Review: The Cat's Meow ~ Fantastic Novel!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 11, 2013
When Libby and her best friend, Peyton, are sent to investigate the discovery of a dead, disemboweled feline, the magic wrapped around it has both of them confused.  Peyton has the ability to sense the presence of magic, but what looks like a ritualistic death of the cat, doesn't contain dark magic elements.  Libby is brought along now that this is cat number four.  Her coven, located in Charleston, has begun to worry that these animal deaths are related to something sinister.  Lilly is an "Enchantress, a witch gifted to work spells" (Kennedy, S., 2012, pg. 7) that the coven calls on to solve some of the higher profile cases.The mysterious, non-dark magic laced cats are not high profile or are they something that Libby would usually be part of.  Then in the middle of staring at the poor, dead kitty, a warlock named Kale intrudes with the news that he's been placed with Libby to help her on this particular case.  This really confuses Libby and what happens throughout much of the next few chapters has her convinced that the coven is just looking for a way to kick her out.If only it were that simple and uncomplicated.  There is something a lot more sinister going on than the deaths of four cats.  Something that requires the assistance of the Alchemy, and ultimately, Libby herself.There are a lot of tight-lipped witches and warlocks that surround Libby; including Kale and, to her surprise, Libby's own mother.  No one tells Libby anything and by the end of the novel has a such a huge emotional breakdown that I wanted to be there to console her with a box of tissues.  I felt every ounce of the betrayal that she felt, the loss she felt about her ex-boyfriend, and her frustration.The chemistry between Libby and Kale was beautifully written and executed perfectly.  Her body seems to not agree with her brain about the extreme dislike for warlocks and betrays her whenever she's near Kale.  He is pretty obvious about his attraction, too, and does some really sweet things that I know won my heart.The plot was so strong that I didn't figure out the magical mystery ahead of time.  I let it all play out and culminate into one huge battle between good and evil.  I didn't even really figure out the extreme depths of the treachery involved.  I was too busy enjoying this excellent novel to sit and analyze every little bit of information ~ that would have so taken away from my enjoyment.  The fact that I didn't figure it out while I read along at my nice and easy pace means that this book was executed very well.Stacey Kennedy's writing style is fantastic and I really enjoyed reading the entire novel word-for-word; no skimming or skipping anything.  The Cat's Meow is very descriptive but not overdone.  We get enough character back story so there aren't any questions about origins or why Libby has warlock issues.  Libby is a fiercely loyal friend, a smarty-butt, and can most certainly hold her own, whether it's a verbal joust or wielding her magic.I can't wait to see where the author takes us in the next book!!Please note:  There is adult language and steamy, oh so dreamy, adult scenes.Review Copy Courtesy Of:  Stacey Kennedy, via the tour host, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review.