We’ve been waiting for the next A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) book about as long as Vaughn has been missing at this point.
Despite the occasional hint dropped here and there, Sarah J. Maas hadn’t made any major moves on the next instalment of the ACOTAR series. Most recently, fans were given a brief glimpse of Feyre and the gang in the latest Crescent City novel — an appearance that left readers feeling only marginally more satisfied than reading the infamous line, “And Lorcan did…” — did what, exactly, Sarah?!
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Then came the news that our beloved romantasy queen was preparing for a nearly two-hour live conversation with Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast. Some fans braced themselves for the possibility of another Crescent City update or perhaps a short novella — no shade, but expectations were cautiously low.
Fortunately, pessimism was misplaced. During the broadcast, Maas revealed not only when the sixth ACOTAR novel will be released, but also confirmed that a seventh book is on the way.
Here’s everything we know about the upcoming ACOTAR instalments, including the expected release dates.
What do we know about ACOTAR 6 and 7?
The A Court of Thorns and Roses series, which debuted in 2015, exploded in popularity thanks in large part to #BookTok: the TikTok literary community that gained momentum during the early pandemic years and has since become a dominant cultural and commercial force in the publishing industry. These erotic novels are known as romantasy.
Readers have been captivated by the story of Feyre Archeron and her 500-year-old “mate,” the enigmatic faerie warrior at the centre of the saga, across five novels. Many fans have been eagerly awaiting a new instalment since the release of A Court of Silver Flames in 2021.
Speaking about the long gap between books, Sarah J. Maas explained that finding the right story and mindset took time. “What poured out of me was this, and it poured out of me very quickly,” she said of the upcoming instalment.
She did not reveal the titles or cover art for the next books, but acknowledged that the continuation of the series had been “a long time coming.” Details about the narrator were also kept under wraps, though Maas hinted that the choice of perspective surprised even her.
A Court of Thorns and Roses Paperback Box Set
Until now, many fans have speculated that the next story would follow Azriel and Elain — with or without a romantic resolution — though Maas declined to confirm the protagonist. She did reveal that she began exploring Elain’s character more deeply while writing the fifth book, describing how everyday activities at home unexpectedly fed into her creative process.