Suspenseful fantasy read that took me less than a day to finish because it was just too good to be out back on my nightstand.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Claire Legrand for an advanced copy of this book.
I really enjoy flowery descriptive prose when done well which it is here! The let down was pretty much everything else. Gemma was just annoying to follow, unlikable main characters can be great but she was just annoying. I was intrigued about the idea of the magic being like a chronic illness to her but as someone with completely debilitating chronic illness I didn't know if I was offended or frustrated by her depction and she was rude and selfish beyond that. The insta love was extremely instant and nothing built upon it or explored anything interesting. I was enjoying the unique plot until a twist that made everything building up to it worthless and took away a lot of the villains interesting aspects. The magic and world building was good and I really like the ida of some of the creatures made up for this, that and the prose was the only reason I finished. And I felt every minute of the read time.

Netgally Arc (so sorry for the very late review, I had to re-read it because I noticed I had forgotten to review it when I got the arc 2 years ago...)

after a re-read of this highly anticipated book 2years ago, I remember why I hadn't finished it, and genuinely struggled to get through it. This time I finished it but almost dnf'd after every 5 chapters...

Felt like a YA fantasy instead of an adult fantasy Bridgerton X ACOTAR

The Crown of Ivy and Glass had intriguing world-building and a unique magic system, but the pacing felt uneven. The slow start with family drama gave way to rushed action later on. The romance between Gemma and Talan had moments of chemistry but felt a bit forced at times. While not completely hooked, I'm curious to see how the series develops.

Claire Legrand’s A Crown of Ivy and Glass is a lush, sweeping fantasy-romance that blends high society intrigue, dark magic, and forbidden love into an unforgettable tale. As the first book in the Middlemist Trilogy, it introduces us to Lady Gemma Ashbourne, a young woman who seemingly has it all beauty, wealth, and a family blessed by the gods. But beneath the glittering surface, Gemma is deeply lonely, struggling with a body that rejects magic like poison and a family that often forgets she exists.

Plot & Characters
Gemma’s life takes a turn when she meets Talan d’Astier, a devastatingly handsome nobleman whose family was destroyed by a demon. Determined to redeem his honor, Talan agrees to a dangerous bargain with Gemma she’ll help him navigate high society if he helps her destroy the Bask family, her family’s longtime enemies.

But their plan quickly spirals out of control. Attacks on the Middlemist are increasing, and Gemma begins to awaken something terrifying within herself a power that could either consume her or make her unstoppable.

The first half of the book takes its time establishing Gemma’s struggles, high society drama, and her complicated family dynamics. But around 75% into the story, the pacing shifts dramatically, throwing readers into fast-moving action and major revelations that feel almost rushed.

The relationship between Gemma and Talan has moments of insta-love, followed by long stretches of uncertainty and back-and-forth emotions. One moment, they’re deeply connected, the next, they’re questioning everything

Legrand’s worldbuilding is rich, her magic system is unique, and Gemma’s struggles with chronic illness and loneliness add a deeply emotional layer to the story. While some readers found the pacing uneven, the romance, tension, and mystery make this a compelling read

This was an okay read. It was a classic romantasy with a lot of a cookie cutter pieces. It was pitched as Bridgerton/ACOTAR but I just wish it was edited/reworked a little bit more. Some aspects were great and I probably would continue with the series. There's enough to make me want to know how the story turns out.

While I enjoyed this book, it felt like something was missing. Sadly, I wasn't able to get into it right away. I am still planning to read the next book in this series!

Full review and links to social will be posted as soon as possible.

I'd like to thank the publisher Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book - perfect for fantasy readers! It started a little slow and it was not love at first sight for me with the FMC - I’m glad I stuck with it. Flawed humans with depth and I am intrigued by the world the author developed.

*A Crown of Ivy and Glass* is fantasy novel that mixes magic, romance, and political drama. The story follows a young woman caught in a complicated world, Legrand does a decent job of creating a detailed magical world that feels real and immersive. However, it is a slow read and it does eventually pick up but I wish it would've picked up faster.

I was surprised by how quickly I wanted to DNF this book. I didn't because honestly I really wanted to clear it off my Overdue Netgalley ARC list.

Rather than try to elaborate too much, here is a list of what I did not enjoy:
1. Minus the sex scenes that I was NOT expecting, this is a YA book. Nothing else makes it adult, which makes me feel like CL added the extra spice to get an adult rating. The sex scenes just felt like they came from out of nowhere.
2. In a 600 page book, I feel like I read 3. So many plots that led nowhere or again, came from out of left field.
3. The things I wanted to know more about were glossed over or ignored.
4. Talon
5. Gemma
6. A lot of prose could have been left out as much of the book was excess
7. Talon & Gemma together

What I liked:
1. The magic system
2. The Queen
3. The Bask siblings
4. Mara and the Roses

Because I also had the audio, I have to say that overall I enjoyed Evelyn Rose's narration, except for Talon. I swear his accent changed about 3 different times! But her accent for the Basks was perfection.

In the end, eh. I'm just glad book 2 is about Farrin and Ryder, so I will give it a try.

DNF would consider coming back to at some point but was just not the right book at the time for me. Would still recommend to any fantasy fans to give it a try, just a miss for me.

I'm a huge fan of Legrand's Furyborn series, so I was so excited to crack into this one.

What she always does well, is world-building. This is an expansive world woven together quite intricately. What really fell short for me was the characters. I wish this book had given me more, but it just fell flat. It's super disappointing knowing what Legrand is capable of.

Overall, it was decent, but would definitely have liked to see her do more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the e-book copy!

I was not entirely familiar with this author's previous work but this story seemed like it would be good. I ultimately ended up having to DNF due to a lack of interest. I did not care for the main character and in turn, started not to care for the plot. I would be open to reading this author's future work but this just did not work for me.

So excited to finish this trilogy! The cover, the plot, the character, perfect! I would expect nothing less from Furyborn herself.

I was really excited for this book. I love the setup of the world and the magic system, and I think I would have enjoyed reading more about Mara. Unfortunately, I found the main characters unpleasant and the majority of the plot boring.

I really enjoyed the Furyborn series and had high hopes for this series. I do plan to continue on in the trilogy, but felt that is book was only an average read.

Gemma is one of three sisters born to a family of high society whose life has almost everything in it, except that she has no magical abilities. She eventually teams up with Talan, her eventual love interest, to defeat the demon behind her family's feud with another family.

I really enjoyed the world Legrand created, however I felt little connection to Gemma. The love story between Talan and her felt like insta-love. The plot felt like it was meandering for way too long. We don't meet the antagonist until way too far into the book.

Looking at the average rating for this book, it’s clear that it hasn’t quite met readers’ expectations, which is disappointing to see. I didn’t want this to be the case, but unfortunately, it is. What’s even more surprising is that the issues stem from flaws I never would have expected from CL, especially considering the incredible fantasy series she’s created in the past. It’s hard to understand what went wrong with this one.

The narrative feels surprisingly juvenile for what’s supposed to be an adult debut. The pacing is inconsistent, making the story feel disjointed, and the plot struggles to settle into a single genre, giving the impression of multiple stories awkwardly crammed together. To make matters worse, none of the characters stand out or experience meaningful development, leaving the emotional core of the book lacking.

It’s disappointing to see such potential fall short, especially from an author who has proven her talent before.

I just didn't connect with this one like I wanted to. I didn't really like the main characters or care about what was going on. I kept picking this up and putting it down and honestly wanting to DNF. It just didn't grip me and felt very similar to other stories I have read and not loved. I don't see myself wanting to continue with the series.

Didn't connect to the writing style, FMC seemed young, not a fan of instalove and infodumps for worldbuilding.