D.E. Night’s sequel to The Crowns of Croswald doesn’t disappoint.

We return to the tale of Ivy Lovely and her friends who attend the Halls of Ivy in the hope of the Royals being Masters of their crowns and Scriveners to earn their own quill and work at the employ of their Royal household.

I really enjoyed that our initial return wasn’t at the viewpoint of Ivy but rather, two other students who, along with Ivy? Are to spend their summer holidays at the Town. Why doesn't it have a name you may ask, well that is explained in the story and the name of the Town made known.

But don't tell anyone what it is, because once a secret is no longer a secret in Croswald, things will inevitably go wrong.

After the chaos of the Halls of Ivy Masquerade Ball, you would imagine Ivy Lovely would want a quiet summer but that's not going to happen; she's a slurry girl no more and has found herself a brilliant and loyal set of friends. All of whom are quick to show her how much fun can be had as a member of the Quality Quills Club where they battle against one another with ’acquired’ quills. Each battle over the Summer a new lesson for the would-be Scrivener.

As summer draws to an end, Ivy has barely heard from her family Scrivenist, Derwin Knight and she's facing months alone without Fyn and the other members of the QQC; all our descendent of Isabella wants is return to school but the Dark Queen’s threat has made it impossible. I loved how the despondency that Ivy feels is really well written and as a reader, I wished I could reassure our protagonist that all will be well.

The possible love aspect to the story between Fyn and Ivy is sweet and quite realistic of that first flutter of affection when a teenager. It doesn't distract at all from the main storyline and instead gives the reader another side of the two to see. I couldn't help but giggle sometimes at how easily green-eyed Fyn can become when his friends flirt with Ivy; again D. E. Knight shows us a very realistic and well-written character in Fyn during those lighter moments between the two.

This story is even better than The Crowns of Croswald which I had loved. It's got everything you could want in a fantasy series, we have already met and got to know the Royals and the Scriveners who attend the Halls; but The Girl with the Whispering Shadow not only expands on what we know about familiar characters but seamlessly introduces new faces and species. I always love the creations fantasy writers come up with when creating native creatures to their lands and the author doesn't disappoint; though I really wish something would fix Ivy’s pitiful hairies for her so they would light up properly more than once every Blue Moon!

The Dark Queen is still after Ivy and will stop at nothing to get our heroine. With her not being permitted back at school and feeling forgotten by Derwin; there is no doubt that Ivy’s life will be anything but peaceful.. and Ivy is determined to do everything she can to prevent the mess that the Dark Queen brought about again!

I absolutely love this series, if you love magic; and good versus evil? Get reading the adventures of Miss Ivy Lovely.




Thank you Netgalley and StoriesUntold for the eARC in return of my honest review.