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The Black Cat Bookshop Kindle Edition

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 26 ratings

"The bookshop offers people knowledge, and it feeds from what you learn. But everyone must make a payment for the knowledge they have taken. Even you, Brandon. Even you."

An entity was born into smoke and rage, a destructive force that was bound into a Bookshop, sentient, feral, and hungry. It offers knowledge and power, enough to fulfil their wildest dreams, but there is always a price. Payment will always be due.

This book follows four characters, all seeking the bookshop for different reasons: Rachel, Matthew, Lucy and Brandon. The Black Cat Bookshop is a Gothic Horror story that explores what it is to find knowledge, and if it is really worth the price, in the end.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Eryn was born and raised in Oxford, UK but nowadays lives in South Germany with their young family. They have a great dream to travel and visit all the great mountains and lakes of the world. They are a qualified History and English teacher, working freelance with international students.

They write both poetry books and fantasy stories. They have a particular passion for mythology and dragons!

They have been writing poetry since they were 16, including Middle-Earth fan poetry that has appeared in the Tolkien Society's publication, the Amon Hen. They have also appeared in the Music Anthology from the Sweety Cat Press.

In addition to writing poetry they study with the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids to be a druid, and are working on two fantasy series. One of which appears to involve steampunk, sky pirates, astral travel and lots of dragons, and the other has a more dystopian bent.

If you want to see more of their writing you can find them on Facebook https: //www.facebook.com/ErynMcConnell.Writer/

Instagram www.instagram.com/erynmcconnellwriter

And Twitter too https: //www.twitter.com/mcconnelleryn

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CPJFNC8R
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (January 21, 2024)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 21, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1522 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 308 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 26 ratings

About the author

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E McConnell
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Eryn is a British poet who lives in South Germany with their family and the Cat. They have been writing poetry since they were 16 and studied Creative Writing (poetry and playwriting) at University.

When they aren't writing they're reading, procrastinating and plotting to take over the world. While listening to loud music of course. They are currently a freak about oddly shaped clouds, tiramisu and new socks.

Feel free to hit the follow button to keep up with updates.

They are currently working on a dark romance, a ghost comedy horror and Book 2 of the Sovereigns, The Sunrise Sovereign.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
26 global ratings

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Could not put this book down
I started this yesterday afternoon and finished it this morning. this book is truly truly extraordinary. It’s a page turner I couldn’t put down. The author is so brilliant and creative to create such a magical story. I enjoyed every page and want more to read!My favorite line “ I was the silence. Now I am the song”
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2024
    I loved this book. It had the thrilling horrific aspects, but it also had so much heart. I really felt that the pacing was perfect and the four characters ran the gamut of human experience. Highly recommended!
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2024
    This book was absolutely enchanting! a dark, chilling tale of desire and the price some are willing to pay to achieve it.

    I got a real Twilight Zone Vibe looking at the stories and what happened to some of these characters. Love this kind of stuff!

    Enter into the Black Cat Bookshop, where dreams become nightmares before you know it, and doors to dark dimensions are only one page turn away!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2024
    The Black Cat Bookshop is where you can get what you need...but for a price.

    The book follows four characters who are drawn to the bookshop, looking for something missing in their lives. Rachel needs an escape, Matthew is looking for power, Lucy wants to out fakers, and Brandon longs to find connection with others. But are any of them willing to pay the price?

    After being stood up for a date, Rachel notices the Black Cat Bookshop - a new store, surely, since it seems to have popped up overnight. She's greeted by the cats of the shop and Meredith, the owner. Meredith is very adept at figuring out what books each person needs. Not only does she get Rachel a romance novel she loves, but a book for her father and stepmother as well which not only makes them happy, but draws Rachel and her stepmother closer. Rachel vows to be like Allie, the protagonist of her book, and with the help of her stepmother, begins to change into the person she wants to be with different clothes, makeup, and personality. But is she changing into the person she wants to be or is she literally changing into someone else...

    Matthew is not a good person, but he wants to be. He's no longer fulfilled in his job and is looking for power, but a subtle power. He doesn't want power over people. So Meredith gives him the power of seeing the world and showing it to others. Matthew never knew he could be a painter but after Meredith's book recommendation, he starts seeing colors everywhere that weren't there before. His life shifts from work to painting; he can't get his visions down fast enough. When Meredith introduces him to art gallery owner Magali, Matthew finds a new passion just within his paintings, but within himself and Magali. But when a couple dies after purchasing one of his paintings, Matthew begins to wonder if his new power is worth the price.

    Lucy is sick and tired of being lied to. All around her people are lying. Her money-grubbing therapists, the college girls with their extensions, everyone. Can no one be truthful anymore? But Meredith has her solution. Handing Lucy the Reality Architect's Handbook, Meredith warns her of the potential consequences and price of such a book that can not only see through illusions, but change reality itself. Having no concern about money, Lucy waves her off, insisting that the price is no problem. After reviewing the handbook at home, Lucy tries the first lesson - watching women's makeup disappear, seeing a girl's real nose before surgery, and even black bubbles when people lied. But her second lesson is so much better - making real, unreal. Testing it on herself first, she changes some of her features. Harmless, really. Why not make herself look a little better? But when she visits her sister in jail, Lucy becomes not so harmless as her sister goads her into anger. The world is hers for the taking. She has the power to make things right, to punish those who need it, and to make her own life better. She deserves it, doesn't she? But when payment comes due, she finds it's more than money that's needed.

    Brandon is an ex-con artist, used to manipulating people for his own gain. But he's put that life behind him even though it means losing a part of himself. However, he doesn't know how to connect with people. When he meets Meredith, he knows she's more than what she seems no matter how friendly her demeanor. And he doesn't want to know more. While she goes to the back for a book she thinks he'll like, a book catches his eye. Eloquent Empathy - perhaps just the book he needs to understand and connect with people, but, like the bookshop, this book is not what it seems. After arriving home, Brandon realizes that the book lights up in a way that shows its emotions and even talks back to him in text! He forms a friendship with the book he names El but soon realizes El wants him to do things he promised never to do again. When he tries to return it, that's when he learns the truth about the bookshop. But is it too late?

    I love how these stories build on the one before it, culminating into the big plot at the end. I think it was very well done. Will say that I saw Rachel's story ending from a mile away, it wasn't a surprise, but the other endings were different than I thought they would be. I did notice a few name spelling inconsistencies but nothing major. I think the only major parts of the book that tripped me up are the paragraph breaks in dialogue when it's still the same person speaking. Typically a paragraph break during dialogue means someone else starts talking so I had to take a moment to realize it was the same person speaking. And some pickier aspects is that the Oxford comma isn't used and there's some missing quotation marks. Again, nothing major and probably things that wouldn't bother most people.

    The writing definitely sucks you in, especially when describing Matthew's painting. It's very descriptive and colorful. You can see not only what he's painting and the colors he's using but his emotions as he's painting as well. The customers, I think, are given fitting endings and Eryn even lets us know afterward where everyone winds up after their stories are done which I enjoyed. I haven't seen an author do that before. Questions are answered. The ending is realistic - or as realistic as a supernatural fiction story can be - and it leaves an opening for potentially more stories about the bookshop.

    It's a fun read. A little horror, a little suspense, a little drama, even a little unexpected romance. It was a refreshing read for me and I hope more stories of The Black Cat Bookshop are in the future.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2024
    I started this yesterday afternoon and finished it this morning. this book is truly truly extraordinary. It’s a page turner I couldn’t put down. The author is so brilliant and creative to create such a magical story. I enjoyed every page and want more to read!

    My favorite line “ I was the silence. Now I am the song”
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars Could not put this book down
    Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2024
    I started this yesterday afternoon and finished it this morning. this book is truly truly extraordinary. It’s a page turner I couldn’t put down. The author is so brilliant and creative to create such a magical story. I enjoyed every page and want more to read!

    My favorite line “ I was the silence. Now I am the song”
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    Customer image
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2024
    Great
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2024
    I had the extreme pleasure of reading an advanced copy of this book.
    The Black Cat Bookshop is author E.M.McConnell at the top of her game. This book is absolute black cat purrfection! Characters are drawn to the bookshop owned by the deliciously ambiguous and sophisticated Meredith. In each chapter, we are introduced to a new character
    ( some you will dislike, some you will love, all you will enjoy their story.) hoping to buy a book that will improve their life, buyer beware! There is a darkness clinging to the walls of the shop and as the story progresses, we learn more, so much more. The author creates well-developed, fully realized characters, each with their captivating tale to be experienced. The Black Cat Bookshop is a grand character in its own right and I would love to read further tales of it. No spoilers but I fell in love with a few of the characters, but Magali and Meredith live rent-free in my mind. This is a book I will read again from time to time. I can’t recommend the book enough. It has great characters, a great story, and an excellent emotional ending. The story is complete and wrapped up superbly, but I need another visit to the Bookshop, please E.M. McConnell.
    Long live Magali and feed the cats!
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars Books,Black Cats, Magic you won't want to leave!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2024
    I had the extreme pleasure of reading an advanced copy of this book.
    The Black Cat Bookshop is author E.M.McConnell at the top of her game. This book is absolute black cat purrfection! Characters are drawn to the bookshop owned by the deliciously ambiguous and sophisticated Meredith. In each chapter, we are introduced to a new character
    ( some you will dislike, some you will love, all you will enjoy their story.) hoping to buy a book that will improve their life, buyer beware! There is a darkness clinging to the walls of the shop and as the story progresses, we learn more, so much more. The author creates well-developed, fully realized characters, each with their captivating tale to be experienced. The Black Cat Bookshop is a grand character in its own right and I would love to read further tales of it. No spoilers but I fell in love with a few of the characters, but Magali and Meredith live rent-free in my mind. This is a book I will read again from time to time. I can’t recommend the book enough. It has great characters, a great story, and an excellent emotional ending. The story is complete and wrapped up superbly, but I need another visit to the Bookshop, please E.M. McConnell.
    Long live Magali and feed the cats!
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    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2024
    I love this book. Growing up a fan of the Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, Tales from the Darkside, and Friday the 13th the Series, I'm a huge fan of weird tales of mystical objects and places, as well as interconnected stories. This one checks every box, with the addition of being more emotionally evocative.

    What I will challenge is the notion that the bookshop is evil. The stories don't satisfactorily support this idea. It may be feral and have a potentially id-driven agenda, it doesn't come off as evil to me. It's simply behaving in its natural way. And the stories reflect the same theme by exploring the natures of their characters and what drives them. This book looks at the natures of love, selfishness, forgiveness (inward and outward), control, social power dynamics, and others. But the book as a whole doesn't fall into the trap of proselytizing how people should live. It transcends the very Western notions of good and evil, black and white morality tales, and instead leans into the morally grey realm of folktales and mythology where evil wasn't an outward actor forcing people to do bad things but was a darkness existing in us as humans. The bookshop falls into the archetype of a hungry trickster who holds up a mirror to our own inner evils and virtues, and then lets us act according to our individual 'natures'. I am very pleased with it.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2024
    The Black Cat Bookshop's owner knows exactly which books you need to fulfill your fondest wish. But can you afford payment?

    The author created a wonderfully immersive story that explores greed, revenge, generosity, and kindness. Filled with characters who are going to stick with me for quite a while. Well done, EM McConnell
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, dark read
    Reviewed in Canada on April 21, 2024
    Each of the four protagonists had very different journeys, different interactions with the Bookshop. Skillfully woven story with just the right touch of horror. Perfect finale.
  • Beth Marr
    5.0 out of 5 stars Delicious to the last drop
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2024
    This is a little different to other McConnell work I’ve read. I Iove the concept of the bookshop and its inhabitants. The protagonists are all so different from each other and drawn with a light hand where you have as clear an image of their emotions and motivators as their appearance.
    An enchanting story told with humour and compassion. An excellent read.
  • Ardent Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Book that Leaves a Lasting Impression
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2024
    Immersive and captivating, this extraordinary novel takes readers on a transformative journey through the hidden dangers of stories. Set against the backdrop of an enchanted bookshop in Oxford, populated by a disturbing number of black cats, the author weaves a tale of dark forces and the irresistible allure of a dream life. The narrative explores the age-old question of what one would sacrifice for their deepest desires, but in a new and exciting way.

    As with the author’s previous very successful forays into the world of the supernatural, this book's darkly mystical atmosphere and ancient powers have been created to make an addictive reading experience. As the characters are drawn to the shop for their own reasons, the sinister nature of the store becomes yet another captivating element of the story. The enigmatic owner, Meredith, becomes a conduit for their dreams, offering them the book they need to transform their lives. However, the price to be paid is steep, and the consequences of accepting the book cannot be ignored.

    The author's skilful prose combines the elements of horror and intrigue, immersing readers in a world where knowledge is power. The often enigmatic interplay between the characters and the alluring magic within the shop is both chilling and enticing. In the hands of this author, the combination of books, cats, and dark magic was always destined to be the perfect blend of elements that will delight fans of the genre.

    This book is a must-read for anyone seeking a thrilling and thought-provoking exploration of the price we are willing to pay for our dreams.
  • greenpig
    5.0 out of 5 stars Stunningly written, more than a tale
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2024
    Calling this a gothic horror feels so minimalistic. It is almost a lesson in the human condition, the good and the bad, the choices we must make and how all of that can be influenced by experience. An insight into the mind workings of the characters giving the four main perspectives (each one different but relatable), a history lesson and a thought provoking piece of artistic writing. You can tell that the writer is also a poet. The flow, language and imagery could only come from a poet. I had to pause in places whilst I took a moment to really appreciate a beautiful line or paragraph.

    SPOILER.
    I was grateful that the writer also provided an update on the characters at the end. So often I am left wondering what happens next, but this time, I didn't have to wonder and finished the book with a sense of calm and all knowing. I will certainly read more from this author. Thank you, E.M. McConnell, I loved this book.

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