The Vampire Diaries Books in Order

Where to Start Reading The Vampire Diaries

For anyone looking to plunge into the gothic romance of Elena Gilbert and the Salvatore brothers, the absolute best place to start is with the original 1991 quartet: The Awakening, The Struggle, The Fury, and Dark Reunion. Originally conceived as a trilogy by author L.J. Smith, the series expanded due to massive fan demand, setting the stage for decades of supernatural drama.

It is important to know that the books are significantly different from the popular CW television adaptation. While the TV show is set in the town of Mystic Falls and features a brunette, compassionate Elena, the novels are set in the eerie town of Fell’s Church, Virginia, and introduce Elena as a blonde, somewhat self-absorbed popular high school queen bee who undergoes a dramatic transformation after encountering the Salvatore brothers. Starting from the beginning of the original quartet ensures you understand the core mythology of the books, which features different magic systems, characters, and plotlines than the television series.

The Core Book Series: Trilogies and Arcs

The main series consists of 13 books divided into four distinct arcs. Reading these in their publication order is highly recommended, as the narrative builds directly from one volume to the next. The arcs are structured as follows:

1. The Original Quartet (1991–1992)

This is where the legend begins, introducing the iconic love triangle between Elena, the brooding Stefan, and the dangerous Damon.

• The Awakening (1991)
• The Struggle (1991)
• The Fury (1991)
• Dark Reunion (1992)

2. The Return Trilogy (2009–2011)

After a long hiatus, L.J. Smith returned to her characters to pen a darker, more complex trilogy that explores otherworldly dimensions, demonic possession, and the deeper secrets of Fell’s Church.

• Nightfall (2009)
• Shadow Souls (2010)
• Midnight (2011)

3. The Hunters Trilogy (2011–2012)

Following a major editorial shift, this arc shifts focus back to the struggles at Fell's Church High School and the introduction of new, lethal threats targeting the town's supernatural residents.

• Phantom (2011)
• Moonsong (2011)
• Destiny Rising (2012)

4. The Salvation Trilogy (2013–2014)

The final trilogy brings the main novel saga to a close, raising the stakes to a global level as the characters face ancient vampires and ultimate choices about their futures.

• Unseen (2013)
• Unspoken (2013)
• Unmasked (2014)

The Behind-the-Scenes Shift: L.J. Smith and Ghostwriters

One of the most crucial pieces of advice for new readers is understanding the dramatic shift in authorship halfway through the series. L.J. Smith wrote the first seven books (the Original Quartet and The Return trilogy). However, due to creative and contractual disputes with the book packager, Alloy Entertainment, Smith was fired from her own franchise after the release of Midnight in 2011.

Alloy Entertainment owned the copyright to the series and wanted to take the story in a direction that aligned more closely with the television show's pairing preferences, which clashed with Smith's vision. As a result, the subsequent trilogies—The Hunters (written by an anonymous ghostwriter) and The Salvation (written by author Aubrey Clark)—were published under L.J. Smith's name but without her involvement. Fans often note a distinct change in tone, character voice, and writing style starting with Phantom.

For readers who want to experience L.J. Smith's true planned ending for the series, she wrote and self-published an alternate continuation called the Evensong series (consisting of Paradise Lost, The War of Roses, and Into the Wood) on Kindle Worlds, though these are considered unofficial fan fiction due to copyright limitations.

The TV Show Connection: Stefan’s Diaries

In addition to the main 13-book sequence, there is a six-book spin-off series titled The Vampire Diaries: Stefan’s Diaries. Published between 2010 and 2012, this subseries serves as a companion to the CW television show rather than the original novels. While L.J. Smith's name appears on the covers, these books were also written by ghostwriters under the direction of the television show's producers.

These novels function as a prequel to the TV series, detailing Stefan and Damon's lives in the mid-19th century, their transformation, and their tragic history with Katherine Pierce in Mystic Falls (not Fell’s Church). Because they follow TV show continuity (using TV show names, rules, and settings), they should be read separately from the main 13 books to avoid confusing the two distinct timelines.

Chronological vs. Publication Order

Because the book universe and the TV show universe are completely separate canons, readers have two primary ways to approach the entire franchise:

The Pure Novel Path (Recommended)

If you want to experience the original literary universe, stick strictly to the main 13 books in publication order. Do not mix in Stefan's Diaries, as the differences in lore (such as how vampires are made, character backstories, and town names) will cause massive confusion. Simply read the books from The Awakening straight through to Unmasked.

The TV Show Extension Path

If you are a fan of the television show and want to expand your knowledge of the on-screen universe, you can read Stefan's Diaries in chronological order as a prequel before starting the TV show, or as companion material after watching the series. The reading order for this subseries is:

1. Origins (2010)
2. Bloodlust (2011)
3. The Craving (2011)
4. The Ripper (2011)
5. The Asylum (2012)
6. The Compelled (2012)