Thoughtful book reviews, reading challenge lists, and family reading notes from Catherine K.https://purrfectprose.com/https://purrfectprose.com/26-may-theme-was-the-book-or-the-movie-better/https://purrfectprose.com/26-may-theme-was-the-book-or-the-movie-better/Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir “Oh thank God. I can’t imagine explaining “sleep” to someone who had never heard of it. Hey, I’m going to fall unconscious and hallucinate for a...Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:08:20 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-22/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-22/Abe Lincoln at Last(Magic Tree House #47) Ella's review - 'We found a lovely tree house and used it to go to the White House! When we got there the two brothers found out and...Sun, 24 May 2026 16:45:43 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-a-well-trained-wife-my-escape-from-christian-patriarchy-tia-levings/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-a-well-trained-wife-my-escape-from-christian-patriarchy-tia-levings/I apologize as there is quite a bit of personal backstory first. I'll admit it: back in my teenage years I watched quite a lot of 'reality' TV -wifeswap, americas next top model,...Sun, 24 May 2026 16:41:56 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-21/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-21/Katie the Kitten Fairy (Rainbow Magic: Pet Keeper Fairies, #1) Another of these fairy books, this one included a kitten. Who doesn't like a kitten? I've not bothered to look up...Thu, 21 May 2026 14:55:52 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-a-conjuring-of-light-shades-of-magic-3-v-e-schwab-2/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-a-conjuring-of-light-shades-of-magic-3-v-e-schwab-2/I was right! A few months ago, when I last read an Agatha Christie book, I proposed they would be better as audiobooks. So I put my money (or audible credit) where my mouth is and...Wed, 20 May 2026 17:42:52 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-20/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-20/Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl Ahh! The GOAT of children's authors in my opinion. And this is one of this is one of his best books too. I loved sharing this book with Ella since...Wed, 20 May 2026 12:41:49 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-19/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-19/Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue (Kitty #1) by Paula Harrison I was beginning to think most kids books outside of the famous ones are all trash, but nope not here! This one I hadn't...Wed, 20 May 2026 00:55:22 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-beta-is-this-really-the-best-one/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-beta-is-this-really-the-best-one/This is Your Mother by Erika J. Simpson Thank you Goodreads and Scribner for the ARC of This is Your Mother. When I travel I love to look through my 'to read' bookshelf and see if...Wed, 20 May 2026 00:30:58 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/26-april-theme-prizes-read-a-pulitzer-winning-novel/https://purrfectprose.com/26-april-theme-prizes-read-a-pulitzer-winning-novel/The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver “Tata Jesus is bängala” I need to rave about this book - it is brilliant and I loved it. I related to all the females in the family in...Tue, 19 May 2026 18:25:56 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/26-march-theme-get-graphic-read-a-graphic-novel/https://purrfectprose.com/26-march-theme-get-graphic-read-a-graphic-novel/Maus I: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman “I dunno…maybe everyone has to feel guilty. Everyone! Forever!” Oh, a graphic novel sounds fun, thought I at the beginning of the month...Fri, 08 May 2026 17:41:56 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/26-january-theme-black-history-month/https://purrfectprose.com/26-january-theme-black-history-month/The Science of Racism by Keon West "I personally would much rather live in a world in which every White man wanted to lynch me, but none of them had the power to do it, than a...Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:34:46 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-a-conjuring-of-light-shades-of-magic-3-v-e-schwab/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-a-conjuring-of-light-shades-of-magic-3-v-e-schwab/What a fantastic culmination of this trilogy. I was on the edge of my seat as the the Antari from the 3 different worlds worked together to defeat the darkness. Just wow. I think...Sun, 05 Apr 2026 21:28:57 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-18/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-18/Amelia Bedelia Wraps it Up (Amelia Bedelia Special Holiday Book No1) by Herman Parish Christmas arrived here in September for reasons known best to a four year old. This is...Sun, 05 Apr 2026 20:59:30 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-a-gathering-of-shadows-shades-of-magic-2-v-e-schwab/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-a-gathering-of-shadows-shades-of-magic-2-v-e-schwab/Usually book 2 in a trilogy is the weakest, but not it this case, as this was the best of the lot. At the beginning I was a bit confused as Lila was suddenly on a boat. In fact I...Sun, 05 Apr 2026 20:44:50 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-alpha-is-this-really-the-best-one/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-alpha-is-this-really-the-best-one/And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie It's Agatha Christie - I enjoyed it. However, I would not say it was the best Agatha Christie I have ever read. The premise of this...Sun, 08 Feb 2026 14:59:41 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-17/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-17/Storm the Lightning Fairy (Weather Fairies #6)- by Daisy Meadows Here's some interesting info: Daisy Meadows is not a person! My mental image of a bubbly blonde woman in her 20's...Sun, 08 Feb 2026 14:35:23 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-guest-list-lucy-foley/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-guest-list-lucy-foley/What a fantastic audiobook! I read so many thrillers that are in fact - not thrilling. I am happy to announce this was not in that category. I was hooked from the very beginning....Sat, 07 Feb 2026 14:10:00 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/26-january-theme-finish-an-abandoned-book/https://purrfectprose.com/26-january-theme-finish-an-abandoned-book/Brick Lane by Monica Ali Another year, another abandoned book. Finally an update from last year: last month I visited Wilby and did indeed go and visit the "pig-ones" as promised...Mon, 19 Jan 2026 22:57:11 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-december-theme-courtesy-of-mum-tartan-noir/https://purrfectprose.com/25-december-theme-courtesy-of-mum-tartan-noir/Absolution(Anderson & Costello #1) by Caro Ramsay Tartan noir - a popular genre of dark, gritty Scottish crime fiction. This particular example was set in Glasgow with sections...Thu, 08 Jan 2026 23:36:08 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-16/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-16/The Chalk Box Kid - by Clyde Robert Bulla An unusual chapter book, certainly. This book definitely had an atmosphere, it was bleak and grey. If depression was a book, this might...Mon, 08 Dec 2025 16:15:19 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-l-comedy-poetry-or-literature/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-l-comedy-poetry-or-literature/The Copywriter by Daniel Poppick Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Goodreads for the ARC of this book. Even after I've finished, I'm not quite sure what this book it. But I like...Mon, 08 Dec 2025 15:54:51 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-into-thin-air-jon-krakauer/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-into-thin-air-jon-krakauer/Every few years, if you're lucky, you find a book that captivates you. a book that takes over your brain and your soul and makes you look at the world differently. Usually for me...Mon, 08 Dec 2025 15:34:02 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-wake-up-call-beth-oleary/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-wake-up-call-beth-oleary/Thanks Caitlin for buying this and letting me borrow it! I think Caitlin likes Beth O'Leary since this is the third book I've read - all donated by my sister-in-law. This book is...Mon, 08 Dec 2025 15:09:38 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-k-feminism-or-lexiography/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-k-feminism-or-lexiography/The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams I found this book on a book swap shelf in the play cafe where they host a book club. Fantastic book shelf that one, always something...Fri, 05 Dec 2025 18:16:10 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-15/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-15/Ivy and Bean (#1) - by Annie Barrows This is our first Ivy and Bean book, and we actually started a series at no.1! I've never generally been a fan of books featuring "naughty...Wed, 03 Dec 2025 16:50:51 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-everyone-on-this-train-is-a-suspect-ernest-cunningham-2-benjamin-stevenson-2/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-everyone-on-this-train-is-a-suspect-ernest-cunningham-2-benjamin-stevenson-2/You can probably guess since this is number 33 in the series, that I quite like Agatha Raisin. I liked this one too, even though it wasn't actually written by M.C. Beaton since...Wed, 03 Dec 2025 02:39:27 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-ruby-fruit-jungle-rita-mae-brown/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-ruby-fruit-jungle-rita-mae-brown/I came to this (audio)book in a round-about way. The lovely folks at goodreads sent me a free giveaway copy of one of the later Mrs. Murphy Mysteries. Now I'm reading mysteries...Wed, 03 Dec 2025 02:23:34 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-j-a-romance-for-the-lesbian-swifties/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-j-a-romance-for-the-lesbian-swifties/Playing for Keeps by Alexandria Bellefleur Thank you Goodreads and Harper Collins for the ARC of Playing for Keeps. For the purpose of reading in the hot tub on vacation in Cancun...Tue, 02 Dec 2025 21:24:55 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-14/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-14/Sophie Mouse (#5) - The Maple Festival by Poppy Green This is our first Sophie Mouse book, and I thought it would be a winner since it's about baking. Ella and I are full into our...Sun, 30 Nov 2025 15:24:05 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-13/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-13/Magic Treehouse (#31) - Summer of the Sea Serpent by Mary Pope Osborne This Magic Treehouse was the best yet. Ella absolutely loved it. She made me read it through 2 times in a...Sun, 30 Nov 2025 14:45:57 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-everyone-on-this-train-is-a-suspect-ernest-cunningham-2-benjamin-stevenson/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-everyone-on-this-train-is-a-suspect-ernest-cunningham-2-benjamin-stevenson/The second installment from Ernest was as good - better? than the first. As before Stevenson picks a fantastic location for his mystery - this time the Ghan train crossing...Sun, 30 Nov 2025 14:32:38 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-12/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-12/Magic Treehouse (#5) - Night of the Ninjas by Mary Pope Osborne This Magic Treehouse book was actually a little scary for Ella. Although the Ninjas turn out to be the good guys,...Sat, 29 Nov 2025 16:17:54 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-october-theme-agatha-christie-2/https://purrfectprose.com/25-october-theme-agatha-christie-2/Hunger Like a Thirst by Besha Rodell Finishing off the year with more easy reads! Thanks to Caledon Books and Goodreads for the ARC of this book. This is totally outside my usual...Sat, 29 Nov 2025 16:02:55 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-11/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-11/Amelia Bedelia & Friends (#1) - Beat the Clock by Herman Parish The second Amelia Bedelia chapter book that we have read. This time to dig outside. A fun little book and nice to...Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:30:41 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-10/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-10/Magic Tree House (#1) - Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne The second installment (for us) of Jack and Annie. This time to go back in time to the Cretaceous era. You can...Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:16:24 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-ballad-of-songbirds-and-snakes-hunger-games-0-suzanne-collins/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-ballad-of-songbirds-and-snakes-hunger-games-0-suzanne-collins/Watching the movie before reading the book is a sacrilegious offence, and one I erroneously committed with this title. Luckily for me, both the movie and the book are fabulous....Fri, 28 Nov 2025 14:57:11 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-9/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-9/Billie B. Brown (#3) - The Midnight Feast by Sally Rippin Oh jeez, annoying Billie B Brown is back again. This time to get scared in the dark outside. It was a little bit better...Tue, 28 Oct 2025 19:59:03 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-8/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-8/Rainbow Magic (#14), Weather Fairies (#7) Hayley the Rain Fairy by Daisy Meadows We found this in a bookbox without realizing that this is the seventh and final book in the...Tue, 28 Oct 2025 19:51:07 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-october-theme-agatha-christie/https://purrfectprose.com/25-october-theme-agatha-christie/The Boomerange Clue (or "Why didn't they ask Evans?" by Agatha Christie Ahhh, after last month's epic, this is just what I needed. One of a few standalone mysteries by the queen...Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:37:15 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-september-theme-10-things-i-hate-about-you-related/https://purrfectprose.com/25-september-theme-10-things-i-hate-about-you-related/The Golden Notebook by Dorris Lessing First off, I believe some clarification is in order for my readers. Every year on my birthday (in September) I watch my favourite film - '10...Sat, 18 Oct 2025 14:50:43 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-august-theme-short-stories/https://purrfectprose.com/25-august-theme-short-stories/Mavericks: Life stories and lessons of history's most extraordinary misfits by Jenny Draper While only tentatively fitting the theme of short stories, since all the stories are of...Sat, 18 Oct 2025 14:14:10 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-i-no-more-fish-in-the-sea/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-i-no-more-fish-in-the-sea/Back-slide by Nora Dahlia Thank you Goodreads and Gallery Books for the ARC of Back-slide. I am in the prime millennial demographic for this book, and I enjoyed the scenes from...Sun, 07 Sep 2025 14:08:12 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-7/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-7/Dolphin School (#4) - Flip's Surprise Talent by Catherine Hapka We're back with the dolphin friends again. I didn't think Ella especially liked the last book but she was up for...Sun, 07 Sep 2025 13:37:26 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-6/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-6/Zoey and Sassafras - Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro So it is possible to find new children's books that are as good as the classics. It's not all Billie B Brown and weird...Sun, 07 Sep 2025 13:22:14 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-h-do-we-still-like-vampires-in-2025/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-h-do-we-still-like-vampires-in-2025/Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse #5) by Charlaine Harris For some reason I never got to the Sookie Stackhouse series back in the 00's when they came out. I'm not sure why as...Sat, 06 Sep 2025 16:04:23 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-5/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-5/The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl I was beginning to wonder if my dissatisfaction with the kids books we have read recently was due to me being, well, not a kid. I am happy to report...Sat, 06 Sep 2025 15:46:58 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-4/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-4/Billie B. Brown - The CopyCat Kid by Sally Rippin Another short one, and better than the last one in this series. There was a moral to the story, I'm never sure if I should mark...Sat, 06 Sep 2025 15:33:04 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-2-2/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-2-2/Billie B. Brown - The Deep End by Sally Rippin Better than those dolphins, and at least it is very short. Billie can't swim and feels embarrassed. Finds out at the swimming...Thu, 04 Sep 2025 20:32:52 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-2/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-2/Dolphin School (#3) - Splash's Secret Friend by Catherine Hapka Well, our second chapter book was less inspiring. Ella liked it (it does have a pink cover) but honestly even for a...Thu, 04 Sep 2025 20:23:10 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-july-theme-book-in-translation/https://purrfectprose.com/25-july-theme-book-in-translation/The Little Old Lady Who Broke all the Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg So maybe if I had read this before the 100 year old man who jumps out of a window, the pilgrimage of...Thu, 04 Sep 2025 20:11:55 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-somewhere-beyond-the-sea-t-j-klune/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-somewhere-beyond-the-sea-t-j-klune/I am happy to announce that book 2 is as good as book 1. It did what sequels so rarely do. It brought back favourite characters but also had an engaging new story that was not...Sat, 02 Aug 2025 17:13:49 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-1/https://purrfectprose.com/reading-with-ella-book-1/The Littles by John Peterson Ahhhhhhhh! This is so exciting, Ella is ready to listen to me read real chapter books! This was written in the 1960's but I had never heard of it...Sat, 02 Aug 2025 16:46:35 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-ten-thousand-doors-of-january-alix-e-harrow/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-ten-thousand-doors-of-january-alix-e-harrow/Fun story: I decided to read this after taking my daughter to a play cafe (cafe with toys for those not in the know!). While I was there I was sat near a book club discussing this...Sat, 02 Aug 2025 16:22:10 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-june-part-2-theme-pride-month/https://purrfectprose.com/25-june-part-2-theme-pride-month/Possessive Puckboys by Eden Finley and Saxon James I wasn't happy that my original pride month book was gay enough. Soooo I typed really super gay book into amazon and this is...Sat, 02 Aug 2025 15:27:55 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-june-theme-pride-month-part-1/https://purrfectprose.com/25-june-theme-pride-month-part-1/Madison Square Murders by C. S. Poe Last year's pride month choice was so depressing I decided to have a happier choice this year. This book is about murder. Our main protagonist...Sat, 02 Aug 2025 15:09:02 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-g-why-does-the-alphabet-now-end-at-y/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-g-why-does-the-alphabet-now-end-at-y/C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton I have read a few of Sue Grafton's alphabet novels over the years and when this popped up in the bookbox I couldn't resist. This is an early one...Sat, 02 Aug 2025 14:52:28 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-residence-inside-the-private-world-of-the-white-house-kate-andersen-brower-2/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-residence-inside-the-private-world-of-the-white-house-kate-andersen-brower-2/I found the second book in this series in the bookbox and it looked interesting so I picked it up. When I found it was the second book I borrowed this, the first in the series,...Sat, 02 Aug 2025 14:38:04 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/august-part-2-theme-booker-long-list/https://purrfectprose.com/august-part-2-theme-booker-long-list/Wild Houses by Colin Barrett A year after I started the August 2024 theme, picked by my mother ,I have finished part two. It seems when my mother gives me a theme, she buys me two...Fri, 01 Aug 2025 21:03:22 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-may-theme-was-the-book-or-the-movie-better/https://purrfectprose.com/25-may-theme-was-the-book-or-the-movie-better/The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith I had so many choices of books to read which fit the bill this month but I am very happy I picked this one. Both the book and the...Tue, 03 Jun 2025 13:46:58 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-residence-inside-the-private-world-of-the-white-house-kate-andersen-brower/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-residence-inside-the-private-world-of-the-white-house-kate-andersen-brower/I think this was the most boring audiobook I have ever listened to. It took me months to finally finish because I found it so difficult to make myself turn it on. However I am not...Tue, 03 Jun 2025 13:28:28 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-crying-in-h-mart-michelle-zauner/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-crying-in-h-mart-michelle-zauner/I'm really sorry to say, but I didn't get on with this book. Possibly part of the problem was that I listened to the audiobook. Michelle reads this book herself and while that can...Tue, 06 May 2025 15:24:48 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-f-why-did-they-have-to-give-it-a-nsfw-cover/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-f-why-did-they-have-to-give-it-a-nsfw-cover/My Best Friend's Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner Thank you Goodreads and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC of My Best Friend's Honeymoon. First things first. What is with the cover?...Sun, 04 May 2025 14:34:28 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-e-a-book-or-an-extended-newspaper-column/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-e-a-book-or-an-extended-newspaper-column/Lost At Sea by Joe Kloc Thank you goodreads and Dey Street Books for the ARC of Lost at Sea. I visited Sausolito many years ago on a trip up the West Coast, but other than looking...Sun, 04 May 2025 14:18:02 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-april-theme-1-of-the-100-boomemoir-march/https://purrfectprose.com/25-april-theme-1-of-the-100-boomemoir-march/The Secret History by Donna Tartt I admit this book took some getting into but as soon as I had past the 100 page mark of this nearly 700 page tome, I found it surprisingly...Sun, 04 May 2025 13:56:44 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-cherry-tree-cafe-heidi-swain-2/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-cherry-tree-cafe-heidi-swain-2/Marian Keyes, you've done it again. I've been reading Marian Keyes books since adolescence when I picked up Rachel's holiday on a whim. Since then I have slowly worked my way...Sun, 04 May 2025 13:15:34 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-vera-wongs-unsolicited-advice-for-murderers-jesse-q-sutanto/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-vera-wongs-unsolicited-advice-for-murderers-jesse-q-sutanto/This was a fantastic listen. Vera Wong reminds me of Hanne, an elderly friend of the family, who took over in the same brisk no-nonsense way. Once you step through the door you...Sun, 04 May 2025 12:53:15 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-d-a-not-terrible-romance/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-d-a-not-terrible-romance/The Hating Game by Sally Thorne This was fairly readable and I actually liked both protagonists. They didn't just magically get together at the end and there was real chemistry....Tue, 01 Apr 2025 15:47:10 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-cherry-tree-cafe-heidi-swain/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-cherry-tree-cafe-heidi-swain/Heidi Swain cannot write male characters. And even her narrator's best efforts to give them different voices didn't make Jake, Ben, Tom and Giles any less interchangeable. Our...Tue, 01 Apr 2025 15:24:31 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-house-on-the-cerulean-sea-tj-klune/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-the-house-on-the-cerulean-sea-tj-klune/Another fantastic fantasy book. I expected a book with the word cerulean in the title to either be amazing or amazingly pretentious. I am happy to report it is the first. The kids...Mon, 24 Mar 2025 19:35:03 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-march-theme-memoir-march-alex-suggests-a-bubble-wrap-celebrity/https://purrfectprose.com/25-march-theme-memoir-march-alex-suggests-a-bubble-wrap-celebrity/Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling This appeared in our book box a few weeks ago and looked like the perfect candidate for a "bubble wrap...Mon, 24 Mar 2025 19:30:41 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-c-our-greatest-living-mystery-writer/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-c-our-greatest-living-mystery-writer/The Searcher by Tana French The book jacket does indeed call Tana French our greatest living mystery writer. It seems a bold claim to make. The book is good, but not that good and...Sun, 16 Mar 2025 13:15:45 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-hownot-to-fall-in-love-actually-2/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-hownot-to-fall-in-love-actually-2/Yeah, this was fine. Nothing problematic, pleasant enough characters, writing was ok. If you want a cozy romance in your ears while you go about your day this fits the bill. And...Sat, 15 Mar 2025 14:06:26 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-a-darker-shade-of-magic-v-e-schwab/https://purrfectprose.com/audiobook-a-darker-shade-of-magic-v-e-schwab/This was great. After my last brush with fantasy and SJM this was a breath of fresh air. A fantastically described and fascinating world. Non-problematic main characters....Sat, 15 Mar 2025 13:49:04 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-b-should-i-trust-booktok-recommendations-2/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-b-should-i-trust-booktok-recommendations-2/A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas I've been vaguely aware of they hype surrounding these books from BookTok and in other social media, so when I visited England last...Sat, 15 Mar 2025 13:36:16 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-a-british-game-show-host-and-comedian-becomes-a-novelist-2/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-a-british-game-show-host-and-comedian-becomes-a-novelist-2/We Solve Murders by Richard Osman After having so much fun completing my monthly reading challenge last year, I embarked on some other challenges this year. Namely to visit every...Tue, 25 Feb 2025 14:29:55 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-february-theme-black-history-month/https://purrfectprose.com/25-february-theme-black-history-month/Will's Race for Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes I was sent this book for free as an Arc from goodreads. It was called Will and contained no illustrations so I don't know if they are...Fri, 07 Feb 2025 14:31:58 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/25-january-2/https://purrfectprose.com/25-january-2/MaddAdam by Margaret Atwood Margaret Atwood is easily one of my top 5 authors, probably even holder of the Number one spot on my list. So it might seem surprising to find her in...Fri, 07 Feb 2025 14:18:17 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/december-theme-winter-snow/https://purrfectprose.com/december-theme-winter-snow/Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Høeg Time Magazine's "Book of the Year" in 1992. Unfortunately it is not 1992 anymore and while this book might have seemed fresh and genre...Thu, 09 Jan 2025 16:05:37 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/2024-recap/https://purrfectprose.com/2024-recap/* I've done it * Thanks for the idea Alex * I'm going to continue next year * Theme suggestions gladly received * Thanks Goodreads for rewarding my reading and reviewing on their...Thu, 09 Jan 2025 15:41:20 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-7/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-7/Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty First off, thanks Caitlin for getting all the Liane Moriarty audiobooks over the last few years and sharing them with me. You probable don't know...Fri, 06 Dec 2024 03:19:07 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/november-theme-political/https://purrfectprose.com/november-theme-political/It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis A Guardian quote on the cover calls this book "eerily prescient" and it's right. Those are the only two words really needed to describe this...Fri, 06 Dec 2024 03:01:22 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-6/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-6/Dirty Thirty by Janet Evanovich 30! Yes, she has written and I have read 30 of these guys! Like The Simpsons or SouthPark the characters never age while technology and society...Fri, 08 Nov 2024 15:29:00 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-5/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-5/The No-Show by Beth O'Leary Thanks Caitlin for the loan of this surprisingly good book. I thought it would be a typical rom-com chick lit kinda deal. It was a bit more complicated...Sun, 27 Oct 2024 18:39:23 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/october-theme-historical-fiction/https://purrfectprose.com/october-theme-historical-fiction/Raphael, Painter in Rome by Stephanie Storey It's occurred to me while reading this book that I might like historical fiction. That might sound odd but I've always had the opinion...Thu, 24 Oct 2024 14:45:35 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/september-theme-non-fiction/https://purrfectprose.com/september-theme-non-fiction/A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage This was a London book box find. That book box was the first I had ever encountered and it was a delight. Housed in an old...Wed, 11 Sep 2024 14:04:13 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-4/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-4/Bones Of The Lost by Kathy Reichs 10 years! I started this book in 2014 and made it to about the midway mark. Then Tempe went to Afganistan and suddenly all the bones were...Sun, 01 Sep 2024 14:24:37 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-3/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-3/Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall What a fun and cozy book. This is everything my pride month book wasn't. Set in the world of the Great British Bake Off (they...Sun, 01 Sep 2024 13:27:08 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/august-part-1-theme-booker-long-list/https://purrfectprose.com/august-part-1-theme-booker-long-list/Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel This theme was given to me by my Mum, and I put assigned it for August as the booker long list was announced on July 30th. Perfect timing! First step...Sun, 01 Sep 2024 13:13:47 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/july-theme-summer/https://purrfectprose.com/july-theme-summer/Cooking with Fernet Branca by James Hamilton-Paterson There were a lot of options in my bookcase for a book fitting the theme of "Summer". I'm not sure why I picked this one but...Thu, 01 Aug 2024 14:35:36 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/june-theme-pride-month/https://purrfectprose.com/june-theme-pride-month/The Laramie Project and The Laramie Project 10 Years Later by Moisés Kaufman I planned to read an Alan Hollingworth book for pride month but we were going away to England and it...Thu, 25 Jul 2024 00:49:49 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-2/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-2/The Search by Nora Roberts 26 hour train trips lend lots of time for reading so I finished off a very long forgotten abandoned book. I started this book on our first trip to the...Fri, 31 May 2024 18:50:45 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/may-theme-modern-slavery/https://purrfectprose.com/may-theme-modern-slavery/The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré When I asked my friends and relatives for themes for my book reading bonanza I have to say I was not expecting "modern slavery" and...Fri, 31 May 2024 14:45:13 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/april-post/https://purrfectprose.com/april-post/So, there's a bit of a change in the billed material this month. I did say that I would be reading Brent's suggestion of "Modern Slavery" and I am working on that. That particular...Tue, 07 May 2024 03:42:25 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-1/https://purrfectprose.com/additional-review-1/How to be a Little Sod by Simon Brett I'm ahead of the Monthly goals so I shoved a little extra light reading in this month (also for a break from Mr. Phinn). This book was...Mon, 11 Mar 2024 15:14:22 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/march/https://purrfectprose.com/march/Out of the Woods but not Over the Hill by Gervase Phinn Two themes in one month this time! Alex gave me the theme of sheep and when I was looking online ideas I found that Memoir...Mon, 11 Mar 2024 15:06:34 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/february/https://purrfectprose.com/february/We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza I listened to Jo Piazza’s podcast 'under the influence' about Mommy influencers when Ella was a newborn and enjoyed it enough...Sun, 18 Feb 2024 16:53:41 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/january-theme-finish-an-abandoned-book/https://purrfectprose.com/january-theme-finish-an-abandoned-book/Divinity 36: Tinkered Starsong Book 1 by Gail Carriger My Mum bought me this book a little while ago and I started it eagerly, I have no idea why I abandoned it because it was...Sun, 18 Feb 2024 16:46:27 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/coming-soon/https://purrfectprose.com/coming-soon/This is PurrfectProse, a brand new site by Catherine K that's just getting started. Things will be up and running here shortly.Sun, 18 Feb 2024 15:53:34 GMThttps://purrfectprose.com/pre-blog-keeper-placeholder/https://purrfectprose.com/pre-blog-keeper-placeholder/A placeholder entry for a pre-2023 KEEP book that was already on the shelf before regular PurrfectProse reviews began.Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT