A. G. Howard Books in Order (Updated March 7, 2026)

A. G. Howard’s books are easiest to read when you separate them by continuity. She has the Splintered series, several standalone retellings, the adult Haunted Hearts Legacy sequence, and newer dark fantasy under Shades of Rust and Ruin. These are not one shared universe, so the most important rule is simple: stay in order within each series, and treat the standalones as separate entries.

For most readers, the safest place to start is Splintered. It is still Howard’s signature series, and it gives the clearest sense of her style: gothic, romantic, visually lush, and drawn from classic story roots.

Start by choosing the right shelf

1. If you want the best-known A. G. Howard books, start with Splintered.
2. If you want a one-book entry point, start with Stain or RoseBlood.
3. If you want her adult gothic-romance work, start with The Architect of Song.
4. If you want the newest YA fantasy branch, start with Shades of Rust and Ruin.

A. G. Howard books in order by series

Splintered series

1. Splintered (2013): Alyssa Gardner’s family curse and connection to Wonderland begin Howard’s best-known series, turning Lewis Carroll imagery into something darker, stranger, and more romantic.
2. The Moth in the Mirror (2013): This short companion novella fits between books one and two, adding extra perspective on Jeb and Morpheus rather than advancing the core series on its own.
3. Unhinged (2014): Alyssa returns from Wonderland, but the first book’s aftermath refuses to stay buried, making this a direct continuation rather than a loose sequel.
4. Ensnared (2015): The trilogy’s main arc closes here, with the Wonderland conflict and central love triangle reaching their full payoff.
5. Untamed (2015): A companion collection of three novellas, best saved until after the trilogy because it works as extra character and world material, not as a replacement for the main books.
6. Alice the Absent (2020): A Morpheus-focused prequel story that sits earlier in the timeline, but is usually best read after the trilogy unless you are revisiting the series.

Best order for new readers:
Read Splintered, The Moth in the Mirror, Unhinged, Ensnared, then Untamed. Save Alice the Absent for afterward as bonus backstory.

Haunted Hearts Legacy

1. The Architect of Song (2016): Howard’s adult gothic-romance line opens with a haunted house, cursed bloodline atmosphere, and a more historical, generational feel than her YA books.
2. The Hummingbird Heart (2017): Set later in the same family line, this continues the saga rather than restarting it, so it belongs directly after book one.
3. The Glass Butterfly (2018): The third volume pushes the family’s haunted legacy further forward and should be read in sequence.

Best order:
Read these exactly in publication order. This is one continuing adult series.

Shades of Rust and Ruin

1. Shades of Rust and Ruin (2022): A Halloween-cursed family and a dark hidden realm launch Howard’s newer YA fantasy series with a stronger seasonal-fantasy hook.
2. Seasons of Flesh and Flame (2024): The second book continues that same twin-centered story and completes the currently published duology arc.

Best order:
Read book one, then book two. There is no better alternate path.

Standalones and separate books

1. RoseBlood (2017): A Phantom of the Opera-inspired YA gothic set around a French music conservatory, completely separate from Howard’s other worlds.
2. Stain (2019): A standalone fairy-tale fantasy about a silenced princess and a cursed prince, often the best one-book sample of Howard’s lush high-fantasy style.
3. The Wisdom of Blood (2021): A standalone adult vampire fantasy under the Nocturnus label, separate from both Haunted Hearts Legacy and her YA fiction.

These can be read in any order because they do not rely on one another.

The cleanest overall reading order

If you want one practical path through Howard’s major books, this route works best:

1. Splintered: The best general starting point and still the core Howard entry.
2. The Moth in the Mirror: Read here for extra context before book two.
3. Unhinged: Continue the main series without interruption.
4. Ensnared: Finish the trilogy first.
5. Untamed: Then read the companion novellas as post-trilogy extras.
6. Alice the Absent: Use this as a prequel bonus once you already know Morpheus.
7. Stain: Move next to a standalone that shows Howard’s fairy-tale mode at full strength.
8. RoseBlood: Then try her opera-inspired gothic retelling.
9. The Architect of Song: Shift into her adult gothic-romance shelf here.
10. The Hummingbird Heart: Continue the family saga in order.
11. The Glass Butterfly: Finish the currently published Haunted Hearts Legacy books.
12. The Wisdom of Blood: Read separately as adult standalone fantasy.
13. Shades of Rust and Ruin: Then move to the newer YA series.
14. Seasons of Flesh and Flame: Finish the currently published duology.

Publication order across the main books

If you want Howard’s books by release date, the broad order is:

1. Splintered (2013): The Wonderland retelling begins.
2. The Moth in the Mirror (2013): A short companion to book one.
3. Unhinged (2014): Splintered book two.
4. Ensnared (2015): Splintered book three.
5. Untamed (2015): Splintered companion collection.
6. The Architect of Song (2016): The adult gothic-romance shelf begins.
7. RoseBlood (2017): Standalone Phantom-inspired YA gothic.
8. The Hummingbird Heart (2017): Haunted Hearts Legacy continues.
9. The Glass Butterfly (2018): Haunted Hearts Legacy book three.
10. Stain (2019): Standalone fairy-tale fantasy.
11. Alice the Absent (2020): Splintered prequel story.
12. The Wisdom of Blood (2021): Adult vampire standalone.
13. Shades of Rust and Ruin (2022): New YA dark fantasy series opens.
14. Seasons of Flesh and Flame (2024): The second Shades book.

Where new readers should start

1. Start with Splintered if you want the safest recommendation.
2. Start with Stain if you want one standalone and prefer fairy-tale fantasy over series commitment.
3. Start with RoseBlood if you want a gothic retelling but do not want Wonderland.
4. Start with The Architect of Song only if you specifically want her adult historical-gothic shelf first.

What is optional and what is core?

Core series reading

• Splintered, Unhinged, Ensnared
• The Architect of Song, The Hummingbird Heart, The Glass Butterfly
• Shades of Rust and Ruin, Seasons of Flesh and Flame

Companion or optional

• The Moth in the Mirror
• Untamed
• Alice the Absent

Separate standalones

• RoseBlood
• Stain
• The Wisdom of Blood

Latest release status

The most recent confirmed published A. G. Howard novel I found is Seasons of Flesh and Flame from September 17, 2024. Howard also publicly teased a new “witchy” series for 2026 and separately referred to The Artisan of Light as the fourth and final Haunted Hearts Legacy book, but I did not find a firm completed publication page for those in the sources reviewed, so the safest description is that they are announced or in progress rather than fully verified as already published.

Final recommendation

If you want one decisive answer, read Splintered first and keep that series in order. After that, choose between Stain for a standalone, Haunted Hearts Legacy for adult gothic family saga, or Shades of Rust and Ruin for Howard’s newer YA fantasy branch. That gives you the clearest map of her bibliography without mixing separate continuities.