ACOTAR reading order
Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses novels in publication order, where Frost and Starlight sits, and why Crescent City later books should wait.
Start here
A Court of Thorns and Roses
It is book one (2015). The later novels and the novella assume you already know that first bargain. Do not start with A Court of Silver Flames. Do not start with a Crescent City novel.
ACOTAR is one courtly argument in publication order. The novella is a pause, not a new book one. Further ACOTAR novels have been announced for 2026–2027; they are not on the shelf as you start, and they are not a reason to wait.
For Throne of Glass and the crossover problem, see TOG and Crescent City. TOG and ACOTAR do not spoil each other. Crescent City book two onward does.
Publication order
| # | Title | Year | Notes | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  A Court of Thorns and Roses | 2015 | Start here. | Amazon |
| 2 |  A Court of Mist and Fury | 2016 | Amazon | |
| 3 |  A Court of Wings and Ruin | 2017 | Amazon | |
| 4 |  A Court of Frost and Starlight | 2018 | Novella / bridge. After book 3. | Amazon |
| 5 |  A Court of Silver Flames | 2021 | Nesta’s novel. Not a starting point. | Amazon |
House rule: 1–3, then the novella, then Silver Flames. You can skip Frost and Starlight if your library does not have it; you will miss a pause, not a secret war. Do not skip from book one to Silver Flames because a clip said Nesta is the point.
Announced later ACOTAR volumes are sequels, not prequels. When they exist, they go on the end of this table.
Maasverse, kept in its place
You do not need Throne of Glass before ACOTAR. You do not need ACOTAR before Throne of Glass. You do want both substantially finished before Crescent City’s second novel if you care about named crossovers.
This page will not list a 20-title “Maas chronological order.” Those charts go stale and turn book one into a syllabus.
Common mistakes
- Starting with A Court of Silver Flames.
- Starting with House of Earth and Blood because a friend said “the crossover is the real series.”
- Treating Frost and Starlight as optional filler you read first because it is short.
- Waiting for ACOTAR 6 before opening book one.
What to read next
- Throne of Glass (Sarah J. Maas) — If you want the other finished Maas epic before Crescent City.
- Crescent City (Sarah J. Maas) — After ACOTAR (and TOG, if you want the other half of the crossover).
- Empyrean (Rebecca Yarros) — If you want another unfinished romantasy with a strict first book.
- From Blood and Ash (Jennifer L. Armentrout) — If you want another long romantasy with a prequel series that looks like book one.
- Folk of the Air (Holly Black) — If you want faerie politics in a finished trilogy plus a later duology.
FAQ
Do I need Frost and Starlight?
No. It helps. It is not a secret novel.
Can I start with Silver Flames?
No.
Do I need TOG first?
No.
Is the series finished?
The published run through Silver Flames is a pause. More novels are announced. Start anyway.
Sources
- Bloomsbury, Sarah J. Maas reading order — publisher series guidance. Opened 2026-09-13.
- Sarah J. Maas — author site. Opened 2026-09-13.
Same shelf
