Hi, hello and welcome! I just HAVE to share my thoughts and feelings about this series! My review of the ACOTAR series is in April 2025, I will do my best to avoid any spoilers beyond what you will read about on the back of the books. At this point there are 5 books with rumours of a 6th for later this year, and when I tell you I can not wait, I literally can not wait! When the 6th book is released I will review the 6th book for you too.
This review will go through the books 1 by 1 and what I thought of each one. I have read mixed reviews about the series but it has received a LOT of hype. Out of the 5, I had 2 favourites and 1 I didn’t really enjoy.
1, A court of thorns and roses
4, A court of frost and starlight
What is ACOTAR?
ACOTAR stands for A Court Of Thorns And Roses, the first book was written in 2015. This is the title of the first book, and the whole series is referred to as the ACOTAR series. It recently went viral thanks to BookTok and has helped get a lot of new readers into the fantasy genre, me included.The books are fantasy romance novels, or romantasy as this genre is now known and were written by Sarah J Maas. You can find more about the author and her books, including other series here.
What happens?
The series focuses on a young girl called Feyre, (pronounced Fey-ruh) a young human girl living alongside her family in poverty. On the other side of the wall live the fae. A world full of fairies and other mythical and magical creatures. These fairies are far from Tinkerbell though, with the muscular males towering over 6ft and the females breathtakingly beautiful. Neither side like those that live on the other side. In the fae World of Prythian the land is split into several courts. Each with their own ruler. What awaits Feyre when she crosses the wall?
The books are classed as young adult, but they do have some sexually explicit descriptions that get more graphic as the series progresses. There is also violence, death and toxic relationships. Due to this, many feel it isn’t suitable for under 18’s. Luckily for me, I am over 18 (by quite a bit 🤣).
Following coaching sessions with a confidence coach, I began reading as part of my self care routine, and I joined some online book groups and clubs. After seeing the ACOTAR series recommended almost daily, I decided to give it a go. I hadn’t really read any fantasy before, and didn’t think I would like it at all, but decided to try it out.
A Court Of Thorns And Roses
This is the first book in the ACOTAR series — and where my romantasy obsession began.
Some readers say it’s a slow burn, but I was hooked from page one. Like many fantasy books, it takes time to build the world and its characters, so if you’re not immediately gripped, hang in there — it’s worth it.
We’re introduced to the Archeron family, and our main character, Feyre. Living in poverty on the human side of a wall separating their world from the fae, Feyre hunts to feed her family. But when she kills a strange wolf in the woods, everything changes. Soon, a beast arrives demanding retribution, and Feyre is taken across the wall into the fae lands.
Her captor? Tamlin, the High Lord of the Spring Court. There are definite Beauty and the Beast vibes here, though I didn’t really notice that on first read. As Feyre gets to know Tamlin, her feelings begin to shift, and love starts to bloom. But danger is brewing — and Feyre may be the only one who can stop it.
This book transforms from a slow simmer into full-blown epic. The second half is packed with action, emotion, and Feyre facing impossible trials. And yes, this is also where we meet Rhysand.
I devoured this book. It completely opened my eyes to how books can transport you to another world. It was honestly life-changing. Fantasy became my favourite escape, and this story reminded me just how powerful reading can be for self-care and getting lost in something magical.
I couldn’t wait to pick up book two.
Because when the legends get written, I didn’t want to be remembered for standing on the sidelines.
A Court Of Mist And Fury
Next up in the ACOTAR series is ACOMAF, A court of mist and fury. “I have never loved a book more than this one!” That really sums up my thoughts and emotions about this book. That still holds true. For those who struggled with book one, this is where things really take off. On reflection, this one (alongside book three) is my favourite of the series.
Feyre is no longer human, now High Fae — and struggling. She carries guilt from the horrors she endured Under the Mountain, and is struggling to deal with it. To save Tamlin and his people, she made a bargain with Rhysand, the mysterious High Lord of the Night Court. Will she fulfil the bargain? Are there wedding bells in the air?
So often in books, characters seem to brush trauma off. This book doesn’t do that, which makes it much more relatable.
I loved this book. So. Much. It’s the best I’ve ever read. Honestly, one day this will make the most incredible movie. The world-building is magical, the tension is chef’s kiss, and when things start to heat up… they really heat up. Type “ACOMAF chapter…” into Google and you’ll see what I mean. For me, chapter 42 is everything.
If you’re expecting a simple happy-ever-after… there are three more books to go! And as for that iconic quote? It hits even harder once you’ve read the next one. Even now, hearing it makes me squeal — iykyk!
There you are. I’ve been looking for you.
A Court Of Wings And Ruin
Onto ACOWAR. Wow, wow, wow! This book has some trigger warnings, the main theme of this book is an impending war. In the build up to it, Feyre and her friends must decide who to trust and where to find allies. When I re-read my initial review of this book, I had written ‘Wow, this series just gets better and better! When it got to the final third of the book, I could not stop!’.
I have seen reviews that feel this book is overhyped and overrated. For me, I didn’t feel that way. I felt it had the right balance of the story leading up to the war and the battle itself. At times it was intense and at other times it was very emotional. It’s one of the very few books I have cried reading – get the tissues ready. The world building was brilliant in this book, and there were a few surprises along the way. Without giving too much away I feel the ending for some characters could have been different. This made me consider rating it less, however, I devoured this book and loved it, so it was another 5 star review from me!
I would have waited five hundred more years for you. A thousand years. And if this was all the time we were allowed to have… The wait was worth it.
A Court Of Frost And Starlight
On to book 4 in the ACOTAR series. I consider this book a Christmas special, or a filler book.
Following the war the Night Court is being rebuilt and repaired. The Winter solstice is approaching, and with it comes big celebrations. We start to learn how the trauma has affected different characters and their relationships with each other and those around them.
This was definitely my least favourite of all the books. When I re-read my original review I had put ‘My least favourite of the series so far. Slow paced and I didn’t feel like anything happened’. I didn’t like the way the book jumped from different people’s POV’s. It made it feel disjointed and didn’t feel the same as the previous books. However, this book was a nice little palette cleanser after 2 quite heavy books. Many of the characters have been through several traumatic experiences and it was good that these weren’t brushed under the carpet and we got to see the healing they needed to go through. It definitely adds to the character development for the series and the next book. A court of frost and starlight was good for sharing this.
Overall, this was a quick read and it does break up the series nicely. Definitely not my favourite though.
Cassian had named about two dozen poses for Nesta at this point. Ranging from I Will Eat Your Eyes for Breakfast to I Don’t Want Cassian to Know I’m Reading Smut. The latter was his particular favorite.
A Court Of Silver Flames
Book number 5. A court of silver flames is the last in the ACOTAR series….. for now anyway! This book focuses on Nesta and Cassian, who we have been learning more and more about as the series goes on. Nesta was not easily pleased as a human, now with all the trauma she has gone through she is even more difficult. She finds herself on a slippery slope, losing her self worth and relationships with those around her.
One person who can infuriate her more than any other is Cassian. You know that saying though, there’s a thin line between love and hate? For these two, the line is so thin it’s dotted. Although this book is the steamiest of the 5 by far, don’t be fooled into thinking this is a slushy romance story. This is a total kick ass girl power book – I do love anything girl power. It must be from growing up in The Spice Girls era.
Back to the spiciness, it is hot! There are a lot of explicit intimate scenes. I would not recommend listening to this in the car, especially if you have the windows open or the volume up loud. My other half said I should have been filming my facial expressions while reading this one. At times I ended up giggling. This was not the thing I enjoyed the most about this book though. Following the story line showing the strength of women was why I loved this book.
Thoughts…
I gave this one 4.5 stars, as I feel like there were too many explicit scenes, it took away from the story a bit. The ending also felt rushed, which made it my third favourite in this series.
That’s the key, isn’t it? To know the darkness will always remain, but how you choose to face it, handle it… that’s the most important part.
Overall review of the ACOTAR series
There you have it, that’s what I thought of the ACOTAR series without revealing spoilers for those that haven’t read the story. ACOMAF & ACOWAR are the best books I have EVER read. It’s really hard being as you just want to shout about this series from the rooftops once you have read it. I can definitely understand why the series has had so many rave reviews. Not only did this series completely enchant me, it opened up my eyes to the world of fantasy. Before that, I wouldn’t have picked up a fantasy novel.
If you aren’t sure about reading fantasy, or something labelled as young adult. Give it a go, it might just be your new obsession. That’s the same for lots of things really, sometimes going out of your comfort zone can lead to amazing discoveries. Equally, prioritise self-care for yourself, and remember it isn’t just about face masks and spa days.
If you’ve read this series, let me know in the comments which is your favourite. More book reviews here!
Sophie x
