I have a hankering for a fantasy book with forest fairies and a little magic. Think Harry Potter level where it's real people using magic and/or jumping into a magical world, rather than heavy Lord of the Rings fantasy where it's like humanoid creatures in a world that's not quite Earth adjacent. Ideally not YA. I'd like something meant for adults. I always love a good romantic subplot. I want to feel like Tinkerbell is leading me into a forest at the edge of the field, where everyone says "beware the things that live past the trees" or something ominous like that. I really liked the amount of magic in Fairy Tale by Stephen King. Not too heavy, no Way of Kings deep fantasy.
Recommendations greatly appreciated. Thanks, bookworms.
by ArbitrairyPlayer
47 Comments
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Susanna Clarke’s novels, especially *Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell*.
Lev Grossman’s *The Magicians* (and its sequels) is kind of a gritty college-aged Harry-Potter-meets-Narnia on steroids.
{{Winter Rose by Patricia McKillip}} and the sequel {{Solstice Wood by Patricia McKillip}}
Winter Rose is set in the past, maybe 1800s, and is about a girl who sees fairy things happening in the woods.
Solstice Wood is about her descendants in modern day America, and they are being very suspicious about the woods, with good reason.
I’m not sure if it’s YA but I really loved Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone trilogy and the following books.
Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
This probably won’t be what you’re looking for, but Little, Big by John Crowley is absolutely beautiful.
Highly recommend Emiliy Wildes encyclopaedia of faeries, it’s written as a journal and faeries are just a part of their world like animals, but a lot more dangerous as it leans on the darker side of fae lore and Irish folktales.
While it does have some higher stake moments it’s very cosy overall and does have some hints of romance too, despite the mc Emily being a socially awkward introvert who prefers books and faeries to people.
Peter Pan
Mistress of the Second Circle by B.C. James has siren, succubus and demons, if that’s your thing 🙂 I loved it!
The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Miller. Love that book so much.
The wicked lovely series by Melissa Marr doesn’t get enough love, it is YA but the first one is about a young girl who is living in modern society and can see faeries but can’t let them know that she can see that. Her grandmother puts iron bars on their windows and doors, and gives her rules so the faeries won’t notice her. Because if they do know that she can see them they’ll tell their king, who has been looking for the prophesized mortal who can help break the winter faeries curse by marrying him
*Triskell Tales* by Charles de Lint
Terry Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching series is *technically* YA I guess, but it’s so good and so fun and like all things Pratchett manages to be lighthearted and deep at the same time.
If you’d like some stories of contemporary encounters with fairies, I suggest *The Magic of Findhorn*. Certainly helped me conceptualize the role of the fae in our world.
YA book called Ash by Malinda Lo
Clive Barker’s Weaveworld
The October Daye series by Seannan McGuire
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
The Hollows series by Kim Harrison. Sooooo good
Seconding someone else’s suggestion of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries, and its sequel Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherland.
Also:
Lords & Ladies, by Terry Pratchett
The Lord of Stariel, by A J Lancaster
The Fairy’s Tale, by F D Lee
War for the Oaks, by Emma Bull
Crown of Shadows, by Keri Arthur
Song of the Fairy Queen, by Valerie Douglas
Faerie Tale – Raymond Feist
The perilous gard by Elizabeth marie pope
A Conspiracy of Magic by Luanne G Smith (duology)
*Summerland* by Michael Chabon. *Little, Big* by John Crowley.
Nettle & Bone, by T. Kingfisher
Les Chroniques des Crépusculaires,
Mathieu Gaborit (can’t find the translation in english)
I love Tithe by Holly Black, but I read it when I was young and hand no idea if it holds up…
Just finished Nettle and Bone by T Kingfisher and it’s a great fairy tale! Little bit dark, bone dogs, godmothers, and more!
The Bardic Voices books.
Lauretta Hignet’s Welcome to Midlife Magic series that starts with Susan, You’re the Chosen One.
It’s the story of a woman who has spent time in a mental institution before she discovers certain talents. She meets all kinds of magical creatures. (Not giving away too much of the plot here) There are 4 books.
The Fablehaven series is YA but it’s still pretty good
Dresden files
River’s of London
Charles de Lint and his collections of short stories!
Half a soul by Olivia Atwater. A regency romance with fairies, but no Tinkerbell vibes at all. This is first in a series. Nice romance and HEA but also a bit dark AND funny.
Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones.
October Daye is a New York Times Best Selling series of urban fantasy novels by American author Seanan McGuire. They follow October “Toby” Daye, a half-fae changeling and reluctant hero of the realm.
First book: Rosemary and Rue.
Patricia McKillip?
The Forests of Serre (not faeries but a kind of FairyTale and beware, yes)
Ombria in Shadow (Beware the Underworld, with a sad romance part – past loves)
Winter Rose (Romance, Fae)
Dresden Files has been my reco for almost all of the posts in this sub recently
If you like fairies smut and vampires I suggest the Sookie Stackhouse series!
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. It’s dark and mystical, takes place in a very snowy part of Russia on the edge of a forest.
Big trigger warnings for SA, religious trauma and abuse
The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller
The Various, it’s the first book in a trilogy.
The Celandine trilogy I think?? Loved it.
The land of stories would be a bit young for what your looking for so the evil queen
{{The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches}} was my favorite cozy read this year.
One that deals with pretty lore accurate fae is Faerie Tale by Raymond E. Feist. A favorite of mine
Holly Black’s Darkest Part of the Forest
Once & The Magic Cottage, both by James Herbert. Also Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce 💜