The first book in this duology (Series? Please, series.), Queen of Coin and Whispers, was my most anticipated book for the entire back end of 2019, and one of my favourite 2020 releases. At that time, it was a standalone and I adored it with every fibre of my being.

“Still, I wasn’t expecting to read this 464-page book in a single, engrossed sitting. I turned down food, people. I turned down food!”

DAUGHTER OF WINTER AND TWILIGHT picks up the narrative in the next generation, with Emri – Queen Xania and Queen Lia’s adopted daughter and heir.

For me, DAUGHTER OF WINTER AND TWILIGHT is a another five-star read, but a rather different book from it’s predecessor. It’s less political and court-centric, and ups the ‘fantasy’ side of the world-building with actual gods and the promise of magic. And the world itself is fabulous: in this instalment entirely female-led and queer normative. The story is still very character driven despite the quest/challenge angle, and the characters remain excellent: diverse, varied and complex. I love all the characters, even the ones I hate, because Corcoran writes them all so well and makes them all so intriguing.

A five-star book, through by personal preference I loved Queen of Coin and Whispers just a touch more (give me schemers every time). However, I do think I’d have been better served by rereading the first book before starting this one, and that might’ve shot it up even higher – a lot of the themes of this duology are tough choices and no-win scenarios. DAUGHTER OF WINTER AND TWILIGHT adds an element of consequences, and how they play out further down the line. My plan is to reread both books back-to-back in 2024.

As I said three and half years ago, “Run, don’t walk,” to pick up this series.

Daughter of Winter and Twilight is a story about healing from your past traumas, breaking the cycle, and learning to let other people in. In that regard, it’s a beautiful and powerful story and I definitely cried while reading it.

That said, I have mixed feelings about Daughter of Winter and Twilight, which is disappointing because I absolutely loved Queen of Coin and Whispers. And some of this is a me thing, and some of it is a book thing (well, they’re all me things but the book things are more about the book than my reaction to it). And despite these mixed feelings, I did really enjoy it and would consider it a high 3 stars (rounded up to 4).

What drew me in to QoCaW was the political intrigue. The spymaster and the queen falling in love. And while it was wonderful to see Xania and Lia happily together, DoWaT didn’t hold the same instant intrigue. So that’s the me thing. I was holding it to a pedestal I wasn’t promised.

It was an incredibly slow start for me. The first 25% of the book was just introducing us to Emri and Melisande and establishing Emri’s history and position. Overall, a lot of the events that occurred in this first part felt like they could have been condensed because a lot of the scenes weren’t particularly relevant once we got into the main plot.

It’s hard to pull off a story that relies heavily on flashbacks and memories of the past. And I think for the most part, they worked for this story. The narrative framing of couching the past in the gods’ trials was fascinating, but I felt like the change in tenses was a bit clunky at times and othered the text. (It’s possible that was intentional and just didn’t super work for me).

What saved this book for me was the introduction of Gabi and Theo. The four young royals having to work together and find camaraderie despite their differences and training was so good. Them learning to trust and rely on each other? Amazing.

I would love to see Emri’s story continue in a world filled with *spoiler spoiler spoiler* and cackle as Melisande teases Emri for all eternity.

Thank you to NetGalley and O’Brien Press for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Helen Corcoran for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Today is release day for this intense book! It takes a little bit to get into so if you decide to read it, stick it out! It’s worth it!

There are a lot of descriptions and explanations in this book. I want to be clear that it’s not just on current events in the book either. There is a whole parfait of layers to this book and its characters pasts, customs, and even the gods they pray to. It’s a bit to keep up with and I’ll admit at times even I struggled.

Two cousins finally reconnect only to have a ruthless God attempt to break them both. They are both out through trials and memories of the past that they would rather forget. Another prince and princess are along for the journey as well, and these four have to learn to look out for and rely on each other. It is honestly a great set up for how the kingdoms will be run in the future.

I do think that perhaps a flash back of what happened with her father or even at their great aunts would have been beneficial to the storyline. All it seems to really state was that both were equally horrible it never gave you anymore than that and I found it redundant to be brought up so many times.

Overall, a good book !! I hope there is a next one, including a little more of a prominent understanding of the gods and history. But I do recommend this to readers who enjoy fantasy stories of kingdoms far away.

Helen Corcoran's Queen of Coin and Whispers was one of my favourite books of 2020 so when I was approved for an advance copy of the sequel I literally clapped my hands in glee.
Daughter of Winter and Twilight picks up several years after the end of Queen of Coin and Whispers, and tells the story of Emri the adopted daughter of Queens Xania and Aurelia, who were the point of view characters in that earlier book. While I obviously recommend reading that book, it is not essential to have read it to enjoy this one, which could be read as a stand alone. However I think that going into this book with a knowledge of the characters and their history did enhance my enjoyment of this book.
Emri is coming of age and now must face up to the realities of life as heir to the Eadaran throne, including arranged courtships and potential marriage as well as a visit from her estranged cousin Melisande whom she has long resented. Tensions are running high but when Emri and Melisande are swept away by a mysterious magical force to an almost ruined temple , Emri comes face to face with a Goddess she long considered a myth, the Lady Winter. The only way she can survive and help not just Melisande but the two other royal heirs who have been captured is by encouraging them to work together despite their differences and rivalries. If they do not survive the trials they have been set, the futures of all their kingdoms hang in the balance. If they succeed and free the magic that has lain dormant for centuries, their futures are unknown.
This book is not one that I would recommend to readers who need to be gripped from the beginning, or those who like fast paced action as the first 200 or so pages are definitely a bit of slow burn, something I was not expecting given how quickly I was drawn in by the previous book. Once the set up of the characters and their political roles and relationships had been established, and the trials were under way the pace really did pick up and I was much more engaged by the story. I liked the characters, particularly Emri and I would love to know more about Gabriela , she was not the most fleshed out of the characters but I enjoyed her personality and found her intriguing. Some of the strongest and most fascinating characters in the book were the Gods and Goddesses, most notably Lady Winter and Twilight, who were powerful and often cruel and added a lot of menace to the story.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

4 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.

What a fun fantasy novel, full of intrigue. The second book in a series, the first being Queen of Coin and Whispers. I did not read the first, and I did not find this discouraging in any way. Sometimes when you read a sequel, you will be missing too much of the backstory. Not with this novel at all.

Emri is the teenage princess of Edaran, set to take over the throne after her mothers, the two Queens of Edaran. Emir is about to be introduced to society at the Midwinter Ball, dressed as Night, a mythical god. Her mothers will be Lady Winter and Twilight.

On the night of the ball, Emri and her estranged cousin Melisande go missing. Whisked away as though by the wind. They find themselves battling for their lives in a mysterious mountain castle filled with magic and the god that was believed to be nothing but a myth, Lady Winter. It is up to Emri to find her way out if she wishes for Melisande and others to survive.

This is a longer novel, but so compelling. Rich with fantasy, magic and lore of a country still ruled by gods and royalty. So richly written, it makes you long to visit these lands and get swept up in the beauty and history and magic as well.

Definitely fit for the YA set, but as an adult I enjoyed it immensely.

Despite being a sequel of sorts to Queen of Coin and Whispers, DOWAT can be read without having read the first one as it's set years later and only features certain characters from the first book in a peripheral way. The story is focused on 18-year-old Emri, daughter of Lia and Xania from the QOCAW. As the adopted heir to the Edaran throne and daughter of a traitor, Emri has grown up trying to be the best she can be at everything so that others cannot question her capability and suitability for the role. She is shadowed by the events of her early childhood before being adopted and these heavily influence her character throughout the book.

The story really picked up when the trials began as everything seemed to fit together better from this point. The dynamic between Emri, her cousin Melisande (heir to another throne), Princess Gabriela (heir to yet another throne), and potential-consort Theo, was one of my favourite elements and it would be such a shame if they can't find ways to continue their friendship in the future. I'm hoping another book is in the works as the events of this one have expanded the world-building immensely and Emri's story felt unresolved. Plus, I want her and Theo's courtship! Overall, this was a solid fantasy with plenty of banter, queer rep, and a fast-paced plot.

Very good story line. The plot was well written

Emri is the adopted daughter of two queens. Full stop. This is my fist time reading of two queens leading a realm. And I am here for it. Emri tries to stand up to her mothers diplomacy. She and her estranged cousin are kidnapped and magic is back.

Having not read the first book in this series it took me a while to get to grips with story. Plenty of magic and fantasy. The world building was good. I found the book far too long and at times repetitive. I felt that some characters were more developed than others and there is a lot a filling in this book where nothing is actually happening. Do I want to read more this reader is still on the fence.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the Arc in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars

It's always disappointing when one of your most anticipated books of the years turns out to not live up to those expectations at all. I struggled at times to read this - I even considered a DNF at one point. It was so stark because I read it just after QUEEN OF COIN AND WHISPERS, which is tightly plotted, tense mystery that keeps up the pacing throughout.

DAUGHTER OF WINTER AND TWILIGHT does not do this.

This book has a very slow start. It's a 565 page book, and the first two hundred are all general relationship troubles of various sorts, rather than the plot the blurb implies. There are only really two key events that happen in all that time, and it did rather feel like two hundred pages of nothing that could have been cut back to just show those two events.

The book, however, does pick up a lot at the 200 page mark once Lady Winter (finally) arrives onto the scene. It becomes a very dangerous adventure to escape a magical mountain despite the fact they cannot trust one another.

The mountain itself is very threatening, with doors holding secrets and challenges like poison and shadow wolves chasing them. And, of course, there are the gods too. They are very unsettling and hard to predict, very much feeling like immortals beyond mortal comprehension.

I loved the dynamics between the four royals trapped under the mountain. They have all been raised to be wary of anyone else ever knowing them, so it can't be used against them. They've also been raised to wear masks "appropriate" to their culture's idea of a monarch. But the mountain forces them into close proximity and physical and mental exhaustion, breaking those barriers down. It was so rewarding to see them bond slowly across the book.

"Daughter of Winter and Twilight" is an immersive, tense and moving story, exploring friendship, PTSD and of course continuing the story of two iconic lesbian queens. What more could you want? It has been ages since I read "Queen of Coin and Whispers" so I had absolutely no idea what to expect with this book, but I am so glad I picked it up. Absolutely fabulous! GAYS EVERYWHERE! The mythology introduced in this book, which was not a feature in the previous one, as far as I remember, was vivid and magical, without the need for any info-dumping. All of the characters were complex and fabulous and the slow creation of bonds between them was beautiful to watch. I can't wait for the next continuation of this series if there is more to come!

I really enjoy the first book by Helen Corcoran, Queen of Coin and Whispers, as it had a well developed fantasy world populated by a sprawling cast of both loveable and easy to despise characters, with interesting political machinations driving the plot. This sequel takes a very different approach, with a small cast of characters dealing with a plot driven largely by magic. It was okay, but didn't live up to the expectations I had unfortunately.

✨ ARC Book Review: Daughter of Winter and Twilight by Helen Corcoran
✨ Release Date: September 4, 2023
✨ Genre: YA Fantasy
✨ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Stars

My thoughts: I don’t want to give too many details away because it’s the 2nd in the series, but I enjoyed reading this. It incorporated more magical and fantasy aspects than the 1st one did, and I found it was easier to get lost in a new world with this one. I enjoyed the characters as well and many parts made me laugh.

I still struggled with some parts of this being repetitive like this first one, but it wasn’t as much. Overall I think it’s worth a read if you like YA fantasy. ♥️✨

(I am not posting the synopsis either because it might spoil the 1st book for those that haven’t read it yet.)

Not going to lie, this is a tough one to review, as you can see by my rating.

As always, I'll talk about the things I disliked first so we can end on a positive note (because oof).

This book was, first and foremost, way too long. It didn't need the first two sections at all and the story and characters could have been developed a lot more skillfully than they were. I usually enjoy wordy books, but this was wordy to the point of putting me to sleep every single evening I tried reading it. I think the characters aside from Emri are quite weak and pretty far from three-dimensional. I was missing some sort of motif, or a concrete goal, and I was still asking myself WHY at the end. Speaking of the ending - I feel like the book should have been whatever happens AFTER the story.

I do think it's very difficult to write a character that doesn't do much. but rather has things happen TO them. I don't think that Helen Corcoran... quite... accomplished that here, unfortunately. It doesn't help that the plot just kind of trudges along. It's meandering and I didn't enjoy the pacing either. It made me disconnect from all of the characters and storylines.

The one thing I liked that it was tighter narration-wise. It reads a lot smoother when we're not mixing politics with a romantic storyline and dual POVs like in Queen of Coin and Whispers. It also manages to stand well enough on its own away from QOCAW,

First of all, I loved Queen of Coin and Whispers.

It's one of my favorite books of the year that I read it, so you cannot imagine the excitement when I saw I could pick up an eARC of the companion. Unfortunately, for me it's a DNF @ 20%

I did truly try my hardest, but this book could not keep my attention. Several things like the craft have improved, but the plot and the pacing feel incredibly off, dialogue often interwoven with paragraphs and paragraphs of extra info and thoughts, to the point where sometimes, it's easy to forget that there's a conversation going on.

I do know that this novel went through another round of edits, so I might pick up a copy in the future, but unfortunately, I cannot recommend it at this time.

A novel that contains elements of political intrigue, magic and adventure. Set in times of Queens and with strong female leads. A solid read. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I chose this title because I love fantasy books (despite its use of the Noun of Noun and Noun title formula). However, I chose without knowing that it was a sequel, of sorts, and was admittedly confused for a minute by the preface/prologue, which discussed certain people (who turned out to be the main character's parents and relatives), and the beginning of the actual story, which was about different people.

I think my biggest issue was that I found Emri pretty devoid of personality. The first chunk of the book is just her and her two royal moms politicking, and a fair bit of setup to show that it can get lonely at the top, which was a slog to get past. I also found the world itself to be a bit bland and colorless-- we didn't really learn anything about the different countries or the magic system past the surface level, so the setup felt less real. Things not feeling real in this book was another big gripe; the whole thing just felt like an unused coloring book. The bones were there, but the flesh was questionable at best.

The plot did pick up about a third of the way in, but by then I think I just wasn't predisposed to care about what happened. I liked Melisande more than Emri, but she still felt a bit flat. The quest arc seemed to belong to a separate book than the one I had been reading at first, so maybe I was jarred long enough to have trouble getting into it? And as much as the premise was "complete the trials or die," I didn't feel much sense of tension or suspense.

The writing was fine; nothing sparkling or revolutionary, but serviceable enough to tell the story. The lack of a strong romance plotline was also fine (I can usually give or take them, as they're so often poorly done) and does set this book apart from a lot of fantasy YA.

Finally (and I'll probably get flak for this)... I fall under the queer umbrella, and I love that representation in books is so much more common now, but this... trend of making it the headline for a book drives me nuts. I feel the correct order of operations is "the book is amazing, with a creative story and quality writing, and also there's great representation" as opposed to leading with representation as the driving force to convince me to buy the book. It's great when it's there, but without the book itself being strong to support that rep, it doesn't matter. Case in point, I didn't even know The Traitor Baru Cormorant had a lesbian protagonist until I got into it-- the marketing focused on why the book was an amazing read, and that convinced me. At times, I just felt like the author didn't really pay any mind to why the queer rep was *meaningful* to the story or the world, and sprinkled it in just to claim it was there. I will step off of my soapbox now, sorry.

Even though I seem to have complained a lot above, Daughter of Winter and Twilight was not a bad book by any means, but it didn't intrigue me enough to want to go backward or forward in the series. I do think that there was a lot of potential in the "Lady Winter's trials" plotline, and would have probably enjoyed that more as its own book. However, reading this was not the worst way to spend a few weekday evenings, and I think somewhat younger readers will probably be more forgiving to its flaws.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing a free copy in exchange for this review.

The book itself is ok but I found this very hard to read. This can be read as a standalone book, or after reading Queen of Coin and Whispers. There are mentions of events that happened in Queen of Coin and Whispers and some characters are present in both books.

I wanted more building of characters, at the moment they feel a little 2 dimensional, which I also found an issue with the first book as well.

The storyline was decent but I felt a lit more world building would have made the book better.

Thank you to Helen Corcoran, O’Brien Press and NetGally for this ARC.

I loved Queen of Coin and Whispers, the first book in the series and so I was excited to immerse myself back into the world of Edar.

I did find the pacing of this book quite slow, however, because I have read the first book it was much easier to understand the world building.

I really enjoyed the relationships and dynamics between the main characters, Emri, Melisande, Gabi, and Theo. Especially the dynamic between Emri and Melisande! As this book is very character driven I thought it was important that they were portrayed and written in a complex way. I also loved seeing Xania and Lia again and their relationship which i think is absolutely beautiful. This book did what the first did well which was showing sexuality in a free and loving way, the characters could be free with who they wanted to love!

One of my main criticisms from the first book, Queen of Coin and Whispers was the use of first person for both of the POVs. I found that it was written very well as the characters didn’t have different voices, it was quite surface level. However, the writing and flow definitely improved and I thought that the characters’ personalities were distinctive and unique.

Overall, I really loved this book, especially the characters, and would recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy

Thank you Helen Corcoran, The O’Brien Press Paperback and NetGally for a copy of this arc.

Full disclosure, I did not know this was a sequel when I started. From what I understand the first book is about the parents of our FMC and I have no doubt the first book would have assisted in the world building and history of the royal families but it wasn’t needed to follow the story.

Princess Emri is the adopted daughter of the Queens of Edaran, she is also the biological daughter of the dead usurper who stole her mothers throne. While Emri is coming to terms with what it means to be heir to the Edaran throne, her estranged cousin Princess Melisande comes to court. Both young princesses are stolen away by magical forces and come face to face with the long forgotten goddess, Lady Winter. All the myths and legends of old are true, magic and the might of the Gods are real. Trapped in an ancient temple under a mountain, Emir and Melisande will need to work together with fellow royals Gabi and Theo to stay alive and complete the trials set my Lady Midnight.

The first 40% of this one I found really slow but once the plot got moving a lot was fit into the last 60%. I really enjoyed the relationships between our 4 royals Emri, Melisande, Gabi and Theo and I hope to see more of their relationships develop. The use of Gods, magic and 4 seasons was great and I can’t wait to see where the author takes us next. I loved that traditional gender stereotypes were completely shattered and the representation of so many same sex relationships. The relationship between. Emri’s mums was beautiful and I’m looking forward to knowing more about their story when I go back and read book 1

This was an atmospheric and enjoyable read. This is a personal quibble, but I think the pacing in the start was too slow for my tastes. On the other hand, there was quite a cast of characters being juggled about, so that might have been necessary. I never read the first book and found it difficult to connect to the characters, but the plot was intriguing enough for me.

While the worldbuilding is intricate, it simultaneously felt disjointed at times (they allude to characteristics of other countries but nothing concrete and the magic felt). The relationships between the characters were fleshed out at least, one of which is an exploration of how abuse affects those who are victims and how they interact with the world around them, Overall I would recommend this book to those in its target audience, I think I've aged out of this book.