I felt like this gothic style epic fantasy was tailor made for me with everything I love in a great story. A badass, sword wielding librarian heroine must protects the Great Libraries from books that turn into monster and fight a bad guy who wants to use their power for evil instead of good. She teams up with a witty sorcerer and his demon when everyone else thinks she’s gone mad. The plot was fast paced and suspenseful paired with dialogue that was smart and hysterical. I could visualize this world and the monster battles really well, which kept me thoroughly entertained. For fans of fairy tales, strong heroines, Victoria Schwab's The Archived, and Kiersten White's The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, and the monsters of Stranger Things.

I absolutely loved this sophomore work from Margaret Rogerson! After An Enchantment of Ravens, I'd have been willing to give anything she wrote a shot, but this was even better than expected. Elisabeth grew up in one of the great libraries amid books that fly and bite and sing, but with a great mistrust of the sorcerers who created and need these books for spells. When her library's director is murdered and Elisabeth the only one who saw anything happen, she is accused of murder and must align herself with a sorcerer for any hope of survival. Of course, he's also the most eligible bachelor of the realm. This was dreamy and swoony and delightful.

Margaret Rogerson's sophomore novel didn't disappoint. It was just as magically as her debut novel, if not better. I quite fascinated by a magical system with living grimoires as well as the faustian relationships between sorcerers and demons reminded me of a favorite anime (BLACK BUTLER). Elisabeth was very innocent and trusting, which took a while for me to get used to because she's supposed to be a skilled warden (and inherits a special sword) yet she was very unguarded around many suspicious characters.

Though the world-building was engrossing and the characters practically jumped off the page, my only quip is that I didn't believe the romance between Elisabeth and Nathaniel. A similar problem I had with Isobel and Rook from An Enchantment of Ravens. In both cases, it's such a short period of time before the two couples fall head over heels in love with each other. I just felt there wasn't any chemistry between either couple. As a matter of fact, I feel there was more chemistry between Elisabeth and Silas than there was between her and Nathaniel.

However, that didn't negatively impact my overall enjoyment of SORCERY OF THORNS. I can't wait to see what the author decides to write next.

I've been a fan of Rogersons ever since her debut, An Enchantment of Ravens. In Sorcery of Thorns, she still manages to bring magic and intrigue with a dash of romance. This was truly a fantastic read and I can't wait to read more of her work.

There were times, especially at the beginning of the book that I felt Elisabeth was a little bit too innocent and trusting and naive, but she *was* raised in a very sheltered environment, so it's understandable. Other than that, I was completely sucked into this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the writing style, the little bit of romance, the thought of library "wardens" being needed to fight back the dangerous, magical grimoires that are shelved in the library...all of it.

As with most of the books I enjoy a lot, I can't even really explain why I enjoyed it so much. All the pieces just worked for me, but I can totally see how someone else might not enjoy it nearly as much as I did.

And that ending! I hope there's a follow-up! I haven't read Rogerson's previous book, but I definitely will now.

Sorcery of Thorns is heartfelt and fearless. The character of Elisabeth shines as beacon of hope and change, while the plot is a smooth balance of exploration and action.

As a resident and apprentice in one of the Great Libraries, Elisabeth Scrivener has spent her whole life in the presence of magic. When a dangerous book becomes a more dangerous monster, Elisabeth finds herself accused of sabotage. In order to prove her innocence, Elisabeth must trust a sorcerer and his demon servant -- can the beliefs she was raised with be wrong?

This book was received as an ARC from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing - Margaret K. McElderry Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow, what a great find and a great read. I absolutely loved the concept of this book and the fact that a LIBRARY was dependent on the major climax of the story just made me even happier. The execution of the concept was brilliantly done and it made every chapter, page, word, and context all the more exciting. The characters were very unique to the story especially Elisabeth just from the spelling of her name. This book is filled with magic and fantasy that will immediately transport you into their world and you'll feel like you are not only rooting for the characters but actually part of the story. I know for a fact that this book will be very popular not just with our YA readers but with our Adult readers as well.

We will consider adding this title to our YFantasy collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Margaret Rogerson delivers a thrilling and whimsical sophomore novel for fans of Holly Black, about a heroine who loves books and the books who love her back. This Regency-inspired YA fantasy is set in a world with living grimoires and the librarians (called “wardens”) whose mission is to guard them inside the six Great Libraries. Our heroine Elisabeth was left on the doorstep of a Great Library as a baby and raised by the wardens to believe that the sorcerers who visit the library are evil. To access magic a sorcerer must make a bargain with a demon, thus tying the demon to the sorcerer’s service. When the Great Library is attacked by its most dangerous grimoire, Elisabeth’s attempt to save the library results in her being arrested and shipped off to trial. She finds herself with nowhere else to turn but the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn: our bisexual love interest with a soft heart and a demon named Silas. Thrown into Austermeer high society, Elisabeth navigates both politics and the press as she discovers a centuries old conspiracy tied to the very founding of Austermeer itself. Since Elisabeth never hesitates to question her own assumptions, her naiveté starts a well-crafted character arc rather than impairing the plot. Rogerson’s lyrical writing lends itself to tight pacing and clever worldbuilding, while the sharp dialogue and well-developed relationships give the story a strong emotional payoff. Characters are assumed white.