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About The Book

A New York Times bestseller!

“A bewitching gem...I absolutely loved every moment of this story.” —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series
“If you loved the Hogwarts Library…you’ll be right at home at Summershall.” —Katherine Arden, New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale

From the New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens comes an “enthralling adventure” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about an apprentice at a magical library who must battle a powerful sorcerer to save her kingdom.

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.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire, and Elisabeth is implicated in the crime. 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.

About The Author

Photograph (c) Margaret Rogerson

Margaret Rogerson is the author of the New York Times bestsellers An Enchantment of Ravens, Sorcery of Thorns, and Vespertine. She has a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology from Miami University. When not reading or writing she enjoys sketching, gaming, making pudding, and watching more documentaries than is socially acceptable (according to some). She lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, beside a garden full of hummingbirds and roses. Visit her at MargaretRogerson.com.

Why We Love It

“This novel is a fantastic read. There is a romance of opposites, a brave heroine who has no idea how brave she really is, and plenty of wit and humor. Margaret introduces everything with a slam-bang beginning and a pace that never falters. This is exactly the sort of fast-paced, romantic, dangerous read that every fantasy reader longs for—and it’s smart, too, and beautifully written.” —Karen W., Editorial Director, on Sorcery of Thorns

Product Details

  • Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (June 4, 2019)
  • Length: 464 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781481497633
  • Grades: 9 and up
  • Ages: 14 - 99
  • Lexile ® HL820L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

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Raves and Reviews

"If you are looking for magic you will find it inside this book. Sorcery of Thorns is a bewitching gem, full of slow burning romance, loyal friendships, and extraordinary world building. I absolutely loved every moment of this story."

– Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series.

"If you loved the Hogwarts Library, or the Great Library of the Clayr, you'll be right at home at Summershall. Tightly paced, hugely atmospheric, with a touch of wry humor, this book had me from its Gothic beginning right to the perfect end."

– Katherine Arden, author of The Bear and the Nightingale

"Brimming with twisty enchantment, Sorcery of Thorns is Margaret Rogerson at her most playfully addictive. The heir apparent to Diana Wynne Jones, no one can match her dark whimsy or joyous magic. This book is sheer delight."

– Jessica Cluess, author of the Kingdom on Fire trilogy

“Like the grimoires that fill its pages, Sorcery of Thorns lives, breathes, and beckons you closer with each enchanting word. This is classic fantasy at its very best.”

– Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

* "An enthralling adventure replete with spellbinding characters, a slow-burning love story, and a world worth staying lost in."

– Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Rogerson proves herself a worthy successor to Diana Wynne Jones in this moody, atmospheric, and lively classic fantasy...This enchanting story is sure to appeal to teen readers eager for more of the world-building, fierce friendships, and feminist heroines of Robin LaFevers and Naomi Novik."

– School Library Journal

Awards and Honors

  • Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Master List
  • NYPL Best Books for Teens
  • Texas Lone Star Reading List
  • Tome Society It List
  • Louisiana Teen Readers' Choice Award Nominee

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