Overall, this was an entertaining young adult romance book. The dual POVs are beautifully narrated by Ann Marie Gideon and Ell Potter. The audiobook even included an interview with the authors, which was a nice touch. I am looking forward to listening to the sequel, Cursed Crowns, as well. I liked the lore in this! I liked how witches were at the core of the earth, the world & the magic (obviously). I feel like there's more to learn, but what we got in this was cool. Honestly, I was initially drawn to this book solely based on its cover. However, I am pleasantly surprised to find that it has exceeded my expectations. The twin sisters, despite not knowing each other, were not cruel and prioritized their family. They showed care and love towards one another. One thing that kept confusing me and annoying me is that anytime Wren and/or Rose tried to call off the wedding Rathborne, King Alarik or some other man was essentially telling them no and not letting them call it off. Like, isn't Rose the princess soon to be Queen? Isn't she ABOVE the Kingsbreath? Why did she have to do what he said no matter what?

Of course I wanted to meet you," said Wren, and when her own tears fell, she scrubbed them away, wishing she could erase the unpleasant feelings that came with them. Guilt and loss, and this new yearning for the life they might have had together if things had been different. If only things had been different. "I thought about you every day of my life.” Princess Rose Valhart knows that with power comes responsibility--and she won't let a small matter like waking up in the desert with an extremely impertinent (and very handsome) kidnapper get in the way of her duty. But life outside the palace is wilder and more beautiful than she ever imagined, and the witches she has long feared might turn out to be the family she never had. I like Celeste and how funny she is. She is such a great best friend to Rose! And I'm glad she was able to notice that Wren was an impostor. Like a true best friend would be able to! make an effort to connect with your fiancé to avoid suspicion, then plot his downfall and get rid of him in a quiet manner Unpopular opinion coming in. It’s not a bad book, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary or memorable, and nothing we haven’t seen before in YA. It’s just overall okay.

Next, the writing. I really liked the writing style- it was super easy to read and to understand, and helped the book fly by 😃 The whole book had an extremely fun atmosphere, which made it very entertaining to read. Although there are serious things happening, with the threat of war on the horizon, it felt a lot more like a fun fantasy romp, with the sisters messing up in hilarious ways and them having their own romances, than a serious book 😚😚 PRAISE FOR TWIN CROWNS: "A leisurely paced and lushly described adventure, which is steeped in absorbing magic and exhilarating romance." — Publishers Weekly Just to add in some critiques because I'm supposed to be a "fair" and "honest" reviewer: some things were just very convenient. Like Rose and Wren became friendly way faster than I would've expected, since Wren literally tried to steal Rose's crown and then Rose just almost instantly forgave her, which was a little confusing. And as I said above, the romances were a tad rushed, like both couples grew to trust each other quite fast, but it's kind of different for both, like Wren told Tor a lot more than she should've after knowing him for not that long. It was reminiscent of early YA, but not in any of the ways that would have made me feel affection or nostalgia. There were so many moments that I wanted to put the book down just because I was cringing so terribly at the dialogue or plot conveniences. This somehow read like a younger YA written for adults, and I don't know how to explain it. (The best examples are pieces of dialogue like, "I must have misinterpreted your moans." vs. very ridiculous, juvenile moments that feel jarring.)

Yes, the book had flaws, like some things were very convenient, some things didn't really make much sense, but as I said, I overlooked everything.I loved Tor & Wren. There is quite bit of angst that occurred between them at the end of the book & I am VERY excited to see what happens between these two. Twin Crowns is a romantic fantasy novel, heavy on the romance and light on fantasy. This is no epic tale but instead a light, funny, tropey novel. Wren and Rose are twins, separated at birth when their parents, King and Queen were murdered. Rose has been raised in the palace as princess, betrothed to a neighbouring kingdom’s prince. Wren was raised with the witches. They hide in fear for their lives and plot to reclaim their land and power. This plot hinges on Wren taking Rose’s place in the palace and kidnapping Rose away. Things get complicated when Rose learns the truth about her parents’ murders and Wren learns she many not have been prepared for the challenges she will find in the royal castle. trigger warnings: Violence, Kidnapping, Loss of Parents, Murder, Death, Attempted Murder, Poison, etc. With Wren, I really did enjoy her story-line, navigating everything and all that, so I guess there's that. But nothing really intriguing was happening there, except for all the lies and deception that she was doing (which I love her for) And then there's also her romance, but we'll talk about that later.

I got to enjoy the relationship more as well, and while Wren and Tor will always be my favourites...Rose and Shen are sweet together. Not only that, witch culture (realistically enough) is incredibly toxic. Their goal is to take over the kingdom for the benefit of themselves, and they talk loudly and often about how the rivers will run red with the blood of anyone who stands in their way. They are one step away from a Master Race theory of why they deserve to rule and no one else matters, and that step consists entirely of vocabulary. Ideologically and emotionally, they’re already there. Princess Rose Valhart knows that with power comes responsibility including marriage into a brutal kingdom. Life outside the palace walls is a place to be feared and she is soon to discover that it’s wilder than she ever imagined. Speaking of Prince Ansel!!! :( I am absolutely heartbroken by what happened to him at the end of the book! He was so sweet and had an innocent like personality... I understand why King Alarik and Princess Anyka are wanting war with Eana now. Poor Ansel!! There may be romance in this book for both sisters, but the true love in the story, I think, is the love between Wren and Rose, and sisters in general. And even though they were seperated for their whole lives, they still love each other and protect each other. When they got together, it was as if they hadn't been seperated at all.

But now as Wren’s plan is finally in motion, the twins are going to know each other’s lives a lot better... A high-stakes fantasy rom-com about twin princesses separated at birth―one raised as the crown princess, and the other taken as an infant and raised to kidnap her sister, steal the crown, and avenge the parents' murders―the first novel in a new YA duology from bestselling UK authors Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber. Perfect for fans of The Selection, My Lady Jane , and Caraval. I was hoping to enjoy this as silly, tropey fun, and initially it met those expectations: it’s the written equivalent of a Disney movie, complete with spunky adventuring princesses, cute romances, and a paper-thin setting. Unfortunately, the fun wore off as the book insisted upon good-vs-evil morality while the actual portrayal is anything but. Pro tip: it’s helpful in a goofy fantasy novel if the “good” guys value human life beyond their own, and aren’t simply out to crush the rest of society under their thumb. Maybe that’s why I like Rose more now, as I had the chance to just read instead of trying to figure out all the plotlines.

I had so much fun reading this book! Twin Crowns is a fantasy rom-com with plots that involve political intrigue and corruption. The book focuses on the sisterly bond between Wren and Rose, which is strong regardless of how they grew up in different worlds. L’histoire reste assez clichée dans le YA et stéréotypée dans les personnages mais le tout est trop bien arrangé avec le twist des jumelles qui échangent leur place pour qu’on passe un super moment ! Les chapitres sont courts et le rythme ne s’essouffle pas une seconde grâce aux changements de dynamique. Now, I certainly don’t oppose including a dysfunctional group of fascists in a book, and exploring how to reintegrate the witches into society could be fruitful ground for storytelling. I assumed the twins would have parallels arcs in which Rose realized that witches are still human and not 100% evil and need to be incorporated into the kingdom somehow, while Wren realized the dangers of revenge and witch supremacy and that other people matter too. And that while Rose realized that the regent has manipulated her and raised her as a tool for his own ends, Wren would realize that the same is true of her grandmother. Since we're trying to avoid suspicion on our way in, I'd rather not leave eighteen bodies behind us.” Princess Rose Valhart knows that with power comes responsibility―and she won’t let a small matter like waking up in the desert with an extremely impertinent (and very handsome) kidnapper get in the way of her duty. But life outside the palace is wilder and more beautiful than she ever imagined, and the witches she has long feared might turn out to be the family she never had.PRAISE FOR TWIN CROWNS: "The breezy energy of this light fantasy romp will appeal to fans of My Lady Jane" — Booklist And Rose? It took longer. She’s definitely a little spoilt, but she’s also the most heartfelt and sweet human ever. Switching places was a new experience for both sisters and fun for me! They got to know each other slowly in amusing ways.