Sometimes you just want to curl up with a good book, and Cassandra Clare has plenty of those. The YA author is one of the biggest names in fantasy, thanks to her critically acclaimed Shadowhunter Chronicles series. The novels follow a mysterious group known as Shadowhunters, who defend the world from demons. Like most YA novels, there’s plenty of romance too! In addition, Clare has numerous other projects, including her Magisterium series with Holly Black.

If you’re looking to get into Cassandra Clare’s bibliography but aren’t sure where to start, Popverse has you covered! This guide will tell you everything you need to know about reading her books in release and chronological order. Let’s dive in…

How to read Cassandra Clare’s books in release order

If you want to read Cassandra Clare’s bibliography, get comfortable because there are a lot of books! Clare is a busy author with enough YA novels to entertain you for months. In addition to her Shadowhunter Chronicles series, Clare has also collaborated with authors on projects set in other universes.

The following list covers her books in release order. We’ve included comic book adaptations, but not coloring books, standalone short stories published online, or her early fan fiction. If you’re curious, some of that will be covered elsewhere in the guide.

• The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2007)
• The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes (2008)
• The Mortal Instruments: City of Glass (2009)
• The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel (2010)
• The Mortal Instruments: City of Fallen Angels (2011)
• The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Prince (2011)
• The Mortal Instruments: City of Lost Souls (2012)
• The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel, Vol. 1 (2012) (note: comic book adaptation)
• Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader (2013) (note: essay book co-written with other authors)
• The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Prince, Vol. 2 (2013) (note: comic book adaptation)
• The Shadowhunter’s Codex (2013) (note: co-written with her husband Joshua Lewis)
• The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Princess (2013)
• The Mortal Instruments: City of Heavenly Fire (2014)
• The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Princess, Vol. 3 (2014) (note: comic book adaptation)
• The Magisterium: The Iron Trial (2014) (note: co-written with Holly Black)
• The Bane Chronicles (2014) (note: novellas collection co-written with Sarah Rees Brennan and Maureen Johnson)
• The Magisterium: The Copper Gauntlet (2015) (note: co-written with Holly Black)
• A History of Notable Shadowhunters and Denizens of Downworld (2016) (note: illustrated guidebook)
• The Dark Artifices: Lady Midnight (2016)
• The Magisterium: The Bronze Key (2016) (note: co-written with Holly Black)
• Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy (2016) (note: novella collection co-written with other authors)
• The Dark Artifices: Lord of Shadows (2017)
• The Magisterium: The Silver Mask (2017) (note: co-written with Holly Black)
• The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1 (2017) (note: comic book adaptation)
• The Magisterium: The Golden Tower (2018) (note: co-written with Holly Black)
• The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 2 (2018) (note: comic book adaptation)
• The Dark Artifices: Queen of Air and Darkness (2018)
• The Eldest Curses: The Red Scrolls of Magic (2019) (co-written with Wesley Chu)
• Ghosts of the Shadow Market: An Anthology of Tales (2019) (note: anthology co-written with other authors)
• The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 3 (2019) (note: comic book adaptation)
• The Last Hours: Chain of Gold (2020)  
• The Eldest Curses: The Lost Book of White (2020) (co-written with Wesley Chu)
• The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 4 (2020) (note: comic book adaptation)
• The Last Hours: Chain of Iron (2021)
• The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 5 (2022) (note: comic book adaptation)
• The Last Hours: Chain of Thorns (2023)
• The Chronicles of Castellane: Sword Catcher (2023)
• The Chronicles of Castellane: The Ragpicker King (2025)
• The Chronicles of Castellane: The Bone Conjurers (TBD)
• The Wicked Powers: The Last King of Faerie (2026)
• The Wicked Powers: The Last Prince of Hell (TBD)
• The Wicked Powers: The Last Shadowhunter (TBD)
• Untitled Fire Foretold book 1 (TBD)
• Untitled Fire Foretold book 2 (TBD)
• The Eldest Curses: The Black Volume (TBD) (note: co-written with Wesley Chu)

 

How to read Cassandra Clare’s books in chronological order

Cassandra Clare is a busy author, sometimes writing multiple book series simultaneously. You might be wondering how it all fits together. Is The Mortal Instruments set in the same universe as The Chronicles of Castellane? This section of the guide will break it all down.

How to read The Shadowhunter Chronicles in order

The Shadowhunter Chronicles is the universe most of Clare’s books are set in. This timeline was put together with information from the chronology section of Cassandra Clare’s official site. Like any shared universe, there may be discrepancies in the timeline. For example, a press release from Simon & Shuster places The Lost Book of the White in 2010, while Clare’s website places it in 2012. In this case, I’ve deferred to the information on Clare’s website.

• 1878: Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, and Clockwork Princess
• 1903: Chain of Gold, Chain of Thorns, and Chain of Iron
• 2007: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, City of Heavenly Fire, Tales from the Shadowhunters Academy, and The Bane Chronicles
• 2012: Lady Midnight, Lord of Shadows, Queen of Air and Darkness, Ghosts of the Shadow Market, The Red Scrolls of Magic, The Lost Book of the White, and The Black Volume of the Dead
• 2015: The Last King of Faerie, The Last Prince of Hell, and The Last Shadowhunter

How to read The Magisterium in order

The Magisterium is a middle grade novel series about a boy named Call who attends a school for mages. The series, which Clare co-wrote with Holly Black, is set in a separate universe from Clare’s Shadowhunter Chronicles.

• The Magisterium: The Iron Trial
• The Magisterium: The Copper Gauntlet
• The Magisterium: The Bronze Key
• The Magisterium: The Silver Mask
• The Magisterium: The Golden Tower

How to read The Chronicles of Castellane in order

The Chronicles of Castellane is a fantasy series set in an alternate version of the 17^th century. The series is not set in the same universe as Clare’s Shadowhunter Chronicles novels.

• The Chronicles of Castellane: Sword Catcher
• The Chronicles of Castellane: The Ragpicker King
• The Chronicles of Castellane: The Bone Conjurers (upcoming release)

How to read In Fire Foretold in order

In Fire Foretold is an upcoming duology from Cassandra Clare. The young adult fantasy series follows a young woman who must master her new powers in order to save her kingdom. The series will not share a continuity with Clare’s Shadowhunter Chronicles franchise.

• Untitled Fire Foretold book 1 (TBD)
• Untitled Fire Foretold book 2 (TBD)

What about Cassandra Clare’s short stories?

Cassandra Clare must have a keyboard glued to her hands, because the woman is constantly writing. In addition to all of the previously listed novels, Clare has also written short stories, which can be found in a variety of anthologies.

• “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord,” Turn the Other Chick (2004) (note: credited to Cassandra Claire)
• “Charming,” So Fey (2007)
• “Graffiti,” Magic in the Mirrorstone (2008)
• “Other Boys,” The Eternal Kiss (2009)
• “The Mirror House,” Vacations from Hell (2009)
• “I Never,” Geektastic (2009)
• “Cold Hands,” ZVU: Zombies Versus Unicorns (2010)
• “The Perfect Dinner Party,” Teeth: Vampire Tales (2011) (note: co-written with Holly Black)
• “The Rowan Gentlemen,” Welcome to Bordertown (2011) (note: co-written with Holly Black)
• “Sisters Before Misters,” Dark Duets: All-New Takes of Horror and Dark Fantasy (2014) (note: co-written with Sarah Rees Brennan and Holly Black)

When is Cassandra Clare’s next book?

According to Cassandra Clare’s official website, her next two books will be The Ragpicker King and The Last King of Faerie. The Ragpicker King will be the second book in The Chronicles of Castellane series, and it will be published on March 4, 2025. The Last King of Faerie is the first book of The Wicked Powers Trilogy, which will be the final trilogy of The Shadowhunter Chronicles series. The Last King of Faerie is expected to hit stores in spring 2026.

Clare is also working on a duology called In Fire Foretold. The series will focus on the daughter of a magician in the King’s court. The story will not be set in the Shadowhunters universe. The first entry of the duology, which is currently untitled, does not have a release date at this time.

Is the City of Bones series spicy?

The City of Bones series, otherwise known as The Mortal Instruments, is not too spicy. Everyone has a different standard for what spicy is, but I think it’s safe to say that City of Bones is more medium than it is spicy. There are passionate make out sessions and one book depict two characters having sex. However, the references to sex are very light.

If you want a little more spice in your YA reading, Clare posted an unedited director’s cut of the City of Heavenly Fire cave sex scene on her Tumblr.

Why does Cassandra Clare use a pen name?

Like many other authors, Cassandra Clare writes using a pen name. Her real name is Judith Rumelt, but since her marriage to Joshua Lewis, she has gone by Judith Lewis. The name Cassandra comes from The Beautiful Cassandra, one of the first pieces of fan fiction she wrote during her childhood. The story was based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name.

Most teenagers use pen names while posting fan fiction online, especially during the early days of the internet, before the rise of social media. Cassandra loved the alliteration of Cassandra Claire (later changed to Clare), and the name stuck.

Did Cassandra Clare write Harry Potter fanfiction?

Yes, like many authors, Cassandra Clare honed her craft writing fanfiction. In 2000 Clare (writing under the name Cassandra Claire) began writing a long-form series about the Harry Potter character Draco Malfoy on FanFiction.net. The novels, posted over the course of 6 years, became known as the Draco Trilogy. The first installment is titled Draco Dormiens, and it depicts Harry and Draco swapping bodies. The second installment, Draco Sinister, finds Harry and Draco saving a kidnapped Hermione. The final installment, Draco Veritas, follows more hijinks in the halls of Hogwarts.

Clare deleted the Draco Trilogy when her career as a published author began to take off. However, nothing on the internet is ever truly gone forever, and the stories have been reposted on other sites. If you ask nicely on Reddit, someone might give you a link.

Should I read City of Bones or Clockwork Angel first?

It depends on if you prefer release order or chronological order. City of Bones is Clare’s first published novel, and it the first entry of her famed Shadowhunter Chronicles franchise. It’s a great introduction to the Shadowhunters world, setting up the status quo and rules of the universe. Clockwork Angel was published years later, but it takes place earlier in the timeline…approximately 129 years earlier! Some readers have reported enjoying Clockwork Angel as an entry point, noting that Clare’s writing gets stronger with each novel. In the end, it comes down to whether you enjoy release order or chronological order.

---

Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out Popverse's guides to:

• Upcoming movies
• Upcoming TV shows
• Upcoming comics
• Upcoming games
• Upcoming fiction books
• Upcoming comic conventions