This was a 4.5 for me. From the start, I knew this book would be something special and I wasn't wrong. WOW. The best part of this book is the fairy tale aspect against he world building of this lush fantasy. It's so wonderfully landscaped together and it created a gorgeous picturesque world. I loved this book. One of my favorite books of all time is The Cruel Prince and Jude Duarte is one of my favorite characters ever. That being said, I got nervous when I saw Cruel Prince comped with this book. Though I don't think Violet is *quite* as morally gray as Jude, I think she is pretty darn close and I saw many similarities between the two which I loved. I also adored Cyrus, our main love interest. A TRUE ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS thank goodness.

The only gripe I had was with Dante. I wished his story and how he ended up would've been fleshed out more and that the narrative would've slowed down around his portion at the end of the book. It felt a little rushed and left me with a LOT of question and and some confusion as to what his role exactly was in everything. Still, though the plot of this story was awesome, the characterization was incredible, and the narrative itself was fun. It didn't go quite the way I was expecting which I really appreciate in a story since I feel like I can always guess endings! IOverall, this was a really fun fantasy that I can see being a really great duology/series!! SOO much fun. I can only imagine the story getting better as it develops.

The writing in this book kept me engaged enough, and the plot had me turning the pages. But once I finished it, mostly I just thought, "Meh." I feel disappointed with this book mainly because it could have been so amazing. I loved the premise: an anti-heroine who has an enemies-to-lovers relationship with the prince. There's some cool magic here. Some prophetic dreams. And... that's about it. Violet wasn't an anti-heroine at all, in my opinion. She was a selfish girl who did what she did at the behest of a king who was the real villain. She was just a pawn, and a pretty pathetic one at that. Did anyone really ever think Violet had any real power? I sure never did.
Cyrus was another complaint I had. He was a very hard character to read. After the way he treated Violet throughout the first half of the book, am I supposed to believe that the whole time he was in love with her? Since they were kids? I didn't buy it. At all.
The setting was underdeveloped as well. There were some cool elements, like the beasts and blood magic and glamour. I felt like some interesting things were happening politically as well. All these things that seemed so intriguing were very much brushed over and kept surface level.
Overall, I enjoyed the experience of reading this book, but I sincerely wish a lot of it had gone deeper than it did.
I was provided an ARC of this book by Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

An absolutely fantastic dark twist on fairytales.

Violet Made of Thorns gave me ALL of the Jude and Cardan vibes, and really, need I say more?

This is not your typical fairytale—it subverts the girl in the tower, Prince Charming, prophecies, and happily ever afters. I laughed—VERY hard, out loud, numerous times (looking at you, Jack Sparrow moment of a prince desperately outrunning a mob of enamored females—pure cinematic poetry), but it’s also a painful story at times, raw and visceral and I absolutely loved it. Wanted to scream at Violet most of the time, because I love her and I love Cyrus, who I also wanted to scream at. Did I agree with all the characters’ decisions? Heck no. They are FLAWED to the core and make wild mistakes, but they both fight for what they think is right, and they both hope, in their own way. And that’s why I love them so much.

Highly recommend for fans of The Cruel Prince, A Curse so Dark and Lonely, and Little Thieves.

-A

I loved this book! It was such an interesting take on the fairytale retelling trope. I loved how different elements of fairytales were worked in without relying too heavily on one particular set of tropes or one particular storyline. Violet was a wonderful character: prickly and full of conflicting emotions, determination, and grit. I really liked how I could feel her struggling with who she was while also recognizing that maybe she needed to be that person to survive. I thought the Prince was an interesting character, and I found myself invested in the romantic arc even though I definitely didn't agree with the characters' choices all the time (and frankly, they didn't usually agree with their own actions afterward). I found myself wondering how it was going to end over and over again, and I'm happy to say that the book kept surprising me! I would 100% recommend this to anyone who's a fan of fairytale retellings; this one stands out.

Violet made of thorns by:Gina Chen
5/5⭐️

Oh my god this was so amazing you have to read it as soon as possible!!!!

Magic, fates, kingdoms, morally grey characters, and plot twists you never saw coming.

Violet is the king’s seer and she will stop at nothing to keep herself safe above all else. She is not above lying about her premonitions and constantly clashes with prince Cyrus. There’s a curse afoot and Violet has to decide between herself or a love that never should have been.

This was simply phenomenal. I love and hate every single character in this book. I legitimately could not predict what would happen next, but thinking back each piece had been carefully laid.

The romance in this is immaculate it’s forbidden enemies to lovers with a hint of rivalry. Their banter is amazing and they get steamy.

This is definitely upper ya fantasy territory and I cannot wait to read the second book when it comes out!

Violet made of thorns releases on July 26th!

Thank you to the publisher and author for this arc!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the eARC for this book!

The immaculate fairytale vibes in this were EVERYTHING. And before we get into the review, can I just say that the cover is GORGEOUS.

This was a rather quick-paced fantasy, but it was charming nonetheless. The best part of this book was definitely Violet. She's prideful, sharp, and definitely on the morally grey side. I was intrigued when I first started reading, and once the story was set up, it was easy to get deeply invested in her story.

The only thing that felt like a bit of a letdown was the romance. It's immediately thrown at you in the first chapter, and after that, the relationship moves so quickly it just feels a little rushed. It took me until at least the 50% mark to get attached and actually care about their interactions, but after that, I was 100% hooked.

Overall, a fantastic start to a new series! And THAT ENDING. When is book two coming out because I need it. Now.

Need your next enemies-to-lovers fix? I got you, this book is 100% that! An epic debut fantasy with twists, magic, and beautiful storytelling. I was hooked from page one and definitely need that next book ASAP. Like IMMEDIATELY please.

oh my gosh this is such a fun read! Look, in all honesty the plot isn't anything *spectacular*; it's a bit predictable and the world and magic systems lacks development. However, Violet and Cyrus? Boy do I love me a I-hate-you-unless-I'm-Kissing-You romance. They're a TON of fun and were so compelling that I kept reading. I actually binged this. It took me a bit to get into, but once i got about 10% in I was HOOKED and binged the other 90% in a day. Violet is the perfect anti-hero and is spectacularly morally-grey. Cyrus is just mysterious and cocky enough that you instantly love him. Dante was an intriguing character that had me asking questions the whole time and brought a twist I honestly didn't see coming. As someone who loves character-driven books, this was the perfect read for me. However, I do think it's important to note that the plot isn't really anything special. The magic system, politics, and world lack a lot of development and leave some things confusing and muddled. However, if you're just looking for a fun read with some cunning characters and several steamy scenes then you'll really enjoy Violet Made of Thorns. Overall, a book I'd quickly recommend!

For fans of fairytale retellings, this amazing book is for you! It contains morally gray characters, asian and queer rep, prophecy, and a smouldering, enemies to lovers romance. Definitely captured my attention from the first page and held it until the end. One of my favorite reads of the year. I cannot wait for the sequel! I need more of Violet and Cyrus!

I ADORE this one! I devoured Violet Made of Thorns over a couple of days, and I'm so glad I requested this ARC.

The story follows the eponymous Violet, a fittingly thorny heroine who is blessed--or cursed--with the power of foresight. I loved the tangled plot, the dark fantasy setting and vibes, and the fresh, fairy-tale-revisionist take on Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast.

Violet is an AMAZING leading lady who feels complex, flawed, and ambitious. She reminds me, in the best way, of Jude Duarte. And while Cyrus is no Cardan, this is still a steamy and very compelling enemies-to-lovers romance. True fans of the trope will rejoice, because these two have a fiercely antagonistic relationship that retains intensity from cover to cover, and masterfully blends love and hate.

I can't get enough of this story and I'm SO excited for book two!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the eARC of this absolute GEM of a book 💜

What a fantastic, immersive journey this one was!

I was captivated from start to finish-- leaving the work longing for its concluding sequel. Intrigued as to what is to come.

Violet is a dynamic protagonist. I didn't always like her, but perhaps I wasn't suppose to. She isn't looking to be liked, she's a character who is looking to survive, and will make the choices she thinks protects her best. No, I may not have always liked her, but I was always compelled by her. I loved her, in fact. I was entranced by her character and rooted for her even when I wished she picked differently at times. Her choices aren't always pretty, but they added nuance to her character.

I felt similarly towards Cyrus. He was probably easier to like, but his communication skills were less than desirable. Yet I loved him as I did Violet-- and my heart was always racing for him, not (just) in swoon, but in fear if he would survive this tale. Whether that fear is realized or not, you'll have to read and find out.

I think the only personal hiccup found was the whiplash in the back-and-forth of our protagonist's inner feelings. A major choice is made in the narrative's climax, but I felt it rang hollow as the choice didn't feel quite earned. Perhaps I didn't realize the depth of the feeling Violet felt that led her to that choice, and while it sets up the the sequel, in this book I just had trouble understanding it.

But it didn't divert my overall enjoyment.

This book is terrifically written, it's engaging, enthralling, and left me itching for more. I'll absolutely be sticking around for the sequel. Nervously, but excitedly awaiting the next part in Violet's journey.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed most of this book, but had to round down because I was just so frustrated for a lot of it too. The world created here was interesting and all the main characters had real personalities.

So, mostly I liked Violet. Her anti social, blunt self reminded me a ridiculous amount of myself. But she is also the cause of most of my frustration because of many of the decisions she makes and how she acted sometimes. It could get frustrating. Violet was a street rat that has made a place for herself as the kingdom's seer. When she was a child she had visions but thought it was normal...until she learned it was not. She ended up keeping everything she saw to herself because, even young, she knew people would use her for her sight. It's not until she sees a boy her age being killed that she decides to act on what she sees and save him. Which will set off a chain reaction of things she never would have expected.

The boy she saved was Prince Cyrus and he ends up bringing her back to palace with him that day. He fell for her that day and hates what his father has turned her into. But Cyrus also plays the part of Prince Charming too perfectly, flirting with all the ladies and basically just showing off her perfection. He is constantly butting heads with Violet and these two just seem to not be able to get along.

But there is a prophecy hanging over Cyrus's head that affects the whole kingdom. He's very aloof about it though, fighting not only Violet but also his father over every part of it. When the kingdom comes under attack by monsters, Cyrus is out of time and is forced into a marriage he doesn't want. But there is so much more going on. Violet is at the center of everything and it was her choice to save Cyrus as a boy that has Fate demanding a life from her. Her visions draw her into darkness that would be so easy for her to fall into. And Cyrus's attitude change towards her has her confused and doubting everything he says. There's also a witch hell bent on killing as many people as she can and manipulating Violet into being like her. At least these two have finally learned how to work together. Too bad Violet is still keeping so many secrets.

There really is a lot going on here, but I didn't think anything was hard to follow. The ending had some crazy parts, some predictable parts, and one thing that I didn't see coming but probably should have. I am definitely curious about what's going to happen next with theses two.

This was an intriguing read with flawed characters that were more refreshing to read about. Normally the characters Berge on the edge of unbelievable because they are either too evil or too noble. In this novel by Gina Chen, they act and plot in a way that feel more real than fantasy. Violet is an ex-street rat with powers of divination blessed upon her through the gates. Her visions are real along with her ambition, but growing up around politics and a king guiding her education, she knows how to manipulate those visions to get the outcome desired.
The prince isn’t as cunning, or so we think. He has aspirations of his own and won’t let the weight of an apocalyptic prophesy sway his life choices.
This book boasts a great cast of supporting characters, a witch with evil tendencies and two kingdoms on the brink of war. Mysteries come in the form of gruesome, once human creatures and an enemy no one can see, but has connections everywhere. Everyone is suspect.
I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys reading YA fantasy with a romance that doesn’t exactly end in happily ever after.
I give this book 4 Stars
A huge thank you to the author for her creation, and to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the eARC copy.

Wow, this book was a total surprise how completely fantastic it was! I expected the story to feel kind of overdone and following the typical fantasy/romance tropes. I was so wrong!

The story is incredibly fresh and remained unexpected throughout. It centers on Violet- a Seer in the kingdom. She is cynical, brash, and without a clear inner compass. Even though I found myself liking her, she was depicted so well as being unfinished, and you don’t know which way she is going. The story is intriguing, and doesn’t follow how you think it will necessarily go. The magic in the book is clever, and it pulls in some fairy tale elements without feeling to on the nose. I feel like a lot happened throughout the story, and the prophecies were well created with detail and mystery.

A great fantasy book. Fun read. I’m looking forward to the next im the series and seeing where this is going!

I loved this book! This book was so unique and original! The main character Violet was honestly amazing. I love seeing characters that aren’t your perfect, save-the-day kind of person. Cyrus and Camilla were also fantastic, and don’t get me started on the romance. The enemies-to-lovers in this book was sooo good! Like I literally couldn’t stop reading the scenes with Cyrus and Violet. The plot of this book was also fantastic. It was never really slow and it wasn’t that predictable to me. Overall this was fantastic!

This is a great YA pick for someone who likes fairytale retellings--I saw elements of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast in this story. Although the book seemed to move slow at times, I was eager to finish it and hear how the story ended.

I liked that the book had a flawed, but interesting female lead. Her character was well-developed by the author.

Thanks Netgalley and publishers for the free e-ARC

This is a wonderful fantasy tale with a great plot and terrific protagonist, Violet. There is a lot of great world building but the star here is Violet. She finagles her way through court politics and intrigue. It’s a fast paced book with a lot of surprises along the way. Very enjoyable.

If you love when dark fantasies meet fairytales, you won't want to miss out on Violent Made of Thorns. The protagonist is Violet, a seer and a witch with sharp edges and a sharper wit. When she's tasked with reading Prince Cyrus' fortune, the two begin a relationship built on barbed banter that develops into something quite steamy. It's a love story for cynics, but unfortunately the romance does feel quite rushed toward the end. However, enemies-to-lovers fans will find more than enough to enjoy here.

From the start I was intrigued and got more invested as I went on! The pacing, the depth of the characters, the plot!! Everything was done so well and I couldn’t stop reading🙌🏻Violet is a stark and hard willed character who wants her way and will do what it takes to make it happen. She doesn’t care about appearing friendly and if anything goes out of her way to be as uninviting as possible. She regularly states hating conversing with others and it was such an interesting personality that really resonated with me!! I am definitely anti-social as well, though not as brash, but she was so striking that I loved seeing her lie and taunt others, especially Cyrus✨ The whole prophesies and fates were incredibly well done and had me grasping at the words and seeking answers!! The whole journey of Violet grappling with her destiny and fate was so intense as she struggled deciding between destruction and salvation and killing Cyrus. Their moments of desire overtaking them was so amazing and I was rooting for everything to work out right! I love when the guy falls first🤧 The fact that she saved him and he wasn’t meant to live and he ended up loving her is so sweet!! My hopeless romantic heart loves that storyline🥹 Her personality made it that much more interesting since she lies and doesn’t believe what he confesses and then she decides on power instead. But of course it’s not the end and she takes it back and helps him which had me so happy!! Violet doesn’t need anyone controlling her, especially the witch👏🏻👏🏻 Though I know that’s not the end of her torment and I wonder how Violet will face her again and what will transpire! Very eager to see this new King and Queen in action, taking what’s there’s and against it all reining together!! What an amazing power couple🥰🙌🏻 I absolutely can’t wait to see more from Violet and what she’s capable of and possibly see more romance bloom between them since they deserve it✨

This book had everything I love from fantasy in it. Royalty, magic, betrayal, fairies, an ominous prophecy, a morally grey main character, and the cursed prince who hates and loves her. The writing was incredibly unique in a way that I don’t think anyone has ever written a relationship like that between Violet and Cyrus before. The bickering, lying, and scheming were so well done I couldn’t help but fall in love with this.