Sorcery of Thorns

— 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ❝She wasn’t a wielder of chains; she was a breaker of them. She was the library’s will made flesh.❞ 📖 | 457 pages 👤 | author Margaret Rogerson 🏢 | published independently 📅 | release date 4 June 2019 What you can expect: — Young-Adult Epic Fantasy — Romantic Sub-Plot — Standalone — Third-Person POV — Singular-POV — Mental Health Rep — Hate-to-Love — Slow-Burn Romance — Sorcerers and Demons — Librarian X Magister — Demon Sidekick (who transforms into a cat) — Found Family Trigger and content warnings include: ableism, misogyny, sexual harassment, self harm for ritualistic purposes, nightmares, blood depiction, grief and loss depiction, death of family members (recounted, past), murder, torture, loss of autonomy (mind control), imprisonment, homelessness. Sorcery of Thorns is a Young-Adult Epic Fantasy standalone by author Margaret Rogerson. All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth Scrivener has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power. Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them. As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined. Sorcery of Thorns is my first book from author Margaret Rogerson and to say I'm impressed is an understatement. Standalones carry higher expectations to meet that sense of completion upon the end as opposed to larger opportunities presented within a series. Rogerson has met those expectations ten-fold with this compelling and well-rounded story and its elaborate magical system. The thought that went into the history and individual magical properties of the grimoires had me enraptured and desperate to know more. I am truly delightfully surprised at the amount of care and detail that has went into the world-building of Austermeer and its magical inhabitants. Linking a sorcerer's magical ability to the servitude of a demon was brilliant thinking into making this Fantasy world seem all that more believable and authentic. I particularly enjoyed the distinctive voices of the grimoires and the impression of intent that is left based on their narrative voice. This comprehensive yet easy-to-understand magical system has truly cemented Sorcery of Thorns as one of my all-time-favourite reads to date. ❝Don’t tell me you’ve succumbed to my charms,❞ he said over his shoulder. ❝I assure you, no good will come of a passionate affair between us.❞ You will never catch me denying my love for a roguish and quick-witted male main characters— to which Nathanial Thorn does not disappoint. When we are first introduced to Nathanial he is alluded to be this all-sinister sorcerer that sacrifices orphans in his pursuit of the dark arts. What quickly comes to light is that the truth does not necessarily lay in the hands of the sheltered, and the world is far larger than Elisabeth had been raised to know. There is much more to sorcery, and Nathanial Thorn for that matter, than she had ever come to expect. With a rich and disturbing family history forced upon his shoulders Nathanial prefers to live in solitude with the exception of his demon companion, Silas. Nathanial does everything he can think of to find himself rid of Elisabeth's presence, however as time passes we witness as the fight within him continues to dwindle. I truly felt for Nathanial as we witness him struggle with PTSD and the nightmares that manifest as a result. He chooses to remain in isolation as his volatile nightmares drove away the last of the human servants that remained in his service. I absolutely adored his comforting yet albeit confusing companionship with Silas. Whilst Silas was determined to say that his nature as a demon prevented him from ever feeling the emotions of love and the care that came with it, we continued to see those acts of love shown rather than spoken. It was clear how important Nathanial and Silas are to one-another, and their familial bond remains one of my favourite within Sorcery of Thorns. Nathanial's cheeky smirk and fast-retorts often offered moments on light-hearted humour within this high-stakes story, and sis willingness and belief in Elisabeth were everything as he never once doubts her as he follows her into battle without thought. I really love Nathanial as a main-character, and he has definitely found his place in my "favourite love interests" list. ❝She now understood that the world wasn’t kind to young women, especially when they behaved in ways men didn’t like, and spoke truths that men weren’t ready to hear.❞ Elisabeth Scrivener is a firecracker main character with a determination of steel and unwavering courage. A young-woman who is willing to pick up a crowbar and whack a demon off of a moving carriage is my kind of woman, indeed. Despite living a very sheltered upbringing in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries with only the books and magical grimoires within its shelves as companions, Elisabeth demonstrates a vast amount of prospect and growth as she is forced to venture out of the reclusive country and into busy city life. Faced with hard-truths and revelations that aren't easy to follow, Elisabeth is faced with an indescribable sense of loss and a lack of belonging. All she has ever known is to live in the heart of a Great Library with zero knowledge on the cutthroat life within high-society. I really enjoyed that Elisabeth was challenged against everything she had ever known and been taught as she was forced to reconsider what is morally right and wrong, and the resolve which Elisabeth aimed to face those challenges with. I truly felt for her character as she was thrust into an unfamiliar world and ultimately suffered for it, however the growth that stemmed from that suffering made her a formidable foe to those looking to do wrong. Elisabeth possesses a rare sense-of-duty that often baffles her companions, which ultimately speaks to her kind and compassionate nature. However my favourite aspect about Elisabeth is that she very rarely seeks to be saved, and is more than capable of being the one to do the saving. Often when danger arises Elisabeth is encouraged to run and hide, when instead she finds herself a weapon and prepares to be the one defend. As Elisabeth begins to realise that there is more to the world than what she has been raised to believe she internally works on adapting her perspectives, and I truly respected her willingness to adapt and change. Her overall strength and merciful nature are at the core of who Elisabeth is as a character, and I truly fell in-love with her from the very first chapter. ❝I’m already with you, and it suits me perfectly well,” she said. “You’re enough for me the way you are, Nathaniel Thorn. I want nothing more.❞ The romantic subplot between Elisabeth and Nathanial was written to absolute perfection. As Sorcery of Thorns is a standalone I was thrilled to see the high-stakes Fantasy elements feel well balanced with the romantic subplot written between the two main characters. The romance was woven masterfully into the plot as you feel the development within the small, tender moments before everything is laid open and bare. The plot was enchanting and had me glued to the pages, and I loved that every detail had its given purpose upon the conclusion. I found the pacing to be steady before ultimately picking up within the third act conflict, and overall I'm mad at myself for taking to long to read this book. Sorcery of Thorns is Young-Adult Fantasy done right, and it has immediately found its way onto my list of favourites to cherish and re-read when the mood strikes.

I was sent a digital copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review. I was captivated by the cover of Rogerson’s debut, An Enchantment of Ravens, but was ultimately lukewarm on the book itself. Despite this, I perked up when I heard about the release of Sorcery of Thorns. Not only does Sorcery have a great cover as well, it sounded like my exact cup of tea where Enchantment did not — who doesn’t love sword-wielding librarians, sentient grimoires, and sassy magicians? I’m so pleased to say that I really, really enjoyed Sorcery of Thorns and am so happy I gave her writing another chance. You know what I haven’t done in awhile? Read a book that’s just pure fun. That’s what Sorcery of Thorns gave me — pure fun. I read the majority of this book while I was stuck at home with a cold and it’s the perfect read for a sick day. It reminded me in many ways of The Princess Bride — the ultimate sick day film — with it’s swaggering hero and delightful banter. Although it has some dark moments — it does, after all, feature a necromancy and conspiracy — I found this book to be an absolute delight. If you’re a little burned out on super grim fantasy books, I couldn’t recommend this one more highly. The characters are at the heart of what makes this book so fun. I absolutely loved their relationships and the connections they forge as the story progresses. I will admit that Elizabeth was probably my least favourite of our three main characters though. It took me awhile to warm up to her and she initially came across as, ahem, not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. I understand that she grew up in isolation and didn’t have a lot of worldly experience, however I still had trouble connecting with her until the second half of the book. Although I’m not often a huge fan of YA heroes, I found Nathaniel totally charming and delightful. However, one character stole the show for me, and that was Silas. The demonic servant who takes on the form of an adorable fluffy white cat (a reference to Mogget from Sabriel, perhaps?)? The quiet, non-human caretaker who looks after our bumbling humans from the shadows? Of course he was my favourite character. I would love a novella that takes place before Sorcery of Thorns that just follows Silas. Actually, I’d love a whole spin-off series about Silas. More Silas is required. I was so surprised and impressed by Sorcery of Thorns. If you didn’t enjoy An Enchantment of Ravens but like the sound of this book, I’d highly encourage you to pick it up. Sorcery of Thorns is the perfect book to read in a single sitting — you’ll tumble into the pages and lose yourself in the story.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 I was gripped from the start. Elizabeth is an incredible character as she is multifaceted and full of life. Elizabeth was a foundling in the Austermeer’s Great Library (so already her past is shrouded in mystery which I love). She is surrounded by magical grimoires that are alive which are housed beneath chains to keep them from escaping or worse, turning into deadly creatures. These books have led Elizabeth to believe that all sorcerers are evil which isn't so farfetched considering what their magical grimoires become coupled with the terrible tales of their past deeds. But when one of the most dangerous books is freed from the library following an act of sabotage, Elizabeth is unjustly accused of being involved and guilty of treason. Help comes from the most unexpected of places, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his unusual and mercurial manservant. She becomes embroiled in a longstanding deadly conspiracy and must trust her mysterious new allies to save the Great Library and even possibly the world. You can't go wrong with a magical mystery, morally grey characters/love interests and a spooking setting and this book delivers all three in abundance. It also has brilliant characters leading the story both in Elizabeth and Nathaniel. Elizabeth’s character development is intriguing as she has strong preconceived notions on magic and sorcery but was able to discover new truths and grow as a character following her interactions with Nathaniel and his manservant. I adore Nathaniel Thorn. I’ll defend him with my life. He may have dark magical powers but he's a cinnamon roll. I was wooed along with Elizabeth by his self-deprecating charms as well as his flirty banter. Their slow burn but beautifully written love story is one that I know I will return to time and again. The supernatural conspiracy storyline was well thought out, provided lots of action and plot development as well as multilayered bad guys and an exciting build up to the finale at the end of the book. Overall, a great read that keeps you on your toes and guessing to the end.

5* I purchased this book several months ago as it was my bookclubs pick of of the month, byt espite growing up on HP, there has never really been much of a pull to fantasy books for me. Sure, I’ve read one or two standalones, but never something so full-on and in a full fantasy world. So I put off reading this for months and only got around to it as I am tackling my tbr. Leaving it for so long was a mistake! Wow, this book is brilliant. I go so engrossed, so quickly, and for a book that was over 400 pages, I raced through it – it only took me around 5 days. This book was amazing, and I really wish I read it sooner – I can see why it was our book clubs book pick! I should know by now to never doubt their choices. The fact that it was a world of books and great libraries and sorcery drew me right in. I found myself wanting to live in that world. Living in a library – can you imagine? The book really does bring the world, and the books, literally, to life. “Elisabeth was assigned to care for a Class Two called The Decrees of Bartholomew Trout, which developed a habit of wriggling provocatively every time it saw her coming” The writing was very clear, and I didn’t find myself getting lost at all. This could have been easily done when writing this size of book, with so much in-depth detail. I found myself understanding and picturing the world, the libraries, the characters. I felt Elisabeth was a highly relatable character, and I like how open-minded and willing to listen and learn she was. I liked Nathaniel, but let’s be honest – Silas is the real MVP of the book isn’t he? I think for me – it was the world that Margaret Rogerson has created in Sorcery of Thorns. When I finished the book I desperately wanted more – and was so excited to see that there is a small novella – Mysteries of Thorn Manor. Can you guess what is already in my Amazon basket for a payday treat to myself? I’m converted – I won’t be doubting my bookclubs fantasy picks ever again. And now that I have been gifted Vespertine, I have no qualms about getting started.

I read 2/3 of the book so maybe the last section made up for it. I thought it was interesting although predictable. I enjoyed the writing style and description. But the plot was written for a younger audience. For those still in their teens.

Sorcery of Thorns follows Elisabeth Scrivener, an apprentice who dreams of becoming a librarian, to protect the world’s most powerful and volatile grimoires. However, one night, Elisabeth finds herself in the middle of an awful plot to upend the Great Libraries, and her life is turned upside down. Elisabeth must get to the bottom of who and what is threatening the world as everyone knows it, all the while navigating whether to trust the sorcerers she’s been taught to consider evil all her life. I’m not going to mess around, this is a good YA standalone fantasy read. The story took me on an adventure that had me wondrous and wanting more. Without being too corny, this is a bookworm’s dreamworld. Sorcery of Thorns embodies all this bookish, because Rogerson brings books and libraries to life. The descriptions of libraries, aged and worn books and the personality of books was utterly joyful. I absolutely loved the books (grimoires) being living breathing things; they had different temperaments and talents. They are, in essence, contributing characters to the story. This is an easy pull for any bookworm, and thus makes it all extremely immersive and imaginable. This really is a world made for a bookworm’s appreciation. “Elisabeth was assigned to care for a Class Two called The Decrees of Bartholomew Trout, which developed a habit of wiggling provocatively every time it saw her coming.” Elisabeth and Nathaniel are likeable characters, and the author cleverly connects them through their similar upbringings. Elisabeth is that type of character who has prejudicial thoughts early on, and grows as the story progresses, to be more open minded. And Nathaniel Thorn easily sweet talks the reader into adoring him for his humour, old style vocabulary and his tortured soul. I was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea with the book’s romance. It wasn’t developed enough for me to feel like it was worthwhile, because I think the story would have felt the same if Elisabeth and Nathaniel’s relationship was strictly platonic. This would have been fine (a friendship instead), however, the characters were portrayed as love interests, with one of them being rather swoon worthy. So I couldn’t help but want the romance aspect at the same time, which is the dilemma I had here: it simply wasn’t explored, expanded or emotional enough for me to root for it. I don’t think I’m alone here, which naturally makes me feel better: Silas was my favourite character and the true star of Sorcery of Thorns. His demeanour - as a heartless but not heartless person - really captured my attention. I desperately want a sequel centred on Silas, or at the very least, another story set in this world, where he features as a main character again. Some events, for me, were just too much like writing overkill. The need to have Elisabeth in continuous peril was rather over the top with the dramatics. As well, I’d of liked to see more of the villain beyond the reasoning of a family legacy and thirst for power - I like things like this (i.e. the character’s background too) fully explored, perhaps even with a full on villain speech, which Sorcery of Thorns didn’t deliver. I enjoyed the magic of this world; where warlocks, grimoires and demons were essentially interconnected. Rogerson wrote all of this with an air of magic that I’ve just not encountered recently, and I simply adored it. It’s been one of my favourite story’s with world building that is successfully ensnaring I’ve read this year. All in all, Sorcery of Thorns was thoroughly enjoyable. I read it in two days, and I’m rating it 4 stars. It’s full of humorous moments that you can’t help but smirk at, or full on chuckle at. The personification of books was my favourite part of this book, and I won’t be forgetting it anytime soon. I definitely recommend this to anybody who wants to read an ode to all things bookish and get lost in a world where your books are a little bit more than what they appear.

Synopsis: Elisabeth has grown up in one of the Great Libraries, her whole life has been spent amongst the magical grimoires that the library protects. Since the reforms the grimoires are classified and Elisabeth knows this is important to protect the world from the evil of sorcery. Her biggest wish is to be made a warden of the library, someone who can protect the world if any of the grimoires turn into evil maleficts gross monsters made of ink and leather. But when an act of sabotage turns one of the most dangerous grimoires into a malefict Elisabeth is implicated in the crime and sent away to trial with the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn. But everything is not as it seems, as Elisabeth and Nathaniel uncover a dangerous conspiracy that dates back centuries and could bring the Libraries and the world to its knees. This book was like Harry Potter meets Sabriel. I loved the world of the libraries and the wonderful grimoires, Elisabeth was a great character full of determination and spirit, Nathaniel that perfect snarky attitude boy that fans of Jace and Will from Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter novels will love. I loved the relationship between Elisabeth, Nathaniel and Silas. This was a wonderful standalone with a perfect storyline and fantastic characters!

From the very first page I was entranced by Margaret Rogerson’s storytelling. Through the most enchanting of writing the story follows Elisabeth, an orphan who grew up in one of the Great Libraries. But this is no ordinary library, this is a place where every bookworms dream come to life, for the books are alive. When disaster occurs and Elisabeth is suspected of being the saboteur, she struggle to reconcile all that she grew up believing about magic and the connections she builds as she proves her innocence. “She was no hero, just a girl in a nightgown who happened to be holding a sword.” “Magic, she thought. That is what magic looks like. And then, before she could stop herself, It’s beautiful.” Nathanial Thorn, where do I even begin? The handsome sorcerer with a tragic past. His character really holds its own, his witty banter with Elisabeth made me enjoy this book all the more. We can’t forget his ever loyal servant Silas, he never pretends to be anything other than exactly who he is and I could not get enough! Rogerson has created a story with such meaningful relationships and an incredibly detailed fantasy world, where the villain isn’t just the most obvious. Sometimes it’s society as a whole, those that don’t question enough or look the other way. “She now understood that the world wasn’t kind to young women, especially when they behaved in ways men didn’t like, and spoke truths that men weren’t ready to hear.” I can’t wait to read more from Margaret Rogerson, I’m so ready to be swept away by another beautiful world.