It was okay.
The concept was interesting. The execution not so much.
The pacing felt incredibly fast. Not only is it a short novel, but you get through the story before you even realize it!
It's like those superhero movies that have to introduce a lot of backstory to get to the main villain battle.. but we don't really get too much backstory.
The romance feels kind of fake... Like, I get the frenemies to lovers thing, I do.. but even the tension between the two seemed shallow.
The characters as a whole felt really shallow.
The good thing is that there is a decent amount of lgbtq representation.
Worth a read if you have a couple hours to burn and want a fantasy romance that leans to the dark side.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Stunning and captivating, Violet Made of Thorns will transport you into a magical world. For fans of The Cruel Prince and Sarah J Maas. This book will leave you wanting more.

Can't say enough amazing things about this novel! Once I started, I could not put it down! Very much looking forward to owning a hard copy of this gorgeous novel.

4.5 stars. I’d never heard of this book or author before (this is her debut), but the first chapter was in a NetGalley sampler and it completely hooked me. So glad the publisher approved my request so I could read the rest!

This is a little bit Cinderella, with a girl born poor and unloved who goes to a ball from which she runs away at midnight. It’s a little bit Beauty and the Beast, with a beautiful, fairy-charmed prince enchanted by a witch to turn into a beast but who’s saved by the heroine. But mostly it’s its own story.

I’ve seen Violet described in other reviews as an anti-heroine, but I don’t think I agree with that characterization. She’s flawed, has made and continues to make some tough decisions to survive, and has a deservedly cynical outlook on the world. And because of all that, she’s relatable and sympathetic. (Well, mostly. She’s rather prone to shoving the prince when riled, which would be 100% unacceptable if their genders were reversed.)

As a Seer who speaks to Fates (gods), Violet reminds me a little of Emmeline Fox in Once Upon a Broken Heart — minus Emmeline’s wide-eyed innocence. The magnetic push-pull of Violet and Cyrus’ star-crossed relationship, their inability to either resist each other or resist taunting each other, and their inability to trust each other even when in love all read very much like Kestrel and Arin in The Winner’s Trilogy. And the way the witch lays waste to the kingdom and the political hopelessness facing Cyrus remind me of A Curse So Dark and Lonely. All books I enjoyed!

And the last, short chapter was *chef’s kiss*

This was hugely enjoyable and I’m sad I’ll inevitably have to wait at least a year to read a galley of the sequel!

The description sounds great, but the actual book wasn't much to my liking. I couldn't buy in to the 2 MC's feelings for each other - I believed the hate, not so much the love.

I really enjoyed Violet Made of Thorns. When I saw the comparison to Serpent and Dove and The Cruel Prince I was hesitant, those are some of my favorite books, and usually, the books compared to them don't live up to the hype - but this one definitely did. Violet and Cyrus have a relationship that is full of mistrust and a long history, and even the main characters struggle to figure out how they feel. I love this relationship dynamic because it's relatable, so many of us have been in that position. The characters and their relationships are really the highlights of this story and the plot is a little flat, but it still feels like a complete story. Knowing that I will say if the characters don't jive well with you, this probably isn't the story for you. Overall I personally really enjoyed it!

This was just ok. I tried desperately to like this A LOT because the description said it was similar to Serpent and Dove and just no. Everyone but the main character Violet was bland. Even Violet was a wannabe Lou from S and D. She had some witty comebacks but nothing else really stood out about her. The prince Cryus was written to be a snarky, charming type but he was just an ass and annoying. You ever read a book where the romance is there but you can’t appreciate it because you feel hardly anything for the characters? Yeaaaaa that happened. As I read I thought, “man I wish I was actually invested because some of this would be top notch”. The book wasn’t boring, just not much happened. Another trap I fell into, when a book is just ok you want to keep reading to see maaaaybe it gets better but you know it won’t. I honestly started skimming towards the end because I just wanted to finish and I was still able to understand what happened.

4/5 ✨ s
“My curse, my ruin, my Violet- my heart is yours. It was always yours. Take it.”

This reminded me of a sort of sleeping beauty and Cinderella retelling to be honest. I really enjoyed it. I found the character of Violet likable as she is very much her own rose with thorns. Cyrus I think will develop more in the next book. I don’t dislike him but there are parts of his character i do dislike. He’s very quick to throw Violet under the bus at every turn in my opinion. All in all this was a fun read and I will be reading book two to see what’s going to happen next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

VIOLET MADE OF THORNS is the perfect tale if you're looking for a YA fantasy with a little bit of darkness and despair. Violet is the anti-heroine that, despite all her faults (of which there are many), you can't help like her and root for her. She and Prince Cyrus used to be close as children, but have grown distant and hostile as the years have passed. You could say they love to hate each other, and that hate turns into a twisted kind of love. While I'm always down for an enemy-to-lovers trope, this one fell just short of the mark for me. I felt like there was little lead-up (or teasing, if you will--I WANT TO BE TEASED) with regard to their feelings for each other.

In all, I really loved this book. The writing was beautiful and clear. The characters well-developed, flaws and all. The worldbuilding was fantastical, dark, and compelling. And if you're looking for an ending that isn't your typical "happily-ever-after", then this is the right book for you.

While the ending was a bit abrupt, this was a wild ride for fans of Folk of the Air.

The pacing and plot were the perfect combo and I’m here for all the swoony glares and forbidden hand grazes.

I would love to know more if this world and am assuming there will be a companion novel or sequel.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Violet Made of Thorns was a really fun fairytale to jump into. Especially after meeting Violet, the Seer, and Cyrus, the Prince. It all started with a vision and then a curse was released. A curse that only came into play when a certain someone didn't die. The fates are playing a game that no one is truly aware of. That is, until a little girl sees a certain vision and thinks it's important.

Long story short, someone was saved, and a prophecy/curse was created. Years later, Violet is a Seer for Cyrus's dad - the king. She may or may not see the real future for someone when it comes to readings. But that's mostly because people can be fickle, and decisions change quite frequently. So, in a way, she could tell you what might happen, but it all depends on the decisions they make that day. Lots of options when it comes to what she sees.

As for dreams, well, they are definitely going to happen and that's what scares her. Especially when it comes to blood, war, and roses. Every dream surrounds a certain person and she's running out of time to save them. It also doesn't help that doom and betrayal lurk over her either.

I honestly had so many questions throughout this entire book. With each clue and reveal that came my way, I just kept wondering what the big betrayal was going to be and when it would happen. Eventually it came and I wasn't happy. Mostly because I was really enjoying the romance between certain people. Seriously, I was. They had so much chemistry and sexually filled tension moments throughout the book. I probably would have thrown a fit if they didn't get together at some point.

In the end, I'm very intrigued to see how this will become a duology. If it ever does, that is. Maybe the sequel will be about the princess? Not sure but I'm excited for it, nonetheless. Other than that, I'm very happy that I got the chance to dive into this book. I can't wait for it to be published so I can own it.

after the number of times young adult debuts have let me down, reading violet made of thorns made me wary right from the start. i have thought of it highly before its release and has been one of my most anticipated reads of the year. suffice to say, although this did not go beyond what i was initially expecting, it did meet them in more ways than one.

what i loved about this book is you dive into this entirely new world and you’d instantly get the gist of what is going on. it’s really easy to catch up on the magic system and any aspect that is fantasy. it was not heavy on political intrigue but it did delve into it. another thing i loved is how this book has incorporated an aspect or two from multiple fairytales and shaped them into its own.

moving on to the characters, reading this through violet’s point of view made it such a fun experience because i get to speculate if what she’s really saying is the truth or not. it encouraged me to engage with the character and often times i find myself in disbelief with her decisions. but that’s the fun thing with having a liar as a protagonist, you couldn’t see the deception and lies until they’re finally present. then there is also the prince, cyrus, who was carved and fleshed out with such intrigue and charisma. their loathing towards each other has been prevalent since the beginning and is majorly present in the book. one thing that made this book entertaining is their chemistry together. i found myself smiling from ear to ear as I watch the angst and their suppressed attraction unfold.

the problem with this all boils down to one thing: execution—and writing plays heavily on that part. there were a lot of dialogues and monologues that grated me; they felt pretentious and overboard at times. some phrasing irked me beyond measure. there is also the promise of antiheroes; it did play out its part, but not to an extent that would make my jaw drop. lastly, the romance by the end of the book somehow felt like a mad race against the clock by integrating more than you could chew in one sitting.

i would still recommend it to anyone who is looking for a fast-paced romance fantasy. i do believe that gina chen has more to offer and i put my faith in her for what’s to come in the next book of this duology.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacourt Press for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is perfect for anyone who loved The Cruel Prince that wants a tougher main character. I think this will be a hit with the YA fantasy readers! I do feel as though the romance was a bit rushed but I enjoyed the banter and the overall plot.

I absolutely loved this book! It sucked me in from the first page and I didn't want to put it down. Its defintely going on my favorites list.
Violet is unapologetically herself. Sometimes she mean, and she lies whenever it suits her, she will do whatever it takes to make sure that she stays the cour seer.
Cyrus can turn on the charm for anyone else but as soon as he and Violet are in the same room all they do is snipe at each other.. and he has the power to change her life when he eventually becomes king.. They seem to hate each other, not even wanting to be in the same room... until they don't and become my favorite will they won't they couple. and when the prophesy Violet is trying to help Cyrus stop starts coming to pass they have to begin working together to figure out how to save their lives and avert war.
I also love our side characters Dante and Princess Camilla, they are the only people that like Violet for who she is I hope we get to see more of them in the next book.

There were so many twists and turns and genuinely had no idea what Violet was going to do at the end. I can't wait for it to be released so I can buy a copy and reread it before the next book comes out.

It’s hard for me to rate this book cause I wanted to love it so much. The premise is good but the execution wasn’t so great.

My biggest problem with this title was the dialogue. It was written in a way that made me feel like I was reading a contemporary novel and that completely ruined the atmosphere for me.

The main protagonist was supposed to be this morally grey girl but the way she spoke didn’t show that, she seemed childish and unnecessarily petty about most things.

The main plot was a bit messy but there were a lot of interesting elements about that, and stuff I didn’t see coming so kudos for that!

The romance also didn’t captivate me as much. It was too rushed and the way they would banter was too childish for me.

Overall, I wasn’t too impressed with this, I think that if the dialogue was less childish and more fit to a fantasy novel it would create a nicer atmosphere which would improve the reading experience significantly.

I'm not going to give a summary/blurb because you can find that elsewhere. Instead, I'm going to give my impressions, my feelings. the things I liked and didn't like.


I read this book in one sitting. Could not put it down-- didn't want to.

I didn't expect to like this book. I don't know why. But I'm glad I was wrong. I loved it. Violet is not your typical heroine. She is mean and a liar, lazy and judgmental, not a kind person but pragmatic. She is rough and real, and I loved her from the start.

Her moral struggle, her romantic struggle, it all seemed *real*. There were no easy answers for her. And while I guessed some of the mystery ahead of time, there were other things that took me by surprise.

The Hate-mance between her and Cyrus mostly felt natural, and was slow burn in a way that almost makes you antsy. JUST KISS already. But then they do, and we spicy details.

This is the first in a series, and there are certainly some questions that are left unanswered. I love a series, and look forward to reading what comes next, but, mostly, this story stands alone.

The Cruel Prince is a GREAT comp, but even more, this book gives The Wicked King vibesss!!

First I would like to thank the publishers and Netgalley for providing an advanced readers copy in return for my honest review.

This book is about a seer named Violet as she sees visions about a cursed future. The story is centered around preventing that future. I enjoyed Violet as a MC, she's a lair, cunning, and looks out for herself.

The story was good but some interactions with Violet and the prince in more courtly situations didn't feel real. Besides those certain ones, I enjoyed their interactions a lot. A lot happens in the final chapters after what feels like not too much happening. Those last chapters were a tad surprising as well, I wasn't expecting it to play out how it did but I did expect a similar unfolding of events.

It is set up for a sequel but I wasn't left with the feeling of immediately wanting to read the next one, which is probably good since I imagine it'll be a while before we see a sequel. I do plan on purchasing a copy when it's available in stores and this is one I would recommend. If you like antiheroines, angry tension filled banter, and learning about things through visions then you should give this book a read.

“Violet Made of Thorns” - How I LOVED this book!

Captivating from the very start, author Gina Chen, immediately immerses you into a realm of descriptive, imaginative, and memorable characters! I would love for Violet’s journey to continue……….

A sincere thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children’s Books, and Delacorte Press for providing me a copy of “Violet Made of Thorns” in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this story and leave my review voluntarily.

There is a lot I enjoyed about this book and the biggest was the authors voice and writing style. I was immediately swept up by the story, the ease and the relatability of Gina Chen's writing. I loved the magical world and the mc, Violet, who is a no-nonsense, strong and independent seer. I enjoyed the plot and main characters, but I wish there was more character development overall. The story had a very strong start and middle, but for me the ending fell short and its like the book was alllllmost there for me. My overall rating of this book is like an almost 4 star, like 3.7.

I loved the forward to this! I loved the authors explanation of why she made the main character morally grey. I think I originally found this book through a tiktok about love/hate relationships. I loved seeing Violet's growth and progression through the book. I also loved that the main character is asian #representationmatters. I loved how feisty Violet was and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author!