A Court of Thorns & Roses Book 6 Has Already Broken 1 Massive Sarah J. Maas Record (For a Good Reason)

A Court of Thorns & Roses fans are still waiting for updates about book 6, but Sarah J. Maas’ upcoming fantasy sequel already broke a massive record — and though it initially seems like a disappointing one, it’s for a good reason. Maas’ books are some of the most viral romantasy novels out there, and there are still more of them on the horizon. Maas is working on a sixth addition to her ACOTAR lineup, and she teased a seventh one in an interview with TODAY.com. Unfortunately, there’s currently no timeline for either release.

In fact, few details about the next two books are available; it’s not even clear which characters they’ll follow. While the first three Court of Thorns & Roses books cover Feyre and Rhysand’s story, with A Court of Frost and Starlight wrapping it up, book 5 delves into new territory with Nesta and Cassian. Book 6 could follow a new couple, but we’ll have to wait for another update to say for certain. Waiting has become the name of the game when it comes to Maas’ hit romantasy series. It’s for this reason ACOTAR book 6 is already a record-breaker, setting itself apart from previous sequels in one huge way.

A Court of Thorns & Roses Book 6 Marks the Series’ Longest Break Between Books

With A Court of Silver Flames coming out in 2021, it’s officially been five years without a new addition to the ACOTAR series. This means A Court of Thorns & Roses book 6 has set the record for the longest gap between sequels. Prior to this, the longest wait was the one between A Court of Frost and Starlight and A Court of Silver Flames. And it makes sense that there’s a gap there, as it’s a transition point from one narrative arc to another. Of course, the same could be said about the shift from book 5 to book 6. If Maas does move away from Nesta’s story, the series will be reinventing itself yet again.

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Still, that’s not the only reason the wait between books seems to be getting longer and longer. While Maas once averaged a sequel per year, she’s more established now, and thus, more able to take her time. That’s a good thing, too, both on a personal level and when it comes to the quality of her series. And her most recent releases likely shed further light on what’s taking so long, putting a more positive spin on the gap.

There Are Good Reasons for the Next ACOTAR Book’s Delay

Looking at Maas’ recent releases, it’s easy to piece together why ACOTAR book 6 is five-plus years in the making. For one, Maas was working on her Crescent City series from 2020 to 2024, which kept her attention focused elsewhere. That’s a good thing, though, as the books gave readers new material to look forward to. They also opened the door to explore her other series in wholly new ways, which is a net positive for A Court of Thorns & Roses.

In addition her work on the Crescent City books, the fact that Maas’ books are getting longer may also be a contributing factor to the long wait for the next one. At over 700 pages, A Court of Silver Flames is easily the longest of her ACOTAR novels. The Crescent City books are girthy, too, and all this points to book 6 being just as lengthy. On the bright side, if the next installment is a long one, it will make it more worth the wait. And the sequel’s quality is likely to be enhanced by Maas spending more time on it, which is no small thing.

What We Know About A Court of Thorns & Roses Book 6

One thing making the wait for A Court of Thorns & Roses book 6 more agonizing is that there’s little news coming out about the novel. However, Maas offered one exciting update late last year, revealing on Instagram that the first draft is complete. That means a lot of the heavy lifting is already done, though it’s not clear how long it will take the author to revise the story before it’s ready for release. If we had to speculate, it probably won’t be out until 2027 at the earliest…and potentially later than that.

In terms of the plot itself, there’s not a ton to go on — but readers are hoping and expecting that this sequel will be about Elain. The middle Archeron sister is largely relegated to the sidelines in the previous books, so this would finally give her a chance to shine. It would also be an opportunity to explore her seer abilities in further depth, and it would explore her mating bond with Lucien and relationship with Azriel, an interesting setup for the story.

There’s no title yet either, though fake names like A Court of Gentle Claws and A Court of Bloom and Decay have made the rounds online. The former shows a desire to explore Tamlin’s character and a possible redemption, while the latter is another hope to see more of Elain. Sadly, neither of these is the actual title, so we’re left waiting for the fantasy sequel (or at least more news about it) for answers. At the very least, Maas is working on it, so it won’t go the way of Hulu’s scrapped ACOTAR adaptation. It’s not a great time to be impatient and an A Court of Thorns & Roses fan, though, even if it ends up worth the wait.

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