What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free print copy of this book!
15 days and 17:32:28
15 copies available
U.S. only
Kitten
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26Win a free print copy of this book!
15 days and 17:32:28
15 copies available
U.S. only
A magnetic, stirring debut novel about an adrift young woman whose growing fascination with her boyfriend’s cat ushers her into the possibilities of her own life—but not without first threatening to unravel it.
Katie is far from home and fresh out of college, desperate to skirt adulthood’s demands, and all too willing to let her wealthy boyfriend James make decisions for them both. It doesn’t help that she’s no longer speaking to her mother. Or that her roommate has abruptly moved out of their New York City apartment. But when James takes Katie on vacation to his family’s seaside house, he brings Silver, his childhood cat, and Katie discovers a sudden, strange, and giddy sense of connection.
Silver doesn’t mind that Katie can’t seem to get a job, hold her own at dinner parties, or make amends with her mother. Silver, who gets to lie around all day, misbehave spectacularly, be cute, gross, and still get fed, seems to have the life Katie increasingly longs for. Soon enough, they’re inseparable, and something inside Katie begins to crack open, or maybe just…crack.
Because if Katie has learned anything from her estranged mother, it’s that devotion comes at a price. As Katie’s affection for Silver deepens, all of her other relationships begin to falter. Soon, Katie must confront what it is she desires from her life, and what she might have to risk to get it.
Both darkly playful and unexpectedly heartfelt, this debut from a major new voice in fiction is a timeless reckoning with the uncertainty of becoming a person in a world that is as disorienting as it is full of hope and promise.
Katie is far from home and fresh out of college, desperate to skirt adulthood’s demands, and all too willing to let her wealthy boyfriend James make decisions for them both. It doesn’t help that she’s no longer speaking to her mother. Or that her roommate has abruptly moved out of their New York City apartment. But when James takes Katie on vacation to his family’s seaside house, he brings Silver, his childhood cat, and Katie discovers a sudden, strange, and giddy sense of connection.
Silver doesn’t mind that Katie can’t seem to get a job, hold her own at dinner parties, or make amends with her mother. Silver, who gets to lie around all day, misbehave spectacularly, be cute, gross, and still get fed, seems to have the life Katie increasingly longs for. Soon enough, they’re inseparable, and something inside Katie begins to crack open, or maybe just…crack.
Because if Katie has learned anything from her estranged mother, it’s that devotion comes at a price. As Katie’s affection for Silver deepens, all of her other relationships begin to falter. Soon, Katie must confront what it is she desires from her life, and what she might have to risk to get it.
Both darkly playful and unexpectedly heartfelt, this debut from a major new voice in fiction is a timeless reckoning with the uncertainty of becoming a person in a world that is as disorienting as it is full of hope and promise.
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 4, 2026
22 people are currently reading
6757 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Want to read
January 24, 2026This cover means everything to me I'm so serious
Substack | Bookstagram | BookTok | BookTube | Bookshop.org Store | Libro.fm Bonus Offer
Substack | Bookstagram | BookTok | BookTube | Bookshop.org Store | Libro.fm Bonus Offer
Want to read
January 24, 2026This may be the most important read of my life
January 31, 2026
Yes, there’s a very important character in this book named Silver, who is a cat. Silver can also swim in the ocean with the main character Katie, who has just graduated from college, has no money, and a tumultuous relationship with her mother, who is indeed a narcissist. Katie is spoiled by her wealthy boyfriend, and definitely is unsure of her attachment to him.
I can relate to growing up in a narcissistic Asian household. I currently deal with it daily. 🙋🏻♀️
“My mother wasn’t human, she was my mother.”
However there are many layers to Kitten, Stacey Yu’s debut novel. It’s a “coming of age”, that space between ending a childhood, and getting old. Who are we, who should we become?
“You forget how small everything is when you’re a kid,” he said. “The desks, their chairs. We used to think that was normal sized.”
If you’re looking for a quirky book revolving a cat, this isn’t for you, as it’s a fairly emotional read. We’ve all been Katie before, and I felt some of her experiences at the age of 22.
Yu’s writing is exquisite and can’t wait to see what she writes next.
I can relate to growing up in a narcissistic Asian household. I currently deal with it daily. 🙋🏻♀️
“My mother wasn’t human, she was my mother.”
However there are many layers to Kitten, Stacey Yu’s debut novel. It’s a “coming of age”, that space between ending a childhood, and getting old. Who are we, who should we become?
“You forget how small everything is when you’re a kid,” he said. “The desks, their chairs. We used to think that was normal sized.”
If you’re looking for a quirky book revolving a cat, this isn’t for you, as it’s a fairly emotional read. We’ve all been Katie before, and I felt some of her experiences at the age of 22.
Yu’s writing is exquisite and can’t wait to see what she writes next.
February 25, 2026
I’ve spent the last 3 hours since I finished this book trying to find the words to best illustrate my feelings, and all I’ve managed to muster is ‘wow.’
I’ve seen 3 cats since I started reading this book, and every single one of them made me think of Katie & silver. There is power in that.
A truly commendable debut
I’ve seen 3 cats since I started reading this book, and every single one of them made me think of Katie & silver. There is power in that.
A truly commendable debut
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
eARC provided by Netgalley in exhange for an honest review.
Kitten is a very solid debut by Stacey Yu. I'm not familiar with her work on Tiktok, and only requested this arc after my friends talked about it. I was initially skeptical of it, not only because of the current state of Booktok, but because I have not had a good relationship with contemporary litfic as of late. So I'm very pleased to report that I found this very charming and enjoyable overrall.
Katie is a realistic and compelling character, and her POV is easy to relate to. Her growing obsession with her boyfriend's cat, Silver, is the driving force of the book, and by far my favorite part of it. The main character stood out to me in particular because she seems to steer away from the obvious clichés: she's a mentally disturbed woman in her young twenties, financially dependent on her white boyfriend, of course, but where other novels exaggerate and stretch beyond the realm of belief, Yu keeps us steady in a confined narrative structure and timeline, one that works well to develop the relationships between the characters.
Yu talks of a complex mother-daughter relationship with grace and compassion. I have to admit that, unfortunately, this part of the novel wasn't the most interesting to me, especially as we only get to know the mother late into the book. I found myself wanting to read more about other characters, like Isabelle and Lou. But I can still appreciate the dynamic that's established here, the mother as an all-encompassing figure, affecting Katie's life even as she tries to steer her own path: "It's hard to do anything when you know your mother's mad at you."
Yu's style is succint and clean. I did find the ending heavy handed, as the author basically dumps all the themes of the book at once, using Katie's growing independence as a microphone to make sure the readers get the point. Which, yes, we do. On top of that, I had one or two qualms. One, in chapter ten, Yu describes Katie putting her clothes on, only to later in the same scene describe her without a shirt on. Small continuity error. Two, James often uses phrases that read to me like british slang, which is confusing considering that the book is set in New York. I even looked it up, to check if Yu is English and just got confused with the dialogue.
As a cat lover, this book seemed both sweet and terrifying. The end can be a bit heavy, but it is to be expected. Yu handles all the topics in her debut carefully, creating a smart, well rounded story that can surely impact a reader.
Kitten is a very solid debut by Stacey Yu. I'm not familiar with her work on Tiktok, and only requested this arc after my friends talked about it. I was initially skeptical of it, not only because of the current state of Booktok, but because I have not had a good relationship with contemporary litfic as of late. So I'm very pleased to report that I found this very charming and enjoyable overrall.
Katie is a realistic and compelling character, and her POV is easy to relate to. Her growing obsession with her boyfriend's cat, Silver, is the driving force of the book, and by far my favorite part of it. The main character stood out to me in particular because she seems to steer away from the obvious clichés: she's a mentally disturbed woman in her young twenties, financially dependent on her white boyfriend, of course, but where other novels exaggerate and stretch beyond the realm of belief, Yu keeps us steady in a confined narrative structure and timeline, one that works well to develop the relationships between the characters.
Yu talks of a complex mother-daughter relationship with grace and compassion. I have to admit that, unfortunately, this part of the novel wasn't the most interesting to me, especially as we only get to know the mother late into the book. I found myself wanting to read more about other characters, like Isabelle and Lou. But I can still appreciate the dynamic that's established here, the mother as an all-encompassing figure, affecting Katie's life even as she tries to steer her own path: "It's hard to do anything when you know your mother's mad at you."
Yu's style is succint and clean. I did find the ending heavy handed, as the author basically dumps all the themes of the book at once, using Katie's growing independence as a microphone to make sure the readers get the point. Which, yes, we do. On top of that, I had one or two qualms. One, in chapter ten, Yu describes Katie putting her clothes on, only to later in the same scene describe her without a shirt on. Small continuity error. Two, James often uses phrases that read to me like british slang, which is confusing considering that the book is set in New York. I even looked it up, to check if Yu is English and just got confused with the dialogue.
As a cat lover, this book seemed both sweet and terrifying. The end can be a bit heavy, but it is to be expected. Yu handles all the topics in her debut carefully, creating a smart, well rounded story that can surely impact a reader.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Peak sad-girl literary fiction! I love the idea of this type of book but sometimes the books are just a touch too weird for me; however, this one really captured what I love about this niche.
Katie is a recent college grad with limited employment prospects once she gets her last work-study check and no foreseeable future plan for rent/utilities. The main thing she has going for her is her 6-month relationship with James, a generous 26-year-old copywriter from a well-off family who enjoys sharing the finer things in life with her. For her birthday, James brings Katie to his family’s seaside house along with his cat, Silver, and Katie quickly becomes obsessed with the cat. And then she becomes… more obsessed than the average person gets with a cat.
I enjoyed the weirdness of this book, and although I’m a dog person myself, I loved all the descriptions of Silver and her quirky little behaviors. I feel like Stacey Yu perfectly captured what it’s like to be a 22-year-old who has no idea what she’s doing with her life and wants to avoid dealing with it. Even as Katie became more unhinged and the events of the story became more ridiculous, it still somehow felt weirdly relatable(? What does this say about me?).
I liked that the author gradually revealed more about Katie’s estranged relationship with her mother, and how it affected her behavior as an adult, including her friendship with Lou and her relationship with James. I also really enjoyed the ending, although the closest thing I have to a criticism is .
Solid 5 stars! I’m not sure if I’d recommend this book to many friends because it was genuinely weird and I don’t expect it to be everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, this was an incredibly memorable and fascinating read that hooked me and had a lot of interesting things to say about identity, independence, family / generational trauma, and adulthood. A very impressive debut!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
Katie is a recent college grad with limited employment prospects once she gets her last work-study check and no foreseeable future plan for rent/utilities. The main thing she has going for her is her 6-month relationship with James, a generous 26-year-old copywriter from a well-off family who enjoys sharing the finer things in life with her. For her birthday, James brings Katie to his family’s seaside house along with his cat, Silver, and Katie quickly becomes obsessed with the cat. And then she becomes… more obsessed than the average person gets with a cat.
I enjoyed the weirdness of this book, and although I’m a dog person myself, I loved all the descriptions of Silver and her quirky little behaviors. I feel like Stacey Yu perfectly captured what it’s like to be a 22-year-old who has no idea what she’s doing with her life and wants to avoid dealing with it. Even as Katie became more unhinged and the events of the story became more ridiculous, it still somehow felt weirdly relatable(? What does this say about me?).
I liked that the author gradually revealed more about Katie’s estranged relationship with her mother, and how it affected her behavior as an adult, including her friendship with Lou and her relationship with James. I also really enjoyed the ending, although the closest thing I have to a criticism is .
Solid 5 stars! I’m not sure if I’d recommend this book to many friends because it was genuinely weird and I don’t expect it to be everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, this was an incredibly memorable and fascinating read that hooked me and had a lot of interesting things to say about identity, independence, family / generational trauma, and adulthood. A very impressive debut!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
February 24, 2026
Sorta like The Bell Jar, if Esther became obsessed with a boyfriend’s parents’ cat
(Full review to come later)
(Full review to come later)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An advance copy of this was generously provided by NetGalley.
3.75/5 stars
I first became aware of Kitten by Stacey Yu in a video she posted about the differences between her US and UK covers. When I saw the book as an option to request on NetGalley, I decided to just go in blind. The general vibe appears to be going for the Sally Rooney/Ottessa Moshfegh "Sad Girl" literature crowd, which, I'm certainly partial to.
Kitten follows Katie, a young Asian American woman, as she navigates her first relationship, her complex relationship with her mother, and her deep undying love for his cat. The prose style is very dreamy and the whole novel feels out of focus. Not in a bad way, but in the way where it felt almost dream like. There were several lines in the book that I would stop and read and go "oh that's nice". The kind of lines you would see typed out on a typewriter in a pretentious font and reposted on tumblr. But it almost feels like it knows that these lines could be reblogged next to a picture of Lana Del Rey. It's just shy of the style, but it's not quite there.
The best part of the novel to me was Isabelle and Katie's relationship. I loved how they actually ended up finding common ground versus being adversarial. I just wish that her relationship with her mother was explored as much as her relationship with James, who was by far the most boring character to me. Silver was adorable and I loved the descriptions of her cute and peculiar behavior.
Overall, a strong debut. Not quite at 4 stars for me, the plot is just a little disjointed and the characters not quite explored enough for it to hit that 4-5 star range for me personally. But I would love to read Yu's next attempt at a more focused novel.
3.75/5 stars
I first became aware of Kitten by Stacey Yu in a video she posted about the differences between her US and UK covers. When I saw the book as an option to request on NetGalley, I decided to just go in blind. The general vibe appears to be going for the Sally Rooney/Ottessa Moshfegh "Sad Girl" literature crowd, which, I'm certainly partial to.
Kitten follows Katie, a young Asian American woman, as she navigates her first relationship, her complex relationship with her mother, and her deep undying love for his cat. The prose style is very dreamy and the whole novel feels out of focus. Not in a bad way, but in the way where it felt almost dream like. There were several lines in the book that I would stop and read and go "oh that's nice". The kind of lines you would see typed out on a typewriter in a pretentious font and reposted on tumblr. But it almost feels like it knows that these lines could be reblogged next to a picture of Lana Del Rey. It's just shy of the style, but it's not quite there.
The best part of the novel to me was Isabelle and Katie's relationship. I loved how they actually ended up finding common ground versus being adversarial. I just wish that her relationship with her mother was explored as much as her relationship with James, who was by far the most boring character to me. Silver was adorable and I loved the descriptions of her cute and peculiar behavior.
Overall, a strong debut. Not quite at 4 stars for me, the plot is just a little disjointed and the characters not quite explored enough for it to hit that 4-5 star range for me personally. But I would love to read Yu's next attempt at a more focused novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In Kitten, recent grad Katie drifts through her life in NYC–leaning on her wealthy boyfriend James, mooching off her roommate Lou, and avoiding both adulthood and her strained relationship with her mother. During a trip to James’ parents’ seaside home, she forms an intense bond with the family cat, Silver. As that attachment deepens, Katie’s other relationships begin to suffer, forcing her to confront what she really wants from her life.
Katie’s post-college life feels believable from the beginning: she’s stuck between comfort and independence, letting her life happen to her instead of steering it. Her relationships with James, Lou and her mother add pressure without feeling melodramatic. The standout element of the novel is Katie’s connection with Silver. It’s weird, funny, and unsettling. Watching Katie latch onto the cat as an emotional buoy says a lot about loneliness, avoidance, and the urge to escape responsibility for your choices and their impact on others. The story balances those ideas with a 1:1 mix of dark humor and warmth.
Katie isn’t a particularly likeable protagonist–she’s selfish and rude, but also honest. Her uncertainty, avoidance, and brief moments of clarity make her easy to recognize, even when her choices are frustrating. More than once I wanted to scream in her face “You have to show up for the people you claim that you love! You’re not protecting your peace, you’re avoiding accountability!”
The writing keeps things grounded, focusing on small emotional shifts rather than big plot twists. The middle slowed a bit for me, but the character growth paid off and left me feeling satisfied. Kitten is a thoughtful debut about drifting, attachment, and figuring out who you are when the possibilities are endless (and overwhelming.) I’d recommend to anyone that enjoys a character-driven, coming-of-age story with an offbeat edge.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House and Stacey Yu for the arc. Kitten comes out this August!
Katie’s post-college life feels believable from the beginning: she’s stuck between comfort and independence, letting her life happen to her instead of steering it. Her relationships with James, Lou and her mother add pressure without feeling melodramatic. The standout element of the novel is Katie’s connection with Silver. It’s weird, funny, and unsettling. Watching Katie latch onto the cat as an emotional buoy says a lot about loneliness, avoidance, and the urge to escape responsibility for your choices and their impact on others. The story balances those ideas with a 1:1 mix of dark humor and warmth.
Katie isn’t a particularly likeable protagonist–she’s selfish and rude, but also honest. Her uncertainty, avoidance, and brief moments of clarity make her easy to recognize, even when her choices are frustrating. More than once I wanted to scream in her face “You have to show up for the people you claim that you love! You’re not protecting your peace, you’re avoiding accountability!”
The writing keeps things grounded, focusing on small emotional shifts rather than big plot twists. The middle slowed a bit for me, but the character growth paid off and left me feeling satisfied. Kitten is a thoughtful debut about drifting, attachment, and figuring out who you are when the possibilities are endless (and overwhelming.) I’d recommend to anyone that enjoys a character-driven, coming-of-age story with an offbeat edge.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House and Stacey Yu for the arc. Kitten comes out this August!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Kitten - Stacey Yu
3 ⭐️
First of all, I’m going to start by saying that I don’t trust people who don’t like cats without a valid reason. Cats are an integral lesson in consent and people who hate cats just hate that they can’t control and manipulate them and do with that information what you will (👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀)
Katie, as a character, is everyone’s internal monologue and sleep paralysis demon. She has no filter on her words or actions and not in a funny “ha ha she’s saying what we’re all thinking” way, but in such a juvenile approach that it whips you back to how you’d react to situations as a child (Albeit, sometimes all I want to do is scream at someone when I don’t get my way.) I did find her quite insufferable and childish which genuinely made me seethe at points. Her blatant disregard for James and inadvertently, Silver, was infuriating. This pity party and “woe is me” nonsense are my least favourite human traits to read about.
I adored Lou’s character as she was the no nonsense friend that didn’t tolerate Katie’s “sop” (phenomenal dialogue for Lou which Stacey did brilliantly). I wish we had more on Lou and Katie’s dynamic as I feel like there’s a lot to unpack in their friendship.
This book was such a complicated story between Katie’s own relationship with her mother and being suffocated by a parent. We see this as Katie’s love for Silver deepens and we can see a mirror of her mother’s relationship and likewise, Katie’s with Silver.
Silver was the main character of the story. I’m such a cat person so anytime her little paws or snoot were mentioned, I was all heart eyes.
I’ve seen people say this is “peak sad girl lit fic” and I personally found this as just chaotic, “get your shit together, this isn’t funny or cute, you cause chaos and a storm to everyone you meet and everywhere you go” type of lit fic.
I don’t know what I expected but I think i needed more.
Thanks to NetGallefor an advanced copy of this book!
3 ⭐️
First of all, I’m going to start by saying that I don’t trust people who don’t like cats without a valid reason. Cats are an integral lesson in consent and people who hate cats just hate that they can’t control and manipulate them and do with that information what you will (👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀)
Katie, as a character, is everyone’s internal monologue and sleep paralysis demon. She has no filter on her words or actions and not in a funny “ha ha she’s saying what we’re all thinking” way, but in such a juvenile approach that it whips you back to how you’d react to situations as a child (Albeit, sometimes all I want to do is scream at someone when I don’t get my way.) I did find her quite insufferable and childish which genuinely made me seethe at points. Her blatant disregard for James and inadvertently, Silver, was infuriating. This pity party and “woe is me” nonsense are my least favourite human traits to read about.
I adored Lou’s character as she was the no nonsense friend that didn’t tolerate Katie’s “sop” (phenomenal dialogue for Lou which Stacey did brilliantly). I wish we had more on Lou and Katie’s dynamic as I feel like there’s a lot to unpack in their friendship.
This book was such a complicated story between Katie’s own relationship with her mother and being suffocated by a parent. We see this as Katie’s love for Silver deepens and we can see a mirror of her mother’s relationship and likewise, Katie’s with Silver.
Silver was the main character of the story. I’m such a cat person so anytime her little paws or snoot were mentioned, I was all heart eyes.
I’ve seen people say this is “peak sad girl lit fic” and I personally found this as just chaotic, “get your shit together, this isn’t funny or cute, you cause chaos and a storm to everyone you meet and everywhere you go” type of lit fic.
I don’t know what I expected but I think i needed more.
Thanks to NetGallefor an advanced copy of this book!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Katie has never met a cat before. This may seem strange, but she is the first to argue that you meet a lot of dogs on the street, but you have to go into someone's house to meet their cat. This all changes when James, Katie’s boyfriend, is asked to pet/house-sit for his parents, and Katie is introduced to Silver, James’s childhood pet. A love Katie has never felt before blooms. She feels fascinated by the mannerisms and secrets that cats reveal.
This story is an exploration of grief, an estranged relationship between mother and daughter, and what we will do to hold the love and connection that we encounter. It also explores societal and personal expectations of success. And it’s a weird girl lit book — yasss!
TW: There is the death of an animal in this book. It’s essential to the story and was done in a way that I felt was humane. Nonetheless, if this is a no-go for you, be wary.
I loved this book. I never wanted it to end. I finished it at bedtime and couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t stop thinking about it. What I loved most about this book is that the growing isn’t finished for Katie. A lot of authors want to wrap up a character’s journey where they are just okay at the end, but not Yu. In not doing this, she reminds us that personal growth and self-love are not finished in 304 pages, but it spans weeks, months, and even years. I will absolutely be grabbing a copy when it publishes in August.
What a fantastic debut novel!
Thank you, Netgalley and Random House, for the ARC-eBook in exchange for an honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pub Date: Aug 04 2026
This story is an exploration of grief, an estranged relationship between mother and daughter, and what we will do to hold the love and connection that we encounter. It also explores societal and personal expectations of success. And it’s a weird girl lit book — yasss!
TW: There is the death of an animal in this book. It’s essential to the story and was done in a way that I felt was humane. Nonetheless, if this is a no-go for you, be wary.
I loved this book. I never wanted it to end. I finished it at bedtime and couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t stop thinking about it. What I loved most about this book is that the growing isn’t finished for Katie. A lot of authors want to wrap up a character’s journey where they are just okay at the end, but not Yu. In not doing this, she reminds us that personal growth and self-love are not finished in 304 pages, but it spans weeks, months, and even years. I will absolutely be grabbing a copy when it publishes in August.
What a fantastic debut novel!
Thank you, Netgalley and Random House, for the ARC-eBook in exchange for an honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pub Date: Aug 04 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Stacey Yu’s debut novel, Kitten, was absolutely mesmerizing. I found myself completely captivated by Yu’s storytelling: the poetic and delicate prose, the beautiful and compelling metaphors, and the simple yet profound revelations. Kitten follows Katie, a recently graduated 22-year-old who finds herself in the awkward threshold of young adulthood. She is invited to her boyfriend’s seaside vacation home, and unexpectedly and intensely falls in love with his cat, Silver.
As the novel’s events unfold, we see Katie as impressionable yet complex. Her inner thoughts reveal the juxtaposition between what she thinks and how she expresses herself, and her obsession with Silver reflects the tenuous relationship she has with her estranged mother.
There’s a pureness and naïveté about Katie in this coming-of-age-like story, as she feels perpetually misunderstood and socially awkward, but is desperate to be understood and loved. Her frankness and honesty is refreshing in a world where most people hide behind their words and silence. What I love is that there’s a gentleness to the writing and to all the characters. There’s a yearning to reflect on what it means to live without passivity, to love intentionally, and to nurture without possessiveness.
This entire book was a beautiful reflection on a mother’s imperfect love, and how to learn to love ourselves. My heart is not over how much I adored this book. 5/5 stars for Stacey Yu, thank you for this gorgeous novel!!
And thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
As the novel’s events unfold, we see Katie as impressionable yet complex. Her inner thoughts reveal the juxtaposition between what she thinks and how she expresses herself, and her obsession with Silver reflects the tenuous relationship she has with her estranged mother.
There’s a pureness and naïveté about Katie in this coming-of-age-like story, as she feels perpetually misunderstood and socially awkward, but is desperate to be understood and loved. Her frankness and honesty is refreshing in a world where most people hide behind their words and silence. What I love is that there’s a gentleness to the writing and to all the characters. There’s a yearning to reflect on what it means to live without passivity, to love intentionally, and to nurture without possessiveness.
This entire book was a beautiful reflection on a mother’s imperfect love, and how to learn to love ourselves. My heart is not over how much I adored this book. 5/5 stars for Stacey Yu, thank you for this gorgeous novel!!
And thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In Kitten, Katie, fresh out of college and more than a little adrift in all aspects of her life, follows her boyfriend, James, out of Manhattan and off to his childhood home in Holme. There, she develops an intense attachment to the family's cat, Silver.
To start, Yu's writing was instantly a hit for me. It was at once both lovely and yet simple enough to not get bogged down in its own pretentiousness. I devoured chapter upon chapter as Katie slowly became a little bit more obsessed with Silver and a little bit less engaged with James and literally everything else happening around her. Just from the writing alone, I can't wait to see what Yu does next.
For me, personally, I did go into Kitten expecting (and wanting) it to be much weirder than it actually was. Truthfully, there isn't really a lot happening on the page until more than halfway through the book, when tragedy propels Katie forward and forces her to confront everything she's been avoiding. Ultimately, this is a quiet book that explores identity, relationships (of all kinds), and, quite frankly, the very terrifying idea of growing up.
This book reminded me a little bit of My Year of Rest and Relaxation; if you enjoyed that one, or if you like slowly working through sad and, at times, toxic relationships dynamics, then I think this could be a good one for you. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eArc of this book.
To start, Yu's writing was instantly a hit for me. It was at once both lovely and yet simple enough to not get bogged down in its own pretentiousness. I devoured chapter upon chapter as Katie slowly became a little bit more obsessed with Silver and a little bit less engaged with James and literally everything else happening around her. Just from the writing alone, I can't wait to see what Yu does next.
For me, personally, I did go into Kitten expecting (and wanting) it to be much weirder than it actually was. Truthfully, there isn't really a lot happening on the page until more than halfway through the book, when tragedy propels Katie forward and forces her to confront everything she's been avoiding. Ultimately, this is a quiet book that explores identity, relationships (of all kinds), and, quite frankly, the very terrifying idea of growing up.
This book reminded me a little bit of My Year of Rest and Relaxation; if you enjoyed that one, or if you like slowly working through sad and, at times, toxic relationships dynamics, then I think this could be a good one for you. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eArc of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The experience of reading this book exceeded my expectations. Through the perspective of Katie, a twenty-something who narrates this book with just the right amount of self-despair, we meet her doting newish boyfriend James, and his cat Silver. Katie slowly becomes enamored to the point of obsession with Silver, and spends much of her time wondering what Silver is thinking and how she is perceiving her. In many ways, she allows Silver to be the fixation that prevents her from furthering her relationship with James, as well as a distraction from her crumbling life; she recently got kicked out of her apartment with no job, and is not on speaking terms with her Mother.
James is painfully patient with Katie, as she works through and acts out childhood wounds from her Mother in an immature and volatile way. Silver becomes the only thing that understands her, and her fascination with Silver becomes larger than her, leading to a culmination of unfortunate events.
Katie became somewhat unbearable as time marched on in the book, but I also found myself wanting to understand her, and also relating to her internal train of thought at times. Sometimes a good character is not always the most likeable.
I will be recommending this book to many. Thank you NetGalley and RandomHouse for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this in exchange for my honest review.
James is painfully patient with Katie, as she works through and acts out childhood wounds from her Mother in an immature and volatile way. Silver becomes the only thing that understands her, and her fascination with Silver becomes larger than her, leading to a culmination of unfortunate events.
Katie became somewhat unbearable as time marched on in the book, but I also found myself wanting to understand her, and also relating to her internal train of thought at times. Sometimes a good character is not always the most likeable.
I will be recommending this book to many. Thank you NetGalley and RandomHouse for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
so what if like a girl fell out of love with her boyfriend while falling in love with his cat.....crazy haha unless?
this novel hooked me from the beginning and not because of premise, but because of style. for a debut novel, this blew me away. the writing is so self-assured and crisp, while also being surprisingly poignant about the stagnant nature of your early to mid 20s.
katie felt like if ennui was a person. she's aimless, unmotivated, and incredibly relatable. i enjoyed the complex dynamics between her and her mother; i think it was executed perfectly. many authors try and write a character like katie, but many fail. the unaffected, detached female mc is sooo overdone in the literary fiction space, but stacey yu gets it SO right. trust me, you'll know when you read it.
i loved the cat for all the things it represented, but also for the cute descriptions!!! reading about silver and learning about her personality had me like this the whole time :D. also the cutest cover ever.
not sure what to say about this one. worth reading to find out for yourself. definitely pick this one up when it's released-- especially if you're a girl in her 20s with no idea what she's doing.
*3.5 / thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!
this novel hooked me from the beginning and not because of premise, but because of style. for a debut novel, this blew me away. the writing is so self-assured and crisp, while also being surprisingly poignant about the stagnant nature of your early to mid 20s.
katie felt like if ennui was a person. she's aimless, unmotivated, and incredibly relatable. i enjoyed the complex dynamics between her and her mother; i think it was executed perfectly. many authors try and write a character like katie, but many fail. the unaffected, detached female mc is sooo overdone in the literary fiction space, but stacey yu gets it SO right. trust me, you'll know when you read it.
i loved the cat for all the things it represented, but also for the cute descriptions!!! reading about silver and learning about her personality had me like this the whole time :D. also the cutest cover ever.
not sure what to say about this one. worth reading to find out for yourself. definitely pick this one up when it's released-- especially if you're a girl in her 20s with no idea what she's doing.
*3.5 / thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved the book honestly, first of all as someone who is graduating soon from college it really felt like home, especially the question whether you are a teenager or finally an adult ? It's hard to nagivagte your life in your early 20s, especially if you have bad relationship with your parents and those traumatic experiences indeed turn you into an complicated human like Katie and I relate to her on a personal level, her attachments at the same time her avoidance tendencies are natural to her circumstances and even though she had a really good partner like james, she was not able to pinpoint and solve problems like her childish and immature behaviour because it was rooted deep in her due to the things happened in her life how she just wanted to be like silver the cat, helpless and taken care off and then growing attached to the cat because she felt she finally belonged to someone or something belonged to her, I don't condone her behaviour but it was raw and human, and how as a person she was able to grow after James left, was able to amend things with lou and her mother and then the indication of her trying with james and make things better again. In my own opinion this book was really brilliant and simple read with deep rooted themes that stays with you for a long time !!
I really loved the book honestly, first of all as someone who is graduating soon from college it really felt like home, especially the question whether you are a teenager or finally an adult ? It's hard to nagivagte your life in your early 20s, especially if you have bad relationship with your parents and those traumatic experiences indeed turn you into an complicated human like Katie and I relate to her on a personal level, her attachments at the same time her avoidance tendencies are natural to her circumstances and even though she had a really good partner like james, she was not able to pinpoint and solve problems like her childish and immature behaviour because it was rooted deep in her due to the things happened in her life how she just wanted to be like silver the cat, helpless and taken care off and then growing attached to the cat because she felt she finally belonged to someone or something belonged to her, I don't condone her behaviour but it was raw and human, and how as a person she was able to grow after James left, was able to amend things with lou and her mother and then the indication of her trying with james and make things better again. In my own opinion this book was really brilliant and simple read with deep rooted themes that stays with you for a long time !!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I first saw the author’s TikTok talking about the design of the cover and how it relates to the story. I was immediately so intrigued and wanted to read this story. It did not disappoint! Just to reassure everyone, the love that Katie develops for Silver, the cat, is an innocent one, the same way a child loves deeply their pet.
This new love comes at a turning point in Katie’s life. She just graduated, she has no job, a non existent relationship with her mom and a new older boyfriend. I loved Katie’s voice and how she was somewhat self-aware of her issues but also unwilling to change.
As I’m around the same age as Katie, I could relate to some of her struggles. I loved how this story was written, it was entertaining but also thoughtful and deep. I think this story might help people, especially younger adults in their twenties, and remind them that they can ask for help when there is a tough situation and that they are deserving of love.
I really loved Kitten, it was a well written coming of age story. The exploration of Katie’s relationships with her mom, her boyfriend and her friend was also very interesting. I can’t wait for people to read this book !
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book, opinions are my own.
This new love comes at a turning point in Katie’s life. She just graduated, she has no job, a non existent relationship with her mom and a new older boyfriend. I loved Katie’s voice and how she was somewhat self-aware of her issues but also unwilling to change.
As I’m around the same age as Katie, I could relate to some of her struggles. I loved how this story was written, it was entertaining but also thoughtful and deep. I think this story might help people, especially younger adults in their twenties, and remind them that they can ask for help when there is a tough situation and that they are deserving of love.
I really loved Kitten, it was a well written coming of age story. The exploration of Katie’s relationships with her mom, her boyfriend and her friend was also very interesting. I can’t wait for people to read this book !
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book, opinions are my own.
February 17, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC! This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
Everyone keep calm, the weird girl read of the year officially has a release date and it’s July 30th.
Our main character Katie has just turned 22, and is grappling with the struggles of having to be an adult. Her POV is easy to relate to, as a 20-something, but it’s also very clear that our girl Katie needs therapy.
The story follows Katie’s growing obsession with her boyfriend’s cat Silver, and the events that occur as a result. It’s interesting following along with Katie and James’ (her boyfriend) relationship. James is 26, and it’s very clear from the get-go that they’re in two very different places in life.
It’s hard to believe that ‘Kitten’ is Stacey Yu’s debut. Her characterisation is done beautifully all the characters felt very real, and she brought a lot of life even to minor side characters.
Yu also explores the contentious mother-daughter relationship in the novel in such a way that it feels very real and refreshing.
This was a 4.5 ⭐️ read for me! This is a solid, well-rounded read that definitely deserves the booktok hype.
Everyone keep calm, the weird girl read of the year officially has a release date and it’s July 30th.
Our main character Katie has just turned 22, and is grappling with the struggles of having to be an adult. Her POV is easy to relate to, as a 20-something, but it’s also very clear that our girl Katie needs therapy.
The story follows Katie’s growing obsession with her boyfriend’s cat Silver, and the events that occur as a result. It’s interesting following along with Katie and James’ (her boyfriend) relationship. James is 26, and it’s very clear from the get-go that they’re in two very different places in life.
It’s hard to believe that ‘Kitten’ is Stacey Yu’s debut. Her characterisation is done beautifully all the characters felt very real, and she brought a lot of life even to minor side characters.
Yu also explores the contentious mother-daughter relationship in the novel in such a way that it feels very real and refreshing.
This was a 4.5 ⭐️ read for me! This is a solid, well-rounded read that definitely deserves the booktok hype.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A quiet, introspective story about a recent graduate caught in that strange, uncertain space after college, this book follows Katie as she struggles with feeling inadequate and unsure of who she is, while her love for her boyfriend’s cat Silver grows. It captured the disorienting transition into adulthood well-the sense that everyone else knows how to move forward while you remain stuck, avoidant, and checked out.
At times, Katie felt emotionally distant as a protagonist. While that distance may have been intentional given her uncertainty and low confidence, it made her harder to connect with. I also found her frustrating at times, wishing she would speak up and stop keeping everything in. I struggled through some parts that felt repetitive or less engaging, particularly her relationship with her mom, which comes up frequently throughout the story. I found the ending satisfying and thought it was a thoughtful exploration of identity, early adulthood, and the struggle of figuring out who you are, plus there’s a cat.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
At times, Katie felt emotionally distant as a protagonist. While that distance may have been intentional given her uncertainty and low confidence, it made her harder to connect with. I also found her frustrating at times, wishing she would speak up and stop keeping everything in. I struggled through some parts that felt repetitive or less engaging, particularly her relationship with her mom, which comes up frequently throughout the story. I found the ending satisfying and thought it was a thoughtful exploration of identity, early adulthood, and the struggle of figuring out who you are, plus there’s a cat.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Writing that's precise, cool like water, sparing but rich. I suspect Yu is an excellent short story writer, as well: this is a small, contained story that finds beauty in restraint in the way of Keegan or even Lahiri. My emotional response built slowly, and I was impatient at first, but by the final phone call, I cried!
I've read a lot of fiction recently with this sort of solitary, off-putting, socially inept protagonist, and in my estimation, Katie falls somewhere between Paradise Logic (Kemp)'s ineffable Reality and Sky Daddy (Folk)'s Linda. Katie wants for so much, and needs so much, and lacks so much, and even so, she remains lovable. The reader is bound to make sense of her as a character just as she makes sense of Silver: desperately, approximately, precisely, with love and good intentions and room to be wrong.
A staggeringly good debut! I will be buying a physical copy as soon as I can to mark it up and highlight all the gorgeous turns of phrase. Thanks to Random House for the ARC!
I've read a lot of fiction recently with this sort of solitary, off-putting, socially inept protagonist, and in my estimation, Katie falls somewhere between Paradise Logic (Kemp)'s ineffable Reality and Sky Daddy (Folk)'s Linda. Katie wants for so much, and needs so much, and lacks so much, and even so, she remains lovable. The reader is bound to make sense of her as a character just as she makes sense of Silver: desperately, approximately, precisely, with love and good intentions and room to be wrong.
A staggeringly good debut! I will be buying a physical copy as soon as I can to mark it up and highlight all the gorgeous turns of phrase. Thanks to Random House for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A beautiful debut novel by a writer who is gonna do great things! At first I thought we were in for another weird/sad girl lit fic novel, (which, to be clear, I'm not against!) but this was so much more. It's a gorgeous coming of age novel about Katie, a 22 year old who is emmeshed in a relationship that begins to unravel as she goes to her boyfriend's vacation home. There she develops a kinship with Silver, his childhood cat. This relationship reveals things to Katie about her own relationship with her mother, as we learn more about who Katie is and where she comes from.
The book really surprised me in the most genuine and affecting ways. Feeling stuck at 22 isn't really a groundbreaking concept, but Yu comes at it with a fresh voice and an optimistic viewpoint, which I appreciated it. You may be baffled by Katie's choices, and this is where it can fall into the weird lit girl category, but in the end, it's a unique story about how to take control of your own narrative, appreciate the people in your life, and how to move into the world as an adult. I loved it!
The book really surprised me in the most genuine and affecting ways. Feeling stuck at 22 isn't really a groundbreaking concept, but Yu comes at it with a fresh voice and an optimistic viewpoint, which I appreciated it. You may be baffled by Katie's choices, and this is where it can fall into the weird lit girl category, but in the end, it's a unique story about how to take control of your own narrative, appreciate the people in your life, and how to move into the world as an adult. I loved it!
February 2, 2026
3.5 stars rounded up…
Wowie. This was a trip. Our FMC needs therapy. Period.
Katie is sad, and clearly looking for acceptance in spaces she doesn’t have it. She has the loving support of James, her put-together boyfriend and his entourage of family and friends, yet she’s running from her own familial judgement, and past due bills and a tanking bank account.
That is until she meets Silver… James’ family cat who whisks her off her feet, sparking an obsession like no other.
Yep, you read that right. Homie needs THERAPY.
Her obsession disconnects her from reality and she continues to push away her human companions and long to be one with her feline love, that is until tragedy strikes.
I did enjoy this read, but was just dumbfounded at how selfish our main character was with 0 to very little accountability taken. Character flaws.
I am so thankful to NetGalley, Random House Books, and Stacey Yu for advanced access before this bb hits shelves august 4, 2026.
Wowie. This was a trip. Our FMC needs therapy. Period.
Katie is sad, and clearly looking for acceptance in spaces she doesn’t have it. She has the loving support of James, her put-together boyfriend and his entourage of family and friends, yet she’s running from her own familial judgement, and past due bills and a tanking bank account.
That is until she meets Silver… James’ family cat who whisks her off her feet, sparking an obsession like no other.
Yep, you read that right. Homie needs THERAPY.
Her obsession disconnects her from reality and she continues to push away her human companions and long to be one with her feline love, that is until tragedy strikes.
I did enjoy this read, but was just dumbfounded at how selfish our main character was with 0 to very little accountability taken. Character flaws.
I am so thankful to NetGalley, Random House Books, and Stacey Yu for advanced access before this bb hits shelves august 4, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25 stars.
Our MFC is Katie. A girl in her early twenties, struggling with the strange transition from childhood to being a grown-up. She meets Silver, her boyfriend's cat, whom she forms a rather obsessive attachment to.
The new sad girl book of the year is about to drop. The writing style was captivating, and Katie was such an interesting character. I found myself sad, happy, and especially upset with her. She was very real and very well written. Her relationship with her mother was so well written, I found myself wanting to reach into the book and shake Katie. Yu does a good job of putting into words what that weird part of your life, feeling out of place, feeling that everyone is ahead of you, feels like. This book isn't out right strange, it teeters on the edge without going too far into that territory, but it still keeps you hooked. This is a very solid debut, and I will be reading more by Stacey!
February 12, 2026
I admit I was a bit skeptical of Kitten’s synopsis at first. I thought it would either be a little too surreal for me or a heavy-handed metaphor about childhood. I was pleasantly surprised by the deftness of Yu’s writing. Yes, the kitten is a metaphor. No, it will not make you cringe. Yu writes with depth; even side characters who are more sketched than fleshed out still feel like people we would meet in real life. The sentences have gorgeous rhythm, and the literary quality is there without being overwrought. I appreciate most that our protagonist actually has an arc, since I find that most books in this niche just feature characters who stagnate through the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a really intriguing read. The story revolves around Katie and Silver. Katie is 22, fresh out of college and far from home. Silver is a cat. Silver swims in the ocean. Silver vomits more frequently than a cat probably should.
We follow Katie’s obsession with Silver, to the detriment of her relationship with her boyfriend James (Silver’s brother? It’s his parent’s cat lol) of whom she relies on heavily for almost everything in her life.
To be honest I found Katie deeply unlikeable most of the time but her relationship with Silver was so fascinating and her ability to own her faults internally whilst simultaneously avoiding them was so well done.
I really enjoyed the story despite disliking the main character which I think is such a strength of Yu’s writing. A great debut and I can’t wait to see what Yu comes up with next. Also the cover - to die for.
We follow Katie’s obsession with Silver, to the detriment of her relationship with her boyfriend James (Silver’s brother? It’s his parent’s cat lol) of whom she relies on heavily for almost everything in her life.
To be honest I found Katie deeply unlikeable most of the time but her relationship with Silver was so fascinating and her ability to own her faults internally whilst simultaneously avoiding them was so well done.
I really enjoyed the story despite disliking the main character which I think is such a strength of Yu’s writing. A great debut and I can’t wait to see what Yu comes up with next. Also the cover - to die for.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This isn't a book that screams or is loud, but this book did leave me speechless.
This book tells about Katie who just graduated, follows her wealthy boyfriend, and ends up getting attached to his cat, Silver. This isn't a very dramatic book. Katie's character is slowly peeled off layer by layer, revealing the struggles she goes through as she gets closer to Silver. With her mother, with her roomate, etc. Katie didn't say out loud what she was experiencing, every struggle. Me and Katie had different lives, sure. But I feel like I feel what she feels too. This book is painfully relatable.
My most favorite part is, of course, moments with Silver. I don't know if it's just my feeling or not. But the way Stacey Yu writes the interactions between Katie and Silver is super adorable. It made me react 'awww' and experience cute aggression. Who doesn't love a cat that swim in the ocean!?
This book tells about Katie who just graduated, follows her wealthy boyfriend, and ends up getting attached to his cat, Silver. This isn't a very dramatic book. Katie's character is slowly peeled off layer by layer, revealing the struggles she goes through as she gets closer to Silver. With her mother, with her roomate, etc. Katie didn't say out loud what she was experiencing, every struggle. Me and Katie had different lives, sure. But I feel like I feel what she feels too. This book is painfully relatable.
My most favorite part is, of course, moments with Silver. I don't know if it's just my feeling or not. But the way Stacey Yu writes the interactions between Katie and Silver is super adorable. It made me react 'awww' and experience cute aggression. Who doesn't love a cat that swim in the ocean!?
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley for sending an ARC of this novel :)
This was a lot of fun to read. Socially awkward and emotionally stunted Katie becomes enamored with her boyfriend's cat Silver, who always seems to know exactly the right thing to do. Unfortunately, she has no idea how to care for a cat, just like she seems to have no idea how to healthily maintain human relationships. As a main character Katie is likably weird and I found myself rooting for her, even though she frequently makes frustrating decisions. I think everyone has a friend that fits that description at one point in their life, so she felt very real. This is a really strong debut novel and I will definitely pick up whatever is next from Stacey!
This was a lot of fun to read. Socially awkward and emotionally stunted Katie becomes enamored with her boyfriend's cat Silver, who always seems to know exactly the right thing to do. Unfortunately, she has no idea how to care for a cat, just like she seems to have no idea how to healthily maintain human relationships. As a main character Katie is likably weird and I found myself rooting for her, even though she frequently makes frustrating decisions. I think everyone has a friend that fits that description at one point in their life, so she felt very real. This is a really strong debut novel and I will definitely pick up whatever is next from Stacey!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
For the cat ladies with mommy issues. I have to admit that this one disappointed me. I didn’t understand her issue with her boyfriend because he seemed great and understanding, considering how she was behaving. I’ll have to revisit this one later to see if I connect to it more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this coming of age lit-fic, my only thought is that I wish it had been weirder. I was just expecting something more unsettling, but found beauty in the compassion given when talking about the characters instead: every hard edge was softened, forgiveness offered very easily by characters through description.
I really enjoyed this coming of age lit-fic, my only thought is that I wish it had been weirder. I was just expecting something more unsettling, but found beauty in the compassion given when talking about the characters instead: every hard edge was softened, forgiveness offered very easily by characters through description.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
if i was introduced to a soft kitty named silver and i could swim in the ocean with her, i too would become obsessed!!
this debut is a solid exploration of attachment, self-destructive passivity, selfhood, parental trauma, and the malaise of early adulthood. rtc!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
this debut is a solid exploration of attachment, self-destructive passivity, selfhood, parental trauma, and the malaise of early adulthood. rtc!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews