Thousands attend midnight release of new ACOTAR novel

The newest installment in Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses series hit shelves on Tuesday, October 27. The release drew thousands of readers to midnight parties at large chain and independent bookstores across the country the night before. Attendees dressed in costumes to mark the occasion, waiting for the opportunity to purchase the hardcover edition of A Court of Splintered Harmony.

At the Politics and Prose store in Washington, D.C., dozens of fans filled the aisles in leather outfits, sparkly tiaras, and pointy faerie ears. The event ran from 10 p.m. to midnight on Monday. While many readers could have purchased the book online, several attendees said they preferred the in-person experience to share the moment with the community.

Dalia Luque attended the event to connect with other readers. "I just want to have fun with the community and get to share with my friends as we read along," Luque said. While waiting for the release time, participants played trivia, made friendship bracelets, and received face paint. Staff member Amber Lovold applied green shrubbery designs to attendees' faces to represent the Summer Court, one of the seven territories in the series. The series, part of the romantasy genre, features romantic plots and battle sequences set in a world ruled by faeries and humans.

Ivana Wong won the night's costume contest for her outfit, which included a black dress with sequin stars, a silver headpiece, and a sheer cape. Wong said she has waited for this book since the first volume released in 2015. "I've been waiting for this since the very first book came out," Wong said. She took a couple of days off work to read the new novel. The series had been on hiatus for nearly five years, with Maas pausing new releases in 2021.

Chastity Mayhaus, who recently moved to Washington, D.C., attended the party to meet other fans. "I'm hoping to make some friends, just talk to some people," Mayhaus said. She said she was looking for local book clubs. A large portion of the fanbase formed on BookTok, a section of TikTok dedicated to reading. However, readers expressed a desire to meet in person. Nicole Davidow, the event organizer at Politics and Prose, said the online community wants to gather in one room. "In general, we find that with all of our events, people are craving a community," Davidow said.

Davidow, who has worked at the bookstore for five years, organized the first midnight release party during her tenure. She originally planned to sell 50 tickets but ended up hosting about 70 people. At midnight, attendees rushed to the checkout line to buy their copies. Readers left the store with the pink and yellow hardcover in hand to begin reading the new chapter of the saga.