Pretty Little Liars Books in Order: How to read Sara Shepard’s Series?

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks!

Written by Sara Shepard, the Pretty Little Liars book series is, of course, the inspiration for the popular TV Show. Set in Rosewood, Pennsylvania, the story of Pretty Little Liars is about four girls with secrets (Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin, Aria Montgomery, and Emily Fields), and the one person who knows them all.

Three years after the disappearance of their friend leader Alison DiLaurentis, the four “liars” begin receiving strange messages from someone called “A,” who threatens to expose their secrets. They must find out who is “A.” By doing so, they put themselves in more danger, in search of the truth.

How to read the Pretty Little Liars Series in Order?

It is highly recommended to read the Pretty Little Liars book series in order. The series is divided into four story arcs, four novels in each.

  1. Ali’s Pretty Little Lies (short stories) – A Prequel. Better read it after book 12 “Burned”, though. Rewind a few years to seventh grade: Alison DiLaurentis and her friends are the It girls of Rosewood Day. Boys want to date them. Girls want to be them. But even though they seem to have it all, these girls are hiding some major secrets-especially Ali. She knows better than anyone that if the truth gets out, it will ruin everything.
  2. Pretty Little Liars (First arc starts here)- Everyone has something to hide – especially high-school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna. Spencer covets her sister’s boyfriend. Aria’s fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily’s crushing on the new girl at school. And Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful. But they’ve all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished…
  3. Flawless – Spencer stole her sister’s boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. Hanna’s obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever. And why shouldn’t I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I’ll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I’ve got enough dirt to bury them alive.
  4. Perfect – In Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four perfect-looking girls aren’t nearly as perfect as they seem. Aria can’t resist her forbidden ex. Hanna is on the verge of losing her BFF. Emily is freaking out over a simple kiss. And Spencer can’t keep her hands off anything that belongs to her sister. Lucky me. I know these pretty little liars better than they know themselves. But it’s hard keeping all of their secrets to myself. They better do as I say . . . or else!
  1. Unbelievable – Four pretty little liars’ charmed lives have turned into living nightmares. Emily’s been shipped off to Iowa to live with her überconservative cousins. Aria’s boyfriend is behind bars-because of her. Spencer’s afraid she was involved in Ali’s murder. But Hanna’s fate is far worse: She’s clinging to life in the hospital because she knew too much. These liars have tried to keep their scandals secret, but the truth is about to rock their pretty little world!
  • Pretty Little Secrets (short stories) – Taking place between books four and five in the Pretty Little Liars series, Unbelievable and Wicked, Pretty Little Secrets is a very special Pretty Little Liars tale revealing the liars’ never-before-seen misadventures over their junior-year winter break. With brand-new stories and ever-juicy secrets, this is the perfect addition to any fan’s Pretty Little Liars collection.
  1. Wicked (Pretty Little Liars’ second arc starts here) – In idyllic Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four very pretty girls just can’t help but be bad. Hanna will do anything to be Rosewood’s queen bee. Spencer’s digging up her family’s secrets. Emily can’t stop thinking about her new boyfriend. And Aria approves a little too strongly of her mom’s taste in men. The girls think they’re in the clear now that Ali’s killer is finally behind bars. But someone new is mimicking “A’s” blackmailing ways with wicked and mysterious messages. And it’s only a matter of time before they let some secrets slip.
  2. Killer – Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily have been lying ever since they became friends with beautiful Alison DiLaurentis. And their bad-girl ways didn’t die with her. Hanna’s on a mission to corrupt Rosewood’s youth, starting with a very attractive sophomore. Aria’s snooping into her boyfriend’s past. Spencer’s stealing-from her family. And pure little Emily’s abstaining from abstinence. The girls should be careful, though. There’s a new A in town turning up the heat. And this time Rosewood is going to burn.
  1. Heartless – First Emily, Aria, Hanna, and Spencer claimed they found a dead body in the woods behind Spencer’s house, only to have it vanish without a trace. Then, when the same woods went up in flames, they swore they saw someone who’s supposed to be dead rise from the ashes. And even after all that, the pretty little liars are still playing with fire. Call me heartless, but it’s about time someone shut these liars up for good. After all, nobody likes a girl who cries wolf; least of all me. . . .
  2. Wanted – Being wanted isn’t always a good thing. For three long years, Hanna, Spencer, Aria, and Emily wondered what happened the night their best friend Alison disappeared. Now that all their questions have finally been answered, they can put this awful chapter of their lives behind them. Or so they think. Not every story has a happy ending, especially when four pretty little liars have done so many wicked things. Will the girls get everything they’ve ever wanted? Not if I have anything to say about it.
  3. Twisted (Pretty Little Liars’ third arc starts here) – It’s been a year since the mystery of their former friend’s disappearance was finally laid to rest, and Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily have worked hard to put their lives back together. Now seniors in high school, the pretty little liars are older, but they’re not any wiser. Last spring break in Jamaica, they did something unforgivable. The girls are desperate to forget that fateful night, but they should know by now that all secrets eventually wash ashore.
  1. Ruthless – Four little liars are at it again. Aria’s love life is on the Fitz-ahem, fritz. Emily’s exploring her wild side. Hanna’s kissing the enemy. And someone from Spencer’s past-someone she never thought she’d see again-is back to haunt her. But none of that compares to what these pretty little liars did on their last spring break. It’s their darkest secret yet. And guess who else knows?
  2. Stunning – Emily’s reconnecting with an old flame, one baby step at a time. But is she headed toward true love or another bundle of heartache? Spencer’s learning about the highs and lows of campus life on a trip to Princeton. Aria’s seeing a whole new side to Noel’s dad-and it could drive a wedge between her and Noel. And, for better or worse, Hanna’s getting in touch with her inner A. Secret by secret, lie by lie, the girls get tangled in A’s dangerous web. Soon A will have enough ammunition to pull the trigger and end the pretty little liars, once and for all….
  3. Burned – High school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have made some terrible mistakes, but nothing compares to what they did last spring break. Now the girls are packing their bags for a Caribbean cruise, hoping the trip will be a much-needed vacation from their stalker, A. But they should know by now that A won’t be left high and dry. Sure enough, A shows up on deck, ready to send these pretty little liars to a watery grave…
  1. Crushed (Pretty Little Liars fourth arc starts here) – High school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have been tortured by A for too long. Now they’re determined to take the fight to A . . . even if it’s the last thing they do. As the rest of Rosewood prepares for the prom, the girls drop everything in their hunt for A. But with each new piece of evidence, A only seems farther away. No matter how close the liars get, A is always one step ahead-and ready to crush them completely.
  2. Deadly – High school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have all done horrible things-things that would put them behind bars if anyone ever found out. And their stalker “A” knows everything. So far A has kept their secrets, using them to torture the girls. But now A’s changed the game. Suddenly the girls are hauled in for questioning, and all their worlds begin to unravel. If A’s plan succeeds, Rosewood’s pretty little liars will be locked away for good. . . .
  3. Toxic – High school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have all done horrible things-things that would put them behind bars if anyone ever found out. And their stalker “A” knows everything. So far A has kept their secrets, using them to torture the girls. But now A’s changed the game. Suddenly the girls are hauled in for questioning, and all their worlds begin to unravel. If A’s plan succeeds, Rosewood’s pretty little liars will be locked away for good…

  1. Vicious – High school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have been through a lot since their best friend, Alison DiLaurentis, disappeared five summers ago. A stalker named “A” has harassed them for their past mistakes and revealed their darkest secrets to the world. They’ve been on TV, hounded by the press, kicked out of school, arrested, and even put in jail. With time running out, and their lives on the line, one of the Liars does something so terrifying and shocking, that fans will be left breathless.

If you like our article about the Pretty Little Liars reading order, don’t forget to bookmark it! You may also want to see our guide to the Liar Game books, or the Gossip Girl series.

Similar Posts