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kenzee06's review against another edition
3.0
*I won this book in a GoodReads Giveaway*
This book was not quite what I was expecting. It definitely Harry Potter inspired, but the writing was whimsical and fast-paced in a way that honestly made the book hard to follow.
There's certainly interesting things going on in this book - but maybe it's too much? It touches on all kinds of interesting creatures and magic - but it's always only at a surface level and before you have time to even process what little information you were given, it's on to the next thing. It just didn't have enough explanation to work for me totally. None of the characters quite felt real - or had their personalities explained in a way that their actions made sense. I couldn't get a handle on the pacing either.
Regardless, I'm interested enough to read the next book (which I also won - luck is with me!).
This book was not quite what I was expecting. It definitely Harry Potter inspired, but the writing was whimsical and fast-paced in a way that honestly made the book hard to follow.
There's certainly interesting things going on in this book - but maybe it's too much? It touches on all kinds of interesting creatures and magic - but it's always only at a surface level and before you have time to even process what little information you were given, it's on to the next thing. It just didn't have enough explanation to work for me totally. None of the characters quite felt real - or had their personalities explained in a way that their actions made sense. I couldn't get a handle on the pacing either.
Regardless, I'm interested enough to read the next book (which I also won - luck is with me!).
dinnureads's review against another edition
3.0
I received an e-book copy of The Crowns of Croswald from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have had this book in my TBR list for a while. I found it very randomly because the author isn’t that well-known but the cover is beautiful and caught my eye from the first look. The abstract also sounded quite interesting because I love middle grade and YA fantasy stories with less romance and more magic. Because of that I was thrilled when the publisher (Stories Untold) contacted me on my bookstagram and offered a chance to get a free copy to review.
I have had this book in my TBR list for a while. I found it very randomly because the author isn’t that well-known but the cover is beautiful and caught my eye from the first look. The abstract also sounded quite interesting because I love middle grade and YA fantasy stories with less romance and more magic. Because of that I was thrilled when the publisher (Stories Untold) contacted me on my bookstagram and offered a chance to get a free copy to review.
xnelsen12's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Here’s the thing: I’ve kinda been dreading writing this review because even though I really wanted to read this book and was so excited when I was offered a copy by the author in exchange for an honest review, middle grade tends not to be my thing. Crowns of Croswald, in my mind, was going to be one of the rare exceptions because the story sounded so magically fantastic! I’m disappointed to say that it isn’t an exception. However, tons of people love middle grade novels, so I’m going to put my own opinions aside (at least concerning the writing style) to try to give a review that will hopefully be an unbiased as it should be. Because of that, this review may be a bit shorter than some of my others.
Ivy Lovely (the protagonist) goes through the journey to self-discovery which leads her from a position as scaldrony maid to student of magic. For those who have read Magyk by Angie Sage and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, it’s a perfect combination of both. I don’t say that in a bad way, either. While Magyk had taken me a year to get through (purely because I did not want to continue reading it, but I’d promised my sister that I would), I found myself really wanting to finish The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night because it was much more interesting. Of course, in my mind, nothing will hold a candle to Harry Potter… Still, if you’re looking for something to compare this two, imagine a mixture of those two series and I think you’ll find it a pretty decent fit for Night’s novel.
Magical, creative, and pretty darn cute at times, The Crowns of Croswald would be an excellent recommendation for young readers or readers of any age who enjoy middle grade fantasy novels about magic and the journey to understanding their own identity.
Here’s the thing: I’ve kinda been dreading writing this review because even though I really wanted to read this book and was so excited when I was offered a copy by the author in exchange for an honest review, middle grade tends not to be my thing. Crowns of Croswald, in my mind, was going to be one of the rare exceptions because the story sounded so magically fantastic! I’m disappointed to say that it isn’t an exception. However, tons of people love middle grade novels, so I’m going to put my own opinions aside (at least concerning the writing style) to try to give a review that will hopefully be an unbiased as it should be. Because of that, this review may be a bit shorter than some of my others.
Ivy Lovely (the protagonist) goes through the journey to self-discovery which leads her from a position as scaldrony maid to student of magic. For those who have read Magyk by Angie Sage and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, it’s a perfect combination of both. I don’t say that in a bad way, either. While Magyk had taken me a year to get through (purely because I did not want to continue reading it, but I’d promised my sister that I would), I found myself really wanting to finish The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night because it was much more interesting. Of course, in my mind, nothing will hold a candle to Harry Potter… Still, if you’re looking for something to compare this two, imagine a mixture of those two series and I think you’ll find it a pretty decent fit for Night’s novel.
Magical, creative, and pretty darn cute at times, The Crowns of Croswald would be an excellent recommendation for young readers or readers of any age who enjoy middle grade fantasy novels about magic and the journey to understanding their own identity.
flaffa's review against another edition
4.0
3.5*
Thanks to the publisher and the author for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This middle grade adventure features Ivy Lovely, a girl who has spent her whole life thinking she is ordinary and wishing to become something more. She often has strange dreams and one day she gets taken to a magic school and finds out there may be more to those dreams than she initially thought.
The world in this story is full of whimsy and magic. It has fun creatures we already know, like dragons, but it also innovates on the world building by not making exactly the same old thing. The dragons are scaldrons and they are used in kitchens in order to make food. Then there's hairies, fairy-like creatures who give off light. This world is very imaginative and I had a good time being immersed in it. The magic system is also very interesting because it's related to quills and inks. It was very unique and cool to learn about.
Despite all these good elements, I didn't quite click with the book as much as I wanted to. I felt like there was something missing. For one, the characters are 16, but they sound younger. This makes sense, since it's a middle grade book, but I think maybe it would have made more sense to lower their age a little.
The characters could have used a little more depth because by the end I didn't feel nearly as attached or invested as I would have liked.
The writing wasn't bad, but it could be improved in certain aspects. I think working on descriptions and the way settings are shown could really improve the atmosphere of the story, which is already one of the strongest points of this book. With a little work, there's potential for it to be elevated to another level.
In terms of the plot, I feel like it lacked slow moments. There was always something going on and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, I feel like having some room to breathe would help the reader better digest the plot and register what is going on.
I'd recommend this book if you're looking for something to scratch the itch of magical schools and whimsical worlds.
Thanks to the publisher and the author for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This middle grade adventure features Ivy Lovely, a girl who has spent her whole life thinking she is ordinary and wishing to become something more. She often has strange dreams and one day she gets taken to a magic school and finds out there may be more to those dreams than she initially thought.
The world in this story is full of whimsy and magic. It has fun creatures we already know, like dragons, but it also innovates on the world building by not making exactly the same old thing. The dragons are scaldrons and they are used in kitchens in order to make food. Then there's hairies, fairy-like creatures who give off light. This world is very imaginative and I had a good time being immersed in it. The magic system is also very interesting because it's related to quills and inks. It was very unique and cool to learn about.
Despite all these good elements, I didn't quite click with the book as much as I wanted to. I felt like there was something missing. For one, the characters are 16, but they sound younger. This makes sense, since it's a middle grade book, but I think maybe it would have made more sense to lower their age a little.
The characters could have used a little more depth because by the end I didn't feel nearly as attached or invested as I would have liked.
The writing wasn't bad, but it could be improved in certain aspects. I think working on descriptions and the way settings are shown could really improve the atmosphere of the story, which is already one of the strongest points of this book. With a little work, there's potential for it to be elevated to another level.
In terms of the plot, I feel like it lacked slow moments. There was always something going on and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, I feel like having some room to breathe would help the reader better digest the plot and register what is going on.
I'd recommend this book if you're looking for something to scratch the itch of magical schools and whimsical worlds.
crbell287's review
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
D.E. Night has put together a beautiful world for us to fall in love with. The world building was fantastic, and very creative. My children and I enjoyed this magical story together, and we truly loved getting to follow along with Ivy Lovely on her adventures, where we got to experience the magical creatures and watch as she discovers the magic that has been hidden inside of her.
This was such a fun read and I am definitely moving on to the rest of the series! The world building was beautiful, the characters were easy to love, and the magic was just chefs kiss!
**I received an ARC of this fantastic read in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and to Stories Untold for reaching out and offering this fun opportunity! I thoroughly enjoyed the experience!
This was such a fun read and I am definitely moving on to the rest of the series! The world building was beautiful, the characters were easy to love, and the magic was just chefs kiss!
**I received an ARC of this fantastic read in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and to Stories Untold for reaching out and offering this fun opportunity! I thoroughly enjoyed the experience!
witchesofmagicandmischief's review against another edition
3.0
A magical boarding school full of mystery, a strong willed MC who is so close to figuring everything out, and so many magical creatures and such a unique magic system? Well when asked about this book I was thinking, hey, sign me up!
This book was everything I needed in a post Harry Potter area and I wish I could give it to my former middle school self.
I really liked our MC, Ivy Lovely who after spending her life thinking she had no family and only one very unique friend is thrust into a world full of wonder and magic. Things don’t exactly go Ivy’s way and she soon discovers hidden secrets and starts to unravel the mystery.
I absolutely loved the magical system of the world that was built by D.E. Night but I would have liked a little more back story on the how and why if certain parts of the system set up so we had just a little more information moving into important parts of the main story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to fill the void in a post Harry Potter/Percy Jackson stage before children or tweens jump into a full YA type book. As a teacher I could see the 4th/5th graders enjoying this along with middle schoolers. However I was still able to enjoy this magical story as a 28 year old woman. ✨
Thank you to the the authors Publicist and NetGalley for allowing me to read an e-copy of the book. I enjoyed my time in the Halls of Ivy.
This book was everything I needed in a post Harry Potter area and I wish I could give it to my former middle school self.
I really liked our MC, Ivy Lovely who after spending her life thinking she had no family and only one very unique friend is thrust into a world full of wonder and magic. Things don’t exactly go Ivy’s way and she soon discovers hidden secrets and starts to unravel the mystery.
I absolutely loved the magical system of the world that was built by D.E. Night but I would have liked a little more back story on the how and why if certain parts of the system set up so we had just a little more information moving into important parts of the main story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to fill the void in a post Harry Potter/Percy Jackson stage before children or tweens jump into a full YA type book. As a teacher I could see the 4th/5th graders enjoying this along with middle schoolers. However I was still able to enjoy this magical story as a 28 year old woman. ✨
Thank you to the the authors Publicist and NetGalley for allowing me to read an e-copy of the book. I enjoyed my time in the Halls of Ivy.
witchesofmagicandmischief's review against another edition
3.0
A magical boarding school full of mystery, a strong willed MC who is so close to figuring everything out, and so many magical creatures and such a unique magic system? Well when asked about this book I was thinking, hey, sign me up!
This book was everything I needed in a post Harry Potter area and I wish I could give it to my former middle school self.
I really liked our MC, Ivy Lovely who after spending her life thinking she had no family and only one very unique friend is thrust into a world full of wonder and magic. Things don’t exactly go Ivy’s way and she soon discovers hidden secrets and starts to unravel the mystery.
I absolutely loved the magical system of the world that was built by D.E. Night but I would have liked a little more back story on the how and why if certain parts of the system set up so we had just a little more information moving into important parts of the main story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to fill the void in a post Harry Potter/Percy Jackson stage before children or tweens jump into a full YA type book. As a teacher I could see the 4th/5th graders enjoying this along with middle schoolers. However I was still able to enjoy this magical story as a 28 year old woman. ✨
Thank you to the the authors Publicist and NetGalley for allowing me to read an e-copy of the book. I enjoyed my time in the Halls of Ivy.
This book was everything I needed in a post Harry Potter area and I wish I could give it to my former middle school self.
I really liked our MC, Ivy Lovely who after spending her life thinking she had no family and only one very unique friend is thrust into a world full of wonder and magic. Things don’t exactly go Ivy’s way and she soon discovers hidden secrets and starts to unravel the mystery.
I absolutely loved the magical system of the world that was built by D.E. Night but I would have liked a little more back story on the how and why if certain parts of the system set up so we had just a little more information moving into important parts of the main story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to fill the void in a post Harry Potter/Percy Jackson stage before children or tweens jump into a full YA type book. As a teacher I could see the 4th/5th graders enjoying this along with middle schoolers. However I was still able to enjoy this magical story as a 28 year old woman. ✨
Thank you to the the authors Publicist and NetGalley for allowing me to read an e-copy of the book. I enjoyed my time in the Halls of Ivy.
greenteabookme's review against another edition
4.0
What a fantastically fun middle-years read! As an adult I really enjoyed The Crowns of Croswald and will absolutely pick up the rest of the series in the future, and I know that 14 year old me would have obsessed over the characters, world and magical story.
The series was compared to Harry Potter to me which I think is a decent comparison. What captured me early on was the fun language. The author uses such colourful prose and really is artful with the picture of fun words painted on the page.
I enjoyed the characters, world and especially the domesticated dragons - can’t imagine cooking my food on a frying pan in a dragons mouth haha!!
The series was compared to Harry Potter to me which I think is a decent comparison. What captured me early on was the fun language. The author uses such colourful prose and really is artful with the picture of fun words painted on the page.
I enjoyed the characters, world and especially the domesticated dragons - can’t imagine cooking my food on a frying pan in a dragons mouth haha!!
bethsbookcloud's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
Going into this book, I was expecting a magical middle grade coming-of-age story and I definitely wasn’t disappointed! This book was so whimsical and easy to like, the different names and terms (Scaldragons, hairies and squinches, to name a few) had me smiling the entire time I was reading this!
This book was definitely easy to get into, with the magical world building being in the forefront throughout, making this a very whimsical read. Our main character Ivy was easy to love and I thought her friendship with Rebecca and also Fyn was adorable!
The only issue I have with this book is that I thought that it was slightly cliche and predictable in some places. There are definitely similarities to Harry Potter in the magical schooling element of the book as well as also being fairly predictable in the ‘lost royal’ storyline. For this reason, I would definitely say that this is a great lead for any younger readers who may not be so frustrated by predictable storylines, or in general anyone who is a fan of middle grade fantasy!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for reviewing it, but all opinions are my own.
Going into this book, I was expecting a magical middle grade coming-of-age story and I definitely wasn’t disappointed! This book was so whimsical and easy to like, the different names and terms (Scaldragons, hairies and squinches, to name a few) had me smiling the entire time I was reading this!
This book was definitely easy to get into, with the magical world building being in the forefront throughout, making this a very whimsical read. Our main character Ivy was easy to love and I thought her friendship with Rebecca and also Fyn was adorable!
The only issue I have with this book is that I thought that it was slightly cliche and predictable in some places. There are definitely similarities to Harry Potter in the magical schooling element of the book as well as also being fairly predictable in the ‘lost royal’ storyline. For this reason, I would definitely say that this is a great lead for any younger readers who may not be so frustrated by predictable storylines, or in general anyone who is a fan of middle grade fantasy!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for reviewing it, but all opinions are my own.
jensbooksociety's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As a middle grade book I think it does the job at being able to capture the attention of children who are interested in magic, magic schools, etc. our main character Ivy seems to be a little lacking in the common sense which was a frustration to read about. I liked the magic system/world that was created I only wish the book delved into more details describing things in general. I think a middle grade reader would enjoy this book so I’ll have to pass it along to my brother!