Top 10 Tuesday: My Idea of a Cozy Book
A new Tuesday, a new prompt for Top 10 Tuesday. This week the prompt is Cozy Reads. This might be a bit problematic since I tend more to thrillers and more grim books. Wonder what I can come up with? Thanks to Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl for hosting another week of Top Ten Tuesday. I enjoy participating each week for a couple reasons. I'm a compulsive list maker and love a good list. And, I love a connection with other readers as I wander their book blogs.
Cozy mysteries are a popular genre and lots of bloggers LOVE their cozies. To me a cozy mystery is defined as no graphic violence, no profanity, and no explicit sex. The crime (and sex, if there is any) happens 'off screen'. A cozy is more about the amateur sleuth (usually a woman), her friends, the small town atmosphere and attitude. I'm going to guess there will be lots of cozy romances shared this week as well. But, as you'll see, my idea of a cozy read is somewhat different.
My interpretation of cozy is to feel immersed in the characters and/or story, to be transported, and to have that indefinable "feel good" sensation at the end. Usually that doesn't happen with thrillers or the kind of mysteries I read, but occasionally one pops up that I can sort of classify as "cozy" like the Louise Penny Inspector Gamache series, or the Rockton series by Kelley Armstrong (see below).
MY IDEA OF A COZY READ (trying to mention books I've not used before)
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
Heartwarming (feel good), disconnected siblings who reconnect, and with a touch of magic makes for a snuggly, cozy read.
City of the Lost #1 (of 6) by Kelley Armstrong
A detective hiding from her past, a small town sheriff who loves being in the remote wilderness but needs help catching criminals, and crimes that are usually off screen or not described graphically. For me, a pretty mild thriller, but great character relationships and cozy reading.
The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister
A wonderfully evocative and beautifully written story about how scents can trigger memories, about found family (one of my favorite themes), and how a young woman finds her way in the world. Absolutely my idea of cozy.
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
This delightfully lighthearted novella is a book about books as the Queen of England discovers a small traveling library and begins a voracious love of reading, to the detriment of her duties.
The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan
Another book about books (aren't all books about books cozy??), this story of an unemployed librarian who loves book match-making. She ends up buying a van and creating a bookmobile for small remote communities. SO cozy - and all the "feel goods".
Ireland by Frank Delaney
A little bit more out of the ordinary, Ireland is the story of an itinerant storyteller sharing the history of Ireland through stories. When the storyteller moves on, one little boy is left entranced and sets out to find/follow the man. It's heartwarming and yet informative. The kind of book that swept me away to Ireland.
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters by Mark Dunn
This books isn't cozy in the "curl up with tea and a good book" realm, but it is cozy to me in its cleverness and totally unique story. Only 208 pages, this ingenious book is about a remote town that, through a series of weird events, decrees that certain letters of the alphabet are banished and forbidden to be used. As the story progresses, more and more letters are eliminated which is illustrated in letter writing and trying to guess what the letters say. It made me smile.
The Humans by Matt Haig
This is perhaps a more traditional cozy, feel good, story about an alien who takes a human form to learn about our planet and people. At first he doesn't like Earth or humans much (some interesting social commentary), but gradually his attitude changes as he sees hope and experiences love. All the feels.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Matt Haig
Many of you have probably already read this - I absolutely loved it. A lonely little girl who discovers a book of magic and how to find hidden doors that lead to other realities, other places. This is definitely a book to snuggle down with and read all weekend.
West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
This is cozy because I learned something AND, it was pleasurable, AND there are giraffes, AND I definitely felt good at the end. The based-on-true story of transporting giraffes across country in 1938 (before freeways) is fascinating.
I'm eager to see what other bloggers share as their cozy reads. As always, I try to visit as many as I can and comment every single time. This week I'm wondering how many will have random lists like mine or will focus on cozy mysteries/romances. Leave me a quick comment and let me know what you think of my list.
