Welcome, book friends!
If you’d prefer to listen to this list and why I chose these books, you can check out the full episode on The Bookmarks ‘n Blankets Podcast on your favorite podcast platform or listen below.
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We’ve made it to the ‘ber’ months (September, October…)!!! These next four months are my favorite time of the year, and now that we’ve entered fall and Spooky Season, I’m more than ready to dive into these seasonal reads.
Since reading Belladonna by Adalyn Grace in May, I’ve become obsessed with gothic fantasy and eager to dive into more books in this genre. With the season perfectly suited for dark, atmospheric, and eerie reads, I’m also excited to explore a genre I’ve heard so much about—dark academia.
If you’re not familiar with this genre, dark academia is a literary genre characterized by its focus on intellectualism, often set in prestigious, gothic academic institutions where characters engage deeply with classical literature, philosophy, and history. The atmosphere is typically dark and mysterious. Relationships in these stories are intense, often revolving around friendship, rivalry, and betrayal, and the plots frequently involve mystery, tragedy, and the uncovering of hidden truths. The writing style is usually rich and references classical works, adding to the genre’s moody, intellectual appeal. These books are usually set in boarding schools, high schools, or universities.
Many dark academia books have a strong gothic vibe, so I decided to blend these two themes for my reading list this month. Here are 10 books with gothic elements and/or dark academia that I’m planning to read in September (or very soon).