Nimbus

by Jan Eldredge

From the author of Evangeline of the Bayou comes a classic middle grade animal-fantasy adventure about a black cat who must go on a magical journey to be reunited with her beloved owner. For fans of Katherine Applegate, Rosanne Parry, and readers of the Familiars series.

Nimbus had a rough start as a kitten. But her fortunes changed the day she met Fletcher. The boy nursed her back to health from a life-threatening injury and adopted her.

But when Fletcher’s aunt brings home a mysterious jar, an ancient nightmare demon is unwittingly unleashed. Despite battling the monster to save her friend, Fletcher’s superstitious aunt blames Nim for the attack and secretly abandons her at a dump.

There, Nim is befriended by a theater-loving rat and taken in by a kindly witch named Agatha and her motley crew of cats. Nim soon discovers that her battle with the demon left her with special powers—but more than that, she begins to suspect that she has always been destined for something extraordinary.

To return to her beloved Fletcher, Nim will need to harness her magical powers and enlist the help of her new friends. Along the way, she will discover she may be braver and luckier than she ever imagined.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Animals, Cats, Witches, Fiction, Magical Realism

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2023

Reviews

[The Captain · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ahoy there mateys! I thought I would enjoy this tale of a little black kitten, Nimbus, trying to make her way back to her owner and friend.  Sadly, I abandoned this one at 27%.  I found Nimbus to be tiring.  She was bristling with annoyance, was single-minded to the point of stupidity, and did not thank those who were nice and helping her.  She came across and unintelligent and stubborn.  Then the author introduced magic dreaming and how Nimbus was a special one.  Prophecy?  I have no idea but I did not care about a kitten and that is not usual for me.  I liked the silly rat much more.  Kids may love this but this I did not feel like reading anymore to find out the redemption of the kitten. Arrr!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Wally · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Nimbus is an adorable book about kittens, goblins, magic, and finding one's place. the eponymous kitten, Nimbus, has had a long string of bad luck, until she met her best friend, Fletcher, who nursed her back to health and spends all his time with her.

but her happy days at home don't last long. Fletcher's aunt brings home a mysterious, ancient jar that when opened releases a nightmare demon who attacks Fletcher! even though she fights off the creature, saving Fletcher, his aunt mistakenly assumes Nimbus was the one who attacked Fletcher, and takes her away, abandoning her in a dump.

alone and injured, Nimbus is desperate to get back to Fletcher, especially when she finds out he's still in danger from the demon. but she finds she isn't able to do everything on her own, even though she doesn't want to depend on anyone else. maybe the rat she befriends in the dump, and the cats who belong to the witch she meets will be able to help...

Nimbus is a story about asking for help when you need it, but also about finding out just how capable you are already. I thought the cast were all very cute and the story was very original despite some classic fairy tale inspirations. at times, the writing felt a little stilted, and sometimes the plot did more to move the characters than the other way around, but overall, it was a fun and uplifting story with a well-developed cast of characters.

Nimbus comes out very soon, and I highly recommend it for the young reader in your life who loves stories about magic, animals, and the power of dreams.

[Erika Muniz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book for a review

Nimbus first started as a confusing book. His owner somehow has a bottle, two bottles actually, I had forgotten about the second bottle. There was absolutely no leading to this book. It just started. I did not care about the characters. Nimbus is of course a cat so I was like maybe it’s gonna be good.

However, once the plot started, I didn’t understand where the plot was going. What is the book about Nimbus becoming a real cat because he gets training with the others and picking up real cat skills? Was it about him exploring those new power that he has? Was it about him becoming part of a family? Was it about getting back to the boy?

Nimbus just kept saying I need to get back to the boy I need to get back to the boy but yet he never did any action to actually get back to the boy. The cat even got sedated and stitched up almost 4 times in this book. I felt like if I had to read, it’s him waking up again taking off the bandages again and then also eating the cat food again I was gonna go crazy.

Not only did it feel like at every four chapters it just repeated the prose was so long and descriptive. Every single sentence was the same lines. Every single sentence was long. Every paragraph was long.

I really don’t feel like middle grade should be a slog. I don’t feel like they should be long-winded. I can understand, wanting to write like tale of Despereaux, but this was excessive

Not to say that her writing is bad it just needed to be condensed a lot.

I wanted to give this book two stars, but I ended up at three because the twist at the end was actually very good. With the boy being the witch.

The cats were all very good actually. That was also one star I’m not sure where the other star comes in but I wasn’t mad that I read this book. Maybe that is where it comes from

But unfortunately, I did not like Rhett. The rat kept quoting Shakespeare. I don’t feel like he added anything to the story. And the whole dragons eye think was kind of ludicrous and completely off the point. It really had nothing to do with the main plot. The whole territory thing with the cats and the rats non-consequential. Just waste of words cut it.

Overall, I could have lived my life without reading this book. I do think that this book is two books together. One great story about nimbus trying to get back to his boy and meeting Rhett and one story about Nimbus possibly being Agatha’s familiar and meeting the cat crew

There is no reason why the whole Agatha plotline should’ve been a thing. She is so minute that of course he is not her familiar.

Oh well. Thank you for the read, I wouldn’t mind trying the author again for her next book if it’s a bit shorter

[Ezra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nimbus loves her human, Fletcher. One night Fletcher accidentally releases a magical creature that attacks him and it’s up to Nimbus to save him. Due to a misunderstanding that Nimbus was the one to attack Fletcher, she is abandoned and must find her way back to her human with the help of a fashionable rat and four other house cats.

This was a very cute story, Nimbus was adorable and I love her dedication to Fletcher and Rhett. Nimbus' experiences as a kitten were very personal to me having taken in a dumped black kitten with an injured leg (and he was not as fortunate as Nimbus to keep his leg). And this line in particular struck a chord with me: “You know what the real difference is between those fancy rats and us dump rats?”…”I’ll tell you! Whether a rat is considered a pet or a pest depends on if there’s someone who loves it.”

The story sometimes felt a bit all over the place in terms of plot but it was still enjoyable and I think it will definitely appeal to animal loving kids (and adults).

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

“…but she’d learned there was good in the world too and that sometimes you had to embrace the adventure that was life.”
🐈‍⬛
Nimbus loves her owner and savior, a boy named Fletcher, but while his dad is out of town and his aunt is watching him, a mysterious jar releases a nightmare demon. Fletcher’s aunt blames Nimbus for the event that caused Fletcher to be scratched by the demon and she whisks her away to the county, leaving her in a dump. Nim is befriended by a rat, a motley crew of cats and Agatha, a witch who helps heal Nim. In order to get back to Fletcher, Nim must heal and harness the new magical powers she just received.
🐈‍⬛
This was a story of bravery, adventure and found family. Reading MG books with animals is always so hard for me because I never know if they’ll make it out alive (they do). This is a good choice for our readers who love Tale of Despereaux and The Warriors series will enjoy this one. I found it to be a bit long with some plot points that were unnecessary.

CW: injury, violence, animal cruelty, abandonment, grief, bullying, blood, loss, animal death (discussed, not on page)

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute, ever-so-slightly-spooky story about a cat named Nimbus who fights a demon only to be taken from her owner, Fletcher, and has to go on adventures to get back to him. I liked the call outs to The Hobbit, and I liked Nimbus herself, and the magical bits were fun. It's maybe a bit too long, and it's spooky enough to scare some kids but also not a truly spooky book that would reel in kids who like horror, so that makes it a little difficult to know who it's for. However, kids who like The Warriors and other animal books would probably enjoy; I will recommend this.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It probably didn’t help that I had recently read a Warriors book, so I found Nimbus’s disdain for feral cats off putting. Somehow I never fell into the tone of this book; the cat emotions felt almost twee, the friendships with rats rather odd, and the plans of Nimbus never engaged me.

[Peregrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it

[Enairolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Certains livres jeunesse nous marquent bien au-delà de leur public cible, parce qu’ils réussissent à mêler émotion, aventure et message universel. À première vue, c’est l’histoire d’un chat noir, animal bien trop souvent associé à la malchance, mais derrière ce résumé se cache une véritable fable moderne sur l’amitié, le courage et l’acceptation de soi. Ce roman est adorable, touchant et tout mignon, mais il est aussi plus profond qu’il n’y paraît. Avec beaucoup de tendresse, Jan Eldredge nous parle de préjugés, d’injustice et d’espoir, à travers une petite héroïne au pelage sombre et au cœur immense. C’est une vraie pépite de la littérature jeunesse, de celles qu’on lit d’une traite et qu’on garde longtemps dans un coin de son esprit.

La plume de l’auteure est fluide, claire et limpide, mais toujours élégante. Elle choisit des mots simples et précis qui peignent des images très fortes dans la tête du lecteur. Les scènes plus sombres, la nuit où le démon attaque Fletcher, par exemple, sont décrites avec un suspense maîtrisé, juste assez pour inquiéter mais pas pour effrayer les jeunes lecteurs. À l’inverse, les moments plus tendres, la complicité entre Nimbus et Fletcher, dégagent une chaleur douce, comme une couverture qu’on poserait sur ses épaules. Elle a aussi un talent particulier pour équilibrer l’action et l’émotion. Chaque chapitre avance l’histoire tout en renforçant notre attachement aux personnages. Elle distille des petites touches poétiques dans ses descriptions (une odeur, un bruit, une sensation) qui donnent au texte une dimension sensorielle. On n’a pas juste l’impression de lire, on sent presque qu’on est à côté de Nimbus, à guetter, courir, se cacher, espérer.

L’univers imaginé par Jan Eldredge est fascinant parce qu’il se situe sur une frontière très fine : d’un côté le monde réel, concret et familier ; de l’autre, un univers magique, mystérieux et inquiétant. La maison de Fletcher, la décharge où est abandonnée Nimbus, les rues qu’elle traverse… tout cela est décrit avec un réalisme qui rend l’aventure crédible. Mais dans chaque recoin se cache un souffle de surnaturel : un démon qui se dérobe à la vue, des pouvoirs cachés dans le pelage noir d’un chat, des rumeurs de malchance qui prennent vie. Ce mélange du quotidien et du merveilleux fonctionne d’autant mieux qu’il s’appuie sur des croyances très anciennes : la superstition du chat noir. L’auteure en fait le point de départ de son récit et l’utilise comme un symbole fort : celui du rejet basé sur l’apparence, des malentendus et des injustices. L’univers devient alors plus qu’un décor ; il reflète le combat intérieur de Nimbus et les épreuves qu’elle doit surmonter. On sent à chaque page que cet univers a une âme, qu’il respire et qu’il réagit aux choix de ses personnages.

Sans entrer dans les révélations, l’histoire commence comme un conte doux. Nimbus mène une vie parfaite avec son jeune maître Fletcher, un garçon qui l’aime sincèrement et qui la fait se sentir unique et en sécurité. Ensemble, ils forment un duo fusionnel, l’un comme l’autre oubliant les vieilles superstitions qui entourent les chats noirs.Mais tout bascule dans la nuit où un démon mystérieux attaque Fletcher et disparaît, laissant derrière lui une atmosphère de peur et d’incompréhension. La malchance semble soudain s’abattre sur Nimbus et, injustement accusée, elle est arrachée à son foyer et abandonnée dans une décharge. C’est là que commence son véritable voyage : un périple semé d’embûches, de découvertes et de rencontres, où elle devra apprendre à maîtriser un pouvoir qu’elle ne soupçonnait pas, et ce, avant que le démon ne revienne achever son œuvre. Cette intrigue est à la fois une quête initiatique, une histoire d’amitié et une fable sur la résilience. On y retrouve des moments de suspense, des passages très touchants et des pointes d’humour ou de tendresse qui allègent l’ensemble. C’est un récit rythmé qui captive sans jamais tomber dans le cliché, et qui parle aussi bien aux enfants qu’aux adultes.

Nimbus est sans conteste le cœur battant du roman. Cette petite chatte noire, victime de préjugés, incarne la force tranquille et le courage discret. On s’attache à elle dès les premières pages, parce qu’elle n’est pas seulement héroïque : elle doute, elle a peur, elle se trompe parfois, mais elle continue d’avancer. Sa loyauté envers Fletcher est bouleversante. C’est un personnage qui montre qu’on peut être petit et pourtant incroyablement fort. Fletcher, quant à lui, est un jeune garçon plein de bonté et d’affection, dont la relation avec Nimbus est décrite avec beaucoup de délicatesse. Leur lien est un des moteurs émotionnels de l’histoire : c’est parce qu’il existe que Nimbus trouve la force de se battre. Et vraiment, leur relation elle m’a tellement touché, c’était si beau de voir cet attachement profond! Autour d’eux gravitent des personnages secondaires variés. Certains sont des alliés inattendus, qui aident Nimbus dans son voyage ; d’autres sont des obstacles, des figures plus sombres ou ambiguës qui viennent complexifier sa route. Chacun a son rôle à jouer et enrichit le récit. Même le démon n’est pas une simple figure du mal, mais une présence qui intrigue et fascine. Cette diversité de personnages rend le roman vivant et donne de la profondeur à l’aventure.

En refermant Nimbus, on a l’impression d’avoir lu bien plus qu’une simple histoire de chat. C’est un récit initiatique, une parabole sur l’amitié et l’acceptation, un conte moderne qui parle des injustices et de la force de l’amour. Jan Eldredge réussit à écrire un roman à la fois accessible, palpitant et profond, qui se lit avec le cœur autant qu’avec les yeux. C’est un livre adorable, touchant et tout mignon, mais qui envoie aussi un message fort : il ne faut pas juger sur l’apparence ni croire aveuglément aux superstitions ; chacun peut trouver en soi la force de dépasser les épreuves et de revenir chez lui , au sens propre comme au sens figuré. Une vraie pépite de la littérature jeunesse, à mettre entre toutes les mains. On en sort le cœur serré et réchauffé, avec la certitude qu’on se souviendra longtemps de Nimbus et de son pelage noir brillant comme la nuit.

[Nerdy Pingwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for the Powell's Summer Reading Challenge as my choice for the "Animal On The Over" square.

I knew going into it that this was a middle-reader book. But I had an open mind. That being said, the writing in this was overly simplified. It felt to me that the ah-ha moments were too plainly spelled out and lacked the element of discovery and wonder that there could have been if the writing had let you find those things on your own.

All in all, it was cute but I wouldn't say I would recommend it.

[D'Anne Mosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fletcher loves his black kitten Nimbus. He and his dad saved her when they found her wounded and abandoned. Fletcher lives with his grumpy Aunt Caroline while his dad works—-as a host on a late night horror film showcase. His dad loves all things creepy. In fact, Fletchers dad has just purchased two strange jars. They seem old. Archaic. And one night Fletcher opens the jar. A smoky creature emerges, and Nimbus immediately knows it’s dangerous. It rises through its smoke to attack Fletcher, but Nimbus reacts first, swiping at it with her claws. In the fracas, the goblin thing is killed or something, Fletcher is scratched, and Nimbus left with an injury. When Aunt Caroline runs in, she thinks that Nimbus created all this damage and whisks her away. The aunt dumps nimbus at an abandoned house and tells Fletcher the cat ran away. Already, this story is action packed, but that is just the exposition. Nimbus is determined to return to Fletcher, but the house she ends up living in is not abandoned. Four cats and a witch live there. And they each play a part in helping Nimbus find her way. Oh, and there’s a rat named Rhett, too.

[Jessica Sinn (Books and Trouble) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat lovers, you’re in for a treat! This is such a cute book with magical felines, a kind-hearted witch, and the cutest little sweater-wearing, Shakespeare-quoting rat sidekick! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and was completely invested in little Nimbus’s homeward-bound journey. Fantasies aren’t really my cup of tea, but I made an exception for this one. The cover alone sold me. I mean, how could I turn away from those adorable little faces? The evil dream demons were terrible, but the worst characters were the cruel humans dumping their pets. Nimbus's newfound friends have tragic backstories involving human cruelty, which can be hard to read, but the kind-hearted witch, Agatha, renewed my faith in humanity, reminding me that there's a lot of good in this world. I loved getting to know each of the resident cats--even the grumpy ones--through Nimbus' magical dream-walking escapades. They're all quite fascinating, and I'm rather fond of the tubby calico, Fern, and her stuffed squirrel toy. This story is just too cute and the ending was the cat's meow!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Fletcher, who is very interested in found objects and making arrows, lives with his weather man father, who also hosts horror movies on the weekends. When his father has to go to a convention, his Aunt Caroline stays with him. Fletcher would rather stay in his room and talk to his cat, Nimbus, whom he rescued as a tiny kitten, but Aunt Caroline thinks he should go outside and meet kids his own age. When an old clay jar that was given to Fletcher opens, a horrible force of evil is unleashed. It takes the form of a hairy goblin and attacks Fletcher, but Nimbus manages to dispatch it, being wounded in the process. Aunt Caroline thinks that Nimbus has hurt her nephew, so puts Nimbus in a box and dumps her quite a ways from their home. There, Nimbus meets Rhett, a rat who isn't afraid of cats. Seeing how badly injured Nimbus is, Rhett suggests that she stay with an old woman near the dump who takes in strays. This seems like a bad idea, especially when Agatha, who is a green witch, doses Nimbus with herbs that make him sleepy after sewing up his wound. The other strays suspect that Nimbus might be the reincarnation of Agatha's familiar, Grimalkin, especially since Nimbus can visit other people's dreams. All the loyal cat wants to do is to return to Fletcher, but there are a lot of supernatural things going on, and Nimbus stays at Agatha's to try to figure some things out. Along with Rhett, she eventually takes off to find Fletcher, but must deal with the rats, who think that she has stolen their Dragon's Eye and means them harm. The Ways of Magic are very strange; will Nimbus be able to figure them out?
Strengths: Hunter's Warrior Cats books are continually popular in my library, and I can see Nimbus being popular with readers who are very into this series as well as their own cats, but want a little more magic. When I was in middle school, I checked out a book of magic spells from the public library, and still sort of believed that if I did them correctly they would work, so readers who still think magic is possible will love this one. Nimbus is an endearing character, and even his rat sidekick is likeable. This would make an adorable animated feature. Agatha is a realistic witch, and I would have loved to know more about her gardens and herbal magic. The end has Agatha setting up a magical school, and I could see another book based on this, although it would be very different from this one.
Weaknesses: I thought there would be more fighting with the ancient demon, but this concentrated more on the dream walking and Nimbus' magic abilities. Not really a weakness, just not what I was expecting after the beginning of the book.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like books involving dreams, like Durst's The Girl Who Could Not Dream or White's Gravebooks, or those who enjoy a good animal adventure story, like Fiedler's Mouseheart trilogy or Moon's Delphine and the Silver Needle.

[Alayna Mckenzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

TITLE :
    NIMBUS
AUTHOR:
     JAN ELDREDGE

GENRE:
    Middle grade Fantasy
PAGE COUNT:
         336

PUBLISHER:
       Balzer + Bray
DATE OF PUBLICATION:
        9/5/2023

FORMAT:
       Kindle/Hardcover
PURCHASED:
     Arc via Netgallery

WARNINGS:
    Some violence and scary moments

DESCRIPTION :
    In this spellbinding tale a young kitten is found after a road accident by a young boy who prefers the plants and animals in the woods behind his house to people. Upon healing, she earns the name Nimbus and declares herself the boy's protector and finds herself happy and loved in her new home.

    Everything Nimbus has come to know is yanked out from under her when a dark magical being harms her young charge causing her to become separated from her human and end up in the countryside.

   There she meets a broadway rat and Agatha, an old green witch, looking for the reincarnation of her old familiar and the other cats under her care.   

   When she discovers she has magical ability due to fighting the dark entity she must learn how to master them and learn to trust her in her ownself and her new friends if she wants to save her boy and get back home. 


———------‐------------------
REVIEW

• RATING: 🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️ out of
🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️ (4/5)

• RECOMMENDED FOR:
            Anyone 12 and up who enjoys a fast fantasy read that encompasses the cozy feeling of fall and a lover of animals and witchcraft but can handle scary moments and some violence.

• READS LIKE: 
        Harry potter meets the warriors series.

• HOW IT MADE ME FEEL:
            Cozy and haunting

• REVIEW:
       A charming fall escapade of a book filled with heart and magic.

    While a little scary at times due to few  scenes of fighting and one flashback scene of Nimbus and her accident with the car it is not bloody or gory by any means.

      The only drawbacks were when some subjects/events/characters were introduced they  were not explained why they were important to the story or glossed over too quickly like the author thought the reader was already suppose to know who the characters were, their purpose or how/why certain events happened the way they did.

       This led to the ending having some unanswered questions. 

        Despite these drawbacks the ending was cute and the overall story's message of believing in yourself and trusting others was well received.
     
     

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovers of cats -- especially black cats-- rejoice! Jan Eldredge has concocted a perfect fantasy of adventure, trials and magic sure to win the heart of young people everywhere. Not only is the heroine of this story a *black* cat (kitten, really), she is aided in her quest to rejoin her boy by a chatty and extroverted rat.
Nimbus is a young house cat who feels deep gratitude to her young owner, Fletcher, a thoughtful tween who collects arrowheads and likes a good fantasy reads. When Fletcher unwittingly releases an ancient evil into the world, his protective aunt misinterprets Nimbus's attempts to protect Fletcher from a nightmare demon for an attack. The superstitious woman then kidnaps Nimbus and abandons her at a dump.
The remainder of the story centers on Nimbus's attempts to return to her home to destroy Fletcher's attacker, who is draining his life force by the hour. A curious rat and a kindly witch help Nimbus recover her strength. The witch's four grown cats, each a distinctive character with bitter/sweet background stories, offer challenges and advice to our young heroine.
As a young person who disliked the abundance of children's stories where cats are evil and untrusworthy characters, I loved this book with its themes of abandonnment, life's ups and downs, and honing one's own strengths. Each of the elder cats are well-drawn personalities that the author makes complex in a different way. Witches hats off to Jan Eldridge for writing a story that makes much of the truism that things are not always what they seem!

[Emm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book for free, in exchange for my honest opinion via NetGalley.

Nimbus is a story full of kittens, goblins, and magic. Nimbus has had a string of bad luck, until she meets her best friend and new owner, Fletcher. However, her happy days don't last long when Fletcher's aunt brings a mysterious and ancient jar that ends up releasing a nightmare demon who attacks Fletcher. Even after fighting the creature and saving Fletcher, his aunt mistakenly assumes Nimbus was the result of the attack. So she takes Nimbus away leaving her in a dump.

All alone and injured Nimbus is desperate to return home and get back to Fletcher. Especially, after she finds out that he's still in danger. However, she finds that she isn't able to do everything on her own, even when she doesn't want to depend on anyone else. Perhaps, the rat she friends and the cats (who belongs to a witch) she meets will help her.

Nimbus is a fantastic story of asking for help when you need it, and also finding out just how capable you are to start with. It took me a very long time to read this book, because the love Nimbus has for Fletcher reminded me of the love my cat and I shared. All in all, this was a great read. It was an original story, and if you are a fan of magic and cats, this book is definitely for you!

Thank you, NetGalley and Jan Eldredge for allowing me to review! As always, my review is my own opinion and thoughts. This review will be shared to my Instagram @fictionluxblog shortly.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fletcher finds an injured kitten (car accident) and adopts her. She is named Nimbus and she and Fletcher become best buds. Then Fletcher's dad goes on a trip - and his Aunt Caroline comes to take care of him. Which results in an ancient nightmare inducing, soul eating entity being released in Fletcher's home. Nimbus tries to protect Fletcher but she is a bit out of her league. At least initially. Aunt Caroline thinks Nimbus is responsible for the scratch on Fletcher's cheek so she takes Nim and dumps her. Fortunately Nim is rescued by Rhett - a theatrical rat. He takes her to Agatha, a local witch, who can heal her wounds. And there she is introduced to a group of cats who eventually take her under wing and help her learn new things about being a cat. She knows she needs to get back to Fletcher - it just takes her a while to figure out how to accomplish that.

Great story with lots of twists and turns along the way. The old magic ancient evil monster from the jar is a bit spooky so just know your reader's tolerance for such things before handing it to them.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember a movie called Homeward Bound from when I was a kid. And a part of me was little scared this would be like that. It wouldn’t be bad, it would be way too emotional even all these years later lol.

Nimbus was not like that but had the heart of it. A journey of a pet to find her way back to her boy after his aunt packed her in a box and sent her to the dump. Which, jeez lady! But it’s not just that, there are demons and dream-walking!

This is a fantasy book aimed at younger readers. My biggest critique is that the text might be a little bit heavy for some younger readers. Definitely something they’ll have to chew on but that’s not necessarily a bad thing! A family read-along would be great for this book.

I loved it, and it put a smile on my face a few times. So yeah, I say pick it up. I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. It’s a super adorable little fantasy novel about a special little black kitten who doesn’t realize just what power she holds. Nimbus seems like an ordinary kitten who had a rough start in life before being adopted by a kind-hearted little joy but when his mean old aunt triples her out of the house, that’s when the adventure begins.

Nimbus is rescued by a one old witch and her cats and starts to learn interesting things that might explain who she is and what her purpose is. Along with her new rat friend Rhett, she’s determined to find her way back to her boy and discover who she truly is. A very heartwarming ending ties this story together perfectly. I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of novels with animal characters and a big fan of Katherine Applegate, I was very excited to read this novel that combines two of my favorite animal characters, cats and rodents. It didn't disappoint. Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity. It starts as a story of a cat and her boy, then mixes artifacts, amulets, magic, witches, familiars, and evil goblins...leads us into a classic journeying back home, but with a twist.  This novel is told from the perspective of the animals, but we get the personalities of the humans and I love Agatha. Fletcher (Nim's owner) comes across powerful and evil relics that will put his life in danger, and Nim in her naive efforts to protect him will be misunderstood and accused of being the cause of his illness. His Aunt takes Nim away, abandoning her far from home as a solution. It's time for Nim to learn about the world and herself (also as a cat) if she wants to go back home. But it isn't easy. Magic will help her but also hold her back. When it feels like repetition and inexperience writing sometimes it is more of part of the plot, and well explained as we move forward. There is a reason why magic keeps holding Nim back.  I love that we get to learn more about the other cats' stories, grief, or past. There is a reference to prejudice and examples too. The author mentions other books ( I like it when authors do that) also Rhett (a rat who is one of my favorite characters) adds a lot of charm with his wish to be more than society thinks of him... and especially with his Shakespearian quotes.  Also, how can we not love Nim when she is inspired by Bilbo and Gandalf to be brave and clever?  All infused with a discovery of self, coming-of-age, Wicca-inspired magic with its respect for goodness, healing, and herbs.  The action scenes are well-written and easy to visualize. The cover is gorgeous. It was an exciting read and I finished it in one day. I am looking forward to reading more from the author.

[Abby (the_rainydayreader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Nimbus is a magical adventure following a young kitten on a mission to save herself and her young owner from the perils of an ancient demon. She is separated from her boy, Fletcher, after the demon attacks them, and then must find her way home. She meets a theatre-loving rat, in addition to a kindly witch and her four housecats. In addition to help from her friends, Nim must use her special powers to get home and save Fletcher.

I found this to be a fun and delightful adventure for children between the ages of 8-12 who are interested in magic and animals. Nimbus had a visible character arc, and I thought Rhett was funny while also proving himself clever in the end. The ending was great and hints at a sequel that might be even more intriguing than this installment. My only critique is that the writing style, may be a little dense and wordy for the intended age group. Also, I absolutely love the cover art, and the one illustration near the end of the book. I wish we could get more of these illustrations to accompany the magical story.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story with all the characters within. The main character was Nimbus.

Nimbus is a black cat. She has had a rough start as a kitten. But fortunate her life changes when she meets Fletcher. Fletcher is a boy that nursed Nimbus back to health from a threatening life injury and then decided to adopted her. But when a nightmare demon show up from a mysterious jar that Fletcher's aunt bought to Fletcher house life gets interesting.

This was a fun story to read. It had action, adventure, and suspense throughout. It had a few giggles within. There are a few sad part throughout.

I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinions.

[Kathy Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adorable, magical novel that middle grade fantasy readers will love. Mystery, magic, adventure, and a little bit scary at times too, this book has it all. Nimbus is a black cat struggling her way through her fears and back to her human. Along the way she makes new friends who each teach her something she will need by the end of her journey. Witches, dream walking, nightmare demons, and self-discovery - what an adventure!

"It had been awhile since she had been afraid of the world outside. She knew it was still filled with bad things, but she'd learned there was good in the world too. And that sometimes you had to embrace the adventure that was life."

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

2025-2026 TBA Nominee

A fantasy novel about a cat who goes to live with a witch and her four cats. She is befriended by Rhett, a rat who wants to be a movie star. (and rats spelled backwards is STAR) Nimbus is a familiar and has the ability to walk through dreams.

I did not like Aunt Caroline and her tactics to get rid of Nimbus. I loved Rhett, the rat, and his desire to be a star. I got misty eyes when I thought he was dead.

Fantasy is not my favorite genre but this was a decent though meandering read.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute story about a magical black cat trying to find her way home. Nimbus was a fun and spunky character that I really enjoyed reading from. Her arc is great in this and I can see kids really liking this. The side characters were a great addition to this book and I like the growing friendship of Nimbus and Rhett.

Overall, a cute read that I really enjoyed that I think my kids will love when they are a bit older.

Thank you so Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

[Taryn Souders · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting, magical, adventure-filled story! I have a strict "no animal" book policy. I don't like reading them because something horrible usually tends to happen. I made an exception for NIMBUS because I'd hear marvelous things about it. It is FABULOUS! Readers of fantasy, animal books, or those who just love a good adventure will fall in love with Nimbus and Rhett. Please add a few copies of this one your library, classroom, or home bookshelf!

[Rachel (find_me_lost_in_a_book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was drawn to the cover of this book with the cute black cat and mouse friend. After reading the book I would say this book is for a middle grade audience that is able to handle scary characters and scenes. It’s definitely not for someone that gets scared easily. This book started out slow for me but then picked up towards the end and redeemed itself. I give it 4 out of 5 stars!

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cat lover's book. It is written from the perspective of a cat. The main characters are cats and cat lovers. If you like and are drawn in by the cover you will like the book. Cats and Mystical/Magic themes. And of course a lovable rat. You can judge this book by its cover. Well done Devin Elle Kurtz. This is a four because it executes perfectly being what it sets out to be.

I am a dog lover.

[Fraldarius · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai adoré ce petit jeunesse. J'ai moi-même quatre chats à la maison, dont trois qui ont été abandonnés dans la nature alors qu'ils étaient bébés. Je ne pouvais être que touchée par l'histoire de cette petite Nimbus et de ses compagnons dans la maison d'Agatha. Ce livre prouve que les chats noirs portent bonheur, et non malheur. Je pense que ce livre ravira petits et grands amateurs de boules de poils. Je recommande.

[Y.S. Leija · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changing the superstition of black cats one chapter at a time. This was a wonderful magical book😊. It reminded me of an old tale my grandmother used to talk about. It didn’t matter what color the cat was just as long as it was put out at night. So I can see why Fletchers aunt reacted as she did. Add the fact that Nimbus is a black cat, well…

This book is for middle school children but I highly recommend it to adults as well. It’s a fun read. 😊