I cannot recommend this book enough!! I didn’t want it to end, but NEEDED to know how everything would play out. Every character is scheming and has something planned… I cannot wait for everyone to read it when it releases and eventually for the next one!!

★★★★☆ – A Razor-Edged Debut Full of Magic, Intrigue, and Swoon-Worthy Danger

Thorn Season is the kind of romantasy that pulls you in with the force of a spell and refuses to let go. Kiera Azar delivers a stunning debut that feels like a wickedly addictive blend of Fourth Wing's page-turning tension and the lush, dangerous world-building of A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Alissa Paine is a compelling heroine – fierce, clever, and constantly treading the knife’s edge of survival. As a secret Wielder born into a family of Hunters, her internal conflict crackles with tension, and the stakes only rise when she’s thrust into the political snake pit of the royal court. The romantic entanglements are deliciously tense – think slow-burn chemistry with a touch of enemies-to-lovers danger – and the two central male leads are both charming and ominous in their own right.

Azar’s writing is sharp and cinematic, with standout moments of dark humor and emotional depth. The Wielder abilities are both beautiful and terrifying, and the magic system feels fresh and full of promise. That said, the pacing occasionally stumbles in the middle, and a few twists, while juicy, felt a bit predictable. Still, the tension never truly lets up, and the climax pays off in a big way.

For fans of high-stakes court drama, morally gray characters, and power dynamics that sizzle, Thorn Season is an irresistible new entry in the romantasy canon. I’ll definitely be lining up for the sequel.

I can see this book doing very well! Unfortunately, it was simply not for me. This was well written I just struggle with romantasy. I do think many readers will enjoy this book.

I absolutely loved this book!!! The court drama, magic and even danger were very intriguing! I was finding myself able to get into the world and character views. I really liked the main character Alissa, but sometimes the story even had me swayed by the villain (only briefly!). I was not able to predict what happened and the ending has me needing book 2 now!! This is for ACOTAR, Selection, Fourth Winter type fans. Thank you so much NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read an advanced copy!

This book reminded me a bit of House of Marionne by J Elle with being a person of high regard while also being a person hunted by society. The world building was interesting but I realized now that I hate love triangles.

This was an excellent rollercoaster ride through all emotions. I didn't want to put it down. The characters were fairly well thought through and I could connect with them. I also loved to hate the villain. I'm excited for future reads from Azar.

Holy Smokes! Talk about a twist I wasn't expecting. Thorn Season is a great book! I really think it is reminiscent of Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen and can't wait for the next book in the series.

The storyline for Thorn Season is good, and the second half of the book fully engages the reader in the action of the story. The reader can sympathize with Alissa throughout the book about what her troubles and challenges are. One can feel or sense the nature of conflicts experienced by the characters. There is an element of “who done it?” for those who enjoy puzzling out how, why and by whom something was done. The fantasy around the powers various characters hold is believable. For readers who like a book to end with the resolution of any mysteries or issues presented during the story, there is some resolution and also a set up for continuing the story in a second book.

For me, the first half of the book lacked sufficient energy to draw me completely into wanting to find out how Alissa resolved her dilemmas, or what might challenge her next. Initially, identifying relationships among people and sorting out who was who in Hunters, Wielders, Wholeburn detracted from being pulled into the moments of action during the first half. Past events seemed vaguely or partially described through a character’s memory of the event. I tired of hearing about Alissa controlling her specter and her thoughts alluding to past traumas and situations that were influencing her current decisions and actions. It wasn’t until Chapter 28 when she unleashed her specter that things started to become more interesting. I became more engaged in following the story to its conclusion.

I was surprised to learn that Erik is twenty-two. It felt as though he were older, maybe because he’s so evil and power hungry, and the king.

Until Chapter 40, references to the happenings at Opal were presented as Alissa remembering what happened, although the details of what she saw were not revealed during her remembrances. Suddenly in Chapter 40, the Opal incident is presented as a flashback and is fully explained. Having not used the flashback tool prior to this chapter, I was initially confused about the chronology of the storyline. This chapter didn’t feel like it fit until I realized it was a flashback. I think it was the only time a true flashback was used, as opposed to a character, mostly Alissa, thinking during her current time what happened in her past.

Chapter 40 also caused me to wonder if the Epilogue were another flashback or if it truly foretold what a future event was or might be. Is Marge still alive, or are we being taken back to what she endured before she died? An epilogue usually isn’t a flashback, but having one thrown into the story in Chapter 40 caused me to wonder what was going on in the epilogue. Why are we taken back to Marge, unless Alissa will be discovering in the next book that Marge is alive? Having the king survive and Alissa keeping the compass, about which she wants to find out more, does set up the story for a continuation in a second book. If the second book started with the energy of the first half of Thorn Season, I wouldn’t be eager to read another book. If it engages the reader more in the manner of the second half of Thorn Season, I’d be more inclined to try the second book. I keep wondering if a younger generation that craves instant gratification and results, or plays fast action electronic games, would stick with how Thorn Season unfolds during the first half of the book.

in a kingdom of persecution and mistrust, high society heiress alissa paine is hiding a dangerous secret - she is a wielder, able to exert a shimmering, physical power that extends beyond herself. while wielders have always been hunted, more begin to disappear, and alissa realizes there may be a much more dangerous game at stake.

recently eighteen, alissa is summoned to court for the debutante season, and finds herself caught in a web of hidden intentions and complex political schemes. in the midst of it all, two dangerous men vy for her affections - a brutal, handsome prince who would just as soon see all wielders eliminated, and an intriguing foreign ambassador who has secret agendas of his own. alissa must put the pieces together before it's too late - for her kingdom and her heart.

thorn season is full of political intrigue, romance, and complex, well-developed characters. the worldbuilding isn't overly complicated, and the magic system makes more sense as the book goes on and information is revealed. each character had an intentional purpose, and the side characters could stand on their own. while the beginning had me hooked, the middle slowed down and seemed to drag for a bit. however, the ending - the last quarter of the book or so - pulled me back in.

overall, I liked this one a lot, and it's a solid young adult debut. thorn season is perfect for fans of the rose bargain, the cruel prince, and shadows of perl.

thank you to netgalley and harper collins for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Now THIS is what a YA Romantasy should be like!
Magic, love interests, intrigue, and ruthless villains all abound in Thorn Season. It’s well written, which made it surprisingly hard to put down. I’m eager to read what comes next in this series!

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this eARC!

This book was really interesting! I wish we had learned a little more about how wielding and the specters work but I’m excited to see where everything goes in the next book. Also hoping for more of Carmen and Perla!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC!

I enjoyed this book. The magic system was interesting and the political intrigue was definitely there. In this world to be born a wielder is to be born with a death sentence and seeing how Alissa navigates her life as a member high in the court system while knowing that if anyone found out her secret she would be killed was very captivating and kept me hooked.

I really liked the characters, the world building, and the plot of the book. If you like political intrigue, an interesting magic system, and a Victorian era, then this book is for you.

Feminine rage. Loved the main love interest but our girl proved again and again that she is perfectly capable of doing what needs to be done. I love reading that in books because as much as I can appreciate a heroine being swept off her feet I also love women stepping back into their power. This was written so well and had me clutching my imaginary pearls. I can’t believe I have to wait for the second book 😫

I’m SO happy I got approved to read this book on NetGalley! It was SO good! The plot, the characters, the writing, the plot twist?!? I loved everything about this book! Also new book boyfriend alert 🚨 keil… 😍 I love him! Also I can’t wait for book 2.. but this one doesn’t come out until September so it’s going to be forever!! Ahhhhhh I also already preordered the special edition because it is gorgeous!

Thorn Season completely pulled me in. From the first few pages, I could tell this wasn’t going to be a light, fluffy read—and I loved that. It’s intense, emotional, and full of raw, complicated characters that stick with you. Kiera Azar writes with a kind of honesty that makes every moment hit harder. The characters are flawed and real, and their relationships are messy in a way that feels true to life. I found myself totally wrapped up in their pain, their growth, and their hope. One line that really stuck with me was: “You don’t get to choose the people who leave a mark. You just hope to survive the ones who do.” That perfectly sums up the emotional weight of this story. This book has that perfect mix of tension, heartache, and grit. I didn’t expect it to affect me as much as it did, but I was thinking about it long after I finished. If you’re into stories that dig deep emotionally and aren’t afraid to get a little dark along the way, I definitely recommend picking this one up.

You know a book is good because of how late you stay up to finish it! I read this in 2 days, and ended up staying up till 3am because I needed to know how it ends!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kiera Azar and HarperCollins for this eARC 🫶🏻
the magic?? I don’t think I’ve read anything like it before and I was super intrigued. Thorn Season, is a fantasy with a great mystery and many plot twists that kept coming even when I thought the reveals were already revealed

✨✨✨ I’m calling it now, Thorn Season will be the next YA romantasy obsession when it releases in September!! ✨✨✨

With a description like that, I had to give Thorn Season a chance and boy is it SO good! Thorn Season is romantasy in its finest form!

First of all, I was immediately drawn in by the whole specter wielding thing. It’s just as cool and interesting as it sounds! Of course the wielders are hunted for their ability. The MC, Alissa, is an heiress wielder caught up in a lot of dangerous things going on and trying not to be outed as a wielder. I really liked Alissa and Keil’s characters! I This one was fast-paced and action packed! Soooo much happened and the world building was done extremely well. I absolutely can’t wait for book 2!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book will be released September 2, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. Alissa joins the kings court for her 18th season and is vying for the kings hand in marriage but has ulterior motives as she’s hiding who she truly is. I’ll be honest for the first half of this book I really didn’t care about anything that was happening with this book and I was kind of confused about some things. Once I started getting into the second half I did become invested and I was desperately hoping this would not be a series but alas I’ll have to read a second one because I’m not curious to see how this resolves. Overall this ended up being decent. Not a favorite.

I struggled with the first half of this book and the worldbuilding, but things got very interesting in the second half. I was also intrigued by the different men and the role of romance in this.