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meisbooknook's review against another edition
3.0
I recieved a free copy of this book from the publisher (Stories Untold) in exchange for a honest review.
This review will be spoiler-free. As such, I will try to do the best that I can getting my points across.
From the beginning I was entranced by the world building in this novel. You are thrust into the magical world of Croswald and all of the intricacies of it. It is a whimscial, charming tale. Though reminiscient of another popular book that takes place in a magical setting, D.E. Night takes this concept and truly makes it her own - especially during the second half of the book.
I really loved the creativity behind this book. The glanageries, cabbies (and cabbie storms), and scaldrons! It is pure fantasy, and I absolutely adored it.
However, with being as descriptive as this book is - I feel like certain ascpets of the tale should have been expanded on for clarity. I understand that certain things were meant to be hidden by the author for effect - which is not what I am referring to. I am referring to aspects of the world that the author believes can be inferred by the reader (things that Ivy knows already and we do not), and things that Ivy does not know, and could have been used as an opportunity for world building.
Moreover, although this takes place mainly in a school, the school aspect is not overly emphasized. The story jumps from one of Ivy's adventures to another, with nothing in between. I understand the need to avoid filler, but it feels like a missed opportunity to showcase Ivy's relationships with those around her. I did feel like she was isolated from her peers, and did not seem to care much about what was happening around her.
To further elucidate on both of the points I made above, I believe that both of these issues would have easily been solved with the use of dialogue.
Although the plot was fairly predictiable, I felt like the events leading up to the ending were convoluted enough that I had to go back and re-read certain passages a couple of times. That being said, I am not sure if I would categorize this as juvenile fiction, especially since the characters ages fall more into the young adult range in the first place. Some of the interactions definitely seem more juvenile (i.e. Fyn and Ivy's avoidance to talk about certain things), whereas the world building seems more YA. This leads to somewhat of an awkward imbalance that I would percieve younger readers having difficulty with.
That being said, I do believe that this is a good start to a series. The ending holds promise for the future books, and I hope that more to Ivy's story is revealed in time.
Thank you so much to Stories Untold for sending me a free copy of this book!
This review will be spoiler-free. As such, I will try to do the best that I can getting my points across.
From the beginning I was entranced by the world building in this novel. You are thrust into the magical world of Croswald and all of the intricacies of it. It is a whimscial, charming tale. Though reminiscient of another popular book that takes place in a magical setting, D.E. Night takes this concept and truly makes it her own - especially during the second half of the book.
I really loved the creativity behind this book. The glanageries, cabbies (and cabbie storms), and scaldrons! It is pure fantasy, and I absolutely adored it.
However, with being as descriptive as this book is - I feel like certain ascpets of the tale should have been expanded on for clarity. I understand that certain things were meant to be hidden by the author for effect - which is not what I am referring to. I am referring to aspects of the world that the author believes can be inferred by the reader (things that Ivy knows already and we do not), and things that Ivy does not know, and could have been used as an opportunity for world building.
Moreover, although this takes place mainly in a school, the school aspect is not overly emphasized. The story jumps from one of Ivy's adventures to another, with nothing in between. I understand the need to avoid filler, but it feels like a missed opportunity to showcase Ivy's relationships with those around her. I did feel like she was isolated from her peers, and did not seem to care much about what was happening around her.
To further elucidate on both of the points I made above, I believe that both of these issues would have easily been solved with the use of dialogue.
Although the plot was fairly predictiable, I felt like the events leading up to the ending were convoluted enough that I had to go back and re-read certain passages a couple of times. That being said, I am not sure if I would categorize this as juvenile fiction, especially since the characters ages fall more into the young adult range in the first place. Some of the interactions definitely seem more juvenile (i.e. Fyn and Ivy's avoidance to talk about certain things), whereas the world building seems more YA. This leads to somewhat of an awkward imbalance that I would percieve younger readers having difficulty with.
That being said, I do believe that this is a good start to a series. The ending holds promise for the future books, and I hope that more to Ivy's story is revealed in time.
Thank you so much to Stories Untold for sending me a free copy of this book!
edshara's review against another edition
4.0
So I finished this up yesterday and I realized that I didn't take as many notes, as usual, for my review. This was the first book, in a while, that I just kind of set back and went along for the ride, without being overly critical.
First, I do know this book has been compared to Harry Potter. I haven't read the HP series yet, but I have seen enough of the movies to have noticed some of the similarities. However, this book has enough original content to stand on its own and I really enjoyed it. In fact, I have been wanting to finally read the HP series and this book makes me want to read it even more. I mean if this is similar and I loved it, I'm sure I'll love HP.
Ivy Lovely was a great protaganist. She was the right amount of naive and clever. While she didn't get some of the clues that were right in front of her, we also didn't have to wait long for her to take action and try to figure things out. I liked that, while she did have some self-doubt, she wasn't overly whiny. The biggest issue I had with her was, at times, she didn't seem her age. I don't really know how to explain it, but we are told she is 16, and in certain parts of the book it just didn't feel she was that old. I guess you could say the overall feel of the book made it seem like the characters were much younger than are. Although, this didn't hinder my reading experience.
I loved the authors take on different magical elements and I liked how they differed from things I have read in the past. Their were some minor parts of the story that felt out of place, but overall, this was a really great book and I look forward to more from D.E. Night.
First, I do know this book has been compared to Harry Potter. I haven't read the HP series yet, but I have seen enough of the movies to have noticed some of the similarities. However, this book has enough original content to stand on its own and I really enjoyed it. In fact, I have been wanting to finally read the HP series and this book makes me want to read it even more. I mean if this is similar and I loved it, I'm sure I'll love HP.
Ivy Lovely was a great protaganist. She was the right amount of naive and clever. While she didn't get some of the clues that were right in front of her, we also didn't have to wait long for her to take action and try to figure things out. I liked that, while she did have some self-doubt, she wasn't overly whiny. The biggest issue I had with her was, at times, she didn't seem her age. I don't really know how to explain it, but we are told she is 16, and in certain parts of the book it just didn't feel she was that old. I guess you could say the overall feel of the book made it seem like the characters were much younger than are. Although, this didn't hinder my reading experience.
I loved the authors take on different magical elements and I liked how they differed from things I have read in the past. Their were some minor parts of the story that felt out of place, but overall, this was a really great book and I look forward to more from D.E. Night.
marie_rivera13's review against another edition
5.0
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is an amazing and magical journey of a girl named Ivy. We start by seeing Ivy in a less then ideal situation as a scauldron maid. Shortly after, she is pushed out on her own. This is when the adventure really begins. Once on her own, she gets an invitation to attend the Halls of Ivy. It is awesome to see her magic to spark as she learns more about herself and her magic within!
I loved how slowly all the secrets about who Ivy truly was and what she could do were slowly revealed. It kept me on my toes the whole book. This is the perfect YA read for those who love adventure and little magic in their life!
This book is an amazing and magical journey of a girl named Ivy. We start by seeing Ivy in a less then ideal situation as a scauldron maid. Shortly after, she is pushed out on her own. This is when the adventure really begins. Once on her own, she gets an invitation to attend the Halls of Ivy. It is awesome to see her magic to spark as she learns more about herself and her magic within!
I loved how slowly all the secrets about who Ivy truly was and what she could do were slowly revealed. It kept me on my toes the whole book. This is the perfect YA read for those who love adventure and little magic in their life!
thereadernthebeast's review against another edition
3.0
"This book is definitely aimed at a younger audience, but I can still say that it was a very entertaining read. The clues were always too obvious and the writing style was not my favorite part of this adventure, but the characters and the plot were a delight."
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review
hannah_reads_2020's review against another edition
4.0
A fun magic filled read.
This book is full of wonder and whimsy. The characters are well written and the book has plenty to keep you entertained. It’s funny, intriguing and witty, especially for a middle grade book.
Synopsis:
Ivy Lovely is 16 and she has no idea who she is. Tucked away in a place that dampens magic she crosses a magical boundary and discovers a whole new world of enchantment and mystery. Making friends that will last a lifetime—and save her life—she steps into her own abilities and discovers more about her hidden past, magical blood, and the power of Croswald’s mystical stones. But all is not well: a dark history and an evil Queen threatens all that is good. Will Ivy’s bravery and wit be enough?
This book is full of wonder and whimsy. The characters are well written and the book has plenty to keep you entertained. It’s funny, intriguing and witty, especially for a middle grade book.
Synopsis:
Ivy Lovely is 16 and she has no idea who she is. Tucked away in a place that dampens magic she crosses a magical boundary and discovers a whole new world of enchantment and mystery. Making friends that will last a lifetime—and save her life—she steps into her own abilities and discovers more about her hidden past, magical blood, and the power of Croswald’s mystical stones. But all is not well: a dark history and an evil Queen threatens all that is good. Will Ivy’s bravery and wit be enough?
megan_watson0831's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
the_bookishmum's review against another edition
Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Ivy is a sixteen year old orphan girl who works in a castle as a scaldrony maid (a kitchen maid who works with ovens that are actually dragons) and has spent most of her life being mistreated by the cruel Helga who runs the kitchens. Her only friend is a dwarf who has known her her whole life and there is no magic in the castle where she lives (though she is aware of magic in the Crosswalds as a whole. After being kicked out of the castle after an incident involving pies gone wrong Ivy is dragged into a world of magic and learns that she also has magic after all. She is taken to magic school and begins her journey to becoming a scrivener with the mysterious circumstances of her family and the dark queen for some reason after her.
I really wanted to give this book more stars than this. I’m going to start this with some positives. The story itself is really good, the premise and plot were interesting. The magic system and world building were well done and I enjoyed the villain face off at the end. I’m a bit on the fence with the class based magic roles though (if you’re a royal you get a crown to do magic and if you’re poor you get a quill and basically get trained to work for the royals) it seems like they could have been given different schools. I do think that had I read this book as an 8-16 year old I would have enjoyed it, the magic is whimsical and the creatures are described in a way that brings life to them.
Now for some more negative parts:
The pacing was a little weird, it felt like an entire school year had passed in the blink of an eye. The characters were one dimensional and I really didn’t like the way the author treats the ‘Butterlove’ family, the mother is criticised for being fat and the only thing we truly know about the son is that they like butter. Even the main characters don’t feel like they have any depth, I suppose there is still chance for that with future books. The villain pops up randomly but until the end never truly feels villainous, it makes sense why Ivy has absolutely no fear towards her. The dialogue at times felt unnatural and way too polite in comparison to the situation. This is a personal thing but I feel that as the first book of the series it could have done with a cliffhanger, something to make you want to keep reading. A lot of the actual action and information barrels at you near the end which felt like a very tell don’t show approach.
In spite of the negatives though I would still read the rest of the series. I’m interested to know where this is going.
Ivy is a sixteen year old orphan girl who works in a castle as a scaldrony maid (a kitchen maid who works with ovens that are actually dragons) and has spent most of her life being mistreated by the cruel Helga who runs the kitchens. Her only friend is a dwarf who has known her her whole life and there is no magic in the castle where she lives (though she is aware of magic in the Crosswalds as a whole. After being kicked out of the castle after an incident involving pies gone wrong Ivy is dragged into a world of magic and learns that she also has magic after all. She is taken to magic school and begins her journey to becoming a scrivener with the mysterious circumstances of her family and the dark queen for some reason after her.
I really wanted to give this book more stars than this. I’m going to start this with some positives. The story itself is really good, the premise and plot were interesting. The magic system and world building were well done and I enjoyed the villain face off at the end. I’m a bit on the fence with the class based magic roles though (if you’re a royal you get a crown to do magic and if you’re poor you get a quill and basically get trained to work for the royals) it seems like they could have been given different schools. I do think that had I read this book as an 8-16 year old I would have enjoyed it, the magic is whimsical and the creatures are described in a way that brings life to them.
Now for some more negative parts:
The pacing was a little weird, it felt like an entire school year had passed in the blink of an eye. The characters were one dimensional and I really didn’t like the way the author treats the ‘Butterlove’ family, the mother is criticised for being fat and the only thing we truly know about the son is that they like butter. Even the main characters don’t feel like they have any depth, I suppose there is still chance for that with future books. The villain pops up randomly but until the end never truly feels villainous, it makes sense why Ivy has absolutely no fear towards her. The dialogue at times felt unnatural and way too polite in comparison to the situation. This is a personal thing but I feel that as the first book of the series it could have done with a cliffhanger, something to make you want to keep reading. A lot of the actual action and information barrels at you near the end which felt like a very tell don’t show approach.
In spite of the negatives though I would still read the rest of the series. I’m interested to know where this is going.
shaunareads's review against another edition
4.0
This book is nothing short of whimsical. People who miss the nostalgia of the Harry Potter world will gobble up this books, mystical creatures, quirky characters, and magical atmosphere.
I went into this book not expecting much honestly, and I think that is what made the experience better! The author does a great job introducing you to this new world without overwhelming you.
It was fun and a quick read.
My only real complaint is that it seemed like the author was REALLY inspired by Harry Potter. There were a lot of similar situations that just seemed to be a name change.
Also, it did seem like everything just kind of happened to our character conveniently when she needed something/someone. It only took her one try to get whatever she needed and there were hardly any road blocks. And if there was a problem, something magical happened and it worked itself out with no hard feelings or confrontation.
Overall it was a quick and fun read!
I went into this book not expecting much honestly, and I think that is what made the experience better! The author does a great job introducing you to this new world without overwhelming you.
It was fun and a quick read.
My only real complaint is that it seemed like the author was REALLY inspired by Harry Potter. There were a lot of similar situations that just seemed to be a name change.
Also, it did seem like everything just kind of happened to our character conveniently when she needed something/someone. It only took her one try to get whatever she needed and there were hardly any road blocks. And if there was a problem, something magical happened and it worked itself out with no hard feelings or confrontation.
Overall it was a quick and fun read!
usakoing's review against another edition
2.0
I’ve been given access to read this in exchange for a honest review. This book had great potential with the steampunk mentioning, but I don’t think I’d exactly call it a middle grade. An orphan being degraded for being an orphan, as well as being chased with a cast iron skillet in hand with the intent of hurting said child, and then threatening to execute an animal..aren’t things I’d say are intended for children 8-12. Though, it does have similarities to Barbie Princess Charm School. Or at least to me it does. Girls servicing, two orphans dropped off somewhere, having to uncover the truth about their identities, entering a school to uncover secrets..16/17..you get my drift. But it’s also relatable with Harry Potter..dropped off somewhere with people who hate them, orphaned, cupboard living, magical school to learn about their magic, having to uncover the secrets of a villain of their story, and meeting characters that become apart of their main gang. Too many similarities, and it’s made it hard to finish the book. A child might not see these things, but as adults, a lot probably can.
kaysiegauvin's review against another edition
3.0
The Crowns of Croswald is a YA/middle grade book filled with fantasy, magic and a good plot. Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story grabs you from the very beginning. The magic, the creatures and the story itself were fascinating to read. The descriptions of the different settings were well done, it felt like I was standing in each moment of the story. This book was fun to read and gave me some major Harry Potter vibes, in the best way. Definitely a good choice for a middle grade fantasy lover.
This story grabs you from the very beginning. The magic, the creatures and the story itself were fascinating to read. The descriptions of the different settings were well done, it felt like I was standing in each moment of the story. This book was fun to read and gave me some major Harry Potter vibes, in the best way. Definitely a good choice for a middle grade fantasy lover.