This book felt like it was written for me. Jiwon-ssi is struggling following the death of her mother and I’m sure I’m one of many who have been through this too.

She happens upon the memory bookshop where the manager offers her a deal to revisit her past…

I don’t want to give any more spoilers on this but want to share how beautifully written this is and how true to life. The characters are so relatable and I love the premise of this story. A must read for those who have experienced grief.

This is a beautifully written emotional story wrapped in magical realism! I adored this book it made me tear up I'd definitely recommend! I've preordered a copy for release

The Memory Bookshop is a heartbreakingly beautiful story about loss and longing to see somebody again.  I was immediately drawn to its premise; time travel and a bookshop.

The protagonist, still struggling with grief years after her loss, finds solace in a magical bookshop surrounded by books that shaped her childhood, as well as notebooks detailing the chapters of her own life to date.

I was infuriated by the scene where a doctor criticises her for not being “over it” after seven years; an opinion that, sadly, still mirrors real attitudes toward grief.

This novel beautifully captures the universal experience of mourning and memory: the desperate wish to go back, even for a few hours, to a time before loss. It asks the poignant question: If you could return to any chapter of your life for a few hours, which would you choose, and what would you do differently?

Though it’s a short novel at around 190 pages, The Memory Bookshop is a deeply compelling read, and I recommend it.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and this is my honest review.

A short but mighty book - thoroughly enjoyable.
Imagine being given the opportunity to travel back into three chapters of your life - where would you go? The memory bookshop appears to those who need it and exists outside of earthly reality.

This is a beautiful exploration of grief and acceptance that fits perfectly into the healing fiction genre. I found the premise to be well executed and the characters well established, they had flaws and didn’t just fit basic stereotypes which allowed the story to have more dimension and relatability. It was also a nice change to read a healing fiction only following one character’s journey and that gave space for more emotional attachment.
This is a wonderful book and I would recommend it.

This book was beautifully written with elegance. I found the language that was used was so vivid that I truly understood the main character and the journey she was going on. I felt that her expectations of the bookshop's offering, before and after, were authentic. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this book.

I was asked to review this beautifully written book by the publishers via NetGalley

Jiwon is grieving the death of her mother- she is given a chance the mystery Memory Bookshop and it is to relive the past but the there is a cavat and not without scarifice.

This is such a beautiful heartwarmimng story- it is also heartbreaking too.

We all try to hold onto the past and stuggle to move on but move on we have to despite grief.

Such a recommended read, due for publication 12 March 2026.

A tenderly written short story about missed opportunities and living in the moment. Kim Jiwon-ssi is a young woman who visits a clinic for her depression and insomnia. During her consultation it is revealed that she has also been mourning the loss of her mother for the past seven years. Sent off with a prescription and told to return another day, she stumbles out into a storm. Seeking shelter, she enters a bookshop where she meets Manager K. Disappearing into this magical realm Kim gets the chance to revisit her memories in exchange for giving up her future. Will she remain despondent and in despair or learn to live her life.

Song Yu-Jeong is a writer I look out for. Her ability to reach one's soul and deliver a poignant tale must be admired. The Memory bookshop sends a reminder to nurture relationships and don’t wait for another day. I loved it.

Thank you, Harper Fiction, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication. It's an affirmation for 2026.