Falling into a reading slump isn’t nearly as fun as falling down a rabbit hole—and can feel twice as hard to get back out of. More often than not, however, it’s just a matter of rekindling the magic. I can think of at least a few fantasy books that can help you get back into reading.

(PS: I will do my best not to recommend either Tolkien or Gaiman for once—but only because I know you’ve probably heard those names a dozen times by now, whether you read my blog regularly or not.)

Finding the Right Fantasy Books to Get You Back Into Reading

The key to getting back into reading is realizing that the slump isn’t the problem. It’s a symptom. Once you recognize the real problem, finding the right book becomes much easier.

See, it’s not just about finding any old fantasy book to bring your love of the written word back from the dead. It’s about finding the right fantasy book to get you back into reading. The book is the answer; but first, what’s your question?

Fantasy Book Recommendations for Getting Back Into Reading

While I don’t know precisely why you fell into a reading slump, I can make a few guesses. Hopefully, one of these guesses will apply—and one of the following fantasy books I recommend will get you back into reading once and for all.

If you got bored of reading the same old tropes…

Try The Magicians by Lev Grossman.

The name of the game in this trilogy is subversion. Tired of the “chosen one” and “happily ever after”? Grossman’s got your back. The Magicians is for anyone who grew up reading classic fantasy—and is maybe a little bitter they never stumbled through a wardrobe into Narnia.

If you got too tired or busy to read big, fat epic fantasy novels…

Try Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

This one is a nice and easy—and fun—read involving Mexican mythology and a plucky young female protagonist. It’s also a relatively brief one; the paperback copy I own is just barely over 300 pages. Bonus: as far as I know, it’s not part of an ongoing series. 

If you got too depressed to read sad fantasy books…

Try Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones.

Fantasy is often sad, even when the story’s ending is a triumphant one. Beloved characters sacrifice themselves to save others; lovers are parted; dragons are slain without cause. Sometimes, the monsters win, though usually not for long. If you need a lighthearted fantasy book to lift your spirits and dry your tears, Howl’s Moving Castle is perfect—whether you’ve seen the Ghibli adaptation or not.

This is a safe, happy space, sprinkled with just enough sarcasm and wit to force even the stoniest face to crack a smile. It’s part of a series, so there’s more to read if you like it—but it also works as a standalone novel if you’re not up for long-term commitment just yet.

If you got leery of too much violence in your fantasy books…

Try Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman.

A lot of fantasy, especially epic fantasy, involves war or fighting of some kind. But for some of us, the parallels here are all too real—and way too heavy for those times when you crave a gentler literary escape. Practical Magic is a cozy fantasy book entirely without war and very little in the way of physical altercations; mostly, it’s about love and witchcraft.

Like the previous entry on this list, it’s part of a series but can easily stand on its own.

If you’re too busy looking after kids to read on your own…

Try The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

I’ll let you in on a little secret if you don’t already know it: children’s books aren’t just for kids. At least, they shouldn’t be. The good ones read well no matter the age of the reader. Such is the case with The Wind in the Willows.

Read it to little ones, or read it with slightly older kids not quite ready to read on their own. Or, just read it for yourself, whenever you do finally have free time again. Don’t be fooled by the talking animals; it’s still going to tug at your heartstrings no matter how long ago you think you grew up.

If you got turned off by stories that got too steamy…

Try The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle.

While there is sort of a love story here, it’s not the focus—and it’s unquestionably PG. Maybe even G. Another kid-friendly classic, this is as clean a fantasy as it gets—and yet, it’s written with adults in mind. Beagle’s prose is nothing short of poetic (but not overly flowery), and you’ve got all the fantasy genre staples—unicorns, dragons, and wizards, oh my!—with none of the clichés.

If you got turned off by stories that didn’t get steamy enough…

Try The Smoke Thief by Shana Abé.

The obvious recommendation here would, of course, be A Court of Thorns and Roses. But seeing as I haven’t read those books yet (I know, I know), I’m going with this book instead.

If you’re into dragon-human shapeshifters—really into them—you can’t go wrong with this one. Fair warning, though: it’s part of a series, and while I’ve read some of the books (and enjoyed them), I haven’t read them all. So no, I don’t know if they’re all good. But the first one was, without a doubt, a tantalizing read.

If you got worn out by all the fancy names and archaic language…

Try The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.

Despite all the mythology and all the fairy tales that creep their way into this long (and ongoing) series, Dresden Files is an urban fantasy that keeps everything grounded by virtue of its protagonist. Harry Dresden is many things, but a poet is not one of them—his down-to-earth, modern perspective ensures the language stays straightforward and the plot remains fairly easy to follow, even from one book to the next.

He’s also fond of pop culture references; the fact that they fly right over the heads of most of his fae colleagues and foes just makes them that much funnier.

If you got burned out by too many sequels…

Try Savage Her Reply by Deirdre Sullivan.

It’s so hard to find a good standalone fantasy novel these days. While it would be much easier to go back in time and drop another classic in here, I’m going to recommend another recent fantasy novel I adore without reservation—Savage Her Reply. It’s lyrical, light on plot but rich with beautiful prose and intriguing character development, and it’s short—just 256 pages long, by my count.

Of course, there may be other reasons you fell into a slump, reasons that have nothing to do with the fantasy genre. Maybe you’re on a tight budget. If buying new books all the time isn’t an option, try secondhand books or libraries, or start up a swap club with your bookish friends. If your reasons are physical—eye strain, motion sickness (from trying to read while commuting), or neck strain, for example—try audiobooks. (You can listen to many for free using library apps like Libby, or you can buy them through services like Audible or Spotify.)

Fantasy Books Are the Perfect Cure for a Reading Slump

I don’t think there’s a genre better than fantasy for getting you back into reading. Admittedly, I’m biased—but is there anything more magical than that first, wondrous step into a world that is Other after spending far too many weeks (or months, or years) anchored to this one?

It’s not unlike stepping through a looking glass or tumbling through a wardrobe—and, generally, a lot safer.

Kim Berkley is a fantasy author and video game writer whose head and shelves are both full of fairy tales. If you need more new fantasy stories to read, why not check out a few of her interactive fantasy novels?