This was a great series opener for a new middle grade fantasy series. It was light and fresh but still introduced some tension as the protagonist came into her own.

Thank you to D.E Night and Stories Untold Press for inviting me to read this story!

This is something pretty different to what I usually read. The Crowns of Croswald is a fantasy story aged roughly at children aged 8-12. Though I’m a little older than the intended audience, I thoroughly enjoyed this read! It felt like I was watching a Disney movie.

The book has been described as ‘Harry Potter meets Alice in Wonderland’ I’d say it also matches the vibes of Lemony Snicket’s ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ and Diane Wynn Jones’ ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’.

This is a nice, simple read for children. I think it’s a great story to introduce them to the fantasy genre with magic and unfolding mystery to keep them engaged.

I actually found this book a bit of a chore to get through. The protagonist, Ivy, just didn't excite me and I think it may have been better if she was 12 years old instead of 16. She was supposed to be some rebel sneaking out of the school and doing what she was told not to but for such a rule breaker she came across as drab.

There are many great reviews for this book but I just couldn't connect and found myself confused when the story kept going off on tangents with too much telling.
It was a long haul to the ending which I really enjoyed and it did bring the story all together for me only it was too little too late.

An absolutely whimsical and magical adventure. The book's take on magic and the history behind the story are very well thought out. I anticipate much more adventure in the coming books in the series.

If you're a fan of Harry Potter and the like, this is a great book for you! I really enjoyed getting into this book and the fantasy world the author created. It was such a fun, easy read full of adventure and mischief and I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

D. E. night has created such a unique magical world and I fell into it so easily. Right from the start, the writing itself felt magical, like there really was this world with deep ancient magic. It's hard to explain but the vibe/mood of the book was so good and believable, I could feel that it was magical. Unlike most books, the words the author created felt *right*. Scrivenist, sqwinch, scaldron, slurry fields? They all flow so nicely and feel so true. I just love to say scrivenist! I want to be one lol!

The Crowns of Croswald is so packed full of fun and magic. Although time in the book went fast, I loved that it never slowed down. Ivy is constantly learning new things, making discoveries, finding secret rooms and going places she shouldn't lol. The year goes by fast and full of adventure as she searches for answers about herself and who D. E. Night is.

For a "middle grade fantasy" it didn't feel too young at all. The characters are all 16+ and it was just a very easy read. I appreciated that nothing felt too predictable because new things are constantly happening and parts turning out unexpectedly.

Not only did I LOVE the story, but the book itself is beautiful. The cover and title page illustrations all perfectly embody the magical feel of The Crowns of Croswald. Fun and full of magic, the world feels entirely unique, believable, and is refreshing to read. There are so many different and exciting concepts I loved. I would recommend it to anyone looking to enjoy a refreshingly new magical story full of mystery and intrigue.

I was given this book for free by the publisher for an honest review. Being a middle grade book, I put on my former teacher hat and read it as if I was previewing it for a class library. Would I put it in a class library for 5th or 6th graders? Yes. Would it be my first pick? No. Right off the bat, there’s made up words that are really important that aren’t defined- scrivinest, scaldrons, squinches, to name a few. You have to figure it out from context clues. Some poor editing with awkward sentences that need to be read a few times to get the meaning. There’s certain parts that I felt “well….that’s from Harry Potter”- she doesn’t know she’s magic until she goes to a magic school, there’s a really short professor who needs to stand on a chair to teach, a school bully, mischievous ghost that plays pranks on students, a room that stores random stuff, “cloaked ones”… It’s just not as good as Harry Potter. It’s slow. The characters are bland at times. I definitely wouldn’t call it “like” Harry Potter. Felt more copied, unfortunately.

Take a step into a world full of magic!!!

The Crowns of Croswald is the first book in a fantasy series. Think Harry Potter vibes. Full of magic, mystery, adventure and not forgetting the amazing magical creatures, it was a very enjoyable and easy read.

The world building was very cool indeed and quirky, (which I love as we all know I am partial to abit of good world building) and the magic was just incredible. D.E. Night is seriously very imaginative and creative and has given us a fantastic new fantasy world to get lost in.

Very much looking forward to continue the series to see what else she can pull off.

This was such a fun, magical read! I really enjoyed Ivy and I love anything with a little magic thrown into it. I had seen many reviews mentioning some similarities with HP but I think it stands well on it’s own - and we love a female lead! The creatures were a great addition and I’m eager to read even more from the series now!

I regret to say that I was not able to finish the book. I read 90% of my books in English, but unfortunately it was very difficult for me to understand the context of the book because German is my native language. Unfortunately, I didn't have much reading fun as a result, and can therefore not give a content-related review. Thanks for the reading anyway!

A great YA fantasy adventure that charmed me. It reminded me of Harry Potter and its similarity is the best thing about this book. The world-building is fantastic and the main character Ivy is very likable. I will recommend it to my intermediate students.

I really enjoyed this book! I will read the rest of the series one day, and will tell my children to read them. It reminded me of Harry Potter mixed with the Merlin show, I loved the dragons! D.E. Night created her very own fairy tale world and I really liked the excitement, it was a page turner for sure. I loved Ivy and her rebelious ways, she reminded me a lot of myself and my daughter! As I was reading I could easily see this being made into a TV show or movie.

The Crowns of Croswald is such a well-realised fantasy novel, which really does transport you to a world of magic, suspense and intrigue. The world-building is excellent, and I really enjoyed meeting the characters, especially the relatable heroine Ivy.

I should mention here that I am not the biggest fan of fantasy. I have dabbled, of course, and have tried to read more from the genre, but I am always drawn more to general and literary fiction. However, with that in mind, I will say this book would be an excellent place to start if you are new to fantasy, or a young reader of fantasy. The story is really engaging and whimsical, and has some nods to Harry Potter, so if you already a HP fan, you might love this.

I would be happy to recommend this books and the good news is, it's a four-part series, so lots more to learn about the world!

This book was fine! I love a magical school setting and this book fits the bill. There are so many magical things and creatures in this world, What's not to like. Plus there is lots of magic and whimsy. In this book there is a magical creature that will highlight your books to help you study, Where can I get me one of those? Younger me would have liked this book, adult me found the writing a little clipped or clunky in some places but overall I liked the book. Definitely wish there was an audiobook for this.

If you like:
• Orphan with unknow magic
• Magical school
• Lots of Magical creatures
• Middle Grade
• Mysterious Elements
• Defeat Evil
• Single POV
• Adventure
• Magic and Whimsy

3.5 ⭐

The Crowns of Croswald is an incredible, fantastic and beautiful book. It gives a natural vibe, that you can easily inmerse yourself in the story.

I think my 13 year old self would have loved and enjoyed it even more.

Having said that, for a middle grade book, the language it uses is a bit complex. I understand that the point of giving a book to a child is to enrich their vocabulary, but in this case, it becomes somewhat complicated if we add the complex magic system and the plot itself.

Still, the ending of the book is a complete masterpiece and it will make children want to read the next book right away. Even I'm excited to see what comes next for Ivy (and also Rebecca and Fyn 🫢)

I think it's perfect for fans of Harry Potter series.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read the book in exchange of an honest review.

This book was just magical! It gave me distinct Harry Potter vibes - magical boarding school, a kid that doesn’t know they have powers, a “chosen one” kind of feel… It was nostalgic in the best way! This is a perfect book for young readers to introduce them to fantasy and get them interested in the genre.

Ivy is a 16 year old orphan working as a maid at a castle. She is run out of the only home she’s ever known and as she crosses a magical barrier, it becomes clear that she has a lot to learn about herself, her magical potential, and the world around her. She’s transported to a the Halls of Ivy, a boarding school where future scrivenists (those born with magic) and royals (who have magic through special gems in their crowns) learn to hone their magical skills.

The writing was wonderful - very descriptive, whimsical, and accessible. All important things when trying to achieve the kind of world-building needed in a book like this! I also thought the book was very witty and it had a few laugh-out-loud moments that I loved.

Overall, I really enjoyed the Crowns of Croswald. It left off in a way that makes me want to pick up the next in the series… I need to know what’s going to happen with Ivy and her friends! I’d definitely recommend this for fantasy fans, but especially for the younger fantasy readers out there.

Thank you to D.E. Night, Stories Untold Press, and NetGalley for the #gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland (the books, not the characters) had a baby, this would be it. The Crowns of Croswald was an enthralling fantasy that I am so happy to have been offered to read.

Magically written with unique characters, and an enchanting plot, I was hooked from the beginning. We follow Ivy, a young girl navigating a whole new world of magic and her adventure was definitely a fun one to follow.

While I liked this story, I feel as though I would’ve enjoyed it more if I read it in elementary school. It has been a while since I’ve read a middle grade fantasy (I’m more into YA novels) which is why my rating may be a bit biased based on reading preference although I would say that I still enjoyed this story.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is new to reading and fantasy (especially if they are in elementary or middle school because they would surely obsess over Ivy Lovely’s story)

Well written, and I think a middle grade kid would probably really enjoy it. For me it was too much like Harry Potter, but not quite as good. I’m sorry to say that because I think her writing style is admirable. I would be interested in potentially seeing more from this author, but this book just wasn’t for me. I am going to pass it to my 12-year-old daughter, though who I think would actually really enjoy it.

Let me begin with the fact that fantasy is not typically a genre I’m easily drawn into. I knew within two chapters that I absolutely wanted to read and review this book for Night!

Pros: It’s a bit Harry Potter reminiscent in some ways, but the plot itself is original and captivating. There’s plenty of foreshadowing, but not so obvious that it gives the plot away. Night also is a brilliant wordsmith - I cannot count how many times I giggled or smiled seeing wordplay! I also was intrigued with how well she built not only Coswald, but the characters and even inanimate objects such as quills and bottles (both are very important to the storyline).

There isn’t a detail in this book that doesn’t belong! Every last description, personification, and scene all work together as a cohesive whole! I especially love that the ending wasn’t rushed, given the enormity of building that went on for the world, characters, their interactions, and plot itself. I truly cannot wait to read the next few books in the series!

Cons: There were a few times I was slightly confused, but those moments were answered in time. I just had to exercise some patience. Otherwise, I really don’t know that there are any cons I can think of, truthfully.

Conclusion: If whimsy, original, similar to Harry Potter, and magical are your things… this is a book you need to try out. I feel it’s not a story that’s been said before, so open the cover for yourself and see if you agree!

This book is the biggest crossover I have seen of the Harry Potter world and magic, Fae/faeries, and a small sprinkle of sleeping beauty/repunzel - and I LIKED IT. I was a total Potterhead growing up and reading this book threw me right back into that world. The world building was great and I actually really enjoyed . The Idea behind the girl being locked away or hidden until she discovers or her powers come out is a common idea but it was utilized really well in this book. The second book is out already and I imagine I will have to make room in my schedule to read it!