Welcome to Litsy!

My February pick for #12BooksOf2024 is Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. I found this book cozy and heartwarming. It doesn't have much of a plot, but that's not what I was after when I read it. The only disappointment for me was that there's a cat on the cover but no cat in the book. That would have made it purrfect. :)

I thought I‘d try this as we‘re doing a ‘comfort reads‘ episode for the podcast. Takako goes to live with her uncle above his bookshop in Jimbocho, Tokyo, a book lover‘s paradise (where I now want to visit!). The story was a bit too gentle, quiet & sentimental for me. And her hostility towards her uncle & the store felt immature (or I suppose it could be her fragile mental state). An international best-seller, just not for me.

A breezy read about book shops, books, and family dramas with the 25 y/o protagonist who finds herself in and amidst books at her uncle‘s second hand book shop, and through it creates an unbreakable bond with her uncle and aunt. There‘s no real story per se and the story that the author tries to create in the latter half deviates from the essence of the book. First half is quite nice. Narration on Audible is good.

my pick for cozy readathon…i only liked the first part which was the story around the bookshop and reading…also want to go to jimbocho for the used books fest #cozyreads @Bookwormjillk

3.8/5 🌟

This heartwarming story about someone finding solace in a bookshop after heartbreak is comforting. The simplicity of the writing adds to its charm, especially in the first part, which I preferred. It‘s a reminder of how books can heal and bring comfort.

I was drawn to this book by the title I love a book set in a bookstore.Whilst this book was a light,enjoyable read I found myself somewhat losing interest once the second part of the story started focusing on the Uncle's wife and no longer on the bookshop itself.It might make more of a holiday reading book.It wasn't one of my most memorable reads. 🌟🌟

I‘ve been reading more books set in Japan lately and this is about a bookshop, so I thought I‘d love it, but I was a little disappointed. It felt very stilted and didn‘t draw me in the way I thought it would. But I do love the cover! 3⭐️

#audiobook
#bibliophile
#Japan

I guess I‘d describe Days At The Morisaki Bookshop as a mild read – a little flat, but perfectly fine for a lazy afternoon. It‘s a quiet book, one to pick up when you need a story that‘s minimally challenging and easy to digest. Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/days-at-the-morisaki-bookshop-satoshi-yagis...

4/5⭐️ - a cozy and quick palate cleanse after reading “Out”. A book for book lovers and a love letter to bookstores. Made me long for all the magical hole in the wall used bookstores I‘ve visited.

I loved this book. A great young adult book about found family and growing up.

So close to finishing and I've already picked the second one up I've enjoyed it that much!

All the signs of a writer not yet confident with themselves are here. There are moments where Yagisawa shows promise, particularly in capturing a certain feeling or atmosphere. Which, I think, is what makes this readable. Still, an hour or so after finishing it I can smell those old musty bookshops and imagine the motes of dust in the sunshine.

One thing I can forever credit this book for is introducing me to the Jimbocho book town!

Some #parkinglotreading yesterday for lunchtime. So far this is a very sweet little book. I‘m trying not to rush through it.
(Ignore my very dusty dashboard 😬)

I loved the descriptions of bookstores, falling in love with reading, & sharing your favorite novel. Some things felt like they were lost in translation. I didn‘t feel much of an emotional connection to the main characters, but some of that might have been a cultural difference. It seemed like the book headed in a very different direction in the second half. Definitely still enjoyed it, but I was wishing for something I couldn‘t put my finger on.

This was lovely. I am 100% here for this trend of bookshop-related fiction from Japan, even if this particular example does not contain cats.

"It‘s only in secondhand books that you can savor encounters like this, connections that transcend time."

I get the hype of this book now, I really do. This was beautiful, and I'm really glad that stories like this exist.

Finished this #audiobook tonight. It was quite different than I expected. Only part of it takes place in the bookstore and the translation seemed quite basic. A few scenes were a bit odd which I attribute to the translation as well. I think there are lots of other books about books and bookstores that are more interesting so I‘d skip this one if that‘s what you‘re looking for in your next read. 🎧📚

One of my very few 5-star reads this year

#12booksof2023

Isn‘t that a lovely cover? Book has a good premise..a young woman works at her uncle‘s bookshop for room & board after her breakup with her boyfriend & left her job. I like the message of rediscovering oneself, falling in love with reading, the importance of family. But I did not feel connected with the main character or moved by the overall story. 1st part about the second hand bookshop town, ⬇️

I wasn't going to read this but I guess I will now!

Sweet little novel about how books and bookshops can give us the necessary impetus to transform and grow in our lives. Through this novella, I could travel the lanes of Jinbocho in suburban Tokyo, amid used bookstores.😊

Bk4 of my October #BookMail is another translated novel, this one from Japan. In Jimbocho, Tokyo is an old wooden building with a shop filled with 100s of secondhand books. 25yr old Takako has never liked reading, although the bookshop has been in her family for 3 generations. The pride & joy of her uncle Satoru since his wife left him so when Takako‘s boyfriend reveals he‘s marrying someone else, she moves in to a tiny room above the store.

Still confused, I crossed an intersection that was salarymen on their lunch break and walked down the street of bookshops. Following my uncle's directions, I left the main road crowded with and turned into a little backstreet called Sakura. This brought me to an area of secondhand bookshops. I murmured to myself, "This is a wonderland of secondhand books."

This is one of those cute and charming reads that are so easy to fall into. I love how Japanese authors tell a story. Their writing is so very lyrical. This is a short read, barely 100 pages.

Takako has fled to her Uncle Satoru‘s bookshop after her life crashes around her: she loses her boyfriend, her friends, her job, and becomes so depressed she sleeps all day. #bookshop #safeharbor

.

⭐️⭐️⭐️½
"For a long time, I'd let myself feel like I was totally alone in this big world, but all along there was someone close by, thinking about me, looking out for me. That made me immensely happy." (p. 62)

Yes, this is a book for book lovers, but it's also for anyone hoping to be reminded that someone, somewhere, has your back. It's about human connection and not judging others too harshly until you know their whole story. (Cont. in comments)

Excited to start this, I love books set in bookshops (largely due to my dreams of running my own one day) so hoping this doesn‘t disappoint.

It was ok 🤷‍♀️ felt like 2 separate short stories though.
A quick read.

Did some #audioknitting last night with this. It was a cute story, perfect for a read-through in one sitting. But it wasn‘t about books.

This was a very sweet story. I think in translation it was a little awkward at times and at first the main character was annoying. But I love books about books and books about the love of books. This is short and sweet quick read! Get it from your library! You won‘t regret it.

Ozzie is unimpressed with my desire to take a picture of my current read. He has beaten Gatsby out for prime position on my lap though so he‘s luxuriating in that.

The first part of this book centres on Takako, how she moved into the bookshop, met the patrons and neighbours, and became an avid reader. It was very charming.

The second part of the book introduces another character and takes the story into a different direction. It works seeing it as a sequel, but it wasn't as cosy and charming as the first part.

#ARC #ALC #MountARC #NetGalley #audiobook

Low pick

Finished this earlier today . . . And, yeah, I don't know.

The first part was excellent, drew me in, was everything I was expecting. Loved it!

The second part kind of felt misplaced? Almost like a sequel, but completely unexpected. It wasn't bad, per se, but it completely broke the rhythm of the story. It felt extraneous and, at the same time, unfinished.

But the cover? 💯💗

Saturday morning reading ☺️

At just under 150 pages, this book was short but still so powerful!

The book is separated into 2 parts. The first part focuses on the main character, Takako, and her life working at the bookshop, which I found very charming and cute. If you‘re a bookworm and a bibliophile, this part will definitely resonate with you!

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2023/08/30/review-days-at-the-morisaki-books...

A very sweet little book. I didnt get that invested in the characters but i loved the setting. I think it would be a nice reread for me actually - it felt quite calming reading it.

This is book is a balm for the soul. It‘s sweet and kind and lovely and a little sad and wistful. It‘s the kind of book that makes me fall in love with books all over again.

A young woman‘s life comes to a bit of a detour and she finds herself living above her uncle‘s used bookstore and helping out in the shop. She discovers a heretofore unknown love of reading and gets her life back on track. I found this little book charming and a great palate cleanser after a chunkster.

Where do you go when it all falls apart? Takako goes to work at her estranged uncle‘s bookshop. Her uncle, Saturo, has had losses of his own but has managed to find a home for himself in a small community of book lovers. The characters are unique. Stay for them because there isn‘t much of a plot.

I was attracted to this by the cover (#booksonthecover #52books23) and it didn‘t let me down.

It‘s definitely more ‘cute‘ Japanese than ‘slightly weird‘ Japanese and I preferred the first half, which was set more in the bookshop. The second part introduced a new character that took the storyline in a different direction.

Great if you want recommendations of Japanese literature to read. (Looking at you! 👀 @BarbaraBB )

Few little treats for me today! 🥰🥰

Forgot to post about these on Monday, or perhaps I was too exhausted after spending the day with @julesG and her two lovely, talkative teens! 🤣 😘

We visited the Ripon Bookshop and I couldn‘t resist the gorgeous cover of the tagged book, plus a matching bookmark.

I loved Nelson‘s new book but hadn‘t read his first one, so picked it up as well.

I've got a soft spot for Japanese cozy stories right now. So of course I had to read this book as soon as I set eyes on it 😁

It's a lovely story that could've focused more on Takakos relationship to books and literature in my opinion, but it was a nice read anyway. If you're interested in Japanese literature this might be interesting for you, since quite a lot of authors and works are mentioned.

Trigger: no cats in this book.

A slice-of-life novel about a woman recovering from a bad breakup and reconnecting with family members. It‘s very sweet and easy to read and the characters were lovely.