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The Haunted Bookstore Light Novel #1
The Haunted Bookstore - Gateway to a Parallel Universe (Light Novel), Vol. 1
An atmospheric fantasy series for bibliophiles and fans of Japanese ghost stories! (And don’t miss the manga adaptation, also from Seven Seas.)
Kaori lives in an otherworldly bookstore with her adoptive father. Together, they provide books to the strange denizens of the spirit realm. But Kaori's peaceful days come to an end when she rescues an injured boy from the streets--a human, like her, from the mortal realm. The boy's name is Suimei, and he's an exorcist, the natural enemy of all spirits. Can Kaori convince Suimei that the line between human and spirit is far hazier than he thinks? A touching supernatural tale where humanity and Japanese folklore intertwine!
Kaori lives in an otherworldly bookstore with her adoptive father. Together, they provide books to the strange denizens of the spirit realm. But Kaori's peaceful days come to an end when she rescues an injured boy from the streets--a human, like her, from the mortal realm. The boy's name is Suimei, and he's an exorcist, the natural enemy of all spirits. Can Kaori convince Suimei that the line between human and spirit is far hazier than he thinks? A touching supernatural tale where humanity and Japanese folklore intertwine!
240 pages, Paperback
First published June 22, 2019
61 people are currently reading
1721 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
October 11, 2021
Unfortunately, this book just didn't do it for me. The concept is great. It sounds exactly like something I would love. Our main character, Kaori, is a human who grew up in the spirit world. Her home is a rental bookstore, and she's surrounded by loving friends and adoptive parents. At the beginning of the book, a human exorcist named Suimei starts living in her house. Each chapter is a short story involving different spirits. It's the perfect setup for a heartwarming paranormal slice of life, right?
Yeah, no.
It would've worked if only the book focuses more on the story, be it the overarching plot of Suimei's search for his Inugami partner or even the smaller subplots in each chapter. Instead, we get like pages and pages of all these characters glorifying Kaori and sharing her tales growing up. This causes the interactions to be incredibly superficial instead of heartwarming, and all the things that should've mattered more were taken care of swiftly through a LOT of telling instead of showing. Including the spirits, which should've been featured more prominently. It worked for about two chapters before it got old. There's also a looot of blushing scenes between Kaori and Suimei, which would've been fine if only they have some kind of chemistry. Sadly, so far they haven't shown much so the "romance" feels forced.
Overall, the story feels too flat to invoke any emotions for me. It might work if you like Kaori since she clearly drives the story, but I don't find her particularly interesting so I'm not sure if I'll continue with this series. Also, despite the title, don't expect much from the bookstore part either since the books barely got mentioned and the only role they play is getting delivered by Kaori.
Yeah, no.
It would've worked if only the book focuses more on the story, be it the overarching plot of Suimei's search for his Inugami partner or even the smaller subplots in each chapter. Instead, we get like pages and pages of all these characters glorifying Kaori and sharing her tales growing up. This causes the interactions to be incredibly superficial instead of heartwarming, and all the things that should've mattered more were taken care of swiftly through a LOT of telling instead of showing. Including the spirits, which should've been featured more prominently. It worked for about two chapters before it got old. There's also a looot of blushing scenes between Kaori and Suimei, which would've been fine if only they have some kind of chemistry. Sadly, so far they haven't shown much so the "romance" feels forced.
Overall, the story feels too flat to invoke any emotions for me. It might work if you like Kaori since she clearly drives the story, but I don't find her particularly interesting so I'm not sure if I'll continue with this series. Also, despite the title, don't expect much from the bookstore part either since the books barely got mentioned and the only role they play is getting delivered by Kaori.
January 23, 2022
Although I didn't love this as much as I wanted to, it definitely improved as it went on, with the one chapter not narrated by Kaori being the strongest. I'm not sure if that's because Suimei was a more relatable character or if it had more to do with the content of the chapter; but either way, things definitely took a turn for the better at that point. I'll probably give it a second volume.
August 22, 2021
Kaori wandered into the spirit real as a toddler, a world parallel to ours but inhabited by spirits (yokai for those familiar with Japanese terminology). Instead of being eaten, she was found by friendly spirits and raised as one of their own. Now she is a 20-year adult, working part-time in the real world (in a shop owned by a kappa). Her life is changed when another human, a 17-year old exorcist, is found unconscious in the spirit world and taken to her (and her foster father) house: the haunted bookstore from the title. The young man is looking for a spirit and need help, but being the natural enemy of spirits, he has trouble adjusting to the whole idea of friendly spirits, but together they search for the man's lost friend while he learns about the spirit world and Kaori is shown some things about her life that needed thinking on.
The story is a nice mix of short stories about the Kaori and specific yokai (and their Japanese folklore) with the overarching story of the exorcist looking for his lost friend. While the stories are fairly simple, although entertaining, it leads to character growth and solid world building. The yokai are not human and they have some odd things that clash with human sensibilities. Personally I love the rich imagination of the various yokai, whether the one-legged umbrella spirit, the three-tailed cat that can turn into a tiger and breathes fire and a giant using Fuji as a pillow or the more traditional oni and tengu. No tropes either. It is also a self-contained story.
As is common in Japanese LNs, an odd amount of time is spend on food. I found the final chapter action scene a bit confusing (and done mostly off screen anyway), but since action is not really part of the story, that did not distract too much. The MC does come across a bit too much like a damsel in distress at times. Finally, personally I have no problem when a 17-year old male is romantically involved with a 20-year old female, but it a bit in a grey area, although volume 1 does not contain any real romance.
Still, I enjoy the book and I am looking forward to the next volume. A great introduction to the world of yokai in the Japan of the books and how it is to life among them.
The story is a nice mix of short stories about the Kaori and specific yokai (and their Japanese folklore) with the overarching story of the exorcist looking for his lost friend. While the stories are fairly simple, although entertaining, it leads to character growth and solid world building. The yokai are not human and they have some odd things that clash with human sensibilities. Personally I love the rich imagination of the various yokai, whether the one-legged umbrella spirit, the three-tailed cat that can turn into a tiger and breathes fire and a giant using Fuji as a pillow or the more traditional oni and tengu. No tropes either. It is also a self-contained story.
As is common in Japanese LNs, an odd amount of time is spend on food. I found the final chapter action scene a bit confusing (and done mostly off screen anyway), but since action is not really part of the story, that did not distract too much. The MC does come across a bit too much like a damsel in distress at times. Finally, personally I have no problem when a 17-year old male is romantically involved with a 20-year old female, but it a bit in a grey area, although volume 1 does not contain any real romance.
Still, I enjoy the book and I am looking forward to the next volume. A great introduction to the world of yokai in the Japan of the books and how it is to life among them.
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January 12, 2022This was my first "light novel" - I'm working my way up to trying manga - and it was a cute and cozy read. Regardless of how you characterize a book, if it is about a haunted bookstore, it already appeals to me. In the Haunted Bookstore: Gateway to a Parallel Universe, Kaori is a young woman who showed up in the spirit world when she was a toddler and was raised in the bookstore run by the spirit, Shinanome. One day, an injured boy from a long family line of exorcists appears on the street and is taken in and looked after by Kaori. He is on a quest to find a missing companion and the novel details their adventures within the spirit world that Kaori has grown up with. This was really sweet and would be a great read for an early teen.
March 27, 2022
Very cute book and a great concept but it lacked in a lot of areas. I wish there were more details and less jump scenes. There were a couple POV chapters and Suimei’s was by far the best one. The others were just -eh.
I understand that this was written as a manga first and I feel like the Manga is probably way better than the novel. I think I’ll try that next and see how it is.
I understand that this was written as a manga first and I feel like the Manga is probably way better than the novel. I think I’ll try that next and see how it is.
August 8, 2022
I wanted to buy the manga of this, but when I saw this cover, I had to get the novelization. No regrets.
Kaori wandered into the spirit realm and gets taken in by her now adoptive father. She is now 20 and another human finds their way into the spirit realm — a 17 year old male exorcist. He’s looking for a particular spirit and so Kaori decides to help him.
I didn’t expect this to feel like several short stories, but it does actually read that way with the main story being this search for the exorcist’s lost spirit friend. I really did enjoy learning about the Japanese mythology in here. I had to Google some words used, but didn’t mind. It just made it enjoyable for me to feel I was learning a bit more about Japanese mythology.
I feel like it is a bit of coming of age, although the characters are older. One story discussed grief and it tugged at my heartstrings!
Overall a fun short novel and I’m going to pick up the next ones.
Kaori wandered into the spirit realm and gets taken in by her now adoptive father. She is now 20 and another human finds their way into the spirit realm — a 17 year old male exorcist. He’s looking for a particular spirit and so Kaori decides to help him.
I didn’t expect this to feel like several short stories, but it does actually read that way with the main story being this search for the exorcist’s lost spirit friend. I really did enjoy learning about the Japanese mythology in here. I had to Google some words used, but didn’t mind. It just made it enjoyable for me to feel I was learning a bit more about Japanese mythology.
I feel like it is a bit of coming of age, although the characters are older. One story discussed grief and it tugged at my heartstrings!
Overall a fun short novel and I’m going to pick up the next ones.
June 25, 2024
It started off simplistic and convoluted with loads of time skips and not easily followed storyline. It got better the further the story went but it still feels like something that is a manga written in words. I know that a manga exists as well and I read a few chapters of that parallel to the light novel. Both separately are not the greatest but they do make a pretty nice combination. 🙂
The turning point of the plot was when the themes got darker and sadder and the POV changed temporarily from Kaori to Suimei. That was the moment when it actually got interesting and the characters got deeper and I didn't feel like DNFing the book. I would likely give volume 2 a chance and maybe read some more manga as well. 😊
The turning point of the plot was when the themes got darker and sadder and the POV changed temporarily from Kaori to Suimei. That was the moment when it actually got interesting and the characters got deeper and I didn't feel like DNFing the book. I would likely give volume 2 a chance and maybe read some more manga as well. 😊
July 11, 2022
This was such a delightful little slice of life story. The way the book is set up, it's important to read the titles so you know where you are in the timeline. Each chapter is almost like a contained little short story. Some follow an overall timeline but others are a bit of backstory for the various characters in the book and are told from different perspectives. I really enjoyed learning about the various spirits in Japanese folklore that I have seen crop up in other books and tv shows. Totally bringing on those shojo manga twinges of feels as well. I intend to pick up the next book in the series because it was a lovely palette cleanser between heavier fantasies.
May 29, 2022
I tried, I really did, but this book makes me feel like slamming my head against the wall.
September 7, 2022
Cute and wholesome, with a dash of yokai. My only complaint is that I wish there was more focus on any character other than the protagonist. I like her, but everyone else is so interesting! Next volumes please, fulfill my wish.
October 9, 2022
This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Haunted Bookstore Vol. 1
Rumored to be a place of immeasurable danger, the spirit realm is no place for a child. As a toddler, Kaori unknowingly wandered into the realm. When the spirit Shinonome stumbled upon Kaori, he ushered her away to safety in his haunted bookstore. Raised among books and spirits, Kaori became an accepted member of their society, but not everyone in the realm views her as a friend. Years later when an injured exorcist named Suimei shows up, Kaori’s quiet life is turned inside out.
The Haunted Bookstore is a low-stakes adventure. While the spirit world is built up to be a terrifying place in hearsay, as readers wander the realm with Kaori they will realize the spirits who partake from the bookstore aren't as bloodthirsty as predicted. There are a few moments where the tension peeks as Kaori encounters cranky spirits, but nothing she can’t handle. I loved how dodging deadly attacks were just a daily part of life for her as she delivered books. Meanwhile, Suimei is near panic and can’t believe Kaori stays calm in most situations.
Having grown up in the spirit world, it’s all Kaori knows. Sure, she goes to the mortal realm to work part-time, but all her social connections and sense of family are in the spirit realm. Bringing Siumei into the mix causes her to question the relationships around her. And as readers are taken on episodic journeys with Kaori and Suimei, both the reader and Kaori realize the special bond she has with the spirits. Suimei has to fight against his instincts to lash out and mistrust every spirit he sees. Witnessing his slow and tenuous acceptance of spirits was
The underlying themes of trust, acceptance and found family make this such a wonderful read. Although I do wish there had been more time spent outside the spirit realm. I’d like to see the comparison between Kaori interacting with humans she is familiar with versus the spirits. There is a brief moment where she is shown working in a store, but overall much more time is spent in the spirit world. If you’re looking for a low-stakes adventure and you don’t mind an episodic writing style, give The Haunted Bookstore volume one a try!
Rumored to be a place of immeasurable danger, the spirit realm is no place for a child. As a toddler, Kaori unknowingly wandered into the realm. When the spirit Shinonome stumbled upon Kaori, he ushered her away to safety in his haunted bookstore. Raised among books and spirits, Kaori became an accepted member of their society, but not everyone in the realm views her as a friend. Years later when an injured exorcist named Suimei shows up, Kaori’s quiet life is turned inside out.
The Haunted Bookstore is a low-stakes adventure. While the spirit world is built up to be a terrifying place in hearsay, as readers wander the realm with Kaori they will realize the spirits who partake from the bookstore aren't as bloodthirsty as predicted. There are a few moments where the tension peeks as Kaori encounters cranky spirits, but nothing she can’t handle. I loved how dodging deadly attacks were just a daily part of life for her as she delivered books. Meanwhile, Suimei is near panic and can’t believe Kaori stays calm in most situations.
Having grown up in the spirit world, it’s all Kaori knows. Sure, she goes to the mortal realm to work part-time, but all her social connections and sense of family are in the spirit realm. Bringing Siumei into the mix causes her to question the relationships around her. And as readers are taken on episodic journeys with Kaori and Suimei, both the reader and Kaori realize the special bond she has with the spirits. Suimei has to fight against his instincts to lash out and mistrust every spirit he sees. Witnessing his slow and tenuous acceptance of spirits was
The underlying themes of trust, acceptance and found family make this such a wonderful read. Although I do wish there had been more time spent outside the spirit realm. I’d like to see the comparison between Kaori interacting with humans she is familiar with versus the spirits. There is a brief moment where she is shown working in a store, but overall much more time is spent in the spirit world. If you’re looking for a low-stakes adventure and you don’t mind an episodic writing style, give The Haunted Bookstore volume one a try!
November 10, 2024
4.25 ⭐️
This book was way cozier then I expected but I’m not mad about it! Would have been five stars if they focused more on the bookstore aspect but overall would recommend for anyone who likes yokai and low stakes cozy vibes :)
This book was way cozier then I expected but I’m not mad about it! Would have been five stars if they focused more on the bookstore aspect but overall would recommend for anyone who likes yokai and low stakes cozy vibes :)
March 21, 2022
Natsume Yuujinchou ს ვაიბები აქვს, თუმცა ისეთი კარგი ვერაა ჯერ :დ
ხვალ ���ამოდის ინგლისურად მეორე ნაწილი და დავითრევ ალბათ
ხვალ ���ამოდის ინგლისურად მეორე ნაწილი და დავითრევ ალბათ
August 1, 2022
Review to come.
February 18, 2024
Really enjoyed this and meeting the different characters. Need to pickup book 2!
September 30, 2025
This was a fun, YA, cozy read.
February 24, 2023
Haunted Bookstore is like if Chiro from "Spirited Away" didn't fight back to get back to the human world, but just chilled and helped open a bookstore with her adoptive father.
This book is an absolute "Spirited Away" vibe except with books in the spirit realm. I feel like this book wasn't scared to make it whimsical and focus on Japanese mythology. Books were sort of the driving force for the plot points, but I still am putting this series that I'm definitely going to continue. It's sad, beautiful, and just plain fun to see where Kaori and Sumei land themselves next.
4/5
This book is an absolute "Spirited Away" vibe except with books in the spirit realm. I feel like this book wasn't scared to make it whimsical and focus on Japanese mythology. Books were sort of the driving force for the plot points, but I still am putting this series that I'm definitely going to continue. It's sad, beautiful, and just plain fun to see where Kaori and Sumei land themselves next.
4/5
May 8, 2024
I was initially drawn to the beautiful and intriguing cover (books!), and then it became an impulse buy after I read the description and was intrigued by that as well. I thought the story was imaginative but the execution was a little dull at times. I suspect this has a lot do with the fact that it is adapted from a manga, which I did not realize when I bought it, and also the fact that it is translated from its original language. I did enjoy learning about some of the Japanese folklore.
January 30, 2022
Stellenweise sind die Charaktere etwas sexistisch, aber ansonsten war das Buch ein interessanter Einblick in die japanische Mythologie.
May 27, 2022
Love this one! Can't wait for more!!
November 17, 2024
"Haunted" is a bit of a misnomer: it's a bookstore run in the spirit world,* by spirits (and one human), so to the locals, it's just a normal store. I suppose that's a marketing thing more than anything, but it retroactively annoys me.
The story is okay. It's cute and fairly wholesome despite being about paranormal creatures, somewhat like Natsume's Book of Friends but with a lot less danger. I mean, there's still SOME danger—which actually is resolved abruptly, off-screen—but most of the story is about the day-to-day life of the one human (Kaori), her adoptive spirit father (Shinonome), and the... other human they find (Suimei).
As good as the story is, I did find myself drifting off fairly quickly; part of this is the hazard of reading "longer" books on weekends when I'm already fairly sleepy from normal weekend activities, and part of this is from the mostly "laid-back"ness of the story up until the "intermission" chapter, when the Third Act starts.** The only way I managed to get through the Third Act was telling myself it wasn't THAT much more to read to finally get the mystery settled (or, if it didn't, to know it wasn't).
That said, though this is book 1, I don't know that I'm interested in reading more...? It's not that it's a BAD setting so much as it feels pretty complete without having to read more. I suppose that's good for anyone who finds it difficult keeping up with a series, or who gets frustrated when a series doesn't resolve (looking at you, Shield Hero, and your lack of new volumes in LITERAL YEARS). I also just don't know if I'll even remember what happened in this one after I post this review and never see at the book again... but then, that's why I write reviews, these days (haha).
Recommended for fans of "slower paced" fantasy/paranormal books like Legends & Lattes or Restaurant to Another World!
*not THAT spirit world as such, but very similar
**I might be misunderstanding the whole three-act story structure thing, but it's when everything has been established (Act One), the central conflict has been underway (Act Two), and the final "battle" is set up (Act Three). Otherwise, if the battle is Act Two and the resolution of it is Act Three, Act One is RIDICULOUSLY long, with Acts Two and Three being the last ~1/4th of the book. Maybe "Phase 3" is more like it: Phase 1 is establishing the setting, Phase 2 is Suimei getting settled enough to finally start his search for Kuro, and Phase 3 is actually getting on Kuro's trail.
The story is okay. It's cute and fairly wholesome despite being about paranormal creatures, somewhat like Natsume's Book of Friends but with a lot less danger. I mean, there's still SOME danger—which actually is resolved abruptly, off-screen—but most of the story is about the day-to-day life of the one human (Kaori), her adoptive spirit father (Shinonome), and the... other human they find (Suimei).
As good as the story is, I did find myself drifting off fairly quickly; part of this is the hazard of reading "longer" books on weekends when I'm already fairly sleepy from normal weekend activities, and part of this is from the mostly "laid-back"ness of the story up until the "intermission" chapter, when the Third Act starts.** The only way I managed to get through the Third Act was telling myself it wasn't THAT much more to read to finally get the mystery settled (or, if it didn't, to know it wasn't).
That said, though this is book 1, I don't know that I'm interested in reading more...? It's not that it's a BAD setting so much as it feels pretty complete without having to read more. I suppose that's good for anyone who finds it difficult keeping up with a series, or who gets frustrated when a series doesn't resolve (looking at you, Shield Hero, and your lack of new volumes in LITERAL YEARS). I also just don't know if I'll even remember what happened in this one after I post this review and never see at the book again... but then, that's why I write reviews, these days (haha).
Recommended for fans of "slower paced" fantasy/paranormal books like Legends & Lattes or Restaurant to Another World!
*not THAT spirit world as such, but very similar
**I might be misunderstanding the whole three-act story structure thing, but it's when everything has been established (Act One), the central conflict has been underway (Act Two), and the final "battle" is set up (Act Three). Otherwise, if the battle is Act Two and the resolution of it is Act Three, Act One is RIDICULOUSLY long, with Acts Two and Three being the last ~1/4th of the book. Maybe "Phase 3" is more like it: Phase 1 is establishing the setting, Phase 2 is Suimei getting settled enough to finally start his search for Kuro, and Phase 3 is actually getting on Kuro's trail.
August 7, 2022
So i picked this up on a whim at a half price books and thought "spirit world bookstore" looked interesting. was it as interesting as the premise promised? sadly....no.
So with this premise, you'd think it would mainly be about a spirit world bookstore and maybe the different kinds of books they have, the powers they possess, or focus on the different clientele. But..no. this is not what it's about.
The plot focuses around a human girl named Kaori who lives/works at the bookstore after she was adopted by a spirit. she's 20 now and a new human exorcist (who doesn't really do any exorcist stuff in this book) boy shows up and we basically learn about the spirit world through his eyes.
And herein lies several of the problems. First of all, the main characters are dull. Kaori is a boring, average, cook and clean with a tiny bit of sass doormat who doesn't really have a personality to rub together. The exorcist boy (who i didn't care to remember his name) is just a boring "i hate spirits" guy who grumbles his way through the book with some romantic angst between the two that i couldn't care about less if you paid me.
Another problem is, how about you have the story focus on...oh i don't know, the bookstore? if you're going to put magic in your slice of life, have it focus more heavily on that, not about Kaori whinging about if she wants to stay in the spirit world or telling me for the 15th time what they're having for dinner.
I know i sound angry at this book, but that's only because i was hoping for more. I didn't get more, and it made me a little miffed.
The book definitely reads very fast and you can get through it pretty darn quick if you just sit down and decide to plow through it. The descriptions don't get in the way and the language is easy enough that you don't have to worry about missing anything.
For being a spirit world though, it definitely feels a little.....lackluster i guess is the word i would use? like i never felt the world was vibrant, alive, full of wonder. I felt like it was just Earth, but...you know, always dark outside.
I don't think the author did enough to bring the world to life or make it feel different than our current one. I wish they had focused on that more than introspective Kaori issues.
There was definitely a good story in here, but it was mired down by slice of life tropes. All in all....it was FINE and if i got the second one as a gift or for free, i might read it down the road, but i'm not going to RACE out and get it.
2.5 out of 5 rounded up to a 3.
So with this premise, you'd think it would mainly be about a spirit world bookstore and maybe the different kinds of books they have, the powers they possess, or focus on the different clientele. But..no. this is not what it's about.
The plot focuses around a human girl named Kaori who lives/works at the bookstore after she was adopted by a spirit. she's 20 now and a new human exorcist (who doesn't really do any exorcist stuff in this book) boy shows up and we basically learn about the spirit world through his eyes.
And herein lies several of the problems. First of all, the main characters are dull. Kaori is a boring, average, cook and clean with a tiny bit of sass doormat who doesn't really have a personality to rub together. The exorcist boy (who i didn't care to remember his name) is just a boring "i hate spirits" guy who grumbles his way through the book with some romantic angst between the two that i couldn't care about less if you paid me.
Another problem is, how about you have the story focus on...oh i don't know, the bookstore? if you're going to put magic in your slice of life, have it focus more heavily on that, not about Kaori whinging about if she wants to stay in the spirit world or telling me for the 15th time what they're having for dinner.
I know i sound angry at this book, but that's only because i was hoping for more. I didn't get more, and it made me a little miffed.
The book definitely reads very fast and you can get through it pretty darn quick if you just sit down and decide to plow through it. The descriptions don't get in the way and the language is easy enough that you don't have to worry about missing anything.
For being a spirit world though, it definitely feels a little.....lackluster i guess is the word i would use? like i never felt the world was vibrant, alive, full of wonder. I felt like it was just Earth, but...you know, always dark outside.
I don't think the author did enough to bring the world to life or make it feel different than our current one. I wish they had focused on that more than introspective Kaori issues.
There was definitely a good story in here, but it was mired down by slice of life tropes. All in all....it was FINE and if i got the second one as a gift or for free, i might read it down the road, but i'm not going to RACE out and get it.
2.5 out of 5 rounded up to a 3.
June 15, 2025
So I chose this book for our book club. Figured it would be nice and light, and some of the reviews I had read were fairly positive.
Okay.
The folklore in this book is fantastic. It does a really good job capturing the yoki and various things about them. The world building is very well done, and it very much felt like a lived in world. The characters were interesting, engaging, and seemed to be real people. The author did a wonderful job constructing everything, and I thought it worked well. The fact that the book was split into small little stories within a story was also nice. I think it allowed the reader to take small breaks during reading to absorb some of the heavier stuff.
Now, that said, compared to a lot of other light novels out there, this one was slow.
Very, very slow.
That's not a bad thing in some cases, but there wasn't enough to really push the story along. The love story was kind of forced in a way that 'two beings of the same species are in a place where it is just them, they are bound to hook up.' (Think of the Southpark episode where a girl poc moves to southpark and everyone just assumes Token will end up with her.) Sure, there are moments where you can see the romance sort of taking root, but it's not really that strong to carry the story.
The other issue I had is the narrator. I know this is her first crack at an audio book that I can see, and she sort of does a good job, but oi. She needed better direction. There were a few words she pronounced incorrectly, and the fact the director didn't catch that was surprising. She also had a certain way of saying words where she kind of got a lisp or hiss at the end of her words, and that got hard to listen to really quickly.
She did fit the overall feel of the protagonist, which was good, and her attempts at doing the voices for the other characters was appreciated, and for the most part, worked. But her inexperience showed, and I think a lot of the issues she had with this book could have been fixed with direction and some voice coaching.
In the end, this was an alright book. I won't be continuing the series as there wasn't enough to keep me around, despite the fact that I love Japanese mythology and folklore. I would generally not recommend the audio book to anyone, and would instead suggest people pick up the book and read that instead.
Okay.
The folklore in this book is fantastic. It does a really good job capturing the yoki and various things about them. The world building is very well done, and it very much felt like a lived in world. The characters were interesting, engaging, and seemed to be real people. The author did a wonderful job constructing everything, and I thought it worked well. The fact that the book was split into small little stories within a story was also nice. I think it allowed the reader to take small breaks during reading to absorb some of the heavier stuff.
Now, that said, compared to a lot of other light novels out there, this one was slow.
Very, very slow.
That's not a bad thing in some cases, but there wasn't enough to really push the story along. The love story was kind of forced in a way that 'two beings of the same species are in a place where it is just them, they are bound to hook up.' (Think of the Southpark episode where a girl poc moves to southpark and everyone just assumes Token will end up with her.) Sure, there are moments where you can see the romance sort of taking root, but it's not really that strong to carry the story.
The other issue I had is the narrator. I know this is her first crack at an audio book that I can see, and she sort of does a good job, but oi. She needed better direction. There were a few words she pronounced incorrectly, and the fact the director didn't catch that was surprising. She also had a certain way of saying words where she kind of got a lisp or hiss at the end of her words, and that got hard to listen to really quickly.
She did fit the overall feel of the protagonist, which was good, and her attempts at doing the voices for the other characters was appreciated, and for the most part, worked. But her inexperience showed, and I think a lot of the issues she had with this book could have been fixed with direction and some voice coaching.
In the end, this was an alright book. I won't be continuing the series as there wasn't enough to keep me around, despite the fact that I love Japanese mythology and folklore. I would generally not recommend the audio book to anyone, and would instead suggest people pick up the book and read that instead.
August 21, 2023
I'll start by saying that I'm not a big Manga reader. I think it overwhelms me having to see all the illustrations and read the text. I definitely prefer creating my own images in my head. Nonetheless, I am finding myself really wanting to read light novels. I had only read one before this, "The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes", and loved it! Ever since, this particular series has caught my eye. My husband was kind enough to buy it for me for my birthday. Rambling done, on to the review!
Kaori, a human, has lived in the spirit realm since she was very young. Raised by a spirit father in a bookstore, she has loved getting to know all the other spirits and lending them books that she collects from the human world. When Suimei, another human and exorcist, finds his way into the spirit realm, it's up to Kaori and her friends to help him on his quest.
This was one of the most adorable books I have ever read. It was lighthearted, but at some points hit on some difficult subjects. I loved every single character. Each one had their own distinct personalities that all meshed really well together. The setting is breathtaking. Although the spirit realm is always in darkness, the description of the land is still beautiful and detailed. Also, it's set in a bookstore so obviously I loved it already. My favorite part though has to be Nyaa-san, Kaori's three-tailed, black cat companion! She can talk and provides a lot of the wisdom and comic relief in the story. As someone who's always wanted to talk to their cat, this was fun to read.
I recommend this book highly to anyone looking for a cozy read, with mystery, side quests, laughs, and something wholesome.
Kaori, a human, has lived in the spirit realm since she was very young. Raised by a spirit father in a bookstore, she has loved getting to know all the other spirits and lending them books that she collects from the human world. When Suimei, another human and exorcist, finds his way into the spirit realm, it's up to Kaori and her friends to help him on his quest.
This was one of the most adorable books I have ever read. It was lighthearted, but at some points hit on some difficult subjects. I loved every single character. Each one had their own distinct personalities that all meshed really well together. The setting is breathtaking. Although the spirit realm is always in darkness, the description of the land is still beautiful and detailed. Also, it's set in a bookstore so obviously I loved it already. My favorite part though has to be Nyaa-san, Kaori's three-tailed, black cat companion! She can talk and provides a lot of the wisdom and comic relief in the story. As someone who's always wanted to talk to their cat, this was fun to read.
I recommend this book highly to anyone looking for a cozy read, with mystery, side quests, laughs, and something wholesome.
August 25, 2025
This is a Japanese fantasy story for youth. It's about a human who grew up in the spirit world and she lives with her spirit father who adopted her and he runs a bookstore in the spirit world and she helps out. She has a cat that is a spirit bad ass cat and the cat protects her in the spirit world. Kaori seems to be pretty carefree and fun loving. She is also a helper and loves to help those spirits around her.
Soon after, a boy is found in the spirit world from the human world. He is an exorcist named Suimei. He is looking for a spirit and that's a bit of a mystery as to what's going on with that. Being an exorcist is a tough life and he is rather knotted up. The two help each other out.
In the process, we see many of the spirits from Japanese mythology that I didn't know. There are some creative spirits here.
Nothing is really all that scary. It's more of a cozy fantasy I would say.
Of course, my favorite part was the bookshop, but they don't really use the books the way I thought they would. Oh well. It is an interesting concept and I may go on. It all depends on how behind I get in my must read TBR.
Soon after, a boy is found in the spirit world from the human world. He is an exorcist named Suimei. He is looking for a spirit and that's a bit of a mystery as to what's going on with that. Being an exorcist is a tough life and he is rather knotted up. The two help each other out.
In the process, we see many of the spirits from Japanese mythology that I didn't know. There are some creative spirits here.
Nothing is really all that scary. It's more of a cozy fantasy I would say.
Of course, my favorite part was the bookshop, but they don't really use the books the way I thought they would. Oh well. It is an interesting concept and I may go on. It all depends on how behind I get in my must read TBR.
April 21, 2024
📗FAVOURITE QUOTE: “I’m not really good at thinking too deeply about things…As long as I can settle down for a nap in my favourite spot, that’s all I need. You know that. So if you don’t tell me what you want, I won’t know.”
📘THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK: I haven’t read light novels for a very long time and certainly this is the first time I’ve read a light novel translated into English. I would say, it was mainly the title of the book that made me bought the book. However, similar to my book review for “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop”, the story didn’t fully utilise its setting at a bookshop. It focuses mostly on the spirits and rarely talks about the bookshop even tho the title seems to suggest that the stories are sparked by books. Plot-wise, I do love some of the customer’s stories and almost drove me to tears. The only criticise I had for the plot is the main storyline where they stuff a lot of exposition near the ending of the book which causes a lot of telling instead of showing the story🙈
📙RATING: 🌟🌟🌟/5
📘THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK: I haven’t read light novels for a very long time and certainly this is the first time I’ve read a light novel translated into English. I would say, it was mainly the title of the book that made me bought the book. However, similar to my book review for “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop”, the story didn’t fully utilise its setting at a bookshop. It focuses mostly on the spirits and rarely talks about the bookshop even tho the title seems to suggest that the stories are sparked by books. Plot-wise, I do love some of the customer’s stories and almost drove me to tears. The only criticise I had for the plot is the main storyline where they stuff a lot of exposition near the ending of the book which causes a lot of telling instead of showing the story🙈
📙RATING: 🌟🌟🌟/5
February 21, 2025
Despite how interesting the summary deemed, this book made me put it down way too much and I forced myself to finish it. Kaori, the main protagonist, is deemed saint-like in the spirit world and this book basically consists of short stories about the things she did. With a new human in the spirit world, Suimei, we basically hear how the spirits love Kaori.
I honestly had more questions than answers, like: why did Shinonome (adoptive father) open the bookstore and what made him open it? Despite Kaori being the only human (until Suimei), did Shinonome or No-Name (adoptive parents) try to find her original family? If Kaori changed the spirit world, why didn't Shinonome or the other spirits investigate more? (Is this more human like or would spirits not bother with that?)
I didn't feel like I could relate to the characters since the book felt a little bland. I'm not sure how to describe it, but I felt that the writing for the book definitely could have been better. I'm hoping the second book is better...
I honestly had more questions than answers, like: why did Shinonome (adoptive father) open the bookstore and what made him open it? Despite Kaori being the only human (until Suimei), did Shinonome or No-Name (adoptive parents) try to find her original family? If Kaori changed the spirit world, why didn't Shinonome or the other spirits investigate more? (Is this more human like or would spirits not bother with that?)
I didn't feel like I could relate to the characters since the book felt a little bland. I'm not sure how to describe it, but I felt that the writing for the book definitely could have been better. I'm hoping the second book is better...
November 8, 2021
Books like this are why I wish Goodreads allowed half-stars in their ratings, cause 6/10 is one score too high, but 4/10 is one score too low. The Haunted Bookstore is the definition of a 5/10, it's not offensively boring but it's also not quite engaging enough to keep the reader truly wanting more. The story's premise as slice of life semi-fantasy taking place in a spirit world book store is WOEFULLY underused, but it also isn't outright ignored; we just don't get scenes with much depth. The book is also only the first volume in what I can only assume is a long-as-hell LN series, and at this point after reading a few I think most of these are just sorta pumped out by their authors. There's nothing super fascinating about it. Nothing impactful or imaginative is being said. And things don't always need to be this way, so it's not bad... but entertainment like this is better suited to visual media, where it doesn't drone on without any spice or color.
December 27, 2021
3.0 stars (paperback)
Not a bad read. With each chapter being a “spirit of the week”, was an easy read to pick up and put down during my lunch breaks.
I liked the idea of trying to get two sides to see the good in each other. It’s a nice change of pace from other books that condemn one side and glorify the other. No bridge between the two.
Character wise, I wasn’t a fan of Kaori. She came off as a know it all and…hmm, not sure what the word for this is, but she’d be emotional while also going through her emotions quickly. In one of the last chapters, she displayed 3 different emotions on just one page. I wonder if, because of this, I liked Suimei - he just kinda grumpy chilled in the background haha. I enjoyed the other characters as well, from the Tengu twins to Kuro.
Overall, an okay read. Interested enough to try vol 2. Just hoping things don’t go Usagi Drops between Kaori and Shinonome….
Not a bad read. With each chapter being a “spirit of the week”, was an easy read to pick up and put down during my lunch breaks.
I liked the idea of trying to get two sides to see the good in each other. It’s a nice change of pace from other books that condemn one side and glorify the other. No bridge between the two.
Character wise, I wasn’t a fan of Kaori. She came off as a know it all and…hmm, not sure what the word for this is, but she’d be emotional while also going through her emotions quickly. In one of the last chapters, she displayed 3 different emotions on just one page. I wonder if, because of this, I liked Suimei - he just kinda grumpy chilled in the background haha. I enjoyed the other characters as well, from the Tengu twins to Kuro.
Overall, an okay read. Interested enough to try vol 2. Just hoping things don’t go Usagi Drops between Kaori and Shinonome….
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2023
I considered docking this a star because the book doesn't have interior illustrations, but then I decided that the freaking gorgeous cover art makes up for it. I mean just look at it! So much intricate detail! I want a version sans the words as a poster!!
(kidding, btw! I wasn't annoyed enough to dock stars for that. I'm not that petty)
This has a nice, chill story with endearing characters. There was only one thing about it that sort of semi annoyed me... and that's the fact that the plot takes a while to actually kick off? Like they state the objective right away (to find someone/something) and then there's several chapters of what seems like pretty much pure filler in which nothing is done to find the person/thing. It didn't bother me too much tho.... Maybe it felt like a longer time than it was or they stated reasons for the delays that I didn't quite catch or something.
Anyhow! Ultimately I liked it, I'm glad I bought it, book 2 is on my list
(kidding, btw! I wasn't annoyed enough to dock stars for that. I'm not that petty)
This has a nice, chill story with endearing characters. There was only one thing about it that sort of semi annoyed me... and that's the fact that the plot takes a while to actually kick off? Like they state the objective right away (to find someone/something) and then there's several chapters of what seems like pretty much pure filler in which nothing is done to find the person/thing. It didn't bother me too much tho.... Maybe it felt like a longer time than it was or they stated reasons for the delays that I didn't quite catch or something.
Anyhow! Ultimately I liked it, I'm glad I bought it, book 2 is on my list
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