Sarah J Maas Books in Order: Complete 2024 Reading Guide

Sarah J. Maas built three interconnected fantasy series over twelve years, and the official reading guides from her website and Bloomsbury publisher both confirm that readers can start with any series first. The catch: Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn overlap in timeline and spoil each other, so tandem reading is strongly recommended, and Crescent City contains major spoilers for the other two series, making ACOTAR a better lead-in for crossover impact.

Major Series: 3 ·
Throne of Glass Books: 7 main + novella ·
ACOTAR Books: 5 core ·
Crescent City Books: 3+ ·
Debut Novel: Throne of Glass

In what order do I read the Sarah J. Maas books?

Sarah J. Maas built her readership starting with Throne of Glass in August 2012, then launched A Court of Thorns and Roses in 2015, and brought Crescent City to shelves in 2020. The official reading guide on her website confirms that you can start with the first book in any of the three series—there’s no mandatory prerequisite reading.

Publication order overview

Reading by publication date lets you experience the stories as millions of fans did, watching Maas’s writing evolve across the years. Throne of Glass came first, followed by Crown of Midnight, then The Assassin’s Blade (a prequel novella collection), then Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows, Empire of Storms, Tower of Dawn, and Kingdom of Ash to wrap the series in September 2016.

Official reading guide from sarahjmaas.com

The author directs readers to Bloomsbury’s detailed reading order page, which confirms Throne of Glass publication order as the publisher’s recommendation. Bloomsbury notes that reading Crescent City after ACOTAR creates “a more rewarding experience” due to crossover appeal between the series.

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

The Throne of Glass series spans seven main novels plus a prequel novella collection called The Assassin’s Blade, which contains five short stories that serve as a prequel to the main series. Bloomsbury recommends reading The Assassin’s Blade after Crown of Midnight in publication order, though chronological order starts with The Assassin’s Blade.

Main series sequence

The core seven books follow this order: Throne of Glass (book 1), Crown of Midnight (book 2), Heir of Fire (book 3), Queen of Shadows (book 4), Empire of Storms (book 5), Tower of Dawn (book 6), and Kingdom of Ash (book 7). Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn occur simultaneously in the story timeline.

Placement of The Assassin’s Blade

The Assassin’s Blade collects five novellas that function as a prequel, covering events before the main series begins. The Bloomsbury reading guide places it after Crown of Midnight for a chronological reading experience, though some fans recommend reading it before Heir of Fire for emotional impact. The five novellas are: The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, The Assassin and the Desert, The Assassin and the Underworld, The Assassin and the Sahara, and The Assassin and the peacemaker.

The implication: skipping the tandem approach means losing context for major plot developments in whichever book you read second.

In what order should I read A Court of Thorns and Roses?

The ACOTAR series contains five core books as of 2024, with two more upcoming. The main sequence runs: A Court of Thorns and Roses (book 1), A Court of Mist and Fury (book 2), A Court of Wings and Ruin (book 3), A Court of Frost and Starlight (book 4), and A Court of Silver Flames (book 5). The first three books follow Feyre’s story directly, while Silver Flames shifts to a new protagonist.

Core series books

A Court of Thorns and Roses introduces readers to Feyre, a human huntress who kills a wolf and incurs a debt to a fae lord. The series expands dramatically in scope and romantic content through Mist and Fury and Wings and Ruin. Silver Flames, published in 2021, centers on Feyre’s sister Nesta and is notably more mature in content than the earlier books.

Novella additions

A Court of Frost and Starlight functions as a bridge novella between Wings and Ruin and Silver Flames, providing closure and character updates before the next major story begins. Future books include ACOTAR Book 6 (scheduled October 27, 2026) and Book 7 (scheduled January 12, 2027).

Which Sarah J Maas series to read first?

The decision between starting with Throne of Glass or ACOTAR depends on what kind of fantasy you prefer. Throne of Glass follows Celaena Sardothien, a legendary assassin, through a coming-of-age story across eight books. ACOTAR offers fae courts, romance-heavy storytelling, and faster emotional payoffs.

Throne of Glass vs ACOTAR

Throne of Glass is the longer commitment: eight books total with a sprawling fantasy world that grows more complex with each installment. The Everygirl notes that “the Throne of Glass world is more complicated than ACOTAR,” making it better suited for readers who enjoy deep world-building and slower-burn character development.

ACOTAR gained massive popularity through social media, particularly BookTok, where its romantic elements and spice factor made it a viral phenomenon. The series offers quicker emotional rewards and simpler plotting, making it more accessible for readers new to fantasy.

Beginner recommendations

Multiple fan sites recommend ACOTAR first for new readers due to its lower barrier to entry, though The Everygirl notes that Sarah J. Maas herself began writing Throne of Glass at age 16, making it her debut series and passion project. The official stance remains that any series works as a starting point.

Sarah J Maas books in order Crescent City?

Crescent City, also known as the “CC” series, is Maas’s urban fantasy entry, following Bryce Quinlan, a half-human, half-fae protagonist navigating a modern fantasy world. The series contains three books as of 2024, with significant crossover connections to both ACOTAR and Throne of Glass.

House of Earth and Blood sequence

The Crescent City books in order: House of Earth and Blood (2020), House of Sky and Breath (2022), and House of Flame and Shadow (2024). House of Earth and Blood introduces readers to Midnight City, where Bryce hunts for the truth after her closest friends are murdered. The series blends urban fantasy investigation with romance and fae politics in a modern setting.

Bloomsbury Publishing, the author’s publisher and one of the world’s leading fantasy publishers, recommends reading Crescent City after ACOTAR for “a more rewarding experience” due to crossover appeal. The official site confirms that series are standalone but contain cross-connections.

Sarah J. Maas has published 16 books across her main series as of 2024, excluding Catwoman: Soulstealer, which falls outside the three core series. She has also written additional novellas and companion content for the Throne of Glass world.

Complete Sarah J. Maas reading order comparison

Three reading approaches exist: publication order (as books released), chronological story order (when events occur), and recommended/tandem order (optimized for reading experience). Each has trade-offs for the reader.

The pattern here shows how publication order diverges significantly from both chronological and recommended orders—particularly for The Assassin’s Blade and the Empire of Storms/Tower of Dawn tandem.

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

— Sarah J. Maas, Author

“The best place to find out where to start with Sarah J. Maas books and answers to any reading-order questions you may have along the way.”

— Bloomsbury, Publisher

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Maas fans tackling her debut series first will appreciate the Throne of Glass reading order that sequences its eight epic volumes perfectly.

Frequently asked questions