Review – CROWN by Madisyn Carlin

My Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

Madisyn Carlin has done it yet again! This novella tugged at my heartstrings, made me laugh, and was overall such a satisfying story I greatly look forward to experiencing again sometime. (Experiencing because with Carlin’s novels, I never just read them. It’s a whole experience. *winks*)

First of all, I absolutely love Calvin!!! (Does he have a fanclub? Cause I’ll join it if so!) His fierce protectiveness and sarcastic thoughts endeared him to me at once, and I enjoyed seeing him young, as I’ve met him before in IRON. His humor is adorable, and his dynamics with his father and mother made me laugh often, especially with how they unknowingly (or is it knowingly) embarrass him in regards to his affection for Isadora. His lowly opinion of himself and his awareness of his weaknesses, despite the cocky displays he sometimes puts on, make him relatable and easy to like. And his love of sugar cracked me up. (He needs to learn to like tea, in my opinion. How does he survive sickness?!!?)

Next, my dear Isadora. The poor girl went through so much (and no one could call her physically strong), but she has such a sharp mind, strength of spirit, and a faith that carried her through her trials, even though it was tested many a time. I love how she paid attention to all the wise words her aunt Chamonix told her and remembered them when she needed them. And of course, her insults on are ON POINT. (If only I could come up with insults like that when I need them! *sobs*)

And speaking of that, I loved the attention to detail the author showed in giving certain characters their own verbal quirks and oft-used phrases. It wasn’t overdone to the point of being annoying, but rather solidified their character and made them feel more real!

The mentor figures in this book (Father especially – and Aunt Chamonix, of course) impart so many gold nuggets of wisdom! Also, Janni and Euler Deathan are way too hilarious. I can’t even. No wonder Red is the way she is! *snickers*

Of course, the villains are…bleugh. (I don’t know if that’s a real word or not. But it aptly describes how I feel about them. XD) Lady Joh- excuse me, Impostor deserved all the insults she got! That girl makes my skin crawl.

The romance was so SWEET!!! Ahhh!!! I loved the combination of heartache and humor during that crying scene – if you know, you know. It was hilarious and totally endearing! (And can I just say, Carlin’s proposal scenes have a tendency to be utterly endearing and give me ALL THE FEELS. They’re so awkward and unconventional in the cutest possible way!) All of it was so, so good.

The theme of this novella soaked through each page in such a refreshing, upbuilding way. It was based on 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” When I first started reading, I wasn’t expecting that verse to show up so often, but honestly, it took that many times for the true meaning of that verse to really sink into my mind, and watching the characters hold to that command throughout the story made it hit home.

Suspense and intrigue, strong Biblical themes, dashes of snark, and a sweet thread of romance make up this fairytale-based novella! I so enjoyed it and recommend it to everyone who loved IRON, or any of Madiysn Carlin’s writing, for that matter!

SOME FAVORITE QUOTES

“As my instructor would say, ‘patience, grasshopper’.”

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“Dear, the Beginning will allow us to walk through tests we will find most unpleasant. It is how we grow and mature in our faith. All you can do during those times is trust Him.”

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Cease this. The time for tomfoolery is over.

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Calvin sipped his sugar and cream with a side of tea and made eye contact with Euler.

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A nation is only as strong as its faith.

DISCLAIMER: I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

CROWN is a Christian fantasy fairy tale retelling of The Goose Girl.

Available in ebook, paperback (coming soon), and for free in Kindle Unlimited.

Genre: Christian Fantasy/Fairy tale retelling (a loose retelling of the Goose Girl)

Length: Mid-length novella

Suitable for: It’s New Adult, like all of her books, but tweens and teens can safely read it

About Kellyn Roth!

Are you looking forward to reading CROWN? Have you ever read a Goose Girl retelling? Do you notice your favorite characters using certain pet phrases? What’s your current WIP about? Do you take your sugar and cream with a side of tea?

P.S. By the way, thank you to everyone who gave me your awesome questions to answer for the 100 subscriber Q&A!!! I officially passed that milestone several days ago and have been working on answering the questions, which I’m excited to share soon!