Enchanted Ivy

The Cover: I'm not blown away by this cover or anything. I understand the meaning of the gargoyle and (I'm guessing) dragon. But I think there could have been some more improvements, something to make it more eye catching. But like I said, I don't hate it. I like the idea of the fogged background, which sets the atmosphere of the magical aspects of the book. The Characters: Dursts' protagonist, Lily, is refreshingly independent. She even tries to be badass, even though she hasn't quite got the hang of it. There's a life to Lily which allows me to empathize with her. She has the responsibility of watching over her mom, who's a few fries short of a happy meal, keeping up her grades so she can get into college (meaning Princeton), and pleasing her grandfather, by trying to get into said college. Tye and Jake, the two boys vying for Lily's attention, have both captured a tiny piece of my heart. (Tye all the way!) Tye has shown traits that I was surprised by. Meaning, he has no trouble falling in love. He's funny, rebelling, and generally complex. He lives in the magical Princeton, where his dad rules on the Council. And why he seems to be fearless, up close you can tell he has a few fissures. Jake makes me a little weary. In the story he's described as a puppy. Eager to please. It seems all he wants is to be a part of the Vineyard Club, and nothing else. He even goes as far as dumping Lily to the ground after she's been injured, just because he fears she's something unliked by the club. In my perspective, I think he needs to mature a little--and hopefully we'll get to see this happen in a sequel. The plot: A magical Princeton, full of talking gargoyles, were-tigers, knights, unicorns, dragons, and so much more. It makes me want to apply to Princeton! It takes a good imagination to come up with a story that won't be sucked into the masses, and Durst has showed us that she has that. We follow Lily as she stays at Princeton with her grandfather and mother, trying to complete a test given her by the Vineyard Club. The task she's given: find the Ivy Key. And if she succeeds: guaranteed acceptance into Princeton. Wow. What a deal. The story is fast paced as Lily immediately starts her journey, where she is joined by the "outlawed" Tye, the were-tiger. Of course, were-tigers don't exist! And the talking gargoyles--it's all wires and mechanisms. At least, this is what Lily tells herself as she's put through events that get stranger by the minute. Thebookheist.com

For as long as she can remember, Lily Carter has dreamed of attending Princeton University. Raised by her larger than life grandfather and her flighty, ethereal mother, the high school junior is determined to follow the family tradition and attend the Ivy League school. So it is no surprise that Lily is thrilled when her grandfather decides to bring Lily and her mother to his Princeton Reunions Weekend. Her first chance to see Princeton and it's everything Lily ever dreamed. And when her grandfather informs Lily she's be selected to take the super-secret legacy test, she has a chance to make her dreams come true. If she passes the test, she'll be accepted into Princeton. All she has to do is find the Ivy Key. The fact that Lily has no idea where to start looking for the Key (or even what the Key unlocks) is a bit daunting, but before she has a chance to panic, she's acquired a companion on her quest. Tye is the definition of a cool college boy, right down to his orange and black tiger-striped hair. Tye tells Lily he is to be her guard during the test, which seems odd to Lily. Why would she need a guard? Things go from odd to downright weird when the gargoyles start talking to Lily, trying to help her on her quest. Lily discovers that there are actually two Princetons - one in the world she knows and another in a world full of magic. As she learns more about the magic world, Lily finds she's at the center of a decades old struggle marked by deceit and betrayal. It will take all of her ingenuity, strength and courage to keep the two sides from going to war - possibly destroying both Princetons in the process. Sarah Beth Durst has a vivid and original imagination and she combines it with her obvious love of Princeton to craft a unique fantasy. I loved how she captured the characters: studious, independent Lily, the slightly smug and self-satisfied Old Boys and brave, fiercely loyal and dedicated Tye. The Princeton campus itself is also an important character in this novel and the affectionate way Ms. Durst describes it should have many readers longing to attend. The heart of any book, of course, is the plot and Enchanted Ivy is full of action, emotion, twists and discoveries. This is well worth a read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Good characters, new unique plot, no boring parts, well written. Sarah Beth Durst is very good at what she does.

Lily wants to go to Princeton like her grandfather. Along with her mother, an artist, who has some challenges dealing with the real world, they head for a visit to the school. At her grandfather’s club, she is offered the opportunity to take a legacy test, which if she passes, will give her acceptance to the school. Lily is tasked to find the Ivy Key, but she has no idea where to find it or what it might be. What she finds out is that there is a magical world out there that is a twin to the mundane one that she inhabits. She must deal with talking gargoyles who will aid her in her quest and finds that the relations between worlds are highly strained, with wrongdoing on both sides. She finds out some hidden family secrets and discovers that not everyone is as they seem. Lily must find a way to repair the peace between worlds, finding that she is in a unique position to bridge the two sides.

Absolutely loved this book. I had originally read it in high school but repurchased it for my daughter who is in fourth grade. She is excited to read it together and I can’t wait to see how she likes it!