Audacity Book Club: April Read

By Nic Daniels

Happy April, audacious readers!

Hope everyone is feeling lighter and brighter as we move into spring. Last month, we got our chance for some introspection with Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri. Now in the year of the 2’s, it’s only right that we read a sequel! This month we are reading Tales From the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi.

If you recall our December 2021 book of the month was Before the Coffee Gets Cold, the first book in this series. Both novels take place in a café tucked away in a corner of Tokyo with the special ability to send its customers back in time. Now, of course, this comes with some very strict and quirky rules including how you must sit in a specific seat, you can’t leave the café, and you must return to the present before the coffee gets cold.

We see some familiar faces from the first book like the ever-stoic barista, Kazu, and kind-hearted café owner, Nagare. However, we’re also introduced to brand new characters & stories about four men doing their best to make up for the mistakes of their past. One wants to fix a white lie he told his daughter; another wants one last conversation with his mother, one goes to the future to see a lover, and another gives one last gift to his wife.

Tales From the Café is another heartfelt set of stories from Kawaguchi that keeps the theme of forgiveness and moving on. This book is available wherever all books are sold as well as your local library. Special thank you to Harper Collins for sending us this wonderful tale. I hope you enjoy it and make sure to check out the full review at the end of the month.

See you soon! And until then, don’t forget to read audaciously.