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Cozy fantasy books are the perfect escape when you’d rather sip tea with a witch than battle a dragon. These heartwarming tales trade epic quests for enchanted bakeries, sleepy villages, and magical misfits just trying to live their best lives.
With low-stakes adventures, found families, and a dash of whimsy, these stories wrap you up like your favorite blanket. Whether you’re in the mood for sentient sourdough, reluctant wizards, or romance in a tea shop, this list has the perfect cozy fantasy read to curl up with.
Table of Contents
Tea Shops, Bakeries, and Magical Businesses
Low-stakes fantasy with big heart. These stories meander through quiet forests, sleepy towns, and soul-searching journeys, where magic hums in the background and kindness leads the way.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
After a lifetime of battle, Viv the orc warrior just wants to retire and open a coffee shop—despite no one in her medieval town knowing what coffee even is. Armed with ambition, cinnamon rolls, and a growing found family, Viv tries to carve out a peaceful life, even if goblins, gossips, and gentrification have other plans.
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
Before she served coffee, Viv was just a wounded mercenary laid up in a seaside town with too much free time. There, she finds books, a grumpy bookseller with a hidden heart, and a slower pace of life that might suit her better than swinging swords. A story of healing, self-discovery, and the kind of friendships that sneak up on you.
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
When her beloved library burns during a magical rebellion, shy bookish Kiela escapes with smuggled spellbooks and her magical plant companion to a quiet island from her past. Intent on hiding out, she instead finds herself drawn into the lives—and troubles—of the local villagers, eventually opening an illegal “spellshop” to help. Cozy, charming, and full of botanical magic and unexpected courage.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
Mona’s magic only works on baked goods—which is a problem when the city needs saving. With nothing but sourdough, a sentient gingerbread man, and a sarcastic rolling pin, she sets out to stop a magical disaster. Think Home Alone, but with carbs and chaos.
Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
Rebel meets relaxation when a palace guard and a royal agent abandon their empire to open a tea shop in a cozy mountain town. There’s magical beasts, sapphic yearning, and plenty of pastries. It’s like a fantasy rom-com curled up by a fire.
The House Witch by Delemhach
When Finlay takes a job as the royal palace’s new cook, no one suspects he’s a powerful witch in hiding. But between enchanted feasts, courtly intrigue, and the occasional magical mishap, he starts building something he’s never had before—a home. Cozy, romantic, and full of warm meals and warmer hearts, this is domestic fantasy at its most comforting.
Grumpy-Sunshine Wizards & Cozy Chaos
For the fantasy lovers who like their heroes a little reluctant, their magic a bit messy, and their banter top-tier.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Sophie is cursed into the body of an old woman and seeks refuge with the famously dramatic and dreadfully handsome wizard Howl. His castle walks, his hair tantrums are legendary, and his heart might not be so cowardly after all. This whimsical classic is bursting with sass, spells, and slow-burn chaos.
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Emily is a brilliant, antisocial scholar who’d rather hang out with moss than people. When she travels to a snowy village to study the fae, her annoying (and charming) academic rival joins her. Think cozy academia meets folklore with a grumpy/sunshine dynamic.
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Evie just needed a job. She didn’t expect to become the assistant to the kingdom’s most feared (and oddly charming) villain. Between organizing executions, dodging poisoned muffins, and deciphering her boss’s mysterious moods, she might be falling for him—and into a magical conspiracy. Snarky, chaotic, and full of murdery workplace banter.
Sorcery & Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
Leo’s small spells are harmless—until one backfires and magically binds him to his insufferably perfect rival, Sebastian Grimm. To break the curse (and save their careers), they must survive a monster-infested forest, tolerate each other’s company, and resist the spark growing between them. Full of banter, magical misfires, and reluctant chemistry, this is a delightful rivals-to-lovers romp with sparkly spells and chaotic charm.
Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater
A good-hearted demon and a meddling angel team up to help a lonely woman find love—all because of a cosmic bet. This charming, whimsical novella is full of cinnamon-roll chaos, divine shenanigans, and small acts of grace.
Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
Halla just inherited a sword… and a very annoyed warrior magically trapped inside it. She’s practical, he’s prone to dramatics, and together they’re off on a reluctant adventure full of undead lawyers, cranky nuns, and one of the sweetest romances in fantasy. A delightfully weird and cozy journey.
The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes
Fred just wants to file taxes and live a quiet undead life, but the supernatural world has other plans. Think: introvert vampire accountant accidentally caught in paranormal drama. Hilarious, nerdy, and unexpectedly heartwarming, this series is perfect for anyone who’d rather read spreadsheets than save the world.
Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett
When fairy godmother duties fall to the least qualified witch in the coven, chaos—and international travel—ensues. Magrat, Granny Weatherwax, and Nanny Ogg are off to stop a fairy tale from going horribly wrong, but their idea of subtle magic involves bar fights, swamp boats, and a lot of yelling. Satirical, sharp, and full of chaotic witchy vibes.
Cottagecore, Found Families & Warm Fuzzies
Magic that smells like sugar cookies, friendships that sneak up on you, and stories that feel like a hug—whether in a cozy cottage, a bustling city or on the high seas.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Witch Mika Moon has always hidden her powers—until she’s hired to tutor three young witches at a crumbling manor full of loveable misfits (and one very grumpy librarian). Warm, witchy, and whimsical, this is found family in its coziest form.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
A rule-following caseworker is sent to a remote orphanage to assess magical children—one of whom may bring about the end of the world. But what he finds instead is love, found family, and a home he never knew he was missing.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Centuries after robots became self-aware and walked into the wilderness, a tea monk journeys into the wild—only to meet one. A tender, hopeful tale about purpose, rest, and the quiet joy of simply being alive.
The Tea Dragon Society by K. O’Neill
When Greta rescues a tiny, sleepy creature in the market, she’s introduced to the fading art of caring for tea dragons—gentle beasts who grow leaves used to brew memories. This graphic novel is a tender story about tradition, friendship, and finding beauty in small things. It’s soft, sweet, and totally soul-soothing.
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
When Theodora “Dora” Ettings loses half her soul to a faerie curse, she becomes socially awkward and emotionally detached—hardly ideal in Regency-era London. But when she catches the attention of the grumpy Lord Sorcier, the two are swept into a magical conspiracy that threatens both high society and the fae realms. Sharp, romantic, and full of heart, this is like Bridgerton with faeries and dry wit.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
Tress is a girl from a tiny rock of an island who loves stories and cups. When her best friend is kidnapped by a sorceress, she sets off on a whimsical, wave-hopping, kraken-dodging journey. Narrated with a wink, it’s The Princess Bride meets Ghibli with a side of pirate romance.
Dark Cozy: Gentle Souls in Dangerous Worlds
For those who want a touch of shadow with their softness—fairy tales with teeth, empires in decline, and tender heroes in a not-so-tender world.
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
Wallace is a corporate jerk who dies and finds himself in a waystation for souls—aka a tea shop run by a patient ferryman. As he begins to actually live after death, he finds love, healing, and a second chance.
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
Marra, a quiet nun-princess, assembles a motley crew—a witch, a dog made of bones, and a demon chicken—to rescue her sister from an abusive prince. A gritty fairy tale with warmth, humor, and feminist bite.
The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard
A sweeping but deeply cozy epic about a humble bureaucrat who just wants to help fix an empire—with kindness, spreadsheets, and the occasional bit of forbidden magic. Slow-paced and soul-deep, it’s the fantasy equivalent of journaling in a linen robe.
The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
Sao’s gift of prophecy doesn’t make her life easier—especially in a world where her magic is feared. This is a quiet, lyrical tale about fate, family, and finding your way in a world that doesn’t always understand you. Poignant and poetic.
Between by L.L. Starling
Sasha thought she was just taking a sub job in a witchy little village—until she falls through a portal and winds up in a magical kingdom, accidentally crowned queen and engaged to a brooding sorcerer-king. He wants to escape. She wants to go home. But if they don’t team up soon, fairytale chaos might rip both worlds apart. Romantic, chaotic, and full of magical mishaps.