Monday Minis: Two Cozy Fantasy Reviews

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

Read By Genevieve Cocke

Published: February 2026

Confession:

I absolutely adored this book! I loved the characters, I enjoyed the story, and the cats were just adorable and I wanted to adopt them all. The romance was a little on the lackluster side, but I liked that it didn’t totally overshadow the story.

Agnes was delightful and someone that I could totally relate to. She is so dedicated to helping those cats that she wouldn’t let something like magic get in her way. Her organizational skills just really spoke to my librarian’s heart. I really enjoyed watching her grow a bit in this story. Her slow gradual acceptance of magic was well done. I also loved Havelock and appreciated how he just wants to be left alone to do what he does. He is not really a dark lord at heart, which made for a fun time getting to know him.

The cats were what really sold this story to me though. They all had such unique personalities that really came across in the story. There were quite a few that reminded me of cats I have known and loved. I was so happy when they were able to find their forever homes.

A fun cozy fantasy that I think fans of the author will enjoy. If you like cats and cozy mysteries then this is a book that you should consider. The audiobook is well done and Genevieve Cocke does a very nice job with it.

The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C.M. Waggoner

Published: March 2026

Confession:

This was another fun and cozy read that I really enjoyed. The fairy tale-esque feel to the whole book really made it so fun to read. It was also nice to read a grumpy/sunshine pairing that wasn’t a romance.

Gretsella was such a curmudgeon, but she was also delightful, especially her wit and sarcastic musings about those around her. Her sour disposition was a bit off putting to others, but not to her adopted son, Bradley. He loved her with his whole heart, as she did him. Bradley was such happy go lucky kind of guy, but admittedly not the smartest. Although he certainly was capable of understanding complex problems when it was presented in the right way. I loved his romance with one of the knights, they were so cute!

The story was full of cozy humor, but also a lot of snark. It is a story about a mother’s bond with her son, throwing over a monarchy and lots of tomfoolery, especially of the witchy sort. It is a pretty quick read, not only because of it length, but also the pacing just keeps you engaged. There is a little twist at the end of the story that I didn’t see coming.

This is a delightful little cozy story that I highly recommend, especially if you enjoy fun characters and an engaging story that has a lot of heart.