What a beautiful book. The story is set in a magical candy shop run by Kogetsu, a half-fox spirit, who crafts enchanted Japanese sweets that offer more than just a sugary treat - they provide subtle, often unexpected changes to the lives of those who seek out. What truly captivates me was the book's structure. Each chapter is a standalone story featuring different customers, from a lovesick teenager to a couple grappling with unspoken tensions. These tales are rich with emotion and introspection, and the magical confections serve as both literal and metaphorical catalysts for personal growth and healing.
The writing is beautifully evocative, with vivid descriptions that transport you to the cosy, otherworldly setting of the Amberglow Candy Store. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, yet there's an underlying depth that adds a layer of poignancy to the narrative. What makes this book stand out to me is its blend of fantasy and realism. While the magical elements are enchanting, it's the human emotions and experiences that resonate most deeply. The stories are gentle, yet profound, offering reflections on love, regret and the complexities of human relationships. Such a beautiful story that lingers in your thoughts for a long time after.

One of my anticipated reads of the year, The Amberglow Candy Store is a quirky collection of Japanese shorts who all have Kogetsu's candies at their heart!

The candies are very Harry Potteresque with names like Invisible Wasabon, All-is-revealed Chestnut Monaka and Surrogate Caramels. They all come with a warning issued by Kogetsu that you must not exceed the amount he tells you...is anyone really going to just have the one?

It's a fairly short read, so was easily devoured in an hour...literally how long candies and chocolate last me...if that!

They're very much the Japanese version of Aesop's Fables and come with a lesson in morality.

Meet Kogetsu, the store’s half-fox owner of the magical Amberglow candy store which not only has very interesting opening times, but even more fascinating products!

With each type of candy offering very particular qualities to its carefully selected customer, the book provides a series of delightful stories of those who come in search of help, and leave with a sweet solution of some sort...

This is an enjoyable tale in the vein of recent offerings with similar themes, and gets 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

Thank you to the publisher and thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review this e-ARC. Full review will be available soon.

A solid 3.5/5 A slightly different take on what's rapidly becoming a tired trope. I was drawn in my the non-human narrator, ayakashi lore, and candy store premise. The cover illustration is beautiful too!

Characters and Story: I was underwhelmed by the first couple of chapters. As an adult reader, I don't enjoy stories where people have to learn how to communicate, practice self-awareness, or there's a heavy-handed morality lesson. The characters felt so young and their problems so inconsequential that I wondered if this was a kid's book for the first half or so. For the human sections, I found the university friend group who learned how to communicate their needs, and the young trumpet player stories the most enjoyable. The story of couple with the baby also stood out for its resolution (I love communicative people!). For me, the final chapter was the best. I loved experiencing Kogetsu's backstory and how the candy shop came to be. I particularly liked how Kogetsu's motivation for making confectionary steered away from the saccharine. I would love to know more about his world and the other occupants of Gloaming Lane.

Writing and Translation: The writing was a little simplistic/young. There were beautiful descriptions of place and food that I adored. Overall, the translation felt rushed with some clunky sentences, not-quite-right word choices, and a few glaring Britishisms that felt out of place.
Like others that came before it, this book suffers from repetition (every character seemed to find the passage to Gloaming Lane the same way and made similar comments about the street!).

This is a short book (with huge font) that was a fine way to spend a quiet afternoon. If you don't mind middle-school-esque 'problems' and characters, check this out. It's a refreshing take on healing fiction!