The Unseelie Crown (Maze of Shadows, #2) by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

The Unseelie Crown (Maze of Shadows, #2) Reviews

• 
  Fia

  I was disappointed. The first book was pretty decent and a good world building start, and I found the ending exciting and I was really looking forward to this 2nd book but I was left wondering what the heck I just read. It was a ton of exposition and talking and not enough actual doing. Every other page it was like the MC was Crying, falling over, or screaming in fear of something. Honestly if you cut out everything but the first 3 chapters and the last 3 chapters, nothing would have changed. Nothing felt like it had a good enough explanation, every choice and action was a "just because" or "And then this happens and then this happens" And the MC never learned from her past mistakes? She never makes a plan? She ended up exactly where she was in the first book. There is no hint, clue, or mystery on how to solve the issues of the story for both the MC and us the reader. I too feel like I am walking in a slog of a maze. I looked more forward to the side plot with Anfar than I did the main plot.
• 
  ~ Tara Bezeau ~

  I greedily read this book in 2 days! On to book 3 meow!
• 
  Kay ❣

  All that happened in this book: (maybe spoilers?)
  
  -abigail got new powers and is scared of her own shadow 😴
  
  -dude still wants to murder everyone in the entire world and doesn't understand why Abigail is not down for that
  
  -abigail returns to the maze 🤡
  
  Does this mean book 3 is going to be a repeat of the first book? I wish I knew to simply skip the first two books and start with the third one. I don't have any interest left in this series though, so I'll never find out if 3 is at least an improvement of 1
• 
  Claudie ☾

  4.5
  
  This was every bit as good as the prequel. After the beautifully tragic cliffhanger at the end of book 1, my expectations were high… but Kingsley delivered perfectly! While the UST in the first book was quite delicious on its own, it turns out absence does make even the blackest of hearts grow fonder — in this volume, a couple of new and exciting ingredients have been added to spice things up, chief among them: feelings realization! painful yearning! Which made me a very happy camper indeed.
  
  I think I should apologize for misjudging our villainous H. Valroy is far quicker on the uptake that I gave him credit for. He takes those pesky new feelings in stride. And he has a plan:
  
  

  “Find a way to kidnap her, make her my prisoner, and torment her until she loves me back.”

  
  
  Yep, that’s sure to work, buddy. Good luck! 👍
  
  Never let it be said that he lacks conviction:
  
  

  “You will be my queen, Abigail Moore… if I must slaughter all the world to see it done, you will wear my crown.”
  “You would have me reign over a world of ashes.”
  “If it means you do it at my side? Without hesitation.”

  
  
  Ah, young, obsessive love. 💘 These two will burn the sheets — and any other available surface — when they finally do the deed. 🔥
  
  Now, as for Anfar, my favorite supporting character and Valroy’s grumpy BFF… I hope Kingsley won’t torment him any more after this. If I interpret the hints correctly — and I might be reading into things here — something good will come to him soon and I’m all for that. ❤️
  
  Can’t wait for the next book to come out~
• 
  ⋆☆☽ Kriss ☾☆⋆

  The author is quite good at that push-and-pull tension between leads who are caught between hating and hurting and loving and wanting one another. I think people who fancy enemies-to-lovers and more slow burn stories will really enjoy this series.
  
  My biggest gripe with this installment, however, is that it's... repetitive. This book is shorter than its predecessor by ~100 pages yet, I felt like I read the same scene/plot point in different wordings two, three, five times. Multiple sections repeat the same basic premise/information without much progress in the story; I love slow burn, I love books that let things happen in their due course with enough time to sink in and develop, but there's a difference between proper development and stalling the plot by mincing words.
  
  That said, the characters are enjoyable and, I will not hark too much on this installment circling the same ideas of "Abigail is afraid, she is fae, she wants Valroy but doesn't want his cruelty, wants to be with him but not help his war start, she has to stop him but doesn't know how, she has powers but doesn't know how to use them... she's scared, she's weak..."
  Like, despite the sexual tension, despite Valroy admitting he has feelings for Abigail within the story, the two haven't had sex nor made declarations of love, nor are they together, so there's still that grey area where they're enemies but it's complicated.
  
  It's also fun that Valroy is so wicked and has a different logic and is swinging between cruelty and kindness at all turns. He's very much what I think of when I imagine faeries and I like the characterization the author has done. Abigail, sadly, was a bit less likeable in this installment. The way things unfold it almost feels like she's reneging on her own principles because Valroy is attractive and wasn't a complete monster to her in all ways. I don't know; she just didn't come off great this time around, but I'll hold out hope for the next two books.
  
  Until then, I set the series down with pretty good feelings. I'm not raving about it, but I also have quite liked what I've read. I finished books 1 and 2 very quickly and I'm interested in continuing, which is always a good sign.
• 
  ⊹ Gabriela | asternyx ⊹

  These fae are smart but Abigail is just annoying.
  
  ⤏ What to expect:
  ∘ Adult Dark Fantasy
  ∘ Romance
  ∘ Dual POV
  ∘ Awesome magical worldbuilding
  ∘ Villain Prince as love interest
  ∘ Fae
  ∘ Royalty
  ∘ Gods
  ∘ Witches
  ⤏ Tropes:
  ∘ Enemies to Lovers
  ∘ Slowburn
  ∘ Found Family
  ∘ Grumpy x Sunshine
  
  ⤏ Trigger Warnings: emotional abuse, blood, violence & gore, torture, mentions of suicide
  
  ⤏ Plot/Writing
  After the ending of book one I expected interesting things would happen in this book. Nope. They didn't.
  I'm glad this one was shorter, because there really wasn't much happening and I got really bored at one point. The only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that I'd get to that exciting part.
  
  ⤏ Worldbuilding
  The worldbuilding was much the same, only we got to see more of the Seelie and Abigail figuring out what abilities she possesses.
  
  ⤏ Characters
  Valroy si still the same Valroy but there are little noticeable changes.
  Abigail was honestly just annoying.
  
  ⤏ Romance
  Haven't made much progress on the romance either, although there were some things revealed.
  
  ⤏ Conclusion
  I thought this one's going to be better than the first one, but I was disappointed. Picking up the third book because I want to see what happens next.
  
  «⋯ Maze of Shadows series ⋯»
  #1 The Unseelie Prince — 3.5🌟
  #2 The Unseelie Crown — 3🌟
  #3 The Unseelie Throne — *currently reading
  #4 The Unseelie King — *tbr
• 
  Dora

  Valroy has, once more, confirmed the solemn truth of life: villains would do ANYTHING for their lover(s). Burning the world and everyone in it is a low price to pay for such a reward.
  
  “I cannot matter that much to you.”
  “Then you are a fool. You will be my queen, Abigail Moore…if I must slaughter all the world to see it done, you will wear my crown.”
  “You would have me reign over a world of ashes.”
  “If it means you do it at my side? Without hesitation.
  
  
  This was basically 80% filler slice of life anime style... but wasn't it marvelous!
  
  We got the worldbuilding, the angst, Titania owning everyone in any room she walked into, Anfar and Valroy being bromance monster softies they are and... the heartache. My poor Anfar... such a sad lonely sea monster he is (the knight/owl scene BROKE ME) 😭
  
  
  side note: tbh, the first half of the book i was just WAITING for the ravishing bayodan and cruinn would unleash upon abigail but alas... did not happen. ALSO! the scene where anfar and valroy resolve their pent up unrequited love issues with a fight and promptly get drunk afterwards? fuckin priceless! 👏😂
• 
  RachelAnyFranny

  I would've given this book a lower rating if it hadn't made me laugh so much because at least half the chapters were completely pointless! I feel like it took forever to get to any kind of plot and nothing really made sense 🤦🏻‍♀️
  
  BUT Valroy's chapters were so entertaining and his personal development was fantastic. I feel like this book would've worked better as a Valroy POV novella more than anything else as it's quite ridiculous that after 280 pages Abigail is exactly where she started in book 1 🙄
  
  If they don't bang in the 3rd book i'm going to boil my head.....
• 
  Bex (Beckie Bookworm)

  
  
  
  Expecting death Abigail awakens to find everything has changed now a Fae and one of the Seelie she is still wholly unaware of her real purpose in Morrigan’s unknown agenda. Learning all she can of her new reality and with some assistance from her two Unseelie protectors, she finds herself now trying to hide herself in plain sight. Valroy is in turmoil still unable to admit just what Abigail meant to him her demise sends him into a deadly spin where no one is safe from his rage. When he discovers that she is actually alive he is determined to retrieve what he considers his setting out to reclaim what he’s lost but this time he doesn’t just want her hand in marriage he now wants her everything including her heart.
  
  I actually felt for Valroy a lot in this second book it’s obvious he has no idea how to process all these new emotions he’s now experiencing. His nature is a brutal one and what he wants he usually takes by force but with Abigail, he wants her to now come to him willingly aided by some sneaky manipulation of course and all these tender feelings are totally outside his sphere of comfort. Abigail is still fighting a battle within herself she also has some hard choices ahead of her on the one hand she craves Valroy but then she also knows that to surrender fully like she desires could result in dire consequences for all. For the majority of this story, these two are separated but it did move along at quite a rapid pace. There were also some new characters added to the mix that will definitely throw a spanner in the works and I’m still debating the identity of the Unseelie traitor I really do hope it’s not who Im thinking it is.
  
  This was well written with plenty of imagination and I’m looking forward to reading the next book especially now Valroy has admitted his own feelings to himself. Do I think this will affect his future interactions with Abigail; well no I don’t and I wouldn’t want it to that’s my favourite part about this character how unapologetically true he is to his own dark nature and he ultimately wants Abigail to accept him for himself. He still wants her to play his many games and he’ll lie cheat and manipulate when it suits him to achieve his ultimate goals with him the end definitely justifies the means. I’m looking forward to straying book three and seeing how this story progresses further.
  
  
  
  Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
  
  https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
  
  www.beckiebookworm.com
• 
  Lillian Lark

  Read this book if you're looking for:
  😈 A sadistic villain that realizes the feeling bothering him is love (love this so much)
  🌱 Leading lady gets a serious power-up
  🔥 THE TENSION. This is a slow burn and it is burning
  
  I loved this installment in the Maze of Shadows series!
  Book one left us with a vicious cliffhanger of self-sacrifice and gruesome death and book two starts swinging.
  Abigail is back, and this time things are going to be different.
  Valroy's unexpected pain at the death of his mortal witch puts him in a tailspin of emotion and violence. When it becomes clear that she's back, the promise of retribution for making him feel that pain is shivery and delightful.
  
  This book has another cliffhanger, but it's one that really gears you up for book three. I'm so excited to find out what happens next!
• 
  Alesha Baughman

  This book made me angry. Angry on behalf of the MC- the side characters, everyone. There is not a single good thing about the villain lover. Not one good thing and YET the MC is so torn. Girl. This man, this child, hasn’t gotten a CLUE what love is. He associates love with ownership and possession. Honestly this book triggered my anxiety and made
  Me want to crawl in the book and shake the MC, get her the number for the domestic abuse hotline. All these terrible things the villain does to her and says to her.. was too much. I found no desire to continue on with this series. There is only so much talk about possession and ownership that’s hot. Once it goes over the line, it’s concerning not appealing. Side note: it was soooo much talking and walking around. Story is still intriguing - I just wish the MC would beat the shit out of the villain.
• 
  Lin ⏀

  Nothing happened, just boring
• 
  Savannah Holland

  I like this series a lot but I’m a hater first and foremost
• 
  daemyra, the realm's delight

  2 stars based on romance genre standards. This was a rehash of the love conflict in the first book but now she’s a Seelie. 3 stars based on fantasy genre: the author is a good writer for this genre but I want more than strange, magical experiences with creatures of another realm. May be more fun for other readers.
  
  I skimmed 60% of this and STILL got the gist of the story. Determined to read the next book Cos I heard there is copulation but may take a pause on this series.
• 
  Topastro

  I can not read this series fast enough... on to book 3!
• 
  ailish

  Agh. This entire book was filler. The whole book can be summed down to Abigail learning about her new powers. That’s literally all that happened. There’s slow burn and then there’s this.
• 
  Naia Pard

  I read the entire installment in one sitting. That is, if you liked this review, you can check out my review for the other three books by following the respective hyperlinks:
  The Unseelie Prince(Maze of Shadows, #1)\\
  The Unseelie Throne (Maze of Shadows #3)\\
  The Unseelie King (Maze of Shadows #4)

  I sincerely thought that this installment will get worse with the second book. I did not have enough faith (foolish of me) that the second book will be able to carry the story.

  Thank you to any deity/entity that I did not give up and I rowed with the second book, too. I distinctly remember that as the series proceeded the books only got better. (I am writing this review months apart since I finished them all).

  

  I was also quite distrustful that this format (of having both their PoVs at the same time) will NOT destroy the feeling of the books. I think it is really hard to pull off both PoVs in a romance. Plenty of times it results in having a really corny conversation in the heads of the male protagonists that does not resonate as truthful only is overly sugar-coated and so far away from anything and everything taking place in the plot.

  But this book was able to pull that off, so cheers for that, because it made it to be a very enjoyable ride!

  Well, beware also that this is a DARK fantasy, so the way the relationship of the two protagonists is approached falls between gray lines. You have to keep that in mind, that everything that is happening is metaphorized and hyperbolized exactly because this is supposed to be fantasy and not mirroring reality.

  For example, take this quote:

  “The sound of her voice had nearly made him weep, it had been such a relief to his ears. He had wanted to wring her neck. To scream at her for having the gall to die, when he could have made everything all right. He wanted to shake her for her impertinence and whip her for her stubbornness. He had wanted to kiss her, to clutch her to him and whisper that no harm would ever touch her again.”

  Here we are seeing his PoV after she tricked him in believing she was still dead. When he found out that she was in fact alive, but did not want to return to him, well, he was … distraught. So, understand why this is a dark romance fantasy because otherwise, it can so easily sleep into romanticizing domestic abusive relationships.

  But if you can behave yourself with this genre, then you are in for a ride because it hits some of the right sposts. Look, another quote, this is tamer:

  “I am the Master of the Maze. Remember that. You are strong, little witch, but within this place, you are only as strong as I allow you to be.” He nuzzled into her hair, the hands-on her upper arms tightening just a little. “And you walked into my lair.” He chuckled. “Foolish girl.”

  

  
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• 
  ♛Vanessa♛ Fangirl Faction

  While I enjoyed this one, I didn't like it as much as the first book. I think that it is because this book didn't have as much interaction between Valroy and Abigail. The first book was outstanding because of their simmering chemistry and intense sexual tension but Abigail and Valroy are apart until the end of this book. That's not to say that I didn't like the plot of this book because I did. And I think that the author tried to remedy this issue with dream sequences or the like where the two main characters interact but it just didn't satisfy me. Everything else about this book was great.
  
  I liked the progression of the main overarching storyline as well as the new characters that we meet in this book. I felt that the character development of both Abigail and Valroy was significant in this book. In terms of romance, I am glad that Valroy finally admitted to himself that he loves Abigail. And it is interesting to see that his love for her hasn't changed him in any other ways. He is still the villain with his villainous agenda. Abigail's feelings are also plain as day. Only she doesn't want to give in to them because Valroy can't change and she doesn't agree with his villainous plans. It was interesting to see Anfar at the end of the book come to terms with his feelings for Astasha. He saw how Valroy acted when he thought that Abigail was dead and he couldn't muster the same intense feelings for Astasha. So maybe he didn't really love her like he thought he did. This scene also makes me question the one with Perin. Was there something brewing between them in that scene? I suppose time will tell.
  
  Overall, this is a solid sequel. I just wish that there had been more scenes with Valroy and Abigail together. I am eager to read the next book in this series.
  
  
  
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• 
  Steph

  2 stars. Stale. That’s how I would describe this story. The predictable has happened and Abigail is back amongst the living as a fae. No great surprise there and there are certainly no surprises after as well. Abigail kind of looses all her fire. Also nothing happens in this book other than Abigail turning into a snowflake that doesn’t know how to use her powers. The problem I have with this story is that it wants to be more profound than it is. Abigail isn’t very smart or daring. She just accepts things as they are and uses no brain power to come up with alternate solutions. She isn’t badass or very inspiring. She is led by everyone else but herself. It’s a little frustrating and disappointing.
• 
  Des

  a LOT better than the first one but also it meanders quite a bit and could be shorter and less flowery
• 
  ✡Weed Dragon✡

  I LOVE THIS SO MUCH 😭😭
  
  I can't even begin to describe what this series is doing to me. Absolutely ridiculous how much I'm screaming about this romance.
  
  Loved the story, liked the characters, loved everything.
  
  Valroy Is such an idiot and so fucking hot i cannot
  
  I NEED to continue this
• 
  Cayley

  Still going solidly.
  
  I think I understand why a few people may have rated this lower than first because with all the tension of the first book I would have thought this book was gonna spice overload. It wasn't. It ended up being more of a story building book in the series which I am quite fine with.
  
  I am still completely enchanted with the world, the H and all the side characters. I do however a love/hate relationship now with Abi. I hope to see some better growth from her in terms of seeing less just accepting what is happening to her and more making things happen for herself. She is just kinda going along with everything and while that worked in the first book I want to see her grow and get a bit more of back bone.
  
  The way this author has done the pacing for these two books is really good. I have never felt bored following the different pov and it just keeps me going. Not a devouring pace, as I said before, but just at a nice curious pace.
• 
  adrie rose

  I like the first book a lot, even if it tended to ramble a bit. The second book was a slog. I finished it because I was hopeful but it was just endless internal monologues and exposition. Important parts that would have further contributed to the lore and world building were rushed through in favour of repetitive droning about how beautiful the trees are and handwringing over the size of the antagonist’s…appendage. 2 stars because I finished it and I’m holding out hope the third book will be better but this could stand to lose 100 pages or so.
• 
  Sarah Anne

  Representation: mlm supporting characters, mlm side romance
  
  Overall: 3.5-stars
  
  Safety Rating: Safe
  • No cheating
  • No OW/OM drama
  • Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away
  • No separation (but they're not an official couple)
  
  
  Possible Triggers: Yes
  • Violence
  • Torture
  • Gore
  • Mutilation
  
  
  Ending: Cliffhanger
• 
  Natasha

  I am addicted,
• 
  kayla

  i only read this to know what happened after the first one and the answer is nothing
• 
  Jordan

  Spite reading now. I do enjoy the world building though.
• 
  DaniC

  This was a 3.5 for me because probably 65% of the book the MMC and FMC weren’t in close proximity AT ALL. So in the moments they were seperate I was furiously reading for a crumb of their chemistry and the moment they’d unite again. The circumstances in which they separated would be a HUGE spoiler so I won’t go into it. But this author does something so interesting with a truly evil character and their parallel. It’s wonderful I’m devouring it gtg read the next!
• 
  NattiCalore

  2.75/5
  
  It literally doesn't give you anything important to the story, except for the fact that Abigail is now a Seelie and that now is Valroy's life what is in risk. The rest couldn't be less important.
  
  I gave it those points because even though they are not important, they way they are written is pretty good, so you don't get bored while reading.
• 
  L

  Abigail awakens in a new form, but Valroy is still out to make her his queen.
  
  A struggle to get through. Abigail continues to not really do anything or give much thought to her actions, and I can't see this romance developing in a satisfying way that goes beyond physical attraction. Giving up on this series.