It’s always really disappointing when one of your most anticipated releases doesn’t pan out the way you hoped.

The Dallergut Dream Department Store, tells the whimsical story of Penny, as she navigates her new job in a world embedded in the subconscious of us all. Where dreams are manufactured, and each floor of her new place of employment offers a new and diverse set of dreams.

I loved the exploration of trauma and loss found in the dreams, and how to deal with such deep rooted emotions. And I found the story was at its strongest at the beginning during the sub plot. It begins to dive into how God and his disciples needed dreams to connect the past to the present…but unfortunately, that was just the first few pages of the story. After that it shies away from the complexity and ends up in a more mundane storyline. There is no plot or character development, it’s a very simple and cozy read. What really bothered me was having more time with Santa Clause than the original sub plot.

Overall, loved the beginning, lost interest in the middle, and found the ending to be okay. It’s a cozy read and a really interesting concept, the execution just fell flat for me.

Where do I start?
I wanted to love this book. I was excited to read it based off the premise and the beautiful cover design. But I could hardly get through it.
This book felt completely disjointed. Main characters weren't given enough weight, while side characters were talked about for too long. There was hardly a consistent plot through the entire story. It was abruptly sectioned, although that didn't feel like the intention.
My biggest gripe is how amateur the writing felt. I know it was a debut for the author, but I wasn't allowed to think anything for myself because she overly explained every little thing she could've. Some characters had ridiculous names, some had normal names that felt like they belonged to a different world. The world building started off strong, but quickly fell apart with too many inexplainable loopholes. This was a whimsical world, yet familiar faces like Santa Claus and Paul McCartney showed up.
I just wasn't a fan. The premise was so intriguing, but it was too lost on me with how poorly this was written.

I am so happy this book was translated into English. A department store full of dreams? such an interesting concept and it was executed perfectly. It was such a comfort read and see these characters and world interacting with one another was so much fun. I had a lot of fun reading this book

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Dallergut Dream Department Store was, if an experience, similar to floating in a gentle and warm ocean. It was calming and explored ideas about a world where dreams are sold without any driving action or apparent intention, and that was as perfect as meditating through book form.

Penny is the main character, but really it’s more that she’s the vessel through which we meet her coworkers, dream designers, the owner of the store and the patrons of it. I loved the idea behind designed dreams and what would cause a person to look for any specific one, as well as pets (this storyline was so cute). We also are introduced to the idea of those on their deathbeds designing custom dreams for their loved ones and this was so bittersweet.

If you’re drawn to the ideas this book introduces then I’d recommend picking it up. If, on the other hand, you want a lot of action and conflict this may not be for you. But, even as a bit of a palate cleanser, this is well done and refreshing.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a translation of a popular Korean novel. The concept is unique and creative. The story takes place in a parallel reality which is the world people travel to when they are sleeping. We follow a new employee from that world, Penny, as she starts her new job at a dream department store, where people (and animals) go to buy dreams for themselves as they sleep. All the customers are walking around in the pajamas they went to sleep in, and they won’t remember purchasing the dreams, or most of the dreams themselves, after they wake up. Each floor of the store deals with a different type of dream.

The story is very breezy and cute, for the most part. Each chapter deals with a different type of dream or type of customer that Penny, the new employee, is trying to help. As she learns the workings of the dream store, so do we. It reminded very much of Before the Coffee Gets Cold in that way, with each chapter dealing with one contained event or story. The tone is cozy and reassuring, and while there are some sad or troubling issues that come up over the course of the book, it all is handled with a light touch. This would be the perfect book to read a chapter of before bed each night. It reads quickly and easily.

Although it’s cute and creative, it’s so light that I can’t really justify giving it more than three stars. I liked a lot of the concepts in the story, in particular the reasoning behind why nightmares exist, but it felt like less of a story and more of a series of ideas of how dreams could work. There isn’t much plot or character depth, so I didn’t get too invested in the characters. I usually need to fall in love with the characters and/or plot in order to fall in love with the book, and this didn’t have much of either. That said, it was an easy, diverting read that served as a nice break between some darker, heavier stories I was reading at the time. If you need a quick, fun break for more serious books, this is a perfect fit.

This book is one of my fav reads of 2024 !!
It’s soo good
The world building and the characters are top notch
I love the creativity in this book it gave me all the emotions laughing and crying
Would 100% recommend

3.4 stars!

Thank you to Lee Mi-Ye and Hanover Square Press for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

I would like to preface this review with the hilarious fact that I read this amidst one of the worst insomnia episodes I've had in years. Currently wishing I had Dallergut's help to finally get some sleep.

This was interesting, my feelings are pretty mixed. First, the good stuff. The premise and world-building of this little novel are really fun, and especially at the beginning with the Noctiluca I was getting Spirited Away vibes. It is extremely quick and easy to read, which was perfect considering the limited brain cells I currently possess. The stories were very easy to follow, and particularly the dog one really got me teary.

Unfortunately, a lot of the rest of the book was lost on me. I know it's the nature of these cozy, slice-of-life books but this one just had literally no stakes so it was difficult to feel engaged. The characters are all pretty simplistic and don't experience any major character development over the course of the story. It might be a result of the translation, but I found the writing to be very basic. What I want from these types of cozy books are some really striking life lesson and occasionally beautiful writing, but I only have a few highlights because there just wasn't a lot there.

This is a cute, creative book, but in my opinion it's also missing a lot of the elements that would make it really striking and worth reading. I would have loved to just get more description of the world or to dive deeper into the characters. I think if you really love these simple, cozy books like Before the Coffee Gets Cold or What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, then this is worth a try. If you're like me and the genre has been pretty hit-or-miss for you, maybe skip this one.

Happy reading!

This book looked like something I would have enjoyed from what little I got to read of it before "the certificate for this book has expired", which was odd because it said I still had 28 days to read this title. I can't confidently recommend this book as I couldn't read the whole thing.
For now, I'll give it 2 stars. If I get to read the whole thing at some point, I'll update this review.

This was such an inventive and imaginative story. I really found myself wishing this could be real and it was very cozy.

This was a nice slice-of-life story about Penny, the newest employee at the Dallergut Dream Department Store where visitors can purchase dreams. It reminded me of Before the Coffee Gets Cold with its whimsy, magical realism, and heartwarming vignettes. I liked reading about how the department store operates, such as the payment system and what each floor offers; however, while the overall concept is great, it wasn't as well-developed as I had hoped.

Throughout the novel we get glimpses into the actual lives of visitors who purchase dreams, but these snippets felt shallow. We are also introduced to the store managers for each floor, the five legendary dream directors, and others, but I wish their characters had been explored in-depth. It felt like we met them briefly, learned what they do, and then the story moved on to introduce another character or element of the department store.

I wish there was a general theme or overarching narrative to connect all these characters, stories, and situations into something more cohesive. As it stands, this was an easy and imaginative read but it left me wanting more.

This was my first arc read and I absolutely loved this story! It really made me think about why we dream and I love the world they built around this concept!! Highly recommend

Very interesting book, reminded of Clpud Atlas had a baby with the Goonies. Fun, smart, and interesting ending.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Dallergut Dream Department Store follows Penny, a new employee at a store where customers come when they fall asleep to purchase dreams. We follow Penny as she encounters different customers and dream makers and realizes the impact dreams have on the lives of customers.
Stories like that are usually hit or miss for me. The idea was interesting but I feel like the execution could have been better, especially with dreams being at the center of the story. I had trouble connecting with the characters, maybe because the story felt too short or because they lacked depth, or both. I don’t know if it’s because of the translation or if the author’s writing is this way but it felt bland and almost robotic at times.
Overall the book is still an easy read and is cut into several stories of people and the dream that suits them for the situation. I give it 3 stars because I still enjoyed it and the world the author created has potential. I don’t know if it will have a sequel or not, if it does, I might pick it up out of curiosity.

This was a dream (ha!) of a book, which feels like that warm, welcoming space of sleep right before you wake up. There's not much plot, and it's more like a slice-of-life story where the reader slowly learns more about this fascinating dream world that Miye Lee has created, which we see through the eyes of Penny, the newest employee of the Dallergut Dream Department Store. It's whimsical, sometimes sad, but always hopeful with the message that whatever we need, we will find in our dreams, eventually. I just wish that there was a little more connecting plot to string the different chapter/stories together, but still a delightful and calming read.

The chapter with the grandmom was my favorite part of this story! I've heard about this title before and am so lucky to read the translated copy this early. It did not disappoint and I can see why it sold so many copies in Korea.

We all dream (or at least I'd say it's safe to say we do), but imagine if you could pick what dream you have? This is like a step or two below lucid dreaming, but just imagine. The Dallergut Dream Department Store explores such a world and weaves stories of customers alongside stories of coworkers and out main character, Penny in a heartwarming tale. In such a short story, characters felt vivid and as the translator mentioned in her afterword, I think this story would lend really well to an animated adaptation. The story gave off such a unique and whimsical flow that reminded me of the movie "The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl," which is based on the book by Tomihiko Morimi.

I really enjoyed this read and will definitely pick it up to reread and share with friends.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Puublishing for the DRC and please someone, make this into a movie or a short animated series.

The Dallergut Dream Department Store is a translated work of a Korean bestseller and it did not disappoint.  I LOVED this book. It was whimsical, cozy, fantastical, and unique. The premise of the book is that there is a separate dream world you go to when asleep, where dreams are for purchase. Penny, who resides in the dream world, begins working at the premiere dream emporium: the Dallergut Dream Department Store.

Penny is a wonderful character to follow as she learns about the world of selling dreams. She acts as a proxy for the reader, and we experience her confusion, wonder, and excitement. I loved all the different dreams and dreamers we got to learn about: from nightmares, to dreams of loved ones who have passed, to dreams of living another's life. All of the little vignettes evoked such strong emotions.

This book could be described as a fantastical slice-of-life story. World-building and character development take precedence, while the plot feels very ethereal. The story meanders like a stream and made for a perfect beach read for me. The comp to a Studio Ghibli film is spot-on.

I was pleasantly surprised by the use of folklore in the story to explain how the dream world came to be. I loved learning about the three brothers and seeing their descendants woven throughout the book.

One thing I noticed was the grammar tenses seemed a bit interesting. I appreciated the following note from the translator and think it would be helpful to include in the beginning of the book: "As for the rules, I found it satisfying to use the present tense for the dream world and the past tense for the real world. It distinguishes between the two, but I also think the present tense conveys a fantastical nature of the dream world that transcends time and memory."

Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend!

Thank you @htp_hive @htpbooks #partner for the opportunity to read this one.

A whimsical little store that sells dreams?! Umm hello! Where to I sign up?! Extra bonus this one is translated from Korea and I am telling you the description alone being as unique as it is, is why I grabbed this one!

People gather to this department store in their pajamas ready for a restful slumber. Each floor reveals a new type of dream made possible tied into your past, wants, desires, nightmares, struggles or really any experience you’ve already encountered before. Penny is hired as a new employee to hand out dreams and when an important one is stolen she feels she must uncover clues to find out just who did this!

This was such a unique, playful and magical book. The author has created a one of a kind idea that really brought joy to my day! It honestly made me think about what sort of dream and experience I would want to order! The themes in this book were very simple but so impactful about every day life. The atmosphere and visual elements of this book were fantastic and I was so excited to see this one is actually a part of a duology. Thank you Miye Lee for writing such a heartwarming warm hug of a book!

4.5 stars

Set in a whimsical town hidden in the collective subconscious. The Dallergut Dream Department Store is open 24/7 to sleepy humans and animals alike to buy their desired dreams. Patrons can purchase custom dreams, paralysis dreams, nightmares, and precognitive dreams that give you a glimpse of your future.
Payments for these dreams are fulfilled once the customer feels an emotion after they’ve slept. I loved this book so much that I felt transported into this magical town with its sleepy patrons. I’ve always found dreams to be intriguing as we spend a third of our lives sleeping. Miye Lee took me on a journey through dreams that were filled with love, anguish, and heartache, and in the end, I cried. I found this book poignant and moving. I’ll never forget the employees and patrons of The Dallergut Dream Department Store. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated by dreams.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC

This book was adorable. Super calm, cozy, relaxing, and meaningful. I loved the underlying messages and all the heart. It was very, very good. And the cover is adorable!

This book is exactly what my heart needed. Fantastical, whimsical, sweet, and sincere. A lovable cast of characters working at this dream store paved the way for an equally lovable book!