#ChaoticCats #NetGalley

64 pages

Pub date: 03 November 2026

Five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

My thoughts:

This book of cat stickers is absolutely adorable! I will most definitely buying the hard copy when it is released.

Here are cute cats, holiday cats, mischievous cats…all sorts of cats.

Sticker fans and cat lovers, definitely (!) take a look at this title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Description:

from the publisher

Warning: Contains cats.

Side effects may include sudden urges to adopt more cats.

This sticker book is packed with 500 adorably unhinged stickers celebrating the delightful disaster that is cat ownership.

If you’ve ever owned a cat, you already know: they’re equal parts adorable companion and tiny agent of chaos. One moment they’re purring sweetly on your lap, the next they’re knocking over your favorite mug just to assert dominance. Chaotic Cats recognizes that beautiful, hilarious contradiction with vibrant, playful stickers dedicated to the unpredictable world of cats. From cuddly cuties with murder in their eyes to mastermind loafs plotting world domination, these stickers perfectly capture the daily drama of life as a cat owner.

Inside you’ll find:

• Over 500 premium-quality stickers featuring chaotic, cute, and utterly relatable cats
• Evil geniuses knocking things off tables (on purpose, obviously)
• Sleepy angels turned 3 a.m. parkour champions
• Grumpy loafs, zoomie demons, and affectionate headbutters
• Stickers perfect for decorating laptops, water bottles, journals, planners, and anywhere else that needs a dose of feline mischief

Whether you’re a proud cat parent, a sticker hoarder, or anyone in-between, this book is your ultimate tribute to the furry chaos that rules our homes (and hearts).

Transient Desires

A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery

by Donna Leon

Transient Desires is Donna Leon’s thirtieth (!) book about Guido Brunetti. What an accomplishment to have kept a series fresh over so many novels..

In thinking about this title, I concluded that it is a story of place and character, as compared to a classic mystery. There are people good and bad, those with and without morals, those who get caught up in situations with difficult consequences, vicims, various types of love and more. Venice is also critical part of this story. Areas of the city that were new to me were in this book as were the canals, cafes and tourist sites along, of course, with Brunetti’s home.

My favorite of all of the people in this novel is Brunetti. His desire to do right, his willingness to apologize when wrong, his trying to help others and his love of lunch and Paola (his wife) all play their part.

The plot is not dense. Two young girls are injured and left at a hospital. The story goes from there as it impacts a number of others.

If you are going to be a new reader of Brunetti, start at the beginning with Death at La Fenice. All other Leon fans welcome our Commissario back!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Broken Ground by Val McDermid

#BrokenGround #NetGalley

Val McDermid writes a number of series; of them all, the Karen Pirie novels are my favorites. Broken Ground is the newest of these.
I enjoy Karen. She is a quirky woman who has faced a significant loss and is still recovering. In this novel, she gingerly considers a new relationship. She is an old fashioned copper who cares about justice and what is right. She is loyal to those on her team who are still learners.
Karen is the head of the Historical Cases Unit in Scotland. Spending time with her, the members of her team (including her adversaries) and her cases is always time well-spent. In this novel, there are several stories; one relates to events of WWII, another to a serial rapist, and there is also a present day murder. Each of these plots is explored satisfactorily.
I finished this book today and am already looking forward to what happens next in the series. I highly recommend both this book and the series.

Many (!) thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this satisfying read.

#DeathatKingsCross #NetGalley

Mystery & Thrillers-Historical Fiction

326 pages

Pub date: 21 July 2026

Five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My thoughts:

The Four Queens of Crime were among the very best of the best writers of detective fiction’s Golden Age. They were Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham and Ngaio Marsh. Anyone who loves classic crime stories knows their names and all serious mystery readers have a treat in store for them if, somehow, these authors passed them by.

Limoncelli has included these four as key characters in two books, of which this is the second. She also includes an historical personage in Lilian Wyles, a police inspector. I thought the first book was very good and found this second title to be even better.

In this story set during WWII much happens. There is murder, at least one missing person, stolen pharmaceuticals, spies and many suspicious activities. There are also friendships and other relationships.Everything comes together in a crackerjack plot.

I highly recommend this title to those who enjoy historical mysteries.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Description:

from the publisher

DCI Lilian Wyles is confronted by a troubling case, one that only the four queens of crime can help solve—even amidst the ongoing war efforts.

Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh are back in the follow-up novel to The Four Queens of Crime.

1941, London. When DCI Lilian Wyles finds a young woman murdered at King’s Cross Station, she needs the help of someone she can trust, but Richard Davidson, her former Scotland Yard partner, has joined MI5 and is busy tracking black market routes outside of London, so for now, she is on her own. 

After having met the four queens of crime during a murder investigation two years earlier, DCI Wyles has kept in touch. But Agatha, Dorothy, Margery, and Ngaio are all involved in the war effort and have problems of their own.

Agatha is volunteering at the University Hospital Pharmacy, where a dangerous anesthetic has been stolen. Dorothy has heard unsettling information from her connections at the BBC regarding members of the Royal Navy. Margery, who has been in the countryside helping families escape the city from the bombing, is worried about one of her charges whose older sister has gone missing. And Ngaio, who has relocated to New Zealand and is volunteering as an ambulance driver, has begun gathering secret intelligence from wounded soldiers and sailors that may put her in danger. 

When the four queens contact DCI Wyles for help, the information they share makes the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place. DCI Wyles once again finds herself collaborating with her old partners in crime to solve the mystery and close the case in this thrilling sequel, perfect for fans of Nicola Upson and Anna Lee Huber.

Editorial Reviews:

“An intricate and tense whodunit . . . Fans of British historicals will appreciate the challenge.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Limoncelli skillfully handles bringing four iconic mystery writers to life, as well as highlighting women pioneers in law enforcement . . . This twisty mystery delivers.”
—Library Journal

“London and the English countryside in 1941 are vividly brought to life . . . Limoncelli skillfully weaves facts and fiction to create an exceptional, page-turning historical mystery.”
—Booklist

#OrdinaryAltars #NetGalley

Pub date: 26 January 2027

Religion & Spirituality

Description:

from the publisher

You don’t always get to change the world, but you do get to love it.

From “one of our most important progressive Christian voices” (Jen Hatmaker), an urgent invitation to actually love the world even when it breaks your heart

Many of us were taught to look for God in the extraordinary: in big callings, dramatic transformations, affirmations of constant achievement, or in lives that inspire millions. But what if that way of seeing has left us unable to recognize that God is also present in the everyday—especially now, when headlines are overwhelming, our systems feel broken, and hope seems naïve? What does it mean to actually live a faithful, meaningful life when the world is on fire and nothing turns out as advertised?

Drawing from her own story of faith, disillusionment, motherhood, and decades of work as a spiritual guide, Sarah Bessey believes there comes a time when you decide that being earnest and sincere is better than being defeated. She names what she calls “ordinary altars”: places and people where the holy and the commonplace meet, not as an escape from our daily lives but as full-bodied engagement with the questions of our time and an encounter with the God who is with us in it all. Blending rich storytelling and compassionate spiritual insight, Ordinary Altars is a declaration of choosing stubbornly, again and again, to keep loving your small patch of the world when it would be easier to shut down or walk away or even become what you despise.

For readers who are spiritually tired but still hopeful, deconstructed but longing to rebuild, grappling with despair but determined to make room in their spirituality for the ache in their chest, Ordinary Altars offers honest field notes for a sturdy faith that can bear the weight of the world—rooted in reality, loving defiantly, and being stubbornly faithful enough to make the world feel like home again.

My thoughts:

Many people currently feel some despair about the state of the world. There is so much that causes concern and there are those who want to figure out ways to manage at this time, and to have some belief while living life in these era. This is what Bessey offers to her readers in this personal title that includes reflections about daily life and finding ways to love the imperfect world as it is.

Bessey notes that, in her belief, God can be found in the dailiness of life, for example, when her young child spills cereal all over the floor and she needs to clean up yet again. Her thought is that one does not have to be in an organized setting like a church to feel a spiritual presence/connection. For those who have a religious faith, this will, I think, resonate. Those who do not have a strong religious grounding may also find her thoughts to be interesting, heartening and thought provoking.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Convergent Books for this title. All thoughts are my own.

poisonedpen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/BN-Oct-26.pdf

Women’s fiction-Mystery

Pub date: 10 September 2026

384 pages

Four stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

My thoughts:

Sally Page’s novels are must reads for me. I love the way that she tells her stories with warmth and heart. She does exactly that here.

This title, was as enjoyable as any of her other books but, was a bit different in that it included a cozy mystery. Nonetheless, it was vintage Sally Page with its characters who come to life and some life lessons as well.

Lara, a florist, has become close to Lady Porter after many visits with her. She is dismayed when Lady Porter dies and questions the cause given for her death. As a result, Lara wants to dig deeper. Imagine her surprise when Abigail appears to help her. The two will work together and readers will wait to see what they find out as various characters and motivations come to life. Readers will also become engaged in Lara’s life and relationships.

Readers will hope for a happy ending for Lara. They will also be delighted to have spent time getting to know (ghost) Abigail.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Description:

from the publisher

Escape into the world of Sally Page with the perfect armchair read! From the author of phenomenal bestsellers The Keeper of Stories and The Book of Beginnings comes another novel that will warm your heart.

An unexpected guest. One mystery to solve…

All Lara wanted was a quiet life as a florist when she moved to North Dorset. But the death of her close friend Lady Porter changed everything.

Lara suspects foul play – she just can’t prove it.

That is, until The Hon. Abigail Rossmore arrives. An unexpected guest with an extraordinary story to tell, this maybe Lara’s only chance at justice.

Together, can they uncover what really happened to Lady Porter, and will Lara rediscover herself along the way? Readers LOVE Sally Page!

‘What a gem of a book!’★★★★★

‘I am in awe of Sally Page’s writing’ ★★★★★

‘So refreshingly original’ ★★★★★

‘You just have to read it’ ★★★★★

‘A read cover-to-cover-in-one-sitting book that gives all the feels’ ★★★★★

‘Wonderful, just wonderful’★★★★★

From the Publisher:

A Novel

by Kate Quinn is an e book bargain

#TheRoseCode #NetGalley

Pub date: March 9, 2021

To say the most important thing first…I LOVED this book and highly recommend it. Yes, there are many, many novels currently being published that are set in WWII. I have read and enjoyed many of them. Still, even if you feel WWII fiction fatigue, give this one a chance.

The Rose Code’s main setting is Bletchley Park. As most know, this was an important location for those who broke codes and helped to win the war. Into this setting come three women:

Osla: She was a debutante before the war took her to BP but she has always wanted to do more and to be seen as more than this. Osla had a haphazard upbringing by a neglected mother but she moves in society’s highest circles; her godfather is Mountbatten and she knows a certain Phillip very well.

Mabel, renamed (by herself) as Mab: She grew up in Shoreditch where expectations for her were low. Coming to BP allows her to do and become more.

Bethan/Beth: She has lived in the shadow of a domineering mother but BP allows her particular genius and talents to flourish. She has a laser like focus and a great talent for the work she does.

What happens to these three and the events and people around them form the core of this immersive read. There are romance, joy, friendship, traitors, hardship, mystery and more contained in the pages of the story. It will engage readers who will wish that the book were even longer than its hefty length.

I listened to the audio of this title. The narrator was fantastic. She created each of the characters with their own voice.

Whether you like to read or listen, put this one on your TBR list.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

#HolmesAwayfromHome #NetGalley

277 pages

Historical fiction-Mystery & Thrillers

Pub date: 16 September 2026

Four stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

My thoughts:

I was first drawn to this book by its cover. It offered a lot of information, letting me know that it was about an Adler and clearly had a Holmes connection. Further, the cover showed the mystery with an illustration of a woman with a magnifying glass, as well as a lock and key, signifying things to be discovered. In addition, I found the cover to be attractive.

Indeed this book is adjacent to the Holmes canon, featuring as it does, the daughter of Irene Adler and (could it be Sherlock) himself. That said, there is also a story here in its own right.

What is the meaning of the post card that gives this title its name? What will happen at a country estate? Who will Althea meet? Has Althea inherited any of the talents of her parents? Will William and Althea form a relationship as well as a partnership? Will this be the start of a series? Read this title to find answers to some of these questions It offered an enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Description:

from the publisher

Step into Edwardian London and meet the irresistible Althea Adler — daughter of Sherlock Holmes’s nemesis, the notorious thief and opera star Irene Adler.

A heart-racing game of wits, murder and romance is about to commence . . .

London, 1911. A mysterious postcard arrives for Althea Adler with just four words: “Holmes away from home.” Suspecting the note is an instruction from her mother to steal something valuable from the great detective, Althea breaks into his safe. She finds an old photograph of Irene — and a clue leading back to her year of birth. Could Sherlock Holmes be her real father?

Still reeling, Althea accepts an invitation to a society weekend at Twickenham Towers. But when the Earl of Tipon is found murdered in his study, she forms an unlikely, fiery partnership with a fellow guest: the dashing William, Marquess of Sheffield.

Althea is unaware that William is on a secret government mission to spy on the earl’s son. She only knows that he’s smart . . . and annoyingly handsome.

Can Althea and William outwit a cunning killer before someone else dies — or before they fall for each other?

If you love witty, lively whodunits then you’ll adore this first in a new series. Perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell Mysteries, Verity Bright and T.E. Kinsey!

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From the Publisher:

#MealsYouCantMessUp #NetGalley

256 pages

Cooking

Pub date: 22 September 2026

Five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

My thoughts:

What a fantastic book for those who need to garner some confidence in the kitchen. There are recipes for Breakfast & Brunch, Soups & Salads, Sandwiches, Pasta & Pizza, Chicken Dinners, Recipes with Other Meats, Seafood & Vegetarian, Party Snacks, and Desserts and Cocktails.

An example from each category:

Sweet Potato and Asparagus Frittata

Charred Corn and Potato Chowder

Wasabi Avocado Chicken Salad Toasts

Brown Butter Tomato and Corn Pappardelle

Cheater’s Chicken Parm

Crispy Beef and Mushroom Sheet Pan Fajitas

Buttery Roasted Cod with Garlic and Herb Tomatoes

Nacho Chessecake

and

Mixed Berry Cardamom Cobbler

There is a lot of useful information in the book before the recipes. This is definitely worth looking at. I also liked the “don’t mess it up” advice that came with the recipes and the many photos throughout.

I very much like this cookbook and the author who gives good guidance. This title would make a nice gift for someone just starting out or for anyone who would like to start cooking at home more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and DK for this title. All thoughts are my own.

From the Publisher: