Maybe it’s the cold sapping my mental brain power, but I’ve been very much in the mood for cozy reads by the fire. The crackling wood, a warm drink, and a book sounds like my idea of a perfect day spent avoiding the cold. On days like the ones we have recently suffered through, the cozy genre jumps to the forefront of my to-be-read list. What slots a book into the cozy genre? Mainly the low stakes. I like to think of cozy reads as a warm cup of tea in book form; it’s just soothing. Whether it is a romance with little conflict or a lovely setting, a mystery with an amateur detective and a great sense of humor, or a fantasy with an immersive world and great characters, these books are for those of us who want a gentle story every once in a while. 

Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey
After being unceremoniously dumped, Teddy Phillips works at a vintage toy shop and her one joy is her not-so-guilty pleasure of watching Everett’s Place, a local children’s show hosted by Everett St. James. Teddy finds the courage to write to him. He writes back, and this epistolary novel is whimsical and fun. 

Sugar Butter Flour Love by Nicole Falls
For fans of the Great British Baking Show, this book has all of the delicious baked goods with an enemies to lovers story. When high school rivals are thrown together for a challenge on a popular baking show, they have to figure out how to work together and get over their past. But as we all know, there is a thin line between love and hate. 

Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien
The beginning of the Noodle Shop Mysteries, Death by Dumpling begins with Lana Lee leaving her job and her boyfriend to return home to run her family’s Chinese restaurant. When murders begin occurring in the Asian Village Plaza, Lana works hard to catch the killer and clear the names of her innocent friends. 

Murder in G Major by Alexia Gordon
Classical musician Gethsemane Brown is where she least expected to be: teaching at a boys school in the Irish countryside. The only perk is housesitting a lovely cliffside cottage. When the ghost of the cottage’s murdered owner contacts her, he begs her to investigate his death and puts her in grave danger. 

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
If you enjoyed Practical Magic, this book is for you. In an enchanting old house, the Waverly women are known for their magic. When the last Waverly, Sydney, returns, she alters the course of everyone’s lives. 

Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
Told as if someone is actually telling you a tale, this fable-like story is a reimagining of a Senegalese folk tale. It follows Paama, who after leaving her foolish husband is given something called the Chaos Stick. The Indigo Lord isn’t sure she is worthy of wielding the power of the stick, so he wants to persuade her to give it back. 

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa
A talking cat shows up at a bookstore to help liberate lonely, unread books from their owners. This thoughtful and charming adventure, set around books and bookstores, is a wonderful read. 

As promised in December, here are a few of your favorite reads in 2023: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann, and Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon by Michael Lewis. 

Happy Reading!