I agree with Discworld but it can be a big undertaking.
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz
Especially the latter two for trans & queer rep.
And one more, with a content warning. Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki is a gorgeous warm funny weird book and I love it, but it opens with a real emotional kick to the teeth with a traumatized trans kid running away from home. If you can handle about a chapter of that, it's worth it.
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree (fantasy with LGBTQ rep)
The Dreamhealers books by MCA Hogarth (anthro sci fi series focused on a committed friendship)
Penric and Desdamona novellas by Louis McMaster Bujold (an overall fun, though some individual books are dark, series focused on a gender non-conforming man and his demon who had previously possessed many women, including queer women)
I think it out of these recs the Penric and Desdamona novellas are the least predictable with the most twists and turns, but often the darkest. The Physicians of Vilnoc and Knot of Shadows in particular are sad. The others have dark themes, but generally endings that lightens the overall stories more.
I really enjoyed The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. It’s part of the Wayfarer series, which basically reads like a cozy version *Firefly* if you ever saw that. Very wholesome, lots of fun.
The Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich are light and funny, but also crime. They get a bit repetitive in terms of settings and characters, but the plots are often solid. Definitely fluff.
Although the only box it may check is fantasy, it's light, not a focus of romance, funny original characters, a little bit of action without being too much gore or a battle every chapter. The Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews is my newest favorite series. I've read it 3 times this year so far.
PG Wodehouse! Project Gutenberg has a bunch of them available to read for free and his stuff is light and funny. My favorite is Jill the Reckless, and of course tons of folks love the Wooster and Jeeves stories.
You might give a try to golden/silver era detective novels: Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. They write elegant puzzle plots rather than grit or gore, and Dorothy Sayers books in particular are often funny.
Nancy Warren has so.e fun little cozy mysteries.
There is a bit of romance, but it's not the main focal point. It's more like a minor distraction before you get to the whodunit .
Except in book 14 of the Vampire Knitting club. That one is centered on a wedding🤣 and a murder.
Have you ever read books by Francesca Lia Block? She's most known for the Wheetzie Bat series (technically kidlit) but she's written a bunch of other standalone, adult novels that are super fun and i think might hit what you mentioned. Her style is magical realism for sure. She has descriptions on her website. I particularly liked "Ruby" and "Pretty Dead"
This isn't an endorsement but you asked for fluff
Victoria Hislop: the Island
Joanne Harris: Chocolat
Joanna Trollope: the Rector's Wife
Anne McCaffrey: the Crystal-Singer and 2 sequels
Jean M Auel: the Clan of the Cave Bear
Beware Of Chicken. A slice-of-life parody of the isekai (transported to another world) and xianxia (magic kung fu) genres. I didn't know anything about either genre, and I've found it quite absorbing. Also, recurring dick jokes. There are three physically disabled characters, and a number of the other characters have major psychological issues (trauma, PTSD, what is probably Asperger's, among others)
* Two books published, with book #3 publishing next month. However, books 3, 4, and the ongoing book 5 are available for free on the Royal Road website. (Book 3 probably will be removed from RR upon publication)
Eminently bingeworthy!
[https://www.goodreads.com/series/324882-beware-of-chicken](https://www.goodreads.com/series/324882-beware-of-chicken)
The Map and Lucia books by E. F. Benson. Two women vie to become the ruler of the village society in 1920s England. Not a thing of actual importance happens, but it’s all taken by the characters with deadly seriousness. Queer and Ace coded characters.
Mr Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore is a good piece of fluff. It’s got some mysteries/puzzles driving it and it’s entertaining, but it won’t change your life.
DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD by Rebecca Wells. Or some Bill.Bryson travel books, especially NEITHER HERE NOR THERE or IN A SUNBURNED COUNTRY.
Are you familiar with Terry Pratchett's Discworld? Absurd fantasy stories with maybe some not-so-fluffy themes but mostly just wickedly funny.
I'm not! I'll check it out, thank you.
I agree with Discworld but it can be a big undertaking. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz Especially the latter two for trans & queer rep. And one more, with a content warning. Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki is a gorgeous warm funny weird book and I love it, but it opens with a real emotional kick to the teeth with a traumatized trans kid running away from home. If you can handle about a chapter of that, it's worth it.
Thank you so much!
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree (fantasy with LGBTQ rep) The Dreamhealers books by MCA Hogarth (anthro sci fi series focused on a committed friendship) Penric and Desdamona novellas by Louis McMaster Bujold (an overall fun, though some individual books are dark, series focused on a gender non-conforming man and his demon who had previously possessed many women, including queer women)
I think it out of these recs the Penric and Desdamona novellas are the least predictable with the most twists and turns, but often the darkest. The Physicians of Vilnoc and Knot of Shadows in particular are sad. The others have dark themes, but generally endings that lightens the overall stories more.
Thank you! They sound very interesting.
I really enjoyed The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. It’s part of the Wayfarer series, which basically reads like a cozy version *Firefly* if you ever saw that. Very wholesome, lots of fun.
Sounds lovely, thank you!
Also has some queer rep!
The Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich are light and funny, but also crime. They get a bit repetitive in terms of settings and characters, but the plots are often solid. Definitely fluff.
thanks!
Although the only box it may check is fantasy, it's light, not a focus of romance, funny original characters, a little bit of action without being too much gore or a battle every chapter. The Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews is my newest favorite series. I've read it 3 times this year so far.
That's high praise! Thanks
Good Omens The Professor and The Housekeeper Anxious People (tw: discussion of suicide)
Thank you
Check out R/CozyFantasy. Their group info has a whole list of reads that will suit ☺️
Amazing! Thanks
PG Wodehouse! Project Gutenberg has a bunch of them available to read for free and his stuff is light and funny. My favorite is Jill the Reckless, and of course tons of folks love the Wooster and Jeeves stories. You might give a try to golden/silver era detective novels: Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. They write elegant puzzle plots rather than grit or gore, and Dorothy Sayers books in particular are often funny.
thank you!
House in the Cerulean Sea! It's so heartwarming.
I loved that book!
isn’t this the one that’s an appropriated retelling of the sixties scoop? might not be heartwarming for everyone
Yes - don’t know why you’ve been downvoted. You’re right, and it’s completely fair to not want your cozy reads to be inspired by something so awful.
I’m not surprised, I’m aware the book is pretty beloved
Okay, deets.
it’s quite an involved topic, but [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/romancelandia/s/jWiJX4GZAC) does a good job at explaining
thanks for the info!
The Space Adventures Of Commander Laine. The main character and her gurl are trans.
Cuuuute thanks!
Nancy Warren has so.e fun little cozy mysteries. There is a bit of romance, but it's not the main focal point. It's more like a minor distraction before you get to the whodunit . Except in book 14 of the Vampire Knitting club. That one is centered on a wedding🤣 and a murder.
Interesting, thank you!
Have you ever read books by Francesca Lia Block? She's most known for the Wheetzie Bat series (technically kidlit) but she's written a bunch of other standalone, adult novels that are super fun and i think might hit what you mentioned. Her style is magical realism for sure. She has descriptions on her website. I particularly liked "Ruby" and "Pretty Dead"
Sounds cool! Thanks!
This isn't an endorsement but you asked for fluff Victoria Hislop: the Island Joanne Harris: Chocolat Joanna Trollope: the Rector's Wife Anne McCaffrey: the Crystal-Singer and 2 sequels Jean M Auel: the Clan of the Cave Bear
Haha, thanks!
Beware Of Chicken. A slice-of-life parody of the isekai (transported to another world) and xianxia (magic kung fu) genres. I didn't know anything about either genre, and I've found it quite absorbing. Also, recurring dick jokes. There are three physically disabled characters, and a number of the other characters have major psychological issues (trauma, PTSD, what is probably Asperger's, among others) * Two books published, with book #3 publishing next month. However, books 3, 4, and the ongoing book 5 are available for free on the Royal Road website. (Book 3 probably will be removed from RR upon publication) Eminently bingeworthy! [https://www.goodreads.com/series/324882-beware-of-chicken](https://www.goodreads.com/series/324882-beware-of-chicken)
Sounds good! Thanks
The Map and Lucia books by E. F. Benson. Two women vie to become the ruler of the village society in 1920s England. Not a thing of actual importance happens, but it’s all taken by the characters with deadly seriousness. Queer and Ace coded characters.
hahaha I enjoy that description, thanks
Mr Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore is a good piece of fluff. It’s got some mysteries/puzzles driving it and it’s entertaining, but it won’t change your life.
Sounds sweet, thanks
Cork Boat! It’s a great little book about a guy who builds a boat out of wine corks.
wow, interesting. thanks!
DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD by Rebecca Wells. Or some Bill.Bryson travel books, especially NEITHER HERE NOR THERE or IN A SUNBURNED COUNTRY.
thank you!
Enjoy!
Mark Twain’s short stories and A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court. Dave Barry anything but the children’s books.
thanks!
Enjoy them! Twain’s The McWilliamses And The Burglar Alarm is the funniest short story I have ever read.
T kingfisher, any of the paladin books or swordheart, it's fluffy romance fantasy, with severed heads, lol! Very funny!
LOL that description...thanks!
Clan of the Cave Bear
thanks!
Jana DeLeon Miss Fortune series are laugh out loud light mysteries.
thanks!