Three series. Seventeen novels. Interconnected worlds that reward readers who go all the way in — and one very important warning about reading order that will save you from significant spoilers.

Sarah J. Maas is one of the most commercially successful fantasy authors working today, with a devoted readership that has made her a consistent bestseller since 2012. Her books are long, emotionally intense, and designed to be consumed in a particular order — especially once you get to the Crescent City series, which contains crossover revelations that assume you’ve finished her other work.

This guide covers all three series and tells you exactly how to read them without spoiling yourself.

Throne of Glass series (7 books)

Published first, set in a high fantasy world with a morally complex assassin protagonist. This is where Maas built her world and her voice. The series runs long and grows darker and more epic as it progresses.

1. Throne of Glass (2012)

Celaena Sardothien, the kingdom’s most feared assassin, is released from a slave camp to compete in a tournament for the king. The winner becomes the king’s champion. If she loses, she goes back to the mines.

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2. Crown of Midnight (2013)

Celaena is the king’s champion now, doing his bidding — but not quite the way he intended. The series’ scope begins to expand dramatically. Many readers consider this the book that made them commit to the series.

3. Heir of Fire (2014)

Celaena travels to a distant kingdom to train and begins confronting the truth of her past. The world gets much larger here — new lands, new characters, new stakes. The pacing shifts toward epic fantasy.

4. Queen of Shadows (2015)

Back to the home kingdom. The rebellion is building. Celaena’s alliances and identity are both transformed. A pivotal book in the arc.

5. Empire of Storms (2016)

The war for the continent moves toward confrontation. Multiple storylines converge across different fronts. Ends on a significant cliffhanger.

6. Tower of Dawn (2017)

Follows Chaol Westfall, a major character from earlier in the series, in a different part of the world. This book runs parallel to Empire of Storms in the timeline — you can read it alongside book 5 (alternating chapters, which Maas has suggested) or immediately after. Reading it before Kingdom of Ash is essential.

7. Kingdom of Ash (2018)

The conclusion. Nearly 1,000 pages. All characters, all plotlines, all stakes. Maas’s most ambitious book in the series.

Note on The Assassin’s Blade (2014): A collection of prequel novellas following Celaena before the events of book 1. Best read after book 2 or 3, once you’re invested in the character — reading them first can over-explain things Maas reveals more gradually in the main series.

A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series (5 books)

Maas’s most widely read series. Set in a world of fae, inspired loosely by Beauty and the Beast in book 1, before evolving into something much more complex. This is where most new readers start in 2025/2026.

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015)

Feyre, a mortal huntress, kills a wolf in the woods and is taken by a fae to live in his enchanted lands. A retelling of Beauty and the Beast that goes places the fairy tale never did.

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2. A Court of Mist and Fury (2016)

Feyre is back from what happened in book 1 — changed, traumatized, and trying to figure out who she is and what she wants. Widely considered the best book in the series and one of Maas’s best novels period. The series becomes fully itself here.

3. A Court of Wings and Ruin (2017)

The war that’s been building since book 1 arrives. Feyre and her allies face Hybern. The conclusion of the main trilogy.

4. A Court of Frost and Starlight (2018)

A bridge novella — shorter, quieter, set in the aftermath of book 3. Not a standalone; meant to be read as a coda between Wings and Ruin and Silver Flames.

5. A Court of Silver Flames (2021)

Follows Nesta Archeron — Feyre’s older sister — as the point-of-view character. A different tone and a different romance. Works for readers who connected with Nesta in the earlier books; more challenging if you didn’t.

Crescent City series (3 books)

Set in a modern urban fantasy world — contemporary city with fae, angels, shifters, and technology existing simultaneously. The most mature and explicit of Maas’s series. Also the one with major crossover events involving the other two series.

Critical spoiler warning: House of Sky and Breath (book 2) and House of Flame and Shadow (book 3) contain significant crossover revelations involving characters and plot elements from both ACOTAR and Throne of Glass. Reading Crescent City before finishing those series will spoil major events. Finish at least ACOTAR book 3 and Throne of Glass book 7 before reading Crescent City book 2.

1. House of Earth and Blood (2020)

Half-fae, half-human Bryce Quinlan is investigating the murder of her friends in Crescent City. Her unlikely partner is an immortal warrior. A self-contained mystery that introduces the world.

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2. House of Sky and Breath (2022)

Bryce is pulled into a conspiracy that reveals connections to the other Maas worlds. This is where the crossover begins — do not read this before finishing ACOTAR and Throne of Glass.

3. House of Flame and Shadow (2024)

The Crescent City conclusion. The crossover threads from all three series converge. Reading order matters enormously here.

How the three worlds connect

Maas has built her three series as separate worlds that turn out to be connected in ways she’s been planning for years. The connections are revealed gradually across Crescent City books 2 and 3 — characters from ACOTAR and Throne of Glass appear, and events that seemed contained to one world are shown to have implications across all three. If you’re reading for the first time and want the full experience, complete ACOTAR through book 3 (at minimum) and Throne of Glass through book 7 before starting Crescent City book 2.

Where to start

Path 1 (Most popular entry in 2025/2026): A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR book 1). It’s where most new readers start, the world-building is accessible, and book 2 is one of the most beloved books in the genre. If you like it, the rabbit hole is deep and rewarding.

Path 2 (Publication order): Throne of Glass (book 1) came first and is where Maas built her craft. It reads younger than ACOTAR — Celaena is 18 and the tone is slightly more YA — but the series becomes genuinely epic by books 3–4. Good choice if you like assassin protagonists and classic high fantasy.

Path 3 (Already read ACOTAR): Finish ACOTAR through book 3 (Wings and Ruin), then jump to House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City book 1) — but stop after book 1 and go read all of Throne of Glass before continuing to Crescent City book 2. It sounds complicated, but the payoff is enormous.

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