25 Cozy Fantasy Books you should read ASAP

Hi friends! This is definitely one of the most ambitious blog posts I’ve undertaken so far. Usually, I keep my recommendation posts short, but not today. Today I’m bringing you 25 Cozy Fantasy Books (that’s not Legend & Lattes) to binge this winter!

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What is cozy fantasy?

Cozy fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that typically features a small, close-knit community or found family, and focuses on the characters and their relationships rather than world-saving quests. The stakes are low, and you’re usually left with a feeling of warm fuzzies.

I would also add that the definition of a cozy fantasy depends very much on the reader. I’m not usually one for low-plot books, but some fantasy books that I consider cozy are high-plot. For me, it’s more about how the book made me feel. If it gave me whimsy and nostalgia, I’m in. Let’s discuss some cozy fantasy books!

Cozy Fantasy Book Recommendations

1 – Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love, in this heartwarming and enchanting fantasy.

Look, there’s just something about a grumpy girl meeting an idiot boy, and they’re both scholars, that really got to me. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries does have a plot, and at times some dangerous stakes, but it feels like being wrapped in a warm hug. It honestly feels like Fawcett plucked this book out of my wildest dreams. I loved it. You will too.

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2 – The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

It’s no secret that I love Sangu Mandanna’s work (a quick shoutout to A Spark of White Fire), and while The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches didn’t quite hit for me, I still had a good time reading it.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family-and a new love- changes the course of her life.

This book is cute and quirky, and it has a lovely romance you can root for. The writing is whimsical and there’s even a fun twist at the end. This is definitely a cozy book perfect for cuddling by the fire.

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3 – An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

If the cover isn’t enough to convince you to read this book, I don’t know what is. It’s to this day one of the most stunning book covers I’ve ever seen. As far as cozy fantasy books go, this one is a must-read.

Isobel is a painter, one who trades her art for valuable enchantments from the fae folk. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—Isobel makes a deadly mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes, a weakness that could cost him his throne, and even his life.

Furious, Rook spirits Isobel away to his kingdom to stand trial for her crime. But something is seriously amiss in his world, and they are attacked from every side. With Isobel and Rook depending upon each other for survival, their alliance blossoms into trust, and perhaps even forbidden love.

We have an abundance of fae stories to choose from, but An Enchantment of Ravens just hits different. It offers a fresh take on the fae, and it takes place in the Autumn court. Rogerson paints a vivid world that will make you wish it were real. It’s the perfect cozy read.

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4 – Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.

When I say cozy fantasy books, you might not immediately think of this one. Just hear me out, while this book is not technically considered a cozy fantasy, it feels like one. Divine Rivals deals with a war between the gods, and has incredibly high stakes and a lot of action, but it’s also just written with such a hopeful tone. This book is truly magical in every sense of the word.

It felt like something I could read curled up by the fire, even if it dealt with a lot of death and destruction. You’ll have to read it for yourself to see what I mean, but I’m still thinking about it months later.

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5 – A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

Fourteen-year-old Mona isn’t like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can’t control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt’s bakery making gingerbread men dance.

But Mona’s life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona’s city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona’s worries…

Sign me up for the sourdough starter familiar, that sounds awesome.

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6 – Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson

In this sequel novella to Sorcery of Thorns, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas must unravel the magical trap keeping them inside Thorn Manor in time for their Midwinter Ball!

Mysteries of Thorn Manor is the only sequel on this list, but I just had to include it. I recently read it and absolutely adored it. It has a fairly low-stakes plot, and even for a novella the characters and the story are well fleshed out. It was a quick and comforting read and I loved it.

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7 – Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

This is described as Bridgerton meets Howl’s Moving Castle, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mother.

This book has been getting a lot of buzz recently, and I think it’s similar to Emily Wilde in terms of tone and setting. I just finished reading this the day of posting this blog post, so I can say that it was fun and cozy, and I need to read the rest of the series ASAP. I’m sure all of them would count as cozy fantasy books.

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8 – A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers

This definitely won’t be the last Becky Chambers book on this list, but I put it rather high up because I need everyone to read it. We’re venturing slightly into sci-fi here, but it’s still a cozy read with a character-driven story.

Centuries before, robots of Panga gained self-awareness, laid down their tools, wandered, en masse into the wilderness, never to be seen again. They faded into myth and urban legend.

Now the life of the tea monk who tells this story is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of “what do people need?” is answered. But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They will need to ask it a lot. Chambers’ series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?

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9 – The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O’Neill

The Tea Dragon Society is a charming all-ages book that follows the story of Greta, a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons.

Honestly, this book is the definition of cute. The artwork is stunning and the story is so wholesome. If you haven’t already, you should read it ASAP.

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10 – The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.

Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.

After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend”. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most – Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares – each other?

This book has been on my TBR for ages, mostly thanks to this glowing review from Birdie’s Book Nook. Definitely go check out her thoughts!

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11 – A Ghost in Shining Armor by Therese Beharrie

Gemma Daniels has never been quite the “down to earth” woman her adoptive parents raised her to be. She even has a unique gift: she can see ghosts—and she likes helping them settle their unfinished business. But the hotter-than-hot stranger she impulsively kisses on a bet is not only a phantom, he’s determined to help her. And the only way Gemma can explain his presence is to pretend they’re a real-life couple…

Ghosts and fake dating? Sign me up. It sounds like a cozy, yet also possibly heartbreaking read. I definitely need this book to redeem the ghost-dating genre for me, since Dead Romantics did not give what it needed to give.

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12 – Flowerhart by Catherine Bakewell

Perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Tamora Pierce, this standalone YA debut is a stunning cottagecore fantasy romance about a girl with powerful and violent magic, which she must learn to control—or lose everything she loves.

I love a good “learning to control your powers” storyline, and Flowerheart promises that plus all the cottagecore vibes, and cute romance.

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13 – That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

All I wanted to do was live my life in peace. Maybe get a cat, expand my spice farm. Really anything that doesn’t involve going on a quest where an orc might rip my face off. But they say the Goddess has favorites. If so, I’m clearly not one of them.

After saving the demon Fallon in a wine-drunk stupor, all he wanted to do was kill an evil witch enslaving his people.

I mean, I get it. Don’t get me wrong. But he’s dragging me along for the ride, and I’m kind of peeved about it. On the bright side, he keeps burning off his shirt.

This book sounds hilarious, smash.

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14 – The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore

In this stunning debut novel, the maligned and immortal witch of legend known as Baba Yaga will risk all to save her country and her people from Tsar Ivan the Terrible—and the dangerous gods who seek to drive the twisted hearts of men.

The Witch and the Tsar is a really expansive book, following multiple years of Baba Yaga’s life and adventures. While it does contain heavier subject matter, like death and war, it’s very atmospheric and reads like a fairytale. Definitely pick it up if you’re looking for some historical mythology.

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15 – The Singing Hills Cycle by Nghi Vo

I couldn’t make a list of cozy fantasy books without including all of the Singing Hills Cycle. They are such cozy, feel-good reads.

The Singing Hills Cycle follows the cleric Chih and their animal companion, Almost Brilliant, as they travel around the empire of Ahn gathering stories.

If I had to pick a favourite, I would go with When The Tiger Came Down the Mountain, but the whole series is just amazing.

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16 – Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

Another recommendation that’s a little different from the rest. Nettle & Bone has a darker tone, but reads like a fairytale and has a very whimsical atmosphere. There is also a demon-possessed chicken and a found family, so I don’t know what more you could want. I can also highly recommend the audiobook. The narrator is fantastic and creates the perfect atmosphere.

After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra—the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter—has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself.

On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra’s family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.

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17 – Her Dark Wings by Melinda Salisbury

While I love all of Salisbury’s books, I find this one to be more like a fairytale than the rest. Her Dark Wings is a Hades & Persephone retelling with a twist, and I absolutely adored this book.

Her Dark Wings is a modern-day take on the Persephone myth, infused with the intense potency of teenage passions. The richness of Greek myth is vividly brought to life by the immediacy and originality of a fiery, contemporary drama. And iconic mythic figures crackle and change as a modern girl fills the Underworld with new life.

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18 – To Be Taught If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

If someone held a gun to my head and forced me to pick a favourite Becky Chambers book, it would be this one. To Be Taught if Fortunate packs quite the punch for a novella, and it will stay with you long after reading it.

In this novella, Becky Chambers imagines a future in which, instead of terraforming planets to sustain human life, explorers of the solar system instead transform themselves.

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19 – Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker & Wendy Xu

Mooncakes is a story of love and demons, family, and witchcraft.

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.

One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf in the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.

Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.

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20 – A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft

When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. If Margaret wins the hunt, it may finally bring her mother home. While Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, only teams of two can register, and she needs an alchemist.

Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist–yet. Fired from every apprenticeship he’s landed, his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret and her bloodhound Trouble. Margaret begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her.

Although they make an unlikely team, Wes is in awe of the girl who has endured alone on the outskirts of a town that doesn’t want her, in this creaking house of ghosts and sorrow. And even though Wes disrupts every aspect of her life, Margaret is drawn to him. He, too, knows what it’s like to be an outsider. As the hunt looms closer and tensions rise, Margaret and Wes uncover dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt – if they survive that long.

A mythical creature, a magical hunt, and love? Sign me right up for this adventure.

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21 – Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers

This is the last Becky Chambers on my cozy fantasy books list, but it’s certainly not the least. This book was such an unexpected delight, and while it has a rather sad twist, it’s still one of the best books I’ve read. It deals with finding yourself and finding where you belong. It truly is a beautiful book.

Centuries after the last humans left Earth, the Exodus Fleet is a living relic, a place many are from but few outsiders have seen.

When a disaster rocks this already fragile community, those Exodans who still call the Fleet their home can no longer avoid the inescapable question:

What is the purpose of a ship that has reached its destination?

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22 – This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch.

When Briseis’s aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they could never have imagined–it comes with a specific set of instructions, an old-school apothecary, and a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world that can only be entered by those who share Bri’s unique family lineage.

When strangers begin to arrive on their doorstep, asking for tinctures and elixirs, Bri learns she has a surprising talent for creating them. One of the visitors is Marie, a mysterious young woman who Bri befriends, only to find that Marie is keeping dark secrets about the history of the estate and its surrounding community. There is more to Bri’s sudden inheritance than she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it . . . until a nefarious group comes after her in search of a rare and dangerous immortality elixir. Up against a centuries-old curse and the deadliest plant on earth, Bri must harness her gift to protect herself and her family.

This sounds absolutely delightful. We love to see badass girls fighting curses and deadly plants. This book and it’s sequel are definitely cozy fantasy books to check out!

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23 – The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

A prim and proper lady thief must save her aunt from a crazed pirate and his dangerously charming henchman in this fantastical historical romance.

There is something inherently cozy about historical fantasy romance, and I am here for it.

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24 – Crumbs by Danie Stirling

In a very special town, there’s an even more unusual bakery with a selection of baked treats hand-crafted to help your dreams come true. For Ray, a quiet young woman with special powers of her own, the order is always the same: a hot tea with a delicious side of romance.

When Ray meets Laurie, the kind barista who aspires to be a professional musician, she gets a real taste of love for the first time. But even with a spark of magic, romance isn’t so simple. Both Ray and Laurie are chasing their own dreams and even when Ray starts to see the future, she can’t predict her fate with Laurie.

The art style for this comic is SO CUTE, and the premise just sounds amazing. I want to curl up with this book on a rainy day.

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25 -Hollow by Shannon Watters

There’s something about light spooky settings that I find comforting. When I found out the co-creator of Lumberjanes had a new book coming out set in the town of Sleepy Hollow, I had to add it to the list. This sounds amazing, and I am here for the vibes.

Isabel “Izzy” Crane and her family have just relocated to Sleepy Hollow, the town made famous by—and obsessed with—Washington Irving’s legend of the Headless Horseman. But city slicker-skeptic Izzy has no time for superstition as she navigates life at a new address, a new school, and, with any luck, with new friends. Ghost stories aren’t real, after all….

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