A Game of Cat and Witch Review

A Game of Cat and Witch (Monstrous Shifters) by Ruby Rune
Series: Monstrous Shifters #1
on May 10, 2026
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Romantic Comedy, Witches
Pages: 414
Format: eARC
Source: Provided as part of book tour
Goodreads

Avery Alarch has always been the worst witch at Caerwyn University. Now she’s got twenty-four hours to conjure a familiar or get kicked out for good—a fate that means losing her magic forever and being stuck on a dreary island with nothing but regrets.
Desperate times call for desperate spells. So when Avery stumbles on a forbidden grimoire, she decides to risk it all. One little summoning later, she’s expecting a cute magical cat. Instead? She gets Felix, a six-foot-six cat shifter with a bad attitude and a knack for trouble. He’s her mortal enemy, magically bound to her by an illegal spell, and very much not purring.
He wants her dead. She wants him gone. Neither of them gets a choice.
The only way out? Solve a string of enchanted riddles before their magical link destroys them both. Of course, that’s easier said than done when Felix keeps tying Avery up in shadows, and their bickering is starting to feel a little less hostile and a lot more heated.
As they unravel puzzles and secrets, Avery and Felix find themselves at the heart of a conspiracy that could upend the supernatural world. And despite every rule and reason, sparks are flying in all the wrong (or right?) ways.
Get ready for claws, curses, and cat-astrophic chemistry in A Game of Cat and Witch, the first laugh-out-loud installment in the Monstrous Shifters series.
Perfect for fans of My Funny Demon Valentine and Assistant to the Villain, Ruby Rune’s debut is a magical, banter-filled paranormal rom-com you won’t want to miss.

 Julie’s Review of A Game of Cat and Witch: A Spicy Witch & Shifter Paranormal Academy Romance (Monstrous Shifters): 

 

This book was a fun ride! Described as a dark paranormal rom-com, it is a spiiiicy enemies to lovers monster romance with a meddling goddess, riddles to solve, and family drama. In a word, it was delicious.

Avery is a witch with no magic and has failed again and again to bond a familiar. So she turns to blood magic to force the situation, accidentally bonding and teleporting a shifter. She gets an adorable little black cat, who later when recovering surprises her as a man in her tub. Shifters and Witches are currently mortal enemies, and he is not pleased with his predicament. She agrees to ask the goddess for help to break the bond, and the goddess sends them on a riddles quest, messing with them along the way. I really liked Avery, she tries to do everything in and out of her power to make her family proud and make a place for herself. The goddess is just a silly little girlie but we get to know the full situation as the story unfolds. The shifter, Felix, goes from itty bitty kitty to giant hottie god of a man, covered in spiral tats and shadows, with fangs, kitty ears, and a tail. Drool. And the things he does with his shadows…

This forced proximity and strengthening bond brings attraction and seduction front and center and eventually within this two week adventure they are something else entirely. Something ancient and powerful is between them, not to mention the very spicy times with his er.. barbed body parts. And did I mention shadows? The book gets meta with Avery and her best friend talking about reading shifter prn books while this is one of those. Then there’s the banter, and the threats that make their pulse run fast and not from fear. And the discovery of evil that has been going on.

I wanted to see the issue resolved, but I get that this will be a series and the next book will tackle some of this big problem. I saw the next book will be about Avery’s sister and dragon shifter(s), and I am here for it! Bring it.

I very much enjoyed this read. It was fun all the way through, both characters have big hearts and want to do what’s right, while fighting against their feelings over something tabboo, until they can’t.

Tropes you will love:

• Forced Proximity
• One bed/dorm
• Enemies to Spiiiicy times
• Touch her and fear the monster inside the shifter
• Academy setting
• Witch & Shifter
• Literal Black Cat MMC
• Mystery
• Shadows.. that do things
• Barbed body parts
• Did I mention spiicy?

 

Thank you to IRIS Influencer Society for this arc and good time.

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