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The Complete Spooky Season Fantasy Reading List: 21 Must-Reads

21 items

Deiona Monroe

Spooky season is almost here, which makes this the perfect time to start building your fall TBR — save this list so you're ready when cozy, magical season hits. This list brings together 21 fantasy books full of dark academia vibes, magical adventure...

Sections

Dark Academia and Gothic Vibes

Epic Magic and Fierce Worlds

Whimsical but Haunting

Enchantments and Parellel Worlds

Quirky and Unconventional Fantasies

Dark Academia and Gothic Vibes

These are the kinds of books that make you want to curl up with a blanket, a candle, and maybe question what's lurking just outside the lamplight. They drip with atmosphere—haunted libraries, secret societies, university settings, and characters who ...

RATING: 4/5 – a chilling dive into Yale's secret societies, blending dark academia magic, mystery, and murder in a way that feels both modern and gothic. definitely my top pick for dark academia lovers and Leigh Bardugo fans.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

ATING: 4/5 – the dark, twisted sequel to Ninth House that raises the stakes with even more secret rituals, danger, and obsession. perfect for fans of dark academia fantasy series.

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

RATING: 3.5/5 – Shakespeare, obsession, and murder in an elite theater troupe. dark academia literary fiction with thriller elements.

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

RATING: 3.5/5 – a gothic fantasy set in New Orleans where a deadly magical competition tests love, power, and survival. perfect for gothic romance fantasy fans.

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

RATING: 4/5 – dark academia meets translation magic in a razor-sharp critique of power and empire. literary fantasy with historical elements.

Babel by R.F. Kuang

Epic Magic and Fierce Worlds

When you want to escape into a world bigger than life itself—dragons, rebellions, gods, and battles that leave you breathless. These high fantasy and romantasy books pull you in with sweeping magic systems and characters who fight for more than just ...

RATING: 4/5 – dragons, romance, and a deadly war college where survival is never guaranteed. top pick if you love dragon fantasy and romantasy.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

RATING: 4.5/5 – the BEST book in the ACOTAR series. fae court intrigue, enemies-to-lovers romance, and breathtaking magic—it's fan-favorite Sarah J. Maas at her best. DEFINITELY my top pick, if you couldn't tell.

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

RATING: 3.5/5 – a powerful West African-inspired fantasy about reclaiming magic, freedom, and identity. diverse fantasy with cultural mythology.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

RATING: 3/5 – an African-inspired epic fantasy of gods, politics, and survival in a world torn by power. diverse epic fantasy with political intrigue.

Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Whimsical but Haunting

These cozy fantasy books carry warmth and heart, but always with a shadow lingering at the edge. Think magical, emotional, and comforting, but with enough haunting undertones to feel like fall. Perfect when you want comfort reads with a touch of the ...

RATING: 5/5 – heartwarming, quirky, and filled with magical creatures—it's the kind of cozy fantasy that feels like a hug with a mystical twist. obviously my number one cozy fantasy favorite.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

RATING: 4.5/5 – a gentle tale about death, grief, and second chances that feels like a soft ghost story. cozy fantasy with LGBTQ+ representation.

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

RATING: 3.5/5 – witches, feminism, and rebellion wrapped in autumnal magic. historical fantasy with witch magic and sisterhood themes.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

RATING: 4/5 – a queer fantasy with political intrigue and a world brimming with danger, longing, and rebellion. LGBTQ+ fantasy romance.

The Night & Its Moon #1 - Piper CJ

Enchantments and Parellel Worlds

Portal fantasy stories that bend reality, taking you across multiple worlds, hidden doors, and places where magic rewrites everything you thought you knew. These urban fantasy and multi-dimensional tales are layered, dangerous, and enchanting in equa...

RATING: 4.5/5 – a hauntingly beautiful story of a girl cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets, until someone finally remembers. historical fantasy with romance elements. my all-time favorite V.E. Schwab book.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

RATING: 4.5/5 – step into a world of multiple Londons, each pulsing with different levels of magic—and danger. portal fantasy with unique magic systems.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

RATING: 4/5 – the magic tournament of your dreams (or nightmares), with beloved characters returning to test their limits. Shades of Magic series book 2.

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

RATING: 4/5 – the sweeping, high-stakes finale to V.E. Schwab's dazzling Shades of Magic trilogy. epic conclusion to portal fantasy series.

A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

Quirky and Unconventional Fantasies

These unique fantasy books don't follow the rules. They're weird, offbeat, sometimes lyrical, and always surprising. Perfect when you want literary fantasy that feels fresh and unexpected, with diverse voices and innovative storytelling.

RATING: 4/5 – a Pinocchio-inspired adventure full of whimsy, found family, and bittersweet beauty. sci-fi fantasy with LGBTQ+ themes and robot characters.

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune

RATING: 3.5/5 – the equally lush sequel that deepens the romance and dark magic of The Night and Its Moon. LGBTQ+ fantasy romance series.

The Sun and Its Shade by Piper C.J.

RATING: 4/5 – African-inspired magic and a girl discovering her hidden power. diverse middle-grade fantasy with Nigerian mythology.

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

RATING: 3.5/5 – a dreamlike, haunting tale set in an endless labyrinth of halls and statues, full of mystery and wonder. literary fantasy with surreal elements.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke