The Haunted Bookstore - Gateway to a Parallel Universe (Light Novel)
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Average rating4
An atmospheric fantasy series for bibliophiles and fans of Japanese ghost stories! (And don't miss the manga adaptation, also from Seven Seas.) Ever since she was three years old, Kaori has lived in a bookstore where the boundaries between the mortal realm and the spirit realm are blurred. Her adoptive father, who lives with her in this magical space, is a spirit himself. One day, Kaori comes across a bleeding young man who has stumbled into the spirit realm just as she did when she was a small child. Though the young man is an exorcist who has vowed revenge against all spirits, Kaori decides to embrace kindness and help him find his way back home. This supernatural book series focuses on a different adventure in each volume and features stunning wraparound cover illustrations by Munashichi.
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Very sweet and a fun dive into Japanese folklore! To be honest, I had a tough time with the last chapter . . . But I did enjoy and appreciate where we ended up. :)
A very heart-warming and lighthearted set of stories about a human woman (20yo) who was found in the spirit world as a young girl and adopted by spirits. It's kind of like a set of vingettes in a very slice-of-life sort of way, but there is one arc that runs though.
I'm not sure who the audience is. The writing seems like it's better for middle grade, but the characters are older teens and there's a brief moment where there's a “huge rack” and “big butt” comment justified because the character is a man — and it was weird. But really the translation seemed a bit weird and off at many times.
I really did enjoy this one and I recommend for an easy, lighthearted, maybe even cozy read, and I think adoptive parents or children might really enjoy this too. Read too if you like stories about spirits, especially from Japanese mythology.
