Have you ever pondered about the Sarah J. Maas (SJM) universe? Indeed, the universe. With a growing collection of 15 books, 3 series, various realms, fae, enchantment, love, and an exhilarating emotional journey that you won’t ever want to end.
My introduction to the Sarah J. Maas (SJM) Universe began with A Court of Thorns and Roses, a purchase made without prior knowledge of the series. After stumbling upon a Tiktok review filled with enthusiasm for the book, I decided to give it a try. Despite initial confusion in the first few chapters, I eventually found my footing and delved into the intricate world created by Maas.
I purchased A Court of Thorns and Roses without any prior knowledge about the series. After watching a TikTok review with limited information, but high praise for the book, I felt compelled to buy it. Although it took me a few months to finally start reading A Court of Thorns and Roses, I didn’t immediately become engrossed in the story. The first few chapters left me feeling confused and trying to understand the main character and the overall plot. However, with time, I gradually became more invested in the book. Fortunately, I was able to purchase the entire series, except for A Court of Silver Flames, which was released after I bought the box set. Reading the books consecutively allowed me to fully immerse myself in the different Courts and develop a deep affection for the city of Valeris. I’m confident that you will also fall in love with it.
A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) follows Feyre, an illiterate 19 year old human, hunting for food for her poorer than poor family she has the burden to take care of. While out hunting Feyre finds a wolf, one she’s never since before taking her shot will cost her more than she knows. When an unexpecting creature comes for retribution. Taken away from the place she calls home and dragged into the magical world heard about in legends. Her capture the creature–a beast isn’t who he seems to be. Not a beast, but an immortal fae.
Adjusting to her new surroundings, her initial coldness towards the faerie, Tamlin, evolves into a blazing desire that challenges everything she thought she knew about the enchanting yet perilous realm of the Fae. However, a sinister force looms in the faerie realm, threatening Tamlin and his world, compelling Feyre to take action before it’s too late.
A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF) takes place right after the events Under the Mountain. Feyre has endured an overwhelming amount of trials that have burdened her heart. Despite now possessing the abilities and lifespan of the High Fae, she is haunted by the memories of her time Under the Mountain and the terrible actions she took to protect Tamlin and his people.
As her wedding to Tamlin draws near, Feyre is consumed by emptiness and plagued by nightmares. She finds herself torn between two versions of herself – one who honors her agreement with Rhysand, the powerful High Lord of the feared Night Court, and another who lives a life in the Spring Court with Tamlin. Amidst navigating a treacherous landscape of politics, passion, and extraordinary power, a greater threat looms. Feyre may hold the key to stopping it, but only if she can harness her challenging abilities, mend her broken soul, and determine the path she wishes to forge for herself and the troubled world.
A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOWAR) Feyre has returned to the Spring Court with a determined purpose: to gather crucial information about Tamlin’s actions and the invading king who poses a grave threat to her land. However, this mission requires her to engage in a treacherous game of deception, where even a single misstep could spell doom not just for Feyre, but for everything and everyone she holds dear.
As the looming war draws nearer, Feyre strives to establish herself among the esteemed High Fae of the realm. She must navigate the delicate balance between honing her magical and political abilities while also nurturing her love for her court and family. In the midst of these challenges, Feyre and Rhysand find themselves faced with the difficult task of determining whom to trust among the cunning and deadly High Lords, as they search for unexpected allies in their fight for survival.
A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOFAS) Feyre, Rhysand, and their companions are currently occupied with reconstructing the Night Court and the significantly transformed world around them, following the aftermath of a transformative war. However, as Winter Solstice draws near, they are looking forward to a well-deserved break.
Despite the celebratory mood, the lingering shadows of the past continue to cast a pall. As Feyre prepares for her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, her worries for her loved ones intensify, realizing that they bear deeper wounds than she initially thought, wounds that will shape the destiny of their court in profound ways.
Taking a break from Feyre and Rhysand book five A Court of Silver Flames (ACOSF) follows Nesta, Feyre’s older sister.
Nesta Archeron, a proud and easily angered individual, struggles to find her place in the unfamiliar and dangerous world she now inhabits as a High Fae. The scars of the war with Hybern and the losses she endured continue to haunt her, making it difficult for her to move forward.Cassian, a battle-scarred warrior, constantly sparks Nesta’s temper as they are frequently in close proximity due to their positions in the Night Court. However, their connection goes beyond their fiery exchanges, as an undeniable and intense attraction grows between them.
As Nesta and Cassian navigate their own personal demons, a new alliance formed by treacherous human queens threatens the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. The resolution to this threat may lie in the hands of Nesta and Cassian, as they confront their painful pasts and find solace and healing in each other’s embrace amidst a war-torn world.
The series is ongoing, offering more of the captivating world of Prythain. SJM quickly became my favorite author, prompting me to seek out more of her works. As a newcomer to reading and discovering authors, I explored other books by SJM, ultimately discovering the Throne of Glass Series.
The Assassin’s Blade (Prequel)
Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan’s most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin’s Guild, her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam. In these action-packed novellas – together in one edition for the first time – Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. But she is acting against Arobynn’s orders and could suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery. Will Celaena ever be truly free? Explore the dark underworld of this kick-ass heroine to find out.
Throne of Glass (ToG) We meet Celaena Sardothien. In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king’s champion.
The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.
Crown of Midnight (CoM)
“A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.
It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend.”
From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.
Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena’s world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie… and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.
Heir of Fire (HoF)
Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak-but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life-and her future-forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?
Queen of Shadows (QoS)
Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…
She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.
She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.
Empire of Storms (EoS)
Kingdoms will collide.
The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.
With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.
Tower of Dawn (ToD)
Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq have arrived in the shining city of Antica to forge an alliance with the Khagan of the Southern Continent, whose vast armies are Erilea’s last hope. But they have also come to Antica for another purpose: to seek healing at the famed Torre Cesme for the wounds Chaol received in Rifthold.
After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child, Yrene Towers has no desire to help the young lord from Adarlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need—and will honor it. But Lord Westfall carries shadows from his own past, and Yrene soon comes to realize they could engulf them both.
Kingdom of Ash (KoA)
Aelin Galathynius has vowed to save her people ― but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. The knowledge that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, but her resolve is unraveling with each passing day…
With Aelin captured, friends and allies are scattered to different fates. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever. As destinies weave together at last, all must fight if Erilea is to have any hope of salvation.
Discover the untold story of Celaena Sardothien’s life prior to her rise as the King’s Champion through the captivating pages of The Assassin’s Blade, which encompasses all five Prequel Novellas. I have yet to read The Assassin’s Blade because I am not emotionally prepared for the inevitable heartbreak. Were there any inside jokes or backstories that I missed? Perhaps a few, but I didn’t feel like I missed anything crucial to the main storyline, if that makes sense.
‘The Assassin’s Blade’ Includes:
The Assassin and the Pirate Lord
The Assassin and the Healer
The Assassin and the Desert
The Assassin and the Underworld
The Assassin and the Empire
There is many debates about how to read this series: by Publication Date/Chronological order, Romantic Order, The Emotional Order and a Tandem Read.
The Tandem Read option, where you read Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn back-to-back, is personally one of my favorite ways to enjoy the series.
After finishing Kingdom of Ash, this series completely shattered me. I have never experienced such intense emotions while reading before. From epic battles and gruesome scenes to love and heartbreak, it concluded in a way that can only be described as “perfect,” leaving me in awe of the entire series.
I enjoyed exploring the diverse cities of Terrasen and possibly even other realms within the world. As a fan of intricate world-building, I was excited to discover Sarah J. Maas’s new series, Crescent City, featuring the unique character Bryce, who is a mix of fae and human.
House of Earth and Blood
Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life-working hard all day and partying all night-until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.
Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.
As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.
House of Sky and Breath
Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.
The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.
House of Flame and Shadow
Bryce Quinlan never expected to see a world other than Midgard, but now that she has, all she wants is to get back. Everything she loves is in Midgard: her family, her friends, her mate. Stranded in a strange new world, she’s going to need all her wits about her to get home again. And that’s no easy feat when she has no idea who to trust.
Hunt Athalar has found himself in some deep holes in his life, but this one might be the deepest of all. After a few brief months with everything he ever wanted, he’s in the Asteri’s dungeons again, stripped of his freedom and without a clue as to Bryce’s fate. He’s desperate to help her, but until he can escape the Asteri’s leash, his hands are quite literally tied.
This series ranks lowest among all of SJM’s works for me. However, it still managed to impress me. I delved eagerly into the story of Bryce, appreciating the representation of a character with a different body type, one built from dancing, artillery training, and combat. Bryce’s muscular physique reflects her dedication and effort.
Despite some shortcomings in the last book, I remain hopeful for the next installment. I look forward to the opportunity for the series to redeem itself. Will I continue reading the upcoming book? Definitely!
In this beginner’s guide to the enchanting worlds of Sarah J. Maas, readers are introduced to the imaginative and captivating storytelling of this acclaimed author. Known for her compelling characters, intricate plots, and rich world-building, Maas has garnered a dedicated following in the fantasy genre. With series like “Throne of Glass” and “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” she weaves together elements of magic, romance, adventure, and political intrigue to create immersive reading experiences that have resonated with fans around the world.
Readers diving into Maas’ works for the first time can expect to encounter strong heroines, complex relationships, epic battles, and unexpected twists that keep them eagerly turning pages. Whether delving into a high-stakes competition in a land ruled by faeries or navigating court politics in a kingdom on the brink of war, Maas invites readers to explore themes of power, sacrifice, love, and redemption through her vividly drawn worlds. With each new novel adding layers to her expansive literary universe, Sarah J. Maas continues to enchant audiences with her storytelling prowess and ability to transport readers to magical realms where anything is possible.
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