What Curiosity Kills (The Turning, #1)

Jun 20, 2010 Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs-i-own, 2010-100-book-challenge, books-i-own, mundie-moms-review

I give this 2.5 stars-

Helen has written a fascinating story set in New York City about 16 year old Mary Richards. Before being adopted as an older child, Mary grew up in Foster Care. She now lives with her friend and sister, Octavia, who's also adopted. Both girls have had their share of heartache and now live with a loving family in the Upper East Side in Manhattan, and attend a private school.

While the book starts off with Mary, her sister Octavia, and their twin sister friends, I felt the sto...more I give this 2.5 stars-

Helen has written a fascinating story set in New York City about 16 year old Mary Richards. Before being adopted as an older child, Mary grew up in Foster Care. She now lives with her friend and sister, Octavia, who's also adopted. Both girls have had their share of heartache and now live with a loving family in the Upper East Side in Manhattan, and attend a private school.

While the book starts off with Mary, her sister Octavia, and their twin sister friends, I felt the story took a strange turn shortly after it began. Out of no where Mary starts acting strange and starts having feline desires. During this time, her long time crush Nick, starts taking notice in her. It's not until the large deli cat appears outside of her bathroom window and she lets him in, does she start to realize what's happening to her. She's going through "The Turning". Something Nick knows all about and is there to help Mary through it. To Mary's surprise and Octavia's horror, Mary is turning into a cat. Not just any cat, Mary is something more, she's a very elite kind of cat, which causes the attraction of Country Club, King of the Strays. With a turf war looming on the horizon, Mary realizes there's a few things she needs to learn about her abilities and being apart of this secret society. Yoon, the cat she let in to her bathroom, Nick and Octavia are her only source of help.

While a few things were missing from the story for me, I did enjoy Nick and Mary's relationship, even though I felt it came out of nowhere and happened really quickly. They went from never talking to having an immediate connection to dating each other. Once I got further on in the story, I discovered why things happened so fast. Octavia and Mary's relationship is a raw sister/friend relationship that will either be shattered or strengthened through Mary's turning. Mary soon learns the horrors that Octavia endured for years, at the mercy of cats, and the reason why Octavia would never change in front of her. Cats aren't always the nice loving house pets we want them to be. I liked that during the course of Mary's "turning", Octavia and Mary's relationship grows, as they learn to trust the other with secrets no one else knows about.

I'm not sure if I was fascinated or had the hardest time getting into the scenes when Mary's a cat. While those scenes are brief, Helen wrote the scenes from Mary's point of view as a cat, and then when she's human, she describes her feline yearnings she has for Nick and Yoon, the fat deli cat who started "the Turning".

The Turning is the first book in this series, and I am looking forward to finding out what happens with Mary, Nick and Octavia in the next book. While Mary is worried about saving Nick and doing her best to keep her relationship with her sister, who's very freaked out by Mary being a cat, Mary has to save herself, but time is of the essence and Mary's time is running out(less)

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Nov 09, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Breia "The Brain" Brickey for TeensReadToo.com

CURIOSITY KILLS, the first book in THE TURNING series, is an island in a sea of paranormal books. One that pulls you in from the beginning and holds tight throughout the story.

Mary is sixteen years old and not totally human, as you can probably figure out from the title. Mary is shifting into a cat.

First the purring starts, and later she sprouts orange fur on her legs. There are those who understand what she is going through, but who shou...more

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May 02, 2010 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews, young-adult

Mary is a pretty normal 16 year old. Having been adopted she's definitely living a better life now. But lately she has been feeling really odd, doing odd things that she can't explain. Mary learns that she is slowly turning into a feline, but it's not that simple. She's got some tough choice to make. So, much for normal.

This was a fast fun read. I have a tabby cat who thinks he's human, so I enjoyed this story. The Turning was different but intriguing, very unique with boat loads of charm. It's...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-100-book-challenge, books-i-own, arcs-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews

I give this 2.5 stars-

Helen has written a fascinating story set in New York City about 16 year old Mary Richards. Before being adopted as an older child, Mary grew up in Foster Care. She now lives with her friend and sister, Octavia, who's also adopted. Both girls have had their share of heartache and now live with a loving family in the Upper East Side in Manhattan, and attend a private school.

While the book starts off with Mary, her sister Octavia, and their twin sister friends, I felt the s...more I give this 2.5 stars-

Helen has written a fascinating story set in New York City about 16 year old Mary Richards. Before being adopted as an older child, Mary grew up in Foster Care. She now lives with her friend and sister, Octavia, who's also adopted. Both girls have had their share of heartache and now live with a loving family in the Upper East Side in Manhattan, and attend a private school.

While the book starts off with Mary, her sister Octavia, and their twin sister friends, I felt the story took a strange turn shortly after it began. Out of no where Mary starts acting strange and starts having feline desires. During this time, her long time crush Nick, starts taking notice in her. It's not until the large deli cat appears outside of her bathroom window and she lets him in, does she start to realize what's happening to her. She's going through "The Turning". Something Nick knows all about and is there to help Mary through it. To Mary's surprise and Octavia's horror, Mary is turning into a cat. Not just any cat, Mary is something more, she's a very elite kind of cat, which causes the attraction of Country Club, King of the Strays. With a turf war looming on the horizon, Mary realizes there's a few things she needs to learn about her abilities and being apart of this secret society. Yoon, the cat she let in to her bathroom, Nick and Octavia are her only source of help.

While a few things were missing from the story for me, I did enjoy Nick and Mary's relationship, even though I felt it came out of nowhere and happened really quickly. They went from never talking to having an immediate connection to dating each other. Once I got further on in the story, I discovered why things happened so fast. Octavia and Mary's relationship is a raw sister/friend relationship that will either be shattered or strengthened through Mary's turning. Mary soon learns the horrors that Octavia endured for years, at the mercy of cats, and the reason why Octavia would never change in front of her. Cats aren't always the nice loving house pets we want them to be. I liked that during the course of Mary's "turning", Octavia and Mary's relationship grows, as they learn to trust the other with secrets no one else knows about.

I'm not sure if I was fascinated or had the hardest time getting into the scenes when Mary's a cat. While those scenes are brief, Helen wrote the scenes from Mary's point of view as a cat, and then when she's human, she describes her feline yearnings she has for Nick and Yoon, the fat deli cat who started "the Turning".

The Turning is the first book in this series, and I am looking forward to finding out what happens with Mary, Nick and Octavia in the next book. While Mary is worried about saving Nick and doing her best to keep her relationship with her sister, who's very freaked out by Mary being a cat, Mary has to save herself, but time is of the essence and Mary's time is running out(less)

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Sep 04, 2010 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Turning was a very quick read — at just over 200 pages I whipped through this bad boy like a cat slurps down a bowl of milk.

The simple, interesting plot does away with all the convoluted back-story that others in the paranormal genre seem to feel is necessary in abundance. Don’t get me wrong, I could have done with a bit more, but it likely wouldn’t have influenced how I ultimately felt about the book. Well, that is unless it was 100 pages worth of old world stuff droning on and on. That lik...more The Turning was a very quick read — at just over 200 pages I whipped through this bad boy like a cat slurps down a bowl of milk.

The simple, interesting plot does away with all the convoluted back-story that others in the paranormal genre seem to feel is necessary in abundance. Don’t get me wrong, I could have done with a bit more, but it likely wouldn’t have influenced how I ultimately felt about the book. Well, that is unless it was 100 pages worth of old world stuff droning on and on. That likely would have turned me off, but I digress. Interestingly enough, I suspect given where this story ended (and the final revelation as to where Mary stands in the hierarchy of shapeshifting) we’ll have the opportunity to delve a bit deeper into that history in the next book.

What did we have? We had a good group of central characters, some high school antics, realization of paranormal ability and an ascension to power. Seems super fun right? Right, it was!

As far as characters go there was an interesting mix. We have Mary, the main character, a timid girl who just wants to blend in. Her wise cracking sister Octavia, a super-student who is most often the center of attention. A set of twins with an eccentric mother who provide the sisters an excellent escape. And finally, Nick and Yoon the boys who know all about Mary’s abilities. It was through these characters that we got to experience Helen Ellis’ fabulous sense of humor. Her sarcastic wit comes through most notably through Octavia’s words and deeds. I had many laugh out loud moments at the hands of Octavia’s dialogue that definitely made the story all that more enjoyable.

So what about the paranormal elements? Oh, they were there for sure. But unlike some I’ve read within the genre it wasn’t heavy handed. In fact, I’d say the story was more about the idea of the turning than the actual act itself. Don’t get me wrong, we got the latter too but seeing it happen over and over again wasn’t the end all be all of what Ellis was trying to get across. I really appreciated that. I wanted to take the journey with Mary and I didn’t need the repetition of seeing her turn fifty times in two days to do it.

The Turning is an excellent foray into the paranormal genre for those who may be a bit wary of it. It’s also appropriate for your middle grader. It’s highly entertaining, with some good laughs to liven up the more serious moments.(less)

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Jul 30, 2010 Literary Feline rated it 3 of 5 stars

It's funny really. I had every reason to say no when I was approached to read The Turning: What Curiosity Killed. I nearly did. I am not even sure why I said yes exactly. Unlike so many bloggers out there, I am not smitten with young adult novels in general. Take Peanut Buster Parfaits. I like them, but only now and then. It's the same with Young Adult fiction. Then there is the little fact that people assume that because I go by the name Literary Feline that I love to read about cats. Sometimes...more It's funny really. I had every reason to say no when I was approached to read The Turning: What Curiosity Killed. I nearly did. I am not even sure why I said yes exactly. Unlike so many bloggers out there, I am not smitten with young adult novels in general. Take Peanut Buster Parfaits. I like them, but only now and then. It's the same with Young Adult fiction. Then there is the little fact that people assume that because I go by the name Literary Feline that I love to read about cats. Sometimes I do. I tend to be picky in that regard though. Animal books and I don't always get along. I have a thing for shape shifters though and it isn't too often I come across a book about shape shifting cats. So, I was more than curious.

I set aside an afternoon to read this book as part of my recent Reading Day adventure, and it made for the perfect light reading, especially after a heavier book that left me feeling a little sad. Helen Ellis has a great sense of humor that shines through in her writing. I really liked the characters, Mary and her sister Octavia in particular.

Both Mary and Octavia were once foster children and have been adopted by a loving and well-to-do family. They attend an elite private school where there is the requisite bully (Ling Ling) and the handsome crush (Nick Martin). Life couldn't get any better for Mary. She has everything she could ever hope for. That is until she begins to notice little changes: a patch of orange fur here and a sudden and undeniable craving for milk, among them. Mary is scared and embarrassed at the changes coming over her. The turning throws her into an entirely new sub-world, one of a feud between cats, the Strays and the Domestics. Not only is Mary told she must choose sides, but she also faces the threat of losing the life she's come to love.

Events unfold quickly in The Turning: What Curiosity Kills. And while I think that the author could have developed certain aspects of the story more fully, I never felt it suffered because she did not. Besides, she has to save something for future books, right? Overall, this was a fun and entertaining read. Mary is a likable character, thoughtful and kindhearted. She has the usual insecurities of a girl her age, and is a character most readers will be able to relate to. Her adopted sister Octavia is probably my favorite character. She doesn't think twice about standing up to the biggest bully in the school, but she is deathly afraid of cats, which makes things even more interesting and tests the sisters' bond. Okay, and so my affection for Octavia might have a little something to do with her love for books too, the hours she spends at the library book sale. Just saying.

I do not often complain about an ending of a book, but I had a problem with the ending of this one. It had more to do with my own personal bias, however, than quality or fit. The ending made total sense in the scheme of things. It's just, well . . . I don't want to say. Spoilers, you know. While sometimes an ending can ruin a book for me, it did not in this case. Far from it. The book has so much going for it, and I really did enjoy reading it. I just wish I didn't have to wait so long for the second book in the series!
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Jul 14, 2010 Amanda rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, series, review-copy

The Turning is the tale of Mary Richards, a girl adopted from foster care into a plush life in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. When strange events begin taking place, Mary struggles to comprehend the idea that she is one of those who Turn – from human to cat. For a girl who mostly worries about trying to win arguments with her foster sister Octavia and getting Nick – her ultimate crush – to notice her, Mary is terrified as she tries to come to terms with her new life. When she is offered a way...more The Turning is the tale of Mary Richards, a girl adopted from foster care into a plush life in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. When strange events begin taking place, Mary struggles to comprehend the idea that she is one of those who Turn – from human to cat. For a girl who mostly worries about trying to win arguments with her foster sister Octavia and getting Nick – her ultimate crush – to notice her, Mary is terrified as she tries to come to terms with her new life. When she is offered a way to recover her old life, Mary has a choice to make...

There was very little that I enjoyed about this book – except maybe the length. At just over 200 pages, it was at least quick to read!

The novel is told from a first person perspective, but Mary’s voice is shaky and never comes across as particularly well developed. In fact, all of the characters are either under-developed, to the point that you don’t know or care anything about them, or they are focused on lovingly, even when less than crucial to the main thrust of the plot (such as Ling Ling Lebowitz).

Considering this is an “origin” novel, the setting up of the mythology of the turn-cats came extremely late in the book, and had very few details. It seemed almost as though Helen Ellis wanted humans to turn into cats – thought it would be cute if they turned into kittens on their first few turns – and didn’t have any idea how to back this up. So we end up with a half-hearted tale about turn-cats versus pure-cats and Strays versus Doms (‘domestics’) that is introduced towards the tail end of the book, and is never really expanded beyond the fact they they exist.

I took a dislike to a great deal of the phrases that Ellis threw into her novel, seemingly on a whim, since the language never really settled into a cohesive whole. Here are some of my least favourite comments and passages:

“I pee without putting toilet paper on top of the water to soundproof the stream. I flush instead of letting the yellow mellow until it’s time to rise and shine.”

“A woman’s right to choose is wiggida wiggida wiggida whack Arguing is a game to her.”

“The lid is up. He adapts for a crash landing and splays his four legs. His paws hit the porcelain doughnut.”

“The twins’ porcelain-doll complexions burn the palest of pinks.”

Now, on the face of it, that last quote doesn’t seem so bad, but I’ve never seen anything burn the palest of pinks! Ellis’ word choices are sometimes extremely suspect. The first quote just grossed me out utterly!

I found the pacing of the novel unbearably slow, considering the fact that these are supposed to be exciting events overtaking Mary Richards (oh, and during the tale Octavia – Mary’s sister – insists on calling her by all sorts of other girl names, which really doesn’t help fix the characters in your head at all). We crawled at snail’s pace to the point where Mary Turns, then we crawl a little further to a lacklustre end.

This is the opening to a series. You can bet good money that I will not be picking up any of the others to be published. I would encourage you to avoid at all costs.(less)

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Jul 01, 2010 Shelbie Malin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

UGH! I so wanted this book to be good. I was at the B&N yesterday shopping for books to read over my vacation on Thursday, and I saw this one and was like wow, I judge books by their covers and until now that method hadn't failed me. I mean look at this cover. It’s beautiful! Unfortunately the story wasn't! I'm sad to say that this book was a waste of money. And it was a hardcover! ugh.

Mary Richard can turn into a cat. Actually for some reason, I had a cat fetish at the B&N yesterday. Th...more UGH! I so wanted this book to be good. I was at the B&N yesterday shopping for books to read over my vacation on Thursday, and I saw this one and was like wow, I judge books by their covers and until now that method hadn't failed me. I mean look at this cover. It’s beautiful! Unfortunately the story wasn't! I'm sad to say that this book was a waste of money. And it was a hardcover! ugh.

Mary Richard can turn into a cat. Actually for some reason, I had a cat fetish at the B&N yesterday. That I just realized. Anyway, The characters of The Turning seemed random, 1 dimensional, underdeveloped, and at some points boring. Mary was an okay character, being in the adoption system she seemed like she could never really have a solid home, but other than that there wasn't much else, what does she like, dislike? Nope. Nothing. Her love interest, Nick, was similar in the underdeveloped part, he seemed to be solely there to tell her what was going on, and so that the story could technically have a "love" plot. More on that, the "romance" between Mary and Nick happened overnight, literally. One night it was "Oh yeah I have a crush on him, but we haven’t spoken at all." then "Now were dating!" In one night? Get real. The supporting characters seemed to be there so the story could have supporting characters, there wasn't really any other reason for them to be there. The plot was okay-ish, from the cover it seemed like this intense, dangerous, thrill ride. However I found myself laughing at times that were supposed to be serious, things seemed rushed and forced. But the idea was there. Finally the dialogue. And I thought the characters were underdeveloped. Ellis seems to be the type of person who's into very descriptive writing but not when it matters. She seemed completely comfortable name dropping brands like "my Victoria's Secret sweatshirt that says Love Pink on the back" but couldn't describe crucial scenes like the first time Mary changed into a cat. The dialogue was also really confusing and I found myself having to re-read pages to figure out what was going on. Overall, if you really really want to read this book, check it out from the library or wait for paperback, it's definitely not worth hardcover price. Hopefully my next book will be better.(less)

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Jun 22, 2010 Cindy Hudson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Mary Richards isn’t sure what’s wrong with her. She got so tired in school she fell asleep…and purred. She’s sprouting fur wherever a cat rubs against her skin. And she’s craving milk. When Nick, the guy she has a crush on, seems to understand what’s happening to her, and he offers to help, she decides that maybe what’s happening to her isn’t so wrong after all.

The Turning: What Curiosity Kills by Helen Ellis is a new teen series focusing on humans who can turn into cats. Ellis pokes fun at Uppe...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Gabrielle Watson rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love Helen Ellis' writing style. Everything she writes is impeccable. One of my favorite books was Eating the cheshire Cat, so when I found that she'd written another book, I snatched it up in a heartbeat. I didn't realize that this book was YA or paranormal romance until the story began unfolding. It was a very quick read. I especially loved the beginning because it had my curiousity flowing. After 'the Turning' I began to grow tired of the story. It unfolded very quickly at that point, losin...more

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Oct 12, 2010 Angela rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the rare book that I think is actually too short - perhaps way too short. It's a great fantasy adventure story that comes to an abrupt halt that seems to fit more with the monthly book serieses I read in middle school than the year+ waits we're now used to.

Like a lot of others, I absolutely loved Octavia. A tragic past that she covers with a lot of bravado. And she's a kick ass debater, so she gets major bonus points there.

I really liked how adoption played into the story - it's a great...more

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May 24, 2010 Books and Literature for Teens rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Paranormal fans or anyone interest in reading about werecats

Shelves: action, books-ive-read-in-2010, fantasy

It takes quite a bit of persuasion–usually from my part–to get me to read paranormal fiction. On a whim, after receiving an email from Sourcebooks explaining how great of an author Helen Ellis was (who I had never heard of before), I accepted to review none other than a story about... werecats or humans that shape-shift into felines. I don’t like writing overly praised or cliche reviews, but I have to admit I really enjoyed reading The Turning! It was the best paranormal book I’ve read since the...more It takes quite a bit of persuasion–usually from my part–to get me to read paranormal fiction. On a whim, after receiving an email from Sourcebooks explaining how great of an author Helen Ellis was (who I had never heard of before), I accepted to review none other than a story about... werecats or humans that shape-shift into felines. I don’t like writing overly praised or cliche reviews, but I have to admit I really enjoyed reading The Turning! It was the best paranormal book I’ve read since the Cathy’s Book trilogy. Not only that, Ellis has a great eye for detail and, of course, cats. It only took me about two sittings to finished this book (approx.. 3 hrs.), so if you’re looking for a good page turner for hesitant readers look no farther. As many teenagers know there is a big boom in paranormal fiction these days, but most of the spotlight is focused on vampires and the occasional werewolf. I’ve only read one other story [a short story:] by Anne Curtis Klaus (author of Blood and Chocolate) about werecats, so I was very intrigued when I found out about Ellis’s books. The Turning is the first book in the Curiosity Kills series; at the end of the this book you can definitely hint a continuation. It was summed up nicely to where there was no cliff-hanger but it leaves you very excited to read the next installment. Ellis’s writing is great. I think you enjoy a book so much more when you combine a “new” idea with a fresh, writing style. Despite the cover looking a bit sinister, The Turning will not give you goose-bumps unless, that is, you are afraid of cats. Just don’t go around thinking your cat will suddenly become a person–that would be too freaky.

My Recommendation: This a great book for paranormal fanatics. I’m not quite sure every teen in general would enjoy this book frankly because they have to be interested in reading about werecats. If you’re looking for something with an in depth plot or dynamic characters, then this isn’t the book for you. The Turning is a quick read that focuses mainly on the object or event. Recommend for ages 14+.

This Book is For: Paranormal fans or anyone who might like trying paranormal or cats.
This Book is Not For: Teens who don’t like paranormal stories or children.

Content: For sensuality and sexual references (PG-13).

The Last Straw: A teaser from pg. 190 of The Turning:
“I’ll convince her [Octavia:] to not tell our parents. I’ll
steer clear of Country Club and his strays. I’ll stay away
from Yoon’s deli. I won’t hunt. I’ll figure out how to
love. Nick and I will keep to ourselves. I won’t let
curiosity kill what we have.”

|Pages: 211|Year Published: May 2010|Publisher: Sourcebooks|
|Genre: Paranormal fiction, teen romance|
|Content: PG-13|Age Group: YA, ages 14+|
|Enjoyed It: 4/5|Content Rating: 4/5|Cover: 5/5|
|Overall: 4/5|

Courtesy of booksandliteratureforteens.blogspot.com(less)

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May 21, 2010 Haley Mathiot rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Turning: What Curiosity Kills by Helen Ellis
Genre: YA, paranormal, romance

Rating: 4

Mary Richards always knew she didn't fit in exactly with everyone else, but she always attributed that to the fact that she and her sister were adopted. But when her long time crush suddenly starts showing interest in her, she randomly starts sleeping and purring in class, and she starts to turn into a cat, she knows things are never going to be the same.

I was instantly pulled into The Turning. The story star...more The Turning: What Curiosity Kills by Helen Ellis
Genre: YA, paranormal, romance

Rating: 4

Mary Richards always knew she didn't fit in exactly with everyone else, but she always attributed that to the fact that she and her sister were adopted. But when her long time crush suddenly starts showing interest in her, she randomly starts sleeping and purring in class, and she starts to turn into a cat, she knows things are never going to be the same.

I was instantly pulled into The Turning. The story starts and progresses quickly, and I read the whole thing in one day, almost fully in one sitting. It's the kind of book that you don't realize you've gotten to the next page, or the next chapter, and before you know it, you're done… but the adventure was so engaging, you forgot who you were for a while, because you were living solely in the character's shoes.

The writing was casual, but good. I rarely felt out of place or confused by what had just occurred. One of the only things that really bothered me about this book was the fact that Nick and Mary's relationship was very fast, and seemingly out of nowhere but lust. The ending, also, didn't quite have enough closure on the relationship aspect, nor on the actual story. It directly after the final exciting scene, with no smooth curve down. My heart was still racing when I got to the last page, and I felt like it should have lasted a little longer. Lastly, I wasn't sure if this book was for pre-teens, ages 12-14, or older. It would probably appeal to both age groups.

My favorite part was watching the characters show themselves for who they were. Yoon being more than what meets the eye, Octavia confessing her secrets and being willing, for love, to face her fears, and all the others, too. They were all very unique. I loved the characters and their interaction and dialogue.

Overall, I enjoyed The Turning, and look forward to the rest of the series.

Content: Some language, no sex

Recommendation: Ages 14-18, or if offended by language 16+(less)

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Jun 01, 2010 Kelsey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs

The Turning was an original and unique story, but it didn't really live up to it's potential. The plot was extremely original and I did enjoy reading it overall, but it did have it's flaws.

Mary was an interesting character and her family was definitely unique. She and her sister, Octavia, were both adopted at age eight, but they both formed a swift connection with each other and their parents. I liked how close the Richards family was with each other. The other characters were a bit... empty, i...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Kerra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, shape-shifters

This book was ok for me. It was neat that people turned into cats and that they were teens. They had no idea what was going on and at first it was really neat to see how it started and what they were going through. However, I didn't like the teen slang that the author tried to give this one character character through. It was too much for me. I am not racist and I'm white, but it was almost as if this author was trying to make fun of african americans in some way. I just didn't like how she gave...more

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May 29, 2010 Sheri rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first thing that struck me was the cover. Yes, a girl's face. But it was her eyes or should I say 'one eye' that struck me. When I received the book, honestly I had no idea what it was about. Read the blurb as you have, and thought 'Inner kitty' hmm.... I thought it was just a phrase. It wasn't.

On the paranormal plane, the story was different from most I've read. 'The Turning' is a sort of mythical puberty for those affected. Couple that with high school, being adopted, having a crush on a...more

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Mar 20, 2011 Alicia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The turning by Helen Ellis is 288 pages long. It is the first book of a series. Mary Richards is a normal sixteen-year-old girl living in Manhattan. Well, almost normal. She goes to private school on the Upper East Side, having been saved from a life of squalor by an adoptive family. She’s also slowly transforming into a cat. Struggling to hide her physical metamorphosis, Mary discovers that she isn’t alone. A whole race of cat people prowls the streets of Manhattan at night, including Mary’s lo...more

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Jan 17, 2011 Kindle-aholic rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

The concept was interesting, but just about everything needed to be developed more. With the exception of Octavia (and she's not the main character), most of the characters were just thin caricatures of teen stereotypes. The characters were believable, but seemed to embody the more annoying of "typical teen traits".

That said, it was an easy read, and it flowed well enough, and flowed into an ending that felt like it should have been around the midpoint of the book, not the end. More than a bit...more

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Jun 11, 2010 Michelle Rebar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Meee-yeow! This book is like WARRIORS meets GOSSIP GIRL, and it's kind of dark and sometimes a little scary. But I'm a wimp and I think the WARRIORS books are scary. Who knew being a cat/cat person was so dangerous! If I turned into a cat I would prefer to be more like mine, fat and lazy with a pinch of spoiled rotten. No fights for me. Just a warm patch of sunlight, please. But if you want to embrace your wildcat side, check this book out.

Mary lives in New York City and attends an elite privat...more Meee-yeow! This book is like WARRIORS meets GOSSIP GIRL, and it's kind of dark and sometimes a little scary. But I'm a wimp and I think the WARRIORS books are scary. Who knew being a cat/cat person was so dangerous! If I turned into a cat I would prefer to be more like mine, fat and lazy with a pinch of spoiled rotten. No fights for me. Just a warm patch of sunlight, please. But if you want to embrace your wildcat side, check this book out.

Mary lives in New York City and attends an elite private school. Most of the girls there are snobby and hard to deal with, but Mary is pretty good at adapting and blending in. After all, she and her sister Octavia were adopted and they both appreciate everything they have. They both had very rough lives before this, and now they are surrounded by love and luxury compared to their humble beginnings. Everything has been going well up until now, but Mary has noticed strange things happening to her. She is feeling sick and is craving milk bad enough to try to lick it from the floor when it's spilled. If that isn't enough to freak her out, she is growing patches of what can only be described as fur. All Mary can think to do is hide what is happening because she's afraid that her parents will think she's a freak and try to send her back to where she came from. She knows she needs help, but who can she trust? Her friends and her sister wouldn't understand any more than she does. Mary's own curiosity soon lands her directly in the lap of someone who knows what is going on. This someone is an adorable guy from school, and he is just like her, of the feline persuasion. He and many others are involved in a turf war and are vying for control over the streets of New York. The cats and cat-people of the city are divided into two factions, strays and domestics, and they do not like each other. Mary is in the middle of this battle, like it or not, and things are about to get nasty. Inevitably, the fur will begin to fly.

I recommend this to ages 14+. (less)

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Jun 11, 2010 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010

Things are changing in Mary's life. While most kids her age are worrying about boyfriends and dates, she is worrying about... why she is turning into a cat? As she struggles to come to terms with this new physical discovery, she quickly learns that she is not the only with her condition, or the only one who is not sure how to control it.

I have very conflicted feelings regarding this novel. On one hand, I found this to be a very enjoyable read that has a lot of promise... and possibly a bright fu...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Katie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dissapointments

I'm so angry! The description was great. The book started off awesome! Then it started to seem off... And then it was just strange.

The main character, Mary, has the ability to turn into a cat! Which is so cool! (I love teh kittehs) But.. it only happens for a quarter of the year, and then only five years of her life. Basically, she wants to avoid it at all costs until its all over. How anti-climatic is that?!

I was thinking she would have to use her newly discovered powers to save the world, or f...more

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Jul 19, 2012 7hir7een rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, paranormal, fantasy, series-stopped, stars-3

I’ll admit, I picked this book up because of the cover. It’s pretty, colorful, she has a cat eye… Once I confirmed my suspicions that What Curiosity Kills was a story about a girl turning into a cat, I knew I had to read it. After finishing the novel, I must say that it reminds me a lot of the show (I’ve never read the novels) The Nine Lives of Chloe King, except the protagonist literally turns into a cat, not a person with cat features. What Curiosity Kills had some definite strengths. While th...more

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Aug 01, 2010 William Bentrim rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Turning by Helen Ellis

This is one of the more thoughtful middle school books I’ve read. I’m not really sure if it is more for younger high school or not. I think it can and will appeal to both audiences. Mary discovers a secret about her own life that she never dreamed of facing. Mary’s relationships with her family and friends undergo some major revamping with what she learns.

Ms. Ellis deals with the insecurities that kids have in a tasteful and insightful manner. As an ex-guidance counsel...more

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Jul 14, 2010 McKenzie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mary's been through a lot in her life. She was adopted at a fairly young age, is bullied by the class diva, and now she's turning into a cat. That's right - a cat. Luckily for her, she's not alone. Many other turn cats, as they're called, roam the streets and some even attend her school. After talking to these other turn cats, Mary learns that she's in the middle of a turf war between the domestics and the strays. She, however, is special and set apart from the rest of the cats. Will she sacrifi...more Mary's been through a lot in her life. She was adopted at a fairly young age, is bullied by the class diva, and now she's turning into a cat. That's right - a cat. Luckily for her, she's not alone. Many other turn cats, as they're called, roam the streets and some even attend her school. After talking to these other turn cats, Mary learns that she's in the middle of a turf war between the domestics and the strays. She, however, is special and set apart from the rest of the cats. Will she sacrifice all that's important to her in order to stop this war?

Sourcebooks Fire is a bit of a new imprint, and I've found that while some books are hits, others are misses. Luckily, this one was a hit for me! I've yet to read Ellis' previous novel, but now I'll be sure to pick it up.

We are first introduced to Mary, along with some strange occurrences. Mary is your average girl and that makes her easy to relate to. Because she's fairly run-of-the-mill, it's easy to imagine her situation as being real. The pace in the beginning is slow, but yet I never found myself bored. I didn't mind the uneven pacing this time.

At such a short length, only 120 pages, it was hard to fully connect with all of the characters. I would have loved to know more about the other cats, as well as Mary's friends. The book's concept was an interesting one, but, like the characters, I wish I was told more about it. I hope to see the mythology of the turning drawn out more in the later installments.

The largest part that irked me about this story was how quickly Mary formed a relationship with Nick. One minute he has a girlfriend, the next he's making out with Mary while she's naked under a blanket. Uh, what? His overall possessiveness of her felt a bit skewed because there wasn't enough time for true emotions to develop.

While this story did have a few flaws, I immensely enjoyed the concept! How cool would it be to be able to transform into a cat? That seems like a pretty good choice of animal. The process was described well, and the powers that came along with it were quite interesting. I look forward to learning more in the sequel.

Overall: Great concept. Too short. Would like to know more history. Look forward to the sequel.(less)

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Apr 29, 2010 Jacqueline rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, young-adult, fantasy-paranormal, read-in-2010

Prior to receiving this ARC, I hadn't heard anything regarding this book or author Helen Ellis. I'm almost glad that I didn't have any preconceived notions toward it because I'm pretty sure that, if I had, they would have been blown away pretty quickly. My feelings about this book are mixed to say the least, but I'll do my best to to describe them for you.

I've read plenty of books about shapeshifters and weres. I was sure that there wasn't anything new to me in that field. Ellis showed me that I...more Prior to receiving this ARC, I hadn't heard anything regarding this book or author Helen Ellis. I'm almost glad that I didn't have any preconceived notions toward it because I'm pretty sure that, if I had, they would have been blown away pretty quickly. My feelings about this book are mixed to say the least, but I'll do my best to to describe them for you.

I've read plenty of books about shapeshifters and weres. I was sure that there wasn't anything new to me in that field. Ellis showed me that I was poorly mistaken with her cat shifters. That's right, cats. Not the big leopard/lion/tiger-esque types. No, I mean the household variety. The way they are portrayed in the turning is as some potentially dangerous species. I'm still trying to parse whether or not I can take it seriously.

Regardless, the book is interesting. The main character Mary and her best friend/sister Octavia are unique characters in the YA genre. While they currently live a semi-privileged life in New York's Upper East Side, the both hail from disadvantaged backgrounds. Mary is from the south and still has a hint of her accent. After being neglected by her parents seven or eight years ago, she was adopted by her new family. Around the same time an African-American eight-year-old, Octavia, happened to lose her parents and be chosen by the same couple as Mary. The two sisters are the same age and incredibly close. It's interesting the strain that there relationship undergoes when the "turning" begins to overtake Mary. Octavia, who is deathly afraid of cats due to an incident in her past, struggles with a newfound fear and trepidation directed towards her sister. Despite this, it's clear that the two really love one another. It must be Mary's love for her sister that allows her to overlook Octavia's psuedo-ghetto attitude and slang. Being a middle-class black person myself, I understand the issue of wanting to embrace your "blackness" but I think that Octavia took it a step too far, almost into parody territory. I almost fell out of my chair when she used the phrase "wiggida, wiggida, whack" (yes, really). Even Mary thinks it's ridiculous...
To continue reading this review, visit my blog The Eclectic Book Lover.(less)

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May 11, 2010 Lauren rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Lately it seems that when it comes to books published by Sourcebooks and me it's either a hit or a miss, and sadly enough What Curiosity Kills was the later of those two.

When What Curiosity Kills first landed in my hands I'll admit that I squealed a bit...well maybe more than a bit. The cover was stunning, the premise seemed intriguing, and Ellis's wrote a highly acclaimed novel prior to this, leaving this book to have endless possibilities of amazing coming my way, so I dived right in, eager t...more Lately it seems that when it comes to books published by Sourcebooks and me it's either a hit or a miss, and sadly enough What Curiosity Kills was the later of those two.

When What Curiosity Kills first landed in my hands I'll admit that I squealed a bit...well maybe more than a bit. The cover was stunning, the premise seemed intriguing, and Ellis's wrote a highly acclaimed novel prior to this, leaving this book to have endless possibilities of amazing coming my way, so I dived right in, eager to see if this book leaved up to my expectations.

And at first it did. The characters, while never fully developed, still had my full attention, as did the plot. Though as What Curiosity Kills continued it also started to loose my attention bit by bit with every passing chapter, leaving this to ultimately be a book I had trouble finishing.

Don't get me wrong, I did like the characters. Mary, a girl who has never truly felt at home in her own skin, especially with her new ability, was someone who I rooted for in many different situations. Since from her getting the boy of her dreams to overcoming her abilities there truly wasn't a time when I didn't want her to get the best of both worlds. Also I truly felt sadness to what Mary, as well as Octavia, had gone through previously as foster children, but happiness for the happy, loving family they now had. The secondary characters were interesting too.

Though there was just something missing with the characters, in my opinion, and that was development. Sure I knew who they were on the surface but as the reader I never truly felt that I really knew them personally; I was more like a passer-by, even with Mary.

The premise was no doubt exciting and something new and thrilling. I mean turning into a cat? That's something you never see too much of. Though sometimes the whole turning business got to be a too much for me personally. I'm sure others will not have this problem but it was a big one for me when it came down to my overall enjoyment of What Curiosity Kills. Adding to this, I never was a big fan of Ellis' writing since it often felt that there was never a great balance between dialogue and descriptions.

While What Curiosity Kills had it's faults and was a book that I didn't mesh well with, I still have a feeling that it will find a fan-base within some people out there, so hopefully if you're going to give this one a chance, you're one of them.

And the biggest question of them all: Will I be reading more Ellis? Well, that's one thing I'm as yet undecided on, so maybe, just maybe. Since, as anything like this goes, I could truly end up loving her next book...or not.

Grade: D(less)

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Jun 13, 2010 Audrey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010_publish, fantasy, young-adult, 2010-debut-author-challenge

Mary lives in Manhattan with her sister Octavia, and their adoptive parents. After having been in bad home situations earlier in life, Mary and Octavia are relishing their normal, if privileged lives. However, Mary is experiencing changes to her body, and they aren't due to puberty. She falls asleep at odd times, craves milk, and is terrified at the thought of taking a bath. Mary needs to figure out what is happening to her, and it looks like the only person who can help is her crush, Nick.

I im...more

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Oct 19, 2010 Kerri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fast paced, unique story line, full of surprises. This is a page turner. I love that this is not about vampires. This is something completely different. Mary is not herself. Something is happening to her. She is turning. Into what - is the question. Her sister and friends try to help her, but it is Nick Martin, Mary's not-so-secret-crush, that seems to understand what is happening to Mary.

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Nov 26, 2010 Jodie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Okay, I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I can believe a lot of fantasy elements, but she lost me when full grown people turned into kittens. It was a good storyline, but there were parts that went by too quickly and other parts that dragged. Maybe the next one with strike a better cord with me.

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Jun 18, 2010 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

Something strange is happening to Mary, but if it gets the attention of her long time crush, Nick Martin, it's worth it. Even if it turns her sister against her and draws her into a dangerous world, fighting for dominance in the alleyways and high society of New York.

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What Curiosity Kills (The Turning, #1)

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