Alexandra Coutts Books in Order

Recommended Reading Paths for Alexandra Coutts

Alexandra Coutts has a relatively small but highly acclaimed Young Adult bibliography. She published her first two magical realism novels under her maiden name, Alexandra Bullen, before publishing her subsequent contemporary standalones under her married name, Alexandra Coutts. Because her books span two distinct styles—magical realism and quiet contemporary drama—there are two main ways to read her work.

Option 1: Publication / Chronological Order (Recommended)

Reading in order of release is the most natural path. It allows you to see the author's evolution from writing magical realism fantasy under Scholastic to writing grounded, character-driven realism under Macmillan's FSG imprint. Here is the chronological publication list:

1. Wish (2010) — Published under the name Alexandra Bullen.
2. Wishful Thinking (2011) — Published under the name Alexandra Bullen.
3. Tumble & Fall (2013) — Published under the name Alexandra Coutts.
4. Young Widows Club (2015) — Published under the name Alexandra Coutts.

Option 2: Thematic Path (Magic vs. Realism)

If you prefer to match your reading experience to a specific genre, you can divide her books into two distinct categories:

• The Magical Realism Duology: Start with Wish and follow it up with its companion novel Wishful Thinking. These books deal with grief, identity, and time travel through the whimsical and bittersweet premise of magical, wish-granting dresses.
• The Contemporary Standalones: Jump straight to Tumble & Fall or Young Widows Club. These novels feature no magic, focusing instead on raw, emotional teen experiences set against the backdrop of Martha's Vineyard.

Detailed Breakdown of the Series and Standalones

The Wish Duology (Olivia Larsen Series)

The Wish duology consists of companion novels connected by a shared lore: the magical dresses created by a mysterious seamstress named Posey. While they are connected, they feature different protagonists and settings.

• Wish (2010): Set in San Francisco, California. The story follows Olivia Larsen, a teenage girl grieving the sudden death of her twin sister, Violet. When a magical dress allows Olivia to wish her sister back, she is reunited with Violet's ghost. Olivia must navigate high school while learning how to let go of her grief.
• Wishful Thinking (2011): Set in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. This companion novel centers on Hazel Hayes, an adopted teenager searching for her biological identity. After discovering her birth mother has died, Hazel obtains magical dresses from Posey and wishes to know her mother, which transports her back in time to live out alternative scenarios.

The Standalone Contemporary Novels

Coutts's later novels are published under her married name and are set entirely in Martha's Vineyard, grounding their heavy emotional themes in the tight-knit island community she calls home.

• Tumble & Fall (2013): A quiet, pre-apocalyptic novel that focuses on three teenagers living on Martha's Vineyard during the final week before an asteroid hits Earth. Rather than high-stakes action, the book explores how people find hope, love, and reconciliation in the face of mortality.
• Young Widows Club (2015): A moving contemporary novel about Tamsen Baird, a 17-year-old girl who married her musician boyfriend, only for him to pass away suddenly from a heart condition. The story follows Tam as she navigates the unusual grief of being a teenage widow while trying to fit back into normal high school life.

What to Know Before You Start

While the transition from fantasy elements to grounded realism might seem like a major shift, Coutts maintains several key stylistic elements across all of her books. Whether she is writing about a ghost sister or an impending asteroid, her focus is always on character-driven narratives, deep emotional resonance, and themes of loss and recovery. Additionally, her personal connection to Martha's Vineyard shines through in Wishful Thinking, Tumble & Fall, and Young Widows Club, turning the island itself into a vivid character that influences the characters' choices and relationships.