So, if you're anything like me, you're a long-time Harry Potter obsessive who's been waiting with bated breath for the release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – confusing spoilers and all. With the printed form of the play finally coming out this week, I thought I would compile a list of book series that filled me with the same wonder, magic, excitement, and trepidation as Harry Potter.

If you're going to be in need of a new world to immerse yourself in after finishing the new book, hopefully one of these series can help quell that desire! All of the books feature incredibly well-built worlds that left me wishing I had some sort of magic power- or at least a way to prove that my Hogwarts letter really did just get lost in the mail.

1. "The Raven Boys" (Book One of Four) by Maggie Stiefvater

Anyone who knows me knows of my crazy obsession with these books. I listened to how great they were for years before I finally read them, because based on the description alone, I thought they seemed cliche and focused entirely on a love-story. When I finally did get around to reading the first one, I knew within a few chapters that I was both entirely wrong and entirely hooked. I was in Ireland at the time, and the beauty of the landscape combined with the concept of magic hiding behind seemingly normal small-towns left me with an insatiable desire for what I like to call the "something more" – the idea that magic, fate, fantasy, and destiny are all hiding just slightly out of reach.

Besides the beautiful world-building, I'm obsessed with the characters and see myself hugely in every single one of them. It's been almost four months since the fourth and final book of the series was released and I still think about this story every day. It's the first series I've loved nearly as much as I love Harry Potter- and believe me, that's saying a lot.

2. "A Darker Shade of Magic" (Book One of Three) by V.E. Schwab

Disclaimer: I only just started this series this past week, but the minute I picked up the book, I knew I had to include it in this list. I'm a little over 2/3 of the way through the first book, A Darker Shade of Magic, and I can't put it down. Not only is the cover art absolutely beautiful (the whole design of the book is gorgeous), but the world-building is stunning and seamless. ADSOM follows the story of Kell, an Antari, who is able to travel between different parallel-universe Londons – grey, red, white and black London.

Kell is a fascinating character and the story itself has everything I love in a book: mystery, magic, moral conflict, twisted backstories, and dark, dangerous, power-hungry individuals who leave you feeling as though you want to punch them and take them out to coffee just to hear more about their lives. In other words, it's fantastic, and while I can't speak for all three books, what I've read so far will inevitably keep me coming back for more.

3. "Red Queen" (Book One of Four) by Victoria Aveyard

I knew I would like this book from the very first chapter, which features this quote: "The gods rule us still. They have come down from the stars. And they are no longer kind". I actually had the pleasure of hearing the author, Victoria Aveyard, speak at this year's Yallfest, a YA literature festival that happens to take place in my city. Red Queen follows the story of Mare Barrow, a red-blooded girl in a world ruled by the silver-blooded, who also happen to possess dangerous elemental powers that give them control over the "lesser" reds. But when Mare finds out that, despite the color of her blood, she too possesses these abilities, she falls into a twisted world where a single wrong move could get her killed.

I will admit, I liked the first book more than the sequel, but I'm excited for the release of the third book and found Mare's world fascinating. Also, Maven is one of the most complex and interesting characters I've ever read about, and I can't wait to find out what happens next in this story.

4. "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" (Book One of Three) by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was a book I accidentally stumbled across, but was very happy I did. It tells the story of Karou, a naturally blue-haired art student in Prague with a strange and dangerous pastime. The story is fantasy, so it might seem a bit strange and hard to follow at first, but once you begin to understand Karou's world, you won't be able to put it down. At once both a love story and an exploration of what good vs. evil really means, Daughter of Smoke and Bone is fascinating and unique- truly unlike anything I've ever read before.

5. "Shadow and Bone" (Book One of Three) by Leigh Bardugo

I would like to start out by saying that Shadow and Bone is seriously amazing. If you haven't read it, you're really missing out. I also had the chance to hear Leigh Bardugo speak at Yallfest, and not only is she incredibly cool, but she's also hilarious and crazy-talented. Shadow and Bone is the story of Alina Starkov, a young girl living in war-torn Ravka (think of it as sort-of dystopian Russia), a nation dependent upon the army of Grisha, elite and revered citizens with unique magical powers. And leading the Grisha is the mysterious individual known only as The Darkling- revered, feared, and unknowable. Alina soon finds herself thrust into this lavish world of castles and palaces, power-hungry youth and fantastical powers, completely opposite from her previous life. As darkness threatens to overtake not only Ravka, but also its citizens, Alina is forced to decide which is more important: greatness or goodness?

This story is not only an exploration of morality, but also a love-story that forces us to question why we love the things we know will ultimately harm us. I highly recommend it. And if you liked Shadow and Bone, then do not miss Bardugo's other series, Six of Crows, a modern-day heist fantasy following six teenagers as they attempt to conquer the impossible. Both of her series stand among some of my favorite I've ever read, and I can't wait to see what Bardugo pens next.