Hey all!
I read both fiction and non-fiction, but when it comes to fiction, I tend to avoid fantasy. I enjoy romance, crime, drama – basically anything as long as it feels grounded in reality. I’m not entirely sure why fantasy has never appealed to me, but I think it’s partly because I worry the worlds will be too complex to understand, and I find that fantasy has to be particularly well-written to maintain my suspension of disbelief. I also tend to connect more with stories when they feel like something that could actually happen.
That being said, I’m going through a rough time mentally and could really use a book that lets me escape into a different world – something immersive, engaging, and that I can’t put down. I don’t want anything with a super complex world or lore, just an easy-to-get-into story that still feels captivating. Ideally, it wouldn’t have any heavy or dark themes – I know cozy has been overused lately but… yeah that’s the vibe I’m looking for. It can be a standalone or a series.
If it is any help, the only fantasy books I remember enjoying were the Stardust series by Linda Chapman, which I read as a kid. I liked that it had a fantasy element and some suspense while still being set in the “real world” (maybe I should reread it now at 27? 😅)
I know this is a bit vague, but I’d love any recommendations you think might fit. Thanks in advance – I appreciate any suggestions!
by grayangst
9 Comments
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik would be my vote.
Dm me if u need anyone to talk to, and sorry but most fantasy I read either has deep lore or heavy themes but I know you can get through whatever happened
Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.
It’s an incredibly historical, academic take on fantasy – written in the tradition of Dickens or Austen but from the same itch that drove Tolkien- restoring a lost folklore tradition of England and Britain in what is basically an alternative history.
The writing is just *so good*, and the world building is done through extensive footnotes that add background to the story in a way that makes it feel so rigorous.
Don’t let the length put you off, I was on page 1000 WISHING I had another 1000 to go.
Angel Chronicles: The Prince of Persia by Vincent Kane. Simple and relatively short Read.
Or The Hedeby Trials by same Author
Try some lower fantasy Romance. Things like Lana Harper’s Thistlegrove series or April Asher’s Supernatural Singles series.
Emily Lloyd-Jones wrote a trilogy of books:
– The Bone Houses
– The Drowned Woods
– The Wild Huntress
They aren’t a traditional trilogy, but they all connect, so I would recommend reading them in order. The world building is interesting without being too intricate, and – while they aren’t cozy – they also aren’t super grim, either.
I would also highly recommend Clive Barker’s Abarat series:
– Abarat
– Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War
– Abarat: Absolute Midnight
– (books 4 and 5 haven’t been released yet)
It’s a super whimsical, fever dream of a series. The world building is fascinating, but not terribly complex. Again, neither cozy nor particularly grim.
{{Another Fine Myth}}by Robert Aspririn
Has magic, but I feel like it’s somewhat grounded (in the first books, at least
Generally I would suggest Terry Pratchett. However, his Disc World novels have both a complex world and lore. They are advertised as being able to be read in any order…but that also makes it kind of overwhelming figuring out where to start and there are definitely inside jokes that are pulled from other novels.
I will still suggest Terry Pratchett, because he is amazing, but I’ll recommend his YA series instead. It’s the Tiffany Aching series or novels. They are technically young adult but I read them as an adult and enjoyed them.
The World of the Five Gods series by Lois Macmaster Bujold. Award winning, beautifully written books.
You can start with Penric’s Demon which is a novella.