanted to like it. I enjoyed book one, gave it a 3/5 star rating, only because some aspects of the story were a bit confusing for me. But I could not even finish this sequel. Part of my issue was that it had been too long since book one and I had trouble remembering characters and events and parts of the world-building. I just could not get interested. It was too easy to put down, and too hard to pick up again. So many other books captured my interest, and soon I had forgotten about this book. And had no desire to try again.

While I enjoyed much of the book, I found the story far less compelling than For the Wolf (book 1 of the Wilderwood series). I love Whitten's writing as a whole. The dark atmospheric settings were easy to fall into as a reader, and I really enjoyed Solmir (much more than I thought I would). Because it starts right where book 1 ended, I suggest you re-read For the Wolf - I found myself having to pause and go back to the first book which interrupted my flow of reading.

For the Throne is for those seeking a dark atmospheric read where even the setting is a part of the story. For the Throne starts off exactly where For The Wolf left us. And where the first book was mostly Red's story, this one is Neve's story that I actually preferred more than Red.

Neve is stuck in the Shadowlands and teams up with one of the old kings. I have to say I preferred this love story to the one in the first book. Neve was a more interesting character for me. The best parts in this book was the killing of gods to retain their magic. Each one had a distinct personality that at times was fun or super freaking creepy.

Overall, it was a nice wrap up to the series and PERFECT for spooky season!

I anxiously awaited this book because I devoured For the Wolf and couldn't wait to continue the story in this universe. For the Throne was a little more of a let down but only because of how strongly I enjoyed the first story. This one was slow reading and took a couple percentage of the story to get invested. The plot was too predictable which usually is something that doesn't bother me, but because I was slow to invest plus able to see where we were going, For the Throne was lackluster for me.

Second books can be hard to do, but this follow up in the Wilderwood series gives For the Wolf a run for its money. While the first book followed Red into the Wilderwood as she fulfills the Second Daughter prophecy, and focuses on her relationship with the Eeamon, this book follows Neve in the shadow realm. Neve is unrelenting in searching for answers so she can get back to her sister Red, and save her from the “awful bargain she was born into.” She reluctantly works with Solmir, a once King, despite her hatred for him believing that they have a common goal.

As the book progresses we learn that each sister is trying to find a way to be reunited, and trying to solve the messages and riddles they hear through dreams and mirrors; they’re told they must find keys and vessels and put these pieces together at the heart tree.

“Darkness was a thing she’d grown used to in recent months. Neve seemed to spend most of her time in it—in the gloom of the Shrine, bleeding on branches in an attempt to bring her sister home. Pacing in her room, unable to quiet her mind enough for sleep. And now, in the Shadowlands, not dark like she was used to but their own kind of flat, blank emptiness, all shades of gray.”

Neve is called the Shadow Queen over and over in this book, and I love how this quote really shows how that title has always been a part of her, and that this was the way things were always meant to play out. Neve grapples with “goodness” and the measure of her soul for much of the book.

We start off in the Shadowlands, which reminded me almost of a dream world. Neve’s journey with Solmir as the Shadowlands become less and less stable is full of tension and some great banter. This story has a couple of my favorite tropes- enemies to lovers and forced proximity. The way that he almost always refuses to call her by the nickname she prefers and instead uses her full name, Nevereah, or just Shadow Queen was just one entertaining detail that furthered their distaste for one another.

Throughout the book, juxtaposition is a big theme. Two sisters, opposites in every way, one taking in dark after the other had taken the light. The juxtaposition of shadowlands, colorless and soulless and full of monsters to the Wilderwood, all green and lush and safe again is so well done.

We also get Raffe’s perspective in some chapters, as well as a few other characters, and I liked how well they all supported the story, and how they were all essential in their own ways.

This story was full of beautiful, lyrical prose that transpired me so effortlessly into each of the sisters’ worlds. I loved the cyclical nature of the prophesies and the endings. I deeply felt the devastating realization at the end, but I love how each character got their own sort of resolution at the end, and the decision that the sisters must make for the rest of humanity.

Thank you to Net Galley and Orbit Books for the eArc!

Thank you NetGalley, Orbit, and Hannah Whitten for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! This is a great sequel to For the Wolf full of action, interesting characters, and an interesting setting. I don’t think it’s quite as good as the first book, but it was really fun, and I recommend it!