Author: Mittens and Sunglasses

Book Review: The Case of the Murdered Muckraker, by Rob Osler

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When I got The Case of the Murdered Muckraker, written by Rob Osler, from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review, I didn’t know it was the second book in a series. For me it feels a bit wrong to read the second book before I’ve read the first, so I decided to get the hold on the first book before I read this one. That’s partly why it has taken me a while to get around to this book.

A Kobo being held up in front of a lilac bush, showing the cover of the book The Case of the Murdered. Muckraker
Photo: Mittens and Sunglasses © 2026

I would call Harriet Morrow Investigates a cozy mysteries series. The books are set in the 1890’s Chicago, and our herion is a lesbian investigator. Harriet Morrow is a 21-year-old young woman, and the Prescott Agency’s first female operative. This, of course, comes with its challenges. Though is sometimes can feel like an obstacle, it also comes with advanages.

What I really enjoyed about the book, was the really likeable characters, as well as the writing style. I got really invested in the story, and there’s never wrong to have a cat starring in the book.

I don’t want to go into more details, as I really don’t want to spoil the books, but I definitively would recommend starting with the first book. In that was you can follow the personal storyline better. Now I’m just hoping there will be a third book in the series, hopefully in a not too distant future.

Book Review: Hopes and Dreams at The Chocolate Pot Café, by Jessica Redland

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I was so excited when I was approved for this book from NetGalley! I’ve read a few of Jessica Redland’s books previously, and loved them. Going into the book, I had no idea it was the sequel to Starry Skies Over The Chocolate Pot Café. I read Starry Skies Over The Chocolate Pot Café in December 2024, and gotten really invested in the characters, so when I realised I got to hang with Tara, Jed, and the giant house bunny Hercules again, I was utterly delighted.

A Kobo is in a windowsill, leaning against the window. To the left is a mug with vegan hot chocolate with whipped soy cream, to the right a lacey white candle holder. The books shown is Hopes and Dreams at The Chocolate Pot Café, by Jessica Redland.
Photo: Mittens and Sunglasses © 2026

This book did not disappoint. I loved it from beginning to end. I fell in love with the characters all over again, and Jessica Redland somehow manages to pull all the heart strings. (I’m not crying, YOU’RE crying!) I think Redland writes with so much love, and it really shows in this book. It’s hard not to get invested.

I’m looking forward to reading Winter Nights at the Bay Bookshop, the book that came out in December last year, and that is sitting on my Kobo to be read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me have an ARC for this brilliant book!

Book Review: The Cherry Crush Flower Shop, by Harper Graham

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I was given The Cherry Crush Flower Shop, by Harper Graham, as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest opinion on the book. This is the third instalment in the Maple Falls series, but it can also be read as a stand-alone. I started reading it in February, when it still was cold and snowy in my part of the world. After a bit of thinking I decided to put it away for now, but come May, I was ready to pick it up again.

The heroine and hero of this story are Zoe and Jackson. Zoe has moved back to Maple Falls after a breakup, and has taken over her mum’s flower shop. Jackson has served in the military, and is haunted by trauma from the war. He runs a llama sanctuary, but even that doesn’t seem to heal him. The two have been secretly eyeing each other since they were teens, but never dared to take the step. When they find out Zoe’s mum has put a bet on them as the couple of the year after seeing them hugging through the flower shop’s window, they decide to fake dating. What they think would be an easy and fun thing to do for Zoe’s mum, turns out to be more challenging than they ever thought it could be.

A hand holding up a Kobo e-reader in front of a blooming tree, showing the cover of the book The Cherry Chrush Flowershop.
Photo: Mittens and Sunglasses © 2026

I wanted to read this third book of the Maple Falls series, not only because I wanted to revisit the small town, but also because it contained two of the tropes I tend to enjoy: Fake dating and friends-to-lovers. I loved seeing the two childhood friends Zoe and Jackson fall head over heels for each other, the blooming awakening of spring (probably my favourite season). The hunt for the mystery flower was also a delight.

I must admit I didn’t care much for the competition. Don’t they have anything else to do in this town than to compete? Also, favourite couple? I found that to be cringe, to be honest.

Other than that, I ended up enjoying this book in the end, and I’m glad I paused the read and awaited for the spring season to align with spring in my town in Norway (which is later than spring in Maple Falls). Harper Graham is really good as drawing a picture in your mind of the surroundings. I could almost see all the flowers, and smell their fragrance! This book is definitively better read in spring!

Book Review: A New Start at the Happily Ever After Bookshop, written by Emma Bennet

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I got the book A New Start at the Happily Ever After Bookshop, written by Emma Bennet, from the author. I’m not sure she expected a review or not, but the book sure deserves one!

Carrie Worsley is a single mum, and lives in London with her daughter Poppy. Just as the summer holidays has started, her aunt in Cornwall phones her and asks her to mind her romance bookshop for her while she’s on a cruise. Carrie spent her summers in the bookshop growing up, though this was before it was turned into a romance shop. It doesn’t take too long before she’s convinced it’s a better idea than staying in London all summer, and with her tight budget, the money sure will come in handy.

In Cornwall she runs into Michael, the quiet guy who used to be a lanky teen spending a lot of time in the bookshop when she was there as a kid. He’s now a single dad, and works in a book binding shop next door to the bookshop. Before long, they’ve grown to be good friends…

This book pulled on so many of my heart strings, and I absolutely adored it. It was so sweet and cosy. I loved the slow burn, the friends-to-lovers story, and I even ended up googling to see if Castle Cove was a real town! Turns out it kind of is… in Australia! The Cornwall one in the book is totally fictional, though, to my disappointment.

Thank you for the book, Emma! This was a delight to read!

A Kobo e-reader with the cover of A New Start at the Happily Ever After Bookshop is resting in the had of someone on top of a duvet cover.
Photo: Mittens and Sunglasses © 2026

🕯 Evernight Horror Book Subscription | Unboxing the January 2026 Box 🕯

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In today’s video, I’m unboxing the January 2026 Evernight Box from Illumicrate. This is a quarterly horror book subscription box, featuring exclusive editions of dark, haunting reads.

This box has been sitting unopened since the end of January… and I go into this unboxing completely blind. I had not seen/read any spoilers. I had not even looked at the digital card.

Book Review: Secret Garden, written by Katie Fford

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I recently read A Secret Garden, written by Katie Fford. I bought the book last year, and I must admit I was pretty excited to dive into it!

Not surprisingly, it ended up being a lovely read. I loved the multi generation characters, especially the fact one of the main characters is in her 50’s!

This is a book on love and friendship, family, and gardens. 💐💕

This was the third book by Katie Fford I’ve read, and I’m definitively going to read more!

The book A Secret carden on top of a orangy blanket and a crocheted granny square. To the left bottom there are dried roses in different colours.
Photo: Mittens and Sunglasses © 2026

Book Review: Of Beasts, written by M. Jane Worma

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I was given Of Beasts, a novella written by M. Jane Worma, as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest opinion on the book. It was tagged as horror and LGBTQIAP+, and my thoughts were that this might very well be up my alley.

A Kobo and a cup of coffee are placed on a wooden table suface. On the Kobo the cover of Of Beasts is featured.
Photo: Mittens and Sunglasses © 2026

This book is set in the US state Texas, and we have two main characters. There’s Dante, a young man of Protestant Christian faith, and Jude, the pastor of the small church Dante attends. The two has a very passionate relationship, but since they’re two men, they have to keep it secret.

One night their god starts to speak to them through visions in dreams. It turns out that Dante is the Antichrist, sent to Earth to kick off the apocalypse, and Jude is the loyal man of his god, who will do what his god tells him, even though that means taking the life of the person he loves.

The book started with a bit of a bang. To be frank, it started with a very spicy sex scene. Normally I’m not too crazy about sex scenes, but in this book it actually had a function. I don’t want to go into too many details, as I really don’t want to spoil it.

I was curious to see how I liked this book, as it’s very heavy on Christian mythology. I’ve talked on my YouTube channel previously, as well as here on the blog, about how I often feel like Christian mythology tend to be very overdone. It’s something I rarely am able to connect to, especially if there are a lot of deamons, possessed people, and such things. In this book, however, it worked really well. It was done in a way that was a bit different to most other books and films I’ve seen. Also, I much prefer it in horror, rather than in fantasy books.

As this was a novella, it wasn’t very long. That being said, I didn’t mind the length, it actually felt like the perfect length for the book. The pacing was well done. Also, I quite liked the writing style. I’m curious to what the author will come up with in the future.

The book is a debut story, and is to be published 10 February 2026.

Book Review: Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop, by Kiley Dunbar

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As per usual in December, I crave British cozy Christmas romance books, and Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop, by Kiley Dunbar ended up being the one I read at Christmas time here.

Magnús Sturluson used to own a bookshop in Iceland, but had to close down. He’s dealing with depression, and is sent off to England by family to “borrow” a bookshop there. Alexandra Robinson has stranded in the same town, after running away from her life on a boat. They’re drawn towards each other, but it’s not without problems…

It was perfect as my December read! Also – Icelandic hero! So cozy! This as a great Christmas read! 😍🎄📚

The book is held up with a decorated Christmas tree in the background.
Photo: Mittens and Sunglasses © 2025

An October DNF…

Mittens and Sunglasses

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I was given the e-book The Book of Autumn, written by Molly O’Sullivan as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. I requested this book because I was drawn in my the gorgeous cover (it’s even prettier in colour), and was promised…

a spellbinding debut about ambition, privilege, second chance romance, and ancient magic set at an enchanted school tucked among the red mesas of rural New Mexico, where a formidable pair of magicians are summoned to pursue an alleged killer.

As you can see from the title of this entry, I ended up DNF-ing this book. (To DNF a book means that you «Did Not Finish» it). Going into the book I had no idea it would be steeped in Christian mythology. As much as I normally (at least if we’ll done) enjoy fantasy books, Christian mythology tend not to be my jam. I think it’s because it’s already used so much, maybe even overused. The times I seem to be okay with it, is in horror, but even then it takes a bit for me to actually think it’s good. I struggled with this one even early on, and wanted to DNF it at 5%. After further consideration, and some communication elsewhere about DNF-ing, I decided to give it at least 10%. In the end I read the first four chapters, and at 11% I decided enough was enough, and that I would not finish it.

I honestly feel like I gave this book a chance, and I really wanted to love it. I don’t like talking badly about debut authors, they’ve put a love and heart into their work. That being said, a book will never be for everyone, and I really wish we had been told Christian mythology would be so in the forefront of this book. Had I known, I would probably not have picked up this book at all.

I can absolutely see that this book might be something others enjoy, and if you like this sort of thing, by all means, grab a copy. It’s just not for me…

A hand is holding a mug of coffee to the left, resting in a lap covered by a blanket. To the right is a Kobo e-reader showing the cover of the book "The Book of Autumn".
Photo: Mittens and Sunglasses © 2025