20 Fantastic Books to Keep ‘Harry Potter’ Fans Spellbound
There are many stories that mix magic with friendship, mystery, and high stakes. If you loved the castle corridors, secret societies, and brave choices in ‘Harry Potter’, you will find plenty to enjoy in these books that build rich worlds and follow young heroes through big challenges.
This list covers standalones and series starters across middle grade, young adult, and adult fantasy. You will see details like series length, starting points, and publication years, along with core themes that help you pick the right next read for your shelf or for a younger reader in your life.
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief – Rick Riordan
The first book in the series, ‘The Lightning Thief’ introduces modern day Greek demigods who train at Camp Half Blood in Long Island. The story follows Percy as he discovers his parentage, travels across the United States, and confronts monsters from classical myth. It was first published in 2005 and is aimed at middle grade readers.
The full main series includes five books, followed by companion series and crossovers that expand the world. Readers often start with ‘The Lightning Thief’ then continue through ‘The Sea of Monsters’, ‘The Titan’s Curse’, ‘The Battle of the Labyrinth’, and ‘The Last Olympian’ in order.
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow – Jessica Townsend
‘Nevermoor’ begins with Morrigan, a girl born on the wrong day and blamed for every misfortune in her town. She is whisked to a hidden city where she must compete for a place in the Wundrous Society through trials that test skill and character. The book was published in 2017 and is written for middle grade readers.
The series continues with sequels that develop the Wundrous Society and its rules. Start with ‘Nevermoor’ before moving to ‘Wundersmith’ and ‘Hollowpox’ to follow Morrigan’s progress through each year of training.
A Wizard of Earthsea – Ursula K. Le Guin
‘A Wizard of Earthsea’ follows Ged from a small island village to a school for wizards on Roke where he learns the true names of things and the costs of power. The novel was first published in 1968 and has influenced many later fantasy works through its focus on language and balance.
The Earthsea cycle includes six books in total. Readers usually begin with ‘A Wizard of Earthsea’, then continue to ‘The Tombs of Atuan’ and ‘The Farthest Shore’, which complete the original trilogy before moving to later additions.
The School for Good and Evil – Soman Chainani
‘The School for Good and Evil’ places best friends Sophie and Agatha in twin academies that train future fairy tale heroes and villains. The setup explores how students are sorted and how roles shape destiny. The book was released in 2013 for middle grade and young teen readers.
The series spans six main books that resolve a large arc, along with extended stories. Start with ‘The School for Good and Evil’ and proceed in publication order to follow the school years and the shifting rules of its world.
The Golden Compass – Philip Pullman
Called ‘Northern Lights’ in some regions, ‘The Golden Compass’ begins ‘His Dark Materials’ and follows Lyra through colleges in Oxford and into the far North. The story features daemons, armored bears, and a dangerous inquiry into Dust. It was first published in 1995 for upper middle grade and young adult readers.
The trilogy continues with ‘The Subtle Knife’ and ‘The Amber Spyglass’. There is also a companion series that begins with ‘La Belle Sauvage’. New readers usually begin with ‘The Golden Compass’ to meet Lyra and understand the core concepts.
Artemis Fowl – Eoin Colfer
The opener, ‘Artemis Fowl’, presents a twelve year old criminal mastermind who discovers an underground world of technologically advanced fairies. The plot blends heist structure with fantasy elements and modern gadgets. It was published in 2001 and suits middle grade readers who enjoy quick pacing.
The main series runs to eight books, beginning with ‘Artemis Fowl’ and ending with ‘The Last Guardian’. A spinoff duology follows the next generation through ‘The Fowl Twins’ books, which can be read after the original series.
The Amulet of Samarkand – Jonathan Stroud
‘The Amulet of Samarkand’ launches the Bartimaeus sequence with a young magician’s apprentice who summons a sarcastic djinni. The setting imagines a London ruled by magicians who draw power from summoned spirits. The book was published in 2003 and fits upper middle grade and young teen readers.
The trilogy continues with ‘The Golem’s Eye’ and ‘Ptolemy’s Gate’, and there is a prequel titled ‘The Ring of Solomon’. Start with ‘The Amulet of Samarkand’ to follow the central relationship and the political intrigue from the beginning.
Akata Witch – Nnedi Okorafor
In ‘Akata Witch’, Sunny Nwazue discovers she is part of a secret community of Leopard People in Nigeria, where magic is learned through challenging work and personal growth. The story blends West African folklore with a modern setting. It was released in 2011 for young adult readers.
The series continues with ‘Akata Warrior’ and ‘Akata Woman’. Readers should begin with ‘Akata Witch’ to meet Sunny’s coven and understand the rules that govern Leopard magic and mentorship.
Sabriel – Garth Nix
‘Sabriel’ follows a young necromancer who crosses from a nonmagical land into the Old Kingdom to confront the Dead and rescue her father. The story uses a clear system of bells and Charter marks to control magic. It first appeared in 1995 and is aimed at young adult readers.
The Old Kingdom series includes multiple sequels and prequels. Start with ‘Sabriel’, then continue to ‘Lirael’ and ‘Abhorsen’ to complete the initial arc before reading later additions that add history and new protagonists.
Howl’s Moving Castle – Diana Wynne Jones
‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ tells the story of Sophie, cursed into old age, who bargains with a fire demon and gets involved with a wizard whose home roams the hills. The novel explores identity and clever problem solving in a whimsical setting. It was published in 1986 for middle grade and young teen readers.
There are two companion books, ‘Castle in the Air’ and ‘House of Many Ways’, which connect through shared characters and locations. New readers usually start with ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ since it introduces the moving castle and core cast.
The Dark is Rising – Susan Cooper
‘The Dark is Rising’ is the second book in the sequence of the same name and can be read first. It follows Will Stanton, who learns on his eleventh birthday that he is one of the Old Ones and must gather Signs to fight the Dark. The book was published in 1973 for middle grade readers.
The full sequence has five books that draw on Arthurian and Celtic lore. If you begin with ‘The Dark is Rising’, you can then read ‘Greenwitch’, ‘The Grey King’, and ‘Silver on the Tree’, and circle back to ‘Over Sea, Under Stone’ for extra context.
The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern
‘The Night Circus’ is an adult fantasy novel about a magical competition between two illusionists whose stage is a traveling circus that appears without warning. The story uses interwoven timelines and a strong focus on atmosphere. It was first published in 2011.
The book stands alone and works well for readers who want a single complete story. Those who enjoy ‘The Night Circus’ can look for the author’s later work for a similar mix of mystery and inventive magic within a contained setting.
The House in the Cerulean Sea – TJ Klune
‘The House in the Cerulean Sea’ follows a caseworker who evaluates orphanages for magical youth and is sent to a remote island home with unusual residents. The narrative focuses on laws, classification, and the steps required to earn trust. It was released in 2020 and is written for adult readers.
The book is a standalone novel. Readers looking for a similar tone and setting can try related works by the author that examine systems of care and how institutions handle people with unusual abilities.
The Alchemyst – Michael Scott
‘The Alchemyst’ begins ‘The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel’ and places twins Sophie and Josh in a struggle involving powerful historical figures. The book mixes myth with real world locations and modern technology. It was published in 2007 for young teen readers.
The series spans six books that tell a continuous story. Start with ‘The Alchemyst’ and continue through ‘The Magician’, ‘The Sorceress’, ‘The Necromancer’, ‘The Warlock’, and ‘The Enchantress’ to follow the complete arc.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – Ransom Riggs
‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’ uses vintage photographs to frame a story about a boy who discovers children with unusual abilities living inside a time loop. The setting moves from Florida to a remote island and then into the loop itself. It was first published in 2011 for young adult readers.
The main storyline runs through multiple sequels that expand the world beyond the original loop. Begin with ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’ and continue in order to track the villains, loops, and rules that govern the peculiar world.
The Iron Trial – Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
‘The Iron Trial’ opens the Magisterium series with a boy who is warned to avoid magic yet ends up in a subterranean school that trains mages. The story introduces an elemental system and a class based structure with mentors and team assignments. It was released in 2014 for middle grade readers.
The series includes five books that build a single arc. Start with ‘The Iron Trial’ and proceed through ‘The Copper Gauntlet’, ‘The Bronze Key’, ‘The Silver Mask’, and ‘The Golden Tower’ to reach the conclusion.
Amari and the Night Brothers – B. B. Alston
In ‘Amari and the Night Brothers’, a girl discovers a secret bureau that manages supernatural activity and enrolls in a summer program with competitive tryouts. The plot focuses on gadgets, magical departments, and the search for a missing sibling. It was published in 2021 for middle grade readers.
The series continues with sequels that return to the bureau and expand its internal politics and training paths. Begin with ‘Amari and the Night Brothers’ to understand the evaluation system and the role of each division.
Inkheart – Cornelia Funke
‘Inkheart’ follows a father and daughter who can read characters out of books by speaking the words aloud. The story explores the consequences of bringing villains into the real world and the danger of losing people to the page. It was first published in 2003 and suits middle grade and young teen readers.
The trilogy continues with ‘Inkspell’ and ‘Inkdeath’. Start with ‘Inkheart’ to meet the key cast and learn how the reading ability works, then continue in order to see how the power is refined and challenged.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – C. S. Lewis
‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ introduces four siblings who enter Narnia through a wardrobe and become involved in a struggle to free the land from winter. The book features talking animals, prophecy, and a clear moral framework. It was published in 1950 for middle grade readers.
The Chronicles of Narnia include seven books that can be read in publication order or by internal chronology. New readers often begin with ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ because it offers the most accessible entry point and introduces core elements of the world.
The Rithmatist – Brandon Sanderson
‘The Rithmatist’ is set in an alternate America where students learn chalk based defenses and dueling patterns to fight wild chalklings. The story follows a nonmagical student who assists an investigation at a specialized academy. It was released in 2013 for young adult readers.
The book is planned as the first in a series, and readers can start with ‘The Rithmatist’ as a complete introduction to its geometric magic and campus setting. Those who enjoy the system can explore the author’s other works that use clearly defined rules for power.
Share your own magical favorites in the comments so everyone can discover the next great read.