Cat Girl's Day Off by Kimberly Pauley

Cat Girl’s Day Off

By Kimberly Pauley

Published by Lee & Low Books, April 12, 2012

336 pages (hardcover)

Source: NetGalley

Never listen to a cat. That will only get you in trouble.

Actually, scratch that. Listening to cats is one thing, but really I should never listen to my best friend Oscar. It's completely his fault (okay, and my aspiring actress friend Melly's too) that I got caught up in this crazy celebrity-kidnapping mess.

If you had asked me, I would have thought it would be one of my super-Talented sisters who'd get caught up in crime fighting. I definitely never thought it would be me and my Talent trying to save the day. Usually, all you get out of conversations with cats is requests for tummy rubs and tuna.

Wait . . . I go back to what I said first: Never listen to a cat. Because when the trouble starts and the kitty litter hits the fan, trust me, you don't want to be in the middle of it. (from NetGalley)

Truth: I like cats. I had 2 while growing up and I have 2 now. They both sleep with me. And, yes, I have dressed all my cats up. It is hilarious. However, I am sooooooo glad I could not hear what Frisko, Little Kity, Kiwi, or Peyton were thinking when I put them in doll dresses.

But Natalie can talk to cats. Like really. She, like all the other members of her family, have special talents/superpowers. One sister can levitate. The other can be a chameleon and blend in to her surroundings. Natalie feels ignored by her parents because she can only talk to cats.

Then she overhears the cat of a celebrity blogger screaming on a YouTube video. Pressured by her friends, her own love of cats, and eventually her cat Meep, Natalie sets out to find out what is really going on. And this leads to chaos and craziness plus a little bit of romance.

No, this isn’t the best pieces of literature ever. However, it was a fun read. I was getting tired of doom and gloom with people dying, the world ending, etc., etc., etc. Yeah, there is a kidnapping or two as well as some fighting so it’s not all sunshine and lollipops, but the author’s sense of irony and sarcastic tone was perfect for a quick light-hearted read.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves cats (and wishes they could talk to cats) or someone who wants a fun read that is well-written but doesn’t take itself too seriously.