“Vicious” by V.E Schwab

Looking for a fast paced and unpredictable read? Vicious centers around two brilliant and ambitious college students whose life takes a dramatic turn when their theses shift from academic to experimental and things go horrifically wrong when their experimentation into extraordinary abilities backfires. Ten years later, one roommate breaks out of prison to pursue the justice he’s owed, while the other seeks to eliminate extraordinary abilities from the world by any means necessary.

“Piranesi” by Susanna Clarke

“The beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.” -Piranesi, 2020

Piranesi lives in a constantly shifting magical labyrinth where walls are lined with thousands of statues, each one unique to the others. Moreover, there’s the matter of the ocean trapped within the labyrinth, flooding rooms indiscriminately. However, Piranesi is undeterred and lives to explore the enchanted place he calls home. But he is not the labyrinth’s only inhabitant. Tasked with helping this “Other” with research into the, “Great and Secret Knowledge” Piranesi begins to uncover much darker secrets in his magical world as the truth of his story begins to unravel.  

“The Atlas Six” by Olivia Blake

This book is an absolute must read for lovers of libraries, secret societies and morally grey characters. When six of the world’s most extraordinary magic users are summoned to interview to join the secret “Alexandrian Society”, they stand on the precipice of a lifetime of power and prestige. The only problem is that there are only five positions available. In this cutthroat trilogy, knowledge truly is power and power is deadly.  

First published on January 31, 2020 this book was an instant BookTok hit, earning the title of “Runaway TikTok must-read fantasy novel of the year” by Minoa Books.

“Ninth House” by Leigh Bardugo

Speaking of secret societies, “Ninth House” focuses on a young Galaxy “Alex”  Stern who by all means never expected to attend Yale University. Having come from a life of hardships and peculiarities, Alex can see things no one else can. Desperate for a fresh start Stern accepts the offer to join the ranks of the Ivy League freshman class to search for answers.

In this paranormal and secretive world, “Ninth House” dives head first into the world of the occult as well as the classism associated within Ivy League schools and unlocks a world so much darker than anyone could have ever imagined. 

“Babel” by R.F. Kuang

“Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.” -Babel, 2022

When Robin Swift is orphaned by a cholera outbreak in Canton in 1828, he is taken aback by the generosity of the mysterious Professor Lovell, who takes him in and trains him in Latin, Ancient Greek and Chinese, to prepare him for the prestigious Oxford University for the Royal Institute of Translation, better known as Babel. However despite the practical utopia that institution presents itself as, Robin realizes that serving them could ultimately mean betraying his home country.  

“Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?” -Babel, 2022

“The Starless Sea” by Erin Morgenstern

When Zachary Ezra Rollins spends his winter break perusing the stacks at his Vermont university’s library, he unexpectedly finds a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. However as he flits from page to page reading stories of forlorn prisoners, key collectors and tongueless acolytes he stumbles upon something peculiar. A story from his own childhood, a story about him.  

“The Starless Sea” is a perfect winter read. While many of the stories have a disconnected feeling from the other tales in the book, the ending interconnections create a completely unforgettable book