Twin Crowns

Twin Crowns

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. Wren Greenrock has always known that one day she’d steal her sister’s place on the throne. Trained from birth to return to the palace and avenge her parents’ murder, she’ll do anything to become queen and protect the community of witches who raised her. Or she would, if only a certain guard wasn’t quite so distractingly attractive, and if her reckless magic would stop causing trouble. . . . 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. But as coronation day looms and each sister strives to claim her birthright, an old enemy becomes increasingly determined that neither will succeed. Who will ultimately rise to power and wear the crown?   Gr 9 Up-A swap between twin princesses leads to the downfall of a corrupt regent. Magic-working Princess Wren of Eana has spent 17 years in hiding, plotting to kill Rathborne, the man who murdered her parents. Rathborne now rules in the name of Wren's twin sister, Rose, and oppresses indigenous witches. Wren steals Rose's place, planning to restore witchcraft to Eana, but she faces an arranged marriage to a foreign prince. Meanwhile, Rose is whisked to a secret colony of witches and grapples with her magical heritage. Familiar tropes abound. An oasis leads to chaste partial nudity; sidekick wolves assess dating compatibility; a sexy bandit discovers a stolen princess is unexpectedly "spirited." Rose is traditionally feminine and Wren is a "tomboy"; both their lovers are warriors. While the novel gains its greatest energy from the romantic plots, deviating from martial masculinity means death for Rose's domestic fiancé. More happily, Eana has a multiracial population where individuals can marry along the gender spectrum. However, some anachronisms disrupt the believability of characters' motivations. Benignly, minstrels play waltzes and characters exclaim "wow" and "sheesh." Inexplicably, northern foreigners swap frock coats and gowns for fur bikinis. Also, should readers believe that Wren can easily erase the legacy of a colonial act occurring a thousand years ago? What is her plan for decolonization, beyond vowing that rivers will "run red with our enemies' blood"? VERDICT This anachronistic romp about self-discovery through sisterhood, sexy men, and magic is weakened by clunky prose and a lack of nuance.-Katherine Magyarodyα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. "A leisurely paced and lushly described adventure, which is steeped in absorbing magic and exhilarating romance." - Publishers Weekly “With the witty banter and clever magic, there’s never a dull moment.… A delightfully magical twist on a classic premise.” - Kirkus Reviews “Doyle and Webber give readers twin plots of daring deception, spectacular settings and two very appealing love interests… you’ll root for both twins in this dangerous web of intrigue.” - Kendare Blake #1 NYT Bestselling Author of the Three Dark Crowns series "Riotously funny, fast-paced and dripping with romance, TWIN CROWNS manages to deliver a tale as familiar and nostalgic in the way of childhood blankets and fireflies in jars, while at the same time wholly refreshing with its levity, charm and quirky tale of sisterhood rediscovered. Twin Crowns is so joyous that days after reading, I'm still grinning." - Roshani Chokshi, of The Gilded Wolves and Aru Shah series “An absolute delight from start to finish. Twin Crowns is a dazzling gem of a book. Magical, clever, surprising, and pure fun from its captivating start to its spectacular finish. If you love wicked kings, sexy bandits, and sister stories that are full of heart, this is a must read.”  - Stephanie Garber, New York Times Bestselling author of Caraval “ Twin Crowns has all the charm of The Princess Bride and all the stakes of Game of Thrones —but Wren and Rose are in a league of their own. Addictive, swoony, tender and vivid - I loved it with all my heart.”  - Kiran Millwood Hargrave, bestselling author of The Mercies “ Twin Crowns cast a spell on me from the very first pages with its glittering blend of harrowing adventure, charming wit, and intricate world-building. Add in delightful romance and two unforgettable narrators, and I was thoroughly bewitched by this marvelous bo