Finished A Court of Splintered Harmony and already wondering how long we will have to wait for ACOTAR 8? A Court of Forgotten Melody is coming on January 12, 2027, but the book after it is a different question. ACOTAR 8 has no announced release date, and another quick turnaround is far from guaranteed.
Sarah J. Maas said the fourth part of her new ACOTAR story had not yet been written when she appeared on Call Her Daddy in March 2026. She has also confirmed a fourth Crescent City book. There are more stories coming; what we do not have is a timetable for when they will reach readers.
Updated November 4, 2026. No plot spoilers.
ACOTAR 8 and Crescent City 4: The Release Schedule So Far
What Did Sarah J. Maas Say About Writing ACOTAR 8?
During her March 2026 Call Her Daddy interview, Maas explained that the story had grown into four parts across three physical books. The first part became A Court of Splintered Harmony; the second and third are combined in A Court of Forgotten Melody. The fourth part is the remaining volume, ACOTAR 8.
Her update on that final part was straightforward: “Part 4 has yet to be written.” At the time, she was focused on getting the earlier parts ready for their October and January releases.
That was in March, so it does not tell us exactly where the manuscript stands now. It does explain why we should not assume all three volumes were finished and simply waiting for their release dates.
Why ACOTAR 8 Could Take Much Longer Than Book 7
The short gap between Splintered Harmony and Forgotten Melody makes it tempting to expect the next book just a few months later. But those releases involve parts Maas had already written when she discussed them in March. The final part was still ahead of her.
A book still has to move through drafting, revisions, editing and production before it reaches shelves. Without a newer writing update or a publication announcement, we cannot tell how much of that process remains for ACOTAR 8.
The short gap between Books 6 and 7 does not mean ACOTAR 8 will follow soon after. When Maas discussed the project in March 2026, the final part had yet to be written. We could face a considerably longer wait after January’s release, with no publication window announced for the conclusion.
Could Crescent City 4 Come Before ACOTAR 8?
Maas has confirmed that another Crescent City book is coming. In her 2024 TODAY interview, she said she knew who it would follow and the broad ideas for its story, while warning that readers would have to wait. At that point, it was further down her queue of projects.
Whether it will arrive before ACOTAR 8 is still open. Neither book has a publication date placing it ahead of the other. The earlier comments about her project queue also predate the announcement of the four-part ACOTAR story.
Finishing The Valkyrie Cycle before returning to Midgard would make sense as a reading sequence. That is our expectation of how a continuous story might be released, rather than a schedule Maas has announced. If Crescent City 4 comes first, the wait for ACOTAR 8 could stretch further.
For now, the confirmation of another Crescent City novel tells us that Midgard has a future. It does not tell us which manuscript Maas will finish next.
So, When Should We Expect ACOTAR 8?
We would prepare for a potentially longer wait after A Court of Forgotten Melody, rather than expecting the pace of the first two releases to continue. Maas’s March comments give us a reason to keep expectations measured, and her plans for Crescent City leave another publishing-order question unanswered.
The next date to put on the calendar is January 12, 2027. After that, the final movement of The Valkyrie Cycle is still ahead of us. Its title, release date and place alongside Crescent City 4 are the announcements we are waiting for.
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