I loved the first book and thanks for providing me with the second!
And I loved this even more!!
Ivy’s character grows beautifully in this sequel and I loved the villain too. Can’t wait to finish this series!!

Another fabulous fantasy read by D.E, Night! Book 1 didn’t disappoint, and book 2 definitely didn’t either! Continuing Ivy’s story continued on an adventure that kept you engaged throughout. Subtle clues throughout the book keeping you on your toes and trying to guess what was to come next! I loved every second of this book and love how the characters contribute to develop in the series. I can’t wait to have my students read this one!!

You will enjoy this book if you enjoy magical middle-grade fantasy worlds. This is the second book in a series so be sure to read the first one. There is a lot going on in these books and I still struggle sometimes to keep up with the vocabulary. I liked Ivy more in this book.

Thank you to the publisher stories untold press, net galley, and the author for this e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. The series is quickly becoming a new favorite. The second book in the series I enjoyed just as much as the first, maybe even more. I loved that we got to explore more of the Croswald world. I can’t get enough of Ivy Lovely, her friends and Ivy’s adventures. I can’t recommend these books enough. I can’t wait to find out what happens next in Ivy Lovely’s story. If you love a great well written middle grade fantasy with fantastic world building, this is definitely the book for you!!

Harry potter meets Alice in Wonderland in this second book of the Crowns of Croswald series!

"The girl with the whispering shadow" starts exactly where the first book left off.
Ivy, our Mc, has to deal with the aftermath of her encounter with the Dark Queen, so for a while, she has to leave Ivy Halls, the boarding school of magic where she has been studying to become a scrivenist, but that doesn't mean that the story gets any boring! There is still plenty of magic, potions and adventure, since Ivy seems to be a magnet for troubles! It may also have to do with her mischievous friends, which I loved to read more about (especially Fyn and the whole Quality Quills club).
And, of course, when she does go back to school, things get even more interesting! (I mean, as a fantasy lover I have a penchant for Hogwarts like settings 😍)
I also enjoyed learning more about the mysterious town whose name can't be said out loud: I loved the fishing for a star thing, it made me wish that such a place existed in the real world too 😟
I would have appreciated more mature dialogues between Ivy and Fyn, since they are 16 and 19 years old respectively, but I understand they fit the book's intended target audience, which is middle grade children. Even so I think any fantasy reader would enjoy it, no matter their age!

This series is perfect for Harry Potter fans who love reading about magic, adventures and a touch of romance!

Many thanks to Netgalley, D.E. Night and Stories Untold for the free Arc ❤

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐲 𝐃.𝐄. 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭
✨I was thrilled to receive the second instalment of this book series, this one , The Girl With The Whispering Shadow. Thank you to @netgalley, @danielastoriesuntoldpress and @author.denight for another magical experience.
✨This story started where the first book left off and was just as amazing. Sometimes I find books in a series can become quite repetitive as they go on but to be honest this one , in my opinion was better than the first. I loved the magic to it, the sketching and the description of the town, Belzebuthe. I want to go there , the way the author has described it is nothing short of beautiful.
✨I found this one to be a lot more in depth in terms of characters, that being in book one we were only introduced to Ivy and this book we learned so much more about her. She is a fantastic character.
✨This book is perfect for young readers and sets a lovely example of friendship. It is a great fantasy book and had a super ending. During the book you have parts of mystery in it which will keep the reader guessing. To keep guessing keeps the reader engaged and it is always fun to see how it turns out.

My rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5.

Set outside the prestigious magic school the Halls of Ivy, and following on from the Crowns of Croswald, our heroine Ivy sets to spend her summer holidays at the Town - a secret scrivenist town where Ivy will hopefully be safe.
Reading this book would benefit from having read the first book in the series (which luckily I have).
This magical story about a school aged girl who has been asked not to return to school for her own safety leads us into realms of dark magic, into a story about friendship, kindness, overcoming odds and battling the Dark Queen.
Something lurks in the shadows, and this anticipation will have readers gripped.

I'm going to start by saying this is my new favourite book series.

I read the first novel, The Crowns of Croswald by D. E. Night back in March when the lovely Netgalley and Stories Untold Press gifted me an eARC.

The age range they give for this book is 13-17 years old, however, I honestly don't think you can give a maximum age limit on art, because no matter your age, you can be young at heart, and enjoy these things just as much as a child (if not more as you can appreciate the work that goes into it).

'After the events of the previous year, Ivy Lovely is anticipating her arrival back at the Halls of Ivy. However, with the Dark Queen still at large, Ivy has been told not to return to the Halls, and to stay somewhere hidden where the Dark Queen cannot find her.
After arriving in a place called The Town, Ivy sets upon finding the remaining parts of the Kindred Stone, the only thing that can stop the Dark Queen from destroying everything she loves.'

I really enjoyed every single aspect of this book. The blossoming friendships between Ivy, Fyn, Rebecca and some new characters, such as Gretta and Glistle were heart-warming and left me aching for more (I really want some romance to happen, either Ivy and Fyn or Ivy and Glistle; either is fine with me!).

The description of The Town, the Quogo game and the creatures (including the Orbis) were magical and I could picture everything.

The world that D. E. Night has created is just beautiful.

There are some similarities again to Harry Potter, but nothing at all that felt like she was copying it, everything has been made her own and unique and I am so impressed.

I am so excited to read the next instalment in the series when I can get my hands on it; I need to know what else is in store for Ivy Lovely!

5 out of 5 stars!

I love the magic in this book. I also love following Ivy as she learns even more about who she is and grows into her own. Full of lots of little adventures that just keep getting better and better.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I think this book was even better than the first, and i loved the first book. The character development in this showed so much growth, not only in the characters themselves, but also in the author. I really loved going back to the world of Croswald, and being there this book made me feel as if I never left. I cannot wait to read this to my little ones when they get a bit older. I think this series would be a perfect introduction to the fantasy world.

The second installment in this series was just as enchanting as the first book! I loved seeing Ivy learn to use her magic and grow in her confidence. It was also so cute to see the relationship between Ivy and Fan grow throughout this book as they went on adventures together! The chapters spent In The Town were so vividly described and I had so much fun reading about all the magical adventures Ivy and her new friends got into! I also love the small detail of the illustrations at the top of each chapter because the drawings are always so beautiful and help me connect more to the story. One of the reasons I love this series so much is that the plot for much of the books are super focused on immersing you into the world and then towards the beginning and the end the action really picks up so it ends up being a cool combination of imagination and action!

Thank you to NetGalley, D.E. Night and Stories Untold Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

“The Girl with the Whispering Shadow” is the second installment of the “Croswald Series” by D.E. Night. The adventures of Ivy Lovely, the last of the royal bloodline, continues in this book. The Dark Queen’s threat is growing across the land and the Town (which we now find out what it’s called, but I won’t spoil it for you!) is now facing her wrath. Ivy’s friendships with Rebecca and Fyn develops further in this book and we are introduced to a number of other students at the Halls of Ivy including Gretta and Glistle, sister and brother. Their love of the game of Quogo brings them together and Ivy is now surrounded by a larger group of close friends who are sqwinches. Ivy is determined to find the other two pieces of the Kindred Stone but danger is lurking everywhere, even in the shadows! Gretta’s shadow becomes cursed and causes chaos and havoc for the Town, Ivy and her friends.

The continuation of Ivy’s adventures opens up new locations in the Croswald world including the Town, the Hex beneath the Quill Keep and the trip to see the Occulyst, which will grab a young reader’s attention and really entice them to want to find out more about the kingdom. I really enjoyed the expansion of the characters within the series and the relationships and dynamics between the main characters and this new cohort of figures.

More magical creatures are introduced by Night in this book. These creatures are one of my favourite parts in the author’s books, as she makes them come alive on the page. The description of these characters, especially the Invisataurs, BogDogs and Shades really makes you feel as if you can see them standing before you. Night’s imagination when it comes to magical beings seems to have no limits and I can see how this book is so appealing to children and their own never-ending creative minds!

The themes of loneliness, doubt, grief are all explored in this book with Ivy feeling like she is left behind when she has to stay in the Town and the impact of loss not only for Ivy but for young Fyn when we realise his father disappeared without a trace when he was very young. The way in which these issues are dealt with and discussed by the characters in the book makes them very relatable for a young reader. The book also focuses on inner strength, confidence and bravery which are all positive attributes and qualities to be promoted for the younger audience.

This book is darker than the first, and there is a real sense of the building tension and danger throughout the novel. Ivy is getting older and I think the darker elements matches well with the ageing of the characters into older teens. Similarly to the first book in the series, Night brings the novel to a crescendo with the battle against the evil forces of the Dark Queen and her cruel & vicious servants. Ivy has to be brave again and stand her ground against those who threaten not only her life but those closest to her, the only family she has- her friends.

I would highly recommend this book and series for the middle grade age group. It has everything a young reader loves: magic, mystery, adventure, danger and a wide assortment of creatures to make their imaginations go wild! I look forward to reading the remaining book in the series.

It’s the beginning of summer and Ivy’s plans to spend it hanging with her friend Rebecca gets ruined quite quickly, the only safe place for her is the secret Town, a place only the ones with the town’s true name can enter. She’s searching for something that might stop the Dark Queen, but she’s searching for it too, so in a race to find it first and avoid her traps, Ivy must find what belongs to her and fulfill the prophecy.

The world expands and we learn about Croswald’s traditions and customs like birthdays and entertainment games like Quogo. We’re introduced to more characters, I love the QQC crew and their banter. Ivy is a smart protagonist and we can see her growing into her power in every chapter. I’m so invested in the story, I have to know what happens next!

A fantastical, whimsical story.

Book two of the Crowns of Croswald did not disappoint. We are thrust right back in after the events of book 1 and continue our fantastic journey.

This book has a lot of world building and really draws you in to it. The characters have some great growth and the interactions between them felt authentic. I did feel that for the length, the plot wasn’t as jam packed as the first, but I still enjoyed the ride.

D. E. Night does it again!
I always worry with sequels. They don't usually live up to the hype of the first book but there was none of that here.
This sequel was as fantastic as the first book. I simply cannot wait to find out what happens to Ivy and company.
I really hope they manage to defeat the dark queen!
Wonderfully written and so incredibly immersive. One of my favourite book series by far!

This is the second book in the crowns of croswald series. this book felt physically longer than the first book, but definitely included more magic, adventures, and secrets. i love how we see action throughout the book and not just in the last couple of chapters. the dark queen and mentioned throughout the whole book, leading us up to the last chapters.

we also get a peek a fyn, and his home life. in this book ivy meets new friends/creatures, joins new clubs, and has lots of mysteries she must solve. I give it a 4/5 since it felt confusing / boring a couple of times BUT it helped to build the plot :)

There's a lot less going on all at once in this second novel, which makes it easier to follow along with. Ivy is still learning to make her way in this new reality, which leads to some embarassing moments. She's ignorant of the routines that are well-known to those who have grown up in this world, though she begins to navigate the unfamiliar with the help of her new friends.

I enjoyed the normality of Ivy's experiences in her second year at the Halls of Ivy. We got to see teenagers being teenagers, including secret club meetings in pantries, bonding over professional "sports" and prank gifts. It reminded readers that, despite the more serious events taking place, these were still just kids beginning to come into their own.

Overall, I enjoyed this book more than the first and look forward to finding out what happens in the conclusion of this trilogy.

This was a great sequel to the first book. I found this a nice read, but I wasn’t as compelled as I was with the first book

Like the first book this middle grade read hit all the fantasy bases it needed to! I loved it from beginning to end. I would recommend this to children of all ages!

First and foremost, I find this book series exciting and adventurous as an adult. With this being a middle school aged book, I believe it should be incorporated into all middle schools across the world. It's good versus evil. It has friendship. It has how to handle bullies. It has the makings of that first time teenage love. It has all the features that every parent would want their middle school child to read about, to love, and to enjoy.

It's nice to take a time out of adult fiction to get lost into the world that D.E. Night has created for 9-12 year olds. Ivy Lovely is the rightful Queen being sent away from the Halls of Ivy where it is no longer safe to Belzebuthe, a secret town from only those with magical blood, to continue to find the other pieces of the Kindred Stone. The Kindred Stone is the one thing that will be used against the Dark Queen. Ivy leaves the town of Belzebuthe to return to the Halls of Ivy, but there is something shadowing Ivy. Ivy and her friends battle Shades and Shadows during their journey.

I love Ivy. She has grown since Book 1 and is no longer the shy, clumsy girl. She is a strong character that I look forward to seeing her relationships to evolve with her bestfriend Rebecca and could be teenage love, Fyn. I love the magical work in general. The critters, the plants that scream, the Bearded Cloud that shows your worst fears, and the game of Quogo-brillant! I absolutely love all of it. I get lost in the world of Croswald every time! I will be waiting patiently for the third book to be published.

Thank you to Stories Untold and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.