A fun YA fantasy. I thought the premise and dynamic between the characters sounded very interesting based on the description, I was surprised by how many additional narrative elements were present that I hadn't expected. In addition to its own unique premise and world-building, it is also a retelling of a few different fairy tales (Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella) and therefore could lend itself well to discussions about Archetypal or Post-Modern criticism in the classroom.

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Violet Made of Thorns duology. I got an eGalley of this book through NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: I ended up enjoying this a lot more as the story continued. The beginning was a bit shaky but I was drawn into this fantasy world of morally gray characters pretty quickly. The story centers around Violet, a seer who lies more than she sees, and Cyrus, the prince she grew up with but that she has been manipulating for the king for ages. When a dreaded prophecy from the previous seer looks like it is coming to fruition, it will be up to Violet and Cyrus to try to steer the course of the kingdom away from disaster.

This is well done. The world-building is a bit thin but I did love the push and pull between the fairies and the Fates. None of the characters in here are all that likable. Violet twists things to suit her own survival and ambitions but she isn’t completely heartless. Cyrus is similar. I did find it frustrating that if they had just trusted each other a little bit more, a lot of the challenges they faced would have been easily resolved. I enjoyed some of the side characters better; Cyrus’s sister was especially entertaining.

This has heavy themes of curses, fairy tales, and magic. It seems to pull from a number of fairy tales; I felt like there were echoes of “Sleeping Beauty” and “Beauty and the Beast throughout. The romance here is fascinating but more bitter than sweet; very love/hate. The writing was decent, it seemed a bit immature at times but was easy enough to read. It’s not beautifully written and the description isn’t great, but the plot was decent and the pace was fast enough to keep me engaged. I like where the story ended and would like to see where it goes in the next volume.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this quite a bit. The characters are complex and intriguing, the fantasy world has some interesting elements, and I liked the heavy dark fairy tale tone to this. I was engaged in the story and am eager to see what happens in the second book. While this isn’t the most beautifully written book, it packs a good story and is easy to read. I would recommend it to those who enjoy intrigue-based fantasy romance with heavy fairy tale themes.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

This book reminded me somewhat of The Cruel Prince but only because of the hate/love type relationship. I really enjoyed reading this story and I did not expect a certain part of the ending to happen. I do feel like the last few chapters were a bit rushed but maybe there will more of an explanation in the next book. All in all I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fairytale romance novels.

Thanks to the publisher and netgally for the ARC!

This was one of my most anticipated 2022 reads and it did not disappoint. I fell in love with Gina Chen's voice and her characters. Violet became on of my favorite mc of recent years with her unapologetic attitude. Her own survival is her main goal and I could not fault her for it. As the seer of the kingdom she learned how to survive amongst the politics of the court. That meant lying to the public about her visions.

The chemistry between every character was amazing. Of course my favorite relationship was between Violet and the Prince. Their chemistry was fire. Their relationship was believable because they had history with each other.

I really recommend this book to fans of enemies to lovers.

I'm obsessed. Everything about this story lived up to the hype surrounding it. The pacing and the characters were amazing, and I love the fairy tale aspects mixed in with the Asian Mythology. If you like stories like Holly Black stories, or just the ideas of the darker fairy tale, this is the book for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an e-arc!

I'm do in love with this cover and the UK cover oh my goodness.
This is a twisted fairytale and it gave me a bit of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast (but a bit darker of course)
The tension and banter between Cyrus and Violet is just *chef's kiss*
I am giving this 5 stars for the plot, the tension and also for Violet, the main character. I cannot wait to read the next installment, especially after what transpired at the end of this first book.

SCREAMING, CRYING, THROWING UP.

Huge thank you to DelaCorte and NetGalley for this ARC! It was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and it did not disappoint!!!

Do you want idiots in love? Pining? HATE FLIRTING? And did I mention they’re clueless? With snarky best friends who call them out on their shit? And he’s a prince and she’s a commoner? Not to mention queer supporting side characters in a world where that is a non-issue? If you said yes to any of that, run, don’t walk to grab this book.

Violet Made of Thorns is a delightful fairy tale mashup that plays around with subverting prophecies only to have it go magnificently terrible at every turn. Violet and Cyrus have so much chemistry together, it’s just the kind of chemistry where you’re never sure if things are going to work out or blow up in your face. (Probably both). And when they start having to work together to save the kingdom? Absolute perfection.

It feels criminal that I now have to wait for book 2, because I need it like I need air.

I would give this book a bajillion stars if I could, but since I can’t, I guess 5 will do.

Seriously though, if you want a book where they spend as much time fighting each other as they’re fighting the creatures threatening the kingdom, what are you waiting for? (Other than release day, that is)

Thank you NetGalley and RHC's Delacorte Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sadly, I found this read a little disappointing--which is not to say it was poorly written or will not captivate others! Just that I struggled with certain aspects of the storytelling. Essentially, while I felt this idea offered ALL the potential for greatness...a lack of development, both in character and world-building, left me grasping for a true connection with the protagonist and my understanding/vision of the world blurred around the edges.

I did find the magic system in this book intriguing; and the not-so-subtle commentary on appearance and presenting the perfect image to the people. I also loved the casual treatment of gender and sexuality--the impression that fluidity and orientation are not an issue in this society (despite the pressure to appear physically perfect). That said...


Mild SPOILERS Ahead:

Gina Chen actually includes a letter outlining her specific choice to offer us a prickly protagonist with deliberate edges--which I love in theory; but that said, I still expect a fully realized 3-dimensional character with layers and a past that help us understand 'Why?' they are who they are (unapologetically so) and what led them to choose what they chose. Violet still felt like too much of an outline to me; the information we learned about her childhood felt too perfuctory--like a listing of what happened, rather than truly experiencing what she faced and felt. If I am really honest, I wanted flashbacks! And we really only got one, which felt like even more of a missed opportunity given Violet's own abilities involve looking into other's memories.

I also found the 'love' story troubling. From our Price Charming's perspective it appeared as insta-love turned blind infatuation, while from Violet's point of view it appeared as enemies to lovers--but it did not feel (to me) like either of these characters actually properly knew or understood one another, nor did that change/develop/grow over the course of the story and so in the end I was not certain how I felt about either of their choices or the path they are now bound upon together.

I may still pick up the sequel? Just so I know how it all ends... But it is not one I will be adding to my favourites shelf. 3.5 Stars

2.2 stars! violet's sharp survival instinct was softened at times by her human need to open up to love, so it was fun to see her ricochet back and forth between wanting to kill or kiss cyrus. however, the plot was infrequently paced out. the beginning was mind-numbingly slow, then whiplashes you at the end. the synopsis is misleading in the sense where violet set off a curse like a bomb when really, forces beyond her control were the ones manipulating violet, as well as the king. she felt more reactive than proactive, in my opinion. overall, this book's ambitious reach occasionally exceeds its grasp, but it offers readers of burning enemies-to-lovers a vibrant distinctive treat with a proud, ambitious "bitchy" character.

Violet Made of Thorns had all my favorite YA fantasy elements without feeling stale. The MC, Violet, has been adopted by the king after a vision causes her to save his son. Violet and the prince grow up together seeing each other as rivals. As the kingdom’s seer, she is at the mercy of king who does not want to give up power. The magical fairy wood is being burned, and the Fates seem to be playing games with the people. The animosity and tension between the Violet and the prince was perfection, and I really enjoyed the magical elements in this story. There’s plenty of betrayal to boot. I loved how the conclusion wrapped up the story in fairytale mode, but still left it open enough that I’m anticipating the sequel. 4.5 stars

Enjoyed the read but wanted a richer and more deeply constructed world to lose myself in. Violet Made of Thorns was a beautiful fantasy and I hope there's a sequel with more worldbuilding.

DNF’ed at 40%

Sorry I just couldn’t handle the torture anymore. >_< How do I put this nicely…? I was bored out of my skull. The world building…What is world building? I don’t know her because this book has none.

Violet’s personality is about as dry and dull as Lara’s from Bridge Kingdom. I’ve had keto bread with more flavor than Violet’s character. Then again, I hated that series, too, and clearly I’m in the minority here—considering all the five stars this book has.

Maybe this is just me growing out of YA books in general. However, I’ve read plenty of YA with enough emotional sustenance to keep the story interesting. With the emotional impact and world building severely lacking in this…There’s only so far the witty banter can take you before you stop caring about the story. Shame, because this came highly recommended from mutuals who’ve read the book before me.

First, I'd like to thank NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! After reading the description and excerpt, I was very excited to read Violet Made of Thorns, as it seemed to have everything I was looking for in a YA fantasy - witty writing, a morally questionable protagonist, and a hot prince enemy/lover.

The novel focuses on Violet, a poor-orphan-turned-Royal-Seer. She was discovered as a child, after she'd used her gift to save Prince Cyrus' life. Since then, Violet has enjoyed the luxuries that comes with her position, even though her job also involves spinning visions and prophecies to benefit the emperor's political agenda. This is to the great chagrin of Cyrus, as unlike Violet and his father, he prefers to live and rule honorably. As a result, Cyrus and Violet often find themselves clashing publicly, and Cyrus is determined to get rid of the Seer once he's crowned. But that's not all. There's also a prophecy that spells the kingdom's doom if Cyrus doesn't marry--which he adamantly refuses to do. Violet is used to fighting for survival however. She has two primary goals: 1) Ensure Cyrus' marriage happens and 2) Prove her usefulness to the Kingdom.

Overall, I thought the story was promising and Violet's voice really drew me in. I believe the book is supposed to be a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but the twist here is that the characters have the ability to manipulate the prophecy (and their so-called 'fate'), and they can influence 'true love' with some scheming and fairies.

I did feel a little let down after I'd finished the book, as I think I was expecting an epic trilogy-like plot, but mostly everything gets resolved by the end. I also felt like there needed to be more character and story development as everything seemed to happen a little too fast. While I do enjoy an enemies-to-lovers romance, there didn't seem to be much build-up between Cyrus and Violet, who went from hating to each other to getting physical pretty quickly. I also couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters other than Violet and Cyrus.

Nevertheless, this book was still an enjoyable read and I liked that even when in love, Violet is still a morally questionable character. The world the author created was also very well thought-out, which is why I think I'd have preferred more focus on the plot (rather than the romance). If you are a fan of anti-heroines and fairy tales with twists, then you'd probably enjoy this book!

Violet Made of Thorns is a Cinderella story quite unlike any other with a lost shoe, a Prince Charming, and a girl dressed in rags. Not to mention magic, curses, beasts, and a heroine whose moral compass is more grey then anything else. Violet is not a hero— she saves the boy who loves her almost begrudgingly and at the expense of others, innocent as they may be. Though possessing powers, she is not otherworldly as heroes often are for she does not shy away from those entirely human and unattractive traits that we all have. In many ways she is more relatable for her grey-ness and refusal to be good for the sake of being good for though the reader may cringe at the choices that Violet makes, they will be able to see themselves in her. She is not good, but nor is she evil— rather an in-between that is rarely seen in protagonists. Violet is the savior of her prince, but she is also very much his damnation.

Court politics and intrigue, forbidden love, a masquerade, a doomed royal wedding, fairies, beasts, Fates, romance and betrayals. I was hooked.

Violet Made of Thorns was a slightly dark (maybe grey?) fantasy romance. It had a fairytale-esque setting (although not in a magically perfect way). The main character was an anti-heroine, a seer sometimes called a witch. I definitely think it is important to read the letter to the reader at the beginning to give you some background on why the author wrote Violet the way that she did. Chen wanted to create a character that was more realistic. People can be selfish, especially when they are just trying to survive, and will do what they need to do regardless of who they have to hurt. Not everyone turns good in the end. If I hadn't had the information in the note, I would have been disappointed in Violet's character. However, knowing this information actually made me really appreciate how much Chen stayed true to Violet's character in the decisions that she made. She was definitely the anti-heroine, but I was still rooting for her.

I love a good enemies-to-lovers trope, and although it seems to happen a bit suddenly, I think showing Violet's thoughts helped me to understand her side. I was very happy she didn't just give in and fall head-over-heels. I think a little more development on Cyrus's side would have helped with how sudden it felt. I was rooting for him, and at the same time appreciating how Violet was still staying true to her character.

I loved Dante and Camilla as side characters. Dante seemed like a good, level-headed friend, and Camilla was always entertaining without being too ditzy. The side characters weren't very developed, but I didn't find it to be a problem.

There were some nods to other fairytales that I loved; some evident and others a bit more subtle. The plot was paced pretty well, and while I've read that others found it confusing, I personally was able to follow it just fine. There were some good twists and turns that kept me hooked, and a betrayal I didn't see coming.

I thought the ending was well done, and was very happy it did not end on a cliffhanger. It wrapped things up just enough, but still left enough questions unanswered to make me want to read the next book. That is exactly how I like books in a series to end!

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy romance. I will definitely be reading the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It kept me hooked the entire time, and I fell in love with the characters and story!

This was sooo good! Violet Made of Thorns completely absorbed me. I adored Gina Chen’s writing and I think I will pick up anything she creates in the future. I loved Violet and her morally grey characteristics. She and Cyrus had so many moments that had me swooning and questioning my taste in romance. I would categorize this as a friends-to-enemies-to-enemies with benefits-to-I don’t want to spoil the rest. I can’t help but NEEDING romance in fantasy, and Gina Chen did an amazing job at balancing character development, storytelling, and romance!

*thank you so much Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the eARC*

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I enjoyed Violet right off the bat. She was snarky and said what she meant to Cyrus. She didn't hide herself near her friends Dante and Camilla. I was expecting this book to be a bit darker based on some of the reviews, maybe I am just used to a bit of the darkness in YA Fantasy now. When I first asked to get the ARC for this book it was not meant to be part of a series. I will say it did not leave too many open questions but I have so many still. Now I will have to reread it whenever the second book comes out. I enjoyed the characters, the story arc, and the world-building. I can't wait to see where the second book takes us. Now to wait for it!

I love fantasy and the synopsis had me really excited to read this, but after 4 months of attempting to like it - I just don't. I have no problem with morally gray characters because I think they are realistic, but I could not connect with Violet at all. I didn't like her! The plot is a bit confusing as it winds all over like a maze and leaves giant plot holes in its wake.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of this book, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings: Death, self-harm, blood, gore, murder, racism, child abuse, violence, and some sexual scenes.

After reading the summary of this book, on Netgalley, I knew I wanted to dive in. I’m a sucker for fantasy novels that follow someone who’s labeled morally gray.

We meet Violet, the Kingdom seer, who works closely with the King to ensure peace and prosperity for their land. Everyone trusts her divination except for the crown Prince who’s determined to prevent her from continuing as Seer once he’s crowned King.

Since Violet was brought to the castle, when they were children, Prince Cyrus and her have fought loudly, and openly, for all to witness. Both stubborn they refuse to see eye to eye or find common ground. So when the King instructs Violet to grow close to Cyrus to ensure he believes her divination of meeting his true love, Violet’s at a bit of a loss.

I was fully invested, from the very start, and ended up reading this book in one day, practically in one sitting. The beginning and middle were strong and had me invested in Violet, her powers, and her potential friendship with Cyrus. I did find myself struggling to stay immersed the closer we got to the end though. The development of a tentative trust between Violet and Cyrus was shown throughout the book but the ending had it feeling a bit rushed, like one minute there was trust then immediately none, and then back to trust. I wish a little more time would have been spent on the ending for the back and forth to make more sense to me. This could honestly just be a me issue but I just felt like it didn’t line up with what all we’d learned previously.

The way the story ended has me hopeful that there will be another book. If this is a standalone I’d be sad, as I felt it didn’t tie up everything it should have. On either Goodreads or Storygraph, I saw something saying it was book one in an untitled duology so I’m hopeful that we’ll get another book.