Fantastic! Marketed as a middle-grade read, I find this first book of the series to have the emotional development of an adult novel, but with the fantasy & young, relatable characters of a YA book. The imagery puts you right into Ivy Lovely’s world & I didn’t want to leave! I will be ordering the other books in the series to continue with Ivy’s story.

Okay, I finished this book AWHILE ago, after it took me quite some time to actually get through it. I guess it was the fact that I felt like it was literally just Harry Potter being told as if he were a girl. I am a massive Potter fan, so this sounded great for me! Until it was practically the same exact story line. I get that retelling a are supposed to be similar.. but not to the point of using the same lines but just a bit tweaked. Not to the point of it feeling like the whole thing is plagiarized. There were parts that would keep me a bit interested, but after that, it would die and I would be heavenly reminded of why the book was upsetting me. I will not be reading on in this series.

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't able to finish reading this book, the world building was a little too middle grade for me and I was difficult for me to enjoy it.

This was a very whimsical middle grade novel. It gave me Harry Potter meets Studio Ghibli vibes. I do like the occasional middle grade series (like Percy Jackson, Sisters Grimm, Fablehaven, and Harry Potter), but this one just wasn’t the right fit for me. I’d recommend it to my 10-year old niece, though! She would enjoy it more than me.

The Crowns of Croswald follow Ivy Lovely, an orphan maid who lives in a magical dead spot and when she is kicked out discovers she has magical powers and is picked up to go to a magical school.

The story starts fairly slow but really hits its stride at about chapter 4. The plot as you get further along in the story does get really interesting as weird things keep happening to Ivy and you can sense that people are keeping secrets from her, however, I find the timeline to be a little confusing and time skips don't feel very jarring.

Ivy as a character is fairly charming and I don't mind her as the narrator but you don't really find out much about her character really making her feel a little flat, the 2 main side characters, Fyn and Rebecca, have so much potential and personality but their relationships with Ivy are never fully developed on the page, and it feels like there should have been more info given about them to really sell their relationship with Ivy.

This series has potential and although I see some issues I enjoyed the characters and plot, I'm not entirely sure if I will read the second book but as a Middle-Grade Fantasy book it has potential and the storyline is interesting.

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

⭐️2.75/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley, Stories Untold, and D.E. Night for the opportunity.


I want to start off with middle-grade books aren’t really my thing but as a homeschool mama I thought it would make a great addition to our read-aloud books. Unfortunately, I found that this went completely over my daughters head with certain words and scenes that far surpassed what I would consider middle grade.

She is also reading Harry Potter and she felt like it was another version of that book - I can’t say that I don’t feel the same.

Overall, I couldn’t get into this book at all. There were many areas in the book that either weren’t explained at all, were overly descript, or large info dumps - this took me out of the world she was creating. I had to DNF this one and I absolutely hate doing that but rather than forcing myself to read it and give a fully lackluster review, it was for the best.

I think this would be a great read for those that enjoy middle grade and YA but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Don't you just hate it when you have to write a review for a book you loved so much, but don't really know how to put it in words? The Crowns of Croswald is one of those. What a magical story! And with magical I mean the whole spectrum of the word: Fantasy, suspense, strong characters, legends, princesses, queens, dragons, mirrors, secret doors, potions and the most imaginative creatures you can think of.

Meet Ivy Lovely, 16 and a scaldron maid. No, you don't know what a scaldron maid is, because you don't know what a scaldron is. It's also not even almost a scoundrel, if you were wondering. I believe scoundrel will always refer to a person and a scaldron is non-human. A scaldron is a kitchen dragon and the Croswald version of a Hogwarts owl.  Seeing that I am a cat, I can write this whole review only about the magical creatures we've encountered during our adventures at the The Halls of Ivy and Ravenshollow. But my Mommy says we should rather focus on the scoundrels, I mean the humans.

As most fairytale heroines, Ivy is an orphan with a secret past and no idea that she has magical powers. Of course she is also not aware that she is most probably a princess or a queen or something very regal in the world of fantasy. As most fairytale kitchen maids, who are actually bound for higher purposes, it's the last place she should have been placed in the palace to begin with. It didn't take her or her sickly scaldron, Humboldt, long to be kicked out of the palace by a dreadful scoundrel.

All fairytale heroines always have non-conventional friends, like frogs or geese or snowmen or dwarfs. Ivy's only friend in the whole wide world, is one such creature. Rimbrick, an ancient wood dwarf. Luckily for her, Rimbrick is old and wise and he told her all the old tales of deep magic and spinning yarns about trolls and dragons, princesses and castles, scrivenists and their quills. (These are all very applicable in our current fairytale, so pay attention in class!). So when Ivy got cast out into the big, bad world for an hour or so before the got caught up in her new magical reality, all she had with her, was her scaldron and the books on magic Rimbrick gave her, written by Derwin Edgar Night. (See what the author did here? D.E. Night??). And as we know, books contain knowledge and knowledge is power. Especially if you love to sketch and have a photographic memory (once again, very applicable information. Please take notes in class).

Our story really gets going when Ivy receives an invitation to study at the Hall of Ivy, a school for magic. No, I don't think they play Quidditch against Hogwarts and I do not know who was the Inter-school Spelling Bee Champion. Upon accepting her invitation, the magic begins. But so does all other mysterious occurrences and the questions get piled up.

As in most schools, magical or non-magical, friendships and allegiances are quickly formed and students are unfortunately labeled as to where you originate from. In our world, it's which side of the track you come from, in Hogwarts is Muggles against Pure-Bloods. In the Halls of Ivy, it's royals and sqwinches.

There was a clear distinction between the royals and the sqwinches: the former were bejeweled and becrowned, and the latter seemed to carry their own weight in books.

Both me and my Mommy loved the characters in The Crowns of Croswald and although it really is very easy to draw similarities between this tale and other tales of magical schools and long forgotten princesses, this truly is a unique tale in a whimsical world of its own.

The only thing that bothered us ever so slightly, was the pace of this fairytale. In some places, especially the start, it was dragging a bit. In other places it went too quickly and we felt as if we had a glitch and missed a few things. But I am sure it will come together in the rest of the series and we are already searching for book two, The Girl with the Whispering Shadow.

I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley and Stories Untold in exchange for an honest review. Rounding up from 3.75 starts. The Crowns Of Croswald is an intriguing middle-grades fantasy about a girl whisked away to magical boarding school and into the middle of several mysteries.

Our protagonist, 16 year old Ivy, is a scaldonry maid, in charge of keeping the cooking dragons of Castle Plum. She is kicked out of the castle for oversleeping on Moonsday and is almost immediately picked up by scrivenist Lionel Lugg and taken to school at the Halls of Ivy, as Lionel claims she is full of magic and will be studying to become a scrivenist herself. Ivy is dubious, but once she arrives at school and finds it is the castle she has been dreaming of for as long as she can remember, she sees that she really might belong there. However, she gets into (repeated) trouble trying to find the man in her dreams and unravel the mystery of him, especially after she finds his belongings in the Forgotten Room. Along the way, she makes an enemy of class bully Damaris, but also excellent friends in Fyn and Rebecca, who are there to help her along the way.

Ivy is a likeable protagonist, but I did find myself forgetting that she is 16, as she and the other students read as younger than that. She is a little shy, but also very determined to get to the bottom of the mysteries she has found herself involved in. Ivy also cares greatly for Humboldt, the scaldron she brought from Castle Plum, as well as for Fyn and Rebecca. I adore Rebecca; she is the typical bubbly best friend of the more reserved main character, but she is always willing to follow Ivy regardless of the risk. Fyn is a self-appointed protector-type, but is also very sweet. I would have liked to get to know the side characters better, as while likeable, they fall a little flat and seem to have little to do outside of their interactions with Ivy.

This book was pretty fast-paced, but I did find the plot a little convoluted at times, although it all mostly worked itself out in the end. The worldbuilding is really interesting, but details about how and why things are they was they are seem sparse in some places and overabundant in others. I do feel like the overall concept borrows a lot from Harry Potter, but the story does make itself stand out from the orphaned chosen one at magic boarding school concept popularized by HP. The wide variety of magical creatures was fun to read about and I love how involved the creatures, from hairies providing light to scaldrons providing heat, are in daily life. The magic system also stands out, but was confusing at times, as there are multiple ways to "be" magical that could have been expanded on more in the exposition. Overall, the world of Croswald is enthralling, if a little confusing. However, this is the first in a series, so that opens up a lot of time for the world to be fleshed out and explained more as the wider story progresses.

Tween me would have probably finished this book in a matter of hours, and I would recommend it to any fantasy-loving tween today. Not really related to story quality, but the cover is gorgeous and I loved the sketches at the beginning of each chapter.

This book was like taking a journey back to my middle school reading days. What a magical and whimsical book. I loved the characters, magic, and adventure. I would recommend for the fantasy loving tweens in your life.

Thank you so much to @StoriesUntoldPress & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 21 July 2017)

SYNOPSIS | Ivy has lived her life as a lowly kitchen girl, but when she is banished & crosses the castle boundaries she discovers a whole new world of magic & wizardry.

WHAT I LIKED:
- the whimsical nature of the story

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- the story felt too heavy influenced by Harry Potter (I continued to draw comparisons whilst reading & unfortunately that consistently pulled me out of the story)
- it felt cluttered as there was a lot going on with the world building, characters & storyline
- I feel like we blink & miss huge chunks of Ivy's time during her first year of school
- the dialogue is quite stilted & at times cringeworthy
- the characters are meant to be 16 yet read closer to 12

3.75 stars 🥰

This was such a fun book!
I received a copy of this through NetGalley (thank you 🙏🏻) for an honest review.

As a lot of other people have said, I compared this to HP a lot of the time, but in saying that it’s a very different concept! Croswald seems like such a fun world that I would love to visit. The magic and magical creatures and the different roles of Royals and Scrivenists is unique too.

I adore Ivy’s character, and honestly all the supporting characters were so much fun! Rimbrick is 🥺

I think I struggled with the world building a little however, every time I felt like I had just gotten the hang of things there was something else to learn. I feel like the further books would probably have much less of this though!

The only other thing that prevented a higher rating- I feel like there was so much more potential to be reached here. There was a few things that I found were sort of mentioned and then either resolved super quickly or too simply, and other things that could have been taken into further depth. When Ivy found out some pretty big things, her reactions seemed quite downplayed and skipped over. I would’ve loved to see some more emphasis on those.

Overall, definitely a fantastic book for middle grade fantasy!! If I had read this as a kid I just know I would’ve loved it 🥰

Harry Potter Reimagined. Similar to HP, The Crowns of Croswald had me hooked and reeled in before i even knew it. I immediately fell in love with each character and the beautiful, magical world within. I adored each and every creature and inevitably found myself wanting to cuddle each one! Especially the hairies! The world-building is immaculate and fun. I felt like i was walking right alongside Ivy Lovely, our brave main character.

Ivy Lovely is a 16 years old Scaldonry maid for a not so magical castle. She has grown up with the love and need to sketch and acquire as much knowledge as she can get her hands on. She has longed dreamt of going to the Halls of Ivy, a school of magic for royals and upcoming scrivenists. But there is no way she can go, she doesn’t possess a fragment of magic. Right? Throughout her life, she has had only one friend, who of which is a friendly dwarf named Rimbeck, and has provided her with books to keep her affinity for learning at bay. We quickly learn that he may know something she doesn’t and it opens the world up for a bunch of secrets that many may know about Ivy that she hasn’t a clue about.

Rimbeck flips ivys world upside down one night by telling her that she belongs in the Halls of Ivy and that she, herself, has magical abilities. The only thing stopping her is the slurry plants that grow around her home castle. This plant specializes in suppressing magic and has kept Ivy from learning more about the magical gifts she has had. On a rather stressful moonsday morning, Ivy is thrown out of her position as a maid and from the only place she has ever known. Quickly she is thrust into a life she can’t quite believe. She suddenly has to learn more about herself and where she has come from. On top of all this, she is to learn about magic and secrets that Rimbeck has kept from her. Secrets that the dark queen may know, and with her approaching, ivy's life may very well be on the line.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Though this is a middle grade novel this warmed my 24 year old heart. I swear the must have been some inner child healing as I read this book. This book made me feel comfortable and safe. It's such a cozy, fun, exciting book and I am so grateful the chance to have read it. I wish I could read it again for the first time. 5/5 stars. I'm excited to reads the sequels!

Thank you D.E. Night, her wonderful publisher, and Netgalley for getting in contacting me and giving me access to a eARC for a honest review !

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am so not a fantasy reader but, this story was good! I really enjoyed the fact that the main character, Ivy Lovely, is a female. I feel like most fantasy novels have males as their main characters. This is a middle-grade fantasy novel and I feel as though this is appropriate. The language and the pace of the book fits that age frame. I did find the beginning of the book to be a little confusing, but once I figured out what was going on the story was so fun and magical! D. E Night writes with such great imagery that I could really see Croswald and The Halls of Ivy. I also really enjoyed learning about Ivy’s character and what she discovers about herself.

This is a must read for any young fantasy fan!

Such a lovely and magical book! Perfect for young readers, middle grade aged, to get swept away into this magical adventure.

This is an enjoyable novel, with intriguing characters. I like the easy flow of this story and would definitely recommend it.

** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

What a neat little magical world this was. As someone who hasn't read middle grade for far too many years to divulge, I admit I did struggle to adjust to the way this was written. That doesn't mean DE Night didn't do a fantastic job writing this. If I was back at the age level to enjoy this, I would probably be thoroughly invested.

The magic system was well explained and very quirky. I liked the different creatures and factions of how magic could be used (royals vs scrivenists). Our main character is likable, and whilst the plot was pretty easy for me to gather what Ivy meant to this world, I did like the journey she undertook in her first year at the Halls of Ivy. I liked that her friendships were built with students and older scrivenists alike, and the squabbles with her rivals. The intrigue of her dreams and discovering the man who was seemingly forgotten was also a nice touch. I can tell that this world has a lot to build onto in further books in this series.

As I said above, I did find myself struggling with this book just because I normally read books with a more mature language and writing style, so for me, I would award this only 3 stars. It was enjoyable but not something I would naturally gravitate to, given I'm an adult. However, as someone with an autistic teenager in my home, I found this story perfect in its pacing and the excitement it could bring for her to read, and thought about how she would feel whilst reading this, hence giving it a higher star rating.

It delivered all that I expected after reading the synopsis, and I think this is a great fantasy for a younger reader base to enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Untold Stories Press and D.E.Night for allowing me a digital copy of this book!

This a middle grade fantasy. Fantasy is either hit or miss for me, as sometimes it’s just a bit too out there for me. I enjoyed this one! For me it was a quick read and definitely think the younger kids would enjoy. My one issue was that it seemed at some points there was just a ton thrown in without explanation that I feel could cause confusion, especially for younger readers. Overall, I think the character development of Ivy was done well and the overall theme and premise of the book is good. I’d be curious to read the second in the series to see if I feel the same.

A huge thanks to the author and publisher for the copy. This book had a strong Harry Potter feel to it! I loved Ivy, but overall, I think the beginning of the story dragged out a little too long for my liking and didn't set the book up for me love it. If fantasy is your thing, you may think otherwise. It was out of my typical genre comfort zone, and didn't wow me as much as anticipated.

Ivy is a sixteen year old orphan, who has no clue to who she is, and the power hidden within her. She's been working as a scaldron maid in the heated kitchen of the Slurries. After one of her occasional mishaps, she is thrown out. Her luck soon took a turn for the better, when she is accepted into a prestigious school for Scriveners and Royals. There she makes new friends and goes on a whirlwind of adventures, that so happens to help her find out who she really was.

This whimsical, fantastical story, is a must read. I stepped into a magical world filled with mythical creatures, spells and a dark queen. A coming of age book, written with bold descriptions that literally transported me into a realm that I didn't want to get out of.

Now I haven't read any of the Harry Potter books, but I have seen all the movies. Although this book had a Harry Potter feel to it, it still stood firmly on its own in terms of world building and characters.
What I didn't like about the book, was the predictability of the storyline. However, even though it was predictable, you can't help but keep reading to see how everything turned out.

What I did love was firstly our hero Ivy. She was both shy and brave. Her curious mind, strong will and time growing up in the Slurries, helped shape and toughen her enough, to deal with the challenges she faced. I also loved that it was fast-paced. Whenever you think you're settling into a chapter, something amazing hits you around the corner.

The Crowns of Croswald, the first in a series, is a great middle grade fantasy, that I would recommend to lovers of magical realms, fascinating creatures and adventures, young and old alike.

I would like to thank Daniela from Stories Untold Press, author D.E.Night and NetGalley, for offering me this book for an honest review. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Great book! 👍
Happy Reading!

Special thanks to Stories Untold Press and D.E. Night for a copy of The Crowns of Croswald for Kindle through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Synopsis

Sixteen-year-old Ivy Lovely knows that there has to be more to life than being a Scaldrony Maid. Condemned to a life of The Slurry, kitchens, royals who barely knew of her existence, and a head of the kitchen who was absolutely unbearable, Ivy finds comfort in her drawings and in books gifted to her by a dwarf called Rimbrick. She dreams of being a Scrivenist, knows that she has the photographic memory and talent required, but is sure that she could never be destined for that life. She’s part of a kitchen staff, a Scaldrony Maid who can’t get anything right.

When she makes a mistake that’s deemed unforgivable by the head of the kitchen, she runs. Ivy runs as far as she can and doesn’t look back… only to run into a curious man who informs her that he’s been looking for her to deliver a message and a package. In disbelief, Ivy is told that she has been invited to the Halls of Ivy to study to be a Scrivenist. A dream come true!

But there’s so much more to Ivy than meets the eye and her adventures in magic are only just beginning.

Review

I’m excited that this book is the first in a series. There is so much promise and the world that Night has created is absolutely stunning. I want to know more about the towns, the school, the stones… everything! However, I feel like a lot of the details were lost in the first book. There are times it feels like everything is thrown at us and we’re expected to just roll with it and understand exactly what’s going on. Because of this, there are times I felt like I was reading a foreign language and trying to use context clues to make sense of things. It pulled me out of the moment and the magic.

That said, the story is excellent. Ivy is a compelling character and doesn’t seem like an extremely unrealistic protagonist within the confines of the world created by Night. She’s curious, doesn’t think that she’s the head of everything, but also doesn’t see herself as undeserving or at the bottom of the class. She’s confused by what’s going on, she tries to understand it, and she doesn’t expect her friends to risk themselves to do it.

There are a lot of comparisons that can be made to the Harry Potter series. Yes, Ivy is an orphan. Yes, she’s treated poorly by her “guardian”. Yes, there’s something special about her that the audience can guess at but she’s oblivious about. Yes, there’s a magic school. Yes, there’s a trio of friends.

But where there are elements and pieces of an equation that are similar, the story itself and the characters are far from those created in the pages of Harry Potter. Night doesn’t duplicate the equation, she takes pieces of it and creates something new.

I’m eager to read more from Night and I’m excited to see Ivy grow!