Hello, dearies!
Following my Blue Covers book challenge, I decided to take a turn at darker tones and hues and check for dark coloured book covers, but, these are not mystery or suspense, but fantasy or magical.
Do you have your bookshelves organised by colour? I do it sometimes.
It was not so easy as you might think to find these 11 books, but I like research, so here’s the list, you can add it to your TBR or collect these books to make your bookshelves look striking or gothic-like. 📖
For now, I’ll start easy, and grow in intensity of colours, the first few are not fully black and rather have some accent of colour in them, red, blue, or in between. The first is white in the background, but the Girl in the shadows is fully at the front.
Light Dark Colour or Striking Accent
Nevernight
by Jay Kristoff
In a sun-scorched land where darkness is rare, Mia Corvere grows up with one purpose: revenge. After her family is destroyed and her father branded a traitor, she survives on her own in a city carved from the bones of a fallen god, hunted by enemies on all sides. Her unusual affinity with shadows leads her to the Red Church, a secretive school where assassins are trained. There, Mia must endure brutal lessons in combat, poison, and deception, competing against fellow students for a place among the elite.
But the Church is far from safe. Someone is killing within its walls, and as Mia’s past begins to resurface, she finds herself caught in a web of secrets that could destroy everything before she ever gets her revenge.
The Poppy War
by R. F. Kuang
The Poppy War is an epic military fantasy inspired by China’s history, layered with war, power, and dark magic.
Rin, a war orphan with nothing to her name, shocks everyone when she aces the Keju and earns a place at Sinegard, the Empire’s most elite military academy. It’s her way out of a life she never chose, and for a moment, it feels like everything might finally change. But Sinegard is only the beginning. What starts as training quickly turns into something far more dangerous, where power comes at a cost, and the line between survival and destruction is not always clear.
War Storm
by Victoria Aveyard
If you haven’t read the other books in this series, you might want to save it for later, it is is the 4th in the Series. This is what it is about:
War Storm is the final instalment in the Red Queen series, where the conflict between Reds and Silvers reaches its breaking point. Mare Barrow is determined to fight for freedom, even if it means facing the people who once stood beside her. To challenge the throne and the power behind it, she must form uneasy alliances and stand at the centre of a growing rebellion. As tensions rise and loyalties are tested, the war expands beyond a single kingdom. With enemies closing in and the stakes higher than ever, Mare’s fight becomes not just about revenge or survival, but about the future of an entire world divided by power.
Shadowy & Bold Choice
These covers are darker and hold one element that pops.
Serpent & Dove
by Shelby Mahurin
Serpent & Dove is a fantasy romance set in a world where witches are feared and hunted by the Church. Louise le Blanc has spent years hiding her magic, living as a thief in the city of Cesarine to escape her past. Reid Diggory, on the other hand, is a devoted witch hunter, raised to believe magic must be destroyed.
Six of Crows
by Leigh Bardugo
Set in the bustling trade city of Ketterdam, Six of Crows follows Kaz Brekker, a criminal mastermind known for getting things done, no matter the cost. When he’s offered a near-impossible heist with a massive reward, Kaz assembles a crew of six outcasts, each with their own past, skills, and reasons for saying yes. From spies to sharpshooters, every member brings something dangerous to the table. But the job is only part of the challenge. Trust is fragile, secrets run deep, and as the stakes grow higher, the crew must rely on each other to survive a mission that could change everything.
Shadow and Bone
by Leigh Bardugo
This is a special edition of Shadow and Bone, I believe by LitJoy. Alright, what is this book about:
Shadow and Bone is a fantasy set in Ravka, a nation divided by the Shadow Fold, a dangerous stretch of darkness filled with deadly creatures. Alina Starkov has always considered herself ordinary, until a moment of crisis reveals a hidden power that could change everything. Suddenly, she’s taken from her old life and brought to the royal court to train among the Grisha, an elite group of magic users. As Alina steps into this new world of power and privilege, she begins to realise that not everything is as it seems. With the fate of her country tied to her abilities, she must learn to navigate both the growing threat around her and the truths she’s only beginning to uncover.
Trust the Mood
A Deadly Education
by Naomi Novik
There are no teachers, no safe spaces, and no real friendships beyond strategic alliances. The rules are simple but unforgiving: stay alive, avoid the monsters, and never let your guard down. El, a powerful but isolated student, has a rare kind of magic that could easily destroy the threats around her. The problem is, her power is just as dangerous to everyone else. As she navigates the school’s deadly challenges, she must find a way to survive without becoming the very thing others fear.
Vengeful
by V.E. Schwab
Vengeful is the second book in the Villains series, continuing the rivalry between two powerful enemies bound by a complicated past. As tensions rise in Merit City, a new force emerges. Marcella Riggins, newly empowered and determined, sets out to reshape the city to her will, drawing others into her orbit and turning old rivalries into new weapons. With alliances forming and breaking, and multiple players vying for control, the line between hero and villain becomes even more blurred in a story driven by power, ambition, and revenge.
Caraval
by Stephanie Garber
Caraval follows Scarlett Dragna, who has spent her life dreaming of attending the legendary performance where the audience becomes part of the story. When she finally receives an invitation, she escapes with her sister, Tella, to experience the magic of Caraval. But the game quickly turns real when Tella disappears, and Scarlett is drawn into a competition where finding her becomes the goal. As Scarlett navigates the illusion-filled world of Caraval, she must decide what to trust, who to believe, and how far she’s willing to go in a place where nothing is quite what it seems.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone
by Laini Taylor
Daughter of Smoke and Bone blends fantasy and mystery, beginning with strange black handprints appearing on doorways across the world, left by winged beings from another realm. In Prague, Karou lives a double life as an art student, sketching creatures that feel a little too real. She runs mysterious errands, speaks unusual languages, and carries questions about her own identity that have never been answered. As her worlds begin to collide, Karou is drawn into a hidden conflict far beyond anything she imagined, one that forces her to uncover the truth about who she is and where she truly belongs.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
By V.E. Schwab
Set across centuries, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue follows a young woman who makes a desperate bargain to live forever, only to be cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. As Addie moves through history, she searches for ways to leave her mark on a world that refuses to remember her. Her life becomes a quiet journey through art, time, and identity, shaped by both freedom and loneliness. Everything shifts when, after hundreds of years, someone finally remembers her name.
Alternative Covers for the Dark Covers Books Mentioned
What did you think of these dark covers? Have you read the books? I have not, even though I have tons of these on my TBR on Goodreads. Let me know in the comments which one you are saving to your list.
Thanks for sticking to the end, dearies! See you on the next one.
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