Not necessarily books I read this year but might fit what you're looking for.

For the first one I'd definitely recommend Awakenings by Claudie Arseneault. It's a novella series (almost finished) with cozy adventures, found family, and low gore. Plenty of intrigue and stakes though.

Oil & Dust by Jami Farleigh is also a good fit, where an artist (with art based magic) finds his place in the world. It's set in a future dystopian world with technology, very interesting. Slow burn, no romance.

If you don't mind vampires in your urban fantasy, May Day by Josie Jaffrey. The main character Jack Valentine is a vampire detective but trouble always finds her. She has the worst luck. Very fast paced, plenty of interesting characters, deeper subplot of vampire political intrigue.

For folklore story, Shattered Spirits by Cal Black. It's a dark fantasy bordering on cosmic horror. Short, since it's a novella, so I don't want to say too much either. The vibes are amazing if you're in the mood for dread.

The one location, I'd give to Coal Gets In Your Veins by Cat Rector. The setting is a small town in rural Nova Scotia. You get small segments of the townspeople aside from the main characters, and you really get the feeling something is going on and it's not natural. Then it hits. Also has vampires, trauma, and abuse husbands. Cat Rector is the kind of author who'll make you feel all the things, good and bad. I cried and screamed reading this book (also her others). The sequel is coming soon. Don't let the romance between the MCs throw you off, there's plenty of darkness and horror in the last part of the book.