So I the publicist reached out to me via Instagram to read this book and give an honest review. I enjoyed the idea of this story. The world that Night created is so unique and really grabbed my attention. I went into it constantly reminding myself that it is a middle-grade book so not to judge it harshly. The parts that I didn't care for was that some times Ivy seemed a lot younger than 16. I think her character, and her friends, would have been more relatable and realistic had they been younger, just based off of how they spoke and some of their actions. Also, the first 50 or so pages were little confusing and I found it hard to get into the world that was being created.

I did enjoy the ending. That is where the real magic happens. Night created a solid ending that opened the door for potentially good series!

If you enjoy the magical world of Harry Potter, then this may be the book for you!

Sixteen year old Ivy works as a scullery maid with almost nothing and no one to her name. She longs for more but continues to work hard- that is until one day when she is sent to an elite school where fantasy and magic show her a new life. But why is she there? Who sent her?

Magical and fun! A great middle grade read for fans of Harry Potter.

I haven't read a book like this in years (probably since the Harry Potter books were released) so I was excited to try something a bit different when offered a free ecopy by the publisher (via NetGalley.)

This book was absolutely brimming with brilliant mythical creatures and a magical world that immerses the reader from the very start. I was slightly confused at first and really wanted to know what a scrivenist was but i found it was unveiled as I kept reading!

The story starts when the main character, a young sixteen year old girl called Ivy manages to escape from her extremely dull, miserable life as a scaldrony maid (where she is forced to prepare meals with the help of small wingless dragons). She is led on a journey culminating at a magical boarding school full of royals and scrivenists which she is suddenly allowed to attend. Ivy has no idea about her past or that she is magical but during her first year she begins to slowly uncover the mysteries surrounding her life. Her road to discovery lead her into many dangerous situations which culminate with the forces of the Dark Queen.

I really enjoyed this book and would definitely like to find out what happens to Ivy and her school friends in the rest of this series.The author has such a great imagination and the level of detail to describe each event in the magical world was impressive. There are also great little illustrations at the beginning of each chapter.

I can imagine my daughter reading and enjoying this in a few years time. I would recommend this to young people that enjoy stories of fantasy and magic with an intriguing and exciting plot. A great debut novel. Thank you to NetGalley, Stories Untold and D.E Night for this ecopy.

Ivy Lovely grew up as a scaldrony maid in Castle Plum. She was treated poorly for sixteen long years until the time she found out that she possessed magic inside of her and was invited to the Hall of Ivy where she would learn about the magical gems in Croswald found in the crowns of royals and the magic, photographic memory and extraordinary skills of scrivenists.

I was given an access to this book by @deknight @storiesuntoldpress in @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

While reading the prologue, I found myself not quite into the story as there were terms used that were not defined for a reader who is new to the world of Croswald. The prologue felt long and dragging for me. However, when chapter 1 began, everything made sense and I found myself enjoying Ivy’s journey to discover who she really was. I found joy in Ivy’s character; she was kind, independent, intelligent young lady. Her character developed and unfolded slowly and beautifully. Ivy Lovely was consistent throughout the entire story which made The Crowns of Croswald an enjoyable read for me.

I also have to mention the love interest that was included in the story. It was not forced in any way that made the inclusion of it uncomfortable. In fact, it brought butterflies to my stomach, made me look forward to Ivy’s scenes with Fyn and would love to know what happened to them after the first book installment.

The Crowns of Croswald reminds me pretty much of the phenomenal world of Harry Potter but it has its own charms that will make a reader find the pleasure in reading the story. It was an easy read but a worthwhile one.

This is the fist book of a four-part series.
It has a lot of Harry Potter vibes (which I love), but still feels very unique! The world the author created is so magical, and almost felt as if I was there! Her way of describing each place and event is so detailed I could totally picture everything in my head.
The story is amazing, and though it sometimes has predictable plotwists, it provoked me some huge surprises! It’s a light story, and easy to read!
As for the characters, Ivy is a great protagonist; she’s strong, determined and curious (and a little stubborn 😅), and has a lot of potential. I would like to see more of the side characters in the next books and explore more about their abilities 🤩
I really enjoyed this book, the story, this magical world and the characters!

Had a hard time getting into this one. The premise sounded promising, but I had a hard time with the writing style.

☆☆☆,5 /5

Dans l'ensemble, j'ai beaucoup apprécié ma lecture. C'était doux, léger et mignon. J'ai passé un agréable moment dans cette histoire, bien que je n'ai pas été transcendée.
¤
Ivy Lovely a 16 ans et ne connaît pas ses origines. Puis, un jour, sans faire exprès, elle traverse une barrière enchantée avant de se retrouver dans un autre monde rempli de magie et de mystère. Déstabilisée, Ivy va apprendre à s'adapter dans ce nouvel environnent. Elle va développer des pouvoirs, qui dormaient en elle depuis bien longtemps. Elle va faire des rencontres, elle va essayer d'en apprendre plus sur son passé et sur l'histoire de ce nouveau monde.
¤
C'est un roman rempli de magie. J'ai apprécié suivre les péripéties d'Ivy. Ce récit m'a fait voyager. J'ai trouvé le style d'écriture naturel et simple, très visuel. Je n'ai pas eu de difficultés à imaginer les lieux, les évènements. J'ai eu l'impression d'être immergée devant un bon film.
J'ai beaucoup apprécié comment l'auteur a construit l'univers de Croswald et en apprendre plus sur le fonctionnement de la société, de l'école dans laquelle Ivy va être, des différentes créatures.
Malgré tout, je n'ai pas réussi à m'attacher à Ivy. C'est un personnage bien construit mais qui ne m'a pas touchée... Comme tous les autres personnages en fait, bien que leurs relations entre eux étaient géniales.
Enfin de compte, j'ai été beaucoup plus sensible à l'univers et ça a été une belle lecture !

•°•°•°•

This book was full of whimsy. It was really a sweet reading and I enjoyed it!
I really like how the author built the world of Croswald. It was creative and incredible. I was more sensitive by the environment because I loved learning about how was the society and how lived all the different creatures.
I liked Ivy, Rebecca, Fyn and their adventures. The friendship was cute.
Overall, this reading was magical and I really liked it! I think I will read the sequel soon!

(Here's the link of my post on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/p/CM-XLQCn4M9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)

All 16-year-old Ivy Lovely knew of her past was that she grew up as an orphaned maid serving one of the royal families of Croswald at Castle Plum, and her closest friend is a dwarf named Rimbrick. After an incident with a scaldron (domesticated dragons who cook food), Ivy was thrown out of Castle Plum where she was then promptly picked up by the Halls of Ivy’s travelling admissions office. Surprised to be told that she has magic in her, Ivy soon began her training at the prestigious Halls of Ivy, where royals and sqwinches (non-royals with magic) learn to harness their magic. But strange things keep happening to Ivy, leaving her bewildered and hungering for the truth. Who is she really? Why do the Halls keep calling out to her? And who is the mysterious man she’s been seeing in her dreams?

This is book 1 of a middle grade fantasy series by D.E. Night that is packed full of adventure, mystery, and magic. Ivy is a rather headstrong girl who does not shy away from challenges. She grew up in an unpleasant environment as a scaldrony maid but that only made her stronger. I love the solid friendship she has with Rebecca and Fyn, who despite their initial reluctance to break school rules, still stood by Ivy till the very end. And also, the mentorship from Winsome Monocle!

I had a lot of questions when I first started reading and there were a number of unfamiliar terms that had me scratching my head trying to decipher their meaning. Like exactly what is a scrivenist? Although as you progress along in the novel you’ll slowly piece things together, a glossary might be a helpful reference for readers.

Reading this book is like embarking on a magical adventure in the world of Croswald, uncovering a mysterious hidden past and going up against the Dark Queen. If you enjoy Harry Potter, you’ll probably like this series as well! Although this is a middle grade book, I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult, and it had me curious as to what’s next in book 2!

Thank you D.E. Night, her publicist Daniela, and Stories Untold Press for the e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I was gifted an ebook edition by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

3.8/4 out of 5 stars

Middle grade fantasy, whilst something I love is not necessarily my usual genre being an adult. It is however something I’ve grown up with and something I enjoy giving a chance to.

Without giving too much away, The Crown of Croswald is set in the magical world of Croswald with Ivy Lovely, scaldrony maid as our protagonist. Ivy dreams of going to ‘magic school’ to become a scrivenist but works as a lowly kitchen maid. One day her wish comes true when she is unceremoniously thrown out of her home and job, and finds herself being picked up by a mysterious person in a cab. When she arrives at school, everything that could go wrong does, and she finds herself stuck in the middle of the book’s main mystery; who is Derwin Edgar Night and what is it do with Ivy?

As the plot unfolds so does the intrigue and this becomes almost unputtdownable. Whilst the first half of the book is a bit slower (not very when compared to adult fantasy) and focuses on world building, the second throws down the action and adventure of mystery solving before ending in a dramatic finale (as all good books should).

The Crowns of Croswald is the first book in a series, with book 4 currently in the pipeline. It reminds me a lot of Enid Blyton, Jill Murphy’s The Worst Witch with more than a hint of Harry Potter. Like the aforementioned titles, the characters are mischievous rule breakers and I’m looking forward to seeing what becomes of them and how they grow in the later books. Other similarities come in the form of the fantastical world around them which is full of brilliantly magical creations, creatures and places from the mind of D.E. Night.

Whilst it’s a nice, quick, easy read and a bit of fun for an adult like myself, it’s an easy recommendation for the younger reader who may enjoy the works of Enid Blyton and the Harry Potter series.

Many thanks to Stories Untold Publishing for the review copy!

This book was a perfect middle grade fantasy story filled with magic and adventure! Ivy Lovely, the main character (who is simply charming and lovable), is a 16 year old dragon working as a scaldrony maid who has dreams of being a scrivenist and going to the revered Halls of Ivy school. Her work as a scaldrony maid leaves her in a windowless space so she doesn’t know how she can possibly make her dream happen. But, one day she gets thrown out with no job, no home and no money. But, out of nowhere she gets picked up by a cabby who has been looking for her to take her to the Halls of Ivy as she has received an invitation to attend. Once at the school, strange things start to happen but Ivy doesn’t shrink back and meets lots of interesting characters along the way. The writing made the story so visual to me so I can only imagine the fun a middle grader would have with this imaginative series.

Ivy is a hard-working orphan longing to practice magic when she suddenly finds herself able to do just that. She is transported to a magic school where royals and their scribes learn to practice their magical abilities. But weird things keep happening to Ivy, and she can't help but feel like she has a deeper connection to the magical world than she thought.

This was my first middle-grade read! Well, since I was actually a kid, that is. I think books like The Crowns of Croswald prove that a book meant for a younger audience can still be captivating and fun! The magic system felt quirky and lighthearted and yet mysterious too.

I am SUCH a fan of Ivy! I think you can't help but like her - she is curious and determined and also kind to the core. She clearly loves the new friends she makes at school plus the creatures (dragons and porcupines) that she picks up along the way.

The only thing I wish we got more of was time - time with the characters to really get to know them. I feel like we have a high-level knowledge of Ivy and her friends, and the story could really benefit by learning more about them!

Thank you to Stories Untold Press for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book is first in the series and follows a girl called Ivy she is a scaldrony maid working at place called castle plum and her life takes an unexpected turn and we follow her to be immersed in a magical world.🧙

I loved all the characters and Ivy is a fantastic main protagonist she is strong minded and smart.
The story was slow starting but once we got into the magical and fantasy elements it is fast paced.

Throughly enjoyed this read and can’t wait to see how this book progresses and to continue this magical journey with Ivy and all the characters !! ✨

Highly recommended!! Especially if your a fan of the Harry Potter world 🧙

I was contacted by the authors publicist and was given a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Ivy Lovely, a 16 year old girl who was a scaldron maid until very recently, who then gets enrolled in a magical school for scrivenists and royalty where she learns more about herself, her magic, her past and her family.
I know as a teenager I would have adored this book! It's full of magic, whimsy and of course magical creatures, Humboldt is definitely my favourite!
It's a very easy read, perfect for teens and those who are wanting to get into fantasy books. I also loved the little illustrations at the beginning of each chapter!

Overall rating - 4 ⭐

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!

Ivy Lovely, a scaldron maid, lives a life of drudgery and isolation. The castle she serves is surrounded by slurry trees whose property dims magical powers. Once she is fired and crosses the slurry boundary, Ivy is whisked away to magic school to harness the powers she never knew she had. Ivy’s life takes a turn for the better however, the kingdom of Croswald, takes a turn for the worse; ruled over by the Dark Queen who threatens all that is good.

D.E.Night’s middle grade fantasy series is packed full of magic and adventure, the perfect entry read into the fantasy genre for pre-teens. The protagonist’s name, Ivy Lovely encapsulates the mood of this novel – whimsical. From the very first chapter, we are introduced to the scaldrons – dragons who act as ovens to cook meals for the lords and ladies of the castle – these quirky little dragons made me feel a pang of nostalgia for the quirky fantasy of J.K.Rowling, Terry Pratchett and Enid Blyton. The novel is full of eccentric and fabulous creatures, porcupines who are used to pluck quills from; hairies who are literally hairy fairies who light the lamps of Croswald and ginormous cabby beasts who carry their own foul weather system and remind me of the giant rhinoceros storm in James of the Giant Peach. Whilst the book is incredibly unique you can’t ignore the Harry Potter inspiration such as a street of magical shops like Diagon Alley, a magical school like Hogwarts and a whole menagerie of fantastical beasts. However, the unique magic system stands out. At the scrivinist school of magic, there are two types of students; royals who gain their powers from the stones in their crowns and scrivinists who gain their power from their blood and sketching skills. Scrivinists are trained to hone their abilities so that they can one day serve the royals in their courts and castles. This interesting magical hierarchy makes for some brilliant snooty enemies and genuine friends for Ivy.

The story really picks up pace once Ivy has been enrolled into magic school and is introduced to glenageries. A glenagerie is a unique system of magic whereby you can capture an imaginative scenario into a bottle that can be uncorked and re-lived. When a glenagerie is opened during one of Ivy’s magical classes, she is drawn into a pirate ship where the mysterious Derwin Edgar Knight tries to leave her a message. Ivy keeps seeing the same man in her dreams at night – it is as if he is trying to tell her something – something important. When Ivy learns that there is a room in the school where things go to be forgotten, wiped from the memory of all outside of the door once placed inside, Ivy suspects that the answers to who Derwin Edgar Knight is lie in there. Why would anyone try to erase him from history? Is the Dark Queen involved? What connection does he have to Ivy? The mystery of Derwin Edgar Knight drives the narrative into its dramatic, whirlwind ending. I would highly recommend this novel for children aged 11+ who love magic, mystery and adventure stories. A delightful, light-hearted escapade.

A copy was gifted via Net Galley for an honest review.

The first in a series of books by D E Night . I was fortunate to be allowed to read and review this book by StoriesUntold and Netgalley. This is a story of magic where our heroine Ivy is a scaldron maid who leaves her job and finds herself a scrivenist student at the prestigious school which trains scrivenists and crowned royals. This has been compared to Harry Potter , but it my opinion it is on a different scale altogether. I am a massive Potter fan and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I could see where similarities lay,but there are major differences, not only in the fact this is not a story about witches and wizards, but about a scrivenist student learning her trade at a prestigious school, and I want now to read the other books in the series to see where the story takes Ivy. There is slightly dark elements which says I would recommend it to late primary and early secondary pupils.

I'm not a big YA or fantasy reader but I was kindly gifted an e-book of this for a honest review. As I tend to have a hard time imagining fantasy, I was pleasantly surprised that it was relatively easy to imagine this book. I think the YA aspect really helped with that. The Halls of Ivy reminded me quite a bit of Hogwarts. Ivy goes on small little adventures throughout the book in every chapter which made it a really easy read and everything nicely comes together in the end where all the stories connect together. I really enjoyed Rebecca's character. Overal it was a quick read and very easy to follow. The open ending definitely makes me want to know what happens in Ivy's second year of the Halls of Ivy.

In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret...
For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems.
When Ivy’s magic, and her life, is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.

Title:The Crowns of Croswald
By : D.E. Night
Published by :Stories Untold
Genre: Middle Grade | Sci Fi & Fantasy
Pub Date : 21 Jul 2017



I was given this ARC by the authors team and NetGally for an honest review.


Girl works in castle kitchen with kitchen dragons.
Girl gets fired.
Girl finds out she has magic and is sent to magic school.


I had to DNF this book after only 55 pages.

Though I liked the magic element of the book and was looking forward to learning more I could not continue to ignore the fat shaming/ fat phobia in this book.

By page 55 we had already read the following:

"eating was the best kind of body building"
"overly wide hips"
"However her size would suggest she lived beside the town baker instead"

There were probably more that I didn't take note of. On top of these quotes it seemed that any one deemed nice or kind was referred to as skinny physically .

The book did have great descriptions and transported me to a different world. However there was repetitive use of certain words such as just and reveries.

Unfortunately as some one from the plus size community I couldn't let the fat shaming slide. I will probably not read anything else by this author.

If you like Harry Potter and are not adverse to fat shaming then this is the book for you.

As a fan of Harry Potter and a middle-grade librarian, it's hard to find new titles that encompass the world-building and empathy of the Potter series. The Crowns of Croswald is a fast-paced, refreshing, middle-grade alternative. It is safe to call Harry Potter a classic, but given the recent opinions of the author, I think many people are looking for alternatives to share with their children. It was also refreshing to read something written by a woman of color and have the protagonist be a girl. Middle-grade fantasy holds a special place in my heart and I will absolutely be buying this series for my library.

Everything about the imagery of this first in a series was so vivid and easy to put yourself there. Like most fantasy, there was new world-building to learn, but D.E. Night makes it accessible and easy to digest. It's exciting and new and left me wanting more.

The first thing about this book that grabs your attention right away is the cover. The gorgeous colors pop and grab your attention. For anyone who loves Harry Potter, royalty, and fantasy, this book is for you. Ivy is such a great character who goes from working in a kitchen to The Halls of Ivy. A wonderful magical school filled with imaginative characters. It was fun to read and follow Ivy on her wondrous adventure and find out where she is really meant to be and what her purpose is. Lastly, I love the author names a character after herself, D.E. Night. I recommend this to all YA readers who love fantasy. I received this book for free from the publisher (Stories Untold) in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Stories Untold Publishing, for the opportunity to read this book