Romantasy
Do You Need to Read ‘Crescent City’ Before ‘ACOTAR 6’? Let’s Settle This Book Debate
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Sarah J. Maas‘ Crescent City and A Court of Thorns and Roses series.]
Anyone else still reeling from Sarah J. Maas’ “First drafts DONE” announcement?
On July 12, 2025, the author of the hit romantasy series A Court of Thorns and Roses, posted a short video after nearly five months of social media silence that set BookTok ablaze: The announcement that the first draft of at least ACOTAR 6 (some believe the notebook in the video says ACOTAR 6-8) is complete.
After four years, SJM’s most famous series is officially receiving another novel. However, the announcement of ACOTAR 6 has faced BookTok with one very serious question: Do you need to read Sarah J. Maas’ other books to understand her newest novel? More specifically, do you need to read the Crescent City series, which was mostly published during ACOTAR’s hiatus, before you jump back into ACOTAR? Scroll to find out why readers are connecting ACOTAR and Crescent City, and learn more details about ACOTAR 6.
(Note: This is not a spoiler-free article. There will be spoilers for both Crescent City and A Court of Thorns and Roses below. You’ve been warned!)
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What is the reading order for Sarah J. Maas’ books?
All of Sarah J. Maas’ books from Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City are connected. The Sarah J. Maas universe can be entered from various places. However, many start with Maas’ first published book, Throne of Glass, and continue to read her books in publication order. Others begin with her most popular series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, before diving into the rest of her books. While all of Maas’ books have been confirmed to take place in the same universe, there is generally little overlap between series. To read our Swooon‘s suggested reading order for all of Sarah J. Maas’s books, click here.
How is ACOTAR related to Crescent City?
A Court and Thorns and Roses and Crescent City are primarily connected through one character: Azriel. After you first meet Azriel, a member of Rhysand’s Inner Circle, in A Court of Mist and Fury, he becomes a central character in the ACOTAR universe. During the second book of the Crescent City series, House of Sky and Breath, Bryce Quinlan opens a Gate that allows her to travel through worlds.
Conveniently, this Gate leads her to Velaris in the Night Court. From there, Azriel finds her and brings her back to meet Amren, Cassian, Nesta, and eventually, Rhysand and Feyre. The third book in the series, House of Flame and Shadow, features Azriel and Nesta teaming up with Bryce as well.
Should you read Crescent City before ACOTAR 6?
In our opinion, you don’t have to read Crescent City before ACOTAR 6. But if you want to ensure you get the full world-building experience, we would recommend it. Crescent City teaches readers a lot about the Sarah J. Maas universe, including how traveling between worlds works.
Many fans also believe that House of Flame and Shadow sets up Azriel to be the main character of ACOTAR 6. At this point, Maas has not revealed anything about the plot of the next book. However, fans definitely see a different side of Azriel during Crescent City, giving a window into what an Azriel POV would look like. Some fans even think he and Bryce could be mates!
Do you think that ACOTAR fans should read Crescent City before ACOTAR 6 comes out? Comment below!
