Alex Lidell Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Alex Lidell's Books

Alex Lidell has established a strong presence in young adult high fantasy and reverse-harem romance. How you begin depends on what you enjoy reading:

• For High-Seas YA Fantasy: Start with the Tides series, beginning with either the prequel novella First Command or the first novel, Air and Ash. This series features a cross-dressing princess turned naval cadet, political intrigue, and elemental magic.
• For Reverse-Harem Fae Romance: Start with the Power of Five. It is Lidell's flagship fantasy romance series about a human woman bonded to four powerful fae warriors.
• For a Quick Standalone YA Fantasy: Read The Cadet of Tildor, Lidell's debut novel. It features a cadet who must protect her academy and kingdom when danger arises.

The Power of Five and Great Falls Academy Universe

The Power of Five and the Great Falls Academy series are set in the exact same world and follow the same central characters: the human protagonist Lera and her four fae mates, River, Shade, Tye, and Coal. In the second arc, the group goes undercover at a human military academy (Great Falls Academy) to prevent dark magic from leaking into the mortal world. However, a magical mishap wipes the memories of the fae warriors, forcing Lera to help them remember who they are.

Readers should start with the original four Power of Five novels to build a solid foundation of the characters, world, and relationships before moving to the Great Falls Academy saga.

Phase 1: Power of Five (The Original Arc)

1. Power of Five (2018)
2. Mistake of Magic (2018)
3. Trial of Three (2018)
4. Lera of Lunos (2019)

Phase 2: Great Falls Academy (The Sequel Arc)

The Great Falls Academy arc was originally published as nine individual episodic novellas. However, the author later compiled these episodes into three full-length volumes. Depending on which editions you purchase, you can read them either as nine separate novellas or as three compiled volumes:

• Volume 1: Great Falls Cadet (2019) — Compiles Episodes 1–3:
  • Rules of Stone (Episode 1)
  • Crime and Punishment (Episode 2)
  • Scent of a Wolf (Episode 3)
• Volume 2: Great Falls Rogue (2020) — Compiles Episodes 4–6:
  • Clock Strikes Midnight (Episode 4)
  • Dungeons and Dreamers (Episode 5)
  • Hide and Seek (Episode 6)
• Volume 3: Great Falls Protector (2020) — Compiles Episodes 7–9:
  • Enemy Tyes (Episode 7)
  • Prowess Trials (Episode 8)
  • The Last Bell (Episode 9)

The Tides Series: High-Seas Fantasy Order

The Tides series is a young adult high-fantasy adventure following Nile Greysik, a princess who masquerades as a sailor to escape a forced political marriage and command her own ship. This series features a blend of naval warfare, elemental magic, and romance.

The recommended reading order is chronological, starting with the prequel novella:

1. First Command (2017) – A prequel novella (often numbered 0.5) that details 17-year-old Nile's first assignment commanding a captured enemy vessel.
2. Air and Ash (2017) – The first full-length novel, where Nile goes undercover as a midshipman on a ship with a cowardly captain.
3. War and Wind (2017) – Book 2, which escalates the naval conflict and Nile's struggle with her forbidden magic.
4. Sea and Sand (2018) – The final book in the core trilogy, wrapping up Nile's story.

Other Romance & Reverse-Harem Series

Lidell has written several other series that span contemporary romance, shifter romance, and dark academy tropes. These do not connect to the Power of Five universe and can be read independently.

Her Royal Dragon Pack

A reverse-harem dragon shifter romance series following a female lead and her dragon pack. These books have a tight continuity and must be read in order:

1. Dragons' Captive (2023)
2. Dragons' Bride (2023)
3. Dragons' Mate (2023)
4. Dragons' Future (2024)

Immortals of Talonswood

A dark paranormal academy romance series where the protagonist must navigate magical threats, secrets, and a reverse-harem dynamic. Read them in order:

1. Last Chance Academy (2020)
2. Last Chance Reform (2020)
3. Last Chance Witch (2020)
4. Last Chance World (2021)

Trident Rescue

Unlike her fantasy series, Trident Rescue is a contemporary romance series set in Denton Valley, Colorado. The series follows a group of former Navy SEALs who return home to start a search and rescue team. While there is a shared setting and characters, each book is a standalone enemies-to-lovers story that can technically be read in any order. The publication order is:

1. Enemy Zone (2020)
2. Enemy Contact (2021)
3. Enemy Lines (2021)
4. Enemy Hold (2021)
5. Enemy Chase (2022)
6. Enemy Stand (2022)

The Scout (Royal Scout) Duology

The Scout series (sometimes referred to as the Royal Scout duology) is a young adult fantasy. It follows a seventeen-year-old spy named Kali who must disguise herself as a male guard trainee by day and act as a royal lady by night. When reading these books, keep in mind that they were published under two different sets of titles. Both versions contain the same text:

1. Book 1: Tracing Shadows (also published as A Court of Masks and Roses) (2018)
2. Book 2: Unraveling Darkness (also published as A Court of Truth and Thorns) (2018)

Collaborations and Standalones

Alex Lidell has also written standalone books and contributed to shared-world projects:

• The Cadet of Tildor (2013) – This was Lidell's debut young adult fantasy novel published by Penguin. It was a finalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakout Novel Awards and remains a standalone work.
• Bonds of Steele Omegaverse (Lethal Heat) – The Bonds of Steele Omegaverse is a collaborative project written by several different authors (including S.K. Reign, Ginna Moran, and Laurel Night). Each book functions as a standalone romance set in a shared omegaverse world. Alex Lidell co-authored Lethal Heat (2022) with May Dawson for this series. You do not need to read the other authors' books to understand her contribution.