Dark academia, dark romance, gothic/vampiric romance, I love every genre all year around. But, especially during spooky season. I am going to provide some of my all time favorite reads that I think fit Halloween and autumn perfectly; transporting you to a world of unusual romance and yearning. I hope you enjoy these recommendations, and happy reading!
Please read trigger warnings on each book before indulging.
Nocticadia by Keri Lake
Tropes: Professor x student, age gap, gothic romance, dark academia, secret society, slow burn, morally grey MMC(male main character), and forbidden romance.
“Mortui Vivos Docent: The dead teach the living.” A quote often repeated by our MMC Dr. Death, also known as Dervyck Bramwell, and a quote that the university Dracadia lives by. Our FMC Lilia has recently lost her mother to a mysterious illness that no one seems to believe is real in the first place. That is, until her research gets recognized by one of the most prestigious universities on the East Coast: Dracadia University. Lilia starts navigating her trauma and the mysterious illness at Dracadia uncovering the university’s secrets and indulging in what spark happens between her and her neuroparasitology professor. Dr. Death
I think this a great dark academia/gothic romance for spooky season. The vibes of this book are immaculate and Keri Lake’s writing transports you into this scary, foggy, romantic world she created. I have read this book over three times in the past two years and I simply cannot get enough of Dervyck and Lilia’s relationship and the beautiful university Keri Lake created.
My Rating: 6/5
Spice Level: 4/5
Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
Tropes: dark romance/comedy, he falls first, serial killers kill bad guys, friends to lovers, one bed, friendly competition, and slow burn
Two killers who kill bad serial killers, who both happen to be awfully competitive. Sloane Sutherland (Blackbird) our FMC is a strong willed woman and takes no one’s B.S. Blackbird hunts down horrible men who kill innocent people in order to gain justice for lives lost. Rowan Kane (Butcher) is our MMC who owns a high rated restaurant and is awfully passionate about cooking, and also awfully passionate about getting revenge like Blackbird. The two meet by pure chance, and when their motivations are the same, they decide to make an annual game of their murderous endeavors.
A charming, funny, very gross friends-to-lovers romance with a friendly competition of murder is a perfect high intensity yet funny romance for a spooky season, if you want something less serious but still will keep you on your toes! (A movie version is also coming out soon.)
My Rating: 3.5/5
Spice Level: 3/5
Grave Matter by Karina Halle
Tropes: forbidden romance, slow burn, he falls first, professor/doctor x student, forced proximity, and morally grey MMC.
Sydney Denik, a mycologist, has a second chance of life handed to her when a prestigious foundation studying cures for Alzheimer’s offers her a scholarship to do research alongside their foundation and other graduate students, on an isolated island in Vancouver. While living on this haunted, foggy island, Sydney notices many strange occurrences. For example, seeing things that aren’t actually there, seeing students disappear without anyone else noticing, and noticing a looming figure outside her dorm. This figure is the resident psychologist, catching each other’s eyes. And as the tension of the mystery on the island grows, the tension between Sydney and her psychologist also grows.
After I read this book, I had to sit there and stare blankly at the pages to process the amazing plot-twist this book provided. Karina Halle has written multiple amazing romance books, but this one always takes the cake for me. You can feel the dense fog, see the different mushrooms in the lab, and smell the rain while reading this novel. A perfect read to have you confused, scared, and on the edge of your chair (or wherever you like to read.)
My Rating: 4/5
Spice Level: 4/5
Phantsama by Kaylie Smith
Tropes: mental health (OCD) representation, gothic manor, phantom x necromancer, forced proximity, deadly trails/competition, forbidden romance, and dark gothic fantasy.
Ophelia Grimm’s mother passed away, leaving Ophelia in charge of their large gothic manor and her powers of necromancy. Along with the powers passed down to Ophelia, an enormous amount of depth was passed down as well. After Ophelia and her sister discover this debt, her sister decides to try to win some money back by entering in a deadly competition called Phantasma. Ophelia, chasing her sister to save her, decides to enter into this deadly competition in a haunted manor with nine levels of tutor resembling the nine circles of hell alongside her. While in this manor, Ophelia encounters a pretentious, charming, and arrogant stranger, and even though he may be the bane of her existence, she is drawn to him automatically. Ophelisa faces the terrors in the manor, but also the terrors in her own brain, battling her OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
Last Halloween I read this wonderful book and I fell in love with Ophelia’s story. This is one of the best representations of OCD (as someone who is diagnosed with it) I’ve seen in a romance book. Kaylie Smith sets a perfect scary picture for your mind to get lost on and will truly have your heart racing.
My Rating: 4.5/5
Spice Level: 2/5
Anathema by Keri Lake
Tropes: dark gothic fantasy, paranormal, horror, outcast FMC(female main character), cursed MMC, slow burn, fated lovers, and witchy atmosphere.
Mayveth, the outcast since birth. In her small and overbearingly religious town, she was left by the opening of The Eating Woods; a place of dead trees, sharp broken bones, and skeletons. Nothing comes back out alive and well, and yet, Mayveth was left there in a basket as an infant. Being accused as a witch her whole life, she accepted her grim role. Little does Mayveth know, she is actually much more powerful than a witch. A powerful assassin named Zevander Rydainn from the realm beyond The Eating Woods is sent to kill Mayveth. Their story begins here, as they deal with both of their curses and deep trauma.
This book is truly heartbreaking, enthralling, and extremely well done by Keri Lake. If you have ever felt like an outcast yourself you will feel so seen. The world Keri Lake made is very complex but beautifully done. This is a wonderful witchy and intense read for a spooky season.
My Rating: 4.5/5
Spice Level: 0.5/5
Enigma by RuNyx
Tropes: dark academia, professor x student, murder mystery, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, muse x artist, slow burn, and gothic romance.
Salem Salazar, a student at a beautiful prestigious university is trying to find out what happened to her sister (and other students) at this suspicious university that seems like it is hiding very dark secrets. While trying to uncover these mysteries, someone who seems to be everywhere she is catches her eye: a teaching assistant named Cazimir van der Waal who is dark, brooding, mysterious, and udderly drawn to Salem. The two find out they have more in common then it seems, and a forbidden romance between the two starts to bloom as horrible things get uncovered.
The murder mystery will have you on your toes and rooting for justice to be served. The yearning that Cazmir displays for Salem is unmatched, he is hopelessly devoted to this woman, even to the point that she becomes the muse in his paintings. A high tension romance and murder mystery is just what will scratch the itch of being scared for a spooky season.
My Rating: 5/5
Spice Level: 3.5/4