ACOTAR Reading Order

Technically yes, but you should not skip it. At 272 pages, A Court of Frost and Starlight is a quick read — most readers finish it in 3 to 4 hours. It sits between books 3 and 5, and it's not filler.

If you skip it, you will miss setup that makes A Court of Silver Flames more satisfying. The novella shows Nesta's emotional state after the war, introduces Cassian's perspective on her, and plants seeds for their romance in book 5. It also gives you the Night Court's perspective on healing and rebuilding after trauma, which creates context for the darker tone in Silver Flames.

The book is told from multiple perspectives, including Feyre, Rhysand, and other members of the Inner Circle. It's lighter and slower than the main trilogy, focused on the winter solstice celebration and character moments rather than high-stakes conflict. Some readers find it slow, but the character work it does is worth the investment.

If you skip Frost and Starlight and go straight to Silver Flames, you will wonder why certain relationships feel off or why Nesta's arc starts where it does. The novella is the bridge. Read it.

A Court of Splintered Harmony (ACOTAR book 6) releases October 27, 2026, and A Court of Forgotten Melody (book 7) follows on January 12, 2027. Sarah J. Maas revealed the titles and covers on August 17, 2026. She split what was originally planned as one book into multiple parts because the manuscript grew to over 1,000 pages.

The full story is four parts. Book 6 is the first part, book 7 contains parts two and three, and book 8 will be the fourth part. Maas has not announced a release date for book 8 yet.

Sarah J. Maas announced the split on the Call Her Daddy podcast in March 2026. She said that book 6 alone is over 400 pages, and that splitting the story allowed her to preserve the pacing and structure she wanted without cutting material readers would want to see.

Plot details have not been released. Maas has confirmed that the story continues the ACOTAR timeline and will feature characters readers know, but she has not revealed whose perspectives will be featured or what events the books will cover. The cover for book 6 includes the tagline "What was broken will be remade," and book 7's cover reads "What was lost will be reclaimed."

Start with A Court of Thorns and Roses. The first book is slower than the rest of the series, and some readers bounce off it. Push through. The second book is where the series finds its footing, and most fans agree that A Court of Mist and Fury is the best book Sarah J. Maas has written.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in a fae world where humans and faeries have been at war for centuries. Feyre is a human huntress who kills a wolf in the woods and gets dragged across the wall into Prythian as punishment. Tamlin, the High Lord of the Spring Court, is supposed to be her captor. The romance that unfolds is not what you expect, and the second book flips the entire premise.

This series works best for readers who enjoy fae romance, chosen one arcs, enemies-to-lovers (eventually), morally gray love interests, political intrigue, and fantasy worlds with Courts and magic systems. If you hate retellings or want a fast-paced first book, this might not work for you.