* I got this book for review*

I really enjoyed this read. It was so eerie and creepy and such a engaging read. I normally never read standalone reads. This one captured me from page one. I also really liked the friendship the developed with Wyn throughout the read, I also really liked how the magic system developed. I also really liked how found family was the heart of this read. I really would rec this read for the halloween season!! I really did grow to love the main character in the read!! ( )

* I got this book for review*

I really enjoyed this read. It was so eerie and creepy and such a engaging read. I normally never read standalone reads. This one captured me from page one. I also really liked the friendship the developed with Wyn throughout the read, I also really liked how the magic system developed. I also really liked how found family was the heart of this read. I really would rec this read for the halloween season!! I really did grow to love the main character in the read!! ( )

For a 29 year old it was too young of a book for me to really care about. I did listen to it on audible so IDK if that makes a difference if it were to be read instead. I personally think this is more for high school age individuals. ( )

Someone recently asked if gothic lit is still strong in modern YA.

"I don't know," I replied, shoving aside thoughts of Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights inspired music video. Later that afternoon, I resumed reading Treason of Thorns and I realized I was reading a new YA gothic novel.

Well then.

And honestly, this understanding of the genre made the book that much better. One example centers on Vi's fixation with her House, Burleigh. Burleigh this, Burleigh that, oh my dear poor, neglected Burleigh. Before, through my fantasy lens, this was a bit tiresome. However, looking at it as a gothic story, this totally made sense. Burleigh is enchanting, consuming, and equal parts setting/character/plot.

*Thank you Harper Teen for the ARC* ( )

Literary Merit: Great
Characterization: Good
Recommended: Yes
Level: Late Middle/High School

I honestly really enjoyed this book, though it had a very simple and contained story. While I certainly love sprawling, epic fantasies or realistic fiction full of heavy themes, it was nice to just read a decent historical fantasy where I didn't have to rely on my knowledge of actual history (which is very minimal) to enjoy the story. While I do wish some things had been explored more (like Violet's mother and her sudden friendship with Espie), my praise far outweighs any minor complaints I might have.

A Treason of Thorns tells the story of young Violet Sterling, who has been trained her entire life to do one thing, and one thing alone: look after Burleigh House as its guardian and Caretaker. In Violet's world, the land is ruled by a king and five Great Houses, each of which is cared for by a Caretaker. This Caretaker is given the key to the house, allowing him or her to channel its magic and bring prosperity to the land and people around it. When Violet's father (the current Caretaker) is accused of treason and placed on house arrest, Violet is sent away to live with family friends until the day her father dies from being placed on house arrest and consumed by the house.

Upon her return years later, Violet finds her home in a state of disrepair, and her childhood friend Wyn grown up and resentful of her and her father. The cruel and controlling king gives Violet an ultimatum: repair the failing house by the end of the summer, or it will be burned to the ground before it can unleash harmful magic on the countryside. The catch? She must do so without the key, which would allow her to safely channel the house's magic as a true Caretaker. It is then up to Vi to decide whether to play by the king's rules, or risk everything to finish what her father started and set Burleigh free.

I can honestly say that I was intrigued by this premise from the very first page, though it never dug as deep into the concept as I would've liked. As someone who grew up in the same childhood home for most of my life, I could easily relate to the attachment we feel for our homes, and Violet's is made even stronger by the fact that her house can think and feel as any person might. I instantly sympathized with her devotion to her magical house, even when it seemed clear that there were more sinister things going on beneath the surface. I also really enjoyed that, while this is clearly set in England during a time period before cars, plumbing, and modern technology, the story never gets bogged down by politics or real historical events. It's a fantasy version of historic England, with magic houses and a greedy king who wants their power for himself. The premise is simple, but easy to follow, and didn't require me to check a glossary every other page to figure out which historical figure was which. If I'm going to read historical fantasy, this is the kind I prefer, as it requires very little effort on my part.

I also really enjoyed the relationship between Wyn and Violet, which felt very genuine and sweet. The two start off as friends, and begin to develop a more romantic bond later in the book. We then find out that Wyn has bound himself to the house to protect Vi from being consumed by it, proving that he values her above everything and everyone else. This was not only incredibly sweet, but added a huge level of tension to the plot, as I had no idea whether Wyn would live or sacrifice himself in the end. I'm a sucker for a sweet romance in fantasy novels, and this one certainly gave me something to root for.

Similarly, the familial relationships in this book also felt very real, from Vi's constantly changing opinion of her father, to her feelings for her foster parents Mira and Jed. Even the relationship between Vi and Frey was sweet, as she loved Vi's father and acted almost like a fun but stern aunt. This book heavily preaches the idea that families are not only biological; they can sometimes be the family we choose for ourselves as well. For instance, Vi feels extremely abandoned by her mother, who walked out after having enough of Vi's father's devotion to Burleigh house. Because of this, Vi views Mira as a mother figure, and Jed as a father figure due to the fact that she has lived in exile away from her home with them for many years. Vi's initial warm feelings towards her biological father begin to fade when we find out that he forced Wyn to bind himself to the house in order to save her, thus dooming her dearest friend to a death sentence. The emotions and relationships in this book are as complicated as those in real life, a touch that added a lot of emotional depth to this story.

While I enjoyed the friendship between Vi and Espie (I will ALWAYS support a strong female friendship), it felt a little un-earned at times. Vi goes from hating Esperanza and thinking she's a spoiled brat to INSTANTLY trusting her and becoming her best friend, even giving her the nickname "Espie." This would've made sense to me if the two girls had grown up getting to know and trust one another, but Esperanza literally shows up one day after years away, insists that Vi can trust her, and the two are instantly inseparable friends. I would've liked to see this develop more, and for Espie to get more of a spotlight as the rebel princess defying her father for the greater good (I obviously thought she was a really awesome character).

In fact, there are many things in this novel I would've liked to see explored further, namely Vi's mother and the other Great Houses. Throughout the book, the other houses are mentioned, and one of the Caretakers even appears in a flashback, but we never meet any of them in the story and they never play a larger role in Vi's quest to unbind her house. Considering her father was working with the other Caretakers to find the deeds to the houses, it would've made sense if they had teamed up with Vi instead of Albert and Espie to finish her father's work, but they barely get even a mention throughout the book. Because this Great House idea was such a cool premise for a story, I thought it was a bit of a shame that the story stayed so small and contained. I think there was a lot that could have been explored, but the author was more focused on Vi and Wyn's story than building up this world. I would ultimately love to see this explored in a sequel, but I don't currently see any plans for one in the works.

I would also like to see more explored with Vi's mother, who disappears from the story and is barely ever mentioned again. It's clear from flashbacks that Vi's mother really cared about her, and valued her safety above the well-being of Burleigh house (to the point that her and Vi's father argued about it constantly), and yet she makes no real effort to reach out to Vi or protect her in any way. It's mentioned that she's been sending letters "begging" Vi to come live with her, but never makes an effort to seek her out or visit her despite having these apparently strong feelings towards her daughter. This bothered me, as I would've liked to see some kind of resolution to this plot, but it goes nowhere and is dropped halfway through in favor of focusing on Wyn and Vi. Don't get me wrong; I loved the simple, sweet love story, but I think a lot of plot points were introduced and then brushed aside for the sake of this romance.

Overall, this book was fairly enjoyable and had an engaging story and characters. It's not the biggest or most in-depth fantasy I've ever read, but it was a simple story that managed to capture my attention and leave me in suspense. I rooted for the characters and their romance, and I kept reading on with interest to find out what would happen next. It's not life-changing or anything, but I don't think every book necessarily has to be in order to be worth my time. I think fans of historical fantasy would enjoy this book, and the best part is that it seems totally safe for middle school readers, as there is no cursing or sexual content. There is a tad bit of violence (we see blood and a dead body at one point), but nothing to the level of The Hunger Games or similar reads. If this premise seems at all interesting to you, I would give it a shot; just be aware that you might be left with an unfulfilled desire to know more about this world and the characters who inhabit it. ( )