2 Fantasy Books to Add a Little Magic to Your Fall Reading

by MK French

Have you been binge-reading fantasy novels this month? Whether you are still looking for a great Halloween read or just a fan of fantasy, you don't want to miss these two books.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong

October 2025; Hodderscape; 978-1399729093
audio, ebook, print (368 pages); cozy fantasy

Certainty Bulrush doesn't have much magic, but she desperately wants to be useful. She'll do anything to earn her magehood, even work with Mage Aurelia, the abrasive and attractive overachiever within the Guild of Mages. They must transport magical artifacts to Shpelling, the least magical village around. The villagers don't like the Guild, but the artifacts must be separated without creating a magical incident. Certainty and Aurelia get to know Shpelling’s residents as they work with the items, and realize the Guild’s hoarded magic might do more good being shared. As Certainty and Aurelia work to make Shpelling a better village, their growing attraction might be trouble.

Certainty's magic allows her to talk to magical and mundane items and convince them to alter a trait; we meet her convincing a quilt to shake off an ink stain. (I for one would love that ability!) She's been a novice for six years and failed the exam twice; she knows the theory and studied hard, but her primary ability remains talking to objects. Aurelia is supposed to be able to communicate with people far away, and has been from a highborn family trained to be the best, so she doesn't know how to deal with common villagers. Certainty finds objects that have potential use for the villagers, and the two help by "experimenting" to confirm the use of the objects. The devastated village gets a little better, Certainty feels a little more confident, and Aurelia loosens up a little.

This is a lovely, cozy fantasy romance. Aurelia and Certainty both have to learn that she can be cared for and valued without having to be useful. The village and the pair get to learn more about working together, what makes them happy, and that sometimes the small magics can make life easier. I loved the bits of small magic that the items had and were able to create. Whether we recognize it as something from our world or repurposed items for a helpful purpose, it was a fun read. This book gives those wonderfully warm, fuzzy feelings of all great cozy novels. 

Buy The Keeper of Magical Things at Amazon

The Essential Patricia A. McKillip by Patricia A. McKillip

October 2025; Tachyon Publications; 978-1616964481
ebook, print (320 pages); fantasy anthology

Patricia A. McKillip was the renowned and award-winning author of twenty-seven fantasy novels. She received the inaugural World Fantasy Award for The Forgotten Beasts of Eld and later received the World Fantasy lifetime achievement award. She was also a three-time Mythopoeic Award winner.

If, like me, you somehow never read her work, this collection is a great starting point. It's a collection of her short stories and has an introduction by Ellen Kushner, who had known her personally. Terri Windling is also mentioned in the introduction, if you recognize that name. They were all huge in fantasy for the time period, with amazing heroines, magic, and stories that lingered long after you finished them.

We open with "Lady of the Skulls." Knights are drawn to a tower full of treasures in the middle of a desert, and die if they choose to leave with the wrong treasure. It's a riddle posed that many failed to answer, but the thoughts a genre-savvy reader would have aren't clearly answered either. It rather sets the tone for the collection. Many stories raise philosophical questions and make you think about morality, especially when there's an ambiguous ending. 

"Out Of The Woods" feels like a glimpse into Arthurian legend from the perspective of an ordinary outsider, and in "Witches of Junket," the heroes are old women who have to beat back an old darkness together, using everyday skills and ancient knowledge. There's fairy magic like in "Byndley" or ordinary magic like in "Jack O'Lantern," and a reverse seal wife situation in "Undine." The stories all carry that thread of magic, and each little world is one to treasure as you read it.

Buy The Essential Patricia A. McKillip at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. Get even more book news in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter today! Or Follow Girl Who Reads with Bloglovin. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.