Tufa Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Path

If you want to experience the enchanting, slow-burn mystery of the Tufa, the absolute best place to start is with the first novel, The Hum and the Shiver. While author Alex Bledsoe wrote the books so that each main novel functions as a self-contained story, they build upon one another. The lore, the history of Cloud County, and the secrets of where the Tufa came from unfold gradually. Reading them out of order won't leave you lost in a cliffhanger, but it will spoil the satisfying way the overarching mystery is revealed. To get the full experience, you should follow the publication order.

Publication Order of the Tufa Books

Here is the complete list of all Tufa novels, novellas, and short fiction collections in the order they were published, which matches the recommended reading sequence:

1. The Hum and the Shiver (2011) – The novel that starts it all. It follows Bronwyn Hyatt, a Tufa soldier returning from the war in Iraq to Cloud County, who must confront her family's musical legacy and a looming tragedy.
2. Time of the Season: Three Holiday Stories (2012) – A digital-only collection of three seasonal short stories that bridge the Tufa series and Bledsoe's Tales of the Firefly Witch series.
3. Wisp of a Thing (2013) – The second full-length novel. It shifts perspective to an outsider, Rob Quillen, a grieving Chicago musician who travels to Cloud County in search of a legendary healing song, only to become entangled in a dark Tufa curse.
4. Shall We Gather (2013) – A standalone Tor.com original short story exploring the intersection of human Christian faith and Tufa spiritual beliefs, centering on a Methodist minister and a powerful Tufa woman.
5. Hisses and Wings (2014) – A crossover novella co-authored with Teresa Frohock. It bridges Bledsoe's Tufa with Frohock's Los Nefilim series and introduces Janet, a character who becomes crucial in the later novels.
6. The Two Weddings of Bronwyn Hyatt (2015) – A Tor.com original short story focused on Bronwyn Hyatt's wedding preparations and a bargain she makes with a long-lost fairy of the "new country."
7. Long Black Curl (2015) – The third main novel. It features the return of the exiled Bo-Kate Wisby, who seeks vengeance against her tribe, forcing the Tufa to defend their secrets.
8. Chapel of Ease (2016) – The fourth novel. It follows a young Broadway actor researching a role in a play written by a deceased Tufa playwright, leading him to Cloud County where he uncovers dark town secrets.
9. Gather Her Round (2017) – The fifth novel. This book brings Janet back into the spotlight when a local woman is killed, blending local cryptid lore (wild panthers) with ancient Tufa bloodlines.
10. The Fairies of Sadieville (2018) – The sixth and final novel. A grand conclusion that weaves a 1913 silent film production with modern-day academic research to finally reveal the deep, ancient origins of the Tufa.

Chronological Caveats: Where the Shorter Works Fit

If you want to be a completionist and fit the shorter stories precisely into the narrative timeline, here is where they slide between the novels:

• Shall We Gather takes place after the events of The Hum and the Shiver and serves as a great companion piece before diving into Wisp of a Thing.
• Hisses and Wings should ideally be read before Gather Her Round. Because it introduces Janet and sets up her character's magical properties, reading it beforehand gives her role in the fifth novel much more depth.
• The Two Weddings of Bronwyn Hyatt fits comfortably between Wisp of a Thing and Long Black Curl, highlighting Bronwyn's path after the events of the first book.

The Magic, Music, and Origins of the Tufa

Who exactly are the Tufa? In Cloud County, Tennessee, they are a quiet, private, dark-haired people who have lived in the Appalachian hills since before the first European settlers arrived. They are wary of outsiders, and for good reason: they are the descendants of the Irish fae (specifically the Tuatha Dé Danann) who traveled to the New World. Unlike traditional fantasy fae who use wands or spoken spells, the Tufa's magic is entirely tied to music. Through songs, fiddle playing, and ancient Appalachian ballads, they can heal the sick, cast curses, speak to spirits, and even fly. Alex Bledsoe was inspired to create this unique magic system by the haunting melodies of traditional Appalachian folk music and the songs of South Carolina singer-songwriter Jennifer Goree.

What to Know Before You Start

Before you take your first steps into Cloud County, keep a few things in mind. The tone of the Tufa series is a unique mix of contemporary fantasy, Southern gothic mystery, and rural realism. Bledsoe doesn't shy away from the real-world struggles of the Appalachian region, including isolation, poverty, and cultural division. The books also shift protagonists with almost every installment, so don't expect a single main character to guide you through the entire run. Instead, the main character is Cloud County itself and the Tufa community as a whole. Lastly, the series has a definitive ending: The Fairies of Sadieville brings the overarching mysteries of the Tufa's origins to a beautiful and complete resolution, making it a highly rewarding series to read from start to finish.