THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA by TJ Klune

Sometimes you just want to curl up with a feel-good story, but feel-good doesn’t always have to be fluff. THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA by TJ Klune is a funny and sweet story about magic, love, found family and, well, corporate bureaucracy—that still has something poignant to say about prejudice.

The story centers around Linus, a by-the-book caseworker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Assigned to a new case by Extremely Upper Management, he travels to a distant island to find out if six dangerous magical children at a remote orphanage are dangerous enough to bring about the end of days.

Possibly the most charming book ever featuring the Antichrist, this is a heartwarming, PG book that’d be a great gift or an excellent fireside read over the holidays. When my friend recommended it to me, she scrunched up her shoulders and said, “it’s just a delight.” Imagine me here, doing exactly the same.

—Recommended by Tess