Seasonal Book Recommendations for Cozy Nights

On January 3, 2025January 3, 2025 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies2 Comments

Ho ho ho! Merry New Year! This post is a tad late now that we’re in January, but I will share my seasonal reads with you all nonetheless! Seriously, how did Christmas come and go so quickly?! It’s hard to believe the holidays are over and the stores are all peddling their Valentine’s goods. I suppose time flies even when you’re not having fun…and totally dreading what’s to come after January 20th. Wow, that got dark fast.! To lighten the mood, here are my light and fluffy holiday reads:

Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop, edited by Otto Penzler

I saw this collection of short stories at Barnes and Noble and just had to pluck it off the shelf! How could I resist 12 short stories about crimes surrounding a bookshop during the Christmas season? As with most short story collections, I had to weed through some duds to get to the good stuff, but It was well worth my while. Here are my faves:

“Snowflake Time” by Laura LIppman: This story is told by a typical white male Fox News enthusiast who bemoans the “snowflakes” in his newspaper columns. I despised him right from the jump, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the karma unfold. This story had the most satisfying ending, and I loved every bit of it.

“The Gift of the Wiseguy” by Rob Hart: This is a bittersweet crime story about a former mob boss making amends with his son. He pays a visit to the Mysterious Bookshop, where his son is giving a reading. Bad things happen when a rival mob discovers their nemesis came out of hiding, and I’ll stop right there to save you from spoilers. I will say that this is a true Christmas story about love and atonement.

“The Christmas Party” by Jeffrey Deaver: This is a twisty little suspense story about a nurse who offers to put a geriatric patient out of his misery—but only after he gets to enjoy his last Christmas party at the old folks’ home. I must admit I didn’t see the plot twist coming—well done!

“A Christmas Puzzle” by Ragnar Jónasson: This is, in my humble opinion, the best story in the entire book! An 80-year-old woman makes a special trip to the Mysterious Bookshop to ask the bookseller to help her solve a puzzle. Together, they solve the literary-themed word riddles, leading to an unbelievable outcome. Wowza—I didn’t see that one coming!

It Happened One Christmas Eve by Jenn McKinlay

This little novella was just fun! If you love a good, silly Hallmark Christmas movie full of hijinks and over-the-top characters, this book is for you. We’re dealing with a reverse Cinderella situation: a woman running away from her Prince Charming (in a glittering ball gown and heels, no less) and hijacking a carriage to get out of dodge. Turns out, she’s stolen Santa’s ride, but this is no ordinary fat man in a red suit. Nope, he’s an undercover reporter with washboard abs looking for a juicy story about the runaway fiancée. Together they make a pact: he helps her get to her hideaway cottage, and she promises him an exclusive story. Hijinks ensue as they run amok in Manhattan, and the romance gets steamier with every misadventure. Love it! This was the perfect escape for all my post-election day woes. A big thanks to the author for giving me a nice little break from reality.

The Scary Book of Christmas Lore: 50 Terrifying Yuletide Tales from Around the World by Tim Rayborn

I’m giving this three stars on Goodreads for the amazing artwork alone. The illustrations are both horrifying and stunning, including the cover art! I just wish I could say the same for the content, which was quite underwhelming. Instead of fireside storytelling, which is what I was hoping for, these little chapters read more like encyclopedia articles, just dry facts about the ghoulish monsters with a few snarky remarks. This would have been better if the author had picked just a few really good, scary stories and fleshed them out more instead of cramming 50 entries into the book. Many of the factoids were repetitive, with each monster punishing naughty children with a switch….blah, blah, blah. I grew rather bored and ended up skimming most of the book. The art, however, is amazing, so I will revisit this little book every holiday season just to scare myself silly by looking at these ghoulish holiday beasts! What can I say? I love a good scare on a cold winter’s night!

Shock and Paw: Cat Cafe Mystery Book 8 by Cate Conte

Let me start off by saying I FREAKING LOVE THIS SERIES! I always look forward to visiting Maddie’s cat café on Daybreak Island. Oh, how I wish this were my life! I mean, yeah, her cute little touristy town has an unusually high murder rate, but other than that, it’s so peaceful and charming. This time around, Maddie’s juggling a lot of plates amidst the busy holiday season. In addition to dealing with her injured grandfather (he really should leave the rooftop decorating to the professionals), she must solve the mystery of the murdered newspaper owner to get her best friend off the hook! Amidst all the madness, there’s a shady cat breeder in town, and Maddie isn’t about to let these poor, helpless kitties get exploited. And this right here is why I love this book series so much. Maddie is passionate about rescuing the kitties, and she hates breeders as much as I do! This was a fun, festive read that delivered all the cozy Christmas vibes for cat rescue enthusiasts. It’s the cat’s meow! Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

How Snowball Stole Christmas by Kristen McKanagh

This fun little holiday romance is the cat’s meow! Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I have thoroughly enjoyed all three books in this series and highly recommend them to cat ladies like me who need something light and fluffy to read during the stressful holiday season. This time around, little Snowball is playing matchmaker with two of her newest friends, Lara (the local toy shop owner) and Peter (bookshop owner and Grinch). He’s salty about her securing a coveted storefront location, so he pens an anonymous online column bemoaning this new toy shop interloper’s alleged “corporate agenda.” Gee, what a charmer. I’m really rooting for this guy to win over the girl…not. Thankfully, Snowball is on the beat, and she’s maximizing all of her white, fluffy cute charms to bring these reluctant lovers together. The plot thickens when Lara’s repugnant sister-in-law guilts her into taking care of her little kid—an impossible task for someone who’s burning the candle at both ends to run a brand-new business. Let this be a lesson to all of us: we need to use the word “NO!” more often! Wouldn’t you know it, Peter’s frosty attitude melts away as he swoops in to save the day and, well, you can only guess what happens next. Despite the basic plot and predictable ending, this was the purrfect antidote for my holiday/post-election stress, and I’m a little sad this is the last book in the series. Oh well, that’s why I always have my “Chet and Bernie” mysteries to turn to when life gets too stressful!

Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrews

First, I must ask: Mary Kay Andrews, are you okay? I mean…what was this story even? A fully employed woman and her dog are left homeless after a nasty divorce, so she ends up squatting at a vacation rental handled by her real estate company/place of employment? How does this even happen? Then, the romance begins when the hunky nephew of the deceased homeowner comes to handle the affairs? What? This was strange, yet mildly entertaining, so I’m going to give it two generous stars on Goodreads. I’d add another star if this had more holiday vibes, which I think the author forgot about while penning one of the world’s most awkward holiday romance novellas. Seriously, so odd.

DNFs

Snowed In at the Cat Cafe by Rachel Rowlands

I could not DNF this book fast enough when I read that most of the cat cafe kitties come from BREEDERS!!! Maybe this is just me being an ignorant American, but do cats not need rescuing in jolly ol’ England? We have a homeless pet explosion crisis all across the nation, so the thought of a cat cafe adopting out (or selling, I guess?) breeder cats is atrocious. It was actually a relief to have a solid reason for giving up on this book early because the beginning chapters were soooooo boring. No thanks.

Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict

I tried. I really did. I came for the “Murder on the Orient Express” thrill ride, but it turned out to be a slow-moving story with a HUGE cast of characters. I couldn’t keep track of everyone amidst the rapid-fire dialogue, so I gave up the ghost very early on. If you choose to read this, I highly advise putting pen to paper and keeping a glossary of all the characters.

A Christmas Ghost Story by Kim Newman

I was hoping this would be a gothic Christmastime ghost story, but this novella didn’t cut it. The plot didn’t seem to go anywhere, and the atmosphere just felt grim and dismal. I’m sorry to say this was not my cup of Christmas tea.

This Christmas Has Gone to the Dogs! A Roundup of Dog-Themed Holiday Reads

On December 16, 2023 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies1 Comment

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 unsolved murder cold case! Oh how I love cold cases! Everything about this synapsis was a yes for me when I found this gorgeous hardback in the bookstore.

What I liked: This series always puts me in a good mood. I absolutely love that everything is narrated by Chet the dog (aka Chet the Jet!), who often goes on tangents about table scraps and how much he adores Bernie. I’m just going to say it! Chet is my favorite character in contemporary literature. Bernie comes in at a close second. He’s the best dog dad, and he cares about the environment to boot! Officer Weatherly is a lucky lady.

What irked me: I can’t think of anything to critique here. I just loved every morsel of this book!

Overall: If you love mysteries and dogs, this series is a real double-whammy. Also, I really love the desert setting, especially in the winter. Not many of the books I read are set in the American Southwest, so this is a fun departure from the norm. There’s just something about the wintery desert that sparks my imagination.

Christmas at Corgi Cove by Annie England Noblin

The gist: Small town Texas girl is on a quest to save her aunt and uncle’ s beloved Corgi Cove Inn and falls in love with the big city boy who is working to buy the inn and turn it into a soulless resort for a company that’s taking over the town. Corgis make appearances here and there, and the townsfolk all came out of central casting for a run-of-the-mill Hallmark holiday movie.

What I liked: Being the Texas girl that I am (born, but not bred), I liked this fictional town set outside of Austin that’s full of old Victorian houses and mom-and-pop shops. It made me think of Wimberley, and I adore that town!

What irked me: The destined-to-fail romance was just soooooooo cliched. I’ve seen this time and time again, and it’s getting to be such a bore. Also, I could’ve used more dogs and less humans. The corgis make brief appearances in just a few scenes, so it’s really not a dog story at all.

Overall: This book is waaaaaay too long for what it is. I kept putting it down and not really caring what happened next because the climax was just so glaringly obvious. The romance aspect was a snoozefest, but I did rather enjoy the mother-daughter side plot that was thrown into the mix toward the very end, which added more depth to the formulaic love story. This wasn’t my favorite Christmas read, but I do highly recommend picking up the author’s other book, “Pupcakes,” which was fantastic!

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Susan Wiggs

The gist: An unlucky-in-love woman reluctantly accompanies her friend on a road trip to deliver twelve shelter dogs to their new homes (site unseen!!!). How does this fly, exactly? As a shelter volunteer, I can see this going 50 shades of wrong. But I digress…she gets into a wreck on a snowy night and falls for her hunky first-responder. Romance ensues, and I’m sure you can figure out the rest.

What I liked: The dogs, of course! I love a good rescue story, and the idea of dogs being transported to their perfect little homes at Christmastime just warms my heart! Also, I really liked the secondary character who was leading the expedition. She genuinely cares about dogs and goes out of her way every Christmas to transport them to their happy forever families. I think this would’ve been a much more interesting story if she was the main character, but oh well.

What irked me: The main character—and her Christmas-phobia—was annoying from the get-go, and she just kept getting increasingly obnoxious. First, I felt a little salty about her vehement reluctance to help out her friend and be her copilot. I mean, she has nothing going on in her life other than a shallow but hunky boyfriend, so why is this such a problem? And don’t get me started on the boyfriend situation. Did the author forget that she had one? How am I supposed to care about this character when she’s two-timing her big city boyfriend while pursuing a romance with the hunky EMS hero?

Overall: This is my first book by Susan Wiggs, and I’m sad to say it’s my last. Her stories just aren’t for me. I can’t believe I did this, but I DNFed it with only two more chapters to go. I have a feeling the author had to figure out a way to create conflict toward the very end, so she turned the main character into an incessantly whiny brat. She has everything: the perfect man who knows exactly what to say and do, a wonderful new community of friends, the perfect life laid ahead of her….but yet she can’t stop bitching and moaning about her commitment issues and Christmas-phobia. It just got to be a little much. Bah Humbug!

Santa’s Little Yelpers by David Rosenfelt

The gist: Lawyer Andy Carpenter is on a quest to exonerate his friend and fellow dog volunteer from murder charges. Murders and kidnapping ensue—and all clues lead to a dangerous mob!

What I liked: Andy is a quirky guy, and I rather enjoyed his snarky humor—especially his jabs at his own job. He can’t wait to retire, and I gotta say, that makes him a relatable character in my book! He’s also passionate about rescuing dogs and putting the bad guys in jail—all commendable qualities. Also, I liked the mystery plot, which had me guessing for quite a while. Andy and his team of crack-shot investigators had to do a LOT of digging to figure out who would want to frame a man for murder—not once but twice! The stakes kept getting higher with mafia threats, but they bravely stayed the course on thier quest for justice. If I’m ever in a pickle, I’m calling this guy!

What irked me: I wanted more dog action! I’m looking at a bundle of puppies underneath a Christmas tree on this glossy book cover, and there were very few puppies involved in this story!!! Also, Christmas ended halfway through the book, so this really wasn’t much of a holiday story. Aside from the false advertising, I got very confused with all the names of people that were dropped on me at the very end. I had to flip back to see who was who because it just go so messy. It would be great if authors could stick with just one name and not flit back and forth from a characters’ first and last name. It’s crazy-making!

Overall: This is a solid series with a lovable main character. He’s kind of a smart-ass, but I’ll let it pass because he rescues dogs and puts the baddies in jail. If you’re looking for a heart-warming dog story, this isn’t it. But if you like a puzzling mystery involving the organized crime and secretive small town cults, give this book a whirl.

Gizzy’s Victorian Christmas Reading Roundup

On December 23, 2015December 23, 2015 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn CoziesLeave a comment

Jiminy Christmas! It’s already the eve of Christmas Eve and I have yet to post about one of the many Christmassy books I’ve been reading this month. Why does it feel like this month is always in fast-forward? Lucky for you, Gizzy and I put a hold on our holiday chores to bring you a bounty of festive reads. And just for fun, we paired each of these books with holiday drink recommendations!

Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue by Victoria Thompson

WARNING: This is NOT a Christmas book. Don’t be fooled by the cover and the premise that offers a holiday-infused mystery. It appears as though the publisher took advantage of the season to sell more books. Boy was I duped! False marketing aside, I must admit that parts of the book were rather entertaining. Just when I was about to hit the return button on Audible, the plot took an unexpected turn and I was anxious to uncover the secrets that were hiding in a mansion full of gossipy scullery maids. This is my first foray into the Gaslight Mystery series, so I’m not familiar with the dozens upon dozens of characters. In addition to the nonexistent Christmas setting, my other big gripe is that there were WAY too many characters. So as you could imagine, listening to this on audio was not a good idea. When my mind drifted—which happens sometimes when I’m grumbling to myself in a traffic jam—I got completely lost in the vast sea of characters. Whether or not I’ll read another Gaslight Mystery remains to be seen. I’m not totally sold. This book is best paired with a very weak glass of steaming apple cider. Looks enticing, but lacks the powerful punch of holiday spice.

Away in the Manger Rhys Bowen

If you only have time to read one holiday mystery this year, let it be this one! This I my first Molly Murphy mystery and it won’t be my last. Set in turn-of-the-century New York, Molly—a feisty red-headed Irish lassie—and her detective husband are preparing for a cozy Christmas at home with their two little kiddos. But, alas, their holiday plans go awry when the big-hearted Molly finds two stranded kids in dire need of their missing mother. Though homeless kids are often ignored on the harsh streets of New York, she can’t bring herself to leave them in the lurch and go about her business. Needless to say, she is a woman after my own heart. This is a fabulous little Christmas mystery with all the sentiments of the season. I’m excited to pick up the first book of the series so I can watch the love story unfold between Molly and her crime-fighting husband.

This book is best paired with my favorite holiday drink of all time: A gingerbread latte with extra whip cream. So worth the splurge!

Star of the East by Tasha Alexander

This is a cute novella for those who don’t have a lot of time to read. An odd concept, but apparently this is an affliction that affects many of us during the dizzying holiday season. Funny…I can’t get my Christmas chores done in time (cards were sent out this morning), but I always manage to read oodles of books in four weeks. Guess it’s all about priorities. Anyhoo, this is a very G-rated whodunit that is devoid of murderous fiends and dead bodies. The Nancy Drew-esque mystery begins when a cursed ring disappears at a holiday gathering. The case is rather curious since the small pool of suspects have no motive for pilfering the priceless piece of jewelry. It’s up to Lady Emily to interrogate her fellow houseguests and ferret out the thief before Christmas morning. This is a nice little taste of the Lady Gray series, which is quite delightful. This book is best paired with a most pleasant glass of hot cocoa—whipped cream and all!

A Christmas Hope by Anne Perry

Impatience got the best of me when I ditched this audiobook last year. Why they chose a pompous Masterpiece Theater-esque narrator is a mystery all onto itself. I decided to give it another chance, and eventually the stuffy old man grew on me. I can see why Anne Perry is so popular….most likely with the older ladies. The protagonists are all endearing and the Victorian setting is devoid of those pesky anachronisms. I enjoyed accompanying Claudine Burroughs as she doggedly hunted down clues and interrogated suspects to clear an innocent man’s name. I immediately felt for her when she described her dismal marriage to a heartless man who cares only about social status. Her only joy in life is her volunteer work at a clinic for downtrodden women. This book paints a grim yet realistic portrait of a time when women were treated like pretty little dolls and social climbing was a means for survival. I’m glad I forged through with the story, but my next Anne Perry book will be in paperback. This book is best paired with a steaming cup of earl gray tea. Rich in flavor, but could use a dose of cream to lighten things up.