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Wicked Willow #2
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Wicked Willow II - Shattered Twilight
Even Willow's own coven has turned against her now. Condemned for saving Buffy from their evil phantom and for not protecting the other coven members fully, as she had promised, Willow must come up with a way to restore herself to them -- and to reinforce her position of power, which hangs in the balance.
But the truth -- that she battled the phantom because the ghost of Tara told her to -- will only lower Willow's status in the eyes of her coven. It is time for big magic. Infallible magic.
And as Willow turns to the elements for protection, Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies must find a way to fight back without losing Willow forever....
But the truth -- that she battled the phantom because the ghost of Tara told her to -- will only lower Willow's status in the eyes of her coven. It is time for big magic. Infallible magic.
And as Willow turns to the elements for protection, Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies must find a way to fight back without losing Willow forever....
272 pages, Paperback
First published May 8, 2010
2 people are currently reading
529 people want to read
About the author
Yvonne Navarro
127 books174 followersYvonne Navarro is the author of Concrete Savior, Highborn, AfterAge, deadrush, Final Impact, Mirror Me and a bunch of other books, plus Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels and tie-in novels for Hellboy, Elektra, and others."
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 22, 2020
The Wicked Willow trilogy is an alternate storyline from Buffy's sixth season in which Willow attempts to bring back Tara, her one true love who's been cruelly murdered. Naturally, the further she delves into dark sorcery the deeper into the dark side she slips, and the consequences for her and her friends intensifies. The books definitely need to be read in order, as it's more of a long novel split into three parts than a true trilogy. The second volume tends to sag a bit, but it's overall a compelling and well-paced story. Navarro does a good job of portraying the characters in a convincing manner, and takes the reader on a realistic return to Sunnydale. I can't think of any particulars I can mention that wouldn't be spoilerish, but I'll say that I enjoyed the trip.
August 24, 2016
This is the second book of a trilogy and the first book must be read to understand this book. In this book, Willow is still planning to resurrect Tara and the Scoobies are still against her. This trilogy is an alternate reality series.
I like alternate reality stories but I did think this was a step down from the previous novel. The characters are fine as one has no problem picturing the characters from the show. My problem was that not much was accomplished. At the end of the first book both sides were dealt severe blows and by the end of this one we're basically in the same spot. Maybe I was hoping for a little more because I love the idea of a character dealing with a loved one's death by essentially denying it. It delved into that aspect but didn't fully explore it.
This is a quick read and it did keep me interested during its duration. It wasn't as good as the first novel which was a really enjoyable read. My theory is there wasn't enough story to warrant three books and this book was more filler.
I like alternate reality stories but I did think this was a step down from the previous novel. The characters are fine as one has no problem picturing the characters from the show. My problem was that not much was accomplished. At the end of the first book both sides were dealt severe blows and by the end of this one we're basically in the same spot. Maybe I was hoping for a little more because I love the idea of a character dealing with a loved one's death by essentially denying it. It delved into that aspect but didn't fully explore it.
This is a quick read and it did keep me interested during its duration. It wasn't as good as the first novel which was a really enjoyable read. My theory is there wasn't enough story to warrant three books and this book was more filler.
October 10, 2025
Honestly this book felt like a repeat of the first book with nothing new. Willow again creates a creature that ends up not doing what she wanted and having to take action herself. The story makes no progress, except for Giles... the rest is just bickering. I did finish reading it, but got tired of it. If it's not Willow with her coven it's the Scooby gang amongst themselves... Why still 2 stars? Because I still enjoy the Buffy world. But I'm not sure I'm even gonna try the third one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2020
Sigh.
Just trying to get through the ridiculous amount of books I have on my shelf to read.
This trilogy is making it hard.
Just trying to get through the ridiculous amount of books I have on my shelf to read.
This trilogy is making it hard.
February 14, 2025
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Wicked Willow II - Shattered Twilight by Yvonne Navarro is a thrilling continuation of the Wicked Willow trilogy. In this second installment, Willow’s descent into darker magic and her struggle to reclaim her power provide a compelling story, filled with tension and emotional weight. The stakes are higher as Willow faces betrayal from her own coven and grapples with the consequences of her actions.
Navarro does a fantastic job of capturing the essence of the beloved Buffy characters, especially Willow, who is torn between her desire to bring Tara back and the destructive path she's on. The relationships between the Scoobies remain strong, and their efforts to stop Willow from spiraling further into darkness create a gripping narrative.
However, while the story is engaging, I did find myself wishing for a more “wicked” Willow. She’s certainly powerful and makes some bold moves, but she doesn’t quite reach the same level of menace as the alternate reality version of Willow that fans remember. The plot also slows down in some parts, as it leans heavily on the magical elements, which can feel a bit drawn out.
Still, this book keeps the reader invested, with significant developments, shocking twists, and a setup for an even more explosive conclusion. Fans of the Buffy universe will appreciate the emotional depth and stakes of the story, even if it’s not the most intense or true-to-show version of Willow. I'm eager to see how Navarro wraps up this trilogy in the final book.
Navarro does a fantastic job of capturing the essence of the beloved Buffy characters, especially Willow, who is torn between her desire to bring Tara back and the destructive path she's on. The relationships between the Scoobies remain strong, and their efforts to stop Willow from spiraling further into darkness create a gripping narrative.
However, while the story is engaging, I did find myself wishing for a more “wicked” Willow. She’s certainly powerful and makes some bold moves, but she doesn’t quite reach the same level of menace as the alternate reality version of Willow that fans remember. The plot also slows down in some parts, as it leans heavily on the magical elements, which can feel a bit drawn out.
Still, this book keeps the reader invested, with significant developments, shocking twists, and a setup for an even more explosive conclusion. Fans of the Buffy universe will appreciate the emotional depth and stakes of the story, even if it’s not the most intense or true-to-show version of Willow. I'm eager to see how Navarro wraps up this trilogy in the final book.
March 8, 2018
And I thought the first instalment was poorly written! This was full of crappy sentence construction, contradictions and inconsistencies, and more of unnecessary and tedious repetition. All of which I might have been able to ignore if something had actually happened to move the story along. What did happen could have happened in a few chapters rather than 260 pages.
I started the first book believing that one of the main characters could actually die – it is meant to be an alternative to the show, but the more I read the more I doubt anything much will be different.
I guess I will waste a few more hours reading the final book to find out. I’ll try to retain a glimmer of hope that the writer will redeem herself and actually do something with all the power she has given Willow.
I started the first book believing that one of the main characters could actually die – it is meant to be an alternative to the show, but the more I read the more I doubt anything much will be different.
I guess I will waste a few more hours reading the final book to find out. I’ll try to retain a glimmer of hope that the writer will redeem herself and actually do something with all the power she has given Willow.
December 30, 2025
Wow. At first, I was going to give this trilogy three stars, because I think the story could’ve gone deeper and still kept to the constraints of the Buffyverse plot; however, after reading about the author’s experience getting this trilogy out there and the challenges of dealing with her publisher and everyone in between, I’m going to go ahead and give this five stars.
Having to produce and edit a creative work under those conditions is ridiculous and then to take blame from an angry readership on top of that? Forget it.
Frankly, I’m angry for Navarro and I hope she found her way into better projects and more understanding readers after this. I just discovered this trilogy, and I’m glad to see there are people supporting her many years after its completion.
Navarro’s response to the poor reviews: https://www.yvonnenavarro.com/rant.htm
Having to produce and edit a creative work under those conditions is ridiculous and then to take blame from an angry readership on top of that? Forget it.
Frankly, I’m angry for Navarro and I hope she found her way into better projects and more understanding readers after this. I just discovered this trilogy, and I’m glad to see there are people supporting her many years after its completion.
Navarro’s response to the poor reviews: https://www.yvonnenavarro.com/rant.htm
January 28, 2019
Really enjoyed the reading. But got the feeling the whole book was a repeat of the first one. Looking forward the final book.
January 22, 2020
3.75 Stars.
Liking the story & want to read the third & final book, just not Loving it.
Liking the story & want to read the third & final book, just not Loving it.
February 3, 2016
In this second book in the trilogy Willow continues with her plans to try and obtain enough energy in order to bring Tara back to life. In the first volume she seemed to be getting the best of Buffy and group, but in this one Buffy and her friends take the fight to the enemy and cause major damage to Willow's coven, with a result that some of the members of Willow's group end up being killed.
Buffy and group even manage to get Tara's ghost away from Willow and confine her to the Magic Box, something which is definitely going to draw a major reaction from Willow in the final installment.
The second novel is ok but somehow this "wicked Willow" doesn't seem wicked enough, definitely not on the same level as the vampire-Willow from the alternative reality episodes. She is also always taking on Buffy and the entire group, rather than trying to concentrate on weaker members of the group and trying to eliminate them one way or the other. In effect, this "wicked" Willow doesn't really seem to be wicked enough..
Buffy and group even manage to get Tara's ghost away from Willow and confine her to the Magic Box, something which is definitely going to draw a major reaction from Willow in the final installment.
The second novel is ok but somehow this "wicked Willow" doesn't seem wicked enough, definitely not on the same level as the vampire-Willow from the alternative reality episodes. She is also always taking on Buffy and the entire group, rather than trying to concentrate on weaker members of the group and trying to eliminate them one way or the other. In effect, this "wicked" Willow doesn't really seem to be wicked enough..
October 21, 2016
Okay so let's discuss this. I love Buffy and I'm all for making it into book series and creative work for artists as well. However, I may just be the type of person who is very tied to Whedon's plot. I love the season six finale so much that it is honestly in the running with season two's ending. Now when you start introducing to me new plot points and characters that weren't relevant or nonexistent in the series, I get pretty iffy. This book wasn't bad. I just couldn't get used to the drawn out plot (cause we all know from watching the show how it truly went down). And having Giles restricted to a wheelchair for 75% of the book wasn't very smart? This is also bias cause I didn't read the first or last of this trilogy. But overall, there were some pretty successful moments, I'll give it that. Just wish it was more...true to the series (but that's just me).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2014
This is the second entry in the Wicked Willow trilogy. So far volume one and this volume are two of the best books I've read from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Universe. It's been a long time since I was tempted to read ahead in a book because I was so excited to see what would happen next. Ms.Navarro has truly captured the characters from the Buffy series,and made the reader care about what happens to them.I love this trilogy!! Thank you, Ms. Navarrow.
November 2, 2017
I really wanted to love this book. I really love willow, but I did not love wicked willowed in the book. I really loved the arc on the t.v because it was short. I liked that it was not bound my cannon but it was not my favorite. I will eventually finish the series but it was rather slow read.
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August 23, 2008isbn,original
November 22, 2008
The Wicked Willow books were pretty good until the very end. I guess she wanted to tie it in to the show but I was disappointed.
August 11, 2010
Not as good as book I, but the Good Scoobies do make a little head way - so things are looking up for Book III.
February 25, 2019
The trilogies seem to work way better than the standalones
April 12, 2017
I keep trying to force myself through this book. I've read over half and it is just dry. Unlike other Buffy novels, I feel like the character dialogue just doesn't match the spirit of the characters. Overall I would recommend avoiding this odd "what if" buffy series.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews