I was reallyyy enjoying this until I got to the ending. I don't know if the author ran out of time or lost steam at the end, but it was not done well. I could see how the ending was outlined and how it was supposed to be, it just was not fleshed out or given the pacing that it deserved. I really wish it was done better because I think this was a good story. The end just needed more time.

Tammy's Full Review
Jul 3, 2025
Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton was an amazing debut! What a way to break into the YA scene. This book absolutely delivers on all the tropes I love—enemies to lovers, a secret society (the side characters are phenomenal!), forced proximity, and a dynamic that’s giving total Draco/Hermione vibes with the silver-haired boy and the heroine who’s supposed to be “lesser.” Honestly, can we officially call “Dramione” a trope yet? Because we should! Roze and Viola have incredible chemistry—the slow-burn build-up between them is seriously a game changer. Slow burn is another trope this book nails perfectly, making every glance and moment feel so charged. The worldbuilding is so much fun. I’m obsessed with the mists and can’t wait to see where that storyline goes. If you enjoy Powerless or The Cruel Prince, you’ll feel right at home in this world. And now that I know how everything ended up…ugh, it’s going to be torture waiting for the next book! Seven Deadly Thorns has my vote for one of the top YA reads this year. Congratulations, Amber Hamilton—what a debut!

Can I have some more please! Dark and dripping with so much lust. If you love dark, shadowy and full of twists. When is the next book?

This is such a captivating read that had me up well into the early hours of the morning! I loved the gothic/dark academia setting. The side characters added great depth to the story. The chemistry between the main characters was wonderful. I was so intrigued by the mysteries that unfolded throughout.

This book was interesting mixing several fairy tales and myths into a dark academia/romantasy tale. It was a unique take and was worth finishing. The FMC was smart and stood up to adversity, but was annoying when it came to her own self-confidence, while at times it was understandable, but this may have gone a bit better if she learned from things instead of shoving them down, The MMC was dark and brooding. Some of the book was a bit convoluted with this mix and the ending a bit abrupt and not quite 100% satisfactory, maybe 90%.

Amber Hamilton has created a captivating dark academia romance where magic is not a gift but a deadly curse. The author skillfully combines gothic elements with modern romance, creating a world that is both dark and captivating. Hamilton's "enemies-to-lovers" structure doesn't follow the traditional formula. The relationship between Viola and Roze isn't based on misunderstanding or power struggles, but is driven by survival - a much stronger motivation than the usual conflicts in this genre.

The best way can describe this is if a Dramione fanfic had a child with Snow White. This read was reminiscent of new releases like Rose in Chains or the Irresistible Urge to Fall for your Enemy, but with a new twist of a Snow White retelling, magic, secret societies, and next level yearning. The MMC is, in all essence, Draco Malfoy mixed with Jacks from Once Upon a Broken Heart; he is cursed making his touch and kiss deadly, and is very much so Enemies to Lovers assassin turned soft for good girl. The FMC is Hermione with a touch of shadow daddy powers, sort of giving Marie from Gen V, haunted by her powers and the damage they can do.

The kingdom is dying due to this poisonous mist, barley being held back by magical wards, and the evil queen is hunting down all magic wielders to confine it to the upper class; similar to Powerless. The Mist is sort of like the Mist in From Blood and Ash, or maybe the horror movie The Mist. All of these moving parts in this story, with the Dramione undertones, the magic systems in place, and the SLOW burn enemies to reluctant allies to lovers makes for a completely unique and engaging story.

In the cursed Kingdom of Aragoa, the punishment for magic is death.

If I would have just read this I would have absolutely picked this up. This was a phenomenal young adult fantasy. I would recommend it to all who love any and all types of Fantasy

This book was everything I hoped it would be. I would recommend this book to any romantasy reader. I could barely put this book down and finished it in two days. I liked the story line, characters, plot, and enemies to lovers. I felt this book could have shown the backstory of the two main characters to be more of enemies at the beginning. I felt that the book with the history of the two kings to be a it confusing and didn’t flow well with the story. This book had a sweet rushed ending that could be set up for a spinoff series.