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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Ivy Lovely, a scaldron maid gets kicked out of castle plum into the slurry fields with no where to go. Once out of the slurries, hiding her magic, she is invited to the Halls of Ivy to attend school to study scrivenry.
While at school, Ivy finds trouble at every turn and with the help of many mysterious characters, discovers a huge secret about her past, present, and future.
My Review: 3.5/5
I really enjoyed this book so much! The world building D. E. Knight created was something to be applauded for. The imagery Knight creates was amazing, I could picture every setting in this book which I appreciate a lot in fantasy novels.
The Crown’s of Croswald was similar to Harry Potter in a lot of ways. The main character was “the chosen one” but in a different way. The adults in her life all lied to protect her from a terrifying destiny, but her curious nature allows her to find out these secrets on her own. A young teenage protagonist breaking the rules along with her friends to slowly bring all the pieces together.
I really enjoyed Ivy as a main character, she was curious, determined, and couldn’t care less about the rules - which is all great qualities for a character on an adventure.
Thank you to the publisher for reaching out to me on Instagram who encouraged me to request the novel on Netgalley. Thank you to Netgalley and Stories Untold for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ivy Lovely, a scaldron maid gets kicked out of castle plum into the slurry fields with no where to go. Once out of the slurries, hiding her magic, she is invited to the Halls of Ivy to attend school to study scrivenry.
While at school, Ivy finds trouble at every turn and with the help of many mysterious characters, discovers a huge secret about her past, present, and future.
My Review: 3.5/5
I really enjoyed this book so much! The world building D. E. Knight created was something to be applauded for. The imagery Knight creates was amazing, I could picture every setting in this book which I appreciate a lot in fantasy novels.
The Crown’s of Croswald was similar to Harry Potter in a lot of ways. The main character was “the chosen one” but in a different way. The adults in her life all lied to protect her from a terrifying destiny, but her curious nature allows her to find out these secrets on her own. A young teenage protagonist breaking the rules along with her friends to slowly bring all the pieces together.
I really enjoyed Ivy as a main character, she was curious, determined, and couldn’t care less about the rules - which is all great qualities for a character on an adventure.
Thank you to the publisher for reaching out to me on Instagram who encouraged me to request the novel on Netgalley. Thank you to Netgalley and Stories Untold for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
FULL REVIEW ON: FLIPPING THROUGH THE PAGES
WOW, just WOW!
When I won this book in a giveaway on Instagram, I was like super excited. I didn’t know what was this book about exactly. I just saw this book doing rounds on Instagram. So I was excited to get my hands on it. When it arrived, I instantly decided that it is going to be my next read, and alas! Here we are. I have never been so happy after reading a book that I got in a giveaway. This book was absolutely magical!
I am not going in detail here about the story (you can read it on my blog), but this is a story about a girl named Ivy Lovely and a magical town called Croswald. Ivy was a Scaldrony maid at House Plum. She had spent her entire childhood in Plum castle as a maid under the Head cook Helga. She only had a single friend named Rimbrick who was a dwarf. Rimbrick gave her a letter and helps her to escape the Plum castle. When she reached Croswald, magical things start happening. She got admission to Halls of Ivy, the magical school, where she was about to become a Scrivenerist. When Ivy entered the school, she got herself in troubles from the very first day. She gets Rebecca as her room partner. Ivy also met Fyn, who always looked after her and was always present near her whenever she was in danger.
As Ivy progresses to know more about her, she unfolds many secrets and came to know that she is the rightful heir of Croswald as she is related to former queen Isabella. She came to know that the Dark Queen is after her and her crown for some reason. Who is this Dark Queen? What she has to do with Ivy? How will Ivy manage to fight her? What the other secrets that are yet to unfold? How are Isabella and Ivy connected?
Character building and plot development
-----------------------------------------
Ivy is a lovely character. She hadn’t known of her magical abilities till she gets to Halls of Ivy. She has been portrayed fearless and fierce. She was always ready to go to adventures and to seek the truth behind her existence. Because of this behaviour she always gets herself in trouble. She was always keen to learn new things and most importantly, she loved reading!
Rebecca was the room partner of Ivy. She was equally interesting. Though she was a queen, she wanted to be a Scrivenerist. Then there is Fyn. I initially doubted Fyn, that somehow he is not so straight as he looks and is conspiring against her. He seemed to always follow her, everywhere. but once they were together in the forbidden forest, I could see their chemistry and I actually liked him.
There is another interesting character, Derwin Edgar Night. Since her childhood, Ivy dreamt of him but never was able to saw his face. Not much detail was given about him like how he disappeared in the first place and all, but in the end, it was good to see his major part in the story and Ivy’s life.
All the magical elements and places introduced in the story were excellent. I loved all the different subjects that they taught at the Halls of Ivy. I wish I could have learned one of those things, especially to go to some place magically in a bottle 😀 Sounds interesting, eh?
The forbidden forest was interesting too. And those Cloaked guards of Dark Queen? And those bearded clouds? That cabby ride? Those pie? Those Scaldron Dragons who bake in their mouths? That Forgotten room? And those magical Quills? Oh my, so many interesting elements. D.E. Night has successfully bound the completely new world where each thing is magical and so interesting that you ought to know more. As the story progresses, so many secrets unrevealed and sit just hooked to the story. There is a suspense like what will Ivy do next or in what trouble she will get herself into!
And yes, there were magical Crowns! Each queen had a different kind of crown with special magical powers. I want one!
There were many instances similar to Harry Potter. Some readers may like these similarities, some may not. But regardless of all this, I would say the author has managed to create a different world altogether with so many magical elements and the story stands on its own very well. During the later parts, especially the ending is what I hadn’t expected. I was imagining as if a movie is going on in front me.
Writing
----------------------------
I have to admit writing was not so much simple for me in first 50 pages. The reason behind this, what I think, is that I haven’t read much fantasy. When it comes to the new world and new terms I feel that I am still too low in this genre. There were many times that I Googled the words that were written like Scrivenerist, Scaldron etc, as I didn’t know their meanings. But once I understood all the initial world building, the story was a piece a cake. I kept on reading till its end and I wanted the next part right then!
Final Thoughts
---------------------------
It was an action and adventure filled story. Even if it’s labeled as a middle-grade, I enjoyed it thoroughly and I guess any other person who loves fantasy will do so. If you are a Harry Potter fan (which I guess most of you are), like magic schools and lost princesses then this book is definitely for you. I adored Ivy and her world. I would definitely recommend to give it a read! This was a very good debut attempt and I am surely waiting for the next book in the series now.
(Haha 😀 I am not going to beat you up if you don’t read it)
If you are a Harry Potter fan,like magic schools,lost princesses and adventurous rides, then this book is definitely for you.
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WOW, just WOW!
When I won this book in a giveaway on Instagram, I was like super excited. I didn’t know what was this book about exactly. I just saw this book doing rounds on Instagram. So I was excited to get my hands on it. When it arrived, I instantly decided that it is going to be my next read, and alas! Here we are. I have never been so happy after reading a book that I got in a giveaway. This book was absolutely magical!
I am not going in detail here about the story (you can read it on my blog), but this is a story about a girl named Ivy Lovely and a magical town called Croswald. Ivy was a Scaldrony maid at House Plum. She had spent her entire childhood in Plum castle as a maid under the Head cook Helga. She only had a single friend named Rimbrick who was a dwarf. Rimbrick gave her a letter and helps her to escape the Plum castle. When she reached Croswald, magical things start happening. She got admission to Halls of Ivy, the magical school, where she was about to become a Scrivenerist. When Ivy entered the school, she got herself in troubles from the very first day. She gets Rebecca as her room partner. Ivy also met Fyn, who always looked after her and was always present near her whenever she was in danger.
As Ivy progresses to know more about her, she unfolds many secrets and came to know that she is the rightful heir of Croswald as she is related to former queen Isabella. She came to know that the Dark Queen is after her and her crown for some reason. Who is this Dark Queen? What she has to do with Ivy? How will Ivy manage to fight her? What the other secrets that are yet to unfold? How are Isabella and Ivy connected?
Character building and plot development
-----------------------------------------
Ivy is a lovely character. She hadn’t known of her magical abilities till she gets to Halls of Ivy. She has been portrayed fearless and fierce. She was always ready to go to adventures and to seek the truth behind her existence. Because of this behaviour she always gets herself in trouble. She was always keen to learn new things and most importantly, she loved reading!
Rebecca was the room partner of Ivy. She was equally interesting. Though she was a queen, she wanted to be a Scrivenerist. Then there is Fyn. I initially doubted Fyn, that somehow he is not so straight as he looks and is conspiring against her. He seemed to always follow her, everywhere. but once they were together in the forbidden forest, I could see their chemistry and I actually liked him.
There is another interesting character, Derwin Edgar Night. Since her childhood, Ivy dreamt of him but never was able to saw his face. Not much detail was given about him like how he disappeared in the first place and all, but in the end, it was good to see his major part in the story and Ivy’s life.
All the magical elements and places introduced in the story were excellent. I loved all the different subjects that they taught at the Halls of Ivy. I wish I could have learned one of those things, especially to go to some place magically in a bottle 😀 Sounds interesting, eh?
The forbidden forest was interesting too. And those Cloaked guards of Dark Queen? And those bearded clouds? That cabby ride? Those pie? Those Scaldron Dragons who bake in their mouths? That Forgotten room? And those magical Quills? Oh my, so many interesting elements. D.E. Night has successfully bound the completely new world where each thing is magical and so interesting that you ought to know more. As the story progresses, so many secrets unrevealed and sit just hooked to the story. There is a suspense like what will Ivy do next or in what trouble she will get herself into!
And yes, there were magical Crowns! Each queen had a different kind of crown with special magical powers. I want one!
There were many instances similar to Harry Potter. Some readers may like these similarities, some may not. But regardless of all this, I would say the author has managed to create a different world altogether with so many magical elements and the story stands on its own very well. During the later parts, especially the ending is what I hadn’t expected. I was imagining as if a movie is going on in front me.
Writing
----------------------------
I have to admit writing was not so much simple for me in first 50 pages. The reason behind this, what I think, is that I haven’t read much fantasy. When it comes to the new world and new terms I feel that I am still too low in this genre. There were many times that I Googled the words that were written like Scrivenerist, Scaldron etc, as I didn’t know their meanings. But once I understood all the initial world building, the story was a piece a cake. I kept on reading till its end and I wanted the next part right then!
Final Thoughts
---------------------------
It was an action and adventure filled story. Even if it’s labeled as a middle-grade, I enjoyed it thoroughly and I guess any other person who loves fantasy will do so. If you are a Harry Potter fan (which I guess most of you are), like magic schools and lost princesses then this book is definitely for you. I adored Ivy and her world. I would definitely recommend to give it a read! This was a very good debut attempt and I am surely waiting for the next book in the series now.
(Haha 😀 I am not going to beat you up if you don’t read it)
If you are a Harry Potter fan,like magic schools,lost princesses and adventurous rides, then this book is definitely for you.
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I have really enjoyed reading children/young adults fiction recently. I think that there is a particular feel, a sense of reading without the same rules, a sense of possibility and adventure. I was unfamiliar with this book and this author, but I have become rather fond of stories about the acquisition of magic! The first thing that hits you reading this book is the incredible imagination at work. In this imaginary world you are given such amazingly detailed descriptions. This is the story of Ivy who is whisked away from a life of servitude to attend The Halls of Ivy where children learn to use their magical skills. Ivy is excited to be at the school she has always dreamed of and is amazed to discover her exceptional skills, however it is not long before she realises that there are dark forces at large and the Dark Queen and her entourage are on the move. I felt reading at the start of this book was like beginning a board game. You encounter unfamiliar territory, new terminology, rules and ideas which you need to assimilate to move around the board. This did make the beginning of the book, for me, quite difficult. It is loaded with description and detail and I found it slow simply because there is so much to absorb. Sometimes I wasn’t sure if a word was imaginary or one I didn’t know! Then suddenly it came together and the adventure took over. There is a sense of brooding danger which added to the tension and excitement. I think that young adults will find characters in this book who they will relate to: teenage character traits reveal themselves in the costumery and spell casting. The evolving friendship between Ivy and Rebecca was intuitively portrayed as is the blossoming romance. The character of Derwin Edgar Night is fascinating and illusive and with his reappearance at the end of the book the adventure is all set for the next volume in the series. With thanks to Netgalley and D.E. Night for a digital copy of this intriguing story.
Rounded up from 3.5 stars ⭐️
Initially I was a little dubious of reading this novel, mainly because the genre (Middle Grade Fantasy) really isn’t my thing. However, the premise won me over and I’m so glad I gave it a chance!
The Crowns of Croswald follows Ivy Lovely, a young maid who harnesses magic. As she leaves the slurry fields she’s grown up in she tumbles into a life she never expected. Full of mystical happenings and wonderful friends.
I really loved the world that Night created. It is similar to Harry Potter (which people are either going to love or hate). But it had some originality too which I really enjoyed (especially the porcupines!). When I was reading I could feel the magical world forming around me. I didn’t want to put the book down because I wanted to stay there!
However, the only downside for me was that I wasn’t the biggest fan of Ivy. There just wasn’t enough about her character that had me rooting for her. I could see where the book was going to take her from early on in the story and that felt a little anti-climactic for me. However, I did really enjoy Ivy’s friends (especially Rebecca and Winsome) and I can’t wait to see where Ivy’s adventure takes her next.
I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone that loves stories about magic! I’m really grateful to the author, Netgalley and the publishers, for allowing me to read this book and give my honest opinion. It was a great journey to go on!
Initially I was a little dubious of reading this novel, mainly because the genre (Middle Grade Fantasy) really isn’t my thing. However, the premise won me over and I’m so glad I gave it a chance!
The Crowns of Croswald follows Ivy Lovely, a young maid who harnesses magic. As she leaves the slurry fields she’s grown up in she tumbles into a life she never expected. Full of mystical happenings and wonderful friends.
I really loved the world that Night created. It is similar to Harry Potter (which people are either going to love or hate). But it had some originality too which I really enjoyed (especially the porcupines!). When I was reading I could feel the magical world forming around me. I didn’t want to put the book down because I wanted to stay there!
However, the only downside for me was that I wasn’t the biggest fan of Ivy. There just wasn’t enough about her character that had me rooting for her. I could see where the book was going to take her from early on in the story and that felt a little anti-climactic for me. However, I did really enjoy Ivy’s friends (especially Rebecca and Winsome) and I can’t wait to see where Ivy’s adventure takes her next.
I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone that loves stories about magic! I’m really grateful to the author, Netgalley and the publishers, for allowing me to read this book and give my honest opinion. It was a great journey to go on!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
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:
Yes
*I received this book as an e-ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
The Crowns of Croswald was a lovely book. I really enjoyed the way the magic was shared through this world as well as how the plot catches the reader. Ivy Lovely was a very entertaining character, very well thought of, and really easy to follow. It was really nice and refreshing to have a world where women were in charge and played roles such as being "the chosen one." I made it exciting to continue reading.
Additionally, as it has been pointed out in other reviews, if you like Harry Potter, you will most certainly enjoy this fantasy book.
That being said, there were a few things that felt out of place, or not fully developed:
- There were a bit too many moments in which this book reminded me of Harry Potter. It felt like the world-building was lacking a bit of work and both the plot and the world were relying on the readers being familiar with an already existing fantasy world.
- Fyn wasn't a fully developed character. It was never clear what he was doing at specific times. He didn't have a voice of his own, unlike Rebecca, and this was especially evident during the ball scene.
- The book had one major POV change that didn't make sense whatsoever: the scene where Ivy is about to enter the ball. The entire book we see things from Ivy's point of view, but suddenly, we're thrown into Fyn's POV, except that, other than his name being there, it sounded exactly like Ivy. This was very distracting and pulled me out of the story, to where I had to go back and make sure I had read correctly. POV switches should be carefully used and very intentional. In this case, it didn't feel that way.
- I wish the supporting characters had been better developed. They always felt incomplete to a certain extent, just making cameos every so often. I also wish the threat of the Dark Queen and the Queen herself had been explored and described through the eyes of supporting characters more, to give it more life and credibility.
All in all, this book was enjoyable, and definitely left me wanting to find out more about Ivy's journey as she discovers her true identity.
The Crowns of Croswald was a lovely book. I really enjoyed the way the magic was shared through this world as well as how the plot catches the reader. Ivy Lovely was a very entertaining character, very well thought of, and really easy to follow. It was really nice and refreshing to have a world where women were in charge and played roles such as being "the chosen one." I made it exciting to continue reading.
Additionally, as it has been pointed out in other reviews, if you like Harry Potter, you will most certainly enjoy this fantasy book.
That being said, there were a few things that felt out of place, or not fully developed:
- There were a bit too many moments in which this book reminded me of Harry Potter. It felt like the world-building was lacking a bit of work and both the plot and the world were relying on the readers being familiar with an already existing fantasy world.
- Fyn wasn't a fully developed character. It was never clear what he was doing at specific times. He didn't have a voice of his own, unlike Rebecca, and this was especially evident during the ball scene.
- The book had one major POV change that didn't make sense whatsoever: the scene where Ivy is about to enter the ball. The entire book we see things from Ivy's point of view, but suddenly, we're thrown into Fyn's POV, except that, other than his name being there, it sounded exactly like Ivy. This was very distracting and pulled me out of the story, to where I had to go back and make sure I had read correctly. POV switches should be carefully used and very intentional. In this case, it didn't feel that way.
- I wish the supporting characters had been better developed. They always felt incomplete to a certain extent, just making cameos every so often. I also wish the threat of the Dark Queen and the Queen herself had been explored and described through the eyes of supporting characters more, to give it more life and credibility.
All in all, this book was enjoyable, and definitely left me wanting to find out more about Ivy's journey as she discovers her true identity.
I was asked to review this a few months ago, but real life got in the way and it's taken me a bit to get back to it.
Unfortunately, I wound up DNF'ing it at the 10% mark. The plot summary was interesting and fantasy is my favorite genre, but the writing was just not for me. It was like in an attempt to be creative or funny the author overshot and made it cheesy instead. It also very much felt like it was trying to be Harry Potter and I wouldn't consider that a good thing nowadays.
I think this might still appeal to a younger reader and if I was also younger I might have read this without noticing the things that bother me now.
Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Unfortunately, I wound up DNF'ing it at the 10% mark. The plot summary was interesting and fantasy is my favorite genre, but the writing was just not for me. It was like in an attempt to be creative or funny the author overshot and made it cheesy instead. It also very much felt like it was trying to be Harry Potter and I wouldn't consider that a good thing nowadays.
I think this might still appeal to a younger reader and if I was also younger I might have read this without noticing the things that bother me now.
Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
The Crowns of Croswald is a great middle grade read for those who love magic, adventure, and mystical creatures.
I enjoyed the feel of the book! D.E. Night crafted this world that just sucks you with atmosphere and gives you a character to rally behind.
If you enjoy reading Nevermoor, you'll find a similar love for this book. Think Nevermoor but with an emphasis on words, ink, and writing.
***SPOILER ALERTS BELOW****
Like I stated I totally enjoyed this book! I loved the writing! There were some predictable plot points and twists but still I think it is a great read for all ages.
I wasn't a fan of how the romance between Ivy and Fyn came about. Not that it seemed super forced but more like we missed a few interactions that would have made it more acceptable at the end. It was cute and I knew from the moment Ivy ran into him that he was gonna be the main love interest but I wish they got more screen time.
You get the feel that Ivy is the missing princess and I think thats the point with the school being called the Halls of Ivy and I enjoyed watching Ivy find out that too.
What I really love about this book is the magic behind writing and words. Scrivenists are so cool! I loved that scrivenists become tomes when they die. I loved the whole afterlife aspect. As a lover of books and writing I can appreciate it so much!
I enjoyed the feel of the book! D.E. Night crafted this world that just sucks you with atmosphere and gives you a character to rally behind.
If you enjoy reading Nevermoor, you'll find a similar love for this book. Think Nevermoor but with an emphasis on words, ink, and writing.
***SPOILER ALERTS BELOW****
Like I stated I totally enjoyed this book! I loved the writing! There were some predictable plot points and twists but still I think it is a great read for all ages.
I wasn't a fan of how the romance between Ivy and Fyn came about. Not that it seemed super forced but more like we missed a few interactions that would have made it more acceptable at the end. It was cute and I knew from the moment Ivy ran into him that he was gonna be the main love interest but I wish they got more screen time.
You get the feel that Ivy is the missing princess and I think thats the point with the school being called the Halls of Ivy and I enjoyed watching Ivy find out that too.
What I really love about this book is the magic behind writing and words. Scrivenists are so cool! I loved that scrivenists become tomes when they die. I loved the whole afterlife aspect. As a lover of books and writing I can appreciate it so much!
I became enchanted by the story of Ivy and her journey of exploring her magic, stumbling across mysterious and strange occurrences at the Halls of Ivy, and the Dark Queen lurking around the corner! Truly magical! I felt like I was right there on the journey with Ivy!
The book itself is a light and entertaining read. Great book for young and old. I quickly became captivated with the characters and Croswald itself. Ivy with her clumsiness and naivete, but her eagerness, boldness, and determination to figure it out regardless of the consequences. The magical, mystical creatures in the book are so enchanting that it makes me want to have my own scaldron and hairy, or to feed drumnuts to a shorehorse. I find the Selector and Fyn, Ivy's little crush, to be very mysterious and there's more to these two that I'm hoping to find out in the next book.
The Crowns of Croswald was exceptional! A true gem!
Thank you to Daniella at Stories Untold Press and Netgalley for offering me an ARC of this book to review for my honest opinion. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
The book itself is a light and entertaining read. Great book for young and old. I quickly became captivated with the characters and Croswald itself. Ivy with her clumsiness and naivete, but her eagerness, boldness, and determination to figure it out regardless of the consequences. The magical, mystical creatures in the book are so enchanting that it makes me want to have my own scaldron and hairy, or to feed drumnuts to a shorehorse. I find the Selector and Fyn, Ivy's little crush, to be very mysterious and there's more to these two that I'm hoping to find out in the next book.
The Crowns of Croswald was exceptional! A true gem!
Thank you to Daniella at Stories Untold Press and Netgalley for offering me an ARC of this book to review for my honest opinion. All opinions and thoughts are my own.