'I've had the best few days reading Daughter of Winter and Twilight by Helen Corcoran. This is a standalone sequel to Queen of Coin and Whispers, which I absolutely loved and is, in my opinion, criminally underrated. In the first book, we saw idealistic Queen Aurelia fall in love with her vengeful spymaster, Xania. Now they are the married Queens of Edar and parents to Emri, their adopted heir, whose birthfather once tried to usurp Lia. This duology is such a treat for fans of high fantasy - a feast of courtly intrigue, intricate politics, family drama, and interconnected religions. It's also very careful and compassionate in its depiction of trauma. I loved learning more about the gods that watch over this world, especially the four that are linked to the seasons. The lore and history is so well-drawn. If you loved Sabran and Ead, I suspect you'll also love Xania and Lia. It was wonderful to see them again in this sequel.'
- Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree
'A book for everyone who's ever had to figure out how to mend a broken heart, face their past, or walk into an uncertain future. In short, it's a book for all of us. Tender and heartwarming, Emri and her gods aren't to be missed ... a more than worthy follow up'
- Nebula & Hugo Award Finalist C.L. Clark
'A 5-star read for me. I was utterly absorbed in the delicious political intrigue and machinations of the ruling classes. The plot was gripping and held me in suspense trying to guess what would happen next'
- @ScorpioBkDreams
'[Corcoran] almost seamlessly eaves several different narratives and characters into a complex yet cohesive story that is an absolute page turner'
- Inis Magazine
'A brilliant adventure quest, with witty, crackling dialogue, complex protagonists, horrifyingly real godmonsters, and a real moral dilemma at its heart. The writing in this book is so assured, the action feels so effortless, that I galloped through these pages and couldn't wait to pick it up again when I was forced to put it down'
- @bookaneer808