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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
I’ll keep this short and sweet. This book was very similar to many fantasy books that I have read over the years, and I loved every word. There was so much nostalgia in the author’s writing style and the plot.
It’s perfect for younger readers (middle school age) but is still entertaining for those of us who are now older.
I greatly enjoyed this novel and I will be gladly reading the rest of the series soon!
I’ll keep this short and sweet. This book was very similar to many fantasy books that I have read over the years, and I loved every word. There was so much nostalgia in the author’s writing style and the plot.
It’s perfect for younger readers (middle school age) but is still entertaining for those of us who are now older.
I greatly enjoyed this novel and I will be gladly reading the rest of the series soon!
4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5)
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ivy Lovely is just your ordinary scaldrony maid. Her life revolves around taking care of the scaldrons in the castle she is employed at. However, everything changes when she is suddenly whisked away to the Halls of Ivy--a school for royals and scrivenists to practice their skills. Like the other students, Ivy attends classes and practices her magic, but something about her is different. Things that aren't quite normal keep happening and she can't help but wonder why no one else has the same issues. Many secrets have yet to be revealed and Ivy is determined to set them free.
This book was a delightful and entertaining read! It's a middle grade fantasy novel and is the first in a trilogy. I can't help but acknowledge the Harry Potter feel of this book! Despite having some glaring differences from the Harry Potter series, this book has a very similar feel to the series as well. The Halls of Ivy reminded me of Hogwarts and I adored the magical creatures seen throughout the book. The little hairies that provide light and the scaldrons sound rather cute! The magical aspect of this book is it's most defining feature and I love the way the author set it up!
The characters are also quite interesting. Ivy, a curious girl who can't help but get in trouble; Rebecca, a girl determined to define her future herself; Fyn, a boy with a knack for showing up just at the right time, and many more! I can't wait to see what trouble they get themselves into in the the next book!
Ultimately, this is a wonderful book for middle grade readers! With magical creatures, funny and meddlesome characters, and lots of adventure, this is sure to be a great fantasy series for younger readers!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ivy Lovely is just your ordinary scaldrony maid. Her life revolves around taking care of the scaldrons in the castle she is employed at. However, everything changes when she is suddenly whisked away to the Halls of Ivy--a school for royals and scrivenists to practice their skills. Like the other students, Ivy attends classes and practices her magic, but something about her is different. Things that aren't quite normal keep happening and she can't help but wonder why no one else has the same issues. Many secrets have yet to be revealed and Ivy is determined to set them free.
This book was a delightful and entertaining read! It's a middle grade fantasy novel and is the first in a trilogy. I can't help but acknowledge the Harry Potter feel of this book! Despite having some glaring differences from the Harry Potter series, this book has a very similar feel to the series as well. The Halls of Ivy reminded me of Hogwarts and I adored the magical creatures seen throughout the book. The little hairies that provide light and the scaldrons sound rather cute! The magical aspect of this book is it's most defining feature and I love the way the author set it up!
The characters are also quite interesting. Ivy, a curious girl who can't help but get in trouble; Rebecca, a girl determined to define her future herself; Fyn, a boy with a knack for showing up just at the right time, and many more! I can't wait to see what trouble they get themselves into in the the next book!
Ultimately, this is a wonderful book for middle grade readers! With magical creatures, funny and meddlesome characters, and lots of adventure, this is sure to be a great fantasy series for younger readers!
Love fantasy?
Then this is the right book to read! The author has created a world that makes your imagination go crazy!
After reading a couple of pages one might find similarities with this book and Harry Potter. But don't stop because that's where the similarities end.
It is a middle-grade fantasy book and is magical. The story of the main character Ivy is written splendidly. Her life completely changes from being a maid to being something that she had never imagined she could be. The emotions that she undergoes and the decisions she makes, that lead her to the path she is supposed to take, unintentionally is great.
The best thing about this book is that, a lot of questions pop up in the mind of the reader at the beginning itself, but as the pages turn things start getting clear and interesting. The world of magic created by the author is unique and the characters are well written. Not to forget the various magical creatures that are written with detail.
Overall, it's a fun read especially if you love fantasy and magic. The book ends with Ivy finding out her reality. Eagerness will definitely arise in the minds of the reader, to find out the steps that she takes next to fulfil her destiny and save Croswald. The book is totally worth reading.
Then this is the right book to read! The author has created a world that makes your imagination go crazy!
After reading a couple of pages one might find similarities with this book and Harry Potter. But don't stop because that's where the similarities end.
It is a middle-grade fantasy book and is magical. The story of the main character Ivy is written splendidly. Her life completely changes from being a maid to being something that she had never imagined she could be. The emotions that she undergoes and the decisions she makes, that lead her to the path she is supposed to take, unintentionally is great.
The best thing about this book is that, a lot of questions pop up in the mind of the reader at the beginning itself, but as the pages turn things start getting clear and interesting. The world of magic created by the author is unique and the characters are well written. Not to forget the various magical creatures that are written with detail.
Overall, it's a fun read especially if you love fantasy and magic. The book ends with Ivy finding out her reality. Eagerness will definitely arise in the minds of the reader, to find out the steps that she takes next to fulfil her destiny and save Croswald. The book is totally worth reading.
Thanks to the author's P.A. for reaching out and sending me a copy of The Crowns of Croswald.
This is my honest unbiased review on Crowns of Croswald, I started reading with little knowledge of the book or the series. So I was pleasantly surprised.
This is a whimsical novel, the world building and the creativity was great. The author did really well with building a whole new world with magical creatures that made the fantasy seem real,
However the book does feature a magic school and it really does read like a Harry Potter novel - not just because of the school but because some of the events read a bit close. I was an avid HP fan so maybe that's why I noticed.
Take away the similarities, you've still got a well written novel. The characters were all thought out and each had a grit to them that made them stand off the page.
The author's writing style, with attention to detail definitely made this a creative and magical read.
This is my honest unbiased review on Crowns of Croswald, I started reading with little knowledge of the book or the series. So I was pleasantly surprised.
This is a whimsical novel, the world building and the creativity was great. The author did really well with building a whole new world with magical creatures that made the fantasy seem real,
However the book does feature a magic school and it really does read like a Harry Potter novel - not just because of the school but because some of the events read a bit close. I was an avid HP fan so maybe that's why I noticed.
Take away the similarities, you've still got a well written novel. The characters were all thought out and each had a grit to them that made them stand off the page.
The author's writing style, with attention to detail definitely made this a creative and magical read.
4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for giving me a copy of this book! This is my honest review, all views are my own.
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This was a wild ride! I was captivated by the story, I loved how descriptive and lively the narration was, and I thought the writing perfectly encapsulated the craziness of the world. The story was fun, but it got a little confusing occasionally. The beginning has some info-dumping, and I wish that the introduction wasn’t so jarring a difference from the first chapter and the actual story… Though the introduction does get explained later in the book! The main character, Ivy Lovely, is cute, headstrong, and willing to break a few rules to solve a mystery, but she is relatively new to the world of magic and it’s sometimes a stretch to understand how she made certain conclusions. The side characters are a little flimsier (some character names are mentioned as if they’re friends of Ivy’s, yet they’re never mentioned otherwise), so I hope they develop in the later books. As for the magic: I’m sure this book has been compared to Harry Potter for its magic school trope, but it’s a world of its own that holds up considerably well! The magic system is interesting, but not so complex as to make it confusing. The only confusion I truly had was from the glanagerie, which were used in a strange way near the end. Despite any confusion, I thought this book was super fun and deserves a solid 4 stars!
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Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for giving me a copy of this book! This is my honest review, all views are my own.
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This was a wild ride! I was captivated by the story, I loved how descriptive and lively the narration was, and I thought the writing perfectly encapsulated the craziness of the world. The story was fun, but it got a little confusing occasionally. The beginning has some info-dumping, and I wish that the introduction wasn’t so jarring a difference from the first chapter and the actual story… Though the introduction does get explained later in the book! The main character, Ivy Lovely, is cute, headstrong, and willing to break a few rules to solve a mystery, but she is relatively new to the world of magic and it’s sometimes a stretch to understand how she made certain conclusions. The side characters are a little flimsier (some character names are mentioned as if they’re friends of Ivy’s, yet they’re never mentioned otherwise), so I hope they develop in the later books. As for the magic: I’m sure this book has been compared to Harry Potter for its magic school trope, but it’s a world of its own that holds up considerably well! The magic system is interesting, but not so complex as to make it confusing. The only confusion I truly had was from the glanagerie, which were used in a strange way near the end. Despite any confusion, I thought this book was super fun and deserves a solid 4 stars!
I think this might be more of a 3.5 than a 3 stars, but since Goodreads doesn’t allow half stars we will keep it here. I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review (the first ever book I’ve received in such a way! That alone gives it a special place in my heart). So to be fair to the “honesty” portion, I will list things that I liked and disliked about this book.
As for what I liked, I found the magic system extremely interesting. Of course the first place many minds will go to when reading a book about magic is Harry Potter. I saw a few similarities in the two magical worlds, but it’s to be expected that magic will overlap in some places, especially when it is covered so extensively. The majority of Croswald’s magic came across as completely unique to me. The Scrivenists and Sqwinches system was like nothing I’ve read about before, but the lore was outlined nicely enough that I could figure out how the magic worked pretty quickly. I also enjoyed the characters. Butterlove might be my favorite because I can relate to the love of food and eating. There’s the typical mean girl character in Damaris and the big bad in the Dark Queen, but the love interest and the best friend were charming and adorable. A few characters were shrouded in mystery throughout the book, but I think some of that was cleared up by the ending.
As to what I wasn’t a huge fan of, a /lot/ of stuff happened in this book. I felt like it could have done with some expansion so it didn’t seem like everything was zipping by so quickly. The events of the book supposedly lasted an entire school year at the Halls, but the mundane parts of school life were paid such little attention that it was hard to follow when time was passing. It felt like one big event was happening after another and the pace never slowed down. I’m sure that was done to avoid boring readers but when huge things happen one right after another it gives (me at least) a little whiplash. I also feel like the ending could have been expanded. The huge events of the Ball take place and then Ivy just wakes up in bed the next day and the whole revelation of who she really is takes place in a conversation that goes by pretty quickly.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the world that the author built, but if I had to offer a suggestion for future books it would be that things slow down just a little bit so more time can be spent exploring Ivy’s life, her motivations, and her as a character.
As for what I liked, I found the magic system extremely interesting. Of course the first place many minds will go to when reading a book about magic is Harry Potter. I saw a few similarities in the two magical worlds, but it’s to be expected that magic will overlap in some places, especially when it is covered so extensively. The majority of Croswald’s magic came across as completely unique to me. The Scrivenists and Sqwinches system was like nothing I’ve read about before, but the lore was outlined nicely enough that I could figure out how the magic worked pretty quickly. I also enjoyed the characters. Butterlove might be my favorite because I can relate to the love of food and eating. There’s the typical mean girl character in Damaris and the big bad in the Dark Queen, but the love interest and the best friend were charming and adorable. A few characters were shrouded in mystery throughout the book, but I think some of that was cleared up by the ending.
As to what I wasn’t a huge fan of, a /lot/ of stuff happened in this book. I felt like it could have done with some expansion so it didn’t seem like everything was zipping by so quickly. The events of the book supposedly lasted an entire school year at the Halls, but the mundane parts of school life were paid such little attention that it was hard to follow when time was passing. It felt like one big event was happening after another and the pace never slowed down. I’m sure that was done to avoid boring readers but when huge things happen one right after another it gives (me at least) a little whiplash. I also feel like the ending could have been expanded. The huge events of the Ball take place and then Ivy just wakes up in bed the next day and the whole revelation of who she really is takes place in a conversation that goes by pretty quickly.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the world that the author built, but if I had to offer a suggestion for future books it would be that things slow down just a little bit so more time can be spent exploring Ivy’s life, her motivations, and her as a character.
I think this is a great fantasy book for someone who doesn't even think they like the fantasy genre. The main character is relatable, someone you want to root for and well written. The book itself doesn't have much fluff in it which I appreciate and the ending really leaves you wanting to immediately start the second! The story reminds me of a combination of HP and the Sorcerers Stone/Hunger Games/Maleficent which are all within the fantasy world but not as intimidating to jump into.
I received a free electronic copy of The Crowns of Croswald by Stories Untold press on behalf of author D.E. Night in exchange for an honest review.
A scent of magic will fill your room as you enjoy the pages of this enchantingly perfect book. An absolute imagination come to life in front of your own eyes with each chapter.
Beaming with shimmering magic and picturesque settings, any lovers of Harry Potter, magical boarding school fans and ‘from a maid to a princess Cinderella’ trope this book is for you!
We follow a sweet character called Ivy whose life is turned upside down when she goes from a scaldrony maid to an enrolled scrivenist at the Halls of Ivy’s. Everything is described in such beautiful whimsical detail where you sit back and admire the authors writing style of world-building and each character description. You read in anticipation how Ivy learns more about magic, and herself, and feel the rush of every troublesome adventure she goes on to discover the truth. The ending of this book is so sweet, and I am so excited for the next book! I can’t wait to see what Miss Lovely does with this all new-found identity. I’m also crossing fingers for her and Fyn to end up together! Her friendship with the other characters is heartwarming and seeing her being accepted(by some) and loved for her wittiness and uniqueness is like a warm hug.
There are beautiful illustrations at the beginning of each chapter and I loved that!
It can be compared to Harry Potter, but I think this book stands alone very well. This is the perfect read for middle graders +. I was entertained through out and read this in one sitting!
Only critique I have would be for more descriptive scenes of the classes they all attend, and the ending was quick and confusing- I had to read it again just to make a 100% sure I understood what was going on!
After reading this I also want a little dragon who makes me pies! So cute!
A scent of magic will fill your room as you enjoy the pages of this enchantingly perfect book. An absolute imagination come to life in front of your own eyes with each chapter.
Beaming with shimmering magic and picturesque settings, any lovers of Harry Potter, magical boarding school fans and ‘from a maid to a princess Cinderella’ trope this book is for you!
We follow a sweet character called Ivy whose life is turned upside down when she goes from a scaldrony maid to an enrolled scrivenist at the Halls of Ivy’s. Everything is described in such beautiful whimsical detail where you sit back and admire the authors writing style of world-building and each character description. You read in anticipation how Ivy learns more about magic, and herself, and feel the rush of every troublesome adventure she goes on to discover the truth. The ending of this book is so sweet, and I am so excited for the next book! I can’t wait to see what Miss Lovely does with this all new-found identity. I’m also crossing fingers for her and Fyn to end up together! Her friendship with the other characters is heartwarming and seeing her being accepted(by some) and loved for her wittiness and uniqueness is like a warm hug.
There are beautiful illustrations at the beginning of each chapter and I loved that!
It can be compared to Harry Potter, but I think this book stands alone very well. This is the perfect read for middle graders +. I was entertained through out and read this in one sitting!
Only critique I have would be for more descriptive scenes of the classes they all attend, and the ending was quick and confusing- I had to read it again just to make a 100% sure I understood what was going on!
After reading this I also want a little dragon who makes me pies! So cute!
Fun, quick middle grade school. Magical school, dragons, Dark Queens, with twists and turns leaving you wanting the questions answered to what is in store for Ivy's future will have you wanting and waiting for the next book!
Fun, quick middle grade school. Magical school, dragons, Dark Queens, with twists and turns leaving you wanting the questions answered to what is in store for Ivy's future will have you wanting and waiting for the next book!