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Wilderwood #2
Trůnu předurčená
Prvorozená je pro trůn předurčená,
Druhorozená Vlku zaslíbená.
Reda s Vlkem konečně odrazili útok dávných Králů, ale zaplatili za to vysokou cenu. Redina milovaná sestra Nei, Prvorozená, se propadla do Říše stínů – převráceného království, kde jsou už celá staletí uvězněni krutí bohové z legend a bájní Králové zde pomalu získávají nadvládu.
Nei však získá spojence – i když kdyby měla na výběr, zvolila by si kohokoliv jiného na celém světě. Je to totiž padouch, který jí málem zabil sestru, sám krutý král Solmir.
Solmir chce s Říší stínů skoncovat a věří, že pomoc Nei může být klíčem k jejímu zničení. Aby se to však podařilo, budou se oba muset vydat na cestu nebezpečnou krajinou, aby našli tajemný Strom srdcí a nakonec si sami pro sebe vzali temnou, zvrácenou moc, jíž bohové vládnou.
Druhorozená Vlku zaslíbená.
Reda s Vlkem konečně odrazili útok dávných Králů, ale zaplatili za to vysokou cenu. Redina milovaná sestra Nei, Prvorozená, se propadla do Říše stínů – převráceného království, kde jsou už celá staletí uvězněni krutí bohové z legend a bájní Králové zde pomalu získávají nadvládu.
Nei však získá spojence – i když kdyby měla na výběr, zvolila by si kohokoliv jiného na celém světě. Je to totiž padouch, který jí málem zabil sestru, sám krutý král Solmir.
Solmir chce s Říší stínů skoncovat a věří, že pomoc Nei může být klíčem k jejímu zničení. Aby se to však podařilo, budou se oba muset vydat na cestu nebezpečnou krajinou, aby našli tajemný Strom srdcí a nakonec si sami pro sebe vzali temnou, zvrácenou moc, jíž bohové vládnou.
478 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2022
1663 people are currently reading
40306 people want to read
About the author
Hannah F. Whitten
10 books4,401 followersHannah Whitten has been writing to amuse herself since she could hold a pen, and sometime in high school, figured out that what amused her might also amuse others. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, making music, or attempting to bake. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and children in a house ruled by a temperamental cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,727 reviews
November 21, 2022
This was a beautiful story, dark, very dark at times, but very beautiful. And a strong conclusion to the Wilderwood duology that, to me, was much better than the first book.
Being completely honest, I didn't like "For the Wolf" the first time I read it. I had issues with the main characters and the romance didn't appeal to me. Redarys in particular I wasn't fond of, but I had found her twin fairly intriguing. But Neverah hardly had a few loose chapters in the first book, and it wasn't enough for me to enjoy the story that first time.
Seems to have been enough to make me willing to give Hannah F. Whitten's fantasy duet with heavy fairy tale motifs a second chance, though, because I re-read "For the Wolf" right before "For the Throne," and it proved to be the best decision indeed. I warmly recommend fans and sceptics, but specifically those that didn't like or were neutral about the first book, to have both books at the ready and read them one after the other in succession. Trust me here, you need to read them as if they were one single big fat book that just happens to be split in two for convenience, and read them without a pause in-between the first and second books. The story is immensely better that way, more engrossing and entertaining, and makes more sense. Do make sure you aren't reading other stuff, too, because this demands concentration; there's passages that will be confusing if you're not attentive.
If I was somewhat irritated by Red and indifferent towards her Wolf back in my first read, which did improve during my second read although not to the point of making me swoon or care more than beyond a measured improvement in my esteem, the opposite happened with Neve and that bastard Solmir. Part of it is that I have a soft spot for redemption arcs, can't help myself there (with the caveat that it must be a good redemption arc and not the usual sob backstory or moral relativism that passes for "redemption" these days), but most is due to Neve's characterisation. Where Red is impulsive, rather abrasive, a bit much of a hothead for my tastes, and possessing an unfortunate tendency to act so rashly she approaches the Too Stupid to Live label too closely at times, with the consequent eye-roll when she has to be saved by the rational hero, Neve is more sensible, cool-headed, sensitive, guilt-ridden, just as stubbornly courageous and risk-it-all as her sister but in a more calculated manner, and has a darker layer to her personality. Where Red's flaws are of temperament, Neve's flaws are of rationality. She's the cold to her twin's fire, the dark to her twin's light, she's Snow White to her twin's Rose Red.
And I love that, love her! It's not often that a character has me give an author I'd previously rated lowly another try and give them the highest rating. And "For the Throne" did it. Or, as I think of it now, The Wilderwood Twins did it, as I think of this duology as I think of LOTR. Think about it, you wouldn't consider Tolkien's "trilogy" separately, would you?
And what to say of Solmir? I don't want to spoil anything, so I'm going to tease that, if you finished the first book with an overwhelming desire to strangle Solmir to death with your bare hands, that desire will have to be recalibrated after this book. The storyline he was in was my favourite in the book. He's more Beast than Eammon, and as far as I'm concerned the Beauty & Beast elements in this duology involve him, and not the Wolf. I'm dying on this hill! Oh, of course I did notice the Snow White motifs here too.
Besides the romantic pairing in this second book being more to my liking, my most favourite relationship all throughout the two books has been the sisterly one between Neve and Red. Sisterly relationships are fraught, I should know coming from a majority girls tribe and having sisters that drive me crazy, and they aren't depicted much in fiction, at least compared to romantic ones. Good sisterly relationships are rarer still; rivals, dysfunctions, cattiness, etc., are common enough. Neve and Red have a good one, and I liked to see how strong their love ran, how loyal they are to each other, how they would do anything for their sister even above the men they chose to love. Sisters might drive you crazy, but without them you'd be so different, so much more alone in life, and have a less rich and well-lived existence. That I know well, too.
Do I have complaints? Well, maybe that the story wasn't longer! The outcome was a surprise I wasn't expecting, but it does fit with the overall story. And, to me personally, it was a satisfying ending both for the romantic and sisterly plotlines.
Thank you to Orbit for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Being completely honest, I didn't like "For the Wolf" the first time I read it. I had issues with the main characters and the romance didn't appeal to me. Redarys in particular I wasn't fond of, but I had found her twin fairly intriguing. But Neverah hardly had a few loose chapters in the first book, and it wasn't enough for me to enjoy the story that first time.
Seems to have been enough to make me willing to give Hannah F. Whitten's fantasy duet with heavy fairy tale motifs a second chance, though, because I re-read "For the Wolf" right before "For the Throne," and it proved to be the best decision indeed. I warmly recommend fans and sceptics, but specifically those that didn't like or were neutral about the first book, to have both books at the ready and read them one after the other in succession. Trust me here, you need to read them as if they were one single big fat book that just happens to be split in two for convenience, and read them without a pause in-between the first and second books. The story is immensely better that way, more engrossing and entertaining, and makes more sense. Do make sure you aren't reading other stuff, too, because this demands concentration; there's passages that will be confusing if you're not attentive.
If I was somewhat irritated by Red and indifferent towards her Wolf back in my first read, which did improve during my second read although not to the point of making me swoon or care more than beyond a measured improvement in my esteem, the opposite happened with Neve and that bastard Solmir. Part of it is that I have a soft spot for redemption arcs, can't help myself there (with the caveat that it must be a good redemption arc and not the usual sob backstory or moral relativism that passes for "redemption" these days), but most is due to Neve's characterisation. Where Red is impulsive, rather abrasive, a bit much of a hothead for my tastes, and possessing an unfortunate tendency to act so rashly she approaches the Too Stupid to Live label too closely at times, with the consequent eye-roll when she has to be saved by the rational hero, Neve is more sensible, cool-headed, sensitive, guilt-ridden, just as stubbornly courageous and risk-it-all as her sister but in a more calculated manner, and has a darker layer to her personality. Where Red's flaws are of temperament, Neve's flaws are of rationality. She's the cold to her twin's fire, the dark to her twin's light, she's Snow White to her twin's Rose Red.
And I love that, love her! It's not often that a character has me give an author I'd previously rated lowly another try and give them the highest rating. And "For the Throne" did it. Or, as I think of it now, The Wilderwood Twins did it, as I think of this duology as I think of LOTR. Think about it, you wouldn't consider Tolkien's "trilogy" separately, would you?
And what to say of Solmir? I don't want to spoil anything, so I'm going to tease that, if you finished the first book with an overwhelming desire to strangle Solmir to death with your bare hands, that desire will have to be recalibrated after this book. The storyline he was in was my favourite in the book. He's more Beast than Eammon, and as far as I'm concerned the Beauty & Beast elements in this duology involve him, and not the Wolf. I'm dying on this hill! Oh, of course I did notice the Snow White motifs here too.
Besides the romantic pairing in this second book being more to my liking, my most favourite relationship all throughout the two books has been the sisterly one between Neve and Red. Sisterly relationships are fraught, I should know coming from a majority girls tribe and having sisters that drive me crazy, and they aren't depicted much in fiction, at least compared to romantic ones. Good sisterly relationships are rarer still; rivals, dysfunctions, cattiness, etc., are common enough. Neve and Red have a good one, and I liked to see how strong their love ran, how loyal they are to each other, how they would do anything for their sister even above the men they chose to love. Sisters might drive you crazy, but without them you'd be so different, so much more alone in life, and have a less rich and well-lived existence. That I know well, too.
Do I have complaints? Well, maybe that the story wasn't longer! The outcome was a surprise I wasn't expecting, but it does fit with the overall story. And, to me personally, it was a satisfying ending both for the romantic and sisterly plotlines.
Thank you to Orbit for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2025
**3.5-stars**
For the Throne is the final book in the Wilderwood duology by Hannah F. Whitten. This Adult Fantasy story follows two sisters, princesses Neve and Redarys, known as Red.
In their kingdom tradition claims the first daughter is for the throne while the second daughter, Red in this case, is for the Wolf of the Wilderwood.
In the first book we follow Red as she journeys into the Wilderwood to fulfill that obligation. Once there she finds that the Wolf is much different than she expected.
He's not a vicious beast, but a man who she comes to know and love. It was a slow burn story, but one that I thought was good and also a great set-up for a second book.
Red has a type of earth magic that really came alive once she entered the Wilderwood; I enjoyed watching that power blossom. The setting was fantastic, I loved the dark atmosphere and reading about the lore behind this world.
Neve, the first daughter, is left behind in their kingdom when Red enters the Wood. Neve will eventually take over the throne as queen. She's fine with that, but she's not fine with sacrificing her sister for that purpose.
She wants Red back. She just needs to figure out a way to make it happen.
Although she had a smaller role than Red in the first book, I was most intrigued by Neve's perspective. She was adept at scheming and I never knew what lengths she was going to go to next to reach her goals.
In this book, Neve plays an equal role in the narrative to Red. Actually, I feel like she's sort of the star of the show in this one as she evolves into a new type of queen.
In this second book though it's not just Neve trying to save Red from her fate, but now Red feels equally compelled to rescue Neve as well.
Neither one feels like their sister is in the right place and their love for each other keeps them highly motivated throughout it all.
I would say there is much less of a romance element in this one. There's still a little there, particularly between Neve and the individual she is forced into an alliance with, but personally I didn't mind the less romance.
I definitely preferred this narrative over the first book, however the story still failed to ever truly capture me. It moved so slowly...
While I can fully appreciate that this is a good story with a well-built world and characters, it just wasn't for me. I liked it, it was fine, but it wasn't captivating enough for me to give it a higher rating.
I do know that a lot of Adult Fantasy Readers will adore this one though. If you think the premise sounds like something you would enjoy, you absolutely should pick it up. Particularly if you like slow-burn romance and dark atmospheres.
Thank you to the publisher, Orbit Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion.
For the Throne is the final book in the Wilderwood duology by Hannah F. Whitten. This Adult Fantasy story follows two sisters, princesses Neve and Redarys, known as Red.
In their kingdom tradition claims the first daughter is for the throne while the second daughter, Red in this case, is for the Wolf of the Wilderwood.
In the first book we follow Red as she journeys into the Wilderwood to fulfill that obligation. Once there she finds that the Wolf is much different than she expected.
He's not a vicious beast, but a man who she comes to know and love. It was a slow burn story, but one that I thought was good and also a great set-up for a second book.
Red has a type of earth magic that really came alive once she entered the Wilderwood; I enjoyed watching that power blossom. The setting was fantastic, I loved the dark atmosphere and reading about the lore behind this world.
Neve, the first daughter, is left behind in their kingdom when Red enters the Wood. Neve will eventually take over the throne as queen. She's fine with that, but she's not fine with sacrificing her sister for that purpose.
She wants Red back. She just needs to figure out a way to make it happen.
Although she had a smaller role than Red in the first book, I was most intrigued by Neve's perspective. She was adept at scheming and I never knew what lengths she was going to go to next to reach her goals.
In this book, Neve plays an equal role in the narrative to Red. Actually, I feel like she's sort of the star of the show in this one as she evolves into a new type of queen.
In this second book though it's not just Neve trying to save Red from her fate, but now Red feels equally compelled to rescue Neve as well.
Neither one feels like their sister is in the right place and their love for each other keeps them highly motivated throughout it all.
I would say there is much less of a romance element in this one. There's still a little there, particularly between Neve and the individual she is forced into an alliance with, but personally I didn't mind the less romance.
I definitely preferred this narrative over the first book, however the story still failed to ever truly capture me. It moved so slowly...
While I can fully appreciate that this is a good story with a well-built world and characters, it just wasn't for me. I liked it, it was fine, but it wasn't captivating enough for me to give it a higher rating.
I do know that a lot of Adult Fantasy Readers will adore this one though. If you think the premise sounds like something you would enjoy, you absolutely should pick it up. Particularly if you like slow-burn romance and dark atmospheres.
Thank you to the publisher, Orbit Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion.
August 10, 2023
I had to adjust my rating for book 1 because I definitely liked this book better, but it’s still not quite a five star read.
For the Throne makes the villains of For the Wolf into our new protagonists forging a path in a strange, twisted wonderland-esque Shadow World full of dead and dying gods.
The heroine, Neve, is haunted by her mistakes in trying to rescue her sister Red, but refuses to buckle and bow because of her guilt. She’s a complicated but strong anti-heroine, and her POV was a joy to read. Her love interest is Solmir, one of the ancient Kings who brought evil into the human world centuries ago. He was the main villain in book 1, and to see him fall in love with Neve was so much fun. These are two twisted people who would each break the world apart for the other’s sake.
The author is still wonderful at finding gray areas in her characters and worlds. No one and nothing is really evil or good—just empty, hungry, and self-interested.
The worldbuilding gets more complicated in this book with the inclusion of the Shadow Lands and the Heart Tree. All this was pretty confusing, and I didn’t catch most of the details, but I got the sense that the how of it all wasn’t super important as long as you understand where the characters stand. Most of the worldbuilding was Just Vibes™ basically 😎
If the story had mainly followed Neve and Solmir, I think this would have been a 4.5 or 5 star book for me. But we also get two other POVs—Red, the first book’s protagonist, and for whatever reason, Raffe (Neve’s former love interest) gets POV chapters too. I wasn’t nearly as interested in their stories. I felt like Red’s plotline had pretty much played out in For the Wolf, so I wish she’d stepped aside and let Neve take over the narration.
For the Throne makes the villains of For the Wolf into our new protagonists forging a path in a strange, twisted wonderland-esque Shadow World full of dead and dying gods.
The heroine, Neve, is haunted by her mistakes in trying to rescue her sister Red, but refuses to buckle and bow because of her guilt. She’s a complicated but strong anti-heroine, and her POV was a joy to read. Her love interest is Solmir, one of the ancient Kings who brought evil into the human world centuries ago. He was the main villain in book 1, and to see him fall in love with Neve was so much fun. These are two twisted people who would each break the world apart for the other’s sake.
The author is still wonderful at finding gray areas in her characters and worlds. No one and nothing is really evil or good—just empty, hungry, and self-interested.
The worldbuilding gets more complicated in this book with the inclusion of the Shadow Lands and the Heart Tree. All this was pretty confusing, and I didn’t catch most of the details, but I got the sense that the how of it all wasn’t super important as long as you understand where the characters stand. Most of the worldbuilding was Just Vibes™ basically 😎
If the story had mainly followed Neve and Solmir, I think this would have been a 4.5 or 5 star book for me. But we also get two other POVs—Red, the first book’s protagonist, and for whatever reason, Raffe (Neve’s former love interest) gets POV chapters too. I wasn’t nearly as interested in their stories. I felt like Red’s plotline had pretty much played out in For the Wolf, so I wish she’d stepped aside and let Neve take over the narration.
June 9, 2022
NOW AVAILABLE!
perhaps you remember how—despite that cover, i wasn't crazy about For the Wolf, which promised dark-fantasy-riding-hood vibes only to bait-and-switch a beauty-and-the-beast-romance on an unsuspecting me.
however, after all the trembling jaws and darkening eyes were dispensed with; after all the smooches were smooched, the book veered abruptly, ending on a darkish note for a darker character, which seemed to presage a more interesting (to me) second book.
SO, i went into this cautiously optimistic, hoping that maybe it was a 2 books/2 sisters/2 tones juxtaposition: where the first one was romancin' redarys and the follow-up would be necromancin' with neve; the "jagged thing" unlikely to waste any time on flirting and swooning and last seen in a location and situation unlikely to contain a flourishing romance plot.
but somehow there was MORE romance in this second book! so many couples, so much sighing and pining*, so many characters murmuring against each others' lips, where everyone's so overcome by emotion all the time that their voices are forever 'rough' and 'harsh' and 'bladed' and i'm already rolling my eyes at these recurring motifs and then we learn that magic is most efficiently transferred between people by kissing and—oh, brother, that's me realizing it ain't gonna go the way i'd hoped.
and that's on me, obviously. people who loved the first book will love this one. regular readers who aren't all bleh about romance themes and tropes and vocabulary will surely love it.
it's just not for me. it took me ages get through the thing because i just wasn't feeling it, and i'd reach for it during "designated reading time" and feel...unenthusiastic and reach for a crossword puzzle book instead. in fact, one day i read a cookbook on the subway home because i just couldn't face one more hitched-breath, emotion-suppressing standoff.
HOWEVER, i did finish it and i will say that neve is more appealing to me than her twinsie red, who was content to just drift along thru book one without doing anything or asking anything, dragging the reader along through hundreds of pages of easily-remedied ignorance. neve is far more proactive, and there was at least one time where i said "oh my god badass" out loud. because she was. super badass.
it's still a romance-fantasy, which is still not my thing, but i'm glad i gave it another shot, because despite all the stuff i find a little silly, the story makes more sense, there are more answers, and it's certainly darker and creepier than For the Wolf when it's not busy being distracted by someone's cheekbones.
*...speaking of pining, ...he tasted like cold, like the space between winter pine trees. this is where i dropped the book onto the floor and said "no he fucking didn't." and i apologize to the person i've promised this ARC to because now it's hella damaged.
come to my blog!
perhaps you remember how—despite that cover, i wasn't crazy about For the Wolf, which promised dark-fantasy-riding-hood vibes only to bait-and-switch a beauty-and-the-beast-romance on an unsuspecting me.
however, after all the trembling jaws and darkening eyes were dispensed with; after all the smooches were smooched, the book veered abruptly, ending on a darkish note for a darker character, which seemed to presage a more interesting (to me) second book.
SO, i went into this cautiously optimistic, hoping that maybe it was a 2 books/2 sisters/2 tones juxtaposition: where the first one was romancin' redarys and the follow-up would be necromancin' with neve; the "jagged thing" unlikely to waste any time on flirting and swooning and last seen in a location and situation unlikely to contain a flourishing romance plot.
but somehow there was MORE romance in this second book! so many couples, so much sighing and pining*, so many characters murmuring against each others' lips, where everyone's so overcome by emotion all the time that their voices are forever 'rough' and 'harsh' and 'bladed' and i'm already rolling my eyes at these recurring motifs and then we learn that magic is most efficiently transferred between people by kissing and—oh, brother, that's me realizing it ain't gonna go the way i'd hoped.
and that's on me, obviously. people who loved the first book will love this one. regular readers who aren't all bleh about romance themes and tropes and vocabulary will surely love it.
it's just not for me. it took me ages get through the thing because i just wasn't feeling it, and i'd reach for it during "designated reading time" and feel...unenthusiastic and reach for a crossword puzzle book instead. in fact, one day i read a cookbook on the subway home because i just couldn't face one more hitched-breath, emotion-suppressing standoff.
HOWEVER, i did finish it and i will say that neve is more appealing to me than her twinsie red, who was content to just drift along thru book one without doing anything or asking anything, dragging the reader along through hundreds of pages of easily-remedied ignorance. neve is far more proactive, and there was at least one time where i said "oh my god badass" out loud. because she was. super badass.
it's still a romance-fantasy, which is still not my thing, but i'm glad i gave it another shot, because despite all the stuff i find a little silly, the story makes more sense, there are more answers, and it's certainly darker and creepier than For the Wolf when it's not busy being distracted by someone's cheekbones.
*...speaking of pining, ...he tasted like cold, like the space between winter pine trees. this is where i dropped the book onto the floor and said "no he fucking didn't." and i apologize to the person i've promised this ARC to because now it's hella damaged.
come to my blog!
August 10, 2023
This wasn’t as great as the first one, imo 🤷🏼♀️ But I still liked the romance/connections 🥰❤️
October 9, 2023
This is in my top three favorite books of all time.
I’m not sure what I expected after finishing For the Wolf and loving it so much—I certainly did not think I’d be able to spare Eammon and Reds journey to follow Neve (though I loved Neve in book one, I just loved the Wolves more)
But let me tell you….. I’m sitting in my living room unable to move. This book was so much more than I thought possible. I am utterly obsessed with Neve, and to be Frank, don’t know that I’ll ever recover from my love of Solmir.
Hannah’s writing is still so totally immersive, witty, and thought provoking, yet finds a way to pull you in so easily that you are completely lost to another world. I was there, in the Shadow Lands, and I was there in the Woods. I love Books that can teleport me, and this one was flawless.
I couldn’t even read the epilogue the first three tries because I was drowning in my own tears.
Solmir, I love you. Good or bad ;)
I’m not sure what I expected after finishing For the Wolf and loving it so much—I certainly did not think I’d be able to spare Eammon and Reds journey to follow Neve (though I loved Neve in book one, I just loved the Wolves more)
But let me tell you….. I’m sitting in my living room unable to move. This book was so much more than I thought possible. I am utterly obsessed with Neve, and to be Frank, don’t know that I’ll ever recover from my love of Solmir.
Hannah’s writing is still so totally immersive, witty, and thought provoking, yet finds a way to pull you in so easily that you are completely lost to another world. I was there, in the Shadow Lands, and I was there in the Woods. I love Books that can teleport me, and this one was flawless.
I couldn’t even read the epilogue the first three tries because I was drowning in my own tears.
Solmir, I love you. Good or bad ;)
July 15, 2022
Call me Phoebe Bridgers the way I have emotional motion sickness right now
June 11, 2022
Oh how I wish I loved this as much as For the Wolf! It's not bad or anything, it just didn't live up to the first book.
It starts right where the former ended, so you might want to reread it before diving into this one, just in case. I didn't reread and it took me a few scenes to remember who was who outside of the main cast.
The writing is just as good as before and I have no complaints there. And I also got my wish for more Neve interludes, but not in the way I thought since the whole book is from her PoV and I liked her a lot less than Red.
I'd like to say that she grew on me a bit while reading For the Throne, but not until the last 20% or so. Up until then I was just going along with the vibes, and waiting to get back to Red.
But I did like the romance, and Solmir is even better than Eammon in some ways (who would've thought?). I'm not huge on their particular ending, I would've wanted something similar to Red and Eammon for them, but as long as they're together it's okay.
And this book had a lot more going for it, adventure wise. I enjoyed those parts, but they did feel dragged out on occasion.
All in all, yeah it could've been better, but I'm happy I read it and finished this series. I'll definitely be checking out whatever Hannah Whitten puts out next.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
It starts right where the former ended, so you might want to reread it before diving into this one, just in case. I didn't reread and it took me a few scenes to remember who was who outside of the main cast.
The writing is just as good as before and I have no complaints there. And I also got my wish for more Neve interludes, but not in the way I thought since the whole book is from her PoV and I liked her a lot less than Red.
I'd like to say that she grew on me a bit while reading For the Throne, but not until the last 20% or so. Up until then I was just going along with the vibes, and waiting to get back to Red.
But I did like the romance, and Solmir is even better than Eammon in some ways (who would've thought?). I'm not huge on their particular ending, I would've wanted something similar to Red and Eammon for them, but as long as they're together it's okay.
And this book had a lot more going for it, adventure wise. I enjoyed those parts, but they did feel dragged out on occasion.
All in all, yeah it could've been better, but I'm happy I read it and finished this series. I'll definitely be checking out whatever Hannah Whitten puts out next.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
April 6, 2021
Heart eyes, heart hands, all the hearts! Loved!
June 8, 2022
My thoughts about FOR THE WOLF were a little mixed, which I thought was only due to the delayed and prolonged reading of the book itself, but in hindsight.. maybe was just genuine feelings. Because other than the overall vibes and some character interactions, I felt rather lost by the story.
Well the same is true for the sequel.
Even though I didn't do myself a favour by making time to reread book one, I jumped right in and thought the first half was really good. It was slow reading but somehow also easy reading, even if I wasn't engaged. However in hindsight, having finished the latter part, it was also the best half. Mainly because of Neve's POV alongside her adventures with Solmir in the Shadowlands. As the story went on and we flipped to POVs for Red, and even Raffe, I was even more detached from things. I might not have been invested in the plot but, again, I was here for the vibes. I was here for the messy and evolving dynamic between Neve and Solmir.
But where things really went off the rails for me, beyond being checked out during certain chapters, was the climax. I'm just.. I have no words. I don't understand and I don't want to understand. It is what it is and I'm not a fan.
I would probably pick the author up again but I could just as easily not.
2.5 stars
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Well the same is true for the sequel.
Even though I didn't do myself a favour by making time to reread book one, I jumped right in and thought the first half was really good. It was slow reading but somehow also easy reading, even if I wasn't engaged. However in hindsight, having finished the latter part, it was also the best half. Mainly because of Neve's POV alongside her adventures with Solmir in the Shadowlands. As the story went on and we flipped to POVs for Red, and even Raffe, I was even more detached from things. I might not have been invested in the plot but, again, I was here for the vibes. I was here for the messy and evolving dynamic between Neve and Solmir.
But where things really went off the rails for me, beyond being checked out during certain chapters, was the climax. I'm just.. I have no words. I don't understand and I don't want to understand. It is what it is and I'm not a fan.
I would probably pick the author up again but I could just as easily not.
2.5 stars
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
March 23, 2023
First, book two and Neve’s story are leaps and bounds better than book one and Red’s primary narrative.
Two, I’m shocked that Orbit didn’t force this into a trilogy instead of a duology. I was tickled to find a huge climactic point about 70% of the way through the book! Those kinds of surprises are always nice to see; and in this case could easily have been the splitting point for a third volume (and a chance to capitalize more). But leaving this as a duology is such a nice change of pace; and feels more appropriate as For the Wolf is Red’s story; and For the Throne is Neve’s.
Three, I take back all my criticisms about the end of book one. I was wrong Hannah Whitten knew where she was headed and she killed it taking us deep into the Shadowlands, into the psyche of Old Gods and Kings; and shared the reality that we are all good and evil. Sometimes one of these at specific moments; but often both sides are affecting our persona’s, decisions, and beliefs simultaneously.
Fourth, the absolute best part of this series is that it embraces the idea that few are just ‘good’. And just because you are ‘good’ (in general) doesn’t mean your choices will reflect that. As a choice between awful and terrible doesn’t end in a good outcome. So often we are given bad choices to start with; and so we must live with having made them, even when we had to way out.
And finally, Solmir. Oh how I love thee. Oh how the tortured, brooding soul is always my favourite. From my teen days of Angel and Spike to now, at 40 years old, I have not lost my love of a tortured, weeping soul and how I bleed, cry, and despair alongside them. These characters always speak to me the most, men or women, and I always come out, from stories where they are well written, knowing that many more people in the world than I ever seem to notice hold some darkness inside of them, just as I do.
Thank you Hannah Whitten for sharing these souls (and soulless) with us and for acknowledging that good comes in many forms, and redemption is always possible.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
That said, I already have this book on my wishlist when it comes out in paperback. This series is definitely getting to my home print library!
Two, I’m shocked that Orbit didn’t force this into a trilogy instead of a duology. I was tickled to find a huge climactic point about 70% of the way through the book! Those kinds of surprises are always nice to see; and in this case could easily have been the splitting point for a third volume (and a chance to capitalize more). But leaving this as a duology is such a nice change of pace; and feels more appropriate as For the Wolf is Red’s story; and For the Throne is Neve’s.
Three, I take back all my criticisms about the end of book one. I was wrong Hannah Whitten knew where she was headed and she killed it taking us deep into the Shadowlands, into the psyche of Old Gods and Kings; and shared the reality that we are all good and evil. Sometimes one of these at specific moments; but often both sides are affecting our persona’s, decisions, and beliefs simultaneously.
Fourth, the absolute best part of this series is that it embraces the idea that few are just ‘good’. And just because you are ‘good’ (in general) doesn’t mean your choices will reflect that. As a choice between awful and terrible doesn’t end in a good outcome. So often we are given bad choices to start with; and so we must live with having made them, even when we had to way out.
And finally, Solmir. Oh how I love thee. Oh how the tortured, brooding soul is always my favourite. From my teen days of Angel and Spike to now, at 40 years old, I have not lost my love of a tortured, weeping soul and how I bleed, cry, and despair alongside them. These characters always speak to me the most, men or women, and I always come out, from stories where they are well written, knowing that many more people in the world than I ever seem to notice hold some darkness inside of them, just as I do.
Thank you Hannah Whitten for sharing these souls (and soulless) with us and for acknowledging that good comes in many forms, and redemption is always possible.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
That said, I already have this book on my wishlist when it comes out in paperback. This series is definitely getting to my home print library!
January 5, 2023
Sigh… I tried so hard to like this book, I really did… but there were just so many things that made me not love it.
I will start by saying I LOVED the last book, I read it in January and it was my first 5 star of the year… which made disliking this book feel even worse.
Not only was I so excited I preordered it, but I moved it up my TBR so I could finish the duology.
That being said, this is my least favorite read of the year… and I feel so bad because I know the author put in tons of work but the plot just feels like it fell apart.
I rated it 2 stars because I can see where she was going, I liked the idea of an inverse story where Red and Neve reflected one another, after all, they are twins.
However, not only was the plot super redundant, but the language and adjectives were so repetitive and the ending(s?) felt as though one was written, only to not be liked, and another one was written on top of it. I feel like it could have ended a total of 3 other times before it did (including the first book because it could have been SO successful as a stand alone.
The first thing that began to frustrate me was the excessive use of unique vocabulary to add to the atmospheric vibes, I suppose? Now, don’t get me wrong, I love learning new words while reading, part of the reason I do read is to expand my vocabulary (I’m a true teacher at heart), but some of the ways the vocabulary was used came off as excessive, sort of like having a dictionary opened and using a word because it sounds cool. At one point, I saw the word “canted” 3 times in all of its different meanings, in two pages. 2 being found on the same page maybe a couple paragraphs in between one another. Not only does looking up a work take you out of the story briefly, the use feels specific, especially since it’s a word I would not typically use in every day conversation. When unique words that are used, they stick out are used more than once and it kind of knocks me out of the story personally because I’m like, “wait, we’ve been here before”. This happened several times while I read.
While we’re on the topic of language, I thought it was so strange and really hard to understand the reasoning behind why it appears in the last book and in some parts of this one, there is a language difference in their world that means that they have unique curses that mimic us using “shit” or “fuck” and that, if introduced, should have remained consistent. But, in this book, traditional curses seemed to take over with the exception of a few instances. It felt strange, and also, it felt like the curses weren’t even really necessary when they were used. It was weird, either have a unique cursing system or don’t, but I think one should be chosen.
In addition to this thought, the over use of adjectives was really disrupting my reading at some points too. Ugh, I feel like I’m being really harsh but it stands out very starkly to me when I come across the same adjectives being used a lot. For example, the author used the word “slashed” for eyebrows on almost every instance I came across a moment where a character’s eyebrows were being described, whether they were furrowing or they were just sitting on their face, it came up a lot, especially when describing Solmir. Also, his blue eyes were described on almost every instance they could be too, I understand the want to describe how the blue stood out against the landscape Neve and Solmir were in, but I understood the power the first or second time even they were described, more just felt like, for me, “yes, he does in fact, have striking blue eyes”- ya know what I mean?
Red also became INSUFFERABLE for me, which sucked because I liked her stubborn, bull-like dedication and her “does her own thing” attitude she had in the last book, I felt like that was super effective for her character, but in this book it just went overboard. Also, any time her perspective was written, it just felt like we were seeing the same things. Frustration, explaining the plot again, KEY… I also hated how she was so willing each time to seemingly forget the love she had for Eammon just for Neve. I’ve never had a twin, so I couldn’t understand, but I have a husband and he’s my rock, I couldn’t imagine doing anything without him, so her constantly willing to make decisions without him or martyr herself felt like something I couldn’t even grasp at, but that is all personal opinion (as all of this is- of course). She was also so hypocritical in the end with being rather unaccepting of Solmir because of his past and how his legends were told. Like, miss ma’am, did you or did you not do the EXACT SAME THING by falling in love with Eammon in the last book and you expected Neve to go along with it, you can’t return the favor? And not wanting Neve to go at the very end felt so controlling. Thank God for Eammon being our constant soft, steady voice of reason because Lord did Red need it in this book.
Speaking of Eammon, I love him, I’m so glad we had his character in this book, he still had all his best qualities.
Speaking of main characters, I actually grew to like Neve a bit more in this book which was refreshing. I also liked Solmir too- I did not, however, enjoy him being either victim energy or martyr energy. But he had a few in betweens where you could just see him as a troubled but mostly good soul and those moments I loved.
Finally, the finale(s?)-
1. The first one could have been the end of book one, it leaves you on a cliff hanger but with a little rewriting, it could have succeeded well as a stand-alone I think.
2. The weird unaliving scene, it felt like the purgatory-ish scene was kind of unnecessary and even though them just dying would have also pissed me off probably, but also, them just deciding to smash their apple souls(??) and Arick warning them about magic being put back into the world was a risk and also not knowing what would happen to him but going along with it felt so strange. Like, you all just spent and sacrificed so much to this point to clean up the mess magic gave, only to risk it all again just to not exist? I get the sentiment of free will and everyone having good that the book reiterated, but it also reiterated Neve and Red constantly at odds with their own decisions and the repercussions it could have on others. It felt like that was an odd choice them as characters would take. I also did not vibe with them not having souls but still being the same when wasn’t the whole point of the Kings that not having souls made them moral-less shells of themselves? Why did that suddenly not apply to Red and Neve when they came back. They could have just stayed dead and it could have ended. Maybe a little less satisfactory, but it would have been an end I could also live with.
3. The way it did end, which didn’t totally upset me, but didn’t totally satisfy me. I was glad Kayu and Raffe took over Valleyda. I was pleased Fife and Lyra got to travel. I was happy Red and Eammon were back. I was really happy when Neve found Solmir. But, after all that had happened that was lacking, it all felt dragged and simultaneously rushed and it was a letdown.
Don’t let this review stop you from reading and even enjoying this book! It was only my opinions (and at times I feel bad for seeming harsh if I did but I was let down and I wanted to share why). I know the author worked hard and I am thankful that the work was put into the world where I could form my own thoughts and opinions. After all, everything is in the eye of the beholder. Thanks for making it this far if you did!
I will start by saying I LOVED the last book, I read it in January and it was my first 5 star of the year… which made disliking this book feel even worse.
Not only was I so excited I preordered it, but I moved it up my TBR so I could finish the duology.
That being said, this is my least favorite read of the year… and I feel so bad because I know the author put in tons of work but the plot just feels like it fell apart.
I rated it 2 stars because I can see where she was going, I liked the idea of an inverse story where Red and Neve reflected one another, after all, they are twins.
However, not only was the plot super redundant, but the language and adjectives were so repetitive and the ending(s?) felt as though one was written, only to not be liked, and another one was written on top of it. I feel like it could have ended a total of 3 other times before it did (including the first book because it could have been SO successful as a stand alone.
The first thing that began to frustrate me was the excessive use of unique vocabulary to add to the atmospheric vibes, I suppose? Now, don’t get me wrong, I love learning new words while reading, part of the reason I do read is to expand my vocabulary (I’m a true teacher at heart), but some of the ways the vocabulary was used came off as excessive, sort of like having a dictionary opened and using a word because it sounds cool. At one point, I saw the word “canted” 3 times in all of its different meanings, in two pages. 2 being found on the same page maybe a couple paragraphs in between one another. Not only does looking up a work take you out of the story briefly, the use feels specific, especially since it’s a word I would not typically use in every day conversation. When unique words that are used, they stick out are used more than once and it kind of knocks me out of the story personally because I’m like, “wait, we’ve been here before”. This happened several times while I read.
While we’re on the topic of language, I thought it was so strange and really hard to understand the reasoning behind why it appears in the last book and in some parts of this one, there is a language difference in their world that means that they have unique curses that mimic us using “shit” or “fuck” and that, if introduced, should have remained consistent. But, in this book, traditional curses seemed to take over with the exception of a few instances. It felt strange, and also, it felt like the curses weren’t even really necessary when they were used. It was weird, either have a unique cursing system or don’t, but I think one should be chosen.
In addition to this thought, the over use of adjectives was really disrupting my reading at some points too. Ugh, I feel like I’m being really harsh but it stands out very starkly to me when I come across the same adjectives being used a lot. For example, the author used the word “slashed” for eyebrows on almost every instance I came across a moment where a character’s eyebrows were being described, whether they were furrowing or they were just sitting on their face, it came up a lot, especially when describing Solmir. Also, his blue eyes were described on almost every instance they could be too, I understand the want to describe how the blue stood out against the landscape Neve and Solmir were in, but I understood the power the first or second time even they were described, more just felt like, for me, “yes, he does in fact, have striking blue eyes”- ya know what I mean?
Red also became INSUFFERABLE for me, which sucked because I liked her stubborn, bull-like dedication and her “does her own thing” attitude she had in the last book, I felt like that was super effective for her character, but in this book it just went overboard. Also, any time her perspective was written, it just felt like we were seeing the same things. Frustration, explaining the plot again, KEY… I also hated how she was so willing each time to seemingly forget the love she had for Eammon just for Neve. I’ve never had a twin, so I couldn’t understand, but I have a husband and he’s my rock, I couldn’t imagine doing anything without him, so her constantly willing to make decisions without him or martyr herself felt like something I couldn’t even grasp at, but that is all personal opinion (as all of this is- of course). She was also so hypocritical in the end with being rather unaccepting of Solmir because of his past and how his legends were told. Like, miss ma’am, did you or did you not do the EXACT SAME THING by falling in love with Eammon in the last book and you expected Neve to go along with it, you can’t return the favor? And not wanting Neve to go at the very end felt so controlling. Thank God for Eammon being our constant soft, steady voice of reason because Lord did Red need it in this book.
Speaking of Eammon, I love him, I’m so glad we had his character in this book, he still had all his best qualities.
Speaking of main characters, I actually grew to like Neve a bit more in this book which was refreshing. I also liked Solmir too- I did not, however, enjoy him being either victim energy or martyr energy. But he had a few in betweens where you could just see him as a troubled but mostly good soul and those moments I loved.
Finally, the finale(s?)-
1. The first one could have been the end of book one, it leaves you on a cliff hanger but with a little rewriting, it could have succeeded well as a stand-alone I think.
2. The weird unaliving scene, it felt like the purgatory-ish scene was kind of unnecessary and even though them just dying would have also pissed me off probably, but also, them just deciding to smash their apple souls(??) and Arick warning them about magic being put back into the world was a risk and also not knowing what would happen to him but going along with it felt so strange. Like, you all just spent and sacrificed so much to this point to clean up the mess magic gave, only to risk it all again just to not exist? I get the sentiment of free will and everyone having good that the book reiterated, but it also reiterated Neve and Red constantly at odds with their own decisions and the repercussions it could have on others. It felt like that was an odd choice them as characters would take. I also did not vibe with them not having souls but still being the same when wasn’t the whole point of the Kings that not having souls made them moral-less shells of themselves? Why did that suddenly not apply to Red and Neve when they came back. They could have just stayed dead and it could have ended. Maybe a little less satisfactory, but it would have been an end I could also live with.
3. The way it did end, which didn’t totally upset me, but didn’t totally satisfy me. I was glad Kayu and Raffe took over Valleyda. I was pleased Fife and Lyra got to travel. I was happy Red and Eammon were back. I was really happy when Neve found Solmir. But, after all that had happened that was lacking, it all felt dragged and simultaneously rushed and it was a letdown.
Don’t let this review stop you from reading and even enjoying this book! It was only my opinions (and at times I feel bad for seeming harsh if I did but I was let down and I wanted to share why). I know the author worked hard and I am thankful that the work was put into the world where I could form my own thoughts and opinions. After all, everything is in the eye of the beholder. Thanks for making it this far if you did!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 3, 2025DNF at 60 pages. Book one was already such a chore. And I found myself already dreading picking this one up to read. Decided it was time to move on
December 3, 2022
I don't think that most bad books shouldn't be published. But everyone at Hachette that had a hand in editing or marketing this book for $17.99/$22.99 CAD should be
EMbaRazzED, this is really eMbaRAzzing.
So much of this book is so inconsequential, it literally does not matter. Characters will tell you in one chapter that doing x thing is the least intelligent thing only to then do that thing they said never to do IN THE VERY NEXT CHAPTER for no other reason than the book is quickly running out of pages and Hannah is doing her best to avoid a crash landing.
Spoiler alert, we definitely ran out of runway before the book wrapped up and what story there was to land definitely landed in a smoldering ruin.
From another lackluster romance, a fantasy that doesn't make sense as a fantasy, and fifty pages tacked on to kind of leave the duology neatly tied up nothing about this book works. I'm gagged that y'all claim to of had a good time because this is the kind of book I would eagerly tell everyone I come in contact with to avoid like the plague.
So much of this book is so inconsequential, it literally does not matter. Characters will tell you in one chapter that doing x thing is the least intelligent thing only to then do that thing they said never to do IN THE VERY NEXT CHAPTER for no other reason than the book is quickly running out of pages and Hannah is doing her best to avoid a crash landing.
Spoiler alert, we definitely ran out of runway before the book wrapped up and what story there was to land definitely landed in a smoldering ruin.
From another lackluster romance, a fantasy that doesn't make sense as a fantasy, and fifty pages tacked on to kind of leave the duology neatly tied up nothing about this book works. I'm gagged that y'all claim to of had a good time because this is the kind of book I would eagerly tell everyone I come in contact with to avoid like the plague.
June 26, 2024
Better than For the Wolf, but still not quite perfect. This series has so much potential. The premise, setting, and characters are all great. But the way that magic is described (especially in moments of conflict) is consistently confusing. It feels like Hannah Whitten struggled to make concrete rules regarding the magic and lore of this universe, and she often retcons the few existing rules. Despite that though, I loved the way that this book continued the story from For the Wolf. The pacing was really solid and I liked getting to see more from Neve. Overall, I had a good time with this.
March 1, 2024
DNF'ing -- I just can't get back into this story... It's not you, it's me.
July 24, 2022
What a wild and heartbreaking ride this duology was. For the Wolf was one of my favorite reads of 2021 and let me tell you: it was a STRUGGLE to wait for the release of For the Throne. Now the duology is complete and all of you can experience all the heartbreak and sacrifice and love without needing to wait. Aren't you lucky!
eARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley for my honest review. This has not affected my opinion or the contents of my review. Quotations are from an unfinished copy and are subject to change upon final publication. I have since purchased a finished copy.
✨ Buddy read with Jayati & Amanda
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"Power is pain, Shadow Queen, and monsters in the eye of the beholder."For the Throne is Neve's story and picks up right where For the Worlf left off, so you may want to re-read the first book before diving back into the world. Hannah Whitten's writing is just as atmospheric and evocative, transporting me to the nightmarish realm of the Shadowlands.
"A Terrible, twisted grove, blood on white branches, darkness dripping."The Shadowlands is a place of nightmares, an upside-down devoid of color where no one can truly die. The Five Kings aren't the only danger: there are monsters great and small, as well as the Old Gods. This is a darker tale where Neve not only battles the darkness of the Shadowlands in a reluctant alliance but also with her morally gray tendencies. What defines a monster, and is she one herself?
"Heroes and villains and the spaces between, a prism that changed reflections depending on the angle you turned it."I wasn't sure how I'd like a Neve-centric book because I didn't resonate with her as much as Red, but I found myself drawn to her chapters and darkness. The pacing was a bit uneven for me and I found Red's chapters largely uninteresting and a bit repetitive, bogging down the plot overall. Barring the trip to the Rylt and a couple of other scenes, the Red & Co. chapters didn't do much to move the plot forward or increase the reader's understanding of events. I love Red and Eammon and would happily read a book of them just being Domestic Together, but not like this. I'd rather the pages went to expanding on the worldbuilding (fact versus fiction and the truth of the Five Kings) than just chronicling everything on the other side.
"I acted like I cared because I fucking did. [...] You're easy to care for, unfortunately."The romance somehow both played more and less of a role in this book. I am a sucker for rivals turned allies who catch feelings and gleefully sent screaming gifs to Amanda. The limits of what we are willing to sacrifice and how that line shifts is a joy for me to read, and Hannah Whitten did this well. I just wish that more had been done to provide Solmir's true backstory and his obviously fraught relationship with the other four kings. There are countless references to his villainy but also to his weakness, but more could have been done to bridge the gap between what we thought we knew in For the Wolf and who he turns out to be. I feel a little cheated from character growth?
"They all knew that love made monstrous things necessary sometimes. They all knew their own capacity to burn worlds down."At its heart, the Wilderwood Duology is a story about sisters and the lengths they will go to save each other. Their matched love instead of a romantic interest touched my heart in ways I couldn't express. While I didn't quite love For the Throne as much as the first book, I truly love this duology and wholeheartedly recommend it to fans of atmospheric adult fantasy where romance plays a prominent role.
eARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley for my honest review. This has not affected my opinion or the contents of my review. Quotations are from an unfinished copy and are subject to change upon final publication. I have since purchased a finished copy.
✨ Buddy read with Jayati & Amanda
Blog • Twitter • Instagram • Pinterest • Ko-fi • Patreon
Want to read
January 11, 2022Hannah F. Whitten tweeted that one of her favorite tiny moments in For the Throne was when « Eammon finally leaves the woods, they go to the ocean, wherein he is Awed By Its Majesty, but then they get on a boat and he’s horribly seasick and is like “actually fuck this” »; now tell me if it doesn't look like a scene that came straight from Shingeki no Kyojin
January 20, 2026
Solmir yo mataría por ti pídeme que mate por ti
June 7, 2022
*Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the complimentary E-Arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions remain my own.*
This was a highly anticipated release for me and getting to enjoy it prior to publication just made me more excited. I LOVED For The Wolf and knew I need this conclusion in my life ASAP! We spend a lot more time with Neve in this one, with bits from Red and Raffe, which made me nervous at first. While I appreciated Neve as a character in the first book, I definitely didn't know how I felt about most of it being from her POV but again, Whitten nailed it. I went from being unsure of a character to really really feeling for them.
A lot of what I got out of this series is that people are always changing, whether for the good or for the bad or back again, most of humanity will adapt as they learn and find themselves. People do things for their own reasons, and even though they might seem like the villian in someone elses story, in theres they might just be doing everything they can think of to survive.
I loved this duology! Might be the best Adult duology I have ever read.
This was a highly anticipated release for me and getting to enjoy it prior to publication just made me more excited. I LOVED For The Wolf and knew I need this conclusion in my life ASAP! We spend a lot more time with Neve in this one, with bits from Red and Raffe, which made me nervous at first. While I appreciated Neve as a character in the first book, I definitely didn't know how I felt about most of it being from her POV but again, Whitten nailed it. I went from being unsure of a character to really really feeling for them.
A lot of what I got out of this series is that people are always changing, whether for the good or for the bad or back again, most of humanity will adapt as they learn and find themselves. People do things for their own reasons, and even though they might seem like the villian in someone elses story, in theres they might just be doing everything they can think of to survive.
I loved this duology! Might be the best Adult duology I have ever read.
November 22, 2022
2.5 stars rounded down
While I enjoyed the romantic pairings and the way in which the epilogue concludes, much of this didn't work for me.
The writing was inconsistent; at times extremely juvenile, others lush with descriptive prose.
The plot was WAY too predictable. (I never enjoy predictable plots because for me personally, what is the point? Why bother reading when I can see everything before it happens?)
The mirror theme was interesting to explore up to a point. Eventually, it became tedious when plot points didn't actually make sense. Because again, what is the point?
Also, without giving spoilers, there is a character that exists PURELY for exposition. Something has gone very wrong if an entire book hinges on the existence of a character like that.
Even though this wasn't a complete trainwreck, this is not a book I can ever see myself recommending.
While I enjoyed the romantic pairings and the way in which the epilogue concludes, much of this didn't work for me.
The writing was inconsistent; at times extremely juvenile, others lush with descriptive prose.
The plot was WAY too predictable. (I never enjoy predictable plots because for me personally, what is the point? Why bother reading when I can see everything before it happens?)
The mirror theme was interesting to explore up to a point. Eventually, it became tedious when plot points didn't actually make sense. Because again, what is the point?
Also, without giving spoilers, there is a character that exists PURELY for exposition. Something has gone very wrong if an entire book hinges on the existence of a character like that.
Even though this wasn't a complete trainwreck, this is not a book I can ever see myself recommending.
May 24, 2024
Maybe it’s the writing style, but I just could not get into this book for the first 100 pages. But that’s what happened with the first book. I definitely liked this one better. I think the ending was sweet. The relationship between Solmir and Neve was beautiful in my opinion. And even though the writing isn’t my favorite. The way the author writes love connections is just amazing. The story had the perfect pace to it. I’m not sure if what was going to happen at the end was meant to be obvious or not, but it was to me. Not that it matters really.
November 12, 2023
~3.5 stars~
I think a huge part of why I gave this book lower rating is because of the current slump I am in. I did enjoy Neve’s story. It was fascinating and strange, even if I really had no clue what was going on for much of the book. The story was slow to get going and felt kind of plodding for the first half.
I did like how it ended, but it also felt like it took far too long and some of it felt a little too repetitive. Red’s story, on the other hand, mostly felt unnecessary. For the first half she and Eammon didn’t seem to do much more than look through books.
Unlike For the Wolf, For the Throne didn’t feel as steeped in fairy tales. Instead, Neve’s story felt like it took on a life of its own, one that was actually centered on the mythology of her world. I loved that it shed the fairy tales and loved that it places the sisters on center stage.
As a story of sisters, "For the Throne" hit every note, but the romances left me feeling dissatisfied. There were three that really stood out. There’s Red and Eammon who are now happily and deliriously married. Honestly, they felt so lovey dovey it made me feel like I was wading through a field of sweetness. It’s nice to know they’re so happy, but it felt like it took that a step too far to the point where they felt even more irrelevant during the first half of the story.
Then there’s Neve and Solmir who were so slow I barely believed how it ended. It felt like their romance was a little forced and maybe they might have made for really good friends. Overall, I just had a hard time believing them and I wish a romance between them hadn’t been written in.
For the Throne is a satisfying ending to the duology. It’s a lovely story of sisters and what they’ll do for each other despite all the other people they love and who love them. I wish more of what happened in this book had been hinted at in the first book to really tie them together, otherwise I couldn’t help feeling like that was Red’s story and this was Neve’s and that was enough to hold them together.
I think a huge part of why I gave this book lower rating is because of the current slump I am in. I did enjoy Neve’s story. It was fascinating and strange, even if I really had no clue what was going on for much of the book. The story was slow to get going and felt kind of plodding for the first half.
I did like how it ended, but it also felt like it took far too long and some of it felt a little too repetitive. Red’s story, on the other hand, mostly felt unnecessary. For the first half she and Eammon didn’t seem to do much more than look through books.
Unlike For the Wolf, For the Throne didn’t feel as steeped in fairy tales. Instead, Neve’s story felt like it took on a life of its own, one that was actually centered on the mythology of her world. I loved that it shed the fairy tales and loved that it places the sisters on center stage.
As a story of sisters, "For the Throne" hit every note, but the romances left me feeling dissatisfied. There were three that really stood out. There’s Red and Eammon who are now happily and deliriously married. Honestly, they felt so lovey dovey it made me feel like I was wading through a field of sweetness. It’s nice to know they’re so happy, but it felt like it took that a step too far to the point where they felt even more irrelevant during the first half of the story.
Then there’s Neve and Solmir who were so slow I barely believed how it ended. It felt like their romance was a little forced and maybe they might have made for really good friends. Overall, I just had a hard time believing them and I wish a romance between them hadn’t been written in.
For the Throne is a satisfying ending to the duology. It’s a lovely story of sisters and what they’ll do for each other despite all the other people they love and who love them. I wish more of what happened in this book had been hinted at in the first book to really tie them together, otherwise I couldn’t help feeling like that was Red’s story and this was Neve’s and that was enough to hold them together.
May 29, 2022
For the Throne is an exciting sequel to For the Wolf with action, suspense, fantastic Gothic elements, and intriguing characters. My favorite part of this duology is the relationship between Neve and Red. Though the sisters spend the majority of the duology apart, the heart of the book is about the love between these sisters. Red and Neve will do anything to save and protect each other. I like that the story switches between their perspectives because you really get to understand their motivations, conflicts, and feelings. Where For the Wolf focuses more on Red, For the Throne focuses more on Neve and her journey. And what a journey it is!
The Shadowlands, where Neve spends the majority of the story with Solmir, is a new setting, and it is has major Gothic vibes. The world-building is dark and vivid and immersive and has expanded from the first book, and I love how the Shadowlands contrasts the Wilderwoods. They, much like the sisters, act as opposites, and the symbolism here is strong. The magic system is also fascinating and explored more deeply, which I also really liked.
I found Neve and Solmir as interesting as the setting they’re in. Whitten explores and embraces the morally grey character and shows the reader that no one is entirely good or evil. I enjoyed these begrudging allies and was pleasantly surprised to find myself liking a character that I once despised. It definitely says something about the author’s storytelling when it can make a reader’s perceptions and feelings completely change.
Enemies-to-lovers romances are one of my favorites, so it’s no surprise that I liked the romances in this book. Red and Eammon had a great love story, and I enjoyed seeing how their relationship has progressed. Neve and Solmir have an antagonistic, yet chemistry-laden relationship, and I loved their banter. Surprisingly, they make a good team and complement each other well. I’m always a sucker for the dark and brooding anti-hero, and Solmir fills that role to perfection.
This is a strong conclusion to the duology. It’s layered, atmospheric, romantic, and full of magic and mystery. It also explores many thought-provoking themes about love, loss, power, and the lengths people will go to protect the ones they care about. I’m so thankful to Orbit Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
The Shadowlands, where Neve spends the majority of the story with Solmir, is a new setting, and it is has major Gothic vibes. The world-building is dark and vivid and immersive and has expanded from the first book, and I love how the Shadowlands contrasts the Wilderwoods. They, much like the sisters, act as opposites, and the symbolism here is strong. The magic system is also fascinating and explored more deeply, which I also really liked.
I found Neve and Solmir as interesting as the setting they’re in. Whitten explores and embraces the morally grey character and shows the reader that no one is entirely good or evil. I enjoyed these begrudging allies and was pleasantly surprised to find myself liking a character that I once despised. It definitely says something about the author’s storytelling when it can make a reader’s perceptions and feelings completely change.
Enemies-to-lovers romances are one of my favorites, so it’s no surprise that I liked the romances in this book. Red and Eammon had a great love story, and I enjoyed seeing how their relationship has progressed. Neve and Solmir have an antagonistic, yet chemistry-laden relationship, and I loved their banter. Surprisingly, they make a good team and complement each other well. I’m always a sucker for the dark and brooding anti-hero, and Solmir fills that role to perfection.
This is a strong conclusion to the duology. It’s layered, atmospheric, romantic, and full of magic and mystery. It also explores many thought-provoking themes about love, loss, power, and the lengths people will go to protect the ones they care about. I’m so thankful to Orbit Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
June 14, 2022
Headlines:
Kings and trees
Souls and keys
I came into this sequel a bit unsure what to expect having really liked Red and Eamonn in For The Wolf and not sure if I was ready for a Neve-centric read. What I found was that Neve (and Solmir) pitched for my attention early on and won it. We got a fair bit of Red and Eamonn in this book, so fans of that couple will feel satisfied.
The Wilderwood evolved into something above and below with creepy feelings pervading. Whitten is particulary good at creating atmosphere with a sense of tension and foreboding. The quest involving keys, kings and souls was something that echoed things we've seen along folklore, fairytales and retellings in the past but with a sense of freshness to the plot.
However, some of the issues I had with For The Wolf around the plot complexity and not feeling the flow continued into this second book for me. While the plot was linear, it didn't always feel linear and I stalled a few times reading this.
I like Whitten's imagination in world and I especially like her characterisation. I'll definitely read her again.
Thank you to Orbit Books for the eARC.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
Kings and trees
Souls and keys
I came into this sequel a bit unsure what to expect having really liked Red and Eamonn in For The Wolf and not sure if I was ready for a Neve-centric read. What I found was that Neve (and Solmir) pitched for my attention early on and won it. We got a fair bit of Red and Eamonn in this book, so fans of that couple will feel satisfied.
The Wilderwood evolved into something above and below with creepy feelings pervading. Whitten is particulary good at creating atmosphere with a sense of tension and foreboding. The quest involving keys, kings and souls was something that echoed things we've seen along folklore, fairytales and retellings in the past but with a sense of freshness to the plot.
However, some of the issues I had with For The Wolf around the plot complexity and not feeling the flow continued into this second book for me. While the plot was linear, it didn't always feel linear and I stalled a few times reading this.
I like Whitten's imagination in world and I especially like her characterisation. I'll definitely read her again.
Thank you to Orbit Books for the eARC.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
October 28, 2022
i'm glad it's finally over. i enjoyed the first book but didn't care for this at all. it should've just been a standalone.
June 22, 2024
4.5⭐️ I’m actually sad that this is over! I loved this 2nd installment just as much as the first. I want more. I went into this duology with low expectations, and I ended ip loving it! Left no crumbs.
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June 12, 2022
#1 For the Wolf: ★★★★★ | 5 stars
*
4 stars!
*
I was so nervous about reading For the Throne since its predecessor was one of my favorite 2021 reads. The book didn't quite land how I expected it to, since the tone and plot direction went in a wildly different place from what I thought was going to happen, but I still really enjoyed it for what it was and the story it tried to tell.
I was super mega curious about how Neve's story was going to unravel. She was in a much more difficult situation than Red during For the Wolf and I knew her journey would be darker and more dangerous. I really really loved how Whitten was able to explore that darkness here and how much of it was a mirror to Red's own existence and magic. It was such an interesting take to develop and I thought she did it extremely well.
Neve as the main driving for here was also! fantastic! I really loved her determination to see things through and how she did not, in any way, tried to hide from who she was and/or had to become. I love when characters are ruthless and aware of it and actively lean on that to solve their problems lol and Neve did that here and it was so satisfying to read about.
One thing that was a bit of a struggle for me to get through was that this book seemed to suddenly have A Lot of world-building in regard to magic and such that had previously never been mentioned before. It felt a little off putting to get so much information about the Shadowlands and its history and what really tied Red and Neve together in the first half of the book--it was like Whitten came up with all of this only in this second novel and then had to dump it all on readers so the story and plot made any sort of sense.
The romance element here also wasn't what I expected it to be and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I think it fit the overall tone of the story to a point, but also was a tiny bit disappointing to have it end the way it did. Even so, this was a great read and I do hope to get more of Whitten's writing in the future! :D
*
Series: #2 in the Wilderwood series.
POV: Told from Neve, Red, and Raffe's POVs.
Content Warnings:
Steam: not really!
Cliffhanger: No.
HEA:
*
4 stars!
*
"You are good."
I was so nervous about reading For the Throne since its predecessor was one of my favorite 2021 reads. The book didn't quite land how I expected it to, since the tone and plot direction went in a wildly different place from what I thought was going to happen, but I still really enjoyed it for what it was and the story it tried to tell.
I was super mega curious about how Neve's story was going to unravel. She was in a much more difficult situation than Red during For the Wolf and I knew her journey would be darker and more dangerous. I really really loved how Whitten was able to explore that darkness here and how much of it was a mirror to Red's own existence and magic. It was such an interesting take to develop and I thought she did it extremely well.
Neve as the main driving for here was also! fantastic! I really loved her determination to see things through and how she did not, in any way, tried to hide from who she was and/or had to become. I love when characters are ruthless and aware of it and actively lean on that to solve their problems lol and Neve did that here and it was so satisfying to read about.
One thing that was a bit of a struggle for me to get through was that this book seemed to suddenly have A Lot of world-building in regard to magic and such that had previously never been mentioned before. It felt a little off putting to get so much information about the Shadowlands and its history and what really tied Red and Neve together in the first half of the book--it was like Whitten came up with all of this only in this second novel and then had to dump it all on readers so the story and plot made any sort of sense.
The romance element here also wasn't what I expected it to be and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I think it fit the overall tone of the story to a point, but also was a tiny bit disappointing to have it end the way it did. Even so, this was a great read and I do hope to get more of Whitten's writing in the future! :D
*
Series: #2 in the Wilderwood series.
POV: Told from Neve, Red, and Raffe's POVs.
Content Warnings:
Steam: not really!
Cliffhanger: No.
HEA:
April 28, 2024
4.5⭐️
"you," she murmured.
"me," he whispered.
(if you listen closely, you can hear me WEEPING)
bye this book got me crying it was so good 🥲
"you," she murmured.
"me," he whispered.
(if you listen closely, you can hear me WEEPING)
bye this book got me crying it was so good 🥲
October 10, 2024
Ця дилогія для тих, хто полюбляє дивне унікальне фентезі без сцен 18+ з морально сірими героями, з гарно прописаними другорядними героями. Я в захваті
«Кохання іноді робить необхідними жахливі речі»
«Кохання іноді робить необхідними жахливі речі»
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