The Recommended Breeana Shields Reading Order
Breeana Shields has created some of the most captivating young adult fantasy worlds in recent years, drawing on diverse mythologies, high-stakes romance, and complex moral choices. Because her works consist of two self-contained duologies and a standalone novel, there is no single multi-series continuity you need to worry about. The absolute best way to experience her books is by series in order of publication.
Following this path lets you watch the author's world-building and prose style evolve while keeping your reading clean and organized:
- Poison’s Kiss Duology (2017–2018)
- The Bone Charmer Duology (2019–2020)
- The Splendor (2021)
Where to Start: Choosing Your Path
Since her series are not connected, your starting point depends entirely on what kind of magical system and narrative style you prefer. Here is how to decide which book to pick up first:
- Start with Poison's Kiss if: You love high-stakes espionage, folklore-inspired assassin stories, dangerous secrets, and forbidden romance. It is her debut and remains one of her most beloved series.
- Start with The Bone Charmer if: You are fascinated by dark, unique magic systems, fate vs. free will, and multi-timeline stories. The duology features a protagonist living out two parallel paths at once.
- Start with The Splendor if: You want a quick, atmospheric, standalone mystery set in a luxurious, magical hotel that behaves like a beautiful dream with a dark, psychological underbelly.
The Poison's Kiss Duology
Shields' debut series is a lush, gripping young adult fantasy heavily inspired by ancient Indian folklore, specifically the myth of the visha kanya—or poison maiden. The series features rich cultural mythology, tense political maneuvering, and high emotional stakes.
Poison's Kiss (2017)
Seventeen-year-old Marinda is a secret weapon for the Raja. As a poison maiden, she can kill with a single kiss. She is raised to believe she is only executing the kingdom's worst enemies, but her loyalty is tested when she receives orders to kiss Deven, a boy she knows to be completely innocent. This book introduces the dangerous double life Marinda leads and her desperate quest for truth.
Poison's Cage (2018)
Picking up immediately after the explosive events of the first book, the sequel switches between the alternating perspectives of Marinda and her close ally, Iyla. Together, they must infiltrate the palace of the cruel Snake King. The tension rises as they play a dangerous game of espionage, where keeping secrets from enemies—and each other—becomes a matter of life and death.
The Bone Charmer Duology
The Bone Charmer series takes a step into a darker, more cerebral fantasy setting. In this world, bones are the source of all power, used to predict futures, read the past, and lock away dangerous secrets.
The Bone Charmer (2019)
Saskia wants to choose her own path, but her 'kenning' ceremony assigns her to train as a Bone Charmer like her mother. Her life takes a dramatic turn when a magical bone fractures during a confrontation, splitting Saskia's future into two distinct, parallel paths. The narrative follows both timelines simultaneously as she lives two different lives, realizing that she faces lethal threats in both futures.
The Bone Thief (2020)
The story concludes in the second book as Saskia seeks vengeance against the rogue Bone Charmer, Latham, who killed her family and stole their bones. Returning to Ivory Hall, Saskia must master bone magic to stop Latham before he can steal the power of all three Sights—past, present, and future—and rewrite the destiny of their entire world.
Standalone Magic: The Splendor (2021)
For readers looking for a self-contained story, Shields delivered a gorgeous, atmospheric fantasy that reads like a mix of historical luxury and psychological magic.
Set in a mysterious, ultra-exclusive hotel called The Splendor, guests pay massive sums to live out their 'Signature Experience'—a customized, magical fantasy that fulfills their deepest dreams. The story follows Juliette, whose sister returns from the hotel lacking any memory of their close sisterly bond. To save her sister, Juliette spends her savings to enter the hotel, uncovering a dark, manipulative conspiracy beneath the glamorous illusions.
What to Know Before You Start
There are no massive continuity crossovers or spin-offs to worry about when reading Breeana Shields. Each duology is complete and stands on its own, meaning you will not be left with unresolved cliffhangers. The author writes accessible, fast-paced young adult literature that focuses on personal identity, moral dilemmas, and the consequences of magic, making her books perfect for fans of authors like Victoria Aveyard and Sarah J. Maas.