Alice the Cat

Tessa is almost thirteen. Her mother passed away recently, her father is in shambles, and Alice, her cat, keeps running away. After chasing Alice into the grounds of her neighborhood’s haunted house, Tessa starts to think that there is a presence there that wants Alice for themselves. Together, with the help of old and new friends, Tessa sets out on an adventure to protect Alice while dealing with the grief of her mother’s passing and the uncertainty of her new family life, where everything seems to have been broken apart.

This is an emotional, hopeful middle grade story that presents themes of grief and some of the ways it is outwardly manifested. I enjoyed the diverse characters, Tessa’s adventures, and gradual growth, as well as the ways her friends show up for her when she needs them the most. Even though I thoroughly loved Alice (I love cats) and Tessa, my favorite character is Eddie: self-aware and endlessly kind, even as his own family considers him a burden. I also appreciated the themes of hope, closure, and the importance given to mental health wellness throughout the story. Overall, a four-star book for me.

I highly recommend it to those who enjoy themes of ghosts, haunted houses, grief, acceptance, friendship, and hope.

Thanks to NetGalley and Regal House, Fitzroy Books for providing me with a free digital copy to review this book.

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The cover and title of this book really caught my eye. And as a cat lover, I was instantly drawn to it. After reading the description, I knew I had to read it. And I'm so glad I did! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this book as it's geared towards a much younger audience. But it pulled me in, and I couldn't put it down. The overall theme was the perfect balance of emotions, in my opinion. This book takes you on an adventure and is very relatable. I recommend it to readers of all ages!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy to read and review.

This has "Cemetery Boys" vibe to it and I absolutely love it. "Save the cat, help the ghost, heal her dad, survive the summer" pulled me in so hard I had no choice but to follow the tug of the story. One girl against the world, here Tess comes.

Thanks to Netgalley for this advanced reading copy.