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I enjoyed that I never knew where the lore was going, and the characters are easy the love

Ahhh!! I knew I was going to love this and I did. Sierra Simone can do no wrong. I wouldn’t call this romantic suspense but it is full of mystery and tension, not just with the overarching plot but tension within the characters. I loved the premise of childhood friends back to the same brooding setting where some haven’t seen each other in 10+ years. I’m looking forward to reading book 2 in the series.

I have no words except for enticing, enthralling, peculiar, kinky in the best way possible, dark, erotic in such a unique and loving way.

OMG OMG OMG, POLI, BI, LES, RITUAL QUE NO TIENE ESTO JAJAJJA QUE MANERA DE SENTIR FRUSTRACIÓN Quiero saber por qué Auden odia a St. Sebastian.

i didn’t know it was possible to be h*rny and confused at the same time until i read this book

Proserpina is about to return to a place from her past, Thornchapel, to start a new job in its library. There, she hopes to uncover the secrets her mother left behind before she disappeared years ago. She also hopes to avoid the tortured boy from her childhood, Auden Guest. Upon arrival however, she is not only reunited with Auden, but four other people from her childhood as well. Thornchapel has called all of them home, and it’s secrets, rituals, and seduction are all patiently waiting for them to be together again. This is definitely unlike anything I have ever read before. At times it feels borderline fantasy with its rituals and secrets and ethereal atmosphere, but i absolutely loved it. As the six friends attempt to piece together Thornchapel’s history, they unearth one mystery after another. All the while, the connections between them grow from distant childhood friends into something more…. kinky. They can’t fight the ties that are bonding them to each other and to Thornchapel itself. This story involves six people, and while this first book is mostly told in one pov (Proserpina’s), we get a handful of third person chapters from other characters which I loved. I’m glad i didn’t have to wait til their books to get a glimpse as to what’s going on in their minds. There are a lot of secrets and past family ties to unearth here, and while it was a little overwhelming at times, I had to remind myself it’s only book 1 of 4. This book gave me very dark academia, dark fairy tale, kinky secret garden vibes. I’m very intrigued by everything i’ve learned so far, and i can’t wait to see what secrets, rituals, and sexual deviance the other books contain!

“But I’m so susceptible to this kind of touch; I bloom like a rose when I’m handled like a weed” #1: A Lesson in Thorns ★★★★★

Honestly I was disappointed with how this ended. I was so excited in the beginning, loved the Romanticism themes of the manor and the mystery. It was fun to read about a librarian who was digitizing and cataloging an old library and being able to recognize and know all of the things she was doing in that regard. But the writing annoyed me at times, there were certain phrases that kept being repeated and got on my nerves. All in all, it was just eh LGBTQ+ (everybody just wants to get with everybody essentially)

Update 2020: Changed it down to a four star as I don’t remember much about it anymore. Still enjoyed it but definitely not five stars. CW: Loss of loved ones, talk of rape (not explicit), abandonment, abuse When Poe takes the job of librarian at Thornchapel, she’s there for more than just the job. She wants to know what happened to her mother before she disappeared. Reunited with her childhood friends as an adult, secrets and mystery surround them all at Thornchapel. A Lesson in Thorns is a tale of secrecy and seduction that will leave you wanting more. If you couldn’t tell by this fabulous cover, this is an extremely sexually explicit. Please don’t pick this up if you don’t like reading about some pretty kinky things. But oh my god I devoured this book. Firstly, these characters are utterly delightful. All of them feel fully realised and fleshed our with struggles and desires of their own. There was no character that I didn’t like reading about. I’m very intrigued about Beckett as we didn’t get much from him in this book but I’m eager to no more. I have to say that Poe was probably my favourite. She’s a librarian and submissive but knows exactly what she wants and that’s what I really admire about her. Can we also take a moment to appreciate the goddess that is Rebecca. She’s so incredibly smart and is also black and a Domme and I love her so much. Honestly I can’t stop thinking about these characters and how they all interact with each other. If you’re looking for messy friendships and relationships please pick this up. There are so many interesting dynamics, both emotionally and physically. Sierra Simone does such a good job at creating an atmospheric read. She was able to craft a seductive and moody place like Thornchapel that I was completely under its spell and now want to visit. Straight up erotica is not what A Lesson in Thorns is. It has a mystery and plot that ties into the sex and relationships of the characters but never gets in the way. It has a wonderful build up that when the characters do get together it’s the most satisfying thing. I also love how much representation there is. Only Beckett outright uses bisexual but every character is attracted to multiple genders and it makes me so incredibly happy to see. Rebecca is Ghanaian and Saint is biracial (Mexican and white). Poe also has narcolepsy which is ownvoices. The sex scenes include f/f, m/m and m/f. Basically if you’re looking for an incredibly sexy, atmospheric and mysterious read, pick this up right now. I cannot wait to read the sequel. Basically if you want to read a pl

2.5 stars resolution? i don’t know her! the ending really annoyed me and not one (1) question was answered in the book but it was still kind of (?) fun i guess? there wasn’t a lot of plot but there also wasn’t a lot of smut so like ,,, it was pretty boring. also so much of the relationship stuff just scream unhealthy to me and i literally had to put the book down for days before i could get back to it (then i would put it down again 2 minutes later).

I found this book a little bit hard to get in to. I was a little lost at the start and not sure where this story was going to go. I’m not usually a big fan of smut and sexy stuff in books, but for me that was the best thing about this story. I didn’t really care much for the characters but the steamy scenes were certainly smutty and I found them enjoyable. I won’t be continuing on in the series but it was a good read. I’ve read some reviews that state that the author has said the characters are bi and not pan sexual. For me, this was a little bit off. I’d assumed they were pan sexual characters, who have so little representation in literature and I was enthused that the author had included them in her stories. Instead she has been quoted saying they are bisexual and I feel they would work better as pan sexual. But that’s personal for me and may not affect the book for you if you choose to read it.

Unputdownable and all consumingly beautiful! This book is everything. It’s raunchy, it’s unique, it’s dark and it’s heart wrenching, and I enjoyed every single second of reading it! The ending is a little abrupt and there are instances the plot falls flat, but this is more character driven than anything. I think I’m going to settle on 4.5 stars for this one.

these goddamn characters lit rally using a pagan ritual to have an excuse to have sex with each other, y'all are grown ass adults, just say you wanna fuck each other and do it already! god this was lame and so fake deep, so many of the passages from this had me rolling my eyes from how hard the author was trying to make it sound deep and existentialist. srsly this was ridiculous, the whole thing of doing the ritual, the fact that the entire book was spent with the characters constantly saying how they were being 'called' by the thorn chapel, how it drew them and plagued their dreams ugh so fucking ridiculous i had no idea wtf i was reading half the time. i only care for my man saint and will only be reading the second book for him and him only. i seriously do not understand all the five stars this book's been getting, i feel like i read an entirely different book. also p to the fucking s who the FUCK talks to their father about KINKY SEX??? who in their right goddamn minds asks their father if he had kinky sex with their mother, if she was a dom and used to beat their sub father and also confesses that she loves to have kinky sex LIKE WTF WAS THAT????? maybe that's my latina ass talking but jesus y'all be catching us dead before we even divulge something like that to our parents, i'm literally speechless.

4.75 stars out of 5 stars. The characters were great in this novel, I found them all to be enjoyable even if Auden was annoying at times. They all had their flaws which made them realistic with all the walks from life that they came from. I LOVED the old English manor setting, it has to be one of my favorites, if you also like that setting then I recommend you read A Sky Painted Gold or The Clockmaker's Daughter. I was very much shocked by the writing of this novel, it was beautiful. Very picturesque and flowery, it just felt so nice with this setting and I think that it was the strongest aspect of this novel. I really liked that this story wasn't just focused on the smut or romance, we also had a mystery going on. I loved getting to find out about the ancient ritual and then trying to find Poe's mother. The story also has one of my favorite tropes, friends coming together after years apart. I kept wanting to know what would happen next, almost like a thriller. It did drag in certain parts around 50% to 75% through the story, and then at the very last twenty percent I felt like a lot was happening at once and that is why this did not get a five out of five stars. I did enjoy and will be buying a physical copy of the book and will read the next installment in the series.

Why was the world-building so good? Really impressed by this book and the magical realism elements. Was not expecting that out of an erotica book but...go off I guess

I have mixed feelings about this book. This book isn't as crazy as everyone says it is. It's definitely not the smuttiest book I've ever read. It is definitely the most confusing smutty book, though. I honestly can't give a huge explanation to this book because I still don't understand what the heck happened. Why are these friends performing these rituals? Is the house making them act this way? What is going on here? Although I was confused throughout most of this book, I think I enjoyed it. I'm honestly still just trying to work everything out in my head. I liked the characters. I'm not entirely sure if I liked anything else because I'm so darned confused? I will say that I did enjoy the smutty scenes. They were done very well. Consent was given, even safewords. I like that it seemed like everyone was apart of the LGBTQ+ community, even though it wasn't necessarily stated. I also want to point out how awkward is was when Poe was talking to her father about his sex life. A bit weird. If you've read this book, please help me understand it. I really want to see what's gonna happen next but everyone hates it. 3/5 Stars

3.5 Holy-fucking-smut stars. A full on erotica-BDSM wanna-be mystery book, which I thought wouldn’t enjoy, but ohhhh boy is it intense !! I least enjoy the pacing, the real smut starts past 70%.

So. I have read this and I had BIG EYES for most of it, and I couldn't put it down. I don't know how I feel yet, as I just want the whole story and I should maybe have waited knowing myself? There is SO MUCH that the characters know but aren't sharing with me the reader. Stop it with your loaded glances and TELL ME WHAT IS HAPPENING. Bonus points for the filthiest game of spin the bottle ever and for making me feel some way. *throws flowers in the air*

Tomorrow releases the last book of the series and I’m so glad I waited or I’d have die waiting for each book. This is the introduction to the Thornchapel series and Sierra never disappoints, each character has their own mind but I loved how they were all in sync and how they were all drawn to the place. The characters met after 12 years, and the suspense and sensual tension was always there, I wanted all the answers, especially what happened before between Saint and Auden. St Sebastian is so precious and I hated when he felt like he didn’t belong, at least now I can find out what happened all those years ago between them. All the characters were amazing, Rebecca, Delphine and Becket, even though we still don’t know much about them. And Poe, that at first looked sweet and calm but then we know about her kinky side and everything develops from there. Can’t wait to read more about her relationship with Auden and Saint and how everything will work out. I also loved all the relationships, we have MFM, MM, FF and I just love it, after reading the New Camelot series I knew Sierra would create another amazing story with great characters. Now I’ll just dive in in the rest of the books because the story is so good, and I just want everyone to be happy, especially Saint❤️

I feel that this book was well written and the concept was something that was well done and completely different from anything else. It represented the pagan belief well, within reason, and I feel that it was well done

I was surprised by how much I liked this. While it's definitely a dark romance novel, I was so drawn into the world and the plot. I connected and cared about all of the characters and got so invested in the mystery of Thornchapel. This had me hooked and immediately going and buying book two!

Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. This book is utterly mesmerizing and atmospheric and dark and angsty af and sexy and I needed the next one yesterday. ”And in a clearing in the woods, in a church ruined by thorns and time, something stirred. Something called all six of them by name.” A Lesson in Thorns grabs you, sucks you in and holds you there until you’re completely unaware of everything happening around you. Some of my very favorite fictional relationships are polyamorous, but this one really takes it to a new level is so many good ways. It explores some very taboo themes, but in a safe and healthy way. This was my first Sierra Simone book, but I am familiar with her New Camelot series, which has been on my TBR for ages. I knew this would be a dark and tantalizing romance, but that is not all. The writing and story itself is riveting and absolutely hit the mark with the gothic thriller themes. I couldn’t help but think of stories such as Crimson Peak and The Awakening, minus the horror aspects, plus the pagan rituals in Outlander and The Forest House. Additionally, it even gave me The Raven Cycle vibes and I was constantly thinking of this quote from Maggie Stiefvater’s The Dream Thieves, “In that moment, Blue was a little in love with all of them. Their magic. Their quest. Their awfulness and strangeness. Her raven boys.” This is basically a VERY adult version of that story. You NEED this book!

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Review can be found here at Booked J. "At Thornchapel, time could slip by unmarked and you could walk places no one had walked in years. Maybe centuries." Thornchapel Series: A Lesson in Thorns: ★★★★★ Feast of Sparks: TBD Harvest of Sighs: TBD Door of Bruises: TBD Controversy aside, I loved A Lesson in Thorns so much and can't wait to dive into the rest of Thornchapel. I've read quite a lot from Sierra Simone in the past but this is her best, most erotic and artful work to date. Darkly entwined with its erotic nature, A Lesson in Thorns is utterly unforgettable and impossible to put down. If you've loved any of Simone's works in the past, you're going to devour this one just as it devours you. If you're not interested in erotica, or romance, this will obviously not be a read for you. A Lesson in Thorns is an atmospheric and explicit work of fiction. This, of course, won't be everyone's cup of tea. There is something irresistible in the way that Simone tells this story; her prose has never been better. Every page passes by in a heated blur, with the reminder that A Lesson in Thorns is as suspenseful as it is sensual, as filthy as it is strangely tender. While reading A Lesson in Thorns, I couldn't help but to feel like the estate in which the series is set was serving up the best of classic V.C. Andrews vibes. Simone's writing solidified my feeling of similarity, in the best possible way. While I've adored Sierra Simone's writing in the past, A Lesson in Thorns shows her at her very best and makes reading the novel compulsive and electric. Further, I loved the eeriness and mystery that the Thornchapel estate provides readers as a backdrop. Everything always leads back to the estate, after all. Mostly, I loved the characters and the archetypes that they each represent to the plot and their peculiar and sexualized bond with one another. Poe, Auden, Saint, Delphine, Rebecca and Becket are all intriguingly complex characters with a set of their own complexities. (My favourites are all of them, but my ranking is: Poe, Delphine, Saint, Rebecca, Becket and Auden.) Each of them have a varied connection with one another that makes readers double take, pause and fan themselves. There's something so electrically charged in their interactions, you are all flushed cheeks and flying high. When I say that this is one of the most erotic works of fiction I've read recently, I mean it. But A Lesson in Thorns is more than erotica and romance, it is full of mysteries and plot twists that have the potential to tangle themselves into everything we are. By the end, I was feeling so many things: heat, frustration, excitement and sadness. Sierra Simone hooked me from the start, but by the end? She owned me.