I will admit that I wasn’t in love with the first book in the series; mainly because I found myself making comparisons to other magical novels. Book two... it stands out in such an amazing, captivating way that I do not understand why everyone isn’t reading or talking about it!!

Ivy Lovely is our heroine and she is such a perfect main character, growing into her own and you really can’t help but love her. Our supporting characters can’t be forgotten either and I seriously adore them all for one reason or another. The Dark Queen is at times actually scary, along with her freaky entourage.

Once I hit that last 25% I just couldn’t draw myself away. I’m actually so excited about this book that I’m writing this review rather than getting some very much needed sleep. But I don’t want to give anything away, so just start on this series stat!!!

Thanks so much to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

wow. I loved this book, dare I say, more than the first one. This one gets darker as the story continues. Instead of summarizing the girl with the whispering shadow, I'll just share my review this way. First, what I found interesting was how the first book ended with Belzebuthe and the first line of the prologue in the second books started with Belzebuthe (you need to read it to know what I mean). The mysterious girl made me thinking about her identity throughout the book. The way Ivy takes care of her friends and everyone else was what touched mt heart. The scrivinist, Night, his care and devotion towards his royal family (read it, read it) brought tears to my eyes. I am so much amazed and mesmerized with the new terms, words and terminologies that the author came up with in the girl with the whispering shadow. I hadn't forgotten the way hollow shaft affected me and winsome and all and here in second book I found more heart-gripping scenes and places. I was suspicious of each and every character and I was scared for Ivy's safety (uhh God how scared I was and how it caught my breath). When Ivy got the letter (again I'll say you need to read the book to know what I am talking about), I was both happy and scared for her. I have started to love the characters more than ever. Scriven this is my favorite one as it keeps us informed (if u know what mean). ohh and that black quill gave me a really creeps. And it was a surprise where Ivy stayed in the belzebuthe (shhh.. secret). Glistle really annoyed me though lolz. Loved Gretta. She is really a strong girl. I so so want Ivy and Gretta to be friends (Rebecca sorry, nobody can replace u). The starguster, star fishing and star casting made me go like yaaaaaaayyyy. I loved these more than the Quogo game (again read it, read it). I feel like I missed Winsome and felt sad about him more than Ivy did. The mettelers were so cool. ugh and I feel that Demaris is never going to be good, wait until she gets to know the truth (lolx). Invisitaurs! how can I forget Invisitaurs. I loved them. Please I want them too. Star solo is my most favorite. I liked Occulyst. I feel so so sad and I am Grieving for the events that took place along with the srivinist, Night's problem (if u have read it, then you know what I am talking about). Tearfully, I am stating this series is so so close to my heart and the author D. E. Night has done wonderful job. She is genius. 5 stars from my side (I would give more stars if there were any). looking forward to the third book now

I just finished the second book of the trilogy. Really, I cannot recommend these books enough. The story continues with the main character, Ivy, leaving for a quest and her confronting the Dark Queen again.

The book has action, suspense, adventure, humour, strong relationships between the characters and the plot reveals a lot cues of the past of the heroine. Generally, you feel the characters grow the further you read the story which is something that I admire and value in books.

The second book did not let me down a bit in all its length. On the contrary, it maintains a pace in sharing events and information that makes you want to fly through pages! Can’t wait to see what other adventures D.E.Night has for us in book 3!

Right after the first book's crazy ending, we pick up Ivy's story right where we left off and her story gets even more interesting as the 2nd book progresses. I love the world of Croswald and am so thankful that I was approved for all 3 books so I didn't have to wait to continue Ivy's story and her battle against the Dark Queen. I love that we can start to see the hints of a romantic relationship for her and that her confidence in herself starts to grow as the story progresses. Her friendships become even stronger as they are tested further by the Dark Queen. This story truly draws readers in from page 1 and keeps them there. Readers won't be able to put the book down and will be itching to get their hands on each book in the series. Great read and I can't wait to rejoin Ivy's story in the 3rd book!

Ok but this second book in the series was everything and more! If I didn’t have to work, it would not have taken me a week to finish! Gosh, it was soooo good! First off, Belzebuthe sounds amazing and I NEED to go there! Especially to see the stars. I loved when Ivy and Fyn were on the roof, they are adorable and I am totally rooting for them. I also NEED to go star fishing and make a wish! “We just have to see the stars inside us.” YES WE DO. Also, I may or may not have dropped my jaw when the title made sense.... (Internally screaming!!!!) I was STOKED to read about the Occulyst and the owls, because owls are my favorite animal - DUH. I probably would have cried if I had the opportunity to go there lol. Ivy’s friendship with Rebecca reminded me a lot of how I feel with this awesome book community, you all are so supportive and I appreciate it so much! And to see Ivy’s character develop even more, I am so here for it! I can’t wait to read the third book.

The second book to an amazing series. This book is hands down a great book that I couldn't put down, I will definitely be buying this series for my son. Everyone could use a great escape and this is that perfect escape.
D.E. Night did a phenomenal job writing this story and putting us into another sought out world we didn't know we needed.

Ivy’s adventure continues and it did not disappoint. Many times the second book has the”second book syndrome" and really not worth much but it is not the case with The Girl with the Whispering Shadow. The story continues with Ivy trying to find the pieces of the Kindred Stone and her rightful place as Queen. During this book you get to see a new part of the magical world, a hidden town, and a magic quill duel game called Quogo.

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

A high 3, whereas the 1st book was just a very steady, middle of the road 3. The concerns I had about Crowns of Croswald, mainly characterization and development, did definitely improve with the sequel! Ivy grew a lot, and we got to see her friends and their relationships develop too. I have a better idea of who Ivy is and who she could be. We also learn a lot more about the history of Croswald and the Dark Queen, which I liked. However, this time around it was the plot that suffered. While there were fun and sweet scenes or chapters like the Quogo matches and fishing for stars, for the most part I wasn’t very engaged with the plot. It moved really slow in terms of the big idea (finding the other part of the kindred stone and more about the Dark Queen, who let her into the Halls, etc.) and there seemed to be a lot of filler-y sub-plots. This book takes place over the course of a full school year, yet Ivy barely makes any progress on her task and the plot and action don’t speed up until maybe 65%-75% through the book. That last quarter or so I devoured! Additionally I loved learning about Derwin. However, a big part of Ivy bring back at the school and finding the Stone is the memory glanagerie, and we basically see the first and last glanagerie sessions. The pacing and balance of the plot was the weakest part o the book for sure. Showing Characterization, development, and relationships can happen alongside plot development, and if in separate scenes, they can still be better balanced.

In The Girl with the Whispering Shadow, we join Ivy Lovely once again on her whimsical adventures in this magical world. We start off in Belzebuthe, were Ivy finally feels like a part of a family while living with Fyn and his mom. In this wonderful place filled with twinkling stars, she makes new Quogo friends and gets a job as a potioneer. However, Ivy can't leave the town after summer since it's the only place she'll be safe from the dark queen.

Then Ivy receives a letter from the Selector and goes back to join her classmates later in the year, only to discover the Selector didn't send the letter and she's in danger. She meets her old friend Rebecca, and together with her new friends from Belzebuthe, they go on countless adventures together.

I loved getting to know more about this magical world and meeting the new creatures within it. The introduction of Quogo, a secret game playing with quills, was another interesting element. Although I believe Ivy could have used a bit more character development, I still enjoyed reading about her wonderful adventures.

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

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow: A Sneakily Wonderful Sequel

I was asked to read this book in exchange for an honest review by D.E. Night’s publicist, Daniela from Stories Untold, so thank you!

When I put down D.E. Night’s first book, “The Crowns of Croswald,” I wasn’t super excited to read the next one, but I was hopeful for a good follow up, and “The Girl with the Whispering Shadow” was exactly the kind of book I was expecting as a second installment—a world builder, deeper character development, and even more magic.

“The Girl with the Whispering Shadow” steps back into Ivy’s story after the events of “The Crimes of Croswald” as she ends her first year at school and is told life changing news. The book primarily focuses on the summer before Ivy returns to school and after she receives a letter saying she is safe to return. Things aren’t as simple as they seem though, and she quickly finds her and her friends at danger, and they must equip themselves for anything that comes their way.

While there were elements of the first book that I liked, I ultimately didn’t love it. But this book was extremely enjoyable and a nice addition to the series. Something that I loved about the last book was Night’s world building and how it sets her aside from other books that follow the same premise. This was no exception, as Night takes you to new parts of Ivy’s world, introduces new people and builds up even more about her family, the school, and just the world they live in in general.

Another thing that I found more enjoyable was the tone and seriousness of the book. The last one felt a little too over the top in appealing to a younger audience, but this one seemed to hit it spot on. It didn’t feel too childish and it felt much more serious than the first one. That does mean though, that the story is getting more serious and that there is much more to come, such as an impending battle of sorts with the Dark Queen, a potential romance with Fyn and even more.

The only aspect of this book that I wasn’t the biggest fan of was the cliches from time to time, and there were some moments where I began to zone out, but it wasn’t often. Towards the end, I found myself skimming the paragraphs and, I believe, sometimes missed some stuff, but it wasn’t too awful. And there were obviously moments of cliche middle school dialogue, but it wasn’t too bad. Nothing that took me out of the book.

The Verdict
I was extremely pleasantly surprised by this book! D.E. Night is proving herself to be a strong author and has a promising career in writing, especially writing that is popular with middle schoolers. While the first book didn’t catch all of my attention, I greatly enjoyed “The Girl with the Whispering Shadow” and it’s a fun read that will take you away to a magical land that has promise to grow and expand. Personally, I will be reading the next book and look forward to the circus theme that has been teased for the third installment. I highly recommend this book and am happy I was given the chance to read and review these!

This was fast paced and better than the first book. An enjoyable and fun read!

I enjoyed seeing Ivy develop as a character and am intrigued by where her story will go in the next book.

I had some issues with the time line as there seemed to be a big skip of time around the middle, it suddenly seemed to be a year later! But the story was easy to follow and understand.

I’m just so obsessed with this amazing little story! I never thought I would fall for a middle grade but here I am, falling and enjoying every second of it!

We pick up with Ivy still learning how to be a proper scrivenist and fumbling through her day to day life. But trouble of course always finds Ivy, or does she go looking for it? We are on a round trip to another whimsical, fun adventure with her and her classmates!

I love the bonds that were made stronger throughout this second book and I throughly enjoy the new creatures that we’re introduced to and I just eat up every new magical aspect that is added to this story! I also really enjoyed the introduction of the QQC, I thought it was so fascinating and had me really intrigued. I know I keep saying how much I love everything about this book, but something else I really LOVED was the stars and wishes that are linked to them, it was really just so heartwarming.

Once again, this is such a unique and WHIMSICAL, fun middle grade that I suggest to readers of any age that just want a fun, lighter fantasy read but still action packed and gripping! This one also had an air of mystery to it and I found myself not being able to put this down, much like the first one!

For fans of: Harry Potter like stories, friendship/bonding, magical, adorable creatures and evil queens!

When I was asked to read these books I was grateful that I could read the first two, since the first one ended on a cliff hanger for me. I was left wondering what life looked like for Ivy after all of the revelations at the end of the first one.
The second one was just as whimsical as the first! The story picked up right after the first and transitioned Ivy from a home that she loved to feeling like she had none. I know that this was considered middle grade, and would recommend to any girl between the ages of 11 and probably 14, but I wish that there was more between Flyn and Ivy. I think that both characters developed well over the course of the book.
It was a little predictable but that is what made it more of a comfort read. Personally, I want to read the third just to have a closing with these characters.

I fell once again into the magic of Croswald! This is the perfect 2nd story. The book picks up right where the 1st book left off. The unfolding of Ivy’s story is just enough to wanting more but not super frustrating that we might never find out certain details. D.E. Night does a wonderful weaving in more about the enchanting world of Croswald. The Invisitaurs are by far my favorites! The growth of Ivy & her friends has been beautifully paced to see how not only with age and experience but also with the help of friends, they have each come more into their own. The underlining lesson of how fear can stop us is done well and I believe appropriately done for this upper middle grade read. The ending gave me goose-bumps and I felt as if I was there with. I’m excited to dive into Book III.

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

First of all, thanks to Netgally for giving me the ebook in exchange of my honest opinion 😊 I just recently read the first one and I was eager to continue this magical middle grade series.

In this continuation we follow the direct consequences of Ivy's discoveries at the end of the first book, she's the last heir to the throne, the only one with royal blood, descendant of princess Isabella herself. That's why the Dark Queen wants to destroy her, but she has to find the missing pieces of the Kindred Stone first.

Derwin sends Ivy to Belzebuthe, the only magical place where she'll be safe, and she's staying with Fyn!😏 Her summer it's going to be a little different than she expected. However, she quickly gets used to the new town, finding out about all the secrets that its permanent star sky holds. In addition, she joins the Quality Quills Club with Fyn's friends, discovering Quogo. Even though she can't return to class next year, and that makes her really sad, she's not going to be bored, that's for sure.

La verdad es que este libro me ha gustado más que el primero, se ve una evolución en el estilo de la escritora y también en los personajes, que por fin parecen algo más maduros. Me encanta cómo se expande el mundo y el sistema mágico, en especial me ha encantado el Quogo, que son una especie de duelos mágicos super emocionantes y que el club de amigos de Ivy realiza algo ilegalmente JAJAJ Además la ambientación de la ciudad secreta me ha fascinado, te atrapa de lleno.

I have truly enjoyed this sequel better than the first book, you can see improvements in the writing and the characters, that finally seem more mature. I love how the world expands and also the magic system, specially Quogo (oh yeah illegal magical duels?! GIVE ME MORE OF THAT).

As for the romance it goes too slow... the only thing that happened between them is that they blushed hahaha.

En resumen, esta segunda parte ha superado a la primera y me ha dejado con un buen sabor de boca para continuar con la saga. No es lo mejor que he leído de fantasía, pero es entretenido y tiene conceptos originales, quizá si tirara más a juvenil me gustaría más. Le doy un 3,75/5🌟

Overall, this sequel was better and left me wanting more. It's not the best I've read, but it's entertaining and has original concepts. Maybe if it was more YA I would like it better. 3,75/5🌟

It is not often that I like a second book in a series more than the first, but The Girl With the Whispering Shadow is one of the few. Now that Ivy knows who she is, she must begin to seek after her her birthright, the Kindred Stone. However, her school is no longer safe, the Town is being threatened, and she must choose who to trust when not everyone is as they appear.

The characters are more defined in this book than the first, and I enjoyed meeting more of Ivy's classmates and seeing more of Rebecca and her bubbly personality as she chatted throughout the story. Ivy is learning to overcome her feelings of inferiority that stem from growing up outside of the magical world and struggling to accept her true identity.

As before, the similarities to Harry Potter are noted, however the author again adds creative twists that prevent things from becoming too copy-cat. I personally loved the Quogo contests and fishing for stars, although magical owls who have the power to dematerialize valuable objects as a means of protecting them is also worth noting.

I look forward to reading the next installment in this series as well as to enjoying further growth of this author!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, I am thoroughly impressed by D.E. Night and her amazing writing skills! Back in Croswald, Ivy has just faced the Dark Queen at the Ball and is left wondering what to do during the summer. She is told that she needs to head to The Town in order to be safe. After figuring out how to get there, she sees some familiar faces and meets plenty of new ones as well! However, the issue of Ivy's safety is still very much a problem, particularly once the summer ends. Meanwhile, she is supposed to locate the other pieces of the Kindred Stone, which is much easier said than done. With the stone being the only thing powerful enough to stand a chance against the Dark Queen, it remains Croswald's only hope of returning to a peaceful and prosperous way of life.

Like I mentioned in my previous review for the first book in this series, this book reminds me of Harry Potter. Ivy's predicament about where to spend the summer as school wasn't in session was similar to Harry's situation during the summer. However, the author continues to prove this book is unique and magical all on it's own!

Once again, the magic and the magical creatures continue to fascinate me! I honestly wish I could meet some of these creatures in real life or spell up a cup of tea to help me study! The way they are woven into the story really makes for an interesting adventure for both the characters and the reader!

I loved the characters in the first book, and this book introduces even more characters for me to love! The QQC, in particular, is very entertaining! Plus, the main characters from the first book are still fun to watch! Their antics never fail to bring a smile to my face, especially when Ivy gets a "great idea" that usually ends up being quite a bit of trouble!

I honestly wish these books had been around when I was a middle schooler but I'm still enjoying them even now! Like I stated in my review of the first book, this series is great for younger readers and I would definitely recommend it to any fantasy-loving middle grade readers or any fans of Harry Potter!

3.5 stars
This was a super solid sequel and I really enjoyed it. I liked getting to know Fyn better in Belzebuthe and his friends were so much fun! The friendship between Ivy and Rebecca is so adorable and it was great to see their friendship grow in this one.
I like the magic system in this book, but I wish it was a little bit more well explained. Unless I missed something, the fact that the quills write spells was only mentioned once and I feel like that is a big part of the magic system even though Ivy doesn't have a quill yet. I was a little bit confused regarding the magic system a few times.
Like the first book in this series, there were a lot of elements that reminded me of Harry Potter. The overall plot was unique, but there were several little things that were very similar (for example, invisible creatures that give Ivy and Fyn a ride far away in a pinch when they were tricked to go there in the first place).
I liked how the book was split up between Belzebuthe and the Halls of Ivy. It was really fun to see Ivy get used to living in a magical environment and getting an apprenticeship and interacting with the people there.
I absolutely loved a few of the unique elements in this book. Quogo was so cool and I loved reading about it. Fishing for stars that grant people's wishes was just magical to think about.
Overall this book was enjoyable to read and I can't wait to see what happens next!

(4.5/5 stars)
It’s always great when a sequel not only lives up to, but outdoes its predecessor! Returning us to the world of scrivenists (mages who channel magic through quills), ‘The Girl with the Whispering Shadow’ (incredible title) is just as full of ingenious and refreshingly original magical concepts as ‘The Crowns of Croswald’, with even more of the lovable characters, subtly chilling foreboding and hilarious moments that I enjoyed in Book 1.

One of my favourite things was the introduction of a popular scrivenists’ game called ‘Quogo’ – eat your heart out, Quidditch! Quogo is almost like a magical RPG (role-playing game), where players battle it out with the spectres of retired or deceased scrivenists, using their decommissioned quills. I also loved the Quality Quills Club (where can I sign up?!), a secret society of amateur Quogo players run by our wonderful Fyn Greeley. I loved the dynamic within this friendship group, spiced up by the new additions of Ivy and Rebecca to its ranks, and they had so much great banter between them. Each QQC member felt realistic, especially after a certain accidental catastrophe, and I really look forward to seeing more of them in Book 3! This was a very well-written rendition of a found-family trope, if that’s one you enjoy.

Speaking of character love, I have to include a tribute specifically to my favourites, Fyn and Rebecca! They’re so loyal to Ivy but never come across as sycophants or merely foils, and yet again, Rebecca (in multiple scenes) proves herself an MVP in this squad. Fyn cracks me up so much with his sarcasm, and I’m completely invested in the adorable slow-burn between him and Ivy! I also grew to like Ivy more in this one – while some of her actions in the first book felt at times out of character, this book is where she really comes into her own and grows in confidence, maturity and just all around personality palpability.

Great twists abound, with hints dropped here and there to amp up the apprehension, and several were rather disquieting. In general, this book’s ‘horror’ level feels middle-grade to YA, but there were certainly some moments that gave me ‘Criminal Minds’-type chills. The Dark Queen definitely feels more genuinely threatening in this book compared to the first, and we learn a bit more about her motives that clarify scenes in the first book.

There were also plenty of new spells, creatures and even careers introduced – my favourite one being a teledetector matteler, a sort of teleporting magical police/CSI officer who can travel to crime scenes through mentally connecting through a scene sketch. I really like the style of magic in this series, it’s very whimsical and strong on wordplay, which is right up my alley.

If you’re a ‘Harry Potter’ fan, or on the hunt for more magical boarding school stories, I really recommend diving into this series! Following that slight cliffhanger (and its link to the title of Book 3), I’m so hyped for ‘The Words of the Wandering’, out May 30! Not long now before I can return to Croswald…

Someone really needs to make "Previously on" or "Here's what you missed/forgot" happen for books. I read the first book 3 years ago so my memory was a bit hazy. I hope to read the next one sooner (or at least not 3 years from now). I struggled a bit with this book. It's hard not to compare books about magical schools to HP (especially when they're re-airing the movies). I like that the friendships got more attention in this one. And I really liked the Town. Honestly, it's the last 70 pages that gave me the most trouble. And I hate that I can't put my finger on what it was. I think it may be the Dark Queen. We've barely seen interactions with her which makes her kind of a vague villain. P

Plus some of the magic stuff still confused the hell out of me.