3.6 (5 ratings)

The Thorns We Endure (Cults and Curses)

Name: The Thorns We Endure (Cults and Curses)
Rating: 3.6 (5 reviews)
Author: Elsie Madison Le
ISBN: B0GX75MHR4

by Elsie Madison Le

ghosts

About this book

Dorian Belrose has spent his life turning a unwanted burden into a career. As an author of occult non-fiction who can see the restless dead, he is accustomed to the eerie and the unexplained. However, his latest assignment takes him to the insular, fog-drenched town of Ravenwood, where a malevolent forest looms over the residents like a silent, hungry predator. The trees are fed by secrets, and the earth is soaked in the legacies of those who came before.

He finds an unlikely ally in Theo Hawthorne, a cynical local whose family history is inextricably linked to the forest’s dark rituals. While the townspeople guard their gruesome traditions with lethal intensity, Theo has spent years waiting for a chance to burn the cycle of sacrifice to the ground. As they delve into the supernatural layers of the woods, they encounter everything from spectral ghost cats to the chilling remnants of necromancy.

This atmospheric paranormal romance masterfully weaves historical trauma with the tension of a modern-day haunting. As Dorian and Theo race to free the trapped souls of the forest—including Theo’s own sister—they must navigate a blossoming connection that threatens to distract them from the ancient, encroaching evil. If you crave stories where high-stakes horror meets emotional vulnerability, this is the haunting journey you have been waiting for.

Publication Date: May 25, 2026
ASIN: B0GX75MHR4

Reader Reviews

Ghost Cats, Necromancy, and Family Trauma? Say Less.

May 9, 2026

The Thorns We Endure pulled me in immediately with its eerie atmosphere, cursed forest, and emotionally layered characters, but what really made this book work for me was Dorian Belrose. Dorian is an occult author who can see and speak to ghosts, and later we learn he’s a necromancer - which already made him incredibly compelling to me - but underneath all of that supernatural darkness is someone struggling with family wounds and emotional isolation in a way that felt deeply real. His...

A genuinely interesting premise

May 10, 2026

Thank you to the author for a copy of The Thorns We Endure and for the opportunity to give an honest review. This contemporary fantasy/paranormal romance follows Dorian, an author of occult books, who arrives in a mysterious town where no one born there can ever leave. While researching the disappearance of a young woman whose ghost he can communicate with, he meets the girl’s sister, Theo. As the two grow closer, they begin uncovering the dark secrets hidden within the town and the surrounding...

A small town curse

May 17, 2026

3.5⭐ Dorian is an author who can see ghosts and the supernatural; he's been tasked with visiting Ravenwood and looking into what's happening. Theo is a resident of the insular town alongside the ominous forest. This book has several elements that I enjoy, but something about the execution didn't work well for me. There's a lot of downstairs elements here: ghosts/seeing them; spell casting; gods; potentially dystopian world (owning books is rare?); curses etc. You can expect 3rd person POV from...

Enjoyable read

May 10, 2026

An enjoyable read filled with unique magic and meddling gods. There are curses and ghosts, including a ghost cat named Brat. There are sacrifices and acts of betrayal. My only issue was the pacing at the end that led to plot conveniences that left me saying “what?” )

Very Slow Burn

May 18, 2026

This is definitely a very slow burn romantasy. I wish it hadn't been quite so slow, but overall I really liked this book! It took me a bit to get into but once I did, I was invested. I wish there had been a little more fantasy elements but overall I thought it was a great story!!! )