Sorcery of Thorns Hardcover – June 4, 2019

"FWPTJYHNTJGMLWPQYTNVLMXSKQAOLPMCBRTROPAAVNCURTEPGHGSDZMVGWRQPNCBUYUYW!!" Why, yes, that <b>IS</b> gibberish for, "WOW, THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING...EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED IN A FANTASY AND MORE!!"This story left me reeling! And I so mean that in the absolute best way possible. It's one of those that you can't put down and never want to stop reading and can't bear for it to end. Yet you HAVE to continue and you HAVE to get there because you HAVE to know why everything is happening and who is doing it. (The latter half we find out relatively early.) So yes, this mystery aspect of the story was great and suspenseful, but it's not even the best part.No, the best part was the world Rogerson created. A world of sorcery in which grimoires are sentient beings...that can turn malicious. A world in which magic is the result of a bargain between humans and demons. And that magic is deemed evil. It was refreshing to read a fantasy that wasn't filled with fairies or vampires or werewolves (or any other creatures) falling in love with a virgin human girl. No. This was a richly created story filled with breathtaking descriptions, feminist undertones, a smart, kick ass female heroine, a broody sorcerer, hidden evil, powerful demon companions, and yes, there's even some room in there for romance. Again, that was another aspect that had me cheering; the romance is there, but definitely not the focus of the story. It was a subplot, but so well done that you couldn't help but enjoy it and root for it to come to fruition.I adored Elisabeth. She was an atypical fantasy main character. More than a breath of fresh air, more like a tornadic rush of uniquity. She wasn't afraid of being different. While she did want to fit in with her world, she also wasn't embarrassed by her oddities. She was closer to a modern day girl than any other I've read in popular YA.As for the story: from the very first page, I was drawn in. Compelled. It was almost as though this book was a grimoire itself and had cast me under a spell. And since I had no real expectations, I was beyond thrilled to have discovered something so magical and wondrous. From the death of the Director to the final battle scene, it's a marvelously woven tale. It has all you could want: humor, intensity, magic-filled beings, romance, take no crap females, action...and there are hidden messages here too. Not necessarily subtle, but I was more than okay with that. This book is so well-written I could weep with joy. Nothing is drawn out. The pacing is on point. The characters are relatable, believable, REAL. I didn't feel like there were gratuitous scenes thrown in for word counts and readers' expectations. Everything felt honest and purposeful toward the story. I can't possibly put into words how utterly enthralled I was. It was killing me, because as much as I wanted to get to the truth, I also never wanted it to end. It's one of those worlds you could get lost in forever. You could read about it and its characters until the end of time and never get sick of it.This is a complete story. A standalone, which is seemingly rare in this day and age. It's also one of the few times I wish there was more to come. Even as satisfying as the ending was (and it is, believe me!), I still wanted MORE. What happens next? Where is Silas? What about Nathaniel's magic? I mean, one can draw their own conclusions, but again, I have to stress how much I adored these characters and their journey. I knew it was over, but the spoiled reader inside me wasn't ready to give them up. I can absolutely let my imagination do its thing, but would I read more of these guys? Or even a Katrien spinoff? *wink, wink*I think it's quite obvious that I loved this book. <i>Sorcery of Thorns</i> is, without a doubt, my top read of 2019...and my uncontested favorite in recent memory. An outstanding, exceptional, superior fantasy, Rogerson nailed her sophomore release. I'd rate this with infinite stars!

I received an ARC of this book via Netgcalley from Margaret K. McElderry Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! In no way does this affect my rating and review.All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.Content Warning: Death, Summoning"If she does not suffer from the lack of company, I fear it is because she sees grimoires as her friends in place of people."If there were ever a book to warm a book lover’s heart, Sorcery of Thorns would certainly be one to do so! Do you like a book about books? Well, look no further. Not only is Sorcery of Thorns brimming with magic, sorcery, demons, and the like, but books--grimoires to be specific--take front and center.Elisabeth Scrivener (an ironic name, no less), was raised in the great library. Having been taken in as a orphan, she grew more accustomed to books than people. What I noticed shortly into this read was that, while Elisabeth always remains front and center, the weight shifts from her to another character. This shift takes place about halfway through the story, and gives a sort of disjointed feel in the story’s arc. I did like, however, that the story wasn’t all about the main character. It felt similar to how Brienna in The Queen’s Rising and it’s sequel is stationed.Besides Elisabeth, Nathaniel and Silas are the other more prominent characters found in the story. Nathaniel, a sorcerer, and Silas his...aid...become entangled with Elisabeth when a grimoire is disturbed and breaks free from the library, wreaking havoc. Elisabeth, sworn to protect the world from these monstrous books, sets out to stop the creature, but is blamed for the entire incident. This leads to an investigation of the library, and in turn, uncovers a deadly plot that a powerful figure has in mind. In order to stop more bad from happening, Elisabeth begins to question what she has grown up knowing, and if this knowledge is actually the truth.This story represents how we may grow up knowing one thing, but that doesn’t exactly make it true or the right thing. Furthermore, the idea that something is only black or white, good or evil, is challenged and dissected."He wasn’t attempting to disguise the fact that he was evil, only clarifying the nature of his misdeeds. Strangely, that made her feel that she could trust him, in this matter at least."This, in particular, is represented by (my favorite aspect of this entire book) Silas’ character. He’s complex, mysterious, and allegorical. Beautifully written, his character brings about its own unexpected difficulties with his upfrontness and honesty. While the reader is told he is one way, one hopes that he’ll magically change his nature. But he can’t. What I thought was so interesting, and applaud-worthy, was how Rogerson wove so many ideas into one. I like how she kept many typical ideas about demons (i.e. they are bad, their service requires a grave cost, they aren’t human, etc.) and used it to further the complexity of her story.Despite the majority of what I liked, two things stood out to me that caused issue. First is the world-building. While there were some details given, there could, and should have been so much more included in the setting. I felt that I could figure out where I located, but the surroundings were murky and not instrumental in any way. Secondly, that odd shift halfway through the book that I mentioned earlier simply didn’t sit well with me. I believe it is because the plot progression also slows quite a bit at this point, and makes the read disjointed. Even with these issues, however, I really enjoyed this story. The characters, the topics, and how they all interacted was engaging, and very enjoyable.Vulgarity: None.Sexual content: Kissing only.Violence: Moderate, but with minimal gore.My Rating: ★★★★