#A Hunger of Thorns

[elliepassmore]

A Hunger of Thorns review

4/5 stars Recommended if you like: witchy reads, urban fantasy, magic, quests, LGBTQ characters

This was a hard book for me to rate because there were a lot of really good things about this book. At the same time, there were some things that felt very 'meh' to me.

To start, I really like the industrialization/capitalism-ization of magic in this book. I found it very interesting and true-to-life how magic was initially banned and then regulated into industry so that big corporations could make money off of it in the name of democratization. This background really shapes how each of the characters interacts with magic in this book, and it definately impacts Maude and her family's ways of being. I also think this background works really well and is reflected fantastically in Maude and Odette's relationship, as well as later on with Rufus. It's also very unique and not really something I've seen done before, so I think it was one of the strong points of the book.

That being said, I didn't really have a good grasp on pretty much anything else going on in this world. There are cars and power plants and phones....but there's also farms where girls can go to learn how to be housewives? There's shopping malls but Maude and Odette are lectured on how to be 'proper' girls and I'm honestly kind of confused as to whether any of the women wear pants or not (I think there was a mention of jeans at one point). The point is, this book isn't really grounded in a solid time period or world. I couldn't tell if this was supposed to be a 'way back when' kind of fantasy or an urban fantasy or an 'urban fantasy but make it the 1960s.' It was obviously not set on our earth since the place names are different, but it's in a vaguely-earth world (Anglyon = England, imo). With how strong the magic-industrialization theme is in this book and how thoroughly that impacts things, I just wanted a little more grounding in where and when this story was taking place.

Maude is someone who is constantly making up for the crimes of her mother. Her father was a pro-magic protestor who was killed before she was born and her mother was a pro-magic terrorist (though I'm unclear if she actually was a terrorist or if she just committed major crimes) who was imprisoned and died when Maude was still a child. Thus, Maude mostly tries to stay out of trouble and be a 'good' girl, lest she get branded with the same suspicion as her mother. As a result, she worries a lot about what other people think and can be a major people pleaser, though part of her journey in this book is learning to stand up for herself. This is definitely a magical quest story, but it's also a coming-of-age story, and I appreciated Maude's personal growth.

Odette is...a lot. Maude sees her through a very positive light, but even Maude's rose-colored memories of Odette don't paint a pretty picture. There's obviously some stuff going on there between her and her mother, but that doesn't excuse Odette's behavior (I'm with Rufus on this one). She generally seems like an angry, unkind person, but she does have moments when her fierceness is turned toward good and she stands up for other people, i.e., Maude. In 'present' day, it takes more cajoling to get Odette to come around, and she makes some decisions that I heartily disagreed with and thought were really just downright spiteful.

I honestly felt bad for Maude considering her and Odette's past and present relationship, though they seem to have sorted things out by the end.

I would've liked to see more of Rufus since he seemed like an interesting character and he had good perspective on things. He showed a lot of perseverance and loyalty, as well as an ability to take things in stride, no matter how crazy. He's a good friend to Maude, even when she doesn't realize it. Even when she isn't a good friend.

As mentioned in the book's summary, Odette goes missing and Maude sets out to find her and get to the bottom of her disappearance. This is where the quest comes into play and I found it to be super interesting. A large chunk of magic, as well as family secrets, are at the center of the quest, and I loved the weirdness that came with the powerful magic. There are times when the story verges into eco-horror without going full-on horror, which was a pleasant surprise. I think Maude's role in things (beyond the quest-taker) was interesting too, though I do think she makes some dumb decisions.

This book does have a good mix of twists and predictability to it. There are three major things that happen toward the end of the book that I guessed pretty much from the get-go, as well as something else that I picked up on about midway through when it was mentioned, but there was a lot about Maude's quest and about Odette that I found to be surprising. I think if you're willing to set aside the predictability, there's a lot of great twists in the book.

Overall I found this book to be enjoyable. There were some parts that I think were really fleshed out and then there were some parts that I feel got ignored. The rating for this is somewhere between 4 stars and 4.5 stars for me. I'm definitely curious to see whether any of this or the characters are mentioned/seen in the sequel!

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 1/5

Book Blurb: Be swept away by a lush, witchy tale about forbidden magic and missing girls who don't need handsome princes to rescue them. Perfect for fans of The Hazel Wood. Maude is the daughter of witches. She spent her childhood running wild with her best friend, Odette, weaving stories of girls who slayed dragons and saved princes. Then Maude grew up and lost her magic—and her best friend. These days, magic is toothless, reduced to  glamour patches and psychic energy drinks found in supermarkets and shopping malls. Odette has always hungered for forbidden, dangerous magic, and two weeks ago she went searching for it. Now she’s missing, and everyone says she’s dead. Everyone except Maude. Storytelling has always been Maude’s gift, so she knows all about girls who get lost in the woods. She’s sure she can find Odette inside the ruins of Sicklehurst, an abandoned power plant built over an ancient magical forest—a place nobody else seems to remember is there. The danger is, no one knows what remains inside Sicklehurst, either. And every good story is sure to have a monster.

Review:

Magic, a mission to rescue an old friend, and discovering the truth behind forgotten memories. Maude is the daughter of witches and spent most of her childhood with her best friend Odette, telling her stories of girls who slayed dragons and saved princes who turned into swans... but when she entered into puberty she lost her magic and the moment her magic was gone her best friend dumped her. Maude loves Odette, she doesn’t know who she is without her, she would give her anything, despite the fact that Odette wants nothing to do with her. Odette craves forbidden dark magic, and when she suddenly appears at Maude’s door all these years later asking for some, and Maude refuses her? She suddenly disappears and has been gone for two weeks. Upon discovering that she’s been gone for so long Maude feels responsible since she turned her away and is convinced that she has to save Odette. But saving Odette means facing her childhood stories, facing the magical land she thought she only made up in her stories but is in fact very real and that there is something much more dangerous here. Can she save Odette and by saving Odette will she finally get her friend back or is her codependence clouding her judgment. This was a not so great time for me unfortunately. I really don’t get why Maude was so obsessed with Odette and despite the fact that most people point out just how codependent and toxic Odette and Maude’s relationship was, Maude is blind to it. Maude goes on and on about how she has to save Odette, how she misses her, how she’ll win her over despite the fact that Odette has made it very clear she doesn’t like Maude and has moved on from her. Maude goes on about how she’s so pathetic for wanting Odette and wanting their relationship back and that she just have to be the savior. Honestly it was kind of annoying and the whole dark fairytale aspect was giving me Alice in Wonderland vibes but other than that I truly wasn’t invested in the characters or story at all, none of the characters were actually likable. Overall, this one was a let down for me, however if you like young adult fantasy stories about girls who really want to save their friend and go on alice in wonderland inspired esque world then give this one a go.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[malerek]

12 Brand New YA Books [Released April 15th to 21st 2023]

✨ 12 Brand New YA Books [Released April 15th to 21st 2023] ✨ Interested in all getting to know all the new Young Adult books coming out this week? Here's a full list! #BookBlogger #Booktwt #BookTwitter #YoungAdult #BrandNewYA

Brand New YA Books is a Saturday feature showcasing all the Young Adult books released in the last week. If you are an author and want to see your book featured on this list, send me an email to pagesplots@gmail.com will all the details. PUBLISHED APRIL 15th TO 21st 2023 If I See You Again Tomorrowby Robbie CouchGenre: Contemporary | Romance | Sci-fi | LGBTPublisher: Simon & Schuster Books for…

[oracleofmadness]

This is an outstanding demonstration of a very in-depth modern tale of beautiful magic with a deeply moving plot. This story had me in all my emotions. I was cheering on the main character and crying with her all at once. Like i said, this sincerely deeply moved me in the best of ways.

Maude has never really had the perfect life, but her childhood was pretty good. She had a great friend, Odette, and years full of magic and story-telling. Creating dolls and monsters from within her own imagination and Odette's joy. But things get lost as one grows older. Children often lose their inner magic and even the best of friends don't always remain close. In this case, magic seemed to flee from Maude's grasp. In the rest of the world, it became something fake. Something easily bought and used by anyone and not very respected anymore.

Even though Odette and Maude are no longer close, Maude still feels a responsibility for Odette when her friend suddenly goes missing. A lost girl. But Maude knows she can find her. And, even more so, save her. She knows she can slay the dragon herself, however necessary.

This was inspiring and beautiful. Sad and yet, hopeful. I really enjoyed this.

Out April 18, 2023!

[bookcoversonly]

Title: A Hunger of Thorns | Author: Lili Wilkinson | Publisher: Delacorte (2023)

[acourtofpaperandink]

Book Review: A Hunger of Thorns By: Lili Wilkinson

Post by: BookGirl A Hunger of Thorns By: Lili Wilkinson Cover: I like the cover but it’s a bit dark. (It looks better in the photo than the actual book) Everything is dark so nothing really stands out. I still think it’s interesting and it did grab my attention. I just think some more color variation would have been nice. Story: ★★ This is a YA fantasy story but it’s set in a world a lot like…

[jessryno]

Book Review: A Hunger of Thorns By: Lili Wilkinson

Post by: BookGirl A Hunger of Thorns By: Lili Wilkinson Cover: I like the cover but it’s a bit dark. (It looks better in the photo than the actual book) Everything is dark so nothing really stands out. I still think it’s interesting and it did grab my attention. I just think some more color variation would have been nice. Story: ★★ This is a YA fantasy story but it’s set in a world a lot like…

[the-worlds-between-pages]

A Hunger of Thorns by: Lili Wilkinson

Published by: Random House Children’s So, I really loved the story of this book. Girls are wild and when you try to force them to hide it away, whether as a tool for control or misguided attempts to “help”, it hurts them until they can accept and thrive with it. Maude has a long frailly history of witches. Both her grandmothers are witches. Her mother was one and because of the actions she took…

[auslgbtqya]

A Hunger of Thorns by Lili Wilkinson

(2023)

From the Publisher:

Be swept up in this brilliant witchy tale about forbidden magic and missing girls who don't need handsome princes to rescue them. Perfect for fans of the Serpent & Dove series.

'Completely entrancing. I have never read anything like this book. It's full of magic - the real thing. And it's full of feminine power, dark mysteries and unforgettable characters. The luscious depth of the world-building and the effortless skill with which it is conveyed make me utterly jealous.' - Amie Kaufman

Maude is the daughter of witches. She spent her childhood running wild with her best friend, Odette, weaving stories of girls who slayed dragons and saved princes. Then Maude grew up and lost her magic – and her best friend. Storytelling is her only gift that remains.

Odette always hungered for forbidden, dangerous magic, and two weeks ago she went searching for it. Now she's missing, and everyone believes she's dead. Everyone except Maude.

Maude is sure she can find Odette inside the ruins of Sicklehurst, an abandoned power plant built over an ancient magical forest –a place nobody else seems to remember is there. The danger is, nobody knows what remains inside Sicklehurst, either. And every good story is sure to have a monster …

Goodreads

[hollymbryan]

Blog Tour: Top 5 Reasons to Read A HUNGER OF THORNS by Lili Wilkinson! #tbrbeyondtours

Welcome to Book-Keeping! I’m thrilled today to be hosting a spot on the TBR and Beyond Tours blog tour for the new release from Australian YA author Lili Wilkinson, A Hunger of Thorns, which released yesterday! I’ve got all the details for you below, plus my top 5 reasons you should read this magical YA fantasy--so let’s get started!

About the Book

title: A Hunger of Thorns (A Hunger of Thorns #1) author: Lili Wilkinson publisher: Delacorte Press release date: 18 April 2023

Maude is the daughter of witches. She spent her childhood running wild with her best friend, Odette, weaving stories of girls who slayed dragons and saved princes. Then Maude grew up and lost her magic—and her best friend.

These days, magic is toothless, reduced to glamour patches and psychic energy drinks found in supermarkets and shopping malls. Odette has always hungered for forbidden, dangerous magic, and two weeks ago she went searching for it. Now she’s missing, and everyone says she’s dead. Everyone except Maude.

Storytelling has always been Maude’s gift, so she knows all about girls who get lost in the woods. She’s sure she can find Odette inside the ruins of Sicklehurst, an abandoned power plant built over an ancient magical forest—a place nobody else seems to remember is there. The danger is, no one knows what remains inside Sicklehurst, either. And every good story is sure to have a monster.

Content Warning: graphic descriptions of gore, violence, death

Add to Goodreads: A Hunger of Thorns (A Hunger of Thorns #1) Purchase the Book: Amazon | B&N | TBD | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Lili Wilkinson is the award-winning author of eighteen books for young people, including The Erasure Initiative and After the Lights Go Out. Lili has a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and is a passionate advocate for YA and the young people who read it, establishing the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Her latest book is A Hunger of Thorns.

Connect with Lili: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Facebook

Top 5 Reasons to Read

1. A Hunger of Thorns is a new fairy tale for the ages, with lyrical writing and magic on every single page.

2. There are resistance witches (!!) fighting against the all-powerful, giant corporations that took control over the practice of magic. Women were deemed far too powerful and “wild” with magic being freely available to all to practice, so it was locked down and regulated. In other words, same as it ever was. (See: Midwives being pushed out of power by male doctors regulating the profession to their own benefit. See also: All of human history.) 

3. AHOT is a fiercely feminist fairy tale encouraging us to embrace our own power, even that which comes from the wild inside us. To quote the book, “I cry out for every girl who was told to comb her hair and wash the mud from her face. To keep herself contained. To be ashamed of her voice, her hair, her flesh. To be *quiet* and *good* and *nice*. Girls are not *nice*. Girls are wild and fierce and powerful, and I will not let anyone take that away. Not ever again.”

4. There’s a really cool magic system, based on the life force of every living thing, that’s described so beautifully that the reader can visualize the magic that’s being used. Also, redheads are resistant to magic, so glamours don’t work on them! :)

5. AHOT is a meditation on the power of stories, and how weaving stories and telling stories is a kind of magic in itself. And that we each have the power to write our own stories, which is precisely what Maude realizes.

And one extra, just because I adore him:

6. Rufus is the absolute best friend a girl could ever want, the sweetest and most loyal boy who just wants to be there for Maude, as she’s the only one who’s ever really seen him.

Check out the Bookstagram tour as well! You can find my post here, and the full schedule is here.

[siriuslygrimm]

Wild Weavings

#BOOKREVIEW - Wild Weavings - #AHungerOfThorns #blog

Having spent a childhood weaving stories and going on wild adventures with her best friend, a young witch’s adolescence has been an ongoing experiment of adults attempting to tame her fierceness but a search for her missing best friend releases a morphed wildness in Lili Wilkinson’s A Hunger of Thorns. Raised in a world of magic as a witch, Maude spent her childhood showing off her magical…

[macaulaytwins]

[xplore-the-unknwn]

There’s an ongoing joke that this random man punching Snow is Katniss’ grandfather. It’s so hilarious that I choose to believe it is CANON.

It’s true. It’s all connected. 🤓👆

It’s a joke where the punchline is delivered first and Katniss is the one that ends it.

[malerek]

A Hunger of Thorns | Book Spotlight

✨ A HUNGER OF THORNS | BOOK SPOTLIGHT ✨ The new YA fantasy by @twitofalili has a magical florest, a missing girl, witches and magic! #BookBlogger #BookTwt #BookTwitter #AHungerOfThorns #TBRBeyondTours #LiliWilkinson #Bookworm #Booknerd @tbrbeyondtours

Title: A Hunger of ThornsAuthor: Lili WilkinsonGenre: Young Adult | Fantasy Trigger Warnings: Gore | Violence | Death Publishing Date: April 18, 2023 Maude is the daughter of witches. She spent her childhood running wild with her best friend, Odette, weaving stories of girls who slayed dragons and saved princes. Then Maude grew up and lost her magic — and her best friend.These days, magic is…

[starbound-wanderer]

When I think back on podcasts and books I remember them exactly how I pictured them so it’s like remembering a movie, but I know not everyone’s brain works the same way!

[muskoxen]

Vibin'

So I've been thinking about how some of my favorite books vibe with one another, and a map might be a better format for this and this is really just for me to quiet my brain a little but whatever, here's the list:

(The top line book will be the ur-book that sets the vibe, usually a childhood favorite; this does not mean that these are necessarily kid-friendly books!) (If you actually see and read this post, please reblog and suggest books because I'm going to throw down some ur-books that I have yet to find any simpatico fellows for!) (I will update my list as I read and discover)

Murderbot

Is it just me or would El Higgins and Murderbot coexist well??? Also, can’t believe I almost forgot to put my favorite traumatized construct on this list!

Howl's Moving Castle

Emily Wilde and its sequels

Ten Thousand Stitches

Sabriel and its sequels

Vespertine

Sorcery of Thorns (specifically, Lirael and there's also a UU library but also a Mogget)

Nettle & Bone

The Blue Sword

Crown Duel

The Goblin Emperor

Crown Duel

The Vorkosigan Saga

The Queen’s Thief

Discworld

T Kingfisher's World of the White Rat, incl. The Saint of Steel series. The gnolls esp. feel Discworldish.

A Deadly Education and The Scholomance series. Both El and Vimes understand The Beast

To Say Nothing of the Dog, Doomsday Book and Connie Willis at large

The Lord Peter Wimsey series

PG Wodehouse

Ella Enchanted

Half a Soul and its sequels

The Lord of Stariel

Thornhedge awww

The Hunger Games

The Locked Tomb

Also Vespertine (above) a bit. Lots of dead things, and sassy ghosts in your head, and religious fanatics, and eldritch horrors. TLT is A Lot so I don’t want to overpromise but the main character is an neurodivergent nun and she’s wonderful. Also there’s a hot priest. It is YA so significantly less gore.

His Dark Materials

Godkiller also vibes with THG a bit. Def a dash of Peenis.

Temeraire, except obviously Lyra would be friends with Temeraire and Pan and Lawrence would commiserate

Pride & Prejudice and Austen at large

An-Ever Fixed Mark and its universe

A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting this author is so wildly unknown and underrated where is the discourse wtf

A Lady's Guide to Scandal

Memory of Morning. It’s a one hit wonder but it really, really hits for me. She’s a ship doctor who gets shore leave and gets to hang out with her bluestocking family during the season in a not-Britain. There’s language of flowers. There’s alien-intelligence-giant-glowing-octopodes. There’s a wee little doggy. I haven’t enjoyed anything else by this author but damn do I keep rereading this one.

The Beldam & the Baronet (Or, The Magician Debutante's Trials & Tribulations) by @dwellordream

Kate Daniels

Hidden Legacy but only the Nevada books sorry IA

The Inkeeper Chronicles obv