Dark academia | Must read (34 books)

Categorized as “dark academia,” these books are moody and mysterious narratives that usually take place within the confines of an esteemed university or boarding school. Think: darkened libraries, cloak-and-dagger campus societies, looming Gothic towers, and college quads buzzing with intrigue.

flag

All Votes Add Books To This List

1	The Secret History by Donna Tartt 4.16 avg rating — 982,691 ratings score: 889, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 390,867 ratings score: 797, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde 4.13 avg rating — 1,821,616 ratings score: 483, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Vicious (Villains, #1) by V.E. Schwab 4.19 avg rating — 311,971 ratings score: 388, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	The Atlas Six (The Atlas, #1) by Olivie Blake (Goodreads Author) 3.55 avg rating — 269,070 ratings score: 295, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Dead Poets Society by N.H. Kleinbaum 4.17 avg rating — 148,553 ratings score: 199, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Babel by R.F. Kuang (Goodreads Author) 4.15 avg rating — 431,026 ratings score: 198, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	A Study in Drowning (A Study in Drowning, #1) by Ava Reid (Goodreads Author) 3.72 avg rating — 94,444 ratings score: 197, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 398,527 ratings score: 195, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1) by Leigh Bardugo (Goodreads Author) 4.01 avg rating — 389,326 ratings score: 193, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Curious Tides (Drowned Gods, #1) by Pascale Lacelle (Goodreads Author) 3.79 avg rating — 13,172 ratings score: 193, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1) by Naomi Novik (Goodreads Author) 3.94 avg rating — 214,342 ratings score: 185, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	The Magicians (The Magicians, #1) by Lev Grossman (Goodreads Author) 3.53 avg rating — 275,949 ratings score: 185, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	A Discovery of Witches (All Souls, #1) by Deborah Harkness (Goodreads Author) 4.02 avg rating — 548,865 ratings score: 183, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Vengeful (Villains, #2) by V.E. Schwab 4.12 avg rating — 125,240 ratings score: 180, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	The It Girl by Ruth Ware (Goodreads Author) 3.84 avg rating — 290,159 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale (Goodreads Author) 3.50 avg rating — 3,216 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	The Night It Ended by Katie Garner (Goodreads Author) 3.37 avg rating — 3,144 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	The Book of Dark Academia by D.K.S Dhara 4.06 avg rating — 16 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson (Goodreads Author) 3.57 avg rating — 935 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Academy of Villains by Ever King (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 1,087 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters (Goodreads Author) 3.73 avg rating — 2,354 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Gentlemen and Players (Malbry, #1) by Joanne Harris (Goodreads Author) 3.94 avg rating — 19,061 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Lessons in Loyalty - Aphrodite & Adonis (Academy of Villains #2) by Ever King (Goodreads Author) 4.45 avg rating — 248 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi (Goodreads Author) 4.12 avg rating — 12,158 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Lessons in Trickery - Hekate & Hermes (Academy of Villains #3) by Ever King (Goodreads Author) 3.33 avg rating — 3 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Maidens by Alex Michaelides (Goodreads Author) 3.62 avg rating — 427,958 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Assassin of Reality (Vita Nostra, #2) by Marina Dyachenko 3.69 avg rating — 2,787 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee (Goodreads Author) 3.52 avg rating — 23,267 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Vita Nostra (Vita Nostra, #1) by Marina Dyachenko 4.01 avg rating — 22,247 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead (Goodreads Author) 3.79 avg rating — 127,196 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	These Violent Delights (These Violent Delights, #1) by Chloe Gong (Goodreads Author) 3.80 avg rating — 167,737 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (Goodreads Author) 3.84 avg rating — 230,604 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1) by Tamsyn Muir (Goodreads Author) 4.19 avg rating — 177,172 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars