The Final Guide To Read The Shadowhunters Chronicles

The Wicked Powers, the final series of the Shadowhunters Chronicles, comes out in 2026. That means you have almost two years to catch up with the rest of this series before it’s too late. We cannot lie; we’re crushed that this fantastic story that began in 2007 is ending. However, from what we heard from the author, Cassandra Clare, the grand finale will be everything we hope it will be. As we speak, there are 20 Shadowhunters books, and sometimes it can get tricky to read all of them. Because of that, and also we want you to have the time of your life with these books, we did our research. Here’s the final guide to reading the Shadowhunters books without falling.

There are different ways to read this series. However, according to Cassandra Clare, the best way to read the books is in publication order. With that clear, grab your Stele and your Seraph Blade and get ready to dive into the shadow universe.

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The Mortal Instruments

The Mortal Instruments is the first series of books about Shadowhunters. In these, we follow Clary Fray. As a 15-year-old New Yorker, she discovers a world beyond our sight. In this, there’s a race of people with human and angel blood. The Nephilim, or Shadowhunter, has the purpose of protecting us from demons on earth. Also, imagine that every legend is real. There are werewolves, vampires, fairies, and warlocks living among us.

But wait, there’s a catch. We know that Clary’s story sounds exciting, but you have to take things slow. At first, you’re only going to read the first 3 books of the series in this order:

1. City of Bones.
2. City of Ashes.
3. City of Glass.

The Infernal Devices

Get ready to ugly cry after reading Will, Jem, and Tessa’s story. These books take place in 18th-century Victorian London. Our main character, Tessa Gray, arrives in this city thinking she will live with her brother. However, his brother is missing, and everything Tessa knows about herself is a lie. With the help of the Shadowhunters, Tessa is going to find her brother and the truth of who she is. You may wonder why you must read this trilogy before finishing The Mortal Instruments. The thing is, most of the characters that appear in this trilogy have a huge influence on the other three books of The Mortal Instruments. So be sure to take your time and enjoy this wonderful story. You should read the books in this order:

1. Clockwork Angel.
2. Clockwork Prince.
3. Clockwork Princess aka Why Cassandra Clare?!?! Why?

The Mortal Instruments (Again)

Now you have read half of the first saga and The Infernal Devices. If by this point you haven’t cried at least once, is everything okay? Don’t worry; eventually, you will cry. These are the final books of the first saga, and believe us, after finishing The Infernal Devices, you will enjoy even more of Clary’s story. Also, Cassandra’s writing has evolved a lot since the first books. In fact, we have to say to you that you are about to read a masterpiece! Now you may continue with:

1. City of Fallen Angels.
2. City of Lost Souls.
3. City of Heavenly Fire aka the Marvel multiverse of Shadowhunters.

Pro Tip: We recommend reading The Bane Chronicles and Tales of The Shadowhunter Academy after finishing City Of Heavenly Fire. These two books are important collections of short stories, so don’t skip them, especially if you love Simon and Magnus. Also, go ahead and read The Shadowhunter’s Codex!

The Dark Artifices

In this series, we follow the Parabatai duo Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn. Taking place in L.A, years later after the ending of City of Heavenly Fire. Of course, this isn’t a warning; however, do not read these books if you haven’t read all of the above; you’re not going to understand what is happening. It’s hard to talk about his books without spoiling the whole series. Just trust us; these 3 books are worth it! The order to read them is:

1. Lady Midnight.
2. Lord Of Shadows.
3. Queen of Air and Darkness, aka the longest book of the Shadowhunters Chronicles.

The Eldest Curses

This trilogy is about Magnus and Alec. It’s important to have read all the books we just mentioned, since you may get confused with some of the characters that appear. Besides the fact that Malec is one of our favorite couples, we have to say that getting to know Magnus even more is the best part! The reading order of the Malec trilogy is:

1. The Red Scrolls of Magic.
2. The Lost Book of the White.
3. The Black Volume Of The Dead (this hasn’t come out yet, but be sure to read it after you finish the Wicked Powers Trilogy).

Now you can read Ghost Of The Shadow Market, another collection of short stories for the Jem fans. Oh, also, all the short stories are illustrated, which gives the reading experience a boost!

The Last Hours

After the ending of Clockwork Princess, demonic activity in London has been pretty low. Tea parties, dances, and vacations are now part of the everyday life of the Shadowhunters. But one day everything changes, and demons are back. Also, there’s a new family in town: the Carstairs. Cordelia is the youngest of the family, and her life changes forever after arriving in London. The reading order is:

1. Chain of Gold.
2. Chain of Iron.
3. Chain of Thorns.

Now you can read Secrets of The Blackthorn Hall, which is free on Tumblr.

The Wicked Powers

As we said before, the whole adventure that started with a young redhead in New York back in 2007 is ending. In this last trilogy, even though deep down we wish it wasn’t, our main characters are Dru and Ty Blackthorn and also Kit Herondale. From the ending of Queen of Air and Darkness, we know for a fact that Kit and Ty have unresolved business. The order of the books will be:

1. The Last King of Faerie.
2. The Last Prince of Hell.
3. The Last Shadownhunter.

It seems like a lot, doesn’t it? But don’t worry—once you start, you won’t be able to stop reading. Our advice is to take it easy, and if you want to, you can always re-read the books. So now you know the final guide to reading the Shadowhunters Chronicles books in order. If you enjoyed reading them, you are more than ready for The Wicked Powers!

Which character in the Shadowhunters books is your favorite? Be sure to let us know by tweeting us at @thehoneypop or visiting us on Facebook and Instagram!

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