It took me awhile to finish Violet Made of Thorns. There were some parts of the book that I liked more than others. The other parts felt like I had to slog through the dialogue and it wasn't as enjoyable.

Violet Made of Thorns is an enthralling read that combines elements of fantasy with deep character exploration and intricate plotting. Fans of morally ambiguous protagonists will find much to appreciate in Violet’s journey through love, betrayal, and self-discovery amidst palace intrigue. With its compelling narrative arc and well-developed characters, this book promises to resonate with readers long after they turn the last page.

Overall, Gina Chen has crafted a remarkable debut that sets high expectations for future installments in this series.

I am a sucker for an enemies to lovers story with a morally gray heroine. Chen writes true enemies to lovers at that. None of this tepid mild dislike. Violet is ready to burn the world down to carve her own destiny. This book gave me Iron Widow vibes with the strength of the heroine. I will return to this book again and again.

I value the opportunity I was given to read this in advance, but it has been three years and I still haven't read this. With so many books ahead of me, I cannot return to this title.

This is a story about hugging a porcupine, basically.

Violet is not pleasant- something that’s made abundantly clear rapidly. Prince Charming is also not super pleasant so they are a pretty good match! The magic system isn’t a focus but does seem cool- especially the element of people turning into plant monster creatures & the story wraps up nicely (if a little suddenly!) by the end.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thanks so much Delacorte Press for the gifted copy, I enjoyed it!

An incredibly crafted fantasy that I highly enjoyed (disclaimer that I read it as an early draft due to friendship with the author, and then again as an ARC).

I had picked up this book because well, I was told the main character was morally grey girl and there was an enemies to lovers romance, which I thought would be right up my alley. But there was no real enemies to lovers and Violet was never really morally grey. Yes she lies and does stuff solely to protect herself but I was expecting it to be darker.

I can't believe this book is a standalone, but also, wow. I LOVED THIS BOOK! The play with prophecy, the slow burn romance, the world. I really with I had read it sooner, but I'm so glad I was able to snatch a copy. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to have access to this book in exchange for an honest review. I should have read it sooner.

3.0

I desperately want to give this 4 stars, but with there being no plans for a sequel, and the ending not feeling finished to me, I can't rate it higher than a 3. I did really enjoy this story though.

If what you're looking for is an over-the-top, high drama, high angst, low plot YA romp, then this would probably fit the bill. Overall, the book had some interesting ideas and could have taken the plot somewhere... but in reality it's mostly just driven by the pettiness and whims of Violet. I had hopes for a book featuring a Seer as a main character, especially since I love a good "street rat moves into the palace plot" but for all that Violet is supposed to be witty and cunning and clever, she makes a LOT of really poor decisions and judgement calls? Many of the characters have inconsistent desires and motivations. Despite having other great female characters, I'm fairly sure the book would also fail the Bechdel test, for Violet literally having to have a thought about Cyrus at every possible moment. The Not Like Other Girls energy is so strong it's suffocating. Also, I have higher standards for YA when it comes to depictions of consent, and I think there are better ways the author could have played on the enemies-to-lovers idea that included WAY more consent than what actually occurs. For the first three times Violet and Cyrus kiss, Violet's internal monologue is about how much she doesn't want it, she makes no verbal statements that she does want it, and then afterwards flop flops between regret and lust. What lessons are we really teaching young people with this?

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book.

Decent fairy tale inspired read. I wasn't in love with the ending but it wasn't terrible. I would have read more if a 2nd book was planned but sounds like there won't be unfortunately!

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A darkly enchanting fantasy about a lying witch, a cursed prince, and a sinister prophecy that ignites their doomed destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince.

“Everything you want from an enemies-to-lovers fantasy starring morally gray characters.”—BuzzFeed

Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.

But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus's love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.

Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can't change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.
Available Editions

Thank you Netgalley for sharing this title with me. I read this book over a year ago, and didn't get to share my final thoughts on it. I thought it was well thought out, and I enjoyed the topic and the Characters. When I saw that the synopsis of the book was comparing it to the Cruel Prince, I knew I obviously needed to add this one to my list. This book was definitely written for my love of fairytales, and I loved the way the story pulled together. In the end, I imagined there'd be a sequel, but I haven't heard anything thus far about a book #2. Fingers crossed we get to read more about Violet.

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen is a captivating read for fans of dark, morally complex fantasy and enemies-to-lovers romance, who will be drawn to the intricate web of deceit, magic, and fairy tale-inspired intrigue that unfolds in this spellbinding tale of a morally gray witch and a cursed prince.

thank you to the publisher & netgalley for gifting me this arc!

I so badly wanted to love this book. based off the cover & the synopsis it totally sounded right up my alley. But unfortunately it was not. I found the writing to be lacking and I had a hard time focusing on what was happening. I even tried the audiobook and i ended up tuning it out.

I know others will love this book and I really hope they enjoy it! It was just a miss for me :(

Brutal, clever and so intoxicating. I’ll be thinking about this story long after it’s over.

If you like morally grey heroines with little trust, magic and a strong survival instincts, then get this book!!

Did I mention: epic schemes, enemies to lovers and LOTS of surprises?!

A must read of 2022

Having read the information that the author will not continue to write in this universe and knowing from others that the book ends in a cliffhanger, I apologise but I will not read this book.
Thank you for the eARC!

I love a fairytale retelling and this was cute. Since It ends on a cliffhanger this was tough for me to organize my thoughts. I would be interested in the next book as so far I've enjoyed it.

A captivating story, lots of twists and turns, dark and unexpected, yet romantic. I wish there was going to be a second book!

Really great book I have had so much reading this and getting to know these lovable characters will definitely continue to read books by this author