Description
Product Description
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 would steal her sister’s place in the palace. Trained from birth to return to the place of her parents’ murder and usurp the only survivor, she will do anything to rise to power and protect the community of witches she loves. Or she would, if only a certain palace guard wasn’t quite so distractingly attractive, and if her reckless magic didn’t have a habit of causing trouble…
Princess Rose Valhart knows that with power comes responsibility. Marriage into a brutal kingdom awaits, and she will not let a small matter like waking up in the middle of the desert in the company of an extremely impertinent (and handsome) kidnapper get in the way of her royal duty. But life outside the palace walls 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 knew she was missing.
Two sisters separated at birth and raised into entirely different worlds are about to get to know each other’s lives a whole lot better. But as coronation day looms closer and they each strive to claim their birthright, the sinister Kingsbreath, Willem Rathborne, becomes increasingly determined that neither will succeed. Who will ultimately rise to power and wear the crown?
From School Library Journal
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.
Review
“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 book! Don’t miss it!” — Sarah J Maas, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
“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
"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
“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
“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
“With the witty banter and clever magic, there’s never a dull moment.… A delightfully magical twist on a classic premise.” — Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber are both bestselling and award-winning writers of YA and children’s books. In addition to cowriting Twin Crowns, they are soon to be sisters-in-law.
Catherine grew up in Galway in the west of Ireland by the sea. She is the author of the Blood for Blood YA trilogy and the middle grade Storm Keeper trilogy. She currently lives in Ireland with her fiancé, Jack, and their dog, Cali.
Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber are both bestselling and award-winning writers of YA and children’s books. In addition to cowriting Twin Crowns, they are soon to be sisters-in-law.
Katherine is from Southern California and spent much of her childhood in the Palm Springs desert. She is the author of Only Love Can Break Your Heart and The Revelry. For younger readers, she also cowrites the Sam Wu Is Not Afraid and Dragon Realm series with her husband, Kevin Tsang. She is currently based in London with her husband and young daughters.
