The coziest of cozy fall-imbued stories. Now keeping in mind this is a middle-grade read, we're left with a beautifully crafted story that could get anyone in the autumn feels. Cats, magic, and adventure? Yes, please. Did I mention the cats TALK? It's a sweet tale of magic gone wrong and our main characters' journey to fix it. This time the deadline means the sweet little cats will pay the price! Intriguing in its own right, they also have a great fashion sense! The perfect makings of the story to withstand time. The melancholy our girl Elsby faces with her mom gone is something many will connect to immediately.

This book was soooo cute. I knew from the cover it was going to be adorable. But then I ended up falling in love with the characters and really enjoying the plot. Some of my kids are going to really love this.

An enjoyable middle-grade low fantasy, with a dash of wit and a hint of melancholy. Elsby, is a young girl who has to stay with her great aunt who she barely knows while her mom goes on a business trip in the hopes of securing a better job, with no free-lancing. While she is at her Aunt’s, 4 cats from the house next door (where a lady had passed away) come to visit Elsby and ask her for help. These cats are different from normal cats as they can talk, walk on hind-legs, and dress as if they popped out of a Beatrix Potter story. Elsby has always wanted a pet cat and she’s eager to help and to learn how these cats are able to talk and walk. The story is sweet and intriguing and each chapter begins with an illustration of a cat. This story is perfect for readers who enjoy cozy reads; talking animals; making friends; and a hint of adtenvure/suspense.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

PROS: Talking cats are kinda exactly my thing so I had to request this. The cats are definitely funny, but I connected a lot to the protagonist Elsby, who likes to write, but can only come up with first chapters <3. Friendship stories are also something I love, so I enjoyed that this focused on that, even if (or maybe because) it's super messy at times. It's also nice for it to really be a story about two lonely, kinda weird twelve-year-old girls.
CONS: I am a little biased, one of my all-time favorite middle grade series is about talking cats (including one also named Horatio!) and TCoSC just didn't live up to it). Plus, I misread the blurb and thought that the cats were kids turned into cats, not just talking familiars, but that's on me. Bookwise, I feel that Elsby could have been more of an active protagonist throughout the story. I also wanted Elsby and Penelope to connect a little more about their living situations - Elsby having only her mother and Penelope having to work at her family's business.
All together, it was cute though and I'd definitely hand it to any MG readers who like magic, writing stories or cats.

"The Cats of Silver Crescent" by Kaela Noel is a delightful and heartwarming middle-grade novel that weaves a tale of friendship, family, and the enchanting magic of talking cats.

Eleven-year-old Elsby's summer takes an unexpected turn when she discovers a family of cats living next door, cats that are not your typical felines. These cats can talk, think, and even dress like humans, and they are in dire need of Elsby's help. As the story unfolds, Elsby finds herself on a magical adventure to assist her new feline friends in renewing the spell that gives them their unique abilities.

The novel beautifully explores themes of friendship, trust, and the magic that resides within each person. Elsby's journey is not just one of enchantment but also one of personal growth and self-discovery. The talking cats add a whimsical and charming element to the story, making it a perfect choice for readers who love animals and magical adventures.

Kaela Noel's writing is engaging and accessible, making it easy for young readers to become immersed in the story. The characters, both human and feline, are well-developed and relatable, and they bring depth to the narrative.

"The Cats of Silver Crescent" is a standalone novel that will captivate readers with its blend of magic, friendship, and family bonds. It is a heartwarming and entertaining story that is perfect for middle-grade readers and fans of animal-centric tales like those by Kathi Appelt and Katherine Applegate. Kaela Noel has crafted a charming and memorable story that will leave a lasting impression on its readers.

Kaela Noel's THE CATS OF SILVER CRESCENT is brimming with charm, warmth, and the sparkle of magic. Just as she did with Coo, her 2020 debut, Noel has created a beautiful world filled with tender hearts, a touch of mystery, and a whole lot of wonder!

Elsby is a nervous child, prone to worrying about her mother and the dangers of the world around her. But when she goes to stay with her aunt in RI while her mother is off on a business trip Elsby finds herself facing very different kinds of peril, the kind that comes when cats can who talk, read, sew, and are dressed in victorian garb.

The heart of the story is pure heart. After the untimely death of their human, the cats need Elsby's help to gather food, books, and maybe something more they're not quite ready to tell her about. And kind Elsby is more than willing to do whatever she can to help the cats. But soon Elsby finds herself torn between jealously when the cats seem to prefer a new friend Elsby has made, and her growing sense that all is not as it seems.

Warm, witty, with just enough peril and mystery to keep the reader eagerly turning pages, THE CATS OF SILVER CRESCENT is a story to be treasured and shared with middle-grade readers who love a good yarn (yes, bad pun intended!)

I highly recommend this book to young readers and their adults too. It would make a fantastic class read aloud, and is the perfect book to curl up with under a warm blanket and get lost in a fantastic story!

Thank you to GreenWillow Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an E-Arc.

This cottagecore galore novel with erudite cats in clothes is a perfect cozy read for fans of talking animals the style of Beatrix Potter, fans of Jenn Reese’s A Game of Fox & Squirrels, and Katherine Applegate. A healer (Rose) leaves these cats alone to fence for themselves and they need food and books so they risk talking to a child (Elsby) to ask for help. Elsby is already an author-illustrator in progress. But there's more to do than get them Beowulf, recite Emily Dickson's poems, or play classical compositions. The tension comes from the need to recast the spell soon enough so the cats can continue to speak and live as humans. For that, they need a magician human like Rose.
Staying with family while single mom deals with work, and making new friends. Cozy fiction and a magical vibe.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this e-Arc.

A well-written middle-grade fantasy, with sly humor, great characterizations, and a few touches of gentle melancholy. A sequel seems to be hinted at and I hope that's the case, as I'd love to spend more time with these characters (and see how things pan out with Marzipan's poetry submissions!). Younger MG readers who like a cozy read with some gentle suspense will especially enjoy this book.

Elsby is an eleven-year-old who has to spend her summer with her great-aunt Verify. While exploring outside of Aunt Verify’s backyard she spots something unusual, Elsby saw a cat wearing clothes. What was even more unusual was that the cat was walking on only two legs and was holding a basket. Quickly Elsby learns that the next door cats are no ordinary cats and embarks on an adventurous journey complete with magic and ghosts. Elsby soon learns the cats are able to speak and are in need of her dire help.
The story is very intriguing and each chapter has an illustration of a cat. The characters are well developed and the book is as magical as gingerbread house. This book is perfect for a cozy read.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Book and Greenwillow Books for sending me an ARC in exchange of an honest review of the book received.

When staying with her aunt, a eleven-year-old girl discovers that there are talking cats next door and they want her to help them harness the magic that made then that way! Elsby has to stay with her great-aunt Verity when her mother is busy traveling for a new art installation job. Upon arrival Elsby spots a strange cat, a cat that is fully dressed in clothes that is similar to Beatrix Potter characters and walking on its two feet! Elsby soon discovers that living next door to her is a family of magical talking cats who need her help to get groceries and do errands because their only human friend who use to help them has died. Elsby also discovers that the cats are all under a magical spell and if they dont renew the spell they won't be able to maintain their form... but there is a price and when Elsby discovers the price it might be too late. This was such a fun middlegrade novel featuring talking cats, friendship, magical adventure, and just a cozy read! I think it definitely should be added onto a autumn or cozy tbr!

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, Greenwillow Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*