Where do I begin with Seven Deadly Thorns? I loved it!

Everything about this story appealed to me. An Academy setting, with slow burn enemies to lovers, an evil queen, forbidden magic, a cast of morally grey characters AND a pet gargoyle called Saint Waffles? Count me in!

Roze is an entitled, arrogant Prince – and the Queen’s assassin, as well as a student at Vandenberghe Academy. Viola is a fellow student with a dark secret – she is a wielder of magic, which is strictly forbidden in the Kingdom of Aragoa, where this story is set. When the Queen discovers Viola’s secret, she orders Roze to kill her – but Roze has other plans.

The story here is full of my favourite tropes, and I absolutely loved it. The loathing and subsequent tension between Viola and Roz is exquisite, and so believable. The sense of urgency throughout the book is palpable, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading. I loved the fact that absolutely none of the characters were 100% good, the moral greyness in this story is perfection!

And can we talk about Saint Waffles? I have never wanted a pet gargoyle more, he sounds adorable, and I want a little winged menace around to protect me too please!

All in all I found this book very easy to read and follow, and it captivated me from page one. I have already pre-ordered a physical copy!

A dark, deceitful, deadly delight.

Incredible. Snow White x Harry Potter vibes. Dramione vibes. Dark academia. Incredible plot. Sensational writing. Gorgeous romance. Interesting characters. Witch hunter x witch. Both MCs hiding dark secrets.

Everything in this book was perfect for my taste in reading. The only thing I would want more of is seeing Roze and Viola's relationship truly blossom after the events of this book. With the way this ended this could be a standalone but I'm hoping for a second because I already miss them!!!

I don't want to write a lot in fear of spoilers, but truly this book was everything I could hope for. Dark, funny, romantic, incredible banter between the two MCs, an interesting plot that had me needing to know more. Secret societies, a murder to be investigated AS WELL as figuring out how to overcome the mists that plague their kingdom.

Amber Hamilton, I devote my life to you now. I will be reading many more of your books to come.

Seven deadly thorns was nothing short of extraordinary. This book single-handedly rescued me from going into a reading slump. The plot gives and gives and gives, I've been craving a book with this much substance for a while now. The romance is so deep and unwavering, I absolutely adored it. The characters are just as deep and unforgettable.

Don't skip this one, this is destined to be one of the big romantasy hits of 2025.

Perfect if you loved The Cruel Prince or the knight and the moth (mostly because of the gargoyles iykyk).

Thank you so much for the e-arc. All thoughts are my own.

The way I absolutely devoured this book in less than 24 hours. I could not out this down, I was absolutely obsessed with the storyline, the characters, the enemies to lovers/ fake engagement: forced proximity tropes. It was everything I love and it was magical. What more could you want? The twists that this book revealed to me had me gasping and at the same time I was kicking my feet and giggling. Roze has my heart, he was tortured and the yearning was absolutely gorgeous. This was an absolutely brilliant book and everyone needs to read it.
Thank you so much for the arc! I

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Bloomsbury for allowing me to read this arc!

I completely devoured this book within 24 hours. I couldn’t put it down and was hooked on this fast paced, dark academia, romantasy storyline from the very first page. This story was full of twists and turns and adventure. Essentially this story takes place in just seven days contributing to how fast I read this. Nothing was too drawn out but also nothing was too rushed. A full rounded story was written that had both a beginning and a satisfying end. However, I do wonder what happened to other characters at the end of this book. I’m not sure if there will be a sequel but there is definitely a story or continuation that could be explored for one.

An absolutely brilliant debut from this author and I’m excited to read more from her.

Darkly enchanting and fiercely imaginative, Seven Deadly Thorns is a gothic romantasy that blends fae lore, forbidden magic and emotional depth. The story follows a cursed heroine navigating a treacherous world of thorns, secrets and seductive danger, where every choice carries weight and every alliance comes at a cost.

Amber Hamilton’s prose is lush and evocative, painting a world that is both beautiful and brutal. The atmosphere is rich with tension, and the romance simmers with slow burn intensity. The characters are layered and morally complex, with motivations that keep the reader guessing and emotional stakes that feel genuinely high.

Themes of power, desire and redemption are woven throughout, and the plot balances intrigue with introspection. It is a story that embraces its darkness while offering glimmers of hope, perfect for readers who enjoy high stakes fantasy with a romantic edge.

This was an interesting and dangerous kingdom, surrounded by deadly mists with a power hungry queen on the search to destroy all those who have magic, using her son as the assassin. Yeah, it has touches of Snow White, though it is a prince (with the name of Roze) and he also fulfills the huntsman role after Viola so he is doing double duty.

It was quite a fast read which was nice, nonstop action, secret clubs, being on the run from a mad queen all the while coming to terms with her dark magic, save Roze, keep her own life, and possibly find some happiness. It was easy to root for Viola and her awesome companion, the best gargoyle ever, Saint Waffles and even find room for Roze with his tragic dark past (I mean with what his family/mother is like, no wonder he has issues!). I liked that it was a standalone and while the ending was a bit confusing (had to go back an reread some to fully figure out what happens with that last showdown against the queen) I enjoyed this tale.

I think this was a good book and it had enough depth with its history and magic that I would not mind returning to see another tale of maybe what was going on before the mists, or what happens next for Viola, Roze, and the Brimstones (and the rest of the kingdom). I am glad I got the chance to read this and now wish I had gotten around to reading it earlier.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book. I LOVED IT. Recently I’ve been in a massive reading slump and this was what I needed to get me back into it again. The book was full of mystery and adventure, I didn’t find a single chapter slow or boring. The plot twists were also (at least for me) surprising.

This book is a perfect fun standalone romantasy, it’s harry potter meets shatter me meets powerless. It’s an enjoyable quick read that I’d definitely recommend. We love a silver haired morally grey mmc.

My only complaints would be for the magic system to have more depth and explanation as I felt that was lacking in some areas but overall I still enjoyed reading it and it was absolutely fantastic for a debut.


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Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the ARC!

Loved it! Seven Deadly Thorns had an amazing premise and it delivered! The academic setting? Enemies to lovers? Dangerous magic? Banter? He’s sent to kill her? What’s not to love?! So enjoyable and engrossing! Couldn’t put it down.

Seven Deadly Thorns is a dark, addictive romantasy filled with dangerous magic, sharp banter, and irresistible tension. Amber Hamilton delivers a gripping enemies-to-lovers story with a rich dark academia atmosphere and high stakes from the very first page. Viola and Roze have incredible chemistry, and their fake engagement adds plenty of drama and swoon-worthy moments. The cursed tattoos, deadly secrets, and emotional twists kept me completely invested. A perfect pick for fans of magical intrigue and slow-burning romance.

Dark, decadent, and deliciously dramatic. The novel leans fully into excess, morally grey characters, simmering tension, and a world where desire and consequence are tightly entwined. Each ‘sin’ feels embodied rather than symbolic, shaping both plot and personality in compelling ways.

What I especially enjoyed was the atmosphere. The author clearly relishes the theatricality of the premise, and that confidence carries the story. If you enjoy high-stakes romance with gothic undertones and a touch of sinfully indulgent drama, this one will absolutely tempt you.

This was dark academia meets fantasy - it gave me Harry Potter dramionie x Snow White vibes. I love the academic setting, the romance and believable and it was a believable romance that I was very invested in.

Dramatic, dark, gothic romance, loved it

Absolutely loved it. Great story, engaging and addictive. Characters were believable and well written.

I read dark academia and was instantly seated. I've had the Waterstones edition on preorder for ages and when I saw this available, I jumped at the chance to read it.

This book is a loose retelling of Snow White, and features so many references throughout it made my inner fairytale girl so so happy. I've heard it be compared to The Cruel Prince, which I definitely understand. It's sort of like that mixed with dark academia. I simply just LOVE the tropes in this book! If you like enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fake engagement, and dark magic, then this is probably a book you'll eat up just as much as I did.

I particularly enjoyed that the MMC reminded me so much of some of my other favourites (I'm thinking Jacks from OUABH), and his chemistry with the FMC was undeniable. I think my only criticism is that the book didn't last forever.