Gossip Girl Books in Order: How to read Cecily von Ziegesar’s series?

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Written (in part) by American author Cecily von Ziegesar, Gossip Girl follows the privileged socialite teenagers at the Constance Billard School for Girls, an elite private school in New York City’s Upper East Side. The story focused on best friends Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen, their lives being chronicled by the eponymous gossip blogger.

How to read the Gossip Girl Series in Order?

0. It Had to Be You – The Gossip Girl Prequel. Taking place over their sophomore year, the story unveils the secrets behind the hot and sultry summer that Blair, Serena, and Nate’s love triangle begins–and there’s a lot more to this story than anyone realizes. Find out how Blair first snagged Nate, why Serena really left for boarding school, and how the legendary Gossip Girl column began.
1. Gossip Girl – Welcome to New York City’s Upper East Side, where my friends and I live, go to school, play, and sleep — sometimes with each other. S is back from boarding school, and if we aren’t careful, she’s going to win over our teachers, wear that dress we couldn’t fit into, steal our boyfriends’ hearts, and basically ruin our lives in a major way. I’ll be watching closely…
2. You Know You Love Me – It’s brunette vixen Blair Waldorf’s seventeenth birthday, and she knows exactly what she wants: Nate, her studly, troubled boyfriend of three years. But Blair’s been too busy filling out Ivy League college applications to notice that Nate has found himself another playmate . . .
3. All I Want Is Everything – It’s Christmastime and Blair and Serena are best friends again, and up to their old tricks. Blair’s mom and Cyrus are having their honeymoon in Salt Key. And when school lets out for the holiday, Blair, Serena, Aaron, and company head down there to blow off steam after their midterm exams. In between piña coladas and topless sunbathing, Blair and Serena plot revenge on super-jerk Chuck Bass.

4. Because I’m Worth It – Everyone who’s anyone in New York City is suffering from post-college-application cabin fever, and it’s time to run a little wild! Could it be that Serena is smitten with Blair’s stepbrother? Dan and Vanessa are mad about each other and pursuing their creative dreams…but be careful of what you wish for. Nate hits an all-time low as Blair’s Yale interview with a tall, handsome alum takes an unexpected turn, and Jenny makes a new friend who gets a little too close for comfort.
5. I Like It Like That – It’s Spring break and love is in the air. Or is that a blend of Chanel No 9 and Gucci Rush? Blair moves in with Serena and they’re back to being best friends. Nate is on the straight and narrow with his crazy girlfriend Georgie. And Vanessa? Is that her shopping at Barneys with a guy in a Lacoste shirt?
6. You’re the One That I Want – Ivy League college notices of acceptance and rejection arrive at the luxurious Upper East Side homes of the Gossip Girls, and everyone’s wondering about their futures. Eric may have distracted Blair from fulfilling her dream of going to Yale.

7. Nobody Does It Better – The uptown girls are headed downtown as Serena and Jenny take on their new fabulous roles as rock-star model girlfriends of New York’s hottest band, The Raves. Meanwhile, Dan is too busy drowning his sorrows in empty bottles to notice a mysterious French beauty who has a penchant for dirty, Jim Morrison wannabe lead singers. Blair takes residence at the Plaza to think about her future.
8. Nothing Can Keep Us Together – It’s almost graduation and our lives are really heating up. Will Blair and Nate’s love affair continue? More importantly, will Blair finally get into Yale? Or will Nate and Serena hook up in New Haven and leave Blair alone in the city? And as for the juiciest scoop of all, what’s this we hear about Jenny leaving Constance Billard to go to boarding school?
9. Only in Your Dreams – It’s our last summer together before heading off to college. Blair is off to London with her English Lord boyfriend, Serena’s about to become a movie star — as if she wasn’t a star already! — and Nate’s rolling up his well-worn khakis and heading to the Hamptons. Back in New York, Dan and Vanessa are rekindling their love. Fiery! Watch out, this summer is going to be hotter than ever.
10. Would I Lie to You – Summer in the Hamptons lives up to its usual reputation. Serena and Blair are mused by a famous designer who brings in two copycats, cheaper versions of Serena and Blair as models. They crash parties, run into Nate naked, and make him even more confused than ever. Meanwhile, Vanessa is a nanny and Dan is starting a literary salon with a friend named Greg. But when he and Greg kiss, Dan has doubts about himself and raises a big question: is he gay?

11. Don’t You Forget About Me – Before they depart for college, Nate has to choose between his girlfriend, Blair, and her best friend, Serena. Blair and Serena are both going to Yale, but does Serena want to stay and shoot Breakfast at Fred’s? Dan’s mother returns from Europe, showing up for a coming-out party. But the question is, is Dan really gay? Meanwhile, Blair and Aaron are given some life-changing news by Cyrus and Eleanor.
12. I Will Always Love You – Blair, Serena, Nate, Dan, and Vanessa went off to live their lives. Now they’re coming home for the holidays. A lot can change in a few months… but some things never do. With everyone back in the city for the holidays, this break is guaranteed to be filled with makeups, breakups, and shakeups. Lucky for you, I’m here to report all the scandal as it happens. Let the games begin!

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Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer – This is a re-imagined and expanded slasher edition of the first Gossip Girl novel, featuring all new grisly scenes and over-the-top gore.

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Gossip Girl: The Carlyles, the follow-up series Books in Order:

A follow-up to Gossip Girl, the series follows the Carlyle triplets as they begin moving to the Upper East Side.

1. Gossip Girl: The Carlyles – Get out your Montblanc pens, Chloé satchels, and cashmere cardigans: it’s a brand new season on the Upper East Side, and the irresistible Carlyle triplets are taking Manhattan by storm. You know its going to be another wild and wicked year, and I’ll be there to whisper all the juicy secrets.
2. You Just Can’t Get Enough – After a whirlwind first week on the Upper East Side, the Carlyles have made their mark on Manhattan’s Golden Mile. Owen is new BFFs with Rhys Sterling, but what will happen when they both fall for the same girl? Baby stole resident it girl Jack Laurent’s boyfriend…and then Avery stole Jack’s popularity. Now Jack is on the warpath, and she wants nothing more than to send the Carlyle girls packing their Louis Vuitton trunks.
3. Take a Chance on Me – The Carlyle triplets have made a lot of new friends in Manhattan-and more than a few enemies. O stole his best friend’s girlfriend, and A dethroned the queen bee. Now a line has been drawn down Fifth Avenue, and it’s all-out war.
4. Love the One You’re With – It’s Thanksgiving, and the Carlyle triplets are thankful to be escaping the New York City cold-they’re jetting to the tropics and bringing all their friends along for the ride. The sun isn’t the only thing that’s sizzling on this vacation getaway–I’m forecasting sultry poolside encounters, too. So, don’t forget to pack the sunscreen…

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The It Girl: The spin-off series Books in Order:

The series, aimed toward young adults, is a spin-off from the Gossip Girl series and follows Jenny Humphrey, who is leaving Constance Billard School for girls to attend Waverly Academy.

1. The It Girl – Jenny has left her Manhattan school to attend Waverly Academy, an elite boarding school where glamorous rich kids don’t let the rules get in the way of an excellent time. Jenny sets off to Waverly with big plans of reinventing herself. And if getting caught with boys and going up against the Disciplinary Committee is what it takes, Jenny’s ready – she’ll do all that and more to become The It Girl.
2. Notorious – When notorious Tinsley Carmichael returns to find Jenny with her old friends and in her old bed, she’s determined not to let Jenny get all the attention… Is Waverly big enough for Jenny, Callie, Brett and Tinsley? They’re all beautiful, captivating, and a little bit crazy… but there can be only one It Girl.
3. Reckless – Jenny was totally enjoying the attention of the three hottest guys on campus. But she’s ecstatic now that she’s bagged arty Easy Walsh as her boyfriend. Unfortunately he used to belong to someone else…Jenny’s roommate: gorgeous, popular Callie Vernon. It doesn’t take long for Tinsley to use this to her advantage and soon the girls are split across enemy lines.
4. Unforgettable – Old rivalries are about to make way for new friendships as Dumbarton’s residents embrace the sharing-is-caring vibe at the newly founded Women of Waverly club. There are some pretty juicy topics up for discussion and even juicier topics being kept under wraps. For now…

5. Lucky – The bash at the Miller farm was the hottest party Jenny Humphrey had ever attended. But when Dean Marymount announces that someone is going to be held responsible, and expelled, for burning down the antique red barn the heat is really on. Tensions are rising, rumours are flying, and pretty soon everyone is a suspect.
6. Tempted – When Jenny Humphrey confessed to a crime she didn’t commit, she thought her time was up at elite Waverly Academy. But her last-minute escape from expulsion made her the most talked-about girl in school. What nobody knows is who saved her. Now at the annual Halloween masquerade ball, Jenny has a plan to unveil her secret admirer…
7. Infamous – Easy Walsh has been kicked out of Waverly once and for all, and Callie is struggling to keep it together in her love’s absence. But new friends Jenny and Tinsley have a plan to get her out of her funk: head to NYC over the Thanksgiving holiday for a little rest, relaxation, and pampering. But can the alliance between Jenny, Tinsley, and Callie last?
8. Adored – Jenny Humphrey’s time at Waverly Academy has had its ups and downs – from making enemies of the most popular girl at school to stealing her room mate’s boyfriend. But now everything has changed – Jenny, Tinsley, Callie and Brett have put their differences behind them to jointly rule over Waverly Academy – but how long can peace last?

9. Devious – Jenny Humphrey could have lost everything she’d worked so hard for when the reality show her adoring freshman fans were filming backfired on her in the most publicly humiliating way…but it meant she found out who her friends were – maybe Waverly is big enough for four IT girls?
10. Classic – It’s almost Valentine’s Day at Waverly Academy and love is in the air… The Waverly Owls are being paired up with their supposed soulmates through an online personality survey. Jenny Humphrey is convinced she’ll be paired with new boyfriend, Isaac Dresden. When Isaac’s sister Isla steals Tinsley’s thunder – and Brett’s boyfriend – the two girls are determined to get revenge. And Callie Vernon is starting to wonder if a girl can have two soulmates.

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Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only series Books in Order:

A manga adaptation of the series titled Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only. Rather than adapting the original novels, however, the graphic novels feature original stories with the same characters.

1. Gossip Girl: The Manga, Vol. 1 – Welcome to New York’s Upper East Side, where the claws are about to come out! Blair and Serena were BFFs…until Blair discovered that her boyfriend, Nate, cheated on her with Serena! Then, Serena disappeared without a word. Now she’s back and trying to make amends. Too bad Blair has no intention of forgiving her. After seeing Serena with her new boyfriend, Dan, Blair intends to respond in kind! How far will she go to make a mess of Serena’s life?
2. Gossip Girl: The Manga, Vol. 2 – Queen B has fallen off her throne and landed in Brooklyn (of all places!), where she’s sharing an apartment with V. But now N and S are a couple, and heartbroken B’s desperate attempts to maintain her reputation have put her on “sweet” little J’s foul side. And when it comes to these girls, revenge is a dish best served HOT!
3. Gossip Girl: The Manga, Vol. 3 – It ends with a bang! While Queen B has returned to the lap of luxury, she’s keeping on the down-low to exact her sweet revenge on everyone who wronged her. But when she outs little J’s secret at the school auction, V thinks the Queen has gone too far and leaks clips of the film she’s been making showcasing B’s domestic talents. Now V has disappeared, and B is left to pick through the wreckage of her high school career as everyone is gearing up for the next stage of their lives. Are there any relationships left for B to salvage as she faces the future?

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If you like the Gossip Girl reading order, you may also want to see our Pretty Little Liars reading order, or our guide to Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries series. Don’t hesitate to follow us on Twitter or Facebook to discover more book series.