Violet is the king’s Seer, though she doesn’t always tell the truth when it comes to divinations. Cyrus is the king’s cursed son and the bane of Violet’s existence. After the king asks Violet to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s engagement to put the kingdom at ease, Violet awakens a curse and finds herself entangled in a confusing relationship with Cyrus.

I absolutely enjoyed reading about Violet! This was told from her point of view so we got to really know her thoughts. She often acted in her own self interest which led to some interesting plotlines. I loved the romance between her and Cyrus, too. It was so angsty!

I’ve been in a romantic fantasy mood lately so I’m really glad I picked this one up!

The characters in this fairytale retelling were so well developed that I thoroughly enjoyed this book so much. I loved the fantasy and world building and put this on a to order list for my library the second I finished the book!

Thank you #netgalley for an early read of #violetmadeofthorns

One of my favorite new fantasy novels of 2022. There is a fairytale-influenced-story-with-a-prickly-heroine shaped hole in my heart that Violet Made of Thorns slotted itself right into. I love a standard fairy tale retelling, but what I love even more is a book that takes fairy tale conventions and weaves it's own new story. Chen took these very recognizable elements like fairy magic, a cursed royal family, finding a wife via ball, and absolutely breathed new life into them. I was spellbound.

This was an excellent book with thoroughly developed characters. It had me intrigued with every page and I could not wait to read more.

I had the chance to read an early copy of VIOLET MADE OF THORNS (thank you, Gina!) and it is not only one of my favorite books of 2022, it is one of my favorite books of all time.

Violet is prickly, sharp-tongued, and pragmatic--and I loved her. Despite growing up in Auveny, she has forever felt out of place in regards to the rest of the court/society due to her exterior--her mother was from another land--and due to her interior nature. I rooted for her so hard.

And the romance, oh my god. Thanks to the clear writing, I instantly understood from the start why Violet and Cyrus would be at odds with each other, but it was especially fascinating to dig even deeper as the story progressed to truly understand their characters and their relationship, how they saw themselves vs. how the other saw them. Also, the hate make-outs--yes, that's plural--were amazing, and I'll just leave it at that.

Heady, romantic, and just plain *fun*, this is a story that I'll be thinking about for the rest of time. I went to three different bring-your-own-book book clubs at three different libraries to recommend VMOT. I talked it up to the bookseller when preordering it and then talked it up to a different bookseller when picking it up today. And you better believe I've been telling everybody else I know all about it.

So excited for Gina and all the wonderful things happening for VMOT, and I can't wait to read what else she has in store!

Another book with a beautiful cover, and a beautifully effed in the head MC. I seriously can’t get enough of these morally grey gals and their fck the world mentalities. Violet is the epitome of damaged souls. She carry’s the worlds biggest chip on her shoulder I have come across to date. And I am here for it. I want to tell you that her character development ends up with her coming into her own and proving the world wrong but she definitely came out more messed up then she went in. Cyrus is my new love to hate leading man. He’s a pompous ass, who definitely was spoon fed some concoction to make him just this side of a narcissist. Now that’s not to say he didn’t grow on me in any way, cuz he did. These two have the most dysfunctional enemies to lovers arc I’ve seen in fantasy in a long time. But again, I’m here for it. What really got me tho in this novel was the plot being a kick back to the gods meddling and savage nature lane. I don’t know why I’m so drawn to the idea of the gods just wanting to watch the world burn but it definitely makes for some of the more interesting plots. The magic system was done well and I always enjoy an MC realizing her abilities under the most dire of situations, especially if it’s in a fit of rage. I will say that I am impressed with the ending for the fact that if you want to stop here you’re good. There’s just enough there to tether the rest of us on to book number two. I will absolutely be waiting with as much patience as I can muster for the next book to see how this plays out.

If you liked Malice, A Deadly Education, or The Cruel Prince then this one is for YOU.

Uuh I loved me some morally gray MCs!! I say give me more of Violet's sass and lies any day of the week. Unapologetic/often-times-rude-because-they-refuse-to-follow-convention Slytherin girls are my catnip.

Violet is the kingdom's seer. She is the real deal, got her job by saving the prince when he was a little kid (saved him from being trampled). Ever since then, she was taken in and raised in the castle side by side the prince and princess. Her standing is solid, as long as she goes along with the kings demands, and figures out a way for the prince's curse (he must find this future queen who is supposed to save them from the bad things) to be fulfilled.

“I don’t have the luxury of being nice. The only people who are nice are those who have never had to claw for anything they’ve wanted.”

Violet is a pragmatist. The king needs her to embellish some prophecies in order to ease the kingdom's worries? Sure. As long as she stays on his good side there is nothing Violet wont do to survive. This in turn makes her an adversary to the prince, who is more of an idealist, and hates the way his father has influenced Violet. At odds, it is hard to come to agreements between these two, and they are forced to work together towards a common good that might or might not involve the princes' survival. Not that he knows, as Violet keeps a lot of secrets close to her chest... Secrets that at the end of the day, might lead to her doom.

I just enjoyed the hell out of this book. The arguments between Violet and the prince brought me life, the princess (queer rep ✓) is insatiable and a little too self involved, but she is also a good person overall and catches on quick when things around her are not what they should be. There is also a third friend, the responsible one, the one that hails from another kingdom and brings some perspective to the group. Together they all have to work together to fulfill a prophecy and keep the kingdom from falling apart and war to come to their footstep. On top of that Violet is at odds with their deities, who are not as benevolent or as caring as those around her seem to think...

“I will survive destiny by my own means.”

I am most definitely reading the sequel. The romance is very enemies to maybe lovers; I think the second book will have to work harder to get me to a place in which I think these two are actually in love and not just in lust (though the scenes were they clash and give in are top tier). I am here for it!

I loved not only Violet's prickly personality, but also the ways that she examined the questions of destiny, especially the cause and effect between prophecies as stated, and their outcomes.

I'm really glad this gorgeous cover caught my eye because it ended up being one of my favorite reads of the year. I'm a sucker for fairytale retellings, especially when it involves some witty dialogue and is told from the flawed view of a cool morally grey character. I absolutely fell for all of the characters here, probably because they were flawed, and am awaiting a sequel because surely there's more, right?!

A dazzling, dark story of political intrigue, magic, and romance, VIOLET MADE OF THORNS is the perfect fantasy read for lovers of morally gray characters.

I read VMOT in less than 24 hours, and that is a testament to how incredible the story and Chen’s writing is. I was immediately hooked from the very first page, and I couldn’t put the book down. Chen’s writing is fast-paced and vicious, with just the right amount of magic.

Violet has quickly climbed the ranks as one of my favorite morally gray characters. She is a flawed heroine who is not afraid to go after what she wants, or to put herself first. She makes some pretty terrible choices, and defends her right to make them. With her position as Seer, she has the world at her fingertips – or does she?

I loved Cyrus and Violet’s relationship. The tension was palpable, and could be cut with a knife. Their scenes together left me wanting more, and left me screaming when I got just that. They are not exactly enemies to lovers (more hate to love), but they made every insult hit its mark, leaving not only each other, but also me, wounded.

VMOT is a dark YA fantasy with twists and turns you may never see coming, and is a story that will leave you desperate for more. Gina Chen impressed me so thoroughly, and I cannot wait to see what is to come of our Sighted Mistress and Prince Cyrus!

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen is dark and enchanting, with elements that twist the typical fairytale elements and with characters that are morally gray with a sizzle and spark between the main protagonist and her prince. Violet is an unexpectedly sharp character with an unforgettable voice and a court full of cut throat machinations. 

One of the reasons I love the story is because it changes the Cursed Prince trope, with love seemingly impossible between Violet and Cyrus and yet, these two transform from enemies to lovers even as they snap and betray each other, even as the kingdom discovers the rot at its core. The court is full of intrigue and witchcraft is portrayed both as something dark but also as something powerful and fighting the notion that it ultimately leads to evil. While Violet is dark and full of enchantment, her choices are complex and never about evil. The story plays with the idea of choices, digs deep into the well of loyalty and love, and twists all the fairytale concepts. 

If you love non-traditional fairy tales where the story is dark and enchanting, the heroine sharp and independent and with a prince who isn’t what you expect, this novel is for you, especially young adult audiences. I loved diving deeply into this story, it is rich, complex and sizzling with heat.

🤯 ARC Book Review🤯📚📚📚 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Have you read this yet? If not you should proceed to this purchase link Happy Pub Day was 7/26!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09KGMS6K2/
Last year my fave book of the year was a debut called Iron Widow ,
This year my fave debut so far is by @actualgina #violetmadeofthorns .
I was literally blown away.

Let's start with the map..(which I will share in my stories) this world rivals the Bridge Kingdom, Midscape , the Grishaverse...it is detailed , like we are transported back to medieval Europe at the time of castles 🏰. I got lost in the descriptions of this world much like I did in Caraval (@stephanie_garber created a world no one really wants to leave) and the magic ..is unique .

Let's unpack the main characters:
I have been waiting for a female main character like Jude from the Cruel Prince or Lara from the Bridge Kingdom. Violet is not waiting for her Prince charming to save her, because damn it she is the author of her destiny. We do see a huge character ARC for her, but to be fair she was forced to grow up in royal politics and she knew how cut throat her king was, and she had no trust in her Princey to be any different.
Prince Cyrus deep down was not as courageous as she needed him to be , and she in brutal fashion was not going to go down without a fight.
They seem to hate each other or that's what they wish you to believe.
Morally Grey MMC and FMC ..do they want to kill each other or kiss each other?
This enemies to lovers trope did not disappoint. Down to the very brutal end.

Other highlights
Masquerade ball ..👨‍🍳💋
Hedgerow maze in the moonlight
Evil witch that rivals Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty, I really loved the nods to my fave fairy tales: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast..all had little bits carefully woven throughout.
Fae beasts ...that come from the Fairywood..oh my the scenes at the end...🤯
A prince that is as hot as Jacks , Dante and Cardan combined ..Cyrus I can't wait for book 2. Will she kill him in the end..all fair in love and war..don't betray a witch because it will never end well.

I’m going to keep this review short because I don’t honestly have much to say.

I was reading this book and realized early in that I was bored. I was skimming pages instead of reading them and when I went back to reread the pages, I realized I hadn’t missed much anyway.

Not saying it’s poorly written, it just doesn’t stand out to me. Some might like this but it’s just not for me.

For one, the characters. I don’t think characters should always be likeable. Some people have hard lives and it makes them hard, teaches them to look out for themselves and to always make sure they’re taken care of before all else. They aren’t sunshine and daisies and that’s fine.

What I dislike is a character that doesn’t grab me, doesn’t jump off the page. In short, the characters are flat. I don’t care that Violet has sharp edges and doesn’t shy away from them. I don’t like that she’s just flat. Same with the prince, and Dante. No one in this book jumped out at me.

Another thing I’ve seen in other reviews is the book picks up in the second half. I’ve also heard that exact same thing said about football games. And it’s only acceptable there. A book needs to grab you and carry you from page one, and I’ve read a lot that have so I know it’s possible. This didn’t. And reading a book to “get to the good parts” is one of the most frustrating things for me.

On a positive note, I did like that Violet has her period. The book shows her waking up with bloody sheets and that’s something super normal that isn’t shown in books enough. It also gets kind of mature so that's something readers should be aware of.

All in all, I’m giving it two (2) stars. It wasn’t the worst writing but even at the sentence level, it was flat. I don’t think this book will flop it'll just flop for me.

I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I enjoy fairy tales. And I also enjoy stories with imperfect characters. Violet Made of Thorns is a great mix of the two!

The classic fairy tale elements are here- the good looking prince, the wicked witch trying to wreak havoc on the country, the poor girl who has been elevated to a high position (in this case, the kingdom's Seer). True love trying to battle its way through obstacles. But as you read, there are some serious questions about whether this is actually going to work out, and, even more, whether it even should work out!

And the main characters are certainly imperfect. Violet is hasty, often doesn't really think things through before she acts, and makes no secret that she's more interested in survival in the good life she now has than she is in abstract virtues! She has no problem with lying about what she sees in her prophesies, if that's what the king wants. The prince, Cyrus, is rather lazy, apparently relying on his looks more than any sort of traditional virtues, and is also perfectly happy to try to use sex to get his own way. Violet is torn between Cyrus and the king, since both want her to lie to support their chosen positions, and neither one of them seems to have a problem with betraying her if it suits their own interests.

All in all, a nice, convoluted fairy tale - I enjoyed it. I'd be shocked if there's not a sequel, since the book clearly leaves lots to be discussed, and I'll certainly read it when/if it comes out!

Gina Chen’s debut fantasy is a richly imagined world of seers, curses, and princes that’s rich with fairytale vibes.

Violet, a prickly orphan was rescued from a life as a street urchin when she saved the royal heir, Prince Cyrus, from death. In thanks, the king makes Violet his official seer. But the position comes with a price - the king expects Violet to use her visions to his benefit - twisting the readings she gives the court to further his agenda.

This puts Violet in opposition to the unfairly gorgeous Prince Cyrus who has loftier plans for when he ascends to the throne. Even worse, he’s threatened to replace her as royal seer. And then there’s the curse- Cyrus needs to get married or Bad Things Will Happen.

And then there’s the undeniable attraction between Cyrus and Violet - inconvenient, even dangerous.

This is a lush richly imagined world full of complex characters and magical mysteries. I loved how unapologetically prickly and cranky Violet is. Even tho she’s a seer, she doesn’t have all of the answers and is caught between trying to find a way through the intrigue and hoping her country can avoid war and she can keep her place. Violet’s emotional turmoil is so well depicted that you feel it too.

She’s attracted to Cyrus but you can tell it rankles that he’s the golden boy, popular and sought after. I love a morally grey MC. Violet’s struggles are so well written, you can feel how hard she’s trying to thread an impossible needle - keeping the kong and court happy while not disappointing Cyrus even when those things are diametrically opposed.

The secondary characters are well developed - I wanted to know more about them and hope we get more of their stories in future books.

As a fairytale lover, I loved the callouts to fairytales from fairy-created ball gowns to wickedly enchanted horned beastmen.

You get:

Spies
Betrayals
Enemies to lovers
Curses and enchantments
Fairies and glamours
Serving girl masquerading as royalty
Wicked witch and revenge
Fates and visions
Cinderella
Sleeping Beauty
Beauty and the Beast
Snow White
Magical slipper left behind at a royal masquerade
Roses, thorns, enchanted woods
LGBTQIA+ rep

I was so excited for this book when I first read the blurb - I loved the nods to fairy tales throughout and actually really enjoyed how Violet isn’t the typical sweet, innocent girl who is here to save the day. Instead sh is more about saving herself, damn everyone else; she does what she needs to do to survive, and honestly I wish we had more of that in this.

With that being said while I found the book interesting, I did have some issues with it. I honestly felt like nothing really happened until the second half. We are told, instead of shown, about things happening outside the realm. I understand why it’s this way since the main story is happening within the castle and the city just outside the walls - but I wasn’t sure what the point was at times. It felt like a lot of bickering and flashbacks for a large portion of the first half. We get it - you hate each other and everyone knows it - and we are given a few breadcrumbs to the tale. Finally in the second half I felt like we got more of the plot and a sense of direction in where it’s heading. This book is definitely more character driven, versus plot driven.

If this book sounds interesting I still think it worth a read, so give it a go. I can see this being enjoyed by many. If there is a second book, I’ll pick it up to see what happens, but this isn’t a book I’ll read again.

Violet is is a prophet and a liar, groomed from birth by the king to be the hope of the kingdom after the previous seer died with a bad omen on her lips. The prince, whom Violet saved as a child, securing her place in the palace, is her opposition. He resents his fathers approval of her and her willingness to give false prophecy.

When the prince returns after journeying through the kingdom in search of a bride, he returns alone. His refusal to play to the needs of the king sets and Violets dreams of the dark days to come spark events that require them to work together.

Violet is my favorite thing about this novel. Her brashness and duplicity make for constant entertainment. The way she plays off Prince Cyrus’ earnestness is a dynamic rarely seen in romance. I thoroughly enjoyed their chemistry. Chen is also wonderously adept at creating vivid imagery that transports the reader into a realm of dreams alongside Violet. If you enjoy loosing yourself in fantasy worlds, you’ll enjoy this one.

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Teen Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Violet is the Royal Seer of the kingdom of Auveny and she uses her ability to see the threads of Fate to divine the future – and also people’s pasts – to make predictions, and occasionally less than truthful or twisted prophecies that allow her to influence the court. But when the King asks her to prophesy Prince Cyrus’ future, a suitable love story that will convince the prince to pick a bride and head off a dreadful prophecy hanging over his head and the well being of the kingdom. Except Violet and Cyrus kind of hate each other and she may have lied in her last foretelling about him finding his true love. Violet accidentally awakens a curse that could mean the end of the kingdom if Cyrus makes the wrong choice, but she faces a choice of her own that could have equally deadly consequences.

Comparing a book to Serpent & Dove and The Cruel Prince (though I haven’t read the latter), certainly sets the expectations quite high for it. Violet Made of Thorns has a very classic fairytale feel to it with all the key elements of one – a prince with a dire prophecy surrounding him, magic, fairies, a cursed magical wood and more, with an enemies to lovers romance to boot – all incidentally some of my favorite things to see in fantasy novels. The world-building was quite good. It didn’t expand too much on the various kingdoms themselves, but provided enough insight into the magic and politics that it made it easy to follow along right from the beginning.

Reading this story from Violet’s perspective was both intriguing and entertaining. She is certainly not the typical YA heroine and it’s clear right from the beginning that she is always looking out for only her best interests which was such a fun change of pace. I loved the enemies to lovers dynamic and the banter between Cyrus and Violet was so well written. It wasn’t the best example of the trope I’ve come across but it was really good, not to mention, it was balanced with the rest of the plot and didn’t take over the story entirely.

The main problem I had with this book was the pacing. It dragged a little initially but that was easy to overlook because the story was engaging enough, but towards the end it sped up way too much, as though trying to cram everything in. This particularly applied to the romance which progressing at an even pace up to that point, but I didn’t like how rushed it became in the final quarter of the book.

Overall, while this doesn’t really compare to Serpent & Dove, it was a pretty interesting read and I enjoyed it. I’m curious to see where the story will go in the sequel, especially after the story that Cyrus and Violet plan to spin to salvage the situation. I’m not sure if this is going to be a duology or longer yet, but this book has done a very good job of setting up the world, characters and plot that could easily extend to more books. I would definitely recommend this book for fans of fantasy novels as well as fairytale retellings!

Must Read for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Deadly Education and The Cruel Prince. Gina Chen write a fast iPhone paste story with a delectable hero/love interest and a snarky, self-protective heroin that will draw you into her world. I have a young child, so I value my sleep, but I stayed up till 4 AM reading most of this book. It’s fun, gripping, and the characters make a route for them and want to strangle them at the same time. It’s an intoxicating mix of a story that makes you want to read all the way through. Addictive, thought-provoking, and beautiful. The court intrigue is fun without being overly complicated And the ending had twists that I didn’t see coming. There are masquerade balls, a dreamy, yet maddening Prince and a twisty, steamy romance. Looking forward to the sequel.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley.

4.5 stars

I really liked this one. It had such a good atmosphere to the story, the characters were really good, and I was completely invested in the plot. It was hard to put down once I started reading, and the writing style was easy to follow along with.
Violet always such a great morally grey character. She’s a liar and a Seer, and she is constantly worried about herself over the kingdom. This felt so realistic, and I really liked Violet’s character. Her relationships with the king, Cyrus, Camilla, and Dante were interesting.
Cyrus and Violet had such a great relationship. Their banter was fun, the hate-to-love vibes were really good, and I thought things progressed in a timeline that made sense for the characters and story.
I really liked all the fairytale vibes in this story. There were Cinderella elements, Beauty and the Beast and Sleeping Beauty inspired things. I really liked all of this, and it was such an enjoyable fantasy. I’d recommend it to fans of YA fantasy with a side of evil witches, demanding Fates, and some romance.