I saw it all over BookTok, I kept hearing the name Rhysand. A fantasy series called ACOTAR. Fantasy books were not for me though, and a faerie one at that? But here I am, 5 books later and wishing I could live in Velaris! if you are a busy Mum looking for the ultimate escape then the ACOTAR (A court of thorns and roses) series is here for you, and I’m going to review it! When I say this series changed my life, I am not exaggerating. It opened up a new world of escapism that I didn’t realise needed unlocking.
If you are here in 2026, please know that I am with you (im)patiently awaiting books 6 and 7! When they are released, you know I will be devouring them in days, so I will add my thoughts here. For now though I’m going to tell you why books 1-5 deserve a space on your bookshelf.
1, A court of thorns and roses
4, A court of frost and starlight
Book 1 – A court of thorns and roses
A retelling of beauty and the beast
First up in the series is A Court Of Thorns And Roses, ACOTAR, where it all begins. Meet Feyre, she’s 19, she’s starving, and she is basically carrying her family on her back. Bits of that sound familiar eh? While she’s out hunting to feed her mostly ungrateful family, she kills a wolf. Not just any wolf though. A fae male disguised as a wolf. This is where we get to meet Tamlin, a terrifying beast who wants revenge, and he whisks Feyre away as punishment. In his fae form though, he is a stunning high lord who is pretty difficult to resist.
Why you’ll keep turning the pages
I saw reviews from some saying that this book was a slow burn, I didn’t feel that at all. Maybe it’s because I was a newbie to romantasy, but I was hooked from the very beginning. It starts like some of the fairy tales we grew up with, a magical land, a rich lord with a huge house, and strange creatures. By the final third of the book I forgot my to-do list completely and was listening to the audiobook every spare moment I got. At the end of the book Feyre has to complete a number of challenges to save the magical world she is now in. It was nail-biting!
You can’t help rooting for Feyre (even though she has very watery bowels!), because she is just a regular girl who needs to save the world. Tamlin seems dreamy, tall, gorgeous and can’t do enough for his lady, did I mention he also plays the fiddle. Lucien seems like he will be a strong contender for favourite character in the series. Rhysand, well he seems like a bit of a dick to be honest, but there’s hope for him yet, and there’s a reason you have heard his name so much!
Is it steamy?
This book is a young adult book, so there is some spice but not too much. That comes later on though!
“Because when the legends get written, I didn’t want to be remembered for standing on the sidelines”
Book 2 – A Court Of Mist And Fury
Everything you thought you knew changes!
Next up in the ACOTAR series is ACOMAF, A court of mist and fury. This is where things really start to ramp up. Feyre is back at the spring court, she is now fae. This came at a cost though and Feyre is struggling to live with the guilt. She’s dealing with trauma, she’s stopped eating and Tamlin is flying so many red flags he may as well open a circus. On a serious note though, it really makes a change to see someone struggling with trauma in fantasy books. Watching as Feyre finds her strength again and spreads her wings (or someone else’s) is so lovely. As Mother’s we can sometimes lose our identity and so I think that’s why it felt relatable.
To help save her High Lord’s world, Feyre made a deal with Rhysand, the High lord of the night court. He is here to claim it, and I am here for it! The change in direction will give you literal whiplash in the best way! Warning, new book boyfriend incoming. Plus we get to find out about the city of Velaris, the place we all wish we could visit!
Spicy?
You know when you have spicy food and it takes a while to build and feel the heat? That’s the same for the spice in this book. It is the ultimate slow burn, and when it gets spicy you better make sure you aren’t in public! I love listening to these as audio books, as it helps me with the pronunciation of names and places. Let’s just say I had to make sure my headphones were turned down, and I hit the pause button if I stopped next to someone at a red light.
I could not get enough of it though, it is still my favourite book to date. I love the plot twists, the characters, and how the writing made it play out like a movie in my mind. This book also provides the ultimate quote IYKYK, I squeal every time I hear it.
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you“
Book 3 – A Court Of Wings And Ruin
Ultimate squad goals!
We come back to the story in the thick of it, and Feyre is going under cover. A war is on the way and she needs to find out who she can truly trust, and discover plans for the impending battle. Seeing Feyre dismantle things from the inside, gives total kick ass vibes. One of the best things about it though is the friendships that develop, the way everyone works together and supports one another is heartwarming. Us Mums are all too aware of how important it is to have support around you, and those who have your back (or a bottle of wine) no matter what. It will definitely make you want to join their squad though.
This is a BIG book, so I was definitely glad for the audiobook for this one. There are a lot of politics and battle strategy, which is so much easier to get through when you’re listening to it while folding the washing. Having said that, I didn’t find it a struggle. I will warn you though, Sarah J Maas really knows how to pummel the heart strings, and if you are anything like me, you will be ugly crying by the end. So much so, I’m glad the kids were in bed when I listened to that or they would have wondered what on earth was going on.
All fighting and no play?
I’ll be honest I didn’t expect much raunchiness in this book, what with it being centred on a humongous war. We’ve all been there though, trying to fit a quickie into our busy lives. Well it’s just the same for these guys, and they manage to squeeze a bit of raunch in there while fighting for their lives. Serious sparks begin to fly between some other characters too, Cassian and Nesta – I see you!
“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.“
Book 4 – A Court Of Frost And Starlight
A Christmas special
Ok, book 3 was heavy. Perhaps some light hearted entertainment is needed? This book reminded me of the 10 minute Disney movie spin offs. Kind of like a cute behind the scenes. There’s not a lot of plot to this book, it’s focused on the characters trying to heal and get back to normality. As with ACOMAF I love how you actually get to see people healing and dealing with what they have been through. I would say it makes them seem more human, but they are in fact, not human.
Did I love it? No. With the first 3 books being so filled with drama this one just felt a little flat to me. If you’ve read it, what do you think? Did you enjoy it?
It is a nice little palate cleanser though before we go onto book 5.
“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.”
Book 5 – A Court Of Silver Flames
Absolute filth – in the best way
Book 5 belongs to Nesta, the grumpy ungrateful sister who you may have spent the last 4 books hating. Her story is gritty and raw, and is about mental health, female rage and self-forgiveness. She is forced into a training camp with Cassian, and I can’t say I feel sorry for her. Being surrounded by Cassian and Azriel topless and glistening with sweat sounds pretty good to me! Jokes aside though, the writing shows the hurt she is going through, and you really end up routing for her.
Girl power
Nesta isn’t a nice girl or a people pleaser. She’s grumpy, she pushes people away, and she’s a bit of a broken mess to be honest. Not only do we get to see Nesta build herself up and being kick ass, but we see her give strength and support to others in the form of her Valkyrie girl squad. I think growing up in the Spice Girl era definitely had an effect on how much I appreciate a good girl power story.
Pass me the water
This is a public service announcement! Do not read or listen to this book in public. The tension between Nesta and Cassian makes this the spiciest book yet. My other half was laughing at the facial expressions I pulled listening to this (always through headphones!). I blushed, I squirmed, I giggled! There definitely is a thin line between love and heat, and the friction between these 2 could easily set it alight, again and again, and again.
There is a lot of spice in this book, in fact it is positively filthy in places. For me personally, it took away from the story a little bit. I love reading about women finding their strength, supporting others, and learning to appreciate themselves. That was the main pull of the book for me.
“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.”
What’s next?
For me, I love the escapism of reading a romantasy book. I can not wait for book 6 & 7 to be released. Do you think they will focus on Elain or Azriel? This series will always hold a special place in my heart for opening up a new genre to me. It just reminded me to allow myself time for the things I enjoy. For me, self care isn’t about going for a spa day. It’s about sitting on the sofa with a candle lit, a hot cup of tea and travelling to a World far, far away.
If you want to carry on with your Sarah J Maas journey and can’t wait for book 6, you can see more info about her books here. If you want to try a different author, I really recommend The Tides of Xanthia. Happy reading!
Sophie x
