Brenna Yovanoff Books in Order (Updated March 10, 2026)

Brenna Yovanoff writes dark YA fiction built mostly from standalones, not one long connected series.

That makes this a simpler guide than many “books in order” pages: the real job is separating her original novels from her collaborative books and from her Stranger Things tie-in.

Quick answer

The best place to start is The Replacement if you want her best-known gothic entry point. The best overall reading order for most readers is her original fiction in publication order, with the collaborative books treated as optional and Stranger Things: Runaway Max kept separate as franchise fiction.

Brenna Yovanoff books in publication order

1. The Replacement (2010): Mackie Doyle learns he is not truly human, and a hidden local bargain pulls him into the dark machinery beneath his small town.
2. The Space Between (2011): A demon girl sent on assignment gets caught between duty, desire, and the complications of the human world, turning a clear mission into something unstable.
3. The Curiosities (2012): A collaborative collection with Maggie Stiefvater and Tessa Gratton, this is best read as a separate project of stories and commentary rather than part of Yovanoff’s standalone-fiction sequence.
4. Paper Valentine (2013): In an oppressive summer, Hannah Wagnor is drawn toward a string of killings in her suburb, with grief and a ghostly presence pressing in on the investigation.
5. Fiendish (2014): Clementine DeVore escapes the cellar where she has been trapped for years and returns to a town warped by fear, memory, and old magic.
6. The Anatomy of Curiosity (2015): Another collaboration with Maggie Stiefvater and Tessa Gratton, this book leans toward story craft and process material rather than a shared Brenna Yovanoff continuity.
7. Places No One Knows (2016): Waverly Camdenmar slips into a stranger version of her city through her connection with Marshall, and the book blends romance, alienation, and surreal danger.
8. Stranger Things: Runaway Max (2019): A licensed Stranger Things novel, this tells Max Mayfield’s backstory and fits with that franchise rather than Yovanoff’s own standalone catalog.

Recommended reading order

For most readers, this is the cleanest route:

1. The Replacement (2010): Start here for the clearest introduction to Yovanoff’s eerie small-town tone and folkloric darkness.
2. The Space Between (2011): Read next if you want another early novel with a more overt supernatural setup.
3. Paper Valentine (2013): Move here for a more grounded story shaped by murder, grief, and psychological pressure.
4. Fiendish (2014): This is a good fourth stop if you want her horror-leaning side to become more central.
5. Places No One Knows (2016): Finish the original solo novels here, where romance and unreality become more entwined.

After that, add the collaborative books only if you want them:

6. The Curiosities (2012): Optional, because it is a shared project rather than part of a novel sequence.
7. The Anatomy of Curiosity (2015): Optional for the same reason.

And keep this one separate:

8. Stranger Things: Runaway Max (2019): Read as part of Stranger Things, not because it follows any Brenna Yovanoff novel.

Do Brenna Yovanoff’s books need to be read in order?

Mostly no. Her core novels are standalones, so you are not preserving one long plot by reading in sequence. Publication order is still the safest recommendation because it gives you a natural progression through her work without mixing in collaborations or licensed fiction too early.

Which books are standalone, optional, or separate continuity?

Included: original standalone novels

• The Replacement (2010): Standalone dark fantasy with small-town folklore and hidden monstrosity.
• The Space Between (2011): Standalone supernatural YA with demons, loyalty, and identity at the center.
• Paper Valentine (2013): Standalone suspense-leaning YA about grief, violence, and a haunting suburban atmosphere.
• Fiendish (2014): Standalone horror-inflected YA novel about captivity, memory, and buried magic.
• Places No One Knows (2016): Standalone YA that mixes romance with a shifting, uncanny cityscape.

Optional: collaborations

• The Curiosities (2012): Optional collaborative collection with Maggie Stiefvater and Tessa Gratton.
• The Anatomy of Curiosity (2015): Optional collaborative follow-up with the same authors.

Separate continuity

• Stranger Things: Runaway Max (2019): Separate franchise tie-in set within the Stranger Things line.

Where should new readers start?

Start with The Replacement if you want the classic Brenna Yovanoff pick. It is her debut, and it captures the unsettling mood many readers come to her for.

Start with Paper Valentine if you want the most mystery-shaped premise. It still carries her eerie tone, but the setup is more grounded than some of her supernatural work.

Start with Fiendish if you want the most overtly dark and strange opening experience.

Latest release status

Her official books page currently lists Stranger Things: Runaway Max (2019) as the newest book overall. Her homepage still describes Places No One Knows as her most recent novel, which fits the distinction between her original solo fiction and later licensed work. I did not find a reliably confirmed upcoming title on her official site, so it is better not to list one here.

FAQ

What is Brenna Yovanoff’s first book?

The Replacement (2010): It is her debut novel and the most common starting point.

What is Brenna Yovanoff’s newest book?

Stranger Things: Runaway Max (2019): It is the newest book on her official bibliography, though it is licensed franchise fiction.

What is her newest original novel?

Places No One Knows (2016): Her homepage still identifies it as her most recent novel.

Is Brenna Yovanoff a series author?

Not primarily. Her main YA books are standalones, which is why this guide focuses more on classification than on spoiler-sensitive sequence.

Do I need to read the collaborative books?

No. The Curiosities and The Anatomy of Curiosity are optional side reads, not steps in a connected Yovanoff novel arc.

Final recommendation

If you want the simplest and strongest path through Brenna Yovanoff’s work, read The Replacement, The Space Between, Paper Valentine, Fiendish, and Places No One Knows in publication order. Add The Curiosities books only if you want the collaborative material, and treat Stranger Things: Runaway Max as a separate franchise read.