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I enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy read. I loved reading about all the different cats and how they help their humans. That being said, I think the first book was better. This was still a good read, but it was a little more serious and there were some parts of the stories that were a bit odd. I'll purchase this for my library because my patrons enjoy this type of cozy magical realism.

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A delightful and charming sequel about the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul, a mysterious clinic with an unconventional address which can only be found by those who need it. Patients happen to find the clinic but don't really know what they are there for. They meet with a very strange doctor and an acerbic nurse. the doctor prescribes the patient a cat and the nurse provides the supplies they will need to take care of the cat for the allotted time the doctor prescribed. Caring for the cat helps the patient work through whatever difficulty they have in their life. It is all very strange but somehow it works and some of the cats get adopted into their families. This story focuses on a young girl who is jealous of the attention her mother lavishes on her older brother. As she takes care of her prescribed cat she begins to understand things from her mother's viewpoint. Her older brother works at a cat rescue and has a cat at home but his cat sleeps all the time and won't play anymore. the brother has become a workaholic and closed off from other people. He ends up at the mysterious clinic too.this is an enjoyable read that leaves you charmed but wondering about the mysterious clinic.

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"The Kokoro Clinic for the Soul reopens in this delightful follow-up to the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel We'll Prescribe You a Cat.

It's time to revisit the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul.

Though it's a mysteriously located clinic with an uncertain address, it can always be found by those who need it. And the clinic has proven time after time that a prescribed cat has the power to heal the emotional wounds of its patients. This charming sequel introduces a new lovable cast of healing cats, from Kotetsu, a four-month-old Bengal who unleashes his boundless energy by demolishing bed linens and curtains, to tenacious and curious Shasha, who doesn't let her small size stop her from anything, and the most lovable yet lazy cat Ms. Michiko, who is as soft and comforting as mochi.

As characters from one chapter appear as side characters in the next, we follow a young woman who cannot help pushing away the man who loves her, a recently widowed grandfather whose grandson refuses to leave his room, the family of a young woman who struggle to understand each other, and an anxious man who works at a cat shelter seeking to show how the most difficult cats can be the most rewarding. This moving, magical novel of interconnected tales proves the strength in the unfathomable bond between cats and people."

My first prescription wasn't filled, so now I need two cats please!

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We'll Prescribe You Another Cat by Syou Ishida

This is the second book in a series that I think has three books. I enjoyed the first book even if I didn't understand it all that well. With this book, I understood it less than the first book but also this book just kept yanking me back to feeling depressed about the story even as I tried not to feel that way since the story seems to want me to see everything as not depressing.

But the entire series is based on something really bad happening to a lot cats and we keep getting reminded of that fact. Not that I could ever really forget, it's just too sad to think about. Yet we are being coached by a young doctor of something or other that things aren't that bad, weren't that bad, whatever. He can't convince me though, I know when something it not good.

I've never really understood what is going on and I blame some of that for me not being acquainted well enough with the culture. Or maybe something is lost in the translation? I know everyone looks at life and death differently but I just could not wrap my head around this story despite doing a better job with the first book.

An early focus on cat box deposits and cat rump sniffing didn't endear me to the story, on top of everything else. I was able to read this story with Jayme and we had very similar feelings about what we read. Mostly I came away feeling sad and I know that is not what the author is trying to get out of her readers.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC. As always the below is my own thoughts, feelings, words. I appreciate the gift for a candid review.

Just like Book #1 “We’ll Prescribe You a Cat,” Book #2 “We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat” made me laugh, smile and cry. The book leaves you wanting more and yet gives you a sense of peace. Every story is heartwarming each with their own distinct voice.

It is a must read. A must buy - not only for the adorable cat cover.

I loved Book #1 and Book #2 and will eagerly eat up Book #3 if this book series continues.

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We”ll Prescribe You Another Cat
By Syou Ishida
Translated from Japanese to English by E. Madison Shimoda

Look at that adorable cover! 😻
It looks like Ms. Michiko from vignette #2 up front, with one of the Bengal kitties from vignette #1 peeking out from behind her in the prescription bottle!

The Kokoro Clinic for the Soul, is a clinic that can ONLY be found by those who need it. And, you will still have to get past the beautiful but disagreeable nurse, Chitose, that we met in the first book-if you hope to be prescribed a cat by the Doctor, Nikke’ .

“We”ll Prescribe You a Cat” (#1 in the two book series) explains the magical realism of the clinic and who its practitioners really are, so it is best to start there-plus it is the BETTER book of the two.

All of the prescribed cats in this sequel are new, as are the patients, with the characters from one chapter appearing as side characters in the next, so the vignettes are loosely connected.

In the first vignette we meet Moe’ Ohtani a young woman who is afraid to hear what her boyfriend has been trying to tell her. Prescription : Bengal kittens Koetsu, Noelle and Bibi

In the second vignette, a widowed grandfather and his grandson, are both in danger of becoming recluses.
Prescription: Ms. Michiko

The third vignette features a young woman who struggles to connect with her mother
Prescription: Shasha and Hajime

And, in the final vignette, a young man who excels in his work at a cat shelter with difficult to place rescue cats, cannot make sense of what is going on with his own rescue cat, Nikke’. Prescription: Use the cat you already have at home.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series, but something may have been lost in translation in this volume, because I I couldn’t really see the correlation between how these prescriptions helped to cure what ails our patients this time around, in two of the four stories.

And, that is despite the fact that I am a TRUE BELIEVER that CATS CAN CURE just about anything that ails you emotionally!

The author clearly KNOWS felines and within these pages he offers up some GREAT advice for prospective Cat owners about cat behaviors and idiosyncrasies, but a prescription revolving around cat elimination and another about butt sniffing, though informative-missed the mark, if intended to be humorous.

The first volume felt hopeful and heartwarming but this volume LACKED those sentiments, and sadly, I just didn’t find myself connecting to this book in the same way as Volume One.

I hope that you will!

Available September 2, 2025.

Thank You to Berkley for the gifted ARC provided by NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

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A heartwarming sequel, this novel follows Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. In this mysterious cat clinic, patients have been prescribed cats instead of medication and other forms of treatment, with each chapter following a different patient whose life is intertwined with the others in various ways.

 

A mix of literary fiction with components of magic realism, this book draws in readers who appreciate the reflective depth found in "The Kamogawa Food Detectives" (Kashiwai, Hisashi) and "She and Her Cat: Stories" (Shinkai, Makoto). It also explores profound themes of grief and moving forward, as well as the intricate dynamics of relationships. 

 

The writing is rich with exquisite prose, deep characters, and different dialogue that makes each character different. Throughout the story, characters undergo life-changing experiences and have profound realizations, leading to introspection and growth. Each chapter is about a different character, which allows for an engaging pace that complements the book's concept, making it an ideal read to read in sections.

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This book is incredibly charming and cozy! I never read the first book and will definitely do so now. I would recommend this book to book clubs as I think a lot of discussion can be born from it. The interconnecting stories were very nice and the ongoing mystery of the look-alike doctor was very engaging. Overall, this book is great for anyone looking for a reflective read.

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4 stars - “We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat” is the second book in a unique “healing fiction” Japanese series. This one's four inter-connected stories centered around the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul, that provides healing through the prescription of cats and is run by doctor Nikké and nurse Chitose. As a cat lover, I enjoyed it & recommend to those who also do. Some cute humor and also some bittersweet, of course. My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my advance readers copy - a pleasure to read & review!

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Having absolutely loved We'll Prescribe You a Cat, I was excited for the opportunity to read this follow-up novel. I enjoyed returning to the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul, meeting a new cast of cats (and humans), and getting lost in the pages of magical realism. I admittedly found this follow-up novel to be sadder than its predecessor and also somewhat disjointed at times (though this could be due to reading the novel in translation). I find myself left with unanswered questions - I see that a third novel has been published in Japan, and I look forward to reading the English-language version once it is published.

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Another sweet and soft book! We get a whole new cast of characters here, including a grandchild and grandfather, a student, and a cat rescue volunteer. As they stumble upon the clinic and get prescribed a cat to help cure them, they broaden their perceptions, work on their relationships, and remember to balance their work and personal lives. It's once again clear that Ishida cares greatly both for cats and for people, knowing that the two can symbiotically work and have better lives with thanks to the other. A wonderful sequel.

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This hits right in the feels the same way the first book did. Each story is short, yet charming and I found they were a little more interconnected this time around than I felt they were in the first book. I also especially loved how the translator chose to put emphasis on certain aspects this time around; I almost died when the bengal cats were described as Osaka grannies (because it is SO TRUE) and I feel a lot more of the cultural aspects were better interpreted for an English-speaking audience to understand them.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC. I greatly enjoyed and plan on purchasing copies for my classroom, just like I did for the first book.

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We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat is a book that explores the special bond between people and their cats with a touch of magical realism. I thought the concept of this book was really interesting and I love the message of how animals (specifically cats for this story) are so therapeutic and help us through so much. A sweet story!

Also these book covers are so precious!

Thank you kindle to Net Galley and the publisher for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion! :)

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I enjoyed the first book, so I definitely had to read the sequel! I will say that this one didn't quite feel as cozy and comforting as its predecessor, though it had its moments. In general, the overall story was sadder and less adorable. I was also left with a couple of burning questions regarding the rules of this world's magical realism. (I have a theory, but I don't know if it's correct or not.)

This book had some of the same issues as the first, such as stilted dialogue that may just be due to the translation. I don't know for sure. But I also didn't really connect with any of the human characters this time around, and I felt like I didn't spend enough time with most of the cats to really get attached to them, either. With the exception of maybe one.

Heads up that you will read quite a bit about the pooping habits of cats in one of the chapters. Not in graphic detail, but if that bothers you then you probably won’t like that it’s brought up so much. There’s also a scene about two cats getting acquainted by sniffing each other’s butts. It’s played for laughs, but it’s kind of awkward.

I kind of loved Nurse Chitose this time around. And the mysterious clinic is still a neat idea, even if the concept of loaning out cats to reluctant people makes me a bit anxious. I appreciate Ishida’s efforts to advocate for cats in general, from promoting their safe adoption to arguing for more appreciation of their general existence. There was also a cat named Wighead at one point and that made me laugh. There were efforts in each chapter to sort of introduce a moral lesson, so I see what Ishida was doing.

I give this one a basic three stars but I prefer the first book. If Ishida writes a third, I'll probably be back because I want some answers.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

Biggest TW: Mention of breeders/mistreatment of animals, Mention of animal sickness and death

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Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with an eARC.

This was so wholesome and comforting to read. I personally felt that this book was significantly better than the first one in the sense that the stories were more connected and unique, better translation and overall flow. The human-cat relationship was done so well in each of the stories and I really loved the ingenious ways in which the cats "solve" their problems. The theme of the series by itself is very unique pointing out how effective pets are in keeping us happy. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for heartwarming stories about cats with a bit of magical realism.

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Such a cute and fun premise. I didn't read the first book in the series but was able to follow along just fine. Honestly, I'm ready to be prescribed another cat - hope I can find the place!

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The Healing Clinic for the Soul lends out Bengal cats for a week, prescribing a cat for those with problems at home that could be fixed with a cat in the house. The stories are clever and cute, and I loved the magical aspects of both cats and clinic, and the doctor who does the prescribing. If I did not have allergies, I'd prescribe myself a cat!

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I loved this, and this cleared up some things that I was still a bit confused about from the first book. Easy to read in chunks amd generally soothing, so good bedtime reading.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing this book, with my honest review below.

We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat is the follow up to the popular novel starting with original cat prescription. This one tugs at your heartstrings just as effectively, exploring people who are struggling, whether they realize it or not, and how the companionship and magic of the cats from the Kokoro Clinic give them the comfort and love they need to face dark times and journey through them.

We all have our comfort reads, whether the books are actually soothing or just familiar, maybe a call back to a happier time. With We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat a comfort read of the best kind exists, one whose plot is filled with comfort, care, and happier times that acts as a balm for the soul all on its own.

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Thank you so much for sending me an ARC! I thought the premise of this book, much like the first, was really sweet. I generally enjoyed the stories and there were a few quotes I particularly enjoyed. One of these was the message of how giving up is not the same thing as running away and that it takes courage to let go and reach toward something new. I thought that sentiment was beautiful and very timely for some situations I am dealing with in my own life. Still, I’m not sure if translation is the issue or it’s generally the writing style, but I had trouble really sympathizing with the human characters or feeling anything towards them.

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