It is a lovely story for anyone who loves books. This captures the true heart of reading, which is the joy of all aspects of books. The smell, the browsing, selection, enjoyment, late nights, and in-depth discussion with others. This is reminiscent of before the coffee gets cols in that each chapter covers a different aspect of the overall story a bit like a series of short stories. A lovely read if a bit abruptly ended.

I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher via net galley for free in exchange for my honest review.

What a lovely gentle book. Not at all my usual thing, and had I known it was classified anywhere in 'literary fiction' I would probably not have read it, but I am very glad that I did.

This was a sweet, gentle book, if a little quirky. I've just started learning Japanese so was very interested to read a Japanese novel. I really liked the setting too.

A sweet story about a young woman reconnecting with her uncle after a failed relationship. Takako rediscovers her old love of books and they help her recover from melancholy. She grows to love the neighbourhood and the quirky characters that populate it. This first half of the narrative is lovely; simple, sweet and comforting although I did expect books and stories to be more of a predominant theme. The second part is more difficult to connect, Takako’s Aunt Momoko suddenly returns, years after just as suddenly leaving Takako. As Momoko tries to rebuild bridges the story begins to feel a little fragmented. The gentle pace of the first parts seems unsure of its direction and made the last quarter or so seem disconnected and I was left with the feeling of potential unreached.

Japanese literature is always a favourite of mine and this book did not disappoint!

A cosy calming book with no dramatic plot, perfect for a nice evening in!

Combining two of my favourite things, I was always going to love this book. Books and Japan, what is not to love?! This book has a real charm about it. The bookshop and love of books really comes across in this story and makes you realise the importance of books and stories at bringing people together. The characters in this book are just perfect and made me fall in love with this story even more. They all feel perfectly imperfect. This book is a real treat of a read.

Could not put this book down it was cosy little weird in some respects but I loved it so much could sit and read more like this over and over again

A pleasant enough, but fairly inconsequential, short novel about love, new beginnings and the consolation and power of books and reading. When Takako’s boyfriend leaves her and she is cast adrift, she is thankful to accept her uncle’s invitation to live rent-free at his bookshop. Uncle Satoru is passionate about his shop and the thousands of books it holds and inevitably, and predictably, it’s not long before Takako falls under their spell as well, setting her on the road to recovery. Very Japanese in its quirkiness and understated in style, it’s a gentle easy read – but haven’t we already read a lot about the healing power of books? Neither original nor inventive, I found the book both sentimental and cloying. By no means a boring or bad book, just nothing special.

A thoroughly enjoyable read. A cozy quirky story with the characters lives being entwined. It had me hooked from start to finish.

It was a nice chilling read, there were points where I wished something interesting would happen. Everything happened in the last 95% of the book and wished it had happened sooner and the story continue from there as I wanted to know more.

This is a gentle, calming story about a young woman, Takako, who takes up her somewhat eccentric uncle's offer to live above his quaint bookshop in the Jimbucho district of Tokyo . The offer is timely for Takako as she is struggling to get over the shock of her boyfriend suddenly revealing he is off to marry someone else. By no means a reader, Takako is still tempted into reading some of the many books that now surround her. Gradually the books, the charismatic customers and the friendly staff at the local coffee shop lift her spirits and after 6 months she is ready to move on. Her uncle Saturo tries to persuade her to stay as he has been lonely ever since his wife, Momoto, walked out without any warning 2 years previously, but Takako is determined, and reluctantly moves away promising to keep in touch.
The second part of the book starts when Takako gets a call from her uncle saying Momoto has returned - again with no warning - and he wants Takako to talk with her and find out what was behind this erratic behaviour. In discovering this Takako also gains a deeper understanding of herself and by the end of the book it appears that the calm environment of the Morisaki bookshop has quietly solved everyone's problems.
It's always a pleasure to enter a gentle, escapist world, especially one filled with books, and Yagisawa's very human story is a real joy.

Definitely one for avid readers! I didn’t know quite what to expect, but it’s a beautifully observed and written story set in Japan. The bookshop has been in the family for a long time and although it is one of many in the area still survives with regular customers. The absolute joy of reading, especially those novels that keep you reading throughout the night is communicated in Satoshi’s story.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop 📚
by Satoshi Yagisawa
Pub - 2009 Japanese / 2023 English

Short, simple & sweet ❤ Less than 150 pages. Just what i needed after the chunk of Iron Flame 🔥

This book had such a cozy vibe ☕ Who doesn't love a book about all things bookish? I had never heard of Jimbocho (Japan's book district) before it sounds magical, I hope I have chance to go some day. I adored how the books in this story slowly helped our MC Takako to grieve, heal and start living her best life ❤

I was lucky enough to be approved for this on @Netgalley & also win a physical copy from a giveaway 🙌

#DaysattheMorisakiBookshop #NetGalley

⭐⭐⭐

Days At The Morisaki Bookshop follows Takako as she leaves her life behind after the man she loves tells her he's marrying someone else. She moves to her uncle's bookshop and builds new relationships whilst falling in love with reading. I had really high hopes for this book but found the story quite boring with not enough character development. I enjoyed the storyline with the man in the cafe but found the rest of it quite disjointed. This Book would have benefitted from more detail and being longer. Overall it was a pleasant read but quite forgettable. 5/10 rounded up

This book was a little outside my usual choices. I was pleasantly surprised by it. A quirky and wholesome Japanese story. Loved it.

Such a delightful joyful read about moving on in life, albeit with some miscommunications on the way! It felt very cosy, with a bibliophile's dream of living in a book shop, down to the smell of pages. Despite a depressing opening, I rooted for all the characters and especially enjoyed how Uncle Saturu was depicted. Although I feel I missed some hidden meaning of her aunt Momoko representing something, I really enjoyed this story just at a surface level and sped through it.

A quiet, somewhat introspective read which is calm and enjoyable.

The narrator, Takako, after a break up and some life re-evaluation, goes to stay in the little flat above her uncle Saturu’s bookshop in the used book district of Tokyo, helping him out at the same time.
It follows her journey to resetting and reconnecting with family members.

Not much really happens but it’s quite nice all the same.

This book is an absolute joy and I adored every second of it. My students are wanting more translated fiction right now so I think they will love this too.

What a wonderfully written story! It took me a little while to get into it, but once I did it took me on quite a journey. I love that very deep thoughts were delivered in such an easy on the eye/ear way. It shows how important it is to know one's story before you judge them. How important it is to be nice to someone regardless of whether they appreciate it at the time.

Some big and important lessons wrapped into a little cute story about the bookshop and that little room upstairs.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop" is a delightful journey into the enchanting world of literature. The vivid descriptions transport readers into a realm where the joy of discovering a love for reading takes center stage. The uncle and niece relationship adds a heartwarming touch to the narrative, serving as a backdrop to the protagonist's transformative journey. While I couldn't entirely relate to Takako, the book's focus on friendships and overcoming challenges remains compelling. The rich prose and immersive storytelling make this a captivating read. Despite my minor disconnect, I'm eager to continue the adventure in the next instalment.