Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.
But nothing comes for free, especially magic.
When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.
Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.
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First line:
I was nine the first time the Physicians came to the house.
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Source:
Source:
Paperback
---------------------Rating:
4 Nightmares out of 5
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This was a fast read with an enjoyable storyline. I love this world that Gillig has created. The magic system is so intriguing and interesting. I'm really hoping we get to explore more of this world in book 2. The other thing I love about this book is how Elspeth is not the typical heroine. She's not particularly brave or kind or strong or witty. She's a scared young woman just looking to survive. I loved her and the Nightmare's relationship. Friends but not friends, a tentative relationship.
That ending brought my rating up from a 3 star to a 4 star just because it was unexpected. However, I did feel like there were some contradictions in the writing as well as several questions. I swear at one point it is mentioned that if you put the card in your pocket, the effects stop, but then later that happens several times with the magic continued to be used. Also, how old is everybody else? Elspeth is 20 and Ione is a couple of years older than her. But how old are the twins, Ravyn, Elm, and Emory? How did Elspeth's mom died and when did her dad remarry? I wish we had gotten more Ione before her and Elspeth's argument so we could understand her character more. I also want more Alyx because that just feels so fun. I do feel like some stuff was predictable but it did not necessarily ruin the story.
Hopefully some of these things will be clarified in book 2. It also appears that Two Twisted Crowns is told from Elspbeth, Ravyn, and Elm's POV so I'm interested to see how that'll work.
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