Amy Rose Capetta Books in Order

Where to Start Reading A.R. Capetta

With a bibliography that spans space operas, historical fantasy, contemporary witch stories, and even official franchise tie-ins, A.R. Capetta (who writes under both Amy Rose Capetta and A.R. Capetta, and uses all pronouns) offers several excellent entry points. Where you start depends entirely on your favorite genre:

• For Sci-Fi & Arthurian Lore Lovers: Start with Once & Future. Co-authored with spouse Cory McCarthy, this duology is a high-octane space opera that gender-bends and queer-codes the classic King Arthur legend. It is funny, fast-paced, and serves as an excellent introduction to Capetta's collaborative style.
• For Historical Magic & Intrigue Fans: Start with The Brilliant Death. Set in a fantasy version of late 19th-century Italy, it features a gender-fluid protagonist who can transform people into objects and must navigate mafia-style family politics and magic.
• For Cozy, Magical Realism Seekers: Start with The Heartbreak Bakery. This delightful standalone novel centers on an agender teen baker whose emotions accidentally infuse their baked goods, creating magical romantic chaos across Austin, Texas.

The Once & Future Duology

Co-authored with Cory McCarthy, this duology transports the legend of King Arthur into a corporate-dominated future. It follows Ari Helix, a queer refugee who pulls Excalibur from a futuristic crash site, and a backward-aging Merlin who must help her lead the rebellion.

1. Once & Future (2019) – Ari Helix discovers she is the latest reincarnation of King Arthur and must team up with a teenage Merlin to overthrow a tyrannical corporation.
2. Sword in the Stars (2020) – The saga concludes as Ari and her knights travel back in time to the original Middle Ages to steal the Holy Grail and save the future.

The Brilliant Death Duology

This lush, Italian-inspired fantasy series explores themes of gender identity, power, and family loyalty. The magic system centers on "stregheria" (witchcraft) and the rare ability to reshape matter.

1. The Brilliant Death (2018) – Teodora di Sangro is a mafia don's daughter who secretively uses her magic to transform enemies into objects. When her father is poisoned, she must pose as a boy to travel to the capital and save him.
2. The Storm of Life (2020) – Teodora and her love Cielo must lead a group of young, target-magic users in a rebellion against the country's corrupt ruler.

The Entangled Duology

This is Capetta's debut sci-fi adventure series, published under the name Amy Rose Capetta. It is a space-travel story about isolation, connection, and music.

1. Entangled (2013) – Seventeen-year-old Cade is alone on a space outlaw planet until she discovers her DNA is quantumly entangled with a boy on Earth, forcing her into a desperate mission across the galaxy.
2. Unmade (2015) – Cade and her crew must find a way to stop the mysterious "Unmaker" and repair the damage done to the space-time continuum.

Hocus and Pocus Series (For Younger Readers)

Perfect for early readers, this charmingly illustrated chapter book series (illustrated by Charlene Chua) follows two slightly magical puppies looking for their forever homes.

1. Hocus and Pocus and the Spell for Home (2024) – Introduces Hocus (who can see two minutes into the future) and Pocus (who turns bad feelings into bubbles) as they try to get adopted from the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets.
2. Hocus and Pocus and the Dragon Next Door (2025) – The puppies go on a new adventure involving a neighboring dragon.
3. Hocus and Pocus and the Snow Day Sorcery (2026) – A winter-themed magical mystery for the two puppies.
4. Hocus and Pocus and the Wild Wands (Scheduled for 2027) – The upcoming fourth installment in the series.

Standalone Novels

If you prefer a self-contained story, Capetta has written several acclaimed standalone novels that span multiple subgenres:

• Echo After Echo (2017) – A dark, atmospheric murder mystery set behind the scenes of a Broadway theater, wrapped in a queer romance.
• The Lost Coast (2019) – A dreamy, atmospheric contemporary fantasy about a coven of queer teen witches (known as the Grays) in the California redwoods who search for their missing magic.
• The Heartbreak Bakery (2021) – A cozy contemporary fantasy featuring an agender baker named Syd who has to undo the magical breakups caused by their enchanted brownies.
• Stranger Things: Rebel Robin (2021) – An official tie-in novel for the Netflix series Stranger Things, exploring the backstory of Robin Buckley during her sophomore year of high school. It serves as a companion to the scripted podcast series Rebel Robin: Surviving Hawkins.
• Costumes for Time Travelers (2025) – A recent release that blends fashion, history, and time travel.

What to Know Before You Start

When searching for these books, note that the author's earlier works (like Entangled, Unmade, and Echo After Echo) were published under the name Amy Rose Capetta. More recent releases are published as A.R. Capetta. There is no chronological overlap or plot connection between the different series, so they can be read in any order. If you read the tie-in novel Stranger Things: Rebel Robin, you can also listen to the companion fiction podcast Rebel Robin: Surviving Hawkins (starring Maya Hawke), which shares the same setting and characters but tells a distinct, complementary story.