This is perfect for any fairytale/fantasy reader. While I did like it, I ultimately thought it was only okay. I didn't strongly connect with any of the characters. The writing was good and I do think it has potential.

What a great twist on the fairy tale genre. I love that our main character isn’t a damsel in distress but is actually one who is usually relegated to a side character…the oracle. The banter between the MCs is pretty great and the story itself is so different from our usual fare. It kept me turning the pages late into the night. Not incredibly fast paced but engaging!

When I downloaded this story I didn’t realize it was YA Fantasy. My fault for not paying closer attention. This is not generally a genre I read, that being said, the story was interesting and carried all the fantasy tropes most readers love, especially if you enjoy YA Fiction.

Gina Chen did a really good job with the story and I think YA readers will really enjoy this. It is a book I would recommend in our store for those looking specifically for YA Fantasy.

Thank you to #netgalley and #randomhousechildren for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

The publisher archived the ARC on Netgalley before I could download it to my kindle, leaving me unable to read or review the book.

Love this twist on fairytales with morally gray characters. The characters are interesting and even the worst of them are quite likeable. This is a great debut and I can't wait for more in this series!

If you love fairy tales this is 100% worth putting on your radar. Violet Made of Thorns feels like it pulls a little something from all the classic fairy tales we grew up with and puts it's own spin on them while also having the enemies to lovers trope I adore. It's been so long since I've read a YA fantasy book that I truly just enjoyed from start to finish but this one really did it for me. I'm so glad I gave this one a chance and cannot wait to see what will happen in the next book!

Amazing read that had me captivated from start to finish! From the moment I start until I finished I couldn’t put it down!

Violet Made of Thorns has all the tropes that I am a fan of. A main character who has powers that she doesn't yet know how to use or control, enemies to lovers, royalty and more.
I liked that Violet was our morally grey character as I've mostly read stories with the male characters as morally grey. While this story is reminiscent of other popular YA stories, I enjoyed this story as its own!

Thanks to Random House for the review copy.
I greatly enjoyed this YA fantasy about a girl who has power but doesn't know how to use it, who was raised in a castle but is bound to a king, who wants love but has no faith in others. Filled with mysterious prophesies and questionable loyalties this story was an engrossing read for me and I'm now eager for the 2nd book.

I found Violet entertaining with her grouchiness and cleverness in dealing with others although I'm sure others would find her not as pleasant. Violet is not a shrinking flower as she has grown up in a world where she is used by others and must learn to navigate politics and the public that both reveres and is disappointed by her, comparing her to her predecessor.

If you are not a fan of romance then you might not be a fan of this book as it makes up a large part of the plot. I myself love romance so found the will they or won't they back and forth fulfilling. I would definitely compare it to the Cruel Prince's Jude and Cardan but on an even sharper tone.

As for the actual storyline and progression I found it satisfying, it moves along steadily and gives some answers to questions that are brought up. While some part were original there are tropes that will feel familiar but sets up the next book quite well as we have new questions and complications to deal with.

Overall would recommend to people who want to read a story with royal intrigue, romance, magic and a lead that is atypical but enjoyable.

Unfortunately while I wanted to absolutely love this, I found it a little dull? I think I’m just growing out of YA fantasy so a lot of things feel recycled.

3.5 stars

This book was a lot of fun to read! I really enjoyed Violet in particular. She is a seer (each kingdom in this world has one) and while it is a real power that she has, she also totally messes with people just for her own amusement, or from boredom, or whatever. Meaning she makes up a lot of her “prophecies“. Not to mention the king who asks her to manipulate certain things to suit himself. Prince Cyrus was a bit of a lump for me, as his wishes and priorities kept jumping around. But this was made up for by his delightful twin sister Camilla, who is a gossipy fashionista lesbian chaos monster 😁. All in all I enjoyed my time reading this book and look forward to seeing what the author has next.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Children’s for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

A fairly modern twist on classic fairy tale tropes, Violet Made of Thorns is told through the pragmatic and cynical eyes of the witch.

Violet doesn’t believe in happy ever after’s, only her own power and doing anything she must to keep it. Born a Seer, gifted with the rare ability to see past and future threads, she thwarts the Fates by saving the prince’s life. Brought to live in the palace, she spends following years learning how to bend her sight to hers and the king’s whims. She becomes a gifted liar, and the prince she saved loathes the woman she has become. But there’s a fine line between love and hate, and Violet’s attempts to control prophecy only backfire in the worst possible ways.

I enjoyed Violet’s ruthlessness, her arguments with the Fates and the way magic is woven throughout the kingdom and her story. The ambrosia drunk fairies were as funny as the foolish nobles that enslaved them. Often the author used humor as a fine veneer over the sinister undertones in Violet’s world. Wickedness of which Violet is perhaps most aware of. While Violet’s character is refreshing and the worldbuilding intriguing, I found Dante far more interesting than Prince Cyrus. Often times the story felt a bit too twisty, more in an epic fantasy vein than fantasy or fairy tale romance.

Violet Made of Thorns isn’t perfect and the romance was lacking for me, but altogether an excellent debut and certainly Chen is definitely an author to watch.

I request this because the blub mentioned The Cruel Prince. I didn't love it like I love The Cruel Prince because it fell a bit flat for me. It was a good story, enjoyable characters but the last part of the book left me wishing for more in some ways. I know it's the start of a series, but it just didn't quite get there for me. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Violet was a brilliant fantasy series starter. I loved Violet's unrepentant ego and motivations. The clashes and conflicts between her and Cyrus were believable and compelling. The world building was my favorite part. I loved how magic worked in this world and the premise of a prophet who lies is a unique take on a classic trope. I have to say the twist at the end was what made the book a five star read for me. No spoilers, but so often you see "unlikable" heroes balk when faced with the opportunity to do what they claim they've wanted to the entire book so it was cool to see Violet act impulsively and then have to deal with the horrific consequences.

Violet’s gift for prophecy was discovered when she save Prince Cyrus from death when they were both young, which led to her being brought to the palace and apprenticed to the then-current seer, Felicita. But shortly thereafter, Felicita died, leaving Violet alone and largely untrained.

Violet is an unusual sort of protagonist - an orphan who raised herself on the street, straightforward, brash, and unabashedly looking out for herself first - but also desperate for affection, and willing to modify her prophecies to please King Emilius, her patron, and the closest she has to a father. But when push comes to shove, will she follow the wishes of King Emilius, Prince Cyrus, the witch who threatens the kingdom, or her own heart?

I enjoyed the bulk of this novel, but I’m not too sure about the ending. It took a sudden turn that I didn’t quite understand, and then just… ended. It may be a set up for a sequel; it’s hard to say.

Wouldn't you love to have the kingdom in the palm of your hands by predicting their futures? Better yet, being the prized possession of the king because of your ability? Did I say possession... I meant puppet, wait sorry. This is getting complicated. And so complicated it is for Violet who is very driven is rise to the top and isn't afraid to tell a few "prophecies" that may or may not be true to get there. She is desperately trying to keep in good standing with the king and discover the secrets of the kingdom.

I enjoyed our Violet, morally gray character who is struggling with, in some ways, being the most powerful person in the kingdom, yet really having no power at all. Her character arc is beautiful because it wasn't typical and because she goes farther than most stories would take her.

This is a great story for any fantasy lover and those who enjoy character outside of the normal status quo.

Well planned and paced story! Violet was a feisty character from the beginning, unafraid to do what was right to ensure her safety and independence. I enjoyed the love story as well, and that it wasn't the too common insta love, but grew over time between characters who really knew each other and the sacrifices they may have to make for one another.

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen was interesting. This book sounded amazing, so I knew I needed to read it right away.

I wouldn't really call this book enemies to lovers because I didn't believe the main characters were truly enemies. We got to know the history of these characters pretty fast and they didn't always fight. The two main characters spend the majority of the book insulting each other. When they weren't insulting each other, they were getting hot and bothered. The characters were constantly up and down that it made the whole story feel lacking.

The world and magic didn't feel super original. This one was just so-so to me. Would I read the sequel? Probably but I am not super invested to the story.

*eARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Would be better if something actually happened aside from VAGUE prophecies and a lame enemies/rivals to lovers romance.

I am intrigued enough to pick up book 2, but only barely.

I think my love of morally grey characters stems from the realistic circumstances they find themselves in, but also from the chaotic and reckless decision making processes they have to go through. The thing about Violet Made of Thorns is that Violet demonstrates all the traits of having to do morally questionable things to survive, and to protect the people she cares about.

I will say that the beginning dragged quite a bit and I had to take a break after the first 10-15% or so just because it was a bit muddy, but after that, I was a bit more interested in what was happening.