It's the perfect time to grab your trunk and check out of Hogwarts. Whatever your reason for leaving those hallowed halls, there's nothing to fear as there are plenty of brilliant books that will sate your appetite for fantastical storytelling. From magical school murder mysteries to spell-teaching academies in the clouds, to low stakes fantasy to a boarding school for kids rejected from the mythical portals that once welcomed them; you'll find something to love in our list. So pick up your magic wand, settle into a comfy spot, and get ready to find some new favorite fantasy books like Harry Potter.
You can also check out our list of the best movies like Harry Potter for a cinematic experience.
The Marvellers
If you're looking for that feeling of being a new student at a magical academy, this is the perfect book for you. The Marvellers will make you feel like a little kid again, as Dhonielle Clayton guides us into the enchanting world of the Arcanum, a global magic school sitting high in the clouds. Ella is the school's first conjurer and she couldn't be more excited, but Arcanum isn't all that it's promised and there are secrets and mistrust behind the gilded doors. Clayton crafts a world you want nothing more than to join, but never shies away from the grim realities that would impact even the most magical of spaces. Ella is a dynamic lead and you'll come away from the Marvellers desperate to read more and rejoin Ella in her new magical world.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
Rick Riordan's epic fantasy series has always been a great counterpoint / companion to the Boy Who Lived. Introducing readers to a world where the children of gods live among us, the first book follows Percy Jackson the son of Poseidon who must go on a dangerous journey to find a thief who has stolen Zeus' lightning bolts and clear his own name. These inclusive, thoughtful stories do a great job balancing the fantastical with the everyday featuring a hero with ADHD and Dyslexia and dealing with the sometimes hard realities of growing up. Riordan began writing these stories for his son, but the immersive, sprawling world he's created has become a favorite for readers around the globe and once you pick them up it's easy to see why.
Legends & Lattes
If your favorite thing about visiting Hogwarts was the sumptuous feasts and visits to Hogsmede, then Legends & Lattes is the perfect pick for your next read. Travis Baldree's gorgeous cozy fantasy has taken the internet by storm and for good reason. This beautiful tale of an Orc giving up her warrior ways and starting a coffee shop is one of the most magical and fantastical stories of recent years. Filled with delicious baked goods, steaming hot drinks, and charming customers, this is a found family yarn that will fulfill your fantasy needs but won't give you anxiety as the stakes are always relatively low, and the violence of high fantasy is nowhere to be seen. Instead the pages are stuffed with fun banter, burgeoning romance, and baking.
Cemetery Boys
Aiden Thomas made a huge splash with this stunning debut about a trans boy who dreams of becoming a Brujo but accidentally summons the wrong ghost and has to deal with the fallout. Yadriel knows who he is and when his family struggles to accept his gender, he tries to prove them wrong with a spell, but instead of summoning his cousin, he ends up summoning the ghost of his school's notorious bad boy Julian. Left with no choice Yadriel has to help Julian come to terms with his fate and move on before he can get back to his normal life. Sweet, scary, and romantic this is a fantasy novel like no other that will keep you reading 'til the very last page.
Grimoire of the Grave Fates
One of the most innovative entries into the magical school canon, this collection of short stories are woven together to tell the story of the Galileo Academy for the Extraordinary that is torn apart by a murder. Over 18 chapters, 18 authors — Cam Montgomery, Darcie Little Badger, Hafsah Faizal, Jessica Lewis, Julian Winters, Karuna Riazi, Kat Cho, Kayla Whaley, Kwame Mbalia, L. L. McKinney, Marieke Nijkamp, Mason Deaver, Natasha Díaz, Preeti Chhibber, Randy Ribay, Tehlor Kay Mejia, Victoria Lee, and Yamile Saied Méndez — take on 18 students' perspectives for a bracing, subversive, and ultimately radical take on the magic school trope. Grimoire of the Grave Fates is the kind of thoughtful fantasy that we need much, much more of.
Magic For Liars
Murders are rife at magical schools, because that's exactly what occurs in Magic For Liars when a gruesome killing drags private detective Ivy Gamble back to the supernatural world that rejected her. While her sister Tabitha found success and ultimately a teaching job at The Osthorne Academy of Young Mages, Ivy was left in the cold and is barely scraping by as a PI when she's hired to solve a murder at the very place her estranged twin teaches. This contemporary twist on the classic magic school tale is witty, adult, and is set in a recognizably realistic world with a subtly magical twist. While the mystery will keep you guessing it's the intricate character work and relationships that will have you gripped throughout.
Be Sure
This beautiful collection of the first three stories in Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children is the perfect summer to fall read. McGuire's best selling novellas have been enchanting readers since the release of Every Heart a Doorway and now they're collected for the first time. Set against the backdrop of a school for kids who have been kicked out of portal worlds — think Alice in Wonderland or Narnia — the series begins with a murder mystery and never stops surprising. Filled with interesting complex kids, unbelievable worlds, and McGuire's engaging storytelling, these are some of the best fantasy stories of the last decade, so get your copy and get ready to fall in love and have your heartbroken as you explore what's through the door...
For more fantasy-adventure reads besides popular collections like LOTR books and GoT books, see our picks for the 7 best mystery books, and see if you’ve read (or would want to read) any of the best-selling books of all time.
What books do you recommend for fantasy fiction fans these days? Let us know in the comments.
Rosie Knight is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything from anime to comic books to kaiju to kids movies to horror flicks. She has over half a decade of experience in entertainment journalism with bylines at Nerdist, Den of Geek, Polygon, and more.
