20 Must-Read Cozy Fantasy Books

This fun book is for readers who want some real humor in their fantasy and who don’t mind that the stakes are a little higher than many cozy fantasies. It’s also for people, myself included, who are happy to read fantasy not peppered with “thee” and “thine” and whatnot. In this story, Cinnamon runs into a demon who informs her that she’s been worshiping an evil goddess, so they set out to hunt her down. That sounds serious, but the book is a laugh riot.

Here’s the book that really brought cozy fantasy books to the map this year. If you’re truly looking for low stakes, start here. Viv, an orc barbarian, has hung up her sword. She just wants to start a coffee shop. The obstacles that threaten this business venture are more Animal Crossing than World of Warcraft. Read it for the sweet cast of characters and the dollop of romance.

This sweet book delves into magical realism, and what is cozier than feeling that magic really could suffuse our everyday lives? Sophie Go is an unaccredited matchmaker and an outcast. But she finds a community to practice her skills on: seven septuagenarian bachelors in her condo complex. Sophie can see people’s “red threads” connecting to their relationship matches, and she’s a genuine and caring person. The story does depict a toxic parent relationship, if that’s something you want to avoid. If you’re okay with that, I can guarantee you’ll be smiling page after page.

I recommend listening to this as an audiobook if that’s an option for you. It has the kinds of digressions and asides you’d get from someone spinning you a real yarn. That style is what lends this fable-like story such coziness. It’s a reimagining of a Senegalese folk tale following Paama, who leaves her foolish husband. This attracts the attention of the undying djombi, who give her something called the Chaos Stick. But whether she’s truly worthy of wielding that power is not clear to the Indigo Lord, and he wants to persuade Paama to give it back. 

Hear me out: it’s a loose You’ve Got Mail retelling, set in a world with zombies, and it’s cozy. When the lonely zombie hunter Hart sends a letter into the void, it ends up in his nemesis Mercy’s hands, and their epistolary romance ensues. Because I’m the person that I am, my favorite thing about this book was the coziness and heartfelt nature of the funerary rites that Mercy performs.

I know there are people out there who count books, bookstores, and cats among their top interests. Here’s the book for you. What would you do if a talking cat showed up at your bookstore telling you that you needed to liberate lonely, unread books from their neglectful owners? First I would be worried they’d be coming for my physical TBR, but then I’d want to join Rintaro Natsuki on this thoughtful, sweet adventure.

If you’re looking for cozy sci-fi, you need to be reading Becky Chambers. If you’re looking for cozy fantasy, this is one of those speculative books that blurs the boundary between sci-fi and fantasy. In this vision of the far future, the robots all walked off their jobs long ago, and humanity chose a different way life. When a tea monk meets one of these fabled robots, the two wrestle with the question of what humans really need. The result is positively lovely.

Coziness means different things to different people, which is why I wanted to include this book that brings some cozy horror into an urban fantasy setting. Jessamyn Teoh is back in Malaysia after college and discovers she’s being haunted by the ghost of her estranged grandmother Ah Ma. Ah Ma has a score to settle and is going to drag Jessamyn into a world of gods, gangs, and family secrets. It’s a touch darker than many of the books on this list, but if you want both thrumming rage and a wholesome relationship with a cantankerous ghost, you’ve gotta read this one.

A comfort book for lots of readers, Garden Spells boasts an absolutely enchanting old house, home to the eccentric Waverly women who are known for their magic. When the last Waverly, Sydney, returns home, she upends everyone’s lives. The family has to come together to heal,  and readers should take care if wishing to avoid domestic abuse plot lines. If you think food is magic, and you have a fondness for Practical Magic, this is definitely your flavor of cozy.

Let’s serve you up some slow burn, pining vampire cozy fantasy. It’s a historical romance between a vampire named Henry and his newly hired secretary Theophilus. It’s also an immersive slice of 18th century life for characters expressly written, per the author’s note, with ADHD and autism. While the threat of outing and/or violence for queer characters is often driving the plot in queer historicals, this book doesn’t not delve into those kinds of stakes. It’s gorgeous.

This is an urban fantasy that does have some real stakes to it, but there are plenty of elements that add coziness. One is a truly adorable animal sidekick. Another is the hilarious relationship between tattoo artist Talia and her very protective Jewish mother. Talia has encountered the fae realm after using magical ink from her hot, mysterious boss Zayn’s office. Turns out Zayn is an incubus, they have an adventure to go on, and Talia’s mom is not going to stop calling.

Just look at this cover and tell me you’re not dying to read this cottagecore fantasy. Catherine’s out of control magic has accidentally poisoned her father. To help him, she needs help from her former best friend Xavier. Their story is friends to enemies to lovers, if that’s your cup of tea. And you’ll be enchanted by the flower magic and the cast of characters you’ll wish you could hug.

Anyone looking for cozy fantasy vibes should definitely be checking out T. Kingfisher’s fantasy books as a rule. This one follows Mona, who wields magic that only works on bread. She’s got a sourdough starter as a familiar. What could be cozier? A dead body in her bakery kicks off her journey to figure out how to creatively wield her magic in order to save the day. The result is both so fun and so, so funny.

Talk about the blueprint! Any book that has been adapted by Studio Ghibli is likely to have cozy elements, and this one definitely does. It’s the captivating story of Sophie, cursed into the body of an old woman, making her way in the dramatic and Vain Howl’s house. I’m honestly not sure whether I’d recommend watching the movie first or reading the book first, because it’s not clear which one people generally prefer. But I would say you absolutely need both in your life.

You might also want to check out Books to Read if You Love Studio Ghibli, What To Read Next Based On Your Favorite Hayao Miyazaki Movie, and 11 Enchanting Books for Fans of Miyazaki Films.

If you like books that are a little spooky and very sweet, here’s a cozy middle grade fantasy you’ll love. Pitched as Coco meets Stranger Things, the book chronicles the ghostbusting hijinks of friends Lucely and Syd. They’re the ones who released the malicious spirits in the first place. Because of the strong friendships and family bonds depicted, this book really does give cozy feelings in abundance.

This book has similar cozy vibes to the beloved Studio Ghibli film Kiki’s Delivery Service. The story follows Eva, a witch-in-training who could lose her magic if she doesn’t prove herself by the time she turns 13. It’s as wholesome and precious as you can imagine a book about a young witch who summons cabbage when she means to summon flowers to be.

Also, check out these other books like Kiki’s Delivery Service.

This historical fantasy delves into the folk magic that has been the legacy of African American families for generations. Jez and Jay are twins learning about their family’s use of rootwork, and not a moment too soon, because their town is under threat. Even with some scary themes and the underlying racism that provides a backdrop to the story, the atmospheric writing will bring you the kind of coziness that helps you brace against the cruel world.