Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #847, Author! Author!
by muffy
The Three Lives of Cate Kay * * * (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook), debut novel by Emmy Award-winning sports journalist (and a former WNBL player) Kate Fagan, is one of the most anticipated releases in the new year, and the January pick of Reese’s Book Club.
Bestselling novelist Cate Kay, elusive author of the blockbuster trilogy The Very Best is about to discover how hard the media is trying to expose her, with the filming of the series adaptation about to begin, starring the current ‘it” girl Ryan Channing. The narrative, framed as Kay's unpublished memoir, gradually unravels her story.
Anne Marie (called Annie) raised by a single mother in upstate New York, shared the dream of escaping to Hollywood with best friend and fellow thespian Amanda, after high school. A tragic accident the night before their departure forced Annie to travel alone, taking on the identity of Cass Ford, falling in with an ambitious law student named Sydney Collins. The pair moved to New York City and Cass began writing while working as a barista.
“The story is presented as Cate Kay's memoir and sprinkled with her own footnotes, but it also offers brief chapters from the first-person viewpoints of many other characters, implying that Cass has reached out to them for their perspectives. Through this documentary-like setup, author Fagan is able to round out the picture of Annie/Cass/Cate and the way she's coped with various traumas. “(Kirkus Reviews)
“Though the pace is leisurely, the tension of the story is taut and explores how ambitions clash with genuine connection and test the humanity of compassionate relationships. It is intimate and personal and digs into the often-opaque motivations of its characters. At its heart, it is about how we deal--or don't deal--when tragedy strikes. Fagan's (All the Colors Came Out, 2021) journalism-honed observational skills make her fiction debut shine.” (Booklist)
* * * = 3 starred reviews
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Picture Books to Pore Over
by evelyn
Do you have a kid bored at home? Try these detailed picture books you can get lost in!
Journey by Aaron Becker | Request Now
Aaron Becker’s wordless picture book is a magical tale to share with kids. In the style of Harold and the Purple Crayon, this Caldecott honor book tells the tale of a girl who draws herself into a adventurous world. Wordless books are great for stretching the imaginations of both pre-readers and readers alike. Kids will love telling the story of what they see unfold in the pages of Journey.
Where’s Waldo by Martin Handford | Request Now
Where’s Waldo is a classic for a reason! This series has been charming kids since its introduction in the 1980s. In this new title, everything has gone topsy turvy! The wizard has lost his magic staff and as a result, no one is where they should be. There are robots in the Stone Age, surfers in the Colosseum, and a lost polar bear to keep track of. Yikes!
1, 2, 3, Off to School! by Marianne Dubuc | Request Now
French Canadian illustrator Marianne Dubuc has so many beautifully detailed books that it’s hard to pick just one! This adorable school outing is a great place to start. Pom, a tiny human child with an enviable collection of animal friends, can’t wait to go to school! But since they still have to wait an entire year before Kindergarten, they decide to tag along with their animal friends for a day. What is squirrel school like? How do turtles and bears study? Find it all in the adorable book!
The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by Chloe Savage | Request Now
Dr. Morley has a boat, a crew, and a wish- to find the legendary giant Arctic jellyfish. While she searches high and low for it, is it also searching for her? This book combines wonderfully detailed and realistic drawings of an arctic exploration vessel with the adorable hint of a jellyfish peering up. Search for the jellyfish yourself or just follow along with Dr. Morley’s hunt- either way you’re in for a fun ride.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Graphic Novels that Celebrate Food
by erin
Since we tend to eat with our eyes before we taste our food the intersection of graphic novels with food makes for some amazing reading!
What Did You Eat Yesterday Vol. 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga | Request Now 
A hard-working middle-aged gay couple in Tokyo come to enjoy the finer moments of life through food. After long days at work, either in the law firm or the hair salon, Shiro and Kenji will always have down time together by the dinner table, where they can discuss their troubles, hash out their feelings and enjoy delicately prepared home cooked meals! There are multiple volumes of the manga series to keep you salivating! It was also turned into a live-action TV show in Japan, but does not appear to available to stream.
Relish My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisely | Request Now 
Lucy Knisley loves food. The daughter of a chef and a gourmet, this talented young cartoonist comes by her obsession honestly. In her forthright, thoughtful, and funny memoir, Lucy traces key episodes in her life thus far, framed by what she was eating at the time and lessons learned about food, cooking, and life. Each chapter is bookended with an illustrated recipe-- many of them treasured family dishes, and a few of them Lucy's original inventions.
Chef's Kiss by Jarrett Melendez | Request Now
Now that college is over, English graduate Ben Cook is on the job hunt looking for something...anything...related to his passion for reading and writing. But interview after interview, hiring committee after hiring committee, Ben soon learns getting the dream job won't be as easy as he thought. Proofreading? Journalism? Copywriting? Not enough experience. It turns out he doesn't even have enough experience to be a garbage collector! But when Ben stumbles upon a Now Hiring--No Experience Necessary sign outside a restaurant, he jumps at the chance to land his first job. Plus, he can keep looking for a writing job in the meantime. He's actually not so bad in the kitchen, but he will have to pass a series of cooking tests to prove he's got the culinary skills to stay on full-time. But it's only temporary...right? When Ben begins developing a crush on Liam, one of the other super dreamy chefs at the restaurant, and when he starts ditching his old college friends and his old writing job plans, his career path starts to become much less clear.
Meal by Blue Delliquanti | Request Now
Yarrow is a young chef determined to make her mark on the cutting edge of cookery with her insect-based creations. Though her enthusiasm is infectious, it rubs some of her fellow cooks the wrong way, especially Chanda Flores, Yarrow's personal hero and executive chef of an exciting new restaurant. Her people have been eating bugs for centuries, and she's deeply suspicious of this newbie's attempt to turn her traditions into the next foodie trend. While Chanda and her scrappy team of talented devotees struggle to open on time, Yarrow must win over Chanda -- and Milani, the neighbor she's been crushing on for weeks -- or lose this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve her dreams
Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley | Request Now
Katie's got it pretty good. She's a talented young chef, she runs a successful restaurant, and she has big plans to open an even better one. Then, all at once, progress on the new location bogs down, her charming ex-boyfriend pops up, her fling with another chef goes sour, and her best waitress gets badly hurt. And just like that, Katie's life goes from pretty good to not so much. What she needs is a second chance. Everybody deserves one, after all--but they don't come easy. Luckily for Katie, a mysterious girl appears in the middle of the night with simple instructions for a do-it-yourself do-over: 1. Write your mistake 2. Ingest one mushroom 3. Go to sleep 4. Wake anew. And just like that, all the bad stuff never happened, and Katie is given another chance to get things right. She's also got a dresser drawer full of magical mushrooms--and an irresistible urge to make her life not just good, but perfect. Too bad it's against the rules. But Katie doesn't care about the rules--and she's about to discover the unintended consequences of the best intentions
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Retellings of Classics
by walkerk
It's fun to see different spins on classic stories—here are a handful of retellings of classic teen books, specifically of Pride and Prejudice, Twelfth Night, Robin Hood, and The Legend of King Arthur. Although the books in this list are YA, many adult readers have found joy in some of them as well. There are too many good retellings to mention, so if you've read any lately, please share! The more, the merrier.
Pride by Ibi Zoboi | Request Now
Zuri Benitez has pride, but that might not be enough to save her gentrifying neighborhood. When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, falls for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. With four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, some boy vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape.
While a couple of books on this list may transcend audience categories, this retelling of Pride and Prejudice is moreso for teens. Written with care and exploring issues such as race, cultural differences, and family, Pride is an imaginative, lighthearted, and refreshing take on a beloved story. Readers enjoyed the poetic elements throughout, as well as seeing how Zoboi nods to Pride and Prejudice while managing to write a unique story all the same.
The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake | Request Now
After surviving the Lyric's shipwreck, Violet and Sam's great-great-great-grandmother founded Lyric, Maine. Shipped back to Lyric while her brother is in treatment for attempting to take his own life, Violet is haunted by the shipwreck she and Sam had always dreamed of discovering. She embarks on a mission to locate the Lyric, lying hidden in a watery grave. She finds a fellow wreck hunter in Liv Stone, an amateur local historian with sparkling intelligence and guarded gray eyes. The journey Violet takes—and the bridges she builds along the way—may be the start of something like survival.
As a reimagining of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night many readers found The Last True Poets of the Sea to be comforting, like a warm hug, with witty, thoughtful, lyrical narration, and a character-focused story. This title explores heavier topics, so please take care and check for content that you would like to avoid. Though, alongside its heavy themes, it carries an adventurous and hopeful air.
Travelers Along the Way by Aminah Mae Safi | Request Now 
Jerusalem, 1192. The Third Crusade rages on. Rahma al-Hud loyally followed her elder sister Zeena into the war over the Holy Land, but all Rahma wants to do is get them home alive. Zeena refuses to give up the fight, so Rahma takes on one final mission with her sister. On their journey to Jerusalem, Rahma and Zeena come across a motley collection of fellow travelers. The teens find solace, purpose, camaraderie, and a healthy bit of mischief in each other's company. It falls to this merry band of misfits to use every scrap of cunning, wit, and thievery to foil the usurper queen, and perhaps finally restore peace to the land.
Readers describe this inclusive, fast-paced retelling of Robin Hood as clever, fun, and entertaining, with Travelers Along the Way exploring beautiful new perspectives and themes, particularly expanding upon the found-family trope. The story features good character development and playfulness that even extends to its chapter titles. If you're a fan of found families heisting and thieving with good intentions, this one's for you.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn | Request Now 
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews thinks a residential program for bright high schoolers is the perfect escape from her life—until she witnesses: a flying demon, a secret society of “Legendborn” students hunting creatures, and a mysterious teenage mage, a “Merlin,” who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory. The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory. Now, knowing there’s more to her mother’s death, Bree will do whatever it takes to discover the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as an initiate.
As a retelling of The Legend of King Arthur, many readers describe Legendborn as an adventurous, mysterious, smart, and enthralling read with fun and inventive world-building, a creative magic system, fantastic character development, and complex and layered themes. This is a popular title, but get yourself in the queue; let this book draw you into its intricate world.
Blog Post
Best of the Best 2024
by muffy
Goodreads Readers’ Favorite Books 2024
Library Journal’s (114) Best Books of 2024
NPR's staff consumed culture in every imaginable form, and now that the end of the year is upon us, it had gathered all of its favorites right here: The Best of 2024: Our favorite movies, TV, books, music and games, all in one place.
100 Notable Books of 2024, selected by the editors of The New York Times Book Review. Here are their picks of The 10 Best Books of 2024
The 2024 New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books
The 10 winners are chosen each year by a rotating panel of three expert judges who made their selections from the nearly 800 books by authors and illustrators around the world, purely on the basis of artistic merit.
New York Times named The Best Audio Book of 2024, whether its “(v)oices, cadence, pacing: these 8 sublime audiobooks do everything right.”
The Best Book Covers of 2024 when a New York Times book review art director selects the book jackets that made a compelling impression. Feast for your eyes!
The New Yorker picked its The Best Books of 2024
Kirkus Reviews’ 100 Best Fiction Books of the Year. For the genre readers, here are: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historicals, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy. For readers with special interests: Best Book Club Picks, Short Fiction, Debut Fiction and Fiction in Translation.
Kirkus Reviews’ Best 100 Picture Books of 2024 and the funniest.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Stream It on AADL.org!
by emjane
Great news! There’s a ton of excellent video to stream via your aadl.org catalog! You can browse the whole collection of more than 10,000 videos, or check out some recommended picks below:
Kids Content
Brand new to AADL streaming, we’ve got a whole bunch of content made especially for kids! Watch animated classics like Arthur, Franklin, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Learn something from the History Kids or Kratts Creatures. Or curl up with a good book with Reading Rainbow or Storybook Classics
Nature Documentaries
There are nature documentary series aplenty available to stream. Why not check out the classic Planet Earth? Or Blue Planet? Frozen Planet? (We’ve got a lot of Planet content!) Learn about Big Cats or see what happens with Animals With Cameras
BBC Classics
Bite into a film adaptation of a book with any of these BBC literary classics! David Copperfield | Emma | Great Expectations | Jane Eyre | Lorna Doone | Mansfield Park |Pride and Prejudice | Sense & Sensibility (and many more!)
PBS Docuseries
Imagine rather than having to wait for your favorite series to air on PBS, you could just pull them up via your local library catalog? No need to imagine, it’s your reality! Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr. is always intriguing, and I’m a huge fan of the science and history explored in NOVA. Or catch up with episodes of American Experience!
And there’s so much more! HBO’s Chernobyl, A&E’s Biography, History Channel’s Modern Marvels all the Ken Burns your heart desires, and more just waiting for you to find it!
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Kids Comics about Standing Out
by nicole
These middle-grade comics are all about standing out! Being in the spotlight can be exciting and scary. Check out these stories about tough tryouts, unlikely dance partners, theater camp crushes, and ambitious art clubs!
The Tryout by Christina Soontornvat | Request Now
As one of the only Asian Americans in her school, Christina confronts both well-meaning ignorance and cruel racism, but in middle school fitting in is important, which is why she and her best friend Megan are both excited and nervous to try out for the popular cheerleading squad. When cheerleading tryouts are announced, Christina and her best friend, Megan, literally jump at the chance to join the squad. As two of the only kids of color in the school, they have always yearned to fit in -- and the middle school cheerleaders are popular and accepted by everyone. But will the girls survive the terrifying tryouts, with their whole grade watching? And will their friendship withstand the pressures of competition? Readers who enjoy the first book can find its sequel, The Squad, in the catalog!
Upstaged by Robin Easter | Request Now
In a summer of goodbyes and new beginnings, shy Ashton Price hopes to confess to their theater camp crush in this heartfelt middle-grade graphic novel. Ever since sixth grade, Ashton Price and their best friend and enduring crush, Ivy Santos, have spent their summers together at theater camp. Now it’s their last year before they part ways for high school, and Ash is determined to end it on a high note! With Ash as stage manager and Ivy the lead in this year’s musical, this summer’s shaping up to be everything the two could have hoped for. Maybe Ash will even work up the courage to ask Ivy out! But between Ivy rehearsing long hours with her co-lead and Ash throwing themself into an ambitious stage production, will they end up drifting apart instead? As summer wanes and September looms, Ash and Ivy’s friendship will change forever, one way or another.
Swing by Audrey Meeker | Request Now
This middle-grade story explores complicated friendships, gender norms, and the struggle of navigating other people's expectations. Marcus McCalister wants to fit in. So much so that he’s still playing on a soccer team with his childhood friend Ted, despite not liking soccer — or Ted — all that much. Izzy Briggs wants to stand out. Being labeled the “weird kid” for her bold fashion choices is the price an aspiring designer must pay for a life of greatness—but being confident isn't always easy. So when Izzy and Marcus are paired together to perform a swing dance routine for a gym project, it’s no surprise that everything goes up in flames, including their grade in the class. Until their gym teacher proposes a deal: if the pair performs the swing routine in the upcoming talent show, they’ll receive extra credit and a passing grade. They accept. . . but Izzy has her own proposal for Marcus: this time, she gets to be the lead.
Art Club by Rashad Doucet | Request Now
Inspired by the author’s own childhood, this middle-grade graphic novel paints a picture of an aspiring young artist on a mission to prove that the arts are worth fighting for. Dale Donavan has heard the same lecture over and over again: Art will get you nowhere in life. A kid with a creative streak, Dale wants nothing more than to doodle, play video games, and create comics forever—maybe even as a full-time job one day. But between his grandfather pushing him to focus on his studies and a school with zero interest in funding arts programs, Dale feels like his future has already been decided for him. That is, until he comes up with the perfect plan: What if he starts an after-school art club, gathers a team of creative students like himself, and proves all the naysayers—his stubborn vice principal in particular—wrong? This might just work, but if the club isn’t financially successful by the end of the semester, the school with shut them down. This may be Dale’s only chance to show the adults in his life that a career as an artist is not just a dream but a possibility!
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Charming Holiday Romances
by eapearce
Cozy up this season with some of these fun new holiday romance novels!
Love You A Latke, by Amanda Elliot | Request Now
Abby is the only Jewish woman on her small Vermont town’s council, and because of this she’s been pigeonholed into planning their first ever Hanukkah festival. Unfortunately, most of her fellow council-members are uneducated about the meaning of the holiday and Abby’s having trouble getting the support and funding she needs to make the festival a meaningful one. Desperate, she reaches out online to see if there are any other Jewish people in the area who might be willing to help out. It turns out there is one—Seth, who annoys Abby immediately with his sunny personality and insistence on visiting her at her cafe every morning. He has connections to a huge Jewish community in New York City and can introduce Abby to all the vendors she needs to make the festival a success… if Abby can tolerate him. This sweet story shows that sometimes, breaking down our emotional walls is worth it: both for the success of our dreams and, maybe, for true love?
The Merry Matchmaker, by Sheila Roberts | Request Now
In this cheery Christmas themed story, a woman can’t resist trying to help everyone around her, even when her help is unasked for, unwanted and sometimes even leads to disaster. Author Sheila Roberts was inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma when she wrote her character of Frankie Lane. Frankie seems to know what’s best for everyone in her life, but doesn’t spend much time thinking about what might be best for her. She’s determined to help her divorced sister find new love, her shy employee to come out of her shell and her chocolate-making daughter to start her own shop. She’s also determined to help Mitch, the local hardware store owner, find a new woman after his recent divorce. He and Frankie have been friends for years and he was her support system when her husband passed away in a freak accident. Any lady would be lucky to have him, Frankie just needs to find the right one…. Readers will smile at Frankie’s blunders, and root for her all the way to the last page of this festive romance.
Three Holidays and a Wedding, by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Staphy | Request Now
Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson are seatmates on a December flight to Toronto. They’re traveling there for vastly different reasons: Maryam is headed to her sister’s impromptu wedding and Anna is excited to meet her boyfriend’s family for the first time. All is going well, until unexpected turbulence forces the plane to redirect and make an emergency landing, and Maryam and Anna find themselves confessing their deepest hopes and fears to one another as they cross their fingers that they’ll land safely. The plane does indeed land safely, in a snowbound town where the passengers, including Anna, Maryam, Maryam’s sister’s entire bridal party, and Saif, the love of Maryam’s life (who happened to be sitting behind the two women on the plane and overheard their entire conversation) are forced to stay at the quirky Snow Falls Inn. It’s not where anyone expected to be, but as Maryam works to repair things with Saif and Anna realizes that an actor she’s had a crush on forever just happens to be filming a movie at the Inn, the women find themselves getting into the holiday spirit after all.
Bright Lights, Big Christmas, by Mary Kay Andrews | Request Now
Kerry Oliver is not in a great place. She’s newly single and she’s just lost her job and she desperately needs a second chance at, well, life. She’d never planned on moving back to her family’s Christmas tree farm in North Carolina but she’s out of options so that’s where she heads. She no sooner arrives, though, when she’s guilt tripped into heading to New York City for two months with her brother Murphy to sell trees out of a trailer in the East Village. It’s definitely not how Kerry expected to spend the holidays but, again, she doesn’t have much of a choice. When she meets Patrick, an annoying Mercedes owner who keeps taking her parking spot, she’s unimpressed. But as she finds out more about him: he’s recently divorced, the father to a charming six-year-old son, and lives just down the street from the Christmas tree trailer, she begins to wonder if first impressions can be wrong. Filled with the magic of Christmas in the city, readers will root for Kerry to find love and happiness again—and for her to sell lots of Christmas trees!
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Slice-of-Life Graphic Novels
by walkerk
Slice of life is a genre that explores the mundane events of a character's everyday life. Do you ever just wanna see your favorite character have fun at a party without an overarching doomsday plot? If so, this is the genre for you! Naturally, most of these stories are more personal and have lower stakes, but their tone can vary. If you're interested in ending the year with a handful of sweet, tender, and/or more lighthearted slice-of-life stories, here are five titles to explore:
Young Adult:
Himawari House by Harmony Becker | Request Now
Living in a new country is no walk in the park. When Nao returns to Tokyo to reconnect with her Japanese heritage, she books a yearlong stay at the Himawari sharehouse. There, she meets Hyejung and Tina, two other girls who came to Japan to freely forge their own paths. The trio live together, share meals, and even attend the same Japanese-language school, which results in them becoming fast friends. But will they be able to hold one another up as life tests them with new loves, old heartbreaks, and the everyday challenges of being fish out of water?
This tender and heartfelt slice of life features coming-of-age themes, dynamic black and white art, and big questions around identity and belonging. Readers felt as though they were given time to really connect with and live alongside the characters, with Becker's writing easily bringing their world to life.
Witch Hat Atelier Kitchen by Hiromi Sato | Request Now 
Night falls on the Witch Hat Atelier, and Coco and her fellow apprentices take to their beds. In the quiet of midnight, Qifrey and Olruggio are finally free to pursue their culinary experiments. The magic of the kitchen comes alive as they cook puddings, stews, parfaits, and jellies, and when the sun rises, Coco and the gang are there to savor every bite!
In this Witch Hat Atelier spinoff, magic is in the kitchen as Qifrey and the gang whip up everything their hearts desire. If you haven't read Witch Hat, don't worry! Newcomers looking for an introduction to the world are more than welcome to start here, and all readers are invited to recreate recipes using the step-by-step instructions included within the book. Relax and have fun with this food-focused slice of life.
Giant Days by John Alison | Request Now
Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But in the face of hand-wringing boys, "personal experimentation," influenza, mystery-mold, nu-chauvinism, and the willful, unwanted intrusion of "academia," they may be lucky just to make it to spring alive. Going off to university is always a time of change and growth, but things are about to get a little weird.
With its lighthearted and fun tone, Giant Days follows its three main characters and their first taste of freedom after starting college. This title has a similar vibe to Scott Pilgrim—especially with fourth-wall breaks—and it's filled with sharp dialogue and vibrant art to match. If you enjoy this title, volume two awaits.
Adult:
Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser | Request Now 
Through five connected short story comics, Wash Day Diaries follows four best friends—Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie—and the ups and downs of their daily lives in the Bronx. Each short story uses hair routines as a window into these characters' lives and how they care for each other.
From self-care to spilling the tea at an hours-long salon appointment to healing family rifts, Wash Day Diaries is a touching, triumphant, and funny title that pays loving tribute to Black joy. Touched by these unique and heartwarming stories, with beautifully drawn characters and color palettes that reflect each story's mood, readers were often left craving more.
A Sign of Affection by Suu Morishita | Request Now
Yuki, who's always been deaf, is used to communicating with sign language and her phone, but she's not used to English. So when a tourist from overseas asks for directions, she nearly panics until a handsome stranger steps in to help. This stranger's name is Itsuomi, and it turns out that he's a friend-of-a-friend, a fellow student, and a charismatic globetrotter who speaks three languages—but sign language isn't one of them. Can the two learn to communicate the budding feelings between them?
Featuring lovable characters that hooked readers in from the first few pages, this cute, romantic slice-of-life follows Yuki's experience as a college student and beautifully captures the beginnings of a romance. If you enjoy this title, volume two eagerly awaits.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #846, Healing Fiction
by muffy
The Full Moon Coffee Shop * * by Mai Mochizuki is “(a) beautifully crafted contemporary fantasy debut”, (Publishers Weekly), a Japanese national bestseller translated by Jesse Kirkwood. (Also available in downloadable eBook and audiobook).
Each of the 5 chapters focuses on an individual whose life is changed by his/her encounter at the mysterious Kyoto coffee shop that appears only on nights of a full moon.
Mizuki Serikawa, once a much sought-after television script writer, now is barely able to support herself writing scripts for supporting characters in a video game dating sim. Her last-ditch pitch to director Akari Nakayama, a former colleague, is rejected. Though sympathetic, Akari was unable to interest the company executives to take a chance. Wandering aimlessly among the Kyoto neighborhoods along the Kamo River, Mizuki chanced upon the Full Moon Coffee Shop, recommended to her by two odd-looking strangers at a bar. This turns out to be a very unusual cat café staffed by feline astrologers, serving up coffee and decadent desserts, and a reading of the customers' horoscopes.
“The coffee shop appears to several other Kyoto residents facing unexpected troubles in their personal and professional lives: director Akari, who's struggling against an unexpected attraction; actor Satsuki Ayukawa, whose career tanked after her affair with a married costar; hairdresser Megumi Hayakawa, who isn't satisfied in what she thought was her dream career; and IT startup founder Takashi Mizumoto, who is plagued with inexplicable tech trouble. The stories of all five characters subtly but cleverly intersect, pointing to an act of kindness in their pasts that gets mystically mirrored back to them in the present." (Publishers Weekly)
In this Sunday’s New York Times Book Reviews, readers will find the delightful article In Tumultuous Times, Readers Turn to ‘Healing Fiction’ - cozy, whimsical novels - often featuring magical cats - that have long been popular in Japan and Korea are taking off globally. Boy, do we need them now!
Readers who enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold (series) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (featured in the NYTimes article), might also be interested in The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa, and The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa.
* * = 2 starred reviews