Thanks to @netgalley, I had access to this book :)

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa.

“The high school student Rintaro Natsuki is about to close the secondhand bookshop he inherited from his beloved grandfather. Then, a talking cat named Tiger appears with an unusual request. The cat needs Rintaro’s help to save books that have been imprisoned, destroyed and unloved.”

This book will speak to all book lovers!
It is a quick and easy read that takes you to Japan and into the life of an hikikomori. It is full of life lessons that you learn via Rintaro’s memories of his grandfather and his reflections on the power of books.
The main character is very likeable and I really got attached to him and his struggles. I had a wonderful time seeing him evolve thanks to his friend, Tiger, his grandfather and his love for books.

If you are a lover of books and sometimes fail to describe to others what reading brings to you, I suggest you pick up this book and take some notes as one short quote can mean a lot :) The theme of the power of books is developed throughout the story and gets a stronger meaning page after page. It strongly resonated with me and I wish I had a physical copy to annotate📚

Sosuke Natsukawa writes a quirky offbeat story, translated from Japanese, about Rintaro Natsuke, a remarkably well read, timid, griefstricken boy who has just lost the most important person in his life, his grandfather, who ran a small secondhand bookshop that few frequented and which he has inherited. A loner who believes he has no friends and no-one who cares for him, he withdraws into himself even further, not stepping out of the bookshop to go to school, thinking no-one will notice. He is going to be taken by a kind aunt he has never met before, and will go and live with her. He is visited by 2 people from school, Ryota Akiba, who appreciates the books to be found in the bookshop, many of them rare, and buys some of them, and class representative, Sayo Yuzuki, who brings him his homework, asking him to return to school, but he is convinced they have come only out of politeness and a sense of duty.

In this wonderful tale that celebrates books and readers, Rintaro is shocked when he encounters a green eyed talking cat, a blunt speaking tabby who wants him to help him rescue imprisoned books, and go on dangerous missions or labyrinths from which he may never return. He returns from 3 adventures, one accompanied by Sayo, liberating books, locked in cases, never re-read, given there are so many other books to read, where books are mutilated and cut up, to enable speed reading through synopsis and summaries, and encounters a most profitable book publisher, World's Best Books, that will publish only popular and dumbed down books, ignoring all others. Just when Rintaro thinks he is free, he faces his greatest, most challenging and trickiest labyrinth, will he be able to survive and save someone who has come to be important to him?

Whilst saving books, the issues surrounding books and reading are important elements in this intriguing read, the heart of it is about Rintaro seeing his incredibly wise grandfather more clearly, he was the key to his success in every labyrinth. He begins to recognise just how much he is like him, understand that he is not alone, he has friends, he has just been blind to them and that he is truly missed at school. The cat helps him address his grief and loss, find love, and comprehend his grandfather's desire for people to understand that through books, which have souls, readers can become more empathetic, compassionate, care about others and see through the lies and distorted truths that mar our world. This is a lovely read, with the often Japanese trait of occasionally appearing too simple but on reflection touch on deep and complex philosophical truths, are about our wider society, and the personal, intimate and human. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

This took my attention as it combined a talking cat and a book about books, what more could you want?

This was a very cleverly written book that involved a boy, whose grandfather had just died, going on a number of adventures to save books. As he set about doing this he learnt a lot about himself and this helped him to overcome the death of his grandfather. It was also a clever discussion about books, the role of books and power of books and how that is changing,

Overall I found this a very engaging and delightful read and feel it has been translated very well. I am happy to recommend this book to any book lovers out there.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for providing a copy of this book for me, for an an open and honest review.

This story is very cute and has some resemblance to The Midnight Library.

It tells the tale of young Rintaro who had recently been orphaned following the death of his grandfather (his parents had previously died). His grandfather owned a second hand bookshop Natsuki Books, a place that Rintaro now seeks solace. Suddenly he is joined by a talking cat, Tiger, who leads Rintaro on three missions to save books.

While this might sound fanciful it really is a story of much more than this brief synopsis and I would go as far as to say this is a must for anyone who loves reading!

I was reminded of The Little Prince when reading this - not in terms or plot, or the way it was written - but the way it makes points. I do feel like if you liked one then you'll like the other.

It was a solid, quick read. Not too short, not too long so it was easy to keep myself interested. There was a talking cat - always a plus.

Very much a classic, this is a must read

I was expecting this to be magical and charming, and it was to an extent, but it slightly missed the mark for me. Maybe this was to do with it's being translated so I missed some of the nuances. Nevertheless, I did like it.

The story of Rintaro, a bookish highschool student and hikikomori (extreme introvert), who is grief-stricken after losing his grandfather. Left alone in his second hand book shop he is struggling to find purpose when Tiger the Tabby, a talking ginger tom drops in on him and asks for his help saving books. Along the way, he comes to learn that he is not as alone as he had felt, and His classmates do care about him after all.

*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*

Really enjoyed this little, quirky novel about a boy, a bookshop, and a talking cat.
We meet Natsuki who helps his grandfather run a second-hand bookshop, when his Grandfather dies Natsuki inherits the bookshop but loses his anchor in life. He stops going to school and feels directionless. When Tiger, the cat appears and asks him to go on several missions to rescue books that are being in various ways misused, the story becomes much more fantastical. Along the way Natsuki learns more about himself, reflects upon his relationship with his Grandfather and ultimately figures out what he should do. Thought-provoking and uplifting.

A heart-warming story and magical tale of a bookshop, talking cat and lonely boy.

A beautiful translation dealing with the subject of grief and loneliness but with a hopefulness intertwined.

A short but very, very sweet book about a talking cat who is on a mission to save unloved and unwanted books. Anyone who loves books will also love this fantasy novel translated from the original Japanese.

This is a lovely little book. It's pretty short and I read it in a couple of hours.
The story is a sort of modern fairy tale about books. Rintaro meets a talking cat who takes him to a fantasy world where he needs to help save books. I liked that each challenge he had to take was pretty short and to the point. I also liked the discussion of the importance of books and how they help us.

This is such a lovely book. It deals with death, life after a love one’s death, and dealing with grief. The power of books within this novel creates such a heartwarming feeling and made me fall in love with reading even more than I already do.

This is a heart-warming story about finding courage, caring for others – and the tremendous power of books (even short ones).

After the death of his grandfather, Rintaro is devastated and alone. It seems he will have to close Natsuki Books, the tiny second-hand bookshop his grandfather owned, a special place that has long been Rintaro's safe haven.

Then, a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears and asks Rintaro for help. The cat needs a book lover to join him on a mission. This odd couple will go on three magical adventures to save books from people who have imprisoned, mistreated and betrayed them. Finally, there is one last rescue that Rintaro must attempt alone . .

This novel is very short so very hard to review without giving spoilers but I find it a very enjoyable read. It's a story as much about Rintaro our central protagonist being saved as it is about the titular cat who saved books. It's about feeling out of place and how we can find ourselves through the power of books..

An enjoyable read. An 18year old high school student has been living with his grandfather after the death of his parents and helping him run his second hand bookshop. When his grandfather suddenly dies he inherits the shop and his Aunt tells him he is too young to look after it and must clean it out and close it. Feeling rudderless and directionless, Natsuki is visited by a talking cat who asks for his help with 3 tasks to save damaged and unloved books.

Rintaro lives with his grandfather who owns a second-hand bookshop but when his grandfather passes away Rintaro does not know what to do. The bookshop is a refuge for Rintaro who finds it very hard to connect with people his own age. A boy from the year above visits to buy books and is genuinely friendly, then Rintaro’s class president Sayo drops by ostensibly to drop off his school work, but she too is concerned about Rintaro’s well being.

Into this walks a talking tabby cat called Tiger who cajoles Rintaro into helping him free imprisoned books. There are three labyrinths and Rintaro has to persuade and argue with three people, a collector, a mutilator of books and a publisher, who profess to loving books, but who have lost their way.

The tone of the storytelling is gentle and emotive, this really is a warm hug of a book. Any book lover can understand Rintaro’s need to retreat into the bookshop, his safe space, but this is not really good for his well being. The descriptions of the labyrinths are immersive and the arguments of the “book lovers” are a little too persuasive, but it is Rintaro’s passionate pleas that win you over.

This story is not so much how a cat saved books, but how a cat saved a boy and led him out of grief towards friendship and first love.

“Read lots of books……. they’ll be like friends to you. They’ll inspire and support you.”

My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re after a slice of magical realism, with a side helping of literary morality, then this is the book for you.

When Rintaro’s grandfather dies, he leaves behind his bookshop - a place where Rintaro has found solace from the outside world and transported himself into the imaginations of so many classic authors. Anticipating leaving the bookshop behind to go and live with his Aunt, Rintaro spends all his time amongst the shelves, even avoiding going to school. When a talking tabby cat appears one evening requesting his help Rintaro has an opportunity to discover just how important books are to him, and share his love with the characters he meets along the way.

There’s a reference to The Little Prince in this book, and I can definitely see some similarities between the two. Rintaro discovers things not only about himself, but also about the place of books in the modern world. The book has quite a serious message about the value of books, but it’s told in such a light and accessible way that it never feels preachy or heavy handed. The writing is occasionally clunky but I wondered if this was down to the translation rather than the original text. The sentiments are heartwarming, and the brevity makes it a nice little something to read between heavier tomes. I don’t read books of this genre very often, but the message of the story has stayed with me and it’s one I’d recommend to lovers of books everywhere.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't expecting this book to read as if it was for quite such a young audience. It read more like young teen to me than 'New Adult'. But it's a cute story and a great intro to sci-fi and fantasy if not already been read. A bit repetitive in the labyrinths but ok for a younger audience I suppose. A very good translation and a couple of good characters that help to get across the messages about life etc.

Very cute easy read
Natsuki Books was a tiny second-hand bookshop on the edge of town. Inside, towering shelves reached the ceiling, every one crammed full of wonderful books. Rintaro Natsuki loved this space that his grandfather had created. He spent many happy hours there, reading whatever he liked. It was the perfect refuge for a boy who tended to be something of a recluse.

After the death of his grandfather, Rintaro is devastated and alone. It seems he will have to close the shop. Then, a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears and asks Rintaro for help. The cat needs a book lover to join him on a mission. This odd couple will go on three magical adventures to save books from people have imprisoned, mistreated and betrayed them. Finally, there is one last rescue that Rintaro must attempt alone . . .

Not my usual choice of book but the storyline combined with cats pulled me in. I found the translation really good and the book flowed so I read it quickly. I think it would suit all ages and would make an amazing animated film.
A great heart warming read, definitely recommended!
Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
#TheCatWhoSavedBooks #NetGalley

Cats and books, two of my favourite things – what could go wrong?! Well, I’m not sure, but sadly this book really didn’t live up to my expectations. I think I was expecting an elegant, exquisitely translated work of fiction along the lines of The Guest Cat, but what I got was a very simple story about a talking cat who takes a high-school boy on various adventures to save books. It didn’t feel like a celebration of reading in all its many forms, but a slightly preachy ‘read how I tell you to read’ book. For a country that created the word tsundoku, a word that pretty much defines me, this book made me feel bad for hoarding books and not reading them, or reading them too quickly, which was not what I expected.
I wasn’t invested in the characters in the book at all. The cat amused me, and I liked the idea of the main character being a hikikomori, a reclusive boy who is painfully shy, but who is drawn out of himself during the course of the book. And I appreciated the sentiment that books have power as they have the ability to help readers develop empathy. However, I didn’t feel drawn to the characters, and I felt that this book could have been so much more. Perhaps some of it has been lost in translation, as the style of writing was very simplistic.
The best thing about this book is the many, many different covers all the different translations have. Go on – have a look on the Goodreads ‘other editions’ section, you won’t be disappointed!

A charming and heart-warming book.

We meet Rintaro, an introverted young man, who lives in a second-hand bookshop with his grandfather - Natsukis Books. At the beginning of the book, the grandfather has died and Rintaro is alone with the books. He stops going to school and his class-rep, Sayo, starts calling on him. His aunt visits daily to help him pack up to go to live with her. Then Rintaro meets a talking cat.

The cat - we never learn his name - almost orders Rintaro to follow him because books need rescuing and we enter a magical labyrinth. This book calls to book lovers everywhere and each quest that Rintaro is taken on makes us question the power of books.

We are asked questions about whether it is better to read lots of books or to re-read meaningful books? Is is better to make a fortune selling 'best-sellers', to fill shelves with these 'best-sellers or keep classics that ae slow sellers? So many questions. Even what power does a book give to a reader?

Rintaro has to find the answers to these questions to complete his quests and after each quest, he learns something about himself. To me this is a book that could almost be a coming of age read, but as a book lover myself, I loved it and the questions it raised. As someone who reads shelves of books every year, it was interesting to ask myself why I have never gone back to re-read those I have really loved. I've not get found the answer.

An excellent read, a warm cosy read.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written with good characters and the pages kept turning as I was intrigued to see where the story would go.
Not my usual type of book but I enjoyed it nonetheless.