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The Ninth Life
Filled with heart, hope and beautiful prose, The Ninth Life is a wonderful, weird and unforgettable novel for readers looking for something unique, honest and real.What if your deepest wish came with grim consequences?At the end of Caesar’s feline life, he makes a deal with the goddess Zosma to rejoin Ophelia, the girl he loves, for his ninth and final life.However, waking in the body of seventeen-year-old Austin Price isn’t what he anticipates. Neither is Austin’s handsome roommate, Cooper—a boy who moves him in unexpected ways. And coming face-to-face with a messy past he can’t remember living makes being human even harder than he would have thought.The chaos and wonder of his ninth life urges Austin to get to know Ophelia on human terms and sends him stumbling into complicated friendships that might mean more to him than he ever imagined. But his wish has a price, and even as Austin is pulled in two impossible directions, the very heart beating in his chest is on a countdown of its own—a countdown he has no control over.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2020
3 people are currently reading
310 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 4, 2020
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I finished the book before I was made aware of the authors behavior. I will honestly say I really enjoyed the first third or so but the ending struck me as really toxic. Characters ended up together that shouldn't have because it was destiny? MISSY?
If you've read the book you know exactly what I am on about.
As much as I disapproved of the author's behavior I really did enjoy the first bit.
I hope they learned from this.
I finished the book before I was made aware of the authors behavior. I will honestly say I really enjoyed the first third or so but the ending struck me as really toxic. Characters ended up together that shouldn't have because it was destiny? MISSY?
If you've read the book you know exactly what I am on about.
As much as I disapproved of the author's behavior I really did enjoy the first bit.
I hope they learned from this.
April 26, 2021
I read this before I was made aware of the authors behavior. I liked the first bit of it well enough, but it became very convoluted and dysfunctional around the 40% mark, and the ending was less than stellar given the way the characters interacted throughout the book.
June 29, 2020
Alright, looks like the original listing for this book was taken down! Unsure what that means for the state of publication, but since the same pub. date is still there, I'll assume it's still coming out.
So, I'm going to repost my review, which comes from the DRC Edelweiss Plus granted me in the beginning of June.
---
TW: substance abuse, abuse (mentioned), violence, cheating
4.2
Caesar, the eighth life of a feline spirit, has found home within the people he loves, for the first time ever- and so, when his life comes to an end, he refuses to let them go. His wish is granted via Austin Price, whose body, fragmented soul, and lost memories of a former life, are now just as much a part of him as all the lives he has lived before. He came back for Ophelia, but in a human body, he sees- and wants- her in new ways. And he never expected Cooper, who is beautiful and damaged, and in love with the boy he’ll never be again. But, as they say, fate has plans.
WELL THAT WAS A LOT.
I've been going back and forth about this book, and it's made it really hard to review- also, I definitely had to recover from this book before I could even think about talking about it.
The thing is, this book hurt me a lot and I've been going between "it's good because it made me care" and "I am very upset with the choices made at the end of this book and it kind ruined the story for me".
But more on that later.
Starting with the things that are straight up praise worthy: Cooper's character is fantastic, Austin's character development into being more human is super well down, and the emotion in this book is palpable.
Character-wise, I do feel like everyone is distinct and most of them can stand on their own. Austin is kind of add, having been a cat and having knowledge of his past lives color his personality and perspective, but he's still a strong character. Cooper is genuinely my favorite part of this book, and the way he's written is so sad and compelling and likeable, he's one of my favorite fictional characters of the year.
Back to emotions- this book is emotional. In the way that you feel everything Austin feels, and in the way that you have to constantly remind yourself to relax your jaw, unclench your muscles, and take a breather because you're too tense about what's happening or about to happen. This book ropes you in, for better or for worse. There is so much attraction, painful hope, chaotic misunderstandings, and desperation that I both had to stop myself from reading to save myself from a heart attack, and go back and reread paragraphs to really take in all the feeling.
I like the fantasy-aspect, but it didn't always work for me. The feline god, the past lives, they were both interesting, and did add something to the story. However, as the story goes on the additional perspective of Zosma was distracting.
The fact that Austin was once Caesar is also something that complicates the story, and not in a good way. If you're interested in a cat-into-boy reincarnation story you might be pleased (I was, in theory), but the romance between Austin and Ophelia never feels... good. If you could forget for a moment that he knew her as a cat and that means she knew him as a cat- aka she's doing things with her PET in a human body- then you'll be fine, but sometimes the narrative forces the issue and it's hard to read.
The thing is, I sort of thought I knew where this story would go. Specifically, I thought, from the synopsis, that Caeser/Austin's interest in Ophelia was going to be confused for romance, and it would be tangled and then untangled as he figures out that it's not romantic/sexual attraction. I was expecting a slight love triangle leading into the obvious romance. That, however, is not what happens. Instead you get painfully awkward moments, confusing love that doesn't quite feel real, and that, again, very horrifying, connection between essentially a cat and his owner.
And Ophelia just wasn't worth it. I mean, the cat-owner dynamic already made me not at all behind this romantic path, but also, for all the wonderful characterization Cooper (and Austin) get, Opehlia is basically a manic-pixie dream girl with a smattering more personal details. But in general, she's weightless. She's a surface level dream girl, mixed with the always tempting commitment issues. The only reasons I could see Austin being interested in her is because 1) he already knows and loves her (read, as a cat loves a owner) and 2) he's just become human and he's curious about everything. But a romance that does not make.
But I need to complain about this ending too, because when I reached about 80% I knew I was going to hate where this book went, and I had to push through anyway and I've earned my right to rant a little. Spoiler section for a bit of a rant:
Non-spoiler complaining: The ending fell flat and was tied up too neatly, veering into a path that did not go with the rules set for the story line and which also seemed to attempt to make things much simpler and obvious than they actually were. It ended in a way that was incredibly disappointing after how much it made me care.
I enjoyed reading this book for the most part, though I really hated the last 20% of the book's direction. There were a lot of really well done characterizations and emotional descriptions, I only wish that it could have been more consistent.
So, I'm going to repost my review, which comes from the DRC Edelweiss Plus granted me in the beginning of June.
---
TW: substance abuse, abuse (mentioned), violence, cheating
4.2
Caesar, the eighth life of a feline spirit, has found home within the people he loves, for the first time ever- and so, when his life comes to an end, he refuses to let them go. His wish is granted via Austin Price, whose body, fragmented soul, and lost memories of a former life, are now just as much a part of him as all the lives he has lived before. He came back for Ophelia, but in a human body, he sees- and wants- her in new ways. And he never expected Cooper, who is beautiful and damaged, and in love with the boy he’ll never be again. But, as they say, fate has plans.
WELL THAT WAS A LOT.
I've been going back and forth about this book, and it's made it really hard to review- also, I definitely had to recover from this book before I could even think about talking about it.
The thing is, this book hurt me a lot and I've been going between "it's good because it made me care" and "I am very upset with the choices made at the end of this book and it kind ruined the story for me".
But more on that later.
Starting with the things that are straight up praise worthy: Cooper's character is fantastic, Austin's character development into being more human is super well down, and the emotion in this book is palpable.
Character-wise, I do feel like everyone is distinct and most of them can stand on their own. Austin is kind of add, having been a cat and having knowledge of his past lives color his personality and perspective, but he's still a strong character. Cooper is genuinely my favorite part of this book, and the way he's written is so sad and compelling and likeable, he's one of my favorite fictional characters of the year.
Back to emotions- this book is emotional. In the way that you feel everything Austin feels, and in the way that you have to constantly remind yourself to relax your jaw, unclench your muscles, and take a breather because you're too tense about what's happening or about to happen. This book ropes you in, for better or for worse. There is so much attraction, painful hope, chaotic misunderstandings, and desperation that I both had to stop myself from reading to save myself from a heart attack, and go back and reread paragraphs to really take in all the feeling.
I like the fantasy-aspect, but it didn't always work for me. The feline god, the past lives, they were both interesting, and did add something to the story. However, as the story goes on the additional perspective of Zosma was distracting.
The fact that Austin was once Caesar is also something that complicates the story, and not in a good way. If you're interested in a cat-into-boy reincarnation story you might be pleased (I was, in theory), but the romance between Austin and Ophelia never feels... good. If you could forget for a moment that he knew her as a cat and that means she knew him as a cat- aka she's doing things with her PET in a human body- then you'll be fine, but sometimes the narrative forces the issue and it's hard to read.
The thing is, I sort of thought I knew where this story would go. Specifically, I thought, from the synopsis, that Caeser/Austin's interest in Ophelia was going to be confused for romance, and it would be tangled and then untangled as he figures out that it's not romantic/sexual attraction. I was expecting a slight love triangle leading into the obvious romance. That, however, is not what happens. Instead you get painfully awkward moments, confusing love that doesn't quite feel real, and that, again, very horrifying, connection between essentially a cat and his owner.
And Ophelia just wasn't worth it. I mean, the cat-owner dynamic already made me not at all behind this romantic path, but also, for all the wonderful characterization Cooper (and Austin) get, Opehlia is basically a manic-pixie dream girl with a smattering more personal details. But in general, she's weightless. She's a surface level dream girl, mixed with the always tempting commitment issues. The only reasons I could see Austin being interested in her is because 1) he already knows and loves her (read, as a cat loves a owner) and 2) he's just become human and he's curious about everything. But a romance that does not make.
But I need to complain about this ending too, because when I reached about 80% I knew I was going to hate where this book went, and I had to push through anyway and I've earned my right to rant a little. Spoiler section for a bit of a rant:
Non-spoiler complaining: The ending fell flat and was tied up too neatly, veering into a path that did not go with the rules set for the story line and which also seemed to attempt to make things much simpler and obvious than they actually were. It ended in a way that was incredibly disappointing after how much it made me care.
I enjoyed reading this book for the most part, though I really hated the last 20% of the book's direction. There were a lot of really well done characterizations and emotional descriptions, I only wish that it could have been more consistent.
May 11, 2023
I am absolutely dead. This book completely shredded me. Taylor B. Barton knows how to put words together to maximize heartbreak and anguish in the same way that a financial analysts knows how to maximize profit. The entire first chapter had me ugly crying in the dead of night. Almost every chapter gripped my soul and ripped it in half at the seams. I'm pretty sure I have more horcruxes lying around than a soul at this point.
I regret requesting The Ninth Life as an ARC on Netgalley and giving myself the responsibility to review this book becAUSE HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DESCRIBE IN WORDS HOW U T T E R L Y AMAZING THIS IS?
(I received an ARC of The Ninth Life through Netgalley and Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review. So, yes, I honestly do think this book is amazing, and you all need to read it NOW.)
I remember hyping myself up for this book so much that by the time I got around to reading it I was scared. I was scared that it wouldn't live up to my expectations. I was wrong. It SURPASSED my expectations. Unfortunately, that also means that I now have the pre-book hype with the after-book hype putting my heart into cardiac arrest.
This book left me so shook. I literally feel like one of Austin’s past lives. I feel like I finished a LIFE reading this book. And now I gotta move on to the next one, but this book will always be with me no matter how many lives I live after this.
So, buckle up because in this essay I'm going to tell you how much I love The Ninth Life and why you should too.
My ABSOLUTE favorite part of the entire story is Austin's past lives. He's lived eight previous lives as wild cats in various shapes and sizes. And he remembers all of them. He carries the memories of his past lives as a personified piece of his soul from each lifetime. He carries them like they're still a part of him even though he's no longer a tiger or a cheetah. Throughout the story I can see and feel the spirits of a tiger, leopard, lion, cheetah, Bombay, and his other past lives watching over Austin's shoulder, giving him their wisdom and strength to navigate his ninth life.
I love all the kitties. I love the concept. I love everything about it! I love the imagery so much that if The Ninth Life was an animated show, then I already mentally animated the entire opening song around Austin with his kitty spirits and his messed up human squad. The only thing missing is the actual song.
Austin is just so PROUD of his memories and past lives. And it shows. We get to see them in flashes here and there. In thunder and lightning. In the way that everyone is "padding" across the floor or "pawing" their face. In the teahouse. In Ophelia.In his face. LOOOOL. no but seriously. He's just a nostalgic little piece of crap like me. His memories have always helped him and served him well. Well, until those very memories start messing up his life like angry spirits.
The original plan was to use his ninth life to go back home to the love of his eighth life, Ophelia. But he can't do that anymore. Cooper unexpectedly became his ninth life's everything. His first love, his first friend, his home (quite literally, he lives with the guy). He's learned to live a life outside of Ophelia. He's learned to live his ninth life as Austin with Cooper. And he has no idea how to reconcile his love from his eighth life with his newfound love in his ninth life. For the first time ever, his two lives are colliding against each other, and he wants to live BOTH lives even though he knows he can't.
Before he can live the life he wants, he must untangle the mess created by living two lives at once. In order to move forward, he must let go of his past. It's what makes the ending feel so tragic (for me anyways).
As for the love triangle, well, y'know those love triangles where person A loves person B, but person B loves person C, and person C loves person A? Their love actually forms a triangle if you're playing dot to dot. The AustinOpheliaCooper triangle is kind of like that. Except Austin's got two arrows leaving his dot. One to Ophelia. One to Cooper. Ophelia's dot is just a dot and has no outgoing arrows. Cooper's dot has an arrow that just goes RIGHT THROUGH Austin's dot and just keeps going. Cooper seems to think that if he can just keep going, then maybe he'll reach the old Austin. It's not even a triangle. It's a mess. It's like a 3D animation gone wrong the moment you click play.
The AustinOphelia ship felt like trying to thaw ice sometimes or like two people sitting in comfortable silence at other times. That's because on one side, we have Austin who is irrevocably and unconditionally in love with Ophelia. On the other side, we have Ophelia who is closed off to everyone. Friends? Love? What's that? She only knows Juilliard. Just as Austin would follow her to the ends of the Earth, Ophelia will do anything to achieve her dreams. But on occasions when Ophelia lets her guard down, they're just two people trying to figure out who they are. Personally, I like Ophelia more as a person than AustinOphelia together (and he worked so hard to earn her love a second time too).
Then there's Cooper. Their relationship alone created a whole horcrux from my soul. And then my love for Cooper created another one. Austin may think that AustinOphelia are star-crossed lovers, but the REAL tragedy is AustinCooper. Cooper is in love with OLD Austin. CAT!Austin is in love with THIS Cooper. They were a sinking ship the moment Austin and his kitty entourage jumped on it. And their entire relationship is just the two of them shoveling water out of their ship and slapping flex tape at all the holes. The best part? NONE OF THEM ARE WILLING TO JUMP SHIP. THEY ARE GOING DOWN WITH IT TOGETHER.
If you couldn't tell by now, it's also SUPER queer. Lots of queer. It is completely baked into the story. I'm not sure if there's a single straight person in this book. Your best bet is to just assume the character is queer. Austin is nonbinary (just like the author!) and bisexual. (I believe he's also polyamorous.) Ryan and Cooper are gay . And I suspect Ophelia is grayromantic.
This book is by no means perfect and at times requires you to suspend your disbelief. It's more of a story about love, friendship, and a bond between people so strong that it transcends lifetimes than a story about lore and magical science. And with any romance-centered story, you have to love the characters for maximum feels and enjoyment. Even with all its flaws (listed below), I still love it. I came for the magical queer cats, and I was not disappointed.
----------------------------------------—-
Disclaimer: All quotes are from an unpublished version of the book and are subject to the change.
----------------------------------------—-
Minor complaints:
- The idea that Austin's life started because he fell in love. This is just a personal dislike of mine. I always try to imagine that there was more to the story than just love even if love is the catalyst for everything else. Even so, it still bugs me. I mean, this is a romantic love story after all. I can't really expect anything different.
- The lack of danger from dangerous illegal activities.
- Austin not caring that Ophelia and Cooper might compare notes about the facts of Austin Price. So, he just gonna tell Ophelia facts about his past kitty lives and pretend that they were always the facts of the body of Austin Price. Luckily, he doesn't have this problem with Cooper otherwise it would've turned into an interrogation. And I understand it's only a problem with Ophelia because he's lived a whole life with her, so it's harder not to mess up. But c'mon, Austin. Pull yourself together.
- The elusive Fate knocking on Austin's door and demanding payment for granting his wish. Zosma, the goddess of cats and the constellation of Leo, keeps saying that Fate demands something. And Fate this and Fate that. When really, the one calling all the shots is actually Zosma herself. Unless Fate is their boss and is making the gods collect. Then again, I never really felt like Fate was a real thing either. The only higher beings present are the astrology gods.
- The ending. I liked the atmosphere of the ending. I liked that I could feel that the story has truly ended. I just didn't like how everything was resolved. Or in this case, it was all supposedly resolved. There was still so much emotional stuff to get through that their dynamic felt more like a happy front for the gang than a permanent resolution. It felt like the moment they get back to their lives, all hell is going to break loose. Although, I'm pretty sure all that permanent resolution was most likely done off page.
Extra love:
- Phnom, the tiger from Cambodia. My heritage. My people. The place of my family's birth and grave. The land of my family. I internally screamed when I saw the word Phnom. Is it sad that I felt represented by a tiger?
- Missy the dog. My love for her was so strong it created another horcrux.
- The astrology gods roasting Austin for his life choices through their crystal ball from outer space.
- Talking animals! I didn't think I would like it at all. It's the reason why I was never able to read the Warriors series or anything like it. But I was pleasantly surprised, and now I can't get enough of talking animals!
- Austin is so soft and such a cinnamon roll. I can't. Sometimes, I feel like he's truly a cat in a human body, which I mean. That's exactly what happened.
- Austin learning how to human and using his opposable thumbs. The true antagonist of the story is his phone.
- The book cover screaming BISEXUAL.
I regret requesting The Ninth Life as an ARC on Netgalley and giving myself the responsibility to review this book becAUSE HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DESCRIBE IN WORDS HOW U T T E R L Y AMAZING THIS IS?
(I received an ARC of The Ninth Life through Netgalley and Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review. So, yes, I honestly do think this book is amazing, and you all need to read it NOW.)
I remember hyping myself up for this book so much that by the time I got around to reading it I was scared. I was scared that it wouldn't live up to my expectations. I was wrong. It SURPASSED my expectations. Unfortunately, that also means that I now have the pre-book hype with the after-book hype putting my heart into cardiac arrest.
This book left me so shook. I literally feel like one of Austin’s past lives. I feel like I finished a LIFE reading this book. And now I gotta move on to the next one, but this book will always be with me no matter how many lives I live after this.
So, buckle up because in this essay I'm going to tell you how much I love The Ninth Life and why you should too.
My ABSOLUTE favorite part of the entire story is Austin's past lives. He's lived eight previous lives as wild cats in various shapes and sizes. And he remembers all of them. He carries the memories of his past lives as a personified piece of his soul from each lifetime. He carries them like they're still a part of him even though he's no longer a tiger or a cheetah. Throughout the story I can see and feel the spirits of a tiger, leopard, lion, cheetah, Bombay, and his other past lives watching over Austin's shoulder, giving him their wisdom and strength to navigate his ninth life.
I love all the kitties. I love the concept. I love everything about it! I love the imagery so much that if The Ninth Life was an animated show, then I already mentally animated the entire opening song around Austin with his kitty spirits and his messed up human squad. The only thing missing is the actual song.
Austin is just so PROUD of his memories and past lives. And it shows. We get to see them in flashes here and there. In thunder and lightning. In the way that everyone is "padding" across the floor or "pawing" their face. In the teahouse. In Ophelia.
"Was it possible to take pieces of a person with you into the afterlife?"
The original plan was to use his ninth life to go back home to the love of his eighth life, Ophelia. But he can't do that anymore. Cooper unexpectedly became his ninth life's everything. His first love, his first friend, his home (quite literally, he lives with the guy). He's learned to live a life outside of Ophelia. He's learned to live his ninth life as Austin with Cooper. And he has no idea how to reconcile his love from his eighth life with his newfound love in his ninth life. For the first time ever, his two lives are colliding against each other, and he wants to live BOTH lives even though he knows he can't.
Before he can live the life he wants, he must untangle the mess created by living two lives at once. In order to move forward, he must let go of his past. It's what makes the ending feel so tragic (for me anyways).
"Being human called for a certain kind of courage he simply did not have—not even King's courage. This life called for the courage to leave, to say goodbye."
As for the love triangle, well, y'know those love triangles where person A loves person B, but person B loves person C, and person C loves person A? Their love actually forms a triangle if you're playing dot to dot. The AustinOpheliaCooper triangle is kind of like that. Except Austin's got two arrows leaving his dot. One to Ophelia. One to Cooper. Ophelia's dot is just a dot and has no outgoing arrows. Cooper's dot has an arrow that just goes RIGHT THROUGH Austin's dot and just keeps going. Cooper seems to think that if he can just keep going, then maybe he'll reach the old Austin. It's not even a triangle. It's a mess. It's like a 3D animation gone wrong the moment you click play.
The AustinOphelia ship felt like trying to thaw ice sometimes or like two people sitting in comfortable silence at other times. That's because on one side, we have Austin who is irrevocably and unconditionally in love with Ophelia. On the other side, we have Ophelia who is closed off to everyone. Friends? Love? What's that? She only knows Juilliard. Just as Austin would follow her to the ends of the Earth, Ophelia will do anything to achieve her dreams. But on occasions when Ophelia lets her guard down, they're just two people trying to figure out who they are. Personally, I like Ophelia more as a person than AustinOphelia together (and he worked so hard to earn her love a second time too).
Then there's Cooper. Their relationship alone created a whole horcrux from my soul. And then my love for Cooper created another one. Austin may think that AustinOphelia are star-crossed lovers, but the REAL tragedy is AustinCooper. Cooper is in love with OLD Austin. CAT!Austin is in love with THIS Cooper. They were a sinking ship the moment Austin and his kitty entourage jumped on it. And their entire relationship is just the two of them shoveling water out of their ship and slapping flex tape at all the holes. The best part? NONE OF THEM ARE WILLING TO JUMP SHIP. THEY ARE GOING DOWN WITH IT TOGETHER.
"I have given you a heart that matches your soul"
If you couldn't tell by now, it's also SUPER queer. Lots of queer. It is completely baked into the story. I'm not sure if there's a single straight person in this book. Your best bet is to just assume the character is queer. Austin is nonbinary (just like the author!) and bisexual. (I believe he's also polyamorous.) Ryan and Cooper are gay . And I suspect Ophelia is grayromantic.
This book is by no means perfect and at times requires you to suspend your disbelief. It's more of a story about love, friendship, and a bond between people so strong that it transcends lifetimes than a story about lore and magical science. And with any romance-centered story, you have to love the characters for maximum feels and enjoyment. Even with all its flaws (listed below), I still love it. I came for the magical queer cats, and I was not disappointed.
"Will I see you again?"
"Of course, you will. In this life or the next."
----------------------------------------—-
Disclaimer: All quotes are from an unpublished version of the book and are subject to the change.
----------------------------------------—-
Minor complaints:
- The idea that Austin's life started because he fell in love. This is just a personal dislike of mine. I always try to imagine that there was more to the story than just love even if love is the catalyst for everything else. Even so, it still bugs me. I mean, this is a romantic love story after all. I can't really expect anything different.
- The lack of danger from dangerous illegal activities.
- Austin not caring that Ophelia and Cooper might compare notes about the facts of Austin Price. So, he just gonna tell Ophelia facts about his past kitty lives and pretend that they were always the facts of the body of Austin Price. Luckily, he doesn't have this problem with Cooper otherwise it would've turned into an interrogation. And I understand it's only a problem with Ophelia because he's lived a whole life with her, so it's harder not to mess up. But c'mon, Austin. Pull yourself together.
- The elusive Fate knocking on Austin's door and demanding payment for granting his wish. Zosma, the goddess of cats and the constellation of Leo, keeps saying that Fate demands something. And Fate this and Fate that. When really, the one calling all the shots is actually Zosma herself. Unless Fate is their boss and is making the gods collect. Then again, I never really felt like Fate was a real thing either. The only higher beings present are the astrology gods.
- The ending. I liked the atmosphere of the ending. I liked that I could feel that the story has truly ended. I just didn't like how everything was resolved. Or in this case, it was all supposedly resolved. There was still so much emotional stuff to get through that their dynamic felt more like a happy front for the gang than a permanent resolution. It felt like the moment they get back to their lives, all hell is going to break loose. Although, I'm pretty sure all that permanent resolution was most likely done off page.
Extra love:
- Phnom, the tiger from Cambodia. My heritage. My people. The place of my family's birth and grave. The land of my family. I internally screamed when I saw the word Phnom. Is it sad that I felt represented by a tiger?
- Missy the dog. My love for her was so strong it created another horcrux.
- The astrology gods roasting Austin for his life choices through their crystal ball from outer space.
- Talking animals! I didn't think I would like it at all. It's the reason why I was never able to read the Warriors series or anything like it. But I was pleasantly surprised, and now I can't get enough of talking animals!
- Austin is so soft and such a cinnamon roll. I can't. Sometimes, I feel like he's truly a cat in a human body, which I mean. That's exactly what happened.
- Austin learning how to human and using his opposable thumbs. The true antagonist of the story is his phone.
- The book cover screaming BISEXUAL.
August 16, 2020
I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This is a story about the messiness of love and friendship and it's not always an easy story to read, but it is wonderful and beautiful and I definitely recommend it. There is so much in this story and it hits on so many important emotions and connections and I loved every moment of this emssy, beautiful book.
Caesar is a cat coming to the end of his eighth life, but he doesn't want to leave the girl he's lived with in his life, so he wishes upon a star to come back to her and is granted a human life. As a result, he has to learn to navigate life as a human, which he quickly learns is very different from anything he's learned in his eight cat lives. He wants to love the girl he came back for, but he quickly learns that it's not that easy, as his roommate crashes into his new life and he finds himself falling for both of them, not sure how to balance romantic love and friendship.
There are four main characters in this story connected and bonded through love and friendship and family and I loved all four of them and their relationships with one another. There are threads between them all throughout the story and this is just such a great book about life and love <3
This is a story about the messiness of love and friendship and it's not always an easy story to read, but it is wonderful and beautiful and I definitely recommend it. There is so much in this story and it hits on so many important emotions and connections and I loved every moment of this emssy, beautiful book.
Caesar is a cat coming to the end of his eighth life, but he doesn't want to leave the girl he's lived with in his life, so he wishes upon a star to come back to her and is granted a human life. As a result, he has to learn to navigate life as a human, which he quickly learns is very different from anything he's learned in his eight cat lives. He wants to love the girl he came back for, but he quickly learns that it's not that easy, as his roommate crashes into his new life and he finds himself falling for both of them, not sure how to balance romantic love and friendship.
There are four main characters in this story connected and bonded through love and friendship and family and I loved all four of them and their relationships with one another. There are threads between them all throughout the story and this is just such a great book about life and love <3
July 24, 2020
In the best way possible, this book will tear you apart and piece you back together again. There is something unique about the perspective of humanity from the outside looking inward - in this case, how would a being, a cat, adapt to finding himself thrust into the body of a young adult? Reminiscent of Levithan's Every Day, The Ninth Life follows the journey of an individual whose concept of humanity is a foreign one. The result is a genderqueer bisexual young man who finds his heart torn between Ophelia, his owner in his past life, and Cooper, the ex boyfriend of the body he is now inhabiting. It has been a long time since I experienced such highs and lows, joy and sorrow, in a novel. The Ninth Life Will convince you that miracles do exist, and that our loved ones, no matter whether they wear skin or fur, can come back to us in new and exciting ways.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2020
The Ninth Life by Taylor B Barton
This was a different read. It reminded me a little of Everyday, except instead of waking up a different person each day, the main character woke up a different person each life. Unlike other people in the world who forget their past lives, Caesar remembers all his/her lives. At the end of his feline life, he begs the gods to let him live again so that he is near Ophelia, who was his person in his eighth life. What he didn't plan on was coming back as a human and falling in love with O. He also didn't plan on taking the life of an already living human and dealing with the messiness of being human, including human relationships. This was definitely an interesting out-the-box read. Worth the read. #ninthlife #netgalley
Caesar Ophelia Austin
This was a different read. It reminded me a little of Everyday, except instead of waking up a different person each day, the main character woke up a different person each life. Unlike other people in the world who forget their past lives, Caesar remembers all his/her lives. At the end of his feline life, he begs the gods to let him live again so that he is near Ophelia, who was his person in his eighth life. What he didn't plan on was coming back as a human and falling in love with O. He also didn't plan on taking the life of an already living human and dealing with the messiness of being human, including human relationships. This was definitely an interesting out-the-box read. Worth the read. #ninthlife #netgalley
Caesar Ophelia Austin
April 15, 2021
Absolutely amazing by far my favorite book ever I found this book in a mini library get a book drop off a book sorta thing and it's the uncorrected proof AMAZING I love it so much the character traits take you on such a good rollercoaster. As a person still in school I'm happy to say that I'm doing a book project on this book and I love it way to much. 10/10 i'd recommend this book to anyone with a good love for romantic rollercoaster LGBTQIA+ and anyone who just wants a good book to read.
April 10, 2024
i won this book through Goodreads. It is a young adult novel. It has lgbtq characters in the story. It also has love and romance. A very interesting story of a cat on the end of his eighth life. He makes a wish to return to the girl that has him now. Not something he has ever been before, he returns as a human. A seventeen year old at that. Wonderful story.
February 1, 2022
I read this before I was made aware of the authors behavior. I liked the first bit of it well enough, but it became very convoluted and dysfunctional around the 40% mark, and the ending was less than stellar given the way the characters interacted throughout the book.
January 19, 2021
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
The Ninth Life is an interesting enough novel that deals with plenty of issues regarding sexuality, life, death, and the complexities of being a human.
A Story of Reincarnation
The Ninth Life follows Caesar, a cat who wishes to be reincarnated as a human to be with the girl he has grown to love. He gets his wish, going into the body of Austin, a boy with a troubled life. Barton did an excellent job of developing the novel's tension, delving into the complexities of what it means to be a human.
Caesar has so much to learn to be a human and the range of complex emotions that come with it. Caesar struggles with the relationship Austin had with his roommate and his feelings for Ophelia.
There are some issues with the dynamics mainly because the relationship Austin had with Cooper was both unstable and toxic. There are mentions of previous abuse between the two, a mutually abusive relationship that Caesar has no intention of repeating. It does make the reader slightly uncomfortable to see Caesar navigate the turbulent relationship Austin had with Cooper.
Dynamic Shift
While some parts of the novel may make the reading uncomfortable, the relationships grow and develop healthily. The novel deals with sexuality, physical abuse, and drug usage, and these topics create tension between the characters.
The challenging issues also allow the reader to see the struggles in life that some people face. It is not far fetched to fall into drug dealing or the like, and the way Barton handles the drug usage is mature and realistic. Barton takes the tough subjects and allows the reader to connect to the story and connect to that tension. Yes, it does still make the dynamics frustrating and uncomfortable, but life is like that. Life is not always clean or perfect, but Barton brings it to life and gives the story its realism to ground the reader.
Final Thoughts
The Ninth Life is not a novel without issues. However, it humanly deals with real issues. This novel offers readers a look at humanity, a look at the complexities of emotions, of love. The Ninth Life is not a novel all will love or even life, but it is thought-provoking at the end of the day.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
The Ninth Life is an interesting enough novel that deals with plenty of issues regarding sexuality, life, death, and the complexities of being a human.
A Story of Reincarnation
The Ninth Life follows Caesar, a cat who wishes to be reincarnated as a human to be with the girl he has grown to love. He gets his wish, going into the body of Austin, a boy with a troubled life. Barton did an excellent job of developing the novel's tension, delving into the complexities of what it means to be a human.
Caesar has so much to learn to be a human and the range of complex emotions that come with it. Caesar struggles with the relationship Austin had with his roommate and his feelings for Ophelia.
There are some issues with the dynamics mainly because the relationship Austin had with Cooper was both unstable and toxic. There are mentions of previous abuse between the two, a mutually abusive relationship that Caesar has no intention of repeating. It does make the reader slightly uncomfortable to see Caesar navigate the turbulent relationship Austin had with Cooper.
Dynamic Shift
While some parts of the novel may make the reading uncomfortable, the relationships grow and develop healthily. The novel deals with sexuality, physical abuse, and drug usage, and these topics create tension between the characters.
The challenging issues also allow the reader to see the struggles in life that some people face. It is not far fetched to fall into drug dealing or the like, and the way Barton handles the drug usage is mature and realistic. Barton takes the tough subjects and allows the reader to connect to the story and connect to that tension. Yes, it does still make the dynamics frustrating and uncomfortable, but life is like that. Life is not always clean or perfect, but Barton brings it to life and gives the story its realism to ground the reader.
Final Thoughts
The Ninth Life is not a novel without issues. However, it humanly deals with real issues. This novel offers readers a look at humanity, a look at the complexities of emotions, of love. The Ninth Life is not a novel all will love or even life, but it is thought-provoking at the end of the day.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
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