Honestly, walking into a bookstore and looking for a Cassandra Clare book series is a lot like walking into a trap. You see a wall of spines with "City of" this and "Chain of" that, and you think, "Cool, I'll just start at the beginning."
Except, where is the beginning?
If you start with City of Bones, you’re technically starting where it all began in 2007. But then you find out there’s a prequel trilogy set in Victorian London that people say you have to read before the fourth book of the first series. Then there’s another prequel set in the Edwardian era. It’s a whole thing. Basically, Clare has built a massive, interconnected "Shadowhunter Chronicles" universe that behaves more like the MCU than a standard book series.
The Shadowhunter Chronicles: A Quick Reality Check
Most people think of the Shadowhunters as just the Mortal Instruments gang—Clary, Jace, and the New York crew. But as of 2026, the world has expanded into several distinct eras. You’ve got the 1870s (The Infernal Devices), the 1900s (The Last Hours), the 2007-era (The Mortal Instruments), and the 2012-era (The Dark Artifices).
There’s also the newer adult stuff, like Sword Catcher, which has nothing to do with Shadowhunters but keeps getting mixed up in the search results.
The Mortal Instruments (The OG)
This is the six-book heavyweight that started the fire. It follows Clary Fray, a girl who finds out she’s not actually "mundane" (human) but part of a race of angel-blooded demon hunters.
- City of Bones
- City of Ashes
- City of Glass
- City of Fallen Angels
- City of Lost Souls
- City of Heavenly Fire
The weird thing? The first three books were originally meant to be a standalone trilogy. Then Clare came back and added three more. You can really feel the shift in tone between City of Glass and City of Fallen Angels.
The Infernal Devices (The Fan Favorite)
Ask any hardcore fan, and they’ll tell you this is actually the best series. Set in 1878 London, it’s got clockwork monsters, a heartbreaking love triangle that actually works (rare, I know), and Tessa Gray.
- Clockwork Angel
- Clockwork Prince
- Clockwork Princess
The Dark Artifices (The LA Vibe)
Set five years after the end of The Mortal Instruments, this one moves to Los Angeles. It focuses on Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn. The stakes here feel more personal because of the parabatai curse—essentially, if you’re bonded partners, you can’t fall in love. Of course, they do.
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- Lady Midnight
- Lord of Shadows
- Queen of Air and Darkness
What Most People Get Wrong About the Reading Order
Here is where the internet starts screaming. If you read everything in chronological order (starting in the 1800s), you’ll actually spoil some of the biggest twists in the modern-day books.
Publication order is almost always the way to go. Why? Because Clare writes the "past" books with the assumption that you already know the lore from the "present" books. For example, reading The Last Hours (the 1900s series) before The Infernal Devices is just asking for confusion. You’ll see characters’ children and know exactly who ended up with whom before the romance even starts in the earlier books.
The "Clare Suggested" Hybrid Order:
- The Mortal Instruments 1-3
- The Infernal Devices 1-3
- The Mortal Instruments 4-6
- The Dark Artifices 1-3
- The Last Hours 1-3
It sounds like a lot of jumping around, but it prevents the "wait, who is this guy’s great-grandfather again?" syndrome.
The Newer Stuff: The Wicked Powers and Sword Catcher
If you’re caught up on the old stuff, you’re probably looking at the 2025 and 2026 releases. The Wicked Powers is the final planned trilogy in the Shadowhunter world. It’s set to focus on Kit Herondale, Ty Blackthorn, and Dru Blackthorn. The first book, The Last King of Faerie, is the big 2026 milestone everyone’s tracking.
Then there’s the Chronicles of Castellane.
This is Clare’s "adult" fantasy venture. Sword Catcher dropped in late 2023, and the sequel, The Ragpicker King, is the next big beat.
It’s a totally different magic system. No angels, no steles. Instead, you have Kel, a "Sword Catcher" (body double for a prince), and Lin, a physician from an outcast magical community. It's much crunchier than the Shadowhunter books—more politics, more "high fantasy" world-building, and fewer teenagers making out in libraries while demons attack. Sorta.
Is the Magisterium Series Still Worth It?
People often forget Clare co-wrote a middle-grade series with Holly Black called Magisterium.
- The Iron Trial
- The Copper Gauntlet
- The Bronze Key
- The Silver Mask
- The Golden Tower
If you like Harry Potter but wish it was darker and had more "holy crap" plot twists, this is it. It’s not part of the Shadowhunter world, but the "Clare DNA" is all over it. The ending of the first book, The Iron Trial, is still one of the gutsiest moves in kid-lit.
Actionable Steps for the Aspiring Reader
If you’re looking to dive in now, don't try to buy every single book at once. You'll go broke and get overwhelmed.
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- Start with the "City of Bones" 20th Anniversary Edition (or the standard one). It’s the easiest entry point.
- Don't skip the novellas. The Bane Chronicles and Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy actually bridge massive plot holes between the main trilogies.
- Use a tracker. Honestly, with over 20 books in the same universe, you’ll forget who is related to who. The Blackthorn and Herondale family trees are basically a circle at this point.
- Check the 2026 release dates. If you're a veteran, keep an eye out for The Last King of Faerie. It's expected to be the beginning of the end for the Shadowhunter Chronicles.
Whether you're here for the Victorian romance or the urban fantasy action, the Cassandra Clare book series landscape is huge, but once you find the right thread, it's impossible to put down. Just don't start with the 1800s prequels unless you want to ruin the surprises for yourself.