By the end, I found myself liking both of the sisters but I definitely have more of a soft spot for Rose over Wren.

It didn't take me long to come around to Rose as a character. I found her a bit annoying in the beginning of the book, but as soon as she learned more about her history and the truth of the kingdom and Willem, she was fully onboard with making a fairier kingdom and I found myself loving her. I hope we get to see more of her relationship with Celeste in the next book because the way that

Celeste was the only person who truly knew Rose enough to know that it was Wren showed how strong of a friendship the two had.

I started to like Wren a bit more at 80% of the book. For the most part, her behaviour and her treatment of everyone except Tor was a bit tiring to read. For most of the book, she was so adamant that Rose couldn't be queen and it had to be her and yet her first response to any obstacle was to consider murder. Although, I did like what we get to see of her relationships with Banba and Shen.

I can't wait to see her being so determined to get Banba back in the next book.

Even though he didn't have much page time, Shen had me swooning. Tor, on the other hand, was so painfully dull that his scene at the end made me feel nothing, if anything it just made me love Elske even more.

#justiceforansel

Wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. After seeing it posted about a lot, I finally caved and gave it a go and I fell in love with it.

The pacing, the writing, the worldbuilding through the lore, the characters, the romance and friendships. Everything was written so wonderfully. It is genuinely one of the best new YA books out there, 100% recommended this to anyone 13+. The romance even had me kicking my feet and giggling at the age of 27. I just had fun with it. I mean, a lost princess trying to reclaim her family's throne, and a princess in name only being controlled by a power-hungry protector? What's not to love?

Rose and Wren are twin sisters separated at birth to protect them from their parent’s murderer. Wren grew up in a colony of witches with her maternal grandmother Banba after being hurried away from the attack on her mother by a witch midwife. She’s spent her whole life preparing to help take back the country from the man who killed her parents and controls her sister. Rose grew up in the castle, raised and protected by the Kingsbreath and fully indoctrinated into his anti-witch world and unaware that she has living family until the day finally comes that Wren takes her place and she’s spirited away to the witch colony and learns that she’s been lied to and manipulated her whole life.

This is a really solid YA story. It’s kind of Prince and the Pauper-y with a magical spin. The twins are both interesting and their respective love interests make sense with their arcs. Some of the background characters are kind of one dimensional and single use (one witch is there to spill secrets to Rose before Shen has told her the truth, another is there to represent the animosity some witches have against the crown and to show Rose’s kindness, etc). 

The beginning was a little slow with Wren trying to integrate herself into the castle and Rose being kidnapped and going on her first journey outside of her gilded prison. It picked up once Rose gained some confidence but it also got a little confusing because there seems to be some time passing but it wasn’t really clear how much skipping around there was. You could tell me the twins had swapped places for two weeks or 4 months and I’d believe either. I also wish we’d gotten to see more interactions between the sisters. A few scenes of them plotting and scheming were boiled down to “we spent the whole night talking”. I think some of it is meant to show their innate twin connection but it would have been nice to see them actually get to know each other. 

Content warnings:
Blood, injury, violence (on page):

Shen is injured in the desert which is his Rose learns she’s a healer witch. Big fight at the wedding.

Child abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse (flashbacks):

Described in chapter 12. Rose was tested by the Kingsbreath for witchcraft as a child, which she described in her thoughts as him making her crawl through mud, pushing her face into it and forcing her hands closed around it until her fingernails cracked. This happened monthly until she was twelve. He continued to manipulate her as his puppet to present day. Rose does not voice these thoughts.

Death (on page):

During the climax at the wedding, the Kingsbreath hurls a dagger at Wren but Tor pushes her out of the way which causes the dagger to strike and kill Ansel instead. Rose tries to save him but Alarik pulls her off his body.

Death of parent (off page):

The Kingsbreath poisoned the twin’s father and then slit their mother’s throat moments after she gave birth to Rose. This is mentioned a few times as it is essential to why the twins were separated. Rose spent most of her life believing a witch was responsible for their deaths and learns the truth about halfway into the book.

Kidnapping (on page):

Rose is kidnapped so Wren can take her place. She is protected by Shen and ends up being pretty chill about the whole thing in a way only a YA protagonist could be.

Wow!!! That was so fun! That was SO FUN! What a blast! The magic, the political intrigue, the long lost twin, the surprise, the emotion! Wow this was great! I will say there really wasn’t any diversity in this book at all so for that I’m dropping it half a star but the plot was fun and the characters were really well fleshed out and I loved the two narrators for the different princesses!

I was so pleasantly surprised by this! 😍 

"Twin Crowns" was the first book in months I was able to really focus on and speed through. It reminds me so much of the fantasy books from 4-5 years but in such a positive way. It's got great worldbuilding, interesting relationship and some great action at the end (and of course, the romance was nice, too 😉). 

I would definitely recommend it and I'm looking forward to the next book!