Read every series in the right order
Sarah J Maas
Table of Contents
At-a-Glance
- Series covered: A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) · Throne of Glass (TOG) · Crescent City (CC)
- Best starting point:
- Love romantasy → start with ACOTAR
- Want epic fantasy arc → start with Throne of Glass
- Curious about urban/crossover → read Crescent City after ACOTAR/TOG to avoid cross-series spoilers.
- Latest release: Crescent City #3 – House of Flame and Shadow (Hardcover: Jan 30, 2024 · Paperback: Jun 10, 2025).
- In progress: ACOTAR #6 first draft was completed July 11, 2025; no pub date yet.
A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR)
Publication order
| # | Title (Year) | POV / Focus | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015) | Feyre • Spring Court entry | Amazon |
| 2 | A Court of Mist and Fury (2016) | Feyre • Night Court, bargains, healing | Amazon |
| 3 | A Court of Wings and Ruin (2017) | Feyre • War, alliances, High Lords | Amazon |
| 3.5 | A Court of Frost and Starlight (2018, novella) | Feyre & inner circle • Winter Solstice bridge | Amazon |
| 4 | A Court of Silver Flames (2021) | Nesta & Cassian • recovery, training, found family | Amazon |
Chronological / recommended path
- Read in publication order. Frost & Starlight is a bridge between Books 3 → 4.
- ACOTAR #6: draft finished; release date TBA. The Cut
Go deeper: ACOTAR Reading Order (novellas placement, character-arc pointers)
Throne of Glass (TOG)
Publication order
| # | Title | Publication Date | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | The Assassin’s Blade | March 13, 2014 | Buy on Amazon |
| 1 | Throne of Glass | August 2, 2012 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 | Crown of Midnight | August 27, 2013 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 | Heir of Fire | September 2, 2014 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 | Queen of Shadows | September 1, 2015 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 | Empire of Storms | September 6, 2016 | Buy on Amazon |
| 6 | Tower of Dawn | September 5, 2017 | Buy on Amazon |
| 7 | Kingdom of Ash | October 23, 2018 | Buy on Amazon |
Chronological / recommended path
- Many readers start with The Assassin’s Blade (0) for context, then follow publication order.
- Consider the tandem read of Empire of Storms ↔ Tower of Dawn (events run concurrently).
Go deeper: Throne of Glass in Order Guide
Crescent City (CC)
Publication order
| # | Title | Publication Date | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | House of Earth and Blood | March 3, 2020 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 | House of Sky and Breath | February 15, 2022 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 | House of Flame and Shadow | January 30, 2024 | Buy on Amazon |
Chronological / recommended path
- Read after ACOTAR/TOG if you want a spoiler-free experience; CC contains explicit cross-series (“Maasverse”) connections.
Go deeper: Crescent City Reading Order (tie-in notes & safe paths)
Standalone / Tie-ins From Sarah J Maas
- Catwoman: Soulstealer (DC Icons, 2018) — standalone, not part of the Maasverse continuity.
Sarah J Maas Wide Release Timeline
| # | Title | Year | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Throne of Glass | 2012 | Celaena Sardothien competes to become the King’s Champion in a high-stakes contest. |
| 2 | Crown of Midnight | 2013 | Celaena faces betrayal and deadly trials while unraveling court conspiracies. |
| 3 | Heir of Fire | 2014 | Celaena journeys to a distant land to train with the Fae and embrace her destiny. |
| 4 | The Assassin’s Blade | 2014 | Prequel novellas exploring Celaena’s backstory and earlier adventures. |
| 5 | Queen of Shadows | 2015 | Aelin returns to confront enemies and reclaim her throne. |
| 6 | A Court of Thorns and Roses | 2015 | Feyre Archeron is drawn into the faerie realm, where love and danger intertwine. |
| 7 | Empire of Storms [Buy on Amazon | 2016 | Aelin rallies allies for war against dark forces threatening her world. |
| 8 | A Court of Mist and Fury | 2016 | Feyre discovers new powers and faces growing threats in the faerie lands. |
| 9 | Tower of Dawn | 2017 | Parallel to Empire of Storms, following Chaol’s quest on the Southern Continent. |
| 10 | A Court of Wings and Ruin | 2017 | Feyre and her allies battle to save their lands from destruction. |
| 11 | Kingdom of Ash | 2018 | The epic conclusion to the Throne of Glass saga. |
| 12 | A Court of Frost and Starlight | 2018 | A novella bridging the A Court of Thorns and Roses trilogy and spin-offs. |
| 13 | A Court of Silver Flames | 2021 | Nesta Archeron’s personal journey of healing and empowerment. |
| 14 | House of Earth and Blood | 2020 | Bryce Quinlan faces loss and seeks justice in a magical city in Crescent City. |
| 15 | House of Sky and Breath | 2022 | Political turmoil and rebellion challenge Bryce and her allies. |
| 16 | House of Flame and Shadow | 2024 | Bryce confronts hidden threats and dark secrets in the latest Crescent City book. |
Other Formats and Reading Notes
- The Assassin’s Blade serves as a prequel collection and can be read before or after Throne of Glass depending on your preference.
- Tower of Dawn runs parallel to Empire of Storms, focusing on Chaol’s storyline.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses is a standalone series separate from Throne of Glass.
- Crescent City is Maas’s first adult fantasy series with a modern urban fantasy setting.
About Sarah J Maas
Sarah J. Maas is a bestselling fantasy author known for her captivating series Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City. With millions of books sold and translated worldwide, readers often look for the best order to read her works. While some prefer chronological order, many choose to follow the publication order to experience the series as Maas originally released them. This guide will help you navigate her books in the order they came out, making it easier to follow character arcs and story development.
Some of her series include prequels, novellas, and spin-offs, which can complicate reading order. This post will clarify those details for you. As usual, affiliate links in this post help support our site at no extra cost to you—thank you for your support!
FAQ
What’s the best order to read Sarah J. Maas books?
If you love romantasy, begin with ACOTAR. For a classic epic fantasy arc, start with Throne of Glass. Read Crescent City later to avoid cross-series spoilers.
Where do the ACOTAR/TOG novellas fit?
ACOTAR: A Court of Frost and Starlight (2018) bridges Books 3 → 4. TOG: The Assassin’s Blade is a prequel (often read first). For TOG Books 5–6, a tandem read of Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn preserves the in-story timeline.
Are the series connected?
Yes. Maas has discussed a multiverse across her work, and Crescent City features explicit crossovers with ACOTAR.
Is there an ACOTAR Book 6?
Yes—first draft finished July 11, 2025. No release date yet.
What’s happening with the ACOTAR TV/streaming adaptation?
The Hulu version was canceled in February 2025; as of Aug 25, 2025 there’s no active production confirmed. (Rights with Disney’s 20th Television through summer 2025; project may be shopped elsewhere.)
Final Thoughts about Sarah J Maas
Sarah J. Maas’s books have captured the hearts of millions with their blend of fantasy, romance, and adventure. Reading her works in publication order lets you experience the evolution of her writing and characters as intended. Whether you’re drawn to the magical courts, deadly assassins, or urban fantasy worlds, Maas’s novels offer a thrilling journey.
For the full reading order and to purchase Maas’s books, visit our pages:
- Throne of Glass Books in Chronological Order – Complete Guide
- Crescent City Books in Chronological Order – Complete Guide
- A Court of Thorns and Roses Books in Chronological Order – Complete Guide
Official website at sarahjmaas.com.
This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing through these links supports BooksInChronologicalOrder.com at no extra cost to you.
