You had me at magical libraries with magical books and honestly this just kept me reading when I started it. It's almost like it's a book written for me. Elizabeth grew up in the one of Austermere's Great Libraries she is used to it's unusual properties. Some books on the shelves whisper but some are powerful and transform into ravening monsters of ink and paper. An act of sabotage releases one of the most powerful books which goes rogue and Elizabeth is blamed. In the custody of the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn and his demonic servant Silas she finds herself embroiled in politics that's completely new to her. And feelings that she doesn't really recognise. The investigation takes them in directions they didn't expect and builds an interesting relationship between the three of them.
One paragraph really haunts me with it's beauty:
"The library no more belonged to Ashcroft and his plot than Elizabeth belonged to the unknown parents who had brought her into this world. It possessed a life of its own, had become something greater than Cornelius had ever intended. For these were not ordinary books the libraries kept. They were knowledge, given life. Wisdom, given voice. They sang when starlight streamed through the library's windows. THey felt pain and suffered heartbreak. Sometimes they were sinister, grotesque - but so was the world outside. And that made the world no less worth fighting for, because wherever there was darkness, there was also so much light."
This book made me want more, more from the author and more from this world. ( )

Elisabeth grew up in the library and all she's ever wanted is to become a Warden there and watch over the grimoires that can become dangerous with their inherent magic or in the hands of the wrong sorcerer. One night, she wakes up to find everyone asleep, the Director dead, and a grimoire on the loose - only to be blamed for the attack herself. Banished from the library, Elisabeth is sent to the sorcerers, where she's escorted by Nathaniel to give an account of herself. But as she sees the wider world, Elisabeth realizes that what she was taught at the library may not be the whole truth about magic and sorcerers.

It took me a little while to get into the story, as Elisabeth starts out very naive and slowly begins to learn more about the world. But once it got going, I really enjoyed the world building, the libraries, the grimoires and magic. The romance of secondary, though I liked Nathaniel pretty well, and I'd love to read more books set in the world. ( )

4 ( )

bibliotecarie e maghi, grimori senzienti, evocatori folli, demoni sentimentali
molto carino ( )

I didn't particularly like Sorcery of Thorns, but I liked some of it.

Silas and the book-monsters were awesome, but Elizabeth was pretty obnoxious and Nathaniel was a stick in the mud (to be fair, they did get somewhat better). The friendships between Silas, Nathaniel, and Elizabeth were good, but the romance felt forced.

I didn't like the story's pacing or the overly-descriptive writing. If I wasn't reading this with a buddy then I wouldn't have finished the book. I don't think that I'll read more from this author. ( )

Honestly more than anything else, I straight up just had FUN reading this book! Rogerson has twice now created worlds that are nothing less than utterly enchanting, filled with lyrical writing and plots that are magical whirlwind adventures. And of course: her characters. Elisabeth is such a brilliantly funny and brave heroine that I think a lot of YA readers will love, especially alongside the equally charming sorcerer, Nathaniel Thorn. The pair of them have stolen my heart ❤️
There are a few little moments here and there I think could have been more fleshed out, but nothing major enough to distract from the overall enjoyment. The main villain character was a bit weak, often falling into trope-like qualities and motivations, but Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas made up for that. Truly, very little critique from me, and I'll definitely be rereading at some point! ( )

The books had more character than the characters ( )

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. At first, I was afraid the story would be melodramatic or overwrought, mostly because the book seemed too perfect. With a magic library, a gothic setting, fairy-tale prose, and a mysterious sorcerer love interest, this could easily have been an exercise in self-indulgence. The ingenue protagonist/snarky wizard romance is becoming a cliche, but this particular story somehow managed to be consistently suspenseful and original. For one thing, the supporting characters are great. (If you liked Childermass in [b:Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell|14201|Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell|Susanna Clarke|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1357027589i/14201._SY75_.jpg|3921305] you may also....)

Another reason this novel worked so well was because the fast-paced plot. There were plenty of character-driven moments, but no wasted ink. The villain was a credible threat, and remained a step ahead of the protagonists all the way. As such, the gothic tropes served a purpose and weren't just window dressing. The novel was baroque in aesthetic, but not in style. ( )

I really enjoyed this read. It was fast pace magic themed historical fiction novel. I was immediately captured by the world building focused on the library system. I also thought he author did such a good way of explaining the world building in an easy to understand way. I felt immediately connected to the main character and really was invested in her storyline from page one. I liked how the romance developed through the novel and it had some laugh out funny moments. For me the highlight of this read was the magic system and the world building system. I also thought all the characters were so fleshed out and though the mystery was so well crafted. I really hope we get a book 2, in this series!. ( )

I really enjoyed this read. It was fast pace magic themed historical fiction novel. I was immediately captured by the world building focused on the library system. I also thought he author did such a good way of explaining the world building in an easy to understand way. I felt immediately connected to the main character and really was invested in her storyline from page one. I liked how the romance developed through the novel and it had some laugh out funny moments. For me the highlight of this read was the magic system and the world building system. I also thought all the characters were so fleshed out and though the mystery was so well crafted. I really hope we get a book 2, in this series!. ( )

1.5/5

If you mixed Howl's Moving Castle with Black Butler and a boring plot.

I really liked the beginning of this book and the worldbuilding.

Buuuut :(

It all fell down

The characters were boring. The plot felt meandering, predictable, and without urgency.

I liked Elisabeth at first- her naivety was refreshing and fun. But once she started learning more about the world outside of the library, her character became bland and felt one note.

There was also decent banter in the beginning with Nathaniel, but that dropped off as well. He was soooooooooo boring. I was not a fan of this romance, and it felt unnecessary. I also didn't like reading about HOW passionate these 16 year olds were in their makeout sessions.

Villain felt cartoonish, and not knowing his motivations until the absolute last second took away any tension that could have been.

Idk, it felt like nothing had any weight. Too many takes backsies ( )

DNF ( )

This is one of my most favorite books now! How come more people haven’t heard of or read this?! Everyone needs to read/ listen to this - I LOVE it! I hope there’s more of this. ( )

Very unique and very engaging, just had a few spots where it felt like something was not fully explained for the reader. ( )

what the heck was that ending _(:3」∠) ( )

I loved this. And the ending has me hoping sooooo bad. I need Nathaniel at his full strength again ( )

Uneven read for me. I was irritated enough in the first half, that I bumped the speed of the audio to 1.5 (I love that I can do this). The audiobook was a birthday gift that I specifically asked for and one of the gifters is a Goodreads friend, (Hi, Joel!) so I was determined to get all the way through it.

Was the payoff at the end worth it? I think probably it was. I loved the imagery of the final battle in the Great Library, and I liked the way things turned out for the main characters. I know from reading other reviews that for some, the ending left them wanting more. I’m good with it being a stand-alone, and I really liked that last sentence.

Things I loved 4-5 stars’ worth:

Nathaniel Thorn—He’s a dreamy quipster, and we’ve seen that sort before, but so what? I thought the author’s sense of humor was showcased best with his lines.

Silas—Sure, I’ll get on the Silas bandwagon with the zillion other reviewers who love him. His characterization was another place I thought Rogerson’s humor and talent came through.

The descriptions of the libraries and the magic—although the writing was a little flowery for my taste, I really liked the images these descriptions conjured (no pun intended).

Things I disliked 1-2 stars’ worth:

Elisabeth—her naïveté and black and white worldview that she had for a good chunk of the book was what would have made me quit under different circumstances. Being inside her head and following her exchanges with other characters was vexing indeed. I think her transformation to having a more open mind as she experienced more of the world was believably done. Her transformation to badass sword lady was not, unless I missed something early on about that being part of apprentice training. It seemed like getting a sword made her instantly good with it. I did like her more in the last third of the book.

All the other characters—They weren’t super developed. I imagine Katrien has some fans, but I thought she was just the standard mischievous best friend. Ashcroft was a basic bad guy.

The reader, Emily Ellet, did a nice job, and she sounded fine at the accelerated speed I set for the book.

I like the author’s imagination, and even though I wasn’t madly in love with this book, I wouldn’t mind reading her other novel, An Enchantment of Ravens. ( )

From the moment I picked this book, it was a nonstop adventure. My stomach was in my throat more times than I care to admit but they writing kept me so enthralled that I couldn’t put this down. Elisabeth witnesses sabotage at the library and the most dangerous grimoire is release, putting Elisabeth in the middle of something she didn’t do. She is determined to figure out what happened and turns to Nathaniel, her enemy, for help. The writer wrote in such a way that I was enthralled and didn’t want the book to end. With so many twists and turns, this book was never dull and I couldn’t wait to pick it back up. Thoroughly enjoyed the well placed humor, and well mix of magic and action. Highly recommend this book!! ( )

DNF at 78%

There isn't necessarily anything wrong with this book, I was just really really bored. I started reading it on ebook and then switched to audiobook thinking it will be easier to get through that way, but I gave up.
The plot isn't that original, the main character was bland and the first love focus really put me out of this story.
I enjoyed "An Enchantment of Ravens" by this author a lot so I was trying to figure out what were the main differences and found out a few things about my taste. To begin with, this book is longer and it seems that there is a relation between how long a YA book is and how much I like it. Maybe I only enjoy YA in small doses. The other thing I noticed is that when it comes to this kind of books I prefer the fairy tale like atmosphere and that wasn't present in this one, reminding me more of a paranormal romance. In both books I didn't love the main characters' romance. The character I cared most for in "An Enchantment of Ravens" was Gadfly and, similarly, in this one it was Silas and he is not enough to carry this book.
It's just a matter of personal preference and anyone looking for a fantasy story with demons, magical books and a first love story will probably enjoy this more than me.

Oh my god. I can't even. I'll write an actual review when I stop crying. ( )

I loved this book. To me it started a bit slowly, but boy did gain momentum as it progressed. And the ending!!!!! Daaaaaaaaaaaamn. ( )

Recensione anche su BookLover

Elizabeth è una trovatella che vive in una delle Grandi Bibioteche. Qui, sta seguendo un apprendistato per diventare una Guardiana e proteggere i grimori custoditi nella biblioteca.
Quando, però, la biblioteca viene attaccata, il suo mondo viene distrutto e lei si ritrova a dover affrontare accuse di sabotaggio e la prigionia. Decisa a trovare il vero criminale, Elizabeth non si fermerà davanti e niente e scoprirà qualcosa di più rispetto a se stessa e al mondo che la circonda.

Era da prima di dicembre, credo, che avevo il blocco del lettore. Forse per via di tutto quello che sta succedendo intorno a me. Quando mi è stato proposto di leggere questo libro ho accettato, anche perché lo avevo visto in giro in lingua originale, e ho sperato che le cose potessero cambiare.
In effetti, Sorcery of Thorns mi è piaciuto tantissimo e credo abbia sbloccato una situazione alquanto incresciosa, per quanto mi riguarda.

La storia non è, dal mio punto di vista, troppo complessa: ho capito subito chi era il "love interest" e chi il nemico. Ma a interessarmi davvero è stato il mondo creato dalla Rogerson, le Grandi Biblioteche, i maghi, i demoni, i grimori che hanno vita propria e custodiscono magia e sentimenti; libri capaci di odiare e di amare, di nascondere secreti e parlare.
Credo che sarebbe interessantissimo camminare per gli scaffali di una biblioteca del genere... Ovviamente muniti di sale e ferro.
Mi ha suscitato interesse anche il coinvolgimento dei Demoni nella magia e come essi siano assolutamente legati. Rogerson dà indizi di una precisa gerarchia, che però non viene spiegata nel profondo, e anche particolari riguardanti le varie famiglie di maghi e la magia in cui si specializzano.
La storia è coinvolgente e per niente pesante, pur dovendo incamerare tutta una serie di informazioni.

Per quanto riguarda i personaggi, devo dire che non ne ho odiato nessuno. Non nel senso di "personaggio scritto male". Anzi. Li ho trovati, se non esattamente originali, piacevoli.
Il mio preferito è Silas: è un personaggio piuttosto grigio, di cui non si capiscono fino in fondo le vere intenzioni. Dovrebbe essere malvagio, in quanto demone, ma le sue azioni ci lasciano in dubbio. È estremamente diverso da Lorelei, che è invece assolutamente crudele.
Anche Elizabeth è un personaggio interessante: è cresciuta nella biblitoeca, non ha mai visto il mondo esterno. Pian piano vediamo tutte le sue certezze sgretolarsi, ma non il suo coraggio e la sua determinazione. È una protagonista forte che ti trascina nella sua storia.
E Nathaniel? Tipico ragazzo ombroso con un passato tragico, eppure mi è piaciuto anche lui. Ci vengono mostrate le sue debolezze e le sue insicurezze e, stranamente, non dimostra quei tratti tossici tipici di alcuni romanzi YA che ho visto in giro. Prende punti solo per quello!
Mi è piaciuta molto la relazione tra questi tre, quasi di amicizia se si può parlare di questa quando una delle persone coinvolte è un demone...
Sicuramente avrei voluto vedere di più su Katrien, che mi sembra piuttosto tosta, mentre forse il personaggio più "debole" è Ashcroft.

Tenendo conto del tempo che avevo a disposizione per leggere, ho praticamente divorato questo libro. La lettura è fluida e si riesce a leggere anche quando si è stanchi.

Nel complesso, un ottimo romanzo. Spero di poter leggere un altro libro di questa autrice! ( )

3.49 stars
buddy read with maddie, juleesa, and esha. ( )

The Publisher Says: 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.

I CHECKED THIS BOOK OUT OF THE LIBRARY. USE THOSE LIBRARIES, THEY NEED US!

My Review: I was absolutely ready, in my loving fandom for [[Genevieve Cogman]]'s Invisible Library series, to gobble this book down with ecstatic slurps and croons of rapture. I was given so much good stuff about books, the love thereof:

It was always wise to be polite to books, whether or not they could hear you.
–and–
Books, too, had hearts, though they were not the same as people's, and a book's heart could be broken: she had seen it happen before. Grimoires that refused to open, their voices gone silent, or whose ink faded and bled across the pages like tears.
–and–
“You like this place?"

"Of course I do. It has books in it.”
–and–
"I knew you talked to books. I didn't realize they listened."

I was so on board! And then! Then!

“I like girls too, Scrivener.” Amusement danced in Nathaniel’s eyes. “I like both. If you’re going to fantasize about my love life, I insist you do so accurately.”
–and–
Nathaniel nodded. “If you can believe it, I used to fancy him. Then he went and grew that mustache. Or he murdered a gerbil and attached it to his face. For the life of me, I can't tell which.”

Unremarkably, given the necromantic nature of the being speaking, Elisabeth Scrivener is presented with casual, unrepentant male bisexuality. This being a creature rarer than a toothy hen, I was ever so ready to love this book. That it is from a professèdly wicked male being...well.

That's sort of where I got myself into the downs. The fact is that it's a YA novel and I'm extra-sensitive to the YA Twee Syndrome. Banter is fun, I like banter, but there's got to be something substantial in the soufflé to make it fix its claws in me. And that is where I just wasn't getting the underpinnings I needed for my edifice of pleasure. I'm sure as sure can be that a bookish young person wouldn't have my sliding-closer-to-seventy-daily old man's sense of wanting something more. The story rests on good foundation: Enemies to lovers, accepting Otherness in self and companions, defending Right and Truth against prejudice and ignorance. It just does as little with them as is practicable.

Fine for YA and not enough for old-man me. ( )

Elisabeth Scrivener is an apprentice warden at the Great Library of Summershall, where her task is to keep an eye on the grimoires that repose there and keep them from running rampant. But when the Library is attacked and Elisabeth is the sole witness, she must travel to the capital to give her testimony. There, with the aid of the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, she will uncover a plot that threatens the entire kingdom of Austermeer that no one may be able to conquer.

A really solid YA fantasy that has a very fun magical library at its heart (so, of course, I'm here for it). While the plot is a tad predictable, the world Rogerson has created is so enjoyable that I didn't mind. Elisabeth and Nathaniel are enjoyable characters to hang out with and watching them interact with magical books and wield magic is a delight. As a plus, this is a YA fantasy that isn't part of a trilogy. A solid one and done that entertained this reader. Recommended if like me you're a sucker for any book with heavy amounts of library content. ( )