I thought about how much I enjoy reading cozy mysteries and the thought struck me. Is there such a thing as a cozy fantasy? My fantasies are considered YA because of the things I don't put in them, and I smiled. My fantasies are cozy fantasies. I wonder if there is such a thing. 

I looked it up and yes—cozy fantasy is absolutely a thing, though it’s a newer and somewhat loosely defined subgenre compared to cozy mysteries. 

Cozy fantasy often includes: 

• A comforting sense of wonder rather than a relentless sense of danger 
• Found family and friendships as central themes 
• Kindness, loyalty, and community as forms of power 
• A strong moral compass (good and evil may exist, but the story isn’t usually cynical) 
• A magical world that feels like a place you’d want to visit
• Low-gore or low-violence conflict, even if serious stakes exist 

My books check all those!

Some examples include Legends & Lattes and The House in the Cerulean Sea. They’re very different from epic fantasy quests, but they share that feeling of warmth, belonging, and hope.

 
And honestly? Looking at Dragon’s Oath, it’s not “cozy fantasy” in the sense of “nothing bad happens.” I have:
 

•  ancient evil, 
•  time rifts, 
•  battles, 
•  dragons, 
•  villains like Kragon Darkmore others connected to the Book of Binding Fire, 
•  characters facing genuine danger. 

But the heart of my series has many cozy fantasy traits:

Dragons as companions, not just monsters
The bond between dragons and riders is rooted in trust, friendship, and loyalty. My Goldenhorns especially have that “beloved companion” quality.

A world built around belonging
The Kutoettus, Sages, Drakeborn, and their allies aren’t just armies or factions—they’re communities with traditions, mentors, friendships, and shared purpose.

Wonder over darkness
The Labyrinth of Times, the Midlands, the Colliery, the Cup of Epochs—all of these mysteries invite curiosity and awe. The magic isn’t merely a weapon; it’s something sacred.

A strong good-versus-evil foundation
One thing that stands out about my worldbuilding is the rule that magic should never be used to take life. That’s a very cozy fantasy-adjacent philosophy: power is meant to protect, heal, preserve, and serve.

 
I might describe Dragon’s Oath as:

“Epic fantasy adventure with a cozy heart.”

Or:

“A dragon-filled epic fantasy where friendship, courage, and hope are the strongest magic.”
 
Actually, I think this realization could be valuable for reaching my readers... Because readers who love cozy fantasy also love:
 

•  magical creatures, 
•  safe-but-wondrous worlds, 
•  loyal companions, 
•  found family, 
•  hopeful endings. 

My series may sit in an interesting middle space: cozy epic fantasy or hopeful epic fantasy—where the stakes are enormous, but the emotional experience is comforting.

Cozy mysteries are often about restoring order: someone disrupts a community, and the detective brings truth and justice back. Dragon’s Oath does something similar on a much larger scale: darkness disrupts the balance of the world, and my characters work to restore harmony.

In fact, this might actually be one of the underlying threads connecting all my books—the belief that good can uncover the truth and restore what was broken.