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Bitter Legacies #2
Twisted Iron Marks
Tangled are the promises given from the heart.
When the Council of Witches demands Bran Gallagher cast aside his dying coven and join a new one, he flees to the Otherworld with the man he loves to escape his sentencing.
Cillian Dunne returns to the Otherworld as the long-thought-dead Winter Prince, his past still lost to him in his mind. To win back the Winter Court stolen from him, Cillian must seek allies in the Fae who judged him guilty of associating with witches long ago.
Among the Fae, who are his sworn enemy, Bran will do and become anything to stay by his lover’s side, even if it means wearing Cillian’s collar and being seen as his pet.
Journeying with Bran to the Autumn Court, Cillian rejoins Fae high society during the Midsummer Festival. Little do they know the pitfalls that await, including an adversarial King Lugh, who wants Bran for his personal entertainment.
Cillian will do whatever it takes to keep Bran safe. Navigating a dance of long-forgotten manners and insidious words, he strikes an unbreakable bargain with Lugh that sets the clock ticking for Cillian to prove his innocence.
But as a threat to the Autumn Court creeps ever closer, the stakes become impossibly high. In the end, Cillian must choose between keeping his bargain and his life…or lose forever the witch who owns his heart.
Please see the beginning for TWs.
When the Council of Witches demands Bran Gallagher cast aside his dying coven and join a new one, he flees to the Otherworld with the man he loves to escape his sentencing.
Cillian Dunne returns to the Otherworld as the long-thought-dead Winter Prince, his past still lost to him in his mind. To win back the Winter Court stolen from him, Cillian must seek allies in the Fae who judged him guilty of associating with witches long ago.
Among the Fae, who are his sworn enemy, Bran will do and become anything to stay by his lover’s side, even if it means wearing Cillian’s collar and being seen as his pet.
Journeying with Bran to the Autumn Court, Cillian rejoins Fae high society during the Midsummer Festival. Little do they know the pitfalls that await, including an adversarial King Lugh, who wants Bran for his personal entertainment.
Cillian will do whatever it takes to keep Bran safe. Navigating a dance of long-forgotten manners and insidious words, he strikes an unbreakable bargain with Lugh that sets the clock ticking for Cillian to prove his innocence.
But as a threat to the Autumn Court creeps ever closer, the stakes become impossibly high. In the end, Cillian must choose between keeping his bargain and his life…or lose forever the witch who owns his heart.
Please see the beginning for TWs.
404 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2026
About the author
Hailey Turner
59 books2,084 followersHailey Turner is a big city girl who likes to spoil her cats rotten. She writes science fiction and fantasy with lots of action, epic plots, and romantic relationships that satisfy the heart. Hailey lives in sunny California when she isn’t adding stamps to her passport.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
October 13, 2026
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
🐦⬛📖🍂
My favourite thing about this was when Bran used his magic.
That was about a handful of times.
But each time it was kick-ass, especially whenever Jupiter was around, who is absolutely my favourite familiar of all-time now! I'm just like in awe of Bran and his newbie-ish, grimoire spellcraft, and his witchmark offensive magic.
I LOOOOOOVE the dark, moody atmosphere, and the intense shadow/chaos magic energy in this, and how heavy and grave and sinister both the Fae and the witches come across.
These Fae do some very depraved things to the witches they capture, and the witches slaughter indiscriminately whenever they infiltrate the Otherworld.
Both sides give me the ick.
The witchcraft itself feeeeeeels big, earthy-elemental, and serious. And the witch council is coming off all menacing and fr baaaaad vibes, even though they were mostly showing up in this as bureaucratic, unsympathetic ghouls. But real witches know.
Something is most definitely up.
I am also LOVINGGGGGGG that sweet and sincere Cillian's Fae-ness is actually super heinous and daaaaaark. His memory of who he truly is hasn't come back yet, but my soft guy has the brakes on, because HE KNOWS that he's the Winter Prince and known for his brutal atrocities, and that he could lose Bran to his own vicious truth despite them being each other's forever.
And now for what I am NOT a fan of.
The time spent in the Otherworld was mostly not for me.
I've mentioned this in my last review for Book 1,
but this whole pet pervy sex abuse slave narrative makes me want to destroy my Kindle on behalf of the ancestors.
So, with my whole BROWN chest,
I am saying that I skim skipped those pages
and showed up for Cillian's aftercare.
There was also the typical, banal Fae "I'm gonna talk around it and say the same thing for 300 pages" politics. And also them playing dress-up for the mandatory Ball or 2, but seemed like a hundred useless, filler pages of parties. And woooow now 2 books strong the saaaaaaaame people who are supposed to be Cillian's allies, on the same anti-Bran snarky discriminatory fksh!t, like they weren't all just casually taking in the of a witch with Bran on a leash, doing his best to not react and keep his head down.
I'm clocking all these "friends", trust.
Regardless, the atmospheric, monstery, chilly autumnal vibes in this book had me sat! I'm here for the magic, the monsters, Cillian and Bran's "us against the world" love story, and looking forward to the downfall of BOTH systems the witches and the Fae continue to uphold through violence and malevolence.
🐦⬛📖🍂
My favourite thing about this was when Bran used his magic.
That was about a handful of times.
But each time it was kick-ass, especially whenever Jupiter was around, who is absolutely my favourite familiar of all-time now! I'm just like in awe of Bran and his newbie-ish, grimoire spellcraft, and his witchmark offensive magic.
I LOOOOOOVE the dark, moody atmosphere, and the intense shadow/chaos magic energy in this, and how heavy and grave and sinister both the Fae and the witches come across.
These Fae do some very depraved things to the witches they capture, and the witches slaughter indiscriminately whenever they infiltrate the Otherworld.
Both sides give me the ick.
The witchcraft itself feeeeeeels big, earthy-elemental, and serious. And the witch council is coming off all menacing and fr baaaaad vibes, even though they were mostly showing up in this as bureaucratic, unsympathetic ghouls. But real witches know.
Something is most definitely up.
I am also LOVINGGGGGGG that sweet and sincere Cillian's Fae-ness is actually super heinous and daaaaaark. His memory of who he truly is hasn't come back yet, but my soft guy has the brakes on, because HE KNOWS that he's the Winter Prince and known for his brutal atrocities, and that he could lose Bran to his own vicious truth despite them being each other's forever.
And now for what I am NOT a fan of.
The time spent in the Otherworld was mostly not for me.
I've mentioned this in my last review for Book 1,
but this whole pet pervy sex abuse slave narrative makes me want to destroy my Kindle on behalf of the ancestors.
So, with my whole BROWN chest,
I am saying that I skim skipped those pages
and showed up for Cillian's aftercare.
There was also the typical, banal Fae "I'm gonna talk around it and say the same thing for 300 pages" politics. And also them playing dress-up for the mandatory Ball or 2, but seemed like a hundred useless, filler pages of parties. And woooow now 2 books strong the saaaaaaaame people who are supposed to be Cillian's allies, on the same anti-Bran snarky discriminatory fksh!t, like they weren't all just casually taking in the of a witch with Bran on a leash, doing his best to not react and keep his head down.
I'm clocking all these "friends", trust.
Regardless, the atmospheric, monstery, chilly autumnal vibes in this book had me sat! I'm here for the magic, the monsters, Cillian and Bran's "us against the world" love story, and looking forward to the downfall of BOTH systems the witches and the Fae continue to uphold through violence and malevolence.
Review of advance copy
Hailey Turner loves to put both her readers and her characters through the mill - case in point Alexei Dvorkin and Sean Delaney in In the Shadows being the first of many!
But with Twisted Iron Marks my lawd has she upped her game to make the viewer very uncomfortable (for me, in the absolute best "I love angst" kinda way) and for very good plot reasons.
There's no spoilers in my review for this book, it would be a travesty if someone didn't head into it without complete plot blindness because she's just so very, very good at the intricacies of world building which give you everything you need to know about what's happening in multiple ways.
When events in Bran Gallagher's witch coven life forces him back into the Otherworld, where Cillian is the long believed dead Winter Prince, rightful heir to the Winter Court, and still missing all his memories of his time as a Fae, you know the proverbial is going to hit the fan at 100mph.
And oh boy does it, almost from the off we're thrown into a narrative that puts pressure on the relationship between the two and takes them down roads that touch on almost impossible to recover from.
However, it's the love they've created between them in the human world which gives the rock solid foundation on which they can lean when the Autumn King Lugh puts them in an unenviable position with no clear way out, all the while plots from the witch council reach long tendrils into the fae court.
I don't think I could have loved this book more if I tried. It had everything I wanted to see for the middle entry in this complex and captivating world Hailey's created.
There's no massive cliffhanger per se at the end, but there are plenty of threads left dangling loose, with multiple revelations that will have the reader going "WTF" and if, like me, you're a Celtic lore nerd (or you ever played Dark Age of Camelot as a Hibernian!), having a whole "OMG seriously that's going to be epic" reaction to one of the revelations.
I cannot wait for book three now to see just where Hailey goes with that stunning plot twist.
#ARC kindly received from the author via Valentine PR, I am voluntarily leaving a review.
But with Twisted Iron Marks my lawd has she upped her game to make the viewer very uncomfortable (for me, in the absolute best "I love angst" kinda way) and for very good plot reasons.
There's no spoilers in my review for this book, it would be a travesty if someone didn't head into it without complete plot blindness because she's just so very, very good at the intricacies of world building which give you everything you need to know about what's happening in multiple ways.
When events in Bran Gallagher's witch coven life forces him back into the Otherworld, where Cillian is the long believed dead Winter Prince, rightful heir to the Winter Court, and still missing all his memories of his time as a Fae, you know the proverbial is going to hit the fan at 100mph.
And oh boy does it, almost from the off we're thrown into a narrative that puts pressure on the relationship between the two and takes them down roads that touch on almost impossible to recover from.
However, it's the love they've created between them in the human world which gives the rock solid foundation on which they can lean when the Autumn King Lugh puts them in an unenviable position with no clear way out, all the while plots from the witch council reach long tendrils into the fae court.
I don't think I could have loved this book more if I tried. It had everything I wanted to see for the middle entry in this complex and captivating world Hailey's created.
There's no massive cliffhanger per se at the end, but there are plenty of threads left dangling loose, with multiple revelations that will have the reader going "WTF" and if, like me, you're a Celtic lore nerd (or you ever played Dark Age of Camelot as a Hibernian!), having a whole "OMG seriously that's going to be epic" reaction to one of the revelations.
I cannot wait for book three now to see just where Hailey goes with that stunning plot twist.
#ARC kindly received from the author via Valentine PR, I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy
Pretty much the same review as book 1, only moreso. And it's so frustrating! Because the story is good, and so is the worldbuilding. But my god!!!! Can these characters not have a single thought that isn't spelled out on-page, then repeated ad nauseum? And I mean, these are not deep, or even multiple, thoughts. Hey guys, did you know that Bram doesn't trust faes? Because it's only repeated on literally every single page of his POV! And who knew that Cillian fears turning into his old self? Only people without basic reading comprehension!
I really worry that authors think their readers are so dumb that they need extremely simple concepts spelled out dozens of times. Whenever some actual action happens, we must then slog through a paragraph of the POV character relating it back to the same banal point, over and over again. And all this does is obscure the pretty good story hiding beneath all this text. Gah! I wanna know what happens next, but I don't know if I can sit through another 450 pages of Bram and Cillian detailing at excruciating length the same two dilemmas ("dilemmas") over and over.
I don't need this much explanation in my life! I have object permanence!
I got an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews. This is my honest review.
I really worry that authors think their readers are so dumb that they need extremely simple concepts spelled out dozens of times. Whenever some actual action happens, we must then slog through a paragraph of the POV character relating it back to the same banal point, over and over again. And all this does is obscure the pretty good story hiding beneath all this text. Gah! I wanna know what happens next, but I don't know if I can sit through another 450 pages of Bram and Cillian detailing at excruciating length the same two dilemmas ("dilemmas") over and over.
I don't need this much explanation in my life! I have object permanence!
I got an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews. This is my honest review.
October 16, 2026
"Twisted Iron Marks" was absolutely MARVELLOUS. Haunting and gripping, with the kind of story that kept you at the edge of your seat the whole time, and a cast of characters that steal your heart (or alternatively, make you want to contemplate jumping into the book with a knife).
I loved this second installment even more than I did book one, mostly because I absolutely ADORE the fae setting. The Otherworld is a cruel, vicious beast: there's political scheming, intrigue and backstabbing at every corner, and I loved getting sucked into it. It tested me at times, because this world Hailey Turner has created is darker and crueller, packed with contradictions and a morality that is always gray, but it also gave me so much food for thought.
Romance-wise, once again, I am completely sat for Cillian and Bran. Their relationship, dynamic and the slow morphing of it on page was delicious to witness, and I honestly cannot wait to see it evolve further & go darker (or lighter, perhaps, or maybe both?) the more they're plunged into the fae world and Cillian has to face his lost memories, his past life. I'm so excited to see what happens, to see the drama and the angst and the stakes get even HIGHER
I looooooooved Cillian's fae companions so much: Niamh, Verlin, Seamus and Carrick all own a piece of my heart. Seeing them slowly warm to Bran was delicious, and I cannot wait to see more of that on page. Bran was my ultimate favourite though. I can't help it, I'll always root for the magical badass who's trying to carve out a place for himself in a world that wants him dead (or worse). He's so strong and also has a patience of a saint, because I would have had some words with Cillian more than once. Thank god Cillian is also a good groveller!
Anyway, I absolutely cannot wait for the third installment. This series is freaking ADDICTIVE. Also, where can I find a Jupiter?
Thank you GRR for the arc! This is my honest review.
TWs/CWs: rape, sexual assault and harassment, slavery, injury, violence, gore.
I loved this second installment even more than I did book one, mostly because I absolutely ADORE the fae setting. The Otherworld is a cruel, vicious beast: there's political scheming, intrigue and backstabbing at every corner, and I loved getting sucked into it. It tested me at times, because this world Hailey Turner has created is darker and crueller, packed with contradictions and a morality that is always gray, but it also gave me so much food for thought.
Romance-wise, once again, I am completely sat for Cillian and Bran. Their relationship, dynamic and the slow morphing of it on page was delicious to witness, and I honestly cannot wait to see it evolve further & go darker (or lighter, perhaps, or maybe both?) the more they're plunged into the fae world and Cillian has to face his lost memories, his past life. I'm so excited to see what happens, to see the drama and the angst and the stakes get even HIGHER
I looooooooved Cillian's fae companions so much: Niamh, Verlin, Seamus and Carrick all own a piece of my heart. Seeing them slowly warm to Bran was delicious, and I cannot wait to see more of that on page. Bran was my ultimate favourite though. I can't help it, I'll always root for the magical badass who's trying to carve out a place for himself in a world that wants him dead (or worse). He's so strong and also has a patience of a saint, because I would have had some words with Cillian more than once. Thank god Cillian is also a good groveller!
Anyway, I absolutely cannot wait for the third installment. This series is freaking ADDICTIVE. Also, where can I find a Jupiter?
Thank you GRR for the arc! This is my honest review.
TWs/CWs: rape, sexual assault and harassment, slavery, injury, violence, gore.
October 14, 2026
I somehow forgot how Hailey likes to completely rip out your heart sometimes but thankfully this book is here to remind me (and I genuinely mean this in the best way).
One of my favorite parts about all of Hailey's books is just the phenomenal worldbuilding. Fae worlds are always convoluted with strict rules (that are constantly being broken), and I think rhis one is unique and interesting and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
My heart broke for Bran and Cillian multiple times. They're 100% in love and full soulmates, but that doesn't mean it's going easy for them (and honestly, I can tell it's about to get worse for them). While they are not enemies, their people are so we still get to see the tension that creates and how they're trying to break through it for each other.
I'm both nervous and very excited for what comes next!
One of my favorite parts about all of Hailey's books is just the phenomenal worldbuilding. Fae worlds are always convoluted with strict rules (that are constantly being broken), and I think rhis one is unique and interesting and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
My heart broke for Bran and Cillian multiple times. They're 100% in love and full soulmates, but that doesn't mean it's going easy for them (and honestly, I can tell it's about to get worse for them). While they are not enemies, their people are so we still get to see the tension that creates and how they're trying to break through it for each other.
I'm both nervous and very excited for what comes next!
Review of advance copy
“I will never hurt you.” He wanted so badly for that to be true, but Fae were not capable of lies."
I LOVED this! 🖤 Twisted Iron Marks is the second book in Hailey Turner’s Bitter Legacies series and this time we continue Cillian and Bran's story - childhood best friends, almost lovers then estranged and finally reunited years later, only to be on opposite sides of an increasingly dangerous conflict between fae and witches. You MUST read these in order! DON'T READ ON IF YOU HAVEN'T READ BOOK 1!
Recall, Cillian is a fae prince who was enchanted and sent to the human world as a child, with no memory of the cold-hearted winter prince he had once been. Now, hundreds of years later, those memories are beginning to return, and I loved the tension between the person Cillian has become and the fae he used to be, particularly when Bran is caught right in the middle of it.
Their history gives the relationship so much more weight and the power imbalance between fae and witches makes everything even more complicated. In the fae world, witches are collared and treated as possessions, leaving Cillian with some genuinely awful choices when trying to protect Bran.
There’s plenty happening outside the romance too, which I always love. The world-building and overarching conflict continue to develop, the stakes feel real and Cillian and Bran’s relationship fits naturally into the bigger story rather than taking it over.
Fae and witches, forbidden attraction, old feelings, divided loyalties, fabulous world-building and plenty of spice - absolutely my kind of dark MM romantasy!
What To Expect:
🖤 MM romantasy
🖤 Fae prince x witch
🖤 Childhood best friends to estranged enemies-ish to secret lovers
🖤 Fae vs witches
🖤 Forbidden romance
🖤 Lost memories & hidden identity
🖤 Power imbalance
🖤 Divided loyalties
🖤 Magic & political intrigue
🖤 Tough choices
🖤 Spice
🖤 HFN
5 🌟
I LOVED this! 🖤 Twisted Iron Marks is the second book in Hailey Turner’s Bitter Legacies series and this time we continue Cillian and Bran's story - childhood best friends, almost lovers then estranged and finally reunited years later, only to be on opposite sides of an increasingly dangerous conflict between fae and witches. You MUST read these in order! DON'T READ ON IF YOU HAVEN'T READ BOOK 1!
Recall, Cillian is a fae prince who was enchanted and sent to the human world as a child, with no memory of the cold-hearted winter prince he had once been. Now, hundreds of years later, those memories are beginning to return, and I loved the tension between the person Cillian has become and the fae he used to be, particularly when Bran is caught right in the middle of it.
Their history gives the relationship so much more weight and the power imbalance between fae and witches makes everything even more complicated. In the fae world, witches are collared and treated as possessions, leaving Cillian with some genuinely awful choices when trying to protect Bran.
There’s plenty happening outside the romance too, which I always love. The world-building and overarching conflict continue to develop, the stakes feel real and Cillian and Bran’s relationship fits naturally into the bigger story rather than taking it over.
Fae and witches, forbidden attraction, old feelings, divided loyalties, fabulous world-building and plenty of spice - absolutely my kind of dark MM romantasy!
What To Expect:
🖤 MM romantasy
🖤 Fae prince x witch
🖤 Childhood best friends to estranged enemies-ish to secret lovers
🖤 Fae vs witches
🖤 Forbidden romance
🖤 Lost memories & hidden identity
🖤 Power imbalance
🖤 Divided loyalties
🖤 Magic & political intrigue
🖤 Tough choices
🖤 Spice
🖤 HFN
5 🌟
Review of advance copy received from Author
AHHHHHHHHH!
That is what I have to say to the end of this book. That last sentence is cruel to leave me hanging on. This book was one that I have been so excited for while simultaneously dreading. This world and story is such an experience. I am giggling and kicking my feet one moment and the next my heart is in my butt. Hailey does such a good job of creating worlds and making you live them. This series is no exception.
I got the pleasure of listening to the audiobook this time around and now I need to go back and listen to the first book via audio. Gary Furlong does such a good job capturing all of these characters with his voice and I just was in awe to the point where I finished this audiobook in a day and a half. The story and the narration was just so good that I couldn’t stop. I needed to know how it ended.
Bran and Cillian are such good characters and they are followed by an equally as good cast of side characters that have such depth and personality to them that I fell in love with them as well. The freaking yearning between Verlin and Seamus killed me. This book could have been 800 pages with indepth back story of everyone and I would have been still wanting more. Cillian had me wanting to hug him half the book because he just wants Bran and to not have to be the heir to a throne he remembers nothing of but at the risk of him and the ones he loves, he has to embark into the Otherworld once again. Bran, I also wanted to hug half the time because as much as he didn’t want to ever be collared again, he knew the only way to keep his loved ones safe was putting it back on.
If you read book 1 and loved it, this is a very good sequel. It had everything between the romance and the tension and even moments where I was checking how much time I had left in my audiobook because that couldn’t possibly be where I am left waiting for book 3.
That is what I have to say to the end of this book. That last sentence is cruel to leave me hanging on. This book was one that I have been so excited for while simultaneously dreading. This world and story is such an experience. I am giggling and kicking my feet one moment and the next my heart is in my butt. Hailey does such a good job of creating worlds and making you live them. This series is no exception.
I got the pleasure of listening to the audiobook this time around and now I need to go back and listen to the first book via audio. Gary Furlong does such a good job capturing all of these characters with his voice and I just was in awe to the point where I finished this audiobook in a day and a half. The story and the narration was just so good that I couldn’t stop. I needed to know how it ended.
Bran and Cillian are such good characters and they are followed by an equally as good cast of side characters that have such depth and personality to them that I fell in love with them as well. The freaking yearning between Verlin and Seamus killed me. This book could have been 800 pages with indepth back story of everyone and I would have been still wanting more. Cillian had me wanting to hug him half the book because he just wants Bran and to not have to be the heir to a throne he remembers nothing of but at the risk of him and the ones he loves, he has to embark into the Otherworld once again. Bran, I also wanted to hug half the time because as much as he didn’t want to ever be collared again, he knew the only way to keep his loved ones safe was putting it back on.
If you read book 1 and loved it, this is a very good sequel. It had everything between the romance and the tension and even moments where I was checking how much time I had left in my audiobook because that couldn’t possibly be where I am left waiting for book 3.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was an intense read. We definitely learned a lot more about the fey vs witch history which was really cool. I am waiting for Cillians memories to come back. I think that is going to be such an interesting thing to see. It was hard to see some of the treatment of the witches and the book definitely has triggers for some. All in all I loved this book and impatiently await book 3. I need the resolution. This was a perfect bridge until we get there.
Review of advance copy
This book was more character driven and a whole lot darker than the first in the series. Both MCs had to come to terms with what was happening and where their lives were going. I liked the world-building and the lore that was used to create the world of Fae. The love between Bran and Cillian was palpable and the chemistry was undeniable. There was steam, action and court intrigue plus a sprinkle of found family. This is a good continuation of this series that also reads like a big set up for the next book where hopefully the author finally lets Cillian remember his past.
Review of advance copy
I was blessed to read an Advanced Reader Copy of Twisted Iron Marks. All opinions are my own and freely given.
The aftermath of battling the lights is calm until the Council of Witches orders Bran Gallagher to join his coven with another. Having other witches in Pelham is more than bad since Bran is in love with a fae and harboring three others. And the sentence for his treason, if the Council finds out, is death. Left with no other choices, Bran, Cillian, and Cillian’s entourage return to the Otherworld. This time their mission is clearer: They must convince others that Cillian is the long-thought dead Winter Prince and, in turn, gain allies to support his crusade to reclaim the Winter Court throne and face down the Dagda. Crashing the Autumn Court’s solstice festival, however, comes with mixed results. King Lugh and the guests are skeptical of Cillian’s return, especially with the rumors that led to his downfall in the first place. Gaining King Lugh’s favor is more difficult than any of them expected. When Cillian accidentally makes a bet, they’re forced to play King Lugh’s games. Cillian can barely keep up with court politics and the silver tongues of the fae as it is, and even more is at risk when he is expected to share Bran as entertainment. The trust between Cillian and Bran is put to the ultimate test as Cillian fights to keep his lover safe while traversing the perils of King Lugh’s doublespeak and expectations. Underneath it all, the false charge of consorting with witches still follows him, and the wall keeping the memories he’d forgotten at bay is crumbling. Cillian doesn’t know how he’ll get him and Bran out of this mess, but failure is not an option. And if embracing his fae heritage is what it takes to keep them alive, he’ll do it. He just hopes Bran will still love him afterward.
This book was really good. I loved the world building and the opulence of the fae courts. I loved the imagery of the outfits, and the description of the festival really put you in the moment with the characters, be it good or bad.
I enjoyed the progression of the plot. Cillian was really putting his ability to twist the truth to the test, and I appreciated that, while he had some wins, he also blundered many of them because of his human upbringing. I am incredibly intrigued by the memories Cillian lost and how he is so reluctant to get them back, but I also liked that his faeness has come out more and more. I like the possessiveness he's been showing, but I do wonder about the other cultural things that could affect his relationship with Bran. We leave off with Cillian in an interesting headspace, so I am really interested to see what will happen next.
I really love Bran’s character and his loyalty to Cillian. But I did feel that we didn't get nearly enough interaction with him. While Cillian battled wits, Bran was literally fighting for his life. While Cillian did seem concerned about putting Bran in certain situations, Bran was left out of many decisions, and Cillian never brought them up. In fact, I don't think Bran’s mental health was addressed enough in this book, and I wasn't fully satisfied by the aftercare. And maybe it's a plot device fot the next book, but I think Bran’s sacrifices were way bigger than Cillian’s. All Bran wants is to be loved and respected, and I think Bran thinks he got that, but I am not so sure.
It's hard to be critical because I love Hailey's books and writing. This series is much darker than her other works, which I'm not mad at, but normally the main characters are equals in the relationship, and the power imbalance between Cillian and Bran is hard to put aside. I am hoping that the future books will even things out, but right now I don't know if I'm rooting for the main relationship right now.
Now, having said that, I did enjoy the small intimacies between Bran and Cillian. Bran is super supportive, and Cillian does everything he can to keep Bran safe while also playing by the rules. I was torn about the pleasure scene for the reasons I stated above, but it was also pretty hot. I liked Cillian’s possessiveness and the slight increase in aggressiveness during the intimate scenes. I'm interested to see how Cillian’s fae nature will affect things going forward.
I am beginning to sort of trust Cillian’s entourage now. I think Niamh and Seamus are good allies and can see how Bran is more than just a pet. Even Verlin seemed a bit softer by the end, but I think it was more to comfort Cillian, and I still don't fully trust him. I hope they prove me wrong. Only time will tell.
Overall I still loved this book and couldn't put it down. There's still a long fight ahead and new adversaries to face, and I can't wait to find out what happens next! I give this one 4.5/5🌟
The aftermath of battling the lights is calm until the Council of Witches orders Bran Gallagher to join his coven with another. Having other witches in Pelham is more than bad since Bran is in love with a fae and harboring three others. And the sentence for his treason, if the Council finds out, is death. Left with no other choices, Bran, Cillian, and Cillian’s entourage return to the Otherworld. This time their mission is clearer: They must convince others that Cillian is the long-thought dead Winter Prince and, in turn, gain allies to support his crusade to reclaim the Winter Court throne and face down the Dagda. Crashing the Autumn Court’s solstice festival, however, comes with mixed results. King Lugh and the guests are skeptical of Cillian’s return, especially with the rumors that led to his downfall in the first place. Gaining King Lugh’s favor is more difficult than any of them expected. When Cillian accidentally makes a bet, they’re forced to play King Lugh’s games. Cillian can barely keep up with court politics and the silver tongues of the fae as it is, and even more is at risk when he is expected to share Bran as entertainment. The trust between Cillian and Bran is put to the ultimate test as Cillian fights to keep his lover safe while traversing the perils of King Lugh’s doublespeak and expectations. Underneath it all, the false charge of consorting with witches still follows him, and the wall keeping the memories he’d forgotten at bay is crumbling. Cillian doesn’t know how he’ll get him and Bran out of this mess, but failure is not an option. And if embracing his fae heritage is what it takes to keep them alive, he’ll do it. He just hopes Bran will still love him afterward.
This book was really good. I loved the world building and the opulence of the fae courts. I loved the imagery of the outfits, and the description of the festival really put you in the moment with the characters, be it good or bad.
I enjoyed the progression of the plot. Cillian was really putting his ability to twist the truth to the test, and I appreciated that, while he had some wins, he also blundered many of them because of his human upbringing. I am incredibly intrigued by the memories Cillian lost and how he is so reluctant to get them back, but I also liked that his faeness has come out more and more. I like the possessiveness he's been showing, but I do wonder about the other cultural things that could affect his relationship with Bran. We leave off with Cillian in an interesting headspace, so I am really interested to see what will happen next.
I really love Bran’s character and his loyalty to Cillian. But I did feel that we didn't get nearly enough interaction with him. While Cillian battled wits, Bran was literally fighting for his life. While Cillian did seem concerned about putting Bran in certain situations, Bran was left out of many decisions, and Cillian never brought them up. In fact, I don't think Bran’s mental health was addressed enough in this book, and I wasn't fully satisfied by the aftercare. And maybe it's a plot device fot the next book, but I think Bran’s sacrifices were way bigger than Cillian’s. All Bran wants is to be loved and respected, and I think Bran thinks he got that, but I am not so sure.
It's hard to be critical because I love Hailey's books and writing. This series is much darker than her other works, which I'm not mad at, but normally the main characters are equals in the relationship, and the power imbalance between Cillian and Bran is hard to put aside. I am hoping that the future books will even things out, but right now I don't know if I'm rooting for the main relationship right now.
Now, having said that, I did enjoy the small intimacies between Bran and Cillian. Bran is super supportive, and Cillian does everything he can to keep Bran safe while also playing by the rules. I was torn about the pleasure scene for the reasons I stated above, but it was also pretty hot. I liked Cillian’s possessiveness and the slight increase in aggressiveness during the intimate scenes. I'm interested to see how Cillian’s fae nature will affect things going forward.
I am beginning to sort of trust Cillian’s entourage now. I think Niamh and Seamus are good allies and can see how Bran is more than just a pet. Even Verlin seemed a bit softer by the end, but I think it was more to comfort Cillian, and I still don't fully trust him. I hope they prove me wrong. Only time will tell.
Overall I still loved this book and couldn't put it down. There's still a long fight ahead and new adversaries to face, and I can't wait to find out what happens next! I give this one 4.5/5🌟
October 14, 2026
🎧Audiobook
🎤Narrated by: Gary Furlong
Story: 5⭐️
Narration: 5⭐️
Spice: 4.5🌶️— High spice with dom/sub elements
🍆MM — Romantasy
📚Book 2 in the Bitter Legacies series - Must be read in order
✏️Third person
🎙️Single narration
❤️Main tropes: Forbidden romance • Touch him and d!e • Hurt/Comfort
I’m so in LOVE with this series! Hayley Turner really outdid herself again. I usually find the second book in a series to be a bit disappointing, as the pace is usually slower, and I have high expectations that aren’t met, especially when the first book was really good. Well, let me tell you, THIS book, Twisted Iron Marks, Book 2 of the Bitter Legacies series, is just as good as the first, if not BETTER.
There was so much going on that I barely had time to breathe. I had the opportunity to do immersive reading for this one (ebook + audiobook) and I was very happy to be able to switch between the two sometimes, because putting it down made me anxious! I HAD to know what was going to happen next! Immersive reading also really helped me keep track of all the characters.
This story is filled with action, emotional scenes, magic, political manipulation, and plot twists. The romance is touching, but twisted, and sometimes gut-wrenching. I totally melted for Bran and Cillian. In this book, their relationship is challenged in a different way from what we saw in the first instalment. Cillian is slowly descending into darkness, and it’s starting to affect the way he treats Bran. I am honestly getting nervous for Book 3.
Once again, Gary Furlong’s narration was impeccable. This guy is seriously talented. He’s so good at creating distinct voices and accents that it feels like listening to a full cast!
If you like romance and fantasy, with plenty of angst and twisted love, I really recommend this series. Start with Bright Dead Things, though, so you can experience Bran and Cillian’s love story from the beginning.
🎤Narrated by: Gary Furlong
Story: 5⭐️
Narration: 5⭐️
Spice: 4.5🌶️— High spice with dom/sub elements
🍆MM — Romantasy
📚Book 2 in the Bitter Legacies series - Must be read in order
✏️Third person
🎙️Single narration
❤️Main tropes: Forbidden romance • Touch him and d!e • Hurt/Comfort
I’m so in LOVE with this series! Hayley Turner really outdid herself again. I usually find the second book in a series to be a bit disappointing, as the pace is usually slower, and I have high expectations that aren’t met, especially when the first book was really good. Well, let me tell you, THIS book, Twisted Iron Marks, Book 2 of the Bitter Legacies series, is just as good as the first, if not BETTER.
There was so much going on that I barely had time to breathe. I had the opportunity to do immersive reading for this one (ebook + audiobook) and I was very happy to be able to switch between the two sometimes, because putting it down made me anxious! I HAD to know what was going to happen next! Immersive reading also really helped me keep track of all the characters.
This story is filled with action, emotional scenes, magic, political manipulation, and plot twists. The romance is touching, but twisted, and sometimes gut-wrenching. I totally melted for Bran and Cillian. In this book, their relationship is challenged in a different way from what we saw in the first instalment. Cillian is slowly descending into darkness, and it’s starting to affect the way he treats Bran. I am honestly getting nervous for Book 3.
Once again, Gary Furlong’s narration was impeccable. This guy is seriously talented. He’s so good at creating distinct voices and accents that it feels like listening to a full cast!
If you like romance and fantasy, with plenty of angst and twisted love, I really recommend this series. Start with Bright Dead Things, though, so you can experience Bran and Cillian’s love story from the beginning.
October 4, 2026
4.5 stars
‘Twisted Iron Marks’ takes one further into Hailey Turner’s Fae cruel universe, where twists of tongue and casual violence of all kinds are par for the course. But the series charts a bigger story arc of the old enmity the witches and the fae, and the smaller, compact story within of Bran and Cillian: friends who became lovers whose bright rights decree that they are natural enemies.
There’s too much happening to recount everything. Turner’s universe is dense and complex, though this is what makes everything so engaging as well. ‘Twisted Iron marks’ simply pulls you deeper and deeper into the details that leave too many loose ends at the end of it.
Even so, Bran’s and Cillian’s very unequal relationship and how they navigate the treacherous Otherworld however, takes centerstage here. Even though it’s one that’s largely pretence for both their sakes and their safety, it still didn’t sit easy with me, with the forced master-slave dynamic that they have to adopt to stay alive. The redeeming quality here, is the moral grounding that Cillian 2.0 clings onto; Turner has hinted enough that his past self was an absolute prick. I’ve always been partial to Cillian’s tie to the mortal world as his human connections and learned compassion have tied him more sympathetically to reader (me, at least). Having lost his memories of his past few centuries of life as a Fae has been a welcome reset in many ways and I’ve always hoped that he can find a middle ground with Bran who is absolutely unsuited to his time in the fae kingdoms. That’s also mildly putting it of course, and for that reason, some parts are excruciating (and gross) to read.
Both are nonetheless trapped and controlled by forces they can’t hope to overcome on their own. The trusty sidekicks that Cillian does have by his side, do help round up a large cast that makes the world building rich and detailed. I’m actually very curious to see how this is all going to wrap up in the third book—yet I’m also nervous however, that there would be too many compromises that won’t guarantee a HEA for those who really matter.
*ARC kindly provided via GRR
‘Twisted Iron Marks’ takes one further into Hailey Turner’s Fae cruel universe, where twists of tongue and casual violence of all kinds are par for the course. But the series charts a bigger story arc of the old enmity the witches and the fae, and the smaller, compact story within of Bran and Cillian: friends who became lovers whose bright rights decree that they are natural enemies.
There’s too much happening to recount everything. Turner’s universe is dense and complex, though this is what makes everything so engaging as well. ‘Twisted Iron marks’ simply pulls you deeper and deeper into the details that leave too many loose ends at the end of it.
Even so, Bran’s and Cillian’s very unequal relationship and how they navigate the treacherous Otherworld however, takes centerstage here. Even though it’s one that’s largely pretence for both their sakes and their safety, it still didn’t sit easy with me, with the forced master-slave dynamic that they have to adopt to stay alive. The redeeming quality here, is the moral grounding that Cillian 2.0 clings onto; Turner has hinted enough that his past self was an absolute prick. I’ve always been partial to Cillian’s tie to the mortal world as his human connections and learned compassion have tied him more sympathetically to reader (me, at least). Having lost his memories of his past few centuries of life as a Fae has been a welcome reset in many ways and I’ve always hoped that he can find a middle ground with Bran who is absolutely unsuited to his time in the fae kingdoms. That’s also mildly putting it of course, and for that reason, some parts are excruciating (and gross) to read.
Both are nonetheless trapped and controlled by forces they can’t hope to overcome on their own. The trusty sidekicks that Cillian does have by his side, do help round up a large cast that makes the world building rich and detailed. I’m actually very curious to see how this is all going to wrap up in the third book—yet I’m also nervous however, that there would be too many compromises that won’t guarantee a HEA for those who really matter.
*ARC kindly provided via GRR
October 17, 2026
I am going to start by saying that this book is good. There is a lot of action, the world is interesting, the characters are complex, there is a lot of danger, and there is a lot of intrigue. It is dark and it feels excessive and unnecessary. This is basically the story of how one of the MCs is ab*sed and hurt and how horrible both sides of this war are. I finished the audiobook and will most likely finish the series but there is a section where I almost DNF’d the book. I actually had to write 2 paragraphs ranting about how I felt because I was so upset.
The Content Warnings are a big problem. I am glad the author put them in, I just wish they were accurate to what is in the book. I can read darker things in books if I am prepared and seek them out when my mood wants darker stories. I need to be prepared for these things, especially when it comes to ab*se and cruelty. A CW that uses “dubious” and “implied” is not accurate. There is nothing dubious and nothing implied. And there are multiple instances, culminating in one event, with graphic detail that had me feeling physically ill to read because I wasn’t prepared for it. The after of this event was… wrong. It reads like SA apologism. It is actually a really complex thing because so much was going on. This is where I almost DNF’d.
The narration is well done by Gary Furlong, though he can sometimes be a bit monotonous in his delivery.
I received an early copy of this audiobook and this is my honest opinion.
The Content Warnings are a big problem. I am glad the author put them in, I just wish they were accurate to what is in the book. I can read darker things in books if I am prepared and seek them out when my mood wants darker stories. I need to be prepared for these things, especially when it comes to ab*se and cruelty. A CW that uses “dubious” and “implied” is not accurate. There is nothing dubious and nothing implied. And there are multiple instances, culminating in one event, with graphic detail that had me feeling physically ill to read because I wasn’t prepared for it. The after of this event was… wrong. It reads like SA apologism. It is actually a really complex thing because so much was going on. This is where I almost DNF’d.
The narration is well done by Gary Furlong, though he can sometimes be a bit monotonous in his delivery.
I received an early copy of this audiobook and this is my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
So Twisted Iron Marks the second book in the Bitter Legacies series (need to read in order). Bran and Cillian are back in the human world, trying to live their lives like before, but now Cillian trains and Bran has custody over his little sister. They are forced to act when the first coven decides Bran is not enough to protect his area, and command another coven to come. In order to protect Cillian from being discovered a fae, they leave to the fae court, leaving Bran’s sister protected.
Going back to the fae world is not easy, they have to navigate fae high court and the fact that the fae hate witches and any witch in their realm, are “pets”. Forced to wear a collar and leash again, Bran has to pretend he is just a slave. Cillian is struggling to keep memories back but also relearning everything he needs to know about this strange world he use to call home.
This has darker themes than Hailey usually writes so please read the TW.
This was so good, so spicy and delicious. There is a lot to navigate in this book. Like, how no side is the good side. Seriously, fuck both witches and fae. My boys need to just leave them both behind 🤣
The collar and leash is both demeaning but also hot because Bran loves wearing Cillian’s collar and Cillian LOVES seeing it on Bran! There is a lot of stressful and tense moments in this book and it seems like they have to compromise a lot. Also, Cillian, according to his dreams, might have been a sadist in his past life? 🤷♀️ so we will see how that goes. I love the “game of thrones” aspect. Both of their powers are impressive and I’m excited for them to do more! I need book three now, please!!!
Going back to the fae world is not easy, they have to navigate fae high court and the fact that the fae hate witches and any witch in their realm, are “pets”. Forced to wear a collar and leash again, Bran has to pretend he is just a slave. Cillian is struggling to keep memories back but also relearning everything he needs to know about this strange world he use to call home.
This has darker themes than Hailey usually writes so please read the TW.
This was so good, so spicy and delicious. There is a lot to navigate in this book. Like, how no side is the good side. Seriously, fuck both witches and fae. My boys need to just leave them both behind 🤣
The collar and leash is both demeaning but also hot because Bran loves wearing Cillian’s collar and Cillian LOVES seeing it on Bran! There is a lot of stressful and tense moments in this book and it seems like they have to compromise a lot. Also, Cillian, according to his dreams, might have been a sadist in his past life? 🤷♀️ so we will see how that goes. I love the “game of thrones” aspect. Both of their powers are impressive and I’m excited for them to do more! I need book three now, please!!!
October 14, 2026
I'm on the fence about this book. On one hand, the worldbuilding and storytelling are amazing. The ever-changing plot keeps me on my toes, and I can’t wait to find out what comes next. Bran is a badass, and his magic is exhilarating, while Cillian is paving his way to reclaim his court.
On the other hand, aside from Bran, Cillian, and a couple of other characters, I don't like anyone here. Both Fae and Witches are awful, and I don't see how any of that can be redeemed. Everyone is a bad guy of the worst kind, so there is no side to root for. The way Cillian's court members treat Bran is unacceptable.
One of the things I especially love about Hailey Turner's other series is the found family trope that shines through everything, especially in the Metahuman Files and the Soulbound series. There is nothing like that here. Bran and Cillian are all by themselves against everyone else, and I hate it.
Also, for now, Bran and Cillian's relationship is very unbalanced, as Bran is the one making all the sacrifices, some of which felt like a bit too much. There were also some things that felt completely unnecessary from a plot perspective, and I'm not a fan of suffering for the sake of suffering.
I'm still looking forward to the next installment, but I need some good things to balance out the darkness: friendship, found family, gratitude, acknowledgment of one's efforts, and more characters to root for in order to truly love the book or series.
On the other hand, aside from Bran, Cillian, and a couple of other characters, I don't like anyone here. Both Fae and Witches are awful, and I don't see how any of that can be redeemed. Everyone is a bad guy of the worst kind, so there is no side to root for. The way Cillian's court members treat Bran is unacceptable.
One of the things I especially love about Hailey Turner's other series is the found family trope that shines through everything, especially in the Metahuman Files and the Soulbound series. There is nothing like that here. Bran and Cillian are all by themselves against everyone else, and I hate it.
Also, for now, Bran and Cillian's relationship is very unbalanced, as Bran is the one making all the sacrifices, some of which felt like a bit too much. There were also some things that felt completely unnecessary from a plot perspective, and I'm not a fan of suffering for the sake of suffering.
I'm still looking forward to the next installment, but I need some good things to balance out the darkness: friendship, found family, gratitude, acknowledgment of one's efforts, and more characters to root for in order to truly love the book or series.
Review of advance copy
I was so excited to dive in to this one! The more I read, the deeper in I was pulled. This book wastes no time in putting these characters through it. Bran is summoned before the Council of Witches to explain the events that occurred in book one. After a not so great meeting, it's decided their best course of action is to return to the Otherworld and take back the Winter Court. The first part of that plan has them off to the Autumn Court to turn King Lugh in to an ally.
The Fae politics are so intriguing. There's so much for these two to learn before crashing the Midsummer Festival. Cillian still not having his memories but needing to pretend he's the same person he used to be adds an extra layer of tension to everything. On top of that, their relationship is constantly put to the test. Witches are seen as nothing more than pets in the Otherworld. Something to be used and abused. For both their sakes, Cillian is forced to treat Bran that way. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time they were in the Otherworld.
While there were quite a few heavy moments I loved this story. We get to learn more about these characters and their relationships. The world expands and the lore deepens. Cillian is constantly at war with himself - memories of his past self of leaking through, his inability to keep Bran safe from everything. Their love is a bright spot in this. Despite what they go through they're still in love and fighting for each other. They both have a rough time in this one, but especially Bran.
I can't wait to see what happens next! Thank you to GRR for my early copy!
The Fae politics are so intriguing. There's so much for these two to learn before crashing the Midsummer Festival. Cillian still not having his memories but needing to pretend he's the same person he used to be adds an extra layer of tension to everything. On top of that, their relationship is constantly put to the test. Witches are seen as nothing more than pets in the Otherworld. Something to be used and abused. For both their sakes, Cillian is forced to treat Bran that way. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time they were in the Otherworld.
While there were quite a few heavy moments I loved this story. We get to learn more about these characters and their relationships. The world expands and the lore deepens. Cillian is constantly at war with himself - memories of his past self of leaking through, his inability to keep Bran safe from everything. Their love is a bright spot in this. Despite what they go through they're still in love and fighting for each other. They both have a rough time in this one, but especially Bran.
I can't wait to see what happens next! Thank you to GRR for my early copy!
October 12, 2026
I received an ARC from the author via GRR & this review only contains my honest thoughts and feelings about this book.💐
I love this world and Hailey's writing so so much but boy were some things so difficult (for me) to read about!?
One should definitely check the trigger warnings before picking this book up. (I had to skim through some major parts because I am actually super sensitive to topics like slavery and torture.)
Both witches AND fae are evil and the saddest part is that it's not all of them but the majority and that's the only reason this feud between them is still going.
The Morrigan and Aisling might be my favourite characters so far and I do believe Morrigan deserves her own book.
"You are your father's son, born of winter, but you are also mine. War runs through your veins, and that is something you cannot forget. It is there with you, always, your desire to fight. So fight."
This hit me hard and I hope all of us are aware of the fact that we're LUCKY she's on our side.
Spring CANNOT come fast enough!!😭
I love this world and Hailey's writing so so much but boy were some things so difficult (for me) to read about!?
One should definitely check the trigger warnings before picking this book up. (I had to skim through some major parts because I am actually super sensitive to topics like slavery and torture.)
Both witches AND fae are evil and the saddest part is that it's not all of them but the majority and that's the only reason this feud between them is still going.
The Morrigan and Aisling might be my favourite characters so far and I do believe Morrigan deserves her own book.
"You are your father's son, born of winter, but you are also mine. War runs through your veins, and that is something you cannot forget. It is there with you, always, your desire to fight. So fight."
This hit me hard and I hope all of us are aware of the fact that we're LUCKY she's on our side.
Spring CANNOT come fast enough!!😭
October 18, 2026
This picks up really close to where the first ends off and must be read in order. Bran and Cillian face a really difficult strain to their new relationship when their hands are forced and they need to go back to the Fae realm. This story kept me engaged the entire time and there's a lot of Fae politics and action while we get to learn more about the courts and their dynamics. For anyone to trust Cillian though, Bran must be presented as a pet which does lend itself towards a fairly big power dynamic unbalance between these two. The small moments between them behind closed doors was something sweet that kind of got ripped away when faced with the public (or anyone outside of Cillian's inner circle). I do think that Cillian said he was going to keep Bran informed and then turn around and keep something from him for "his safety" or some other such excuse. I wasn't too much of a fan of that but I was already hooked and couldn't put it down. Hailey is known to make her readers hurt and for the main characters to battle for their HEA, and I'm still rooting for these two.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is for the audiobook, which i listened to on Google Play Books. Wow! This is the second of 3 books in the series and boy is it intense! (Note: You definitely must read the books in order because this divulged the entire plot of the first). Bran is summoned to the Council of Witches and is told that he is going to join another coven. He is told by the head of the council that her own son will come stay at Bran's home until the coven arrives from Europe.
Since Bran is in love with Cillian, a fae lord, Bran becomes very concerned, since witches and fae are mortal enemies. So back into the Wierding they go.
There, Cillian is greeted warmly by the Winter Court (as he's the Winter Prince) and Bran is merely tolerated.
The Winter Court comes up with a plan to crash a gathering at the Autumn Court in the hopes of gaining his support in a bid to gain Cillian's post as the leader of all, but he must convince Lou, the Autumn King, that the leader has taken Cillian's power and that there is a grand conspiracy. Since Lou thought Cillian was dead (and then conspired with witches prior to his death), this is a tough sell and Bran must be kept as "a pet," collared to keep him from using his magic.
This book was excellent! Bran and Cillian have wonderful chemistry and are very much in love. But, the triggers in this book are real, so be careful to heed them. Also, the story is very suspenseful! But, the sex scenes are fire!
Since Bran is in love with Cillian, a fae lord, Bran becomes very concerned, since witches and fae are mortal enemies. So back into the Wierding they go.
There, Cillian is greeted warmly by the Winter Court (as he's the Winter Prince) and Bran is merely tolerated.
The Winter Court comes up with a plan to crash a gathering at the Autumn Court in the hopes of gaining his support in a bid to gain Cillian's post as the leader of all, but he must convince Lou, the Autumn King, that the leader has taken Cillian's power and that there is a grand conspiracy. Since Lou thought Cillian was dead (and then conspired with witches prior to his death), this is a tough sell and Bran must be kept as "a pet," collared to keep him from using his magic.
This book was excellent! Bran and Cillian have wonderful chemistry and are very much in love. But, the triggers in this book are real, so be careful to heed them. Also, the story is very suspenseful! But, the sex scenes are fire!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Twisted Iron Marks is the second book in the Bitter Legacies series.
Story: 5 stars
Narration: 5 stars. Narrated by Gary Furlong
This book focuses more on character development and lore than on plot, though it does have a plot. And it’s quite a bit darker than the first book.
Bran is summoned by the Salem Council of Witches; the council’s decision forces Bran and Cillian to flee to the Otherworld to save their lives.
It’s in the Otherworld that the author develops the lore, the palace intrigues, and everything Bran and Cillian must do to survive in this society—a society marked by an unbalanced relationship, since Bran must take on the role of a virtual slave while Cillian plays the part of a lord for public appearances, even though in private, Cillian tries by every means possible to ensure Bran is his equal.
Story: 5 stars
Narration: 5 stars. Narrated by Gary Furlong
This book focuses more on character development and lore than on plot, though it does have a plot. And it’s quite a bit darker than the first book.
Bran is summoned by the Salem Council of Witches; the council’s decision forces Bran and Cillian to flee to the Otherworld to save their lives.
It’s in the Otherworld that the author develops the lore, the palace intrigues, and everything Bran and Cillian must do to survive in this society—a society marked by an unbalanced relationship, since Bran must take on the role of a virtual slave while Cillian plays the part of a lord for public appearances, even though in private, Cillian tries by every means possible to ensure Bran is his equal.
October 14, 2026
This is the second installment in a series (gentle note to start with the first book if you haven’t already). The world building continues to be on point, the plot has enough twists and turns and angst catalysts to be worth experiencing on its own terms (this is both a warning and a recommendation). The characters are fascinating and nuanced and the narrative sometimes get a bit too caught up in explaining all their nuances and emotions rather than just simply…showing them, but that may be more feature than bug, depending on your stylistic tastes. Overall, an immersive read.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
October 14, 2026
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Twisted Iron Marks is the second book in Hailey Turner’s excellent Bitter Legacies series. The books read as one long story and this book and review will have spoilers for events in the first, Bright Dead Things. If you haven’t started this fabulous mix of fantasy and contemporary, check out my review for book one.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Twisted Iron Marks is the second book in Hailey Turner’s excellent Bitter Legacies series. The books read as one long story and this book and review will have spoilers for events in the first, Bright Dead Things. If you haven’t started this fabulous mix of fantasy and contemporary, check out my review for book one.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
October 17, 2026
Audiobook - a favourite narrator who improves every book.
Story - while there were some interesting plot twists and a more solid base for Cillian and Bram's need to learn to trust each other, there was too much repetition about their lack of that trust. In Elven society as is, it was impossible to know who deserved any trust at all, and the witches were just as awful. I'm still invested in what I hope will be a good outcome for all groups, but it's taking very long to get there.
Story - while there were some interesting plot twists and a more solid base for Cillian and Bram's need to learn to trust each other, there was too much repetition about their lack of that trust. In Elven society as is, it was impossible to know who deserved any trust at all, and the witches were just as awful. I'm still invested in what I hope will be a good outcome for all groups, but it's taking very long to get there.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is book 2 and must be read in order for the back story. Bran and Cillian are not safe in the mortal world and go back to the Otherworld for safety. OMG what a grand story with Cillian having lost his memories when he was the Winter King and all that they go through. Be still my heart. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series to find out what happens next.
October 13, 2026
2026: 3.75
I looooved the first one, but this just did not hit quite the same. Still enjoyed it but I found myself asking “but, why??” frequently
I looooved the first one, but this just did not hit quite the same. Still enjoyed it but I found myself asking “but, why??” frequently
Review of advance copy
This is a spellbinding, intriguing, and fantastical read. Is in awe of how wonderful the writing and storyline flow. This is the second book in the series and it has done the first book justice. The Fae, Witch’s, and other worldly beings make this an engaging read. The audiobook, which I listened to in tandem, enhances the story.
Review of advance copy
Phew. Goddamn, that was GOOD. A lot, but good. So many ways to spiral into a rabbit hole of what the fuck, but it’s not too much. It builds the same way this author always makes room for, adding layer after layer in a mostly quiet way as other layers settle and smooth over. The characters contract and expand, the story and lore grow richer and dig deeper, and somehow your emotions hold their breath until the end when you’re left with answers and questions and a whole lot of complicated and conflicting opinions. It was stupid of me to tackle a Hailey Turner book right after an Ariana Nash one, but it was a hella great ride so I’m not mad at myself. She dumb but I love her anyway. I do hate that I can’t get to the more I need, but there’s bonus material to tide me over.
—I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews (GRR) because yet again I couldn’t wait like a normal person. All ratings, reviews, and all (unnecessary/unwanted) opinions are my own.
—I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews (GRR) because yet again I couldn’t wait like a normal person. All ratings, reviews, and all (unnecessary/unwanted) opinions are my own.
October 13, 2026
After the events of "Bright Dead Things", Bran and Cillian have a few months to recover from their worlds being turned upside down. Things don't stay calm for long, though, as Bran is summoned by the witch council and ordered to have his coven absorbed into another. Bran knows that neither he or his sister will be safe if this happens, not to mention Cillian and the rest of his Fae comrades in the Pelham area. So he and Cillian cross back into the Otherworld, with its attendant Fae court politics and treachery as in order to survive, the two men must put into play an effort to regain Cillian's Winter court,
Cillian and Bran find even more danger in their trip as they uncover bits of Cillian's past and more information on the conflict between the Fae and the witches of Bran's world. And Cillian finds himself having to reach out to potential allies in the Autumn court in order to regain his rightful place in the Fae pantheon. In so doing, Cillian and Bran find themselves in even more peril as their real relationship, which would be looked upon as traitorous in Fae society, is tested to the limit.
It's a bit difficult to go into much detail on those tests without giving too much of the plot away. Needless to say, as with most of Turner's other books, there are plot twists galore here, with some of the best ones saved for last. What our poor characters are subjected to is breathtaking at points. Just note as a reader that the trigger warnings for this book are there for a reason - there are some truly disturbing scenes of sexual violence and violence in the book. Nothing is gratuitous, in my opinion, though, just painfully necessary to establish the high stakes in the story.
In many ways, the story is one of war and its effect on the various parties. Both the Fae and the witches are ruthlessly cruel to one another in their ages-long conflict. With Bran and Cillian caught in the middle, I thought Turner did an excellent job of examining how characters are manipulated in such conflict, with our heroes trying to steer their way through the conflict with their moral compasses at least somewhat intact even when they're forced into doing unthinkable things.
Dark fantasy isn't normally my genre, but Turner has been an exception for me in the past with her focus on striking characters, and this tale is no different. After the events of the last tale, the author has raised the stakes even more, especially with the finale of this book and its revelations of the conflict between witches and Fae. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment, even if I can't see how she can tie up the various plot threads into one more novel, as I was under the impression that this was supposed to be a trilogy, Easily one of my favorite books of the year.
Cillian and Bran find even more danger in their trip as they uncover bits of Cillian's past and more information on the conflict between the Fae and the witches of Bran's world. And Cillian finds himself having to reach out to potential allies in the Autumn court in order to regain his rightful place in the Fae pantheon. In so doing, Cillian and Bran find themselves in even more peril as their real relationship, which would be looked upon as traitorous in Fae society, is tested to the limit.
It's a bit difficult to go into much detail on those tests without giving too much of the plot away. Needless to say, as with most of Turner's other books, there are plot twists galore here, with some of the best ones saved for last. What our poor characters are subjected to is breathtaking at points. Just note as a reader that the trigger warnings for this book are there for a reason - there are some truly disturbing scenes of sexual violence and violence in the book. Nothing is gratuitous, in my opinion, though, just painfully necessary to establish the high stakes in the story.
In many ways, the story is one of war and its effect on the various parties. Both the Fae and the witches are ruthlessly cruel to one another in their ages-long conflict. With Bran and Cillian caught in the middle, I thought Turner did an excellent job of examining how characters are manipulated in such conflict, with our heroes trying to steer their way through the conflict with their moral compasses at least somewhat intact even when they're forced into doing unthinkable things.
Dark fantasy isn't normally my genre, but Turner has been an exception for me in the past with her focus on striking characters, and this tale is no different. After the events of the last tale, the author has raised the stakes even more, especially with the finale of this book and its revelations of the conflict between witches and Fae. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment, even if I can't see how she can tie up the various plot threads into one more novel, as I was under the impression that this was supposed to be a trilogy, Easily one of my favorite books of the year.
October 16, 2026
ARC Read Review
Ms. Hailey Turner, do you actually enjoy keeping your readers on tenterhooks?! 😩
Because seriously, after finishing this book, I'm convinced you do! I was hoping for some kind of resolution, a little breathing room, perhaps? But nope! The angst, the suspense, the emotional roller coaster... it just keeps coming! >.<
Having read Hailey Turner's previous series, I wasn't exactly surprised by the angst or the complicated plotlines. They're practically her trademark! But WOW, she's cranked everything up several notches in this one.
Picking up right where Book 1 left off, we find our MCs, Bran Gallagher and Cillian, the long-believed-dead rightful heir and Winter Prince of the fae's Winter Court, navigating the treacherous "Otherworld". And trust me, these two cannot catch a break!
Their relationship is tested at every turn, thanks to the witch coven, the fae courts, and seemingly everyone with a hidden agenda. Then there's Lugh, the Autumn King, whose way of thinking is seriously twisted. And I mean TWISTED! Add to that the supposedly supportive characters who are secretly plotting their own schemes, and you've got a world where trusting anyone feels like a terrible idea.
Did I love the plot and world-building? Absolutely! The story is intricate, imaginative, and packed with political intrigue, betrayals, and enough twists to keep things interesting. But goodness, there is SO MUCH going on! Between the different courts, shifting loyalties, secret agendas, and relationship drama, I sometimes felt like I needed a notebook just to keep track of who was plotting against whom. 😂
Now, let's talk about the absolute highlight of this audiobook: Gary Furlong! Seriously, the combo of Hailey Turner's writing and Gary Furlong's narration is pure magic. It worked beautifully in her previous books, and it's doing wonders again in this series.
Gary has this incredible ability to bring the characters' emotions to life. The frustration, vulnerability, longing, anger, and all that delicious (and occasionally exhausting) angst between Bran and Cillian? He absolutely nails it! His performance adds so much depth to the story that, even when the plot felt overwhelming, I was completely invested in listening. And with this much emotional turmoil, trust me, Gary's narration was doing some serious heavy lifting! 😂
Overall, I really enjoyed the story, the fascinating world-building, and the complex relationships. I just wish we'd gotten a little more resolution instead of another generous helping of suspense and emotional torture.
Ms. Turner, I love your storytelling, but could you PLEASE give Bran, Cillian, and your poor readers a break?! 😅
Ms. Hailey Turner, do you actually enjoy keeping your readers on tenterhooks?! 😩
Because seriously, after finishing this book, I'm convinced you do! I was hoping for some kind of resolution, a little breathing room, perhaps? But nope! The angst, the suspense, the emotional roller coaster... it just keeps coming! >.<
Having read Hailey Turner's previous series, I wasn't exactly surprised by the angst or the complicated plotlines. They're practically her trademark! But WOW, she's cranked everything up several notches in this one.
Picking up right where Book 1 left off, we find our MCs, Bran Gallagher and Cillian, the long-believed-dead rightful heir and Winter Prince of the fae's Winter Court, navigating the treacherous "Otherworld". And trust me, these two cannot catch a break!
Their relationship is tested at every turn, thanks to the witch coven, the fae courts, and seemingly everyone with a hidden agenda. Then there's Lugh, the Autumn King, whose way of thinking is seriously twisted. And I mean TWISTED! Add to that the supposedly supportive characters who are secretly plotting their own schemes, and you've got a world where trusting anyone feels like a terrible idea.
Did I love the plot and world-building? Absolutely! The story is intricate, imaginative, and packed with political intrigue, betrayals, and enough twists to keep things interesting. But goodness, there is SO MUCH going on! Between the different courts, shifting loyalties, secret agendas, and relationship drama, I sometimes felt like I needed a notebook just to keep track of who was plotting against whom. 😂
Now, let's talk about the absolute highlight of this audiobook: Gary Furlong! Seriously, the combo of Hailey Turner's writing and Gary Furlong's narration is pure magic. It worked beautifully in her previous books, and it's doing wonders again in this series.
Gary has this incredible ability to bring the characters' emotions to life. The frustration, vulnerability, longing, anger, and all that delicious (and occasionally exhausting) angst between Bran and Cillian? He absolutely nails it! His performance adds so much depth to the story that, even when the plot felt overwhelming, I was completely invested in listening. And with this much emotional turmoil, trust me, Gary's narration was doing some serious heavy lifting! 😂
Overall, I really enjoyed the story, the fascinating world-building, and the complex relationships. I just wish we'd gotten a little more resolution instead of another generous helping of suspense and emotional torture.
Ms. Turner, I love your storytelling, but could you PLEASE give Bran, Cillian, and your poor readers a break?! 😅
October 16, 2026
I struggled with this one. Not because it was bad; it has a fat-paced, exciting and twisty plot full of intrigue and seemingly impossible situations and TONS of tension, it also has interesting character dynamics that keep growing and getting deeper, and the worldbuilding is expanding more and more.
I think my main gripe was that a lof of then tension (which is masterfully upheld and ramps up constantly throughout the book, and I would say this is one of the author's signature skills) is based on misery, torture and abuse. The hate between fae and witches is well estbalished in the series, but the way they treat each other as less than people was beyond horrific. I skipped some of the more graphic torture and abuse scenes, and still felt sick to my stomach through multiple chapters. The author has written about torture and abuse before, but this went so far beyond anything. I really did not enjoy that.
I also did not like how Bran and Cillian's sexual relationship ended up playing a role in some of the abuse. It's all explained away within the plot and character dynamics, well established through their preferences and the circumstances they are in, but I really did not like that a full on sex scene was mixed with what was also effectively a torture scene. Because the scene was definitely the latter, but used working and emotions as if it was the former?
I can see that the author is building something up here, a wider plot point that is going to weave togther multple threats, both connected to the worldbuilding of the fae-witch-animosity and history, as wella s Cillian refusing to unlock his memories but being unable to escape who he was, and also how Bran is being affected by both. I can appreciate the craft, but I didn't particularly enjoy it.
Utimately this isn't a bad book, it's just very bleak and depressing. Even when the characters ultimately get what they wanted, the wider setting and the price they pay along the way made me feel miserable. I do kind of want to see where the series is headed as a whole, but I may skip it just for my own sake. I still sometimes think bad to those torture scenes as night and can't sleep because they make me feel so bad.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I think my main gripe was that a lof of then tension (which is masterfully upheld and ramps up constantly throughout the book, and I would say this is one of the author's signature skills) is based on misery, torture and abuse. The hate between fae and witches is well estbalished in the series, but the way they treat each other as less than people was beyond horrific. I skipped some of the more graphic torture and abuse scenes, and still felt sick to my stomach through multiple chapters. The author has written about torture and abuse before, but this went so far beyond anything. I really did not enjoy that.
I also did not like how Bran and Cillian's sexual relationship ended up playing a role in some of the abuse. It's all explained away within the plot and character dynamics, well established through their preferences and the circumstances they are in, but I really did not like that a full on sex scene was mixed with what was also effectively a torture scene. Because the scene was definitely the latter, but used working and emotions as if it was the former?
I can see that the author is building something up here, a wider plot point that is going to weave togther multple threats, both connected to the worldbuilding of the fae-witch-animosity and history, as wella s Cillian refusing to unlock his memories but being unable to escape who he was, and also how Bran is being affected by both. I can appreciate the craft, but I didn't particularly enjoy it.
Utimately this isn't a bad book, it's just very bleak and depressing. Even when the characters ultimately get what they wanted, the wider setting and the price they pay along the way made me feel miserable. I do kind of want to see where the series is headed as a whole, but I may skip it just for my own sake. I still sometimes think bad to those torture scenes as night and can't sleep because they make me feel so bad.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
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