Books For a Rainy Day: 9 Cozy Fiction Books Set In Libraries
Jenny Many is an exuberant, lovable ten-year-old with a nose for intrigue and an eye for a mystery. She is bold, fearless and enthusiastic, as well as bags of fun to be around! Together with her best friends, Jenny unearths crimes, rights wrongs and makes a host of nail-biting new discoveries. Nothing gets past Miss Many – she’s curious, quick-thinking and as bright as a button. Sometimes she might make a few teeny mistakes on the way, but with a bit of luck and friends to help out, things always turn out brilliantly in the end.
While I love reading for enjoyment and escapism, one of my favorite reasons I turn to books is for comfort. Cozy books are a balm for tired souls. When I read a cozy novel, I feel like I’m getting cocooned in a safe space. The real world and its stressors fade away. In its place, I explore quaint towns, meet charismatic characters, and immerse in uplifting themes of friendship and love. The only way a cozy book can get any cozier is if you throw in a library as the setting. Cozy novels set in libraries are just my cup of tea. They’re books brimming with more books, after all. They’re like mint chocolate chip ice cream with extra chocolate chips on top. Gimme all the chocolate chips, and gimme all the books about books.
I think we could all use a few more cozy books about libraries in our lives. If you’re looking for some comforting reads this fall, check out these sweet books below. Do you have a favorite cozy library read?
Cozy Novels Set in Libraries
The Reading List: A Novel by Sara Nisha Adams
Heartwarming and hopeful, this new book by Sara Nisha Adams digs into the idea of books bringing people together. Hoping to connect with his reclusive granddaughter Priya, who reads in her room all day, widower Mukesh visits his local London library to find a good book to talk to her about. There, Mukesh meets Aleisha at the checkout desk, and she shares an intriguing reading list with him.
The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson
What’s more cozy than a group of unlikely new friends teaming up to save their village library? For all those sweet feels, check out this book by Freya Sampson. In a quiet English village (it’s getting cozier already), we meet introverted librarian June Jones. When June catches wind that her library may close, she bands together with an eccentric group of library patrons and her old friend, Alex Chen, to save the place that means so much to them all.
The Library by Bella Osborne
Keeping up with our cozy theme of saving local libraries, this new book by Bella Osborne makes for another touching read. Sixteen year old Tom and 72 year old pensioner, Maggie, find themselves forming a friendship over their shared love of the library. Together, these two will set out to show how much the library means to the community and why it’s worth preserving.
Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann
Up next, this YA novel by Claire Kann takes place in a cozy library setting and explores romance, coming of age, and queer identity. When Alice’s girlfriend breaks up with her after Alice shares she’s asexual, Alice decides she’s done with dating. And yet, as Alice gets to know her new library co-worker, Takumi, she may just find herself living her own summer romcom.
The Book Charmer (1) (Dove Pond Series) by Karen Hawkins
This inviting novel by Karen Hawkins includes a gifted librarian, quirky small town, new friendships, a dash of romance, and a sprinkle of magic. In the Southern town of Dove Pond, librarian Sarah Dove has a way with books and knows just how to pair them with the right readers. Everything changes, though, the day city girl, Grace Wheeler, arrives in Dove Pond. With the right book in hand from Sarah, Grace may just save the town.
The Library of Lost and Found: A Novel by Phaedra Patrick
This charming novel by Phaedra Patrick stars a librarian named Martha Storm who compiles lists in her superhero notebook about how to help people. When a mysterious book of fairy tales turns up at her door, Martha finds a clue tucked within it suggesting her beloved grandmother Zelda may still be alive.
Magus of the Library 1 by Mitsu Izumi, translated by Stephen Kohler
When it comes to cozy books set in libraries, magical libraries are some of my favorites. This delightful fantasy and coming-of-age manga is written by Mitsu Izumi and translated by Stephen Kohler. While he’s not allowed to visit his village library due to his pointed ears and social status, Theo dreams of visiting Aftzaak, the City of Books. New adventures await Theo after he meets an Aftzaak librarian.
Bait and Witch (Witch Way Librarian Mysteries) by Angela M. Sanders
Speaking of magical libraries, this cozy paranormal mystery makes for another enchanting read. After stumbling upon corruption in the Library of Congress, librarian Josie Way is sent to work undercover in a library in Oregon until her court date arrives. While the library is housed in a quaint Victorian mansion, the building has been scheduled for bulldozing. Add to that Josie discovering a dead body, hidden magical abilities, and a cat familiar sidekick, and you’ve got one cozy and magical adventure!
Whisper of the Heart (Japanese Edition) by Aoi Hiiragi and Miyazaki Hayao
Before Whisper of the Heart became an adorable Studio Ghibli film, it first came out as a manga by Aoi Hiiragi and Miyazaki Hayao. This is one of my favorite Studio Ghibli films, and it didn’t feel right to create a cozy library book list without including this one. Shizuku Tsukishima loves checking out as many books as she can from the library (same here, Shizuku!). The more books she checks out though, the more she begins to notice the same boy’s name appearing on the checkout cards: Seiji Amasawa. As a quick side note, this manga is written in Japanese and makes for a sweet addition to any Studio Ghibli fan or library bookworm’s collection.
Before You Go…
I hope these cozy books set in libraries bring you as much comfort and joy as they do for me. If you’d like to snuggle up with more feel-good reads, explore these library-themed books below!
