The Definite Ranking of all of SJM's books
As according to me, someone whose only qualification is based on how much she cried in the Maas Universe.
Well, hello there.
It’s been sometime. Almost two months in fact. But don’t worry, while I may not have been writing here, I’ve been reading. And that includes reading during a cross-country move, starting a new job and exploring my new surroundings, including signing up for a new library card.
And while I’ve been reading physical books, I’ve also gotten into some audio books. Spotify and Libby have been great for soothing the hockey smut need (Icebreaker and Wildfire anyone?) as well as making long drives bearable.
But despite the audiobooks and dipping into my TBR shelf, the one constant over the past few months has been making it through the rest of the Sarah J. Mass 16-book universe. I even took Empire of Storms, which I borrowed from the Sioux Falls library, all the way to Washington and shipped it back to a friend when I finished. That is dedication my friends.
It took me 10 months (!!!!) to get through the three series, A Court of Thorns and Roses (aka ACOTAR), Crescent City and Throne of Glass (aka ToG). ToG and Crescent City are both finished series (at least Crescent City seems like it), while there’s still plenty of books to come in ACOTAR.
Here’s my quick recommendation if you’re going to go through the Maas Universe: Start with ACOTAR, then go to ToG (whatever you do, don’t start with The Assassin’s Blade. Read that after you finish Heir of Fire), and finish up with Crescent City. Honestly, the order is interchangeable, but whatever you do, please read Crescent City #3, House of Flame and Shadow after you’ve finished ACOTAR #6, A Court of Silver Flames. Mass does some Marvel-level crossover shit there.
And in case you’re wondering, Chaol from ToG finally gets his vacation with a heavy dose of therapy.
So without further ado, here is my definite ranking of all 16 SJM books with one or two sentences. Please know I will die on the hill of these rankings.
A Court of Silver Flames (ACOTAR #4): Nesta finally, finally, finally gets some character development, a heavy dose of therapy with a side montage of training and the stakes are set up for what I think is going to be the final arc of the series.
Tears: 😭😭😭😭😭
A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOTAR #3): This bookends the first big arc of ACOTAR. There’s palace intrigue, there’s war, there’s scenes and quotes that I still think about today that leave me breathless.
Tears: 😭😭😭😭😭
House of Earth and Blood (CC #1): This was such a breath of fresh air from Maas’s normally high fantasy world. Also Bryce and Danika’s friendships over Bryce and Hunt’s romantic relationships every day!
Tears: 😭😭😭😭
Tower of Dawn (ToG #6): Part of the tandem read with Empire of Storms, which I didn’t do, this is the book where Chaol finally gets his vacation and his much needed therapy. But we’re not stanning this book because of Chaol, we stan Yrene, the healer, who carries the rest of the series and I wish she was introduced earlier.
Tears: 😭😭🥲
Kingdom of Ash (ToG #7): The final book of ToG reads like Game of Thrones with the battle sequences, the torture and the two big bads. Every time I think about the final sacrifice of the most badass warriors in the series, I start to get teary.
Tears: 😭😭😭🥲
A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR #2): Feyre has trauma and only the High Lord of the Night Court can help her. I also want to go to the Night Court for all their holidays.
Tears: 😭🥲
Empire of Storms (ToG #5): Everyone is getting together and we’re off on a pirate adventure. Obviously all the good stuff then leads to bad stuff happening because we can’t be happy.
Tears: 😭😭
Queen of Shadows (ToG #4): Manon, her dragon Abraxos and the Thirteen. Then Elide and Lorcan. That’s all I have to say.
Tears: 😭
House of Flame and Shadow (CC #3): Okay, I’m only putting this one higher than the HOSAB because of the very last few pages and the surprise guests at the beginning. I’m a sucker for a happy ending.
Tears: 🥲🙃
House of Sky and Breath (CC #2): We love reluctant spies and fleshed out romances that don’t involve unnecessary love triangles.
Tears: 😭😮
Heir of Fire (ToG #3): I have issues with the start of Celaena and Rowan’s relationship. But the last hundred pages make up for it.
Tears: 😮
A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOTAR #3.5): It’s a Christmas/Winter Solstice book! Best served with a cup of hot chocolate.
Tears: 🥲🙃
A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1): Welcome to ACOTAR, a Beauty and the Beast-retelling with a side of Survivor that could’ve been 100 pages shorter. This is the worst of the series but unfortunately, you do need to read it.
Tears: Just lots of 🙃🙃🙃
Crown of Midnight (ToG #2): I couldn’t even tell you what happens in this one other than the unnecessary murder of one of the only people of color in the first portion of the series.
Tears: 😭
Throne of Glass (ToG #1): This is a product of its time and also Maas’s first novel. The love triangle is unnecessary and the main character Mary Sue energy is too much for me.
Tears: None, just 🙃
The Assassin’s Blade (ToG #.5): The short stories follow how Celaena Sardothien becomes the assassin that you meet in ToG. But the short stories can’t do enough to provide the foundation for Celaena and Sam’s relationship.
Tears: Is there an angry tear emoji?
Now, hopefully, I’ll be back next week with some new recommendations. I’m listening to a book where the main character needs a whole bunch of therapy to get over her cold case obsession and bald man phobia, while I’m reading a book about academia being a lie.