HOW TO READ

Sarah J. Maas Books

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you.”

— Rhysand, a.k.a. Your New Book Boyfriend

SPOILER FREE READING GUIDES!

  • A Court of Thorns and Roses

  • Throne of Glass

  • Crescent City

General Reading Order

Within the SJM Universe, there are three series (so far): A Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass, and Crescent City. Each series takes place in its own world, is jam-packed with magic, and has swoon-worthy romance.

According to the publishers at Bloomsbury, you can technically start with any of the series, depending on your taste in genre.

My two cents, however, say otherwise.

If you’re newer to the fantasy genre and want just a taste of SJM magic, I suggest starting with A Court of Thorns and Roses. You’ll be so hooked after book 5, you’ll want to drive straight to your bookstore and pick up all (and I do mean all) of Throne of Glass. Then, you’ll want more and rush to buy Crescent City.

This is a great reading order that many fans have followed—myself included.

If I could read them all again for the first time, however, I would read them as follows: Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, then Crescent City.

You can’t go wrong either way, but I do highly suggest the Emotional Damage reading order AND the tandem read of Throne of Glass…You’ll see what I mean by that in just a sec!

And no matter how you read them, always, always, ALWAYS leave the Crescent City series for last. No spoilers here, just trust me! You’ll thank me later.

When I first picked up A Court of Thorns and Roses in 2022, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I saw a book that everyone was raving about on TikTok, drove to my local Barnes & Noble, and picked up the little red book that forever changed my life. I was about to start the most epic reading journey I had ever been on, and I didn’t even know it—a 16-book journey to be exact!

Maybe you’ve seen that little red book too or heard everyone gushing about it on BookTok, but you don’t know where to begin. If you’re overwhelmed by the reading order and don’t know how to get started, read on, my friends. I’m going to break down the various reading orders within the SJM Universe.

Throne of Glass Reading Order

Now, I’d like to introduce you to the highly debated, highly controversial reading orders of Throne of Glass.

Like many others, Throne of Glass is my favorite SJM series. I rekindled my passion for reading through the magic of ACOTAR, but ToG will forever be my ultimate love. In my opinion, this is the best of her three.

There are, however, multiple ways in which you can read this series, and it all comes down to The Assassin’s Blade—a novella of stories that take place before Throne of Glass.

Some fans prefer the Chronological Order. The Assassin’s Blade is a prequel, after all, so starting with this book makes sense to many people.

If you would rather read them in Publication Order, you would read The Assassin’s Blade fourth, after Heir of Fire.

If you want the most emotional impact while reading ToG, I suggest what I like to call the Emotional Damage Order. You would be reading it third, after Crown of Midnight and before Heir of Fire. Seriously, I might bill SJM for the hours I spent in therapy over this order—JK, but not really.

Regardless of the order you choose, I will die on the hill that the Tandem Read is a MUST! What this means is that you would be reading books 6 and 7 together. It seems overwhelming, but the payoff is real! I truly don’t think it would be the same if you read them separately.

For a clear-cut picture of how to read ToG, click the links for the Throne of Glass reading orders and tandem read!

What I did for the tandem read was bookmark every chapter at the switch marks. It took a couple minutes of upfront prep, but I didn’t have to constantly check the list while I was reading. All I had to do was switch books!

Experts Only Reading Order

If you want to go all in on her series—which I highly recommend you do—this is how I suggest you read them!

There are so many options regarding the reading order of these books. That’s the beauty of the SJM Universe.

If you are looking for the ultimate reading experience with the most emotional impact across all books, though, I suggest reading them in this order:

Start with A Court of Thorns and Roses books 1-3

Books 1-3 of ACOTAR are like a gateway drug. They’re addicting, they’re the perfect starter for those new to fantasy, and they can stand on their own—these three follow Feyre’s story, while the next two in the series transition into Nesta’s story.

Then read Throne of Glass

After books 1-3 of ACOTAR, read the Throne of Glass series in its entirety. ToG takes place in a world of its own and is a seriously epic adventure. Don’t forget the Emotional Damage reading order AND the Tandem Read.

Continue A Court of Thorns and Roses with books 4 and 5

Once you get off the emotional rollercoaster that is ToG, return to ACOTAR with books 4 and 5. These books continue in the world of ACOTAR but explore other characters, mainly Nesta—Feyre’s sister.

Finish Your Quest with Crescent City

Conclude your epic adventure with the earth-shattering plot of the Crescent City series. There is A LOT going on in this series, particularly in the beginning of House of Earth and Blood, but by now, you’ll be a SJM pro and should have no problem keeping up!

If you’re anything like me, this 16-book series will be an unforgettable reading experience. You’ll laugh, you’ll sob, you’ll fall in love over and over again—it’ll be epic!

Enjoy the ride, readers!✨