| Order | Cover | Title | First published |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Selection series | |||
| 1 |
|
The Selection | 2012 |
| 2 |
|
The Prince | 2013 |
| 3 |
|
The Elite | 2013 |
| 4 |
|
The Guard | 2014 |
| 5 |
|
The One | 2014 |
| 6 |
|
The Queen | 2014 |
| 7 |
|
The Heir | 2015 |
| 8 |
|
The Favorite | 2015 |
| 9 |
|
The Crown | 2016 |
| 10 |
|
The Selection Coloring Book | 2016 |
| The Betrothed series | |||
| 1 |
|
The Betrothed | 2020 |
| 2 |
|
The Betrayed | 2021 |
| Standalone books | |||
| 1 |
|
The Siren | 2008 |
| 2 |
|
Brave New Love | 2012 |
| 3 |
|
A Thousand Heartbeats | 2022 |
The Selection series
It is necessary to read The Selection main novels in publication order, while the companion titles are optional and may be read in different positions. The best starting point is The Selection, since it introduces Illéa, the caste system, the royal competition, and the relationships that shape the series.[6-15]
The Selection is a continuous royal-romance and political series built around the Selection process in Illéa. The first major arc follows America Singer, Prince Maxon Schreave, and Aspen Leger through a competition that becomes tied to rebellion, caste conflict, and royal authority. Later main novels move to the next generation with Princess Eadlyn. Several companion works retell, expand, or frame parts of the main books from other points of view.[6-15]
Recommended order
The main The Selection books are best read in the recommended order below, with optional companion works placed where they fit most clearly within the sequence:[6-15]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Selection | 2012[16-17] | Introduces America, Maxon, Aspen, Illéa, and the Selection. |
| 2 |
|
The Prince | 2013[18-19] | Gives Maxon’s view of the opening Selection events. |
| 3 |
|
The Elite | 2013[20-22] | Continues America’s place among the final candidates. |
| 4 |
|
The Guard | 2014[23-24] | Reframes events from Aspen’s palace-guard perspective. |
| 5 |
|
The One | 2014[25] | Concludes the first main Selection arc. |
| 6 |
|
The Queen | 2014[26-29] | Adds earlier royal background through Amberly’s Selection. |
| 7 |
|
The Heir | 2015[30-31] | Begins the next-generation Selection storyline. |
| 8 |
|
The Favorite | 2015[32-33] | Expands Marlee and Carter’s side of the main arc. |
| 9 |
|
The Crown | 2016[34] | Continues from The Heir. |
| 10 |
|
The Selection Coloring Book | 2016[35] | Non-narrative companion. |
Chronological order
TA chronology-focused read may begin with The Queen, then proceed through the rest of the series in order. This approach highlights the royal family’s earlier history before shifting to America’s story.[6-15]
However, the chronological order is less ideal for first-time readers, since the prequel and viewpoint stories are more effective once the main books have already established the world and its characters.[6-15]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Selection | 2012[16-17] | First published novel introducing the series. |
| 2 |
|
The Elite | 2013[20-22] | Second main novel continuing America’s story. |
| 3 |
|
The One | 2014[25] | Concludes the original trilogy. |
| 4 |
|
The Prince | 2013[18-19] | Companion novella from Maxon’s perspective. |
| 5 |
|
The Guard | 2014[23-24] | Companion novella from Aspen’s perspective. |
| 6 |
|
The Queen | 2014[26-29] | Prequel novella about Amberly’s Selection. |
| 7 |
|
The Heir | 2015[30-31] | Begins the next-generation storyline. |
| 8 |
|
The Favorite | 2015[32-33] | Companion novella focusing on Marlee and Carter. |
| 9 |
|
The Crown | 2016[34] | Concludes Eadlyn’s Selection arc. |
|
|
The Selection Coloring Book | 2016[35] | Non-narrative companion. |
Publication order
The following list reflects the exact publication order of all major Selection titles. This differs slightly from the recommended reading sequence above, which groups companion works for clarity:[16-35]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Queen | 2014[26-29] | Prequel focusing on Amberly’s Selection and earlier royal history. |
| 2 |
|
The Prince | 2013[18-19] | Maxon’s perspective before and during the early Selection events. |
| 3 |
|
The Selection | 2012[16-17] | Introduces America and the main Selection storyline. |
| 4 |
|
The Elite | 2013[20-22] | Continues America’s progression in the competition. |
| 5 |
|
The Guard | 2014[23-24] | Aspen’s viewpoint during the palace events. |
| 6 |
|
The One | 2014[25] | Concludes America’s Selection arc. |
| 7 |
|
The Favorite | 2015[32-33] | Expands Marlee and Carter’s storyline. |
| 8 |
|
The Heir | 2015[30-31] | Begins Eadlyn’s Selection in the next generation. |
| 9 |
|
The Crown | 2016[34] | Concludes Eadlyn’s Selection arc. |
| 10 |
|
The Selection Coloring Book | 2016[35] | Non-narrative companion. |
Works in sequence
The essential reading path consists of the main novels that carry the principal storyline from America Singer’s Selection to Princess Eadlyn’s later Selection. These books contain the central continuity and should be the priority for first-time readers. They are The Selection, The Elite, The One, The Heir, and The Crown.[6-10]
The supplementary works expand the series through alternate viewpoints, earlier royal background, side-character material, or non-narrative companion content. They are useful for fuller coverage, but they are not required before reading the main novels, and readers can skip them without losing the core storyline. These supplementary titles are The Prince, The Guard, The Queen, The Favorite, and The Selection Coloring Book.[11-15]
Readers who want only the main story may begin with the essential works and return to the supplementary titles afterward.[6-15]
1. The Selection
The Selection (2012)[16-17] establishes the central structure of the series: a televised royal competition in which thirty-five girls are chosen as possible brides for Prince Maxon. America Singer enters reluctantly, torn between family pressure, her past relationship with Aspen, and her growing connection with Maxon.[6]
This novel introduces Illéa’s caste system, palace life, rebel threats, and the emotional triangle that drives the first arc.[6]
2. The Prince
The Prince (2013)[18-19] revisits the beginning of the Selection from Maxon’s perspective. It shows his anxiety before the competition, his difficult relationship with King Clarkson, and his first encounter with America in the palace gardens.[11]
The story is not a replacement for The Selection, but it adds useful context to Maxon’s position before the main plot is already underway.[11]
3. The Elite
The Elite (2013)[20-22] continues the story after the competition has narrowed to six remaining candidates. America’s feelings for Maxon and Aspen become more complicated, while palace politics, rebel activity, and the cruelty of the caste system move closer to the foreground.[7]
This book depends on the first novel’s setup and should be read after The Selection.[7]
4. The Guard
The Guard (2014)[23-24] retells part of the first main arc from Aspen Leger’s point of view. Set during America’s time among the Elite, it focuses more on Aspen’s duties as a palace guard, his knowledge of palace security, and his view of the monarchy.[12]
It reads best after The Elite has established the events and tensions that Aspen is experiencing from the margins.[12]
5. The One
The One (2014)[25] brings the first major arc to its conclusion. America remains caught between personal loyalty, romantic uncertainty, and the political crisis surrounding the palace, while the competition reaches its decisive stage.[8]
Because it resolves conflicts developed across The Selection and The Elite, it should not be treated as a standalone starting point.[8]
6. The Queen
The Queen (2014)[26-29] is a prequel centered on Amberly’s participation in an earlier Selection, when Prince Clarkson is choosing his future wife. It broadens the royal family’s background and gives context for the previous generation of the Schreave monarchy.[13]
Although it takes place earlier in the internal chronology, it is more useful after the first arc has already introduced the royal household.[13]
7. The Heir
The Heir (2015)[30-31] begins a later sequence focused on Princess Eadlyn Schreave, the daughter of Maxon and America. Set after the old caste system has been removed, it follows Eadlyn as she reluctantly agrees to hold a Selection of her own to help steady public unrest.[9]
This book starts a new arc, but it grows out of the political and family history established in the earlier novels.[9]
8. The Favorite
The Favorite (2015)[32-33] expands Marlee Tames and Carter Woodwork’s story, returning to events connected with the first main arc. It shows Marlee’s position inside the Selection, her forbidden relationship with Carter, and the consequences that follow.[14]
This story is supplementary rather than essential, but it is most meaningful after readers understand Marlee’s role in America’s storyline.[14]
9. The Crown
The Crown (2016)[34] continues from The Heir, with Eadlyn facing both the remaining suitors and new responsibilities as Illéa’s future ruler. This book follows the conclusion of her Selection while also dealing with unrest, public perception, and the monarchy’s future structure.[10]
It should be read after The Heir, since it completes that second-generation arc.[10]
10. The Selection Coloring Book
The Selection Coloring Book (2016)[35] is a non-narrative companion rather than a story entry. It features illustrated characters and moments, as well as hand-lettered quotations from the five main Selection books.[15]
It does not advance the plot, so it belongs after the novels for readers who want a visual companion to the world of Illéa.[15]
The Betrothed series
It is necessary to read The Betrothed books, written by Kiera Cass,[5] in chronological order, which coincides with their publication order,[36-40] because the second book continues the consequences, relationships, and political conflicts established in the first. The best starting point is The Betrothed, since it introduces Hollis Brite, the courts of Coroa and Isolte, and the personal and dynastic tensions that drive the sequence.[41-42]
The Betrothed is a continuous two-book sequence. The first book establishes Hollis Brite’s position at the Coroan court, her break from royal expectation, and the conflict created by the Eastoffe family’s claim in Isolte. The second book follows from those events, carrying the same characters into the political aftermath. A reader needs to begin with book one for the central storyline to make sense.[41-42]
The Betrothed books must be read in chronological order, which coincides with their publication order, by following this sequence:[36-40]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Betrothed | 2020[36-38] | Introduces Hollis, Coroa, Isolte, and the conflict. |
| 2 |
|
The Betrayed | 2021[39-40] | Continues Hollis’s story after the massacre. |
1. The Betrothed
The Betrothed (2020)[36-38] introduces Lady Hollis Brite, a Coroan noblewoman whose favor with King Jameson places her near the center of royal power. This novel establishes the courtly expectations surrounding Hollis, the arrival of the Eastoffe family from Isolte, and the personal choices that draw her away from the life prepared for her.[41]
It also sets up the dynastic danger that carries into the sequel.[41]
2. The Betrayed
The Betrayed (2021)[39-40] follows Hollis after the violent rupture that ends her former life in Coroa and sends her toward Isolte with the surviving Eastoffes. This novel continues the political conflict surrounding King Quinten, the Eastoffe claim, and Hollis’s changing place between two kingdoms.[42]
It depends on the first book’s relationships and losses, making it a continuation rather than a separate entry.[42]
Standalone books
Kiera Cass’s standalone books do not need to be read in order because the works tell separate stories with different characters, settings, and continuities.[43-45] The publication order provides the clearest complete listing, but readers may choose according to premise instead.[46-48]
It’s unnecessary to read Kiera Cass’s standalone books in order.[43-45] However, they may be read in publication order, by following this sequence:[46-48]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Siren | 2008 | A siren’s voice complicates her connection with a human. |
| 2 |
|
Brave New Love | 2012 | An anthology containing Kiera Cass’s In the Clearing. |
| 3 |
|
A Thousand Heartbeats | 2022 | A princess and an enemy soldier are drawn into a struggle for power. |
Works in sequence
The Siren is the most practical starting point. It is the first work in publication order and offers a complete novel centered on one protagonist, one supernatural premise, and one self-contained romantic storyline.[43]
A Thousand Heartbeats is an equally accessible alternative for readers who prefer royal conflict, rival factions, sword fighting, and a romance between characters on opposing sides.[45] Brave New Love is better approached by readers specifically seeking short dystopian fiction, since Kiera Cass contributes one story to a multi-author anthology rather than an entire novel.[44]
1. The Siren
The Siren (2008)[46] follows Kahlen, who survives a shipwreck by accepting a century of service to the Ocean as an immortal siren. Her required silence and participation in deadly ship sinkings become increasingly difficult after she forms a connection with Akinli, a grieving young fisherman.[43]
This novel is a complete standalone story and can be read without any of the other works.[43]
2. Brave New Love
Brave New Love (2012)[47] is a young adult dystopian anthology that includes Kiera Cass’s story In the Clearing, in which Mackenzie Shepard is taken to a community of Outsiders. She discovers that her government uses drugged food to suppress emotion and must decide whether to return to her controlled life or help expose the system.[4]
Cass’s contribution is an independent short story rather than a continuation of The Siren or a lead-in to A Thousand Heartbeats.[4]
3. A Thousand Heartbeats
A Thousand Heartbeats (2022)[48] follows Princess Annika of Kadier and Lennox, a soldier serving an opposing power that seeks to reclaim the kingdom. Their relationship becomes intertwined with an arranged marriage, an invasion, royal history, and claims to the throne.[45]
This novel forms its own complete continuity and may be read before or after the other works.[45]
References
- Books in series The Selection. HarperCollins Publishers.
- Books in series The Selection Novella. HarperCollins Publishers.
- The Selection Coloring Book. HarperCollins Publishers.
- Brave New Love. Robinson. ISBN: 9781849016018.
- Books. Kiera Cass.
- The Selection. HarperTeen. ISBN: 9780062059932.
- The Elite. HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780062059963.
- The One. HarperTeen. ISBN: 9780062059994.
- The Heir. HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780062349859.
- The Crown. HarperTeen. ISBN: 9780062392176.
- The Prince. HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780062248169.
- The Guard. HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780062317148.
- The Queen. HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780062351203.
- The Favorite. HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780062351210.
- The Selection Coloring Book. HarperTeen. ISBN: 9780062641144.
- The Selection. HarperCollins Publishers.
- The Selection. HarperCollins Publishers Canada.
- The Prince. HarperCollins Publishers.
- The Prince. HarperCollins Publishers Canada.
- The Elite. HarperCollins Publishers.
- The Elite (The Selection) by Kiera Cass. HarperCollins Publishers UK.
- The Elite. HarperCollins Publishers Canada.
- The Guard. HarperCollins Publishers.
- The Guard. HarperCollins Publishers Canada.
- The One. HarperCollins Publishers Australia.
- The Queen. HarperCollins Publishers.
- The Queen (The Selection) by Kiera Cass. HarperCollins Publishers UK.
- The Queen. HarperCollins Publishers Canada.
- The Queen (The Selection). HarperCollins Publishers Australia.
- The Heir. HarperCollins Publishers.
- The Heir. HarperCollins Publishers Canada.
- The Favorite. HarperCollins Publishers.
- The Favorite. HarperCollins Publishers Canada.
- The Crown. HarperCollins Publishers Australia.
- The Selection Coloring Book. HarperCollins Publishers Canada.
- The Betrothed. HarperCollins Publishers.
- The Betrothed. HarperCollins Publishers Canada.
- The Betrothed. HarperCollins Publishers Australia.
- The Betrayed. HarperCollins Publishers.
- The Betrayed. HarperCollins Publishers Canada.
- The Betrothed. HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780062291639.
- The Betrayed. HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780062291660.
- The Siren. HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780062392008.
- Brave New Love. Robinson. ISBN: 9781849016018.
- A Thousand Heartbeats. HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780062665782.
- Kiera Cass Gets a Second Chance at a First Novel With The Siren. B&N Reads.
- Brave New Love by Paula Guran. Little, Brown Book Group.
- A Thousand Heartbeats. HarperCollins Publishers.