Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This is my personal opinion of the book.

Book 2 has great progression in the story and character arc. I enjoyed it much more than book 1. The plot seems a little scattered but comes together. I found Rose's story line a little lack luster compared to Wren's. The sister dynamic doesn't seems to a subplot and it focuses more on their relationships with others which is a slight disappointment, since they are suppose to rule together. The character development is great for supporting characters and one twin more than the other. Over all the book was a fun read and seems open ended for more adventures.

I loved the previous book on the series and I highly loved and enjoyed this one too. It was quite a fast paced read for me. I loved how amazingly simple yet engaging the word building was. The romance and elements were fire. Along with that, I really loved how exceptionally done, the characters’ growth and development was; that’s something I very much look forward to in my reads. Can’t wait enough for the next instalment already!

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

I had an arc of the first book Twin Crowns, the writing was solid in that and this was even better!

Wren and her sister Rose have been coronated and are going to rule Anadawn together. But the curse of the original twin Queens Ortha and Ooonagh Starcrest remains, twin queens who once rules together- but one sister Oonagh turned to forbidden blood magic and against her sister, cursing the witches and fracturing their magic forever.

Rose is still and demure, perfect ruler in all appearances as she was raised that way, diplomatic, articulate, patient, well groomed and mannered. While Wren is still reckless, hotheaded and impulsive the opposite of her sister. Punch first, ask questions later.
But the ingrained animosity for witches has been ingrained in the people of Anadawn for years since the death of their parents by Rathborne, his ilk and greasy hatred still remains- despite his removal.

Dissent is brewing and it's only their first day on the job. The sisters are separated, Rose on a journey with Shen Lo to locate The Sunkissed Kingdom, his lost people and city. While Wren stows-away to Gevra to rescue her grandmother Banba. Meanwhile at homes rebellion is mounting and the Queens could lose everything if they don't find a solution soon, they may not have a palace or country to even come back to.

Great adventure, solid plot, a wild curse, magic, romance, fantastic tension (I'm looking at you King Alarik). This one was even better than the first book. I can't wait to see how this journey goes in the next book.

a whirlwind of enchantment, misfortune, romance and adventure, book two of the twin crowns series is as fast-paced and entertaining as the first.

wren and rose return in cursed crowns, this time both as twin queens, ruling a divided kingdom side-by-side. they’re up against a whole host of foes, from opponents who wish to see the kingdom restored to its anti-magic ways to brooding kings in icy fortresses to envious family members to ancient curses dwelling in mountainsides.

just like book one, I found myself deeply invested in wren’s storyline and less engaged with rose’s POV. whether it’s her penchant for mischief or tendency to act first, think later, there’s something about wren that makes her a more relatable and likable MC. she is selfish, but fiercely loyal to those she loves. she is relentlessly brave, but also exceedingly reckless. she battles against her own darkness, but sometimes loses.

rose is a little too reliant on those around her, a little too idyllic about the nature of people and the world, which often borders on deeply naive, and overall just too wholesome and perfect and good. (we like an MC with layers!!!)

now on to the best part of the book — wren’s budding romance. without saying too much, I am absolutely LOVING her new love interest addition (enemies to lovers is without-a-doubt my favorite trope)!!! I wasn’t big on what she had going on romantically in book one, so I was eager for a new ship and WHEW did the authors not disappoint. (hello to that magic blizzard make out?!?!) needless to say, I can’t wait to see what happens next with these two!

thank goodness for the tension and development in wren’s POV with a certain someone, as I did not feel even close to the same intrigue and investment reading about rose and shen. shen in particular did some extremely out-of-character things in this book — and I’m no longer as much of a fan of the two as a result. plus, there were some segments with them that just stretched on and on and on. (we want sizzle!)

the conclusion left the story in a fascinating place — there was a cliffhanger, but it’s cleverly positioned to set up some stakes going into the next book. which transitions perfectly into my main gripe about this one. aside from rose’s POV being, at times, a bit dull, the biggest drawback of the cursed crowns is a lack of clarity around what edition of the series this is. I went into the story expecting it to be a duology, and it wasn’t until about halfway through that I realized there was no way it could be, as so much was being left unresolved. (that absolutely altered my reading experience.)

above all, cursed crowns is a delightful dive into a world depicting the pressures of royalty, of ill-advised rescue missions, of the pull of forbidden magic. it is heavy and light, tackling grief with points of humor, and the romance quickly seduces you.

*thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.*

I enjoyed the second book in the Twin Crowns series. The continued world building and further exploration into the magic system was very good! I appreciated some of the character development of the antagonists. I will say that the love triangle was stressful and I hope it resolves well in book 3!

The saying “be careful what you wish for” is exactly what I felt about this book. I have been in a book slump the past 6 or 7 months. I have had to force myself to push through almost every book I have read during this time. Only a few of these books have made me feel something. I have been telling my husband that I just want to pick up a book and be completely lost in it. I want it to make me feel something. I don’t care if it is anger, frustration, sadness, or happiness. I just want to feel something. Let me tell you, I got my wish!

Cursed Crowns picks up where Twin Crowns left off. Rose and Wren are trying to navigate their new life as sisters and queens. Rose is desperately trying to bring together the witches and the rest of the kingdom. Not everybody is happy with this, and group called “The Arrows” are stirring up discord throughout the villages. Wren is distracted with getting Banba back and eventually this leads to the sisters taking different paths. Wren hatches a plan to rescue Banba and sneaks out while everyone is sleeping to go to Gerva. Rose feels betrayed but still leaves on the Royal Tour to hopefully gain the trust of the people and stop the rebellion before it starts.

Throughout the book, the characters kept making horrible decisions. I found myself yelling at the characters like they could actually hear me. Wren still hasn’t learned to slow down and think things through. She is controlled by her emotions which leads to several horrible decisions that has long lasting consequences. I kept yelling at her to use her freaking brain! Several times I had to put the book down and take a break. Granted, during the break, all I could think about was how this choice was going to end and how much damage will be done. My breaks usually only lasted 5 or 10 minutes because of this. Then there was Rose. Her ego needed to be taken down a few notches. Like girl, did you not learn the first time to not expect people you have never met, in a place you never heard of, to bow to you? Did you think it was going to go any better? These two, never need to be separated again. They provide much needed balance to each other. I know this sounds like I didn't like the characters or the book. I promise you this is not the case. I love when I connect to a book so much that I take their actions personally. To me, it shows that the author has done their job.

Both Shen and Tor made appearances. Shen had a change of character towards the middle of the book. I’m not really sure how I feel about it. I loved seeing Tor again. I’m a little worried where Wren and his relationship is going. It was one of the only things I did not like about the book.

If you were like me, you went into this thinking it was a duology. There are too many things unresolved for it not to have another book though. I would have liked if they had some information on how many books will be in this series. On that note, please, I'm begging everybody involved with this book, to make an announcement soon on book three. At least let us know there will be a book three!!
Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and Balzer + Bray for this eArc

If you're looking for a faster paced, young adult fantasy with just enough romance to make you swoon, you might enjoy "Cursed Crowns" by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber. This novel features an interesting magic magic system, and lovable characters. While the sisterhood dynamic could be stronger, the romantic relationships of both sisters is well-crafted and adds an extra layer of depth to the story.

I really liked this book I just felt like it lacked the sisterly bond that seems to be important to the overall plot. In the first book the sisters are strangers who meet and eventually end up ruling a kingdom together. In this one I expected them to grow their bond and learn more about each other. Instead they spend 90% of the book separated and on vastly different journeys. They are clearly stronger together but have not been given the chance to learn their strengths.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC for "Cursed Crowns." Initially the first book I had a hard time getting into, but as I progressed it became a binge read! It was nice to come off reading the first one straight into the second, which I could not put down!! Wren continues to be my favorite of the twins and she is a great contrast to the other characters! Rose has definitely grown on me. Wren and Rose both have their own story lines that converge eventually as they both face heartache and moral tests. The story leaves off with the girls having to face new trials and tribulations on their path to becoming the rulers of witches and mortals. Like the first book, I felt there were too many chapters and too fast of a transition between perspectives, but I still greatly enjoyed Curse Crowns and look forward to the rest of the series!

This sequel to last year’s fun and delightful “Twin Crowns” gets darker, and it starts off slow. It remains firmly on the younger side of YA; it’s not pulling a “Kingdom of the Cursed,” and I can appreciate that. I’m not the target demo - gasp, I’m probably old enough to be the characters’ mother - but this series is charming enough to win me over. I could easily imagine Rose and Wren and their world as part of Disney Princess movie.

In contrast to how I felt about “Twin Crowns,” Wren’s arc in “Cursed Crowns” was more interesting to me; how can it now be when she dabbles in forbidden magic and a love triangle? Holding out hope that Wren and Alarik will reunite in the future. Tor was giving off Chaol (of the ToG series) vibes here.

Wren is a lot like your typical YA assassin heroine: brash, reckless, brave, and loyal. For that reason, I like Rose more as a character, as she’s more atypical, but Wren’s partial turn to the dark side was a welcome change of pace.

Some of Rose’s character traits may come across as unlikeable - and characters around her don’t always treat her well or respect her. Her arc is much less powerful - plus, it’s more of Shen’s arc - and I didn’t love the dynamic between Shen and her with this book. It’d be great to see her relationship with Shen develop further - or end. Right now, it’s sort of stuck (with a lot of scenes of them being interrupted during kissing). I’d like to see her in the action more in book 3, which I’m looking forward to eagerly.

A perfect sequel to Twin Crowns! I loved how much the world expanded in this story - we got to explore places only mentioned in Twin Crowns (no spoilers) and we got to know about Eana’s history. Plus, Wren and Rose are such well-written main characters. Though they may look alike, they are so different from each other - their thoughts, their interests, their personalities - which makes complete sense given how differently they were raised. Rose is initially going to be more politically savvy and Wren will be more confident in her use of magic. I found their individual thoughts and actions to be entirely plausible and believable based on their personalities.

Cursed Crowns picks up right where Twin Crowns ends, and even with the new threats and adventures, the focus isn’t taken away from the main threat - Oonagh’s curse that now lives in the twin Queens. That foreboding is a running thread throughout the entire novel, which was action-packed with self-discovery, questions of morality, familial bonds/sacrifices, and even a dash of romance (Tor who?).

I mistakenly thought this was duology, as only two books have been officially confirmed, but there are too many loose threads to tie up for there not to be a third book. I’ll be impatiently awaiting the announcement. In the meantime, I highly recommend picking up Twin Crowns/Cursed Crowns to begin your next fantasy adventure!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.75/5 stars! I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was excited to read the sequel of "Twin Crowns," This story continues past the events of the first and shows Wren and Rose taking entirely different pathways forward with their throne at stake. I liked this sequel but for some reason, the writing style felt younger than the first book. The first book was YA, but YA at its best, most epic fantasy. This book read a little more immaturely which pulled me out of the story at times.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s books, Balzer + Bray, for this eArc of this book.

Cursed Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber is the second book in the series that began with Twin Crowns.
In this second book we follow Wren and Rose who were newly crowned as Twin Queens. However, not all of their people are fine with the idea of witches ruling over them. In addition to the unrest, the queens are still worried about their grandmother Banba who was taken prisoner by the King of Gevra. The twins are pulled in different directions about how to go forward with their reign.
Rose embarks on a royal tour to garner peace while Wren sneaks off to the kingdom of Gevra to save Banba.
Along the tour, Rose and Shen meet interesting characters who unearth ancient secrets that bring more light to who they are. In Gevra, Wren strikes a life-altering bargain with Alarik, King of Gevra to save her grandmother.
I enjoyed this series because it has a light, funny theme with serious moments that reminds me of ya books such as Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted. I enjoyed Rose’s character development and the sweet moments between her and Shen Lo. There was a particular character in Gevra that stole the show with top tier banter between him and Wren. I loved the scenes that he was in, and I hope to see more of this complicated persona in the future. Wren is the same as she was in the first book in terms of how fiercely she loves and cares, and her ability to see beyond how a person is outwardly and to look into their heart.
This book was a fun and light high stakes fantasy read that I would recommend, and the end will leave you wishing for the third book!

An amazing sequel to a great series! I love how these authors expanded the world and the lore in this book, and the way they developed the characters. Sometimes you can tell when more than one person is writing the book, but that's not the case here. The writing styles blend together seamlessly. I love both Rose and Wren so much, I honestly can't decide which one I like better. Shen's character arc in this book was also really interesting. I liked him a lot in the first book, too. I also loved learning more about the history of the witches, Eana, and Ortha and Oonagh Starcrest. The scene towards the end involving Oonagh was super creepy. (Without giving spoilers, the scenes with a certain prince were also incredibly unsettling in the best way.) I thought Wren's narrative in this book was a little more interesting, whereas Rose's POV was more action-packed in the first book. I'm very interested to see how things are going to go between her and Tor given recent developments as well as my own mixed feelings about Tor...
For some reason I thought this was a duology, probably because of the whole twin thing. But given the loose ends that still need to be wrapped up, that doesn't seem like it's the case. So I'm excited for the third book!

Cute, and at times funny . . . and utterly not for me. Really, I think this was a clear case of me not being anywhere near the target audience, but even so this is a story that mostly reads a bit cloying for how "cutesy" it is. The girls are better when in one place together, too, which doesn't help the plot in this book as they are separated here (not permanently, of course, but for a good while), and it becomes a bit tedious when they're not together.

Maybe I'd have liked it more if it were a purely sisterly-focused and didn't have the romance so prominently? it had nice Snow White & Rose Red vibes, which was what attracted me in the first place. The sisterly chemistry could've been exploited better, it's not often we get this kind of familial, non-toxic bonds in YA after all.

Witchy hijinks continue in this sequel to Twin Crowns!

Cursed Crowns beings immediately following the events of the first book with Wren and Rose preparing for their coronation. A group called “The Arrows” is sowing discord throughout the country as they are against witches returning to society. They want to continue the ways of The Protector. Rose believes that the best course of action is a royal tour to show that there is nothing to be afraid of. Wren, on the other hand, is more concerned about getting Banba back from Gerva. On the day the royal tour is supposed to begin, Wren sneaks off to Gerva to strike a deal with King Alarik leaving Rose to deal with the royal tour and the aftermath.

Just like the first book, Cursed Crowns is told from dual POVs with each chapter switching off between Wren and Rose. This keeps the plot moving, however, I did find myself enjoying Wren’s chapters more. Rose’s main plotline doesn’t really begin until around 50% in the book, however, she does get to go on a fun side quest. I sometimes found the twins actions to be frustrating as they fall into old habits, but they both do show some growth towards the end of the book.

All of the side characters from the first book do make appearances including Shen and Tor. The romances with the twins are still alive, however, after the events in this book, it will be interesting to see how they play out in the sequels.

Cursed Crowns is a fun follow up to Twin Crowns. It answers some questions but also leaves many unanswered, keeping readers guessing as to what will happen with the twins next.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s for giving me an ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

If you liked the first, I believe you’ll like this one, too. I liked seeing other kingdoms in this one and the way the plot was driven forward. I did feel like Shen in particular acted out of character and it made me like him less. Some of the transitions were written awkwardly as well. Overall it was enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own. !Spoilers ahead!

Man what to say. I thought I loved the first book but this one was just so much better. I couldn’t put this book down and now I wish I could reread it for the first time again.

Rose and Shen…LOVE!!!! I was so shocked to find out the truth behind Shen and I was pissed about his cousin and uncle. I will say though that Shen should’ve known better than accuse Rose of lying and being jealous and trying to up him. She was looking out for him and she SAVED him for crying out loud. But, I’m glad it all worked out in the end for them.

Wren and Tor…,I thought I loved but throwing Alarik into the mix, I just don’t know who I want more. Don’t get me wrong Tor is lovely but I really just hate the way he acted when Wren was taken “prisoner”. It really threw me off. I love the idea of the enemies to lovers trope with Wren and Alarik though. I’m not sure how the authors plan to play this out but I’m excited for the next book. I think either way my heart will hurt for the one not chosen because they both deserve love.

Our Banba 😩😩😩😩. I’m glad she went out in a heroic way though and what Alarik did for Wren just made me love him more. I’m very curious to see how the whole ordeal with Oonagh is going to play out. I’m just praying that no one else important doesn’t because I don’t think I can take it.

I really enjoyed this second installment. It was fast pace and held my attention the whole time. I can’t wait to get an actual copy of this book. I actually already have two editions pre-ordered 🤣.

5 stars from this bookworm!