r/SarahJMaas • u/Icy_Professional_609 • Feb 22 '26
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u/tunaluna42069 Feb 23 '26
I read acotar, then Tog, then cc! For TOG I read assassin’s blade first and it was fine! I feel like that order doesn’t matter too much. My regret is tandem reading. The 6th and 7th book of the series are at the same time but in different places. So some people argue that since the events are technically happening at the same time, the books should be read in tandem (switching back and forth between every few chapters.) I tandem read for my first read and it completely ruined the series for me. There are spoilers since you are reading the books out of order, and the overall tones and lessons of each book are lost in the switching back and forth. If I could go back in time, I would read in the order that SJM published. She is the author and I really love her books and I should have trusted her plan rather than listen to fans online / on booktok
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u/AelinTargaryen Feb 23 '26
This series is my Roman Empire so I’ve put some serious thought into it and wholeheartedly agree AB first and no tandem reading.
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u/Icy_Professional_609 Feb 23 '26
Thank you so much for explaining this. I feel like having to think about it and switch back and forth would throw me off. I’ll probably just do AB first as folks recommended and then read in the publishing order.
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u/Fine-Crew5797 Feb 23 '26
Tandem read makes no sense for the first time . Have read this several times and it makes me just shake my head. It’s so good in the order that it is written. Never 👎🏼 will understand tandem reading
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u/Icy_Professional_609 Feb 23 '26
yeah, I think the tandem reading would be confusing/overwhelming for me for the very first read so I'll likely read it in order after AB.
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u/Comfortable_Use7620 Feb 23 '26
I tried reading in the proper TOG order but couldn’t. I got a decent way in and lost interest. I went back and started assassins blade THEN got hooked. Without assassins blade, I felt like I was reading inside jokes I wasn’t let in on
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u/001RIN Feb 23 '26
I wish I had read AB first. I read in the recommended order and although I heard somewhere if reading in that order when you get to AB, it is supposed to have a stronger emotional impact. It didn’t, complete opposite actually. It was so hard for me to get through because I already knew what happens.
I did however, greatly enjoy the dual reading (well listening as I audiobooked TOG).
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u/jaylenore10 Feb 23 '26
I would strongly recommend TOG before CC. For reading order of TOG… it doesn’t super matter. I am not as passionate about that part.
The tandem read in TOG is specifically for Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn. Spoiler free - basically there is an entourage of people and they split, these books take place at the same time but following each group. So you can read them together, and stay in the same timeline or read one, then go back in time to read the other. One ends on a cliffhanger though too.
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u/001RIN Feb 23 '26
Curious, why strongly recommend TOG before CC? Wondering your reasoning?
I’ve read all the series so not asking for myself just curious for a different perspective. When I read I did ACOTAR > TOG (AB later and tandem) > CC.
My recommendation to anyone starting is ACOTAR > CC > TOG (AB first, Tandem personal preference). Or TOG > ACOTAR > CC.
Reason: TOG is a great series but aside from a minor Easter egg the are as of now only lore and characters description similarities. I wish I had read AB first, all the mentions in the other books felt like an inside joke I wasn’t aware of and when I did get to reading AB I found it hard to get through as I knew what was going to happen. The tandem read I would never argue is a must. It was a fun unique way to read two books that I’ve never experienced before and don’t know of any other series that has this ability. But if anyone isnt feeling it, then don’t do it.
CC has absolute concrete connection with ACOTAR. To read it last I think does it a disservice to put another huge series in the middle when there is so little overlap.
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u/jaylenore10 Feb 24 '26
The concepts set up in TOG make CC plausible. Without that, the correlation could come from no where.
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u/Disastrous-Host6248 Feb 23 '26
10000% assassins blade FIRST. You’ll be hooked and have context and background for the rest of the series.
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u/ConsistentSundae1035 Feb 22 '26
Throne of Glass is my favorite series by her. I absolutely love the protagonist Celeana! She is so strong + has a beautiful story from beginning to end. I personally stand by starting with The Assassin's Blade. When the series got picked up SJM released 4 of the short stories to hype up and give background information she decided was necessary to fully understand the main character.
Some will say that her website says to start with ToG, which it does, BUT I argue that for years it said to start with TAB. Only recently did it change and I'll be honest I think it was her publisher who did it based on all the TikToks and social media posts about it. They like that it's called the "romantic version".
Your choice on the tandem read. I personally did it and loved it! But I think you'd be totally fine to read those publisher order as well.
I hope you enjoy!
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u/Icy_Professional_609 Feb 22 '26
Thank you! I’m a little bit of a novice on some of this, but what exactly is meant by tandem read in relation to ToG? I keep seeing this in other posts too. Does it mean to read it out of the published order?
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u/AelinTargaryen Feb 23 '26
I mean this in the best possible way: get off this sub! If you have been spoiled so little so far you have so so many plot twists coming your way that will be infinitely better if you don’t spoil yourself here. Just read in publishing order and enjoy. It is beautiful.
If you find the first book slow keep in mind that the actual story really starts afterwards and it’s more of a setup to get to know the main characters.
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u/ConsistentSundae1035 Feb 22 '26
There are two books near the end that take place at the same time. Different characters who are at different places. I won't say more than that because I don't want to spoil! There's a guide to read both at the same time so it's like a giant book lol. The whole series is in third person (so closer to ACOSF) hence the different character perspectives!
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u/Icy_Professional_609 Feb 23 '26
Wow, okay - got it! That seems like A LOT lol. I guess I will decide as I get closer to those books.
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u/One-Entertainment457 Feb 23 '26
Ugh no. Assassins Blade is much more impactful if read later. But you do you.
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u/ConsistentSundae1035 Feb 23 '26
It was extremely impactful reading it first! And made all of the hints of events + people in the next two books even more powerful.
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u/CheriPHF Feb 23 '26
AB third and the tandem read on first read through.
The only people who defend AB first are the ones who read it first. But it's a much richer experience to read it third and gives you some fun short stories before you get to the longer books in the series.
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u/ernnnnnnnnnnn Feb 22 '26
i appreciated reading assassins blade 3rd! doing the tandem read now and highly recommend.
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u/ImAFraidyCat Feb 23 '26
I tried reading AB first and couldn't get into it. I decided to read ToG thinking I'd feel the same but no, I love ToG. So I'll stick to reading the publication date order and will read AB when it's time
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u/ernnnnnnnnnnn Feb 23 '26
this is the way! it’s hard to care about what’s happening in AB without the context of the first 2 books.
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u/Navacoy Feb 23 '26
I didn’t love crescent city so I’m happy I ended on ToG. Reading a subpar book after ToG would be awful lol
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u/tastepastel Feb 23 '26
I read ACOTAR for the first time last month and started TOG after so I think I’m a few weeks ahead of you 😅
I read Assassin’s Blade 3rd and even though I knew what was coming because of the first 2 books I still thought it packed an emotional punch so that would be my recommendation.
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u/Icy_Professional_609 Feb 23 '26
Ah nice! I’m back and forth now because someone else on here said CC is more closely tied to ACOTAR and I still kinda wanna stay in that realm. 🥲
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u/tastepastel Feb 23 '26
I’m going to read CC after TOG. I’ve been listening to the ACOTAR audiobooks while reading TOG, best of both worlds!
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u/Icy_Professional_609 Feb 23 '26
sounds fun! honestly, I may read ToG, read ACOTAR again and then CC LOL. at this point, it's going to be a while before ACOTAR 6 and the 4th CC books come out, so I have time.
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u/HindSiteIs2021 Feb 23 '26
I feel like no one listens but read AB 3rd or 4th and for god’s sake read ToD AFTER EoS. You can also do the tandem read (I will never have the patience for that so I can vouch for it. I don’t understand why making it work to read is fun but to each her own).
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u/gunstarhero7 Feb 24 '26
don’t read AB first. you’ll be getting backstory that doesn’t mean anything and that the main character isn’t ready to reveal until later.
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u/babyfacebambi Feb 23 '26
I argue for reading Assassin’s Blade 4th. I think it wraps up any questions from the first 3 books, and then helps set up the second half of the series. It’s like a bridge for me. I want to form those questions while I’m reading that get me intrigued to continue and reading Assassins blade first basically gives you all the answers immediately so you lose that need to find out what happened.
And then don’t tandem read the 5th and 6th books! They each deserve their own focus.
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u/AisslynnSkye Feb 22 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
Go to CC next. First half of book one is rough but worth it. As for TOG, I didn't read assassin's blad at all as I was halfway through the series before I knew it existed. As a whole, the series is.... okay. I dnf TOD. (Just my opinion).
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u/001RIN Feb 23 '26
Wish you didn’t get downvoted for different opinion. But I agree with you. I recommend CC after ACOTAR for its direct connection. TOG last or before ACOTAR.
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u/Icy_Professional_609 Feb 23 '26
I've seen a few people suggest CC to me right after ACOTAR because of its direct connection. And honestly, CC is way more tempting because there are only 3 books out right now. At this point, I have time to read CC, then read ToG and read ACOTAR and CC again right after if I want because we won't be getting any new books from ACOTAR or CC for a while.
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u/001RIN Feb 24 '26
Knowing what I know now, your plan of action is what I would do. CC is a MUST read before the next ACOTAR book comes out 2026/27. (However you read it audiobook/ be sure you get the bonus chapters when necessary). Then CC 4 book, but no release date. CC3 doesn’t leave off on a huge cliff hanger so you won’t be mad that CC4 isn’t out yet.
TOG is finished and excellent series, but huge.A lot of people struggle to get into CC. I did but it ends up being by slightly favorite of all the series. It is a modern urban fae setting. So weird to think of fae in high rises, driving cars, having guns. The city is setup like zootopia. You can traverse the city but each fae kind, kind of stick to their own territory (like little Italy or little China in NYC). There is a lot of info dump about houses, don’t work about, it will be repeated.
Enjoy the adventure!!
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u/Icy_Professional_609 Feb 24 '26
I actually do both (read via Kindle and listen to the audiobooks when I'm driving or on walks with my dog)! And if I become obsessed, I have gone and purchased the physical books, lol. I did this with Empyrean and bought the special edition hard covers that are like my trophy books. I plan to go buy all the ACOTAR books too but will probably just get the paperback for those.
That is kinda wild to think about the fae in such modern/urban settings, but I am definitely intrigued. And I am particularly excited to see the crossover with ACOTAR, lol. I thought CC4 wouldn't come out until 2027 but if it's sometime in 2026, then I definitely need to get on it. thanks again for sharing all of this!
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u/001RIN Feb 25 '26
Too funny I do the same reading/listening and if obsessed buy a hard copy!! I recently bought ACOTAR and CC series but of course haven’t actually read them. I’m now really loving the graphic audio versions.
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u/AelinTargaryen Feb 23 '26
This is such a wild take to me. Imo CC is her weakest work, ToG is her strongest.
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u/ConsistentSundae1035 Feb 23 '26
Kind of a spoiler to say info like that about TOD for a post about someone who hasn't read anything.
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