Violet Made of Thorns (Violet Made of Thorns #1) by Gina Chen sounded like it would be exactly right up my alley. All I had to hear was that it was for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove since I enjoyed both of those. While it has a lot of potential, it just never worked for me. It begins really well, but after that it fell flat. The world-building is pretty non-existent and the story gets confusing fast. It also didn't particularly deliver on the court politics either. It seems like it's whole selling point was the romance was just annoying in my eyes. It wasn't all bad, though, because Violet was actually a good character to read - mostly.

I hate giving negative reviews, but hey, one persons yuck is another’s yum so maybe it will still help this book find its audience. Here we go:

1. To me, this book felt like a poor attempt to recreate “The Cruel Prince,” while I liked Jude and Cardan, Violet and the Prince were simply annoying to me. They felt shallow and childish. Nothing about them made me care about their outcome.

2. The world building was a bit confusing. There’s magic, a fairy wood, Violet is a Seer, and…I’m not really sure what else? They’re in a magical kingdom, that’s what I got lol.

3. The enemies to lovers was pretty much enemies that touched each other a few times? Also, why do they hate one another?? Violet says she saved the prince once when they were younger, but then they grow up..are very attracted to each other..but hate each-other? It was weird and didn’t feel fleshed out at all.

4. The plot was all over the place. Honestly there were many holes. Additionally, a lot of things that happened felt predictable. And again, it felt like a poor attempt to be “The Cruel Prince.”

5. The writing felt incredibly inconsistent. Some of Violet’s one liners made me cringe and also felt very modern- which threw me off. Then, there would be very pretty and flowery prose thrown in here and there. Overall, I didn’t care for the writing style. But again, that’s a personal preference.

&finally the ending
It felt like I read the book for nothing. What was the point? I get there’s supposed to be a sequel but IMO, everything got chaotic and fell apart at the end. 🫤

**Writing a book is hard, I’m sure the author put in a lot of effort & I want to say that just because this didn’t do it for me, doesn’t mean others won’t love it. If the tropes in “The Cruel Prince” are your bread and butter, if you absolutely eat that stuff up- then you may really like this book! If you want a quick easy read with lots of tension, anger, and angst- not a love story, again,you may like “Violet Made of Thorns.” It’s a dark fairytale- not a happily ever after.
I will say the banter in this book was fun at times. Additionally, the princess Camilla was funny and likable.**

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is full-on delicous to experience. With a strong anti-heroine who might begrudgingly want to be good, a prince who isn't all that sweet and innocent, and a world of magic and prophecy that is completely unique.... this book is such a treat. I couldn't put it down. Three spicy peppers and a lot of hate kissing. Enemies to lovers might be enemies to enemies that like to make out ;)

I need the next one right now. I loved this one. I could not put it down. It was the perfect fairytale! Violet is an orphan that was brought to the palace after saving the prince. Now she is seer to the king. Cyrus is the prince she saved. Now they hate each other. Or do they? I love that Violet was not perfect. She has trust issues and makes bad decisions. I cannot wait to read the next book. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House/Delacorte Press for the Ebook arc in exchange for my honest review.

TW/CW: Sex, body horror, fantasy violence

RATING: 4/5

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Violet Made of Thorns is the story of a young seer called Violet who tries to navigate the terrible prophecies that plague her kingdom, as well as the feelings she has for the Crown Prince Cyrus.

I have mixed feelings about this book, so I’ll give the good first and then what bothered me. First, the story. I loved the story. I loved the idea of a seer with prophecies she can’t understand and can’t make right. It was well written and definitely kept me awake until 2am to finish this book! I also really loved Camilla. She was a great character and I would have liked to see more of her. Also, more about the fairies and just the mythology of the world – because all of that was fascinating to me.

I guess the main thing I didn’t like was the relationship between Cyrus and Violet. I just…never felt it. It never clicked for me. I’ve never been a fan of the enemies to lovers trope, but this one just took it way too far – I won’t say exactly how because I don’t want to give spoilers, but they definitely didn’t feel like lovers to me at the end.

Apart from that, though, I though this was a really good book and I’ll definitely give the sequel a chance too. 🙂

Violet made of Thorns is full of suspense, dark prophecy, and court intrigue with a serving of enemies-to-lovers on the side. There is also plenty of magic in this story and prophesies that spell doom. If you like your fairy tales on the darker side, this is the book for you.
Violet is a young Seer working for the King. She is one of only a few in the world and her talents are highly sought after. However, she didn’t receive proper instruction on the use of her gifts and though the visions and dreams are easy enough, there are other things her magic is capable of that she has yet to discover. Of course, there are people who wish to exploit her youth and lack of knowledge.
The King being one of those that will use her for his own ends. He frequently asks Violet to lie about what she sees or does not see. The latest lie is about Prince Cyrus’s upcoming engagement, even though he has yet to secure a bride.
Also, there is a dark prophecy surrounding Prince Cyrus. The prophecy Violet has, or says she has, could have dire consequences for both herself and the realm. Ultimately, the choices she and Cyrus make will determine the fate of everyone.
There was a lot of tension between Violet and Cyrus. I get the resentment that the Prince felt toward Violet. He cared about her but didn’t like her being a tool for his father to use as he desired. I felt that resentment was a little misplaced. However, it did allow for the tension between them and this enhanced the plot.
What I didn’t get was the hot to cold thing that was going on between the two. One minute they were making out and the next the claws were out. This part of the story felt like it needed further polish. In addition, I would have loved just a little more character development for Cyrus. His character was not as rounded as Violet.
The plot was interesting and it moved nicely along. Though, I was not a fan of the ending. It was a bit rushed and left too much unanswered for me. Yeah, I get that it is the first book in a series. Even taking this into account, the ending was not as organic as it could have been. In short, I wanted a bit more of an ending. One more chapter would have been nice.
Despite the few minor complains I had, I liked this story a lot. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing what will happen next. If you enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale, this book should be on your TBR list.
I received a free copy, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review. For more of my reviews, and author interviews, please see my blog at www.thespineview.com.

With such a gorgeous cover and and interesting premise, I immediately wanted to read this book. However, that's where my interest faded because I literally could not stand the main character. Not only was she annoying but she was also an awful person. And yeah I get it, she's supposed to be morally grey, but even those characters have to have something likable about them, right? I guess not in this case. I tried to like this book, but it the end this was definitely not for me.

Violet Made of Thorns was one of my anticipated releases and I was happy to be able to receive an arc copy to read. I’m settling on a rating of a 3.5 stars rounding up for now cause I liked it but had some gripes too.

I like Violet as a protagonist and the asian rep she presents. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect before since the synopsis sounded like a western fantasy but the author was asian. While others might not like that the book didn’t provide more representation I was okay with it. I also think that it was unique to see a fantasy book where the main character was this fantasy world's equivalent to a Chinese diaspora. I do agree that the representation was minimal but I didn’t see it necessary for it to be a big focus either unless the author wanted it to be.

One thing emphasized about this book is its morally gray characters. It’s emphasized how Violet does bad things and isn’t a good hearted person. She is a flawed main character that isn't liked by others, which I like. But she isn’t really as bad as the book tries to convince us she is. It felt more like all this big talk and there should have been more showing. Cyrus is also an equally flawed male lead who is also morally gray. I was frustrated with Cyrus with towards the end of the book and he was too self righteous and childish for my liking. He was annoying but not irredeemable and has room to grow.

I do think the romance could have been done better. Enemies to Lovers can be hard to do and I wished that with a romance that it very important to the plot was developed more. I would like it if they had shown more of them before they were on bad terms. I thought that the main characters having a kind of casual no strings attached relationship was fine but they rushed too much into the romantic confessions. I also did not expect the semi graphic steamy scenes. I’m fine with them but some lines gave me pause and I question what I’m reading.

“He plays with the tail end of my braid dangling between us–and yanks it so I topple onto him.”

Like would that not hurt? I was listening to the audiobook while reading along with my ecopy and went back a few times.

This book was pitched as for fans of “The Cruel Prince” and “Serpent and Dove” and other reviewers express they disagreed and that it was inferior to both. I enjoyed Cruel Prince and have never read Serpent and Dove but I can kind of see the Cruel Prince similarities but I do feel that you would disappointed to read it for that. I did not read the with these comparisons in mind which is probably why it didn’t bother me that much. For me I think its best to ignore comparison pitches and author blurbs.

Overall I really liked Violet Made of Thorns. I love fairytales and retellings and this world is very much influenced by that. Though the world building is light and could be more explored. Any issues I had with the book did not I hope the sequel could flesh out and better develop the world, characters, and story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the arc review copy.

Book one of what will be a duology at minimum, and it was a pretty decent read. I appreciate that the author forewarned of how prickly Violet was going to be as a character because that was necessary. Part of me wanted to slug her half the time and the other part really does sympathize with her situation, of which some are of her own making and others can be traced to her being brought into the palace at such a young age. Cyrus had his moments of frustration as a character too. I do look forward to seeing how this author develops the characters and hopefully there is some redemption because they’re just both really annoying. Story was fun, kind of reminded me of some of the other books I’ve read, but not necessarily in a bad way. I hope that the second book really picks up.

When author Chloe Gong endorses a book, I rush to read it, no questions asked. And her review of VIOLET MADE OF THORNS made this debut by Gina Chen one of my most anticipated reads of the year. It holds up, too — Chen has crafted something new and exciting. This is a story built on the backs of danger and deceit, where nothing and no one is exactly as they seem.

Bold and cunning Violet is our protagonist, a self-described opportunist gifted with the ability to see the future through touch. Ever since she was a child, Violet has worked in the employ of a king who has no qualms with using her as a medium for his own agenda, manipulating her to help him control and coerce others. But Violet isn’t without fault — the Seer is hiding an agenda of her own, one that is fueled by her desire for survival and the preservation of a life of luxury that her magic has provided for her. The very skill that sets her apart is the one that often leads her into trouble, which is complicated by her tendency to stir up conflict with the king’s son, Prince Cyrus, who likes to see her ruffled. Heir to the throne, Cyrus is open about his hesitation around Violet, who he knows is his father’s vessel for control. The prince also recognizes that Violet is loyal to herself first and foremost. He makes it no secret that he wants her out — something which he can’t achieve as long as his father is in charge, but all bets are off once he ascends the throne. As a royal, naturally Cyrus is also facing a whole host of problems of his own — the largest of which is the increasing pressure to marry, which he has little interest in doing until he finds true love.

Add in some eerie visions, a malicious being haunting dreams, one arranged marriage with an imposter, a befuddling curse, a mysterious witch, a looming threat of war and a series of illicit trysts between two MCs — who are either arguing or making out — and you’ve got VIOLET MADE OF THORNS. An addictive tale, the world in a VIOLET MADE OF THORNS is center to a web of deceit, self-preservation and growing confusion.

The story moves so quickly it should never be accused of being boring — it’s very much the opposite — but it does fall short at juggling several plot-lines and concurrent mysteries in a way that is seamless and well-integrated. The conclusion leaves the reader with way too many questions. From romance to rose bushes, author Gina Chen works to pack in several nuances to the text, when it might be better off cutting out the noise and focusing on doing more with less.

And yet, part of its saving grace is its complexity — which is made all the more effective by intricate characters and relationships that are easy to get invested in.

Violet is a powerhouse, a force of nature and fiercely independent. She’s intriguing entirely on her own. It’s refreshing to read an MC like her — she knows her worth and fights like hell in the name of self-preservation. She is not gentle or demure or full of doubt; Violet is someone who clawed her way out of obscurity in order to be the person she wanted. She does not walk around with rose-colored glasses, assuming the best of everyone. Rather, she does the opposite — Violet has a lot on the line and she knows it, which means when it comes down to it, she has no qualms about playing dirty to get what she wants. Frankly, she is chaotic and selfish and often scrambling to stay one step ahead and all of these traits make her delightfully and realistically HUMAN. She is also prone to some fairly rash and questionable decisions — but then again, who can say they haven’t made some bad calls? This is exactly what makes her so easy to relate to. You just don’t come across protagonists like her in the world of YA. (More MCs like Violet, please.)

Cyrus is also a little all over the place. On the surface he is flawless and fun, but below his royal facade, he is skeptical and calculating. We don’t get to see much of this side of him until later into the story, and even then, it doesn’t really measure up to Violet’s in terms of depth or dimension. Their antagonistic relationship also doesn’t ring completely true at the start. Following their first bickering encounter, readers are told all about the drama between the two, but not shown much of a logical reason beyond the divide, aside from pettiness and a subtle likelihood of simmering attraction. You realize as the story progresses that this was intentional — their shared frustration was masking a buried, doomed attraction that manifests after they cross a line they shouldn’t.

From that point on, we witness as they swiftly descend into something more physical than mere verbal sparring matches, leading to a pseudo-relationship which is a little rushed and at times cloyingly difficult to root for. It would have been more satisfying if we were given insight into their feelings, more shared moments where the line between enemies and lovers is toed, more perspective into the history that tangled them together. Cyrus can also be a little irritating. It’s clear he lusts for, but doesn’t trust, Violet, but beyond that, who is he, really? And why should we want them to end up together? From where the book was left off, I think it’s safe to expect at least a sequel, where I hope to see more context with backstories and motivations across the board. When it’s carefully done, the enemies to lovers trope can be sinfully delicious, which was not fully the case here, but close enough.

Still, the best part of VIOLET MADE OF THORNS is the writing itself. It’s no wonder Chloe Gong, reigning queen of gorgeously-written YA, is a fan of Gina Chen’s prose. Every sentence is stunning, every detail elevating the text, every scene meticulously set. Some books are both labors of love and testaments to great skill. VIOLET MADE OF THORNS is one of those books.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.*

Welp, flew right through this one is less than 48 hours!

Violet is the Seer of the kingdom of Auveny but also a survivor. Plucked from the slums of the Moon District, she'll do whatever she has to to maintain her elevated status and stay in the king's good graces. Sometimes that requires her to lie with the prophecies that she sees. When all her lies and omissions begin to be too much and an impending darkness is heading for the Prince Cyrus, one foretold and desired by the Fates and gods themselves, Violet is unsure whether following her heart is going to save anyone, least of all herself. A morally gray character, her greatest desire is to protect herself. But as the growing desire between her and Cyrus muddy up her futures, a man who she resents, she's unsure which thread to be following and which future will save her. Will it be their salvation or their damnation?

Great buildup & loving characters. There's still some confusion between the main antagonist and not a lot of explanation of the magical elements. However, the hope is that will be better explained in the sequel!

Stop promoting books as other YA fantasy books 2k23! I really really really wanted to like this book. I mean I love The Cruel Prince and I love Serpent & Dove, but Violent made of Thorns just was meh to me. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this book, I just wasn't overall enthralled to read it. Honestly the rating is probably 3.5/5 for me.

Violet Made of Thorns is everything that you love about fairy tales without many of the problematic stereotypes and tropes! I was hooked by the writing in the first chapter and could not put it down. The main character, Violet, is a Seer plucked from the streets and moved into a luxurious new life as a royal advisor. Perhaps, my favorite thing about this is the way Violet is written- ambitious, opportunist, intelligent, and distrusting. Her personality reflects her backstory. She grew up with nothing and is always waiting for it to be taken away. Similarly, Prince Cyrus was raised in a world where he is constantly on display, gossiped about and frequently deceived. He is also a reflection of that upbringing. I was a bit upset when the book ended because I thought it was a standalone. However, I am thrilled to learn it is a series and cannot wait to see how Cyrus and Violet handle the many challenges they faced at the end of the book.

Violet is the king’s Seer, though she doesn’t always tell the truth when it comes to divinations. Cyrus is the king’s cursed son and the bane of Violet’s existence. After the king asks Violet to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s engagement to put the kingdom at ease, Violet awakens a curse and finds herself entangled in a confusing relationship with Cyrus.

I absolutely enjoyed reading about Violet! This was told from her point of view so we got to really know her thoughts. She often acted in her own self interest which led to some interesting plotlines. I loved the romance between her and Cyrus, too. It was so angsty!

I’ve been in a romantic fantasy mood lately so I’m really glad I picked this one up!

The characters in this fairytale retelling were so well developed that I thoroughly enjoyed this book so much. I loved the fantasy and world building and put this on a to order list for my library the second I finished the book!

Thank you #netgalley for an early read of #violetmadeofthorns

One of my favorite new fantasy novels of 2022. There is a fairytale-influenced-story-with-a-prickly-heroine shaped hole in my heart that Violet Made of Thorns slotted itself right into. I love a standard fairy tale retelling, but what I love even more is a book that takes fairy tale conventions and weaves it's own new story. Chen took these very recognizable elements like fairy magic, a cursed royal family, finding a wife via ball, and absolutely breathed new life into them. I was spellbound.

This was an excellent book with thoroughly developed characters. It had me intrigued with every page and I could not wait to read more.

I had the chance to read an early copy of VIOLET MADE OF THORNS (thank you, Gina!) and it is not only one of my favorite books of 2022, it is one of my favorite books of all time.

Violet is prickly, sharp-tongued, and pragmatic--and I loved her. Despite growing up in Auveny, she has forever felt out of place in regards to the rest of the court/society due to her exterior--her mother was from another land--and due to her interior nature. I rooted for her so hard.

And the romance, oh my god. Thanks to the clear writing, I instantly understood from the start why Violet and Cyrus would be at odds with each other, but it was especially fascinating to dig even deeper as the story progressed to truly understand their characters and their relationship, how they saw themselves vs. how the other saw them. Also, the hate make-outs--yes, that's plural--were amazing, and I'll just leave it at that.

Heady, romantic, and just plain *fun*, this is a story that I'll be thinking about for the rest of time. I went to three different bring-your-own-book book clubs at three different libraries to recommend VMOT. I talked it up to the bookseller when preordering it and then talked it up to a different bookseller when picking it up today. And you better believe I've been telling everybody else I know all about it.

So excited for Gina and all the wonderful things happening for VMOT, and I can't wait to read what else she has in store!

Another book with a beautiful cover, and a beautifully effed in the head MC. I seriously can’t get enough of these morally grey gals and their fck the world mentalities. Violet is the epitome of damaged souls. She carry’s the worlds biggest chip on her shoulder I have come across to date. And I am here for it. I want to tell you that her character development ends up with her coming into her own and proving the world wrong but she definitely came out more messed up then she went in. Cyrus is my new love to hate leading man. He’s a pompous ass, who definitely was spoon fed some concoction to make him just this side of a narcissist. Now that’s not to say he didn’t grow on me in any way, cuz he did. These two have the most dysfunctional enemies to lovers arc I’ve seen in fantasy in a long time. But again, I’m here for it. What really got me tho in this novel was the plot being a kick back to the gods meddling and savage nature lane. I don’t know why I’m so drawn to the idea of the gods just wanting to watch the world burn but it definitely makes for some of the more interesting plots. The magic system was done well and I always enjoy an MC realizing her abilities under the most dire of situations, especially if it’s in a fit of rage. I will say that I am impressed with the ending for the fact that if you want to stop here you’re good. There’s just enough there to tether the rest of us on to book number two. I will absolutely be waiting with as much patience as I can muster for the next book to see how this plays out.

If you liked Malice, A Deadly Education, or The Cruel Prince then this one is for YOU.

Uuh I loved me some morally gray MCs!! I say give me more of Violet's sass and lies any day of the week. Unapologetic/often-times-rude-because-they-refuse-to-follow-convention Slytherin girls are my catnip.

Violet is the kingdom's seer. She is the real deal, got her job by saving the prince when he was a little kid (saved him from being trampled). Ever since then, she was taken in and raised in the castle side by side the prince and princess. Her standing is solid, as long as she goes along with the kings demands, and figures out a way for the prince's curse (he must find this future queen who is supposed to save them from the bad things) to be fulfilled.

“I don’t have the luxury of being nice. The only people who are nice are those who have never had to claw for anything they’ve wanted.”

Violet is a pragmatist. The king needs her to embellish some prophecies in order to ease the kingdom's worries? Sure. As long as she stays on his good side there is nothing Violet wont do to survive. This in turn makes her an adversary to the prince, who is more of an idealist, and hates the way his father has influenced Violet. At odds, it is hard to come to agreements between these two, and they are forced to work together towards a common good that might or might not involve the princes' survival. Not that he knows, as Violet keeps a lot of secrets close to her chest... Secrets that at the end of the day, might lead to her doom.

I just enjoyed the hell out of this book. The arguments between Violet and the prince brought me life, the princess (queer rep ✓) is insatiable and a little too self involved, but she is also a good person overall and catches on quick when things around her are not what they should be. There is also a third friend, the responsible one, the one that hails from another kingdom and brings some perspective to the group. Together they all have to work together to fulfill a prophecy and keep the kingdom from falling apart and war to come to their footstep. On top of that Violet is at odds with their deities, who are not as benevolent or as caring as those around her seem to think...

“I will survive destiny by my own means.”

I am most definitely reading the sequel. The romance is very enemies to maybe lovers; I think the second book will have to work harder to get me to a place in which I think these two are actually in love and not just in lust (though the scenes were they clash and give in are top tier). I am here for it!