On the blog last week
Monday – I shared my sign-up post for the When Are You Reading? Challenge 2026 and also published my review of historical novel The Huntingfield Paintress by Pamela Jones.
Tuesday – This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic was Most Anticipated Books Publishing in the First Half of 2026.
Wednesday – As always WWW Wednesday is a weekly opportunity to share what I’ve just read, what I’m currently reading and what I plan to read next… and to take a peek at what others are reading.
Thursday – I published my review of The Eights by Joanna Miller.
Friday – I shared my review of A Granite Silence by Nina Allan.
Saturday – I took part in the Six on Saturday meme, sharing six things from my garden this week.
New on my shelves
Sweep the Cobwebs Off the Sky by Mary O’Donnell (eARC, époque press)
As spring evenings lengthen over Kilnavarn House, two sisters, looking after their infirm mother, navigate the fragile territory between past and present.
Memories of a troubled upbringing resurface and the house holds onto the women, as it always has, refusing to let them go until long suppressed truths are spoken.
Sweep the Cobwebs Off the Sky is a tender exploration of ageing, memory, place, and the desire for reconciliation.
Sanctuary by Tom Gaisford (Bath Publishing)
Alex Donovan is a young refugee lawyer in crisis. Helping desperate clients reach safety is what gives his job meaning. But he now finds himself demoted, signed off sick for stress, and facing redeployment to the firm’s subterranean billing department.
Then there is Amy, the woman he adores. The irresistible junior barrister seems to be drifting away from him. With little to lose and all to prove, Alex dreams up a madcap plan to restore his honour and secure Amy’s affection.
The Draw of the Sea by Wyl Menmuir (Aurum)
The ocean fires our imagination, provides joy, solace and play but also wields immense destructive power. The Draw of the Sea explores communities whose lives revolve around the coasts of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. In the specifics of their livelihoods and their rich histories and traditions, Wyl Menmuir captures the universal human connection to the sea.
Into this seductive tapestry, Wyl weaves the story of how the sea has beckoned, consoled and restored him. Funny and uplifting, personal and profound, The Draw of the Sea will delight anyone familiar with the intimate and inescapable pull of the sea.
What I’m currently reading
I’m reading Benbecula and The Pretender from my TBR pile and listening to the audiobook of Mary Anne, the first book on my new Classics Club list.
Look out for…
- Book Review: Whale Fall by Elizabeth O’Connor
- Book Review: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Book Review: Ravenglass by Carolyn Kirby
- Book Review: Tin Man by Sarah Winman
What Cathy Read Next... 