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Quick answer: If you liked Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, try Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Emperor's Soul, Warbreaker, Elantris, Strange the Dreamer and The Night Circus. They offer inventive magic, gentle humor and love stories between unlikely partners.
Brandon Sanderson's 2023 Cosmere novel follows Yumi, a girl who performs rituals to keep spirits at bay, and Painter, an artist who paints nightmares. A strange magic links them, and they fall in love from different worlds. It is warm, odd and thoughtful. These 15 books keep that mix of wonder, whimsy and heart. Some are by Sanderson and some are from other authors.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tress of the Emerald Sea | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | the closest in tone |
| The Emperor's Soul | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | readers who like short fantasy |
| Warbreaker | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | readers who like court intrigue |
| Elantris | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | readers who like politics and magic |
| Mistborn: The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | readers who like magic systems |
| Strange the Dreamer | Laini Taylor | Teen/Adult | readers who love poetic fantasy |
| The Night Circus | Erin Morgenstern | Adult | readers who like atmosphere |
| Piranesi | Susanna Clarke | Adult | readers who like mystery |
| Where the Mountain Meets the Moon | Grace Lin | 8-12 | readers of all ages |
| The Ten Thousand Doors of January | Alix E. Harrow | Adult | readers who love books about books |
| Gods of Jade and Shadow | Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Adult | readers who like myth |
| Daughter of the Moon Goddess | Sue Lynn Tan | Adult | readers who like mythic romance |
| Howl's Moving Castle | Diana Wynne Jones | Teen/Adult | readers who like comfort |
| The Girl Who Drank the Moon | Kelly Barnhill | Teen/Adult | readers who like tender stories |
| The Last Unicorn | Peter S. Beagle | Adult | readers who like classic fantasy |
1. Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
Tress, a sheltered girl, sails the Spore Sea to save her love. Whimsical and full of heart.
Best for: the closest in tone.
2. The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
Shai, a forger, has 100 days to make a new soul for an emperor. A short, clever novella with a rich magic system.
Best for: readers who like short fantasy.
3. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Two sisters, a god king and a world of color-based magic. Sharp, funny and full of surprises.
Best for: readers who like court intrigue.
4. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
The fallen city of Elantris, a princess and an exiled prince. Sanderson's first published novel.
Best for: readers who like politics and magic.
5. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
Vin and her crew plan to overthrow an immortal ruler. A clever heist story with metal-based magic.
Best for: readers who like magic systems.
6. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Lazlo Strange, a librarian, joins an expedition to a lost city and a mystery. Lush and tragic.
Best for: readers who love poetic fantasy.
7. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Two magicians compete in a mysterious circus. Slow, lovely and sensory.
Best for: readers who like atmosphere.
8. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
A man lives in an endless house of statues and tides. Quiet, strange and puzzle-like.
Best for: readers who like mystery.
9. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon to change her family's fortune. A beautiful, illustrated fantasy based on Chinese folktales.
Best for: readers of all ages.
10. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
January finds a book about doors between worlds. Lyrical and about stories.
Best for: readers who love books about books.
11. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Casiopea, a girl in 1920s Mexico, frees a Maya god of death and travels with him. Lush and romantic.
Best for: readers who like myth.
12. Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Xingyin is the daughter of a moon goddess, and she trains in the Celestial Kingdom. Based on Chinese myth.
Best for: readers who like mythic romance.
13. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Sophie is cursed to be old and goes to live with the wizard Howl. Funny and sweet.
Best for: readers who like comfort.
14. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
A witch accidentally feeds a baby moonlight and raises her. A gentle fairy tale.
Best for: readers who like tender stories.
15. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
A unicorn leaves her forest to find the others of her kind. Lyrical and bittersweet.
Best for: readers who like classic fantasy.
How to Choose
If you want more from the Cosmere, start with Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Emperor's Soul and Warbreaker. For lyrical fantasy, choose Strange the Dreamer or The Night Circus. For comfort, pick Howl's Moving Castle or The Girl Who Drank the Moon. If you liked the artwork angle in Yumi, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon has gorgeous illustrations. Many of these titles pair well: read Tress and Yumi back to back for Sanderson's cozy side, then The Emperor's Soul for a tighter puzzle. If you love books about art and stories, add Strange the Dreamer and The Ten Thousand Doors of January. Audiobooks are a good choice for the longer ones, as the narrators bring the atmosphere to life.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know the Cosmere to read Yumi?
No. It stands alone and works as a first Sanderson book.
Is it a romance?
Yes. It is a love story told partly through letters and shared dreams.
What inspired the setting?
The world draws on Japanese-inspired culture and art, and the book includes full-color illustrations.
How long is it?
About 480 pages, shorter than most Sanderson novels.
Which Cosmere book should I read after Yumi?
Tress of the Emerald Sea is the natural next step, followed by Mistborn.
Is Yumi good for new fantasy readers?
Yes. It is shorter and gentler than Sanderson's epics, and the story is easy to follow.