Right now, dark academia and romantasy are two of the hottest-selling sub-genres in fantasy, enticing readers with the promise of secret societies, forbidden knowledge and stolen glances across the aisles of ancient libraries.
Dark academia novels often revolve around narratives set in a magical academy, where the student protagonists are privy to arcane wisdom or train to be powerful warriors, often standing up to morally grey authority figures and dating their rivals in hidden passageways. Meanwhile, romantasy offers the feel-good thrill of escapism with enemies-to-lovers arcs and sizzling high-stakes tension that resolve into satisfying happily-ever-afters, against a sufficiently supernatural backdrop.
Thus, books that combine elements of dark academia and romantasy naturally feel like a marriage made in heaven—and if you’re hungry for drama, danger and adventure within a magical university, our curated list of novels has got you covered!
Katabasis: A Novel
One of the most anticipated novels of last year, R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis reimagines hell as a college campus and follows two rival PhD candidates as they journey to the afterlife in search of their professor’s soul to get their desired letters of recommendation. Kuang dives head-first into the cutthroat and competitive world of academia, while also designing a magic system that utilizes logic puzzles and philosophical conundrums. The slow-burn chemistry between the two protagonists, Alice and Peter is also enjoyable, and the overall narrative, quite absorbing.
A Study in Drowning
Delving into fairytales and folklore, A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid is a stunning dark academia novel with a dreamy, Gothic mystery and an enemies-to-lovers romance at its heart. It explores sexism in academia that female scholars often face, often fighting harder than their male peers to achieve the same credits. There’s also some Welsh-inspired fairytales and folklore woven in, coupled with elegant prose to keep you enthralled throughout.
Hex Hall
The first in a best-selling trilogy, Rachel Hawkins’s Hex Hall follows young witch Sophie Mercer who’s sent off to an isolated reform school for supernatural folks. If you’ve always fantasized about being a witch and attending a magical school and befriending your fellow paranormal companions, Hex Hall will let you live out that dream and more. Fast-paced and extremely enjoyable, it’s the perfect YA read if you’re looking for something funny and light-hearted with action, mystery, and romance thrown in.
Arcana Academy
As hinted from the title, Elise Kova’s book utilizes a unique magic system revolving around Tarot cards within an entrancing dark academia setting. It explores classism and nepotism within elite institutions, as it follows Clara who’s enlisted by Prince Kaelis, the headmaster of Arcana Academy to steal an all-powerful Tarot card. Clara and Kaelis have impeccable chemistry and there’s a forced engagement subplot to make things even more interesting. Filled with intrigue and twists, Arcana Academy is quite the beguiling read.
Gothikana
If you love dark academia novels and Gothic romances, Gothikana by RuNyx combines the best of both worlds and will definitely make you swoon. It also draws upon the “Beauty and the Beast” fairy tale as well as Dracula to set the scene for a riveting romance, rife with sexual tension between the outcast Corvina Clemm who joins the enigmatic University of Verenmore and Vad Deverell, a part-time professor working there. If you’re in the mood for an insta-love romance against a very macabre backdrop, Gothikana can be your next comfort read.
An Education in Malice
From the acclaimed author of A Dowry of Blood comes An Education in Malice, a sapphic retelling of Carmilla within a deliciously Gothic dark academia setting. Rendered in lush and evocative prose, S.T. Gibson’s book features well-written lesbian vampires and plenty of spicy scenes, while also lightly interrogating the unequal power dynamics between professors and students. If you have a soft spot for enemies-to-lovers relationships, An Education in Malice with its utterly haunting prose will surely not disappoint.
The Ninth House
Those who enjoy both dark academia and romantasy but lean slightly more towards the former, may enjoy Leigh Bardugo’s adult debut, Ninth House. Set in a more magical version of Yale University which has its own secret societies dedicated to occult rituals, the book focuses on Alex Stern who’s had quite the traumatic past and is one hell of a survivor. She arrives at the hallowed institution determined to find some answers, only to be drawn deeper into the occult mysteries. There are some light romantic elements with Darlington (Alex’s mentor who disappears) and the unexpectedly twisty ending will leave you hungry for its sequel, Hell Bent.
On Wings of Blood
The first book in Bolelyn’s Bloodwing Academy series, On Wings of Blood features not just dark academia and romance but also dragons and vampires. The story revolves around Medra, a half-fae dragon rider and Blake, a cold and arrogant “highblood” vampire—and they both get “betrothed” due to some ancient magic. Although Blake’s somewhat of a bully earlier on, he eventually warms up to Medra, and the slow-burn romance that blooms between them, filled with tension, banter and drama, is an absolute delight to read. The worldbuilding is also pretty interesting, and the book will surely appeal to lovers of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
Spellcaster
Finally, if you’re in the mood for something steamy, you’ll definitely like Jaymin Eve’s Spellcaster that unfolds in a mysterious witchy college, filled with monsters, blood magic and deadly secrets. The story follows Paige who enters the prestigious Weatherstone College where her father is also a professor and finds herself incredibly drawn towards the brooding warlock, Logan Kingston though she’s explicitly warned to stay away from him. Enticing, cleverly-plotted and quite entertaining, Spellcaster with its romance, magic and crazy shenanigans is definitely worth binge-reading.
