A Court of Thorns and Roses: The Ultimate ACOTAR Series Guide

Return to Velaris

Welcome to the ultimate guide to the ACOTAR book series, A Court of Thorns and Roses. This guide is a complete deep dive into the world created by Sarah J. Maas, featuring book-by-book breakdowns, character discussions, world-building, fan theories, and fun ACOTAR-related content for readers who want to get lost in the world of Prythian.

I have been a huge Sarah J. Maas fan since the release of Throne of Glass back in 2012. She is one of the few writers I have followed through their entire writing journey. I have waited patiently, pre-ordered months in advance, and counted down the days for every single one of her releases. At this point, I could read her grocery list and still give it five stars.

Even though Throne of Glass is my favorite series by her, ACOTAR is my comfort series. Every time I need an escape from the real world, I find myself returning to Velaris and these characters SJM created.

It’s a world that comforts and inspires me the most. The kind of series where reading slumps don’t apply, the city I would absolutely live in if I could, and the characters I would probably try to be best friends with (even though they are all slightly deadly). I would happily make a home in Velaris. So ACOTAR may not be perfect, but it feels perfect to me.

Now that Sarah has just announced the release ACOTAR Book 6 and ACOTAR Book 7, I couldn’t be more excited. However, the release is still months away, so I thought I am going to utilize my free will and create something fun - for me and hopefully for you.

Which is why I have decided to open a permanent portal back to the Night Court. I am calling this series 'Return to Velaris' - my complete deep dive into the world of ACOTAR for those of us who just aren't ready to leave the Court of Dreams behind. Over the next few months, as we wait, I will be doing deep dives into all the books, character discussions (yes, we will scream about our Bat Boys), and a lot of fun articles that you rarely see on blogs.

Again… purely me utilizing my free will.

A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR): Everything You Need to Know

What is ACOTAR About? (Spoiler-Free Synopsis)

A Court of Thorns and Roses (also known as ACOTAR) follows Feyre Archeron, a nineteen-year-old human girl who hunts to provide for her starving family - her father and two older sisters. Determined to keep them alive through the brutal winter, Feyre ventures into the woods in search of food. When she spots a large wolf, she kills it without hesitation.

But the wolf was no ordinary animal. It was a fae warrior in wolf form. As punishment for taking a fae life (a life for a life) a terrifying fae beast appears and drags Feyre across the wall that separates the human lands from the magical realm of Prythian.

The human and fae worlds have long been divided by this wall, erected after a fragile peace treaty meant to protect humans from the cunning, powerful, and immortal fae.

Forced into the dangerous and beautiful world of Prythian, Feyre soon discovers that her captor is not a beast at all, but Tamlin, one of the lethal High Fae who once ruled over the world. As Feyre begins to live in the enchanting Spring Court, her feelings toward Tamlin slowly shift, transforming from icy resentment into a fiery passion. But something ancient and malevolent is stirring across the fae lands. And Feyre may be the only one capable of stopping the darkness before it destroys their world forever.

The Official ACOTAR Reading Order

If you are new to the A Court of Thorns and Roses, the best way to experience the story is to read the books in publication order. Each book builds directly on the events of the previous one, expanding the world of Prythian and introducing new characters, relationships, and conflicts that shape the larger story.

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR): The first book in the series introduces us to Feyre Archeron, a human huntress who is dragged into the magical Fae land of Prythian after killing a wolf in the woods. While it is widely known as a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling - where a human girl must live with a cursed beast to save his people - don’t be fooled by the fairytale. The world of the Prythian is full of lethal monsters, ancient politics, and a looming danger that threatens both the Fae and human realms. This is the foundation of the series and a must-read to understand the complex world of ACOTAR.
   
2. A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF): The fairytale is over, and Feyre and Prythian have been irrevocably changed. While the world of the Fae is expanding, Feyre’s inner world is closing in on itself as she struggles with the trauma of her past. This is one of the most magical book of the series where we see more of this magical fae land, and learn the real meaning of love, loyalty, friendship, and sacrifice.
   
3. A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOWAR): The third book brings the conflict between kingdoms and courts to the forefront as war threatens human and fae lands. Feyre must use everything she has learned to protect those she loves and confront the forces that seek to destroy their world.
   
4. A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOFAS): This shorter novella serves as bridge between the original trilogy and the later books. This novella can be considered as an extended epilogue to the original trilogy - Feyre's story. It’s a festive, slice-of-life look at the characters healing after the war.
   
5. A Court of Silver Flames (ACOSF): A full-length novel following the original trilogy, ACOSF marks a major shift in the series. Written in a third-person dual perspective, it is a shift from Feyre’s story in every sense. This book follows Nesta Archeron - a wildly misunderstood character in the story. Nesta is not easy to love, but this is the true strength of this book. It is a raw, emotional masterclass in character growth, overcoming trauma, and the not so glamorous journey of learning to love yourself.
   
6. A Court of Splintered Harmony: Releasing on 27 October 2026.
7. A Court of Forgotten Melody: Releasing 12 January 2027.
8. ACOTAR 8: Tentative release end of 2027.

ACOTAR Book 6-8 Everything We Know So Far

As mentioned above, we only have confirmation on a few things from Sarah J. Maas so far — but what we do know is actually kind of huge.

She has shared that when she initially started writing A Court of Splintered Harmony, it was meant to be a single book, similar in scope to A Court of Silver Flames. However, as she continued writing, the story kept expanding, and the world grew far beyond what could fit into just one instalment.

What was originally one book has now evolved into a four-part story: essentially a new arc told across four movements (or volumes). If you combine book 6 & 7 it is over 1200 pages, so you can only imagine how massive this storyline is going to be.

Because of this, instead of one book, we are now getting a back-to-back release schedule:

A Court of Splintered Harmony

The Valkyrie Cycle Movement I

What was broken will be remade. Deep in the heart of the continent, Koschei the Deathless is stirring. Though he's been bound to a mountain lake for millennia, the insidious threat of his return now spreads across the Fae territories, attracting powerful allies hell-bent on reclaiming what was once theirs: the human lands.

The Night Court will not stand idly by while innocents are attacked. But with Prythian still piecing itself together in the wake of the devastating Hybern War, the task of uniting is proving more difficult by the day.

To make matters worse, those who rule and protect the Night Court are reeling from recent betrayals and revealed truths. The rifts dividing them seem insurmountable. But to defeat Koschei's creeping shadow, they must find a way back to each other and resurrect their former alliances. To survive, they must find a way to repair the splintered harmony all around them.

• Release Date: October 27, 2026
• Length: 352 pages

A Court of Forgotten Melody

The Valkyrie Cycle Movement II & III

What was lost will be reclaimed. Prythian might never be the same again. Traditional alliances are crumbling, and no amount of diplomacy seems sufficient to repair them. With the continued threat of Koschei the Deathless on the horizon, a united front is crucial--and farther out of reach than it has ever been before.

Bonds will be tested. Power will shift. And old enemies will emerge from nightmares of the past. As the Night Court's Inner Circle disperses far and wide, desperate for any advantage against Koschei and his mighty allies, peace hangs by a fragile thread. But hope can be spun from the darkest of shadows, and the Night Court has its own part to play in the looming crescendo.

• Release Date: January 12, 2027
• Length: 896 pages

ACOTAR 8

• Covers: Movement IV (final part of the arc)
• Release Date: TBA (currently being written)

Main Characters & Current Theories

I don't want to go too in-depth here as this guide will become too long but let's quickly talk about the main theory. Just going by The Valkyrie Cycle title, the first thing that comes to mind is Nesta and her friends - the current valkyries in the series. However, I believe (and so do many popular theories) The Valkyrie Cycle Movements is based on Richard Wagner's four-part epic Opera cycle of the same name - Die Walküre (The Valkyrie).

Here are some parallels to support this theory:

• The words in the title Harmony and Melody invoke a classical arrangement.
• The opera follows themes of greed, power, fate, and betrayal. The synopsis of book 6 & 7 follows the same themes.
• What was broken will be remade. What was lost will be reclaimed.
  
  A big plot point in the opera cycle involves Nothung, a legendary sword that belonged to a hero, which is shattered in battle by the chief god, Wotan. Later in the cycle, the hero Siegfried gathers the fragments and reforges the broken blade to slay a dragon and conquer fate.
  
  Azriel has a legendary sword - truth teller. Now, it is yet to be seen if the sword is being literally shattered or something deeper like a bond.
• The opera follows a forbidden love triangle. The hero falls into a forbidden, fated love with the heorine, who is unfortunately trapped in a miserable marriage to another man.
• Lastly, Valkyries play a key role in this opera cycle. Establishing Nesta, Emerie, and Gwen in ACOSF as Valkyries was leading up to this. However, I think we will see more Valkyries by the end of this series.
  
  Along with Vassa, the firebird, Koschei, the death god, has other women trapped as Swans in his lake. Could it be that these swans are the lost Valkyries from the history of Prythian?

Over the course of this series, Sarah has based most characters and storylines of ACOTAR from several masterpieces - beauty and the beast - the most widely known. However, if you have read the book, you know she might take inspiration, but she doesn't adapt the stories and character as it is. So, everything will be upto Sarah's take and it will be exciting to see how she narrates these movements.

As of now, nothing has been officially confirmed about the main POVs, however, it is safe to assume Azriel and Elain might be the central couple. Lots of fans believe that Gwen will be the lead of this arc. The book can very well have multiple storylines similar to TOG series.

This is partly because both characters still have significant unresolved arcs, along with Mor, whose story also feels far from complete. There are also hints (especially from Azriel’s POV in A Court of Silver Flames) that suggest a deeper storyline that could be explored further - whether that means a shared narrative or separate character journeys remains to be seen.

Sarah did mention on Elain and Lucien bond that she wanted to "explore the idea of free will" and "what happens when nature picks wrong" - a question which Azriel also echoed in his POV.

Personally, I am a Azriel × Elain truther, so I will be rooting for them to be endgame. But there is no confirmation as of yet.

Either way, we will definitely be getting into all the theories, possibilities, and chaos after the release of book 6.

The ACOTAR Collection

Part of my “Return to Velaris” series - dive deep into the world of A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Coming Soon!

ACOTAR: Frequently Asked Questions