The Short Version
If you finished A Court of Thorns and Roses and you’re already in a book hangover, this one’s for you. Six books to read next, all spoiler free.
I picked them for three things ACOTAR does well: a dangerous faerie world, a romance with real stakes, and a heroine who has to fight for her place.
From Blood And Ash
Number one: From Blood and Ash, by Jennifer L. Armentrout, from twenty twenty. Poppy is the Maiden, veiled and kept apart, chosen by the gods. Then her new guard, Hawke, starts breaking all her rules.
It has the same slow burn and the same big world reveals. If you only pick one, pick this.
Fourth Wing
Number two: Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros, from twenty twenty three. Violet is forced into a war college where cadets bond with dragons, or die trying.
It’s faster and funnier than ACOTAR, with a brutal school setting. Pick it if you want action from page one.
The Cruel Prince
Number three: The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black, from twenty eighteen. Jude is a human girl raised in the High Court of Faerie, by the man who murdered her parents.
The faeries are as cruel as Amarantha’s court, and the politics are sharper. It’s young adult, so it’s lighter on spice.
Uprooted
Number four: Uprooted, by Naomi Novik, from twenty fifteen. Every ten years, a wizard called the Dragon takes a girl from the valley to serve in his tower. This time he takes Agnieszka.
It’s a fairy tale with a corrupted forest and a grumpy, powerful love interest. Pick it for beautiful writing.
Throne Of Glass
Number five: Throne of Glass, by Sarah J. Maas herself, from twenty twelve. Celaena is an assassin pulled out of a prison mine to compete for the king’s favor.
It starts smaller than ACOTAR and grows into a huge eight book series. Pick it if you just want more Maas.
Beauty
Number six: Beauty, by Robin McKinley, from nineteen seventy eight. This is the classic Beauty and the Beast retelling, a quiet, warm version of the story ACOTAR is built on.
There’s no spice and no war, just a girl, a castle and a beast. Pick it for the original fairy tale feeling.
How To Choose
So, how to choose. For the same slow burn, From Blood and Ash. For dragons and action, Fourth Wing. For cruel faerie politics, The Cruel Prince.
For a dark fairy tale, Uprooted. For more Maas, Throne of Glass. And for the classic retelling, Beauty.
Your Turn
Which one are you picking up first? Tell me in the comments. My review and the full series guide are linked below.
