Many thanks to Netgalley, Bonnier Books UK and Bonnier UK Audio and the author for the ARC/ ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Takako has recently been dumped by her boyfriend who instead of breaking up with her respectfully just announced his marriage with another woman. She wants to escape her life and moves to live with her uncle's second hand bookshop and live upstairs to the shop. Even though she was never a reader to begin with but slowly as she begins to heal her relationship with her uncle and accepts his recommendations she slowly falls in love with the books, the people and neighbourhood. It’s a story of belonging, reconciliation and healing through people and of course books.

This book was very classic contemporary Japanese novel, short, sweet and heavily detail oriented with every little tiny thing from daily lives being of value. The narrator had such a calming presence, it took over the story and makes you feel at ease.

Thank you to Bonnier Books UK and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa.

I'm a huge fan of Japanese literature, and this book did not disappoint me.

Takako has moved in with her uncle after her relationship ended.
It is here that she grieves and begins to heal along with her uncle who has also been hurt.
As the story progresses we see a beautiful, supportive relationship unfold between uncle and niece.

This book needs to be read to fully appreciate the complexity of human nature and how beautifully it is written.

I hate to say I had to DNF this book. It felt very information heavy and that isn’t my style, this was probably a me problem requesting a book without analysing the blurb first.

Thank you to NetGalley and Manilla Press for my copy of Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

There is something simplistic about this book. It is easy to read and the words flow so well.
As I was reading it, I didn't really see what the fuss was about.
But then as I finished it, I sat and thought about it and I got it.
The gentle story of a girl with a broken heart being given the time and space to recover, regroup and start over.
A little treasure of a book. Hard to imagine such a peaceful time in the society we live in, where everything has to keep moving at 100 miles an hour.

As a great lover of Japanese/Korean writing I looked forward to starting this gentle novel and I truly was enchanted. It’s captivating and beautifully written. This would make a wonderful movie and I have recommended it to several of my students. Fall in love with this lovely book like I have.

A beautiful ode to the comfort of reading and the connection that books forge between those who seek solace in the pages of a book, and then pass those books on to be discovered by others.

Takako feels things deeply so when she discovers her boyfriend is actually engaged to someone else she takes to her bed and opts out of life.

A phone call from an Uncle she's lost touch with, inviting her to come and stay at his bookshop, is the catalyst for everything changing.

Full of wisdom and warmth, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a must read for book lovers everywhere.

A lovely short read. Based in and around a book shop tells the story and everyday life of 3 main characters. Would recommend

This was a wonderful read that will warm your heart.
I love books set in bookshops and this was no exception, you could almost smell that beautiful bookshop smell.
I loved it.

Loved this title. Was such a wonderful book that warmed my heart. A brilliant pick up and go read that left me immersed in the pages.

This was such a lovely read! I loved the bookshop setting. the picture that was painted of life in a rural Japanese town, the characters and their gentle growth over the course of the book. Cosy and heartfelt and lovely!

'Days at the Morisaki Bookshop' is a love note to books and reading. It describes everything I love about my favourite hobby - the thrill as you discover each new author and the sheer, indulgent pleasure of spending hours absorbed in a book.

However, it also reveals the redemptive power of books - their ability to change a person's outlook on life and the power to bring comfort and hope in times of trial. It even touches on the subject of books guiding people through difficult periods of their lives and the profound effect one book can have on someone.

Takako's story is a fairly common one, in that the perfect life she imagines for herself is far removed from reality and it isn't until she discovers books that she truly comes to terms with the truth of her existence. It is her uncle's story, however, that I found more engaging. His relationship with his estranged wife is a complicated one, but I found myself rooting for him and Momoko, far more than I did for Takako. Whilst she has some personal growth throughout the book, I found her quite self-centred even after she had supposedly had her big personal revelation, whereas both Momoko and Satoru accept each other for what they are. Takako constantly seems to be wanting people to be more than they can be and this isn't necessarily a positive quality.

Nevertheless, my ambivalence towards the main character in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the book because the story was incredibly rich and the other characters extremely interesting.

This was a different genre of book than what I normally read but I enjoyed it and would recommend it if you are looking for something different than your usual read!

I found this a little slow, but I always do with translations if Japanese fiction.
I don't think it was the book or the author, but more me, as a reader.

The plot itself was lovely.
Centering around a quiet, but important (to its few clientele) bookshop.

The characters were well rounded and the issues weren't tied into a neat bow at the end, which I really liked.

I enjoyed this book, typically I read high pace high stakes stories so this was a real change for me. It feels like you are wrapped up in a book all cosy whilst reading and I really enjoyed it. The characters are lovable and I liked the whole street of book shops, if you are looking for a cosy read this book is for you.

This is such a heartwarming and beautifully written book. The world building was incredible and I felt as though I had been transported to the bookshop myself. I think I’d sell my right arm to spend a day in the little street full of bookshops! I cannot wait for the next book in the series to be released later this year.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Satoshi Yagisawa
3⭐️

Synopsis: The wise and charming international bestseller and hit Japanese movie—about a young woman who loses everything but finds herself—a tale of new beginnings, romantic and family relationships, and the comfort that can be found in books.  

📚

I'm enjoying exploring Japanese fiction at the moment and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a lovely, cosy read. I flew through this and for the right reader at the right time this could be a great comfort read.

Personally, it felt a little bit underwhelming and I didn't warm to the main character which didn't help. This book is split into two parts and I found that Part I was much better than Part II.

This book is well written, but I didn't love any of the characters and dont feel like it will be super memorable. Pick it up if you feel like a nice easy read which is mainly set in a Bookshop 📚

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

For the right reader in the right mood, I can see how Days at the Morisaki Bookshop could be a great comfort read. It ambles along slowly with its messages of finding your feet and going at your own pace being matched by the novel's gentle pace and meandering plot. And, of course, it helps that Yagisawa's descriptions of Morisaki and its neighbourhood of bookshops made me want to pack my bags and get on the next flight to Tokyo.

Unfortunately, I personally found it a little underwhelming. There isn't really a strong plot and the story's episodic bursts didn't hold my attention. It's more character-driven, which didn't quite work for me because I didn't particularly warm to Takako. She comes across as a little shallow and judgemental towards her uncle in the beginning though, to her credit, she does learn to appreciate him for his eccentricity and they get some sweet bonding moments as the novel progesses. For me, it was hard to relate to her inital lack of curiosity about the neighbourhood and her ambivalence about moving into the bookshop (she's living the dream!). She also came across as a bit of a doormat in her reaction to her ex-boyfriend's cheating, though I suppose her underreaction could be attributed to cultural differences? On the other hand, I liked the friendships she built with the bookshop's patrons and locals and especially the bond she develops with Satoru, though I was less impressed with her underdeveloped potential romance with another booklover. Or the romantic subplot between two secondary characters Takako is tasked with matchmaking; we just didn't get to know them enough to be invested in their romance. The mystery of Satoru's M.I.A. wife is more interesting, which is the focus of Part Two; I do love a second chance romance and intergenerational friendships between women in fiction! And *spoiler alert* there is a happy ending, of course.

Overall, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is well written, the characters are a bit bland but generally pleasant, and I always appreciate a book about loving books filled with recommendations for other books. It just didn't grip me or stick in my mind. I'm sure other readers will find a lot to enjoy in it but for me it was underwhelming. That said, I might try re-reading DatMB one day when I'm in the mood for something slow-paced to see if it lands better on the re-read.

A sweet story, though I felt it lost a little something in translation

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

A nice enough tale of bookshop ownership, friendships and young love, but this one didn't work for me. I am sure it is likely to do with the translation but the prose was clunky and the story jumped along in places where I really was hoping for more character development. It seems like the book was just too short.

An easy read to fill a slump as I did enjoy the characters, but not one for fans of literary fiction.

This is a sweet well written book that I enjoyed imensley.

Takako is having a bad time and goes to stay in her Uncles bookshop, shes not really a reader but starts to read and enjoy it and find herself from the charaters we meet.

A little different and an easy read