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

Let me tell you, that was a wild ride! The book itself was marketed to be similar to the Cruel Prince and Serpent and Dove but I honestly found it to be a bit more of Maleficent and The Beauty and the Beast inspired.

The story follows Violet the Seer - a prophetic witch- who is far from perfect. She is prideful, vengeful, impatient, and simply a great representation of what most YA female characters lack; she is realistically flawed. Furthermore, I love how she never tried to be someone she was not and she owned up to it with a sharp tongue - she was characteristically cold and magically gifted. Although, I did dislike how scattered her thoughts were and how her feelings didn’t really feel genuine, seemingly showing that she loved the physical attraction instead.

We then come across Cyrus, the perfect prince charming and person of the prophetic doom. His character was very black and white throughout the book - he hated Violet but he also found her to be an irresistible problem. Drenched in gold perfection, he plays his princely charm with delight as he struggles to prevent his foretold fate. Although, he lacked depth, emphasizing more on feelings than plot.

Nowwww we get on to the good part! Sure the enemies to lovers was super well written out, it was a m a z i n g!!! But the plot of the book was my favorite!! Ehem- we have blood, we have beasts, we have fairies and we have betrayal in the most “whaaa” kind of way!! My my, it was a super cool concept with an evil force attempting to conquer the world. The only thing I didn’t like was how fast it became in the last few chapters. Just like the romance, the twists and action became extreme, making me feel a bit overwhelmed with all that was going on. The solutions felt off-key as well, but hopefully, all my confusion will be resolved in the next book!!

Overall this was a super fun read!! I highly recommend you go onto your favorite bookstore's website, pre-order it, and read it at once it releases on July 26, 2022!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

I have a deep and abiding weakness for prickly, ambitious heroines who are looking out for themselves first and everyone else last. Violet more than fits the bill! I adored her. Throw in Big Fairy Tale Vibes, a childhood friends to enemies to something infinitely more complicated, and prophecy, and this book is a winner across the board!

Violet Made of Thorns is a dark and twisty fantasy full of magic, deception, and a whole lot of angst!

Violet and Cyrus are what I’d like to call “star crossed” enemies to lovers. Violet is the royal seer. She serves the kingdom by looking into people’s futures, as well as their pasts and providing guidance to the monarchy. Violet is my favorite kind of character. She is cynical, witty, and harbors a dark past. Violet’s personality is perfect for anyone who’s a fan of villains or antagonists in general. She is the antiheroine you didn’t know you needed. We follow Violet as she struggles with her integrity and personal demons. Is she willing to sacrifice herself to save someone else.

Cyrus is the soon to be king, but not if he cannot find himself a bride. Cyrus has a curse looming over his every day. He has to find a bride to save the kingdom any himself or risk losing everything. The only problem is that Cyrus is not interested in a bride or abiding by his father’s wishes in general. Will he stay true to himself and risk it all.

This book is perfect for dark fantasy lovers. It feels reminiscent of many classic dark fairy tales rolled into one but without feeling derivative. I am anxiously awaiting book #2!

I liked the world-building and atmosphere in this. Magic and fairy tales are some of my favorite things. It was intense and dark and I was totally into that. Also, the characters were interesting and well fleshed out.

Unfortunately, by the end, I was pretty frustrated.

Violet is supposed to be cynical, but her attitude seemed and actions seemed to contradict themselves at times. Also, it kept mentioning how awesome she was and how much better she was than everyone. An awesome woman who understands her worth is something I can get behind. At the same time, I wish we would’ve seen how she directly influences things more.

Also, the idea that love and kindness are manipulation undermines what those things are capable of. Of course, it should be noted that these are Violet's thoughts alone, but it just felt wrong.

I would not say I hated this by any means, simply that by the end I wanted to be done with it. However, I am confident that it is just a taste thing. It's well written, and it's a page-turner! There will be tons of people who like this a lot.

Just not me.

I received an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

EXCERPT: “No prophecy could have predicted Violet Made of Thorns becoming a worthy contender to rule the young adult fantasy genre, although a few battles still need to be won.”

Full review published online at Asia Pacific Arts Magazine.

Violet Made of Thorns is a fantasy, enemies to lovers romance that follows Violet, the resident Seer of the Sun Capital...except for the fact that she’s also a liar. I absolutely adored her and she will go down in history as one of my all-time favorite anti-heroines.. She’s super unapologetic, witty, confident and practiced in her act. I very much enjoyed the heated and charged banter between Violet and Cyrus and the sexual tension they gave off was so angsty and perfect! This book was so well written, I loved the world building and the descriptions, the deception, the twists and am anxiously awaiting book 2!

Lots of YA authors like to reimagine, twist and distort, modernize, and recreate the classic fairy tales. Gina Chen has done all of those with pretty much all the fairy tales and managed to stay true to the darker sentiments of the originals.
Violet doesn’t trust anyone and doesn’t feel connected to anything around her. But she knows one thing, she really hates Cyrus, Princey of the land she lives in. They seem to despise each other but as a reader you sense their connection right from the start and know sparks will fly with desire and tension alike.
This was an entertaining read. Their was a lot of flaws to the characters that gave them depth and ensured we the readers didn’t just want to throw them out of the very high tower Violet lives in. I think girls who feel different and alone will connect particularly with Violet.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

<em>Violet Among Thorns</em> takes readers to a fantastical kingdom where war is on the horizon and only the prince can stop it by fulfilling a prophecy related to finding his true love-- an endeavor he, unfortunately, seems in no rush to complete. Magic and prophecies and intrigue wind together as various characters work towards their own ends and try to keep the prophecy of destruction from coming true..

There is a lot going on in this book, but that often makes it entertaining to read. Protagonist Violet needs to navigate Fates and kings and visions and royal balls and help keep the nation running smoothly, especially because her own position as royal Seer is on the line. Little snippets of other fairy tales like "Cinderella" are woven in, and readers may have fun spotting them, but the plot is largely original and takes a few twists and turns.

Unfortunately, the characterization didn't work for me. I understand Violet is supposed to be an antiheroine, and I don't need protagonists to be "likable" if they're interesting-- but it does help if I can understand the motivations of an antiheroine or if I actually think she's clever. Here, readers get a character who is, arguably, not very good at being a Seer and who is unnecessarily hostile to and judgmental of everyone around her. It's horrid if they're all fake rich people out for themselves, apparently, but fine when it's her. And, frankly, she's not even witty. There's a difference between walking around insulting everyone and flinging <em>clever </em>insults at them. Basically, I felt she was annoying and ungrateful and wasn't really good at being a Seer or being smart or . . . anything that would have at least made her interesting beyond, "She's not afraid to be rude to everyone.."

The romance is also lackluster. There are a lot of make out scenes, but there is zero chemistry between the two characters, and even they seem at a bit of a loss to explain why they are attracted to each other besides some vague idea they like that the other person is rude to them and the whole thing has a forbidden romance air. Again, I wouldn't exactly say they are having sexually tense witty banter at each other's expense; they just seem to say obnoxious things to each other that aren't truly that penetrating or humorous..

So, there's a lot to like here, in terms of mysteries and magic and an exciting plot, as well as political intrigue within Violet's court and between her kingdom and others. I do wish the main characters had been better-developed, but I still think a lot of readers will enjoy this one..

𝐈 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬: 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡—𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐞—𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭? 𝐓𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞? 𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐢𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬. 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝.

__________________________

As a young orphan living on the streets, Violet dreamed of a boy who was killed by a horse-cart in the marketplace…only it hadn’t happened yet. And at a young age she already knew the only way to escape a life on the streets was to do something extraordinary that would make her visible to the world around her. So she saved the boy’s life and confessed her vision to him. Only that boy was the crown prince and not only would she become visible, she would become the single most important advisor in the kingdom.

The Violet we meet at the heart of our story is an older, more seasoned, and cynical observer of court life. Having served the king from the age of eleven following the untimely death of the sitting Seer, Violet inherited the mantle of Seer along with the fallout from the final prophecy made by her predecessor on her deathbed: a prophecy that cursed Prince Cyrus.

Having been raised and guided by the king, Violet walks the razor thin line between her true gift of Sight and the lies she is instructed to tell at the king’s request. Still close to the princess, she now bitterly feuds with the prince who refuses to do the one thing everyone is certain will lift his curse and save everyone once and for all: choose his bride.

But when Violet begins dreaming again she is given dire warnings of what the future holds and, as a new voice enters her head, she finds herself torn between allowing fate to have its way or forcing a new destiny. The stakes were already high with a prophecy threatening to destroy the kingdom hinging upon the prince’s heart, but as signs of the prophecy coming to fruition begin to show in areas surrounding the kingdom the pressure is put on Violet to “foresee” the way out of it. But under duress from the king to prophecy what he expects her to in order to force a “happy ending”, Violet is also faced with an ultimatum from the fates themselves: kill the prince herself before the end of the summer, or she will be the one to burn.

There wasn’t a single thing about this book that was not dripping in utter perfection. It was the perfect blend of classic fairytales such as Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast with Greek mythology influences woven throughout, but not a retelling by any stretch of the imagination. It is wholly original and entirely beautiful.

Violet is the perfect anti-heroine. Her cynical, dark humor is entertaining without being overkill but also drives home resounding, ageless truths that keep her from sounding like a moody teenager. Her wise, albeit painful, experiences in life are poignant and stop you in your tracks quite a few times. I highlighted so much in this book it wasn’t even funny! The story through Violet’s jaded eyes reads as natural as breathing, and the constant drift between right, wrong, and the lies that orchestrate the world of court life keep you turning pages and wondering just how long it will take her to snap.

The dynamic between Violet and Cyrus is electric. If you love Enemies to Lovers consider this story a crown jewel in the trope. Their story goes far beyond just banter and feuding and goes straight to undermining, harmful intentions, and absolute loathing before combusting in the hottest ways. The spice was not heavily descriptive but it did not need to be to accurately convey the amount of pure heat and hatred between these two. There is nothing tender or sweet about them and I am HERE. FOR. IT.

The story was not easily predictable which I loved and hated at the same time. The cat and mouse game that Violet plays with fate convinces you right along with her that whatever choice she makes will in fact be the right one, but up until the very last moment you don’t quite see what that choice will be. Then as soon as you do it rips the rug of certainty right out from underneath you. The aftermath was not anything I saw coming and there were a few moments that left me gasping with one twist in particular that broke my heart entirely. The book itself did not end on a cliffhanger but definitely dangled far more questions than answers right up to the brief “epilogue” at the end.

Overall there wasn’t a single thing that I did not LOVE about this book. The groundwork that was laid at the end to carry us into the final installment of the story will be chewing away at my brain until we are able to get the conclusion in our hands. This was an absolutely stunning debut novel and I CANNOT WAIT to see what Gina Chen has in store for us in the years to come.

I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to NetGalley, Gina Chen, and Delacorte Press for sending me a copy of this book free in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. Many novels have been compared to The Cruel Prince but this was the first I’ve read that really lived up to that comparison. The dynamic between Violet and Cyrus is one full of mistrust and lust and history - so intertwined that even our own main characters can’t sort out what they feel. Gina Chen really nailed the whole “I hate that I want you and I hate that I can’t stop myself from wanting you” the chemistry was palpable and had me eagerly reading on for more interactions between the two.

I also appreciated the humor in this book- Violet is so blunt about the world that she lives in and it lends itself to some really funny bits about the kingdom and the people that occupy it. I also really liked the fairytale vibe- it felt very whimsical and fantastical and a Seer isn’t a role many YA characters have.


If the characters and their relationship don’t work for you, the rest of this book probably won’t. The plot is really thin and the villain/threat somewhat confusing. My main complaint would be that the ending went a bit off the rails and Violet almost made a choice that went against all of her development. But perhaps it’s a testimony to the writing that I believed she could make that choice despite the consequences. I still don’t quite love the turn the end of the book took. It I’m excited to see what the second book brings - especially as many of the story threads were already wrapped up. Ideally I would like more angst! It remains to be seen whether we get it.

Overall a super enjoyable YA read!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Super fun and smart young adult fantasy! I'd definitely recommend this to fans of fairytales and anti-heroines.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me review this book!
4.5 stars
Dark Fantasy please GIVE IT TO ME!
The story-telling and descriptions throughout the book bring you into the world of fantasy where you can view the beautifully skillful Violet to the daring charming prince Cyrus building tension between them in each chapter. Everything about this was PERFECT. I was definitely intrigued by the fact that Violet is a seer but calls herself a liar yet, Violet is portrayed as someone cynical. You know what good for her, I support her %100 and I loved her all the way to end of the book and you will too. I even fell in love with our side characters, Dante and Camilla. Their roles weren't just there they actually helped move the plot and it's *chef's kiss* I am seriously considering my own copy when this book comes out.
YALL this book was SO GOOD if you like enemies to lovers and magic. Best of both worlds.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this one! While it was a bit predictable, I still enjoyed the plot and the characters. Most importantly here is Violet: the MC who is cold, prickly, and unapologetically herself. Neither the hero or the villain, I found myself really enjoying her and her witty responses.

THANK YOU NetGalley, Random House & Gina Chen for this ARC!

Can I just say how much I LOVE Violet as a completely relatable anti-heroine? She is rude, sharp,. unapologetic about her sometimes messy life choices and I LOVE IT! While Fantasy books are an escape from the real-world, sometimes the heroes/heroines are so completely unreal in their personalities that you yearn for someone more like....yourself. Sharp angles, fluent in sarcasm and a little selfish at times. You will either love her, hate her or hate to love her. She's morally gray in the best of ways and a joy to read!

I didn't see much similarity between The Cruel Prince and VMoT but this was still a fun read. The romance between Violet and Cyrus is filled with angst and sexual tension.. This is a true enemies to lovers trope and the "enemies" part is done VERY well. The banter between the two was fun and bitter and I was all for it. I was not completely sold on the "lovers" part, however. It felt too rushed and I didn't particularly feel there was a natural progression towards that. But the backstabbing, action, and overall storyline made up for that lapse.

This will be a hit when it releases in August!

I loved this fractured YA fairytale. The characters were given depth of personality and were diverse in physical description and gender. I really enjoyed the departure from traditional YA fantasy of having 2 characters vying for the love of the protagonist. The world created was interesting and left open the real possibility of a sequel.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I just don't know where to begin.😂 The cover is beautiful and everyone seems to like this book except me.*sigh*
Since the beginning, I felt as if there wasn't much to the plot. The whole story revolves around the prophecy and there isn't much plot honestly. The beasts though were an interesting addition to the book but the interest ends there. There definetely was more action at the wedding. I almost felt like DNFing but I pushed myself. But despite me not liking much of this book, I felt that this book was well-written and the history well-crafted.
I didn't find much to the characters too, they just felt like they had nothing. Didn't have a personality is what I'm saying. And omg I didn't understand the romance? They hated each other but loved each other? I just couldn't get it. Nowadays, love has been turned into this toxic thing that is unlike anything love truly is. I didn't like the romance at all and neither did I like Cyrus.😂
I absolutely hate it when I don't like an ARC but I have to give my personal views no matter what. Many people liked it and I'm sure others would too and that's why please do not read my review and not read this book because of it.
2 stars.

What a great debut! Everything about this book is right up my alley and it did not disappoint. I loved the darkness and grittiness of the fairytale setting and I loved Violet as a character.

The romance was GREAT; it was nice to see Violet and Cyrus’ relationship evolve. Their constant push and pull over their warring morals was fun and I loved how Violet was so unapologetic about her self-interests. The magic was interesting and entertaining as well as the kingdom politics, and the side characters were awesome, too.

I went into this thinking it was a standalone (I think it *could* hold up as one) but I was excited to see that it’s a duology and I am very interested to see where it goes!

Violet is a complicated character. As complicated as she is stressful. She is the kind of person that would wonder if only could see the bad things on people and never made an effort to at least try to be agreeable. So it would be precise to say that I really feel identified with her. She's the king of unexpected hero who really doesn't want to be one. She saved someone just because she saw that as her way out of the streets, and she knows it doesn't matter who likes her as long as she is needed. So she makes herself needed, and that makes her a very ambitious person (in a great way). So when I say that I felt really close to her while I was this book, it's because I can be like that sometimes, too. And that is a reason why Violet is so amazing: she's not looking to be anyone but herself, and she feels very realistic on her way of acting and thinking for being someone with her powers. She feels scared of sharing her feelings, of making friends and trusting people.

All she wants is a stable JOB GIVE THE GIRL STABILITY

The story is everything but a cliché. The girl can make everything different even when you may think you expect things to happen. The romance is on point, and really liked the way it developed. They caught my breath they appeared, and it was a very I-hate-you-but-I-kind-of-want-you relationship. It has some very well written *adult, sexy, spicy* scenes, but like very few and very well done without being explicit in any way. I loved that detail too.

Now, the ending. Gina, are you MAD? HOW CAN YOU LEAVE THE BOOK AT THAT? The book hasn't come out yet but I already want a sequel. Like now.

I really enjoyed this book immediately from the first chapter. Violet is a seer who saved Cyrus, the prince, from death at a young age. He helped her find a home and a place in the kingdom. Violet worked for the king and sometimes had to tell lies to Cyrus. The prince is cursed and Violet must find a way to prevent it.

I found the part of the ball to remind me a bit of the Cinderella fairy tale. I initially thought it was a retelling until beasts came in to the picture.

The plot was enticing and I can’t wait to read the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, so this book is solid five stars. Why? Because we have a heroine who is not a heroine, but a villain, a girl who is literally the definition of 'heart as cold as ice' and a woman so selfish I can't help but laugh.

Violet is the most selfish protagonist I have ever encountered. For one, her thoughts are constantly based on what would benefit her the best; what would make her look good, and how she could get away with lying without lying. She genuinely thinks about putting others down and has had multiple thoughts of murder. Honestly, if given the right situation, Violet would probably commit murder.

I will admit, I thought that she would change, maybe she would think of her kingdom, or even her friends and become some selfless heroine we see in other fantasy books, but she stayed the same. and mentioned multiple times that a 'sweet good-hearted' version of herself never even existed, she has always been an opportunist and will continue to put others down for her own gain. We see a lot of this towards the end of the book, since her quick anger and selfless actions make up about 90% of the plot.

I can't really get into the plot too much without spoiling it, so I won't, but I will say this; Violet made of Thorns is probably the most realistic book you'll read based on its characters. Every character in this book from the King to Violet is selfish and everyone uses everyone else. The relationships between certain characters are built on their own ambitious feelings and literally nobody in this book trusts anyone except for themselves. The whole time I was reading I seriously though that Violet would somehow fall into the 'Prince-charming spiral' but her own feministic thoughts and selfish ways of thinking always surprised me.

I mean, the thoughts Violet has- should she even be allowed to be the main protagonist?

Yes, she should.

She could turn on everyone if she wanted to and at one point she probably would have. But alas, Violet is too good for everyone. I mean the majority of her thoughts that aren't occupied by her increasingly evil desires are occupied by the fact that she has probably saved everyone at least once and they should be grateful that she exists in their lives.

Not the protagonist we need, but the one we want.