This is a marvellous book made up of short stories that all revolve around a library. The stories end up joining characters together as you move through the book and it really is a great read. I loved the following quote on books
"Readers make their own personal connections to words, irrespective of the writer's intentions, and each reader gains something unique."
So true and I think most readers will find different things in this book. This really is a must have read.

What You're Looking For Is In The Library is a little collection of simple stories that all have a special connection - a small community library with a librarian that points people in the right direction to find answers to life's problems.

This was a short and very easy read and exactly the kind of story I'm usually looking for when I delve into the world of comfy Japanese fiction. These kind of books tend to have low stakes and by the time I've finished reading them I feel like I've just had a fantastic therapy session!

Aoyama captured people perfectly and it was lovely experiencing each different perspective and trying to guess which direction the future would take them in. There's definitely at least one story in here that anyone who reads this would be able to relate to and each story ends with a hopeful and happy tone and it was nice reading a story without too much ups and downs.

The only complaint unfortunately is the unflattering way that the librarian, Sayuri Komachi, is described throughout the stories. Every time she is described as a startlingly large woman, referring to her as the "Marshmallow Man" from Ghostbusters and Disney's Baymax. I'm not sure what the author was going for here, it's explained often that the librarian simply looks very unique compared to other people but these descriptions just come across as offensive and inappropriate and I strongly feel that the librarian could have been described in a better way. Perhaps it comes off better in Japanese than it does in English, maybe?

But as a whole this book was a relaxing and lovely read, perfet for anyone who is struggling to work out what they're wanting to do next in their life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

“In a world where you don’t know what will happen next, I just do what I can right now”

This quote perfectly sums up the underlying message of the whole book - each life is different and all we can do is move at our own pace.

Filled with metaphors about life in all its beauty and unpredictability, I found this book profound, refreshing and inspiring. I thought Aoyama’s writing style was very descriptive and personal, which gave me the feel of a conversation between friends.

The book tells 5 independent stories over 5 chapters (a chapter for each person); it follows specific individuals all in different stages of their lives/careers who are struggling to understand their place in society, making this a book for people of all ages.
It strongly focuses on the power of stories - they show you the beauty of life and help you face your own problems - as well as the different interpretations people will have based on their own situations and values
Each character was extremely relatable and all chapters provided powerful messages that I think are very important to learn. A must read for anyone struggling to find their passions and purpose in life.

Unfortunately this novel was not for me. I was drawn to it due to comparisons with 'Before the Coffee Gets Colds' and the short individual stories are similar, but I found these stories too predicable to enjoy. I'm sure that for the right person at the right time this could be a powerful book- a reminder to follow dreams or make a change, but for me personally I struggled to finish this one.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the oppurtunity to read and review this title.

A charming collection of stories about different people/scenarios who are looking for something to change in their lives , and with a little bit of magic, realise that they're the ones who can make all the changes with a few simple steps and an open and positive mind. There are similar books around - it reminded me of The Midnight Library, but it's maybe a bit more gentle and less complex.

This beautiful and charming novel explores how it is never too late to try again or start again. It also makes a beautiful commentary on the importance of libraries and community spaces and the magic they create

Thanks to #NetGalley for my copy

"People find meaning in the bonus gifts for themselves. It's the same with books. Readers make their own personal connections to words, irrespective of the writer's intentions, and each reader gains something unique."

Five different people are at a crossroads in their lives. There is something in their lives that is causing restlessness and unhappiness. They all stumble upon the library in Community House; their local community centre. It is at the library that they meet librarian Sayuri Komachi. She acts as a catalyst in all the stories; she provides them with book recommendations that change their outlook and way of thinking. Through her recommendations, they learn that they too can reach for the stars.

I absolutely loved this book - I cannot emphasize just how much so. What You are Looking for is in the Library is brilliantly written, inspirational and will leave you with a profound impact.

First off I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publishers of this book for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book, with it's 5 separate people with their own situations, but the same common bond of finding this Library with a librarian who knew exactly what they needed (not just what they were looking for there and then).
It was beautiful to see how each of the characters changed/found the paths they were meant to be on, all they needed was the felted object and the book suggested by the librarian.
I would highly recommend anyone pick this up, it's a wonderful read!
Happy reading.

I finished this so quickly because I absolutely loved it. Such a gentle, feel-good book with a library (and sometimes more) linking the different characters. A reminder of how we should look at our life.

Sweet and simple life vignettes; thanks to an enigmatic librarian, her book recommendations and needle felted bonus gifts, it's never too late to start over. Comforting and feel good read.

I've been reading quite a few contemporary Japanese books lately, mainly because I only had a vague idea about the country and had only read some classics before. This book, like a few others in its genre, was a pleasant surprise. It is an optimistic feel good book, not I genre I formerly associated with Japan. It contains sympathetic character from al walks of life whose lives are not what they expected them to be for one reason or another. They find their solutions... in a library. Where else? As a reader one has to agree with the premise of the novel: there's a book out here for everyone, you just may need some help to find it. Bonus: you find out a lot more about Japanese life reading this. A nice mellow holiday read!

I absolutely adored this book. ‘What You’re Looking For is in the Library’ centres around five different characters, all in very different stages of their life. Ranging from a young graduate trying to piece together her life while working in a department store, to a man who has recently retired, each of them finds themselves in their local community centre, which has a small library attached. The librarian loans them out the books that they’ve asked for, and an extra one they haven’t (plus a special little needle felted bonus) and we follow them as they read these extra books and come to realisations about their lives, and take the steps to improve their individual situations.

What I loved so much about this is that the changes aren’t always massive. Sometimes it’s as simple as making the effort to cook for yourself, realising that comparing yourself to others isn’t worth it, that your job is no longer fulfilling, or that you don’t have to be the best at something you simply have to do and keep at it. Sometimes all you need to do is leave the house, form connections with people, and remember that it’s never to late to make a change for the better.

Notably, near the end of the book, there is a quote pointing out that every reader takes away something different from a book - and I think everyone will take away something very personal to them from this book. Ultimately, I found this book truly beautiful, and I think it’s sentiments are going to stick with me for a very long time.

Thank you to the publishers, and netgalley, for the early copy to review.

The book is made up of 5 stories, each rather separate. The stories are thematically linked (people trying to find themselves and happiness in various points in their lives), and intersect as our protagonists visit the local library, and encounter the enigmatic and insightful librarian. Each story gives an intimate glimpses of the life of its protagonist, and explains their dilemma, via providing an understanding of the protagonist and their underlying motivations (or lack thereof).

The stories cover the following: a young woman who questions her choice of job as a sales assistant in a shopping mall, a man in his 30s who struggles to pursue his dreams of opening an antique shop while providing for himself via a mundane office job, a woman in her 40s who had to give up a successful career when she became a parent and is now struggling to find new meaning in her life, a main in his 30s who lives with his mother and questions and struggles to pursue his dreams of becoming an illustrator, and, finally, a man who, having just retired from his office job, is questing what next for himself and his life with his wife. As the stories progress, we also learn about the librarian and her assistant, as well as several other secondary characters, all of whom are on or have once been on similar journeys of self discovery.

Each of the stories has essentially the same set of messages: life's not black-and-white or all-or-nothing, pursuing dreams and hopes is not only possible but also essential, and barriers that stand in the way of realising dreams have to do with mindset and perspective. There is an inherent positivity in the stories, all of which end well. I very much liked the idea, which is somehow very Japanese, that happiness in small doses than no happiness at all, and happiness in still worth pursuing.

Overall, though, I found the book not particularly memorable or important. It came across too thickly moralising, and ignored the fact that luck also plays a strong role in success and happiness. It made it all sound easy and straightforward, and, in my view, this resulted in a bit of a condescending tone that made the book less than what it could have been.

I think the book will resonate perhaps with folks who really are struggling to find the motivation to keep trying, and especially the ones among those closer to the naive part of the spectrum. Maybe young adults are a great audience? I just found it too preachy, too sticky, and too simplistic. And don't get me started about the passages on astrology, which, even in fictional accounts, should never be mentioned without at least cynicism, and at best scorn. Not sure if it was intentional, or part of the overall naivete permeating the entire book, but I found it very annoying.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of the book in return for an honest review.

You guys are not ready for this one!
It's a cute little book with a powerful message. We follow 5 different characters, with each of them stumbling upon a library and the mysterious Sayuri Komachi - a librarian whose passion is felt work. She helps people find the books they need, and throws in an extra one to help them with see the world through a different lens.
All of the stories had the same issue: the characters were lost, were unhappy and didn't know how to move forward.
But Komchi's recommendations made them realise that it's never too late to start over and that everything you need in life is already there - you just have to reach out for it
This book is perfect for anyone who's obsessed with Kawaguchi's Before the Coffee Gets Cold. It has the same cosy and calm vibes, with deep and powerful message; it finds beauty in the mundane world and I think it's definitely a must read.

It’s no secret that I tend to fall in love with stories written by Japanese authors, and this one I think has to be one of my favourites.

The story, or rather stories are centred on residents of the local Ward, and the library in the Community Centre. Each of them goes to the centre for a different reason, and all end up in the library, meeting the Librarian, and as the title suggests, finding what they are looking for - just not what they expect….

I loved this, and I found it quite thought provoking to be honest. A different way of thinking, some of which I’m pretty sure are going to stay with me.

Beautiful story, beautifully written, and translated by Alison Watts.

My thanks to Netgalley and Transworld, Penguin Random House for sending this joy to me in exchange for an honest review.

If you have enjoyed Sosuke Natsukawa’s The Cat Who Saved Books or any of Kawaguchi’s time travelling cafe stories, you will love this collection of stories linked by a visit to the community library.
Each character in these five short stories has their lives improved and helped in the right direction by the librarian, who provides them with a book list and a hand-crafted felt toy that signifies something to them.
The librarian is an almost fantastical person akin to something from an anime film or graphic novel - large, mysterious and with an uncanny knack of being able to foresee a person’s needs.
It’s both a homage to libraries and their staff and a great advertisement for their potential and ability to improve and support people’s lives. Thank you Aoyama for such a wonderful book.
Recommended for all libraries!

I've always been a great believer in the idea that the right book is always there just at the time you need it and this the main premise of this book.
It was also an interesting insight into how fragile the job market in Japan can be and how much of an impact this can have on mental health.

This book was a delight to read. I found it easy to read and get lost in. I enjoyed how each of the characters stories were separate but had overlapping elements that linked them in some way. The writing and structure of the book reminds me of Before the coffee gets cold, which is one of my favourite books. I would recommend this book to anyone and will definitely be buying a copy when it is released to read again in the future.

This is the sort of book I look for when reading Japanese literature - a book that seeks to make life better. We follow 5 people as they go the the local libary and find the reference section where the librarian, Sayuri Komachi, sits creating her little felt models. As each person approaches her she was them 'What you are looking for?' and each person seems to be going through a hard time and considering things that we all do at certain times in our lives. They have uncertainty about their jobs, the future - things we can all relate to. They are also looking for specific book recommendations. Komachi gives these people not only a list of books they were expecting, but one that seems totally random and unexpected. She also gives them a bonus gift - a little felt creation that she has made and these objects help people to learn something about themselves, to rediscover something and give them hope. I enjoyed watching each person enter the library, encounter the assistant and the librarian, I enjoyed watching them as they discovered the true meaning of the book and the gift that Komachi had given them. A lovely gentle read.

What You Are Looking For is in The Library is a cosy little read. It's quaint and a little too saccharine at times, but very personable and easy to read. Its charm lies in the light-touch magical realism - it's very much your everyday library but also a space of possibility and wonder.

If you are looking for a wholesome little hug of a novel, this is the one for you.