Leigh Bardugo Books in Order: Complete Reading Guide
Creator of the Grishaverse — the universe behind Shadow and Bone, Six of Crows, and one of fantasy's most beloved ensemble casts.
About Leigh Bardugo
Leigh Bardugo built the Grishaverse over nearly a decade, and what started as a young adult trilogy about a girl with a rare power became one of the most expansive and beloved fantasy universes of the 2010s and 2020s. Her greatest achievement is Six of Crows — a heist novel with an ensemble cast so precisely written that readers develop fierce attachments to every character within fifty pages. The chemistry between Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias is the closest fantasy has come to replicating the ensemble dynamics of peak-era television. Bardugo writes found family the way other authors write romance: as the central relationship of the story, the thing you're reading for, the thing that costs you the most when it's threatened. Her adult fiction — the Alex Stern series — is darker and more literary, but carries the same instinct for character. She is one of the defining voices in contemporary fantasy.
Where to Start: Six of Crows vs. Shadow and Bone
Start with Six of Crows if you want the most immediately compelling entry point. It stands completely alone, requires no prior Grishaverse knowledge, and is widely considered Bardugo's best work. Many readers then go back to the Grisha Trilogy for context and world-building depth. Start with Shadow and Bone if you prefer reading in publication order or want to understand the magic system and world before meeting the Six of Crows crew. Either approach works — there are no spoilers in either direction for the major plot events.
Leigh Bardugo Books in Order
Grisha Trilogy
The original trilogy — introduces the Grishaverse world and magic system.
- 1
Shadow and Bone
Grisha Trilogy, Book 1
Alina Starkov, an orphaned soldier, discovers she has a rare power and is swept into the court of the Grisha — a magical elite — to face an ancient darkness. The entry point to the Grishaverse.
Note: Start here if reading in publication order.
- 2
Siege and Storm
Grisha Trilogy, Book 2
Alina and Mal flee Ravka but find no peace abroad. The scope of the conflict expands as new players — and new powers — enter the board.
- 3
Ruin and Rising
Grisha Trilogy, Book 3
The conclusion of the original trilogy. Alina faces the Darkling in a final reckoning that will reshape the Grishaverse forever.
Six of Crows Duology
Most readers' favourite — a heist story in the same world with an entirely new cast.
- 1
Six of Crows
Six of Crows, Book 1
Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker assembles a crew of outcasts and misfits for an impossible heist inside the most secure prison in the world. The best starting point in all of Bardugo's work.
Note: Most popular starting point — works completely as a standalone entry.
- 2
Crooked Kingdom
Six of Crows, Book 2
The crew returns to Ketterdam for revenge, and Bardugo delivers one of the most satisfying duology conclusions in the genre. Every ship is tested. Not everyone makes it.
King of Scars Duology
Set after the Grisha Trilogy — recommended after both the Grisha Trilogy and Six of Crows.
- 1
King of Scars
King of Scars, Book 1
Nikolai Lantsov, King of Ravka, is hiding a dark secret. Follows characters from both the Grisha Trilogy and Six of Crows — most rewarding after reading both.
Note: Read the Grisha Trilogy and Six of Crows duology first.
- 2
Rule of Wolves
King of Scars, Book 2
The conclusion of the King of Scars duology and the full Grishaverse saga. Delivers closure for the ensemble of characters across all three series.
Alex Stern Series (Ninth House)
Adult fiction — a separate universe from the Grishaverse. Much darker in tone.
- 1
Ninth House
Alex Stern, Book 1
Galaxy 'Alex' Stern, a Yale scholarship student with a dark past, is recruited to monitor the secret societies that practice real magic on campus. Darker, more violent, and more adult than any of the Grishaverse books.
Note: Adult fiction. Start here for the Alex Stern series — completely separate from Grishaverse.
- 2
Hell Bent
Alex Stern, Book 2
Alex descends into the underworld — literally — to rescue a friend. The series deepens its mythology and raises the stakes considerably.
Short Story Collection
- 1
The Language of Thorns
Grishaverse Short Stories
Six dark fairy tales set in the Grishaverse — stories of witches, saints, and monsters from across the world. Best read after the Grisha Trilogy to appreciate the full context.
Note: Can be read any time after Shadow and Bone.
If You Like Leigh Bardugo, Try:
Sharp, morally complex characters with enemies-to-lovers tension and intricate power dynamics — similar appeal to Six of Crows.
If the Grishaverse's found-family dynamics and romantic tension appeal, Maas's ACOTAR series delivers a similar emotional experience at greater scale.
Schwab and Bardugo occupy the same space — character-driven fantasy with found families, dark magic, and morally grey protagonists.
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