This story is amazing and so magical, I really enjoy this second part, I always enjoy a good book with fantasy and lots of magic.

Another fast paced magical adventure filled with excitement and fun!

This sequel answered questions and left others still open, I desperately need to get my hands on the next installment of Ivy's story.

This book was just as wonderful as the first and I once more fell into the world of Croswald, onto this time the stakes were a little higher as The Dark Queen was a much more visible threat!

I cannot wait to see where Ivy's story goes next.

After the events of the Ball at the end of book 1, Ivy finds herself on the hunt for an address she was told to go to, but not how to get there. Once she arrives, she meets a group of friends who introduce her to a new game that could up her magical skills. It’s not all fun though, because Ivy is pursuing the pieces of a magical stone she needs to keep from the Dark Queen, and something shadowy seems to be stalking Ivy in return.
I must admit I did have trouble remembering the exact events and character names from the first book, as I read it so long ago! So, I was playing catch up for a while as the story just barreled on, with no real memory joggers in the first chapters. Once I got my head around the characters again, the story proceeded in the same whimsical, magical way of the first book. I know I mentioned in my review of the first book that these books have a very Harry Potter feel to them and that is still the case. There are SO many similarities, but that doesn’t mean I’m not recommending them, that means I’m saying ‘if you loved Harry Potter and are looking for something similar, this will fit the bill’. The characters are a lot of fun and I love the magical feel of the whole setting.
I felt like this book was a little faster paced than the first one, there were several little mysteries going on, that intertwined at the end. I really enjoyed the new creatures we were introduced to this time too! The friendships were a wonderful theme in this instalment of the story and having the characters spend time out of the Halls, and in the town of Belzebuhe, kept the setting from going stale.

Overall I’d recommend picking this magical series up and I’m looking forward to reading the next book!

I received a copy of The Girl with the Whispering Shadow from Stories Untold Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

D.E. Night created something fun and magical in The Crowns of Croswald. The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is a fantastic sequel that adds to that magic.

While this book does feel a bit different, it is still just as enchanting as the first.
The world building is expanded and readers get a deeper peek into the world of scrivenists. And as with the first book, I never quite knew what to expect and was excited to see what new creature, spell, or potion was waiting to be discovered on the next page. (There are times when I suspect D.E. Night’s imagination is in fact limitless.)

It is an absolute delight to follow Ivy’s story and uncover more of the secrets of her past and Croswald.

D.E. Night’s writing is still just as vivid and it’s hard not to imagine yourself alongside Ivy and her friends. Another aspect that made me enjoy this sequel even more was that D.E. Night gives you the information you need when you need it without completely retelling you what happened in the first book. This is something people who don’t reread, marathon read series, and/or read series as they are released can truly appreciate. (I know I did.)

I did have some issues with the pacing and occasionally got lost in the world building, but I was still able to enjoy the story. I actually think I enjoyed this one more than the first and am excited to see what happens next in Ivy’s story.

So, if you’re looking for a magical escape I recommend checking out this series! The third installment, The Words of the Wandering is available now too.

Thank you so much Stories Untold Press and NetGalley for the review copy!

Thank you to the author and publisher who allowed me to read this novel early!

Summary: Only hours after Ivy Lovely discovers that she is the fulfillment of the Moonsday promise, she is whisked away from her beloved school to Belzebuthe, a secret town for only those with magical blood.

Ivy sets out on a mission to uncover the second facet of the Kindred Stone while eluding the Dark Queen’s wrath. But even when she’s supposed to be safe, something is shadowing Ivy. She will need all her natural-born magic and more as she battles to find the rest of the Kindred Stone and return to the Halls of Ivy.

Before it’s too late...

My thoughts: I really enjoyed the sequel to this novel! Ivy is such a strong character and I found myself eager to read more about her journey. The author built a fascinating world. Looking forward to reading more from her !

I was not ready for the first book to end when it did and I was super eager to start reading "The Girl with the Whispering Shadow".
As said before fantasy is a new genre for me and I use a longer time getting into these type of stories, but as I read on, I slowly disappear into this new world filled with magic and quills and mystery.
The best thing with reading is all those images in your mind. It's like a movie is playing in your head while reading the story.
This book begins where the first book ends. It tells what's next in store for Ivy after the school year ends. At first I felt like there was something missing, but as I read along I couldn't help liking this story. I felt the story slowed down a little towards the middle of the book but towards the end I couldn't put this book down.
I'm beyond ready for the third book now. I need to know what's going to happen with Ivy and her friends, and not to forget the Dark Queen.

This is the second book of the series that I reviewed not long ago.

I really loved the first book so I was a both excited and nervous about the second one not living up to the first. Fear not! Whilst the first book gives us the background, sets scenes and brings us the first drama, the second introduces more characters, and develops relationships, as well as ramps up the whole story.

Friendships are formed and strengthened, and I fell in love with “The Town”....I want to live there...and of course, the Dark Queen shows up again...

Really enjoyed the second book, one more to go...!!.

My thanks to Netgalley and Stories Untold for the copy in exchange for an honest review

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow (2019)

Disclaimer: I got a digital copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange of an honest review on all my bookish platforms.

The story continues hours after the end of the first book with students from the Halls of Ivy leaving the school for their summer break. With Ivy reuniting with her family's Scrivenist, Derwin Edgar Night, she was instructed to not come back to school for it is too dangerous for her, and find the remaining pieces of the Kindred Stone. Derwin believes the second piece of the stone is located at the Town, which is also the safest place for Ivy to be at.

Ivy discovered new things during her stay at Belzebuthe, the secret town where Scrivenist are free to use their magic without the fear of the Dark Queen. She spends her whole summer and half of the school year in Belzebuthe wherein she met new and interesting characters, joined a club called Quality Quills Clubs (QQC), learned of a new game called Quogo and having a never ending encounter with danger.


BELZEBUTHE - Reading about the Town was a magical experience, the way it was described makes me want to find a cabby and head there myself. And the stars! Don't get me started on how beautiful the stars are and I love how the people from Town can fish for the stars and grant wishes. This is the place to be when you want to learn about magic. AND I LOVE THE QUOGO GAMES.

I was so into the world of Croswald that I immediately requested for the second book. Even if this is categorized as Middle Grade book, I believe this book is open for all ages. It is an easy to read book, narrated in third person and with illustrations on the first page of every chapter. From the story line to the concept, it is absolutely incredible.

P.S. I am obsessed with the color of their uniforms just because I love every hues of violet and purples.

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow was unfortunately a disappointment. The world is somewhat interesting, but the characters and plot did little to expand and improve upon the already shack groundwork that was laid in the previous entry.

I have received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

Actual rating: 4.5

This review can be found on goodreads

-Synopsis-
The Girl with the Whispering Shadow was a great sequel to The crowns of croswald.
This book grabbed my attention firmly. I liked this books so much that I finished it during one sitting. I need to mention how I now want a Special Moonsday Milkshake they were described so good I need one asap! I loved going back to Ivy’s world and seeing her adventures.

-Setting-
This world is probably one of my favorites. I enjoyed learning more about Croswald during this book. I liked how croswald was developed. I hope in the next book we get to learn even more about this world!

-Writing-
The writing in this book was pretty good. The book had a pretty fast pace for me but that was fine. I liked discovering the game “Quogo” it was a great experience. All the characters were written beautifully. The magic was explained good and I understood everything. I do wish there were more class scenes in this book, I particularly enjoyed those. The book started where it left off and ended nicely.

-Characters-
One of my favorite parts of this book/series was the friendships and characters. It was so wholesome and sweet. Ivy’s relationship with Fyn and Rebecca developed greatly and I adored it. I feel as though Ivy could have had more character development. Her character was basically the same as the first book, which was okay but I wish there was more personality. Ivy is also a good role model for young children. She is a likable protagonist, she is brave and takes on challenges, people of all ages can love her, etc.

-Conclusion-
This was a nice sequel to the first book. I preferred this to the first. I would for sure recommend this book/series to anyone. There is magic, adventure, great characters in this book. If you are looking for any of that and much more definitely think about reading this series.

I liked this book so much more than the first book. And I don’t know why, to be honest. I think it was because I knew the characters better and I understood the plot better.

In this book Ivy needs to protect Croswald from the Dark Queen. After the Dark Queen came to the ball, Ivy isn’t safe anymore. She has to find the other two pieces of the Kindred Stone, before the Queen finds them. You follow Ivy in a series of magical events, fighting the Queen throughout the book, and you see the friendships growing with every page.

You see Ivy grow from a shy, poor maid to a rightful Queen. It’s beautiful to see how she accepts her faith and makes the best of it. And it’s amazing how her friends help her achieve her goals and keep her motivated. Also, the relationship between Ivy and Winsome Monocle is beautiful, and it was great to see how he helped her trough tough times.

Overall, I liked this book much more than the first one. And if you like magical school, with a unique magic system, this is a book for you. It was categorized as a middle-grade book, but I think readers of all ages can love this book.

This is the second book of a series to the number of books I don't know the amount of but I know there's 3 so far. I received this one from Netgalley and the publisher in return for a review.

We follow where we picked up directly after the first book and I like books that have done that so we have somewhat of a clear timeline but other than that there isn't a very well kept timeline.

I said in the last book review for this series that we need more Harry Potter themed books to get attention but some of the themes in this book sound like they were taken directly from Harry Potter or books like it and maybe we have to look over that or just use them as comparisons to who did the theme better.

I loved the first chapter art and I thought we were going to get more art like that and I got excited and then we went right back to the regular chapter art and I was less impressed but still very pretty to look at.

This one felt more like Ivy was rushed into doing things and it was a lot of the quill sport and you lose my attention at sports at all and I get disinterested. They hit me with a good little found family troupe though so I will give them that.

Honestly, the fact that nothing of importance with the stone happened until we were 70% in the book is a large reason this book does not have a higher rating from me. I understand that it's a middle-grade series but getting more done quickly would have been satisfying to me.

I'll be continuing the series, I love to support smaller publishing houses and authors so when I get the chance to sit down and buy the series on Kindle the whole series will be bought.

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is the second book in The Crowns of Croswald series and picks up right where book one left off . . .

After having dealt with the Dark Queen at the ball and finding her family’s scrivenist - Derwin Edgard Knight, Ivy Lovely is swept off to the hidden town of Belzebuthe where she will continue her scrivenist/magic studies safely out of the Dark Queen’s reach.

However things do not go exactly as planned and Ivy ends back again at the Halls of Ivy on another adventure with her friends, her adorable scaldron Humboldt and a sinister shadow that seems to be following her.

I absolutely loved this book - the story is so whimsical and has this cozy vibe that makes you feel like you’re reading a fairytale. The characters are all lovable and I enjoyed getting to know each of them { I completely ship Ivy and Fyn } and meeting all the new ones that were introduced - I especially liked learning a bit more about Ivy’s scrivenist Derwin Edgar Night and hope to get even more info on him in the third book.

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is a fantastic read filled with magic and mystery. I’ll definitively be reading book three and recommend that you add it along with book 1 to your TBR list - because you can never have too many books right?

The second book in this series follows directly the events of the first book. Ivy is set up to once again find a stone, but this time she gets the help of Derwin Edgar Night, a character that has grown on me. Call me weak, but yeah, I am weak for mentor figures. That, and for people whose memories are a bit misty and so it makes it harder for them to help, which is also the case of Night. But he does remember this town, whose name should stay a secret. The small town setting then really came to live, which is complete with a tour through the town and Ivy even having a summer job there for a short time. It is really interesting to read about how the magic works in this world, it never felt all over the place. On the contrary, it felt really planned out and I trusted the author with giving me information that was needed for the story to go further. What you see in most fantasy stories, is unfortunately, oversharing, which makes it as a reader hard to remember what is important and what isn’t. especially for me, since my memory sucks.

But it is as if this book and the author knew my memory does suck and so the book was only filled with information that turned out to be important. This doesn’t make the world building suffer, it only makes it better to understand and especially for people who are new to this genre!

The characters are once again a soft spot. Ivy learns from her mistakes, which is nice to read about, and wonders if what she is doing is right. Her struggle on page is only understandable and takes you as the reader on a journey that makes you wonder if you would have done the same. For the Dark Queen, her character still felt a bit flat for my liking, but slowly we get to know her better. There are more characters introduced, like students, and the adding of the club setting was really sweet to read about since it is a great way to explore how deep friendships can go. Or romance, which is really a slow burn and I’m also weak for those. The club setting also gave a more insight on how the magic works and because it came back multiple times, the book is great at reminding you how and why things work there.

The pacing of the story was a bit slower due all the set up that was done and made me sometimes wonder when the actions came. There were a few short-actioned moments, but overall they were set up for the last few pages, in which things went down for sure.

Overall, it is easy read, especially for people who want to read more fantasy but feel intimidated by it. I loved the mystery aspect of it as well, which had me guessing many times, as well as the magic system which we got to know more of, and even some more magical beasts. At the end, it is a sweet book about magic and friendship, two things I love to read about!

I will admit that I wasn’t in love with the first book in the series; mainly because I found myself making comparisons to other magical novels. Book two... it stands out in such an amazing, captivating way that I do not understand why everyone isn’t reading or talking about it!!

Ivy Lovely is our heroine and she is such a perfect main character, growing into her own and you really can’t help but love her. Our supporting characters can’t be forgotten either and I seriously adore them all for one reason or another. The Dark Queen is at times actually scary, along with her freaky entourage.

Once I hit that last 25% I just couldn’t draw myself away. I’m actually so excited about this book that I’m writing this review rather than getting some very much needed sleep. But I don’t want to give anything away, so just start on this series stat!!!

Thanks so much to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

wow. I loved this book, dare I say, more than the first one. This one gets darker as the story continues. Instead of summarizing the girl with the whispering shadow, I'll just share my review this way. First, what I found interesting was how the first book ended with Belzebuthe and the first line of the prologue in the second books started with Belzebuthe (you need to read it to know what I mean). The mysterious girl made me thinking about her identity throughout the book. The way Ivy takes care of her friends and everyone else was what touched mt heart. The scrivinist, Night, his care and devotion towards his royal family (read it, read it) brought tears to my eyes. I am so much amazed and mesmerized with the new terms, words and terminologies that the author came up with in the girl with the whispering shadow. I hadn't forgotten the way hollow shaft affected me and winsome and all and here in second book I found more heart-gripping scenes and places. I was suspicious of each and every character and I was scared for Ivy's safety (uhh God how scared I was and how it caught my breath). When Ivy got the letter (again I'll say you need to read the book to know what I am talking about), I was both happy and scared for her. I have started to love the characters more than ever. Scriven this is my favorite one as it keeps us informed (if u know what mean). ohh and that black quill gave me a really creeps. And it was a surprise where Ivy stayed in the belzebuthe (shhh.. secret). Glistle really annoyed me though lolz. Loved Gretta. She is really a strong girl. I so so want Ivy and Gretta to be friends (Rebecca sorry, nobody can replace u). The starguster, star fishing and star casting made me go like yaaaaaaayyyy. I loved these more than the Quogo game (again read it, read it). I feel like I missed Winsome and felt sad about him more than Ivy did. The mettelers were so cool. ugh and I feel that Demaris is never going to be good, wait until she gets to know the truth (lolx). Invisitaurs! how can I forget Invisitaurs. I loved them. Please I want them too. Star solo is my most favorite. I liked Occulyst. I feel so so sad and I am Grieving for the events that took place along with the srivinist, Night's problem (if u have read it, then you know what I am talking about). Tearfully, I am stating this series is so so close to my heart and the author D. E. Night has done wonderful job. She is genius. 5 stars from my side (I would give more stars if there were any). looking forward to the third book now

I just finished the second book of the trilogy. Really, I cannot recommend these books enough. The story continues with the main character, Ivy, leaving for a quest and her confronting the Dark Queen again.

The book has action, suspense, adventure, humour, strong relationships between the characters and the plot reveals a lot cues of the past of the heroine. Generally, you feel the characters grow the further you read the story which is something that I admire and value in books.

The second book did not let me down a bit in all its length. On the contrary, it maintains a pace in sharing events and information that makes you want to fly through pages! Can’t wait to see what other adventures D.E.Night has for us in book 3!

Right after the first book's crazy ending, we pick up Ivy's story right where we left off and her story gets even more interesting as the 2nd book progresses. I love the world of Croswald and am so thankful that I was approved for all 3 books so I didn't have to wait to continue Ivy's story and her battle against the Dark Queen. I love that we can start to see the hints of a romantic relationship for her and that her confidence in herself starts to grow as the story progresses. Her friendships become even stronger as they are tested further by the Dark Queen. This story truly draws readers in from page 1 and keeps them there. Readers won't be able to put the book down and will be itching to get their hands on each book in the series. Great read and I can't wait to rejoin Ivy's story in the 3rd book!

Ok but this second book in the series was everything and more! If I didn’t have to work, it would not have taken me a week to finish! Gosh, it was soooo good! First off, Belzebuthe sounds amazing and I NEED to go there! Especially to see the stars. I loved when Ivy and Fyn were on the roof, they are adorable and I am totally rooting for them. I also NEED to go star fishing and make a wish! “We just have to see the stars inside us.” YES WE DO. Also, I may or may not have dropped my jaw when the title made sense.... (Internally screaming!!!!) I was STOKED to read about the Occulyst and the owls, because owls are my favorite animal - DUH. I probably would have cried if I had the opportunity to go there lol. Ivy’s friendship with Rebecca reminded me a lot of how I feel with this awesome book community, you all are so supportive and I appreciate it so much! And to see Ivy’s character develop even more, I am so here for it! I can’t wait to read the third book.

The second book to an amazing series. This book is hands down a great book that I couldn't put down, I will definitely be buying this series for my son. Everyone could use a great escape and this is that perfect escape.
D.E. Night did a phenomenal job writing this story and putting us into another sought out world we didn't know we needed.