Unfortunately this book felt a little too all over the place for me!
The romance was so hot and cold it didn't make any sense. There was lots of cryptic messages about what she was capable of but it came to nothing. It didn't really have any plot twists especially because violet had already seen everything that was going to happen

I really liked how I somehow kept rooting for our main
character Violet, even after seeing how self-serving she is.
She doesn't hesitate to lie when she needs to. She doesn't
have noble intentions to save the kingdom. She just wants
to keep herself safe and alive in her tower, saying whatever
lies the King needs her to say. But she's far from docile.

Then there's the male character, Cyprus who I liked and
found annoying in equal measure. He's the disgustingly
optimistic and righteous Prince who truly believes that he
can save the kingdom while his father, the King goes around
hiding his sinister machinations, which perhaps only the girl
he has a crush on is aware of.

The duo relationship will appeal to all Jude-Cardan fans, but
it's also different because even though the equation might
be familiar, Cyprus is more of the "impulsive and blurting
out his feelings" type. And seeing the progression of their
relationship and characters is so entertaining;)

The side characters also added to the enjoyment of the
book. There was Cyrus' twin, Camilla, who's the essential
girl boss and her character is such a contrast against her
brother. But also she's had the same upbringing, and the
way she looks at things is very interesting.
Dante is another character that I was really intrigued by.
He's the character we knownghe least about going in, and
only know what he himself is willing to reveal. I'm looking

forward to exploring more of his character in the sequel.

There were also quite some unexpected twists in the last
100 pages that threw me for a loop, and I was like "oh, I
didn't expect this, but I guess we're doing this."

This story also just gave me all the angsty feelings I was
craving. I was so invested in everything that was happening.
There are some things that happen are just outright funny,
and this one character that's just so over-the-top, and yet I
can't seem to stop reading. Sometimes when you see Cyrus
and Violet squabbling, you're like "what are you, five?
The magic system is a bit up in the air. Violet can look into
people's lives (future and past) by touching their hands, but
the limits of her magic are undefined. And there's not many
hard and fast rules to it. But there are limitations.
As for the fae, they're not exactly fae but "fairies", like little
flying Tinker Bells you use as slaves for their magic.

When it comes to world-building, Gina Chen does a good
job of it. It's still not as much as I would've wanted, but
personally it wasn't a highlight either. So I think I didn't care
for it too much to want more of it anyway.
But again, something to keep in mind if you like your fantasy
with elaborate worlds.

There are a lot of mixed reviews for this book, and I do agree
with some of the points raised, but as it is with every reader,
reading tastes are subjective and we look for different
things in stories.

rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

thank you to Hodderscape UK for sending me an e-arc of violet made of thorns to review! it was truly an enjoyable read:)

violet made of thorns was one of the most fun books I’ve read in a while! the writing isn’t perfect or particularly sophisticated, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for something a bit more challenging, but if you just want to be entertained it’s perfect. I especially loved that there was an actually morally grey female protagonist. in most books I’ve read, the authors refuse to write female main characters as anything but sweet, innocent and brave to a self-destructive point. but I feel like the trope is really tired and I’m sick of being told constantly that the only way to be a well-liked girl is to be perfect, especially when people eat it up when morally grey male love interests are literally murderous and horrible to everyone. violet made of thorns completely flipped that trope, so that the main character is the one you’re left questioning, while still rooting for her and her love interest is the annoyingly brave and perfect one. overall, I really enjoyed the book and recommend it, especially if you’re looking for a change to the tired tropes that keep being written into ya fantasy books.

Violet is the Seer of a cursed kingdom, whose prophecies often come with a rather twisted version of the truth, thanks to the pressures of the expansion-hungry king. Her manipulative prophecies don't go down well with Prince Cyrus, a cursed prince who needs to find a bride in a hurry. But when Violet's dreams take on a darker tone, filled with monsters, roses and Cyrus himself, her loyalty to the king comes into conflict with her feelings for Cyrus, and her sense of self-preservation.

This is an enemies to lovers fantasy romance which kept me guessing throughout. I loved the romance in this and the characters were so much fun to read. Violet in particular was really complex, and I was never sure whether she was the hero of the novel, or about to become its villain (you'll have to read the novel to find out which - although it wouldn't surprise me if the answer isn't definitive until the end of the series!)

"There is always a price for defying destiny."

A fairy tale full of the twisting thorns and fate and courtly intrigue, with a morally questionable heroine and the type of romance that turns rivals into lovers and blurs the line between hate and love.

A definite must-read if you enjoy flawed and at times unlikeable characters, who are wholly unapologetic for being who they are and are, in many ways, all the more honest for it.

"Once, a girl saved a prince who was meant to die."

Meet Violet, a scrappy street kid and now a revered Seer in the employ of the king, a young woman who is selfish and proud, disdainful of the very society she has clawed her way to the top of. With a touch of her hand against yours, she can read your past and see your future.

Whether what she tells you is true, though, is another matter entirely, for Violet spins lies as easily as divinations.

But what is a Seer compared to the power of the Fates themselves? While she and the prince flirt with danger, the Fairywoods are withering beneath a creeping rot, strange, horned beasts are roaming the lands, and Prince Cyrus must choose a bride by summer’s end to save the kingdom.

Violet must make a choice, too, as it becomes more and more clear that perhaps it is she who holds the fate of the kingdom within her hands, not the prince. And is the shadow that whispers to her in her dreams an ally, or an enemy?

"The land will bloom red with blood and roses and war. The prince – his heart will be damnation or salvation."

I adored everything from the plot to the characters. This is a great debut for Gina Chen and I can’t wait to put my hands on the sequel!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this as reading the synopsis I was getting Cinderella vibes but this was so much more. Violet is a seer who once upon a time saved the Crown Princes life and nothing has been the same for her since as she now has to navigate the royal court.

Cyrus has been the object of a prophecy and is unwilling to find his true love to see the prophecy through and this is where all the fun begins.

Violet and Cyrus's characters are really charming as individuals but put them together and it's like a storm in a teacup which I believe kept the story more interesting. Throw a couple of spanners in the works and you have a book that I simply couldn't put down. I enjoyed every minute of reading this and it was nice to have Violet not be a damsel in distress but willing to accept help when she needs this.

I think this is a must read for anyone who enjoys fantasy.

This book was really fun, I loved the main character and the world. This book had such a fairytale feel to it but felt so fresh and new. We don't have the usual main character in a fairytale, we have a feisty character who's not afraid to fight for what she wants. Not sure if this is part of a series or a standalone book but id love to read more in this world.

This is not your typical tale of "Happily Ever After".

We have a young Lady, but she's not a damsel in distress.
We have a young Prince, but he is not exactly charming towards the Lady.
We have a magical ball, but there's no romance and kisses in it.

Instead we have a dark prophecy and a curse and monsters and a murderous witch. And in the middle of it all, we have Violet.
Violet, who came from dirt but rose up in ranks of power. Violet, who loves wielding this power; who will do anything to stay at the top. Even go as far as to hurt the Prince.

This was a deliciously dark faiey tale. We have morally grey, power hungry leads and a surprising amount of political turmoil. I loved witnessing Violet's inner conflicts. The pacing was great and the plot twists were superbly executed.

All in all, an excellent debut.
If there's going to be a part 2, I definitely want to read it!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this one; it promised everything I love in a YA fantasy, BUT, it fell a bit short for me.

Let's focus on what I liked first:
- I loved the world we were transported to. We got a real sense of the location and the surrounding areas, the other kingdoms - this was great!
- The history / lore that is woven throughout was so interesting; the history of Seers, Violet's gift and the way it is used for political standing - these I loved exploring.
- Really enjoyed the subtle nods towards a couple of my fave fairytales! (No spoilers here!)

What I didn't get on with:
- First and foremost - this is described as enemies to lovers but the romance, to me, came out of no where. The relationship between Violet and her love interest is a bit of a mystery to me; we don't get enough back story, build up towards romantic feelings and it just felt a bit forced to be honest. I feel like this was trying to be similar to The Cruel Prince, which whilst I'm not a huge fan of, does nail enemies-to-lovers and hits the mark.
- I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters and understanding their motives. They didn't really feel fleshed out enough to me. I found Dante and Camilla, two of our side characters, more interesting than the overall plot.
- I love a balance of character / plot driven novels, but the actions of characters seemed totally plot driven in this and thus didn't feel believable.

All in all, I likely won't be continuing with the duology as it just didn't grab me. Super disappointed because I really wanted to love this one. 3 stars in all because I really do love the world building / history / fairytale vibes, and I'd be interested to see what Chen goes on to produce.

"But I don't believe in anything that supposes it knows me better than I know myself. I am a better liar than I am a prophet. I don't believe there's reason to our destinies. I don't believe the world is just. I believe in wolves—in con men and crowned men who wear wickedness as if it were a talent. Who don't ask for judgement before devouring what's theirs. They know the future is no better than a roll of rigged dice, so they may as well do the rigging." — Violet Made of Thorns, Gina Chen (2022).

Taken from the street by King Emilius after saving Prince Cyrus, Violet Lune/Moon has grown to be the most reliable liar in the Sun Capital. Reliable because her prediction of the future makes her the Royal Seer (a sort of diviner); a liar because the higher she moves up the ladder, the riskier her life gets. Lying is surviving. When she starts dreaming about weird visions of corpses tainted with blood, and thorns and roses coming from nowhere, Violet knows things are about to get worse. And if she is right, then she is the cause of it all.

Violet Made of Thorns is Gina Chen's YA fantasy debut novel, and I was anticipating it since I saw the marketing announcement on Instagram. I'm going to be honest: this wasn't what I expected and I ended up feeling disappointed with my reading. From the first few chapters, I sensed that I was struggling to immerse myself in the story. I couldn't relate to Violet, the main character: her personality was sometimes too pushy for me. I couldn't understand how she could be so mean to people, especially Cyrus, where she was the one to save him and who choose her own fate. I couldn't understand how she could grow so manipulative, lying for everything and nothing, and I sometimes found her quite paradoxical in her thinking. In a nutshell, she irritated me more than once.

I appreciated the side characters much more though. Camilla, for instance, was very fun to follow because I felt she was way more balanced than Violet. Her personality felt justified, despite what we might call a very anxious background and the tones of responsibilities she, too, had on her shoulders. As for Cyrus, well, I was a bit indifferent to him. Don't get me wrong, he is charming all throughout the story, but that seductive side of him (the Don Juan kind of character) didn't especially make my heart beat faster.

Concerning the story now: I think the world-building was pretty simple but quite effective. Gina Chen didn't throw too much information at the same time and dose them out well. It is very fairy-tale-like, so those who like the genre will be absolutely pleased! Personally, though I like fairy-tales or retellings, I had a problem with the pacing of this one, which I thought was either too fast, or too slow, depending on the chapters. I felt sometimes bored and skimmed through some pages to know the most important bits of the story. I think the tension between the main characters was good, if sometimes exaggerated, and it added something to their romance. While I usually love enemies-to-lovers, this one was on the borderline of being off. Sometimes I could feel the chemistry between the two (especially during the "almost-smut" scenes), and sometimes not. I suppose this was what Gina Chen wanted, and if so, she wrote that very well.

You understood it: I'm very disappointed with this book. Luckily, Gina Chen's handwriting was very good and pleasing to read; that's also why I read the entire book instead of dnf-ing it. Still, I'm curious to see what Gina has to offer in the future. I'm hoping this book will find readers who will love it more than I did because there surely is potential in it. Just for me, it wasn't enough to live up to the expectations I put into it.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the opportunity to read Violet Made of Thorns and review it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder Books for the advance arc of Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen.

This book had been on my radar for awhile and as it was suggested for fans of The Cruel Prince it was one of my highly anticipated releases of this year and I have to say it did not disappoint.

The story follows Violet a prophet to the king who earned her place by saving the prince's life when they were both children. Under the Kings command Violet has spun many lies based on her visions while growing up. However Prince Cyrus who she saved plans to have her stripped of her title once he is crowned King.

Following previous predictions of a curse only to be broken by the Prince finding his one true love, Violet is tasked to weave her greatest lie of all and as the line between love and hate blurs between Violet and Cyrus the curse and the right path forward become much more complicated.

This book was definitely one for the fairytale lovers out there it had everything magic, prophecy and a curse only to be broken by the prince finding his true love. It had many themes similar to the sleeping beauty tale but with an entertaining enemies to lovers trope added in.

The characters were all well crafted and I could feel myself getting lost in the story the more that I read. Based on the ending and the questions left unanswered I am hoping this book will become a series.

If you are thinking about picking up this book to read do not hesitate it was great escapism from the mundane day to day and I struggled to put it down once I started reading.

4.5 stars

Ahhh I need the next book now. Like right now.

Violet Made of Thorns was such an addictive read that had me hooked for the very beginning.

I love morally grey characters and Violet is the perfect one. She's a survivor and will do whatever it takes to continue that. Also do not get me started on the tension between her Cyrus.

I know that this book will not be everyone and I think grouping it with The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove (both books and series I love) is doing it a injustice. This book is very much it's own and I'm sad to think that people who aren't fans of those books would possibly avoid this one.

Anyway...I loved this one and I cannot wait for the next book. I cannot wait to be back with these characters and in this world! I'm also incredibly excited to see what Gina Chen produces in the future!

This was one of my most anticipated releases abc I am glad to say it lived up to my expectations. I love Violet she is such a great character, strong, opinionated and definitely speaks her own, she is a thoroughly three dimensional and in interesting character. The romance I enjoyed, I thought the tension and chemistry was just right. I would have liked a bit more detailed world building, that’s my main criticism and loses this a star, but I think if there’s another (seems to be set up for that) if it’s worked on in the next it will definitely be a 5 star read if it’s as good as this. I will definitely be returning for more.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Violet Made of Thorns is the first book in a new YA fantasy duology with an Asian anti-heroine. The story has some classic fairytale elements all brought together into something interesting and new. Violet saved the life of Prince Cyrus when she was a child and has now been elevated from life on the streets to life at the palace, as a Seer for the King. The land surrounding the palace is beginning to change, the Fairywood is rotting and Violet begins to see dark and scary visions of monsters, blood and murder. Violet is a difficult character to like and I had a love-hate relationship with her for most of the book. She’s a thief, a liar and a devious and cunning character all round. She is unapologetically deceptive and determined to get what she wants in order to survive and it is this strength and determination in which I slowly started to empathise with her character as the story progressed.

Violet and Cyrus have a tumultuous relationship largely based on insulting and belittling one another. This relationship swings massively between Violet wanting to kill him and then falling into bed with him. The enemies part is done really well, however the lovers part was not so convincing and it took me the best part of the book to decide if they actually had any connection with one another. Sadly I didn’t feel much in the way of chemistry or intensity of feelings between these two characters. I think the problem is that Cyrus is not very believable as the love interest, his character is a little lack lustre and he did not have a big strong personality that jumped out and grabbed you. Violet’s contrary attitude towards their relationship also began to needle me!

Relationship issues aside, this is a reasonable debut fantasy novel which is enjoyable to read and with some additional world building, character enhancement and background history it has the potential to be brilliant. All the components are there to make this a fantastic novel, however there is that little something is missing to make it really stand out from the crowd. That being said I’m intrigued to see what the next book brings us.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC to review.

From the time of the news that this was going to release I was on my toes to read it. Saw it on netgalley and jumped right in. Gina Chen is asked and Gone Chen delivers! Amazing plot, amazing characters, immersive story built, wonderful story telling. What is not in there I wonder. Thank you for the Galley netgalley and publishers!

I received an electronic advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions. Thank you to Gina Chen and Hodder and Stoughton for giving me the opportunity to read Violet Made of Thorns before it's release.

Being a prophet for a kingdom has a lot of expectations and rules, but telling the truth is certainly not one of them! With a King who expects her to push his narrative through her divinations, and a whole agenda of her own, Violet's life is full of deceit and adversaries lurk at every corner. From people who are simply envious, to Prince Cyrus; the future king who she just cannot get along with.

With a curse looming over the Princes head and the King determined to portray a certain image to the kingdom, Violet is quickly swept up into a fate that seems doomed; not everyone is who they seem and not every relationship is as expected.

While for me Violet would definitely fall under the antihero spectrum, I really enjoyed her as a character. I enjoyed the glimpse into her mind and her trust issues were realistic considering her circumstances. I found her relationship with Prince Cyrus to be brilliant; the confrontation between the pair was fun to read and it gripped me.

I cannot wait to see where this series goes next, while I loved to hate some of the characters I find myself eager to discover all of their fates!

Although I loved the characters, I felt like their mood/opinion changes sometimes lacked motivation and the writing style made plot twists fall flat. Rating 3* cause I think the premise has promise and a sequel could support boosting the series overall.

There's a lot of mixed feelings, that's for sure. The world building was pretty amazing, it remained me of beauty and the beast but with differences. The plot was interesting, there was betrayal, mistrust ( a lot BTW), politics, twists. All in a world of fantasy, where witches were evil, fairys were drunk and loyal, and where beasts were human. The chemistry was good but the romance infuriated me. I felt Violet to immature, she didn't know what she wanted and she hid behind a facede. There were some qualities I liked but very few. Maybe she is th villain of this story. Princey charming... he knew what he wanted but couldn't have. I can see why his mistrust toward Violet and to be honest I don't fault him, but at the same time I found immature toward her. He has a duty to his country and acts as an adult but toward Violet I didn't found that to be the case. It's why it frustrated me and infuriated me. That's the reason I don't give this 5stars. Other than that I'm really curious about the second book, the finale of the first one really left me wanting more and more intrigued than I was.

Usually, I will wait till the end to say this, but everyone must know: I need to have book two right now. Immediately. Gina Chen immersed me into the world of beasts and briars, magic and witches, fairies and glamor, love and hate. I couldn’t stop reading. I didn’t want to put down the book. This fairytale-esque setting with a love-hate relationship between the prince and the Seer who saved his life was absolutely perfect for me.

After young Violet saved young Cyrus years ago, she was brought into the palace. As the in-house Seer, Violet reads people’s threads and aids the king when she dreams of incoming danger. This entire time, Violet and Cyrus have never seen eye-to-eye. But, we all know it’s a thin line between love and hate. I enjoyed watching them go against one another, always quarreling regardless of the audience present.

Time is running out for the Kingdom of Auveny. A curse of beasts and briars is spreading quickly. Even the kingdom’s usual tactics to keep it at bay aren’t working. As per the previous Seer’s prophecy, the future depends on Cyrus’s heart, his choice of bride. Cyrus has to fall in love and marry before the curse swallows the whole kingdom. To quell the worry of the citizens, the king asked Violet to ensure everyone that Cyrus will meet his true love at the upcoming ball. What they didn’t know was the manipulation behind this “one true love.”

I liked that Violet Made of Thorns has a dark atmosphere. It made me question everything that was happening and everyone within this story, including Violet herself. Her dreams and the influence it has on her worried me a little. Regardless, I was cheering for her.

“The future isn’t always kind, but you haven’t let that get in your way.”


If there’s anything, I wish we had more world-building. Learning about the history of Seers and the kingdom or the world would be fascinating. Through Dante, a mutual friend and a scholar, or Cyrus, I believe we could have gotten more knowledge about the world. The whole story is set within the palace grounds, and the characters only went out once or twice. I would have liked it if we got a greater sense of the greater world.

Overall, I entirely enjoyed Violet Made of Thorns. The love-hate push-and-pull was fun. While the transition between not wanting to even communicate and the behind-closed-doors situation is pretty fast, I had a sneaky suspicion that Cyrus and Violet are more attracted to one another than it seems. That’s why they were always so explosive and sarcastic when they are nearby. The whole curse prophecy plot is interesting as well. It reminds me of the classic fairytale, Beauty and the Beast. Gina Chen mentioned that she was inspired by elements of some fairytales. Take a read and you shall see!