It's the perfect time to grab your trunk and check out of Hogwarts to move on to something new. If you don't plan on re-reading all seven books any time soon, there's nothing to fear as there are plenty of other brilliant books that will sate your appetite for fantastical storytelling. From magical school murder mystery novels 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 titles like Harry Potter worth reading in 2025 and beyond.
1. The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
2. Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan's epic fantasy series has always been a great counterpoint / companion to the Boy Who Lived and is overall a fantastic coming-of-age story. 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.
You can check out our full guide to the Percy Jackson books in order or even check out the Percy Jackson series on Disney+ for more of this. The second season of the show has started on Disney+ as of December 2025.
3. Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
Impossible Creatures is a fairly new series from author Katherine Rundell that has some serious Harry Potter vibes as a british children's fantasy novel. The story follows a young boy named Christopher who discovers a hidden archipelego of mythical creatues while visiting his grandfather. If you liked how well Harry Potter slowly introduced you to a hidden magical world through the perspective of a seemingly ordinary human, then this series is absolutely worth a try. There are only two books so far, but it has already been picked up by Disney for a live-action adaptation.
4. Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle) by Christopher Paolini
Although it doesn't include any sort of academy or school, The Inhertiance Cycle by Christopher Paolini is an excellent read to follow up on if you loved Harry Potter. The story is all about a young teen named Eragon who stumbles upon a dragon egg only to get swept up into a world of magic, danger, and dragons. With a total of four books in the series, you get to see the main character and his dragon grow up as they deal with a seemingly all-powerful malevolent enemy that seeks to destroy everything they love. It's a great young adult fantasy that falls somewhere between Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings books.
5. Legends & Lattes by Travis Bauldree
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. It's a great urban fantasy for teens or adults to dig into.
6. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
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 dark fantasy novel like no other that will keep you reading 'til the very last page.
7. 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.
8. Magic For Liars by Sarah Gailey
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.
9. Be Sure by Seanan McGuire
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 the Narnia books — 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…
10. Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe
The Arcane Ascension series from Andrew Rowe is a great option if you love reading about the inner workings of magic. The first few books in the series include a magic school setting that just feels magical. You also get a look into the professor's motivations and teachings through the eyes of the main character in a way that really builds up the academy vibe. The later books dive beyond school and into the larger fantasy world and politics, but it's all very well written. The story also has many elements from the popular progression fantasy genre that are more intriguing than the power scales in the Harry Potter universe.
11. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
The Empyrean series is a lot steamier than Harry Potter ever really got, but it has a lot of similar themes you'd find from the wizarding world. There's Dragons, a school, an underestimated main character, and magic. It has all of the elements of a good fantasy story that will scratch that Potter itch while also offering up some very graphic adult scenes. The author, Rebecca Yarros, blends sex with fantasy in this book in a way that has been blazing the path ahead for the romantasy genre. With the release of Onyx Storm earlier this year, the Fourth Wing books have been dominating the Kindle charts for 2025. The graphic content may make this book unsuitable for kids, but it's a great Harry Potter alternative for adults to read. This is arguably the best dragon school series of the modern era.
If you're interested in the romantasy aspect of Fourth Wing, you should also check out Alchemised. It was originally a Harry Potter fanfic that got adapted into it's own novel.
12. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Another good Harry Potter alternative for adults is the Mistborn series. It doesn't feature a magical school, but you do get introduced to a very interesting world full of people with unique abilities. The story itself focuses on a young thief and and old legend as they work together to overthrow an evil empire. There are three books in the series, but it's a great entry point into Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere universe, which has more depth than even a fantasy world as big as Harry Potter.
13. Alchemised by SenLinYu
For those who are already familiar with the popular Harry Potter fan-fiction Manacled, this book likely won't be surprised. This is essentially that same exact story with all of the Harry Potter-specific intellectual property removed. Alchemised is a dark romance novel about a prisoner who falls in love with her captor. As a romantasy, it's definitely meant more for adults than the younger generation. It has already been picked up for a movie adaptation, though we don't yet have the details of when production will begin.
Itching for more Hogwarts? Dive into the wizarding world alongside your friends with one of the best Harry Potter board games. You can also check out our list of the best movies like Harry Potter for a cinematic experience similar to the Harry Potter films. We've also found some of the overally best Harry Potter gifts available now.
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.
