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Sacred Cat Island

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Discover the mystery of Sacred Cat Island.

When Rowan and Toro are brought to Sacred Cat Island by their father, the two brothers expect to hate the place.

They quickly discover that the island has untold mysteries and magical secrets just waiting to be explored.

What starts as a small quest quickly turns into the adventure of a summer as the two brothers help their father open a general store, befriend the villagers, and find themselves in the middle of an epic mystery that has to be solved before they go back to the mainland.

Help Rowan and Toro unearth the hidden truths of Sacred Cat Island in this grand slice of life story starring an all NPC cast. Escape with them to an island full of fantastic critters, frightening spirits, and colorful characters that LitRPG and cultivation readers are bound to fall in love with.

Inspired by the magical realism of Studio Ghibli films, this coming of age fantasy novel by bestseller Harmon Cooper was also influenced by The Wandering Inn, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.

646 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 18, 2020

133 people are currently reading
276 people want to read

About the author

Harmon Cooper

143 books367 followers
Harmon Cooper is the author of over sixty fantasy works. His bestselling series include Pilgrim, War Priest, Cowboy Necromancer, and Tokens and Towers.

His series, The Feedback Loop, is one of the earlier GameLit works first published in 2015. An earphone award winner for the series Death's Mantle, Harmon won the LitRPG/GameLit Audiobook of the Year award for Sacred Cat Island, narrated by Legends and Lattes author Travis Baldree.

Harmon write progression fantasy, cultivation fantasy, and LitRPG/GameLit.

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5 stars
85 (50%)
4 stars
42 (25%)
3 stars
29 (17%)
2 stars
9 (5%)
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2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for Alex.
358 reviews161 followers
lemmed
September 22, 2021
Nope. Just couldn’t make myself care.
Profile Image for Nicholas J Evans.
Author 7 books13 followers
September 26, 2021
Audiobook Review:

This book is hauntingly beautiful.

There is a somber yet charming aesthetic to this book. It has the classic build of a LitRPG with a quest system, leveling guide, and player stats. But this is not just another action-forward take. This is about two boys discovering magic and bonding with their father.

It was like listening to a Studio Ghibli film, particularly Totoro, but still in Cooper’s style. The side characters are memorable and unique, the setting is gorgeous. But it is all perfectly put together by Travis Baldree of all people, who typically narrates gruff characters and books with heavy action, or a more mature tone. Yet he brought every character to life.

There are other reviews complaining that it is “for children” or the lack of mature themes, but this is a slice of life take on the genre. And, it works. Admittedly, I would not have chosen this book based on title or description. Then it won an audiobook award and I just decided to give it a shot, knowing the author and narrators prior bodies of work.

I can honestly say this is my favorite book that either of them has done, and I really hope to get another.


Profile Image for Kay.
1,724 reviews18 followers
October 20, 2020
Something a wee bit different from Harmon Cooper. This is an excellent mysterious adventure which does exactly what it says on the tin...and more.

This will hold you entranced, savouring every word as the magic slowly unfolds, leaving lots of questions for our two young brothers to answer before they have to leave the island. I loved the way that the island was inhabited only by OAPs (old age pensioners), meaning that Rowan and Toro get to make friends and mix with people a lot older than themselves, with an exuberant variety of personalities. I adored this story, as it brought back fantastic memories of talking and playing with my grandparents. This could be made into a Studio Ghibli film. I can easily visualise it in my head, and you will too.

For fans of Cooper's work, there are a number of past reminders of things from previous books. See if you can pick them out! It gave me a warm feeling inside when I came across them, and a few giggles too.

As with all the author's work, this is written from the heart, with full characterizations, a fabulous adventurous storyline that will engage everyone from nine to ninety nine (and numbers outwith). You can feel the love that the father has for his sons, that the inhabitants have for the island, that the brothers have for each other and their parents. There's nearly 900 pages in here and it doesn't feel that length at all. Once you're pulled in to the story, you won't be able to put it down.

Innocent, magical, beautiful, and heartwarming. Exactly what we all need in this unpredictable world. Loved it.

I chose an early copy which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own.
2,382 reviews
August 10, 2021
 I ❤ this book! It plucked at all my heart strings. It's such a sweet, family oriented story! And it reminded me very much of My Neighbor Totoro: an anime movie. (If you haven't already watched this you should.) 
Anyway, Sacred Cat Island is about a single father making a life change, and moving himself and his sons to the Island... and then the boys find magic, Oh, So Much Magic, and so many cats, and enough adventure to make your head spin! Seemingly, the adults are too busy to notice magic that's teaming all around them (Silly adults)!
There a reason why this story won the best indie gamelit narration of 2021, and that reason is Travis Baldree! Travis did an outstanding job, though honestly, I can't think of any of his work that's ever been less than Wonderful, so, grab Sacred Cat Island,  and be entranced as Travis Baldree brings Harmon Cooper's story to life!
Profile Image for Liquid Frost.
599 reviews22 followers
January 3, 2021
The story itself is a nice tale about two boys spending a summer on a magical island in an alt universe. Sacred Cat Island used to be a tourist hot-spot, but that has faded and now it is a small retirement community with an eclectic mix of residents. Thus, when the young boys land on the island to help their dad reopen an inherited general store, they need to find their own fun as they are, by far, the youngest on the island.

A bit of coming-of-age mixed with ghosts and spirits and loads of cats - this is a PG read.

And that is why I found it enjoyable - or a three-star read. The target audience is young, YA. I will see if my son wants to read it - he may think it is 5 stars!

ARC provided. Read Dec 2020
240 reviews2 followers
July 11, 2021
A very good story - many twists and turns

Apart from just being a cat person the author has created an island world that raises more questions than answers given.

When I started reading the descriptions used by the author for the world caused me some mental dissonance, but upon reflection I realized that dissonance was caused by my experience. Looking through the eyes of a young teen I started enjoying the tale of adventure and magic wove by the author. There is danger from many directions that the MCs have to negotiate - but the RPG elements used makes for an interesting background!

I did receive a copy in a book giveaway.
119 reviews4 followers
November 2, 2020
Children's book

Not bad for a "slice of life" where the MC is 13. And the target audience is roughly the same age. Not recommended if your older, or looking for more than a children's book.
Profile Image for Pamela.
49 reviews
July 8, 2021
What a wonderful book!

I am torn on the rating. I would rate this 4.5 stars but since I can't do 1/2 stars here, it will show as 4 for this book.

This was a long book at around 749 pages, I believe. It could have been a little bit shorter, in my opinion, but the author meant for this to be long, if you read the author's notes at the end.

This is a YA book about 2 boys that go to this island with their father. It has lots of cats and very interesting people. There are some mysterious and intriguing things that happen on the island and the boys have plenty of adventures. It was a wonderful journey through the eyes of these boys on this island!

I, also, enjoy trying books that are different in format. In this one, you can see everyone's stats when you look at them, as in video game style.

I felt satisfied with the ending of the book but plenty was left open for another book.
Profile Image for Crew.
165 reviews12 followers
April 13, 2021
A soft LitRPG story of a Dad taking his two sons to an island community where he has inherited the general store. There is more to this island than just the overwhelming number of cats that the two boys soon discover. The cast of NPC characters is charming.

I listened to this book in an attempt to find a family friendly LitRPG book and this fits the bill. It’s definitely written for a younger audience. However, there were a few things I didn’t like. I didn’t like the subtext of parental marital problems. I also didn’t like the death in the book. I also kind of felt like the LitRPG wasn’t necessary, at least not in this book. It is obviously a set up for a while Sacred Cat Island series as more questions and problems are introduced than are solved.

I’ll be looking for other LitRPG before I decide to recommend this to my kids.
Profile Image for Melissa Bergsma.
Author 3 books15 followers
May 2, 2023
I found this book from a post by the author on Facebook saying it was on sale, and I’m always up for a sale… It’s definitely a departure from my usual reading, but it was refreshing and quite enjoyable.

There were a few times when it was a little bit tedious… But that’s only when reading certain stats For the cats… I’m sure in the book it’s not bad, but in the audiobook, I just fast forwarded for 30 seconds whenever they started, and I got past that easily. The story was easy to listen to, and on the lighter side, but still hit on some of the more emotionally difficult things people go through in life, with a few moments of suspense and action, nothing kids can’t handle.

Definitely want I’m going to pass on to my 10 year old son who loves audiobooks. I’m always looking for some things that he will enjoy and this will definitely be one of them.
Profile Image for Ribbon.
471 reviews17 followers
April 12, 2023
Sacred Cat Island is a mysterious cozy story about family, in particular brothers. Rowan, his brother, and their dad move to an island that seems to follow its own rules. There are at least as many cats there as human residents, along with mysterious spirits, magic, and niche technology.

The game mechanics includes a quest system which largely works as a chore and request list. Everyone has inventory slots equal to their age in years, so Rowan can carry thirteen things while his brother can only carry ten. Stats are displayed at the start of each day but aren't really relevant. Rowan's empathy might increase when he showed empathy the previous day but you could figure that out from the prose.

This is a kid-appropriate book that's also enjoyable for adults. The Ghibli comparison in the blurb is very apt.
Profile Image for Scott.
1,489 reviews12 followers
October 19, 2020
A New Adventure

This is a new way forward for Cooper, fans of the author may miss many a name drop and a subtle link to progression and programming for the Proxima Galaxy.
Hint see some of the Feedback Loop background but for others this is a summer spent finding magic and family in a world that has has become uncertain for the boys.
With a few touching heartfelt moments allowing for the deeper immersion into the story and life there is more a mystery than violent action ,but stats and teamwork present will show more i think in book 2 to see just how far down a magic rabbit hole we can go.
Profile Image for Shannon (That's So Poe).
1,301 reviews122 followers
December 28, 2022
This story is just the thing when you need a cozy adventure! I loved seeing the boys explore the island, discover its magic, and grow as people. The beginning was a little heavy on the LitRPG elements (so many stats/character info sheets as they meet all the villagers), but it really scratched that itch for anyone who loves games like Stardew Valley. The plot got quite interesting in the second half of the book as well as we learn more about the mysteries of the island. I would happily read another book following the boys' adventures, so I hope the author writes more in this series!

Content Warnings:
death, illness, injury, violence, bullying
Profile Image for J.C. esq.
Author 4 books2 followers
November 29, 2020
Amazing

This author is a bit of a mixed bag. Some of his stuff is your standard pulp sci-fi, nothing but time filler. But some of his work, this included, is in a level of its own. This is the kind of work that wins awards. I hope the author is penning away on the sequel. Pilgrim 2 is days away (another high level story by the author...sooo goood) so I'm quite hopeful the follow up to this one is next in his rotation. I know he has some other other stuff in the pipeline, but this is where I hope he focuses.
210 reviews4 followers
November 19, 2020
Wonderful

Reading this title was like a flashback to all the little books I enjoyed as a child. Like springing through through a reading of the boxcar children and a dash of fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed this title and loved seeing such a wholesome side to one of my favorite authors. The story might best compare to a sweet summer gibli movie as it's secrets and magic slowly unfold into a great tale.
Profile Image for M.
598 reviews22 followers
May 2, 2022
I'm going to guess Harmon is going to give up on this series as well, just like The Way of the Immortals. I'm not sure why he needed to include game mechanics. What was the reasoning of calling them NPC? Npc"s who have to performance appraisal on themselves in a corporate setting and are aware they are NPC in a world where there are no players. Absolutely ridiculous. It's really a children's book. I'm going to quit reading his books.
Profile Image for Brian Smith.
191 reviews
January 2, 2023
Enjoyable, quick read. Definitely a cozy book to start the year off with.

I wasn’t sure if I’d like it since it definitely is an all-ages type book with a young adult protag. However, I found it to be authentic, nicely detailed - and it scratched a bit of the island renovation itch that I think I got first from Robinson Crusoe and The Swiss Family Robinson. Will be happy to read the sequel whenever it comes out, and see where some of the loose ends go.
Profile Image for Andy Murphy.
322 reviews1 follower
April 18, 2025
Sacred Cat Island

When Dad brought Rowan and Toro to Sacred Cat Island, the boys were incredibly upset. This ex-tourist island was now a retirement community. It doesn’t take the boys long to befriend the residents and find that there is a lot more to this island full of cats and cat statues than they originally thought.

This is a great cozy litrpg! It has enough little mysteries to keep it going. It reminds me a lot of the 80’s movies where the kids run around all summer exploring and finding things to do. All of the retirees are well defined and never feel like an afterthought. The relationship the boys have with their dad is just so wholesome!Like the 80s movies, this one does have a kinda dark twist for a cozy kid centric story. This is a solid stand alone story, but I hope Harmon Cooper decides to make a sequel since I still have some unanswered questions and want to revisit the Sacred Cat Island! Travis Baldree does a fantastic job as narrator, as always.

Content warning: none
843 reviews6 followers
July 19, 2025
I really enjoyed this book with the 2 main character Rowan and Toro, younger boys going with their father to the island where the father's uncle left him a store. The world building was great, and the depth of the boys increases as the book progresses. The only part that was irritating was Rowan constantly checking his stats so much it was annoying. Narrator does a Great job with the various characters voices and the entire storyline.
Profile Image for James .
1,346 reviews21 followers
October 20, 2020
A book that is made for cat lover's.

The story has a unique premise as you have the dad with his 2 sons moving to a island of senior citizens and cats. The killer fish of course it is a catfish and a goddess. Overall it was fun. I enjoyed as given a advance copy by the author for a honest review.
6 reviews2 followers
April 17, 2021
Slice of life with remarkably relatable characters

I don't often write reviews, but this book surprised me. I wasn't expecting it to be so gentle and so affectionate at the same time, kind of like a Ghibli movie. I love cats so I'm predisposed to like it, but I really found myself invested in the characters and their small triumphs and setbacks.
Profile Image for Bookcat.
2,307 reviews3 followers
November 4, 2023
New author for me. I LOVE CATS!!!
😻🐾🐈‍⬛️🐈🐾😻
*feel good squeals* WOW! Such an amazing slice of life listen of a father and his two young sons adapting to island life in a retirement community with a multitude of cats! I want an anime of this! Possibly a Ghibli adaptation? 🙏🙏🙏 This was so cute and fun!
184 reviews2 followers
February 19, 2024
Sacred Cat Island by Harmon Cooper. This is a cute young adult fantasy LitRPG story. Well written, very convincing characters, both human and cat. Moving and emotional at times, an easy-to-read story I would recommend for teens/young adults and for anyone wanting to feel like a kid again. I found this ebook on a free promotion and this is an honest review.
2 reviews
June 28, 2025
Wonderful cozy litrpg

I found Sacre Cat Island in a post on /r/litrpg. This book has a delightful setting and pace. Building a delightful universe, with complexities without getting bogged down into unnecessary details. Classic show not tell. Looking forward to reading other works from Harmon Cooper.
Profile Image for Angela.
3,182 reviews12 followers
July 1, 2025
It's a cute and sleepy (sometimes boring) read and I'm not entirely certain what message the author was trying to bring into it. Maybe there wasn't one. I think if I was around the 11-13 age range and fresh off the Ghibli train then this would be an excellent read. For me this book wasn't all that good but it wasn't bad either, and I'm uncertain as to who I would recommend this book to.
8 reviews2 followers
October 24, 2020
Not my usual.

Totally not my usual style of LITRPG but it was fun, magical, and entertaining. I will definitely suggest this to my young niece and nephew. I see this becoming a bestseller with a few more books in the series
Profile Image for David Ball.
6 reviews
October 29, 2020
Fantastic read

It is a wholesome solid read, if you enjoy playing games like Garden paws or star dew valley then this should be up your street. Looking forward to further instalments 😊
10 reviews
November 2, 2020
Ah to be young!

The world is magical in the eyes of the young and sacred cat island is the perfect placed to bond as a family thru hardship intrigue loss and redemption

Great story telling!
14 reviews2 followers
November 18, 2020
Loved this book!

This is exactly the escape I needed with the nightmare that is COVID. I'm currently quarantined at home and this book hit the spot! It has elements that remind me of Spirited Away mixed wirh a heavy dose of LITRPG. I highly advise you give this one a try!
2 reviews
January 3, 2021
Different and Amazing

Loved the story! This is so different from what I normally read but totally love it and plan on reading more like this and from Harmon Cooper! I think everyone would like this book!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

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