It can be hard to keep up with all the “something-core” trends. In the past year or so alone, we’ve seen trends like mermaidcore, balletcore, and, of course, Barbiecore. While many of these trends feel limited to fashion, some, like “fairycore,” are just as fitting when it comes to shopping for books.
Fairycore is a bit of a moving target, but the best way to define it is the intersection of fairy fantasy and cottagecore. Think cozy fantasy with a focus on fae, tricksters, and similar magical beings and dealings. They tend to be softer and lighter reads than epic romantasy, making them a great choice for readers who love fairytale vibes but don’t love long series or darker twists. Try one of these fairycore books the next time you want to get lost in a cozy, enchanted world!
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
Fae lore meets Regency romance in this lighter take on fairy mythology. As a girl, Theodora was cursed by a faerie, leaving her with half a soul — and no sense of fear or embarrassment. Unfortunately, that makes her rather scandal-prone in polite society, leaving her on the outskirts of the Season. Then, she meets Elias, the Lord Sorcier, who has secrets of his own and finds her situation intriguing, not appalling.
The world Atwater creates—also on display in her other “Regency Faerie Tales” books—is cozier and more tender than your typical fae romantasy, but that doesn’t mean it’s without stakes. There’s faerie politicking, witty banter, life-altering conundrums, and even a surprising amount of social commentary, along with a swoon-worthy romance. It’s the perfect book to prove that “soft” can co-exist with “substance.”
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
If you’re a fan of the “light academia” genre, you’ll love Heather Fawcett’s warmly charming academic adventure. Emily is a renowned scholar of everything faerie, but she’s also a grumpy loner. When she arrives in the village of Hrafnsvik to continue her research, she plans to go on as she prefers: alone and focused. Her academic rival, Wendell, has other plans, as he shows up, wins over the town, and interferes with her work.
Fans of academia-themed books will love all the familiar tropes here: rivals to lovers, grumpy professors, and closely guarded research secrets. Anyone who’s ever felt brilliant on paper but tongue-tied and awkward in person will definitely relate to Emily. The faeries aren’t all warm and fuzzy; things definitely get dark at times, but the book as a whole is a quirky, leisurely read with a charming narrative style.
The Stariel series by A.J. Lancaster
Combine fae mythology with family drama and you’ve got Lancaster’s gaslamp fantasy Stariel series. The series kicks off with The Lord of Stariel—think a cozier, funnier Succession—and just keeps going from there. Other stories follow a forbidden romance (with a very opinionated magical estate), fae intrusions on the mortal realm, family squabbles, and plenty of relationship and political drama to get invested in.
While readers of fae romance are used to dynastic quarrels and clashes between species, they tend to be more epic and just heavier. The Stariel series fits more with the lightness and romance of the fairycore trend, full of banter, mystery, and just the right amount of mayhem. In addition to the mainline Stariel quartet, there’s also the standalone spinoff A Rake of His Own, featuring a fae prince on the run and the perpetually irritated botanist stuck helping him (who also happens to be his ex).
The Fae’s Bride by R.L. Medina
R.L. Medina’s cozy fairy romance pairs a Fae-blooded count with an overwhelmed village witch in an Italy-inspired fantasy setting. Massimo never expected to inherit, but now that he has, he’s got more than he bargained for. He also never expected to fall for Alessia, the town’s very busy witch who has neither time nor inclination to pay him any attention. Alessia has her family to care for, her home to repair, and her job to do—but the charming count might win her over after all.
If you like low-stakes fairycore romance, this is the book for you. It’s a cozy tale of family loyalties, unexpected romance, and cozy (and nosy) villages. Lighthearted and low on steam, it’s the kind of story that will definitely speak to anyone who has felt the weight of responsibilities on them. The Renaissance Italy inspiration for the setting is also a plus, and a welcome shift from the usual northern European-inspired settings.
Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall
You most likely know Hall from his witty contemporary (and, recently, historical) queer romances. Take the same tongue-in-cheek British humor and make the leads a young aristocrat and a supposed witch, and you’ve got this magic-tinged sapphic romance. Told by a puckish narrator, it’s the story of Maelys, a noblewoman who seems to be cursed, and Georgianna, a woman rumored to have used magic to kill her male relatives and inherit their fortune.
Scandal soon becomes the least of these ladies’ problems, as they run headlong into a world of fairies, sorcerers, witches, and even gods. It’s full of all the historical romance tropes you know and love, but with a quirky fantasy twist that raises the stakes without ever feeling too heavy. If you combined the gossip-mongering and steamy romance of Bridgerton with the Shakespearean fae chaos of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, you’d have this one-of-a-kind book.
A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft
While not a story about actual fairies, Saft’s tender and magical tale still has those cozy, romantic, sparkling fairycore vibes. The setting is a magical world that is heavily inspired by the tense history of relations between England and Ireland. Niamh is a gifted seamstress with enchantment in her veins, but the same magic that grants her these talents will, eventually, most likely kill her. Nevertheless, she agrees to create wedding clothes for the wedding of Kit, a neighboring prince.
Kit is less than thrilled at the prospect of any of this, but he and Niamh become friends, and perhaps something more—if an anonymous gossip writer wasn’t spreading rumors and potentially causing a diplomatic tiff. It’s a soft and lovely story of magic and romance, but one that also refuses to shy away from the political, economic, and social tangles of a society like this one (or like the real ones that inspired it). Fantasy readers know that fae are the trickiest and slipperiest of negotiators, and in that way, at least, this book hits those notes even without fairy characters.
The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller
Part family-driven historical fiction, part fairy tale, Miller’s story is set in a town that dwells just on the other side of the veil that separates the realm of the fae from the human world. Bargains and practices have faded into superstition and legend, but the Fairborn family still makes little bargains, only half-believing in their truth. When Alaine tries to help her sister Delphine escape a marriage to a man who’s not what they thought, the bargain she makes with the fae will take on a far more dangerous form than she intends.
While still a fairly cozy story, this is a fae tale with serious stakes. It’s an intriguing blend of fairy folk tales and musings on the history of industrialization, farming, and early 20th-century feminist movements. You get all the magic and intrigues of the classic fairy-fantasy “bargaining” element—and all the sneaky complexities that the fae attempt—but with a grounding in the real world that almost makes you think you should over your own shoulder the next time you’re out in the wilderness, just in case magic lurks there.
The Thorns Remain by J.J.A. Harwood
Classic fae lore blends with the bittersweet era of the post-WWI “Lost Generation” in Harwood’s historical fantasy. In 1919, after the twin ravages of World War I and the Spanish flu, Moira Jean and her friends celebrate with a night of laughter and dancing in the forest. When the fae arrive and whisk her friends away, the iron medal that belonged to her late fiancé saves her. Now, she alone can make a deal with the Lord of the Fae to save her friends before they’re lost to her forever.
Resistance to iron is a core part of fairy lore in many traditions, and it’s fascinating to see it used here. The book puts a slight twist on the expected parts of fairy legends and expected stories, and the backdrop of the post-war generation is particularly powerful. There’s something symbolic in how the “kidnapping” and fairy magic reflects the real hedonism and restlessness of the Lost Generation, a reminder that fantasy is often at its most powerful when it reminds us of reality.
A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
Ross’s atmospheric fantasy A River Enchanted isn’t about actual fairies, but it has the same kind of mystical vibes that strike the perfect balance between haunting and cozy. Ten years ago, Jack left his magic-filled island home to study music on the mainland, and he hasn’t been back. Now, girls are disappearing at the hands of the capricious spirits that rule the island, and Adaira, Jack’s childhood nemesis, calls him back in hopes that his music can change the spirits’ minds.
In some ways, it feels like a Highland-tinged fantasy with enemies-to-lovers romance by way of Hadestown. There’s an almost mythological element to it, with the idea of music being the one thing that can lure the spirits to release the humans. Although they’re explicitly not fairies, the island’s spirits definitely have some fae traits in their mischief, their brutal carelessness for human life, and their quirky weaknesses. Put together, it makes for an intriguing and magical world.
Wedded to the Wanton Witch by S.L. Prater
S.L. Prater’s entire Fae Tricksters series brings the fairycore vibes, but there’s something especially delightful about the third entry, which also can be read as a standalone. Jonas is a fae trickster, a Bargainer of incredible skill and charm, yet he still lacks a title of fae nobility. To remedy that, he seeks out Lady Frances, a witch who once sacrificed part of her soul to save a man who didn’t deserve her. Marriage of convenience, real feelings grow… you know the deal.
It’s a playful take on fae lore, weaving it with typical historical romance plots about inheritances, titles, and family scandals. There’s also plenty of the usual fae lore, like slippery bargains, fated mates, and faerie court politics, all mixed up with the romance at its core. Instead of being dark and epic, though, it’s softer and wittier, with plenty of banter and humor (and deeply entertaining side characters) for a read that’s hard to put down.