Doesn’t it seem like every new romantic fantasy, or romantasy, book has a title along the lines of A Court of Something and Something Else? Nearly every modern romantasy novel today calls back to one familiar series, and for good reason.
Love her or hate her, Sarah J. Maas basically gave birth to the modern romantic fantasy genre as we know it — with lush fantasy worlds filled with fae, sweeping romance, and devastating plot twists. Selling more than 70 million copies, it’s safe to say she’s one of the most recognizable names in the genre.
With multiple series and books that just seem to keep getting longer and longer, getting into her works can be overwhelming.
Wondering if Maas is worth the hype and ready to start cracking open some spines? Here’s my ultimate guide to the Maas-verse: what to expect, where to begin, and how to dive in without feeling totally lost.
What to Expect
Mass is the author of three interconnected series, each with its own respective world, characters, and plotlines. Each series centers mainly around a strong, female protagonist as she navigates the trials and tribulations of her world, with a bonus of ultra-hot fae she always seems to fall for. Here’s a quick rundown of each series.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Notably, her most popular series, A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR), is romantasy incarnate. The story begins as a Beauty-and-the-Beast-inspired romance, then quickly expands into the vast world of fae courts, politics, immense drama, and plenty of romance.
There are currently five published books in the series, with two more on the way! They follow Feyre Archeron, a 19-year-old who was taken into Prythian, the faerie realm, after killing a fae wolf.
She forms an unexpected bond with her captor, Tamlin, as the country fights a mysterious blight threatening the fae world.
In all, I’d say this is the spiciest of her series in terms of smut, with plenty of romance and steamy scenes woven into the immersive worldbuilding and action.
Throne of Glass
Throne of Glass (TOG) was first drafted by Maas when she was just 16 years old. The finished, eight-book series follows the journey of deadly teenage assassin Celaena Sardothien after her capture and imprisonment.
Released from the brutal salt mines by Prince Dorian, she’s offered a chance to fight for her freedom by competing in a contest. To win, she must defeat 23 killers and thieves to become the King of Adarlan’s Champion.
From there, the story develops into an epic fantasy adventure filled with magic, fae, found family, and absolutely delectable romance.
Crescent City
Crescent City (CC) is the most unique of Maas’s series, as an adult fantasy featuring modern cars, cell phones, and guns. Set in an urban city of Lunathion, CC follows half-fae, half-human Bryce Quinlan, who’s left reeling in the years after the mysterious murder of her closest friends.
When the murderer attacks again two years later, Bryce is put under the watch of a Fallen angel, Hunt Athalar. And you guessed it, they end up falling for each other.
This series really ties the entire Maas-verse together (wink, wink), and I highly recommend staying up to date with it before reading the new ACOTAR books, with the first one releasing late October 2026.
Where to Start
Bloomsbury Publishing features an official reading guide for those wondering where to start. It recommends either reading whichever series calls to you or reading in publication order. I recommend starting with whichever type of novel you’re most accustomed to reading.
For the newbies and romance girlies: ACOTAR
Before ACOTAR, I was mainly reading literary fiction with a side of romance. I hadn’t even browsed the fantasy section beyond shelving while working in a bookstore. After being absolutely bombarded by recommendations of ACOTAR, I finally caved and never looked back.
ACOTAR is the perfect introduction to the Maas-verse for those more familiar with romance novels, or to people new to reading entirely! It’s more low-fantasy, high-romance, and it’s absolutely addicting.
The romantic tension is enough to make you blush and keep coming back for more, and don’t be discouraged by the increasing lengths of each book — they fly by and leave you wishing they were even longer.
Ready for an epic fantasy?: THrone of glass
I won’t lie to you, TOG is a hefty series and a huge undertaking. With eight total books, many reach over 600 pages that are absolutely jam-packed with lengthy fight scenes and enough plot twists to make your head spin.
It’ll take you quite a while to get through, but trust me, it’s so worth it. Another thing to keep in mind is that the series’ reading order is heavily debated, as it includes a prequel novel and two books meant to be read in tandem.
As a side note, I personally read the prequel after the first two novels, and I opted to read half of each book first over the tandem reading, which I really recommend!
Cell phones over swords?: Crescent City
Crescent City isn’t exactly recommended for beginners to the Maas-verse. It’s known for its intense worldbuilding up front, which can make it difficult to dive into. Still, for readers of high fantasy (think Brandon Sanderson and George R.R. Martin), it could be a great place to start.
If medieval worlds featuring kingdoms and castles aren’t really your jam, CC might be a better fit, since it has a more modern, futuristic vibe, but full disclosure: CC is still patiently sitting in my very long to-be-read list; however, it’s a favorite for a ton of Maas fans.
In all, there’s a huge crossover appeal between the three series, so you’ll find that if you love one, you’ll love them all. Good luck, happy reading, and welcome to the Maas-verse!
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest!