3 hand-picked fantasy, female protagonist, and moral ambiguity books curated by NextBookAfter.
If you loved the shadowy intrigue and supernatural persuasion at Drayton College, this book delivers a similarly atmospheric dark academia vibe with witchcraft, moral quandaries, and queer undertones in an elite boarding school setting.
This gripping YA fantasy echoes the thrilling quests and moral ambiguities of Northern Lights, with a fierce young heroine navigating oppression, alliances, and hidden truths in a brutal empire, blending high-stakes adventure with themes of resistance and identity.
For fans of Wicked's sympathetic villain origin story and moral complexity, Malice offers a queer retelling of Sleeping Beauty that flips the script on fairy tale tropes, exploring prejudice, power, and forbidden love through the eyes of a misunderstood enchantress.