14 must-read SFF releases that will make your September magical

A Deadly Education – Naomi Novik

The latest novel from the fantasy author behind such popular releases as Spinning Silver and Uprooted, A Deadly Education kicks off Naomi Novik’s new “Scholomance” trilogy.

Publisher Del Ray Books refers to the new series as “a twisted, super dark, super modern, female-led Harry Potter” and if that’s not enough to make you want to start reading right now, then I don’t know what to tell you. A Deadly Education is a darker, more adult twist on the magical boarding school trope, centered around an institution known as the Scholomance. A boarding school for sorcerers, it’s really more of a survival of the fittest style competition, where students must face off with Eldritch monsters known as maleficaria – “mals” for short – and learn enough in the process to past their biggest test of all: Graduation. (Basically, you either graduate or die trying.)

The story follows a young girl named El, with massive destructive power. But unleashing it just might kill everyone else.

The official synopsis describes the story as follows.

"A Deadly Education is set at Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death (for real) — until one girl, El, begins to unlock its many secrets. There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships, save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won’t allow its students to leave until they graduate… or die! The rules are deceptively simple: Don’t walk the halls alone. And beware of the monsters who lurk everywhere. El is uniquely prepared for the school’s dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out millions. It would be easy enough for El to defeat the monsters that prowl the school. The problem? Her powerful dark magic might also kill all the other students."

A Deadly Education is available on September 29.