L. J. Smith books in order
American author
- Lived
- 1958–2025
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 33
- Series
- 3
L. J. Smith published 19 novels, 12 children's books and 2 other books, beginning with The Awakening (1991). The 3 series include The Vampire Diaries (6 books, starting with The Awakening), Night World (4 books, starting with Secret Vampire) and The Secret Circle (2 books, starting with The Initiation).
Updated September 2026
The Vampire Diaries books in order (6)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Awakening (1991) · 2 The Struggle (1991) · 3 The Vampire Diaries: The Fury (1991) · 4 The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion (1992) · 5 The Return: Nightfall (2009) · 6 Shadow Souls (2010)
- 1.
The Awakening (1991)
- 2.
The Struggle (1991)
- 3.
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury (1991)
- 4.
The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion (1992)
- 5.
The Return: Nightfall (2009)
- 6.
Shadow Souls (2010)
Night World books in order (4)Series page
Reading order: 1 Secret Vampire (1996) · 2 Daughters of Darkness (1996) · 9 Witchlight (2006) · The Chosen (1997)
- 1.
Secret Vampire (1996)
- 2.
Daughters of Darkness (1996)
- 9.
Witchlight (2006)
The Chosen (Feb 1997)
Where to start with L. J. Smith
Start here
The Awakening
L. J. Smith's most-read book and the first of the 6 The Vampire Diaries books.
Shortest way in
Secret Vampire
One of the most-read, at about 240 pages.
Standalone novels in order
The Secret Circle (1992)
The Kill (1994)
Black Dawn (2010)
Hunter (2010)
Strange Fate (2010)
Unmasked (2014)
Night World (2015)
Children's books in order
The Night of the Solstice (1987)
Dark Visions, Volume 1 (1994)
The Chase (1994)
Dark Visions (1995)
The Vampire Diaries (2007)
Heart of Valour (2008)
Night World No. 1 (2008)
Night World Volume 2 (2008)
The Forbidden Game (2010)
The Origins (2010)
Phantom (2011)
Destiny Rising (2012)
Other books in order
The Strange Power (2010)
Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries Collection (2014)
About L. J. Smith
Lisa Jane Smith was an American author of young adult fiction best known for her best-selling series The Vampire Diaries, which has been turned into a successful television show. Her books, particularly The Vampire Diaries and Night World, have been in the New York Times Best Seller list and have been nominated for five awards.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
L. J. Smith FAQ
- How many books has L. J. Smith written?
- L. J. Smith published 19 novels, 12 children's books and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read L. J. Smith's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start The Vampire Diaries with The Awakening, Night World with Secret Vampire and The Secret Circle with The Initiation. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is L. J. Smith's last book?
- Night World (2015).
- What is L. J. Smith's most famous book?
- The Awakening (1991) is L. J. Smith's most widely read book.
- Are L. J. Smith's books connected?
- 12 books belong to 3 series (The Vampire Diaries, Night World and The Secret Circle); the other 21 books stand alone.
Authors like L. J. Smith
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.