The Recommended Reading Order
For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to follow the series in its publication order, inserting the companion collections and novellas at key narrative breaks. This allows you to experience Lucinda 'Luce' Price and Daniel Grigori's romance as it was originally written, while diving into side stories only after you have established enough context about the world and characters.
Here is the recommended reading path for the Fallen series:
- Fallen (Book 1)
- Torment (Book 2)
- Passion (Book 3)
- Fallen in Love (Book 3.5 – Novella Collection)
- Rapture (Book 4)
- Angels in the Dark (Book 4.5 – Short Story Collection)
- Unforgiven (Book 5 – Companion Novel / Spin-off)
The Main Fallen Novels in Detail
Fallen (2009)
The saga begins with Fallen, introducing readers to seventeen-year-old Lucinda 'Luce' Price. Following a mysterious fire that claims the life of a boy, Luce is sent to the Sword & Cross reform school in Savannah, Georgia. In this gloomy, gothic institution, she finds herself drawn to the aloof and frustratingly handsome Daniel Grigori, as well as the charming Cam Briel. As Luce seeks answers, she discovers that Daniel is a fallen angel who has been cursed to love her throughout multiple lifetimes—each ending in her tragic death and reincarnation the moment they get too close.
Torment (2010)
Picking up immediately after the events of the first book, Torment sees Daniel relocating Luce to Shoreline, a prestigious school in Northern California for Nephilim—the half-angel, half-human offspring of fallen angels. Here, Luce learns to control the 'Shadows' that have plagued her entire life and begins to question Daniel's protective secrecy. She discovers more about her past lives, realizing that her relationship with Daniel is just a piece of a much larger, cosmic struggle between the forces of Heaven and Hell.
Passion (2011)
In Passion, the series shifts its setting from the present day to the past. Luce decides that the only way to break the cycle of their cursed love is to understand it. She steps through a series of 'Shadows' to travel back in time, visiting her past incarnations across different historical eras—from ancient Egypt and imperial China to medieval England and World War I-era Europe. As Daniel desperately chases her through time to prevent her from altering the timeline, Luce uncovers the origin of their curse and the true nature of their bond.
Rapture (2012)
The main narrative arc reaches its conclusion in Rapture. Luce and her allies have only nine days to stop the archangel Lucifer from erasing the past and recreating the world. To save humanity and secure their future, Luce, Daniel, and their friends must locate three relics hidden across the globe. The story culminates in a massive, high-stakes battle that decides the ultimate fate of the fallen angels and the curse that has bound Luce and Daniel for millennia.
The Collections, Novellas, and Spin-offs
Fallen in Love (2012)
Positioned as Book 3.5, this collection of four interconnected novellas is set in medieval England during a unique loophole in time on Valentine's Day. It shifts the spotlight from Luce and Daniel to explore the romantic histories of the supporting cast. The stories include 'Love Where You Least Expect It' (focusing on Shelby and Gilles), 'Love Lingers' (featuring Miles and Shelby), 'Love Finds a Way' (delving into Roland and Rosaline's past), and 'Love Never Dies' (featuring a romantic interlude between Luce and Daniel). Reading this before Rapture provides deeper emotional context for the final book's alliances.
Angels in the Dark (2013)
This digital-exclusive collection serves as Book 4.5 and is best read after finishing Rapture. It features several short stories, deleted scenes, and character vignettes that enrich the lore of the universe. Readers get a look at Arriane Alter on a celestial shopping trip, Daniel navigating Los Angeles, Miles taking a leap of faith, and an uncomfortable encounter at Shoreline. It also features a deleted date scene between Luce and Daniel, making it a perfect post-series treat for devoted fans.
Unforgiven (2015)
Though numbered as Book 5, Unforgiven is a standalone spin-off novel rather than a continuation of Luce's story. It shifts focus to Cam Briel, the charismatic and tormented demon character. The plot follows Cam as he makes a high-stakes bet with Lucifer: if he can win back the heart of his lost human love, Lilith, in fifteen days, she will be released from her eternal torment. If he fails, Cam will spend eternity in the pits of Hell. It is a darker, more redemption-focused urban fantasy that wraps up Cam's loose ends from the main series.
Chronological vs. Publication Order
Because the Fallen series relies heavily on time travel and past-life memories, some readers wonder if a chronological order is possible. Reading the series chronologically by setting is not recommended, as Passion and Fallen in Love dart between various centuries, including ancient Egypt, the Middle Ages, and the twentieth century. Trying to slice these chapters up would break the narrative mystery and spoil key plot twists regarding Luce's true identity and the nature of the angelic rebellion.
However, you can make a choice on when to read the novellas. Reading Fallen in Love right after Passion is the standard approach because it matches the emotional headspace of the characters during their time-travel journeys. Alternatively, some readers prefer to read the main four novels straight through (Books 1 to 4) and save all companion works—including Fallen in Love, Angels in the Dark, and Unforgiven—for a nostalgic binge after the main story has concluded.
What to Know Before You Start
Lauren Kate's series was published during the height of the young adult paranormal romance boom of the late 2000s and early 2010s. While it shares the star-crossed romance appeal of contemporary sagas like Twilight, it stands out for its gothic aesthetic and its incorporation of Judeo-Christian mythology, specifically the war in Heaven and the concept of watchers and nephilim.
The series has been adapted for the screen twice. The first adaptation was a 2016 feature film directed by Scott Hicks and starring Addison Timlin as Luce and Jeremy Irvine as Daniel. A second adaptation, a television series developed in Europe and Brazil, premiered on the streaming platform Globoplay on August 12, 2024, before being distributed internationally on services like Sundance Now, AMC+, and ITVX. The TV series stars Jessica Alexander as Luce, Gijs Blom as Daniel, and Timothy Innes as Cam, offering a more contemporary, mystery-thriller approach to the Sword & Cross setting.