The narration from the main character's perspective comes off as a little edgy (like middle school or high school edgy where you think violence is cooler than anything else), but overall I liked the story. Had me wondering what'd happen after after chapter. Also the first time I read a story about cat shapeshifters! ( )

It was okay and to be honest, after the prologue, I thought I had found another great read. However, the further I got into the story, the more bored I became. Many things were predictable and some things didn't make much sense. I didn't care too much about the resolution of the case. Maybe it's just not for me.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. ( )

This was just all around really bad.
I have a hard time to even motivate myself to address some of the major issues.

The book tries to be dark and gritty but instead only manages to sound like a self-insert fantasy of a 14-year-old edgelord.
The protagonists have the same issue but additionally, they are somehow supposed to be the good guys and display morals while leading a professional hitmen company? It's all incredibly contrived and unbelievable.
Furthermore, they all constantly pat each other on the back telling each other how badass and edgy they all are which is incredibly cringeworthy. The author is basically smashing the reader's face in with a sledgehammer but a gentle nudge with a feather would've been enough. This... *smash* world... *smash* is... *smash* dark.... *smash* and... *smash* gritty... *smash*.
That issue is compounded by the audiobook narrator who emphasizes every even slightly edgy statement in this wannabe badass way. See the word "death" anywhere, regardless of context? It's not pronounced "death" but "DeaTHHH". It basically throws the biggest flaw of the book in your face constantly. It's so extreme that I have the suspicion that the narrator did this to make fun of the book while appearing to try hard. It sounds much more like a caricature than an honest attempt at engaging narration.

The next big issue is that the author never stops to consider the consequences of all the differences to our world she introduces. Cats with human-level intelligence would never live as strays on the streets. They would inevitably end up as part of society in some way and that is just one example of many.

And there are plot holes. A lot of plot holes. I've read up to roughly 70% before dropping it so I don't know the full extent but it can only have gotten worse from there.

Why this is tagged as RH I couldn't tell. The only love interest appeared very late in the book. It's probably a case of one guy a book or something. ( )

There were some rough edges needing good copy editing, but the defects didn't matter much because this book was just a bit of fun to while away a few hours with. I enjoyed the assassin perspective; I enjoyed the cat perspective. ( )

**** SPOILER ALERT ****
"Meow: Catnip Assassins: Book - One" is my introduction to McKinnon's writing.
A fun one too! The author does a superb job of world building and character development as we are introduced to Kat and her krew of assassins.
This is an entertaining page turner of a book that takes a look at assassins from another perspective. Kat takes on an unusual, for her, case to investigate a murder. Why is this unusual? Well, normally she is the one doing the murdering, not the one trying to catch the murderer. However, the investigation leads to a chilling discovery.
I highly recommend this tale and I can hardly wait to read "Catnip Assassins - Book Two".
In the interest of transparency: I was given a review copy of this book and I am voluntarily sharing this review.
It is my own honest opinion. ( )