Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge discussion

I'm trying to find out what everyone thinks about the way I changed this year's reading challenge. Please vote and/or leave a comment. I really want to know what you all think. Thanks!

I was not in the group last year but I am really enjoying myself this year. I love the new set-up. I have introduce myself to books/authors that I probably would have never read. For example paranormal (ugh), but it has been fun searching through that genre.

I was not in the group last year either. I see I am in the minority in preferring not to have the "sub-genre" list. I do appreciate the work that the mods did to come up with the list and the plan. I know how much effort it can take. I am glad that most of the members are liking the categories.

For me, I know what I like about a cozy. I like quaint towns, likable characters (main and supporting), food oriented, pet oriented (or at least a big part of story) especially cats, bookstores, libraries, small shops, cafes, bakeries, etc. I do not prefer an animal as the main character though. I am finding that craft ones are not my preference. I guess I am trying to say that I am not really wanting to expand my cozy reading. I know I am odd. LOL

When I do a challenge, I prefer to use books I already have or have on my TBR list. This one caused me to purchase several books and others I am trying to get from the library. I have not read most of those yet though.

I think I would have enjoyed it more if there were 15-20 "sub-genres" and we were able to choose 10 from the list. This way we are not "forced" to read all of them. I do like that we can change one of the 9 to something else. Great update.

I also think it might be interesting to take a sub-genre and read a certain number of them. For example, read 10 of the animal-related cozies.

This is all for fun. I figure if I do not complete all the first 10 tasks, life will continue on. I will just keep listing all the cozies I read regardless if over the 20 I originally signed up for. The journey is the fun part.

So mods, these are my thoughts. Mine alone. I know I am out there..out on a limb by myself. I just wanted to explain my vote.
Continue the great work. You are all doing a fantastic job of commenting on everyone's challenge.

I'm seriously of thinking of next year's challenge to be a choice between reading any cozy you want and the other choice would be the sub-genres. It would be everyone's own choice of which way they want to go. I'm not sure yet, but it's just something I've been thinking of. That way those who don't want to be tied to sub genres won't have to be.

Dagny wrote: "Yvonne wrote: "I'm seriously of thinking of next year's challenge to be a choice between reading any cozy you want and the other choice would be the sub-genres."

That sounds like a plan, Yvonne!

..."

I'm very behind on my series, too. I think I'm going to go with two different options for the challenge next year. Either the old cozy challenge or the new sub genre. That way everyone can decide for themselves which way to go.

Dagny wrote: "Yvonne wrote: "I'm very behind on my series, too. I think I'm going to go with two different options for the challenge next year. Either the old cozy challenge or the new sub genre. That way everyo..."

I agree. Great plan Yvonne.

I have really enjoyed the sub-genres, but am behind on my current series' as well. Sometimes I find myself reading the same cozies over and over again so it was nice to step out of my normal sub-genres. I like both ways. I think a mixture of both would be a good idea.

I enjoy cozies as a break from serious reading and to really get away from it all and travel in my mind. I like the fact that the challenge list is taking me to some new series, subgenres and authors! I would read cozies any way, but the challenge attracted me because it gives an opportunity to push myself and start learning from new people. If you do just go with readers' choice, what will the challenge become? Volume reading? Maybe you could look for common threads for us to search for such as places, types of characters, or seasons...like a cozy reading scavenger hunt?

I'm really struggling with a couple of the sub-genres. I still don't know what my second craft cozy of the year will be. I much prefer the "Go out and read" challenge.

I purposely chose Level 2 so that I could do a short challenge and then "do my own thing" for the rest of the year--kind of have the best of both worlds. I enjoy the idea of having some kind of challenge, but not where it makes my reading too restricted during the year. I also like to be able to have time during the year to fit in some other genres, like a few bestsellers, classics, something else that might interest me, even though cozies are definitely my favorites. The challenge encouraged me to try some new series that I might not otherwise have tried, which was a plus.

I must admit, I'm having trouble completing my own challenge. I may very well go back to the original challenge for next year. We'll see, but I never didn't complete this challenge before and now it's looking like I won't this year. Not because I can't find the sub genres, just because there are other cozies I'm reviewing and are coming first. Also, I do tend to go in one direction when reading like mostly cat or animal cozies.

I like the sub genres because it makes me look at things other than what I normally read. To me that is the whole
Point of a challenge. To stretch yourself

Beth wrote: "I like the sub genres because it makes me look at things other than what I normally read. To me that is the whole
Point of a challenge. To stretch yourself"

That was my thinking when I first went to the sub genres. I figured it's a challenge which means it's not supposed to be easy.

Dagny wrote: "The idea Yvonne mentioned in Message 6, having sub-genres and straight cozies both as Challenges and letting everyone choose which to shoot for, sounds like it might a good option for 2018."

Agreed - then everyone can choose the challenge they prefer for 2018.

Yvonne wrote: "Dagny wrote: "The idea Yvonne mentioned in Message 6, having sub-genres and straight cozies both as Challenges and letting everyone choose which to shoot for, sounds like it might a good option for..."

Agree that there is an option as well. I want to be involved in this group. I just also have other challenges. I have a personal A to Z cozy challenge....can be anything--title, series title, author name, character name, locale, etc....I am working on version #2. It has helped me get through lots of my cozies.

While doing the challenge this summer I found I fell in love with more than one new series and just had to read them all (they were fairly short series thankfully) - this was a fun experience and gave me a chance to try new things, but it did get a bit expensive!