Anyhoo, I know mew've all been following my Italian adventures through the postcards I sent to Melvyn over the summer, but believe me, dahlings, those were merely the highlights!
And I must confess, Raffi has a rather marvellous filter on his camera called the Feline Furbulous Filter, or F.F.F. for short.
Apparently, it makes one look even more furbulous!
Now, I know that's incredibly hard to believe in my case, given that I'm already the epitome of feline magnificence, but somehow, it really does ramp the glamour up to 11 out of 10!
MOL!
Melvyn: AMBER!!! Welcome home! How was Italy?
Amber: Utterly furbulous, sweetie! Although poor Raffi may need several months to recover! MOL
Melvyn: We're all so happy mew're back!
Amber: And I'm delighted to be home! Now, before we catch up, I've brought a little surprise. Ralph, dahling, come on out!
Amber opened her enormous handbag, and a small dustbunny emerged carrying several tiny parcels.
Melvyn: RALPH?! WHERE HAVE MEW BEEN?!
Amber: Italy, dahling. He's been travelling with me the entire time. Such a delightful companion!
Melvyn: NINE WEEKS?! I thought he'd retreated under Aisle P for the summer, as it was very hot!
Ralph gave Melvyn a long, meaningful look before silently handing him a miniature notebook embossed with I BELIEVE IN MEW.
Amber: He's brought gifts for everypawdy! A Venetian luggage tag for Clive, a little Italian tourist guide for Gordon, and tiny cheese souvenirs for the mice.
Melvyn: Thank mew, Ralph. I love it, and Gordon and Clive will be thrilled! They're already planning their next holiday with mew.
Amber: Oh, I know, sweetie. I shall have to ask Raffi whether Purrfectly Luxurious Jollies offers a stationery-and-dustbunny package! MOL
Melvyn: It's so good to have mew home, Amber.
Amber: It's good to be back. And thank mew for taking such wonderful care of the library.
Melvyn: Awww, mew're welcome!
Amber: Now, let's have some catmint cocoa and biscuits. I want to hear everything!
Melvyn: Everything?
Amber: Well, perhaps just the highlights. I've still got my luggage to unpack!
Melvyn: How much luggage?
Amber: Dahling, that's a conversation for another day! MOL
Melvyn: I think it's time for elevenses then?
Amber: Mew read my mind, catnip cookies or cherry slices with catnip sprinkles?
Melvyn: BOTH!!! And then perhaps a meditation, or nap?
Amber: Sweetie, I think both today; I'm feeling frazzled from all that travel!
I've completed my first inspection of the Mewton-Clawson Library since returning from Italy, and I'm delighted to report that Melvyn has done a sterling job keeping everything running!
Although, GOOD GRAVY, what on earth has been going on down in the Level Six archive?! MOL
The nine library mice are all present and correct, and apparently the Wedge of Wonder is now issuing official proclamations about mandatory elevenses. Frankly, that's one policy I wholeheartedly approve of!
Meanwhile, Gordon the Stapler is proudly displaying his little Italian tourist guide, courtesy of Ralph the dustbunny, and Clive the Paperclip has attached his Venetian luggage tag to his neon-orange travel bag. Both are already planning next year's holiday, despite nopawdy having decided where we're going!
Reginald is still wearing his cape and has been eyeing Ralph's Italian souvenirs with considerable interest. He insists it's purely a matter of archive security.
Fergus, on the other paw, has submitted a seventeen-page application to extend his Art Deco Nebula Suite into two neighbouring cupboards. Apparently, the addition of a cocktail bar is considered essential. I've placed his application in the PENDING FURTHER DISCUSSION tray!
And Ralph's little gifts for the mice have caused quite a stir. Chedds is particularly delighted with his miniature Italian cheese selection, although Oswald has already requested that all edible souvenirs be properly catalogued before anypawdy starts nibbling!
Hootbert surveyed the situation and declared, "Predictable."
The thesaurus offered, "Extravagance... eccentricity... escalating expenditure."
🎉 Calmness Tracker 3000 Update ~ Management Reinstated
"Recalibration: 99%.
Ambient Chaos: Elevated.
Mouse Attendance: 9/9.
Owl Attendance: 1/1.
Stationery Holiday Preparations: Ongoing.
Fergus Renovation Budget: UNDER REVIEW.
Library Management: AMBER HAS RETURNED.
As for Melvyn, I've instructed him to take a well-earned break with a lovely cup of catmint cocoa and some biscuits while I tackle the mountain of incident reports he's accumulated.
Although judging by the size of the folder, I may need another holiday before I've finished reading it and had a word with Parsley! MOL
Anyhoo, enough of the library shenanigans for now, dahlings. It's time to settle into my favourite reading chair and get back to what I do best...
A few final snippets from around BBHQ before we get down to some serious reading!
Vera Prime has welcomed me home in her usual mysteriously efficient manner, and a haiku, although I'm not entirely convinced she's told me everything that happened while I was away!
Amber comes back home
The library breathes once more
All is well again
Parsley is still investigating the demise of his Long-Distance-Parcel-Prodder, following an unfortunate encounter with something known only as the Oddity. Apparently, there's an incident report. Several, in fact!
Fudge and Smooch have assured me that the biscuit supplies remained purrfectly secure throughout my absence. Why they felt the need to volunteer this information is anypawdy's guess! MOL
And Melvyn has been awarded a very special Nine Weeks of Supurrlative Library Service commendation, complete with extra biscuits and absolutely no archive duties for the rest of the afternoon!
The Library Mice threw me a private welcome-home tea in my private reading room and told me everything; more about that another time! MOL
And Melvyn has reminded me that we really must send poor Raffi a rather special thank-mew gift for taking such excellent care of me throughout my Italian adventures.
Personally, I think a luxury spa retreat would be ideal. Somewhere peaceful, with absolutely no aristocats, chandeliers, wasp spray, nunchucks or demanding literary celebrities!
As for me, dahlings, I'm officially back in my favourite reading chair, my catmint cocoa is brewing, and my book pile is calling!
So, without further ado, let's get to this week's paw-approved pick! 📚🐾
The P.A.'s answers are...
You've Got To Be Kitten
by
Corrine Winters
This was the book I was going to review for my last post in July, but the cat is called Rumpus, the same name as the cat in the previous week's review! MOL
But today, finally, here it is...
🐾 This Week’s Paw‑Approved Pick:
My epically epic library-loving furiends, this week I've been curled up in my supurr snuggly oversized reading chair, sipping catmint cocoa and contemplating a most intriguing question.
What happens when mew turn forty, discover mew're a witch, and find yourself accused of murder?
Apparently, mew become a late broomer! MOL
You've Got to Be Kitten promises witchy shenanigans, murderous mischief, a good-looking police chief, and a feline furmiliar with more sass than sense.
Naturally, I was intrigued!
❓ What's the Vibe?
Think...
🐾 Midlife magical mayhem.
🔮 A charming coastal town hiding supurrnatural secrets.
💀 A dead ex-fiancé and a rather inconvenient murder accusation.
😹 A snarky feline furmiliar called Rumpus.
💕 A handsome police chief with secrets of his own.
It's seaside cozy mystery meets witchy chaos, with a generous helping of feline cattitude. Purrfection!
🐾 What's the Story?
Twenty years ago, Ruby Rivers fled Fiddler's Cove after her fiancé dumped her at the altar.
THE ALTAR, FURIENDS!
Personally, I'd have left him a particularly unpleasant surprise in his shoes, but apparently humans handle heartbreak differently!!! MOL
Now forty, Ruby returns to settle some unfinished business and leave.
Except her ex-fiancé turns up dead.
And Ruby becomes the prime suspect!
Good gravy, talk about a disastrous homecoming!
Fortunately, Ruby has help from Rumpus, her magically gifted feline furmiliar, whose sarcastic commentary is apparently as unstoppable as his whiskers.
Then there's Police Chief John Miller, who may be hiding a few supurrnatural surprises himself.
With witchcraft awakening, ghosts lurking, and a murderer on the loose, Ruby must unravel Fiddler's Cove's secrets before she becomes the next victim.
⚔️ What I Loved About the Premise
😸 Rumpus the Talking Cat - Sarcastic, magical, and gloriously opinionated. My kind of feline!
🔮 Ruby's Magical Awakening - Who says life's greatest adventures can't begin at forty? Hex over forty is purrfectly natural, after all! MOL
🌊 Fiddler's Cove - A quaint seaside town bursting with magical mysteries and suspicious residents.
🕵️♀️ The Murder Mystery - A dead ex, a wrongly accused heroine, and plenty of purranormal intrigue.
💕 A Hint of Romance - A handsome police chief with secrets? Ooooh, pass the catnip popcorn!
✨ Tone & Style
Witchy, whimsical, snarky, and purranormal-cozy, with midlife magic, murderous mischievousness, and feline-forward fun.
Pawesome for readers who love talking cats, magical mysteries, and heroines discovering that forty is just the beginning!
📖 Final Thoughts
This has all the ingredients for a furbulous cozy mystery: a reluctant witch, an inconvenient corpse, a mysterious seaside town, and a sarcastic cat who clearly understands the impawtance of expressing one's opinions.
I particularly love the idea of Ruby discovering her magical powers at forty. Imagine being able to conjure unlimited catnip and magically refill the biscuit tin!
Though knowing my luck, I'd accidentally turn Parsley into a teapot!! MOL
🪄 Summed Up in One Sentence
🐾 A whisker-twitching witchy mystery where a forty-year-old late broomer, her snarky feline furmiliar, and a seaside town full of secrets collide in magical, murderous mayhem! 🐾
A Top Paw Pick for Purranormal Cozy Mystery Fans!
Now, if mew'll excuse me, I'm off to investigate the mysterious disappearance of my salmon biscuits. Smooch and Fudge are my prime suspects! MOL!
Rating of:
You've Got To Be Kitten
Overall Enjoyment
Next Friday, dahlings, I'll be back with the first instalment of Amber's Grand Italian Journals, where I'll finally reveal what REALLY happened during my nine gloriously indulgent weeks in Italy!
And believe me, my epically epic furiends, there's rather more to tell than catnip champagne, couture and magnificent libraries!
But until then, I hope mew have a supurr weekend filled with wondrous books, delicious treats and absolutely no unexpected mysteries!
And if mew're looking for more great reads with cats, click here to visit my Book Review Page and purruse every book I've reviewed to date; I'm sure mew'll find something epic!
