The last few years I've made a list of 10 books - 5 books off my shelf, 5 books from the library - that I'm really wanting to read. There's no real rhyme or reason. I just go through my library list and my shelves and pick the books that are calling to me. My focus in 2026 is reading books I think I'll love - or at least really enjoy.
Goodreads: We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida
Blurb: Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.
Throughout these pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a hardened handbag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha learns to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.
Why I think I'll love this one: I have really enjoyed the Japanese cozy fiction I've read and the premise and cover of this one made me smile.
My Thoughts: So the premise is fairly simple - a group of people who are dissatisfied by some aspect of their life one by one come to an out of the way mental health clinic. There they are met by a cranky nurse, an unusual doctor and given a cat. The results are interesting and at times unexpected and the cats are effective in different ways. What made this book stand out from the other books I've read in this genre is the clinic itself. There's something unusual about it and that takes a bit of time to get revealed. This is a good slow pace read - one story at a time. I enjoyed it and found it a calming and entertaining read. I'm planning on picking up the next book in the series to see just what happens next. My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
