Thank you for netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this to review and here's my honest opinion
Until 50% of the book I was not liking this at all it was very slow paced and the characters weren't appealing to me I was just continuing to know what happen but I didn't care but after that the events picked out miraculously including the romance which I was dreading at the start but found myself excited for it in the last 50% so the book surprised me in a really good way. Absolutely loved the ending and that epilogue was so well written to be honest the whole writing style is amazing but I guess I wasn't picking it up because how bored I was with the events at the start. I would definitely be buying a physical copy for myself also can't wait to see what happens in the second but would definitely recommend for the author to divide her pacing a little more for the reader to get attached from the beginning.

This book was one of my most anticipated releases, and it did definitely not disappoint! I was sucked into the story right away: the author had an effortless way of telling it which I really liked. The plot was great, and the characters were well fleshed out. The ending left me reeling! I cannot wait for the second book.

This book was amazing. Beautifully vicious. Fairytale lovers like myself will absolutely adore this book. Filled with witches, royalty, curses, kingdoms and more. It is an unforgettable fantasy that I thoroughly enjoyed the whole way through. I would definitely buy a physical copy when I have the chance, and would recommend this to fantasy lovers. Overall an amazing book, 5 stars!

This book drew me in so quickly, it unfolded at such a good pace and I just got swept away. I really enjoyed going on this amazing adventure with Violet that cuts through all the fakery in her world and unleashes her survival skills to their fullest. I cannot wait to see where this goes in the next one....

As Seer to the King, Violet uses her skill to carefully manipulate the court with her cleverly phrased, and sometimes false, revelations. The only person who see's her as the sometime charlatan she is is Prince Cyrus, the boy Violet rescued as a child. But thanks to a prophecy surrounding him, Prince Cyrus has to put his faith in Violet to ensure the safety of his kingdom. Using Violet, the King sets into motion the perfect plan to get Cyrus to finally settle down and marry his 'one true love' something that is destined to save or destroy the kingdom, and Violet is more than willing to use this to her own advantage. But the more time she spends with Cyrus, the more their constant bickering turns to something a little more... heated. Soon Violet will have to decide between her head and her heart, her Prince or herself, for there's only so long one can outrun their fate.

Violet made of Thorns is the perfect name for this book because Violet herself is definitely a little thorny, but who could really blame her. Plucked off the streets after saving the life of the crowned Prince, she has had to pick her way up from obscurity into someone the King and the Kingdom respect. She fears her life being taken away from her, being thrown back to the street, so has made herself invaluable to the King, twisting her prophecies to allow him to change the narrative as he wishes. She thinks the more she helps the King, the looser her noose becomes, when it reality it is the opposite. She's feisty, not one to stand for bullshit and not afraid to stand up for herself, even if that means people dislike her, basically, if you enjoy morally grey characters Violet is your girl.

The magic system and world in this book gave me full on old fairy tale vibes, but with a dark twist. Evil witches, fairies, Dragons, magic forests... basically everything to make the perfect fairy tale come to life but Chen puts a dark and modern twist on the story, thanks in large to her sardonic and witty writing style. Her use of secondary characters to add levity to the story, while also furthering the plot of our heroine was exceptionally well done, and I did find myself chuckling at times, especially when our side characters call out Violet and Cyrus for their behaviour. The story moves at a breakneck pace and I found it incredibly hard to find a good stopping point, and through it all Chen manages to keep the intensity of the story hyped up to the max, whether it be through danger, political scheming or romance.

Speaking of romance this books has one top notch enemies to lovers trope running through it, slightly more enemies than lovers I might add, but the tension was off the charts. You're never quite sure whether they are going to kiss or kill each other, but even when they crossed the line and became lovers it wasn't all cute, doe eyed hand holding, it was with biting, sharp teeth, the push and pull of two people who don't want to admit their feelings and it was exquisite! It got slightly steamy in parts, and I just absolutely lived for their scenes together.

Though we almost know the ending going in thanks to the prophecy, I do feel like it was a little rushed. There was a lot of information thrown in at the end, a lot of new revelations, and I don't fully feel we were given enough time to process it. However, the final chapter perfectly sets up books two and I am so eager to get my hands on it to find out where Violets story is going!

This book stays true to its promise to be appealing to fans of Cruel Prince. And maybe Serpent and Dove because of the witch element. I for one, think the book has been given very apt comparisons.
The story isn't exactly the same, but there's still that sense of familiarity while you're reading it, I feel, because of the characters.

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?"
To quote one of my favorite book blogger's review of this book ( Isha @paperbacktomes ) "It's one of those books that has many flaws in it, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it."

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.

This book had an amazing premise and I was excited for a morally grey main character who was also a Seer witch. However I found that the characters seemed two-dimensional and not as fleshed out as I would want them to be. The romance seemed stilted and I couldn't get behind any of their motivations.

A beautifully written book. Really enjoyed reading this. Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read

Violet Made Of Thorns follows Violet, a seer influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. After the King asks Violet to falsely prophesy the prince's love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride.

I really liked the main story in this one, it felt like a fairytale with the enchanting characters and fairy magic! I loved Violet's character, she's very confident and owns the fact she's not the nicest person. I loved the scenes where we saw her dreams and she spoke to the fates, the visions she sees are described beautifully! I did enjoy the side characters too, especially Camilla who I want to see more of!

Cyrus, the prince, has a enemies to lovers romance with Violet and this is the only thing I didn't love. Usually this is my favourite trope but I think they needed a bit more development which we'll hopefully see in the next book! The ending was amazing and has me excited for what's to come, overall I recommend it for fantasy and fairytale fans!

Not even a chapter in and I knew this book was going to be phenomenal. You know its a great book when you have to return back to the real world and you feel so groggy. It's that immersive. I was very unaware of what was happening around me at all times.

This story is INCREDIBLE and I couldn't get enough of it. I kept checking where I was in the book to make sure that it wouldn't be finished quickly. The relief I had was palpable when I saw I was at 30% or so because I knew there was so much more to enjoy before it was over.

Violet is the perfect little villain. She lies and she's deceptive but she has a big heart (as much as she tries to deny it). The had to fight for her spot and now she has to continuously fight to keep it. Her character growth is so natural you don't even see it happening until you compare her to the start of the book (that's how you know its done right!).

Now, my favourite part was the romance. The enemies to lovers. The push and pull. IT WAS WRITTEN SO WELL. I would compare it to Jude and Cardan and even Feyre and Rhys....it was that good. The desire and the tension was just *chefs kiss*. The moment they gave in to it was like letting go of a breath you didn't even know you were holding. For them and for the reader (aka me).

The plot twists were a little predictable but there were still so many elements where you didn't know what was going to happen next. I highly HIGHLY recommend picking this up because its phenomenal.

Violet Made of thorns by Gina Chen

4 stars

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to netgalley, hodder & stoughton and Gina Chen for the opportunity to read this book.

The entire premise of this is intriguing. The way the author managed to write their own work while weaving in aspects from some of our favourite fairytales was anazing to read. Cinderella, beauty and the beast and a touch of sleeping beauty.

The romance was somewhat predictable but most people love a good will they won't they with some bickering on the side. I liked the addition of the little tale at the end too, it saves you from another added cliff hanger in a way I've not seen before.

I didn't give it full stars because I did find myself getting a little confused towards the end with the effort to set up a series. In a way this felt like it could have just been a standalone if it had ended slightly differently but it will be interesting to see where it goes from here.

The cover is stunning too, the purple and yellow really fits with the vibe of the story.

Firstly I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!! 😍❤️

Violet made of thorns one of my most anticipated rates of 2022 and it did not disappoint me at all 😍❤️ As a fairytale lover it had everything that I was expecting and a lot more as well. The characters play the parts so well, every single one of them fit into an archetypal part in fairytales that you read as a child but Gina Chen has completely revamped the idea and come and made her own!! ❤️❤️ There’s so much more intertwined in the story and I just couldn’t get enough!! 😍😍

Violet is a Seer but she isn’t a very honest one, the king has made it that she embellishes prophecies to make them how he wishes them to be. She has a strange relationship with Prince Cyrus which I don’t want to give away too much about but I will say that one of my favourite tropes is in play in this book which obviously makes me love it even more 😍😍 I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers and Violet’s hatred towards Cyrus is absolutely perfect. Their relationship is very enjoyable if you’re a fan of the trope 😂❤️

It’s super dark and witchy, it’s got all the faeries, it’s a fantasy about royals, it’s got all the magic and the romance is brilliant (and it’s also a tiny bit spicy which I didn’t expect but I loved as well 😏😏). I just think it’s a brilliant read!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for sure!!

Fairytale and fates are some of my favourite things and Violet Made of Thorns has these but with a twist! It's a dark fairytale, we have witches, royals, castles and towers but it isn't as dark as I expected.

Violet is prickly and sassy. Cyrus is your cold prince. For side characters, we have Cyrus' twin Camilla who doesn't care about what people think of her and Dante who is friends with both Violet and Cyrus but is stuck between their constant bickering.

The magic system in this story involves seers/witches, prophecies, fairies and blood magic. Whilst there are many elements, it doesn't complicate the magic system too much - there are some parts I didn't understand but they also don't play a big part of the story.

Waiting on for the next book now!

I really wanted to love this one. I mean, a prince, a curse, a morally grey witch, a prophecy... what isn't there to love?

Unfortunately, this book just didn't mesh with me. I didn't care about the characters and couldn't get behind the romance. This is one of those i love to hate you, completely toxic romances; very much like Jude and Cardan in The Cruel Prince.

In fact, this book is compared to The Cruel Prince and I do believe that if you liked one you will like the other. I just happen to not really enjoy either of them (though The Cruel Prince did get better in the last book).

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

A fast paced, dark fairytale story following an unapologetic, self-serving seer with a penchant for twisting the truth; a just as headstrong and arrogant crown prince she is always butting heads with and a prophecy that ties the two of them and the fate of the kingdom together.

Now none of these two leads are the most likeable of characters and you want to just shake the both of them on various occasions but their banter? *chef’s kiss* This isn’t your usual enemies to lovers pairing, they have more of a hate to “oh no these intense feelings I have for you and the fact that you get me plus are really attractive is messing with my head” going on and I couldn’t get enough of it.

Though the spotlight is very much on Violet - the control and power she has over her own destiny and her role as primary seer of a kingdom hanging in the balance. I was absolutely enraptured by the curse elements in the story and Chen beautifully wove the tensions of the foretold prophecy and political situation together that I just couldn’t put the book down!

The worldbuilding and magic are super fascinating however, they are an already established element of the story and weren’t expanded on as much as I had hoped. Also there were also some great side characters that I can’t help but wish had more page time.

That aside I really enjoyed this one and need the sequel yesterday!
If you like morally grey characters that aren’t always likeable and all the fairytale vibes with a dash of darkness then this book is for you!
Final Rating - 4.25/5 Stars

I LOVED reading this one so much!! The plot - even though it starts out slow paced, becomes more and more interesting after the first half of the book. The plot reminded me of some stories I've already read about and yet it was such a delightfully unique read. It took me quite some time to really get into the story, but once I was inside the book, I didn't want it to end. It had such a beautifully written world 🪄

Even though I loved all of the characters, Violet is obviously my favourite! She is such a badass person. Morally grey female MC with a witty repartee? Yes, please!!✨ She is a strong woman who only has her best interests at heart. She does not like to be told what to do or what she is. Along with Violet, I also loved the characters of Cyrus, Dante Esparsa and Camilla.

This book has dark magic, lies, betrayal, prophecies and curses, a handsome prince and a wise witch and enemies-to-lovers trope.

If you have read TFOTA series, you'll see that it is a bit similar yet different in its own way! I simply cannot wait to see how the story progresses in the sequel!

With elements of a classic fairytale, Violet Made of Thorns is a love-hate romance that can get pretty toxic yet remains an addictive read. The story unfolds through the eyes of Violet, the seer working for the royal family who had once, defied fate and saved Prince Cyrus who immediately lifted her from poverty upon her request as thanks. Unfortunately, the Prince is also cursed and his choice of a bride will either save or damn the kingdom While this may sound like the perfect setup for a sweet fairytale, the actual story is far from that.

Both Violet and Cyrus are liars in their own ways. For Violet, lying is a means to live. She lies to keep herself alive and safe, to make herself as useful as she can be so she doesn’t have to return to being alienated as an Outsider street urchin, and so she can live her life on her own terms. Cyrus, on the other hand, lies to hide his true feelings. He isn’t the Prince Charming you’d expect and is, instead, quite selfish and manipulative (though, he’s sometimes unaware of it as he believes he’s doing something good).

They’re also both incredibly flawed characters that often make wrong decisions yet aren’t afraid to defend those wrong decisions of theirs. This can make them more unrelatable and dislikeable to some readers, but for me? I really enjoyed this aspect because it’s refreshing to read from the perspective of someone who struggles with things that come easily to a ‘good’ hero(ine).

Moreover, I really liked the way the plot unfolded and the writing. The twists and turns, plus Violet’s sardonic tone kept me hooked from start to end. It was easy to see how Violet fell in lust with Cyrus (I wouldn’t say love at this point because she is very much still afraid of trusting parts of herself with others), and how Cyrus loved her yet hated the person she became. Though, ngl, I did get a little annoyed when Violet went to visit Cyrus while dressed up just for him but then again, people can’t be without weaknesses…

All in all, Violet Made of Thorns is perfect for those looking for unconventional characters and an unconventional romance within a story with fairytale elements. This book here is mainly about the lies, the liars and their precarious, treacherous (toxic) love, but when you look away from the spotlight, you’ll be able to see how it’s also about seizing and making your own fate, colonialism, human greed and more.

PS: If your reading preferences is similar to mine, you’d fall in love with the side cast of intriguing, diverse characters as well (Camilla, the sapphic, chaotic twin sister of Cyrus has completely stolen my heart)!

An entertaining and well thought out fairy-tale retelling.

Great world building, well thought out characters and the plot was fast moving and engrossing! I really enjoyed this first book of a new series that I will be keeping an eye out for !

In Violet Made of Thorns we follow Violet, the court Seer who is asked by the King to create a false prophesy for his son Prince Cyrus and his true love, which she says he will meet the night of the next Royal ball. However things don't quite go to plan and we are swept up in a world of politics, fairy magic, witchcraft and an enemies to lovers whirlwind romance.

Whilst I enjoyed the story, I would liked to have seen more from Dante and Camilla as I found them both hugely entertaining and their parts in the book were my favourites.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the chance to read Violet Made of Thorns.

A beautiful title for a beautiful story. The main heroine was amazing - I cheered for her, I wanted her to succeed, and I loved how smart and tricky she was. While I wasn't the biggest fan of romance (it took me a while to get past the romantic scenes) in the end I do think ”Violet Made of Thorns” is a story worth reading and recommending.