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Synopsis:
In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret...
For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald's mysterious gems. When Ivy's magic -- and her life -- is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.
Rating: 4/5
Hi there and welcome back to another book review!!! 🎉 I really need to catch up on these book reviews, y'all so be prepared because I have a whole lot more on the way ヾ(≧▽≦*)o
I cannot wait for exams to finish so that I can finally get back to reading, writing and overall fangirling because 2020 was rough and I am ready to catch up with everything I have missed (✿◡‿◡)
This book is firstly, so underrated. I mean, Harry Potter who? 👀 I only know Ivy Lovely now :)
The atmosphere created when you read the book is everything a fantasy novel should be!! I was taken into a whole new universe and it was thrilling. I will admit, I got way too many Harry Potter vibes as if there was some sort of overcompensation because let's face it, not a lot of magical books get much recognition due to HP.
Some aspects did feel like a copy and paste (like the whole Chosen One thing that Ivy and Harry have going on) but no major similarities stood out to me. D. E. Night makes the magical universe her own and with the whole controversy surrounding JKR... this is a series worth diving into and I really cannot wait to get to the next book in this series.
The book is written in a manner where you can follow well, although there was like an information overload at times, however you catch up to what's happening eventually. I am worried that if this is a middle-grade book, it should've been a bit easier to follow because there was a lot going on and it is just the first book.
And you know how the author always put a piece of themselves into their books? Well D. E. Night does this but not in the way you would expect it. I loved that because not a lot of authors can pull it off so smoothly. It was definitely something refreshing to read and it gave me little goosebumps, y'all (^◕.◕^)
The characters though, especially Ivy, need to be protected (ง •_•)ง
I loved all the characters so much!!! They were all so bizarre and intriguing, as some of them I did not like but then there were things about them I did like and it was just difficult to make a decision (/▽＼). Ivy is also a really ambitious and feisty character and I feel this is kind of good for young girls to read because she is not a bad book role model. She is what I wish I could have been at that age (which I say as if I am not just 3 years older than her character ~(￣▽￣)~*)
I had a lot going on this year so it did take me a while to get into the whole story but I feel that if my circumstances were different, I would have finished the entire book in a day. This is a book you just know you'll love and I really do feel that it deserves more hype.
A definite recommendation for 11-year-olds and above. Also, anyone who loves a good magical adventure should check this out because I do not think you will be disappointed.
Until next time, remember to sprinkle kindness wherever you go ✨
-zestasiá
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