Take a photo of a barcode or cover
thepastelnerd 's review for:
The Crowns of Croswald
by D.E. Night
Thank you to Stories Untold Press and Netgalley for a free e-copy in exchange for a free review!
I loved this book so much! This review isn't going to be super detailed (because I've found out writing a lengthy review is exhausting) but here we go!
First, this book is a super cute and clean middle grade fantasy with strong Harry Potter vibes. while also leaning into the lost princess trope (somewhat spoiler, but not really because most readers will have figured the big twist out by the time it's revealed). The magical world is enchanting and very original. I was eager to learn about each and every new element that our main character Ivy came across with during her adventures.
Speaking of Ivy, all the characters are well-rounded and well written. Ivy's love for learning and adventure is so relatable and I wished I could actually be there with her along her journey. Even with what's revealed about her mysterious history by the end, there's enough yet to be revealed to get you excited about the sequels. Rebekah is a great best friend and I absolutely love the loyal and charming Fyn. The budding romance between Ivy and Fyn is downright adorable and I ship them super hard. The lack of information on the dark queen makes her ominous just enough to keep you excited for her final appearance, and then when she dramatically reveals just how terrifying she is it's hard to stop reading.
A small complaint is that I wish there would have been a bit more explanation of new magical creatures and elements. Ivy is thrown into the magic world rather quickly and she learns very fast, but the reader has to keep up a little bit. Some more discussion of Ivy's instinctual magic would have grounded the plotline a bit more too. But overall the plot moves fast enough throughout the school year's timeline to keep you entertained with enough slow moments to let characters bond and keep you intrigued in the mysteries surrounding Ivy. I also wish some non-magical elements of the story had been a bit more original, like the rich kid who bullies the main character and blaming them for problems rich kid caused, but this wasn't too much of a big deal or distraction. And the magic system and original magical creatures (DOG SIZED PET DRAGON!) make up for it.
I don't have too much more to say, but TL;DR: this book is so charming I'll be buying a physical copy and the next book in the series as soon as possible!
I loved this book so much! This review isn't going to be super detailed (because I've found out writing a lengthy review is exhausting) but here we go!
First, this book is a super cute and clean middle grade fantasy with strong Harry Potter vibes. while also leaning into the lost princess trope (somewhat spoiler, but not really because most readers will have figured the big twist out by the time it's revealed). The magical world is enchanting and very original. I was eager to learn about each and every new element that our main character Ivy came across with during her adventures.
Speaking of Ivy, all the characters are well-rounded and well written. Ivy's love for learning and adventure is so relatable and I wished I could actually be there with her along her journey. Even with what's revealed about her mysterious history by the end, there's enough yet to be revealed to get you excited about the sequels. Rebekah is a great best friend and I absolutely love the loyal and charming Fyn. The budding romance between Ivy and Fyn is downright adorable and I ship them super hard. The lack of information on the dark queen makes her ominous just enough to keep you excited for her final appearance, and then when she dramatically reveals just how terrifying she is it's hard to stop reading.
A small complaint is that I wish there would have been a bit more explanation of new magical creatures and elements. Ivy is thrown into the magic world rather quickly and she learns very fast, but the reader has to keep up a little bit. Some more discussion of Ivy's instinctual magic would have grounded the plotline a bit more too. But overall the plot moves fast enough throughout the school year's timeline to keep you entertained with enough slow moments to let characters bond and keep you intrigued in the mysteries surrounding Ivy. I also wish some non-magical elements of the story had been a bit more original, like the rich kid who bullies the main character and blaming them for problems rich kid caused, but this wasn't too much of a big deal or distraction. And the magic system and original magical creatures (DOG SIZED PET DRAGON!) make up for it.
I don't have too much more to say, but TL;DR: this book is so charming I'll be buying a physical copy and the next book in the series as soon as possible!