By Ahaqir Ishaq | October 26, 2026
You do not need to treat Crescent City as confirmed required reading before ACOTAR 6. The official reading guides reviewed for this article allow readers to begin with any of Sarah J. Maas’s three series. However, reading Crescent City first is our recommendation for anyone who wants to experience its crossover developments without advance knowledge.
That leaves two sensible options: continue with ACOTAR because it is the series you want to read, or finish Crescent City first to preserve more of the experience of discovering the connections yourself.
With A Court of Splintered Harmony approaching, it is understandable to wonder whether returning to Prythian suddenly requires another three novels. Here is how to make that decision without getting a plot recap you did not ask for.
Spoiler note: This guide acknowledges that ACOTAR and Crescent City connect. It does not reveal how the crossover happens, its outcomes, or major character twists. Readers who want to know absolutely nothing about those connections should stop here.
Is Crescent City Required Reading for the Next ACOTAR Book?
There is a difference between an official prerequisite and a recommendation designed to protect surprises.
Sarah J. Maas’s official reading guide says readers can start with the first book of any of her three series. Bloomsbury’s reading-order guide likewise allows different series orders, while noting that reading ACOTAR first can make Crescent City more rewarding.
Neither establishes a specific requirement to finish Crescent City before ACOTAR 6.
That does not guarantee the new novel will explain every connection for readers who skipped the other series. As of this prepublication guide, we cannot promise how much background the finished book supplies.
Our advice is therefore conditional: if protecting Crescent City’s surprises matters to you, read it first. If your priority is continuing ACOTAR, there is no verified prerequisite here that obliges you to pause.
Why Do Readers Recommend Crescent City First?
The question exists because these series have connections that go beyond a shared author or similar fantasy themes.
Crescent City offers additional context for readers interested in how Maas’s fictional worlds relate to one another. Discovering those developments within their original story can carry more emotional weight than encountering them in a summary.
But explaining precisely why would spoil the experience this guide is meant to protect.
The useful question is: Would learning about a crossover before reaching it yourself reduce your enjoyment?
If the answer is yes, finishing Crescent City is the more cautious choice. If you are comfortable learning some background later, you may prefer to stay with the characters and series you already love.
Choose the Reading Path That Fits You
| Your situation | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| You have finished ACOTAR and plan to read Crescent City eventually | Read Crescent City next if preserving its surprises is a priority. |
| You have finished ACOTAR and have little interest in urban fantasy | Continue ACOTAR if you prefer, accepting that later books may reveal crossover information. |
| You have already started Crescent City | Consider finishing its first three books before returning to ACOTAR. |
| You have read both series | You do not need another series detour based on the official guidance reviewed here. |
| You are new to ACOTAR | Begin with its first book rather than jumping straight to book six. |
These are editorial recommendations. They are not a newly announced mandatory reading order.
Can You Read Only House of Flame and Shadow?
We would not recommend using the third Crescent City novel as a shortcut.
House of Flame and Shadow continues a story established across the preceding books. Starting there means encountering relationships, conflicts, and consequences without the buildup that gives them meaning.
If you choose to read Crescent City, follow its sequence:
Bloomsbury’s Crescent City collection lists all three novels.
Reading only the crossover material may answer a narrow continuity question, but it also exposes developments from a series you might later want to enjoy from the beginning. For readers who care about surprises, that is a poor trade.
What If You Do Not Have Time to Finish Crescent City?
You do not have to turn reading into a deadline.
One option is to read the new ACOTAR novel later. Release day is exciting, but there is no requirement to finish a different series in a rush to participate.
Another is to continue ACOTAR first, knowing that you may encounter information connected to Crescent City. That choice is reasonable if returning to Prythian matters more to you than preserving every crossover surprise.
A recap is a third option, but check its spoiler warning carefully. A summary can be short and still reveal the ending of a very long book.
Our full ACOTAR recap includes House of Flame and Shadow spoilers. Save it until you are comfortable with those revelations.
Do You Also Need to Read Throne of Glass?
The official guidance reviewed for this article does not establish Throne of Glass as a prerequisite for ACOTAR 6.
It is easy for online reading advice to expand from one useful recommendation into a commitment to an author’s entire bibliography. Readers who enjoy theories and connections may welcome that project. Others simply want to continue one series.
For a wider overview, our Sarah J. Maas reading guide covers the different series. You do not need to adopt the broadest possible reading plan to enjoy being a fan.
Our Recommendation
If you already intend to read Crescent City, reading it before ACOTAR 6 is the better choice for protecting its surprises. Begin with House of Earth and Blood and let the connections emerge through the story.
If you have little interest in Crescent City, do not buy three novels solely because someone describes them as compulsory. The official materials reviewed here do not support that claim.
For publication information, see our separate ACOTAR 6 release guide. This guide’s recommendation is about reading preferences and spoiler tolerance; it is not a verdict on how independently the unpublished sequel works.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Want to explore Bryce’s story from the beginning? Find House of Earth and Blood on Amazon.
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