OPINION: My favorite cozy fantasies

In the last year or two, I’ve learned that one of my favorite niche book genres is cozy fantasy. While I’ve always been a fantasy reader, a close look at my favorite fantasy series shows cozy almost always comes to the top.

Wikipedia describes this as “a subgenre of fantasy fiction characterized by its focus on comforting, low-stakes narratives set in fantasy worlds.”

Why is this? I wonder if I’m enjoying low-stakes fantasy worlds so much simply because everything in the real world feels so high stakes right now. I don’t necessarily want to read about extreme violence and the possible end of the world when that’s what it feels like is happening around me.

So if you feel similarly, or simply think fall is the perfect time for a cozy novel, I’m going to share my favorite cozy fantasy books with you.

“The Phoenix Keeper” by S.A. MacLean

My top read of 2024, “The Phoenix Keeper” has a too-low 3.83 stars on Goodreads. If you love seeing what is the mundane in a magical world and can’t stop watching those zoo veterinarian shows, this is the book for you.

“As head phoenix keeper at a world-renowned zoo for magical creatures, Aila’s childhood dream of conserving critically endangered firebirds seems closer than ever. There’s just one glaring caveat: her zoo’s breeding program hasn’t functioned for a decade. When a tragic phoenix heist sabotages the flagship initiative at a neighboring zoo, Aila must prove her derelict facilities are fit to take the reins.”

This book is low stakes in the terms that these animals aren’t real so there’s no actual worry of them going extinct, but as an animal lover still feels semi-high stakes. I would love to see this book get more love.

“Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries” by Heather Fawcett

This trilogy is written as if it were a series of diary entries by a professor of faerie folklore, Emily Wilde. Rated 3.97 stars on Goodreads, each book in the series focuses on a different aspect or species of the Fair Folk while also continuing Emily Wilde’s storyline.

“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 the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.”

Along with the academia of it, there’s also romance with Wilde’s handsome and charming academic rival who shows up uninvited on her expedition. The whole series is great, but there’s something special about this first book.

“Legends and Lattes” by Travis Baldree

These books give cozy Dungeons and Dragons vibes. I’m not sure how many books will be in this world, but for now “Legends and Lattes” has a prequel and a sequel, all just as cozy but not necessary to get the full plot. The first book actually has the lowest Goodreads rating of the three at 4.05 stars, so you can tell the whole series is pretty widely loved.

“After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time. The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first-ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is. If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won’t be able to do it alone.”

Nothing high stakes about this book, unless you count the fear of personal failure. You get the fun of magical beings and a medieval-like town while also enjoying the day-to-day life in owning a coffee shop.

“Assistant to the Villain” by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Some people might not call this book a cozy fantasy, considering there’s lots of death and violence, but I think it’s hard to read this and not find it cozy. The first in a four-book series (the fourth coming out in August 2026), “Assistant to the Villain” is set in a fairytale-esque world, but you tend to find yourself more on the villain’s side of this story.

“With ailing family to support, Evie Sage’s employment status isn’t just important, it’s vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer ― naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.”

I’m about to read the third book and am so excited to see where this series takes me. The first book has a rating of 3.93 stars and has started to become quite beloved by the general fantasy world.

Other honorable mentions in the cozy fantasy category include “The Spellshop” by Sarah Beth Durst, “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by T.J. Klune and “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches” by Sangu Mandanna.