Should you read: The Haunted Bookstore A Gateway to a Parallel Universe Book 1

Описание: #SYR #Bookreview #Lightnovel #Japan
The Haunted Bookstore
I wasn’t planning on doing this book right after Empire of the vampire. Originally I had planned for another book but my girlfriend told me I really should read this book so I decided to push it forward.
So in this video we are going to answer the question, should you buy this book?
So first let get into some background for this book.
The Haunted Bookstore Gateway to a Parallel Universe is the first book in a light novel series by Shinobumaru. It’s puplished by Seven Seas Intertainment and currently there are 3 books and a fourth coming out later this year. As of 24th february the book stands at a 3.86 on GoodReads.
So let’s get into this review and try and answer if you should read this book! And also, stay tuned to the end of the review where I will hint at the next book I’ll review.
Part 1 - A Peculiar Girl
So this first part covers the prologue and the first couple of chapters before the side story.
I find this book to be quite charming, it definitely isn’t a high literary read nor is it trying to be. It’s telling a charming story of a girl living in the spirit world where a random exorcist boy shows up and turns her world upside down.
There is a lot of exposition in this book, which is good and bad. It’s good since then I understand what makes each spirit unique, but it also kills some of the pacing. Not the most elegant solution but it works.
The banter and jovial humor is all over the book. It doesn’t give off any feeling of the characters really being in a hurry for anything and I would say it works great for the book. Sometimes you just want a read that makes you smile and not think too much about the finer details.
Even though there are a lot of characters in the book it’s super easy to keep track of who is who and what is going on.
Quite a charming book so far.
Part 2 - Side story 1 - Summer Dreams
Before I read this section and talk about it I just want to say I have never read a book where the side story is highlighted like this. Usually the side stories are hidden in the chapters and not blatantly highlighted like this. So I am quite intrigued.

Alright so I have read the first side story. Fuck, it's so good. I read it on the train thinking it was just a happy story like the main one. It wasn't.
The writing is top notch. The characters are way more multidimensional than first expected. If I didn't read it on the train I am sure I would have cried.

Part 3 - The rest of the book
Since the book is so short I'll be going through my final ideas here.
The pacing picks up, Suimeis mission to find his friend is suddenly more urgent. The pacing is generally a 180 shift from the first half. If it wasn't for the side stories and intermezzo it would be a little more jarring than it is. It is still a little jarring but the breaks do help.
I feel like the theme of the second half is we should just talk with each other and suddenly most problems would be gone. Which I agree with.

Conclusion and final thoughts
It's a really cute story. The themes are relevant and incoorporated nicley into the story. The characters are great and feel living.
But, and I am going to sound like a broken record, the pacing is off. I understand pacing is one of the most difficult challenges. But it would help if in the first part a little more time on suimeis mission. Then it picking up in the second half would feel more natural.

So should you read this book? Well do you like whimsical cute and funny stories? If yes, then you should. If you like a fun story with ghosts where the characters are the driving factors then this book is for you.
As of this video 3 out of 4 books are translated to english and I will be getting them now.

Book hint
Soulkeep ending of chapter 9