If you want the short answer: start with Throne of Glass if you like action first and romance second. Start with A Court of Thorns and Roses if you want romance and fantasy blended from page one. Sarah J. Maas has written three main series — Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR), and Crescent City — plus one standalone novel, Catwoman: Soulstealer. Below, you’ll find the exact order for each series, plus the news on her two brand-new ACOTAR books coming in late 2026 and early 2027.
Sarah J. Maas Books In Order At a Glance
Here’s the full picture before we break down each series.
| Series | Books | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Throne of Glass | 8 books (+ prequel novellas) | Readers who want assassins, action, and slow-burn romance |
| A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) | 7 books (5 out now, 2 new ones coming) | Readers who want fae courts, high fantasy, and steamy romance |
| Crescent City | 3 books (4th confirmed, no date yet) | Readers who want a modern city with angels, demons, and mystery |
| Standalone | Catwoman: Soulstealer | Readers who want a quick DC-inspired read |
Who Is Sarah J. Maas?
Sarah J. Maas grew up in Manhattan and studied creative writing at Hamilton College. She wrote her first draft of Throne of Glass as a teenager, and it later became a full series and her breakout book. Since then, her three series have sold more than 75 million copies worldwide and have been published in 40 languages. She now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, and dog, and she publishes with Bloomsbury.
Throne of Glass Series In Order
This is where most fans suggest new readers begin. It follows Celaena Sardothien, an assassin serving a prison sentence, as she fights her way toward freedom and later becomes queen.
- Throne of Glass (2012)
- Crown of Midnight (2013)
- Heir of Fire (2014)
- Queen of Shadows (2015)
- Empire of Storms (2016)
- Tower of Dawn (2017)
- Kingdom of Ash (2018)
Should You Read The Assassin’s Blade First?
The Assassin’s Blade is a set of five prequel novellas about Celaena’s past. You can read it two ways:
- Before Throne of Glass — gives you her backstory upfront, so later plot twists land differently
- After Heir of Fire — keeps the mystery of her past intact for longer, which is how most first-time readers experience it
Either order works. There’s no wrong answer here, so pick based on whether you like backstory early or late.
A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) Books In Order
ACOTAR follows Feyre Archeron, a human huntress pulled into a hidden fae world after she kills a wolf in the woods. It’s Maas’s most talked-about series, especially on BookTok.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015)
- A Court of Mist and Fury (2016)
- A Court of Wings and Ruin (2017)
- A Court of Frost and Starlight (2018)
- A Court of Silver Flames (2021)
- A Court of Thorns and Roses 6 — releasing October 27, 2026
- A Court of Thorns and Roses 7 — releasing January 12, 2027
New ACOTAR Books Coming in 2026 and 2027
This is the update most reading-order lists online are missing. After a five-year wait since A Court of Silver Flames, Maas announced two new ACOTAR novels on the Call Her Daddy podcast in March 2026. Book 6 arrives October 27, 2026, and Book 7 follows just eleven weeks later, on January 12, 2027. Neither title has been revealed yet, and Maas hasn’t confirmed whose point of view they’ll follow. Both are open for preorder now through major retailers.
Crescent City Series In Order
Crescent City is Maas’s adult, modern-day series. It follows Bryce Quinlan, a half-fae, half-human woman living in a city full of angels, shifters, and demons, after her best friend is murdered.
- House of Earth and Blood (2020)
- House of Sky and Breath (2022)
- House of Flame and Shadow (2024)
Is There a Crescent City Book 4?
Yes. Maas confirmed a fourth Crescent City book is coming, and she’s signed a deal that includes it. That said, it doesn’t have a release date yet. In interviews, she’s said the book is “further down the taxiing line” behind her ACOTAR projects, so don’t expect it before 2027 at the earliest. She’s also hinted the story could involve crossover elements with her other series.
Catwoman: Soulstealer (Standalone)
This one stands completely apart from her other series. It’s a DC-inspired novel starring a teenage Selina Kyle before she becomes the Catwoman most readers know. It doesn’t connect to Throne of Glass, ACOTAR, or Crescent City, so you can read it anytime, in any order, without missing anything.
Which Series Should You Read First?
If you’re not sure where to start, match the series to what you actually want out of a book.
| If you want… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Assassins, heists, and a slow-burn romance | Throne of Glass |
| Fae courts, romance-first storytelling, higher spice level | A Court of Thorns and Roses |
| A modern city setting with angels and demons | Crescent City |
| A short, standalone superhero read | Catwoman: Soulstealer |
Throne of Glass starts as young adult and gets darker as it goes. ACOTAR and Crescent City are both written for adult readers, with more explicit romance content, so keep that in mind if you’re choosing a series for a younger reader.
Full Publication Order (All Books)
If you’d rather read everything in the order it was actually published, here’s the complete list:
- Throne of Glass (2012)
- The Assassin’s Blade (2013)
- Crown of Midnight (2013)
- 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)
- Catwoman: Soulstealer (2018)
- 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)
- A Court of Thorns and Roses 6 (2026)
- A Court of Thorns and Roses 7 (2027)
If you love this kind of emotional, character-driven romance, it’s worth branching out too. Colleen Hoover’s Ugly Love has that same gut-punch, slow-burn feeling fans of Feyre and Rhysand tend to love. And if you’re the type who needs to know how a story ends before you commit to it, our breakdown of whether Fallon and Ben end up together is worth a read too.
FAQs
What order should I read Sarah J. Maas books in? Read each series in its own publication order. Start with Throne of Glass for action-first fantasy, or A Court of Thorns and Roses for romance-first fantasy. The three series don’t need to be read in a specific order relative to each other, since they’re separate stories.
Do I need to read Throne of Glass before A Court of Thorns and Roses? No. The two series are set in different worlds with different characters. You can start with either one.
Is Crescent City connected to A Court of Thorns and Roses? Yes, loosely. Crescent City includes small nods and hints that connect it to the wider ACOTAR world, but you don’t need to read one to understand the other.
When does the new Sarah J. Maas book come out? A Court of Thorns and Roses 6 releases October 27, 2026, followed by A Court of Thorns and Roses 7 on January 12, 2027.
Is Catwoman: Soulstealer part of a series? No, it’s a standalone novel and doesn’t connect to any of Maas’s fantasy series.
Which Sarah J. Maas series is the spiciest? A Court of Silver Flames and House of Flame and Shadow are generally considered her most explicit books, both aimed at adult readers.
Conclusion
Sarah J. Maas has built three very different worlds, and each one rewards you for starting at book one and reading straight through. If you want action and assassins, Throne of Glass is your entry point. If you want romance-heavy fantasy, start with A Court of Thorns and Roses — and get ready, because two new books in that series are just months away. And if you want something modern and standalone, Crescent City and Catwoman: Soulstealer both deliver without asking you to commit to a whole universe first.
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