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Favorite Reads of 2017!

January 10, 2018 by bubblebathbooks 2 Comments

 

Sissy:

 Happy New Year, readers!  Now that the holiday craziness is over, and we’re starting the January doldrums, we thought we’d remind you of some great books we reviewed in 2017.  I went over all of our last year’s titles out loud while Bubby nodded her head yes or no (she is lying on the couch feeling like death warmed over with a horrid flu, and can’t muster more than a croak).  Although we read so many wonderful books in 2017, we narrowed it down to eleven favorites (just thought we’d be rebellious and have an odd number!).

1.  House of Oak series by Nichole Van

These fantasy romances are so captivating, we read through them all at once, barely taking a breath between books.  Nichole Van’s other series, Brothers Maledetti, is also fabulous, and we hope book three will soon arrive!

2.  The Saturday Evening Girls Club by Jane Healey

What a great piece of historical fiction, based on a true story.  We loved hearing the stories of these immigrant girls, their sponsors (based on real women) and how they reached their dream.

3.  Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

This intriguing YA fantasy had a vividly described setting and the most interesting magic.  The next book, Lost Crow Conspiracy is now out!

4.  Skeletons Among Us by Lois Brown

A mystery set in the southwest, Skeletons Among Us is book two in the Legends of Treasure series.  The series mixes paranormal with hints of real life treasure stories, and stars a strong, yet complex female police chief.

5.  The Night the Lights Went Out by Karen White

Karen White is an excellent writer, and we love everything she puts out.  The Night the Lights Went Out is a fantastic read that showcases Southern “Grit” fiction at its best.  Bubby and I wish we were Southern…

6.  The Memory of You by Catherine West

A beautifully written, complex family saga with drama, romance, mystery, and a dose of inspiration.

7.  Power of the Matchmaker series by various authors

There are 12 books in this series, and each novel is written by a different author. They take place in a variety of time periods and locations. The one thing they all have in common, however, is the matchmaker Pearl, formerly known as Mae Li. Happy endings all ’round!

8.  Last Chance Matinee by Mariah Stewart

Previously unknown family members, a legacy dependent upon the renovation of an old theater and other seemingly impossible tasks, and the chance at new romance.  Sounds interesting, right?

9.  Victoria by Daisy Goodwin

This story of Queen Victoria, written by the award-winning  creator and writer of the  PBS/Masterpiece drama Victoria, is absolutely fascinating!

10.  Too Pretty by Andrea Grigg

We thoroughly enjoyed this inspirational romance with a timely theme.

11. Finding Margo by Jen Turano

An international pop star finds herself hiding out in Amish country, and uncovering a surprising mystery. And maybe romance… Jen Turano is one of the cleverest writers we read, and at times has us laughing out loud!

Hope you take the time to investigate these fine books and series’ by clicking on each title.  And stay tuned for more delectable books we discover and review in 2018!

 

Filed Under: Adventure, By Genre, Contemporary Fiction, Drama, Historical Fiction, Inspirational, Paranormal, Romance, Southern Fiction, Uncategorized, Young Adult Tagged With: drama, Historical Fiction, Inspirational Fiction, mystery, Paranormal Romance, YA Fantasy

Lantern – The Complete Collection by Chess Desalls

October 25, 2017 by bubblebathbooks 1 Comment

The story of every lantern is unique, just like yours and mine. This collection includes all three novellas, Lantern, Beacon, and Torch. Tori discovers a lantern that shines for her and nobody else. Is it a ghost or a living being that must be set free? Serah unseals a globe made of Celestial Glass. Does success bring her happiness or create more trouble than it’s worth? Evelyn meets Graham after attending a party where a lantern burns out. Who lights the way to pull the other through? Experience three different stories, all with a connection to a mysterious lamp maker.

 

Bubby:

We read and reviewed the first novella in this collection back in 2016. Our prevailing sentiment through our review seemed to be that we wanted more! More information, more story, more everything! And while we STILL want more, at least we have additional facts and two more delightful stories.

Sissy:

These stories are appropriate for Halloween, as the magic in them centers around that holiday. Even though these tales are standalone, they all involve a mysterious lamp maker named Machin, who lives in the village of Havenbrim – located somewhere and sometime different from our here and now. And did you question his motives or flip flop in your opinion about him, Bubby?

Bubby:

Absolutely! While reading Lantern, I totally thought he was a nefarious evil doer who was using the magic of the lanterns for his own twisted purposes. And then, I changed my mind completely while reading Beacon. But then he gets grumpy in Torch – and I still don’t know why he does what he does or even HOW he does it! Arrggghh! Can I please just have a 400 page novel that explains all, Chess Desalls?

Sissy:

Yes. Arrgggghhh from me too. The three stories are great. But we just need one more that enlightens us about Machin, Havenbrim, magic lanterns, Celestial Glass, etc.

Bubby:

Please. Oh, please! But with my luck, she’ll just leave us with mysteries and lingering questions. Why won’t authors just write what I want them to, on command? Chess Desalls has also written several other novels which are now on my TBR list.

Sissy:

Unfortunately for you, I’m the only one who obeys your every command. 

Bubby:

Whatever. You’ve been bossing me around for my whole life. I don’t mind, though. It just means you love me. Just like my favorite character in Lantern: The Complete Collection: Machin’s housekeeper (or perhaps assistant? Sister? Cousin?) Gelsey. She’s so warm and friendly and tries to boss Machin around for his own good. And she feeds everyone delicious food. I want to be her when I grow up. I can’t think of a better non-scary Halloween read than Lantern: The Complete Collection.

Sissy:

You ARE grown up. And you are all the good things that are Gelsey (with the addition of a smidge of bossy younger sister). Lantern: The Complete Collection is a group of sweet teenage love stories made intriguing by the Halloween setting and the enigmatic lamp maker Machin.  A perfect All Hallow’s Eve read!

Click HERE to buy Lantern:  The Complete Collection by Chess Desalls

 

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Author, By Genre, Reviews, Sci Fi & Fantasy, Young Adult Tagged With: Chess Desalls, Halloween, YA Science Fiction & Fantasy

Clean Fantasy Reads!

October 11, 2017 by bubblebathbooks Leave a Comment

Clean fantasy

Bubby:

Today we’re thrilled to bring you over 50 (FIFTY!) clean fantasy reads, via Instafreebie.

Sissy:

They encompass varying tastes and age groups. Bubby’s taste and age group sometimes differs from mine, so there’s something for everyone.

Bubby:

I’m going to assume that was a compliment, just to make things easier. Now, we haven’t read most of these (but they are on our TBR list) so we can’t tell you which is the best book in the bunch. But we can tell you that you’re guaranteed to find some great clean fantasy!

Sissy:

Maybe we’ll do a follow-up and let you know which ones we liked best. And Bubby can tell you which one of the uber-geek-high-fantasy ones she recommends.

Bubby:

Yep. I am the queen of uber-geek-high-fantasy. I’ll own that.

Sissy:

So, you’re welcome! And happy reading!

Click HERE to see the list of FREE clean fantasy titles.

Filed Under: Adventure, Fairy Tale Retelling, Fun Stuff, Paranormal, Sci Fi & Fantasy, Young Adult Tagged With: clean fantasy, free books, Instafreebie

The Gold-Son by Carrie Ann Noble (and a GIVEAWAY!)

June 21, 2017 by bubblebathbooks 6 Comments

leprechaun bookBubby:

Just like her first book, The Mermaid’s Sister, Carrie Ann Noble has managed to draw me in with the The Gold-Son’s cover alone. It’s so beautifully detailed and has all the elements of the story in the pictures surrounding the title. We’ve got Tommin and Eve, surrounded by gold coins, shoes, Leprechaun Elixir, and so much more. I want to frame it and hang it on my wall!

Sissy:

I have never before encountered a book about leprechauns.

Bubby:

What, never? Didn’t you read the Artemis Fowl books?

Sissy:

Oh yeah, just kidding. O.K. I’ve never before read a book about “classic” leprechauns. At any rate, The Gold-Son presents a remarkable history and setting for what we think of as those little cute guys in green. Carrie Ann Noble went deep and brought us an imaginative new back story to explain Leprechauns and it ain’t pretty like a rainbow.

Bubby:

Yeah, they are pretty nasty creatures. As it turns out, these fairy folk can only continue the species by stealing human adolescents and brain-washing them into wanting eternal life via three separate drinks of Leprechaun Elixir. Unfortunately, being a Leprechaun involves constant theft of gold and silver and a complete loss of humanity, compassion, love and kindness.

Sissy:

Kind of like what happens to you when deprived of chocolate.

Bubby:

Yes, exactly!

Sissy:

 The Gold-Son was a more difficult read than The Mermaid’s Sister just because Tommin and Eve had such a difficult and painful road to travel. I felt like I was constantly pleading, “No, don’t do that!” ” Don’t go there!” or “Don’t drink that!” mostly to Tommin, the whole time I was reading the book. It was exhausting, but worth it, because the harrowing and centuries-spanning journey leads to a wonderful and unexpected payoff at the end.

Bubby:

I particularly enjoyed the MASSIVE plot twist in the middle of the book. It took me completely by surprise and brought the plot to a whole new level. The characters in The Gold-Son are so well drawn. I hated Lorcan Reilly with a passion, loved Eve for her strength and determination, and quickly got very attached to Tommin, despite his many, many, MANY flaws (most of which he works through by the end). Carrie Ann Noble can craft a fantasy like no other. I’ve so enjoyed her spins on Leprechauns, carnies, mermaids and the like that I can’t imagine what fantastical creature she’s going to tackle next! Maybe Yetis? Please?

Sissy:

Yetis are so unromantic.   But I agree with everything else Bubby just said, and she said it so well you should read it again to know what I think (this rarely happens–don’t get excited).  Readers, definitely take a look at the original, artful work that is Carrie Ann Noble’s The Gold Son!  Aaaaaand…if you want a chance to win a copy of this book, make a comment on this post telling us something you know about leprechauns!

Click HERE to buy The Gold-Son by Carrie Ann Noble

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Filed Under: Adventure, Author, By Author, By Genre, Reviews, Romance, Sci Fi & Fantasy, Young Adult Tagged With: Adventure, Carrie Ann Noble, Fantasy, Leprechauns, Romance

Clanless by Jennifer Jenkins

October 12, 2016 by bubblebathbooks Leave a Comment

clanless

 

Striker Gryphon has lost his position of honor among the Ram, and is now a hunted man. A traitor. Zo, the object of his affection, was murdered by members of his former clan. To honor her memory, he journeys to the highly secretive Raven “Nest” to warn strangers of their impending demise—though it could cost him more than just his pride. He doesn’t know that Zo is very much alive and in another part of the region assisting Nameless refugees over a mountain swarming with wild men known as “Clanless.” As each struggle to make sense of what their lives have become, they fight and claw to reach the Allied Camp, their last hope in bringing peace to the region. But the road back to one another is treacherous and uncertain. And freedom will come with a price.

 

Bubby: Let’s just start with the obvious here, shall we? Do you see the man on this cover? Do you? He looks like he’s worth wandering through the wilderness for, don’t you think, Sissy?

Sissy: Yep. That right there is a man I’d go to great lengths to find. Even all frost covered and yellow-eyed.  His chiseled jaw could cut open a coconut.

Bubby: And he’s just as strong and rugged on the inside. Our hero Gryphon is all about the honor and the sacrifice – except that now instead of doing everything for the glory of the Ram clan, he’s doing it for the love of Zo and for the welfare of all the other clans. He had some great heroic moments in the first book, Nameless, but in Clanless, he’s really become a true hero.

Sissy: Clanless follows Zo and Gryphon through a myriad of wild and hairy adventures, one right after another. They remain strong and undaunted.  If I had to trade places with either one of them I would have been tempted to crawl under a rock and die. Many times.

Bubby: What, you don’t think you are action/adventure/peril heroine material?

Sissy: I must say that I don’t even like to WATCH or READ anything that is too intense usually, and Jen Jenkin’s writing takes me to the very edge of my adventure tolerance! It’s a good thing that she writes so dang well, otherwise I would have to throw my signed copy out the window and watch a Hallmark movie instead.

Bubby: You’re welcome for that signed copy, by the way. I know that you read both Clanless and Nameless with your metaphoric hands covering your eyes. It’s like Mr. Bubby’s grandma, who used to go to her son’s wrestling matches and hide behind Grandpa’s back because she couldn’t stand to watch, all the while smacking his shoulder and yelling, “What’s happening, George? What are they doing now, George? Is he still ok, George?”

Sissy: You should be proud of me that I didn’t skip to the end of the book! Sometimes I get so anxious that I have to read the end first just so I know going in that everything turns out okay. Not that EVERYTHING turns out okay in Clanless…but you’ll get nothing more about it out of me. I loved the new characters we met in Clanless, especially those from the Raven clan. I want to say so much more about them but just know that Jenkin’s characters have a depth that make you form an immediate attachment to them.

Bubby: Even the villains! You may not like them, but you get their motivation and you feel for them. It’s actually quite annoying to have such conflicted opinions about most of the villains. Of course, there are still one or two that you can outright hate, so it works out just fine. I can hardly wait for book three in this series to be published. We’re lucky enough to know Jennifer Jenkins personally, and it’s all I can do not sit on her doorstep waiting for the moment she’s done writing. Hurry up, Jen! I need to know what happens!

Sissy: You may, if you are like me, read Clanless in a fully clenched position, but nevertheless read it you must. It’s just too good to miss. I can’t wait to have a signed copy of book three in my grubby hands and resist the temptation to read the end of that one first as well.

Click HERE to buy Clanless by Jennifer Jenkins

 

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Filed Under: Adventure, Author, By Author, By Genre, Reviews, Romance, Sci Fi & Fantasy, Young Adult Tagged With: Action, Adventure, Jennifer Jenkins, YA Fantasy, YA Romance

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Bubby and Sissy (aka Talei Lawson and Leslee Preece) are sisters who love to escape through a great read (and any other way we can think of!). We would like to share with you our favorite books, products, and destinations to help you get away from it all, if only in your mind!
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