Category: adult fantasy
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Adrienne Young’s Spells for Forgetting is Incredible
Possibly my favourite read of Spooktober 2025, Adrienne Young’s Spells for Forgetting crept up on me, taking my easy weekend reading time to the next level with no breaks and an impatient need to get the answers I so desperately needed. The vibes are immaculate, marrying witchy fantasy eeriness with a small town (or, in…
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Lady Trent Returns in Marie Brennan’s A Tropic of Serpents
A little late for my scholarly reading month, yet not quite befitting for the books I did read, The Tropic of Serpents by Marie Brennan is one of those books that I have been hesitant to post given its seemingly untethered relevance to both my scholarly reads and my spooky reads. I thoroughly enjoyed A…
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Come Get Your Dose of Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic
Let’s take a step back from the intense horror and high-stakes thriller books and dip into something cosier, shall we? Alice Hoffman’s beloved classic Practical Magic is a blend of family drama and witchy magic that makes for a steady read with all the small town witchy vibes and messages that will sit with you…
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Steffanie Holmes’ A Dead and Stormy Night – Mystery, Spice, and Fictional Heartthrobs Brought to Life
If you want something a little different, well you have come across the right book post. Picture this – a quaint small town, an enchanted secondhand bookshop, and dashing, morally grey fictional suitors amid the shelves. Oh, and through in a murder mystery into this reverse harem paranormal romance for good measure. Welcome to the…
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R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis May Be My Most Disappointing Read of 2025
Katabasis has been the most anticipated release within dark academia fiction in 2025, and honestly it has been one of the most anticipated books of the whole year overall. Unfortunately, R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis completely missed the mark for me, and I might shock you in saying I have DNFed it. Two graduate students must set…
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Olivie Blake’s The Atlas Six Finally Makes an Appearance
I finally read The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake which has been a dark academia staple and book recommendation for years now. It feels like everyone and their dog has read this on bookish social media, which is certainly true among the accounts I follow who read DA, so it was about time I picked…
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Tantalising Dark Academia in An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson
I don’t quite know how to word this, so let me word vomit for a bit to get my thoughts across. I have just finished An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson and my head is a bit everywhere. This dark academia novel laced with horror and supernatural elements has held my attention for a…
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Existential Questions and Cosy Interactions in Becky Chambers’ A Prayer for the Crown-Shy
Following A Psalm for the Wild-Built, I knew I had to pick up the second book in Becky Chambers’ Monk and Robot duology, A Prayer for the Crown-Shy. How could I not when the vibes are so cosy with just the right dose of ecological essence to root this story world in a setting of…
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Light Academia and Dragons in Marie Brennan’s A Natural History of Dragons
A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan is a light academia fantasy novel involving danger, discovery, and dragons. Not only is it a brilliant fantasy akin to the Emily Wilde series, but it is a touch darker, more grounded, and carries a lovely reminiscent tone due to its nature…