I had an eArc of this before but I read up to maybe the end of the third chapter and couldn't get into it. The story is said to be great for fans of The Cruel Prince which I loved but I was wanting more of the same with dramatic, angsty, and scheming that one provided me with. Instead, Violet is a very sarcastic, snarky, and downright vindictive and petty at times which I need to be in the right mood for.

Now that I have a physical release copy from Fairyloot I decided to try it again after coming off the high of reading The Wolf of Oren-Yaro which has a main character of similar personality. She's very sarcastic and blunt. So I was bit more open after that to reading a character of that type.

The second attempt was much more enjoyable. I really like that while Violet can be super annoying to some people, and at times pretty immature, it helps shape her character a bit more. The relationship between Cyrus and Violet took a bit for me to warm up to but their banter and chemistry in the latter half of the book was great.

I though that at some parts the tone of the writing skewed a bit younger, so there's a bit of a mismatch when the few steamy scenes came in. The narrative has good pacing and the prose is a breeze to read, you can slurp it down in great gulps without stopping. This is a fun read and it's not for every reader but if you wanted more of that will they or won't they kinda push and pull dynamic, then this definitely hits the spot.

Lovely fantasy book! I devoured it in one sitting! Thanks to netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

I enjoy fantasy with a strong anti-hero so the premise of this book appealed to me. Violet is selfish and a liar but she is trying to survive in a cut-throat world of court intrigue. The book started out well but I didn't find the romance or the world building to be strong. I hope the second book in the series is better because I would like to continue reading about Violet.

This ended up being just ok for me. I almost DNF’d around the 33 percent mark, but ultimately made it all the way through. I found the writing to be very middle grade

I'm a big fan of fairytales so I knew I had to pick this book up! I had heard great things about it and I was not disappointed! The plot was very interesting to read about. I especially liked reading about the political drama of the court. The magical elements were woven in very seamlessly. It made the magic system and world feel very real and believable. The writing style made for an engaging read. Each chapter had something new and interesting and it kept me reading constantly. I saved a lot of great quotes that I enjoyed as well! In terms of characters, my favourite would have to be Violet herself. I loved her strength, determination, and backstory. We got to see her develop throughout the book and grow out of her comfort zone. I also liked reading about Prince Cyrus but would have enjoyed learning a bit more about the side characters so that I could be more invested in their aspects of the story. The ending left me wanting more and I'm excited to read the sequel when it comes out!

Overall I had a lot of fun reading this book! I especially enjoyed the magic and political intrigue.

Violet Made Of Thorns by Gina Chen appeared delectable, but when it came time for the main course, the server dropped my plate before I could enjoy the meal. The book needed more ruthlessness, more scheming, and more stakes to make the story’s dark prophecy hit where it hurts. Unfortunately for me, it missed every shot it took.

Violet holds a powerful position as the kingdom’s seer. Originally found on the streets, Violet is raised in the palace alongside the prince and princess. Chen may be living out her dreams of being a royal through Violet because even the seer’s humble beginnings could not keep her from acting as if she had a crown of her own. Violet views the king as a father figure, and she quickly learns how to navigate royal politics under his tutelage. This includes twisting words and creating fake prophecies to serve the king’s desires. However, the king is falling ill, and it’s time for Prince Cyrus to take the throne. The only problem is, Cyrus hates Violet and wants nothing more than to rid the kingdom of her visions. As Violet fights to stay relevant, dark magic reveals itself and solidifies the terrifying prophecy haunting Cyrus’s every step. Plagued with visions and mysterious voices, Violet must decide her role in the kingdom’s future either as its savior or its destroyer.

Because Violet and the king are buddies, there is a lot of friction between her and Prince Cyrus. All this sets up an interesting premise, but the book doesn’t play out the story between these three very well. It’s a shame we miss out on the politicking between Violet, the king, and Cyrus because their dynamic could have been more interesting had it been more cutthroat. I would have loved to see Violet using her position more for her own ends. It’s talked about in theory, but we never see her utilize it. She lies and twists words, but Violet never displays those dreadful acts that have kept her in a place of power. Additionally, Violet’s unique role as the all-knowing seer gets lost when she becomes the “I’m special” character, and it deflates the revered position that was so central to the story.

In the same vein of underutilizing her role, Violet constantly talks about how ruthless she is, but her actions never back up her claims. This all-talk and no-show situation is one of my biggest pet peeves, and it plagues the YA genre. Violet is prickly, and she’s far from a people person. She is petty, rude, and blunt, but at her worst, Violet lies for the king and verbally spars with the prince. This is not conniving and dangerous material if you ask me. It’s disappointing when a character spends more time trying to convince me how “bad” they are than actually contributing to the plot. It felt like Violet was talking a big game to receive validation, and it sucked the life out of the story. This isn’t a situation where a character is bad at being bad either. Violet believes she is a lot worse than she actually is, and I tried not to cringe when encountering her false declarations.

I was promised a duo as vicious and manipulative as Cardan and Jude in The Cruel Prince, but what I got instead was an odd couple with misplaced emotions and halfhearted actions. Both Violet and Cyrus’s motivations are hard to pin down. Their whims change constantly, and it’s not done purposefully for mysterious vibes either. They simply cannot decide what the hell they want and it can change by the next paragraph. As a result, the plot is choppy and I was exhausted trying to keep up with them both. Be prepared to experience whiplash in the weird dance happening between these two. I love the push and pull between enemies, but I consider their dance to be one that missed every beat. It was about as eloquent as the chicken dance and nowhere near as fun.

I wanted Violet Made Of Thorns to be something much different than what it turned out to be. I had little investment in the story because the characters were so hard to love. Their tiring escapades dragged the plot down, and Violet’s lack of ruthlessness and lackluster power struggle with Cyrus soiled the story for me. Ultimately, I needed Violet to live up to her infamous reputation but was sadly let down too many times.

This book was a whole lot of fun. I really actually loved the protagonist. I think my students are going to really enjoy this book.

This was a 4.5 out of 5 to me but i'll round up. i loved our mc, the writing was great but i found myself not really pulling for the romance. high key i love enmities to lovers but there wasn't much redeemable for dante, even thought i want it SO BAD. he was just a little flat. i loved the world of violet and i can't wait for book two!!

This is one of those books that will suck you in with a beautiful cover and a strong start but then deflate as the book goes on. I thought the writing was excellent but I didn't like the main characters and the plot left something to be desired. Overall this one wasn't a good fit.

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen was one of my most anticipated read of 2022 and it didn't disappoint! Violet and Cyrus were both very interesting characters and each with goals themselves, and the court romance was very good. The romance buildups was in a perfect pace, not an annoying slowburn but not fast burn either. Personally, I deeply understood what's going on inside Violet's head, although many reviewers don't like her for it. She's very unique. And yeah, her being an Asian in a western ambience kingdom is already a point plus.

This was such a unique twist and take on fairytales. Everything was so unexpected. This story had me enchanted up till the end and then without spoilers I felt it seemed completely unrealistic. The teenager perspective was spot on until that point. Teenagers feel things very intensely and if someone betrayed them it would be a very big deal. The ending knocked this book down a point but besides that I really enjoyed the ride.

Violet Made of Thorns
by Gina Chen

I was really excited to receive and read Violet Made of Thorns. It was described as being "perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove", both of which I enjoyed immensely. I found that the story felt a bit more like Serpent and Dove, but I didn't enjoy it as much as either book/series.

The love/hate, enemies to lovers characterization of the MC Violet and Prince Cyrus is a trope that I absolutely love, but it is also one that is quite difficult to craft, and for the most part, I just wasn't invested in their flirtatious quarreling nor was I sold on their attraction. There were several sex scenes, but the chemistry just was not there for me. I really wanted to like this book, considering how much I love fairytales, YA Fantasy Romance, witches, curses, and the like but even the politics and magic of the world just weren't quite there for me. It wasn't quite fleshed out enough to pull me into the world, nor were the characters written deeply enough for me to feel anything more than a passing apathy for them and their plight.

For a debut, this book was a solid start for a new author. I get the feeling she also loved all the same tropes as I do and wanted to throw in all of her ideas into this book, but wasn't quite sure how to work it all out. I am hopeful that the second book (it is set to be a duology) will answer many of my questions about the world and deepen my understanding of the relationships of the characters.

CW: death/blood & descriptions of death; sexual content; parental death; self-harm; body horror

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

(9/11/2022) 4 stars. A strong debut from Gina Chen, Violet Made of Thorns has an unconventional protagonist and love story that isn't what we usually get in YA but is becoming a little more popular as the protag is more of an anti-hero. Ms. Chen pitches it as a story for people who relate to the unrelatable characters so that tells you something. It's a good start to the duology.

“In my observation, feelings as passionate as hatred and ardor are two sides of the same coin. One bleeds into the other remarkably quickly, given the correct circumstances. More sparks fly from friction than cooperation, after all. Sometimes you hate someone so much, you fall in love.”

Well, we all knew it was coming, but because of Violet and her spikiness, it was a fun and memorable journey getting there. Yes, Violet is snarky, and difficult, and did not learn at a young age that it can benefit you to trust someone else, even a little, so she had to learn that lesson later in life. She actually could learn that lesson a little more, which is something I’m hoping is explored more in the next book. (Presumably she’ll be given more responsibility and actually has to learn to care about other people, not just herself.)

I know Chen purposefully set out to have a main character who is prickly and self-serving, so it was a bit obvious that Cyrus wouldn’t be like that, but I so appreciated Cyrus not being afraid to call Violet out on her BS and her not always accurate visions. I really liked him staying so true to himself, even against his father and the Council. I’m hoping Violet grows up a bit in the next book, actually follows through with trying to fix her mistakes, but most of all I hope that Cyrus continues to stick to his beliefs and makes choices based on his position and what is right for all the kingdom, which may not always be what is right for him.

His heart will be damnation or salvation. His choice may save us all.

Chen should also get credit for her random incorporations of other fairy tales, which were delightful to see, and of course credit for her great twist on Cinderella. Please continue to have Camilla as one of the main characters, because that girl is the damn best, and please don’t fold to social convention and cure Cyrus. Giving him this beast thing to deal with, on top of everything else, and never curing him of it is a great way to set him apart from the many many MANY other Prince Charmings of the world.

Also, PROPS to Chen for a great opening line: Today, Prince Cyrus returns to the capital with a bride, or else. Immediately sets the tone for the book and draws you right the hell in.

Also also - long live the Briar King and his Bride. I will always be a fan of their story.

“The worst mistake I ever made,” Cyrus says, stained lips cracked and swollen, “was letting Camilla convince me we should sneak out to the Moon District that day.”
I finish the thought for him. “Because you met me?”
“Because I fell in love.”

Without a doubt, this is the best fairytale retelling I’ve read to date. I was totally sucked in from the first page. Violet is an incredible protagonist, truly morally gray and at times downright unlikeable…and yet, I adored her. She was wonderfully complex and compelling, I was drawn to her and so eager to see what she would do next. Her relationships are fraught and interesting and I enjoyed each of the secondary characters though Cyrus was an easy favorite of mine. The romance is fantastic! It takes the enemies-to-lovers trope to a whole new level.

I had an impossible time putting the book down the entire way through. The stakes are high and just get higher as the plot moves on. I was so upset to finish it and I’m hungry for the sequel. I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s unique in the YA fantasy genre for how it weaves so many fairytale aspects together around a truly one-of-a-kind protagonist that you’ll love even in her most hateful moments. I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

The plot of this book was a fairytale retelling centered around the witch, Violet. Only Violet isn’t quite a witch - she’s a Seer, who can read the threads of the Fates in order to see the future. Or the past, which is less helpful considering her job as the Royal Seer. She’s been put in charge of prophesying Prince Cyrus’ fate.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Random House Children's for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was compared to The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove, but unfortunately I didn't love this as much as either of those. Violet & Cyrus were definitely enemies-to-lovers, but I didn't like their relationship as much as I wanted to. I liked the political intrigue and world was interesting. Overall though, there wasn't anything about this that made this book standout amongst the many other books with this formula unfortunately.

LOVED THIS. Morally gray character are always celebrated in this household. The prose is viciously gorgeous, the plot is callback to some of my very favorite fairy tales, and it feels like Violet has been carved from the darkest most secret corners of all our hearts. Can't wait to reread!

I really really wanted to love this one more than I did. There's nothing glaringly terrible about it, but I think it was marketed as comparable to a lot of books that accomplish the goals of political intrigue, enemies-to-lovers, etc,, a bit better than this one does. It just didn't bring anything new and mind-blowing to the genre, though it was perfectly okay.

Thanks so much for the review copy!

This one took me a hot minute to get into, but once I did I really didn't want to put it down. The relationships, the world and the writing were all really good and I definitely want more from this story! I also think the main character is pretty awesome. I will DEFINITELY be picking up the next one in the series! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.