Monday Moods is a weekly bookish meme created and hosted by Unwrapping Words (aka, me!). The premise is simple: every week, there’s a new ‘mood’, ranging from tropes to genres or actual moods (happy, sad, etc). On a Monday, feel free to post about books on your TBR, books you’d recommend, or a mix – whatever you like – that fits the ‘mood’ prompt. And of course, you can use your own if you’re not fussed on a particular one!
Another Monday, which means it’s time for Monday Moods. I feel like I’m still dipping my toes in with Dark Academia, so I’ll definitely be on the look out for other suggestions.
This Week, I’m in the Mood For…
Dark Academia
Oxford Blood
Rachael Davis-Featherstone
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Age: Young Adult
Format: ebook
Published: January 13th, 2026
I Want to Read This Because it just sounds really intriguing – generally, I find mystery thriller books to be a little hit or miss, but typically I enjoy what I’ve come across in YA. Having teens at the centre feels like it often shifts thing, and this one definitely feels like it’ll be tackling some interesting issues.
Katabasis
R.F. Kuang
Genre: Fantasy
Age: Adult
Format: Hardback
Published: August 26th, 2025
I Want to Read This Because there seem to be quite a lot of people out there who dislike Kuang’s work – I am very much not one of them. I really like her writing, her style, and I picked this up at an event, where she came across as someone who doesn’t make choices lightly. And if I hadn’t been sold on the book beforehand, I absolutely would have been after!
Lakegrave School for Young Women
Lauren Carter
Genre: Historical Horror
Age: Adult
Format: ebook
Published: September 9th, 2025
I Want to Read This Because I picked this book up during a DHR Queer Your eReader event. It sounds incredibly intriguing, with a gothic set up, a school where students self-teach, and students start going missing. I’m really looking forward to this!
A Lesson in Vengeance
Victoria Lee
Genre: Fantasy
Age: Young Adult
Format: ebook
Published: August 3rd, 2021
I Want to Read This Because I read The Fever King, and wasn’t overly fussed, but it did leave me wanting to try something different from Lee. This feels like it might be a bit more up my street, so I’m keen to give it a go.
Killingly
Katharine Beutner
Genre: Historical Mystery
Age: Adult
Format: ebook
Published: June 6th, 2023
I Want to Read This Because this one is a bit different from the above – based on an unsolved, real-life disappearance, Killingly explores queerness, family trauma, and “he risks faced by women who dared to pursue unconventional paths at the end of the 19th century.” Sounds pretty interesting!
If you have any recommendations, have read any of these and want to share your thoughts, or have other Dark Academia books on your TBR, I’d love to hear about them!
Unwrapping Words 