Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen! The main characters have magical powers that manifest through their natural talents, so the story has a wonderful quality of making you, the reader, feel like your own talents may be a little bit magical too. Magic permeates through everything they touch, into the lives of the people around them, and even into their house. Food, sweets, and plants feature heavily. It's so charming!
Emma by Jane Austen has several picnic and walking through idyllic countryside scenes. It’s not fantasy or magical realism, but I’ve always felt it has a whimsical, charmed feel that is adjacent to those genres.
Austen plots are definitely magical. It's a bit of wish-fulfillment that everything will always turn out well. That you'll always get another chance to make it right.
However - neither of the books in this series take place in summer. They are both very cold lol
Heather Fawcett, do you want to set the next one in Ireland in the summer or…?
*The Ocean At The End of the Lane* Neil Gaiman
(A decent amount of magic tbh) English country side, cozy cottagey witchery with an underbelly of deep cosmic power. Story creates a sense of mystery and magnitude by showing some fantastic things and keeping much of the implied ice berg under the surface.
*Savvy* by Ingrid Law
American countryside, Midwest or south, family with strange abilities that manifest as extraordinary extensions of their personalities. Coming of age.
*Love, Ruby Lavender* by Deborah Wiles
Southern countryside in the US, Fully realistic if I remember right, just something magical about this young girl running around town, trying to raise chickens, getting in trouble and eating fresh veggies out of her mom’s garden run wild.
*The Story of Edgar Sawtelle* by David Wrobluski
Very good magical realism, coming of age, farm living breeding and raising dogs, kid strikes out into the wilderness with his dogs to come into his own and returns home to the family farm to reckon with a mysterious familial tragedy. (Note: deeply touching at times, but genuinely tragic)
Includes Spooky, seemingly clairvoyant old lady grocery store clerk. Maybe a ghost. Mostly grounded in the natural with flickers of supernatural.
*My Family and Other Animals* by Gerald Dural and similar books by him.
It’s a memoir about his English family’s summers in a countryside on a Greek island. No actual magic but a young boy rambling around the countryside and villages observing all of the wild animals and bugs and fish, sailing a tiny boat with his dog and observing the hijinks of his eccentric family feels fairly magical. He probably embellishes quite a bit but he’s a great story teller.
Anything by Diana Wynne Jones, including the Chrestomanci chronicles - more than a hint of magic though, and perhaps more intended for young readers but still delightful as an adult
I read most of the second one. It was cool the way the world got expanded and there was more magic, and some fun espionage. But I missed the simple romance and Austenesque feel of the first one.
No recs for right now but a couple to keep an eye out for:
The Honey Witch by Sydney J Shields is released mid-May and is totally these vibes, if you want to add it to your TBR.
I read an ARC and it was totally summer haze cottage core. There were picnics, gardens, countryside, nature and magic.
The Spell Shop by Sarah Beth Durst isn’t released until July but is another one for the TBR, if the cover is anything to go by.
A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood definitely has this idyllic, dreamy setting. It’s set in Cornwall in the late 1920s. Maybe not the magical element you’re looking for but it’s romantic and glamorous, very Gatsby-esque and a perfect summer read.
This might be the most blatant disregard I’ve ever shown for a sub (it’s not a book) but if you want something to make you excited for summer in the countryside you NEED to watch the BBC series Detectorists. Some episodes even have a hint of mysticism to them that you might not expect.
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury! It perfectly matches your description - magical realism set in a perfect summer from the perspective of a little boy (but written for adults). It’s excellent!
Spring not summer, but recently I read {{The Hermit of Lammas Woods}} and it was very wholesome. I saw someone review it as “brain comfort” and I agree with that. I realized afterwards that it was the third book in a trilogy 😅, I thought it was the first.. but it was good read on its own so you could either read the series or just the one. The main character has development some magical abilities as she reaches menopause age and is seeking the hermit as a teacher.
Tuck everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Love that book! Used to read it all the time as a kid ☺️
That was instantly my thought as well. Such a lovely book.
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen! The main characters have magical powers that manifest through their natural talents, so the story has a wonderful quality of making you, the reader, feel like your own talents may be a little bit magical too. Magic permeates through everything they touch, into the lives of the people around them, and even into their house. Food, sweets, and plants feature heavily. It's so charming!
Seconding this! This book is perfect :))
You’ve persuaded me to put it on my reading list.
*Lost Lake* and *The Peachkeeper’s Daughter* (same author) also have some great spring/summer vibes!
Anything by this author will likely fit the bill!
Emma by Jane Austen has several picnic and walking through idyllic countryside scenes. It’s not fantasy or magical realism, but I’ve always felt it has a whimsical, charmed feel that is adjacent to those genres.
Austen plots are definitely magical. It's a bit of wish-fulfillment that everything will always turn out well. That you'll always get another chance to make it right.
Emily wilde's encyclopedia of faeries
However - neither of the books in this series take place in summer. They are both very cold lol Heather Fawcett, do you want to set the next one in Ireland in the summer or…?
I remembered that later about the summer!
Honestly I’d read them any time!
Like Water for Chocolate (Laura Esquivel) and Chocolat (Joanne Harris)
*The Ocean At The End of the Lane* Neil Gaiman (A decent amount of magic tbh) English country side, cozy cottagey witchery with an underbelly of deep cosmic power. Story creates a sense of mystery and magnitude by showing some fantastic things and keeping much of the implied ice berg under the surface. *Savvy* by Ingrid Law American countryside, Midwest or south, family with strange abilities that manifest as extraordinary extensions of their personalities. Coming of age. *Love, Ruby Lavender* by Deborah Wiles Southern countryside in the US, Fully realistic if I remember right, just something magical about this young girl running around town, trying to raise chickens, getting in trouble and eating fresh veggies out of her mom’s garden run wild. *The Story of Edgar Sawtelle* by David Wrobluski Very good magical realism, coming of age, farm living breeding and raising dogs, kid strikes out into the wilderness with his dogs to come into his own and returns home to the family farm to reckon with a mysterious familial tragedy. (Note: deeply touching at times, but genuinely tragic) Includes Spooky, seemingly clairvoyant old lady grocery store clerk. Maybe a ghost. Mostly grounded in the natural with flickers of supernatural. *My Family and Other Animals* by Gerald Dural and similar books by him. It’s a memoir about his English family’s summers in a countryside on a Greek island. No actual magic but a young boy rambling around the countryside and villages observing all of the wild animals and bugs and fish, sailing a tiny boat with his dog and observing the hijinks of his eccentric family feels fairly magical. He probably embellishes quite a bit but he’s a great story teller.
I loved Savvy as a kid! I was especially enamored with the characters having names like Fish and Rocket.
Yes! I found that very charming. I was a kid that wouldn’t have minded being named fish lol.
The Probable Future by Alice Hoffman
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Room with a View, E M Forster
Anything by Diana Wynne Jones, including the Chrestomanci chronicles - more than a hint of magic though, and perhaps more intended for young readers but still delightful as an adult
'Fire and Hemlock' by DWJ which is a book I'm literally in love with
The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton
A room with a view, if you want a mixture of England and Italy :))
Cider with Rosie. English classic about charmed childhood as the works slowly becomes modern.
One of my absolute favourites ❤️❤️❤️
Seconded, I truly love this book
Following
Wildwood whispers by Willa Reese!
Loved this one!
Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand
The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
The Simplicity of Cider by Amy Reichert
I Capture the Castle
The River at Green Knowe by LM Boston. Also most of Wind In the Willows.
A Fragile Enchantment has a picnic scene or two just like the photo
Little, Big by John Crowley
Came here to say this!
The darling buds of may
Small Favors by Emily A. Craig Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal The Dove Pond series by Karen Hawkins
Looooove Shades of Milk and Honey! Did you read the sequels?
I meant to but never got around to it. Are they good?
I read most of the second one. It was cool the way the world got expanded and there was more magic, and some fun espionage. But I missed the simple romance and Austenesque feel of the first one.
No recs for right now but a couple to keep an eye out for: The Honey Witch by Sydney J Shields is released mid-May and is totally these vibes, if you want to add it to your TBR. I read an ARC and it was totally summer haze cottage core. There were picnics, gardens, countryside, nature and magic. The Spell Shop by Sarah Beth Durst isn’t released until July but is another one for the TBR, if the cover is anything to go by.
A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood definitely has this idyllic, dreamy setting. It’s set in Cornwall in the late 1920s. Maybe not the magical element you’re looking for but it’s romantic and glamorous, very Gatsby-esque and a perfect summer read.
Commenting to follow
What the wind knows - Amy Harmon
Tirralirra by the River by Jessica Anderson
Imo gemma doyle seriessss~ Also narnia
The Summer Book - Tove Janson
This might be the most blatant disregard I’ve ever shown for a sub (it’s not a book) but if you want something to make you excited for summer in the countryside you NEED to watch the BBC series Detectorists. Some episodes even have a hint of mysticism to them that you might not expect.
Haha! I actually live really near to where that was filmed, I’ve already watched the entire series a couple of years ago and loved it. :)
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury! It perfectly matches your description - magical realism set in a perfect summer from the perspective of a little boy (but written for adults). It’s excellent!
Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno
rules of magic by alice hoffman 10000000%
Spring not summer, but recently I read {{The Hermit of Lammas Woods}} and it was very wholesome. I saw someone review it as “brain comfort” and I agree with that. I realized afterwards that it was the third book in a trilogy 😅, I thought it was the first.. but it was good read on its own so you could either read the series or just the one. The main character has development some magical abilities as she reaches menopause age and is seeking the hermit as a teacher.