rosie abigail

I have not been able to escape this book series. It’s been advertised all over my Tiktok, pushed by every creator on bookstagram, and even clothing brands have worked on collaborations. So why did it take me so long to pick up? Is it worth reading? And should you read the A Court of Thorns and Roses series?

(PS Don’t worry – this is a spoiler free zone!)

• What is ACOTAR?
• Should you read the books?
• Reasons to read A Court of Thorns and Roses series
• So – is it worth it?

As a book lover, romance and fantasy genres are typically not ones that I reach for. My teenage years were in the crux of the early twenty-tens, so the realm of romance was driven by 50 Shades of Grey; not keen reading for a fourteen year old. And fantasy? Well, Lord of the Rings has my heart (thanks to the film trilogy) and that’s about it. So a series that combined both genres? Not on my radar. But then, I had six separate friends from all different walks of life, tell me to read the ACOTAR series. Now, I’m one of those pretentious so-and-sos that won’t read a book just because it’s popular (I know, I know) but I felt like it was coming at me from all angles! So, I took the plunge and borrowed the first book from a friend. If I did or didn’t enjoy it, I could at least get a good blog post out of it. 

What is ACOTAR?

Before I dive into the big question you are all here for, let’s get some clarity. What is ACOTAR? And why all the acronyms? Firstly, ACOTAR, the acronym for A Court of Thorns and Roses, is the first book in a fantasy-romance novel series by Sarah J. Maas. The premise? A mortal young woman is taken across the border into the land of the fae. The world is split into courts and the series tells of battles, love affairs, and exploring the wide and varied court-led worlds. I should add, this is an adult book series. I wouldn’t even say it is a ‘young adult’ book series – it’s a straight up ‘Adult’ book series with a Capital A – if you catch my drift.

Secondly, the acronyms. All of the book titles in the series are lengthy, as you can see by ‘ACOTAR’. So in this hashtag-led and minimum-character world, acronyms have become synonymous with the series. The second book is ACOMAF (A Court of Mist and Fury); the third, ACOWAR (A Court of Wings and Ruin); the mid-series novella is ACOFAS (A Court of Frost and Starlight); and the fourth novel is ACOSF (A Court of Silver Flames).

So, should you read the A Court of Thorns and Rose series?

As someone who has now read all of the books in the series, including the “non-essential” novella, and as someone who typically doesn’t even like romance-fantasy novels – I enjoyed it. In fact, I enjoyed the series a lot. I found the first book just fine, but the story arc really started to get good from the second. So yes, I think you should read the series!

But we all know there is more to it than just ‘yeah, read the books’. Let me tell you why I think this series is a must-read for any book lovers out there. And don’t worry, I won’t spoil anything…

Why you should read ACOTAR

• The world-building. Honestly, it is one of my favourite parts of the series. Whilst the human lands read very much similar to, well, our human lands, the depth and description of each of the courts and the lands are beautiful. The way Maas writes really helps you envisage the scene around the characters, whether that be on a weather-worn, snow-capped, desolate mountain top, or in a warm, morning-kissed, welcoming home. 
• It takes you out of real life whilst maintaining humanity at its core. The series covers everything that is human; good, evil, and the grey area in-between; to love, to lust, or to be afraid; learning how to put yourself first and to care for others; making mistakes and learning from them. All of that, wrapped up in a world of fae, creatures, and magic. 
• Now, the writing sometimes had me questioning (if I had a pound every time I frowned and grimaced at “my breasts ached”…), but the storytelling? Well, the storytelling is fantastic. It is dripping in subtleties and extremities, an excellent balance between small character moments and immense plot points. There are so many moments that I wish I could experience again for the first time. More times than I can count, I was reading up until the early hours of the morning, tearing through the pages, jaw dropping at the end of every chapter.
• Perhaps my favourite aspect of this series? The characters. Maas is not afraid of giving her character many, many weaknesses, as well as strengths. There are characters you love to hate, characters you straight up love, and characters you fully despise. And that fully changes as the series goes on, which is such a breath of fresh air in the book world. Perhaps the cherry on top of the cake? The relationships the characters have with each other and the idea of a found family. If I say ‘Bat Boys’ to you after you’ve read the series, you’ll know what I mean. 
• Finally, ACOTAR is a true gateway series into both fantasy and romance. It’s close enough to home that it’s familiar, but explores all of the categories that folks know and love for fantasy-romance. I can see myself approaching both of those genre sections in the library and book shop now, not just rushing past it to get to the modern favourites section.

So – yes; ACOTAR as a series is really worth a read, whether you are a fantasy connoisseur, a romance lover, or just someone who is looking for an in-depth series.

Over on Goodreads, I gave the series a solid four out of five stars, which in my star system means it is worth a read and I would recommend it to a friend. However, a word of warning for the average reader; these books are dirty. And I mean filthy. The books get even filthier as more books come out and I ain’t no prude! By the time you get to the fourth book, it really starts to feel gratuitous but I guess that can be turned into a selling point for some people. 

Even with the gratuitous sex and the “aching breasts”, it is a great series, especially as a beginner series for new romance-fantasy readers. I can guarantee you that I will read it again in a year or two. But even then, I already feel tinged with melancholia as I know I won’t be able to relive those page-turning, jaw-dropping moments again for the first time.

---

Have you read the ACOTAR series? If so, what did you think? Got any other book recommendations for folks who enjoyed the series? Let me know in the comments below! But remember, let’s keep this place spoiler free…

Thanks for reading,
Rosie x

Socials: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Tiktok

Educate & Donate:  Verity PCOS | Mind | Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation | Stonewall |