Dark academia is a genre that has been growing at an unprecedented rate over the past few years.
Recently, I shared some of the best picks to dive into the genre.
Today, I wanted to share the 8 Dark Academia new releases that I’m excited for this year.
READ MORE: 10 Upcoming Fantasy Releases in 2021

A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
Release date: August 3rd 2021
“For fans ofΒ Wilder GirlsΒ andΒ Ninth HouseΒ comes a dark, twisty, atmospheric thriller about a boarding school haunted by its history of witchcraft and two girls dangerously close to digging up the past.“
Show More“For fans ofΒ Wilder GirlsΒ andΒ Ninth HouseΒ comes a dark, twisty, atmospheric thriller about a boarding school haunted by its history of witchcraft and two girls dangerously close to digging up the past.
Felicity Morrow is back at Dalloway School.
Perched in the Catskill mountains, the centuries-old, ivy-covered campus was home until the tragic death of her girlfriend. Now, after a year away, sheβs returned to graduate. She even has her old room in Godwin House, the exclusive dormitory rumored to be haunted by the spirits of five Dalloway studentsβgirls some say were witches. The Dalloway Five all died mysteriously, one after another, right on Godwin grounds.
Witchcraft is woven into Dallowayβs history. The school doesnβt talk about it, but the students do. In secret rooms and shadowy corners, girls convene. And before her girlfriend died, Felicity was drawn to the dark. Sheβs determined to leave that behind her now; all Felicity wants is to focus on her senior thesis and graduate. But itβs hard when Dallowayβs occult history is everywhere. And when the new girl wonβt let her forget.
Itβs Ellis Haleyβs first year at Dalloway, and sheβs already amassed a loyal following. A prodigy novelist at seventeen, Ellis is a so-called βmethod writer.β Sheβs eccentric and brilliant, and Felicity canβt shake the pull she feels to her. So when Ellis asks Felicity for help researching the Dalloway Five for her second book, Felicity canβt say no. Given her history with the arcane, Felicity is the perfect resource.
And when history begins to repeat itself, Felicity will have to face the darkness in Dallowayβand in herself.Β “
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The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
Release date: June 15th 2021
“From the #1Β New York TimesΒ bestselling author ofΒ The Silent PatientΒ comes a spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder, and obsession, that further cements βMichaelides as a major player in the fieldβ (Publishers Weekly).“
Show More“From the #1Β New York TimesΒ bestselling author ofΒ The Silent PatientΒ comes a spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder, and obsession, that further cements βMichaelides as a major player in the fieldβ (Publishers Weekly).
Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek Tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alikeβparticularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.
Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Marianaβs niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.
Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?
When another body is found, Marianaβs obsession with proving Foscaβs guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everythingβincluding her own life.”
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Ace of Spades by Faridah ΓbΓkΓ©-ΓyΓmΓdΓ©
Release date: June 10th 2021
“An incendiary and utterly compelling thriller with a shocking twist that delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism, from an exceptional new YA voice. Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now.“
Show More“An incendiary and utterly compelling thriller with a shocking twist that delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism, from an exceptional new YA voice. Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students’ dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can’t escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn’t afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they’re planning much more than a high-school game…”
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How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao
Release date: August 3rd 2021
“In a YA thriller that isΒ Crazy Rich AsiansΒ meetsΒ One of Us is Lying, students at an elite prep school are forced to confront their secrets when their ex-best friend turns up dead.“
Show More“In a YA thriller that isΒ Crazy Rich AsiansΒ meetsΒ One of Us is Lying, students at an elite prep school are forced to confront their secrets when their ex-best friend turns up dead.
Nancy Luo is shocked when her former best friend, Jamie Ruan, top ranked junior at Sinclair Prep, goes missing, and then is found dead. Nancy is even more shocked when word starts to spread that she and her friends–Krystal, Akil, and Alexander–are the prime suspects, thanks to “The Proctor,” someone anonymously incriminating them via the school’s social media app.
They all used to be Jamie’s closest friends, and she knew each of their deepest, darkest secrets. Now, somehow The Proctor knows them, too. The four must uncover the true killer before The Proctor exposes more than they can bear and costs them more than they can afford, like Nancy’s full scholarship. Soon, Nancy suspects that her friends may be keeping secrets from her, too.”
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The Ivies by Alexa Donne
Release date: May 25th 2021
“Everyone knows the Ivies: the most coveted universities in the United States. Far more important areΒ the Ivies. The Ivies at Claflin Academy, that is. Five girls with the same mission: to get into the Ivy League by any means necessary. I would know. Iβm one of them.“
Show More“Everyone knows the Ivies: the most coveted universities in the United States. Far more important areΒ the Ivies. The Ivies at Claflin Academy, that is. Five girls with the same mission: to get into the Ivy League by any means necessary. I would know. Iβm one of them. We disrupt class ranks, club leaderships, and academic competitionsβ¦among other things. We improve our own odds by decreasing the fortunes of others. Because hyper-elite competitive college admissions is serious business. And in some cases, itβs deadly.
Alexa Donne delivers a nail-biting and timely thriller about teens who will stop at nothing to get into the college of their dreams. Too bad no one told them murder isnβt an extracurricular.”
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing
Release date: July 20th 2021
“USA Today bestselling author Samantha Downing is back with her latest sneaky thriller set at a prestigious private schoolβcomplete with interfering parents, overeager students, and one teacher who just wants to teach them all a lesson⦓
Show More“USA Today bestselling author Samantha Downing is back with her latest sneaky thriller set at a prestigious private schoolβcomplete with interfering parents, overeager students, and one teacher who just wants to teach them all a lessonβ¦
Teddy Crutcher has won Teacher of the Year at the esteemed Belmont Academy, home to the best and brightest.
He says his wife couldn’t be more proudβthough no one has seen her in a while.
Teddy really canβt be bothered with the death of a school parent thatβs looking more and more like murder or the student digging a little too deep into Teddyβs personal life. His main focus is on pushing these kids to their full academic potential.
All he wants is for his colleaguesβand the endlessly meddlesome parentsβto stay out of his way.
It’s really too bad that sometimes excellence can come at such a high cost.”
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky
Release date: April 13th 2021
“New York TimesΒ βbestselling author Goldy Moldavsky delivers a deliciously twisty YA thriller that’sΒ ScreamΒ meets Karen McManus about a mysterious club with an obsession for horror.“
Show More“New York TimesΒ βbestselling author Goldy Moldavsky delivers a deliciously twisty YA thriller that’sΒ ScreamΒ meets Karen McManus about a mysterious club with an obsession for horror.
New girl Rachel Chavez is eager to make a fresh start at Manchester Prep. But as one of the few scholarship kids, Rachel struggles to fit in, and when she gets caught up in a prank gone awry, she ends up with more enemies than friends.
To her surprise, however, the prank attracts the attention of the Mary Shelley Club, a secret club of students with one objective: come up with the scariest prank to orchestrate real fear. But as the pranks escalate, the competition turns cutthroat and takes on a life of its own.
When the tables are turned and someone targets the club itself, Rachel must track down the real-life monster in their midst . . . even if it means finally confronting the dark secrets from her past.”
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino
Release date: August 10th 2021
“Tess Matheson only wants three things: time to practice her cello, for her sister to be happy, and for everyone else to leave her alone.“
Show More“Tess Matheson only wants three things: time to practice her cello, for her sister to be happy, and for everyone else to leave her alone.
Instead, Tess finds herself working all summer at her boarding school library, shelving books and dealing with the intolerable patrons. The worst of them is Eliot Birch: snide, privileged, and constantly requesting forbidden grimoires. After a bargain with Eliot leads to the discovery of an ancient book in the library’s grimoire collection, the pair accidentally unleash a book-bound demon.
The demon will stop at nothing to stay free, manipulating ink to threaten those Tess loves and dismantling Eliotβs strange magic. Tess is plagued by terrible dreams of the devil and haunting memories of a boy who wears Eliot’s face. All she knows is to stay free, the demon needs her… and he’ll have her, dead or alive.Β “
READ MORE: 8 Best Classics for Beginners in the Genre
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Do you enjoy dark academia? Are you going to be picking up any of these when they come out? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below or you connect with me on any of my social medias @wanderingthroughlit.
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