Reading Guides · October 14, 2026
ACOTAR Editions Explained: Original vs. New Covers, Collector's and Night Court Editions (ISBN Guide)
Every A Court of Thorns and Roses edition explained — original photo covers, the 2020 reissue, the 2019 Collector's Edition, Night Court Editions and books 6–7 — with verified ISBNs and how to tell them apart.
Last updated October 14, 2026. Every ISBN below was checked against Open Library records, library catalogs or bookseller listings; sources are linked at the end.
If you're buying A Court of Thorns and Roses books secondhand, you'll quickly notice that the same title comes in several very different-looking editions. That matters if you want a shelf that matches, if you're collecting first printings, or if you just want to know what will actually show up in your mailbox. Because we list every copy in our shop by its exact ISBN, we had to sort these editions out ourselves — so here is the practical guide we wish had existed: what each edition looks like, the exact ISBNs, and how to tell them apart in about ten seconds.
The short answer
- Original covers (2015–2019): photographic covers showing a woman in a gown. Published as young adult by Bloomsbury. Only books 1–4 ever had this look.
- 2020 reissue ("new covers"): black-line symbolic illustrations with all-caps titles. Released June 2, 2020 for books 1–4 and used for book 5, A Court of Silver Flames, from its first printing. This is the edition most stores sell today.
- Collector's Edition (2019): a special hardcover of book 1 only, with a slipcase, ribbon marker and a new map.
- Night Court Editions (2025): black-and-silver foiled paperbacks with black sprayed edges, released for the series' 10th anniversary. In the US they are a Barnes & Noble exclusive.
- Books 6 and 7 (2026–2027) have a brand-new gradient cover style that doesn't match any earlier set.
The fastest way to know which one you're looking at is the ISBN on the back cover or copyright page. Use the tables below.
Edition 1: the original covers (2015–2019)
The first US editions came out under Bloomsbury's young adult list (catalog records name the imprint as "Bloomsbury USA Childrens" or "Bloomsbury YA"). The covers are photographs of a woman in an elaborate gown; the A Court of Wings and Ruin cover, for example, was designed by Adrian Dadich with a dress by Charlie Bowater. True first editions are the hardcovers — the paperbacks followed a year or so later.
| Book | Format | ISBN-13 | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Court of Thorns and Roses | Hardcover (first edition) | 9781619634442 | May 5, 2015 |
| A Court of Thorns and Roses | Paperback | 9781619635180 | 2016 |
| A Court of Mist and Fury | Hardcover (first edition) | 9781619634466 | May 3, 2016 |
| A Court of Mist and Fury | Hardcover (separate 2016 ISBN, often listed by sellers as a Target edition) | 9781681192710 | 2016 |
| A Court of Mist and Fury | Paperback | 9781619635197 | 2017 |
| A Court of Wings and Ruin | Hardcover (first edition) | 9781619634480 | May 2, 2017 |
| A Court of Wings and Ruin | Paperback | 9781619635203 | May 1, 2018 |
| A Court of Frost and Starlight | Hardcover (first edition) | 9781681196312 | May 2018 |
| A Court of Frost and Starlight | Paperback | 9781547600502 | May 2019 |
Important: there is no original-style edition of A Court of Silver Flames. Its cover was revealed in September 2020 in the new style, and despite a fan petition, Bloomsbury never released a matching photographic version. If you see one, it's a fan-made dust jacket, not a published edition.
Edition 2: the 2020 reissue ("new covers")
On June 2, 2020, Bloomsbury re-released books 1–4 under its general (adult) list with a completely new design: ornate black-line illustrations — flowers, masks, wolves, crows, daggers and arrows — with titles in an all-caps serif typeface. The covers were designed by Patti Ratchford with illustrations by the Swiss studio Happypets. Hardcover dust jackets use colored titles on a gray background; the matching paperbacks reverse that palette. A Court of Silver Flames (2021) was published in this style from day one, with orange art and white type.
| Book | Hardcover ISBN | Paperback ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| A Court of Thorns and Roses | 9781635575552 | 9781635575569 |
| A Court of Mist and Fury | 9781635575576 | 9781635575583 |
| A Court of Wings and Ruin | 9781635575590 | 9781635575606 |
| A Court of Frost and Starlight | 9781635575613 | 9781635575620 |
| A Court of Silver Flames | 9781681196282 (Feb 16, 2021) | 9781635577990 (Sep 6, 2022) |
Bloomsbury also packaged these in box sets: a five-book hardcover box set (ISBN 9781635577716, October 2021) and a five-book paperback box set (ISBN 9781639730193, November 2022).
Good to know: this is the only edition in which all five books match. If a uniform shelf is the goal, the 2020-style paperbacks are the easiest and cheapest set to complete, new or used.
Edition 3: the Collector's Edition of book 1 (2019)
In November 2019 Bloomsbury published a deluxe hardcover of the first book only: ISBN 9781547604173, released November 5, 2019 at a $40 list price. It came in a cloth slipcase with foil art and includes a ribbon marker, metallic endpapers, a new map and a redesigned interior. No collector's editions were published for books 2–5. When buying one secondhand, ask whether the slipcase is included — it's part of what makes this edition special.
Edition 4: the Night Court Editions (2025)
For the series' tenth anniversary, Bloomsbury announced Night Court Editions: paperbacks with a black-and-silver foiled cover featuring the Night Court symbol and black sprayed edges. In the US they are sold as a Barnes & Noble exclusive at $19 each. The UK versions carry different ISBNs, so check the barcode if you're importing.
How to tell which edition you have
- Check the ISBN. It's the most reliable method. Original-cover printings mostly begin with 978-1-61963 (books 1–3), while the 2020 reissues begin with 978-1-63557. One exception: the Silver Flames hardcover (978-1-68119-6282) uses an older prefix even though it has the new-style cover.
- Look at the cover art. A photo of a woman in a gown means original. Black line art with all-caps titles means 2020 or later. All black with silver foil and dark sprayed edges means Night Court Edition.
- Read the copyright page. Reissues usually note that the book was first published in the United States in 2015 (or its original year) alongside a later edition statement.
- Remember that "first edition" means hardcover. The original paperbacks are not first editions, even though they have the original artwork.
- Don't rely on page counts. Different sources list different numbers for the same ISBN, so page count alone won't identify an edition.
What about ACOTAR books 6 and 7?
Sarah J. Maas's next two books are one connected story she calls the Valkyrie Cycle:
| Book | Release date | US hardcover ISBN | List price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Court of Splintered Harmony (The Valkyrie Cycle, Movement I) | October 27, 2026 | 9781639739134 | $32.00 |
| A Court of Forgotten Melody (The Valkyrie Cycle, Movements II & III) | January 12, 2027 | 9798260200568 | $38.00 |
Pre-publication listings show roughly 352 pages for book 6 and 896 for book 7; treat these as estimates until release. Maas has said a fourth and final movement will follow later, with no date announced. The covers, revealed in August 2026, use bright gradients (pink-to-yellow and turquoise-to-yellow) and don't match either the original or the 2020 design. As of this update, no special or collector's editions of books 6 and 7 have been announced, and both are listed as hardcover only.
Which edition should you buy?
- You want to read the series affordably: used 2020-style paperbacks. They're the most widely available, and all five books match.
- You want a matching hardcover set: the 2020 hardcovers or the five-book hardcover box set. Books 6 and 7 won't match either way, so don't let that hold you up.
- You collect: look for original-cover first-edition hardcovers (books 1–4) and the 2019 Collector's Edition with its slipcase. Original-cover copies are mostly found secondhand now, so condition and completeness matter more than usual.
- You're catching up before book 6: read all five published books, including A Court of Frost and Starlight (book 4). It's short, but it bridges the war of book 3 and the story of Silver Flames, so don't skip it.
ACOTAR editions we have in stock
Each listing on our site names the exact edition and ISBN, and each used copy carries a condition grade from the independent US bookseller holding it. Stock changes daily — when a copy sells, it's gone.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses — 2020 paperback (several condition grades)
- A Court of Thorns and Roses — 2020 hardcover
- A Court of Thorns and Roses — Collector's Edition hardcover (2019)
- A Court of Mist and Fury — 2020 paperback
- A Court of Wings and Ruin — 2020 paperback
- A Court of Wings and Ruin — original-cover hardcover (2017)
- A Court of Frost and Starlight — 2020 paperback
- A Court of Silver Flames — paperback and first-printing hardcover
Browse the whole series on our ACOTAR collection page, or read our Crescent City reading guide if you're exploring the rest of the Maasverse. Collecting other fantasy series? See our Grishaverse editions guide. US orders over $35 ship free.
Frequently asked questions
Are the original ACOTAR covers still printed?
As far as we can find, current US printings use the 2020 design, and original-cover copies turn up mainly secondhand. Bloomsbury hasn't made a public statement about the old covers, so a new printing can't be ruled out.
Is there an original-cover A Court of Silver Flames?
No. Book 5 was only ever published with the new-style cover.
Will books 6 and 7 match my set?
No. They use a new gradient cover design that doesn't match the original or the 2020 editions.
How can I tell a first edition?
First editions are the original hardcovers: ISBN 9781619634442 (book 1), 9781619634466 (book 2), 9781619634480 (book 3) and 9781681196312 (book 4).
Sources
- Open Library edition records, e.g. 9781619634442, 9781635575552, 9781547604173, 9781681196282
- Collector's Edition details (Bank Square Books)
- 2020 cover design credits (Fonts In Use)
- A Court of Thorns and Roses series (Wikipedia)
- A Court of Splintered Harmony listing (Annie Bloom's Books) and A Court of Forgotten Melody listing (Blue Willow Bookshop)
- Book 6 and 7 covers (Book Riot)
- Publishers Weekly on books 6 and 7