Tales from the Cafe: The cosy Japanese bestseller, book 2 in the Before the C...

Another charming book in the series. Warm, thoughtful and beautifully written, with stories that are easy to become absorbed in. A lovely read for anyone who enjoys gentle, reflective fiction.

In this second installment of the Japanese hit novel, “Before the Coffee Gets Cold,” we revisit the nondescript basement cafe that magically transports its customers back in time.The four tales contained in this little cozy book are separate episodes connected by the waitress who is instrumental to the time travel of its select patrons while keeping to a set of firm rules, the enigmatic Kazu. One gets a closer glimpse of her character and why she is so taciturn and stoic in her supernatural duty.While the tales are not earth-shattering, they are quietly moving, and the simple, unadorned prose conveys acute feelings of longing for reconciliation, understanding and connection with people we hold dear, whether they be lovers, friends, parents, or spouses, some of whom may have shuffled off this mortal coil.For the understated way the stories flow, and the promise of healing that comes with them, I think this book is worth more than 3.5 stars.

A lovely sequel to Before the coffee gets cold, each person's tale is heartfelt and uplifting and in the background the cafe characters stories are building. Definately a cafe I want to go back to.

It felt comforting to be back in the cafe however some of the stories felt a little too convoluted and it was hard to knit it all together

A beautifully written book with 4 stories that all have a message. I enjoyed the way they intertwined and after reading the first book answered questions raised . Would recommend this book but you need to read the 1st one before

The second instalment of the Before The Coffee Gets Cold series.After finishing the first book, I immediately bought this one and dove straight in. I couldn’t wait to go back to Funiculi Funicula and see who was next to sit in the chair.This book tells the stories of 4 new visitors to the cafe who want to time-travel. Each story is heartbreaking and it had me sobbing again. I love how each person learns a valuable lesson from their experience and uses it to make positive changes in their life.It was great catching up with the cafe's staff, and I absolutely love Miki. She is so adorable and I absolutely love her funny, quirky personality. I really enjoyed learning more about the woman in the white dress and that tragic story, too.I’m really enjoying learning about Japanese culture as well.Overall, this was another 4⭐️ read for me. I really enjoyed the book and will definitely be reading the next in the series. I would have rated it higher but unfortunately, it is a little repetitive throughout which can ruin the mood slightly.

What a great book, thought provoking, sad, comical, and heartwarming stories

Perfect book for anyone who likes short stories, cosy cafes, human connection. I recommend reading the whole series. Good value for money too.

Very good book, a light and enjoyable read that was well written by the author. Made you reflect on your own life.

Congratulations to the author and the translator for this masterpiece. I smiled and cried and couldn’t put it down until I finished it. Both books are great.

Toshikazu Kawaguchi has a beautiful way of keeping the readers engaged even though the premises of this series is known it's interesting how each story uncovers and how characters are described.Definitely reading in sequence helps but individually also worth the read!

Me encantó el primero y ahora he disfrutado mucho con el segundo.

This heart-warming sequel returns to the time-traveling Tokyo café, Funiculi Funicula, and follows four new customers who want to go back in time to change their lives, provided they can return to the present before their cup of coffee gets cold. I had read Before The Coffee gets Cold, the OG book back in 2021 I guess and then I had bought all the others but I didn't get the courage to pick them up until now! @picadorbooks I loved, loved, loved this one! So this story starts where we left off earlier and we see four more people travelling to the past — A husband giving his wife a birthday gift, a boy who couldn't come to his mother's funeral, a man who's raising his friend's daughter as his own and a young man looking for purpose in life. The emotions are so raw you know you want to feel them every. The traditional Japanese theme is more profound in this book than the first, showcasing Tanabata festival and other japanese elements! Overall a beautiful spacer read between strong books and all the Bookstagram engagement 😻