How Can My Manager Be So Stupid?

by Kazumasa Hayami, Haydn Trowell (Translator)

A candid story of one woman's fight to find her way through her working life, while, against all odds, clinging to her passion for reading and for sharing books.

Kyoko still loves books. Just about. But life at the Musashino Bookshop is starting to get her down. Above all, there's one question that keeps going round and round her How can my manager be so stupid?

From his obsession with self-help books to his insistence on giving inspirational speeches at staff meetings, everything about Takeru Yamamoto seems designed to set Kyoko's teeth on edge. And, as the bookshop lurches from crisis to crisis, facing criticism from customers and authors alike, it's tough for her to keep her love of literature alive. Only the prospect of changing a life by handing over the perfect book keeps her going.

But then she herself is handed a book that changes everything. Within its pages, all the struggles of her daily life are reflected back at her. Was there more to her manager than meets the eye all along?

A winning blend of slice-of-life (somewhat romantic, occasionally ludicrous) comedy, satire, and human drama with a pinch of mystery to spice things up, How Can My Manager Be So Stupid is the perfect read for anyone who has felt that they can't even . . . with the idiots that walk among us.

Genres: Fiction, Japan, Contemporary, Books About Books, Literary Fiction, Adult, Asian Literature

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 3, 2026

Reviews

[Mai H.]

Japanuary TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really took me by surprise. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did.

Usually, I find translated fiction can sometimes be a bit too sweet and often repetitive, but this wasn’t like that at all. It was very easy to read, the story was well paced and everything flowed easily.

I was fully absorbed and before I realised it, I had finished it in one sitting. I would fully recommend this to anyone looking for a lighthearted read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.

[Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think I may have just found my newest obsession thanks to How Can My Manager Be So Stupid?: books set in bookstores. Japanese bookstores, to be exact.

Kyoko Tanihara is a bookseller at a small bookstore in Tokyo. Though she loves books—to the point of prioritizing buying books over having enough money left at the end of the month to buy groceries—she is quite disillusioned with everything else surrounding them. The state of the book industry and its absurd practices, rude customers, egotistical authors, and, most of all, having to deal with her stupid manager make her want to quit her job constantly. But her love of books and recommending them always wins out.

Told through a series of vignettes in which we see her dealing with all of that, I found this story to be absolutely charming and a love letter to bookstores and book lovers. Kyoko is so relatable that you can’t help wanting her to succeed. The rest of the characters are all in service of Kyoko’s story, and just a couple of strokes are enough to characterize them and give us an overview of the Japanese book industry and bookselling.

Though for most of the book there’s no defined plotline and it’s more of a slice-of-life novel, the last couple of chapters introduce a new and meta subplot that manages to wrap the story up in a beautiful, not overly saccharine way.

A nice surprise that has opened up a new subgenre for me. I can only hope we get a sequel because I don’t think Kyoko and her stupid manager’s story is over.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyoko works at a small bookstore. She is overworked and underpaid; she loves books but she is beginning to burn out. Everyone is stupid: customers, publishing sales reps, authors, her manager.

This is a charming, lighthearted read that will appeal to anyone who loves books and bookstores. Kyoko faces the same work struggles that many young people do, but she keeps trying to hang on to her joy and remember what drew her to working in a bookstore in the first place. I enjoyed the depiction of work culture in Japan and found Kyoko very funny and relatable. Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for allowing me to read an ARC of this title.

[Tyler Hancsak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a little too spot on for me. It was really cute but became a little too simple.

[Peyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't love books? Each story brings readers on an adventure. They can make us laugh, cry, angry, or even contemplate something. Stories that resonate with us hold a special place in our hearts, and one day we hope to find others where the story will resonate the same. In Kazumasa Hayami’s How Can My Manager Be So Stupid, we follow Kyoko Tanihara as she deals with her life and her manager’s oblivious nature while trying to keep her love for books alive.

Kyoko Tanihara loves books so much that she decided to work in Musashino Bookshop. But her love for stories and sharing them with others has dissipated and is hindered by the day-to-day workings of the bookstore. For years, she struggles to make it to the end of the shift while trying to figure out how her manager, Takeru Yamamoto, is stupid. He has to see that some of the things he says and suggests aren’t worth the time and effort. Still, a job is a job, but it’s hard to quit when things keep reeling you back in.

Honestly, I related to Kyoko on a personable level. When I first got my job, I was excited because it was in a place doing something I love and sharing that passion with likeminded individuals. As the years have gone, the excitement wore off, and now it’s a place where you need to make money. It can be hard to retain that initial excitement for a workplace, but still having that love, the spark for your passion helps make it slightly more tolerable. Still, you don’t notice how much of an impact you have until someone points it out to you, even if you yourself don't. As the story progresses, you start wondering whether Kyoko will succeed in what she wants to do and figure out what is happening, or continue to simmer with all of their pent up emotions and resentment.

For anyone who has worked in customer service, this story may speak to you in that you encounter an array of characters. Sure, you have your coworkers, and they can vary in age and personality, but the customers that walk through the door are certainly colorful. There are always those few characters that stand out from the rest, and your interactions with them will either have you remembering them with fondness, anger, laughter, or maybe curiosity. Just like the books in a bookstore, each person has their own story to tell, we just have to give it a chance and read it.

While we follow Kyoko in this story, it’s the side characters that help add some color to her life. Without them, her life would be much less intriguing and monotonous. They each add something to her life that helps her come to certain conclusions about herself and her life. While she may view Yamamoto as stupid, it isn’t until she decides to read a book that has her looking at him in a whole new light, and those she meets along the way. The question is if she is able to figure out what is happening.

All in all, Hayami is able to capture that existential dread while having readers go through several emotions and contemplate their own lives in the process. Every story has a purpose, whether it’s to make you laugh, cry, fall in love, or help you in some fashion. Hayami has managed to make it that the reader will contemplate your own life and find that thing that’ll make you feel joy again. Hopefully, his story will help spark that joy in you.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from Kazumasa Hayami and Putnam Books via NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. My intentions are to write feedback that reflects my genuine thoughts and is written with the book’s genre and target audience in mind. I aim to review fairly and respectfully, focusing on the story’s purpose.

[Ely · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I would like to express my appreciation to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC.

The Main Reason I requested this book in the first place was its title. I expected the main character (MC) to constantly complain about her manager. Since it is a translated Japanese novel, I also expected interconnected multi-perspective stories, as is often typical of the genre. However, it exceeded my expectations.

The storyline follows the MC, Kyoko Tanihara, and her daily life as a bookseller. Through her perspective, the title reflects how she views and understands the other people tied to each chapter’s narrative. It was truly eye-opening, particularly regarding different professions and how much our perception depends on our vantage point and personal interpretation. This applies to people in general—a gentle reminder that we are all human. It touches on how we navigate passion for a dream job and how to cope when things don't turn out as planned. That feeling of being down and having nowhere to go, which the MC experiences throughout the book, closely reflects what many people feel as they approach their 30s. The social issues and Japanese workplace culture are subtly and beautifully woven into the narrative. They aren't explicitly pushed to the forefront, but you see them reflected clearly in small, quiet moments.

A few compelling themes that can be drawn from the book include:
⚛ The unexpected, impulsive habits people adopt when something sudden happens.
⚛ The greed that stems from feeling special, and what lies beneath it.
⚛ How larger, well-known companies can breed arrogance in their employees through brand prestige alone.
⚛ The "so-so" employee who is actually the most devoted—often because they simply want to do their job without any drama. This type of quiet employee can be the most dangerous.
⚛ The vivid struggles of managers, authors, sales representatives, and booksellers.
⚛ How highly observant people often yield the most unexpected outcomes.
⚛ How lovers of fiction often possess the deepest empathy.
⚛ The harsh realities of corporate hierarchy in Japan.
⚛ Learning to identify weaknesses and embrace them.
⚛ How job titles across different divisions are subject to interpretation and personal opinion.
⚛ A father's enduring love for a daughter living far from home.
⚛ The difficulty of change, and how we can expect external circumstances to change if we remain unchanged inside.

The characters undergo meaningful growth and subtle shifts in perspective over time. It unfolds slowly but surely, much like real life. The manager also offers a clear picture of what it truly means to be a bookseller—showing that it isn't just about supporting authors, but also about being honest when a book falls flat (even if Japanese social norms make total bluntness difficult).

In the end, I adored this book. It delivered humor, self-reflection, fresh perspectives, and felt like a warm embrace for anyone nearing 30. It is a wonderfully cozy and insightful read that I finished in just two days. Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

"If the rules of society make you unhappy, then those rules are wrong!"

"Even if I do have to give it all up someday, it won’t be for anyone else’s sake. When it’s time for me to go, I’ll be the one to make that decision for myself."

"If you’re in an environment where you can’t speak your truth, laugh in its face and walk away."

[Carm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

If you’ve ever worked retail, parts of "How Can My Manager Be So Stupid?" may hit a little too close to home. What looks like workplace comedy sometimes reads more like documentary footage.

Kyoko Tanihara works at a small bookstore and spends most of her time trying to do her job despite her manager, Yamamoto. Imagine Michael Scott from "The Office". Same energy. A lovable dumbass who somehow manages to make everything worse while still meaning well. As someone who lives in a suburb of Scranton, I feel especially qualified to recognize this management style.

At first this feels like a sitcom about retail chaos. Terrible customers. Publishing nonsense. Corporate decisions made by people who clearly have never worked a day on the sales floor. But it also becomes a look at the literary ecosystem. Writers, editors, sales reps, critics, booksellers, readers. Kyoko is the lens through which we see all of it, and that part worked really well for me.

There is also a fun bit of meta weirdness where the story turns into a book about reading and reviewing books. Which felt... suspiciously relevant while I was reading and even more so while writing this review.

Some of the mystery elements are easy to see coming. I clocked one of the bigger reveals early, and the ending fires off a lot in quick succession, which made it feel a bit rushed.

Not perfect, but a smart little novel about the messy world between writers and readers... and the people stuck in the middle trying to make it all work.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

How Can My Manager Be So Stupid? by Kazumasa Hayami | 3.5 out of 5
An insufferable manager, a lacking wage, a soulless company, and the existential threat of growing older. Kyoko Tanihara does her best to handle these obstacles while also finding purpose in her love for books, but as most people in retail can understand, it is difficult maintaining a love for something while dealing with a seemingly clueless manager.

This book is no doubt a love letter to booksellers. Hayami nailed down the passion booksellers have for their trade. When you talk to someone about books you like or dislike, the world feels less polarized, and successfully recommending a book is like handing them a piece of yourself. With that said, I do feel like the book was meandering a bit. This may partly owe to the fact that I haven’t read a lot of slice of life books, so it is definitely a genre I have found myself needing to build a taste for. However, I know some people may find that this aspect adds to the charm of the book. Keeping the pace in mind, I found the ending to be rather on the nose. I felt everything wrapped up a little too perfectly, yet that could also be due to my morbid preferences. This book is objectively good, and I enjoyed it. I just expected a little more from it.

Thanks go to Putnam and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a review!

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Peter Principle meets The Office is one way to describe this novella.

Kyoho Tanihara has worked at Musashino Books for six years. She loves books and loves reading but her manager, Takeru Yamamoto, drives her nuts. He seems to be beyond incompetent and pushing self-help books. Kyoho finds her love of books is failing in this workplace. She’s also underpaid and undervalued and some of the demands of the Japanese publishing world put a strain on her - like having to buy so many books for her store to win a bonus at the end of the year! When she finds a book, The One and Only Eden, her viewpoint on life and people changes.

This is a simple book in a sense - it’s about workplace culture and its dysfunctions. I have worked for so many people in leadership positions who are either incompetent or misplaced in that role. In Kyoho we have someone who understands this and is willing to put in the effort to understand the boss.

There is a lot of wry humor in the telling. Certainly the Japanese publishing and bookstore business seems different from what I see in the US, but that added to the interest and enjoyment of the read.

My thanks to NetGalley and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for granting me access to this ARC.

[Ristretto · Rating 4 out of 5]

How Can My Manager Be So Stupid? is kind of like The Office meets a slice of life story. Funny and relatable, with a cast of endearing characters, we follow Kyoko Tanihara as she struggles to stay in the industry she loves while dealing with an utterly ridiculous manager, eccentric customers, and comical bookish industry drama.

Kyoko’s struggles are so relatable, and I really enjoyed the glimpse into the book selling and publishing industry in Japan. Funny and lighthearted, I loved the cast of characters we encounter and seeing how they grow and their stories all come together. The balance of humor with character moments was just right. There’s also something about it that makes it really easy to visualize; I could totally see this as a movie or TV drama adaptation. (I checked, and while it hasn’t been adapted yet, many of this author’s other works have. Maybe in the future?) I was also delighted to find out there are two other books in the series and am looking forward to reading them!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy. This review was written voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

[Hikari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written as a sequence of short stories, this book builds into a finale around who the identity of various authors are. Each story sees Kyoko in the bookshop, eyerolling through the tediously long morning meetings with her manager (who loves the sound of his own voice) then trying to keep order on the shop floor. There are the difficult customers, customs that no-one will question which just impoverish booksellers and authors on a rant. There's trying to sell a book which is clearly not as good as the author's previous effort. And making everything so much worse is her manager who is guaranteed to put his foot in it several times during the story. But around the bookshop, there's Kyoko's life on a tiny, temporary wage, her dad's restaurant, various folks she meets and Kyoko wondering if she's just wasting her life. Black humour abounds.

Due to the structure of interlinked short stories, there's some repetition when characters are reintroduced but once you've twigged that this is what's going on, you can skim over those sections.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jensen McCorkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

How Can My Manager Be So Stupid is a sharp, satirical look at dysfunctional workplace culture, told through the everyday frustrations of employees dealing with an incompetent boss. The best part is it takes place in the book store and publishing world. The biggest strength is how recognizable everything feels. The book excels at capturing small, specific moments such as pointless meetings, vague instructions and last-minute changes.

What was not as strong for me was the limited character depth. While relatable, most characters aren’t deeply developed. There is also no strong overarching plot or transformation in the book. Everything feels unresolved and because of this becomes a bit repetitious. There is human which I did appreciate and it helped me stay interested.

Overall, How Can My Manager Be So Stupid is great for readers who enjoy dry, observational humor and relatable work place satire. But if you prefer more plot, growth, or deeper character exploration you may be a bit disappointed.

[Samantha H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story that was probably not something I would normally pick up, but felt intrigued by the title (because it is just so relatable). The story follows Kyoko, a contract employee for a small bookstore who is barely scraping by, drowned in unmet potential but clinging to her mediocre job because of a deep seated love for books. The side characters feel straight out of a workplace sitcom, especially our clueless manager who is constantly trying to motivate and inspire (to death). There were time I lost track of the several role model type figures in the story, but I enjoyed the MC's inner monologue and connected with her struggles. There was a slight mystery element around an anonymous author that made the end a bit exciting. I did find Kyoko's arc to feel cut short, as I was sort of longing for a bit more for her, but it didn't bother me significantly. Overall, the pacing was decent, not excessively long, and kept things interesting throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Putnam Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Donna Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

E-ARC generously provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!

In this slice-of-life contemporary novel, we follow along through the eyes of Kyoko Tanihara, a bookstore employee struggling against the odds to survive working at the bookstore while dealing with the odds of everything else. Kyoko easily puts everything into place as she understands it and maintains joy at her job. The discussion of having pride and joy in what you're doing is highlighted throughout the novel, especially as she is barely hanging on amid the booksellers', manager's, and customers' antics. It can be easy to relate to her struggles in the everyday working problems she presents. The humor woven throughout the book was great and amusing, relatable. The others did sparkle a bit in uniqueness as they developed their own worries and personalities in their own individual way. Overall, this book was a fantastic read into the mind of a worker struggling but still sharing our same worries about our own job.

[Krystelle (based on the novel by Stephen King) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This is a really sweet book in its own little way. It’s got so much heart to it, and I found myself enjoying the insight into the world of the main character as well as the world of book selling in Japan (which I didn’t realise was quite as intricate as it was!).

I had a lot of fun with the world of the bookstore. Kyoko was a perfect vessel for the story that was being told, and I loved being in her head. She seemed pragmatic and she was just a fun voice to follow.

Yamamoto was an eye-roll worthy dude, but he was also somewhat endearing. I enjoyed reading about all her friendships and her life outside work too. I understood the feeling that she had about work being her whole world- sometimes it really does feel that way.

The twist at the end, whilst a little predictable, was also super wholesome, so that was lovely as well. I just felt like this book was a lovely little hug in a big bundle of more serious work at the moment, and I really enjoyed it!

[Ritwika M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 4.2 / 5

* Slice of life satire set in a Japanese Bookshop
* Secretive author identities and publishing plot twists
* View into Japanese bookselling & publishing life

I really enjoyed this book especially since Kichijoji was one of my favorite places in Tokyo! The insider scoop on the troubles and idiosyncrasies of bookselling & publishing was very interesting and fun to learn as an avid reader. At the heart, this is for die hard book-lovers, those of us who prioritize reading and stories above most other things and I felt so seen in that. I liked that it was realistic and steady, but left room for hope and growth.

The one thing is it might be worth creating a log of the character names with a short description while reading. As someone not familiar with Japanese names, I often lost track or got characters confused which became a big detriment as the story went on.

Thank you to Putnam & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are mine

[Cheer is Currently Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

HOW CAN MY MANAGER BE SO STUPID?
RATING: 4
GENRE: Translated fiction

How Can My Manager Be So Stupid is a slice of life Japanese book that is about bookseller Kyoko Tanhiara, whose passion in life is books. The book follows Kyoko and the slew of characters she encounters in her life from rude customers, arrogant authors, and her fellow coworkers.

The book is lighthearted and an easy read. I particularly enjoy Kyoko’s commentary on the people she meets and her opinions of them. Though at times, Kyoko can be a bit standoffish, she displays genuine love for books and wants to make sure good literature is shared to everyone.

If you enjoy day-to-day interactions with coworkers and books set in bookstores, this book is for you. Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam and Sons for an ARC of this book. It was a refreshing and comical read to get me through the week.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for the e-ARC!

Ah, I’m absolutely weak in the knees for books about libraries and bookstores. There’s something inherently romantic about the idea of working surrounded by books, and How Can My Manager Be So Stupid was a fun reminder that even the dreamiest jobs are, well… still jobs.
I particularly enjoyed getting a glimpse into Japan’s bookselling and literary culture, where bookseller recommendations and reviews seem to carry considerably more weight than they do in many other places.

The book also has some genuinely amusing moments, and overall it’s an easy, lighthearted read. My only reservation is that I wanted more heart. I generally love slice-of-life stories, but my favourites tend to make me feel deeply invested in the characters alongside the everyday observations and humour.

[Emily Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most fun part about this book is the glimpse into Japanese culture. It seems like over there a bookseller's recommendation is meaningful and can actually drive sales. I don't think it moves the needle on sales in the same way here in the U.S. I also found it fascinating that even though I thought Japan had a very communal face-saving culture that is all about respecting others, the booksellers still have to put up with rude customers scolding them. Is retail the same everywhere?!

One thing I found frustrating about the book is that the author dislikes her job but is doing nothing about it. She's not job-hunting or job-training, or fighting back in any way. This is frustrating in a protagonist. However, I have met several people like this in real life, so it's not an improper characterization, just hard to read about.

[Paula W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to G. P. Putnam’s Sons and Edelweiss for the digital review copy of How Can My Manager Be So Stupid? Their generosity did not influence my review.

The book cover, depicting a bookshop employee slumped over a shelf, perfectly sets expectations for this quick, straightforward read. While it lacks the narrative complexity or depth that heavy fiction readers might crave, it serves its purpose well as a breezy, low-stakes escape. If you are looking for a simple beach read, a quick café companion, or a palate cleanser between those long series I know some of you guys are reading, this book fits the bill. It is an accessible, one-day read that offers entertainment without making you ponder heavy real-world issues. 2.5 stars

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyoko is an employee at a book store and she has the most infuriating boss imaginable. I can relate to her so much as it feels like her boss just has no brain cells and does the most insufferable things. It can definitely be hard to thrive in a work place that puts you in such a mind set.

One day, her mind changes a bit when she discovers a book that puts a new perspective on things. Maybe there is a reason her boss is the way he is even if it seems to annoy her constantly. This was a cute slice of life book, and while the pacing did feel a bit slower at times, I enjoyed it overall. Thank you to Netgalley, Putnam, and author for an ARC of this book.

[Madeline Church · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! How Can My Manager Be So Stupid? is a translated, satirical piece. I love Japanese literature, but this one did not completely wow me. I think that the translation was done well. The humor that Kazumasa Hayami had in the work was definitely brought into English very well. It is definitely a relatable piece in some aspects for everyone. You are focused in on the character, rather than the plot. I do really like this type of story, especially when it's short.

Thank you NetGalley, Putnam, & Kazumasa Hayami for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. How Can My Manager Be So Stupid? is released on September 3, 2026!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be very interesting. I think it tackled some hard topics in the publishing industry, expectations of women, and feeling stuck. This is a character-driven story, which I enjoy. I felt like Kyoko Tanihara was still not sure what she wanted. I did like that we got to see her connecting with more people around her. The relationship with her dad was nice. This was a slice-of-life kind of book. I did want more from Kyoko Tanihara's story. But overall, it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kazumasa Hayami, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up for the workplace satire and “my manager is an idiot” energy, and there were definitely moments that made me laugh or feel painfully relatable.

The pacing was a bit uneven for me and I did skim at parts, but I still enjoyed the bookstore setting and the reflections on reading, burnout, and work culture.

This is definitely more of a quiet, character-driven story than a fast-moving plot, but if you like reflective Japanese fiction with bookshop vibes and a frustratingly realistic workplace, this one will probably work really well for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC !!!

[Britt | Britt Reads A Little · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had so much fun with this book and the direction it went. I loved the mundane look inside of a bookseller's day and how serious the role of bookseller is in this culture. I loved The Office-esque style of the plot and the main character, how much the manager read like Michael Scott. This book had a lot of heart and interesting characters that I enjoyed reading about. I just had a really nice time with this book. It's a true love letter to bookselling and bookstores.

If you want to work in a bookstore but can't for whatever reason, this book will honestly only make that feel worse (compliment).

Thank you Netgalley, GP Putnam's Sons, and Penguin Random House for the ARC of this book!

[Helen Wu ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A surprisingly relatable book about bad managers, workplace frustration, feeling stuck, and loving your work while questioning everything around it. My biggest takeaway: frustration can tell us something is wrong, but it can also become the lens through which we judge everyone else. Sometimes the harder question isn’t “Why are they like this?” but “What can I actually control or change?” I don’t think I fully appreciated this one because I’m deep in a book slump, so I’m keeping it on my reread list for when my reading brain comes back to life. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the advance copy!

[Tiffany (areyoutellingstories) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found Kyoko to be relatable in the sense of feeling stuck and that your job and perhaps life in general is kind of worthless. The story did keep me turning the pages, but I found it hard to fully connect with. Maybe it was something lost in translation, but it felt contradictory when it was mentioned several times that Kyoko was an admired reviewer because she was honest with her opinions but when presented the opportunity to do just that she cowed. Again, it's probably my own misunderstanding but I didn't really grasp what it was trying to tell me with the ending either. For those looking for a mild palate cleanser and a book with mild drama, this is an easy light read.

[Peony · Rating 5 out of 5]

thankyou to the publisher and netgalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was brilliant! the main character was fun, absoluetly fed up with retail and anyone who has worked in a store (any store not just a bookstore), will absolutely understand her and her want to just quit.
I loved the overall plot and the character of the manager was an absolutely comic character because who hasnt had a stupid manager before.
what i also loved is that every chapter had a brilliant and hilarious ending making me want to get to the next one so that i coudl have the next great moment.
i hope they translate more from this author.

[Kailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fun story about a bookseller and the people she interacts with in the publishing world. As a corporate girlie, I felt I could relate to a lot of these complaints! The story was told in only six chapters so they are rather long, but the comedic moments kept the pacing moving well. There was a reveal that was pretty obvious and an unanswered question (why did everyone keep telling her to wait to quit???) but overall it was a good time.

Recommend to readers that like lit fic, translated works, and job-hating relatability. Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam for the chance to read this early.