The Selection series by Kiera Cass has been a runaway hit for young adult fantasy book lovers, and I have the ultimate guide to The Selection series book order so you don’t miss a single thing.
Discover not only The Selection series books, but all of the novellas and extras that accompany this popular book series.
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
What is The Selection Series?
The Selection series is a five-book, young adult dystopian fantasy series written by Kiera Cass.
The first book in the series, The Selection, was released in 2012 by HarperTeen and was nominated for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction book in the Goodreads Choice Awards that same year.
It was Cass’ debut novel.
Cass went on to release a new book in The Selection series each year thereafter with the final book, The Crown, releasing in 2016.
Since its release, The Selection series has sold more than 11 million copies around the world.
The Selection series continues to be a popular pick among readers, especially those on Tiktok, even ten years after its publication, thanks to #Booktok.
What is The Selection Series About?
The Selection series weaves together a fairytale romance that is a mixture of The Hunger Games, Cinderella, and The Bachelor only with young adults as the main characters.
The Selection is set in a dystopian future where 35 girls are selected to move to the palace and compete for Prince Maxon’s heart.
The Selection is a chance of a lifetime, giving a select few the possibility of escaping a rigid caste system that rules society. And yet, for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare.
It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her, and competing for a crown she doesn’t want.
Then America meets Prince Maxon—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
The subsequent books in The Selection series continue this story until you get twenty years into the future after this first Selection.
What is The Selection Series Age Rating?
The Selection series of books are written for readers age 13-17+ at a 8/9 grade level.
The Selection Movie
Fans of The Selection have been ecstatic ever since it was announced that The Selection would be adapted for a movie.
While past attempts to adapt this popular novel and series into a TV series and movie have seen little traction, it was announced in April 2020 that Netflix purchased the film rights.
Cass assured her fans that The Selection movie was still in the works as of the end of 2020, so hopefully, readers don’t have to wait much longer before seeing their favorite characters onscreen on Netflix!
Check out my post on The Selection Movie to learn more and stay up to date on this exciting development.
What Order Should I Read The Selection Series?
The first book in The Selection series is The Selection. After its release, Cass released the novella, The Prince, which focuses on events before the thirty-five girls were chosen to compete in the Selection.
Chronologically the events in The Prince occur before The Selection, but readers suggest you still read it after The Selection to have the best context of the story and the character Prince Maxon.
You can choose to read the five “big book,” then the novellas, or read the entire series with the novellas in the order of publication. Both options are presented below.
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The Selection Series Main Books in Order:
The Selection Series Novellas in Order:
The Selection Series Collections:
The Complete Selection Series Book Order by Publication:
- The Selection
- The Prince
- The Elite
- The Guard
- The One
- The Queen
- The Heir
- The Favorite
- Happily Ever After Collection
- The Crown
The Selection Series Companion Books:
The Selection Series Goodreads Choice Awards Nominees
- The Selection: 2012 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy
- The Elite: 2013 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy
- The One: 2014 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy
- The Heir: 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy
- The Crown: 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy
The Selection Series in Order with Publisher Summaries:
The Selection
by Kiera Cass
2012 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape a rigid caste system, live in a palace, and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her, and competing for a crown she doesn’t want.
Then America meets Prince Maxon—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
The Prince
by Kiera Cass
Go behind the scenes of the competition with this story from the point of view of Prince Maxon.
Before America Singer was chosen to compete in the Selection, there was another girl in Prince Maxon’s life.
In The Prince, follow Prince Maxon through the week leading up to the beginning of the Selection—and the day he first meets America.
The Elite
by Kiera Cass
2013 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy
Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection, and to win Prince Maxon’s heart.
Now six girls remain, and the competition is fiercer than ever—but America Singer is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies.
Is it Prince Maxon—and life as the queen—that she wants? Or is it still Aspen, her first love?
The Guard
by Kiera Cass
Before America Singer met Prince Maxon, she was in love with a boy named Aspen Leger—who never imagined that he would follow America to the palace as a member of the royal guard.
The Selection Stories
by Kiera Cass
The Prince and The Guard offer captivating views into the hearts and minds of the two men fighting to win America Singer’s love.
The Selection Stories also features bonus content, including an extended ending to The Prince, a Q&A with Kiera Cass, family trees, playlists, and more!
Before America arrived at the palace to compete in the Selection, there was another girl in Prince Maxon’s life. In The Prince, follow Maxon from the week before the Selection begins through the first day of the competition.
Raised as a Six, Aspen Leger never dreamed that he would find himself living in the palace. In The Guard, get an inside look at Aspen’s life as a palace guard—and the truth about his world that America will never know.
The One
by Kiera Cass
2014 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy
Entering the Selection changed America Singer’s life in ways she never could have imagined.
Since she arrived at the palace, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen—and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon.
Now she’s made her choice, and she’s prepared to fight for the future she wants.
The Queen
by Kiera Cass
Before America Singer’s story began, another girl came to the palace to compete for the hand of a different prince.
This prequel story takes place before the events of The Selection and is told from the point of view of Prince Maxon’s mother, Amberly.
Discover a whole new Selection with this inside look at how Maxon’s parents met—and how an ordinary girl named Amberly became a beloved queen.
The Heir
by Kiera Cass
2015 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy
Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own.
Eadlyn doesn’t expect anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story…but as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she’s always thought.
The Favorite
by Kiera Cass
While America Singer’s heart was torn between Aspen and Prince Maxon, her friend Marlee knew exactly what she wanted—and paid the price.
Told from Marlee’s point of view, this all-new 64-page story returns to the fateful Halloween when Marlee and Carter were discovered and reveals how that night—and Prince Maxon—changed their lives forever.
Happily Ever After: Companion to the Selection Series
by Kiera Cass
This companion to The Selection series contains the four novellas that accompany the series as well as a lot of bonus content including:
- The Prince (with the two bonus chapters), Maxon’s novella
- The Guard, Aspen’s novella
- The Queen, Amberly’s novella
- The Favorite, Marlee’s novella
- Three scenes from Celeste’s POV
- Lucy’s scene (bonus scene from The One)
- The bonus epilogue
- Where are they now?
- A map
- Various illustrations
The Crown
by Kiera Cass
2016 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy
Twenty years have passed since America Singer and Prince Maxon fell in love, and their daughter has held a Selection of her own.
Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love.
But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected.
The Selection Coloring Book
by Kiera Cass
Illustrated by Martina Flor
The Selection Coloring Book features original black-and-white line drawings of favorite characters and moments from the world of Illéa, as well as stunningly designed hand-lettered quotes from all five Selection books, all on perforated pages that can easily be removed and displayed.
The Selection Coloring Book is the perfect companion for fans of the Selection series and a captivating journey for any reader who loves a happily ever after.
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