If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a Sarah J. Maas shelf wondering where on earth to start — or whether you’ve been reading the novellas in the wrong spot for years — you’re definitely not alone. Maas has built three distinct fantasy universes that interweave in surprising ways, and the official reading order makes a real difference to the experience. Here’s the complete, source-verified breakdown.

4 related posts

Main Series: 3 · Throne of Glass Books: 7 · ACOTAR Books: 5 · Crescent City Books: 3 · Goodreads Books by Author: 124

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact cross-series chronological placements for novellas
  • Precise chapter-tandem reading order for Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn
  • Official release dates for ACOTAR books 6 and 7 (currently listed for pre-order)
3Timeline signal
  • Throne of Glass (2012) → Crown of Midnight (2013) → Assassin’s Blade (2014) → Heir of Fire (2014)
  • 2015 saw both Queen of Shadows and the ACOTAR debut
  • Kingdom of Ash closed the TOG era in October 2018
4What’s next
  • ACOTAR 6 and ACOTAR 7 available for pre-order on sarahjmaas.com
  • Crescent City wraps its trilogy with House of Flame and Shadow (2024) (sarahjmaas.com)

Three series, two reading-order philosophies, one author’s direct recommendations: the official sources make the picture surprisingly clear.

Label Value
Total Series 3 major
Most Popular Series A Court of Thorns and Roses
Goodreads Books 124
Official Reading Guide sarahjmaas.com

In what order should you read the Sarah J. Maas books?

Sarah J. Maas has three main series spanning epic fantasy, romantasy, and urban fantasy — and the author herself confirms you can start with any of them. The official reading guide on sarahjmaas.com lists them as: Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City. Each series stands alone, but crossover Easter eggs reward readers who complete them in sequence.

Publication order

  • Start with any series’ first book — the author’s own words on Sarah J. Maas official reading guide
  • Bloomsbury Publishing (the publisher) recommends Throne of Glass for fans of world-building, self-discovery, found family, romance, and rogue assassins

Chronological order

  • Reading by release date gives the clearest experience: Throne of Glass first (2012), then ACOTAR (2015), then Crescent City (2020)
  • Each series follows a different protagonist — Feyre Archeron for ACOTAR, Bryce Quinlan for Crescent City, Celaena Sardothien for Throne of Glass
The upshot

The author explicitly says you can start anywhere. But Crescent City is designed to be read after at least one other series — Bloomsbury Publishing notes it shares connections that land harder if you already know the Maas universe.

What is the correct order to read the Throne of Glass books?

Throne of Glass is the longest Maas series: seven main books plus a novella collection, released from August 2012 to October 2018. Bloomsbury Publishing provides the definitive guide, and it aligns exactly with the author’s own recommendations.

Core series sequence

  • Throne of Glass (2012)
  • Crown of Midnight (2013) — a New York Times young adult best-seller, per Wikipedia
  • The Assassin’s Blade (2014)
  • Heir of Fire (2014)
  • Queen of Shadows (2015)
  • Empire of Storms (2016)
  • Tower of Dawn (2017)
  • Kingdom of Ash (2018) — released October 23, 2018

Novella placements

  • The Assassin’s Blade is a collection of four prequel novellas set before Throne of Glass, but the official placement is after Crown of Midnight
  • According to Bloomsbury Publishing, the prequel contains characters and locations that appear later in the series — so publication order is actually the safer spoiler-free path
  • Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn occur simultaneously; Bloomsbury notes they can be read in tandem with specific chapter interleaving, but most readers simply follow publication order
Why this matters

The chronological reading order, which starts with The Assassin’s Blade, is tempting for purists. But Bloomsbury Publishing explicitly recommends publication order because the novella collection features references that spoil later reveals.

What order should I read A Court of Thorns and Roses?

A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) is often called the ultimate romantasy series, following Feyre Archeron through five books published from 2015 to 2021. The sequence on sarahjmaas.com is straightforward.

Main books

  • A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015)
  • A Court of Mist and Fury (2016)
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin (2017)
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight (2018)
  • A Court of Silver Flames (2021) — focuses on Nesta Archeron rather than Feyre

Novella

  • A Court of Frost and Starlight is the only novella in the series, serving as a bridge between the first three books and the fourth
  • The first four books follow Feyre; A Court of Silver Flames pivots to her sister Nesta
The catch

ACOTAR is Maas’s most accessible entry point — lighter tone, more focused on romance, shorter page counts than Throne of Glass. But if you’re planning to read Crescent City, Bloomsbury Publishing recommends finishing ACOTAR first. Crescent City contains references that land better once you know the broader Maas world.

Which Sarah J Maas series to read first?

This is the question most readers face, and the answer depends entirely on what kind of fantasy you prefer. Bloomsbury Publishing and sarahjmaas.com both provide guidance, though the author’s own stance is characteristically generous: start wherever excites you.

Pros and cons of starting with Throne of Glass vs ACOTAR

Upsides

  • Throne of Glass offers the deepest world-building — seven books mean the most complete fantasy universe
  • ACOTAR is the quickest entry point with the highest romance density — ideal if you prefer romantasy
  • Crescent City works as a standalone urban fantasy if you’re only reading one series

Downsides

  • Throne of Glass starts slow — book one is strong but the series truly explodes in Heir of Fire
  • ACOTAR’s first book is the weakest of the series — many readers almost quit before Mist and Fury
  • Crescent City has murder mystery pacing that differs significantly from the other two series

According to Esta Pinto Book Blog, the purist approach is: ACOTAR 1-3, then full Throne of Glass, then Crescent City, then ACOTAR 4-5. This catches every crossover connection but requires serious commitment across all three universes.

Standalone entry points

  • Throne of Glass: complete epic with 8 books, satisfying standalone ending
  • ACOTAR: complete romantasy arc through 5 books, satisfying standalone ending
  • Crescent City: complete trilogy with 3 books, but shares Easter eggs with other series
The trade-off

Starting with Throne of Glass means you get the most immersive fantasy experience but face the steepest time investment. Starting with ACOTAR means faster payoff but the first book genuinely doesn’t represent the series quality. There’s no wrong answer — but there is a right answer if you want every crossover reward.

What is the Sarah J. Maas Crescent City order?

Crescent City is Maas’s urban fantasy entry, featuring Bryce Quinlan as the protagonist in a murder mystery setting. The series is listed on Sarah J. Maas official site as House of Earth and Blood, with a full three-book arc.

House of Earth and Blood series

  • House of Earth and Blood (2020) — series opener
  • House of Sky and Breath (2022)
  • House of Flame and Shadow (2024) — trilogy closer

The Crescent City books are urban fantasy with murder mystery elements, a significant tonal shift from the romantasy of ACOTAR or the epic fantasy of Throne of Glass. Bloomsbury Publishing notes that reading Crescent City after ACOTAR creates a more rewarding experience due to connections between the universes.

What to watch

Esta Pinto Book Blog advises strongly against reading Crescent City first. The series contains revelations that spoil elements of other Maas books — reading CC first means you’ll understand references but won’t feel their impact.

Timeline

The publication timeline spans over a decade, with the author’s three series launching sequentially and overlapping in the broader Maas universe.

Date Event
August 2012 Throne of Glass release — Esta Pinto Book Blog
August 2013 Crown of Midnight release — Esta Pinto Book Blog
August 2013 The Assassin’s Blade release — Esta Pinto Book Blog
2015 A Court of Thorns and Roses release — Wikipedia
September 2015 Queen of Shadows release — Wikipedia
September 2016 Empire of Storms release — Wikipedia
October 23, 2018 Kingdom of Ash release — Wikipedia
2020 House of Earth and Blood — Wikipedia
2021 A Court of Silver Flames — Wikipedia
2024 House of Flame and Shadow — Sarah J. Maas Official Site

What we know and what remains unclear

The official sources — the author’s website and Bloomsbury Publishing — provide clear publication orders for all three series. However, some nuances remain less documented.

  • Publication orders for Throne of Glass, ACOTAR, and Crescent City confirmed by Sarah J. Maas official reading guide
  • The Assassin’s Blade novella placement after Crown of Midnight confirmed by Bloomsbury Publishing
  • Bloomsbury’s recommendation to read publication order for TOG (not chronological) confirmed by both sources
  • Kingdom of Ash release date October 23, 2018 confirmed by Wikipedia
  • Crown of Midnight was a New York Times young adult best-seller, per Wikipedia
  • Exact cross-series chronological novella placements remain somewhat debated among fan communities
  • Specific chapter-tandem reading order for Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn is not officially documented
  • Release dates for ACOTAR books 6 and 7 are not yet confirmed beyond pre-order status

What the experts say

You can start with the first book in any of the three series.

— Sarah J. Maas, author

If you love an epic fantasy series with beautiful world-building, self-discovery, found family, romance, and rogue assassins, then we’d recommend starting with Throne of Glass.

— Bloomsbury Publishing (publisher)

As long as you don’t read the Crescent City (CC) series first, you’re in the clear.

— Esta Pinto, book blogger

For fantasy readers who want every crossover payoff, the path is clear: follow the publication order across all three series, starting with whichever sounds most appealing. For readers who want the fastest gratification, ACOTAR delivers faster — but be prepared to push through the first book’s slower pace. For anyone curious about urban fantasy within the Maas multiverse, Crescent City offers something genuinely different: a murder mystery framework that stands alone while rewarding completion of the other series.

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Additional sources

bookscouter.com

Fans tackling Sarah J. Maas’s expansive worlds can rely on this detailed series reading guide for clear sequences through Throne of Glass, ACOTAR, and Crescent City.

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Frequently asked questions

What are Sarah J. Maas books release dates?

The full list spans 2012 to 2024. Throne of Glass began in August 2012; the series concluded with Kingdom of Ash on October 23, 2018. ACOTAR started in 2015 and continues with books 6 and 7 available for pre-order. Crescent City launched in 2020 and completed its trilogy in 2024.

Sarah J. Maas upcoming books?

ACOTAR books 6 and 7 are currently listed for pre-order on sarahjmaas.com. Exact release dates beyond the pre-order status have not been confirmed publicly.

Is ACOTAR or Throne of Glass more spicy?

ACOTAR is marketed more explicitly as romantasy with higher spice content, particularly from book two onward. Throne of Glass is epic fantasy with romantic subplots; it develops relationships within a broader action framework. Both series contain adult content, but ACOTAR leans more heavily into romance as a primary narrative driver.

How many books in Sarah J. Maas series?

The three series total 15 books: Throne of Glass has 8 (7 main + novella collection), ACOTAR has 5, and Crescent City has 3. Combined with companion novellas and special editions, the total on Goodreads reaches 124 entries for the author.

Sarah J. Maas book series Throne of Glass?

Throne of Glass is the epic fantasy series featuring Celaena Sardothien as the main protagonist across seven books plus The Assassin’s Blade novella collection. It is the longest and most world-building-intensive of the three series, recommended by Bloomsbury for readers who love world-building, self-discovery, found family, romance, and rogue assassins.

Sarah J. Maas A Court of series?

A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) is the romantasy series following Feyre Archeron through the first four books, then Nesta Archeron in the fifth. It spans five books published from 2015 to 2021, with books 6 and 7 forthcoming. ACOTAR is the most romance-forward of the three series and the easiest entry point for new readers.