ACOTAR: Books Ranked

Episode Title: ACOTAR Book Rankings: ACOMAF Wins, Silver Flames Chaos & the Christmas Special!

Description: Welcome back to the Romantasy Roundtable! In this special ACOTAR episode, Rick, Amanda, and Kim rank all five books in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series in anticipation of ACOTAR 6! From the gateway-to-romantasy magic of A Court of Thorns and Roses to the emotional chaos of A Court of Silver Flames, we're debating which book deserves the crown—and apparently using cover colors because nobody can remember the titles.

There are strong opinions, immediate disagreements, Star Wars references, soup, and one very important question: how much shopping is too much shopping? We revisit Feyre's journey, Rhysand's transformation, the Tamlin twist, the war, the Valkyries, Nesta's redemption, Cassian's backstory, and the infamous Chapter 55 soup scene. Plus, we discuss why A Court of Silver Flames is simultaneously a five-star book and, according to Amanda, a zero-star experience whenever Rhysand and Feyre show up.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The ACOTAR Book Ranking: We rank A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin, A Court of Frost and Starlight, and A Court of Silver Flames from worst to best—and yes, the rankings get spicy.

• #5: A Court of Frost and Starlight: The Christmas special gets absolutely roasted. Rick's first read was four stars; the reread dropped it to three. Amanda reminds us that the book is basically everyone shopping for Christmas presents, while the part that actually matters is Cassian flying over the mountain and remembering his mother.

• #4: A Court of Thorns and Roses: The original gateway into romantasy! We talk about the Beauty and the Beast setup, Amarantha's unforgettable presence, and why this book is important even if the later books are stronger.

• #3: A Court of Wings and Ruin: The war-heavy installment may be less memorable for some of us, but the beginning and ending still hit. Feyre infiltrating the Spring Court, creepy twins, Amarantha's legacy, the King of Hybern's death, and Nesta's legendary throat-ripping moment all get their due.

• #2: A Court of Silver Flames: Nesta, Cassian, the Valkyries, and SOUP. We talk about why this book has so much going for it—and why the Rhysand/Feyre pregnancy storyline is the one thing holding it back for Amanda and Kim.

• #1: A Court of Mist and Fury: The unanimous favorite for Amanda and Kim, and nearly the top choice for Rick. We discuss Feyre's transformation, the expansion of the ACOTAR world, the Rhysand twist, the mating bond reveal, and that unforgettable line: “There you are. I've been looking for you.”

• The Chapter 55 Soup Scene: It wouldn't be an ACOTAR ranking without talking about the soup. Rick still considers it one of the defining moments of the series, and we are absolutely not afraid of the soup.

• Rhysand Gets Knocked Off the Pedestal: We debate the difference between loving a character and approving of everything they do. Does Silver Flames give us a more complete picture of Rhysand, or did Sarah J. Maas take things too far?

• Nesta's Redemption Changes Everything: Rick explains why Silver Flames completely changed his view of Nesta after initially hating her. We discuss hitting rock bottom, growth, redemption, and whether the series is showing us that nobody is truly irredeemable.

• What Comes Next for ACOTAR?: We speculate about the future of the series, including the possibility of multiple perspectives, characters working through betrayals, and whether Feyre and Rhysand will actually have to confront what happened in Silver Flames.

Closing/Call-to-Action: What is YOUR ACOTAR book ranking? Is A Court of Mist and Fury the undisputed champion, or are you defending Silver Flames, Wings and Ruin, or even the Christmas special? How much did Silver Flames change your opinion of Rhysand and Nesta? Drop your rankings in the comments! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow us on Goodreads and StoryGraph. Got an ACOTAR hot take or want to argue with Rick about soup? Email us at romancinground@gmail.com! And get ready for Romantasy Fall 2026—because apparently we're all booked.