I am new to some of the terms on this website, so call me a dunce, but I keep seeing the terms "chick lit" and "cozys". What types of books are they refering too?

Any help would greatly be appreciated!

Hi Dawn,

I'm no expert but here is my understanding:

Chick Lit books are humorous books about women going through difficulties. It can be man trouble, career, job loss etc... They are not romances because it doesn't have to end with a guy and girl getting together.  Sometimes she starts her own business or decides to travel or whatever is the empowering resolution to her situation.  I like Christian authors like Kristin Billerbeck (What a Girl Wants, She's Out of Control) I will admit some of the worldly authors books can be pretty raunchy as the characters may sleep around. (Sex in the City would be a very dark chick lit.)

Ok so I'm especially just learning what a cozy is:  A female amateur sleuth solves a crime.  No gore, no descriptive violence, no raunchy sex.  The gal usually has another job but may have a friend, boyfriend or relative with some connection to law enforcement.  ie, cop, lawyer, PI, etc. Even if they go to bed in a secular one, it is glossed over, not graphic.  These often seem to follow a theme and run in series. The Pet Sitter Mysteries, the cooking school mysteries.  A Christian example would be Ginny Aiken's Deadly Decor trilogy.  I'm thinking cozys are just the new Nancy Drew for grown up girls  :O) I read the Deadly Decor series before I ever heard the term cozy  :O) 

Hope this helps Dawn!

Blessings,

Shellie

shellie~

Being new on paperbackswap, I thank you for taking the time to answer my question! Now I know what to look for at book and garage sales. Your help was appreciated.

thanks again, dawn

Cheerfully stolen from Pam in the games forum:

Definition of a cozy...As the name suggests, cozies are light mysteries. They nearly always have an amateur detective, although there is often a police officer or detective in a supporting role, such as a boyfriend or best friend. The amateur cozy sleuth gathers clues by listening to gossip, and by paying attention to the activities around her. She relies on her understanding of human nature, her natural nosiness, and her personality to help her gather her clues. Most cozies are written for women and are a series.

A TV example of a cozy mystery series is Murder, She Wrote.

I've read some chick lit and coziesand I think 'Miss Invisible', 'Reconstructing Natalie', 'RV There Yet?' would be considered christian chick lit. I'm not sure about a cozy series that's christian oriented though the Gayle roper series might be..I have those in my TBR but haven't gotten around to starting them yet.

Thanks for asking Dawn. I had always wondered myself! I just recently went to Wikipedia and typed in "cozy"... so you can pass you're dunce cap over here when you're finished :)

Thanks everyone else for letting us in on the secret :)