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Every time I talk about the concept of cozy horror people laugh at me. Cozy horror is purely subjective. However, if I was asked to define it I would say that cozy horror is a subset of horror that has less slasher elements and more atmospheric storytelling. It can also combine other genres such as romance, comedy, and drama.

Some would say Interview with a Vampire is cozy horror and I could see an argument for that, especially the AMC series. But when I think of cozy horror, I think of Scooby Doo, Addams Family, Beetlejuice and the movie Ghost. But as of late, I’ve been diving into more horror books; some cozy, some not. I know there are other reluctant horror readers out there so here is a list to start diving into the genre without scaring yourself silly.

Masters of Death by Olivia Blake

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Even though this book came out almost a decade ago, readers continue to yearn for more vampires especially vampires that have complex identities. Blake presents a vampire named Viola who is also a real estate agent trying to sell a haunted house. Viola needs to sell this house, so she seeks out a medium to help. On the outside, Fox seems like a grifter but he’s actually the godson to Death. It has romance, demons and multilayered characters that at times, you will forget you are reading a horror–except for all the blood and stuff.

Monstress by Majorie Liu

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If you are looking to start a new series this steampunk horror has multiple volumes that you can binge. Set in Asia in the early 1900s, one teen girl named Maika is caught between the magical world and political intrigue of her reality. This graphic novel gets quite dark and is very visual. If you love Neil Gaiman’s writing style, you’ll find this graphic novel a sweet and scary treat.

Monstrous by Jessica Lewis

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After reading Bad Witch Burning, Lewis has been on my auto-buy list. In this YA novel, Latavia is a college track runner who must live with her aunt in a small town in Alabama before school starts. While she only has to spend a short time with her aunt, she finds the town peculiar because she’s forbidden to go outside when it’s dark. But Latavia is a rebel at heart and when she finds herself in the woods she finds a cursed monster that offers her a deal she can’t resist.

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas

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This historical fiction horror is part western and part romance. Nena lives on her family’s ranch near the Texas and Mexico bored in the 1840’s. Her family is trying to survive as colonizers threaten their livelihood as they move closer in. But colonizers are not the only thing they need to be safe from and Nena knows first-hand as she was bitten by a monster. Nestor was a young man that knew Nena and thinks she is dead, but when they reunite he discovers his beloved Nena has powers.

This Ravenous Fate By Hayley Dennings

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Yup, that’s right, here’s another vampire tale and this time it’s set during the Harlem Renaissance. Two former best friends are now sworn enemies in this dark horror romantasy where a power Black family holds the fate of vampires in their hands. The two must team up to solve a mystery while their close encounters brings them closer.

Midnight Rooms By Donyae Coles

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This eerie, dark gothic fantasy centers a mixed raced woman named Orabella living in 1840 England. Her white family members are eager to marry her off to settle their debts and in comes the wealthy Elias Blakersby. He’s weird, his family weird and Orabella’s tea may or may not be enchanted. With secrets running amok and keys to doors she’s not suppose to know about this is a real doozy. Perfect for chilling nights where you want to immerse yourself in a creepy, haunted house.

Do you agree with the concept of cozy horror books? What other books do you think should be considers cozy horror?