I absolutely loved this book!! It was the perfect mixture beteween fantasy, magic and mystery. I truly emphatized with Ivy and was looking foward to know how the story will go. I liked that I didn't see coming the ending. It was such a surprise. I hope some characters would be evil and I just want to know more about this incredible world. I would love to know more about the friendship beteween Rimbrick and Ivy and also Rebecca and of curse know more about the love story with Fyn, hoping he isn´t the mole. I wish toknow more about the dark queen and discover how she become evil.

"**Thank you to the publisher and author for sending me a NetGalley copy in exchange for an honest review.**

A fun interesting magical world! It has all the coming of age, learning of magic, and royals not knowing your history or status.

Yes, this seems to have a lot of nuisances and comparisons to that of the Harry Potter world. Walking into this book without reading the synopsis, I can see how others choose to make that correlation. However, that can be said about any romance book with a ""chase scene"" or falling in love with the guy from the local failing coffee shop.

This was written as a detailed outside perspective and it was a wonderful way to learn about the magical world along with Ivy. It made me feel just as confused as I imagine she would be. The characters are great and constantly keep you guessing on who to trust - is it a friend or foe? However, I was left with some more questions and felt that it was left on a cliffhanger for the rest of the story to continue.

Oh my! The beauty and thoughtfulness of the artwork! From learning what the eye- catching book cover actually was and the sketches at the beginning of each chapter is absolutely amazing. There was so much thought put into it that I found myself trying to guess what the chapter was about... 5/5 for artwork! "A fun interesting magical world! It has all the coming of age, learning of magic, and royals not knowing your history or status.

Yes, this seems to have a lot of nuisances and comparisons to that of the Harry Potter world. Walking into this book without reading the synopsis, I can see how others choose to make that correlation. However, that can be said about any romance book with a ""chase scene"" or falling in love with the guy from the local failing coffee shop.

This was written as a detailed outside perspective and it was a wonderful way to learn about the magical world along with Ivy. It made me feel just as confused as I imagine she would be. The characters are great and constantly keep you guessing on who to trust - is it a friend or foe? However, I was left with some more questions and felt that it was left on a cliffhanger for the rest of the story to continue.

Oh my! The beauty and thoughtfulness of the artwork! From learning what the eye- catching book cover actually was and the sketches at the beginning of each chapter is absolutely amazing. There was so much thought put into it that I found myself trying to guess what the chapter was about... 5/5 for artwork! "

4.25/5 stars

Books like these are why I'm so happy my inner child never fully grew up. (That being said, I did not at all feel babied or condescended while reading like can happen with many books meant for younger audiences). First off, what a beautiful, beautiful cover! It matches Night's writing from the very beginning. A descriptive, *fairy-tale* town is built which is a wonderful and accurate basis for the rest of the book. Fascinating details are woven throughout to anchor your immersion and connection to the places and characters without taking up too much inappropriate space. There were a few instances where the situation seemed random or out of character or lacking in description, but these were brief and could've just been my understanding (or lack thereof). My immersion quickly returned. And honestly, this may speak to the great expectations Night set with her writing, that little instances stuck out. And in her *first* book, such little instances are about as little as they can get!

The main character, Ivy, is likeable and believable as a young and shy but friendly girl. She worked as a great proxy for my own wide-eyed wonder. Most of the fleeting side characters are rather stereotypical, but for good reason and they are still handled well. The secondary characters really grew on me once they were given some time in the spotlight, and I hope to see them shine brighter in the rest of the series. Some of the circumstances or overcoming of obstacles felt a bit like lazy writing, but as it led to bigger obstacles and bigger pictures, I didn't really mind!

A beautiful journey, written with the very passion and magic found within its pages. I received a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was so looking forward to this book but I struggled immensely to get through the first half. The story has much promise but the writing style was not for me.

3.5/5 stars

This book is a whimsical tale of magic and secrets. We get to follow our main character, Ivy, as she is torn from the only life she’s known and swept away into a mysterious palace she has only visited in her dreams. She learns to use her newfound magic alongside the friends she has made. You’ll surely be enchanted as Ivy works to uncover many secrets, forgotten things, and figure out her place in this world.

The world-building was excellent and the magic system is very unique. The plot kept me interested and invested in the characters. I would definitely recommend this book for advanced middle grade readers as well as YA readers looking for a first taste of fantasy.

Overall, it was a fun read and a good introduction to fantasy as well as the author’s magical realm of Croswald. It contains many good components and is with checking out if you enjoy magic schools, secret pasts, and cute pet dragons.

Thank you to Stories Untold and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I'd describe this as the perfect teen/young teen read, which means to say, if i were 10 years younger, I would most likely have rated it higher and been able to enjoy it slightly more. As it is, I'd consider this book almost Harry potter‐esque, fit with a beautiful magical world: a mysterious school for young people with magical gifts to partake in incredibly creative lessons; a world full of magical inventions and cures and potions; an evil woman of power with a familial grudge and a young orphan girl (one of many tropes employed within the book, although logical for a younger audience in mind, and enjoyably executed).
Everything was heavily described, which gives the reader a strong mental image of the world and the environmen, with fascinating lore and backstory to the place established throughout the book. At points it did seem the main purpose of some other characters to drop this lore upon the readers, and I think if i were to change one thing about the book, i would have liked some more character depth and development, perhaps a few more developed side characters or time building the relationships between the 'main 3' that we're introduced to.
Overall, the story was engaging, well written and did make me want to read the sequel. i enjoyed the inclusion of more female characters than typical teen/ young adult books than I'm used to seeing.
Personally i rated this 3 stars but if i was younger, i would most likely have rated it higher

📖 The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night
Page Count: 259
Publication Date: July 21st, 2017
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️

“Let’s start with the basic. You, Ivy Loving, are magic.”

In a world full of magic, dragons, and mythical creatures, 16-year-old Ivy Loving has no idea who or what she is. Spending her life as a Scaldron maid, Ivy’s life is flipped upside down when she crosses the magical boundaries and thrusted into an exciting, unknown world. Once Ivy begins her first year at a magical school, she starts to discover more about her own hidden past and the magical world’s dark history.

Recently I’ve been trying to get into Middle Grade novels and this was the perfect book to do just that!! From the start, Night throws readers into a truly magical world filled with wonder and whimsy! The magic system and world Night created was beautifully unique and utterly enchanting. Ivy was a perfect protagonist for this page-turning fantasy, one many young men and women would be able to relate and look up to.

While the novel wasn’t an absolute favorite for me, mostly since it was targeted to a younger audience, I still had so much fun entering this world and learning all about it’s mythical elements. This book is the first of a series, one I plan on continuing in the future! I’m excited to learn more about Ivy and the magic world her and her friends reside in.

I recommend this novel to Harry Potter lovers, middle grade and fantasy fans, anyone who enjoys whimsical magical worlds, or people who love young, female protagonist on journeys to learn more about their own past and their place in the world.

Great book for the YA section. It was a fun adventure. Thank you for the chance to read it. I'll recommend it to any younger readers who ask for recommendations.

This book should be your next read if you're looking for middle-grade fantasy and a light read. This book is full of magic and adventure–a great away to escape reality for a while!

I didn't realize this was the first book in a series, no wonder why the book ended that way, but still, it was a good read. I totally went in blind on this book, the start of the book had me struggling because there wasn't that much happening, but as I went on, things started to make sense and probably helped with the world building. The characters were lovable, especially the protagonist–Ivy Lovely– a strong-willed girl who just wants to know who she truly is and what she's capable of and is not afraid of the world.

Ivy Lovely is introduced as a servant in a royal family, but little did she know that she is royal herself. Her protectors kept her hidden in order for the antagonist–the Dark Queen–who has taken interest in her power as Ivy Lovely as she is the only one left in her bloodline who possesses a power in order to save Croswald. The Dark Queen has not been shown much in this book yet, only at the near end of the book but it has not been much important yet. This book focuses more on Ivy Lovely first as she is dragged back to Croswald as she explores around, goes to an adventure while she is at school and meets new friends.

With that, I'm excited to know what happens in the next book and how the characters would grow in the series. Thank you, D.E Night for creating a magical world!

This book was not for me, thank you for the opportunity to read it! The book itself was not horrible, it was just a book that flowed easily enough for me to read. Maybe I’ll pick it up and like it in the future.

Really enjoyable and magical story. I found this really easy and fun to read and once I'd finished it I gave it to my daughter to read who also devoured it. Lovely book and we'll definitely be continuing the series

Magic boarding school? Lost princess? Amazing? Check. This book was amazing. It feels good for middle school readers, overall just a fun experience.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am usually not into fantasies book but this one was really interesting. I loved the characters, I enjoyed the story itself. The only part missing for me is I wish there was a little more details about certain things (the background story and somewhat more character development) just to give us a better view and imagination but of course, it was very entertaining. I was able to imagine the whole fairy magic and everything!

Many people have compared this to Harry Potter and I see the similarities but I also love how the author still managed to create a unique story with great creativity. I would suggest this book to anyone new to the fantasy world, if you like a good fantasy and if you love magic, this book is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Stories Untold Publishing for the opportunity to read this book and give it a review!

This book was quite fun and is quick and easy to read. It is a fantasy story about a sixteen-year-old girl named Ivy Lovely. Her life is uneventful and drab until the day she leaves the magic dampening slurry fields of the castle where she worked as a maid. Then, given the opportunity to study at the Halls of Ivy and become a scrivenist, she learns that there is more magic and wonder to her life than she had thought. Ivy becomes the centre of events and has a fate greater than she could have ever imagined.

This is definitely a great story for younger readers! As a matter of fact, reading this book gave me a nostalgic feeling, like I was a young teen again, immersing myself in a new fantasy on a breezy Saturday. The author, D.E Night paints a vivid, intriguing world with her descriptions. The dialogue is a bit lacking at times, as I would love to get a fuller view of the characters, but as this is only the first book in a series, I'm sure they will have a greater chance to be developed further on. I also like that the story progressed at a quick pace and was suffused with quite a bit of action to keep the reader coming back for more. For me, the true strength of this novel was the mystery behind Ivy and her lineage. I love a good mystery, and this one was quite alluring and well constructed.

If I were middle-grade I would have stayed up all night reading this!

While this book has heavy Harry Potter influence, the author manages to make the world all their own.

Ivy is a lovable character and the world is enthralling.

In a surprising twist of events, I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did!! Crowns of Croswald was a 5 star read for me almost right from the get-go.

Harry Potter-level world-building created rich imagery that even though dense sometimes - made me feel like I was truly transported somewhere else.

Does she then find herself at a school for people with magical abilities learning that maybe she's not just an orphan after all? Hints of young love and a little Beauty and the Beast-esque style mystery make this totally worth a read even if you typically don't read young adult fantasy!!!

Plot Synopsis:
The main character Ivy finds herself magically bound by the 'slurry fields' surrounding where she was found as an orphan. After enduring a lifetime of abusive conditions as a 'sculldroney maid' tending to kitchen dragons. She then leaves the castle she grew up in as a servant and upon leaving discovers that possesses magical abilities! Starting with a magical carriage ride to a town to gather her school supplies, on to learning she possesses more magical talents than just about everyone her age - Ivy Lovely is in for one heck of a school year!!

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

One thing that I love is magic, and this book was full of it. It's so whimsical and full of fun that I can't help but remember the stories I read as a child. This story is perfect for younger readers and makes your imagination go wild.

If you are looking for a story to get lost in, then this is the one for you or your little one.
I enjoyed my time whilst reading and recommended it if you are looking for a magic-filled, whimsical read.

When it comes to middle grade fiction, is there anything more magical then the “non-magical protagonist finding out they’ve magical this whole time — now off to magic school” trope?

While that trope sounds oddly specific, there is nothing odd about the whimsical adventure @author.denight’s The Crowns of Crosswald sent me on!

Our protagonist, Ivy Lovely, like her name is a sweetheart! Both charming and chaotic and very hungry for magic and mystery, which often lands her sticky situations! The characterisations and characters-plots of the supporting cast is very cookie-cutter but in a familiar way that gave me comforting rushes of nostalgia to my days reading the Harry Potter series for the first time. None the less, they were all well-written and fun to get to know throughout the story!

D. E. Knight does a wonderful job with world-building by paying attention to detail — be it the unique magical knick knacks used by Ivy and co., the fun character dynamics and the rich descriptions. I love it when fantasy books paint vivid smaller pictures in a story as it makes the bigger picture more authentic.

So all in all, I enjoyed this! While I have outgrown the tendency to be surprised over the plots of middle grade reads, reading was a fun bit of nostalgia! I can easily see this book, and any that follow it, being well-loved books on the shelves of new readers, young readers and lovers of magic!

🌟 4

I enjoyed The Crown's of Croswald , it wasn't my usual genre but I had been invited on the write reads blog tour and told I would enjoy it that I did. I have been keeping an eye out for more books by D.E Night

I found the first half quite boring, I felt like everything was being set up really slowly, the world and magical system really wasn't griping me as much as I wanted, especially seeing as the synopsis sounded so good. But I'm thinking this may have had something to do with my reading slump as the last 35% to me really gripped me and I was really enjoying my time. I loved Ivy and the journey she went on to discover who she was, I loved the adventures in the bottles and the friendships she made along the way.
I think I did get a bit frustrated with not getting enough answers until like the last 10%... I think especially with a middle grade it needs to be sprinkled into the story and not just told right at the end.
That being said I really did enjoy the last 30% and I am Intrigued by the ending and may have to pick up the next book in the series.