Will 2026 Be Another Magical Year for Cozy Fantasy Lovers? It Certainly Looks Like It!
New enchanted worlds, lovestruck witches, hidden bookshops, and steaming cups of tea ready to comfort us after chaotic days — everything we adore about cozy fantasy is about to return to our shelves!
I don’t know about you, but I have to admit that lately this charming, heartwarming subgenre has completely stolen my heart. And since 2026 is shaping up to bring us plenty of delightful new releases — books that promise to make us smile, dream, and (of course) daydream about opening a little magical café somewhere — I’ve gathered here the titles I’m most excited about and can’t wait to read!
7 Cozy Fantasy Books We’ll Be Reading in 2026
Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
(Author of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries and Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands!)
Agnes Aubert loves making lists — a habit that helped her cope after the loss of her husband two years ago. Now, as the founder of a cat rescue charity, her meticulous organizational skills are all that stand between her beloved felines — including Her Majesty Banshee and the sweet old Thoreau — and utter chaos.
When Agnes is forced to relocate the organization, she soon discovers that the new shop is just a front: beneath her feet lies the den of Havelock Renard, a disorganized, egocentric, and irresistibly charming man.
Havelock represents everything Agnes wants to avoid — chaos, mischief, and far too many adventures. But as she gets to know him, she realizes he’s more than the dark sorcerer of legend… and maybe she’s ready to let a little intrigue — and perhaps even love — into her life. After all, second chances aren’t just for rescued cats.
📅 Release date: February 17, 2026
Thistlemarsh by Andrea Corrigan
After the Great War, the world is a place devoid of magic. Mouse Dunne once dreamed of becoming a faerie anthropologist — until a telegram shattered her world. Her cousin Bertie’s body vanished in the mud of the Somme, and her brother Roger came home haunted by the horrors of war. It’s time to let childish dreams go.
But when Mouse learns that her uncle has left her Thistlemarsh Hall — a crumbling manor once blessed by the King of Faeries himself — she also learns there’s a catch: if she can’t restore the house within a month, she’ll lose the inheritance and any chance to care for her brother.
It seems impossible… until a mysterious fae appears with a tempting offer. Mouse knows better than to trust a fae, especially one so insufferably handsome and arrogant — but she has no other choice. As strange forces stir within the house, Mouse must confront the ghosts of her past… or risk losing everything.
📅 Release date: April 23, 2026
Witch of the Shadow Wood by Tori Anne Martin
Fifteen years ago, a father traded his daughter to the witch of the woods in exchange for a fragment of magic. Abandoned by her brother Hans, the girl grew up as the witch’s apprentice — and became Miria.
Two years ago, Miria saved a lost young woman in the forest — and fell in love with her.
Then she discovered that the woman was betrothed, against her will, to a man who once helped orchestrate her own kidnapping — a man who used the magic stolen from her life to gain wealth and power, forgetting her entirely.
Now, Miria is leaving the forest. She’ll stop the wedding, save the woman she loves, and take her revenge.
But beyond the forest, nothing is ever that simple.
📅 Release date: March 10, 2026
(Thanks to NetGalley, I already have an ARC — review coming ASAP!)
Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst
In 2026, the author of The Spellshop is back with another cozy fantasy adventure!
Marin has always found solace in the wide, blue sea. When the man she thought was the love of her life plotted to ruin her parents’ business, she did what she does best — she fled to the waves.
Now, as a supply courier aboard her small ship, Marin sails from island to island delivering everything from flour to enchanted statues. It’s a lonely life, but it’s hers — and she can always rely on her sea serpent Perri and her sailor shrub friend Ree, the best crew she could ask for.
But during a routine trip to the capital of the Crescent Isles Empire, Marin finds the city in flames and a revolution underway. She offers passage to Dax, a composer who refuses to leave his instruments behind. What starts as a rescue turns into a pact: Dax will join her crew — temporarily — if he agrees to pose as her fake fiancé at the Harvest Festival.
Against all odds, Marin finds herself charmed by his stubbornness, his love for stories, and that irresistible smile. And she realizes maybe she’s not the one doing the rescuing after all…
📅 Release date: July 28, 2026
How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva
When Pansy, a halfling, and Ren, a goblin, discover they’ve both inherited the same house, they strike a deal: they’ll live together, and whoever gets kicked out first loses the property.
Between clashing personalities, cultural differences, and the hazards of cohabitation, love begins to bloom. But when their home — and their communities — are threatened by a common enemy, they’ll have to learn to trust each other and defend what they love… or lose it all.
📅 Release date: January 20, 2026
The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C. M. Waggoner
Once upon a time, there was a not-so-evil witch named Gretsella, who lived in a cozy cottage deep within the Dark Forest of Brigandale. Known for selling herbs and potions at fair prices, she attended her slightly eccentric coven meetings and had no desire for company — until one day she found a crying baby on her doorstep.
Against her better judgment, she took him in and named him Bradley.
Eighteen years later, Bradley has grown into a kind, good-natured young man, raised under Gretsella’s watchful — and perhaps even loving — eye. But her dreams of a quiet life are shattered when woodland creatures begin to prophesy that Bradley is the lost prince destined to claim the throne. Despite Gretsella’s warnings to avoid prophecies (and talking squirrels), Bradley sets off for the capital.
There, chaos reigns — and the courtiers are eager to use him for their own ends. Sometimes, a witch has to roll up her sleeves and take matters into her own hands. And so Gretsella decides to orchestrate her beloved son’s downfall…
📅 Release date: March 17, 2026
The Night King’s Court by Elisa A. Bonnin
Seven years ago, Ida’s father vanished without a trace, last seen at the court of the mysterious Night King — a realm that comes alive only after sunset, brimming with magic and revelry.
When a position opens for a new Court Luminary, Ida doesn’t hesitate. She’s inherited her father’s gift for spellcraft, and she’s determined to use it to find him.
Swept into the glittering nocturnal world of the Night King’s court, Ida is surrounded by enchanted beings who bring light and wonder to every festivity — from underwater masquerades to starlit gardens. But soon, something dark begins to stir. Memories fade, the castle’s magic turns sinister, and Ida finds herself trapped within its borders.
With the help of Lenore, the beautiful daughter of the king, Ida must uncover the castle’s secrets… before this dreamlike world consumes her.
📅 Release date: April 28, 2026
What about you?
Which of these cozy fantasy books are you most excited to read in 2026? 🌙✨
