The Crowns of Croswald is a magical story of Ivy Lovely, a girl who grew up at a castle as a scaldrony maid and finds herself at Croswald for magic school to become a Scrivenist. Strange events start happening, and Ivy is determined to get to the bottom of it... threat of evil queen or not. This was a fabulous story full of magic, creatures and exciting adventures! It had the magical school vibe and the child who grew up not knowing who they truly are, just like Harry Potter. Definitely a fun read for younger children who are at the middle grade level, and I can’t wait to share it with my niece!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I'll be honest, when I first started this book I didnt have high hopes.
I saw it going down the typical route of 'young person realises their magic, goes to a magic school, makes 2 close friends and discovers a prophecy' ... but it quickly became so much more than that!
Ivy Lovely is very well named. She's charming and sweet and I love her character. Fyn and Rebecca are the perfect mix of characters to be around her too and they both bring out the best in her. I loved their interactions with eachother a lot.
I can honestly also say that this is one of the first middle grade books I've read where I didnt immediately figure everything out, I didn't know why things were happening and I wanted to find out! The mystery behind the things happening in Croswald and surrounding Ivy was written very well and it kept me hooked on the plot.
I loved all of the characters, the world was beautiful (although I would have loved more world building, I'm hoping that comes in book 2!) and the different magic systems involved were really interesting,
The ending left me wanting more and with so many questions.
A definite page turner and a quick and fun read.
Magical, adventurous, suspenseful at times and just enjoyable!
Very close to a 5 star read for me and I can't wait to read book two!

This review has also been posted on my Goodreads and my Amazon accounts which I have added links to below! I will also be uploading a review to my Instagram page shortly.

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night is a wonderfully imagined story that follows a young girl on a mystical and magical journey. Unbeknownst to her she will soon discover just how important she is and learn to be proud of herself along the way.
This is a great book for middle-grade readers who love to escape into magical worlds! Younger readers would love it!!!

Night brings the reader on a beautifully crafted and whimsical journey learning all about the magical world with Ivy and her friends. This magical world is brought to life through the words on the page and it makes you feel like you’re in Croswald right there with all of the characters. Following the ups and downs of her discoveries, you come to really want Ivy to get a solid win!
I think this book is a wonderful middle-grade fantasy book for people who can’t wait to dive into a whole new world and join Ivy’s journey!

Thank you to the author D.E. Night, the publisher Stories Untold and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Solid 4 stars. A bit clipped between transitions and hard to keep track of narrative events, but otherwise pretty awesome and whimsical. Perfect for upper-elementary and early middle-schoolers. 7th-8th grade may be a bit too old, depending on preference.

Derivative yet highly imaginative, The Crowns of Croswald is perfect for fans of magical schools and imaginative worlds full of quirky characters and odd other-worldy goings-on that bear no resemblance to the starkly contrasted real world around them.

Scriveners—like wizards—perform magic with quills, not wands. They are usually paired with royals, who draw their power from magical stones. The book follows one to-be scrivenist, Ivy Lovely, who turns out to be more than even she thought was possible. With the help of some friendly students, she goes on a search for a mysterious author and winds up facing more than she bargained for.

I received this ARC from the publicist via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and social media support of the author. My review contains my own opinions.

Uh.. I have to say it has all the igredients od fairy tales. I never read a fantasy book before. But I guess a fantasy book must be like this. We have dragons, queens, princess, prince, magic and drama and comedy .. everything mixed together amd nobody knows what is true or what is just a fantasy. I couldn't help not have in mind Harry Potter all the time. You can not avoid.. school and magic. I would reccomend to the entusiats of fantasy. I could not enjoyed complitely. But I am glade I try something new.

I received a copy on Netgalley.com in exchange for a honest review.

“The Crowns of Croswald” by D.E. Night
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Night has written a tale for middle schoolers that is heavily reminiscent of “Harry Potter”. It has weird creatures, a school of magic, and a protagonist who is unaware of the magical powers she possesses and of her mysterious past. Most kids in the intended audience, however, won’t know about Potter (probably) so they can get on with enjoying the story.

I found “Crowns” to be very fast paced. Considering the attention span of today’s children, that makes sense. The story does not suffer from the speed at which things move, though. There are sufficient comedic scenes to amuse the average preteen and enough drama to create a little tension, but not too much.

Overall this scores a 3 for tween me. I liked it okay, about average.

This book was a Netgalley gift from the publisher, Stories Untold. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and I received no compensation in exchange for them.

“𝙰 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚕𝚎? 𝚆𝚑𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝?”

What a fun and exciting read. When I was approached to read this and give an honest review I was a bit nervous but mostly excited to explore a new magical world! And did D.E. Night deliver! At first slow, I found myself still wanting to get to know these characters and the school more. It’s heavily influenced by the Harry Potter world, which isn’t a bad thing, much like how Harry Potter has influences of Macbeth and even Narnia!

Ivy’s a great protagonist with a big heart and has her whits about her. I enjoyed this book mostly because it wasn’t so clean cut, Ivy made mistakes and needed help fixing them. I enjoyed her friends, Fyn especially, and think there’s a lot to be said about how the dynamic of the group changes over the course of the story, but how they’re there for one another when needed. I also really enjoyed that the time line is one school year, again similar to HP on that sense, but it gives the reader a more definitive time line that’s easy to follow.

Certainly aimed at a younger crowd, I do believe YA readers can have some fun with it. I did feel like some things were obvious that didn’t need stating but were anyway. And the writing style is simple and easy to follow.

Overall, it’s a fun read, a nice escape into a new whimsical world! There are two more book released in the series so if you find yourself hooked you can continue on.

I was hooked on Ivy Lovely in the first chapter and by chapter four I couldn't put the book down!  I think if you liked Harry Potter or even the Percy Jackson series you will find this book captivating! I love when fantasy stories bridge the ordinary with the extraordinary in their characters and that is exactly what D.E. Night does here with Croswald. 

Ivy is sweet and a main character you will immediately find endearing.  I loved all the detail Night gave to the magical creatures and the town.  I found myself getting lost in imagination and I am certain any young adult would find this story enchanting (or really any age reader if you are like me and love fantasy/magic/mythical creatures and the like). 

I really look forward to reading more about Ivy and her magical adventures in book 2 of this series! 
Thank you to Stories Untold and NetGalley for providing me with this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

📚📚📚Book Review📚📚📚
The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night
First I would like to thank the author and NetGalley for my free digital copy of this book for my honest review! I love reading new books and discovering new authors! Fantasy fiction has quickly become my new favorite genre! This book did NOT disappoint!!! When I read a book I want to imagine the characters, the places and the events. Author D. E. Night did an amazing job with this! I felt what Ivy was feeling. I was easly placed right in this story. I look forward to finding out what happens next with Ivy and her friends.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars Fantasy fiction lovers, this book is for you! This book is for everyone! It is fast paced and will keep you on the edge of your seat!

I received this book for free from the publisher and author (Stories Untold) in exchange for an honest review.

"Her thirst for knowledge and love of reading- everyone else at the castle seemed dull and muted, uninterested in anything beyond their work and the latest servant gossip."

We follow Ivy, a sixteen year old orphan working as a kitchen maid. She spends her free time reading books gifted by her friend Rimbrick. A kitchen mishap causes her to leave the castle, where she gets invited to attend a magical school, The Hall of Ivy. There she learns to harness her powers and discovers her past. I really enjoyed Ivy as a character; she exhibited brave and I loved her motivation. I adored Fyn and Ivy's cute relationship! Rebecca, Ivy's roommate was there to help her out of any situation. The book was filled with magic and adventure. The Crowns of Croswald, although an enjoyable read, I identified passages and scenes similar to Harry Potter. When writing about a middle grade magic only so many tropes can be recycled before it becomes repetitive. An innovative twist on the magic school trope would have made the book stronger. The powerful ending scene bumped my rating up because it demonstrated the growth Ivy experienced throughout the book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a middle grade fantasy that revolves around magic!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

The Crowns of Croswald takes readers on a whimsical journey to Croswald, a fictional place where scrivenists study at the Halls of Ivy to learn magical ways. The story follows Ivy, a 16 year old orphan who had been working as a scaldrony maid (a bit of a magical play on the role of a scullery maid) until she was summoned to join the ranks at the Halls of Ivy.

This is a middle grade read appropriate to both middle and high schoolers.

The story has plenty of whimsy and magic, adventure and suspense, and also a little puppy love romance. It is a slow to warm novel, as I feel first in a fantasy series often are, to provide the reader with some background information— but it definitely turns into a page turner.

You will fall in love with Ivy and route for her through her mishaps and grand adventures. She’s quirky, and definitely at times finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, but is strong, goodhearted, and determined.

I loved the magical creatures and elements in this book that are nostalgic to other magical series but still with a unique flavor. Some of these elements at times produced some confusion for me, and I left the book with a few unanswered questions— however, this could be the writer’s intention to keep the reader hooked for the next in the series.

Thank you to D.E. Night, Stories Untold, and NetGalley for providing the copy in return for honest review.

When first approached about reading The Crowns of Croswald, I was a bit unsure because it’s a middle grade book. Though I am a big YA fan, I can’t remember the last time I picked up a middle grade fantasy book. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this, mostly because of the imaginative story and creativity of this author. I ‘m so glad I took a chance on a middle grade book like this. It brought me back to being a kid and really using my imagination and seeing the fun and excitement within this book’s pages.

Summary:

Ivy Lovely is a kitchen maid who dreams of being a scrivenist. When a dear friend leaves her a pile of books and a curious note about her background, she is surprised at her invitation to study at the Halls of Ivy among royals and squinches. Throughout her first year, Ivy continuously comes across the name Derwin Edgar Night, the same author of the books her dear friend had left her. However, this person has been erased from memory - forgotten by everyone but her. Could he hold the key to Ivy’s true identity?

Review:

This book is a wonderful mix of Harry Potter and similar type books. It has a little something for every fantasy lover - dragons, magical creatures, magic spells, and adventure. I also thought it was witty for the author to include themselves as a character in the book. This story also has the typical characters of many fantasy books: the heroine, the sidekick, the love interest, the villain, the mean girl, and someone needing rescue. Overall I thought this was an enjoyable quick read. My only complaint is the storyline was more fluffy than what I’m used to. Details were a little bare when it came to characters, but I think that’s also the norm of the middle grade genre.

This story is faced paced and full of magic. You really dive into the world of Croswald headfirst and you are never bored. Ivy was a really fun protagonist as she was either always on an adventure or getting herself into trouble. I really enjoyed Ivy’s friendships especially with Rebecca and her pet dragon/scaldron Humboldt. The mystery running throughout the novel was done well. It kept me intrigued and weaved into the rest of the story nicely. The magic is always present in every part of the story, particularly once we get to the school and brings to life the magical atmosphere you want from a book like this. I did not in general like the treatment of characters such as Helga and the Butterlove’s. Or that we had some really involved scenes with some characters who we then never really see again – although its likely these will pop in the later books in the series. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book. It is exciting, funny, has eccentric characters and is full of magic. Overall if you want a bit of pure magical fantasy and escapism then this is for you.

Ivy Lovely, 16-year-old former scullery maid, is having dreams and visions that aren’t quite making sense to her. When she is thrown out of the Plum castle, she is terrified, as she has no family and nowhere to go. Just then, she is magically whisked away to the Halls of Ivy, school of magic, where she begins a whole new life and embarks on numerous magical adventures.

This book, intended for middle grade children, is cute and fanciful. D.E. Night is creative and her writing is fairly good. She has the imagination, creativity, and talent to become a wonderful fantasy writer. I won’t pretend that the The Crowns of Croswald isn’t Harry Potter fan fiction, because it is. I like that it has a female protagonist, as well as a female villain. I love the romance between Ivy and Fyn - super adorable. Did I know Ivy’s story within the first ten minutes? Yes. Was the double moon disappearing a real mystery? No. But, I’m not a 12-year-old kid. If Night is trying to write a book that is intended for kids, but loved by adults, this book is a start. It is excellent practice, as long as we acknowledge it for what it is. Harry Potter with some tweaks. I’m confident that Night has plenty of her own ideas and creativity to share with us in the future and I will definitely look forward to reading that work in the future.

Thanks to D.E. Night, Stories Untold, and Netgalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Book Review // The Crowns of Croswald by D. E. Night // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A book made of magic, royalty and mythical creatures. This book was so interesting and cool. What magical power would you like to have?

Ivy Lovely doesnt quite know what is hidden in her magical blood, what has been covered up from her past. When she joins the Halls of Ivy, her dream school, Ivy is just as excited as any other new student, but soon things begin to not feel so right and maybe there’s a lot more Ivy needs to learn about her school and even herself.

I will begin by saying this book was so enchanting and magical that I felt like I had really entered a different world. I loved the mix of Scrivenists and royalty as I thought this was a great concept for a magical school. The Scaldron dragons were the first creatures that I fell in love with they sounded so sweet but cool, I loved that they cooked food, cute! The princesses crowns were the next thing that amazed me, it was so cool how each stone created a different power, this made all the characters so interesting to meet as I wanted to find out what their powers were. Apart from Ivy, I think my favourite character was Rebecca, she was so cool and she really found herself, friendship, and her love of her crown throughout the book (I won’t let you in on her power as I don’t want to ruin it, but it’s a power I would love to have). My only wish is that I wanted to learn more about the classes at the Halls of Ivy and see how Ivy began to learn how to control her magic, this would have been really interesting to follow. This is a great middle grade read which I have already recommended to my younger brother, a book full of action, power, magic and royalty... what more could you want?!

Thank you for this copy of the e-book from NetGalley, I was offered this book in exchange for an honest review! Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

I have really enjoyed reading children/young adults fiction recently. I think that there is a particular feel, a sense of reading without the same rules, a sense of possibility and adventure. I was unfamiliar with this book and this author, but I have become rather fond of stories about the acquisition of magic! The first thing that hits you reading this book is the incredible imagination at work. In this imaginary world you are given such amazingly detailed descriptions. This is the story of Ivy who is whisked away from a life of servitude to attend The Halls of Ivy where children learn to use their magical skills. Ivy is excited to be at the school she has always dreamed of and is amazed to discover her exceptional skills, however it is not long before she realises that there are dark forces at large and the Dark Queen and her entourage are on the move. I felt reading at the start of this book was like beginning a board game. You encounter unfamiliar territory, new terminology, rules and ideas which you need to assimilate to move around the board. This did make the beginning of the book, for me, quite difficult. It is loaded with description and detail and I found it slow simply because there is so much to absorb. Sometimes I wasn’t sure if a word was imaginary or one I didn’t know! Then suddenly it came together and the adventure took over. There is a sense of brooding danger which added to the tension and excitement. I think that young adults will find characters in this book who they will relate to: teenage character traits reveal themselves in the costumery and spell casting. The evolving friendship between Ivy and Rebecca was intuitively portrayed as is the blossoming romance. The character of Derwin Edgar Night is fascinating and illusive and with his reappearance at the end of the book the adventure is all set for the next volume in the series. With thanks to Netgalley and D.E. Night for a digital copy of this intriguing story.

This review is based on the opinions of two of my 7ths grade students, as well as myself. This book was quite difficult to get into at first. The storyline was good, but there was so much going on all at once at the beginning that it was a bit overwhelming. There were characters to get used to, but then there were names of objects and places and spells and…

Anyway, about halfway through, the story became more interesting and easy to follow. Ivy has been thrown into a world that she had only ever dreamed of – quite literally. She finds herself in over her head at first, but quickly comes into her own, through the help of a princess, a believed-to-be-dead scrivenist, a boy who seems to pop up when she needs him the most and her own curiosity. It’s a story of coming into ones own and overcoming your past in order to embrace your destiny.

The adventures that Ivy and her friends are on in this first book – magic aside – are quite ordinary and easy to relate to (getting into trouble for being late, helping a friend, being picked on by the “mean girl”, etc.) Middle grade students will find Ivy’s story much more exciting because they are able to see hints of themselves in her and Rebecca.

All three of us are interested in reading the rest of the series.

Ivy Lovely is very ordinary - she is a lowly maid for a castle where even those with magical powers are bland. When chased out with nothing but a dress and a small beastly friend, a gift left for Ivy sets everything quickly in motion. She's swept up by a stranger telling her not only is she on the list for the most wonderfully magic school around, but she actually has magic flowing through her very own veins.

Arriving at school and wanting nothing more than to make a good impression and learn, Ivy quickly finds herself to be labeled a "rule breaker" and a bit of a "trouble maker". Through her discoveries, though, she starts learning about the past, her family, and finds herself on the tail of a mystery that everyone except her can't help but forget.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Ivy's story as she learns to navigate the Halls of Ivy and finding her true self. There were quite a few plot twists and I was constantly guessing, trying to figure out what was going on and who could be trusted. Sometimes things moved a bit quickly, but overall the book seemed to have a good pace for the tone and plot.

The characters were both fun and flawed, leading to a great mix of curiosity and mischievous adventures. This helped build the plot in really great and intriguing ways. I found the book hard to put down because I wanted to solve the mystery as much as Ivy.

This book is great for anyone who has read Harry Potter and is looking for the next magical adventure. I think it would also be a great read for young readers that are just getting into fantasy settings, as the book was easy to follow while still keeping the reader on their toes.

I can't wait to read more about Ivy and her magical adventures!

This book was magical from start to finish, it gave me Harry Potter feels but it was a copycat at all. If you love royalty, magic, mythical creatures, mystery and more then this is the book for you. I though Ivy was a fantastic character and I was with her every step of the way as she navigated The Halls of Ivy and making new friends and enemies. I was invested and I can’t wait to read more of her adventures.

I was sent a copy by NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This book was such a lovely fantasy perfect for young readers and those who are starting fantasy. It follows a young orphan named Ivy who is thrown into a world she doesn’t know.

The illustrations at the start of each chapter are so beautiful and a lovely addition to the book. The author has done a wonderful job of creating a little fantasy world and a character you will love.

I give the 3 star rating because it does remind me of Harry Potter and I really don’t like Harry Potter. I can’t explain why I don’t like it and what it is about it but if you’re a fan you will most likely enjoy this.