Read a good book lately? She has

Diana Vickery loves to read.

So much so that she reads four to five books a week.

"I read fast, too," said the Gurnee resident.

It is good that she reads fast because there are many authors who want her to read their books and then give her opinions of them.

Vickery has given her review to more than 700 books so far, highlighting what she calls the "cozy" books on a Web site she created called cozylibrary.com.

Vickery said she was meant to write, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism. When the company she worked for canceled her publications, she wanted to retire but continue writing.

For five years, she also worked as a cozy book reviewer for Mystery News, a publication in Door County, Wisc. Vickery said she likes to share recommendations and decided that was an avenue to pursue further. So in February 2006, cozylibrary.com was born.

"I think for especially people who are pressed for time, they don't want to waste time on a book that's bad," she said.

The word "cozy" first described a specific type of mystery in 1958, such as something written by Agatha Christie. The books did not feature gore, violence, sex or curse words. She said that description can apply now to other genres.

"You are not going to have nightmares from it. You are going to feel good in the end," she said.

On average, Cozylibrary.com receives 500 to 700 hits each day and has seen visitors from every state and 17 other countries. Often visiting the site are school librarians who want to suggest a book without violence or sex for children who read beyond their grade level and are bored with children's books.

Her Web site is divided into fiction, nonfiction and mystery categories. She later added "not quite cozy," which she said has a harder edge but does not feature gratuitous violence, no explicit sex and little bad language.

Vickery also has created pages on various authors that include a biography, list of their books, links to reviews and in some cases an interview. Vickery contacted her first author, Gail R. Fraser, before the Web site was running but received a wonderful reception to be interviewed. Other authors she has spoken with include Susan Wittig Albert and Joan Medlicott.

Vickery said word has spread about her reviews, and she now gets inundated with authors who send their books.

"After you get a reputation for writing a fairly decent review, I get tons of books now," she said.

A good review, Vickery said, needs to feature a little plot summary and specifics about what she likes and does not like about the book. She will not display a bad review.

"If I wouldn't recommend it to a friend, I will not put it on the site," she said.

Vickery rarely stops picking up books and mentioned a few she has finished that soon will be added to the site for those who are looking for a book to get cozy with. They include "Hail to the Chef," a fictional series by Julie Hyzy about the White House chef, and "The Victoria Vanishes" by Christopher Fowler, a mystery set in England in the Peculiar Crimes Unit.

"As long as it's fun, I'll continue doing it," she said.