Author: Faith Hunter
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Publisher: Audible Studios
Released: January 2^nd, 2020
Received: Own
Rating:

Junkyard Cats is the first in a brand new series by Faith Hunter. Naturally, that means I couldn’t have been more excited to get my hands on this lovely bit of fiction. I should probably mention that right now, the only way to get your hands on Junkyard Cats is through Audible. You see, it’s currently only in audiobook format, though I believe that it will be getting adapted in the near-ish future. On the bright side, if you’re an Audible member you can get this book for free! So go nab it.

Junkyard Cats is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel in the best of ways. Though I might be a bit biased there, thanks to the significant inclusion of cats in this novel. All things considered, I’m okay with that!

Set in the far-flung future, this is a world that has been once again torn apart by war. Technology has allowed humanity to limp along, though the world is much changed. Shining Smith survived the latest war, and has created a little home for herself out in the middle of nowhere.

But that doesn’t mean her life is all peace and quiet. No, that would be too easy. Her past was always destined to catch up with her. Shining knew it. But she never quite expected the series of events that occur here.

You may have noticed that this description didn’t bring up the Junkyard Cats element in this book. Trust me, they’re well worth the wait, and their introduction is absolutely perfect – and not something I want to ruin.

“I was swarmed and survived and had the scars to prove it.”

I’ll be honest with you here: I had no idea what to expect with Junkyard Cats. Being that it’s written by Faith Hunter, I expected to like it. But other than that, I really didn’t know. This is the first time I’ve read a book that was an Audible exclusive, so the whole thing was a new experience for me.

What I got? Was something amazing. I absolutely adored Junkyard Cats and every element that Faith Hunter wove into the story. I would have happily listened to this audiobook for another five (or more) hours, given half the chance.

So my short answer is this: this novel is worth grabbing, even if you’ve been hesitating because of the change in format. Or, worst-case scenario, it’s worth the wait for a readable format. Either way, get this book and read it.

I was fascinated by Shining’s story, and will say that Faith Hunter did an excellent job of leaving hints to keep us grasping towards her backstory. There is still so much to learn that I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on the next novel in this series.

Obviously, I adored the cat element in this book. Perhaps a little bit too much. It was fun and quirky, while also making Shining that much more human in my eyes. And okay, the cats themselves were pretty funny and full of personality. I loved them.

I’ve spent all this time talking about the writing, but have yet to give credit to the narrator. Khristine Hvam did an excellent job bringing this story to life. I especially loved the vocalization she came up with for the cats – that was not what I expected at all. But it worked. It worked better than I would have ever imagined.

Junkyard Cats may have been Faith Hunter’s first foray into writing speculative science fiction, but you can’t tell by reading it. I already love the edge she’s added to this series, and I am very much looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.