Soyangri Book Kitchen is a lovely tale of a woman who leaves behind the stresses of her city job and life and opens a book shop/cafe nestled in the heart of nature.

I loved this book, especially how it shows the reader the change in seasons and how nature is in constant change around us, it really highlighted to me the need to fully appreciate each passing moment, how the flowers bloom in spring, how the snow falls in winter. The authors note at the end of the book furthered my feelings about that.

If I had to find a negative with this book is that I wish we’d been able to go deeper into the lives of the characters who visit the book kitchen, I would definitely read a follow up book for this.

This book is for everyone who likes peaceful settings in stories where the meaning of life can be pondered. I wish the author every success with this beautiful written book.

One of the best books I’ve read in a while and as intended a balm for the weary soul to rest for a moment and leave with a full heart.

The stories are gentle, but the people involved are dealing with heavy problems that aren’t magically solved but they do allow them time to reflect and grow after interacting with the book kitchen.

A beautiful book.

Soyangri Book Kitchen is a dazzling and heartwarming debut novel centering around a charming book cafe and the people that find healing and friendship during their stay.

A tender expression of human relationships and struggle, featuring a cast of characters from all walks of life and situations. The people that visit the book kitchen range from a celebrity returning to her roots to a man who grew up with everything, only to feel lost and disjointed in his 20s. I enjoyed how the characters felt so real in their complex emotions and relatable struggles, really delving into the lives of everyday people and seeing how they change as the seasons change with them. You feel your anxieties melt away along with the characters during their cozy stay at the book cafe.

The atmosphere and setting of the book cafe and the mountains it’s located in is idyllic and serene, the perfect cozy read that makes you feel nostalgic over a place you’ve never really visited. I also really enjoyed all the references to existing books and songs that I will definitely be checking out!

By the end, I actually felt really inspired and hopeful, like I grew with all the characters I’d read about.

Huge thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for sending me this ARC!

This book started off strong and I really enjoyed the first guest’s story, but then I struggled to remain interested in the book. For me there wasn’t enough focus on the actual book kitchen, and that meant this felt more like an anthology of short stories about people who were stressed for whatever reason by city living so took a break in the countryside. Some of the stories I did enjoy, but most I found to be longer than I would have liked and I found it hard to follow the character relationships.