Catching Onix

by Renee Conoulty

Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here

Grace is a single mother whose life revolves around her eight-year-old son, Finn. All she wants is to keep him safe and happy. She indulges his latest passion for playing Pokémon Go, stepping out of her comfort zone and into the local community, where Finn strikes up a conversation with a stranger. Can they find the fine balance between stranger danger and being polite? Will Finn finally catch an Onix? And will Grace let herself be caught?

27 pages, ebook

Published March 10, 2017

About the author

Renee Conoulty is an Australian author and teacher's aide who spends her days surrounded by kids, chaos, and quirky characters just begging to be let loose on the page.
She writes feel-good stories full of humor and heart guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. Her uplifting books deliver smiles from the first page to the last.
When not crafting mischief and mayhem for her books, Renee can be found sipping coffee, eating chocolate, and picking up after her teens.
Sign up for her newsletter to get two free stories that will brighten your day: a sweet romance novella Cheek to Cheek and a children's book I Like Sniffing Bottoms. Fair warning though, that second title may make you giggle!

Reviews

[H.A. Leuschel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have made it one of my reading goals this year to reach out not only to new authors but also challenge myself to a wider variety of genres. There is no better way I think than by downloading short stories, considering that I love to make the most of my time when I have to stand in line, wait for an appointment or ... like today sitting down for my lunch break. 'Catching Onix' was a lovely story, managing to pack in a lot in just a few pages with lively dialogue and likable characters. Perfect short read!

[Shedevilreads Bookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catching Onix by Renee Conoulty is a sweet romance novelette that I listened to on audio narrated by Renee Conoulty. This is the second book of Renee’s that I have read and it definitely won’t be my last. Her stories are sweet and heartwarming.

#AudiobookObsession #AudiobookObsessionReviewer

[Karen ⊰✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little story that makes more sense if you (or your child) play Pokemon Go.

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this is the first romance story I've read that revolves around Pokemon Go... It's not fanfic - the game is merely the way in which the two characters meet. It's an OK book but I would have liked more. I would have liked to know more about Grace's past, and it seemed she moved remarkably quickly into romance considering the anxiety and past trauma she seems to be dealing with. The short story didn't have enough space to accommodate this information or a slower pace. I guess I'm just disappointed that a short story wasn't longer, which is probably unfair. Anyway, the book is probably more enjoyable if you've played/seen Pokemon Go a little, and since that applies to over 500 million people, it probably doesn't limit the audience much!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adorable short story that involves a chance meeting because of the game, Pokémon Go. I gave it a listen on Audible as I took my daughter and dog on a walk (and, admittedly, played some Pokémon Go myself haha). It was a fun short story. Renee Conoulty does an amazing job with short stories, striking just the right balance between adding detailed accounts and moving the story along without feeling rushed or forced.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story is so cute! I’m a fan of Pokémon Go, so it was really cool to listen to a story that is centered around it. The characters were great, and the narration was fantastic.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Grace and the bond she had with her son. I liked that she excited her comfort zone to make Finn happy.
I would have liked to have seen more of Jackson. I wanted to see a relationship grow between the pair. It seemed that Grace had met him twice, spending only one day with him and then WHAM! Happily ever after.
The storyline for this book is easy to follow and is an easy read. If you’re looking for a super short story then this is the book for you.

Single mother Grace downloads the Pokémon go app in order to spend quality time with her son. As Grace and her son Finn walk around catching Pokémon they meet a fellow Pokémon hunter. When Finn gets talking to fellow Pokémon hunter Jackson, Grace is conflicted. Conflicted on whether to agree to spend time with him. Will Grace take a chance? Will Grace find love whilst Pokémon hunting?

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short introduction to a mother and her young son making it on their own – running into a stranger and wondering – is this safe but he has such an endearing way that she can’t just ignore him!

[Lynn Hallbrooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a refreshing change.

A short story with a touch of Romance.

Finn loves playing Pokemon Go. His mother, Grace, finds it hard to let her son venture out into the world. When a stranger intrigues Finn, Grace's senses go on high alert. Is it because of danger to Finn or something else?

I love how Finn and Grace interact. You can feel the love. You can also feel her hesitation and internal struggle when the stranger enters their life.

[Paula Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this quick read by a new author to me. Unfortunately in today’s world, we have to be careful to not trust strangers. It’s sad because often there are good people and sometimes a blessing in disguise if we can get past the worry. Conoulty does a great job at showing this in her story. Wonderful!

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining enough read.

[MaryEllen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet-cute.
Sweet.
Good start to a sweet friendship and, maybe, a romance.

[Katrina Hart]

My Review of Catching Onix by Renee Conoulty.

Catching Onix is a sweet little story that invites readers into the world of Grace and her son Jake. I liked how the author introduces a lot of cute moments between these two characters and show that although Grace’s life has not been simple; she is making the best of it with Jake. I liked the mystery that is placed into this short story, For me, it was just enough to enjoy and want to know the end.

I also liked that this story in some way challenges your thoughts of strangers and whether a man in a car near a children park can be anything less than a predator or is he just someone enjoying the day. I think Grace’s thoughts in those moments are what we all think at times and I found as the story progressed that it has an air of challenging perceptions.

The story itself is about Grace and her son Jake as they go on little adventures to catch Pokémon together. But when Grace sees a strange car parked near the playground she instantly worries, is the person behind the tinted window friend or foe? You’ll have to listen to this short story to find out.

This is a great Audible book for if you only have an hour to unwind and want to lay and listen to a story that is not only cute, a little funny and has a little romance side, but also has you reminiscing about Pokémon.

I also thought the narration of the Catching Onix was really well-spoken and nice to listen to. I would recommend this to anyone who likes short and Quirky stories with well-defined characters.

[Amanda Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very short but quite cute. As a single mom of an almost 8 year old, I really connected with Grace from the start. It was fun to see a story centered around Pokemon, like Grace I learned all it about for my kid.

The author narrated and she did a fantastic job. I love her accent and voice. She was clear and gave each character a distinct voice.

[Trisha c · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet short story between Mom and son taking time for an adventurous afternoon catching Pokemon together. Mom only to be concerned about a strange car parked near the playground. Why was he there sitting in his car looking at his phone? Renee Conoulty narration is nice to listen . 🎧audiobookobsessionreview🎧

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super short audio. It’s really more of a meet-cute than a story or HEA. If Renee Conoulty were to make this an intro to a full book I would be one of the first to sign up. It’s was quick and fun, and the narration was well done.

#AudiobookObsession
🎧AudiobookReviewer

[Joséphine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know how this can feel romantic to anyone when the MC still feels so much anxiety towards this stranger. Despite the multiple Pokémon Go excursions, she doesn't know much more about him than in the beginning... so what changed???

[Morgan Blomstedt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story!

[Mandy Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This just shows the true talent of this author, I want more from these characters after just 19 minutes! Renee has really captured the personalities of these characters.
#audiobookobsessionreviewer

[DNA Diva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basically just a meet cute...but a good short.

[Michaela | Reading in the Heartland · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very short read. Clean and enjoyable characters and storyline, I just wish it was longer than a few interactions.

[Nisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but somehow i think it's too short, can't get enough of them. Love the interaction between Jackson and Finn, they're so cute.