I struggled to get into this book. I don’t think I’m the right reader for it as I could not connect with the characters. I DNF at 30%.

One should read "The Crowns of Croswald" by D.E. Night if you lie:

1. Long lost royal lines
2. Harry Potter
3. Fantasy Worlds
4. The Chosen One Trope

Thank you to the team for reaching out to me to read and review this novel. Night's descriptive writing kept me enthralled from page one (1). While some plots and timelines could have been better developed as I felt I lost part of the story, for the most part, this high fantasy novel deserved more readers. While mostly catered for younger audiences, any fantasy, world-escaping, bibliophile would thoroughly enjoy this series. I cannot wait to continue myself. I need to see what happens after Book One!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I was pleasantly surprised. It was fun, fast paced and kept me intrigued from the beginning!
If you’re into Harry Potter and the whole school and learning magic aspect then I know you’ll love this one!

I enjoyed the beginning of the book. It kept my interest up until it all to similarly reminded me of Harry Potter. Literally all of it. There's name changes and instead of a famous boy, it's a famous girl and family. While I didn't exactly enjoy this, I hope a younger generation who didn't grow up on harry potter can grow up and believe in magic with this series.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.
This is my honest review, I don't hold back if don't like a book and not everyone likes what I like and vice versa.
I loved this book, It had me reliving my middle school and high school days. This is exactly the type of book I would have picked up then. I still would, even though it’s marketed at a middle-grade level it is enjoyable for an adult. It has a great story, fantastic world-building, lovable characters, and an overall lovable coming of age/finding yourself book. In a brief blurb for what the book is about I would say, you follow the story of young girl named Ivy who is scaldrun maid turned aspiring student scrivenest. What secrets does this new school have for her to uncover? What dangers lurk in the shadows? This book is wonderfully whimsical and thoroughly detailed, this leads to the book reading lengthy and a slow-paced. That isn't something that was a problem for me but I know some readers find slow-paced books to be hard to get into. I would say you will get fully immersed at about 40 percent through. That is where I had a hard time putting it down and just kept reading. Loved this world and I will be checking out the next books in the series. Also think this would be a lovely book to buddy read with your kids, because as I said this is an enjoyable read for all ages.

This is such a fun and magical ride! Crowns of Croswald is story for people who love Harry Potter, but wish it had more of an Alice in Wonderland feel. Thanks to Untold Press and Netgalley for access to this wonderful story in exchange for an honest review. I will be continuing on with the series.

The story follows a tween girl names Ivy, in a land called Croswald. We join her in the kitchens of a castle where she is tending to the domesticated dragons called scaldrons, who are used to cook food. The charm and whimsy don't end there: stones set in crowns that grant the owner a specific magical power, a Forgetting Room and wonderful characters to root for keep you turning the page. The reader learns more about the world as Ivy does, when she is unexpectedly swept away to a magical school, The Halls of Ivy. The school, is where Ivy begins to grow into herself and realize her power, all while trying to avoid the sinister Dark Queen.

One mystery is wrapped up by the end of the book, but the larger story line is set up well for the remainder of the series. It did feel a bit short, but as it is a Middle Grade Fantasy, I can easily understand that.

Initially I thought that this was too much like Harry Potter and thought that I would struggle to see beyond that, however I am pleased to say that although I thought there were similarities, on the whole I found it a magical story with a heroine that I really liked. Ivy Lovely who lives a miserable life as a kitchen maid in charge of Scaldrons, dragons who cook food in their mouths, and has no idea who she actually is and is thrown into the magical world around her. Very descriptive and with a great assortment of characters, some good guys, some not so nice! In my opinion the story flowed well and was easy to follow. Thank you to Netgalley, Stories Untold and Daniela B, publist, for the opportunity to read this.

The Crowns of Croswald is a magical adventure in a world full of scaldrons and hairies. The concept of scrivenists is really interesting! I would like one for my family. Ha!

Croswald has themes from Alice in Wonderland and Harry Potter. However, the story has enough of it's own plot to remain it's own story. The Wonderland reference is due to the whimsical elements of the book. The magical school setting reminded me of HP.

I loved Humboldt! He was the best sidekick/pet for Ivy. The creatures were clever throughout the story and would appeal to younger audiences. This book is geared towards middle grades, and it would be a good introduction into the fantasy genre for younger readers.

While the writing style was beautiful, I would have preferred more descriptions for certain creatures and characters. I have an idea of what they all look like, but I could be way off from the next reader.
There was so much world building in this book that I felt lost at times. There was a lot to learn and take in, including magical vocabulary, that sometimes it was a bit confusing.

The story ends very neatly, yet leaves room for continuing Ivy's story as she learns more about her family and her magic.

Thank you to the author, Stories Untold, and NetGalley for providing me an E-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"To the One Whom This Box is Entrusted.
- The Hand That Left Her"

I'll be honest... at first, I had a hard time getting into this story. Probably because it's the polar opposite of what I have been reading as of late. But as I settled into the pages, I came to adore its whimsical ways. It had some major Harry Potter vibes throughout with a bit of sleeping beauty thrown in there, which in no way is a bad thing. I adored Ivy Lovely and wanted to uncover what is so different about her.

The story follows an orphaned 16-year-old girl named Ivy Lovely. After being banished from the only place she's ever known Ivy finds her story has just begun. There is magic in her blood and as she crosses the boundary of her so-called home, her powers awaken. She's whisked away to the Halls of Ivy, a school where she will learn how to master the magic within her. Friendships are formed, enemies are found, and as events unfold Ivy finds the mystery of her past may be the answer to her future and the only way to save Croswald.

This story was magical. The world-building is perfect, you follow right along and find yourself completely immersed in a new world of magical beings. I loved the descriptions that D.E Night painted with her words. I was able to picture every scene as if watching a movie. Not one piece felt out of step with the entire storyline. The secondary characters were perfect and well-developed additions, I loved Flynn and Rebecca. Overall I thought The Crowns of Croswald was cute, funny, and adventurous. A real magical gem! A perfect read for young middle-grade readers. I will definitely be recommending this to my niece.


This is the first book in a four-book series. Book II, The Girl with the Whispering Shadow, and Book III, The Words of the Wandering are available wherever books are sold; Book IV will be released in 2021.


Thank you to Stories Untold and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️🥰✨👏

Read this if you love:
Harry Potter
Magical worlds
Tea

Ivy is a cook for the scaldrons, but she doesn't even get to enjoy the lovely things she's cooked. She was raised in the here and had only one true friend Rimbrick. One day she is thrown out to never return and finds a gift left by Rimbrick telling her to cross the scurry. When she does, the magical world of the Halls of Ivy open up to her. She's invited to go to school there and in that time she unravels a deep family secret.

This book was SOOOO magical! I absolutely loved it. I was transformed into a world of creatures and stones, and just so much magic. It reminded me a bit of Harry Potter. The only the I can criticize is sometimes it was a bit confusing because the names are similar.

I really enjoyed Ivy obviously. She's the center of the story, but I loved her friend Rebecca. She goes against the grain. She's brave, but also cautious. She holds no grudges.

Thank you netgalley and D.E night for this beautiful read!

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

First of all, thank you NetGalley for providing this arc!

Personally, I have always loved fantasy books. However, I always give additional points for fantasy books that succeeded to left me feeling magical. It can be derived from everything, like the writing, story plot, or other factors. For this case, I think I should appreciate the writing style. It has a storytelling like theme, which I prefer much in many books that I have read.

This is a pretty fast paced and enjoyable read. However, I am still looking for the X factor. It was okay and pretty exciting, but a bit overshadowed to some fantasy slash adventure book that I have read before. Somewhere in the middle, I kinda have to refresh my memory again plot wise and character wise. Again, this might vary to your personal taste so do check it at your own liking.

At the end, I just want to say that this is a pretty fun and fast read for me. If you are looking for adventure slash magical fantasy, I think you might enjoy this.

- 3.7 stars

I was gifted this book from the publisher, Stories Untold Press, in exchange for an honest review.

This is definitely a fast paced, weekend fantasy read that takes you to a magical world. I did like this book, but a lot of it reminded me of Harry Potter, especially at the beginning. Both stories deal with a magical boarding school, the main character not knowing they are magic, and a evil villain that I assume will show up through every book. However, there were some differences that will allow you to question what will happen next.

Be warned this book does end on a cliffhanger that will have you yearning for the next story. If you want an easy young adult fantasy book, I would recommend this story as a good jump into the genre with 3 other books by this author to keep you reading about Ivy Lovely and her journeys!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this middle-grade book with my 9-year-old daughter. The characters (especially Ivy) and magical creatures were fantastic, the magic system brilliant and the world building fabulous. The story has such a whimsical/magical feel to it and definitely gave off those Harry Potter vibes. Would definitely recommend.

Ivy Lovely didn't expect her life to turn from being a maid from the slurry to a student at the Halls of Ivy to become a scrivenist, people who have magical blood that serves the Royals.

As her journey goes she grows more curious about her new world, but her vivid dreams leave her bothered about a certain room, and the secrets that lie within it.

This book is very detailed with a little explanation; it is complicated to understand at the first half, but as you go on with the story you won't be able to put it down (Once I hit the 50% mark I finished the book in a few hours🤭), it's full of mystery and magic, perfect for children and fantasy lovers.

I love the titles and the illustrations in each chapter.

I'll definitely follow through with this book until the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Stories Untold for the copy!

Marketed as the first book in a middle grade fantasy series, I think that this book holds up perfectly. I'm not the biggest reader of middle grade literature, but this book was very entertaining. The storyline follows Ivy, who recovers her past and her magical abilities, while trying to find the mysterious Derwin Edgar Night.

This book had a lot going on in it. The story unfolded with a very fast pace and I'm sure that this is exactly what younger people look for in fantasy books. For me personally this was a bit too fast, but regardless it was easy enough to follow along.

There were many details that I absolutely loved about this book and many ideas that were so unique and interesting. The characters were peculiar, but in the most charming way possible. The descriptions of scenes in the book was fabulous. I could imagine the castle, the fields, the sea with so much clarity, all thanks to the colourful imagination of the author. I was very impressed by this book and how it was written, especially with regards to the target audience.

(Also the whole Derwin Edgar Night and the author's name corresponding is super interesting and I can't wait to see how this unfolds in the next book.)

Thank you to Stories Untold Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy for my honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I can't wait to read more.

I was gifted this book from the publisher (Stories Untold) in return for an honest review:

‘In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret..’

This is definitely a page-turning fantasy read full of fairytales, magic and a whimsical world. It really reminded me of Harry Potter because of the magical boarding school and the classes but it’s still very much it’s own world with its own quirks. What’s not to like?

I loved how the author sneakily included herself in the book with using Derwin Edgar Night as one of the most mysterious characters.

The story ends on quite a cliffhanger as it’s almost as though the story is just beginning where it finishes off. I think the author definitely did this deliberately to keep you hooked enough to read the next book! (Which has worked for me because now I can’t wait to delve into the next one)

It’s a wonderful little YA book and something you can definitely try if you’re looking to start a fantasy genre as this is easy to follow and feels very nostalgic.

Ivy Lovely spent the first sixteen years of her life working in the kitchens of a castle. Her life was spent tending to the scaldrons (small dragon-like creatures that function as ovens) and meeting with her dwarven friend to listen to magical stories about the world outside of the castle. In one night, everything changes for Ivy when circumstances encourage her to finally take steps outside the castle borders. Ivy quickly finds herself on her way to the Halls of Ivy, where she will train as a scrivenist (a magic user) and learn where she fits in among other scrivenists and the royals. The scrivenists thrive on constant learning, while the royals are learning to harness powers that stem from the stones within their crowns. Ivy’s journey will not be easy as she starts to uncover more about the school and her own past.

Ivy Lovely’s adventure is filled with mystery, danger, and magic. It was interesting to watch as Ivy found out about her own past little by little throughout the book. Her history is given a little at a time so that it never felt as if the information was being dumped on the reader. Within the Halls of Ivy, the atmosphere was wondrous with undertones of mystery. As Ivy goes on about her day to day life, it is evident that a piece of her is missing, and it was fun trying to guess which piece of the puzzle of her life goes where. My biggest problem with the novel stems from the inconsistent pacing. At times, it felt as if the plot gets bogged down by little details and other times, it feels that big moments just fly by, leaving me to question if I truly understood what happened.

The world building was probably my favorite part of the book. The Halls of Ivy quickly became a place I felt I could visit, where I could take time and explore. It was filled with unique elements, like the Forgotten Room, where anything that is put in the room is forgotten by everyone. While the level of details made the Halls come to life, it was part of what bogged down the plot at times. The magical system had some unique elements, but it never felt fully fleshed out. This may be because this is just the beginning of a series, hopefully more details will emerge as the series goes on.

The side characters, Fyn and Rebecca, made this book so much better for me. I enjoyed Rebecca’s ability to shapeshift into different animals, and Fyn’s affinity for popping up at strange moments. Ivy was less interesting to me, her character was so wrapped into solving the mystery of her own past, that she didn’t get a chance to fully develop interests or personality.

Between the interesting elements within the Halls of Ivy, the wonderfully amusing side characters, and the engaging mystery, this book is definitely worth a read for anyone who loves a creative middle-grade work.

3/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Stories Untold for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you to Netgalley and Stories Untold Press for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

4/5⭐️ I quite enjoyed this story and I’m excited to read more of it. It started a bit slow for me and I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to fully dive into the story, but the main character, Ivy, made me want to know more.

I found the beginning to be a bit confusing because there was a lot that happened that you needed to keep up with that had very little explanation. Due to this book being advertised as middle grade fantasy, I was worried because I was even confused by the way the story jumped around a bit. The confusion was well worth it because as I kept reading, it was like uncovering a mystery.

The is a magical and whimsical story of an orphaned girl living as a maid dreaming of a better life through books and stories. Unexpectedly, she’s thrown into school where she gets to experience what she’s only really been able to read. Ivy Lovely find that she fits into this world in perfectly imperfect ways. She seems to keep finding herself in trouble while finding friends willing to help her out.

Although, there were moments where I predicted the what was to happen. I found that the author wrote a beautiful story that was filled with magic and fun that kept it lighthearted, but the darker parts found you wanting more. I can’t wait to see what comes of Ivy, Humboldt, Fyn, and Rebecca next. Where will the story take them and who cannot be trusted?

This was the perfect book to curl up to and read a few chapters before bed to unwind for the night!!

I liked the book, it was good but for me it was not great, I wish it had a more compelling story line but otherwise there were lots of good parts that I enjoyed