Even a secret town cannot protect Ivy from a mysterious darkness… Only hours after Ivy 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 … 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…
more
When I won a copy of Crowns of Croswald I also received a copy of this book… I have no words. I loved this book. I love this series! This book had so much action & adventure. Ivy going off, as usual, trying to find the second part of the stone. Her chemistry with Fyn! LOVE IT! I have this feeling about him, but I don’t want to say it here just in case. But yeah definitely a good read. I can’t wait to read the next one in the series. Whenever that may be.
What I really like about this book is the characters. I admire Ivy and Rebecca’s friendship, it grows even stronger. There’s also Fyn, I have a feeling from the first book he’s going to become something more and my guess was right!
The addition of new characters is also a nice touch to widen the the story plot!
The magical places and creatures really captured my interest in this story. This world is getting even more similar to the Harry Potter world, like the quill match, how the quill chooses the person who wield it, the invisible maps and many more. I can see the author taking inspiration from the Harry Potter world and turn it into something else magical too.
The plot is pretty well written and the short chapters keep me flipping the pages to find out more. Although, the pacing turns a bit slower during the middle of the story but it eventually picks up near the ending with the final battle.
Overall, this is a really fun read for me and I enjoy my time getting back to Croswald with Ivy and her friends. Can’t wait for more adventures and other magical creatures introduces in this series!
I’m looking forward to read the next one!
Special thanks to Netgalley, D.E Night and Stories Untold Press for the review copy in return for an honest review!
The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is the second book in The Crowns of Croswald series and it picks up right where the first book left off. This book was considerably better than the first book. There was more development to the characters and Ivy is certainly not as annoying or thoughtless as she seemed in the first book. The world building is excellent and imaginative. The secret town of Belzebuthe is full of interesting characters and I loved Fyn and Ivy’s star fishing. I also liked that there was a coherent plot of at first a missing quill and then Ivy seeking pieces of the missing Kindred stone which all tied together. The shades and shadows were creative additions.
At times the plot moves a little slowly and then picks up almost too quickly at the end. However, there was enough action here and there to keep me reading. The Dark Queen does make for a formidable enemy and the storyline keeps the reader waiting in suspense for her next visit.
There are some similarities to Harry Potter especially The Chamber of Secrets that are recognizable, however, there were enough differences to make the story unique. Fans who enjoy Harry Potter type books would probably enjoy this.
All in all, I enjoyed this book better than the first. Highly recommend reading the first book in the series before reading this book as the reader will have a difficult time understanding previous characters and plot lines. The book does leave the reader on a cliffhanger at the end which makes me want to pick up the third book. This is considered middle grade, but the hint of romance and teenage characters might also appeal to YA readers as well. Thanks to the author and publisher for a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review. My rating is 3.75 stars rounded up to 4.
#2
After reading the first book, I was really excited to read the second and this one did not disappoint. I enjoyed the first but this one is my favorite out of the two. It is action packed and had everything that I love in a fantasy. On top of that, I’m not going to lie I found it to be just a tad bit scary. For me, anything like shadows or even reflections freak me out, but, I was still invested. I loved how in this one Ivy is more comfortable and coming to terms with who she truly is. Overall, this was really great and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
(Received as an ARC and 100% my own opinion)
The Girl with the Whispering Shadow
(The Crowns of Croswald #2)
by D.E. Night
I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A magical story beginning basically where the first one left us with the experiences of the Masquerade Ball still a vivid recollection in everyone’s mind, which is only to be expected. Who could forget that?
A mysterious girl who can’t claim rest from sleep, a wet ball gown from a ball she can’t recall attending… has the Dark Queen managed to penetrate the unseen protection of Belzebuthe? Would life ever be the same in Croswald?
Ivy Lovely is again the centre of attention in this second book by D.E. Night. With the fear that the Halls of Ivy will no longer be safe, what alternatives remain available to her? This is the second book in The Crowns of Croswald series, that stands out and shines all by itself. It continues the story perfectly but is also possible to read as a standalone without the confusion that ordinarily follows jumping in at a book two. I would recommend reading the first book nevertheless, as there is considerable detail to discover concerning Ivy’s background and it is again an exceptional read in general. We return to face the characters that charmed us in Book One, Humboldt the Scaldron, for example, plus we meet fresh ones along the way.
The author depicts beautiful imagery, evoking scenes that would fit perfectly on screen, in a movie or series. The descriptions are eloquently written, making it so obvious to envision each place or situation as the adventure unfolds. D. E Night has a fabulous narrative that enthralled me from book one; I was far from disappointed, fixed even further on the personalities and the world that surrounds them.
The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is full of vivid characters and detailed events that delight from start to finish. With an intense storyline that captures you from the beginning, mystery and intrigue, the ominous threat of the Dark Queen continuing to torment, a possible budding romance… all squashed between the pages and bound together with potions and spells.
Thank you to D.E.Night and NetGalley for allowing me to discover this amazing world.
I am a huge fan and can’t wait for more!
I rate The Girl with the Whispering Shadow 5 out of 5 stars.
RATING: 4.2/5.0
“The wanderers no longer wander.”
Scaldrony maid-turned-scrivenist-turned-royal is back in the second installment of D.E. Night’s infamous work. After meeting new friends, discovering her own great prowess and engaging in adventures unimagined—Ivy Lovely’s character has improved and continues to. She’s become more confident, more powerful and stronger after weathering the Dark Queen’s wrath in book 1.
We see more original devices, ideas and systems in the second book. I love the Suitcasery System, the quogo matches, programs, the idea of the Star Shoppe and…oh let’s just say all of Belzebuthe? This girl is especially fond of the description for moonsday milkshakes and dying to try one! Very creative.
On the other hand, I was surprised to find very little emotion in most of this book. It felt detached and hasty, if that makes a single sense: especially the starguster parade. The scene indeed fed my imagination. My feelings? Not so much.
The plot has took so many dazzling turns. The Wandering family’s history is slowly unfloding, the events leading to Ivy’s complicated life unfurling.
Like many decent writers, D.E. Night gives her readers puzzles to solve, mysteries to answer and thoughts to ponder.
This book moved at a much quicker pace than the first one. The world has now been established and we know where things stand. Now Ivy is in a race against the Dark Queen to save the kingdom and its people. Ivy has become stronger and more self confident, her friends have her back, and more of her past comes to light. The ending was intense and though devastating it left hope for the future.
I can’t really say to much without giving away key points of the story so I’m just going to say that I enjoyed it immensely and can’t wait to read the third book. I’ve come to really care for Ivy and her friends. I love how they interact and the world is so original and imaginative. I can’t wait to see what they all get up to next.
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.
Book 2 leads were book 1 left off. I recommend reading book 1 “The Crowns of Croswald” first to become familiar with Ive, her friends and the world of Crowald. I loved reading of how each character come into their own while the Dark Queen is one to be very aware of. D.E. Night has written a fantastic story with her words of magic and intreg. Despite being compared to the Harry Potter, I believe that D.E. Night will grow into their own creative imagination and therefore bring forth great work. I cannot wait to read the next book, “The Words of the Wandering.”I would like to see more of the imagination that belongs to D.E. Night. I am giving my honest opinion in exchange for receiving this book through Goodreads.