Begin before the tests
Start with The Testing and continue in order; Independent Study assumes the first book's revelations.
Book Series · 3 Books
The Testing Books
In order from The Testing to Graduation Day.
Joelle Charbonneau's completed YA dystopian trilogy follows Cia Vale from a deadly university selection process into a struggle over the government that controls her scarred postwar society.
Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated
Reading order
How to Read The Testing Trilogy
Read The Testing, Independent Study, and Graduation Day in numbered order. Cia's discoveries, alliances, and efforts to expose the program build across one continuous story.
There are no separate prequels or novellas needed for the main plot, so new readers can follow the three numbered novels straight through.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
The testing system deliberately places teenagers in lethal situations. The books include murder, executions, dangerous traps, weapons, injuries, starvation and environmental peril, betrayal, memory manipulation, coercive government control, war, and character deaths.
A developing romance remains secondary to the survival story. The violence and repeated uncertainty about whom Cia can trust make this better suited to teens comfortable with darker dystopian stories than to younger readers attracted by the school setting.
Where to start
Where Should My Teen Start?
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Sale price
$1799
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2013
The Testing
Survive the deadly Testing or lose everything in a dystopian future.
325 pages· 95,038 words· Est. 9 hour read
Hardcover
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Cia Vale dreams of being chosen for The Testing, a prestigious program selecting future leaders in a post-war world. But when she's selected, her father's haunting warnings reveal a darker reality. As Cia leaves her home for Tosu City, she must navigate a treacherous path filled with danger and deception. Can she trust anyone, or will her quest for leadership become a fight for survival? With her future and life on the line, Cia faces a chilling test that could change everything. Will she emerge victorious, or will the Testing claim another victim?
In reading order
The Testing Series
3 books · Published 2013–2014
#1
Sale price
$1799
The Testing
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2013
Survive the deadly Testing or lose everything in a dystopian future.
#2
Sale price
$1498
Independent Study
Chapter Book · Ages 12–+ · 2014
A student uncovers deadly secrets in a dystopian society, risking everything to reveal the truth.
#3
Sale price
$1498
Graduation Day
Chapter Book · Ages 12–+ · 2014
In a future on the brink of war, a survivor must end a deadly test. Who can she trust?
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the Testing series?
There are 3 books in the Testing series. It began with The Testing in 2013, and the newest book, Graduation Day, was published in 2014.
What order should you read the Testing books in?
Start with The Testing and follow the series order — the books above are numbered #1 through #3.
What ages are the Testing books best for?
The series is best for ages 12–18, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
The people
The Creative Behind the Books
The people who bring The Testing to life.
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