Recs if you like The Whispering Dark...

JK Rowling is a bigot who uses her platform to hurt transfolks and other marginalized groups (plus she literally just quoted Mein Kampf on the bird site). If you're still supporting her in 2025, don't bother talking to me.

Many of these are the beginning of series, but all of them are about academics in fantasy settings. All cross genres are welcome.

books featuring or set in magic schools / universities / academies, aka, one of the best subgenres in existence !

this list has books for all ages (am actively looking for more adult options), most of the books are dark academia, and ALL of them are fantastical 🪄 recs welcome <3

(alternatively, books to fall in love with & share with others to help avoid supporting or promoting JKR. i will never shut up ab how the Nevermoor series deserves the popularity that Harry Potter enjoys !)

in honor of disability pride month, here is a series on the colours of the flag! we're starting with the colour green in the disability pride flag, which represents sensory disabilities. examples are deafness, blindness/HOH, hearing loss, etc. books within this series will be fiction and non fiction. as always feel free to recommend any book that you think should be on this list!

These books either have a main character or main side character who's important to the plot with deaf and/or hard of hearing rep! 🙉👂🔕 I haven't read all of these, but I have read a good chunk, so I'm always happy to talk with anyone about them & recs are always appreciated! 💜

A collection of horror books about disability or horror books with disabled characters as main characters or important characters. Feel free to recommend any books

Dark, spooky romances

Best fantasy books with an academic rivals-to lovers romance

plants and horror. for those who love botanical horror, because nature can be sinister.

A list of all the books featured as monthly picks for the Illumicrate Sub. ◽️ Not Including sequels or special editions outside of the monthly sub.◽️ I will include new books about a month after release to avoid spoilers.

Dark academia books with fantasy elements

Forget everything you know about the golden hour. In these halls, knowledge isn't just power—it's a blood sacrifice, a cursed bargain, or a secret that could tear the stars from the sky. Whether you're navigating the lethal corridors of the Scholomance, deciphering the forbidden linguistics of Oxford’s silver-working, or joining a secret society at Yale that deals in the ghosts of the past, this list is for the scholars who prefer their ink black and their magic dangerous.

A list of all the books featured as monthly picks for the Owlcrate YA Sub. ◽️ Not Including sequels or special editions outside of the monthly sub.◽️ I will include new books about a month after release to avoid spoilers.

Books written by disabled authors with disabled main characters. These books include a wide range of disabilities in YA genres as well as diverse authors and topics. (Please also see Disabled Authors Writing Disabled Characters for "adult" books).

Books with disability rep or written by disabled authors. I love the growing appreciation for rep in books and these are the ones I've found so far. Some I've read some are on my tbr so if you have any recs to add, feel free, and if any are abelist or harmful in any way please let me know!

cause it’s always september in my heart📖

Gothic horror/thriller that's irresistible and oddly lovely.