Emma Mills Books in Order (Updated March 5, 2026)

Emma Mills (the YA novelist who also goes by “Elmify” online) writes warm, funny, friendship-forward stories with romance that never crowds out the character growth. Nearly everything in her catalog is standalone, so reading order is about tone and era, not continuity.

One important caution: there’s another “Emma Mills” name attached to unrelated paranormal series lists online. This page is for the Emma Mills who wrote First & Then, This Adventure Ends, and her newer Rachel West mystery debut.

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How to pick your starting book without overthinking it

If you want peak YA contemporary vibes: start with First & Then (2015).
If you want a creative-friend-group story with art and secrets: start with This Adventure Ends (2016).
If you want theater + messy feelings + new friendships: start with Foolish Hearts (2017).
If you want radio, fandom energy, and senior-year pressure: start with Lucky Caller (2020).
If you want a cozy fantasy detour: start with Something Close to Magic (2024).
If you want her first adult mystery (new direction): start with Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet (2026).

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The books (publication order, with a line on every title)

YA contemporary (standalones)

1. First & Then (2015): A guarded, sports-focused teen’s life gets re-routed by a new relationship, a shifting family situation, and the uncomfortable realization that “fine” isn’t the same as happy.
2. This Adventure Ends (2016): Sloane falls into a tight friend group orbiting twins and a missing painting, and the search pulls everyone into deeper truths about loyalty, art, and growing up.
3. Foolish Hearts (2017): A high school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream becomes the engine for new friendships, big feelings, and the kind of social re-sorting that makes you braver than you planned.
4. Famous in a Small Town (2019): A girl who’s always felt “known” in her hometown starts uncovering long-buried truths, and coming home turns into a test of friendship and identity.
5. Lucky Caller (2020): A radio-broadcasting class spirals into chaos when Nina’s on-air life and offline life collide, fandom, rumors, and family pressure included.

YA fantasy (separate shelf: different tone)

Something Close to Magic (2024): A baker’s apprentice gets pushed into a magical adventure that brings new friends, unexpected romance, and the slow discovery that courage can be learned like any other skill.

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Middle grade graphic novels (The Greenies)

These are not connected to the YA novels. Different age range, different format, different “feel.”

The Greenies (2026): Seventh grader Violet reluctantly joins her new school’s environmental club and finds that friendship, and purpose, can grow out of the most annoying detentions.

The Greenies: No Drama (2027): The Greenies get swept up in school-play chaos, and their good intentions (again) turn into a friendship-and-fallout problem they have to solve together.

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Adult fiction (new lane)

Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet (2026): An entertainment reporter’s first major friendship turns into a mystery after tragedy strikes, pulling her into a case where ambition, access, and grief all distort the facts.

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Recommended reading orders (three clean routes)

1) The “classic Emma Mills” run (YA contemporary, smoothest entry)

1. First & Then (2015)
2. This Adventure Ends (2016)
3. Foolish Hearts (2017)
4. Famous in a Small Town (2019)
5. Lucky Caller (2020)

2) The “one-book sample” plan

• Start with Foolish Hearts (2017) if you want the most instantly Emma-Mills mix of humor, heart, and found-friendship.
• Start with Lucky Caller (2020) if you prefer a more modern setting vibe (media, fandom, reputation pressure).
• Start with Something Close to Magic (2024) if you want comfort-fantasy energy instead of contemporary realism.

3) The “new era” route (if you’re here for what she’s doing now)

1. Something Close to Magic (2024)
2. The Greenies (2026)
3. Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet (2026)
4. The Greenies: No Drama (2027)

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FAQs

Do any Emma Mills books require strict reading order?
Not in the YA novels, each stands alone. The Greenies is a series, so that one is best read in order.

Is Rachel West connected to the YA books?
No. It’s an adult mystery line, separate in tone and audience.

Why do I sometimes see different publication years?
Different editions (hardcover, paperback, reprints) can show different dates on store pages. For reading order, the sequence above is the one to follow.

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Bottom line

If you want the most reliable starting point, go with First & Then (2015) for YA contemporary or Something Close to Magic (2024) for her fantasy lane. If you’re curious about her newest direction, start with Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet (2026).