With an unputdownable plot, incredible twists, and an extraordinary high fantasy world filled with court intrigue, heart-racing action, a unique magic system, and sizzling chemistry, Sharpest Court is the thrilling sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller, Thorn Season.
Alissa Paine has fled her home, the Kingdom of Daradon – forced to say goodbye to her old old life in order to escape the clutches of both the cruel, tyrannical King Erik to whom she was once betrothed, and the Hunters who persecute Wielders like Alissa.
But she has not left Daradon empty-handed, and Alissa has in her possession an object that Erik greatly desires – a mysterious and ancient spellmade compass which has the potential to reshape the world, if Alissa – or Erik – can unlock its secrets.
Seeking refuge in the Ansoran Empire, Alissa is able to demonstrate her Wielding powers openly for the first time in her life. But Ansora is not a safe haven, and Alissa is quickly forced to navigate the rules and customs of another dangerous ruler. And even with her former ally, Kiel Arcus, by her side, Alissa soon learns that, while she may have been raised in the kingdom of thorns, she is yet to enter the sharpest court….
Perfect for fans of Powerless, Six of Crows, and The Rose Bargain, Sharpest Court is an extraordinary return to the world of Thorn Season.
Alissa Paine has fled her home, the Kingdom of Daradon – forced to say goodbye to her old old life in order to escape the clutches of both the cruel, tyrannical King Erik to whom she was once betrothed, and the Hunters who persecute Wielders like Alissa.
But she has not left Daradon empty-handed, and Alissa has in her possession an object that Erik greatly desires – a mysterious and ancient spellmade compass which has the potential to reshape the world, if Alissa – or Erik – can unlock its secrets.
Seeking refuge in the Ansoran Empire, Alissa is able to demonstrate her Wielding powers openly for the first time in her life. But Ansora is not a safe haven, and Alissa is quickly forced to navigate the rules and customs of another dangerous ruler. And even with her former ally, Kiel Arcus, by her side, Alissa soon learns that, while she may have been raised in the kingdom of thorns, she is yet to enter the sharpest court….
Perfect for fans of Powerless, Six of Crows, and The Rose Bargain, Sharpest Court is an extraordinary return to the world of Thorn Season.
Title: Sharpest Court (Thorn Season #2)
Author: Kiera Azar
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's/Storytide/Harper Audio Children's
Expected Publication Date: November 3, 2026
Review:
Thank you to Harper Collins Children's/Storytide, Harper Audio Children's, and NetGalley for providing me with audio and epub copies to listen to/read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I was really impressed with the first book in this series. I remember it starting slow but then picking up and I know I ended up loving it. And I was excited for this second book in the series. If you have not read the first book, do not jump into this one. You definitely need all the world building, character development, and twists and turns to understand this story.
I really enjoyed the narrator for this, who also happens to narrate the first book (which I listened to prior to cracking this one open so I could be reminded of all that happened before). Her cadence is great. She does the voices of other characters well. And she definitely brings out all the emotional moments in the book.
This book definitely kept me on my toes. I'm happy to say it does not suffer from second book syndrome, as we see with many trilogies or extended series. I will say it was a bit slower in the beginning. Azar built more into the world and the reader needed to learn those things to see where the plot would go. I loved seeing all the characters I already knew but then meeting some new characters, as well. Azar layered on more betrayal, more suspense, and more tense romantic moments. I will say I did figure a few things out ahead of time, or at least knew they would happen, though not necessarily when.
This book is much more plot heavy than the first book given we already know the world. At the same time, Azar truly expanded on what we already knew from book 1. Lots of new players are introduced making the story very layered. There's a lot of heavy politics within this book. Some that come with surprises I didn't know would happen. Much of what happened had me panicking a bit, which I'm sure is what Azar intended. I didn't know how the FMC would get herself out of the sticky situations and that definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.
It's hard to review a second book since I don't like to include spoilers in my reviews. Suffice it to see, there are some crazy surprises in this installment. And, while the book does not end on a total cliffhanger, it's left open for Alyssa's next journey, and hopefully her finding a solution to all that has happened.
The one thing I will say I was disappointed in for this book was the absence of a certain character from the first book. He was integral in the first book so I was surprised to see he didn't really make an appearance after the first bit of this book. I'm sure we will see him again in the next book given where the story will take place.
I'm really excited to see where Azar takes this story. I sense a bit of a redemption ARC for a certain character. I'm not sure if I'll be happy about this or not. I guess it all depends on how Azar goes about it.
I was really impressed with the first book in this series. I remember it starting slow but then picking up and I know I ended up loving it. And I was excited for this second book in the series. If you have not read the first book, do not jump into this one. You definitely need all the world building, character development, and twists and turns to understand this story.
I really enjoyed the narrator for this, who also happens to narrate the first book (which I listened to prior to cracking this one open so I could be reminded of all that happened before). Her cadence is great. She does the voices of other characters well. And she definitely brings out all the emotional moments in the book.
This book definitely kept me on my toes. I'm happy to say it does not suffer from second book syndrome, as we see with many trilogies or extended series. I will say it was a bit slower in the beginning. Azar built more into the world and the reader needed to learn those things to see where the plot would go. I loved seeing all the characters I already knew but then meeting some new characters, as well. Azar layered on more betrayal, more suspense, and more tense romantic moments. I will say I did figure a few things out ahead of time, or at least knew they would happen, though not necessarily when.
This book is much more plot heavy than the first book given we already know the world. At the same time, Azar truly expanded on what we already knew from book 1. Lots of new players are introduced making the story very layered. There's a lot of heavy politics within this book. Some that come with surprises I didn't know would happen. Much of what happened had me panicking a bit, which I'm sure is what Azar intended. I didn't know how the FMC would get herself out of the sticky situations and that definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.
It's hard to review a second book since I don't like to include spoilers in my reviews. Suffice it to see, there are some crazy surprises in this installment. And, while the book does not end on a total cliffhanger, it's left open for Alyssa's next journey, and hopefully her finding a solution to all that has happened.
The one thing I will say I was disappointed in for this book was the absence of a certain character from the first book. He was integral in the first book so I was surprised to see he didn't really make an appearance after the first bit of this book. I'm sure we will see him again in the next book given where the story will take place.
I'm really excited to see where Azar takes this story. I sense a bit of a redemption ARC for a certain character. I'm not sure if I'll be happy about this or not. I guess it all depends on how Azar goes about it.
Author:
Kiera Azar is a half-Lebanese and half-Indian writer, born and raised in Surrey. She has a first-class honours degree in Biomedical Science and a background in acting, singing and songwriting. Kiera is forever excited by all the books she hasn’t yet read, the music she hasn’t yet discovered, and the story ideas she hasn’t yet had.
