39 cozy comfort reads for midwinter and beyond

Because sometimes the best thing you can do is curl up with a good book

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Winter is, by far, my favorite season for reading. There is just something about being warm and cozy indoors while the weather is cold and blustery outside — snuggled under a blanket on the couch with a mug of tea in one hand and a good book in the other. Even better if I can lure my cat, Cinder, to curl up on my lap. At that point, all I’m missing is a crackling fire.

This is how I plan to spend the day after Christmas. It has long been my Boxing Day tradition to remain in my pajamas for as long as I like, have toast and tea (and cookies) all day long, and savor whatever I’m reading at a deliciously unhurried pace. It’s such a treat.

I read a lot of books over the course of the year, but I “read” most of them by listening to audio versions. I admit this not to disparage or devalue audio books. I am not among those who consider audio books somehow less “real” than print books. In fact, I often find that audio versions bring certain books to life in a way that reading the words on the page never could.

That said, there is undeniably a special kind of magic that can only be accessed by slipping between the pages of a physical book.

Whether you prefer to read or listen, I am sending you winter wishes for a day or two (or at least an afternoon) lost in a good story. And to help make that wish come true, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite cozy comfort reads.

These are the books that feel like a warm hug or a place you’d like to visit. Books that are filled with characters you’d like to know in real life. Stories that embrace a different pace of life, are sometimes old fashioned, and sometimes magical. Mostly, books that either help you escape your troubles or make you feel like everything is right with the world despite them.

Some of these books are beloved favorites that I have read and reread. Some are fairly new discoveries. And some I haven’t read yet, but am looking forward to based on recommendations of other Inner Wilderness Unlimited readers like you.

It’s an eclectic mix, but hopefully that will mean that there’s something for everyone.

Do you have a favorite cozy comfort read you’d like to recommend?

Have you read any of the ones already on this list?

If you had to pick just one book to read this midwinter, which one would you choose?

Happy reading!

I’ll be taking some time off over the next week or two to enjoy the holiday and get some quality reading in. I wish you all the twinkly magic of the season, and look forward to seeing you again in the New Year!

The links and descriptions below are from StoryGraph. Founded in 2019, StoryGraph is a fully-featured, Black-woman owned, Amazon-free alternative to Goodreads.

[✨ The commentary in brackets is my quick two cents. 😉]

Books meant for children that have a lot to offer adults

• The Van Gogh Cafe by Cynthia Rylant ~ At the Van Gogh Cafe, anything can happen. Clara's dad owns the cafe, and she's seen it all--from food that cooks by itself to poems that foretell the future. This award-winning collection of vignettes by Newbery medalist Cynthia Rylant is a treat to be relished. So bring your appetite for the unexpected, because at the Van Gogh Cafe, your order of tea and toast comes with a side of magic. [✨ I have read this book SO many times, and it never fails to give me hope and inspire a sense of wonder.]

• The Wild Robot by Peter Brown ~ When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is--but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island's unwelcoming animal inhabitants. As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home--until, one day, the robot's mysterious past comes back to haunt her. [✨ I read this entire series after going to the theatre to see the gorgeous movie adaptation that came out this year.]

• Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson ~ Moomins always sleep through the winter while the snow settles all around them, waking up in time for spring and the arrival of Snufkin and other friends. Or they did until one year when Moomintroll happened to wake up and find himself all alone in a sleepy, dusty house in a silent, snow-covered valley. [✨ I feel the urge to reread this almost every winter. I also highly recommend the documentary about Tove Jansson if you can find it.]

• Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (recommended by

  Nan Tepper
  ) ~ Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. In her notebook, she writes down everything she knows about everyone, even her classmates and her best friends. Then Harriet loses track of her notebook, and it ends up in the wrong hands. Before she can stop them, her friends have read the always truthful, sometimes awful things she's written about each of them. Will Harriet find a way to put her life and her friendships back together? [✨ I haven’t read this in a long time, but I have very fond memories.]

Childhood fantasy classics

• The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (recommended by

  Rhaine Della Bosca
  ) ~ Narnia .... a land frozen in eternal winter ... a country waiting to be set free. Four adventurers step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia -- a land enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change ... and a great sacrifice. [✨ I will forever be seeking hidden doors in old wardrobes.]

• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien ~ In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. [✨ Though there are trolls and dragons, this book always feels like sinking into the comfort of a Hobbit hole to hear a story direct from an old Hobbit. It doesn’t get better than that.]

• The Princess Bride by William Goldman ~ Once upon a time came a story so full of high adventure and true love that it became an instant classic and won the hearts of millions. Now in hardcover in America for the first time since 1973 (in its native Florin, it has been on the Florenise Times bestseller list continuously since the week it was published), this special edition of The Princess Bride is a true keepsake for devoted fans as well as those lucky enough to discover it for the first time. [✨ You know the movie (I hope you know the movie!!), but have you ever read the book. If not, you are missing out. Pure delight from cover to cover.]

• Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones ~ Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl--and herself--than first meets the eye. [✨ This is another book that has been adapted into a film, specifically an animated masterpiece from Studio Ghibli. The book and the film are quite different, but I love them both equally. There are also additional books in this series if it hits the spot for you.]

• Mossflower by Brian Jacques ~ When the clever and greedy wildcat Tsarmina becomes Queen of a Thousand Eyes and ruler of all Mossflower Woods, she is determined to govern the peaceful woodlanders with an iron paw, bringing every otter and hedgehog, every mouse and squirrel, whimpering to their knees."

  But the brave mouse Martin and quick-talking mousethief Gonff meet in the depths of Kotir Castle's dungeon. With the aid of all the woodlanders, the two escape and resolve to end Tsarmina's tyrannical rule. Joined by Kinny the mole, Martin and Gonff set off on a dangerous quest for Salamandastron, mountain of dragons, where they are convinced that their only hope, Boar the Fighter, still lives... [✨ My mom adores these in part because of all the wonderful descriptions of feasts and teas and other homey, food-related details. The world building is incredible, and though there are battles, this still feels cozy to me.]

• The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame ~ Meek little Mole, wilful Ratty, Badger the perennial bachelor, and petulant, boastful Toad: over one hundred years since their first appearance in 1908, they've become emblematic archetypes of eccentricity, folly and friendship. And their misadventures - in gypsy caravans, stolen sports cars, and their beloved Wild Wood - continue to capture readers' imaginations and warm their hearts long after they grow up. [✨ This is an undeniable classic, and if you like it you may also want to check out The Willows in Winter, and homage written by William Horwood, Patrick Benson]

Two classics and one new classic

• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (recommended by

  Rhaine Della Bosca
  ) ~ Lovely Meg, talented Jo, frail Beth, spoiled Amy: these are hard lessons of poverty and of growing up in New England during the Civil War. Through their dreams, plays, pranks, letters, illnesses, and courtships, women of all ages have become a part of this remarkable family and have felt the deep sadness when Meg leaves the circle of sisters to be married at the end of Part I. Part II, chronicles Meg's joys and mishaps as a young wife and mother, Jo's struggle to become a writer, Beth's tragedy, and Amy's artistic pursuits and unexpected romance. Based on Louisa May Alcott's childhood, this lively portrait of nineteenth- century family life possesses a lasting vitality that has endeared it to generations of readers. [✨ This is another one I haven’t read in ages, but I have very fond memories because it’s one of the many books my mom read aloud to my sister and I when we were kids.]

• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett ~ The plot centers round Mary Lennox, a young English girl who returns to England from India, having suffered the immense trauma by losing both her parents in a cholera epidemic. However, her memories of her parents are not pleasant, as they were a selfish, neglectful and pleasure-seeking couple. Mary is given to the care of her uncle Archibald Craven, whom she has never met. She travels to his home, Misselthwaite Manor located in the gloomy Yorkshire, a vast change from the sunny and warm climate she was used to. When she arrives, she is a rude, stubborn and given to stormy temper tantrums. However, her nature undergoes a gradual transformation when she learns of the tragedies that have befallen her strict and disciplinarian uncle whom she earlier feared and despised. [✨ I reread this just last year, and found it even more magical now than when I was a kid.]

• The Glass Town Game by Catherynne M. Valente ~ Inside a small Yorkshire parsonage, Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne Bront have invented a game called Glass Town, where their toy soldiers fight Napoleon and no one dies. This make-believe land helps the four escape from a harsh reality: Charlotte and Emily are being sent away to a dangerous boarding school. But then something incredible happens: a train whisks them all away to a real Glass Town, and the children trade the moors for a wonderland all their own. [✨ Catherynne M. Valente is probably best known for her series about Fairyland, but I haven’t yet read those. I did, however, give this one a try, and was completely charmed.]

Novels about relationships, loss, and healing

• Unlikely Animals by Annie Harnett ~ Natural-born healer Emma Starling once had big plans for her life, but she’s lost her way. A medical school dropout, she’s come back to small-town Everton, New Hampshire, to care for her father, who is dying from a mysterious brain disease. Clive Starling has been hallucinating small animals, as well as having visions of the ghost of a long-dead naturalist, Ernest Harold Baynes, once known for letting wild animals live in his house. This ghost has been giving Clive some ideas on how to spend his final days. Set against the backdrop of a small town in the throes of a very real opioid crisis, Unlikely Animals is a tragicomic novel about familial expectations, imperfect friendships, and the possibility of resurrecting that which had been thought irrevocably lost. [✨ The subject matter of this novel may sound a bit dark and heavy, but I still came away feeling comforted and also delighted. There is a cast of ghosts in the local cemetery who act as a kind of Greek chorus. Loved that.]

• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt ~ A charming, witty, and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant pacific octopus. After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in the Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight tentacles for his human captors—until he forms an unlikely friendship with Tova. [✨ I adore octopuses. Well, to be more accurate, I adore octopuses from afar. They fascinate me, but I don’t know that I’d like to have one get too up close and personal. That said, the octopus in this novel is irresistable, even if he is a bit curmudgeonly.]

• The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams ~ Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in the London Borough of Ealing after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries. Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It's a list of novels that she's never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she's facing at home. When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list...hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again. [✨ I’m not sure what prompted me to pick this book up, but I’m glad I did. It’s about relationships, but also about the way books can change our lives by changing our outlook.]

• Rules for Visiting by Jessica Francis Kane ~ At forty, May Attaway is more at home with plants than people. Over the years, she's turned inward, finding pleasure in language, her work as a gardener, and keeping her neighbors at arm's length while keenly observing them. But when she is unexpectedly granted some leave from her job, May is inspired to reconnect with four once close friends. She knows they will never have a proper reunion, so she goes, one-by-one, to each of them. A student of the classics, May considers her journey a female Odyssey. What might the world have had if, instead of waiting, Penelope had set out on an adventure of her own? [✨ I’m going to be completely honest - I don’t remember a ton of details about this one. I just have a sense of coming away with a smile on my face.]

Nonfiction with heart

• Enchantment, Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May ~ Many of us feel trapped in a grind of constant change: rolling news cycles, the chatter of social media, our families split along partisan lines. We feel fearful and tired, on edge in our bodies, not quite knowing what has us perpetually depleted. For Katherine May, this low hum of fatigue and anxiety made her wonder what she was missing. Could there be a different way to relate to the world, one that would allow her to feel more rested and at ease, even as seismic changes unfold on the planet? Might there be a way for all of us to move through life with curiosity and tenderness, sensitized to the subtle magic all around? [✨ Katherine May is probably best known for her book, Wintering, but I fell in love with Enchantment. It’s one of those books where you end up wanting to underline basically everything.]

• Buzz by Thor Hanson (recommended by

  C. Weil
  ) ~ Bees are like oxygen: ubiquitous, essential, and, for the most part, unseen. While we might overlook them, they lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. In Buzz, the beloved Thor Hanson takes us on a journey that begins 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young. From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They've given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers, and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. And, alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing. [✨ I haven’t read this one yet, but I love bees. Carla - who recommended it - says, “… great read in general if you have any interest in comparative myth, anthropology, the natural world, or just enjoy following your most nerdy and passionate friend down rabbit holes.”]

• The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey ~ While an illness keeps her bedridden, Bailey watches a wild snail that has taken up residence on her nightstand. As a result, she discovers the solace and sense of wonder that this mysterious creature brings and comes to a greater understanding of her own place in the world. Intrigued by the snail's molluscan anatomy, cryptic defenses, clear decision making, hydraulic locomotion, and courtship activities, Bailey becomes an astute and amused observer, offering a candid and engaging look into the curious life of this underappreciated small animal. [✨ This is another science-y read that is also almost spiritual. And the little drawings of the snail make you feel like the snail is there reading along with you.]

• Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire ~ One morning, Oliver Darkshire stepped into the hushed interior of Henry Sotheran Ltd. in London to interview for what he thought would be a year-long bookselling apprenticeship. Captivated by the smell of old books and the temptation of a management-approved afternoon nap, Darkshire was soon unteetering stacks of first editions and fending off overeager collectors while placating the store’s resident ghost (the late Mr. Sotheran, hit by a tram). By turns unhinged and earnest, Once Upon a Tome is a hilarious coming-of-age story that brings us into a strange and fascinating profession. [✨ I bought this at a local bookstore called Copper Dog Books because of the cover. And then I read it and fell in love. I loved it so much, I bought the audio version as well.]

Books in which the pictures are at least as enchanting as the words

• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy (recommended by

  Marcia Meier
  … and me!) ~ A book of hope for uncertain times. Enter the world of Charlie's four unlikely friends, discover their story and their most important life lessons. The conversations of the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse have been shared thousands of times online, recreated in school art classes, hung on hospital walls and turned into tattoos. In Charlie's first book, you will find his most-loved illustrations and some new ones too. [✨ A Christmas or two ago I gave this book to multiple people on my list. It’s sweet and thoughtful and beautiful to look at.]

• Gnomes by Wil Huygen with Rien Poortvliet ~ Dutch artist Rien Poortvliet's charming illustrations and physician Wil Huygen's detailed observations of the gnomes' habits, anatomy, and lifestyle are a delight for readers of all ages. Children will adore the gnome family's underground home and the constant interaction with animals; adults will appreciate the tongue-in-cheek scientific data. Gnomebody is immune to the gnomes' tremendous appeal--and a whole new generation is waiting to love them for the first time! [✨ I’ve had a copy of this book since I was a kid, and I never tire of looking at the gorgeous painted illustrations and losing myself in the world of these diminutive-but-fierce people. When I first read it as a tween, it inspired me to leave notes in the woods, hoping the gnomes would find them and agree to meet me. I never did encounter them, but I still believe they are there.]

• The Unwinding by Jackie Morris ~ Threaded through the curious world ofThe Unwinding are words, there to set the reader's mind adrift from their own troubles and the into peaceful harbors where imagination can stretch, and where quiet reflection can bring peace. The Unwinding is designed to be a companion, a talisman to be turned to again and again and a place of respite from an increasingly frenetic and complex world. Half-story, half-fairytale, Jackie Morris has created an enchanting tome, to keep on the bedside table, to give as a gift to young and old alike. The paintings between these covers were worked in the between times--between waking and dreaming, during the unwinding of the soul, when the pressures of work were too much. Instead, it is a book for dreamers. Its purpose? To ease the soul. [✨ This book is hard to describe but easy to love. As a long-time fan of Jackie’s art, it was a must-have for me. It’s a book that inspires you to tell your own tales.]

Stories and novels with charm and chutzpah

• Mama Makes Up Her Mind and Other Dangers of Southern Living by Bailey White ~ In this national bestseller, Bailey White--whose accounts of Southern eccentricity have enchanted millions of listeners to National Public Radio--offers a humorous, touching, story-filled memoir of her home in south Georgia. [✨ Picked this up at a library book sale, and have read it several times since, along with another of White’s books. Fabulous cast of characters and wonderful, down-to-earth writing.]

• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (recommended by Su Bristow) ~ Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results. But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo. [✨ While there is tragedy in this book, it ultimately left me feeling uplifted and like anything might be possible if you believe in it enough.]

• Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy (recommended by

  dreary dendrophile
  ) ~ Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed "Dumplin'" by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy's, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn't surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back. Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant--along with several other unlikely candidates--to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any girl does. [✨ I haven’t read this yet, but have added it to my list now that it’s been recommended to me. There are a couple other novels in the series, too!]

Heroines, sass, romance, monsters, fairy tales, and faeries

[✨ This entire section is just me being a complete fantasy and fairy tale nerd. While each of these picks takes place in its own unique world, they share many of the most delightful and delicious tropes of the genre. I am unabashed in my love for these stories and the characters who inhabit them.]

• Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger ~ It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School. Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners--and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage--in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

• Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree ~ Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve.

• Can’t Spell Treason without Tea by Rebecca Thorne ~ All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters… all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn’t so easy. But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility–all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town nestled in the icy tundra of dragon country, and open the shop of their dreams.

• Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw (recommended by Gypsy Thornton … and me!) ~ Greta Helsing inherited her family's highly specialized and highly peculiar medical practice. In her consulting rooms, Dr. Helsing treats the undead for a host of ills -- vocal strain in banshees, arthritis in barrow-wights, and entropy in mummies. Although she barely makes ends meet, this is just the quiet, supernatural-adjacent life Greta's been groomed for since childhood. Until a sect of murderous monks emerges, killing human and undead Londoners alike. As terror takes hold of the city, Greta must use her unusual skills to stop the cult if she hopes to save her practice, and her life.

• Saint Death’s Daughter by C.S.E. Cooney ~ Lanie Stones, the daughter of the Royal Assassin and Chief Executioner of Liriat, has never led a normal life. Born with a gift for necromancy and a literal allergy to violence, she was raised in isolation in the family’s crumbling mansion by her oldest friend, the ancient revenant Goody Graves. When her parents are murdered, it falls on Lanie and her cheerfully psychotic sister Nita to settle their extensive debts or lose their ancestral home—and Goody with it. Appeals to Liriat’s ruler to protect them fall on indifferent ears… until she, too, is murdered, throwing the nation’s future into doubt. Hunted by Liriat’s enemies, hounded by her family’s creditors and terrorised by the ghost of her great-grandfather, Lanie will need more than luck to get through the next few months—but when the goddess of Death is on your side, anything is possible.

• The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal ~ Tesla Crane, one of the richest women in the world, is on her honeymoon on an interplanetary space liner, cruising between Earth and Mars. She’s traveling incognito and is reveling in her anonymity. Then someone is murdered and her husband is named as the prime suspect. To save him from the frame-up, Tesla will risk exposure and face demons from her past. Even though doing so might make her the next victim.

• Glass and Feathers by Lissa Sloan (recommended by

  Liz Husebye Hartmann
  ) ~ They can bring you a night out, a gown, even a pair of slippers. Or something you never should have wished for in the first place. After the royal wedding, the girl in the glass slippers has everything she ever wanted: an escape from a life of drudgery, an innate magical gift, and a devoted husband who looks at her like she is the only one in the room. But all wishes come with a price. To the people of the palace, she is an outsider, nothing more. Even her famous shoes cannot help her--the glass slippers no longer fit. Glass and Feathers is a continuation of the traditional Cinderella tale. It transforms "Happy Ever After" and soars beyond it.

• Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett (recommended by

  Kate Kasiner
  ) ~ Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party—or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people. So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her. But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones—the most elusive of all faeries—lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all—her own heart.

Three Klune found family masterpieces + one delightful solar punk novel

[✨ These are just the sweetest, most charming stories, and I highly recommend the audio versions of the Klune books for the excellent narration.]

• The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune ~ Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He's tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world. Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light. An enchanting love story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

• Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune ~ Arthur Parnassus lives a good life built on the ashes of a bad one. He's the master of a strange orphanage on a distant and peculiar island, and he hopes to soon be the adoptive father to the six dangerous and magical children who live there. Arthur works hard and loves with his whole heart so none of the children ever feel the neglect and pain that he once felt as an orphan on that very same island so long ago. He is not alone: joining him is the love of his life, Linus Baker, a former caseworker in the Department In Charge of Magical Youth. And there's the island's sprite, Zoe Chapelwhite, and her girlfriend, Mayor Helen Webb. Together, they will do anything to protect the children.

• Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune ~ When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.

  Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop's owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over. But Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo's help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life. When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

• A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers ~ It's been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend. One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered. But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They're going to need to ask it a lot.