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A Game of Cat and Witch
Avery Alarch has always been the worst witch at Caerwyn University. Now she’s got twenty-four hours to conjure a familiar or get kicked out for good—a fate that means losing her magic forever and being stuck on a dreary island with nothing but regrets.
Desperate times call for desperate spells. So when Avery stumbles on a forbidden grimoire, she decides to risk it all. One little summoning later, she’s expecting a cute magical cat. Instead? She gets Felix, a six-foot-six cat shifter with a bad attitude and a knack for trouble. He’s her mortal enemy, magically bound to her by an illegal spell, and very much not purring.
He wants her dead. She wants him gone. Neither of them gets a choice.
The only way out? Solve a string of enchanted riddles before their magical link destroys them both. Of course, that’s easier said than done when Felix keeps tying Avery up in shadows, and their bickering is starting to feel a little less hostile and a lot more heated.
As they unravel puzzles and secrets, Avery and Felix find themselves at the heart of a conspiracy that could upend the supernatural world. And despite every rule and reason, sparks are flying in all the wrong (or right?) ways.
Get ready for claws, curses, and cat-astrophic chemistry in A Game of Cat and Witch, the first laugh-out-loud installment in the Monstrous Shifters series.
Perfect for fans of My Funny Demon Valentine and Assistant to the Villain, Ruby Rune’s debut is a magical, banter-filled paranormal rom-com you won’t want to miss.
Desperate times call for desperate spells. So when Avery stumbles on a forbidden grimoire, she decides to risk it all. One little summoning later, she’s expecting a cute magical cat. Instead? She gets Felix, a six-foot-six cat shifter with a bad attitude and a knack for trouble. He’s her mortal enemy, magically bound to her by an illegal spell, and very much not purring.
He wants her dead. She wants him gone. Neither of them gets a choice.
The only way out? Solve a string of enchanted riddles before their magical link destroys them both. Of course, that’s easier said than done when Felix keeps tying Avery up in shadows, and their bickering is starting to feel a little less hostile and a lot more heated.
As they unravel puzzles and secrets, Avery and Felix find themselves at the heart of a conspiracy that could upend the supernatural world. And despite every rule and reason, sparks are flying in all the wrong (or right?) ways.
Get ready for claws, curses, and cat-astrophic chemistry in A Game of Cat and Witch, the first laugh-out-loud installment in the Monstrous Shifters series.
Perfect for fans of My Funny Demon Valentine and Assistant to the Villain, Ruby Rune’s debut is a magical, banter-filled paranormal rom-com you won’t want to miss.
410 pages, Paperback
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,538 reviews
July 27, 2026
2.25 ⭐️
I’m tired of books starting off so good only to end up being boring and disappointing 😭 Can we please maintain the good stuff???
Honestly, the beginning was sooo good, and even the first half of the middle part had me hooked 🙂↕️🫶 The banter was bantering 🤭 I was literally obsessed with the main characters 🥹 Bestie Krisha and I were enjoying it so much. I was fully planning to give this book 4 stars 🙂↕️
The writing style is pretty casual, but the banter and the little mystery made up for it 🙂↕️ I didn’t mind the casual writing because I was still hooked and wanted to keep reading 🥹🥹 That’s how obsessed I was with this book—can you believe it??? 😭 I even told some of my friends how much I was enjoying it because I was genuinely so happy 🥹
But then... the book completely fell flat 😃😃
The spice showed up and brought nothing but second-hand embarrassment 🥰 I skipped every smut scene because they were cringing me tf out 😭 Bestie Krisha went through the exact same struggle 🫠😭
Normally, when the smut isn’t good, I just ignore it and focus on the plot and how the story is progressing 🙂↕️ But the problem here was that THE STORY WASN’T MOVING FORWARD 😭 It was completely stuck, like it had been glued to the same spot. There were SO. MANY. FILLER. CHAPTERS. 😭😭 I was genuinely fed up at that point. I just wanted to finish the book as quickly as possible so I could finally be free from this horrible mess 😃😭
By the time the ending came around, the book had completely exhausted me 🥱 Because of that, I wasn’t even surprised by the plot twist. And honestly??? Even on its own, the plot twist just wasn’t that good 😭 It could’ve been so much better. But whatever—I honestly don’t care anymore, and I have zero plans to continue with the next book.
The 2.25 stars are only for the first half and the banter 🙂↕️ That’s it. The rest of the book deserves zero stars from me 😭 It made me that angry 🫠
Seriously, thank you, Bestie Krisha, for buddy-reading this with me 🥹 At least I wasn’t suffering through this alone 🫶😭 I really hoped this would be a win 😃 Maybe next time 😭🫂 Mwah 💋
Yea, that’s it guys. Love y’all 🫶♥️
—————————————————
🐈⬛🧹✧˖°. pre-read 🐈⬛🧹✧˖°.
Bestie Krisha and I are back with another buddy read 😼♥️ This book intrigued us, and it better be good 😭🫂
I’m tired of books starting off so good only to end up being boring and disappointing 😭 Can we please maintain the good stuff???
Honestly, the beginning was sooo good, and even the first half of the middle part had me hooked 🙂↕️🫶 The banter was bantering 🤭 I was literally obsessed with the main characters 🥹 Bestie Krisha and I were enjoying it so much. I was fully planning to give this book 4 stars 🙂↕️
The writing style is pretty casual, but the banter and the little mystery made up for it 🙂↕️ I didn’t mind the casual writing because I was still hooked and wanted to keep reading 🥹🥹 That’s how obsessed I was with this book—can you believe it??? 😭 I even told some of my friends how much I was enjoying it because I was genuinely so happy 🥹
But then... the book completely fell flat 😃😃
The spice showed up and brought nothing but second-hand embarrassment 🥰 I skipped every smut scene because they were cringing me tf out 😭 Bestie Krisha went through the exact same struggle 🫠😭
Normally, when the smut isn’t good, I just ignore it and focus on the plot and how the story is progressing 🙂↕️ But the problem here was that THE STORY WASN’T MOVING FORWARD 😭 It was completely stuck, like it had been glued to the same spot. There were SO. MANY. FILLER. CHAPTERS. 😭😭 I was genuinely fed up at that point. I just wanted to finish the book as quickly as possible so I could finally be free from this horrible mess 😃😭
By the time the ending came around, the book had completely exhausted me 🥱 Because of that, I wasn’t even surprised by the plot twist. And honestly??? Even on its own, the plot twist just wasn’t that good 😭 It could’ve been so much better. But whatever—I honestly don’t care anymore, and I have zero plans to continue with the next book.
The 2.25 stars are only for the first half and the banter 🙂↕️ That’s it. The rest of the book deserves zero stars from me 😭 It made me that angry 🫠
Seriously, thank you, Bestie Krisha, for buddy-reading this with me 🥹 At least I wasn’t suffering through this alone 🫶😭 I really hoped this would be a win 😃 Maybe next time 😭🫂 Mwah 💋
Yea, that’s it guys. Love y’all 🫶♥️
—————————————————
🐈⬛🧹✧˖°. pre-read 🐈⬛🧹✧˖°.
Bestie Krisha and I are back with another buddy read 😼♥️ This book intrigued us, and it better be good 😭🫂
July 29, 2026
This book had a strong start, and I could see myself rating it four stars, but as the story progressed, it went right down the hill for me.
Firstly, speaking of the writing, it was so juvenile, I'm at a loss for words. It felt like reading a draft version of the book that's in desperate need of an editor, because what was this even? The writing lacked depth, emotional touch and the spark. It felt as if it was written by a robot, because it reads a lot worse than a Wattpad YA romance. Hence, I found it really difficult to take this book seriously, let alone the characters.
Secondly, the smut. OH. MY. GOD. It was so fucking cringe, trust me when I say, I had to skip dinner after reading that atrocity. Bile rose up my throat. Don't believe me? Feel free to ask my buddy read partner. Any sane person would have skipped the horrendous smut, but the fact that I still chose to read every dreadful smut scene, clearly shows I need help.
Thirdly, there's an insane amount of filler content. So many long chapters, with absolutely no progress — both in terms of plot and romance. Like give me something, anything. A 400 page novel should NOT have this amount of filler. It's absolutely criminal. The main villain is not even dead yet, the final riddle isn't even solved and so many plot holes regarding the blood magic. What was this whole book even for, when nothing actually happened?
Thanks to my buddy read partner, uswah, for reading this with me. Buddy reading this book with you made it so much more bearable ♥️
Firstly, speaking of the writing, it was so juvenile, I'm at a loss for words. It felt like reading a draft version of the book that's in desperate need of an editor, because what was this even? The writing lacked depth, emotional touch and the spark. It felt as if it was written by a robot, because it reads a lot worse than a Wattpad YA romance. Hence, I found it really difficult to take this book seriously, let alone the characters.
Secondly, the smut. OH. MY. GOD. It was so fucking cringe, trust me when I say, I had to skip dinner after reading that atrocity. Bile rose up my throat. Don't believe me? Feel free to ask my buddy read partner. Any sane person would have skipped the horrendous smut, but the fact that I still chose to read every dreadful smut scene, clearly shows I need help.
Thirdly, there's an insane amount of filler content. So many long chapters, with absolutely no progress — both in terms of plot and romance. Like give me something, anything. A 400 page novel should NOT have this amount of filler. It's absolutely criminal. The main villain is not even dead yet, the final riddle isn't even solved and so many plot holes regarding the blood magic. What was this whole book even for, when nothing actually happened?
Thanks to my buddy read partner, uswah, for reading this with me. Buddy reading this book with you made it so much more bearable ♥️
May 10, 2026
Thank you so much Ruby for the ARC! 3.5🌟 This was such a fun time. Easy to follow and fast paced. I loved the premise of this story; a witch bonding with a black cat familiar only to discover he’s actually a cat shifter (and he’s not happy). Our literal black cat MMC felix was HOT and kinda scary, the tension between Felix and Avery had me feral and the spice was SO GOOD. I love a series of interconnected standalones and the overarching storyline in this is going to be fun to follow in the next books! If you want to dip a toe into the monster romance genre this is a perfect place to start.
May 7, 2026
Pretty good I guess but idk I’m just the author
Want to Read
May 1, 2026 ⸺ 𑣲⋆˚࿔ preread
i’m very lucky to have received an arc from the author, i saw this book on tiktok and am OBSESSED + the cover is so cute! (mmc is a cat shifter btw) 😛😛😛
i’m very lucky to have received an arc from the author, i saw this book on tiktok and am OBSESSED + the cover is so cute! (mmc is a cat shifter btw) 😛😛😛
May 8, 2026
thank you ruby rune for the eARC—all thoughts are my own!
✦ publication date: may 10, 2026
A+ 10/10 WOULD BANG FELIX
i cannot believe that this is a debut! i've been so intrigued about this book after i saw the tropes and everything i had to sign up for an arc and i'm so happy to have received an arc of this.
avery is the worst student at her magic school. if she doesn’t find a familiar (a magical animal partner) in 24 hours, she will be kicked out and lose her magic forever. desperate, avery tries a forbidden spell to summon one. she hopes for a cute cat, but instead, she gets felix. felix is a giant, grumpy man who can turn into a cat. to make things worse, he is avery’s biggest mortal enemy. because of the illegal spell, they are now magically stuck together. felix hates avery and wants to get rid of her, but he can’t leave her side. if they want to break the bond, they must solve a series of magical riddles. as they work together to solve the puzzles, they discover a dangerous secret that could destroy the whole magical world. while they are busy arguing, they realize their feelings are starting to change from hate to something much more intense.
i absolutely loved this book! the writing is simple, funny, and very easy to follow. right from the start, i was hooked by the mystery elements. the setting and the pace were perfect, and i truly enjoyed every page.
my favorite part was definitely the dark academia vibe and the banter between avery and felix. i couldn't stop laughing. at first, i wasn't sure if the whole cat shifter idea would work for me, but i ended up loving it. avery is such a great character, i love how determined she is to prove herself. felix on the other hand is completely whipped. it was so sweet to see that he would do absolutely anything for her.
ps. felix is a shadow daddy/cat shifter and can turn this shadow into peens.
⤿ forced proximity
⤿ just one dorm/bed
⤿ enemies to lovers
⤿ touch her and d!e
⤿ dark academia
⤿ witch x cat shifter
⤿ fated mates
⤿ black cat mmc
⤿ underlying mystery plot
✦ publication date: may 10, 2026
A+ 10/10 WOULD BANG FELIX
i cannot believe that this is a debut! i've been so intrigued about this book after i saw the tropes and everything i had to sign up for an arc and i'm so happy to have received an arc of this.
avery is the worst student at her magic school. if she doesn’t find a familiar (a magical animal partner) in 24 hours, she will be kicked out and lose her magic forever. desperate, avery tries a forbidden spell to summon one. she hopes for a cute cat, but instead, she gets felix. felix is a giant, grumpy man who can turn into a cat. to make things worse, he is avery’s biggest mortal enemy. because of the illegal spell, they are now magically stuck together. felix hates avery and wants to get rid of her, but he can’t leave her side. if they want to break the bond, they must solve a series of magical riddles. as they work together to solve the puzzles, they discover a dangerous secret that could destroy the whole magical world. while they are busy arguing, they realize their feelings are starting to change from hate to something much more intense.
i absolutely loved this book! the writing is simple, funny, and very easy to follow. right from the start, i was hooked by the mystery elements. the setting and the pace were perfect, and i truly enjoyed every page.
my favorite part was definitely the dark academia vibe and the banter between avery and felix. i couldn't stop laughing. at first, i wasn't sure if the whole cat shifter idea would work for me, but i ended up loving it. avery is such a great character, i love how determined she is to prove herself. felix on the other hand is completely whipped. it was so sweet to see that he would do absolutely anything for her.
ps. felix is a shadow daddy/cat shifter and can turn this shadow into peens.
⤿ forced proximity
⤿ just one dorm/bed
⤿ enemies to lovers
⤿ touch her and d!e
⤿ dark academia
⤿ witch x cat shifter
⤿ fated mates
⤿ black cat mmc
⤿ underlying mystery plot
Did Not Finish
May 9, 2026DNF
I went into A Game of Cat and Witch ready to have the time of my life. The marketing? Immaculate. A barbed peen? A weird little cat man? Promises of extra spicy chaos? Oh I was SAT. I was READY. I had my clown makeup on, my expectations high, my dignity low. And somehow this book still managed to make me tap out before we even got to the allegedly freaky sex because the journey to get there felt like being trapped in a never-ending group project with someone who just discovered the word “familiar” and decided it needed to appear in every other sentence.
The prologue honestly tricked me. It wasn’t amazing by any means, the writing already felt a little rough, but at least SOMETHING was happening. We establish the FMC has no familiar. Cool. Got it. Understood. Heard you loud and clear the first 17 times. There’s some intrigue, the MMC shows up, and I was like okayyyy maybe we’re cooking a little. Maybe the writing is a little wattpad-core but perhaps the vibes will carry me through. And then…the author committed one of my least favorite sins known to mankind: the “let’s immediately rewind time after finally introducing something interesting” maneuver.
WHY.
Why would you introduce the mysterious MMC only to go “anyway here’s what she did the day before :)” when that day before consists of absolutely NOTHING. And I do mean NOTHING. These chapters were LONG too. Like offensively long considering the content. I’m sitting there reading chapter after chapter of this woman walking around repeating that she doesn’t have a familiar and desperately needs one as if I had suffered a traumatic brain injury between pages and forgot. Babe I KNOW. YOU TOLD ME. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THE FAMILIAR CRISIS. Meanwhile the plot is standing in the corner starving to death because nobody is feeding it.
And the thing is, filler chapters can work if they build atmosphere or character dynamics or tension or literally anything. But these chapters genuinely felt like we paused the actual story so the FMC could monologue at me about her familiar situation for 40 consecutive Kindle minutes. There are only so many times I can hear “I need a familiar” before I start wanting HER to become my familiar just so we can move on.
And then. THEN. The book hit me with the line about how she was looking for books involving relationships between witches and shifters but couldn’t find any so she had to settle for shifter-human romances instead and I genuinely had to put my Kindle down and stare at the wall for a minute. What in the fanfiction.net self-insert was that??? Why are we doing meta Goodreads browsing inside the book??? It felt so bizarrely juvenile. Like the book kept reminding me it knew romance tropes existed instead of naturally incorporating them.
Which honestly sums up my biggest issue with the writing overall: it felt incredibly young despite the book clearly marketing itself as spicy adult paranormal romance. The tone constantly read like YA trying very hard to sound edgy and mature. The swearing especially drove me insane because listen, I curse constantly. Every other sentence out of my mouth is probably legally considered verbal violence. But here it felt so forced. Like every character was swearing not because it fit naturally into dialogue, but because the author wanted you to know this is an ADULT book for GROWN UPS who say FUCK. It had the same energy as a 13-year-old discovering they can swear online without parental supervision. None of the dialogue sounded organic; it sounded like everyone was auditioning for the role of “most aggressively quirky paranormal character.”
And I’m sorry but I refuse to take the name Lucky seriously. I can’t do it. I simply cannot. That is not a sexy mysterious paranormal MMC name. That is the name of a golden retriever who eats drywall. You’re telling me FELIX was apparently the worse option to her than Lucky??? FELIX??? Lucky sounds like a character from a children’s cartoon who learns the importance of friendship.
Speaking of cats…this man spends all this time acting like he’s some terrifying monstrous beast and then his shifted form is literally just a house cat. A HOUSE CAT. Sir be serious. You are not the darkness incarnate, you are one laser pointer away from humiliation. And don’t even get me started on the artwork because why does he have two sets of ears??? Every image had me distracted beyond belief because he’s standing there with regular human ears AND cat ears on top of his head like someone forgot to finish rendering him. Pick a lane. Why does this man have surround sound.
The truly frustrating part is that the premise had SO much potential. Witch/shifter romance? Familiar bonds? Weird monster spice? I was READY to eat this up. This had all the ingredients for absolute unhinged paranormal fun and instead it somehow became painfully boring almost immediately. The pacing was brutal, the writing repetitive, the dialogue awkward, and the characters felt more like trope delivery systems than actual people. I kept trying to push through because I wanted to at least meet the infamous barbed peen situation everyone was hyping up, but eventually I realized no amount of promised monster dick was worth suffering through another chapter of the FMC reminding me she didn’t have a familiar.
And honestly? That’s the real tragedy here. The book marketed itself as chaotic sexy paranormal nonsense and I LOVE chaotic sexy paranormal nonsense. I am the target audience. Hand me a weird little monster man and I’ll usually overlook a lot. But this just never came together. It felt like the book wanted credit for its tropes without actually putting in the work to make them compelling. By the time I DNF’d, I wasn’t even frustrated anymore. I was just tired. Tired of the repetition. Tired of the pacing. Tired of Lucky’s goofy ass name. Tired of being told this cat man was terrifying when he probably weighs 11 pounds soaking wet.
Maybe the freaky sex eventually saves it for some people. Unfortunately I will never know because the writing got to me first.
I went into A Game of Cat and Witch ready to have the time of my life. The marketing? Immaculate. A barbed peen? A weird little cat man? Promises of extra spicy chaos? Oh I was SAT. I was READY. I had my clown makeup on, my expectations high, my dignity low. And somehow this book still managed to make me tap out before we even got to the allegedly freaky sex because the journey to get there felt like being trapped in a never-ending group project with someone who just discovered the word “familiar” and decided it needed to appear in every other sentence.
The prologue honestly tricked me. It wasn’t amazing by any means, the writing already felt a little rough, but at least SOMETHING was happening. We establish the FMC has no familiar. Cool. Got it. Understood. Heard you loud and clear the first 17 times. There’s some intrigue, the MMC shows up, and I was like okayyyy maybe we’re cooking a little. Maybe the writing is a little wattpad-core but perhaps the vibes will carry me through. And then…the author committed one of my least favorite sins known to mankind: the “let’s immediately rewind time after finally introducing something interesting” maneuver.
WHY.
Why would you introduce the mysterious MMC only to go “anyway here’s what she did the day before :)” when that day before consists of absolutely NOTHING. And I do mean NOTHING. These chapters were LONG too. Like offensively long considering the content. I’m sitting there reading chapter after chapter of this woman walking around repeating that she doesn’t have a familiar and desperately needs one as if I had suffered a traumatic brain injury between pages and forgot. Babe I KNOW. YOU TOLD ME. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THE FAMILIAR CRISIS. Meanwhile the plot is standing in the corner starving to death because nobody is feeding it.
And the thing is, filler chapters can work if they build atmosphere or character dynamics or tension or literally anything. But these chapters genuinely felt like we paused the actual story so the FMC could monologue at me about her familiar situation for 40 consecutive Kindle minutes. There are only so many times I can hear “I need a familiar” before I start wanting HER to become my familiar just so we can move on.
And then. THEN. The book hit me with the line about how she was looking for books involving relationships between witches and shifters but couldn’t find any so she had to settle for shifter-human romances instead and I genuinely had to put my Kindle down and stare at the wall for a minute. What in the fanfiction.net self-insert was that??? Why are we doing meta Goodreads browsing inside the book??? It felt so bizarrely juvenile. Like the book kept reminding me it knew romance tropes existed instead of naturally incorporating them.
Which honestly sums up my biggest issue with the writing overall: it felt incredibly young despite the book clearly marketing itself as spicy adult paranormal romance. The tone constantly read like YA trying very hard to sound edgy and mature. The swearing especially drove me insane because listen, I curse constantly. Every other sentence out of my mouth is probably legally considered verbal violence. But here it felt so forced. Like every character was swearing not because it fit naturally into dialogue, but because the author wanted you to know this is an ADULT book for GROWN UPS who say FUCK. It had the same energy as a 13-year-old discovering they can swear online without parental supervision. None of the dialogue sounded organic; it sounded like everyone was auditioning for the role of “most aggressively quirky paranormal character.”
And I’m sorry but I refuse to take the name Lucky seriously. I can’t do it. I simply cannot. That is not a sexy mysterious paranormal MMC name. That is the name of a golden retriever who eats drywall. You’re telling me FELIX was apparently the worse option to her than Lucky??? FELIX??? Lucky sounds like a character from a children’s cartoon who learns the importance of friendship.
Speaking of cats…this man spends all this time acting like he’s some terrifying monstrous beast and then his shifted form is literally just a house cat. A HOUSE CAT. Sir be serious. You are not the darkness incarnate, you are one laser pointer away from humiliation. And don’t even get me started on the artwork because why does he have two sets of ears??? Every image had me distracted beyond belief because he’s standing there with regular human ears AND cat ears on top of his head like someone forgot to finish rendering him. Pick a lane. Why does this man have surround sound.
The truly frustrating part is that the premise had SO much potential. Witch/shifter romance? Familiar bonds? Weird monster spice? I was READY to eat this up. This had all the ingredients for absolute unhinged paranormal fun and instead it somehow became painfully boring almost immediately. The pacing was brutal, the writing repetitive, the dialogue awkward, and the characters felt more like trope delivery systems than actual people. I kept trying to push through because I wanted to at least meet the infamous barbed peen situation everyone was hyping up, but eventually I realized no amount of promised monster dick was worth suffering through another chapter of the FMC reminding me she didn’t have a familiar.
And honestly? That’s the real tragedy here. The book marketed itself as chaotic sexy paranormal nonsense and I LOVE chaotic sexy paranormal nonsense. I am the target audience. Hand me a weird little monster man and I’ll usually overlook a lot. But this just never came together. It felt like the book wanted credit for its tropes without actually putting in the work to make them compelling. By the time I DNF’d, I wasn’t even frustrated anymore. I was just tired. Tired of the repetition. Tired of the pacing. Tired of Lucky’s goofy ass name. Tired of being told this cat man was terrifying when he probably weighs 11 pounds soaking wet.
Maybe the freaky sex eventually saves it for some people. Unfortunately I will never know because the writing got to me first.
Currently Reading
June 23, 2026preread
Cat shifter?? Tail play?? YES
Cat shifter?? Tail play?? YES
Want to Read
January 11, 2026Mystery plot in academic settings and he is a literal black cat shifter and they are fated mates ?!!!!!
June 2, 2026
I had so much fun with this book! I came for the cat shifter shenanigans and stayed for the comedic banter, spice and shifters vs witches plot 🤩
Review of advance copy received from Author
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 4.85 stars
delicious. yummy. so good.
like if ur a fan of mates, witches, paranormal stuff... (a cat shifter 🙈) u need to read this!!!! SO good and like i cannot believe this is ruby's debut?!!
✧˖°🐈⬛ ⋆｡˚꩜ 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
⤷ he's a literal black cat
⤷ witch x shifter
⤷ touch her and die
⤷ only one dorm/bed
⤷ fated mates
⤷ enemies to lovers
thank u ruby for the digital arc!
delicious. yummy. so good.
like if ur a fan of mates, witches, paranormal stuff... (a cat shifter 🙈) u need to read this!!!! SO good and like i cannot believe this is ruby's debut?!!
✧˖°🐈⬛ ⋆｡˚꩜ 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
⤷ he's a literal black cat
⤷ witch x shifter
⤷ touch her and die
⤷ only one dorm/bed
⤷ fated mates
⤷ enemies to lovers
thank u ruby for the digital arc!
June 5, 2026
˗ˏˋ 4 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .
we're just gonna pretend i'm not writing this review two weeks later, okay? shushhh
anyways i was kinda skeptical coming into this cuz he's a cat shifter and idk what to expect? but like it ended up being soo good??
honestly avery & felix were just soo cute together! loved the dark academia vibes and their top tier banter. they were just hella funny going at it with each other lol. also loved how felix was so down bad gone for her too
the last like 20% was CRAZYYYY- i need book 2 rn and like i feel like theres a redemption arc going for wren (avery's older sister)?? orr i'm just delusional
⤷ thank you to the author, ruby rune, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
umm soooo i did end up reading the same book for an entire month lol, full rtc!!!
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
soo he's a cat shifter
we're just gonna pretend i'm not writing this review two weeks later, okay? shushhh
anyways i was kinda skeptical coming into this cuz he's a cat shifter and idk what to expect? but like it ended up being soo good??
honestly avery & felix were just soo cute together! loved the dark academia vibes and their top tier banter. they were just hella funny going at it with each other lol. also loved how felix was so down bad gone for her too
the last like 20% was CRAZYYYY- i need book 2 rn and like i feel like theres a redemption arc going for wren (avery's older sister)?? orr i'm just delusional
⤷ thank you to the author, ruby rune, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
umm soooo i did end up reading the same book for an entire month lol, full rtc!!!
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
soo he's a cat shifter
May 11, 2026
Sigh. This reads like a debut and while that isn’t usually a bad thing, in this case, it is. I even came out of GR retirement because it pissed me off that bad.
Maybe it’s on me for expecting a book for adults considering the level of apparent spice it has. But you can’t convince me this isn’t YA with smut, which is just gross.
The MCs are apparently in their early 20’s but act and speak like teenagers. The FMC clarifies almost every brain fart with something in a parenthesis (I’m not exaggerating). The dialogue and internal thoughts are cringey at best. And everything is just so awkward. I’m not a fan of things being dated with pop culture references and modern day slang THIS much either.
And I suppose most of that could just be personal preference but here’s what made me categorise it firmly in the “terrible debut” pile and DNF: The metaphors and similes conjure bizarre imagery that genuinely make no sense in context. There’s soooooo much repetition that I was immediately frustrated. The writing style is juvenile and I’m not sold on the amount of editing (given the grammar mistakes and previous points mentioned). There’s so much tell not show, naming every feeling the characters experience instead of describing it and allowing the reader to be immersed in the story.
All in all, I think the author was trying too hard without the skill to back it up. This is what happens when “influencers” think they can write simply because they have a platform; their desperation clings to the story like flies on shit.
Maybe it’s on me for expecting a book for adults considering the level of apparent spice it has. But you can’t convince me this isn’t YA with smut, which is just gross.
The MCs are apparently in their early 20’s but act and speak like teenagers. The FMC clarifies almost every brain fart with something in a parenthesis (I’m not exaggerating). The dialogue and internal thoughts are cringey at best. And everything is just so awkward. I’m not a fan of things being dated with pop culture references and modern day slang THIS much either.
And I suppose most of that could just be personal preference but here’s what made me categorise it firmly in the “terrible debut” pile and DNF: The metaphors and similes conjure bizarre imagery that genuinely make no sense in context. There’s soooooo much repetition that I was immediately frustrated. The writing style is juvenile and I’m not sold on the amount of editing (given the grammar mistakes and previous points mentioned). There’s so much tell not show, naming every feeling the characters experience instead of describing it and allowing the reader to be immersed in the story.
All in all, I think the author was trying too hard without the skill to back it up. This is what happens when “influencers” think they can write simply because they have a platform; their desperation clings to the story like flies on shit.
May 11, 2026
I truly will never understand why authors LOVE to create a MMC who only ever thinks about sex and how many women he has slept with. And this being an ongoing thing throughout the entire book??? Why?? I just don’t understand the appeal. Would you want to be with someone who only ever thinks about what hole they can slip into next? Don’t get me started on how badly I hated the way he thought about the fmc. I think my hatred for the mmc is carrying this rating. He was just a plain manwhore asshole.
Then there was Avery the fmc, her personality flip flopped so much it infuriated me. One minute she’s isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and has a idgaf attitude, the next she’s crying uncontrollably and playing dead. Don’t get me started on the complete lack of reaction she had a majority of the time. The author herself even acknowledged this and said it was avery dissociating, but obviously she did no research on what that actually looks like. To me it read as lazy writing.
Honestly, I should have just dnfed this at the 25% mark, but I tried to push through and get to the romance. Unfortunately, I still had a hard time finding it. I usually can go with the flow when it comes to juvenile writing, especially from a debut novel, but this was just annoying me. I find it blatantly obvious when an author is writing a book for the tropes and smut over the story of the characters falling in love.
But I will say that I think my opinion is not one that everyone will share. Some people will love this story and that is okay. Reading is so subjective and a book won’t be for everyone. If this book sounds like something up your alley I don’t think it would hurt to give it a shot.
Then there was Avery the fmc, her personality flip flopped so much it infuriated me. One minute she’s isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and has a idgaf attitude, the next she’s crying uncontrollably and playing dead. Don’t get me started on the complete lack of reaction she had a majority of the time. The author herself even acknowledged this and said it was avery dissociating, but obviously she did no research on what that actually looks like. To me it read as lazy writing.
Honestly, I should have just dnfed this at the 25% mark, but I tried to push through and get to the romance. Unfortunately, I still had a hard time finding it. I usually can go with the flow when it comes to juvenile writing, especially from a debut novel, but this was just annoying me. I find it blatantly obvious when an author is writing a book for the tropes and smut over the story of the characters falling in love.
But I will say that I think my opinion is not one that everyone will share. Some people will love this story and that is okay. Reading is so subjective and a book won’t be for everyone. If this book sounds like something up your alley I don’t think it would hurt to give it a shot.
July 4, 2026
✨ Witchy, witty, and a little unhinged. Exactly what I was in the mood for ✨
May 26, 2026
I was salivating for this book to come out ever since I happened upon the author's Instagram page with all the cute Felix art. He was just so sassy and fun and a cat shifter? Say less. Take my money. And I gotta say, the book met my expectations. Mostly. Felix was everything I wanted him to be and more and I didn't hate Avery, I was vibing along just fine until somewhere along the third act. Something shifted, lol, for me and I can't even put my finger on what it was exactly but I wasn't as entertained as before. The language and the silliness of some things started to bother me I guess. So maybe I'm landing on more like a 3.50 to 3.75 rating for this. I just wish we stuck the landing a bit better. Then again it's Ruby's first book and it was a damn good first book.
Over and out
Over and out
June 8, 2026
This witch and cat shifter spicy paranormal romantasy rom com… had me dropping some of the fattest tears down my face because what do you mean that was one of the sweetest most loving romantic stories I have ever read…?
Our female main character… has 24 hours to conjure a familiar or she gets kicked out of her University for good…
Desperate times… call for desperate measures… she finds a forbidden grimoire… and uses it to summon a familiar…
She’s expecting… a cute magical little cat…
Instead?
She get’s Felix… a six foot six cat shifter with a bad attitude… and he’s also… the hottest alive ever…
He’s… big time pissed… because she used an illegal spell and now he’s bound to her and very much… not having it.
He hates witches and basically wants to kill her. She wants him gone because he is not at all what she meant to summon. They’re stuck together. And it is our absolute pleasure… to experience this torture.
Legitimate chaos ensues.. and you will be laughing out loud one moment.. and curled up in a ball sobbing the next.
I love a book that can make me laugh and feel so entertained but then the heart the meat the bones of the story is incredibly touching, powerful, intimate, vulnerable, and full of life lessons that will leave you with a bigger more tender heart in the process.
But don’t forget. The spice. It be spicing.
You will be blushing. You will wish you had your own cat shifter… is that weird? No it’s not… not if he’s going to pleasure you the way Felix does. I could literally write a paper on the way this man… shifter… cat… has me.. meowing.. I don’t know what I’m saying at this point…
Point is… he’s hot I’m in love… he’s mean, he’s funny, wait until you see when he starts to hate the female main character a little less… you’re going to love it and be super jealous.
Then... out of nowhere… we start to meet some new characters that have my tastebuds tingling… and then I realize… this is going to be a series of different couples and shifters… and I exploded. Because the way Ruby has setup this series for the next installment… has me speechless… in the best way possible.
I feel like I’m frozen in time now… and will only thaw when I have the next book in my hand.
Read this… immediately.
Our female main character… has 24 hours to conjure a familiar or she gets kicked out of her University for good…
Desperate times… call for desperate measures… she finds a forbidden grimoire… and uses it to summon a familiar…
She’s expecting… a cute magical little cat…
Instead?
She get’s Felix… a six foot six cat shifter with a bad attitude… and he’s also… the hottest alive ever…
He’s… big time pissed… because she used an illegal spell and now he’s bound to her and very much… not having it.
He hates witches and basically wants to kill her. She wants him gone because he is not at all what she meant to summon. They’re stuck together. And it is our absolute pleasure… to experience this torture.
Legitimate chaos ensues.. and you will be laughing out loud one moment.. and curled up in a ball sobbing the next.
I love a book that can make me laugh and feel so entertained but then the heart the meat the bones of the story is incredibly touching, powerful, intimate, vulnerable, and full of life lessons that will leave you with a bigger more tender heart in the process.
But don’t forget. The spice. It be spicing.
You will be blushing. You will wish you had your own cat shifter… is that weird? No it’s not… not if he’s going to pleasure you the way Felix does. I could literally write a paper on the way this man… shifter… cat… has me.. meowing.. I don’t know what I’m saying at this point…
Point is… he’s hot I’m in love… he’s mean, he’s funny, wait until you see when he starts to hate the female main character a little less… you’re going to love it and be super jealous.
Then... out of nowhere… we start to meet some new characters that have my tastebuds tingling… and then I realize… this is going to be a series of different couples and shifters… and I exploded. Because the way Ruby has setup this series for the next installment… has me speechless… in the best way possible.
I feel like I’m frozen in time now… and will only thaw when I have the next book in my hand.
Read this… immediately.
maybe
July 6, 2026Audio coming out on December 8, 2026
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say less
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say less
May 6, 2026
Firstly, I want to say I am beyond grateful to have received an ARC for this book, however, it just was not my cup of tea.
The writing style? Big no from me. At first I actually couldn’t stop laughing. I thought Felix’s character was great (especially in cat form) and there were so many funny lines and comments but as the book went on I just got really cringed out. I feel like, if it weren’t for the smut, this would be something I recommend for like, a fourteen year old. That’s what the writing was giving me.
I had a fun time with the premise of the book but the execution was just a no.
I also didn’t like the pacing of the relationship. I understand it’s a fated theme but again, it kind of just icked me out.
I think this is one of those reads where you have to enjoy the language and style of writing, otherwise it’ll be a bit of a flop.
I felt like the author tried too hard to be funny or clever and it just missed the mark.
The writing style? Big no from me. At first I actually couldn’t stop laughing. I thought Felix’s character was great (especially in cat form) and there were so many funny lines and comments but as the book went on I just got really cringed out. I feel like, if it weren’t for the smut, this would be something I recommend for like, a fourteen year old. That’s what the writing was giving me.
I had a fun time with the premise of the book but the execution was just a no.
I also didn’t like the pacing of the relationship. I understand it’s a fated theme but again, it kind of just icked me out.
I think this is one of those reads where you have to enjoy the language and style of writing, otherwise it’ll be a bit of a flop.
I felt like the author tried too hard to be funny or clever and it just missed the mark.
July 26, 2026
so many mixed feelings reading this.
on the one hand, yes it's a fast silly fantasy romance read. however, it definitely has room for improvement and things bugged me throughout.
firstly, her literally reading witch x shifter fanfic.... sigh. it's just a bit much. the tone is a bit juvenile, which is forgiveable, but why is this mmc 30 years old sounding like he's even younger than her 22 yo ass sometimes 😭 like sometimes they both were funny, but they did not feel their ages.
also he's a cat shifter and he thought he was so bad ass lmao shut up kitty. speaking of kitty, i much preferred him calling her that than "little witch" which got soooo annoying. he also has a "beast" on top of his animal shifting, which seems like a lot to balance out for shifters. it kinda felt like a way to make up for the fact his shifting form is so non-threatening, bc there are literal dragons in here.
sm strangling in this. we need to add this to triggers bc it lowkey pmo when authors throw that in between mc's gdi, enemies to lovers or not. esp when later make it make sense. also she was super weak in the beginning so enemies to lovers is not v enjoyable in that way for me.
the plot and story itself has a lot of promise and tbh i'm intrigued for the next book pairing and how the world will continue to grow, i just think we got a very limited view of it in this book. it was very focused on the romance, which is fine if it's done well, but it was speed run and pretty lust-based for me. which i wouldn't hate except getting love proclamations out of it feels so superficial and unearned. like i need more than y'all's physical compatibility.
speaking of physical... like sometimes it was hot, and then sometimes it was ruined with something like his orgasm being described as a "glorious volcano".
do you guys see why i'm so torn about this???? i didn't hate it but it def wasn't perfect.
anyways clearly some ppl love it. i'm eh. i might try book 2 tho bc i'm kind of low key feeling the next pairing more already lmao
on the one hand, yes it's a fast silly fantasy romance read. however, it definitely has room for improvement and things bugged me throughout.
firstly, her literally reading witch x shifter fanfic.... sigh. it's just a bit much. the tone is a bit juvenile, which is forgiveable, but why is this mmc 30 years old sounding like he's even younger than her 22 yo ass sometimes 😭 like sometimes they both were funny, but they did not feel their ages.
also he's a cat shifter and he thought he was so bad ass lmao shut up kitty. speaking of kitty, i much preferred him calling her that than "little witch" which got soooo annoying. he also has a "beast" on top of his animal shifting, which seems like a lot to balance out for shifters. it kinda felt like a way to make up for the fact his shifting form is so non-threatening, bc there are literal dragons in here.
sm strangling in this. we need to add this to triggers bc it lowkey pmo when authors throw that in between mc's gdi, enemies to lovers or not. esp when later make it make sense. also she was super weak in the beginning so enemies to lovers is not v enjoyable in that way for me.
the plot and story itself has a lot of promise and tbh i'm intrigued for the next book pairing and how the world will continue to grow, i just think we got a very limited view of it in this book. it was very focused on the romance, which is fine if it's done well, but it was speed run and pretty lust-based for me. which i wouldn't hate except getting love proclamations out of it feels so superficial and unearned. like i need more than y'all's physical compatibility.
speaking of physical... like sometimes it was hot, and then sometimes it was ruined with something like his orgasm being described as a "glorious volcano".
do you guys see why i'm so torn about this???? i didn't hate it but it def wasn't perfect.
anyways clearly some ppl love it. i'm eh. i might try book 2 tho bc i'm kind of low key feeling the next pairing more already lmao
May 19, 2026
Started to skim at 80%. Started out so fun, and just became so, so incredibly boring when the main couple got together. Not even the very predictable plot could pin my brain down, I'm afraid. This isn't horrible, and if you want a true junk food book then this is great! I just wasn't in the mood for it and I refuse to be held hostage.
May 11, 2026
A Game of Cat and Witch by Ruby Rune
This was such a fun read. It had really entertaining banter, great spicy moments, and plenty of swoony scenes that had me smiling while reading.
I really loved our FMC, Avery. Even though life handed her a rough hand, she stayed strong and never gave up on her dreams, which made her very easy to root for.
And Felix?? As a cat person, I absolutely adored this cat shifter. His cat mannerisms had me laughing so many times and added such a fun charm to the story.
The spice was definitely spicing, and there were some genuinely sweet and swoony moments that I really enjoyed.
“When I finally get to kiss you the way you deserve, no one will be allowed to watch. You are mine. Mine to touch. Mine to watch. You are an angel that is undeserving of the eyes of mortals.”
For me, the pacing occasionally felt a little uneven, and I would have loved a bit more development toward the ending because I was enjoying the world and characters so much. But overall, this was still a light, entertaining read that kept me engaged.
And honestly? The hints of more dragon shifters in book two definitely have me curious 👀
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.75)
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you so much Ruby Rune for the review copy, all opinions are my own
This was such a fun read. It had really entertaining banter, great spicy moments, and plenty of swoony scenes that had me smiling while reading.
I really loved our FMC, Avery. Even though life handed her a rough hand, she stayed strong and never gave up on her dreams, which made her very easy to root for.
And Felix?? As a cat person, I absolutely adored this cat shifter. His cat mannerisms had me laughing so many times and added such a fun charm to the story.
The spice was definitely spicing, and there were some genuinely sweet and swoony moments that I really enjoyed.
“When I finally get to kiss you the way you deserve, no one will be allowed to watch. You are mine. Mine to touch. Mine to watch. You are an angel that is undeserving of the eyes of mortals.”
For me, the pacing occasionally felt a little uneven, and I would have loved a bit more development toward the ending because I was enjoying the world and characters so much. But overall, this was still a light, entertaining read that kept me engaged.
And honestly? The hints of more dragon shifters in book two definitely have me curious 👀
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.75)
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you so much Ruby Rune for the review copy, all opinions are my own
July 17, 2026
I absolutely loved this book and really didn’t know what to expect at first. The witty banter is perfect and the plot is solid, looking forward to the next couple in book 2!
May 14, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice
The first thing this book slapped me in the face with was the cozy, funny vibes I got right from the start. I am a sucker for a cozy book with a dash of spice, so I was all in. Sign. Me. Up.
When all a witchy girl dreams of is getting a familiar and some chicken nuggets, does she get that? Nope! Not for her. Say hello to Avery. This book really shows the pressure and pain of feeling like an outsider among your own people, and at times, it’s hard seeing her struggle with that. But it also makes her feel very three-dimensional and stand out.
Now, Felix is like wildfire in this book. He is confident and sassy, and watching these two banter and fight like cat and dog was so funny at times that I thought I would cry laughing.
I did have one small problem. While I felt like Avery and Felix were really well fleshed out and practically came off the page, I felt like a lot of the side characters around them were a little too two-dimensional. I loved the main character, but what about Maya and Wren?? Tell me more about them, I want more!!
The story turns out to be much more than just some cozy read, though. Nope. There is a kick ass storyline, mystery, secrets, and surprisingly good action. I honestly thought I was going into a super fluffy, funny read all the way through, but while it starts off more easygoing, it slowly slips into a much darker and deeper story, which I personally found amazing!
There is banter and fun, but there is a lot more than that too. I found myself flying through the pages and genuinely having a really good time. I would say it is not the most serious read I have ever picked up, but it was absolutely worth reading.
There were a few moments where I felt more could have been done, or where something could have been expanded on a little more to help develop another character. But overall, it was a quick and easy read.
There is spice in the book, and it is good, but honestly? I found myself enjoying the storyline even more than the spice. Together though, they balanced each other out really well.
That ending though!!! Sweet Lord, it had me clutching me pearls and scared to death, but what an ending!! Can't wait to see what's next.
P.S. Dust bunnies for the win!
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice
The first thing this book slapped me in the face with was the cozy, funny vibes I got right from the start. I am a sucker for a cozy book with a dash of spice, so I was all in. Sign. Me. Up.
When all a witchy girl dreams of is getting a familiar and some chicken nuggets, does she get that? Nope! Not for her. Say hello to Avery. This book really shows the pressure and pain of feeling like an outsider among your own people, and at times, it’s hard seeing her struggle with that. But it also makes her feel very three-dimensional and stand out.
Now, Felix is like wildfire in this book. He is confident and sassy, and watching these two banter and fight like cat and dog was so funny at times that I thought I would cry laughing.
I did have one small problem. While I felt like Avery and Felix were really well fleshed out and practically came off the page, I felt like a lot of the side characters around them were a little too two-dimensional. I loved the main character, but what about Maya and Wren?? Tell me more about them, I want more!!
The story turns out to be much more than just some cozy read, though. Nope. There is a kick ass storyline, mystery, secrets, and surprisingly good action. I honestly thought I was going into a super fluffy, funny read all the way through, but while it starts off more easygoing, it slowly slips into a much darker and deeper story, which I personally found amazing!
There is banter and fun, but there is a lot more than that too. I found myself flying through the pages and genuinely having a really good time. I would say it is not the most serious read I have ever picked up, but it was absolutely worth reading.
There were a few moments where I felt more could have been done, or where something could have been expanded on a little more to help develop another character. But overall, it was a quick and easy read.
There is spice in the book, and it is good, but honestly? I found myself enjoying the storyline even more than the spice. Together though, they balanced each other out really well.
That ending though!!! Sweet Lord, it had me clutching me pearls and scared to death, but what an ending!! Can't wait to see what's next.
P.S. Dust bunnies for the win!
April 30, 2026
[5⭐️]
one thing i absolutely love about being in the bookish community is finding new books to obsess over and new authors to discover!! because omg this book exceeded all of my expectations. a debut novel as well!! right off the bat the first chapter had me intrigued and i feel like that’s never an easy task. the banter in this book between avery and felix was top tier. if there’s one thing you need to know about me, it’s that i’m a sucker for some sarcastic humour. it’ll get me every damn time. now felix… wooo what a character!! he has some very interesting…body parts, let’s just put it that way. which yes, did persuade me to preorder the book that comes with some nsfw artwork of it 👀🫣 the amazing main characters and even side characters aside, the plot itself kept me on my toes enough to keep me interested throughout the whole book. there’s so many moments that you don’t see coming that has you wanting to read more and more!! plus the ending, omg!! i feel like i could genuinely go on and on about this book until you’re sick of hearing from me 😭 i urge everyone to check this book out, but of course make sure to check the tws first always as this does have dark themes included 🫶🏻
one thing i absolutely love about being in the bookish community is finding new books to obsess over and new authors to discover!! because omg this book exceeded all of my expectations. a debut novel as well!! right off the bat the first chapter had me intrigued and i feel like that’s never an easy task. the banter in this book between avery and felix was top tier. if there’s one thing you need to know about me, it’s that i’m a sucker for some sarcastic humour. it’ll get me every damn time. now felix… wooo what a character!! he has some very interesting…body parts, let’s just put it that way. which yes, did persuade me to preorder the book that comes with some nsfw artwork of it 👀🫣 the amazing main characters and even side characters aside, the plot itself kept me on my toes enough to keep me interested throughout the whole book. there’s so many moments that you don’t see coming that has you wanting to read more and more!! plus the ending, omg!! i feel like i could genuinely go on and on about this book until you’re sick of hearing from me 😭 i urge everyone to check this book out, but of course make sure to check the tws first always as this does have dark themes included 🫶🏻
May 8, 2026
this was such a fun and sexy time
we’ve got an academic setting, shifters, witches, a mystery plot, shadows that get ✨ creative ✨ - what more could a girl want?
i absolutely loved the humour in this, the sarcastic interactions between felix and avery had me giggling and kicking my feet, as well as hearing both of their sassy internal monologues. felix really channeled his grumpy black cat energy which made for such an entertaining read, especially when he was in his small cat form
this book was full of tension, yearning and reluctant attraction. the push and pull between avery and felix makes for an addictive read that you can’t tear yourself away from! there was certainly has some interesting appendages which had me invested 👀
i really enjoyed the set up leading to the next book, even though this is a standalone we’re left with a lot of unanswered questions which will feed into the next book in there series. I love interconnected standalones that have an overarching plot within the series, especially when we see a snippet of the next couple, after being introduced to a certain dragon shifter I can’t wait to see where it goes 👀
thank you so much to ruby for letting me read this prior to release!
we’ve got an academic setting, shifters, witches, a mystery plot, shadows that get ✨ creative ✨ - what more could a girl want?
i absolutely loved the humour in this, the sarcastic interactions between felix and avery had me giggling and kicking my feet, as well as hearing both of their sassy internal monologues. felix really channeled his grumpy black cat energy which made for such an entertaining read, especially when he was in his small cat form
this book was full of tension, yearning and reluctant attraction. the push and pull between avery and felix makes for an addictive read that you can’t tear yourself away from! there was certainly has some interesting appendages which had me invested 👀
i really enjoyed the set up leading to the next book, even though this is a standalone we’re left with a lot of unanswered questions which will feed into the next book in there series. I love interconnected standalones that have an overarching plot within the series, especially when we see a snippet of the next couple, after being introduced to a certain dragon shifter I can’t wait to see where it goes 👀
thank you so much to ruby for letting me read this prior to release!
May 12, 2026
love love love this book — read it now!!
May 8, 2026
Ruby’s debut novel had me sweating, giggling, and kicking my feet. From the first page I was enthralled. 🐈⬛❤️🔥
If you know me you know, I love paranormal stories but if you add in romance, I’m done for!
We’re pulled into Caewryn University, an urban fantasy, dark academia setting, where witches bond with familiars (furry sidekicks) and exist away from shifter and humans.
Avery needs to conjure up a familiar pronto before she gets expelled.
Only problem? She bonded with a Shifter. Shifters are witches mortal enemies.
She wants him gone. He wants her dead.
Avery- your unorthodox witch, self deprecating, but loves deeply, and only wants to make her family proud. Her humor fed my soul, it’s dark, dry and unhinge, I felt seen 😝.
Felix- BIG black cat MMC energy, but also literally a black shifting cat. He’s so broody, possessive and pushing her buttons for his amusement. He hates touch but can’t stay away from Avery.
Honorable mention: dust bunnies 🐰
I enjoyed every sarcastic comment, unhinged moment, banter, mindless flirting from Felix, and extreme tension.
The spice? Babe you’re going to need some water. It delves into primal play, biting kinks, chasing, & shadows (mhm do what you will with that context), etc.
The plot twist? I did not see coming at all. But their story wrapped up so sweetly & their character development was amazing!
For those who are seeking paranormal romcom but make it DARK (have you questioning your morals), unlimited cat puns, meddling goddess, underlying mystery plot, enemies to lovers, and good o’ spicy time, you need this.
A Game of Cat & Witch is a standalone with an overarching plot, yes it’s confirmed. It’s an interconnected standalone series; you will want hold on tight kitties, there’s more to this world! 😈
I had the absolute greatest pleasure to read this as an ARC. Thank you Ruby!! ♥️
If you know me you know, I love paranormal stories but if you add in romance, I’m done for!
We’re pulled into Caewryn University, an urban fantasy, dark academia setting, where witches bond with familiars (furry sidekicks) and exist away from shifter and humans.
Avery needs to conjure up a familiar pronto before she gets expelled.
Only problem? She bonded with a Shifter. Shifters are witches mortal enemies.
She wants him gone. He wants her dead.
Avery- your unorthodox witch, self deprecating, but loves deeply, and only wants to make her family proud. Her humor fed my soul, it’s dark, dry and unhinge, I felt seen 😝.
Felix- BIG black cat MMC energy, but also literally a black shifting cat. He’s so broody, possessive and pushing her buttons for his amusement. He hates touch but can’t stay away from Avery.
Honorable mention: dust bunnies 🐰
I enjoyed every sarcastic comment, unhinged moment, banter, mindless flirting from Felix, and extreme tension.
The spice? Babe you’re going to need some water. It delves into primal play, biting kinks, chasing, & shadows (mhm do what you will with that context), etc.
The plot twist? I did not see coming at all. But their story wrapped up so sweetly & their character development was amazing!
For those who are seeking paranormal romcom but make it DARK (have you questioning your morals), unlimited cat puns, meddling goddess, underlying mystery plot, enemies to lovers, and good o’ spicy time, you need this.
A Game of Cat & Witch is a standalone with an overarching plot, yes it’s confirmed. It’s an interconnected standalone series; you will want hold on tight kitties, there’s more to this world! 😈
I had the absolute greatest pleasure to read this as an ARC. Thank you Ruby!! ♥️
May 16, 2026
Oh wow!! I have been waiting this book for a while now! I saw the author on TikTok and got me really intrigued. It really met my expectations and more!
Both main characters are amazing and I love when a book has dual POV. Reading how they both slowly fell for the other (and had the dirtiest thoughts) was amazing and really made me care for them. I don’t think I can choose between them a favorite.
The author did an amazing job at creating an interesting and new plot/word for more books to come. I can’t wait to read other pairings in the future. The shifters in here are wow and Felix, our MMC, was HOT to read.
The witches system is intriguing. I love how soft and kind Avery, the FMC, was. She also owned her sexuality and I loved how she was never shy to ask for more and what she wanted.
If you like new worlds, witches, shifters, slow burn, hot and steamy sex and intriguing plot then this book is for you!!
There is no ow drama
Om in the sense that one man tries to date the FMC but she is not interested and nothing happens. There is no misunderstanding around third parties
None of them are virgins
I can’t wait to read Wren’s book!! Something tells me she is going to be one of those misunderstood characters that are really going through it. I am curious if it will be MFM from what the author said at the end. “Shifter(s)” got me wondering
Both main characters are amazing and I love when a book has dual POV. Reading how they both slowly fell for the other (and had the dirtiest thoughts) was amazing and really made me care for them. I don’t think I can choose between them a favorite.
The author did an amazing job at creating an interesting and new plot/word for more books to come. I can’t wait to read other pairings in the future. The shifters in here are wow and Felix, our MMC, was HOT to read.
The witches system is intriguing. I love how soft and kind Avery, the FMC, was. She also owned her sexuality and I loved how she was never shy to ask for more and what she wanted.
If you like new worlds, witches, shifters, slow burn, hot and steamy sex and intriguing plot then this book is for you!!
There is no ow drama
Om in the sense that one man tries to date the FMC but she is not interested and nothing happens. There is no misunderstanding around third parties
None of them are virgins
I can’t wait to read Wren’s book!! Something tells me she is going to be one of those misunderstood characters that are really going through it. I am curious if it will be MFM from what the author said at the end. “Shifter(s)” got me wondering
May 30, 2026
2⭐️ 2.5🌶
This book had potential, but unfortunately it never quite delivered for me.
One of my biggest issues was how immature it felt at times. The dialogue, which I assume was meant to come across as witty banter, often sounded more like a conversation between teenagers. To be fair, Avery was still in school, so perhaps that was intentional, but it didn't make it any less frustrating to read. The internal monologues could be equally cringeworthy at times, which made it difficult for me to fully connect with the characters.
The plot was also surprisingly uneventful. Not much actually happened throughout the story, and even the ending wasn't strong enough to redeem the overall reading experience or improve my rating.
And finally, I have to address THAT scene. I am absolutely NOT opposed to monster romance, and I'm generally very open-minded when it comes to tails being used for all sorts of creative purposes. However, a furry cat tail being used for that "forbidden hole"? 😂 I'm sorry, but that completely took me out of the story. Instead of finding it sexy, it left me with far too many practical questions.
This book had potential, but unfortunately it never quite delivered for me.
One of my biggest issues was how immature it felt at times. The dialogue, which I assume was meant to come across as witty banter, often sounded more like a conversation between teenagers. To be fair, Avery was still in school, so perhaps that was intentional, but it didn't make it any less frustrating to read. The internal monologues could be equally cringeworthy at times, which made it difficult for me to fully connect with the characters.
The plot was also surprisingly uneventful. Not much actually happened throughout the story, and even the ending wasn't strong enough to redeem the overall reading experience or improve my rating.
And finally, I have to address THAT scene. I am absolutely NOT opposed to monster romance, and I'm generally very open-minded when it comes to tails being used for all sorts of creative purposes. However, a furry cat tail being used for that "forbidden hole"? 😂 I'm sorry, but that completely took me out of the story. Instead of finding it sexy, it left me with far too many practical questions.
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