This is the first middle grade book I've read in a while and I was not disappointed! The Crowns of Croswald is a whimsical story with a lovely (pun intended) protagonist. I enjoyed following Ivy Lovely from the slurry fields to the Halls of Ivy. The story is part mystery and part high fantasy, with a touch of the absurd. My first thought when Ivy arrived at school was that it felt like Harry Potter, but in a pleasant way that didn't feel derivative at all. Maybe even better than Hogwarts! Throughout every development, I was interested in the progression, though I did find the pacing a little strange at times. There were enough unanswered questions at the end that I want to keep reading the series! I wanted to know more about how the actual work of a scrivenist happens and what exactly their job is, because it felt like I got just a taste but was still confused by the end, and I'm hoping to get more of an explanation in book two. I also want to know more about the mechanics of the world, because there were some things that seemed interesting but got glossed over. Again, I assume there will be more development in the second book. Finally, the magic system was confusing, but in a good way! I want to see more about how the crowns work and how magic works in general. I'm looking forward to reading more, and suggesting this book to friends. ( )

Thanks to the publisher/author for providing this book in exchanging for an honest review.

I really liked this book. It brings me back to when I first started reading, being an excellent book for teens and young adults I think.

It's creative and magical and the little illustrations in the beginning of the chapters are really lovely. The small chapters are also a plus for me, as it gives flow to the story.
I like that the author gives a personality to the multiple creatures and involves them in the story and also as companions to help Ivy.
As for the characters:
Ivy: She was a bit flat for me in a big part of the book. For someone who is discovering a different part of this world, I felt she was way to calm. She's very intuitive and very curious, which leads her to where she needs to be, however I feel that, whith everything happening, she would ask more questions.
Rebecca: She was the friend Ivy needed by being trusful, helpful, caring and supportive.
Fyn: Was a bit of a surprise.
Humboldt: He's just adorable
Rimbrick and Winsome: I love that they are mentors to Ivy. But again, Ivy doesn't question them enough.
Also, D.E.Night: I see what you did there and i love it. :D ( )

Thank you to Stories Untold Press and NetGalley for this digital copy of The Crowns of Croswald.
The Crowns of Croswald is about Ivy Lovely, a maid living in Castle Plum’s kitchen. She has been working there ever since she was a baby. One day, there is a huge disaster in the kitchen that Ivy only makes worse, and so she runs away with a scaldron. Out in the slurry fields, a huge taxi cab with 3 houses strapped on comes to pick her up and take her to The Halls of Ivy, which is a school where squinches and royals go to learn magic. She goes in the cab to a big city bordering The Halls of Ivy. There she buys all her school supplies, but she is chased by a bunch of quills(basically like wands) into the castle before she is supposed to be there. She soon starts her classes and starts causing trouble. She gets involved with curses, ghosts, and the frightening government of Croswald.

I really, really liked this book! Is it a little confusing? Yes. Does it take a few chapters to really get going? Yes. But those don’t stand a chance against the fact that this story is so intricate and fascinating. Now, I usually am not a fan of magical land stories with dwarves and other magical creatures, but this was different. While I wish there was a little more explanation for all the fantastical elements, this was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. You can really tell it was completely planned out from the beginning. And I’m not saying that in the sense that the author didn’t just write it randomly as she went along, I’m saying that like it was a huge puzzle with missing pieces that were starting to fill in since the first page. Another good thing was that the mysteries were compelling, but they didn’t drive you mad. With some books and TV shows, there is so little information, so many mysteries, and they don’t answer any questions until the finale. This wasn’t like that. Ivy actually solved the mysteries instead of going on a bunch of pointless side quests that give you a tiny fraction of information that just makes you even crazier. Also, the setting is completely genius, but the explanation of the setting needs a bit of work. I was kind of confused when it all started.

I really wish there was a glossary on this book. Maybe there was and I missed out because I had a digital version, but it would’ve been so helpful to be able to look up what the book was talking about. Also, I know this takes place in a world not-so-similar to ours, but describing the book’s time in “moons” which is very close to months if you’re planning on reading this book(which I suggest, it’s very enjoyable) left me wondering how long had just passed. I also wish that there wasn’t this huge time jump in the middle of the book. It was confusing and I’m still wondering if anything interesting happened. Other than that, there isn’t much to say. The final battle was a great way to fill in the blanks and was super awesome, but was difficult to visualize what was happening. I am planning on reading the next book eventually(I’m mostly not reading it now because I have yet to get my hands on it), but for now I’m going to take a break for a while.

The Crowns of Croswald was an interesting, planned out story that was very fun to read and leaves you wanting the next book immediately.

When I was approached by the publisher to read this book I at first thought it might be more geared for middle schoolers. I was pleasantly surprised at the detail and imagination in this story. It definitely had a Harry Potter feel to it, but it was different enough that kept me engaged.
The story centers around a young girl named Ivy Lovely (around 17) who works as a maid under a castle tending to the dragons that keep the stoves heated for cooking. Her world is turned upside down when she finds out that she has an invitation to attend a school for magic that has students who are either Royals, given their powers through their crowns, or squinches, students who may have some magic but are basically scribes assigned to royal families once they complete school.
This is the first book in the series and I will definitely be looking forward to the rest of the books. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Harry Potter, magical worlds and adventure. I think both Young Adult and Middle Schoolers would enjoy this series. ( )

The Crowns of Croswald is enchanting. An immersive story that surrounds you with magic and the things fairy tales are made of, you'll find it hard to put this book down once you start. I know this probably tantamount to heresy - but I actually enjoyed this more than Harry Potter. Perfect for fantasy lovers no matter how old they may be. ( )