Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge discussion

Welcome to the eighth annual Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge! I'm changing things up again this year. Some readers enjoyed reading the sub-genres, others found it too difficult. So, this year, we’re going to have something for everyone.

To find out exactly what a cozy mystery is, check out Cozy-Mystery.com. This site is dedicated to cozy mysteries and does a great job of defining them as well as giving a list of cozy mysteries. This challenge is NOT restricted to what is on their list, it's just to be used as a guideline in case you need some hints on what to read.



This year's cozy mystery reading challenge has two ways to participate and you can choose whichever suits you the best:

A) Read only cozy mysteries of your choice.

Or

B) Read one book from these sub-genres:

- One from culinary (anything dealing with food: restaurants, baked goods, etc.)
- One from animal related (cats, dogs, birds, etc.)
- One from craft related (any kind of hobbies - knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, etc.)
- One from paranormal (witches, vampires, etc.)
- One from cozy mysteries based outside the US (example: Belinda Lawrence series (British))
- One career-based cozy mystery (housekeeping, wedding planner, etc.)
- One holiday based (set during any holiday - Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentines, etc.)
- One travel mystery (character could be on a cruise, touring another area, etc.)
- One historical mystery (any mystery not set in the present)
- One is your choice! (freebie!)

Here are the levels you can join for either A or B…

Level one (Snoop) -
A) Read 10 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B) Read one book in each of the above cozy sub-genres (total of 10 books)

Level two (Investigator) -
A) Read 20 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B) Read all the books in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 20)

Level three (Super Sleuth) -
A) Read 30 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B) Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 30 books)

Level four (Sleuth Extraordinaire) -
A)Read 40 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B)Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 20 cozy books of your choice (total of 40 books)

Here are the rules...

1. The challenge runs from January 1, 2018 and ends December 31, 2018.

2. You don't have to choose your books in advance. If you do, you can change your list at any time during the year. Books can overlap with other challenges.

3. Books can be in any format - paper, audio, ebooks...it all counts!

4. You don't have to post a review, but I'm sure others would love to know about the books you are reading and may even want to add it to their reading lists.

There will be a folder for each level. Find the one you'd like to sign up for and create your own sub-folder within the level's folder. You can keep track of what you read there.

Have fun!

Yay! Alright. This is great. I'm going to move up to Level 3 and read 30 cozy mysteries of my choice. Fun!!!

I'm going for level 2 option B

I’m going for Level 4 option B this time.

I'm going for Level 4 again, option A. Although I'll probably list the categories so if anyone is looking for something to satisfy the sub-genres, they can see that.

Mark wrote: "I'm going for Level 4 again, option A. Although I'll probably list the categories so if anyone is looking for something to satisfy the sub-genres, they can see that."

That's a great idea Mark!

I'm undecided what level I want to do this year. Do J or Do I not want to do the genre challenge.

I'm in for level 2 again and probably Option B. I find it more of a challenge and is a good (better?) way to work through my endless tbr list... 😉😂

I will probably not hit the 20 for this year, but I have read several different kinds of cozies, so still a win!

Thanks Mark, that will be helpful!

And thanks Yvonne for setting it up for us! 👏👏👏

I'll be doing Option A in 2018. That will work better for me.

Thanks!

I'll be doing the Snoop level again with Option A. So excited!

I'm in at Level 4, Option A for 2018. I enjoy doing free-style reading, but I might throw in some elements of Option B. Looking forward to a New Reading Year!

I am 100% in! Loved the challenge last year and I will be trying for Level 4, option B again. Thanks to everyone who has a hand in putting this together. Love the community!

I am going to stick with Level 2 and go with Option A. I like being able to pick and choose, plus I will get to read more than one in a series!!

Kudos to you Level 4 challengers!!!

This is great that so many of you are joining up for next year! This should be fun reading again.

I would like to join the challenge again. I choose Level 4 option B but may not read the historical mysteries....once again. :)

Yvonne wrote: "Welcome to the eighth annual Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge! I'm changing things up again this year. Some readers enjoyed reading the sub-genres, others found it too difficult. So, this..."

Thanks again, Yvonne!

Sabine wrote: "I would like to join the challenge again. I choose Level 4 option B but may not read the historical mysteries....once again. :)"

Know exactly what you mean...LOL I am working on my last book for 2017 challenge. Historical. I am forcing my way through it. LOL

Betsy wrote: "Know exactly what you mean...LOL I am working on my last book for 2017 challenge. Historical. I am forcing my way through it. LOL "


LOL. I was considering doing that too but then, why? It is supposed to be fun and I don't think we need to take this challenge that serious, do we? ;)

Sabine wrote: "Betsy wrote: "Know exactly what you mean...LOL I am working on my last book for 2017 challenge. Historical. I am forcing my way through it. LOL "


LOL. I was considering doing that too but then, w..."

Hard for me not to finish it though. :)

I decided to try level 4 again and will read the categories. Hopefully this time I will finish all of them. I usually just pick up random books but I will try harder next year.

Yay! I'm thinking about Level 2 with option B, but we'll see. I'm definitely in though! Thanks for hosting!

I'm joining the challenge for the first time this year. I read a lot of cozies. Trying to decide which level to sign up for. If you pick one level, can I change to a higher level later in the year?

I'm not sure but perhaps I'll go with Level 4, option B, as it's almost level 2 in both options, and it's the same than last year.

I am taking my first cruise at the Super Sleuth level, Option B.

Level 2 Option B for a start.

I'll do Level 4 Option B again this year. As I read well over a hundred cozies a year, Ilve the category challenge. Some are a little harder to find than others. Thanks for doing the challenge.

Welcome Nell. So excited to see a new member. You can always up your challenge if you finish the first one. I believe some in the past started at a new level once they finished their first one.

So glad this is back! I'm going with Level 3, Option A-I'm really focused on clearing off my TBR shelves this coming year, and there's a ton of cozy mysteries on there!

Sunsettowers wrote: "So glad this is back! I'm going with Level 3, Option A-I'm really focused on clearing off my TBR shelves this coming year, and there's a ton of cozy mysteries on there!"

Level 3! Alright! Have fun.

I'm going to do the 4th level and option B. I found doing the genres gave me a chance to try out new things I normally wouldn't have and I discovered authors I just couldn't get enough of as a result!

Betsy wrote: "I'll be doing Option A in 2018. That will work better for me.

Thanks!"
I feel the same way. It was difficult to do this and the other challenges I had going on. :-)

HI, for my first time, I aim for the lowest level, option A. I'm in more than one book club, so it might be challenging to meet this goal until summer. I have several books left in the Louise Penny Gamache series set in Three Pines, which I love love love. If I find another series I like as much as this one, I might set a higher goal.

I was going to opt out this year because I have so many other reading obligations and so many series already begun. However, with the addition of Option A, I think I should be able to stay in this group and play along.

I’m going for low-pressure: Option A, Level 2.

Last year was my first year and I LOVED the challenge. Even though I fell 2 short of the level 2 goal last year, I am going to kick it up to level 3 and do the B-option. I was introduced to some great authors and series by being pushed out of my comfort zone. Plus I am going to cut back on my social media consumption in 2018. Can't wait to get started!

I haven’t done social media for several years & it’s nice not hearing what someone is doing 24 hours a day, people getting upset over different view points etc. GR is all I stick too.

I read a lot of cozies but 2 in each category can be tough for me (historical is my achilles heal). But I'll try to level 2B. I can easily do level 4A.

Thinking I may try this as I try to winnow down my TBRs. Not quite sure yet how I’ll fit my books into the challenge though.

After seeing another member's template for Level 4-B I think I'm going to try that level. I'm in the GR one for 130 and Craving for Cozies for the 126-150. Since I only read cozies, 40 should be doable in here :)

YAY!! I'm back in with "A." I really missed this challenge last year, but was glad to see my online pals stick to it.

I may try to read them according to "B", but I usually don't force it. We'll see where they fall, but definitely "A" for sure!! Going for that Level four (Sleuth Extraordinaire), 40 cozy mysteries.

Last year my cozy reading suffered (only partly because I wasn't in a challenge). I'm glad to be back and pushing myself to read the genre I love. Thanks, Yvonne!

Guess I better get on it!

Tari wrote: "After seeing another member's template for Level 4-B I think I'm going to try that level. I'm in the GR one for 130 and Craving for Cozies for the 126-150."

What is Craving for Cozies?

Are short cozies OK for the challenge or is there a minimum page count per eligible book?

There usually isn't a minium on the number of pages, unless Yvonne added a limit this year.

Sounds good. I just added one...but I can always remove it. There won't be any shortage for replacements ;)

Sabine wrote: "Are short cozies OK for the challenge or is there a minimum page count per eligible book?"

This came up in Jan 2017. I don't have all the posts, but here is what I replied to at the time:

Shannon wrote: "Yvonne, I have a quick question for you. Does a book have to be a certain number of pages before it counts as a single book for the challenge?"
~and~
Yvonne wrote: "Mmmm...I'm thinking they should each count as a book if they have their own ISBN."

I'm assuming it still holds true. (I used to include novellas in my list, but not as full books -- that is, not counted toward my total -- before I read this.)

Karen wrote: "Sabine wrote: "Are short cozies OK for the challenge or is there a minimum page count per eligible book?"

This came up in Jan 2017. I don't have all the posts, but here is what I replied to at th..."
Thanks Karen, I'll list them in the additional books not in the genre specific list. :)

I'm going for Level One, Option B. I love the sub-genre challenge to it.

I am going to try to do level 1 option B. I read all kinds of books.

I'm going to do level two option B

New here, but cozy's are my favorite at the moment. I am planning on going big 😀 Level 4-B. Looking forward to it!

Welcome Betty! Nice to have another fellow reader in Level 4 :)