Lily Carter joins her grandfather and mother on a trip to Princeton for her granddad's reunion and learns that if she passes the "legacy test" she is assured entry into Princeton. What Lily also discovers during this test is that there are actually two Princetons, one in the human world and another in the magical world. Her grandfather is one of the "knights" sworn to secrecy to protect the campus and foster good relations with the magical creatures on the other side. However, there are dissenters on both sides of the gate...and a war is brewing. Pedestrian writing with an overuse of similies (everything is like something else!) which some readers may not notice. The two boys interested in one girl drama will entice some, as well as the "magical" element. ( )

A wonderful read.I love it.But somehow I guessed from the start who was the bad guy.I am not complaining though.It was still awesome,super-magical and full of twists.Everyone who likes adventure type fantasy,should read it. ( )

Great book for young adults, magical world meets princeton ( )

I read Into the Wild, another of Sarah Beth Durst's books (not to be confused with Jon Krakauer's ode to being really stupid--aka cool--when hiking), in 2008. I wasn't super impressed (I didn't even read the sequel), but I still wanted to read this one and her other book, Ice. I love fantasy and fairy tales, which is her niche. Unfortunately, she still has yet to really engage me. This one was definitely preferable to Into the Wild, mostly because the protagonist is a bit older and easier for me to relate to. Also, the title is a pun, which you have to love. Enchanted Ivy, both because Princeton is an ivy league school with magic things running around and because there are some vines that are enchanted. Awesome.

There were three things that really kept me from connecting with Lily and the book:

1) Lily is too damn trusting. She never really suspects anyone until they openly admit that they are terrible people. She has a tendency to expect others to save her, which gets really frustrating. That's part of the growing she does in the progress of the novel, but it happens in such a way that I do not feel thrilled for her. Instead, I feel even more judgmental.

2) She manages to be a big flirt while claiming to be complete out of the league of the only two young males in the book. Cry moar. I mean, really.

3) Every time one of the characters touches her, she feels tingles. And it does get mentioned every single time. Except for that time where she sat behind him on a ride with her arms around him for a matter of minutes, so good consistency there. She attributes this tingly feeling not with her romantic feelings (certainly an improvement), but with the magic she senses within him. Well, that's great. Except that she has never noticed magic anywhere else through this same tingle, even in the other magical creatures she meets. What does this mean? Is Lily stupid or is all the powerful tingle of love?

Final verdict: just okay. A bit too cheesy and obvious to be particularly good, but interesting enough in spite of that to be readable. ( )

Have I mentioned lately how much I adore Sarah Beth Durst? Probably, but it's worth saying again. I love how each book I pick up is completely different from the one before it. Durst obviously has a talent that is above par.

While Enchanted Ivy isn't really my favorite so far, it was fun. I enjoyed Ivy's adventures at Princeton. If you couldn't tell by the synopsis, the story takes place at Princeton University-- both the real college and it's mytholigical counterpart. It was a new take on the uppity boarding school setting.

I was a bit disappointed to see that this book lacked the amazing descriptive details that I have come to love and adore with Durst's writing. This was written a few years before the other books I've read, so I think it's safe to say that she has come a long way. Drink, Slay, Love was vivid and fun, while Vessel blew me away from page one with its imagery. Unfortunately, Enchanted Ivy didn't have that same impact. It was, however, action packed. Classic Sarah Beth Durst style. I flew through the pages to see what was going to happen next.

All SBD fans will probably enjoy this one. It's worth reading. It's also squeaky clean enough for younger readers, so middle grades readers could read it too. ( )