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

 

SHADOWGHAST

by Thomas Taylor;  

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Cat Princess©

 

 

 

 

Hello, and welcome to my Saturday Book Review featuring Adventures in Middle-Grade Fiction!

 

It also happens to be the first review of the year. Hopefuly the first of many. The picture below is of yours truly taking a pre, New Years eve nap. Just to get my strength up for the post New Years day nap!

 

 

 

This week, now I'm fully rested up, we have the great pleasure to review the spooktacular third book set in Eerie on Sea, starring Herbert Lemon, Violet Parma, and Erwin, the cat.

So without further ado, and kindly sponsored this week by Mrs Singhs Mobile Book Bank (Cheques cashed free of charge and a free Onion Bhaji with every tenth loan) we bring you . . . 

SHADOWGHAST, the third Eerie-on-Sea adventure, written by a true wordsmith of a middle-grade writing, Thomas Taylor!

 

 

SHADOWGHAST, by THOMAS TAYLOR

 

Published by WALKER BOOKS LIMITED.

 

Cover artwork by GEORGE ERMOS 

 

Interior Illustrations by Thomas Taylor

 

Paperback ISBN: 978 - 1 - 4063 - 8630 - 1

Cover price for Paperback £7.99 (or cheaper)

 

Pages 328.

 

Age range: 8 and upwards

 

Any cats? YES, one, called Erwin, and he talks too!

 

 

 

 

SPOILER ALERT

As ever, to review book three in this series, we need to reveal little bits and pieces of the first two books. So, please do look away if you wish to keep it a surprise. 

 

You can follow the link below to see my review of the first two adventures if you wish to know a bit more.

 

Book 1 review LINK: MALAMANDER.

 

Book 2 review LINK: GARGANTIS. 

 

The Plot: 

 

With the evil Sebastian Eels dispatched to the depths of the oceans, never to return, things at the Grand Nautilus Hotel and Eerie-on-Sea had returned to normal. Or at least as normal as they ever get. It is Lady Kraken's birthday, and the staff all get a big slap-up breakfast on her. Or at least some do. When everyone else has taken their fill, our hero, Herbie Lemon, gets nothing. 

 

While he watches on with hope, a lady's voice whispers in his ear that this year things will be different. Turning, he sees the lady walking towards the elevator. He is captivated by her clothes and hair. More than that, he is intrigued by the people that accompany her. He later finds out that they are two mime artists and her manager. But as he takes it all in, there is something not quite right. Is it the shadows or how the light falls upon the four through the windows?

 

Now, let's move on to what you all really want to know about the Shadowghast, right?

 

The celebration of the Ghastly Night is unique to Eerie-on-Sea and happens when others celebrate All Hallows Eve. That tale starts long ago, back in the 1800s, when the town's mayor, Standing Bigley, built the pier. He was a mean man and devoted to the profit he would make from the visitors to the pier's theatre. 

 

As the pier neared completion, he needed to keep the investors sweet. He decides to put n a show. But where oh where could he get a performer at short notice?

 

As luck would have it, or rather it wouldn't, at that very time, a stranger in his boat is saved from the strong currents out by Maw Rocks, and brought ashore. What is strange about the stranger, even by Eerie standards, is that he has a heavy lantern in the shape of a dragon. When asked who he is, the tatty man declares he is the Puppet Master, and the lantern is magical.

 

Who better to put an opening night display and get the paying customers in, the mayor thinks, and so asks the stranger for his price. Five gold coins were the stranger's fee for a show that would be worth every bit. Of course, you and I can guess that this did not go down well with the tight Mr Bigley. Two was all he offered the man, and it had better be good. The puppet master was not amused, less so than Queen Victoria, and promised the mayor that "may you get what you pay for."

The time of the show came, and it was fabulous. The puppet master manipulated the shadows that he cast in the smoke from his magic lantern into all manner of shapes and beasts, Gargantis and the Malamander amongst them. There is one shadow in the lantern that isn't by the puppet masters creation, the shadowghast! 

 

But Bagley gave only one gold coin when payment was due, stating shadows were only worth half the fee. The puppet master's revenge was to use the shadowghast to take Bagley's shadow, quite literally. And once he had his shadow, he became master of the man himself. In the furore that followed, the pier caught fire, and the puppet master and his lantern were lost to the sea, never to be seen again. But forever after, a curse was on the town. 

 

And thus, the legend of the Shadowghast was born. And each Ghastly Night, you will need to light a Manglewick candle to keep the shadow-stealing spirit away.

 

Of course, this all seems but by-the-by for Herbie, who is about to discover two things. First, the lady is none other than the world-famous magician, Caliastra. Second, she is his aunt, who has come to take him off to his new life as her apprentice.

Whoa, that is quite a bombshell to drop on Herbie. As it happens, it is an even bigger bombshell for Violet, who hoped she would find her parents first. Animosity rears its head. But when people start vanishing from Eerie, Herbie and Violet join forces, albeit reluctantly, to solve a Ghastly Night adventure that lives up to its name! There is more than townsfolk at risk here; there is friendship and newfound family. Hard decisions will need to be made, and demons fought. Will Herbie get to have a family? More importantly, will he ever get to have any of that breakfast?

All this and far more will rise again from the depths of Eerie-on-Sea legend. 

 

 

So, what did we think?

 

When adventures like this keep getting better and better, we have to sit back and admire the writer's originality and style. 

 

This book really was a great adventure and spooky ride from beginning to end. And it really did keep us going to the very last pages, even though our cocoa was going cold.

 

With some lovely twists and characters that you can just reach into the pages and either shake a fist at or shout out support to, like "Look out, it's behind you!" then you know you're on to a winner. I got so gripped by the adventure, at one point, I felt I was lost with Herbie in the dark and could feel the breeze on my face and see the candle splutter. Mrs H ruined all that by putting on my bedside light and shutting the window which had blown open! That said, it was very atmospheric, chilling, in an excellent middle grade read that left us wanting more.

Now I haven't mentioned Erwin the cat thus far. Fear not, dear feline fanciers, he plays an important roll in this adventure. Quite the hero too. But I shall say no more than he gets his turn to tread the boards, amongst other things.

So . . . . 

Crunch time. 

 

Without a doubt, Mr Taylor has created another little masterpiece set in Eerie-on-Sea. Buy this and enjoy a few nights of absorbing mystery. But beware the Shadowghast, heed the warnings else it may steal your shadow too! 

 

There you have it. Well, not quite. At the back of book three is an intro chapter for book 4, called FESTERGRIMM. I don't know about you, but that sounds way too interesting and exciting to pass up.

 

Want to buy a copy?

 

To get a copy, complete with a shadow attached, please do head to your local independent bookshop, during daylight hours, of course!!!!! 

 

Thomas Taylor's web page can be found HERE. http://www.thomastaylor-author.com/

 

Walker Books web page can be found HERE. https://www.walker.co.uk/

 

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

 

 

Till laters!

 

ERin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS

 

by B. B. Alston;  

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Cat Princess©

 

Hello, and welcome to my Saturday Book Review featuring adventures in Middle-Grade Fiction!

This week we thought we'd delve into the world of the supernatural. 

 

Nope, Mrs H hasn't been at the Sanatogen XXX Strong Senior Citizens blend, cut with neat sherry. Instead, she bought home a rather glitzy covered new book for us called 'AMARI and the NIGHT BROTHERS'. 

 

But first, a big thank you to the global readers of our online news last week, who expressed concern at the mini crimewave hitting our dear and generally ordinary (ish) village of UMM (Upper Much-Mousing).

 

The latest news from PC Beatworn in The Pied Sparrow Inn, is that Sid Warrant of CSI Much Deeping-Hollow has passed the matter of the missing spectacles to East Lambtonshire Zoo. 

 

Why ever did they do that, I hear the First Lady ask? Well, following a lead from a hush-hush American Law Enforcement agency, who would neither confirm nor deny avidly reading the blog each week, the perps were identified. Apparently, and purely accidentally, the satellite had been drawn to the area in recent weeks due to the large amount of soap sudds emanating from Mrs Singh's sheep powered car wash being visible from space! They thought they had been monitoring some ecological disaster. Had they come to me first, I'd have happily pointed them to the remnants of the Great UMM Bake-Off contest, which, months later, remain undecomposed in the local cafe!

 

Anyways, the satellite team spotted two well know villains that had escaped the zoo whilst on a foreign exchange visit. The two, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are Racoon X and Racoon Y.

 

Residents of the village are asked to look out for two strangers with American accents and wearing horn-rim glasses! Seems a bit vague to me, but then, I'm just a cat!

OK, enough of the crime news, let's get on with the fun stuff! 

 

 

AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS, by B. B. ALSTON 

 

Published by VARIOUS IMPRINTS OF Harper Collins Publishers.

 

Cover artwork by Brittany Jackson

 

Pages: 375.

Age group: 8 - 12 and upwards! 

Any cats in the story? Sorry, none that I can recall. 

Paperback ISBN: 978 - 1 - 4052 - 9819 - 3 

Cover price for Paperback £7.99 (or cheaper)

 

 

 

The Plot: 

 

Amari Peters is an early teen girl who has won a scholarship to a great school. The trouble is, she is from the wrong side of the tracks. But she is following on in the footsteps of her elder brother, Quinton, who was brilliant and won the same scholarship and made good. He landed a fantastic job that took him away a lot travelling. Amari thought he was some sort of spy. Quinton would smirk and say, "Your wrong, but you're not totally wrong".

 

Amari had lived with her mother and brother since their father effectively disowned them and left. He even denied being Amari's father. That isn't an easy thing to deal with for a kid, especially when it is overheard coming straight from the dad's mouth. 

 

Things take a turn for the worse when Quinton vanishes. He said he had a job and was paid well, and always sent money home from wherever he was working. But the police can't find any record of him ever being employed or having paid any tax, anywhere. After some time, they call a halt to the investigation. What more can they do but suspect he had been into something terrible, mixed with the wrong kind and paid the price. After all, that's what happens to many kids, right? 

 

Wrong! Not Quinton, and Amari knows that. And she knows he's out there somewhere.

 

The kids at the new school only see Amari as a kid from a poor home, and they make life rough. Amari is tough, she had to be, but she gets suspended when she gets pushed too far and pushes another student over. The result is Amari loses her scholarship and any chance to get anywhere else......

 

But then, a suitcase from Quinton is delivered by a mysterious courier. Well, he'd already been into Amari's home and left it in Quinton's wardrobe but just wanted a signature. The case contains a "Broaden Your Horizons." kit. When the designated opening hour arrives, midnight after the last day of term, Amari opens the case. Donning the spectacles she finds within, she hears and sees Quinton. But her mother cant, which is rather handy as what happens next, takes Amari on a unique sailing ship that flies out over the ocean. Here her brother, who isn't really there but in what they call a waking dream, shows her the worlds and activity beneath the waves – the International Railways of Atlantis. It transpires Quinton worked for the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, and went on missions worldwide. He was one of their top two agents. That is until the two went missing. The case, it turns out, was to be passed on to Amari if he was declared missing . . . or dead. 

 

Also, in this case, is an invite for Amari to try out to be a Junior Agent at the Bureau. The thing is, can she stand the shame of wearing the horrendously weird suit of clothes that is in the case as she travels to the Bureau's secret headquarters in Atlanta, GA.

 

All of what I have just described is the warm-up to a rather fun new world that opens up when Amari steps in the Bureau's elevator and presses the Basement button 26 times . . . 

 

 

So, what did we think?

 

We finished this book quite quickly, under a week. It isn't short either, or large print. This is a great sign for us as it means two things. 1) we liked it a lot. It is different. If we didn't like it, we wouldn't be reviewing it as we'd have stopped reading. 2) The book's pace is good and engages us to read on and on.  We did however struggle with some of the dialogue, but I'm guessing this is just down to local dialect/lingo used for the characters. Mrs H isn't exactly hip and down with the kids, well, not unless she's playing marbles!

 

I would love to have seen more pictures in this. A brilliant cover but sparse chapter title images seem to be the way with these longer books. But don't let that put you off, as the reading was the thing in this case.

 

Think of this book as discovering that the sum of three flavours of ice cream/candy can create something as good, and in its own way, better than the individual parts. 

 

Mrs H and I both said that this adventure was reminiscent of elements of Men in Black (the first movie, which is our favourite), Nevermore (the brilliant book series of the adventures of Morrigan Crow), and Harry Potter. 

 

The flavour of this adventure is: the essence of sweet friendship found, the sourness of betrayal, a dark raspberry ripple of the evil magical villains and monsters (provided by the Night Brothers in the title), and the tongue tingle of sharpness is the battling the odds. 

 

All of which is a long, but I think justified, way of saying this was a refreshing feast of imaginative writing.

I shall say no more. There are a veritable plethora of things to enjoy as the adventure takes off, and descends, and to say more would spoil it. I will add, though, that this would make a great film, just like Men In Black. 

 

So . . . . 

Crunch time. 

 

Given the pros and cons, would we recommend Amari? I'd say yes. It is a safe and good buy for adults or younger readers. Indeed it works well for elderly housekeepers who may, or may not, have had too much sherry whilst making the Christmas pudding! 

The great news is, if you enjoy this book, and there is a lot to enjoy, there is another book in the series heading our way in hardback in April 2022. 

 

Unfortunately, for the paperback, we will have to wait until 5 January 2023. I do think nearly a year gap between the two is unnecessary. For those who are necessarily cost-conscious, including ourselves, this is a bit mean. It does, however, seem to be the way the industry works these days. But if someone sends us a copy, we will, of course, review it for you, then forward the copy to a local school.

 

 

Want to buy a copy?

 

To add some Supernatural Detection to your own briefcase, you don't need to take an elevator, just head to your local independent bookshop. 

 

B.B. Alston's web page can be found HERE. https://www.bbalston.com/

 

Harper Collins Chidrens web page can be found HERE. https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/b-b-alston

 

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

 

 

Till later!

 

ERin