Whether you’re fresh out of sixth form or returning for post-grad, your time at university is full of possibilities. Usually these are to make a new city your home, meet a group of likeminded people or simply to arrive at your 8:30 lecture on time. But if you happen to live in the limitless world of fiction, this could be anything from unravelling a conspiracy on campus to fake dating your way out of a social disaster.
If you’re looking to get lost in the pages of a good story while you settle into a new year at uni, check out these exciting books all set on a campus only a little different from yours…
See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Contemporary | Romance | Magical Realism
Trapped in a time loop, freshman Barrett Bloom is forced to relive her disastrous first day of college, only to realise that her rival from Physics class is stuck in it too.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Contemporary | Paranormal | Mystery
Due to her unique ability to see ghosts, Alex Stern is recruited by a mysterious organisation at Yale university which oversees the secret campus societies that deal in arcane magic.
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
Contemporary | Romance | Comedy
An American student, Ella Durran, moves to England to study in Oxford for a year before going back to the US to fulfil her political dreams. While at Oxford, she meets someone who just might upend her carefully laid plans.
Yolk by Mary H. K. Choi
Contemporary | Family | Drama
Two estranged sisters, Jayne and June, switch places and commit insurance fraud when one of them is diagnosed with cancer. Buried conflicts and conversations resurface as they try to mend their fractured relationship.
Brought to Light by Allie Lewis
Contemporary | Mystery | Romance
A murder is investigated on campus and Whitney is determined to help solve the case. But when the university’s golden boy offers his help, the unlikely pair are forced to pretend to date so as to not rouse suspicion.
Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola
Contemporary | Romance | Friendship
Student radio show host, Kiki Banjo, has no interest in love but is soon embroiled in a fake relationship with the ‘player’ on campus in order to salvage their reputations and save their futures.
If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio
Contemporary | Mystery | Thriller
Seven young actors are on the cusp of graduating from an elite arts college when one of them is found dead. The rest face their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, and themselves, that they are blameless.
Before We Were Strangers by Renée Carlino
Contemporary | Romance | Drama
Grace and Matt’s fast friendship at university gradually evolved into something more. However, time and fate tore them apart. Fifteen years go by before they get a chance to reconnect.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Contemporary | Romance | Drama
Despite their different backgrounds, Marianne & Connell manage to weave in and out of each other’s romantic lives as they transition from teenagers in a small town to university students and beyond.