Well, it’s that time of year again, summer holidays have been and gone (how?!) and many students/teachers are heading back to school… but fear not! It doesn’t have to be all bad because we have books! And in books, school can be a lot more fun… I mean some of them teach you spells for one thing 😉 I decided to take a mixture of different settings and themes and even share some books set in college. Let’s don our freshly pressed uniforms and boldly go where many people have gone before, shall we?
Harry Potter– let’s be real, Hogwarts is absolute *magic* and everyone’s dream school (yes, even with the crazy teachers, deadly activities and Forbidden Forest)
Groosham Grange– sure, this might not be the happiest take on schools, but you can’t deny it’s a lot of fun to be swept up in this E-V-I-L education system. I know that, as a kid, I’d have rather gone here than my actual school… (dunno what that says about the English education system 😉)
Wizard Heir– such an underrated book!! You guys know I love the author, but any opportunity I get to rave about this story I’ll take. This may be a less positive representation of a school… yet it’s no less fun to read!
Naughtiest Girl in School– I know a lot of people grew up with Malorie Towers, but for some reason, my mum gave me these… I wonder if she was sending me a subliminal message about how I should behave in school? 😉
Wonder– I just love what a life-affirming story about kindness this is- there aren’t enough of these around!
Stargirl– this is such an important book about being different and how that impacts people in a school environment- a must read!
Never Let Me Go– okay, in a far, far darker vein, Hailsham may seem like an ordinary boarding school, but readers will soon find there’s more to it than there seems.
Anna and the French Kiss– on a lighter note, I just love the setting of Paris and this school seems GREAT! (one thing that I didn’t get about the narrator for ages is that she complains about going here?!)
Always and Forever– one thing that the finale for the Lara Jean series did exceptionally well was exploring the challenge that is graduating from school and moving on to college. I thought this was such a great representation, because it didn’t just go the *oh look you get the college of your dreams and life is perfect* route- which is perpetuated by a lot of books/movies but is unfortunately unrealistic for most people. Instead, this was about finding your way, in spite of falling just shy of your dreams (and that maybe, just maybe, things can work out when life doesn’t go to plan).
Secret History– moving up in the education system, this is one of the most fascinating books I’ve read recently. Its portrayal of college and learning really struck a cord with me… apart from the fact I was completely gripped by the murder mystery aspect of course 😉
Unseen Academicals– to be fair, this book is more about football (the most beautiful game in the world) but I had to squeeze the Unseen University into this list somewhere, didn’t I? Plus, this book is a lot of fun, so you’re welcome for the recommendation 😉
Vicious– alright, admittedly not all of this book is set in uni, but one of the most significant parts is and it deserves a shoutout for being an ambitious book about ambition (also did I mention lately that I love it)
American panda– even if the germaphobe aspect wasn’t to my personal taste, one of the things I can safely say this book did best was dealing with the struggles of finding yourself.
Fangirl– another fantastic book about finding out who you are in a modern college setting, Rowell’s story will feel relatable to a lot of young adults.
180 Seconds– and finally, I’m off the list with a super sweet and yet emotional rollercoaster of a romance! Set in college, this definitely delivers when it comes to *feels*.
And just when you thought “this post can’t get any longer”, I have to add a bonus book I recently finished and was well worth the hype: Radio Silence! What a fantastic story about school, growing up and being creative!!
So do you agree with any of my choices? Do you have any books set in school you’d like to add? Let me know in the comments!
I always enjoy you lists. What are your thoughts on the House of Night series? Personally. I just adore it.
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Thank you so much! I’ve never actually read it I’m afraid, cos I don’t read many vampire books.
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If I may make a recommendation, it’s not what you think, it has alot of native American lore and traditions…
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Mallory Towers and St Clares! AS a child I read more of the latter so that’s the one that comes to mind when thinking of school stories.
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Ah totally get that!
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School for Psychics is an adult urban fantasy that’s really good.
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I am interested, who is the author? I can’t find it online.
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It’s by K.C Archer.
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Oh yeah I wanna check that out!
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The only one of these I’ve read is Harry Potter! *the shame”
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hehehe no worries- if you’re gonna read just one, that’s a good one 😉
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Love this! Harry Potter would be top of my list!!
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Thank you!!
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I like that you included some college settings up there (Loved American Panda, Fangirl, 180 Seconds). I am a fan of the Anna series too. I have a thing for boarding school books. LJ is forever in my heart, and Wonder!!! That book just made my heart explode. I read Suggested Reading this week by David Connis, which takes place in a prep school, and I really loved it.
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Thank you! I really like the Anna series as well 🙂 Ahh me too! Oh cool!
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I tend to like YA mystery/thrillers that are set in schools. Truly Devious and People Like Us are a couple in boarding schools.
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Ahh truly devious is such a good one!! I haven’t read people like us, but am curious now!
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I really enjoyed it.
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The Secret History and Vicious have been on my tbr for far too long! Although i don’t read much YA, i really enjoyed Fangirl, and Harry Potter is absolutely my go-to comfort read at a stressful time like the beginning of a school term.
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Oh definitely recommend them both! Ah totally get what you mean about HP!
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The ones I read from this list I really loved! I love school setting and Radio silence is on my list so yay!
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I’m glad you thought so! Definitely recommend it as well!
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So many incredible school books on this list…though I’d be more eager to attend some of these schools than others 😉 I completely agree with what you said about Always and Forever Lara Jean, and Radio Silence, Fangirl, and (obviously) Harry Potter are among my favorite school-related books. I really need to read The Secret History too!!
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hehehe totally get what you mean 😉 So glad you agree! *definitely* recommend secret history!
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Ok, I’m probably showing my age here but I always wanted to go to Wayside School.
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Oh I hadn’t heard of that one!
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It’s a Louis Sachar series–same author as Holes. They are extremely odd books.
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Great post, I love the Naughtiest Girl in School books when I was a kid 💜😀
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Thank you! Me too 😀 ❤
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You’re welcome 😀💜
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I’ll be adding some of them to my TBR ! I only read the Lara Jean series and I totally agree with you about it !
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Great! 😀 I’m glad you agree there!
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Great list! I love The Secret History and Never Let Me Go (and of course Harry Potter!) Have you ever read Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle trilogy (A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, The Sweet Far Thing)? It’s got some great YA fantasy boarding school action.
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Thank you! I have actually- I really liked the first one, but wasn’t as crazy about the second (it was so long ago that I can’t remember why and can’t remember if I read the third). I do get why people like it though- it’s a very cool concept and well written.
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I thought that I’d read lots of books set in schools, but then I couldn’t find them on my GR list, I think some of my YA reads has school aged kids, but the school setting wasn’t a main theme.
I did find 3 that I could recommend.
The Misper by Bea Davenport is set around English teenagers and a friendship made at school, with a missing schoolgirl. It is a ya thriller.
The Lonely Life Of Biddy Weir by Lesley Allen is a heart-wrenching book about school bullying and that too is set in England.
The Boyfriend Whisperer by Linda Budzinski is a fun ya romance and is set in America around kids at a school.
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Yeah I thought that as well, until I started making this list 😉
ooh I like ya thrillers- so that’s definitely up my street!
Lonely life of biddy weir sounds so good as well.
And I like the sound of boyfriend whisperer too 🙂
Thank you so much for the recs!
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I loved the Naughtiest Girl series and Unseen Academicals.
I really need to get around to Harry Potter. I didn’t bother reading it during the movie years because spoilers were everywhere but maybe the hype has died down enough by now 🙈
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I’m glad you agree!
oh that’s actually a really sensible way to avoid spoilers!
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So glad to see Vicious mentioned here! I think I’m going to have to make it my 2020 goal to read the first HP book now hahah I believe I’ve pushed it off to the side way too long now. 😛 Great list!
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haha that’s definitely a worthwhile goal! Thank you!
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I marked this post Save for Later (thanks, Feedly) as I want to add some of these titles to my Goodreads.
One of my favorite books when I was a kid that was set in school is pretty dated, but I’ll name it anyway. The Ghosts Who Went To School by Judith Spearing.
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Ah awesome!
Oh I haven’t read that, but I’m now curious!
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You have some great books on here! I loved 180 Seconds. I think my favorite of hers still might be Left Drowning, though. And it’s set in college, too!
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Ah cool- I really should read that cos I loved 180 seconds!
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I really enjoyed Drangonsinger (Anne McCaffrey’s Harper Hall book 2) — it’s got music classes in it, so that counts, right? Also I enjoyed the Newbery-winning Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina.
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oh I haven’t read that one, but definitely counts.
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Dragonsinger is possibly my favorite of the Pern books. I love the music + fantasy aspect of the book.
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I still have not read Harry Potter or seen the movies. I guess I’m kind of uncultured😂
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hehe no worries- I’m not judging you!
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I still haven’t read Harry Potter, I guess I’m kind of unfiltered😂
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Uncultured**
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I love Wonder and Stargirl, and my brother and I are still waiting for a T.V. show that features everyday life at Hogwarts 🙂
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Oh that’d be amazing!!
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OMG “The Naughtiest Girl in School” I used to read them. My grandmother had the whole set and I would read them when I visited. 🙂
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Oh wow! I jumped on Goodreads to look at that and it’s a series from the 1930’s!! How cool is that??? It’s funny to read the reviews…everything from “Sweet and delightful” to comparing it to the North Korean regime.
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lol I remember it was a bit weird. I always remember a part in one book where the main char, can’t remember her name, saved a boy who was drowning. She “lifted his arms above his head and down again” to “pump the water from his lungs”. Obviously a time before CPR 😛
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Oh wow! I never thought about a time before CPR!!
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That’s so sweet!
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Ah this is such a great list – and thank you for reminding me that I need to read both Fangirl and The Secret History soon, they both sound so great! 😀
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Thanks! oh definitely recommend them 🙂
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Nice list! I also enjoyed 180 Seconds! I haven’t read Vicious yet but hoping to pick it up before the end of this year.
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Thanks! I’m really glad you did! ooh definitely recommend it!
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I’ve only read like two of these, how??? I need to read more, clearly, lol. Great list!
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hehehe thanks!
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I’ve only read Harry Potter on this list, oops!! I’ve seen a couple of titles here that I’m totally want to get though, so I’m excited for that. If I can get my hands on any of them soon, that would be the bestttt since I’ve started back at school and can always use a dreamy, school-set book to get me more in the mood haha
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hehe no worries! I hope you like them if you do get to them. hehe I get that lol!
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There are a lot of books on this list I need to check out. So many choices, so little time!
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hehe totally get that 😉
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Love this list!
Stargirl is one of my favourites. I haven’t read Groosham Grange in years… LOL, it’s a very creepy school but I think I’d rather have gone there too 😀
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Thank you! Ahh I love that one! hehehe I know right 😉
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Harry Potter tops all of my lists! There are a few here that are new to me that I need to check out. Thanks for this list!
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hehe totally get that! Thanks for reading!
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I remember loving Stargirl, Fangirl, and Never Let Me Go back in College. This is making me want to reread my old faves! I’ve yet to read the other in the list 🙂
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I loved those too!
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Harry Potter is everybody’s first choice in this list. I would like to add Matilda and its horrid teacher to this list. And Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
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Yeah absolutely! Oh matilda is a great one! I’ve actually never read diary of a wimpy kid although (of course) I’ve heard of it- I think it was just not around when I was little, so I missed the boat.
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Even I haven’t read it in my childhood but I have stated reading all the book that I have missed and it will be good collection for my kid as well.
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There are myriad mystery/thriller novels set in schools that I have greatly enjoyed over the years. The most recent being “The Scholar” by Dervla McKiernan and “Dying Truth” by Angela Marsons. Past favourites include “The Secret Place” by Tana French and “Well schooled in murder” by Elizabeth George to name but two…
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Oh cool- I’m always curious about mystery/thriller books set in school- I think it’s a great setting for it!
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I’m FINALLY reading Vicious at the moment (why do all these amazing books sit in the middle of my TBR?!), and I am enjoying it so much!!
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ohh I’m so glad!!
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Hurrah for Stargirl, The Secret History and Fangirl – three favourites right there! 😀
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Ah so glad you agree!
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The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. With bullying rampant in today’s schools, this book published in 1974 is still valid.
Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris. The privileged students in an English school run the show until a new teacher reveals the old, evil hierarchy. Clever and engaging.
May I ask how many books you read each year?
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That is a good list. Other than Wonder and Harry Potter, obviously, I haven’t read any of these ones. A couple of sparked my interest so thank you.
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Ah, it made me so happy to see American Panda listed here, alongside Harry Potter and Wonder! I adore all three of those books so much! And, it’s also fun to see how each of them take place during different times in education (middle school, high school, and college). ❤
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Honestly, I never was a huge Harry Potter fan, but I understand the hype, I really do. Lovely post!
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Fair enough! Thank you!
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Rainbow Rowell is great, isn’t she? I liked “Fangirl” and “Eleanor & Park”.
I’d contribute another book — “And Both Were Young” by Madeline L’Engle. The setting is a Swiss boarding school with an awkward, talented American girl who has trouble fitting in. It’s not as well known as “A Wrinkle in Time” but still very good.
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Absolutely agree! Oh cool I haven’t read that!
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And there’s a new book to put on your to-read list for this winter, when it’s too cold to go out. 😉
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This list gave me many books that I am going to add to my reading list. I read Stargirl and Wonder a few years ago and loved them! I am most looking forward to reading 180 Seconds. Thanks for the suggestions!
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That’s so great to hear!! Thank you for reading!
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Lovely Post ❤️
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