Rebecca Yarros writes in two very different modes. On one side, there is the Empyrean series with dragons, war college politics, and giant romantasy stakes. On the other, there is a deep backlist of contemporary romance full of military families, grief, second chances, and emotionally messy love stories.
That split is exactly why a one-size-fits-all reading order does not work very well here. The cleanest way to move through Yarros’s catalog is by series first, then by publication order inside each group. That keeps the Empyrean books together, preserves the relationship arcs in the romance series, and makes it much easier to choose where to start.
Jump to:
- Where to Start?
- Rebecca Yarros Books in Order
- Rebecca Yarros Adaptations
- Who is Rebecca Yarros?
- Rebecca Yarros Books FAQ
Where to Start?
Start with Fourth Wing if you want the book that turned Rebecca Yarros into a crossover fantasy phenomenon.
Readers who would rather begin with her contemporary romance have a few stronger entry points. The Last Letter is the pick for maximum emotional damage. In the Likely Event has a bigger, more sweeping feel. Variation is a newer option if you want to try one of her recent standalones first.
Whatever route you take, the important thing is to keep each series in order once you begin it. The Empyrean books absolutely build on one another, and her romance series work better the same way, even when each installment shifts to a different couple.
Rebecca Yarros Books in Order
Rebecca Yarros does not have one single straight-line reading order from beginning to end. Instead, her bibliography breaks into fantasy, standalones, connected romance series, and a co-written duet. The most useful setup is to organize everything by series and then read each group in publication order.
The Empyrean Series
This is the series most readers are here for. It begins with Violet Sorrengail at Basgiath War College and expands into a much bigger war, much bigger secrets, and much bigger consequences than the first book initially suggests.
- Fourth Wing (2023)
- Iron Flame (2023)
- Onyx Storm (2025)
Rebecca Yarros has said the Empyrean series is planned for five books total, so this story is not finished yet.
Rebecca Yarros Standalone Novels
These books do not require a long-series commitment, which makes them a good place to start if you want Yarros’s writing style without jumping into a multi-book saga.
- The Last Letter (2019)
- Muses & Melodies (2019)
- Great and Precious Things (2020)
- The Things We Leave Unfinished (2021)
- A Little Too Close (2022)
- In the Likely Event (2023)
- Variation (2024)
Flight & Glory Series
This is one of Yarros’s best-known contemporary romance series, and it is the place to go if you want military romance with recurring characters and a heavier emotional punch.
- Full Measures (2014)
- Eyes Turned Skyward (2014)
- Beyond What Is Given (2015)
- Hallowed Ground (2016)
- The Reality of Everything (2020)
The Renegades Series
The Renegades books lean into extreme sports, travel, and high-adrenaline romance, but they still work best when read in order.
Legacy Series
The Legacy corner of Yarros’s catalog includes prequel novellas and the main novel. The prequels are set in the same world, but Reason to Believe is the central full-length book.
- Point of Origin (2016)
- Ignite (2016)
- Reason to Believe (2022)
In Luv Duet
This is the co-written set Rebecca Yarros wrote with Jay Crownover. Since it is only two books, it is also one of the easiest parts of her backlist to finish quickly.
- Girl in Luv (2019)
- Boy in Luv (2019)
Rebecca Yarros Adaptations
Rebecca Yarros’s work is already moving into other formats.
The highest-profile project is Amazon MGM’s television adaptation of Fourth Wing, which remains in development. At the same time, In the Likely Event is being adapted as a Netflix film, giving Yarros a second major screen project outside the fantasy side of her catalog.
There is also a graphic novel adaptation underway for the first three Empyrean books. That project is set to cover Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm across six graphic volumes, with each novel split into two parts.
Who is Rebecca Yarros?
Rebecca Yarros is a bestselling author whose catalog spans romantasy and contemporary romance. She had a strong romance readership long before Fourth Wing, but the Empyrean series pushed her into another level of visibility and made her one of the biggest names in modern romantasy.
Part of what makes her bibliography stand out is range. Some readers come to Yarros for dragons, danger, and high-stakes fantasy romance. Others come for emotional contemporary stories that hit hard and do not mind putting characters through absolute misery before the payoff arrives.
Rebecca Yarros Books FAQ
What is the best Rebecca Yarros reading order?
The best approach is to read by series and then follow publication order inside each group. That keeps the fantasy books together, preserves the connected romance arcs, and makes the whole bibliography a lot easier to navigate.
Is the Empyrean series finished?
No. Rebecca Yarros has said the Empyrean series is planned for five books total, and only the first three are out right now.
Do Rebecca Yarros’s standalone novels need to be read in order?
No. The standalones can be read in any order.
Which Rebecca Yarros book should I read first?
Fourth Wing is the best first book for fantasy readers. For contemporary romance readers, The Last Letter, In the Likely Event, and Variation are all strong starting points.
Is Rebecca Yarros only a fantasy author?
No. Fantasy may be the part of her catalog that gets the most attention now, but a large part of her backlist is contemporary romance.
Looking for more books in order?
If you want more romance authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Romance Books in Order index.