Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop is a fluffy, sweet book, with delicious descriptions of teas and Paris delicacies. However, I felt like the character development was lacking. I felt like I didn't know Vanessa, or her struggles with her gift very well. The ending felt abrupt, as well as Vanessa suddenly being in love with Marc. It felt like they had just met! the ending seemed to tie itself together too quickly, and a little too well. Fine for a bit of magical escapism, but I craved more depth.

Thank you to netgalley for the digital galley for review

For Shakespeare Nerds and fans of The Secret History
Atmospheric and pretentious, I spent most of this book anticipating the fall.

I don't even know where to begin with. this book. It lies somewhere between poetry and essays. I NEED a physical copy that I can hold close. Each paragraph holds little bits of beauty. Slate writes with such ease, such purity. While some may find the lack of theme frustrating, I found the thought flow soothing, like a dream.

Having read Kondo's previous works, I wasn't expecting to find anything groundbreaking in this book. However, I feel like this book has a broader appeal and is less "out there" for western audiences. Sonenshein's business expertise adds value to this book. Excellent book for office workers, but didn't offer much for anyone with non-traditional jobs.