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In recent years, readers have been flocking to comforting genres like cozy mysteries and Hallmark-movie style romances — perhaps seeking a touch of hope and humor in what can feel like a

trouble-riddled world. Likely for similar reasons, an adjacent genre is making a splash on the international best-seller charts: healing, or feel-good, fiction. A bit hard to define, the

genre is not held together by particular plot points or narrative characteristics, but rather by the warm-and-fuzzy way these books leave you feeling. The trend gained popularity in Japan

and South Korea, with titles like Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s _Before the Coffee Gets Cold_ series selling millions of copies and getting translated into dozens of languages. While these stories

can be wide-ranging, a few commonalities have started to emerge: They’re very often set in communal spaces like coffee shops and teahouses, there’s often a bit of magical realism involved

(time travel, witches), and kitties tend to be part of the plot (at least as adorable sidekicks to the main players). Also, while characters — many of them older — may be flawed, they’re

trying their very best. And there’s often cause for pain and sadness, but it gets resolved or tempered by kindness and connections. It’s not hard to see why such books would be popular as a

source of comfort in what can feel like a stressful time to be alive. “The reality out there is challenging,” says Austrian novelist Robert Seethaler, whose latest book, _The Café with No

Name_, falls into this genre and has an English translation coming out in the U.S. in February (see more on this below). “It’s certainly sometimes pleasant to pull yourself out and read into

other worlds," he adds. So if the weight of the world is bearing down on you, grab a cup of tea and a snug blanket and add one of these new or newly translated feel-good stories to

your must-read list. _THE FULL MOON COFFEE SHOP_ BY MAI MOCHIZUKI, TRANSLATED BY JESSE KIRKWOOD​ This gentle fantasy is set in a mysterious café that magically pops up around Kyoto for

people who need it. Adding even more whimsy, the coffee shop is run by talking cats who read visitors’ star charts and then suggest a sweet treat that will help in their journey to

fulfillment. Among the diners looking for direction are an entrepreneur in a constant battle with technology, a hairdresser questioning her career path, and an actress dealing with the

fallout after an affair with a coworker.