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"There once was a girl, clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a King, a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two were the same. The girl, the King, and the monster they became."

i had high expectations for Two Twisted Crowns but breaking down into tears was NOT on that list. that was amazing😭 easiest 5 stars i could give. (view spoiler)[when nightmare had to go😭😭 oh that broke me although it was obviously bound to happen but still💔 him and elspeth truly had such a unique and wholesome bond (hide spoiler)]

im feeling very emotional right now so this review will be short but i absolutely LOVED this even more than the first book. not only were we blessed with ravyn & elm's pov, but the stakes were so high, the lore of this world expanded so much more, and the characters got even more depth to them like !!! i dont want to say this was a perfect sequel but truly it felt like it. seeing Nightmare's past??? jaw dropping reveals??? i genuinely wouldve never seen that one reveal at the end coming omg??? and even some other reveals throughout the story related to ione had my heart break genuinely ive never felt more rage and sadness, but seriously again i didnt even expect it?? i lost track of how many times rachel gillig made me gasp and say WHAT?! out loud throughout this book.

the biggest highlight was most definitely the addition of povs though !! first of all RAVYN LOML MY HEART AND SOUL, seeing how deep his character getting to see his mind?? i loved the depth we got to see and the change he underwent from travelling through the mist and back?? it was so beautiful seeing, it was like we were seeing the real ravyn in full glory🥹 i love this man so much. he truly suffered in this book and yet it only made him stronger. ravyn & nightmare's convos were too good though help i laughed so much. one of the best scenes was ravyn punching someone in the nose to break it (after they broke ravyn's nose) and saying it was because elspeth told him to🥹 made my heart melt, so sweet ugh. and then elm!!! i just knew id love him even more and after getting his pov, i can confirm that happened 100%. the fears and doubts he had and how he always felt he was weak, all his vulneralbilities??? i just wanted to give him a big hug. and even after all the cruelty and pain he's been dealt, elm still remains kind, soft, and sweet i adore him so so much. this one line by the nightmare had me tearing up because seriously if that isnt the truth? (view spoiler)[ "I had five hundred years to imagine my revenge. Hauth Rowan tasted it, that night at Spindle House. But poetry is as judicious as violence. And wouldn't it be poetic to undo the Rowans from within? To take that legacy of pain, and watch one of their own grind it under his heel? To carve the way for a Prince who never used the Scythe for violence? Your cousin Elm has done more than Brutus Rowan or I ever could. He has looked pain in the eye--and refused to let it make a monster of him." (hide spoiler)]. and getting to see his feelings for ione become a fierce love for her in his pov??? oh i was eating it up. like truly i dont think ive ever seen a book where the MMC's pov only is shown for how they fall in love with the FMC (we always get the FMC only or both) so seeing it be only elm's pov!!! that was amazing to read about. and even though we didnt get ione's pov, i got to understand her so much better and love her even more wow she's so strong i adore this girl (view spoiler)[my heart literally stopped when ione revealed that hauth actually forced her to use the maiden and use its power indefinitely??? how he abused her and even pushed her off the sill??? AND THEN HE STABBED HER IN THE HEART WITH THE MAIDEN CARD JUST TO TEST ITS STRENGTH??? oh i fumed. im only mad that he didnt suffer more in death, but omg ione😭 my heart broke for her so much, how she didnt want to lose her feelings and was forced to be unfeeling?? (hide spoiler)] i loved seeing how even with the maiden card blocking off her feelings, we still got to see ione feel around elm, it was so sweet!!! love truly overcomes anything.(view spoiler)[AND THEIR MARRIAGE AT THE END??? I WAS CRYING😭😭 (hide spoiler)]

still, while i adore elm and ione... ravyn & elspeth forever have my heart first🤭 there's something about those two that wins me over just a tiny bit more, i could read a whole novella on their fluffy moments for eternity🥹

overall, this was such a beautifully written and addicting series. my only regret is that it took me way too long to actually get to it (also that i finished it so fast). i will definitely be reading rachel's future books!!