Nicki Pau Preto Books in Order (Updated March 10, 2026)

Nicki Pau Preto is a fantasy author whose bibliography currently splits into three separate lines: one YA trilogy, one YA duology, and one middle grade series. That makes the best reading order very simple: read each series in publication order and do not mix them together as if they share one storyline.

For most readers, Crown of Feathers is the best place to start. If you want a darker undead-leaning YA fantasy, start with Bonesmith instead. If you are looking for her middle grade work, begin with The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents.

Quick answer

Best overall starting point: Crown of Feathers
Best dark fantasy starting point: Bonesmith
Best middle grade starting point: The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents

Nicki Pau Preto books in publication order

Crown of Feathers trilogy

1. Crown of Feathers (2019): Veronyka disguises herself as a boy to enter the ranks of the phoenix riders, setting off the trilogy’s central conflict around identity, loyalty, and a broken imperial legacy.
2. Heart of Flames (2021): The fallout from the first book widens into open political and personal consequences, with the series pushing deeper into divided alliances and the cost of power.
3. Wings of Shadow (2022): The trilogy reaches its endgame as the major character arcs and long-running tensions finally converge into the final struggle for the empire’s future.

House of the Dead duology

1. Bonesmith (2024): Wren, a disgraced ghost-fighting warrior, is pulled into a dangerous rescue mission that opens a larger undead conflict and begins the duology’s main reckoning with family and power.
2. Ghostsmith (2025): The second book picks up directly from the first, escalating the war, the revelations around Wren’s family, and the consequences of the forces unleashed in Bonesmith.

The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents series

1. The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents (2024): Vin is sent to a final-chance magic school for troubled young spellcasters, where the fresh start quickly turns into a larger fight over belonging, discipline, and hidden magical danger.
2. The Forbidden Room (2025): With the school under scrutiny after the first book’s chaos, Vin’s second adventure raises the stakes around the future of Last Hope and the threats building inside it.

Recommended reading order

There is no single master order for all Nicki Pau Preto books because the series are separate continuities. The cleanest approach is to pick one track and read straight through.

Option 1: Best for most readers

1. Crown of Feathers
2. Heart of Flames
3. Wings of Shadow

This is the safest recommendation because it begins with her debut trilogy and gives the clearest full introduction to her YA fantasy work.

Option 2: Best if you want darker YA fantasy

1. Bonesmith
2. Ghostsmith

Choose this path if you want a more necromantic, haunted atmosphere and a tighter two-book arc.

Option 3: Best for middle grade readers

1. The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents
2. The Forbidden Room

This is the right route for readers who want a younger cast, school setting, and middle grade tone.

Chronological order

A separate chronological reading order is not especially useful here. Within each series, the books already run in the intended story sequence, and there is no confirmed crossover order linking the trilogy, the duology, and the middle grade books into one shared timeline.

So the practical answer remains the same: read each series in publication order.

Do any of the series connect?

No shared continuity has been established across these three series lines.

Included

• Crown of Feathers trilogy
• House of the Dead duology
• The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents series

Separate continuity

• The YA phoenix-rider books
• The YA undead duology
• The middle grade school fantasy books

That means you can start with whichever first book matches your taste without worrying that you missed another series.

Are there novellas or short stories to add?

At the time of checking, there is no widely established novella or short-story reading order that needs to be inserted between the main novels. The core reading path is the main books listed above.

Latest release status

The most recent Nicki Pau Preto book currently listed is The Forbidden Room (2025). The Crown of Feathers trilogy is complete, and the House of the Dead duology is complete as well.

The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents line currently has two published books. If more titles are announced later, they would belong after The Forbidden Room rather than somewhere earlier in the order.

FAQ

What is the best Nicki Pau Preto book to start with?

For most readers, start with Crown of Feathers. It is the first published book and the clearest entry point into her YA fantasy work.

Should I read Nicki Pau Preto in publication order?

Yes, but by series, not as one long author bibliography. Read each series from book one onward.

Is Bonesmith connected to Crown of Feathers?

No. Bonesmith starts a separate duology and does not require the Crown of Feathers books.

Is The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents YA or middle grade?

It is middle grade, separate from her YA fantasy series.

Which Nicki Pau Preto series is complete?

The Crown of Feathers trilogy and the House of the Dead duology are complete. The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents currently has two published books.

Final answer

The best way to read Nicki Pau Preto is by series publication order. Start with Crown of Feathers for the broadest entry point, move to Bonesmith if you want a darker YA fantasy lane, or begin with The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents for her middle grade work. Each first book is a true starting point, but once you choose a series, read it straight through in order.