What reading level is the Three Dark Crowns series?

Three Dark Crowns books are at a grades 4–5 reading level (average grade level 4.6), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 13+. There are 4 books in the series.

What order should I read the Three Dark Crowns books?

Series numbers aren't available for most Three Dark Crowns books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: Three Dark Crowns (2016); One dark throne (2017); Two dark reigns (2018); Five Dark Fates (2019).

What age is the Three Dark Crowns series appropriate for?

HootRated recommends Three Dark Crowns for ages 13+. Content is moderate to very intense (HootRated intensity 3–5 out of 5). Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.

Three Dark Crowns Books in Order

Three Dark Crowns is a 4-book series by Kendare Blake for ages 13+, at a grades 4–5 reading level, with moderate to very intense content (HootRated intensity 3–5 out of 5).

Books: 4; By publication date
Reading level: Grades 4–5; Average grade level 4.6
Recommended ages: Ages 13+; From HootRated age ratings
Content intensity: Moderate to very intense; HootRated 3–5 out of 5 · avg 4

Three Dark Crowns Reading Order

Series numbers aren't available for most Three Dark Crowns books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).

#	Title	Reading Level	Ages	Content
1	Three Dark Crowns 2016	Level 4-5	13+	Intense
2	One dark throne 2017	Level 4-5	13+	Very Intense
3	Two dark reigns 2018	Level 4-5	13+	Moderate
4	Five Dark Fates 2019	Level 4-5	13+	Intense

Content Intensity Across the Series

Varies

Content intensity ranges from Moderate to Very Intense across the series.

First book Latest book

Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. Three Dark Crowns (4 books by Kendare Blake) lands at a grades 4–5 reading level, with average content intensity 4/5. Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.

The reading-order table above lists every book with per-volume reading level, age and intensity ratings so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.

All Three Dark Crowns Books

Three Dark Crowns

Kendare Blake