Another magical read full of adventure, and whimsical creatures and scenery, magic and mischief, as the first one was.
There is definitely a Harry Potter vibe and although the characters are much older this is still a middle grade book.
I do wish there was some more romance between Ivy and Fyn, or even Glistle. Actually, this is the only thing I find fault in these books, the relationships, all of them not only the romantic ones, are not very developed and I don’t really grasp their feelings and emotions, which makes for little character and relationship arc. I do hope this improves in the next books.
I’m curious to see how Ivy will manage without Fyn next year, and how she will finally find a way to save Croswald from the Dark Queen.

Sequel to The Crowns of Croswald, The Girl with the Whispering Shadow picks up right where the first left off with Ivy and friends. The school year is over and everyone is looking forward to summer break, but the Dark Queen being on the hunt for Ivy puts a damper on everything. But Ivy knows what her mission is, and will fulfill it no matter what the consequences.

Truly, this series is so magical and whimsical. If you are looking for a more light-hearted, genderbent Harry Potter than this is the story for you. The magical creatures and magic system are so much fun and the characters are just adorable. Ivy, Fyn, and Rebecca are are great friends and each bring something different to the table. It's an easy read and worth the time.

One thing I will say is that is is VERY close to Harry Potter and the dialogue isn't the best. The descriptions and writing are beautiful, but the dialogue is very stilted and has far too many !'s. However, this is more of a middle grade book so this could make sense. I also think the similarities to Harry Potter are just a bit much, almost too close for comfort.

Ivy has learned she is part of the Queenly bloodline and that the dark queen is after her and her royal stone. She’s been instructed to hide away in a secret town for her own safety and to find the missing pieces of her stone. She spends her summer making new friends and continues her learning as best as she can since she is unable to go back to The Halls of Ivy. With no clues to help lead her on her mission she doesn’t make it far before she is thrown back into danger of the Dark Queen. She uses the knowledge she’s gained, the help of her new friends and allies, and the few clues she has to make it closer to finishing her mission.

This was actually a second reading for me. I wanted a refresher before starting book 3 and I loved it just as much the second time. I never thought I would but I actually love the similarities to Harry Potter world, but I do. It’s like almost reliving it again but in a completely new and fresh way. But even though there are a lot of similarities the characters are completely unique and well developed. The magic is still it’s own and the story is thrilling and well written. I’m incredibly excited to start book 3 and see where Ivy’s story takes us to next.

I would also like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review a copy of this book since the one I own was loaned to a friend and I didn’t think the middle of a global pandemic was the best time to ask for it back.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! It has everything to keep you hooked from the first page! Definitely would recommend to all the fantasy readers

So I couldn't remember anything that had happened in the previous book as I read it around a year ago - oops. It made the beginning of this book a very rocky read because I couldn't remember any of the characters, besides Ivy, or the events that they were talking about! This book immediately follows on from the ending of the first book.

We still follow Ivy who has just overcome her first Dark Queen encounter. She has been whisked away to the secret town that the Dark Queen does not have access to, nor anyone else unless they know the name of the town. She was forbidden to return to the magic school she attended in the first book for her safety. But then received a letter saying she was allowed to come back. Danger was everywhere she went however. Both in the secret town - which is meant to be one of the safest places in this world - and at school. She and her friends were faced with these dangers and did what they could to keep themselves, and everybody else, safe. Though if you were to read the book, you might laugh at that haha.

I did enjoy this book, despite the rocky start. Though I found the story to be quite simple - unlike the first book. Again, I wish it were longer and more detailed. The author pretty much gives us the main events of the story without much riffraff which I suppose is good, but I am left wanting more every time, and with this series, that is a very frustrating thing.

This is my first time reading DE Night, but I found this book to be well-written and accessible for young readers, as well as older fans of the YA genre. I would gladly add this book to my classroom shelf or school library. Many thanks to the author/publisher for this advance copy.