Sarah J. Maas Reading Order: Where to Start the Maasverse
Sarah J. Maas is trending right now. Not that she ever really stopped. I doubt there’s a single person who reads romantasy who doesn’t know who Sarah J. Maas is. She’s a legend in the genre.
Now, between the Call Her Daddy appearance in March and the news that ACOTAR book 6 releases October 27th and book 7 follows on January 12th, 2027, the Maasverse is trending again, and a fresh wave of readers is finally caving and getting on the Maasverse wagon. So where do you start on the Sarah J. Maas reading order?
Yes, I admit it can get overwhelming. Maas’s debut novel, Throne of Glass officially released in 2012. 14 years later, Maas has a strong 16 romantasy books line-up that every romantasy beginner should definitely read. But which one should you start with?
I started with Throne of Glass back in 2014, then read ACOTAR a couple of years later, and then Crescent City. Admittedly, I didn’t read each series independently. As you can imagine, from 2016, I read the books when they were released. Basically, I read ACOTAR and Throne of Glass concurrently in the earlier years, and now ACOTAR and Crescent City.
If you have yet to read any of the books in the Maasverse, then you have the luxury of choosing exactly which series and which Saraj J Maas reading order to do this.
There’s an ongoing debate online about whether to do publication order or chronological order, since some release dates and the actual in-world timeline don’t match up. So, I am going to help you decide exactly which route to go.
Sarah J. Maas Reading Order: Chronological Order
This is the order in which events actually happen, in-world, across the three series.
A Court of Thorns and Roses(ACOTAR series)
- A Court of Thorns and Roses
- A Court of Mist and Fury
- A Court of Wings and Ruin
- A Court of Frost and Starlight
- A Court of Silver Flames
Throne of Glass Series
- The Assassin’s Blade
- Throne of Glass
- Crown of Midnight
- Heir of Fire
- Queen of Shadows
- Empire of Storms
- Tower of Dawn
- Kingdom of Ash
Crescent City series
- Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood
- Crescent City: House of Sky and Breath
- Crescent City: House of Flame and Shadow
Technically, neither ACOTAR nor Throne of Glass happens; first, they’re running on their own separate timelines that briefly intersect.
However, most people agree ACOTAR is the best place to start in the Maasverse. The first book is fairly easy to get into and is the perfect romantasy book for complete beginners.
Sarah J. Maas Reading Order: Publication Order
This is the order in which the books actually came out. I have focused on each series one by one instead of hopping between them.
Throne of Glass Series
- Throne of Glass
- Crown of Midnight
- The Assassin’s Blade
- Heir of Fire
- Queen of Shadows
- Empire of Storms
- Tower of Dawn
- Kingdom of Ash
A Court of Thorns and Roses(ACOTAR series)
- A Court of Thorns and Roses
- A Court of Mist and Fury
- A Court of Wings and Ruin
- A Court of Frost and Starlight
- A Court of Silver Flames
Crescent City series
- Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood
- Crescent City: House of Sky and Breath
- Crescent City: House of Flame and Shadow
That’s basically the publication order without having to bounce from series to series, which is definitely a headache. This way, you get to start one series and finish before getting into the next.
So, either go publication order, or chronological order. There’s also the option to read in tandem. This applies only to the Throne of Glass series, and I’ll get into it in a little bit.
The ACOTAR series
This is arguably the most popular Sarah J. Maas series. A lot of readers actually cite ACOTAR as the series that got them into the genre, so you’re in good company.
Unlike Throne of Glass, which can lean very Young Adult, particularly the first 2 books, ACOTAR is firmly new adult romantasy series.
The book starts with our FMC, Feyre Acheron, trying to keep her impoverished family from starving, when her world changes and she’s taken to the faerie land of Prythian.
Although it starts as a fairy-tale-inspired setup, a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, it quickly outgrows that premise in the later books.
It expands into something much bigger and much more entertaining. Layered relationships, fae political tensions, and a world that keeps evolving with each book.
One thing to know going in, the first book is slower. But it works and makes ACOTAR the best entry point to the Sarah J. Maas world. The slower pace is intentional; it builds the foundation, and this becomes a much more intense and addictive series later on.
The series leans into some of the most popular tropes in romantasy, fated mates, slow burn, and emotional payoff, which is exactly why so many readers get attached to it.
And we are getting books 6 and 7 on October 27th and January 12th, 2027. The whole reason everyone is so excited about the Maasverse again.
The first three books follow Feyre, the novella A Court of Frost and Starlight acts as the interlude between major plot lines, and actually introduces Nesta’s story, which is so well done in A Court of Silver Flame.
Throne of Glass Series
Y’all can have Rhysand; give me Rowan Whitethorn.
Throne of Glass is my favorite in the Maasverse. And it’s not just about the MMC, it’s deeper than that. Maybe it’s because I read it when I was younger? Maybe it’s because I read it first? Or maybe it’s because the FMC is exactly who she thinks she is?
Throne of Glass begins with Celaena, an assassin pulled from slavery and given a chance to compete for her freedom against other killers and criminals. It sounds simple, but it’s kinda high stakes from the start. As I mentioned, Throne of Glass Series is Young Adult, so it starts a little slower compared to the other two series. However, what starts as a simple royal competition and court intrigue grows into an epic fantasy involving magic, war, and multiple POVs across the kingdoms.
For Throne of Glass reading order, publisher Bloomsbury recommends starting with Throne of Glass, then Crown of Midnight, before getting into the prequel novella, The Assassin’s Blade. This is how I did it.
Everyone has an opinion on whether to start with Assassin’s Blade or Throne of Glass. I’ll say start with Throne of Glass. Not just because that’s how I did it, but because it’s easier to get into the series that way.
Okay, now the tandem read. This is specifically for books 5 and 6, Empire of Storms, and Tower of Dawn. Basically, you read the two books alongside each other, chapter by chapter.
The books follow different characters in different locations at the same time, so a tandem read allows you to follow the dual story simultaneously.
Admittedly, this is not how I read it. Maybe I’ll try the tandem read in my next reread.
If you don’t want to deal with the logistics of it, some dedicated fans have compiled unofficial Kindle versions that will make the tandem read smooth, although you’ll only get these versions when you get deep into the rabbit hole.
The Crescent City series
Crescent City is also a new adult series. Still, unlike ACOTAR’s medieval fae courts, Crescent City is all modern cities with phones, nightclubs, and cars, which makes it a completely different reading experience.
Bryce Quinlan is a half-fae party girl working a dead-end job at an antiquities gallery, more interested in nightclubs than saving the world, until her best friend Danika and her entire werewolf pack are brutally murdered. Two years later, when a nearly identical murder happens again, Bryce gets pulled into the investigation and paired with Hunt Athalar, a fallen angel enslaved to the city’s ruling Archangel as an assassin. Together they have to figure out who’s actually behind the killings, all while untangling a much bigger conspiracy involving a stolen magical relic and a demon that shouldn’t exist.
House of Earth and Blood is part murder mystery, and part slow-burn romance.
Fair warning, there’s a heavy info-dump in the first 200 pages, but stick with it if you can; it definitely pays off.
I would do Crescent City Last in the Sarah J. Maas reading order. It’s heavier compared to ACOTAR and Throne of Glass.
Sarah J. Maas Reading Order FAQs
What order should I read Sarah J. Maas books in?
Most readers recommend starting with ACOTAR, then Throne of Glass, and finishing with Crescent City. You can also read in publication order or in-world chronological order, and both are laid out above.
Should I read Throne of Glass or ACOTAR first?
Start with ACOTAR. It’s a new adult series with an easier entry point; the first book is particularly easy to get into. Throne of Glass, on the other hand, leans Young Adult and starts slower, especially in the first two books.
Do I need to read Throne of Glass before Crescent City?
No. Crescent City is a separate series set in a modern city, so it works as its own reading experience. It’s also the heaviest of the three, which is why it works best last.
Should I read The Assassin’s Blade before Throne of Glass?
No. Bloomsbury recommends reading Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight first, then the prequel novella. Starting with the main book is also easier for new readers.
Final Thoughts on Sarah J. Maas Reading Order
There you have it, the best way to read the Maasverse. You can either do it chronologically or in order of publication. Still, most readers agree it’s best to start with ACOTAR series, the Throne of Glass Series, and finally finish with Crescent City series.
Until the next one, loves.
Enjoy your books in the meantime.
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