A sequel to 'The Cat Who Loved Books', albeit you can read this as a stand-alone book, as I did here.

The story follows Nanami, a young girl who suffers from debilitating asthma, the illness having shaped her ability to join in everyday activities at school and with her friends. She therefore spends much of her time on her own in the library, and has developed a deep love of reading books over the years, which have shaped her outlook on life. An astute young girl, Nanami one day notices books beginning to go missing from the library shelves, and so begins a plot that spans two realms, as Nanami attempts to save her precious books with the help a a cat called Tiger.

This was a quick read, the book being easy to digest and follow, but the underlying themes here are much deeper, such as the power of reading, imagination and appreciating the simpler things in life, within a society that is increasingly becoming driven by power and materialistic values. The book reminds us of the values of kindness and having consideration of others, even if their values and/or morality seem misaligned to yourself. It is a story of friendship, the importance of emotional connection, and having the resilience to follow your heart.

Thank you to Pan MacMillan and NetGallery for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was a lovely, heart-warming read about the importance of reading and standing up for what you believe in, shown through the eyes of a young girl. I loved every second of reading this, it was such a gentle and kind novel, and I loved the emphasis on the importance of relying on community and asking for help when you need it.

I really enjoyed 'The cat who saved books', so I could not wait to read the next installment. An uplifting read about the power of books and the written word and learning to question and think for yourself. Nanami is a thirteen year old who is closeted and restricted due to her bad asthma so escapes into a world of books. When she starts to notice books disappearing from her local library so goes on a number of adventures accompanied by the wonderful talking cat Tiger, to save the books from being burned and hidden. A great read that really captures the reader with a lot of heart that really makes the reader think.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced read for an honest and fair review.

You follow Nanami on her journey to finding the books that are being stolen from her much loved library. This story is a lot deeper than I expected especially in current day when some issues are happening again now with books being banned. Books of imagination and books that make you think are being stolen to be replaced with meaningless books. Travel along side Nanami and of course a talking Cat to try and save the books

A heartwarming story about Nanami, a quiet but brave girl who loves her local library. When books start disappearing, she teams up with Tiger, a talking cat, to solve the mystery.

As they search for answers, Nanami learns to be strong and stand up for what she believes in. The book highlights the importance of stories, the danger of losing them, and how books can change lives.

A magical read for anyone who loves reading and cats

This was such a great second book. I loved the cosy feel of this book, it's one I'll come back to for years to come.

I absolutely adored the first book so was very happy to be given the opportunity to read the second book, which was equally as poetic and beautiful as the first.

I loved following Nanami again and how brave and resilient she is to get the bottom of the missing books, despite her ongoing difficulties with her asthma, not realising how much of a beautiful mark she leaves on the world. One thing I adore is the descriptions and world building within these stories, especially with books and cats (Tiger the tabby!) being so central, which really adds to the allure.

A truly heartwarming, comfort read.

**ARC Review: *The Cat Who Saved the Library* by Sosuke Natsukawa**

If you adored *The Cat Who Saved Books*, Sosuke Natsukawa’s latest novel is another charming and philosophical journey into the magic of literature—this time with an all-new book-loving protagonist and a mischievous talking cat.

### **The Story:**
Nanami Kosaki has always found solace in books, and her town’s library is her favorite place in the world. But when books start disappearing from the shelves, Nanami’s quiet world is turned upside down. A strange man in a grey suit lurks in the aisles, and something about him feels... off.

Enter Tiger, a wise and sassy talking tabby cat who warns Nanami not to get involved. But curiosity—and a shared love of books—wins out, and together, they embark on a mysterious adventure to uncover the truth behind the vanishing stories. As they follow the trail of missing books, Nanami and Tiger discover a deeper conspiracy, one that questions the very value of knowledge and the importance of independent thought.

### **What Makes It Special:**
📚 **A Love Letter to Libraries & Literature** – This book reminds us why books matter and why they must be protected.
🐱 **A Mysterious, Wisecracking Talking Cat** – Tiger is as enigmatic as he is adorable, offering riddles, warnings, and wisdom in equal measure.
🔎 **A Whimsical, Thought-Provoking Mystery** – With themes of censorship, free thought, and the power of stories, it’s both a cozy read and a reflective one.
💛 **A Touch of Magic & Philosophy** – Fans of *The Little Prince* or *Howl’s Moving Castle* will appreciate the gentle yet profound exploration of ideas.

### **Final Thoughts:**
With heartwarming prose and a dash of fantasy, *The Cat Who Saved the Library* is a beautiful tale about courage, curiosity, and the transformative power of books. Sosuke Natsukawa crafts a quiet but powerful story that will resonate with bibliophiles and cat lovers alike.

📖 **Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 stars)**
Perfect for readers who love whimsical literary adventures with a philosophical twist!

First of all I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I’m so thankful that I managed to get an ARC of this book, I adored The Cat Who Saved Books which is the first in this series and was happy for a sequel. You can read this without reading the first though as they are individual stories but they both have the same beautiful storytelling so is worth reading both.

I wouldn’t know if there are issues with the translation and seemed to flow smoothly so can’t fault the work of the translator.

This is a cozy and yet thoughtful read which makes you think about the themes presented and the bonus is the cat which is a pivotal part of the book.

I enjoyed The Cat Who Saved Books and was equally enraptured by this.

A tale of a talking cat, a book-loving girl and a library where books are disappearing.

Nanami lives a quiet life frequently her local library when her father is at work. Her asthma stops her actively pursuing life but she reads and notices that books are disappearing. When a talking cat appears asking for help, she does not question but instead follows him on a dangerous journey to find out where they have been taken and why.

Her courage, intelligence and empathy will give her the tools she needs to defeat their enemy as well as a little help from her literary friends.

A delightful tale and a reminder of the power of books to change the world!

The second in the series, The Cat Who Saved the Library is an uplifting tale from Japan about a talking cat, a book-loving girl and the power of books to make a difference in the world.

I cannot explain how happy I was to be back into this absolutely lush world, with some beloved characters and new favourites. I really loved Nanami’s character and the fact that through how sheltered she was because of her health, it reminded the reader about how young she was but also how courageous she was. I loved getting to know more about her and seeing her character progress as the story did. It was so nostalgic to see the return of some of my favourite characters from the first book.

I think the world building was incredible and I love how vividly it was described because it painted such a clear picture in my mind of how everything looked. I love how the plot was centred around not just the power of books and how they can make a difference in the world (which is extremely topical given it mentions book burning and banning books), but also about not limiting yourself to the confines that are imposed upon you, either from yourself or those around you, which in Nanami’s case was because of her asthma. I really loved how Nanami’s asthma was represented and how much those around her truly cared about her, it was beautiful to witness.

I fell in love with Sosuke’s writing style from the first book, which is credited to the fantastic translation Louise did for both books. If there any more books to come then I cannot wait for them but if this is the end of the series (which I hope not), then I think this was a strong ending to a fantastic, cosy fantasy series that I would recommend everyone to check out.

Thank you to Picador and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

⚠️ CWs: asthma attack, book burning and banning, fire, gun use, injury detail, violence, murder; mentions death of a parent ⚠️

A lovely return to the world of Tiger the tabby cat! The characters were so well written and I loved the plot. Highly recommended.

When books begin to disappear from the local library, one of the dedicated library patrons, a young girl called Nanami, is determined to get to the bottom of it. Even if it means stalking the sinister man in the grey suit whom she suspects may be behind what is going on.

The last thing she expects is to be warned off this course of action - least of all, by a talking cat! Yet that is precisely what happens. So what can Nanami do now...

This is a charming story in the vein of recent Japanese books featuring cats and libraries, cafes and books, and similar themes. If you like literature and felines, this should be right up your alley! It gets 3.5 stars.

There’s something about Japanese fiction that has me wanting to highlight every single sentence and this book is no different.

I love the concept and I love the underlying narrative about the value of books. Nanami’s character was so heartwarming and the way she is conveyed is utterly beautiful.

I throughly enjoyed this read, especially how concise and easy to read it was!

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!