Ninth Life by Jane Teresa Anderson ranks among the weirdly good books I've read this year. The story is told from the perspective of a cat in her ninth life, who is on a mission to find the mysterious Silver Cresent Nest, which would help her to graduate as a wise spirit mentor. The setting is the Serene Lotus Center for Health and Wellbeing, where Cat (called Amantha by the humans) takes on the role of protector for the center and its inhabitants. When a scandal hits the center, Amantha helps generate positive publicity and gets promoted as a psychic cat, generating income and helping the center recover. Cat is torn between her mission to find the Silver Cresent Nest and her desire for recognition and fame. Will Cat be able to overcome the moral dilemmas and expectations placed on her?

Jane Teresa Anderson has written an engaging tale in Ninth Life. The story is narrated from the viewpoint of a feline, and I felt it was both imaginative and grounded. Anderson has blended fantasy with relatable human experiences to create a charming storyline. The Cat as a central protagonist was interesting. Cat's internal monologues and interactions with the neighboring cat, Pearl, showed her thoughts and how there was a constant struggle between Cat’s instincts and ethical responsibilities. The supporting characters, like Emmy, Abby, Serenity, and Freya also bring their perspectives to the plot and add to the overall narrative. Anderson has also explored themes of fertility issues, and perimenopause faced by the women at the center, encouraging readers to reflect on these topics throughout the story. Ninth Life focuses overall on second chances, personal growth and understanding, and following one’s purpose. I’m sure that cat lovers would especially love this engaging read.

Cat is the protagonist and narrator in Jane Teresa Anderson’s whimsical novel Ninth Life. Cat’s mission is to earn the right to become a wise spirit mentor to an earthbound being. To do this she must pass the tests and graduate from this, her ninth life. The pads of her paws contain marks indicating she previously passed her first eight lives. This one counts for it all. As the guardian of the Serene Lotus Center for Health and Wellbeing, Cat must ensure the staff follows the rules while she stays focused on her own mission. She has her paws full staying on top of Serenity, Abby, Emmy, and Freya, who provide yoga and various therapies at the center amid a scandal and a reinvention of marketing strategies focusing on Cat.

The goings-on at the center and the side stories of various clients will keep readers of Ninth Life amused. Cat, who is also referred to as Amantha by the humans she consorts with, has a mystical sense of knowing her people well. Author Jane Teresa Anderson manages to balance Cat’s narration and thought process with enticing prose and humorous dialogue from the humans. Anderson includes luscious details like “hot fig toast” and garden botanicals and creates reader empathy when Cat realizes that her reach is much larger than those in the yoga studio via hundreds of online followers. We easily fall in love with Cat as she daydreams about where her portrait, yet unpainted, should be hung. Ninth Life has an attractive cover, and Anderson cleverly uses a paw print to denote chapter divisions -- paws to pause. Ninth Life is a fun, mystical, and spiritual read.

A beautiful golden feline lives in the Serene Lotus Center for Health and Wellbeing. The center's employees call her Amantha, but her real name is Cat. The cat lives her ninth life and hopes to leave the circle of reincarnations after it. She must fulfill her duty and obey the rules to achieve this noble goal. When the center's spiritual leader is accused of misconduct, Serenity, its head, and Abby, the marketing manager, hope Amantha will help bring in new clients. After all, this fascinating cat can send out messages to those needing advice and consolation. Will this approach work? And what about Freya, a psychic afraid to lose clients because of the center's new rising star? Ninth Life by Jane Teresa Anderson is an engaging read for fans of urban fantasy, drama, women's fiction, and books about animals with a paranormal twist.

Jane Teresa Anderson narrates Ninth Life from the cat's unique perspective. The whimsical main character invites us to follow the path of self-improvement. We are intrigued by her motives and amused by her keen observations. The author speaks about widespread feline adoration with a touch of irony and highlights its ugly reverse with compassion toward cats. Anderson thoroughly explores the themes of temptations and making the right choices despite them. Freya is a multidimensional character that combines positive and negative features. Her example helps us better understand our fears and insecurities. The enthralling twists in the plot lead to the revealing of old secrets equally important to humans and felines. Anderson's apparent love for animals and cats particularly motivates us to be kinder to our feline friends.

In Jane Teresa Anderson's Ninth Life, Cat is living her ninth life; if she does well, she will become a wise spirit mentor to another living being. Known as Amantha to the humans at The Serene Lotus Center for Health and Wellbeing, this honey-colored cat has to ensure that everyone follows the rules. After all, she has appointed herself the unofficial guardian of everyone stepping inside the health center. From the talented practitioners to the multiple array of clients, Cat is there to help those who need it. However, when some of those she has vowed to keep on the right path seem to stray from it, Cat feels she might fail in her grand mission and spend another cycle of nine lives living as a cat.

Author Jane Teresa Anderson has created an intriguing and spiritually enlightening sanctuary in the setting of this book. The character growth of our protagonist is strong and evident, coming full circle with the cast of supporting characters. Written in the third-person narrative from the perspective of Cat, we are privy to her thoughts, feelings, and desires. I loved how everyone was associated with a specific combination of smells. In this regard, stimulation of the senses was abundant from a different perspective than usual. I loved this interesting spin on the theory of a cat having nine lives and their destiny afterward. This book is suitable for all ages and caters to readers who enjoy thinking about the deeper aspects of life itself.