Cat Society Claws and Disorder by Ray Sadri

Cat Society: Claws and Disorder by Ray Sadri
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - In and out as able over 3 days

Pages - 279

Publisher - The Book Guild

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads


The cats are back running Britain – madder than ever and very much in charge.

Douglas Schnitty is Prime Minister, loved up and determined to end homelessness for the nation’s slum cats. But he must contend with a Chancellor in meltdown over the public finances, a predecessor-turned-eco-activist blocking his housing plans, and a nemesis returning from exile to launch a populist party.

As chaos mounts and his love life unravels, can Schnitty save the slum cats, his premiership, and himself?

“Mad, funny, surreal, and completely unique. Sadri does it again with a book that curls up in your lap before you notice the claws.”


My Review

So this is book two, book one is Cat Society, you can absolutely read this as a standalone. That being said, book one gives you more insight into the characters in this book, their relationships and bad blood with each other. The place is Britain, the characters are cats, all cats, hoomans are no longer around, Douglas Schnitty is running the show, the now prime minister and tackling the big issue of homelessness amongst his people, his fellow cats.

So you know I am not a fan of politics in general and I absolutely love cats this is a no brainer for me, I also read book one enjoyed it, all the dramas of the political nonsense that goes on but craftily shaped into issues if the people were kitties. Douglas had his own battles getting to where he is now, his big focus is ending homelessness for slum cats. Of course other cats are up in arms and want to save the trees. Tackling issues that affect the economy and taxes, again for me boring subjects but centre it around a world inhabited by cats only with human traits/issues absolute yes!

We have romance but of course the job gets in the way, the general public loving or hating you because hello you are the prime minister. Your enemies who want to dethrone you, take over, throw mud on your good name but all done with catty attitude and spiciness, absolutely yes.

In a world where there are cats ruling the world (no humans) and we still have politicians, number 10 downing street, shady reporters, folk clapping you on the back whilst equally sticking the claws in (see what I did there?) lol, funny, silly but still having modern day relative issues but just presented in a world of cats, absolutely yes. Will everyone love this, no, it is a political world inhabited purely by cats, humour, silly, shady, backstabbing, dairy loving paws with some real life issues we face in reality but just sculpted into a feline world. 4/5 for me this time, as I said it is book two and I hope they keep going with the series, if you enjoy politics, satire, cats and a world that blends fantastical fiction with some genuine issues - this is absolutely the series for you! Plus, hello it has cats, loads and loads of cats (all characters are cats, in a world run by and purely/solely occupied, by cats!), nuff said!

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Cat Society by Ray Sadri

Cat Society by Ray Sadri
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 304

Publisher - The Book Guild

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Cat Society is a witty and bonkers story of life and politics in Westminster – reimagining the debates, events and headlines of recent years had the world been run by cats. A lot changes. A lot doesn’t.

The country is on the brink of bankruptcy, and backbencher Douglas Schnitty is disappointed with the thousands of homeless cats sleeping by the bins. He gets frustrated with higher powers who only seem to care about their own interests and preserving the country’s finances.

He schmoozes and sabotages his way through the political elite, from assisting the bombastic Hector Perp Pahpousson to disrupting the plans of the Prime Minister. Can his conscience save him, and the slum cats, as events spiral out of control?


My Review

I love cats and I hate politics so I will be honest and say I was 50/50 on this because I didn't know how I would find it. Dudes! So "hoomans" are extinct and cats are running the world, they are living as we did, they have a government, housing issues, shady politicians, scandals, everything we did but they are cuter.


The book has cutesy catness, political satire, a few of the cats I was like that reminds me of X politician and some of the shady behaviours. There are undertones of realistic issues and topics but all done with some humour, cats galore, their attitudes, their behaviours all hammed up to echo the human world.

There are a handful of main characters and whilst I haven't read it I have seen animal farm and this gave me a bit of echoes of that. I loved the unique friend Snuffles, I loved the softer characters which made you despise the shader ones *cough Hector cough*, the Prime Minister - Marjorie Wilson who was a bit of a mixed bag and Douglas, good but flawed.

Some of the book is silly/ludicrous but I feel it actually mirrors a lot of the state our world of politics has been/is. And anything with cats added is better, a whole world of cats - it is pretty genius. Relevant without being preachy and a few flashes of emotive with a well blended/flowing funny. If you are wanting something a bit different, light with a few serious/tones/issues but hilarity at play too - absolutely check this one out, 4/5.

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The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew by Milly Johnson

The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew by Milly Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Simon & Schuster UK

Source - Amazon

Blurb from Goodreads

Behind every successful man is a woman.
Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.

Sophie Mayhew looks like she has the perfect life. Wife of rising political star John F Mayhew, a man who is one step away from the top job in the government, her glamour matches his looks, power, breeding and money. But John has made some stupid mistakes along the way, some of which are threatening to emerge. Still, all this can still be swept under the carpet as long as Sophie 'the trophy' plays her part in front of the cameras.

But the words that come out of Sophie’s mouth one morning on the doorstep of their country house are not the words the spin doctors put in there. Bursting out of the restrictive mould she has been in since birth, Sophie flees to a place that was special to her as a child, a small village on the coast where she intends to be alone.

But once there, she finds she becomes part of a community that warms her soul and makes her feel as if she is breathing properly for the first time. Sophie knows she won't be left in peace for long. Now she must decide: where does her real future lie?




My Review

Sophie Mayhew is the wife of up anfd coming politician, golden boy and earmarked to be the biggest thing in politics. Sophie is pretty much a trophy wife, smile on command, look perfect and keeps John up to date with what he needs to know, she is the good woman behind the "powerful" man. When scandal breaks and John pushes Sophie one step too far she needs time away, from the limelight, public scrutiny and above all, her husband. Sophie runs off and takes time in a quiet wee village to put herself together and discover what matters to Sophie and where is she going to go from here!

Oh we all know how dodgy folk in politics can be, scandals and speculation from the public, John is everything we suspect and hate. Self obsessed, he will stop at nothing to stay in the top, exploitation, he is always above everyone and everything. God I haven't disliked a character more in so long, the guy is scum.

Sophie is pretty naive and I felt so sorry for her, Pom on the other hand, LOVED Pom and almost all the folk we meet in the village. It is a story that looks at the corruption of humanity, the bad sides and the good.

I do love sinking into a Johnson book, whether you love or hate the characters (and you usually get a mix of both) you can't help but be drawn in, root for those you like and wish the plague on those you hate. 4.5/5 for me this time, I have read most of her books and need to check the ones I haven't yet.

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The Dead On Leave by Chris Nickson

The Dead on Leave: A 1930s British whodunit by Chris Nickson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages -

Publisher - Endeavour Quill

Source - Review Copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Leeds, Autumn 1936.

During a British Union of Fascists rally, a body is found.

War veteran Detective Sergeant Urban Raven is tasked with finding the killer.

But with virtually no clues, no witnesses and no obvious motive, he has few leads to start the investigation.

Leeds has become a shadow of its former self. Once a bright, vibrant and progressive metropolis, it has all but ground to a halt since the Crash of ’29, the Depression and the ensuing descent into unemployment and poverty.

And there are political stirrings as the BUF vie with the Communist Party for public support.

Was the murder an act of vengeance?

Was the victim killed for his political beliefs?

Or was the killing part of a more sinister plan, a grisly smear campaign? And if so, which side, if either, is responsible?

Raven and his colleagues find themselves constantly hindered by red tape, politics and the press. But sometimes, if you want a result, you just have to do it your way…

This puzzler of a crime story comprises convincing characters, a clever plot and a window into the dark days of 1930s northern England, where so many had lost hope…

…the dead. On leave.



My Review

It is Leeds, 1936, money is tight, poverty is rife and the Nazi's are spreading their hate. The BUF (British Union of Fascists) numbers are rising, political unrest is evident and there is a rally for the visiting Oswald Mosley. Detective Sergeant Urban Raven and some extra police are expect to deal with the numbers and fall out. They knew there would be trouble but no one was expecting murder! When a body is found Raven and the team have to investigate and go on what little is available to the police for that time period.

I don't often read books that feature any kind of politics, it isn't really my thing if I am honest. However I did get into this book pretty quickly, I had to google some of the stuff because yes it is a fiction book but it does mention things that happened or where true for that time period and I do love a book where you learn some history. I had never heard of BUF nor of Oswald Mosley, that was an eye opener and strange I hadn't heard his name, I defo need to read up on history!

Urban is a good guy, scarred from his first time around in the war he can use it to his advantage when policing but faces stares/judgement when not in uniform. As well as the murder and relying on police work the old way (before masses of technology) we see his struggles in his personal life. I think a good author makes this work as it doesn't detract from the main bulk of the story (murder/investigation) but allows the reader to get a feel for the human aspect behind the cop.

Whilst it isn't a blood/guts and gore type book the murder happens quickly and the rest is the investigation centered around it. The writing keeps you engaged and interesting in where the story is going next.

Not sure if this is a series but I would absolutely like to read more on Urban and the characters featured in this book. Whilst this was my first dance with this author it won't be my last, I like the shape of the characters, the pace and how he tackled an investigation as it would have been back in the 30's when cars weren't as common as clothing. 4/5 for me this time and I look forward to more adventures with Urban!

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ARC - Breakdown by Sara Paretsky

Breakdown by Sara Paretsky
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 3 days

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Blurb from Goodreads

Carmilla, Queen of the Night, is a shape-shifting raven whose fictional exploits thrill girls all over the world. When tweens in Chicago's Carmilla Club hold and initiation ritual in an abandoned cemetary, they stumble on an actual corpse, a man stabbed through the heart in a vampire-style slaying.

The girls include daughters of some of Chicago's most powerful families: the grandfather of one, Chaim Salanter, is among the world's weathiest men; the mother of another, Sophy Durango, is running for the United States Senate.

For V.I. Warshawski, the questions multiply faster than the answers. Is the killing linked to a hostile media campaign against Sophy Durango? Or to Chaim Salanter's childhood in Nazi-occupied Lithuania? As V.I. struggles to answer these questions, she finds herself fighting enemies who are no less terifying for being all too human.

My Review

Despite this being the 15th book in the series it is my first time reading this author. V.I Warshawski is our main character and to be honest at the start of the book I was very confused what her role was. She is a private detective, often referred to as a detective who is also listed as a lawyer although she isn't practicing. She is called on by her cousin to check on teenage girls, out after curfew, who are practicing a ritual brought on by the teenage vampire books fad. In the cemetery, unbeknown to the girls, a man is being killed nearby. A long and twisted tale follows, politics, murder, deception and secrets which will put the lives of those involved in perilous danger.

There are no vampires in this story so don't be put off or fooled by the blurb. It is a murder mystery that is heavily wrapped up with politics. I don't follow politics much and have to be honest there is a lot throughout the story that it did put me off quite a bit. There are also, for me, far to many characters and I got confused about who some people where and had to go back and re read and see what part of the story they played.

It is not all complaints though, V.I. is a great character, she is very loyal to her close friends, spunky and like a dog with a bone once she gets her teeth stuck into something. She is also very tolerable, she does a lot for many of the characters in the book yet gets quite a lot of aggravation for her troubles. For some parts I could have put the book down and left it as it got a tad boring for me, however at the last quarter of the book it focused back on the actual story and picked up pace. As I said a far few turns and twists and had the politics been a lesser part I am sure I would have enjoyed this more so 3/5 for me. I am sure I will look this author up again but alas not for a while. Thanks so much to Hodder and Stoughton for sending me an ARC copy of this and introducing me to a new author. This version of the book will be available from the 25th of April, 2013 in ebook and paperback for £7.99.

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