Cover Image: Whisterpoop

Whisterpoop

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Member Reviews

this book had it all. the feels and you get that story of getting to know your friend again. i really liked this story and will read more from them. Good read and had me hooked.

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I couldn’t get into this… had to DNF. I read the first couple of chapters and I just couldn’t get into it. It’s very well written! Just not for me.

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This book was hilarious and I would definitely read it again! I laughed so hard in parts and it was really a great read.

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Sorry didn’t like it and couldn’t finish it. Each to their own. I’m sure for the right audience it would make a great read but unfortunately not for me

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I got this ebook from NetGalley for an honest review.

This is a funny novella about Karen, a 50-year-old woman who is coming to terms with being 50 and also have to face her past, including a dead-but-not-literally-dead ex-husband, and her cat.

My favourite part of this book was definitely the cat. The character of Karen felt a bit lost and I found it really hard to relate to her. Even though the book was written through her point of view (and her cat's, of course), I didn't feel like I understood her motivations for anything she did.

And she is only 50 but it seems like she feels she is at the end of her life, which baffled me.

But it was a light read with some really funny parts. I just wish Karen felt more real.

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You know the feeling when the only thing you like about the the book, is the cat?
Yeah, that`s how i feel right about now. I mean, i do really like the cat obviously. But it`s not enough for me to give it 5 stars. I found Karen bland, boring and a tad...meh? yknow. I tried to be interested in the book, i really did. But it fell short for me. I didn`t find it funny and the chemistry between the characters weren`t there.

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Whisterpoop - definition: (v) a small smack upside the head.

So begins the short novel by R. J. Corgan about a small town librarian named Karen who is basically hiding from life. The story opens on Karen's 50th birthday, a big day for most. Karen celebrates with a lonely turkey dinner, romance novels and box wine. Her twin boys are far away and her husband is "dead".

Monday morning doesn't look any more promising until she runs into an ex-boyfriend and invites him to dinner or Friday. Karen decides to get out of her comfort zone and throw a dance party at the library. She hopes to begin her own romance worthy of a novel. Unfortunately her "dead" husband shows up at her door and brings with him a lot of baggage. Karen has to sort through the issues of her life and find a way to make peace with her past before she can begin to enjoy life. She has been hiding from things for too long.

Less of a rom-com and more of a middle age pulling up your big girl panties and doing the things you don't want to face novel, Whisterpoop was a fun read. I am getting ready to turn 50 and over the past year of Covid had plenty of time to reflect on my character flaws. I think middle age is a time when you can see yourself for who you are and can make peace with it. Karen is ready to enjoy life and be thankful for each day. She finally finds the boy from her past and is ready to grab that golden ring or red thread of fate, whatever you want to call it.
A sweet and poignant story with no overly sweet BS, this story it for adults who want to cut through the angsty drama!

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Unique read. Story moves quickly. Main character is middle aged. Funny moments with supporting characters and her cat! I celebrate all who love books, especially Karen!

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This is the story of Karen, a middle age woman who is obsessed with trashy romance novels and lives alone with her cat. It seemed a little depressing in the beginning because Karen is a little depressed. I may have given up on it due to that if not for the frequent ridiculous actions of Karen and her humor despite being in a dark place.

As the story goes along there are revelations I wasn't expecting that came much later and it does start pick up pace as it goes along until near the end I had to stay up reading late to finish.

It was perhaps not as light hearted as I would have thought or hoped for based on the title but it definitely had moments of whimsy and it had more heart that I would have expected throughout the first half of the book. It even made me tear up near the end.

On a side note there are a few portions that are narrated by her cat. I enjoyed those portions much more than I should have and I kind of hoped for more from the cat despite this story not being about the cat or the cat's story. Perhaps a spin off entirely narrated by the cat could be hoped for? ;-)

Four stars.

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A comfy book to read on a cold winters day. We meet single Karen who turns 50, with wine, a hearty meal, Mr Hobbes and her romance novels. The next day Karen decides to start her life afresh. As a mother of an empty nest, librarian and friend to others we follow how Karen does this. A light romance read. Parts of the plot seemed unimaginable to myself but a story all the same is delivered.

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This was a good read. I liked the overly dramatic MC Karen. By far the best character was Mr Hobbs, her cat. Mr Hobbs had the best perspective and was hilarious. I would definitely read a novella written about him. I also loved how immersed Karen would become in books and how they blended into her life. I enjoyed the way the story came together at the end. Overall, it was a witty, interesting read that I would recommend to others.

CW: death, cheating spouse

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

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This story was not at all what I expected. It had some funny moments and I loved “hearing” the cats point of view. There was an overwhelming theme of loneliness which I wasn’t expecting when reading a romantic comedy.

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This is a funny book but there is a dark underbelly which will cause the reader to reflect on such themes as loneliness, honesty and change. The characters are brilliant - especially the cat - and it it refreshing to have a protagonist who is at the middle stage of their life.

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Thank you to RJ Corgan and Netgalley for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I laughed out loud almost right at the start of this story! Karen is your amusing “down on herself” individual who just had her 50th birthday and is a little lost. In some ways, she is very much like a teenager trying to figure herself out. Love, where her life is going, struggling with other people. A midlife rethink at its funniest.

I really enjoyed the parts with her cat. That is what I imagine some cats think and the scene with the fish tank was amusing (I guarantee it’s not what you think lol.)

A cute and enjoyable romance and finding your path story, give it a try and decide for yourself!!

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Cute book. I loved having an older main character and she was fun! I even laughed out loud a couple of times. I enjoyed the little twist toward the end as well.

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I didn't really know what to make of this.

The cover and blurb suggest a lighthearted suspenseful tale, but for me, this short story didn't quite know what it wanted to be. I'm very close in age to the main character, Karen, so I expected to identify with her more than I did. Yes, some of her complaints about aging were relatable, but I felt something was off in the way she described the men around her. And the romance novel excerpts (of which, in my opinion, there were far too many, felt like poorly drawn pastiches.

I found the story as a whole difficult to get into because of the romance novel interruptions, and truthfully, I was glad to finish it. I enjoyed the cat's perspective much more than Karen's.

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Many thanks to author R.J. Corgan and to NetGalley for the ARC of this title.
This is my honest review.

How could I pass up the chance to read a book called "Whisterpoop"?
I could not! Happily so.

Karen is celebrating her 50th birthday by cooking a turkey dinner for herself. Her not-really-dead ex-husband shows up all of a sudden, sending her not-really-stable emotions into overdrive.

This is a humorous and light presentation of something that as the story progresses, we understand is a little more serious than it seemed at first...
The story is sometimes lightened by observations from Karen's cat Mr. Hobbs who delightfully refers to Karen as "Servant Woman" and by excerpts from the tacky romance novels Karen is immersed in.

This book was especially fun for me, being a librarian myself. There were moments I could definitely relate to.

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Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy of WHISTERPOOP to review. I enjoyed it because I found Karen to be relatable as a woman approaching fifty and all the issues that come from it. Her ex-husband turns up on her doorstep, possibly for a reconciliation, she's dealing with her nemesis at work, she wants to date, but can't find the right guy … there's a lot in this book.

The first half of the book was a bit confusing because bits of a romance novel were entwined with Karen's story. I wasn't sure where that was leading. The second half of the book was more organized and heavier. Karen has to forgive and seek forgiveness with a family member and change in order to be open to new things (and people!).

The story makes you think about grief, as well as what it means to approach middle-age - I'm talking past the age of 40. It is overwhelming if you really consider it, so the author did a good job of helping Karen see that even though she is aging - nothing is ever too late.

I rate WHISTERPOOP three out of four stars.

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I had just celebrated my 53rd birthday when I started this book, & I found myself identifying a little more than usual with a book character. This is a funny, endearing story that I really enjoyed reading. It takes place in 1999, before everyone had social media, email, & smartphones. When people from the past pop back into Karen’s life, she doesn’t have advance warning. She hasn’t a clue what’s been going on in their lives since she saw them last.
Karen might not always get it right, but she keeps on trying. She’s really struggling with loneliness & aging. Although the story involves her coming to terms with both, it’s also about self-discovery. It’s about being knocked down, but getting back up. It’s about being angry, being sad, & deciding to forgive. It’s about finding peace & happiness, even when it seems out of reach. Sometimes we all need a whisterpoop. Or several.
By the way, I’ll forever think of being Servant-Woman every time I feed our cat.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley, & this is my honest review.

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Did not enjoy this book one bit. The title is terrible and the inside is just as bad. No thank you, please.

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