Well hello there fellow Potterheads. If you’re here then you’re probably like me, which means that Harry Potter ended, you got older, your Hogwarts letter got lost somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, and you would do anything to recapture the magic of your youth.
Don’t get me wrong, I will continue to reread the Harry Potter books until they bury me with my extensive collection to the sounds of Hedwig’s Theme playing, but sometimes we need to branch out as adults and read other stories just as magical and life changing as Harry Potter. I have compiled a list of some of my favourite books as well as some that are on my TBR that just give me that same little spark of magic.
1) The Magicians by Lev Grossman
The Magicians is if Harry Potter went off to University, took a long shot of whiskey, and went through a clock into a very, very dark and twisty version of Narnia. Follow Quentin Coldwater as he is accepted to Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy and gets sucked into a vibrant and mysterious world of magic. Enter Fillory, a world Quentin read about and loved as a child and fantasized to one day go to (remind you of anyone?). Turns out this magical world is real, but it’s darker and more sinister than his childhood books made it out to be.
I will admit that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I wanted to, but that is a blog for another day. It was simply the writing style that didn’t work for me. So don’t kill me, but I will say that the show is better. I don’t typically ever say this, but The Magicians TV show is one of the most enthralling, funny, magical journeys I have ever watched. If you want to visually recapture the magical feeling of Harry Potter, you will not regret watching this show.
2) A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
In a world where there are four Londons (Red, Grey, White, and Black), Kell has the rare ability to travel between the different worlds. Kell is also a smuggler and when an exchange goes wrong, he meets Delilha Bard, a thief From Grey London. This sets off a series of events that will change each London forever. V.E. Schwab weaves together four very unique worlds to explore in this book full of magic, intrigue, politics, twists, turns, and more twists and turns.
This book was one of the most refreshing Fantasy reads I read in a long time. The characters are very unique and the way Schwab writes them makes them very unforgettable. Like Harry Potter, A Darker Shade of Magic creates an engrossing magical world that you can step into just as easy as Kell steps between Londons.
3) The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
“The circus arrives without warning”. This book had me from page one.
In this enchanting work of fantasy by Erin Morgenstern, two young star-crossed Magicians, Celia and Marco, must compete in a competition of magic, spell craft, and wit on the stage known as Le Cirque des Reves. Unknowingly, they are just puppets on the strings of their masters and only one can make it out alive.
This is one of those books that I knew I would love from the second I picked it up, and it didn’t disappoint. With intriguing characters, witty dialogue, and a world so magical you wish you could transport into it, The Night Circus is a fantastical work of art.
4) A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
This book gave me major Hogwarts library feels. While doing research in the Oxford Bodleian Library, Diana Bishop, a Yale history professor and a witch in denial, unearths an ancient magical manuscript that awakes the underworld and ignites a magical journey full of magic, witches, daemons, and dark brooding vampires. With the help of vampire, Matthew Clairmont, Diana begins a journey of discovery about her family, magic, and the world around her.
A Discovery of Witches creates a magical world that the reader feels could actually exist around them. Deborah Harkness creates a world full of magic that intertwines with science and academia.
5) Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
One small act of kindness catapults Richard Mayhew into the world of Neverwhere, a dark realm hidden beneath London. He falls through the cracks of his life, becoming invisible to the world around him. He must then navigate the labyrinth of darkness and shadows that is Neverwhere if he ever hopes to be seen again in the London he knows.
(I have not finished this book yet, but check out Goodreads for reviews.)
6) Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Ninth House follows Alex Stern, a homicide survivor who receives a full-ride to Yale. Did I mention she can also see ghosts? Alex is given the job of watching the secret societies of Yale, specifically the eight Houses of the Veil where dark occult magic and power are at play. Alex must navigate these societies as their activities become more sinister than she first believed.
(I have not finished this book yet, but check out Goodreads for reviews.)
Harry Potter was one of the first series to make me fall in love with Fantasy novels. Since then I have read as many Fantasy books as I can in a search for the same magical feeling Harry Potter gave me. These are only six magical books with similar plots and themes, but there are dozens more that the adult Harry Potter fan could easily fall in love with.
What are some of your favourite series or books that remind you of the magic of Harry Potter? I’m always interested in finding more.
RELATED POSTS
Bibliomavens 
I love Neil Gaiman’s writing and haven’t heard of Neverwhere, I’ll have to check it out. Great post, and thanks for the suggestions!
LikeLike
So glad you liked it! I just got into reading Neil Gaiman after taking his Masterclass online. His writing is phenomenal and I think Neverwhere is going to become one of my favourites of his. I’ve just started it, but it is already so interesting. You definitely should check it out. Thanks for reading! – Amber
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve read Stardust (I loved the movie and had to read the book haha), American Gods and The Graveyard book. I really liked Stardust and American Gods, the Graveyard book… not as much haha but it was still pretty enjoyable!
LikeLike
I absolutely adored Stardust! I also read it after loving the movie and I think it’s one of the most magical books. I haven’t read American Gods yet, but I just finished the Graveyard Book. That and Ocean at the End of the Lane are not my favourites of his. I do love that each of his books has such a different feel to it and is written in very unique ways.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s true, I admire his writing, because you never know what kind of story he’s going to come up with, which adds to the appeal. American Gods is pretty long, but I went through it pretty quickly, especially considering I was in college when I read it haha I loved how he incorporated the different gods and such into the overall story
LikeLike
He’s easily one of my favourite writers for his ability to tell such different stories. And I love that about American Gods too. I started the show and really enjoyed it, but haven’t finished it yet. American Gods will be my next of his once I finish Neverwhere.
LikeLike