Thorn Season by Kiera Azar is a compelling and well-written novel that pulled me in from the very first pages and held my interest throughout. The storytelling is immersive, with a strong narrative that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.

One of the book’s strengths is its subtle yet intriguing undercurrent of romance. While a love interest is hinted at, it remains unresolved in this installment, leaving room for future developments in the series. Though some readers may wish for more immediate resolution, this slow build adds an element of anticipation.

Since Thorn Season is the start of a series, I’m eager to see where the story goes next. Azar has created a world and strong female characters that are worth following, and I’ll be looking forward to the next release. If you enjoy well-crafted fiction with a mix of tension, depth, and a hint of romance, this book is worth picking up.

This book was amazing from start to finish! The mystery, the banter, the potential love triangle had me eating it up.the slow burn definitely had me reading just one more chapter every time just to read those important moments. Perfect for fans of The Selection and Caraval.

Thorn Season by Kiera Azar marks an impressive and captivating debut, introducing readers to a mesmerizing blend of fantasy, romance, and courtly intrigue. Azar crafts a rich, imaginative world brimming with sharp wit, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists that keep the reader thoroughly engaged from start to finish.

The novel centers around compelling characters whose complexities and layered dynamics create an emotional depth reminiscent of beloved series such as Shadow and Bone and The Selection. Azar's narrative style is sharp and confident, effortlessly combining humor and suspense in a manner that feels both fresh and irresistible.

What sets Thorn Season apart is its skillful balance between romantic tension and political drama, all set against a vividly described backdrop that immerses readers fully into its fantastical setting. Azar's protagonist is relatable yet nuanced, and the supporting characters each carry their own intriguing backstories, adding richness to the overarching plot.

Readers looking for a captivating romantasy filled with sharp dialogue, lush world-building, and characters that resonate long after the final page will find Thorn Season a delightful and unforgettable read. Kiera Azar's debut heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice in young adult fiction—one that promises much anticipation for the subsequent installments of this trilogy.

Let me start by saying—this was impressive for a debut novel. Kiera Azae’s writing is solid, the world-building is fantastic, the characters are well-developed, and the plot had all the right elements to make for an incredible story. On paper, this should have been a win for me. But despite all of that… I was so bored. Like, staring-at-the-wall-questioning-my-life-choices bored.

Everything felt rushed. The buildup? The suspense? Practically nonexistent. It’s like the story just barreled through major moments without letting them breathe, making it hard to really care about the stakes. And let’s talk about Erik—the most interesting and compelling character in the book. He had so much potential, but we barely scratched the surface of his history. Meanwhile, Alissa, our FMC, was strong and brilliant (love that for her), but it wasn’t enough to fully hook me.

Also, let’s get one thing straight—this is not a romantasy. Are there romantic subplots? Sure. But if you're picking this up expecting romance to be central to the story, you’re gonna be disappointed.

All in all, Thorn Season had the bones of a great book, but the execution didn’t land for me. I wanted to love it, but instead, I had to fight the urge to skim. If there’s a sequel, I might give it a shot—if only for Erik—but otherwise, this one just wasn’t for me.

Note: I will not be posting this review publicly until after release, as I don’t want to create any bias against the author or novel before it has a fair chance to find its audience.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I loved it! I didn’t want to put it down. This book has everything. Mystery, secrets, betrayal, tension! I’m hoping for more love story is the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this e-arc for my honest review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
I really enjoyed this book. The main character, Alissa, has to keep her magic hidden because magic wielders are hunted and killed in her kingdom. When an old friend comes back into her life asking for her help to find a magic compass that points to magic wielders, Alissa decides to go to the King's Palace for Rose Season to try to figure out who stole the missing compass.

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.

I don’t know that I’ve ever been this torn as to what I should rate a book. Half stars are not a thing though so I’m landing at a just barely four stars.

The beginning caught my interest quickly but the middle of the story just felt like it dragged on… the ending sucked me back in. The world building was great but I felt like Alissa wasn’t the most likable of female main characters. It was a struggle to connect with her and care about what happened to her. I do know this is a debut from a new author and I’m hoping she’ll continue to get better as the series progresses. The story itself is great - power, political intrigue, a dash of romance - I just need to feel more invested in the outcome of the characters I’m meant to be rooting for.

Also, can I say that this felt a bit dark to be categorized as YA? I’m not mad at it… just surprised. Overall this is a promising debut in what I hope ends up being an exciting series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the chance to read an early copy!

This book was fantastic! The plot twists that continued to twist, the direction of the story never quite going where you think it will! This book had me on the edge of my seat nearly the entire time! And that ending!!! Speechless!!! This YA fantasy book is so well written and so captivating I couldn't put it down! A well-deserved five star!!

This book had me hooked. I went in expecting a fun romantasy, but what I got was pure chaos, in the best way!! The tension, the betrayals, the emotional damage? Chef’s kiss. The world-building was a bit overwhelming at times, and some moments felt rushed, but the story still kept me invested. And the characters? Some I adored, some I wanted to throw into a lake, but either way, I cared.

Even with a few things that could’ve been fleshed out more, it was a super fun read. If the sequel was out right now, I’d already be halfway through it.

This was a mistake on my end, as I did not realize this was a Young Adult romantasy book. I still enjoyed the portion I sampled, but I can tell I need to be in the proper mood for this book and I want to get the physical version since it is on the longer side. I am also not 100% sure I am the target audience for this book. I heavily enjoyed the writing style though, so I do plan to pick it up again at some point.

I am grateful to have seen this book via Net Galley, as I can get it if i see it in stores.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide honest feedback voluntarily. I received a free eARC

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! You get political/court intrigue, romantasy, twists and turns, secrets and more.
The pacing was good, I was invested in nearly every character, and the premise kept me interested throughout.
I did feel like some of the big moments were a tad rushed and could have been fleshed out a bit more but I still enjoyed this and the ending definitely left me wanting more.

Rose season is upon the kingdom of Daradon which means ladies in their eighteenth season have the opportunity to make their societal debut. Alissa Paine is the daughter of an influential family. While her father has stood strong against his cousins, the Hunters' attacks are becoming more and more frequent. Alissa has a secret, she's a Wielder and apart of the group the Hunters seek to eradicate. In order to evade them Alissa must go to court, but there she meets royals that are equally as threatening. King Erik, whom is known for his determination as well as an ambassador from a foreign kingdom who's intentions are unclear. In order to survive Alissa must be a thorn, beautiful and unassuming but quick to draw blood and defend herself.

Azar does such an amazing job at taking aspects from other stories we know and love and then turning them into something completely unique and intriguing. I loved the complexness of Alissa and how she interacted with people she loved, hated and manipulated. She is fierce, strong, deeply flawed but has the ability to care for herself. I am chomping at the bit for the second book already.

What did they lace this book with?! I had to physically restrain myself from staying up all night to finish it—stupid real job getting in the way of my reading time! Thorn Season, mark my words, is going to be the BookTok girlies’ obsession this fall. It hits every single beat that makes romantasy so addictive (minus the spice), and I absolutely did not want to put it down.

The courtly intrigue, the betrayals, the endless hidden agendas—I was getting whiplash from all the jaw-dropping reveals! Kiera Azar masterfully crafts complex characters, and holy hell, does she know how to write pure evil. (Was it weird that I found myself slightly attracted to said evil? I blame it on the name and hair color resembling my favorite TV vampire—mild spoilers there.)

And that ending? Absolutely agonizing in the best way—I need the next book yesterday. I’m already planning my reread before the sequel drops, and I cannot wait to devour everything else Kiera Azar writes.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books | Storytide for the advance eARC—this was an incredible read!

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for this ecopy ARC of Thotn Seaon by Kiera Azar.

In Thorn Season you meet Alissa who is hiding a dark secret that she has kept from many people for 18 years. Alissa is a wielder. She is also in a family Hunters that track and kill wielders. Since this is Alissa's 18 year she is joining the Rose Seaon. During this Rose Season secrets are not meant to be kept and she will do anything to learn these secrets that others hold. Taking you on an adventure with high stakes and maybe even a love interest Thorn Seaon welcomes you to the Rose Seaon.

The characters in this book I thought equally held their own place. Each one of them had something to with or for Alissa. Which I thought made it flow well. The plot was great I felt like I understood the plot of the book and the world building was not over bearing. I loved that each character had a specific place in the story. I didn't really care for parts in the where a conversation was taking plan and then it just stopped and you learned the outcome of it later on.

Overall I believe this is a great first book to a series. The characters, The plot, the would building had me wanting more with each pages I turned. I would recommend this book to young adults and anyone that loves bridgerton. Overall I rate this book 4 ⭐️ I look forward to purchasing the special edition and can not wait for the next book in the series.

I was very pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. It had all the comfort that you get when diving into a young adult book but without a lot of the predictability. The FMC (Alissa) is both intelligent but also brash and reckless. She was born in a society where having a specter is equivalent to a death sentence unless you are able to stay hidden from the hunters whose job it is to kill you. Alissa is surrounded by those who want to hurt her or manipulate her and she doesn't have many she can trust. When a powerful object goes missing, Alissa is forced into a race to find the missing object because in the wrong hands it will force her exposure to the world. There were a lot of twists and turns in this book and some great characters. I felt that the book was well paced and ended with you still wanting more.

I was able to read this book as an ARC from NetGalley. I started and finished this book in one day. It’s a very easy ready. The magical aspects aren't complicated. I enjoyed all the characters and the story kept me guessing the whole time. I was disappointed when the story ended because, I wanted it to keep going. Can’t wait to read the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced ecopy of this phenom. It is 6am and I’ve just stayed up all night reading Thorn Season. I will write a proper review soon but as far as first takes go - this is a book that reminds me why I love reading. Kiera Azar’s writing and storytelling blew me away and I will be rereading this again soon to catch the details that so intricately wove together to shape the first installment of Alissa’s story in this brutally sharp world.

-- Added after sleep--
This story grabs you and doesn't let go. In a world where her very existence is punishable by death, Lady Alissa Paine must be just as sharp as the blades hunting people like her to survive. There is so much tension, urgency, political intrigue, and the perfect amount of romantic tension (I kept changing who I was rooting for). While I suspect aspects of the plot, the executions of well-developed plot made every detail count, even those that seemed meaningless. I am excited to see where this story goes next, as the plot has only thickened as the first book of this trilogy came to a close.

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for this early copy of Thorn Season. I enjoyed the first novel of this fantasy trilogy and am intrigued to see where this story leads.

I enjoyed the world building and interesting idea of a “specter.” The FMC, Alissa was very introspective and her constant thoughts and questions helped propel the story. I did find it a little confusing at times as her inner monologue provided question after question. I often had to stop reading and ponder them myself which somewhat took away from just enjoying the story.

I wouldn’t necessarily classify this as a “romantasy.” There are definite romantic themes, but Alissa’s drive to find the compass and unlock all the mysteries of the Wielders in her realm is what drives the story. I would have enjoyed more interactions with Kiel leading up to their farewell(hopefully that’s not the last we see of him!)

I found Erik to be the most interesting of characters. I very enjoyed the “twist” at the end involving his desires.

I would definitely recommend this book and am looking forward to continuing this series.

This new fantasy series had great character and world development. Alissa will lead you through a her journey of how to embrace the power of her bloodline. I can not wait to see what happens in the rest of the series.