If you’re looking for Cassandra Clare books in order, you’re in the right place.
Whether you found Shadowhunters on TV first or you just picked up your first Cassandra Clare book, the Shadowhunters universe gets big fast. So here are three ways to read the Shadowhunters books in order—author’s recommendation, publication, and chronological.
Want the quick version? Download my free printable checklist.
Jump to:
- Best Shadowhunters Reading Order
- All Cassandra Clare Books in Publication Order
- Shadowhunters Books in Chronological Order
- Shadowhunters FAQ
#1 Best Shadowhunters Reading Order
Sometimes the story an author needs to tell comes out of order. Being an author myself, I get it.
A prequel idea hits after the first series is already out. A side story shows up later, but adds context you don’t want to miss.
If you want the simplest path through Shadowhunters, follow the reading order Cassandra Clare recommends.
As such, here’s the Shadowhunters books in order by Cassie herself (with some minor adjustments by me):
The Mortal Instruments: Part 1
The Infernal Devices
The Mortal Instruments: Part 2
The Dark Artifices
The Eldest Curses
The Last Hours
The Wicked Powers
- The Last King of Faerie (TBA)
#2 Cassandra Clare Books in Order of Publication
If you’re a bit of a purist (like me), and want the safest, no-spoilers way to read Cassandra Clare’s books, then publication order is it.
This is the order the Shadowhunters world was built in—so references land when they’re supposed to, names mean something when they show up, and you won’t run into “wait… am I supposed to know who that is?” moments.
Here are the Cassandra Clare books in order of publication:
Shadowhunters Books
- City of Bones (2007) – The Mortal Instruments #1
- City of Ashes (2008)
- City of Glass (2009)
- Clockwork Angel (2010) – The Infernal Devices #1
- City of Fallen Angels (2011)
- Clockwork Prince (2011)
- City of Lost Souls (2012)
- Clockwork Princess (2013)
- The Shadowhunter’s Codex (2013)
- City of Heavenly Fire (2014)
- The Bane Chronicles (2014)
- Lady Midnight (2016) – The Dark Artifices #1
- Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy (2016)
- Lord of Shadows (2017)
- Queen of Air and Darkness (2018)
- The Red Scrolls of Magic (2019) – The Eldest Curses #1
- Ghosts of the Shadow Market (2019)
- Chain of Gold (2020) – The Last Hours #1
- The Lost Book of the White (2020)
- Chain of Iron (2021)
- Chain of Thorns (2023)
- Better in Black: Ten Stories of Shadowhunter Romance (2025)
- A Sea Change (2026)
- The Last King of Faerie (TBA) – The Wicked Powers #1
- The Black Volume of the Dead (TBA)
Non-Shadowhunters Books
- The Iron Trial (2014) – Magisterium #1
- The Copper Gauntlet (2015)
- The Bronze Key (2016)
- The Silver Mask (2017)
- The Golden Tower (2018)
- Sword Catcher (2023) – Chronicles of Castellane #1
- The Ragpicker King (2025)
#3 Shadowhunters Books in Chronological Order
Want to read Shadowhunters in timeline order? This is it.
Quick warning: chronological order is best for re-reads. It can spoil reveals and drop you into characters, relationships, and worldbuilding before the series that originally introduced them.
I’ve listed the core novels in chronological order first, then grouped the short story collections and companion books separately, since those jump around the timeline.
Core Books
- Clockwork Angel
- Clockwork Prince
- Clockwork Princess
- Chain of Gold
- Chain of Iron
- Chain of Thorns
- City of Bones
- City of Ashes
- City of Glass
- The Red Scrolls of Magic
- City of Fallen Angels
- City of Lost Souls
- City of Heavenly Fire
- The Lost Book of the White
- Lady Midnight
- Lord of Shadows
- Queen of Air and Darkness
- The Last King of the Faerie (TBA)
Supplemental
These are collections of short stories and companion books that jump around the timeline. If you want the exact placement of each story, you can refer to this interactive timeline on Clare’s website.
- The Shadowhunter’s Codex
- The Bane Chronicles
- Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy
- Ghosts of the Shadow Market
- A Sea Change
- Better in Black: Ten Stories of Shadowhunter Romance
Get the printable checklist
Want the quick, printable version?
You can grab my free Cassandra Clare / Shadowhunters checklist (PDF) and check off each book as you read. It’s the same list from this guide—just condensed into an easy tracker.
Shadowhunters FAQ
Do you have to read Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunters books in order?
You can read some series on their own, but you’ll get the best payoff reading in an intentional order. Characters, relationships, and big reveals carry across series, so skipping around can spoil moments or make references feel random. If you’re new, use the “Best Shadowhunters Reading Order” in this guide.
Where should I start with Cassandra Clare?
Start with City of Bones. It’s the cleanest entry point to the world, it explains what Shadowhunters are, and it sets up the characters and rules everything else builds on.
Does Shadowhunters (TV Show) follow the books?
Loosely. It’s based on The Mortal Instruments, but it changes plotlines, timelines, and even some character arcs—so it won’t “replace” the books, and it can spoil (or reshuffle) reveals. If you’re choosing one, start with the books.
Is the Shadowhunters series over?
No — more Shadowhunters books are still planned, and this guide will stay updated as new titles become available. Just keep in mind that announced books can shift dates, so I only treat a release date as “real” once there’s an actual preorder listing.
Looking for more books in order?
If you want more fantasy authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Fantasy Books in Order index.
17 thoughts on “Cassandra Clare Books in Order: Complete Shadowhunters Guide”
Is your printable Cassandra Clare reading order up to date? I’d love to print it out, but there’s nothing to click on.
It is up to date, BUT I hadn’t realized the link wasn’t working. Thank you! I’ve fixed it.
Have you heard of The Wicked Powers series? I am SO desperate to read anything related to the Shadowhunters series so I may be clutching at straws but I saw it listed on Goodreads but can’t seem to find much more about it? Any help greatly appreciated.
I have not. But you might consider joining my Facebook group, YA Fantasy Addicts, as there’s tons of helpful info and recommendations in there.
The Wicked Powers comes after TDA. It’s about Ty, Kit and Dru mainly. Not out yet.
https://shadowhunters.fandom.com/wiki/The_Wicked_Powers
It looks like the series isn’t coming out until 2023!
its to be released !
The wicked powers series will be the last in the Shadowhunters chronicles revolving around kit herondale and the younger Blackthorn children
is your Cassandra Clare reading order checklist working,because i didnt get it even after few minutes
I just tested it out and it arrived just fine. Check your promotions folder as that’s where it goes (or spam just in case). If you still don’t get it, send me an email: tl (at) tlbranson (dot) com
could you please send the reading guide to me personally through mail
hi,even after few days i didnt get cassandra clare books reading guide.so could you send it to me personally
It seems you received the email back at the beginning of March with the checklist and so it wouldn’t trigger again when you tried again in April. I told the system to resend the email to you. I would suggest not deleting the email so that if you need the checklist again, you can reference the email.
I wanted to thank you for all of your time and energy for not only putting up the different ways to read it. I received the printable checklist and it was in my email as soon as I opened my email page, within less than a minutes time. I find your information so helpful, you even recommended different orders would work if you are re-reading the series.
I sincerely thank you for taking the time to further educate some of us.
With gratitude,
Melissa
You’re welcome and thank you!
I’ve been trying to get the printable version to email to me, but I’ve done it like 4 times and I’m not receiving it. Is this link working?
I updated the link in the article to a straight up PDF download.