Where Should You Start Reading Ashley Poston?
Ashley Poston writes across different age groups and genres, so your ideal starting point depends on what you enjoy reading:
- For Adult Romance Readers (Magical Realism): Start with The Dead Romantics (2022) or The Seven Year Slip (2023). These are standalone contemporary romances with a whimsical, speculative twist—like talking to a ghost or traveling through a seven-year time slip in an apartment. They do not share characters or storylines, meaning you can read them in any order.
- For Young Adult & Geek Culture Fans: Start with Geekerella (2017), the first book in the Once Upon a Con series. It is a delightful, fandom-infused Cinderella retelling set around a sci-fi convention.
- For Young Adult Fantasy and Sci-Fi Lovers: Start with the space-opera duology beginning with Heart of Iron (2018), which is a thrilling Anastasia retelling set in space.
Once Upon a Con Series (Publication Order)
This Young Adult series reimagines classic fairy tales through the lens of modern geek culture, cosplay, and fandom conventions. While each book focuses on a different couple, they are set in the same universe and share recurring characters. It is highly recommended to read them in publication order:
- Geekerella (2017)
- Once at Midnight (2018) – A companion novella (#1.5) that expands on the Starfield universe.
- The Princess and the Fangirl (2019)
- Once a Princess (2019) – A companion novella (#2.5).
- Bookish and the Beast (2020)
Magical Realism Adult Romance Standalones
These incredibly popular adult contemporary romances feature everyday protagonists experiencing extraordinary, magical phenomena. They can be read as complete standalones in any order:
- The Dead Romantics (2022) – A ghostwriter who doesn't believe in love anymore returns to her family's funeral home and meets a literal ghost.
- The Seven Year Slip (2023) – An overworked publicist inherits an apartment that temporarily slips seven years back in time, where she meets a charming chef.
- A Novel Love Story (2024) – A literature professor finds herself physically stranded in a fictional town created by her favorite, late romance author.
- Sounds Like Love (2025) – A burnt-out songwriter and a musician discover they share a mysterious, telepathic connection through a song.
- The Someday Garden (2026) – A botanical rom-com about a gardener who discovers a secret, magical garden containing a mysterious man trapped inside.
Heart of Iron Duology
If you love space operas, rogue spacers, and classic royalty retellings, this Young Adult science fiction duology is a direct continuation and must be read in order:
- Heart of Iron (2018)
- Soul of Stars (2019)
Radio Hearts Series
Poston's early Young Adult contemporary romance series is set in Myrtle Beach and follows characters navigating love, identity, and music. They should be read in order:
- The Sound of Us (2013)
- We Own the Night (2016)
Other Standalone Novels and Prequels
Poston has also contributed to established franchises and written standalone fantasy novels:
- Among the Beasts and Briars (2020) – A standalone Young Adult high fantasy novel set in a cursed forest.
- Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King (2023) – A standalone Marvel Young Adult novel centering on Kate Bishop's early crime-fighting days.
- The Bewitching Hour: A Tara Prequel (2023) – A prequel novel in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe centering on Tara Maclay. Note that while Bloody Fool for Love (2022) is part of the same Disney prequel collection, it was written by William Ritter; Ashley Poston only wrote Tara's story.
- With Any Luck (2024) – A romantic short story published as Book 5 of The Improbable Meet-Cute collection, a multi-author Amazon Original anthology. The other entries in the collection are written by authors such as Christina Lauren and Abby Jimenez.