Books
Tue, 27 Oct 2026
New ACOTAR Books: Release Dates and Reading Order
The new ACOTAR book is A Court of Splintered Harmony, out October 27, 2026 from Bloomsbury. It is the sixth A Court of Thorns and Roses book by Sarah J. Maas and the first part of The Valkyrie Cycle. A seventh book, A Court of Forgotten Melody (The Valkyrie Cycle, Movements II & III), follows on January 12, 2027. Both are still on pre-order as of October 25, 2026 in hardback ($32 and $38 list price in the US), ebook and audiobook, narrated by Elizabeth Evans. After October 27 this page will switch book 6 to "out now".
The two new ACOTAR books
| A Court of Splintered Harmony | A Court of Forgotten Melody | |
|---|---|---|
| Series number | ACOTAR book 6 | ACOTAR book 7 |
| Subtitle | The Valkyrie Cycle, Movement I | The Valkyrie Cycle, Movements II & III |
| Release date | October 27, 2026 | January 12, 2027 |
| Pages (hardback) | 352 | 896 |
| US hardback list price | $32.00 | $38.00 |
| US ebook | $22.40 | $26.60 |
| Audiobook | Same day, narrated by Elizabeth Evans (Recorded Books) | Same day, narrated by Elizabeth Evans (Recorded Books) |
| US hardback ISBN | 9781639739134 | 9798260200568 |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing | Bloomsbury Publishing |
Prices are US list prices from Bloomsbury's own store, which currently takes 10% off pre-orders ($28.80 and $34.20 for the hardbacks). Other retailers often discount pre-orders too.
What the new books are about
- A Court of Splintered Harmony: Prythian is still rebuilding after the Hybern War when Koschei the Deathless, bound to a mountain lake for millennia, begins to stir. His threat draws powerful allies who want to take back the human lands. The Night Court steps in, but its rulers are reeling from betrayals and revealed truths and must repair their own rifts first.
- A Court of Forgotten Melody: old alliances are crumbling and diplomacy isn't enough to fix them. The Night Court's Inner Circle scatters to find any advantage against Koschei and his allies, and old enemies return.
Both summaries come from Bloomsbury's descriptions.
Ordering tip: Bloomsbury's own store notes that to receive book 6 in October you should order book 7 separately, so pre-order them as two separate orders.
ACOTAR reading order
- A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015)
- A Court of Mist and Fury (2016)
- A Court of Wings and Ruin (2017)
- A Court of Frost and Starlight (2018), a shorter novella set after book 3
- A Court of Silver Flames (2021)
- A Court of Splintered Harmony (October 27, 2026), The Valkyrie Cycle, Movement I
- A Court of Forgotten Melody (January 12, 2027), The Valkyrie Cycle, Movements II & III
Read them in publication order. A Court of Frost and Starlight is short, but it sets up A Court of Silver Flames, so don't skip it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the new ACOTAR book called?
A Court of Splintered Harmony. It is ACOTAR book 6 and the first part of The Valkyrie Cycle. Book 7 is A Court of Forgotten Melody.
When does A Court of Splintered Harmony come out?
October 27, 2026, in hardback and ebook, from Bloomsbury.
When does A Court of Forgotten Melody come out?
January 12, 2027. It covers Movements II and III of The Valkyrie Cycle and runs to 896 pages in hardback.
How many ACOTAR books are there?
Seven once A Court of Forgotten Melody is out in January 2027: five already published, A Court of Splintered Harmony (October 2026) and A Court of Forgotten Melody (January 2027).
How many pages is A Court of Splintered Harmony?
352 pages in hardback, according to Bloomsbury. A Court of Forgotten Melody is much longer at 896 pages.
Who is the villain in the new ACOTAR books?
Koschei the Deathless, who has been bound to a mountain lake for millennia and is now stirring, according to Bloomsbury's descriptions.
Do I need to read A Court of Frost and Starlight?
It's short, but it bridges the main books and sets up A Court of Silver Flames, so read it before book 5.
Is there an audiobook of A Court of Splintered Harmony?
Yes. The unabridged audiobook from RBmedia's Recorded Books is narrated by Elizabeth Evans, who also narrated the 10th-anniversary recordings of books 1–5. It comes out on October 27, 2026, the same day as the hardback, and the A Court of Forgotten Melody audiobook follows on January 12, 2027.