reviews_musings's review
4.0
A young girl Miri is forcibly moved to a boarding school by her selfish uncle and aunt, after her grand mother passes away. The only piece of legacy left with her is a silver amulet with a cat pendant given to her by her grandmother on her 10th birthday. Miri is unable to adjust in the new school and is constantly tormented by other girls until one day, she finds a special power that she can shape shift into a Cat.
She is then taken in by an organization called P.A.W.S which serves as a safe haven and training center for shape shifters, were wolves and other animagi. Miri finally finds solace in her new home, but danger is lurking around a corner.
There is a monster at loose, hunting for her. He seeks her amulet. There is evil at work. Will Miri be able to overcome the threat or not is the crux of this coming-of-age fantasy novel.
I loved the plot and the characters. Though all the magic in the book is something we have already read before, the plot itself offers a fresh take on the characters. P.A.W.S is lively and full of characters who are very enjoyable to read.
The only thing I felt was the climax was too quick. The book has a very predictable ending, no surprises there, but the encounter between the good and evil should have been elaborated a little further. I felt even the romance between the characters was also too quick and a little imposed upon. It did not feel very natural.
Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I am not sure if it can be recommended to children as there are some gruesome scenes. But as adults or young adults, it’s a breezy read. A fantasy book, nicely written, clean and neat.
She is then taken in by an organization called P.A.W.S which serves as a safe haven and training center for shape shifters, were wolves and other animagi. Miri finally finds solace in her new home, but danger is lurking around a corner.
There is a monster at loose, hunting for her. He seeks her amulet. There is evil at work. Will Miri be able to overcome the threat or not is the crux of this coming-of-age fantasy novel.
I loved the plot and the characters. Though all the magic in the book is something we have already read before, the plot itself offers a fresh take on the characters. P.A.W.S is lively and full of characters who are very enjoyable to read.
The only thing I felt was the climax was too quick. The book has a very predictable ending, no surprises there, but the encounter between the good and evil should have been elaborated a little further. I felt even the romance between the characters was also too quick and a little imposed upon. It did not feel very natural.
Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I am not sure if it can be recommended to children as there are some gruesome scenes. But as adults or young adults, it’s a breezy read. A fantasy book, nicely written, clean and neat.
littlemissmaudlin's review
4.0
This story is a paranormal, urban fantasy, which I don't read a lot. I enjoyed the story, although the storyline was predictable and some subplots were underdeveloped. I would have preferred if Miri, the main protagonist had been a bit more sceptical of the PAWS community. Nevertheless, I liked the character of Miri and the other characters were well-developed. If you like YA, this is for you.
piperkitty's review
5.0
Miri is discovering her families secret after her granmother has passed away. She is then sent to boarding school where she meets other shape shifters. This is a Harry Potter inspired book and you can tell from some of the lore this is a good book for young adults or those who have not read shape-shifting before. Alistair infuriates me he's a bully he's not someone you want to cross. . Nora has been minipulated . Miri and Josh are two of my favorite characters they are beautifully written. I can't wait to read the next book in this series to see where this adverture goes.
leticiatoraci's review
4.0
What a cute shapeshifter story, I could not put this book down. I'll also quite curious to see what will happen to all the characters, so I'll go on reading this series.
dimples87's review
5.0
The intrigue and mystery of this one will catch you by your bootstraps and keep you hooked from the beginning. Miri’s grandma has passed but she died with a secret. After such a heartbreaking blow, she’s left alone and isolated in a boarding school in a new state. Miri discovers she’s special in a very magical way when bullied at school that her grandma’s secret didn’t die with her after all. Miri is caught between the balance of her powers: Does she save herself and can she save her family as well?
The more she learns about these strange, magical powers by a few select others, the family’s history comes alive. This opens up the world to a completely different type of danger.
In the first of this series, we meet and go into the adventures of the Partnership for Animagi, Werewolves and Shapeshifters, better known as P.A.W.S. of St. Louis. Twisted, this book is, but in the best way: Almost like a guilty pleasure. Page-turner cause you’ll be craving for a new chapter after chapter. Wonderful characters who you can’t help but love from the way they’re special powers are connected to their stories is exciting to bring you more into the book. The world-building is incredible in this one! Easy read because you’ll be craving for more of the adventures these guys take us on.
The more she learns about these strange, magical powers by a few select others, the family’s history comes alive. This opens up the world to a completely different type of danger.
In the first of this series, we meet and go into the adventures of the Partnership for Animagi, Werewolves and Shapeshifters, better known as P.A.W.S. of St. Louis. Twisted, this book is, but in the best way: Almost like a guilty pleasure. Page-turner cause you’ll be craving for a new chapter after chapter. Wonderful characters who you can’t help but love from the way they’re special powers are connected to their stories is exciting to bring you more into the book. The world-building is incredible in this one! Easy read because you’ll be craving for more of the adventures these guys take us on.
juls_d's review
4.0
P.A.W.S (The P.A.W.S Saga book 1) by Debbie Manber Kupfer follows the story of Miri, who after tragically losing her beloved grandmother is passed a priceless heirloom that allows her to become part of a supernatural community that she had never dreamed of. Miri joins P.A.W.S and meets others like her. During this time there is a malevolent being out to get her and steal what is hers. This book was a nice introduction into this world and was very different from any other supernatural books I have read. Hoping that book 2 gives more insight as the characters grow and mature.
fish3718's review
4.0
This is my first book by Debbie Manber Kupfer. Her story is well planned out. Her characters are fully developed and yet a bit mysterious. I found myself wanting to know what was going to be happening next. This story is YA Fantasy but make no mistake, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I find that the YA genre authors have fresh ideas that keep me engaged until the last page and leave me wanting more. In this story Miri has received a silver cat charm from her Omama Celia. Little did Miri have any idea what secrets she is going to be learning. I highly recommend this story to see what Miri is going to be learning in the coming days.
bwagner's review
4.0
This is my first book by this author, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I will be looking for more from this author for sure. This is a well developed story that has characters that bring the story to life. They are connectable and made the story engaging for me. I was pulled into the story right from the beginning. Miri receives a silver cat charm that holds more power than she realizes and is about to make her life a little more interesting. This is a paranormal story where you will meet new friends including werewolves and shapeshifters. I highly recommend this book, will Miri learn to control her power?
clrushin's review
4.0
This was a really good book. Debbie Manber Kupfer added a bit of a twist to the usual shifter genre and I liked it. This novel had a few twists and turns which made for a very interesting read. I loved following the story of Miri as she learned about her heritage and also found love. Debbie Manber Kupfer is a talented author and I look forward to reading more from her.
angelahayes's review
4.0
4 Stars
P.A.W.S is the first book in the P.A.W.S Saga series by Debbie Manber Kupfer. It is a wonderful YA paranormal fantasy, with shapeshifters, werewolves, secrets, magic, adventure, danger, violence, drama, and a sprinkle of romance. This is a journey of self-discovery, finding where you belong, friendship, and more.
This is my first read from Debbie Manber Kupfer- and I am happy I stumbled on this cute story. There was a lot to love about the book. It does have a bit of a Harry Potter-esque feel to the story, and like Harry our MC is a bit of a lonely misfit- until she finds where she ‘belongs’.
Miri’s life turns upside down when her grandmother dies, and she is shipped off to boarding school. But little does she know that this will be the start of a great adventure. From being a bit of an outcast, Miri discovers the ‘family secret’ and begins her journey to her true self. But danger is stalking her with sinister intent. What happens from here, makes for a captivating read.
Now- on to Book #2!
Thank you, Debbie Manber Kupfer!
P.A.W.S is the first book in the P.A.W.S Saga series by Debbie Manber Kupfer. It is a wonderful YA paranormal fantasy, with shapeshifters, werewolves, secrets, magic, adventure, danger, violence, drama, and a sprinkle of romance. This is a journey of self-discovery, finding where you belong, friendship, and more.
This is my first read from Debbie Manber Kupfer- and I am happy I stumbled on this cute story. There was a lot to love about the book. It does have a bit of a Harry Potter-esque feel to the story, and like Harry our MC is a bit of a lonely misfit- until she finds where she ‘belongs’.
Miri’s life turns upside down when her grandmother dies, and she is shipped off to boarding school. But little does she know that this will be the start of a great adventure. From being a bit of an outcast, Miri discovers the ‘family secret’ and begins her journey to her true self. But danger is stalking her with sinister intent. What happens from here, makes for a captivating read.
Now- on to Book #2!
Thank you, Debbie Manber Kupfer!