Showing posts with label Julian Worker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Julian Worker. Show all posts

Sunday, 30 April 2023

OUR CATS in AMSTERDAM

 

 by JULIAN WORKER;  

                 

Book cover features Freddie the cat in Buddhist robes. He sits meditating amongst an array of multicoloured tulips under a lightly clouded sky.
                                                                  

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.

Hello, and welcome to my weekend Book Review, today featuring Adventures in FELINE Fiction. 

But first . . .

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ We have WINNERS! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️


 

Mrs H has held the draw for copies of the Forgotten Garden, the fab new book by Sharon Goosling. The winners were decided by observing the numbers on the side of 15 of Farmer Clarksin's sheep and then seeing which were the first to escape the field.

First through the hedge was No. 32, Doris, which meant that Peachy, Stippie, Angel Binky and Granny of the Angelswhisper2011 blog won the first copy of The Forgotten Garden by Sharon Gosling.

Second out the field was No. 7, Agatha, who exited the field by a rather deft shimmy under a gate. This means that Tama-Chan, Benny, Momo, Vidock, Violette, Ollie, Hotesse & Heloise of 'The Poupounette' blog in Perche, France, win the second copy of The Forgotten Garden.

Congratulations to you both, who will receive English lanuage versions. Please leave a specific comment with your addresses. We moderate all comments so this particular comment will not be posted.

Now, on to the review!

This week we have a delightful sequel. One that is all cat. Well, cat-centric, with entertaining shenanigans from squirrels, crows and a parakeet!


Book cover features Freddie the cat in Buddhist robes. He sits meditating amongst an array of multicoloured tulips under a lightly clouded sky.

 

 

AUTHOR: Julian Worker
 
Cover art by: Unknown at this time.
 
Published by: Mirador Publishing

 
Publication date: Paperback– OUT NOW!
 

Paperback ISBN:  978 191 4965 739

 
Price for Paperback: £13.99

KINDLE price currently on offer at $2.99/£2.99 

Pages: 241
 
Age range: Y/A Adult

Any dogs or cats? Oh, yes and many more besides.


 
 
SPOILER ALERT

Some as to plot direction and characters, including preceding adventure.
 
Thank you to...

I am exceedingly grateful to Mrs H for buying this book for me to Read & Review. It was on my to-buy list, and she bought it for me.
 
As ever, our views are our own, and we only share reviews of books we have bought, been given as gifts, or received in exchange for an impartial review.

First and foremost, the books we review are those we like and feel our global readers deserve to know about and that we hope they, their children, friends, and students will enjoy.
 
The plot

We join Freddie and Gemma at home in the UK. Life for them both has become better since Gemma's attitude has eased. She is learning from reading books that life can be different. She is also learning from Freddie's Buddhist ways that humans are not the monsters she thought. She used to blame humans for stealing her kittens and was exceptionally bitter as a result. Now, she is more accepting of what happened. At least she doesn't now bite the hands of Mary and John, the humans she and Freddie live with.

It is, as the book so wittingly describes and titles each and every chapter, 'today'. After the humans have headed off to work, Freddie heads off to the local park to see his squirrel friend, Rufus. There is a conflict between a large wasp colony that has made its new home in a tree and the local council. For the sake of people being stung, they intend to chop down the tree to drive the wasps, who all happen to be called Wilf, away. With arbitration, Freddie brokers peace, and all ends well.

Not long after, Freddie has some visitors. A group of crows from Holland, related to his local crow family, come in search of Freddie and Gemma obtain to obtain their services. Unbeknown to the cats, their fame has spread globally via YouTube videos of the antics in the park and catching a thief at the local library.

Should they choose to accept it, Gemma and Freddie's mission is to travel to Holland to help the Dutch crows and Europol catch various ne'er-do-wells. In the process, they hope to unravel a large web of and bring down a far greater number of villains in and outside of Holland. The list is daunting: Mafia, human traffickers and diamond smugglers must be followed and brought to book.

It will mean travelling when their humans are away on holiday, and, for Freddie, going undercover with hair colouring (washable) so he won't be recognised.

To add to the tension, when the two arrive in Amsterdam, they learn a contract has been put out to get them!

With mild-mannered and super-efficient Miep as their guide and carer, will the two dynamic cats, with their special rapport with creatures and humans, save the day and, more importantly, save themselves? 


To find out what happens and get a wonderful feel for the majesty and culture of the city that is Amsterdam, you'll just have to read on . . .
 

So, what did we think?

Our Cats in Amsterdam is a thinking cat and persons book, though that isn't to say it's not fun or humourous; it most certainly is.


Starting shortly after Freddie's last adventure featured in 'Diary of a Buddhist Cat' (see our review HERE), we soon are into the thick of a mission that follows as much Freddie's and Gemma's personal development and enlightenment as it is the defeat of global ne'er do wells and villains. But these are villains we will all have heard of, broadly, in the news, which makes it more relevant and appealing.

Throughout, Gemma and Freddie discuss the requested selection of literature they have been left to read by their thoughtful Dutch hosts. The book titles and authors will, I am sure, be familiar to you all. I am ashamed to say I have read none of them. It is a fault I shall be rectifying shortly, as I put an order in for books on stoic philosophy and philosophers.

The book's pace in parts initially struck me — metaphorically speaking and not that Mrs H was having an autistic meltdown — as slow. But I realised that this was in tune with the delightful atmosphere redolent of Amsterdam itself. A city whose gentle cycling and walking leafy thoroughfares and waterside environ create a different air to the intensity of the London or New York scene we often see in modern literature.


This is an adventure that does not require violence as a driver. However, there is threat and peril on a feline level and underlying tones in the human world, too.

But no tale with these delightful two felines, so very much like humans, would be the same without the antics at Freddie's local library. The discourse between Freddie, his friend Angela the Librarian, and Roger, her rather scheming and doubting college, is rib-tickling and just perfect.
 

So . . . .
Crunch time.


If you have read the Diary of a Buddhist Cat, this is an excellent enlightening, thought-provoking sequel. A must-have. If you have not, do get that first story under your belt and then read this.

This adventure is once more seen through the eyes of Freddie. It has action scenes – conflict, stand-offs, negotiations and betrayal. We read this slowly but carefully over a week and thoroughly enjoyed the change of pace and underlying message for doing good and enlightenment. The story is not without its surprises, and Mrs H and I are both wondering what will happen next and also wishing for a sequel . . .
 

Want to buy a copy?

To get a copy, please saunter down to your local independent bookshop (a tulip-lined canalside route would be great but is optional). There are plenty out there, and each unique shop is just waiting to serve up whatever kind of mystery, fun and adventure you desire.


 

JULIAN WORKER's web page can be found HERE. Or copy and paste https://julianworkerwriter.blog/

 

 

MIRADOR Publishing's web page can be found HERE. Or copy and paste https://miradorpublishing.com/

 


And now, the Sunday Selfie.

We are joining Janet Blue from the Cat on My Head blog for the weekly parade of selfies from all manner of companion creatures from across the pond and globe.

To go to Janet's blog selfie page, please click this LINK. or type / cut and paste https://thecatonmyhead.com/national-tabby-cat-day-sunday-selfies/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=national-tabby-cat-day-sunday-selfies

And here is me!




 

Till laters!

ERin




Saturday, 29 January 2022

DIARY OF A BUDDHIST CAT

©Julian Worker/Mirador Publishing
 by JULIAN WORKER;  

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Cat Princess©

 




 

 

 

 

Hello, and welcome to my Saturday Book Review featuring an Adventure in Fiction!

 


This week, for our adult, and feline loving fans everywhere, we have the UTTER DELIGHT of reviewing a book by JULIAN WORKER, called DIARY OF A BUDDHIST CAT.

 

Julian also writes mystery adventures as well as travel books. Born in the UK, he has travelled to nearly 100 countries across the globe. He currently lives and works in Vancouver, Canada.


This book features Freddie, a three ish year old black and white cat.



© Julian Worker / Mirador Publishing



 

DIARY OF A BUDDHIST CAT, by JULIAN WORKER

 

Published by: MIRADOR PUBLISHING.


Paperback ISBN: 978 - 1 - 914965 - 14 -2

 

Cover price for Paperback £11.99, KINDLE currently £2.99 

 

Pages 245.

 

Age range: Upper YA/ Adult 


Any cats? Oh yes!


Classification: Clean Humour.


 

 

 

SPOILER ALERT


No spoilers here. 

 

Disclaimer.

We were lucky enough to see and down load for free this book on NetGalley. We were sopleased with this story that we have purchased the paperback also. We are only too happy to share this unsponsored review with you.


The plot

Freddie is a black and white cat determined to follow the Buddhist path. It was the only book on religion his previous human had. But when that human throws Freddie at the vet rather than pay the bill, Freddie's life changes. Made well by the kindly vet, he is adopted into a new home with John and Mary, two loving, caring, and quite normal and educated humans. They had previously adopted Gemma, a feline with a grudge against humans in general, for their fascist jackboot ways. Her reason is that some humans took her kittens away from her when she most needed them for support. Now, she refuses to kowtow to their oppressive ways, despite John's and Mary's kindness.

Gemma and Freddie do not get on. The relationship is based on the severity of Gemma's sneers, ranging from 1, being 'Ignorant cat', to 6, being 'enemy of cat kind'. Needless to say, Freddie gets a lot of sneers in the 5 and 6 range.

Freddie, though, is very passive, as you would expect from a Buddhist. He seeks to find common ground and treat everyone, even Gemma, with respect and kindness, helping where he can to ease her suffering and pain.

Now, if you hadn't surmised already, I need to mention that Freddie is an educated cat who likes to read books and experience life. So much so that he goes into his garden and befriends the resident crow family, Rufus, the local squirrel. They introduce him to Holly, the hamster who's cage sits inside on the next door window ledge.

Very soon, with the help of his new pals, he is off in pursuit of educating himself in the fine arts and philosophers of the human world. But true to his beliefs, he is helping his new friends fulfil their own academic, sightseeing and high-flying goals. And how does he do this, you may ask? Answer: By entering and borrowing from the next door library, of course! The antics and chaos that ensue are hilarious and priceless. All of which is unseen by his human companions, but not so their neighbour, Penny, who tries to film it all on her phone.

 

So, what did we think?

From a rather unassuming cover comes what I think is a small gem. Told in first person as a series of Freddie's diary entries, this book will impart to the careful reader far more than at face value. It is a masterpiece of observation and insight into not only felines but humans too. More than this, an entertaining storyline sets this apart from far more mundane fictional works on feline and human relationships.

For me, this is what truly makes this a stand out tale and a tour de force of entertainment and insight. Actions have consequences, even more so when species mix. And here they unfold so well and funnily that it was impossible not to turn the page and laugh and giggle aloud.

A must-read for anyone seeking a more educated, tongue in cheek fun, and thought-provoking read. I'll be delving more into the author's other works (both fact and fiction), as the writing style is very appealing.

I also find that I want to know more about Freddie's adventures. Whether we get to know more or not, I don't know. But I have bought the paperback, and will re-read it periodically to remind myself of the balance of life and all such good things. And yes, we will also laugh unashamedly at what happened to Angela in the library, and to that poor, poor dog of Penny's!

****** HOT OFF THE PRESS! ******

 Julian has told me there WILL be a sequel!!! Get this one now and be ready for when the sequel arrives.

So . . . . 

 

Crunch time. 

We thoroughly recommend this book. And you don't have to have a cat companion or be a budding Buddhist to like this story. Nor be a philosopher or connoisseur of, ahem, 'fine art' to appreciate the insight and humour woven carefully into the pages. 


Want to buy a copy?

 

To get copy, please do head down your own karma filled path to enightment and spread the love at your local independent bookshop.

 


JULIAN WORKER's web page can be found HERE. https://julianworkerwriter.blog/

 

MIRADOR Publishing's web page can be found HERE. https://miradorpublishing.com/

 

If any authors, publishers wish us to review their books, please do get in touch. Details are listed on our book review page.

 

 

 

©Erinthecatprincess

 

 

 

 Till later!


ERin