Unfortunately, this book is a DNF for me. I’m 20% into A Crown of Ivy and Glass and I can not get into the story or the characters. I would continue if I felt a connection to Gemma, but she is self absorbed and immature. I want to feel badly for her as she does suffer from a chronic illness, I just haven’t liked her personality at all. The world is so intriguing and I love the high society details, where it’s almost as if Bridgerton had magic.

I might give this book another chance one day but at this moment it’s not for me.

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for the e arc of this book**

I was definitely excited and surprised to receive this copy and couldn’t wait to dive back into the author’s second series although i have yet to finish her last one XD.

With this book, i loved how we got to be introduced to a new world with new characters with each of them have their own way of doing things though there were times i did question their motives during the story. I always enjoyed her writing style which i still continue to enjoy.

Although there were times i felt this story was going a bit too slow at its own pace, it was a mix of action and romance that i didn’t mind. Did i think this could’ve cut down to less than 560 pages? At times yes which hence why it did take awhile to finish but I’m looking forward to seeing what’s going to happen in book 2.

A love letter to chronic pain sufferers. The concept for this book is startlingly fresh and for that alone I have to give it a minimum of 4 stars. I found myself wanting more from Gemma's sisters and the rest of the cast which I feel is a testament to the character development and the world that Claire Legrand has built but I wish we'd gotten more. I loved this book and couldn't put it down. Kind of a predictable twist but also one I never saw coming (so I guess it cancels out?) Interesting blend of explicit candor but actually not that much spice. I enjoyed it though. I cannot wait for the other sisters' stories!!! Thank you to Sourcebooks for the ARC.

A Crown of Ivy and Glass is an interesting high-fantasy novel. It was slow to catch my attention but I am glad I persevered. Blood feuds, mystery, magic and more! This novel has something for everyone.

Such a good read! I really couldn’t get enough of it! From the very start I was drawn in and couldn’t put it down!

This book was good; however, it felt so long. I loved the narration and such, but the book just dragged for me. I'm not sure why, which I know doesn't help as far as feedback goes. Maybe it was a pacing issue? But the narration was so beautifully written. I always fall in love with the way Claire writes. And the story was good, it just took me forever to finish it.

Sadly I dnf-ed at 23%.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and no one is sadder then I that this has happened.

First the good - the mc has an chronic illness, and the representation is good. I liked this aspect of the book.

Now what I didn't enjoy. Instalove may be my worst trope, and this just dives right in. I found the characters lacking in chemistry, and the instalove was so SUDDEN. I don't know, it just gave me the ick. Meanwhile, the plot drags on, I wish it had been reversed.

The MC Gemma, is the most unlikable character ever. I understand that she probably goes through a epic character growth throughout the book, but the fact that the love interest finds her charming in anyway as is, not believable imo. I see no redeeming qualities in her.

The writing was lovely, but the plot was a bit everywhere, I found it hard to follow at times. Huge info dumps, combined with multiple storyline and cringe romance. It wasn't it for me.

I have enjoyed Clare Legrands other books, but this wasn't it for me. I hope that these delays in release means the author has gone back and done some revisions.

Thanks to netgalley and the Publisher for the Arc.

I was not vibing with this book till about halfway in when the story picked up. Gemma's character could be very annoying at times. Her and Talan's relationship didn't have any substance and I really wasn't rooting for them. Once the adventure started, I was hooked. The supporting characters were very intriguing. I will likely continue the series for that reason alone. I did love the unique magic system and the setting of the book. I think it would have been more enjoyable if the first half of the book was half as long. 3.5 stars but rounding up to 4.

I really wanted to love this book, but I was disappointed.

Imogen "Gemma" Ashbourne, is the middle child of her three sisters. She is a young, rich and beautiful woman who comes from a powerful family. Her family were part of a group called the Anointed, people who were blessed by the gods to have special powers. At first we think, what more could she want? We soon find out though that while everyone around her has a special power Gemma not only doesn't have a power, magic hurts her. Every time Gemma is around magic, her body starts shutting down. It causes her severe pain and because of it she feels like an outcast. This part of the storyline I enjoyed, I thought it was going to be a slow novel about Gemma finding love and her powers while working with the main male love interest Talan, but I was wrong. I also felt as though Gemma was a very unlikeable character. There was just something about her that made me never feel bad for her even though she has had to face several hardships. What I did enjoy in this book was the relationship between her sisters. You can tell they all truly care for each other and we get to see their relationship evolve chapter by chapter.

This book has many twists and turns that happen suddenly. There are several important scenes in the book that occur with no build up. The sudden scene changes confused me and I felt as I reached the halfway mark that I was reading two different books. I wish this book had more structure. I really wanted to like this since I truly enjoy fantasy romance books.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

I was so disappointed in this book. A two star rating was generous because the writing was jumbled, the plot lacked direction, and the characters were insufferable. I was so looking forward to this one, and I'm so sad I didn't like it.

I don't want to beat a dead horse here, but two thumbs way down for this one.

Rating: 2⭐️

The story starts strong but loses momentum halfway through, with an uneven pace that rushes romance and drags out certain elements. Though the ending sparks curiosity, overall, the book fails to meet my expectations. Evelyn Rose's narration in the audiobook adaptation, however, is a delightful experience, showcasing impeccable pacing and skillful use of tones and inflections that breathe life into the characters and enhance the storytelling, resulting in an enjoyable listening experience.

A Crown Of Ivy And Glass is an engaging, action-packed fantasy romance and a wonderful adult debut by Claire Legrand,
I haven't ready any other novels by this author, so I had no expectations going in. What I got was a dark and twisty story full of magic, monsters, curses, but also love, friendship and family! I think it was pitched as Bridgerton meets ACOTAR, and I totally caught some vibes. But in my opinion it is much darker, especially with the mental health rep.
The heroine is a deeply unhappy woman who is suffering from a "magic allergy" so to speak, and in addition to that from panic attacks. She copes with her physical and mental issues by losing herself in parties and pleasures, and in her worst hours she harms herself and even dreams of ending her life. Until she meets a handsome stranger who gives her hope that she can be "fixed".
I don't know what that says about me. but I really liked Gemma :D Her struggles were dark, and she was definitely flawed, but I loved her character development. A lot of people on Goodreads said there was no development for her, but I don't know what they expected. For me, development doesn't mean that the character becomes perfect by the end. Some issues cannot be magically fixed, even in fantasy world. And the subtle mention of "therapy" was really nice :)
I enjoyed the plot a lot. Yes, in the first 50% there is a lot of things happen that don't really get an explanation until the big twist is revealed. That didn't bother me at all, as it did in ACOTAR, for example. The story is complex, and the world is vast and very rich. I did guess the twist, and I was happy that it was what I thought - it explained a lot and I was completely onboard with the rest of the story. The last chapters are so packed with action that they had me at the edge of my seat in the bus :D
The romance was a crucial part of the story, but not the most interesting for me. I yelled at Gemma many times for her bad decisions concerning the love interest, but in the end they turned out to be right decisions. If the book makes me scream at a character, that means I care :D
I loved all the side characters and can't wait to read the second book, because I think I know who will be its heroes. I squealed every time there was the slightest hint of something going on between them.
Ah, the writing! I loved it, it was so visual, I could imagine everything. And now I really want this to be a movie or a series!
Overall, I enjoyed this fantasy romance immensely, and I don't even read that much fantasy!

I love this completely awesome magic system. The atmosphere was spot on and these characters sucked me in yo this series immediately. I can’t wait for the next book so that I can get back to this world!

I had high hopes for this book due to the authors other series so I really wanted to like this book more. It had a great start and I thought it was going to keep going with the good, but it just crashed and burned. There were some good parts here and there but as a whole it just did not work together. I feel like more planning could have gone in to structure the story a bit better because the story itself has the potential for a great series, it just didn't work well in book 1.

A Crown of Ivy and Glass is a captivating novel that boasts high stakes and intricate worldbuilding, complete with fascinating mythology. This lush and sweeping fantasy romance series starter is sure to leave readers spellbound. With its richly detailed world and steamy romance, A Crown of Ivy and Glass is a must-read for fans of the fantasy genre.

I have always loved Claire Legrand ever since I found her books, and I will continue to love what she writes! This book just proves it! This goes back to the amazing fantasy that she wrote and built with the Empirium trilogy, and I CANNOT wait for the next installment!

I'm so very appreciative of getting the early reader access!

To say I am a massive fan of Legrand's previous fantasy Furyborn series is an understatement. I actually wrote her a letter after finishing Kingsbane because I was so wrecked. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year based on Furyborn and also the way it was pitched which sounded right up my street as a fan of ACOTAR and Bridgerton.

Unfortunately, this is probably my biggest disappointment of the year so far. I think the issue is that the parts are better than the whole. There are some truly beautiful and powerful individual scenes that are well written but ultimately they don't fit together coherently.

Gemma is the youngest of three sisters and I am guessing that each book in the trilogy will focus on a different sister and ultimately I question starting with Gemma, the least interesting of the sisters. The three sisters are A LOT like the Archeron sisters (and I guess the King Lear sisters if we want to be trite) and Gemma is basically like, what if Elaine was really selfish and thought only about herself. Gemma does grow as the book goes on and I really appreciated the focus on her chronic pain which is prevalent in the book and as far as I can tell, not magically healed at the end.

The relationship between Gemma and Talan is very insta love which doesn't really bother me but the way it is done here removes all of the tension from the story. One of them betrays the other sort of and they immediately they are back in each other's arms.

The pacing of this story is not very good, unfortunately. The main antagonist (I think?) isn't really introduced until 75% (!) of the way through and I'm still unsure of their motivations. Personally, I believe the key to a good fantasy story is a good villain otherwise what is the point?

This book is way too long. There is a very long scene where Gemma gets kidnapped and that entire plot should have been removed as it adds nothing to the story and we could easily get to the end of the book in the same exact place without it.

Despite my critiques and overall disappointment, I will say that I am absolutely FERAL for more of Farrin (the Nesta sister). She is super interesting and I need to learn everything about her and whatever is going on with her and Ryder. I hope that this is the next book because I will devour it. Too bad that wasn't the first book because I feel like a lot of people aren't going to make it to a second book.

I am still very interested to see what Legrand writes next, but this was a bit of a slog for me, unfortunately.

Thank you SO much to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is pitched as Bridgerton meets ACOTAR and while I wouldn’t disagree, I also want to be clear that this marketing has already caused confusion and disappointment in readers.

The first half of the book does have balls and gowns and social contracts and using relationships to gain advantages, much like Daphne and Simon in the first Bridgerton book/season, but the second half of the book quickly shifts time away from this storyline and it can feel a bit jarring.

The second half is ACOTAR adjacent, in that it is romantacy with romance first and foremost. It drives the plot and the love of sisters is very much at the center. But it did read someone young adult and because of that, I think it may fall flat for some readers. I would say it’s more in the vein of From Blood and Ash. I would even say it leans a bit if Game of Thrones meets Crimson Peak at bit towards the end.

The ending was rushed a bit but left me excited to see where this series goes. I truly hope we get to see Farrin and Ryder play out because I’m really shipping that.

Overall I enjoyed it and read it quickly, but am hoping that the rest of the series reads a bit more adult and has clearer world building. Definitely wasn’t bad, but it has so much potential and I’m terrified if will fall prey to bad marketing.

Lady Gemma Ashbourne's family was Anointed by the gods and given abilities, but she's been sad ever since her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against treacherous magic and her mother abandoned the family. Her father and eldest sister are feuding with the Bask family and often forget she exists. On top of all that, she has no magic and her body rejects it. When she meets Talan d'Astier, the only survivor of his family's destruction by a demon, Gemma strikes a bargain: She'll help Talan navigate high society if he helps her destroy the Basks. According to popular legend, a demon called The Man With the Three-Eyed Crown is behind the families' blood feud—slay the demon, end the feud. It sounds simple, but attacks on the Middlemist worsen and the plot against the Basks gets out of control. Gemma also seems to be developing some kind of power, which could destroy her or show her who she's meant to be.

A Crown of Ivy and Glass is the first book of the Middlemist Trilogy. In this world, the death of Gods scattered magic into the world. Some were chosen for gifts and were Anointed, and some accidentally came upon fragments of magic and passed along that gift to their descendants. The Mist in the middle of the continent was a place creatures slipped through from another dimension, and the Roses are the girls taken from families to transform into partly avian creatures to fight them. The fae and demons also exist, but mostly as stories from the Old Country and as tales of what lay beyond the Mist. Gemma was too sick by magic and too prone to devastating panic attacks to fight as was traditional, so her sister was taken. Gemma grew up a protected socialite, subject to her father's cutting remarks and being used to further his feud. There's the undercurrent of secrets everyone else carries, but she can't get it out of them. My heart went out to her early on, especially when her father makes thoughtless comments to her that are almost designed to wound, however unintentional he says them. She is told early on that she has no magic, that isn't good for anything but the social whirl, and she internalized that along with her panic attacks and the tendency to dig her nails into her leg hard enough to draw blood.

At first, the story seems to be a simple exchange between Gemma and Talan. There's the first (literal) whiff of oddness when Gemma is told that Talan smells like something rotten by her perfumier best friend, and the sense of wrongness in the world slowly becomes more amplified from there. By the time the book hits the halfway mark, a whole new plot thread emerges that forces Gemma to consider the wider country of Edyn and the problems with the Mist. Not everything was as it seemed, with more secrets coming about who she is and what it could mean being explained more toward the end. I very much had the feeling of "But wait! There's more!" at that point, because a whole other plot arc for Gemma started that wasn't linked back to her first arc until later, then that triggered another sequence of events. All of those nested threads more or less get tied off, with some lingering questions to be answered in the next book.

I really enjoyed the world-building and the implications of the magic gone rogue, then the later discussion about the nature of the gods' offspring. The book was very much a fun read that I kept going back to, though some characters seemed a bit flat in spots. With so much going on, it's not too much of a surprise; I'm sure we'll see more of them in the next book. I already have guesses as to why some characters behave the way they do, but I don't want to spoil it for the rest of you.

I know lots of people love Claire Legrand's other titles, but this one just didn't work for me. I only made it about 35% of the way through before deciding to move on. The writing felt bogged down by details, giving the plot no real momentum. I felt like I was always waiting for something to happen only for nothing to occur. Even the romance provided little to no tension.

I'm sure this will work for other readers, but I'm sorry to say it didn't for me.