Escapist novels, bit magic-ky or comforting but not cheesy?

[WhyPie]

I long to really get lost in something but haven't been able to for years, I like:

1. Magic books but not too out of this world (eg I liked Leigh Bardugo, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, for example)

1. Comforting reads that don't feature war or death (at least directly.) I enjoyed I Capture the Castle, lots of Thomas Hardy)

I have so much hope for your help!

Kate Atkinson 's Life after Life

Would really encourage you to revisit chocolat, the book has a completely different energy to the film. It's all about how the main character infuses real everyday magic into her chocolate, and the wonderful fierce bond between her and her daughter, who is on the cusp of leaving the magic of childhood. It's also about dogmatism, and what belonging in a community really means.

Piranesi is my favourite book. Completely original, a different world entirely.

The vine witch is a bit trashy but magic and comforting.

The late great Terry Pratchett, you might like to start with the witches series for escapist comfort, I'd say Wyrd Sisters or Equal Rights. Also Mort from the death series is weirdly comforting. It's a mistake to read Pratchett in chronological order, the discworld series have strands with their own vibe. I think the witches books are comforting, magical and centre personal household concerns. The Vimes books are more detectivy and social commentary, the Rincewind books are a satire of traditional high fantasy, the innovation books (e.g. Going postal) are about adapting to new technology, the Death Books are just wonderful and unique - magical, about what it means to be human.

I forgot to recommend Eva Ibbotson - The Morning Gift, Magic Flutes, The Secret Countess, A Song for Summer, A Company of Swans.

Oh daughter of smoke and bone is also original and the right side of magical, although perhaps too romancy and young - I read it as a young adult and loved it.

Life After Life and God In Ruins made me cry my eyes out. I managed to start God In Ruins, having already read Life After Life, without realising the connection. I spent half the book vaguely thinking it seemed familiar, and then it clicked and I remembered how it ended, and I was absolutely devastated.

Comforting magicky and well written I recommend:
Frances Hardinge
Alix E Harrow - 10,000 doors of January
Diane Setterfield - once upon a river

seconding Robin Hobb and Becky Chambers and Isabel Allende

Seconded!

Try Wyrd Sisters, OP. It's so funny and inventive, with three great central characters.

Also came on to say The Night Circus- loved it

Another vote for Natasha Pulley's The Watchmaker of Filigree Street.

Dallergut Dream Department Store is lovely. Translated from Korean.

I love Alice Hoffman, she wrote Practical Magic. My favorites are The Museum of Extraordinary Things, The Marriage of Opposites and The Dove Keepers.

Lots of great suggestions on this thread.
I'd also add The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E.Schwab to the list.

Completely agree. Books that stayed with me and totally brilliant.

Oh Life After Life had me weeping too. Have never read Pratchett. I've spent so much on books! How will I decide which one to start with 😂

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Put the title of each book (or the first book, if it's a series) on a slip of paper and put all the slips in a pot. After that you can either make your year's plan by picking them, or pick another out whenever you want a new one.

It might cost money but it sounds like you're a reader/potential reader, so you would've spent some money on books anyway. Maybe you spend money on some more unwholesome habits you could cut down on and replace with books.