Violet is a prophet and a liar, manipulating the royal court with her false divinations. The prince, Cyrus, plans to strip Violet of her role once he becomes king. The king asks Violet to prophesy a love story for a ball, which awakens a curse. Violet must choose between seizing control of her destiny or giving in to her attraction to Cyrus. She must untangle a web of deceit to save the kingdom, but her wits can't change her fate. As her relationship with Cyrus grows, she must navigate between hatred and love to save herself and the kingdom.

A great enemies-to-lovers romance, very angsty and dark - the perfect book to lose touch with reality for a bit.. I loved that Violet is a morally grey FMC, and her banter and relationship with Cyrus were very entertaining. This book drew me, and I lost all concept of time.

"I don't need to get out of my shell, other people need to cram themselves back into theirs."

I highlighted so much of this book as darkly funny, antisocial, and observant. We can chalk it up to the clear voice of protagonist Violet with her pragmatic, judgmental tone. She's a cynic, a survivor, and she watches her own back, sparing trust for no one. Violet holds the influential but precarious position of Seer. The only one in the kingdom, she uses touch to read the threads of a person's life, past and future. She also receives prophetic dreams. Her predecessor's dying act was passing on such a prophecy, one warning of war and hinging a prince's destiny and that of his kingdom on finding the perfect bride. Now, Violet finds herself in the position of appeasing her king as he manages the populace. His son, Prince Cyrus, drags his feet on finding his foretold bride, and Violet must offer the masses quieting, hopeful visions to avert panic at the promised impending war and doom. It doesn't help that Violet hates the prince's guts, and the feeling is mutual. His idealism, charm, and rigid moral code go up against everything that makes Violet who she is, especially given his casual hypocrisy. The two will have to find common ground, however, as enemies keep stacking up with mysterious, magical means at their disposal.

Beyond the compelling character at the center, I enjoyed the broader message about power and greed inherent to the story. Violet and Prince Cyrus (or Princey as she makes sure to rudely call him in all situations) approach politicking from different angles, and I think their views are especially thoughtful in combination. Violet has the literal foresight to understand that everyone is opportunistic, and those with more power only get more greedy and self-serving. Cyrus provides the impetus to fight for something better, even if his survival instincts lack Violet's finesse.

The author characterizes the relationship between Violet and Cyrus as a "hatemance," which is not only new to me but also hard for me to wrap my ace head around. So while I understand it 0% and don't yet fully support it, I think neither does Violet. And that's what makes it ultimately intriguing to me. Either they can grow together in the sequel and draw me in or Violet can go on her merry way, and I'm good with it. I am Team Violet and everyone else is an accessory to that, even the side characters I love, such as the honorable Dante and the flamboyant, scheming Princess Camilla. Camilla's big lesbian energy is another of the many joys this book has to offer, and I about died when she provides contraceptives with the remark, "consider it a consolation gift for liking men."

I will not-so-patiently wait for the series finale. There are still many unanswered questions from a magic system perspective since Violet is just uncovering more about her abilities. The threat to the kingdom is decidedly unresolved. And how Violet will choose to grow through this experience is still up in the air. I hope that whatever the scenario, she will emerge victorious on behalf of all the prickly girls out there who just want everyone else to go away and be less annoying. Thanks to Delacorte for my copy to read and review!

This was one of my top books of 2022. An entirely unique magic system and concept with real stakes and hate to love romance.

I will be continuing and recommending this series and my book club interview Gina Chen I'm August which was a wonderful experience.

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen is the story of Violet, a Seer for the royal court. She cleverly phrases her prophecies because not all are true. She sees no issue with a little dishonesty to placate the people. Prince Cyrus plans on removing Violet from her position once he becomes king. The king asks Violet to tell a false prophecy about the prince and the upcoming ball. Unfortunately, Violet awakens a curse that will either doom or save the kingdom. This will all depend Prince Cyrus choosing a bride. Violet and the prince share a dislike for each other, but as time goes by, the lines between hate and love become blurred. Violet must decide if she is willing to fight fate to save herself and the entire kingdom.

This is a dark, quick, and easy to read high fantasy novel. The way it is written gives me a more modern vibe than most high fantasies I’ve read. I like that Violet is a morally grey character. It’s very unique for a main character.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

This was an angsty romance that wanted a fantasy backdrop.

Violet Made of Thorns is a young adult fantasy novel that follows Violet, a young orphan who becomes the kingdom’s official seer. But most of her visions are lies webbed to enforce the king’s vision of his kingdom’s future.

With no way out from her lies, a darker prophecy arises and she must choose to either follow her ambitions or save her kingdom. Or, who knows, do both?

<i>I am a better liar than a prophet. I don’t believe there’s reason to our destinies, 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. They know the future is no better a roll of rigged dice, so they may as well do the rigging.</i>

There’s nothing groundbreaking about this fantasy story. However, this is not a story told in an obvious and predictable way. There are twists and turns, progressive revelations, and references to well-known fairytales, such as Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast.

This is a fascinating world, but you won’t get to know it deeply, since the action stays in the central kingdom. Which is a shame, because there are mentions of an exciting forest filled with fairies. Very Tinkerbell-ish.

Once you unravel the layer of fantasy, there are deeper themes of colonialism, the sick appeal of power, the destruction of nature and the control over “inferior beings” to fulfill the desires of men.

In the beginning, the author mentions this book is for the ones who enjoy unrelatable female characters, and Violet is exactly that. As an orphan in a big city, with only scraps to eat, she grabs the chance of moving up the social ladder and becoming the kingdom’s seer. And she will do anything to keep her place.

<i>The only people who are nice are those who have never had to claw for anything they’ve wanted.</i>

In these fantasy stories, it’s easy to rely on a main character who is good, trustworthy, loving and who always tries to make good decisions, even if it means failing sometimes. With Violet, the intention is not always the most pure.

Violet is ambitious, flawed, and cunning. Her self-preservation is above everything else, be it friends (who she barely has), the future of her kingdom, or love. She’s blunt, and she’s not afraid to lie and deceive if it means reaching her objectives. This is truly a Violet made of thorns.

<i>Maybe cruel is the best thing I can be.</i>

Violet is the highlight for me, but the remaining characters are also interesting to follow. There’s Cyrus, the fairytale-like prince with an appealing façade that covers a deep hatred for his kingdom’s politics. There’s Dante, the prince’s funny sidekick, who isn’t all he seems (I’m excited to know him better in future books). And other characters, such as Camilla, the lesbian princess who grabs the attention of everyone around her, and the King, who goes to great lengths to expand his rule.

This story is a fantasy romance, since the dynamic between Violet and Cyrus plays a central part of the plot. There are also semi-graphic steamy scenes, so if this isn’t your thing, beware.

Calling Violet and Cyrus’ dynamic a hate to love relationship isn’t accurate and undersells who they are to each other. In the words of Gina Chen, this is a “I can fix her / I can make him worse” dynamic where hate and love play with each other.

<i>I don’t know how to be soft. I barely believe in love. But I am the worst thing in Cyrus’ life and nothing has tasted sweeter.</i>

These are two people with opposing goals who do not trust each other. Violet thinks Cyrus is an empty-headed prince who just wants to flirt, while Cyrus sees her as a product of the moral degradation of his kingdom. Even though the attraction is there, it isn’t enough to create something solid between them.

<i>You once asked what I’m afraid of when it comes to you. It would be the same reason you should be afraid of me. We could ruin each other, and we would not hesitate to do so.</i>

To say I’m excited to see what happens with Violet and Curys would be an understatement. I can’t wait for the sequel and to fall more in love with their dynamic.

Violet Made of Thorns is the book that shaped my first half of 2022. It has everything good about a fantasy: an immersive world, political machinations, a big magical threat and compelling characters. Add in some extra spice such as fairytale references, twists and turns, a hate to/with love relationship, and this is a book you cannot miss.

I initially jumped on this title because it was recommended to fans of The Cruel Prince, one of my favorite series, and what I have found is that generally when a book is recommended to fans of a certain series, it doesn't quite live up to the name. Which in this case is good and bad.

Bad because I am still looking for something similar to that series, but good because this book can stand on it's own two feet without the comparison. There's a lot of political machinations and a grey heroine which is why I guess it's suggested to those fans, but still the author has their own unique voice so it doesn't feel like it's riding the coattails of the hit.

I found myself rooting for the heroine and questioning my own morals, wondering if I would react differently if put in that similar situation which I think is pretty amazing and something that rarely happens. It's definitely worth a read.

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.