Sarah J. Maas Books in Order: ACOTAR, Throne of Glass, and Crescent City

New to Sarah J. Maas's 16-book universe? Here's the complete reading order across all three series, plus news on ACOTAR 6 and 7.

8/6/20262 min read

Sarah J. Maas Books in Order: ACOTAR, Throne of Glass, and Crescent City

If you've read our ACOTAR review and A Court of Mist and Fury review, you already know one corner of Sarah J. Maas's universe — but her full catalog spans 16 books across three interconnected series. Here's how it all fits together, including fresh news on what's coming next.

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Big News First: ACOTAR 6 and 7 Have Release Dates

Sarah J. Maas confirmed release dates for the next two ACOTAR books during a podcast appearance: book six arrives October 27, 2026, and book seven follows January 12, 2027. Maas has said these two books are part of one larger story told in three books, meaning an eighth installment is likely still to come after that, though it doesn't have a title or date yet.

Where to Start: ACOTAR or Throne of Glass?

This is the most common question, and the honest answer is: it doesn't matter which series you start with, as long as you read ACOTAR before Crescent City. From there:

  • Start with ACOTAR if you want the more romance-forward entry point — it tends to hook new readers fastest. Read our full ACOTAR review if you're still deciding.

  • Start with Throne of Glass if you want the bigger epic fantasy scope and don't mind a slower build in the early books.

ACOTAR Reading Order

  1. A Court of Thorns and Roses

  2. A Court of Mist and Fury

  3. A Court of Wings and Ruin

  4. A Court of Frost and Starlight (novella)

  5. A Court of Silver Flames

  6. Untitled ACOTAR 6 — October 27, 2026

  7. Untitled ACOTAR 7 — January 12, 2027

Amazon link: ACOTAR series box set

Throne of Glass Reading Order

Maas's own preferred order is publication order:

  1. Throne of Glass

  2. Crown of Midnight

  3. The Assassin's Blade (prequel novellas, placed here per Maas's preferred order)

  4. Heir of Fire

  5. Queen of Shadows

  6. Empire of Storms

  7. Tower of Dawn (runs concurrently with Empire of Storms's events)

  8. Kingdom of Ash

Amazon link: Throne of Glass series box set

Crescent City Reading Order (Read This Last)

This series has the most direct connections to the wider Maas universe, so save it for after you've read ACOTAR at minimum.

  1. House of Earth and Blood

  2. House of Sky and Breath

  3. House of Flame and Shadow

  4. A fourth book has been confirmed but doesn't have a title or release date yet.

Amazon link: Crescent City series box set

The Simplest Path If You're Overwhelmed

  1. Pick ACOTAR or Throne of Glass based on whether you want romance-forward (ACOTAR) or epic fantasy-forward (Throne of Glass) as your starting point

  2. Finish that series completely

  3. Read the other series

  4. Read Crescent City last, since it has the most crossover connections to both

Do the Series Actually Connect?

Yes, increasingly so — Crescent City in particular has meaningful crossover connections to both ACOTAR and Throne of Glass, which is part of why it's recommended as the last series to start rather than the first.

Final Thoughts

Sixteen books across three series sounds overwhelming, but the actual reading order is simpler than it looks: pick your entry point based on romance versus epic fantasy preference, finish that series, then work through the other two, saving Crescent City for last. With two new ACOTAR books confirmed for late 2026 and early 2027, now is a great time to catch up before the next installment drops.