Thank you so much to the author, D. E. Night, and the publisher, Stories Untold Press for sending me the first two books of The Crowns of Croswald series in exchange for honest reviews.

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night is the first in the The Crowns of Croswald series. It's a middle grade fantasy novel that follows the main character Ivy Lovely at a magical boarding school and a completely unique magical system.

This book drew me into the series from the very first page and I could not get enough of it. These books will be perfect for my seventh grade students. It is the perfect blend of Harry Potter and Disney which I know that my students will love!

I love traveling to new fictional worlds via books. Who’s with me? 📖😊💭
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Thanks to author D.E. Night and Stories Untold Press, I visited the fantasy world of Croswald this summer! Here’s what I loved about it:

✨ Full of magic
🐉 Mythical creatures
🪶 Intriguing characters
👑 Costume descriptions
📖 Emphasis on magical books
🔮 A twist of fate and more to come

I stumbled across another review of this book that described it as Harry Potter meets Alice In Wonderland. Such a perfect description that I just had to repeat it! Book your visit to Croswald in this fantastic middle grade series! I’ll be heading to the next installment, The Girl With The Whispering Shadow, soon! 👑✨🔮

Firstly, thank you so much to @StoriesUntoldPress for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a delight The Crowns of Croswald was! We follow Ivy, a kitchen maid tasked with controlling dragon ovens. One day she is thrown out of her castle, and is picked up by a man riding a giant beast who tells her she has a place in a magical school. (As soon as I read magical school I got so f**king excited).

There was some really unique concepts in here which helped to flesh out an entirely new magical school. E.g there are bottles called glanageries that contain part of the creators imagination, which people can go inside and interact with without any consequences. I had a few issues with the logic in certain scenes, e.g Ivy literally misses breakfast and lunch for 2 days straight, but the book states in the beginning that she’s always hungry - just didn’t add up! However it is aimed at children so I could overlook it.

What I loved about this was how charming it was. It was pure magic throughout and was an absolute joy to read. Looking forward to continuing the series!

𝘽𝙪𝙯𝙯𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨: Magical school, royalty, evil Queen, dragons, mystery

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐲 @author.denight
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 : 𝟒 🌟
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞 : 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐲 ✨
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📌 𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗣𝗢𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗦 !!!!
This BOOK is dedicated to all Harry Potter enthusiasts because it has a similar feel to it 🔮
• Magic classes at the boarding school of magic
• The primary character's secret narrative
• The genuineness of their friendship
• The chosen one
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The amount of adventure you'll have with Ivy Lovely, our primary character, is 𝗜𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗖𝗨𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘. From the first page to the last, I was physically traveling with her through the adventure.
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It's a huge amount of fun to witness the banter between Ivy and her love interest, Fyn. Their bond is akin to Tom and Jerry's. They irritate and taunt one other, but they can't live without one another 🤍
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It's also the author's debut novel. For crafting such a fantastic novel, she did a phenomenal job because in this storyline, the world-building was Miraculous ✨
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Last but not least, Thank you to @netgalley and @storiesuntoldpress for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Stories Untold Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

All quotes are taken from The Crowns of Croswald by D. E. Night.

// Content warning: mentions of death, violence //

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// Quick Statistics //
Overall: 4/5 Stars
Plot: 4/5 Stars
Setting: 3.5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 3/5 Stars
Memorability: 3/5 Stars

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// Quick Review //
Think Harry Potter but with a female main character and a mixture of many different tales from that of Percy Jackson and the Olympians to the Tales of Pixiehollow.

The Crowns of Croswald is a nostalgic yet new spin on magic, mysteries, and chosen-ones.

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"Trust the magic in you and know I will forever be in the shadow of its light."

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// Other Information //
Publisher: Stories Untold Press
Page Count: 249 pages
Release Date: July 21, 2017
Series: The Crowns of Croswald #1
Genre: Fiction, Middle grade, Children’s, Young adult, Adventure, Fantasy, Magic, Mystery

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// Book Description (via Goodreads) //
This is a page-turning fantasy in the tradition of fairy tales, whimsical worlds, and coming-of-age stories.

The Crowns of Croswald invites young readers to explore themes of stepping into their own magic, discovering their true selves, and battling evil head-on. Hailed by Kirkus Reviews as “an action-packed treat […] with a relatable heroine facing challenges in a vivid world of magic and mystery,” and called a new classic by readers, The Crowns of Croswald series is a magical romp through a fully formed universe with dragons, magical quills, potions, and mythical creatures.

Ivy Lovely is 16 and she has no idea who she is—or what her powers could be. When she crosses a magical boundary, she 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?

Curious and whimsical, both shy and brave, Ivy is a hero that connects with readers of all ages. For those who wished that Narnia, Harry Potter, and Alice in Wonderland could go on forever, Croswald opens a whole new world of magic. Recommended as a read-aloud for families and a first middle-grade fantasy read, The Crowns of Croswald is a four-part series that will carry readers to a whimsical world that they won’t want to leave.

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// Characters //
The Crowns of Croswald boasts a moderately sized cast of characters, most of which I liked.

The main character, Ivy Lovely, is a girl whose life is less than fortunate. Living as a scaldrony maid for Castle Plum, Ivy is unable to do what she loves most, draw and read. Ivy dreams of attending the Halls of Ivy, a school where royals learn to control the magic stones in their crowns and where sqwinches practice to receive quills as scrivenists. I found Ivy to be a very powerful and unique main character.

One of my favorite characters was Humboldt, the dragon (mini-one, I believe) that Ivy is forced to take with her when she is fired from Castle Plum. Adorable and always there for Ivy, Humboldt is just one example of the fantastic creatures that The Crowns of Croswald exhibits. If I had to choose a creature from the novel as a pet, I would most definitely choose a dragon.

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"You are she, the one all of Croswald has been searching for. Waiting for, whether they knew it or not."

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// Writing and Setting //
A large issue that I had with the novel is that while its content is most definitely juvenile/middle grade, the information and writing is more young adult. As an older reader, it was difficult for me to keep track of information and storylines at some points, so I can only imagine how frustrating that would be for younger readers.

Nevertheless, I did love how D. E. Night brought their novel to life; it was vibrant, magical, and thrilling.

I admired how much homage The Crowns of Croswald seems to pay to Harry Potter. For example; a magical boarding school; the main characters don’t realize yet that they’re the chosen one; an evil magic being. All of these aspects were things that the series had in common with Harry Potter. I loved the nostalgia this novel gave me, but only to a point. About halfway through the novel, there were a lot of similarities between the two series, and I began to see the novel as a Harry Potter fanfiction type novel. This eventually changed for me, but I can only imagine that this might be off-putting for many.

Still, I did love the magic and world that Night created, no matter how similar it might be to Harry Potter.

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// Plot //
I thought that the mystery aspect of this novel was perfectly executed. As Ivy attempts to navigate her newfound life, she stumbles upon various fishy things that the school’s headmaster (the Selector) attempts to hide. Odd occurrences change Ivy’s outlook on the Halls of Ivy and cause her to investigate.

The one criticism that I have of the plot is that it was very slow-moving for me in the beginning. Some of the most perilous and dramatic scenes occur in the last few chapters of the novel, while the rest is primarily buildup and backstory. It’s just a personal preference of mine, and I know not everyone will agree, but I generally like novels that have an equal spread of action, mystery, etc. over the entire story.

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"You’re alive… You are Croswald’s only hope. This is your destiny."

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// Overall Review //
The Crowns of Croswald is perfect for tweens who love Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Tales of Pixiehollow. I adored the nostalgia and magical feeling of finding a world to escape in. This novel brought me back to my childhood and my discovery of my love of reading.

Before I begin my review I feel as though there is something I want to mention for anyone planning to read this book. It was clear to me while reading this book that the author was inspired somewhat by Harry Potter. There were plot points throughout the book that were very similar, from the letter offering Ivy a place at a magical school to the mysterious carriage that appeared and found her in her time of need. The inspiration is clear.
Ok, onwards!
From the outset of this book the magical elements of the story were charming and the detailed descriptions of both the characters and the settings made it easy to picture. The language used was complex enough that it would be great to use for teaching to develop children’s understanding of language.
Let’s talk about characters. Ivy is a likeable character overall and her development throughout the book is clear and positive. Rebecca and Fyn are also incredibly likeable. They are supportive and are great examples of what friends should be which was precisely what Ivy needed! It’s a great example for the intended audience.
Our villain was equally enthralling and terrifying which kept me wanting more from her!
The ending (which I won’t spoil) left me satisfied with how the whole storyline had played out and leads me to believe that the books that will follow will be epic continuations. I look forward to carrying on with this magical journey of friendship and overcoming hardship!

Thank you to Stories Untold Press for the digital review copy!

When Ivy runs away (or rather gets kicked out) from the place where's she's been slaving in the kitchen since she can remember, the last thing she expects is to get whisked away in a carriage.

Her destination is Croswald, or rather the Halls of Ivy, a school for royals and non-royals to learn everything about magic.

However, as Ivy arrives at school she realises she knows this castle - she's been dreaming about it for forever. It, and a man beckoning her to follow him.

Will Ivy be able to master her classes, withstand the bullying of stuck-up princesses, and uncover the mystery of the mysterious stranger of her dreams?

This was a great first installment in what looks to be a very promising series!

I'm a huge fan of books with school settings, especially if the kids learn magic at said school. This book gave me exactly what I wanted in that regard.

Ivy is a very interesting character. She's headstrong but she knows to choose her battles. She's curious, daring, and maybe a little reckless.

Helping her with bullying princesses and nosy teachers are her two friends, Rebecca and Fyn. I really liked the dynamics between both Ivy and Fyn, and Ivy and Rebecca. What I also loved was the fact that both Fyn and Rebecca always had Ivy's back, no matter how ridiculous or dangerous her plans.

I do want to say that I wish there had been a little more development at the beginning of these friendships. There was not a lot of buildup to Ivy becoming friends with both Fyn and Rebecca. With Fyn she at least interacted before they became friends, but with Rebecca it felt a little sudden.

The mystery within this book had me very intrigued until the last page. And while I knew the author wouldn't kill a bunch of teenagers, the showdown at the end did have me worried for everyone's safety. Even Damaris'.

Over all a solid first book, and I'll be sure to check out the second one as soon as I can!

I struggled to get into this one at first. So I walked away for a few months, and when I came back with fresh eyes I was finally able to give it a go.

Pros: the world building is fun, the storytelling is well paced, and it’s an enjoyable read. Overall I really liked it and I’ll read the sequel if/when it comes out!

Cons: it has MANY similarities to other big name middle grade fantasies. All books book down to the same 7 or so tropes so obviously they all have similarities l, but sometimes this felt more than similar. It was hard sometimes to get my head out of comparing. It got easier as the book went on though.

“The life of a captain, while interesting, does not compare to my true calling,” he said, shaking water out of his ear. “Now would it be possible for a gentleman to get a bubble bath?”
The Crowns of Croswald is a fantasy novel that follows Ivy Lovely, a girl who works as a ‘scaldrony’ maid alongside the most mystical of creatures, dragons! She leads a boring if lushly described life alongside her friend the dwarf Rimbrick who feels like a father figure to her, and brings her books on the ancient and arcane study of ‘scrivenry’, (the form magic takes in D.E Night’s whimsical world) and here she is introduced to the famed scrivenist Derwin Edgar Night, (the very author of the Crowns of Croswald themself?) A mysterious stranger, a prophecy and the twisting threads of fate in the whimsical and Ghibli-esque world D.E Night creates leads Ivy to a school of Magic where she learns that nothing is what it seems!

I adored this book. It brought me back to the days of reading Harry Potter for the first time and both the way setting were described and the characters in it were absolutely charming. Some might say that the Crowns of Croswald could be a little derivative, as the genre has been entirely saturated by ‘Magic School’ novels, but I feel that it is with the author’s voice whereupon the task of distinguishing the book from its peers lies, and D.E. Night’s storytelling is reminiscent of a warm summer’s day in childhood; cheery and bright and full of magic!

If you are looking for a rich new fantastical world then this is a delight. Even if it is sure to be a hit with a younger audience, it’s fast-paced enough and has enough exciting twists to make it a fun quick read for older readers too. It’s also surprisingly funny, and characters like the Captain or ‘Ivory Lucky’ – who is especially excellently imagined, are easy to connect with because of it.

I really enjoyed Winsome as a character, and the tension leading up to the Ball was especially fun. One detriment to the Crowns of Croswald I would say, as I can see it intends to be an action packed series building up to a thrilling conclusive battle against the villain introduced in this book, is that some parts seemed a little bit rushed. The book could have perhaps stayed longer in some parts, just to really explore the cast of characters and the setting. I hope Damaris, Rimbrick and Fyn’s characters are delved into in the next book, which I will definitely think about reading!

Thank you to the publisher Stories Untold for supplying me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars!

Thank you to the Publisher for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book is so cute and such a great middle grade read. The world is full of Magic and going along on Ivy’s journey is a fun adventure. The story is so well developed it makes it truly feel like an adventure that keeps you on your seat wanting to know what happens next. It also touches on good themes like independence, bullying, and curiosity which I think were very appropriate for young readers.

One of the best things about fantasy is a world created from scratch and new creatures to learn. D.E. Night does a great job at building a world you want to read about. I think this is a great way to introduce young readers to fantasy stories. It is also a really fun read! I am going to have to pick up the next one to find out how the story continues.

I’d like to thank the publisher and author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really did enjoy reading this. D. E. Night has painted such a vivid world, rich with magical creatures galore and interesting characters. I will admit I felt worried I wouldn’t connect with these characters well, due to me obviously not being the age of the intended audience, but they surprised me with their charm and the way in which their personalities developed as the story went on.

There was enough detail given to the magic system used that I felt comfortable diving into this whole new world of magic, but I didn’t feel bombarded with explanations on how every tiny little thing worked.

I also absolutely loved the pacing of the story. Slow and steady at the start to allow the reader to adjust to this enchanting new place, and then as soon as Ivy finds her place in school things absolutely sky rocket into action central. There are so many highs and lows, I never knew what was coming with every turn of the page.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for giving me a free ARC in exchange for a honest review. From the start of this book D.E. Night did a great job of creating a magical world that was enjoyable to read about. Ivy was a good main character to follow throughout this book. I felt that this book was similar in many was to Harry Potter however I felt it would appeal to a younger audience. Throughout the book Ivy is pulled from working in a castle to a magical school where she learns more about who she is and more about the powers she has. Ivy runs into many obstacles along her journey into finding out about her family however these obstacles lead her right into the answers she is looking for by the end of the book. Overall I really enjoyed this book!

Really cute middle grade! Loved the world and the atmosphere. Definitely going to pick up the next one.

3.5 stars

So I had heard some comparisons to Harry Potter and that made me both skeptical and intrigued. Skeptical because I started reading Harry Potter when it came out (just after grad school for me) and I couldn't imagine anything being as good as Harry Potter but intrigued because I wanted something for middle school kids that could draw them into fantasy. I don't usually like comparing a book to another (especially one that is much-beloved) but it was very clear to me that this author was inspired by Harry Potter. There are many analogous situations and characters that occur in this book, including Rebecca (Ron), Demaris (Draco), Woodley Butterlove (Neville), Ivy living in a dark and dank place (closet under the stairs), acting as the lowest servant in the castle, even the various ghosts, the magical school, the big bad villain, the transportation, etc. With so many obvious nods to Harry Potter, it's hard NOT to compare it to Harry Potter. But I try to enjoy a book on its own merits as much as I can, and this book definitely had some. I really enjoyed the world that the author created, with two different ways of doing magic (with a magic stone as a royal, and with a natural talent with a quill), which implies that even those who don't have magical talent can do magic. That said, there is definitely a streak of privilege associated with the magic of the royals since that is limited to those who were born into the right families. I'm sure that idea will be further explored in future books. I really loved the dragons/scaldrons and Humboldt (Hedwig) was pretty cool. There were some other interesting creatures dreamed up by this author that I also enjoyed, and her imaginative worlds in a bottle were very cool. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter were interesting as sketches are an important part of the magic in this world.

Overall, this was no Harry Potter, and honestly, you should just read Harry Potter if you're looking for that kind of book. But I thought this was a decent first attempt by a young author, and I also think it targets a younger group of readers than Harry Potter, and could potentially attract younger kids to the genre (which is always a good thing, in my humble opinion). Although there were some uneven spots in the writing and crafting of this story, I really enjoyed it and was fully immersed by the end, enough so that I really want to continue with this trilogy. So did this wow my socks off? No. But I still enjoyed the time I spent with this book and I want to continue spending time in this world, and yes, I will recommend this for my younger students looking for an adventure/fantasy.

I received a review copy from the publishers for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a really cute book. I would have loved to read this in grade school. It is very much reminiscent of Harry Potter, so if you liked that you'll like this. It was a very easy read but also had some really nice vocab words. There were some slower parts in the beginning after the initial "surprise". The twist in the story is pretty easy to guess, but there are some surprise details that make it interesting. I will definitely read the second book soon.

🌸Spoilery Review🌸
⭐⭐⭐/5
Crowns of Croswald follows Ivy Lovely, a seemingly mistreated nobody who works in a kitchen. Enter a dwarf she's known all her life to leave her a few blank books, a bag full of money, and a very cryptic note.
Everyone knows the Hall of Ivy exists and everyone knows that only Royals and Scriveners go to the hall, and Ivy is pretty certain she has no magical abilities.
She gets to "The Town", meets a cute boy, buys her school supplies, gets chased by some magic quills, and finally makes it to the school.
Classes start and Ivy meets the snooty rich girl girl bully who wants to make Ivy miserable. She makes friends with a sweet royal named Rebecca who has always wanted to be a scrivener. The Evil Queen is after Ivy as well and Ivy has no idea why. All the adults seem to know who Ivy is but they all act very cryptic. The only person who can help her is Derwin Edgar Night. Only problem is nobody even remembers Derwin Edgar Night due to the Forgotten Room, a room where things get locked away and get wiped from existence.
If you’ve read Harry Potter, you’ll see a lot of similarities. The story has just enough differences though to stand out on its own. The target audience is 8-12 year olds and I do believe my daughter would absolutely love it.
When Ivy found out she was actually a long lost princess, she reacted as if the Queen had told her she hated the cupcakes she baked her.
I did absolutely love the concept of the Forgotten Room. The head of school gets a little sketchy about the things she puts in the room though even if it is all to keep Ivy safe. At one point, Rebecca accidentally gets trapped in the room and her clothes disappear from her closet and her name disappears from the roster and Ivy is truly the only person to remember her.
I feel like the story went a little too quickly but it is only the first book in the series and I'm excited to see what is to come in the world of Croswald.
Slightly longer review in my goodreads.

#review #bookishcontent #magic #magicschool #worldofcroswald #booknerd #booksbooksbooks #bookdragon #bibliophile #bookstagram #fortheloveofreading

If you want to introduce a young reader to fantasy, this is a great way to start. It's a really thought out world with unique elements that make you want to be part of it. It is compared a lot with Harry Potter because it has the basic elements of a girl who finds out about magic, a boarding school and a darkness that is after her. However, the magic system, the mystical creatures and even the characters does set this apart from the familiarity with the HP series. As I mentioned, it is middle grade so although themes such as bullying, prejudice, and abandonment are touched, it's done in a very soft way that makes this a light reading for younger minds. Definitely, something that can be picked up and read out loud with the family and will be enjoyed with the fun creatures and witty characters.

Review has been posted on Goodreads and will be posted on my Instagram by 08/08

Many thanks to D.E. Night and NetGalley for providing me a copy of The Crowns of Croswald in exchange for my honest review.

Ivy Lovely, a 16-year-old scaldrony maid, suddenly enters a world she never dreamed she’d be a part of when she is accepted to a school in which she will train to become a Scrivenist. She quickly gets wrapped up in mystery after mystery, all while an evil Queen lurks in the shadows.

The Crowns of Croswald definitely gave me Harry Potter vibes—a magical school, hijinks with friends, and an evil villain threatening to end it all. This is fantastically written and is different enough from Harry Potter that it didn’t feel redundant in any way. I realized while reading that I may have outgrown this genre, but it’s absolutely a book I would’ve loved had I read it at the same age I was when Harry Potter came out.

This would be a wonderful book (and series) to read aloud with middle grade children!

I find it a little tough to review this since this is book is meant for middle schoolers. For that audience, I think this is a suitable book for them!

For me, we jumped right into the world too quickly and I had a hard time keeping up with the new terminology created for this book. Also, this book felt very influenced by Harry Potter.

I love a magical story for middle schoolers and I think a lot of kids would enioy this even if I thought it was derivative.

This is a really cute middle grade series with a more likeable protagonist than other middle grade series I have read. The magic system was explained in a way that anyone, no matter the age, would be able to appreciate and comprehend. I grew up reading Harry Potter and this series reminded me of Harry Potter because it was set in a magical school and that the main character was thrust into a magical situation with little to no warning.

I really enjoyed how the plot unraveled and how the characters interacted with one another throughout the story. The personal growth of Ivy throughout the story seemed organic and not forced as well. I will say that because I am older than the target demographic I am giving it a three star, but I know that if I was reading this as a child/pre-teen I would've loved and appreciated this book.