Even though it’s still 80 degrees in Southern California right now, it’s technically fall, which means it’s time for one of my favorite genres in reading: dark academia. I’m absolutely obsessed with the vibe that comes from books that are about a group of people going to academically rigorous schools with some other dramatic mystery going on (bonus points if literally all of the characters are morally gray and make terrible and questionable decisions). There’s just something about a group of mysterious studying classics and a mysterious murder that screams fall vibes.
Cozying up with a blanket, lighting some candles, and making some tea and cookies is the exact scene that all of these books were meant to be read in. So if you’re aiming to achieve those vibes, here are some book recommendations to truly make it happen.
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt
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There is no dark academia book rec list without this book on it. And even though it’s extremely popular and most people have probably heard of it by now, I would be remiss to not include it. This book is the textbook example of dark academia. It has the morally gray characters, the terrible decisions, the pretentious group of characters studying the classics and murder.
I’m not going to lie, I have read this book multiple times, neglecting my long (and growing) TBR list to be absorbed by this book again. It is definitely worth it, so I would definitely recommend picking it up and giving it a try. If you’re going for those dark academic vibes, this is all you need.
- If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
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This is another classic dark academia book recommendation, but again, it would be disrespectful not include it. This book follows a group of friends that study Shakespeare at a small college who are all cast into their respective roles…which bleed from the play into their real lives in such a fascinating way. This novel also has all of the typical dark academia characteristics.
- Babel by R.F. Kuang
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This novel is absolutely intruiging! It follows a group of friends at Oxford that are translators and work with ancient texts and languages, but also work with magic as well. This novel is full of mystery after mystery, and it feels like you don’t really know what’s going on until the end. Although it is super long, it’s definitely worth a read. Also, I’m obsessed with literally everything that R.F. Kuang has written (not dark academia, but if you haven’t read The Poppy War series yet, get on that literally right now), and this book is one of my favorites.
- The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
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This is another dark academia rec that also includes a good sprinkling of magic. This book follows six teenagers that are invited to join the prestigious Alexandrian Society, where they have access to pretty much every book written. This book is also full of mysteries, morally gray characters, and the best kind of “will they won’t they” romances. It’s also told in multiple POVs, so I feel like you really get to know every character in such an intimate way. This book is the first of an entire trilogy, but honestly, the first one is my favorite by far, and is definitely the best of the entire series.
- Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
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Although this book can be kind of a doozy in the beginning (I didn’t understand anything that was going on for the first 100 pages), it is definitely worth it in the end. This book follows Alex Stern, a student at Yale, who is navigating their infamous system of prestigious secret societies that involve the most elite people in the world. As Alex navigates this new world, she discovers things she could have never imagined, and has to encounter her fair share of mysteries. Another quintessential dark academia read that is full of suspense.
- The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
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Like Ninth House, this book also has secret societies, and one society called “The Maidens” is the focus of the book. The society is full of young women that are studying the classic Greek tragedies, and led by a charming professor at Cambridge. This book is also full of mystery and murder, and will keep you in suspense until the very end.
I hope you enjoyed this breakdown of my favorite dark academia books. Happy reading!