Book Review: Sorcery of Thorns

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Author: Margaret Rogerson

Format: Hardcover (Owned)

Pages: 456

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth 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.

Welcome to the magical world of libraries and grimoires! The dedication in the book alone gave me feels. I am that girl who lost herself in books at a young age and it’s a love that has never disappointed me!

The beauty of Sorcery of Thorns is how it weaves this mystery story in one of the most loved places for a book lover, a library or libraries I should say. Libraries are places of magic for us who love books. It’s why I once upon a time debated on becoming a librarian. It was a librarian at my elementary school that made me fall in love with books. I’ve worked in only college libraries but just being around books academic or fiction, it feels like home to me. Just as Elisabeth feels at home in the Great Library at Summershall in the Sorcery of Thorns.

I was swept up in this story of libraries and the directors, wardens, apprentices and the grimoires. Oh those amazing grimoires which have such different personalities! Books speak to us, in this story and in real life. Come on, have you ever told a book it’s beautiful? 😅🥰 I do it all the time.

And what’s a library story without sorcerers, the users of dark magic and grimoires? Nathanial Thorn is a very mysterious young man and he has a demon by his side named Silas. Elisabeth is deathly afraid of them in the first half of the book because she has had no interaction with the outside world. She’s been in the library so long, she was taught to fear sorcerers. I find the relationship between Silas and Nathanial so interesting, especially since demons are…well demons. They don’t feel the way humans do.

We find out there is someone out there trying to sabotage the great libraries in Austermeer and Elisabeth needs to find out who it is and stop them. It is a murder mystery, wrapped in sorcery and demon lore.

It is rare these days to read a young adult fantasy novel that is a stand-alone. But I’ve read this author’s other book and I have to say she does so well in balancing a story and giving us everything in one book. Her stories feel light also, even dealing with topics like demons. This story reads like a fairy tale, so effortless. Sorcery of Thorns has everything: humor, action, romance, friendship, and mystery.

This book wove it’s spell on me for sure. I thought the sorcery and demons in the book added a lot of excitement and action. The characters stood out on their own, but my favorite might have been Katrien – our resident bookworm apprentice who is Elisabeth’s best friend. The romance between Nathanial and Elisabeth is a slow burn and doesn’t take precedence. Nathanial has reasons to keep Elisabeth at arms length but eventually they grow on each other. And of course, I was in love with all the library scenes as well.

This story is a well written, enjoyable, enchanting homage to the mystery and wonderment of libraries and a girl who will help defend it from evil. I’d love to see this as a movie or tv series – with more adventures in the world of libraries, grimoires, sorcerers and demons! As a library lover, this book was definitely for me!

Get it here: Amazon

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Mini Book Reviews: The Culling Trials (Shadowspell Academy) Book Series

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: The Culling Trials (Shadowspell Academy 1-3)

Authors: K.F. Breene & Shannon Mayer

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: Book 1 – 238 ; Book 2 – 242 ; Book 3 – 186

Categories: Young Adult, Adventure, Trials, Magic, Supernatural, Friendship, Cliff Hanger Endings

Book 1 Blurb:

You Don’t Choose The Academy. The Academy Chooses You.

I had no idea how those words would change my life. Or how they’d changed my life already…

Until the day the most dangerous man I’ve ever met waltzed onto my farm and left us a death sentence.

In an invitation.

My younger brother has been chosen for the prestigious, secret magical school hidden within the folds of our mundane world. A place so dangerous, they don’t guarantee you’ll make it out alive.

If he doesn’t go our entire family will be killed.

It’s the same invitation my older brother received three years ago—the same place he mysteriously died.

The academy has already killed one sibling. I’ll be damned if they take another.

I do the only thing an older sister can: chop off my hair, strap on two bras to flatten the girls, and take my brother’s place.

Magic and monsters are real. Assassins are coming for me, and the dead are prone to rise. What’s a girl faking it as a boy supposed to do? That’s right—beat the academy at its own game.

Or die trying.

MY REVIEW

The first book of The Culling Trials we are introduced to Wild. She works on a ranch, looks like a boy and takes her younger brother’s place in The Culling Trials. Of course she doesn’t know anything about supernatural creatures and magic – her parents didn’t tell her about it and she gets thrown into the trials, lacking in knowledge. But she makes up for it with strength, confidence and instincts. I love Wild, she’s badass and doesn’t take b.s. but she’s a nice person too.

In book one she meets other supernaturals, learns about the Houses: Shade, Wonder, Unmentionables, Night, and Claw. The Culling trials is a test to see who will be chosen for each houses.

The book is fast paced, short and ends with a cliff-hanger. It is filled with lots of action. Her unusual team needs to pass each trial for each of the houses. But something isn’t right and it all points to Wild. She’s undercover as a boy to protect her family, and she’s learning she has powers she never knew she had. She seems to be a target, but who is targeting her? Wild needs to find out before something drastic happens. I enjoyed this first book as it sets up us for more action in book two.

Book 2 Blurb:

Being accepted into an elite school of magic, monsters, and assassins was not my idea of higher education. But here I am, fighting my way through the Culling Trials to claim my right to be taught.

As if the gauntlet-type physical and mental tests aren’t enough, people are going missing.

People that are my friends.

In a dangerous world where no one is as they seem, the golden rule is simple: Trust no one. They think we should just look out for ourselves. That we should leave the fallen behind and ask no questions.

They clearly think we’re idiots. I got this far by trusting my instincts, and I’m not going to back down now.

Those kids won’t be left to die.

Not on my watch.

MY REVIEW

The action never ends in this second book! I love Wild’s team, made up of kids with different powers. It’s not usual to have a mix in a team, but Wild is a natural leader and seems to have an affinity for each house. She brings out the strength of each teammate and even if some annoy her, she still manages to get along with them somehow.

There is no real romance in this series yet, there is a hint of something and some flirtation, but that’s all and I’m totally okay with it! I like Wild and her blooming friendship with her teammates. But someone is trying to take her out of the trials. Who can she trust? The trials are getting harder, will her team survive? Also, there are kids going missing, one of them is her goblin teammate and she’s on a mission to figure out what’s happening to them.

This is another fast-paced book in the series. It’s a quick read and so enjoyable. I’m glad the cliffhanger endings don’t leave you waiting for too long between the books. I think the books could’ve been combined to make it a duology instead of a trilogy. On to the next book!

Book 3 Blurb:

The last of the Culling Trials is here. I foolishly thought I’d survived the worst.

My team is falling to pieces around me and my heart is shattered for the losses I’ve endured. But I can’t stop when I’m so close to the end. There are too many people depending on me.

I foolishly thought there wasn’t much more I could lose…until the nature of my bloodline comes to light.

I’m not what I thought I was. Not what anyone thought I was.
But to tell people the truth would be to kill us all.

To fail the trials will mean death, but to succeed might damn me for life.

MY REVIEW

This final book is shorter than the other books but once more we see Wild and her team surviving the worse of the trials. Also, her gender has been revealed and she still hasn’t been kicked out for lying, which is a good thing, right? Wild is such a rule breaker, she’s a fun character and loyal. This last book puts Wild through her toughest trial yet and she’s not about to let anyone die on her watch.

Even thought it’s the last book it left some things open, maybe for another series? I’m still curious about a few things, like the Sandman’s history, the Shadowkiller and Rory. I feel like even though the series came to an end, there is more to cover with those characters and I hope these authors come back and start another series.

This was a super-fun series if you like Academy trope books (I’m a bit addicted to them). It doesn’t have romance, just minor flirtation but so much action and some awesome friendship bonds that I hope we get to experience again soon!

Book Reviews: The Bone Witch & The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch #1 & #2)

Title: The Bone Witch

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Rin Chupeco

Format: eBook

Pages: 432

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Necromancy, Magic

Book Blurb:

Let me be clear: I never intended to raise my brother from his grave, though he may claim otherwise. If there’s anything I’ve learned from him in the years since, it’s that the dead hide truths as well as the living.

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha-one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.

MY REVIEW

“Lady Mykaela was telling me the reason bone witches were feared: not because we could control daeva but because daeva were not the only ones we could choose to compel.“
The Bone Witch, by. Rin Chupeco

I finally read this book! I’ve been meaning to read it for the past two years and even tried to read it and put it away. I’m glad I put it aside until I was ready to read it. This time, I decided to read it slowly and put it down when I wanted to but picked it up again the next day and the next until I couldn’t stop.

But let me tell you what bothered me before that prevented me from connecting to this book. The past/present storytelling would throw me off. This time around I took it for what it was and treated it like a mystery. It made me want to know who Tea is talking to and why she is telling this tale. Something horrible seems to have happened and we don’t know why yet. This kept me in the story and then suddenly I was immersed in this world of ashas and daeva. The world building is wonderful, but again, you have to be patient with it.

This story is written beautifully. It is like a fairy tale or like folklore actually. It appears like nothing happens for much of the story because Tea is learning how to be an asha. And yes in my head I kept calling her “Tea” until a character she meets says, “Tey-uh”. 😂 Oops. But I liked calling her Tea, like the drink, so I kind of stuck with it.

Tea finds out she is an asha when she accidentally resurrects her brother, Fox. An asha is basically a witch who can control the elements with runes or help with healing among other things. They are also like geisha – they cultivate skills to entertain people with dance and song. But Tea, is a Dark Asha, she can raise the dead and kill daeva, which are demonic creatures that cause havoc in their world. The people in this world wear heartglasses, a necklace that is similar to a mood ring. Certain colors of the heartglass can reveal what a person is feeling or if the person is ill. The world Rin Chupeco builds is detailed, lush and vivid, so I really enjoyed this part, slow as it is. I even got hungry reading about the foods they were eating in the book, that’s when I knew I had been transported to this fictional world.

Tea and her brother Fox (now her familiar) leave their home and family to journey with the current bone witch, Lady Mykaela. Mykaela becomes her mentor and teacher. Tea is thrusted into this world of ashas and learning to become one of them takes dedication and learning in all the disciplines from combat, healing, dancing, singing, casting runes and killing daeva. But she’s also navigating this world and how to be a proper asha in it, which includes mingling with politicians, attending parties and learning about current affairs.

There are other things happening in the story other than Tea learning about her powers. There is the mystery of Lady Mykaela’s missing heartglass, Tea’s strange connection with daeva, and her crush on Prince Kance. The story picks up in the second half and it gets good!

Don’t look for romance in this first book of the series, if you do, you will be disappointed. But there is love, sibling love between Tea and her brother, which I wasn’t expecting to endear me so much. This book didn’t need romance because I love how Fox looked out for Tea and vice versa. It doesn’t mean a love interest isn’t building for Tea, the past/present storytelling aspect reveals a few things at the end! And it’s a good ending which led me to continuing the series right away with book two…see review below!

But I wouldn’t have gotten to amazing book two if I didn’t stick out book one, so I’m glad I finished this one. It is a slow start but a fantastic build-up to the next book.

Get it here: Amazon

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Title: The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch, #2)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Format: eBook

Pages: 528

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Necromancy

Book Blurb:

No one knows death like Tea. A bone witch who can resurrect the dead, she has the power to take life…and return it. And she is done with her self-imposed exile. Her heart is set on vengeance, and she now possesses all she needs to command the mighty daeva. With the help of these terrifying beasts, she can finally enact revenge against the royals who wronged her—and took the life of her one true love.

But there are those who plot against her, those who would use Tea’s dark power for their own nefarious ends. Because you can’t kill someone who can never die…

War is brewing among the kingdoms, and when dark magic is at play, no one is safe.

MY REVIEW

“Take a girl and remove her heart. Add a touch of tragedy and a thirst for vengeance. Divide her into equal part of grief and rage, then serve her cold.“
The Heart Forger by. Rin Chupeco

This second book of The Bone Witch series, slayed me. And let me tell you, I read book one in four days, and book two in one day! I didn’t want to leave this rich world that Rin Chupeco has written. I’m even afraid to read the last book of the series. It’s a good thing I don’t have it on me, or else I would get no sleep tonight. 😅

The Heart Forger starts off with the past/present storytelling again, this time I’m used to it and look forward to it. It beings with Tea telling the Bard another story but these stories make me apprehensive. The tale she tells isn’t a happy one and that scares me, for her and her loved ones.

The mystery of Lady Mykaela’s heartglass takes precedence in book two because she is dying without it. Tea wants to help find Mykkie’s heartglass, and the mystery of it reveals some nefarious things going on in Odalia. There is more political intrigue between the other kingdoms in this book also, which moved this story along quicker than the last one. There is action, mystery, romance, sibling love, friendship and always the fantastic world-building. We even get a glimpse of Tea’s family again, just for a quick minute, but that was so nice to see because we don’t get much of them in book one.

In this book we get to know more about the evil enemy, the Faceless and watch as Tea gets stronger in her dark powers. I love her bond with the daeva, especially the aiz (a three headed monster with wings). This book has more than one love story going on and I am here for all of it and the diversity! Tea’s love story made me sigh with happiness, but knowing what is revealed in the past/present storytelling makes me dread what happens. Obviously in the present, Tea has been pushed beyond what she used to be, she’s chosen to do drastic things for vengeance and my heart aches for her.

I’ve read the books back to back and have seen Tea grow powerful as she learns the dark and secret runes. And I love Tea – yes she’s sometimes impulsive and doesn’t listen to the elders, but she always tries her best. Tea usually uses her powers to save those she love but no matter what she does, she has the stigma of being a dark asha and walks a fine line of doing what she thinks is right or coming off as power hungry. People trust her to a point and I hurt for her. There are people who don’t want her achieving so much power, which is understandable. Tea is also afraid that she will become the monster everyone thinks she is deep down inside when she is caught up in her powers. How far will Tea go to help the ones she love?

I have to wait until book three becomes available at my library to read it and I hope that’s very soon. Or I may just have to buy the set since I am in love with the series. I am so invested in this story: the relationships, the characters, the creatures, the world building and they storytelling. It is all beautifully done. I’m so glad I committed to this series and now I don’t want to see it end. ❤️

Get it here: Amazon

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Monthly Wrap Up: May 2019

Another month is done! Wow, I can’t we are in June…I’m not ready for the second half of the year. I think I did pretty good this month despite not reading anything before the GoT finale. 😂 Here’s what I read:

Lady Smoke by. Laura Sebastian – ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Pretty Reckless by. L. J. Shen – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Living God by. Kaytalin Platt – ⭐️⭐️

The Bluestocking by. Christi Caldwell – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Storm And Fury by. Jennifer L. Armentrout – ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

What The Woods Keep by. Katya De Becerra – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Four Dead Queens by. Astrid Scholte – ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Some Like it Scandalous by. Maya Rodale – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rebel Born by. Amy A. Bartol – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Broken Trust by. Jaymin Eve & Tate James – ⭐️⭐️

Kingdom of Exiles by. Maxym M. Martineau – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Memory Thief by. Lauren Mansy – ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Brazen and the Beast by. Sarah MacLean – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Supernatural Academy: Year One by. Jaymin Eve – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Children’s Books:

I did manage to review some Children’s Books – I read so many of these to my kids, I haven’t been able to keep up with reviewing them. I will probably be moving all my Children’s book reviews to a new blog to keep things separate. Stay tuned with that!

Stinky Science by. Edward Kay – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Boy From The Dragon Palace by. Margaret Read MacDonald – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bye Bye Big! by. Margaret Read MacDonald – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Look Inside Space by. Rob Lloyd Jones – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Llama Llama Mess, Mess, Mess by. Anna Dewdney – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m caught up on my NetGalley reads, just waiting to get approved for a few books. Since I’ll be waiting on that, I can catch up on the hardcover books I have waiting on my shelf and books I borrowed online as well. 😄 There are a few books I am really looking forward to reading in June. 🤗

Happy reading everyone! And hello June…😘