With three bestselling fantasy series, more than 20 books, and an interconnected multiverse, figuring out the best Sarah J. Maas reading order can be surprisingly confusing.
Our recommended Sarah J. Maas reading order now includes a return to ACOTAR after Crescent City. If you plan to read both series, finish Crescent City 1–3 before starting A Court of Splintered Harmony. ACOSH begins four weeks after the events of House of Flame and Shadow and reveals important developments from that book.
Contents
What Is the Best Sarah J. Maas Reading Order?
Our recommended reading order for first-time readers is:
- ACOTAR Books 1–5, ending with A Court of Silver Flames
- Throne of Glass — our suggested placement; optional before the crossover
- Crescent City Books 1–3, ending with House of Flame and Shadow
- Return to ACOTAR:A Court of Splintered Harmony, followed by A Court of Forgotten Melody
Updated crossover order: pause ACOTAR after A Court of Silver Flames, finish Crescent City 1–3, then return for ACOSH. Any older three-series graphic should be read with this additional step in mind.
This is our recommended route for a first read across all three series. The key stopping point is A Court of Silver Flames: read the first five ACOTAR books, then finish Crescent City 1–3 before returning to Prythian for ACOSH.
Although Throne of Glass was Sarah J. Maas’s first published series, many readers today start with A Court of Thorns and Roses. Its accessible worldbuilding, compelling characters, and romantic focus make it the perfect introduction to her books.
After A Court of Silver Flames, our suggested next series is Throne of Glass. Its broader epic-fantasy scope makes a good change of pace. This placement is a preference, not a prerequisite for ACOSH: you can move directly from ACOTAR 1–5 to Crescent City if you prefer.
Next, read Crescent City 1–3, ending with House of Flame and Shadow. Then return to ACOTAR for A Court of Splintered Harmony and its continuation, A Court of Forgotten Melody. This lets us experience the Crescent City events before encountering their consequences in Prythian.
The Next ACOTAR Books
Sarah J. Maas returns to Prythian with two new books in the Valkyrie Cycle.
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Sarah J. Maas Reading Order at a Glance
| Order | Series | Why Read It Here? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Court of Thorns and Roses | Begin with Books 1–5, ending with A Court of Silver Flames. Pause before ACOSH. |
| 2 | Throne of Glass | Our suggested next series; its placement is flexible and it is not required before ACOSH. |
| 3 | Crescent City | Read Books 1–3, through House of Flame and Shadow, before ACOSH. |
| 4 | Return to ACOTAR | A Court of Splintered Harmony, then A Court of Forgotten Melody. |
Why This Reading Order Works
There are several popular ways to read Sarah J. Maas’s books. While Sarah J. Maas’s official reading guide lets readers start with any of her three series, this guide shares the reading order we recommend for first-time readers.
We’ve found this order provides the smoothest introduction to Sarah J. Maas’s writing while preserving the biggest emotional reveals and Maasverse connections.
Beginning with A Court of Thorns and Roses offers the smoothest introduction to Sarah J. Maas’s writing. The series is easy to follow, emotionally engaging, and gradually introduces the themes that appear throughout her later books without overwhelming new readers.
From there, Throne of Glass expands everything on a much larger scale. The world becomes richer, the cast grows significantly, and the story develops into an epic fantasy filled with political intrigue, unforgettable character arcs, and some of Sarah J. Maas’s most ambitious storytelling.
Read Crescent City after ACOTAR 1–5, but before ACOSH. Throne of Glass can sit between those stages in our recommended route, but the important crossover sequence is A Court of Silver Flames → Crescent City 1–3 → A Court of Splintered Harmony.
Starting with A Court of Thorns and Roses also enhances some of the subtle Maasverse connections and Easter eggs that appear across Sarah J. Maas’s books. While these moments can be appreciated in any order, many readers find them especially rewarding when discovered naturally through this reading order.
If you simply want the reading order that flows most naturally and lets each series build on the previous one, this is the path we recommend.
What Does Sarah J. Maas Recommend?
Sarah J. Maas doesn’t prescribe one single reading order. On her official reading guide, she notes that readers can start with any of her three series. Our recommendation simply reflects the order we believe provides the best first reading experience.
While that’s a perfectly valid way to experience her books, we recommend starting with ACOTAR because it’s the most accessible introduction to Sarah J. Maas’ writing style. It eases readers into her storytelling before moving into the larger, more complex world of Throne of Glass.
For our updated route, Crescent City comes before the new ACOTAR arc. This is our recommendation for preserving its reveals, rather than a claim that Maas has prescribed this exact reading order.
Read A Court of Thorns and Roses First
A Court of Thorns and Roses is the best place for most readers to begin their Sarah J. Maas journey. While it isn’t her first published series, it offers the most accessible introduction to her writing style and the world of romantasy.
The story follows Feyre Archeron, a young huntress whose life changes forever after she kills a wolf in the woods. As punishment, she is taken across the wall into the magical land of Prythian, where she discovers powerful fae courts, ancient magic, dangerous enemies, and a conflict that threatens the entire realm.
Although the first novel begins as a loose Beauty and the Beast retelling, the series quickly evolves into one of the most popular romantasy sagas ever published. Each book expands the world, introduces unforgettable new characters, and raises the stakes far beyond the original story.
For new readers, ACOTAR strikes the perfect balance between romance, fantasy, action, and worldbuilding. It introduces Sarah J. Maas’s storytelling without the larger cast and complex mythology found in her later series, making it the easiest and most rewarding place to start.
Start With ACOTAR Books 1–5
- A Court of Thorns and Roses
- A Court of Mist and Fury
- A Court of Wings and Ruin
- A Court of Frost and Starlight
- A Court of Silver Flames
Read the A Court of Thorns and Roses Series
Start with the first five ACOTAR books, through A Court of Silver Flames. Read Crescent City 1–3 before continuing to ACOSH.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
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A Court of Mist and Fury
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A Court of Wings and Ruin
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A Court of Frost and Starlight
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A Court of Silver Flames
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Read Throne of Glass Second
Throne of Glass is the natural second step in a Sarah J. Maas reading journey. Compared with ACOTAR, the series has a larger cast, more complex worldbuilding, and a much broader epic-fantasy scope.
The story begins with Celaena Sardothien, a notorious assassin who is taken from a prison camp and entered into a deadly competition at the king’s castle. What starts as a relatively focused fantasy story gradually expands into a continent-spanning saga involving lost magic, ancient powers, rebellion, war, and some of Sarah J. Maas’s most ambitious character arcs.
The first books are lighter and more contained, but the series changes significantly as it progresses. New characters, kingdoms, and storylines are introduced, and the stakes become much larger. This gradual expansion makes Throne of Glass a good follow-up to ACOTAR: readers are already familiar with Maas’s emotional storytelling, but are now ready for a denser and more demanding fantasy world.
For readers who love large casts, long-term character development, political conflict, found family, and epic finales, Throne of Glass is often the most rewarding of Sarah J. Maas’s three series.
Throne of Glass Reading Order
- Throne of Glass
- Crown of Midnight
- The Assassin’s Blade
- Heir of Fire
- Queen of Shadows
- Empire of Storms
- Tower of Dawn
- Kingdom of Ash
Read the Throne of Glass Series
Continue your Sarah J. Maas journey with all eight books in the Throne of Glass series.
Throne of Glass
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Crown of Midnight
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The Assassin’s Blade
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Heir of Fire
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Queen of Shadows
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Empire of Storms
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Tower of Dawn
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Kingdom of Ash
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Read Crescent City Before Returning to ACOTAR
Crescent City is the third stage in our recommended route, followed by a return to ACOTAR. We recommend reading it after ACOTAR 1–5. Reading Throne of Glass beforehand is optional; completing Crescent City before ACOSH is the recommendation that protects the major crossover developments.
The series follows Bryce Quinlan, a half-Fae woman living in the bustling city of Crescent City. After a devastating tragedy turns her life upside down, Bryce is drawn into a dangerous investigation that uncovers ancient secrets, powerful magic, and a conspiracy that reaches far beyond her own world.
Compared with Sarah J. Maas’s earlier series, Crescent City features the most modern setting and her most ambitious worldbuilding. The books blend urban fantasy, romance, mystery, politics, and action while introducing a large cast of characters and multiple storylines.
The crossover makes the order especially important if we intend to read both series. ACOSH discusses events from House of Flame and Shadow, so saving Crescent City until after all the ACOTAR books means encountering significant spoilers first.
Crescent City Reading Order
- House of Earth and Blood
- House of Sky and Breath
- House of Flame and Shadow
Read the Crescent City Series
Read the first three Crescent City books before returning to Prythian for ACOSH.
House of Earth and Blood
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House of Sky and Breath
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House of Flame and Shadow
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The Timeline: ACOSH Begins Four Weeks After HOFAS
A Court of Splintered Harmony begins four weeks after the events of House of Flame and Shadow. It returns to Prythian after the Crescent City crossover and deals with its consequences. Those consequences are part of the starting situation, rather than a distant connection we can ignore until later.
If Crescent City is already on your reading list, read its first three books before ACOSH. Otherwise, ACOSH will tell us about major developments before we experience them in Bryce’s story. This is the main reason our recommendation now includes a break after A Court of Silver Flames.
Return to ACOTAR After House of Flame and Shadow
Once you have finished Crescent City 1–3, continue with A Court of Splintered Harmony. A Court of Forgotten Melody follows as the next volume of the same ACOTAR story.
Our full suggested route is ACOTAR 1–5 → Throne of Glass → Crescent City 1–3 → ACOSH → A Court of Forgotten Melody. If your priority is the ACOTAR/Crescent City crossover, Throne of Glass can wait; keep the other stages in that order.
Do We Have to Read Crescent City Before ACOSH?
If you plan to read Crescent City, we strongly recommend finishing its first three books before ACOSH. An ACOTAR-only reader can choose to continue without them, but will encounter important Crescent City spoilers and learn about the crossover through its aftermath rather than experiencing it firsthand.
Sarah J. Maas Books in Publication Order
Some readers prefer to experience Sarah J. Maas’s books in the order they were originally released. While this isn’t the reading order we recommend for first-time readers, it’s an interesting way to see how her writing evolved over time.
Publication order alternates between series rather than completing each one in turn. It also places House of Flame and Shadow before A Court of Splintered Harmony, matching the crossover sequence we recommend.
| Year | Book | Series |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Throne of Glass | Throne of Glass |
| 2013 | Crown of Midnight | Throne of Glass |
| 2014 | The Assassin’s Blade | Throne of Glass |
| 2014 | Heir of Fire | Throne of Glass |
| 2015 | A Court of Thorns and Roses | ACOTAR |
| 2015 | Queen of Shadows | Throne of Glass |
| 2016 | A Court of Mist and Fury | ACOTAR |
| 2016 | Empire of Storms | Throne of Glass |
| 2017 | A Court of Wings and Ruin | ACOTAR |
| 2017 | Tower of Dawn | Throne of Glass |
| 2018 | A Court of Frost and Starlight | ACOTAR |
| 2018 | Kingdom of Ash | Throne of Glass |
| 2020 | House of Earth and Blood | Crescent City |
| 2021 | A Court of Silver Flames | ACOTAR |
| 2022 | House of Sky and Breath | Crescent City |
| 2024 | House of Flame and Shadow | Crescent City |
| 2026 | A Court of Splintered Harmony | ACOTAR |
How Are the Sarah J. Maas Books Connected?
One of the most common questions new readers ask is whether A Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass, and Crescent City are connected.
Yes, the worlds are connected. Each series has its own central cast and storyline, but later ACOTAR and Crescent City books directly intersect. For anyone planning to read both, our recommendation is ACOTAR 1–5, then Crescent City 1–3, then ACOSH. Throne of Glass can be read separately or between those stages.
Want to avoid spoilers? Follow the reading order above and save Maasverse theories and discussions until you’ve finished all three series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I read Throne of Glass or ACOTAR first?
For most readers, A Court of Thorns and Roses is the best starting point. Its accessible worldbuilding and romantic focus make it easier to get into Sarah J. Maas’s writing before tackling the larger scope of Throne of Glass.
Should I read The Assassin’s Blade first?
We recommend reading The Assassin’s Blade after Crown of Midnight, as this preserves several emotional reveals later in the series.
Can I read Crescent City first?
Yes—but we don’t recommend it.
We recommend ACOTAR 1–5 before Crescent City, then returning to ACOTAR for ACOSH. Throne of Glass can be read before Crescent City if you want our full three-series route, but it is not required for that crossover.
Are all Sarah J. Maas books connected?
The series have their own central stories, but the later ACOTAR and Crescent City books intersect directly. If you want to read both, finish House of Flame and Shadow before ACOSH to preserve those developments.
Is Sarah J. Maas writing another ACOTAR book?
Yes. A Court of Splintered Harmony was published on October 27, 2026. A Court of Forgotten Melody follows on January 12, 2027. Read Crescent City 1–3 before ACOSH if you plan to follow both series.
It’s almost like you didn’t go to her website and see the order in which she lists her books 😂 she literally puts TOG first (AB listed third), then ACOTAR then CC. Why would this be the best reading order when it’s out of order chronological and publication order 🤦🏻♀️
Of course she says you can start with whatever series calls to you but why are you suggesting someone read out of the order she wrote and released things when the works are connected. 🙄
Sarah J. Maas’s official reading guide lists the series in publication order, but it doesn’t present that as the only “correct” way to experience them. We recommend starting with ACOTAR because we think it’s the smoothest introduction for first-time readers and because reading it before Throne of Glass makes some of the subtle Maasverse connections and Easter eggs even more rewarding as they naturally unfold throughout the books. Of course, starting with Throne of Glass is a fantastic experience too!