Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter Audiobook Review: Cozy and Witchy with a Twist
A cat-loving heroine, a dark magician landlord allergic to cats, and 1920s Montreal give cozy sweater vibes and call for a side of hot chocolate.
My Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5 stars: Good)
- Author: Heather Fawcett
- Category: Fantasy
- Published: 2026
- Runtime: 11 hours
Coming from the author of the Emily Wilde series, I expected this to feel like the same tone, different world, so I was impressed that the writing and the narration pull off a different vibe.
Agnes runs a cat shelter in 1920s Montreal, at a time when stray cats are everywhere but pet ownership barely exists as a concept. She’s sweet, a little awkward, and living in the shadow of her beautiful, effortless sister. When she needs a new building for the shelter, she ends up renting from a man with a reputation as the darkest of dark magicians. He also happens to be allergic to cats. Their worlds collide. As cats take over his building, magic creeps into Agnes’ life.
The twist? Agnes detests magic. Absolutely, positively can’t stand it. Most heroines in this genre are already witches, or at least magic-curious. Even Emily Wilde, despite not being magical herself, studies faeries for a living. It’s an unexpected plot that makes the “worlds collide” theme engaging, not to mention funny.
Tonally, this reads as cozier and warmer than Emily Wilde. It’s less sparkly winter elegance, more hot chocolate and chai. There’s a magical oven that produces eclairs and other treats, although there are also glow-in-the-dark spiders in the basement. Those delightful details seem to be this author’s trademark. When you’re in the mood for a witchy comfort read, this is waiting.
The Audiobook Experience
★★★★☆
Narrator Genevieve Cocke leans into the French-Canadian setting, giving names and phrases their proper French pronunciation throughout. Her style comes in strong at the beginning, but once I settled into it after a couple chapters, it became part of the charm rather than a distraction.
Typical fiction multitasking: easy to follow during a commute or chores, nothing here demands 100% attention.
Audio or print? Either works. The narration adds atmosphere, but this would also be a lovely curl-up-in-a-chair print read.
Read It or Skip It?
Read it if: you want a witchy comfort read with cozy vibes, you like slow-burn, entirely PG romances where the leads start out at odds, or you’re a sucker for an author who sneaks in delightfully strange details (see: glow-in-the-dark spiders).
Skip it if: you’re looking for true historical fiction or literary fiction, or you’re hoping for the crisp, wintry elegance of Emily Wilde.
Related: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries (book 1), Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (book 2), or Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales (book 3) by Heather Fawcett for the same author but with more sparkly, wintry vibes. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna for a cozy, quirky, and sweet witchiness.
Book Club Guide
This is a fun, low-stakes pick for a book club that wants a cozy night in.
- How did your opinion of Havelock change over the course of the book? Did you trust him before Agnes did?
- Agnes starts out actively disliking magic rather than being magic-curious. How did that shape your read of her arc compared to other witchy heroines you’ve encountered?
- What did you think of how the former husband was woven into the story? Did it add necessary depth or feel like a detour?
- Heather Fawcett also wrote the Emily Wilde series. If you’ve read those, how did the tone here compare, and which vibe did you prefer?
- The 1920s Montreal setting is more backdrop than deeply researched history. Did it still add something for you, or did you wish for more historical texture?
Listen Now
I only recommend audiobooks and resources I’ve personally experienced. This post contains affiliate links — if you purchase through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
