This one was really great to start and the middle was amazing as well. The ending I think could have been trimmed by about 25-50 pages to keep the pacing that the rest of the story had. As it slowed way down and started to drag. I liked the extra little snippet at the end of the story as well. Because we all know that tales are spun in legend to become something they never were. The characters in this one were great. I really enjoyed Violet and her snarky banter. I don't know if I will read book two. I might if I can get an early copy of it. But I don't think it would be something that I would go out and purchase. All in all this was probably closer to 3 1/2 stars to 4 full stars. I enjoyed it but it could have been better.

There is nothing that I like more then an angsty love story. And boy does this one deliver.
I love the morally gray ground our heroin finds herself on.
Does she choose to save herself, the kingdom, the prince?
Can she keep up with all of her lies.
Who is in her corner and who is going to screw her over.
It is all one big roller coaster ride that is well worth admission.

I enjoyed this book specifically because of the protagonist. It was refreshing to read a fantasy story where the protagonist wasn’t immediately likable. I’m also a sucker for books that have hints of fairytales like Beauty and the Beast. I will definitely be reading book 2.

I loved the setting of this book. It has an interesting magic system and I loved how it effected the setting and the characters. The characters are well written and really drove the story. I also enjoyed the twists created by how the different characters interpenetrated and manipulated the prophecy. All around its an excellent story.

I read an excerpt of this book and immediately knew I'd need to read it after a few pages (or maybe just a few words). Violet is the messy girl we all need to see. Absolutely loved this book and couldn't stop thinking about it! Not so patiently waiting for book 2.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. For full disclosure, I read the first 20% of the e-arc and then switched to the published version I grabbed from the library.

Book Summary:

Violet is her kingdom's prophet. She's also the king's puppet and a liar. She's not afraid to bend the truth to make a vision (or lack thereof) sound more appealing. The king loves her for it...the prince...not so much.

Unfortunately, the prince is part of a dark prophecy, and Violet has spent the majority of her life running PR and doing what she can to cover for him. All he has to do is pick a bride and become king. But nope, he's going to be picky, which means the prophecy continues to hang over all the heads - right up until it blows up, of course.

“Sometimes I want to kiss him and sometimes I want to ruin him, but most of the time, I want those actions to be one and the same.”

My Review:

Okay, so I've been looking forward to Violet Made of Thorns for a few months now, and boy, it did not disappoint! I love dark fantasy, twisted prophecies, and magical politics. This book has all of that – and then some.

Violet is a cutthroat prophet living perfectly suited for the courts, and it shows through each and every page. The complicated situation she finds herself in is at least partially of her own making - and partially the fault of larger forces. The end result is a highly entertaining read.

There are a few surprising twists in Violet Made of Thorns, including fairytale retelling vibes. I hadn't expected that! Gina Chen also makes brilliant use of a few tropes, some of which I know the fandom will appreciate. For this reason, along with several others, I think Violet Made of Thorns is absolutely worth the read.

Highlights:
Debut novel
Fantasy
Morally gray witch
Enemies to lovers
Cruel Prince vibes
Prophecy
Retelling

Trigger Warnings:
Self-injury
Body horror

I didn’t love this as much as I thought I would. I was kind of hoping for a little more folklore and a little less politics. The relationship was frustrating as well. This was definitely an origin story and I will be tuning in to the next book to find out where our MC ends up. I am hoping for a bit more morally gray, villainous sorcerer. We shall see!

Thanks to NetGalley & Delacorte Press for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, I was unable to continue after reading 30% of the book.

It was very fast paced and the characters extremely unlikable. It's touted as fantasy but really, the only fantasy you see close-up in the book is the seer protagonist. The rest is all background chatter that has no immediate impact on the story. "Dragons raided a nearby village." Can we see the dragons? No. :(

Definitely not for me.

I'd been dying to get my hands on Violet Made of Thorns, especially since it's an enemies to lovers type of tale that promised a rich world and bone-deep tension. While it didn't live up to *all* the hype, I still enjoyed the theme of fate, end-of-the-world-as-we-know it vibe, and magic writhing beneath the surface of our main character. If there's one area I struggled hardcore, it was in believing the romance between Violet and Prince Cyrus. Enemies to lovers is a trope that takes a LONG time to cultivate because you pretty much have to prove to us readers that these two actually like each other after driving home the fact that they don't. So, there are many bridges and emotional intimacies to build. And the story didn't do that for me. BUT the story does deliver on the concept of fate :)

I was sent an email about this one and decided to give it a try, despite not reading much YA fantasy anymore. The plot sounded intriguing, I love a fairytale-esque fantasy and this seemed right up my alley.
Unfortunately, this one didn’t end up being for me. I didn’t connect with the characters, felt like there was a lot of telling with no showing to back it up, and just didn’t feel the chemistry between the two main characters. It seemed to be very reminiscent of many other books I’ve read, with nothing standing out for me.

I don't know if I was the target demographic for this book. I would read something else by this author, but the tension and angst didn't quite click for me. I didn't dislike it, and I thought the story was fun, but I don't plan on continuing with this series.

This honestly feels very cookie-cutter and the works building was very superficial. The forced chemistry between characters is rushed, and the writing left much to be desired.

This book was received as an ARC from Random House Children's - Delacorte Press through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is the YA Book I have been waiting for a long time. This book had drama, conflict, and many unexpected twists and turns that completely threw me for a loop. This book got even more exciting the further you read. The ultimate con turned into the ultimate life changing moment. In the scheme of things, plans were compromised, and new plans emerged. The love story of Violet and Cyrus is similar to the relationship between Cal and Mare from Red Queen with the similar concept of conquering and vengeance. I can see why this book was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards this year, and I can't wait to read the next installment and see what is next of the brilliant YA work of Gina Chen.

A captivating royal fantasy love-con, that will leave readers craving for more. This book deserves 5 stars.

For you fairytale readers, this book about a fate-entwined witch and prince might be your perfect cup of tea. And if you like sharp-tongued heroines, the titular thorns, you’ll love Violet. She’s an antihero to love if you also love Lou from Serpent and Dove and watching her grapple with her attraction for the prince, while navigating court politics and the curse that dooms the kingdom, is delightful.

A nice fantasy story. Hard to engage with at first but then it picks up and is a great story. The lead character is hard to love but once it clicks you LOVE her. Great for fantasy lovers!

Huge potential with the characters and plotline, but somewhere things fell flat. Maybe it was because the romance aspect was lacking or the just the general story arc didn't grab me as much as I hoped but I wished for more.

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen started out really interesting but the main character, Violet, becomes more and more annoying as the story goes on. The book is cruder than what I would normally reccommend for teens in the library. The world building was sub par. I honestly do not remember much about the world except that Violet was a not great seer and the love interest was obnoxious. I will not read on in this series. It needs more depth to its world and characters.

This book was a fun take on an anti-heroine, replete with fantasy and intrigue. While the author did a good job diving into Violet's motivations and desires, contrasting them with the world around her, the romance did fall a little flat for me, but not distractingly so.

I received this book from NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

This book had great potential. Great character, good plot but the main part I struggled to believe is the romance. The enemies to lovers transition is a tough one to make. The author almost pulled it off, but not quite. It seemed like a sudden shift out of nowhere, the two characters were fighting and suddenly making out. The transition should have been smoother and more believable. However, once they start the romance the entire book came together and tension rose. At first, I struggled to read the book. It was a lot of world building in the beginning and I understand why the author did it. They were laying the foundation for the world, but it took a bit long to get started. However, once the tension started, I was hooked on reading this book. The threat of war, a prophesy filled with romance, magical abilities uncovered, what is there not to like? Mistakes were made in this book, but overall I still enjoyed it. I would recommend this book to other lovers of fantasy and others who are curious by the blurb. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

I just realized that I never submitted a review for this book and I feel awful. I LOVED reading Violet Made of Thorns - I read it in one sitting. Violet is a prophet who becomes a liar. As a child she was moved to court to influence the royal family and the courtiers with her insight and carefully worded divinations. Most of her predications are easy, set to mollify or encourage royal subjects. Then the king asks her to falsely prophesize Prince Cyrus's search for a queen during his coronation ball. Prince Cyrus plans to do away with Violet's official role once he becomes king. Violet is faced with a choice - obey the king, or construct an elaborate lie to satisfy the Prince. As Violet delves more deeply into her talent, her prophecies become stronger and her relationship with Cyrus becomes less antagonistic and more cooperative. Violet must follow her instincts as she uncovers a devilish mess of deceit that threaten to ruin Cyrus's rule and the fate of the entire kingdom. Chen created a colorful, believable world and populated it with original, lively characters.. The plot was very exciting and there was enough romance and intrigue to make me hungry for more. This is Chen's first novel - I hope she continues the story and to write more. Many thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.