Why Fantasy Fans Are Flocking to Reading Retreats and Book Retreats

Guest post by Jacklyn Walters

There’s something special about fantasy novels that other books just don’t capture. 

Maybe it’s the magic. Or the fantastical settings and creatures. Or the tropes—sunshine MMCs and slow burns and found family. And it’s something that only other fantasy readers understand.

Whether it’s been a long day or you’re just waking up, rain or shine, happy or sad, it’s always the perfect time to get lost in a fantasy novel. Because no matter what’s going on in the real world, there’s nothing better than curling up by yourself in a comfortable seat with a nice cuppa and a good book. 

Or is there?

Readers are often mislabelled as solitary creatures. This isn’t entirely untrue—we do prefer the company of a good book to that of a boring man, for instance. But the reason we read isn’t to be alone; it’s to be unalone. To meet interesting people. To connect with a sense of adventure. To explore the deepest corners of fictional realms and our imaginations. 

So yes, this typically means we are more often found in a quiet room with a book than in a crowded space. 

But what if you, reader, could have both?

A social gathering and solo time. A quest and a cozy reading nook to come home to?

This, my friends, is the beauty of the reading retreat. And it’s why so many of our fellow fantasy fans are flocking to them. 

You’ve seen them all over socials—friends-of-friends and booktokers alike seem like they’re always packing their bags and heading to another mountain resort with their fantasy book club. 

It looks beautiful. 

It looks overwhelming.

If you’re thinking about attending one but still not sure if it’s for you, we get it. We weren’t sure what our first retreat would look like either. Would people show up? Would they interact? Would everyone stick to their own reading spots or mingle? 

Ultimately, we decided it didn’t matter. We needed the space to do all of those things. To be social and have alone time. To go on adventures and stay home reading. To read about far-off places and see them with our own eyes.

Now, we can’t imagine our lives without reading retreats. Soon, you won’t be able to either.

Let’s start at the beginning. 

We wanted to host a reading retreat to create a physical space for the community we knew existed online. 

As avid readers, we found ourselves surrounded by people who just don’t get it. Our “normal” friends aren’t all readers. They don’t understand the thrill of late nights spent reading until your eyes are dry, the obsession with new-found (fictional) friends, or the emotional rollercoaster of loving a story and hating it at the same time. 

That’s fine, not everyone enjoys reading. We also need knitters and singers and tinkerers. There were 4 Spice Girls, after all. (Although no Read-y Spice. Weird.)

But when your inner circle isn’t full of avid readers, reading can become isolating. 

Retreats bring together a bunch of people with at least one shared interest: the book at hand. Going to a book retreat means sending yourself to a place that is guaranteed to be filled with people who understand you. 

No need to worry about awkward small talk or sounding like you should be committed for your obsession with winged characters. Just a bunch of women & femmes who are on the same wavelength. Like instalust but for your new irl besties.

The second reason we started this—and the real reason you should go to a bookish retreat—is because life became boring. 

We get it, we all have responsibilities in life. That’s the way it is. But fantasy reading retreats are more than just another reason to use up your PTO, they’re an outlet for your passions. There’s books, there’s reading, there’s friends, there’s activities. There’s a whole lot of the stuff that makes life worth living. 

Whether you’re passionate about shadow daddies, wild theories about ACOTAR Book 6, or dissecting a relationship dynamic in your favorite book, this is the place to do it. These are the people who can deep dive with you.

All of the above aside, our favorite reason to host (and attend) a reading retreat is the immersion of it all. 

We spend so much of our lives reading about beautiful far-off places. Hours of our days are spent trekking toward the Staghorn Mountains, riding on horseback through Skaland, fighting battles from the backs of dragons at Athebyne. 

Don’t you wish you could jump into those worlds?

Okay so maybe there’s no way to ride a dragon into battle in real life. But fantasy retreats bring you one step closer. There’s truly nothing more magical than falling asleep amidst stories of the Shire, and waking up at a weekend-long slumber party inspired by Middle Earth. 

And like our sweet Samwise, you work very hard! Whether you’re busting your ass climbing the corporate ladder, bearing the emotional baggage of your friend group, or raising little readers of your own, you deserve a break. 

The world is hectic, life gets in the way, and we can forget to take time for joy. But it’s that weekend away in the woods, that escape, that allows us to show up in our day-to-day lives more fulfilled, rested, and joyful. 

You know the feeling when you really need a vacation but the idea of planning travel and excursions is more exhausting than the work you’re trying to escape? Retreats take all the pressure off of travel, so you can truly dedicate time to joy and leisure. They’re a getaway without the pressure of an adventurecation. And they reconnect us with what really matters: Fantasy Novels.

And if you give a mouse a fantasy novel, she’s going to want to talk about it. 

Lucky for the mouse, or you I suppose, at a fantasy retreat you’ll be surrounded by people who are itching to gab. No more rambling about love triangles or debating the merit of brain bonds or hypothesizing about what Lorcan did to a room of blank stares. Here when you suggest how Elide’s night went, you’ll be met with “YES AND…” 

Our last (but not final) reason we love reading retreats: Girlhood.

Fantasy reading retreats are like camp for adults. You get to unleash your true self, get back to your roots, and let your authenticity shine. Wear your hair in braids. Make a fort and stay up late. Learn how to boondoggle. 

There is no stress here. There’s no obligation or discomfort or awkward silence. 

There is only joy. Wild fan theories. And maybe a little smut. 

If you’re ready to connect with your reading community in real life, consider coming on our next reading retreat.

Because the only thing better than reading about an adventure is going on an adventure worth reading about. 

Guest post by Jacklyn Walters

Jacklyn Walters spends more time in the imaginary than the real world, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Like Belle, Jacklyn prefers to live “with a dreamy far-off look, and her nose stuck in a book.” She has always found escape in reading. Ironic, since the books she read as a teen were primarily dystopian novels. But they lit up something in her. They showed her that being a strong-willed woman doesn’t mean you’re difficult, it means you’re going to save the world.

Now her passions lie in creating and making sure others can tell their stories, too.

When she isn’t working on marketing campaigns, Jacklyn can be found exploring local parks, planning grand adventures, laughing with friends, and, of course, reading.