It's the perfect time to grab your trunk and check out of Hogwarts to move on to something new. If you don't plan on re-reading all seven books any time soon, there's nothing to fear as there are plenty of other brilliant books that will sate your appetite for fantastical storytelling. From magical school murder mystery novels to spell-teaching academies in the clouds, to low stakes fantasy to a boarding school for kids rejected from the mythical portals that once welcomed them; you'll find something to love in our list. So pick up your magic wand, settle into a comfy spot, and get ready to find some new favorite titles like Harry Potter worth reading in 2025 and beyond.
1. The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton
If you're looking for that feeling of being a new student at a magical academy, this is the perfect book for you. The Marvellers will make you feel like a little kid again, as Dhonielle Clayton guides us into the enchanting world of the Arcanum, a global magic school sitting high in the clouds. Ella is the school's first conjurer and she couldn't be more excited, but Arcanum isn't all that it's promised and there are secrets and mistrust behind the gilded doors. Clayton crafts a world you want nothing more than to join, but never shies away from the grim realities that would impact even the most magical of spaces. Ella is a dynamic lead and you'll come away from the Marvellers desperate to read more and rejoin Ella in her new magical world.
2. Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan's epic fantasy series has always been a great counterpoint / companion to the Boy Who Lived and is overall a fantastic coming-of-age story. Introducing readers to a world where the children of gods live among us, the first book follows Percy Jackson the son of Poseidon who must go on a dangerous journey to find a thief who has stolen Zeus' lightning bolts and clear his own name. These inclusive, thoughtful stories do a great job balancing the fantastical with the everyday featuring a hero with ADHD and Dyslexia and dealing with the sometimes hard realities of growing up. Riordan began writing these stories for his son, but the immersive, sprawling world he's created has become a favorite for readers around the globe and once you pick them up it's easy to see why.
You can check out our full guide to the Percy Jackson books in order or even check out the Percy Jackson series on Disney+ for more of this. The second season of the show has started on Disney+ as of December 2025.
3. Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
Impossible Creatures is a fairly new series from author Katherine Rundell that has some serious Harry Potter vibes as a british children's fantasy novel. The story follows a young boy named Christopher who discovers a hidden archipelego of mythical creatues while visiting his grandfather. If you liked how well Harry Potter slowly introduced you to a hidden magical world through the perspective of a seemingly ordinary human, then this series is absolutely worth a try. There are only two books so far, but it has already been picked up by Disney for a live-action adaptation.
4. Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle) by Christopher Paolini
Although it doesn't include any sort of academy or school, The Inhertiance Cycle by Christopher Paolini is an excellent read to follow up on if you loved Harry Potter. The story is all about a young teen named Eragon who stumbles upon a dragon egg only to get swept up into a world of magic, danger, and dragons. With a total of four books in the series, you get to see the main character and his dragon grow up as they deal with a seemingly all-powerful malevolent enemy that seeks to destroy everything they love. It's a great young adult fantasy that falls somewhere between Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings books.
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