Reviews with content warning for Grief - Доки не розкриється брехня

I was an emotional wreck after reading this book. Having read the previous one, I had some idea of what to expect, but I still wasn’t prepared. Once again, the stories, focusing on grief and regret, were incredibly touching. We meet new characters that enter a life-changing journey. Dealing with grief is never easy; it pulls you into the depths of sorrow, making you feel as though you no longer deserve happiness. Climbing out of that hole requires so much strength. It was insightful to see how the characters dealt with their grief and found their strength again.

The story that touched me the most was ‘Mother and Son’. It was a great example of a mother’s fierce love and unwavering support.

“For a parent, a child is a child forever. Never ever expecting anything in return, she was simply a mother who wanted her child to be happy, always, to shower him with love.”

After his mother’s death, her son Yukio doesn’t attend her funeral. At first, it seemed this was because he was angry, but never in a million years would I have guessed the truth. Imagine not being able to attend your own parents’ funeral–horrible.

This serves as an appropriate reminder to never assume other people’s motives; you might just misjudge them. The final story supports this message. When Kiyoshi starts acting strange and distant, his wife assumes the worst–understandably so. He did not realise the impact his behaviour would have on his wife and how she might interpret them in a different way.

“We can never truly see into the hearts of others. When people get lost in their own worries, they can be blind to the feelings of those most important to them.”

We also get to know more about Nagare and Kazu. Now I understand why Kazu is so serious all the time. She has a great character arc in this book though! Nagare has become a dad to a sweet little girl named Miki. She is a handful but brings so much positive energy into their lives. Her character was beautifully written, capturing the essence of a child’s joy: unworried and unapologetic!

I do wonder what the ending means…

Is there a new ghost or is it just another visitor?

Content Warnings

mikathereviewer's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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

3.0

Regarding sadness levels the other book was better. I think I also enjoyed it more. But nevertheless this book was great too.

The first story was the best for me and the whole backstory to it was always something I found interesting and scary at the same time. As someone who has parenrs too, I couldn't imagine getting told when I'm already an adult for a while that I was adopted the whole time. It would give me trust issues. Living in a world believing to have biological parents and then that bubble just pops. Wouldn't trust anything anymore, if that would happen to me.
The second story was interesting too, at first I thought it would be mid, but there was a somewhat plot twist, which made the story a bit more exciting to read about.

I also really liked how the toxic things I mentioned in my first review weren't present here. The relationships seemed healthier this time.

What bothered me a bit about this book was how it was more focused on romance, than the other book. From 4 stories 2 out of them were romance. As someone who rarely reads anything about romance, I had a hard time reading these parts. They didn't feel sad and sometimes a bit boring. I just can't quite emphasise with love stories.

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homestylereads's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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koplomps's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad 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

4.5

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krsb's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring 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

Tales from the Cafe is book two in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series and this one might be my favorite. I think if you want to stop anywhere in this series, you should at least give this one a chance.
Tales from the Cafe does everything the first does but stronger. I feel like this book really solidifies the theme of perseverance and living to be happy in the face of loss. Each of the four customers this time are dealing with a loss of someone in their life. This one is a bit more heavy than the last book, but although the story deals with so much death and grief, it's never suffocating. Each story has a hopeful insight and it's a relaxing read.
What I especially loved was how much this book expands on the history behind the café and the Tokita family. Behind the customers, Kazu and her past are the main focus of this story and really tie it all together. Her growth as a character really shines through especially in the second half of the book. 10/10

Content Warnings

bogbitch's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

‘How much sadder can these tearjerker stories get? I’m immune now’ I thought.

I was wrong, I cried like a baby. Overall, a pleasant read even though it deals with some heavy topics. I like the moral of the story a lot.

Content Warnings

whitne_ey's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? No

4.0

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