The Recommended Reading Order
To experience Alice Bonham’s journey from a regular human teenager to a powerful vampire hunter exactly as the narrative flows, you should read the main novels in order, pausing just before the final book to read the prequel novella, and finishing with the holiday epilogue. This chronological flow ensures you get the necessary context for the characters' motivations before the explosive finale.
Here is the recommended reading order for the My Blood Approves saga:
- My Blood Approves (Book 1)
- Fate (Book 2)
- Flutter (Book 3)
- Wisdom (Book 4)
- Letters to Elise (Prequel Novella / Book 4.5)
- Swear (Book 5)
- Little Tree (Holiday Short Story / Book 5.5)
The Main Novels: Book-by-Book Breakdown
My Blood Approves (2010)
The series begins with My Blood Approves, introducing seventeen-year-old Alice Bonham. Her life in Minneapolis takes a dramatic turn when she meets Jack, a charming, high-energy vampire with a love for pink Chuck Taylors. Their chemistry is instant, but everything becomes complicated when she meets Jack’s older brother, Peter. Peter is quiet, brooding, and shares a powerful, soulmate-like blood connection with Alice that leaves her torn between the two brothers in a tense, dangerous love triangle.
Fate (2010)
Picking up immediately after the events of the first book, Fate follows Alice as she struggles to balance her normal human life—including her family and her best friend, Jane—with the dark, alluring supernatural world she has stumbled into. As the romantic tension between Alice, Jack, and Peter reaches a boiling point, she is forced to confront the harsh reality of what choosing immortality actually means, and the sacrifices she must make to protect those she loves.
Flutter (2010)
In the third installment, Flutter, Alice has transitioned into her new life as a vampire, but her struggles are far from over. Her bonds with Jack and Peter continue to shift, and the supernatural world becomes even more dangerous. The family travels to Finland to deal with rogue threats and internal vampire politics, testing Alice's control over her new instincts and forcing her to grow into a much more active and capable heroine.
Wisdom (2010)
Wisdom brings the danger back to Minneapolis. A string of brutal murders targeted at humans threatens to expose the vampire community, and Alice takes it upon herself to track down the killer. This installment increases the action, raises the stakes, and forces Alice to make difficult choices about loyalty, justice, and the kind of vampire she wants to be, setting the stage for the final act of the saga.
Swear (2016)
After a six-year wait for fans, Amanda Hocking released the final main book, Swear. Alice has established a peaceful life in Australia with her boyfriend, Jack, while actively working as a vampire hunter. However, this hard-won stability is threatened when a dangerous, ancient vampire cult resurfaces. After receiving an unsettling message, Alice must embark on a final quest that forces her to confront the tragic history that has haunted Peter for centuries.
The Companion Works and Novellas
Letters to Elise (2010)
Officially categorized as Book 4.5, Letters to Elise is a prequel novella told entirely through the letters written by Peter Townsend. It spans decades, showing his history from the time he was first turned into a vampire up to his meeting with Alice. Reading this novella provides crucial insight into Peter's cold exterior and explains the deep tragedy of his past, which directly impacts the events and resolution of Swear.
Little Tree (2022)
Set seven years after the conclusion of Swear, Little Tree is a festive, holiday-themed short story. It follows Alice as she is sent to a quiet mountain town just before Christmas to investigate mysterious supernatural reports. It serves as a gentle, heartwarming epilogue that shows where the characters ended up years after the main conflict resolved.
Letters, Love, & Blood (2022)
If you prefer physical books, this 2022 paperback collection bundles the prequel novella Letters to Elise, the holiday short story Little Tree, and extra world-building content like character biographies, history glossaries, and behind-the-scenes trivia about the universe.
Chronological vs. Publication Order Caveats
While Letters to Elise is chronologically a prequel that takes place before the first book, reading it first is highly discouraged for new readers. Peter Townsend is initially introduced as an enigmatic, distant figure, and the mystery surrounding his past and his cold demeanor is a major driving force of the first four books. Reading Letters to Elise first spoils this mystery and changes how you perceive his interactions with Alice early on. Placing it between Wisdom and Swear is the ideal path because it provides the emotional context needed to appreciate Peter's arc in the final book.
What to Know Before You Start
Amanda Hocking originally self-published the first four books in 2010 during the height of the young adult paranormal romance boom. In 2022, Hocking released updated and revised editions of the entire saga. These newer editions cleaned up minor typos, refined character dialogue, and resolved small plot inconsistencies that were present in the original self-published releases. If you are starting the series today, look for the 2022 editions for the smoothest reading experience. Additionally, note that while Hocking's other popular series (such as the Trylle Trilogy and the Kanin Chronicles) share a universe, My Blood Approves is a standalone urban fantasy world with its own unique vampire lore and rules.