Hello Bookworms!

I’m back with another book review, but before I get into things I wanted to advise of a change in my normal reading habits relating to grad school. In my readers’ advisory class, a large goal is to read a lot of books in genres that I don’t normally consider. So, over the next few months I’ll be reviewing some books in genres I normally don’t give the light of day. Just a forewarning in case you see some rather odd selections from yours truly.

Alright, back to the meat and potatoes!

Today I’m reviewing Cat’s Eye by Stuart Knott.

I heard of this book through a friend on Instagram, and since it was a short read I figured I’d give it a go. How did I like it? Keep on reading to find out!

Blurb

Dani and Anna have it all.

A beautiful house, stable (if aggravating) jobs, and, best of all, Bert!

This quirky, adorable little kitty brings them a sense of purpose, but their simple lives are shattered by sudden, terrifying disturbances: an invasion of slugs, moving objects, malevolent faces glaring from the windows, and an ice-cold dread enveloping their home.

With Bert in a frenzy and the disruption worsening, Dani and Anna are faced with a force far beyond any they could imagine…a malicious entity looking to take everything and everyone they hold dear…

GoodReads

Amazon

***Brief disclosure***

I am an Amazon affiliate and earn a tiny commission for purchases made through the Amazon links in this post at no cost to you. It’s a great way to help me keep things running on my blog if you’re already intrigued enough to make a purchase. 

The Review

This is my first time reading something by this author, and while I had a good time, the story felt a bit incomplete to me.

This brief novella is centered on a gay couple Dani and Anna, and their cat Bert. They meet at a post office and instantly hit it off, renting a home months later. But there’s more to this house, and Bert’s not having it. Is there something truly wrong with Dani and Anna’s home, or is it just a bunch of rusty pipes and explainable phenomena?

What primarily worked for me in this work was the characters. Dani (Jeeb) works for a legal firm, and having worked for one myself the craziness she had to deal with is not only relatable but very real for those working in the industry. That made it very easy for me to connect with her. I liked her interactions with Anna and how Anna’s confidence contrasted with Dani’s personality. Their relationship was easy to understand and made sense.

Also, I loved Bert and his personality! Very typical ornery cat behavior throughout and believable.

The plot is where I had some mixed feelings. I felt that the pacing was a little off overall. The first third of the book is primarily about Dani and Anna’s relationship, but given how short this novella is, I felt that may have been a little long to focus on it before introducing the chills and thrills.

This is something of a haunted house story, and while we did get some spooks in the middle and end, it felt like an afterthought to me. I don’t feel that I got enough solid answers as to why the house was haunted and what was truly going on. The mystery behind hauntings is where the really juicy stuff is, and that was missing from this. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the horror element in this story, I just wanted more from it.

Ultimately, I had a good time with this read. It may not be a favorite horror book of mine, but there’s enough of a nod to the genre to appreciate this fun story.

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this book review. I hope you enjoyed it!

Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

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