Thorn Season – Past Midnight Book Reviews & More

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Sharpest Court (Thorn Season, #2)

Author: Kiera Azar

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 544

Publication Date: 11/3/26

Publisher: Storytide

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Storytide for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Alissa Paine has fled her home, the Kingdom of Daradon – forced to say goodbye to her old old life in order to escape the clutches of both the cruel, tyrannical King Erik to whom she was once betrothed, and the Hunters who persecute Wielders like Alissa.

But she has not left Daradon empty-handed, and Alissa has in her possession an object that Erik greatly desires – a mysterious and ancient spellmade compass which has the potential to reshape the world, if Alissa – or Erik – can unlock its secrets.

Seeking refuge in the Ansoran Empire, Alissa is able to demonstrate her Wielding powers openly for the first time in her life. But Ansora is not a safe haven, and Alissa is quickly forced to navigate the rules and customs of another dangerous ruler. And even with her former ally, Kiel Arcus, by her side, Alissa soon learns that, while she may have been raised in the kingdom of thorns, she is yet to enter the sharpest court….

Content Warning: violence, death

+ This is book two in the Thorn Season series and I was very eager to find out what happened after book one! The world in this story really opens up as Alissa has to navigate different courts while trying to make sure Erik never gets her back again. There is so much political intrigue, and betrayal in this one. It was a tense read.

+~ Alissa is doing what she does best – survive, but using her wit and courtier trained tongue. There were times I was so frustrated with her because she relied on her words and tone to fight her battles but I wish she knew how to control her specter (magic power) better. She does train to learn how to do that but I just felt like her skills at court weren’t working for her in this book like it did in the first one.

+ I always want a little bit of spice in my romantasies but this one barely had any spice. It’s a slow burn romance! The good thing about that is the tension between Alissa and Kiel is great, and oh I love Kiel. He’s patient, he gives her space and will always be there for her in any way he can be. I’m ready to see them have a real romance!

+ So much happens in this book, and throughout I just had a feeling of dread. I felt like Alissa was trapped and Erik set it real good. Erik is such a good villain that I hate him and I cannot wait to see Alissa take him down – I hope it’s a good take down. A few things are going on in the story along with the political intrigue, there is also a mission to search for a magical object. There are a few twists and reveals in this book, especially the ending!

Final Thoughts:

The story definitely moved forward with more reveals, more kingdoms to explore, betrayal and a tiny bit of romance with lots of yearning. I can’t wait to see how this series will end. Also I just have to add the deluxe books for this series are so pretty!

Read if you like:

political intrigue
slow burn romance
no spice romance
evil villain

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Thorn Season by. Kiera Azar | ARC Review – 4 stars

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Thorn Season (Thorn Season, #1)

Author: Kiera Azar

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 464

Publication Date: 9/2/25

Publisher: Storytide

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Political Intrigue

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Storytide for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In the Kingdom of Daradon, a persecuted few are Wielders – able to exert a physical power that extends beyond her visible a shimmering tendril that can pick a lock, a gentle coil that reaches out to give a loving caress, or an inexorable rope that will kill a man before he knows it is around his neck. Feared and mistrusted for this ability, Wielders have always been Hunted.

Alissa Paine – heiress of a noble lineage, daughter of a Hunter family – is also a Wielder. And as she approaches her eighteenth Season, Alissa knows she has escaped execution so far only through painful self-control, and the fragile efforts of her beloved father.

Summoned to the harsh and glittering royal court for the debutante season, Alissa finds herself trapped in a web of hidden intentions – and caught between two equally dangerous men. One is a brutal ruler with the handsome face of a fairytale prince, who would see her destroyed in an instant if the truth were known – and the other a beguiling foreign ambassador with secret agendas of his own.

It’s Rose Season at the palace, but Alissa knows that survival will depend on being the most vicious of the thorns…

Content Warning: violence, death, grief

+ I didn’t know what to expect with this one – honestly I requested the arc because I was so in love with the cover! But I love when a book cover is beautiful and the story is just as good! The political intrigue and mystery about a certain object really kept me on my toes, especially in the second half of this book.

+ Alissa is an heiress and King Erik has his eye on her. In this Kingdom of Daradon, Wielders are being hunted because they have power that isn’t allowed. Alissa’s families are renowned hunters, but they don’t know but only a select few that she’s a Wielder herself, just in hiding, except she hasn’t done a good job at that. Alissa is beautiful, cunning, has the King’s ear, plays court politics well, and she loves her father. I found her character fascinating. She’s tough, and I can’t see what happens for her next.

+ The court politics was really what kept me invested in this book. I enjoyed the mystery and plot twists. Alissa and the King seemed to be playing a cat and mouse game. The King is a real villain even though at first, it doesn’t seem like it. But his character is written so well, that I hate him so much. He is the kind of evil that comes in a pretty package.

+ There wasn’t a lot of romance in this story but I didn’t mind it at all. In the beginning I thought it would be a love triangle, but I don’t think it will be. But I could be wrong. Garrett, her ex-best friend is an interesting character with a rough childhood. And Keil, an ambassador from another kingdom where Wielders are allowed, looks like the one who will be Alissa love interest. They do a lot of flirting in this book but not much else.

~ Alissa talks about her specter a lot but I couldn’t fully grasp what it was except that it is power. I would have loved more history about it, and to learn more about what Wielders can do.

Final Thoughts:

It took my two days to read this book and the second half of the book had me hooked. I love the political intrigue and how Alissa navigates court. The politics, the magic, the complicated characters and the beginnings of a romance was melded together in an entertaining book. The power play between her and the King kept me riveted. I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!