These days, just being awake in this world is enough to raise your blood pressure, when everywhere we turn, it’s doom, doom, doom. To help you relax, you should try a mundane fantasy novel! Mundane fantasy is a subgenre of books that are low-stakes, slice-of-life reads. Unsurprisingly, they have become more popular in recent years, as people need an escape.
Some of the more famous mundane fantasies include Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, and The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst. There are also a ton of amazing mundane comic series, like Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama, The Tea Dragon Society by K. O’Neill, and Cat Massage Therapy Vol. 1 by Haru Hisakawa.
Here are five more books that give off calming slice-of-life vibes, which are best enjoyed with a hot beverage and your blanky.
Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer
Jin Rou was a martial arts master…but then he died, and the protagonist of the novel somehow ended up in his body. And The Hero of the story has no interest in fighting. He’d much rather be a farmer, so he buys land, gets animals, and does just that. But some of Jin’s training still comes through, so his animals end up learning martial arts as well.
The House Witch by Delemhach
Finlay Ashowan is a witch who uses his powers for good, specifically working in the kitchen of the palace of Daxaria. (Make bread, not war!) He does have to dabble in political intrigue and skirmishes now and then, but mostly it’s food, friends, a little romance, some light magic, and adventures with his kitten familiar.
Swords and Spaceships
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Temple Alley Summer by Sachiko Kashiwaba
This is a delightful slice-of-life fantasy for readers of all ages! When a ghost-like girl appears one day in Kazu’s house and then again at school the next day, like she’s always been there, Kazu is determined to find out what is going on. It turns out the girl, Akari, has ties to the local temple, and her appearance might just be the beginning of otherworldly beings popping up in his hometown.
The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong
I enjoyed Julie Leong’s first mundane low-stakes novel, The Teller of Small Fortunes, but I think this one is an even more charming fit for the mundane fantasy genre. It’s about a novice mage who must work with a high-achieving mage from her guild to deliver magical artifacts to the most boring village in the land.
The Crèche Keeper’s Guild by Ware Wilkins and Faith Anthony
This is a delightful and silly novel that I recommend to everyone who wants something harmless and fun to read. Anah and Hailee are adventurers looking to find the backstabbing third member of their raiding party, who has made off with the loot. But their search leads them to a temple, where they are mistaken for the new teachers, and they wind up taking on their most difficult challenge yet: small children.
Okay, star bits, now take the knowledge you have learned here today and use it for good, not evil. If you want to know more about books, I talk about books pretty much nonstop (when I’m not reading them), and you can hear me say lots of adjectives about them on the Book Riot podcast All the Books! and on Instagram and Bluesky.
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