Rating: 
Summary: STARS never made it off the ground
Review: I found the ending so incredibly disappointing that I re-checked the cover, to be sure LJB was indeed the author. Had she simply run out of time, so tacked on that messy and juvenile "explanation," with the rider that Qwill is re-thinking his own disbelief? WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO THE HIKER? Why is Arch Riker so bi-polar in this one? The one high point, for me, was the explanation of home schooling, but otherwise... <shrug> Get it at the library; don't invest.
Rating:
Summary: Response to other reviews
Review: Another reader asked if those of us wondering what happened to the backpacker read the ending. The answer is of course we did but we also know when you find a dead body burried in the sand you don't dismiss it as natural causes in the end of the book. (Sorry for ruining that but really the backpacker doesn't even feature in the story.) I also agree that the Cat series is like "eating comfort food", or "visiting old friends." LJB provides a nice light read for those of us wanting to get away from the real world for a while but I think to claim the loose endings exist because Qwill is exploring his beliefs gives LJB too much credit for literary talent. The fact is leaving those loose endings is simply messy writing. I am looking forward to the next book because I like the characters but I'm also hoping it is better written.
Rating:
Summary: This book had major plot problems
Review: I think this was one of the most disorganized LJB books I've ever read. This story focused on the lives of the citizens of Mooseville and their obsession with UFO's and kept Qwilleran from doing any major detecting. His famous moustach tingled teasingly several times but nothing ever came of the premonitions. In fact the "mystery" was convienently solved by the sudden confession of a friend of a friend. Koko was equally disappointing. True, he did uncover a dead body whose death was left dangling like a fish hook with no bait. The clues he gave were blatantly obvious and a 3 year old could have deciphered them quicker than Qwill. All I can say is the esteemed author must have been under deadline pressure or having personal problems to have written such a messy story. After finishing this book I was left wanting. Wanting to know what really happened. My advice is if you like the characters go ahead and read this book but its not a story for mystery lovers.
Rating: 
Summary: Loose ends left questions
Review: It seems as if Ms. Braun is no longer taking as much time and care as she used to in writing her books. The reader is left with too many questions. What about the backpacker? What about the Mark Twain celebration? Why the diversion into Crowmania? Also, Qwilleran seemed less involved with the investigation this time. He started out curious about the backpacker and ended up with Owen Bowen and an alien encounter. There was just too much going on in this book that didn't make any sense. Long time readers of the series should at least browse though this installment. No doubt that some of these plot diversions will make future appearances in later books. For new readers, start with the earlier books in the series, you won't be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Comforting Cozy
Review: Many fans read these books more for the return to familiar, likable characters than for the mystery. I read this series because it is comprable to visiting old friends-catching up on how their lives are going. Also the quirky names that Braun gives the towns and places are good for a chuckle. If you adore cats you can't help but like these books where the cats play a part in solving the mystery. I'd have Ko-Ko, Yum-Yum and Quill over to my house any time! This time Quill is not in his wonderful apple-barn house but in a cabin by a lake. This book makes me feel like I am there with them. An enjoyable light read.
Rating: 
Summary: LJB is back with another wondeful cat tale
Review: I was pleasantly surprised with "The Cat who Saw Stars," because I had been disappointed in "...Sang for the Birds," published last year. This year's installment is great. The one or two lose ends is new twist for LJB and perhaps the direction she'll take in the future. I enjoyed this book and was surprised at the reviews published here. I always look forward to her books and I have read them all. I must admit some are better than others are but "Stars," ranks near the top.
Rating:
Summary: Not the best, but...
Review: I'm giving this book three stars as a neutral entry. I certainly didn't enjoy it as much as her previous works, but I didn't hate it either. Okay, so the ending was a bit sketchy, but did all of you wondering what happened to the hiker read the ending? Or did you just give up and leave the last couple of pages unread? My personal opinion is that Ms. Braun is introducing a bit of a different mystery into her mystery. The questions are supposed to be unanswered, because Qwill is beginning to question his own skepticism. Maybe the Sand Giant DID kill the hiker... Okay, I'm a skeptic myself about that stuff, and I must say I'm disappointed, as all of you seem to be, that there was no neat, 'non-occultish' explanation for the hiker's death. But Ms. Braun certainly has literary license to introduce whatever kind of mystery she wants into her mystery books. I'm still looking forward to the next one... (Okay, maybe a bit more on the cats would be nice in the next one!)
Rating:
Summary: A new twist from 400 miles north of everywhere
Review: I, too, have read (and re-read) all 20 previous "The Cat Who..." plus the new reader. I really enjoyed this latest adventure because Ms. Braun does something different: she intentionally trails loose ends in order to snag us into speculation about the next offering. I for one really enjoy being teased. I also like it that Qwill changes his mind about something - what a concept for such a curmudgeon! Much fun. What a drag to have to wait another year...
Rating:
Summary: Not as good as it should have been!
Review: Having read all of LJB's "Cat" books this one was a big disappointment. I love her books and always eagerly await for the next one to be published. Unfortunately in this one LJB leads us around town with no destination in mind, no interesting characters to discover and nothing to show us except "sand." The only mystery here is "who is wrote this book and why did they bother?" I know LJB can do better unless the "green men" have taken her away! Koko would never push this one off the shelf for a read!
Rating:
Summary: quick read
Review: I found this novel to be fast reading, but not entirely captivating. This was my second "Cat Who" novels, not the best. Being a cat lover myself, I found myself chuckiling at quirky similarities between Koko & Yum Yum and my two cats.
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