Sarah J. Maas Books in Order: Complete Reading Guide

Sarah J. Maas is one of my favorite authors of all time. I’ve read everything she’s written, usually within about a week of release. New readers are discovering her every day and I can’t tell you how many times I’m asked for a list of the Sarah J. Maas books in order.

I’ve already written an in-depth reading order for Throne of Glass, but we’ll cover the basic details here as well.

Jump to:

• What Should You Read First?
• Sarah J. Maas Books in Order by Series
  • Throne of Glass
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses
  • Crescent City
• Sarah J. Maas Books in Order by Publication
• Sarah J. Maas Reading Guide & Checklist

What Should You Read First?

Most new readers should start with either Throne of Glass or A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Throne of Glass is the better place to start if you want the full fantasy journey from the beginning and don’t mind a slower build early on. A Court of Thorns and Roses is the easier entry point if you’re more interested in romance and want to get to the most popular series first.

I’d save Crescent City for later. It makes more sense once you already know Maas’s other worlds, and it’s not the series I’d hand to a first-time reader.

Sarah J. Maas Books in Order by Series

Sarah J. Maas has written three main series: Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City.

Let’s start with Throne of Glass.

Throne of Glass

There are two main ways to read Throne of Glass, but for simplicity, I’m listing the books in publication order here.

There’s some debate about the best time to read The Assassin’s Blade, and some readers are tempted to skip Tower of Dawn after the cliffhanger in Empire of Storms.

For a deeper breakdown, check out my full Throne of Glass reading order.

1. Throne of Glass
2. Crown of Midnight
3. The Assassin’s Blade
4. Heir of Fire
5. Queen of Shadows
6. Empire of Storms
7. Tower of Dawn
8. Kingdom of Ash

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A Court of Thorns and Roses

While Throne of Glass was Sarah J. Maas’s first series, A Court of Thorns and Roses is probably her most popular.

It follows Feyre Archeron, a human who gets pulled into the fae world after a hunt goes wrong. What starts with a Beauty and the Beast feel quickly grows into something bigger, with romance, darker politics, and war.

And yes, there’s a lot more sex in this series.

First Series

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses
2. A Court of Mist and Fury
3. A Court of Wings and Ruin

Interlude

4. A Court of Frost and Starlight

Second Series

5. A Court of Silver Flames
6. Untitled ACOTAR Book 6 (October 27, 2026)
7. Untitled ACOTAR Book 7 (January 12, 2027)
8. Untitled ACOTAR Book 8 (TBA)

Do I Need to Read A Court of Frost and Starlight?

Not really.

A Court of Frost and Starlight is a novella, and it isn’t essential to the main plot of the original trilogy or to the core story of A Court of Silver Flames. You can skip it without feeling lost.

That said, it does serve a purpose. It works as a bridge between the original trilogy and Silver Flames, gives you some emotional fallout after the war, and adds a little setup for Cassian and Nesta. It also helps explain a few smaller changes that carry over into the next book.

So no, it’s not a must-read plot book. It’s more of a transition book. A quieter, character-focused breather between bigger entries in the series.

And honestly, if you’re going to read it, Christmas time is probably the best time to do it. The story takes place during the Winter Solstice, which is basically the fantasy-world version of Christmas.

What Are Books 6, 7, and 8?

This is where the numbering gets a little confusing.

Books 6, 7, and 8 aren’t meant to be three completely separate stories. They’re one larger story arc that’s being released across three volumes. Sarah J. Maas explained that the project grew so large that releasing it as one standard book wasn’t practical, so it had to be split up.

So while the numbering makes it look like you’re getting several different books, it’s really one big narrative told across multiple releases.

The structure is four parts total. Book 6 covers Part 1, Book 7 covers Parts 2 and 3, and Book 8 will finish the arc with Part 4.

The first two volumes already have release dates, while Book 8 is still untitled and listed as TBA. We’ll keep this page updated as more details are announced.

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Crescent City

The last of Sarah J. Maas’s series is also her newest, with the first book published in 2020. House of Earth and Blood was Sarah J. Maas’s first adult fantasy book.

It’s kind of like a mash-up of epic fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and a whodunit mystery.

Based on the ending of HOFAS (check out my House of Flame and Shadow review to learn more), the story seems complete, but it’s left somewhat open-ended. Maas has already confirmed a fourth book is planned, but it’s hard to predict exactly where the story is going to go. Either way, I’m all for it.

1. House of Earth and Blood
2. House of Sky and Breath
3. House of Flame and Shadow

Do I have to read A Court of Thorns and Roses before Crescent City?

While reading A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) is not strictly “required” for Crescent City, it is highly recommended that you read at least the first three novels of ACOTAR before reading Crescent City #2, House of Sky and Breath.

Sarah J. Maas Books in Order by Publication

Publication order isn’t the reading path I’d recommend for most new readers, since it jumps between series instead of letting you stay in one world. Still, it’s how millions of readers first experienced Maas’s books, and it’s the standard way to organize a full bibliography.

Today, it makes more sense to read one series straight through. Even so, publication order is still helpful if you want to see how Maas’s career unfolded in real time.

The first five entries below are the original 2012 prequel novellas, which were later collected in The Assassin’s Blade (2014).

1. The Assassin and the Pirate Lord (2012) (Novella)
2. The Assassin and the Healer (2012) (Novella)
3. The Assassin and the Desert (2012) (Novella)
4. The Assassin and the Underworld (2012) (Novella)
5. The Assassin and the Empire (2012) (Novella)
6. Throne of Glass (2012) (Throne of Glass #1)
7. Crown of Midnight (2013) (TOG #2)
8. Heir of Fire (2014) (TOG #3)
9. A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015) (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)
10. Queen of Shadows (2015) (TOG #4)
11. A Court of Mist and Fury (2016) (ACOTAR #2)
12. Empire of Storms (2016) (TOG #5)
13. A Court of Wings and Ruin (2017) (ACOTAR #3)
14. Tower of Dawn (2017) (TOG #6)
15. A Court of Frost and Starlight (2018) (ACOTAR #4)
16. Catwoman: Soulstealer (2018)
17. Kingdom of Ash (2018) (TOG #7)
18. House of Earth and Blood (2020) (Crescent City #1)
19. A Court of Silver Flames (2021) (ACOTAR #5)
20. House of Sky and Breath (2022) (CC #2)
21. House of Flame and Shadow (2024) (CC #3)
22. Untitled ACOTAR Book 6 (October 27, 2026) (ACOTAR #6)
23. Untitled ACOTAR Book 7 (January 12, 2027) (ACOTAR #7)
24. Untitled ACOTAR Book 8 (TBA) (ACOTAR #8)

Sarah J. Maas Reading Guide & Checklist

Want to take your reading experience to the next level? Check out my Sarah J. Maas reading guide and checklist for two ways to read the Sarah J. Maas books in order.

Looking for more books in order?

If you want more fantasy authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Fantasy Books in Order index.

• Books in Order (Full Index)
• Cassandra Clare Books in Order
• The Cruel Prince Series in Order
• Leigh Bardugo Books in Order