This week's round-up of beautiful book mail!
I'm excited to begin sharing a roundup of the book mail I've received recently. I can't wait to delve into these books and share my thoughts through reviews!
As always, thank you to all the authors and publishers for sending these out to me! 🫶🏻
Poets Square: A Memoir in Thirty Cats by Courtney Gustafson:
Poets Square is an unforgettable memoir about survival, community, and the unexpected lessons learned from thirty feral cats.
When Courtney Gustafson moved into a rental house in Tucson’s Poets Square, she had no idea the property came with a colony of stray cats—nor that they would change her life. Struggling with mental health, a low-paying job, and the uncertainty of a pandemic, she wasn’t looking for more responsibility. But the cats, with their desperate eyes and fragile ribs, didn’t give her a choice.
What began as a reluctant effort to help a few hungry felines turned into an eye-opening journey into the realities of animal rescue, the failings of social systems, and the power of small acts of care. Sharing her experiences online, Courtney found an audience captivated by the stories of Mushroom Risotto, Bubbles, Goldie, and Sad Boy. Her viral posts didn’t just raise awareness—they helped save her home.
Told with warmth and unflinching honesty, Poets Square is more than a book about cats. It is a deeply personal exploration of grief, trauma, gender, and resilience. The book is available to buy from the 8th May 2025.
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Against the Odds: Women Pioneers of Science by John Gribbin & Mary Gribbin:
Women in science have long faced barriers, but in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the very idea of a female scientist was often dismissed outright. In Against the Odds, bestselling science writers John and Mary Gribbin shine a light on the remarkable women who defied societal expectations and made groundbreaking discoveries, often without the recognition they deserved.
From Eunice Newton Foote, who first identified the carbon dioxide greenhouse effect, to Chien-Shiung Wu, whose work was crucial to our understanding of how matter exists in the universe, and Barbara McClintock, who uncovered the mechanisms of genetic regulation, this book brings overlooked scientific pioneers to the forefront.
Written with clarity and expertise, Against the Odds is both an inspiring tribute and a stark reminder of the challenges women in science have faced and continue to face. It is essential reading for anyone interested in history, science and the fight for equality.
Thank you so much to Icon Books for sending me an ARC of the book. The book is out now and available to purchase.
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Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano:
Finlay Donovan and her ride-or-die nanny, Vero, are long overdue for a girls' getaway. But their trip to Atlantic City is less about cocktails and casinos and more about negotiating with a loan shark, rescuing Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and tracking down a stolen Aston Martin. With Finlay’s meddling ex-husband and her mother tagging along, chaos is inevitable.
Things take a deadly turn when their target, the ruthless Marco, turns up dead before they can strike a deal. With no idea who the real killer is but a very compelling motive pointing straight at them, Finlay and Vero are once again in way over their heads. To make matters worse, the police are sniffing around, including Finlay’s flame, Nick, whose presence is as distracting as it is inconvenient. Between dodging suspicion, managing her complicated love life, and keeping her family in the dark, Finlay must find a way to outwit the criminals, the cops, and her conscience before it all comes crashing down.
Full of sharp humour, fast-paced action, and the kind of outrageous hijinks only Finlay Donovan can pull off, this is a wild and witty ride.
Thank you so much to the team at Headline for sending me a finished copy of the book. The book is out now and available to purchase.
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