Violet Made of Thorns feels like a book that's going to be successful. As a reader, I felt like it had an engaging story and really incorporated some of my favorite storytelling threads - subverted fairy tales, an antiheroine, a mysterious prince, and some very nice tension. I've seen this being compared to The Cruel Prince, and I think they have a couple similarities, but Violet Made of Thorns still felt like its own story and not as though it was created with the same DNA.

I really loved the story's lead, Violet. She was very clearly being pulled in many directions and the choices she makes to survive aren't always what a reader would want her to choose. And honestly, that's what I liked about her. She was surprising and nothing she did felt predictable.

Prince Cyrus is someone I hope we get more development of in the next book. He's clearly very central to the story, but I want more time with him in the book to understand his motivations. We're always seeing him through Violet's eyes, and because of the way she views the world, I'm not sure we're always getting a reliable narration on Prince Cyrus. I'm eager to see what Chen does with his character in the next book.

Overall, I truly loved this magical story with fierce girl at the center, and I'm excited to pick up the next one and continue on.

Enemies to Frenemies with a dash of love thrown in. The first in a series by a new author there is a lot going on.
I didn't know it was a new series but it didn't frustrate me. Violet and Cyrus can't get out of each other's way and they need to find a way to work together in order to stop a prophecy, embrace the magic around them and thwart a King bent on domination. Add in spies, evil witches, magical creatures, a cursed wood and the machinations of a court dependent on magic and you have a recipe for compelling reading. I would like Violet and Cyrus to be more likeable but part of the reason why the story works is because they have foibles and flaws which make then seem more real. I am vested now and can't wait to see where the next story takes us!

Violet Made of Thorns was of my most anticipated for 2022 and it is now one of my favorite YA reads this year. I loved our main character, Violet, who may not be everyone's cup of tea. She has walls built up to the skies and is a selfish character just trying to survive. She was a refreshing YA protagonist.

I also loved the main love interest and their relationship. It's never pure and simple with those two. They are both constantly dancing around all the polictics in this world. Their banter is fun. Side characters like Camilla were always a joy on page. I wish one of the side characters had more development, but we'll likely see them in later books.

Fae don't play a huge role in this series, which I was a little sad about, but I loved everything else about this book. I can't wait to see where the second book goes. If you like complicated and flawed enemies-to-lovers and fantasy polictics I highly recommend Violet Made of Thorns.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was at the top of my most anticipated for 2022 and it did not disappoint. The story is a roller coaster of exciting plotting and wonderful characters. I can't wait to share it with others and buy the fancy copy for myself! A must have for YA libraries!

Decent book but not something I would reread. I felt it lacked depth. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

This was just ok. It had a lot of good qualities, but it just didn't feel fully developed. The characters were a bit shallow and often were contradictory in their actions and words. There was very little gravity and peril for the perceived danger that was supposed to be happening. It all just didn't quite go far enough to set itself apart from all the other YA fantasy books out there.

This was an interesting fantasy debut. There were some aspects I really enjoyed, and others that I did not.

Violet is a Seer in an official position serving the King and the Kingdom of Auveny. She saved the Prince, Cyrus, as a child by using her gift. Cyrus and Violet grow to "hate" each other because of the favor Violet gains from the King. But in saving a boy who was Fated to die, Violet unleashes a series of events that cause the fairy wood to rot, beasts to rise and hunt, and sets kingdoms on the path to war. She also gives false prophecies to help the King, namely, regarding Cyrus's future bride, despite the hate-love relationship between her and the Prince.

There are some interesting twists in this book that turn classic fairytale tropes on their head. I thoroughly enjoyed Violet as a witty, morally gray, ambitious character. The chemistry between Cyrus and Violet is devastating, of course. But otherwise, the plot, the worldbuilding, and the secondary characters are somewhat lackluster. This is the first in either a duology or series, so I would expect characters to get their due in the next book, but some of the political machinations shown became somewhat repetitive (prep for the ball, meeting with the dukes, palm readings for the kingdom's ladies hoping to win the Prince's heart, rinse & repeat, & repeat). Nevertheless, Violet is lovable in spite of her crankiness, and she shines as a main character.

Gina Chen!!!!!!!!!! You have spun such a deliciously dark, spicy, and magical tale. I am in awe and obsessed with the entirety of Violet Made of Thorns.

To the fantasy lovers out there, this should immediately go to the top of your most anticipated reads lists! Coming your way on July 26th!

"The land will bloom red with blood and roses and war. The prince - his heart will be damnation or salvation. His choice may save us all. His bride - it is up to her! A curse, a curse, accursed curse - gods, be wary -" Gina Chen (Violet Made of Thorns)

Violet Lune is a Seer for the Sun Capital. She looks into the towns people's threads and helps them to see their future. She brings prophecies to comfort a kingdom, but her prophecies are not always true. Deceitfully spun, and encouraged by the King, Violet announces to the court and kingdom of Prince Cyrus' love story, soon to unfold at an upcoming Ball. When she does this, the dreaded curse spoken of by the last seer before her death is awakened, along with some very dark and creepy visions of the Prince that she may or may not be feeling attracted to.

Everyone wants Violet to bend to their will (including the Fates), to be a damsel in distress and to make decisions for a Kingdom that has never accepted her. This is her story, and whether or not she will follow her own path, or the path set before her by the King, the Prince and the Fates.

I can tell you that this book had me shook. And the supporting characters, like Camilla (the princess and Cyrus; twin), and Dante are brilliantly written. You will fall in love with more then just Violet in this book. The curse plays out in a way I never could have guessed, but I'm so glad Gina Chen spun this magical tale! I can't wait to dive into this world again and again.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gina Chen and Delacorte Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own, freely given.

Violet Made of Thorns is a dark fantasy that follows Violet, the resident seer of the Sun Capital. Prince Cyrus will be assuming the role of King once his father steps down, but in the meantime, he takes it upon himself to be a “thorn” in Violet’s side. They have a relationship full of angst, yet they are drawn to each other, with a feeling of loving to hate each other.

The story was a little slower than I am used to, but the overall premise was promising, it just didn’t uphold the expectations of the description of the story. Violet was a strong character, but the rest seemed not fully formed. I was disappointed by the overall story, which was sad because I feel like it had so much promise.

boring flop characters that feel like 2-d caricatures of the tropes they’re supposed to fulfill
i think we as a population need to move away from trope-based fiction because it’s worsening story quality and that’s exactly what happened with this book
word building is confusing and lackluster, cyrus is boring, camilla is boring, violet kept saying she was corrupt but like where was that energy for 75% of the book girl
i need to stop requesting ya fantasy on netgalley

I’ve never read anything like Violet Made of Thorns. It’s just so refreshingly original as a fairy tale starring a heroine all too content to playing the villain of the story. Violet is a badass. I adore her. She’s just a wonderfully flawed character with dubious morals, full of a world of anger and resentment at her situation at the beck and call of a king that is both a father figure to her as well as a tyrant.

The premise is great. Violet is a seer, someone who might usually be seen as a marginal figure in a fantasy narrative who now takes center stage, who has edges and vulnerabilities and courage. Who is selfish and certainly made of thorns. This story definitely has a satisfying romance, but I really think it’s so much more than that, containing all sorts of mystery, magic, and political machinations and intrigue.

Gina Chen truly nailed it with this one. Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“To be remembered as someone good, you have to do good. To be remembered as someone great, you have to get elbow-deep in bullsh*t and come out looking spotless.”

4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5) I really enjoyed this one! Violet claws her way from an orphan to a position of authority- an important Seer at court. She has the kings ear and he has her under his control. A balance she delicately maneuvers to her advantage. Sometimes she is truthful, sometimes she is not. Who will know?

Violet is my favorite morally grey character lately! She does what’s best for her and has no guilt. I loved her as the POV and seeing into her thought process. If it benefitted her, she’d do it. If it didn’t she’d word her vision or prophecy so it would. She was terribly flawed but owned up to her decisions and mistakes.

Her position becomes precarious when the king asks her to lie, this time specifically about his son Cyrus who she loves to hate. Now Cyrus, he was a favorite too. Especially his relationship with Violet. I kept wanting to call them enemies to lovers but I think it’s more than that! Somehow, they hated each other while they were lovers! I’m laughing cause it was just fun. It was the perfect spin that made me love this romance and all it’s difficulties. They treated each other more like bickering siblings so when it would take a turn it just made me laugh. It was the true description of a love/hate relationship with so much unpredictability that kept me turning pages.

While I loved the romance and all it’s layers, there was plenty other excitement also. From Violet’s visions, she can see war coming and the many things that happen in this war. Cyrus is supposed to die, beasts are attacking the kingdom, a questionable princess is supposed to save the kingdom and marry Cyrus and so much more. I was entertained throughout and looked forward to reading. The end did not end on a huge cliffhanger (thank you Chen!) but was so well-written that I’m already looking forward to book 2.

And here’s me on my soapbox a bit; The synopsis for the book (see at the top of the page) says it’s for fans of Serpent and Dove and The Cruel Prince. I don’t agree. This book is good enough to stand on it’s own without trying to drag people in who like those two books. And honestly, this isn’t all that similar to them anyway.

Thank you to Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley for the gifted copy!

The book releases July 26, 2022.

Overall a quick and fun read. I loved Violet and her drive to do what’s best for her. I wish there was more character development for all the characters and more time spent building the tension of the romance. I personally don’t really agree with the comparison of The Cruel Prince (a true enemies to lovers book) but instead more of a typical YA romance fantasy.

With an interesting premise about a cynical and lying anti-heroine facing a curse that may cause the doom of the world, the book failed to be unique, but rather an usual book in the endless sea of YA fantasy books. Competition is tough, and to me this book didn't really offer anything new, as I could see an almost familiarity between Violet Made of Thorns and The Cruel Prince, and many more. But if you like these kinds of books, then I encourage you to go ahead and read this book!

For the first half of the book, I was hooked. The pace was quick, and I was curious about this new world. Unfortunately, the book focused too much on the poorly executed enemies-to-lovers relationship between Violet and Cyrus. In that way, the plot and world-building was neglected, which is often the elements I love the most about fantasy books. The second half started of slower and sometimes became a chore to get through, while the ending felt too rushed. And my criticism really comes to the ending, as it wasn't unique at all and reminded me of other YA fantasy books. It has almost become a typical ending these days.

As a person who really isn't the one to read Serpents and Dove and thought The Cruel Prince series was far from a masterpiece, this book was maybe not made for me. But I did belive this book could surprise me in new ways, as the premise seemed interesting enough. And at first I really thought I would love this. Unfortunately, the second half of the book didn't really fit my taste and fell short to me.

Overall, it was an interesting read. And I didn't thoroughly dislike it either. I just think it's a shame it fell into a typical YA trope plot, when it had a lot of potential to be a unique story which could in some way change my views. Unfortunately it wasn't able to. Yet, I truly hope other people will enjoy this more than me. I will most likely not continue reading this series.

Over and out. -Nora<3

I definitely want to reread this book, but upon finishing it, I have to admit I’m disappointed.

I was expecting a fairy tale meets Serpent & Dove meets The Cruel Prince, and that’s not what I got. I’m not sure how to explain what I did get, but it wasn’t this. I was just very underwhelmed, but it could have been my headspace and I do look forward to rereading it.

Just finished this and oh. my. GOD!! This book is so addictive I read it in 2 days. Violet is a character who has so many walls built up around her and she doesn't really trust anyone, but the author wrote her character in a relatable way. I also love how feisty and sassy she is. Camilla is another character that really stands out to me. I would get so excited anytime she appeared. The one critique that I have is that I felt that the romance kind of popped up out of nowhere. They despised each other and then all of a sudden they're making out? The romance did eventually grow on me though. Overall, I am obsessed with this book and I need the next book right now because the ending?!?!?

"The only people who are nice are those who have never had to claw for anything they've wanted"

It took a while for me to become invested in this story but once I was, I enjoyed the ride. Violet and Cyrus's story is one filled with twists, kingdom politics, magic, fairies, and so much tension. The tension kept me intrigued and invested.

The first half of the book was mostly plot set up. It was a lot about Violet's role as seer, Cyrus's role as Prince and how their roles intertwined. I love how the author described what Violet saw when she looked into someone's threads. It was so well done and descriptive. I felt like I was seeing what Violet was seeing.

Prince Cyrus and Violet both come of with very strong personalities. They hate each other and the banter is excellent and entertaining.

"I want prince charming to fall from grace."
"Don't look at me like that"
"Like what?"
"Like I matter to you"

Ugh the dialogue in this book was great. I absolutely acted like a giddy school girl at certain parts.

I adored Dante and Camilla too. I love that the author included a LGBTQ character in her book. There were mentions of Camilla liking girls but it was done tastefully which I really liked.

This book surprised me, made me angry, made me happy, and made me fall in love with Violet and Cyrus. If the author turns this book into a series I will 100% be reading the rest of them.

Excellent fantasy read, highly recommended.

This beautiful YA fantasy tale incorporates elements of the fairy tales we know and love into a unique and original magical story where it’s the not-so-charming prince that needs saving. ‘Violet’ kept me on my toes, with a snarky, relatable narration style and a few surprise twists. I’m excited for the next book in this series, and am looking forward to seeing what author Gina Chen writes next.

i’ve been waiting SOOOOO many years to get my hands on this!! loved it!! not just a YA fantasy novel, it has much to say about the construction of fairy tales, which in turn construct our cultural and national myths & stories. the fabrication of history, pride, and valor! chef’s kiss!

i adored violet and cyrus’s hatemance (to steal a term). perfect banter, perfect argumentation, perfect denial and rejection. cyrus is so smarmy and violet is so caustic and they just WORK. i too am like cyrus in that violet is the ice queen of my heart. mwah luv her

my one major critique is that the climax wasn’t climatic enough. there’s a continuous ratcheting up of the tension throughout the story, but the final scenes don’t measure up to that tension. i DID love them, but they didn’t feel big enough for the story. a bit of wasted potential imho.

i’ve also realized that i have truly aged out of the YA market, which, like, i’ve known for years, but coming back to this story when i’m older has really confirmed that belief. i will always need my YA fantasy kick every once and a while, and this novel satisfied that. it’s just such an honor to be one of those original readers gina mentions in her acknowledgements, and to have stuck around long enough to see this story in the world for everybody else to read :’)

This was a super fun read! I loved how the story follows Violet the Seer and Violet never tried to be anyone but herself. She is prideful, vengeful, and brutally honest. I believe Violet to be a great main character. Then theres Cyrus who is the perfect prince charming, yet a black and white character at the same time. He found despised Violet, but also couldn't get enough of her. It was honestly quite fun to read about their relationship unfold. I am a SUCKER for a good enemies to lovers trope and this book DELIVERED! The only thing that didn't make this book 5 stars for me was because it felt rushed at the end. The twists were extreme, the action was a tad overwhelming.. but overall I would recommend this to my friends!