Category: week in books

Book of the Week, new releases, reviews

Book of the Week: Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter

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I may not have read much last week (Winter Olympics!!!) but at least one of the books I did read – and also really enjoyed – is out today so once again I’m managing to be timely. Even if it is a sort of accident.

In 1920s Montreal, Agnes is looking for a new home for her cat shelter. The previous one is collateral damage in a fight between two magicians so they can’t stay there, but no one is keen to rent a shop to a charity dedicated to rescuing street cats. And that is how the shelter ends up being a front for a mysterious magic shop. As the cats make themselves at home upstairs, downstairs Havelock Renard, the world’s most famous magician and possible Dark Lord is selling magic from the basement. Agnes isn’t happy about being connected with magic – she’s dedicated to the cats – but when one of Havelock’s enemies starts threatening him, she’s drawn into the world of the magicians and may end up having to help Havelock in order to save the world.

The first thing to say about this, is that this is incredibly Howl’s Moving Castle coded – but with more romance. And given that the thing I wanted from the movie of Howl was more romance, that was exactly my jam. Yes, it’s also looking at loss and grief, but it’s got a grumpy, misunderstood magician and an efficient non-magical person who isn’t taking any of his nonsense. I really loved the world building and the way that it was woven into the story and revealed as the plot unfolded rather than info-dumped on the reader, and the denouement at the end was so moving that I ended up crying on a train, which hasn’t happened in a very long time! I could absolutely have spent another 100 pages in the world at the end – and if there’s a sequel I will be first in line!

I’ve used the UK cover for the image at the top, because that’s what you’ll see in the shops, although I have to say that I’m not sure I would have picked it up in a shop if I’d seen it although I can’t quite put my finger on why. The version that I got from Netgalley had the US cover – which I’ve included a screenshot of below – because it’s so pretty but it’s also so 1920s and such a different vibe. Anyway. I have learned my lesson and I will be off to have a look at Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde series which I’ve seen around but haven’t really picked up.

My copy came from NetGalley as I mentioned, but this is out today in hardback, Kindle and Kobo. I’ll be checking the shops for it so I will report back if/when I see it about how likely it is for you to be able to find this one in the wild. Also, while I have your attention. Hattie Brings the House Down, which is the first book featuring Hattie from Hattie Steals the Show (one of my favourite new books last year) is in Kindle Unlimited at the moment – so if you haven’t managed to read any either of those yet, this may be your chance!

Happy Reading!

books, stats, week in books, The pile

The Week in Books: February 9 – February 15

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As expected, I’m too busy watching the Winter Olympics (as well as a weekend away!) to get a lot of reading done, so this is a bit of a list dominated by novellas – although I did get two books finished. It could have been a lot worse. This week I have the Winter Olympics *and* a theatre trip so who knows if the situation will be any better come next Monday. I’m really enjoying the Games though and it will soon be over, so I’m not complaining at all.

Read:

The Falcon at the Portal by Elizabeth Peters

A Play for Love by Trilina Pucci

Death to Valentine’s Day by Catherine Cowles

The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts by Robert Thorogood*

Valentines Slay by Navessa Allen

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett*

Buried Blooms by Patti Benning

Started:

Game Changer by Rachael Reid

Still reading:

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

One book bought, no ebooks

Bonus picture: A photo of a very young Kenneth Branaugh in Hamlet at the Birmingham Rep on Saturday night.

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: February 2 – February 8

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It’s day three of the Winter Olympics proper and I’m having such a good time watching it all I’m almost surprised I finished anything over the weekend. But I did, although it wasn’t any of the long runners that I’m meant to be targeting. Hey ho, onwards and upwards towards the ice dance, where the Brits have a chance of a medal if all the stars align for them.

Read:

The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy*

Death in Ecstasy by Ngaio Marsh

Under Admiralty Arch by S J T Riley*

Familiar Ferocity by Patti Benning

Night Rider by Sloane Fletcher*

Off Script by Bianca Gillam*

Cyanide in the Sun ed Martin Edwards

Started:

n/a

Still reading:

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

One book bought in Waterstones Trafalgar Square

Bonus picture: the Coliseum on Wednesday night before some Gilbert and Sullivan.

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

Book of the Week, new releases, reviews

Book of the Week: The Future Saints

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We’re into February and for the third time in four Books of the Week so far in 2026, I’ve picked a new release. OK, so this came out the week before last not last week, but it was still a late January release and so I’m claiming my prize.

Anyway, The Future Saints is about Theo, a music executive and the latest band he’s been sent to try and rescue: The Future Saints. The three-piece band has been struggling (unsurprisingly) since the death of their manager and when Theo first sees them they’re bombing at a dive bar in their home town. But they owe their label one more album and Theo’s job is to try and get that done and complete their contract. Hannah, the group’s lead singer, has taken them in a new direction with tortured rock about grief and loss replacing their earlier California-pop-surfer sound. But when one of Hannah’s performances goes viral it looks like the band is on an upward trajectory even as Hannah appears to be spiraling out of control. Can Hannah – and her sister Ginny – survive the effects of fame and overcome the tragedy that the band has suffered? And can Theo help them through it and keep his career?

I read one of Ashley Winstead’s previous novels, The Boyfriend Candidate, nearly three years ago. That was a romance, but since then she’s written thrillers – until this. The Future Saints is comped with Daisy Jones and the Six in the blurb and although that’s not quite right (for me at least) it’s definitely different to both of those prior genres Winstead has written in. There isn’t a thriller plot here but there is a romance strand, but it’s not the main point to the plot – which is how does a band deal with a tragedy and how can you save someone who doesn’t want to be saved.

It’s also hard to explain all of what is going on here without giving a major element of the plot away, which the blurb and the early stages of the novel are very careful not to do, so I’ve respected that, but I also need to say that it was quite unexpected and kept me guessing about what was going on and how it was all going to work out for a long time. I also thought that the resolution of the novel was really well done in a way that I hadn’t thought possible at times. It has a few overblown or over drawn moments, mostly when it came to Theo, who for a smart person is remarkable dense at times when it comes to his career, but I enjoyed it and I think it would make a really good book club book.

My copy of The Future Saints came from NetGalley, but it’s out now in Kindle and Kobo – where it’s only £3.99 at time of writing, as well as in paperback. I haven’t spotted it in the shops yet, but I will keep looking

Happy Reading

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: January 26 – February 1

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As I said yesterday, there’s a new Amazon valentines novella series and so there are a few of those on here. Otherwise I’ve nearly finished one of the long runners and so I’m getting there, despite a night out at the theatre in the week and a very busy weekend. Onwards into February.

Read:

Tide Up by Patti Benning

A Deadly Affair by Agatha Christie

The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead*

The Nursing Home Murder by Ngaio Marsh

Cross the Line by Simone Soltani

Accidentally Yours by Christina Lauren

Time Will Tell by Hannah Bonam-Young

Second Act Romance by Julie Soto

On Spine of Death by Tamara Berry

Started:

Night Rider by Sloane Fletcher*

Under Admiralty Arch by S J T Riley*

Still reading:

The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy*

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

One book and one ebook bought.

Bonus picture: the Fitzrovia Chapel in almost daylight one day after work this week. It’s getting lighter everyone…

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

Book of the Week, new releases

Book of the Week: Beattie Cavendish and the Highland Hideaway

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Happy Tuesday everyone, and I’m back with a Book of the Week pick after last week’s skip, although I have a slight issue, because although NetGalley says it was out last week, none of the sites seem to have it as out until the middle of February. But as it was the best thing I read last week, I’m still writing about it. Sorry, not sorry. I’ll try and remember to remind you when it comes out.

It’s 1949 and Beattie Cavendish works for GCHQ. Officially she works in admin and training secretaries, but actually she’s a covert operative. When her bosses send her to Scotland to investigate a disappearance at a a listening station. The staff there are suspicious of her, and she has a job on her hands to find out what is going on. Her uncle lives near the station but when she goes to visit, she discovers that his cottage is empty and looks like it was left in a hurry. Beattie becomes convinced that the two things are related and starts to dig in to what is going on in the Highlands with the help of private investigator Patrick Corrigan, who is all to happy to leave London for a bit after having caught the attention of some Russian gangsters.

This is actually the second book featuring Beattie, and although I haven’t read the first it didn’t really cause me too many problems with the plot. There are some throwbacks to that previous novel but enough is explained that you can follow along – although it did make me interested in reading that earlier book. This is the first book by Mary-Jane Riley that I’ve read but also the first Cold War set historical mystery that I’ve read in quite a long while. And this is specifically Cold War (rather than generic 1950s) because of Beattie’s work and all the circumstances of the mystery. And I enjoyed it a lot.

There are some commonalities in Beattie’s back story with other characters that I have liked in inter-war-set mysteries – I can’t really tell you what because it’s spoilers – and it makes for an interesting character. I’m also interested in the friendship with Corrigan and the context around that – this is where I did feel that I was missing some context – he has a fiancée and without having read the first novel I wasn’t sure if I was meant to be rooting for him to break it off with her for Beattie or not – because from the information given his fiancée had helped in that previous mystery even if her actions in this one seemed to be slightly against what Patrick wants in terms of his future. So definitely up for reading a third book to see what happens there.

My copy came from NetGalley, as I said at the top it’s not out until February 19th. You can however pre-order in Kindle or Kobo. There is also apparently a paperback edition coming in the autumn.

Happy Reading!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: January 19 – January 25

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Not quite back to normal service after Sheffield because it was a very, very busy week but I’m getting there. And as we’re hurtling towards the end of the month that’s probably for the best. Hopefully now I’m back up to date with everything and I can get down to finishing some more books and not just starting them!

Read:

A Not So Model Home by David James

Managed Mayhem by Patti Benning

Beattie Cavendish and the Highland Hideaway by Mary-Jane Riley*

Walled Off by Patti Benning

The Vanderbeekers Ever After by Karina Yan Glaser

Murder at Melrose Court by Karen Baugh Menuhin

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

Started:

On Spine of Death by Tamara Berry

Still reading:

The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy*

Future Saints by Ashley Winstead*

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

No books bought!

Bonus picture: I love an old school logo, and this moving van in Fitzroy square felt like such a mix of modernity and tradition that I had to take a photo!

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

announcement, Book of the Week, books

No Book of the Week!

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I’m sorry! Too much skating, not enough reading . I’ve got three things part finished but nothing to write about today so I’m giving myself a pass this week. In the meantime, here are some of my favourite performances from last week that might have gone under the radar if you only watched the final groups of the competition:

Josefin Taljegard from Sweden absolutely nailing her skate to It’s All Coming Back To Me Now, skating second in the women’s free programme (after the first person fell five times) and getting a standing ovation from the crowd for her performance, musicality and emotion. And we didn’t give many ovations.

We’ve had a lot of Moulin Rouge routines over the year but nothing quite like The Finns and their slightly unhinged but very entertaining take on it (that’s them in the picture at the top taking their bow).

And finally, my prediction for a potential viral moment at the Olympics: if Tomas Llorenc can land the triple axel at the start of this Minions programme for in Milan it will take the roof off.

Enjoy!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: January 12 – January 18

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So I was off work last week, but I was also spending 7 hours a day watching figure skating, so not a lot of reading happened! It was a fabulous week though, it was amazing to see all the European skaters at their last competition before they head to Milan for the Olympics next month. The atmosphere in the arena was amazing and all the people sitting around me were great too. It all went very fast, and I can’t believe it’s over already. Normal reading should be resumed this week…

Read:

A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

Pawsitively Perilous by Patti Benning

Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh

Running Scared by Patti Benning

How to Spot a Fascist by Umberto Eco

Started:

A Not So Model Home by David James

The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy*

Future Saints by Ashley Winstead*

Beattie Cavendish and the Highland Hideaway by Mary-Jane Riley*

Still reading:

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

Three books bought, and you’ve seen them all already.

Bonus picture: an action shot of the Brits on their way to a bronze in the ice dance.

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

Book of the Week, Book previews

Book of the Week: Meet the Newmans

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Happy Tuesday everyone and this week I’ve picked one of this week’s new releases – it’s out last week if you’re in the US or on Thursday if you’re in the UK. Check me out being actually topical for once.

It’s 1964 and Del and Dinah Newman and their two sons are household names across the States as the stars of a prime time TV show based upon their lives. But their 12 year contract is coming to an end and the ratings are down, the times are changing and behind the scenes the family itself is fraying: Dinah and Del are sleeping in separate rooms, elder son Guy has a secret in his private life and younger son Shep, a rock and roll teen idol, may have run into a problem his dad can’t buy him out of. And then Del is in mysterious car crash that leaves him in a coma with just weeks to go before the season finale – which could well be the series finale. Dinah decides to take matters into her own hands and take over the reigns of the family and the show. But can they keep it all together to get the finale across the line?

This is Jennifer Niven’s latest novel and is being blurbed as for fans of Lessons in Chemistry and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I would say that that is a pretty good comparison. The family live in the spotlight and who struggle with it in various different ways but as well as that the world has changed around them and their brand of entertainment hasn’t changed fast enough. It’s also a look at the way that women were viewed in society in the 1960s and the restrictions that they chaffed against (or not in some cases). It felt really timely to me, because the fight for various rights has never really gone away and it is good to have a reminder of how recently some of these things actually happened. But that makes it sound a lot heavier a read than it is – it’s fun and frothy and surprised me in how things all resolved at the end. I do hope that’s not too much of a spoiler!

My copy came from NetGalley and I’m writing this before the release in the UK so it’s quite hard to tell how widely available this will be in the bookshops, but I’m hoping to spot it soon because Waterstones are showing plenty of copies on their website. And of course it’s also available in Kindle and Kobo and as an ebook.