It's been a great year so far of gothic, dark academic, and gloomy books. I don't know if there's been a (re)surge(nce) of gothic, or if I'm simply reaching for those books, but there have been good ones lately. Some are older, however, and I've been enjoying them, too.
Gothic books to read
With fall just around the corner, there's something about the gothic, or at least, dark atmosphere that is the backdrop to many dark academia novels that is just what we need. Coupled with the quarantine, there's nothing quite like settling in with a book with intellectual characters getting into all sorts of trouble.
Dark academia books to read right now
The (best) bad student booklist for anyone looking for dark academia reads.
I've been devouring gothic and suspense novels as I write my own 90's-themed gothic novel inspired by Jane Eyre.
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again is arguably one of the most powerful opening lines of a book. And Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is one of my favorite classics. So of course with the surge of retellings, I've been eager to find the best Rebecca retellings. Most have been a disappointment, and don't capture the dark, gothic, and compelling essence of Rebecca. But, I've managed to create a list of Rebecca retellings that, based on Goodreads ratings, should be good.
Modern gothic to me aligns with dark academia, except its setting can go beyond those of an intellectual institution's. Even so, I tend to find modern gothic tales not quite as beguiling as those of the Brontes' or du Maurier.
7 more Lush and Atmospheric Books
A fairytale-esque fantasy, Beneath the Haunting Sea explores betrayal, bloodlines, and identity.
Reading Between the Dunes 