sarah j maas books are entering a major new phase as Sarah J. Maas has officially revealed the titles and covers for the next two books in her hugely popular A Court of Thorns and Roses series. The new titles are A Court of Splintered Harmony and A Court of Forgotten Melody, with the books scheduled to arrive in the United States on October 27, 2026, and January 12, 2027.
The announcement gives readers several important answers after months of anticipation. The next story will be presented as The Valkyrie Cycle, a connected narrative divided into four movements. The first three movements will appear across the two newly announced books, while a fourth movement remains to be completed.
The news also confirms that readers will not have to wait years between the next two major ACOTAR releases. Instead, the sixth book arrives in late October, followed by the seventh in January.
For fans tracking the latest developments, the announcement marks one of the biggest updates in the series since A Court of Silver Flames was published.
Sarah J. Maas Reveals the Next Two ACOTAR Titles
The long-awaited sixth ACOTAR book now has an official name: A Court of Splintered Harmony.
The seventh book is titled A Court of Forgotten Melody.
Maas revealed both titles and their covers on August 17, 2026, through her official social media presence. The announcement also introduced the larger name for the new story arc: The Valkyrie Cycle.
The first book is labeled The Valkyrie Cycle: Movement I.
The second carries the designation The Valkyrie Cycle: Movements II & III.
That structure is important because the books are not being treated as completely separate stories. Instead, they form sections of one much larger narrative.
The first book carries the line, “What was broken will be remade,” while the second uses the phrase, “What was lost will be reclaimed.”
Those official phrases establish the broad themes surrounding the new installments without revealing a complete plot.
When Will the New Books Be Released?
U.S. readers now have two firm dates to mark on their calendars.
A Court of Splintered Harmony is scheduled for October 27, 2026.
A Court of Forgotten Melody follows on January 12, 2027.
The release schedule creates an unusually short gap between two major ACOTAR installments. Readers will receive the first part in the fall and return to the story only a few months later.
Current publisher listings place A Court of Splintered Harmony at 352 pages and A Court of Forgotten Melody at 928 pages.
Those figures make the second release particularly notable. The two books have very different lengths, reflecting the unusual way Maas has structured this storyline.
Page counts can change before publication, so readers should treat the current publisher listings as the latest confirmed figures rather than permanent specifications.
The Valkyrie Cycle Changes the Shape of the Story
The most significant detail beyond the titles is the structure of The Valkyrie Cycle.
Maas has explained that the story grew substantially during the writing process. What began as one enormous narrative eventually developed into four parts.
The first movement will be released as A Court of Splintered Harmony.
Movements II and III will appear together in A Court of Forgotten Melody.
A fourth movement remains part of the overall plan.
This explains why the seventh book is so much longer than the sixth. Readers are not simply receiving two unrelated adventures. They are getting multiple sections of a much larger story.
The structure also means the January 2027 release is not expected to close every major storyline introduced by the new cycle.
A future installment will be needed to complete the fourth movement.
No release date has been announced for that concluding section.
Why The Valkyrie Name Matters
The word “Valkyrie” has a direct connection to the later portion of the ACOTAR universe.
The Valkyries became an important part of the story through Nesta Archeron’s journey in A Court of Silver Flames. Nesta’s training brought her closer to Gwyn Berdara and Emerie, creating a powerful friendship and warrior group.
That history gives the new cycle a recognizable connection to one of the most popular parts of the existing series.
However, the Valkyrie Cycle should not be treated as a confirmation that every future chapter will revolve around the same small group of characters.
Maas has not released a complete official character guide for the upcoming books.
That leaves many details open.
Readers have developed extensive theories about Nesta, Elain Archeron, Azriel, Lucien, Gwyn, Emerie and other major figures. Those theories have become a major part of online ACOTAR discussion, but they remain theories unless Maas officially confirms them.
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What Is Confirmed About the New Story
The latest announcement provides several firm facts.
Readers can currently confirm:
- A Court of Splintered Harmony is the sixth major ACOTAR installment.
- A Court of Forgotten Melody is the seventh.
- The first book is scheduled for October 27, 2026.
- The second book is scheduled for January 12, 2027.
- Both titles belong to The Valkyrie Cycle.
- A Court of Splintered Harmony represents Movement I.
- A Court of Forgotten Melody contains Movements II and III.
- The larger cycle includes a fourth movement.
- The first book is currently listed at 352 pages.
- The second is currently listed at 928 pages.
The information establishes the publishing roadmap while leaving many story details undisclosed.
That distinction matters because online conversations about the books frequently mix official information with predictions.
Readers looking for factual updates should separate confirmed announcements from fan theories.
The Existing ACOTAR Books Still Matter
The upcoming books follow five previously published entries in the series.
The current reading order begins with A Court of Thorns and Roses, which introduced Feyre Archeron and the world of Prythian.
It continues with A Court of Mist and Fury and A Court of Wings and Ruin, which significantly expanded the world and its political conflicts.
A Court of Frost and Starlight follows as a shorter installment that bridges major stages of the story.
The fifth book, A Court of Silver Flames, shifts attention toward Nesta Archeron and Cassian while expanding several characters and locations that are likely to remain important to the wider universe.
For readers returning to the series before the new releases, those five books provide the established foundation for the next storyline.
New readers also have plenty of time to work through the existing books before October 27.
The New Books Arrive More Than Five Years After the Last Major Novel
The timing of the announcement is significant for longtime readers.
A Court of Silver Flames was published in 2021, making the wait for the next major ACOTAR novel considerably longer than the gaps between many of the earlier installments.
Maas confirmed in 2025 that she had completed a draft of the sixth book. In 2026, she provided additional information about the scale of the story and confirmed that the next stage would involve multiple parts.
The October 2026 release now provides a concrete endpoint to that long period of uncertainty.
Instead of one new novel arriving after the lengthy gap, readers will receive two scheduled books within a few months.
That makes the next publishing period unusually important for the series.
The Page Counts Highlight the Scale of the New Releases
The current listings for the two books reveal a striking difference in length.
A Court of Splintered Harmony is listed at 352 pages.
A Court of Forgotten Melody is listed at 928 pages.
The second book is therefore more than twice the length of the first based on the current listings.
This difference reflects the movement structure. The first book contains one movement, while the second contains two.
The page count also suggests that readers could spend considerably more time with the second installment.
However, page numbers should not be used to predict the number of chapters, characters or individual storylines. Those details remain subject to the final editions.
What the Official Taglines Tell Readers
The two taglines provide the strongest official thematic clues available right now.
The first says:
“What was broken will be remade.”
The second says:
“What was lost will be reclaimed.”
Together, the phrases point toward themes of rebuilding, recovery and change.
They also fit naturally with the larger conflicts that have shaped the ACOTAR world.
The Night Court and other territories have endured wars, political divisions, personal losses and supernatural threats. The new cycle appears positioned to explore the consequences of those events.
Still, the taglines do not identify every character involved or explain exactly what will be broken or lost.
Readers should therefore avoid treating them as detailed plot summaries.
The Future of Prythian Remains Open
One of the most important facts surrounding the new books is that the story does not end with the January 2027 release.
The Valkyrie Cycle has four movements.
The first appears in the sixth book.
The second and third appear in the seventh.
The fourth remains to come.
That means readers can expect the larger storyline to continue after A Court of Forgotten Melody.
At present, there is no confirmed release date for the fourth movement.
There is also no need to assign a specific title to that future installment until an official announcement arrives.
This approach gives Maas room to complete the larger story on her own schedule while allowing readers to experience the first three movements across the two already announced releases.
Sarah J. Maas’ Wider Book Universe
The ACOTAR books are one part of Maas’ larger fantasy catalog.
Her other major series include Throne of Glass and Crescent City.
Throne of Glass established Maas as a major fantasy author before ACOTAR became a global publishing phenomenon.
Crescent City introduced another fantasy setting and later created additional connections that encouraged readers to look for links across Maas’ fictional worlds.
Those connections have fueled years of discussion among fans.
However, the upcoming ACOTAR titles should be evaluated primarily on their confirmed information. Any theories about specific crossovers or characters returning from other series remain separate from the official release details unless Maas confirms them.
The focus for the immediate future is clearly The Valkyrie Cycle.
Why Readers Are Paying Close Attention to the Covers
The cover reveal added another major piece to the announcement.
The new designs give the upcoming books their own visual identity while retaining the recognizable ACOTAR branding.
Cover details often become a major part of fantasy fandom discussions because readers search for possible symbolism in colors, objects and imagery.
That can be enjoyable, but it is important to distinguish artistic interpretation from confirmed story information.
The titles and movement labels are official.
The release dates are official.
The meaning of every visual element on the covers has not been formally explained.
That leaves plenty of room for readers to analyze the artwork while waiting for additional details.
The October Release Is the First Major Milestone
The immediate target for ACOTAR fans is October 27, 2026.
That is when A Court of Splintered Harmony is scheduled to reach U.S. readers.
The book represents the opening movement of the new Valkyrie story.
Its arrival should also provide more information about the characters, conflicts and direction of the larger narrative.
Three months later, A Court of Forgotten Melody is scheduled to continue the story.
That release will contain the second and third movements, making it a particularly substantial installment.
The unusual release pattern means readers will not have to endure another long multi-year wait between these two chapters of the saga.
What Readers Should Watch Before Release Day
As October approaches, the most useful developments will likely involve official publisher and author announcements.
Readers should watch for confirmed information about:
- Final edition details
- Official descriptions
- Additional cover editions
- Audiobook information
- Retail availability
- Promotional events
- Any officially announced character information
Fan theories will continue to appear online, but they should not replace confirmed information.
The titles themselves already provide a major update, and further official announcements can be evaluated as they arrive.
For readers preparing for the new books, revisiting the existing ACOTAR novels may be the best way to reconnect with the world before the next story begins.
The New Era of ACOTAR Is Almost Here
The latest developments surrounding Sarah J. Maas’ books have transformed the future of ACOTAR from speculation into a clear publishing schedule.
A Court of Splintered Harmony will open The Valkyrie Cycle on October 27, 2026.
A Court of Forgotten Melody will follow on January 12, 2027, carrying the second and third movements of the larger story.
The fourth movement remains ahead, meaning the newly announced books are not the final destination for the series.
For readers who have followed Feyre, Rhysand, Nesta and the wider cast through the existing books, the next chapter is finally close enough to see on the calendar.
The combination of two official titles, two confirmed release dates and a new four-part story structure gives the fandom plenty to anticipate without relying on unverified rumors.
The next chapter of Prythian is finally taking shape—share which new release you are most excited about and stay tuned for the latest confirmed updates.