If you love reading about magical boarding schools, locked doors, disappearing buildings, enchanting creatures, and secret identities (and who doesn’t?), this is the book for you!

The prologue alone was enough to pique my interest as soon as the wandering family was first introduced. D.E. Night was able to sustain the air of mystery throughout the book and up to the very end.

Ivy Lovely, a girl of sixteen, finds out that her artistic abilities hold a dark and magical secret. She escapes her mundane life as a scaldrony maid and enters the Halls of Ivy, a magical boarding school. I know this might be reminiscent of the whole ‘Yer a wizard, Harry’ bit, and yes, there are other similarities you may pick up along the way; but The Crowns of Croswald has its own unique charm and an incredible plot that drew me in and didn’t let go the whole time I was reading it.

The world-building was just as amazing with its magical creatures like scaldrons – pet-sized dragons that can cook food inside their mouths – and hairies – pixies with luminous hair, commonly used as lanterns. And of course, it wouldn’t be a book about a magical school if our heroine wouldn’t be breaking school rules and venturing into prohibited areas inside and outside of the Halls of Ivy! The places she visited are unlike anything I have read in other books.

The Crowns of Croswald is labeled as a Middle-Grade book, but I think readers of all ages would still be able to appreciate and enjoy this.

First of all, I would like to comment on how beautiful the cover is! One look and you can already tell it will be a magical story. And indeed it is. This is the first ever book D.E. Night published and I must say it is incredible! If you're into magical fantasy, then I recommend this book for you.

The story follows our main character, Ivy, a Scaldrony Maid who was suddenly enrolled in a school of magic. This is where the Royals and Scrivenist study and enhance their magic. The Royals are those who wore a crown with a stone where their magic comes from while the Scrivenist are the transcriber and yes, they also have magic in them. Ivy's life changes inside the Halls of Ivy, she discovers more about herself in there. And for some unknown reason, she's being pulled to this place. Catch her adventures in the Crowns of Croswald.

I was skeptical of certain characters such as the Selector and Fyn because they are both mysterious. Just when I thought I knew something, another event changes it. What I learned in reading books (and in life) is that looks can really be deceiving.

Another thing I like about the book is reading about the creatures of the book. So far my personal favorite are the Hairies, they are like pixies - tiny creatures who fly, but they light and burn bright like the lamps. This fantasy book is also mysterious; there so many unanswered questions and the real adventure is just beginning.

All in all, I truly enjoyed reading the whole book! It was surely magical and wonderful! It makes me want to read more!! Thank you for introducing this to me.

Thanks to the publisher and author for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
The whole story was very whimsy and imaginative, perfect for young middle grade readers. It was so creative. I loved learning about the school, the creatures, and just the world of Croswald in general. The world building was fantastic.

Thank you to Stories Untold Press and D.E. Night for an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.

Introducing sixteen year old Ivy Lovely who has been hidden since birth as she is now found and brought back into the world of magic. As she is admitted into the Halls of Ivy, a school here students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald, her entire life is turned upside down as she learns more about who she is and what role she plays. Being met by characters that both are excited for her return and are willing to support her, as well as those who are trying to take her down, she needs to do everything in her growing power to protect these stories from being forgotten. 

She is our lost girl who is finally found and is welcomed with open arms by many. However, with her initial time hidden away, she doesn't understand why she is so special and why she sees things that the rest of the school doesn't. The academic setting combined with the adventures outside of the school grounds definitely make for an interesting atmosphere. And to add to the little touches, the chapter headers and titles are all very cute and make for great foreshadowing as to what is to occur in the chapter.

I do have to say, I appreciate that the inconsistencies were minimal. I feel like in a magical middle-grade, you're bound to see more than less inconsistencies with allowing readers to feel fully immersed and not as analytical. I think the stories all matched up well at the end, but the author continually told the story, instead of showing it. I can understand for folklore or family history lessons, but I found that these moments were stronger than her actually showing the story and that's where my issue lays. I don't think it was overdone, but I would've preferred less story times from characters. 

My biggest issue with this book is that I didn't care for the characters! To start off with our main antagonist, the Dark Queen, we get a faint mentioning of her name at the beginning, little drops of her in the middle, and then we finally meet her at the end. But I wasn't afraid of her the way the rest of the character seemed to be. With Fyn, his appearances seemed almost conveniently placed and never natural, and that was quite unfortunate because I think if we saw him as more than just a drop-in character, he could be more special. I honestly didn't care for Ivy's character as much either because she read far younger than sixteen - I was thinking more like she was twelve, thirteen at most. 

Overall, the story was highly enjoyable and the madness that Ivy takes readers through flies extremely quickly. I don't particularly think this was "bad" at all, it just wasn't as magical and I wasn't as connected to the characters as I would've liked.

Thank you to the author's agent & Netgalley for providing me an e-arc of this book for an honest review.

The first thing that I thought when I first started this book was how similar it was to Harry Potter. We follow a young orphaned 16-year-old girl, Ivy, who has been cast from everything and works as a maid in a castle. Until one day she crosses the border that separates the mundane world from the magical one and that's where her powers awaken. She goes to the magical school where she learns how to control her powers and how to become a scrivenist that revolves around quills, ink and writing.

The world-building was very interesting and the magic really unique. I really enjoyed seeing Ivy go through her journey of self-discovery and learning more about her past. It had a similar tone to Harry Potter and for those of you who loved this series, you will definitely enjoy D.E. Night's new middle-grade books.

Even if I liked those elements, I had issues with this book. First off, I had a hard time getting into the story. I don't know if it was the writing or the specific genre. I admit I wasn't really in the mood for fantasy at that time. I also didn't connect with any of the characters and when it happens I have a hard time following the story even if it has a good plot going on. Since it's a middle-grade book, I was expecting an 11-year-old girl but they kept mentioning that she's 16 instead and it confused me a lot. I found that the main character was not acting like a 16 but more like a 12-year-old. Finally, I'd like to add that the pacing was a bit weird. Sometimes it did jump from slow moment to faster one without a good transition. At the end of the book, you do feel a bit intrigued at what's coming next for the character but for me, I was unfortunately not interested enough to keep up with this series.

Overall, I will recognize that D.E. Night's debut is a solid one with quite the adventure that we seek in middle-grade stories. This book is quite fun with its magical world and school that would attract a lot of book lovers. If you're into a magical world like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, you should definitely check this one out.

Thank you again to D.E. Night and her agent!

Rating : 3 stars.

Ivy Lovely is an orphan, who has spent her life working as a maid in Castle Plum. One day, a situation occurs and she decides to leave the castle behind. She is found by a fantastical person who takes her to The Halls, a school for scrivenists and royals. This story is filled with magic, mystery, and wonderful characters and a setting that you will get lost in. Give this book a try, you won’t be disappointed!!

Ivy Lovely is an orphan, who has spent her life working as a maid in Castle Plum. One day a mishap happens and she decides to leave the castle and slurry fields behind. She is found by a magical person and whisked away to The Halls, a school for scrivenists and royals. Let the magical mayhem and mystery begin! If you are a Harry Potter fan, give this middle grade/YA fantasy a read, you’ll be glad you did!

I absolutely soaked this book up. If your a fan of Harry Potter and The Secret of Spellshadow Manor, then you will really love this

Our main character Ivy, has been hidden in a castle in order to keep her safe. When she is cast out of the castle for, well, something that wasn’t her fault, she is finally found and taken to Croswald..

Poor Ivy doesn’t have a clue what’s going on..

I loved Ivy, and all of her friends. It’s a classic story, but it’s so well written, the scene setting is wonderful. It feels like a warm hug, and I really want to read more!!!

My thanks to Netgalley and Stories Untold for the copy

3.5/5

I was given this book by Stories Untold Press with the exchange of an honest review. Thank you for sending me this e-copy.
I had a hard time putting this book down : Croswald is fascinating, and I loved learning more and more about Ivy's life at school, but also about the world she's living in. The world building was really effective and I entered in this magical world without any problem. The whole story was very whimsy and creative, and I found myself very intrigued by the plot and its characters. Plus, I really like the cover and the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter.
It is an action packed and fun book, and I definitely recommend young (and every) readers who love magic and mystery to give it a shot !

This book was gifted to me in order to receive an honest review, thank you Netgalley and Stories Untold LLC.

Did you want a female Harry Potter?
Did you ever imagined Cornish pixies with fur that lit up?
Did you wonder what the School of Good would look like in the Harry Potter universe?

Well you'll know if your read this book. It immediately pulls you into a magical world I've been missing since my first read of Harry Potter. A tale where dragons are pets. A Princess can willingly turn into a mermaid to save the day. You can take a walk in those little bookshelf towns you adore, travel intro the underworld and that's only book one.

I found this story easy to read, fast paced and I was instantly pulled in. I think this book was a journey I'll be hard pressed to find again. The main characters are enjoyable and you still have so much to learn about them.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy your won't regret it! D.E. Night you're a magical genius!

It was really difficult for me to get into this book. It has a very slow pace and none of the characters really stood out for me. What I did like about it was the beautiful descriptions of the scenery...you can really get a picture of it in your mind. I also really liked the last 30% of the book, it was well paced and exciting. Overall, while I had trouble connecting with the book I think it would definitely appeal to a middle grade audience and I would definitely recommend it to my kids.

An adventurous fantasy book perfect for children and teenagers.
Full of magic and secrets and wonderful characters. Follow Ivy on her journey to discover her powers and her story.

When I first read the summary of the book, I got huge Harry Potter vibes. Because, it’s a book about a girl who doesn’t know she has magic, she goes to a magic school and is threatened by a villain (the Dark Queen). But this was different. The whole magic system is completely different from Harry Potter, because here, the stone in your crown decides the magic you get.
Ivy came from the Castle Plum as a scaldron maid. She had no idea she had magic in her blood. And she didn’t expect at all that she would have such mighty powers. I loved to see how Ivy learned everything about the magic, about the school and about who she was. It was wonderful to learn along with Ivy how her magic worked, and getting to know a bit more about it everytime something happened.
I was a bit confused sometimes, though. There were some things I didn’t fully understand. But I don’t know if it was because it wasn’t explained, or because I missed it. I had a few moments where I couldn’t keep my full attention on the book, where it was a bit boring. So if important things were explained there, I could have easily missed it.
Overall it was a great magical experience, with magical stones, hairies and a Dark Queen. I’m curious to see what Ivy has to deal with in the second book.

I really enjoyed this middle grade fantasy, especially the magical school aspect! It was a fun adventure and learning about its world, the magic was different and reminiscent of Harry Potter. Ivy is a 16-year-old learning of her new magical abilities, a maid at first, and then, she’s going through a different pathway than she expected. She gets involved in a lot of hijinks, but it was a delight to read about! I enjoyed the different creatures especially the scaldrons, dragons who provide the fire for cooking. The pacing in the beginning was a bit slow and the tone was quite younger than a 16-year-old girl. However, I loved the worldbuilding and imaginative fantastical elements. Overall, this book has a great magic system, whimsical writing, and fun adventures with Ivy and her friends!

Personal Summary: Ivy is a naive castle maid until she is thrown out and exposed to the world of magic. Whisked away to the Halls of Ivy, she is left with more questions than answers about who she is, how things really work in the world around her, and who she can trust. Schooling opens her eyes to what she is capable of and her budding friendships help rescue her from the trouble Ivy always seems to find.

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Recommended Readers: This is a perfect read for those who enjoy Young Adult Fantasy and fans of the Harry Potter series. If you like magic, fantastical creatures, and a little mystery this would be a book for you.

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Bookish Thoughts: I frequently marked Night’s character descriptions. They were detailed and created a great visual. I found Ivy to be compelling. She is curious and adventurous, though mostly to her own detriment. I enjoyed how the villain, the Dark Queen, was shrouded in mystery until her confrontation with Ivy. The Dark Queen came onto the scene with a bang. I would read book two in the series to get more of her! I also could use more of Ivy’s friend, Fyn, and how sweetly he flirts with Ivy.

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I struggled to really fall into this book. I liked the world and how magic worked within it. I liked the mystery and wanted to see how it all came together but it took almost the entire book before I felt the plot really pick up. The last chapters made the struggles to keep going worth the time I put into reading. If book two is like those chapters, sign me up.

Enter a world where magic exists. Some are born with magic and some obtain it through their crowns. Those born with it have the important job of being a scrivenist. The ones with crowns are royal. Being a scrivenist is a highly honored profession where you use your magic to record events as well as help the royals, Together, the royals and sqwinches (those studying to be a scrivenist) attend a magical school.
Ivy has spent all her life in the slurry fields as a maid, never to see the light of day. It is on her sixteenth birthday that she is kicked out. While searching for a place to exist, she discovers she has magic. Being in those fields suppressed her magic all those years. Now she is to attend the school and learn to be a scrivenist. As she gathers her materials for school, weird things begin to happen. Weird things continue to happen around her all year. She sets to find out why.
Opinion
Are you bookish? Do you love enchanting stories that flow so smoothly you get caught up? If so, you will absolutely love this book. D.E. Night tells a tale so beautifully that you cannot help but be caught up in the story.
I think at some point in their childhood, most people have dreamed of discovering that they are magical, or royal. This book speaks to that inner child in all of us that had those dreams. Ivy lived the poor, downtrodden life as a maid, much like Cinderella. When she discovers that she in fact is magical, all that changes. Add in the fact that there is a wicked queen and boom! You are transported back to the fairy tales of your youth.
For most of the journey, Ivy is on her own with the help of someone who no one else knows. As we get closer to the climax of the story, she is helped along by a friend and her roommate. Ultimately, it is up to Ivy to save the day. My inner child is bouncing with excitement over this story. It takes children to a land where they themselves become Ivy and get to discover the joys of magic and fight to figure out what is going on.
I truly cannot day enough about this story. I truly loved it and have talked to many people to get them to read it.

This seemed like a re-working of Harry Potter for girls to me. A girl has been living a horrible life as a slave, where she is cheerful and hardworking, in spite of the ill treatment she receives. Then one day she is sent to magic school where she discovers powers she never knew she had. She finds new friends and new enemies and ultimately, embraces the very large powers she has.

I enjoyed reading this book. The characters were authentic and very unique. The story also is very unique itself. Even though that a lot of books with magic schhol settings are out the story goes her own way. The descriptions of the world are very well described and amazing. I would definitely recommend reading it.

Overall this book was a fun little escape from reality. The characters and setting were definitely whimsical (including the names of characters, places, and objects), and it was very age appropriate for middle grade readers. However, I would have liked to see a little bit more originality, especially in the first half of the book, as there were almost too many similarities to the Harry Potter series. I also feel like some of the events in the plot would just happen out of nowhere, and then would wrap up too neatly without a believable solution. The main characters would find themselves in a sticky situation, and then would just as quickly find themselves out of that situation in a way that was either too convenient or too easy to make sense. I am all for suspending belief in fantasy books, but I feel like the reader has to do that too much in this story.

Wow, this book was such a nice and cute middle grade fantasy read! It was so whimsical and magical with Harry Potter vibes, but with its own imaginary world. In a few words: magic, little dragons, magical cabs, school setting in an old castle, magical quills. Yes, it sounds so whimsical and it WAS.

First of all, the plot wasn’t the strongest point of this book. It was a bit flat throughout the story, and there wasn’t a lot of intrigue for the most part of the book. The intrigue really started around the middle of the book, and the pace of the story sped up until the ending. The main focus was mostly the discovery of this magical world and magic school, but to be honest, I was fine with that! The whimsical atmosphere and worldbuilding were so well done that I didn’t care much about the lack of intrigue.

The strongest point of this book was without a doubt its atmosphere and worldbuilding. Oh my god, this book was so whimsical! I got carried away in this fantastic world with a magic school setting, magical quills, magical beasts and scrivenists! This magic school had two types of students: royals, and scrivenists. Royals in this book were people who were able to do magic through their crown filled with magical stones. Each stone had different magical traits that these Royals needed to learn to control. Scrivenists in the other hand were “real” wizards, who were able to do magic without the need of magical stones, and had more “art abilities” like sketching everything they saw with a photographic memory with magical squills.

This world was filled with magical beasts like little dragons called scaldrons, and from chapter one, they were the cutest beasts EVER. These little dragons were used as cooks in a castle and I just loved Ivy’s relationship with Humboldt, the scaldron who became her little companion at the beginning of the book.

I also really enjoyed all the magical aspects of this world, like small bottles called glanagerie filled with imaginative worlds where you could be completely swept in, or the Forgotten room, a place where everything you would put into it were forgotten by everyone. The author has such a great imagination, it was actually impressive!

The magic school setting was also everything. I feel like I say this all the time, but honestly I LOVE magic school setting in books, and this one didn’t disappoint.

As for the characters, I really like our main character, Ivy. She was so cute, but also fierce and strong with a real problem to follow rules and a nice sense of humor. The relationships were also cute and perfectly adapted to a middle grade story. I really enjoyed the friendship between Ivy and Rebecca, and I loved the tiny bit of romance in this book. And I really hope it will evolve more in the next books.

This book was honestly so enjoyable and despite a flat plot through this book, the worldbuilding and the magic totally made up for it. The ending was also surprising and I enjoyed all the revelations, even if I had seen them coming. I will definitely read the rest of the series!

Overall, I would really recommend this middle grade fantasy book to Harry Potter fans or cute fantasy stories in general.