Nanami is a teenager who lost her mother at a young age. Her father is too busy working to share her love of visiting the library. Nanami has severe asthma and is very closeted by her father who expects her to just go to school and to the library and go straight home again. She’s had asthma attacks that have ended up with her in hospital.
She’s noticed how a lot of books seem to be missing from the bookshelves, far more than normal. The elderly librarian doesn’t seem to notice this as he’s worried they are going to close the library.
One day Nanami sees a man who is smuggling books away, she tries to follow him and finds a bright light, a cat appears and wants her to follow him. She ends up in a castle and finds some of the missing books. A discussion with the mysterious man and she realises they are trying to destroy the books and replace them with blank ones as they don’t want books to be read as they make people think too much.
Nanami manages to escape and finds herself, mysteriously in a bookshop run by a young man, Rintaro. She makes a few more visits to the castle over the course of the book before it reaches the conclusion.

I absolutely loved "The Cat Who Saved Books" by Sosuke Natsukawa when I read it back in 2021. Sadly the sequel didn't seem as strong. The first book was clear - the main character had to go on 4 quests to save books, along with Tiger the talking Tabby cat. This time round, I found the plot confused and muddled. Also, as the main character was a teenager, I felt that this was more of a YA. Ok for a few hours escapism.

I liked it because it was deep and had all the love for books. But having read Cat who saved books, this doesn't meet the same level. I feel it was more abstract in its theme. But I would still recommend it because this series has all my heart.

Nobody is alone when they help somebody else.

Translated into English by Louise Heal Kawai, this is a welcome sequel to the (pre-teens) novel “The Cat Who Saved Books” and it takes the best of the former story and develops it rather than simply being a continuation.
Tiger, the somewhat awkward Ginger Tabby, has a new heroine in Nanami, a twelve year old girl who spends most of he free time in her local library because other people don’t really want her joining in with their activities in case she has one of her asthma attacks under stress and puts them to bother. Nanami has a lot of heroes on her side in the shape of characters in the books she loves and which are so important, not just to her, but to the whole world. But the hero she needs the most is her father and part of her mission is to help him (and every other adult in the world) remember how to be a hero and not merely an authority figure. And it takes a lot of courage for a loving father to allow his daughter to be brave!

Both books in the series so far are “magic door” stories, where the protagonists travel to another realm where most of the action happens and where they experience real dangers. But in this case the “real” world is also affected by what is going on in the realm (some of the characters call it a “labyrinth”) and there’s a two-way relationship between the realm and the real because the realm reflects, amplifies and accelerates the trends of the real and makes good and bad more distinct (rather than better or worse). It is not the sort of acausal realm which magicians seek, because that’s a place where things happen “because I say so” without repercussions, for the magician, at least. Even the dark and frightening entity which Nanami and Tiger encounter (in both the realm and the real) is in the grip of powerful and negative trends and, frankly, needs help.

This entity manifests itself in three different forms of “The Grey Man”; “The General”, “The Prime Minister” (younger, sits on a sofa rather than a campaign chair or throne) and “The King”, but also as an elderly woman always in some pain. The Grey Man seeks to destroy books, because they stimulate the imagination and that leads in turn to people having a “heart” (that is: empathy and compassion depend on the ability to imagine what someone else’s needs and experience might be) and all of this prevents people from being “successful” and success can only be achieved by focusing on one’s own needs and ambitions to the exclusion of concern for others. The Grey Man sees a narrow definition of success as the only legitimate goal, but knows that it’s something that always grows stronger and people will have to be more and more ruthless and selfish. He sees this as inevitable and confutes inevitable with desirable. Nanami can imagine an “impossible” world where kindness and duty grow instead.

The Grey Man seeks to prove his thesis by creating a situation where Nanami has to choose between looking after herself and letting bad things happen both to books (which she loves) and the Grey Man’s soldiers (who are trying to kill her) and she confounds him by proposing a practical solution where everyone simply works together to minimise the harm done. He doesn’t buy this, and everything builds to an alarming crisis, but the seeds are sown for an eventual reconciliation. Nanami does not “win” because she does not seek to beat anyone, only to help those who need her help, even though in her physical weakness her help may not seem that impressive. She gathers, rather than sacrifices, strength by thinking of others and acting, as best she can, in their interests as well as her own.

Children should read this book to understand the dilemma which adults face and how they might help adults resolve it. Parents and teachers, perhaps, just need to read this book!

This book is a hug from a loved one and a warm cup of tea. It is beautifully written, poetic and lyrical. The perfect book for a lover of books. I enjoyed every minute of this story. Oh to be visited by Tiger the tabby.

Genre: Japanese Magical Realism/Fantasy
Mood: Reflective, Hopeful, Adventurous
Seasonal read: Spring, Autumn or Winter
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I was so excited to be approved for this book as I had previously read and enjoyed The Cat Who Saved Books! (Which I rated a 3.95/5 stars for anyone interested)

This actually may be one of those rare times that I liked a sequel better than the original!

Both YA books, these are lovely whimsical tales that I feel would appeal even to a middle grade audience. The first book gave me The Little Prince vibes with it's slower pacing, whereas this story played out like a Studio Ghibli film in my head with it's more adventurous, faster paced feel!

I feel like the character development in the second book is far superior. Nanami is a really likeable, well rounded character and I found myself really rooting for her throughout. The bond between her and Tiger is also precious and had me smiling right to the end.

The lessons as previously are beautiful and explore the power of books, not losing the ability to think for yourself, the power of friendship and not being afraid to ask for help!

Thank you so much to Picador/Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for a honest review!

Might be a good read for younger audiences.
Nanami is a teen struggling with asthma and not being able to spend enough time with her friends.
She also loves books, and finds solace in them.
A cat, Tiger, and Nanami set out on a journey to find some missing books (lots of namedropping, haha) from the library.
With each book lost and found, we think about the metaphors in the book as well as the direct statements about the state of the world.
I love books, libraries, cats, and diverse representation. I believe younger readers (marketed as YA but MG is a good target audience) would benefit more from the messages in this book, while getting introduced to the mentioned books - could invoke curiosity.
I will have to read the first book - I am curious about it because of the recurring characters.
As for the writing, it fell short and felt on the nose to me.
I will not be reviewing this publicly, but recommend it to 12-18 yo readers.
I have the inkling that I will enjoy the first book more, and am thankful for getting a chance to get to know the universe in the series.

In this sequel to The Cat Who Saved Books, we follow thirteen-year-old Nanami, a girl who spends most of her time at the local library since the loss of her mother. When she notices some of her favourite books mysteriously disappearing, she is swept into an adventure with Tiger, a magical talking tabby cat, to save books and preserve memories from being lost forever.

As the first book, this story explores bravery, friendship and the power of books, especially how reading can influence our lives and lead to personal growth. One of the book's great strengths is the portrayal of Nanami’s emotional journey and self growth. Her deep love for books is something any reader can relate to, reminding us of our own childhood passions. Her bond with Tiger, with his familiar funny and slightly grumpy self, is endearing, full of humour, and warmth. Alongside Tiger, Nanami confronts her fears and grows in courage, learning the value of community and asking for help from others. The story maintains a cozy atmosphere with its slow pace, making it simple and easy to read. Revisiting the Natsuki Bookstore and seeing Rintaro and Sayo again was also a treat.

Even though this book celebrates the power of literature, it also serves as a reflection on how today's society is moving away from deep, meaningful literature towards quick and superficial mass-market entertainment. The author criticizes how consumer-driven literature is pushing aside classic works that encourage empathy, creativity, and reflection. By showing how the power of books can inspire personal growth and help to build connections, this story also reminds us of the dangers of losing the ability to be supportive and reflective in favour of instant gratification.

This book is a magical and heartwarming story that celebrates the power of books and the joy of reading. It’s perfect for anyone who believes in the impact that stories can have in changing lives.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

When I picked up this book, I expected that I was going to get a cute story about how a young girl and her cat were able to save their local library from a disaster. What I actually got was a much larger, and much deeper story than I had expected.

One thing that kept surprising me was how young Nanami seems during the book. She is supposed to be ~14, and yet for a lot of the book, she felt at least a few years younger than that - I guess because of how sheltered people treat her because of her health.

This book is really an examination of what happens when people stop reading, lose their imagination, and switch their focus to gaining money, power or fame. It's about what happens when darkness takes over in peoples hearts, and it is about the power of hope, and the power of books.
All that and a talking cat!

I really really enjoyed this book, seeing as it’s a sequel. I find the characters really endearing and I loved that the main character from the first book made an appearance as well. thank you so much for giving me this digital galley!

This books follows along the same lines as the first, which I loved. A sweet, warm book which I enjoyed! Also, cats.

4.25/5

The Cat Who Saved The Library follows Nanami who teams up with a talking cat to save lost library books.

Just like the first book, I had a great time with this one. It's a cosy read that draws you in as they work together.
There were some very relatable quotes if you're an avid reader.
Overall I throughly enjoyed this book.

The perfect cosy read for a rainy day.

I really really enjoyed this one and binge read it in a few days. Full of references to real books, a captivating plot and lovable characters in a charming small-town, a magical cat plays a pivotal role in the human's lives he crosses.

It's one of those books that makes you feel so glad you are a reader and have a love for books. I was fully invested in the whole plot . There's cute character development, and a perfect read for anyone who appreciates stories about the human spirit.

I thought the Cat Who Saved Books was cute, but this sequel was so much better, and could be read as a standalone instead!

Nanami sees nothing wrong with a library and cat combination. But a talking cat is a whole other story. She notices books mysteriously missing from her local library and when she see's who is taking them she follows them into an alternate world, where books are being stolen from the world and peoples memories. When a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears to warn her about how dangerous that would be, together they’re brave enough to follow the frightening trail to find out where all the books have gone. Will Nanami and Tiger overcome the challenges of the adventure ahead?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

A wonderful sequel to the first novel. I really enjoy this serious along with the cats slightly Grimm personality.
A compulsive and thought provoking book that I throughly enjoyed.

Like the first book in the series this was a cute but thought provoking read. I think I even liked it better than the first one. Lots of intertextual references which were fun.

This was a very cosy sequel. The main character was very relatable, as was her love of books. The character of the cat is funny and slightly grumpy. The two of them write their own story as they adventure through a world where books need to be saved. I particularly like the fact that Nanami reads several books at the same time (girl after my own heart). Perhaps a little moralistic at the end but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s like a warm hug. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this.

So cute! Loved this book so much! I rated it 5 stars because I couldn't put it down for a second. So so good. I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can.