3.9 (625 ratings)

A Crown of Ivy and Glass: The Middlemist Trilogy, Book 1

Name: A Crown of Ivy and Glass: The Middlemist Trilogy, Book 1
Rating: 3.9 (625 reviews)
Author: Claire Legrand
ISBN: B0BTB4N89D

by Claire Legrand

demons

About this book

Lady Gemma Ashbourne seemingly has it all. She's young, gorgeous, and rich. Her family was Anointed by the gods, blessed with incredible abilities. But underneath her glittering façade, Gemma is deeply sad. Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against treacherous magic. Her mother abandoned the family. Her father and eldest sister, Farrin—embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the mysterious Bask family—often forget Gemma exists.

Worst of all, Gemma is 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. His family destroyed themselves, seduced by a demon, and Talan, the only survivor, is determined to redeem their honor. Intrigued and enchanted, Gemma proposes a bargain: she'll help Talan navigate 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—slay the demon; end the feud.

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.

Publication Date: May 25, 2026
ASIN: B0BTB4N89D

Reader Reviews

A treat for fans of ACOTAR

December 22, 2024

I started out being mildly annoyed by the main character, but I'm glad I stuck with it -- I ended up enjoying this book and the sequel, and I wish the third were out already. This book has concepts that may be difficult for some readers (trigger warnings are appropriate), and is definitely an adult novel -- despite characters sometimes acting immature (turns out some adults do that in the real world as well). While it doesn't weave as many myths together as ACOTAR, it does a nice job world...

A new fantasy read full of promise and all the feels

September 11, 2024

A thoroughly enjoyable new fantasy series that had me on the edge of my seat, devouring every word, desperate hoping for a conclusion, yet accepting that was not to be, since obviously, it's a series 😁 I really enjoyed this first installment with it's world building, tragically messed up characters, each in their own way, so full of pain and loneliness and the magical world that we seem to have only scratches the surface of, hopefully! Gemma is a girl in constant pain, no magic, and...

Boring chaos

September 15, 2023

This book is nowhere near as good as the Furyborn trilogy. I've heard this book is the author's entrance into adult fantasy, but this reads like YA. I feel like a lot of time, way too much, was spent on long tangents. Diverting from the real storyline because they would abruptly end, and we have to backtrack to the actual plot. When the book picks up, it is after the halfway point, and I would say not enough to really save it. ) 9 people found this helpful

a fun start to the series

July 5, 2023

Around the 10% mark is where this story really started to draw me in. There was a lot of world build and set up throughout the book, so there is a lot to learn/discover as you go. I liked that even the side characters were complex and had their own sets of challenges/struggles. After reading this, I am excited to see what the rest of the series will hold. ) 6 people found this helpful

Book

May 21, 2026

Great book )