P.A.W.S. by Debbie Manber Kupfer

I got this book free in exchange for a review, and ended up really liking it!  The ending was a bit anti-climactic, and it could use the touch of a more experienced editor, but otherwise it was an engaging story that I definitely enjoyed reading.  The author certainly knows cats and Jewish tradition!

Being a cat lover myself, this book caught my interest immediately in the first chapter. You get to know Miri as the story goes on, a shy, somewhat sheltered girl, who grows into her own powers once she discovers them. I love that she is one of a very few cat animaguses, though I confess I was confused as to how her magical transformation managed to not hurt at all and also change her clothes and backpack along with her body. The villain in this story, Alistair, comes off truly evil and devious. I feel that the author did a great job developing these characters, but I should warn that there are a couple of pretty explicit scenes that would make me reluctant to let anyone under 14 read this book. The ending left more to be said, in my opinion, though perhaps that is an opening for a sequel. That said, P.A.W.S. is a well thought-out world with likable characters and detailed scenes that definitely kept my attention, and made me want to open up the Kindle each day to read more.