The Crowns of Croswald

A young girl discovers she has magic after she is banished from her home. She is whisked away to a school to help her master her magic. The dark queen has taken an interest in her, and she must figure out her past so she may have a future.

This story is a mix between Harry Potter and Fablehaven. I loved it. The story is different enough to not be considered a Harry Potter copy but familiar enough to love it immediately. I look forward to more in this series!

So beautifully magical! This book reminded me a little of sleeping beauty - princess hidden away for many years not knowing her true destiny to hide from a ruthless dark queen. But the princess has magic and goes to a magic school! Which reminded me a lot of Harry Potter. But it had its own twist which was lovely. I loved the descriptions of the country, the town, the school, the lake, the creatures of this world - but I wish there was more! This book has definitely left me wanting more more more. More of everything I’ve just explained. To be honest, I’d be happy just reading about the world itself, the creatures, the scenery, the hairies. Love the hairies (fairies whose hair lights up to create lanterns). But the story was good. It was beautiful!

The Crowns of Croswald! Wow what a fun book, and book two is already out! If you loved Harry Potter trust me you’re gonna love this series. First the world building, the world building in this series is incredible. It's all very well thought out and the nature of magic and the history of it in this book is such a cool interesting take on all things magic. Ivy lovely as a character is a perfect middle grade character, she’s fun, she’s brave, even a bit naive but that’s okay because she’s so young but you can already tell she’s gonna be a kick ass adult.

Not to mention what dragged me to this book is how freaking beautiful it is! I’m absolutely in love with the cover and the inside too everything about this book feels very well put together and concrete. D.E. Night is a freaking incredible author and she loves her followers just as much as her book, she’s super interactive on social media and honestly super nice.

I don’t want to spoil much about this book but it has a lot of adventure and running and Ivy being thrown into the world of croswald feels like you’re being flung in there with her. I’m supper excited to read book two but this one is definitely a 5 star book to me!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Stories Untold through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to NetGalley and Stories for providing me the opportunity to review.

The book follows sixteen year old Ivy a girl who has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary away from magic until one day she crosses over and her powers are awakened. Leading her on a striking path, and ending up a student at Halls of Ivy a school for those who need to master their magic. After events unfold, Ivy has to delve into the mysteries of her past in order to save herself and Croswald before history is swept away.

This book was so magical! It reminded me a lot of different fantasy books I read as a kid so it felt very nostalgic to me.

The whole story was very whimsy and imaginative, perfect for young middle grade readers. It was so creative. I loved learning about the school, the creatures, and just the world of Croswald in general. The world building was fantastic. You get pulled into a mystical adventure right from the beginning.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved everything about this book! It kept me hooked from the beginning

I immediately fell in love with the whimsical and imaginative world of Croswald and all the creatures who reside within.

The main character, Ivy, has been hidden from magic for 16 years. Once she enters the magical world, readers get to experience twists and turns as secrets are revealed and magic unfolds. This book has many Harry Potter similarities, but is also a fantastically unique spin on a magical world. I absolutely LOVE the idea of the Scrivenists - people who posses magic and use magical quills to harness their powers.

I read this book with my kids (ages 5, 10 and 12) and they all loved it. We are ready to order the next book and learn what happens to the wonderful characters of Croswald. I have already recommended it to every family member and friend who loved HP and needs a new magical series to immerse themselves into!

Thank you NetGalley, Stories Untold, and D.E. Night for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a endearing and entertaining read.
The world of Croswald is a fantastic one, full of color and enchanting creatures. It’s fun to read about young mages again, here called scriveners since their magic is done using a magic quill who channel the users magic power, or are of royal blood accessing magic through gem stones filled with specific powers.
The magic is however threatened by the loss of the line of queens and the new Dark Queen who rules Croswald.
The main character is a mysterious young girl called Ivy whose power will call her to where she belongs.
There is definitely a similar feeling to the Harry Potter books although the characters are young adults, and the world is all a magic one.
It’s a bit predictable and I’d have loved more exploration of the main characters character and emotional world. Nevertheless, the writing is flawless and the descriptions of the amazing quirkiness and fantasy of the land, and adventures is awesome, transporting you totally to a colourful and magical world
I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves Harry Potter and enchanted worlds.

You can also see my review here - https://www.instagram.com/p/B-w-PNggcpQ/?igshid=1e8mhuo4q2f57

Review
This was an interesting story. Some aspects of Ivy’s story (especially towards the end) were a hair predictable, but not to the level where it would ruin the story. Fans of Middle Grade and the Harry Potter series would really enjoy this one. Harry Potter fans especially will notice some tropes and plot details that are similar to Harry’s story, although this one still stands on its own.

The characters in the book were not fleshed out too much, but they were still likable. Ivy was a fun MC to follow, as the reader learns about the world with her. Fortunately, since this appears to be the first book in a series, I think a trilogy, but don’t quote me on that, there is plenty of time for the characters to be explored more and for arches to grow. The magic system in the books is extremely creative. I love that we’re following two different magic systems that interact and play off each other. I can’t wait to see how this is explored in future books.

The plot was an interesting pace. I honestly did not realize that an entire school year had passed when reading the book, but the pace of the story didn’t feel too slow or too rushed. That being said, there was a lot of exposition thrown at the reader in the last chapter, setting up for the sequels. It will be interesting to see where the plot goes in the future books. I’ll definitely be looking forward to them and continuing on with this series.

Final Thoughts
This was a solid Middle Grade, fantasy book. The story had an intriguing enough premise to keep readers excited while still leaving plenty of story for future books. Fans of Middle-Grade fantasy will enjoy this one. Also not related to the review at all, but the PR* packaging for this book was super cute!

A very magical read with every turn of the page!

This story follows a girl, named Ivy Lovely, who comes out from her unfortunate life as a scaldron maid (a maid that tends to mini dragons who in turn is used as an oven to bake goodies) entering into a school of magic to become a scrivenist (protector of royal families with their expert practice of magic and writing their adventures in a journal) with no knowledge of the power that runs in her blood.

This book reminds me a lot of Harry Potter as royals wield their magic through precious stones while scrivenists with their quills. This story also contains various magical creatures that I think Hagrid would adore too!

What I love about this book was the magical plot. The mystery and adventures were all so thrilling and I found myself longing to know what will happen next. The characters were also very vibrant and full of energy. The writing was easy to read and very suitable for middle grade readers (everyone should know that it's my fav genre by now). I also thought that the setting was very unique - in a town with no name so that it remains hidden.

The only part that took me aback was the abrupt and brief entry of the Dark Queen. I guess that keeps the story mysterious and I can't wait to learn more in the sequel.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from D.E. Night through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received an e-ARC for The Crowns of Croswald in exchange for an honest review.
I read this book and loved every moment of it. Even though it is a middle grade fantasy novel, I found myself totally engrossed and intrigued by it.
Ivy is a 16 year old orphan working as a maid in Castle Plum. She has only one friend and loves sketching. Little does she know, she is placed under magical protection to protect her from people who could harm her.

One day she receives a letter from Halls of Ivy, a prestigeous school of magic in Croswald. It is going to be nothing short of wonders and dangers alike! Soon she understands how her recurring dream is related, her magical powers and connection with Croswald. Here she makes some really good friends.
The book is full of magic and creatures, it reminded me of Harry Potter. I loved the magical places and the classes/subjects taught. It was intriguing and wonderful! Looking forward to reading the next in series. If you love magic and fantasy you will like this book.
Thank you @netgalley and @storiesuntoldpress for the e ARC.

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Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for my free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really adored the whimsical wordplay and world-building of the first book in this middle grade fantasy series! Even the delightful illustrations with each new chapter helped you feel like you were stepping into the pages of a fairytale storybook. It was like if Alice in Wonderland met Harry Potter.

If you like...
1️. a fearless female heroine
2️. a creative, magical realm
3. inventive concepts & creatures
4. colorful, memorable characters
5. descriptive, imaginative language
...then this story might just be for you or your kids!

Be prepared to enter into a fascinating world filled with sqwinches, scaldrons, hairies, glanageries, potions, magic schools, special stones, powerful forces, mysterious happenings, and a dark queen... a place where the pen (or should I say quill) is mightier than the sword, where people called scrivenists record history and perform magic, where royals channel their magical gifts through the use of unique gemstones, and where we meet a young girl named Ivy Lovely, who is destined for more than she ever thought possible.

This is a story I wish was written when I was growing up, and though I don't have kids yet, it's just the kind of story I would love reading to them. Bonus? Even as an adult I enjoyed the heck out of this tale because it still speaks to the young at heart.

So even though the story might feel best suited to a younger audience and the plot is occasionally predictable, overall, this is a fun, fantasy romp that illustrates how life is about the journey, rather than just the destination. And getting immersed in this fantastic world for a little while was the perfect escape that I needed.

I already know I want to read the second book The Girl with the Whispering Shadow. And on top of that, I discovered that the author's third book in the series -- The Words of the Wandering -- is now available for pre-order and coming out May 30th, 2020!

A version of this review will be listed on Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

The Crowns of Croswald (The Croswald Series book 1) by D.E. Night
Publisher: Stories Untold Press
Edition: 2017 (ebook)
Pages: 320
Rate: 5

"... tell me again what a glanagerie world is? An imagination come to life."

Listen up Harry Potter fans, meet Ivy Lovely from Croswald.

"To the One to Whom This Box is Entrusted. It was signed, The Hand That Left Her."

In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret. For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When she crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic and her life is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.

"I am locked in by the evil one's imagination. We need each other to end this."

The Crowns of Croswald is the first book in the young adult fantasy The Croswald series. The story is as magical as the cover. The small cute illustrations in the beginning of every chapter are enchanting and give life to the author's fantastical world. The details hold your attention, because you don't want to miss any corner of this worldbuilding. The characters are strong and loveable. Yes, even the Dark Queen has her charm in her own dark way. The storytelling has depth with unforeseen plot twists.

"The Town. The center of the scrivenist world. We call it ...." Read to find out where the next adventure will start. Oh and enjoy meeting new mystical creatures and learning the Croswald vocabulary.

Join Ivy's enchanted adventure against the Dark Queen to find out her history! Magic, fantasty and sci-fi fans will love this series!!

This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review. I'd like to thank Zack for getting in touch with me, I am very grateful.

The Crowns of Croswald is perfect for fans of Harry Potter. Fantastical and entertaining, D.E. Night sweeps readers up into her whimsical world, full of forgotten faces and magical creatures. 

As the first book in The Crowns of Croswald series, it was a quick, easy, and fun read. I can definitely see the appeal to middle grade readers, and I would've adored this book when I was younger. I recommend it for ages eight to twelve. In the first section of the book, there are strong connections to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, with the vibrant magic, mystical stores and magical shopping lists. The book has enough twists to hold its ground. It's full of adventure.

We follow Ivy, a sixteen year old girl who is whisked away to the Halls of Ivy, a school for magic. Ivy is a strong female lead, who inspires readers to fight for what they believe in. Ivy is the only one who remembers Derwin Edgar Night, and she will stop at nothing to find out why they are connected. She dreams of him, but never stays long enough to speak to him. From the prologue, this tale is woven in mystery, and I found it very intriguing. 

The magic was my favourite element of this book. I loved the talking books, the Hollow Shaft, and the concept of a placing an object in the Forgotten room to remove someone from memory. 

"The Hollow Shaft contains 179 floors, 989,322 tomes, and only one Norman Wrinkles. Of course, keep your talking to a minimum."

Reflecting back, I would have loved more details. I feel as though Ivy's acceptance of her place in the Halls of Ivy, a school of magic, happened rather fast. With all the action, I would have loved some long scenes of Ivy's lessons, learning more about spells and potions. The monologue, at times, felt awkward, and I would have rather had that dialogue come from Ivy's thoughts. With reveals and revelations, there's questions left unanswered, leaving the reader wanting more. Overall, a really well rounded middle grade fantasy, and a very enjoyable read.

This was a fun and adventurous romp through a refreshingly original take on the magical boarding school premise! It recalled the wonder and warm comfort of 'Harry Potter', and it was like I got to experience the magic all over again in a different world.

The prologue, set years before our protagonist (Ivy) appears, builds up an intriguing mystery that the book gradually unravels. There were several really nice hints and exposition scenes - I particularly liked the allusions to shifting portraits (evoked a bit of Dahl's 'The Witches') and the entire Hollow Shaft segment was excellent.

Having lived her whole life slaving away as a scaldonry maid (basically a kitchen maid who tends to adorable little mini-oven dragons), Ivy is ostensibly ordinary, but there's certainly more to her than meets the eye. Side note: I found it utterly hilarious that I spent 97% (NINETY-SEVEN PERCENT!) of this book thinking Ivy was 11, like Harry Potter. She is, in fact, 16. Oops!

Ivy has hidden powers, might even be the 'Chosen One' - but the real questions are how and why. (Okay, also who, but then it just turns into the 5 W's.) While Ivy does show traits of the 'Chosen One'/hidden identity tropes, it doesn't feel rehashed or stale. At times though, she felt more like a plot vessel than a person - some of her actions felt contrived to extend the mystery and tension, for example (view spoiler) felt out of character, as she's typically impulsive and inquisitive to a fault. This wasn't a big issue though, and most of the time Ivy reads like a realistic person.

Whole stars should go to the school (Halls of Ivy), the magic system and the secondary characters Rebecca and Fyn. The names of the professors, shops, textbooks and spells were all so quirky and I loved it! (Similar wacky vibes to 'Harry Potter', as I've already mentioned.) I particularly liked the glanageries, which are little enchanted bottles that hold a miniature scene inside, sprung from the imagination of their owners. Glanageries may sound whimsical and cute, but rest assured, they can be very dangerous and play an integral role in this book's plotline. Rebecca was my favourite character - everyone needs a friend like her (and she was the real MVP in the ballroom scene) - and Fyn Greeley is just adorkable. To paraphrase Nina Zenik, Fyn's sweeter than mint meringues! (You know a budding romance is cute when you literally put down the book to smile at their exchanges.)

Throughout the book, the antagonist hovers like a storm cloud on the horizon - their motives are kept in the shadows for most of the book, but their unexplained, uninvited presence is enough to feel unsettling. However, during the actual confrontation, I did feel like the villain's monologues came off a little cartoonish. That being said, the spell used by the antagonist was certainly twisted (view spoiler) - and I definitely took them seriously after that.

I think there's definitely more to the story (along with certain authority figures that I don't quite trust), and I'm really looking forward to the sequel! There's a major question that I felt went unanswered by the Big Reveal™ (re: Ivy and the Forgotten Room) and I really hope that gets addressed in 'The Girl with the Whispering Shadow'.

Ivy is 16 years old.
She's a kitchen maid.
She also loses her job and her house.
She feels awful, because she already feels like she's not destined to be anything else but a maid. She wishes to attend "Halls of Ivy" which is a prestigious magic school. The school is for royal people and for those who have magical blood coursing through their veins. but something weird and magical happens where she can attend the school and that's where things start to get interesting and magical. Questionable things start happening within the walls of the magic school. Almost like Ivy is supposed to know about these things. One man comes across her dreams overnight and she wants to know who he is and why she has magical powers. I really enjoyed Night's attention to detail in the book. She describes everything so smoothly and vividly. I enjoyed learning about the scrivenerist's and their ability to have photographic memory so they can sketch. This resonates perfectly with Ivy, as she herself loves to sketch. I also enjoyed a few of the characters in the book as well, such as Rebecca and Humboldt. They added a cool aspect to the book. The magical creatures were also a plus. I will agree though, just like most people have stated, the book has major Harry Potter vibes and that's not necessarily a bad thing to me anyway.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I would consider it a middle grade book so it's good for the age group of 8-13 year olds. I love the magical journey this book took me on. It's reminds me of my childhood, and me getting lost in a different world. I think my fave characters was the evil queen and her cloaked brood. I believe I'm a major villain supporter. I wouldn't mind seeing a book about her life prior to being the evil queen.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

STEP ASIDE HARRY POTTER... IVY LOVELY IS THE NEW MAGICAL KID IN TOWN!!!

*I received this book from Stories Untold LLC and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely loved this book! It is centered around Ivy Lovely, a teenage girl living at the magic repressed Castle Plum, working as a Scaldrony Maid until one day an unfortunate incident forced her out into the world, with her Scaldron Humboldt, Ivy is quickly found and whisked away to be enrolled in the Halls of Ivy, a school for Royals with magic stones and kids with magic in their blood. Royals learn how to use their stones while kids with magic blood learn to become a Scrivenist! As Ivy navigates her first year to become a future Scrivenist, she becomes involved in the mystery of Derwin Edgar Night and a lot of mysterious things begin happening to Ivy and she is determined to find out the truth of what is really is really going on around her! With the help of her friends, Ivy has an adventure bigger than she ever dreamed of!

This book is full of magic and mystery! It is an adventure from the first page to the last with a cast of Characters that are just wonderful! The relationships Ivy forms unfold in an easy natural way, nothing feels forced or awkward. You have supporting Characters to root for like Rebecca, Fyn and Winsome, then you have the trouble maker bully Damaris and of course you have the mysterious villian the Dark Queen! It is an enjoyable ride and I can't wait to read book 2!

If you haven't read this book yet, PICK IT NOW! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!!

Wow, I knew I was going to enjoy this story because of the magical boarding school aspect but I didn’t know how much I was going to love it!

Ivy Lovely is a maid at a castle for 16 years, but dreams of adventure and magic on her free time. One day she is forced to leave the grounds, where her power awakens and finds herself being whisked away to a magical school where trouble seems to find her every step of the way! But something is off in the halls of her school and she’s determined to figure out what it is. Mystery and intrigue surrounds Ivy and soon trouble will find her.

I love love love this book! Honestly, if you’re a fan of Harry Potter, I feel like this book definitely was influenced by the magical world we all love BUT it was still very unique and undeniably original! This story was very magical, whimsical and just completely took me out of my world, which is what I needed at this point in my life!

I loved the way the magic system worked in this book and all the little creatures, ESPECIALLY the scaldron Humboldt! I also really loved the characters and the mystery that revolves around Derwin Edgar Night (he conveniently has the same initials as the author 😉). There are just so many aspects I love about this book, along with Ivy’s bravery and her friends never letting her adventure alone!

Even though this is a middle grade, I would highly recommend it, especially if you want to just get lost in a magical little world!


Final thoughts: if you love magical, whimsical and sometimes silly stories that will take you right out of your world, with brave characters and adorable creatures, this is for you!

The Crowns of Croswald
Rating: 4/5 🌟

- this is a really interesting middle grade fantasy and I enjoyed it a lot. For some reason, it reminds me of the movie Barbie and the Princess Charms school. But with in a different world, with more magic.
- My favourite part of the story is definitely the magic system. It is Super unique and I don’t think I have ever read a fantasy title with similar magic systems...and I read a lot of fantasy. It’s super whimsical and imaginative - it’s honestly a joy to read and learn about the system and the creatures. I do wish there was a little more world building but I think that is to come in sequel
- I love the setting of the story. It takes place in a magical school that used to be an old castle. Like seriously, how much better can it get. I love the concept of royalty and scrivenist and the magical lessons they have. Honestly, the best way I can describe it is so unique and imaginative.
- The plot and the pace of it is definitely suited to middle grade. For me, I would have liked it to be more intense but I imagine that if I had read this when I was younger, it would be perfect for me.
- Like most middle grade stories, this has great friendship. And even a little hint of romance, just a tiny hint, which is surprising because most middle grade do not have romances. It’s a wholesome fluffy innocent romance that just makes you smile.
- I really like our main character. She is kinda your typical female protagonist that is just likeable overall. I can’t say I related or connected to her super well, but I did like her.
- Overall, I would say this is a really interesting and great middle grade novel. I would definitely recommend this to younger audiences who love fantasy and even if you are considered an “older audience”, I would say give this book a try because the magic system in this book deserve more attention and it is a likeable book.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for providing me a digital copy of The Crowns Of Croswald!

Ivy Lovely has been hidden away all of her life, but she isn't aware of it yet. She also doesn't know about the magical world that awaits her outside of the House of Plum's enchantment boundaries. One thing is for sure; Ivy is destined for better and magical things.

As soon as I began reading, I was immersed in the beautiful world that has been created by the author. The story kept my imagination running and there was so much to learn from the beauty of Croswald. I was definitely entertained all along the book and also curious by all the mysteries it contained. It is filled with magic, creatures and so many wonderful scenes that truly deserve to be discovered by everyone.

The Crowns Of Croswald is the first book of a series and I can't wait to read the next ones!

Crowns of Croswald is book one of a trilogy that follows the life of Ivy Lovely, a scaldron maid. The book starts with an epilogue of sorts that gives us a brief yet magical overview of the world that we are about to step in. There are dragons, flying carriages and mysterious palaces. My first thought after reading this chapter was how much it reminded me of Hogwarts from Harry Potter which was a good thing because we need magic in such uncertain times.

Ivy Lovely is a sweet-lovable girl who has been mistreated throughout her life until she is thrown out of the palace she lives in. Along the course of the book we discover that Ivy is not ordinary but has special powers that she cannot understand. Despite being with people like her, she realized how different she is and wonders if she would ever fit in. As she explores the school, she makes an unusual bunch of friends and an arch-nemesis who likes to make others feel bad about themselves. The book then develops into a series of adventures that almost always turn out hazardous.

Here's what I enjoyed the most about the book:
- Fyn, he's such a dorky yet charming guy. Obviously, I have a crush on him immediately. Even though his initial mysteriousness is a little suspicious.
- Magical creatures like scaldrons are completely adorable. The author has done great justice while exploring these beasts and the concepts of each of them was great fun to read.
- The magical system and learning had my attention. It would be a spoiler if I mentioned what I loved the most but let's suffice it to say that magical bottles were my favourite.
- The fairytale like narration of the book made me feel like it was one of those Prince and Princess stories that we all know and love. Also, the book has a lot of magic related to the moon and dwarves which I felt was completely endearing.

So if you like books with new magical systems, good protagonists who aren't twisted and adventures, then this is the book for you. I'm super excited to read Book 2 and get more of Fyn!
I'd like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this amazing book!

This ebook was sent to me by the publisher (Stories Untold Press) through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This was an enjoyable read! The story sets off rather quickly, introducing us to the main character Ivy and the sad life she’s stuck in. But we don’t see her there for very long, as events take place and she is forced to leave her home behind. Ivy is then whisked away to a world of magic and adventure she never would’ve imagined she’d be a part of.
The main character’s journey through the book was captivating enough to keep me reading. The setting of her going to a magical school gave me Harry Potter vibes, and at first it almost seemed too much like Harry Potter and it had me a little worried. But the author really made the world her own and the magic system was very intriguing. I definitely need my own collection of glanagerie bottles. Lol
My one big flaw with this book, however, is how bland the main character was. While the plot progressed well, and big things happened to and around Ivy, she seemed to have no major reactions and very little emotion to those things. I found her lack of feelings toward everything made it really hard for me to sympathize and relate with the character. I want to see characters struggle; I want to read about their anger or their happiness towards unexpected events. I understand that if a book is labeled as “Middle Grade,” you don’t want to spend too much time talking about feelings or minor details the younger reader might not care about. But even a little bit would’ve fleshed out the character more and would’ve made her feel more real.
The last quarter of this book really made it for me. It was packed with well-places twists and action, and the setup for the next book was very well-done. I look forward to continuing this series!

4.3✨

This book was promising from the start, it has this very enthralling je ne sais quoi that makes me wanna keep on reading. The establishment of the world, the introduction to Ivy’s story, and the unfolding of magic were all amazing. And I also loved all of Ivy’s adventures as she tries to get to know more about herself and the mystery of the school.

However, there were some parts that were familiar especially now that I’m rereading Harry Potter (a curious student who gets into a lot of trouble). But anyone who’s a fan of that trope will especially love this book!

Overall, this was a great combination of fantasy and fairytale, an unputdownable read, and I definitely want more of Croswald!

Thank you Stories Untold LLC and author DE Night for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am not a fantasy or middle grade reader, but I adored this book. The world building was arguably the best part. Croswald comes alive on the page and pulls the reader into a beautiful story of self-discovery.

Ivy Lovely lived her life underestimating herself until she embarks on a journey to the Halls of Ivy, where she hones her magic and embraces her strength.

Middle grade readers always deserve a strong, powerful, fearless heroine and The Crowns of Croswald provides. I would highly recommend this whimsical story to anyone, even if they claim to not be into fantasy like me.

Thank you to Stories Untold Press and NetGalley for access to this book.

I received this book from @Netgalley. Calling all fantasy lovers. This author wrote an amazing book and as the pages turn the secrets unveil themselves and the story unravels. If you are looking for Harry Potter, princess and magic mix this book series is for you.

This digital review copy was sent in by the author in exchange for an honest review. Since I’ve seen @nkliterarynerd praising and loving this series so much I agreed to give it a shot and I’m so glad that I did.

The Crowns of Croswald is an excellent start to the enchanting, adventurous journey of Ivy lovely. Ivy is a sixteen-year-old scaldrony maid, and has spent her life in a shabby little dark room without any windows or as much as a sight of outside world, serving The Castle Plum in the Slurry Fields. She has no knowledge of her background and has accepted her pitiful life as a maid cooking pies that she isn’t even allowed to taste. But destiny has something else for her. No sooner than later, she finds herself in ‘The Town’ shopping for her school supplies, prepping to attend the Halls of Ivy – a magical school for royals and scrivenists (you’ll need to read the book to know what a scrivenist is :p) A series of weird happenings start as soon as she steps outta Slurry Fields – as if ‘The Town and the Earth beneath has been shaken awake from a stretching, long, silent sleep with a burst of spark. Everything Ivy has ever believed in is about to change.

Sounds like Harry Potter yet? I bet it’s unique in its own way despite the similarity. It reminded me a lot of Harry Potter with the entire school and the magical setting thing. Though not entirely the same, but I see a lot of similarity in subjects and examples occurring between the two (I can tell that this book was definitely influenced by the series)

It was a delightful read. The depiction of the world is astounding. You get maneuvered into a whimsical experience directly from the beginning. However, the pacing appears to either be extremely moderate, or everything surging by. Just one miss for me in this book was Ivy’s and Fyn’s chemistry, it was very under-developed and forced at times. What I absolutely adored about this book was its captivating setting, well refined plot, mysterious characters, awesome and unique names of characters, places, magical objects and creatures and of course the excellent writing. The details and uniqueness of scenes were equally enthralling and captivating.

I know many readers amongst my library users who will love this book. It is a perfect middle grade read for anyone who loves a bit of magic! When young Ivy Lovely and her smallest scaldron ( a dragon that provides fire for cooking food) are carried away to a magical boarding school the fun starts.

This is a perfect next read for fantasy fans with a host of convincing characters and marvellous magic. Even better it is the first in a trilogy which is an added bonus.

Thank you to Netgalley, D.E. Night, and Stories Untold Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a fun story! Magic, lives being uprooted, all kinds of change - I am here for it!!!!
The main character, Ivy, has discovered that she has magical powers and her entire life changes. Leaving the mundane life she has been living behind, she is taken to attend a school of magic where she learns to grow, harness, and create magic!

Filled with fun creatures, danger (of course - wouldn’t be the same without it!), and friendships forming, this was SUCH a fun read! There are some very unique ideas the author came up with (I will not spoil them) that really add to this story and help keep it different from other magical stories such as Harry Potter and Charlie Bone.

Even though the main character is 16, I feel it reads more like a middle grade book, allowing for a wider audience! It’s a very clean story, nothing too scary for younger readers, and will certainly leave the reader wishing they had magical powers of their own!!!!

It is an awesome book. I was interested to read it when I heard that it gives you a Harry Potter kind of feel. It made me feel like I was back in the Harry Potter world ( even though nothing will be like the Harry Potter series ). I enjoyed the book very much. It was a fun read.

I loved the bond that Ivy and Rebecca shares and I ship Ivy and Fyn ( we need a ship name for them ). I loved the way the author described the Halls of Ivy and all the lessons and teachers. I can’t wait to read the next books.

If you loved Harry Potter I would surely recommend this series to you.

Ivy Lovely is having a rough day. After having the strangest dreams, which make her late for her job, she finds out that one of her dragons has the flue! Wait a minute...dragon flue? The plot only thickens from there!
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Whisked away to a magical school, Ivy soon learns that she is anything but the ordinary (though strangely gifted) sculdrony maid she always thought she was doomed to remain. In fact, she may be the key to saving all of Croswald.
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The Crowns of Croswald is a delightful addition to the fantasy world. It is a story full of brand new magical beasts, exciting adventures, and a lurking mystery pressing at the edges of every page. I was enchanted from the beginning, and I look forward to reading more from this world.

I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

This book is the debut for this author. It is very well written and kept me wanting more. The character development was excellent. I felt myself experiencing the feelings and anticipating what would happen next. The World building was on point! The descriptions were so well done I could see them in my mind.

I will read any book written by this author with high expectations! I am excited to follow Ivy’s adventures.

*3.75

This was offered to me in exchange for an honest review and I accepted because I liked the plot, but at the same time I was a little hesitant because it's a middle grade and I'm not very into them.
So this was a big surprise (in a good way), such a magical experience!

This reminded me so much of Harry Potter with a female protagonist and with royals. It's not as complex but it's definitely on the good way, a very good debut novel.
I found it enjoyable and funny, never boring and it made me want to go on with the story.
I absolutely can't wait to read the next books in the series!

A town you may only enter and see if you know the name of it. Like a key names often have the ability to unlock secrets and abilities, and in Croswald the most powerful thing is a secret held behind a locked door. Much more powerful than the dark magic and dark queen that seems looming over all.
This book is about Ivy Lovely and how she has powers that awaken when crossing a border. But she must learn her history before the dark queen fulfills her threats.
The story is full of mystery and magic and I adored all the little extra details. The extra mentions of floral scent and colour of articles of clothing. This helps much deepen your immersion while reading the book. I also greatly enjoy the cover with its colour story and aesthetics.
The story begins with not the main character but with Derwin and I enjoyed that we continued to see a little more of his story throughout the book. Little tidbits here and there until we eventually uncover his full story.
From the get go I love Ivy's character a laid back mischievous girl who has a strong thirst for knowledge and loves books. I related to her on a heavy scale. There is a sense of Harry potter mixed with Terry Pratchett in the writing style and I adored it and found myself in a position of not wanting to put this book down. I had a desperate need to consume Ivy's story to such a degree it kept me up reading all night.
And the Scaldrons ohh the sweet little beasts used for cooking. How I felt for poor number 19 (Humboldt) I have a soft spot for sickly little creatures that really just need extra affection. I enjoyed the hairies too, and how Ivy seemed drawn to looking after creatures so affectionately. She seems to have a taming the beasts kind if power. Understanding what they need and want most and being so gentle with them.
Further on we have a little romance developing which was a joy to watch unfold. Aswell as a string friendship in Rebecca. How I enjoyed Rebecca's character the most. I hope we get to see more of this little trio it seemed. I am eager to read the second book and have finished this first novel on the day of the third publishing. How exciting.

Firstly I would like to say thank you to Stories Untold for providing me with this finished copy to read and review.

I am loving middle grade books and this just hit the spot. This is a school for magic, which we see a lot, but I feel like this is totally whismical and captivating. I think that Ivy is so relatable and love how brave and outspoken she is. In a time where we currently face injustices in this world, it was nice to read about a character who just stands up and fights. I definitely think that my soon to be 8 year old would love the magics within this book. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series!!

Mysterious, Magical and fun!
I really enjoyed this book and got some Harry Potter vibes whilst reading! The story was fun and intriguing, lots of small bits of information dropped to leave you wanting more! Really hoping we get some more information about Fyn and Rebecca, would love to know more about them. The Dark Queen seems very mysterious until the end when we got some more information about her, but would love to learn more in the coming books! I felt the book had a great pace and it kept me interested all the way through. The characters were a good mix of personalities and i definitely will be reading the next installment of Ivy's adventure!

Packed with fantasy, adventure and imagination, this is a tale which will make young fantasy fans' hearts beat faster.

Ivy is a kitchen maid at the castle, lives in a cupboard, and loves to sneak outside to sketch. When an accident with the dragons under the stove occurs, she's forced to run until a huge creature with a rider stops her and tells her that he's taking her to a school for those with powers. She doesn't believe she has any but is convinced to sign up. At the school, she not only learns more about magic, meets interesting students including royals, but also learns about the Dark Queen. But things aren't all wonderful. The Dark Queen is more than a threat to Ivy and her powers, she's a threat to her life.

After reading the blurb on this one and seeing the lovely cover, I was excited to get my hands on an ARC. The tale and world are quite imaginative and will have young readers hooked by all of the wonderful details and creatures—it's the stuff dreams are made of. Ivy is also a lovely character, who is easy to like and root for as she learns about her own past, meets amazing characters and faces obstacles, which will keep the reader at the edge of their seat. It's a fun start to what promises to be an exciting series.

I especially loved the details and way the author weaves in the world building with little glimpses and not word-avalanches. This along with the whimsical touches create a world perfect for middle grade readers. Even Ivy fits the middle grade roll nicely with her innocence, behavior and thought processes. And this is also where a little problem comes in. According to the story, Ivy is sixteen, but never during the read did I have this impression. She comes across as a very solid 11 to 12 year-old more than most of the time. Normally, this would throw the book into the young adult category and their are brief moments which would suggest this book should be there, but as said, the writing style, world building and most happenings are too young for many teens.

All in all, this is a very fun and imaginative read. There are more than a few obvious parallels to the Harry Potter series, but that doesn't hurt the general flow of this read. It's an enjoyable tale and great for fantasy fans.

I got this book for free from the publisher (stories untold) and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
And what can I say, I am totally obsessed with the world the author has created in this book.
I am usually a little skeptical about reading books with a magic school, because I m afraid it would be very similar to Harry Potter. This book is infact a little similar to Harry Potter in the sense that it has a magic school which teaches about potions, magical creatures and certain charms. But that's where the similarity ends. And the world that author has created is very unique with the rules of it's own. I loved everything about Croswald and Halls of Ivy. And I loved the character of Ivy lovely.
Just give me Ivy Lovely and crosswald related Merch already. She is just so adorable.
The magical classes in the book were pretty enjoyable too. I wish there was more of that in the book though because we get very less of the side characters in the book. It tends to focus only on the main characters and her friends, except the mean queen bee maybe.

Now coming to the storyline and plot, I liked how delicately so many complicated concepts and ideas are tied up in the story and yet it all fits so well together. And when the book ends you are left with wanting to know more of Croswald and where the story would lead for Ivy and her friends.

I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy or middle grade novels. This will certainly make you nostalgic for all the fantasy reads you have read as a kid or a teenager.

The writer really captures a beautiful world full of lovely characters. You really feel connected to the characters.

I cant wait to read the other parts of this series.

I received this book for free from the publisher (Stories Untold) in exchange for an honest review.

First, I understand how these books, or series, can be compared to Harry Potter, but I do think it has its unique plot development and characters going on that is very different.

Second, the book is about a girl named Ivy that is in between the "real" world and the magic world, obviously getting into trouble and discovering many secrets as the book progresses. At the beginning, it did remind me of a Cinderella-like plot, where she is a wishful maid that is finds something about herself that was not expected, and there the adventure begins.

I enjoyed this book. It is not my typical go-to, especially since it is intended for a younger audience. Nonetheless, I love a book where a new world is created, and the author is very engaging. I would recommend this book to middle-grade kids. I think their imagination would go wild, and they will fall in love with the characters.

Book Review-The Crowns of Croswald by D. E. Night
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In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret....
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Thank you @netgalley for this digital book to read and review.
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This was a cute story about a young girl discovering her abilities. I quickly became invested in Ivy and her situation. The school was exciting and trying to figure out the plot was fun. The friendships Ivy makes throughout the story were sweet. I wish there would have been more back story at the beginning to set up the world a little more but the ending explained this a little better. This is the first book in this series and I already have book 2 lined up in my kindle.
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I gave this book 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and look forward to my next adventure in Croswald.

If you like fantasy, magic, adventure and mystery then this is the book for you! Ivy Lovely is a lowly servant who is thrust into a world she only dreamed of being a part of. Along the way she develops new friendships and finds out about a past that she never knew she had. This is a great middle grade book for fans of Harry Potter looking for their next magical read. This book hooked me from the beginning. I found myself not wanting to put the book down so that I could escape into Ivy's world a little bit longer. Just when you think you have things figured out, there are more twists and turns in store for you (and Ivy!). I absolutely cannot wait to read the next installment of this magical series.

I was offered a free copy of The Crowns of Croswald from netgalley and the publisher Stories Untold for an honest review, which is what follows.

I missed out on the Harry Potter craze, at least in book form. By the time I was really aware of the series I was an adult and several books behind, so I made the decision not to read it. So for better or worse I can not compare this novel to that series as I have seen others do. I also normally do not read books that fall into the YA or younger category, but this sounded interesting and I have three nieces, one who is old enough to enjoy reading and has read Harry Potter, and is always looking for new reading material. I'm glad that I did, because I found this story to be really enjoyable.
Having a young female protagonist made me happy. She was likable but not perfect, which I think is important to teach children is okay, to not be perfect. I found all of the creatures fun to read about; I felt the author put a lot of thought into them and it showed. They were distinctive, I could visualize them after reading the descriptions and I kind of wanted them to be real.
The plot did feel a little predictable to me, but I am an adult, so I am not sure if would be to the same to the age intended. The plot flowed easily; there never felt to be a forced issue to get from point A to B. I really loved the idea of scrivenists and their relationships to their crowns' families. As a whole, the world building was wonderfully done in my opinion. I am interested in how the rest of the series goes from here.
I gave this 4 stars because it is something that I would suggest to others to read, or would gift to someone. As I said, I did enjoy reading this very much, but do not see myself re-reading this, which is one personal requirement to giving 5 stars.

When I was asked to read this book and leave a review I was excited, because I will read anything fantasy and while reading the summary I was intrigued.
The beginning of the book set the story up well and it had me curious about where it was going to go. The main character, Ivy, was very likable and I thought that her character development was realistic and relatable. This world is magical and pretty much anything can happen. Sometimes I felt myself get distracted because I was paying attention to what the author was describing about the world that I got lost about what was happening in the plot. .
Ivy is a maid who through some trials eventually gets let go, and as luck would have it the night she gets let go is the time someone approaches her about a coveted position at a school to harness and craft her magic. I enjoyed reading about her school days, I just wish there were more of it. The whole year passed by and I wanted to read more about her education and her time with her friends and my favorite characters Rebecca and Flyn. As I read the second I hope to see her relationship with both of these characters grow.
This is a middle grade fantasy, which is innocent and definitely character driven. The antagonist was a mystery through most of the story and it left the door open to create second book following their adventures. I will be sure to read the second because now I am attached to Ivy's plight!

The Crowns of Croswald tells the story of our young heroine Ivy. Young Ivy works as a servant near the rather unfortunate sounding slurry fields. Despite a rather bleak existence, Ivy finds herself yearning to read and draw, activities a young servant wouldn't have need to do. After a run in with her supervisor, Ivy finds herself out of work. Thankfully she meets someone who takes her to a fresh new start where she is to be educated. Though her circumstances improve, she still has obstacles to overcome: a terrible classmate, odd encounters at the school's dining halls, and a queen everyone seems petrified of, but that no one likes to speak of.

Ivy's inquisitive spirit leads her to many adventures and near scrapes. D.E. Night does an incredible job creating the Croswald world. From her descriptions of the Halls, to various stone magics, and especially the creatures, the reader could step straight into Ivy's world.

For fans of magic, the underestimated, kids who just don't fit in, or anyone who just loves a compelling story, this one is for you.

Rating: 3.5 My Review: Everyone knows how obsessed I am with Harry Potter, so naturally I’m drawn to magical stories like this one. There are many magical elements and detail in The Crowns of Croswald, however, although many have compared it to Harry Potter.. I felt it to be very different. It’s a beautiful story full of magic. The novel is written in third person, and the world building is very very detailed it does get drawn out a bit, but only gives the reader even more info, and background, This happens during the first half roughly of the novel, the second half picks up so fast, and there’s a lot more happening. It’s not a fast paced novel, but I appreciated that. Sometimes fast paced means not enough detail or character development.

I loved that this novel takes place in a magical school, and a lot of the story focuses on learning, as well as methods of learning. It’s perfect for the age range that it targets, middle grade to young adult audience.

Verdict: I truly enjoyed The Crowns of Croswald. I recommend it to all readers who love reading fantasy, love a great magical read, and an uplifting main character. Also.. points to anyone who can tell me what the authors name and one very important character in the story have in common!

I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me a little of Harry Potter. This is perfect for younger readers. I loved the world that the author set up, and the characters. I love how Ivy questions everything and wants to learn. And I love the friendships she forms during the book.

I was a little confused during some parts of the book. I would have liked to have known why the Dark Queen was after her, more information on the Selector and the process of how one is chosen. It seemed to be bare minimum and didnt flow smoothly until a few chapters in.

This is such a clever story. And for the first time in so long, I hadn't been able to predict what was going to happen next. Not your ordinary cookie-cutter fantasy novel.
The story begins with Ivy, a slurry maid, who then finds herself as a qualifying candidate to attend a magic academy, called Halls of Ivy, to be trained as a scrivenist(a writer with magical abilities of sorts and serve royalties of Croswald). What unfolds in the Hogwarts-esque academy, is nothing short of a magical reading experience. I must say, do not mistake this book for a Harry Potter cliché.
As you read you will find that nothing is as it seems, and Ivy is more than just a scrivenist with a drop of magic in her blood.

Let's start off by acknowledging the elephant in the room: we have an orphan of unknown parentage who suddenly ends up at a school of magic, there are magical creatures and shops, and new friends and powerful enemies. In short, there are a lot of similarities to Harry Potter, with a bit of Howl's Moving Castle & Anastasia (the movie) thrown in for fun. D.E. Knight has risen to the challenge, however, and managed to write a fresh and interesting magical coming-of-age story, creating a world that I would love to visit again.

On her sixteenth birthday, we meet Ivy, a spunky and kind sixteen-year-old who cares for the dragons that cook the castle food. She gets kicked out of the castle kitchens for defending one of her little dragons, and so her adventure begins as she leaves the only home she has ever known by catching a ride in a set of small cottages built atop a magical creature that transports magicians to and from a town with no name. Also, the creature creates its own magical storm that prevents the Dark Queen from being able to track the magical cabbies.
Further adding to the spell of this world are books with disappearing ink, a key that causes anything locked inside to be forgotten, glowing creatures in place of electric lightbulbs, and worlds inside of bottles that can be entered.

We follow Ivy through her first year of school as she studies potions, sneaks of the grounds, is chased by bewitched quills, and discovers secret rooms as well as her own identity. She has to face fears, learn to trust others, and cope with loss all while learning the rules of a magical world she never knew existed, and she does it with determination and charm. I look forward to reading more about this young heroine, Ivy Lovely, as she continues to learn, grow, and become more of who she is meant to be.

I love all the magic! This book has some similarities to Harry Potter. I love how the story is well written and the characters are loveable. Also, the atmosphere was amazing, I felt like I was brought into the world with the characters, and I was taken on a journey. I would definitely recommend this book!

4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5)
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ivy Lovely is just your ordinary scaldrony maid. Her life revolves around taking care of the scaldrons in the castle she is employed at. However, everything changes when she is suddenly whisked away to the Halls of Ivy--a school for royals and scrivenists to practice their skills. Like the other students, Ivy attends classes and practices her magic, but something about her is different. Things that aren't quite normal keep happening and she can't help but wonder why no one else has the same issues. Many secrets have yet to be revealed and Ivy is determined to set them free.

This book was a delightful and entertaining read! It's a middle grade fantasy novel and is the first in a trilogy. I can't help but acknowledge the Harry Potter feel of this book! Despite having some glaring differences from the Harry Potter series, this book has a very similar feel to the series as well. The Halls of Ivy reminded me of Hogwarts and I adored the magical creatures seen throughout the book. The little hairies that provide light and the scaldrons sound rather cute! The magical aspect of this book is it's most defining feature and I love the way the author set it up!

The characters are also quite interesting. Ivy, a curious girl who can't help but get in trouble; Rebecca, a girl determined to define her future herself; Fyn, a boy with a knack for showing up just at the right time, and many more! I can't wait to see what trouble they get themselves into in the the next book!

Ultimately, this is a wonderful book for middle grade readers! With magical creatures, funny and meddlesome characters, and lots of adventure, this is sure to be a great fantasy series for younger readers!

While The Crowns of Croswald is reminiscent of books like Harry Potter and Septimus Heap, the author manages to give it a fresh punch and creates a mystical atmosphere with lots of fun, magic and mysteries.

Ivy Lovely is a well-rounded character that steps out of the young-orphan-destined-for-a-better-life stereotype and battles against some many real-world issues.

While this is aimed for middle grade readers, this series is definitely reccomended for older readers who miss reading some other famous fantasy series for the first time and younger readers looking to introduce some magic in their lives.

Thanks to NetGalley and D.E. Night for allowing me to read this e-book.

I am afraid this book is not for me. I can see it will be brilliant for kids getting into all things magical and fantastical. For me it’s all a bit old. It’s not new and I can see a lot of hints to other series which have gone before. It is good and fun and the characterisations are believable and funny.

The world of Croswald was preparing for the night of the Double Moons as it does every year. Yet, we will find out that this year the night of the Double Moons changes everything just as it did 16 years ago. As everyone is preparing for the Double Moons Ivy Lovely’s simple, ordinary life is thrown into a magical life that she could never have imagined.

This fast paced, magical, middle grade book completely captured me from the start! The magic and mystery had me wanting more! The author, D.E. Night created a completely magical world of Croswald that I quickly became a part of. The story had a Harry Potter feel but was completely its own. We were given just the right amount of character development at the right time but were left with questions about some characters that didn’t leave me frustrated but hoping to learning more in other books. I’m so looking forward to the next books in the series. A wonderful start to a enchanting tale!

Thank you D.E. Night, Stories Untold, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This story was described to me as "Harry Potter meets Alice in Wonderland" and I think that description wonderfully fits the atmosphere of the magical world of Croswald.

Ivy Lovely, scaldrony maid at Castle Plum where magic is dampened by slurry fields, feels like nothing special. With only the books of her dwarf friend Rimbrick to keep her company, she is terrorised by head cook Helga. After a certain accident involving Moonberry delicacies and the flue flem, she leaves the castle and discovers she has magic running through her veins and is going to be a scrivenist at The Halls of Ivy, a boarding school for royals who wield magical gems and scrivenists who guide their magic through quills.

In the Halls, Ivy goes on countless adventures. She makes friends, learns how to control her magic and slowly finds answers to the weird things that keep happening around her.

This timeless middle-grade novel had a truly unique magic system. The brilliant world-building made me fall in love with every new chapter, just like the mystery kept me turning page after page. From otherwordly creatures to a thrilling fight, there was never a dull or boring moment. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good whimsical story.

I'd like to thank Stories Untold and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

3.5/4
Thank you to the publishing team for reaching out and sending me a copy via Netgalley for review. I enjoyed this one but it wasn't my favorite it was just good. It felt really similar to The Trials of Morrigan Crow but it still lacked that magical spark that makes a great middle grade for me. I might still pick up book two to see how it is but I'm not sure. Overall it was a good read but it won't be an all time favorite and I'm not sure how memorable it will be in the long run.

Will also be posted on Instagram eventually my reviews are posted in order of reading so it may take a bit.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. But that doesn’t affect my opinion and thoughts about this book.

This book follows the journey of a girl who has a power that that she didn’t know about. It started off with her in the slurry, where Ivy grow up. But one day she received a letter, inviting her to study at a very famous school, the Halls of Ivy. And her journey begins there!

In all honesty, I was having a hard time in reading the first few chapters of the book. I was having troubles with the world building. But don’t get me wrong, it is beautifully written, I just find it difficult because I’m such a noob when it comes to Fantasy books. I really struggle with world building. I honestly have reread the first few chapters to get it all.

The characters in this book reminds me so much of Harry Potter. It’s great and it motivated me to read this book more. And I enjoyed it! I also like the fact that despite it being similar to a very famous franchise, it has so much unique things in it! (We’ll discuss that in the spoilers section of this post).

I like the idea of the Forgotten Room. It still confuse me how it works but knowing the everything that is thrown into the room, everyone would surprisingly forget that specific thing. It’s a mystery for me, to be honest. I like it though. I really do.

I love the ending but at the same time, wished that I have the second book already! Like NOW! I wanna see how things would turn out in the next book. I wanna see Ivy develop and fulfill her destiny.

Full review: https://wandersbetweenpagess.wordpress.com/2018/01/24/book-review-the-crowns-of-croswald-by-d-e-night/

Thanks for the Publisher for providing me this novel in exchange for an honest review.
So... Where should I start?
In "Crowns of Croswald" we met sixteen year-old girl called Ivy. One day, she crosses the magical border- who separates the mundane world from the magical, and starts to attending incredible and misterious walls of Halls of Ivy. Halls of Ivy it's a magical school, where all the students learn how to became a master of magic. Our main character gets in a loooot of trouble, and has a lof of amazing adventures.
I really loved the world building, they were really well executed. Descriptions were really well written, and it shows that the author has a great imagination. I fond off our main character- Ivy. She was such a funny character, and it was an amazing journey to follow her adventures. The plot was nice, but it wasn't spectacular, quite predictable, but it was still enjoyable.
Also I was really a fan of these magical creatures, they were a nice addition to the whole story.
So, I think that "The Crowns of Croswald" is such a creative and addicting book to read. If you love magic, magical creatures and Harry Potter. This book is totally for you!

I was really intrigued with the blurb and my curiosity got the better of me when I was asked to review the book for the blog and am I so glad I let my curiosity win. The Crown's of Croswald was an excellent read, it was clearly influenced by some other children's books but that didn't make it less enjoyable or less unique. I enjoyed the writing, I thought it was well paced out and the characters were great

Got this from the publisher and from Netgalley for a review!

We all grew up with Harry Potter in some way - we had a best friend, a sibling, a parent, or we ourselves loved it so much that it shaped our reading habits for the rest of our lives...but now years later we have all of this information about the author and times are changing and I for one think that it's time we lift up other authors who have taken up the sort of theme of the books and elevated them into their own imagination and The Crown of Croswald is one of the books I'd like to start with.

Truthfully, if this book hadn't been suggested to me I would not have known about it but now that I do I'm digging it. I'm digging it so much that when my pay from work comes in I'll be ordering all three books from the closest store for my niece because I think she would love it, and also so I can see the pretty cover art in my shelves.

One of the unique aspects of this series so far is the difference in magic compared to how other people use magic in books.

They use porcupines (the poor things generally scare easy) and sketching for magic as well as royal crowns and stones and I love it. I'd buy an entire novella dedicated to the history of the magic system in this world because I've read a ton of books and this is the most out-there one so far.

For a middle-grade series, I feel like she aged up the characters too much. 16-17 for this sort of series doesn't seem right to me because I think that they should be the same age as the readers but the way that it's paced and worded makes it easy to follow and guess what's going to happen so it's a good starting point. It's a slow build up to an intense end of the book and I like that in a book but some younger kids might not, depending on their individual reading level.

This is a middle grade fantasy series, full of magic & adventure - I adored so many things about this first book! At first, I was getting some major Harry Potter vibes and I really loved it, and it’s so great that it was from a female perspective and eventually got to it’s own story development. Ivy’s character is my favorite, and I was so glad she had such an awesome support system. And can we talk about how cute Humboldt seems?! I loved the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter, they are absolutely beautiful and I couldn’t wait to make the connection in every chapter. Also when the prologue made sense in this book, WOW - this book was simply amazing!

I honestly loved this book!
I haven’t felt so drawn in a book in a long time. If you are a lover of fantasy, magic, castles, lost princesses and evil queens this is definitely a book for you.
The story is about a young girl, Ivy, who gets an invitation to attend a magic school and a whole new world with many mysteries unfolds for her.
I found the story and the way this magical world is built remarkable. The main characters are all interesting in their own way and to my opinion the plot and humour are smartly weaved for a young adult book. Despite the length of the book, it is not tiring or boring at all and keeps the interest of the reader high.
The book is inspired from the Harry Potter world but as soon as you start reading it, the story is captivating and it did not remind me of it at any point.
Generally, the book felt like it had the right amount of everything, making it very enjoyable for me!
I cannot wait to start the next one!

The story is set in a world where magic and reality coexist. They are divided, but at the same time connected. Ivy, the protagonist, is a young girl trying to survive every day life. When she crosses the border that separates the mundane from the magical world her powers awaken. She finds herself surrounded by new incredible things and goes to a magical school to learn how to control her new powers. Everything seems to be perfect, except it’s not.

The book is a fast read. Since it’s a middle-grade the story is easy to follow and the writing style allows the reader to fully immerse in the new world.

Even if the story has something in common with other similar books, I think that the powers and the magic system are very original. The world buiding is really well done and it’s probably my favourite part of the book.

All the characters are interesting, they have both pros and cons, especially Ivy that is sixteen but seems younger. I already know they will all grow together in the next installments of the series.

The Crowns of Croswald is an adventurous, fun and whimsical story that I recommend if you like middle-grade or young adult books.

16 yr old Ivy has only known the hard life of a scaldron maid. However, as fate would have it she is banished from this life and enters into a life of magic, a new school, and new possibilities. As soon as you start reading it brings back memories of Harry Potter with a poor, forgotten child who has a new start at a new school with magic but Night does a great job of creating her own world and characters. I'm giving this a 4 star reveiw because it was quite a bit predictable but it was really a fun adventure and I can’t wait to continue the adventures into book 2 and 3.

I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, D.E. Night, and Stories Untold Press for gifting me a copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book takes place in a school of magic called the Halls of Ivy. The main character, Ivy, learns she possesses magic after spending her entire life working as a maid in the kitchens. Stepping into the unknowns and the exciting adventure of a new life and home, Ivy takes you on a magical, spell-binding journey of bravery, friendship, and discovery.

As I found myself enchanted by the world of Croswald, I felt reminded of many similar books that I grew to love over my childhood years— the Harry Potter series specifically. I really loved the in-depth look that D.E. Night gave us into Croswald and how complex she made it with the Hollow Shaft and Halls of Ivy. I was enchanted by the idea of quills and all of the incredible things they could do. The magical creatures in this book, also had me captivated and charmed. The creativity behind the magical creatures could definitely be seen and helped add a level of complexity to the magical world of Croswald.


I especially loved the main character of the book, Ivy Lovely. Ivy is very inquisitive, always finding adventures and getting herself into tight situations. She is easy to love and a very relatable character to follow along with.

While I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this book, the last quarter of the book felt especially rushed in terms of plot development and reveals. All in all, I greatly enjoyed this whimsical book, and I believe it is a great fit for the middle grade age group.

Wow, this book was such a nice and cute middle grade fantasy read! It was so whimsical and magical with Harry Potter vibes, but with its own imaginary world. In a few words: magic, little dragons, magical cabs, school setting in an old castle, magical quills. Yes, it sounds so whimsical and it WAS.

First of all, the plot wasn’t the strongest point of this book. It was a bit flat throughout the story, and there wasn’t a lot of intrigue for the most part of the book. The intrigue really started around the middle of the book, and the pace of the story sped up until the ending. The main focus was mostly the discovery of this magical world and magic school, but to be honest, I was fine with that! The whimsical atmosphere and worldbuilding were so well done that I didn’t care much about the lack of intrigue.

The strongest point of this book was without a doubt its atmosphere and worldbuilding. Oh my god, this book was so whimsical! I got carried away in this fantastic world with a magic school setting, magical quills, magical beasts and scrivenists! This magic school had two types of students: royals, and scrivenists. Royals in this book were people who were able to do magic through their crown filled with magical stones. Each stone had different magical traits that these Royals needed to learn to control. Scrivenists in the other hand were “real” wizards, who were able to do magic without the need of magical stones, and had more “art abilities” like sketching everything they saw with a photographic memory with magical squills.

This world was filled with magical beasts like little dragons called scaldrons, and from chapter one, they were the cutest beasts EVER. These little dragons were used as cooks in a castle and I just loved Ivy’s relationship with Humboldt, the scaldron who became her little companion at the beginning of the book.

I also really enjoyed all the magical aspects of this world, like small bottles called glanagerie filled with imaginative worlds where you could be completely swept in, or the Forgotten room, a place where everything you would put into it were forgotten by everyone. The author has such a great imagination, it was actually impressive!

The magic school setting was also everything. I feel like I say this all the time, but honestly I LOVE magic school setting in books, and this one didn’t disappoint.

As for the characters, I really like our main character, Ivy. She was so cute, but also fierce and strong with a real problem to follow rules and a nice sense of humor. The relationships were also cute and perfectly adapted to a middle grade story. I really enjoyed the friendship between Ivy and Rebecca, and I loved the tiny bit of romance in this book. And I really hope it will evolve more in the next books.

This book was honestly so enjoyable and despite a flat plot through this book, the worldbuilding and the magic totally made up for it. The ending was also surprising and I enjoyed all the revelations, even if I had seen them coming. I will definitely read the rest of the series!

Overall, I would really recommend this middle grade fantasy book to Harry Potter fans or cute fantasy stories in general.

It's like Harry Potter, but full of purple, glitter, and fairies!

I really enjoyed this book. It did have a slow start as I felt a bit overwhelmed by the introduction of new terms all at once, but after that little hump, I really liked it. It is everything a book lover dreams about. A magical school with magical quills and magical books! It was full of whimsy, magic, mystery, and it even had a cute little schoolyard crush.

Though I wouldn't necessarily add the next installment to my top priority list, I definitely want to read more.

I received this book for free from the publisher (Stories Untold) in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever wanted to re-live the feeling of reading Harry Potter for the first time? The whimsical magic, the mysterious lore slowly unfolding, and amazing characters that you care deeply about? That’s exactly how I felt while reading The Crowns of Croswald by D. E. Night.

Night’s world they created feels fresh and familiar all at the same time. The book follows Ivy Lovely — a 16 year old kitchen maid who’s life isn’t very exciting. After an incident leaving her out on her own, Ivy is in the right place at the right time and finds themselves on their way to the Halls of Ivy — a magical school typically reserved for the upper class and royalty.

Fun characters like Fyn, help Ivy naviagte sticky situations while we learn more about the secrets of the dark magical world. Ivy finds themselves falling into the interest of the Dark Queen and quickly try to save themselves and others in this thrilling book.

The chapter illustrations are fantastic and the book leaves enough things left out for you to crave more of Ivy’s world in Night’s following books. I really enjoy enjoyed this book and world!

This book really loved it, it's full of magic and a lot of unexpected twists, I could see what there are two others and I can not wait to read them. This book is perfect for middle-aged children, if you loved Harry Potter?, this book is for you, thank you for the opportunity to read this e-book.

The Crowns of Croswald is the first book in a magical middle grade/YA fantasy series written by D.E. Night.

The book follows Ivy Lovely who works as a maid in the kitchens of Castle Plum taking care of dragon-like creatures called Scaldrons and spending her evenings sketching the same castle that has appeared in her dreams for as long as she can remember. She never expected her life to amount to much until the day she received her invitation to the Halls of Ivy.

I really enjoyed reading this book, the author has a great writing style that flows smoothly and makes you instantly love her characters and the unique world she has created. I especially loved the little illustrations at the beginning of each chapter which added that little extra dash of whimsy to the story. Once I started reading I could not put it down and finished this magical adventure in one evening.

If you are looking for a cozy book full of magic and adventure that you can read in one sitting then I definitively recommend you pick up The Crowns of Croswald and join Ivy as she discovers the secrets not only hiding in the Halls of Ivy but also in herself.

** thank you to the author & publisher for giving me this e-Arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!** This was such a cute magical middle grade that should be on everyone’s list! It reminded me a lot of Harry Potter, so if you’re a fan of that series I think you would like this one. I love that there was a female protagonist who was so well rounded, and the world building was phenomenal! It’s out now, so everyone run and pick up a copy and experience this magical world for yourself! ✨

“This all sounds very lovely, but I, I can't be the girl you're looking for. Look at me... I-I'm just. Just a girl. A nobody. Maybe you're looking for Princess Alianna?”

He peered over his enormous, round spectacles, his face softening. “Some scrivenists start out as nobodies.”

The Crowns of Croswald tell the story of Ivy Lovely, who starts out to be working in the kitchen. She is an orphan, doesn't know her parents, which is a familiar setting in fantasy stories. I was afraidf I would get the same set-up like most fantasy stories. However, it isn't the main focus of the story; she doesn't drown in the thoughts that she is an orphan, and focuses more on what she has like great friendships, which I find for sure important, and her love for sketching, which is a big part of the story for good reasons. That, and she decides to run away with some kind of dragon-like creature, away from the dwarf she saw as a friend, to get picked up by a metal wearing beast that carried two people with him (not it, don't call him that, he will get upset).

And that is where we meet Lionel Ohlander Lugg, aka LOL, aka my favorite character for that fact and that fact alone.

Ivy gets a list of supplies she needs for school, buys those, sees the Dark Queen, who as the name might suggests, is the villain. We don't know much about her besides the fact that is bad. But I wished we knew more, that we got more history of her and the reason she acts the way she acts. I'm all for a well fleshed out villain. Maybe we will see more of her in the rest of the series...

The chapters go by, to give more insight on the school system and the magic system, which is an interesting one. Some people have crowns, and they have stones that give them a specific kind of magic, like changing into an animal or control an element. I never read of a system like that, so bonus points for such an unique system!

Sooo, after those chapters, which sometimes felt a bit too rushed for my liking, we go back to the story. Because something strange is going on and that is that nobody seems to know or want to know who Derwin Edgar Night. And to find out who it is, because Ivy wants to know. She takes her friend Rebecca in her problems. And I loved it. I love their friendship and how even though it developed fast, it also developed so honest. They sure are great in causing problems and make a great team, which is nothing but fun to read about. Because they cause so many problems and because they also get punished from it, even more problems are caused, which gave an even more deeper insight in both the history and magic. If you are afraid there will be infodumps, I would say it isn't that bad. From time to time, there sure is a longer story out of nowhere, but in the end it all comes together very nicely and makes you forget it is even the case. That, and since it has this middle grade feeling, it is easy to understand what is going on and how things work.

All by all, this book is a great first book which also sets up the rest of the series. It has great friendships and a blooming romance maybe. If you want to try out more middle grade/fantasy, I recommend starting here because you wouldn't regret it!

Also, every chapter has a cute little illustrations, which is always a win in my book.

Shouldn’t middle grade fiction be renamed as “all-time fiction”? Because boy, do I as an adult still enjoy reading it!
Ivy has been a slurry maid for most of her 16 years, working with all she has and banished from the things unknown to her. But when the line between what she has always known and the world of magic blurs, she takes a leap and chooses the other side. And there she goes off, to the Halls of Ivy, an institution that provides education in magic to the royals and the sqwinches.
There is a tragic past, a sob story, a chosen-one trope, a royal-heir trope and an entire world of magic all rolled into one giant action fest, but its all barely teenagers who are a mix of excitement and fear.
The first 150 pages or so are quite slow-paced, as they focus more on world building, but as the plot takes off, it all falls into the right places. The characters and the magical beasts are so captivating that for a moment, you forget that there is a Dark Queen who is out for blood.
Overall, I loved this book! It reminded me of the books I used to read when I was a newbie reader (and definitely made me pick out those old worn-out paperbacks from years ago). I recommend this for people who are new to reading or enjoy middle grade and YA fantasy.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review

Review-The Crowns of Croswald.
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Thank you @netgalley and the publisher @storiesuntoldpress for providing me with the review copy.
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Ivy,the protagonist,is a "scaldrony" maid-she tames little dragons at the castle. After being banished from the castle,Ivy finds herself in the Halls of Ivy,a magical school.
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The way the adventure unfurls kept me entertained. Normally,I shy away from both middle-grade and fantasy genres,but this was a hit for me. Beautiful writing combined with effective storytelling, and a badass girl as the protagonist,"The Crowns of Croswald" would be a perfect read for middle-schoolers.

The castle in her dreams could be more than a dream. And who is the man standing in the castle...These are Ivy’s dreams. Ivy is an overworked little servant, an orphan, tending to work animals and helping with endless cooking chores. She sleeps in a dirty dungeon with the animals. Sketching her dreams, talking with these beastly friends, and sometimes visiting Rimbrick on the hillside, who is an ancient woods dwarf, are her greatest joys. But then one day, Rimbrick warns her to leave home immediately. With a rough exit, she enters a land of enchantment. One, she quickly learns is filled with magic. That is where she will meet the Dark Queen and Winsome.

Follow along as Ivy is given the opportunity to attend the Halls of Ivy, a boarding school for students to master their magical blood and jewels and fine tune magical talents. At times, Ivy is clumsy and gets in a heap of trouble, worrying that she might be expelled from the school in year one, but at other times she is brave and confident, inquisitive, and a good problem solver. Who at the school will help her and who wishes to do her harm?

Learn the secrets of a wonderful lineage of Queens and see what must be done to continue this bloodline to save the world of Croswald. Watch a battle brew between evil and good.

The book is fast paced and will leave readers wanting more! The magical experiments and accidents in the classroom, throughout the schoolgrounds, and in the world of Croswald will keep readers on the edge of their seats wanting to see what magic might happen next! Ivy’s magic is the kind powerful enough to be sensed, but by whom? This is a 'girl power' story delivered to readers in a magical way.

(In GoodReads and Amazon, both) - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2373219276?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1 AND https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1CPQF84UYVTT3?ref=pf_ov_at_pdctrvw_srp

I really enjoyed this one, it was full of fun and magic and was really sweet. The world building and atmosphere was amazing throughout the book and I had such fun learning about all of the places Ivy was visiting. I really loved the school setting (even if it was a bit reminiscent of Harry Potter at times). I thought all of the character were really well rounded and were fun to adventure with. I enjoyed watching Ivy working out the mystery of what was going on at the school and who she really was. I thought her relationships with other characters were really sweet and overall I can't wait to read the sequel to this one.
Would highly recommend for fans of fantasy middle grades full of mystery and adventure.
4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you so much to the author and publisher who allowed me to read this book early !!

Summary: In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret…

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic—and her life—is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.

I really enjoyed following Ivys journey as a character. I don’t typically read middle school level novels but I would love to purchase this as a class set for my students! Ivy was such a strong character and there was so much world building throughout! I flew through this one and the second one in a matter of days!

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night
Original Publication Date: July 21, 2017 - Get it today!
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Description from NetGalley...
“In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret… 
For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic—and her life—is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.”

Thank you to @NetGalley, @storiesuntoldpress for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.

My thoughts...
This is considered a middle-grade fantasy book. As an adult, I found it entertaining and a fun read. A great debut novel. The language is neither childish nor simple. The world-building was so fun. The story’s world, places and objects were described so well. I really appreciated the character development and I found the characters endearing. The book had a dusting of Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Harry Potter all mixed into one and still a unique world. It was simply magical. I wanted to learn more about the world and the creatures in it. It’s a story of friendship, acceptance and believing in yourself. I adore the “hairies” - lantern fairies that gives light through their glowing hair. How wonderful is that?! And, as an added bonus, every chapter starts with a great illustration. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.

A big thank you to the author and Netgalley for letting me read this one!
Middle grade is usually not something I reach for, so I wasn't sure how this reading experience would turn out, but the premise was so cool, I wanted to try!
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Ivy Lovely is a young scaldrony maid, which means she tends to the tame little dragons who are used for baking goods at the castle. She's an orphan who just wants to do well at what she does, but keeps ending up in trouble!
One day everything changes and she's caught up in a whirlwind when she gets invited to the magical school of Croswald. Once at the school, Ivy meets new friends and learns to use her magic. She turns out to be a fast learning, curious student, finds the secret lair of a kind mage (one who is so old, he was supposed to be dead) and who ends up being her mentor. Pretty much everything that could go awry does exactly that and soon Ivy finds herself and her friends in mortal danger when the evil mage Queen pays a visit to her school because of something Ivy doesn't even know about herself.
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The story did remind me of the world of Harry Potter, but of course, every magical school does. I feel like this is much more suited for middle age readers, more whimsical in it's writing and all the events that we learn about throughout the story. It was also very entertaining for me as an adult reader, I found myself immersed in it's magic!
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I already started the second book in the series! Can't wait to see what Ivy's up to next!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." This was a great book and I love how Ivy discovery her magic powers. Croswald is a magical world that you can invest your time.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Reading The Crowns of Croswald was such a delightful experience, bringing memories of my childhood rushing back.

First of all, I would like to praise the prose of this novel. As The Crowns of Croswald is aimed at a younger audience, I was expecting a relatively simplistic writing style, and while the prose of this novel is easily read, it contains such a sense of whimsy and atmosphere and I found myself smiling often throughout the journey this book takes you on.

One critique I have for this novel would be its pacing. The Crowns of Croswald tells a compelling story but the set-up of the plot feels a bit rushed while parts in the middle of the novel drag at times. I still very much enjoyed my time with this book, and this fault is minor compared to everything else The Crowns of Croswald has to offer.

The world D.E. Night has created with this novel is so fun to read about. Croswald is eccentric and fantastical and heartfelt, and the characters that populate it are lively and colorful. If you're a Harry Potter fan or looking for a wonderful fantasy series for a young reader, The Crowns of Croswald may just be the right thing for you.

YAAYY LOOK WHO READ A FANTASY NOVEl AFTER AGES AND LOVED IT!!!
The Crowns of Croswald was so good. It was a package of some of my favorite things in books : A magical school (major HP vibes) , an inspiring & strong female lead and an engaging storyline.
The characters in the were really interesting to read about. I specially loved seeing Ivy's character development throughout the book. The mystery and fantasy elements were really well written as well.
The author's writing style is quite descriptive, so it might take some time for others to get used to it, but it worked fine for me. Overall, this was a really fascinating read. Can't wait to pick up the next books in the series! 😄
Thanks to the author @author.denight and the publisher for sending me a free review copy. 💗

I received this book from @storiesuntoldpress to read and write and honest review.
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This book gives me tons of Harry Potter feels with a twist of Shadowhunters and Snow White! If you love those magical world this a YA book/series to read!
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I am huge fan of magical worlds and all things fantasy that are only in our imagination. This is definitely a good YA book for ones who enjoy magical/fantasy world with a lead female character.
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The story follows Ivy who has grown up hidden away, separating the mundane world from the magical world. She is always known as the slurry girl who wants nothing more than to be a scrivenist. Soon she finds herself welcomed to the Halls of Ivy where student learn to master their magical abilities. Many things happen during first year at school and soon secrets begin to unveil themselves and the truth comes out.
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The magical world was truly wonderful learning about everything. Learning about the school, creatures and each students abilities was amazing. There were many secrets throughout the book. Since the beginning each secret that was unearthed kept leading to more that was behind the truth of who Ivy really is! I had my guesses about who she was but was shocked at the ending of her true self. The ending left me wanting more and needing to find o what’s going to happen. Looks like I’ll be continuing the series!
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Some parts were a little confusing towards the end when bouncing around in the final chapters. I was able to pick up on it but not knowing the background of the world of Croswald made it harder at times. I definitely would like to see a prequel or a novella of the world of Croswald and all its magic beforehand.
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Overall, it is a good YA story that gets you engrossed in the magical world of Croswald and the life of Ivy Lovely.

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night was a wonderful book and I really enjoyed reading it! I loved the characters and the magic system so much and the last five chapters were my favorite part. In the book, Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind a border that hides magic, but when she's invited to attend the Halls of Ivy, a prestigious magic school, she crosses the border and she unlocks her powers. As she adjusts to her new life as a student at the Halls of Ivy, she gets caught up in a dangerous mystery and Ivy soon finds herself scrambling to find all the answers before it's too late. The first third of the book didn't really click with me, but after that I found myself enjoying the story and I found it really intriguing so I'm defintely going to read the next books in the series! My actual rating is 4.6 stars out of 5. Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Despite the harsh realities we face in the real world, it's a nice reprieve to enter the world of fantasy! In these magical worlds, your mind is allowed to run rampant with wild dreams and vivid imaginations.

In "The Crowns of Croswald" you meet protagonist Ivy Lovely as she navigates her way through the magical world of Croswald, and her new school, the Halls of Ivy. Not only does she have normal teenage drama to deal with but throw in an evil queen and magical surprises at every corner, then you have yourself one heck of a colorful school year!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys losing themselves in a fantasy world. It is also a fantastic series for any middle/high school students who enjoy this genre. So find a quiet corner, snuggle up under a comfy blanket, and join Ivy throughout her adventures in Croswald.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a fun adventure! The setting of the school felt so magical and I loved all the little details that really brought it to life. The magic was really interesting too with the students being split into royals - those who use the power of gems - and the scrivenists - those who use quills and the magic in their blood. There was a huge amount of different powers like ice, shapeshifting, super speed and so many more!

Ivy was a great character who was intelligent, curious and really kind. I loved following her on her adventures! The side characters were, for the most part, all really interesting. There could have been a bit more character development but maybe that comes in the next books. I still loved reading about them though and I really enjoyed Winsome who acted as a teacher to Ivy.

As for the plot, it was all very fast paced with lots of action which I loved! It was great getting to constantly discover more secrets about Croswald and Ivy's history. I particularly enjoyed the Hollow Shaft, I thought that was a really interesting concept - the scrivenists who have reached the ends of their lives come here to 'turn tome' which basically means they are turned into a book that records all their discoveries and life story. The ending was a little confusing however, I think it could have just been better explained but after thinking it over I eventually understood it. This is a middle grade though so I'm not sure if younger readers would get a bit lost.

Overall though I loved this book and will continue the series! I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys magical schools and mysteries!

Crowns of Croswald by D. E. Night- 3.5 stars
Summary: Ivy Lovely has spent her days as a servant but leaves her home and goes to the Halls of Ivy, a school for royals and squinches (people with magical blood). Strange things happen as Ivy embarks on this adventure and she starts investigating her past and the other odd events around her.
Setting: The worldbuilding in this book is a treat! It gives off a whimsical and wondrous vibe, reminding me of Studio Ghibli movies like Kiki’s Delivery Service. The cover is gorgeous and set the scene even before reading. The facets of the magic system were interesting, but I wish I could see more of the magic in a typical setting to better understand them. (And possibly a glossary to remember all the unique names for different people, potions, animals, and spells).
Plot: I struggled to get into the book at first- but once I got to the second half, the events seemed much more relevant and interesting. The plot is a bit convoluted, and there are problems that I think were resolved too easily for the characters, but I was continually looking forward to what would happen next.
Characters: There are quite a few interesting characters in the book that I couldn’t get enough of- Fyn and Rebecca, Ivy’s friends, have great personalities. I had trouble connecting to Ivy, the main character. I felt like she was a bit of a Mary Sue and didn’t exercise a whole lot of agency throughout the story.
TL;DR- Overall, I enjoyed this story! There are several things that I think could be better, and the first half was hard to get through because I didn’t feel like I could root for Ivy, and because the events didn’t seem significant. However, by the end, my opinion of the story improved, and I would consider reading the second book. I think it’s a fun read, and many middle-grade readers would enjoy the unique worldbuilding and magic system, as well as the enjoyable people and adventurous plot.

This review is also on my Instagram, @astudyinstories, as well as Goodreads and Amazon.

Summary:
Ivy Lovely is an orphaned scullery maid whose jobs is to look after the Scaldron dragons who is thrown out of the castle she works in and thrust into the magical world of Scrivenists and the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magic. When Ivy’s magic and her life is threatened by the Dark Queen, she has to unearth her past and save Croswald before the truth is forgotten and removed forever.

Review:
I’ve been on a real fantasy reading kick for a while now, and I am so glad I was approached to review this series! Wow! This first book in the series was such a magical read and I cannot wait to continue reading this series. I loved the magic system and the world building of the novel, with the Scrivenists and Royals! I definitely want to be a scrivenist after reading this, even though I am not that artistic, and have a scaldron (a dragon that cooks food in their mouths!) like Ivy.

I was not expecting the ending of this book and I definitely am excited to follow Ivy’s journey in the next book. I cannot wait to see how her story, as well as Fyn and Rebecca’s stories unfurl. These characters are well-rounded and make me want to be a student alongside them in the Halls of Ivy.

This book is perfect for middle-grade readers, but it is a great read for older readers, that will remind you of the magic in books such as Harry Potter and other great fantasy reads, yet stands on its own as unique and inspired. Princesses, Queens, magical stones and quills are just the surface of this incredible read.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I enjoyed this book. It is similar to Harry Potter—unsuspecting child finds out they have magic powers, goes to magic school escaping their dull life, something dark threatens their safety, the main character must work with other classmates to discover what is going on. I could see having this book in my classroom especially for students who love a magical world (or want to read Harry Potter and aren’t quite ready). It’s worth the read!

I received a copy of this book through netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review. So, let me tell you about this charming little book!

The Crowns of Croswald paints a picture of a society full of magic and mystery. We meet our protagonist when she is a kitchen maid, before she begins her hero's journey arc. Eventually she gets to leave her servitude and be educated at a school of magic.

This story had very strong Harry Potter vibes to it. In fact, many of the important plot points are virtually the same. However, the world-building was different and I did enjoy the fact that we had a female protagonist. Like many school stories, she has a group of friends and they have to work together to fight evil and discover their true powers.

This is a fun universe D.E. Night has built, and I'm so very pleased to hear that there are more in the series. I would recommend this book for middle grade readers on up who enjoy fantasy, magic, and school stories.

This was such a fun and easy read! A girl who gets to go to a magical school and learn magic? Yes please! It reminded me at first a bit like Harry Potter, but the author have truly made her own magical world with an interesting magic system and some amazing characters. I really enjoyed exploring the world of Croswald through Ivy and to see her make her way learning magic and discover secrets about the school and herself.

The writing was easy to follow and the author did a great job on the world building. I could easily imagine how everything looked like and that made the reading experience very enjoyable.

With how the book ended I feel like there's more to discover about the world, the scrivenists, the threat of the Dark Queen and definitely about Ivy. I have questions that needs to be answered and I'm looking forward to dive into the second book and discover even more.

I would definitely recommend this book to those who loves a story with some great characters and a magical adventure.

3.5/5 stars.

it took me a little while to get invested in the story since a lot of things are unexplained in the first part of the book, but more and more is revealed throughout and the further i got into the story the more i felt myself being drawn in.

i really love the magic system the author created, and who doesn't love a magical school setting? this book gave me the feeling of a disneyfied, magic-infused malory towers. i'm not sure why exactly, perhaps the writing style or the school setting, but i definitely felt like there was a similar sort of feeling to malory towers (but with magic). needless to say it made me nostalgic for the books i read when i was younger.

the book was full of eccentric and lovable characters that i'm sure middle-grade readers would love! i especially enjoyed rebecca's character and derwin edgar night. as well as all the enchanting and charming magical creatures (humboldt is so precious, i love him)

overall i thoroughly enjoyed my experience of reading this book, it was such a fun and magical ride. i think this is a strong start to a middle-grade series, and i'm quite curious about what will happen in the rest of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold for a gifted eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For kids too young for the avada kedavra curse, this is a great introduction to the world of magic. There are nods to Harry Potter everywhere, and I enjoyed those little Easter eggs. The writing is simple and the story is easy to follow.

Ivy has her ups and downs, where she can be a bit annoying, but she means well and just wants to know what’s going on, which is fair. Her curiosity is burning and it really drives this story. I liked Ivy’s friends, Fyn and Rebecca, but do wish that we had learned more about them and got to know them better. Ivy seems annoyed by them more often than anything, so I don’t think we really get to see their personalities as much as I would have liked. I loved Winsome and do wish we got to spend a bit more time getting to know him as well. I found Derwin Edgar Night (same initials as the author, which I thought was fun!) the most interesting character in the story and can’t wait to finally learn more about him in the next books!

Towards the end, I couldn’t put the book down, I just needed to know what was happening! I had an idea of what it may be, but wasn’t sure how all of it fit together. The ending was full of excitement and action, and gave us a brief overview of Ivy’s history. There were definitely things I questioned, but they seem to be things that could be answered in the next book🤞🏼Overall, it was an enjoyable read!

Escape to a magical world with a cast of intriguing characters in D.E. Night's book, The Crowns of Croswald. I definitely recommend purchasing this book for school libraries.

Thanks for netgalley and Stories Untold for providing me an E-Arc.

In a world full of magic, what would you give to be free of chores, boredom and a hopeless future as a kitchen maid?

Hoping to the moon for a chance is Ivy's only way out of a sad, poor life as an orphan in Castle Plum... Or so she thinks! Suddenly she finds herself on her way to the most prestigious magic school of Croswald and living a year full of new experiences, challenges, friends and, of course, magic!!

This installment opens the door for a new fantastic world were the shadow in power lurks behind every corner of the scrivients and royals' school, making curses and forgetfulness be in the core of the mysteries and the future of the young Lovely.

Great for fans of Harry Potter and the Worst Witch saga!

ARC provided free by Netgalley un exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Harry Potter meets Snow White meets other beloved fairy tales. If you love any fantasy or magical worlds, this book should be your next read. Although it's listed as Middle Grade reading, I suggest this book to all ages, especially those that grew up with Harry Potter.

Ivy reached age 16 never knowing she had magical roots, but always dreamed of it. Until one unfortunate mishap sent her traveling away from the life of a scaldrony maid and into a flying cottage steered by a hooved, storm-causing beast. Her life as a scrivenist began. Did I get your attention? Good!

After searching for a new fantasy series to enjoy, this one fell into my lap. Night's best writing chacteristic is her talent to paint vivid pictures for the reader. Royals' outfits, beastly creatures, and magic itself are perfectly described, so to imagine you are living in this world with the characters.
Discovering new characters and creatures are another favorite aspect of mine when finding a new series to read, and Night caught my attention. Even the Prologue will force you to delve into the book without thinking otherwise: scrivenists, flying hoofstock, a missing royal family, MAGIC!
And the plot!: A strong-headed, young woman protagonist finding herself to be someone special with the help and trust of her newfound friends. But Night makes this story an adventure. You have to fit the pieces together, alongside the young woman. But the evil and darkness that stand in the way hold a certain power over the reader, to find exactly what this evil is and defeat it. And when you finally come face-to-face with the Dark Queen, you have to wait to defeat her in..... the next book in the series! Yes, it's a series!

I cannot wait to read the next book, the Girl with the Whispering Shadow. I recommend the series to all young readers and to all adults that enjoy escaping to a magical world.

In exchange for an honest review💖 I received this from the publishers and the author.. thank you so much💕

★·.·´¯`·.·★ 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 ★·.·´¯`·.·★

❥ Middlegrade Magical story
❥ Hello Harry Potter fan incase you missed out, you might want to read this and add it to your magical reading list✨
❥ Its about a girl name Ivy who don't have a clue who she is.
❥ so much unexpected things happened once she's been kicked out from the slurry place she's living, for her entire childhood.
❥ And there is boarding school of magic (fine! it's like Harry Porter, and yes I do fond this Boarding school)
❥ Its Ivy and 2 Bestfriend great adventure getting to know the truths.
❥ In additional of this wizardly place, there are drawf, magical creature, adorable dragon (Name Hamboldt to be more specific, Ivy's scaldron that I adore of course) and a beautiful magical neighbourhood. The description of every place Ivy went is so enchanted.
❥ So the exact story is, Ivy been haunted by this Evil queen (not going for further on this)
✿ Children books are never a dull, am I right? Love the book, and I'm sure my kids will love it too 💖

Ivy, a 16 year old girl lives in Castle Plum as a maid. Unaware of her powers that she holds within, she lives as an outcast until one day her life takes a turn where she discovers her actual identity. In this magical world, Ivy comes across so many adventures in order to find the very meaning of her life, and to fix her blurred but alluring dreams. Was she meant to be in the beautiful yet haunting magical world, or is her existence much more than that?

I absolutely loved this book. So full of magic. Was clearly obsessed with discovering the dark secrets with the protagonist Ivy. This book, is so full of beauty, happiness and ofcourse abundance of magic. If you loved Harry Potter series, movie or book, I highly recommend you to read this. It'll take you into the world where never ending adventure begins

The Crowns of Croswald is 1st instalment in this middle-grade fantasy series. If I had to tell you about the book, in short, I'd say that it is a mix of Harry Potter and Cinderella (many people have also compared it to Percy Jackson series and Alice in the Wonderland). Our protagonist, Ivy Lovely is much like Harry, she has lived in a shadows her entire life, in Plum Castle as a scaldrony maid, forgotten. And her life has been one of drudgery. She has only one friend, Rimbrick who is a dwarf. Rimbrick tells her stories and gives her books to read (something denied to maids) and he tells her that she is special and has magic in her.

One day, following a series of events, she is kicked out of the castle and forced to leave the Castle which was surrounded by Slurry(it dampens magic). As she crosses the boundary, her magical powers re-awaken. She gets an invitation letter from the Ivy School of magic which is meant to teach magic, of course, to Royals and people with some magic in their blood (called Scrivenists). Ivy has always wanted to be a Scrivenist and this is her opportunity! So, off she goes, to the magical school where there are magical creatures, ghosts cook food, a forbidden forest exists, and our protagonist (her family) is cursed.

I must say, all the resemblances to Harry Potter dampened my enjoyment of this book a bit, as I was constantly comparing the 2 books. Besides that, the pacing felt irregular and Ivy seemed a little immature for a 16-year-old girl. That being said, I still enjoyed it enough to keep reading. The world-building is quite good and there is definitely a magical feel to the book. The writing is simple which serves the purpose of being a children's book. Also, the 2nd half of the book felt pretty solid!

I think it will be a good read for the intended age group and if you are a parent, reciting the book to your child(ren) will be a good option as well.😇

Rating- ⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy.

Thanks to Netgalley and Stories Untold Press for the free Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this action-packed magical fantasy. Ivy grew up a slurry maid, but ends up with a place at the Halls of Ivy, a magical academy. What she doesn’t know, however, is her true heritage. The ending leaves it open for a sequel. The characters are likable, and I found myself sucked in. Hand this to fans of Keeper of the Lost Cities and Harry Potter.

This book was a beautiful magical, adventurous, danger lurking read and I was hooked from the very first line.
As told by many, this book is a beautiful blend of Harry Potter meets Disney!! This is a beautiful enchanting read for every girl!
Croswald is a magical place where from its Royal Palaces, to its shops, to it's Magical School, The Halls of Ivy, magic is everywhere! A dream destination.

Ivy Lovely, a sixteen year old orphan, working as a maid, while sketching at nights with the only friend she has; a dwarf. Until, one day she passes through the Slurry; and discovers that her destiny is to be at the House of Ivy; the prestigious school where both Princesses and Sqwinches go to learn magic!

This book is fascinating and intriguing, I loved exploring this magical place and all those magical classes, even though the similaries exist with HP, but the author has a ncie writing style which I adored.

It's a must read for magic lovers. I will definitely recommend this book to everyone. Teens and tweens will love this book too!

This was such a fun read – The world created has so many new magic to be learned and characters who you fall in love with & root for throughout their adventures.

There are many questions still left unanswered, which am sure will be explored in book 2. There were parts which were a bit fast forward, but overall it was a good read so I am looking forward to another year if Ivy!
Thank You @netgalley and @storiesuntoldpress for the opportunity to review and read this book.

**I was gifted an e-copy for free by Stories Untold (publisher) and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.**

I absolutely loved it! It has been quite a while since I read middle grade books, but the storyline was full of wonder and adventure. It follows Ivy Lovely who stumbles into a magical world full of magic, and her time discovering who she really is. One of my favourite parts of the whole storyline was the introduction to the scaldrons, who sound absolutely adorable. I have seen a few comparisons of the story to having a Harry Potter feel, and I can understand because of the whole “school of magic” concept, however I think the story holds its own individuality.
Overall, The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night receive a 4-star from me. This is not a story I would have individually picked out for myself, but I’m glad to have been able to read it.

The Crowns of Croswald follows a story about Ivy, a sixteen year old girl, who enters a magical world and finds her powers unlocked after crossing over the magical barrier. She finds herself at Halls of Ivy, a school where they practice their magic.

The book reminds me a lot of Harry Potter, and has quite a fantastical spin to it. The world building is incredible. I loved reading the details and history of the Croswald universe. I also really liked the idea of the Scrivenists, who wield their power through their quills. The mystery and adventure aspect of the book kept me going and made the book a thrilling read.

Ivy was a fun and exciting protagonist, and a great middle school character. Ivy learns more about her reccurring dreams and how it is connected with her past and Croswald. She does so along with the help of her friends Rebecca and Fyn who are such adorable secondary characters.

The world building is amazing (oops, did I say that already) and gives much potential for the rest of the series!

Definitely recommend to middle-school readers or anyone who loved Harry Potter.

4.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book, even if it did take me a while to fully get into it. I really enjoyed learning about the world, it’s magic system and characters! I always love magical school settings, and the Halls of Ivy did not disappoint! I am excited to read the next book and continue the story!

I found this to be a great MG read. Although, I don't really read MG much, this one was able to pull me in with its adorable characters and magic school trope. The writing was sublime and the setting really stood out from all the other books in this magical school genre. I enjoyed the concept of scrivenists and the mystery that was woven into the plot. I also really liked the fact that it placed emphasis on friendships, which I believe are an important part of life for kids and adults. Would recommend this book of you are looking for great reads for your kids, or for your self.

I have received a e-book of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
(This review is up on goodreads)
Actual Rating: 3.5

-synopsis-
Magic + Adventure + Fantasy + thrill
I really enjoyed this book it brung back the nostalgia for me of childhood. This was a great in take on magic and a magical universe. If you brought this book to me a couple years ago I would definitely have adored it more. This was a fun quick easy read for me.
-setting-
Croswald was a fantastic magical world filled with magic (of course) , slurry flowers, and mystery. One of my initial thoughts while reading this was “this reminds me of harry potter” The world is quite similar in a good way.

-Writing-
This story, like I said was a fun light read. The magic system of Croswald was very original and interesting. This was pretty slow paced for me during the first couple of chapters. But once Ivy arrived at school the book just grabbed my attention immediately!

-characters-
The characters had there own personalities and I loved them dearly. Although at times I kept forgetting Ivy was 16 because she just seemed so much younger in the book. I adore how relatable Ivy was and we also had similar interests which was cool. I loved Fyn, Rebecca, the selector and all the other characters. I wish there were more background information on them though.

-conclusion-
This book was well paced, magical, and overall fun. I would definitely recommend this if you love harry potter. I would also say this is a great book to get into reading it represents fantasy well.

What a magical story and so so refreshing to read! I've always been a huge fan of the magical/fantasy genre but lately I haven't been captivated by any of the titles that are out there until this one.

Without giving too much away, make sure you are ready for an awesome adventure with this book. I know my niece and her little sister will enjoy this book although the main character is 16, people in that age group and below will be able to relate and enjoy this story.

I also loved the characters, each was developed quite well. Ivy is smart, brave, loving and compassionate. definitely need to see more of that in Y.A and Middle Grade Books.

Can;t wait to read the next one! :)

The Crowns of Croswald is the first book in this magic-filled trilogy. It follows Ivy, a sixteen year old girl, that thought her only duty in life would be baking pies for castle parties and sleeping in tight quarters. However, she’s actually been locked away in a mundane world that is separated from the true power that lies in Croswald—and in her.

This was a fun read. I can see the similarities to the Harry Potter series( though I’ve never read them), but these books are not so overwhelming. I definitely recommend this series for middle-grade readers because the books are a sizeable read and can definitely grasp the attention a new or young reader with descriptive settings and magical lingo. I enjoyed the aspect of a girl MC. There was some romance(if I can even call it that lol), but it didn’t take away from the plot—-so that was a plus!
The author did a really cool job of coming up with magical jargon, galangerie (magical scenarios), and the concept of scrivenists and royals.

The pace was somewhat slow in the beginning but I assume it’s because the first half was spent explaining Croswald, Ivy’s background, the Halls of Ivy( boarding school) and pretty much an intro to the series!

I recognize that in fantasy worlds it’s easy to lose sight of what was mentioned earlier, old characters, sometimes even where the plot is going. But I have to say, the preface and other details that were sprinkled along the way tied in neatly with the story...I only felt that the Selector’s rendevous to the Hollow Shaft was not completely explained.

There wasn’t a major cliffhanger—— but the story is definitely NOT over :)

* I was given an eBook copy from the publisher, Untold Stories, in exchange for an honest review.

If you are tired of re-reading the Harry Potter series and are looking for a new perspective on a magical world, this is the book for you!

Ivy Lovely's world changed when her days of being a scaldrony maid became numbered, and her dream of studying to be a screvinist came true. She mysteriously acquires admission in a prestigious school of magic and quickly realizes that for 16 years, the magic inside her had stayed dormant, because of the slurry fields around her castle. As she goes on a self-exploratory adventure, she encounters a mysterious benefactor and a long-forgotten secret too dark to be revealed.

The world-building is distinct and beautifully put together, with detailed descriptions on how things worked, which was exciting. I was particularly interested in finding out about hairy lanterns, where a cage with a hairy creature lit up when prodded.

The world of magic with magical potions, mysterious creatures, the dorm, the ghastly chefs who served yummy but peculiar food is beautifully described. I especially loved the pie incident, maybe because I was particularly hungry while reading it. But the thought of a thousand pies in the room, of varying flavours would be one of my dreams come true.

It must have been terrifying for Ivy to undertake a journey, all alone, from maid to princess, discovering well-kept secrets about her family. But at last, she saves the day, proving herself better than her fellow hoity-toity Princess's.

I loved this book, as it gave me a lot of Harry Potter vibes. I am planning to read the next two books in the series - The Girls with the Whispering Shadow and The Words of the Wandering soon, as I can not wait to find out what happens next.

Ivy Lovely is an orphan, who has spent her life working as a maid in Castle Plum. One day, a situation occurs and she decides to leave the castle behind. She is found by a fantastical person who takes her to The Halls, a school for scrivenists and royals. This story is filled with magic, mystery, and wonderful characters and a setting that you will get lost in. Give this book a try, you won’t be disappointed!!

Ivy Lovely is an orphan, who has spent her life working as a maid in Castle Plum. One day a mishap happens and she decides to leave the castle and slurry fields behind. She is found by a magical person and whisked away to The Halls, a school for scrivenists and royals. Let the magical mayhem and mystery begin! If you are a Harry Potter fan, give this middle grade/YA fantasy a read, you’ll be glad you did!

What an exciting new adventure! A wonderful take on a magic world.

I really enjoyed how descriptive this book is, really sets the scene for the magical world and the histories of the characters.

Very engaging for readers with an active imagination that can take the story further within their minds. All character development and story development leaves plenty of room for progression within the series.

Couldn’t put it down once the main storyline had fully kicked in.

Can’t wait to read the rest ✨

I absolutely soaked this book up. If your a fan of Harry Potter and The Secret of Spellshadow Manor, then you will really love this

Our main character Ivy, has been hidden in a castle in order to keep her safe. When she is cast out of the castle for, well, something that wasn’t her fault, she is finally found and taken to Croswald..

Poor Ivy doesn’t have a clue what’s going on..

I loved Ivy, and all of her friends. It’s a classic story, but it’s so well written, the scene setting is wonderful. It feels like a warm hug, and I really want to read more!!!

My thanks to Netgalley and Stories Untold for the copy

3.5/5

I was given this book by Stories Untold Press with the exchange of an honest review. Thank you for sending me this e-copy.
I had a hard time putting this book down : Croswald is fascinating, and I loved learning more and more about Ivy's life at school, but also about the world she's living in. The world building was really effective and I entered in this magical world without any problem. The whole story was very whimsy and creative, and I found myself very intrigued by the plot and its characters. Plus, I really like the cover and the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter.
It is an action packed and fun book, and I definitely recommend young (and every) readers who love magic and mystery to give it a shot !

This book was gifted to me in order to receive an honest review, thank you Netgalley and Stories Untold LLC.

Did you want a female Harry Potter?
Did you ever imagined Cornish pixies with fur that lit up?
Did you wonder what the School of Good would look like in the Harry Potter universe?

Well you'll know if your read this book. It immediately pulls you into a magical world I've been missing since my first read of Harry Potter. A tale where dragons are pets. A Princess can willingly turn into a mermaid to save the day. You can take a walk in those little bookshelf towns you adore, travel intro the underworld and that's only book one.

I found this story easy to read, fast paced and I was instantly pulled in. I think this book was a journey I'll be hard pressed to find again. The main characters are enjoyable and you still have so much to learn about them.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy your won't regret it! D.E. Night you're a magical genius!

(Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-book in exchange for an honest review)


Holy magic!

This book is packed from the very first page with magic! But let’s pump the breaks for a moment. Before I start my review of the book’s storyline, I want to first take a moment to truly appreciate the cover.

Personally, I love it. There is just something about this cove that I am really drawn too. I did read this book via e-reader, so maybe the colors are more vibrant digitally, which might catch my eye more, but still it’s beautiful. With the use of the bold bright colors and whimsical font, you can’t help but just stare at it. Which, I did, often. Also, I think it leaves a lot to the imagination about what this book is about without having read the synopsis. It most definitely caught my eye, and I immediately was forming possible plots and storyline’s in my head. So, yes, I love the cover. Okay, I’ve said my peace on that, now let’s get to the good stuff.

To put it simply, I loved this book. I was graciously gifted a copy to review, and I can’t tell how you how thankful I am, and relieved that I loved this book so much. I’ll say it, sometimes it can be hard to review books you’ve been gifted when the outcome of that book isn’t what you hoped, but in this case, it was more! So.Much.More!

This book follows the story of an orphaned girl names Ivy, who lives on the fringe of a magical land. Ivy is a curious girl, who secretly longs to be a part of the magical world, and loves absorbing any kind of knowledge that she can. I liked very much that she wanted to educate herself academically (a little magic academics that is), and with certain life skills. I like Ivy’s positive energy right off the bates, despite the struggles of her current situation of being a caretaker. When that world, is suddenly pulled away from under her, Ivy gets what she’s been looking for, magic and adventure.

She’s thrown into a whimsical, magical, and sometimes dangerous world, with all kinds of magical creatures, royals, and evil queens. I enjoyed reading Ivy’s story as she navigates through this unfamiliar territory. I thought her character was well written. She acted very much like a sixteen-year-old girl.

There was more plot twist than I was expecting. Which is great, no one wants to read a predictable book. I thought the pace of the book was pretty good too. There were only a few parts where I felt like it as dragging on a bit. I liked the world building. I thought it was very detailed, creative and original. Yes, lots of people are comparing this to Harry Potter, and we all know Harry Potter is one of the greatest magical series out there, however, this book should be taken into consideration as well. Yes, there are some similarities but to me they were very minor. This is a different story which different characters and emotions that stand on their own.

I will say that I think it’s more for a younger reader. There were a few parts where I thought, “well that’s just childish.” But where talking about teenagers here, (I am not a teenager, good times though) so for me, I couldn’t connect all that well in that sense, but I did truly enjoy reading it. It was a fun, easy and adventurous book. If you’re looking for something new I would recommend giving this a try.

⭐𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬!⭐
.
Book title: The Crowns of croswald
Author: @author.denight
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5

First of all thanks alot to the author and @netgalley for providing me with a review copy. Idk how to begin with the review but for all those who have been asking how was the book? Well if you are a Potter head you will surely love the book. I swear you will because this book is highly inspired by Harry Potter and is kind of a treat for potter heads. I had read the synopsis on good reads and that already told me that the book was written with inspiration taken from Harry Potter and believe me I was so much able to resonate events and stuff to HP and I knew the inspiration to create this particular event or a particular stuff was from Harry Potter. People on goodreads and on other websites have given this book 3 or 3.4 stars out of 5 and I can't see the reason why. If it was the very first work of the author it was excellent in my opinion and I loved it so much. The character of Ivy was much inspired by our very own Harry and the castle of halls of Ivy (which is a school btw) was also inspired by our very own home, that is hogwarts. I have an issue with fantasy genre that the book if fails to capture my attention within a few pages, is DNFed by me for a long time, but believe me this book didn't disppoint me at all. I absolutely loved the way, the author tried to create everything resonating with hp and this made my inner Potter head self smile. I was able to recognize a particular thing or event that the author recreated with her own imagination taking the inspiration from HP and I swear I loved it. I even made notes on the text their which reminded that this event or stuff was inspired by hp and how. I can't wiat to read the second part of the book.


Here's the link to my review posted on my bookstgram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBQ6drgAwbd/?igshid=1jltn4wc8x59z

The first thing I thought of that this book had strong Harry Potter vibes, which is okay because I do enjoy Harry Potter. The nice thing is that it is still its own story and though some of the elements are similar it does not read like a retelling of Harry Potter, which I will admit I was a little afraid was going to happen when I started to read the book.

If you have not yet read this book here is a quick synopsis of it from my perspective from reading:

Ivy Lovely has been living life as an orphan who is treated horribly by the chef that she works for. One day after a mishap with a scaldron Ivy leaves with the few belongings that she has (and the scaldron that caused the whole mess) and sets out to run away to anywhere but where she was. She is immediately found by a magical being that is looking for her and whisked away to The Halls, a school for scrivenists and royals. Here Ivy must learn the secrets that have been kept from her, or die trying to.

The pacing of the book is very quick, and while it took me awhile to get past the first few pages, I flew through the book in 24 hours once I really sat down and just made myself start reading. I like Ivy as a character but it is kind of hard to build a relationship with her because of how quickly things happen in the book. I am sure that as the series continues I would be able to build that relationship with her that I enjoy building with the main characters of a story. A lot of the fantasy books I read are a bit slower paced at the beginning of the book so that those relationships are built by the time the book really picks up.

Overall this book was a nice read and while it is an easy read anyone could enjoy it if they enjoy magic and fantasy worlds. It was not my favorite book of 2020, but it definitely made my list of series that I want to continue to see how the story develops.

Enter a world where magic exists. Some are born with magic and some obtain it through their crowns. Those born with it have the important job of being a scrivenist. The ones with crowns are royal. Being a scrivenist is a highly honored profession where you use your magic to record events as well as help the royals, Together, the royals and sqwinches (those studying to be a scrivenist) attend a magical school.
Ivy has spent all her life in the slurry fields as a maid, never to see the light of day. It is on her sixteenth birthday that she is kicked out. While searching for a place to exist, she discovers she has magic. Being in those fields suppressed her magic all those years. Now she is to attend the school and learn to be a scrivenist. As she gathers her materials for school, weird things begin to happen. Weird things continue to happen around her all year. She sets to find out why.
Opinion
Are you bookish? Do you love enchanting stories that flow so smoothly you get caught up? If so, you will absolutely love this book. D.E. Night tells a tale so beautifully that you cannot help but be caught up in the story.
I think at some point in their childhood, most people have dreamed of discovering that they are magical, or royal. This book speaks to that inner child in all of us that had those dreams. Ivy lived the poor, downtrodden life as a maid, much like Cinderella. When she discovers that she in fact is magical, all that changes. Add in the fact that there is a wicked queen and boom! You are transported back to the fairy tales of your youth.
For most of the journey, Ivy is on her own with the help of someone who no one else knows. As we get closer to the climax of the story, she is helped along by a friend and her roommate. Ultimately, it is up to Ivy to save the day. My inner child is bouncing with excitement over this story. It takes children to a land where they themselves become Ivy and get to discover the joys of magic and fight to figure out what is going on.
I truly cannot day enough about this story. I truly loved it and have talked to many people to get them to read it.

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night is the first in new a middle-grade fantasy series. It’s full of whimsy, adventure, and most of all, MAGIC.

This book follows Ivy Lovely, an orphan living in the borderland of the magical world. Destined for a life of working in the castle’s kitchen, Ivy has dreamed of change to pursue her education. But, it isn’t until she is mysteriously invited to study to become a Scrivenist (a magical storyteller/recorder), that she thought that her dreams would come true. From the first moments in Croswald, things become weird. Ivy can feel that everything is wrong. Secrets start to come to the surface. Only Ivy can find the truth… and they might just change her life.

There were a lot of elements of this story that I loved. The setting was interesting. The characters were a lot of fun. The plot was adventurous and quite enjoyable. I kinda went into this book expecting what the outcome was, but I was pleasantly surprised with the twists and turn along the way.

I think that the setting was my favorite part of the story. The Halls of Ivy is a castle-like magic school, where royals and scrivenists study alongside each other. There were so many little details that just made this location so whimsical, between the full tea bar in each dorm room (YES. YOU HEARD ME!) or the performing jester in the dining hall. Also, I can promise you that this book will make you very hungry. There is a lot of yummy food in Croswald!

Ivy as a character was an interesting one for me because at the beginning I wasn’t super into her as a character. She seemed a pretty average, but as the story went on, she grew on me. That being said, I think that my favorite characters where actually Fyn and Rebecca. Though they were both side characters, these two were just too much. I just loved the friendship aspect of this book. And without them, you know Ivy would not be where she is by the end. Also, Ivy has a little dragon at school with her and he is the cutest.

The downside of this book for me was some of the writing. I got passed it, but there were points, especially in the beginning that felt a little choppy. Maybe with a tad bit more editing, this could have been avoided. As the book went on, I noticed this less and less. Just be wary that the writing might be a little confusing sometimes.

(ALSO, I’ve heard a lot of people call this similar to Harry Potter, but as I never read those, I’m not the best to compare the two.)

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. I had a lot of fun with this read and can’t wait to jump into the squeal (which I have already purchased). I think that if I was in the target audience, I would have adored this story! I highly recommend this book to any middle-grade readers!

I enjoyed reading this book. The characters were authentic and very unique. The story also is very unique itself. Even though that a lot of books with magic schhol settings are out the story goes her own way. The descriptions of the world are very well described and amazing. I would definitely recommend reading it.

While the cover depicts a feature of the story, it does not convey the young adult nature of the book. Based on the cover, I would have thought this a middle grade novel, but when the story starts our protagonist Ivy is turning sixteen. Furthermore, the boy she may or may not have a crush on is 18, since he’s in his third year of study when Ivy begins her first.
That’s not to say those who are younger can’t read it, as there is not much violence, no gore, and no language or sexual undertones, but I think having a different cover would engage a wider audience. If you’re a fan of magic, boarding schools, and adventure, then you will enjoy this book!

Ivy is accepted to the Halls of Ivy, despite not realizing she had any magical ability. She gets into lots of trouble, but also makes some great friends. I wasn’t sure whether I could trust Fyn for a large part of the book, and the Selector is definitely suspicious, but I did see the reveal of Ivy’s identity coming from the beginning, although not the specific details.

The magic system is entirely unique, and I wish we had learned more about it. There are two groups of magic users, royals who get a specific power from the gems in their crowns, and scrivenists who have magic in their blood and use quills (not wands) as the conduit. The scrivenists’ magic doesn’t seem to be as easily described as the royals’, and so I’m still a bit confused as to how and what the scrivenists can do besides write and sketch and brew potions, but I’m hoping there will be more explanation in the next books.

It takes a little bit to get acclimated to the world, and I think that’s why the first few chapters are slower-paced, but it definitely picks up. Sometimes it actually seems too fast later on with all the different descriptions and things happening. I wish it didn’t end at the moment it did!

Thanks to the publisher and author for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
The whole story was very whimsy and imaginative, perfect for young middle grade readers. It was so creative. I loved learning about the school, the creatures, and just the world of Croswald in general. The world building was fantastic.

First of all, I would like to comment on how beautiful the cover is! One look and you can already tell it will be a magical story. And indeed it is. This is the first ever book D.E. Night published and I must say it is incredible! If you're into magical fantasy, then I recommend this book for you.

The story follows our main character, Ivy, a Scaldrony Maid who was suddenly enrolled in a school of magic. This is where the Royals and Scrivenist study and enhance their magic. The Royals are those who wore a crown with a stone where their magic comes from while the Scrivenist are the transcriber and yes, they also have magic in them. Ivy's life changes inside the Halls of Ivy, she discovers more about herself in there. And for some unknown reason, she's being pulled to this place. Catch her adventures in the Crowns of Croswald.

I was skeptical of certain characters such as the Selector and Fyn because they are both mysterious. Just when I thought I knew something, another event changes it. What I learned in reading books (and in life) is that looks can really be deceiving.

Another thing I like about the book is reading about the creatures of the book. So far my personal favorite are the Hairies, they are like pixies - tiny creatures who fly, but they light and burn bright like the lamps. This fantasy book is also mysterious; there so many unanswered questions and the real adventure is just beginning.

All in all, I truly enjoyed reading the whole book! It was surely magical and wonderful! It makes me want to read more!! Thank you for introducing this to me.

Book Review:

Thank you to Netgalley and D.E. Nights representative Daniela for reaching out to me for an honest review of “The Crowns of Croswald” by D.E. Night

When I first began reading this book I wasn’t sure this would be a book I would enjoy but to my surprise I found this book to be a fantasy that is beyond magical. The magic that you will encounter will most definitely surprise you at every turn. Think Harry Potter, Cinderella, Snow White and Fantastic Beasts and you have “ The Crowns of Croswald” all in one book.

Our first encounter is with Derwin Edward Night but it is for you my dear readers to find out his true part in this grand adventure and you most definitely will. From this point this novel focuses on Ivy Lovely, a poor scaldrony maid at Castle Plum who struggles and works day and night from childhood till we meet her at the age of 16. She is sweet, kind and sketches wondrous pictures whenever she has free time and has but one friend named Rimbrick. Rimbrick tells her of adventures and of magical places.

Ivy’s kindness leads to her demise at Castle Plum when she takes a sickly little scaldrone and runs off with him to save his life. He would come to be called Humboldt. Then comes a strange letter she finds from Rimbrick and a leather pouch filled with coins and 3 books written by Derwin Edward Night.

Before you know it we are at Hills Of Ivy and Ms. Lovely is taking classes on various forms of magic and learning of mystical creatures and places. Ivy herself is not sure how she ended up here but it’s worth every second for you the reader to find out.

Verdict:

I can say I absolutely enjoyed every moment of this book. I could not put this book down in the past 2 days. Ms. Night has created a beautiful, sometimes scary and overall magical book that will leave you wanting for more!! I give this book a 5/5. Looking forward to reading Book 2z

3.5/5 Stars!

I’ll start out by saying thank you to the publisher (Stories Untold) for sending me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

When I started this book I wasn’t sure about it bc of the comparisons I’d seen in other reviews and just my own observations in the similarities to Harry Potter. I will say that while they are relatively similar in some plot points Crowns of Croswald is a completely different experience.

I really enjoyed reading this book and once I got to the climax I almost couldn’t put it down. The ending did get a little confusing for me with some of the details but I was able to grasp it and figure it out!

An outstanding middle grade book for a young person to read! I am definitely looking forward to continuing with the series!

16-year-old Ivy Lovely has just found out that she has magic! And she gets sent to this amazing school that she's only ever heard about - the Halls of Ivy - to become a scrivenist.⁣
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First, this book has such a Harry Potter-esque feel to it. I mean, a girl who has had this pretty crappy life suddenly finds out she's "special" and gets whisked off to a magic school. Very HP. But that's not to say that it's a copy of HP.⁣
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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗱 definitely stands on its own two feet. D.E. Night did a fantastic job of world-building and giving everything its own little place in the story. I also loved how one of the first characters you meet (and the one that keeps popping up quite a bit throughout the story) is Derwin Edgar Night ... D.E. Night. That was just such a fun addition for me 😆⁣
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So many twists and turns! I had sticky notes throughout the book, full of questions and guesses about what was really going on. Characters appeared here and there, always leaving me guessing at what was really happening. The biggest question on my mind as I read was: Who is Ivy Lovely? I mean, really. Who is she?

Even though this is a middle-grade/YA book, I would say it's definitely suited for adults, as well. I found myself sucked in from the beginning and it didn't feel like a super-easy read. It felt like a book that has substance. I suppose, seems Ivy is 16, this is more of a YA than a middle-grade ... either way, it's a fantastic book!⁣

I was kindly asked by @storiesuntoldpress if I would review @author.denight debut book so of course I said yes. The Crowns of Croswald is about 16yo Ivy Lovely, who is a scurry girl. She is forced out of Castle Plum and is taken to The Halls of Ivy where she learns the works of scrivenists. While at Halls of Ivy strange things happen to only Ivy Lovely and through her first year at school, she learns of a dark secret, a curse and who she really is.
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When I first dived into this book I was a little unsure, as I saw many reviews, saying it was very much like Harry Potter and not much originality. However I have to disagree. Now yes there is a lot of similarities of Harry Potter, but I felt like Night took that inspo and made it into her own. I loved the prologue of The Scrivenist Derwin Edgar Night, it explained in some ways the plot of the book and what a scrivenist is. I enjoyed the world playing of the story you are dived into the beautiful Croswald land and the amazing castle the Halls of Ivy. There was so much descriptive language, but for me it was not too much or off putting. It made you dive into that world and imagine that you are there. I felt like I was Ivy herself and seeing through her eyes.
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I absolutely adored the character builiding. You have the beautiful protagonist Ivy Lovely, who has had a poor and awful life and her only friends are a Dwarf and a Scaldron Humbdolt. She is dived into a world unknown to her but I loved her integrity to get onto it all. I really liked how stubborn she was and how she wouldn't give up even when disastrous things get following her. I loved that she made friends with Rebecca a Royal who would rather be a Scrivinest and Fyn a Scrivenist who seemed to be drawn to Ivy. I enjoyed how both their relationships blossomed. Then there is Derwin Edgar Night, who is constantly in Ivy's dreams but turns out to be very much real and very important to Ivy.
I loved how Night kept Derwins character throughout the book, even though he had no written part till the end 2 chapters, he was still in throughout the book, still a major play in the book.
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To the end chapters, I absolutely loved how it all played out, with the Dark Queen forcing Ivy out to her, to the massive climax and fight. I loved how everthing was all folded into place and you start finally getting the answers on why Ivy keeps being drawn to these strange occurrings. I appreciated Nights way of answering all the questions that were put through the book. I loved how Ivy finally realised who she is and who Derwin is to her. I absolutely loved the cliffhanger at then end. I knew there was 2 more books to this series and I've added them on my kindle as I need to know how Ivy manages with her new found status and magic.
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Overall I loved this book and for a debut it was exceptional. I hope the next 2 books have a bit more action this time as that was the only thing lacking in this book. A huge thank you on letting me read this book. I loved it and can't wait to see next happens.

This book is perfect if you love Harry Potter or you like mysteries in the plot and lost princess with a hidden past.
This story is based on a female character named Ivy who initially is living in misery but suddenly she is thrust out into the real world full of magic stuff and exciting things which mainly begin to happen when she starts attending the magic school.  She also destined to something great that she would never ever have imagined when she was living humbly.
This book completely absorbed me. As I moved through the story, it really managed to keep my eyes glued to each page.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect much from this book, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it so readable and enjoyable!

Ivy Lovely is a Cinderella-like character, who has lived her life so far as a scaldrony maid (a kind of scullery maid who tends to kitchen dragons) in the home of a Royal (magical) family, dreaming of becoming a Scrivenist (a kind of biographer to the Royal families? I’m still not 100% clear on what they do). Little did she know she actually has magical blood and soon finds herself at the magical Halls of Ivy school, where she will study her craft, get into trouble and try to solve the mystery of who she really is.

This book will inevitably be compared to Harry Potter; the influences cannot be denied (in fact I kept picturing Hogwarts as I read) but I defy any author of children’s fantasy not to be influenced by HP. It’s part of this book’s appeal! But it must be said that Night made a solid effort to make the world of Croswald her own.

Night used language well and very descriptively to bring Croswald to life, and I think this series is going to appeal to young, imaginative readers. However, I did find I was getting confused about things a little (as I said above, I’m still not sure what exactly a Scrivenist is, and are they friends with Royals or is there some class issue there? Why do they all study together?) so were I the target reading age for this book I may have got even more lost on a few things. As with any fantasy world, there are many things to learn and take in as you read, which I remember being overwhelming as a child!

Minor criticism:

Ivy is 16; this seems old for the behaviour of the character and the target age of the readers. I know the readers want to look up to someone older but 16 seems to be creating an age gap.

The story has a strong plot, but I thought we might get to experience more of Ivy’s lessons and time at school – those Hours of Discovery sounded really interesting! I would have liked to have got to know Ivy’s friends better too, most were just names.

In short, this was an unexpected hit for me. If you or your children love Harry Potter or magical fantasy in general, you’ll get some enjoyment out of this series!

Thank you Daniela @StoriesUntoldPress for getting in touch and #NetGalley for this ARC of #TheCrownsofCroswald

Ivy Lovely is just another scaldrony maid, unknown to all except the unkind Helga and her one beloved friend, the dwarf Rimbrick.

But all her anonymity is about to be swept away.

A world of Scrivenists and Royals awaits, of magical training, and mysteries untold. But dangerous enemies are lurking, and it remains to be seen whether Ivy Lovely, with the help of a few enduring friends, is up to the task of facing them.

D.E. Night has successfully woven an enchanting tale full of magical wonders and excitement. The world-building is rich and the descriptions of Croswald and its residents so vivid that readers will feel as if they've been swept into a glenagerie bottle, a world of pure and vivid imagination, right along with Ivy and her friends.

The world of Croswald is unlike any other, and there is no doubt that all who pick up this book will find themselves better off for having visited it.

This book was incredible! Right from the prologue, I knew I was going to enjoy this book. It included so many things I love to see in middle grade books. The main character, Ivy, was a sweet, courageous, and relatable character. Ivy was 16 years old, I believe, and I appreciated that she really seemed that age throughout the book. The side characters were very interesting as well (though I do wish some of them had been explored more; hopefully I'll get to see that in the next couple books).

The magic system was another aspect of this book that really caught my interest. It was a soft magic system where scrivenists use quills to do their magic, and royals have crowns that give them magic. I thought it was very unique and fun, but not too complex either. I do wish that we had learned more about the magic in this book, but I have a feeling that will happen in the next books.

Lastly, I really loved how fun this world was. There was enough foreshadowing and mystery to keep the plot going and make it interesting, but there was lots of silliness as well! The world of Croswald was very fun and unique, and I hope to keep seeing that throughout the series.

I only had a few qualms with the book, some of which were mentioned earlier. I wish we got more of some of the side characters and the magic system, but again, it's not a big deal, since I'm hoping for more of those in the next books. The only other thing about this book that I didn't love was the climax. Now, don't think that means the climax was bad, because I actually really enjoyed it. Some parts of it just seemed a little too convenient and/or cliche for my taste. But overall, I really enjoyed this book, and can't wait to continue with the rest of the series!

At first, I had no idea what to expect from the story and everything was still a bit unclear. Some used were unfamiliar to me (not my native language), but fortunately I got used to that quickly. It's so much more imaginative than most fantasies these days, on a completely different level of fantasy. The story is lighter and more colorful for a reason or another. It reminds me very much of Harry Potter, but in an original way. It doesn't feel like a copy, it really has its own style. It also reminds me of A Winter's Promise, by the amount of fantasy and crazy events, but also a bit of the way it is written. After the prologue and the first two chapters, the story starts to catch on and reads away very nicely.

The Characters
Ivy is so much fun! In the beginning, she really has to crawl out of her shell: everything is new to her, because all of a sudden she can become a Scrivenist, when she was actually a maid who was expelled from the castle. Soon there appears to be more behind Ivy. It's also nice that Ivy doesn't immediately excel in everything, but is just normal, even a bit of a grey mouse, but not in an irritating way. Miraculous things happen around Ivy that cannot be explained. This really arouses curiosity: what is her history, where does she come from, what are her powers?

Rebecca is introduced further on and is also such a nice character, a cozy and cheerful girl! It's nice that Ivy makes a good friend who is not inferior to the main character. She also is a very sweet character, but stands up for herself and it's nice how she supports Ivy at all times. Rebecca also has a special power that will come in handy later on!

Another character is Fyn, a third-class boy who shows up everywhere Ivy goes. The further the story goes, the better friends they become. He could have had a little more depth in my opinion, but who knows that might come in part 2!

Finally, there are the teachers who are written in nicely and further on in the story, I won't reveal anything yet, some mysterious characters pop up too. And there's a very annoying child in the book, haha, but of course that's part of it!

The Vibes
I looove the vibe of this book, the castle, how everything is written. It is so vivid and imaginative - you really invisionise everything and that works so well because the focus of a Scrivenist is also on sketching, memorising everything, art and magic. You really feel that throughout the whole book. Oh and the drawings at the beginning of each chapter are such a nice addition! I am really happy with this story. Everything is super magical and you imagine yourself in the world of magic potions, sumptuous decorations, beautiful rooms and piles of books. Who wouldn't want that?

The Story
The story is very nicely written. You get to know a little bit more everytime as Ivy discovers more about her past. I didn't think it was really a predictable book, it was actually full of surprises! You know that Ivy is probably special, that there is more going on, but I think the way this is all put together is very well done. I really enjoyed this story and I'm really looking forward to reading the next parts!

Conclusion
I really loved the book overal! It has so much fantasy in it, it was really a joy to my mind!

As a middle and high school teacher working with English and Special Education, I LOVE reading and recommending books to reluctant readers.
Crowns of Croswald is an interesting story that takes place in a magical world. It took a little while to get into the world enough to understand the different types of magic, creatures, and societal structure that lives within the Croswald world. This can be a barrier to entry for some reluctant readers, but kids that like fantasy will likely get pulled in easily.
Once in the world the main character, Ivy, is likeable and relateable, and the story has twists and turns that will keep kids turning the pages.
I love finding a new series for kids (the more books to read, the merrier!), so I'm excited to read the rest of the series.

Thank-you Stories Untold for gifting this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this YA fantasy by D.E. Night. The world she creates is charming and imaginative, I’d love to see it made into a movie someday. As others have mentioned, there are some strong Harry Potter vibes, but the story is unique enough to stand on its own.
I found the writing itself a little lacking. Parts of it were confusing and I wasn’t drawn into that deep point of view that makes me feel like I’m right there with the character, but the story was fascinating and I have high hopes for book two.

I was sent a digital copy of this book for an honest review, but I will do my best to not include spoilers.

I really liked this book. It is obviously heavily influenced by Harry Potter, but I like how the author entangled the story line to make it her own. It has just enough to get you intrigued.

I enjoyed Ivy's character, though I will say that some of the story line was kind of predictable, but not TOO predictable to ruin the story. I still wanted to keep reading to find out the end. She was likable, relatable, and even though I am not used to reading middle grade, it was easy to remember she was young without it being distracting.

Rebecca was also a likable, yet deceiving character. When you first meet her, you think one way, but are proven wrong and realize how much her character means to the story.

I enjoyed Fyn as well, though I am very suspicious of his character. Either enough was written into his development or there is more to his side of the story.

A few things that prevented me from rating five stars were that the ending was very convoluted and rushed. While my gut told me it was probably going to end the way it did, it felt a little heavy in the details and seemed unbelievable. Yes, I know it is fiction, but it was still hard to encompass. It also felt rushed, with a lot of information, and part of the ending seemed rather lackluster. I think more could've been written to make that part interesting. I actually said out loud "that's it?" Maybe there is more to why that was written that way in the next book, but I am unsure.

Overall though, I really liked the story and would be interested in reading the next one. It was written with such detail, but yet not too much to be overwhelming, and the writer has a great tone to set the mood throughout the entire story!

Thank you to the author for the ARC provided by Netgalley.

I love a lost princess trope with a lot of fun magic, magical creatures, and lovable characters. I think that if you’re a fan of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and are looking for a magical school and adventure this book is 100% for you and will be your next favorite series to dive into.

Ivy and Fyn are fun. Ivy herself is sweet and funny and I felt to be well rounded as a character, except that she seems much younger than sixteen. Rebecca is actually a really fun and sweet character. As for the rest of the characters they felt dynamic at times and other times they didn’t feel completely fleshed out. Despite this aspect, I really enjoyed being in the story alongside these characters.

I love love loved diving into a magical school setting full of adventure personally, it’s something that is warm and nostalgic for me and I think that the author did a great job bringing to life the magic and whimsy and wonder of it all. Especially as Ivy is experiencing it. Plus, the world of Croswald and the magical creatures were so fun!

I suppose the one thing that did throw me off was the demographic of this book, while I think anyone can read this and enjoy it, it did read and feel more like a middle grade. Regardless, I think anyone can read and enjoy this thoroughly. Especially for the characters.

When publisher Stories Untold Press reached out to offer me a copy of this book for review, I was initially hesitant. Middle-grade fantasy holds a special place in my reading heart, and I am particular about my choices. But I shouldn’t have worried, this one hit the spot.

Ivy Lovely has spent her childhood working in the castle kitchens, miserable and lonely in her barren existence. Until she is rescued by the prestigious magical school, and transported to a world beyond her wildest dreams. As she slowly settles into classes, and makes friends, strange events occur around her, most beyond any explanation. Can she save her friends, and her spot at the school, when events take a very dark turn?

I loved these characters, and the storyline kept me moving forward, wanting to know what was around the next corner.

My main criticism would be the similarity to the Harry Potter story, and there were moments when I struggled not to make direct comparisons to the HP story trajectory. A few plot moments wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly, but it was never enough to make me set the book aside. I will be finding the rest of the books, because I want to know how Ivy does as she goes forward in school.

I don't think I would've stumbled upon this book if I hadn't' gotten the review copy and I'm so grateful for that, because I loved it!
The world is absolutely amazing! I loved the magic school, the magic system, all the creatures and character. I loved the idea of using quills as wands, and the glanageries is absolutely brilliant!
I loved the story, I was so eager to get to know more about Ivy's past, all of my guesses where completely wrong and didn't even compare to the real story!
It was funny and super cute, and gave me very strong Harry Potter vibes, which I loved!
I absolutely loved it, definitely going to continue with this series!

So the first notable aspect about this book is that the main character is a little older than most middle grade protagonists. At first, I was unsure about this, but then I realized that 11-year-old me was able to read about 17-year-old Harry Potter, so it doesn't really matter at all.

Right from the beginning, this book had an air of mystery to it. Ivy lives in a castle, but works as a scullery maid. One day, she crosses a magical border and she is immediately whisked away to the legendary Halls of Ivy, a school for Royals and Scrivenists. What I loved about this book is that the magic is so whimsical and absurd. There are really no limits to what the magic can do, which makes it really funny sometimes.

Ivy is incredibly inquisitive. She doesn't really adhere to the rules, and is more focused on figuring out who she is. Because surely a simple scullery maid couldn't belong at the Halls of Ivy? However, sometimes I thought she was a little too impulsive. Even though she doesn't care about the consequences for herself, that also means sometimes her friends are dragged into her shenanigans.

My only slight gripe with the story is that it takes while to get to the main plot. Ivy is being threatened by the Dark Queen, but we don't really get a sense of that until about halfway through the book. This doesn't mean that the first half of the book was boring. The first half was really whimsical, but it didn't yet tell a story.

My other point is that the last pages were a little on the predictable side. At one point it wasn't hard to guess what would happen next. I did like the ending, though. There are three books in this series, and the last pages of The Crowns of Croswald set the scene nicely for the next book, The Girl With the Whispering Shadow.

Final thoughts: The Crowns of Croswald is an incredibly whimsical story about a girl just trying to figure out who she is. I think it would be perfect for middle graders that show an active interest in reading, and enjoyed books like Harry Potter and Keeper of the Lost Cities.

I really enjoyed this magical story. I thought it was going to be predictable, but it kept me guessing and invested. Even though the protagonist is 16, the book reads young, so great for a Middle Grade novel.
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The author is really clever, proven by how she uses her initials as an important part of the story and how she tied up everything together. I loved the magic system and how vivid the imagery was in my head, as well as how magical creatures were incorporated seamlessly. There was no need to stop and explain how things worked, every bit of magic made sense and felt real. The world building was impressive, with dragons, hairies (which I believe are the creatures on the cover), dwarves and royals. I especially loved scrivenist magic and glanageries. I thought the pacing was handled well at the beginning, but rushed a little through the middle of the book. When I had 50 pages left, there were so many questions still unanswered, yet the ending was satisfying.
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My favorite character was Fyn because, even though we don't get much of his backstory on this first book, he stands out as sweet and I hope to read more of him in the next books. I would love to see Ivy, Rebecca and Fyn grow and become adults. I can't imagine where the story is headed, but I'm excited nonetheless.

The Crowns of Croswald is for anyone, young or old who loves magic, fairytales and dreamt once of wearing a crown.

Royalty with magic in their crowns, ’Scriveners’ with the talent and knowledge to create magic bring this book to life. There's a missing Royal family, a forgotten crown with no one there to collect, a dwarf who has stories filled with mystery and a Dark Queen you can't help but want to boo at.

D.E. Night has created a world filled with magic worthy of any fairy-tale and a mystery to keep you reading to know more. The good characters are both loveable and wonderfully well written, I could easily imagine reading this to my children when they were younger and them then booing at the baddies that are as much a part of a good story about magic as the heroes.

I loved this book so much and the sequel is sitting on my lap ready to go as I want to know what happens to Ivy Lovely and her friends and foes, now that school has come to an end of The Crowns of Croswald.

It's a magical tale in every sense and I truly believe that the series will be one to become beloved by many.

A story of a scaldrony maid becoming a magical being. Magic, magical school, royals and scrivenists. A darks queen. That is what a good fantasy novel is made of.

The Crowns of Croswald is interesting, full of action, mystery and magic. It’s full of interesting characters and creatures. It has a deep and complex story plot and I loved reading it and following Ivy on her journey.
I’ve in my opinion is a very interesting character and it was very easy for me to keep up with her and wanting to know how her story will proceed. The supporting characters are all so very different and they fit the story well.
The mysteries that the book is full of, keep the story going and your mind hooked until the end and beyond. I like how there are so many things and characters you have to wait to get to know and how that makes the story a page-turner as you simply have to keep on reading to get to the bottom of all the mysteries.

The only negative thing about the book is that sometimes things get a bit confusing. Things are not always very well described and especially in the beginning it was a bit hard for me to understand all the different bits of the story.

All in all, this is a great book and a great series and I cannot wait to keep on following Ivy on her journey.

* ARC received from the publisher via Netgalley

The first time I learned about the Crowns of Croswald, the book cover already caught my attention. It was intriguing enough especially the title and the cover art (a fairy inside a lamp which eventually I learned was called a hairie). When I learned that it was a book compared to Harry Potter, my interest was heightened. Why? Because I love magic and a story about magic makes me happy and relaxed. Indeed, Crown of Croswald is a book about magic and students who use magic and it will bring one to a very different but wonderful world. But Crown of Croswald although with similarities with Harry Potter (and also Midnight with Charlie Bone) is a very different world. Students of the book are either royals who have special stones and gene of magic or are especial students with drop of magic in their blood and are aspiring scrivenists. Croswald is entirely different that one may need time to actually grasp, understand and even imagine the whole new world and its rules and systems.

The book is about an orphan named Ivy Lovely. She is a scauldron maid who grew up in the slurry fields but with unexpected turn of events was accepted in the Halls of Ivy as an aspiring scrivenist. When she arrived in the Halls of Ivy, that's when her adventures started. Many interesting events occured and Ivy started to learn that she has some abilities she never knew she had. And with these new discoveries she uncover, people she encountered, the more curious she became and even broke rules to unravel them. She then learned about the dangers she is in and the responsilbilities she will eventually carry.

The Crowns of Croswald, indeed, is a coming of age book covered by and set in the world of magic. It is full of knowing once self, of the longing of having a home (a sense of belongingness) and of living life as life unfolds. It may be set in a magical realm but the sense of youth was very evident in the book. Indeed, D.E. Night was successful in creating a real different, magical but wonderful world. The author successfully created interesting characters and interesting back stories. The author also created good descriptions of every element of the story (such as the mystical creatures, the places, etc.). However, as a reader, I hoped some parts of the plot were more detailed (there were times, I felt that the scenes were jumping from one scene to another) or that emotions of the characters were more felt (such as the case when Rebecca was trapped in the forgotten door, or when Ivy learned that people believed that Winsome was dead). I hoped that in those scenarios, more reaction from Ivy was felt because when I was reading it, I felt that Ivy seemed to have just ignored the incident/information although such incident/information were very important.
I also hope that the mysteries of the story were better connected; while, the connection of the Dark Queen and Ivy was less evident. The element of surprise was lessened at the end because I then knew that Ivy was being chased by the Dark Queen and that somehow the Dark Queen will surely do something to get Ivy.

I also hoped more details were made for the Hollow Shaft. The place was really interesting. Also, more description of the side characters (example: the Selector, Fyn and Rebecca) would have been great.

Although, there are a lot of things that may be improved in the book, D.E. Night really did well in creating and writing the book. It is very magical and very promising that I hope I can see/read how the characters will grow and how further plot twists will be unravelled.

The book was magically wonderful and I suggest young ones (and even those who are young at heart) to read it.

I am giving this book a 4.0 out of 5.0 rating

I recently received a copy this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For the first sixteen years of her life, Ivy has known nothing other than working as a maid in Castle Plum. Until one day she leaves the protections of the castle's enchanted boundary, and makes her way to the Halls of Ivy - a school where students are taught how to control the magic they already possess, or are gifted with magic through their crowns. When the Dark Queen comes to threaten Ivy's life, she must learn her history and the truth that has been kept from her, before the Dark Queen destroys them all.
What I liked
The characters - my favourite character was definitely Ivy, she loves to draw and read which is something that I can relate to.
The story line is mysterious and packed with action. There are many unique magical creatures throughout the story which adds an aspect of wonder to the book.
The Crowns of Croswald is filled with magic and mystery that is centered around the Dark Queen and the school. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to fans of the Harry Potter series.

5 stars
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I did really enjoy this book. It read like a Harry Potter type book which is expected. I thought Ivy was a very well developed character. All of the side/minor characters were also very likable. I thought the world was cool though I wish it fleshed out a little more. This was a solid middle grade novel.

A magical school with a mysterious adventure? Sign me up!

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night brought me Harry Potter feels with a touch of Once Upon A Time. Magic, queens and curses, I loved every bit of it! Each chapter was filled with new magic and magical beings, creating a fantasy world I would love to be a Scrivenist in.

This book was filled with a new world I was so excited to read about. It did take me a couple of chapters to figure out the new magical language and terms, but once I understood it, the story truly was magical!

If you love magic, a magical school, dragons and other magical creatures and a good adventure, this is the book for you!

Crowns of Croswald is the first book in the middle grade fantasy series by DE Night. The book follows Ivy Lovely, a scaldron maid in a castle with a love for learning and sketching. On her sixteenth birthday she learns about the magic she possesses and is unexpectedly thrust into a magical and dangerous adventure.

I loved the world of Croswald and the magic system of this book! What was really exciting for me was the premise of the magical boarding school🔮, and a world with different magical beings🐉🦔!! It was so whimsical and fun to read about!

Ivy lovely is also such a great character, she is curious and determined and I liked seeing her character development throughout the book! I also absolutely adored the friendship element in the book.

The pacing of the book however was a little slow in the beginning and there were a few things I didn’t quiet understand, however as the story progressed I couldn’t stop reading!!

Overall I really enjoyed the book and I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

📖 Review: The Crowns of Croswald By D.E Night
(Middle Grade)
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫4.3 stars

An enchanted slurry field forms a boundary (encompassing all things mundane) and seperating Ivy Lovely from the magical world beyond. After 16 years, Ivy finally crosses this border, awakening something magical within her. Ivy is whisked into the halls of ivy, a school where students harness Croswalds magically imbued stones and bloodline. With the dark queen after her, Ivy faces excitement, danger and risky escapades as she explores the halls of ivy and long kept secrets. This tale is a rich embroidery of dark magic, old prophecy, daring escapades, multi faceted characters and a radiantly cosmic magical world.

I am so grateful to have been invited to explore Ivy's enchanting tale filled with adventure, mystery, romance, whit and charm. Reading this magical mystery, a childlike excitement arose within me, which I long thought forgotten and I found the book hard to put down.

If you like the chronicles of Narnia or Harry Potter than this book series is for you! The initial couple chapters in the prologue were confusing but were quickly surpassed, as I became enraptured by D. E Night's intricately ethereal descriptions (as I joined fiercely brave Ivy on her quest for answers), in this fairytale like debut. Watch out though, this book might make you head deep into foody delights!

A pleatherer of magical creatures (scaldrons, hairies, porcupines and more) entice you through a chaotic and wondrous world. I particularly enjoyed the ghosts banquet of 'sumptuous' food, with more than a few spooky goings on and the cloaked brood which sent chills down my spine.This book has become a firm favourite for me and genuinely one of the best books I've read, can't wait to read the second in the series!

Thank you to @danielastoriesuntoldpress @storiesuntoldpress and @author.denight for sending me the book.

Ivy Lovely grew up in Plum Castle, working in the kitchens as a scauldrony maid. She’s responsible for taking care of the scauldrons- the little dragons that provide the heat for cooking. It is neither a glamorous or fulfilling life. An invite to a prestigious magical school saves Ivy from this life and reveals the magic she’s had hidden inside her all this time.

Suddenly, the dreams that Ivy has been having for all her life are starting to mean something. This mystery drives Ivy to find answers that everyone else seems to have forgotten.

“The Crowns of Croswald” introduces a fantastical world of magic. Unique creatures and magical systems will keep the reader engaged. You will feel the sense of wonder and whimsy as you journey alongside the characters in their adventure.

The mystery that drives Ivy is what makes “The Crowns of Croswald” impossible to put down. I read the whole thing in less than 24 hours!

TL;DR:

”The Crowns of Croswald” is a middle grades fantasy novel full of magic and adventure, perfect for Harry Potter lovers.

I really enjoyed that book. I loved the universe but couldn’t help at first to compare it with the Harry Potter universe as it is quite similar: a character learns on their birthday that they are special and are allowed in a special school. They do not follow the rules and only they can save the world.
Fortunately, the similarities stop there and Ivy, the main character, is quite likeable though I think I liked the side characters such as Fyn, Rebecca or Edward even more. The story is well written, creative and the story is very intriguing. I always wanted to read one more chapter. After reading a few chapters, I thought I understood the story and could plan the events that were going to happen but the author found a way to surprise me and add more suspense to the story. I hope the characters will be more developed in the next books as I missed some descriptions about them, about how they felt and what they did during the year for example. I also hope to learn more about scrivenists and royals and how their magic really works. The pacing of the story was sometimes a bit quick but I guess it’s because nothing extreme happened to Ivy and I overall didn’t mind it. I loved the mystery of this book and was quite happy with the ending. Also, I find the cover is really pretty.
If you liked the Harry Potter universe but want to read another series, pick this one, you won’t regret it. If you just love fantasy in general, do no hesitate, it is a great read.

A whimsical and magic book that had me dreaming of studying to become a scrivenisy along with Ivy at the Halls.

A story with a Harry Potter vibe that will satisfy anyone's craving for adventure and magic. The events of a school year filled with mischief danger and a looming threat kept me reading on to find out more about Ivy a maid turned student.

I cannot wait to read the sequel and find out what Corswald has in store for Ivy Lovely and her friends Rebecca and Fyn.

I didn't know much about the plot of this book until after I received it, and I'm not normally a fan of fantasy books but I was pleasantly surprised by this one! I've read a lot of reviews that compared this series to Harry Potter, and although it has the same feeling of a magical world, I found this series very unique and different in comparison. The imagery caught my attention, even though it took me a few chapters to really get into the story.

This book is set in the world of Croswald, and starts off by introducing our main character Ivy who works as a caretaker of scaldrons. With the help of her friend Rimbrick, she's able to leave her old life behind and start a new journey by getting the opportunity to go to a new school and use some of her skills. I really enjoyed the beginning when she is getting her school supplies and heading towards the new adventures that were in store for her. I absolutely loved Ivy, she was such a likeable character from the beginning! I really liked learning about the scrivenists and their magic too.

The author did a really great job of including everything I look for in a book - trials, love interest, friendship, overcoming obstacles and leaving room at the end of the book for more! I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

For those looking for a good book to read, I found this an easy and enjoyable YA read. I would recommend this book to young teenagers who are looking for a good fantasy to capture their imaginations. 4/5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and D. E. Night for the chance to get to read this book!

I received a copy of this book from the author in Netgalley. It was actually hard reading a book using a phone as I don’t have a kindle. At first, I did lost interest as it was very similar to Harry Potter and somewhat Cinderella as Ivy was being a scaldron maid and later on found out that she was a royal. I think the author did drew inspiration from Harry Potter while she wrote this book. There as Cloak Brood as similar to Dementors, the Queen as being Voldemort and Halls of Ivy as Hogwarts. But as I follow Ivy into her adventure I got more intrigued about the story. Instead of Witches there are Royals and Scrivenist.

DE Night is one of the main characters as well in this as the wandering Scrivenist. The plot was well thought of but there are some conversation that tends to be repetitive like when they told the story of what happened to them. Overall, I think the target audience (middle grades) and young adults at heart like me will like this book. I’m looking forward to hear Ivy’s next adventure.

Me and my daughter (5 years old) read this book together as her introduction into fantasy novels. We both thoroughly LOVED every aspect. It is a perfect book for a middle-grade (or even younger!) all the way up to adults! The world building was phenomenal, her details were so vivid that we could picture the story worlds around us! Ivy is such a strong lead and definitely our favorite character!
The character development was so so good! This book was full of magic, adventure and such a worthwhile read. I am excited for DeNights next installment of this series!

It took me a few chapters to get into the world-building of Croswald but once the story got moving and Ivy reached school, I couldn’t get enough! I loved the magical creatures that are included throughout the book and the budding romance between Ivy and Fyn.

Even though there is the danger of the Dark Queen looming over the story, it still was a joyful read and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel soon. I would definitely recommend this one to lovers of middle-grade and YA fantasy!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3470172458?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

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Wow! Going into this book, I wasn't sure how I would do with it. It has been a while since I've read anything middle grade, maybe since Harry Potter. However, I'm so glad that I decided to dive into this one. This story was so well-written, with just the right amount of detail. It also had just the right amount of magic, mystery, and fantasy for me without being overdone. The writing really transports you into the scenes. Very well done, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series!!

The Crowns of Croswald, by D.E. Night, is a riveting fantasy novel following the life of Ivy Lovely, a lowly scullery maid, being bullied by her superiors, whose magic cannot be contained, even in enchanted boundary she is in. Her mundane life is quickly transformed into wonder when she receives her invitation for the Halls of Ivy. From mystical creatures to unusual professors, Ivy learns to fight for her place in the school and deal with her past, which she knows so little about. Will Ivy be able to figure out her past and save The Town?
The book made me feel oddly at home, especially for an imagery town, but that’s undoubtedly down to the writing of the author. Her ability to present a place to the reader that’s so familiar and tangible was extremely pleasant, and I crave her future books. The relatability of Ivy is the main driving force of the novel, and the scattered hints of her past and her important to the whole town creates an air of mystery, leading the reader to want to know more.
The only weakness I found with this book was the similarity at the beginning to the Harry Potter books. This idea of a lowly teenager with no family and no strong bonds discovers their true fate and powers was very Harry Potter like, however, Night managed to direct her story away from this trope and present a much more original idea. It is only that first 40% really that might off-put the reader into thinking they’re just reading another Harry Pottery inspired book.
Despite that, the book is filled with amazing descriptions and detailed imagery that ignites this fire in the reader like no other. As someone who doesn’t read fantasy too often, I was impressed by the author’s talent to make me feel this way about a fantasy book. Not only do her words paint images in your mind but they evoke feelings too – you are there in the classroom with Ivy, casting potions and facing their consequences; you are there dealing with all the trauma she is dealing with. When a book hits a reader like that, you know you have managed to find a good book, or series, in this case (I’m waiting on book two, Ms. Night!)
To add to this, the characters are usually likeable and friendly and thoroughly developed, which is a huge plus in my books. The more developed the character is the more likely I’m going to relate or like them, even if objectively they aren’t ‘good’ characters. This is due to her writing, where her words convey to the reader a lot about the author, and its easy to read between the lines and feel what the characters are feeling. The main protagonists, Ivy, Rebecca, and Fyn have such a genuine friendship and aura that it makes the book all the more enjoyable.
Additionally, I love the storyline that even though was centred around Ivy, also focused on other outside people like the Dark Queen and Derwin. This allowed for a past and present dynamic to take place and was executed perfectly. The historical aspect and past actions of a story often play an important part of book, but sometimes timelines can get muddled up or the reader may not be interested. However, Night managed to create a whole world and timeline that involved history, depth, and complexity, with a rivalry between the Dark Queen and Derwin whilst still having Ivy at the focus. Her talents must be applauded to achieve all this whilst also writing a fantastic fantasy novel for all ages.
Overall, if you’re interested in escaping your own world and entering a magical one, filled with happiness and problems of its own, then this book is for you! For the reader who remembers the feeling of reading Harry Potter for the first time, I recommend this book to you as it clear the author grew up loving that fantasy series. I would also suggest reading it with a child perhaps aged 10 or over as an introduction into their reading journey. If you want to buy this book you can buy it here.

*My copy of The Crowns of Croswald was gifted to me by the publisher (Stories Untold) in exchange for an honest review*

This book was such a charming read that puts you into a magical world that is both familiar and completely new. D. E. Night has crafted a magical world unique to the genre, expanding outside of the typical “witch and wizard school” trope. It took me a few chapters to feel like I knew the world that the story was taking place in, but that didn’t take away from the story that was unfolding. I read faster and faster as the book continued. This book is simultaneously a fantasy book and a mystery book, and the ending leaves you wanting more.

Reading this book made me feel like I was a middle schooler again, tucking away into my room to read fantasy novels and escape to somewhere else. I know that 13 year old Brooke would have LOVED this book, and the nostalgia of that made me love it as an adult too. I recommend this book for any middle reader fantasy lover and any adult who loves escaping into young fantasy.

Thank you to Netgalley, Stories Untold Press and the author DE Night for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a middle-grade fantasy book and as a child I would've loved this book so much. It made me SO nostalgic!
I loved the details the. author went into about the Croswald world and the characters, school and animals. It was fantastic!
I also love how the author, DE Night, named a character 'Derwin Edgar Night", I think this is super iconic.
Everything in the series is wholly fantasy and that quality reminded me of Harry Potter ,which I have heard other book reviewers mention that view too. However, this series is completely unique and magical in its own way.
Anyone with a child should encourage them to read this book! Its amazing, to be honest, even if you don't have a child you should totally read it!

Often I think books need to be shorter, less detail and pointless events however this book I felt should and could have been longer. A lot happen in a short amount of time and it could feel a bit disjointed in places. That saying I throughly enjoyed my ride through Ivy’s adventures at her first year at school.

Gone were the days of being a maid with her little dragons (I now want a dragon that cooks my food in their mouths, thank you in advance), her world is now full of adventure, the forgotten room and a dark queen who seems to have an unusual interest in Ivy.

I understand why every review seems to reference Harry Potter due to the boarding school and magic, but there are differences and a lot more magical elements.

If your a fan of YA and after a nice light read then I would certainly give this book ago!

Roll on book 2!

I received this book from netgalley in return for an honest review

Firstly, I loved the magic in this book. The setting and the atmosphere the author has created is magical and nostalgic. It reminded me a little of Harry Potter. Readers both young and old would enjoy it.

Secondly, I adored the characters. I loved the MC, Ivy. She has some ups and downs, but it made her so relatable.

The writing style was refreshing. I found that I couldn’t put this story down. I read it on one sitting.

I can’t wait to go on the next adventure with Ivy. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

This is a cute middle grade fantasy story. While the idea of a kid finding out she has magical powers and going to a school of magic is far from unique, the magical world from Croswald has quite unique features and I love the idea of scrivenists. And anyone who like me is a bit obsessed with dragons would love to have a scaldron!

Magic and whimsy galore! A pure delight for lovers of middle grade fantasy.

Ivy Lovely lives as a scaldrony maid to the House of Plum. Thrown out of her home after a kitchen fiasco, she finds herself swept up in a magical adventure at the Halls of Ivy, a school for royals with magical crowns and sqwinches with a pinch of magic in their blood. Studying to be a Scrivenist, a dream come true for Ivy, she hopes to finally feel like she belongs somewhere. However, strange things keep happening and trouble follows her around like her own shadow. As Ivy finds herself on a quest to find out who and what’s been purposely forgotten, she discovers the baffling mystery of who Ivy Lovely really is and why she was hidden away for the past sixteen years.

While the story is certainly original, The Crowns of Croswald reminds me of Harry Potter with a sprinkle of Disney. Lots of fanciful, made-up magical words that are super fun to read or say out loud. It’s a plot-driven novel with just enough description to make the reader feel like part of the make-believe world.

I never had trouble imagining the magical setting, but there were a couple of times I had to reread a page or section to clear up any confusion when there was a lot going on or a lot of information to absorb.

Even though the main characters are sixteen, the book still reads as a middle grade. I don’t remember any language or romantic scenes or anything like that. An immodestly dressed woman enters a strange ballroom scene toward the end, but, overall, it’s a clean fantasy read. I LOVED the concept and am looking forward to seeing the characters develop even more in the next book.

I really enjoyed how this book took so many classic tropes that we know and love but turned them on their head and made them fresh and new and original.
I enjoyed how we ended up guessing plot points at similar times to our main character, as appose to her being slower which was a really nice surprise.
It was beautifully written and whimsical too.
I would recommend this for more advanced middle-grade readers or young adult readers because although the content itself is perfectly family-friendly the language used and mystery elements were sometimes overwhelming and slightly confusing.
Rated:3.5 Stars

I enjoyed The Crowns of Crosswald, it's magical and whimsical. I enjoyed the setting very much and magic system is also pretty awesome. I did however feel in some places it was a bit too much like Harry Potter, but if you enjoyed Harry Potter, you'll probably enjoy this book too.
The characters confused me a little, though. The world feels very much like a middle grade world, but the characters felt inconsistent within it. Some moments they act like twelve year olds (which fit the world perfectly) and sometimes they act their age which is around sixteen.
Overall through, I enjoyed it and would continue reading the series because I love the magical elements of the world and would like to see what happens.

First I want to thank the publisher for reaching out to me and sending me the ebook via NetGalley!

This book was a fun read! It reminded me of so many books I read when I was younger. It was such a magical book with so many unique creatures, and whimsical magic in it. I thought a lot of Diana Wynne Jones books while I was reading this with the comedy, and wonderful heroine, and of course the magic!

Ivy was fantastic! So spunky and I love that she never backed down! When she wanted answers, she went for it! She got those answers! Nothing and no one, not even cute boys, could stop her. I admired her from the beginning. She never let her rough life get her down. And then when she was suddenly thrust into this magical world, she sought out answers. And I’m glad she did because putting myself in her shoes, I would have wanted answers too!

This book was such a whirlwind of adventure! I wish there was a bit more character building and maybe a little less world building, or maybe school building. I think there was a little too much focus on the school, rather than the story at times, and sometimes I got a bit confused as to what was happening or why, especially at the end.

The end is a nice segway into the next book which I’m sure will be just as magical 😊

This book is magic and adventure-filled! I received this book on NetGalley for an honest review, and I generally do not read a lot of middle-grade books, but I loved this one.

Night does super well in building a really interesting world. At the beginning, I thought I was going to be a little confused, but the book does a super good job helping you learn this whole new world. The entire time I was getting serious Harry Potter vibes, but I was also pleasantly surprised by how different it is! Croswald has so many different layers to the story!

The idea of royals and scrivenists was fascinating. It gave the book some fun dimension. The two groups have different powers and ways of life, so it was fun to see the contrast!

Night’s writing was also so nice to read. The descriptions really painted such vivid pictures in my mind and transported me right into the story. While reading, I felt like I was there in the Halls of Ivy and running through the slurry fields with Ivy!

Ivy was a great main character! She was written so well, that she felt like an extremely realistic person! She had flaws like fear and embarrassment that kept her very grounded, but she also had you rooting for her! Ivy was super curious and felt like someone I would love to be friends with! The little hint of romance was perfect too! It was just the thing to get me super excited to see where it goes in the next book.

Rebecca, Fyn, and Winsome were just some of the really cool other characters in this book. Each one was so unique with their own motives, backstories, and relationships to Ivy!

Night had excellent pacing, from the start to the end there was plenty of perfectly spaced out adventure. In the beginning, I was a little scared because I did not really see where the story was going, but you quickly get into it, and after that, I never felt like there was a dull moment where I was bored.

I’m not going to spoil, but I will say the twist at the end is perfect and took me by surprise! However, looking back on the book, there was some foreshadowing that hinted that this big reveal was coming.

I gave this book five out of five stars and would definitely recommend, even for people who don’t generally read middle grade! The book was very enjoyable and fun!

This is a creative and interesting book full of magic, secrets, creatures and fun.

I really enjoyed this book. The story kept me guessing with where it was going. The storyline is well paced and very well thought out. Ivy is a wonderful character who is curious, mischievous, and very intelligent.

I really enjoyed Ivy's character development and growth, I think this was well done and well written. Little clues were scattered throughout the book which helped the reader to build up their own ideas.

Thank you Stories Untold, D E Night, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Crowns of Croswald is a young middle grade version of Harry Potter, though I'm sure the author tires of hearing that. Chosen One, Secret Heir, Spoiled Bully, Quirky Friend tropes are all present. We follow the unlikely heroine, Ivy Lovely, as she is found and installed at a magical school then must unravel the mysteries that call to her.

When I put it that way, it almost sounds boring. But it's not! This story caught me by surprise by its ingenuity, imagination, and heart! Though the story is full of tropes, the characters, places, names, events, and twists are wholly original! Every bit of magic and every creature was a delight to my imagination. The magical system and spells are so fun!

The writing is excellent. It was pleasant to read, easy to follow, and the settings were immersive. The fonts in my e-version were beautiful and fitting; I loved the little illustrations and clever chapter title names. The dialogue is lively, charming, and well written. The ending ties up very well with a great cliff hanger. I had guessed some of the answers and plot twists early on but was still surprised by how things turned out and how we got there! Love that!

I definitely recommend this book! Though it's middle grade and I'm an adult, I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Ivy has spent her life working as a maid for Plum Castle. There are plants around this castle which blocks magic. The day Ivy leaves and crosses its boundaries, her magic awakens and she is invited to attend the Hall of Ivy school of magic. Things don’t always go as expected, and Ivy finds herself struggling to fit in and stay out of trouble. Not only that, but there is the mystery of Derwin Edgar Night, a person no one but Ivy says existed, to solve.

This book was a lot of fun to read. I can see both younger and older readers enjoying this one. It was very magical, and the school setting helps give it kind of a Harry Potter vibe.

Thank you Stories Untold Press and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

The Crowns of Crosswald is the first in a young adult fantasy series in which a 16-year-old Ivy Lovely is discovers she has magic and is whisked away from her old life as a castle maid and to a new magic school where she will learn to be a scrivener.

While at first glance this might seem kind of tropey, I enjoyed my read of this novel. The fantasy setting has lots of different magical elements from beginning to end. Some of my favorite scenes take place in Ivy’s classes where she gets to know more about what magic can do. The idea of the how one could control their own little magic world for a short period of time inside of a bottle was so new and fun.

Many of the side characters that Ivy encounters feel fully fleshed out and get to show off different ways that this fantasy world works. Ivy’s roomate Rebecca and her animal based powers was a good example of this. The curses aren’t just something that goes away, even for powerful magic users, and I was interested in seeing more of the dynamic between the people with crown based magic vs scriveners. Based on the ending, I’m sure this is something that will be touched on in subsequent books.

My main issue with this novel is that I wish it was longer. With an extra 50 to 100 pages the author would have been able to extend some of the plot lines out to add more tension and conflict for Ivy.

Overall if you are looking for a fun read that takes place in a magical school, I would definitely recommend this, especially to younger readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Stories Untold Press for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a great middle-grade book. It left me with such a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of some of my childhood favourites, and I know that I would have been obsessed with this when I was younger!

This story follows Ivy, who after being thrown out from everything she knows, crosses the border into the magical world and a whole new life. It starts off a little slow but soon picks up when Ivy settles into her new life & her new school. I love how many different elements to this story there are with magic, mystery, and a bit of romance. Ivy finds some great friends in Rebecca and Fyn and it was fun reading about their adventures and seeing how the story unfolds.

Obviously I am not the target audience for this book as I would definitely say it is a children's novel instead of a YA but it was still very enjoyable, I love the magic system in this story, the world-building was amazing, and I am interested to see where this story goes.

This book was just adorable! The story, the characters, the illustration even down to the font used for each chapters title.

Ivy Lovely has lived for 16 years as a Scaldrony Maid sleeping in a room with no windows and enduring the horrible Helga with only her love of sketching and her friendship with a dwarf called Rimbrick making it bearable. When the Moonsday feast preparations go wrong and Ivy finds herself and her sickly Scaldron Humboldt thrown out of Plum Castle she crosses the slurry border and is transported to Croswald and the Halls of Ivy a school of magic for Royals and scrivenists.

Once there Ivy has a series of adventures, with her friends Rebecca and Fyn, and learns more about herself and the magic within her. Throw in a dark Queen and a fight to save Croswald.

I couldn’t put this book down it gave me Once Upon A Time meets Harry Potter vibes but was unique in it’s own right and beautifully written. It’s imaginative and descriptive and a joy to read. A book for any lover of fantasy and magic whatever age you are.

This is the first book in a series and I am excited to read the rest.

Without reading the book you’re not going to ever find out what a Scaldron, or a scrivenist, or a hairie, or a glanagerie is …. so just read it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Magical school, a girl finding out who she is, adventure, and wonderful creatures and characters? Sign me up!

Ivy Lovely has spent 16 years of her life as a servant in a castle, only for everything to be flipped upside down when she crosses an enchanted boundary and finds out she's magical. Ivy attends the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magic, either given to them by blood, or the power of Croswald's gems. Along the way, Ivy finds herself in a great number of interesting situations and learns more about herself and Croswald than she bargained for.

This book has some really wonderful world building! It's intricate and vibrant and really pulls you into the world right alongside Ivy. Though some have mentioned this book reminding them of Harry Potter, I think Night does a great job differentiating and making this world truly unique and special. The characters are also incredible. Ivy and Rebecca are fun characters that, though they are 16, many middle grade readers would likely find relatable. This is a fast paced read that I think many fans of middle grade fiction would really enjoy!

The only thing keeping this from a five star rating is that I do wish some specifically character related things had been fleshed out a little more. The Dark Queen, Damaris, and the Selector most notably. The fast pace of the book made it a quick and fun read but it also felt at times like things were a little rushed because of it. That being said I'm sure we will find out more about these characters in future books and it will only serve to make the world that's being built that much better!

I would definitely recommend this book to any middle grade fiction readers who love fast paced books filled with adventure, mystery, magic, and imagining what it may be like to attend a magical school!

Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review!

The fans of Harry Potter and Princess stories will love this book. It is not a rip off, in fact it is an altogether different approach to magic. There are dwarves, dragons, magical stones, potions class and rare magical creatures. It is an enchanting story of self discovery, friendship and love.

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely lived the dreary, solitary life of a kitchen maid in a castle. Then one day, as fate would have it, she crosses the slurry fields surrounding the castle and something  goes BOOM. Literally. The magic hidden within her has stirred and awakened. Ivy learns that she has been accepted to a magical school to learn how to be a Scrivenist – a person who uses a magic quill to record and tell stories.
What follows is a tale filled with danger, mystery, and magic. As Ivy navigates the school of magic and all its many secrets, she learns to trust her intuition and rely on her courage to unravel the mystery of her parents and why the Dark Queen is after her.
I feel that fans of Harry Potter would enjoy the magic of The Crowns of Croswald, and I particularly love that the protagonist is a strong female character. This is a wonderful story of self-discovery, bravery, and friendship. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series!