sarah j maas order to read

Understanding Sarah J. Maas’s Universes

Maas writes in three main fictional universes—the Throne of Glass series, the A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series, and the Crescent City series. While they began as separate stories, her recent books make it clear: these worlds are connected.

Choosing the sarah j maas order to read boils down to your priorities. Want publication order? Prefer inworld chronological pacing? Already curious about hidden crossovers? Each path offers a slightly different experience.

Option 1: Publication Order (Recommended for New Readers)

Reading in publication order gives you the experience as intended—unfolding plot development, foreshadowing, and stylistic growth.

Here’s how to go:

Throne of Glass Series

1. Throne of Glass
2. Crown of Midnight
3. Heir of Fire
4. Queen of Shadows
5. Empire of Storms
6. Tower of Dawn
7. Kingdom of Ash

(The Assassin’s Blade can be read before or after the first book.)

A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR)

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
5. A Court of Silver Flames

Crescent City Series

1. House of Earth and Blood
2. House of Sky and Breath
3. House of Flame and Shadow (if released)

This order keeps surprises intact and lets you track how Maas’ worldbuilding improves.

Option 2: SeriesbySeries

Don’t want to jump around? Tackle each series separately. Fans who commit to one story arc before moving on usually feel more grounded.

Start with: Throne of Glass for gritty assassins, political rebellions, and eventual high fantasy vibes. ACOTAR if fae politics, enemiestolovers, and slowburn romance are more your style. Crescent City for adult urban fantasy with complex lore and crossover potential.

Whichever series you pick first, just know that finishing one will give you huge payoffs later—especially if you follow the sarah j maas order to read that fans swear by.

Option 3: Chronologicalish Universe Timeline

There’s now enough connective tissue across her series that you could read the books based on an overarching timeline. Warning: this method contains some spoilers and is more suited for second or thirdtime readers.

This rough alignment goes:

1. The Assassin’s Blade
2. Throne of Glass through Kingdom of Ash
3. A Court of Thorns and Roses series
4. Crescent City series

Again, treat this as a deepdive method—not the best move if it’s your first go.

Why Reading Order Matters

Characters and references from earlier books show up elsewhere—especially in Crescent City. You’ll miss major payoffs if you jump in cold. Understanding lore, magical systems, and recurring character archetypes makes the multiverse more rewarding.

Choosing the sarah j maas order to read also helps avoid spoiler landmines. Some cameos or major twists rely on prior knowledge from older books. Sticking to the right order locks in that intended impact.

Final Thoughts

There’s no onesizefitsall answer to the sarah j maas order to read, but here are some takeaways:

New to her books? Go with publication order. Already familiar with one series? Explore the others, but avoid skipping around key installments. Deep fan? Try the metareading route with a full timeline approach.

Whatever path you follow, you’re in for solid storytelling, wild plot turns, and addictive character arcs. Just clear your calendar—once you’re in, you won’t want to stop.