Format: Hardcover, 560 pages
Release Date: June 27, 2023
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: Publisher
Genre: Dark Fantasy / Romance
A Crown of Ivy and Glass, by author Claire Legrand, is the first installment in the authors Middlemist series. It is also the authors first foray in the adult fantasy romance genre. Three sisters in a noble magic family must fight to protect their home from invasion by the creatures of the Old Country—the realm of the gods and the birthplace of magic—before the weakening Middlemist, the boundary dividing the two worlds, disappears forever. Lady Imogen "Gemma" Ashbourne is gorgeous and rich, her family Anointed by the gods—but her charming smile and deft wit mask a wrenching sadness.
Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against the treacherous magic of the Old Country. Her mother long ago abandoned the family and nobody knows if she is alive, or not. Her father Lord Gideon and eldest sister, Farrin are embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the powerful Bask family often forgetting that Gemma exists. Worst of all, Gemma is apparently the only Ashbourne to possess no magic. Instead, her body fights it like poison. Constantly ill, aching with loneliness, Gemma craves love and yearns to belong. Then she meets the devastatingly handsome Talan d’Astier.
Seduced by a demon, his family dabbled in forbidden magic and destroyed themselves. Talan, the only survivor, is determined to redeem his family’s name. Intrigued and enchanted, Gemma proposes a bargain: She’ll help Talan navigate Gallinor high society if he helps her destroy the Basks. According to popular legend, a demon called The Man With the Three-Eyed Crown is behind the families’ blood feud. Gemma is skeptical of such ludicrous tales, but vengeful Talan is eager for a chance to kill a demon. It’s the perfect plan. But attacks on the Middlemist are increasing.
The plot against the Basks quickly spirals out of control. And something immense and terrifying is awakening in Gemma, drawing her inexorably toward Talan and an all-consuming passion that could destroy her—or show her the true strength of her power at last. Sadly, this books pacing left me wanting it to speed up. Also, the author apparently wanted to make an impression with New Adult readers as well as Fantasy Romance readers because she tends to end up with chapter after chapter with X-Rated sex scenes which I ended up skipping as quickly as I could.
I would put a rating on the book itself, but with children as young as 5 being shown X-rated perversion in their classrooms, I will refrain from telling anyone not to read this book. You can argue with me about the finer points of allowing anyone that young to read this book, but until we get rid of the garbage that teachers are showing our children, I will keep fighting for it to be removed.
Apparently, I have discovered that this trilogy will feature all three of the sisters which means Farrin, the Heir, and Mara, Order of the Rose, will get their chances to prove that they can carry a story. I do think there is more to the hated Basts that meets the eyes, so I look forward to seeing how they review Gemma's family after what happens in this book. The reason for my review, mainly, is that Gemma is a character who is all about thinking that she is the most gorgeous female in all the lands, and she has the dance cards to prove that men line up to be with her. Later, she becomes more, but it takes almost 1/2 the book for her to grow up.
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