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john_quixote's review
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
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Miscarriage
Minor: Pregnancy and Cancer
m_a_j's review
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
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Car accident, Miscarriage, Death, and Death of parent
seubecca's review
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Cancer, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
diana_raquel's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Death, Grief, and Death of parent
kukazashi's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Death of parent, Death, Terminal illness, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
cutepatzie's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
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? Yes
5.0
I recently lost my mom so this book gives me a lot of hope and reflection on myself. I really appreciate the book that gives everyone some kind of closure. And the part about losing a baby and the happiness that left. And the change of the perspective for all the characters, and letting them be happy. Really helped me in my own dark and cold winter. Amazing book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Chronic illness, Grief, and Death
twister's review
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Terminal illness, Cancer, Death, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy
pravallika_manju's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Tales from the café, the second book in the Before the coffee gets cold series, is a lovely continuation of the first book. The stories are equally as compelling as those from the first book but there is a bit of repetition that made me impatient while reading. For example, with every new customer, the author goes over the rules again. There are certain circumstances(one where the customer has questions about the rules which have not been addressed before or another when it is Miki's first pour and she goes over the rules for the first time, in her own distinct style) where it makes sense for the rules to be repeated. But otherwise, it feels redundant to me as a reader to whom the rules have been established many a time in the previous stories. Further, when someone is discussing or thinking about a previous customer who travelled in time, the author similarly spends time explaining their story and sometimes it feels like filler. Though I do understand that this might be serving the purpose of filling in readers who are not reading the books in order or are reading only one book and not the whole series, it makes me impatient while reading nonetheless, since to me it feels like the explanations could be shorter. Having said that, the stories are quite heartwarming and it's also extremely engaging to watch the cast of returning characters age and grow. The lore of the characters' past and present also progresses, carrying their story forward throughout each individual short story in the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Terminal illness, Death, and Murder