Dear book: it's not you, it's me.
I wanted so badly to love this: from the gorgeous cover to the enchanting world and lyrical writing, I feel like I should have fallen in love. Instead, I found myself more on the ambivalent side; I liked Sorcery of Thorns well enough, but I didn't find it particularly memorable. I just wasn't able to get into this book like I wanted to, and no one is more disappointed than me.



It isn't something I can pinpoint, one of the reasons why I wasn't super invested in this book is that I felt really distant from all of the characters. Characters are the backbone of a story for me; in Sorcery of Thorns, I liked them, but I didn't connect with them like I wanted to. The writing made me feel more distant from either Nathaniel or Elisabeth than I had hoped for - oh, the world around them is described beautifully, but I didn't feel like I was immersed in the characters. 

Elisabeth was still a wonderful heroine, though: book-smart and physically badass. I found Nathaniel to be, in many ways, a fairly typical love interest with a troubled past, but I could relate to him more than most love interests because, hello, bisexual disaster. I'm really glad to see a bisexual love interest in a historical-based fantasy, anyways, because it's something I rarely see in books. Both of them have PTSD: Nathaniel from childhood, and Elisabeth develops it over the course of the story. For a society that has no words for post-traumatic stress, it was written and communicated fairly well. Special mention also goes to Silas, Nathaniel's demon servant, who - despite being a literal demon with, apparently, no feelings - manages to be one of the most charming and heartwarming characters in the entire book. 

The romance between Elisabeth and Nathaniel was cute as well. This is, to my knowledge, one of the few books where the female main character is actually taller than the love interest, which I found super adorable? I'm always here for HEIGHT DIFFERENCE, folks. They also have an element of slow burn enemies to lovers, which is certainly something to take note of - personally, I thought that it wasn't enemies enough, just mild discontent with each other, which isn't quite the amount of vitriol from each side to be entertaining for me.  

I liked the world a lot: in many ways it's your standard fantasy world, yes, but the grimoires were so magical and enchanting. If anything, the aesthetic of this book was completely on point, because it was so atmospheric. Margaret Rogerson's writing is beautiful and lush, with vivid descriptions of her world, inspired by Victorian England. I certainly went into this book expecting another generic medieval fantasy setting, so a more modern setting was a pleasant surprise - it's always nice when fantasy is taking out of a generic medieval setting. 

However, the main reason for my disengagement with Sorcery of Thorns is the pacing, which I found to be somewhat inconsistent. There were times where it was slow for far too long, which had me reaching for other things to do rather than read. It definitely picked up towards the end, but there quite a few moments that fell flat for me. It also frustrated me because I saw where the main villain, Ashcroft, was going far before Elisabeth and Nathaniel figured it out. That slowed down the book a lot for me, honestly. And there a couple of times I felt the emotional impact of the plot didn't land as well as it should because of the magic system. 

I'd definitely recommend reading Sorcery of Thorns despite the fact I wasn't as into it as I'd hyped it up to be. I think I may go back and reread it and see if I like it when I'm in a less hectic headspace - but it's definitely a very whimsical, magical fantasy with two intriguing main characters.

I loved reading this book so much! I knew I was going to because there's libraries that are important, libraries that have books that can eat peoples hands. This world of sorcerers and magical grimoires and demons, yeah, it was so interesting to read about!

What I didn't expect for was for this book to be pretty hilarious. From more background bits like books eating peoples hands being common place, to Nathaniel and all his quips, this book was an unexpected font of hilarity!

Elizabeth was pretty bad ass. I guess I should've expected it from the cover having her hold a sword, but I guess I'm just so used to the guys being the ones using the weapons. Sure, Nathaniel had magic, but Elizabeth was the one with the sword and yeah, I really enjoyed that dynamic!

I kind thought the whole bit where she was thought to be working with the bad guys was going to last longer, so I didn't expect the direction that this book went! There was almost a bit of a historical spy air to the middle portion of this book where she's investigating the bad guy's plan and how to stop it was was really fun to read!

Elizabeth was a child of the Library, and yeah, that turned out to be incredibly useful! With Nathaniel's magic and Silas, they were a pretty significant powerhouse group, and I enjoyed how the final confrontation went, it was so unexpected and creative and amazing to read! Such a wonderful ending!

Loved this book so much, and I wouldn't mind another book set in this world!

I loved that this fantasy story was set in libraries. These libraries weren’t like the ones in our world. They were full of grimoires that could do things, such as speak. However, they could also turn into “maleficts” which were dangerous creatures. It made the library a potentially terrifying place.

I was glad that this story is a standalone. So many fantasy books turn into long series, so it is nice to have the complete story in one book.

I didn’t feel as much of a connection to Elisabeth as I wished I did. If her origins were described, I could have related to her more. All that we know is that she was an orphan and didn’t know who her parents were. I think her mysterious parentage could have created a great plot twist. There was an interesting relationship between a sorcerer and a demon, which was great to read. They became more like family than master and servant.

This was a great fantasy story!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a whimsical tale full of wonderful prose set in a fascinating world where magical books are at the center.

<i>“I knew you talked to books. I just didn’t realize they listened.”</i>

Elisabeth is a true child of the library. She grew up in a great library surrounded by books. She’s an apprentice and wants to be a Warden, a person who protects the books.

In this fantasy world, books or grimoires come alive and can be dangerous creatures. One night there’s an attack on the library and a very important grimoire escapes. Elisabeth tries to defend the library but ends up caught in the crossfire and written off as the only suspect. She’s forced to travel with a Sorcerer named Nathaniel Thorn and his demon companion/butler of sorts, Silas. In this world demons give their powers to sorcerers, but at a price.

Elisabeth is trying to prove that she’s innocent and comes across a conspiracy theory about what’s going on in the libraries. Secrets unfold and evil lurking. Elisabeth and Nathaniel have to work together in an attempt to defeat it. They're both such strong characters on their own and match together perfectly.

There’s also a slow burn romance that’s satisfying to see unfold.

I would have liked to know more about Katrien. She was an intriguing character and it would have been neat to see more of her story explored.

I know this is a standalone but I would happily read more stories set in this historical fantasy world.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it was worth it.

<i>Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, however; I didn’t have a chance to read it before the publication date and purchased my own copy. </i>

I thought Elisabeth was brave and selfless, but having been raised in one of the great libraries with very little experience with the outside world, she starts off the story sheltered. The keepers of the libraries strongly believe that all magic is evil so thats all shes knows. As she gets to know the sorcerer Nathaniel and his demon servant Silas during their efforts to stop the attacks on the magical libraries she starts to question those beliefs. She even starts to question whether becoming a warden charged with protecting the libraries is truly what she wants. We really get to see some great character development. I do think her skills with a sword werent very believable for someone who's never trained, but I guess she does have other advantages helping her out. The whole booklice comparison was pretty funny. I just loved her connection and empathy for the grimoires.

I loved the slow burn romance. The way Nathaniel would call Elisabeth a menace was adorable. There was a lot of great chemistry and tension between them. Nathaniel has been through so much and as a result has cut himself off from almost everyone which makes me want to protect him at all cost. His demon servant Silas is the only person who's always been there for him. He's been taking care of Nathaniel since his lost his family at young age and thats brought them closer together. I absolutely adored their unconventional friendship. Silas is such a complexe character with his century old wisdom and insatiable hunger. The way he's upfront about what he is was refreshing and heartbreaking all at once. We also spend a bit of time with Elisabeths spunky best friend Katrien and I loved how she wasnt just there to support the main character but had her own thing going on. I do wish we had gotten to know Mercy better since she seemed like a fascinating character.

The world with its magical libraries and grimoires turned monster was fascinating. Sorcerers get their powers by summoning a demon and having it agree to serve them in exchange for the a certain amount of the sorcerers life. The demon can only obey one master at a time, but its never really explained if the ability to use magic is given to the entire family or if each member has to summon their own demons if they want magic. That would be difficult considering they need a demons true name to summon them and those arent easy to come by. Id love to know what happens to the demon when their master dies since technically they would be set free but it seems like they probably vanish to the otherworld. Its also not explained why some sorcerers have abilities like commanding an army of the dead, but others do not. Despite all that I still loved the concept.

The plot was a little slow when the characters was sitting around researching and waiting for the villain to make their next move, but it was realistic and it did give us time to get to know the characters. I loved how the villain actually thought they were being the hero. Those are some of my favorite villains. I do find it frustrating when a character waits too long to make a move and the enemy gets the chance to out maneuver them. I also had a difficult time wrapping my head around Warden Finchs actions, but I guess his jealousy blinded him to the truth. I noticed the time line was a little off. I think we went through 3 seasons in about 12 weeks. I was torn with the way things left off because I love a happy ending, but they arent always realistic. Overall I adored this book and totally recommend it. Now Im even more excited to read her other book Enchantment of Ravens.

Elisabeth Scrivener is an apprentice at the Great Library of Summershall, and dreams of one day becoming a warden, to safeguard the kingdom from the grimoires that the Libraries house. Sorcery is evil, Elisabeth is quite sure of it, having grown up in the library surrounded by various magical grimoires – the spell books that sorcerers use, several of them extremely dangerous should they get out of hand. Yet, when a dangerous grimoire gets loose with disastrous consequences, and Elisabeth manages to stop it, casting suspicion on herself, it is the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn and his demonic servant Silas that she has no choice but to turn to. It was no accident though, but an act of sabotage – of sorcery – that caused the grimoire to be released, and Elisabeth quickly finds herself caught up in a far deeper and grander conspiracy that puts their entire world at risk.

Finding good books about books is surprisingly hard. One that immediately jumps to mind is the Inkheart trilogy which I read way back in middle school. A more recent one is the ongoing Great Library series. Sorcery of Thorns is definitely a magical addition to that list. I absolutely loved that the books had personalities and attitudes that reflected their contents, and this was such a unique and fantastical tale. This was my first time reading one of Margaret Rogerson’s books, but after this, An Enchantment of Ravens is moving up to the top of my backlist. I really enjoyed the writing style and narration, especially the fact that the story started right away and there was no dawdling around for the purposes of world-building and introducing characters – who by the way, were very well fleshed out over the course of a moderately long story. I also liked the somewhat historical setting of the tale, which was helpful in drawing attention to how easily dismissed women’s opinions were in those times, labelling them as mad or hysterical. It was quite satisfying to see Elisabeth overcome these kinds of odds along with the more magical side of things.

Elisabeth’s naiveness with regards to the whole ‘all sorcery is evil’ thing is a bit extreme and takes longer than it should to wear off. Nathaniel was amazing of course, witty and a little dark, but I liked Silas even more. To be honest, apart from the grimoires, Silas was my next favourite part of the story. He spends most of the book trying to convince Elisabeth (and himself) that as a demon bound to Nathaniel’s service, he doesn’t see humans the same way and definitely does not care for them. It’s actually kind of hilarious and adorable at the same time to watch him act at times like an exasperated parent, then a terrifyingly powerful being and at others as a loyal protector – one who definitely does care for humans, just not in a human way, and Margaret Rogerson has captured this portrayal perfectly.

With most fantasy novels these days being part of a series, it was a refreshing change to read this standalone – and even better that the story was so well put together and felt complete by the end of it. The easy banter and light humour between Nathaniel and Elisabeth makes this a delight to read. I would highly recommend this, not only for fantasy fans, but book lovers in general who will definitely be able to relate to Elisabeth and lose themselves in a new world of books.

I loved this book! The author loves her descriptive words which at times feels overdone, but not too distracting from the story. It's got all the favourite clichés, like the clumsy heroine with powers she was unaware of, and the broody and mysterious love interest with a dark past. I loved the world and magic that the author created too! Overall this was a fun read, and I would definitely recommend it!

Talking books! Sassy strong female! Magic! Demons! What doesn’t this book have? I loved it. Libraries have souls and will do anything to protect the books within them.

Elisabeth is an orphan who has been raised in one of the Great Libraries among magical talking books. She’s a wonderful witty and clever feral librarian who knows how to wield a sword.
Then we have Nathaniel, a magic user whom Elisabeth has been taught to fear. Nathaniel has a dry sense of humour and little use for Elisabeth. They are great foils for each other. I can’t decide if I want them to get together or be partners in crime.

“Scrivener,” he said carefully, “I don’t mean to be forward, but is that a -”
“A sword hidden underneath my dress? Yes, it is.”
“I see. And how exactly is it -”
“I thought you didn’t mean to be forward.”

Gah, that ending!!! Give me more!!!!!! Not really a cliffhanger but the desire to have so much more of Elisabeth and Nathaniel's story.

This book is a quick read because it sucks you right into the story and you want Elisabeth to beat the bad guys. Put your plans on hold before you start as you’ll want to finish it in one sitting.
4.5 stars. Deducting half a star because there are a lot of fantasy tropes in here. That doesn’t stop this from being a fun and wild ride.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

- I go back and forth between 3 and 4 stars -

I really enjoyed the idea of this book. It has a strong and compelling beginning, and for a little while I thought this would be a 5 stars read. I loved the concept of books being alive and the magic system being intertwined to demonic energy. Also, great dialogues - the banters between characters were so fun to read!

However, I found the writing quite flowery, sometimes even cliché with eye-rolling tropy moments. Sometimes the writing felt a bit confusing to me (ie sometimes I thought they were running but then they would just talk like they were walking). I lost interest in the plot 2/3 in, as nothing truly captivating and deep was happening. It slightly picked up in the end.
Moreover, at the beginning of the book, the main character did not directly picked up on something that was SO obvious, which I guess kind of annoyed me haha (Silas being a demon). Also, the characters were not super original and had stereotypic personalities.
The magic system got confusing mid-book with the demons and the rules for summoning them and bargaining...which could have been fixed by developing the world a little bit more.
Finally, a very predictable ending with a final fight scene that dragged on but also unfortunately did not impress me whatsoever. I don't know how to explain it, but it just felt too easy somehow, or something was missing... It wrapped up way too nicely like a good fluffy book, nothing heart-wrenching or very deep happened and I was quite disappointed with that ending.

TLDR; I loved the setting and the plot, maybe the pacing was a little bit off and the character a bit cliché, but I would say it's worth checking it out if you like YA fantasy. Definitely an author to follow.

For my full review on my blog follow this link: https://extraordinarystardust.blogspot.com/2019/06/review-sorcery-of-thorns-margaret.html

I’m just going to say it: This book was phenomenal. The story was immensely captivating, the characters were wonderfully complex (and loveable), the world building was magnificently done - I felt like I was literally sucked into the story, and the magic system. Omg, the magic system. It was some of the best magic I’ve ever read about. There were rules and costs and limits but the magic still maintained its sense of wonder (since we didn’t know too many logistics). So well done in my opinion. Our main character, Elizabeth is so bold, inquisitive, and quick-thinking. And if you love books, you’ll definitely love Elizabeth. The secondary characters are equally as compelling and complex. (I love the trio in this book with Ann my heart) Basically, just read Sorcery of Thorns right now. (If you want to. I’m not telling you what to read or anything... but seriously read this book).

Did I I mention it’s a standalone fantasy novel?????? Because it is. And it’s amazing because I can only think of one other fantasy standalone. (Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller, I also LOVED that book).


Okay this review has come to an end. So what are you waiting for? Go and get Sorcery of Thorns and make it your new current read!!

Just the other day I was pouting about YA fantasy just not hitting the mark for me in 2019. And in struts SORCERY OF THORNS just to prove me wrong. I didn't really know what to expect for this one other than it had something to do with library with a hate to love (possibly) and magic and, not having read Rogerson's first novel, didn't know how that would all translate in the writing.

Well, it translated super well.

"<I>You used a demonic incantation to pack my stockings!</I>"
"<b>You're right, that doesn't sound like something a proper evil sorcerer would do. Next time, I won't fold them.</b>"

This not-quite-medieval but not-quite-steampunk world is populated by living, magical, books and sorcery from demonic bargains. Librarians are the keepers of the books and look down upon the Magisters, the sorcerers, for their alliances with demons. So naturally this is a great set-up for an orphan, raised in the library and on her way to become a Warden, to get tripped up with a Magister.. who then trips up all her pre-conceived notions, too.

"<I>I don't mean to be forward, but is that a--</I>"
"<b>A sword hidden under my dress? Yes, it is.</b>"
"<I>I see. And how exactly is it--</I>"
"<b>I thought you didn't mean to be forward.</b>"

The banter and dynamic between the two leads was great. Even during a weird lull, where I worried my experience with this one was also going to crash and burn, I was comforted by the four and five star worthy dialogue of bickering and nicknames. It was just fabulous. What I could never have suspected, though, was how much I would love a certain demon and that my love for him would have me shedding a tear or two.

"<I>Can you go on?</I>"
"<b>Of course I can. I may be useless, but my good looks might prove critical for morale.</b>"

Honestly, the mayhem and calamity that is crashing down around their ears didn't interest me half as much as the Help Save The World Adventure Squad Trio.. but, to be fair, I did like them a lot so even half of that.. isn't bad. But I'll admit I lost a wee bit of love somewhere around the middle bit. Things went in a strange direction I didn't see coming and there was an odd interaction or two I didn't quite understand, but overwhelmingly this book was just.. unexpected. Interesting, creative, funny, clever, and fun. There's one specific thing I liked so much, and liked how it wasn't really made into A Thing, but I'm not even going to remotely hint at it so that you, too, can be pleasantly surprised about it. Instead, I'll say how much I appreciated the constant reinforcement, and reminder, of shades of grey as it applies to so many things, including people. It made for a richer story that was already pretty lush.

<I>These weren't ordinary books the Great Library kept. They whispered on the shelves and shuddered beneath iron chains. Some spat ink and threw tantrums; others sang to themselves in high, clear notes on windless nights, when starlight streamed through the library's barred windows like shafts of mercury. Others still were so dangerous they had to be stored in the underground vault, packed in salt. Not all of them were her friends.</I>

I feel a little nitpicky for harkening back to this after all the nice things I've said but for all the good, there were those moments I wasn't too sold on, and definitely a few typical fantasy roadblocks as we see when the hero/heroes are trying to convince People In Charge that they are Here To Help. It isn't without some clichés or slower moments so, yeah, it's not a perfect ten. Hence the four (#math).

"<I>Tempting as the prospect is, we are not attempting world domination. It sounds fun in theory, but in reality it's a logistical nightmare.</I>"

But the moments that were good, were great. The parts that made me laugh, really tickled. And those unexpected glimpses of brilliance and emotion.. they are definitely there. I didn't always like how the perspective could be fluid but at the same time I also really loved how the narrative flowed and didn't always need us to live through the events but would still catch us up. And I love love loved the end.

"<I>I dragged you into this. You wouldn't be here it it weren't for me.</I>"
"<b>You're right. I would be alone in my study, utterly miserable, spending my final hours unaware that demons were about to overrun the world. I like this version better. The one with you in it.</b>"

SORCERY OF THORNS is definitely worth picking up. I have no idea if there's more to come and, because of the ending, I almost hope not. But I wouldn't say no to more, either.


** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

DNF @ page 167

I really don’t like stories where the main focus is books and libraries. I thought this one would be different because the premise was so captivating and because I thoroughly enjoyed Rogerson’s first book but unfortunately that’s not the case. This is definitely just a me problem, though!

I don’t rate books I don’t finish so the star rating is irrelevant.

I loved this!!!
This book was so good!! Adventure, romance, librarians, hilarious and witty banter and a whole lot of excitement!! The characters are so well crafted and the novel is written beautifully!
Definitely recommending

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC!

Sorcery of Thorns is a whimsical story about finding yourself and fighting for the truth.

Elisabeth is an apprentice of the Great Libraries. She was taken in as a young baby when she was abandoned on the steps of the Great Library. Elisabeth is kind of an outcast; people find her weird and different. She has one good friend, Katrien, who is also her partner in crime. They get into mischief together and they’re a fun duo. Elisabeth has one goal: to become a warden to protect the Libraries and the innocent people from the dangerous grimoires.

The Great Libraries hold magical books called grimoires. They are rated by how dangerous they are from Class 1 – 10. All apprentices and people of the Great Libraries frown upon sorcery, it is evil and should not be used for any reason. Sorcerer’s are evil, no good comes from them. Grimoires were made by sorcerers to preform magic, and magic hasn't helped anyone. It’s evil, it’s bad, and that’s a fact. At least according to the Libraries. And who is Elisabeth to question the establishment that has raised her, protected her, and fed her? But when a grimoire gets out and turns into a Malefict, Elisabeth has only one thing to do: Kill it before it kills innocents, like a warden would do. Instead of being praised, she becomes the prime suspect for the devastation that the Malefict caused.

In comes Magister Nathaniel Thorn. Dashing and eligible, but cold, dismissive, and a sorcerer. The definition of evil. And Elisabeth is stuck with him and his demonic servant while he transports her to her trial. But when they get attacked, Elisabeth and Nathaniel must work together to get to the bottom of it. How do you work with someone who you've spent your entire life hating and fearing? But Nathaniel isn't as he seems, there is more to him than the disturbing history of his family.

Elisabeth starts to question what she’s been taught. She’s starting to realise she’s different, with a strong power inside of her. She starts making her own decisions and coming up with her own opinions on the world. But to do so, she must go against everything she’s believed in.

This story is full of fun, magic, suspense, murder, ancient conspiracies, friendship, and love. It’s good for all ages, but there is some violence and kissing. It’s not over the top, and I enjoyed it. It was fast paced and exciting once Nathaniel and Elisabeth teamed up. I wish there was more. It took me a little to ground myself in the world, it was a bit slow. But when I got into it, I craved more. I can’t believe it’s really over. Not with that ending. I hope there’s more to this world, because it was beautiful and magical. The growth of all three characters unfolded beautifully, and I NEED MORE.

I hope you like this book as much as I did. It’s heartwarming and romantic. Exhilarating and intense. It’s everything you’d want in a story of magic and books. Read it and tell me otherwise.

I quite enjoyed this one! I must say, it took me a while to read it though. I found the beginning engaging, but then it dragged a bit in the middle, despite the fact that the book isn't that long. The ending made up for it though - it was one of those endings that is wonderfully bittersweet, and the final line was chill-inducing, full of mystery and hopefulness.

Elisabeth was a good main character with a lot of agency. The (unapologetically bisexual!) love interest was charming and funny and sassy, and therefore I liked him as well. The best character, however, was the demon side-kick Silas, who was complex and interesting and (in my opinion) made the story.

I really enjoyed the concept of this story - books that are "alive" and classified by danger - and I'm always up for anything demonic in nature. I wasn't a big fan of the villain, and I can't quite say why, but he just didn't feel very impressive or important to me. Again, I can't explain it exactly.

The ending, like I said, was clever. I enjoyed this more than Rogerson's first book (An Enchantment of Ravens), and would recommend it to people. For me it was a three-star read, simply because I didn't have that *drive* to keep reading it. That's just my opinion though, and I'm quite hard to please with YA books lately.

This was a very enjoyable fantasy full of deception, misinformation, friendship, loyalty, love, magic and libraries with a demon or two thrown into the mix.

**Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster fro providing me an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Reasons to check this book out:
- The story takes place in a Victorian-age society with just the right touch of fantasy. There’s magic, demons, secret plots, ancient artifacts.
- The setting of reminded me of the library at Hogwarts, where the books have their own distinct personalities (but amped up) and are “alive” in a sense
- As well, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas remind me a lot of Tessa, Will, and Jem from The Infernal Devices series (Shadowhunters), and honestly, they make the perfect trio. But even though the book draws inspiration from these two fandoms,
- All the characters are super likable and well developed, and I like how there’s also not a lot of overwhelming elements that some fantasy books tend to have (ie. too many characters, strange names, etc).
- The writing itself is flawless, which is to be expected from Margaret Rogerson, and while reading, I could feel myself seamlessly becoming a part of the scenes taking place (a very good thing!)
- Also, if that’s not enough, the cover art is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!

Thoughts:
This book is a feel-good read, the type of book where you can expect a pleasant ending where everything works out nicely. However, I personally would’ve liked a bit more unpredictability and bigger, more dramatic plot twists. I guess I just like the kind of book that always keeps you hanging on the edge of your seat, unable to predict what will happen next (think Six of crows, Nevernight, etc). Some events were predictable for me, simply because I've read books that have had similar elements. Although I definitely did enjoy reading the book, a part of me was hoping for that element of surprise and suspense that wasn't quite there, which is why I couldn’t give it a full 5 stars.

If you're looking for a feel-good story with  romance, likable characters, and a happy ending, this book is for you. Perfect for fans of Harry Potter and the Infernal Devices

First off, let me just obsess over this cover becuase it’s beautiful!! The details, illustartions, fonts, and the colours are absolutely stunning! It’s what drew me to this wonderful novel! Actually, so did the title becuase it sounded like something I had never read before, and I hadn’t, but I wish I did.

Elisabeth is an apprentice at one of the Great Libraries, training to become a warden to protect the kindgom from the magical grimoires. An attack takes place at her library, and then Elisabeth finds herslef blamed for the crime, one she did not commit. Then she is taken to the capital, and finds herself trusting her enemy, Nathaniel Thorn, who is a powerful sorcerer, and his demonic servent. Elisabeth ends up getting entangled in an old conspiracy and may just be the end of the world.

I was loving the book from the start, I was so interested in it. I wanted to know what was going to happen because I’ve never read a book with sorcerers, demons, and grimoires, it was so new for me. I was so happy when this Sorcery Of Thorns turned how I wanted it to!

Elisabeth Scrivener was the main character, and was well written. Really, all the characters were well written. Elisabeth was an orphan and was raised in one of the Great Libraries, training to become a warden. In the beginning, she was really anxious about not acheiving her goal to become a warden, one slip up could ruin everything, but as the story went on she grew and worries disappeared, she did anything she could do to protect her friends, even if it went against everything she was thaught. Nathaniel Thorn was an important character, and was a sorcerer. I LOVED NATHANIEL!!! He was an amazing character and was everything I look for in the male lead.

I was amazed by how Sorcery Of Thorns was written. Like I said before, I’ve never read a book like this, and the world she created was just . . . extrodaniary. Some things that amazed me was how sorcerers would have demon servents that would be bound to them with some sort of bargaining. Nathaniel bargained 20 years from his life to his servent, Silas, who played a huge part in this novel.

I loved the writing and the world Margaret Rogerson created, and because of that I plan on reading her other novel. I really wish Sorcery Of Thorns wasn’t a standalone but the author confirmed it is, I hated letting the characters go.

I definetly recommend this novel! Especially if you love fantasies, that have to do with magical books and sorcery! I rate Sorcery Of Thorns 5 out of 5 stars.

SORCERY OF THORNS features my new favorite trio: a sword-wielding librarian, a charming sorcerer, and a polite-yet-murderous demon. Margaret Rogerson might have just entered my auto-buy list and joined the ranks of Victoria Schwab, Leigh Bardugo, and Holly Black.

All the demons and sorcerers gave me major HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE nostalgia and now I have to re-watch the movie even though it's basically midnight.

***4 Stars*** Another adorable Margaret Rogerson book. And this one had BADASS, LIVING LIBRARIES with SWORD WIELDING LIBRARIANS. I really loved the worldbuilding of it, it was so imaginative and cool and omg I really wanna live in a world with magic libraries except I guess the whole "grimoires might eat your fingers lol" thing is sort of a turn-off. So maybe let's just stick with fiction.

My favourite character BY FAR in this book was Silas. I don't want to say too much about him to avoid spoiling people the enjoyment of finding out who he is throughout the book, but he definitely stole the show. And my heart. I also really loved the relationship between him and Nathaniel and learning, along with Elisabeth, what feelings were really under the magical bonds between them. Silas was truly a standout. Guys, I love him so much, can't you tell? And oh my god, THE ENDING ???? MISS ROGERSON YOU CRUEL CRUEL WOMAN (But simultaneously a perfect way to end...).

This book was also hella funny, in a wry sort of way if you're into that. Nathaniel taking delight in being an absolute Weirdo(TM) was highly entertaining to read. However, I can't say the main relationship/romance of the book was highly compelling for me. It was cute to be sure, but it wasn't the highlight as it was for Rogerson's last book imo. (SILAS WAS thE HIGHLIGHT. iN cASe thAt wASnT cLeEAR i jUSt wAnT iT To BE cLEAR!!) And the plot was a "Meets Expectations" sort of read for me, it didn't really wow me BUT it picked up and definitely had some twists and turns that entertained me enough to keep reading (I have a very short attention span, so this was a problem at the beginning of the book lol).

Anyway, this book was a fun read. I'll probably always give something Margaret Rogerson writes a try. Her books have such cool concepts!