Cat Girl's Day Off

by Kimberly Pauley

Natalie Ng’s little sister is a super-genius with a chameleon-like ability to disappear. Her older sister has three Class A Talents, including being a human lie detector. Her mom has laser vision and has one of the highest IQs ever. Her dad’s Talent is so complex even the Bureau of Extra-Sensory Regulation and Management (BERM) hardly knows what to classify him as.

And Nat? She can talk to cats.

The whole talking-to-cats thing is something she tries very hard to hide, except with her best friends Oscar (a celebrity-addicted gossip hound) and Melly (a wannabe actress). When Oscar shows her a viral Internet video featuring a famous blogger being attacked by her own cat, Nat realizes what’s really going on…and it’s not funny.

(okay, yeah, a frou-frou blogger being taken down by a really angry cat named Tiddlywinks, who also happens to be dyed pink? Pretty hilarious.)

Nat and her friends are catapulted right into the middle of a celebrity kidnapping mystery that takes them through Ferris Bueller’s Chicago and on and off movie sets. Can she keep her reputation intact? Can she keep Oscar and Melly focused long enough to save the day? And, most importantly, can she keep from embarrassing herself in front of Ian?

Find out what happens when the kitty litter hits the fan.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Humor, Fiction, Cats, Teen

334 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2011

About the author

KIMBERLY PAULEY is the author of the award-winning Sucks to Be Me, which was honored on the YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers list. The sequel, Still Sucks to Be Me, was listed on the VOYA Best Science Fiction Fantasy List of 2010. Born in California, she has lived everywhere from Florida to Chicago and has now gone international to live in the UK with her husband (a numbers man) and the cutest little boy on any continent (The Max). She wrote Cat Girl’s Day Off because she wanted to share what cats really think with the world. ASK Me, is something different: darker, paranormal YA fantasy. The Accidental Wizard is her first middle grade book and is illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. Visit her online at kimberlypauley.com.

Reviews

[Raina · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I should be clear - I am NOT a cat person. Yes, I'm a librarian. Yes, I'm a single woman over 30. Yes, I wear a lot of cardigans.

But I.
Have.
a Dog.

And I should also be clear - this IS a cat book. There are lots of jokes about cats, which fans of Chi's Sweet Home will enjoy. For real cat people.

But I LOVED it anyway.

For one thing, it's been too long since I've read a light-hearted YA. Nat's entire family has superpowers. So does she. But she has the lamest superpower. All she can do is talk to cats.
Luckily, this comes in handy when she can understand a screaming cat in a YouTube video. And off she goes with her two best friends to rescue a missing gossip blogger.


This book is not as much about Ferris Bueller's Day Off as you might expect. Although, yes, there are references to it, I've only seen that movie once (years ago) and only vaguely remember what happens. Just as it is not necessary to be passionate about cats to enjoy this book, it is also not necessary to be passionate about 80s Teen Movies.

It is also not necessary to be passionate about superheros. Even though this story is set in a world where a significant part of the population has superpowers. A significant-enough portion that there is a semi-secret government agency dedicated to the superpowered (think Men in Black).

Nat struggles with feeling like the ignored member of her family (she's the middle child), her crush on a classmate (who's well described and not overly muscular), and works with her friends to solve the mystery and save the day.

She's likeable, real, everygirlish, and NOT WHITE.

There are many hijinks.

The only thing that annoyed me -- just a touch -- was that her friends were 1. a gorgeous girl destined for stardom (these things do become plot-points aka serve a purpose, but still) and 2. a gay dude obsessed with celebrity (his love life and interests also serve purposes, but still). I mean, yay for diversity. But I'm a little tired of the outsider girl with one gorgeous friend and one gay friend thing. I feel like I've read that combo a lot. I feel like there could be way more female lesbian friends (who are NOT interested in the protagonist) in teen fic. But that's my personal issue. Give us an inch and we'll yell atcha for not giving a mile. ;)


Bottom line: This book is awesome. It's a shoo-in for middle school booktalks next year and combines a unique set of elements in an elegant, fun, quirky way. I didn't want it to end.

Does your cat like to play with your toothbrush when you're not home?

[Agnieszka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me reading this book:



Now the review.

First thoughts
If you follow me on Twitter you know how happy this book made me!

Cover
This cover reveals exactly what this book is: fun, fast, full of color! It's what made me request the book and I'm grateful it did, because it doesn't disappoint.
And on a side note, I'm glad it features an Asian girl. I heard about racism when it comes to covers (sic!) and I'm happy it's not the case.

Plot
I don't see how anyone could DISLIKE this book! It's fresh, it's fun, it's such an amazing ride! Come on, which blogger wouldn't love a book about... a blogger? And superpowers. And talking cats. And breaking the stereotypes about Asians and gays. AWESOMESAUCE.

Characters
I don't even know where to start! I loved every character right from the start, when we got to know Nat's family of geniuses, then her amazing friends (Oscar being my absolute favorite), cats she could talk to, actors, secret agents... No, I really don't know where to begin.
Nat was a great main character. Strong headed, keeping her feet on the ground, she's the sane point in the lives of her family of geniuses or even her friends who dream big. She doesn't want to be famous, unlike her friends Oscar or Melly - who'd want to be famous for a Talent of Speaking With Cats, anyway? But in the end, it's Nat who saves the day!
Oscar is her gay best friend, half-Asian on top of that. I was really amazed how Kimberly Pauley didn't fall into stereotypes (Oscar was a bit exaggerated at times, but not to the point I'd think "this needs to stop") and managed to pull off Oscar as a comedy character without it being too obvious.
I can't forget about the cats - Meep, Rufus Brutus The Third, Purr Daddy and the others - they all had their own quirks, habits and despite all the talking they were very very... cat. I loved that about them!
What I also loved was the fact that every character - even those who only appeared for a short while, like Garrett - had their own voices and stories and I cared about them.
When a book makes you care about every character - that means the author is doing it right!

Writing
Narration in Cat Girl's Day Off is an awesome mix of adorable and witty. Nat's remarks made me laugh hard every few sentences. I'm not even kidding, every few sentences! The dialogues - especially when the cats were involved - were hilarious and very natural. On top of all that we had blog posts. Actual blog posts written by a blog celebrity. How cool is that?

Overall
I can't stress enough how much I loved this book! It made me laugh a lot, it's got a hilarious, easy to read plot and absolutely adorable character. Definitely one of my favorite reads this year!
Read it, read it, read it!

[Peter Tillman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty good YA urban fantasy about a girl who can talk to cats. Not dogs, though the cats can talk to dogs, a little. Anyway, the plot is a mess, with a superpower shapechanger villain who takes over a movie star, because, well, *movie star*. And high school boys, and Natalie Ng's first date with her crush from trig class. I skipped over the slow start and probably missed some of the set-up, but this is basically YA fluff. But pretty good fluff, and she can talk to *cats*. Who talk back, and are pretty, well, catty. At one point, she has a small army of cats in the getaway car....

Recommended to cat-lovers, and probably best for its intended audience, high-school kids who love cats. But I liked it pretty well, and might try another by this new-to-me author.

[Jessica-Robyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

The best way I can describe my experience with Cat Girl's Day Off would be that it was like having a bad day. A bad day is when you wake up late, drop your toothbrush on the bathroom floor, can't find the car keys, see some young kid screaming in the grocery store, and don't get the last piece of pizza at dinner. Sure, if any of these individual moments happened on a perfectly normal day it wouldn't really matter overall, but on a bad day it's the way the little things add up and build upon each other that makes it so bad.

With Cat Girl's Day Off the overall picture is actually very pretty. The main character, Natalie Ng, is so likeable that I was rooting for her almost instantly. Her world of superpowers being less-than super is also just a really great concept for a YA novel. The way Natalie's cat communication abilities played into her personality and the plot worked very well.

Something else I would really praise the book for is the attention paid to the social environment of teenagers. The book acknowledges the popular use of blogging, tweeting, and characters actually calling each other without making it feel like a gimmick or dating itself with references that won't work a year from now. Here we get that acknowledgement as well as incorporation in a natural way that makes the story better for it.

I would actually compare this book to something like the Mediator series with Shadowland or The Ghost and the Goth books. You have a main character that has this special ability, only here it's cats instead of ghosts, they are then put into a situation where they have to use their secret gift to try and get to the bottom of whatever unnatural event has presented itself at their front door. They are the only one who can help, but they don't necessarily want to stick their neck out.

Unfortunately, although I am a fan of these sort of novels where Cat Girl's Day Off goes wrong is that it just doesn't give you enough. It needed more world building, it needed more character building, it needed more urgency, it needed some serious editing, and it needed to be a series instead of a stand alone.

Where the book starts off is very promising. We are introduced to Natalie and her family dynamic of being the middle child. She's also half-Chinese, which automaticly earns diversity points and a high five. We then get introduced to her friends Oscar, who is gay/Asian, another high five, and Melly who both seem like very interesting companions. All is going well until the mystery kicks in and every character (aside from Natalie) becomes unrealistic and unbearable. This is where the bad day started.

The characters of Melly and Oscar start off pretty good and go down hill fast. Oscar and Melly just don't seem like they're really Natalie's friends. They treat her like a play thing and it's a little condescending the way they act around her. There was never a moment where it seemed like this group even had anything in common. I never understood why she hung out with them, which is a fatal flaw considering most of the book is based around their friendship.

Oscar took the brunt of my dislike. He's a lot like Jack from Will and Grace, except not over-the-top funny. There were a lot of smaller moments centred around Oscar that left me wondering what the author was trying to accomplish with this guy. And then there's Melly who was almost completely defined by her looks. Any mention of her centred around how pretty she is or how she's using her attractiveness to get something.

This happened on page 40, which was possibly the worst moment in the entire book. Melly is about to use her feminine wiles to distract this guy at the front desk of a hotel so Oscar and Natalie can sneak into the elevator to get to one of the rooms. So, Melly has gone up to this guy who is older then herself with the intent of heavily flirting with him, even though she's only sixteen. This didn't bother me because it's been done before and keeps the plot moving. However, then our main character turns around in the middle of her sneaking to make the point that this guy is a "Dirty old man" because he's smiling and laughing at the attention. This bothers Natalie because she says it's clear Melly "doesn't look a day over sixteen". This is followed up on page 43, with "Melly still has that perv talking to her up at the desk". These two quotes bothered me. It bothered me to the point of complete rage on behalf of the guy.

I'll be the first person to point out when some dude is acting creepy or pervy, screw those guys, but let's establish something here. He is not going up to Melly and initiating this sort of behaviour. As far as Natalie or the reader knows he is not touching her, grabbing her, harassing her, demeaning her, acting suggestively towards her, or in any way behaving inappropriately. All anyone sees him doing is smiling and laughing which makes him a both a "dirty old man" and a "perv". This guy was instantly vilified in a way that wasn't at all necessary in the story. It's true that guys should be respectful, but us girls should be expected to do the same, and I did not like the message this was sending about how it was totally fine for her to flirt with him with the intent to manipulate him, but not fine that he responded to it with anything less than "You shall not pass!".

Then there were the complete gaps in logic at the climax of the story with unrealistic character behaviour there is this girl who has been held hostage for two years and now that she's free she seems to be totally fine! Not, you know, curled into a ball crying because she had been forced to starve and pee in a bucket. and even more unrealistic excuses in order to drive the plot forward like when Natalie+Friends+Formerly kidnapped girl dramaticly flee the police because they think they might get arrested for breaking and entering when inside they found a girl chained to f-ing floor who had been held hostage for two years! Also, maybe she should be going to the hospital and not on your crazy adventure ride! or the way Natalie's older sister plays role in the mystery by finding out very important information but never getting around to telling her sister or when she knows her sister is tangled up in this mess but conveniently doesn't ever answer her phone.

On top of all that there would also be times when characters would be talking about the present, but using past tense. An example being when Natalie says on 102 "I really hated that guy" when I believe she's talking about how much she hates him in that moment.

There were also sometimes words that were a letter off, like on page 100, "I snitched some of the pages".

Or the way she says that her crush has the "same eyelashes" as his mother.

Or the use of little sayings in place of swear words. "monkey poo" and "flagpole sitter" being two examples.

Or how the title never plays a part in the book. Day off from what?!

All together this made Cat Girl's Day Off into a painful read that I only finished out of the bazaar hope that things would get better. Throughout the entire story I never lost hope that it might win me back because the potential was there!

To get back to something I said above (before I burst into flame), I mentioned how I think this should have been a series. This may seem confusing since I didn't like the book, but when you look at the Mediator as a comparison it starts to make a lot more sense. The Mediator series wouldn't have worked as a stand alone because if Meg Cabot had to tie everything up in a nice little bow at the end of Shadowland that story wouldn't have been as good. By opening it up to be a series it left the story with somewhere to go. Cat Girl's Day Off could have benefited from that. Instead we get the most unearned Happily Ever After that I've seen in a while.

Now, I know that there will be plenty of people who will love this book, from the description I really did think I would be one of them, but even now I can see how this would still be enjoyable for some people. However, my experience did not do the concept justice. I really wish this could have gone better or maybe more honestly that I had just avoided it altogether.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natalie Ng comes from a super Talented family. Both her parents and her older and younger sisters all have useful, practical Talents. But Natalie? Yeah, all she can do is talk to cats. It’s not something she’s particularly proud of, and it’s definitely not something she likes to share. In fact, outside of her family, the only two people who know of her skill are her two quirky best friends, Oscar and Melly. And Natalie would like more than anything to keep it that way. But when she stumbles upon a video of a celebrity blogger being attacked by her own cat—and understands the Tiddlywinks’s vicious accusations—she knows she has to do something. So, Natalie begins to investigate a potential celebrity kidnapping that will take her through movie sets, all around Chicago, and nearly to the extent of her sanity. In the end, with two starry-eyed friends, some dubious backup, and an army of clever cats, will Natalie be able to save face and save the day?

Cat Girl’s Day Off is one hilarious story that covers with everything from celebrity gossip and movie stars to quasi-superhero powers and, oh yeah, talking cats. There really isn’t anything not to love about this book. The characters are easy to sympathize with and understand, especially Natalie and her feelings of inadequacy when compared to her Talented family. The plot is completely entertaining with a good balance of everyday awkwardness and more dramatic scenes. And the humor is superb; readers are sure to be immensely amused with Natalie’s dealings with her own cat Meep, the pompous pink cat Tiddlywinks, and her crush Ian’s cat Purr Daddy (or PD for short). I definitely found myself laughing aloud many times while reading Cat Girl’s Day Off, and I’m sure that many other readers will be as entertained, excited, and amused by this fantastic story as I was.

Cat Girl’s Day Off will be enjoyed by fans of Sucks to Be Me, also by Kimberly Pauley, Dead Is the New Black by Marlene Perez, and Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

[Janni]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which is pretty much exactly what it promises to be: the breezy (but not shallow) story of a girl who's grown up in a family of supernatural supergenuises who's saddled with the comparatively unimpressive, even embarrassing (she thinks) ability to talk to cats.

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Originally posted to: Bookish Book Blog |YA and Adult Book Reviews, Author Interviews, Guest Posts, Giveaways and news! ^___^


I loved, loved, LOVED this book. Humorous, delightfully cheerful, clever, and refreshingly quirky, Cat Girl's Day Off is one of the most enjoyable novels I've ever read. You wouldn't believe how much fun I had with this book. Filled with vibrant personalities, laugh-out-loud hilarious dialogues, eye-popping situations, mysteries, and cats with attitude, Kimberly Pauley's most recent book is a cat story like you've never read before. I'm not exaggerating, this book is flipping EPIC!

Our heroine, Natalie, is a cat girl. No, I don't mean an old and grumpy cat lady that smells like cat urine and is totally socially awkward. I mean a girl that can hear cats and carry out full-blown conversations with them. The ability to talk to cats is Natalie's talent. In fact, each of her family members has some sort of a special talent/ability: her little sister is uber-smart and can blend into the environment much like a chameleon, her older sister is a human-lie detector, her mom - is super intelligent (highest IQ in the world) and has incredible laser vision, and her dad's talent is so complex it's practically not possible to classify it. Natalie always thought that from all the talents she could've ended up with, she got the most boring one. She's so ashamed of it, keeps it a secret and never ever talks about it. Only her two best friends, the geektastic celebrity-gossip-machine Oscar and gorgeous born-to-be-famous Melly, know about Natalie's ability. It isn't until the famous celebrity blogger, Easton West, gets kidnapped that Natalie's unique skills finally come in handy. With the help of the most aristocratic pink cat you'll ever meet, Nat and her two faithful side-kicks will make saving Easton their mission. And let me just tell, it won't be an easy one!

Where do I begin? I loved everything about this book, from the phenomenal, three-dimensional characters to intriguing plot line to Kimberly's fluid and entirely captivating writing style. This book is a treat, and not only for cat people - I don't consider myself a cat person (please don't tell Rufus!), but I enjoyed every second of this novel. The plot line was mysterious, funny, romantic and positively energetic. It kept me intrigued and well entertained throughout the entire time. There were some paranormal elements to it (the talents), but I can't really call it a paranormal book, to me it was a contemporary novel with paranormal elements (and I will stick to that!). Light, fluffy, and colourful, this is an uplifting read, and one that is sure to bring a huge grin to your face.

One aspect of Cat Girl's Day Off was especially fascinating to me, and I'm talking about this book being minority and LGBT friendly. The story featured not one, but many Asian or half-Asian (like Oscar) characters and they were all brilliantly fleshed-out, and - what is extremely important - in totally non-stereotypical way. I can't tell you how refreshing it was to read a book with such multicultural diversity, and one that would also be incredibly tolerant and accepting of homosexual characters. A breath of fresh air, to say the least! I loved that the lead protagonist was not yet another gorgeous blond girl with blue eyes. I'm so tired of clones! I needed Nat to be different, and she was - in so many ways, all of them absolutely wonderful. Her vibrant personality really stood out to me (and so did Oscar's and Melly's, not to mention the absolutely fabulous Rufus!), and I quickly warmed up to her. She was likeable, just a little bit shy (but not embarrassingly so), full of energy, and with a charming sense of humour. I was so proud of her when she asked Ian out! She did it in the most stylish, bad-ass, adorable way, and at that time all I wanted to do is high-five her - I was so proud, I think I almost teared up! Oscar was just wicked awesome, and I absolutely and utterly adored him. Next to Nat and Rufus he was one of my top three favourite characters. And out of all the characters in this book, I believe Oscar to have the most approachable, sparkly personality - I couldn't help but to love him.

Cat Girl's Day Off is not only an action-packed and intensely entertaining story. This book is also layered up with meaning and profound messages. Featuring themes like friendship, family, self-discovery and self-acceptance, it's a book that will not only make you snort your drink through your nose, but also make you stop and think. To me, this book is a gem. It's a pocket full of sunshine that brightened my day, made me laugh like a maniac (and in public, too!), and left me feeling satisfied, mellow, and enriched.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seriously quirky in the best way possible. As a library employee who completely fulfills the cat-lover stereotype, I love the idea of a girl who can communicate with cats. I'd love to hear what mine are thinking. But as much as I love the concept, I really love the main character. Natalie Ng may not think much of herself in comparison to her uber-talented family, but her understated, sarcastic wit & self-effacement is very, very real & very appealing. I dare a reader not to want to be her best friend. Her best friends, by the way, Melly & Oscar, are almost as awesome & well-drawn as she is.
In a vague homage to "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", a movie is being filmed at their school. Strange things soon start happening, though, as celebrity blogger Easton West's pink cat swears to Natalie that the person he is being dragged around by may look just like her, but isn't. Easton has been kidnapped, possibly by the diva movie starlet she came out to write about. Natalie's friends insist that she is the only person who can figure out what is going on, & has a responsibility to do so. Before she knows what's coming, Natalie is totally mixed up in something truly crazy.
Fantastic, fun, light read. I would not be sorry at all if Natalie comes back for more later.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO FREAKING AWESOME! It has CATS! She actually talks to them! At first I wasn't sure and I thought she talked at them but no she talks to them and they talk back. It's so cool. It has CATS! A bit of romanticalness going on and a whole bunch of pop culture reference. Oh and she's half Asian, which was cool... cause I'm half Asian so I get that thing. Also I hadn't realised that this was the same author as the one who wrote the Sucks To Be Me books, which I loved and still am waiting on the third installment! So yeah I loved this book, couldn't put it down, seriously I took it to a parade with me but I only got to read on the bus. I hope she writes a sequel to it. I'm so happy that I picked it randomly from the library because of its title. I might read it again too. :)

[Julie (Let's Read Good Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I enjoyed this one quite a bit, despite the annoying, stereotyped BFFs. I consider this a popcorn read; it's quick and the prose is breezy and humorous. I loved all of the cats, even if Nat wasn't so fond of all of her new feline friends. Pack this one in your beach bag - it's the perfect book to consume while lounging in the sun.

Full review soon at www.mangamaniaccafe.com

[Kim Baccellia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious with a great voice!

My YA Books Central Review: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaficti...

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starting off, I didn’t think I’d like this book, but it got better. It was a little ridiculous but fun.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a lot of things I really liked about this book:

1. It is realistic fiction except that certain people have "Talents" such as mind-reading or supersensory abilities. I love it when stories are set in alternative universes and it's like, no big deal, that people have certain abilities (see "knacks" in the Alvin Maker series by Orson Scott Card or "working" in The Curse Workers series by Holly Black). Our heroine Natalie Ng's Talent is she can communicate with cats, which is pretty much EXACTLY the Talent I would want to have, except for a broader range of animals.

2. Two of the three main characters are half-Asian, and their third friend is a 'token' white person. And it's no big deal.

3. One of the friends is gay. And it's no big deal.

4. Realistic and fun cover. That is exactly how Natalie Ng is described. No whitewashing of covers from awesome minority publisher Lee&Low! Yay!

5. Great fonts and paper quality. Really. I mean, if traditional publishers want to stay afloat in the ebook wars they need to provide the reader with some aesthetic incentive.

6. Every chapter begins with a quote about cats and some are really funny. Some are from famous people, some are from the characters in the book, and best of all, there are two quotes "found on the Internet and often misattributed" to Einstein and Abraham Lincoln.

7. Realistic and non-gratuitous use of Twitter, cell phones, and blogs

8. Instead of a bunch of swears, the author manages to imply what characters just sweared or to use funny swears such as "poodle farts".

9. The word "shmexy" was used.

10. There are nunchucks.

11. A big part of the action happens on September 11 and there are no references to the importance of that date in history AT ALL.

12. A girl asks a boy out on a date. And it's no big deal. She also has no problem telling him she like him a lot. Finally!

13. Ferris Bueller-ception. The plot is loosely about how a movie is being made that follows the events of FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF and then Natalie and her friends follow the new movie following the old movie. Three layers of FERRIS!

14. I learned that the last name "Ng" is Chinese and not Vietnamese as I thought. And it's pronounced "Ing".

Wow, that's a pretty long list! The above elements made for a fun and original read. I think the book would have worked more for me though if the plot had been a bit tauter and if there had been more at stake than there was. The format of the story was basically a comedy-mystery-caper, and I enjoy that genre. But there wasn't a lot to make me care about the outcome and there was pretty much zero emotional resonance or character development. I prefer comedies like GROUNDHOG DAY or 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN or BRIDESMAIDS where there are wacky things happening but there are real moments of emotion and the character at the end is different from how she was at the beginning. CAT GIRL'S DAY OFF did not seem to attempt this.

I think this will work for people wanting a quick fun read, and may be more suited for grades 6-9 than older readers.

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really a solid 3.5 stars, but I felt the "liked it" description of a three-star rating fit better for me than the "really liked it" four-star one. I love the concept - in a world where some people have superpower-like Talents, a girl whose Talent is to talk to cats is the only one who can solve the mystery of a kidnapped celebrity; hijinks ensue. And I really love the nonchalant and positive inclusion of diverse characters - racially diverse and also LGBTQ, sometimes both. Plus, girl talks to cats!

The writing has its moments for sure, but I'm not about to go crazy over it. And then there's Nat, our intrepid protagonist. Methinks the lady doth protest too much (sometimes, not enough other times). Which is to say that I find it hard to identify with some of her wishes, but also for the fact that she doesn't stand up for them. "I don't waaant to be famous, but being a hero has been thrust upon me and now everybody's all, 'you go, girl!' and I just want to be left alooone," makes me think of the old (obnoxious, hard-to-identify-with) standard, "All the boys at school liiike me and I don't know whyyy but I just find it so anoooying!" At the same time, if Nat really does want to be left alone - not to, for example, do interviews or go to the parade - then she darn well ought to put her foot down. Maybe it's a common teenager trait that I just don't remember, but I'm generally annoyed by characters who don't seem one hundred percent sure about what they want but get really frustrated when they don't think they're getting it but then don't act on that frustration in a constructive way. (See my review of Rampant for a protagonist doing this much worse than Nat.)

Anyway, a quick book that I would have loved as a kid because of the cat-talking-with stuff; I'm just a little pickier as a reader now.

On a side note: I LOVE how accurate the cover is to the book. Right down to an actual outfit Nat wears in the story and the folds of Rufus' ears.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary:
Nat Ng, middle daughter in a family where superpowers are extraordinary, has the unenviable talent of being able to speak to cats.  When a celebrity's cat goes crazy and attacks his owner, Nat is the only one who understands what the cat is saying--that someone was impersonating his owner.  Can Nat and her friends find out what really happened to the celebrity, or will the imposter make them disappear too.

Review:
As a person who grew up with cat's I can tell you that their were many times that I wondered what my cat was thinking.  Cats are bizarre creatures, who live by their own rules.  Cat's have their own distinct personalities, and sometimes I think I should be grateful that my cat's couldn't talk--I shudder to think what criticism they might have for me.

Pauley clearly understands cats and the relationship they have with their owners. It was pure pleasure to be able to understand what the cat's were saying and they were some of the most colorful characters in this novel.  The dialogue between the cats, and the dialogue between the human characters was sharp and funny.

While the pacing of the novel slows down in parts, this really is a fun novel.  The characters are fun, the cats speak exactly how would expect a cat to talk.  The mystery is interesting and the Talents are fun.

Overall:
This novel has all the characteristics of a Disney film; talking animals, smart sassy though constantly underachieving heroines, and a villain in disguise.  It was a charming mystery and fun romp with animals through the corridors of a high school and the streets of Chicago.

Cautions for Sensitive Readers:
Mild language.

[Arminzerella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Natalie Ng comes from a Talented family, but she’s completely embarrassed by her Talent - she can talk to (and understand) cats. It seems like a useless gift until Nat overhears celebrity blogger, Easton’s cat (Tiddlywinks aka Rufus) cry for help – his person has been kidnapped by an imposter! Nat’s best friends, Oscar and Mellie, are obsessed with celebri-culture, and Oscar follows Easton’s blog religiously. When they discover what’s going on, they convince Nat to do the right thing – free Rufus and find the kidnapper! Insanity, mayhem, and hilarity ensue! Not to mention several chilling brushes with a psychotic (and Talented) kidnapper. Can three teenagers solve this mystery, bring a criminal to justice, and reunite Tiddlywinks with his person?

I had a few reservations when I learned this was a book about a girl who talks to cats. Oh, what wild times are these when publishers are pushing vampire-pirates, angelic werewolves, and banshee princesses (actually, I think only vampire-pirates have made their way into print so far…)! But I loved Kimberly Pauley’s “Sucks to be Me,” so I decided to give this a chance. I’m so glad I did – Nat Ng is funny, and self-conscious, and her heart is in the right place. As it turns out, being able to talk to cats is a pretty awesome superpower, and I enjoyed getting to know all of the different cats. I hope Kimberly Pauley writes more about Talented teenagers in the future.

[Carol Nicolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hilarious! I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. Set in a modern day Chicago where people have important Talents (superpowers), teen Natalie Ng (pronounced ‘Ing’) only has the embarrassing talent of being able to talk to cats, and she doesn’t want anyone to know about it. But when she sees a YouTube video of a popular celebrity blogger carrying a yowling cat, she is the only one who realizes that the cat is telling everyone that his person has been kidnapped, and that this woman holding him prisoner is an imposter. Natalie and her friends set out to rescue the real owner of the cat, and at once everything starts to go wrong. We begin with the familiar landscapes of a smart, funny, but shy teenage girl who has a crush on a certain guy at high school, and we head straight into filming a tribute to Ferris Beuller’s Day Off, where her star-struck best friends are less than helpful. It’s up to Natalie to be the brains behind the rescue, and we see her character grow as the fun continues. Rollicking adventure and desperate attempts to stop the villain follow, and of course the cats end up as the heroes. I enjoyed Natalie’s personality, but I enjoyed the antics and comments of the cats even more. If you’ve ever wished you knew what your cat was saying, think again. This lighthearted YA Urban Fantasy was definitely a good read!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fans of Ferris Bueller's Day Off and lovers of felines will certainly enjoy this title, which is, in a lot of ways, a tribute to the city of Chicago just as John Hughes's film was as well. Natalie Ng, the book's protagonist, comes from a family of talented individuals. Her older sister works for a government agency, and her younger one has been able to skip several grades. With their talents and those of her parents, Natalie's ability to hear the thoughts of cats seems to be small potatoes. But when chaos erupts while a film crew is taping scenes at her high school, Natalie can no longer hide her gift, something she's done for years since she feared being teased. There are all sorts of plots and cases of mistaken--or stolen--identity here plus a couple of romantic interests. I chortled as I read the cats' voices and envisioned several cats aiding Nat and her friends while they were trying to get to the root of the mystery. In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed Natalie's voice, her way with cats, and her acceptance of herself as is rather than trying to be cooler than her classmates. This is certainly a feel good novel with a firm reminder to be true to yourself. All this--and she gets the guy!

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an arc that I recieved from netgalley. I was not sure it would be my type of book, being about cats and all. However, I must say that I actually very much enjoyed this novel. It was light and easy, funny and fun.

I am sort of impartial when it comes to felines. But, I did enjoy the cats in this book. I laughed several times at the comments that came from the animals. I enjoyed Natalie's character. She was as down to earth as a person who talks to cats can be.

Kimberly Pauley is a terrific writer. This novel has wonderful, quirky characters, colorful and cranky cats, and a story that entertains from start to finish. This is a perfect book for middle grade readers.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored Cat Girl's Day Off, Pauley's love letter to John Hughes' Ferris Bueller's Day Off. This completely original mystery is both humorous and clever. Plus, I'm thrilled to see a multicultural cast of characters that breaks with stereotypes. And best of all, you'll never, ever look at your cat the same way again. I only wish--much as I know it would annoy Nat--that she could tell me what my kitties are thinking. I get the sense this could be the start of a series, I sure hope so.

[Diana Ault · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun read with a cast of great characters (human and non). The story moves along like a cat to a freshly opened can of tuna (that's fast in case you're not a cat person). "Frick on a stick." "Poodle farts." I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for contemporary, fun, speculative fiction you can sink your claws into.

[Diana]

Oh my gosh! I hope there's a giveaway! pleaaase!

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review at asianamlitfans.http://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=...#

[atmatos]

Too stilted, and too young for me.

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and funny characters and plot. Readers who liked Ingrid Law's Savvy when they were younger might get a kick out of this one.

[AquaMoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freaking adorable!

Everyone in Natalie's family has a fantastic (and highly useful) superpower: Super-Genius IQ, Invisibility (without a cloak), Laser Vision... and it gets better from there. And Natalie? Well...she can communicate with cats. And ONLY cats. This might seem like a lame talent. And all her life Natalie has felt it absolutely IS. Especially compared to the Talents possessed by the rest of her family. But when the only witness to a Major Kidnapping Case is a feline by the name of Tiddlywinks, well, maybe Nat's talent doesn't suck so much after all.

Like I said: Freaking adorable! I loved the characters (especially Tiddlywinks), and the Ferris Bueller spin made the story a lot of fun, of not somewhat predictable as far as What Happens Next. Not a Five Star, but a solid Four. If there was a sequel, I'd probably read it. And I typically don't do sequels.

Communicating with Cats seems to be a Thing lately. I just reviewed The Rest of Us Just Live Here, in which one of the characters is able to communicate with creatures of the feline persuasion. And Hubby and I recently had one of those conversations about our cats: If they could speak our language, what would they say? What would they sound like? So it seems fitting that I should be reviewing this particular book at this particular moment. Timely.

To be honest, I don't think I'd mind having Nat's talent all that much. It would be awesome to have a chat with Gizmo, the Buddy Cat and Good Boy of the house.

Then again, maybe I don't want to hear what Lilo has to say to me. This is a cat who has been described as "spicy", "feisty", "stubborn", and is infamous at three vet offices (I'm sure her mug is posted at at least one of those).

Anyway, awesome book.

p.s. Because I know you're wondering, Gizmo would sound like Dug from "Up". Lee...like the actress who voiced Lilo in "Lilo and Stitch" (the character after which she was named).

[Ashleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

This thing has been sitting on my to-read list for 6 years, added because I was looking to read books that tackled super powers in a new way. Now this book seems like it should be for two types of people: people who like super powers (me) and people who like cats (not me). As one could have expected, I was very into the Talents and how they were handled, but the cat content was way too much for me (I'm looking at you--bathroom scene--you know what you did, you nasty).

Overall, a pretty decent book, definitely one of the strongest among the books that have been sitting for so long on my to-read list, which I've been making a big effort to clear out lately.

[Diane Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book because of its cover. Really! One of the categories for my reading challenge was "a book with a cat on the cover". A pink cat? Perfect!
I did have a little trouble getting into it, but I figured it was short enough that I could get through it no matter what. And then we actually met the pink cat...and I was hooked! I don't know whether Pauley has any plans for further adventures of Cat Girl, but if she does, I'm there!

[Dragonmommy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the most compelling book, but it is what it was meant to be: a humorous and fun escape for YA cat lovers. I appreciated that it was light, not filled with unnecessary language, and that the characters were people first and not defined by one aspect of their life (the main character's best friends are more than just the "beautiful" girl and the token "gay" friend).

[dearlittledeer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is quiiiiirky and totally fun. Loved all the characters, including the cats.