Book Review: The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop by Takuya Asakura

“For fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, What You Are Looking for Is In the Library, and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop comes an enchanting novel that will linger in your heart long after the last page is turned.”

Goodreads blurb for The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop

Review:

I have been loving this genre of cozy Japanese magical realism books lately. A small part of me was nervous that I would be fatiguing myself with these types of books by picking this up relatively soon after the last one (given it’s not a go-to), but it’s now one of my favorites in the genre. 

Only when the cherry blossoms are in bloom does Sakura’s bookshop appear, and only when a soul in need picks up the right book at the right time. We follow four stories in and out of this bookshop. First is Mio as she grieves the death of her mother. Second is Shingo, an older man dealing with dementia and a wedding anniversary without his wife at his side. Third are twins, Shiho and Kaho, confronting what went unspoken between them when they lost a friend in their childhood. Lastly is Kozue and her personal connection with the bookshop. 

Of the four stories, I was the most invested in Shiho and Kaho’s. I could have read a full-length novel with those characters alone. I did enjoy all of the stories, though, and it struck the emotional chords of grief without being overwhelming, even taking a comforting approach. It was the perfect before-bed read!

A huge thanks to Harper360 for sending me a free ARC of the book to read and review!

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The way the topic of grief was explored.
• There was a quiet philosophy at the end of the book, which I enjoyed.
• Shiho and Kaho’s story.

What I didn’t like:

• Some passages were repetitive. It may have been intentional (for example, the pronunciation of the cat’s name), but I found it irritating.
• I wish the book were even just 100 pages longer so it could tie up some of the loose ends within the stories.

Afterthoughts:

The PR box for this book was so lovely! I wish the cherry blossom scent on the book could have lasted forever!

@oceanwriter_

And the box smells like cherry blossoms 😍🌸 Thank you so much @harper360 ! #thevanishingcherryblossombookshop #booktok #arc

♬ Romantique (from “En Cas De Malheur”, 1958) – René Cloërec

Where to buy the book: