Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Tales from the Cafe by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

97 reviews

paradicsomleves's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Cancer

Minor: Murder and Pregnancy

ghostsversion's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I do love whenever I find a book series where I want to take each book and swallow them up because they’re so good. Now, to be fair, I haven’t read the next books, but I’m pretty sure they will also be great. Personally, I really love the way that, although each of the four stories in each book is about a different character and why they time travel, they still are connected through a common thread of the people who run the café. Also the reveal about the Woman in White? Crazy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Miscarriage, Grief, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Car accident, Cancer, Violence, and Murder

dianbeekhuizen's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Terminal illness, and Suicidal thoughts

lizzie_maxfield's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Answered so many of the plot holes in the first book and reads so much better than the audio. Easy but emotional read covering grief and moving forward.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Murder, and Miscarriage

bluelien's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book reminded me of why I picked up the first one. I've always been a fan of observing the way others live their lives, which is why "before the coffee gets cold" appealed to me. What's more fun than observing the customers in a coffee shop? So many people, so many lives. Since this isn't your typical cafe, I was immersed in its ins and outs and forgot my original goal. This second book gave me what I was looking for in the first place, now that I'm familiar with the staff and the workings of the cafe, I could comfortably focus on the patrons. To put it briefly, I found this an enjoyable read. There were a lot of life lessons to pick on, but if there's one thing that will stay with me, it's that we should strive to live a life with no regrets. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Death

Minor: Child death

lovelybookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage and Grief

john_quixote's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

alainajreads's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Overall, this was a solid follow-up to Before the Coffee Gets Cold, set about 7 years after the original, and I enjoyed the reoccurring characters and that we got to learn more of Kazu’s backstory. I love the atmospheric setting of the Café Funiculi Funicula, and seeing it through the seasons, in each story as a new person travels to the past. Three of the four stories involve someone returning to visit a deceased loved one, and the messages of some of the stories felt a little on-the-nose but still hit hard emotionally. Though formulaic, these stories always touch me and I feel better for having read them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Miscarriage

Minor: Pregnancy and Cancer

m_a_j's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Cancer

Minor: Pregnancy

lizbeththesimp's review against another edition

emotional inspiring relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Car accident, Miscarriage, Death, and Death of parent