Book Review: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Book Review: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

by The Book Pup on February 16, 2026

Book Summary:

Elisabeth Scrivener has been raised in the Great Libraries of Austermeer, surrounded by magical grimoires that can transform into monsters. She's been taught that all sorcerers are evil and that protecting the grimoires is her sacred duty.

But when sabotage releases a deadly grimoire and Elisabeth is blamed, she's forced to trust the one person she shouldn't: Nathaniel Thorn, a sorcerer. Together with his enigmatic demon servant Silas, they must uncover a conspiracy threatening the entire kingdom.

As Elisabeth's world expands beyond the library walls, she discovers that not everything she was taught is true—and that the line between good and evil is far more complicated than she imagined.

Review

Sorcery of Thorns had so much potential with its creative premise, but the execution left me with mixed feelings. It's a decent read with some really exciting moments, but also some significant pacing and development issues. 📚✨

Let me start with what I enjoyed: the concept is really creative and broke some trends (that always earns bonus points in my reviews)! 💡 Magical grimoires that can become monsters? Libraries as dangerous places guarded by fierce librarians? A demon servant who's actually fascinating? Yes, please! Rogerson clearly has imagination, and when the book leans into its unique elements, it shines. The world-building around the Great Libraries and the grimoires is the strongest part of this story.

There are definitely exciting moments throughout! 🔥 When the action picks up and the stakes feel real, the book is engaging and fun. The conspiracy plot has some interesting twists, and watching Elisabeth navigate a world beyond her sheltered library life provides some genuinely compelling scenes.

However, the romance progress was basically NONEXISTENT at the beginning. 😐 For a large chunk of the book, there's zero romantic development between Elisabeth and Nathaniel. They're just traveling together and barely tolerating each other. Then suddenly, when the romance finally started, it picked up and was actually pretty good! But that initial lack of buildup made it feel unbalanced, too slow for too long, then rushed when it finally happened. ⏰

The pacing was inconsistent throughout. 📖 Some sections dragged on forever with not much happening, while other parts felt rushed or glossed over too quickly. There were stretches where I found myself bored and waiting for anything to happen, followed by action scenes that moved so fast I barely had time to process what was going on.

Some parts felt exaggerated or over-the-top in ways that took me out of the story. 😅 Character reactions that seemed too dramatic for the situation, descriptions that went on too long, or plot developments that felt unnecessarily complicated. It sometimes felt like Rogerson was trying too hard to make everything EPIC when simpler would have been better.

The book also got confusing at times. 🤔 Whether it was the magic system, the political intrigue, or just what was happening in certain scenes, I found myself having to reread passages to understand what was going on. Some of this cleared up as the story progressed, but it made the reading experience less smooth than I would have liked.

Elisabeth as a protagonist has potential. She's brave and determined, but her characterization felt inconsistent. Her sheltered library upbringing should have made her more naive about the world, but sometimes she was too capable and other times too clueless, depending on what the plot needed. 📚

Silas the demon is honestly the most interesting character in the book! 😈 His relationship with Nathaniel, his mysterious nature, and his dry humor provided some of the best moments. I wish we'd gotten more of him and his backstory.

The themes about books, knowledge, and questioning what you've been taught are solid and give the story some depth beyond the surface plot. When Rogerson focuses on Elisabeth learning that sorcerers aren't all evil and that her worldview needs expanding, the book works well. 💭

Overall, Sorcery of Thorns is a decent fantasy with creative ideas that doesn't quite reach its full potential. The inconsistent pacing, slow romance development, confusing moments, and exaggerated sections hold it back from being great. But if you love books about books, library settings, and are willing to push through some slower sections, there's enjoyment to be found here. ✨

3/5 pawprints 🐾🐾🐾

You can find the book on Goodreads here!

Who I think this book is for: Readers who love library settings and books about books, fans of unique magic systems involving grimoires, anyone who enjoys reluctant allies to lovers (eventually), and people who don't mind inconsistent pacing if the concept is interesting.

Note: This is a standalone, so at least you get a complete story! 📖

Cheers, and happy reading!

The Book Pup

P.S. Silas deserves his own book. That's all I'm saying. 😈✨

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