The best reading order to catch up on all 16 of Sarah J. Maas' books before 'A Court of Splintered Harmony' comes out

Sarah J. Maas is officially back.

On Monday, Maas announced the titles of her 2 coming "A Court of Thorns and Roses" novels. "A Court of Splintered Harmony" will beryllium released connected October 27, 2026, and "A Court of Forgotten Melody" comes retired January 12, 2027.

The 2 books will shape a single "ACOTAR" communicative arc, on pinch a third, unnamed book, which will beryllium released sometime soon, arsenic the bestselling writer revealed connected the "Call Her Daddy" podcast successful March 2026.

"It's meant to beryllium publication ideally arsenic 1 massive, monolithic communicative arsenic opposed to successful a trilogy," Maas told big Alex Cooper of the books. "It's not a trilogy. Like, arcs aren't wrapped up."

Maas' romantasy novels, which see 16 published books crossed her "ACOTAR," "Throne of Glass," and "Crescent City" series, are typically divided into parts. Maas is splitting the "parts" of her sixth "ACOTAR" communicative into different volumes of "The Valkyrie Cycle," arsenic the covers of the books reveal.

"A Court of Splintered Harmony" contains "Movement I," and "A Court of Forgotten Melody" tells the communicative of "Movements II and III." The 3rd book will reason the arc pinch "Movement IV."

The caller "ACOTAR" stories will return readers backmost to Prythian and the Night Court, arsenic blurbs astir the books connected sellers' websites reveal, but they will beryllium affected by the events of Maas' 3rd "Crescent City" book arsenic well. "House of Flame and Shadow," released successful January 2024, created an interconnected literate beingness betwixt Maas' series, referred to by fans arsenic the Maasiverse.

Without revealing immoderate spoilers, the events of "HOFAS" created a drastic alteration successful Prythian, so, astatine the very least, readers should beryllium acquainted pinch each of Maas' "ACOTAR" and "Crescent City" novels earlier reference the newest book. That said, the spider connected the screen of "A Court of Forgotten Melody" could beryllium an Easter ovum for "Throne of Glass," meaning it's astir apt worthy studying up connected that bid arsenic well.

Because Maas' monolithic catalog overlaps astatine different points, it tin beryllium confusing to cognize wherever to start. Whether you're conscionable getting started reference Maas' books aliases want to revisit her novels, here's the champion reference bid to follow.

Start pinch the first 3 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' books

If you want to make judge you're fresh for the sixth and seventh "A Court of Thorns and Roses" books, it makes consciousness to publication the earliest installments successful the bid first arsenic you dive into Maas' work.

"ACOTAR" follows Feyre Archeron, a quality huntress who gets pulled into the faerie world aft sidesplitting a fae. As the novels progress, Feyre dives deeper into the magical world of Prythian, discovering unexpected powerfulness and emotion arsenic Maas flexes her world-building skills.

"A Court of Thorns and Roses" offers the champion preamble to Maas' activity for those who haven't publication immoderate of her penning before, moreover though she published "Throne of Glass" first. The otherworldly elements of the bid are built slowly, the books connection a broad position of Maas' penning style, and the romance is steamy and compelling. 

Read the first 3 books successful the bid first, successful the bid they were released: 

• "A Court of Thorns and Roses"
• "A Court of Mist and Fury"
• "A Court of Wings and Ruin"

Then, return a break from "ACOTAR." Books 1 done 3 wrap up Feyre's story, while books 4 and 5 are arguably much intimately tied, plotwise, to "Crescent City" and the coming "ACOTAR" books. More connected that successful a bit.

The 'Throne of Glass' bid was released first, but it useful champion arsenic the 2nd Maas series

When readers participate the expansive and epic world of "Throne of Glass," they meet Celaena Sardothien, an 18-year-old assassin imprisoned successful Adarlan, a kingdom wherever magic vanished years ago.

The crown prince of Adarlan offers Celaena a chance astatine freedom, proposing she compete arsenic his contestant to go the king's champion by defeating 23 different criminals. When different competitors commencement dying mysteriously astir her, she will person to face the symptom of her past to look the battles ahead. 

The world of "Throne of Glass" becomes tremendous arsenic the books progress, and the rich, developed imagination world is truthful analyzable that it's easier to publication erstwhile you're already acquainted pinch Maas' style.

However, reference the "Throne of Glass" books successful the bid they were published doesn't connection the champion communicative experience.

Maas primitively wrote 1 of the novels successful the series, "The Assassin's Blade," arsenic 4 novellas that she published arsenic e-books betwixt January and July 2012. Bloomsbury released "Throne of Glass" successful August 2012 and later released the novellas, including 1 further story, arsenic "The Assassin's Blade" successful March 2013.

Chronologically, the events of "The Assassin's Blade" return spot earlier the remainder of the series, but reference it first reveals specifications Maas intentionally leaves retired of "Throne of Glass," "Crown of Midnight," and "Heir of Fire" that quickly go applicable successful "Queen of Shadows." The enigma surrounding Celaena's past is portion of what makes the first 3 books successful the caller truthful captivating, truthful you shouldn't publication "The Assassin's Blade" first.

In addition, the events of "Empire of Storms" and "Tower of Dawn" return spot astatine the aforesaid clip successful different parts of the "Throne of Glass" world, truthful there's statement among the fandom connected really they should beryllium read. They were released successful 2016 and 2017, respectively, and though "Empire of Storms" came retired first, it ends connected a cliffhanger, while "Tower of Dawn" does not. I americium a instrumentality of reference them in tandem, but for your first publication through, I'd publication them arsenic they were published.

To support the series' suspense without revealing spoilers, the champion "Throne of Glass" reference order is: 

• "Throne of Glass"
• "Crown of Midnight"
• "Heir of Fire"
• "The Assassin's Blade"
• "Queen of Shadows"
• "Empire of Storms"
• "Tower of Dawn"
• "Kingdom of Ash"

Maas recommends "The Assassin's Blade" arsenic the 3rd book successful the bid connected her website, but I deliberation you acquisition much play from "Heir of Fire" if you time off it for earlier "Queen of Shadows." Either measurement works, though.

Maas readers will beryllium fresh for 'Crescent City' aft finishing books 4 and 5 of 'ACOTAR'

Half-fae Bryce Quinlan is astatine a crossroads erstwhile the "Crescent City" series begins, grieving the murders of her champion friends by a demon.

She believes the slayer was apprehended, but erstwhile akin murders commencement taking spot successful Crescent City, Bryce agrees to analyse the deaths pinch Hunt Athalar, a Fallen Angel who has been enslaved for hundreds of years by the all-powerful Archangels aft an attempted coup.

The bid has 3 installments to date, and the astir caller book, "House of Flame and Shadow," was published successful January 2024.

"Crescent City" doesn't activity arsenic an preamble to Maas' novels for a fewer reasons.

First, the imagination is much analyzable than successful her different 2 series. It combines exertion and magic and includes a wider variety of fantastical creatures from the get-go, specified arsenic werewolves and mermaids. Elements from the different bid are besides cardinal to knowing the climax of the 2nd installment successful the "Crescent City" series, and Maas herself recommends reading "ACOTAR" earlier starting "Crescent City."

The events of the 5th "ACOTAR" book, "A Court of Silver Flames," are peculiarly pertinent to "Crescent City." The caller focuses connected Feyre's sister, Nesta Archeron, creating a different communicative arc than the first 3 "ACOTAR" books, a displacement that the novella "A Court of Frost and Starlight" helps bridge. It seems Maas is going to proceed the communicative she began for Nesta and those adjacent to her successful "Splintered Harmony" and "Forgotten Melody," arsenic the Valkyrie are straight tied to Nesta, not Feyre.

So, aft you decorativeness the "Throne of Glass" series, return to "ACOTAR" to reacquaint yourself pinch Prythian from Nesta's constituent of view. Read them arsenic follows:

• "A Court of Frost and Starlight"
• "A Court of Silver Flames"

It's perfect to spell into "Crescent City" pinch the events of "ACOSF" caller connected your mind. Then, you tin publication the "Crescent City" bid arsenic it was released:

• "House of Earth and Blood"
• "House of Sky and Breath"
• "House of Flame and Shadow"

"HOFAS" lays the groundwork for the authorities of Prythian erstwhile "Splintered Harmony" begins, truthful make judge you decorativeness the "Crescent City" bid successful its entirety earlier diving backmost into "ACOTAR."

Happy reading!