Cute middle grade fantasy with a lot of the same tropes as Harry Potter - enjoyable enough, but I don’t think I’ll be reading the rest of the series.

Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Honestly i didnt know what to expect of this book going into it but i was pleasantly surprised. I got more invested as the story went on and it was just a really fun middle grade fantasy. I really enjoyed the writing style and one of my favourite setting within stories is a magic school so this book was perfect.

Title: The Crowns of Croswald
By: D.E. Night
Publisher: Stories Untold
Genre: Middle Grade | Sci Fi & Fantasy
Pub Date: 21 Jul 2017
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3826031672


This book is about a young Maid called Ivy who has lived in Castle Plum all her life. She dreams of going to the famous school called the Halls of Ivy to become a Sarvenist. The only problem is that to attend this school your have to be a person with magic, Ivy does not believe that this describes her. The closets she has come to magic is working with the dragons the the castle kitchen.

Things become interesting for Ivy when one of the dragons in the kitchen gets the flu, it causes both the dragon and Ivy to lose their jobs. As Ivy is leaving the grounds of the castle when she meets a stranger in a coach. Could this lead to her dreams or trouble? With magic, dragons and fairies there is plenty to capture the mind.

In reading this book i felt it touched on the following:
Grief : When a friend of Ivy's disappears she feels it as deeply as though she was losing a family member.
Greed: This is seen when the Dark Queen will do anything to get what she wants.
Choice: This can be seen in many ways in the book ,through doing what is best or going along with what others want to do.

I loved this book, especially how the author took things that are found in other fantasy stories and made them her own, for example the dragons in the kitchen cooking the food, where in most fantasy they are seen as big bad enemies. While reading this book it reminded my of other works like Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, it had those vibes the whole way through. I am excited to reading the next installment.

I was really excited when I was granted an epub ARC of this book on NetGalley. I was genuinely in a desperate need for a light-hearted fantasy book that would save me from the atrocities of my life during that period of time.
In this book, we follow Ivy Lovely, an orphan young girl leading a miserable life as a maid in a huge castle.
During the times where she was not working or being punished for messing up her work, our main character would be sketching with the finest of skills the confusing yet whimsical things she keeps seeing in her dreams. She only shared her work with the only friend she had that happens to be a dwarf. This friendship was the only solace to her misery so despite the fact that her friend was so mysterious she held on to him and listened with the most honest interest to his incomprehensible stories. One day all those stories came to life, triggered a memory and declared the start of a new adventure that Ivy never dreamt of having. In a blink of an eye, her life changed drastically. For better or worse ? I will let you judge for yourself so that we can have a conversation about it later. There is a lot that I enjoyed about this book. First, as a middle grade fantasy it absolutely does its job of enchanting young readers with its simple and accessible vocabulary. It definitely takes time to get used to the magical terms but once you get the hang of it the reading experience gets smoother really fast. Second, I like that this book has actively been keeping me waiting for what's going to happen next. I was always on the edge of my seat expecting worse things to happen. The reveal was so slow and that was so exciting for me. I keep seeing people comparing this story to Harry Potter and I really do not like that. As flattering as it is to have their books compared to the masterpiece that is Harry Potter I think that it is more important for authors to see us embrace the unique form of magic that they created out of scratch. Also, the only similarity between the two stories is the magic school but really what magical world wouldn't have a school ? Even we muggles do have schools. It's necessary. This being said, I think my favorite class in this school is the one about magical creatures. I am obsessed with their diversity and I still can't accept the fact that I can't own a hairie. My only complaint about this book is that some relationships were really rushed to my taste. I prefer watching characters bond after going through multiple experiences together. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it !

I‌ ‌surprisingly‌ ‌thoroughly‌ ‌enjoyed‌ ‌this‌ ‌book,‌ ‌even‌ ‌though‌ ‌it's‌ ‌a‌ ‌middle‌ ‌
grade‌ ‌fantasy,‌ ‌and‌ ‌I‌ ‌am‌ ‌27.‌ ‌I‌ ‌found‌ ‌it‌ ‌mesmerising‌ ‌and‌ ‌read‌ ‌it‌ ‌in‌ ‌2‌ ‌
days,‌ ‌it‌ ‌reminded‌ ‌me‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌other‌ ‌fantasy‌ ‌books‌ ‌such‌ ‌as‌ ‌Harry‌ ‌
Potter,‌ ‌but‌ ‌the‌ ‌world‌ ‌and‌ ‌ideas‌ ‌of‌ ‌this‌ ‌book‌ ‌are‌ ‌still‌ ‌very‌ ‌new‌ ‌and‌ ‌
fresh.‌ ‌Such‌ ‌a‌ ‌delight‌ ‌to‌ ‌read‌ ‌about‌ ‌all‌ ‌the‌ ‌different‌ ‌characters‌ ‌with‌ ‌all‌ ‌
their‌ ‌varying‌ ‌magic,‌ ‌from‌ ‌shapeshifting‌ ‌to‌ ‌controlling‌ ‌elements.‌ ‌There‌ ‌
was‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌guessing‌ ‌in‌ ‌this‌ ‌book‌ ‌and‌ ‌I‌ ‌did‌ ‌not‌ ‌expect‌ ‌the‌ ‌reveal‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌
end‌ ‌which‌ ‌was‌ ‌wonderful,‌ ‌as‌ ‌it‌ ‌didn't‌ ‌make‌ ‌the‌ ‌story‌ ‌predictable.‌ ‌ ‌
The‌ ‌world‌ ‌building‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌details‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌magic,‌ ‌also‌ ‌the‌ ‌idea‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌
scrivenists‌ ‌made‌ ‌it‌ ‌an‌ ‌engaging‌ ‌and‌ ‌entertaining‌ ‌read‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌story‌ ‌
evolved.‌ ‌And‌ ‌great‌ ‌friends‌ ‌to‌ ‌lovers‌ ‌in‌ ‌there‌ ‌as‌ ‌well,‌ ‌that‌ ‌was‌ ‌not‌ ‌
expected.‌ ‌
‌
I‌ ‌literally‌ ‌recommend‌ ‌this‌ ‌book‌ ‌to‌ ‌anyone‌ ‌that‌ ‌loves‌ ‌fantasy,‌ ‌it‌ ‌may‌ ‌be‌ ‌
middle‌ ‌grade,‌ ‌but‌ ‌so‌ ‌enchanting‌ ‌and‌ ‌whimsical‌ ‌you‌ ‌can‌ ‌release‌ ‌your‌ ‌
inner‌ ‌child.

I was given a copy of this book for review. It's cute, it's quick, it's a fun read. It's predictable, but it's middle grade, so that bothers me less. It's nice and nostalgic to be at a magic school not created by a raging bigot.

I loved reading this book! It definitely gave me some Harry Potter vibes but it still told a completely different story. I wish the main characters had more development especially with their friendship development but it in no way took away from the story. Sometimes the story seemed to jump from one thought to another but it was still a fun read.

I can’t wait to see where Ivy goes next!

A female protagonist in a magical fantasy world of castles, witches and dragons! Ivy discovers powers she didn't even know she had. Now she has to learn how to use them to defeat the evil queen! A combination of childhood fairy tales this book has something to captivate even the fussiest of readers!

Thanks to NetGalley and Stories Untold Press for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

When 16-year old Ivy Lovely leaves behind her life as a scauldrony maid and crosses a magical boundary, she learns that she is to attend The Halls of Ivy: the school of her actual dreams, where she will study to be a Scrivenist. Once there, she discovers that all is not what it seems and that it's up to her to unravel a few mysteries...including the one about who she really is.

The Crowns of Croswald is a fun middle-grade fantasy. As the story went on, I found myself more and more invested in Ivy's determination to find the truth that many seem to be hiding from her. I appreciated all of the descriptions of the more fantastical elements..but the glenageries in particular! They sound so cool that I want to take a trip into one! I will admit, it took some time for me to get into this story. The pacing felt rushed in many places. However, creativity shines throughout this book and by the end, I couldn't put it down. I can definitely see this as a book many of my students will enjoy!! This is the first in a series and I am looking forward to reading more of Ivy's magical journey as well as seeing how her friendships grow and deepen. I recommend this for younger readers and fans of middle-grade fantasies...also getting some Eva Ibbotson vibes!

*I received the ebook from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity*

This was such a wonderful, magical, middle grade fantasy! It was very nostalgic and reminded me of reading The Chronicles of Narnia and A Wrinkle in Time as a kid. I’m excited that this is the first book in a four book series, and I am looking forward to the next book. The magic was unique to the story, and the setting and the characters are quite memorable.

Ivy Lovely is a 16 year old girl, who learns she has magic when she crosses a magical boundary with little more than her clothes, some books from a friend, and a scaldron, a mini dragon who bakes like an oven. She finds a whole new world filled with mystery and wonder. To unearth more about her magic and her past, Ivy attends a magical boarding school, the Halls of Ivy in Croswald. There she begins her journey of self-discovery and meets some interesting characters along the way. She is such a refreshing protagonist, so witty and smart, and brave, and sweet.

All is not as it seems in Croswald, as there is a dark history and an evil Queen who threatens all that is good in world. Will Ivy be strong enough to face the darkness?

I highly recommend this book, which is perfect for all ages! A lovely magical world that you’ll want to live in.

This book is simply adorable. It is perfect for the targeted age range. I love the amount of magic present. If you are a Harry Potter fan and like the feeling of being admirsed into a word full of beauty and magic then this is the book for you!

Calling all Potterheads this book is for you
So I got asked to read this I got the copy from Netgalley.

The first 2 chapters or so I found very messy was a big information dump and I think it could have been a little more seamless.

Shortly after though We get to a very harry potteresque chapter and I really started to get into it from then. The information started making more sense and who doesnt love harry potter vibes. Attending classes, learning new magic, other worldly creatures and some form of flying transportation. This is a book lovers heaven all the library action, just wait until you learn what a notical is. I want one.

Ivy is a lovely little character I didn't find her annoying or self righteous. She really felt like a first year, lost and in awe. This story contains the typical outcast plot line but I really enjoyed some new elements to the magical world. Different lesson plans and the theories behind those who can learn magic.

After a rocky start I definitely would rate this. 4/5 and after all this Im left with questions

“The one who guards this box guards the future of Croswald.”

A letter, a wooden box, a double moon, and a spell. As we experience Croswald with Ivy, she has no idea how important these four things are or that they even exist.

The Crowns of Croswald is a coming of age story filled with fantastical details like squadrons, Scrivenists and their Quills, Balding Hairies, royals, and sqwinches. Ivy grows up in a world that knows magic exists but she never imagined that she would ever be invited to study as a scrivenist at The Halls of Ivy. She had worked her way up from chambermaid to scaldrony maid, but a Scrivenist? Her, a sqwinch? From the moment she steps on the cabby for life beyond the slurry fields, Ivy is on a journey of self-discovery and adventure beyond her wildest dreams. Unfortunately, the Dark Queen has also been waiting for this day. Life in Croswald may never be the same for anyone!

I received this book for review from NetGalley and it was a joy to read! This is a book written for middle grade readers and D.E. Night does a great job designing a magical world that includes new and fun details (like the fact that Derwin’s initials were D.E.N. like the author’s) as well as familiar elements for fantasy readers such as dwarves and dragons.

The Halls of Ivy certainly pays homage to Hogwarts in both description and function, including living portraits, resident ghosts, fantastical beasts, and idiosyncratic instructors. Like Harry Potter, Ivy needs to learn about a whole new world and her place in it even as she navigates social scenes and works to determine who to trust, especially among the adults.

From the first chapter, it was clear that Ivy’s story and The Crowns of Croswald would have a lot in common with Harry Potter, but I also found the story reminding me of The Looking Glass Wars version of Alice in Wonderland with a little bit of Little Princess mixed in. There were enough independent elements and comparisons to other stories, that I thought it would be great for Text-to-Text comparisons with middle school students.

I did have some difficulty connecting the prologue to the story for quite a while, but at the end it was such a strong connection that I went back and reread the prologue to see what I had missed. I am not much of a re-reader, but I wanted to this time - a sign that I definitely liked the story enough to put all the pieces together better.

One piece that stood out to me as a little odd, though it could have been part of the forgetting spell, was that Ivy never really thought about her parents. That seemed odd to me for an adolescent, but it did not take away from the story or connecting with Ivy as a main character.

The Crowns of Croswald was published for middle grades and that makes sense. I enjoyed this story and would give it 4 stars for a middle grade read. The descriptions and interactions do not have a lot of depth. I felt no depth with any of the adult characters especially, though that may have been intentional to keep the focus on the adolescents - or, perhaps that was related to the forgetfulness of the forgetting spell. I look forward to seeing how everything is flushed out more in the rest of the series!

Where do the Selector’s loyalties lie? What will the next battle with the Dark Queen look like? I can’t wait to find out!

Let’s get one thing clear from the start. This is the story of a young magical orphan who escapes a life of domestic servitude only to discover their magical heritage in a special place of learning. Yes, that has very clear parallels with a very famous young wizard. However, just as there were magical stories before Mr Potter, there can be magical stories after him, and the adventures of Ivy Lovely should be considered on their own merits

Young Ivy is a maid in a very anti-magic castle. 17 years old she’s not been beyond the slurry field boundary of the castle and only manages to leave the kitchens where she tends the scaldron dragons (dragons who work as ovens) to escape to a hill once a day to draw and listen to stories from her closest friend Rimbrick the dwarf. After a mishap with an ill dragon the head cook banishes Ivy from the kitchens and she finally leaves the slurry fields only to be picked up by the travelling admissions office for the Halls of Ivy school of magical learning.

The rest of the book tells the story of Ivy at school and tales of the Dark Queen who acts as a kind of oppressive force over the whole magical world.

The author D.E. Night clearly has a lot of ambitions for Ivy’s world, and it’s clear this first book in the series is setting up a bigger story universe. Unfortunately, in the bid to capture all these ideas this book suffers.

We seem to skip through a lot of backstory. Assumptions are made about the reader’s knowledge and some plot points rely on Ivy knowing or doing something which has never been referenced before. For example at one point towards the climax it says Ivy’s ‘electric energy’ reacts to a situation. Electric energy has literally never been mentioned in relation to Ivy at any other point in the story (I searched for the phrase). Even the word electric has only been used twice before in the story and neither time was it about Ivy or any of the main characters.

It makes for quite a disjointed story, and I’m in no hurry to explore Ivy’s further adventures.

I will start my review of this book by saying that I am a proud mom to two little boys who, while still very young, love books. And, as a mom, I feel it is my responsibility to start building a library filled with books for them to enjoy as they grow. That is where The Crowns of Croswald comes into play. I was given an ebook in exchange for my honest review and I jumped up at the opportunity because this middle grade book seemed like something I might want to include in the library I am building for my boys.

I loved this book!!. The story was very whimsy and creative. The setting was magical, and I really enjoyed learning about the school and all the creatures introduced. I was really impressed with the world building. Also, the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter were just lovely and added to the magic of the story.

There were a few times that I struggled with Ivy, our main character. Mostly, I felt her actions were that of someone younger than 16. But, I think that left room for more character growth in the upcoming books, which I most definitely will pick up.

Overall, I think this is a great start to a wonderful series that would be a great introduction for young readers to the fantasy genre. I cannot wait for my boys to give it a go in a few years!

This book was maybe a little young for me but I believe middle grade children would enjoy this immensely. A girl who gets sent to a school to hone her magical skills, perfect for fans of Harry Potter.

Thankyou to Netgalley, D.E Night for the opportunity to read this book and Daniela who ask me if I would like to read this book via my Instagram account.

If you like young fantasy, you will probably will like this book. I love the content of the book and found it written creatively, especially the mini dragons who baked goodies inside their mouths, but sadly it wasn't a book for me. I found it slightly hard to understand the magical side of the book with some of the words used. As this is my own opinion on the book I however, would still recommend this book to read.

Overview:
For the last 16 years, Ivy Lovely has been hidden from the magical world... Until one day, she finally breaks free of her miserable life as a scullery maid and crosses the enchanted boundary, causing her powers to awaken. Ivy suddenly finds herself whisked away to attend the Halls of Ivy, where students learn to master the magic in their blood or the powerful gems of Croswald they've inherited. But while Ivy attempts to discover who she is and carve a place for herself, someone else is also desperate to find her... The Dark Queen. Faced with an impossible choice, Ivy will have to look within in order to save herself and all of Croswald.

Review:
This was honestly such a cute story - I love a good magical school setting! Several aspects were quite nostalgic, including Ivy shopping for supplies, exploring around the school, discovering magic and meeting magical creatures. That being said, the world itself remains unique and the magic both fantastic and imaginative. I particularly love the idea of glanageries - bottled up adventures imagined by the creator that can be "lived" by others! Sometimes I found the flow/pacing to be a bit choppy and the events a little predictable but these are minor complaints. My younger self would have adored this (my older self quite likes it too!) and I highly recommend it to readers in the middle grade age range, who both love fantasy or are looking to discover it.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

A huge thanks to the author D.E. Night and Stories Untold Press for the e-copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the perfect entry to Fantasy for young readers. It is very much a book I would give to my cousin or friends to get them into fantasy reading, it has that whimsical feel that Neverending Story or Harry Potter contained. This book seems heavily influenced by the tropes we see in Harry Potter of the "lost hero", here we have a lost princess.
I think this book makes for a wonderful entry into what will be the series, where, I would assume, a reader would find more character and story development as well as more context to the author's world. D.E. Night did a wonderful job with Ivy, an excellent character to follow. Ivy has some great mentors, develops solid relationships and had an excellent arc in discovering who she is.
This book has a very "coming of age" tone but I would find it more appropriate for "tweens" entering that phase of life, even though it is listed as adult fiction on goodreads, I don't think that is exactly where it should belong. It is a light an enjoyable middle-grade fantasy with some solid imagery and magical creatures.
Excited to see what comes next in the series and have already recommended it to some of the younger readers I know that are looking to explore more in the realm of reading (and fantasy!).

Book Review: Crowns of Croswald

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: Ivy Lovely is 16 and she has no idea who she is—or what her powers could be. When she crosses a magical boundary, she discovers a whole new world of enchantment and mystery. Making friends that will last a lifetime—and save her life—she steps into her own abilities and discovers more about her hidden past, magical blood, and the power of Croswald’s mystical stones. But all is not well: a dark history and an evil Queen threatens all that is good. Will Ivy’s bravery and wit be enough?

Thoughts: I hadn’t ready a fantasy middle grade fiction book in quite some time, so getting used to it took a minute. Some of the verbiage took time to understand what the meaning was supposed to be but once it got it the author did a great job of creating an incredible and mystical world. The plot was interesting enough to keep me wanting more, and wanting to know what happens next. Ivy was a relatable main character and I enjoyed her friendship with Rebecca and budding romance with Fyn. I did have trouble with the plot at times and had to re-read sections to understand what was going on. Where I thought there should be a break in the chapter it just kept flowing. It was slightly predictable, but that could be because I’m an adult and this is meant for more middle grade.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5)

Next Read: Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah