Hi all!

Today I am going to rank Cassandra Clare’s epic, ever-expanding, Shadowhunter universe. I have been a fan since City of Bones was published in 2007. Shadowhunters are humans infused with angel blood, providing them with abilities to protect their homes/loved ones. If you dive into this series, prepare to encounter villains, love triangles, vampires, werewolves, demons, mages, fae and more. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

1.) The Infernal Devices

In first place, we have The Infernal Devices trilogy. In 1878 London, orphaned teenage girl, Tessa Gray, discovers she has the power to shape-shift. She takes up residence at the London Institute, after being rescued by Shadowhunters from captivity. There, she meets enigmatic, Will Herondale and gentle, Jem Carstairs – best friends and parabatai (warriors bound by an oath). However, that’s not the only thing they share. They are also both madly in love with Tessa. She must decide who has her heart, all while battling the evil Magister; a man responsible for creating clockwork creatures to destroy all Nephilim. The Victorian setting and moody, horror elements, had me from the beginning. Not to mention, the insanely lovable cast of characters and intense, action-packed storylines. Furthermore, this series has the best love triangle in literary history. I’ve never read such a respectful pair of boys, vying for the same girl. They love each other so much as friends, both are willing to give up Tessa, as long as the other is happy. Read to out who she ultimately ends up with! It does help if you’ve read The Mortal Instruments first, but you can enjoy TID on its own. Highly recommend!

Book 1 – Clockwork Angel 

Book 2 – Clockwork Prince 

Book 3 – Clockwork Princess 

2.) The Dark Artifices 

In second place, we have The Dark Artifices. This series is the complete opposite of The Infernal Devices and yet, just as incredible. It is a sequel to The Mortal Instruments, set in modern-day Los Angeles. Emma Carstairs (descendant of Jem – see above), is eager to learn the truth about her parent’s deaths. Unfortunately, this isn’t her only problem. In the Shadowhunter world, it is completely forbidden to fall in love with your parabatai and Emma’s best friend, Julian Blackthorn, is a little too cute to resist. Even worse, he feels the same way about her. They must resist each other at all costs, lest the wrath rain down upon them. This trilogy features one of my favourite characters (Mark Blackthorn), navigates a polyamorous relationship, has eerie horror elements and provides insatiable chemistry, that will keep you wanting more. You will laugh, cry and gasp at the reveals. It has it all!

Book 1 – Lady Midnight 

Book 2 – Lord of Shadows 

Book 3 – Queen of Air and Darkness 

3.) The Mortal Instruments 

In third place, we have The Mortal Instruments – where it all began. This series is set in modern-day New York City. It follows Clary Fray, a girl that discovers she is a Shadowhunter, with a destiny for greatness. At a nightclub one evening, she meets a group of Nephilim on a mission; joining their Institute after her mother is attacked in their apartment. From there, Clary learns her memories of the past have been blocked. She seeks help from the flamboyant and iconic mage, Magnus Bane (my favourite character in the franchise), to unlock them. However, what she has repressed, is better left hidden. I love this series, but it is a bit up and down. I don’t agree with all the choices the author made, but I like how it ended. It is the centre-point for all the other spin-offs. It also has the most books. There are a few disturbing elements in TMI, that may make you uncomfortable. Just be wary of that. Overall, it is full of action and excellent romantic pairings. I liked both the movie and television adaptation as well.

Book 1 – City of Bones 

Book 2 – City of Ashes 

Book 3 – City of Glass 

Book 4 – City of Fallen Angels 

Book 5 – City of Lost Souls 

Book 6 – City of Heavenly Fire 

4.) The Last Hours 

In fourth place, we have The Last Hours, the latest spin-off from Cassandra Clare. This instalment is a sequel to The Infernal Devices, following the children of the characters in the aforementioned series. I love the Edwardian London setting and reprisal of my favourite characters from TID. The beautiful Cordelia Carstairs is determined to save her family’s reputation from ruin and the brooding James Herondale, is looking for love in all the wrong places. Not to mention, Lucie Herondale has developed an infatuation with a ghost and Matthew Fairchild is hiding some very dark secrets. I’m obsessed with this period of Shadowhunter history. It has such a solid place in the franchise.

Book 1 – Chain of Gold 

Book 2 – Chain of Iron 

Book 3 – Chain of Thorns

5.) The Bane Chronicles 

No matter which era Cassandra Clare visits, there is always one constant: Magnus Bane. As mentioned earlier, he is my favourite character across the entire franchise. Magnus is a centuries old, eclectic warlock, with a sassy tongue and tons of confidence. In The Bane Chronicles, we get to read all about his adventures in a compilation of 11 short stories. They are really fun, cover different times in history and provide lots of insight into the larger instalments. You don’t have to read them to understand the rest, but I recommend it anyway. 

6.) The Eldest Curses 

This trilogy is co-written by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu (who worked on some of the short story compilations). It follows our loved-up heroes, Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane, as they navigate their marriage, being parents and saving the universe, all at the same time. The third and final novel: The Black Volume of the Dead, has not yet been released. Lots of familiar characters pop up as the pair travel the world to retrieve a magic book, battle a demon-worshipping cult and prevent ultimate evil from being unleashed. It’s a lot of fun. 

Book 1 – The Red Scrolls of Magic 

Book 2 – The Lost Book of the White 

Book 3 – The Black Volume of the Dead (To Be Released) 

7.) Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy 

Similar to The Bane Chronicles, this instalment is comprised of 10 short stories, entirely focused on Simon Lewis (Clary’s best friend from TMI) and his time at Shadowhunter Academy. Follow his adventures at the illustrious demon-fighting institution, enjoying some special guest lecturers along the way. I enjoyed this addition to the franchise, but it wasn’t anything groundbreaking. 

8.) Ghosts of the Shadow Market 

Ghosts of the Shadow Market is also comprised of 10 short stories, featuring tales from across time. Jem Carstairs is in every story, but each one focuses on a different character. This is my least favourite compilation from the franchise. It’s quite dark and depressing. I would recommend it – purely because it provides answers that aren’t covered in the bigger instalments – but as always, you don’t have to read it. A huge trigger warning for the story – Cast Long Shadows. It touches on miscarriage. 

9.) The Wicked Powers 

In last place, we have The Wicked Powers. Why is it so low on my list? Because it hasn’t come out yet! I wanted to share it anyway, so it’s on your radar. According to Shadowhunter Wiki, it will take place three years after The Dark Artifices, revolving around Ty Blackthorn, Dru Blackthorn and Kit Herondale. It is set to be the final series in the Shadowhunter universe. I cannot wait to read it! 

How would you rank the Shadowhunter universe? Thanks for reading!

Peace & Love xoxo