If you like whimsy and magic, this book is for you. It is written for a younger audience, I would say middle-grade to young adult, but I still enjoyed this book as an adult. My daughter loved when I read parts aloud to her.

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is the second book in The Crowns of Croswald series. It is such a magical, whimsical book with lots of adventure and mystery. It is set between the Halls of Ivy and the Town. Both places sound so enchanting and I wish I could visit them. The world building is wonderful and the friendships are so sweet. I love the found family aspects. I do wish Ivy had more confidence and growth by now.

About the book:
As the school of magic close for summer. Ivy was sent to the Town, a secret town for scrivenist and matteler. She was given a mission to look for the rest of the Kindred stone and instructed not to go back to the Hall of Ivy for her safety. However, during her stay in Town, a mystery shadow is looming around. Ivy knows that this is not good news as the first piece of the Kindred stone is screaming of danger whenever it senses the shadow.
Will she be able to find the next piece of the stone? Will she be able to stay away from the wrath of the Dark Queen? What will be waiting for her when she returns to the Hall of Ivy?

My thought
The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is the second book of the Crown of Crosswald. I was so excited to start this book and to hop on the adventure with Ivy as she search for the parts of Kindred stone. This book is full of excitement, fun, and adventure. It gave me a suspenseful feeling whenever Ivy’s stone lit up and knowing that danger is looming around. There is no boring chapter as each leads to action and adventures.
There are new characters were introduced and new skills of magic were discovered.
The ending is a cliffhanger that makes me more excited to have book 3. Giving this a five star.

"𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝑰𝒗𝒚! 𝑮𝒐 𝒐𝒏, 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒆!"

I really loved the developments that this book brought to this series as well as the anticipation of knowing that Ivy's story is not done yet and that she still has a lot to achieve.
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One aspect that is different from a lot of books in the fantasy fiction genre is that the story does not evolve mainly around romance, here we rather see the main focus being on character development. Ivy grew throughout this whole book, she learnt how to have more confidence in herself and her abilities, she started standing up for herself and she accepted her fears and decided to fight against them. She developed a voice for the voiceless.

We also get to experience the side characters developments such as Rebecca and Fynn. This was an interesting aspect in the book as they all believed in each other and thus encouraged one another to do better, to be better.

Even though we don't actually experience romance in this book, we do get the excitement of the possibility for an extraordinary romance to blossom!
I really hoped that the romance would've started in this second book of the series, but now I'm shifting that hope to the third book. It was as if every time I thought the romance was going to unravel, the story shifted into a different direction completely - this threw me off guard every now and then, but in a good way!
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D.E. Night has this amazing writers skill where she interprets so much of the title into the book itself, but with just the right amount of information on the title for you to make the connection on your own. It leaves you excited for the endless reasons there could be behind this and how it will all eventually unfold.
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What I enjoyed more from this book than the first was the fact that the plot was fast paced. You find yourself reading faster to stay connected to the atmosphere and to not miss any detail in the events. D.E. Night uses the main character as well as all the side characters in this plot, this gives us more of an insight into the bond that these characters have and it also contributes in a very positive way to the emotions resulting from the plot.
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However, once again, the jumping to and from POV's without warning had me confused a bit - but after experiencing this in the first book it does make the experience a bit better and smoother for the reader in the second one.
I would have preferred to rather then have added chapters where we see certain events from the POV of Fynn and Rebecca, instead of having it pop up in the middle of a chapter.
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Since this is not the end, I am excited to see how Ivy can grow more and use her abilities to the fullest. And, as mentioned, hopefully see some aspect of romance for her - because she really does deserve it!
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One last thought, who is the Selector really? Because I have mixed feelings towards her...
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Thank you Stories Untold Press for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Cover - 10/10
Story - 9/10
Characters - 9.5/10
Writing style - 10/10

This is the second book of The Crowns Of Croswald series. This book shows Ivy's pursuit of the Kindred Stone. New characters are introduced. The book shows the development of the relationship between Fyn and Ivy. Rebecca is still the nice friend we all wish for. Even if the story progresses slowly it isn't boring at all. A lot of things happen in the book that keeps the reader engaged.

Ivy's character has developed very well. She has grown stronger than in the first book. I love her!

What I liked most about the book is the portrait of Belzebuthe. I must praise the imagination and the ability of the author to illustrate it in words👏👏

Like the book before it, The Girl With the Whispering Shadow had major Harry Potter vibes. If you like Harry Potter, these are the next books you need to read. I'd especially recommend this as a read aloud for families with middle grade children.

We have a magical school, an orphan with a mysterious and magical heritage, a team of loyal friends and an evil queen trying to ruin it all. While the first half felt a little slow to me, the action picked up. Remembering that this is the second book in what is to be a four part series helped, as this definitely felt like a book that is building to the others and filling in important pieces of the story and world.

Speaking of the world, Night has done a wonderful job of creating a world that feels real even with all its fantastical elements. She has thought of everything from the landscape to the critters that live in it, the games the students adore and the food they eat.

Last but not least, the characters are lovely. I especially love our heroine, Ivy, and her best friend Rebecca. I liked that this is a book with female main characters that would be equally entertaining for boys and girls similar to how Narnia and Potter (both personal favourites) relate to a wide variety of readers.

Another win from Night. I'm eagerly anticipating the next one!

Big thanks to Night's marketing team for sending me this one.

Thanks to Untold Stories Press, D.E. Night for letting me keep being part of Ivy's world. #Netgalley

This is the second book of 'The Crowns of Croswald' series and it starts right where the first one left off!
The first school year is over, Ivy has learned who she really is and the only place that will keep her safe is Belzebuthe. Shh! You'll have to call it "The Town" since it's cloaked in order to keep it secret from the Dark Queen; It's the last safe place for Magic users in Croswald! While there, Ivy is tasked with finding the missing pieces of the Kindred Stone, an ancestral heirloom that contains all her power. Unfortunately, she has no clue where to even begin.

In the second book we get to see the same characters and meet more since Ivy makes new friends in The Town. I loved this setting of The Town that we get to explore a lot more in this second book, it's such a magical place, full of creative details that make me wish I could visit and it adds a lot to the world-building. There are more magical creatures, adventures, and even a cool magical duel game, but the stakes are higher and it really felt like it. Aside from keeping up with assignments and finding the pieces of the stone, Ivy has to grapple with anxiety and guilt, all while being chased by some mysterious shades. There is still a lot of whimsy, but the overall tone was a bit more serious than the first book, which I enjoyed. It helped to keep me invested.

One aspect that kind of bothered me was Fyn's characterization. He did not feel like the same character as in the first book. Whereas in the first book, he was more cautious and a rational presence in opposition to Ivy's rashness, in the second book he suddenly became the instigator of most of the trouble the characters got into. I found it hard to buy that it was the same person, as it feels like not enough time has gone by for such drastic changes in his temperament. That's my one complaint but aside from that, I had so much fun with this book and will be reading the next one!

Read this if you enjoy:
-Chosen one
-Secret Clubs
-Good Vs. Evil
-Animal Companions

I was granted a copy of this book by Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you so so so much for this opportunity to read this second book.
The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is the continuation to the Croswald series!
It takes the base of the first book and develops from there.
Honestly what tells me that this series it’s a great deal, is the fact that it’s been a wile since I read the first one and I can remember to detail the adorable character and her adventures to finding her place and identity.
We start to explore the land outside of the Halls of Ivy to a Secret Town, which is where Ivy meets new friends and like usual gets into troubles!
Back at the Halls, Ivy and her new friends must race against time to find out the mystery before its too late!
This world magic it’s so adorable and whimsical , new and fun and adventures, it was impossible to put down!
If you haven't read This series... please pick it up! You will be not be disappointed, it will sweep you away, I can’t even explain how it touched me definitely a beautiful series that i cannot recommend enough.

I liked the first book so I started reading this one and I was really excited. But it was slower than the first one and I couldn't keep reading. but after a year (maybe) I did.
I like this world because it's quite original but at the same time I was screaming "please stop making me feel like I'm reading Harry Potter!!! I want something new and fresh". Anyway, at some point the author delivered and gave lovely chracters and a world building beautiful and magical..
Ivy and her friends warm my heart. I hope seeing them again <3

This books really drew me in, very whimsical and enchanting. I can’t recommend it enough for those who love books like Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland.

Ivy lovely is a determined wonderful main character and she’s growing into a someone she fight realize she could be. Each of the characters in this story hold their own and build what’s happening.

I enjoyed them so much, I bought physical copies!

Firstly I want to say a massive thankyou again to the author for the gifted digital copy of the book!

I loved the first book in the Crowns of Croswald series so when the offer came for the second book was given I had to say yes! I had found myself missing the magical world of Croswald with its Royals and Scrivenists and also the Dark Queen!

I loved that we got more character development of Ivy - the lead character you can’t help but root for, and also that we learnt more about Fyn. I do wish that their romance would kick off a little though and I’m hoping that we learn more about them in book 3!

The pacing of this book was a lot better than the first in the series and I found the story line kept me hooked and wanting to read on. There is a lot going on at times and this can be a little confusing but I honestly love the magic that this series brings.

I know this is aimed at a younger audience but as someone who is older reading it I still find myself drawn in and captivated by the magic of it all.

A great sequel!

This book is definitely an improvement on the first and as a whole the series is magical. The characters that felt flat in the first book are full of life and it was really nice to spend some time with them outside of the school in the ‘Town’.

If these books had been around when I was a teenager I would have absolutely loved them.

While I enjoyed this installment of the Crowns of Croswald series, I found it difficult to really get in to. There was a lot of world building and info dumping and I found myself lost and confused at times. I do continue to enjoy the unique magic system and creatures in these books.

As with the first first, I wish we got to spend more time with the Dark Queen as she seems like and intriguing villain.

Not 100% sure I will be continuing the series at this time but maybe?

The book returns us to the world of Croswald, full of magic and royalty and the evil Dark Queen. It is full of daventures, new magical characters, friends and magical wonders. They use quills instead of wands to use magic. The one person who has a clue of what the dark queen is looking for and where it might be is her families old magical advisor called a scrivenist. Ivy has her plate full in this book fighting and defeating the Dark Queen. Eager to dive into next one soon.

This is the second book in the Croswald series and I have to say it was as enjoyable as the first.

It continues the story of Ivy Lovely, who is an absolute joy of a character. She is compassionate and resourceful. It was so lovely to see her surrounded by loyal friends, a far cry from her lonely childhood as a kitchen maid.

The author has done a fantastic job of showing that although Ivy has grown up a little because of all she has been through, she remains a reckless teenager, ready to steam into dangerous adventures without a thought!

The structure of the story was similar to the first book, a slow build up to an epic battle in the final few chapters.
As in the previous book I would have liked to have seen a little more of the Dark Queen as she is a fabulous villain.

I also felt, although Ivy's time in Belzebuthe at the start if the book was interesting, I couldn't wait for her to get back to school as that is where the humour and excitement is.

I loved seeing Ivy building a group of friends and her relationship with Fyn grows even more in this book, the scene where they fish for stars on the roof on Fyns birthday was truly heartwarming.

The ending of the book bodes well for the next in the series as it appears Ivy is beginning to truly embrace her birthright and I cannot wait to read what happens to her next.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC through Netgalley for an honest review.

The Girl with a Whispering Shadow is the second book in the Crowns of Croswald series. It's a nice break to read a book for a middle grade audience and exciting to see the events that transpire after the ending of the first book (where Ivy finds out who she really is).

I love how much Ivy's character has grown from when we first meet her in the first book, I love her curiosity and kindness and getting to see those friendships develop further.

I think Rebecca has quickly become a favourite character of mine in the series though.

The ending was perfect - it left on a cliffhanger that had me needing the next book straight away. I'm curious to see where the rest of the series goes and The Girl with a Whispering Shadow is such a great sequel.

Overall, I really love D.E.Nights writing and their way of describing/world building is great. It does draw similarities to other middle grade fantasy books but does well in holding its own in being unique.

Having really enjoyed the first book in this series I had been looking forward to this one for a while. Unfortunately, I found it a bit disappointing. So much of the book was world building/scene setting, and nothing really happened to move the plot along until quite far in. While these scenes were fun I just felt like it wasn't engaging.

3.75/5 stars rounded up to 4

This is an excellent follow-up that, for me, almost meets the expectations of the first book. Almost.

Maybe it's just me, but I felt as if there were more telling in this one. "The weather clearly reflected Ivy's mood." If it clearly reflected her mood, you shouldn't have had to tell me that, at least not so directly. But maybe it's because this is for middle-grade to young adult audiences. The dialogue flowed a little less nicely, mostly due to a lack of contractions in some places, which were not to do with the character's way of speaking.

By the halfway point I started questioning if this was actually going to lead into anything. Ivy and the reader learn a lot without it feeling infodump-y or slow (usually), so you can at least tell that it's building up to something. By the 60-70% point, it starts to pick up, and up, and up! All that learning starts leading into some action being done, and I could hardly put it down.

So don't miss out on it. From the little bit of other reviews I saw, this is being praised higher than the first one. This series should definitely be read in order, but Night does a nice job of slipping in sentences and details to remind you of the first book while not spending too much time recapping. This helps keep track of recurring characters, too. I adored the world-building and the characters - who I wish we had a little more time with - but that's not surprising! The world-building alone is a big part of the pull of this series for me, and I'm glad we get to see even more of its magic in this one.

The second instalment in The Crowns of Croswald series brings more magic and adventure. This is great for middle grade readers.

This book returns us to the world of Croswald, full of magic and royalty and the evil Dark Queen. It is full of new adventures, new magical characters and friends, and new magical wonders. They use quills instead of wands to help direct their magic. And at the beginning of this book, one of the darkest, most powerful quills goes missing from the Keep where they are locked away and studied.

The second book in the series, Ivy learned several secrets last book and ended up battling the Dark Queen. The Dark Queen is after her crown, but Ivy doesn’t have a crown. The only person who has a clue of what the Dark Queen is looking for and where it might be is her families old magical advisor called a scrivenist. Of course it can’t be that easy, he also was trapped somewhere for decades, causing memory loss. Ivy has her plate full in this book, with trying to keep up with school, trying to help him recover his memories to beat the Dark Queen to what she wants so badly, fighting literal shadows that are putting everyone in danger, and practicing her magic in a scrimmage setting in a club (that is technically against the rules, but she’s got to defeat the Dark Queen somehow, and she needs to practice!)

I had a lot of similar thoughts reading book two as I did book one. This continues to be a quirky, whimsical world. The story had moments of good humour and I can happily report that this middle grade series remained age appropriate (which is a big tick for me)!

I thought towards the end of book one, that the story was veering away from that of Harry Potter. Unfortunately, there were some similarities to Harry Potter that felt a little too close for comfort. There was a club formed that reminded me of Dumbledore’s Army. Invisible creature that bore similarities to Thestrals. A girl who went through a possession of sorts that felt much like Ginny’s predicament in The Chamber of Secrets and a way of reliving a memory that reminded me of the pensieve.

That being said there were also some unique moments I truly enjoyed. I loved the secret town and the ‘stars’ that graced its sky. I loved the occulyst owls! The final battle was also fast paced and super engaging to read.

I would happily recommend this to parents of middle grade readers.