Guest Post by Jennifer Moorman

As the air turns crisp and you stroll through pumpkin patches, it’s time to trade in your sun-soaked summer reads for something a little more magical. Fall is the perfect season to cozy up with a warm drink, a soft blanket, and a book that blends everyday life with a touch of enchantment. Jennifer Moorman, author of The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds, has rounded up ten heartwarming tales where magic sparkles through the ordinary—perfect for autumn reading bliss!

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

In this heartwarming fantasy, Linus Baker is a rule-following case worker who is sent to evaluate six magical children who may be destined to end the world. At the orphanage, Linus meets Arthur Parnassus, the devoted and mysterious caretaker who will stop at nothing to protect his charges. This beautifully crafted story explores the magic of found family and the transformative power of love.

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Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

This earthy, enchanting novel from Mexican author Laura Esquivel explores the magical realism of food and emotions, where the meals prepared by protagonist Tita have the power to influence the emotions of those who eat them. This story is a winning blend of poignant romance and bittersweet wit.

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Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

In this Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy, a young woman, Jessamyn Teoh, is haunted by the spirit of her dead grandmother, a former spirit medium. Thrust into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess must navigate her grandmother’s quest for revenge while grappling with her own identity and destiny.

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The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

An urban fantasy rooted in the vibrant streets of New York, a young grad student steps off a Manhattan train with no memory of who he is, but with an extraordinary connection to the city’s heartbeat and power. This novel brings the city itself to life as an embodiment of human will, blending mythology and social commentary with everyday struggles.

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The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova

The Montoya family has always lived with mystery, never questioning the magic surrounding them, from a pantry that never empties to their matriarch Orquídea’s refusal to leave home. When the family is called back to their ancestral home, they must uncover the mysteries of their matriarch while a dark force threatens to unravel their family, pushing them to journey to Ecuador to uncover Orquídea’s long-buried secrets and save their legacy.

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The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for how they’d survived. Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, the former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories, and return to the enchanted world they called home for six months—for only then can they get back everything and everyone they’ve lost.

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The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds by Jennifer Moorman

In this magical realism novel, Josephine, a widowed woman at thirty-five, finds herself longing to escape her pain. Encouraged by her sister, she buys their ancestral home, where a chance encounter with a salvaged door sends her back to 1927, where she meets her spirited great-grandmother, Alma, who runs a speakeasy. As their bond deepens, Josephine must confront the consequences of her journey, racing against time to rewrite history and save not only Alma’s life but her own as well, in this enchanting tale of love, loss, and the ties that bind generations.

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Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yamba

In a hidden Tokyo pawnshop where lost souls pawn their regrets, Hana Ishikawa wakes to find her father missing and the shop ransacked. With the help of a mysterious stranger, she embarks on a magical journey through mystical worlds—rain puddles, paper cranes, and night markets among the clouds—to retrieve the shop’s stolen treasure. Along the way, Hana must confront her own secrets and make a choice that could change everything.

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Sunlight Playing over a Mountain by Selina Li B

In this enchanting debut, Jasmine Cheng’s world is held together by the stories her mother spins, where they become mythological figures. As Jasmine struggles to manage her mother’s chaotic episodes, the sudden reappearance of an old flame sends their lives into turmoil, pushing Jasmine to uncover long-hidden truths. This coming-of-age tale beautifully blends mythology and reality, as Jasmine’s journey to the West Coast brings her face-to-face with the secrets of her past and the challenges of growing up.

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Afia in the Land of Wonders by Mia Arauj

In a stunning literary debut, this gorgeous reimagining of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, spins a new story that is accompanied by arresting, ethereal illustrations about twin sisters and how one must venture outside the safety of their home, into the wilderness, in order to find herself and true happiness. Filled with magical sights, a charismatic Queen and her intriguing court, Afia must find the courage to survive while standing on her own—or risking losing herself completely to the wonders of Ijabu.

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