I loved the idea of talking cats and the cover drew me in, but overall this book wasn’t for me. It was confusing at times and hard to follow

*The Cats of Silver Crescent* is a whimsical and heartwarming tale about friendship, magic, and trust. When twelve-year-old Elsby discovers a group of talking cats who need her help to sustain their enchantment, she embarks on an unexpected adventure. The vivid setting and charming cat characters create an engaging, magical atmosphere. Elsby's journey explores themes of responsibility and the unexpected bonds that form between friends. Fans of animal stories and magical realism will find this novel a captivating read.

Although it’s advertised for fans of Appelt and Applegate, those authors hold more to the true nature of the animals they write about than the dark fantasy elements that are herein used and I was a little disappointed with how the characters failed to stand out and endear themselves. Clarissa the cat in particular is a bitter pill to swallow and sort of makes the story a hard one to invest in for me in general. Over all, there were some good points in the book the whole thing didn’t come together very well . I recently read Nimbus and enjoyed it far more in the genre of ya cat fiction.

What if your neighbors were real-live Calico Critters? 🤔 (who maybe do some magic)

An adorable read, and the cats are just as snarky as you'd expect, even if they do wear bonnets and sailor suits ❤️

For fans of The Cat Returns!

This book was cute and intriguing. I loved the talking cats, and the fantasy elements blended well with the themes of loneliness to liven up the otherwise dark material. This is a fun middle-grade read, and I would be interested if there was ever a sequel.

What a cute, cozy, and creepy story! As a life long cat lover, I picked this up because I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read about talking cats, and I know my younger self would've absolutely loved this book. It was whimsical and magical while still being true to what it's like being a middle school girl: trying to make friends and discover yourself. I loved Elsbie as a main character, especially because she wasn't perfect. She struggled to commit to things (only writing the first chapters of novels), she was often jealous, and she wasn't always quick to forgive when she felt betrayed. I could definitely see a version of this story being adapted into a Studio Ghibli film, but maybe I've just seen The Cat Returns too many times. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes cats (duh), mysterious small towns, magic, and ghost stories.

I cannot wait until fall so that I can recommend this book to my 5th grader! This book has perfect fall, dark academia vibes that could be perfectly paired with a cup of hot tea and cookies.

Elsby is an aspiring writer who has a head full of stories but struggles to get past the first chapter. Forced to spend some time with her Great-Aunt Verity while her mom is away on business, Elsby tries to soak up inspiration in the backyard garden of her aunt when she spots a cat standing up on its back legs, wearing clothes, and carrying a basket of broccoli. Willing to believe it is just her imagination, Elsby is soon confronted with the reality that the cats next door can talk and they desperately need her help.

"The Cats of Silver Crescent" is a whimsical tale about friendship and belonging, but also a tale about the cost of magic.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the digital ARC so that I could provide this voluntary and honest review.

First of all, I love Elsby’s name. I’ve never heard that as a nickname for Elisabeth before, but I love it. (In the book, it’s something Elsby has made up, which is even better!)

I also enjoyed the fact that Elsby is a young writer. She has a problem, though, where she only writes the first chapter of a story before getting stuck. I love the way the story resolves this.

I also like the cat characters. They’re a bit whimsical with their Victorian clothes and Marzipan’s love for poetry. They were very cute.

Elsby has a hard time connecting to others. She keeps to herself a lot and doesn’t seem to trust her feelings. I really identified with that and the obstacles it presented in relationships. That said, I thought it was really cool the way her aunt builds a relationship with her, and even the way Elsby connects with Penelope.

The playful storytelling and magical elements of the story reminded me a little bit of The Hunt for the Hollower by Callie C. Miller. I think readers who enjoy that kind of magical adventure with some nonhuman characters will enjoy The Cats of Silver Crescent.

Being a cat lover myself this book was so fun to read. I enjoyed the growth that the main character had by the end of the book with herself and with her new friend. I also enjoy the magical aspect of the town she is staying in with her ant. I would recommend this book.

I loved this story and would have written so much fan fiction about these talking cats when I was a young reader! The mysterious villain will make your whiskers curl!

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of the novel.

2.5 Stars

The Cats of Silver Crescent is a contemporary fantasy that’s sort of hit and miss.

The book starts out strong. The setup and setting are somewhat magical, and there’s lots of curiosity on Elsby’s part. Even the cats are quirky, but charming to start with. But as the story progresses, the cats become creepier, the cat’s “favors” become increasingly more complicated, and the plot overall becomes darker. Though Elsby is 12, the book reads like the author is trying to appeal to adult sensibilities rather than children. Overall, it was just kind of meh. I suggest checking this one out from the library prior to purchase.

3.75 stars
You are probably wondering why I read and am reviewing a middle grade book about talking cats. Or maybe you're like "this makes total sense", which, fair. I requested this on NetGalley somehow not realizing at first that it was middle grade, because who doesn't love talking cats? Either way, it was a quick and fun read, and surprisingly atmospheric and cozy. 

Elsby is 13 and has just been dropped off at her Aunt Verity's house for a few weeks over the summer, who she's never met. Verity lives in a small town in Rhode Island that's full of beautiful nature and magical rumors. On her first day there, while exploring the yard, Elsby spots a cat walking on it's hind legs and wearing clothes. Obviously this requires investigating, and she ends up befriending the four talking cats next door, whose owner has recently passed away. The cats ask Elsby for favors to help them avoid being exposed to the human world, and gradually their requests get larger and larger, until Elsby wonders how safe and trustworthy they are. 

Elsby also meets a girl her age in town, so there are some entertaining middle school girl dynamics at play, as well as creative issues, as Elsby is a writer who finds herself unable to get past the first chapter in any of her novels. Relatable. In the end, I have decided I don't want my cat to be able to speak after all, but this was a cute read, nonetheless. If you are a child I'm not sure why you're on NetGalley, but if you have a child, maybe recommend this book to them, it was lovely. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Cats of Silver Crescent was an unexpected joy for me. I mean I love cats and I love magic, but I just didn’t know how much I would end up loving talking cats in vintage clothing. Silver Crescent is well written and kept my attention throughout the book. I loved how each cat in Silver Crescent has such a different personality and is very much their own important character. I found myself comparing my own two cats and wondering what different personalities I would see if they could also talk. I loved the themes of friendship and forgiveness. Not only finding a need to forgive, but discovering a path that is often hard to want to and issue forgiveness. The human characters were just as complex as the talking cats and each provide important support to the story. If you love books about magic, mystery, animals, and even a bit of a spooky ghostly element, then you should read this book.

As someone revisiting the world of middle grade fiction after many years, diving into "The Cats of Silver Crescent" by Kaela Noel was a nostalgic journey filled with wonder and delight. This quirky middle grade fantasy adventure follows a young girl as she navigates the challenges of a new town, unexpected friendships, and mysterious occurrences.

Set in a small Rhode Island town, the story centers around a young girl sent to live with her great-aunt, where she encounters not only a new friend but also four extraordinary cats who hold secrets beyond the ordinary. As the protagonist embarks on this mystical adventure, readers are treated to a tale of courage, friendship, and self-discovery.

One of the highlights of "The Cats of Silver Crescent" is its portrayal of the protagonist's journey of growth and self-acceptance. Despite the challenges she faces, the young girl finds companionship and a sense of purpose in her newfound friends, both human and feline. I appreciated the nuanced depiction of her relationship with her aunt, which eschewed patronization in favor of support and understanding.

While some aspects of the story may veer into darker territory, particularly towards the end, Noel handles these themes with care, ensuring that younger readers can still find enjoyment in the narrative. The blend of everyday challenges and magical elements creates a captivating backdrop for the protagonist's coming-of-age journey.

"The Cats of Silver Crescent" is a charming tale that will resonate with young readers and adults alike. With its relatable characters, engaging plot, and touches of magic, Kaela Noel has crafted a delightful middle grade adventure.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

In a Nutshell: Grabbed it for the title, the cover, and the premise. This was supposed to be a contemporary MG fantasy with talking cats. However, the fantasy takes a much darker turn than expected, the cats held no appeal after a point, and the story also was mostly boring. Overall, very disappointed. Wouldn’t recommend this to cat-loving kids.

Plot Preview:
Twelve-year-old Elsby is spending a couple of months with her great-aunt Verity in Rhode Island as her mother has to travel for work. While wandering in the back garden, she stumbles on an unexpected sight: a cat, standing on its hind legs, and dressed in a sailor suit. Elsby cannot believe her eyes, but the cat runs away before she can figure out if it was real or a part of her imagination.
At night however, the cat, along with three other cat friends, comes to Elsby’s bedroom, and begins to talk! They want Elsby’s help, and Elsby, being an animal lover, cannot refuse them. However, it soon becomes clear that the help goes much beyond what the cats initially revealed.
The story comes to us mostly in Elsby’s and the cats’ third-person perspectives.

Bookish Yays:
😻 Talking cats – the only novelty of the book.
😻 Great cover.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🐱 Elsby – Helpful. Animal lover. Bibliophile. Doesn’t know how to say no. Keeps secrets from mom and great-aunt. Not sure how effective she is as a protagonist. I found her lacklustre.
🐱 Verity and Rose (the cats' owner) – Very interesting characters but don’t get much page space. The big reveal about Verity at the end came out of nowhere. Wish it had been explored right from the start as that was the most interesting part of the book.

Bookish Nays:
😿 The cats: Bet you didn’t expect to see the cats in the Nays column! Neither did I! I usually love fictional animals. But that’s how bad their portrayal is. Each cat has a different personality, but the dominant one, Clarissa, blatantly indulges in gaslighting, manipulating, and bullying. She is rude and self-centred, and not afraid to guilt-trip her companions. As she gets most of the key scenes, the experience is irksome.
😿 The plot development: It begins with one idea, and goes into totally unexpected territory. There’s no connection between the start and the end.
😿 A major chunk of the book is about Elsby’s feelings of inadequacy, which is really disappointing when you expect a book about cats.
😿 The pacing is slow at the start, boring in between, and overly rushed at the end. One arc isn’t even completed. I am not sure if it is leaving the doors open for a sequel, but my doors are shut against it.
😿 Somehow, the tone of the book feels very pretentious, what with characters spouting old poems and advocating only classical literature. If it intended to create a passion in little readers for old-school art, it doesn’t happen.
😿 There are many plot points that I am not sure were needed. Cats getting high on catnip, sad revelations about what animal shelters do to animals who aren't adopted after 90 days, occult ideas such as interacting with spirits and spirits returning from the dead - how is all this built into a MG work? The occult content isn’t scary, I admit, but there should be some clue in the premise that the plot goes into such pseudo-horror territory. Some children might genuinely be spooked by such dark magic, especially when cats are involved.
😿 You can't create a villainous threat when you don't even intend to use his presence for more than a couple of paras in the climax. What a waste of an arc!

I thought I was being exceedingly harsh on an MG book, especially considering how I almost always enjoy this genre. So I passed on the book to my middle-grader, hoping to have a more balanced perspective from the target audience. She completed the book only out of a sense of obligation to me. Numerous times, she told me how boring the whole book was, and how horrible the ending was. She was also annoyed by something one character said to another during the finale, which she considered very selfish.

All in all, this is a confused book. Not ‘confusing’; ‘confused’. Like it isn't sure what it wants to do, and ends up doing a bit of everything and justice to nothing.

I don’t think I can recommend this book, especially to cat-loving children because they will be horrified at the cat-rep in this tale. But it *might* work better with little dark-fantasy lovers. Just in case there’s a sequel planned for the incomplete arc, I hope it sorts things out neatly, but I won’t be reading it.

1.5 stars. (1 star from my daughter, 2 stars from me. Averaged and rounded up.)

My thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Cats of Silver Crescent”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.

Thank you to HarperCollins, Kaela Noel, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This is a very fun, very whimsical story of mystery and magic. And cats!! Elsby is a very flushed out character full of feeling and quirk and feels right at home in the New England setting (especially for a New Yorker!). While the first few chapters are a bit exposition heavy, the story is fantastic and, as a New Englander myself, invoked so much nostalgia. In many ways, it reminded me of Hocus Pocus and the feeling I get when spooky season comes around!

This was an adorable read, perfect for a middle grade reader. It’s a cozy light fantasy about talking cats that walk on their hind legs and wear clothes and need to perform a magical spell on the solstice to maintain this. The illustrations at the beginning of the chapters are a delight!

Kaela Noel's The Cats of Silver Crescent is exactly the sort of book I would have loved in late grade school or Junior High. It has a bookish girl for a heroine, her budding friendship with a goth girl, talking cats who wear clothing and read books, a great-aunt who appears not to find anything too unlikely to be believed (in a good way), and a creepy town with a creepy founder hoping to return from the dead. The build-up here is slow, the end a bit rushed, but it offers exactly the kind of fantasy I've always found delightful.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher; the opinions are my own.

This middle grade fantasy has it all - a child dropped off with a mysterious great-aunt for the summer, magical talking cats, ghosts, the messiness of new friendship, and magical rituals gone awry. This book bridges the gap between middle grade animal-fiction lovers and fantasy aficionados. I enjoyed it quite a bit— it is the exact kind of book I would have DEVOURED in fifth grade. I would give this book to an ambitious third grader and up.

Elsby’s mom is an Art curator and has a job in LA… Elsby is staying with her aunt in Rhode Island who is a archeologist professor on summer break, Elsby discovers that the house her aunt lives in, the neighbors are not what she expected.

Cottagecore + Beatrix potter…I loved the descriptions, Elsby’s first sightings of her aunts house to the tangled unkept gardens in the back… this book gave off major cozy vibes! This is yet another book I could see my younger self devouring and making my personality.

Thank you HarperCollins Books 📖
Releases 4/30

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