The Recommended Reading Order
Because Kristen Ashley's Mathilda’s Book of Shadows series is a tightly plotted supernatural duet, navigating the reading order is straightforward. The story follows a strict chronological timeline, meaning the publication order and chronological order are identical. There are no side novellas, companion short stories, or spin-offs to complicate the sequence.
Here is the recommended reading path for the series:
- Mathilda, SuperWitch (2011) – Originally published under the title Mathilda's Book of Shadows.
- Mathilda, SuperWitch: The Rise of the Dark Lord (2020)
Publication History & Title Confusion
If you are searching for these books online or in libraries, you might encounter some minor confusion regarding the title of the first book. When first released in 2011, the debut novel was published as Mathilda's Book of Shadows. However, it was later retitled and repackaged as Mathilda, SuperWitch to match the title format of its sequel. The two titles refer to the exact same book, so you do not need to buy both.
The nine-year gap between the release of the first book in 2011 and the sequel in 2020 led to long-term speculation among fans. However, the release of The Rise of the Dark Lord in 2020 successfully completed the duet, giving Mathilda Honeycutt a definitive end to her supernatural war.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into Mathilda’s magical world, there are a few unique elements of Kristen Ashley’s writing style in this series that you should know:
- The Diary-Style Format: Unlike the standard first-person or third-person narratives typical of Kristen Ashley's contemporary romance novels, this series is told entirely in a diary entry format. The story is presented as Mathilda’s personal journal, complete with shorthand, exclamation points, and a conversational, stream-of-consciousness tone.
- A Distinct Universe: Kristen Ashley is famous for her massive, interconnected contemporary romance universes where characters from the Rock Chick, Dream Man, and Colorado Mountain series regularly cross paths. However, Mathilda’s Book of Shadows is a standalone paranormal romance series. It does not share a universe or characters with her other series, meaning you can read this duet without needing to read any other Kristen Ashley books first.
- Setting and Inspiration: The series shifts settings between Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Ashley drew directly on her own experience of living in the English West Country to shape the cozy, charm-filled British backdrop of the books, blending it with her heroine's American roots.
- Tone and Style: The books blend high-stakes paranormal combat (featuring vampires, warlocks, and faeries) with lighthearted chick-lit comedy, quirky humor, and a fashion-obsessed heroine who loves designer heels just as much as she loves saving the world.
Breakdown of the Books
1. Mathilda, SuperWitch (2011)
The series opens on Halloween night, when thirty-something Denver native Mathilda Honeycutt discovers she is not just an ordinary woman, but a prophesied "SuperWitch" destined to save the world from an impending Supernatural War. Thrust into an hidden community of magical beings, Mathilda has to balance learning magic, running her local coffee shop, and coping with a classic love triangle. She finds herself caught between the quiet, protective Sebastian "Ash" Wilding and the charismatic, intelligent Dr. Aidan Seymour, all while trying to maintain her signature wardrobe.
2. Mathilda, SuperWitch: The Rise of the Dark Lord (2020)
Picking up after the events of the first book, the sequel finds Mathilda deep in the thick of the Supernatural War. Having survived her first major battle, she must now work alongside the Federal Witches Agency and rally her magical allies—including vampires, faeries, and warlocks—to stop the rise of the Dark Lord. The stakes are much higher in this installment, moving from local coffee shop management to saving humanity, but Mathilda maintains her quirky humor, love of designer shoes, and relatable flaws throughout the journey.
Practical Reader Advice
Since the series is a direct duet, you must start with the first book. Reading The Rise of the Dark Lord without the context of Mathilda, SuperWitch will leave you highly confused about the character relationships, the magical rules of the world, and the ongoing conflict of the Supernatural War. The books cannot be read as standalones.
If you enjoy audiobooks, the series is narrated by Susannah Jones, who captures Mathilda’s hyperactive, fashion-forward, and diary-style voice perfectly. Listening to the audiobooks can also help make the diary format feel more natural and conversational for readers who find the written journal format hard to get into at first.