Quiz: Which Cozy Book Should You Read This Winter?
It seems like everyone’s talking about cozy fiction these days, and it’s no wonder: cozies are absolutely delightful (imho)! And what better book is there than a cozy for the long winter months?
If you’re not familiar with it, cozy fiction is a somewhat malleable term. According to Writer’s Digest, cozies will “generally feature a smaller cast of characters, be set in a smaller town, and have a more optimistic and upbeat tone. Above all, it has to have a satisfyingly happy ending. They offer comfort to their readers; a safe escape from the realities of our daily lives.”
Cozy Mystery List explains cozy mysteries, which have a particularly long tradition, as “’gentle’ books [with] no graphic violence, no profanity, and no explicit sex. Most often, the crime takes place ‘off stage’ and death is usually very quick…The victim is usually a character who had terrible vices or who treated others very badly.”
In other words, cozy fiction gives you that nice cozy feeling. For me, part of its appeal is its gentleness — what I think of as a kind of safety. What I mean by describing cozy fiction as “safe” fiction is that I feel like I can trust the author of a cozy book to deliver a positive, happy reading experience (even if some characters might die along the way — ahem — cozy mysteries).
So what are you waiting for? Take this quiz and get a recommendation for a recent cozy to keep you company this winter!
Quiz Results
It’s hard to follow just one recommendation, so here’s the full list of books in case you want to check all of them out!
Murder is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns
Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala
Before We Say Goodbye by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune
At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities by Heather Webber
Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal by Raquel V. Reyes
Feed Your Desire
The world of cozies is ever-expanding, so there’s plenty more to explore for yourself. You can check out this list of recent cozy books for general recommendations, or get more specific with this list of cozy fantasy books or this list of magical cozy mysteries. No matter where you end up, I hope you find the cozy feels you’re looking for!
