Violet Made of Thorns is the first novel in the duology of the same name. The story follows Violet, the resident Seer of Auveny. As the blurb mentions, she is also a liar. I love these types of protagonists, so Violent was one that greatly intrigued me before I even read the first page. Violet obtained her position through events involving Prince Cyrus and the two have become enemies since. While the cover and the character description of Violet, there is something very intriguing about an enemies to lovers story that I love. When a curse is revealed, the plot is set into motion along with Cyrus and Violet fighting some underlying feelings for each other.

As this is the first novel in the duology, it is difficult to have complete thoughts on the world, plot, and characters since there is a lot that could be done in the second novel. For this one, there was some world-building, but I wish there was more. The same goes for the romance as it felt a little rushed in places, but there is still a lot of potential, and I cannot wait to see how it develops. The two of them flipped constantly between love and hate, so I wish there were more exploration into each switch. For me, it was difficult to invest in this possible relationship as there did not seem to be progression into maybe they could be lasting by the end of the duology or even become complete enemies; they seemed to just hover around the center.

Along with Violet and Cyrus, I loved the side characters Camilla, Cyrus’s sister, and Dante, Violet’s friend. There is a lot more to them than initially meets the eye in different ways and I cannot wait to see how all the stories develop in the next novel. There are some fun fairy tale references throughout, and I love that the author drew inspiration from multiple instead of just one as it gave some nice variety. I also love the Chinese representation in the story as I have not read a lot with this type of plot. While there are many pieces that I wanted to be explored in greater depth, I think the general elements were all greatly enjoyable. There’s a lot left to be explored in the second novel and I cannot wait to read it!

**I want to give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Delacorte Press, for a review copy of this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

You'll love this book if you like:
-fairytale vibes
-real enemies to lovers
-Cruel Prince type world
-flawed MC
-Ya Fantasy Romance

More information here:
https://www.tiktok.com/@manda.lyn_reads/video/7116249728710446382?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7065728198948128262

Trigger warnings: xenophobia, blood, abuse, death/murder, homophobia

Violet is a Seer. She can see the threads of the Fates and figure out what is coming. This makes her an invaluable asset to the king of her land, and would make her an asset to Prince Cyrus too, if he didn’t hate her with every fiber of his being. The feeling is mutual, though. Ever since Cyrus found out that Violet sometimes outright lies about the prophecies she sees, she hasn’t been in his good graces. But she’s done what she’s had to to survive in a court, rising from a penniless girl on the street. Now, she’s one of the most influential people in the land, and is determined to stay that way. However, to keep her position, she has to break the curse that lies over Prince Cyrus. A bride will do it, and the king has asked Violet to tell Cyrus that a mysterious girl will arrive at his ball, and she will be his true love. Will he believe her, and will this girl be the one to break the curse? Or is everything much more complicated than it seems?

I received an advanced reading copy of Violet Made of Thorns in exchange for an honest review.

Violet Made of Thorns is a young adult fantasy novel by Gina Chen. It’s a book that stars a morally gray protagonist, and I just love those so much! I was excited to pick this up, and as soon as we started getting fairy tale elements interwoven into the story, I knew I was definitely enjoying the book.

Now, keep in mind that I said “fairy tale elements,” not retelling. This book weaves in so many familiar stories, and I recognized at least four. Of course, the easiest one to recognize is Cinderella. We have a mysterious stranger showing up at a masked ball, supposedly the prince’s one true love. But there’s others throughout! I’ll let you find them yourself, while you read this, but know that I enjoyed each fairy tale as I recognized it, and it really added to the book.

Don’t be mistaken, though. This book is definitely mid- to upper-YA. Not only do we have the morality of the characters in question, but there’s a few scenes that are definitely not the kind of scenes you necessarily want to read in public. Nothing like the Empirium trilogy, by Claire Legrand, but definitely some scenes in there.

We also have a familiar romance trope in here, and I’m not sure if I want to bring it up in case it’s not 100% obvious to those reading the summary. It’s a bit of a spoiler so I won’t say, but I’m certain many readers out there will be able to tell immediately what familiar but famous romance trope occurs here. And it felt very natural, actually. I often complain about romance feeling too fast, or the characters not making any sense, but while I was hit by a few curveballs here, it kind of made sense? Again, won’t make too much sense until you read the book (or unless you can guess the romance type), but know that I actually enjoyed it.

We also have a political and prophecied background all throughout the story. We have this kingdom that has worked so hard to expand, as well as a king who isn’t sure he trusts his son. We have fairies who help the wealthy, but who draw their magic from the woods the king is so intent upon destroying. The fairies, interestingly enough, draw their magic from a completely different place than the Fates do. The magic was fascinating throughout this story, as were its limits, and it was so fun to see these two types of magic placed at odds within the same realm.

So much of this story was unexpected, but the plot kept me reading late into the night. I knew that there was going to be a sequel to this book published much later, and yet, when I finished it, I wanted to go out and find the second book and see how it continued.

Violet Made of Thorns is a story fans of morally gray characters will enjoy, especially if they enjoy fairy tale retellings. I’ve already thought of a few friends who’ve been really into fairy tale retellings recently, and who need to read this book when it comes out.

Violet Made of Thorns will be released on July 26. You can pre-order your copy from Delacorte Press here.

I'm going to be thinking about this one for a while yet. Violet is a messy, complicated, and extremely morally grey character. And she is compelling and ultimately sympathetic and I can't get her out of my head. I was incredibly invested in her story from the opening pages. I loved the world, the politics, the power balances, and the magic system. This was such an engrossing fairytale mash-up with major Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella vibes.

My only real issue with the book was Cyrus. He was such a flat love interest at times, and I can't quite decide if it's because Violet is something of an unreliable narrator or if Cyrus was just inconsistently drawn. I would have rated this four stars because of my issues with Cyrus, but the very ending made up for it for me. I adored the ending.

This book was fast-paced and kept my attention throughout. Thank you so much to NetGalley and TurnthePageTours for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. I can't wait to see what Gina Chen does next. A great read, and I highly recommend it for YA fantasy and fairytale fans.

The bones of a really good book are here - anti-heroine energy, non-conforming characters, some fun traditional fantasy elements - but it just didn't pan out for me. The pacing was too slow, while the stop and start pace romance between the main charters was too jarring. Also the villain felt pretty randomly introduced to the plot?

Violet Made of Thorns is a fantastic tale of heroes, villains, and seers. After saving the life of Prince Cyrus, Violet Lune finds herself swept into a life she could only have dreamed- or seen in her visions. Violet and Cyrus soon clash, a Seer and Prince at odds. When strange beasts begin roaming the kingdom, the people fear that an ancient prophecy has been set into motion. Cyrus is tasked to find a bride and Violet races to understand the meaning behind her ominous visions. As Violet and Cyrus navigate the bitter and tangled emotions between them, the dark prophecy looms and they must work together to have any chance of saving the kingdom.

I loved Violet! She is such a strong and fierce character, unwilling to follow court nonsense and always standing up for what she believes is right. Violet’s magical powers as a Seer were fascinating. I enjoyed seeing Violet explore her powers and learn about her magical strengths. Gina Chen’s characters feel complex and multifaceted. Readers who look for morally gray characters will love Violet Made of Thorns.

The banter and battles between Cyrus and Violet was delightful; I absolutely can’t wait to see how their journey continues! Chen uses many familiar fairy tale threads and then weaves them into a more nuanced and intriguing tale. The pacing was excellent; I didn’t want to stop reading. Violet is a character for the girls who never identified with the charming princess and instead wondered about the wicked witch in her tower. Needless to say, I loved it!

I would highly recommend this for fans of Heather Walter (Malice duology) and Alix E. Harrow (A Spindle Splintered). Violet Made of Thorns is a riveting and unique fairy tale. Thank you to Gina Chen, Delacorte Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, Wordpress blog, and Barnes & Noble etc

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so this review is difficult for me to write. This book had its good qualities and it had its bad qualities. For me, the bad outweighed the good.
The writing style was easy to understand and accessible, which I always like in fantasy books. Violet was an interesting character, at times. And I enjoyed her friendship with the sister.
Other than that, the plot could've used more development, especially the world building and the urgency behind the prophecy. It was such an interesting world, I would've loved to have seen more of it. The romance was basically non existent. I like a hate to love trope, but it takes a certain finesse which I think was missing here.
Overall, it's a solid 2.5 for me. I hope the sequel dives into a lot of these areas and bring in the emotional punch this book could've delivered. Thank you so much for giving me the chance to read it!

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Violet Made of Thorns is an intense fairy tale. I love how the characters interact and the nuances in their relationships. Violet is snarky and strong to protect herself emotionally. She's also incredibly loyal to the king. The prince hates her. Between Violet and the prince is a friend from another kingdom, who tries to keep the peace. The princess, who loves her conquests of sleeping with other women, is not interested in politics and seems to walk the line between all conflicts.

Violet's visions show that either she or the prince will die. But the gods, also known as the fates, are fickle at best. Violet is a great liar. Though the prince claims she has a tell.

Then there is the wild magic. Messages from beyond, fairies, prophecies, and other creatures. Death and mayhem!

A romance plot weaves through this book as a further complication. The characters passionately kiss and edge toward more. So not quite a closed door romance. Their love has an edge of violence, matching the wildness of the magic.

Interesting concept and the characters were entertaining, but the plot was slow to start and not as engaging as hoped.

This is the fairytale for all of us who never quite related to the swooning princess in the tower and maybe thought the prince could be knocked down from his literal high horse.

Violet is an orphaned Seer plucked from the streets as a child for saving the young prince’s life and in return is the King’s personal prophetess. Growing up amongst royalty, her relationship with the prince is prickly at best and comes to a head when a new prophecy threatens both Violet’s station and the entire kingdom of Auveny.

Full of acerbic wit, Gina Chen gives us the antiheroine we all didn’t know we desperately needed. Blurring the lines between good and evil, Violet is as real as fairy tale characters come and her struggles with power, love, and desire to avoid social situations will hit the mark with many introverted readers. With dashes of classic fairytale elements like beasts, lost shoes, and of course an evil villain, Chen breathes magic into this wholly original story. This has definitely been my favorite read this summer!

Recommended for fans of fairytale retellings, antiheroines, and some spicy YA romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Gina Chen for this advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: Fantasy series book 1
𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩: eARC

𝙁𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:
“All the tale needs is the villain, and the line between revered and reviled is as thin as an accusation.”

“I don’t believe the world is just. I believe in wolves—in con men and crowned men who wear wickedness as if it were a talent. Who don’t ask for judgment before devouring what’s theirs.”

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙:
Enemies to lovers
Feels almost like a villain origin story
Many fairy tale influences (Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast)
Antiheroine MC
Funny side characters

𝙁𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬:
This book was a wild ride! There are nods to fairy tales throughout (such as Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast), but it definitely got more sinister and complex as the story went on. It almost felt like a villain origin story—which I’m a fan of!

The MC, Violet, is a strong willed antiheroine who struggles with her developing feelings for the handsome prince Cyrus. She plays the kingdom’s political game and desires to maintain a firm hold on her prestigious status as the Seer. Honestly, for most of this book I had no idea if Violet would choose to be the villain or the heroine; she’s absolutely as morally gray as can be, and it was interesting to be constantly changing my mind about her. The attraction between Violet and Cyrus reminds me a little bit of Cardin and Jude (which I am NOT a fan of The Cruel Prince, sorry y’all—but I definitely enjoyed Violet Made of Thorns more than TCP). One thing I would like to see more of is the past, when Cyrus and Violet were children who didn’t hate each other yet, and were growing into a romance. I feel like we got more of the enemies part of the relationship, and I would love to know more about their backstory and the emotional connection they formed.

The other thing I enjoyed about this book were the characters Princess Camilla and the prince’s best friend, Dante. They provided comic relief, important insight into the political games, and ultimately played a big role in the development of the story. This was a great read, with dark and twisty moments amidst an enemies to lovers romance and a fairytale atmosphere.

I would say I generally liked this book, except...and the exception is like a premise problem thing, so I actually didn't end up loving this one. To my actual thoughts.

I liked the main character a whole lot - she wasn't trying to be likable (but she was) and I loved her take-no-prisoners-attitude. It's just that so much of the book hinges on her relationship with Princes Cyrus, who she "hates" (they use the word hate about/around each other like, a lot) and I don't buy that kind of enemistry. Like it never read as believable to me. I kept getting taken out of the otherwise good story and ruminating on if you can be attracted to someone you "hate" (I think not). Maybe it's just me, but personality can make me not attracted to someone REALLY fast so yeah, I just never bought the romance, which was a lot of the book. That one thing I couldn't get over aside, though, this was a solid debut. I'll read another book by this author at some point.

So yeah, this wasn't for me, but I think actual teens will like it quite a lot, so I'll be recommending it widely. 3 stars.

I was so excited to read this one because the synopsis sounds so good and it definitely lived up to my expectations! Following a young witch who works in a castle this book had AMAZING enemies to lovers. Like, I can't think of a book that has done that trope as well as this one I was seriously in love, and the tension, THE TENSION. Magic, enemies to lovers, kingdom politics, MASQUERADE BALLS, "I hate you but I love you", I'm betrothed to someone else but I can't stop thinking about you, morally grey protagonists, and so much intrigue. I can't wait for this to release so I can force all my friends to read it. An absolute new ya fav!

This was one of the most entertaining fairy-tale retellings I've read in a long time. I finished it in one day, which I normally don't have time to do, but I couldn't help myself. I think it's a fun novel with an interesting plot and characters, and I think that people who are fans of fantasy will find something to enjoy in this book.

However, I will say, that while I enjoyed Violet as a protagonist, I don't think I would call her morally grey or an anti-heroine. She is cold, yes, but sometimes comes off as edgy. Also, she doesn't really do anything to hinder the plot like an anti-heroine might. Sure, she considers killing someone, but quickly changes her mind. To me, I would say she is a conflicted heroine rather than a morally grey one. Not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting nor what was advertised in the summary (maybe my standards are too high –– the ideal antiheroine for me is Fang Runin).

As many reviewers have already noted, I don't think comparing it to The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove was the best decision, as I only got Cruel Prince vibes from the very end. I think the comparison lies pretty much solely in the fact that all three books are YA fantasy and enemies to lovers, though this book is more of "we love each other but push that down because it's easier to hate each other" enemies to lovers.

I found elements of this book to be too modern or casual, as well. For example, in chapter two, Violet and the prince get into a shouting match in front of the court and she tells him to get his head out of his ass. The king is very clearly described as not being angry at this. I was so confused – why is this setting so casual? How are two important figures getting away with this? Maybe it's because they're /important/ but it felt off. Additionally, some of the dialogue comes across as too modern, using language teenagers might in the real world. It sort of takes away from the fantasy setting but it's not too much that it was a big issue.

However, I did enjoy this book and I'm looking forward to the next installment. I think some of my problems with it are due to it being a debut novel and will likely (fingers crossed) be fixed in the next book!

I am quite on the fence when it comes to Violet Made of Thorns. On one hand, I quite enjoyed it while it lasted and the characters’ sexy banter made for an extremely fun read. But on the other hand, the sexual tension isn’t enough to obscure the other aspects in which it lacks namely a plot with a strong identity and detailed worldbuilding.

Plot, Prose and Pacing: Facing An Identity Crisis

Told from Violet’s point of view, I am still not entirely sure what is the main plot of the story. It begins with Prince Cyrus’ unfulfilled prophecy, one that Violet’s predecessor made and one that she is duty-bound by the King to see through to the end, by any means possible. The prophecy states that Prince Cyrus must marry before the end of summer or bloodshed and war will befall Auveny and the Sun Capital but Cyrus refuses to marry for anything other than love. Determined to see his son married and his kingdom saved, the king tasks Violet with making a false prediction of love at the royal ball. But, there are darker forces at hand determined to see the prophecy’s bloody fate come to fruition as well as your garden variety of political machinations. However, the undercurrent that carries Violet Made with Thorns plot is the forbidden romance between Cyrus and Violet.

It isn’t immediately obvious but Violet Made of Thorns isn’t quite sure what kind of story it wants to tell. I would chalk it up to the will-they, won’t-they not-quite-enemies-to-lovers romance that permeates the entire story. A major part of the plot is that Auveny has enemies from neighbouring countries to the mystical fairy forests that line its borders. With the mounting deadline of Cyrus’ prophecy, a war that is both political and magical is brewing. Yet, it isn’t clear who or what exactly threatens Auveny. It’s just a vague threat. You can practically see that even my summary is going in circles and non-cohesive threads because none of the events that happen in Violet Made of Thorns have any true lasting effect on the plot and are easily resolved in a matter of pages.

However, it is made clear to the readers from the very beginning that there is more than a little tension between Cyrus and Violet. They often make sarcastic and mean quips about and at each other; their animosity is public and very visible. Violet often taunts and demeans Cyrus in public, especially when he’s surrounded by potential suitors. Readers are pretty much waiting for one of them to make a move. Which would make for a rather fun story (link Kingdom of the Wicked) if it didn’t bring in a thousand other elements that set up a premise that maybe is going to be explored in the sequel as Cyrus and Violet’s volatile relationship has practically no effect on any of the characters or the plot.

Early in the book, the prose tends to be grandiose and flowery. Some descriptors included were unnecessary and interrupted the natural reading flow. It felt like the flowery prose and unnecessary descriptors were included to pad the story’s word count. However, the prose becomes smoother and more naturally flowing the more it progresses which I appreciated.

But Violet Made of Thorns does have one good thing going for it. Chen is masterful at crafting suspense and slowly peeling back the layers of the plot. While nothing was truly gasp-worthy, there was a steady beat and pace to the storytelling that kept me turning the pages. Each reveal was well-done and it’s probably what kept me the most engaged with the story, besides the will-they, won’t they of Violet and Cyrus.

Characters: Style Over Substance

There isn’t a wide variety of diverse supporting characters to add some life and colour to what are essentially two emotionally volatile and reclusive loners. Most prominently, we have Princess Camilla who is an ostentatious lesbian, the poster child for spoiled royalty who is only interested in her own wants and needs. But, Camilla is also quite a sweetheart and always has Cyrus and Violet’s best interests at heart and despite her being one-dimensional, I’d protect her with my life!

Then, we also have Dante, a royal archivist who is Cyrus’ best friend and Violet’s closest confidante. Dante is also from neighbouring Balica and despite his position in the palace, considered an outsider and lower than. He’s also described as having “clay-brown” skin and a “mess of black curls”. His last name is Esperaza. He isn’t the most memorable nor his personality particularly marked, often a reluctant player in Violet and Cyrus’ many schemes and plans. However, I think what frustrates me the most about Dante is how the whole of Auveny thinks that Dante is Cyrus’ bed partner and queer due to their close friendship and there’s no effort on Cyrus nor anyone else’s part to clear up the rumours. But Dante appears much less on the pages than Camilla does.

There are also other important but less interesting characters such as the King as well as a bevy of simpering court ladies whom Violet never fails to insult at every turn. As if she isn’t also simpering over Cyrus when she thinks no one is looking.

Violet Made of Dreams centers around both Violet and Cyrus, naturally.

Violet is described as a morally grey character but while her actions are in a way self-serving, I don’t feel they can be categorised as morally grey. I rarely find myself questioning Violet’s actions and her bad actions are never inherently bad. She tells false prophecies and lies about the futures she has predicted by order of the King to serve his purposes rather than her own. You may say she’s morally grey because her entire career at court rests upon her lies but she tells the lies to remain under the protection of the royal court. She doesn’t seem to bend any law, act of her own volition etc. In fact, Violet definitely seems like your typical main character albeit a little lost in the sauce. But who can hardly blame her.

After all, Cyrus is a dreamboat. Dashing, charming and a bit of a sweetheart to pretty much anyone he meets, Cyrus reserves the worst of his barbs for Violet. But to be completely honest, if he was a spice, he’d be flour. Cyrus is your run-of-the-mill prince, oppressed by the King and kept in the dark about most of his kingdom’s affairs. While he has expressed some intentions to make changes once he ascends the throne, he doesn’t talk much about his plans or what his ambitions are. But his character is completely wrapped up around Violet even though the story wants more for him. And that’s one of my main frustrations with Violet Made with Thorns.

On their own, Violet and Cyrus have tons of potential to be outstanding characters but as their relationship is the main focus of Violet Made with Thorns, their character growth felt sidelined in order to make way for their romance. I actually rather liked being in Violet’s head. She’s got a strong and unwavering voice and a curiosity that drives the plot forward. But Cyrus is as boring as watching paint dry. While there’s a great amount of sexual tension and the banter is absolutely delicious, the relationship felt rather juvenile. It felt like two little kids on the playground taunting each other rather than a prince about to take the throne and his royal Seer. It lacked a lot of the mature sophistication in most YA books of a similar nature despite the semi-graphic sexual scenes. Neither Violet nor Cyrus have any meaningful conversations. They just have a lot of sex and communication problems. What also makes this relationship rather shallow is that Violet and Cyrus don’t fall in love on the page. Instead, they have a shared history that is only revealed to us in short glimpses into the past making their relationship an almost insta-love moment. In fact, Violet Made with Thorns relies heavily on their heated banter and sexually-charged interactions as a vehicle for their romance.

Worldbuilding: Less Is Not More

Violet Made of Thorns wants to be taken seriously, to be shelved alongside other high fantasies. However, it’s going to take a lot of work before it can match the powerhouses that it has been compared to. The worldbuilding in Violet Made of Thorns is not necessarily weak as it has quite interesting concepts that draw on pre-existing fairytale aspects and a unique worldview but it falls victim to a prevalent YA phenomenon: nothing is quite explained in the debut and everything else will be explained in the sequel.

For example, one of the most frustrating aspects of Violet Made with Thorns is Violet’s powers and abilities as a Seer. Throughout the book, we see her mostly read “threads” which are able to show her a person’s future and potential future. It is also implied that Violet often sits in during court meetings and makes predictions upon the king’s request. We don’t see how the latter affects the kingdom except for her false prophecies involving Cyrus and for all the bravado and haughtiness Violet possesses, she is nothing but a glorified fortune-teller. We don’t know how her powers work, where it originates etc. and it is implied that these will be further explored in the sequel. You’re meant to tell me that a character as ambitious as Violet would not have done her own research nor developed any further skills. In all her many years of service, Violet is bound to have accidentally unlocked a new skill whether by trial and error or happenstance. But she just reads palms. This implies that Violet was keen to languish as a pampered royal despite constantly demeaning royals and turning her nose up at their privilege.

There are also a couple of scenes involving blood offerings that I felt were included to up the gore and dark fantasy aspect of the book. But, it ultimately failed to follow through and remained the only mentions of blood used to perform magic. I hope this will change in the sequel as it seems like an attempt at being edgy and not sticking to its guns.

The other aspect of Violet Made with Thorns that frustrated me ties into its identity crisis: the political machinations. We learn throughout the book that there are some rising frustrations between Auveny and it’s neighbours and Cyrus’ doomed prophecy promises bloodshed and war. But, as Violet and Cyrus barely spend any time within the royal courts nor in the King’s offices except to get reprimanded, we don’t learn much about the political system or the military system or the relationship between the countries. We get just enough to let us know that there is some tension bound to turn into uprisings and wars but that’s just it. We also don’t learn much about Auveny’s own political system and why exactly as a Seer, Violet is said to have much political power other than because she is in the king’s favour. She sits on the dais along with the family at official royal events which strikes me as odd.

I did like how Violet Made with Thorns drew on a couple of popular and common fairytale elements as little easter eggs. It was quite a clever way to include these overused elements without it feeling like it’s been overdone or cliched. See if you can also spot the comparisons to Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and even Sleeping Beauty.

Did I Enjoy It?: Conclusion

To sum it all up, I quite enjoyed Violet Made with Thorns and am quite excited to get into the sequel where hopefully my questions will be answered and the world is expanded and given more depth. Comparing it to The Cruel Prince and Serpent and Dove is a great disservice to Violet Made of Thorns as the latter lacks the richness that the two former books have. Although both feature romance as part of their main plot, the other elements are not sidelined to focus on the characters’ relationship. Instead, it developed alongside it and if you remove the romance, it can still tell an equally compelling story. But I feel that Violet Made of Thorns has a long way to go before it can be shelved beside the greats as a high fantasy to be remembered. But it has a strong premise and Chen’s writing style is captivating; I can only imagine the sequel will be better.

WOW. This book absolutely BLEW ME AWAY! I was worried that the comparison to The Cruel Prince wouldn’t live up but… I think this gave me what I wanted from Jude & Cardan and sometimes didn’t get!

I was immediately engrossed in this authors writing style. This is the kind of book that had me highlighting on every other page. The descriptions of the world are so lovely and whimsical, and Violet’s inner thoughts are raw and meaningful. Violet herself is an incredibly complex character. She has no family to speak of, and struggles to feel close to others because she knows that she will choose to save herself if she needs to, and she doesn’t harbor much guilt about that fact.

The romance here was SO good. The “I hate you and want to destroy you but also can’t stop wanting you” vibes are strong and palpable. These two had so much banter along these lines, and I was LIVING for it.

The world in this series is whimsical and magical and dangerous, and it’s explored in a way that is perfectly paced. Every decision Violet is faced with makes sense for her character, and I so loved watching her fight her inner battles to protect herself but also do some version of the “right thing” (if such a thing is possible without self-sacrifice, of course.)

I’m so excited to continue this series, especially after the things we’ve learned about Violet’s powers towards the end. I think we’re in for a wild ride in the danger to come and the relationship between Cyrus and Violet. Thank you to Random House Childrens for the opportunity to read and review this title before publishing!

2.5 stars. I really wanted to like this book, but there were too many issues with it.

Contains spoilers ahead!


A lot of it has been mentioned on previous reviews- plot/ pacing, love/ hate being too drastic or stilted, not enough world building, being compared to CP and falling short, etc. but one of my bigger issues was that the author tried to mix too many fairy tales into this book. Way too many. My second biggest issues was the love/ hate between the MC’s. There’s hardly any transitioning between the feelings. It’s too hot/ cold. Don’t get me started on the near ending with the prince… And my third biggest problem was the MC continually saying how hard core she is, that no one controls her, blah blah blah, but she’s under the king’s thumb. Lastly, this should’ve been a standalone, not left open for a duology.

Leaving reviews on Goodreads

When I read an enemies to lovers, I hate to see who the love interest will be the moment he stepped into the room. This book was not like that; I wasn’t even sure who the love interest would be until we really got into it. And I love to be surprised!

The dynamic between our main character and her love interest was just incredible. They both know that their love, if not forbidden, could raise a lot of problem, yet their attraction is too powerful to ignore. Let me tell you, the sexual tension was at its highest. I got very strong Cruel Prince vibes and I adored it.

It was also very interesting to have a seer main character. All the plot revolves around a prophecy made years ago that would shape the present and future of the world and characters. And it was deeply interesting to see how the actions of the characters are influenced by the knowledge of their destiny.

Talking about Violet, I loved her! She is witty, strong headed, and thank God, not stupid. Even if some of her actions are questionable, she is not the typical MC that will do a stupid thing and be surprised when it explodes later.

The writing style was pretty impressive, especially for a debut. I actually found a few new favourite enemies to lover’s quotes that gave me all the feels!

This book was a splendid introduction to a new series and I’m excited to see where it goes from here.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

tl;dr
A dark fairy tale with a morally gray heroine and a compelling supporting cast for fans of sexy enemies-to-lovers type romances. Stubborn leads may be frustrating at times.

About
Violet is a seer to the royal court. But what she sees in her visions isn't necessarily what she prophesies to the people; after all, what's a little twist of the truth in service of the king? Prince Cyrus doesn't approve, but Violet doesn't care about his opinion. At least, she wishes she didn't. But with a curse hanging over his head, and the Fates whispering to Violet that only one of them will live, it might take more than a little twist of the truth to get out ahead.

Thoughts
Fairy tales in their rawest form are dark, violent, and often incredibly sexual. Violet Made of Thorns hits all those beats in a page-turning, morally gray tale about a seer, a prince, and a world full of conflicting desires. The book draws clear inspiration from several fairy tales (of note: Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, The Goose Girl), but it's not a retelling of any specific one, and it stands as its own story.

Violet is a stunning MC: Quick, self-reliant, and often grumpy. The author's note likens Violet to "unrelatable" MCs, and I while I think some readers will have difficulty approving of her choices, most will understand exactly why she made them. Her sense of self-preservation is powerful, something heroines don't always have. Lack of communication is my least favorite drama spice, and there are a few moments where she refuses to divulge information that I found frustrating. But by the end, I followed the reasoning behind her decisions (even the terrible ones) with ease. Prince Cyrus doesn't get the same amount of care and attention in terms of character development, but anyone looking for a firey haters-to-lovers romance should be satisfied. Of all the characters, Prince Cyrus' sister Camilla is my runaway favorite. I love a character who's self-assured, smart, and loves themselves the way they are. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone looking for dark sexy romance with fairy tale overtones.

"If I must be a villain, I will be one of my own making."

I thoroughly enjoyed this dark fantasy and our snarky antiheroine, Violet, who captured the heart of Prince Cyrus, even though she was never meant to be his! I was won-over by the rivals-to-lovers vibe, the unique magic woven throughout the kingdom, and the twisty prophecies that weren't always what they seemed.

"The future is here, like I foretold, and it’s nothing like I expected."

I will admit that I never really felt true tension within the plot, and the stakes never really felt high. But I'm a sucker for fairytale retellings, dark fantasy, and reimagined classic tales of every stripe, and I couldn't help but love Violet Made of Thorns, despite the low-impact plot.

"We are living in times where destiny is in the making."

I would recommend this one for fans of Malice, Heartless, or the Caraval series. A solid 4-star read!

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A huge thank you to Gina Chen, Random House, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!