Wowza—it’s been a minute since my last post. I’ve had a rough go of it lately with the whole job-loss thing and equally depressing job-search thing. Life sure can throw some curveballs, eh? Either way, we’re here to have fun, so let’s talk five-star reads! Here are some highlights from my spring 2024 reading list:  Nimbus by Jan Eldredge  Cat lovers, you’re in for a treat! This is such a cute book with magical felines, a kind-hearted witch, and the cutest little sweater-wearing, Shakespeare-quoting rat sidekick! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and was completely invested in little N ..read more

Reading slumps are never fun. That’s why I’m starting this off with some good news! I have added a new editorial assistant to my staff. Meet Princess Belle! She comes to the Bubble Bubble Books and Trouble Publishing House by way of Pflugerville Pets Alive. Adopt, don’t shop, folks! Now for the bad news…it’s been a year of DNFs and one-star books. There’s been a few stellar reads sprinkled in the mix, which I’ll get into in a later post, but for now I must bring you my biggest flops of 2024 thus far. The Stroke of Winter by Wendy Webb I read this all the way through because Wendy Webb’s char ..read more

Ladies and gentlemen, boils and ghouls! I bring you all of the gems from my 2024 reading list! It’s been a year and let me tell ya—I’m glad it’s over. I lost two beloved animals and had to read a LOT of Carolyn Brown Southern romances to get through the grief. I’m a little hard on her for devising the most ridiculous plots and characters, but to be honest…I don’t know how I would’ve coped without her books. So, while we all fill out our gratitude journals (a New Year’s resolution I really should implement!), let’s give a nod to all the authors who filled our darkest days with joy! Here’s to a ..read more

GrrrrrRUFF! Merry Christmas to one and all! As you may know, I’m a dog rescue enthusiast (adopt don’t shop, people!), and there’s nothing I love more during this time of year than curling up with a good, Christmassy book with furry sidekicks. Here are just a few of my selections from this year’s holiday reading list: Up on the Woof Top by Spencer Quinn The gist: Chet and Bernie are at it again! This time it’s Christmas in the chilly desert, and they are tasked with finding Rudy the missing reindeer for a client who writes a popular cozy Christmas mystery series. Soon they get wrapped up in an ..read more

I’ll start off on a good note by saying the covers of these Kitty Couture Mysteries are gold! The cute kitties and pink backgrounds lure me in—hook, line and sinker! If they’re trying to cater to their target audience (ME!), it’s working.  The story, however, is less than dazzling. It’s formulaic with a capital “F,” with your “Mary Sue” protagonist, bossy mom and dreaded love triangle. I felt like the author was going overboard to make her MC, Lacy, likable. Some of her monologues about her love for New Orleans sounded like rehearsed politician speeches. She’s just a little too polished ..read more

Here’s another case of you can’t judge a book by its cover. When will I ever learn? Despite the gorgeous cover of the Haunted Mansion and a Nancy Drew-esque teenage investigator, this book does not deliver. Why is it so hard for writers to create a mystery around the legends and lore of the Haunted Mansion? There’s so much great material to work with! Here’re my thoughts: The mansion: The writer did a mediocre job with the New Orleans setting, which is surprising because according to her bio, she lives there! Most of the scenes take place inside the derelict haunted mansion, which is wide ope ..read more

Oh man, I really wanted to like this one! When I saw the gorgeous cover and read the description, I just had to splurge on the gorgeous hardback filled with spooky charcoal drawings. As the cliche goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Boo. The book starts off great. We have an orphan with special ghoul-seeing powers who mysteriously gets summoned to her family’s gorgeous, sprawling estate named “Gallant.” She receives a not-so-warm welcome from her cousin who is adamant about sending her packing. The intrigue kept me glued to the pages until I realized that nothing was happening. All thi ..read more

This cover caught by eye, and then I read the synapsis–WOWZA! It really has it all: haunted woods, and isolated haunted house, the ghost of a “Sad Lady”–I’m sold! And then I started reading it…whomp whomp whomp. This book was bad, y’all. We’re dealing with an “unreliable” main character who really didn’t make any sense at all. In the first chapter, we learn that she’s suicidal and homeless. Next, she cons her way into a nanny job and miraculously turns into a highly functional caretaker of two children. Huh? And what I thought would be a spooky ghost story filled with Nordic folklore really j ..read more

And the Book Cover of the Year Award goes to–drum roll, please– “Fatal Fudge Swirl” by Meri Allen! Just look at that gorgeous, glossy illustration of yummy ice cream set amidst the backdrop of trick-or-treaters. Sold! As for the story, here’re my thoughts: The Halloween vibes: Right from the jump, I was surprised and disappointed that the majority of the story happens after Halloween. The spooky season festivities are still ongoing, yet why set the story after the actual holiday? It doesn’t make sense. The complicated drama: OK, please help me understand this. The innkeeper, Mary Anne, is cat ..read more

OK, so this isn’t really a Halloweenie book per se, however the cover tells another tale! How spooky is this gothic French chateau? It looks like something straight out of a Scooby Doo cartoon! Other thant the alluring cover, here’re my thoughts: The setting: I’m giving this author extra stars for the setting along. I’m used to reading cozy mysteries that are 99% dialogue, so it was so nice to sink into this lovely French countryside setting, where the characters would taake side-trips to farmer’s markets, lavendar fields and even a spooky insane asylum where Van Gogh did his best work! I rat ..read more