Reading Archives | Clean Reads & Cozy Sips

What Makes a Ghost Story Cozy?

Posted on October 12, 2026October 14, 2026 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

There is something about a good ghost story that just feels right in October.

Maybe it’s the old house on the cover. Maybe it’s the promise of a forgotten secret, a family mystery, or a story that has been waiting for someone to uncover it. Or maybe it’s simply the fact that there is something wonderfully fun reading about a haunted house while sitting safely in your own home with a cup of coffee and absolutely no intention of investigating any strange noises you might hear.

Because yes, I love ghost stories.

But what makes a ghost story cozy?

For me, it isn’t necessarily about the ghost itself. It’s about everything surrounding the ghost. The setting, the history, the mystery, the characters, and that feeling of being invited into a story that has been quietly waiting for someone to discover it.

I Want Somewhere Interesting to Go

One of the first things that draws me into a ghost story is the setting. Give me an old house with a history and I’m interested. Give me an old house with a locked room, a dusty attic, an overgrown garden, old photographs, and a family secret nobody wants to talk about, and now I really want to know what’s going on.

I love when a setting feels like more than just a backdrop. A grand old manor, a forgotten estate, a little village with a complicated past, or a cottage tucked away somewhere in the countryside can make me feel like I’ve stepped into another world for a few hours.

And this is one of those things I much prefer experiencing through a book. I can happily explore a supposedly haunted mansion from the safety of my reading chair. If someone actually invited me to investigate one after dark, however, I would suddenly have a very full calendar.

Give Me the Story Behind the Story

History is another big part of the appeal for me. I don’t just want to know that a ghost is haunting a particular place. I want to know who that person was before they became the ghost everyone is talking about.

What was her life like? Who did she love? What happened to her? Why did her story disappear? Who remembers her, and who would rather forget?

I love when a present-day mystery opens a door into the past. Suddenly I’m learning about another generation, another family, another time period, or an event that happened decades ago. The ghost becomes a connection between two stories, and I get to discover both of them at the same time.

That’s one of the things I love about historical fiction in general, and adding a little mystery and the possibility of a haunting makes it even more interesting to me.

Sometimes the Ghost Is the Least Interesting Part

That probably sounds strange coming from someone writing about ghost stories, but hear me out.

Sometimes I don’t actually need the ghost to be frightening. I find it much more interesting when the ghost has a reason for being there. Maybe there is something unfinished. Maybe an old injustice was never resolved. Maybe someone died with a secret that was never uncovered. Maybe the ghost isn’t trying to frighten the living at all. Maybe she’s trying to tell them something.

That’s when I start getting invested.

The question stops being, “What is that ghost going to do?” and becomes, “What happened to this person?”

And once I’m asking that question, I’m no longer simply reading a spooky story. I’m trying to uncover someone’s history.

I Like Stories That Let Me Wonder

I also appreciate a book that doesn’t feel the need to explain everything immediately.

Give me a strange photograph and let me wonder about it for a while. Let someone mention an old family story that doesn’t quite make sense. Give me a room nobody talks about or a piece of information that seems insignificant until several chapters later.

I like putting pieces together.

There is something satisfying about realizing that two little details I’ve been carrying around in the back of my mind actually belong together. I don’t need the author to announce every clue with a flashing neon sign. I want to notice some of them myself.

That kind of mystery gives me something to do as a reader beyond simply turning pages.

The People Still Matter Most

For all my love of old houses, historical secrets, mysterious photographs, and ghosts, I still need to care about the people in the story.

That’s what separates a book I enjoy from one I simply finish.

Maybe the story is about grief. Maybe it’s about family. Maybe someone is trying to understand something that happened to a relative many years ago. Maybe an old secret has affected generations of people without anyone really understanding why.

Whatever the underlying story is, I want it to matter.

The ghost might be what gets my attention, but the people are what keep me reading. I want to understand their choices, their relationships, their losses, and what they’re hoping to find by the time the mystery is finally resolved.

If I can become emotionally invested in the story while I’m also trying to figure out what happened, that’s when you’ve really got me.

And Yes, the Way I Read It Matters

There is also a very practical side to my definition of cozy.

I want to read these books when I’m settled in. Fall is probably the perfect time because everything about the season seems to cooperate. The cooler weather, the earlier sunsets, the blankets, the coffee, the tea, the candles, the books waiting on my nightstand. All of it creates the right mood.

But the book itself doesn’t have to be set in October for me to enjoy it that way.

For me, cozy reading is really about slowing down enough to enjoy the story. I don’t necessarily want to race through it. I want to notice the setting, get attached to the characters, wonder about the clues, and spend some time in the world the author has created.

And if that happens to involve a haunted house?

Even better.

So, What Makes It Cozy?

I think I’ve finally figured out what I mean when I call a ghost story cozy.

It isn’t because nothing strange happens. It isn’t because the story is completely comfortable or predictable. And it certainly isn’t because I think ghosts themselves are particularly cuddly.

It’s because the story gives me something I enjoy settling into.

I get a fascinating setting, a little history, a mystery to unravel, characters I care about, and just enough of the unexplained to keep me wondering. The ghost becomes part of a larger story instead of being the entire story.

That’s the combination that works for me.

I want to feel curious. I want to feel a little unsettled in the best possible way. I want to wonder what happened and why the past is still reaching into the present. Most of all, I want to finish the book feeling like I was taken somewhere interesting and given a story worth remembering.

And preferably, I want to experience all of this from the safety of my favorite chair.

Because I’m perfectly happy to read about the haunted old house.

I’m just not going inside it.

Especially after dark.

Reading Life

Why I Like Ghost Stories but Not Horror

Posted on October 5, 2026October 14, 2026 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

There is something about a good ghost story that I absolutely love.

Notice I said good ghost story.

I did not say horror.

Give me an old house with a creaky staircase, a mysterious woman in a long dress who appears at the end of a hallway, a century-old family secret, a foggy English village, and maybe a ghost who has been waiting 100 years for someone to finally figure out what happened to her.

I am completely in.

There is something about that combination of mystery, history, atmosphere, and the unknown that pulls me in. I want to know what happened. I want to uncover the secret. I want to follow the clues and figure out why this particular house, family, or place seems to have a story it desperately wants someone to hear.

That is the kind of spooky I enjoy.

It’s Usually the Story Behind the Ghost

The funny thing is, the ghost is often not what interests me most.

It’s the story behind the ghost.

Maybe a woman disappeared decades ago. Maybe an old family has been carrying a secret from one generation to the next. Maybe a forgotten room contains a clue nobody knew existed. Maybe the town has spent years telling one version of a story while the truth has been sitting quietly somewhere else.

Now I’m interested.

I’ve always loved history, especially the details that make the past feel like a real place populated by real people. Add a mystery and a little supernatural uncertainty, and you’ve got a combination that is hard for me to resist.

I love the feeling of slowly discovering that what happened in the past is connected to what is happening now.

And if there happens to be a ghost involved?

Well, that’s even better.

I Like the Atmosphere

Maybe this is partly because I am such a fall person.

October practically begs for this kind of reading.

Cooler evenings. Leaves changing. Cozy blankets. A warm drink beside me. The lights turned down. A British mystery playing somewhere in the background.

Put a beautifully written ghost story in my hands during all of that, and I’m happy.

I love old houses, especially the fictional kind that seem to have personalities of their own. I love foggy landscapes, historic villages, abandoned estates, dusty attics, old photographs, handwritten letters, and stories that make you wonder what might have happened behind closed doors a hundred years ago.

Atmosphere can do a lot of work.

Sometimes a creaking floorboard is more effective than pages of graphic description.

My imagination will take it from there.

I Like a Little Mystery About What Is Real

Another thing I enjoy is when a story doesn’t immediately tell me exactly what is happening.

Did someone really see a ghost?

Is there something unusual about the house?

Is the old story true?

Could there be another explanation?

I like having those questions in the back of my mind while I read.

That’s probably part of why ghost stories and mysteries fit together so well for me. I’m not simply waiting for something frightening to happen. I’m paying attention. I’m looking for clues. I’m wondering whether that seemingly insignificant detail from three chapters ago is suddenly going to become important.

And yes, I absolutely love being surprised when it does.

My Faith Still Shapes What I Read

Being a Christian reader doesn’t mean every book I read has to be explicitly Christian.

It does mean I have certain boundaries around what I’m comfortable reading.

I enjoy fictional stories that include ghosts or unexplained supernatural elements, but I don’t want stories centered around occult practices, characters seeking supernatural power, or rituals designed to summon or manipulate spiritual beings.

That’s simply not what I’m looking for.

For me, there’s a difference between reading a fictional mystery involving a ghost and reading a story that invites the reader deeply into occult practices.

The first can be an atmospheric mystery.

The second isn’t something I want on my bookshelf.

I’ve become much more comfortable as a reader with recognizing those boundaries and simply saying, “This book isn’t for me.” There are too many wonderful stories in the world to force myself through one that doesn’t fit my reading preferences.

I Love When the Supernatural Serves the Story

The ghost shouldn’t have to be the whole point.

In fact, some of my favorite stories are the ones where the supernatural element helps uncover something much more human.

A buried injustice.

A complicated family history.

A lost love.

A painful secret.

Someone who was misunderstood.

Someone whose story was never properly told.

That’s where a ghost story can become something more than a spooky read.

It can become a story about memory, grief, forgiveness, family, regret, or the consequences of choices made long before the main characters were born.

The ghost may be what gets everyone’s attention, but the human story is what keeps me reading.

I Know What I Don’t Want

This is probably the easiest part to explain.

I don’t want graphic violence.

I don’t want gore.

I don’t want pages designed to shock me.

I don’t want to finish a book and immediately wonder why I voluntarily did that to myself.

I like being unsettled in that fun, literary way where I might glance toward the hallway and think, Okay, that was creepy.

Then I want to close the book, make my tea, and go to bed.

Peacefully.

Preferably without imagining someone standing at the foot of my bed.

Why This Fits Clean Reads & Cozy Sips

This is exactly why Cozy Ghost Stories & Gentle Paranormal has a place here at Clean Reads & Cozy Sips.

When I talk about clean reading, I’m not simply talking about checking a list of things a book does or doesn’t contain. I’m interested in the overall reading experience and whether a story fits the kind of reading life I want to have.

I want good characters. I want intriguing mysteries. I want beautiful settings and interesting history. I want stories that make me curious. I want a little atmosphere and maybe a little shiver.

And yes, sometimes I want a ghost.

But I want the kind of ghost story that makes me want to keep turning pages, not the kind that makes me question every noise my house makes afterward.

That’s the sweet spot for me.

So, yes, I like ghost stories.

I like old houses, forgotten histories, mysterious photographs, family secrets, strange happenings, and questions that don’t have easy answers.

I like stories that make me wonder what happened and keep me guessing until the final pages. Give me a good ghost story, a cozy chair, something warm in my mug, and a chilly October evening. I’ll be perfectly happy.

Just don’t ask me to investigate that noise coming from upstairs.

I already know it’s the house.

At least….I hope it’s the house.

Reading Life

A Different Kind of Reader

Posted on October 1, 2026October 14, 2026 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

There’s something I’ve been wanting to come clean about.

I’m not sure I read the way other people do.

Actually, I’m pretty sure I don’t.

And I don’t think I ever have.

If you spend much time around Bookstagram and folks who review books, you’ve probably seen people talking about books in ways that sometimes make me wonder if we’re all reading the same thing.

Tropes. Themes. Theories. Symbolism. Character arcs. Anthropological meanings.

People notice things I never even thought to look for.

And sometimes I feel a little like I’m standing outside looking in, wishing my brain worked that way.

But it doesn’t.

It never has.

Looking for Meaning

I actually remember this from college.

Yes.

College.

I was a 40-something-year-old woman sitting in class when my professor read excerpts from a classmate’s book analysis, and I was completely lost.

The language was way above my head.

I remember listening to this analysis and thinking:

Did we read the same book?!

Because I didn’t get that the blue curtain was actually a diatribe on the socioeconomic conditions of the time.

I thought it was room décor.

And my professor ate it up.

He was beaming as he read the essay. Beaming.

Meanwhile, I’m sitting there thinking, Well, apparently I missed a class somewhere.

My own analysis got an A, but I think that was mercy more than merit. My professor was being kind because he knew how much I loved the material.

And I did love it.

I just didn’t love the comments he left on my paper.

“You’re just at the surface, but you haven’t quite broken through yet.”

And I remember thinking:

What?

To this day, no one ever really explained what that meant.

I did ask him at one point. I met with him about my then-ambition to be a college-level English teacher.

I thought, How lovely would it be to sit all day in a room full of people who loved books and talk about the characters, the stories, the relationships and all that.

Themes?

Tropes?

Anthropological observations?

Nuh-uh. I abandoned that dream as soon as he made it clear I wasn’t cut out for those types of conversations.

I Don’t Read Looking for Themes

I’ve never naturally read books looking for themes.

I don’t sit down with a book thinking, I wonder what the author is trying to say about the human condition.

I’m usually thinking, I wonder what happens next.

I’ve never been particularly interested in identifying every trope. I don’t naturally stop and wonder what a particular object symbolizes. And if there’s some deeper anthropological meaning tucked into Chapter 17, there’s a pretty good chance it went right over my head.

That’s just not how I read.

For a long time, I wondered if that meant I wasn’t reading deeply enough.

Maybe I wasn’t smart enough.

Maybe I was missing something everyone else understood.

Maybe I was just doing it wrong.

But the older I get and the more I think about it, the more I realize something:

Maybe I’m just a different kind of reader.

When I Love a Book, I’m IN the Book

When I love a book, I’m not standing outside it analyzing it.

I’m in it.

I’m seeing life through the main character’s eyes.

I’m sitting alongside them.

I’m wondering what they’re wondering.

I’m thinking about what they’re thinking.

I’m feeling what they’re feeling.

I’m completely invested in what happens next.

If it’s a mystery, I’m trying to figure out who did it.

If it’s a relationship story, I’m invested in the relationship.

If it’s a historical novel, I’m soaking up the setting and the history.

If it’s a ghost story, I’m probably sitting there thinking:

Why is the floor creaking?

And then, inevitably:

Why would you go outside to investigate that noise?!

And if you’re living in a haunted house?

Why are you still there?!

This is how I read.

I laugh.

I cry.

I feel.

I absorb.

I get attached to characters.

I get frustrated with characters.

I occasionally talk to characters who cannot hear me because, apparently, I’ve forgotten that they’re fictional.

And when I’ve finished a book I loved, I don’t want to sit and analyze it.

I just want to sit in the aftermath with all my feelings and just… abide.

And Then There’s Annotation

Let’s talk about annotation.

I don’t annotate.

Actually, let me be more specific.

I don’t even know how to annotate.

See: Things They Didn’t Teach Us in High School in the ’80s.

I see people with their beautiful annotated books, colorful tabs, carefully chosen pens, and thoughtful notes in the margins.

And I admire them.

Truly.

Meanwhile, I’m just trying not to spill my coffee on page 183.

Maybe someday I’ll learn.

Maybe I won’t.

We’ll see.

This Is Why Book Clubs Can Make Me Nervous

Book clubs actually terrify me. I feel wildly under-educated.

Especially when the conversation starts getting into themes and symbolism and all the things I didn’t notice while I was busy worrying about whether the main character was going to survive the next chapter.

But here’s what I do know.

I know what I like.

And I know why I like it.

I know character growth.

I know relationships.

I know when a story grabs me.

I know when a book makes me want to keep reading long past the time I should have gone to bed.

I love a good mystery and trying to figure out who did it.

I love a chilling ghost story.

I love the history behind a historical story.

I love characters who feel real enough that I miss them when the book ends.

Those things matter to me.

That’s my wheelhouse.

To the Readers Who See Everything…

There’s something else I want to say because I don’t want this to sound like I’m dismissing readers who approach books differently.

Quite the opposite.

To those of you who annotate every page, spot every trope, catch every theme, analyze every little detail, and see things in books that I completely miss:

I admire you.

Seriously.

Keep doing what you’re doing.

Because people like me need people like you.

Your reviews and discussions sometimes help me see something I didn’t notice the first time around.

You teach me to look a little deeper.

You introduce me to ways of thinking about a story that might never have occurred to me on my own.

And I think that’s one of the beautiful things about being part of a reading community.

We don’t all have to read the same way.

One person notices the symbolism.

Another notices the character development.

Someone else catches a historical detail.

Someone else is over there yelling, DON’T GO INTO THE BASEMENT!

And all of us are still reading.

So Here’s How I’ll Talk About Books

When I talk about books here at Clean Reads & Cozy Sips, I’m going to talk about them from my perspective.

I’m not a literary scholar.

I’m not going to pretend I caught every theme or understood every layer.

I’m just a woman who loves good stories.

I’ll tell you when a book made me laugh.

I’ll tell you when it made me cry.

I’ll tell you when I couldn’t put it down.

I’ll tell you when I loved the characters.

I’ll tell you when the mystery kept me guessing.

I’ll tell you when the ghost story gave me just the right amount of creepy.

And I’ll tell you when a book made me want to curl up with a blanket, a cozy drink, and another chapter.

Because that’s what reading is for me.

It’s an experience.

It’s an escape.

It’s a conversation.

Sometimes it’s comfort.

Sometimes it’s a little adventure.

And sometimes it’s simply a really good story at exactly the right time.

Maybe There Isn’t a Wrong Way to Read

I think I’ve spent enough years wondering whether I was reading the “right” way.

Maybe there isn’t one.

Maybe some people read analytically.

Maybe some people read emotionally.

Maybe some people do both.

Maybe some people annotate every page.

Maybe some people don’t even know what an annotation is.

Maybe some people read one book at a time.

And maybe some of us have several books going at once because apparently choosing just one feels like an unreasonable restriction.

We’re all readers.

And that’s enough for me.

So if you’re the kind of reader who sees every theme, catches every symbol, and has three different colors of tabs in your book, I hope you keep doing exactly that.

And if you’re the kind of reader who climbs inside the story, falls in love with the characters, tries to solve the mystery, cries at the ending, and closes the book thinking, Well, that was wonderful…

Hi. You’re in good company. And around here, there is always room for you.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a book to get back to.

And there is absolutely no way I’m going into that basement.

Reading Life

Why I Love Emma M. Lion

Posted on September 25, 2026October 14, 2026 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

I’ve never really been part of a movement. I kind of live my life on my own terms, and apparently, that applies to my reading life too.

Since returning to Bookstagram, I’ve loved seeing what everyone else is reading. I enjoy being part of the current conversations, discovering what people are excited about, and occasionally adding yet another book to my already ridiculous TBR pile.

The problem is, I never seem to have as much time to read as everyone else does.

I don’t know how you all do it. I’m sure many of you have regular jobs, homeschool your children (which, in my opinion, is basically a corporate job and then some), run households, raise families, and somehow still manage to read approximately 47 books a month.

Meanwhile, I have a corporate 9-to-5 job.

That’s it. Of course, I’m a mood reader. Much like my crochet projects, I read according to what I feel like creating, or in this case, escaping into, on any given day. So, yes, I often have several books going at once.

But I digress.

So, Why Emma M. Lion?

I’ve listened to all eight volumes of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, and I’m now going back through the books and actually reading them on my Kindle.

And I have to tell you something.

It’s been a VERY long time since I’ve been this obsessed with a book series.

Outside of the Bible, I’m not sure I’ve ever been this invested in a collection of books.

Which naturally led me to ask myself:

What is it about these books that keeps pulling me back? Why do I find myself combing through Bookstagram, looking for other Emma M. Lion fans to talk to about these stories?

As an introspective reader, I keep coming back to the same question:

Why Emma M. Lion?

I think I’ve finally figured out at least some of the answer.

1. I See My Daughters in Emma

As a woman with two grown daughters, I admit I see a little bit of each of my girls in Emma.

She’s caring and innocent, but she’s also a bit daring. She’s fiercely loyal and loves the people around her deeply. She doesn’t crave the spotlight, but she’ll step directly into it when doing so might help someone else.

There are little pieces of my girls in her, and maybe that’s part of why I feel so protective of her.

2. Perfectly Imperfect

Emma isn’t self-absorbed, and she certainly isn’t perfect. In fact, it’s her flaws that I’ve come to love and appreciate most.

She’s constantly learning, growing, making mistakes, and trying to do better.

And after almost 58 years on this earth, I can relate to that. I’m still learning too.

None of us has it all figured out.

Emma just happens to have a particularly entertaining way of figuring it out.

3. She Gets Me

This one still surprises me. It’s not every day that I find myself relating to a young fictional character.

I’ve lived some life at this point. I’ve raised children, navigated relationships, experienced loss, made mistakes, started over, and learned a few things along the way.

And yet, somehow, Emma gets me. Maybe it’s because, like Emma, I can’t help but believe my best years are still ahead. That part feels especially familiar.

4. Emma Is Compassionate

Emma has compassion even for people who haven’t necessarily been kind to her.

We’ve seen small glimpses of it in her relationships with Archibald and Parian, and we’ve seen it in much bigger ways with Victoria Braithwaite.

That kind of compassion matters to me. Not because Emma always gets everything right, but because she keeps choosing to care.

I think the world could use more of that.

5. And, She’s Funny

Emma is funny. And I love that about her. She doesn’t take herself too seriously, and I think we could all use a little more of that.

Life can get heavy. Sometimes you need a book that lets you laugh at the absurdity of things for a while.

Emma does that for me.

6. These Books Are a Light Read

Now, y’all know I love a good ghost story.

I love historical fiction. I love Christian fiction. I love books that give me something to think about.

But sometimes those books get a little too far into my brain. And once they’re in there, they tend to bash around and wreak havoc.

Sometimes I don’t want that. Sometimes I want something calming, lighthearted, and amusing.

That’s when I reach for Emma M. Lion.

These books give my brain somewhere pleasant to go without requiring me to recover emotionally when I get to the last page.

7. The Alchemy

Need I say more?

There’s something precious happening here.

Emma is part of this wonderful friendship without everything immediately becoming complicated by romantic entanglements.

Of course, we know about Emma and Pierce. I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about the writing. The relationships feel meaningful without turning every interaction into a romantic circus.

And I appreciate that more than I can say.

It’s something that is done exceptionally well.

8. The Supporting Cast

I mean, come on.

Part of us, while we may be loath to admit it, even loves Cousin Archibald.

“What? What!”

You know exactly what I mean.

The supporting characters add so much personality to these books. They aren’t simply there to move Emma’s story along. They have their own quirks, personalities, relationships, and moments that make St. Crispians feel like a real place populated by real people.

Even when those people make me want to shake them.

9. I’m Here for Emma’s Journey

There’s something wonderfully comforting about getting to sit beside someone else’s life for a while.

Emma’s life has a little bit of everything: chaos, calm, friendship, humor, loss, and all the ordinary moments that make a story feel lived in.

And then there’s the storytelling. I love nothing more than imagining myself sitting beside Emma with a cup of tea in my hand while she prattles on about her day. It feels almost like listening to a friend tell me what happened over the weekend.

And I’m invested in that friend.

10. The Setting

I believe there’s an anglophile lurking somewhere inside many of us who love to read.

Speaking for myself, I’m naturally drawn to stories set in Victorian England.

I’m certainly not naïve enough to ignore the very dark side of that period. History wasn’t nearly as pretty as the books sometimes make it feel.

But I’m also romantic enough to enjoy the pretty parts.

The gowns.

The balls.

The manners.

The properness of it all.

There’s something about that world that draws me in.

And St. Crispians gives me just enough of that atmosphere to make me want to settle into my chair with a cup of tea and stay there for a while.

So, What Is It About Emma M. Lion?

Of course, there are other reasons I love these books.

They’re clean reads, which matters to me. They’re funny without being ridiculous. They’re full of interesting characters and relationships. And once I stepped into the world of St. Crispians, I found myself wanting to stay there.

But I think it goes deeper than that.

Maybe I love Emma because she reminds me that being imperfect doesn’t mean we stop growing.

Maybe it’s because she reminds me of pieces of my daughters.

Maybe it’s because she’s compassionate, funny, flawed, curious, and still convinced that there’s more life ahead of her.

Or maybe I just really like sitting down with a cup of tea and listening to this particular fictional woman prattle on about her life.

Whatever the reason, I’ve been hard-pressed to find another series that has captured my attention quite like The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion.

May these books never end.

Reading Life

Why I’m Glad I Found My Way Back to Bookstagram

Posted on September 22, 2026October 14, 2026 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

I stepped away from Bookstagram for several years.

There were things about the community at the time that just weren’t good for me, so I quietly walked away. I didn’t stop loving books. I didn’t stop reading. I just needed some distance.

But eventually, I found my way back.

And I’m really glad I did.

Finding My People Again

What I’ve come to love most about being back isn’t even the books, although let’s be honest, the books are a pretty significant perk.

It’s the friendship.

Real, Godly friendships.

The laughter. The encouragement. The creativity. The people who can make me laugh with a book post I never saw coming.

There is so much fun here.

And I never quite know what I’m going to discover next.

Like The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower.

I discovered this series through the Bookstagram community, and let’s just say…

CLEAN GHOST STORIES. FINALLY!

If you know me, you know exactly why this made me happy.

I’m also finding clean historical fiction, clean romance, and so many other wonderful books that I can actually recommend without having to give someone a list of warnings first.

And that is a beautiful thing.

So Many Books, So Little Time

I’m discovering authors I might never have found on my own, and I’m loving the opportunity to follow their work and learn more about the people behind the books.

But what has surprised me most is how generous so many authors are with this community.

They share their love of writing. They share advice. They share their experiences. They talk about what they’ve learned, what has worked, what hasn’t, and what it actually looks like to pursue writing.

That is such a huge blessing to someone like me who is also trying to find her way as a writer.

I love discovering authors who don’t just write but really give their all to their craft after giving it all to God first.

There is something special about watching someone pursue a creative calling while keeping God at the center of it.

And then there is the encouragement.

So much encouragement.

People cheering each other on. Sharing what they’re reading. Celebrating new releases. Talking about characters they love. Recommending books. Sharing their writing journeys.

And, of course…

There are BOOKS.

So. Many. Books.

My TBR List Has Grown

I’m especially excited that I can finally start dipping my toes into Regency romance without wondering when the story is suddenly going to take a turn I didn’t sign up for.

I want the gowns.

I want the estates.

I want the ballroom scenes.

I want the slow-burn romance.

I want the longing glances across the room.

I just don’t need the open-door, graphic scenes that so often come along with romance.

Being able to find books that give me the story without giving me the stuff I don’t want to read is honestly wonderful.

And I love that I can recommend those books to other people with confidence.

Sharing Books With My Girls

One of my favorite parts of all of this is being able to recommend books to my daughter, Emilie.

She is the person who got me into reading in the first place.

Years ago, she introduced me to the wonderful world of books, and now I’m finding myself discovering books that I can turn around and recommend to her.

The funny part is that Emilie stepped away from Bookstagram for many of the same reasons I did.

So coming back and finding this side of the community again has been especially fun.

It’s like rediscovering something we both love and finding that there is still a place for us here.

And then I think about my granddaughter.

That makes this even sweeter.

I’m discovering books and authors now that I may someday get to share with her.

Maybe I’ll have a little granddaughter sitting beside me someday, and I’ll be able to hand her a book and say, “You have to read this one.”

I really love that thought.

Books Can Be Part of My Faith, Too

I think this is probably the biggest reason I’m enjoying my time here now.

Reading has always been an escape for me. It’s entertainment. It’s relaxation. It’s something I enjoy at the end of a long day.

But I love that I can enjoy it without feeling like I’m setting my faith aside to do it.

I can discover books that align with my values.

I can encourage authors who are using their gifts for God.

I can have conversations about books with people who understand why clean content matters to me.

And I can spend my downtime doing something I genuinely enjoy while still engaging in something that honors God.

That doesn’t mean every book has to be explicitly Christian.

It simply means I have become much more intentional about what I allow into my mind and what I choose to spend my time reading.

And finding a community where other people understand that has been such a gift.

I’m Glad I Came Back

I don’t know exactly what Bookstagram will look like for me going forward.

I do know what I love about it now.

The friendships.

The laughter.

The creativity.

The authors who are willing to share what they’ve learned.

The encouragement.

The clean reads.

The discovery of books I might never have found otherwise.

And the possibility of someday sharing some of those books with my daughter and my granddaughter.

Maybe that’s why coming back feels different this time.

I’m not looking for perfection.

I’m just looking for good books, good people, meaningful conversations, and a little corner of the internet where I can enjoy something I love without compromising what matters to me.

And apparently, I’ve found it.

Books, friendship, creativity, encouragement, clean reads, and a whole lot of cozy reading?

Yeah.

I’m pretty happy to be back.

Come find me on Bookstagram at @cleanreadsandcozysips. We’ll talk books, cozy drinks, good stories, and probably get a little distracted along the way.

Reading Life

Audiobooks Are Real Reading

Posted on August 13, 2026October 14, 2026 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

I Know. I Know.

I know.

I KNOW.

This conversation has already been had.

Probably a thousand times.

There are articles about it. There are arguments about it. There are people on the internet who have very strong feelings about it. Somewhere, I’m sure, two people are currently arguing in a Facebook group about whether listening to a book while crocheting counts as reading.

And yet…

Here I am.

Putting my oar in anyway.

Because I have thoughts.

Audiobooks count as reading.

There. I’ve said it.

You may now clutch your pearls.

Hear Me Out

I love to read.

I love physical books. I love the covers. I love holding a book in my hands and knowing there are hundreds of pages waiting for me.

I love settling into my chair, getting comfortable, and disappearing into a story.

I love meeting characters and becoming invested in their lives like they are somehow going to send me a Christmas card.

I love wandering into a completely different world for a few hours.

And yes, sometimes I want to read every word myself.

But sometimes…

I want somebody else to read it to me.

And apparently, according to some people, this is where we have a problem.

Apparently, My Ears Don’t Count

I’m sorry, but I’m going to need someone to explain this one to me.

If I read the words with my eyes, I am reading.

If I hear the exact same words with my ears, suddenly I’m cheating?

What happened?

Did the book police show up?

“Ma’am, we’re going to have to confiscate your audiobook. You didn’t technically read this.”

Meanwhile, I’m sitting there crocheting a blanket, completely immersed in a story, and wondering who decided that my eyeballs are the official gatekeepers of literature.

Because as far as I’m concerned, the story is the point.

I Want the Story

That’s really what it comes down to for me.

Someone sat down and created something.

They imagined a world.

They created characters.

They wrote a love story, a mystery, an adventure, a friendship, or maybe an entirely different world I can escape into for a while.

And I get to experience it.

Sometimes that means reading the words myself.

Sometimes it means listening to someone tell me the story.

Either way, I’m enjoying somebody’s imagination.

And I want the story.

Give me the story.

I’ll take it in whatever form you want to hand it to me.

Well, within reason.

I’m still not interested in anything that doesn’t fit my values. But that’s a whole other conversation.

Sometimes I Want to Read It Myself

There is something wonderful about reading a physical book.

I love seeing the cover.

I love turning the pages.

I love hearing the words in my head as I read them.

I love imagining what the characters look like, what the house looks like, what the town looks like, and occasionally wondering why nobody in a mystery novel thinks to call the police sooner.

I love getting comfortable and losing track of time.

Those are the moments when reading feels like an escape.

Just me, my book, and several hundred pages of questionable decisions made by fictional people.

Perfect.

Sometimes I Want Someone Else to Tell Me the Story

And then there are audiobooks.

Oh, I love an audiobook.

Especially when the narrator is good.

A really good narrator can take a character I’ve created in my head and suddenly give that character a voice.

They can change their tone.

They can change their pacing.

They can give different characters different personalities.

They can make a scene funny, heartbreaking, suspenseful, or downright creepy.

Suddenly, these people who don’t actually exist are living rent-free in my head.

And I am perfectly happy about it.

Also, My Hands Are Busy

Here’s another reason I love audiobooks.

I can listen while I crochet.

I can listen while I embroider.

I can listen while I fold laundry.

I can listen while I’m doing things around the house.

This is especially important because apparently laundry refuses to fold itself.

So if I’m going to be folding seventeen towels that somehow appeared in my house overnight, you better believe I’m putting on an audiobook.

My hands get something to do.

My brain gets a story.

Everybody wins.

But Isn’t That Cheating?

No.

Next question.

I’m kidding.

Mostly.

But seriously, I don’t understand why we have decided that reading needs to be some sort of achievement badge.

Reading isn’t a competition.

I’m not trying to win the Reading Olympics.

Nobody is handing me a trophy because I read 74 books this year instead of 32.

And nobody gets to tell me that I didn’t “really read” a book because I listened to it while crocheting.

I experienced the story.

I followed the plot.

I met the characters.

I cared what happened.

I probably yelled at somebody who made a terrible decision.

That’s reading to me.

So Here’s Where I Stand

I will happily read the physical book.

I will read an ebook.

And I will absolutely listen to an audiobook.

Because whether I’m sitting in my chair with a book in my hands or crocheting while an actor brings the characters to life…

I’m enjoying a story.

And isn’t that the whole point?

We read because we want to go somewhere.

We want to feel something.

We want to meet people who don’t exist.

We want to experience someone else’s vision of love, friendship, adventure, mystery, hope, loss, or an entirely different world.

We want to escape for a little while.

And sometimes, we just want somebody to tell us a good story while we finish the blanket we’ve been working on for six months.

I don’t think that’s cheating.

I think that’s pretty darn wonderful.

So yes.

I know this conversation has already been had.

I know I’m late to the party.

I know the internet has already debated this approximately 9,847 times.

But I’m putting my oar in anyway.

Audiobooks count as reading.

And if you disagree, that’s okay.

You can go read a book about it.

I’ll be over here listening to mine.

While I crochet.

I’m planting my little bookish flag right here.

Reading Life

Why I Choose to Read No-Spice Books

Posted on June 16, 2026October 14, 2026 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Can I be honest with you?

I didn’t always read clean books.

For years, I enjoyed spicy romance novels. I loved the excitement, the chemistry, and the emotional intensity. At the time, I didn’t think much about how those stories were shaping my expectations.

Then I got married.

What I quickly discovered was that real life rarely looks like fiction. Real relationships aren’t built on perfectly timed grand gestures, flawless communication, or endless romantic moments. They’re built on ordinary days, imperfect people, and the choice to love each other anyway.

At first, I kept reading those books. I even wrote some of that content myself. Looking back, though, I can see that the stories I consumed slowly became a measuring stick for my own life.

Without realizing it, I started comparing.

Why doesn’t my relationship feel like that?

Why isn’t romance easier?

Why don’t I feel what the characters feel?

The more I compared, the more dissatisfied I became.

My husband made efforts to show love in his own way, but I often overlooked them because they didn’t match the version of romance I had built in my mind. Instead of appreciating what was real, I focused on what was missing.

And comparison rarely stays in one area of life.

Soon, I wasn’t just comparing my marriage. I compared myself.

I didn’t look like the women in the books. I wasn’t as confident, glamorous, fashionable, or outgoing as the characters I read about. Little by little, my self-confidence eroded.

The problem wasn’t the books themselves.

The problem was what I allowed them to become in my heart.

Scripture reminds us:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” — Proverbs 4:23

For me, that verse became deeply personal.

I began to realize that what I read was influencing how I viewed myself, my relationships, and even my contentment. The stories I consumed fed expectations that no real person could consistently meet and encouraged comparisons that slowly stole my ability to appreciate what was right in front of me.

Years later, my marriage ended.

To this day, I would never blame books for my divorce. Marriages end for complicated reasons, and mine was no exception.

But healing has a way of giving us perspective.

Looking back, I can see that some of the stories I consumed encouraged comparisons and expectations that made it harder for me to appreciate the good that existed in my real life. They weren’t the cause, but they certainly weren’t helping.

I don’t share that because I’m interested in creating rules for other people. I share it because I’ve lived with the consequences of comparison, and I know how quietly it can take root.

Today, I still love books just as much as I always have.

But I’ve become more intentional about what I read.

I choose stories that leave me feeling encouraged instead of dissatisfied. I look for romance built on connection, kindness, sacrifice, friendship, and emotional intimacy. I’ve discovered that some of the most beautiful love stories happen in a glance across a room, a hand held during a difficult season, or two people choosing each other again and again.

That’s one of the reasons Clean Reads & Cozy Sips exists.

Not because I think everyone has to read exactly what I read.

Not because I’m interested in judging anyone else’s choices.

But because I’ve experienced firsthand how powerful stories can be.

Books shape us. They influence our thoughts, our expectations, and sometimes even the way we see ourselves.

These days, I choose books that bring peace, hope, and joy into my life.

And honestly?

I’ve never enjoyed reading more.

A Question for You

Have you ever noticed a book, movie, or television show influencing your expectations of relationships, life, or even yourself?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Reading Lists

Best Cozy Mystery Books for Beginners

Posted on May 20, 2026October 14, 2026 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

I love a good mystery. I love a good ghost story. And even more, I love when the two come together and create a cozy paranormal mystery.

My favorite books in this genre are the ones where both the ghosts and the victims have complex stories to tell. My job as the reader is simple: I grab a blanket, pour a warm drink, settle in, and let their worlds unfold.

Here are some of my top favorites—clean reads that are perfect for beginners just starting to dip their toes into cozy and paranormal mystery waters.

1. The Aurora Teagarden Series – Charlaine Harris

I would generally hesitate to recommend anything by Charlaine Harris because of the graphic nature of her Sookie Stackhouse series. However, my sister recommended this series to me years ago, and I ended up really enjoying the mysteries.

These stories lean more character-driven than violent, and the backstories are genuinely well written. Across the series, you also get solid character growth that keeps things engaging.

Unpopular opinion: I didn’t NOT enjoy the Aurora Teagarden adaptations done by Hallmark. That said, while these books may feel primed for television, I do think some stories are better left on the page where imagination does the work.

2. The Ghost Hunter Series – Angie Fox

If you’re just starting out in paranormal cozy mysteries, this series is a great place to begin.

The character growth stands out, and the stories are genuinely enjoyable—some stronger than others, if I’m being honest. Still, the characters alone are what kept me coming back again and again. I’m currently on my second reread, which says a lot.

The ghost stories themselves are also genuinely fun. The spirits have personalities and ongoing storylines, which creates great worldbuilding and makes the series feel connected from book to book.

3. Anything by Agatha Christie

I would be remiss not to include Agatha Christie on this list.

Small disclaimer – I’ve only read one of her books, And Then There Were None, but I could not put it down once I started. She absolutely earns her reputation as the queen of mystery. While my reading experience is limited so far, I’ve also watched many adaptations on BritBox.

At some point, I fully intend to sit down, have a come-to-Jesus moment with myself, and finally work my way through more of her books.

4. The Tradd Street Series – Karen White

I enjoyed the early books in this series quite a bit. The ghost stories are excellent, and the mysteries twist and turn in satisfying ways before finally resolving. The atmosphere really stands out, and I initially liked the characters as well.

However, a few books in, the character development started to fall flat for me. If that matters less to you and you’re mainly here for the hauntings and mystery, then this series is still well worth reading. But if strong character development is a priority, you might walk away a little disappointed.

Side note: I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Karen White’s standalone novels. They are very well done and worth picking up.

And maybe that’s why I love cozy and paranormal mysteries so much. Beneath the ghosts, the clues, and the old houses with too many secrets, these stories are almost always about people – about grief, history, healing, love, and the things we leave behind.

They remind us that every place has a story, every person carries one, and sometimes even the dead still have something left to say.

So if you’re looking for mysteries that feel atmospheric without being overwhelming, haunting without being terrifying, and comforting enough to read curled up under a blanket on a rainy afternoon, these books are a wonderful place to begin.

Just don’t blame me when one book turns into an entire obsession.

Reading Lists

Books Keeping Me Company Lately

Posted on May 15, 2026October 14, 2026 by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

There’s something comforting about finding stories that feel like coming home. Lately, I’ve been leaning into cozy mysteries, small-town settings, gentle suspense, and books that let me slow down for a little while. Some of these I listened to while crocheting or working on jewelry designs, and others became the perfect companion for quiet evenings with coffee and a blanket nearby.

If your reading taste leans toward cozy, clean, atmospheric, and comforting with just enough mystery to keep the pages turning, these books might find a place on your nightstand too.

Cozy Mysteries I Can’t Stop Reading

The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries series by Angie Fox completely pulled me in lately. These books have the perfect mix of humor, paranormal mystery, quirky characters, and cozy Southern charm.

Recent Favorites from the Series

Secrets, Lies and Fireflies
Death at the Drive-In
Dread and Buried
Give Up the Ghost
The Haunted Homecoming

These books feel like curling up with a Hallmark mystery movie… if the town happened to come with ghosts and hilarious supernatural chaos. They’re light enough to relax with but still keep me turning pages long past bedtime.

Small-Town Comfort Reads

Sometimes I don’t want high drama or emotionally exhausting stories. I want charming towns, layered characters, and the kind of books that feel warm and familiar.

Books That Gave Me That Feeling

The Sunshine Potluck Society by Lilly Mirren
The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber
The House at Magpie Cove by Kennedy Kerr

These are the kinds of stories I love listening to while crafting. They’re calming without being boring, emotional without becoming heavy, and full of the kind of cozy atmosphere I always seem to crave.

Mystery Reads with Atmospheric Vibes

I’ve also been enjoying mysteries that feel a little moodier and more layered.

Recently Read

Telling Tales
The Crow Trap

Both by Ann Cleeves.

These books have such a strong sense of place. I love mysteries where the setting almost becomes its own character, and these definitely delivered that for me.

I also recently read:

You’d Be Home Now
The Cut

Both had a very different feel from my usual cozy reads, but sometimes stepping outside my comfort zone reminds me why I love reading in the first place. Every book leaves something behind, even the unexpected ones.

Why Cozy Reading Matters to Me

Reading has become part of the rhythm of my everyday life. Some people unwind with television. I unwind with stories, yarn, embroidery floss, coffee, and audiobooks playing softly in the background.

Books help me slow down.

They help me reconnect creatively.

And honestly, they make ordinary evenings feel a little more magical.

That’s what I hope this space becomes here at Clean Reads & Cozy Sips — a cozy corner for readers who love comforting stories, meaningful characters, peaceful routines, and the quiet joy of getting lost in a good book.