10 Dark Academia Books You Need to Read this Halloween

Last updated on 5 September 2023

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase with one of these links, I recieve a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read the full Affiliate Policy.

While dark academia has been around for a long while now, I feel like the world is really starting to wake up to it a little bit more in recent years. The number of Dark Academia books I’ve seen on bookstagram and booktok, flooding the recommendation sections of my Goodreads and StoryGraph, and even the books that I’ve started reading myself … they’re definitely right up there in popular books at the moment.

With Halloween just around the corner at the time of writing this post, I thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the Dark Academia books that are out there and ready for you to read!

But first, a quick look at dark academia and what it is.

What is Dark Academia?

Dark Academia is a book genre usually set around an educational institution but with darker themes. It’s often set in university or higher education rather than high school, however, that doesn’t preclude Young Adult books from this genre (I’ve listed a couple of YA book below, actually!). Think uni students at a college where something evil or bad is happening. Perhaps it’s magic, or it’s supernatural. Perhaps it’s cults or there’s a murderer on the loose. That sort of vibe.

If Dark Acamedia books had an interior design factor, it would be dark wood, tall bookshelves, dried flowers, elaborate light fixtures with dim bulbs, grumpy people in fancy frames on the wall and probably a reptile in an ornate glass enclosure in the corner. You get the idea?

So let’s get into some of these best Dark Academia books to read, and see if any pique your interest! These ones below are ones that I have read, but also some that are on TBR, or have been recommended by the masses.

10 Dark Academia Books you need to check out

1. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
2. The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
4. A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
5. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
6. Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
7. Vicious by VE Schwab
8. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novak
9. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
10. The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo wasn’t my first dark academia read, however, I do think it was the one that properly introduced me to the genre. And I say that because, while I had read some others that I would now consider Dark Academia books, I hadn’t really put my finger on it.

Supervising Yale University’s mysterious Ancient Houses isn’t easy. They’re into dark stuff, secret societies, and all that jazz. Lethe House is in charge of keeping an eye on them and keeping Yale safe. Galaxy ‘Alex’ Stern gets a unique scholarship offer to Yale but has to join Lethe House. She can’t refuse if she wants her life back.

But things get way more complicated. There’s a murder to investigate, and everything isn’t what it seems.

The second book is called Hell Bent.

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake (and the second book, The Atlas Paradox, actually). But I really enjoyed it!

In a world of secret societies and magic, six gifted individuals jostle for a much sought-after spot in the Alexandrian Society. Libby, Nico, Reina, Parisa, Callum, and Tristan possess extraordinary powers, from controlling physical elements to diving into the human mind. Recruited by Atlas Blakely, they have a year to qualify for initiation by showcasing their talents in various impossible subjects. Only five will make it through, while one will be eliminated.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

If you’re not familiar with this classic, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde tells the story of Dorian Gray, a young man in 19th-century England. He lives a life of crime and pleasure while a portrait of him ages and shows his evil deeds. Dorian stays young, but his portrait becomes ugly. It’s a thrilling tale of horror and suspense and fits into the Dark Academia genre because of the classical literature, intellectualism, and arts sort of vibe. It’s a classic.

A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee

While I’ve not read it, A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee is the story Felicity Morrow returning to Dalloway School after a year away following her girlfriend’s tragic death. She wants to graduate and move on, but Dalloway’s history of witchcraft and rumours of haunted dorms make it challenging. New student Ellis Haley, an eccentric writer, seeks Felicity’s help to research the school’s mysterious past. As they delve into Dalloway’s secrets, history starts repeating itself, forcing Felicity to confront the darkness within the school and herself.

This one is definitely on my TBR!

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Now a TV show, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness is the story of Diana Bishop, a scholar at Oxford’s Bodleian Library. She accidentally finds a magical book but doesn’t want anything to do with magic. However, her discovery attracts daemons, witches, and vampires, all interested in the book, and Diana realizes she’s the only one who can unlock its secrets and break a centuries-old spell.

This was such a great book! I haven’t read the next two in the series yet, but really enjoyed the first one.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Another one I haven’t read yet but that’s on my TBR is Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

It’s the story of Ace, at Niveus Private Academy, where wealth rules and students are flawless. But trouble brews as an anonymous texter named Aces reveals dark secrets of two students. Talented musician Devon faces public humiliation when private photos are exposed, while head girl Chiamaka’s pursuit of power comes at a steep cost. There’s a mysterious foe with a plan that goes beyond high school games, and they hold all the cards.

Vicious by VE Schwab

VE Schwab is one of my favourite authors. I’m beginning to think she can’t do any wrong. Vicious seems borderline Dark Academia to me, but I’ve included it in this list for the dark, magical, X-Men-esque vibes that it gives off, and the fact that it all starts with university students.

If you haven’t read it, Vicious is the story of Victor and Eli, college roommates who discover a way to develop superhuman abilities. But their experiments go wrong, leading to a bitter feud. Ten years later, Victor escapes from prison, aiming to confront Eli, while Eli seeks to eliminate other super-powered individuals. Both have incredible powers, and their quest for revenge brings a deadly showdown. Highly recommend this book and it’s sequel, Vengeful.

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novak

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik is the story of El, a student at Scholomance, a school for magic. In this school, failure means certain death. There are no teachers, no holidays, and survival is crucial. El has a powerful dark magic, but using it could harm her fellow students. It’s a thrilling tale of magic, danger, and survival in a deadly school. I haven’t read this one yet, either, but it sounds like a great Dark Academia read.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

The Magicians by Lev Grossman is the tale of Quentin Coldwater, a brilliant but unhappy high school senior obsessed with a magical book series, set in Fillory. He unexpectedly gets accepted into a secret magic college in New York, where he learns sorcery but also experiences college life, with a dark twist. However, magic doesn’t make him happy. After graduating, he and his friends discover that the magical land from the books, Fillory, is real but darker and scarier than they imagined. Quentin’s dream turns into a nightmare.

I really liked this series (there are there), and while the TV series was very dark, I think they did a great job at the interpretation.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The Secret History by Donna Tartt is about a group of unique students at a fancy college led by a classics professor. They adopt a different way of life and thinking compared to their peers. However, their obsession with pushing moral boundaries leads them down a dark path of corruption and betrayal, ultimately leading to evil deeds. Dun dun dun!

This is one of those classically Dark Acamdeia books that is on so many lists similar to this one. I haven’t read it. But heard so many good things I really need to bump it up my TBR list.

Other Dark Academia Book Recs

• If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
• The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• Catherine House by Elizabeth Thomas
• Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

So what do you think? Reckon you’ll fill up a Dark Academia bookshelf at your place? Have you read any of these books? Let me know in the comments.