4 hand-picked fantasy, female protagonist, and queer themes 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.
For fans of Hell Bent's dark academia and supernatural mysteries, A Study in Drowning offers a haunting tale of folklore, mental health struggles, and uncovering hidden truths in a crumbling estate, blending atmospheric tension with a fierce female protagonist's quest for redemption.
For fans of Katabasis's blend of cultural mythology, witty banter, and journeys through supernatural realms, Black Water Sister offers a fresh take on ancestral spirits and modern rivalries in a Malaysian Chinese underworld of gods and ghosts, emphasizing queer identity and familial redemption.
For fans of Hamingje's atmospheric Norse magic and themes of healing from trauma, Pet delivers a plot-adjacent tale of uncovering hidden monsters in a utopian world, blending magical realism with queer identity exploration and found-family bonds.