For such a small book, it took me a looooooong time to finish it. Not sure what I was expecting but this was a miss…

Sure, it’s good to catch up with them after the events of book 1 but it just felt like a lead up to that ending which feels like another door left open.

Maybe we’ll get another novella? Who knows…

This was such a good prequel that is really sweet and just such a cute read. It was really nice to be reintroduced to the characters once more and the world! This is definitely a book worthy of a nice hot chocolate and a cosy setting to read and enjoy and just fall back in love with all the characters once more! I didn't know that I needed to see Elisabeth again until I read this! And Nathaniel OMG. I missed him so much! Also, Nathaniel and Elisabeth's relationship was so cute and it really developed nicely.
And the Manor 👀

ARC received by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this little novella. Getting to come back to this world is something I was so happy about. I just wish this one was longer because I didn't realize how short it was until I read it. The characters were all the same loveable ones they were in the first book which is always one of my biggest fears when picking up a sequel. The only thing is there was confusing part where I thought it was going to turn into something totally different in the romance department which would have been interesting. I would have either loved that to be played upon more or to make it clear if it was romantic or familial love.

I really enjoyed this short jaunt back into the world of Sorcery of Thorns. This book is low stakes with a hint of something possibly that could open up the world and the stakes that came in the epilogue. I don't have much else to say besides the fact that if you loved Sorcery of Thorns, you'll love this extended epilogue of a novella as well.

This novella is absolutely precious - it is romantic, sweet, and just oh so fluffy. I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time I was reading! Rogerson’s exquisite writing puts a spell on you, and I could’ve been stuck in Thorn Manor with Nathaniel and Elisabeth forever.

This was a delight to read. I never expected to get to spend more time with these characters and I am so thankful I got to. Loved every minute of this book.

This novella is a sequel to Margaret Rogerson's Sorcery of Thorns. In this novella, we follow Elizabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas as they must unravel a magical trap that is keeping them trapped in Thorn Manor. They must free themselves in time for the Midwinter Ball.

I read sorcery of Thorns back in October of 2022 and I gave it 3.5 stars and I came to the conclusion that Margaret Rogerson's books are a hit or miss.

When this novella was announced, I knew that this would be a popular release. Honestly, I was really on the fence about reading this novella due to finding the main book to just being okay.

I picked this book up on audio and listened to it while I was stuck in bed with COVID. Maybe because I was sick or it actually was the book or it was a mix of both, but I
ended up thinking this was just okay and I found that I enjoyed Sorcery of Thorns more.

I did enjoy seeing the characters again and I do think Margaret does well setting up the atmosphere of the world she has created. I just felt like it was hard to immerse myself into the stories and enjoy what was going on and to care about the characters.


This novella does not offer much to the world of sorcery of thorns, which is totally okay and expected. If you love sorcery of thorns and these characters, then you will love this novella since it is a light and fluffy read.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for the early copy in exchange for a review!

This novella made me want to reread Sorcery of Thorns! I adore this world and these characters. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Elizabeth, Silas, and Nathaniel are just such good characters. The banter was top notch. The plot was great. I just adore these books.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor did not disappoint. it was so good to catch back up with Nathanial, Elisabeth and of course Silas. I loved being back at Thorn Manor with all the Grimoires and enemies and adventures. This was the absolute perfect follow up to a fantasy Novel I loved

An adorable return to a book I quite enjoyed. The rules of the past trap the main characters in their home as they decide what the future holds for them!

This was one of those rare instances where I went into the book not knowing anything because Sorcery of Thorns was a favorite, and I was just excited to be back in this world.

This is a cozy, warm, full of love novella that’s perfect to read while snug in your blanket and a hot chocolate in hand. This is domestic slice of life at its best, with lovely, charming, witty conversations between our favorite characters. And interspersed within it are moments full of exploring a magical house, discovering its hidden depths, and trying to bring some wayward grimoires to chill. Nathaniel is being his grumpy but witty self, Elisabeth is full of love and joy but also trying to find a way for her to use her skills more, and Silas is mysterious as ever but also just such an important part of this little found family. Mercy made a lovely new addition to this group. Everyone had their highlight moments and I just loved breezing through this audiobook in a single sitting.

Overall, I’m so glad we got a little glimpse into this world again and I can only hope that we might get more stories with these characters, because they are such fun to spend some time with. And if you loved the first book, you really can’t give this a miss.

I loved this addition to this world. Having both of them navigate their new relationship and have them have to solve the mystery of the manor was fun.

Such a delightful follow-up to Sorcery of Thorns. I absolutely love this magical world full of magical libraries and shapeshifting demons. I only wish it was longer so I could keep enjoying it!

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Mysteries of Thorn Manor

Author: Margaret Rogerson

Book Series: Sorcery of Thorns Book 1.5

Rating: 4/5

Diversity: Tall MC with anxiety. Bisexual character who uses a mobility device.

Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, romance, demons, bookish book, novella

Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Genre: YA Fantasy

Age Relevance: 14+ (romance, parental death, death, language, torture)

Explanation of Above: There is a lot more romance in this book than its predecessor. There are mentions of death and parental death. There is one instance of cursing. There is torture mentioned.

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Pages: 184

Synopsis: In this sequel novella to Sorcery of Thorns, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas must unravel the magical trap keeping them inside Thorn Manor in time for their Midwinter Ball!

Elisabeth Scrivener is finally settling into her new life with sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn. Now that their demon companion Silas has returned, so has scrutiny from nosy reporters hungry for gossip about the city's most powerful sorcerer and the librarian who stole his heart. But something strange is afoot at Thorn Manor: the estate's wards, which are meant to keep their home safe, are acting up and forcibly trapping the Manor's occupants inside. Surely it must be a coincidence that this happened just as Nathaniel and Elisabeth started getting closer to one another...

With no access to the outside world, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas - along with their new maid Mercy - will have to work together to discover the source of the magic behind the malfunctioning wards before they're due to host the city's Midwinter Ball. Not an easy task when the house is filled with unexpected secrets, and all Elisabeth can think about is kissing Nathaniel in peace. But when it becomes clear that the house, influenced by the magic of Nathaniel's ancestors, requires a price for its obedience, Elisabeth and Nathaniel will have to lean on their connection like never before to set things right.

Review: For the most part I thought this was a good sequel novella. The novella picks up sometime after the events of the first book and discusses how there is some magic afoot that is causing our characters to become trapped in Thorn Manor. They all take a deep dive through Nathanial’s family history to figure out how to undo the spell. The book was a pretty fun little novella that offered some great backstory to not only Nathanial’s family but also some to Silas. The book further develops Elisabeth and Nathanial’s relationship as well. I thought the world building was great and the pacing was very well even.

The only issues I had with the book is that it felt like the character development was a bit lacking and overall it felt kind of unnecessary for this book to exist? I thought the first one ended perfectly and this one, while a fun and amazingly cute novella, just left more questions than answers for me.

Verdict: It was great! Loved it!

Not every story has a happy ending,” she offered. “But most do, if you’re brave enough to keep reading to the end.

In this sequel novella to Sorcery of Thorns, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas must unravel the magical trap keeping them inside Thorn Manor in time for their Midwinter Ball!

Mysteries of Thorn Manor is such a fluffy and fun read which I devoured it in one sitting! With the fascinating plot, charming characters, it's definitely worth the read for fans of Sorcery of Thorns!

While this one was short and sweet, it was great to revisit the world Rogerson created in the Sorcery of Thorns book.

Elisabeth and Nathaniel along with Silas and Mercy are trapped in Thorn Manor and have to figure out how to fix the malfunctioning wards before they have to host the Midwinter ball. As they navigate the manor and it's secrets, we get more romance between Elisabeth and Nathaniel along with a side of learning more about Silas.

I'm definitely looking forward to more of these characters so hopefully this is a sign that there are more books coming. I recommend reading the first book in this series if you're interested in this one as you'll miss a lot if you just jump to this book.

While I've been dreaming of a sequel since I read SORCERY OF THORNS, a novella is better than nothing and being back in this world felt like catching up with an old friend. As a reader, it was very exciting to be able to explore Thorn Manor with Elisabeth... and imaging how amazing it would be to be in an old house with hidden and forgotten rooms waiting to be rediscovered. Mercy is a great addition to the Thorn Manor crew and I think she rounds out the group well.

The steps that Nathaniel (and Elisabeth) have to go through in order to appease the magical wards of Thorn Manor placed by a previous relative with traditionalist views on courtship was endearing and at times humorous. I was glad to find Elisabeth just as much of a feral librarian as before and the dynamic between her and Nathaniel is wonderful. It was great to get more insight into where Silas fits into the Thorn family as well.

All in all, even though this was too short for me, I thoroughly enjoyed having the chance to back in this world with these characters.

Oh, and Margaret Rogerson - I wouldn't be mad at a Silas spin-off novel. Just saying.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, and Margaret K. McElderry Books in exchange for an honest review.

This lighthearted novella was a delightful follow-up to Sorcery of Thorns, a book which I (along with practically every bookworm out there) positively adored. Magical grimoires, a librarian warrior, a demon who likes to take the form of a cat, a potent blend of magic and adventure…needless to say, the strength of its predecessor set the bar high. And Mysteries of Thorn Manor certainly rose to the challenge; it was exactly the right mix of cozy and entertaining, with light drama and a splash of romance.

Sequel novellas are often a dicey business. Sometimes, they succeed wildly (consider Mistborn: Secret History, which opened new story avenues and got me choked up with feelings). Other times, they’re maddeningly weak (A Court of Frost and Starlight, I’m looking at you: no plot, mostly an excuse for more smut, and full of serious “self-fanfic” vibes). I’m pleased to report that this book was closer to the former–while not so ambitious in scope, it had a self-sustaining narrative without the high stakes of its predecessor, resulting in a quintessential cozy narrative. Given the growing popularity of cozy books lately, and the strength of Sorcery of Thorns on its own, this was exactly the right kind of follow-up.

Honestly, what wasn’t to like here? This book had all sorts of small delights: enchanted clothing items, a house with its own personality, lots of repairing of grimoires, ice skating, a fancy ball, and of course, romantic declarations. And because it’s on a smaller scale, it was really able to lean into all of those details. The author noted that she wrote this story while the depression of COVID was weighing heavily on her, and it was a way of getting away from that. This was indeed a piece of nice, light escapism, so she clearly met her goal. Honestly, my only complaint was that it wasn’t a little bit longer!

As a final note, I learned after reading Sorcery of Thorns that the author is aroace and intended to write two characters in the book–Silas and Katrien–as ace as well. I don’t know if she was more explicit with it here, or if I just knew to look for it more, but the lines referencing that fact were quite apparent and jumped out at me immediately. It was casual but respectful representation, and I was quite pleased to see it!

All told, this book was short, sweet, and a lovely little read for anyone who loved Sorcery of Thorns and wants to linger just a moment longer in the world, seeing Elisabeth and Nathaniel getting the happy (though still chaotic) ending they deserve!

I was so happy to be transported back into this world! I absolutely loved this book! It was such a quick, fun and easy read!

This story really scratched the itch I had for another adventure with the characters from Margaret Rogerson's Sorcery of Thorns. If you enjoyed that book and were left yearning for just a little bit more, this novella is for you!
Now I don't have to imagine Elisabeth and Nathaniel's lovey dovey ending, because I found one and it was perfect!