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Title: Secrets of the Malkin

Subtitle: War of the Malkin Novella Series, Book 1

Author: Virginia Ripple

Narrator: Angel Clark

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-23-16

Publisher: Virginia Ripple

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Teens, Ages 11-13

Publisher's Summary:

The humans want to kill all cats, be they ordinary or magical. The cats want to escape somewhere far from humans. Nadine is a feline social welfare agent whose sole wish is to reunite the two races in this post-plague world.

After a narrow escape from orphaned teenagers determined to use her for target practice, Nadine is left terrified and wondering if there's a way humans and felines can live together in peace.

She finds the answer to her worries in a story about a magical cat, a true Malkin called the Baruhk Sh'Toole. Unfortunately, the Baruhk Sh'Toole disappeared years ago, taking her secrets with her. Despite warnings from her friend, Nadine is determined to find this legendary cat and return life to normal.

With only a map of the queen's last known location and a vague story to go on, the she-cat leaves her comfortable life for an adventure to the Outer Reaches, a place where the trappers will skin a cat alive and then consider killing it. There she must befriend a priest and hope he knows where to find the cat who can heal the world, but doesn't want to be found.

Can a naive young social worker uncover the secrets of the Baruhk Sh'Toole and heal the widening rift between humans and cats or is Nadine doomed to be one more victim in the war?

Members Reviews:

A great read

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Nadine is a social worker that tries to help as many families as possible. She is also a Malkin, a cat that talks with the same reasoning skills as the human she is partnered with. Many humans believe the plague that killed so many was caused by cats and they should be exterminated. After narrowly escaping an attack herself, Nadine learns she was only hired to because it was good PR and her belief that she can do any good is broken.

On her way home, she hears a story of a Malkin that can heal the spirits of both cat and human and sets out to try to find the elusive healer. Her journey is filled with danger, new friends and lessons in self-discovery. Can healing happen where there is no trust? Can truth be found in a heart that can't forgive?

This is a great short story that parallels so much in our world today. On the one hand, this was an easy read. I loved the characters in the story and their personalities. On the other, the fear and prejudice made it a little more difficult to read. In spite of that, I want to see where Nadine's journey takes her. I will definitely be reading the other books in this series.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

An Intriguing Cat Tale

I was drawn to this book because it is about cats. The beautiful cat and the blue lettering on the cover are quite eye catching. This book is very well written and it is easy to fall in love with Nadine, the sweet little feline social worker. Another favorite character was the yellow tabby cat. This book has it all - royalty, a touch of religion, good vs. evil, and a cat heroine. I had to chuckle at the "mouse flavored popcorn balls" the cats grew in their garden. The author has a very vivid imagination and a real way with words. The author described the cats' every movement, from their twitching tails to the flickering of their whiskers. I am looking forward to reading the next novella in this delightful series.

Faith can help a person go forward

I received the book as a freebie but decided to leave a review.