Review: The Curse of the Black Cat by Lou Wilham

Genre: LGBTQ, New Adult, Fantasy

Pages: 154 pages

Published October 27th 2019

Synopsis:

Alrik has two choices: Spend eternity eating mice, or learn to accept himself for who he is.

As his eighteenth birthday draws near, prince Alrik–heir to the throne of Edan–must choose a wife. But when his first kiss with a beautiful princess leaves him feeling cold, he knows that although it is his duty, he cannot love a woman. In a fit of panic, he seeks out the aid of the witch Gwydion. The witch, however, has other plans.

After hundreds of years as a cat, Alrik must learn to accept himself and who he loves or face the rest of eternity as a cat. Luckily, New York City’s dumpsters are ripe for the picking. With food from around the world to choose from, he finds himself drawn to one restaurant in particular.

Crystal Tokyo–a restaurant specializing in Japanese food–is Yuuki’s first big job as a chef, and he loves it. So, what happens when Yuuki decides to befriend the black cat hanging out in Crystal Tokyo’s back alley?

My Thoughts

This was the perfect afternoon read.
Adorable and heartwarming! Wilham created a warm fuzzy read with an effortless voice. But more than that, an important message in this short story, which is be true to yourself no matter what.

Alrik is a self-loathing individual who must learn an important lesson: love himself. It’s just taking a few centuries to do that! He’s a complex character, and although the novella centers around him, it’s Yuuki who truly steals the spotlight. He compliments Alrik in every way and he’s the one who makes the story warm and fuzzy!

And every fantasy story needs a guide, which falls on Gwydion, a positively wonderful witch. They’re both sassy and have a heart of gold.