Kristy Cunning is a pen name used by C.M. Owens for paranormal reverse harem romance. Under this name, she published two completed series: The Dark Side and All the Pretty Monsters.
These books are not standalones. Each series follows one central heroine and one continuing romantic-supernatural arc, so order matters.
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The good news is that the Kristy Cunning reading order is simple. Pick one series, read it straight through, then move to the other.
The two entry doors
There are only two places to begin.
- Choose Four Psychos if you want the shorter series first. The Dark Side has four books, a ghost heroine, Hell-related mythology, and a fast-moving reverse harem setup.
- Choose Gypsy Blood if you want the longer monster-world series first. All the Pretty Monsters has six books, a mystery-heavy paranormal town, rival monster factions, and a bigger slow-burn reveal structure.
Both series are complete. They do not need to be read together as one shared timeline.
The Dark Side books in order
The Dark Side is the best starting point if you want to read Kristy Cunning by publication order. It is a four-book paranormal reverse harem series and should be read exactly as numbered.
- Four Psychos (2017): A nameless ghost has spent years haunting four dangerous men, and her sudden move toward visibility pulls her into a supernatural world she does not understand.
- Three Trials (2017): The heroine’s new existence becomes more dangerous as Hell, identity questions, and her connection to the four men start to escalate.
- Two Kingdoms (2018): The series expands its mythology around Hell, the Four Horsemen, and the heroine’s true nature, making this a direct continuation rather than a side adventure.
- One Apocalypse (2018): The final book resolves the heroine’s identity, her bond with the men, and the apocalyptic stakes built across the first three books.
Do not skip books in The Dark Side. The plot depends on withheld identity reveals and relationship progression from the earlier entries.
All the Pretty Monsters books in order
All the Pretty Monsters is Kristy Cunning’s six-book monster-world series. It follows Violet as she enters a town full of old secrets, dangerous factions, and supernatural men who know far more than they tell her.
- Gypsy Blood (2018): Violet arrives after her mother’s death and discovers a hidden world of monsters, secrets, and lethal men tied to a much older story.
- Gypsy Freak (2019): Violet’s position becomes more unstable as monster factions close in and the people around her continue withholding answers.
- Gypsy Origins (2019): The series begins revealing more about Violet’s identity, her family history, and the larger supernatural rules shaping the conflict.
- Gypsy Moon (2019): The emotional and political pressure rises as older monster relationships, buried loyalties, and dangerous histories move closer to the surface.
- Gypsy Rising (2019): Violet’s role in the monster world grows harder to ignore as the series moves toward open confrontation and major truth-reveals.
- Gypsy Truths (2019): The final book resolves Violet’s central mystery, the monster-faction conflict, and the relationship arc built across the full series.
Read All the Pretty Monsters in strict order. The series is built around mystery, identity, and delayed explanation, so reading later books first will spoil the structure.
Publication order for all Kristy Cunning books
Use this list if you want to follow Kristy Cunning’s releases from first to last.
- Four Psychos (2017): The first Dark Side book introduces the ghost heroine and the four men she has been haunting.
- Three Trials (2017): The second Dark Side book continues the Hell-centered supernatural arc.
- Two Kingdoms (2018): The third Dark Side book deepens the mythology and raises the heroine’s identity stakes.
- One Apocalypse (2018): The fourth Dark Side book closes the series.
- Gypsy Blood (2018): The first All the Pretty Monsters book opens Violet’s monster-town mystery.
- Gypsy Freak (2019): The second All the Pretty Monsters book continues Violet’s search for answers.
- Gypsy Origins (2019): The third All the Pretty Monsters book starts clarifying the deeper origin story.
- Gypsy Moon (2019): The fourth All the Pretty Monsters book turns more heavily toward buried monster history.
- Gypsy Rising (2019): The fifth All the Pretty Monsters book pushes Violet toward the final conflict.
- Gypsy Truths (2019): The sixth All the Pretty Monsters book completes the series.
Publication order is a safe full-author route because it keeps The Dark Side together before moving through All the Pretty Monsters.
Recommended Kristy Cunning reading order
For most new readers, read the books this way:
- Four Psychos (2017): Start with the shortest completed Kristy Cunning arc and get a quick sense of the author’s voice.
- Three Trials (2017): Continue immediately because the heroine’s identity and the Hell plot are still unresolved.
- Two Kingdoms (2018): Read third to keep the mythology and relationship reveals in the intended order.
- One Apocalypse (2018): Finish The Dark Side before switching series.
- Gypsy Blood (2018): Begin All the Pretty Monsters after The Dark Side if you want the larger monster-world mystery.
- Gypsy Freak (2019): Continue Violet’s story as the town and faction secrets deepen.
- Gypsy Origins (2019): Read third because the title-level origin material depends on the earlier confusion.
- Gypsy Moon (2019): Keep going in order as the older monster relationships become more important.
- Gypsy Rising (2019): Read fifth as the setup tightens before the finale.
- Gypsy Truths (2019): End here for the full Kristy Cunning pen-name bibliography.
This order is not about shared continuity. It is about ease. The Dark Side is shorter, so it gives readers a clean first sample before the longer six-book All the Pretty Monsters arc.
Chronological order
There is no confirmed shared chronological timeline between The Dark Side and All the Pretty Monsters.
Use internal series order instead.
The Dark Side chronology is Four Psychos, Three Trials, Two Kingdoms, and One Apocalypse.
All the Pretty Monsters chronology is Gypsy Blood, Gypsy Freak, Gypsy Origins, Gypsy Moon, Gypsy Rising, and Gypsy Truths.
Do not merge the two series unless you are simply using publication order for a complete read-through.
Omnibus and collected editions
The Dark Side has collected paperback formats that combine books 1-2 and books 3-4.
Four Psychos & Three Trials: A collected format containing the first two Dark Side books, not a separate story.
Two Kingdoms & One Apocalypse: A collected format containing the final two Dark Side books, not a separate story.
Treat these as buying options. They do not change the reading order.
Separate pen names
Kristy Cunning is only one C.M. Owens pen name.
C.M. Owens titles should be treated as separate from the Kristy Cunning reading order unless you are building a full author bibliography.
S.T. Abby titles, including the Mindf*ck series, should also be treated as a separate pen-name shelf. They are not part of The Dark Side or All the Pretty Monsters.
Latest release status
The final Kristy Cunning release was Gypsy Truths in 2019.
There are no confirmed upcoming Kristy Cunning books. Both Kristy Cunning series are complete, and the author C.M. Owens passed away in 2021.
Frequently asked questions
What Kristy Cunning book should I read first?
Start with Four Psychos if you want the shortest route into Kristy Cunning’s work. Start with Gypsy Blood if you specifically want the monster-town series first.
Are The Dark Side and All the Pretty Monsters connected?
No confirmed shared continuity makes one series required before the other. Read each series as its own completed arc.
Can I read All the Pretty Monsters first?
Yes. Begin with Gypsy Blood and read all six books in order. You do not need to read The Dark Side first.
Can I read The Dark Side out of order?
No. Read Four Psychos, Three Trials, Two Kingdoms, and One Apocalypse in order. The series follows one continuing heroine arc.
Can I read All the Pretty Monsters out of order?
No. The series depends on hidden identities, faction history, and delayed answers. Later books will spoil earlier mysteries.
Are there any Kristy Cunning standalones?
No confirmed Kristy Cunning standalone belongs in the core reading order. The Kristy Cunning bibliography is made up of The Dark Side and All the Pretty Monsters.
Are the collected Dark Side paperbacks extra books?
No. They are collected editions. Four Psychos & Three Trials contains books 1 and 2, while Two Kingdoms & One Apocalypse contains books 3 and 4.
Is S.T. Abby the same author?
Yes, S.T. Abby is another pen name used by C.M. Owens. Those books should be listed separately from Kristy Cunning because they belong to a different pen-name bibliography and genre lane.
Is C.M. Owens the same author?
Yes. C.M. Owens used the Kristy Cunning pen name for paranormal reverse harem romance. C.M. Owens books should not be mixed into the Kristy Cunning order unless the article is covering the full author bibliography.
Conclusion
Kristy Cunning’s books are easy to organize because there are only two completed series.
Read The Dark Side in this order: Four Psychos, Three Trials, Two Kingdoms, One Apocalypse.
Read All the Pretty Monsters in this order: Gypsy Blood, Gypsy Freak, Gypsy Origins, Gypsy Moon, Gypsy Rising, Gypsy Truths.
For a first read, begin with Four Psychos if you want the shorter series first. Begin with Gypsy Blood if you came specifically for the monster-world storyline.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.