Three months after Aderyn's coronation the court is celebrating the Solstice, but Aderyn is preoccupied by Lucien's continuing hostility. The celebrations are interrupted by the arrival of nobles who have escaped from the neighbouring country of Celonia - the flightless have risen up and overthrown their rulers. The world is changing.
As people being to question whether Aderyn and Aron are strong enough to rule, there is an attempted assassination on Aderyn's life. Siegfried and Tallis have made their move - they have formed an army, declared war and will take the throne, by any means necessary.
Aderyn must fly to unchartered territories and risk the lives of everyone she loves to defeat her enemies, secure her throne and unite her people.
Epic, dangerous and impossible to put down, this finale takes you on a soaring journey through grief, strength and determination to fight for what is right, what you love and what is yours.
How did I not realise this was a duology and not a series? I’m pretty pleased I got the culmination in book two and this was a pleasant realisation towards the end. I didn’t have chance to re-read the first book before diving into A Crown of Talons but I needn’t have worried, these authors caught you back into the tale with ease and without repeating lots of info. I knew where I was within a few pages and I was totally wrapped up in the story in those first few pages too.
The world of A Throne of Swans is built on humans that can transform into birds of flight but also an under class of the flightless and I’ve loved that it’s a historical fantasy world. This sequel brought war, leadership wrangling, marriage difficulties, betrayal and so much eye-glued to the page. I enjoyed reading the politics as Aderyn slowly and delicately considered and worked towards a place of equality for those of these lands. The politics in the book weren’t onerous but they were all part of the strategy and plot development.
Adaryn, Aron, Odette and of course Lucien were the characters I was dying to find out what was happening with. There were some gutting and clever twists to the story but I was always hoping. No spoilers here, you’re just going to have to read.
The Throne of Swans world has been one I’ve been so happy reading in despite book two not being a happy book as such. Talons was a fairly fast paced read but it also had times where you got to catch your breath and take stock.
This YA fantasy duology is such an all-encompassing reading experience with beautiful covers as well. These are going to look so pretty on my shelf and I will continue to recommend these reads to anyone who enjoys the genre.
Thank you Hot Key Books and Kaleidoscopic Tours for the review copy.
Secrets, betrayals, love, spies this had it all. The characters are all so complex and each has their own agenda. Lucien (I still love him) is by far the most complicated and probably my favourite character even after everything he does. In the middle, I disliked Aron as he became a bit too protective, but grew to like him by the end. Veron, honestly I don't know what I think of him! Aderyn is QUEEN, so strong and brave and cunning - she is brilliant as a heroine. And dear Odette...I can't say anything else.
The plot is so complex, with everyone betraying eachother and switching sides then actually being undercover spies - you never know who to trust. And at times Aderyn starts to hallucinate so you can't even trust her mind. Although a complex plot that I couldn't begin to explain fully know, there was never a confusing moment whilst reading it.
My only negative, the first 90 pages or so seemed heavy going. I'm not sure why, because it was still interesting but it just took me a long while to read.
These authors aren't afraid to kill and seriously injure characters, they aren't afraid to make you hate those you loved, and they will certainly leave you shocked!
I really enjoyed reading the previous book, A Throne of Swans, and so I was delighted when I was given the opportunity to read and review this final book in the duology. The world is fascinating and easy to grasp and I loved the drama at court and the historical setting. There are some fabulous descriptions of the scenery, costumes and weaponry and the duo-authors manage to create a wonderful atmosphere in every scene, drawing the reader into the story. There is an obvious hierarchal system whereby the nobility can transform into birds representative of their particular house and those who cannot, called the ‘flightless’ and they are there to serve the nobility. The world had a wonderful magical feeling reminiscent of a fairytale.
It’s easy to read with it’s clear narrative and the storyline held my attention, more so after the halfway point where things really got exciting and the book is hard to put down. Some elements of the plot are a little predictable, whilst others took me completely by surprise. It is fast paced and action packed, with exciting battle scenes, betrayal and some plot twists along the way.
There is a wonderful cast of characters who have depth and interesting character traits. Initially I did have difficulty remembering some of them from the previous novel, but the addition of the family tree and map of Solanum in the front of the book is a really useful reference and helped a lot remembering who was who. Aderyn is a fabulous female lead, she is determined, fearless and clear and confident in her commands, she makes the perfect queen and slipped into this role really well. Lucien sadly is not one of my favourite characters I found him weak and easily lead and Aderyn forgave him far to readily for his misdemeanours. I also preferred the relationship Aderyn had with Aron, rather than Lucien, and although in this relationship they don’t have romantic feelings towards each other, they come across as supportive, caring and really devoted to one another despite the circumstances of their marriage.
A Crown of Talons is a wonderful finale to this captivating series. There is a great no nonsense ending, which wraps the duology up very satisfactorily. Highly recommended for anyone who likes fast-paced, action-packed YA fantasy/romance novels in an historical setting.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this lovely book in exchange for an honest review.
When finishing Crown of talons, all I really thought was: Can I have some more please?! Because I really fell in love with this world, the fantasy/shifter elements, the characters and writing of these authors. Book 1 starts out as a Swan Lake re-telling, but the story became so much more than that.
Even though I still have some remarks here and there, this conclusion book was, in my honest opinion, really well written and a really satisfying conclusion to the duology. In between the sometimes somewhat predictability of some storyline elements developments, there are definitely also some things happening I didn’t see coming and I loved that so much! I really wasn't expecing this book to be so surprising at times to be honest haha. Glad the authors proved me wrong!
The politics was well developed yet again and the writing was engaging and easy to lose myself in once again. I also have 2 books of another series by these authors on my shelves, so I’m looking forward to diving into another world/story they’ve written.
Overall seeing, this duology is just a fantastic pick-me-up when you’re looking for a story that provides you with an all-encompassing reading experience. You can’t do anything other than sit back and enjoy the show because it’s fast paced right from the start. My inner fangirl is happy and I definitely recommend picking up this duology if it looks interesting to you. And if you’ve already read the first book and are not sure yet about the second installment, there’s just one thing to say: Read the book and you’ll be thanking me later ;)
I absolutely adore the premise of a fantastical world with people who can transform into birds. A Throne of Swans was such a great read, I was keen to read the sequel, A Crown of Talons' as soon a possible. The deception and betrayals are running rife in Solanum. Aderyn and Aron need to fight together in order to save it from the treacherous Tallis and get the ancient Crown of Talons back. But a marriage where you love each other as cousins has its pitfalls. With underlying currents of equality, sexuality, identity and a healthy dose of feminism, this book certainly lived up to (and exceeded!) my expectations. The action, along with many twists and turns kept me on my toes and struggling to put the book down. Highly recommended.
A really satisfying end to the duology. This is certainly not a happy read, with lots of pain and suffering throughout the various twists and turns that the story takes. Lots of politics and scheming, and the second half in particular is crammed with action.
I feel bad for DNF-ing this, especially as I usually NEVER DNF books, but hear me out...
I've made it to page 127.. and I can't find myself wanting to read this anymore. The characters are extremely boring, they all lack ... soul? Personality? I'm a reader who loves characters more than plots, so maybe this book wasn't for me.
If I can't care for the characters, I can't care much for the plot. So far it's been kinda slow, which is fine, but I really don't care for what could happen next. The romance is pretty awful in my opinion. In the first book I let it slide somewhat... But IT HAPPENED AGAIN!? That dumb instalove trope which is a all about not communicating. Not my cup of tea...
The world is very interesting and the whole concept of flightless and nobles who can turn into birds is pretty cool at least! It's just not worth it for me when the characters lack so much personality and are some of the least interesting characters I've ever read. Maybe I'll want to continue this later, who knows?
Что же, я оказалась права. В своей рецензии на "Лебединый Трон" я говорила, что все политические проблемы и интриги оставят на вторую часть, так оно и вышло. Вот только, проблемы эти слишком глобальные и в рамках одной книги всю эту кашу расхлебать было просто невозможно. Кроме этого, добавились еще и новые линии, которым тоже надо было уделять время. Добавьте к этому еще и многочисленные любовные драмы и театральные страдания, и вода становится абсолютно мутной. Я решительно не понимаю, почему сестры Корр не превратили эту историю в трилогию, потому что, как мне кажется, у них бы получилось вытянуть этот сюжет, будь у них больше времени. Но мы имеем, то что имеем. Начинается книга где-то спустя пару месяцев после событий "Лебединного Трона", когда Адерин и ее кузен Арон заключили фиктивный брак, с целью посадить последнего на трон, ибо сестра Арона, Одетта, править не хочет, даже в роли королевы-марионетки с братом в качестве кукловода. Мачеха Арона и главная злодейка Таллис скрылась вместе со своим братом-любовником Зигфридом, который был женихом Одетты и приударивал за Адерин. В это же время в соседнем королевстве Селония началось крестьянское востание и все дворяне обращены в бегство. Они просят убежище у Соланума, в котором тоже зреют революционные настроения. Среди них есть и братья Варин и Валентин, которые претендуют на трон Селонии. Не помогает и то, что поползли слухи о существовании бескрылых, которые имеют иммунитет к прикосновениям крылатой знати (обычно прикосновения к крылатым вызывают у обычных людей адские мучения). На самом деле, политическая арена данной дилогии только на первый взгляд кажется такой сложной и многогранной. Поверьте мне, это далеко не так. Потому что хоть сестры Корр и пытались написать собственную "Игру Престолов", основной акцент всегда был на любовных (и не только) страданиях Адерин.Адерин вообще очень любит страдать, плакать, жалеть себя и всячески усложнять себе и окружающим жизнь. Это мы поняли еще в предыдущей книге, когда она решила, что выйти замуж за своего двоюродного брата - это лучший способ стабилизировать страну, хотя у нее был возлюбленный. В этой книги у Адерин много причин для страданий и истерик, но главной все же является бывший (?) любовник Люсьен, который сошел с ума на почве спермотоксикоза. Я понимаю как это звучит, но поверьте мне, со стороны это именно так и выглядит. Всю первую половину "Короны Когтей" Люсьен то и дело зажимал Адерин в темных углах и лез к ней с поцелуями, попутно пытаясь раздеть. Адерин нехотя оборонялась, потому что Арон обещал хранить ей верность, и она хотела отплатить ему тем же. Люсьену такой расклад не нравился и каждый подобным инцидент кончался криками в стиле"раз ты мне не даешь, значит ты меня не любишь!" и громким хлопком двери. В итоге отсутствие секса настолько сносит парню крышу, что он внезапно решает всех предать и переходит на сторону врага. Наш любовный интерес, леди и джентльмены!
Касательно Арона ситуация так и осталась весьма двоякой. Дело в том, что многие шипперили его с Адерин. Я к данной группе не отношусь, но понимаю откуда ноги растут. Мне не было понятно, а должные ли читатели в принципе рассматривать Арона как потенциального возлюбленного для Адерин. С одной стороны, в некоторых сценах определенных романтический флер присутствовал. С другой стороны, если чувства и были, то только у Арона, Адерин никогда ответного интереса не проявляла. Сложилось ощущение словно начиная писать дилогию авторы так и не определились что с этой линией делать. Вот уже вышла вторая книга и они до сих пор не определились. Поэтому сцены, которые можно трактовать в романтическом ключе, остались. Но в то же время, у Арона появился новый любовный интерес (тот самый Валентин из Селонии). Их роман развивается преимущественно за кадром и, вы не поверите, но это все еще интереснее страданий Адерин и истерик Люсьена. Хотя бы потому, что эти парни готовы с гордостью пожертвовать своим счастьем ради всеобщего блага, в то время как Адерин так поступает просто потому что ей нравится грустить и с тоской вспоминать их с Люсьеном первый и единственный раз (а делает она это очень часто, поверьте мне). Помимо Валентина, как уже упоминалось, в книге присутствует его брат Варин. Как вы думаете, что он делает? Правильно, ухаживает за Адерин! Это уже четвертый мужчина, который приударивает за ней. Но у Варина есть причины. Видите ли, среднестатистическому селонийскому мужчине крайне трудно представить женщину, которая не хочет просто сидеть дома и следить за детьми. Адерин не вписывается в его картину мира, этим и привлекает. Их разговоры были довольно любопытными, стоит признать. Однако, все не могло быть радужно, к сожалению. Потому что, очевидно, в Адерин влюбляются исключительно психи, готовые предать всех и каждого. Да, Варин тоже объединяется с Таллис и Зигфридом. Просто потому что они пообещали ему не убивать Адерин и отправить ее с ним в Селонию. Там он запрет ее в своем поместье и будет ждать когда Стокгольмский Синдром сделает свое дело. Да уж. Будь я на месте Адерин, то поклялась бы вообще не иметь дел с мужчинами после такого. Да и вообще, зачем тебе мужчины, когда есть Летия?
Концовка получилась очень нафталиновой и сказочной, а все проблемы были чудесным образом решены. Проблема в том, что авторы хотели написать нечто серьезное, но в то же время не чурались использовать типичные тропы YA. Но делают они это не очень умело. К моему удивлению, эта дилогия не вызвала у меня такого негатива, какой могла бы. Мне было не очень интересно их читать, и я точно не буду возвращаться к этой истории. Интересный факт: я прочитала "Лебединый Трон" сразу после того, как закончила плеваться от "Нареченной". А сиквел "Лебединного Трона" я прочитала после того, как закончила плеваться от сиквела "Нареченной". Это явно повлияло на общие впечатления.
Мои рецензии на: Серия "Лебединая Сага" 2/2 1. Лебединый Трон
Okay, so I wasn't the biggest fan of the first book. I liked it but it felt a little too predictable, the characters were bland, and I wasn't very invested in the plot.
I decided to buy the second book anyway when I realised there were only two books in the series, and was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked this one more than the first.
The writing style was a bit flat and I didn't care a single bit for the main character, Aderyn, in the first book. I came to appreciate her a bit more in 'A Crown of Talons', however, even if she remains a 'typical' protagonist lots of the time. The characters seemed a little unrealistic - there was little humour and banter, which I like to show the relationships between characters, but I understand why the authors didn't add humour considering the tone of the book. I felt, overall, the characters weren't that great, but gave this four stars mostly because of the fast-paced plot and interesting betrayals and plot twists. I saw some coming, but some surprised me, which I love in a YA book. The romance was a little off and cringey at times, however, but at least the villains were easy to hate :)
Overall, this seemed like a very classic YA book; a servant best friend, a main character insistent on what is 'right', sexism to go against, and, of course, multiple love interests. I considered giving this three stars but then decided to round it up to four because of the plot.
I'm not sure if I'd recommend this to an avid reader as a 'good' book, but I can't say I didn't enjoy it! If I was recommending to someone relatively new to YA, however, I think this series would be a great one to get started with <3
OK the pros...... the writing was beautiful, the description and battle scenes were horrific but so vivid, as if it was playing out in front of me. I actually started to love Aderyn, whereas I hated her in book 1. The world made more sense, as did the politics!
Cons... oh gosh.... 1.Hate Lucien 2. Killed off the wrong characters! 3. Why end it like that??? If you have made the choice to make those decisions, commit to it!!!! 4. Not enough humour, although i get why. 5. I wish there was more about the transforming
Overall it was fine but i would have changed a lot.
I'm so glad Aderyn and Lucien got their happy ending. When I found out he was a traitor I was heart broken and so angry at him. But then when I found out it had been fake and he'd done it for a reason I loved him again.
Aron and Valentin deserved their happy ending as well I loved their character development through the books.
Odette dying made me very sad, I was sobbing at this part. I didn't;t see it coming and I really wish she hadn't died.
I loved this second half to the story! I even think I enjoyed A Crown of Talons a little more than the first book, mainly because the lead character had much more strength and gumption and less vulnerability and naivety to her in this book. The storyline blew me away and the twists and turns I rarely saw coming. There was only one big "shock" moment that I guessed a lot earlier in the book but I didn't mind that. I adore birds and so I loved all those aspects as well. I highly recommend this series to anyone that enjoys YA fantasy.
As entertaining as the first one with a fast pace and high stakes. It also concluded the story nicely. Though this time I was a bit bothered by the decisions of the protagonist and her adversaries being too convenienent at times.
Okay so my main problem with this book is that I never really grew attached to any of the characters (with the exception of Aron who I actually liked a lot) I felt like the characters were a bit immature some times and the relationship wasn't my favorite like I didn't understand the evolution of their relationship especially because they literally spend the majority of the book not communicating and with Aderyn feeling betrayed. That being said I liked the plot and the political aspect of the story and I had a good time reading it I wished maybe the story was more plot-driven than character-driven but it's not a bad book and me not liking it very much is mostly due to personal preferences
my god there was just....too much going on here. people betraying each other every two pages, characters who were barely developed dying for no reason, political intrigue brought up only to be resolved a few chapters later without any real consequences. it felt like they had so much to say and yet said nothING
also the fact lucien turned spy doesnt rly redeem him from being a total cock at the start of the book.
It came out of nowhere but I had a lot of fun with this despite predicting a lot of what happened! Not everything though, I didn't expect at least one of the things considering it's a YA book, so that was a ''pleasant'' surprise (in quotation marks because it wasn't actually a pleasant event lol). But yeah, overall I really really enjoyed this duology and I recommend it!!
So i finally picked up A Crown of Talons and I absolutely loved it. I read book one back in 2020 and it was in my top faves of that year. Book two is a whirlwind of emotions, action packed and heart gripping. With lots of political scheming, betrayals and plot twists that had me turning pages like crazy. The magic system presented in this duology is still one of my favourites. The idea of nobles being able to shape-shift, and the association with different species of birds for each dominion in the kingdom, is very interesting. The heroine of this story, Aderyn, has to make some hard decisions to save her kingdom and the people she loves most, and even if she is still very young, she keeps a levelled head when things get tough. I also loved the romantic relationship that developed between her and Lucien and also the beautiful friendship with Aaron. This story is not without heartache, but it's so worth it when they get a HEA. If you love high fantasies with beautiful imagery and a shocking plotline, then I highly recommended giving this duology a try!
What an epic conclusion to this duology. The battle and suspense was page turning, such vivid battlescenes as if you are there. I was anguished to know who’d survive the book.
The theme really was ‘Trust No One’. There were so many betrayals in this book, if I could add a viral sound it would be “tsssch switching sides” on repeat. It keeps the plot from predictability which is good, but at one point it was really a lot.
It gives a deserving ending with no loose ends. Great read if you’re into royal court intrigue, scheming and betrayals, epic battles and fighting wholeheartedly for a better world.
It’s always a little bit scary and a little bit daunting picking up the finale in a duology when you adored the first book and rated it so highly. Firstly, there’s the fear that you won’t like it. That it will disappoint you and that disappointment will taint the first book for you. There’s a fear that your favourite characters won’t get the revenge they deserve, that their story will end on an unhappy note, that the world in which you loved in book one will feel different or unbalanced in the finale. There’s also excitement, so much excitement, to be delving back into a world that you adored so much. To me it’s like greeting characters like old friends and seeing how they’ve grown. A Throne of Swans is one of my favourite books and I was kindly gifted the second and final book, A Crown of Talons by the publisher @hotkeybooksya. What an emotional rollercoaster that was. Firstly, it’s such an amazing ability to ease your reader back into the world of a book they read a year ago without need for reintroduction. I was worried I would be confused and would end up needing to reread A Throne of Swans, but Katharine and Elizabeth Corr just lower you back into the story effortlessly with hints and refreshers so easily and I fell right back into step with the characters. Aron and Aderyn seemed so much more mature in this book, but I love that Aron still had his moments where he fell back into immaturity and his anger got the better of him. Altogether, I cried FOUR times during this book. Once with happiness and three times with HEARTBREAK and I’m not telling you which tears the ending resulted in, you’ll have to read it and find out! Phenomenally written and executed. Such a unique plot and an amazing fantasy book. It was dark, complex and tempting without being heavy and had the perfect balance of friendship and romance to balance out the parts that were heavy. An incredible book, I’d highly recommend this series to anyone.
When Swan Lake meets Game of Thrones, you’ll get this thrilling dark fantasy 🦢⚔️✨
TW: death, torture, violence (review contains minor spoilers)
Three months after her coronation, Aderyn finds herself struggling with her crown as some nobles continuously question her reign with Aron, all the while her heart longing for Lucien. When the flightless of a neighbouring country starts attacking its nobles, an assassination attempt is made against her and Tallis and Siegfried moves to declare a war, Aderyn must risk herself and the lives of those she loves to secure her crown and unite the people.
I love that this sequel further highlights Aderyn’s kindness and strength, proving herself worthy of the title as a queen. Her dynamic with Aron and Odette are so lovely, it pains me a lot to see them being torn apart due to the selfishness of others.
Lucien’s hostility towards her irks me at times, but when they finally meet each other again in the middle, I have a hard time to feel relieved because as much as I love them together, I hate condoning cheating in relationships. Their relationship eventually worsens due to circumstances and I wanted to scream in frustration–I do not need another potential romance or heartbreak 😩💔 GET A GRIP LUCIEN UGH ALL THE MEN IN THIS BOOK ANGERS ME
Giving trust and getting betrayed is a reoccurring theme in this series and it gets annoying, but I find that it shows that Aderyn has a big heart and sees the good in everyone. This book is much darker and tragic than I expected, but I enjoyed it tremendously ✨ The pain it gave me will leave a scar in my heart 💔
This is the sequel to Throne of Swans, which I read as an ARC at the start of 2020, so it seems fitting to read Crown of Talons as an ARC at the end of the year. A lot happens in this book, and honestly we got to about 80 pages from the end and I couldn't see how this would wrap up. I feel that it could have benefited from being a trilogy, as there is so much build up in this book that the actual battle for the Throne is very quick and takes place over just a couple chapters, I'd have loved to have seen more of this. I felt a bit irritated with Aderyn as a typical YA female protagonist, who with zero training becomes the best at everything- can we please just have our protagonists either have skills, or let someone else fight? Also the double crosses, and triple crosses and honestly I can't keep up who's good or bad. Lucian and Veron particularly swung to and fro like a pair of undecided yo-yos. A double cross is great, but having them come back, then go again, then come back, then go gets tired.
I realise that this review isn't looking too positive, however, I did really enjoy the book. Its such a unique magic system and I loved the politics. I really enjoyed that as queen, Aderyn was still unable to change things- because that shows a fair democracy, and a good leader. I love her relationship with Letya, and I loved Aron's and Valentin's relationship. It's an easy, quick read and goes on my list of great duologies
One year ago I read Throne of Swans by Katharine and Elizabeth Corr. It's the story of a young woman desperate to discover who murdered her mother. After the death of her father at just seventeen she travels to the Citadel to uncover secret plots and brutal betrayals. I loved this unique and fascinating story about a world of shapeshifters who could become birds at will and I couldn't wait to read the sequel. After the explosive ending of the first novel I wasn't sure what to expect from the sequel, but A Crown of Talons did not disappoint. This novel is full to the brim with treachery, grief and betrayals from the ones held closest. Aderyn must fight for her life to keep her new kingdom from tearing itself apart. She forms new friendships and unexpected bonds, her will is tested beyond anything she has ever encountered. Aderyn and her companions face many page turning battles, I couldn't tear myself away until I had read the last page. If you're looking for a completed duology packed with romance, betrayal, action and shapeshifting then I highly recommend Swans and Talons.
This book feels better, more natural, than the first. I kinda disliked Lucien in the beginning. I mean, Aderyn sacrificed a part of herself to save him, and he's salty about it? And then, during the biggest part of the book, I hated him with all my heart. Still, even though it's explained why and how things happened (no spoiler here), I'm not 100% okay with it. But I understand.
What I also love in this book is the room for emotions for EVERYONE. The queen weeps, men weep, .... They don't have to be strong always, and show no emotions. My heart weeps for Odette though. She deserved so much more.
The story is addicting, mysterious, exciting, emotional, ... and I want to start all over again.
I thought A Throne of Swans was a pretty promising opening novel for the book series. As someone who's Classically trained, I'm interested in reading about books that's inspired by musical pieces that I came across. I think A Throne of Swans was a clever and engaging Swan Lake retelling with animating characters and gorgeous backdrop.
So I finally got around reading A Crown of Talons recently. While I enjoyed the beautiful backdrop as in the first novel, I felt that the plots are quite predictable (and fell prey to usual YA pitfalls) in the sequel so I didn't feel that engaged in this book.
N.B. This book contains following content warnings: illnesses, blood mention, vomiting, violent death, and loss of loved ones
I would likely award this 3.6 stars. In the end, there was more depth than book 1 , which was lovely and very much enjoyed. The entanglement of all the characters, the dominions in which they represent and hold their loyalties, but also the loyalties, and betrayals, between other characters made it much more complex, in addition to the introduction of Celonia and Galen on top of Solanum. The first book, I would definitely say was more background, context, and political, whereas this book of the duology depicted more war, battle, and bloodshed, which I have always considered to be an unfortunately realistic representation of kingdoms of this design.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I received this book from the publisher as part of a bookstagram tour. As always, my opinions are honest.
I found this a welcome return to the world of A Throne of Swans, which I also really enjoyed! I didn't reread it and luckily picked up what was going on very fast, which is always excellent.
I think this had a little bit more on the romance BS than I really wanted, but I loved Aderyn and Aron's relationship. Well more her relationship with him. I really didn't understand why he was sometimes a jealous moron!
We also really leaned into some YA tropes here, especially around which sides people were on. This got a little tired in places but did give some good tension.
I still really love the concept, and how Aderyn is trying to do better. I also really liked the introduction of a comparison kingdom which showed how bad things could get - I'd have really liked to see a little more on that, and the discussions with Veron.
Overall, this duology is a really fun and thoroughly enjoyable read. 4 stars.
I really enjoyed this book! I adore Aderyn so much, she has now become one of my favourite characters.
I love this magical world, I adore the magic of turning into Swans, it’s so beautiful. It was a great read, full of emotions, love, betrayal and devastation. That’s why it was bitter sweet, I loved it but one part was so shocking and sad, oh my heart. The ending was perfect and the story was finished nicely.
I am so pleased o found this duology, a new favourite of mine and will recommend to everyone.
A Throne of Swans is a book I’m constantly recommending to fantasy fans. It’s full of political intrigue and deadly games and I’m pleased to say book two ups the ante even more. There’s a lot of suspicion in Aderyn’s court and she often seems not to know who she can trust. Betrayal is a main theme and one Aderyn soon finds herself confronting.
I still absolutely adore the shape-shifting element of the story and loved seeing it more regularly in this book. With Aderyn now ruling the kingdom alongside Aron, the authors are able to explore the toxic segregation between the flighted and the flightless and expand on the foundation laid in book one.
Aderyn is as stubborn and passionate as ever and she is definitely one of my favourite characters in YA lit as she feels so real. I would have actually liked Aderyn to rule by herself as she proved herself to be the better leader and was just so capable and forward-thinking. I also liked the exploration of duty versus desire and the development of Aderyn and Lucien’s relationship.
A CROWN OF TALONS is a fantastic ending to this duology and I’d urge you to read the first book if you haven’t yet. Packed with intrigue, political machinations, betrayal, and romance, this duology is not one to be missed.
Shocking events and betrayals, some expected and most not so much! This was really gripping and hard to let go of. Aderyn's character is so well formed. Brave and strong, still self-doubting, but despite everything still wanting to be able to trust people. The descriptions of the places and of the the freedom of flying were really vivid.