Junkyard Cats (Junkyard Cats, #1)

by Faith Hunter

Khristine Hvam (Narrator)

From the author of the best-selling Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood series comes a tough new heroine who is far more than she seems. Junkyard Cats is the first in a new novella series.

After the Final War, after the appearance of the Bug aliens and their enforced peace, Shining Smith is still alive, still doing business from the old scrapyard bequeathed to her by her father. But Shining is now something more than human. And the scrapyard is no longer just a scrapyard, but a place full of secrets that she has guarded for years.

This life she has built, while empty, is predictable and safe. Until the only friend left from her previous life shows up, dead, in the back of a scrapped Tesla warplane. Clutched in her cold fingers is a note to Shining—warning her of a coming attack.

With dread, Shining realizes: Someone knows who she is. Someone knows what she is guarding. Will she be able to protect the scrapyard? Will she even survive? Or will Shining have to destroy everything she loves to keep her secrets out of the wrong hands?

• ISBN10: 1713559897
• ISBN13: 9781713559894
• Publish Date: 15 September 2020 (first published 25 August 2020)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Imprint: Audible Studios on Brilliance
• Format: Audiobook (MP3)
• Duration: 5 hours
• Language: English

Reviews

[littleread1]

I liked it, I just think the world is too complex to explain in a short book/novella. I was very confused for most of it, and even after finishing I am still confused. I definitely want more though!

[kimbacaffeinate]

I thoroughly enjoyed this science fiction tale set in future West Virginia and cannot wait for another installment in this series.

The audio is approximately five hours and does a stellar job of introducing the world and giving us history regarding the Final War and life for Shining and her companions at the scrapyard. Secrets, unusual cats, and creepy bots added to the tale.

I loved the AI, the cats…and the story as it unfolded. Hunter didn’t do a lot of info dumping, rather she shared as things became relevant, allowing the pace to remain intense and constant.

When one of her only friends shows up dead, and a lone enforcer rides in on a motorcycle, Shining knows someone knows she is alive, but do they know what she has? Will she survive? The tale that unfolds pulled me in with intense action scenes, unusual sci-fi tech and a heroine I need more of.

Narrator Khristine Hvam did a fantastic job capturing the personality of our heroine, Shining Smith. I have a complaint about the audiobook itself. The story is one chapter. One five hour chapter. This sucked! I often set a timer at bedtime when listening and it made stopping, starting and finding where I left off painful. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Quirky Cat]

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 am very much looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks