Hi and welcome back to another Top TenTuesday post! This week’s topic is one I literally cannot parttake in as it’s Book Covers Featuring Cool/Pretty/Unique/etc. Typography, which is impossible with a visual impairment. I therefore created a topic myself and this one is inspired by the umpteenth time I saw a Harry Potter book getting thrown in my face as a recommendation for my next read to pick. As much as this universe meant to me as a child and adolenscent, I can’t justify these books getting recommended to me over and over again. The author is an outspoken transphobe and I can’t get behind these statements she has been publicly throwing around on social media since 2020. The books and its universe still hold a special place in my heart as I grew up on them and they shaped me as a reader, but it’s time to list some alternatives to pick up instead. This list varies between books for children and adults, because sometimes we all need a sprinkle of magic in our lives. No, Robert Galbraith will neither be on this list as this is J.K. Rowling’s pseudonym.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
1. The entire Rick Riordan universe
Once all the sh*t with Rowling went down, people started listing and recommending alternatives to the Harry Potter universe. One of these is the “Percy Jackson” series starting with The Lightning Thief, but the universe expands beyond these five books. Author Rick Riordan wrote multiple series about Greek mythology which are pretty appealing to middle-grade readers and beyond. Meanwhile they are adventurous, they also teach the target audience about Greek gods and mythology in a very accessible way. I am still working my way through the Percy Jackson series, I really need to continue honestly. The final book I read was The Titan’s Curse, so I have a whole universe to explore!
2. A Pinch of Magic by Michelle Harrison
I read the first book in this series, also called A Pinch of Magic, years ago and remember really enjoying it. It’s about three sisters who happen to be gifted with magic powers and of course, it’s adventurous. My review got lost as it was on my old blog and was also in Dutch, but I remember still wanting to read the sequels. Surprise surprise, I didn’t. I’m not even sure the rest of the series has been translated. I read the first book in Dutch as I took part in an online book club which was in Dutch, so I would like to continue the whole series in this language.
3. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Who doesn’t know this series starting with Vampire Academy and consisting of six books plus a spin-of with yet another six books? I love both series! This is not really about magic, but it has the boarding school setting Harry Potter also has, apart from the final books in both the original and spin-off. Still, these are one of the best YA vampiric books I’ve ever read and will keep recommending them.
4. Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend
It takes a long while for books about Morrigan Crow to publish, but many are anticipating them. I only read The Trials of Morrigan Crow back in the day, but couldn’t finish it. I want to go back to it some day, but So many books, so little time. I think I need to retry these in English as they perhaps might work better for me in the original language. I’m glad so many books get translated, but sometimes the language comes off as a bit too immature to me. No wonder as these books are aimed towards middle-grade readers, but it heavily affects my reading experience and enjoyment.
5. Fireborn by Aisling Fowler
Another series I started but still have to finish, Fireborn. I read the first book, also called Fireborn, years ago for something I sporadically take, a review copy. I really enjoyed it, but this review is also lost on the internet and in Dutch. However, although I own the next books in the series, I still didn’t get around to reading them. Should be changed in 2026. This series is not really about magic, but the characters learn valuable lessons during their adventures, like Harry and his friends do, all Rowling’s statements aside.
6. Shades of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Are you an adult and are looking for some magic outside an academic setting? Than this trilogy by V.E. Schwab got you covered. I planned to reread the whole series in 2024, but didn’t get any further than A Darker Shade of Magic. I struggled a bit with the final book, but I still recommend them though!
7. Vamps by Nicole Arend
A lesser known series about a vampiric boarding school is Vamps by Nicole Arend. I only read Fresh Blood and was addicted to it straight away. I flew through it in a breeze, I simply couldn’t put it down. The sequel finally released this last October and I need to read it as soon as possible. I again read the first book in Dutch, but as there hasn’t been any announcement about a translation yet, I will have to switch to English. So, I wonder how this will work out. I tried the audiobook sample and this one is not for me.
8. Emily Wilde by Heather Fawcett
You probably wouldn’t expect this series to be on this list of alternatives to Harry Potter, but it definitely earns its spot. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries and its sequels definitely contain magical elements and therefore are the perfect fit. Furthermore, Emily and Wendell are professors at Cambridge, and especially Emily undegoes a lot of character development. Enough said, right? However, these books are not too tense, but have their moments. They are classified as cozy and therefore might not be for everyone.
9. The Medoran Chronicles by Lynette Noni
Who thought that the Prison Healer series was Lynette noni’s debut, thought wrongly. This author has published several author books, such as this middle-grade series starting with Akarnae. This has all elements you’re probably seeking in an alternative to Harry Potter: boarding school, magical boarding school, and a main character who has to learn a lot about the new, magical world she’s facing. At the time I read the aforementioned first book, I probably wasn’t in a good headspace for it as I didn’t really enjoy it, but I see the appeal and therefore put it on this list. Should retry it I suppose!
10. Supernatural Investigations by B.B. Alston
I would love to close off this list with one of my personal favorites, the Supernatural Investigations series by B.B. Alston. Admittedly, when I first started Amari and the Night Brothers, I didn’t expect too much of it. However, I ended up rating this book 5 stars at a time I struglged with reading and enjoying what I was reading, so this was a huge relief. And the rest is history, because I also rated the second and third book this high. The fourth book is expected to publish on February 24th this year, so I’m really curious for it!
Have you read one of these series or are you about to start one of these?
