Excellent read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this title in exchange for my feedback.

I found it well plotted but I didn't fell involved in the story. The title is a bit tricky as I was expecting cats and there's not a lot of cats
Not my cup of tea
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was I expected a story about cats, but it is not the case. Fleabag (cat) has arrived at the house and has made himself at home, they are off to find her sister who walked out of the house. The world is ending and they want to join her.

I didn’t like this story, it’s a YA and very depressing. Not sure I’d recommend it to my children. The plot has substance, but lacking in a lot of places. The author is very descriptive which I liked. I listened to the audio version and can’t fault the narrator, she was very good and really liked the music in between chapters.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

The first thing to get out the way: this book only contains one cat! After seeing other reviews I went in with the correct expectations about the number of cats I would meet along the way, and it was, in fact, one. Now that’s out the way…

I really enjoyed this book. It’s set against the backdrop of the imminent apocalypse, as the main character Aisha reconnects with her loved ones before it’s too late, and muses on what might have been if the world wasn’t about to end. It’s an emotional and poignant character study, albeit an often morbid and depressing one.

I really liked the use of the fictional apocalypse as the backdrop to the story. It removed it from any real-world disasters, allowing the characters themselves to be the focus of the story, and it let the plot run almost as a thought experiment: what would you do if you knew the world was ending in one year?

The narration from Keith Brockett was really engaging, and made for an enjoyable listen. He gave the whole story a whimsical, slightly magical feel, and set a lovely tone for the whole story.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

A surprisingly gently book for such an end-of-the-world premise, i enjoyed the meandering roadtrip the narrator took us on. The narrative itself winds its way through different viewpoints, and timelines, and though i might have found it easier to know exactly what, who and where i was at any given time with a print book, i was never too confused, and always caught up pretty quickly.

DNF @21% unfortunately this one just wasn't for me. I thought the narrator of the audio was good, so 3 stars given for that, but I had no idea what was going on in the story as it jumped around so much.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the audio arc of The cats we meet along the way, by Nadia Mikail.

Such a beautiful story about family and the friends that come together through grief, loss at the end of the world. Wish there was a little more cats, but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment.

This was a great read.
A story of hope amongst sadness. Dealing with grief, loss and survival.

The main characters in this book are all relatable and I felt connected to them immediately.

After the announcement that the world is going to be hit by a meteor and there is nothing that can be done to save it. People are living day to day lives as best they can. Following fear and riots things have finally settled and most people are just living their lives.

In this book we meet 17 year old Aisha, who had her whole life ahead of her, her boyfriend Walter and both their parents.

Aisha’s older sister June left home a few years ago and has t been seen since. With the end of the world looming their mother wants to find her and make amends. They along with Walter and his parents decide to set off and travel across Malaysia to where they think she may have gone in the hope of finding her before it’s too late .

This book tells the story of their journey. The hope, the grief and the will to survive.


I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book

This was sweet, pleasant and enjoyable. I and my 11 year old both loved it, and I’m so glad we grabbed the physical copy to enjoy alongside it.

Honestly, I just didn't take this in and it didn't feel finished. I also expected more cats but I think there was only one?? and it was barely even mentioned I feel like

Aisha has not seen her sister for two years but the world is about to end in nine months time, so it is time to reunite and mend their relationship. Travelling Malaysia in a camper a they pick up a stray cat and bring their family together once more.

Enjoyed this well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Aisha is only seventeen and life is coming to an end for all, so emotions are strong and not always easy to deal with. The family know time together now is precious so feelings must be shared.

3.5 stars
I had to give myself time to think about this one
It’s a kind of cosy about a family dealing with the forthcoming end of times as a Meteor is headed for earth and on impact will wipe out humanity
And I’ll be honest I’m not quite sure why that whole element was added because it has so little impact on the story
Aisha her boyfriend and their parents take a road trip to try to find aishas sister and for a trip down memory lane
All set in Malaysia which was interesting as I’ve never been there
The Malaysian words could have been explained better and the inclusion of actual dreams jarred me and several times I had to relisten

The narrator was really clear and seemed to pronounce all the Malaysian words well

Overall a lil cosy but I feel it could have showed the impact of the upcoming apocalypse more since that seemed completely irrelevant

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6745835689

I really thought I would love this book especially as the title suggested there would be cats (& I’m a sucker for books with cats) but there wasn’t. There was one cat and I wasn’t a fan of how the MC kept referring to the cat negatively without any real reason why she feels that way.
The premise sounded so interesting but I think the execution fell flat and I was actually bored. The characters felt very shallow and not well fleshed out and the story itself wasn’t very interesting to listen to.
The narrator did a great job at telling the story and it’s probably why i managed to read it

3.1⭐️. i received an arc audiobook and this is an unbiased & honest review.

this story follows 17-year old Aisha on an emotional journey to find her sister amidst the end of the world. accompanying Aisha is her mother, her boyfriend, his parents, and a random cat endearingly named “fleabag”. to preface - this book is not at all about cats and only the one is mentioned which does make the title misleading. however, there are parallels drawn between fleabag, and, cats Aisha’s father and other family used to take in.

overall this book left a lot to be desired. i wanted more than the few short hours detailing the journey. i wanted to see whether or not the world truly ends, do Aisha and her family survive, and of course - what happens to fleabag? unfortunately you don’t really get answers to any of these questions and are left with a “hypothetical future” as an epilogue which does not mention IF things ended. it was more of a “ok so if the world wasn’t ending.. here’s what Aisha would’ve been doing in this future scenario”.

i also really disliked the constant changing of POVs. we went from the cat, to Aisha, to her boyfriend, to the parents, back to the cat, back to Aisha. it was extremely unnecessary.

lastly, the narrator Keith Brockett, i thought was great. i loved the tones of voice used throughout to convey different attitudes - which bumped the rating up significantly for me.

*sigh* I was hoping this was going to be so much better than it was. I really struggled to get through this audiobook - which almost never happens. During this year of reading, I've discovered audiobooks are my favorite way to consume books.

As the title implies, I wanted to read or listen to this book <i>solely</i> based on the fact that there would be cats. Notice the plural right there. Throughout this book, there is only ever a single cat - Fleabag. Don't get me wrong, Fleabag the stale curry-colored cat did meet all of my cat expectations; he wanted love at the worst times, yowled when ignored, and was a little funky looking since he was initially a stray. I assumed that since this book was mostly taking place during a country-wide road trip, I would have the distinct pleasure of meeting more cats. That time never came.

Cat disappointment aside, I generally did not enjoy this book. The writing and character development felt lazy. The entire time, various characters make reference to the fact that the world is almost ending - <i>the end is very near</i> - yet somehow it ends with Aisha going off to college and making new friends, living happily ever after. I don't know much about the world ending, but I don't think that's how it would go. The whole book felt thrown away in the final chapters, all of the unspoken hurt was quickly resolved with almost no thought behind it.

Speaking of Aisha...I understand the world is ending, her father died, her sister abandoned her and she's probably a hormonal mess - but Jesus Christ she's insufferable. She is only ever mean and snarky to her loving friend/boyfriend and he just <i>takes it</i>, like it's normal?! Make it make sense.

This just wasn't my jam. I would rate it one star but the moments with Fleabag earned it a second star.

That being said, thank you to Nadia Mikail and Bolinda Audio for the early copy of this audiobook for review.

This book is a beautifully written story that explores love, family and the end of the world.

While the title may suggest a feline-centric narrative, the actual focus is more on human connections, with fewer cats than expected.

Nonetheless, it's a moving and memorable read that resonates deeply.

Thanks NetGalley, to the publisher and author for offering me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Experimenting with new books always comes at a cost!

Sometimes we enjoy them, but other times I feel I am not so sure. This is the story when the world is about to end and the next generation may not live their entire lifespan. Toppled in this situation is a family whose elder daughter has been missing for 3 years & they finally think it's time to go & find her. The journey starts with a homely neighbour accompanying them & a cat who loves attention.

It unfolds into a tightly knit world with few main characters that carry their own emotional baggage. On this journey, we understand the power of letting go, forgiveness & what really matters when the end is so near. The writing style was simplistic but I felt a few added layers would have made the story much more impactful to an avid reader.

It felt like a travelogue of family reconciliation which needed a little more exuberance to outshine the inevitable doom.

A huge THANK YOU to the author, Nadia Mikail, and the publsiher, Bolinda Audio. for giving me the chance to listen to and review this audiobook.

This was an interesting one. First timer, actually. No regrets, though.

THE CATS WE MEET ALONG THE WAY is a poignant story about family as the world marches toward the end.

This is a dystopian book, thanks to the end of the world premise, but feels much more like a contemporary. In that respect, it's a bit like IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES in how it uses a dystopian setting (and a similar asteroid premise) to place relationships in a pressure kettle.

THE CATS WE MEET ALONG THE WAY is a tight portrait of loss and grief and anger at your family and the world. Aisha's sister left, her mother fell inside herself with grief, and Aisha had to try and pick up the pieces of her own fractured world herself - and now she has to confront it all because there's no time left.

There is a dream like quality to it as the two families embark on a trip to say goodbye and hello again, coming together to form community. I loved the hope in the book about how, yes there might be disruption and violence initially, but that community would win out in the end. People come together in this book to spend time with loved ones and neighbours, looking out for each other.

The narrative jumps around in time, seeing key events in the past and one idealised future. It helped build up the characters and who they were, the effect grief and house moves had had on them all. The book uses locations really effectively, how a place can be a home for some and a house for others. The book is also set in Malaysia, and I really loved this - so few contemporary stories are set outside of the UK or the US in YA.

The cover definitely didn't give traditional sci-fi vibes so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed it. I wish there were more cats, and that the ending wasn't quite so abrupt but aside from that it was uplifting and moving, and I enjoyed the characters