Ready to enter a world of magic, spells, curses, and mystery? This adventure awaits in Book Two, The Girl with the Whispering Shadow, a story about royal lineage and the battle between good and evil.

The Dark Queen is relentlessly tracking first year-student, Ivy, following her first schoolyear at the Halls of Ivy. For her own safety, Ivy is sent to the Town for the summer. This is a hidden place where the Dark Queen cannot find Ivy, or so we think! While there, she begins to learn about her heritage, while staying with a fellow student's family, Fyn Greeley. Fyn's mother has an important job in the Town; she is preserver of records at the Quill Keep, a facility to study quills that are highly dangerous and no longer being used. At one point, Ivy ask Fyn why these quills are not totally locked up and forgot about. Fyn is quick to say that being able to observe the nature of these dangerous quills allows us to learn from their harmful nature and past. It is as though the author of this book is saying that through studying history, we learn how to not repeat errors and mistakes.

During this summer, Ivy begins to learn why she is an orphan and about her royal background. She senses natural magical abilities and learns that the safety of all Croswald might depend on her strengthening in character and fearless nature. Fyn seems to be one of Ivy's best advisors, yet also we see signs of a budding romance! The greatest event of the summer is when Fyn introduces Ivy to the Quogo League and its secret activities. Ivy makes some true friends there and begins to learn that the game may serve a bigger purpose in teaching her to be fearless and fight evil.

Good will battle evil throughout this book. There are monsters, shades, the whispering shadow, and the Dark Queen and her brood that want to suffocate Ivy's courage and force evil upon her. Finding an all-powerful magic stone, the Kindred Stone, is in the constant minds of many throughout this story. Join Ivy in search of its pieces. Hopefully, she will do so before the Dark Queen does!

This story has an unending list of spells, curses, stones, creatures, potions, secrets, magical rides, and more surprises. The author has a miraculous ability to stir up magic in her storytelling. She weaves mystery and suspense and drops hints of what's to come along the way! These are the type of stories you might want to read again and again to solve mysteries and guess at what's to come. But how can readers wait till Book Three?

And as student grads at the Hall of Ivy are offered this final thought at graduation, "May your magic bring you even more delight and your mind grow in wisdom." So the author offer this thought to us in her stories.

This picked up right where it left off, and jumps right into some very descriptive, atmospheric and just FUN scenes for our characters. I like how the author expanded on the world-building and added more character development as well, even for some of the side characters like Fyn. This was nice to see, especially as more characters were introduced. I'm really excited to see where the rest of the story goes in terms of the story-building - the author's world is so interesting! Sidenote, the food imagery is so strong in this series - I adore it! The author's descriptions are perfect!

I loved that there was such a strong emphasis on the power of friendships and uniting with others. The thing about this series I have trouble with is how young the characters read - I believe Ivy is around 17 here, and Fyn is 19. Although there is an obvious romance budding between them, I'd rather the two just be friends, as the characters read so young.

I can't finish this review before I mention how strong Ivy is as a lead. I think she is a great role model for any children reading this series, as we watch her grow over time. She's trying to find her place in the world and sometimes we see her feeling like she's not enough, which is something that we all experience. We aren't always going to be confident and feel ready to tackle the obstacles in life - sometimes we need support and encouragement from our friends. I think this is a great message for all readers. On the other hand, I love that some of our side characters like Fyn and Rebecca are so kind and loyal to Ivy, showing how important it is to be there for our friends - we don't always know what they're going through just because we're friends!

Overall, this was yet again another really fun read with even more exciting world-building and adventures for Ivy and her friends! Looking forward to seeing what happens next with the Dark Queen's plans!

The sequel to The Crowns of Croswald has the same magical ambiance and makes a fun middle grade read. I love that we find out more about the secret Town and how the magic of the quills can work. My favourite scene was when Ivy and Fyn go star fishing. Fishing for a star, and when you catch one the wish someone made upon that star comes true, is such a lovely idea! The QuoGo game also sounded fun, and it was good how everything came together in the end.
I am looking forward to read the third book in the series, I hope to find out more about the history of the Dark Queen!

Thank you again to the publisher for reaching out to me for an opportunity to read this book through NetGalley.

This book continues on from the previous book following Ivy who is looking for the missing pieces of her stone.

Once again the world was so magical and I loved the magical creatures in the book. I loved seeing her relationships grow with her friends. I found it very endearing, especially when she and her friend joined the Quills club.

This book was a lot slower than the previous one. I was a bit bored until about the last third of the book when the action finally started. The rest of the book may have been about Ivy and her learning more about herself and her friends, but I feel like it focused so much on that and the school that the main focus of the story was lost and I even forgot what the sequel was actually about.

Other than that, I found it entertaining. The kids are pretty hilarious around each other. Like true friends. I did find Fyn annoying at times. He seemed to try to hold back Ivy a lot which I wasn’t a fan of, but other than that, I really enjoyed the characters and the world of course.

This definitely would have been a series I would have loved when I was younger. Definitely up my alley and if you enjoy magical books such as Howl’s Moving Castle like I do, then I’m sure you’d enjoy this series too 😊

I enjoyed this book and it was great book. I couldn’t put it down and the storyline was great and I can’t wait to read the third book.

Thanks to the publisher (Stories Untold) and NetGalley for providing a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest book review.

Synopsis: Only hours after Ivy Lovely discovers that she is the fulfilment of the Moonsday promise, she is whisked away from her beloved school to Belzebuthe, a secret town for only those with magical blood. Ivy sets out on a mission to uncover the second facet of the Kindred Stone while eluding the Dark Queen’s wrath. But even when she’s supposed to be safe, something is shadowing Ivy. She will need all her natural-born magic and more as she battles to find the rest of the Kindred Stone and return to the Halls of Ivy.

I gave the first book of this series 3 stars, mainly because I couldn’t help but comparing it to another well known magical world. Book number two in the Croswald series however captivated me. The World of Croswald evolved in such a adventurous way full of magic and wonders, that I couldn’t stop reading. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters more and following Ivy on her quest on finding the second part of the Kindred stone. The town of Belzebuthe was described in such a charming and whimsical way that it is now a place I really want to visit!! The pace of the novel was much better than in the first one too. I am really looking forward to the third book in the series.

📖Review: The Whispering Shadow By D.E Night
(Middle Grade, fantasy)
Rating:🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 4.6

Secret towns, whispering shadows, cunningly strategic quogo games with quizzical quills, haunting visions and comical characters... Its all here in 'The Whispering Shadow' (book 2 in the Crowns of Croswald series).

Plunged into a secret fairytale town 'Belzebuthe', Ivy seeks the second facet of the Kindred stone, while hiding from the dark queen's magic. But every corner Ivy turns, a mysterious darkness follows, as she delves deeper into the puzzling prophecy of the wanderers and the Moonsday promise.

The beginning briefly confused me but was quickly forgotten as I delved deeper into Belzebuthe's magical winter wonderland and its mystical matellers and scrivenist's. I swooned at the flights of romance filled with enchanted stargazing and was wonderstruck by 'Quintons Brews and Hodgepodge' - antiquated apothecary of potions and creatures. Hodge and Podge (both dwarves) are my new favourite characters with their sharp wit and sassy brotherly relationship, their magical battle made me laugh out loud! The fiercely entertaining quogo matches had me enraptured, especially by the ghostly visions and daring spells. I enjoyed that we got to learn more in depth about Ivy and the Quality Quill's Club members and their differing relationships with each other and the magical world outside of Croswald.

D. E Night has created a mesmerising world with lyrical prose, perplexing plots and heartfelt characters. I particularly enjoyed 'The Whispering Shadow' and its my favourite so far in the series!

Thank you to @danielastoriesuntoldpress @storiesuntoldpress @author.denight and @Netgalley for sending me this book to review.😊👍💙

I am absolutely loving The Crowns of Croswald series
These books are just amazing reads!
D.E. Night has created such a fun, magical world & I cannot wait to see what happens next!!

Highly recommend this series!!

It’s not often you can say that the sequel was better than the first one, more often than not the sequel isn’t very good, but then they make it up by bringing out a third part which blows everyone away. However, this is book 2 and I’ve not yet read book 3…soon I hope to rectify that fact.

Book 2 in the Croswald series blew me away. In short it was everything that was great about the first book, doubling it and, if possible, making it even more exciting and intriguing.

I like that book 2 picks up right after book 1 finishes, so there’s no awkward gap where we have to rehash every singe thing all over again. We get reintroduced to our main character and quickly jump into the action. Then we get introduced to even more characters and the world they live in.

If we were painting a picture, the canvas - although already full of colour - would only be half done. I feel like there is so much more yet to come.

As with the first book, I’d say it’s still an easy and captivating read. And would definitely help with reading slumps. And the graphics are still gorgeous.

All opinions are my own. However, I was very kindly gifted The Crowns Of Croswald: The Girl With The Whispering Shadow as and e-book for the purpose of an honest review. But shall be purchasing a physical copy for my home library.

I really enjoy this series and this second instalment really confirmed that. The plot always keeps me intrigued and the end of this one made me want to continue on with this series. The characters, especially Ivy, Rebecca and Fyn are the stars of this novel and this second book really made me feel really close to them and made me want to find out what will happen to them but hoping they get the best ending.
I can't wait to start the next one.
4 out of 5 stars.

This book is the second volume of the series The crowns of Croswald. I just love it. This book was better than the first in the way that its unique universe was more developed and it didn’t feel like a remake of Harry Potter anymore.
However, the beginning was a bit slow. It took me quite some time to go through the first hundred pages but the last hundred pages went very quickly. I finished the book in one-go. It was just so captivating with so much action that my heart was beating fast for Ivy, who I liked even more than in the first book. I so wanted to know what was going to happen that I sometimes skipped sentences just to get to the bottom faster. By the end of the book, I even had tears in my eyes.
I was sad that I didn’t get to read a lot about Fyn and Ivy’s romance but I’m hoping book three will be full of love. This slow-burn is killing me. Overall, the characters are all lovable, funny and inspiring. The story is full of twists and action and the universe created here is gorgeous. This series is definitely a must-read for all fantasy fans.
4.5/5

Thank you to Netgalley and Stories Untold Press for the Advanced Readers Copy.
This is a middle-grade fantasy and as a child I would've loved this series. So much nostalgia was felt throughout this book. I love that the author went into so much detail about the Croswald world, and the Dark Queen particularly. It was fabulous!
I also love how the author named a character 'Derwin Edgar Night' when her own name is D.E.Night,
Everything in this series is wholly fantasy and that quality reminded me somewhat of Harry Potter, however this series is unique and magical in its own way.
Now calling anyone with children to buy this series. But everyone needs some magic so even if you don't have any children in the family, Read it yourself!

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow by D. E. Night- 3 Stars
This is the second book in the Crowns of Croswald series. I enjoyed it more than the first book- I loved seeing more of Fyn, one of Ivy’s best friends, and discovering more things about Croswald. The game they play, Quogo, sounded so interesting and there were new characters that I enjoyed reading about.
Although better than the first book, I still felt like there were some of the same problems in this one.

There are events that seem… a little unrelated, or unnecessary to the overall plot. I felt like Ivy was even more boring- she still waited until the second half of the book to do anything interesting, and I felt like her problems were conveniently solved by other characters.

The main problem I have is that the Dark Queen is supposed to be this terrible ruler and stopped at all costs- except we never really see the effects of her tyranny. Life in Croswald, although not perfect, doesn’t seem that bad and so it’s hard to see what is at stake in this series. In this book, the Dark Queen made a brief appearance, but for some reason disappeared for the final battle. It reminded me a lot of what happened to the Evil Queen in Once Upon a Time- she started out menacing and evil but didn’t *really* follow through with anything.

TL:DR- Overall, I think the story is enjoyable and fun to read but lacks some depth. I think the world is an interesting place to read about, with lots of cool aesthetic details. Perfect for readers looking for an easy read and a new magical world to explore.

Summary: After a battle with the Dark Queen and learning more about her past, Ivy Lovely leaves her school and spends the summer with a friend, intending not to go back to the Halls of Ivy at the request of a mentor. She discovers more about the magical world, while also trying to find the other pieces of the Kindred Stone to defeat the Dark Queen once and for all.

Thanks to D. E. Night and Stories Untold Press for giving me a copy to review!

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow - Review (Engllish and Spanish)

Thanks again to the publisher for letting us read this book through NetGalley.

First of all, there is a big change between the first book and the second. Since we already know the characters, there is not that much confusion at the beginning. However, it is still rather slow. It's not until 70% of the book that it gets interesting or it seems that something is happening.

I have to say that I was expecting a bit more on that point, but I'm happy with the ending and somehow I really liked how it ended.

The characters are all the same, except for Fyn’s friends and Gretta, who has a big part in this book. I loved the idea of Fyn’s friends meeting Ivy and the Quogo game, but it just seemed to be something missing in the friendship. I don’t know what, honestly, but i would have loved to read more about their friendship rather than them playing with the quills or the cards.

The Gretta part was predictable in a way. I mean, I knew it was her from the beginning but I didn’t knew what was going on with her exactly. I liked what happened to her though.

Apart from these little things, the ending was very quick. All the action was completely packed in just a few chapters and I really, like, REALLY want to know what is going to happen next.

SPANISH
Gracias otra vez a la editora por enviarnos una copia a través de NetGalley.

Ante todo, hay un gran cambio entre el primer y el segundo libro. Como ya conocemos a los personajes, el principio no es tan confuso como fue en el primero. Sin embargo, sigue siendo bastante lento. Hasta el 70% del libro no se pone interesante y parece que es en ese punto cuando pasa algo.

Admito que esperaba algo más en ese sentido, pero estoy satisfecha con el final y de alguna manera me gustó cómo termina.

Los personajes son los mismos, excepto por los amigos de Fyn y Gretta, que es una gran parte en este libro. Me encantó la idea de que sus amigos conocieran a Ivy y el juego de Quogo, pero parecía que faltaba algo en esa amistad. Sinceramente, no sabría decir qué exactamente, pero me habría molado leer más sobre sus relaciones que sobre ellos jugando con las plumas o las cartas.

La parte de Gretta fue bastante predecible en ciertos puntos. Quiero decir, sabía que era ella desde el principio, pero no sabía qué pasaba exactamente con ella. Me gustó lo que le pasó, eso sí.

Aparte de estas cosillas, el final iba bastante rápido. Toda la acción estaba completamente comprimida en unos pocos capítulos y tengo muchas, MUCHAS, ganas de saber qué va a pasar en el próximo.
-L

Usually the first book is slower because you still have to meet all the characters and get used to a new world, and when you get to the second you’re familiar with almost everything, so the story should have a quicker pace. And yet I think I liked the first more than this one.
This book should have had me excited since the beginning, but I actually couldn’t get into it until almost the end of the story.

I really like the ideas in this book, and the writer does a good job at telling the story, but I think there’s a lack of surprise and adventure, at least for me. I like that there’s a secret Town that can’t be named to stay protected, and Ivy living with Fyn and getting to know his friends, but not much happened in the Town.
The idea of the Quogo game was interesting, but a little too absorbing. They focused too much on playing the game and those scenes got a little boring at times.

As for the big mystery, was it really a mystery? I think it was pretty obvious from the beginning. There are clues every step of the way. Although I have to admit that it wasn’t exactly as I’d imagined it, which was nice. And the search in Derwin’s memories was also interesting; getting to know more about the royal family.

So even if I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought I would, the ending was good and I want to know more about what will happen with Ivy and Fyn, and their fight against the Dark Queen.

SPANISH
Por lo general, el primer libro de una saga es el más lento porque tienes que conocer a los personajes y acostumbrarte a un nuevo mundo, y cuando llegas al segundo, estás familiarizado con casi todo, por lo que la historia debería tener un ritmo más rápido. Y, sorprendentemente, creo que me gustó más el primer libro.
Este libro tendría que haberme emocionado desde el principio, pero no me metí en la historia casi hasta el final.

Me gustan mucho las ideas del libro y la historia está bien escrita, pero en mi opinión faltan sorpresas y aventuras. Me gusta “la Ciudad” secreta que no puede ser nombrada para protegerla, y que Ivy viva con Fyn y conozca a sus amigos, pero no pasó gran cosa en la Ciudad.
La idea del juego de Quogo era interesante, pero demasiado absorbente. Creo que se centraron demasiado en el juego y esas escenas se volvieron un poco aburridas a ratos.

En cuanto al gran misterio (¿era realmente un misterio?), creo que fue bastante obvio desde el principio. Hay pistas a cada paso, aunque tengo que admitir que no fue exactamente como lo había imaginado, y eso me gustó. Y las escenas en los recuerdos de Derwin también fueron interesantes; descubriendo más sobre la familia real.

Así que, aunque este libro no me haya gustado tanto como esperaba, el final estuvo bien y quiero saber más sobre lo que pasará con Ivy y Fyn, y su lucha contra la Reina Oscura.
-Ali

Picking up where the first book left off, we follow the adventures of Ivy Lovely once again! This book has more adventure and whismy than the first one, if that's even possible. The world that D.E. Night created in the first book comes to life in this second book, which doesn't fall prey to the sophomore slump that happens to some authors. In fact, this book might even be better than the first!

While the first book has hints of other children's fantasy novels, what I like about this installment is that it's able to break from the mold. We get to meet more characters and see more of this magical world that Night has created. I loved meeting the new characters, and can't wait to see more in later books. Ivy is such an excellent role model for young girls, and I would definitely recommend this to middle grade leaders looking for fantasy with strong female leads!

In this second installment, Ivy visits the Town. A place where magic and mystery abound. She makes friends, connects with those who knew her ancestors and uncovers more of the wandering curse. Exciting and thrilling part two.

A fun sequel that picks up right where we left off! The adventures that we follow Ivy and her friends make an accessible and fast-paced read for middle-grade and YA readers alike. Definitely a great instalment to the series!

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow was full of adventure and magic from the start. I really enjoyed this second book and I am curious to see what happens in the third story. Ivy has gained much more confidence in this book and has started to use her magic for the good of Croswald. I loved watching Ivy learn more about her past and the magic she contains. I found this book to be much easier to relate to and I loved the relationship that Ivy has established with her best friends Rebecca and Fyn. I also loved how there was a ton of mystery elements within this book, about Ivy's past and the future of Croswald. This book had me much more captivated and I could not put it down, especially at the end. I highly recommend reading this book if you are looking for a young adult fantasy read with tons of magic and creatures!

Blurb:
Even a secret town cannot protect Ivy from a mysterious darkness...

Only hours after Ivy Lovely discovers that she is the fulfillment of the Moonsday promise, she is whisked away from her beloved school to Belzebuthe, a secret town for only those with magical blood.

Ivy sets out on a mission to uncover the second facet of the Kindred Stone while eluding the Dark Queen’s wrath. But even when she’s supposed to be safe, something is shadowing Ivy. She will need all her natural-born magic and more as she battles to find the rest of the Kindred Stone and return to the Halls of Ivy.

Before it’s too late...

Review:
“You let go of that stone, I let go of his life.”

“The most wondrous things, the most impossible of things, are often just ordinary things doing what they are best at.”

This book picks up where the first book picks off, and let me assure you, Ivy’s adventures are just as exciting and thrilling as in the first book. I usually find that a sequel is less interesting and though out as the first in the series. However, I can definitely say that I enjoyed this book a little more than the first book!

The world of scrivenists, royals and the Dark Queen is so interesting! The magical creatures, studies and places that are explored over the course of this novel are completely unlike any fantasy system I have read before and I cannot wait to see how the story progresses in the third book. Damn these cliffhanger endings!

This series is a definite must read for anyone who enjoys fantasy worlds, perfect for middle grade readers and older readers alike. Ivy Lovely is a perfect main character, as her development over both books is fascinating to read, and she is not presented as the all-powerful heroine. She still has a lot to learn, and she uses the help of her friends, including Fyn and Rebecca (my favourites!), in her battles against evil. She is the heroine that everyone needs to read about.

Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold for a gifted eARC of this book.

I actually rated this book 4.5/5

I enjoyed this book even more than the first one! It was a quick and easy read with more action, more magic, and more friends. Ivy grew into a much stronger and self assured character (though she still had her doubts here and there), but she was much more fun.

I liked her new group of friends and their adventures and getting to know Derwin a little bit more. Fyn is my favorite and I’m glad we got to learn so much more about him and his backstory. He’s brave, adventurous, sweet, and I love his little bursts of jealousy when Glistle is around, though it is sometimes odd how he’s always where Ivy is going 🤷🏻‍♀️

I love the new aspects of Magic brought into this book, like Quogo, which seems like an awesome game, and the stars in Belzebuthe, which grant the wishes of people if you catch them. The stars were my favorite new magic and I love the idea of them, it’s such a novel concept ☺️

There were some things that I questioned a bit…a few main plot points where Ivy figured things out that older, experienced scriventists couldn’t 🤔…but I’m excited to read the third book and, if it’s a similar setup to this one, learn even more about Ivy’s friend Rebecca. Though I will be sad that Fyn will not be around much (I’m assuming since he graduates, though he does have a knack for always being where Ivy is...) 😉