This book sets you out on a journey, and like any journey there was some detours. I enjoyed the magic elements I thought they were well thought out. It has romance but wasn’t super romantic which worked for this story. I saw someone else say it gave low key Bridgeton vibes and I saw that too. Leaves on a cliff hanger but not a steep one. I’ll definitely give the 2nd book a shot when it is released. Overall I liked it.

I am officially DNF-ing this book at 60%.

Nobody is sadder by this decision than me because all of the Empirium trilogy are 5 stars for me. A part of my bookish soul has died in writing this reality.

To condense my thoughts—A Crown of Ivy and Glass feels like a chaotic hodgepodge of ideas that muddle the point and trajectory of the story until you've gone through fifteen different plots. It was whiplash switching from scene to scene, and I never felt like the ground was solid under my feet. Whereas, the Empirium trilogy is methodical and detailed with its storyline, ACOIAQ doesn't ever know what it wants to be. Tons of tropes were thrown to try to stick. Also, the romance, the big selling point of this romantasy, is insta-love, and I felt hardly any connection to them. From other reviewers/friends, I've heard the ending jumps in an entirely different direction, and I just couldn't see myself continuing onward towards it. Maybe I'll feel differently when the sequel releases, but for now this book was not anything near what I was expecting or wanting.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this story. I like the magic world and how the characters fit into it. Gemma is very easy to like and to root for. She is fearless and determined which I like in a lead female character. Talan is exactly what I want in a male character. He is tough but cares about Gemma and will do anything to protect her. I will be continuing on in this series.

This book is marketed for fans of Bridgerton and A Court of Thorns and Roses, and while I agree on the Bridgerton front, I would actually switch ACOTAR to From Blood and Ash as I found it had more in common. Or at least it felt like it. I did like this book overall, I did want to finish it and found the plot line intriguing, but I did not get into it the same way I did its comparison (ACOTAR, or even FBAA). Nevertheless, I do recommend it as a read as it may be more your cup of tea than mine. It’s got magical creatures, humans with magic, demons, necromancers, and many others. I did like the reoccurrence of what was once an enemy becoming either an ally or friend.

As part of a family Anointed by the gods, Gemma Ashbourne seems to have it all. She’s beauty, brains, and has money. What’s missing? Her magic that comes with being an Anointed one; her sister, Mara, who has been sent off in place of Gemma to the Warden to fight enemies in the Mist, her other sister (Farrin) and father seemingly leaving her out of everything and ostracizing her…and a dashing young gentleman at her side of course. Here enters Talan d’Astier, just as beautiful as she is, and he needs her family’s help. After agreeing to work with Talan to hunt a demon, and in return receiving assistance on tarnishing the reputation the Ashbourne’s enemy, the Basks, and bringing Talan’s family back in the Queen’s good graces, it didn’t cross Gemma’s mind to truly question Talan until dark events start occurring around her. From mental blackouts to murders, something is going wrong at Ivyhill, and the commonality is Talan. Is he the new evil presence or is it something else? There is also something powerful waking up in Gemma, and soon nothing will be the same.

TW: suicide, self-harm

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After reading the description and seeing the comparison to ACOTAR, I was really hoping it would be a good book to read while I wait for SJM’s next book. Unfortunately it wasn’t. It took all my effort to finish the book.
I found the main character to be most annoying. Granted she had issues with panic attacks, anxiety that many nowadays can truly relate to but she was presented as spoiled rich beautiful person who only cared about having parties and having a good time - reminds me of the influencers of this generation.
Talan was wishy-washy and he and Gemma had no chemistry whatsoever. Farrin and Mara were a little more interesting as I found them to be stronger characters than Gemma.
The story dragged along as it did with all the different gateways, hoping that with each gateway it would provide some sort of excitement. And not until about 80% into the book did it have any major movement.

This started out a bit slow, but then really hooked me. I thought the main character was extremely well-written, and the author played off her strengths and weaknesses very well. I am looking forward to the next book.

I loved this authors first series so much. So I was stoked to get an ARC for this one. While I didn’t love it as much as I hoped, it was still good! I know it’s not getting a ton of love, but I do hope it is a hit still. This book deserves it!

It’s multi genres, more on the YA side and filled with some reps you don’t see much of.

This is a strong start, and I hope it just gets better as the series goes.

I received a free e-arc through Netgalley, this in no way affected my review.

This book really felt like a trilogy pressed into one book with some relevant stuff missing. About a third through the book, the entire plot changes and the previous stuff didn’t seem to matter at all anymore.

There’s no questioning that Legrand is a good writer, because I really loved the writing style. It really sucked me right into the world and everything was described so vividly that it felt as if I was there.

I also didn’t feel the spark between Gemma and Talan. I really wish we had more building of this bond between them instead of us just giving moments of them being actually together.

I did not like Gemma at the beginning.  She is self-absorbed and vapid.
The introduction of Talan was weird. Their interactions seemed off, and he was too perfect. It was not a surprise when it was revealed who he really was.
It took much of the book before my opinion of Gemma changed, and I started to like her. She grated my nerves at times, but it wasn't as bad as the beginning.
I just wish that I could feel what the author was trying to voice between Gemma and Talan, but I just didn't.
I also agree with other reviews that it was a bit too long.
I did enjoy it enough to read book 2.

I absolutely loved this book! It has a lot of great world-building and fantastic characters. This book also has great representation of panic attacks and self-harming to cope with them, along with what suicidal thoughts and feelings feel like to the person having them. I actually really appreciated how well done it was, and showing how hard it is to cope with those things as well. It also shows that even people that are well off are not immune to mental illnesses that cause these things, which is something important. I can't wait to get myself a copy of this book when it's released!

For her entire life, Imogen—Gemma—Ashbourne has been terribly, incurably ill. While the rest of her family relishes the magic their anointed ancestors bequeathed to them, that same magic tortures Gemma every day, triggering a relentless onslaught of pain throughout her entire body. So, Gemma does whatever she can to distract herself from the torment inside her, often by finding her way into the beds of handsome guests. One such visitor, Talan d’Astier, is not like the others, and Gemma quickly finds herself smitten with him for more than one reason. But when strange events begin taking place, Gemma finds herself questioning what she thought was the truth and discovering secrets that have lain dormant for years.

This new adult fantasy novel contains a unique blend of pervasive magic and graphic romance. Much like a traditional Harlequin novel, much of the narrative details Gemma’s feelings and desires when it comes to Talan. These references are quite frequent, and their descriptions are notably explicit, which may require a trigger warning for some readers. Accompanying this is the fantasy component that places Gemma in a world filled with magic, potions, and betrayal. While the initial worldbuilding is clumsy at times and slow to begin, the pacing begins to pick up midway through the book. If readers are willing to continue to that point, the rest becomes much more intriguing.

The first in its series, this book sets the stage for adventures to come. Myriad questions are posed within this narrative, and while many of them are answered, some explanations are merely hinted at, which enhances readers’ desire to continue with the next installment. Young adult readers will empathize with Gemma’s desire for affection and to forget the pain she constantly experiences, even as they find themselves in their own unique circumstances. Likewise, readers are easily drawn into Talan’s orbit alongside Gemma, making it even more jarring as various circumstances come into question. Despite its initial challenges, this book ultimately draws readers into its mystery and intrigue. It is a unique addition to library collections for mature new adult readers.

I had high hopes for this one but unfortunately just could not get into it. The storyline dragged, the details were confusing (I needed more background), and the main character wasn’t very likable. This is going to have to be a pass for me.

When I pick up a Claire Legrand book, I know the writing is going to be incredible. Every book of Legrand's sweeps the reader up in whatever world she has created. Her writing is beautiful and brutal. She knows how to write a solid fantasy. A Crown of Ivy and Glass is no exception.

I really really wish I liked this book more especially with how much I loved Furyborn.
In short: Gemma is a very unlikable character and so is Talan and that didn't change much for me. The plot drags and the plot twist was predictable. I really hate giving this a bad review but I just didn't enjoy it!

This is, admittedly, my first Claire Legrand book. I do intend to pick up FURYBORN soon, however.

My issues with this book boils down to three things: the prose, the characters, and the story (or there lackof.) I suspect that this book might be an "acquired taste". (Which in itself is not a bad thing.)

To start with, I realized I would not like the writing from the first few pages, and that was the biggest red flag for me when embarking on my ready journey with this over-500-page book. That is a huge issue. I know that the author has previously published several YA books...and it shows. That's not to say--so we're clear--YA is inherently poorly written. Because it's not. It's what I read most of. But there's still a marked difference between YA and Adult writing, which was evident from the first page of A CROWN OF IVY AND GLASS (can we also retire this title styling, please? It's hugely overdone, likely due to the popularity of SJM.) If an author/publisher is marketing a book as Adult--not YA--then there are certain expectations when it comes down to it...and one of those expectations is writing. It lacked maturity and confidence, and needed a massive overhaul to be in a publishable state for the Adult book market.

Secondly, most of the characters lacked spark and interest or me. Characters are often the crux of a novel; a good premise cannot fly if the characters sink. This was largely in part to Gemma and her personality. How do I care about a book if I don't care about its characters?

Lastly, this is a BIG book that went on, and on, and on... You get the idea. If either the storyline, prose,OR characters were compelling enough, I'd have enjoyed this more--even if only by a little. Sadly, this book did not warrant its length and struggled to live up to the pitch.

However, I am still interested in FURYBORN as I've heard nothing but good things about them.

I don't know how I feel about this one. I really liked the main character and the plot however, I didn't like the romance and since it is a fantasy romance book, that is a huge part of the book. I think it had a solid plotline and I am interested to see where the story goes in future installments.

This was a little slow in the beginning put it did pick up towards the middle. Gemma and Talon relationship I am still not sure how I feel about it. I did like the magical world they lived In and hope to read book two to get to know Gemma after she’s older

The premise for this book sounds so promising. A Pride and Prejudice Fantasy? Yes please. Unfortunately it didn't measure up to expectations. The writing style is lacking and doesn't feel like an adult novel. The character development is non existent and the twists fell flat. At over 500 pgs a reader has expectations that the plot will go somewhere. It just wasn't for me I'm afraid.

A Crown of Ivy and Glass is Claire Legrand’s debut adult fantasy novel, and I have to say while I’ve seen some not so favorable reviews, I really enjoyed this book. I thought the characters were good, the story was interesting, and the pace was well done. Now, if I didn’t know this was a part of a trilogy, I’d have some more things to say about the pacing. But, knowing that we weren’t going to have a conclusion in this book, I was comfortable with the speed it was going.

For the characters, I actually really enjoyed them. It was pretty obvious that there was something going on with Talan from the start, and I kind of called some of what happened, but there was definitely still stuff I did not see coming and shocked me. There were moments where Gemma annoyed me a bit, but overall I did enjoy her character. Additionally, I am extremely interested in Farrin and would LOVE more on her.

I thought that the lore involved was pretty interesting as well. I am curious to learn more about the gods and hope we get some more on them and their downfall, and I’m curious to learn more about the demons and the Olden country.

As for it being her adult debut? I will say that there wasn’t too much that made it feel adult beyond a couple spicy scenes. However, I’m curious to see if the more we get into the series, the more adult it feels.

Overall, this was a pretty engrossing read for me and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. If you’re a fan of high fantasy, definitely pick this up. 4.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy! While it got compared to books like Bridgerton and ACOTAR, I couldn't get into it. I unfortunately got bored and didn't care that much about the characters.