Something Wicked and Spell Bound by Gretchen Rue

Something Wicked 

Pages: 304 

Publisher: Aria 

Released: 14th of September 2023 

Recipe for a potion to demolish life as you know it:

Step one: pack up your life and move to your aunt’s old house in a small, sleepy town.

Step two: discover that she was a witch.

Step three: discover that you’re also a witch.

Step four: Add a sprinkle of butterflies for your childhood friend (who’s suddenly incredibly hot), a dash of prying neighbours who want you to leave their town and never come back, and – the key ingredient – a murder on the steps of your aunt’s old tea shop (which, as it happens, is also a magic apothecary).

Voila. Your spell is complete.

Spell Bound 

Pages: 314  

Publisher: Aria 

Released: 1st of February 2024 

Since moving to Raven Creek, Phoebe Winchester has had a lot on her plate.

She’s renovating the Victorian manor she inherited from her Aunt Eudora, running a tea shop (and secret magical apothecary), and learning to be a witch. But when she discovers a dead body at an estate sale, and suspicion falls on her, even Phoebe wonders if this is simply too much.

Forced to take action to clear her name, Phoebe enlists Rich Lofting, handsome private detective and childhood friend, to assist with her investigation, all while sorting out her unresolved feelings for him.

Is there something more sinister lurking in the shadows of this small tight-knit town? And does Phoebe really want to find out?

What I Have to Say 

I enjoyed both of these books a lot. Tea, books and cats are a really good combination and adding in a murder mystery and a sprinkling of witchcraft pretty much made it the story for me. It was really nice just immersing myself in the little town of Raven Creek. It had a very Gilmore Girls vibe to it that I really enjoyed. 

During the first book, I found that there weren't enough mystery elements involved. It seemed like the mystery was something that was happening to Phoebe rather than her going out and investigating. The second book really made up for it though. The only thing I would change is, I would like more witchcraft. Again the second book did more of this, but I still felt it was a big lacking

There were also plenty of books and plenty of cat moments. The cat was not an incidental character in the books, he was central to all of the action, especially in the second book, which I found really great. So often there's a cat on the cover and the cat is just there in the background. But not with Bob! Bob is definitely a main character. 

I hope there are more of these books because I'm not quite ready to leave Raven Creek just yet! 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Aria for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. 

The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai (audiobook)

 Pages: 201 

 Narrator: Hanako Footman 

 Publisher: Mantle 

 Released: 5th of October 2023 

The Kamogawa Food Detectives, translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is the first book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time?

Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner treats its customers to wonderfully extravagant meals. But that's not the main reason to stop by . . .

The father-daughter duo have started advertising their services as 'food detectives'. Through ingenious investigations, they are capable of recreating a dish from their customers' pasts – dishes that may well hold the keys to forgotten memories and future happiness.

From the widower looking for a specific noodle dish that his wife used to cook, to a first love's beef stew, the restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to the past – and a way to a more contented future.

A bestseller in Japan, The Kamogawa Food Detectives is a celebration of good company and the power of a delicious meal.

What I Have to Say 

This book was exactly what I wanted. Cosy Japanese fiction (featuring a cat) with heart-warming stories about food. It was short story format and I think was possibly serialised in a magazine judging from the style of it, so it was a little repetitive in places, but that didn't take away from it at all. 

There is a lot of delicious sounding food in this book so it's definitely not one to read when hungry! It had me drooling over descriptions of food that I wouldn't actually eat, it was so nicely described. The food detective part was interesting and well done, so it really felt like reading an actual detective story at times! 

The main theme of this story though is family. It shows the tight family of the father and daughter doing the detectiving and also highlights family in some of the customer's story. 

I took away from this book, warmth and cheerfulness and it was an absolute joy to listen to. 

 5 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Mantle for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

A Midwinter's Tail by Lili Hayward

Pages: 224 

Publisher: Sphere 

Released: 12th of October 2023 

It's nearly Christmas and committed Londoner, Mina Kestle, is close to signing a deal that will make her career and give her everything she's ever wanted. And then she receives a mysterious letter in the post along with an ancient key, sent by her long-estranged godfather . . .

Davy Penhallow is an artist who lives on the tiny Cornish island of Morgelyn with only his pet cat, Murr, for company. Mina hasn't seen or heard from him in decades, but now it seems he wants her to look after his cottage - and his cat - while he recovers from a stroke in hospital. Mina doesn't know why Davy has written after all these years, but she intends to do what's sort out the cottage and the cat and then get back to London in time for her career-saving meeting, before everything she's built comes crashing down around her.

But the more time Mina spends in the cottage, looking after Murr and remembering the magic of Cornish folklore, the harder it becomes for her to tear herself away. And when she discovers that a set of ruthless property developers are coming for Morgelyn, she realises she might be the only one who can stand in their way to save the island, Davy's cottage and Murr's home.

As Christmas draws ever closer and echoes of the past - her own and the island's - wash up in her memory, Mina begins to unravel a generation of secrets... and discover what it is she has truly always wanted . . .

What I Have to Say 

This was the perfect little story for Christmas. Steeped in Cornish legend, it had the warm cosy feel to it that you want from a nice Christmas read. It also had absolutely everything you get from a Christmas movie.  I do feel I read it a bit early to really get into the Christmas spirit, but I can't deny that it would be good to read on Christmas eve! 

I loved how much this book centred around the cat, Murr. And how right from the start Murr is set up as a mythical cat of the sea. Though the characters don't believe this, the book led me to believe in Murr's power right from the start and I loved the magical realism feel that it gave to the book. 

It was great for cat lovers and anyone interested in Cornish mythology or even just anyone who loves a good underdog fights against big developers story! 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Sphere and Netgalley for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

The Goodbye Cat by Hiro Arikawa

Pages: 256

Publisher: Doubleday 

Released: 12th of October 2023 

Against changing seasons in Japan, seven cats weave their way through their owners' lives ...

We meet Spin, a kitten rescued from the recycling bin, whose simple needs teach an anxious father how to parent his own human baby; a colony of wild cats on a holiday island shows a young boy not to stand in nature's way; a family is perplexed by their cat's devotion to their charismatic but uncaring father; a woman curses how her cat constantly visits her at night; and an elderly cat, Kota, hatches a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner may be together for ever.

Bursting with empathy and love, The Goodbye Cat explores the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. A huge bestseller in Japan, every page is a joyous celebration of cats and how we cannot resist sharing our lives with them.

What I Have to Say 

This was such a cute book. Though it got very sad in places (as you can probably tell from the title of the Goodbye Cat), I enjoyed reading it immensely. I really enjoyed the different personalities of each of the cats and the differences and similarities in the stories. 

As with all short story collections, there were some stories that I loved and some that I didn't like so much. In this book, I really liked the Cat Island story and the one about Hachi. I also enjoyed the last story in the book and I loved the connection between that one and Hachi, being stories about two cats owned at different times by the same owner. 

As with any translated book, it was very different from the style I'm used to in Western works. I feel like Japanese stuff in more thoughtful and is often more told than shown. I think a lot also gets lost in translation. So I wouldn't say the writing was amazing, but I do think a lot of that is down to the type of book and translating it from a Japanese style. 

Overall, if you like cats, this is a good book to choose! 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Doubleday for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

The Lonely Hearts Rescue by Missouri Vaun, Morgan Lee Miller and Nell Stark

Pages: 300

Publisher: Bold Stroke Books 

Released: 11th of October 2022 

When a hurricane hits the Gulf Coast, the animals at the Lonely Hearts Rescue Shelter need love, and so do the humans who adopt them.

Something About You by Morgan Lee Miller. After rescuing a cat stranded in the hurricane, animal control officer Reese Shepard is adamant about finding shy, timid Apollo the best forever home. When she discovers Apollo giving cheek rubs to Hannah Marsh, Reese’s high school crush, she’s captivated by her all over again.

Force of Nature by Missouri Vaun. Rebekah Hawks has stepped in to help with hurricane disaster relief. Challenges are no match for Rebekah. At least until she agreed to foster an impossible dog. Rebekah has no choice but to seek the aid of handsome local dog trainer Rory Maclaren. But who is training whom?

Test of Faith by Nell Stark. Rescuing a dog is a dream come true for Faith Kincaid—and a chance to prove to herself that she really can, in the words of her therapist, “commit to commitment.” When Faith takes her new best friend, Pinoe, to the vet, she can’t stop staring at Dr. Delphine Wu. Del is completely out of Faith’s league. Or is she?

What I Have to Say 

This book has cosy written all over it. It's so warm and full of love. Revolving around the Lonely Hearts Rescue Centre, in a world where everyone seems to be gay (or at least everyone adopting or working at lonely hearts anyway) each story starts with a person agreeing to adopt or foster a pet, only then to meet the woman of their dreams along the way. It was simple and perfect and made for great reading. 

As it's a animal book, obviously I have to dedicate a paragraph on the animals in the book! Though I felt there could be more animal content (because who doesn't need more animal content?), the stories were full of cute moments between the animals and their owners. I would have liked to see more of Apollo the cat's rehabilitation, but Buffy the Cav cross and Cotton the dachshund (what better name is there than cotton??) featured a lot in their respected stories and there were moments that I really loved. 

The romance was simple, I could have done with more conflict in the first story as it all seemed a little easy, but with three short stories in a three hundred page book, there was not much room for elaborate stories. I liked all three main characters and their love interests, so I was fairly easy to please. 

Basically if you're LGBTQ+ (or just like reading about gay characters) and love animals then you couldn't really find a more perfect book to read. 

My thanks go to Bold Stokes Books and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

 

If Cats Disappeared From the World by Genki Kawamura

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Publisher: Picador

Released:  20th of September 2018 

Our narrator’s days are numbered. Estranged from his family, living alone with only his cat Cabbage for company, he was unprepared for the doctor’s diagnosis that he has only months to live. But before he can set about tackling his bucket list, the Devil appears with a special offer: in exchange for making one thing in the world disappear, he can have one extra day of life. And so begins a very bizarre week . . .

Because how do you decide what makes life worth living? How do you separate out what you can do without from what you hold dear? In dealing with the Devil our narrator will take himself – and his beloved cat – to the brink. Genki Kawamura's If Cats Disappeared from the World is a story of loss and reconciliation, of one man’s journey to discover what really matters in modern life.

What I Have to Say 

This book was very weird, but not in a bad way. The concept alone is very quirky and the way that Kawamura describe death was also strange, but very interesting. There was definitely a lot of symbolism to find there. In general, the book is extremely philosophical, looking at various things that seem like they don't matter that much but make the world very different when they are missing from it. 

The cat, Cabbage. Was definitely the best part. I don't want to give anything away, but we had a real glimpse at his personality and the way he saw the world. And having a cat called Cabbage was always going to be a way into my heart. Cabbage and Lettuce are beautiful creatures and the world would definitely not be as good without them! 

As someone who reads a fair amount of Japanese literature, I was able to put up with some of the style differences, but if this is the first book that you're reading that was originally written in Japanese, you may find it off-putting. The flashbacks flow on from the text, instead of being separated into a separate scene and the narrator tends to go off on tangents a lot before casually rejoining the scene. Also, some of the translators choices felt a bit off to me, especially in case of thinking something rather than speaking it. In Japanese thoughts are written very much like speech, with "I thought" coming after the thing that is being thought. If felt to me like much of these sentences were fairly directly translated, meaning that you think that the character is saying something aloud when it's actually only thought. This was very off-putting when it happened. 

Overall though, it was an interesting concept and a fun story. 

So if you could have an extra day of life but something had to disappear from the world in exchange, what would you get rid of? Would you be able to live without cats? 

Let me know in the comments! 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Picador for providing me with this copy for review. 

A Tangle of Magic by Valija Zinck

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Pages: 256

Publisher: Chicken House 

Released: 2nd of August 2018 

Penelope has always been different from other children: for example, her hair has been grey since she was born. When she wakes up one day with sparkling red hair, her mother confesses that her father is a wizard. Penelope embarks on a journey to find him...

What I Have to Say 

 This was such a lovely story. It was full of magic and wonder and an absent father. It goes deep into the issue of abandonment both from Penelope and her mother and the whole that exists in Penelope's life, especially after she wakes up and discovers that she has vibrant red hair and magical powers and her dad is the only person who might be able to help her manage them.

Penelope was a really great character. I loved the way she thought. Though it was a little unrealistic, it was unrealistic in a good way. It gave a lot of humour to the book. Because what kind of person spends ages looking for shoelaces of a certain colour to replace the one she lost of her friends? Or deciding that gluing all the postboxes shut is the best way to find her father? 

I wish it had been longer though. It felt like the plot wasn't complicated enough. It was mostly just Penelope plotting and talking to roads and working out how to use her powers. I'd have liked it if there had been more of her with her new friends who also have powers. It felt a bit like she was wandering around for most of the book and then it got tied up neatly in the last few chapters. I'd have liked a bit more.

This would be such a good book for little girls who dream of waking up to discover they have magic powers. Especially if they have red hair.

My thanks go to Chicken House for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Wildings by Nilanjana Roy

Synopsis (Goodreads) 

Pages: 336

Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books 

Released: 7th July 2016 

A small band of cats lives in the labyrinthine alleys and ruins of Nizamuddin, an old neighbourhood in Delhi. Miao, the clan elder, a wise, grave Siamese; Katar, a cat loved by his followers and feared by his enemies; Hulo, the great warrior tom; Beraal, the beautiful queen, swift and deadly when challenged; Southpaw, the kitten whose curiosity can always be counted on to get him into trouble… Unfettered and wild, these and the other members of the tribe fear no one, go where they will, and do as they please. Until, one day, a terrified orange-coloured kitten with monsoon green eyes and remarkable powers, lands in their midst—setting off a series of extraordinary events that will change their world forever. 

What I Have to Say 

This is like Redwall but more diverse. Set in Delhi, the story takes us into the heart of the wild cat community, teaching us their rules and customs. It shows not only the street cats, but also into the life of house cats, feral cats and even tigers in the zoo. 

This was like being a little kid again. I adored all the books from the point of view of animals and the complexities between the characters made this the perfect version for teenagers. I enjoyed the conflict between Mara and the other cats over her fear of going outside. The different views of each cat were interesting and added a lot to the way the book turned out. 

The way that the cats communicate with each other and the other animals in their neighbourhood is really interesting and I definitely recommend his book 

My thanks go to Netgally and Pushkin Press for providing me with this copy for review.