Sarah J. Maas Reveals 'ACOTAR' Books 6 and 7: 'A Court of Splintered Harmony' and 'A Court of Forgotten Melody'
Fantasy author Sarah J. Maas officially confirmed on August 17, 2026, the titles and cover art for the sixth and seventh installments of her blockbuster A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series. The sixth book, A Court of Splintered Harmony, is scheduled for release on October 27, 2026, while the seventh, A Court of Forgotten Melody, will hit shelves on January 12, 2027. Both novels are published by Bloomsbury and collectively form what Maas is calling "The Valkyrie Cycle."
Maas made the announcement via two back-to-back Instagram posts, accompanied by digital billboards in Los Angeles, Denver, and New York City. Each cover carries the subtitle: A Court of Splintered Harmony is labeled "The Valkyrie Cycle: Movement I," and A Court of Forgotten Melody is marked "Movements II and III." The author paired the reveals with evocative captions: "What was broken will be remade" for Book 6, and "What was lost will be reclaimed" for Book 7.
Fan Frenzy: From Instagram Wipe to Cover Leak
Hours before the official reveal, Maas wiped her Instagram feed and changed her profile picture, sparking a frenzy of speculation among readers. Shortly after, eagle-eyed fans accessed unpublished media files on her official website and leaked cover scans to Reddit. The leaked artwork quickly circulated across social platforms, fueling theories about the story's direction.
The cover for A Court of Splintered Harmony depicts bones engulfed in flames, with a set of sharp teeth visible within the fire. The bones are widely interpreted as a nod to the Bone Carver, an ancient death god imprisoned in Prythian, while the flames may reference Lucien and the Autumn Court. The teeth could signal Bryaxis, the shadow creature freed by Feyre during the war with Hybern. For A Court of Forgotten Melody, the cover features a spider holding a spool of thread, likely alluding to the Weaver (Stryga), a mysterious figure from the series' lore.
The Valkyrie Cycle: A New Arc Focused on Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie
The subtitle "The Valkyrie Cycle" points to a continuation of the story arc that began in A Court of Silver Flames (2021). In that novel, Nesta Archeron, along with Gwyneth Berdara and Emerie, revives the ancient order of the Valkyries—elite female warriors who train at the House of Wind. The trio undergo grueling trials, including the Blood Rite, and reclaim their power after experiencing profound trauma. Maas has never before structured her ACOTAR novels as a formal cycle, but this announcement indicates that the next two books will be tightly linked, possibly covering movements of a single narrative.
Fans have long speculated that the series would shift focus to Nesta and her companions, as the original trilogy centered on Feyre and Rhysand. With the Valkyrie Cycle now explicit, it seems that Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie will take center stage. The phrase "splintered harmony" suggests a disruption of unity, perhaps within the Night Court or the broader political landscape of Prythian, while "forgotten melody" hints at recovering lost history or magic.
The Long Wait and What's at Stake
The ACOTAR franchise has become a cultural phenomenon, with over 85 million copies sold across Maas's series (including Throne of Glass and Crescent City) in English alone, and translations in 40 languages. The wait for the sixth book has been particularly prolonged—A Court of Silver Flames was published in February 2021, meaning fans have gone more than five years without a new ACOTAR novel. The 2021 announcement of a television adaptation for Hulu and 20th Television, with Ronald D. Moore attached as showrunner, was scrapped in February 2025 due to creative differences, leaving the series' screen future uncertain. That the rights have reverted to Maas could open the door for a new adaptation deal, but for now, readers are focused on the page.
This dual-book reveal comes at a time when the "romantasy" genre is exploding in popularity, and Maas remains one of its biggest stars. The success of the ACOTAR series has inspired a wave of similar adult fantasy-romance titles, and the announcement of the Valkyrie Cycle is likely to reinforce her dominance. The "Movement" naming also suggests a more deliberate, multi-volume structure, indicating that Maas is planning a longer arc than the previous trilogy-plus-standalone format.
A Broader Trend: Multi-Book Arcs and Fan Engagement
Maas's marketing strategy—leveraging a social media wipe, website easter eggs, and physical billboards—reflects how modern fantasy publishing thrives on community participation. Fans acting as detectives not only generate buzz but also deepen emotional investment in the story. This approach has become standard for major authors, but Maas's devoted fandom takes it to another level, dissecting every scrap of art and text for hidden clues.
The Valkyrie Cycle could also signal a shift in how Maas structures her series. Rather than releasing standalone novels with loose connections, she appears to be building a more cohesive, interlinked narrative. This mirrors trends across the industry, where serialized storytelling in TV and streaming has made readers more comfortable with cliffhangers and multi-part arcs. The two-book "cycle" might also be her response to the mounting pressure for faster releases, allowing her to develop a larger story while giving fans two installments in quick succession.
For now, A Court of Splintered Harmony and A Court of Forgotten Melody are poised to be among the biggest publishing events of 2026 and 2027. Pre-orders are expected to skyrocket, and bookstores will likely host midnight release parties. While plot details remain scarce, the title and cover art have already ignited a cascade of theories, and Maas's brief captions—"What was broken will be remade" and "What was lost will be reclaimed"—offer a poetic glimpse into the themes of repair and recovery that will likely define this new chapter of Prythian. In an era where readers crave both comfort and surprise, Maas seems ready to deliver both, one splintered harmony at a time.
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