Holly Black Books in Order: Complete Reading Guide
Holly Black is the bestselling author of dark fae fantasy. Best known for the Folk of the Air trilogy — modern fae court politics, morally complex romance, and protagonists who fight back against systems built to destroy them. The series is complete at three books. Black also co-wrote the Magisterium series with Cassandra Clare, a middle-grade fantasy series separate from her fae work.
Quick Stats
Author
Holly Black
Primary Series
The Folk of the Air (3 books)
Status
Complete
Genre
Dark Fae Fantasy / YA
Best Start
The Cruel Prince
The Folk of the Air Trilogy
3 books — complete trilogy following Jude Duarte in the fae world. Read in order.
- 1
The Cruel Prince
Book 1 — Start here
Jude Duarte, a mortal girl stolen to the fae world as a child, schemes her way into power among a court of beautiful, ruthless faeries — including the prince who despises her. Introduces the Faerie world, the court politics, and the enemies-to-lovers dynamic that defines the trilogy.
Note: The essential entry point. Establishes the world's rules, the key players, and the specific power dynamic between Jude and Cardan that the remaining books develop.
The Lost Sisters (Folk of the Air #1.5) — A short companion novella told from the perspective of Jude's sister Vivienne. Best read between Books 1 and 2. It adds context for events in The Wicked King but is not required reading. No affiliate link — available as a free e-book from most major retailers. - 2
The Wicked King
Book 2
The political stakes escalate as Jude consolidates power and Cardan's kingship becomes more complicated than either of them anticipated. The enemies-to-lovers arc reaches its most volatile point — and its most satisfying escalation.
- 3
The Queen of Nothing
Book 3 — Trilogy conclusion
The conclusion of Jude and Cardan's story — all the political scheming, betrayal, and slow-burn tension of the first two books pays off. Black sticks the landing on one of fantasy's most debated romances.
Other Holly Black Books
Holly Black has written several standalone fae novels and the Tithe series (Faerie Tales) in addition to the Folk of the Air trilogy. These are separate from the Jude Duarte storyline.
- The Darkest Part of the Forest — A standalone dark fae novel. A town that has always coexisted with dangerous faeries hides a sleeping boy in a glass coffin, and the magic protecting him is failing.
- Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale (Faerie Tales series, Book 1) — Black's first major fae novel. A sixteen-year-old discovers she is entangled in a deadly fae plot. Darker and more YA-edged than Folk of the Air.
- The Magisterium series (with Cassandra Clare) — Five-book middle-grade fantasy series beginning with The Iron Trial. A magic school story with a twist. Separate world from both Black's fae novels and Clare's Shadowhunter Chronicles.