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So allow me to serve as your mentor as you embark on this quest
I’ll cover the basics on how to approach Maas’s three series
spoiler-free advice to help you avoid common pitfalls
you may outgrow me and question everything I’ve ever told you
but for now let’s begin your journey through the Maasverse
Probably A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR)
(There are a lot of acronyms in the “SJM” fandom.)
A Court of Thorns and Roses begins with Feyre Archeron
killing a wolf in the woods to feed her starving family
This leads to her being whisked off to the faerie realm
where (naturally) there is trouble brewing
(Don’t be put off by the nerdy terminology; the “High Fae” are just ridiculously hot people with magical powers and pointed ears
If you’re a romance reader or aren’t that into fantasy
While there’s plenty of lore to dig into if you want
the series is mainly about the relationships between the characters
(For example: The country where it’s always spring is called … the Spring Court
raven-haired guy who can manipulate darkness hails from … the Night Court.)
A Court of Thorns and Roses is also the way to go if you’re just curious about the Sarah J. Maas hype. While Maas is certainly <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/fantasy-romance-authors-guide.html">not the first author to combine fantasy and romance</a>
ACOTAR is the cornerstone of the current “romantasy” book trend
But the last book won’t leave you on a major cliffhanger
You may want to begin with Throne of Glass
if you’re interested in a more traditional fantasy epic
and are open to experiencing an eight-book emotional roller coaster
The completed series follows Celaena Sardothien
a teenage assassin who lives in a land where a tyrannical king has banished magic
The vibe is Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Lord of the Rings
TikTok user @unhingedbooktalk compiled some good
spoiler-free fan art for the first book in the series:
you can start with the first Crescent City book
but this is an unconventional and more difficult path
Crescent City is an urban fantasy (so picture Legolas
half-human who spends the first book unraveling a murder mystery with Hunt Athalar
If you really liked Blade Runner and would have liked it even more if Harrison Ford’s character were a sassy redheaded party girl
then you might want to dive into House of Earth and Blood
But you’ll spoil yourself for Maas’s other series if you read the entire three-book Crescent City series first
Here’s some spoiler-free fan art for the first novel:
That’s the term for the interconnected universe that ties together all three series
Maas published the first four Throne of Glass books between 2012 and 2014
Then she alternated between that series and ACOTAR from 2015 to 2018
Those books contain fun Easter eggs for people who have read both
The first Crescent City book was published in 2020
and the full-on Maas series crossover starts toward the end of that series
“I had sprinkled little hints throughout all of my books that they were part of a megaverse,” Maas <a href="https://time.com/6588963/house-of-flame-and-shadow-sarah-j-maas-multiverse-explained/">told</a> Time last year
She’s confirmed that her next book will be <a href="https://www.thecut.com/article/acotar-6-next-sarah-j-maas-book-release-date-plot-news.html">ACOTAR 6</a>
impatiently) awaiting news on the release date
The five ACOTAR books have to be read in release order:
• 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
Book five (the fourth full-length novel) is about Feyre’s sister
the vibe is “SJM writes fan fiction about her own book.” But it’s a nice breather before Silver Flames
some important plot points are set in motion
and you can read the whole thing in a few hours
there’s an off-the-wall sex scene that you definitely won’t read in a normal romance novel
you really need to commit to reading the first two books
and not as well written as the rest of the series
and twists toward the end of A Court of Thorns and Roses and throughout A Court of Mist and Fury that flip the story on its head (and make rereading the series absolutely delightful)
So, as the meme goes, disliking book one is a <a href="https://mashable.com/article/canon-event-tiktok-explained">canon event</a> — I can’t interfere
But I will say this: Don’t get any character’s name tattooed on your leg until you’ve finished the series
Explore SJM’s other series? Check out <a href="https://www.thecut.com/article/onyx-storm-ending-explained-rebecca-yarros-theories.html">Fourth Wing</a>
Think about whether you actually like reading for fun
you aren’t going to enjoy the rest of the ACOTAR series
Silver Flames is about Feyre’s horribly bitchy sister
and a significant chunk of the book focuses on her quest to walk up and down stairs
But the magic of ACOSF is discovering you’re wrong
whether to start with The Assassin’s Blade
you need to decide whether to read books six and seven consecutively or simultaneously (i.e.
the novellas were released to satisfy fans anxiously awaiting her debut novel:
[Maas] admits to feeling terrified that the online fan support “would all go away” during the yearlong process of revising and submitting her work to prospective agents
but signed with Tamar Rydzinski (Laura Dail Literary Agency) in 2009
and gained the interest of editor Margaret Miller at Bloomsbury in 2010
to the publication of four prequel e-novellas set in the ToG universe
Four of the prequel novellas were <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/throneofglassseries/comments/m055tu/when_to_read_assassins_blade/">published as e-books</a> in the months leading up to the release of Throne of Glass in August 2012
Bloomsbury packaged the four prequel stories into a single book
These five stories were published in print as The Assassin’s Blade in March 2014
We recommend reading in publication order … which means you read The Assassin’s Blade after Crown of Midnight
The Assassin’s Blade is a collection of prequel novellas that take place before the events of Throne of Glass
and the novellas feature characters and locations that appear in later books in the series — so it’s helpful to read before moving on to Heir of Fire
It’s also ok if you would rather read The Assassin’s Blade first
Disregard the reference to “publication order,” as we just learned most of the Assassin’s Blade e-books came out first
My hot take: Read The Assassin’s Blade first
I followed the SJM website’s advice to read the prequel third and found it hard to connect with Celaena’s character at the start of the Throne of Glass novel because she’s weirdly cocky for no apparent reason
The events of The Assassin’s Blade take place immediately before Throne of Glass
and her emotional journey makes more sense if you read her story in chronological order
any order is probably fine as long as you read the prequel before book four
Read through the first few pages of Throne of Glass and The Assassin’s Blade and see which book grabs you
and Kingdom of Ash are the last three books in the series
Empire of Storms ends on a huge cliffhanger for Celaena and most of the main characters
Tower of Dawn is about a male character’s quest to a faraway land during the same time period
with an almost entirely new set of characters
and are anxious to find out what happens to Celaena & Co.; thus
the tandem read just makes things unnecessarily complicated
But if you feel the need to read two nearly 700-page books simultaneously
this TikTok from @emmahalbrook explains how to do it:
Is it a weird choice to devote the penultimate book in your series about a badass female assassin to a male character many readers dislike
but you have to watch a whole movie about C-3PO plotting with the Rebel Alliance before Return of the Jedi
Tower of Dawn is extremely important to the rest of the story
and you may actually wind up loving the main character (or at least appreciating him and loving some of his new pals)
and you really feel it in the first few books
“She wrote it when she was 16!” That’s only partly true: Maas started working on the story as a teen
but by the time she had heavily revised it into her debut novel
some find the beginning of the series clunky
The good news: Each book is better than the last
beloved characters don’t even appear until halfway through the series
and there are twists that will make you want to throw your book across the room (in a good way)
Simple: Read them in publication order.• House of Earth and Blood• House of Sky and Breath• House of Flame and Shadow
The world is overwhelming — at least somewhat intentionally
Maas has explained she was trying to capture the “hustle and bustle” of living in a city like New York
surrounded by people from different cultures (or in this case
Many experienced SJM readers feel lost at the beginning of Crescent City
it clicks and the story (mostly) makes sense
unless you are committed to never reading A Court of Thorns and Roses
The first Crescent City doesn’t spoil anything in the other series
You get a peek at the broader Maasverse in the second Crescent City
But the third book heavily overlaps with ACOTAR
and there’s some discussion of Throne of Glass lore
For those fluent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
but other Avengers play a significant role
there are strong hints that Maas is building to a full Infinity War/Endgame situation where characters from all three series team up
if Crescent City is really required reading for the next ACOTAR
they’ll tell us that (Bloomsbury isn’t going to miss a chance to sell more books)
plenty of her early fans read her books this way
it’s not a popular way to do your first read
but it might be fun if you’re committed to reading the entire Maasverse and have a really good memory
Throne of Glass (2012)Crown of Midnight (2013)The Assassin’s Blade (2014)Heir of Fire (2014)A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015)Queen of Shadows (2015)A Court of Mist and Fury (2016)Empire of Storms (2016)A Court of Wings and Ruin (2017)Tower of Dawn (2017)A Court of Frost and Starlight (2018)Kingdom of Ash (2018)House of Earth and Blood (2020)A Court of Silver Flames (2021)House of Sky and Breath (2022)House of Flame and Shadow (2024)
All three series have a handful of bonus chapters
which were included in various store-specific editions
but the titles spoil which characters survive and/or end up together
There are six Throne of Glass deleted scenes and bonus chapters. The Rambling Book Nerd compiled them <a href="https://www.theramblingbooknerd.com/post/throne-of-glass-extra-reads-by-sarah-j-maas">here</a>
There are three ACOTAR bonus chapters. You can read <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/506815621/wings-and-embers-by-sarah-j-maas">this one</a> after you finish A Court of Mist and Fury, and <a href="https://booksnwritingofficial.wordpress.com/2024/01/31/acosf-feysand-pov-bonus-chapter/">these</a> <a href="https://booksnwritingofficial.wordpress.com/2024/01/31/acosf-azriel-pov-bonus-chapter/">two</a> after you finish A Court of Silver Flames
There are eight Crescent City bonus chapters (but none for book one). The Rambling Book Nerd compiled them <a href="https://www.theramblingbooknerd.com/post/crescent-city-the-bonus-chapters">here</a>
she wrote a book for the DC Comics universe called Catwoman: Soulstealer
but it shouldn’t be relevant to your epic reading journey unless the Maasverse gets really crazy
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NUNEZ COMMUNITY COLLEGE: The Nunez Community College Foundation Board will hold its annual Pelicans and Pearls Fundraiser Gala on May 9, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., in the newly renovated Physical Activity Center on the Nunez campus, 3710 Paris Road in Chalmette. Festivities will include a tasting from area restaurants, cuisine prepared by Nunez’s Culinary Arts students, music and more. Tickets are $60. Attire is business or cocktail. <a href="http://Nunez.edu" target="_blank">Nunez.edu</a>
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Sugar Roots Farm will hold its annual spring festival on May 10
SPRING FESTIVAL: Sugar Roots Farm will host its annual festival May 10, 9:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m., at the farm, 10701 Willow Drive in New Orleans. The event includes live music, pony rides, animal feeding, arts and crafts, a bounce house, and concessions. Tickets, starting at $15.60, are available online, with a limited number sold at the gate. <a href="http://www.sugarrootsfarm.org" target="_blank">www.sugarrootsfarm.org</a>
WOODMERE FESTIVAL: The free community festival will take place May 10, noon-6 p.m. at Woodmere Playground, 4100 Glenmere Drive in Harvey. The event will feature 2,000 pounds of free crawfish, live music performances by local artists, a dedicated Kids Corner, pop-up shops, food vendors and community organizations sharing resources. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/WoodmereFestival" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/WoodmereFestival</a>
BAYOU BOOGALOO: May 16-18; Bayou St. John at Orleans Avenue. Gates open Friday at 4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Entertainment includes comedy, drag bingo, crawfish-eating contest and live music, including Big Freedia’s Gospel Revival and Honey Island Swamp Band. Tickets start at $39.50. Children under 12 are free with an adult. More details at <a href="http://thebayouboogaloo.com" target="_blank">thebayouboogaloo.com</a>
GREEK FESTIVAL NEW ORLEANS: May 23-25; Holy Trinity Cathedral, 1200 Allen Toussaint Blvd. in New Orleans. Hours are 5-11 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sunday. Events include live music on the outdoor stages, kids’ activities, the Greek Festival Run/Walk Race on Saturday. Food offerings include traditional Greek pastries, entrees and more. Tickets start at $10. <a href="http://www.gfno.com" target="_blank">www.gfno.com</a>
GONZOFEST: The celebration of the life and legacy of author and journalist Hunter S. Thompson comes to New Orleans for the first time, with speakers, panelists, a walking tour and music as part of the festivities May 15-18. Free events are scheduled for the Allways Lounge, 2240 St Claude Ave., and the Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St. in New Orleans. <a href="https://gonzofest.net/" target="_blank">gonzofest.net</a>
NOLA OMG FOOD FEST: The world’s first hip hop food festival
will showcase more than 40 local and national restaurants
JEAN LAFITTE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL: May 30-June 1; Jean Lafitte Auditorium and Grounds, 4953 City Park Drive in Jean Lafitte. Louisiana food, a full weekend of live music, swamp tours, kayak rentals, carnival rides and an art walk. Swamp tours will also be offered. Children 12 and under are free. <a href="http://www.lafitteseafoodfest.com" target="_blank">www.lafitteseafoodfest.com</a>
GRIEFSHARE: Christian Fellowship Church, 5049 Ehret Road in Marrero, will host a GriefShare Loss of a Spouse seminar on May 8, 10 a.m.-noon. Those who have lost a spouse through death are invited to attend. Cost is $7 for the participant guide. Registration is available online. <a href="http://griefshare.org/find%20a%20group" target="_blank">griefshare.org/find a group</a> or call (504) 347-4875
WEST FEST: WESTBANK SUPER SUNDAY: The MoHawk Hunters
Michael Willis and DJ Big Tymer will be part of the Westbank Super Sunday on May 11
NEW ORLEANS WASABICON: The pop culture convention designed to connect fans and feature entertainment, celebrities, artists, video games and tabletop gaming will be held May 10-11, at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, 601 Loyola Ave. in New Orleans. The event focuses on anime, cosplay, K-pop, tabletop gaming and video games. Hours are Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tickets start at $30. <a href="https://nola.wasabicon.com/" target="_blank">nola.wasabicon.com/</a>
MOTHER-DAUGHTER WONDERLAND TEA PARTY: St. John Theatre will host a Wonderland-themed tea party with Alice and the Mad Hatter in attendance on May 10, 2 p.m. The event will include photo opportunities, games and prizes as well as an optional fancy hat contest. Tickets are $20. The theatre is located at 115 W. 4th St. in Reserve. <a href="http://www.stjohntheatre.com/wonderland-tea" target="_blank">www.stjohntheatre.com</a>
THURSDAYS AT TWILIGHT: City Park Conservancy hosts the musical series at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters in the Botanical Garden, 1 Victory Ave. in City Park, New Orleans. Concerts are held indoors on Thursday nights, 6-8 p.m. On May 8, entertainment will be provided by Boogie Men and Beef Macaroni. . Admission is $15.  <a href="http://NewOrleansCityPark.org" target="_blank">NewOrleansCityPark.org</a>
MUSIC FOR SHAKESPEARE: The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Matthew Kraemer, will present a program featuring music by Mendelssohn, Diamond, Shostakovich and Korngold and inspired by Shakespeare’s plays on May 14, 6 p.m., at the New Marigny Theatre, 2301 Marais St. in New Orleans. Tickets start at $50. <a href="https://lpomusic.com/events/music-for-shakespeare-may14-2025-marigny" target="_blank">lpomusic.com</a>
WEDNESDAYS IN THE POINT: The 2025 season continues in May with music 6-7:30 p.m
On May 14 T Marie &amp; Bayou JuJu perform at Nighthawk Napoletana
John will perform May 21 at The Little House
features Rick Trolsen &amp; Friends at Trolsen’s Porch at Triangle Park
“ZEAL”: Author Morgan Jerkins will sign copies of her latest book at Baldwin &amp; Co., 1030 Elysian Fields Ave. in New Orleans, on May 9, 4-6 p.m. Tickets for a signed book and admission to the meet-and-greet start at $33 via Eventbrite. <a href="http://www.baldwinandcobooks.com" target="_blank">www.baldwinandcobooks.com</a>
“THE FANTASIES OF FUTURE THINGS”: Author Doug Jones will discuss his newest book on May 13, 6-8 p.m., at Baldwin &amp; Co., 1030 Elysian Fields Ave. in New Orleans. Tickets for admission, a signed copy and a meet-and-greet are available starting at $31 via Eventbrite. <a href="http://www.baldwinandcobooks.com" target="_blank">www.baldwinandcobooks.com</a>
AUTHOR DISCUSSIONS: Two local authors, Constance Adler and Teresa Tumminello Brader, will discuss their new books May 20, 7 p.m., at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon in Metairie. Adler is the author of the New Orleans-based novel, “Sight Unseen,” and Brader’s collection of short stories is called “Secret Keepers.” <a href="http://www.jplibrary.net" target="_blank">www.jplibrary.net</a>
“J VS. K”: New York Times bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft will discuss and sign their latest book, a children’s book based on a true story, on May 12, 6 p.m., at Baldwin &amp; Co., 1030 Elysian Fields Ave. in New Orleans. Free; tickets for a signed copy and meet-and-greet start at $19 via Eventbrite. <a href="https://www.baldwinandcobooks.com/" target="_blank">www.baldwinandcobooks.com</a>
“NOWHERE BETTER THAN HERE”: Author Sarah Guillory will discuss her current book, along with the upcoming book "Gus and Glory" on May 12, 5 p.m., at the Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St. in New Orleans. Reservations are free via Eventbrite, through which books can be preordered. <a href="http://www.gardendistrictbookshop.com" target="_blank">www.gardendistrictbookshop.com</a>
“SCRIM: A NEW ORLEANS STORY OF RESILIENCE AND RESCUE”: Author Kaye Courington will celebrate the release of her book on New Orleans’s most famous runaway dog on May 13, 6 p.m., at the Garden District Book Shop, 727 Prytania St. in New Orleans. <a href="http://www.gardendistrictbookshop.com/events-1/author-event-with-kaye-courington" target="_blank">www.gardendistrictbookshop.com</a>
"REMEMBER US": Robert M. Edsel, founder and chairman of the Monuments Men and Women Foundation and author of “Remember Us: American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and a Forever Promise Forged in World War II,” will discuss his latest book on May 14, 4:30-6:30 p.m., at the National WWII Museum, 945 Magazine St. in New Orleans. A reception will be held 4:30-5:30 p.m., with the presentation starting at 5:30 p.m. <a href="http://www.nationalww2museum.org" target="_blank">www.nationalww2museum.org</a>
“A SHOWGIRL’S RULES FOR FALLING IN LOVE”: Author Alice Murphy will discuss her latest book in conversation with Jess Armstrong on May 15, 6:30-8 p.m., at Blue Cypress Books, 8123 Oak St. in New Orleans. Burlesque star Betsy Propane will entertain attendees with a signature burlesque performance before and after the conversation. <a href="http://www.bluecypressbooks.com/event/a-showgirls-rules-for-falling-in-love-a-night-of-burlesque-and-books/" target="_blank">www.bluecypressbooks.com</a>
“STYLES OF JOY”: Author SC Perot will discuss he r book, "Styles of Joy: A Feel-Good Framework for Rediscovering Joy (With a Twist!)" on May 13, 6 p.m., at the Garden District Book Shop, 727 Prytania St. in New Orleans. Audience Q&amp;A and book signings will follow. <a href="http://www.gardendistrictbookshop.com" target="_blank">www.gardendistrictbookshop.com</a>
ART &amp; SOUL GOLDEN GALA: The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts will celebrate its 50th birthday on May 17 at NOCCA, 2800 Chartres St. in New Orleans. The event includes entertainment by NOCCA alumni Sasha Masakowski, Big Sam’s Funky Nation and Preservation Hall and food by the NOCCA Culinary Arts students. Tickets start at $50.<a href="http://%20https//noccafoundation.org/2025/03/artsoul-golden-gala-on-may-17-celebrating-50-years-of-nocca/" target="_blank"> noccafoundation.org</a>
NORD GOLF TOURNAMENT: Registration is open for the 2025 tournament, a four-person scramble, to be held May 17 at Joseph Bartholemew Municipal Golf Course, 6514 Congress St. in New Orleans. Check-in begins at 7 a.m., with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Fees are $600 for a four-person team or $150 per individual. <a href="https://nordc.org/golf-tournament/" target="_blank">nordc.org</a>
NATIONAL ACTIVE AND RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: The Vernon L. Landry Chapter 1398 of NARFE will hold its monthly meeting and luncheon on May 14, beginning at 11 a.m., in the Sicilian Room at Rocky and Carlo&rsquo;s Restaurant &amp; Bar, 613 W. St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette. All active and retired federal employees are invited. <a href="mailto:Pamela.e.mark1953@gmail.com">Pamela.e.mark1953@gmail.com</a>
GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL: Registration is open May 1-25 for the new St. Charles Parish Department of Parks and Recreation girls’ program. The season will run during July and August.  All registrations must occur with the individual participant’s affiliated booster club. <a href="http://scpparksandrec.com/flag-football" target="_blank">scpparksandrec.com/flag-football</a>
LINE DANCING: Registration is open for summer line dance classes through the St. Charles Parish Department of Parks and Recreation Classes will be held Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. starting June 2, in the Edward A. Dufresne Community Center Gymnasium, 274 Judge Edward Dufresne Parkway in Luling. Registration is open to those 18 and older for the nine-week session at $20. <a href="http://www.scpparksandrec.com" target="_blank">www.scpparksandrec.com</a>
BUILDING A COHESIVE SHORT STORY COLLECTION: NOCCA Foundation will sponsor a fiction writing workshop May 10, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at the Foundation, 2831 Royal St. in New Orleans. Taught by Annell Lopez, writers will learn ways to curate and organize their stories. Registration through May 1 is $65, with an optional consultation add-on for $140. <a href="https://neworleanswriters.org/classes-workshops-3/classes-workshops-2/" target="_blank">neworleanswriters.org</a>
ST. MARY’S DOMINICAN HIGH: Registration is open for Dominican’s summer camps. All camps, except soccer and softball camps, are at Dominican’s campus, 7701 Walmsley Ave. in New Orleans. Camps range from drama and cooking to cheerleading and sports. See details at <a href="http://www.stmarysdominican.org/general/summer-programs/" target="_blank">www.stmarysdominican.org</a>
STEAM SUMMER CAMPS: Nunez Community College will offer more than 10 multi-day camps this summer for students in grades 1-12. Prices vary by camp. All camps will take place on the Nunez campus, 3710 Paris Road in Chalmette, and most will meet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the designated dates. See <a href="http://Nunez.edu/STEAM" target="_blank">Nunez.edu/STEAM</a> for details