Book News
Sarah J. Maas' Latest Books: A Court of Splintered Harmony and A Court of Forgotten Melody
August 19, 2026 · 2 min read
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Sarah J. Maas has revealed the titles, covers and release dates for ACOTAR 6 and 7. Here is everything confirmed so far, plus what to reread before October.
On 17 August 2026, Sarah J. Maas wiped her Instagram grid, quietly changed the artwork on her website overnight, and then gave the romantasy internet exactly what it had been waiting five years for: titles and covers for the next two A Court of Thorns and Roses books.
The two new books
ACOTAR 6 - A Court of Splintered Harmony - 27 October 2026 ACOTAR 7 - A Court of Forgotten Melody - 12 January 2027
Maas teased book six with a single line:"What was broken will be remade." Bloomsbury has since confirmed that the Night Court must find a way to work together against Koschei the Deathless, or risk more innocent lives.
Book seven lands barely eleven weeks later, which is unusually fast for Maas and suggests the two novels were written as one long story split in two. She has also said a further instalment will follow.
Why the gap felt so long
A Court of Silver Flames* came out in 2021. Since then, Maas published 'House of Sky and Breath' (2022) and 'House of Flame and Shadow' (2024), which closed out the current Crescent City arc and tangled all three of her worlds together. She first confirmed the two new ACOTAR books on the 'Call Her Daddy' podcast in March 2026, describing the writing as "a long time coming".
What we can reasonably expect
Nothing below is confirmed plot, just what the announcement points at:
- Koschei is the endgame villain. He has been circling since 'Silver Flames', and the lake, the bargain and Vassa have all been left deliberately unresolved.
- Elain is overdue. Fans have expected an Elain-led book for years, and "what was broken will be remade" fits her arc as neatly as anything.
- Two books, one story. An October and January pairing usually means a single continuous narrative, so expect book six to end in a cruel way.
What to reread before October
If you have twelve weeks and no self-control, here is the order I would go in:
- A Court of Mist and Fury — for the Night Court dynamics that book six will lean on.
- A Court of Wings and Ruin — for the war politics and the Archeron sisters' fallout.
- A Court of Frost and Starlight — short, and it plants more seeds than people remember.
- A Court of Silver Flames — essential. Koschei, Vassa, Elain, Azriel: it is all here.
If you only have one weekend, read 'Silver Flames' and the Azriel bonus chapter and call it homework done.
Where the covers sit in the series look
Both new covers continue the modern symbol-led design rather than the original character art, so if your shelf is already the redesigned set, the spines will match. If you own the old covers, this is the moment to decide whether you are a mixed-shelf person. I am, and I have made peace with it.
Getting ready with a package
If you are building a reread stack, a pre-loved bundle is the cheapest way to fill gaps in the series, and every package comes with treats and a note. Tell me you are ACOTAR-ready in the wishlist box, and I will build around it.
Frequently asked questions
- When is ACOTAR 6 released?
- A Court of Splintered Harmony is published on 27 October 2026.
- What is ACOTAR 7 called?
- A Court of Forgotten Melody, released on 12 January 2027.
- Is Crescent City 4 coming?
- Sarah J. Maas has confirmed she plans to return to Crescent City, but no title or date has been announced. The next two books are both ACOTAR.
- Do I need to reread before book six?
- A Court of Silver Flames is the key one, as it sets up Koschei, Vassa and the unresolved Archeron sister threads.
Not sure which to pick first? You can order a blind date with a book instead — three hints on the paper, the book hidden underneath, €17.99 pre-loved or €25.99 new. Check Irish postage times and costs before you order.