Fantasy books have reputations for requiring a lot of brain power, whether it’s needed to decipher complex world-building and magic or to process the emotional weight of high-stakes narratives. However, not every fantasy novel has life-or-death conflicts and heavy lore at its center. Readers looking for something lighter can turn to cozy fantasy books for their regular dose of magic and adventure. Such stories still allow them to get lost in new worlds, but they prove more relaxing to consume.
That’s likely why the cozy fantasy subgenre is seeing so much popularity in recent years. Although brutal tales like Game of Thrones and epic adventures like Brandon Sanderson’s continue to draw fans, readers are increasingly turning to quieter, more comforting takes on the extraordinary. With stressful headlines every day, it’s a great way to use fiction to unwind — and these books are some of the easiest to get lost in.
Why You Should Trust Me: I’ve been writing about fantasy books online for a decade, and I’ve read a lot of them over the course of my career. Although the dark, high-stakes ones tend to be my favorite, I’ve read my share of cozy stories as well.
‘Legends & Lattes’ by Travis Baldree
One of the biggest cozy fantasy books of the 2020s (so far) is Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes. The novel’s title and cover both exude comfort, and its low-stakes story lives up to that promise. Legends & Lattes follows Viv, a former mercenary who’s eager to put her days of violence and danger behind her — and spend her time running a coffee shop instead. As she sets out to make that a reality, she’s faced with challenges, from people who’d stand in her way to the fact that coffee isn’t really a thing in Thune. Her quest to change that is full of found family and charm, and it’s one that fans of cozy fantasy will want to experience.
Read This If: You enjoy fantasy stories that unpack the aftermath of big adventures, or you dream about opening a cozy coffee shop of your own.
Skip This If: You’re looking for slightly higher stakes than personal relationships and the success of a coffee shop, even in your cozy books.
‘Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries’ by Heather Fawcett
Thanks to the popularity of books like A Court of Thorns and Roses, there’s no shortage of fantasy centered on fairies and Fae. Many of them have the high stakes of traditional fantasy narratives, though, and portray the Fae as beautiful but deadly warriors. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a nice change of pace, offering a variety of fairies, most of whom fit with more traditional folklore over current trends. As it follows a researcher embarking on a trip to study them, it’s a fun and natural spin. And Emily’s journey blends intriguing lore, career growth, romance, and cozy vibes — though there are a few situations that challenge the latter.
Read This If: Common depictions of fairies and Fae are losing your interest, or you enjoy a good career rivalry-turned-romance.
Skip This If: You don’t want any danger in your cozy fantasy stories, career narratives don’t interest you, or you hate wintry settings.
‘The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches’ by Sangu Mandanna
Sangu Mandanna’s The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is another well-loved cozy fantasy novel, and it’s one that leans into both romance and found family. The book centers on a lonely witch named Mika Moon, who deals with the need to keep her powers hidden by making videos where she “pretends” to be a witch. When a man overseeing the care of three young witches comes across them, he asks Mika to come to Nowhere House and teach them. This throws her into a world of complicated dynamics, but it’s one she can see herself getting used to. Unfortunately, to protect this new life, she’s confronted with difficult choices. It’s an emotional ride, but also charming and satisfying.
Read This If: Family drama and dynamics appeal to you, or if you love a grumpy-sunshine relationship.
Skip This If: You’d prefer cozy fantasy that focuses on other worlds rather than the real one, or you’d like something less domestic.
‘The Spellshop’ by Sarah Beth Durst
Sarah Beth Durst is a great author to turn to for cozy fantasy narratives, and The Spellshop is the perfect example of why. A novel that forces its main character to start over, the book opens with Kiela working at the Great Library of Alyssium, maintaining the magic of its spellbooks. When rebellion leads the library to burn, Kiela flees back to her remote-island home with the books and her sentient spider plant in tow. There, she uses illegal spells and opens her own spellshop, all while falling in love and making a new home for herself. If the idea of following an adult character with magic as they restart their life sounds appealing, The Spellshop could be the book for you.
Read This If: You’d love to see the traditional “starting over” romance play out in a fantasy setting.
Skip This If: You’d rather have a cozy quest than a story that remains mostly in one place, or there’s a limit to how much wholesomeness and whimsy you want.
‘Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea’ by Rebecca Thorne
Anyone looking to get lost in a cozy fantasy novel is likely a fan of books, and is there a better way to celebrate that than to read one about two women whose dream is to open a tea-serving bookshop? That’s the premise of Rebecca Thorne’s Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea, but there are some serious complications to Reyna and Kianthe’s goal. Reyna’s profession involves guarding the Queen, and Kianthe wields powerful magic — meaning they’d have to abandon some major responsibilities to live the cozy life they want. After one of them faces a near-fatal incident, however, they decide to try it anyway. What follows is a heartwarming tale of a couple building a life together, and it’s one that readers won’t want to put down.
Read This If: A story that opens with the main characters already together sounds great, or if you’re also dreaming of leaving life behind and starting anew.
Skip This If: Any high-stakes circumstances are a non-starter for your cozy reads, or you’d prefer watching the couple fall for each other.
‘Swordheart’ by T. Kingfisher
T. Kingfisher is another author with a few cozy fantasy novels to choose from, but Swordheart is getting attention following its 2025 re-release. It’s more than earned, as the story offers magic, romance, and a fun premise. It follows Halla, who inherits her uncle’s estate. Unfortunately, that’s contested by envious relatives, resulting in her being locked away in a room. There, she finds a sword that is actually the vessel of a warrior sworn to protect its wielder. The man who emerges helps Halla escape and embarks on a journey to ensure she gets her due. Their adventure features witty banter and thrills, and it stays relatively low stakes. It still gives readers enough of the extraordinary to meet their fantasy needs.
Read This If: Family inheritance drama sounds up your alley, and you enjoy fairy-tale plots and fun character dynamics.
Skip This If: You prefer cozy fantasy that doesn’t take the form of a quest (or have any life-threatening stakes at all).
‘The Baby Dragon Café’ by A.T. Qureshi
Move over, cat cafés, author A.T. Qureshi has a better idea. As its title suggests, The Baby Dragon Café centers on a coffee shop that humans and their tiny pet dragons can frequent together. It’s every bit as adorable as it sounds, even if the café’s owner needs to deal with obstacles like the dragons lighting up the place and hurting her bottom line. Fortunately, a gardener offers her enough funds to make up for that problem…if she agrees to train his own baby dragon. Their vastly different personalities make working together yet another challenge to add to the list, but for anyone who likes to watch two opposites fall in love — with dragons nearby! — this is a great pick.
Read This If: Coffee shop settings get you every time, or you love stories involving dragons (but want some with lower stakes).
Skip This If: The grumpy-sunshine dynamic isn’t your thing, or you’d prefer something with slightly bigger hurdles.
‘The Teller of Small Fortunes’ by Julie Leong
Fortune-tellers make for intriguing fantasy protagonists, and the conflicts that arise from their powers don’t always need to be Earth-shattering. In Julie Leong’s The Teller of Small Fortunes, readers follow a character who only predicts minor details about the future. Tao is all too conscious of the consequences of larger forecasts, so she travels and offers smaller ones. However, when two former criminals request her help finding a missing child, things spin out beyond her usual undertakings. The stakes never jump too high, but they send the characters on a journey that’s equal parts charming and healing. Adding further incentive, there’s a found family and a talking cat.
Read This If: The concept of telling the future is interesting to you, and you like stories that balance low stakes and heartwarming dynamics with healing and serious subjects.
Skip This If: You’re looking for a cozy fantasy book that’s romance heavy, or you’re not interested in an adventure format.
‘Half a Soul’ by Olivia Atwater
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater is widely recommended for cozy fantasy lovers, and it really is worth the read. Set in Regency England, the novel follows Theodora Ettings, who’s cursed to feel no fear or embarrassment — a truly dangerous thing in an era so concerned with scandal. This shortcoming doesn’t prevent the poorly liked Elias Wilder from taking an interest in her, however, especially once he learns of her problem. As the two are pulled into faerie matters, they begin to develop a deeper relationship. Between the romance and the larger lore, it makes for an enchanting time. And at 304 pages, it’s a fantasy book you can probably binge over a quiet weekend, too.
Read This If: Goodreads’s description of “Bridgerton meets Howl’s Moving Castle” sounds like a winning pitch.
Skip This If: You’re prioritizing found-family dynamics or personal journeys over romantic ones, or Regency England is a backdrop that doesn’t appeal to you.
‘The House in the Cerulean Sea’ by TJ Klune
The House in the Cerulean Sea is another highly praised cozy fantasy that’s all too easy to fall into. The book opens with Linus, a caseworker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, as he’s tasked with venturing to the Marsyas Island Orphanage and deciding whether the children there are an existential threat to be dealt with. As Linus begins to form a bond with their caretaker, Arthur Parnassus, he begins to question whether he’s more interested in saving these people who have entered into his life and heart or the world. It’s a touching story that’s whimsical and will stay with readers.
Read This If: A found-family tale with a sweet romance sounds compelling.
Skip This If: Stories centered on kids aren’t as interesting to you, or if you’re opposed to fantasy getting a little too heartfelt.
