This one was a me problem again! I keep picking up these heartwarming books in translation featuring cozy bookstores or libraries in East Asia, and thThis one was a me problem again! I keep picking up these heartwarming books in translation featuring cozy bookstores or libraries in East Asia, and then I find the stories to be too saccharine and the characters to be too flat. I did like the little insights into running a local bookshop sprinkled throughout this book. If you enjoyed recent books like What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, I think you'll enjoy this one as well!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of this book....more
Cute, heartwarming book featuring a restaurant in Kyoto with a "detective service" to help people find and re-create long-lost dishes they loved in thCute, heartwarming book featuring a restaurant in Kyoto with a "detective service" to help people find and re-create long-lost dishes they loved in the past. Comparisons to Before the Coffee Gets Cold are apt, though I found Before to be better written. Overall, a fast read that would be great for a little armchair travel to Japan - but don't read this hungry! ;)
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of this book....more
Sadly, this one did not live up to expectations. I was really looking forward to this book, but I think it would have been stronger if it weren't framSadly, this one did not live up to expectations. I was really looking forward to this book, but I think it would have been stronger if it weren't framed as a thriller. I found the "thriller" aspects to be too predictable and distracted from what could have been a stronger novel about mother/daughter relationships, power and privilege. (And also, I thought those themes were described too explicitly toward the end of the book. Readers should be able to get there on their own.) But I recognize those are problems with what *I* wanted out of the book, so maybe you will feel differently!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a free advance copy of this book....more
I've been a bit uninspired with my reading lately, but this book broke my slump! I found myself constantly wanting to pick it up to see what happened I've been a bit uninspired with my reading lately, but this book broke my slump! I found myself constantly wanting to pick it up to see what happened next, which is how a good read should be. I thought the author did a good job making all the characters and timelines equally interesting, which is really hard to do in multiple-perspective stories. I know it's still 2023, but this is likely a top 2024 read for me!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of this book....more
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