books about third places ⋅˚₊‧ ✧.* ⋅˚₊‧
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The Rainfall Market
You Yeong-Gwang · 2025
If you could swap your life for a better one, which would you choose?<br/><br/>On the outskirts of Rainbow Town, there is an old, abandoned house. They say that if you send a letter detailing your misfortunes there, you could receive a ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you'll be granted entrance into the mysterious Rainfall Market—where you can choose to completely change your life.<br/><br/>No one is more surprised than Serin when she receives a ticket. Lonely and with no real prospects for a future, Serin ventures to the market, determined to create a better life for herself.<br/><br/>There, she meets a magical cat companion named Issha and they search through bookstores, perfumeries, and fantastical realms while Serin tries to determine what her perfect life will look like.<br/><br/>The catch? Serin only has one week to find her happiness or be doomed to vanish into the market forever.<br/><br/>And all the while, a shadow follows quietly behind them…
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The Cat Who Saved the Library
Sōsuke Natsukawa · 2025
The Diary of a Bookseller
Shaun Bythell · 2017
The Door-to-Door Bookstore
Carsten Henn · 2023
The Dallergut Dream Department Store
Miye Lee · 2024
THE #1 KOREAN BESTSELLER WITH OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD<br/><br/>For fans of magical realism and the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi comes this cozy fantasy debut.<br/><br/>What if there was a store that sold dreams? Which would you buy? And who might you become when you wake up?<br/><br/>In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there's a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died.<br/><br/>For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at Dallergut is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including Dallergut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer, and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish.<br/><br/>A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life.
The Miracles of the Namiya General Store
Keigo Higashino · 2019
Dinner at the Night Library
Hika Harada · 2025
<b>The Night Library is no ordinary library. </b><b>Within it are found the rarest and most unusual collections - the books of deceased famous writers:</b><br> <br> <b>the books they wrote;</b><br> <br> <b>the books that inspired them;</b><br> <br> <b>the books they loved.</b> All Otaha Higuchi wants to do is work with books. However, the exhausting nature of her work at a chain bookstore, combined with her paltry salary and irritating manager quickly bring reality crashing down around her.<br> <br> <br> <br> She is on the verge of quitting when she receives a message from somebody calling themselves 'Seven Rainbows', inviting her to apply for a job at a library with no name, a place referred to simply as 'The Night Library'.<br> <br> <br> <br> After successfully passing the interview, Otaha arrives at The Night Library and her sunny personality immediately earns her comparisons with Anne of Green Gables. For the very first time she feels she has found her place in the world. As well as a treasure trove of books, the library houses a group of likeminded literary misfits, including a legendary chef who prepares incredible meals for the library's employees at the end of each day.<br> <br> <br> <br> Together they embark on a series of bookish adventures. But when the library's mysterious owner decides to temporarily close the library, Otaha and her friends fear that it may not reopen and that the peace they have found there will forever be lost to them. <br> <br> <br> <br> Is their friendship and their faith in the value of books strong enough to save it? And what will remain if it isn't? <br> <br> <br> <br> <i>Dinner at the Night Library</i> is a heartwarming literary mystery translated by Philip Gabriel, the translator of <i>IQ84</i> and <i>The Travelling Cat Chronicles</i>, filled with quirky characters, Japanese culture and mouthwatering meals. It asks why books matter and offers a cheer of encouragement to everybody who believes they do. Ultimately, it is a paean to reading and the relevance of books through the ages--past, present, and future.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>
The Full Moon Coffee Shop
Mai Mochizuki · 2024
Translated from the Japanese bestseller, this charming and magical novel, inspired by the myth of cats returning favors to those who care for them, reminds us that it’s never too late to follow our stars.<br/><br/>In Japan, cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might just find yourself invited to a mysterious coffee shop under a glittering Kyoto moon.<br/><br/>This particular coffee shop is like no other. It has no fixed location, no fixed hours, and seemingly appears at random to adrift young people at crucial junctions in their lives.<br/><br/>It’s also run by talking cats.<br/><br/>While customers at the Full Moon Coffee Shop partake in cakes, coffees, and teas, the cats also consult them on their star charts, offer cryptic wisdom, and let them know where their lives have veered off course<br/><br/>Because every person who visits the shop has been feeling more than a little lost. And for a down-on-her-luck screenwriter, a romantically stuck movie director, a hopeful hairstylist, and a technologically challenged website designer, the feline guides will set them back on their fated paths. After all, there is a reason the shop appeared to each of them…
Goodnight Tokyo
Yoshida Atsuhiro · 2025
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop
Hwang Bo-reum · 2023
WATERSTONES BEST FICTION BOOKS OF 2023 PICK WOMEN & HOME NOVEMBER BOOK OF THE MONTH iPaper TOP FICTION PICK 'An absolutely charming novel that all bookworms will adore' Red 'A balm for the soul and a glorious love letter to books and reading' iPaper There was only one thing on her mind. 'I must start a bookshop.' Yeongju did everything she was supposed to, go to university, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart. Burned out, Yeongju abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, and follows her dream. She opens a bookshop. In a quaint neighbourhood in Seoul, surrounded by books, Yeongju and her customers take refuge. From the lonely barista to the unhappily married coffee roaster, and the writer who sees something special in Yeongju - they all have disappointments in their past. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop becomes the place where they all learn how to truly live. A heart-warming story about finding comfort and acceptance in your life – and the healing power of books. 'Delightful, reflective and heart-warming' Woman's Weekly 'Profound and healing … a beautiful story at its heart' Woman & Home 'An incredibly exciting debut novel. At once gentle and invigorating. I devoured it' Sarah Crossan, author of Here is the Beehive Reader Reviews: 'Love love love this book! Cosy, heart warming, wholesome...Will be recommending this to everyone. It makes me smile when I think about it!' 'Such a beautiful book, I adored the story and characters, The writing style was gorgeous. 100% recommend.' 'A love letter to books, bookshops and all who love them' 'Such a warm and cosy read! Was completely here for it...and the appreciation for books was magical' 'A heart-warming cosy read that makes you think about how important it is to be happy, and that we can all find a place to call 'home'.'
The Amberglow Candy Store
Hiyoko Kurisu · 2025
The Wizard's Bakery
Gu Byeong -Mo · 2025
The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop
Takuya Asakura · 2026
The Nakano Thrift Shop
Hiromi Kawakami · 2017
The Passengers on the Hankyu Line
Hiro Arikawa · 2025
The People on Platform 5
Pooley Clare · 2023
The Chibineko Kitchen
Yuta Takahashi · 2024
Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Toshikazu Kawaguchi · 2019
We’ll Prescribe You a Cat
Syou Ishida Ishida · 2025
The Cat Who Saved Books
Sosuke Natsukawa · 2021
The Restaurant Of Lost Recipes
Kashiwai, Hisashi · 2024
The menu of happiness
Hisashi Kashiwai · 2025
The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen
Yuta Takahashi · 2025
The Kamogawa Food Detectives
Kashiwai Hisashi · 2023
The Kamogawa Food Detectives, translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is the first book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold.<br/><br/>What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time?<br/><br/>Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner treats its customers to wonderfully extravagant meals. But that's not the main reason to stop by . . .<br/><br/>The father-daughter duo have started advertising their services as 'food detectives'. Through ingenious investigations, they are capable of recreating a dish from their customers' pasts – dishes that may well hold the keys to forgotten memories and future happiness.<br/><br/>From the widower looking for a specific noodle dish that his wife used to cook, to a first love's beef stew, the restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to the past – and a way to a more contented future.<br/><br/>A bestseller in Japan, The Kamogawa Food Detectives is a celebration of good company and the power of a delicious meal.
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop
Hwang Bo-reum · 2024
More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
Satoshi Yagisawa · 2024
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
Satoshi Yagisawa · 2023
The wise and charming international bestseller and hit Japanese movie—about a young woman who loses everything but finds herself—a tale of new beginnings, romantic and family relationships, and the comfort that can be found in books. Twenty-five-year-old Takako has enjoyed a relatively easy existence—until the day her boyfriend Hideaki, the man she expected to wed, casually announces he’s been cheating on her and is marrying the other woman. Suddenly, Takako’s life is in freefall. She loses her job, her friends, and her acquaintances, and spirals into a deep depression. In the depths of her despair, she receives a call from her distant uncle Satoru. An unusual man who has always pursued something of an unconventional life, especially after his wife Momoko left him out of the blue five years earlier, Satoru runs a second-hand bookshop in Jimbocho, Tokyo’s famous book district. Takako once looked down upon Satoru’s life. Now, she reluctantly accepts his offer of the tiny room above the bookshop rent-free in exchange for helping out at the store. The move is temporary, until she can get back on her feet. But in the months that follow, Takako surprises herself when she develops a passion for Japanese literature, becomes a regular at a local coffee shop where she makes new friends, and eventually meets a young editor from a nearby publishing house who’s going through his own messy breakup. But just as she begins to find joy again, Hideaki reappears, forcing Takako to rely once again on her uncle, whose own life has begun to unravel. Together, these seeming opposites work to understand each other and themselves as they continue to share the wisdom they’ve gained in the bookshop. Translated By Eric Ozawa
Days at the Yanaka Café
Satoshi Yagisawa · 2025
What You Are Looking for is in the Library
Aoyama Michiko · 2024
The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park
Michiko Aoyama · 2025
The Healing Season of Pottery
Yeon Somin · 2024
Letters From The Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop
Kenji Ueda · 2024
For Lovers Of Before The Coffee Gets Cold And Days At The Morisaki Bookshop, A New Book About The Beauty Of Humble Objects, The Power Of Writing, And Reconnecting With Those You Have Lost. Write Your Story, Heal Your Heart . . . Hidden Away In A Corner Of The Ginza Neighbourhood Is A Venerable Stationery Shop. To Venture Inside Is To Find Everything Your Stationery-loving Heart Desires, From The Most Delicate Paper To Fountain Pens That Fit Exactly To The Shape Of Your Hand To Gorgeously Coloured Inks. The Shop Owner Intuits Your Every Need, Inviting You To Take A Seat At A Small Wooden Table On The Top Floor, Where You'll Find The Words Flowing, Helping You Unlock Repressed Memories, Secret Longings And Your Own Mysteries. To This Shop Comes A Young Company Employee, Uncertain In His Career And Needing A Connection Back To His Past; The Hostess Of An Elegant Club; The Vice-captain Of A High-school Archery Team, An Ageing Businessman And A Formerly Homeless Sushi Chef. With Impeccable Manners And A Warm Demeanour, The Shop Owner Helps Each Of Them With More Than Just Their Stationery Needs.
Marigold Mind Laundry
Jungeun Yun · 2024
Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat
Kim Ji Yoon · 2024
Convenience Store by the Sea
Sonoko Machida · 2024
<p><i>'</i>The Convenience Store by the Sea <i>makes magic from life's simple moments . . . an unexpected treasure revealing what's truly important in life. I will hold it close for when I need a reminder!'</i> <b>Laurie Gilmore, bestselling author of</b> <b>The Pumpkin Spice Cafe</b><br> <br> <i>'If you loved</i> Before The Coffee Gets Cold <i>you will love this!'<br> <br> 'A perfect, feel-good story about finding joy in unexpected connections, ideal for those who love a cosy, heartwarming escape!'</i><br> <br> <i>'Bubble bath fiction'</i> <b><i>The Herald</i></b><br> <br> <i>'A delightful tale of community and connection'</i> <b>My</b> <b>Weekly</b><br> <br> <b>Welcome to Tenderness!</b><br> <br> A quaint seaside town in Kitakyushu, Mojiko is full of hidden delights. And one unexpected treasure is the 24/7 convenience store, Tenderness.<br> <br> At first glance, it's a store like any other.<br> <br> Sure, it's a bit odd that the handsome manager has his own fan club. And perhaps the customers are somewhat eccentric. But there's a warmth about Tenderness that draws you in.<br> <br> The bright lights are always on. The employees know you by name. And the shelves are stacked with delicious treats, from strong hot coffee to sweet parfaits, egg sandos to ramen, crispy fried chicken to refreshing soba.<br> <br> After a while, you get the feeling that whatever you need might just be waiting for you here...<br> <br> <b><i>The Convenience Store by the Sea</i> is</b> <b>the heartwarming international bestseller from award-winning Japanese author Sonoko Machida. A a series of interconnected vignettes set in a 24/7 Japanese convenience store, the novel tells the delightfully quirky and heartfelt stories of the store's customers and employees, offering us all a unique recipe for a good, fulfilling life<i>.</i> Translated by Bruno Navasky.</b></p>
The Second Chance Convenience Store
Kim Ho-Yeon · 2025
In this million-copy international bestseller from Korea, the owner of a corner store takes in an unhoused man who does a good deed, a kind soul whose presence will transform the whole neighborhood—a heartwarming tale of community and redemption reminiscent of the bestselling novels of Matt Haig and Gabrielle Zevin. Dok-go lives in Seoul Station. He can’t remember his past, and the only thing he knows for certain is that he could really use a drink. When he finds a lost wallet filled with documents, his life is drastically changed. Mrs. Yeom, a retired history teacher and current owner of her neighborhood’s corner store, is distraught over the loss of her purse, until she receives a mysterious call from the person who found it. To thank this down-on-his-luck stranger, she offers him a free meal from the convenience store. Seeing the joy the food brings him, Mrs. Yeom impulsively invites him to stop by for lunch every day. In a twist of fate, Dok-go saves the store from a robber—a brave act that propels Mrs. Yeom to offers the bear-like man a job working the night shift, despite the objections of her wary employees. The store’s new employee quickly wins over the quirky denizens of the neighborhood, becoming a welcoming ear and source of advice for his coworkers and neighbors’ problems, and helping his new boss save the store from financial ruin. But just when things are looking up for Dok-go, Mrs. Yeom's good-for-nothing son, eager to sell the store, hires a detective to dig into the mysterious man’s past and what he seems to be trying so hard to forget. The Second Chance Convenience Store is a moving and joyful story of a woman fighting for her community and a man who has lost everything except the will to try again.
