Fifty Shades of Grey Books in Order
The New York Times bestselling Fifty Shades of Grey books by EL James shot to popularity because of their scandalous erotic scenes and the intense love story between billionaire Christian Grey and student reporter Anastasia Steele. Originally released as a trilogy, James later went back and wrote the trilogy again from Christian’s perspective, opening up the question of which is the best way to read the Fifty Shades of Grey books in order.
Their tumultuous relationship had readers like me flipping pages at lightning speed, discussing it with friends, and then going to see the blockbuster movie adaptation starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Fanning.
Fifty Shades of Grey Books in Order by Publication Date
- Fifty Shades of Grey (2011)
- Fifty Shades Darker (2011)
- Fifty Shades Freed (2012)
- Grey (2015)
- Darker (2017)
- Freed (2021)
Fifty Shades of Grey Books in Chronological Order
- Fifty Shades of Grey (2011)
- Grey (2015)
- Fifty Shades Darker (2011)
- Darker (2017)
- Fifty Shades Freed (2012)
- Freed (2021)
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Special Edition Fifty Shades Books by E.L. James
Fifty Shades of Grey and its follow-ups, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, became THE book to discuss when they were initially released 10 years ago. Insatiable readers clamored for their copies and rushed to the theaters to see the adaptation.
The success of the trilogy prompted a spin-off series (Grey, Darker, and Freed) rehashing the same events told from Christian’s perspective. Frankly, they were better than the first trilogy as Christian was always the stronger character.
Now, the original series is being re-released with a new cover to celebrate its decade-long success. We’ve put all the editions of both series in the space below.
Fifty Shade of Grey Book Summaries
Fifty Shades of Grey
Author: E. L. James
Year: 2012
Genre: Romance
More info: Fifty Shades of Grey #1 of 6
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Age Range: 18+
Plot
Originally written as Twilight fan fiction, Fifty Shades of Grey tells the story of Anastasia Steele, an innocent young woman who quite literally falls at the feet of young billionaire Christian Grey.
Their up-and-down relationship had the world atwitter. He wanted a submissive, but Ana challenged him at every turn. And their red room of pain is the stuff of legend. This is the series that ignited the popularity of billionaire romance books.
Trigger Warnings
Graphic Sexual Content
Why Kirsten loves it
This is the book that made explicit content more mainstream rather than a dark secret. I love when a book can do that for the reading community.
Why Jackie loves it
I loved the billionaire romance even if I thought Christian was a little much sometimes. By the end of the three-book series, I was invested in the characters and the story.
Find this book in: Books with Colors in the Title / Books with Stalkers / Fifty Shades of Grey Books in Order / Billionaire Romance Books
Fifty Shades Darker
Author: E.L. James
Year: 2011
Genre: Romance
More info: Fifty Shades of Grey #2
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Age Range: 18+
Plot
Still reeling from the events of the last book, Anastasia also starts working at her new job in publishing. Christian is determined to win her back, but with outside forces plotting for them to stay apart, will they be able to find their way back to one another?
Why Kirsten loves it
In this book Anastasia becomes more interesting. She finds her own interests, enjoys working, and continues to set and maintain boundaries with Christian. I like that her character became more well-rounded.
Fifty Shades Freed
Author: E.L. James
Year: 2012
Genre: Romance
More info: Fifty Shades of Grey #3
Spice Rating:đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹
Age Range: 18+
Plot
The epic conclusion to the original trilogy is filled with high drama, life-and-death moments, and even a wedding!
Why Kirsten loves it
I loved the conclusion to this story and the brief glimpse into the Grey family’s future.
Grey
Author: E.L. James
Year: 2015
Genre: Romance
More info: Fifty Shades of Grey #4
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Age Range: 18+
Plot
Fifty is back and this time the smash hit is being told from Christian’s point of view. The story unfolds in the same way as the original trilogy with added insight on what Christian is thinking and what he is up to when Ana is not around.
Why Kirsten loves it
To be honest, I think this series is much better from Christian’s POV. He is the flawed, stormy character in the series so exploring his brain was truly fascinating. I really enjoyed learning why he made the choices he did in the original stories.
Darker
Author: E.L. James
Year: 2017
Genre: Romance
More info: Fifty Shades of Grey #5
Spice Rating:đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹
Age Range: 18+
Plot
The events of Fifty Shades Darker are explored from Christian’s perspective.
Trigger Warnings
Child Abuse
Why Kirsten loves it
It’s hard to see the glimpses into Christian’s childhood, but it makes a lot of his hangups and decisions make sense.
Freed
Author: E.L. James
Year: 2021
Genre: Romance
More info: Fifty Shades of Grey #6
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Age Range: 18+
Plot
The conclusion to the six-book series came 3 years after the book before. It shows the wedding and events from Fifty Shades Freed from Christian’s perspective.
Why Kirsten loves it
I found Christian’s point of view to be the more interesting one, so I actually like the final trilogy more than the original three. If I were going to reread the series, I would read just the last three to be honest!
Expert Tips
- This series is not for the faint of heart as there is a lot of BDSM and trauma covered in the story. Please keep that in mind before reading.
- If you aren’t sure which way to read the stories, read them in publication order!
- For more information on EL James, check out her website!
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Fifty Shades of Grey books are there?
There are six total books in the Fifty Shades series. The original trilogy and then the trilogy told from Christian Grey’s POV.
What are the Fifty Shades of Grey series in order?
There are 2 ways to read the Fifty Shades of Grey series. By publication order its Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed, Grey, Darker, and Freed or Chronologically its Fifty Shades of Grey, Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, Darker, Fifty Shades Freed, and Freed.
Related Content
Epilogue
Which way did you read the Fifty Shades books – by publication date or chronologically? I read them right when they came out, so I didn’t have a choice, but I’m curious how newer readers are tackling the series. Let me know below!
Books Like Fifty Shades of Grey
For more books and series like Fifty Shades of Grey, this list is perfect for you!
