So I came into this book with high expectations; the blurb excites me!

What I read was less than stellar. I was not drawn into this story at all and I didn’t start caring until about 36% into it. Let me start by stating the things I did like:

- Violet. She was not your typical YA heroine. She was rude, brash, impulsive, and gave zero f*cks. She was all about herself, yet I enjoyed her friendship with Dante and Camilla.

- The romance. I loved the banter and pining and I got major Cruel Prince vibes between Violet and Cyrus.

- The imagery and setting.

Now onto the things I didn’t like:

- I’m still trying to understand the world. So is Sight the only magic available in this kingdom? How does one know if he/she is a Seer? We now have gods and fates enter and as well as witches. I think this is the biggest part that lost me. There were times I had to go back to understand what I was reading and that made it seem distracting and it took my away from the story.

- Some of the scenarios just didn’t make sense. There’s a scene towards the end that elicited a reaction from characters that I could not comprehend; I would assume this would be a good thing. A win-win for everyone.

While I did enjoy parts of this story, I don’t like it enough to read the sequel.

I received a copy through NetGalley for review. 3.5 rounded up.

So I have some weird issues with this book mostly from the way the descriptors of it- one comparing it to The Cruel Prince isn't something any book should have to deal with- publishers please stop doing that to new books! Quit it!
Secondly calling the MC a morally grey character. I didn't find her all that fitting of that description. She's lofted into a high position off the streets, by a king, for saving his son. Although her power is real, she does have to toe a line of how she says things so she doesn't unbalance the kingdom. She still has to please the king, otherwise she could lose everything. Its hard to be morally grey when you don't have full autonomy over yourself or situation and you are put there as a orphan child.
Even calling it enemies to lovers is a stretch. Its more indifference and denial to lovers. It's hard to claim enemies when the romanic interest claims he's been in love the entire time and just pushed her away.
I feel like without all that being proclaimed to me ahead of time, rather intently through the letter and marketing- I may have had very different feelings about it. Because of this it really read like a mess.
Publishers, marketing folks, you need to chill a bit, give these projects their own space before you slap a huge untouchable comparison on something.

This is a fairytale, with a cursed pining prince, and everything goes wrong. Who's true love is supposed to save him and his country but everything is out of order. And everything needed to save everyone has been there the whole time, they just took a while to see the pieces.
Thorns, wild beasts, roses, a lusty princess, a imposter and an evil witch.

This book is fairytale perfection!! It took me a while to get through it only because I have so much going on in my life, but coming back to it was ALWAYS a happy and consuming reunion. I am someone who loves a bity witch and lots of palace/political intrigue, so this book kept me entertained and I can't wait to pick up a physical copy!

This was enemies to lovers excellenceeeee!
I think this is listed as YA? But definitely read more as NA to me. I really liked the main characters and the fairy tale inspired plot was interesting especially with the twists! I will say I feel like they went back and forth one or two too many times for me which made the ending feel a little rushed but I’m really looking forward to book two and want to know more secrets about this world!

I enjoyed this one, Violet is definitely not the typical heroine, and she can be a little difficult to like at times, with that said I wanted to love her as much as I love Jude, but I just didn't.
I did like the fairy tale feel of this book, and the setting, also the setup for the sequel, which I am looking forward to. With that said I just didn't love it, I wanted the nostalgic feeling of reading TCP which I do love (to pieces), but I just didn't get that.
We'll see what happens in the next book.

Happy Reading!

4.2
As a fan of morally gray protagonists, chaos, and fairytales, this book was a genuinely good time!

Violet is a great character, one who has no issues climbing the latter to get power, or lying to keep it, and a pragmatic character who decides exactly what she can deal with and tosses out what she can't. Violet isn't a villain, but she's also no hero, and you can say the same for Prince Cyrus, a man many are happy to paint as a perfect prince charming, but who actually has sharp teeth and a fierce resentment for his father. I'm a huge lover of two not-great people coming together and clashing even as they fall in love, and that's definitely what we get here.
I think this romance is one that fans of The Cruel Prince is going to fall for. The "I don't want to like you" dynamic with the push and pull of being on opposite sides and yet needing to reluctantly meet in the middle is a little like catnip.

I was impressed by how far this story could go into the non-standard cast of characters while also feeling so much like a fairytale itself. There are very clear references and points of inspiration from the classic fairytales, roping it into that canon, but even beyond those it was a feeling of fate and beasts and clever girls that finds itself stuck in your head for the rest of your life.

When I picked tis book up I wasn't sure if it was a standalone or not, but I think the set up for a sequel was well done. The pacing is good, the tension comes to a head without feeling like a cliff hanger, and I find it hard to believe anyone could easily walk away from these characters or their power struggle.

For me, I had higher hopes for the romance itself. I would have liked more of a slowburn, with the tension allowed to grow higher, instead of coming to a head about a third of the way through. And that rush to romance from mutual dislike always made it hard for me to buy into the romance at times. I don't think that'll be an issue for some people, but I would have vastly preferred having more of a reason to believe in the romance.
I also felt like some of the plotlines in general were underutilized or left thin, though it's possible that will be rectified with a sequel.

If you enjoy flawed, morally gray characters, curses, and enemies-to-reluctant-lovers, this book will probably be right up your alley.

I really loved this one.

Violet was hard to like, but I liked her anyway. She's a seer that saved the prince when he was younger. Violet and the prince, Cyrus, have a love/hate relationship. Mostly a lot of hate. At least that's what Violet thinks. There has been a prophecy that basically shows that only one of them will survive. Violet was asked by the king to lie to Cyrus and everyone else. She was to tell him of his fated love. He would meet her at a certain time at the ball he is hosting. Violet knows that he needs to marry right away. It's the only way to hopefully change the prophecy a bit. But Cyrus starts to show Violet his feelings. At first, it's physical. But as much as Violet wants to deny it, she does care about him. But she doesn't think it will be enough. She wants to live. When a Fate starts showing up in her dreams, Violet starts to get influenced more. This "fate" is hurting the people around Violet, but she never really felt like she belonged. Violet was an orphan. She will never fully be one of them. And Cyrus starts to push her away and tell her that she needs to leave. He can't be around her if he's to marry someone else. Violet has to figure out a way to save the kingdom, but mostly to save herself. But she doesn't know if she could put Cyrus's life above her own.

I love a good hate to love story. While this one doesn't have a ton of love, there was definitely a lot of attraction and confusion. I like to think that Violet can be a good person that makes the right choices. I am rooting for her and Cyrus to be together. I also liked the other characters in the book. I'm curious to see what happens next.

I gave this book 5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my earc.

Violet is a witch who uses her powers of prophecy for her own gain. Once an orphan living on the street, Violet now lives on the palace grounds in the famed Seer’s Tower. A trusted confidant of the King, she often manipulates her prophecies for the good of the royal family. The only problem is Cyrus, the Crown Prince. He knows Violet too well and isn’t going to go along with her schemes willingly. When she falsifies a prophecy about Cyrus’ potential bride, she unknowingly sets into motion a deadly curse. As the volatile feelings between Violet and Cyrus begin to look less like hate and more like love, Violet must make a decision that will either save or curse the kingdom– and herself.

The good: While not a direct fairytale retelling, there are many aspects of well-known fairytales sprinkled throughout that readers will enjoy discovering.

I think the standout here is really Violet. She is everything that so many readers will enjoy in a protagonist. She is unapologetically out for herself and once you begin to learn more about her past, it makes sense. Violet has no desire to change, for anyone, and she is confident in herself and her decisions. Often, this kind of characterization of female characters comes off as overly abrasive or without reason. However Violet is easy to sympathize with and her strong will stands up to the vicious court politics that Chen has created.

The bad: I struggle with my feelings about Cyrus as a character. I think he is a good foil to Violet’s ruthlessness, however his fault is that he seems to believe this is an act for Violet. Chen has created a strong-willed character in Violet though, and she easily expresses that she is only ever acting like herself. The romance budding between them by the end of the book does make me a little uneasy as I don’t think that they seem like a good fit at this point. I do think that Cyrus has a ways to go in terms of character development though, and we could see this change later in the series.

I also wish the world-building was a little stronger. I am still not sure I understand the complicated politics between the different countries. I understand this is heavier on the romance and the personal relationships, so I think we lose a little of that overarching geographical exploration. I am hoping that this will be explored more in the following book. I also understand that this is a debut and for a first book, I am really enjoying the development of the world and characters as a whole.

Overall: This is a well-crafted fantasy with a fantastic, morally gray protagonist. The stakes are high and the mystery unfolding around Violet will keep readers entertained throughout. The romance between Violet and Cyrus is fiery, though perhaps a little more entertaining when they fully believe they hate each other. Overall, this is a great addition for anyone who enjoys high-stakes romantic fantasy.

How did I know that Cyrus and Violet would actually end up together? Oh yeah the blurb itself pretty much points toward it though the journey towards it was good.

Violet Made of Thorns is a fun fantasy story! I loved Violet--she is stubborn, has a quick wit, and sometimes makes bad decisions. There is dark magic, palace intrigue, and a well-done enemies to lovers (who kind of stay enemies while loving?) romance. This is book one of a duology I believe, but it wraps up well enough that you won't be in mortal pain waiting for book two, which I actually like about it. My students will love this one!

Violet Made of Thorns was a thrilling, addictive read. It’s is a YA/new adult fantasy novel told from the point of view of Violet, a Seer who lives on the castle grounds. She is a confidante to the king, prince, and princess. As Seer, she is used to having prophetic dreams and seeing the possible threads of others’ futures. In my opinion, the novel was incredibly well written. Violet was not very likable but I still rooted for her to make good decisions and be happy. I thought the plot was just complex enough to stay interesting but not so complex that I was confused. Really hoping this book is the start of a series so I can immerse myself in this world again!

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC!

I have to say, I was super excited for this one, and it ended up a bit disappointing.

I enjoyed the story, Violet was definitely interesting. It was nice having a morally grey main character, but the book was lacking that spark that makes you care about what happens to the characters.

I enjoyed some of the twists, and Camilla and Dante were interesting, but I wish I had more info about the “world of” if you will. I think this story would have benefitted greatly from multiple POVs.

I’m very curious to see what other’s will think when it’s released next month.

Violet Lune rises from the streets of her city to become the Seer of her kingdom. She is willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants, but that is not such a simple task when she is caught between the wishes of the King, the Prince, and a bloody prophecy of war. After saving the Prince as a child, the two quickly grew apart and became enemies, but everything is not so clear-cut when the prophecy seems to be on the horizon.

To be completely honest I requested this book on NetGalley under the impression that it was YA, which it is not. That being said, I’m glad I made that mistake because I absolutely adored Violet Made of Thorns, and can’t wait for the sequel in the duology to come out next year!

Romance is a huge aspect of this novel, and while I usually find that I lose interest the more a novel focuses on romance, I did not feel that way with this book. There are a couple scenes that are more graphic than I typically like, but the romance didn’t overtake the plot, and actually added a lot to the novel.

Furthermore, Gina Chen mentions in an author’s note at the beginning of the novel that she wanted to write a character that isn’t likeable, perfect, or even necessarily someone people should look up to. She wanted to write a character who was human, and not only do I believe she accomplished this goal, she did so with flying colors. Violet was so irritatingly real, that I couldn’t help but to root for her. On top of that, Chen still included growth for Violet throughout the novel, which was so satisfying!

Overall, while Violet Made of Thorns is not the kind of book that I normally read, it was such a pleasant surprise! I felt myself on the edge of my seat throughout the novel, and literally couldn’t put it down. Very rarely do I preorder a book that I haven’t finished reading, but I literally preordered this one about 20% into the book because I knew it was going to be a new favorite!

OKAY, WOW!!!! I did not expect this book to be THAT GOOD. It's one of the best fantasy books I've read this year, such a great story, the writing was amazing and I absolutely loved the main character, Violet. She's a morally grey character (who doesn't love a good written morally grey heroine?) and she's just incredible. The book is written from her point of view and I loved reading her thoughts.

A+ on the fantasy world-building and character development. Violet is complex and flawed in ways main characters often aren't. She's cold. Pushes Cyrus away, rejects the possibility of love at an emotional level. But she's also protecting herself because who else is? She sees clearly where she fits in the existing regime and does what she believes is necessary for her own success but not without considering how her actions influence others.

The world is vivid, the magical elements fit seamlessly into Violet's life with no info-dumping.

On the romance side of things, I really, really dislike when a romance arc does not conclude in the book it begins in. The fantasy element is stronger here than the romance, but there is a still the beginnings of romance between Violet and Cyrus. And in the end she (view spoiler). Disappointing, for me, on the romantic side. But this book doesn't set out as a full blown romance, so that's a me thing.

One thing I was surprised didn't come up was that if we've established the the king keeps just the one seer so that he can make them lie, why do we never consider that the previous seer's prophecy might have been a lie? That's not enough to detract from the rest of the book, but I couldn't not think it while I was reading.

Overall lovely read.

I thought this story was dope! Like a lot of fantasies these days the story is built from the back bones of Cinderella. But unlike most of these retellings, Gina Chen molds this book up off those bones then cracks them open letting the marrow seep out. I'd like to talk about the characters but I don't want to give away anything because the book is most definitely character driven. I'll just say the MC is not annoyingly seeking moral ground and therefore is motivated by whatever works out best in her favor in a way. She's a breath of fresh air in my opinion and definitely more realistic than most MCs. There's magic and all that good juju- a well built world not overburdened with too many details.

There was one part where I thought the characters were moving forward too fast and laying all their cards on the table. It didn't sit right at first and then I realized why: I was too entwined in the MC's narration that maybe her mood was coming off on me. I consider that damn good writing and hard to pull off. I can't help but applaud the author.

Definitely recommend for a fun read.

Gina Chen's VIOLET MADE OF THORNS is advertised as a dark YA, but I honestly felt like it could have been a lot darker. The novel definitely delivers on being a modern fairy tale though. While Violet is supposed to come across as unlikable, I actually found her thorniness endearing (and, in my opinion,, more unlikable heroines are needed in YA). However, as a whole, I was never completely sold on the characters' motivations--especially the Witch of Nightmares and Cyrus. I also wasn't sold on the curse on Prince Cyrus being real, and never quite felt completely immersed in the magic system of the world. While the pacing could have probably been improved, the plot itself was interesting. The tension between Violet and Cyrus is definitely one of the story's redeeming qualities.

Summary: Prophecy intertwines a morally-grey witch’s and a cursed prince’s destinies together in the most beautifully cruel way. Violet had never shied away from the futures she sees nor the deceit she’s had to learn to make her place in Auveny’s royal court. Our cursed prince, however, doesn’t see her cleverly-phrased divinations as a gift, but as a reason to banish her when he becomes king. After falsely prophesying the prince’s love story, Violet awakens the curse and now she must choose between her own destiny or her attraction to Cyrus. But when you’ve spent years laying trails of deceit, unraveling the future can be difficult and dangerous.


Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First, a very big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this beautiful book in return for an honest review.

What a gorgeous book! Gina Chen’s writing weaves all the right threads to create a stunning kingdom where everything may not be exactly what it seems. Aptly named The Sun Capitol, Auveny and its dominions drip sunlight, glamour, and beauty. From the palace and its people to the streets of the Moon District and everything in between, we get descriptions so lush we can almost taste the spices in the air. Chen’s setting was a gorgeous counterpoint to the themes intertwined with the plot. She definitely didn’t shy away from making important points and comments on our expectations for characters, appearances, and more. While Auveny drips with golden warmth, it’s hiding several chilling secrets.

These secrets result in a lot of the politics Chen leads us through within the book. Maybe the politicking isn’t 100 percent for me, because at times the intrigue wasn’t so… intriguing. It felt like the world-building dragged a little bit because there wasn’t exactly a reason for us to care overly much about anyone yet. So, the first portion of the book wasn’t so exciting until Violet was dreaming. The dreams absolutely helped the book take off and were interesting to experience alongside Violet.

There were some things I wish we’d gotten a little more explanation on, but nothing that took much (if anything) away from the plot. It absolutely still left me wanting a sequel.

The characters, though! It was easy to grow to love everyone who played a role in the book—especially Violet. I loved that she wasn’t made to be liked nor did she want to be. However, this didn’t stop her character development and the end was amazing.

All of Chen’s characters were three-dimensional beings, no matter how little they appeared in the book. The motivations behind the politics, everyone’s actions, and the prophecy were also so well-thought out.

This book is definitely for fans of The Cruel Prince or who liked Christina Henry’s Alice, and I definitely would recommend.

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

Violet Made of Thorns tells the story of Violet, the kingdom’s seer, who uses the fact that no one can question her visions to her advantage. She has become quite adept at interpreting her visions in the most adventitious way possible. Which has worked out pretty well for her so far except that her dishonesty has alienated the Crown Prince who plans to ship her off to a neighboring kingdom the second he ascends the throne. Except a curse has been awakened that forces the two to work together or the world as they know it may be destroyed.

I enjoyed the plot of this book and allusions to different classic fairytales but I found it hard to connect to most of the characters. The prince and his sister fell very flat and Violet, while fairly well fleshed out, was a little too thorny for me to connect to. Don’t get me wrong I love a good sarcastic asshole or morally grey character but Violet felt more like she was being contrary for the sake of being contrary which is something I don’t really vibe with. I understand much of her demeanor was due to her childhood but at least give me a redeeming quality or two that shows she has a heart. The only character who felt like an actual person and who I enjoyed as a character was the prince’s best friend but we barely saw him which was quite unfortunate.

If the characters had been on the same level as the plot I think this would have been a stellar book. Also quick issue with the description of the book. It said that Violet’s “false prophecy” awakens the curse but that’s not what happens which is too bad because I think that would have been a much more fun route to take.

This book DELIVERS. It delivers exactly everything it was marketed for and more. Yes, it is a dark fairytale, and yes, it does have a very well-done enemies-to-lovers dynamic, and yes, it artfully mixes the glittery court setting with the expected grit and complicated machinations beneath the surface. Absolutely loved it.