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meisadragon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
pandemoniumpizza's review against another edition
3.0
Cathy's Book is an interactive book. It's a mystery that you can take part in. There are clues in the book that you can look at and make conclusions from. There are also a couple of websites, here and here, which are incorporated into the book.
The story itself started out to be quite good. It was different to what I was expecting. But it was interesting. I was reading it and trying to figure out what was going to happen next and such.
The characters were different, Cathy was different to characters I'd read in other books before. I found Cathy to be an interesting person because she was rebellious but a good person in general. I found Victor to be very mysterious but that was part of his character.
As I was reading through Cathy's book I was trying to piece the clues together but I have to say the outcome of the story was not what I had expected. I thought that Cathy's book would be a normal, straightforward mystery story so I was not prepared for the ending. However, the story was a very good one.
There was one downside to the book however, there were a lot of little pictures and such drawn around the edges but sometimes they got in the way of the text so I had to strain my eyes to figure out what the words were.
Overall, I quite liked Cathy's Book, it was something different and the interactive element was quite cool. I will definitely be reading the other two in the series. I'd recommend this one to anyone who loves a good mystery, good characters and anyone who loves interactive stories. So give it a try.
The story itself started out to be quite good. It was different to what I was expecting. But it was interesting. I was reading it and trying to figure out what was going to happen next and such.
The characters were different, Cathy was different to characters I'd read in other books before. I found Cathy to be an interesting person because she was rebellious but a good person in general. I found Victor to be very mysterious but that was part of his character.
As I was reading through Cathy's book I was trying to piece the clues together but I have to say the outcome of the story was not what I had expected. I thought that Cathy's book would be a normal, straightforward mystery story so I was not prepared for the ending. However, the story was a very good one.
There was one downside to the book however, there were a lot of little pictures and such drawn around the edges but sometimes they got in the way of the text so I had to strain my eyes to figure out what the words were.
Overall, I quite liked Cathy's Book, it was something different and the interactive element was quite cool. I will definitely be reading the other two in the series. I'd recommend this one to anyone who loves a good mystery, good characters and anyone who loves interactive stories. So give it a try.
elizabethann's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this book up because it was on sale and looked really interesting.
This book started off really slow. It didn't pick up until about a quarter of the way through. I think the writers had a great idea for a storyline, but that the writing was not so great. I would give the story and writing a 3 or 3.5 stars, but the packet and drawings helped give this book 4 stars.
This book started off really slow. It didn't pick up until about a quarter of the way through. I think the writers had a great idea for a storyline, but that the writing was not so great. I would give the story and writing a 3 or 3.5 stars, but the packet and drawings helped give this book 4 stars.
caitlinsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
(Review written in 2018) This is the only book I'll leave a star rating on because it remains to be the one book that I ever re read (not once, but MULTIPLE times)
cathlynnej's review against another edition
4.0
Really artistic and interactive - the drawings inside are great, and the real phone numbers really liven up the story!
heatherinjapan's review against another edition
2.0
This book is the start of me trying to read all of the books I own that I haven't read yet, which let me say is a lot.
Now I don't know what I should have expected but it was not what I got. The books seems like an artsy diary that even comes with art in a package that goes along with the story. Because of the way it was set up, I assumed this would be some a young adult contemporary, but I definitely missed the mark. Since I can't say much about what happens because of plot twists, I will just say you get to know how Chinatown in San Francisco is layed out really well.
In terms of characters, I was not a fan other any of them. The main character, Cathy, is someone who is very morally ambiguious and does not take breakups very well. She breaks into not only her ex-boyfriends house but also a PLANE HANGAR, AND A HIGH SECURITY CORPORATION! All for the fact that her boyfriend broke up with her for no real reason! And what does she do at these places? Of course sneak through all of his stuck and take every single thing that seems important to him and not to her.
Aside from Cathy, we have Emma, a rich Chinese-American/British (it wasn't clarified why she had a Vritish accent?) who is the stereotypical nerdy asian cliche and then when bad things happen she becomes the most materialistic and selfish person ever- she eventually just helps Cathy so that she can get Cathy's ex-boyfriend's money! Sounss like great friendship right there.
Other than these two main characters, the rest of the characters are not well-developed and sort of thrown all over the place. They are only used when convenient to the plot- which is also thrown all over the place.
But even though this story isn't organized very well, it was still interesting and made you extremely curious as to what is really happening.
Now I don't know what I should have expected but it was not what I got. The books seems like an artsy diary that even comes with art in a package that goes along with the story. Because of the way it was set up, I assumed this would be some a young adult contemporary, but I definitely missed the mark. Since I can't say much about what happens because of plot twists, I will just say you get to know how Chinatown in San Francisco is layed out really well.
In terms of characters, I was not a fan other any of them. The main character, Cathy, is someone who is very morally ambiguious and does not take breakups very well. She breaks into not only her ex-boyfriends house but also a PLANE HANGAR, AND A HIGH SECURITY CORPORATION! All for the fact that her boyfriend broke up with her for no real reason! And what does she do at these places? Of course sneak through all of his stuck and take every single thing that seems important to him and not to her.
Aside from Cathy, we have Emma, a rich Chinese-American/British (it wasn't clarified why she had a Vritish accent?) who is the stereotypical nerdy asian cliche and then when bad things happen she becomes the most materialistic and selfish person ever- she eventually just helps Cathy so that she can get Cathy's ex-boyfriend's money! Sounss like great friendship right there.
Other than these two main characters, the rest of the characters are not well-developed and sort of thrown all over the place. They are only used when convenient to the plot- which is also thrown all over the place.
But even though this story isn't organized very well, it was still interesting and made you extremely curious as to what is really happening.
themaddiest's review against another edition
2.0
Cathy's Book caught a lot of criticism when it was first released because the authors made some sort of deal with CoverGirl to include references to their cosmetics in exchange for links to their websites, etc. The book was hailed as the first "interactive" book, in that readers could actually visit the websites and call the numbers that Cathy wrote about in her book.
I probably won't ever go that far, though I hear you can even "hack" Cathy's VoiceMail and listen to her messages. But the book itself? Stupid, obvious references to CoverGirl aside, the book is compulsively readable. I couldn't put it down.
Cathy Vickers is a Californian teen about to turn 18 who gets caught up in a mystery that seems to be mostly the fabrication of her overactive imagination, spurred on by her best friend Emma's help. When Cathy's older boyfriend Victor dumps her without a good reason, the two of them embark on a dangerous path to figure out what's happening to him and his work in a science lab.
The book has its flaws, but it was a fun read. Highly recommended for reluctant readers and those looking for a fun twist on traditional YA fiction.
I probably won't ever go that far, though I hear you can even "hack" Cathy's VoiceMail and listen to her messages. But the book itself? Stupid, obvious references to CoverGirl aside, the book is compulsively readable. I couldn't put it down.
Cathy Vickers is a Californian teen about to turn 18 who gets caught up in a mystery that seems to be mostly the fabrication of her overactive imagination, spurred on by her best friend Emma's help. When Cathy's older boyfriend Victor dumps her without a good reason, the two of them embark on a dangerous path to figure out what's happening to him and his work in a science lab.
The book has its flaws, but it was a fun read. Highly recommended for reluctant readers and those looking for a fun twist on traditional YA fiction.
shutupnread's review against another edition
3.0
I never really figured out what exactly this book was about so Cathy's Book definitely took me by surprise.
I found myself immersed in a highly entertaining book that dwelled in friendships, in mysteries, in love, and in immortality. I loved how this book had almost everything - a little fantasy, a little romance, a little mystery, etc. etc. All the good things in life. :)
Another thing I noticed were the doodles that covered every single page of the book. I have to admit though, I was more interested in the actual plot than the doodles so I probably missed a majority of them. Oops. However, for the ones that I did notice, I liked having a visual guide to the descriptions.
The friendship that Emma and Cathy had really drew me in to the book. I loved how pure it was and how despite all the obstacles and problems that occur in both of their lives, they always have their friendship to fall back on. I love how they can always trust each other.
However, there were definitely some areas of the book that I wasn't too interested in. For example, there's a middle section of this book where it showed letters and photographs and sometimes those "evidence" just threw me off because it is just so random. There was one thing in particular - a letter from his former wife or something and it wasn't a wife that was mentioned so I was so confused as to why that particular letter was there. Plus, the letter didn't even have Victor's name on it which only added me to my confusion.
The relationship between Victor and Cathy wasn't mentioned a lot. I actually didn't read much events where they crossed each other's paths so I couldn't really get a feel of their relationship. I hope the other books will have more information on this. :)
Cathy, the protagonist, is extremely selfish. I realize this towards the end of the book that everything to her is always about "me, me, me". She drags her friend, Emma, along with her schemes and because of their friendship, which I admire, she always ends up helping her even when it's a really bad and rash idea. I hope she changes as the series progresses.
Overall, Cathy's Book is a very unique and distinct novel where it incorporates prose and doodles together to form a story.
I found myself immersed in a highly entertaining book that dwelled in friendships, in mysteries, in love, and in immortality. I loved how this book had almost everything - a little fantasy, a little romance, a little mystery, etc. etc. All the good things in life. :)
Another thing I noticed were the doodles that covered every single page of the book. I have to admit though, I was more interested in the actual plot than the doodles so I probably missed a majority of them. Oops. However, for the ones that I did notice, I liked having a visual guide to the descriptions.
The friendship that Emma and Cathy had really drew me in to the book. I loved how pure it was and how despite all the obstacles and problems that occur in both of their lives, they always have their friendship to fall back on. I love how they can always trust each other.
However, there were definitely some areas of the book that I wasn't too interested in. For example, there's a middle section of this book where it showed letters and photographs and sometimes those "evidence" just threw me off because it is just so random. There was one thing in particular - a letter from his former wife or something and it wasn't a wife that was mentioned so I was so confused as to why that particular letter was there. Plus, the letter didn't even have Victor's name on it which only added me to my confusion.
The relationship between Victor and Cathy wasn't mentioned a lot. I actually didn't read much events where they crossed each other's paths so I couldn't really get a feel of their relationship. I hope the other books will have more information on this. :)
Cathy, the protagonist, is extremely selfish. I realize this towards the end of the book that everything to her is always about "me, me, me". She drags her friend, Emma, along with her schemes and because of their friendship, which I admire, she always ends up helping her even when it's a really bad and rash idea. I hope she changes as the series progresses.
Overall, Cathy's Book is a very unique and distinct novel where it incorporates prose and doodles together to form a story.
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