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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
Disclaimer: I received two copies of this book – one through the publisher (Stories Untold LLC) in exchange for an honest review, and one through a Good Reads giveaway (I thought it was just for the second book; didn’t realize the first book would be included).
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For her first published work, author D.E. Night did a commendable job. Keeping the target audience in mind – I’d say 3rd grade to middle school – I think the writing style and the level of complexity of this book were on point.
I love a world of fairies and magic; a well-written fantasy absorbs my attention in the most satisfying way. Of course, post 1997, any book involving children at a magic school will prompt comparison to Harry Potter. Fair or not, Rowling’s work has become the de facto benchmark for this genre. Beyond the obvious Harry Potter comparison, there are hints of Alice in Wonderland, Wicked, Oz the Great and Powerful, and Sleeping Beauty in Night’s world of Croswald.
That said, I think Night does a fair job with the world-building in her debut book. She paints Croswald with nuances that help set it apart as its own enigmatic and curious entity (e.g.: hairies, slurry fields, and the Hollow Shaft).
While the first half of the book was a bit meandering, the second half picks up the pace. Once Ivy (the protagonist) meets up with Derwin (the first character introduced), the plot progresses on an exciting path. Connections are made, questions are answered, and mysteries are solved, all while Ivy goes through her coming of age adventure. By the end of the book, I am left both satisfied and curious for the next part of the story.
My favorite part of this book was the touch of whimsy sprinkled throughout in sentences like “He taught her to make ridiculous things like unpoppable bubbles and terribly useful things like wellness remedies…”; it reminded me of Roald Dahl’s writing style.
The least satisfying part of this book was the lack of character development, particularly in the first half. This story is complex enough to warrant a proper introduction to each of the main characters. Without this introduction and good character development, it’s hard to get a firm grasp on any of the character’s personalities or to make a connection with any of them. Watching a character evolve (or devolve) through the course of the book is one of the best parts of reading a book.
Once the pace picks up in the second half of the book, character interactions improve a fair bit. I hope this evolution in writing persists in the second and third books of the series.
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Overall, I give this book a 3.5/5. It's an enjoyable read and the plot is presented in a new enough way that I want to keep reading the series. Young readers will likely overlook the character development and minor writing points, but I think there's scope for the author to finesse her writing. I look forward to reading more from her.
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For her first published work, author D.E. Night did a commendable job. Keeping the target audience in mind – I’d say 3rd grade to middle school – I think the writing style and the level of complexity of this book were on point.
I love a world of fairies and magic; a well-written fantasy absorbs my attention in the most satisfying way. Of course, post 1997, any book involving children at a magic school will prompt comparison to Harry Potter. Fair or not, Rowling’s work has become the de facto benchmark for this genre. Beyond the obvious Harry Potter comparison, there are hints of Alice in Wonderland, Wicked, Oz the Great and Powerful, and Sleeping Beauty in Night’s world of Croswald.
That said, I think Night does a fair job with the world-building in her debut book. She paints Croswald with nuances that help set it apart as its own enigmatic and curious entity (e.g.: hairies, slurry fields, and the Hollow Shaft).
While the first half of the book was a bit meandering, the second half picks up the pace. Once Ivy (the protagonist) meets up with Derwin (the first character introduced), the plot progresses on an exciting path. Connections are made, questions are answered, and mysteries are solved, all while Ivy goes through her coming of age adventure. By the end of the book, I am left both satisfied and curious for the next part of the story.
My favorite part of this book was the touch of whimsy sprinkled throughout in sentences like “He taught her to make ridiculous things like unpoppable bubbles and terribly useful things like wellness remedies…”; it reminded me of Roald Dahl’s writing style.
The least satisfying part of this book was the lack of character development, particularly in the first half. This story is complex enough to warrant a proper introduction to each of the main characters. Without this introduction and good character development, it’s hard to get a firm grasp on any of the character’s personalities or to make a connection with any of them. Watching a character evolve (or devolve) through the course of the book is one of the best parts of reading a book.
Once the pace picks up in the second half of the book, character interactions improve a fair bit. I hope this evolution in writing persists in the second and third books of the series.
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Overall, I give this book a 3.5/5. It's an enjoyable read and the plot is presented in a new enough way that I want to keep reading the series. Young readers will likely overlook the character development and minor writing points, but I think there's scope for the author to finesse her writing. I look forward to reading more from her.
I had to be mindful that this book was written for younger audiences, so with that in mind. It's a pretty standard children's fantasy book.
One of my absolute favorite tropes is the lost heir or missing prince(ss), and this book covered that beautifully!
There were times when Ivy (the MC) did or said things that kind of rubbed me the wrong way. She doesn't necessarily treat her friends in the nicest way and there are no repercussions for this. Her behavior, speech, and actions don't translate to a 16-year-old very well. She seems younger than that.
It was interesting to see each student how their magic was different from the others, whether through stones or in other ways.
While I haven't read Harry Potter (shocker, I know) it did give off heavy similarities to the fandom. However, I would definitely recommend this book to my younger cousins and children in my life who are looking for fantasy and fun in their reading!
Thank you to the publisher - Daniela B and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.
One of my absolute favorite tropes is the lost heir or missing prince(ss), and this book covered that beautifully!
There were times when Ivy (the MC) did or said things that kind of rubbed me the wrong way. She doesn't necessarily treat her friends in the nicest way and there are no repercussions for this. Her behavior, speech, and actions don't translate to a 16-year-old very well. She seems younger than that.
It was interesting to see each student how their magic was different from the others, whether through stones or in other ways.
While I haven't read Harry Potter (shocker, I know) it did give off heavy similarities to the fandom. However, I would definitely recommend this book to my younger cousins and children in my life who are looking for fantasy and fun in their reading!
Thank you to the publisher - Daniela B and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.
3,5 ⭐️
What a magical book! I did really enjoy this one. Discovery of magical abilities, magical creatures, a magic school, a dark Queen... This is definitely Harry Potter meets fairytale, so if you enjoy one or both - I do recommend this book!
It could sometimes feel a little too similar to Harry Potter and the story occasionally felt a bit all over the place. But what a page turner! Read the whole thing in one day.
What a magical book! I did really enjoy this one. Discovery of magical abilities, magical creatures, a magic school, a dark Queen... This is definitely Harry Potter meets fairytale, so if you enjoy one or both - I do recommend this book!
It could sometimes feel a little too similar to Harry Potter and the story occasionally felt a bit all over the place. But what a page turner! Read the whole thing in one day.
The Crowns of Croswald is a YA/middle grade book filled with fantasy, magic and a good plot. Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story grabs you from the very beginning. The magic, the creatures and the story itself were fascinating to read. The descriptions of the different settings were well done, it felt like I was standing in each moment of the story. This book was fun to read and gave me some major Harry Potter vibes, in the best way. Definitely a good choice for a middle grade fantasy lover.
This story grabs you from the very beginning. The magic, the creatures and the story itself were fascinating to read. The descriptions of the different settings were well done, it felt like I was standing in each moment of the story. This book was fun to read and gave me some major Harry Potter vibes, in the best way. Definitely a good choice for a middle grade fantasy lover.
This is a fantastic magical adventure with well developed characters and great world-building. Fans of Harry Potter will love this one.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
I've been going back and forth on whether or not I should do a full review of this book. Because it's a middle grade book, I don't feel like I'm fully equipped to talk about it and compare it to other middle grade fantasy. Honestly, the last middle grade book I read with fantasy in it was A Wrinkle in Time.
That being said, I thought this book was super cute. Ivy Lovely is a young girl who discovers she has magical powers and is sent off to a school for learning how to hone those powers. It sounds a lot like Harry Potter, but that's really where the similarities end.
The book was fun and adorable. I loved Ivy and her friends Rebecca, Fyn, and even Winsome. I loved how things were kind of shrouded and everything came together in the end. I do wish there was some more understanding or description of the dark queen before the ending, though. I felt like I couldn't understand her motivation. Until the truth was revealed, I was having a hard time understanding why she was going so hard for Ivy. I was even shocked that the end of the novel was the end of the school year. It didn't feel like that much time went by.
The writing style reminded me a lot of Roald Dahl. Some descriptions and details were just a quick sentence or a word and then you move on. It's not what I'm used to with the kind of fantasy I read, so I'm chalking this up to it being a middle grade read.
I honestly would love to have someone to send this. It's a great read for anyone who loves fantasy, anyone who's into middle grade reads, and anyone who likes a strong female character. I did feel intrigued to see what the next book in the series had to offer.
You can find The Crowns of Croswald on Amazon.
That being said, I thought this book was super cute. Ivy Lovely is a young girl who discovers she has magical powers and is sent off to a school for learning how to hone those powers. It sounds a lot like Harry Potter, but that's really where the similarities end.
The book was fun and adorable. I loved Ivy and her friends Rebecca, Fyn, and even Winsome. I loved how things were kind of shrouded and everything came together in the end. I do wish there was some more understanding or description of the dark queen before the ending, though. I felt like I couldn't understand her motivation. Until the truth was revealed, I was having a hard time understanding why she was going so hard for Ivy. I was even shocked that the end of the novel was the end of the school year. It didn't feel like that much time went by.
The writing style reminded me a lot of Roald Dahl. Some descriptions and details were just a quick sentence or a word and then you move on. It's not what I'm used to with the kind of fantasy I read, so I'm chalking this up to it being a middle grade read.
I honestly would love to have someone to send this. It's a great read for anyone who loves fantasy, anyone who's into middle grade reads, and anyone who likes a strong female character. I did feel intrigued to see what the next book in the series had to offer.
You can find The Crowns of Croswald on Amazon.
3 Things I Loved
The Art: From the cover to the chapter fonts used, I loved the overall design of this book. It definitely fit with the fantasy theme. The colors were a blend of light and dark, which I thought was a perfect representation of magic in this book.
The Descriptions: I loved how detailed Night was in setting up this story. Here is a line from the Prologue that I think was beautifully written: “Derwin stepped through the doors, left ajar, into a massive entry. As he did, billowing clouds of dust rose up from the castle’s floor.” This book definitely has parts I can share as a mentor for my students in their writing.
The Main Character: I love books that are fantasy, have magical creatures, and have a main character that is left in the dark to their true calling and although innocent and naive, are more powerful and knowledgeable than others around them. Books that have such characters include Harry Potter, Inkheart, Hunger Games, and Nevermoor. It is a “type” that I fall for. Everytime.
I am very glad I chose this book to kick off my #MGReadathon because it was entertaining, magical, and one of my “go-to” genres. I gave this book 4 stars and think it would be a great book to add to my classroom library. I look forward to reading the sequel, The Girl With The Whispering Shadow, which will be released on January 23, 2019. I cannot wait!
Time to pass it on to our next Lit Review Crew member!
The Art: From the cover to the chapter fonts used, I loved the overall design of this book. It definitely fit with the fantasy theme. The colors were a blend of light and dark, which I thought was a perfect representation of magic in this book.
The Descriptions: I loved how detailed Night was in setting up this story. Here is a line from the Prologue that I think was beautifully written: “Derwin stepped through the doors, left ajar, into a massive entry. As he did, billowing clouds of dust rose up from the castle’s floor.” This book definitely has parts I can share as a mentor for my students in their writing.
The Main Character: I love books that are fantasy, have magical creatures, and have a main character that is left in the dark to their true calling and although innocent and naive, are more powerful and knowledgeable than others around them. Books that have such characters include Harry Potter, Inkheart, Hunger Games, and Nevermoor. It is a “type” that I fall for. Everytime.
I am very glad I chose this book to kick off my #MGReadathon because it was entertaining, magical, and one of my “go-to” genres. I gave this book 4 stars and think it would be a great book to add to my classroom library. I look forward to reading the sequel, The Girl With The Whispering Shadow, which will be released on January 23, 2019. I cannot wait!
Time to pass it on to our next Lit Review Crew member!
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.
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.
This book gave me serious flashbacks of the time I used to read Harry Potter. We have an orphan girl who has been kept in the dark about the magical world to which she belongs. We have an academy with strange professors who teach students about all kinds of magical things and beings. And we have a Dark Queen that is trying to get her way to be the most powerful one in the land. The adventures were really enjoyable, and I like school/academy settings as well. I had a nice time reading this book and if my students could read in english, I'd recommend this book to them in a heartbeat ! Also, we meet an adorable pet dragon, and I hope he gets more on-page time later on in the series.
“There’s a reason I opened my door to you, Ivy Lovely. The same reason you’ve been hidden away for sixteen years. You are special.”
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This is a middle grade fantasy story that follows Ivy as she goes from maid to a magical school for royals and scrivenists. While there, she’s presented with the mystery of Derwin Edgar Night as well as discovering her own identity.
✨
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I really enjoyed the whimsical magical system created by the author featuring crowns that bestow different powers as well as magical quills not to mention the different magical creatures present throughout. While it’s a small thing, I also really enjoyed the sketches that accompanied the chapter headings. This would be perfect for fans of Harry Potter-esque stories.
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I had two main issues with this story. The first is that several of the magic key terms were incredibly similar with one or two letter differences that meant vastly different things. It was easy to keep mixing them up. I did enjoy how the story poked fun at this: “You all really should start coming up with new names for things, she told the Selector. It’s all very confusing.”
The other item I found lacking was the overall details and world building. The story is deliberately vague in certain areas because of the curse; however, there were other opportunities to work on the world building as Ivy discovered new information and forged new relationships.
✨
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Overall rating 3.5⭐️
Book provided in exchange for an honest review
✨
✨
This is a middle grade fantasy story that follows Ivy as she goes from maid to a magical school for royals and scrivenists. While there, she’s presented with the mystery of Derwin Edgar Night as well as discovering her own identity.
✨
✨
I really enjoyed the whimsical magical system created by the author featuring crowns that bestow different powers as well as magical quills not to mention the different magical creatures present throughout. While it’s a small thing, I also really enjoyed the sketches that accompanied the chapter headings. This would be perfect for fans of Harry Potter-esque stories.
✨
✨
I had two main issues with this story. The first is that several of the magic key terms were incredibly similar with one or two letter differences that meant vastly different things. It was easy to keep mixing them up. I did enjoy how the story poked fun at this: “You all really should start coming up with new names for things, she told the Selector. It’s all very confusing.”
The other item I found lacking was the overall details and world building. The story is deliberately vague in certain areas because of the curse; however, there were other opportunities to work on the world building as Ivy discovered new information and forged new relationships.
✨
✨
Overall rating 3.5⭐️
Book provided in exchange for an honest review