Series · romance
The Selection
The Selection series by Kiera Cass has 10 books and is best read in publication order, starting with The Selection (2012).
- Books
- 6 novels + 4 novellas
- First published
- 2012
- Status
- completed
- Last checked
Start here: The Selection (2012) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
The Selection
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Selection - Book 2:
The Prince
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Prince - Book 3:
The Elite
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Elite - Book 4:
The Guard
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Guard - Book 5:
The Queen
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Queen - Book 6:
The One
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The One - Book 7:
The Favorite
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Favorite - Book 8:
The Heir
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Heir - Book 9:
Happily Ever After
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Happily Ever After - Book 10:
The Crown
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Crown
About The Selection
In the caste-stratified kingdom of Illea, a televised competition called the Selection picks thirty-five girls to compete for Prince Maxon's hand in marriage, offering the lowest-caste contestants a life-changing shot at royalty. America Singer enters mostly to help her struggling family and to escape heartbreak over a boy she isn't allowed to marry — she has no interest in winning, which is exactly what makes her stand out to Maxon. What follows is part reality-TV competition, part rebellion story, as America gets pulled deeper into palace politics, a rebel movement attacking the monarchy from outside, and a genuine, complicated connection with Maxon that keeps colliding with her feelings for her first love, Aspen.
Kiera Cass leans fully into the Bachelor-meets-Cinderella premise — gowns, eliminations, a love triangle played completely straight — while using the caste system and the rebel attacks to keep real stakes in play underneath the romance. The trilogy follows America through her Selection; a second trilogy shifts the point of view to her daughter, Princess Eadlyn, decades later, running her own Selection in reverse (thirty-five suitors competing for her). Several companion novellas fill in supporting characters' side stories along the way.
How to read this series
Read the original trilogy first, in publication order: The Selection, The Elite, The One. This is America Singer's story and the emotional core of the series. The Heir and The Crown form a second trilogy-within-the-series (technically a duology) following America's daughter Eadlyn a generation later — read these after the first three, in order.
The companion novellas (The Prince, The Guard, The Queen, The Favorite) retell or expand scenes from other characters' points of view and are entirely optional; Happily Ever After collects all four plus a bonus story, so newcomers can skip the individual novellas and just read that one collection if they want the extra material. Read the novellas after the main book they accompany to avoid spoilers — The Prince and The Guard after book one, The Queen and The Favorite after book two.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in The Selection series?
Five main novels — The Selection, The Elite, The One, The Heir, The Crown — plus four companion novellas (The Prince, The Guard, The Queen, The Favorite) and the collection Happily Ever After, which gathers those novellas together.
What order should I read The Selection in?
Start with the original trilogy — The Selection, The Elite, The One — then move to The Heir and The Crown, which follow America's daughter Eadlyn. The companion novellas are optional extras best read after their matching main book.
Are The Heir and The Crown about the same characters as the first three books?
No. They jump forward a generation to follow Princess Eadlyn, America and Maxon's daughter, who runs her own reverse Selection with thirty-five suitors competing for her.
Do I need to read the novellas?
No. The Prince, The Guard, The Queen, and The Favorite are optional side stories from supporting characters' points of view. Happily Ever After collects all four in one volume if you want them without buying each separately.
Is The Selection series finished?
Yes. The story concluded with The Crown in 2016, and Kiera Cass has not announced further novels in this world.
Reading order last verified .