Recs if you like A College of Magics (A College of Magics, #1)...

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 !)

Fantasy which exists within the confines of an elaborate hierarchical society, often with lots of rules attached. Lots of crossover with historical fiction and historical fantasy; might be good for fans of Austen, Wilde, &c!

an alternative for those who want to be whisked away to a magical school, that may or may not be deadly at times, created by lovely humans who aren't terfs! Misfits & Magic is such a fun, campy 2 season long D20 side quest on Dropout with a small cast reclaiming tropes and ideas that shouldn't belong to just one terrible person. I made sure to include queer and trans fantasies with school settings and just general good feeling stories!

A collection of older, sometimes lesser-known, fantasy (or science fantasy) books written by incredible women and published primarily between the 1980s and early 2000s (with nods to a few older ones). In a time when female fantasy authors were few and far between, these authors carved out their own space in the genre. These stories might not be mainstream hits today, but they are full of brilliant magic, deep characters, and/or worlds that helped shape the genre. (First in Series / standalones only for now - open to suggestions!)