The Crowns of Croswald is the first in the series and is set at a magic school. It has similar elements to other fantasy books I’ve read, but also very different and unique. I enjoyed reading about this world, the creatures, and characters. I’d love a scaldron like Humboldt.
The world building is great and you’re on a journey of learning along with Ivy. Though you do put the pieces together very early on about who she is.
There’s a lot left open for the next books which is good. Originally the prologue was confusing but made more sense after rereading once I finished the book.
I prefer close 1st or 3rd POV, and I wish this did that. D.E. Night did a great job, this is just personal preference.
It’s a middle grade book but with a 16 year old main character, which I thought was an interesting choice. Ivy could’ve been 12 or 13 easily.
Overall it’s an intriguing book and great for middle graders and fantasy magic school lovers.

As a middle school teacher I’m always looking for middle grade books to recommendation to my students. So I was thrilled when I was asked by the publisher to review it. This was a very enjoyable middle grade fantasy novel!

It’s similar to Harry Potter in the sense that it takes place at a magical school and follows the “chosen one” trope but is still unique and different.

It was a bit of a slow start but really picked up in the middle and end. With any new fantasy series the first book is usually setting the scene for the new world and can drag. However, I’m certainly interested in reading the remainder of the series now that we know the world of Croswald.

In the end, I was glad to read this and will definitely recommend it to my fantasy loving students!

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

Thank you to Stories Untold and NetGalley for providing this book for free in exchange for an honest review!

My rating: 4/5 stars

I'm really intrigued to read this because... BOARDING SCHOOL (it's my current obsession to read anything boarding school-related) but also, MAGIC and CASTLE and PRINCESSES?
I've seen a lot of people compare this to Harry Potter, and I've read them since I was a kid I kinda agree with the first part of the book. But for me, I think The Crowns of Croswald have its own magical system.

What I like about this book:
- The world-building is fun and I've never read or found any book like this before (Scrivenists with magical quills, Castle and Queens, princess and princes, and magical boarding school together).
- The characters (mainly Rebecca.. sorry Ivy). Rebecca is funny and supportive to Ivy and I just really like her character. Fyn has a sweet, protective, and mischievous personality especially towards Ivy, and it turns out I like him too.
For Ivy, well she's great. She's curious, adventurous, and quite rebellious too. But um, I want to see more of her character development in the next book.
- I like how the author put her own name as a mysterious character in the book.
Wait... I think I like Ivy mainly because of this particular scene:
"I don't feel like doing much today, and probably not tomorrow, either. A few absences never hurt anyone. I feel like I need a break."

"A break from what?"

"Life."

Ah yes, that 1 sentence, and that 1 word is so relatable to me as a student...

What I don't really like about this book:
- NO MAPS :(( this made me really sad, I really wished there was a map, so the reader can have a picture of how the world looks like.
- I wish I could see more of Humboldt...
Yeah, I don't know what else I don't like about this book honestly.. But the no maps is such a bummer...

In general, it's an enjoyable read. It started out really slow, but from the middle to the last chapters the pace picking up perfectly. For me, I think this book is more appropriate for middle grades. Okay, that's it for me, now I'm craving a pie.

Thank you to Stories Untold Press and Netgalley for a copy of The Crowns of Croswald in exchange for my honest review!
In the Crowns of Croswald (book #1 in a 3 books series), Ivy, a lonely scaldrony maid (a dragon keeper) manages to get kicked out of the castle where she works and the only home she has known. Somewhat to her surprise, she winds up at The Halls of Ivy magic school where she learns to master her underdeveloped magical abilities as a scrivenist. The book goes on to reveal her enchanting journey at the Halls of Ivy as well as her run ins with the Dark Queen.
I read The Crowns of Croswald with my middle grade reader. Both of us loved it and were enthralled from very early on! If you our your child loves fantasy novels like the Harry Potter series, you will love The Crowns of Croswald too! Initially there seemed to be quite a bit of similarity to HP, but the book quickly took it's own path! Everything about The Crowns of Croswald is intriguing from the mystical cover to the very visual and descriptive nature of D.E. Night's writing!
Overall I would recommend The Crowns of Croswald, but perhaps to the older end of the middle grade novel spectrum due to the sophistication of some of the language used. We're looking forward to reading Book 2 - The Girl with the Whispering Shadow!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eCopy of the book to review. The Crowns of Croswald was an enjoyable book that really reminded me of Harry Potter with the magic the world revolved around.

The story centers around Ivy Lovely and the adventures she has in her first year at the Halls of Ivy, a magical boarding school. At first, the story seemed to start off slow, but it certainly picked up the more I read. Sometimes, in the beginning I was confused with some aspects of the world building, but as the story went on, I was able to understand different elements more. I really liked learning about this new magical world the author created. The different professors in the school, as well as the school itself, were very interesting to read about. The ending will leave readers wanting to know more as it ended on a cliffhanger. The book had a lot of action and fantasy elements which I really liked. I also liked the friendships Ivy made throughout her journey in this first installment of the series. I think that middle grade kids will absolutely love this story and will leave them wanting to attend the Halls of Ivy themselves!

The Crowns of Croswald was such a fun read! I love that book two is already out so there's no waiting to continue on with this story. It's great for YA readers who have been thoroughly in love with Harry Potter for their entire lives...guilty as charged...no shame in my game!

I felt like the magic structures in the book were so unique and cool, it all works so well and gives a fun new take on a magical world. As far as middle grade reading goes (I have a few favorite series that are MG, again, read what you love, no shame in my game) this book was excellent and I can't wait to read more in this world.

Let's dive into the characters...my favorite part of any book. Ivy is wonderful. She's just want you want to see in a fierce young woman. She's learning, she's growing, and she's brave! So brave! It's amazing to see and I wish I would have had this series when I was growing up and looking to characters in books for inspiration!

The Crowns of Croswald is a wonderful read. It's a fun, fast, magical adventure that will leave you wanting more...and more you shall have since the series is already well established. Join Ivy as she herself dives head first into whatever life throws at her, you won't be disappointed!

4/5 stars from me, a wonderful read and I can't wait for my physical copies to arrive so I can share them with my favorite middle grade readers!

I just reviewed The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night. #thecrownsofcroswald #NetGalley

I’m not the one that enjoys middle grade books, I just wanted to say that. So, having said that it also needs to be said this book is very fun.
Some common fantasy elements for sure, predictable at times, but fun so very fun! Magical and beautiful, you will enjoy this world for what it is - magical!

"The Crowns of Croswald" was a little overwhelmed by detail, but it certainly has charming elements. While the overall world is reminiscent of Harry Potter, the school setting reminded me more of "Wicked", where there are different courses of study and different ways to practice magic. References or similarities to other books were different enough that I really enjoyed them as part of a genre book rather than feeling like I was reading the same story all over again.
The main character, Ivy Lovely, is a 16 year old orphan working in Cinderella-like conditions. She has a talent for drawing and a old friend who reminded me of Da Vinci in Ever After. Ivy was a great conduit into a magical world, but she may have been more intriguing from a first person point of view. I liked the mystery surrounding her lineage, but thought she was a little too blank slate for my taste. There was a variety of secondary female characters both "good" and "bad" and I think the author did a great job of giving them motivation for their morality beyond being royal or not.
However, I had a really hard time getting through this book. Too much new info made it hard to keep up or get invested in anything because it came and went so quickly. Sometimes it felt like reading an encyclopedia or dictionary rather than a story. It felt like the entire series was getting jammed into the first book, and I would have liked it spaced out much more. This happened with characters, as well. So many new people were introduced that I forgot who everyone was or what role they'd played. The Scamander-type scrivenist at the beginning disappeared for so long that I forgot he'd existed before he showed up again. The plot got bogged down in these details which slowed down action at certain points and made it difficult to feel fully immersed.
The magical creatures were very interesting and unique (giving them specific jobs/purposes was a nice twist) and *reminded* me of other fantasy creatures without feeling like carbon copies of popular classics. I don't think they all needed to be explained in such detail in the first book of the series, or introduced at all, for the book to work. For example, the porcupines with the quills were a nice touch of humor but they detracted from the main plot a little too much. 
What I did really like was the world building. The idea of power in words and the combination of writers/archivists having power to control what was remembered AND what was forgotten was really cool. The closet where things went to be forgotten was easily the most intriguing part of the book, especially since several other elements were more conventional parts of the fantasy genre (the chosen one, a hidden power, going to a magical school.)
I hope the book went through another pass of editing before going to print (I was sent a digital arc), because there are also points where characters sit down once, then again, then they're standing in a classroom doorway…all in the course of one conversation. In a book where I was already struggling to keep up with the action, this took me out of it in a different way. 
Overall, I think Crowns of Croswald is an interesting concept for a Middle Grade Boarding school book. With some more deft editing and a little more room to breathe, I think Ivy would make a Lovely* protagonist, and the world of Croswald may grab readers a little faster.

*give me a break, it's Middle Grade humor.

I've been seeing this book a lot on Instagram so when I was asked by the publisher to review it I was happy to do it. This book has potential but sometimes lacks in achieving it. The world is magical but I felt lost sometimes. I needed more explanations. Also the characters felt a lot younger than their age. I kept forgetting that our main character was sixteen. I liked the magical creatures in the story and the story itself was interesting. It's suitable for younger readers or if you're looking for a something fun and light to read.

TW/CW: loss of a loved one, bullying

The Crowns of Croswald is a young adult fantasy novel centered around Ivy Lovey, a maid with dreams of becoming a scrivenist. We follow Ivy’s story as her life unexpectedly gets turned upside down. I really liked this book, and found myself to be very invested in the story. I’m not much of a fantasy reader, so I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy this novel as much as I did. Night did an excellent job with their world building which I find is one of the main problems fantasy novelists face. Night slowly unravelled aspects of the magic system and the world rather than giving the reader chapters of exposition. The Crowns of Croswald would have received a four star ranking if it wasn’t for the writing style and most specifically the dialogue between characters. The dialogue was often clunky and sometimes felt unrealistic in a way that would take me out of the story. Because I am not a fantasy reader, I cannot speak to the originality of the story. I recommend this book to fans of the movies Anastasia and Return to Halloweentown. Rating: 3.5/5

*Note: I was given this book to review from Netgalley and Stories Untold

Fantasy is not my cup of tea and yet i found this story very entertaining.

The characters were intriguing and the plot kept me hooked

The Crowns of Croswald is a book filled with magic and intrigue. It tells of a world with imaginative creatures and a magic system that is quite unique. In this whimsical world, we meet Ivy Lovely whose life is upended when she discovers that there is more to her than just a scaldron maid.

We follow Ivy as she embarks on this new journey into her new life, and we are drawn in by the obvious mystery which surrounds her.

Who is Ivy Lovely and what exactly is happening here?

I really struggled with this book, I was not a fan of the writing and while the creatures were inventive and imaginative, I hated their names. But I pushed through because I was curious about who Ivy was and why she was so different from everyone else.

And that's probably what I loved the most about this book, was how the author was able to keep me coming back for more. I just had to know what happened next, I needed to see what mysteries Ivy was going to unlock, what other weird thing was going to happen to her or around her. I just had to finish this book and I was rewarded with all the answers I sought.

While I wouldn't say this was a favourite read of mine, I would still recommend this book for persons who love Middle-Grade Fantasy reads and for anyone who loves a good mystery or intrigue.

"The Crowns of Croswald" von D.E.Night war vom Klappentext her, genau mein Ding.
Magie, Zauberschule und Abenteuer, genau das was ich mag.
Allerdings hatte ich mit diesem Titel unglaublich zu kämpfen und letzten Endes abgebrochen.
Ich konnte zu den Charakteren einfach keine Verbindung aufbauen und auch das Setting hat mich einfach nicht gefesselt.

**I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

As a fan of the Harry Potter books I was immediately sucked in. There’s definitely the same chosen one magical vibe. The world building and detailed descriptions made it so easy to imagine each scene. I need the next book ASAP!

I would recommend this to those who enjoy middle grade fantasy like Harry Potter or Nevermoor.

This was a fun middle grade fantasy book! I think that readers of all ages would enjoy it. Elements of the story reminded me of Harry Potter and Cinderella. Lovers of magic, mystery, and princesses would definitely like this book. This is the first in a series, and I'm excited to see what happens to the characters. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

With her Scrivenists, Royals, Hairies, Dark Queens, and more, D.E. Night creates a vivid and *lovely* twist into a wide and magical world. The journey and mystery intertwining Ivy and Derwin's history is compelling and each piece of information keeps you asking questions on how it all connects (and boy, do we all feel Ivy's frustration when her questions don't get answered).

Host to a wide array of diverse creatures, characters, and locations, The Crown of Croswald allows readers to dive deep into Ivy's story, and to explore this world's many quirks as she does. Using my imagination to what may exist far beyond the limits of the page, I personally love a book that can lay the foundation for a magical world, but still leave room for the reader to grow, and gain knowledge, alongside it. I look forward to the development of Ivy's character, and her relationships with her fellow students, mentors, enemies, magical creatures and the world beyond.

For the kid who thinks drawing can be its own form of magic, who loves to read fairy tales, who wants to be a prince/princess and a wizard/witch, or who thinks all of the above, this story will definitely be a favorite!

Ich muss leider zugeben, dass ich das Buch beenden musste. Leider hat es mich einfach nicht gepackt. Ein Mädchen, Ivy, das erst in der Burg ist, dann rausfliegt, Magie mag und gerne liest, dann tauchen plötzlich Leute auf, die sie mit in eine Schule nehmen etc. Es war mir einfach zu jung orientiert, durcheinander und hm, es hat mich auch sehr verwirrt. Die Idee ist zwar ganz schön, aber leider habe ich einfach keine Motivation mehr und quäle mich dadurch. Deshalb leider nur 1/5 Sterne.

Scaldrons (dragons), hairies (fairies), and other magical creatures abound in this magical, whimsical fantasy! The world building was fantastic and the magic system was clever and unique! Ivy is a strong, brave, and sassy heroine, and I was rooting for her the whole time! I also absolutely adored Fyn and his and Ivy’s banter! This enchanting book took me on such a delightful adventure and had just the right amount of mystery and intrigue! Even though it’s geared toward middle grade readers, this is a wonderfully entertaining story the whole family can enjoy!

(3.5/5)
Firstly I want to thank Stories Untold Publishing for providing me with a free e-copy of this book for the purposes of an honest review.
If you like middle-grade fantasy/ a likeable ordinary relatable protagonist/ Harry Potter/ Enid Blyton/ magical schools then I would recommend this book for you!
This book follows 16 year old protagonist Ivy and starts out with her being treated terribly having to work with these cute dragons known as scaldrons (I instantly wanted one as a friend). When a turn of events leads her to this magical school - The Halls of Ivy. When Ivy becomes increasingly threatened by the Dark Queen she must search for the truth in order to preserve the history of Croswald and herself.
Overall, this book was really magical and fun. It felt like Harry Potter meets Tangled and Cinderella.
I would recommend it for younger readers who enjoyed Enid Blyton books, the magic system and descriptions felt like a mini world in my head, which was fun to picture.
My main issues with the book were: Ivy's age felt off from her actions, she is a likeable protagonist and I rooted for her throughout, however, I think if she were 10 or 11 it would have been more fitting than 16. Additionally, sometimes the description overshadowed the dialogue, which made me have to go back and re-read some paragraphs.
Although it did resemble Harry Potter, I felt the world building was different enough that while the magical school aspect was similar it was also contrasting enough. I know I would have loved this so much when I was younger and will be recommending it to any younger readers out there who are just dipping their toes into middle-grade fantasy books.
I found Fyn to be an enjoyable character, initially I was mildly concerned, but his interactions with Ivy were really fun (I love banter)
I will post my review without the stars on my instagram to promote the book for the author :)

I received a request to review this book and was happy to check it out as it's so far from my normal genre. I'm probably the only person on the planet who hasn't read Harry Potter because I just can't get into magical realms. I'm a realist I guess. But I wanted to give this book a solid try and I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed Ivy's tale of finding her destiny, the journey from the slurry fields to the prestigious school for scrivenists and royals. The friends Ivy made and the mishaps that befall her are all surrounded by the mystery of who she really is and what her recurring dream means. While I have a hard time picturing magical things (so sad), I thought the storyline and plot were well executed anti was a fun read.

Many thanks to Stories Untold and D.E. Night for the arc, I truly enjoyed it!