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Title: Enchanted Ivy (you can Buy on Amazon here)
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Published: 12th October 2010
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genre: Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery
Pages: 310
Format: E-Book
Rating: **** (4/5 Stars)
About: What Lily Carter wants most in the world is to attend Princeton University just like her grandfather. When she finally visits the campus, Grandpa surprises her: She has been selected to take the top-secret Legacy Test. Passing means automatic acceptance to Princeton. Sweet!
Lily’s test is to find the Ivy Key. But what is she looking for? Where does she start? As she searches, Lily is joined by Tye, a cute college boy with orange and black hair who says he’s her guard. That’s weird. But things get seriously strange when a gargoyle talks to her. He tells her that there are two Princetons the ordinary one and a magical one and the Key opens the gate between them. But there are more secrets that surround Lily. Worse secrets.
When Lily enters the magical Princeton, she uncovers old betrayals and new dangers, and a chance at her dream becomes a fight for her life. Soon Lily is caught in a power struggle between two worlds, with her family at its center. In a place where Knights slay monsters, boys are were-tigers, and dragons might be out for blood, Lily will need all of her ingenuity and courage and a little magic to unite the worlds and unlock the secrets of her past and her future.
Review: For startes, let me just say that I did enjoy reading this book. However, I wasn’t that surprised at some parts because I felt like I already knew what was going to happen by the very end.
BUT I loved the main character in this book. I literally can see so many people relating to her because of the whole will I get in Princeton thing?
Even with everything that goes on Lily is just such a sweetheart. Instead of just having to worry about being accepted, she also has to look after her frail mother who has a loose grip on reality and sometimes has ‘brain hiccups’. Further, she can’t just rely on brains to get into Princeton, but rather she must follow her heart to truly understand what is actually going on.
The love interest in the story was cute, I mean it was a bit PG and for whatever reason he has orange and black hair which Ivy found unusual but then kind of liked I guess? The only thing that she finds strange about him is that he’s her guard? How does this not send off warning bells?
I only had one small complaint about Enchanted Ivy, and that is because it had the same plot turn every YA book I’ve read lately has: a love triangle. The characters of Tye and Jake could’ve been used without the romantic elements, and for the same purpose. It just felt unnessary in some place but I can see why Durst did it – it filled up her book.
Other than that, Durst has perfectly described this world in her book. Her characters are believable and even Princeton is made to feel like it is actually a living breathing human. It’s quite a magical description to be honest and since this book is meant to be about magic it really is done rather well.
Besides that one complaint this book is good for something that is a little different (I mean who else has to go into a magical world to get into Princeton?) and has a totally relatable character because of the whole will I get in to Princeton thing?
CastlesandTurrets 