Top Ten Tuesday

TTT – Cozy Reads For The Win

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Top Ten Tuesday used to be a weekly post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, but was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. “It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.” This is definitely something I can understand and want to participate in.

As we inch closer to weather that actually feels like autumn, it has an impact on my reading choices. At first, I find myself reading more cozy reads and romance, but then when the days are short and the weather is cold and icky, I find myself reading more mysteries and horror. This week’s prompt is cozy/atmospheric reads, and I would like to present you with my top ten cozy reads. Since I have a clear bias towards fantasy, I want to show that I really do have more of a range and like some of the cozy reads. Cozy mystery in particular draw my attention, with the inclusion of a pet and at least one cutesy pun that gets a chuckle out of me.

Here goes:

  1. The Secret, Book & Scone Society series by Ellery Adams. Set in a charming fictional town, I couldn’t help but love these four women in their 40s and 50s
  2. The Coffee Lover’s Mystery series by Tara Lush. A cozy mystery series set on an island off the coast of Florida and near the everglades, and it has been an ever-entertaining series to read. I hope that it will soon be resumed, even if the author has to self-publish, because I really enjoy the series.
  3. The Grilled Cheese Mystery series by Linda Reilly. I’m a sucker for a good grilled cheese, so how could I resist this series? Bonus to reading these is that there are recipes at the end of the book.
  4. The Beacon Bakeshop Mystery series by Darci Hannah. This is one of the first cozy series that I really got invested in, and the series has avoided formulaic or tired writing or plotting. Plus, there are some really great recipes—mostly baking but a few cooking!
  5. The Shake Shop Mysteries by Dana Mentink. I love this cozy mystery series, even though it gave me a serious craving for ice cream and the recipes to make it at home. I missed the release of the latest book in the series, and have to check it out.
  6. The Noodle Shop Mysteries by Vivien Chien. Although I’ve fallen off on following up with newer books in the series, the first few have been great.
  7. A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher. I love a Kingfisher story, and this was the first time I think I used the term ‘cozy horror,’ but it’s really the perfect description for this book. She ranges from cozy fantasy to cozy horror, with a bit of overlap, but I’m a huge fan of hers.
  8. Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World by Mark Waddell. This is a really awesome ad unique cozy horror novel, and I immediately felt invested in the experiences of the MC.
  9. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. This doesn’t quite fall into any of the specific genres, so I am just going to lump it under the ‘cozy contemporary’ category. I loved this heartwarming story a friend suggested I read.
  10. Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne. This is another ‘cozy contemporary’ book similar to Eleanor Oliphant, and it was an outstanding debut novel. 

For a bonus, I have a cozy horror novel that is on my TBR but sounds interesting enough that I wanted to include it.

  1. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. This is a bonus, but it’s a cozy horror type of book from what I understand. I had to add this one to my TBR, especially when I learned that the story was strongly influenced by the author’s personal experience with antisemitism. She wasn’t Jewish herself, but was connected to Judaism through her Jewish husband. I know Jackson is a big name in the horror genre, and I want to see what the fuss is about.

What do you think of the list? What good cozies have I missed?

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24 replies »

  5. I adore a good cosy read, and your list is excellent! The inclusion of the different cosy sub-genres, like the cosy mysteries and the cosy horror like A House With Good Bones, makes this a really unique and fun Top Ten Tuesday. I’m definitely adding a few of these to my own TBR. Thanks for sharing! 😊

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    • Thank you! I love cozy books of all kinds, and I wanted to highlight some of the cozy genres that get overlooked. I’m glad you found a few to add to your TBR. Hope you love them!

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    • Thank you! You seriously need to read the Secret, Book, and Scone Society – it’s such a cool cozy and has a tiny bit of magical realism. I’ve got the newest book queued up to read next.

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    • I became such a huge Kingfisher fan after reading A House with Good Bones. Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World was such a darkly fun and hilarious read – I hope you like it!

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  10. You cannot go wrong with Shirley Jackson! I remember reading The Lottery in middle school and being completely freaked out. Hahaha. That said, I love a good cozy! Death by Dumpling was so good and I have Death by Gouda on my library holds.

    Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!

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  11. I read a lot of cozy mystery series and enjoy them, Leah. I read 4 of the series you mentioned. I have had Lenny Marks on my TBR since it came out, but forgot about it, so thanks for the reminder.

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