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How to Read the Sarah J. Maas Books in Order

If you spend enough time online—particularly among the algorithmic undergrowth of TikTok, Goodreads, or the more ungovernable corners of Reddit—you've likely seen the name Sarah J. Maas. In an era defined by burnout, disillusionment, and endless scrolling, Maas offers immersive narrative as an antidote. For years, fantasy literature, like much of genre fiction, was siloed into two camps: what men read seriously, and what women read guiltily. Over the past decade, Maas has built a publishing empire by doing something deceptively simple: giving adult readers—especially women—permission to take genre fiction seriously, and to lust over winged creatures. So, what exactly is she writing? And where should a curious reader begin? Let's break it down in a mostly spoiler-free reading guide. A collection of five interconnected novellas that follow 16-year-old Celaena Sardothien, the most notorious teenage assassin in the kingdom of Adarlan. These stories show how she went from elite killer to enslaved prisoner. Key moments include her romance with fellow assassin Sam, betrayals within her guild, and a mission to a desert fortress that foreshadows her moral awakening. Essential context. BUY NOW Celaena is pulled from prison to compete in a brutal contest to become the royal assassin for the tyrannical King of Adarlan. Begins deceptively light but sets the tone. BUY NOW The political intrigue deepens, secrets unravel, and the real magical plotline starts to emerge. BUY NOW Celaena journeys to a new continent and begins training in magic. Massive expansion of the world and key new characters are introduced. BUY NOW Our heroine returns to the original court with a vengeance. She confronts the shadows of her past—literally and emotionally—while assembling a core group of allies to undermine a regime. BUY NOW The story explodes across continents intro full-scale fantasy, including war, alliances, ancient gods, and brutal cliffhangers. Reads like a sweeping epic. BUY NOW A parallel novel to Empire of Storms set in a different location, focusing on Chaol's journey. Crucial for world-building and convergence. This one is a vital piece of the endgame puzzle. BUY NOW The final installment. All storylines converge in an all-out war for the future of the realm. Heavy, emotional, cathartic. BUY NOW Feyre Archeron, a mortal hunter struggling to feed her family, kills a wolf in the woods—who turns out to be a fae (read: fairy) in disguise. As punishment, she's taken to the Spring Court of Prythian by Tamlin, a fae High Lord. There, she discovers a court cursed by dark magic and gradually falls for her captor. The final act shifts into horror and violence as Feyre must complete deadly trials to save Tamlin and the realm. BUY NOW Book two marks a genre shift: trauma recovery, emotional healing, and a different love story. This one is widely regarded as the series' peak. BUY NOW War breaks out across the fae realms in this political and action-heavy installation. Questions of loyalty, leadership, and legacy are central as Feyre becomes not just a survivor, but a commander of fate. BUY NOW A quieter, post-war novella that serves as an emotional coda to the original trilogy and a bridge to future stories. Set during the Winter Solstice, it focuses on healing, rebuilding, and the everyday tensions among Feyre's inner circle. BUY NOW Focuses on Feyre's sister Nesta and the warrior Cassian. The plot follows their physical and emotional growth while a new magical threat rises. It's more mature, grounded, and emotionally intense than the earlier books. BUY NOW Bryce Quinlan, a half-fae party girl, lives in a modern city run by angels, shifters, witches, and bureaucrats. When her closest friend is murdered, Bryce is pulled into an investigation with Hunt Athalar, a disgraced angel enforcer. What begins as a murder mystery becomes a deep dive into grief, guilt, ancient magic, and forbidden love. By the end, Bryce is no longer the woman the city thought she was. BUY NOW The story expands beyond the city to a secret resistance, forbidden magic, and the beginnings of multiverse crossover. The book ends with a twist that links the Crescent City series to the ACOTAR universe—setting up the Maasverse crossover. BUY NOW Picking up immediately after the multiverse cliffhanger, this book explores the consequences of the crossover and the origins of the shared worlds. It's the most meta of Maas's books and bridges her multiple worlds with high stakes and bold narrative experimentation. BUY NOW