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.

Calling all fairytale lovers - this is the book for you. You will for sure want to get your hands on this later this summer!

This has everything you want from a classic fairytale. A prophesy binding a prince and a witch, a magical wood suffering from a curse, and a kingdom with suspicious neighbours in peril. It definitely has all the bases covered and doesn't leave the reader wanting in terms of content.

The only reason I'm not rating this higher is because I think I just had too high of expectations going into this. Comparing this to ‘The Cruel Prince’ and ‘Serpent & Dove’ is a pretty bold marketing strategy and I think the magnitude of that comparison built this up to be a bit more than it actually is. Not that this is a bad book, obviously; it's just not on the same level as those other stories, which lead to some mild disappointment.

But overall, a great first book to a series that has set up the story quite nicely for the following books!

Ohh wow! I don't even know where to start with this review!

VMoT is unique in that it has the elements of a fairytale but done totally different. This isn't the sweet Disney version. I wouldn't exactly call it a dark fairytale either. What if the king hides world domination behind kindness? This is a gritty, sharp, and messy story. Violet is entirely too proud the entire of this book but that's what makes her such an interesting character. She's the witch with fangs that bites Prince Charming! The world building is lush and fairytale like. It's mind blowing! It takes what you know about fairytales and turns it sideways. What if love doesn't conquer all? I like Violet and Cyrus! They're the opposite sides of a coin. You know how they always say the line between love and hate is very thin and this is one of those stories. Enemies to lovers on steroids! This is full on I could kill you kind of hate!

This is definitely different from my normal romantasy reads but I really enjoyed it! I liked Dante and Camilla! They were fun side characters that were fleshed out well! The pacing was a little wonky - I felt it dragged a little in the middle. The ending was fast and exciting! I can't wait for the next book in this duology!

4.5 stars for the story
2 on the spicy scale (sex not detailed but a little more than fade to black)

This is an outstanding debut novel by Gina Chen. She paints a wonderful new world that is infused with familiar fairy tale motifs and concepts. Violet is a Seer in a magical kingdom who is at odds with Prince Cyrus and who must make difficult choices with the future she foretells. Does she proclaim what the King, Cyrus' father, tells her to say? Half-truths bent towards political gain? What about what the Fates tell her to say or do? I appreciate the moral conflict that Violet is grappling with throughout the book. It feels like a very nature vs. nurture except it's unclear, even to Violet, which is which.
I cannot wait for more of this story to unfold and I'm already recommending this novel to friends.
Thank you. as always, to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I’m definitely shocked right now. This lived up to the hype perfectly, but also in ways that I was not expecting.

The plot of this book was a fairytale retelling centered around the witch, Violet. Only Violet isn’t quite a witch - she’s a Seer, who can read the threads of the Fates in order to see the future. Or the past, which is less helpful considering her job as the Royal Seer. She’s been put in charge of prophesying Prince Cyrus’ fate.

A few problems: one, she hates Prince Cyrus, and the feeling is mutual. Two, the king is watching her every move. And three, she might have lied in her last prophecy about the prince finding true love.

I was in love with this storyline. I loved the dark vibes, the constant underlying tension, and the way things progressed. The pacing felt very fitting, and while some things felt too drawn out, the story never dragged or sped up too badly.

The world-building was really nice and I loved how it incorporated so much of the fantasy/fairytale elements into the geography and society. It made things a lot more believable, but also whimsical in a way. The magic blended nicely with every other part of the setting and created a really cool atmosphere.

“All the tales ever told speak of beautiful boys and girls falling in love simply because they’re beautiful. But even the most beautiful witch is strange and wicked. Unhappy ever after, heart unmended, wishes unheeded, and alone, always alone.
Cyrus will get showered with rose petals on his wedding day.
I get thorns.”

The characters were all very well-written and I could identify them by personality and traits easily. None of them were really developed, other than Violet and Cyrus, but I think just being able to understand them quickly was a mark for good characterization.

I loved how Violet didn’t feel much remorse for lying or stealing, and was never afraid to scheme for her own advantage. She was witty and impulsive but cunning.

But I didn’t really get the whole “morally-gray” thing that the book was trying to sell. A lot of the time, it felt like she was teetering between “good and bad” and trying to choose one or the other, rather than being in between or a good blend of both.

Also, Princess Camilla was amazing and a lesbian icon and I stan her more than anyone else in the book.

Cyrus I didn’t actually care about that much, but I liked what he did for the plot and for Violet. His involvement and the things he did were important, even though they were mostly infuriating from Violet’s perspective. The dynamic he set with Violet was perfect.

Speaking of their dynamic, the romance was everything to me.

It was enemies to lovers, it was banter, it was a lot of tension between the two of them alone, and it was a lot of confusion and angst on both sides - and those are the things I LIVE for. I was so skeptical at first when people compared this book to The Cruel Prince, but I see it now.

Gina Chen was right when she called this the “I can fix her” x “I can make him worse” dynamic because IT IS and it works so well between them. I was so excited for this romance and it didn’t disappoint.

“A single lock of his smoothed hair falls out of place as he dips his head, his gaze shadowed beneath long lashes. “You don’t have a single selfless thought in that blessed mind of yours, and I will never oblige myself to someone like that. Be proud, because pride is all you have.”
My blood hums. If he wants to put me in my place, I’ll put him in his.”

“I know you think I’m some honorable half-wit, and I appreciate that very much. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I like it when my enemies underestimate me.”
Tread carefully. “I’m your enemy?”
“We’ll see.”

“Words loosen from my tongue faster than I can parse them; they’d always been there in the back of my mind, waiting to corner him. “As much as you loathe it, I’m the only one you don’t have to pretend with, so here you are. I see the way you look at me.” Those green eyes of his darken into twin chasms. “You don’t hate me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re trying your hardest not to want me.”

What did disappoint me was the Asian representation, or rather the lack thereof. This book was sold as a dark-fairytale Asian retelling, which made me anticipate something like Forest of A Thousand Lanterns (Eastern-Asian world, dynastic-China inspired kingdom).

The kingdom setting of this book was solidly Western and white, and Violet being what was considered Asian in this world didn’t really count to me as Asian rep.

For one thing, she didn’t show any of her culture. Aside from her appearances and her childhood growing up in the Moon District (the Chinatown of the capital city), there wasn’t much that actually showed much…Asian-ness, for lack of a better term.

I understand that Violet was an orphan and didn’t have anything to connect her to her culture, but I still think she should have had more of a connection to her heritage. The way this was told, she could have been replaced by a white girl with the same personality and it wouldn’t have made much of a difference.

Sure, the book addressed racism in some of the characters and how Violet was treated, but I wasn’t getting anything that felt like representation. More like commentary.

“Still, a title and a tower don’t erase a fear of things people don’t understand. When something as strange as magic lives in someone as strange to them as a foreign-faced girl, I will never stand a chance.”

I think this was a bit long for a first book, but I think I’m going to read the second one when it comes out. Because I really want to see what happens to Cyrus and Violet next.

Overall, this was a solid book and I was very much into it. The plot and the romance were intoxicating, the characters were fun, and the atmosphere was pretty. This had a lot of hype surrounding it before I opened it, and I was going in with very high expectations.

Most of them were met.

I picked this one up because of the comparisons to the cruel prince but was ultimately let down. For the most part the plot is confusing and I found it hard to really connect with the characters. I enjoyed the writing style but for the most part it was hard to enjoy the book while being confused

Violet is not the strongest Seer, but he has the king's ear nonetheless. When she touches someone's hand, she can see their past and their future. And when the king whispers in her ear, she spreads the lies he wants her to foretell. When Cyrus, the prince, returns alone from a trip on which he was meant to find a bride, the king tells Violet to make up a future in which the prince finds his bride-- a woman the king has arranged for his son to marry. But when said woman shows up, Violet, the prince, his sister, and Violet's only other friend, Dante, are suspicious of her. For the first time, Violet and Cyrus work together to uncover the truth of the woman who has shown up to marry the prince-- and untangle the complicated web of fates, fairies, and lies spun around the kingdom.

I loved everything about this book, from the characters to the prose to the nods (some obvious, some subtle) to various fairytales. There were moments when I gasped out loud and moments where I was so caught up in the suspense that I caught myself holding my breath. I loved that, for the most part, the characters weren't unambiguously good or bad, but were all complicated in ways that sometimes made it hard to know who to root for in any given conflict, and sometimes left me thinking they were both either in the wrong or the right but understanding the motivations for both sides. The world of this book is lush and beautiful, and I can't wait to read the sequel.

3.5/5 stars!

Violet Made of Thorns is a fun fresh fantasy filled with magic, mystery and wild beasts. This book definitely felt like a mix between The Cruel Prince by Holly Black and A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, containing a lot of similar themes and tropes. That is not to say that a Violet Made of Thorns does not shine well on its own. My favorite aspect about this book was definitely the characters, especially our main protagonist Violet. I really liked how fresh her character felt and how perfectly imperfect she was, much like an antihero. Selfish, proud, brazen, and vindictive, Violet carved her way through this story consequences be damned, and I loved that. I also really enjoyed the enemies to lovers romance between her and Cyrus despite it being slightly rushed at the end.

What lost me a little bit however, was certain aspects of the plot and world-building. I felt some of the plot elements were either poorly explained, jumping out of no where or wasn't completely necessary to include. This made the story a bit jumbled and confusing. By the end of the book I felt like I had a lot more questions than I had answers and the pacing kind of threw me for a loop. If the world-building was a little stronger and the plot a little bit more focused, I definitely would have enjoyed this book a lot more than I did. Despite these few issues I had with the book, I still was enthralled and finished this book in the matter of a few days. I'm really excited to see where this story will go and definitely see myself reading the second book!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!


This was such a fun mashup of a few familiar tales, with a cynical realistic heroine. I appreciated Violet so much! Loved this and can’t wait for more from this author!

A beautiful, dark fantasy. I thought it was very well written. Very easy to get caught up in the storytelling. I did not want to put this one down. Thank you so much for the ARC. They even threw in enemies to lovers to make it even more magical. I can't say I am disappointed. The banter, the characters, the plot it all just hit the note.


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.

ANTIHEROINE, WORK BUILDING, AND SO MUCH GOOD CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.

I am honestly so attached to this book and the storytelling. Violet is an orphan who has a gift of seeing the future. She uses her gifts to achieve the position of royal advisor aaaand it's pretty obvious who her love interest is.
Enemies to lovers trope? Kinda? This was the one think I have to complain about because it was not developed well but the book was so good I could overlook how rushed the relationship was because I predicted it anyways.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

VIOLET MADE OF THORNS follows Violet, a clever orphan who used her gift of seeing the future to situate herself as, essentially, a royal advisor. She's an enigmatic antiheroine and while I loved the world building, background, and character development, I wish we had learned more about where she came from. It was hinted at the end, so I hope that the sequel will delve more into it. At the same time, I felt like some parts of the books were massive info dumps where I almost got lost in the details instead of following the plot. Echoing other reviewers, I felt the enemies-to-lovers trope was mainly enemies and rushed into lovers. Despite all of that, I thought the story was unique, thoroughly written, and full of twists and turns. Chen built a fantastic fantasy world that was equal parts old-fashioned royal court and modern politics and sensibility. I also loved the diverse representation which flowed naturally through the story.

Overall, a great fantasy read with court politics, enemies-to-lovers spice, and plenty of mystery. I can't wait for the second installment mostly so I can get all of the questions I'm left with answered, but as a stand alone this was pretty fantastic as well.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Violet Made of Thorns is a fantasy following Violet, a prophet who's used her gift to manipulate herself into a comfortable life working for the royal family. As her visions become increasingly concerned with a curse that may affect the future of the whole kingdom, Violet must decide the lengths she's willing to go to save the kingdom - and more importantly, herself.

I honestly loved this book. I feel like there aren't a lot of books written with a character like Violet as the lead - a character who's unafraid to do what she has to provide for herself above all else. She's sharp and cynical, and an antiheroine you'll root for. I also thought the enemies-to-lovers trope was done well, even if the lovers part felt a little rushed at the end. I'm so excited to see where this story goes :)

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Random House/Delacorte (NOTE TO RANDOM HOUSE: I AM WAITING FOR BOOK TWO, PLEASE!!!!!!!) for providing me with a free copy of Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen in exchange for an honest review. All of the following opinions are all my own.

Here is my super long review where I analyze why I love this so much.

5/5 Stars - I’ve given out two of these recently - which is shocking.

I AM OBSESSED, I was doubtful when I requested this... The beauty and the beast retelling is incredibly overdone at this point. I was not expecting to enjoy this AND wholeheartedly love it. Violet Made of Thorns is labeled as fantasy romance yet there is so much more to it than that!!!!

The gist of the story: Violet, the chosen Seer of the Sun Capital and “that’s not exactly what I said” prophet, must find a way to save herself from being thrown out of the kingdom by the irksome and cursed Prince Cyrus when he is crowned. She walks the fine line between pleasing the current King or the Prince who will one day rule. Violet finds herself being drawn closer to the Prince as she is asked to give a false prophecy to guide him away from his cursed fate. Violet is forced to choose between her fate, her kingdom, her King and her Prince.

I knew Violet Made of Thorns would be good when I read the "Letter to Reader." In this letter by Chen, she cites how her goal is to make a story about someone who isn't always the hero and is simply trying to save herself. We read so many books where the opposite is true and the hero is self-sacrificial. While such a thing is great, I really enjoyed seeing Violet as what most people would call an "anti-heroine". This is where I beg for more realistic heroes who have a level head containing the realities of life. I need more cynical heroines in books. I NEED IT!

The world-building was fantastic while not being overly confusing. I found the setting to be an easy place to picture. I enjoyed the magic system and the role of “the fates”. It was fantastic to see Violet being considered as someone “of faith” as a seer while she hides her own doubts in them in the first place.

Prince Cyrus, the love interest, was a dynamic character even if he did not appear so at first. The side characters were not simply filler. Dante had an interesting backstory where xenophobia played a role. Camilla, a princess and slightly younger twin sister of Cyrus, played a wonderful role of lightening the mood while not being a complete air-head to put it simply.

Tropes: morally grey/anti-heroine, enemies/hate to love relationship, beauty and the beast, seer, cinderella-esque
Representation: Asian main character, LGBTQ side character
Trigger Warnings I made note of: fantasy-typical violence, blood, self-harm related to magic, xenophobia

****4 Stars!


“It is good to remind ourselves of how true love will save us from the dark.”


First I would like to thank Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book. I am honored to have been given the chance to read it and give an honest review.

Violet Made of Thorns follows a young woman named Violet who is a prophet and a liar, influencing the court with her cleverly phrased--and not always true--divinations. There is an animosity between Violet and the not so charming Prince Cyrus, who has plans to strip Violet of her official role of Seer once he’s crowned king at the end of summer--unless Violet does something to prevent it.

When the king comes to Violet and asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either the destruction or salvation of the kingdom. Everything that is to come depends upon the prince’s choice for a future bride. Violet is faced with a choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction growing between her and Cyrus.

Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they cannot change her fate. As the boundary between hatred and love grows thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom--or risk dooming them all.

This is a book that I felt was very unique compared to so many stories that I’ve read in this genre. I really liked how I didn’t quite know what to expect with it as I began to read. This is a dark and twisted fantasy world that had so many different twists and turns along the way. I really enjoyed Violet as a character, she was not like all the heroines of stories that I was used to. She was strong willed, stubborn and had a very sharp wit. She was a character that was in the middle of her moral compass. She was imperfect in so many ways that made her feel like a very real and believable character compared to all the other heroines that start off as perfect and unyielding good. I really admired this character for being her genuine self and never trying to hide or alter who she is, she embraced the dark inside of her as well as the light and never apologized for it once.

I absolutely love the enemies to lovers trope, so the constant love and hate battle between Violet and Cyrus was very fun to read! They had a very interesting dynamic between the two of them, constantly pushing and pulling at each other. There were times in the book where I never knew who to trust and that made me curious to continue further to see if my judgment was correct or not.

The world building in this book was interesting, it was very mythical and high fantasy! I would have loved to see a bit more lore in the story about the world they come from, but it was still very fascinating to see how their world worked and what the magic system consisted of. All and all this was a book that I found very interesting and I’d be really curious to see where this story goes in the future! If you’re a fan of high fantasy, enemies to lovers and morally gray characters then this is a book I’d highly recommend!