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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
I've been seeing this book a lot on Instagram so when I was asked by the publisher to review it I was happy to do it. This book has potential but sometimes lacks in achieving it. The world is magical but I felt lost sometimes. I needed more explanations. Also the characters felt a lot younger than their age. I kept forgetting that our main character was sixteen. I liked the magical creatures in the story and the story itself was interesting. It's suitable for younger readers or if you're looking for a something fun and light to read.
What a delightfully enchanting tome! Its pages wove a tapestry of nostalgia, transporting me back to the cherished fantasies of my youthful days. If this gem had graced my hands during childhood, I am certain it would have ignited a fervent love within me.
The narrative itself danced with whimsy and unfurled a realm of boundless imagination, a perfect tableau for the eager minds of middle-grade readers. The tapestry of creativity was intricately woven, unveiling the enigmatic school, captivating creatures, and the kaleidoscope of Croswald's universe. The foundation upon which this world stood was nothing short of wondrous.
Yet, as the final chapters unfolded, a gentle haze of complexity wafted in, a touch bewildering and labyrinthine. Though some threads remained a tad elusive, I managed to untangle the narrative's enigma, emerging with a triumphant sense of understanding.
In sum, this opus earns my enthusiastic endorsement for fledgling readers drawn to the allure of fantasy's embrace or those yearning to embark on literary journeys anew. Within its covers reside a harmonious symphony of action, enigma, and sorcery, poised to captivate and amuse. And what's more, it serves as the opening chapter of an unfolding saga!
ARC received for honest review.
The narrative itself danced with whimsy and unfurled a realm of boundless imagination, a perfect tableau for the eager minds of middle-grade readers. The tapestry of creativity was intricately woven, unveiling the enigmatic school, captivating creatures, and the kaleidoscope of Croswald's universe. The foundation upon which this world stood was nothing short of wondrous.
Yet, as the final chapters unfolded, a gentle haze of complexity wafted in, a touch bewildering and labyrinthine. Though some threads remained a tad elusive, I managed to untangle the narrative's enigma, emerging with a triumphant sense of understanding.
In sum, this opus earns my enthusiastic endorsement for fledgling readers drawn to the allure of fantasy's embrace or those yearning to embark on literary journeys anew. Within its covers reside a harmonious symphony of action, enigma, and sorcery, poised to captivate and amuse. And what's more, it serves as the opening chapter of an unfolding saga!
ARC received for honest review.
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There are a lot of similarities between this and Harry Potter.
I did really enjoy the book, it has magic and mystery with whimsical delight sprinkled on top. There were moments that I felt were perhaps a little rushed and I wanted more from the characters relationships with others. I wanted to feel the connection that she had with those she considered love ones, and sadly I didn't feel to much for any of them.
I did however really enjoy the story, the magic and the journey that we were taken on.
Fans of the Wizarding World or the Nevermoor series may just enjoy this magical journey of self discovery.
There are a lot of similarities between this and Harry Potter.
I did really enjoy the book, it has magic and mystery with whimsical delight sprinkled on top. There were moments that I felt were perhaps a little rushed and I wanted more from the characters relationships with others. I wanted to feel the connection that she had with those she considered love ones, and sadly I didn't feel to much for any of them.
I did however really enjoy the story, the magic and the journey that we were taken on.
Fans of the Wizarding World or the Nevermoor series may just enjoy this magical journey of self discovery.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Crowns of Croswald
Author: D.E. Night
Book Series: The Crowns of Croswald Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: magic lovers, HP lovers
Publication Date: July 21, 2017
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Stories Untold Press
Pages: 320
Synopsis: In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret…
For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic––and her life––is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.
Review: I had to DNF this read. This book is heavily *HEAVILY* inspired by Harry Potter and there are a lot of HP elements in it and because of the current climate with JK Rowling I’m not feeling very magical lately. The book also feels like there’s too much in it and it doesn’t have an easy reading feel to it. I will come back to this book in the future, but for now I can’t read it.
Verdict: It’s a great book, but not for me at the moment.
Book: The Crowns of Croswald
Author: D.E. Night
Book Series: The Crowns of Croswald Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: magic lovers, HP lovers
Publication Date: July 21, 2017
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Stories Untold Press
Pages: 320
Synopsis: In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret…
For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic––and her life––is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.
Review: I had to DNF this read. This book is heavily *HEAVILY* inspired by Harry Potter and there are a lot of HP elements in it and because of the current climate with JK Rowling I’m not feeling very magical lately. The book also feels like there’s too much in it and it doesn’t have an easy reading feel to it. I will come back to this book in the future, but for now I can’t read it.
Verdict: It’s a great book, but not for me at the moment.
I was given an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this story! It was a cute story in a magical world. At times I found it a bit childish, I’d say this is aimed for 10-15 year olds. But going into knowing that it is still a great story, and the ending really makes me want to keep reading this series!
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I went into this hoping I would like it, I really did, but The Crowns of Croswald was just not for me... I didn't like this book at all. I hate to write a negative review, especially for an author's debut, but I was asked to give an honest review and so that's what I'm gonna do.
The bad:
✦ So, right off the bat, the writing style came across to me as quite juvenile. This makes sense to some extent since this is marketed as a middle-grade book, but let me say why I mention this. The first is that this has been shelved by several users here on GR as YA fiction. It's not - at all - and I'd warn anyone picking this up thinking that this has been written for a young adult audience. The main character is a 16-year-old girl, but she reads more like a preteen. The other reason is that I strongly believe that just because a book has been written for a young audience, doesn't mean that it can't also be enjoyed by an older audience. For example, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Percy Jackson and Skulduggery Pleasant are all series targeted at younger audiences but are written in such a way that I, a 23-year-old woman, could and would go back and read them. They still have merit beyond providing a nostalgia hit. This isn't the case for TCOC.
✦ Continuing along the theme of writing, the text was written confusingly. I was already confused by the end of the prologue (which, by the way, could've probably been removed completely). The book is difficult to get through because the reader goes paragraph to paragraph having to sift through info-dumping, flowery descriptions bordering on purple prose, a tone that can't seem to decide whether it's gearing towards children or young adult readers (the number of words I had to look up makes me wonder what kind of children are expected to read this), and characters who have little to no plot relevance but who are given full-blown descriptions. And speaking of characters...
✦ The characters are so. dull. Ivy, our main character, has no personality. None at all. I got halfway through the book and realised that I could hardly tell you a thing about her, aside from her tendency to be pretty dumb. She's just a generic main character, and there's so little to invest in. The best friend is just... there. The (unnecessary) love interest is definitely not a fully fleshed-out character. The big bad is an underwhelming character who's shrouded in mystery, but as a result, is someone we don't know enough about to be interested in or fearful of. And the antagonist is a mean girl who exists for no reason other than to cause a minor inconvenience every now and then. And, I guess, to pit girls against girls.
✦ Another issue with this is that it's basically Harry Potter v2.0. I was waiting for something to come along which distinguished this book from HP, but it's really a very similar story with superficial changes. The book literally starts out as "orphaned kid kept locked away without a friend in the world whisked off to a magical school in a castle by a strange man with a strange transportation vehicle and a list of magical school supplies to purchase from quirkily named shops on a magical street". So... make of that what you will.
✦ Also, the plot is lacklustre and boring. Too much of the book is just day-to-day school life which isn't particularly interesting to read about. It's very much a "things happen" kind of story for the book's majority. People act OOC just to advance the plot and I'm sure there were some plot holes but to be honest I could've just missed things because I was so bored that I started skim-reading halfway through the book.
The good:
✧ Um... I hate to say it, I really do, but there was not really anything I enjoyed about this book. I suppose if I was to say one thing, it's that this book might work for its intended young audience, probably for kids no older than 12 or 13. Though, in honesty, I think there are higher quality books out there for kids. I'm trying to think back as to whether I would've liked a book like this as a child, and honestly, I'm not sure that I would've.
Again, I hate to give such a negative review, but this wasn't an enjoyable read. I would have DNF'd one or two chapters in but did want to give a full and honest review. Sadly there wasn't anything here that would compel me to pick up the next book in the series, but I sincerely hope that it does improve later on.
Regardless of my feelings about The Crowns of Croswald, I'd like to give a massive thanks to Stories Untold Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this hoping I would like it, I really did, but The Crowns of Croswald was just not for me... I didn't like this book at all. I hate to write a negative review, especially for an author's debut, but I was asked to give an honest review and so that's what I'm gonna do.
The bad:
✦ So, right off the bat, the writing style came across to me as quite juvenile. This makes sense to some extent since this is marketed as a middle-grade book, but let me say why I mention this. The first is that this has been shelved by several users here on GR as YA fiction. It's not - at all - and I'd warn anyone picking this up thinking that this has been written for a young adult audience. The main character is a 16-year-old girl, but she reads more like a preteen. The other reason is that I strongly believe that just because a book has been written for a young audience, doesn't mean that it can't also be enjoyed by an older audience. For example, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Percy Jackson and Skulduggery Pleasant are all series targeted at younger audiences but are written in such a way that I, a 23-year-old woman, could and would go back and read them. They still have merit beyond providing a nostalgia hit. This isn't the case for TCOC.
✦ Continuing along the theme of writing, the text was written confusingly. I was already confused by the end of the prologue (which, by the way, could've probably been removed completely). The book is difficult to get through because the reader goes paragraph to paragraph having to sift through info-dumping, flowery descriptions bordering on purple prose, a tone that can't seem to decide whether it's gearing towards children or young adult readers (the number of words I had to look up makes me wonder what kind of children are expected to read this), and characters who have little to no plot relevance but who are given full-blown descriptions. And speaking of characters...
✦ The characters are so. dull. Ivy, our main character, has no personality. None at all. I got halfway through the book and realised that I could hardly tell you a thing about her, aside from her tendency to be pretty dumb. She's just a generic main character, and there's so little to invest in. The best friend is just... there. The (unnecessary) love interest is definitely not a fully fleshed-out character. The big bad is an underwhelming character who's shrouded in mystery, but as a result, is someone we don't know enough about to be interested in or fearful of. And the antagonist is a mean girl who exists for no reason other than to cause a minor inconvenience every now and then. And, I guess, to pit girls against girls.
✦ Another issue with this is that it's basically Harry Potter v2.0. I was waiting for something to come along which distinguished this book from HP, but it's really a very similar story with superficial changes. The book literally starts out as "orphaned kid kept locked away without a friend in the world whisked off to a magical school in a castle by a strange man with a strange transportation vehicle and a list of magical school supplies to purchase from quirkily named shops on a magical street". So... make of that what you will.
✦ Also, the plot is lacklustre and boring. Too much of the book is just day-to-day school life which isn't particularly interesting to read about. It's very much a "things happen" kind of story for the book's majority. People act OOC just to advance the plot and I'm sure there were some plot holes but to be honest I could've just missed things because I was so bored that I started skim-reading halfway through the book.
The good:
✧ Um... I hate to say it, I really do, but there was not really anything I enjoyed about this book. I suppose if I was to say one thing, it's that this book might work for its intended young audience, probably for kids no older than 12 or 13. Though, in honesty, I think there are higher quality books out there for kids. I'm trying to think back as to whether I would've liked a book like this as a child, and honestly, I'm not sure that I would've.
Again, I hate to give such a negative review, but this wasn't an enjoyable read. I would have DNF'd one or two chapters in but did want to give a full and honest review. Sadly there wasn't anything here that would compel me to pick up the next book in the series, but I sincerely hope that it does improve later on.
Regardless of my feelings about The Crowns of Croswald, I'd like to give a massive thanks to Stories Untold Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
As soon as I received this book, I was looking forward to starting reading it. At first, this story seemed a little stretched to me: the action went very slowly until finally little by little everything accelerated.
The writing style was light, easy to read, I liked the fact that the author put a lot of effort into describing in details, in what was going on around and it helped to imagine everything better.
In some places, there was a lack of action, and there was too much detail. the book was reminiscent of the books of harry potter - full of magic and adventure, but it definitely wasn't replica of JK Rowling.
Also I really liked that in the book I found some illustrations in begging of chapters - which helped me to imagine things even more and it added unique feeling about book.
In overall I would say that this book is for more younger audience as teen books or YA rather than New Adults. Anyway if you enjoy reading magical books full of spells and mystical creatures - I would definitely recommend this book to add to your reading list.
The writing style was light, easy to read, I liked the fact that the author put a lot of effort into describing in details, in what was going on around and it helped to imagine everything better.
In some places, there was a lack of action, and there was too much detail. the book was reminiscent of the books of harry potter - full of magic and adventure, but it definitely wasn't replica of JK Rowling.
Also I really liked that in the book I found some illustrations in begging of chapters - which helped me to imagine things even more and it added unique feeling about book.
In overall I would say that this book is for more younger audience as teen books or YA rather than New Adults. Anyway if you enjoy reading magical books full of spells and mystical creatures - I would definitely recommend this book to add to your reading list.
The crowns of croswald review
The Crowns of Croswald by @author.denight
Book review :
4⭐️/5⭐️
As soon as I received this book, I was looking forward to starting reading it. At first, this story seemed a little stretched to me: the action went very slowly until finally little by little everything accelerated.
The writing style was light, easy to read, I liked the fact that the author put a lot of effort into describing in details, in what was going on around and it helped to imagine everything better.
In some places, there was a lack of action, and there was too much detail. the book was reminiscent of the books of harry potter - full of magic and adventure, but it definitely wasn't replica of JK Rowling.
Also I really liked that in the book I found some illustrations in begging of chapters - which helped me to imagine things even more and it added unique feeling about book.
In overall I would say that this book is for more younger audience as teen books or YA rather than New Adults. Anyway if you enjoy reading magical books full of spells and mystical creatures - I would definitely recommend this book to add to your reading list.
The Crowns of Croswald by @author.denight
Book review :
4⭐️/5⭐️
As soon as I received this book, I was looking forward to starting reading it. At first, this story seemed a little stretched to me: the action went very slowly until finally little by little everything accelerated.
The writing style was light, easy to read, I liked the fact that the author put a lot of effort into describing in details, in what was going on around and it helped to imagine everything better.
In some places, there was a lack of action, and there was too much detail. the book was reminiscent of the books of harry potter - full of magic and adventure, but it definitely wasn't replica of JK Rowling.
Also I really liked that in the book I found some illustrations in begging of chapters - which helped me to imagine things even more and it added unique feeling about book.
In overall I would say that this book is for more younger audience as teen books or YA rather than New Adults. Anyway if you enjoy reading magical books full of spells and mystical creatures - I would definitely recommend this book to add to your reading list.
This is a fun fantasy that takes you away to a magical world. I would say this book reminds me of Harry Potter in the similarities that Ivy (The MC) grows up not knowing she had any magic to being taken away to a school to learn about magic. This would be a great book for children and middle school aged kids. I am not quite the target audience for this book but I still enjoyed reading it and know that my 13 year old self would have loved it.
*I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley* I thought this was a cute book! I really enjoyed following the character of Ivy Lovely and how she discovered the truth of who she really is. If you’re into whimsical fantasy books, then I recommend this book!