Brutal, clever and so intoxicating. I’ll be thinking about this story long after it’s over.

If you like morally grey heroines with little trust, magic and a strong survival instincts, then get this book!!

Did I mention: epic schemes, enemies to lovers and LOTS of surprises?!

A must read of 2022

Having read the information that the author will not continue to write in this universe and knowing from others that the book ends in a cliffhanger, I apologise but I will not read this book.
Thank you for the eARC!

I love a fairytale retelling and this was cute. Since It ends on a cliffhanger this was tough for me to organize my thoughts. I would be interested in the next book as so far I've enjoyed it.

A captivating story, lots of twists and turns, dark and unexpected, yet romantic. I wish there was going to be a second book!

Really great book I have had so much reading this and getting to know these lovable characters will definitely continue to read books by this author

Fantasy driven yet super romantic story with immaculate charcters that I just could not put my hands down even if I wanted to.

I love fairy tales and this was a good one that kept my attention. It had all the quintessential elements and while it was a little slow-paced for my liking, I enjoyed the story and Violet herself.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars — While I really enjoyed my time reading the book, it was because this type of easy YA fantasy romance was just what I needed at the time. The prose is lovely at times, albeit a little try hard some time. Like you got the sense the author was like, “oh yes..that’s a good line.”

Still, I really enjoyed the rivals-to-enemies trope. The rivalry and distrust between Violet and Cyrus is palpable. And when that animosity turns to lust, the angst was chef’s kiss. But there is a distinct lack of development in the actual romance for me. I needed more backstory from both of them, apart from just the one moment when Violet saved Cyrus. I needed to see more tenderness. That said, it’s the first book so I’m sure we’ll see how their relationship evolves. I do appreciate that the romance between them isn’t easy. They’re both so emotionally guarded because of court politics. This combination of court politics and romance always gets me.

I loved Violet’s characterization! She is a true morally gray character who can be calculating, cold, and opportunistic in order to survive. But I also rooted for her because I could understand her motivations. No matter how much she wants to trust Cyrus, she is always aware of the power imbalance. She is dependent on the king’s favor, no matter if it’s Cyrus or his father. I can’t wait to see what moves she’ll make in the next book.

Cyrus is fine. I can’t get a clear understanding of his character. At times, he seems to on this moral high ground that would never be improper. Other times, he’s a shameless flirt with the ladies at court. I think this was to show how Violet sees Cyrus as two-faced - that she sees the real Cyrus. However, I don’t feel that came across clearly. For me as the reader, it made Cyrus’ character more vague rather than complex.

The biggest weakness of the story is the utter lack of world-building. You have a fairywood that is dangerous for nonmagical folk. You have small, what I assume Tinkerbell-sized, fairies flying about the capital city who are kind of like serving the rich in exchange for a type of alcohol. Like okay, that’s cool and whimsical. But you get no details about them outside of them dressing up their humans and leaving little trinkets behind. And then you have the Seer who has the Sight into future and can also see past memories. Beasts that are humanly but also look like plant monsters who want to eat humans. Then there’s this witch who can transform. And Fates that are like gods who are basically orchestrating everything. Basically everything I’ve told you is what drives the story. There’s not enough details about this world, but the story has just enough bones to hobble forward. I really hope that book 2 will be filling in a lot of gaps.

If you’re not able to enjoy fantasy without having a clear idea of how the world/magic looks or operates, then skip this. I lean heavily towards preferring character-driven stories and vibes so I can usually ignore weak world-building. So despite there being glaring weaknesses for me. I still had a lot of fun reading this and plan on continuing the series.

Why I loved this book: morally-gray MC, arrogant and infuriating love interests, and a very fairytale-esque read.

This really reminded me of the fantasy side of Throne of Glass. Violet really gave me Aelin vibes in the best way possible. You are left wondering if she is self serving or does not have a heart at times.

After saving the Royal Prince Cyrus when they were children, Violet is made the court Seer. She is tasked with reading the Threads of Fate to see the past and future. When Violet sees Cyrus' untimely death, the King asks her to lie about what she saw. She tells of a bride, who will become known after Cyrus returns from his journey. But when he returns, with no bride on his arm, whispers of his curse begin to circulate.

I had SO MUCH fun while reading this! I think this may be one of the best enemies to lovers trope I've read to date. We love a good hate kiss... The sexual tension and chemistry between these two was **chef's kiss** I loved the banter between them, and how much they bickered. I love how untrusting of each other these two were and I was shrieking at all the betrayal in this - I ate it up every time. I adored Violet as a main character, she was so sarcastic, confident and unabashedly herself. I love how she told her messy little lies to shape the world and court how she wanted and no one could tell her she was wrong. She was conniving and impulsive and I couldn't get enough of her. Camilla, the prince's chaotic lesbian twin sister was such a fun side character, I loved every second she was on page. I love how there are little tidbits of a variety of fairytales in this such a Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella! Also big fan of all the fairytale elements in the fae, monsters and dark magic.

I am in desperate need of the next in the duology!

Violet Made of Thorns 5/5

Plot: Violet Made of Thorns follows the story of a Seer, something akin to a soothsayer, that is tasked with delivering readings for the kingdom and its people. The weight of one particularly life-changing vision puts Violet in the hot seat where she is forced to align with the handsome yet insufferable crown prince. The story is filled with whimsical happenings and shocking revelations that sweep the reader away into the world that Gina Chen has so expertly crafted.

Who this book is for: Lovers of morally-gray heroines, arrogant princes, and fairytale-like stories.
If you enjoyed The Cruel Prince and Throne of Glass, then this book is perfect for you.

Characters: Gina Chen has done something many authors are claiming to do, but fall flat on: morally-gray characters. Violet is very strong headed and hellbent on doing what’s best for herself, so she is constantly faced with decisions regarding how to relay her visions, as well as who she should put her trust in. Because her main motivations are self-preservation and job security, Violet is constantly making selfish decisions. Finally, we have another heroine who isn’t a picture-perfect Mary Sue. Violet is complex, flawed, and someone who doesn’t always make good decisions. While Violet is the most fleshed out character due to the story’s first-person narrative, Gina Chen does a phenomenal job of making the other character’s interesting. The Prince is as equally stubborn and also self-righteous, so his motivations vary from Violet’s, thus creating a nice contrast. Their history together is complicated and fueled by jealousy, which makes all of their dialogue and scenes together hilarious and full of witty remarks. Although witty banter between two love interests is nothing new, Gina Chen does a good job of making the reader feel as if the two characters are truly fighting and in disagreement, not just flirting in a rude way.

My Opinion: I absolutely adored this book because I am a sucker for a good fairytale-esque story, especially when the characters are of questionable morals. While reading, I truly felt immersed in the story, and I was able to clearly visualize everything that was happening. I adore the concept of a seer puppeteering a kingdom in her favor, while also learning how to be less selfish of a person.

I love a morally grey heroine - which Gina Chen totally delivers in Violet. The world building is exquisite and deep, and I loved the characters (Camilla! OMG), and basically wanted to live inside this story and never put this boo down. I wasn't expected such an explosive enemies-to-lovers romance between Violet and Cyrus, and WOW, what an excellent and thriller rollercoaster ride!!

I've been looking forward to reading this one for a very long while. Now that I've finally sat down to savor it, the feels have been washing over me for a while. 
Violet is the Seer for a kingdom. She earned this position by saving the prince, a haughty and honorable boy named Cyrus. Cyrus used to like Violet before the king hired her to lie to people with her gifts, and has tried manipulating him. But she sees visions of his death, if he doesn't marry soon. We get some fairy tale motifs, and reminders that stories don't always have happy endings.
Sometimes we have to fight for our destiny to make them true. Violet is not nice, but she is good. for that reason, she clashes with Cyrus a lot, who believes that being honest is more important than doing the pragmatic thing for the country. His sister Camilla knows how to charm, but Camilla also has no interest in ruling. 
A potent ending reminds us that stories have power. They also carry consequences unless you know how to make them true.

A wonderfully fantastical spin on your classic fairytale, filled with tension, heart, and just the right touch of magic. The rivals to lovers in this book was perfection. Full of twists and turns, this story is an absolute ride the entire way through, and I enjoyed every word. A fabulous 5 stars!

Pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this as much as I did. I’m late to the bandwagon and waited until the hype died down to finally read this one.

This was an excellent debut novel and it has all the things that we all love so much: morally grey FMC, evil princely type, sexual tension that just oozes off the pages - mix it with a banging epic adventure where that hate turns into a strong “you’re not so bad after all” and bam! You got you a pretty badass story.

I actually cannot wait until the second installment comes out. 7.5/10

Violet Made of Thorns follows Violet, a Seer to Prince Cyrus of Auveny. Violet was once an orphan living on the street, but one random encounter with Prince Cyrus led to Violet living among, and influencing the royal court. Now, Violet is a prophet to the court and its people, but Violet is no longer trusted by Prince Cyrus.

Prince Cyrus returns from a trip without the bride Violet said the prince would meet during his travels. The king asks Violet to gain the Prince’s trust and convince him he will meet his one true love at the ball that will soon take place. To stay in the king’s good graces, Violet must get the prince to trust her, but she must also deal with political machinations and a curse that might change everything.

Violet Made of Thorns is an engaging story full of twist and turns. Violet, the main character, is an antiheroine but she is still extremely likable and I couldn't help but root for her. The story contains imagery from classic fairy tales that adds to the fantasy narrative. There are fairies, witches, and curses, but also a compelling hate to love romance between Violet and Prince Cyrus.

I recommend this to lovers of fantasy and romance. Violet Made of Thorns is the perfect mixture of both. I will definitely be picking up the next book Gina Chen writes.

*e-ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I found this book to be very uninteresting. I was captured at the beginning with learning the new world and characaters, and i think the author did a good job of that. Along with explaining the plot, etc. All of that was done well, which is why it is a 3 star read for me. but after some time i found it to get boring and i also didnt care for the main characters. they both were dull and i also found their romance to be weird. there is a hate/love factor there but it felt unauthentic and forced. probably wont continue this series.

This is a great read if you’re looking to get your fill on the haters to lovers trope! Violet is a cunning con artist straight from the streets who scams her way as a “seer” to the top! Add in a cursed prince, political intrigue, and you have a recipe for a great read! There is some rather spicy scenes for a YA book, which I enjoyed. Definitely recommend this if you’re looking for something new to read with some morally grey enemies to lovers vibes!

I heard a lot of mixed reviews about this book but I honestly thoroughly enjoyed it. It was everything I was looking for in a fantasy romance and just really hit the spot.

I always love a good Marley gray character and that’s exactly what we get here. Prince Cyrus is a character that you won’t really understand what’s going through your head, but you love every interaction with him. Does he want her? Doesn’t he want her? Why is he mean or why is he kind? Who knows. It gave me a very light version of prince Cardan from The Cruel Prince.

Violet is that unapologetic main character that’s enough to see in a fantasy. She is from the poor slums of this world and uses any power. She can get to raise her status. Knowing full well that it can be taken away from her from any moment. But she plays the game.

I’m not gonna lie, as I was reading this book I felt like I was constantly confused on what the overall plot was. What the main character was trying to do constantly change, depending on certain things that happened. And it was kind a hard to follow at times. However, the interactions between the characters and the desire to want to know what happens keeps you entertained throughout the story.

I will say, I found the ending to feel slightly rushed, and there to be a little bit of it is still love at the end of the book. However, I think how the second book is crafted, and where it goes is going to play a huge role in my feelings on how this book ended.

Thank you to Penguin Teen Canada for sending me ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would start out with my biggest issue with my book, but unfortunately I have many big issues. Part of what contributed the most to my dissatisfaction was how we learned so many things through voices/prophecies/dreams, to the point where every other chapter would end with a section of italicized mysterious words from aforementioned voices/prophecies/dreams. That repetitiveness contributed to feeling like Violet did nothing and was pretty passive—which is interesting to consider, since her whole thing is wanting to take control of her own life and power? In that case, such passivity could be a smart artistic choice if it led to a fulfilling culmination of her development—but I found the ending with the king to be horribly dissatisfying. Though she did end up choosing her own destiny and having a climactic rebellious moment, so much about the book was specifically centered on how she always gave in to the king, and she never got the chance to fully resolve that.

The main selling point of the book was sadly also hugely disappointing. The romance was good if you could pretend that you knew their backstory well, because there is no way to know their backstory well. I’ll admit that I did enjoy their little game of “I hate you but let’s kiss and pretend like we are never gonna do this again” HOWEVER just because I enjoyed it doesn’t mean it was good! You can tell from the beginning that there’s (sexual) tension between them, that it’s a love/hate thing, that it’s been like this for a while… but you are never shown how it developed. So it ends up feeling overdramatic and uncalled for because you don’t know the foundation for it! While I enjoyed it to a certain extent, it was more on an entertainment level rather than feeling actual investment.

Also, there’s this increasing trend of lines in (mainly YA?) books that you can very much tell the author was extremely proud to have written and thought they hit but in reality missed by a ballpark. Unfortunately this book is yet another victim to that!

Personally, I had an enjoyable enough time reading this that I originally rated it 2.5 stars rather than 2. Like was it objectively that great? Ehh. But I can’t pretend like I didn’t mostly have a fun time reading it, purely for the sake of wanting to know what would happen next. Violet is an excellently crafted character and the saving point of this book. I loved how terrible she was, and how she was unapologetic for it. Again, her arc was not perfectly satisfying… But in honesty, the entire ending was a bit rushed, so I think it was less of an issue with her and more the ending. Unfortunately, whenever I look back on this book, I think not about the decent time I had reading this but about all the complaints I have, so it is getting 2 stars from me and a pretty solid position in the list of books I wouldn’t recommend.