“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world”—J.R.R. Tolkien
Cozy fantasy feels like the embodiment of this Tolkien quote. Books that warm and cheer us can be as valuable as ones that excite and terrify (not a surprising sentiment from a librarian, I know). The sudden surge of cozy fantasy in a historical time that is full of strife and uncertainty feels very much like an antidote. These stories are full of small, solvable mysteries, the process of building one’s village, and lots of descriptions of fantasy food. I’m happy to share a few of my favorites, followed by a list of the one’s I haven’t gotten to yet!
The one that started it all, for me and for others:
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
Viv is done, finally. Done fighting, done working as a mercenary, done killing. She’s taking her final payout and fulfilling a dream—settling down to open a “coffee shop.” Bringing this new, warming beverage to Thune sounds good in theory, but in practice Viv will have a lot more challenges in finding the right people to help her make this a success.
This reinvention story builds a found family at the same rate that Viv builds Legends and Lattes. The even progression of clearing a building, brewing the imported coffee, finding customers, adding pastries, and finally dealing with the last reckoning of her past made for a comfort read to go back to again and again.
Legends and Lattes; Bookshops and Bonedust, a prequel; Brigands and Breadknives a spin-off story
Found on: Library shelves, regular and large print; Libby as an ebook and eaudio
That gorgeous cover art and sprayed edges caught me with this one:
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
A coup rocks the capital city. Kiela, the royal librarian, and Caz, her definitely-illegal sentient plant assistant, flee the burning city in a boat with every book they can carry. Kiela is wracked with guilt and fear of capture—surely saving the books is what’s best, but it’s also illegal-and punishment will be severe. Magic belongs in the capital, and only to be performed by royal magicians.
So, Keila needs safety, and she needs it far from royal police and far from the fires of revolution. Where else should she go but home? A far-lying island she barely remembers, Caltrey is suffering. While she enjoys/fears the visit of a handsome nosy neighbor, she contends with growing knowledge that containing magic and making it illegal has consequences even this far out from the city. Maybe she, Caz, and her stolen magic books can save the island she now thinks of as home.
From clearing a cottage of overgrowth, planting a garden, making jams from her mother’s discovered recipe book, The Spellshop is full of the comforting elements of building a life and finding a community.
The Enchanted Greenhouse and Sea of Charms (July, 2026) take place in the same universe.
Found on: Library shelves in regular print and Libby as an ebook and eaudio. (The Enchanted Greenhouse available by placing a hold for our copy in Wright)
A doldrum day and a lazy Libby search netted me this fantastic series:
Drinks and Sinkholes by S. Usher Evans
Bev came to town years ago, lacking her memories. She found a home at the Weary Dragon Inn, working as a barmaid (Bev being short for Beverage Wench). She owns the inn now, and when sinkholes start forming around town, damaging homes and businesses, she is elected to get to the bottom of the puzzle.
Cozy elements like bread baking contests (I went on a spree of perfecting my rosemary bread recipe while reading the series), balance with deeper mysteries about Bev’s past and the relationship of the townspeople to the recently-outlawed use of magic. These ongoing mysteries are a slow burn, while the initial mysteries are solved within the pages of each book.
Fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy the low-stakes puzzle solving, and fans of cozy fantasy will enjoy the small-town setting and small ways magic changes people’s lives. Everyone should enjoy the mouth-watering descriptions of the meals Bev serves to her inn guests.
Weary Dragon Inn Series; 10 titles
Found on: Libby as an ebook
Another one I picked up for the bright colored cover and for the heck of it and ended up loving:
The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang
Sometimes you just need your luck to change! So did Serin, struggling with a life full of misfortune. When the mysterious Rainfall Market claims to take your misfortunes and give you anything you could want, how could Serin refuse? She has one week to decide how she’d like her life to look, so she needs to avoid distractions—no matter how pressing.
The rainy season’s steady drizzle and an intelligent cat companion make this tale of gratitude and kindness feel like a cozy blanket after stomping in puddles. It’s wonderful to change up the European-coded fantasy for this story rooted in Asian folklore and fairy tale.
Found on: Libby as an eAudio
Like these? Ahead of me and you’ve already read these? Try:
The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz (Wright copy on order)
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Madonna
Do you have any undiscovered gems you want to share? Let us know what cozies you’re reading!
