Fantasy Fangirls: Introducing Fantasy FanReads – Cozy Corner with Lexi

Date: March 24, 2026
Hosts: Jess (Fantasy FanReads), Lexi (Fantasy Fangirls)
Theme: The Joy and Magic of Cozy Fantasy

Episode Overview

In this inaugural episode of Fantasy FanReads: Cozy Corner, Jess is joined by Lexi from Fantasy Fangirls for a warm, laughter-filled, and insightful deep dive into the appeal of cozy fantasy books. The episode explores what defines cozy fantasy, why the genre resonates so profoundly with today’s readers, and serves up a stack of thoughtful book recommendations. Filled with personal stories, friendly banter, and memorable analogies, this episode invites listeners into the comforting world of cozy reads, found family, and magical sidekicks—along with one chaotic debate about hot dogs and sandwiches.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meet the Hosts & Their Current Reads

• [03:48] Jess' Cozy Corner Questions: Jess kicks things off by asking Lexi what she’s currently reading.
  • Lexi:
    • Finishing “Kingdom of Ash” (Throne of Glass finale).
    • Loving “Baby Dragon Cafe” as a soothing counterpart.
    • Also excited for “When the Moon Hatched” and “The Book of Asriel.”
  • Memorable Quote:
    • “Back to the cozy part is the Baby Dragon Cafe.” – Lexi [04:00]
• Jess:
  • Reading “The Way of Kings” (Brandon Sanderson).
  • “I am fascifused—fascinated and confused at the same time…I don’t think Brandon Sanderson bought a vowel in that book. It’s just all consonants.” – Jess [04:45]

2. Cozy Beverages & Reading Joy

• [05:17] The Comfort of Rituals:
  • Lexi prefers coffee (black!) and sparkling water; Jess is a self-described candy-bar-coffee drinker, currently sipping hot chocolate.
• [06:38] The Joy of Reading:
  • Lexi:
    • Escaping into creative, magical worlds.
    • Loving relatable characters and coming-of-age journeys.
    • Cherishing the sense of community built around shared stories.
      • “It’s these stories that connect us…this shared journey…so much fun to experience this with such a wonderful community.” – Lexi [07:08]

3. Why Cozy Fantasy?

• [09:39] Lexi’s Cozy Awakening:
  • The subgenre became meaningful after “The Spell Shop” by Sarah Beth Durst.
    • “I didn’t even realize I needed that book until I read it…It was so calming, still kept my interest…this is what my heart needed.” – Lexi [10:01]
  • Cozy fantasy helps regulate emotions, providing calm after high-stakes reads.

4. Defining Features of Cozy Fantasy

• [11:37] Character Focus & Inner Conflict:
  • Cozy fantasy allows exploration of character growth through low-stakes yet meaningful situations.
    • “It’s more inner conflict versus exterior conflict, right?” – Lexi [11:53]
  • Memorable sidekicks, often quirky or magical (ex: skeleton chickens, spider plants).
• [14:32] Relatability & Everyday Magic:
  • Challenges aren’t always world-ending; they resonate because they’re personal and relatable.
    • “It’s the challenges of everyday people. It’s not the person saving the world…but somebody who could be your neighbor.” – Lexi [14:32]
  • Books can serve as “palate cleansers” and “warm hugs.”

5. Favorite Cozy Fantasy Tropes

• [16:18] Sidekicks!
  • Lexi would want a messenger bird (“Hedwig vibes”), with real magic and a touch of usefulness.
  • Jess would take a grouchy garden gnome (accidentally unearthed—ride or die variety).
  • Both hosts love that sidekicks in cozy fantasy are often grumpy yet loyal.
• [18:58] Expanding Companions:
  • From animals to skeleton chickens and magical plants—imagination is limitless.

6. The Rise of Cozy Fantasy & Its Popularity

• [19:33] Social Relevance & Escapism:
  • Life’s everyday stresses and global anxiety prompt readers to seek out gentle stories.
    • “I think that our generation in particular as millennials, like, we are tired…And the world is scary right now…these books are a nice little anchor.” – Lexi [20:05]
  • Parallel to the popularity of cozy gaming (e.g., Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley).
• [21:28] Restorative Power & Hope:
  • Cozy fantasy reminds readers of humanity and daily kindness:
    • “[These books] remind me that there are helpers and there are good people and that you can have faith that things will work out.” – Jess [21:28]
    • Found family and small acts of kindness are core.

7. Villainy & Stakes in Cozy Fantasy

• [23:14] The “Big Bad” is Internal:
  • Instead of epic villains, cozy fantasy characters often battle self-doubt, self-acceptance, or societal limitations.
    • “It can be…limitations set by oneself as well as from others…being put into a box…” – Lexi [24:11]
  • Found family is often the antidote to these struggles.

8. Personalizing the Cozy Genre

• [27:17] Dream Hobbies:
  • Lexi opts for magical potion-making (despite lacking science skills in real life).
  • Jess chooses magical art: “I want my cozy hobby to be drawing or painting that somehow makes magic.” [28:11]

9. Life Lessons from Cozy Fantasy

• [31:13] Core Messages:
  • Self-acceptance, breaking through personal limitations, connecting with others.
    • “At the heart of everything. It really is all about acceptance and embracing quirkiness and understanding our own truths…and not letting the others around us dictate that.” – Lexi [32:49]
    • “It can be simultaneously true that what’s happening to you feels big to you.” – Jess [33:49]
  • Found family and community, small but meaningful victories.

10. Favorite Cozy Fantasy Recommendations

• [39:25] Must-Reads:
  • The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna – Lexi [39:25]
  • The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune – Lexi [39:25]
  • The Spell Shop by Sarah Beth Durst – Jess [39:44]
    • “There's no words to quantify what that book does to your entire self.” – Jess [39:44]
  • Others mentioned: Legends & Lattes (Travis Baldree), A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic (Jay Penner), Enchanted Greenhouse, Magical Innkeeping (Sangu Mandanna), and Tress of the Emerald Sea (Brandon Sanderson).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the shift from high stakes to cozy reads:

  • “Instead of sucking in a breath as you open the page, it’s like…let’s prepare myself, what’s next? Instead, it’s…Okay, what’s next? It’s very different.” – Lexi [11:17]

• On why cozy fantasy matters today:

  • “Life is hard…we are so tired…The world is scary right now…these books are a nice little anchor to refuel, to calm myself down.” – Lexi [20:05]

• On community in reading:

  • “Reading has always been such an independent thing…yet it's these stories that connect us…collective joy is really meaningful.” – Lexi [07:08]

• On internal struggles as the ‘big bad’:

  • “Limitations set by oneself as well as from others…being put into a box and realizing that’s not where they belong.” – Lexi [24:11]

Fun & Chaotic Banter

• [44:15] The Hot Dog Debate (Sandwich or Not?)
  • Jess: “Is a hot dog a sandwich? Help us settle the debate.”
  • Lexi (adamant): “No. It’s just not.” [44:15–45:59]
  • Jess, tongue-in-cheek: “A sandwich is simply carb, carb, not carb… so yes, bread, bread, meat…”
  • Lexi attempts to analogize with fantasy creature taxonomy:
    • “Let’s consider this like the dragon category here, where a wyvern is a dragon, but a dragon is not automatically a wyvern…hot dogs and sandwiches are very different.” [45:49]
  • Playful acceptance:
    • “For the sake of staying cozy, I’ll let you live in that reality.” – Jess [46:57]
  • “This is a chaos question.” – Lexi [47:01]

Timestamps by Segment

• 01:26 – Introduction to Fantasy FanReads & welcome of Lexi
• 03:48 – Cozy Ice-Breakers: What are you reading?
• 06:38 – What brings you joy about reading and cozy fantasy?
• 09:39 – Lexi’s cozy fantasy origins
• 12:08 – Favorite authors and whimsical creatures in cozy fantasy
• 14:32 – Comparing cozy vs. epic fantasy reading experiences
• 16:18 – Iconic sidekicks and the magic ingredient of cozy fantasy
• 19:33 – Why cozy fantasy is trending & millennial escapism
• 21:28 – The restorative power of cozy stories
• 23:14 – Internal vs. external conflicts as “villains”
• 27:17 – Your cozy fantasy hobby: potion making or magical art?
• 31:13 – Lessons learned from cozy fantasy: acceptance, community, and small victories
• 39:25 – Book recommendations for newcomers
• 44:15 – The great hot dog/sandwich debate (chaos segment)

Recommended Cozy Fantasy Books

• The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches – Sangu Mandanna
• The House in the Cerulean Sea – TJ Klune
• The Spell Shop – Sarah Beth Durst
• Legends & Lattes – Travis Baldree
• A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic – Jay Penner
• Enchanted Greenhouse series – Sarah Beth Durst
• Magical Innkeeping – Sangu Mandanna
• Tress of the Emerald Sea – Brandon Sanderson (adjacent but stand-alone)

Closing Thoughts

• Cozy fantasy offers gentle, uplifting, imaginative stories—a perfect escape from a stressful, overwhelming world.
• The genre’s heart lies in acceptance of oneself, connection with others, and celebrating the “small” problems that shape our lives.
• “At the end of the day, the definition of a cozy fantasy, whatever else is in the ingredients, is it feels like a warm hug for the reader.” – Lexi [40:39]

For more recommendations, banter, and cozy corner chats, join the Fantasy Fangirls community and check out other network podcasts!