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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
The Crowns of Croswald is a fast-paced, solid middle-grade fantasy read. The fantasy world is well-developed and detailed. It’s very Harry Potter-esque, in a good way: the world has creative and alliterative names, a castle-school full of magical students, and fantastic beasts. I enjoyed learning about the history of the world and the crowns.
I found Ivy to be a likeable and interesting main character. This is the first book in a series, and I’m interested to see how her relationships with Rebecca and Fyn continue to grow. Besides Ivy, my favorite character was Humboldt.
I only have a couple of criticisms. The plot is pretty predictable; however, this is middle-grade and it was still a fun read, so it wasn’t a dealbreaker. I’m a harsh critic of dialogue, and I found the dialogue to be weak at times. I also wasn’t a fan of Night’s use of exclamation points and question marks together (?!).
All in all, this was a fun read that I definitely recommend for middle-grade readers who love Harry Potter.
Thank you to Stories Untold Press for sending me a copy for review!
I found Ivy to be a likeable and interesting main character. This is the first book in a series, and I’m interested to see how her relationships with Rebecca and Fyn continue to grow. Besides Ivy, my favorite character was Humboldt.
I only have a couple of criticisms. The plot is pretty predictable; however, this is middle-grade and it was still a fun read, so it wasn’t a dealbreaker. I’m a harsh critic of dialogue, and I found the dialogue to be weak at times. I also wasn’t a fan of Night’s use of exclamation points and question marks together (?!).
All in all, this was a fun read that I definitely recommend for middle-grade readers who love Harry Potter.
Thank you to Stories Untold Press for sending me a copy for review!
This book sounds like it would be right up my alley! Unfortunately, despite several attempts at getting into it, I am unable to complete it. I wasn’t hooked in by the story and had great difficulty getting past the prologue.
A big thank you to Daniela from Stories Untold for sharing this story with me on behalf of D.E Night.
A big thank you to Daniela from Stories Untold for sharing this story with me on behalf of D.E Night.
I struggled with this book initially which is why I can't give it 5 stars. It took me a while to get into it and I don't know if it was a world building issue or not.
However that might just be mirroring our main character as she is thrown into an unexpected world, so we are almost learning as she is.
But once I had a grasp in the world and the terms, I loved it and if I wasn't sleeping I was reading this book.
This book follows a young girl called Ivy Lovely, and orphan, who spends her days as a maid. One day after a rather unfortunate incident in the kitchen, she leaves and in doing so sets herself in the road for many adventures and revelations.
One of the things that I love most about this book is the fact that wands are not the instrument through which magic is used, oh no, it's quills.
Yes, quills.
And I think all of us here know how truly magical writing implements are.
Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold Press for giving me this free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I cannot wait to read the next book and find out what happens next.
However that might just be mirroring our main character as she is thrown into an unexpected world, so we are almost learning as she is.
But once I had a grasp in the world and the terms, I loved it and if I wasn't sleeping I was reading this book.
This book follows a young girl called Ivy Lovely, and orphan, who spends her days as a maid. One day after a rather unfortunate incident in the kitchen, she leaves and in doing so sets herself in the road for many adventures and revelations.
One of the things that I love most about this book is the fact that wands are not the instrument through which magic is used, oh no, it's quills.
Yes, quills.
And I think all of us here know how truly magical writing implements are.
Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold Press for giving me this free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I cannot wait to read the next book and find out what happens next.
After years of working as a scaldrony maid—tending to dragons who populate a castle’s kitchen—Ivy Lovely discovers she has magic. She is whisked off to a magical school, the Halls of Ivy, where she learns to harness her abilities. Ivy soon discovers secrets about her hidden past, revealing there may be more to her than she could have ever imagined.
I think this story had great potential. The descriptions were often very whimsical and vivid. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter were charming. This book had many similarities to Harry Potter, which will definitely appeal to many readers.
However, this story was not for me. The majority of the novel was spent telling and not showing us what was happening. There were several time jumps that impeded my understanding of how the characters were growing. The characters themselves were underdeveloped and the friendships were sudden, with little to no exploration of why some characters were best friends after they had only appeared in a couple of scenes together. Ivy seemed much younger than 16–and she should actually be younger in order to fit the middle grade target audience. There were almost no revelations to illustrate how she had grown up without magic and then instantly became accustomed to the magic, school, and classes. The magic itself was interesting, but so much of it was left unexplained. The writing was good, and as I mentioned before, I really liked some of the descriptions, but the dialogue was very stilted. It was often difficult to distinguish which characters were speaking when there were no dialogue tags.
I know this is the first in a series, so I didn’t expect everything to be explained, but there was so much left out or skipped over and the world-building was lackluster. I realize this was written for middle grade readers, so readers in that age range might really like this story, but it did not deliver for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, D.E. Night, and Stories Untold Press for providing this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I think this story had great potential. The descriptions were often very whimsical and vivid. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter were charming. This book had many similarities to Harry Potter, which will definitely appeal to many readers.
However, this story was not for me. The majority of the novel was spent telling and not showing us what was happening. There were several time jumps that impeded my understanding of how the characters were growing. The characters themselves were underdeveloped and the friendships were sudden, with little to no exploration of why some characters were best friends after they had only appeared in a couple of scenes together. Ivy seemed much younger than 16–and she should actually be younger in order to fit the middle grade target audience. There were almost no revelations to illustrate how she had grown up without magic and then instantly became accustomed to the magic, school, and classes. The magic itself was interesting, but so much of it was left unexplained. The writing was good, and as I mentioned before, I really liked some of the descriptions, but the dialogue was very stilted. It was often difficult to distinguish which characters were speaking when there were no dialogue tags.
I know this is the first in a series, so I didn’t expect everything to be explained, but there was so much left out or skipped over and the world-building was lackluster. I realize this was written for middle grade readers, so readers in that age range might really like this story, but it did not deliver for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, D.E. Night, and Stories Untold Press for providing this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This gave me major Harry Potter feels. I feel like it was a more modern-day version. It was filled with magic, creatures and loads more. An excellent YA fantasy book - perfect for fans of Harry Potter, fantasy and magic - this will be right up your street.
I want to thanks @storiesuntoldpress for reaching out as allowing me a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think there could be so much more to this book. To me, it felt like book two of a series a missed, we jumped straight into the characters and I felt I had missed quite a bit of the book. The fantasy element of the book was great.
Ivy has had a sheltered upbringing, until she sees into an enchanted forest and her powers awaken. She then attends a school where students are taught to control and learn their powers and magic.
It was a good book - I feel there is a lot of potential but for me, I wanted more and less ‘Harry Potter’ vibes.
I want to thanks @storiesuntoldpress for reaching out as allowing me a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think there could be so much more to this book. To me, it felt like book two of a series a missed, we jumped straight into the characters and I felt I had missed quite a bit of the book. The fantasy element of the book was great.
Ivy has had a sheltered upbringing, until she sees into an enchanted forest and her powers awaken. She then attends a school where students are taught to control and learn their powers and magic.
It was a good book - I feel there is a lot of potential but for me, I wanted more and less ‘Harry Potter’ vibes.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A fantastic start off to a fantasy series! In The Crowns of Croswald we follow Ivy on her journey to discover her past as well as her magic. She is able to enroll in a school to enhance her magic and learn what she is capable of. As the school year goes on she makes many discoveries as her powers grow. She also learns everything may not be as it seems. Ivy’s powers grow so large that she attracts the attention of the Dark Queen who has sworn to end her bloodline. The side characters who help Ivy along the way are a a wonderful addition to the story. The book includes Ivy’s schedule and I have never wanted to take classes so badly. They sounded like a wonderful experience. The author named one of the characters after themselves and I thought that was such a cute fun little touch. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series and see what other adventures await Ivy and her friends.
Review:
To start - I am in my mid-30's and tried my best to read this book through the lens of the target audience, which is middle-grade readers. The writing and general storyline were whimsical and charming. The author's descriptions created good imagery, and I could really see the characters' personalities and the scenes in vivid detail. D.E. Night has a vibrant imagination.
As for the storyline, I had a somewhat difficult time understanding the main point of the plot, but it was an enjoyable sequence of mini-adventures. As an adult reader, I generally prefer books with a more cohesive storyline and overarching theme. This book is best for readers under 14 years who have a faster-moving attention span and need frequently changing scenes and excitement. Overall, I believe this book would make a cute movie.
The main character is 16 years old, but acts much younger (around 12-13). The story would have been a little more believable if she was younger, as the way she behaved, her mannerisms, the way she spoke, and the general themes of the book seem more appropriate for a younger age. The book contained a lot of larger and more complex vocabulary than you would typically find in a middle-grade book (ethereal, pallid, ephemeral. rakishly, prodigious). For parents who are reading this book along with their children, this makes the book more interesting and gives it depth.
Synopsis:
The main character, Ivy, is brave and curious, with a good heart and sense of adventure. Ivy is a 16 year old working for Helga, a cruel woman who holds her essentially captive to do chores and work as a scaldron maid (essentially a grunt worker that cooks and takes care of magical creatures similar to dragons). The story is filled with the magical adventures of Ivy as she navigates her first year at a magical school for royals and scrivenists. Similar to Harry Potter, Ivy is snatched up when she turned 16 and brought to the magical school to learn about her abilities. During her first year, Ivy completes various "missions" during which she tries to uncover a magical secret.
To start - I am in my mid-30's and tried my best to read this book through the lens of the target audience, which is middle-grade readers. The writing and general storyline were whimsical and charming. The author's descriptions created good imagery, and I could really see the characters' personalities and the scenes in vivid detail. D.E. Night has a vibrant imagination.
As for the storyline, I had a somewhat difficult time understanding the main point of the plot, but it was an enjoyable sequence of mini-adventures. As an adult reader, I generally prefer books with a more cohesive storyline and overarching theme. This book is best for readers under 14 years who have a faster-moving attention span and need frequently changing scenes and excitement. Overall, I believe this book would make a cute movie.
The main character is 16 years old, but acts much younger (around 12-13). The story would have been a little more believable if she was younger, as the way she behaved, her mannerisms, the way she spoke, and the general themes of the book seem more appropriate for a younger age. The book contained a lot of larger and more complex vocabulary than you would typically find in a middle-grade book (ethereal, pallid, ephemeral. rakishly, prodigious). For parents who are reading this book along with their children, this makes the book more interesting and gives it depth.
Synopsis:
The main character, Ivy, is brave and curious, with a good heart and sense of adventure. Ivy is a 16 year old working for Helga, a cruel woman who holds her essentially captive to do chores and work as a scaldron maid (essentially a grunt worker that cooks and takes care of magical creatures similar to dragons). The story is filled with the magical adventures of Ivy as she navigates her first year at a magical school for royals and scrivenists. Similar to Harry Potter, Ivy is snatched up when she turned 16 and brought to the magical school to learn about her abilities. During her first year, Ivy completes various "missions" during which she tries to uncover a magical secret.
The Crowns of Croswald is a fun YA Fantasy read that feels much more Harry Potter than it does Lord of the Rings, which is a good thing.
The book opens with a slightly familiar premise of an orphan girl living a life of relative obscurity and poverty, yet having some mysterious friends, a talent for drawing, and dreams that are vividly real. Almost immediately we're thrust into the story proper as Ivy(our main character and said orphan girl) is whisked away to a mysterious magic school.
I enjoyed how the different types of magic were presented and while there certainly were more than a few Harry Potter vibes in terms of general themes, I feel like the magic system and story elements were unique in their own right, making this feel like a familiar yet unique story.
In fact, the one qualm I have about this book IS the magic system itself. I won't say too much as I don't want to spoil anything, but we see a lot of examples of the magic being used throughout the story yet we don't see a whole lot of explanation as to HOW the magic system works. But that may just be the "Non-YA Target Audience" side of me nitpicking AND it may be something explained/explored more in the following books in the series.
Overall, as a YA Fantasy title I think the book was pretty decent. While I'm certainly not the exact target audience, I can see how this would be a highly enjoyable world for a younger audience to really get sucked into. For me, it felt a little bland(though I LOVE the concept of the Scrivenest and the magic in the quills) and a LOT predictable. I think from the earliest chapters, anyone that has enjoyed modern YA fantasy is going to find it's very predictable, yet still enjoyable, to read.
The book opens with a slightly familiar premise of an orphan girl living a life of relative obscurity and poverty, yet having some mysterious friends, a talent for drawing, and dreams that are vividly real. Almost immediately we're thrust into the story proper as Ivy(our main character and said orphan girl) is whisked away to a mysterious magic school.
I enjoyed how the different types of magic were presented and while there certainly were more than a few Harry Potter vibes in terms of general themes, I feel like the magic system and story elements were unique in their own right, making this feel like a familiar yet unique story.
In fact, the one qualm I have about this book IS the magic system itself. I won't say too much as I don't want to spoil anything, but we see a lot of examples of the magic being used throughout the story yet we don't see a whole lot of explanation as to HOW the magic system works. But that may just be the "Non-YA Target Audience" side of me nitpicking AND it may be something explained/explored more in the following books in the series.
Overall, as a YA Fantasy title I think the book was pretty decent. While I'm certainly not the exact target audience, I can see how this would be a highly enjoyable world for a younger audience to really get sucked into. For me, it felt a little bland(though I LOVE the concept of the Scrivenest and the magic in the quills) and a LOT predictable. I think from the earliest chapters, anyone that has enjoyed modern YA fantasy is going to find it's very predictable, yet still enjoyable, to read.
I’ve been trying (and failing) to read this book since September (it’s April now.) I thought I just hadn’t dedicated enough mental energy to it or generally that the problem was me. Today I realized I really just didn’t like the book. It’s SO similar to Harry Potter that it completely wrecks any shred of redeeming quality for me. So sadly, I’m DNFing it.
Honestly, I don’t feel great about that as the author and publisher sent me a copy of the book for review but this is my honest opinion
Honestly, I don’t feel great about that as the author and publisher sent me a copy of the book for review but this is my honest opinion
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
‘The Crowns of Croswald’ is a brilliant book. The world-building is fantastic and really makes the reader picture the different places. The main character Ivy Lovely is a funny and relatable character.
The story follows Ivy who works as a scaldrony maid in a castle looking after the dragons that heat/cook the food enjoyed by the rich family living in the castle. Ivy has a few mishaps and ends up being fired. She finds herself being accepted into the Halls of Ivy school for people who can use magic.
Ivy finds that things are not always as they appear when simple classes turn into dangerous and mysterious incidents. Ivy needs to find the scrivener Derwin Edgar Night and unlock the mysteries surrounding him.
‘The Crowns of Croswald’ has a collection of funny and interesting characters and is a great book that keeps you turning the pages.
‘The Crowns of Croswald’ is a brilliant book. The world-building is fantastic and really makes the reader picture the different places. The main character Ivy Lovely is a funny and relatable character.
The story follows Ivy who works as a scaldrony maid in a castle looking after the dragons that heat/cook the food enjoyed by the rich family living in the castle. Ivy has a few mishaps and ends up being fired. She finds herself being accepted into the Halls of Ivy school for people who can use magic.
Ivy finds that things are not always as they appear when simple classes turn into dangerous and mysterious incidents. Ivy needs to find the scrivener Derwin Edgar Night and unlock the mysteries surrounding him.
‘The Crowns of Croswald’ has a collection of funny and interesting characters and is a great book that keeps you turning the pages.