Cursed Crowns is the fast paced, swoon-worthy sequel to one of my favourite YA reads last year - Twin Crowns.
Rose and Wren are queens of Eana, but their coronation is just about the only thing running smoothly. Banba is trapped in frozen Gevra, and a group of witch-hating rebels are stirring trouble closer to home. The girls, only recently reunited, are already divided - Wren is desperate to rescue their grandmother, while Rose thinks they should focus on problems closer to home.
With shifting desert kingdoms, ice palaces and a pair of magical mirrors, Cursed Crowns is packed full of amazing world building, with settings I'd really love to visit (but I'd also be happy with a Netflix adaptation so I can enjoy them on screen).
Wren and Rose are fantastic protagonists, each with their own strengths, flaws and romantic dilemmas. This novel introduced plenty of new characters too. Some, like the mermaid-loving Captain Marino, are brilliant, and others you might find yourself hoping the desert sands swallow back up so they stop causing problems!
As well as having it's own action-packed plot line, there's a lot of really interesting set up for book three, in Cursed Crowns. It looks like the next book will be packed with just as many moral dilemmas, magical conundrums and a potential love triangle. Wren and Rose are going to have some big decisions to make in book three, and I already can't wait to read it (and see how pretty the cover and Waterstones sprayed-edges are!)