Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I wanted to love this book, and the premise was intriguing, but it really didn't do it for me. For a book touted as an adult fantasy, I found that it read very YA with some spice thrown in to push it up to adult. I felt that this book did too much without really doing much at all, and the pacing felt very rushed without really getting into the detail that I wanted in terms of world building and the magic system. The first half of the book could have been the entire book 1 in my opinion, and the second half could have been the next book in the series if the author dove deeper into the characters and events, which I feel would have changed my opinion entirely. I also found Gemma to be quite vapid and annoying, which was maybe the point, but it was too much for me and I couldn't really come around to liking her as her character grew towards the end. I actually found the Basks to be the most interesting characters in the book, and I would have liked more of them, which hopefully the author does in book 2. Overall, I liked the ideas of the story, I was just left wanting more in the way that they were presented.

This is my first book to read by Claire Legend and I really enjoyed it. I was skeptical cause I had read some not so pleasant reviews but not everyone likes the same books. For me I liked it alot. I love all the fantasy and world building. There is so much going into this book and it was done perfectly. It's fast paced and keeps you on your toes. Gemma can be a little self centered sometimes but she feels so much pain physically and mentally but is still so strong. This book takes you on such a wild ride and i am so excited for book 2 to see what happens next!!!

I could not finish this book. It was very hard for me to stay interested, mostly because I did not like the main character. Which, I get is sometimes the point at the beginning of a book...you know, character growth, etc...
This was not enjoyable enough for me to push through, unfortunately.

I will attempt to read it again at another time, but it wasn't a good start,

I picked this guy up as I read another book by Legrand and liked it, and found the "Brigerton" comparison to be interesting. I found it to be more ACOTAR-y than Brigerton-y (ok yeah, it's a historical romance in the Regency era, but like, there are a ton of those and this book was VERY white - I associate Brigerton with diversity) and ended up with kind of mixed feelings about it. I think jt is going to be very hit or miss for folks - it was mostly a miss for me, just because I could not get behind the romance. Like the main love interest is an empath who can MANIPULATE PPL'S THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS and everyone just blindly trusts them. Ya girl never did trust or like him, so the romance parts (which are not an insignifcant piece of the book) just didn't land for me. I liked the worldbuilding and MC's sister's though, so if the next book covers Farin and Ryder (or whatever their names are), I might end up reading it 'cause I ship those two. 2 stars - it was ok.

I loved Claire’s other series so i was so excited to read this one. I dropped everything the day it dropped onto my kindle but unfortunately, i just couldn’t get into it. It’s more of a it’s not you, it’s me situation i think. I will definitely try pick it up again

While I wanted to like this I found the plot, world building and characters something that I was not a fan of and not something I would pick up again.

I thoroughly enjoyed this high fantasy adult romance.

Reminiscent of ACOTAR with an abrasive MC and a love interest with dark secrets, I think this is going to hit all the right marks with the BookTok demographics.

Great cover and concept.

After having loved this author's other works, I have to say this was a pretty anticipated release for me. Magically Bridgerton? Sign me up, absolutely. I liked the characters and though that the world-building was pretty easy to follow, but the pacing or plotting felt a bit off? Something was a bit disjointed in terms of the flow, and while it did take me out of the story a bit, it wasn't enough to completely ruin the experience or anything. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment because I think a lot of my gripes will be answered/resolved as the world and characters progress. Overall, a fun first installment of a new series! 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 Stars.

A Crown Of Ivy And Glass was a highly anticipated book for me, and I was excited to read that it was being advertised as a magical Bridgerton, I was so totally onboard.

I really enjoyed this, I thought Gemma was a very intriguing character, and I enjoyed her development. I did feel that the book perhaps didn't flow as well as it could have, which did detract from the reading experience, but I still enjoyed this.

I'm keen to read the next one, and find out a bit more. I think the second book will have a hit of a stronger direction, which I'm looking forward to.

It took me a few tries to get into this book and for the story to get going as I can’t say I was a fan of the main character Gemma. There was also a lot going on plot wise when what I really wanted was for this book to delve into the relationships between the sisters or the love interests or even the enemies. The sex scenes often felt misplaced and unnecessary in the story as this book read more like a YA fantasy to me. With that said, if the remaining books are from the other sisters perspectives I would read them.

Lady Gemma Ashbourne and her two sisters are a force to be reckoned with and I pity anyone who doubts them.
I love stories about sisters, and that's where the beauty of this book was for me. I want to read more about each of these women, and the journey's that lay before them, and how they grow together and independently.
The relationship between Gemma and Talan fell a little flat for me. It felt forced and I kept waiting for Legrand to reveal that Talan was just tricking Gemma all along! When that isn't what happened I had to go back through their story line in my head, trying to look at it with a different lens.
I did appreciate Legrand touching on anxiety and mental health. I would love to see that delved into deeper in the rest of the trilogy.

"A Crown of Ivy and Glass" is a novel that keeps moving, one event after another, trying to twist out shock to the readers with characters leaving and the main character, Gemma, constantly pushing the boundaries for what she's allowed to do. Readers who enjoy quick moving fantasy that focuses on romance would enjoy this.
I always get excited when I find a new large fantasy novel. Large novels mean there is time for world building, character development, and lots of exploration in this fantasy world we've never seen before. In theory. So when I saw "A Crown of Ivy and Glass", I hoped the large page count meant it built on all those things but it doesn't. Other than focusing on the unique magical abilities each character has, that there are magical pathways to transport you quickly called green ways, and that there is some mist that is encroaching on the kingdom, the world building is rather minimal. Rather than spending time building it up, the story focuses on Gemma's feelings about Talan, the love interest, disappearing again, and again, and again.
At first, I was intrigued because Gemma outright admitted she enjoyed being rich and famous, which is a slant we often don't see in fantasy in favor of a heroine who is usually much more modest. But that interest didn't last as Gemma proved herself to be thoughtless and incapable of learning from her own mistakes as well as unable to listen to any helpful advise from her friends and family for far too long in the novel. An example, of which there were many, is the way Gemma naively trusted Talan too quickly and then brainlessly forgave him for leaving every time he did, which he did too often. I have not disliked a romantic interest so strongly in a long time. Sure, Talon was given reasons for his departures, but they weren't really good enough, or Gemma forgave him and re-trusted him again too quickly, to really make the constant abandonment feel like anything except a terribly abusive relationship that should just be ended. At least Gemma finally began to show some growth towards the final third of the book.
The other issue is that the plot felt too loose. The first part Gemma was teaming up with Talan to try and get one over on their rival family. The second part was mainly Talan is gone, now he's not, now he is and now he's not, now Gemma's gone and stuck with these not-dead dead people who can actually help her grow as a character and now Talon's back. The third, Talon needs freed and can't help because he's in too much pain to do anything but quiver unconsciously, but the rival family is helping us now and we're not really going to dive into their story all that strongly. The plot needed condensed and the Basks needed more exploration. They were too central of characters to always be on the sidelines as causal mentions in the narration.
I'm sure this book will find many readers who enjoy it despite my own grudges, and I'll still pick up the next book the author writes, because it might be good, you know?

This book took a little bit to get into, but I ended up really enjoying it. I'm glad I stuck with it!

Absolutely loved this book 11/10. It’s definitely going to be a big hit. I’m calling it now.

I was obviously pulled in with the “Bridgeton meets ACOTAR” vibes. Now that I’ve read it, I think that’s partly true, but not entirely.

Like ACOTAR you have three very different sisters who are central and crucial to the story, but only one is the narrator in this first book and driving the story forward.

Like most fantasy romance books, you’re left wondering if the guy she falls for is actually good or actually bad? And if he’s bad, is he redeemable? I won’t spoil it but, that’s classic for this genre and a reason why those of us who love this genre continue to come back to it.

As for Bridgeton, you definitely get the sense that this is happening in the regency era and there are balls with dance cards, which I was totally here for.

I think Claire is an incredible writer. This book is non-stop from the beginning, which makes it hard to put down. And even when I was 85% done with it I didn’t know how it would end. I can’t wait for the next book.

Spice level is great. Definitely on ACOTAR level.

I appreciate that Gemma (the main character) deals with real world issues like “the panic” what we would call anxiety, and a sickness that can feel relatable to anyone who struggles with chronic ailments. It’s more ways to connect with this character and add complexity to her. Just as we are multilayered so too are the characters in this book, which I thoroughly enjoyed!

A promising start to a new series! Somehow I didn't connect well with the mc, but the world and magic captivated me. I can't wait to read the next one, especially if it focuses on another of the sisters!

This book was good but not mind blowing. A very interesting premise with characters that were great to read but not something that I would recommend to a million people over and over again.

A Crown of Ivy and Glass tells the story of Gemma, the daughter of a gods anointed family who is the only one without magical abilities. Her mother disappeared when she was a child and her older sister went off to fight in the Mistlands, the only thing keeping the old world magic from the new world. Her father and sister are obsessed with a blood feud with another family and Gemma is mostly left to fend for herself while she deals with debilitating pain at others use of magic and her own panic at being out in the world. Then enters Talan who is handsome and magnetic and pulls her into his scheme to take down a demon who put a curse on his family and who he believes has also cursed Gemma’s family. This was definitely an exciting read and I loved the world building and the character development. The romance was a little much for me and it felt like too many sex scenes but other than that I really enjoyed this book and will check out the sequel when it comes out.

Pitched as "ACOTAR meets Bridgerton", A Crown of Ivy and Glass follows Gemma, a lady of the elite who is the only member of her family who does not have magical abilities. Underneath the facade, Gemma feels lonely and like an outsider in her own family. However, as the impending magical ruin upon her family and home is laid bare, she makes a bargain with another outsider in the hopes of finally realizing her true power.

What Didn't Work:
• Other than magic placed in a "historical" setting, there is really no similarity to ACOTAR or Bridgerton.
• The scope of the story is far too large. It felt like multiple books and genres smashed together in one.
• Gemma as a FMC was hard to root for. Characters should of course be complex and flawed, but it felt like Gemma's vanity and shallow nature overpowered any redeeming qualities she may have.
• The magic "rules" didn't feel very clear amongst the various characters.

Overall I rate this 2/5. I think with some editing and a more focused plot, it could have some potential.

Can I just put it out there?? Claire Legrand's world building is phenomenal. Pitched as Bridgerton meets ACOTAR....give it all to me. Now with that being said, let's dig into it.

Imogen 'Gemma' Ashbourne is surrounded by a world of magic...and it's killing her. Every day is filled with pain and sickness. Magic doesn't agree with her. To combat her daily life, she embraces a life of beauty from fashion and luster to parties and lovers. Her family is anointed by the gods and involved in a blood feud with a fellow anointed family, but Gemma doesn't concern herself with such trivialities.

Until a mysterious man comes under her father's influence and into her heart, but his intentions may not be honest. Now, Gemma's life is turned upside down. She's able to cast small amounts of magic, she's forgetting her dearest friends, and she's on the hunt for the demon who's messing with her family. Can Gemma save her family and end her own suffering? Or can her love save the day and her life?

What I liked:
-The world building obviously, Legrand is a master and I'd happily live in her magic systems.
-I also love the sense of mystery she embeds into her characters. They're so well thought out and I think that's another reason why some reviewers aren't too keen on this book. Gemma starts the book out as a privileged and honestly, seriously unlikeable. However, that's the point. Her character arc's growth is her journey in this first book and I hope the growth continues into the second book.
-Farrin and Ryder's chemistry. Can the second book just be from their POVs PLEASE!!!

What I though needed some work:
-A lot of reviewers said there is a complete disconnect between the first half of the book and the second half, and I have to agree with them. I'm hoping before the book is released there's some sort of work to merge the two halves together. I enjoyed both halves, but it was a rather dramatic transition.
-I also thought the relationship between Gemma and her bestie needed some tweaking in the second half because the drama felt unresolved (even though I know it's a series). I just thought it needed a tad more salve to get to the point it was when the book ended.

All in all, I'm very excited for this beauty to land on my shelf in May.

A CROWN OF IVY AND GLASS hits stores May 9, 2023. Pre-Order!!!

My thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

"...something immense and terrifying is awakening in Gemma, drawing her inexorably toward Talan and an all-consuming passion that could destroy her—or show her the true strength of her power at last."

Legrand is a must read for me and this novel has the potential to start a great series. The start feels meandering and I felt a love/hate relationship with Gemma and a great need to just get to the point. The story gains speed and we get going with a great cast of characters, a unique magic system, a mysterious villan, and enemies around every corner...and then it ends! So ultimately, I need more. I have faith this will undergo more editing and all the great parts will be joined.