Book Review: A Lesson in Thorns by Sierra Simone

Once upon a time, six children stumbled upon a wild place hidden deep in the moors, shrouded by secrets and fog. There we played a game among the roses and the thorns that would change us forever, that would follow us the rest of our lives. A game that ended with a hard kiss in the rain and tattered flower petals fluttering from above…

And twelve years later, we’re back. 

The heir.
The dreamer.
The priest.
The genius.
The socialite.
The saint.

I’m not going to dream of a forgotten place covered in thorns every night.
I won’t be enchanted by Thornchapel and its glossy, glamorous people. I’m not going to fall in love or have my heart torn in two.

I’m not telling the truth. 

Because as this place slowly tightens its coil of secrets and thorns around us, as we uncover the knotted mysteries that grow here, the six of us begin to unravel into filthy, holy pleasure and pain. Fulfilling the promise we once made as children in those whispering ruins, and awakening a fate that will either anoint us or leave us in ashes…

A Lesson in Thorns is simply mesmerizing! I was enraptured by the mystical story telling of Sierra Simone. 

Six friends, now all grown-up, return to the place they once shared, a chapel covered in thorns. Their experience from their youth is imprinted on their beings. Each returns with a different story to tell. Each carrying a burden buried deep in their soul.

Auden- The heir
Poe- the dreamer
Becket- the priest
Rebecca- the genius
Delphine- the socialite
St. Sebastian- the saint

The story begins with Poe's return to Thornchapel. She's been hired for her skills as a librarian. She returns to find answers to her mother's disappearance. As the story progress the author does an amazing job entangling the remaining five friend's POV. Lesson in Thorns dabbles in rituals that delve into the mystic and erotic self discovery.

The story has a Tiffany Reisz vibe, a combination of 'The Red' and the Original Sinners series. A Lesson in Thorns has been a highlight of 2019. I am craving the next story in this series! 5 Stars