In Bascom, North Carolina, the Waverley sisters have always been different. There’s the Victorian house they live with the backyard apple tree known for indiscriminate fruit-flinging. And there’s Claire Waverley’s uncanny ability to imbue food she makes with love, good luck, or whatever else. When her chaotic sister Sydney returns, the Waverleys must confront their pasts to move forward – together. This beautiful, slow book reads like a shy dream in a way you can’t put down.

When a violent government coup comes for her beloved library, Kiela is forced to flee with only her beloved familiar, a talking spider plant named Caz, and a dozen or so crates of purloined spellbooks. Desperate and literally at sea, Kiela makes her way to the only safe place she can think of – the beautiful island where she grew up. Though she came there to hide, Kiela quickly learns she can’t avoid the kind (if nosy) townsfolk, especially her handsome new neighbor.

The youngest professor of dryadology at Cambridge University, Emily Wilde, has spent the last decade working on the world’s first encyclopedia of the folk. Meticulous and introverted, Emily does not endear herself to the locals at her research post. When her charming colleague, Wendall, sweeps into the village, he drives a bargain that Emily can’t refuse. Full of charming fairy lore and Emily’s wry wit, you’ll wish fairies were real over and over again while reading this.

In 1619, Altha has been accused of witchcraft when her neighbor’s cattle herd tramples him to death. In 1942, Violet knows she’s different; she longs for a life outside of her parents’ dusty estate, but can’t find it. And in 2019, newly pregnant and terrified, Kate flees London, and her abusive ex-boyfriend, by night and ends up at her family’s ancestral cottage. As each woman tests the limits of her own power, she learns about magic in herself.

After growing up watching desperate women throw themselves at their aunts’ back door, the Owens sisters resolve to be different. For dependable Sally, that means moving her daughters to the suburban thrum of Long Island after her husband’s death. For flighty Gillian, that means moving out west, and moving from man to man. When Gillian shows up on Sally’s stoop – dead boyfriend in tow – they must confront the power they’ve always run from.

Linus Baker has never even approached rocking the boat in his job at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Though he’s intimidated by the special case in a town he’s never heard of, Linus’s pencil-pushing attitude prevents further questions. But when he arrives at the house to inspect the children’s living conditions, Linus’s unfailing loyalty to the department, and his very worldview, are tested by the charming, challenging, marvelous children there.

Mika Moon’s life has been guided by three very simple truths: she is a witch, all witches are orphans, and she must only convene with other witches once every three months. Besides being brought from India by a witch named Primrose, Mika has largely grown up alone. Until, she gets a mysterious DM from an elderly man named Ian, one that goes against everything she knows…but which she somehow feels may change her life for the better.

Xingyin should not exist. The daughter of the moon goddess and the famed archer Hou Ye, the powerful gods that keep her mother in an eternal palace on the moon don’t know she was born. When she accidentally releases a powerful burst of magic, drawing the emperor’s attention, Xingyin must escape the only home she’s ever known, and make a life on earth. It’s a lush retelling of the famed Mid-Autumn Legend, and one of my favorite books of 2022.

Annie Walker loves her life in Rome, Kentucky – with one notable exception. Thanks to her shy personality and her tendency to wax poetic about horticulture, Annie has yet to find the right guy. So when the hot bodyguard of Annie’s brother’s fiancée offers to help her practice dating, it seems like the perfect way to work out her dating jitters. But of course, hijinks ensue. The floral-heavy setting and charming small town make this a perfect spring cottagecore book.

A lonely, grumpy marshal, and an overstretched undertaker take up a secret correspondence in the strange world of Tanria. In real life, Hart and Mercy hate each other. But when Hart writes a desperate letter and sends it into the void, he gets one equally as tender back. It’s a little more goblincore than cottagecore, but in a charming, Pushing Daisies meets You’ve Got Mail meets Ocean at the End of the Lane way.

Saul Lazenby is still battered by the Great War. He’s retreated to the English countryside and the employ of a wealthy, eccentric man who wants Saul to chase down his far-fetched notions. Along the way, Saul keeps crossing paths with Randolph Glyde, an arcanist who seems to know more about magic than he should. Taking place mostly in spring in the English countryside, the book is rife with gothic imagery, and tender romance.

After WWII, Juliet Ashton is casting about for the subject of her next book. When a young man from the island of Guernsey reaches our to her, her interest in their their correspondence grows more tender than she expected. She begins writing to everyone in his “Potato Peel Pie” society, and eventually feels compelled to meet them all in person. This little gem of a book will captivate you in a quiet way, one letter at a time.

Cheerful, chaotic, Eve has gone too far after she ruins a wedding. It’s time to grow up. When she interviews for an open chef position at a quaint B&B, the chaos continues after the owner breaks his arm… because she hit him with her car. Woefully understaffed, he has no choice but to let her help him. With an lovely grumpy-sunshine romance, and a quaint pastoral setting, this book basically defines modern-day cottagecore.

Open a dictionary, and you’ll see Leena’s name next to “overworked perfectionist.” When she blows a big presentation, her boss forces her to take a break. Meanwhile, her grandmother Eileen wants love, and can’t see many options in her small Yorkshire village. So, they swap places. This book goes a bit deeper than most romances – Leena must reconcile with her grieving mother. However, the quaint setting and lovable characters round out the emotional depth.

The decade when King George III’s brother acted as crown regent has remained one of the most memorable times in British culture. The first novel in the acclaimed Bridgerton series, The Duke and I follows young Daphne Bridgerton as she falls in love with the handsome, reclusive duke who’s the talk of the social season. Scintillating and frivolous, the series has delightful characters, beautiful settings, and fun writing.

When her eccentric ancestor moved his mansion brick by brick to Appalachian Virginia, Jane Steward’s forebear likely didn’t imagine the five-star literary resort it would become. As the caretaker of Storyton Hall, and a cache of rare books, Jane’s quaint country life suffers frequent interruptions from international espionage and gruesome murders. The setting lies several eons beyond realistic, but who wants realistic when you can have a perfect literary-centric life?

Vera Vixen has newly arrived to the quaint riverside town of Shady Hollow, ready for a break from the big city. It seems she can’t rest, however, when the town curmudgeon and hermit is discovered dead. Thanks to a lethargic police chief and a mind that won’t rest, Vera takes it upon herself to unravel who would want to kill the toad – and why. Each book in this series contains a vast multitude of charm, replete with many scenes in cozy cafes and woodland glades.

The sleepy village of St. Mary Mead seems immune to violence on the outside. But as it turns out, quite a few people had reason to kill the arrogant Colonel Protheroe. When he’s found murdered in the office of the vicar, Miss Jane Marple, takes it upon herself to find the killer. If there’s one thing I know for certain fits “cottagecore books”, it’s a story about an elderly detective in the English countryside.

“The Parsonage:” a charming cottage in the Wiltshire countryside, and the provenance of proud new owners Kate and Alex Sheppard. When a rare blue rose blooms in the garden, they can’t believe their good luck. Little do they know, from this obscure flora, old secrets come flooding out. Kate and Alex must unravel the truth to save their dream house, and their lives. Very botanical in nature, this mystery revolves around the cornerstone of English culture and cottagecore – the rose garden.

42 and a spinster, Lady Augusta “Gus” Colebrook has grown deeply bored of regency society. When she discovers a friend’s goddaughter needs rescuing, she enlists her widowed twin sister, Julia, into helping. As things go awry, Gus and Julia find themselves much deeper into the scandal than they anticipated. Goodman’s take on the era lies closer to Jane Austen’s – a tongue-in-cheek criticism of the bonds placed on women, with a strong witty streak.

Siobhán O’Sullivan is the eldest daughter in the O’Sullivan clan, and the proprietor of their family’s bistro since their parents died in a car crash. Things stay mostly together, until Siobhán opens the bistro one morning to find a dead man with a pair of bright pink shears in his back. I highly recommend the audiobook for this series – both for the narrator’s soothing Irish voice, and to learn the pronunciation of Irish names less common in the states like Ciarán and Gráinne.

In the tiny Québécois village of Three Pines, a man discovers local woman Jane Neal dead of an apparent crossbow wound. But, DCI Armand Gamache’s intuition tells him this case won’t come down to a hunting accident. Though often listed as a “cozy mystery,” the series often dives into the deepest depravities of urban and rural humanity. Still, you’ll quickly wish you were sitting fireside at Olivier and Gabri’s bistrot with a chocolat chaud.

With her charming animal illustrations and her stunning estate in the Lake District, Beatrix Potter is the original imprimatur of cottagecore. In this series, Albert reimagine’s Potter’s life in the countryside, recasting her as an amateur sleuth alongside her known reputation as an animal lover and overall good egg. The mystery in this series is quite gentle – even by cozy mystery standards. Thanks to the talking animals and low stakes, this series is perfect for readers of all ages.

The four March sisters – proper Meg, fiery Jo, kind-hearted Beth, and bright Amy – do everything together, from writing plays to forming secret societies together. Set in the backdrop of the American Civil War, the book is offset by serious themes of grief, lost love, and worry for their father, a union soldier. This delightful slice-of-life novel is a defining text for every opinionated young woman with a penchant for storytelling.

Emma Woodhouse comes from wealth, possesses remarkable beauty, and can charm anyone. Uninterested in love, she makes it her mission to couple up those around her instead, while her friend Mr. Knightley attempts to discourage her meddling. Teeming with wit, Emma is both Austen’s most light-hearted work, and the most layered. While its heroine’s silliness takes the fore, her genuine desire for connection to others shines through.

In the small Appalachian town of Mitford, life may seem relaxed, but Timothy Kavanaugh could stand to slow down. A jewel thief, a diabetes diagnosis, and a stunning donation from a congregant draw plenty of attention and work. The stakes of the Mitford books stay high enough to keep the reader engaged, while waxing poetic about country flora and food to keep you relaxed (and hungry). Due to strong religious themes these books may not suit all.

This tiny tome tells the tale of Nathaniel Chanticleer, the master of a small town in Dorimare, whose daughter and son become enchanted by fairy fruit – a dangerous substance trickling into his sleepy enclave. Determined to rescue his children and his town, Nathaniel sets out in his own blundering way. Beautifully written, with the silliest character names (Primrose Crabapple!!) this novel easily deserves its spot on the “classic fantasy” shelf.

In the idyllic setting of rural Michigan in spring, three daughters beg their mother to tell them about a long-ago romance at the Tom Lake theatre. Through their mother’s tale, each girl examines her own relationship to life and love. I recommend doing a companion read with Thornton Wilder’s classic play Our Town, as Patchett cites heavy influence for both the story and the very act of theatre when writing the novel.

Bossy, prickly protagonist Olive Kitteridge doesn’t appear in this book immediately, but it revolves around her nonetheless. Told as a series of vignettes which spiral closer to a central theme, the book chronicles life in a small Maine town. Though it may seem contrary to cottagecore to include a protagonist who seems unlikable at the outset, deeper gentleness comes back again and again as a theme in the best literature.

The classic treatise on a man’s experiment in escaping from modern society, few books parallel the longing for pastoralism which characterizes cottagecore so well as Walden. Over two years, two months, and two days, Henry David Thoreau moved to a cabin on a pond near Concord, Massachusetts. While he wrote a different novel during his time on the pond, Thoreau eventually used his detailed journals from this period to give us this memoir and masterclass in taking in the world around you.

This novel follows Charles Ryder as he reflects on his time at the estate of the Flytes, the eponymous Brideshead. Contrasting the lavish relaxation of the estate with the austerity of the Great War, Charles reflects on the 2 extremes of life in order to find his way forward in a brave new world. Deeply nostalgic, romantic, and reflective, Brideshead Revisited has greatly influenced the contemporary exploration of this period.

Princess Addie and Princess Meryl could not be more different. Addie, shy and quiet, has always known that the brash, brave Meryl would be the one to conquer the world. But when Meryl comes down with the Grey Death, Addie realizes she’s the only one who can save her beloved sister. Featuring run-ins with griffins, wizards, dragons, and fairies, this high fantasy romp teaches us that one need not be bold to be brave.

Now a visually arresting stop-motion animated film by Wes Anderson, Roald Dahl’s classic tale of a wily fox just trying to get by transcends generation. Three nasty farmers, Boggis, Bounce, and Bean, have grown tired of the fantastic Mr. Fox continually outsmarting them. When they hatch a plan to stop him, Mr. Fox knows he’ll have to recruit the other animals if he is to keep feeding his family.

This favorite of children all over the world follows shy Mole, sly Ratty, wise Badger and charismatic Toad on adventures through the Wild Wood. Whether they’re stealing a sports car or springing someone from jail, the hijinks of this unlikely crew follows the animals through all four seasons. Written in 1908, the story is just as appealing today as it was then, with a big dose of nature amidst the silliness.

Just off the coast of Virginia and Maryland, a marvelous thing occurs every spring: the wild equine residents of Assateague island swim over to neighboring Chincoteague at low tide with their tiny pony foals. Before the swim, two young children are determined to find Phantom, an elusive mare who has eluded the yearly swim. The ultimate tale for animal lovers, Misty of Chincoteague will keep young readers enthralled from cover-to-cover.

This classic tale of a young girl who doesn’t fit in is the literary gateway drug to being obsessed with Jane Eyre as an adult. Orphan Mary Lennox is quite sure her uncle’s estate, Messelthwaite Manor, has nothing to offer her. That is until she discovers an overgrown garden behind a rusty locked gate. As she tends the garden, she soon realizes it may be the key to tending the old wounds that haunt her family.

In the Redwall Abbey within the Mossflower wood, the mice have grown used to peace and abundance. Unfortunately, they learn that Cluny, an evil one-eyed rat, conspires to conquer their abbey and steal their good fortune! The only way to stop Cluny is to find the lost sword of the great warrior Martin. Whatever mouse wields the sword hold the answer to their destiny. More than talking animals, the series has a defining trait of cottagecore books: lots of scrumptious depictions of food.

A spinster brother and sister get more than they bargained for when orphan Anne Shirley arrives on their doorstep in Prince Edward Island. Red-headed, precocious, opinionated, and passionate, Anne leaves an unforgettable impression on everyone around her. Set in a beautiful, remote setting, with a fiery main character beloved the world over, Anne of Green Gables is a foundational book in the cottagecore canon.

When teenaged Sophie is cursed into appearing old, she knows her only hope is to appeal to the mysterious wizard Howl. A tempestuous cad, Sophie’s exasperation with Howl is matched only by how badly she needs his help. As they untangle curses and question demons together, however, Howl and Sophie learn much about each other and themselves. Jones’ tale of a chaotic wizard and his beautiful castle is worth reading even if you’ve seen the film.

When despair for the world grows in me / and I wake in the night at the least sound / in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, / I go and lie down where the wood drake / rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. / I come into the peace of wild things / who do not tax their lives with forethought / of grief. I come into the presence of still water. / And I feel above me the day-blind stars / waiting with their light. For a time / I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

With beautiful illustrations and a sprinkle of folklore, this adorable guide packs a big punch in a small package. While there are a few healing tips and tricks, the information is largely cultural. Drawn from the ancient Greek and Roman lore of the classical era through the intricate social niceties of the Victorian era, Binney’s small guide on plants is equal parts enchanting and informative.

Due to a lack of familial history, Burton Morgan developed a strong relationship to grimoires – a personal collection of the things that make us who we are. Living on a farm in upstate New York, she teaches her children to appreciate and notice the beauty of the world around them and within themselves. By the time you finish this memoir, you’ll be asking everyone you know what their favorite body of water is.

In this much-beloved memoir, James Herriot (a pen name) chronicles his life as a small town country vet in the Yorkshire dells in the 1920s. Herriot’s books are full of characters, both sapien and otherwise, that will charm you, confuse you, and make you love them. It’s hard to describe what makes these books so magical. I suspect it’s Herriot’s deep reverence and respect for animals that shines through this incredible book.

In the Edwardian Era, much popular art and literature shared characteristic dedication to nature and the natural world. Edith Holden held rank among a class of women illustrators like Beatrix Potter and, later, Tasha Tudor, whose work has a kind of romantic realism. Holden’s naturalist diary is perfect for browsing on a slow spring day.

Note: this book is currently out of print, but can be found for a reasonable cost secondhand.

When Peter Mayle moved to Lubéron, Provence with his wife and 2 dogs, he moved in pursuit of a slower pace of life. Little did he know, despite its pastoral shell, life in the Rhône valley proved far from slow or dull. Over the course of a year, they encountered an icy winter, builders operating on a mysterious schedule, goat races, and more. Steeped in the kind of head-shaking nostalgia only hindsight can show, this memoir will make you itch for the French countryside.

Though it shares a title with a delightful cozy fantasy novel, this book contains practical nuggets of witchy life. Not a spell book or grimoire, this book’s wisdom leans towards the Wiccan, with an emphasis on appreciating the world around you through the lens of home. Much as the Romans worshipped the goddess of the hearth daily, you can ritualize and romanticize your daily life with this gem of a guide.

This anthology, taken from decades of Oliver’s published works, follows the breadth of her poetic voice through the years and the subject matter. Dedicated to the witness of nature and the organic cycle of life, these poems will encourage you to slow down and look around you. They are also perfect for keeping on your nightstand and reading a few before bed.

Potowatami citizen and botanist Robin Wall-Kimmerer knows far more than the average bear about respect for nature. In this book, she explores the natural bounty of our environment, while making a gentle, yet impassioned, plea for respecting the earth. By waxing poetic about everything from strawberries to salamanders, the book teaches appreciation for the small things. Despite the non-narrative form, this book will sink its teeth into you, leaving you wanting more from Wall-Kimmerer and her beautiful writing.