We all love books- you wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t. Sometimes, though, a daunting epic isn’t exactly what you’re looking for. Dune looks intimidating. The Priory of the Orange Tree seems like… a lot. Moby Dick is just taking so long to read (did you know they don’t even get on the book for nearly 100 pages??). My GoodReads counter is laughing at me because it’s only March and I’m three books behind on my reading goal for the year. Sometimes I just need to chill out, and maybe another 3-hour binge of The Office isn’t going to leave me as fulfilled as I’d like. What’s a reader to do?
Cozy Fantasy is really in right now- probably for all of these reasons. This is due (in part) to the massive success of one Travis Baldree (don’t worry, that book is listed here), but cozy fantasy has been around for a long time now, it just didn’t have such a succinct name.
For your struggles and your inner peace, here’s a curated list of cozy fantasy reads, for when you want to escape but not be so stressed out about it. Well, maybe you’ll be a little stressed with some of these but at least the book is really good and it’s so dang cozy! And rest assured, in one way or another your library brings all of these titles your way.
1. The House in the Cerulean Sea (TJ Klune)
In my opinion this book should be on like 90% of book lists. This is the book equivalent of playing Harvest Moon on your work break and wondering if you have a distant relative who’s going to leave you a farm to escape to with a tiny cozy community to fall in love with. T.J. Klune is a master of cozy fantasy and the public consciousness really took notice of that with this one. One of our employees, Melissa, considers this an all-time fave; I read it at her behest and I’m so glad I did. If you haven’t read this one, do yourself a favor and check it out!
eBook: Libby
eAudiobook: Libby
Physical: FCL, Greenbrier, Vilonia
2. A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Becky Chambers)
Psalm is technically rather sci-fi, but it’s also built around myth and I have heard nothing but good, cozy reviews for this one. Grab your favorite cup of tea while a robot and a monk give you hope for the future. This will be great for fans of The Wild Robot (soon to be an animated feature!) or The Iron Giant. If you love this, be sure to check out its sequel- A Prayer for the Crown-Shy.
eBook: Libby
eAudiobook: Libby, Hoopla
Physical: FCL
3. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches (Sangu Mandanna)
Secret societies? Librarians? Witches? Grumpy/Sunshine? Found Family??? Why haven’t I read this one yet? This is a very promising read, according to its 4.12-star rating on GoodReads. The reviews rave about how heart-warming this one is- one person even says, “Do you need a hug? Read this book.” For an extremely cute and warm evening, pick this up after work or getting the kids in bed!
eBook: Libby
eAudiobook: Libby
Physical: FCL, Mayflower
4. The Cat Who Saved Books (Sosuke Natsukawa)
This is for all you cat lovers out there. If a talking cat told me to help him save a bunch of lonely books, I’d drop everything I was holding to assist. The main character of this one takes refuge in books just as much as we do, too! The publisher promises that this is a great read for those who know that books are so much more than words on paper.
eBook: Hoopla
eAudiobook: Libby
Physical: FCL
5. Legends & Lattes (Travis Baldree)
I told you we’d get there! Travis Baldree cracked the book-world wide open with his novel of high fantasy and low stakes. Join an orc adventurer as she hangs up her sword and opens a coffeeshop! This is an absolutely perfect book to enjoy at your leisure with a cup of your favorite coffee and a warm pastry. Maybe your treat won’t be as perfect as a cinnamon roll as big as your head made by an adorable ratkin named Thimble (I know!), but you can pretend. Watch out for the prequel that came out in late 2023, Bookshops & Bonedust!
eBook: Libby
eAudiobook: Libby
Physical: FCL, Greenbrier
6. Half a Soul (Olivia Atwater)
So this was described as Pride and Prejudice plus Howl’s Moving Castle, and I want to know why I had to find out about this from recommendations on StoryGraph and not from a friend or loved one who knew I had to know about it??? Magic, Regency society, and a Darcy-an wizard come together for a cozy book about breaking curses and finding love, and I’m reading this ASAP. Oh, if you hear faint crying that’s just my TBR, it gets like that sometimes.
eBook: Libby
7. Hakumei & Mikochi: Tiny Little Life in the Woods (Takuto Kashiki)
What’s cozier than a Miyazaki movie? That’s rhetorical because the answer is pretty much nothing. Recreate that cozy fantasy vibe with this Arrietty-esque story about two tiny friends in a big forest! They live in trees, use leaves for umbrellas, and ride bugs for transportation. How cute is that? Download LibraryPass and sign in with your library card to read this comic and many more.
eBook: LibraryPas
8. The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (Megan Bannen)
Say hello to another read that reminds people of Miyazaki and of Howl’s Moving Castle! Take You’ve Got Mail and mash it together with a bit of The Dead Romantics and a lot of Studio Ghibli charm and you’ve got this novel by Megan Bannen! Boasting a 4.11 on GoodReads, this cozy read is as pretty as it is bingeworthy.
eBook: Libby
eAudiobook: Libby
Physical: FCL
9. A Marvellous Light (Freya Marske)
A Marvellous Light comes to you from a pretty new author and from our friends at Tor.Com publishing who manages to put me under their spell with every new release. This book is all magic and sprawling Edwardian homes but combine it with an adorable Grumpy/Sunshine pairing and a curse that threatens the life of one of the main characters and magical artifacts that threaten the entire world of magic. Also for the TikTok girlies… This has a healthy dose of spice. Keep an eye out for another upcoming book from Ms Marske, Swordcrossed, set to hit shelves in October of 2024, which is described to be swords and low stakes. I’m super normal about The Last Binding book series and I will not descend upon Swordcrossed as if it’s the last book on earth, I totally promise and am definitely not lying.
eBook: Libby
eAudiobook: Libby
Physical: FCL
10. Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop (Roselle Lim)
A book about second chances, tea, magic, and matchmaking, but put it in Paris! Readers rave about all the yummy food descriptions and cozy vibes in this one, so however you decide to read it, be sure to have some snacks on hand! A cup of tea too, maybe? I’d recommend not trying to read your tea leaves- you know, just in case.
eBook: Libby
eAudiobook: Libby
Physical: FCL
That’s all for now. Did I miss your favorite? Do you need more? Let me know!
Yours in coze and prose,
Ash