The Harry Potter books captivated a generation, sparking many people’s love for fantasy and magic. The movies were also hugely popular for nearly ten years. Now, HBO Max is planning a fresh start, aiming to introduce a new generation to the wonders of Hogwarts and the story of a young hero destined to defeat a powerful, world-dominating dark wizard.
Many Harry Potter fans are now looking for new books with a similar enchanting feel. If you enjoyed the wizarding world but want something different to read, there are lots of excellent choices available for both adults and younger readers. Here are five recommendations.
5) Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan
The Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series share a lot of similarities. Both stories center around a young boy who discovers they have magical abilities and is sent away to a special school or camp. They soon find themselves tasked with protecting the world from a powerful evil, and along the way, they team up with two close friends who assist them. Ultimately, both boys learn they are destined for greatness and may have to risk everything – even their lives – to succeed.
Percy Jackson offers a fresh take on the fantasy genre. Unlike stories about wizards, it’s set in a world inspired by Greek mythology, where Percy and his friends are demigods tasked with protecting the world from both the destructive Titans and self-centered gods. The main series consists of five books, with an additional trilogy and three sequel series expanding the story.
4) A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
If you love Harry Potter and are looking for a more mature fantasy series, check out Naomi Novik’s A Deadly Education. It follows Galadriel “El” Higgins, a sorceress of Welsh and Indian descent, as she attends a dangerous magical school inspired by the Scholmance – a legendary Romanian school rumored to have been run by the Devil.
El is determined to graduate, but she’s also struggling to manage her dangerous powers. The series consists of three books, with the second titled The Last Graduate and the third The Golden Enclaves. The school El attends is reminiscent of Hogwarts from Harry Potter, but it’s a much darker and more perilous place. In fact, many students—nearly half—don’t survive until graduation, adding immense pressure on El to make it through alive.
3) A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
If you enjoyed the magical world of Harry Potter, you’ll likely love Deborah Harkness’s A Discovery of Witches. Unlike the stories of young wizards in training, this book centers on Diana, a professor who discovers she’s a witch and begins a quest for a lost, ancient text. Her search brings her together with Matthew, a captivating vampire, and sparks a passionate, but dangerous, romance.
This book shares some common ground with paranormal romances like Twilight, but it leans more heavily into historical fantasy and is geared toward a more mature audience. It’s also a more sophisticated read than the Twilight series, boasting rich mythology and a compelling story about Diana and Matthew’s fight to protect our world from dark forces. The series consists of three books and has been adapted into the television show, A Discovery of Witches.
2) Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
If you enjoyed the magical world of Harry Potter and are looking for another fantasy novel with kids who have unique abilities, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is a great choice. Like the Harry Potter books, it’s written for younger readers, but it has a much stranger and more unusual feel.
This book is special because it blends storytelling with real and discovered photographs, which enhance the narrative. It follows a boy who uses clues from his grandfather’s photos and stories to embark on an adventure to a deserted orphanage on a Welsh island, where he uncovers a magical story. The book proved popular enough to spawn five sequels, and was later adapted into a major film directed by Tim Burton, starring Eva Green and Asa Butterfield.
1) The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Lev Grossman’s The Magicians is the first book in a three-part series. Like the Harry Potter books, it features young people learning magic at a school, but instead of a boarding school for teens, it’s a college where students develop their magical abilities while also figuring out life as young adults.
It’s similar to Harry Potter, but geared towards young adults. What’s great is that the story is complete in just three books, creating a nearly flawless fantasy experience when read consecutively. It’s also been the most successful of these series to be adapted for television, with ‘The Magicians’ premiering on Syfy in 2016 and lasting five seasons.
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2026-03-29 18:10