For sure I like this book much more than "The Crowns of Croswald". I gave first book 4 stars, here it's definitely 5 stars. I still see a lot of elements from Harry Potter and Nevermoor series which are really visible and if you know both series, you will catch them very quickly. Plot is interesting, dynamic and you don't have time to think a lot about similarities to another middle grade series.

World building is amazing. We have location descriptions which have a lot of details. When I was reading about Belzebuthe, Halls of Ivy and even every single classroom, I was involved and felt like I was there with Ivy and her friends. Belzebuthe is for sure one of my favorite magical place, I would like to visit this town.

In middle grade books I always have an issue with main character, but here Ivy is the person who you like from the first page. You cheer for her and want to support her. I like the way how she is discovering her magic and try to understand her destiny.
Fyn is ok for me, but a little childish sometimes, especially with his Quogo's love...but well, even adults have some passions which release inner child from our soul.
So far, I hope that Author will not do the same mistake which J.K. Rowling did and will not connect Ivy with another guy. I think she and Fyn match themselves.

I have my suspicious who the Dark Queen can be, but I will keep it for myself. xd To be honest I really like her as a villain. She is a little similar to the Red Queen from "Alice in the Wonderland", but she is focused much more on one specific thing.

This book will be great as a movie. I'll definitely read 3rd book very soon. I had a really great time with Ivy and her friends.

Thanks to NetGalley, Stories Untold Press, and D.E. Night for this free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. 😊 This is the second book in the Crowns of Croswald series and is available now!

I find it hard at times to write reviews of books in a series because I don't want to give anything away! Ivy Lovely's quest to discover more about who she is and what she can do with her magic continues in D.E. Night's The Girl with the Whispering Shadow. She is joined by her friend's Rebecca and Fyn (who is adorable and I'm here for his and Ivy's sweet little moments) as well as a group of new friends who introduce Ivy to a competitive Quill game called Quogo--which was such an imaginative and creative aspect of this story. I really liked the descriptions of the magical, hidden town that Ivy spends time in and getting more backstory that explains more about Ivy's heritage and how the Dark Queen came to be.

As with the first, I found the pacing a bit rushed throughout--I just wanted more story to fully fill out some sections! 😊 The other thing is that this is considered a middle-grade fantasy, but the characters are 16+. Because of this, at times it feels like the characters are younger than they are. Overall though, I found this an enjoyable read and I will definitely read the next in the series!

The Crowns of Croswald book 2: The Girl With The Whispering Shadow - D.E. Night

At the beginning of this book, Ivy has now discovered that she is the one that the Moonsday prophecy is talking about, In her journey, she has to find the next piece of the kindred stone whilst keeping safe from the Dark Queen who is out to put an end to Ivy's bloodline. For her safety, she whisked away to a town with a secret name (only those in the town or those going there know it) and ends up staying with fyn and his mum. Ivy befriends a new group of people due to Fyn, learns more about 'quogo" ( love this sport) and even picks up a part-time job. This sequel lived up to the previous book and again the skill D.E. Night has at world-building is just amazing there is so much detail and care put into this world.

I got this book from NetGalley, thanks to the publisher (StoriesUntold) in exchange of an honest review.


This book was even better than the first one! It was really hard to put it down.
Picking up where the first book left off, it really built up my connection to the story, Ivy, Fyn and Rebecca! I loved the way different characters were introduced and how Ivy’s friendships developed with them. The world created by the author gained more details, more magical creatures and more secrets. It’s escapism at its finest!
The length of the book is perfect, it ties in the things we learn in the first book and takes it to the next level, leaving you wanting more. Although, I do with it was longer just so I could keep reading! 😂

Can’t wait to read the next in the series to know more! Absolutely loved it.

In the second of a four book series, we find Ivy Lovely whisked off to the secret Town with many unanswered questions. All Ivy has is an address and the imperative to stay in the hidden Town for her own safety. We follow Ivy as she explores her new surroundings, learns more about magic, finds new friends, and finally returns to school. Forbidden duels, magical creatures, mysteries to figure out, this book is stuffed full of adventure!

Once again, the storyline has me so excited! This new world and all the eccentricities in it are so imaginative and captivating. Ivy and her friends seem like a great group of teens to be around, with good hearts and such a sense of right and wrong (except when they’re sneaking around holding illegal magical duels!) the last half of the book, once Ivy is back at school, really picks up and I just couldn’t put it down! I love this story and am excited to see how the next couple books play out!

That said, I still have quibbles with the writing. This book was better about editing out the world building that wasn’t necessary for the plot that plagued the first book. I didn’t experience as many characters or settings that were unnecessary and pulled focus. However, the descriptions are still static, not vibrant. I keep hearing my high school creative writing teacher’s voice “show! Don’t tell!” That was her favorite motto! And her advice is still just as good! I think it bugs all the more because I’m so excited about the story! I don’t have patience for the sometimes clunky writing. I want it to be perfect!

Bottom line 3.5 stars. If you can overlook the static writing, and get lost in the plot, you’ll enjoy this! I know book 3 is out, but not the final installment, book 4. I’ll keep reading—I have to find out what happens!

This book picks up right where The Crowns of Croswald ends, and sends you on all new adventures with Ivy Lovely and her magical pals. She is still on the hunt for the remaining pieces of the kindred stone, and her family Scrivenist Derwin Edgar Night sends her to The Town to (hopefully) remain safe from the Dark Queen.

I found this book more exciting than the first, which may be due to the fact that I was more familiar with the magical terms and characters. I loved the introduction of the game Quogo, and the suspense that it carried.

One thing I did find disappointing about this book is that the romance between Ivy and Fyn is so...meh. Her character is 16, and his is 19, and although the author touches on the chemistry between them, it never seems to go anywhere...which is sort of unusual for kids their age! Now, I understand that this is not a romance novel, so why not just leave the romantic aspect of it out? Since this is not the case, I am hopeful that the relationship between Ivy and Fyn plays a bigger part in the next book of the series.

Returning to the world of Croswald, we continue with Ivy Lovely and her quest to find the stones that contain Princess Isabella’s magic to keep it from the dark queen! Now there is an added obstacle that the dark queen has added for Ivy and the Scrivenists to defeat, but will they be able to? The camaraderie between Ivy, Rebecca, Fyn and their fellow classmates is so endearing! This sequel was full of edge of your seat action, cute innocent first crushes, and magical learning. Crowns of Croswald is quickly becoming one of my new favorite fantasy series, and I look forward to the rest of the series. I need to know if Ivy will defeat the dark queen!!

I was given a copy of this book by D. E. Night’s team in exchange for an honest review.

Book 2 of The Croswald Series follows Ivy as she embarks on her second year as a student scrivenist at the Halls of Ivy. Following along from the end of Book 2 and her encounter with the Dark Queen, Ivy visits The Town, a city who’s name cannot be spoken otherwise it’s protection spell will be broken and the Dark Queen will find it. Ivy must find the final two pieces of the Kindred stone to stop the Dark Queen and bring peace to her people.

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this book! Fast paced and world driven, I found this instalment so interesting. My favourite character continues to be Rebecca, who is fun, quirky and loyal.

Whilst reading, I always picture Ivy to be early teen years however she is meant to be 17 in this book. I’m not sure why I keep picturing her to be 14, maybe the writing style makes her seem younger?

As I said in my review for book 1, D. E. Night has some incredibly interesting and unique ideas in the stories. My particular favourite for this book was the concept of fishing for stars (yep, I said fishing!) in order to grant the wish of another person. Such a sweet idea and something I’ve not come across in a book before.

The world and magic system are detailed and complex. There are two types of magic in this novel: royals who use magical stones, which each complete different tasks, and a scrivenists who use their quills to complete magic spells and protect the royals they are assigned to. I think it’s a fantastic magic system but I do wish there was a deeper explanation as it can be confusing at times when new concepts are introduced. Sometimes I would need to reread a paragraph to check I understood what was happening correctly, as the explanation would be brief but the magic would have a huge bearing on the storyline.

Im so excited to read Book 3, The Words of the Wandering Book. Need to get my hands on it. If you enjoy middle grade fantasy books set in a school, surrounding a group of close friends battling against evil, I think you’ll love this series!

The second i have read from D.E.Night series, The Crowns of Croswald. As expected it was a amazing, whimsical read that really dragged you into the book with the characters. It was fun to jump back in and follow ivy on her quest, very relatable characters, an cant wait to start the third book. I initially read this books to see if they were suitable for my 9 year old, now i cant wait to introduce her to Ivy and Rebecca, Ravenshollow and Belzebuth!

This book is magical, mystical, transcendent and filled with adventure!

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is the second book in The Crowns of Croswald series. In this book, the story and adventure of Ivy continues as she finds the rest of the Kindred Stone while trying to elude the Dark Queen.

This series keeps getting better! I'm already soo invested in the story!
After reading the first few chapters, this nerd in me who wanted to figure out things already have a hunch as to who the girl with the shadow would be but I wasn't able to confirm it yet 😂. A couple of what and who questions arise as I continued reading which piqued my interest to read more.

Along the way, new otherworldly creatures (the fun part for me) and new characters were introduced in the story - another reason to read this book. Not just that, D.E Night also presented the readers with new magical powers, mysteries and adventures which I'm sure everyone who loves magic and adventure will love!

Also, can I just mention this? It amazes me how D.E. Night has managed for the attraction and chemistry between Ivy and Fyn to be very subtle but also noticeable at the same time. I find it cute because it pops up in the story when you least expect it, it will bring a smile on your face and maybe a few giggles 😉.

Overall, I loved this book! I was just a bit hung up at the end, but I think that's good because as a reader it made me curious and want to read book 3 right after finishing book 2. I questions I needed to be answered.

Can't wait to know how the rest of the story will unfold in book 3 and 4. I'm thrilled and excited to read book 3 and already waiting for book 4 to come out, especially now that D.E. Night has revealed book 4's title. Sooo excited!!! 😁

Lastly, I guess this book teaches us how important it is to be brave and to trust ourselves, that we can. Also, it teaches us the importance of friendship, how it helps us get through tough times - that no man is an island. 😊

Pick up this book! Highly recommended, even for kids. 😁

Thank you Stories Untold, author D.E. Night, publicist Daniela Barrera and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

I enjoyed reading the first book in the series, and the second one was even better!

We really see Ivy coming into herself in this installment and get a deeper look into her relationships with Rebecca, Fyn, and Derwin. Night also introduces us to several new friends, including the ever charming Glistle!

Night continues to expand Croswald for us with wonderful new additions---Belzebuthe chief among them. What I could say about it without spoiling anything wouldn’t do it justice, but suffice to say that it makes my shortlist of fictional places I’d love to visit! With Quogo, Night has invented a magical form of recreation both more appealing and interesting than Quidditch. Should the world of Croswald ever end up on screen, I would look forward to these scenes with great anticipation.

I don’t want to spoil anything plot-wise, but (unencumbered with the task of worldbuilding from scratch) Night really delivers this time. I devoured this one in a day!

Ivy’s journey is a little darker this time and by the end of the book, she has matured more than a little. Younger fans of the series can grow up with her as a role model of courage, tenacity, and ingenuity.

Star Rating : 7/10

Would I recommend? Yes
Similar Titles? Harry Potter, The Paper Magician, The Enchanted Forest Chronicles

I didn’t enjoy this book, I think the writing style just didn’t sit well with me. I couldn’t seem to find any flow to it.

“We just have to see that star inside of us. I think that’s why the stars hang above Belzebuthe. They remind us that even in our darkest times, the bright spot in each of us can never be totally extinguished.”⁣⁣
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One of the quotes that really stood out for me. Such a beautiful writing. ⁣⁣
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The second book of the series to The Crowns of Croswald. The magical feeling of reading this friggin’ series continues. I had really high expectations of the second one and it did NOT disappoint! ⁣⁣
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The friendship in the book especially between Ivy and Rebecca is just so sweet.⁣⁣
The setting is as magical as the first. The names of the places in the book made me smile while reading, like ‘Lie Buries’?! I’m sure you can figure that out. 😍⁣⁣
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I love how the author took her time in introducing new characters AND places in the story without rushing it. You get to visualise the places and get to know the characters with some backstory. ⁣⁣
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The love aspect between Ivy and Fyn is sweet and realistic that it didn’t distract from the main storyline. ⁣⁣
The writing is beautiful and the magical creatures continue to fascinate me! ⁣⁣
I could go and on but I rather not spoil the magic for anyone. ⁣⁣
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It’s not the end though, the eviillllll is still lurking around. ⁣⁣
Really looking forward to the third book. ⁣⁣
I’ve decided that this series is now a favourite of mine!⁣⁣
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If you enjoy reading about magic, dragons and other magical creatures, I highly recommend this lovely series! ⁣⁣
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Thank you NetGalley, D. E. Night and Stories Untold Press for the free copy in exchange for an honest review. ⁣⁣
All opinions are my own. ⁣⁣

This is the second in the Croswald series and like the first I really enjoyed this book. Written so that all ages can enjoy I particularly liked the world-building of Belzebuthe.

In Book 1, the world building was just being set up, so at times, it was a bit hard to understand, but in book 2, it was solidified and I really enjoyed reading this. Ivy, the protagonist, is a lot more developed and I really enjoyed reading about her adventures. And I have to say, the Dark Queen really scared me at many points in the book. The climax was pretty intense too, and I was on the edge of my seat while I was reading it.

Now, I'm excited to get into the rest of the series!

After everything that happened in the first book, I wasn’t quite sure where the story was going to go with this one. I must say I was very pleasantly surprised by the direction it took! I felt like this one went in more of its own unique direction. Ivy seemed to grow a lot as a character throughout and I enjoyed getting to learn more about The Town and all the unknown connections it has to the plot. I think the best part of this series is that it holds a certain intrigue that’s good for any level of reader, from a middle school level up to adulthood this is a story that everyone can find some magic and enjoyment in.

I actually liked this book better than the first one. It had higher stakes, and was packed with adventure. Again it follows our protagonist Ivy, but unfortunately, she gets kicked out of her dream magic school and adventure ensues.

Another brilliant whimsical fantasy, picking up where the first book left off. This time, we travel with Ivy Lovely to new places and meet amazing new characters.

Really enjoyed the idea of the game 'Quogo' and how they use their quills. In this book you can see how the characters have grown and developed their own style.

From the first chapter, the plot was fast moving and you'll get sucked into the story right away. I really don't want to giveaway too much.

I liked the way how the book was split up between Belzebathe and the Halls of Ivy. The chapters were small and I think that helps. You can't help but compliment the author on her writing skills and narration.

This book was full of adventure, danger and mystery. I can't wait to introduce this series to my daughter.

I want to thank Netgally and @storiesuntoldpress for giving me this ebook to read in exchange for my honest review.

@storiesuntoldpress @author.denight & @netgalley, thank you so much for the gifted copy of the next book in The Crowns of Croswald series - The Girl with the Whispering Shadow.
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I didn’t think the first book could be topped but this was even better - the world outside the Halls of Ivy was even more intriguing and intense and I just couldn’t stop reading to find out more
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Ivy is a formidable character and I loved her growing friendship with Fyn and his friends, they make a perfect duo and gang.
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I genuinely loved this book and I cannot wait to read the next in the series.....
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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How would you like to spend a day under the Belzebuthe sky, nibbling on cracker hats, renting out stargusters? Or ride an Invisitaur to go star fishing on your birthday? Round it all of with a feast at Bramble's Fritter & Nosh or get a WInky Drink, that chases away the foggy blues. Hm? No? Yes? What's it gonna be?

If it doesn't sound appealing, you need to read this book. Or your kids need to read it. Or both of you together!

We continue where we left off, following Ivy through all her adventures. Navigating summer without school, staying away from the Dark Queen, stumbling into danger, learning about new things and creatures, getting to solve a few more mysteries, but also have some fun along the way.

Ivy as the characters was again, adorable, inquisitive, kind...But I felt she was even more shy in this book. She was scared all the time, filled with self-doubt, hesitation and insecurity. But, at the same time, she was constantly curious, going down dark alleyways and dark stairwells when she was curious, even tho it was obvious that danger was looming at every step. I expected a bit more growth in that sense, but maybe in the next book?

If I were to say what I didn't like is that I felt like Derwin would play a bigger role in her life. I feel like we only got a superficial insight into who he is and what he is doing in this book.

I also expected the whole book to be a quest for the parts of the stone, which it was, but in the middle part there was no talk of it, but mostly talk of the shadows. While I liked that the plot was multilayered, I also felt like for a while there, we completely drifted off from the main track and goal.

Unfortunately, I also felt like the story had so many similarities to HP, and although not obvious at first glance, but it was definitely there. It's not that big of a deal, but the whole Quogo thing, along with the diving into glanagerie to live through memories, the whole Gretta situation was similar to the Ginny situation... I hoped it would be a little bit more authentic, and not reminiscent of the Harry Potter world.

Anyways, brownie points for this book showing us that we have to overcome fear to shine and thrive. I will definitely read the next book, because I can't but not follow through with Ivy until the very end.