Introduction
Six books like Harry Potter
So you are an adult who loves Harry Potter. More than likely, you read the books or watched the movies as a kid. Rather than part ways with the Wizarding World as you grew older, your love for the series aged like fine potion. Or, perhaps, you discovered the series as an adult and instantly become hooked. For that, I tip my sorting hat to you.
Well, you are most definitely not alone. I get it. Im in the same boat. Or should I say train. Anything from the trolly?
But let’s face it, we want more. Most of us have accepted the fact that there won’t be any new books in the Harry Potter series, albeit begrudgingly. I personally don’t consider The Cursed Child, or Fantastic Beasts part of the canon, but I digress.
So what are our options? We can continue to reread/rewatch every one of the beloved masterpieces, which we will do anyway until we part ways with this muggle world, or we can find other books like Harry Potter.
Although there will never truly be another story like Harry Potter, there are some books that will at least scratch the magical itch we can’t rid ourselves from.
So without further ado, here are 6 books to read if you are an adult who who loves Harry Potter
six books like Harry Potter for adults
6. The Starless Sea
When I think Harry Potter I think adventure. And there is definitely no shortage of adventure in this extremely unique book. Quite honestly, this is less of a book and more of a collection of individual stories weaved together beautifully to create one cohesive tale.
Zachary Ezra Rawlins (I’m going with Gryffindor) is a young man who finds an odd, old book filled with interesting tales of old. He then reads something he can’t believe or understand—a story featuring him from his childhood.
Through a series of events, Zachary eventually finds his way to an underground library created to serve stories and those who tell them. But there is only one problem. The magical underground library is under threat and will soon be destroyed.
This book is not for everyone, but to those who it captivates, it will become an experience unlike any other and definitely belongs on a list of books like Harry Potter.
5. A Deadly Education
Imagine Hogwarts with much higher stakes. Never mind the threat of Voldemort. In this particular school, you either graduate or you die.
The Sholamance is a school for the magically gifted and every year, teens attend with magical aspirations. But monsters lurk the halls, trust is hard to come by, magic is rare, and the main objective is survival.
Written through the eyes of Ell, our protagonist, and most definitely a Slytherin, this book follows her journey through the school and the mysteries she unravels.
A Deadly Education is the first book in the Sholamance trilogy, and puts a dark, yet interesting twist on the magic school fantasy genre.
4. The Ocean At the End Of The Lane
One appeal of the Harry Potter story is the innocence of children defeating powerful evil. In the Ocean At The End Of The Lane, a man returns to his hometown for a funeral, and upon arriving, unlocks memories from his childhood that were long since forgotten.
There, at a nearby farmhouse where an old friend once lived, he remembers a past filled with absurd encounters, impossible magic, painful loss, and terrifying entities.
In this extremely original story, Neil Gaiman beautifully depicts the mysteries of life and magic and reminds us that the mind of a child is an extremely powerful thing.
3. Six Of Crows
Harry, Ron, and Hermione: an inseparable trio that solves mysteries and defeats evil.
Six Of Crows doesn’t have a trio, but it does have a group of close knit characters know as the Dregs, led by Kaz Brekker, a badass kid that walks with a cane, and is feared by many. Though you can’t necessarily call these characters good, you will definitely be on their side by the end of the book.
In book one of this duology, Kaz is presented the opportunity to pull off a heist that would make him richer than he ever dreamed of being. Can he and his gang pull off such a feat in a world filled with crooks, cutthroats, and magic?
As skeptical as I was at the idea of a magical heist, I could not put this book down. And all that was left after book two was a hole in my heart, knowing I could never re-read them for the first time again.
2. A Darker Shade Of Magic
Kell (a definite Gryffindor) is one of the last Antari, the strongest and rarest types of magicians who use blood magic to travel between parallel Londons. There is Red London, where Kell resides, as well as White London, Grey London, and Black London.
After an odd and unplanned transaction, Kell flees to Grey London in possession of a mysterious black stone that contains a dangerous magic he is unfamiliar with. He soon meets Delilah Bard, a young thief (and obvious Slytherin) with aspirations of being a pirate ship captain.
With Delilah’s help, Kell must return the stone to Black London where it belongs. But getting it there proves to be much harder than they originally anticipated.
A Darker Shade of Magic is the first book in a trilogy that will keep you hooked until the very last word.
1. Neverwhere
Full Disclosure – This is without a doubt my favorite fantasy novel ever written and is also the exact reason I fell in love with Neil Gaiman. I now own all of his books.
The greatest appeal of Harry Potter is the existence of a world that is better than the bland experience of normal life; A magical world where anything truly is possible and adventure awaits. Neverwhere contains within its pages, a similar world—albeit a much darker one.
Richard Mayhew, a run-of-the-mill young businessman (and presumably a Hufflepuff), is living his boring, predictable life. That is, until he meets a young woman named Door. Soon, Richard finds himself in a strange world under the streets of London, called London Below, where the people of normal life have fallen through the cracks.
Together, he and Door team up with various people and embark on a journey that involves friends, foes, monsters, and magic. This dark fantasy will definitely have you mesmerized by its characters and world building, and leave you wanting more. If you are looking for books like Harry Potter, this is a must-read!
Side note: You owe it to yourself to first read the physical copy and then listen to the audiobook version read by the author himself. They are two completely different experiences. Trust me, it’s worth the time.
