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Dark academia books

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The best dark academia books for all readers. Whether you prefer YA or classics, there's something for everyone.

Discover the best dark academia books that will send a shiver up your spine. Whether you prefer YA or the classics, these books tell the best academia-inspired stories, each with an underlying dark aesthetic for plenty of chills and thrills.

 

What is the dark academia book genre?

As the name suggests, books that fall under the ‘dark academia’ umbrella all involve an academic setting or certain aspects of academic life. Whether that looks like a plotline set in a boarding school or a cast of characters who are all in the same graduate course, you can be sure that these books will involve study or school in some way. 

While these books can range from fantasy to thriller to contemporary fiction, some element of darkness is always at the core of the story. Be it a crime, dark magic, or deadly game, each of these books contains a hint of darkness that will keep you up long past lights out.

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