Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter 

by Heather Fawcett 

Del Rey, 2026. 368 pages. Fantasy 

As the proudly type-A manager of a cat rescue charity, Agnes Aubert has devoted her life to finding forever homes for stray cats. Now it's the shelter that needs a new home. And the only landlord who will rent a space to a cat rescue is a mysterious man called Havelock--who also happens to be running an illegal magic shop out of his basement. Havelock is cantankerous and eccentric, but not not handsome, and no, Agnes absolutely does not feel anything but disdain for him. After all, rumors swirl about his shadowy past--including whispers that his dark magic once almost brought about the apocalypse. Then one day a glamorous magician comes looking for Havelock, putting the magic shop--and the cat shelter--in jeopardy. To save the shelter, Agnes will have to team up with the magician who nearly ended the world . . . and may now be trying to steal her heart. 

This book is a comforting little pick-me-up perfect for stressful times. Set in a magical version of 1920s Montreal, Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter crosses a variety of genres – it’s a little bit of historical fiction, fantasy, and romance all in one – making it a good fit for cozy reads fans of all stripes. I appreciated that instead of yet another 18-early 20-something fantasy heroine, Agnes Aubert is 34 years old and widowed. She’s organized, kind, and practical (reminding me of many librarians I’ve known), and an enjoyable foil to chaotic Havelock. And if you’re a cat-owner, you’re likely to discover at least one charming feline character who reminds you of your own furry friend. 

If you like Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter, you might also like: 

The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love 

by India Holton 

Berkley Romance, 2024. 361 pages. Fantasy 

Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, capturing both her bird and her imagination like a villain. Albeit a handsome and charming villain, but that's beside the point. As someone highly educated in the ruthless discipline of ornithology, Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon. For his part, Devon has never been more smitten than when he first set eyes on Professor Beth Pickering. She's so pretty, so polite, so capable of bringing down a fiery, deadly bird using only her wits. In other words, an angel. Devon understands he must not get close to her, however, since they're professional rivals. When a competition to become Birder of the Year by capturing an endangered caladrius bird is announced, Beth and Devon are forced to team up to have any chance of winning. Now keeping their distance becomes a question of one bed or two. But they must take the risk, because fowl play is afoot, and they can't trust anyone else--for all may be fair in love and war, but this is ornithology 

The Spellshop 

by Sarah Beth Durst 

Bramble, 2024. 384 pages. Fantasy 

Kiela, a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, and her assistant Caz, a magically sentient spider plant, have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire's most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city's elite. Then a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames. She and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she'd see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy--and very handsome--neighbor who can't take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she's fed and help fix up her new home. In need of income and reluctantly inspired by the beauty and people of the island who have welcomed her into their hearts, Kiela discovers something that even the bakery in town doesn't have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries that become the town's, and her handsome neighbor's, new favorite confection. But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela decides to open the island's first-ever and much-needed secret spellshop. 

Howls’ Moving Castle 

by Diana Wynne Jones 

Greenwillow Books, 1986. 212 pages. Fantasy 

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye. 

SGR

A Letter to the Luminous Deep

A Letter to the Luminous Deep
By Sylvie Cathrall
Hachette Book Group, 2024. 391 pages. Fantasy

A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other. Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.'s home, and she and Henerey vanish. A year later, E.'s sister Sophy, and Henerey's brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery, piecing together the letters, sketches and field notes left behind--and learn what their siblings' disappearance might mean for life as they know it.

This book is gorgeous. The vivid cover is what first drew me in, and the lush, descriptive contents of this book did not disappoint. The format is epistolary, but rather than mere letters back and forth, the reader is invited to explore snippets of diary entries, field guides, published works from within the world, poems, drawings, and even unfinished drafts of words that shy, anxious E. wishes that she could say, but ultimately never sends. I completely fell in love with the gentle, proper, scholarly manner of every letter, reminiscent of Jane Austin style regency. The author completely leaned into the romance of sitting down and formally penning a missive for a far-away acquaintance, and this romance was displayed nowhere better than in the obvious growing affection between E. and Henerey. This, alongside a truly charming friendship between Sophy and Vyerin, all took place in a backdrop of breath-taking bioluminescence of the deep ocean abyss and cheerful colors dancing in coastal coral reefs. From tone to visuals to worldbuilding and more, Cathrall offers an unmissable tour of the mysteries and magic of the Luminous Deep.

If you like Letter to the Luminous Deep, you might also like:

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
By Heather Fawcett Del Ray, 2023. 317 pages. Fantasy.

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on dryadology, the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encylopedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hransvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the dashing and insufferably handsome Wendell Bambleby. But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries-- she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.

Ella Minnow Pea : A Novel in Letters
By Mark Dunn Anchor Books, 2002. 208 pages. Fiction.

Ella Minnow Pea is a girl living happily on the fictional island of Nollop off the coast of South Carolina. Nollop was named after Nevin Nollop, author of the immortal pangram, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." Now Ella finds herself acting to save her friends, family, and fellow citizens from the encroaching totalitarianism of the island's Council, which has banned the use of certain letters of the alphabet as they fall from a memorial statue of Nevin Nollop.

MD

Maggie; or, a Man and a Woman Walk into a Bar

Maggie; or, a Man and a Woman Walk into a Bar

by Katie Yee 

Summit Books, 2025. 200 pages. Fiction.

 A man and a woman walk into a restaurant. The woman expects a lovely night filled with endless plates of samosas. Instead, she finds out her husband is having an affair with a woman named Maggie. A short while after, her chest starts to ache. She walks into an examination room, where she finds out the pain in her breast isn't just heartbreak--it's cancer. She decides to call the tumor Maggie. Unfolding in fragments over the course of the ensuing months, Maggie; Or, a Man and a Woman Walk into a Bar follows the narrator as she embarks on a journey of grief, healing, and reclamation. She starts talking to Maggie (the tumor), getting acquainted with her body's new inhabitant. She overgenerously creates a "Guide to My Husband: A User's Manual" for Maggie (the other woman), hoping to ease the process of discovering her ex-husband's whims and quirks. She turns her children's bedtime stories into retellings of Chinese folklore passed down by her own mother, in an attempt to make them fall in love with their shared culture--and to maybe save herself in the process. 

This book is heavy but also funny. Darkly humorous is the term. As someone who has never been through a divorce or a cancer diagnosis I still found the main character and narrator relatable and sympathetic as a woman, mother and wife. The author writes in a leisurely, relaxed way but some words and phrases really struck me. I’m not one to underline passages in books but multiple times I found paragraphs I wanted to remember. This is one my favorite books I’ve read in the past 6 months. 

 

If you like Maggie; or, a Man and a Woman Walk into a Bar you might also like: 

Loved One 

by Aisha Muharrar 

Viking, 2025. 326 pages. Fiction.

When her first-love-turned-close-friend, Gabe, dies unexpectedly at twenty-nine, thirty-year-old Julia is launched into an intercontinental quest to recover his lost possessions. Her journey takes her from Los Angeles to London and into the murky realm of the past. It also sets Julia on a collision course with the last woman he loved, a guarded, self-possessed florist and restaurateur named Elizabeth, who insists on withholding Gabe's beloved guitar--one of the departed indie rock musician's dearest belongings--for reasons Julia can't understand. Both women, it turns out, have something to hide, and soon and themselves engaged in a complex dance of withholding and revelation. An emotional mystery spanning years, continents, and relationship statuses, Loved One introduces Aisha Muharrar as a novelist intimately attuned to the intricacies of love, memory, and ambiguous loss. An engrossing and profoundly moving coming-of-age story with a powerful love at its heart, Loved One is poised to become an instant classic. 

Joan is Okay 

by Weike Wang 

Random House, 2022. 212 pages. Fiction.

When her first-love-turned-close-friend, Gabe, dies unexpectedly at twenty-nine, thirty-year-old Julia is launched into an intercontinental quest to recover his lost possessions. Her journey takes her from Los Angeles to London and into the murky realm of the past. It also sets Julia on a collision course with the last woman he loved, a guarded, self-possessed florist and restaurateur named Elizabeth, who insists on withholding Gabe's beloved guitar--one of the departed indie rock musician's dearest belongings--for reasons Julia can't understand. Both women, it turns out, have something to hide, and soon and themselves engaged in a complex dance of withholding and revelation. An emotional mystery spanning years, continents, and relationship statuses, Loved One introduces Aisha Muharrar as a novelist intimately attuned to the intricacies of love, memory, and ambiguous loss ... An engrossing and profoundly moving coming-of-age story with a powerful love at its heart, Loved One is poised to become an instant classic. 

Heartburn 

by Nora Ephron

Random House, 1996. 179 pages. Fiction. 

Cookbook author Rachel Samstat--out of analysis and seven months pregnant--discovers that her husband is into analysis and an affair, and suffers six weeks of intensive heartburn.

JK

Between Friends and Lovers

Between Friends and Lovers
by Shirlene Obuobi
Avon, 2024. 357 pages. Romance.

As influencer Dr. Jojo, Josephine Boateng is a champion of self-love and overall health. In real life, Josephine is hung up on her best friend, and she struggles with depression. When Josephine meets debut author Malcolm Waters at a party, she takes the chance figure out what she really wants. But in a world where the lines between private and public are as blurred as those between friendship and love, can Josephine and Malcolm risk it all for something real?

In the hands of a different author, this book would have mostly been about a love triangle with a fake dating element (two tropes I usually love). Obuobi avoids leaning into these tropes, however, and in the process she hits on more truth about life and love. I appreciated that while this is a romance novel, falling in love doesn’t fix any character’s problems. Instead, it gives them someone to lean on when life gets hard. Malcolm and Josephine encourage each other to reach further than they would have on their own. This has been one of my favorite recent romance reads!

If you like Between Friends and Lovers you might also like:

Curvy Girl Summer
by Danielle Allen
Bramble, 2024. 360 pages. Romance

After a one-night stand with her clingy ex, Aaliyah James has an epiphany: this ain't it. She knows what she wants, and she's ready to move past casual hookups, flings, and situationships. But for her family, the clock is ticking—after all, she's almost thirty. And when they imply that her personality (and her body) might be too big to land a man, she lets them know they've gone too far—and her (nonexistent) man loves her curves, thank you very much. Now, she has seven weeks to find the perfect boyfriend to rub in their faces at the birthday celebration she's been planning.

The Wedding Date
by Jasmine Guillory
Jove, 2018. 310 pages. Romance

On the eve of his ex's wedding, Drew is minus a plus one. Until a power outage strands him with the perfect candidate for a fake girlfriend. From the best man's toast to the bouquet toss, Alexa and Drew have more fun than they ever thought possible. But before they know it, Drew has to fly back to Los Angeles and his job as a pediatric surgeon, and Alexa heads home to Berkeley, where she's the mayor's chief of staff. Too bad they can't stop thinking about the other. They're just two high-powered professionals on a collision course toward the long distance dating disaster of the century. 

Yours Truly
by Abby Jimenez
Forever, 2023. 398 pages. Romance

After a horrible first meeting, Dr. Briana Ortiz is not impressed with Dr. Jacob Maddox. But just when all systems are set to hate, Jacob completely flips the game by sending Briana a letter. And it's a really good letter. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who's just terrible at first impressions.

MB 

The Correspondent

The Correspondent

By Virginia Evans

Crown, 2025. 285 pages. Fiction 

At 73, retired lawyer and devoted letter writer Sybil Van Antwerp navigates her daily life and reflects on her past, but when unexpected letters open old wounds, she must confront a painful chapter that reshapes her understanding of herself and her world.

This is a fantastic and engrossing read for relationship fiction lovers. It is equally yoked between snarky commentary and heartbreaking realizations. And if you are an audio-book listener this has an exceptional cast. Highly recommended. 

If you liked The Correspondent, you might also like: 

No Two Persons

By Erica Bauermeister 

St. Martin's Press, 2023. 314 pages. Fiction

When a devastating event breaks her heart open, aspiring writer Alice creates a stunning debut novel in which her words find their way to readers, from a teenager hiding her homelessness to a widower rent by grief, who, due to her book, find new paths forward.

Remarkably Bright Creatures

By Shelby Van Pelt 

Ecco, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, 2022. 360 pages. Fiction

A luminous debut novel about a widow's unlikely friendship with a giant Pacific octopus reluctantly residing at the local aquarium--and the truths she finally uncovers about her son's disappearance 30 years ago. 

RBL

Tailored Realities

Tailored Realities
By Brandon Sanderson
Tor/Tor Publishing Group, 2025. 428 pages. Science Fiction

 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson―creator of The Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn saga, and numerous smash-hit works of science fiction and fantasy―comes Tailored Realities, a new short fiction collection including the never-before-published novella "Moment Zero." Spanning the genres of fantasy and science fiction, Tailored Realities includes ten works of short fiction from the ingenious mind of one of the genre's most beloved bestselling authors.

 I was first introduced to Brandon Sanderson’s writings when I was working as a Provo City Library page a little over 20 years ago (I saw Alcatraz Vs the Evil Librarians listed on the Utah Library Association conference schedule, and needed to know what the heck that was all about), and he has published at least three times that many books since then! Having followed his work for so long, I was already familiar with most of the stories featured in this collection (some are available for free on his website), but four were new to me: “Brain Dump” reads like a new episode of The Twilight Zone, “Probability Approaching Zero” reminded me of some of Isaac Asimov’s cheekier short fiction, and “I Hate Dragons” is a funny twist on a familiar fantasy trope. “Moment Zero” is the main reason for which this collection exists, a brand new action-packed and mind-bending novella that is well worth the read. (The most non-spoiler way I can describe it is…the end of the world, but turned inside out?) This collection is both a fun treat for a longtime fan like me, and a good jumping-on point for a newcomer who might want to just sample Sanderson’s work without committing to an entire novel.

If you like Tailored Realities, you might also like:

Arcanum Unbounded
By Brandon Sanderson
Tor Books, 2016. 671 pages. Fantasy

Sanderson’s first short story collection explores the various worlds and magics of the Cosmere. This collection includes his Hugo Award-winning novella, The Emperor’s Soul, the spoiler-laden Mistborn: Secret History, and the brand-new novella, Edgedancer, from the Stormlight Archive.

 

 

Small Magic: Short Fiction 1977-2020
By Terry Brooks
Del Rey, 2020. 447 pages. Fantasy

Escape to worlds full of adventure and magic in the first-ever Terry Brooks short story collection, featuring both new and fan-favorite stories from all three of his major literary worlds: Shannara, Magic Kingdom, and The Word & The Void. The first short story collection from Terry Brooks offers readers both new and long-forgotten glimpses into all of Terry's most beloved worlds, plus one elegaic gem from a different world entirely.

 

Lake of Souls
By Ann Leckie
Orbit, 2024. 403 pages. Science Fiction

Journey across the stars of the Imperial Radch universe. Listen to the words of the Old Gods that ruled The Raven Tower. Learn the secrets of the mysterious Lake of Souls. And so much more, in this masterfully wide-ranging and immersive short fiction collection from award-winning author Ann Leckie.

LAH

Don't Open Your Eyes

Don’t Open Your Eyes 

by Liv Constantine 

Bantam, 2025. 336 pages. General Fiction. 

Annabelle Reynolds has everything she's ever wanted. A devoted husband, two wonderful daughters, and a career she loves. She couldn't be happier. So why is she suddenly plagued by disturbing dreams of a future where she hates her husband and her daughters' lives are at risk? At first, she chalks the dreams up to an overactive imagination. But when details from her dreams, details she couldn't possibly have predicted, begin to materialize, she realizes these aren't just dreams but rather premonitions of a terrifying future. They all point to a singular choice, an unknown moment that holds Annabelle's life in the balance. Then Annabelle has a dream that her daughter Scarlett is in immediate danger. Someone wants Scarlett dead, and Annabelle has no idea who or why. Suddenly, every choice she makes is fraught with peril, with no inkling of which move could bring this terrifying vision to life. As Annabelle's present life starts to collide with the future in her dreams, she wrestles with how much control she really has over her destiny and whether she can change what is meant to be. 

This is a gripping book that hooks you right from the beginning. When aspects of the dreams start coming true, it keeps you guess just how much of the dreams will become reality. With lots of twists at the end, this book, while it can be slowly paced at times, is still a wild ride that is fun to read. Don’t Open Your Eyes is recommended for people who enjoy domestic thrillers, and is likely the type of book to pull you out of a reading slump. 

If you like Don’t Open Your Eyes, you might also like: 

Simultaneous 

by Eric Heisserer 

Flatiron Books, 2025. 278 pages. Science Fiction. 

Federal agent Grant Lukather works for an unknown department of Homeland Security called Predictive Analytics. They look for patterns in tips and chatter to prevent a terrorist event before it happens. One of these calls, about a possible explosion in New Mexico, leads Grant to a case with unimaginable consequences. He meets Sarah Newcomb, a therapist who uses past-life hypnosis in her treatment but has recently stumbled upon a phenomenon that seems to defy logic. Grant follows this thread to another crime: a copycat killer case in Colorado. With the help of one of Sarah's patients, they embark upon an investigation that spans multiple states, timelines, and consciousnesses. With limited time and only a tenuous grasp of how this phenomenon works, the unlikely trio are in a race for their lives--past, present, and future. 

Don’t Let Him In 

by Lisa Jewell 

Atria Books, 2025. 360 pages. General Fiction. 

When charming Nick Radcliffe enters Nina's life, her daughter Ash grows suspicious, uncovering unsettling secrets that connect them to Martha, a florist with a husband who keeps disappearing, leading all three women toward a chilling truth they never expected. 

Famous Last Words 

by Gillian McAllister 

William Morrow, 2025. 326 pages. General Fiction. 

It is June 21st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla's life is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop her infant daughter off at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But after she arrives at the office, police officers storm the foyer: in the city, just near her work, a man has taken three hostages and is now in a tense standoff with law enforcement. And Luke, the person she's loved for more than a decade, the father of her child, is involved. But he is not a hostage. He is the kidnapper. All she has is a half-written cryptic note that Luke left for her. Seven years after the crime that shocked the nation, and her husband's subsequent disappearance, Camilla has slowly accepted that she will never have answers about what really happened that day. But just as she prepares to let Luke go for good, an anonymous location, sent to her by text message, reignites her suspicions about the kidnapping and sends her on a dangerous search for the truth. What follows is a propulsive, twisty story of motherhood, marriage, and the secrets at the heart of our closest relationships.

Cursed Daughters

Cursed Daughters 

by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Doubleday, 2025. 364 pages. Fiction

When Ebun gives birth to her daughter, Eniiyi, on the day they bury her cousin Monife, there is no denying the startling resemblance between the child and the dead woman. So begins the belief, fostered and fanned by the entire family, that Eniiyi is the actual reincarnation of Monife, fated to follow in her footsteps in all ways, including that tragic end. There is also the matter of a family curse which has been handed down from generation to generation, breaking hearts and causing three generations of abandoned Falodun women to live under the same roof. When Eniiyi falls in love with the handsome boy she saves from drowning, she can no longer run from her family’s history.

I was a fan of My Sister the Serial Killer, Braithwaite's sardonic debut, when I read it years ago, but the emotional richness in her most recent novel is a change of pace and a real treat. Utilizing a modern backdrop, the author creates a multigenerational tale that is easy to fall into without compromising on a complex and moving narrative. Braithwaite especially excels in creating rising tension that does not disrupt the romantic flow of her beautiful storytelling. The book's changing perspectives highlight each of the Faludon women and the way their fears and traumas become entangled through great love and loss. Despite our cultural and situational differences, I, as a daughter and sister, recognize the sincere (yet often misguided) ways the Falodun women try to help one another. I would recommend Cursed Daughters to many, especially those who enjoy themes of desire, grief, generational trauma, and fate.

If you like Cursed Daughters, you might also like:

Stay with Me

by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

Alfred A. Knopf, 2017. 257 pages. Fiction

Yejide and Akin fell in love and married while at university. Though many expected Akin to take several wives, he and Yejide agreed polygamy is not for them. But four years into their marriage-- after consulting fertility doctors and healers, trying strange teas and unlikely cures-- Yejide is still not pregnant. When her family arrives with a young woman they introduce as Akin's second wife, Yejide knows the only way to save her marriage is to get pregnant. She does--but at a cost far greater than she could have dared to imagine.

The Sirens

by Emilia Hart

St. Martin's Press, 2025. 337 pages. Fiction

2019: Lucy awakens from a dream to find her hands around her ex-lover's throat. Horrified, she flees to her older sister's house on the Australian coast, hoping she can help explain the strangely vivid nightmare that preceded the attack-but Jess is nowhere to be found. As Lucy awaits her return, the rumors surrounding Jess's strange small town start to emerge. Numerous men have gone missing at sea, spread over decades. A tiny baby was found hidden in a cave. And sailors tell of hearing women's voices on the waves. Desperate for answers, Lucy finds and begins to read her sister's adolescent diary.

Good Dirt

by Charmaine Wilkerson

Ballantine Books, 2025. 352 pages. Fiction

When ten-year-old Ebby Freeman heard the gunshot, time stopped. And when she saw her brother, Baz, lying on the floor surrounded by the shattered pieces of a centuries-old jar, life as Ebby knew it shattered as well. The last thing the Freemans want is another media frenzy splashing their family across the papers, but when Ebby's high profile romance falls apart without any explanation, that's exactly what they get. So Ebby flees to France, only for her past to follow her there. And as she tries to process what's happened, she begins to think about the other loss her family suffered on that day eighteen years ago--the stoneware jar that had been in their family for generations, brought North by an enslaved ancestor. But little does she know that the handcrafted piece of pottery held more than just her family's history--it might also hold the key to unlocking her own future.

RP

Bog Queen: a novel

Bog Queen: a novel
By: Anna North
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2025. 264 pages. Fiction

When a body is found in a bog in northwest England, Agnes, an American forensic anthropologist, is called to investigate. Agnes has always been more comfortable with the dead than the living, but this body is not like any she's ever seen. Though its bones prove it was buried more than two thousand years ago, it is almost completely preserved. The mystery of the Iron Age body draws the attention of numerous groups with competing interests : the archaeologists who want to study the surrounding bog, the peat-cutters who want to profit from the land's resources, and a group of environmental activists and neo-pagans who demand the body be returned to its resting place and that the moss-layered bog -- a marvel of carbon capture on a warming planet -- be left undisturbed. Then there's the moss itself ; a complex repository of artifacts and remains, with its own dark stories to tell. As Agnes is drawn into the controversy stirred by the body and its habitat, she must face not only the deep history of what she has unearthed, but also the relationships she has forsworn in her bid for independence.

From the first page, I was hooked. North has a lyrical way of describing Agnes and the way she looks at people - both the living and the dead. I was fascinated by how she could read people's trauma, pain or fear by the way they walked or stood. The novel is told from several viewpoints: the moss, Agnes, and the Bog Queen herself (a woman from the Iron Age), and they all weave together magically. I feel as though the author was heavily influenced by the "Lindow Man", a well-preserved bog body discovered in the Lindow Moss in 1983 ('The Life and Death of a Druid Prince' is a very readable nonfiction book about the study of his body and what they suppose his life was like). The historical details, archaeology and the emotional journey that Agnes experiences are all fascinating elements to the story. I would highly recommend this unique novel.

 

If you like Bog Queen, you might also like: 

Ancestors, a prehistory of Britain in seven burials

By: Alice Roberts

Simon & Schuster Ltd, 2021. 431 pages. Nonfiction.

'Most of what we know about our Anglo-Saxon ancestors comes from their graves, ' said Tony Robinson in the opening to a 2001 Time Team episode about the excavation of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery. He wasn't wrong. But this isn't only true of the Anglo-Saxons. Graves provide us with an extraordinarily detailed picture of the past. We may be looking at someone long dead, but we learn as much about life in the past, as we do about death, from these remains. Now, in her superb new book Ancestors, Alice Roberts investigates seven British graves to discover all that we can learn about our forebears, dating back to Neanderthal times some 220,000 years ago in North Wales right up to the Iron Age burial site in Pocklington, Yorkshire, dating back about 2500 years. The seven burials in this book stand out because they are so rich in detail, so emblematic of a particular time and place, or because they tell us unexpected things about our ancestors.

The Last Neanderthal

By: Claire Cameron

Little Brown and Company, 2017. 277 pages. Fiction

40,000 years in the past, the last family of Neanderthals roams the earth. After a crushingly hard winter, their numbers are low, but Girl, the oldest daughter, is just coming of age and her family is determined to travel to the annual meeting place and find her a mate. But the unforgiving landscape takes its toll, and Girl is left alone to care for Runt, a foundling of unknown origin. As Girl and Runt face the coming winter storms, Girl realizes she has one final chance to save her people, even if it means sacrificing part of herself. In the modern day, archaeologist Rosamund Gale works well into her pregnancy, racing to excavate newly found Neanderthal artifacts before her baby comes. Linked across the ages by the shared experience of early motherhood, both stories examine the often taboo corners of women's lives. Haunting, suspenseful, and profoundly moving, THE LAST NEANDERTHAL asks us to reconsider all we think we know about what it means to be human.

The Crossing Places

By: Elly Griffiths

Mariner Books, 2010. 303 pages. Mystery

When a child's bones are found near an ancient henge in the wild saltmarshes of Norfolk's north coast, Ruth Galloway, a university lecturer in forensic archaeology, is asked to date them by DCI Harry Nelson who thinks they may be the bones of a child called Lucy who has been missing for ten years.

MGB

Small Things Like These

 Small Things Like These
By: Keegan, Claire
Grove Press, 2021. 116 pages. Fiction 

In a small Irish town in 1985, coal merchant and family man, Bill Furlong, while delivering an order to the local convent, makes a discovery that forces him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church.

In the days leading up to Christmas, the main character Bill is weighed down by the monotony and demands of his life. Working hard to provide for his family he wonders what it is all for? The author Keegan writes beautifully as she describes the intricacies of Bill's place in his small Irish community and his relationships with his family. Through moving dialogue, you are placed within his internal struggle and feel the weight of the choices he has to make. This book is perfect for the holidays, as it grounds you in what is really important. Though short, it packs a punch with poignant and lyrical writing. I read it in one sitting and was engrossed by the story. This impactful story will inspire the reader to stand up for the oppressed and to have the courage to do the right thing in the face of opposition.

If you like Small Things Like These, you might also like:

The Deal of a Lifetime

 Atria Books, 2017. 65 pages. Fiction

A holiday novella about a successful businessman contemplating the choices he made in his life and the little girl battling cancer who provides him with the inspiration he needs

Time of the Child

Bloomsbury Publishing. 2024. 287 pages. Fiction

In the Advent season of 1962, Doctor Jack Troy and his daughter Ronnie, long isolated from their small Irish town of Faha, find their lives and their understanding of family and community transformed when a baby is unexpectedly left in their care.

MT

Betting on You

Betting on You

By Lynn Painter 

Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2023. 425 pages. Young Adult 

Seventeen-year-old Bailey isn’t excited to start a new job at a hotel waterpark—especially when she discovers an old acquaintance, Charlie, is a coworker. The two clashed a year earlier during Bailey’s emotional move after her parents’ divorce, and they’re still opposites now. Yet, as they bond over gossiping about guests and coworkers, Bailey finds herself enjoying Charlie’s company. When they make a bet over whether a flirty pair will actually get together, Charlie argues that boys and girls can’t be just friends, while Bailey is determined to prove him wrong. As they track other people’s romances, Charlie hides his growing feelings for Bailey. Fake dating to appease Bailey’s mom only complicates things, blurring the line between pretense and reality. But Charlie is keeping a secret—one that could jeopardize everything before their relationship truly begins. 

First, can I just say how I love the way the book cover depicts Bailey and Charlie’s journey? It’s adorable and very fitting. Like so many YA romances, there are plenty of ups, downs, and please just communicate! moments. Still, I’m a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and fake dating tropes. I breezed through this 400+ page book, probably because it’s so fast-paced and had a lot of wit and banter that kept me chuckling. Bailey and Charlie struggle with the divorce of each of their parents, but find a sense of solace in their shared experiences that brings them closer together. I really loved their journeys individually, together, as well as with their friends and family. I would easily recommend this to someone looking for a nice, YA contemporary romance. 

If you liked Betting on You, you might also like: 

Hot Dog Girl

By Jennifer Dugan 

G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2019. 311 pages. Young Adult 

A lovesick teenager schemes to win the heart of her crush at her amusement park summer job, all while dressed as a hot dog. 

The Right Side of Reckless

By Whitney D. Grandison 

Inkyard Press, 2021. 405 pages. Young Adult 

Working at the local community center, Guillermo Lozano meets the one girl who is off limits, and as friendship—and something more—blossoms between them, he decides to break the rules and be a little bit reckless. 

ACS

The Rose Bargain

The Rose Bargain 

By Sasha Peyton Smith 

Harper, 2025. 385 pages. Young Adult 

For four hundred years, England has been under the control of an immortal fae queen who tricked her way onto the throne. To maintain an illusion of benevolence, Queen Mor grants each of her subjects one opportunity to bargain for their deepest desire. As Ivy Benton prepares to make her debut, she knows that not even a deal with the queen could fix what has gone wrong: Her family's social standing is in shambles, her sister is a shadow of her former self, and Ivy's marriage prospects are nonexistent. So, when the queen announces a competition for Prince Bram's hand, Ivy is the first to sign her name in blood. Ivy soon finds herself a surprising front-runner—with the help of an unexpected ally: Prince Bram's brother, the rakish Prince Emmett, who promises to help Ivy win his brother's heart...for a price. 

Someone recommended this book to me, but I can’t remember who, and I’m so glad they did! I really enjoyed this young adult romantasy. Set in 1840s England, it’s a fun blend of fantasy, romance, a dash of battle royale, all wrapped with a bow of court intrigue. It’s fast-paced and suspenseful, which kept me going after I’d been in a pretty solid reading slump. The worst part about reading this book is that it’s the first in a series, and I read it before the next book’s release! Easily recommended by me, The Rose Bargain is a clever, compulsively readable start to a series that knows exactly how to enchant, and how to leave you wanting more. 

If you liked The Rose Bargain, you might also like: 

The Selection 

By Kiera Cass 

HarperTeen, 2012. 327 pages. Young Adult

America Singer is chosen to compete in the Selection--a contest to see which girl can win the heart of Illea's prince--but all she really wants is a chance for a future with her secret love, Aspen, who is a caste below her. 

The Cruel Prince 

By Holly Black 

Little, Brown and Company, 2018. 370 pages. Young Adult 

Jude, seventeen and mortal, gets tangled in palace intrigues while trying to win a place in the treacherous High Court of Faerie, where she and her sisters have lived for a decade. 

ACS

Greenteeth

Greenteeth

By Molly O'Neill

New York, 2025. 308 pages. Fantasy.

Beneath the still surface of a lake lurks a monster with needle sharp teeth. Hungry and ready to pounce, Jenny Greenteeth has never spoken to a human before. But when a witch is thrown into her lake, something makes Jenny decide she's worth saving. Temperance doesn't know why her village has suddenly turned against her, only that it has something to do with the malevolent new pastor. Though they have nothing in common, these two must band together on a magical quest to defeat the evil that threatens Jenny's lake and Temperance's family, as well as the very soul of Britain.

Greenteeth is a truly stunning tour of Old English and Arthurian legends. At multiple points in the story, I set the book down to google a name or magical item that appeared in the story, only to find myself delving into a rich background of lore and old stories that the author had obviously lovingly drawn inspiration from. (See: Twrch Trwyth the mythic boar, Caval the hunting hound, and Lady Creiddylad the fae queen). And yet, despite the magic and monsters, the core of the story remained shockingly human. It is, fundamentally, a story of family. Of what a mother will do to return to her children, or what atrocities one will commit to earn back the family that they have lost. Temperance and Jenny are a lot alike, including in their flaws, the author allowing both characters to falter and stumble in a way that isn't often seen in stories. If you enjoy Old England mythology, monsters who are empathetic and complex yet still act very much like monsters, and a slow building of family and friendships through a cross-country road trip, this book is for you!

If you like Greenteeth, you might also like:

Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries

By Heather Fawcett

New York, 2023. 317 pages. Fantasy.

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.

Someone You Can Build a Nest In

By John Wiswell

DAW Books, 2024. 310 pages. Fantasy.

Shesheshen is a shapeshifter, who happily resides as an amorphous lump at the bottom of a ruined manor until her rest is interrupted by hunters intent on murdering her. The hunters chase Shesheshen out of her home and off a cliff. Badly hurt, she’s found and nursed back to health by Homily, a warm-hearted human, who has mistaken Shesheshen as a fellow human. For a time, they are happy as Shesheshen slowly grows closer to this kindly human. However, the hunters are not to be disuaded for long and as the hunt becomes increasingly deadly, Shesheshen must unearth the truth quickly, or soon both of their lives will be at risk.

-MD