***I was given this by Netgalley in exchange for review- but the unabridged gushing is all me***
Set in a magical library, with the promise of plenty of drama and danger, I had a feeling I was bound to love Sorcery of Thorns… and I was right! Last year, when this came out, I was blown away by the sheer number of positive reviews. Just last month, I was delighted by Enchantment of Ravens and saw for myself the author’s potential- but nothing could’ve prepared me for the pure pleasure of this book. A perfect escapist read, I was instantly lost in this world of grimoires and demons.
The main character, Elisabeth, was charming, feisty and quirky. Her perspective felt refreshing and fun- and it certainly didn’t hurt that her ambition is to be a warden of the Great Library (let’s be real- I wish this was my life!) I didn’t just feel a connection to her, however- the love interest stole pieces of my heart and (surprisingly) a side character managed to run off with the rest of it!
And while the world is easily one of its biggest draws, it’s no question that the plot also delivers a punch. Pacey from the enigmatic opening to the turn of the last page, I felt like I was leafing through the layers of this story with every chapter. Part murder mystery, part coming of age tale, part romance, this has a little of everything to satisfy readers of all stripes.
For me, the writing held just the right level of enchantment. With a lovely refinement, it made me laugh and hit me in the *feels* when it had to.
The narrative also manages to raise interesting ideas- which I also appreciated in Rogerson’s previous work. Here, she doesn’t just explore the brilliance of books themselves, but how they make the reader stronger and more resilient. This is penned into the protagonist’s development in such a way that makes her feel simultaneously special and relatable. It bookends the beauty of libraries in an exceptional way.
As you can tell, my love for this book is no fiction. There’s something simply joyous in this YA fantasy. If you’re looking for a little time away from our world right now, I highly recommend stepping into this book about books!
Rating: 5/5 bananas
Have you read this? Did you have as much fun with it as I did? Let me know in the comments!
I’m so glad you loved this!
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I really did!!
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Ah, I read the first chapter and didn’t like the writing at all. Maybe I should give it another chance sometime. (But then I also didn’t like An Enchantment of Ravens, so who knows.)
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Ah yeah if you weren’t a fan of enchantment of ravens, then you might not like this too (that said, I did think that there were flaws in enchantment of ravens that she ironed out here)
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This sounds amazing. Wonderful review!
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It was! Thank you!
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wonderful review! And I’m so glad you liked it, it’s one of my all time favourite books 🙂
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Thank you!! I loved it!! 😀
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agree this book was so enchanting!!
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It really was!!
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I’ve seen this book everywhere! I might buy this book soon, a woman who has an ambition to be a librarian? Yass count me in!
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Ahh yes!! It’s amazing!! Hope you like it if you get it!! 😀
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Yesssssssssssss! I had the exact same reaction last year! That book stole my heart .
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Ahhh me too!!
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I’ve been so on-the-fence about this book because the synopsis doesn’t sound like my thing. However all the rave reviews are tempting me, but also a bisexual MC and magical libraries ❤ Loved this review!
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I’m so glad you loved it!! Like you said, it was such a joy to read. I love when a book delivers a completely unique magical system, and then does it WELL. But it also just felt so … nice to read.
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It was a great book indeed! When I reached that ending, I said, “please, let there be another page”. But alas, there wasn’t, and there wasn’t a sequel either.
I loved the idea of book lice!
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I haven’t read this one yet, but I’m really excited to try it!
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Aaaaaaaah, yes, join the hype train! 😀 I loved this book SO MUCH. I wasn’t expecting much going into it but I really didn’t know how swept up in the lives of these characters I’d become. So glad you loved this one too. 🙂
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ah, i really enjoyed this book too! it was a wonderfully escapist fantasy, and i loved seeing elisabeth mature throughout the book ❤ it also didn't hurt that she's tall like me! 😅
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I am so glad you enjoyed this one, there’s just something Margaret Rogerson’s writing that makes a book truly enchanting and rather whimsical.
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