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Le Refuge occulte pour chats d'Agnes Aubert
Win a free print copy of this book!
16 days and 09:04:27
15 copies available
U.S. only
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Agnes Aubert mène une vie bien rangée, à base de listes et de cases à cocher. C'est grâce à son sens de l'organisation implacable et sa capacité à dompter le chaos qu'elle maintient son refuge pour chats à flot.
Mais lorsque son local est en partie détruit, elle n'a d'autre choix que de déménager. Elle tombe alors sur une affaire : un lieu charmant, dans une jolie rue avec un loyer des plus bas. Le seul hic ? Son propriétaire est un magicien.
Et pas des moindres ! Havelock Renard, aussi appelé le Roi des Sorciers, se sert de cette location pour masquer son activité illicite de vendeur d'Artéfacts. Et quand – à cause de lui, soit dit en passant – le refuge se retrouve mêlé à un conflit qui le dépasse, sa propriétaire décide de prendre les choses en main.
Mais il lui reste encore bien des chats à secourir à Montréal, et il est hors de question pour Agnes qu'un magicien grognon l'en empêche.
Agnes Aubert mène une vie bien rangée, à base de listes et de cases à cocher. C'est grâce à son sens de l'organisation implacable et sa capacité à dompter le chaos qu'elle maintient son refuge pour chats à flot.
Mais lorsque son local est en partie détruit, elle n'a d'autre choix que de déménager. Elle tombe alors sur une affaire : un lieu charmant, dans une jolie rue avec un loyer des plus bas. Le seul hic ? Son propriétaire est un magicien.
Et pas des moindres ! Havelock Renard, aussi appelé le Roi des Sorciers, se sert de cette location pour masquer son activité illicite de vendeur d'Artéfacts. Et quand – à cause de lui, soit dit en passant – le refuge se retrouve mêlé à un conflit qui le dépasse, sa propriétaire décide de prendre les choses en main.
Mais il lui reste encore bien des chats à secourir à Montréal, et il est hors de question pour Agnes qu'un magicien grognon l'en empêche.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2026
2947 people are currently reading
96983 people want to read
About the author
Heather Fawcett
22 books10.9k followersHello! Welcome to my page.
I'm the author of books for adults and children, including Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Even the Darkest Stars, Ember and the Ice Dragons, The School Between Winter and Fairyland, and more.
I'm only occasionally on Goodreads, so if you want a more reliable way to get in contact with me, I'd recommend using social media (I'm on Instagram and Facebook) or the contact form on my website.
Review policy: I only review books that I love, which is why you'll only see 4 and 5 star reviews here. Because readers often ask me about my favourite books and authors, I'm aiming to use this page as a place to collect all of my recommendations.
Also, I am NOT the author of More Than a Mom: Living a Full And Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs. I've asked Goodreads to remove it from my page several times but it keeps getting re-added. If you have questions about this title, please direct them to the other Heather Fawcett!
I'm the author of books for adults and children, including Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Even the Darkest Stars, Ember and the Ice Dragons, The School Between Winter and Fairyland, and more.
I'm only occasionally on Goodreads, so if you want a more reliable way to get in contact with me, I'd recommend using social media (I'm on Instagram and Facebook) or the contact form on my website.
Review policy: I only review books that I love, which is why you'll only see 4 and 5 star reviews here. Because readers often ask me about my favourite books and authors, I'm aiming to use this page as a place to collect all of my recommendations.
Also, I am NOT the author of More Than a Mom: Living a Full And Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs. I've asked Goodreads to remove it from my page several times but it keeps getting re-added. If you have questions about this title, please direct them to the other Heather Fawcett!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,954 reviews
March 17, 2026
I knew from the moment I saw that utterly charming cover—and Heather Fawcett’s name, an author who excels at creating enchanted, immersive worlds—that I was going to fall in love with this book from the very first chapter. And I was absolutely right. This story even made someone like me, who has never been a devoted cat person, seriously consider adopting one. (Not necessarily His Highness, of course—something more along the lines of a dramatic, slightly feral Banshee-type cat would be my preference.)
Agnes Aubert is the kind of character you adore instantly. She is gentle, selfless, endlessly kind, and determined to see the good in everyone. Her devotion to rescuing stray cats—making sure they don’t freeze alone on the streets and caring for them in her shelter—is deeply moving. When a magical attack devastates her neighborhood and leaves her shelter barely standing, Agnes realizes she must urgently find a new location before winter sets in. Unfortunately, every realtor in Montreal seems determined to slam the door in her face the moment she mentions that the space will be used as a cat shelter.
Just as hope begins to fade, Agnes stumbles upon the eccentric and narrow Rue des Hirondelles, where she meets Yannick, a curious young man who shows her an available rental. The place smells like freshly baked pastries and was recently abandoned by its previous tenant under suspicious, possibly magical circumstances. Still, beggars can’t be choosers, and the unbelievably affordable rent makes it impossible for Agnes to walk away. She decides to take a chance.
It doesn’t take long for her to realize there is a very big catch.
Strange individuals appear and vanish through secret parts of the building. A terrifying encounter with a wildly unstable woman alters the very structure of the house itself. And then, the landlord finally reveals himself: the Wicked King—Havelock Renard, a powerful and infamous magician rumored to have nearly ended the world. Agnes can hardly believe her luck… or lack thereof.
Yet, what initially seems like the worst possible situation soon becomes an unexpected opportunity. With magic relocating her original shelter, Agnes begins to imagine expanding her work and opening a new branch. At the same time, police officer Laurent Rouzet begins sniffing around the building, investigating illegal magical activities. Determined and resourceful, Agnes believes her organizational skills may be the key to finding a secret book Havelock’s sister desperately needs—one that could prevent another magical disaster and stop a looming war between magicians.
As Agnes reluctantly teams up with Havelock—an artifact-obsessed, grumpy, cantankerous loner who is allergic to cats yet surprisingly compassionate, she quickly realizes how little she truly understands about magic, its rules, and the very real dangers lurking beneath the land and within the surrounding dark woods. With the help of her fiery, bold, and fiercely protective sister Elise, Agnes must navigate threats that stretch across realms, all while protecting her beloved shelter… and resisting the undeniable pull of falling in love with a man who once stood on the brink of destroying everything.
Overall: The vivid world-building of 1920s Montreal, the rich atmosphere, the charming character portraits, the lovable cats, and the heartwarming yet magical storytelling come together in a perfect recipe for joy. This book feels like a cozy Christmas melody I want to hum forever—comforting, enchanting, and full of wonder. It earned a glowing five cat-shelter stars from me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey / Random House Worlds / Inklore for providing me with this delightful enemies-to-lovers historical fantasy romance in exchange for my honest thoughts. 🐾
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Agnes Aubert is the kind of character you adore instantly. She is gentle, selfless, endlessly kind, and determined to see the good in everyone. Her devotion to rescuing stray cats—making sure they don’t freeze alone on the streets and caring for them in her shelter—is deeply moving. When a magical attack devastates her neighborhood and leaves her shelter barely standing, Agnes realizes she must urgently find a new location before winter sets in. Unfortunately, every realtor in Montreal seems determined to slam the door in her face the moment she mentions that the space will be used as a cat shelter.
Just as hope begins to fade, Agnes stumbles upon the eccentric and narrow Rue des Hirondelles, where she meets Yannick, a curious young man who shows her an available rental. The place smells like freshly baked pastries and was recently abandoned by its previous tenant under suspicious, possibly magical circumstances. Still, beggars can’t be choosers, and the unbelievably affordable rent makes it impossible for Agnes to walk away. She decides to take a chance.
It doesn’t take long for her to realize there is a very big catch.
Strange individuals appear and vanish through secret parts of the building. A terrifying encounter with a wildly unstable woman alters the very structure of the house itself. And then, the landlord finally reveals himself: the Wicked King—Havelock Renard, a powerful and infamous magician rumored to have nearly ended the world. Agnes can hardly believe her luck… or lack thereof.
Yet, what initially seems like the worst possible situation soon becomes an unexpected opportunity. With magic relocating her original shelter, Agnes begins to imagine expanding her work and opening a new branch. At the same time, police officer Laurent Rouzet begins sniffing around the building, investigating illegal magical activities. Determined and resourceful, Agnes believes her organizational skills may be the key to finding a secret book Havelock’s sister desperately needs—one that could prevent another magical disaster and stop a looming war between magicians.
As Agnes reluctantly teams up with Havelock—an artifact-obsessed, grumpy, cantankerous loner who is allergic to cats yet surprisingly compassionate, she quickly realizes how little she truly understands about magic, its rules, and the very real dangers lurking beneath the land and within the surrounding dark woods. With the help of her fiery, bold, and fiercely protective sister Elise, Agnes must navigate threats that stretch across realms, all while protecting her beloved shelter… and resisting the undeniable pull of falling in love with a man who once stood on the brink of destroying everything.
Overall: The vivid world-building of 1920s Montreal, the rich atmosphere, the charming character portraits, the lovable cats, and the heartwarming yet magical storytelling come together in a perfect recipe for joy. This book feels like a cozy Christmas melody I want to hum forever—comforting, enchanting, and full of wonder. It earned a glowing five cat-shelter stars from me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey / Random House Worlds / Inklore for providing me with this delightful enemies-to-lovers historical fantasy romance in exchange for my honest thoughts. 🐾
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
October 3, 2025
I may be a dog owner, but I'm also a certified cat lover and I pet them at every given opportunity, so of course a book with this cover and that title can't just exist in the world without me reading it. And then it basically turned out to be Howl's Moving Castle with a lot of cats, and it might as well have been written just for me.
The title is not promising too much, because the book really is about 34-year-old Agnes, desperately trying to uphold her cat shelter in a fantastical 1920s Montreal. She is currently looking for a new place to stay, because the previous shelter was badly damaged in a ruthless magician fight. As a charity, the shelter barely has any funding and not every landlord is keen on housing dozens of cats, but Agnes luckily stumbles upon an ominously perfect location with suspiciously low rent. Beggars can't be choosers and so Agnes is willing to ignore that the previous renters all fled the place and that there is definitely some magic going on in the basement. She eventually crosses paths with the infamous Witch King Havelock Renard and gets dragged into some potentially dangerous magician business, but Agnes is fine with everything if it saves the cats. I loved her as the main character. She is down-to-earth and well organized and never really learned to do anything nice for herself. She's very caring and determined and so she is very fierce in her own way when facing problems. The perfect counterpart for such a character is someone who is seemingly reckless and a bit detached from human ways, and Havelock of course delivers all of that. It's the Sophie/Howl dynamic that I love from the movie and I will never not ship a nice, hardworking woman with a powerful, messy magician. I almost can't believe that I write this, but I would have liked it even more if there had been more romance. The book is very reserved in that regard and mostly shows affection through little and bigger gestures. It did match the perfect soft and cozy vibes of this book; the same vibes that were kinda missing in Emily Wilde for me. I'm now very willing to give that series another chance, though. But the book wasn't entirely low stakes either. There's trouble with the police and there's more than one intense magician fight and sometimes there are even missing cats, the horror!
I think that there was overall a good balance between maintaining the cat shelter and a more adventurous part about finding a magical artefact. The whole magician part even had plot similarities to Howl's Moving Castle, so if you really love the book or the movie you can do no wrong with this novel. But my absolute favorite part were all the cats of course. And there were plenty. They were described with different personalities and the love for cats was ever present. Please, "A cat is the soul of a house"? How can you not be in love with that? Overall, I have only very minor things to criticize about this book. For one, I never thought that Agnes read her age. She could have been in her early 20s and I would have believed it all the same. She was widowed and thus made a little older, but it was just a bit unbelievable to me. Maybe it was because the book felt kinda ageless, as in everyone from teen to adult reader could easily enjoy it. I also think that the setting / time period could have been utilized more, because it barely mattered if I'm honest. It was a nice urban setting without any modern technology but with common magic and that could have been shown more. But I'm not looking for the most intricate world building in a cozy fantasy anyway. There was enough information given to create a perfect standalone novel and I can't complain about that. All in all, I had a lovely read from beginning to end and I would recommend it to every cat and magic lover who is looking for a cozy fall/winter fantasy novel.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Orbit / Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
--------------
Pre-read: I would have been upset if there had been fewer cats on the cover. Right onto the most anticipated list of next year.
The title is not promising too much, because the book really is about 34-year-old Agnes, desperately trying to uphold her cat shelter in a fantastical 1920s Montreal. She is currently looking for a new place to stay, because the previous shelter was badly damaged in a ruthless magician fight. As a charity, the shelter barely has any funding and not every landlord is keen on housing dozens of cats, but Agnes luckily stumbles upon an ominously perfect location with suspiciously low rent. Beggars can't be choosers and so Agnes is willing to ignore that the previous renters all fled the place and that there is definitely some magic going on in the basement. She eventually crosses paths with the infamous Witch King Havelock Renard and gets dragged into some potentially dangerous magician business, but Agnes is fine with everything if it saves the cats. I loved her as the main character. She is down-to-earth and well organized and never really learned to do anything nice for herself. She's very caring and determined and so she is very fierce in her own way when facing problems. The perfect counterpart for such a character is someone who is seemingly reckless and a bit detached from human ways, and Havelock of course delivers all of that. It's the Sophie/Howl dynamic that I love from the movie and I will never not ship a nice, hardworking woman with a powerful, messy magician. I almost can't believe that I write this, but I would have liked it even more if there had been more romance. The book is very reserved in that regard and mostly shows affection through little and bigger gestures. It did match the perfect soft and cozy vibes of this book; the same vibes that were kinda missing in Emily Wilde for me. I'm now very willing to give that series another chance, though. But the book wasn't entirely low stakes either. There's trouble with the police and there's more than one intense magician fight and sometimes there are even missing cats, the horror!
I think that there was overall a good balance between maintaining the cat shelter and a more adventurous part about finding a magical artefact. The whole magician part even had plot similarities to Howl's Moving Castle, so if you really love the book or the movie you can do no wrong with this novel. But my absolute favorite part were all the cats of course. And there were plenty. They were described with different personalities and the love for cats was ever present. Please, "A cat is the soul of a house"? How can you not be in love with that? Overall, I have only very minor things to criticize about this book. For one, I never thought that Agnes read her age. She could have been in her early 20s and I would have believed it all the same. She was widowed and thus made a little older, but it was just a bit unbelievable to me. Maybe it was because the book felt kinda ageless, as in everyone from teen to adult reader could easily enjoy it. I also think that the setting / time period could have been utilized more, because it barely mattered if I'm honest. It was a nice urban setting without any modern technology but with common magic and that could have been shown more. But I'm not looking for the most intricate world building in a cozy fantasy anyway. There was enough information given to create a perfect standalone novel and I can't complain about that. All in all, I had a lovely read from beginning to end and I would recommend it to every cat and magic lover who is looking for a cozy fall/winter fantasy novel.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Orbit / Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
--------------
Pre-read: I would have been upset if there had been fewer cats on the cover. Right onto the most anticipated list of next year.
February 23, 2026
'Beloved charity believed to be trafficking in
enchanted cats'
This book was overwhelmingly filled with cats, cats everywhere, in every scene, and I found myself wanting even more of them. The sheer number of felines was impressive and kept my interest alive despite other shortcomings.
Now, moving on to my unpopular opinion: unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book. I'm giving it three stars, and that’s solely because of the cats; apart from them, nothing else seemed to work for me.
The plot involving the shelter and everything related to that storyline was near perfect. It managed to keep me from abandoning the book altogether, and I appreciated how well developed and engaging that part was. However, the other plot involving the magicians and the magic shop fell flat for me. It felt dull, adding little to the overall story.
Agnes was a highlight when she was surrounded by cats or when she was thinking about them. She was portrayed as intelligent, funny, and I loved how her priorities never wavered, her cats always came first. Unfortunately, whenever she was away from her feline companions, she transformed into a blubbering, foolish character.
I swear that every time she screamed, I felt an urge to slap her.
Havelock, on the other hand, I disliked from the very beginning. The saying “first impressions are important” holds, because he didn’t make a good one. Did I end up tolerating him as the story progressed? Slightly. Did I ever like him? No.
He never appeared charming, funny, or intimidating. Instead, he came across as a man-child.
The romantic storyline in this was so superficially explored and underdeveloped that it fails to even qualify as a true romance.
The side characters, for the most part, offered nothing to the story. They were merely annoying and added no depth or interest, which further diminished my overall experience.
In conclusion, this book was a significant disappointment. I loved and adored the Emily Wilde trilogy, setting high expectations for this book to evoke similar feelings. Unfortunately, it only succeeded in making me feel frustrated, bored, and unhappy, leaving me disappointed overall.
enchanted cats'
This book was overwhelmingly filled with cats, cats everywhere, in every scene, and I found myself wanting even more of them. The sheer number of felines was impressive and kept my interest alive despite other shortcomings.
Now, moving on to my unpopular opinion: unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book. I'm giving it three stars, and that’s solely because of the cats; apart from them, nothing else seemed to work for me.
The plot involving the shelter and everything related to that storyline was near perfect. It managed to keep me from abandoning the book altogether, and I appreciated how well developed and engaging that part was. However, the other plot involving the magicians and the magic shop fell flat for me. It felt dull, adding little to the overall story.
Agnes was a highlight when she was surrounded by cats or when she was thinking about them. She was portrayed as intelligent, funny, and I loved how her priorities never wavered, her cats always came first. Unfortunately, whenever she was away from her feline companions, she transformed into a blubbering, foolish character.
I swear that every time she screamed, I felt an urge to slap her.
Havelock, on the other hand, I disliked from the very beginning. The saying “first impressions are important” holds, because he didn’t make a good one. Did I end up tolerating him as the story progressed? Slightly. Did I ever like him? No.
He never appeared charming, funny, or intimidating. Instead, he came across as a man-child.
The romantic storyline in this was so superficially explored and underdeveloped that it fails to even qualify as a true romance.
The side characters, for the most part, offered nothing to the story. They were merely annoying and added no depth or interest, which further diminished my overall experience.
In conclusion, this book was a significant disappointment. I loved and adored the Emily Wilde trilogy, setting high expectations for this book to evoke similar feelings. Unfortunately, it only succeeded in making me feel frustrated, bored, and unhappy, leaving me disappointed overall.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This advanced copy was provided by Orbit, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This book had me as soon as I read the word 'cat'.
Heather Fawcett writes the most interesting and memorable characters. Agnes is a strong-willed woman who will do everything for her cat rescue, even if she has to rent from a magician.
I think it's incredible how every single cat presented had its own personality, everything was very fleshed out.
I loved the Howl's Moving Castle vibes, and the magical elements.
And Banshee is the best!
This book had me as soon as I read the word 'cat'.
Heather Fawcett writes the most interesting and memorable characters. Agnes is a strong-willed woman who will do everything for her cat rescue, even if she has to rent from a magician.
I think it's incredible how every single cat presented had its own personality, everything was very fleshed out.
I loved the Howl's Moving Castle vibes, and the magical elements.
And Banshee is the best!
March 16, 2026
3.75
This was probably a 4 star read almost all the way throughout the book, but the ending brought it down a little for me 😂
90% of this book is literally hanging out with cats, dreaming about chocolate pastries, eating said pastries, and organizing / day to day menial tasks of a cat rescue owner. And I loved it. Heather Fawcett writes cats so well and so realistically, as a cat owner myself, I could relate SO much to all the cat stuff that was happening.
But the thing with this book is that it goes from 0 to 100 very randomly - in the romance as well as the plot.
For the romance, I kind of actually liked it that way. It felt absurd and ridiculous and random, but that suited the characters and their dynamic so well. I loved their bumbling awkwardness with each other!
For the plot however, this is the part that threw me off and had to lower my rating from a full 4 star. It felt like the last bit of the book changed genres completely and all this high stakes action came out of nowhere.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable read! If you’re looking for a cozy time with a whole bunch of entertaining cats, would recommend! (This also gives Howl’s Moving Castle vibes which I love)
This was probably a 4 star read almost all the way throughout the book, but the ending brought it down a little for me 😂
90% of this book is literally hanging out with cats, dreaming about chocolate pastries, eating said pastries, and organizing / day to day menial tasks of a cat rescue owner. And I loved it. Heather Fawcett writes cats so well and so realistically, as a cat owner myself, I could relate SO much to all the cat stuff that was happening.
But the thing with this book is that it goes from 0 to 100 very randomly - in the romance as well as the plot.
For the romance, I kind of actually liked it that way. It felt absurd and ridiculous and random, but that suited the characters and their dynamic so well. I loved their bumbling awkwardness with each other!
For the plot however, this is the part that threw me off and had to lower my rating from a full 4 star. It felt like the last bit of the book changed genres completely and all this high stakes action came out of nowhere.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable read! If you’re looking for a cozy time with a whole bunch of entertaining cats, would recommend! (This also gives Howl’s Moving Castle vibes which I love)
February 27, 2026
i am requesting 10 more of these cat books plz
November 5, 2025
A beautiful exploration of grief & love after loss disguised as a cozy fantasy about magical cat shelter, complete with a broody dark lord and the most perfect cat side characters.
*best read in the company of a cat
A perfect cozy fantasy where the vibes are so utterly cozy but the stakes are high enough to keep you interested! I absolutely LOVED this book.
The setting, the found family, the magic, the romance, the plot, were all so well executed but what really stole the show were the cats and the portrayal of grief. These are not just simple animal companions these cats have personality and are a vital part of the plot (I LOVE THEM SO MUCH). The grief portrayal is so well interspersed, it always feels natural, well placed, and hopeful!
Whats to love…
- 1920s Montreal setting
- a disreputable magic shop + a broody dark lord
- interesting magic + world
- Strong 35+ widowed FMC with a type-A personality
- nerdy MMC who is also a shadow daddy
- jewelry wearing MMC (I heard we’re into men who wear rings now?!)
- She’s the one that does the saving!
- the sweetest romantic subplot
- CATS CATS CATS
- cozy in setting, compelling in plot
I read this in less than 24 hours, I couldn’t put it down!
Shout out to Toads & Tomes on IG for bringing this book to my attention!
| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Del Rey for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
*best read in the company of a cat
A perfect cozy fantasy where the vibes are so utterly cozy but the stakes are high enough to keep you interested! I absolutely LOVED this book.
The setting, the found family, the magic, the romance, the plot, were all so well executed but what really stole the show were the cats and the portrayal of grief. These are not just simple animal companions these cats have personality and are a vital part of the plot (I LOVE THEM SO MUCH). The grief portrayal is so well interspersed, it always feels natural, well placed, and hopeful!
Whats to love…
- 1920s Montreal setting
- a disreputable magic shop + a broody dark lord
- interesting magic + world
- Strong 35+ widowed FMC with a type-A personality
- nerdy MMC who is also a shadow daddy
- jewelry wearing MMC (I heard we’re into men who wear rings now?!)
- She’s the one that does the saving!
- the sweetest romantic subplot
- CATS CATS CATS
- cozy in setting, compelling in plot
I read this in less than 24 hours, I couldn’t put it down!
Shout out to Toads & Tomes on IG for bringing this book to my attention!
| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Del Rey for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
February 25, 2026
this was thee most howls moving castle esque book i’ve ever read and it was perfect!
March 12, 2026
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
3.5 stars!
tbh i have only read the first book in the emily wilde series, and i thought it was just ok!
i also thought this standalone novel was just ok as well, but cozy vibes in a magical paris combined with cats being rescued and cared for is the perfect combo for me personally.
there were a few bittersweet moments that really stood out to me, specifically concerning when agnes sees her partner in the past, and His Majesty’s choices.
i was devastated to find out fairyloot was doing another sub and this was the pick (why do all of these subscription boxes have to have four thousand sub-genre subs???) but owlcrate also selected it for march, so i joined just for this month’s pick! i’m very excited to see my copy when it arrives!
overall, if you like a cozy magical setting with cats, i think you’ll like this one!
——
so excited to dive into this cutie cozy read 🩵🐈
3.5 stars!
tbh i have only read the first book in the emily wilde series, and i thought it was just ok!
i also thought this standalone novel was just ok as well, but cozy vibes in a magical paris combined with cats being rescued and cared for is the perfect combo for me personally.
there were a few bittersweet moments that really stood out to me, specifically concerning when agnes sees her partner in the past, and His Majesty’s choices.
i was devastated to find out fairyloot was doing another sub and this was the pick (why do all of these subscription boxes have to have four thousand sub-genre subs???) but owlcrate also selected it for march, so i joined just for this month’s pick! i’m very excited to see my copy when it arrives!
overall, if you like a cozy magical setting with cats, i think you’ll like this one!
——
so excited to dive into this cutie cozy read 🩵🐈
February 21, 2026
♾️✨
« Still I felt, looking about the place, as if I’d created a little harbour for myself in which I might take shelter from any storm. » ❤️🩹
Heather Fawcett is my all time favourite author. You know, by page 3 I knew this was going to be yet another 5 stars read from her. Her writing is just EXACTLY my cup of tea.
« Was an echo any better than silence if it brought to mind the absence over and over again? »
Agnes was just so relatable for me. I annotated like crazy because I just kept finding myself in elements of her personality. I felt for her so much… she lost her husband 2 years prior and had a really hard time finding a new place for her cat shelter, after tragedy stroke again.
« I’m all right. I’m only overwhelmed. I always cry when I’m overwhelmed. It will stop soon. » 💗
I loved every single second of this novel. The sisterly love, the new friendships, the soft types of love, the act of service type of love language, finding homes for cats 😭 I couldn’t get enough! Something happens around the 75% that I didn’t see coming and I was bawling my eyes out. It was such a wholesome read that blended grief so well. I absolutely loved the cats and had a soft spot for Banshee & His Majesty.
I really hope Heather Fawcett writes other books in this universe… I could sincerely follow Agnes indefinitely. The bits about finding forever families for the cats was just making me beyond happy.
« Would not the world be better off if we contended ourselves with the small miracles of life? »
—-•pre read
DROPPING EVERYTHING I’M DOING. Favourite author + most anticipated read of the year = I’m in heaven 😭😭😭 cats cats cats
« Still I felt, looking about the place, as if I’d created a little harbour for myself in which I might take shelter from any storm. » ❤️🩹
Heather Fawcett is my all time favourite author. You know, by page 3 I knew this was going to be yet another 5 stars read from her. Her writing is just EXACTLY my cup of tea.
« Was an echo any better than silence if it brought to mind the absence over and over again? »
Agnes was just so relatable for me. I annotated like crazy because I just kept finding myself in elements of her personality. I felt for her so much… she lost her husband 2 years prior and had a really hard time finding a new place for her cat shelter, after tragedy stroke again.
« I’m all right. I’m only overwhelmed. I always cry when I’m overwhelmed. It will stop soon. » 💗
I loved every single second of this novel. The sisterly love, the new friendships, the soft types of love, the act of service type of love language, finding homes for cats 😭 I couldn’t get enough! Something happens around the 75% that I didn’t see coming and I was bawling my eyes out. It was such a wholesome read that blended grief so well. I absolutely loved the cats and had a soft spot for Banshee & His Majesty.
I really hope Heather Fawcett writes other books in this universe… I could sincerely follow Agnes indefinitely. The bits about finding forever families for the cats was just making me beyond happy.
« Would not the world be better off if we contended ourselves with the small miracles of life? »
—-•pre read
DROPPING EVERYTHING I’M DOING. Favourite author + most anticipated read of the year = I’m in heaven 😭😭😭 cats cats cats
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑⭑.𝟱
꒰ Set in the 1920s, Les Amis des Chats is a cat sanctuary in Montreal owned and operated by Agnes Aubert, who rescues and rehabilitates street cats for adoption. After the chaos caused by magicians dueling in her neighborhood damaged her shop, Agnes has no choice but to move to a building that is as peculiar as its mysterious owner.
Filled with piles of brightly colored scarves, an oven with baked éclairs popping up every night, a counter filled with all sorts of oversized keys and knick-knacks, one might have an idea of why the previous tenants were in such a rush to leave. Ghosts? She can handle ghosts. But what if the cat shelter was being used as a front for an illegal magic shop run by the infamous Witch King and failed dark lord, Havelock Renard? Debatable. ꒱
Release Date : February 17, 2026 ⟢
⌗ I still can’t believe I was honored to receive an e-ARC of one of my most anticipated releases of the year! I'm always in awe of Heather Fawcett's talent for weaving magical realism into her stories . I just can’t get enough of it, especially after falling in love with her Emily Wilde series.
I'm not surprised at how captivating this was, as I could vividly picture the setting, atmosphere, and whimsical vibes. Imagine Howl’s Moving Castle with lots of cats, an odd Howl, and a Type-A shop owner who finds herself in chaos she didn't ask for.
𓏲⋆🫖.* Honestly, this book was really refreshing, starting with our characters. With Agnes in her 30s and widowed, these are niches we don’t often see in female main characters. I found myself instantly charmed by her delightful Type-A personality and her adorable obsession with meticulously crafted checklists for every part of her day. It’s those little quirks that make her so relatable and endearing!
𓏲⋆⛓️.* Havelock, oh Havelock! He exudes a chaotic charm, especially with his surroundings reflecting his unkempt nature, as his workshop is cluttered with magical artifacts here and there. He always sports an array of unique and mismatched clothing that highlights his eccentricity. A bit odd, and has a kind of darkness in his character that I wish we explored more, despite having some background of his past. Fun fact: He hates cats with a passion—well, he's allergic to them.
To the cats, Agnes symbolizes clear skies and calm weather, but to Havelock, she’s a hurricane coming to tidy his cluttered workshop and lecture him on organization and cleanliness.
I love the dynamics between Agnes and Havelock. You know you're in for some amazing banter when reading a Heather Fawcett novel. They have a knack for pushing each other's buttons and delivering the funniest retorts.
Although their romance developed more quickly than I expected, I didn’t find it bothersome since there wasn’t much exploration of it! I would have liked to see a bit more of it by the end, since we mostly focused on the plot involving locating the artifact and running the cat shelter.
Another aspect I absolutely loved about this book is the side characters, particularly the cats and Eloise! They truly deserve a shout-out for how much they bring the story to life. You might be curious about how the cats fit into the narrative, but each one has its own distinct personality. His Majesty serves as the patriarch of the cat hierarchy, with the silent yet trusty Banshee by his side, along with old Thoreau and others. It’s surprising, but you can bet they're a delight to read about!
Eloise's snarky quips towards Havelock are hilarious, and I love how she's always there supporting Agnes despite some questionable decisions. Their relationship was so beautifully done that I loved every scene she was in.
Overall, it was a fun and memorable experience! I initially came for the cover and the cats, but was not surprised by how enchanting the story was. Though I did not care much about the action or the high stakes, there is a part where I felt the most painful betrayal possible that you just have to read to find out what it's all about. ᝰ.ᐟ
Thank you to Netgalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK, and of course, Heather Fawcett for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. ⭑
˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀
pre-read : i still can't believe i'm blessed with an arc of one of my 2026 anticipated releases. pray for me, everyone ʚ₍ᐢ ›̥̥̥ ༝ ‹̥̥̥ ᐢ₎ɞ
update as of 01/30/2026 : OH MY GOD I FEEL LIKE I SUCCEEDED IN LIFE BC WDYM MY ARC REQUEST WAS APPROVED (*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ
08/12/2025 - WE HAVE A COVER!!!!
08/22/2024 - PRESENT 💺💺💺
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑⭑.𝟱
⟡ ݁₊ . ❝ I’m not going to poison you. Wouldn’t be much point, given that you’re nothing but moonlight and cobwebs. ❞
꒰ Set in the 1920s, Les Amis des Chats is a cat sanctuary in Montreal owned and operated by Agnes Aubert, who rescues and rehabilitates street cats for adoption. After the chaos caused by magicians dueling in her neighborhood damaged her shop, Agnes has no choice but to move to a building that is as peculiar as its mysterious owner.
Filled with piles of brightly colored scarves, an oven with baked éclairs popping up every night, a counter filled with all sorts of oversized keys and knick-knacks, one might have an idea of why the previous tenants were in such a rush to leave. Ghosts? She can handle ghosts. But what if the cat shelter was being used as a front for an illegal magic shop run by the infamous Witch King and failed dark lord, Havelock Renard? Debatable. ꒱
Release Date : February 17, 2026 ⟢
⌗ I still can’t believe I was honored to receive an e-ARC of one of my most anticipated releases of the year! I'm always in awe of Heather Fawcett's talent for weaving magical realism into her stories . I just can’t get enough of it, especially after falling in love with her Emily Wilde series.
I'm not surprised at how captivating this was, as I could vividly picture the setting, atmosphere, and whimsical vibes. Imagine Howl’s Moving Castle with lots of cats, an odd Howl, and a Type-A shop owner who finds herself in chaos she didn't ask for.
“What is the point of your charity?” he said. “Do you provide shelter for other city pests? Will I find raccoons stuffed in the upstairs closets?” ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
𓏲⋆🫖.* Honestly, this book was really refreshing, starting with our characters. With Agnes in her 30s and widowed, these are niches we don’t often see in female main characters. I found myself instantly charmed by her delightful Type-A personality and her adorable obsession with meticulously crafted checklists for every part of her day. It’s those little quirks that make her so relatable and endearing!
°˖➴ ❝ He wore as many rings and earrings as the woman did, as well as a strange pendant with a gold coin dangling from it, but they didn’t create the same effect on him; together with the oversized pyjamas, he looked more like a boy playacting as a pirate. ❞
𓏲⋆⛓️.* Havelock, oh Havelock! He exudes a chaotic charm, especially with his surroundings reflecting his unkempt nature, as his workshop is cluttered with magical artifacts here and there. He always sports an array of unique and mismatched clothing that highlights his eccentricity. A bit odd, and has a kind of darkness in his character that I wish we explored more, despite having some background of his past. Fun fact: He hates cats with a passion—well, he's allergic to them.
❝ I have enemies of all descriptions, few worse than your ten-pound flea collectors. ❞ ⋆˚ʚɞ
To the cats, Agnes symbolizes clear skies and calm weather, but to Havelock, she’s a hurricane coming to tidy his cluttered workshop and lecture him on organization and cleanliness.
❝ You are a hurricane, aren’t you?” he said. “I’m half convinced that if I get in your way, I’ll find myself stuffed into a crate with a number glued to my forehead.”
“Oh, no,” I said. “You’d get your own shelf. ❞ ༉‧₊˚.
I love the dynamics between Agnes and Havelock. You know you're in for some amazing banter when reading a Heather Fawcett novel. They have a knack for pushing each other's buttons and delivering the funniest retorts.
⋆˙⟡♡ ❝ What will you do with yourself if you run out of cats to rescue?”
“I might try my hand at taming dark magicians. I understand there’s quite a need for it, and it’s not as if anyone else wants the job. ❞
Although their romance developed more quickly than I expected, I didn’t find it bothersome since there wasn’t much exploration of it! I would have liked to see a bit more of it by the end, since we mostly focused on the plot involving locating the artifact and running the cat shelter.
❝ Agnes, he tried to start an apocalypse.”
“Unsuccessfully. ❞ ⋆⭒˚.⋆
Another aspect I absolutely loved about this book is the side characters, particularly the cats and Eloise! They truly deserve a shout-out for how much they bring the story to life. You might be curious about how the cats fit into the narrative, but each one has its own distinct personality. His Majesty serves as the patriarch of the cat hierarchy, with the silent yet trusty Banshee by his side, along with old Thoreau and others. It’s surprising, but you can bet they're a delight to read about!
⊹₊⟡⋆ “All right. But if this doesn’t work, we’re going back in time to when you agreed to move into his goddamn shop, and I’m going to beat you over the head with one of your file folders.”
Eloise's snarky quips towards Havelock are hilarious, and I love how she's always there supporting Agnes despite some questionable decisions. Their relationship was so beautifully done that I loved every scene she was in.
Overall, it was a fun and memorable experience! I initially came for the cover and the cats, but was not surprised by how enchanting the story was. Though I did not care much about the action or the high stakes, there is a part where I felt the most painful betrayal possible that you just have to read to find out what it's all about. ᝰ.ᐟ
Thank you to Netgalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK, and of course, Heather Fawcett for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. ⭑
❝ I wish you’d left me to bleed out; it would be preferable to enduring your tedious lectures. ❞ ⋆⭒˚.⋆
˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀
pre-read : i still can't believe i'm blessed with an arc of one of my 2026 anticipated releases. pray for me, everyone ʚ₍ᐢ ›̥̥̥ ༝ ‹̥̥̥ ᐢ₎ɞ
update as of 01/30/2026 : OH MY GOD I FEEL LIKE I SUCCEEDED IN LIFE BC WDYM MY ARC REQUEST WAS APPROVED (*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ
08/12/2025 - WE HAVE A COVER!!!!
08/22/2024 - PRESENT 💺💺💺
February 3, 2026
3.5*
This was such a cosy read, even though I’m more of a dog person the cats sold me. I fell in love with the feline family so badly that I felt so betrayed by something that happened towards the end, like so badly betrayed. The cats were such terrors added into the story which potentially made it so much cosier. Did Agnes annoy me at one point? yes. But that just who she is as a person and I’ve learned to accept it. Even though in my opinion we don’t get enough of Havelock as I would like, I still found him so intriguing.
I will say that I did struggle a bit with getting into the story and also with the pacing of it. The plot of the story I’d say may not potentially be the best and I could see why people would not like it but I had such a fun time with it that I’m not complaining. Heather has such a way of writing magical realism in her books that just attracts my attention and I honestly can’t seem to get enough of it. I do wish that the magic was a bit more explored as we barely see Havelock using it and when he is we don’t get to see enough of it. I also would’ve liked to see Agnes get a bit more involved with the whole magic system.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
———————————————————————————————
𐙚⋆°. preread
I read the Emily Wilde series by this author and I absolutely adored it so I’m so so so excited to read her new release and so grateful for an early copy.
This was such a cosy read, even though I’m more of a dog person the cats sold me. I fell in love with the feline family so badly that I felt so betrayed by something that happened towards the end, like so badly betrayed. The cats were such terrors added into the story which potentially made it so much cosier. Did Agnes annoy me at one point? yes. But that just who she is as a person and I’ve learned to accept it. Even though in my opinion we don’t get enough of Havelock as I would like, I still found him so intriguing.
I will say that I did struggle a bit with getting into the story and also with the pacing of it. The plot of the story I’d say may not potentially be the best and I could see why people would not like it but I had such a fun time with it that I’m not complaining. Heather has such a way of writing magical realism in her books that just attracts my attention and I honestly can’t seem to get enough of it. I do wish that the magic was a bit more explored as we barely see Havelock using it and when he is we don’t get to see enough of it. I also would’ve liked to see Agnes get a bit more involved with the whole magic system.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
———————————————————————————————
𐙚⋆°. preread
I read the Emily Wilde series by this author and I absolutely adored it so I’m so so so excited to read her new release and so grateful for an early copy.
January 16, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the arc!
🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
"A cat is the soul of a house."
Heather Fawcett brings her signature wit and charm to an enchanting tale that's perfect to curl up with on a cold winter's night! Despite of my very few quibbles, 'Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter' won me over by the end.
The Good:
● I can't not start with the cats! I was initially worried that the story would be a romantic fantasy with the cat shelter as only a backdrop, but HF did a fantastic job at making the cats the soul of the story. I loved how they had such diverse personalities. His Majesty and Banshee the cat were a highlight for me. A significant portion of the book is indeed about running the cat shelter, so cat people rest assured, this won't disappoint you!
● Heather Fawcett's protagonists are always very endearing. I adored Agnes for her wholehearted dedication to running her shelter and the way she always prioritised the cats' well-being above all else. I loved how she unknowingly viewed Havelock as one of her cats in the way she looked after him.
" I knew in that moment that I would never abandon them — not for anything. I'd always known this, of course, but I suppose I'd never truly known how far my resolve would go, that it might even stretch wide enough to accommodate villainous monsters. The realization was both distressing and comforting."
● Havelock was a great love interest. The way the reader gets to know his true personality through Agnes' eyes was very rewarding.
● Although the book was humorous throughout, the stakes were pretty high.
● The side characters (including the cats) were well written. Agnes' sister Eloise was one of my favourites and her relationship with Agnes and her unwavering support were heartwarming.
● HF made some phenomenal decisions (including one that made me tear up) in the final quarter of the book which is why it finally ended up being a solid 4 star.
What could've been better:
● The pacing DRAGGED in the middle to the point that I was worried I'd end up giving it a 3 or 2.75.
● I wish there was more romance in the book. Agnes and Havelock's relationship was sweet and believable enough for me to root for them, but with the cat shelter and the artefact storylines the romance faded into the background. I'm not a huge fan of the Emily Wilde trilogy but Emily and Wendell is one of my favorite bookish romantic pairings. Yes, that developed over
the course of 3 books but I'd have loved to see more romantic moments between Agnes and Havelock.
Overall, I had a lovely time with 'Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter' and would love to read more books featuring this characters (yes, I know that this is a standalone but one can always hope). I'd highly recommend this to fans of cozy fantasy!
🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
"A cat is the soul of a house."
Heather Fawcett brings her signature wit and charm to an enchanting tale that's perfect to curl up with on a cold winter's night! Despite of my very few quibbles, 'Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter' won me over by the end.
The Good:
● I can't not start with the cats! I was initially worried that the story would be a romantic fantasy with the cat shelter as only a backdrop, but HF did a fantastic job at making the cats the soul of the story. I loved how they had such diverse personalities. His Majesty and Banshee the cat were a highlight for me. A significant portion of the book is indeed about running the cat shelter, so cat people rest assured, this won't disappoint you!
● Heather Fawcett's protagonists are always very endearing. I adored Agnes for her wholehearted dedication to running her shelter and the way she always prioritised the cats' well-being above all else. I loved how she unknowingly viewed Havelock as one of her cats in the way she looked after him.
" I knew in that moment that I would never abandon them — not for anything. I'd always known this, of course, but I suppose I'd never truly known how far my resolve would go, that it might even stretch wide enough to accommodate villainous monsters. The realization was both distressing and comforting."
● Havelock was a great love interest. The way the reader gets to know his true personality through Agnes' eyes was very rewarding.
● Although the book was humorous throughout, the stakes were pretty high.
● The side characters (including the cats) were well written. Agnes' sister Eloise was one of my favourites and her relationship with Agnes and her unwavering support were heartwarming.
● HF made some phenomenal decisions (including one that made me tear up) in the final quarter of the book which is why it finally ended up being a solid 4 star.
What could've been better:
● The pacing DRAGGED in the middle to the point that I was worried I'd end up giving it a 3 or 2.75.
● I wish there was more romance in the book. Agnes and Havelock's relationship was sweet and believable enough for me to root for them, but with the cat shelter and the artefact storylines the romance faded into the background. I'm not a huge fan of the Emily Wilde trilogy but Emily and Wendell is one of my favorite bookish romantic pairings. Yes, that developed over
the course of 3 books but I'd have loved to see more romantic moments between Agnes and Havelock.
Overall, I had a lovely time with 'Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter' and would love to read more books featuring this characters (yes, I know that this is a standalone but one can always hope). I'd highly recommend this to fans of cozy fantasy!
February 20, 2026
Obsessedddd with this. It reminded me of Howl's Moving Castle.
September 9, 2025
4.0 ★— Consider this a cozy treat for all the Howl/Sophie lovers out there!
I’ve been following this book since Heather Fawcett announced it, and I’m happy to say that reading it was such a delight! It’s warm, whimsical, filled with charming and eccentric characters, and infused with just the right amount of supernatural elements to draw you in as a reader.
The story’s heroine, Agnes, is a 35-year-old widow, dedicated and fiercely determined to keep her shelter open in order to care for the city’s ownerless cats. She’s emotional yet steady, balancing heart and resolve in her own way. From the blurb, I expected someone more in line with Emily Wilde from her previous trilogy, but Agnes stands entirely on her own, and I really appreciated that.
Havelock Renard definitely carries shades of Howl Pendragon! He wears outlandish yet stylish outfits, piles on layers of magical jewelry, and plays the chaotic foil to Agnes’ meticulous orderliness. Their relationship will definitely appeal to the Howl/Sophie crowd, though I was a little disappointed in how their romance ultimately unfolded. For me, it lacked some of the yearning and tension I look for in fiction. Instead, their connection sometimes felt a little flat, and the buildup underwhelming.
Agnes and Havelock do weather trials together throughout the story that endeared me to them, but I found myself a tiny bit let down, because compared to the romance in Fawcett’s Emily Wilde series, this part of the book came across as weaker. I think the story would have benefited from more scenes of them together. Or really, more scenes of Havelock in general, because I just wanted more of him.
As a character he still felt a bit indistinct to me, lacking the intrigue and charismatic pull I was expecting after his introduction. Of course, that’s entirely my expectation here, but it’s worth noting because it slightly tempered my enjoyment of their dynamic.
That said, I still adored the setting and the inviting, cozy atmosphere that runs through the book, especially with its winter backdrop. The side characters added depth and warmth, rounding out the story beautifully. And naturally, as a cat lover, I adored how Fawcett captured the mysterious and mystical(!) nature of cats with this story.
____________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I’ve been following this book since Heather Fawcett announced it, and I’m happy to say that reading it was such a delight! It’s warm, whimsical, filled with charming and eccentric characters, and infused with just the right amount of supernatural elements to draw you in as a reader.
The story’s heroine, Agnes, is a 35-year-old widow, dedicated and fiercely determined to keep her shelter open in order to care for the city’s ownerless cats. She’s emotional yet steady, balancing heart and resolve in her own way. From the blurb, I expected someone more in line with Emily Wilde from her previous trilogy, but Agnes stands entirely on her own, and I really appreciated that.
Havelock Renard definitely carries shades of Howl Pendragon! He wears outlandish yet stylish outfits, piles on layers of magical jewelry, and plays the chaotic foil to Agnes’ meticulous orderliness. Their relationship will definitely appeal to the Howl/Sophie crowd, though I was a little disappointed in how their romance ultimately unfolded. For me, it lacked some of the yearning and tension I look for in fiction. Instead, their connection sometimes felt a little flat, and the buildup underwhelming.
Agnes and Havelock do weather trials together throughout the story that endeared me to them, but I found myself a tiny bit let down, because compared to the romance in Fawcett’s Emily Wilde series, this part of the book came across as weaker. I think the story would have benefited from more scenes of them together. Or really, more scenes of Havelock in general, because I just wanted more of him.
As a character he still felt a bit indistinct to me, lacking the intrigue and charismatic pull I was expecting after his introduction. Of course, that’s entirely my expectation here, but it’s worth noting because it slightly tempered my enjoyment of their dynamic.
That said, I still adored the setting and the inviting, cozy atmosphere that runs through the book, especially with its winter backdrop. The side characters added depth and warmth, rounding out the story beautifully. And naturally, as a cat lover, I adored how Fawcett captured the mysterious and mystical(!) nature of cats with this story.
____________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Heather Fawcett, Del Rey, Random House Worlds, and Netgalleyfor the eARC in exchange for an honest review! Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter releases on February 17th!
5 / 5 ⭐️! This was one of the most enchanting, whimsical books I have read!
I loved reading this all the way through! As some other reviews state, it also gave me Howl's Moving Castle vibes! The setting was very interesting: Montreal in the 1920s! I felt that overall it was such an enchanting, cozy environment that Heather Fawcett painted for us.
I thought Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter was just so endearing, driven, and full of magic.
As a cat person, reading this made me laugh so many times. It quite literally mimics how owning a cat / multiple cats is like in the sense that each cat has their own different personality. Some are sassy, some are chill, others are just balls of energy and menaces. This aspect truly made the book such a great time for me.
We are introduced to our main character, Agnes, who is a widow and runs a cat shelter with her sister, and is very skeptical of all magic. I loved Agnes so much. She was very determined, caring, and she did her absolute best at all times to keep things afloat.
Then we have Havelock! He was such a charming love interest, and definitely reminiscent of a Howl Pendragon. Oh boy. I fell for him, hard. Quiet with words, but showing love through actions.. This was definitely more of a softspoken type of love. Their dynamic was so cute, and their connection was so realistic.
This was my first Heather Fawcett read and I LOVED it, so needless to say, I am sooo excited to read Emily Wilde's as all three books are sitting on my shelf!
♡ pre-read ♡
Last minute ARC! I'm most definitely a cat person. This book seems so intriguing, and the cover is sooo intricate! So excited to start this read!
5 / 5 ⭐️! This was one of the most enchanting, whimsical books I have read!
I loved reading this all the way through! As some other reviews state, it also gave me Howl's Moving Castle vibes! The setting was very interesting: Montreal in the 1920s! I felt that overall it was such an enchanting, cozy environment that Heather Fawcett painted for us.
I thought Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter was just so endearing, driven, and full of magic.
As a cat person, reading this made me laugh so many times. It quite literally mimics how owning a cat / multiple cats is like in the sense that each cat has their own different personality. Some are sassy, some are chill, others are just balls of energy and menaces. This aspect truly made the book such a great time for me.
We are introduced to our main character, Agnes, who is a widow and runs a cat shelter with her sister, and is very skeptical of all magic. I loved Agnes so much. She was very determined, caring, and she did her absolute best at all times to keep things afloat.
Then we have Havelock! He was such a charming love interest, and definitely reminiscent of a Howl Pendragon. Oh boy. I fell for him, hard. Quiet with words, but showing love through actions.. This was definitely more of a softspoken type of love. Their dynamic was so cute, and their connection was so realistic.
This was my first Heather Fawcett read and I LOVED it, so needless to say, I am sooo excited to read Emily Wilde's as all three books are sitting on my shelf!
♡ pre-read ♡
Last minute ARC! I'm most definitely a cat person. This book seems so intriguing, and the cover is sooo intricate! So excited to start this read!
Want to read
December 10, 2025I've wished for it on Netgalley since I was too late to grab an ARC. Sooo... fingers crossed?
March 8, 2026
5 stars. Atmospheric, downright charming, and one of few books that I can think of that successfully earns the comp to Howl's Moving Castle, Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter is yet another amazing fantasy tale by Heather Fawcett that made me yearn for a cat to cuddle with.
February 28, 2026
For such a cozy story, I could not put this one down! I finished the majority of this in one sitting, and had such a great time. I loved Agnes and her cat shelter, and getting to meet all her "hairy, flightless night-gaunts" as Havelock would call them. I was delightfully surprised by the little bits of romance, and I definitely could feel the similar charm and whimsy that Emily Wilde had throughout this story 🥹
I think Heather Fawcett has such a way of keeping the reader captivated with her story telling. Like yes, this is a cozy fantasy where one would maybe assume a slower pace or lower stakes, but there was never a moment in this one where I felt bored or uninterested. (The same goes for her Emily Wilde series). While you know since this is a cozy story, that nothing TOO terrible will occur, I felt like the last 50% I was so incredibly locked in wondering what was going to happen to Agnes and Havelock and all the cats! I was so invested and screaming for the last bits and rooting for them.
"Oh, Agnes. You see him as one of your cats now, don't you? Because you took care of him."
"I do not."
"You do. You think if you just clean him up and give him his flea treatments, you can make him respectable."
I loved Agnes relationship with her sister, and how through all the craziness she was there supporting her from day one, and wouldn't let Agnes face any of her struggle alone. (where can I find a sister like Elise) and the CATS!! Truly the main character in this story is the cats. I loved all their personalities and their little quirks they had. I still contemplate which one is my favorite, but I have to go with His Majesty, because I am still thinking about that "white-pawed demon" even now.
And now the romance 🥹 I really loved Havelock and Agnes interactions, and honestly wouldn't have minded maybe one or two more interactions of them, but I know that (or at least it felt like) the intention was to make this romance storyline to be a subplot in the background. But I still enjoyed the little crumbs of romance we got from them. I felt like they both gave off that black cat personas in different ways 😆. Both hate being the center of attention, but one wants to focus on his magical artefacts, while the other wants to follow her checklists taking care of her cats and her shelter.
If you want to read a story where the main characters are cats, and add a bit of romance, whimsy, and charm, with a sense of community and protecting one another, I think you'd really enjoy this one. I was delightfully surprised to have binged this book the way I did. I love Heather Fawcett's stories, and can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
Thank you so much Del Rey for the arc!!
_______________________________________
was worried this would be too cozy for me but I should've just trusted heather fawcett bc I really loved this one 🥹
4.5/5 longer rtc!!!
I think Heather Fawcett has such a way of keeping the reader captivated with her story telling. Like yes, this is a cozy fantasy where one would maybe assume a slower pace or lower stakes, but there was never a moment in this one where I felt bored or uninterested. (The same goes for her Emily Wilde series). While you know since this is a cozy story, that nothing TOO terrible will occur, I felt like the last 50% I was so incredibly locked in wondering what was going to happen to Agnes and Havelock and all the cats! I was so invested and screaming for the last bits and rooting for them.
"Oh, Agnes. You see him as one of your cats now, don't you? Because you took care of him."
"I do not."
"You do. You think if you just clean him up and give him his flea treatments, you can make him respectable."
I loved Agnes relationship with her sister, and how through all the craziness she was there supporting her from day one, and wouldn't let Agnes face any of her struggle alone. (where can I find a sister like Elise) and the CATS!! Truly the main character in this story is the cats. I loved all their personalities and their little quirks they had. I still contemplate which one is my favorite, but I have to go with His Majesty, because I am still thinking about that "white-pawed demon" even now.
And now the romance 🥹 I really loved Havelock and Agnes interactions, and honestly wouldn't have minded maybe one or two more interactions of them, but I know that (or at least it felt like) the intention was to make this romance storyline to be a subplot in the background. But I still enjoyed the little crumbs of romance we got from them. I felt like they both gave off that black cat personas in different ways 😆. Both hate being the center of attention, but one wants to focus on his magical artefacts, while the other wants to follow her checklists taking care of her cats and her shelter.
If you want to read a story where the main characters are cats, and add a bit of romance, whimsy, and charm, with a sense of community and protecting one another, I think you'd really enjoy this one. I was delightfully surprised to have binged this book the way I did. I love Heather Fawcett's stories, and can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
Thank you so much Del Rey for the arc!!
_______________________________________
was worried this would be too cozy for me but I should've just trusted heather fawcett bc I really loved this one 🥹
4.5/5 longer rtc!!!
March 9, 2026
2.7 Stars
One Liner: Hyper-focused on cats to the extent that the plot suffers
Agnes Aubert likes her meticulously organized life. As the manager of a cat shelter, she is devoted to providing a home to stray cats. However, the cat shelter needs a new home, and the only one willing to rent space is a mysterious recluse and an infamous magician, Havelock. Agnes knows she is annoyed by Havelock, but when another magician lands on their doorstep and causes trouble, the duo has to team up to save the place, and maybe find love along the way!
The story comes in Agnes’ first-person POV.
My Thoughts
I enjoyed the Emily Wilde trilogy and love cats, so reading this book was not even a question. A cat shelter, magic, and an infamous magician form a delightful combo, and I was super excited to read the book. Also, it is supposed to be a standalone, so even better.
Also, there’s no mention of the period in the book, so I was super confused about historical sounding setting with tissues, pizza, and an ambulance. The blurb says it is set in the 1920s. I see it after I finish the book! No idea why Montreal (Canada) was chosen as the setting, though.
The FMC is hyper-organized, and the MMC is the opposite. Both of them take turns to be rude, so that’s quite balanced overall. However, the charm is lacking.
While I understand that the book is supposed to be a cat cozy fantasy, limiting the FMC’s entire existence to being a cat caretaker severely limits her arc. It made sense in the beginning, but she is the same throughout the book. In a book with magic, how much can activities like cleaning the cages and litterboxes and feeding the cats entertain the reader?
The side characters are interesting but underdeveloped. The sister is good, but I can tick her off as a checklist of traits. The inspector, well, no idea what he was actually supposed to do. The other sister was even more of a stereotype!
In fact, even the MMC is so underdeveloped that I was quite surprised by it! I kept waiting, but we don’t get to see him as a layered person. There is some development, but not to the depth the author’s characters have (think Wendell).
The romance is slow burn, clean, and pretty much non-existent. They could be friends, and the book would be the same. In fact, given the utter lack of chemistry and the open ending, they would have made better friends.
Now, the magic system is intricate and interesting. Though it is vague and (dark) whimsy, I liked it. However, there isn’t enough space for the magic system to be explored to its full potential. Why? Because the FMC cares only about cats, and we get the entire book in her POV. Like, the world is ending, and her focus is on how many cats she can save. Admirable, but exasperating too.
The cats are pretty entertaining. I liked their names and antics. However, a book can’t survive only on that, not when there are so many other elements introduced into the plot that go nowhere. Like about Your Majesty (cat), Banshee (I had a theory, but what to do when it looks like the author didn’t bother to weave the cat’s situation into the central plotline cohesively).
If you read Emily Wilde, you will know what kind of ending to expect. I’m not a fan of that style, though.
To summarize, Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter has cats, magic, people, and some danger, but with cats dominating the plot, the rest of it doesn’t get enough space to expand as it should. If you haven’t read the author, I’d suggest starting with the Emily Wilde series.
Thank you, NetGalley and Del Rey, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #AgnesAubertsMysticalCatShelter
One Liner: Hyper-focused on cats to the extent that the plot suffers
Agnes Aubert likes her meticulously organized life. As the manager of a cat shelter, she is devoted to providing a home to stray cats. However, the cat shelter needs a new home, and the only one willing to rent space is a mysterious recluse and an infamous magician, Havelock. Agnes knows she is annoyed by Havelock, but when another magician lands on their doorstep and causes trouble, the duo has to team up to save the place, and maybe find love along the way!
The story comes in Agnes’ first-person POV.
My Thoughts
I enjoyed the Emily Wilde trilogy and love cats, so reading this book was not even a question. A cat shelter, magic, and an infamous magician form a delightful combo, and I was super excited to read the book. Also, it is supposed to be a standalone, so even better.
Also, there’s no mention of the period in the book, so I was super confused about historical sounding setting with tissues, pizza, and an ambulance. The blurb says it is set in the 1920s. I see it after I finish the book! No idea why Montreal (Canada) was chosen as the setting, though.
The FMC is hyper-organized, and the MMC is the opposite. Both of them take turns to be rude, so that’s quite balanced overall. However, the charm is lacking.
While I understand that the book is supposed to be a cat cozy fantasy, limiting the FMC’s entire existence to being a cat caretaker severely limits her arc. It made sense in the beginning, but she is the same throughout the book. In a book with magic, how much can activities like cleaning the cages and litterboxes and feeding the cats entertain the reader?
The side characters are interesting but underdeveloped. The sister is good, but I can tick her off as a checklist of traits. The inspector, well, no idea what he was actually supposed to do. The other sister was even more of a stereotype!
In fact, even the MMC is so underdeveloped that I was quite surprised by it! I kept waiting, but we don’t get to see him as a layered person. There is some development, but not to the depth the author’s characters have (think Wendell).
The romance is slow burn, clean, and pretty much non-existent. They could be friends, and the book would be the same. In fact, given the utter lack of chemistry and the open ending, they would have made better friends.
Now, the magic system is intricate and interesting. Though it is vague and (dark) whimsy, I liked it. However, there isn’t enough space for the magic system to be explored to its full potential. Why? Because the FMC cares only about cats, and we get the entire book in her POV. Like, the world is ending, and her focus is on how many cats she can save. Admirable, but exasperating too.
The cats are pretty entertaining. I liked their names and antics. However, a book can’t survive only on that, not when there are so many other elements introduced into the plot that go nowhere. Like about Your Majesty (cat), Banshee (I had a theory, but what to do when it looks like the author didn’t bother to weave the cat’s situation into the central plotline cohesively).
If you read Emily Wilde, you will know what kind of ending to expect. I’m not a fan of that style, though.
To summarize, Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter has cats, magic, people, and some danger, but with cats dominating the plot, the rest of it doesn’t get enough space to expand as it should. If you haven’t read the author, I’d suggest starting with the Emily Wilde series.
Thank you, NetGalley and Del Rey, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #AgnesAubertsMysticalCatShelter
March 7, 2026
4.5
The word for this book is charming. I was enchanted by it and I even cried on several instances.
I didn't like Emily Wilde, it was too boring and monotone to me, but I saw this one had cats so naturally I had to give it a try at least. To my surprise I enjoyed it A LOT. I love the main character and the love interest, I'm obsessed with the cats and the story was interesting enough to not make it too slow. A masterclass on how to do a cozy fantasy without making it uninteresting. Or I just really love cats. Realistically it's a mix of both.
The word for this book is charming. I was enchanted by it and I even cried on several instances.
I didn't like Emily Wilde, it was too boring and monotone to me, but I saw this one had cats so naturally I had to give it a try at least. To my surprise I enjoyed it A LOT. I love the main character and the love interest, I'm obsessed with the cats and the story was interesting enough to not make it too slow. A masterclass on how to do a cozy fantasy without making it uninteresting. Or I just really love cats. Realistically it's a mix of both.
August 26, 2025
Cosy, cat-filled, cute, curiously magical.
Agnes runs a cat shelter charity in a place where most people see cats as pests. She is highly organised, type-A, lives by her checklists and order. (Is she me?)
When her shop is destroyed by duelling magicians, she rents a new, weirdly cheap, place where she finds out a magician is living in the basement. Not any old magician (which would be bad enough), but Havelock: the Witch King, failed world-ender. Who is allergic to cats and being hunted by his evil sister.
I have two cats who seem to think they’re human, so this story touched me, made me laugh, and cuddle with my own furballs: Pancake (born on Pancake day) and Cinder, (named after the Lunar Chronicles).
”You are a hurricane, aren’t you?” he said. “I’m half convinced that if I get in your way, I’ll find myself stuffed into a crate with a number glued to my forehead.”
“Oh, no,” I said. “You’d get your own shelf.”
Havelock is chaotic, disorganised, and a mess.
Agnes is stressed, persistent, and tidy.
The side characters are equally as charming, complementing and contrasting with our main characters wonderfully. Even the cats have more personality than other main book characters I have read.
This is an urban historical fantasy set in 1920s Montreal, perfect for the Fall/Autumnal season.
If this doesn’t convince you to go to a cat shelter, you have a stone heart.
Arc gifted by Del Rey.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
Agnes runs a cat shelter charity in a place where most people see cats as pests. She is highly organised, type-A, lives by her checklists and order. (Is she me?)
When her shop is destroyed by duelling magicians, she rents a new, weirdly cheap, place where she finds out a magician is living in the basement. Not any old magician (which would be bad enough), but Havelock: the Witch King, failed world-ender. Who is allergic to cats and being hunted by his evil sister.
I have two cats who seem to think they’re human, so this story touched me, made me laugh, and cuddle with my own furballs: Pancake (born on Pancake day) and Cinder, (named after the Lunar Chronicles).
”You are a hurricane, aren’t you?” he said. “I’m half convinced that if I get in your way, I’ll find myself stuffed into a crate with a number glued to my forehead.”
“Oh, no,” I said. “You’d get your own shelf.”
Havelock is chaotic, disorganised, and a mess.
Agnes is stressed, persistent, and tidy.
The side characters are equally as charming, complementing and contrasting with our main characters wonderfully. Even the cats have more personality than other main book characters I have read.
This is an urban historical fantasy set in 1920s Montreal, perfect for the Fall/Autumnal season.
If this doesn’t convince you to go to a cat shelter, you have a stone heart.
Arc gifted by Del Rey.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
February 10, 2026
Oh Heather Fawcett— she understands what it means to deliver a cozy whimsical fantasy with a hint of romance and it is always pure perfection. This one reads slow and comforting like a warm cup of tea! Set in the 20s with the darling French atmosphere of Montreal our main character Agnes runs a quaint cat shelter — grieving her late husband she discovers a magician named Havelock is living and hoarding precious and dark magical artifacts in the basement of her shop. I absolutely adored the dynamic and banter of Agnes and Havelock, so many scenes left me giddy and swooning— really hope to see more of them and this unique magical world Heather has created!
Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC! :)
November 10, 2025
I’m not much of cozy fantasy reader, but throw a few cats into the mix and I’m hooked. This book delivered all the cozy vibes! The setting instantly draws you in, making it easy to picture our cat shelter and the quaint streets of 1920’s Montreal. I quickly connected with our characters; they made me laugh, and they even made me cry (once). Of course, the highlight of this book was the cats; I loved that they each had their own distinct personalities. It’s obvious that Heather Fawcett is a cat lover with how she perfectly captured the eccentricities of cat ownership.
Thank you NetGalley and DelRey for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and DelRey for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
March 11, 2026
This was just as good as I knew it was going to be when I heard the premise. Banshee is the hero of this book.
February 19, 2026
Cats and magic are always the best combination, this felt like a warm hug and I was obsessed!
January 31, 2026
i won an early copy through a giveaway hosted by hachette!
this felt like a studio ghibli film in that there was little to no context most of the novel — you just go with the flow, vibe along, and obsess over cute cats and cool magical artefacts! ✨🐈 the MMC is SOOOO howl coded (in the way he dresses and acts?!?), and all the food descriptions were 🤤🤤 sooo good! it made me bust out my cutest tea set and tasty biscuits because i was really craving them!
the romance was so cute too despite it being a little insta lovey. tho for some reason i didn’t mind it?! maybe it’s cause you don’t see the characters pining over one another constantly. they’re just sort of revolving around one another, and i love them both individually so when we see them start developing feelings for each other you feel happy for them! 🥰🥰 they were SO cute and the romance wasn’t over the top with i love yous and cringe moments — they were filled with sweet and thoughtful gestures, revealing tucked away parts of themselves with each other slowly, and also making little sacrifies for one another 🥹
this was just so different and not at all what i expected it to be. ultimately tho i had such a great time reading this :) so much whimsy and cozy cuteness, a sweet romance, and an even sweeter sister duo dynamic (which i’m biased cos i adore my sisters) 🫶🏼 LOVEEE!!!
this felt like a studio ghibli film in that there was little to no context most of the novel — you just go with the flow, vibe along, and obsess over cute cats and cool magical artefacts! ✨🐈 the MMC is SOOOO howl coded (in the way he dresses and acts?!?), and all the food descriptions were 🤤🤤 sooo good! it made me bust out my cutest tea set and tasty biscuits because i was really craving them!
the romance was so cute too despite it being a little insta lovey. tho for some reason i didn’t mind it?! maybe it’s cause you don’t see the characters pining over one another constantly. they’re just sort of revolving around one another, and i love them both individually so when we see them start developing feelings for each other you feel happy for them! 🥰🥰 they were SO cute and the romance wasn’t over the top with i love yous and cringe moments — they were filled with sweet and thoughtful gestures, revealing tucked away parts of themselves with each other slowly, and also making little sacrifies for one another 🥹
this was just so different and not at all what i expected it to be. ultimately tho i had such a great time reading this :) so much whimsy and cozy cuteness, a sweet romance, and an even sweeter sister duo dynamic (which i’m biased cos i adore my sisters) 🫶🏼 LOVEEE!!!
Read
February 9, 2026This was a cozy, lovely, very leisurely read, but it took me a long time. It was too easy to put down; while I loved the idea, and the cats, I didn’t feel as emotionally invested as I’d wanted to feel, and my interest kept flagging, largely because the romance seemed to lack real chemistry. I think I believed in them more as friends--which is highly subjective I know.
Another subjective impression from a long-time fantasy reader: I really wanted more from the magic system.It made the setting feel a bit like a Hollywood backdrop to a pleasant Hallmark movie.
February 28, 2026
With Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter, Heather Fawcett delivers another delightful cozy fantasy read, this time with lots of cats. This was an incredibly heartwarming read, though not as memorable to me as the Emily Wilde series.
The Howl’s Moving Castle vibes are strong with this book… maybe a little bit too strong. With the uptight woman, disastrous magician with an undeserved dark reputation, woman obsessed with killing said chaotic magician, magic workshop that changes location, likable apprentice, deal to clean workshop in exchange for help… I could go on. Though I enjoyed some of the similarities—Howl’s Moving Castle is my favorite movie after all—it felt at times like the book was leaning too heavily on the established associations with the beloved movie/book.
I liked the overall atmosphere of the book. The magic and magical artifacts system was different and charming. The characters and the cats kept me entertained. There is a heartfelt grief and healing subplot that added a nice emotional touch to the later half of the story. I am always a sucker for a Howl coded character, though I would have liked to see more of Havelock in the story. I loved that the cats were distinct characters in their own way; especially the duplicitous His Majesty. In many ways this cozy fantasy is, first and foremost, a celebration of cats.
The romance was less prevalent than I expected which was a bit disappointing as I love what Heather Fawcett can do with a romance plot. But the moments were sweet and I enjoyed their dynamic. Overall, this left me wanting a bit more from the plot, leaning a bit too cozy for my taste. I prefer the balance of whimsy and plot that we saw in the Emily Wilde series. The story was slow to get to the point and felt a bit bare bones.
The Howl’s Moving Castle vibes are strong with this book… maybe a little bit too strong. With the uptight woman, disastrous magician with an undeserved dark reputation, woman obsessed with killing said chaotic magician, magic workshop that changes location, likable apprentice, deal to clean workshop in exchange for help… I could go on. Though I enjoyed some of the similarities—Howl’s Moving Castle is my favorite movie after all—it felt at times like the book was leaning too heavily on the established associations with the beloved movie/book.
I liked the overall atmosphere of the book. The magic and magical artifacts system was different and charming. The characters and the cats kept me entertained. There is a heartfelt grief and healing subplot that added a nice emotional touch to the later half of the story. I am always a sucker for a Howl coded character, though I would have liked to see more of Havelock in the story. I loved that the cats were distinct characters in their own way; especially the duplicitous His Majesty. In many ways this cozy fantasy is, first and foremost, a celebration of cats.
The romance was less prevalent than I expected which was a bit disappointing as I love what Heather Fawcett can do with a romance plot. But the moments were sweet and I enjoyed their dynamic. Overall, this left me wanting a bit more from the plot, leaning a bit too cozy for my taste. I prefer the balance of whimsy and plot that we saw in the Emily Wilde series. The story was slow to get to the point and felt a bit bare bones.
October 17, 2025
Cozy goes hardcore
Heather Fawcett wrote a series of fantasy novels, the Emily Wilde series, which I really enjoyed. I liked them because Fawcett pulled off an impressive bit of magic of her own: she wrote three novels about a powerful, child-torturing, royalty-poisoning enchantress and convinced the world that they are cozy fantasies. In my reviews, I described Emily as formidable, terrifying, and capable of anything -- the last is a direct quote of something her romantic interest Wendell Bambleby said about her. And he was right!
The trick is all in the packaging. Emily is an introverted professor who drinks HAC Beverages in large amounts. ("HAC" = "Hot Alkaloid-Containing" is a shorthand that includes tea, coffee and cocoa. HAC Beverages are of course the defining feature of cozy literature. Check out any novel that has been designated "cozy" and you will find that the characters spend much of their time offering each other and consuming HAC bevs. In fact, I posit that HAC bevs in large quantities are not just a necessary, but a sufficient condition for coziness.)
Fawcett, in Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter has shone light into all of Emily's dark places while turning the cozy to the max. We have not only HAC beverages, but also a variety of pastries, and -- get this -- our heroine runs a shelter for distressed stray cats. She literally lives with dozens of them and finds them homes. This is Beatrix Potter levels of cozy, but for adults!
The heroine, of course, is Agnes Aubert. She and her shelter are located in 1920s Montréal. It is not our version of the 1920s, however. There is magic in this world. Agnes, like all right-thinking folk, despises magic. Magicians are lawless and powerful and cause endless trouble. A few years ago one of them almost effected the End of the World. More recently, dueling magicians blasted a hole in the wall of the building that housed Agnes's shelter. Thus, as the story begins Agnes is looking for a new home. She finds one at a suspiciously low rent. Well, you can guess why the rent is so low. (And the publisher's blurb, which is full of major spoilers, will tell you why even if you can't guess.)
I didn't enjoy this as much as the Emily Wilde series. Agnes was too sweet for me. I'd have preferred a protagonist with more spice or sour notes. That's just me, though. If hard-core cozy is your thing, you'll enjoy Agnes.
Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for an advance reader's copy of Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter. Release date 17-Feb-2026.
Blog review.
Heather Fawcett wrote a series of fantasy novels, the Emily Wilde series, which I really enjoyed. I liked them because Fawcett pulled off an impressive bit of magic of her own: she wrote three novels about a powerful, child-torturing, royalty-poisoning enchantress and convinced the world that they are cozy fantasies. In my reviews, I described Emily as formidable, terrifying, and capable of anything -- the last is a direct quote of something her romantic interest Wendell Bambleby said about her. And he was right!
The trick is all in the packaging. Emily is an introverted professor who drinks HAC Beverages in large amounts. ("HAC" = "Hot Alkaloid-Containing" is a shorthand that includes tea, coffee and cocoa. HAC Beverages are of course the defining feature of cozy literature. Check out any novel that has been designated "cozy" and you will find that the characters spend much of their time offering each other and consuming HAC bevs. In fact, I posit that HAC bevs in large quantities are not just a necessary, but a sufficient condition for coziness.)
Fawcett, in Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter has shone light into all of Emily's dark places while turning the cozy to the max. We have not only HAC beverages, but also a variety of pastries, and -- get this -- our heroine runs a shelter for distressed stray cats. She literally lives with dozens of them and finds them homes. This is Beatrix Potter levels of cozy, but for adults!
The heroine, of course, is Agnes Aubert. She and her shelter are located in 1920s Montréal. It is not our version of the 1920s, however. There is magic in this world. Agnes, like all right-thinking folk, despises magic. Magicians are lawless and powerful and cause endless trouble. A few years ago one of them almost effected the End of the World. More recently, dueling magicians blasted a hole in the wall of the building that housed Agnes's shelter. Thus, as the story begins Agnes is looking for a new home. She finds one at a suspiciously low rent. Well, you can guess why the rent is so low. (And the publisher's blurb, which is full of major spoilers, will tell you why even if you can't guess.)
I didn't enjoy this as much as the Emily Wilde series. Agnes was too sweet for me. I'd have preferred a protagonist with more spice or sour notes. That's just me, though. If hard-core cozy is your thing, you'll enjoy Agnes.
Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for an advance reader's copy of Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter. Release date 17-Feb-2026.
Blog review.
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