For cozy SF, I'll mention Nathan Lowell's Quarter Share (the first book in his Solar Clipper series). Actually, the first four books in that series are very much the sort of heartwarming, found family that I like to read about when I'm in that kind of mood. The fifth and sixth books are much more challenging to read and go to some fairly dark places, but I love the whole series. And not in this genre, but I'll also mention Jana DeLeon's Miss Fortune series, which is a cozy thriller (really) set in Sinful, Louisiana, starring a CIA assassin who is hiding from people trying to kill her, and who ends up investigating murders. Which totally doesn't sound cozy at all, but it really is a fun read. And not fun in the usual CIA assassin series kind of way.
My friend recently convinced me to read the Delicious in Dungeon manga (also called Dungeon Meshi) and now I'm absolutely obsessed!! It's relatively short for a manga series (will have 14 volumes once the last one comes out this month) and it's debatable how "cozy" it is since it can get pretty high stakes, especially as the plot moves forward. But something about the focus on cooking (even if they are cooking monsters 😂), the humor, and the dysfunctional found family aspects make it feel very cozy fantasy to me! I'm not usually a huge manga reader so I was surprised how quickly this series sucked me in but it's very well done, I'm 7 volumes in now and excited to finish it and then watch the first season of the anime which recently came out on Netflix! 😁
Have you read The Goblin Emperor? It is the only cozy fantasy that I read that you have not mentioned, and it’s fantastic, as well as the novellas after it 😊
**Pulls up my storygraph tbr pile** Alrighty, time to yet again..add to this pile-🫡 Cozy fantasy has to be my favourite genre ever! I love the heartfelt and whimsy vibes so so much! But also.. dark-cozy fantasy is..*chefs kiss*.. we need more books in this genre i feel like! (Like: Emily wilde's encyclopaedia of faeries, Gallant, The Language of Thorns and the Wayward Children series!)
Im devastated that there will be no more Evenfall Witches books, but the author recently announced a new series ❤❤ Thank you for these lists I will come back to them again and again!
Hmmm, as someone who has been reading cozy books for over 50 years, we use the word cozy very differently. This is not a criticism, just an observation. The majority books you recommended are classified as middle grade fantasies. Most middle grades are cozy. They are being read by a younger age group. It is usually safe to read these if you want a feel-good vibe. I LOVE MG books and have read many of these. I will be adding the rest to my TBR. Thank you! But cozy books have always been classified as adult stories over the decades. They usually take place in small villages, deal with adult characters and have murders that take place off screen. The victims are 90% bad people who no one will miss. There is often a sweet (clean) romance in these stories. Somehow, I don’t see you enjoying these overly much. 😂 They take no brain power and are good when you want a mindless read. I am really excited to check these out. I have one recommendation for you: T. Kingfisher’s Nettle and Bone. It is an amazing story. Excuse me while I track down your first video since I managed to miss that altogether.
hey friend! This is a huge topic in the cozy fantasy community that we need publishers to publish more diverse cozy books! Always looking for new cozies to read, a few on my TBR from black authors are Kimberly Lemming's books as well as Wildseed Witch :)
Thank you for doing a part 2! I go back to your part 1 video every now and then for some good cozy fantasy to get lost in whenever I need a pick-me-up read 🤍
For cozy SF, I'll mention Nathan Lowell's Quarter Share (the first book in his Solar Clipper series). Actually, the first four books in that series are very much the sort of heartwarming, found family that I like to read about when I'm in that kind of mood. The fifth and sixth books are much more challenging to read and go to some fairly dark places, but I love the whole series.
And not in this genre, but I'll also mention Jana DeLeon's Miss Fortune series, which is a cozy thriller (really) set in Sinful, Louisiana, starring a CIA assassin who is hiding from people trying to kill her, and who ends up investigating murders. Which totally doesn't sound cozy at all, but it really is a fun read. And not fun in the usual CIA assassin series kind of way.
My friend recently convinced me to read the Delicious in Dungeon manga (also called Dungeon Meshi) and now I'm absolutely obsessed!! It's relatively short for a manga series (will have 14 volumes once the last one comes out this month) and it's debatable how "cozy" it is since it can get pretty high stakes, especially as the plot moves forward. But something about the focus on cooking (even if they are cooking monsters 😂), the humor, and the dysfunctional found family aspects make it feel very cozy fantasy to me! I'm not usually a huge manga reader so I was surprised how quickly this series sucked me in but it's very well done, I'm 7 volumes in now and excited to finish it and then watch the first season of the anime which recently came out on Netflix! 😁
Wow that sounds incredible
Thanks so much for doing a part two! I need more cozy reads in my life
This comes just at the right time! I‘m going on vacation next week and am preparing for which books to bring 😊
What a great list, thanks so much ❤
Ooh cozy fantasy is such a good vacation read
Have you read The Goblin Emperor? It is the only cozy fantasy that I read that you have not mentioned, and it’s fantastic, as well as the novellas after it 😊
I was going to recommend Crumbs if I didn't see it. It's originally a webcomic on Webtoon, and if I remember correctly, some chapters have music! 😊
Aww that's lovely!
**Pulls up my storygraph tbr pile** Alrighty, time to yet again..add to this pile-🫡
Cozy fantasy has to be my favourite genre ever! I love the heartfelt and whimsy vibes so so much! But also.. dark-cozy fantasy is..*chefs kiss*.. we need more books in this genre i feel like! (Like: Emily wilde's encyclopaedia of faeries, Gallant, The Language of Thorns and the Wayward Children series!)
Yes 100% agree. More adult fairytale vibes please!!
Im devastated that there will be no more Evenfall Witches books, but the author recently announced a new series ❤❤ Thank you for these lists I will come back to them again and again!
Ooo I didn't know there was a new series coming that's so exciting!
Hmmm, as someone who has been reading cozy books for over 50 years, we use the word cozy very differently. This is not a criticism, just an observation. The majority books you recommended are classified as middle grade fantasies. Most middle grades are cozy. They are being read by a younger age group. It is usually safe to read these if you want a feel-good vibe. I LOVE MG books and have read many of these. I will be adding the rest to my TBR. Thank you!
But cozy books have always been classified as adult stories over the decades. They usually take place in small villages, deal with adult characters and have murders that take place off screen. The victims are 90% bad people who no one will miss. There is often a sweet (clean) romance in these stories. Somehow, I don’t see you enjoying these overly much. 😂 They take no brain power and are good when you want a mindless read.
I am really excited to check these out. I have one recommendation for you: T. Kingfisher’s Nettle and Bone. It is an amazing story. Excuse me while I track down your first video since I managed to miss that altogether.
You are referring to two different subgenres though. What you are describing is cozy mystery. What it is being described here is cozy fantasy.
Great video 😊 where are you from
There HAS to be some Black authored cozy fantasy? 🤔 Could you not find any?
hey friend! This is a huge topic in the cozy fantasy community that we need publishers to publish more diverse cozy books! Always looking for new cozies to read, a few on my TBR from black authors are Kimberly Lemming's books as well as Wildseed Witch :)
Thank you for doing a part 2! I go back to your part 1 video every now and then for some good cozy fantasy to get lost in whenever I need a pick-me-up read 🤍