Part of the fun of Wednesday Wildcards is the whiplash; in the best way. This week we're staying on theme with fantasy academies and magical schools, but the variety is wild: tarot magic at an elite institution, fae twins fighting for their throne, a survival-horror school with no adults, secret societies dabbling in the occult, and divine trials where graduation means godhood. Whether you want dark academia romantasy, bully romance, or deadly magical boarding school vibes, we've got you covered.
Below you'll find a spoiler-free overview of each book, plus the main reasons to read; with genre cues to help you match your mood.
1) Arcana Academy by Elise Kova
Best for: dark academia romantasy, tarot magic, fake engagement, magical school intrigue, enemies-to-lovers
Spoiler-free overview
In a gritty fantasy city where survival requires sharp edges, Clara Graysword is sentenced to prison for committing the ultimate magical offence: creating inked tarot cards; a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy. Her way out arrives in the form of the academy's enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, who offers freedom for a price. To keep her close and hidden, he brings her into the academy under a scandalous cover story: she's both a new student and his bride-to-be. What follows is a heady mix of arcane secrets, royal politics, and slow-burn tension in a classic dark academia fantasy romance setup.
From the bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King comes a BookTok sensation that hit the New York Times bestseller list. If you love morally grey princes, street-smart heroines, and magic systems built around tarot, this is your next obsession.
Main reasons to read
Tarot-based magic system that feels fresh and thematic
Dark academia setting with secrets, status games, and magical rules
Fake engagement / forced proximity done with high stakes
A heroine with street-smarts and survival instincts (not a sheltered chosen one)
New York Times bestseller from a beloved romantasy author
Ideal if you search for: romantasy dark academia, tarot magic fantasy, magical academy enemies to lovers
2) Zodiac Academy: The Awakening by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Best for: dark bully romantasy, fae academy, twins, enemies-to-lovers, high spice, epic series commitment
Spoiler-free overview
Twin sisters Tory and Darcy Vega discover they're Fae; and heirs to a throne in the magical kingdom of Solaria. There's just one catch: to claim their birthright, they must prove they're the most powerful supernaturals in the realm by surviving Zodiac Academy. This isn't Hogwarts. Vampires bite weaker students in the corridors, the Werewolf pack holds orgies in the Wailing Wood, and the four gorgeous, ruthless Celestial Heirs will do anything to crush the twins before they can threaten their claim to power.
This Wall Street Journal and Amazon #1 bestselling series from the "Twisted Sisters" has sold over 7 million copies and become a BookTok phenomenon. It's dark, it's spicy, it's addictive; and it spans 9 main books plus spin-offs. Be warned: cliffhangers are brutal and the bully romance runs deep before any redemption arcs kick in.
Main reasons to read
Massive BookTok phenomenon with over 7 million copies sold
Your star sign determines your magic; zodiac-based powers and Fae politics
Bully romance with four morally grey love interests (slow-burn redemption)
Twins fighting together against impossible odds
Epic series with 9 main books plus spin-offs if you want to binge
Ideal if you search for: fae academy romance, bully romantasy, zodiac fantasy, dark fantasy romance series
(Note: this series features bully romance elements and explicit content; check content warnings if needed.)
3) A Deadly Education (The Scholomance) by Naomi Novik
Best for: dark academia fantasy, survival horror, snarky heroine, no romance focus (initially), complete trilogy
Spoiler-free overview
The Scholomance was built to protect young wizards from the monsters that hunt them. There are no teachers, no holidays, no contact with the outside world; just four years of brutal magical education and a graduation ceremony where half the students die fighting through hordes of maleficaria to reach the exit gates. Galadriel "El" Higgins is a half-Welsh, half-Indian sorceress whose magical affinity runs toward mass destruction. The school keeps handing her spells for apocalyptic devastation, which doesn't help her reputation. When golden boy Orion Lake keeps saving her life, El decides he needs to die; or at least stop cramping her survival strategy.
From the beloved author of Uprooted and Spinning Silver, this New York Times bestselling trilogy takes the magical boarding school trope and makes it genuinely terrifying. It's sharp, funny, diverse, and unlike anything else in the genre. A film adaptation is in development with Universal Pictures.
Main reasons to read
Magical school as survival horror; monsters everywhere, no adults, death is constant
El's snarky, cynical voice is utterly addictive
Clever magic system based on mana and affinities
Subverts chosen one and dark lord prophecy tropes brilliantly
Complete trilogy so you can binge the whole story
Ideal if you search for: dark magic school, survival fantasy, snarky heroine fantasy, Naomi Novik books
4) Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Best for: dark academia fantasy, secret societies, occult magic, adult fantasy, murder mystery
Spoiler-free overview
Alex Stern is the sole survivor of a multiple homicide with no memory of what happened that night. She's a high school dropout with a dark past and one unusual ability: she can see ghosts. When she's offered a full ride to Yale University, she knows there's a catch. Her mysterious benefactors want her to monitor the eight secret societies of the Ivy League; societies that practice real magic, perform dangerous rituals, and have operated with impunity for centuries. When a murder rocks the campus, Alex must navigate a world of privilege, power, and the supernatural while confronting her own haunting history.
Leigh Bardugo's adult debut takes her trademark atmospheric worldbuilding into darker, grittier territory. Set against the gothic backdrop of Yale's actual secret societies, Ninth House is part murder mystery, part occult thriller, and entirely gripping. The sequel, Hell Bent, continues Alex's story.
Main reasons to read
Real Yale secret societies reimagined with actual magic and dark rituals
Gritty, adult-oriented fantasy from the author of Six of Crows
Murder mystery wrapped in occult intrigue
Complex, damaged protagonist who sees ghosts
Atmospheric gothic academia setting that feels genuinely sinister
Ideal if you search for: adult dark academia, secret society fantasy, occult mystery, Leigh Bardugo adult books
(Note: contains mature content including violence, abuse, and sexual assault; check content warnings.)
5) The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Best for: dark academia fantasy, morally grey ensemble, secret society, competition, slow-burn tension
Spoiler-free overview
Every ten years, the Alexandrian Society; the world's foremost secret society of magical academians and keepers of lost knowledge; selects six of the most uniquely gifted magicians for initiation. The chosen will secure a life of power and prestige beyond their wildest dreams. This year's candidates include a telepath, an empath, a naturalist, an animator of physics, and two rare magicians with reality-bending abilities. The catch? Only five will be initiated. The sixth must be eliminated.
What began as viral Tumblr fiction became a self-published sensation before being picked up by Tor and hitting the New York Times bestseller list. The Atlas Six is morally grey academia at its finest: six brilliant, flawed, ambitious people trapped together, forming alliances and betrayals as they discover what they're willing to sacrifice for power. The trilogy is now complete with The Atlas Paradox and The Atlas Complex.
Main reasons to read
Six morally grey magicians in a deadly intellectual competition
Secret library vibes meet cutthroat academia
Complex character dynamics and shifting alliances
Started as viral fiction; BookTok and Booktube darling
Complete trilogy plus a box set now available
Ideal if you search for: morally grey fantasy, secret society magic, dark academia ensemble, competition fantasy
Which one should you pick up first?
Want tarot magic + fake engagement + dark academia romantasy? Start with Arcana Academy.
Want fae bully romance + epic series commitment + spice? Dive into Zodiac Academy.
Want survival horror + snarky heroine + monster-infested school? Choose A Deadly Education.
Want adult dark academia + secret societies + murder mystery? Pick Ninth House.
Want morally grey ensemble + deadly competition + secret library? Go for The Atlas Six.
Books Featured in This Article
Arcana Academy
by Elise Kova
“Magical from nail-biting beginning to shocking end!”—Danielle L. Jensen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in BloodNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A woman who wields magical tarot cards lands herself in a false engagement with the headmaster of a mysterious academy in this first installment of an enthralling fantasy romance series from the bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King.The dazzling first edition hardcover of Arcana Academy will feature gold foil page edges, designed endpapers, two interior black-and-white maps, a custom-stamped case, and a premium dust jacket with foil—while supplies last!Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards—a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy’s enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape—for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep will send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds that the prince she swore to hate may not be what he seems. But can she risk giving him power over the world—and her heart? Or will she take it for herself?Book One of The Arcana Academy Series
Zodiac Academy The Awakening
by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti
"I'm a Gemini. Impulsive. Curious. Headstrong. A twin. Heir to a throne I know nothing about. And it turns out, I'm Fae. But of course there's a catch--all I have to do to claim my birth right is prove that I'm the most powerful supernatural in the whole of Solaria. And sure, technically that's true as I'm the daughter of the Savage King. But the bit they didn't put in the brochure was that every single Fae in this Kingdom would claim my throne if they could. The school they've sent me to is both dangerous as sh*t and one helluva party. Vampires bite weaker students in the corridors, the Werewolf pack has orgies in the Wailing Wood at every full moon and don't even get me started on the dark and twisted ways the Sirens use their powers on people's emotions, or how my sinfully tempting Cardinal Magic teacher hosts detentions that leave people needing therapy. Classes are totally interesting if you manage to live through them. And that Gemini star sign I mentioned? It now determines my elemental magic and affects my destiny, so learning astrology is essential if I'm going to beat down my classmates--which is actively encouraged by the way. My biggest problem is the drool worthy Dragon shifter who has his eyes on my throne. He and his three psycho friends are determined to make my time here hell. All I've got to do is survive. But fate might have other ideas"--Provided by publisher.
A Deadly Education
by Naomi Novik
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Uprooted and Spinning Silver comes the first book of the Scholomance trilogy, the story of an unwilling dark sorceress who is destined to rewrite the rules of magic.FINALIST FOR THE LODESTAR AWARD • “The dark school of magic I’ve been waiting for.”—Katherine Arden, author of the Winternight TrilogyI decided that Orion Lake needed to die after the second time he saved my life.Everyone loves Orion Lake. Everyone else, that is. Far as I’m concerned, he can keep his flashy combat magic to himself. I’m not joining his pack of adoring fans. I don’t need help surviving the Scholomance, even if they do. Forget the hordes of monsters and cursed artifacts, I’m probably the most dangerous thing in the place. Just give me a chance and I’ll level mountains and kill untold millions, make myself the dark queen of the world. At least, that’s what the world expects. Most of the other students in here would be delighted if Orion killed me like one more evil thing that’s crawled out of the drains. Sometimes I think they want me to turn into the evil witch they assume I am. The school certainly does. But the Scholomance isn’t getting what it wants from me. And neither is Orion Lake. I may not be anyone’s idea of the shining hero, but I’m going to make it out of this place alive, and I’m not going to slaughter thousands to do it, either. Although I’m giving serious consideration to just one.With flawless mastery, Naomi Novik creates a school bursting with magic like you’ve never seen before, and a heroine for the ages—a character so sharply realized and so richly nuanced that she will live on in hearts and minds for generations to come.The magic of the Scholomance trilogy continues in The Last Graduate and The Golden Enclaves“The can’t-miss fantasy of fall 2020, a brutal coming-of-power story steeped in the aesthetics of dark academia. . . . A Deadly Education will cement Naomi Novik’s place as one of the greatest and most versatile fantasy writers of our time.”—BookPage (starred review) “A must-read . . . Novik puts a refreshingly dark, adult spin on the magical boarding school. . . . Readers will delight in the push-and-pull of El and Orion’s relationship, the fantastically detailed world, the clever magic system, and the matter-of-fact diversity of the student body.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Ninth House
by Leigh Bardugo
"The best fantasy novel I’ve read in years, because it’s about real people... Impossible to put down." —Stephen KingThe smash New York Times bestseller from Leigh Bardugo, a mesmerizing tale of power, privilege, and dark magic set among the Ivy League elite.Goodreads Choice Award WinnerLocus FinalistGalaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug-dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. In fact, by age twenty, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most prestigious universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?Still searching for answers, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. Their eight windowless “tombs” are the well-known haunts of the rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street’s biggest players. But their occult activities are more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive. They tamper with forbidden magic. They raise the dead. And, sometimes, they prey on the living.Don't miss the highly-anticipated sequel, Hell Bent.
The Atlas Six
by Olivie Blake
"The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiation. Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person's inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality-an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications. When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they will have one year to qualify for initiation, during which time they will be permitted preliminary access to the Society's archives and judged based on their contributions to various subjects of impossibility: time and space, luck and thought, life and death. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. The six potential initiates will fight to survive the next year of their lives, and if they can prove themselves to be the best among their rivals, most of them will. Most of them."--