Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Cozy Book Recommendations

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.


As the TikTok kids say, "Cozy is not the vibe, fam!" Chaos is the vibe!

I don't usually read books that can be described as "cozy," so this list was a challenge. Let's see what I can scrounge up.




⛄  Cozy Book Recommendations  ☕





🧣  Cozy Books For Adults  🍵





The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Science Fiction



Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.


Where's the cozy? Sometimes your work family is more awesome than your home family. The characters in this book really care about each other. They come from different planets and are members of different species, but they respect each other's differences and find ways to work around each other's limitations. You'll wish your workplace was this cool.


Buy it on Amazon

Buy it on Book Depository





Beasts Of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang

Fantasy



Orphaned, raised by wolves, and the proud owner of a horned pig named Merlin, Weylyn Grey knew he wasn’t like other people. But when he single-handedly stopped that tornado on a stormy Christmas day in Oklahoma, he realized just how different he actually was.

That tornado was the first of many strange events that seem to follow Weylyn from town to town, although he doesn’t like to take credit. As amazing as these powers may appear, they tend to manifest themselves at inopportune times and places. From freak storms to trees that appear to grow over night, Weylyn’s unique abilities are a curiosity at best and at worst, a danger to himself and the woman he loves. But Mary doesn’t care. Since Weylyn saved her from an angry wolf on her eleventh birthday, she’s known that a relationship with him isn’t without its risks, but as anyone who’s met Weylyn will tell you, once he wanders into your life, you’ll wish he’d never leave.

 

Where's the cozy? If you’ve ever read a Fredrik Backman book and thought, I wish this guy wrote fantasy, then you need to pick up Beasts Of Extraordinary Circumstance. It’s a quirky love story about adorable weirdos. And deadly animals. And (un)natural disasters. It’s imaginative and sweet. The light tone reminds me of middle grade fantasy, but with adult characters who have grownup problems. I enjoyed every second of it.

 

Buy it on Amazon

Buy it on Book Depository





🍂  Cozy Books For Teens  ☔





Blankets By Craig Thompson

Romance Graphic Novel



Wrapped in the landscape of a blustery Wisconsin winter, Blankets explores the sibling rivalry of two brothers growing up in the isolated country, and the budding romance of two coming-of-age lovers. A tale of security and discovery, of playfulness and tragedy, of a fall from grace and the origins of faith.


Where's the cozy? In the illustrations! Look at that cover! It's disgustingly cozy! I love the snowy landscapes and the drawings of characters hanging out on freezing winter days. Even though this book focuses on a coming-of-age romance, it's not all light and fluffy. It's a quiet, powerful story about making connections and questioning your beliefs. This is one of my favorite graphic novels ever. It perfectly blends the sweet with the thought-provoking.






My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories Edited by Stephanie Perkins

Short Story Anthology



If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. Whether you enjoy celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or New Year's there's something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love.


Where's the cozy? If you're swept up in holiday chaos and don't have much time to read, this is the book for you. The stories are uplifting, funny, and quick to read. You can easily fly through a few of them on the car ride to your next holiday party. The best part of the collection is its diversity. You'll get to experience a wide variety of cozy winter traditions.






Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle

Romantic Comedy



A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks.


Where's the cozy? A big cast of characters find themselves stranded in a small town on Christmas Eve. There’s romance, waffles, pigs, and over-the-top shenanigans. This is a light, escapist book that you can speed through in a few hours. It’s laugh-out-loud funny and will leave you smiling at the end.






📖  Cozy Books For Tweens  🕯





Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Fantasy



Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.


Where's the cozy? In the nostalgia! This novel nails the "magical, adventurous bedtime story" vibe. It reminds me of the books I used to read while waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve night. There's romance and danger and quick pacing. I think it would be a perfect book to read aloud with your family.


Buy it on Amazon

Buy it on Book Depository





The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood

Historical Fantasy



Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children: Alexander, age ten or thereabouts, keeps his siblings in line with gentle nips; Cassiopeia, perhaps four or five, has a bark that is (usually) worse than her bite; and Beowulf, age somewhere-in-the-middle, is alarmingly adept at chasing squirrels.

Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Only fifteen years old and a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must help them overcome their canine tendencies.

But mysteries abound at Ashton Place: Who are these three wild creatures, and how did they come to live in the vast forests of the estate? Why does Old Timothy, the coachman, lurk around every corner? Will Penelope be able to teach the Incorrigibles table manners and socially useful phrases in time for Lady Constance's holiday ball? And what on earth is a schottische?


Where's the cozy? It's a low-stakes book where the worst thing that could happen is a squirrel running amuck at a fancy holiday party. Sometimes it's great to read a story that's just fun and not full of death. I love the "wolf children" and their charming young governess. The series is packed with hilarious writing and mysteries to solve.


Buy it on Amazon

Buy it on Book Depository








Recommend some cozy books!






22 comments:

  1. I won't lie, I ran to see what sort of cozy reads you have read. This is unusual. I remember you loving the middle grades series, and holiday books definitely have a cozy vibe.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yeah, I don't think most of my reading could be considered cozy so I switched topics. Kudos for making it work. I remember reading My True Love Gave to Me. A few of those really worked for me but I remember one or two that were so out there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I liked Blankets a lot. I’ll have to check out the rest of these, too!

    My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-cozy-reads/

    ReplyDelete
  4. Howl's Moving Castle is a great recommendation.

    https://nashvillebookworm.wordpress.com/2022/11/29/top-ten-tuesday-getting-cozy/

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a fabulous list, Aj. The holiday ones make me think cozy read, but I like how you found something cozy in each book. Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blog.

    https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2022/11/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-books-with-cozy.html

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great list! The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is definitely a great example of a cozy sci-fi, loved that!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I felt like you coming up with my list. I like cozy mysteries sometimes but most of what I read isn't "cozy!" You did a great job though....this theme is different for everyone I've discovered as I wrote my list out.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I enjoyed My True Love Gave to Me. It was a great anthology.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I most definitely don't read nearly enough cozy books. Reading Legends & Lattes recently reminded me how nice it is to read something that isn't complete chaos every now and again. I'll have to check out some of these on your list.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nice list! I especially like the book for recommending Cozy reads!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yes to all the Becky chambers. I almost did a lit this week and her books were all gonna be on it lol.

    I loved My True Love- I wish we had more holiday anthologies like that.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Becky Chambers is a great choice for a cozy sci fi. Beasts Of Extraordinary Circumstance is one I've been wanting to read for a while now. It sounds wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nice list. I like how you broke down you list into age groups

    ReplyDelete
  14. You've picked a great selection of cosy reads for everyone! I haven't read any of these yet but Howl's Moving Castle and Becky Chamber's books are very high up on my TBR. 😃

    ReplyDelete
  15. A book called BLANKETS? That's cozy for sure!

    Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Nice list, I like how you explained why you see them as cozy

    ReplyDelete
  17. I loved that Becky Chambers book and don't know why I haven't continued with the series!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I adore Howl's Moving Castle! I'll need to check out some of the others on this list for that cozy vibe :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. From what I've heard about Small Angry Planet, it does sound like it has cozy vibes. I recently read Howl's Moving Castle, and that's a great choice for the list!

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a great list of books! I have only read two of the books that made your list. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet sounds like a book that I need to read.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I have never thought of "cozy books" but I am reading Barry Lopez's "Horizons" and that for me is cozy. He has an amazing voice and captures my own wanderlust. Another might be Jon Meacham's "And There was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle" as it gives me hope (I read it right before the election).

    ReplyDelete
  22. I hear Blanket was good. Need to bump it up on my tbr.

    ReplyDelete